090220 - Southern California Midweek Edition by Asian Journal Community Newspapers

September 2-4, 2020 Volume 30 - No.69 • 2 Sections - 14 Pages

Ahead of Labor Day weekend, LA County DATELINE USA Census, COVID-19 testing ofﬁcials warn against large gatherings pop-up event comes to FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Historic Filipinotown

WITH less than 30 days until the 2020 census response deadline, an upcoming event in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown neighborhood is part of the final push to have community members counted in the decennial enumeration. A drive-thru/walk-up census event will be held on Saturday, September 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at LA Downtown Medical Center (1711 W. Temple St. Los Angeles, CA 90026), where residents can get help filling out the questionnaire. Language assistance will be available in Tagalog and Spanish. Attendees who complete the census will receive a goody bag with a $5 gift card, enjoy free ice cream and see a chalk art display as part of Los Angeles County Office of Education’s Census Chalkathon, according to a release from the LA Board of Public Works.

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

AMID the public’s frustration over lockdown measures, Los Angeles County officials are advising the public against Labor Day weekend celebrations outside of the home in order to avoid another increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the county has recorded 242,521 positive cases and 5,829 deaths as of Tuesday, Aug. 1, and despite the public’s insistence that schools and businesses reopen, the county is warning against attending in-person gatherings and parties with those outside of one’s household.

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Part of Route 35 in Daly City to be named after local Filipina American leader

A PORTION of California State Highway 35 in Daly City will be named after Filipina American activist and community leader Alice Pena Bulos according to a resolution passed in the state Legislature on Friday, August 28. The resolution, ACR 165, was authored and introduced by Assemblymember Phil Ting (DSan Francisco), and it designated the stretch of Route 35 that covers the well-known Skyline Boulevard as the “Alice Pena Bulos Memorial Highway.” “We see the influence of Alice Pena Bulos throughout our communities, as well as in elected local and state government leadership,” Ting said in a press release. “That’s why she’s considered the Godmother of Filipino American politics and empowerment. It’s my honor to carry the legislation that celebrates her legacy.” A prominent community leader of the 20th

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Metro Manila placed under GCQ until end of September

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The route known as Skyline Boulevard will bare the name of community leader and activist Alice Pena Bulos

LA County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said on Monday’s countywide briefing that it will be guided by transmission rates and de-escalating the positivity rates. In accordance with California’s new tiered system, LA County sits in Tier 1, meaning that the virus is widespread.

’TIS THE SEASON. This early a man starts shopping for Christmas decors at a stall at the corner of Kanlaon and Dapitan Streets in Quezon City on Monday, August 31. Yuletide season in the Philippines kicks off on September 1st or the start of the so-called “Ber” months — which is more than three months before the actual Christmas Day. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

METRO Manila will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) for the entire month of September, President Rodrigo Duterte announced Monday, August 31. The provinces of Bulacan and Batangas, as well as the cities of Tacloban and Bacolod, will also be under GCQ until Sept. 30. Iligan City will be under the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) after seeing an increase in its coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, the rest of the country will be under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ). According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), gyms, internet cafés, personal care centers, as well as review and tutorial centers, will be allowed to operate in GCQ areas. “As agreed with Metro Manila mayors, for gyms, fitness centers and sports facilities, the specific guidelines, including operating capacity and more specific health protocol requirements shall be issued by each LGU (local government unit),” said Trade Secretary

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CA begins final push for 2020 census responses by AJPRESS COMMUNITIES across California are still urged to fill out their 2020 U.S. Census forms as the deadline approaches at the end of September. The decennial count, which can be done by phone, online or mail, enumerates where individuals live as of April 1. “Fundamentally, our message is clear: time is running out to make an impact on the funding for the next 10 years for your community,” Ditas Katague, the director of the California Complete Count campaign, during a press call on Monday, August 31. The results help guide how $675 billion

in federal funding and resources, from medical services to infrastructure projects, are allocated to communities annually. States lose approximately $1,000 per person each year for the 10 next years for those who are missed in the count. It also determines how many representatives each state gets in Congress and is used to redraw district boundaries. “We really want to emphasize taking just a few minutes to complete the census because it’s safe, secure and drives those critical dollars into education and health care programs,” Katague said, adding that everyone can be counted regardless of background or immigration status. A doctor offers prayers for medical frontliners who died of COVID during a mass dedicated to

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fallen heroes at the San Felipe Neri Parish in Mandaluyong City on Monday, August 31. Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman

Acclaimed Fil-Am restaurant Ma’am Sir has closed Duterte honors COVID-19 frontliners by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

LOS ANGELES has lost one of its beloved modern Filipino American restaurants with the closure of Ma’am Sir along Sunset Boulevard, its chef and owner Charles Olalia announced on Friday, August 28. Olalia took to Instagram to share the fate of his restaurant, which had occupied a 1,800-square-foot space in the Silver Lake neighborhood since June 2018. “It all started with a wish. I wished for a place where Lucas can run and play, a place where people can come and enjoy Filipino cuisine, and an overall beautiful restaurant for the community to gather. Ma’am sir fulfilled that for me and so much more. Ma’am sir was my home. God listened to my prayers and blessed us with this place,” the post said. The exterior of Ma’am Sir along Sunset Boulevard in LA’s Silver The chef, who is originally from PampanLake neighborhood AJPress ﬁle photo by Christina M. Oriel

ga, Philippines, was set to pursue a medical career but came to the United States in 2005 and ended up enrolling in a culinary program. Trained in French cuisine and fine dining, Olalia’s experiences include The French Laundry, Patina (where he spent four years rising up from sous chef to chef de cuisine then to executive chef), and mar’sel at Terranea Resort. In 2015, he began hosting pop-up, familystyle dinners under the name A’postrophe where he had the chance to cook dishes he grew up eating. That led to Rice Bar, a seven-seat, 275-square-foot space in Downtown LA that received numerous recognitions, including a spot on late food critic Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. (Rice Bar eventually closed in 2019 as Olalia wanted to focus more on the Silver Lake restaurant).

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by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, August 31, paid tribute to Filipino front-line workers fighting against the novel coronavirus pandemic as the country commemorated National Heroes’ Day. “Today, we honor not only the valor of our forebears who fought for our mother land’s freedom, but also the heroism of those who risked their lives, fighting a different kind of enemy,” he said in a short message aired over staterun PTV-4. According to Duterte, these front-liners have risen to become modern day heroes. “Present day challenges posed by the current public health cri-

sis have given rise to modern day heroes: the countless Filipino frontliners here and abroad who are battling the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. He also expressed hope that more Filipinos will be inspired by the heroic sacrifices of the country’s frontliners. “I hope that the bravery of our Filipino heroes, past and present, will inspire us all to face and overcome even the most unfavorable situations,” Duterte said. “Together, let us become everyday heroes as we pursue a better future for everyone,” he added. Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, for his part, urged the public to keep the frontliners risking their lives ev-

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A September 2-4, 2020 • SoCal ASIAN JOUrNAL

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

Part of Route 35 in Daly City to be named... PAGE A1 century, Bulos was born on March 31, 1930 in the Philippines, where she earned degrees at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. She then became a professor of sociology and department chair, and in 1972, she migrated to Northern California where, for four decades, she would empower the Filipino American community with her activism. She inspired and became the spiritual leader for generations of Filipino American leaders like Daly City Councilmember Ray Buenaventura, who told Inquirer. net that “Alice Bulos meant the world to me. We formed a special relationship from the moment we met. She is like family to me, my mentor, confidant, mother, advisor, conscience and critic. I loved her dearly and wanted to do something to make sure her name will be memorialized forever.” As an advocate for Filipino American representation in public office, Bulos’ local impact evolved into nationwide recognition. In the

From the Front Page

Bulos passed away in 2016 at 86 years old, but her reputation as the loving “Tita Alice” remains among Filipino American leaders in California, including members of the Filipino American Democratic Club of San Mateo County which credits Bulos for encouraging Filipino Americans to run for office. “Throughout her life, Tita Alice was committed to opening doors for young Fil-Ams who wanted to enter public service and politics but did not see themselves represented in those places of power,” Community leader “Tita” Alice Bulos the club wrote in a statement. 1990s, then-President Bill Clinton “Tita Alice has left an everlasting appointed Bulos to the National mark in commuters all over CaliCouncil on Aging, making her the fornia and especially here in the first Fil-Am appointed by a sitting Bay Area where she called home. president to serve a federal post. While she is no longer with us, her Bulos has also served on the memory lives on in her family and Filipino American Caucus for the the numerous friends, supporters California Democratic Party, the and pupils she inspired over her National Filipino Women’s Net- decades of service.” The Alice Pena Bulos Memowork and the National Asian Pacific Democratic Council, making rial Highway signposts are set to her a formidable figure in the pro- be installed next year. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) gressive wing of Fil-Am politics.

Acclaimed Fil-Am restaurant Ma’am Sir...

PAGE A1 “This was my way of staking a claim in my own heritage and making it available to people the way I see it,” he told the Asian Journal in a previous interview. In June 2018, he opened the doors of Ma’am Sir, which featured a menu that had instant favorites like the sea urchin lumpia to the Happy Birthday Chicken. It became a gathering place for the

community to share family-style meals or meet up for a drink as the cocktail menu featured Filipino flavors and spirits. The spot early on earned its place on the Los Angeles Times’ “101 Restaurants We Love” and GQ’s “Best New Restaurants in America.” As Ma’am Sir may be one of the latest restaurant casualties in LA, Olalia remained hopeful that he will welcome diners again in

the future in another form. “There will come a time when I can welcome you again,” he wrote, adding “As generic as it sounds, I may have closed this chapter, but I gained family in you all.” He told the Asian Journal in 2018, “Every time I open a restaurant, I always want to create a community. I’d love for people to make us part of their lives.” n

NATIONAL HEROES DAY. Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay (right), representing President Rodrigo Duterte, troops the line during the observance of this year’s National Heroes Day held at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City Monday, August 31. Gapay, escorted by Philippine Lt. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana (left), urged Filipinos to perform acts of valor in their day to day lives. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Ahead of Labor Day weekend...

PAGE A1 In order to move to Tier Two, the seven-day average of new cases per day needs to decrease to seven cases per 100,00 residents. LA County is currently experiencing 13 positive cases per 100,000 residents. Davis said that as the govern-

ment figures out ways to safely reopen schools and businesses, “[w]e must look at the lessons learned from our experiences these seven months. In order for transmission rates to continue to fall, we need to continue to forego our traditional holiday traditions.” “Our path forward for recovery depends on us being able to reduce community transmission significantly, so children and teachers can get back to their classrooms and more people can get back to their jobs with as much safety as possible,” Davis added on Monday. As reported in the Asian Journal, the county experienced significant surges in positive cases and deaths associated with the COVID-19 virus after Memorial Day weekend and Fourth of July. Since then, county officials have tightened their mandates on masks and social distancing, issuing fines to open businesses for not adhering to the appropriate safety protocols and prohibiting mass gatherings with people outside your home. In a statement, LA County Public Health listed out examples of gatherings that continue to be banned (given they take place with people you don’t live with): baby showers, Labor Day

barbeques, hosting study groups with fellow students, inviting extended family for religious holidays, and going to the beach. “These types of gatherings are risky as they bring together people who do not live together and increase the chances of community transmission,” the county said. Beach closures have not been announced for Labor Day weekend, but it is likely. Previously, LA County beaches were closed over the Fourth of July weekend. LA County is expected to undergo another heatwave over the Labor Day weekend, but Davis warned the public to opt for festivities that adhere to infectioncontrol protocols. “Only gather with members of your own household this holiday weekend,” Davis said. “Avoid crowds and be flexible and willing to change plans or move to a different location if you find yourself in a crowded area. And once again avoid confined spaces, especially places where you can’t stay more than three steps away from others. If you’re sick and have been exposed to someone who is positive for COVID-19, please stay at home, isolate and quarantine as appropriate.” He added, “Remember, these actions save lives.” n

California begins final push for...

PAGE A1 By the end of August, over 10.2 million California households have responded to their questionnaire forms. The state’s self-response rate is 67.3%, which is above the national average of 65%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Leading up to September 30, the state will be focusing on a final push in some 2,000 census tracts that have the lowest response rates and are the hardest to count. The hardest to count county in the state is Los Angeles County, which has a current rate of 62.6% compared to 69% in 2010. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, enumerators have begun knocking on doors of households that haven’t responded, while following local public health guidelines and conducting interviews while so-

cially distancing. Door knockers are also available in various languages, such as Tagalog. One of the methods that has worked in recent weeks is through a texting and phone banking effort that directs callers to the census bureau’s hotline to get responses. Other counties that the state’s count committee will be focusing on include San Francisco, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara, Fresno, Kern, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange and San Diego. “This is an opportunity for individuals and households to take the census into your own hands and to make sure your voice is heard because no one else should be defining who you are,” Katague said. “This is exactly the way in the next 30 days that you can absolutely have an impact on your community.” n

Metro Manila placed under GCQ...

PAGE A1 Ramon Lopez. “The other newly opened sectors can reopen up to 30 percent operating capacity,” he added. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that plans to shift Metro Manila to the most lenient MGCQ are being discussed. “These are being discussed, we are looking at the critical care capacity, we are looking at the case doubling rate, we will know later on, the president will conduct an inspection,” he said.

Roque also noted that shorter curfew hours are being proposed by mayors in Metro Manila, going from the current 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew hours to 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. “It won’t be immediate because they (local governments) still have to amend their ordinances. Other local governments have given the mayor the authority to change the curfew hours through executive order,” he said. As of this press time, there are 224,264 COVID-19 cases in the country, with 3,597 fatalities and 158,012 recoveries. n

BACK IN THE GYM. A fitness coach teaches a client on basic workout, warm-up, and stretching at a gym in Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City on Tuesday, September 1. Gyms and fitness centers are among non-essential establishments that have been allowed to operate subject to health and safety protocols starting Tuesday. Photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

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Dateline USa

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • SeptembeR 2-4, 2020

Known as a mother figure, 62-year-old Long-fought nurse practitioner Filipina dies of COVID-19 in Southern California independence bill heads to Newsom by AJPress Fondly called “Mama Teng,” Maria Teresa Banson was revered as a mother figure to students and colleagues. Before migrating to Southern California in April 2005, she taught computer science and other subjects at St. Paul University, Iloilo City, Philippines. “Mama extended her motherly figure to her students at St Paul. She would guide and inspire her advisory class and was one of the go-to teachers,” her daughter Aileen Banson told the Asian Journal. The older Banson was known for being talkative, yet inquisitive, which was why students sought her for advice. “She would ask questions and let you feel that she is present and listening. Her contagious smile was what made her approachable and [not] intimidating and her aura made you comfortable around her,” Aileen added. When she arrived in her new home, Banson found employment as a secretary at an immigration law firm. She then moved to Hubert Humphrey Comprehensive Health Center, a primary and urgent care center operated by los Angeles County, where she was employed as a clerk for almost 12 years. There, she was known for sharing food with her co-workers. Banson — who had survived a stroke 20 years ago and was hypertensive and borderline diabetic — began showing symptoms on June 2 and tested positive for CoVId-19 four days later. She was admitted to the hospital on June 10 and was moved to the intensive care unit by the 16th, during which she was sedated for 11 days until her death on June 27. She was 62 years old. Banson lived in Huntington

by Rachel

Bluth Kaiser Health News

SACRAMEnTo — After years of failed attempts and vociferous opposition, California lawmakers on Monday, August 31 adopted a measure to grant nurse practitioners the ability to practice without doctor supervision — but only after making big concessions to the powerful doctors’ lobby, which nonetheless remains opposed. The bill now heads to Gov. Gavin newsom for consideration, fenced in by amendments that would stringently limit how much independence nurse practitioners — nurses with advanced training and degrees — can have to practice medicine. lawmakers credit these compromises, like them or not, for finally allowing them to push the issue over the finish line, capping years of political scrapping and perhaps one day altering the delivery of health care in California. “This is not an intrusion on a hallowed profession, it’s a relief,” said state Sen. John Moorlach (RMaria Teresa Banson (January 25, 1958 — June 27, 2020)

Park, California with Rolando Banson, her husband of 40 years. She is survived by two brothers, danilo Baltazar and Mario Baltazar; her four children, Aileen Banson, Kim Roland Banson, Jule Bryan Banson and Ken Philip Banson; and one grandchild. “one of her most prized possessions was her Toyota Camry hybrid car that she loved driving around but funnily enough never took to the freeway because she was afraid of freeways. She acted as the ‘GPS’ to my dad whenever they had long drives and my dad would sometimes tease her that that was one of her ways of dominating him,” Aileen said. Her children remember Banson for being thoughtful by al-

Photo courtesy of Aileen Banson

ways checking in through a text or phone call. When they got together as a family, she would come bearing fruits and make sure they were well fed. outside of work, Banson loved to travel with her best friend, Mary Therese Valdevieso, who was also a teacher at St. Paul. The two would visit their former students across the U.S. “She had planned a lot more travels and it is unfortunate that these plans will not materialize anymore. But it is somehow comforting to think that she embarked on her ultimate travel — to heaven,” Aileen said. Her family plans to put her to rest in the Philippines when it is safe to travel. n

Duterte honors COVID-19... PAGE A1 eryday to fight CoVId-19 in their thoughts. “As we continue our fight against CoVId-19, let’s remember our modern-day heroes, our frontliners, who constantly put their lives at risk for our safety and protection,” Andanar said. “May their sacrifices not be in vain as we, in the duterte admin-

istration, strive to continue providing the necessary actions for us to heal and recover as one nation,” he added. Meanwhile, Senator Francis Pangilinan lobbied for the frontliners’ hazard pay. “let us honor and celebrate our everyday heroes against (coronavirus disease) CoVId-19 by paying them their due, and

releasing their daily hazard pay is the least we can do,” the opposition senator said. national Heroes’ day is celebrated on Aug. 31. Initially, Filipinos celebrated the national holiday on november 30, the birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio, but it was moved to the last Monday of August to commemorate the Cry of Balintawak. n

Costa Mesa), one of four Republican senators who voted for the bill. Moorlach said the measure would get more practitioners into underserved areas that don’t have enough doctors. “It’s like the cavalry coming up over the hill to provide reinforcements to a tired army of wonderful and overworked doctors,” he said. California is behind most other states in empowering nurse practitioners. If the bill becomes law, the state would join nearly 40 others to grant some level of independence to nurse practitioners; 22 grant full independence, according to the American Association of nurse Practitioners. California would have among the most restrictive policies on nurse practitioner independence in the country. “I’m not going to say I regret any of these changes,” said Assembly member Jim Wood (dSanta Rosa), who chairs the Assembly Health Committee and authored the bill, AB-890. Wood opposed previous at-

tempts to remove supervision requirements. “I wish it could be a little less strict, quite frankly,” he said, adding that this was a reasonable compromise informed by his experiences as a dentist and what he learned from other providers. Today, nurse practitioners must enter into a written agreement with a physician to oversee their work with patients. In exchange, physicians bill them between $5,000 and $15,000 per year, according to a report by the California Health Care Foundation and the University of California-San Francisco. (California Healthline is an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.) “Where we are with the pandemic and the craziness of the world today, it highlights why there’s a need for this,” said Andrew Acosta, a spokesperson for the California Association for nurse Practitioners. “The doctor shortage isn’t going away anytime soon.” PAGE A4

A September 2-4, 2020 • SoCal ASIAN JOUrNAL

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Duterte appoints Cascolan as new PNP chief by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

PHILIPPINE Interior Secretary Eduardo Año announced on Tuesday, September 1, that Lt. Gen. Camilo Pancratius Cascolan has been appointed as the new chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) by President Rodrigo Duterte. “Lt. Gen. Cascolan is the new Chief PNP, PRRD signed the paper of appointment,” he told the Philippine News Agency. “That’s the decision of the President, we have to respect the wisdom and the decision. Cascolan is senior and qualified,” Año

FISHING. Some bikers fish along the bank of the Marikina River in Marikina City Tuesday, September 1. Some residents are trying their luck to catch fish with the use of their makeshift rods. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Lacson pushes for passage of bill naming president’s ‘designated survivor’ MANILA — Senator Panfilo Lacson on Monday, August 31 called on his colleagues to start discussions on a bill authorizing the President to name a “designated survivor,” as he called the recent withdrawal of the measure in the House of Representatives “unfortunate.” In a statement, Lacson said the process to pass Senate Bill No. 982 seeking to guarantee the continuity and stability of operations in government should be started immediately as to “avert a potential constitutional crisis and leadership vacuum.” “Passing such legislation is not only constitutional. It is in fact, required under the 1987 Constitution,” the senator said. Lacson pointed out that under Art. VII, Sec. 7 of the 1987 Constitution, “Congress shall, by law, provide for the manner in which one who is to act as President shall be selected until a President or a Vice-President shall have qualified, in case of death, permanent disability, or inability of the officials mentioned in the next preceding paragraph.” Another provision of the Constitution, he further said, provides that “Congress shall, by law, provide who shall serve as President in case of death, permanent disability, or resignation of the Acting President.” The senator, who filed the measure in August last year, said recent events involving “exceptional circumstances” such as terrorism illustrate the need to immediately address constitutional

limitations on the President’s line of succession. “Because of the failure of Congress to pass the necessary legislation in extending the line of succession beyond the Speaker of the House of Representatives, a constitutional crisis is possible if all four top elected officials, God forbid, die in one event such as the SONA due to a terrorist attack in the Batasang Pambansa, or any occasion where the President and all three officials in the line of constitutional succession are present,” Lacson said. Under the Constitution, the line of presidential succession includes the Vice President, Senate President and House Speaker. “If such a tragedy occurs, who will act as President until the next election of the President and Vice President, since the constitutional line of succession to the President stops at the House Speaker?” Lacson added. He then called on the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes and Laws to immediately conduct a hearing on the measure. Lacson added that the committee could also appoint him as subcommittee chairman, saying that he is “willing and ready to sponsor and defend such an important piece of legislation on the Senate floor.” Lacson’s statement comes a day after Quezon City Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo withdrew a similar bill in the lower chamber of Congress.

added. Malacañang later confirmed the appointment. “The Palace confirms that Police Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan has been appointed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to be the new Chief of the Philippine National Police effective tomorrow, September 2, 2020” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement. “We are confident that the incoming Chief of the PNP would continue the significant strides made by his predecessors in making the PNP a professional organization worthy of our people’s trust,” he added.

Cascolan will be replacing outgoing PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa as the country’s 24th PNP chief. Gamboa will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Wednesday, September 2. Meanwhile, Cascolan will mandatorily retire on November 10. Gamboa and Cascolan were both members of the Philippine Military Academy’s Sinagtala class of 1986. Before being appointed as PNP’s deputy chief, Cascolan served as Director for Operations and later, Regional Director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO). n

Church capacity: From 10 persons to 10% by alexis

RoMeRo Philstar.com

ick Pabillo lauded the IATF for granting the Church’s request. He said the Archdiocese of Manila would comply with requirements set by the IATF as far as mass gatherings are concerned to ensure the safety of the churchgoers. Acting Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David was not pleased by the decision of the government to allow only 10 percent capacity of religious gatherings in the National Capital Region. David said the new guidelines for religious events lead to a “wider road to perdition” as the government allowed a larger crowd for the operation of casinos than religious gatherings. While he considers the IATF resolution as “good news,” David said the government gave more importance to the operation of casinos which are allowed at 30 percent capacity in areas under general community

quarantine or GCQ. Metro Manila remains under GCQ along with provinces of Bulacan and Batangas until the end of the month. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the IATF would allow local governments to determine whether they should issue quarantine passes for people who will leave their homes to work or buy essential goods. The IATF has also adopted new parameters in determining quarantine classifications. The healthcare utilization rate of dedicated beds and equipment for COVID cases will now be considered in determining whether an area will be upgraded to a stricter lockdown. The healthcare utilization rate, daily attack rate, two week growth rate and case doubling time and number of barangays with new cases in the past 14 days will be considered in deciding whether to downgrade an area’s risk classification. n

MANILA — The government has eased the restrictions on religious gatherings as churches were allowed to accommodate Castelo explained that her up to 10 percent of seating cawithdrawal of the measure seeks pacity. Previously, the Inter-Agency to erase any impression that she is in support of ignoring or scrap- Task Force on the Management ping the constitutional line of of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) allowed only 10 persons succession to the presidency. But Lacson said Castelo’s move to attend physical masses and other religious services. was “unfortunate.” Catholic bishops welcomed Under the senator’s bill, the following elected and appointed the government’s decision to officers who are not under any relax the guidelines for relidisability to discharge the pow- gious events. “It’s a welcome blessing,” Cuers and duties of the Office of the President shall act as the bao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco country’s chief executive in the said. Ongtioco said the opening of following order in case of death or permanent disability of those physical masses is one of the escurrently specified under the sential needs of Filipinos, especially with the country still grapConstitution: • the most senior Senator, pling with the pandemic. Manila Auxiliary and apostolbased on the length of service in ic administrator of the Archdiothe Senate; • the most senior Representa- cese of Manila Bishop Brodertive based on the length of service in the House of Representatives; • the member of the Cabinet designated by the President. The bill also provides that the President shall designate a member of the Cabinet to be sequestered in a secret and secure location prior to any public or private death of Alvarez was not an empworkers receive. by Gaea KatReena cabico activity, event or function with the Philstar.com “Alvarez could have been ty threat as it urged the court to attendance of the President, Vice given protection by the privi- re-examine its understanding of President and ranking officials. MANILA — Human rights lege of amparo and habeas data, red-tagging and “finally see the The acting president’s official group Karapatan called on the had the same been granted by same as threats to the people’s actions pertaining to the day-to- Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sep- the Court a quo. It is too late right to life, liberty and secuday operation of the government tember 1 to grant the appeal for now,” Karapatan said. rity.” shall remain effective unless re- review of its petition for protecAlvarez was gunned down by It earlier said that red-tagging voked by the elected President tive writs amid continuing at- an unidentified assailant in Ba- by government forces is usuwithin 90 days from his or her tacks on rights workers. colod City on August 17. She ally followed by threats through assumption or re-assumption of Karapatan filed a petition for was the 13th rights worker from electronic or physical means, office, according to the measure. review on certiorari before the Karapatan who was killed under surveillance and harassment, (Christia Marie Ramos/Inquirer. high court following the dismiss- the administration of President arbitrary or illegal arrest and denet) al of its petition for the writs of Rodrigo Duterte and the second tention, or torture. In some casAmparo and habeas data by the intended witness in the petition es, red-tagging also translates Court of Appeals. The appeal is for protective writs who was to enforced disappearances and still pending before the third di- slain. even killings. vision of the Supreme Court. Ryan Hubilla, a rights worker “With respect, the causality Newsom. A writ of amparo is a protec- with Karapatan, was gunned between Alvarez’s inclusion in “You don’t have to look too far tion extended to petitioners down in Sorsogon in June last the rogues gallery of ‘commuto find a case where we were will- when threats to their life, liberty year. He was 22. nist terrorists’ and her dastardly ing to engage on a scope-of-prac- and security emanate from the Red-tagging an ‘actual threat’ killing is too palpable to ignore. tice issue,” York said. military, police and other state Before she was murdered, Her death proves that being subDavid McCuan, a political sci- security forces. A writ of habeas Alvarez had been red-tagged — jected to red-tagging and terrorence professor at Sonoma State data requires the respondent accused of being a communist ist-labeling constitutes an actual University, called the associa- state authorities to disclose to the rebel — Karapatan said. threat, and not merely one of tion’s inability to kill Wood’s bill a petitioners all of the dossiers the The rights monitor submitted supposition or with the likelipolitical “watershed moment” for former hold against them and, as to the SC text messages from hood of happening,” it said. the group. warranted, to destroy such files anonymous senders indicating The group asked the court to “Their M.O. for 70 years has against each of them. that Alvarez would be killed. Her stand with activists for the sake been about blocking, stunting On Tuesday, the rights moni- photo was also included in a tar- of all slain rights defenders. and preventing change,” McCuan tor filed a manifestation before paulin with alleged personalities “Alvarez’s untimely demise said. “The deference toward the the SC stating the “rampant red- from the Communist Party of the is precisely what petitioners medical profession has changed. tagging and terrorist-labelling of Philippines, the New People’s sought to prevent by coming to In that sense, it would be a mo- human rights defenders in the Army and the National Demo- court. Nevertheless, they conmentous event if this is signed.” Philippines has led to their ha- cratic Front. tinue to hope that the protection Though the California Asso- rassment, incarceration on false Alvarez was also included in she was never given be extendciation for Nurse Practitioners is charges or even killings.” the list of people the government ed to them—especially at a time celebrating legislative passage of The manifestation detailed the wanted to legally declare as ter- when the promotion and defense the measure, even in its amended fate of slain rights worker Zara rorists in 2018. Her name was of human rights is susceptible to form, it’s a different story at the Alvarez, who was supposed to be later removed from the proscrip- being wrongfully interpreted, national level. Sophia Thomas, one of Karapatan’s witnesses to tion list. suppressed and punished by the president of the American As- shed light on the red-tagging and Karapatan stressed that the State as terrorism,” Karapatan sociation of Nurse Practitioners, harassment that human rights red-tagging that preceded the said. n said in a statement that the bill is choked by too much red tape to provide any meaningful change. “California’s so-called ‘solution,’ the flawed AB-890, would establish a cascading set of new restrictions on NP practice that would maintain California’s position among the most heavily regulated and restrictive in the nation,” Thomas said. State Sen. Richard Pan (DSacramento), a pediatrician who chairs the Senate Health Committee, said he also opposed the bill, but not simply because he is a doctor or a member of the California Medical Association. Yet many of his objections reflect those of the association, such as concerns about training and access to care in rural areas. He also believes independence Rights group Karapatan and its legal counsels file a manifestation on the killing of rights worker Zara Alvarez before the Supreme Court on Photo courtesy of Karapatan for nurse practitioners could ex- Tuesday, September 1. acerbate inequalities in the health care system, as people with less means see providers with less training. “People with more resources PAGE A1 and as LA County is the coun- loss of $10,000 over the next 10 are going to go with the perIn addition to census assis- try’s most challenging region to years. son they think is more qualified. tance, the city of LA will offer free count. This event is hosted by City That’s just the way it tends to COVID-19 testing until 2 p.m. No Census results are used to de- of Los Angeles Board of Pubhappen,” Pan said. appointment is necessary.All at- termine how funding is spent on lic Works Commissioner JesCalifornia Healthline’s Angela tendees are required to wear a schools, healthcare, housing, in- sica Caloza, in partnership with Hart contributed to this report. mask/face covering. frastructure, and other vital pro- Mayor Eric Garcetti, CouncilThis KHN story first published This event is intended to im- grams in our neighborhoods. An member Mitch O’Farrell, the on California Healthline, a ser- prove the response rate which is undercount could result in a loss Census 2020 Initiative, and Los vice of the California Health Care only at 41% for some neighbor- of $1,000 per person, per year Angeles County Office of EducaFoundation. n hoods in Historic Filipinotown, which is a potential cumulative tion. (AJPress)

Citing killing of Zara Alvarez, Karapatan presses SC to grant protection writs

Long-fought nurse practitioner independence... PAGE A3 Under Wood’s measure, nurse practitioners would be able to see patients in their own practice, but only after working under physician supervision for at least three years. The bill also contains many other restrictions. Nurse practitioners argue that the measure, even with its limitations, would ease primary care shortages, especially in rural areas — a problem the pandemic has made more stark. Opponents, primarily the powerful California Medical Association, which is the doctors’ lobbying group, counter that stripping nurse practitioners of physician oversight would lead to a lower standard of care, and that nurse practitioners wouldn’t necessarily flock to rural areas once they’re free of physician supervision. These arguments aren’t new in Sacramento, but lawmakers and lobbyists say this version of the bill succeeded because there are new leaders at the helm of influential legislative committees who were willing to make changes, and because the pandemic has changed health care. “I think the legislature is starting to realize decades of evidence that nurse practitioners are safe, productive providers,” said Ed Hernandez, a former legislator who was termed out in 2018 and authored the last two failed bills. “I think the policy is finally overshadowing the politics” of the California Medical Association. Still, the biggest difference this year is the bill itself. Hernandez’s bills, introduced in 2013 and 2015, were “clean” bills that granted independence to nurse practitioners without many requirements. There’s nothing clean about Wood’s bill, which was heavily amended in the state Senate. Instead of simply lifting the supervision requirements on nurse practitioners, the measure imposes several hoops for nurse practitioners to jump through. Before they could practice independently, nurse practitioners would have to be certified by preapproved national nursing boards, and possibly complete additional California-specific testing if accredited out of state.

Once certified, they would have to practice under physician supervision for at least three years — up to six in some cases — before they could strike out on their own. And they would have to disclose to patients that they aren’t doctors. The bill even prescribes a Spanish phrase for “nurse practitioner”: enfermera especializada. (Technically, this refers to a female nurse. The bill doesn’t provide the equivalent phrase for a male nurse.) That’s not even all the amendments — and the measure wouldn’t take effect until 2023. The requirements were inserted in response to criticism from the California Medical Association that nurse practitioners are not qualified to provide patient care without physician oversight, and that patients wouldn’t understand that they’re seeing someone with less training than a doctor, lawmakers said. Despite the numerous amendments, the association remains opposed, saying the changes don’t address their fundamental concerns. “We’ve increased the training required for physicians over the last couple years and now all of a sudden we’re allowing unsupervised providers to treat patients who have even less training,” said association spokesperson Anthony York. Rounds of negotiations, major concessions and hourslong Zoom calls still could not get the doctors’ group on board, Wood said. He said it was like chasing “goalposts that continue to move.” “It’s very disappointing when you work with opposition and nothing is ever good enough,” Wood said. “CMA will never support this bill. They’ll never go neutral on it.” York said that characterization is not accurate. He pointed to a different bill — SB-1237 — that would allow certified nurse midwives to attend to low-risk pregnancies without physician supervision. The association was initially opposed, but after negotiations and amendments to the bill, it changed its position to neutral. That bill is also headed to

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A6 SEPTEMBER 2-4, 2020 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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A chance for PhilHealth reforms A YEAR and another corruption scandal ago, Ricardo Morales was appointed president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. The retired Army brigadier general was moved from the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System to PhilHealth amid reports that the state insurer had paid for kidney treatments of dead patients at the Wellmed Dialysis Center. The National Bureau of Investigation has filed criminal charges for corruption and fraud against 21 PhilHealth accreditation officials over the “ghost” dialysis claims. Roy Ferrer lost his post as PhilHealth president and CEO. Now Morales himself is out of the post and has been recommended for criminal indictment by the Senate committee of the whole, which includes all members of the chamber, in connection with new PhilHealth anomalies. Resigned and incumbent PhilHealth officials have said a syndicate or “mafia” is behind the continuing anomalies in the agency. This is the challenge now facing Dante Gierran, a lawyer and accountant who once headed the NBI, and is now tasked to undertake the cleansing in PhilHealth that was assigned to Morales. The challenge is daunting.

FeatURes

Morales, who is battling cancer and wished Gierran good health in the top PhilHealth post, has said it would take about three years and an external management team to clean up the agency. Morales says PhilHealth is “not configured” for clean and efficient management. He points to hospitals, working in collusion with PhilHealth insiders, for the rot in the agency. Gierran is assuming the PhilHealth post amid high expectations that he can carry out the long overdue honest-to-goodness housecleaning. The problem is complicated by the disclosure of Rodolfo del Rosario Jr., who resigned as PhilHealth senior vice president for the legal sector, that the regional directors of the agency who have been tagged in the scandal have political backers. Gierran will have to navigate this minefield as he implements structural reforms that will plug opportunities for stealing PhilHealth funds while at the same time identifying, prosecuting and penalizing those behind the anomalous activities. In this pandemic, it is a national tragedy that one of the most critical agencies in the COVID response is mired in a corruption scandal. The agency badly needs to regain public confidence. A new chief should pave the way for the long overdue overhaul of PhilHealth. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Law and order president? The chaos and violence Trump wants you to be fearful and hateful of is happening now under his watch

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS DOOMSDAY in America is what President Donald Trump has been scaring people about in his campaign. He warns that if his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, wins in November, then people will not be safe with all the chaos, violence, and killing happening in the country. He claims only he can fix this and bring law and order back in America. No self-respecting and thinking Republican, Democrat, or Independent will choose to be blind to the truth because the fact is: all that he is warning voters about is already happening under his watch, in Trump’s America. Trump purposely fans the flame of hate, mistrust, and division in America. He emboldens racists, white supremacists and right-wing extremists. This is his own doing. His words, actions and policies have been inciting the chaos, violence and carnage we are now experiencing. Falling behind in the polls because of his failed leadership, especially in handling the coronavirus pandemic, he uses the tactic that got him elected in 2016: stoking racial and cultural divide. He is desperate to be reelected to buy time and escape all the lawsuits waiting to be filed against him for all the crimes and

transgressions he has committed against the Constitution and the American people. The violence, looting, and destruction we now see are perpetrated NOT by the peaceful Black Lives Matter Movement protesters rallying against racism and racial injustice in America, but by opportunists, anarchists, right-wing extremists and white supremacists, some of them coming from other states and cities. This is tactically done so Trump can blame protesters and the Democrats, and cast himself as the “savior” and the “hero” for the crises he and his administration have created. Trump has been using people as pawns and props for his fabricated narrative to appeal to his base and to convince those who are still undecided to vote for him, using lies, fear-mongering and doomsday scenarios. The violence and crimes happening in America are not mainly perpetrated by peaceful protesters, Black Lives Matter activists, Antifa, immigrants and Democrats as alleged by Trump — the so-called “bad guys” in his playbook that he loves to blame and demonize. Here is the truth about the issue from Anti-Defamation League (ADL). ADL is a leading anti-hate organization that was founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of antiSemitism and bigotry, and its

timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. The facts from the ADL’s annual Murder and Extremism report that Trump does not really want you to know: “Of the 42 extremist-related murders in the U.S. last year, 38 were committed by individuals subscribing to various far-right ideologies, including white supremacy. ADL ranked 2019 as the sixthdeadliest year on record for extremist-related violence since 1970. A total of 17 separate incidents were counted last year. The deadliest, by far, was the August white supremacist shooting spree at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, which left 22 people dead and at least 24 more wounded. Including the El Paso attack, white supremacists were behind 81 percent of the domestic extremist-related murders in 2019. Right-wing extremists were responsible for 90 percent of such murders in 2019 and for 330 deaths over the course of the last decade, accounting for 76 percent of all domestic extremist-related murders in that time. “Over the last decade, rightwing extremists have been responsible for more than 75 percent of extremist-related murders in this country,” said

ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt. “This should no longer come as a shock to anyone. Lawmakers, law enforcement and the public need to recognize the grave and dangerous threat posed by violent white supremacy. We cannot begin to defeat this deadly form of hatred if we fail to even recognize it.” The past five years (20152019) include four of the deadliest years on record for extremist murders. Last year, the number of extremist-related fatalities in the U.S. declined slightly from the previous year, dropping from 53 fatalities in 2018 to 43 in 2019. But last year’s total was still higher than 2017, when 41 deaths were recorded. For the eighth year in a row, firearms were the weapon of choice for domestic extremists. Guns were involved in 86 percent of last year’s fatalities. In the past 10 years, 315 of the 435 people (72 percent) killed in the U.S. by extremists were shot to death. The increase in extremist-related shooting sprees in recent years is of particular concern. These are the people Trump referred to as “very fine people” after one woman, 32-year-old Heather Heyer, was killed by a white supremacist while she protested at a rally of alt-right groups, who were defending the white supremacists and neo-Nazis in August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

These “very fine people” in Trump’s playbook were neoNazis who staged a torchlight parade, unabashedly chanting anti-Semitic slogans, and roughed up students locked in arms around a statue of Thomas Jefferson. When the violence escalated and became fatal, Trump immediately blamed the “altleft,” the Antifa, and defended the neo-Nazis. In May of this year, Black American George Floyd was arrested and killed by a white Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck for eight minutes as he was handcuffed and faced down pleading for his life, saying “I can’t breathe.” In the wake of this brutal murder, Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement protesters rallied in Minneapolis (and in other parts of the country and the world) to fight against racial injustice. Chaos, looting and violence perpetrated by anarchists, opportunists followed. Trump and his administration were quick to blame antifa without bases in fact. Antifa is not a single group with a clear organizational structure or leader. It is a decentralized network of activists who don’t coordinate. Antifa is a monicker for these people whose common goal is opposing anything that they think is racist or fascist. “Experts who have studied an-

tifa say there is no evidence that the fringe, amorphous group is driving nationwide protests, and Trump hasn’t cited anything specific as he accused them of doing so,” the Washington Post reported. But according to the Post, even as the protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful in recent days, Trump and Barr have made a concerted effort to implicate antifa involvement in them. The Trump administration’s own intelligence reports reveal that “most of the violence appears to have been driven by opportunists.” A separate DHS document dated June 17 stated, “anarchist and anti-government extremists pose the most significant threat of targeted low-level, protest-related assaults against law enforcement.” The document did not mention antifa by name and the document’s definition of “anarchist extremist” appears to exclude the group, the Post further reported. Did Trump tell you about this? The president also did not differentiate the Black Lives Matter (BLM)’s peaceful protesters from anarchists who infiltrated the rallies, and did not acknowledge what BLM was fighting against — racial injustice and police brutality. Trump’s malicious attempt to tie antifa with peaceful protesters is an assault to people’s constitutional right

u PAGE A7

Part II: Ethnic studies builds stronger ties among communities

Commentary

ENRIQUE

Philstar.com photo

DE LA CRUZ

IN a previous essay, I wrote that the passage of AB 1460 and its signing into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom provided a measure of protection against certain forms of censorship, such as the statewide ban in Arizona schools against ethnic studies classes. There are actually more nuanced forms of censorship in California’s public colleges and universities. This form of censorship is illustrated by the debate over the ethnic studies requirement for the CSU. A few weeks before Newsom signed AB 14560, the CSU Trustees passed what they considered an ethnic studies requirement for the university system. To graduate, CSU students must take a three-unit course “to understand ethnic studies and social justice,” which could be met by a traditional ethnic studies course or by a class on social justice. This is deceptive: one can meet the

requirement without taking any ethnic studies class. The CSU idea, Ethnic Studies Social Justice (ESSJ), was advanced by Chancellor Timothy White, apparently without consultation with ethnic studies stakeholders, such as the CSU Council for Ethnic Studies, the California Faculty Association, and even the Chancellor’s own Task Force for the Advancement of Ethnic Studies. Five Trustees voted against it: the State Superintendent for Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, social justice activists Lateefah Simon and Hugo Morales, and two others. To call ESSJ an ethnic studies requirement, when in fact, it can be met without taking a single course in ethnic studies is a very subtle form of censorship. Luckily, AB 1460 superseded it. The standard college academic program is normally divided into two sets of courses. The first, called a general education set (GE), covers courses that one takes in the first two years of a nominal four-year degree program. These are survey and introductory courses, which pretty much cover everything from literature, history, math, science,

and the social sciences. It introduces the student to a vast array of subjects that they could pursue. An ethnic studies course is now mandated by AB 1460 to be among these GE requirements. The second set, usually taken in the 3rd and 4th year, leads the student along a more specialized path, an academic major. The GE requirements within the CSU have not been amended in the last 40 years. California in the 1980s is very different, demographically, from 2020 California. Then, 67% of residents were white, 19% were Latino, 8% were black and 5% were Asian. Today, California is a minority-majority state, where no one ethnic group is in the majority: Latinos (39%), Whites 37%, Asians 15%, African Americans 6% (2018 Estimates). This minority-majority population makes it imperative that students know something about our diverse ethnic communities. As of this writing, a bill, AB 331 by Assemblymember José Medina (D-Riverside) is making its way through the legislature. This would make an ethnic studies class a requirement for high school graduation. “It is not a

question of whether the subject itself is necessary but rather, how do we ensure the curriculum is comprehensive, rigorous and inclusive enough,” Medina said. The American college curriculum is still predominantly eurocentric and white, mostly about men. Evolutionary changes to this have been taking place, to be sure. In addition to ethnic studies, many campuses now have programs in women and gender studies. Periods in the calendar are set aside to focus on special subjects: Black History Month (February), Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May), and Filipino American History Month (October), for instance. The growing diversity in California poses a dual challenge for higher education. The first is to ensure that the curriculum reflects this diversity in being comprehensive and inclusive enough. The second is to make sure that students take courses that increase their awareness and understanding of this diversity; this is the purpose of imposing graduation requirements. Within the CSU, many stu-

dents are the first in their families to attend college. Many more are “working” students who have to balance a full-time job and sometimes family demands while pursuing a college degree. These and financial pressures do not allow them the luxury of taking courses beyond the barest minimum required for graduation. Every year, when I was teaching, there would be at least one student who would come to class, unenrolled, until the absolute last day when enrollment required the instructor’s signature certifying that the student had indeed been attending my classes. These students do not have the funds to enroll at the beginning of the semester and must save these up from their wages thus waiting to matriculate at the very last minute. Such students count the academic credits they earn toward graduation. They do not have the luxury of taking extra courses out of interest. Left to their own devices, without the luxury of time, and a flexible budget, students will hew to a very pragmatic academic program devoid of extra courses in literature, history,

the arts, culture and society, let alone courses about ethnic minorities. Yet, educators recognize that it is such courses that contribute to the overall literacy of students, and prevents colleges from turning out “learned ignoramuses” — to borrow a phrase from Jose Ortega y Gasset. The GE component of the curriculum ensures a more balanced education. There is a more pressing reason for making the educational curriculum more inclusive of the history and contributions of people of color. The educational system is society’s principal socializing institution. It is through schools that members are socialized into becoming members of the larger community. With California evolving from a white majority to a minoritymajority state, the inclusiveness of the curriculum in reflecting this demographic diversity is vital in breaking down racial stereotypes. In turn, this promotes stronger ties among communities. ••• Enrique de la Cruz is Professor Emeritus of Asian American Studies at Cal State University, Northridge.

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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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • SeptembeR 2-4, 2020

BI eases requirements for departing foreigners THE Philippines Bureau of Immigration (BI) has relaxed its rules and requirements for departing foreigners to prevent overcrowding in immigration offices. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the bureau now allows aliens with visas approved by the BI to leave the country before they could be issued their alien certificate of registration identity card (ACR I-Card). Morente added that the bureau would no longer require

departing aliens with approved and implemented visas to secure an ACR I-Card waiver order. The policy will be implemented until December 31, but it may be extended if the coronavirus pandemic will not ease. “By allowing these aliens to leave pending release of their I-Cards, the number of people going to our offices will be lessened and physical distancing will be achieved, thus preventing the further spread of the virus among our frontline person-

nel and clients,” Morente said. The bureau allowed aliens with BI-approved visas to leave without I-Cards in March when Luzon was placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified ECQ. It resumed issuing ACR I-Cards and I-Card waiver orders in June. But the BI recently bared that despite the implementation of stricter health protocols, more than 70 of its employees contracted the coronavirus disease. (Jomar Canlas/ManilaTimes. net)

Law and order president? The chaos and... PAGE A6 of peaceful assembly to a voice out their legitimate grievance in a democracy. So who is behind this misinformation about antifa? Twitter has shut down multiple accounts that it says were operated by a white supremacist group posing as liberal groups encouraging violence. “This account violated our platform manipulation and spam policy, specifically the creation of fake accounts. We took action after the account sent a Tweet inciting violence and broke the Twitter Rules” the company said, as reported by CBS News. Twitter said the white supremacist group Identity Evropa used one fake account, @Antifa_US, with the intent to call for violence in majority white suburbs, maliciously using the name of the Black Lives Matter movement. Did Trump tell you about this? Yet despite all of this, Trump even wanted to declare antifa as a domestic terrorist group. Have you ever heard the president denounce white supremacists, right extremists and vigilantes subscribing to far-right ideologies for the violence and deaths they have perpetrated despite all the facts? Did he ever call for the right extremists, and white supremacists to be declared as “domestic terrorists?” No. He even defends them. And what about the supposed peaceful protests against the white police officer who shot an unarmed black man seven times at the back, witnessed by his kids in the car in Kenosha, Wisconsin on August 23? The New York Post reported that of the 175 arrested during protests, a total of 105 were not from the city. They came from 44 different cities, including 17-

year old Kyle Rittenhouse, the teen accused of shooting dead two men and seriously injuring a third with an assault rifle. The teenage shooter, along with his mother, had also allegedly crossed state lines and was arrested in his home in Illinois. What were they doing in Kenosha, Wisconsin armed with military-style weapons? The report said police seized more than 20 firearms during the protests, leading to numerous charges for carrying concealed weapons. And did you see the video of the police ignoring this teen as he walked around with his weapon amid the chaos? And what did Trump do? He defended the teen, who we now know is a Trump supporter. He attended a Trump rally in Iowa, seating in the front row. This kid is not old enough to vote, smoke nor drink but was already in possession of an assault weapon that has killed innocent people. When Trump was asked if he would condemn “the actions of vigilantes like the teen Kyle Rittenhouse,” he ignored the question and claimed Rittenhouse “probably would’ve been killed” if he had acted differently, BuzzFeed reported. Rittenhouse idolized the police and posted pictures of him on social media posing with guns, in support of “Blue Lives Matter.” How ironic that he chose to turn an otherwise peaceful protest to tragedy with his knee-jerk vigilante approach to discord. The president refused to condemn the actions of vigilantes like Rittenhouse even after denouncing the shooting of a right-wing demonstrator in a pro-Trump rally in Portland on Monday, August 31. This prompted Democratic

presidential candidate Joe Biden to challenge Trump in a statement: “The deadly violence we saw overnight in Portland is unacceptable. I condemn this violence unequivocally. I condemn violence of every kind by anyone, whether on the left or the right. And I challenge Donald Trump to do the same.” Throughout the Republican National Convention, Trump has been branding and selling himself to be the president who will bring back law and order in the United States. He failed to do it as president now, why should we believe he can solve this crisis when re-elected? Trump accused the Democrats of spreading hate, when in fact, his rhetoric of hate, prejudice and divisiveness against people of color, immigrants, Muslims and his political opponents is the one that has led to the surge of hate crimes in the United States. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler nailed it when he said: “It’s you who have created the hate and the division. It’s you who have not found a way to say the names of Black people killed by police officers even as people in law enforcement have. And it’s you who claimed that White supremacists are good people.” “Your campaign of fear is as anti-democratic as anything you’ve done to create hate and vitriol in our beautiful country.” *** 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.

NEW VOTERS. Two applicants fill up the Commission on Election form during the resumption of the system of continuing registration of voters at the local Comelec in Pasay City on Tuesday, September 1. The voter registration will last until Sept. 30, 2021. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

ABS-CBN lays off 4,000 workers by Jomar

Canlas ManilaTimes.net

MORE than 4,000 employees of ABS-CBN Corp., which shut down its television and radio stations after Congress refused to renew its franchise, will be laid off starting on Tuesday, September 1. The 4,452 retrenched workers are fewer than the 11,000 the media giant claimed would be rendered jobless, according to a document submitted to the Department of Labor and Employment, a copy of which a copy of which The Manila Times secured. The document, RKS Form 5 of 2020, showed that 2,547 male workers and 1,905 female employees were dismissed. Of these, 2,887 were regular employees, 2,455 were managerial employees, 79 were supervisors and 353 were from the rank and file. Based on the document, 1,508 program employees, 54 project employees and three were direct hire contractuals. The first wave of retrenchment starting September 1 will affect 2,633 workers, followed by 12 workers on September 30, 13 workers on October 31, three on November 20 and 38 on December 31. In the document, ABS-CBN cited financial losses as the primary reason for cutting jobs.

SIGNING OFF Members of various groups gather outside the ABS-CBN building in Quezon City on Monday, August 31 the last working day for employees who were laid off. ManilaTimes.net photo John Orven Verdote

During hearings in the House of Representatives, top officials of the giant network reiterated said the 11,000 employees would lose their jobs if its franchise was not renewed. Their claim was refuted by a letter dated February 21 signed by Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Caesar Dulay to Solicitor General Jose Calida, and presented during the House hearings, that only 4,401 ABS-CBN workers were recorded to have been paying income taxes and could thus be considered as regular employees. Calida had requested a cer-

tification from BIR to bolster the quo warranto petition he filed with the Supreme Court against ABS-CBN Corp. and ABS-CBN Convergence Inc. Calida alleged that the two corporations committed irregularities and violations under the law. Voting 70 to 11 last July 10, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises denied the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise. The House cited violations committed by the media entity, including the US citizenship of its Chairman Emeritus Eugenio Gabriel Lopez, labor abuses and tax avoidance. n

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Self-care in each sip: Pinay-founded Droplet enters the wellness industry with functional beverages

Christina M. Oriel / AJPress

IVE years ago, Celeste Perez launched Well Fed, a design studio that has celebrity restaurateurs and hospitality groups among its clientele.

The downsides of a bustling business for Perez, however, were heart palpitations, being unable to sleep at night, and developing poor eating habits. The effects of burnout caught up to her as it eventually led to a hospital stay and having to wear a heart monitor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the end of the day, what we learned was that I was dealing with stress. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funny because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d always thought that being stressed out means just take a rest,â&#x20AC;? the Los Angeles-based

Filipina American entrepreneur told the Asian Journal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize that being under stress for years has such an effect on you physically. We always think of stress as an emotional thing that you work through. But it turns out itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not.â&#x20AC;? This wake-up call led to seeking alternatives to manage stress without taking prescribed medication, a slight rebellion as the daughter of two doctors. It was then Pe-

rez learned about adaptogens, non-toxic substances derived from plants that help oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body adapt and regulate the natural ability to respond to stressors. After finding the right supplements for her needs, such as reishi mushrooms (said to have immunity-boosting and fatigue-fighting benefits) and ashwagandha (a medicinal herb said to reduce anxiety Talia Jafarkhani, general manager; Michelle Nuccio, founding member; Celeste Perez, co-founder and CEO; Adrienne Borlongan, co-founder and lead food and stress), Perez noticed her scientist; and Connie Kuo, advisor. Photo by Alec Perez heart palpitations dissipated, stress levels lowered, and energy sustained throughout the day without caffeine. Though, the available adaptogen products on the market, she said, werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too palatable for long-term use. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been in the food and beverage industry for far too long to just accept that something is going to taste bad even if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supposed to be medicinal,â&#x20AC;? Perez, who is also a certified holistic nutritionist, said. Unable to chug the concoctions any longer, she called up her friend, Adrienne Borlongan, a fellow Filipina American who is a food scientist and the co-founder of artisanal ice Continued on Page 2

Dropletâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three flavors: Pretty Bright, Pretty Happy and Pretty Balanced. Photo courtesy of Droplet

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pretty Balancedâ&#x20AC;? features white peach, lemon verbena, moringa and ashwagandha. Photo by Mithi Studio

Droplet co-founder and CEO Celeste Perez shows off a box oft the beverages, which are now available at all five Erewhon locations in Southern California. Photo courtesy of Celeste Perez

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T h e A s ian Jour nal MDW K M A G A Z I NE - Sept ember 2 , 2 0 2 0

Jose Mari Chan writes new set of lyrics for iconic Christmas songs By DAPhne

GAlvez Inquirer.net

An illustration promoting H.E.R.’s “I Can’t Breathe,” a song dedicated to the ongoing protests and Black Lives Matter movement.

Fil-Am R&B artist H.E.R. wins ‘Video for Good’ award at the 2020 MTV VMAs by AJPress

BLACK Filipina American R&B artist H.E.R. won the Video For Good award for her song “I Can’t Breathe” at the MTV Video Music Awards 2020 on Sunday, August 30. “I Can’t Breathe” is a song highlighting the recent police killings of unarmed Black individuals, such as Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, and the ongoing protests around the world. “Praying for change ‘cause the pain makes you tender,” the lyrics read, adding, “All of the names you refuse to remember/Was somebody’s brother, friend/Or a son to a mother that’s crying, saying/I can’t breathe, you’re taking my life from me.” In a recorded message shown on Sunday, H.E.R. said winning a VMA is a “dream come true for me.” “I’m so proud to be a part of this category. All the other nominees were super dope. I’m super proud of everybody speaking out on social injustice,” she added, thanking the crew behind the video. Other nominees in the category included Billie Eilish

Known as H.E.R, Gabriella Wilson was born in Vallejo, California to a Filipina mother and an African American father. Photo courtesy of RCA Records

(“All of the Good Women Go to Hell”), Lil Child (“The Larger Image”), Demi Lovato (“I Love Me”), Anderson Paak (“Lockdown”) and Taylor Swift (“The Man”). H.E.R.’s song “Slide,” featuring YG, was also nominated in the Best R&B video category alongside Alicia

Keys’ “Underdog,” Chloe x Halle’s “It,” and Lizzo’s “Cuz I Love You,” but lost to The Weeknd’s ”Blinding Lights.” H.E.R., whose real name is Gabriella Wilson, was born in Vallejo, California to a Filipina mother and an African American father. She rose to fame in 2009 after participating in Radio Disney’s “Next Big Thing.” At the age of 14, she signed to RCA Records and released the single “Something to Prove” under her real name in 2014. In 2016, she debuted under the H.E.R. persona with her debut EP “H.E.R. Volume 1.” She then released other EPs “H.E.R. Volume 2” and “The B Sides” in 2017 before releasing her first compilation album “H.E.R.” which consisted of tracks from the singer’s first two EPs plus six additional songs. In 2018, she released “I Used to Know Her: The Prelude” and “I Used to Know Her: Part 2.” H.E.R. received five nominations at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019, winning Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Album.

WHO wouldn’t know the lyrics of the iconic hits “Christmas in our Hearts” and “A Perfect Christmas”? Popular and time-honored as these Christmas songs were, singer-composer Jose Mari Chan, dubbed the Father of Philippine Christmas music, decided to rewrite the lyrics of these songs to reflect the more contemplative state of many at the onset of the “ber” months due to the coronavirus pandemic. “I wrote new lyrics to ‘Christmas in Our Hearts’ [and] I have a set of lyrics for ‘A Perfect Christmas,’” he said in an interview over GMA’s Unang Hirit. Jose Mari Chan sang the new version of “Christmas in Our Hearts,” which goes like: “Whenever I hear girls and boys Singing carols in my mind, I remember the past When everything was fine. Whenever I see people Giving gifts to those in need, I believe this Christmas We should be there to lead.

Jose Mari Chan

Let’s open up our hearts For a bright tomorrow, In any way we can And drive out all our sorrow.” Meanwhile, for his song “A Perfect Christmas,” the new lyrics read: “My idea of a perfect Christmas, is to spend it with you. We could Facetime an hour or two, Any app would do.

Inquirer.net photo

Carry with you this Yuletide season, it would light up my life. Though we are distant, You’ll see in my face That my heart is with you.” During his interview, the singer revealed that he will help groups of carol singers spread the joy of Christmas through music online and to uplift the spirit of Filipinos burdened by the weight of the coronavirus crisis.

Self-care in each sip: Pinay-founded... From Page 1 cream shop Wanderlust Creamery. Together, they paired adaptogens with ingredients that would make for tasty, yet beneficial beverages. That afternoon yielded around 17 different flavors. “Using my knowledge of food science and studies in food manufacturing, I helped [Celeste] narrow her ideas down to a simple, clear sparkling beverage naturally sweetened with fruit for uncomplicated production and labeling regulation, and longer shelf life,” Borlongan told the Asian Journal. In August 2019, Perez and Borlongan unveiled Dewdrop, a line of sparkling functional beverages that are enhanced with adaptogens and superfoods. They don’t fit into the “Pretty Bright” is made with yuzu, ginger and reishi mushroom. Photo by Mithi Studio water or soda categories, but rather can be described as a the feminine and fertile, yet or probiotics, KPMG expects health supplement bottled in calming aesthetic, as a contrast the global functional beverages drinkable form. to other energy, high-perform- market to reach $208.13 bilAs they celebrated one year ance beverages on the market. lion by 2024. Droplet seeks to since launching, the company The overall branding highlights have a stake in this space as an will be rebranded as “Droplet” the all-women team, that in “oasis” for whatever someone this September. addition to the co-founders, is going through. The starting lineup features includes general manager Talia Another feat for Droplet three flavors, each embedded Jafarkhani. came in August when it hit with a targeted purpose, made The “drop” in the brand’s the shelves of all five Erewhon with whole fruit juices and no name pays homage to Dalocations, an upscale healthadded flavorings. likamata, a clairvoyant and food store in Southern Califor“Pretty Happy,” which has health goddess in Visayan pan- nia, which Perez said has been passion fruit, cacao, vanilla theon, who was depicted with “the goal” because of its high bean and rhodiola, boasts anti- thousands of eyes on her body standards and trendsetting. anxiety, energy boosting and and whose tears would form Throughout the month, the skin-hydrating effects. “Pretty morning dew drops. Accordcans were selling out and had Balanced,” flavored with white ing to the legend, drinking the to be reordered. peach, lemon verbena, mordrops had healing effects, such “To be accepted into inga and ashwagandha, is the as relieving eye problems. Erewhon is such an honor, go-to for a stress balancer and “Honoring our heritage especially where the consumdigestive aid. “Pretty Bright,” was something important to us ers care about what they put comprised of yuzu, ginger and as people growing in a space into their bodies,” Perez said. reishi mushroom, is touted as a where there aren’t very many “We’re on the shelf amongst reset and mood enhancer. people of color growing busithe most healthy and beauti“The entire idea behind nesses,” Perez said. “With the ful drinks on the market. It’s Droplet was our own roots skin tone of each illustration, been validating because if the as Filipina Americans and our we wanted to represent all dif- experts don’t love us, then experiences with herbal mediferent types so with the ‘Pretty how will other people figure it cine,” Perez said, citing growHappy’ can, for example, she’s out and understand why this is ing up eating tinola, a chicken brown like me and that’s some- valuable and important?” soup with green papaya and thing I have not really seen on Self-care doesn’t end when malunggay leaves (moringa) the shelves.” a can is finished. As women of or salabat, a ginger tea to fight By January of this year, color in a space that has been a sore throat and aid digesthe beverage line was ready co-opted by a certain level of tion. “There is no appropriation for larger production. It was a privilege and whiteness — dehere. We are just shining a light savvy move to have a formal in- spite practices stemming from on what it is that we’ve done troduction at Natural Products traditional Chinese medicine or and hoping that it uplifts our Expo West, the world’s largest Ayurveda, a medicine system community also.” gathering in the space where a with historical roots in the Borlongan echoed, “There’s start-up could meet investors Indian subcontinent — Droplet a plethora of published scienand buyers and make other is on a mission to also share tific studies on the anti-inflamconnections. Leading up to the stories and educate its audimatory — the most important event, the company, still called ence about the benefits and disease prevention — effects Dewdrop, was nominated for traditions on its site and a of these foods. I think we take a NEXTY award in the “Best forthcoming podcast that featheir health advice for granted New Ready-to-Drink” beverage tures wellness practitioners and as ‘wives’ tales’ because it’s category. functional medicine doctors. based anecdotally, but they’re Then, COVID-19 hit South“We also give back to our actually legit.” ern California in the spring, community by building activism The added layer of being and the expo was canceled into the brand. There is no Fil-Am is showing how Filipino altogether. pretending like we don’t have traditions and ingredients have The company didn’t pause a stance on things, especially these healing qualities and can to wait for another live event in this age where it’s important be incorporated into modernor to take the normal route to us to have equality, diversity day lifestyles. of starting at a regional store and leadership roles for people “People used to come to before going national. Instead, from all walks of life,” Perez my grandma when they were they took the approach of sell- said, adding that during the sick and she would make a ing online and shipping directly pandemic, the team worked drink out of gumamela, which to consumers across the United with the Pilipino Workers Centis hibiscus, by mushing it up States. The cans come in packs, er to deliver care packages and and making it into a tea,” Perez starting at $20 for three, per food to seniors and families said. “I was like, ‘Dad, that’s flavor. who have been financially afwhat I’m doing.’ I’m carrying Though 2020 hasn’t gone fected and donated 3,000 cans this legacy on. Though my dad, according to plan, the silver to local food banks in LA. who is a doctor, did in a very lining is that people have been Droplet may just be getting western way, I’m doing it in the scrolling on social media to started, but consumers can way of our ancestors.” shop, as an alternative to physi- expect more products down The three photogenic cally exploring inside a store. the line. 12-ounce cans bear illustraWith COVID-19 and stay“We’re not stopping with tions of a goddess-like figure at-home orders, individuals the beverages. We have this surrounded by plants and the have been more interested in goal to become the modern moon, designed by Bárbara supporting their health and Willy Wonka. We’re figuring Malagoli, a Brazilian artist emotional well-being. As bevout how to make yummy things based in London. The colors, erage companies incorporate healthier and also fun so peofrom peachy to lime green functional ingredients into their ple want to buy them,” Perez tones, are meant to play into offerings, such as adaptogens said.

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T h e As ian Jou r n al MDWK MAGAZ IN E - S e pte mbe r 2 , 2 0 2 0

Kuya Kim after the shutdown: Fair weather ahead By ricky lo Philstar.com

Thirteen-year-old Justine Afante

I CHOOSE to start my story today with a reassuring line from the Perry Como song May The Good Lord Bless and Keep You (sent to me by a friend) Photo from Facebook/The Voice Kids UK 2020 that, I hope and I’m sure, will give you a glimpse of that silver lining at the back of every cloud you see and help you find that long-awaited golden day, if not today, tomorrow or day after tomorrow and the many more tomorrows ahead of us — you know: May your troubles all be Universal Orlando Resort. small ones. And your fortune This year’s season finale was ten times ten. May the good filmed without a studio audiLord bless and keep you. Till we ence because of the coronavirus meet again. (Covid-19) pandemic. Friends The optimist that he is, Kim and family of the finalists, howAtienza, the Kapamilya Weather ever, cheered them on via live Man fondly called Kuya Kim by stream instead. everybody, doesn’t consider During the blind audithe ABS-CBN shutdown as “the tions, Afante — whose family is end” and one day, just like the originally from the Philippines unpredictable weather that but now live in Swansea, Wales he monitors every day, after — wowed the judges by singing the rain follows the sunlight, “Never Enough” prompting and the day will be bright and coaches Will.i.am, Pixie Lott, breezy again. Let’s check with Danny Jones and Paloma Faith Kuya Kim where the wind is to turn their chairs around imblowing and when, how soon, mediately. that “long-awaited golden day” Besides Afante, there were will come. four other Filipino singers How was the “weather” who made it through to the immediately before, during blind auditions namely Victoria and after the shutdown? Alsina, Joshua Regala, Rachel “Weather was sunny with no O’Donnell and Jarren Garcia. hint of thunderstorms or rains. It was perfect beach weather before ABS-CBN lost its franchise...It became a supertyphoon during the congressional hearings when our bosses were subjected to such humiliation in public. It was a very angry typhoon and employees felt hopeless. We were praying for the wind to be still and the sun to shine, we were all praying to God that what we were seeing was temporary. We were hoping the five congressmen were just giving the company a hard time to punish us for ‘wronging’ the president. “When voting day came, It felt like being in the eye of the storm when everything turned still and calm until the violent eyewall passed. We are still in the eye of the storm now.

Filipina singer Justine Afante wins ‘The Voice Kids UK’ By iza igleSiaS ManilaTimes.net

AFTER entertaining viewers across the United Kingdom with her powerful voice, 13-year-old Filipina singer Justine Afante was crowned winner of “The Voice Kids UK.” Representing the team of singer-songwriter Pixie Lott, Afante sang Beyonce’s hit song “Listen” for her finale performance besting three other finalists namely George Elliot, Victoria Alsina and Dara McNicholl. She also took to the stage with Lott singing Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” during the last episode. The young star broke down in tears after host Emma Willis called her name at the finals on August 31.

Asked if she was okay, Afante told Willis, “No I can’t breathe.” Unable to hug the host because of the social distancing guidelines amid the Covid-19 pandemic, she added, “I’m so sorry I can’t come and hug you, I just want to hug you…They were all so good and I didn’t think I was going to be the one.” Her mentor Lott, meanwhile, praised and happily congratulated her saying, “I’m so so, so proud of you, you’ve worked so hard, the proof is in the pudding. What a series and what talent. All the finalists are going to go on to do amazing things.” As the new winner, Afante brought home 30,000 British pounds and an ultimate VIP theme park experience at the

Kapamilya star Ylona reveals new job as fast food crew member By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA singer and MYX video jockey Ylona Garcia revealed that she’s now working as a fast food crew member in Sydney, Australia amid the coronavirus pandemic. In her Instagram account, the former “Pinoy Big Brother” teen housemate posted a photo of her wearing her McDonald’s uniform. “Hey y’all, i decided to work at mcdonald’s,” she wrote. “Feel free to come thruuu && i’ll serve you,” she added. Kapamilya celebrities Denise Laurel and Jay-R commented on Ylona’s post. “Stay safe beautiful. I already know u gonna make everyone’s day brighter,” Denise commented. “Get it lil Homie,” Jay-R commented. Ylona’s fans commended her for working in a fast food restaurant. “Woahhh!! So proud of u luv!! Stay safe!!!” a fan commented. “Wow!! Keep it up baby ylona. I’m proud of you,” another fan commented. Last July, another “PBB” alum, model Jinri Park, became viral when she revealed that she now works as a waitress in Australia. She explained why she chose to become a waitress as she thanked the people who understands her. In her Instagram account, the former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate said she chose the job because she’s happy doing it. “I just wanted to say, I chose to be a waitress and didn’t want to just be comfortable with what I have. My parents did offer to pay for my tuition and I could just easily get a student load with my credit. But let me clarify that I chose to work because I wanted to and not because I have to. All those people who are saying it’s karma that I’m a waitress now, I’m pretty sure there’s nothing wrong with having that job,”

Singer and MYX VJ Ylona Garcia reveals her new job as a new McDonald’s service crew member. Photo from Instagram/@ylonagarcia

Jinri said. “I chose it because I remembered it to be enjoyable for me(I feel like I’m playing a real life diner dash!!). I think it’s quite fun and exciting, I don’t know why so many people have negative comments about it,” she added. She also had a message for the people who might think that being a waitress is her karma. In fact, she said she is happier now than when she was in showbiz. “Anyways, if you think that I’m currently miserable with” karma” acting upon me, I’d just like to say I’m so happy now more than when I was in showbiz. I have a fun job, a great loving husband and a goal for my future! What more can a girl want.” In another post, Jinri thanked the people who understood and supported her. “Also can I just say that A BIG THANK YOU to all those people who commented and sent me messages about my story. Wow very overwhelming in a good way!! Thank you for all the kind words and support,

I cried reading a few of them. One of my mates(wow using this word makes me sound Aussie) here at work said that it sounds like I’m living a very exciting life. I think it was exciting because of what I made of it. If that’s the life you want you need to go get it,” she said. “Do what you want to do, try that new sport, quit the job you hate, move to that country to want to live in and just freaking marry that girl hahahaha ! Just go for it. Because not going for it will make you regret more,” she added. For her first pay check, Jinri bought a bonsai tree for her Filipino husband. “For my first pay check I got my husband something he has been wanting for ages! A bonsai tree. He’s been wanting one for so long and we were hesitant to get one since they are expensive. But the Asian in me haggled it down and got a $20 discount!! Welcome to our family Forty(that’s his/her name lol sounds like a rapper ????) ?? If you are also a bonsai lover or owner we would appreciate some tips.”

Alex will say goodbye to showbiz if husband asks for it By alex

BroSaS Inquirer.net

ACTRESS and celebrity vlogger Alex Gonzaga will not challenge her husbandto-be, Lipa City councilor Mikee Morada, should he ask her to give up acting and vlogging once they are married. In the recent episode of “I Feel U” hosted by Toni Gonzaga, as seen on ABSCBN Star Cinema’s YouTube channel, Alex was asked by her elder sister Toni if she’s willing to turn her back on everything if Morado re-

quests it. Alex answered in the affirmative. “Oo kasi, yes because, alam ko na kaya sasabihin sa akin ni Mikee ‘yun (ay) dahil meron talagang importante at reasonable na reason kaya niya gagawin ‘yun,” Gonzaga replied. (Yes, because I know that Mikee will only say that if there is a really important reason, and that it would be very reasonable, that’s why he’d do that). “Hindi naman niya hahayaan na talikuran ko ‘yung something na alam niyang nag-e-enjoy ako,” she added.

(He will not allow me to turn my back on something that he knows I enjoy doing). But Morada was quick to say that he is not selfish and that he would not allow Alex to leave something she loves, or change who she is. “Dapat partner kami. So, ang palagi ko ngang sinasabi sa kaniya ‘ayan mag- grow ka sa sarili mong career, mag-gro-grow din ako,” he explained. (We should be partners. So what I always tell her is that she should grow in her own career and I will grow in Continued on Page 5

With many of the Kapamilya shows signing off effective last Saturday, August 29, Weather Man Kuya Kim sees silver lining behind the clouds. ABS-CBN photo

We still do not know when the violent eyewall will hit as thousands of my colleagues are being laid off as of the moment. It will still get bad. The supertyphoon hasn’t left PAR (Philippine Area of Responsibility) yet. We are still in the strange calm in the middle of its eye.” How has the shutdown affected your work? “Took a huge pay cut. I lost two shows, Matanglawin that I’ve been doing for 12 years and has won every award to be won, and my daily Teleradyo morning show on DZMM Sakto with Amy Perez. All my staff have been laid off.” Having had a heart procedure, do you belong to the “comorbidity” category and how do you deal with it? “With COVID-19, I take each day as it comes. I am always outdoors working out and going to ABS-CBN for TV Patrol but I am very careful. Being a stroke survivor and a GuillainBarré syndrome, an auto-immune-disease survivor made me realize that life can turn 180-degrees anytime. We have

absolutely no control. God is in control. All things work out well for those who love God and are called according to His purpose and I know that the pandemic will bring out something good when it is done.” Do you really report to the office every day or you sometimes work from home (WFH)? “I have become dependent on God’s grace one day at a time. I have to live life as well and dance with COVID-19. I keep myself fit by swimming, biking and running daily, and I eat smart. This has been my lifestyle for the past 10 years and nothing has changed. The more fit I am, the stronger my immune system will be to be able to live as normally as I can with COVID-19 in the air.” How are your pets (mini zoo at home) doing during this pandemic, are they also affected and how are they showing it? “My pets have been getting so much attention during the pandemic. The 32 dogs have been giving my family so much Continued on Page 5

community T h e A s ian Jour nal MDW K M A G A Z I NE - Sept ember 2 , 2 0 2 0

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond monette AdevA mAglAyA YEARS ago, I was searching for something to place a small amount of money that can yield a little growth if left alone for some time. A bank certificate of deposit, perhaps, I thought. But the yield was minuscule and hardly worth my time and effort. Then I understood slowly what investing was all about. No risk was involved in a CD and so the payoff was tiny. In my previous work as a bushy-tailed researcher who dug for information in libraries and asked a lot of questions long before the information superhighway was built, I stumbled on the idea of investing using mutual funds. Heck, I didn’t even want to use the word “investing” for I felt it was too big and pretentious for me for the amount of money I had. It was laughable. I was a young mom with children then and grappling with the challenges of the immigrant life in the US. It left me with very little time to think about investing. Also, I wasn’t interested in watching the ups and downs of the financial market day after day. How dull to watch numbers when you can smell the flowers! It just wasn’t my schtick. There was too much to learn and experience and so little time. So I hied off to read books on it instead and called a few companies. I bungled my way through. Here’s what I have discovered in a nutshell. A mutual fund is an investment tool consisting of a portfolio of hundreds of stocks, bonds and other securities. It gives personal small investors like me and millions of others, access to the world of diversified portfolios at a low price (thus, the haystack reference in the Bogle quote). In my case, I am also the poster child for the lazy doit-yourselfer who just wants

EMPLOYMENT

Mutual fund basics “Don’t look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack.” —John C. Bogle Founder, Vanguard to choose a winning horse, a thoroughbred if possible, stay the course and forget about it most of the time, simply checking occasionally. That’s why I choose index funds for the most part. Indexing and reinvesting is the way to go for people who really don’t have the time, the patience, the gumption and the persuasion to do a full dive. There are load funds and no-load mutual funds. Guess where I was drawn to? Of course, no-load funds made sense for me. Load funds charge commissions which affect returns on the whole. “Duh!” The down side? Most of the no load funds with excellent track records with a low expense ratio in a big mutual fund company require a bigger initial outlay. How much, you ask? At this time, $3000 on average to get in although there is a fund that requires only $1000 if buying a fund as a trust for minors, like children and grandchildren. Let me explain. If you bought a load fund which is professionally managed and the return for the year is a whopping 10% and the load is 3%, then your net return is 7% on your investment for the year. Not bad, but if the return for the year is a negative 10%, you’re in the hole for 13%. There are behemoth professionally staffed companies that offer mutual funds. The big names are Fidelity, Vanguard, T. Rowe Price among others. Don’t be intimidated. You can get in for a thousand dollars if you want to test the waters. The big money, perhaps in trillions, in employersponsored retirement plans, 401k and others in the US are invested in mutual funds.

I studied John C. Bogle’s fiscal conservatism. Bogle is the Yoda of mutual fund investing. He founded Vanguard and shepherded the company for a long time. A stalwart fiscal conservative, he championed the cause of low expense funds. The lower the expense ratio of a fund, the happier he was for investors. It was a common sense strategy then as now, neither sleek nor sexy for wanna-be hotshot investors. It was said that Bogle preferred woolen neckties rather than silk ties because they lasted longer and can be worn many times. Sadly, he passed away fairly recently at 89 years old. The mutual fund investing world lost a true hero. God bless John C. Bogle. Mutual funds have many varieties to choose from. There are stock funds, bond funds, balanced funds, specialty sector funds, index funds and fairly recently, exchange traded funds (ETFs) that can be traded like stocks. The choices can be overwhelming to a newbie but don’t be. If you are in your twenties, thirties and forties, you have the benefit of time. Use it. The key is to choose wisely after much study, stay the course over time, monitor periodically. Have an exit strategy for how you will use the yield you will harvest when the time comes. Some rich person once said that money is like manure, it stinks if left on a pile but used as fertilizer on tilled soil, can yield a rich harvest for a much greater good. The stock or equity funds with higher risk factors can get stellar performance and heartbreaking losses too. There are bond funds which Continued on Page 5

EMPLOYMENT

Modifying down child and spousal support obligation after a divorce Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth uRsuA Reyes Divorced parties are sometimes ordered to pay child support and spousal support in the divorce judgment. The support orders are generally based on the parties’ financial situation and custody arrangements at the time of the settlement or trial. However, what if your income decreases after the divorce or what if your spouse’s income increases after the divorce due to a promotion or a better paying job? Do you have the right to modify your support obligation? If your income has gone down substantially from the time that the child or spousal support determination, you may be able to file a modification of your support obligation. Losing a job or having less income constitutes a material change of circumstances that would allow the court to modify down your support obligations. Child support in California is based on guideline formula. One of the factors that is considered in the guideline

formula is your gross income. Usually the court would look at several months or even an average of the last 12 months income. If your average income has decreased, you may be able to modify your child support to a lower amount. Bear in mind that there are other factors that come in the equation such as the amount of actual timeshare you spend with your child and the income of the other parent. If the other parent’s income has gone down, this may adversely affect your child support obligation. Spousal support may also be modified unless you stipulated in a divorce judgment that it is non modifiable. However, spousal support are usually calculated differently than guideline. The court will look at other factors in deciding whether to modify this. Those factors are listed in family code section 4320. If you are unemployed, the other party may be expected to try to impute income on you. However in light of the recent cases in California, they would have to prove that you had the ability and the opportunity to obtain employment. If your income has gone down or your spouse’s income has increased as a result of a new job, a promotion, or you got laid off or hours cut, it may be possible to modify both your

child support and spousal support obligation. Without modifying the order, the current order will continue to be in effect and the same amount will accrue regardless of whether your income declined or your spouse income increased. It is important to file a post judgment request for order to modify support as soon as your financial situation changes.

*** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com. Visit our website at Kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)

Filing bankruptcy if your income has been affected by COVID-19 Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon WHEN the virus makes your income disappear overnight, it can be very frightening to realize that you can’t go very long without it because your bills don’t stop just because your income did. No one ever wants to file bankruptcy. But if you are one of the millions laid off and

don’t even know whether you have a job to go back to or not, it might make sense, especially if you are overwhelmed with debt. If bankruptcy is appropriate for your situation, it can give you a sense of control during these uncertain times and help you get back on your feet quickly when things go back to normal. While the government is doing its best to provide safety nets during this crisis, you are still left to figure out on your own how to survive financially. Your stimulus check may be enough to keep you afloat for a month or two, but once that’s gone, you’re back in

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the same situation. For small businesses hoping to get a loan from the SBA, the money quickly ran out in a couple of weeks, and there has been no word if they’ll even get any money if Congress decides to provide additional funding. If you have stopped paying your mortgage due to your lender agreeing to a temporary forbearance, you should realize that this relief is temporary, and that the money will still need to be paid back whether in payments or a lump sum. No such thing as a free lunch. Same thing applies to suspended rent payments due Continued on Page 5

Kuya Kim after the... From Page 3 joy. I got a lot of sun during ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine) hanging with the aldabra tortoises and the green iguana. I also shared a few dips with the giant reticulated python. Incidentally, since I go to work daily, it gives me a chance to ride my motorcycle or bicycle aside from my triathlon workouts. This daily commute provides much needed therapy.” Is there life after the shutdown? “There is life after the shutdown. We have lost the franchise but we are still very much

afloat. Buhay pa kami. Maybe God is making us lead the way to total digital TV via gadgets. My kids don’t watch the television appliance anymore. They watch their phones. Maybe this is the reason we lost the franchise so we can lead the way towards this direction.” Are you a Kapamilya forever? “The ABS-CBN ship is still afloat and is very much alive. I shall stay a Kapamilya till its last breath.” TV5 welcomes talents from Kapamilya. If offered, would you take it? “Many of my colleagues

have jumped ship and I don’t blame them because they have mouths to feed. I’ll stay a Kapamilya while the network needs me and is still alive. Not kicking, but very much alive still. It will morph into something beautiful in God’s time and I am excited. “I have very good friends and mentors who are like family in GMA (my dad is a Kapuso and owns one of the longestrunning blocktimers, Maynila.) I also have friends I’ve known for decades in ABC 5. They will not begrudge my loyalty to the station that built me up and supported me.”

entertainment

T h e As ian Jou r n al MDWK MAGAZ IN E - S e pte mbe r 2 , 2 0 2 0

Filing bankruptcy if your income...

From Page 4 to the government issuing a moratorium on evictions for the time being. Once the stay at home order is lifted, you should assume that the missed rent will be due and unless you can work something out with your landlord, you can be evicted. The best thing you can do right now is to develop a financial strategy instead of doing nothing. Some people who call my office tell me that they are not even calling their mortgage company or the lender on their vehicle because they don’t know what to say. This is the wrong approach. It is always best to maintain communication with creditors who have quicker legal remedies than others. Your mortgage company can foreclose on your home. The lender on your car can repossess. It is important to let them know how the virus has affected your finances and see what type of assistance they can provide even if temporary. Remember that food and health should be at the top of your priority list. If you are fortunate enough to have a bit of savings, make sure that you only spend this on essen-

tials for daily survival. It would not make sense to waste this money paying a bill that you could wipe out in bankruptcy if you have to file later. Don’t assume that just because you’re now unemployed or that the fact that your hours have been cut that you will automatically qualify for bankruptcy. The court still looks at your income for the last 6 months and if you’re likely to go back to work soon making the same amount of money, it will be tough trying to convince the court that you have no ability to pay. But if you are uncertain as to when and if you’d even be able to go back to work, you may have a good argument to file bankruptcy now while the timing is right. Every situation is different and must be analyzed by an experienced bankruptcy attorney. Obviously, if now is the right time to file bankruptcy, the sooner you do it, the sooner you can rebuild your credit and get back on your feet. If you’ve hit the bottom or about to, you may be feeling a lot of stress right now like everyone. My suggestion is to take things day by day, remember

Mutual fund basics...

From Page 4 yield far less stellar results or yields but are stodgy and reliable. They move in opposite directions. When the stock market is on the rise, the bond funds are dipping and vice versa. It’s like yin and yang. The financial markets are always reflective of the fears and hopes of the investing world at any given time. The market is jittery and acts like a psycho. It gets jolted easily by political and economic rumblings and upheavals but try and stay above the fray. Tune out for your peace of mind. If and when you go this route, you must be there for the long haul if you want to see real results that bless and teach you wisdom over the long term. The stock market is not a casino although day traders treat it as such and not

a few suffer greatly not only in their pocket books but also in the rise and fall of their blood pressure as they try to time the market. Be aware too that there are tax consequences when you sell or liquidate your funds. Consult a trusted expert. There is a direct correlation between risk and return that one learns in investing. The same is true of life. We learn to tamp down the niggling fears about the future. We learn to stay the course with steely resolve specially when there is blood on the streets. And there will be. But the upside if we are faithful and give it time, can be worth it. Good Luck! ***

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

that there is only so much that you can do and to be pro-active in developing a financial strategy instead of just waiting for things to happen. Call my office and together, we can figure out what the best strategy is for your situation. *** NOTE: Due to the current lockdown order caused by COVID-19, I am offering free consultations BY PHONE to anyone who needs help in dealing with their debt problems. ***

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 1-866-477-777. (Advertising Supplement)

Alex Gonzaga with husband-to-be Mikee Morada

Photo from Instagram/@cathygonzaga

Alex will say goodbye to...

From Page 3 mine). Since they are altarbound, the couple was asked about what they look forward to in marriage. “Honestly, ‘yung tabi kami na matutulog,” Gonzaga quipped, citing that they

make do now with saying good night via video calls. (Honestly, I look forward to us sleeping next to each other). Morada, for his part, looks forward to the totality of their married life. “Actually sa lahat, being with her, pag-uwi, hanggang

sa magkaaanak, tumanda, lahat. Excited ako sa kung ano ang mangyayari,” he said. (Actually, I look forward to everything, being with her, coming home, having children, growing old, everything. I am excited about what will happen).

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