082220 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

AUGUST 22-25, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 66 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages

USA

DATELINE Gov. Newsom signs bill requiring CSU students to take an ethnic studies class FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

AB 1460 overrules similar requirement set by CSU Board of Trustees

Fil-Am supporters ready to join Biden in ‘battle for the soul of the nation’

by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

AFTER a four-day virtual Democratic National Convention that ended with former Vice President Joe Biden officially accepting the party’s nomina-

tion, Filipino American Democrats across the country are ready to fight the “battle for the soul of the nation.”

Speaking from the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware on Thursday night, August 20, Biden made his case for what the United States would look

DFA notes fewer new infections among overseas Filipinos

CALIFORNIA Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill that requires undergraduate students of the California State University (CSU) system — the largest public university system in the United States — to take an ethnic studies course to graduate.

Students who will be graduating in the 202425 school year will be required to take at least one three-unit class on any of the “four historically defined racialized core groups,” being Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, or Latino Americans.

“Studies have found that both students of color and white students benefit academically as well as socially from taking ethnic studies courses.

Ethnic studies courses play an important role in building an inclusive multicultural democracy,” reads the bill.

The bill, AB 1460, was authored by Assemblymember Shirley Weber who has worked at the university system’s San Diego State Univeru PAGE A2

Filipina American activist Amy Agbayani represents Hawaii during DNC roll call CELEBRATED Pinay activist and professor Amy Agbayani represented the Aloha State during the state roll call on the second day of the 2020 Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, Aug. 18 Agbayani, an immigrant from the Philippines, announced the final Democratic delegate vote from the state: 23 for former Vice President Joe Biden and nine for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

“I came from the Philippines to Hawai’i, the land of indigenous native Hawai’ians,“ Agbayani, 77, said. “Today, I want to speak to my fellow immigrants, to the essential workers on the front lines, to the service members who wear our flag, to the parents with big dreams for their children.”

“No matter where we came from, immigrants belong in our country’s long fight for justice. We belong in the America we are building together.”

It’s no wonder Agbayani was chosen to repu PAGE A3

like under his leadership, as he would be tasked to lead the country out of “a season of darkness.”

The priorities include managing and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as tackling the heightened issues Americans have faced in reu PAGE A2

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

HAIRCUT. Barbers wear protective suits and face masks while one of them gives a haircut to a customer at their shop at Barangay Kamuning, Quezon City on Thursday, August 20. Barbershops and salons may operate provided that they comply with the minimum health standards such as physical distancing, among others.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

TWO additional cases of the novel coronavirus among Filipinos abroad have been recorded by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday, August 21.

This brings the official count of infections to 9,975.

The agency did not record any new fatalities or recoveries.

As of this writing, the death toll stands at 733 while the total number of recoveries remain at 5,869.

Filipinos currently undergoing treatment are tallied at 3,373.

“Similar to yesterday’s report, only two countries in the Americas and Asia and the Pacific have confirmed new COVID-19 cases among Filipinos abroad today.

No new recoveries and no new fatalities were recorded,” the DFA said.

“Meanwhile, the number of DOH verified cases is now at 1,907, with 8 new cases from Europe and Asia and the Pacific,” it added. u PAGE A4

Ressa denied permission to travel to US for documentary release, press freedom award

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

RAPPLER co-founder and CEO Maria Ressa’s motion to travel to the United States has been denied by the Philippine Court of Appeals (CA).

The Special 14th Division said Ressa failed to prove that her travel to the U.S. was “necessary and urgent.”

“In view of Ressa’s failure to prove that her travel to the United States of America is necessary and urgent, there is no basis to grant her motion,” the resolution released on Tuesday, August 18 said.

“Premises considered, Maria A. Ressa’s Very Urgent Motion for Permission to Travel Abroad is Denied,” it added.

Ressa sought permission to travel abroad for the theatrical release and panel discussions for the documentary “A Thousand Cuts” from Aug. 1 to 31, and to receive the 2020 International Press Freedom Award on Aug. 24 from the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. She said she would have returned to the Philippines on September 19.

The appeals court, however, said: “Other than her brief narration, she has

u PAGE A4

Rappler founder and chief executive officer Maria Ressa Philstar.com photo by Miguel de Guzman

US funds $37.5-M project for out-of-school youth in PH PH House subcommittee

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

AROUND 180,000 young Filipinos out of school will be supported with a new P1.9 billion ($37.5 million) educational and employment program funded by the United States government, the U.S. Embassy in Manila announced Wednesday, August 19.

The Opportunity 2.0: Secondchance Opportunities for Out-ofschool Youth is a five-year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Technical EduPhilippine Education Secretary Leonor Briones, NEDA Director General Isidro Lapeñ,a and U.S. cation and Skills Development Ambassador Sung Kim join more than 500 participants from across the country for the launch of USAID’s Opportunity 2.0 project.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Manila Authority (TESDA).

The project aims to augment ongoing programs such as DepEd’s enhanced Alternative Learning System and TESDA’s skills training programs to provide relevant education, employability skills, and work experience, the U.S. Embassy said.

The program was launched on Wednesday and featured U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones, and TESDA Director-General Isidro Lapeña. Over 500 participants from across the country joined the virtual event.

“Through this new partnership, we can leverage a range of resources to maximize the potential of the Filipino youth, particuu PAGE A4

approves ‘Eddie Garcia Bill’

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

A MEASURE seeking to institute workplace safety protocols for television and movie productions was recently approved by the Philippine House subcommittee on labor standards.

The Actors Occupational Safety and Health Standard Bill, or the “Eddie Garcia Bill,” aims to avoid any more accidents, especially ones that could lead to death, like what happened to veteran actor Eddie Garcia last year.

1-Pacman Partylist Rep. Mike Romero, Garcia’s stepson and

one of the co-authors of the bill, thanked his colleagues for passing the measure.

Romero said he is expecting the bill’s “swift and prudent approval at committee and later on second and third readings at the soonest.”

“The Eddie Garcia bill assumes even greater importance and significance now given the workplace safety issues that have come with the COVID-19 pandemic,” Romero said Wednesday, August 19.

“Workers and employers throughout the creative indusu PAGE A3

A August 22-25, 2020 • LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

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From the Front Page

Gov. Newsom signs bill requiring CSU students...

PAGE A1 t

sity since 1972, and is chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus.

Weber called the signing of the bill “great news” on Twitter.

“This bill reflects 50 years of student, faculty, and community advocacy for curriculum reflective of and responsive to our diverse state,” tweeted Weber.

Also praising the bill’s signing was the California Faculty Association (CFA), a labor union that represents about 29,000 CSU faculty, coaches, counselors, and librarians.

“Governor Newsom, by signing AB 1460, has demonstrated his understanding of the power of a true Ethnic Studies graduation requirement to change people’s lives and to change the racial trajectory this state and country are on,” wrote CFA President Charles Toombs.

“Moreover, Governor Newsom, unlike so many others, has listened to and really heard the voices and lens of Ethnic Studies faculty, stu-

dents, and the community. I applaud this leadership,” Toombs added.

The new requirement overrides a similar, but broader, requirement made by the CSU Board of Trustees in July that received a lot of criticism from professors, activists, and organizations like the CFA and the CSU Council of Ethnic Studies.

The Board of Trustees’ “Ethnic and Social Justice” requirement allowed students to fulfill the graduation requirement without having to actually take an ethnic studies course, which critics said diluted the requirement’s impact.

Tracy Lachica Buenavista, a FilAm professor at California State University Northridge’s (CSUN) Department of Asian American Studies told the Asian Journal that before AB 1460’s passing, the Board of Trustees failed to consult with ethnic studies advocates like the CSU Council of Ethnic Studies was further troubling.

“One should question an Ethnic Studies and Social Justice require-

ment that is largely favored by white decision-makers but largely opposed by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) constituents,” said Buenavista.

Melanie Sabado-Liwag, a FilAm public health professor at Cal State LA’s Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services, previously told the Asian Journal ahead of AB 1460 that from a public health perspective, an Ethnic Studies course requirement “brings value.”

“But I think that whoever’s teaching the course needs to show, explain, and drive the importance of how this impacts the person,” added Sabado-Liwag.

The CSU system had 481,929 undergraduate enrollments across its 23 campuses and two off-campus centers for its Fall 2019 school year.

According to its website, 38% of all California’s undergraduate Asian and Asian American students receive their bachelor’s degrees from the CSU. (Rae Ann Varona / AJPress)

Fil-Am supporters ready to join...

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cent months, such as the racial injustice reckoning and economic downturn.

“Here and now I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I’ll be an ally of the light, not the darkness,” the 77-year-old Biden said.

“Make no mistake, united we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America.”

Though running as a Democrat, he vowed to be an “American president” for all regardless of political affiliation.

“I will work as hard for those who didn’t support me as I will for those who did,” the former vice president continued. “That’s the job of a president. To represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan moment. This must be an American moment.”

“Filipino Americans for BidenHarris,” a national, multigenerational group of volunteers and supporters, virtually gathered for a post-convention party and to outline their plans leading to November 3rd. Among the participants included prominent Fil-Am Democratic leaders and convention delegates from across the country.

Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, whose maternal grandfather was of Filipino ancestry, said that after hearing Biden and his running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, the work now continues to ensure they get elected to office.

“We heard a new vision articulated by the next president of the United States, saying what all Filipinos want. They want some-

Filipino Americans for Biden-Harris gathered following the fourth and final night of the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, August 20 and shared their game plan for the next 70 days leading up to the election.

body who can bring the country together, who can protect health care and improve education, promote a fair justice system, reform the economy for everybody, not just the top 1% and corporations…” Scott said.

Rep. TJ Cox, who narrowly won the seat for California’s 21st District in 2018, understands how every vote counts in heated races.

“We’ve got so much work to do to bring back that promise of America…,” Cox said, adding “And our Filipino community is going to be central to those efforts…we’re going to be key to rebuilding America and creating the jobs that all Americans know we’re going to need as we continue to get back on our feet. We all know immigrants and Filipinos get the job done.”

Gina Ortiz-Jones, an Iraq War veteran who is running again for Texas’ 23rd District in hopes of being the first Filipina American in the U.S. Congress, said that though a lot is at stake, “it is clear what is possible if we have leaders that think everybody should be treated equally under the law.”

Though Juslyn Manalo, vice mayor for Daly City, California, was a convention delegate for Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, she said she is throwing her support behind the Biden-Harris ticket.

“I am truly inspired from this convention and we know that all Rep. TJ Cox of California shared why November’s election is an opportunity for Filipino Americans of us need to come together because this election is extremely to make their voices heard.

detrimental to our communities…” Manalo said. “The very issues we care about in our community, such as education, health care, jobs, climate change and social justice [have] been on the back burner with this current administration.”

The path forward With the election less than three months away, Biden-Harris supporters recognize the urgency in getting out the vote, despite the pandemic preventing traditional campaign efforts.

“Our focus is on registering Filipino voters, increasing the awareness of the Biden-Harris ticket, [and] educating our community in a multi-language and multi-generational [approach],” Vida Benavides, an advisor for Fil-Ams for Biden, said, adding that a lot of the work will be done in battleground states.

Next week, the Republican National Convention kicks off in Charlotte, North Carolina, where President Donald Trump will be renominated as the party’s candidate. The Fil-Ams for Biden group said they will be releasing rapid responses to the points made and honing down on the messaging that aligns with the Democratic Party’s platform.

“We have the team ready of making sure we have the right information…The misinformation campaign that has already been started, what’s going on with the Post Office, there’s going to be a lot of that, so our goal is to stick with the truth and the facts,” Benavides said. n

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Dateline USa

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A

AAPI legal experts urge Californians to vote yes on affirmative action measure

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

ThIS election, California voters will be voting on a ballot measure that, if passed, would repeal a 1996 bill that prohibits affirmative action.

Known as the California Civil Rights Initiative, Prop 209 prohibited state-sanctioned institutions, like the University of California system, from considering race, sex, ethnicity in the areas of hiring, public education admission and public contracting.

In other words, it put in place “race-neutral” policies QC DAY. A gardener crosses the chain barrier in front of President Manuel Quezon’s Monument at the Quezon City Memorial Circle, Diliman, by eliminating the use of affirQuezon City on Wednesday, August 19 as wreaths of flowers are laid in the area to mark the late chief executive’s 142nd year birth anniversary. mative action, guidelines that Quezon is also known as the Father of the Filipino language.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler are “intended to end and correct the effects of a specific form of discrimination,” according to the Oxford handbook of Practical Ethics.

PAGE A1 t But many proponents for affirmative action argue that the resent hawai’i given her life-long term “race neutral” in regards dedication to civil rights and fair to hiring and admissions is a treatment of Filipino immigrants. misnomer meant to discrimi“Manang Amy is our Rosa nate against women, people Parks,” a student told the Fil-Am of color and other historically Courier in 2017 following her redisenfranchised communities. tirement.

“The truth is: when you Born in the Philippines to a claim to be ‘race neutral’ or to school teacher and diplomat, Ag‘not see race’ you simply valibayani received a degree in podate a status quo that is built litical science from the University on the oppression of people of of the Philippines. She immigratcolor,” Los Angeles City Couned to hawaii in 1964 and earned Amy Agbayani her Ph.D. at the University of as a campaign manager and was in our state that don’t get the rec- cilmember David Ryu said in hawai’i, where she participated even appointed to the Judicial Se- ognition that they should have a virtual press conference on in sit-ins and protests during the lection Committee by then-Gov. [gotten].” (Klarize Medenilla/AJ- Tuesday, Aug. 19.

The press conference, hostPress) Ben Cayetano of hawaii. civil rights era.

“She became really the symUnderstanding her privileged background, she started to notice bol of civil rights in the State of in the mid-1960s, when the 1965 hawaii. She can be very charmImmigration and Nationality Act ing when she’s telling you that led to an influx of Filipino immi- you’re messing up,” said former grants, that Filipino youth were hawaii Gov. John Waihee. “She’s bullied for lack of English profi- one of those many unsung heroes ciency.

She kickstarted Operation Manong at the University of hawaii, the first-of-its-kind diversity outreach program in which university students mentored immigrant children. The program expanded to reaching out to underrepresented communities to encourage school-aged children to attend college.

Securing funding for the program proved to be a difficult task, but Agbayani and other Filipino educators pushed for it, even threatening to sue the hawaii The Southern California ReDept. of Education.

“We really had to deal with gional Rail Authority (SCRRA) policy and make changes in the is seeking bids for new maintepublic schools to make sure [the nance of way equipment- RailDept. of Education] didn’t blame road Production and Switch the kids all the time,” Agbayani Tamper and Dynamic Track told honolulu Civil Beat in 2017, Stabilizer. Upon award, a puradding that the department often chase order will be issued for blamed immigrant children for the goods included in the solicitation. their lack of ambition.

Beginning August 12, 2020 Since the 1960s, Agbayani built herself into a formidable Invitations for Bid (IFB) may figure in hawaiian politics, be- be obtained via download from friending then-U.S. Rep Patsy SCRRA’s website at http:// Mink in 1975. She then served www.metrolinktrains.com/ agency/page/title/doing_business. Electronic bids must be submitted online at http://www. metrolinktrains.com/agency/ page/title/doing_business on or before 2:00 PM Local Time on August 27, 2020. Electronic bids will not be received after this date and time.

The Contract to be awarded PAGE A1 t will be subject to a financial assistance agreement between Authority and U.S. Department of Transportation under grants issued by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

As a condition of financial assistance agreements between the Authority and U.S. DOT, the Authority has established a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program and overall DBE goal in accordance with Title 49 CFR, Part 26. Authority’s overall DBE goal for the current Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) is twelve percent (12%).

The Authority has not set a Eddie Garcia GMA photo contract-specific DBE participation goal for this U.S. DOTtries can gain much from imple- assisted project, but bidders menting this measure when it is are encouraged to afford DBEs finally enacted into law. Safety every opportunity to compete first must be the rule not just in for and participate on this U.S. the construction and engineering DOT-assisted contract. fields, but in all career sectors, inSCRRA does not discriminate cluding the creative industries,” against, or provide preferential he added. treatment to any individual The Eddie Garcia Bill will pro- or group on the basis of race, vide: 1. Mandatory actors and color, ethnicity, age over 40, production insurance; 2. Specific religion, sex, national origin, working hours for a) below 18 ancestry, physical disability, years old, b) 18-59 years old and disability including AIDS, menc) 60 years old and above (senior tal condition, cancer-related citizen); 3. Medical and safety medical condition, political afprocedures on the production set filiation, sexual orientation, or and within its area of responsi- marital status in its Contracting bility; 4. Mandatory installation activities. of safety officers within its area Questions regarding this of responsibility; 5. Emergency procurement should be submitstandards and procedures; and ted via the Online Q&A Module 6. Penalties and liabilities for vio- of this listing at http://www. lation. metrolinktrains.com/agency/ “The Eddie Garcia Bill would page/title/doing_business no be the lasting legacy my stepfa- later than 2:00 PM Local Time ther will leave for all Filipinos,” on August 18, 2020.

Romero said.

For further information conGarcia on June 8, 2019 tripped tact Lisa Loftin, Special Servicon cable wires while taping a es Employee at 213-452-0329 scene for a GMA-7 television or email loftinl@scrra.net. series in Tondo, Manila. he re8/22/20 mained in a coma for nearly two CNS-3389548# weeks before he died on June 20 ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.) at the age of 90. n

Filipina American activist Amy Agbayani...

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY IFB NO. EP203R-21 Purchase of Maintenance of Way Equipment

PH House subcommittee approves...

ed by civil rights and legal organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice - LA, brought together a host of affirmative action advocates to encourage voters to vote yes on Prop 16. historically, the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community has had a mixed relationship with affirmative action.

While many Asian Americans support affirmative action to redress historically systemic racism, many API groups oppose the guideline, pointing to the possible gutting of overall high acceptance rates among academically excellent Asian students, especially in the Ivy League and other prestigious college institutions, The Trump administration, through the U.S. Department of Justice, threatened legal action against Yale University with the claim that affirmative action in its admissions discriminates against white and Asian students, as reported by the Asian Journal.

Additionally, critics of affirmative action fear that college admissions offices might utilize racial quotas in an attempt to satisfy diversity requirements.

But Ryu, who is Korean American, said that the attempt was “yet another pathetic attempt to drive a wedge between the AAPI community and other com-

munities of color.”

The notion that affirmative action hurts the API community erases the real concerns that many Asian groups face when applying for college or jobs. The model minority myth that plays on the stereotype that the entire API community is generally well-off and high achieving is often a farce used to play up an assumed, and often false, adjacency to privilege and, by extension, whiteness, many of the speakers noted.

It ignores the plight of the thousands of API immigrants who still struggle to find employment, education or public programs due to their limited English skills and the lack of outreach among government agencies, employers and school admissions.

According to Advancing Justice-LA, the influx of Asian immigrants in the latter half of the 20th century led to the gradual increase of enrollment rate at prestigious colleges that do implement some form of affirmative action, welcoming a wider variety of Asian students than ever before.

Aquilina Soriano Versoza, executive director of the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), pointed out the inequalities that APIs face in the whitecollar workforce and that affirmative action helps to “adu PAGE A4

A August 22-25, 2020 • LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

DFA notes fewer new infections...

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Overall by region, Europe — which comprises 18 countries — has recorded 1,156 Filipino cases, including 501 undergoing treatment, 560 recoveries and 95 deaths.

The Middle East and Africa, covering 27 countries, has reported 6,927 cases; of which, 2,350 are undergoing treatment, 452 deaths and 4,125 recoveries.

The Asia Pacific region, which spans across 20 countries, has

1,100 cases, with 362 undergoing treatment, 730 recoveries, and eight deaths.

The Americas — covering seven countries like the United States — have 792 reported cases, with 160 undergoing treatment, 454 recoveries, and 178 deaths.

The DFA urged the Filipinos abroad to cooperate with their host governments amid the pandemic. “Echoing President Duterte’s message today in commemora-

Dateline USa

larly those who are out-of-school or unemployed. With the right knowledge, attitudes, and skills, they will play a pivotal role in this great country’s growth and success over the long-term,� Kim said.

USAID will partner with local governments in 12 cities across the country to set up Youth Development Alliances which will mobilize resources to help their out-of-school youth.

The project will also work with over 2,200 employers and at least 50 education or training institutions, including major hubs like Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Davao.

The program is implemented by the U.S.-based Education Development Center, with partners Accenture, Philippine Business for Education, Catholic Relief Services, Voluntary Services Overseas, and SEAMEO-Innotech.

Briones, for her part, said Op-

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Ressa denied permission to travel to US...

tion of Ninoy Aquino Day, the PAGE A1 t Department of Foreign Affairs, not presented further evidence together with its Foreign Service to warrant her physical presPosts, calls on Filipino nationals ence at the theatrical release across the globe to cooperate and in the panel discussions of and work with host governments the documentary ‘A Thousand and local health authorities in Cuts.’� order to keep themselves, their “There is also no sufficient families, and communities safe,� evidence to justify her intention the agency said. to personally receive the award “May our hopes, aspirations, from the National Press Club. and values as a community and To reiterate, Ressa bears the a nation keep us united as we burden of proving that her incontinue to battle against this tended travel is necessary and pandemic,� it added. n urgent,� it added.

The CA also pointed out that Ressa could use video conferencing and other technological applications as she has been doing to accommodate foreign portunity 2.0 is “very important interviews and join internationespecially for parents who have al conferences. lost their jobs and workers who “While the Constitution guarused to attend ALS sessions are antees the freedom of movenot able to do so anymore.� “Parents cannot send their children to school. Preparing our learners as alternatives (sic) to formal education, givPAGE A3 t ing them skills, preparing them to prepare for the world outside dress structural inequalities will surely contribute to the re- and discrimination faced by suscitation of our economy,� Asian Americans in the workplace.� she added. n “These inequalities show themselves as lower eagles and a bamboo ceiling that Asian Americans hit when being considered for leadership positions,� Soriano Versoza OVER 17 YEARS said, noting that second-generation Asian Americans with college degrees still “fall behind their white counterparts in earrings� and “advancement beyond entry-level professional positions.�

According to the speakers on Tuesday, affirmative action also seeks to break the monolithic view of the API community by examining the sliding scale of discrimination based on specific cultures. For exDarrick V. Tan, Esq. ample, South Asian Americans, like Pakistani Americans Licensed in California for and Bangladeshi Americans, over 17 years face discrimination that JapaLicensed in Nevada for nese Americans and Filipino over 12 years* Americans generally do not.

UCLA, Bachelor of Arts, Political “The notion that affirmative Science with Cum Laude honors action actively hurts South Southwestern University Law Asian Americans only serves School, Juris Doctor to further entrench the model Admitted to U.S. District Court, minority myth, that our comCentral District of California Member, American Immigration munities are inherently more Lawyers Association deserving or meritorious than Member, Consumers Attorney Black, Latino and Indigenous Association of Los Angeles communities,� said Mahnoor Former Member, Board of Hussain, policy and partnerGovernors, Philippine American ships manager at South Asian Bar Association Americans Leading Together. *Inactive

US funds $37.5-M project for...

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ment, it also recognizes that such liberty is not an absolute right. For instance, a person facing a criminal indictment and provisionally released on bail does not have an unrestricted right to travel because of the necessity of safeguarding the system of justice,� it said.

Ressa and former Rappler staffer Reynaldo Santos Jr. on June 15 were convicted of cyber libel by a Manila court.

Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa found them guilty of violating Section 4(c)(4) of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, or cyber libel, and sentenced them to the indeterminate penalty of imprisonment ranging from six months and one day as a minimum to up to

six years.

The court allowed bail under the same bond. It also ordered Ressa and Santos to pay private complainant Wilfredo Keng P200,000 in moral damages and another P200,000 (a total of $7,900) in exemplary damages.

Keng in 2017 filed cyber libel charges against the two for naming him in an article as the owner of a sports utility vehicle (SUV) used by the late Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was then facing impeachment in 2012.

He filed a second cyber libel complaint against Ressa for her Feb. 15, 2019 tweet wherein she attached screenshots of a 2002 Philstar.com article entitled “Influential businessman eyed in ex-councilor’s slay.� n

AAPI legal experts urge Californians...

Referencing the historic exclusion of Asian groups in the U.S., Hussain added that college admissions offices that utilize affirmative action serve as crucial solutions “to the centuries of discriminatory social mores and federal policies, including national origin-based immigration policies that have hindered certain Asian American immigrants while favoring others.

We must stop allowing affirmative action to be criminalized - to do so is anti-Black and anti-immigrant and [it] undermines equity.�

Prop 16 was first introduced by California Assemblymembers Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), Mike Gipson (D-South Bay) and Miguel Santiago (D-Downtown LA) on Jan. 18, 2019. In June of this year, the California Legislature passed Prop 16 with more than two-thirds of the vote in each house, which allowed the proposal to appear on the November ballot.

The support for Prop 16 extends beyond Democratic lawmakers. Professional sports teams in the Bay Area — including the Golden State Warriors, San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, San Jose Sharks, San Jose Earthquakes and Oakland Roots — released a joint statement endorsing the ballot measure.

President of the Warriors Rick Welts wrote in a statement, “If we’re going to live up to our reputation as a golden state with golden opportunities, we can and should do more to remove systemic barriers that shut Californians from a shot at a better life.� “Prop 16 is crucial to creating a stronger economic future for women, communities of color and greater economic prosperity for California as a whole.�

Most surprising of this endorsement is the 49ers, which four years ago received backlash for its failure to stand behind its former starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick after he was allegedly blackballed by the NFL after his then-controversial protest of racially-charged police brutality.

Al Guido, president of the 49ers wrote in a statement of endorsement, “The road to equality and equity has been long and exhausting for so many but our organization is determined to push for meaningful action in the direction of progress — supporting Prop 16 is a necessary step to break down systemic racial barriers and level the playing field for all Californians.�

He continued, “There is no doubt that a more inclusive California can and will be a stronger California, for all.�n

Help Shape Your Community.

Apply for the 2020 L.A. County Citizens Redistricting Commission.

Every 10 years after the federal census, Los Angeles County establishes a Citizens Redistricting Commission to ensure our County’s diverse communities are accurately represented in our local governments.

The Commission is comprised of 14 L.A. County residents, and together they form the independent body that adjusts the boundary lines of L.A. &RXQW\œV ¿YH 6XSHUYLVRULDO 'LVWULFWV 7KH ZRUN WKH &RPPLVVLRQ GRHV LV LPSRUWDQW DV KRZ DQG ZKHUH GLVWULFW OLQHV DUH GUDZQ ZLOO VKDSH WKDW community’s ability to elect the representatives of their choice.

5LJKW QRZ \RX KDYH WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ WR MRLQ / $ &RXQW\ &LWL]HQV Redistricting Commission. If you are a registered voter and meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply for the Commission and help shape your community.

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A

Filipino medical professionals allowed to go abroad Duterte to Pinoys: Emulate Ninoy’s courage, patriotism

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

with OeCs issued by POea and those with verified employment contracts as of March 8, 2020 can now leave the country,” he said Friday, august 21. the OeC is a document certifying the regularity of recruitment and documentation of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW).

It serves as proof of his/her registration with the POea, as well.

Roque also said that OFWs stuck in the country when President Rodrigo Duterte imposed a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus are now allowed to take their flights back to countries where they are employed.

“Pwede rin pong lumabas ng bansa ang mga Balik Manggagawa o yung mga nagbabakasyon lamang sa Pilipinas at matagal na pong nagtatrabaho sa abroad (those who may leave are workers on vacation who have long been working abroad),” he said. the spokesman previously urged health care workers to stay in the country. according to him, the government is already providing medi-

cal front-liners additional benefits like risk allowance, P15,000 for those who get infected with COVID-19, life insurance, free accommodation and transportation, as well as free and frequent testing.

“Sa tingin ko po, sa panahon ng pandemiya, mananaig naman po ang nasyonalismo sa puso at damdamin ng ating mga nurses (I think in the time of pandemic, nationalism will prevail in the hearts and feelings of our nurses),” Roque said.

“Kahit mangibang bansa ang ating mga health workers, maiiwan silang mga mahal sa buhay dito at sana maisip din ng mga health professionals na wala namang mag-a-attend sa mga pamilya dito kapag kailangan ng mga health workers (even if our health workers go abroad, they’ll leave their loved ones here. I hope they also consider that nobody would attend to their families here),” he added. as of Friday, there are 182,365 COVID-19 cases in the country, with 2,940 fatalities and 114,519 recoveries. n

by chRistina

Mendez

Philstar.com

MaNIla — President Duterte advised the younger generation to be patriotic and courageous and emulate the heroism of former senator Benigno aquino Jr. amid the coronavirus pandemic, during the commemoration on Friday, august 21 of aquino’s 37th death anniversary. “today, we honor the late Senator Benigno ‘Ninoy’ aquino Jr., whose life work and impact on governance have uplifted the lives of many, especially the oppressed and marginalized,” Duterte said.

In his one-page message commemorating Ninoy aquino Day, the President stressed the importance of emulating aquino’s courage and patriotism that comes with one’s discipline and social responsibility. “as this important occasion is remembered during this time that we are facing a global public health crisis, may we emulate Ninoy’s courage and patriotism so we may all be heroes through acts of discipline, goodwill and social responsibility,” he said.

Duterte urged for the public’s cooperation as this generation fights another form of challenge – the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic which has wrecked economies and the health situation around the globe.

In these trying times, Duterte also said those who have more in life should share their blessings with the less fortunate.

“I call on everyone to cooperate and work with the government so that we may keep ourselves, our families and our communities safe. May we also generously share our resources to those who have less in life during this trying times,” he said.

Vice President leni Robredo said on Friday that the assassination of aquino 37 years ago should remind Filipinos to “speak truth to power” and believe that they “deserve better as people.”

“We remember why he was killed: for speaking truth to power. For believing that we deserve better as a people. For hoping, and acting on that hope, and being brave enough to lay down PASSENGER PROTECTION. Passengers of a traditional jeepney along Kamias Road, Quezon City on Wednesday, August 19 wear face masks and face shields as protection from getting infected with the coronavirus disease. Public utility jeepneys are also required to install plastic his life for that hope,” Robredo barriers on the seats as an additional precautionary health measure.

PNA photo Robert O. Alfilert said in her message on the death anniversary of aquino.

HealtH care workers bearing employment certificates (OeC) from the Philippine Overseas employment agency (POea) have been given permission by the government to leave the country this week. this came following Malacañang’s announcement on thursday, august 21 that gave the green light for healthcare workers with overseas employment contracts as of March 8 to pursue their careers abroad. the Inter-agency task Force for the Management of emerging Infectious Diseases (IatF) made the decision after Filipino Nurses United sought for the lifting of deployment ban reinforced in IatF’s Resolution No. 64. according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, healthcare workers with complete and verified working papers are now allowed to honor their contracts with employers abroad.

“I repeat, health professionals

“today, as we endure yet another dark night, we draw inspiration from Ninoy’s story: from his courage, from his steadfast faith in our people, from his heroism,” she said.

Robredo said aquino’s murder reminds Filipinos how we are all bound together even more tightly during times of oppres-

sion, suffering and crisis.

“Ninoy believed in a better future for Filipinos even when it was not easy,” she said. “through long years of imprisonment, separation from his family, suffering and exile, he clung to the unshakeable belief that the dark night would pass

u PAGE A8

A6 AUGUST 22-25, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPiniOn

Mutation

FeatURes

THE studies remain inconclusive, according to the World Health Organization.

The attention of the WHO and the scientific community has been drawn by the discovery of a mutation of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-coronavirus-2 in a small sample of COVID-19 cases in Quezon City last month. SARS-CoV-2 is the pathogen that causes coronavirus disease 2019.

Scientists have pointed out that it’s not unusual for viruses to mutate. the small sample also does not represent the situation in the entire country. What bears watching, however, is the potential of the mutant to be more virulent than the original. there are fears that this could be the case in the SaRS-CoV-2 mutation detected in Quezon City.

Seeing COVID-19 becoming even more infectious and debilitating or lethal is the last thing the country needs. While studies have not yet established the virulence of the mutated SaRS-CoV-2, its discovery adds urgency to the effort to ramp up the country’s COVID testing and contact tracing capabilities. the testing suffers not only from the limited number of kits and the high cost of the more reliable swab test, but also the long wait for the results. Some people who undergo the swab test on

suspicion that they might be infected still continue with their routines, mingling with people in the workplace, in supermarkets and public transportation. By the time the results are known in three to five days, how many more people would have been infected?

It’s not enough to undergo the so-called gold standard in SaRS-CoV-2 detection, the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test. the result of the rRt-PCR test must be known as quickly as possible, to prevent further virus transmission. this becomes more critical if the SaRS-CoV-2 proves to be more virulent.

Contact tracing, while significantly improved since the start of the pandemic, still needs a major boost. the fears over the mutant SaRS-CoV-2 variant might prove to be unfounded, but in this pandemic, it’s always better to prepare for the worst.

(Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

An open letter call to Filipinos in America: Let us all be absolutely ‘biased’ ahead of the 2020 presidential election in November

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS KAPAMILYA, kapuso, kapatid, mga kababayan ko, I hope this letter finds you well, amid the threat of the coronavirus pandemic that has been threatening the lives of people around the world. this global health crisis has truly disrupted our lives and livelihoods, financial stability, families, culture and traditions, and our chance to visit our loved ones back in the Philippines.

Our relationship goes back to more than three decades, one generation to be exact. Before watching me every day anchoring the news on “Balitang america” and co-hosting with atty. Michael Gurfinkel on “Citizen Pinoy” on the Filipino Channel (tFC), many of you have been giving me the honor to be in your homes when you watch tV or listen to radio via aBS-CBN. Many of you grew up watching me on tatak Pilipino, Hoy! Gising!, tV Patrol, Compañero y Compañera, Headlines, Pulso, etc.

You were my avid listeners of my DZMM radio commentary programs like “Relos Reports” and

the legal public service program “Companero y Compañera” with the late Sen. Rene Cayetano.

Our relationship evolved when social media gave us the platform to exchange perspectives on Facebook and via my opinion column “the Fil-am Perspective” since 2009. as the anchor of “Balitang america” — the first daily newscast for Filipinos in america — for 12 years, our news team delivered you the news following the principles of objectivity, fairness and precision in giving you the information that we need to know to make informed decisions as citizens of our adoptive country.

We had a good relationship, you trusted me and our team for more than a decade. a lot of you even became my good friends.

We enjoyed and learned from each other with mutual respect as we talked about the issues that matter to us and our community.

During the eight years of the Obama presidency, my column was more on presenting to you the conservative and liberal perspectives of issues being talked about nationally, and many of you even ask me what my personal

stance was on certain issues, but I declined to oblige because I did not want to be deemed as favoring one party over the other, cognizant of the credibility I have earned for decades of anchoring the news. I respect policy differences between parties, and I did not have an issue with the character of President Barack Obama, who has proven to be a decent, honest, and hardworking public servant.

But leading up to the 2016 elections, something happened. the discourse on social media became viler and more toxic, with many people hiding behind anonymity, spewing attacks against people who did not share their opinions. things turned out for the worse with the election of President Donald trump. For the first time in my professional life, I have witnessed how the president of the United States — the bastion of democracy in the world — has been demonizing the news media for doing their sacred obligation to hold government officials accountable.

For the first time in my career as a journalist, we have seen the truth being bent by no less than

the president himself, in a very tactical malicious way with the intent of spreading misinformation and sowing division among the people.

We in the news media were caught flat-footed in responding to this development. On one side, we remind ourselves to be objective, fair and just. But what do we do when day in and day out, we hear lies and deception from trump himself, his administration, and the Republican Party?

Do you give a megaphone to anybody who lies? Do we amplify the distortion of the truth? then I am reminded of our scared responsibility as journalists — and that is: to tell tHe tRUtH. the citizens we hope to serve can only make informed decisions based on the truth, and we will be doing them a disservice if we do not hold our government officials accountable.

Hence, I have made the decision to call out President trump, his administration and those in the GOP when they spread falsehoods and peddle conspiracy theories. I have determined fairness, objectivity, precision, and justice — they are all anchored on the

tRUtH, and it is my responsibility to report that to the public.

I have received a lot of vile criticisms as a result. Many attacked my character and labeled me “Fake News,” consistent with how trump wanted it to happen so his followers and fans would not believe the truth that we are revealing. Unfortunately, not all journalists are committed to the truth, therefore, about 40% of the american people live in an alternate universe, created by trump. therefore, they have been indoctrinated by the trump propaganda machine, FOX News and One america Media, among others.

We are facing the most consequential election of our time. trump has betrayed the country when he failed to live up to his sacred oath to protect and defend the Constitution and the american people because of his own personal and political agenda.

I am not the anchor of “Balitang america” anymore since late July of 2019. I am an opinion writer for the asian Journal, which allows me to share my views independent from the news they share. I am a human being, a woman, wife, mother, grandmother, daughter,

sister and friend, and I have been privileged to have earned the respect of the people who know me and my commitment to the truth.

I will remain relentless in sharing that with you conscientiously because we are all in this together.

I am not here to grow my fan base nor to fish for followers on social media. I am here to heed God’s calling for me to help people by sharing with them what is really going on so they can discern their actions and responses to the demands and crossroads of our time that will chart our collective history. I want to look at my children and grandchildren in the eyes; I want to look at myself in the mirror when I grow old; and face my Creator when He asks me what I have done with the gifts He has given me to fight for the truth in service to mankind. *** 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.

Rebuilding an American culture of solidarity

Rhizomes

PROSY ABARQUEZDELACRUZ, J.D. “It was almost like committing suicide for an African American to go to the courthouse in the Delta of Mississippi or the Black Belt of Alabama and declare his or her intention to register to vote. White organizers were risking their lives trying to register black Americans to vote. Segregationists saw the cameras of reporters, their pads and pens, as an invitation to brutality. OUR homes were bombed and our jobs were threatened. Some of us were expelled from college or run out of town. Peaceful, nonviolent protesters were trampled by horses, struck with bullwhips, beaten with nightsticks, arrested, and taken to jail. Some were shot and even killed, but we buried our dead and kept on coming. We knew we would not stop; we would never turn back until we tore down the walls of legalized segregation. We didn’t have a cell phone. We didn’t have a website. We didn’t have a computer or even a fax machine, but we used what we had.

We had ourselves, so we put our bodies on the line to make a difference in our society. We were just ordinary people with an extraordinary vision, imbued with

the discipline and philosophy of nonviolence.” — Rep. John lewis, Road to Freedom: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement, 1956-1968, High Museum of art, atlanta, 2008.

It was July 2016 when I saw Rep. John lewis at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

I approached him and told him that I am a grandmother who came from los angeles.

He quickly stood by my side, stopped his aide from distancing me, and the aide graciously took three photos.

His generosity of spirit resonated with me to this day that a poetic photo, taken by John Bazemore of the associated Press, of lewis’ casket as it crossed the edmund Pettus Bridge in a horse-drawn carriage during a memorial service on July 26 in Selma, alabama got me sobbing. lewis was 25 years old when he had the raw courage to lead some 600 protestors over the bridge to advocate for the right of african americans to vote.

In his own words: “it took nothing short of raw courage for participants in the movement to stand up to the governor, to the citizen’s council, to mounted police, tear gas, fire hoses, and attack dogs. It was dangerous— very dangerous—for anyone to say no to segregation and racial

discrimination simply by taking a seat at an integrated lunch counter or on a public bus.”

Sydney trent of the Washington Post’s on July 26 described how lewis was “first to be beaten in the clash with state troopers, who cracked his skull with a billy club on the date that became known as ‘Bloody Sunday.’” the violent beatings were seen by a dozen legislators in Congress who spoke about this state-sponsored violence: “I have just witnessed on television the new sequel to adolf Hitler’s brown shirts,” one anguished young alabamian from auburn wrote to the Birmingham News. “they were George Wallace’s blue shirts. the scene in alabama looked like scenes on old newsreels of Germany in the 1930s. two months later, that statesponsored violence led to an enraged nation calling for the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights act.

Selma to all cities in the U.S. as if mimicking 1930 and 1965, we are presently seeing in 2020, the tear gassing and baton-whipping by unidentified military personnel in Oregon attacking demonstrators who are participating in Black lives Matter rallies.

Moms, dads and disabled veterans formed the front lines to

protect the inner core of protestors.

Nationwide rallies followed after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officer George Chauvin. The New York Times reconstructed a timeline of videotapes from bystanders, which showed that Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck, and in one frame, an anguished Floyd and the scorn in the face of Chauvin are indisputable. Floyd summoned his mother and uttered “I can’t breathe” 20 times -- 20 times that Chauvin, and even the other police officers at the scene, could have stopped himself from taking Floyd’s life.

Many moms have interpreted that as Floyd calling them to rebuild a new culture of solidarity, that we all belong as God’s beloved children.

Chauvin and the three other officers were later arrested, after nonstop protests demanded their arrests, while a statesponsored autopsy pronounced Floyd’s death might have been caused by other factors, other than police brutality.

What influenced millions of people to join the protest rallies in over 2,000 cities in over 60 countries globally in support of Black lives Matter? Was it the tainted history of brutality towards Black americans in this country?

From virulent racist to an

The author with Rep. John Lewis during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July 2016.

american culture of solidarity I saw the exhibit, “Breach of Peace: Photographs of Freedom Riders,” by eric etheridge in april 2010 at the Skirball Museum in los angeles. He took photos of young black men and

women inside a burning Greyhound bus on May 14, 1961. “that day, May 14, 1961, was a quiet Mother’s Day in anniston, alabama, described by the companion Road to Freedom

u PAGE A8

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 22-25, 2020

A

PH unlikely to achieve middle class status by 2040

by Kristine Joy

Philstar.com

The Filipino team behind G.I.D.E.O.N.

Photo courtesy of NASA Space Apps Philippines

Filipino data analysts win NASA space apps challenge by ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

An app developed by a group of Filipinos that measures the impact of the coronavirus is the winner of nASA’s Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge.

Data analysts nick Tobia, Helen Mary Barrameda, Kristel Joyce Zapata, Theresa Rosario Tan and Miguel Oscar Castelo from CirroLytix created a dashboard for public policymakers and economic planners to measure the impact of COVID-19 on various countries and the virus’ effect on economic and environmental terms.

“GIDEOn,” which stands for Global Impact Detection from Emitted Light, Onset of Covid19, and nitrogen Dioxide, was created using Earth observation, in-country economic and human mobility data, and global infection case counts.

It uses news feeds, Google mobility data and coronavirus cases to reveal the multidimensional impact of lockdowns and other interventions. night lights from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and nitrogen dioxide levels from Sentinel-5P show current impacts as well as forecast effects of lockdowns.

Meanwhile, Google’s community mobility reports, global infection data from Johns Hopkins University and nitrogen dioxide data reveal pollution levels produced by human activity and monitor which countries keep air quality under control as they bounce back from lockdowns

and into the “new normal.”

Two other Filipino teams were also chosen as global finalists.

“Snail Space” — a wordplay for snail’s pace — is an app developed by Arturo Caronongan III, Kevin Olanday, In Yong Lee, Mary Anne Dominique Casacop and Gabriel Santiago from De La Salle University to provide mental care and comfort during times of social isolation brought

by COVID-19 pandemic.

“Sentinellium,” on the other hand, is an app that leverages user data sent through SMS and chat, and space assets like population density, urbanization, and aerosol to provide a more accurate prediction of developing epidemics. It was developed by Harlee Quizzagan, James Andrew C. Cornes, Angela Chua, Alaica Mariño, Joal Rose Lin, and Mohammad Ashraful Mobin, who formed their group during the “hackathon” period.

“The use of these modern and advanced technologies will be crucial, especially as the world navigates the fourth industrial revolution. Using big data, cloud and AI (artificial intelligence) applications, for instance, could help us understand the severity of the disease and aid in delivering measures to mitigate its impact,” said Trade Undersecretary for Competitiveness and Innovation Dr. Rafaelita Aldaba.

“This really fills me with great optimism that our young and talented startups and Filipinos have so much to offer and con-

tribute to our efforts to provide solutions to address health and economic crisis,” she added.

In May, the United States space agency national Aeronautics and Space Administration (nASA), along with the European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, national Center for Space Studies of France, and Canadian Space Agency invited coders, entrepreneurs, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, artists, and technologists to participate in a virtual hackathon dedicated to putting open data to work in developing solutions to issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a period of 48 hours, more than 15,000 participants from 150 countries created more than 2,000 virtual teams.

“There’s a tremendous need for our community’s ingenuity right now. I can’t imagine a more worthy cause than COVID-19 to direct the energy and enthusiasm that always generates such amazing solutions through the Space Apps Challenge,” said Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, nASA’s Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate.

The Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge is a special edition of nASA’s annual Space Apps Challenge, an international hackathon that takes place in cities around the world. It is a nASA-led initiative organized in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub and SecondMuse. n

Patag

MAnILA — The economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic can wipe out a decade’s worth of poverty reduction efforts, making it unlikely that the Philippines can become a predominantly middle class society by 2040, according to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

In a paper titled “Poverty, the middle class, and income distribution amid COVID-19,” the state-run think tank said simulations on various levels of income reductions amid the pandemic showed delays in the transition of poor households to middle income status as many of them fall deeper into poverty and some middle income households descend into poverty.

The simulation used the latest available data from the 2018 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) as the next FIES will be conducted next year.

The study assumes income contractions of 10 percent and 20 percent across income distribution sectors.

“The simulation results suggest that poverty conditions can revert to those more than a decade ago, and that targets for the country to attain its aspirations to become a largely middle class society can be pushed back,” the study said.

While poverty reduction had been sluggish from 2006 to 2012, poverty reduction gained momentum from 2012 up to 2018.

In December 2019, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that poverty incidence fell to 16.6 percent in 2018 from 23.3 percent in 2015.

This pertains to the proportion of Filipinos whose per capita income is not enough to meet basic food and non-food needs.

In turn, this translates to 17.6 million Filipinos living below the poverty threshold of P10,727 monthly for a family of five in 2018, the minimum income needed to satisfy basic food and nonfood needs.

The simulation by PIDS showed that the number of poor Filipinos could rise by about 1.5 million from baseline figures of incomes contract by 10 percent across all income distributions and even with social amelioration and wage subsidy programs in place.

Without social amelioration support, the number of poor Filipinos could rise by 5.5 million, according to the study.

Assuming the domestic econo-

my realizes a V-shaped recovery - which entails a swift return to growth after a deep slump - and manages to provide a growth rate of real income per capita of 2.5 percent per year, it will take 21.5 years for families classified as low income as of 2018 to become middle class.

This also assumed that this level of per capita income growth will be sustained and will be uniform across the population.

Under the worst case scenario of a 20 percent income contraction across all income segments with the social protection cash transfers in place, the average transition time for poor households to become middle income increases to 24 years.

“For lower growth rates that could arise from a prolonged recovery, we would further expect the transition to take even much longer,” the PIDS said.

“The simulation results in this study provides concrete indication on how the country’s aspiration for a middle-class society articulated in Ambisyon natin 2040 can get affected,” it said.

The simulations also assume effective targeting schemes for the social protection cash transfers to all families except for the upper 10 percent of the capita income distribution and that cash support was given for two months.

Households with a monthly income that is less than the poverty threshold for five members fall within the poor income group,

while those earning between P10,957 and P21,914 per month are considered low income but not poor.

Middle income households are those earning between P21,914 and P219,140 monthly for five members. Those earning upwards of P219,140 per month are classified as rich.

Under the government’s longterm vision Ambisyon natin 2040, the Philippines is envisioned to be a predominantly middle class society within the next two decades with significant improvements in the standard of living, finances, security and ease of transacting with the government.

PIDS said that while the pandemic will have the most impact on the poorest households, low income and lower middle income groups are also at a disadvantage because they have meager savings to cushion the effects of sustained economic disruptions.

They may also have little protection against other related shocks such as job losses and food insecurity.

“Their recovery may be challenging compared to those in higher income groups,” the report said.

“There is imminent risk that whatever inequalities we currently have across income classes that have been heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic may further widen given the glaring digital and the other divides we currently have in the country,” it said. n

A August 22-25, 2020 • LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

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Philippines protests China’s seizing of Filipino fishermen’s devices on Scarborough MANILA — The Philippines followed up its diplomatic protests against China in April by filing another one on Thursday, August 20 this time against the confiscation of materials of Filipino fishermen.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Chinese coast guard seized fish-aggregating devices, locally called payaos, in May off Scarborough Shoal.

An arbitral tribunal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ruled in 2016 that the reef, also called Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag

Shoal, as a common fishing ground among nations in the vicinity. It also ruled that China’s exclusive claim over the shoal as illegal and without basis.

Besides the protest on the confiscation of fishing devices, the Philippines opposed the Chinese coast guard’s attempts to keep Filipino patrols at bay.

“The Philippines also resolutely objected to China’s continuing illicit issuances of radio challenges Philippine aircraft conducting legitimate regular maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea,” the DFA wrote in the statement released Thursday night.

In April, two diplomatic protests against China were also filed to question Chinese state forces’ threats pointing a radar gun at a Philippine Navy ship and their declaration as part of Hainan province waters within Philippine jurisdiction under international law and reefs and banks the Philippines considers as territory.

China’s maneuverings are despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s repeated assurances to the public that China has agreed to allow Filipino fishermen to operate in Philippines waters China claims as its own.

(Philstar.com) A carriage carrying Rep. John Lewis’ casket crosses the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama

Duterte to Pinoys: Emulate Ninoy’s courage...

PAGE A5 and dawn would break over the land he loved,” Robredo said.

Several members of the August 21 Movement (ATOM) braved the rains Friday morning and commemorated the death anniversary of Aquino in simple ceremonies at the tarmac of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 that was named after after the fallen hero.

The personalities who offered flowers on the Aquino marker at the airport’s deaprture area

included Fernando Peña of the Chino Roces foundation, Chris Carreon of the group Spirit of Edsa, Jeoland Santos of ITI Eathsaver and a representative from the National Historic Commission.

He was shot dead by soldiers on Aug. 21,1983 after he was accosted by troopers shortly upon arrival at the then Manila International Airport on board a China Airlines flight from Taipei, Taiwan on his return flight after years of exile abroad.

Aquino, a vocal critic of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, came home to lead the political opposition against the dictatorship.

ATOM through Cecille Alvarez, wife of former senator Heherson Alvarez, verbally requested the Manila International airport Authority to hold a simple ceremony with flower offerings and short speeches to commemorate the heroism of Aquino at 7:30 a.m. on a rainy Friday. n

Rebuilding an American culture...

PAGE A6

book: “A Greyhound bus traveling from Atlanta to Birmingham, carrying fourteen passengers (including reporter Moses Newson, covering the Freedom Rides from the Baltimore Afro-American) pulled in to the terminal, where the station doors had been locked shut. The bus was immediately set upon by a mob led by a local Klansman named William Chappell, its tires slashed and windows smashed. There were no police in sight.

After 20 minutes, police arrived but the bus driver, O.T. Jones, was escorted to the town limits, leaving the vehicle at the mercy of another mob. As passengers were trapped inside, the bus was forced off the road by a convoy of cars for six miles, stormed by the mob, and subsequently firebombed. Postiglione captured what happened and it was not until decades later, that the images were sold to AP and UPI. A young 12-year-old girl Janie Miller offered water to these passengers, even as she was taunted by the Klansmen to stop.

Her kindness was met by more threats until her family had to leave and seek refuge elsewhere.

When the black bus riders went to the local hospital, doctors refused to treat them.

“They were eventually rescued in the dead of night by a squadron of cars sent by Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, pastor of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham.”

Protesters stand before the Ninoy Aquino monument on Ayala Avenue in Makati City to commemorate the 37th death anniversary of former The exhibit’s photos showed senator Benigno Aquino Jr. on Friday, August 21.

Philstar.com photo dogs unleashed on Blacks, Clo-

rox bleach poured into the swimming pool while a Black woman swam, with fire hoses directed at her.

Many Blacks were lynched and hung on trees pursuing freedom.

Homemade bombs were set off in black homes and churches by the Ku Klux Klan.

On Sept. 15, 1963, four girls were killed: Addie Mae Collins, 14 years old; Denise McNair, 11 years old; Carole Robertson, 14 years old and Cynthia Wesley, 14-year-old and 14 injured in a bomb blast at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, as reported by CNN. com.

Two hundred church members with some attending Sunday school classes before the 11:00 a.m. service were inside the Church.

The bombing of the Baptist Church was the third in 11 days.

Alabama Governor George Wallace responded by deploying 500 National Guards and 300 state troopers to the local city, already armed with 500 police officers and 150 sheriffs’ deputies, increasing further the volatile temperatures at that moment.

It was not until May 16, 2000, when a grand jury indicted Bobby Frank Cherry and Thomas Blanton with eight counts each of first-degree murder. Cherry was found guilty after two years and was sentenced to four life terms. On Nov. 8, 2004, he died in prison.

A week after this exhibit, I went to California’s African American Museum where a prototype of a boat that transported

slaves packed like sardines in its lowest deck is displayed. I went inside to feel what it was like and I saw the chains and the dog collars used. How inhumane could that be?

“I appeal to all of you to get into this great revolution that is sweeping this nation. Get in and stay in the streets of every city, every village, and the hamlet of this nation until true freedom comes,” Rep. Lewis implored.

That includes us, Americans of Filipino descent.

Back then, Voting Rights were not recognized for all Americans, and for a long time, only white Americans were considered citizens. The Naturalization Act of 1790 defined American citizenship as limited to only “free, white persons.” Armenians who came in this early period were designated whites and gained citizenship with the help of anthropologist Franz Boas.

With blood spilled, lives lost, men and women lynched, beaten up skulls and bodies, do we now understand that our voting rights come from the sacrifices of our Black brothers and sisters?

The false legend of “all that is white is right, black is whack” Are we conscious enough to recognize that racism is like an octopus?

That it moves below the ocean surfaces of our minds, with unexamined beliefs and unconscious gut reactions?

Do we go so far as to claim that we are not racists, yet uncaring in Blacks losing their lives to the u PAGE A9

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Rebuilding an American culture...

PAGE A8 police, even with no provocation and without threat to life, liberty, and property?

Like an octopus, racism rears its ugly tentacles of racial animus, the outright showing of hatred towards Blacks, based on the color of their skin.

That animus leads to malice when Black individuals are framed for wrongdoings and scapegoated for blame, robbing them of their most fundamental right to be respected.

An animus leading to malice followed by intentionally favoring and accruing privileges for whites, justified by a belief that they naturally belong in America.

They are welcomed to sit at the decision-making table, entitled to unearned privileges. It is an invisible backpack of privileges, handed down from generation to generation, to Whites only, leading to a culture that showcases predominantly Whites in public squares and cultural spaces, assuming dominance in film, art plays, musicals, theater, schools, universities, clinics, hospitals, industries, foundations, non-profits, media and government.

On July 26, Rep. Lewis’ casket was horse-carriage driven one last time crossing over the Edmund Pettus’ bridge in Selma, Alabama.

Thousands braved the Coronavirus pandemic’s risk to pay their respects, while shouting

out loud, “I love you,” “We love you.” The majority were wearing masks.

Can we perhaps consider the belief that Lewis articulated: “Central to our philosophic concept of the Beloved Community was an affirmation of faith in humanity – the willingness to believe that man has the moral capacity to care for his fellow man. When we suffered violence and abuse, our concern was not for retaliation. We sought to understand the human condition of our attackers and to accept the suffering in the right spirit. We believed that ends and means were inseparable, so we wanted to create a peaceful society, then we had to use the methods of peace and goodwill. Our protests were love in action. We were attempting to redeem not only our attackers but the very soul of America.”

Much like Rep. Lewis’ casket crossed the Edmund Pettus’ bridge, can we as Filipino Americans and Asian Americans, have the courage to be part of the solution, of redeeming the soul of America, solidifying our ties to Blacks and challenge the evil of racist animus to not be in our midst?

But more than that, as American citizens and future citizens to be, it is in our hands to create a more just and peaceful America by exercising our votes, choosing better representatives who will work not just for a mighty

few 1%, but mostly assist small businesses to grow, for working labor to be paid living wages that can support families and sending our children and grandchildren to college, a valuable Filipino family value of improving each generation.

“Though I may not be here with you, I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe. In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way. Now it is your turn to let freedom ring,” Lewis wrote in an OP-ED in the New York Times on July 30, 2020.

He sent it two days before he died from pancreatic cancer on July 15 and requested it be published on the day of his funeral. *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.”

She has been writing for AJ Press for 12 years. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong.

She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico and over 22 national parks in the US, in her pursuit of love for nature and the arts.

A

Ex-Marcos SolGen wants petitions vs anti-terrorism law dismissed

by TeTch

Torres-Tupas Inquirer.net

MANILA – Veteran lawyer Estelito Mendoza, a former solicitorgeneral during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos, has asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 for lack of jurisdiction.

Mendoza also asked the Supreme Court to allow him to participate as amicus curiae (friend of the court) and admit his comment on the petitions filed against the law.

The anti-terrorism law is currently the most contentious law with more than 20 petitions already filed in court.

Mendoza said the petitions should be dismissed for lack of “actual controversy involving a legally demandable and enforceable right.”

He said a penal law, like the ATA “may not exist without the commission of any act, and no act is alleged to have been committed, there can be no ‘actual controversy’ involving rights which are legally demandable and enforceable.”

The petitions, he said “do not

Att. Estelito Mendoza

sufficiently allege, much less show, that the petitioners have committed any act in violation of the anti-terrorism act thereby creating an ‘actual controversy’ involving a legally demandable and enforceable right for the exercise of judicial power under Section 1, second paragraph, of Article 8 of the Constitution.”

Mendoza specifically rebutted the arguments raised in the petition filed by lawyer Howard Calleja and that of retired Supreme Court Justices Antonio Carpio and Conchita Carpio-Morales. He said those were the only copies he managed to acquire.

Inquirer.net photo by Noy Morcoso

The veteran lawyer wanted to appear as a friend of the court “believing that his experience on issues relevant to the instant cases” could help the high court in resolving the petitions.

Aside from service as solicitorgeneral during the Martial Law era, Mendoza was also the justice minister and governor of Pampanga.

As of last Wednesday, there have been 29 petitions filed with the SC against ATA which became law last July 3 and implemented by the government starting July 18.

An oral argument is scheduled for the third week of September. n

DOJ, DTI, BI to probe listing of Manila as ‘Province of China’ in beauty product

by Neil

The March to Selma by James Karales, printed by the National African American Museum

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 22-25, 2020

arwiN Mercado Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) will conduct a “proper investigation” into the listing of Manila as “Province of China” in packaging of a beauty product being sold in the country.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said this after Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Rep. Jericho Nograles complained about the “detestable and repulsive offense against our nation” by makers of the Chinese hair care product, Ashley Shine Keratin Treatment Deep Repair, which shows its address at “1st Flr. 707 Ito Cristo St., San Nicolas, Manila Province, P.R. China” in its packaging.

This led to Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno to ask the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), an attached agency to the DOJ, to investigate the matter as he also

called for the deportation of the Chinese nationals involved.

“The DTI, the DOJ, and the BI will conduct a proper investigation and will give the people involved an opportunity to be heard,” Guevarra said in a message to reporters.

Guevarra said the probe will begin as soon as a formal complaint is filed, with the end goal of determining any administrative and criminal liability on the part of the manufacturers and distributors.

The justice secretary explained there may be a potential liability on the part of the manufacturer and/or the distributors of the product for “mislabeling” it.

“And if the product itself has not been approved for local use by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), the violation takes on a more serious character,” Guevarra said.

Once an alien has been duly prosecuted and penalized in our country, Guevarra said they may be deported on the grounds of

willful or malicious violation of domestic laws, rules, and regulations.

Nograles earlier disclosed that the product is being distributed in the country by Elegant Fumes Beauty Products Inc., a Binondobased company owned by a Chinese national.

Nograles said based on the information received by his office, the product bearing the address was manufactured in 2018 and is still distributed throughout the country.

“Succeeding batches of this product already omitted the declaration, but the offense remains the same,” Nograles said.

For his part, the Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque branded the incident as “nonsense,” saying that the issue isn’t worthy of attention.

Roque noted that no one would believe that the Philippines, Manila in particular, is a province of China. n

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The Asian Journal

WKND Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s new, stricter public charge rules seem to go back and forth, like a tennis or ping-pong match. It becomes very confusing for applicants as to which public charge guidelines they should follow: the ones that have been in existence since 1999, or the new ones Pres.

Trump just implemented which had been subject to a court injunction? Here is the latest news and background: On July 29, 2020 a U.S. District Court issued a nationwide injunction, prohibiting USCIS from enforcing, applying, implementing, or treating as effective, Pres. Trump’s new public charge rules, as long as there is a national health emergency caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

USCIS then announced on its website it would abide by this

LifestyLe Consumer Guide Community marketpLaCe

Public charge injunction Alden using platform, now limited to Connecticut, passion to help fight New York and Vermont another infectious disease

injunction, and that as long as the court’s decision is in effect, “USCIS will apply the 1999 public charge guidance that was in place before the public charge rule was implemented on February 24, 2020 to the adjudication of any application for adjustment of status on or after July 29, 2020.”

However, on August 12, 2020, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals limited the scope of that injunction to only Connecticut, New York, and Vermont. That is because the District Court that issued the injunction only had jurisdiction over Connecticut, New York, and Vermont. Therefore, USCIS may now implement its new public charge rule in all other states within the U.S. except in the three states mentioned, thereby requiring applicants in the other states to submit the financial declaration (Form I-

944).

Interestingly, as of August 19, 2020, USCIS has not updated its injunction page, nor added back the Form I-944 to its forms page, nor provided guidance on how it will now implement these different public charge standards within the U.S. People who are outside Connecticut, New York and Vermont may need to wait for guidance from USCIS on how to proceed before filing applications, unless it is critical a person files the petition or application because of issues of maintaining status, etc.

I would advise people to be prepared to meet the requirements of the Form I-944, and consult an attorney to evaluate your case in reference to those new requirements, just in case they are brought back or if you PAGE B2

CITIZEN PINOY: MORE ANSWERS TO IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS FROM KAPAMILYA, VIA ZOOM, AUG. 23. Luchie of Azusa, CA (center) asks if it is okay for a green card holder to apply for naturalization if she already has a pending petition for her husband. From Redlands, CA, Ricky (right) would like to know if his two single daughters (whom he petitioned in 2011 in the F-2B category) can immigrate sooner now that he has naturalized. These are just a few of the immigration questions that will be answered on a brand-new episode of CITIZEN PINOY: Your Tanong, My Sagot – Social Distancing Style, this Sunday, August 23 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

By Rito

P. Asilo Inquirer.net

ALDEN Richards may have slowly eased back into a work schedule fit for a show biz hotshot.

After all, it’s almost unthinkable for GMA Network’s top matinee idol to escape the lure of the klieg lights for long—even in the midst of a pandemic.

But not even the series of lockdowns has dampened Alden’s positive outlook in life.

“My faith has been strengthened even more,” he told us last Monday, talking about how the pandemic has changed him. “I am grateful that my family and I are healthy. At importanteng maintindihan nating lahat na walang sinisino ang virus—your carelessness can get you infected or killed. So we should all do our part to help one another.”

But make no mistake. Alden does know how to have a good time like many young people his age. Away from the cameras, the actor entertains himself via gaming. “I’m into game streaming right now because it’s so much fun,” he disclosed. “And it’s another way for me to interact with my followers.”

If there’s one thing that remains a constant on the 28-year-old heartthrob’s list of activities, it’s his commitment to use his influence to draw attention to worthy causes. His consistent forays into advocacies that address hot-button issues have always been a sort of pay-it-forward endeavor that allows Alden to show his gratitude for the blessings coming his way. We remember how Alden, at age 21, eagerly supported the GoforHealth lifestyle campaign of the Department of Health (DOH) in 2013 to stress the importance of healthy living, long before he

The GMA 7 hunk advocates healthy living.

began “reinventing” himself into the buff and bodacious hunk he is today.

Alden is only too happy to utilize his influence and popularity to call attention to his latest advocacy—this time, as the #EndTB ambassador of USAID (United States Agency for International Development), not only to prevent infection, but also to reduce the stigma associated with tuberculosis.

At press time, a digital launch and a Central Luzon media forum were scheduled yesterday, along with the release of Alden’s video in support of the program. A COVID19 and TB campaign, set sometime next week, is also in the works.

USAID’s #EndTB strategy aims to end the global TB epidemic, with targets to reduce deaths from tuberculosis by 95 percent and cut new cases by 90 percent between 2015 and 2035.What necessitates the #EndTB/TBFreePH campaign now, and how do celebrity endorsements (particularly the one with Alden) make it easier to reach the grassroots?

“Campaigns by celebrities like

Photo from Instagram/@aldenrichards02

Alden can exponentially increase public awareness and provide accurate information about a disease, whether COVID-19 or TB,” Michelle Lang-Alli, director of USAID Philippines’ Office of Health, said last Tuesday. “With disruptions in the provision of health services due to COVID-19, we needed to reinforce our campaign for TB elimination.

“The focus is now on bolstering resilient health systems that are able to cope with stresses brought about by COVID-19 and other potential health issues. TB transmission does not stop during the pandemic. Ensuring access to services is critical, even with quarantine restrictions.”

If you think that TB isn’t something we need to be concerned about, think again. We learned from Lang-Alli that according to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, there are approximately 591,000 Filipinos who contract tuberculosis annually.

In 2019, the DOH detected “only” 403,757 cases. So more than 30 percent of the estimated PAGE B2

B AUGUST 22-25, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

EntErtainmEnt

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Carmina ‘the worrier’ and Zoren ‘Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot – ‘the assurer’ in the Legaspi family Social Distancing Style’ answers more immigration questions on Aug. 23

By AllAn

PolicArPio Inquirer.net

JUST like most mothers, Carmina Villaroel said she has always been persistent about conserving household resources—more so now that work in show biz has considerably slowed down, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Even before the quarantine, kuryente na ang bukang-bibig ko! You know how us moms are: ‘Turn off the air conditioner now, it has been running all day! Turn off the lights when you go out of your rooms and not using them …

You’re wasting electricity!’ That’s our forever reminder!” she told the Inquirer in a video interview for her lifestyle-cooking show, “Sarap ’Di Ba?” “Everyone’s affected, so we need to save up,” she added. “And I have to be stricter these days about that—times two!”

She and her husband, Zoren Legaspi, have also trimmed down the family’s expenses, making sure that no one’s making unnecessary purchases. “We only buy the basic necessities—food. That’s about it.

No shopping. I mean, first of all, what’s the need? Saan ka punta?” she jested. “Let’s just keep it basic.

Fortunately, the kids are obedient.”

And it’s important, Carmina pointed out, to be honest about such things to their children, so they don’t feel as if they’re putting the burden on them.

“You have to be transparent and make them understand the situation. Communication is important.

You just tell them so they know that there’s a reason you have to say no to some things,” said Carmina, mother to 19-year-old twins, Mavy and Cassy.

The GMA 7 actress and television host admitted that she’s quite

Carmina Villaroel with Mavy, Cassy and husband Zoren Legaspi Photo from Instagram/@mina_villaroel

the worrier. And the pandemic has her thinking about a lot of things the past couple of months.

“I think my fears are pretty much the same as everyone else’s. I worry about our family’s health and our future. I worry, not only for ourselves, but also for our house helpers and the people who depend on us. Can we sustain all these? Those are the things that go through my mind,” she said.

Luckily, Zoren is a more assuring presence at home. “Whenever he sees that I’m getting stressed, he tells me to take it easy. And he encourages me, tells me that we can do it and that we’re going to be OK,” Carmina related. “That calms my heart and mind. And he does it so smoothly.”

“Sarap ’Di Ba?,” which she cohosts with her family, resumed airing new episodes—shot from their home—last month. Aside from featuring delicious recipes and showing what it’s like in the Legaspi household, Carmina has also been promoting online businesses, which have been sprouting during the quarantine.

“It’s a way of helping those small businesses that are good and deserving. It’s something I do on my social media pages, and now we have a bigger platform with television,” she said.

Working from home is conve-

nient, Carmina said—no traffic to endure and you’re good to go after taking a bath and brushing your teeth. And you can start working at any time. But that’s no reason to slack off.

“We still set a goal… that this or that should be finished by a specific time. We don’t have all the equipment, so we rely on natural light. We have to adjust,” she said.

“And I always remind everyone that we have to take care of the show.

Tayo ang mapipintasan kung hindi maganda. We only have ourselves to blame.”

“There’s no easy job. But if you love what you’re doing, it will be easier and fun. We’re grateful we’re able to work from home,” she said.

The year 2019 was a busy and fruitful one for Carmina. Aside from “Sarap” and her endorsements, she also starred in the soap opera “Kara Mia” and made a return to the Metro Manila Film Festival after a 29-year absence with the horror film “Sunod.” And if it weren’t for COVID-19, taping for her upcoming soap would have continued.

How did she feel about this stall in momentum? “I don’t want to dwell on the negative, because I’m not the only one affected,” she said.

“There were a lot of happy moments last year and I hope to bring those back—slowly.”

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 re-enactments) 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.

Ricky of Redlands, both from California.

Find out if it is wise for a green card holder to apply for naturalization while her petition for her husband is still pending.

A father asks if there is a way to expedite the petition for his single daughters if he became a U.S. citizen in 2016 and his

daughters’ priority date is February 2011.

These and more questions will be answered on the fourth edition of “CITIZEN PINOY: Your Tanong, My Sagot – Social Distancing Style” this Sunday, August 23, at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/ Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

Alden using platform...

PAGE B1 cases remain undetected and continue to transmit the disease.

The Philippines needs to find these “missing TB cases” every year to reach TB elimination, she said.

“The Philippines is one of the 30 high TB-burden countries listed by the WHO that accounts for most of the TB cases in the world,” LangAlli stated. “TB transmission is also driven by social determinants of health. The poor are disproportionately affected by this disease because of poor health conditions, overcrowded living spaces, poor nutrition and limited access to health care. As such, developing countries generally have a larger burden of the TB disease.”

Asked if TB cases are lower or higher now (with COVID-19) and how they’re being monitored during this pandemic, Lang-Alli said, “An international study by Stop TB Partnership reported in May 2020 estimates that the COVID-19 pandemic will result in additional TB cases and deaths globally. The Stop TB Partnership was established in 2000 to eliminate tuberculosis as a public health problem.

“There’s also an ongoing study by the Department of Health on the impact of community quarantine on daily TB case notifications during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“TB cases detected and reported are regularly monitored by WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com the DOH through the integrated TB Follow us on Facebook.com/Gurfin- information system, the country’s kelLaw, Twitter @GurfinkelLaw and official reporting database for YouTube: US Immigration TV tuberculosis.”

Call Toll free to schedule a consulta“The US government, through tion for anywhere in the US: USAID, the US Department of 1-866-487-3465 Defense and the US State Depart(866) – GURFINKEL ment, has provided nearly P1B Four offices to serve you: ($20.5 million) in COVID-19-reLOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW lated assistance. USAID also supYORK ∙ PHILIPPINES ports the Philippine government’s (Advertising Supplement) response to TB, investing more

Public charge injunction now limited to...

PAGE B1 have questions or are confused about eligibility or public charge requirements. *** 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

AS everyone continues to adjust with life amid the pandemic, Citizen Pinoy remains committed to providing public service to viewers by giving updates on immigration.

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

Gurfinkel answers questions from Luchie of Azusa, and

than $60 million to fight TB over the past five years.”

For his part, while Alden, who we heard is doing the USAID campaign gratis, is grateful for the recognition he gets as an actor, he also finds the chance to help people just as fulfilling.

“It’s a humbling experience to participate in different causes. It feels good to be able to help in my own small way and contribute to USAID’s #EndTB campaign,” Alden said, before delivering a message for his fans all over the country. “Naniniwala po akong mahalagang mahikayat ang ating mga kababayan na magpakonsulta kung may sintomas ng TB at ituloy ang gamutan para hindi makahawa. Sana, sa tulong ng social media ay may makarinig ng tawag namin upang makisali sa aming kampanya.”

Unlike COVID-19, which we get from a virus, tuberculosis is a disease caused by bacteria that is largely ignored at a time when much of our attention is directed at an incurable virus. But be forewarned: Like COVID-19, TB also attacks the lungs, is highly infectious and is just as deadly if left untreated.

That’s why USAID is thrilled to collaborate with Alden and the CSR department (headed by Ms Unis Loleng) of his home network, GMA 7, to support the #EndTB campaign.

“As I got older, I realized the importance of having a healthy lifestyle,” Alden said, to explain his eagerness to support the program.

“So, I make sure I listen to my body and fuel it with all the right nutrients.”

Yes, Alden “listens” to his body—and he wants you to listen to yours, too.

“As a public figure, I hope to

influence Filipinos to develop the kind of behavior that would compel them to seek help, especially when they experience signs and symptoms related to tuberculosis—like coughing up blood, unintended weight loss, fever, prolonged coughing for three or more weeks, fatigue, etc.).

“Lalo na po ngayon, because there are health facilities that are willing to provide the free TB medication, proper care and treatment.

There are now LGUs, especially in the NCR (Metro Manila), Regions 3 and 4A, as well as Marawi, not to mention the TB Councils and TB Ordinances that allocate an annual budget for TB treatment for our kababayans. This is made possible through USAID’s TB Platforms Project. As you can see, proper care and treatment is accessible now.”

What are simple and practical ways to prevent its spread?

“It’s important to learn about TB as a disease, how to detect its symptoms, and where to access TB services. We need to share this information to our family and relatives, friends, colleagues and everyone in our circle of influence.

“Moreover, as active users of social media, we must spread awareness and correct information about the disease, especially during the pandemic where the need for infection prevention and control is great.”

We can’t ignore what our body “tells” us, Alden added: “Minsan, kapag inuubo tayo maski mahigit dalawang linggo na, ayaw nating magpa-checkup. It’s important to consult your doctor. We tend to self-medicate so it only gets worse, at nahahawaan natin ang mga kasamahan sa bahay. We’re all responsible for each other’s health and safety.”

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 22-25, 2020

SEAFOOD CITY FPFC

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B AUGUST 22-25, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrSUA reyeS WIDOWS of U.S. citizens have many options of obtaining their greencard should their U.S. citizen spouse die. Under INA Section 201(b)(2)(A)(i), Widows are allowed to remain classified as immediate relatives and to continue to be eligible to immigrate

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

How widows of US 10 records to support your citizens can still get request for IRS penalty forgiveness their green card Tax Tips

if they file an I-360 selfpetition within two years of the death of the U.S. citizen or to automatically convert an already-filed I130 to an I-360. They must also show a good faith marriage, and demonstrate that they have not remarried to immigrate as an im-

mediate relative Since 1938, US immigration regulations have provided for the automatic revocation of the approved visa petition upon the death of the Petitioner. However, immigration regulations since 2006 provided that automatic revocation provisions does not apply to a spousal petitions of US Citizens if the deceased US Citizen petitioner and the alien widower had been married at least two years at the time petitioner died.

When the FY2010 DHS Appropriations Act was enacted on October 28, 2009, the 2 year requirement was eliminated. Under section 568(c) of that act, it is no longer necessary for the husband and wife to have been married for 2 years when the citizen spouse died in order for the alien spouse to qualify as an immediate relative. The widow may remain an immediate relative as long as the widow was not legally separated from the citizen spouse at the time of death and the widow spouse files a petition within 2 years after the death of the citizen spouse or until the widow spouse remarries whichever comes earlier. INA Section 201(b)(2)(A)(i). Each child of the alien will also be considered an immediate relative under this section.

Widows with pending petitions Section 568(c) amendment is applicable to all pending petition on or after the date of the enactment. Pending includes denied I-130 that have pending motions to reopen or pending BIA appeal, and BIA denials pending federal court litigation. The amendment also applies to any form I-485 that was pending on October 28, 2009.

Widows with approved petitions Any approved I-130 before the citizen petitioner death will be deemed an approved I-360. The widower may adjust along with any child.

Widows without pending petitions Widows may file I-360 self petition. For citizen spouses that died prior to October 28, 2009, PAGE B6

Victor Sy, cPA, MBA & roger L. orieL YOU have one shot in asking the IRS to abate (forgive) penalties that have been assessed for late filing, late payment, or audit adjustments. Make this opportunity count. Submit a compelling letter supported with convincing evidence as to why the IRS should abate your penalties.

Here’s a list of records to submit to IRS: • Power Of Attorney (POA)

Tapat Sa Batas Atty. rheA SAMSon KUNG ang magulang na U.S. citizen (USC) ay magkakaroon ng anak na isinilang sa ibang bansa o sa labas ng U.S., ang kapanganakan ay dapat iulat sa lalong madaling panahon sa U.S. Consulate o U.S. Embassy upang makakuha ng record ng pag-angkin ang bata sa U.S. citizenship. Ang opisyal na record ay tinatawag na Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA).

Ang CRBA ay ebidensiya ng U.S. citizenship ng batang isinilang sa ibang bansa sa magulang/ mga magulang na nakatupad sa mga requirements sa pagbigay ng U.S. citizenship sa ilalim ng Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Ang aplikasyon para sa CRBA ay kailangang gawin bago ang ika-18 na kaarawan ng bata.

Upang makapagbigay ng U.S. citizenship ang magulang/mga magulang na USC sa anak na isinilang sa ibang bansa, sila ay dapat USC na noong isinilang ang bata. Kailangan ding ang magulang/mga magulang ay nagkaroon ng sapat na physical presence sa loob ng U.S. para makapagbigay ng U.S. citizenship sa anak. Ang physical presence requirements ay depende sa petsa ng kapanganakan ng bata at kung kasal ang mga magulang noong kapanganakan ng bata.

Kung ang bata ay isinilang sa ibang bansa sa dalawang magulang na USC at ang mga magulang na ito ay kasal na noong ipinanganak ang bata, ang anak ay may karapatan sa U.S. citi-

for your tax representative.

• Copy of original notice sent by the IRS. • Copy of tax bills in question.

• Bank statements to prove income collected or expenses paid.

• Hospital records or letters from doctors to prove your illness.

• Photographic evidence of a car accident that incapacitated you during the period in question.

• Insurance claims for personal property or real estate claims damaged by disasters.

• Newspaper articles of a hurricane that destroyed your office where records are kept.

• News items about a rainstorm that flooded your

basement where records are stored.

• Other documents to support your claims as to why IRS should forgive your penalties. *** 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.

Consular report of birth abroad zenship. Kinakailangan na isa sa mga magulang ay nakatira sa U.S. bago ang kapanganakan ng bata.

Kung ang anak ay isinilang sa ibang bansa sa mga magulang na hindi kasal, ang sumusunod ang regulasyon: (1) kung ang ina ng bata ay USC at ang bata ay ipinanganak noong Hunyo 11, 2017 o bago ang petsang ito, ang bata ay maaaring may karapatan sa US citizenship kung ang inang USC ay may tuloy-tuloy na physical presence sa US ng isang taon (365 araw) o higit pa dito bago ang kapanganakan ng bata; (2) kung ang ina ng bata ay USC at ang bata ay ipinanganak noong Hunyo 12, 2017 o pagkatapos ng petsang ito, ang bata ay maaaring may karapatan sa U.S. citizenship kung ang inang USC ay may physical presence sa US ng 5 taon at ang 2 taon dito ay noong ang ina ay may 14 taon gulang na, at bago ang kapanganakan ng bata; (3) kung ang ama ng bata ay USC at ang kapanganakan ay noong Nobyembre 14, 1986 o pagkatapos ng petsang ito, ang anak ay maaaring may karapatan sa the U.S. citizenship kung ang amang USC ay may physical presence sa US ng 5 taon, at ang 2 taon dito ay noong ang ama ay may 14 taon gulang na, at bago ang kapanganakan ng bata. Maliban dito, dapat may ebidensya ng blood relationship ng anak at amang USC; ang amang USC ay pumayag na magbigay ng financial support hanggang ang anak ay maging 18 taong gulang; at bago maging 18 taon ang anak, siya ay naging legitimated dahil sa kasal ng mga magulang, o ki-

nilala ng amang USC ang anak sa pamamagitan ng kasulatan sa ilalim ng panunumpa, o ang paternity ng anak ay napatunayan sa korte. *** If a child is born to a U.S. citizen parent abroad, the child’s birth should be reported as soon as possible to the U.S. Consulate or U.S. Embassy to establish a record of the child’s claim to U.S. citizenship at birth. The official record is called Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA).

This is evidence of U.S. citizenship of a child born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent/s who meet the requirements for transmitting citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). CRBA applications must be made before the child’s 18th birthday and it is recommended that the parents apply for CRBA as soon as possible after the child’s birth.

In order to transmit U.S. citizenship to a child, the U.S. citizen (USC) parent/s must have been a USC at the time of the child’s birth and must have accrued sufficient physical presence in the U.S. to transmit citizenship. The physical presence requirements depend on the date of birth of the child and the marital status of the parents at the time of the child’s birth.

If a child is born abroad to two USC parents who are married at the time of birth, the child is entitled to citizenship, provided that one of the parents, prior to the birth of the child, had been a resident of the U.S. For a child born out of wedPAGE B6

Repo deficiency causes senior to seek Chapter 7 relief Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng THE first client is 75. Her husband passed four years ago and left her with $30,000 of credit card debt. She has been making minimum payments on their credit cards for the last 15 years as far as she can recall at the rate of $800 a month.

So in one year, she pays about $10,000 of minimum payments to keep the $30,000 current. In 10 years she paid $100,000 to keep them current. In the last 15 years, she has paid $150,000 to keep her credit card masters happy.

Mastercard and Visa are very happy with her. They lent her $30,000 15 years ago. After 15 years she paid them $150,000, and she still owes them the same $30,000! Well, of course, that a great business profit for Mastercard and Visa, right?

Borrow $30,000 and pay back $150,000 in 15 years but still owe the same $30,000!

Just imagine the client was only 60 when she got her $30,000 of credit cards with her husband. Now, her husband has gone on ahead of her. Together, they have paid $150,000 on the $30,000 starting at the age of 60. At 75, she has paid $150,000 and still owes the very same $30,000.

Never mind that she could put the $150,000 to much better use now at 75, if she did not owe the $30,000 in the first place. Now that she is retired and receiving social security of $1,300, forking over $800 a month to make these minimum payments to Mastercard and Visa means that 61% of her retirement income goes to

minimum payments. Now that doesn’t sound good, does it?

She rents a room for $500 a month, so just the credit card payments and the rent use up all of the social security of $1,300!

So get this, at 75 she has to get part-time work at Walmart, to have money for food and other necessities. Without the $800 paid to credit cards, she literally would not have to work anymore. $800 a month after rent is paid is more than enough for food and other necessities for a single person.

The client has been living this way, until two months ago, when her 2015 Lexus RX330, which she leased for $450 a month was repossessed. She thought she wouldn’t owe Toyota anything since they took the car back. But last week, Toyota sent her notice that, she owed them a lease deficiency of $18,000. This, of course, is the proverbial last straw that broke the camel’s back. Mastercard and Visa already takes more than half her social security, forcing her to continue working at Walmart at the age of 75, but now owing another $18,000 to Toyota for a car that she has already returned to them that she can’t drive anymore, these circumstances put her financial situation into a more accurate perspective. At the age of 75, she needs a complete makeover of her finances.

Chapter 7 will wipe out the $30,000 of credit card debt, and the $18,000 owed to Toyota. She will wipe out $48,000 of debt that she totally doesn’t need to be burdened with at 75.

We are talking about the quality of life here. Nobody wants to live like this. Her creditors own her life! This is no way for anyone to live, no matter what age. I am sure that her beloved husband would agree that they should have filed for Chapter

7 at least 10 years ago, so that now, the client at least would have saved $100,000 in retirement funds instead of being saddled with debt.

Debtor opts for Chapter 7 Client no. 2 is still young.

She is barely 50. Her husband suffered a stroke two years ago. His hospital bill was $200,000. Well, that obviously is one problem. And he owes about $40,000 of credit cards. That’s another burden you don’t want to have even if you are completely healthy and able to work. She needs $1,200 a month to keep her husband’s $40,000 of credit cards happy and current. The problem is that the husband cannot work anymore because of the stroke.

The husband is still ok in that he is still able to talk and not paralyzed, but I believe he is depressed because of his condition. He’s a lot younger than I am, but I feel that he’s lost the will to continue living. I feel bad for him and her.

I can help him discharge the $200,000 of medical bills and $40,000 of credit cards. That’s a no brainer. But I wish I could do more for him healthwise.

But that’s now between our Almighty Father in heaven and him.

If you need debt relief, set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally. *** Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advice. Each case is different. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

(Advertising Supplement)

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Filing bankruptcy when faced with the unexpected

MANY people find themselves in the position of facing overwhelming debt, with constant calls from creditors and no obvious way out. For some, job loss sent them into a downward spiral, and they are now unable to pay their bills and meet their responsibilities. For others, a recent divorce or costly medical emergency drained their resources, leaving them in a very difficult financial situation.

Over the last few months, millions of people have lost their jobs due to the pandemic.

Unemployment is at an all-time high and without the stimulus payments provided by the government, a lot of people would have found themselves unable to pay their rent and provide for their families. The extra $600 in unemployment benefits have been a lifeline for many but that ended last month. As our Congress continues to deliberate and finalize plans on how to continue this government assistance, a lot of families are

EMPLOYMENT

Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon worried how they are going to survive these uncertain times.

In situations like what we are now facing, bankruptcy can be used as a tool to cut or minimize your losses while protecting what you have worked so hard for. If you have a home, savings, retirement plans, a business, other assets, etc., how do you protect all of these if you’re struggling with debts that you can no longer pay?

In good times, people sometimes get too complacent with financial planning and they fail to prepare for financial emergencies while continuing to accumulate unnecessary debt. When tough times come,

only then do they realize that they could have done better. I realize we are facing unprecedented times and the financial problems caused by the virus could not have prepared a lot of people for what was to come so quickly. But a good financial plan definitely helps you withstand the unexpected; there is nothing worse than not having a contingency plan. Thank God we have bankruptcy laws that can help us for the worst of times when we can no longer help ourselves.

Unfortunately, a lot of people are fed all kinds of misinformation about bankruptcy. So, what often happens is that people who need help so badly end up doing NOTHING for fear of making a mistake.

The important thing to remember is that no one solution fits every situation. Your financial situation should be carefully evaluated by an experienced and knowledgeable atPAGE B6

EMPLOYMENT

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 22-25, 2020

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On being a ‘rock’ like Peter The Prophetic Voice ReveRend Rodel G. BAlAGtAs “AND I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail over it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven,”Jesus told Peter after the latter professed that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:13-20) Now, this must have been overwhelming for Peter to hear Jesus give him this tremendous responsibility. Af-

ter all, Peter knew very well that he didn’t qualify for this crucial position among the disciples—he who was weak to trust him to walk on water as he did? He knew that his fears, insecurities, and this heavy responsibility could drown him to death.

But Jesus saw something remarkable in Peter that he was willing to entrust him the keys of the Kingdom. Peter knew the truth about Jesus.

after their earthly life, as long as they believe in him and follow his path of love, mercy, forgiveness, sacrifice, and service.

Jesus knew that Peter would be humble to accept his weaknesses and turn to the Living God for wisdom and strength.

He’ll lead the disciples and God’s people by relying not only on his talents and efforts but also on God’s power through his Spirit alive in the world.

In one way or another, we can all relate to Peter.

Many of us face heavy responsibilities of leading a family, a community, a church, a city, a country, and even one’s self in these trying times of pandemic.

Parents and teachers must work hard together now to educate their children through remote learning.

Heads of companies have PAGE B6

“Jesus knew that Peter would be humble to accept his weaknesses and turn to the Living God for wisdom and strength.”

Jesus is not John the Baptist or Elijah, whom the Jews believed would return from the dead. He is the Son of the Living God, the Lord of Life, who promises to energize and inspire us with his life-giving Words and Sacraments. He is the Lord of Life who would grant eternal life to all people

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

B AUGUST 22-25, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Is Amazon liable for defective products sold on its site?

Protecting consumers against sellers

ANGELA Bolger bought a replacement laptop computer battery on Amazon. com, which was being sold by “E-Life,” a fictitious name used on Amazon by Lenoge Technology (HK) Ltd., a foreign corporation. Amazon charged Bolger for the purchase, retrieved the laptop battery from its location in an Amazon warehouse, prepared the battery for shipment in Amazon-branded packaging, and sent it to Bolger. Bolger claimed the battery exploded several months later and severely injured her.

Bolger sued Amazon and Lenoge, alleging strict products liability, among other things. Lenoge, the foreign defendant, did not appear.

Amazon asked the trial court to dismiss the case against it, arguing that the doctrine of strict products liability did not apply to it because it did not distribute, manufacture, or sell the product that injured Bolger. Amazon claimed its website was an “online marketplace” and Lenoge was the product seller, not Amazon. The trial court agreed, and dismissed the case. Bolger appealed.

Products liability is the area of law where product manufacturers and distributors are held responsible for the injuries that their defective products cause. Any product may cause a product-related accident, including such items as: defective toys, clothes, equipment, tools, foods, medicines, and vehicles. If such products are defective or are inherently dangerous, they can cause injuries. If a defect in the design or manufacture of the product causes injuries while the product is being used in a reasonably foreseeable way, then the law imposes liability on the manufacturers and distributors.

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. Defective and dangerous products may at times be sold to the public. The fact that a defective or dangerous product ended up being sold in the market may be enough to hold the product manufacturer liable for the injuries that the product caused. This is the principle of strict liability, which holds that the manufacturer or distributor of a product is strictly liable for injuries caused by its products regardless of whether they were negligent or not. Under California law, if a product is more dangerous than it should be, or if it contains inadequate warnings, then the maker or seller of such defective product is strictly liable for any injuries that result when the product is used in a reasonably foreseeable way.

In the case against Amazon, the appellate court noted that even though Amazon was not the manufacturer, seller, or distributor of the battery that injured Bolger, Amazon placed itself between Lenoge and Bolger in the chain of distribution of the product. Amazon accepted possession of the product from Lenoge, stored it in its warehouse, attracted Bolger to the Amazon website showing the product, received her payment, and shipped the product in Amazon packaging. Amazon set the terms of its relationship with Lenoge, controlled the conditions of Lenoge’s offer for sale on Amazon, limited Lenoge’s access to Amazon’s customer information, and forced Lenoge to communi-

cate with customers through Amazon. The appellate court concluded that whether it is a “retailer,” “distributor,” or merely “facilitator,” Amazon was pivotal in bringing the product to the consumer. But for Amazon’s own acts, Bolger would not have been injured.

Even if Amazon was not negligent, the law of strict products liability was created to protect consumers of manufactured goods in an increasingly mechanized society, where the laws on negligence may have limits.

The scope of strict liability has been expanded, where necessary, to account for new “market realities” and to cover new ways of doing business.

Amazon’s direct link in the chain of distribution makes it a powerful intermediary between the third-party seller and the consumer. Amazon is the only member of the enterprise reasonably available to an injured consumer (because the manufacturer is outside the United States).

Thus, strict liability laws protect consumers by ensuring that they are compensated for injuries caused by defective products. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.]

(Advertising Supplement)

Bembol laments lack of gov’t support for showbiz workers

By Marinel

Cruz

Inquirer.net

“I AM raring to go back to work,” declared veteran actor Bembol Roco, who admitted to being one of those affected by the government-imposed lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting work stoppage in show biz.

“This is my life. It’s so disorienting to not be able to do it all of a sudden. It’s the first time that this has ever happened to me or to anyone,” pointed out Bembol, who was last seen on television in the drama series, “The Gift.”

The award-winning thespian added: “Entertainment is the most affected compared to other industries, but this is hardly being discussed. We are left to fend for ourselves. We don’t get government support. Walang kahit ano man.

“I know that there are productions that have already resumed work. Sadly, their number isn’t enough to keep everyone employed. We’re all affected by this Bembol Rocco pandemic.”

GMA photo

By ian

Biong Inquirer.net

Jane de Leon

guidelines,” it added.

ABS-CBN also said that because of the unprecedented health crisis, it is difficult to assess when cinemas will return to normal. The company then thanked the Ravelo family, the Darna fans and the public “for their unrelenting support and understanding.”

Young actress Jane de Leon will take on the role of the titular superhero after Liza Soberano backed out from the project last year because of a finger injury.

Prior to the casting of Soberano,

DEAR Attorney Tan, I was driving home and was at a complete stop when another driver rear ended my car. I was not feeling well after the accident, as my back seemed very tight and stiff. I took some days off from work.

After a week, I contacted the other driver’s insurance to report the claim. The insurance adjuster for the other driver said they would fix my car, and offered me $500.00 for my injuries. Is that enough? I do not know where to go from here. –K.K. Dear K.K., The first step is to make sure that any injuries that you have suffered in the accident are examined and treated. You can recover treatment costs since they are considered “economic damages” that you suffered due to the accident.

You can also recover for time away from work as “economic damages,” even if you used paid time off or sick leave.

The term “economic damages” means “objectively verifiable monetary losses including medical expenses, loss of earnings, burial costs, loss of use of property, costs of repair or replacement, costs of obtaining substitute domestic services, loss of employment and loss of business or employment opportunities.” Civil Code Section 1431.2(b)(1). A person’s claim for economic damages apart from medical expenses are often overlooked and not pursued by persons who settle their accident cases on their own, or with the assis-

Legal Advice Atty. DArriCk tAn tance of inexperienced counsel.

Loss of earnings are often a significant part of an injured person’s claim for economic damages. Damages are recoverable for both past and future lost earnings. To recover for past lost earnings, a person must prove the amount of income or earnings that he/she has lost to date. To recover damages for future earnings, a person must prove the amount of income or earnings that he/she will be reasonably certain to lose in the future as a result of the injury.

CACI No. 3903C. How are past lost earnings proven? Medical records, which show the doctor authorizing a release from work or giving instructions to restrict work activities, can support the time taken off from work due to the injury. For those self-employed, medical providers typically do not provide a release from work; however, medical records should record work restrictions placed by the medical provider.

After showing that the time off was justified, the next step is to value the lost earnings. A letter from a person’s employer that outlines the amount of time that one has lost as a result of his/her injury, the loss of benefits, and the rate of pay during the time

of loss is evidence of the value of one’s loss of earnings claim.

Other supporting documents include pay stubs, time cards, and tax returns. The monetary value of sick leave and vacation time that are used due to the injury are also recoverable.

For those self-employed, earnings history as reflected by tax returns and profit and loss statements can help prove the value of lost earnings. Similar supporting documentation must be presented for future lost earnings.

Apart from economic damages, you can recover “general damages,” which are damages for the pain, suffering, and inconvenience due to the accident.

If you were suffered injury in an auto accident or someone’s premises, please contact our office to discuss your case. To maximize monetary recovery, it is important to have the assistance of an experienced attorney in presenting your personal injury claim. *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada.

Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles. He has also served on the Board of Governors of the Philippine American Bar Association. *** LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: 323-639-0277.

Email: info@dtanlaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

How widows of US citizens...

PAGE B4 the deadline to file the I-360 is October 28, 2011. For citizen spouses that died on or after October 28, 2009, the deadline to file the self petition is within 2 years of the citizen’s death. Affidavit of Support is not required for widows of a citizen and accompanying children.

USCIS does not require a Form I-864 Affidavit of Support for either the widow or the accompanying children in order to establish they will not become a public charge under INA Section 212(a)(4). A Form I-864W exemption should be filed.

A widow and and accompanying children will not accumulate unlawful presence if they were the beneficiary of a spousal I-130 that

was pending October 28,2009 and that was later approved as a self-petition.

If you are a widow who has a US Citizen spouse who passed away within the last 2 years, you should seek the representation of an experienced immigration attorney to assist you with this process. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice.

The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.

This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed.

The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law

Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010.

Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail Kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

Consular report of birth...

‘Darna’ production postponed indefinitely over COVID-19 concerns, ABS-CBN clarifies THE production for Star Cinema’s “Darna” film has been postponed indefinitely by ABS-CBN, citing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic as the cause.

The decision came about “after careful deliberation on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on production and cinemas,” as per ABSCBN’s press statement released on Friday, August 21.

The network’s press statement clarifies Inquirer Bandera’s report on Tuesday, Aug. 18, which cited an unidentified Star Cinema source, that the said film had been scrapped because of its big budget and also due to the pandemic.

Despite the postponement, the network noted that it still holds the rights to Mars Ravelo’s famous Filipina superhero.

“We are committed to following production guidelines under the new normal and the safety of the actors and production team is a top priority,” ABS-CBN said.

“However, because the movie requires complex logistics, crowd shots, and fight scenes that involve physical contact, it will be difficult to give justice to the superhero film while strictly adhering to the

Maximing recovery in personal injury cases

Photo from Instagram/@iamjanedeleon

Angel Locsin was originally set to reprise her Darna role for the big screen, which was initially supposed to be directed by Erik Matti. Locsin backed out in 2017 for health reasons, while Matti and Star Cinema mutually decided to part in 2018 due to creative differences.

Matti has since been replaced by director Jerrold Tarog, who is currently working on “Quezon,” the third installment in his Philippine revolution trilogy following “Heneral Luna” and “Goyo.”

PAGE B4 lock abroad, the following regulations apply: (1) if the child is born to a USC mother on or before June 11, 2017, the child may be entitled to U.S. citizenship if the USC mother had been physically present in the U.S. for a continuous period of at least one year (365 days) at some time prior to the child’s birth; (2) if the child is born to a USC mother on or after June 12, 2017, the child may be entitled to US citizenship if the USC mother had been physically present in the U.S. for at least 5 years, 2 years of which are at the age of 14 at some time prior to the child’s birth; (3) if the child is born to a USC father

on or after November 14, 1986, the child may be entitled to U.S. citizenship if the USC father had been physically present in the U.S. for at least 5 years, 2 years of which are at the age of 14 at some time prior to the child’s birth. Moreover, the blood relationship between the child and the father must be established by clear and convincing evidence; the father has agreed to provide financial support for the child until he reaches the age of 18 years old; and while the child is under 18 years old, the child is legitimated, or the father acknowledges paternity in writing under oath, or the paternity of the child is established by adjudication of a competent court.

*** ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is the principal of SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C. She has been a member of the State Bar of California for over 15 years and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for over 20 years. Atty. Samson received her Legal Management degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School.

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

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

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Filing bankruptcy when...

PAGE B5 torney who can help you understand the options you may have available. By doing this, you can make an informed choice in taking the steps needed toward financial freedom. As a bankruptcy attorney, I always see people who have been stuck in their financial suffering for years because of their inactionwhen they could have acted much sooner before draining all their financial resources to keep their head above water.

Debt problems can happen to anyone. I understand that they can be overwhelming and can cause a lot of sleepless

nights and constant worrying about the future. But things don’t have to be that way and you may have options that you didn’t even know existed. There is no shame in filing bankruptcy if that is what you need to do in order to start over and provide a better future not only for yourself and your family.

If you have not read my book, “What You Need to Know Before Filing Bankruptcy”, you can download it free of charge at HYPERLINK “http://www. beforefilingbk.com” www.beforefilingbk.com. For a free evaluation of your case, please call our office at 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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On being a ‘rock’ like...

PAGE B5 to deal with cutbacks and keeping jobs. Civic and government leaders continue to manage the health crisis and prevent more cases of COVID19. And each of us has to lead one’s life by being healthy in body and mind, and by adhering to all the medical experts’ requirements to protect one’s self and others from being infected with the coronavirus.

In all of these challenges, we must turn to our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. No matter what assumptions we hear about God’s designs regarding this pandemic, we must not lose sight of the fact that Jesus is calling us to trust in him. Every day for us must be a profession of faith in Jesus, the Lord of Life.

Let each of us be a “rock” for our loved ones and friends—

solid in the faith, unyielding to fears and discouragements, patient, and filled with hope for the world and the church.

No responsibility is heavy for us as long as we know that he promises to grant us his graces of wisdom and strength.

Amen! *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 22-25, 2020

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B AUGUST 22-25, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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