092620 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

SEPTEMBER 19-22, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 76 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages

USA

DATELINE Stockton elementary school named after Flora Arca Mata, California’s first Fil-Am teacher, officially opens FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Flora Arca Mata Elementary School honors the first Fil-Am teacher in California history

Proposed US bill seeks to halt security aid to PH over Anti-Terrorism Law

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

A BILL seeking to suspend the United States’ aid to Philippine security forces due to the alleged human rights violations under the Duterte administration has been formally introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Rep. Susan Wild, a Democrat who represents Pennsylvania’s 7th congressional district, introduced House Resolution 8313, also known as the Philippine Human Rights Act, on Thursday, Sept.

17.

“Today, across the Philippines, (President) Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal regime is using the pretext

2020 Census deadline extended to end of October

THE closure of school campuses due to the pandemic has complicated the lives of students across California, but that doesn’t mean learning and inspiration have to stop.

As such, on Tuesday, Sept. 22, a new elementary school in Stockton, California named after Flora Arca Mata, a pioneering Filipina Flora Arca Mata was the first American teacher of Filipina American school teacher u PAGE A3 in California.

Study: Immigrantcentered shows lead to ‘inclusive attitudes’ about immigrants THE buzzword in entertainment is diversity, and has been for the last half decade.

The great fight for more ethnic and gender minority representation reached mainstream status in 2016 but when it coalesced with the election of President Donald Trump, diversity became much more than a matter of “feeling seen” by the characters of minority backgrounds.

Trump’s greatest political white whale — the fight against illegal and legal immigration practices — has sparked copious discourse over immigrants’ rights, the inhumane treatment at the border and whether or not immigrants hurt or harm American jobs, culture and public safety.

Films and television portraying immigrants took a new role after Trump’s election, offering varying perspectives on the immigration debate; existing film and TV characters who are immigrants took the fore and new characters and storylines exemplified the emotionally, socially and politically complex experience of the immigrant. u PAGE A4

by CHRISTINA

MENDIOLA AJPress

EUGENIO “Gabby” Lopez III has stepped down from his post as ABS-CBN Corporation’s chairman emeritus and director, the broadcast giant announced Thursday, September 24.

“Mr. Eugenio ‘Gabby’ Lopez III, today, tendered his resignation for personal reasons as Chairman Emeritus and Director of ABS-CBN Corporation,” the network said in a statement on Thursday.

Lopez, 68, also resigned as director of ABS-CBN Holdings Corporation, Sky Vision Corporation, Sky Cable Corporation, First Philippine Holdings Corporation, First Gen Corporation, and Rockwell Land Corporation, ABS-CBN said.

“He expressed his appreciation for the trust of the stockholders as well as to his co-directors and senior management for

M. ORIEL

AJPress

REACHING OUT. A convenience store staff member offers bottled water to pedestrians going downstairs at a footbridge in Quezon City on Wednesday, September 23. The store’s staff members exert extra effort to increase sales.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

UNITED States residents who haven’t filled out their 2020 Census forms will have another month to do so after a federal judge stopped the decennial enumeration from ending on September 30.

U.S. District Judge Lucy H. Koh of the Northern District of California issued a preliminary injunction on Thursday, September 24 that said the U.S. Census Bureau must continue its outreach efforts through October 31 in order to have a more accurate count.

The head count of U.S. residents was slated to end in July, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the schedule was revised to lengthen the non-response follow-up period. Despite the original plan to extend to October, the Trump administration in August subsequently announced that the timeline would be shortened to the end of September so that the bureau could deliver the results to the president by December 31.

Koh — agreeing with civil rights organizations and local governments like Los Angeles that filed a lawsuit against the Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Commerce — said that the current schedule would u PAGE A2

‘Filipinos for Trump’ group organizes caravan to raise support for president’s re-election Car parades will take place on Oct. 4 in the greater Los Angeles, San Francisco areas

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

AS the 2020 election enters its final, most crucial stage, Filipino American political leaders across California are ramping up last-ditch efforts to raise support for the presidential candidates.

On Sunday, Oct. 4, Filipino American conservatives and supporters of President Donald Trump are hosting a caravan rally across California as a way to raise support for Trump as well as celebrate Filipino American Heritage Month in October.

The caravan rally was organized by former congressional candidate Edwin Duterte and National Federation of Filipino American Associations Greater Los Angeles area Chairman Noel Omega.

“Filipinos have a strong and rich history in the United States,” Omega said in a statement. “We are proud of the accomplishments within our community that [have] shaped the U.S.” According to Duterte, the rally is also meant to serve as a “unifying event” to honor “the successes of the president from domestic to foreign policy.”

Gabby Lopez resigns from ABS-CBN

by RITCHEL

of a so-called anti-terrorism law to ramp up efforts targeting labor organizers, workers, and political opponents,” Wild said in her speech on the House floor.

The bill calls for ceasing security assistance to the Philippines until it reforms its military and pou PAGE A2

“If the Filipino American population were a state, we would be the 29th largest state,” said Duterte, who bears no relation to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

The rally in Los Angeles will begin in the parking lot of the Jollibee restaurant in West Covina at 1561 E. Amar Road at 9 a.m. Organizers estimate that more than 100 cars from LA and Orange counties will participate in the event.

The organizers also emphasized that the event is in compliance with social distancing mandates.

As previously reported in the Asian

the privilege of having served with them over the years,” the network added.

ABS-CBN’s Board of Directors accepted Lopez’s resignation during the organizational meeting held after the firm’s annual stockholders’ meeting.

“We thank him for his dedication and leadership in expanding and transforming ABS-CBN beyond television through the years. Just like his father, Eugenio ‘Kapitan Geny’ Lopez Jr., Gabby is a visionary and a compassionate leader driven by his love for the Philippines and the Filipino people. He would always tell the men and women of ABS-CBN that being a part of the network is not a job, but a calling,” it said.

“We respect his decision, offer him our full support, and express our sincerest gratitude for the tradition of innovation, nationalism, and public service that he cultivated in the minds and hearts of all Kapamilyas, Eugenio ‘Gabby’ Lopez III cites ‘personal reasons’ for his ABS-CBN photo u PAGE A3 resignation.

Journal, Filipinos are the second-largest Asian group in the United States, comprising 19% (just under 4 million Filipinos) of the overall Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, according to the last census.

The 2020 Asian American Voter Survey from APIA Vote, AAPI Data and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC also found that Filipinos are the most “enthusiastic” for the 2020 election among other AAPI groups, as previously reported in the Asian Journal.

Filipinos are also the second largest u PAGE A4

Airlines call for COVID-19 tests before all int’l flights

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Tuesday, September 22, said global airlines are pushing for airport COVID-19 tests for all departing international passengers to replace the quarantines that are allegedly exacerbating the travel slump.

According to the head of IATA, rapid and affordable antigen tests that can be administered by non-medical staff are expected to become available in the “coming weeks” and should be rolled out under globally

agreed standards.

“We don’t see any alternative solution that would be less challenging or more effective,” IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac said during an online media briefing.

He noted that airlines will push for the rapid antigen tests to be endorsed by the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations agency that oversees global aviation rules, as they become available for as little as $7 each.

De Juniac added that the IATA believes the production could be quickly increased to millions per u PAGE A3

A september 26-29, 2020 • LA WeeKeND AsIAN JOUrNAL

2020 Census deadline extended...

PAGE A1 t leave out many minority and hard-to-count communities that have yet to respond.

“An undercount in any locality matters greatly,” the judge wrote. “Even a small undercount of a subset of the hard to count population would result in the loss of federal funding.”

The once-a-decade enumeration — which can be done by phone (844-330-2020 for English), returning the mailed form, or heading online (my2020census.gov) — measures where individuals live as of April 1, 2020. That includes young children and infants, roommates, and family members or friends staying at the household, even if temporarily.

In addition to English and Spanish, completing the census online or by phone can be done in 11 other languages, including Tagalog (844-478-2020).

“The court in its ruling made clear that the administration had failed to provide any legitimate reason for cutting back on what the Census Bureau’s staff experts

had wanted just months ago,” Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said in a press conference on Friday, Sept. 25.

He added that the city joined the lawsuit because “the stakes are so high for us.”

The results guide how over $1.5 trillion in federal funding will be allocated to states annually for resources, such as schools, health programs, and infrastructure projects. The data also determines the number of seats each state gets in the House of Representatives and the redrawing of legislative districts.

The self-response rate in California is at 68.8%, as of this writing. Meanwhile, the city of Los Angeles has been falling behind at around 56.6% in midSeptember.

“LA historically has been a hard-to-count location. With so much on the line, I urge everyone to take the few minutes necessary to be counted in the census,” Feuer said. He added that the extended outreach efforts would allow more residents the

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

From the Front Page opportunity to be counted.

The Justice Department on Friday said it would appeal the order to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Officials and organizations remind community members that the census does not ask for citizenship status, financial income or social security number. The information collected will also not be shared with other government agencies.

Census takers will continue going door-to-door to households that have not responded.

They can be identified with a valid government ID badge.

“Another big barrier is just people not knowing that it is completely confidential. All information that is provided to the Census Bureau is protected under Title 13. All of our census staffers out in the field, whether they’re knocking on doors or onsite in front of supermarkets, take an oath to protect that information,” said Ivy Daulo, partnership specialist for the Census Bureau in the LA region, previously told the Asian Journal. n

Proposed US bill seeks to...

PAGE A1 lice forces.

HR 8131 was backed by 23 other lawmakers including New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Judy Chu of California.

“In response to these abuses, I introduced the Philippine Human Rights Act, which would block U.S. funding for police or military assistance to the Philippines, outlining a serious basic criteria which would have to be met in order to resume such funding,” Wild added.

If passed into law, the Philippine Human Rights Act requires the Philippines to meet the following criteria: • Investigate and prosecute members of the military and police forces who are found to have violated human rights; • Withdraw the military from domestic policy; • Establish protection for the rights of trade unionists, journalists, human right defenders, indigenous persons, small-farmers, LGBTI activists, and critics of the government; • Take steps to guarantee a judicial system that is capable of investigating, prosecuting, and bringing to justice members of the police and military who have committed human rights abuses; • Fully comply with any and all audits or investigations regarding the improper use of security aid “Let us make clear that the United States will not participate in the repression. Let us stand with the U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) Photo from House.gov people of the Philippines,” Wild said.

The bill has been referred to the Committee on suggestion.”

Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Financial This is not the first time that foreign lawmakers Services of the U.S. House. have filed bills in the U.S. Congress against the A loss to the U.S. Duterte administration.

Philippine senators who authored the Anti-TerOn January 8, the U.S. Senate passed a resororism Law, in response, pointed out that the pas- lution officially condemning the Duterte adminissage of HR 8131 would be a loss to the U.S. as tration for its detention of outspoken Philippine well.

Senator Leila De Lima.

“The said bill will not only be our loss but theirs U.S. Senate Resolution 142 argued that De Lias well, considering that a major part of the secu- ma’s detainment was an infringement on the “lerity assistance being extended to the Philippines gitimate exercise of her freedom of speech” and is used to combat terrorism, which knows no bor- urged the Philippines to release her. ders,” Sen. Panfilo Lacson said.

The resolution acknowledges the widely-critiLikewise, Senate President Vicente Sotto III cized extrajudicial killings, which were “part of said: “We should reconsider the VFA (Visiting a government-directed anti-drug campaign” that Forces Agreement) if they pass that. It’s actually a resulted in “the foremost human rights challenge big IF. If they pass a bill suspending security aid to in the Philippines,” as a valid concern of the disus, then what will the VFA stand for?” graced senator who has been detained since FebMalacañang, meanwhile, maintained it won’t in- ruary 2017. terfere with the affairs of sovereign countries.

Led by U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), the bipar“Hindi natin pinanghihimasukan iyong mga de- tisan effort to stand up against the Duterte adminsisyon ng mga soberenyang bansa — kung gusto istration’s treatment of De Lima also urged Presinilang gawin, gawin nila iyan (We won’t meddle dent Donald Trump to impose sanctions against with the decisions made by sovereign countries the Philippine government.

— if they want to do it, then do it),” Presidential The bipartisan group of senators who backed Spokesperson Harry Roque said. the bill includes Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Mar“Kampante nga tayo na sa tingin ko, kinikilala sha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeff naman ng Estados Unidos ang halaga ng Pilipi- Merkley (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Patrick Leanas sa pagiging partner niya pagdating din sa hy (D-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Dianne Feinstein mga usaping national security ng Estados Unidos (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Benjamin Cardin (Dmismo (I am confident, I think, that the U.S. rec- MD) and Dick Durbin (D-IL). ognizes the importance of being a partner of the The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee also Philippines when it comes to matters concerning passed an amendment that seeks to ban the entry national Security of the U.S.),” he added. into the U.S. of Philippine government officials inRoque also called Wild’s allegations over the hu- volved in the “politically-motivated” detention of man rights situation in the country as a “very wild De Lima. n

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 26-29, 2020

A

California expands privacy protection to public health workers amid threats

by AnnA

MAriA BArry-Jester Kaiser Health News

Rendering of the Flora Arca Mata Elementary School in Stockton, California

Photos courtesy of Stockton School district

PAGE A1 t

ton where she attended local schools.

After earning a teaching degree at UCLA — of which she was also the first Fil-Am woman to graduate — she began her long career of teaching in post-WWII California. Her service spanned more than three decades until she retired at 80 years old.

Mata was known to have advocated for the right to education for communities of color and equal opportunity for ethnic minorities to pursue prestigious careers. She reportedly challenged a school dean who told her that being a woman of color would hinder her ability to teach.

She told the school dean, “Why is it that America would educate the minority and not give them an opportunity to use this education? Why is it that they need a college education to be dishwashers?” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

Stockton elementary school named after... the 20th century, was opened in a move to honor California’s diverse history in education.

Mata was believed to be the first Filipino American to serve as a public school teacher in the state of California, as previously reported in the Asian Journal.

On Tuesday, Stockton Unified School District (SUSD) officials and the family of Mata — who passed away in 2013 at the age of 95 — held a social distancingfriendly ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new K-8 school located along Alexandria Place. The event was also live-streamed by the school district.

“This is going to be a great learning institution,” Flora Arca Mata Elementary School principal Henry Phillips said at the ceremony inside the school’s multipurpose room. “Our board of trustees has given us an excellent start by naming this site after an exemplary educator.”

The school currently has 420 enrolled students who are distance learning. The $38.2 million school is a state-of-the-art facility that can accommodate 540 students.

With the opening of the Flora Arca Mata School, it is the third school in the United States to be named after a Filipino, and the first to be named after a Fil-Am woman.

As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the campaign to name the new school after one of the state’s most prolific teachers began in 2019 when the Fil-

Am organization Little Manila Rising asserted Mata’s indelible influence on public education in Stockton and California as a whole.

The campaign garnered massive support from the district which announced in December 2019 that it would officially name the new school after Mata.

“I feel she was a very humble person and she would probably stand back a bit, [but] I think she would be very happy about pushing on education and making sure that students and teachers and everybody stayed dedicated to the future of our community,” Aaron Mata, the late educator’s grandson who is also an educator and principal at Health Careers Academy in the SUSD, said in his remarks on Tuesday.

The grandson shared that even after her retirement, Mata was still passionate about public education, requesting family members to drive her to school so she can assist teachers and students.

“She had a very clear vision of what education can do and she was deeply passionate about the teaching profession for many years. When I reflect back on it, I can see how dedicated she was,” he said.

Stockton was previously home to the largest Filipino population outside the Philippines, which highlights the significance of the district’s choice to name the school after Mata. Mata was born in Hawaii in 1917 and as a child, her family relocated to Stock-

Signage for the new elementary school

Flora Arca Mata’s family attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the elementary school named in her honor on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Airlines call for COVID-19...

PAGE A1 t day, and the tests phased in between late October and December would help “save a part of the winter season.”

However, a global agreement is needed to ensure test results on departure are accepted on arrival.

“It will also boost passenger confidence that everybody on the aircraft has been tested,” said de Juniac.

The IATA last month pushed for laboratory-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to be conducted 48 hours before de-

parture.

De Juniac pointed out that last-minute airport screening is more effective because it “seals off the system” against forged certificates or infections contracted just before travel.

Antigen tests are faster but more likely to miss positive cases of COVID-19 than PCR tests.

Earlier this month, German diagnostics specialist Qiagen said a COVID-19 antigen test that provided results in 15 minutes was going to be launched.

The test could be deployed in airports or stadiums. n

Gabby Lopez resigns from...

PAGE A1 t past and present,” it added.

The board also vowed to continue the journey that Lopez and his father began.

ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak thanked the network’s remaining employees.

“Thank you to those who are staying behind, for believing in our future, and for enduring this sacrifice in order to continue serving the public,” he said.

Mario Luza Bautista was

elected as ABS-CBN director to replace Lopez.

Bautista, 66, has served as the General Counsel of the Company as well as a member of the Board of Advisors since 2011.

Bautista graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in communication arts from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1975.

He obtained his bachelor of laws degree from the University of the Philippines in 1979 and ranked sixth in the Bar Examinations of that year. n

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — California will allow public health officials to participate in a program to keep their home addresses confidential, a protection previously reserved for victims of violence, abuse and stalking and reproductive health care workers.

The executive order signed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom late Wednesday is a response to threats made to health officers across California during the coronavirus pandemic. More than a dozen public health leaders have left their jobs amid such harassment over their role in mask rules and stay-at-home orders.

Underfunded And Under Threat A series examining how the U.S. public health front lines have been left understaffed and ill-prepared to save us from the coronavirus pandemic. The project is a collaboration between KHN and the AP. “Our public health officers have all too often faced targeted harassment and stalking,” wrote Secretary of State Alex Padilla in a statement. This “program can help provide more peace of mind to the public health officials who have been on the frontlines of California’s COVID-19 response.”

A community college instructor accused of stalking and threatening Santa Clara health officer Sara Cody was arrested in late August.

The Santa Clara County sheriff

said it believes the suspect, Alan Viarengo, has ties to the “Boogaloo” movement, a right-wing, anti-government group that promotes violence and is associated with multiple killings, including the murders of a federal security officer and a sheriff deputy in the Bay Area. Thousands of rounds of ammunition, 138 firearms and explosive materials were found in his home, the sheriff’s office said.

In Santa Cruz County, two top health officials have received death threats, including one allegedly signed by a far-right extremist group.

In May, a member of the public read aloud the home address of former Orange County health officer Nichole Quick at a supervisors’ meeting and called for protesters to go to her home. “You have seen firsthand how people have been forced to exercise their First Amendment. Be wise, and do not force the residents of this county into feeling they have no other choice than to exercise their Second Amendment,” said another attendee. Quick later resigned.

Protesters angry over mask mandates and stay-at-home orders have gone to the homes of health officers in multiple counties, including Orange and Contra Costa.

The executive order would allow health officials to register with the Secretary of State’s Safe at Home program. Those in the program are given an alternative mailing address to use for public records so that their home ad-

dresses are not revealed.

Threats of violence have added to the already immense pressure public health officials have experienced since the beginning of the year. Amid chronic underfunding and staffing shortages, they have been working to limit the spread of the coronavirus, while also deflecting political pressure from other officials and anger from the public over business closures and mask mandates.

“California’s local health officers have been working tirelessly since the start of the pandemic, using science to guide policy,” said Kat DeBurgh, the executive director of the Health Officers Association of California. “It is regrettable that this order was necessary — but we are grateful for it nevertheless.”

Nationwide, at least 61 state or local health leaders in 27 states have resigned, retired or been fired since April, according to a review by The Associated Press and KHN, a figure that has doubled since the newsrooms first began tracking the departures in June.

Thirteen of those departures have been in California, including 11 county health officials and the state’s two top public health officials.

Dr. Sonia Angell, former director of the California Department of Public Health and state public health officer, quit in early August after a series of glitches in the state’s infectious disease reportu PAGE A4

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Asian American voters support affirmative action but undecided on California’s Prop 16

by Sunita

Sohrabji Ethnic Media Services

DESPITE overwhelming support for affirmative action, a large percentage of Asian Americans in California remain undecided on Proposition 16, a Nov. 3 ballot measure that would reinstate affirmative action in education, government hiring, and public contracting.

The measure is sputtering with voters in the state: a poll released Sept. 16 by the Public Policy Institute of California found that only 31 percent of California voters said they would vote for the measure, while 47 percent said they were against it. 22 percent remained undecided.

62 percent of Asian American voters in California support affirmative action, according to an AAPI Data survey released Sept.

15. Asian Indians and Vietnamese Americans overwhelmingly supported affirmative action, while more than half of Chinese, Japanese and Korean Americans also supported the concept.

But, when asked how they would vote on Prop. 16 this November, more than one third of Asian American voters in California said they were undecided, ac-

cording to the AAPI Data survey.

The largest group of undecideds were Vietnamese Americans: more than half of those surveyed said they did not know how the would vote.

Eight percent of all Asian Americans surveyed said they did not know about the measure.

Prop. 16 enjoys the highest amount of support from Asian Indians: 58 percent said they would vote for the ballot measure. Only one-third of Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese voters said they would vote for the measure; 38 percent of Chinese Americans said they planned to vote against it.

If it passes, Prop. 16 would repeal the 1996 ballot measure Prop. 209, which banned the state from considering race, sex, and ethnicity in college admissions, and government hiring and contracts. Asian Americans have traditionally been against affirmative action used in college admissions, saying that the policy discriminates against students with greater levels of achievement. In February, a federal court judge ruled against a group of Asian American students who had been denied admission to Harvard. The group

has appealed; analysts predict the case will eventually make its way to the Supreme Court, which has previously issued rulings on affirmative action.

Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder of AAPI Data, said the prospects for the measure’s passage “don’t look good.” Ballot propositions in general are difficult, while the language of Prop. 16 makes it especially troublesome for voters to understand. “A massive voter education campaign over the next few weeks could make a difference,” he said.

At a Sept. 18 briefing with reporters, organized by Ethnic COLORFUL LANTERNS. Dazzling Christmas lanterns and decors for sale are displayed in Panapaan along Aguinaldo Highway in Bacoor Cavite Media Services, Eva Patterson, on Tuesday, September 22. As early as September, Filipinos prepare for Christmas season, buying decors to light up their homes despite president and founder of the the amid the coronavirus pandemic.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan Equal Justice Society, concurred that the language of Prop. 16 was onerous for voters, and not the language she would have used.

But since the ballot measure aims PAGE A1 t emotional impact among view- immigrants and an underrepreto repeal Prop. 209, which did A new study released on ers; according to the researchers, sentation of Asian immigrants. not use the phrase affirmative ac- Wednesday, Sept. 23 from USC’s viewers “most often felt empaThere is also a need to trantion, writers of Prop. 16 were also Norman Lear Center For the Study thetic, angry, sad, or disgusted scend stereotypes by finding stymied in how they could phrase of Entertainment, Media & Society while watching.” Negative emo- fresh, more nuanced portrayals of their measure, she explained. and the immigrant advocacy group tions sparked a desire to take “low the U.S.-Mexico border issues and The Equal Justice Society has Define American found that televi- investment” action in support of avoiding perpetuating the notion raised $15 million to support sion shows, in particular, with im- the inclusion of immigrants into of immigrants, particularly brown Prop. 16. Patterson said the or- migrant characters are changing the culture like posting on social immigrants, as criminals. ganization will air television ads viewers’ opinions and inspiring media or taking the time to learn Moreover, there is still a need in October, and will also soon real-life action. to make visible immigrants from more about immigration. have digital ads out. n Conservative and religious even deeper cultural intersections The report — titled “Immigration Nation: Exploring Immigrant viewers reported feeling “ma- like those with disabilities and Portrayals on Television” — illu- nipulated” and were more likely transgender immigrants.

Filmmaker Isabel Sandoval — minates both the problems with to have “less inclusive immigrathe way immigrants are presently tion attitudes, knowledge about the writer, director and star of the rects the state to assess impacts portrayed as well as the poten- immigration and immigration be- romantic drama “Lingua Franca” that centers an immigrant Filiof the pandemic on health care tial of fully fleshed-out immigrant haviors.”

But the researchers pointed pina who is also trans — tweeted providers and health care ser- characters to change attitudes and vice plans, and halts evictions perspectives about immigration out that although negative emo- on Wednesday, Sept. 23 a link tions could catalyze attitude shifts, to the study with a simple capfor commercial renters through rights and policy as a whole.

March 31, 2021, among other The study analyzed the depic- stories that evoke more positive tion: “That’s why I made LINGUA pandemic-related matters. tions of 129 immigrant characters emotions are more likely to mo- FRANCA, now on [Netflix].”

USC and Define American reKHN and California Healthline across 97 episodes of 59 different tive viewers to take “high-investcorrespondent Angela Hart, KHN scripted narrative TV programs ment immigration actions,” like searchers also provided recomMidwest correspondent Lauren that aired from August 2018 to donating to charities that support mendations for storytellers to improve their portrayals of the vast immigrants.

Weber and Associated Press July 2019.

The survey went on to conclude immigrant community: tell more writer Michelle R. Smith contribAmong the findings, researchuted to this report. ers also conducted a survey to that viewers who watched “Super- authentic stories by hiring more This KHN story first published gauge the impact of three promi- store” felt “a sense of friendship” writers and consultants from the on California Healthline, a ser- nent storylines from that block of in regards to Santos’ character immigrant community; write vice of the California Health Care time — those shows included the Mateo, who is portrayed on the characters and storylines with Foundation.

CBS drama “Madam Secretary,” show as ambitious and sassy yet nuance to avoid perpetuating stethe Netflix drama “Orange is the sweet and hospitable. Additional- reotypes; evoke positive emotions New Black,” and the NBC sitcom ly, after being exposed to Mateo’s to drive change; and consider the storyline, participants were “more audience and how they may be “Superstore.”

As previously reported in the likely to support an increase in impacted by these stories. in California at 60 points with Asian Journal, “Superstore” co- immigrants coming to the U.S., “By harnessing the power of Trump trailing far behind at 30 stars Filipino American actor Nico particularly those who had little entertainment, we can engage aupoints, according to a recent Santos who plays Mateo Liwanag, or no real-life contact with immi- dience members, empower them survey from the Public Policy an employee of the titular super grants.” to take action on immigration-reInstitute of California. Another store who is a Filipino undocuBut the study also pointed out lated issues and inspire a cultural study from UC Berkeley re- mented immigrant. the pitfalls of existing portrayals of redefinition of what it means to leased on Friday, Sept. 25 puts This survey — which included immigrants in the United States. be an American,” the researchBiden at 67 points and Trump at a diverse array of 940 participants For example, there is still an over- ers wrote. (Klarize Medenilla/AJ28 points. n — found that there was a high representation of Middle Eastern Press)

California expands privacy protection to...

PAGE A3 t

ing system caused weeks-long delays in reporting cases of COVID-19.

In Placer County, north of Sacramento, health officer Dr. Aimee Sisson resigned effective Sept. 25 after the county Board of Supervisors voted to end its local COVID19 health emergency. “It is with a heavy heart that I submit this letter of resignation,” she wrote in her resignation letter. “Today’s action by the Placer County Board of Supervisors made it clear that I can no longer effectively serve in my role.”

Organizations across the state have expressed concern over the treatment of health officials during the pandemic, including the California Medical Association.

“Basic science has become politicized in so many parts of our state, and our country,” wrote California Medical Association president Dr. Peter N. Bretan Jr. in a statement after Sisson’s departure. “Public health officers are public servants who seek to do what their job description states — to protect public health.”

The executive order also di-

‘Filipinos for Trump’ group organizes caravan to...

PAGE A1 t Asian ethnic group supporting Trump in 2020, the study also found.

Though California — an unyielding blue state — is currently showcasing overwhelming support for Trump’s opponent former Vice President Joe Biden, founder

and CEO of Asian Industry B2B Marc Ang said in the statement that, “Fil-Ams are recognizing their conservatism and entrepreneurship is more inline [sic] with the Republican Party and are throwing support behind President Donald Trump.”

Currently, Biden is leading

Study: Immigrant-centered shows lead to...

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Palace praises Duterte’s debut address at UNGA Comelec eyes 2-day elections in 2022

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

MALACAñANg on Thursday, September 24, commended President Rodrigo Duterte’s first-ever speech before the United Nations general Assembly (UNgA), calling it “excellent.”

“The president’s speech in the UN general Assembly, I thought, was excellent. And I think halos lahat ng Pilipino ay kinilala po na talagang napakagaling at napaka-komprehensibo at malinaw ang naging talumpati ng ating Presidente (Almost all Filipinos recognized that the president’s speech was very good, comprehensive, and clear),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

“Wala pong pagkakaiba ng polisiya, iyan po talaga ang, kumbaga, very brief summary ng mga polisiya ng ating presidente sa iba’t-ibang isyu (There was no change in policies. It was a very brief summary of the president’s policies on various issues),” he added.

Roque also said that a team of writers composed Duterte’s UN speech, but stressed that the Chief Executive chose the topics that were discussed in it.

“Ang gumawa po ng speech na iyan ay marami, iyan po, tawagin na lamang natin silang Team Philippines. Pero iyong mga subject matter po na nabanggit ng presidente pagdating sa mga

by Melvin

Gascon Inquirer.net

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte speaks before the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Malacañang photo

international issues, si presidente po mismo ang namili kung ano ang gusto niyang i-discuss (Many people made the speech.

Let’s just call them Team Philippines. But the president himself selected the subject matters on international issues which he wanted to discuss),” he said.

Duterte on Wednesday, September 23, addressed the UNgA for the first time since assuming office in 2016.

“I am honored to address you today on behalf of the Filipino people on the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. The in-

visible enemy that is COVID-19 has brought about an unfamiliar global landscape and unleashed a crisis without precedent. It is the biggest test the world and the United Nations faced since World War II,” Duterte said.

Duterte said that how the world will address COVID-19 will define our future.

“For the Philippines, this means putting up all of the peoples of our united nations at the core of this response,” the president said.

He encouraged each nation

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7 Filipinas bound for UAE rescued from human traffickers

by WilliaM

B. depasupil ManilaTimes.net

IMMIgRATION authorities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) foiled an attempt by human trafficking syndicates to sneak out of the country seven unsuspecting Filipina workers before they could board their flight bound for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

It is the second incident this month as the government eases travel restrictions for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), which include first time migrant and medical workers subject to certain conditions.

In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, the BI’s travel control and en-

forcement unit (TCEU) said the women were intercepted last September 17 at the immigration departure area of the NAIA Terminal 1 as they were about to board a Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight to Dubai.

Three of the women were allegedly hired to work as caregivers in the emirate while the four others were recruited to work as marketing and sales agents for an interior design company.

BI-TCEU Chief Ma. Timotea Barizo said the women attempted to leave by posing as first-time overseas Filipino workers but the overseas employment certificate (OEC) they presented turned out to be fraudulent.

A check of the passengers’

UAE visas showed that they were traveling to Dubai only as tourists and not as workers.

The women, whose names could not be divulged following anti-trafficking laws, were later turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assistance and further investigation.

The incident prompted Morente to again warn those who want to work abroad not to deal with unregistered agencies or recruiters as these shady characters are employed by human traffickers to recruit their victims.

“These traffickers are taking advantage of our kababayan who need jobs during the pandemic,” said Morente. n

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is preparing to hold the May 9, 2022, over two or more days if the prevailing coronavirus pandemic has not been contained at that time.

Bartolome Sinocruz Jr., Comelec executive director, said the poll body was now drafting plans for the 2022 elections in case no vaccine has proven to be effective when the country holds the presidential elections in 2022.

“Although we are aware that the date of the elections is set by the Constitution, we can hold elections on May 9, and have it on another day or two, which is the same as extending the election hours,” he said.

The new election setup in 2022 is being patterned after what the Comelec intends to do in the upcoming plebiscite for the division of Palawan into three provinces, which takes into account health protocols set by the government under the new normal, Sinocruz said.

Sinocruz made the pronouncement in response to queries from lawmakers on the plans the Comelec is drafting on activities for the upcoming 2022 elections, which include the registration of voters and filing of certificates of candidacies next year.

House briefing Comelec officials faced the House of Representatives to brief lawmakers on its proposed P14.6-billion budget for 2021, as contained in the National Expenditure Program.

Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun asked whether the Comelec has considered in its 2021 budget the possible changes in the conduct of election-related activities for the 2022 polls, including the continuing voter registration and the filing of candidacies next year.

Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo also hinted that the Comelec should “seriously consider” postponing the 2022 elections, amid concerns that a vaccine may still not be available by then, and voters may be scared to go out to the polling

places to cast their vote.

“But the initiative should come from the Comelec and not us in Congress because we might be accused of trying to prolong our term,” he said.

Among the reforms that the Comelec is set to impose include the reduction in the number of voters in every precinct

at any given time, from 12 persons to five.

Process under study “We would also have to regulate the entry of voters in polling centers, and we plan to set up voters’ assistance desks that will help people locate their designated precincts,” Sino-

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A6 SEPTEMBER 26-29, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

Coordinated inauthentic behavior

FEATURES

BOTH the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police have vehemently denied maintaining accounts engaged in coordinated inauthentic behavior on Facebook. The AFP has since provided nuance to its denial, as officials defended posts portraying abuses attributed to the communist New People’s Army and Islamist terrorists.

Facebook has stressed that the accounts, which included posts engaged in what critics describe as red-tagging of suspected communist fronts or individual supporters, were not taken down over content. But AFP officials have lamented that the social media giant could be showing bias in its actions.

Also taken down by Facebook was a network originating in China’s Fujian province, which posted content on the Philippines, including the South China Sea dispute and the possible presidential run of President Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio. Facebook said the network included 155 accounts, 11 Pages, nine groups and six Instagram accounts.

It may be tough to trace the creators of the accounts, but they are unlikely to be the last. Social media has provided a platform for promoting certain viewpoints and spreading all sorts of information, including fake news, black propaganda, bullying messages and other hateful content.

Facebook has tried to avoid acting as a content censor, although it is drawing a line on the use of its platform for child sexual exploitation, human trafficking and other crimes, hate materials, violence and terrorism.

What it has done so far is go after networks of accounts engaged in what it describes as coordinated inauthentic behavior, including those on behalf of a foreign or government entity – the type believed to have influenced the US elections four years ago.

Since the internet became pervasive, policing cyberspace has been a challenge. Even as social media platforms and internet service providers try to deal with the problem, and countries move to make their legal frameworks responsive to the rapidly evolving technology, the public will just have to learn to be discerning in the consumption of information.

Any article or post from an anonymous source, or whose source or authorship cannot be verified,

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

must be taken with a grain of salt. Such stories must be counterchecked against reliable sources of news and information, where accountability for

accurate and fair content is clear, and which are covered by laws against the dissemination of malicious or slanderous information. (Philstar.com)

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life-long fight for gender equality reminds us to vote for candidates who uphold not only what is legal, but moral and ethical The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS “OUR nation has lost a justice of historic stature,” Chief Justice John Roberts said. “We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her, a tireless and resolute champion of justice.”

Women like me and my daughters and granddaughter thank Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for fighting for women’s rights, so that we may be accorded by law the same rights given to men, in fulfillment of the promise of America that in this country, all people are created equal.

National Public Radio (NPR) reported: She changed the way the world is for American women. For more

than a decade, until her first judicial appointment in 1980, she led the fight in the courts for gender equality. When she began her legal crusade, women were treated, by law, differently from men. Hundreds of state and federal laws restricted what women could do, barring them from jobs, rights and even from jury service. By the time she donned judicial robes, however, Ginsburg had worked a revolution.

That was never more evident than in 1996 when, as a relatively new Supreme Court justice, Ginsburg wrote the court’s 7-1 opinion declaring that the Virginia Military Institute could no longer remain an all-male institution. True, Ginsburg said, most women — indeed most men — would not want to meet the rigorous demands of VMI. But the state, she said, could not exclude women who could meet those demands.

“Reliance on overbroad generalizations ... estimates about the way most men or most women are, will not suffice to deny opportunity to women whose

talent and capacity place them outside the average description,” Ginsburg wrote.

Justice Ginsburg understood our challenges, our pain, our dreams and our strengths and what we are capable of doing to be catalysts of change in this world because she herself experienced the same thing.

But these inequities and injustices against women did not stop her. She used these hurdles as her fire and impetus to do something about them with the gifts and opportunities that God gave her. She fought not only for herself but for all of us, and for the next generations of women in America.

“Born in Brooklyn, Ruth Bader went to public schools, where she excelled as a student — and as a baton twirler. By all accounts, it was her mother who was the driving force in her young life, but Celia Bader died of cancer the day before the future justice would graduate from high school.

Then 17, Ruth Bader went on to Cornell University on a full scholarship, where she met

The lemmings

Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA IN the heat of the contest for the official Republican candidate for the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump boasted that he could shoot somebody in the middle of Manhattan and not lose a single vote. He subsequently went on to win in the Republican Party primary and then, the presidency.

In almost four years of his term, Trump has been vilified more than any other head of state that I am aware of. A recent article in the London-based newspaper, The Guardian, written by World Affairs editor Julian Borger, carried the headline: “Trump and U.S. global image plunge during pandemic, survey finds.”

The subhead was even more telling: “President is least trusted major world leader with 16% having confidence he would ‘do the right thing’ in world affairs.”

The article stated: “The image of the U.S. and Donald Trump around the world has plunged from poor to the abysmal over the administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a global survey.

“A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center of more than 13,000 adults in 13 advanced economies between 10 June and 3

August shows international confidence in the US and its president sharply down across the board, reaching historical lows in several countries…

“The survey found Trump was the least trusted major world leader. A median of 16% of those polled in the 13 countries had confidence Trump would “do the right thing in world affairs”, putting him below Vladimir Putin (23%) and Xi Jinping (19%).”

In the U.S., among the many research companies tracking the approval-disapproval rating of the president, Trump has rated highest in the poll conducted by the Rasmussen Group at 52% approval vs. 48% disapproval as of September 1-3, 2020, with a respondent base of 1,500.

On the other hand, the Pew Research Center, with a much higher respondent base of 11,001 had Trump’s approval-disapproval rating at 38%-59% with 3% no opinion, as of July 27-August 2. In research, the bigger the respondent base, the more reliable the results.

Interestingly, a poll conducted

by Fox, which has made no secret of its support for Trump, showed a 45% approval vs. 54% disapproval rating, as of August 2020.

While Trump’s ratings have consistently remained between 38% and 45%, and have been lower than those of other recent

presidents, he has still managed an average of 40% for much of his seemingly chaotic tenure.

That is remarkable, compared to how the rest of the world regard Trump, and in spite of all the things said about and against him. One clear reason is the unbending support that he enjoys among Republicans at 87%. Not surprisingly, among Democrats, Trump has a dismal approval rating of 6%.

In sum, partisan rather than objective considerations are the basis for assessing Trump’s performance. This is particularly apparent among the base of voters whom Trump has boasted will stand by him even if he breaks the law.

It would be convenient and seemingly logical to attribute this loyalty to the educational and overall demographic profile of Trump’s supporters, reportedly non-college and working-class types.

But even among Filipino Americans, Trump appears to have a loyal following despite being branded a racist by the media.

Some of these Fil-Am supporters are highly-educated community leaders. One such loyal supporter claims to have been a former novice Trappist monk, schooled in Philosophy and Apologetics.

Political pundits have been baffled by this loyalty to a man

Martin (aka “Marty”) Ginsburg.

“What made Marty so overwhelmingly attractive to me was that he cared that I had a brain,” she said.

After her graduation, they were married and went off to Fort Sill, Okla., for his military service. There Mrs. Ginsburg, despite scoring high on the civil service exam, could only get a job as a typist, and when she became pregnant, she lost even that job.

Two years later, the couple returned to the East Coast to attend Harvard Law School. She was one of only nine women in a class of more than 500 and found the dean asking her why she was taking up a place that “should go to a man.”

At Harvard, she was the academic star, not her husband.

The couple were busy juggling schedules and their toddler when Marty Ginsburg was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Surgeries and aggressive radiation followed.

So that left Ruth with a 3-yearold child, a fairly sick husband, the law review, classes to attend

and feeding me,” Marty Ginsburg said in a 1993 interview with NPR. The experience also taught the future justice that sleep was a luxury. During the year of her husband’s illness, he was only able to eat late at night; after that he would dictate his senior class paper to her. At about 2 a.m., he would go back to sleep, Ruth Bader Ginsburg recalled in an NPR interview. “Then I’d take out the books and start reading what I needed to be prepared for classes the next day.”

Marty Ginsburg survived, graduated and got a job in New York; his wife, a year behind him in school, transferred to Columbia, where she graduated at the top of her law school class. Despite her academic achievements, the doors to law firms were closed to women, and though recommended for a Supreme Court clerkship, she wasn’t even interviewed.

It was bad enough that she was a woman, she recalled later, but she was also a mother, and male judges worried she would be diverted by her “familial ob-

ligations.”

A mentor, law professor Gerald Gunther, finally got her a clerkship in New York by promising Judge Edmund Palmieri that if she couldn’t do the work, he would provide someone who could. That was “the carrot,” Ginsburg would say later. “The stick” was that Gunther, who regularly fed his best students to Palmieri, told the judge that if he didn’t take Ginsburg, Gunther would never send him a clerk again. The Ginsburg clerkship apparently was a success; Palmieri kept her not for the usual one year, but two, from 1959-61.

In 1963, Ginsburg finally landed a teaching job at Rutgers Law School, where she at one point hid her second pregnancy by wearing her mother-in-law’s clothes. The ruse worked; her contract was renewed before her baby was born.

While at Rutgers, she began her work fighting gender discrimination. She also became the first female tenured professor at Columbia Law School,

who has been branded the “Lying King” for racking up an unparalleled number of lies and misleading statements throughout his current term and who, while still a private businessman, had bragged about grabbing women by their “pussy” and his use of hyperbole in dealing with people.

This is reminiscent of the loyalty that then-presidential candidate Joseph “Erap” Estrada enjoyed in spite of his reputation as a womanizer, a college drop-out and a heavy drinker.

Erap won by a landslide over House Speaker Joe de Venecia whose educational and intellectual credentials were much more impressive.

The Estrada “phenomenon” has since been overshadowed

by President Rodrigo Duterte, whose marital indiscretions, foulmouth, uncouth manners and reputation as a Dirty Harry with a penchant for killing criminals, may have helped catapult him to the presidency.

In an article in the Journal of Social and Political Psychology, psychologists attempted to explain Trump’s seeming “political invincibility” by means of 14 factors that may be boiled down to psychological problems among his supporters, such as a contrarian attitude towards morality, a desire to “watch the world burn,” a sense of entitlement, narcissism, an over-estimation of “political expertise,” a desire to dominate

others, racism and bigotry.

Trump’s authoritarian personality, his showmanship, and simple language are seen to resonate with his audience at the visceral level, “strongly engaging the brain’s attention.” Add to that his supporters’ perceived sensitivity to threats and to their mortality and vulnerability - factors that Trump has literally rubbed in with his scare tactics and alarmist rhetoric.

In fairness, while some of these factors may be true of some of Trump’s supporters, I do not believe that all of them are weighed down by all of this psychological baggage. In fact, supporters of any other politician or public personality are likely to possess similar traits.

On the other hand, some of these psychological flaws may have been true of the 912 People’s Temple cult members of Jim Jones who committed mass suicide in Jonestown in Guyana, South America.

Jones was said to have had such a psychological dominance over his followers that they were willing to poison their own children and take their own lives on his bidding.

Of course, this is not to say that Trump is politically invincible.

There are signs of cracks on his armor. His mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic and recent revelations of outright lies concerning the seriousness of the plague, in order to protect his reelection bid, have begun to stir

doubts among his more enlightened supporters about the genuineness of his “concern” for their welfare.

A recent article in The Atlantic revealed that Trump had called war veterans, “losers,” and those who had fought in Vietnam, “suckers,” for not dodging the draft the way he did. That could have eroded his standing among veterans, a group whose support Trump counts on.

One indication is the way Trump and his camp have vigorously attacked the credibility of the report. But anonymous White House staffers have confirmed the story. Worse yet, a Fox News reporter, Jennifer Griffin, tweeted and stated in a TV interview that “unimpeachable” White House sources had confirmed the slur.

What Trump cannot deny is calling the late Sen. John McCain, a “loser.” McCain, an authentic war hero, was a prisoner-of-war in Vietnam.

Yet, there is no telling to what extent Trump’s supporters will stand by him. All the way, if we are to go by the fatalistic statement of one such supporter about the risk of contracting COVD-19 because of Trump’s refusal to require masks and social distancing at his rallies.

Said this Trump loyalist: “I’m with Trump. If I die, I die!”

God forbid that we should see the equivalent of the unthinking leap of lemmings to their death. (gregmacabenta@hotmail. com)

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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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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 26-29, 2020

A

Philippines eyes share in UN Recovery Fund

by Christina

Mendez

Philstar.com

GREEN THUMB. Rhena Cayabyab Fortich, 8, waters the plant pots to her mother to care for plants on their front porch in Molino Homes II Subdivision, Salitran 3, Dasmarinas, Cavite on Friday, September 25 The Cayabyabs have been maintaining a mini-gardening near their house to keep them busy.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life-long fight...

PAGE A6 t and also found the Women’s Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union.

Ginsburg worked her way from clerkship all the way to become the second woman Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 1993 until her death on September 18, 2020 at the age of 87.

Her husband Marty told NPR in an interview that from her first big case, Ginsburg “had to think through all the issues and how to fix the inequity. The solution was to ask the court not to invalidate the statute but to apply it equally to both sexes. She won in the lower courts.”

She persuaded the men in the court, consisted mostly of men, based on the legal theory: “The words of the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause — ‘nor shall any state deny to any person the equal protection of the laws.’

Well that word, ‘any person,’ covers women as well as men.”

Paraphrasing her famous quote, this was how she fought for the things she cared about, by doing it in a way that would lead others to join her.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg would have wanted to live up to her 90s, knowing how critical this time is in our nation’s history.

“That’s because Ginsburg’s death gives Republicans the chance to tighten their grip on the court with another appointment by President Trump so conservatives would have 6-3

majority. And that would mean that even a defection on the right would leave conservatives with enough votes to prevail in the Obamacare case and many others,” NPR reported.

Justice Ginsburg dictated her dying wish to her granddaughter, Clara Spera, in the final moments of her life: “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”

Unfortunately, this dying wish would not be honored. On the day Justice Ginsburg’s death was announced, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would work to fill the vacant seat with less than 38 days before the election. Trump is set to formally announce his nominee, conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett, over the weekend.

“President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate,” McConnell asserted, as GOP aides are skeptical that there is enough time to confirm a nominee before November 3, given that Supreme Court nominees typically take two to three months to process, according to a review of recent confirmation proceedings,” CNN reported.

There is no urgency in passing a bill to help ordinary hardworking Americans suffering through the coronavirus pandemic for these Republicans and Trump, contradicting their own statements and principles used to rationalize.

We all remember how these Republicans blocked any confirmation hearings for President Barack Obama’s nominee Merrick Garland to succeed Justice Antonin Scalia, McConnell’s justification and pontification: the upcoming presidential election.

To which he said, “would allow voters a chance to weigh in on what kind of justice they wanted.

But now, with the tables turned, McConnell has made clear he will not follow the same course.”

Such a hypocritical move from Trump and the Republicans who now contend that there is no statute that prevents them from immediately pushing through and rushing confirmation hearings.

As it has been with Trump and his Republican cohorts, they think and move they are above the law in allowing Trump’s transgressions against the rule of law and the Constitution, and that they are definitely not covered by higher ethical and moral standards we expect from our elected officials.

This November is an opportunity to vote Trump and other Republican candidates out. *** 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.

MANILA — Malacañang reiterated the Philippines’ intent to possibly get a share from the United Nations Response and Recovery Fund after President Duterte lauded the UN body’s efforts to help developing countries in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We welcome the creation of the Fund that would help middle-income countries to fight COVID-19. It has just been launched,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr said on Friday, September 25.

Roque, concurrent InterAgency Task Force (IATF) spokesperson, said the Philippines will be ready to look into proper mechanisms set by the UN to allow countries to tap into the fund.

“I am confident that whatever mechanism is, we have a permanent mission in the United Nations, and all requests to tap that fund will be coursed to the Department of Foreign Affairs and

our permanent mission to the United Nations,” he said.

Meanwhile, Roque also announced the IATF protocols for the pilot use of rapid antigen tests in Baguio City for contacts of confirmed coronavirus cases in areas with documented clustering, and for domestic tourists and visitors with essential travel.

Quoting the Department of Health, Roque said, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has certified that antigen testing is now certified as a new diagnostic technology for SARS-COV-2.

An antigen test is cheaper than RT-PCR test and results can be obtained in 15 to 30 minutes.

During the virtual presser on Friday, Health Undersecretary Dr. Leopoldo Vega also updated the public on the activities of the One Hospital Command Center.

Since the start of operations of the command center at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) building in August, Vega said the One Hospital Command has received an average of 86 calls

per day, most of which are being received and processed by two off-site call centers.

Vega reported that 64 percent of the cases referred to the One Hospital Command seek assistance for confirmed COVID-19 cases.

No special treatment No special treatment shall be extended to any pharmaceutical company seeking approval to market a new vaccine against COVID-19 in the country, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

FDA director general Eric Domingo said all vaccines, including those for COVID shall undergo regular evaluation and must secure the required certification from the agency prior to clinical trial or public use in the Philippines.

“All steps will be there. All vaccines will be checked and evaluated expeditiously, there will be no special treatment of any of the vaccine,” Domingo disclosed during a virtual press conference on Friday. (withMayen Jaymalin)

Six more overseas Filipinos contract COVID-19, bringing tally to 10,430

by AJPress SIX new cases of COVID-19 among overseas Filipinos have been recorded by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday, September 25, bringing the total number of infections to 10,430.

Meanwhile, the death toll and the number of recoveries remained at 786 and 6,645, respectively as no new reports were received by the agency.

“Today, the DFA received only two reports from Europe and the Middle East confirming no new fatalities, no new recoveries, and 6 new COVID-19 cases among our nationals abroad,” the DFA said.

“Meanwhile, the number of those who are under treatment is now at almost 3,000,” it added.

Overall by region, Europe – which comprises 19 countries – has recorded 1,178 Filipino cases, including 191 undergoing treatment, 892 recoveries and 95 deaths.

The Middle East and Africa, covering 29 countries, has reported 7,074 cases; of which, 2,321 are undergoing treatment, 505 deaths and 4,248 recoveries.

The Asia Pacific region, which spans across 20 countries, has 1,370 cases, with 321 undergoing treatment, 1,041 recoveries, and eight deaths.

The Americas – covering

nine countries like the United States – have 808 reported cases, with 166 undergoing treatment, 464 recoveries, and 178 deaths.

“The DFA personnel in our Foreign Service Posts remain steadfast in partnering with local health authorities and agencies in ensuring adherence of our people with preventive measures against COVID-19 pandemic, and commit to tirelessly attending to the needs of our people affected by this pandemic, whenever possible,” the DFA said.

Meanwhile in the Philippines, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has reached 299,361, with 5,196 fatalities and 232,399 recoveries. n

Comelec eyes 2-day elections...

PAGE A6 t

cruz said.

According to Comelec Chair Sheriff Abas, who has downplayed suggestions that the 2022 elections be postponed,

the poll body has forged partnerships with election bodies in countries such as South Korea and the United States to learn and adapt the “best [election] practices.”

Candidates will vie for a total of 18,084 positions in the upcoming elections, including the President and Vice President, according to House officials. n

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Cardinal Tagle recovers from COVID-19

by AJPress Filipino Cardinal luis Antonio Tagle has recovered from the novel coronavirus, 13 days after he contracted the disease.

The pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome on Wednesday, September 23, said Tagle’s recovery was “a great joy for the whole Church.”

“God wants him to continue serving in the Vatican’s office for the Missions, to bring God’s Good news of love, joy, peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation — all of which the world needs in a special way these days,” Fr. Greg Gaston, pCF Rector, said.

“The Collegio Filippino in Rome has witnessed his hard work, dedication and prayers.

We wish him all the best in his short visit to the philippines, to rest a bit and be with his family back home,” he added.

Tagle, prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of peoples and president of Caritas internationalis, tested positive for CoViD-19 after he arrived in Manila from Rome on Sept. 10. He was asymptomatic.

Acting president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the philippines (CBCp) Bishop pablo

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

David pointed out that Tagle tested negative before leaving Rome. “in all likelihood, he may have picked up CoViD-19 right at the airport or in the airplane,” he said on Sept. 12.

“He probably could not avoid being greeted by people, especially oFWs, who recognized him at the airport or inside the plane,” he added.

Tagle was the first Roman curia dicastery head to have contracted CoViD-19.

More than 30 priests and staff

ManilaTimes.net photo

at the pCF went into quarantine as a precautionary measure after Tagle tested positive. They underwent swab tests and tested negative for CoViD-19.

Meanwhile in the philippines, at least four bishops contracted the virus — two of which have passed away; retired Bishop Manuel Sobreviñas of imus, and retired Archbishop oscar Cruz of lingayen-Dagupan. Bishop Broderick pabillo of Manila and retired Bishop Deogracias iñiguez, on the other hand, have recovered. n

AFP not involved with accounts, pages taken down by Facebook

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

MAlACAñAnG on Thursday, September 24, said it believes that the fake accounts and pages taken down by Facebook did not belong to the Armed Forces of the philippines (AFp).

“We have to believe the Armed Forces of the philippines when they said that they have no official pages taken down by Facebook,” presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

“So all these pages, obviously, are not pages of the Armed Forces of the philippines or the government of the philippines,” he added.

Roque pointed out that government officials also have the freedom to voice their opinions, but insisted that the code of conduct extends to government officials’ social media accounts.

“You know, even government officials do have freedom of expression. What is prohibited is if this is done in official mediums maintained by the Republic of

the philippines,” he said.

A total 57 accounts, 31 pages, and 20 instagram accounts with ties to the police and military units in the philippines were taken down by Facebook due to policy violations.

According to nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s cybersecurity policy chief, the accounts engaged in “coordinated inauthentic behavior (CiB)” and deceptive methods.

“They posted primarily in Filipino and English about local news and events, including domestic politics, the military’s activity against terrorism, the draft of the pending anti-terrorism bill, criticism of communism, youth activists and the opposition, criticism of the Communist party of the philippines and its military wing the new people’s Army, and the national Democratic Front of the philippines,” Gleicher said on Tuesday, September 22.

“We are attributing this network to the philippine military and the philippine police. in particular, we found links between,

behind this network connected to both of these organizations and individuals associated with those organizations,” he added.

Gleicher said that the investigation of the network, which was tracked down in the philippines, was due to the concerns raised by civil society groups in the country and online news site Rappler.

The national privacy Commission (npC), for its part, said it started a “deeper probe” into Facebook’s removal of the fake accounts.

“Facebook’s proposed preventive actions regarding the proliferation of suspicious accounts as such activities on the platform continue to threaten the personal data privacy and other securityrelated rights of its Filipino users,” npC Commissioner Raymund liboro said.

“Social media platforms shall elevate their community standards to a level that adequately protects the data privacy rights of Filipino data subjects and rights to free speech and expression,” he added. n

MOBILE STORE. A man stands near his SUV loaded with alcohol which he sells for P450 a gallon and face masks which go for P160 per box on Scout Tuason near Roces Avenue, Barangay Obrero in Quezon City on Wednesday, September 23. Most white-collared employees in Metro Manila and other parts of the country have found an alternative to earn a living amid the coronavirus pandemic which caused several businesses to close shop.

PNA photo by Joey Razon

PACC lauds lawmen for ex-US Navy officer’s arrest by catheRine

Valente ManilaTimes.net

THE presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (pACC) on Thursday lauded the concerted efforts of law enforcement agencies that led to the arrest of a former high-ranking official of the United States navy for corruption, among other crimes.

Xavier Monroy, former director for operations of the US navy’s Military Sealift Command, was arrested on Tuesday by the Bureau of immigration’s Fugitive Search Unit (Bi-FSU) at his home in Angeles, pampanga.

Monroy, 63, was wanted for corruption, bribery conspiracy, falsification of public documents and lying to US federal investigators, according to Bi-FSU. A warrant of arrest issued by the US District Court of Columbia on May 20 prompted the US Embassy to request assistance from the Bi and the pACC.

in a statement, pACC Chairman Dante Jimenez said the suspect’s arrest was “a positive response to the president’s allout campaign against crime and corruption.”

Jimenez, who is concurrently co-chairman of the inter-Agency Against Anti-illegal Drugs, commended the efforts of the Bi-FSU and law enforcement counterparts “for the decisive and prompt action in arresting foreigners wanted by their governments for various crimes.”

“The suspect’s arrest demonstrates the pACC’s vigilance and active participation in arresting foreign criminals in the country,” he added. in January 2019, Jimenez bared that pACC and Bi agents tracked down and arrested Xie Haojie for charges of corruption and economic crimes in China. in September 2019, he said the pACC again figured in the

arrest and deportation of 277 Chinese wanted by the Chinese government for various crimes. ‘’The philippines is not a safe haven for foreign fugitives hiding from the law. We will need all the muscle to fight these formidable ‘viruses’ in the forms of crime, corruption and illegal drugs, which still persist and continue to victimize our people, especially the poor,’’ he stressed.

Jimenez, founding chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, said it was time that government agencies closed ranks to win the war against lawlessness and corruption amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“With lesser resources due to this crisis, the fight has become more difficult. We need everyone’s total commitment and cooperation in the ‘wholeof-nation’ approach in fulfilling the Duterte Administration’s program of change in the country,” he said. n

Palace praises Duterte’s debut address at UNGA PAGE A5 to put up a united front against the pandemic, saying the world needs are coordinated international plans and efforts to pursue a common purpose.

“CoViD-19 knows no border. it knows no nationality. it knows no race. it knows no gender. it knows no age. it knows no

creed,” Duterte stressed.

He also encouraged all countries to ease geopolitical tensions that continue to rise, as well as invoked the 2016 arbitral award on the South China Sea. Duterte likewise promised that his government will continue to protect the human rights of its people, calling for an open dia-

logue and constructive engagement with the United nations.

“But these must be done in full respect of the principles of objectivity, noninterference, nonselectivity and genuine dialogue.

These are the fundamental bases for productive international cooperation on human rights,” he said. n

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A

The World Peace Prize Awarding Council Together With Religious Leaders Title Awarding Council: The Conferment of the Pope of Buddhism to His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III is Unchangeable ON September 24, 2020, the Chairperson of both the World Peace Prize Awarding Council and the World Peace Prize Religious Leaders Title Awarding Council Suzi Leggett announced the ultimate resolution of the two Councils at the Holy Miracles Temple of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters: “The return of the conferment decree and the Pope of Buddhism Scepter by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is not effectible. The title, status, and authority of the Pope of Buddhism belong only to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, and cannot be exercised by anyone else.”

In 2018, after extensive vetting, the World Peace Prize Awarding Council and the World Peace Prize Religious Leaders Title Awarding Council officially conferred the title of Pope of Buddhism to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. The conferment decree and the Pope of Buddhism Scepter was signed and presented by the then Chairperson of the two Councils Han Min Su. Nonetheless, to everyone’s surprise, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was totally unmoved by the noble status and tremendous honor that came with the Pope of Buddhism title, and did not accept the conferment. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said: “Within the field of Buddhism, there are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

There are titles of Dharma kings, rinpoches, Dharma masters, eminent monastics, greatly virtuous persons, and Holy Gurus. There is no need for a Pope. I am a humble cultivator. I am not able to take on such a heavy responsibility.”

When the World Buddhism Association Headquarters presented the conferment decree and the Pope of Buddhism Scepter that they received to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, His Holiness the Buddha saw that there was a seated statuette of Namo Shakyamuni Buddha on the Scepter and immediately raised the Scepter above His own head to show respect to Namo Shakyamuni Buddha, the Lord of Buddhism of the saha world. No one would have anticipated that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III actually returned the conferment decree and Pope Scepter directly to the two Councils.

In today’s announcement, Chairperson Suzi Leggett said: “Over the past several decades, the World Peace Prize Awarding Council has presented the World Peace Prize to President Ronald Reagan, Hon. Mahatma Gandhi, H.E. Yitzhak Rabin, and presidents and prime ministers of other nations. There has never been a precedence of retraction. All determinations made and implemented by our Councils are very solemn, serious, and absolutely cannot be changed…The return of the conferment decree and Scepter of the Pope of Buddhism

by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is deemed not effectible. The title, status, and authority of the Pope of Buddhism belong only to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, and cannot be exercised by anyone else. This is a permanent and unalterable determination!”

Despite the fact that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III still would not accept the conferment, Chairperson Leggett once again presented to the World Buddhism Association Headquarters the conferment decree and Pope Scepter that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III previously returned.

Venerable Mozhi Rinpoche represented the World Buddhism Association Headquarters to receive the conferment decree and Pope Scepter signifying the conferment of the title of Pope of Buddhism by the two Councils to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. He said, “The World Buddhism Association Headquarters considers the decision made by the two Councils to be a remarkably proper and sagacious. Ever since Namo Shakyamuni Buddha entered parinirvana, there has not been a supreme leader who has the authority to guide all Buddhists the same way that the Buddha did. However, the authoritative position of the Pope of Buddhism certainly is not a role that a leader of a single Buddhist sect would have the attributes to fulfill; rather, the Pope must be a leader who has authority over the entirety of Buddhism, namely, a Buddha.

Namo H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III holds the perfect teachings of Buddhism and meets the criteria used by all Buddhist sects to recognize a Buddha. His inherent nature is that of a Buddha, His unsurpassed, complete,

and perfect enlightenment is that of a Buddha, and His state of virtue is that of a Buddha. Just based the accomplishment of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III in Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform, surpassing His own base weight standard by 59 levels, no one can possibly match such a record. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III also has perfect mastery of Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism, perfect accomplishments in the Five Vidyas, and so forth, all of which truly are attributes of the perfect enlightenment of a Buddha. No other Buddhist Holy Guru in this world possesses such qualities.

“Just by the facts that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III vowed to benefit living beings purely on a voluntary basis and does not accept any offerings throughout His entire life, and that He possesses perfect wisdom and unimpeded accomplishments, no other Holy Guru can be of comparison. Only Namo H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can take on this immensely noble, holy, and heavy responsibility of the Pope of Buddhism, to properly guide Buddhists onto the correct path of learning Buddhism. Therefore, on behalf of Buddhists, the World Buddhism Association Headquarters thanks the World Peace Prize Awarding Council and the World Peace Prize Religious Leader Title Awarding Council for having made the ultimate decision.”

Below is the statement announced by Suzi Leggett, the Chairperson of the World Peace Prize Awarding Council and World Peace Prize Religious Leaders Title Awarding Council: The Conferment of the Pope of Buddhism to His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III is Unchangeable, The Return of the Conferment Decree is Deemed Not Effectible The field of Buddhism in today’s world is rather chaotic, there need to be a preeminent Buddhist leader of authority to lead and correctly point Buddhists to the right direction. All Buddhists know that other than a Buddha, no great Bodhisattva, great Dharma king, great lama, or great Dharma master is qualified to hold the title and status of authority to be the world’s high-

The World Peace Prize Awarding Council and World Peace Prize Religious Leaders Title Awarding Council Chairperson Suzi Leggett announcing the joint resolution of the two Councils: The return of the conferment decree and the Pope of Buddhism Scepter was deemed not effectible, and the title of Pope of Buddhism belongs only to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.

est leader of Buddhism. In particular, the entire field of Buddhism has now been infiltrated by many fake rinpoches and fake Dharma masters who are not true Buddhists. As a result, Buddhism all over the world has fallen into a state of chaos and confusion.

Within the traditions and formal systems of Buddhism, there are several dozen sects, such as Esoteric, Exoteric, Zen, Pure Land, Mahayana, Theravada, and so forth. Regardless of how high the status of a Dharma king or a great master of any school may be, such a person can only lead their own school. Besides, each school of the sectarian system has also been infiltrated by a great number of fake rinpoches and fake Dharma masters. These people are amateurs who do not understand Buddhist teachings in the Sutras; yet they feign to be greatly virtuous people or eminent monastics. Thereupon, gradually and inconspicuously, evil and non-Buddhists teachings have been mixed into authentic Buddhism founded by Shakyamuni Buddha. This is mainly because there is currently no preeminent leader in the entirety of Buddhism. There is no supreme leader of authority to take hold of true Buddhist teachings and true Buddha Dharma.

Since a Dharma king, patriarch, or great master of any school can only lead their own

Chairperson Suzi Leggett implemented the joint resolution of the two Councils, refused to accept the return of the conferment decree and the Pope of Buddhism Scepter that belong to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. She returned them to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III by handing them to Venerable Mozhi Rinpoche, representative of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters.

school, none of them is eligible, either in virtue or realization power, to be the authoritative leader of the entirety of Buddhism. Only a Buddha can be the King of the entirety of Buddhism and the authority in all Buddhist teachings and principles, in the same way the God in Christianity has authority over the entirety of Catholicism. Ever since Buddhist history in this world began with Shakyamuni Buddha, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is the only Buddha who has truly been recognized by all major sects of Buddhism. A total of more than 100 documents of recognitions, corroborations, and congratulations have been formally issued

by Buddhist leaders, Dharma kings, regent Dharma kings and great rinpoches of all major sects. Such a feat of recognition has never been achieved by anyone else in the history of Buddhism.

In particular, the Pope of Buddhism H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is the first person in Buddhism to possess substantive holy realization power of a Buddha and perfectly flawless accomplishments at the pinnacle of the Five Vidyas. His selfless state of virtue is revered by all.

His Holiness the Pope of Buddhism is also the one and only who possesses the inherent nature and physical constitution of a Buddha that no other eminent Buddhist monastic or virtuous person in this world has so perfectly attained.

After the Chairpersons of the World Peace Prize Awarding Council Han Min Su and myself, as well as the World Peace Prize Religious Leader Title Awarding Council spent two years vigorously examining all evidences in great detail, we have formally made the ultimate, permanent, and irreversible determination that on January 31, 2018, the conferment decree and the Scepter of the Pope of Buddhism were to be presented to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. That date signified the official ascent of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to the authoritative throne of the Pope of Buddhism.

The World Peace Prize Awarding Council and the World Peace Prize Religious Leaders Title Awarding Council had officially conferred the title of the Pope of Buddhism to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III in January 2018.

However, at that time, the Pope of Buddhism H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III refused to accept the conferment decree and the Pope

Scepter, stating His reasons being: “Within the field of Buddhism, there are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. There are titles of Dharma kings, rinpoches, Dharma masters, eminent monastics, greatly virtuous persons, and Holy Gurus. There is no need for a Pope. I am a humble cultivator.

I am not able to take on such a heavy responsibility.” In light of this, the World Buddhism Association Headquarters took the liberty to accept the conferment decree and the Pope Scepter for H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. However, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III returned the conferment decree and Pope Scepter to the World Peace Prize Awarding Council and the World Peace Prize Religious Leaders Title Awarding Council. The two Councils deem the return of the conferment decreeand Scepter to be unjustifiable. The conferring of the title of Pope of Buddhism was a determination reached by both Councils after serious and solemn vetting, and the conferment has already been implemented. Under no circumstances can we be so lacking in rigorousness to accept the return of the conferment. This decision has been made by the two Councils. This is not a decision for H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to make on his own.

Over the past several decades, the World Peace Prize Awarding Council has presented the World Peace Prize to President Ronald Reagan, Hon. Mahatma Gandhi, and H.E. Yitzhak Rabin, and presidents and prime ministers of other nations. There has never been a precedence of retraction.

All determinations made and implemented by our Councils are very solemn, serious, and absolutely cannot be changed.

Therefore, the World Peace Prize Awarding Council and the World Peace Prize Religious Leaders Title Awarding Council hereby issue our ultimate statement regarding this matter as follows: The return of the conferment decree and Scepter of the Pope of Buddhism by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is deemed not effectible. The title, status, and authority of the Pope of Buddhism belong only to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, and cannot be exercised by anyone else. This is a permanent and unalterable determination!

We wish that under the Pope of Buddhism H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, true Buddhism will greatly flourish, and the world will be greatly benefitted! n

Filipino climate protectors want leaders to act immediately on climate crisis

by Gaea

Katreena Philstar.com

CabiCo

MANILA — “Walk the talk.”

Filipino climate advocates and environmental defenders sick of lip service from the nation’s leaders stressed this Friday, September 25 as they demanded urgent and actual actions from the government to address the worsening impacts of climate crisis.

Local activists joined the youth-led “climate strikes” across the world, calling on the government to declare climate emergency and impose moratoria on destructive coal-fired power plants and reclamation projects.

They also demanded accountability from large-scale polluters, stronger climate education and adoption of long-term policies such as use of low-carbon technologies and transition to clean energies.

“Typhoons, droughts, rising sea levels, we experience these every day. We are the second most vulnerable country in the

world to the climate crisis, yet our contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions are so little,” Mitzi Jonelle Tan, international spokesperson of Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines, said.

‘Protect climate protectors’ Also among their demands is the protection of environmental defenders.

“We are striking today not only to demand concrete climate action in the Philippines but also to defend our very right to protect our climate as well as to defend our right to call for climate justice, to defend our right to live,” Tan said.

Environmental groups feared that the contentious Anti-Terrorism Act could aggravate the attacks experienced by Filipinos fighting the climate crisis and protecting the country’s forests and seas.

Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment documented at least 167 killings of Filipino environmental defenders under the Duterte administration.

“Filipino environmental defenders combating the climate crisis already face human rights atrocities that will be worsened

by Duterte’s terror law. This is why we are striking for our fundamental right to enjoy—and protect—a balanced ecology and safe climate,” Leon Dulce, Kalikasan PNE national coordinator, said.

Duterte’s ‘lip service’ Filipino “climate strikers” also called out Duterte for his “hypocritical” speech at the United Nations General Assembly.

In his maiden speech, Duterte urged world leaders to honor their climate commitments and fight the climate crisis with the same urgency as COVID-19.

But this declaration did not sit well with environmental advocates who said the policies of his government tell a different story.

“Shame on you, President Duterte, for not walking your UN climate commitments talk in your own backyard. We are on a climate strike amid the pandem-

Local activists joined the youth-led “climate strikes” across the world, calling on the government to declare climate emergency and impose moratoria on destructive coal-fired power plants and reclamation projects.

Photo courtesy of Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment

ic because of Duterte’s relentless pursuit of climate disruptive projects like coal power expansion, land reclamation, and aggressive big mining,” Tan said.

No ‘Planet B’ For the Filipino climate activists, there is no “Planet B.” Greenhouse gas concentrations reaching record levels worsen extreme events such as hurricanes, droughts, floods and

unprecedented wildfires.

The historic Paris Climate Agreement calls for limiting of global warming at well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels while pursuing efforts for a tougher ceiling of 1.5°C. The Philippines, in its submission under the Paris accord, had committed to cut by 70% its carbon emissions by 2030. Studies, however, found

that emission reduction targets submitted by countries put the world on track for warming of 2.7 to 3.7°C, far above the Paris climate goals.

“Global leaders have been praising the youth and saying that we will change the future.

But the youth in the most affected areas are being silenced and harassed. We are just asking for a chance to live,” Tan said. n

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LifestyLe Consumer Guide Community marketpLaCe

October 2020 priority dates: Jake docu ‘Jake and Charice’ nominated Employment-based petitions are current! at 2020 International Emmy Awards Immigration Corner

FAMILY CATEGORY: First Preference

Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ THE October 2020 priority dates provide great news for workers in the EB-3 (skilled/professional) and “other worker” (unskilled workers like caregivers). The priority dates for all countries (except India and China) are CURRENT! This includes the Philippines! This means visas are available, regardless of the person’s priority date.

If a person is being petitioned by an employer, and their Form I-140 employment- based petition has been approved or is pending, they could possibly be eligible to file for adjustment of status and work authorization, assuming they are otherwise eligible for adjustment of status (i.e. no issues re maintaining status, no fraud/crimes, etc.) People with approved or pending I-140 petitions should see an attorney about their eligibility to file for adjustment, now that the priority dates for these employment-based categories are current.

Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employmentbased categories. A priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below. If your priority date was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted status in the

By Ian

The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows:

Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)

(2A) Spouse and Second Preference minor children (below 21 years old) of green card holders

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

October 08, 2012

December 15, 2011

August 01, 2020

Current

(2B) Unmarried sons and daughters (21 years old or older) of green card holders

April 01, 2012

August 01, 2011

Third Preference

Married sons and daughters of US Citizens

December 22, 2002

February 15, 2002

Fourth Preference

Brothers and sisters of US Citizens

September 01, January 01, 2002 2002

LABOR CERTIFICATION:

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

Second Preference

Advanced Degree (Masters)

Current

Current

Third Preference

Professional/ Skilled Workers

Current

Current

Other Workers

Non-Skilled Workers

Current

Current

U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do

not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

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

BIong Inquirer.net

AFTER bagging the top honor in the United States International Film and Video Festival earlier this year, “Jake and Charice” has now been nominated in the 2020 International Emmy Awards.

The documentary, based on the life of singer-songwriter Jake Zyrus, is up for an Emmy win under the Arts Programming category, as revealed by the awardgiving body on Thursday, September 24.

Zyrus likewise shared the news on his own Instagram account on the same day, saying, “Surreal. Thank you @iemmys – It’s an honor.”

The documentary premiered in Japan in November 2019, where it garnered the Gold Camera award.

It tells the story of Zyrus’s new life after transitioning from Charice Pempengco into the transgender man he is today.

“Jake and Charice” will be

Jake Zyrus

going up against “Refavela” of Brazil’s HBO Brasil/Conspiração, “Vertige de la Chute (Ressaca)” of France’s Babel Doc/France Televisions and “Why Do We Dance?” of the United Kingdom’s Sky Arts Production Hub. “Congratulations to all the Nominees! – we are especially proud to recognize and honor

Photo from Instagram/@jakezyrusmusic

the world’s best storytellers, producers and performers,” Bruce Paisner, president and CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, said in the release.

“At a time of crisis where most of us have to stay home most of the time, television entertains us and PAGE B2

ATTY. GURFINKEL ANSWERS MORE IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS ON A BRAND-NEW EPISODE OF CITIZEN PINOY. On this episode, leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (left) replies to immigration questions sent from (left to right) Jhing of Maui, Hawaii, Rose and Jake from Tigard, Oregon, and Lourdes from Perris, CA: What is the best thing to do if a son was petitioned as single, but got married and now has a son. What should a person do if they have a child after their petition was approved and the case is now at the NVC for visa processing? Can the child be included? A person in the Philippines needs police clearance from China (where he worked with his wife as teachers for two years). How can this be expedited for their family without going to China? These questions and more immigration concerns will be answered on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot,” this Sunday, September 27 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

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Atty. Gurfinkel answers more Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival at immigration questions from Kapamilya Pechanga Resort Casino this October across the US this Sunday on Win up to $5,000 in EasyPlay with our Lucky Lantern Promotion ‘Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot’ ON a brand new episode of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” Atty.

Gurfinkel answers questions from Jhing of Maui, Hawaii, Rose and Jake from Tigard, Oregon, and Lourdes from Perris, CA: After my son’s petition was approved, he had a child with his girlfriend. Do we inform the U.S. Embassy, and can the child be included under the petition?

My son was informed that he needs to submit a police clearance from China (because he and his wife worked there for two years). Is there a way to move forward without going to China to obtain the document?

I petitioned my son when he was single. Nine years later, he married and has a child. He just received notice from the NVC

for his petition as “unmarried.”

What is the best way to move forward?

These and more questions will be answered on “Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot,” this Sunday, September 27 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

Your next car could be at New Century Volkswagen in Glendale

VOLKSWAGEN vehicles have long been favored by drivers all over the world. That includes the Philippines where the automaker first entered the market in 1958, and eventually powered the Volkswagen “Sakbayan.”

With a name that combines Tagalog words sasakyan (vehicle) and bayan (people), the Sakbayan was advertised as the “all-around” vehicle — “All-around sa Filipinas, All-around sa buong mundo, Allaround pa sa trabaho.”

For years, the big German automaker has become affiliated with some of the car world’s most iconic vehicles, whether it be the Beetle, Minibus, or the still soughtafter Golf.

Located along Glendale’s Brand Boulevard, New Century Volkswagen has been a go-to Volkswagen dealership for those in the Glendale and greater Los Angeles area looking to purchase any of Volkswagen’s highly rated sedans, compacts, SUVs, and wagons.

Kababayans in the market for a new vehicle can check out New Century Volkswagen’s current deals for their compact 2020 Jetta S and midsize 2020 Passat 2.0 S, or their larger vehicles like the 2020 Tiguan S and the 2020 Atlast Cross Sport.

Also coming soon to the dealership is the all-new ID.4 EV that aside from being a strong electric

vehicle with a manufacturer estimated range of 250 miles, has a sleek and striking exterior with clean lines and expansive panoramic fixed glass roof, and the spacious and comfortable interior expected from a Volkswagen.

While technically not on sale yet, those interested can reserve the vehicle for a refundable $100 fee.

When it comes to pre-owned vehicles, New Century Volkswagen has you covered with their great selection of certified pre-owned vehicles, many of which are as new as 2020.

Every certified pre-owned vehicle is five years or newer and has undergone a thorough 150-point Quality Assurance Inspection.

To further ensure drivers leave with a guaranteed quality vehicle, New Century Volkswagen is proud to offer the “Power of 3 Guarantee” for all their pre-owned vehicles.

Benefits include coverage of all internal lubricated parts and transmissions, up to $2,000 on any covered components, and roadside assistance and tire hazard protection among other benefits, for three months or 3,000 miles from date of purchase, whichever comes first.

If you’re already a proud Volkswagen owner, New Century Volkswagen prides itself in providing quality services from oil chang-

es and brake replacements, to tire rotations and filter replacements among other service needs.

As New Century Volkswagen puts it, their service and maintenance staff more than know their stuff, “they live for it.”

With all that’s happened this year, some may be unsure of whether they’re ready to step into a car dealership. New Century Volkswagen has made it easier for people to get going again by also offering Carefree Shopping.

With Carefree Shopping, those interested in a new car can schedule virtual test drives and digital vehicle walk-arounds, all from the comfort of their home. Shoppers can also have New Century Volkswagen deliver their new vehicles straight to them.

So whether you’re in the market for a new or certified pre-owned Volkswagen, are looking to keep your Volkswagen maintained, or simply want to check out the latest models or accessories, make sure to stop by New Century Volkswagen in Glendale.

Check out New Century Volkswagen by going online at www.newcenturyvw.com, visiting them at 1220 S. Brand Blvd, Glendale CA 91204, or by calling them at (818) 552-6263. New Century Volkswagen hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

(Advertising Supplement)

IN celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Pechanga Resort Casino will be holding the Lucky Lantern promotion every Tuesday in October. Pechanga Club members can visit the promotion area on October 6, 13, 20 and 27 from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. to participate in the “Lucky Lanterns” promotion for a chance to win up to $5,000 in EasyPlay. For more information, please call 1-877-711-2946 or visit www. pechanga.com.

All of us at Pechanga Resort Casino wish you a safe and happy Harvest Moon Festival!

Pechanga Resort Casino is excited to welcome you back – your health and safety is the top priority.

Pechanga is committed to the health and safety of the guests and team; guests must follow the safety rules when visiting during its initial opening phases: • Smoking not permitted inside for initial reopening phase.

• Guests will pass through a temperature screening kiosk at one of four available entrances.

• Face coverings will be required.

• Every other slot machine will be in use to allow for proper physical distancing.

• Reduced number of table games. Plexiglass safety shields at games in use.

• Approximately 50% of normal seating capacity at restaurants initially open.

• Six feet of physical distance between each guest required where line queuing is needed.

• No concerts or major events to be held in the near-term.

Come enjoy Pechanga’s four

diamond-rated service with the NEW health and safety measures because your peace of mind is our top priority. To learn more about the health and safety measure that have been implemented, please visit pechanga. com/covid.

Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experiences anywhere in the United States. Voted the number one casino in the country

by USA Today and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway, whether for the day or

for an extended luxury stay.

Offering the hottest slots, table games, world-class entertainment, hotel rooms and suites, dining, and golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free (877) 711-2946 or visit www.Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Facebook and on Twitter @ PechangaCasino.

(Advertising Supplement)

Asian American exporters looking to expand their business should consider this government agency THE Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is an independent federal agency that fills gaps in private export finance to assist U.S. companies in increasing their international sales and tries to level the playing field for U.S. exporters competing in the global marketplace.

EXIM promotes and supports American jobs by providing competitive and necessary export credit to support sales of U.S. goods and services to international buyers. A robust EXIM can level the global playing field for U.S. exporters when they compete against foreign companies that receive support from their governments.

Peter ramirez EXIM also contributes to U.S. economic growth by helping to support thousands of jobs in exporting businesses and their supply chains across the United States. Since May 2019, when the quorum was restored on the EXIM Board in an overwhelmingly bipartisan series of votes by the U.S. Senate, EXIM has approved over 2,000 small business authorizations in support of American exports. Prior to the restoration of a Board quorum, the agency was only capable of authorizing transactions up to $10 million. Since 1992, EXIM has generated approximately $9 billion for the U.S. Treasury for repayment of U.S. debt.

The agency recently concluded its first virtual 2020 Annual Conference and with over 1,700 registrants, it was the largest conference in the agency’s history. The conference theme was “Keeping America Strong: Empowering U.S. Businesses and Workers.”

There were outstanding speakers who gave U.S. businesses practical instruction on how to use exporting to be even more successful and support American jobs, as well as how to minimize risk in the global marketplace.

Under the leadership of President Trump and bipartisan support in Congress, EXIM was reauthorized for an unprecedented seven years in December 2019.

In 2015, the agency’s critics said, in essence, that it only supports big businesses. However, about 90% of EXIM’s transactions are made to small and medium-sized companies.

Along with the crippling effect

of EXIM not being able to approve transactions over $10 million for four years, China advanced and is dominating the world of trade finance through aggressive and unfair trade practices including, subsidizing a variety of Chinese exports with lower interest rates and advantageous repayment terms.

The magnitude of Chinese state-backed unfair competition undermines U.S. exporters and even puts America at a disadvantage in key sectors critical to our long-term economic and national security.

China leads the 115 worldwide export credit agencies in support. The top providers of official medium- and long-term export credits in 2019 were China ($33.5 billion), followed

by Italy ($11.1 billion) and Germany ($10.5 billion). The United States was a distant eighth in support at $5.3 billion.

EXIM’s new leadership team is active in reversing this trend.

Under its historic reauthorization, EXIM is charged with establishing a “Program on China and Transformational Exports.”

The goal of the program is to help level the playing field for U.S. exporters and workers by directly neutralizing export subsidies for competing goods and services offered by the People’s Republic of China.

Now, Asian American exporters who have direct competition with Chinese goods and services should consider contacting EXIM for potential support when they are competing against Chinese businesses to win sales.

EXIM products to boost your sales and minimize risks: Concerned about being paid? EXIM’s Export Credit Insurance protects U.S. exporters against the risk of buyer or debtor default for political or commercial reasons. This feature allows your company to extend open account credit to your buyers rather than require PAGE B6

Jake docu ‘Jake and...

PAGE B1 provides a window on our world,” he added.

“Jake and Charice,” produced

by Japan’s national broadcasting organization NHK in cooperation with ABS-CBN, enters the list representing Japan. This year’s International Emmy Awards has 44 nominees across 11 categories and 20 countries.

This is not Zyrus’ first time to work with Japanese filmmakers, however, as she previously starred

as Akira in the movie “Yaru Onna” (“She’s a Killer”) back in 2018.

The award-giving body noted that nominated program trailers and exclusive nominee interviews will be featured during the International Emmy World Television Festival from Nov. 13 to 23 on the International Academy’s website.

Winners will also be announced on Nov. 23 at a ceremony produced in New York City. Further details will, meanwhile, be announced in October.

B SEPTEMBER 26-29, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

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

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

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

How IRS agents are trained to audit you Tax Tips Victor sy, cPA, MBA & roger L. orieL MY Tax Tips are usually written from your perspective. Let’s make this interesting a bit – turn things around and discuss this from the IRS agent’s perspective.

This is how they (IRS agents) are trained to interview taxpayers.

• Establish rapport with the taxpayer (you).

• Maintain a friendly and professional demeanor.

• Recognize that an IRS audit is often a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the taxpayer, so the taxpayer may be tense or nervous.

• Stay away from an attitude

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng THE client is a corporation that has been in business since 2000. It had good times and bad over the last two decades but always managed to land on its feet. It has an ever-growing list of clients that need its products, which it sources from abroad.

It has two kinds of clients: clients with their own brands for the same product and clients that buy the product with the client’s own brand. In 2015, the client appeared to have had some kind of misunderstanding with one of its major foreign suppliers regarding a large order that apparently was not produced by the supplier to conform to the correct specifications. This resulted in the delivery of the large order being rejected by the ultimate buyer.

Well, you can see why this rejection of the order shipped caused a major disruption in the business relationship between the client and the foreign supplier.

Since the ultimate buyer rejected the shipment, the client was not going to get paid the expected $1.3 million from its customer. But the foreign supplier demanded to get paid in full for the shipment, which had an FOB value of $1 million. If the client paid the supplier $1 million for a rejected order, the client would have to immediately eat the loss of $1 million.

The client does about $3 million of yearly business, so an outright $1 million loss is not sustainable. The client does not have $1 million in cash or available credit lines, and does not see the wisdom of eating such a big loss. In addition, the client believes that it was the supplier’s fault that the shipment did not comply with the required specifications, which caused the rejection of the order.

On the other hand, the foreign supplier believes it complied with the required specifications as far as they understood it. So,

Barrister’s Corner

that the taxpayer is afraid be- states to be fact.

• Concentrate more on the ancause he/she is “hiding” someswer than on the next question. thing.

• To maintain control of the Atty. Kenneth • Use a fixed pattern of ininterview, establish the pace UrsUA reyes terview .

• Prepare an outline as aid and direction, and continually and not as substitute for sponta- assess whether the taxpayer is MANY people are of the perneous questioning. If you use an giving pertinent information or ception that simply downloadoutline, provide enough leeway rambling.. ing a prenuptial agreement to cope with any situation that * * * from the internet and signing may occur and to develop leads Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude it with their fiance offers them that may arise. from UE with a BBA and from Indiana a bullet proof protection from a • Look for pertinent leads. State University with an MBA. Vic divorce. What many people do Follow up any answer that is not worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo not know is that certain statutocomplete or to the point on any (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and ry requirements must be met in pertinent matter by questioning Ernst & Young before establishing Sy order for the prenuptial agreethe taxpayer on his/her knowl- Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, ment to be valid and to withedge on the topic.

California. stand attack in court by your • To obtain answers that are * * * future spouse’s lawyer. complete and accurate: He has 50 years of experience in Family Code Section 1615 • Ask questions that require defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, provides that a prenuptial narrative answers, avoiding FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental “yes” and “no” questions when- agencies. He is publishing a book on his ever possible. expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE • Avoid leading questions.

IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire • Question the taxpayer about about the book or email tax questions how he/she learned what he/she at vicsy@live.com.

B

When is my prenuptial agreement not enforceable? agreement is not enforceable if the party against whom enforcement is sought proves either of the following (1) that party did not execute the agreement voluntarily or (2) The agreement was unconscionable when it was executed and, before execution of the agreement, all of the following applied to that party:(A) That party was not provided a fair, reasonable, and full disclosure of the property or financial obligations of the other party. (B) That party did not voluntarily and expressly waive, in writing, any right to disclosure of the property or financial obligations of the other

party beyond the disclosure provided.(C) That party did not have, or reasonably could not have had, an adequate knowledge of the property or financial obligations of the other party.

The issue of unconscionability shall be decided by the court as a matter of law.

A prenuptial agreement shall be deemed not executed voluntarily unless the court finds in writing or on the record all of the following: (1) The party against whom enforcement is sought was represented by independent legal counsel at the time of signing the agreement PAGE B6

About the Child Status Protection Act

Company files Chapter 7 due to $1-M judgment it’s a big mess. The client offered to give the shipment back to the supplier but the supplier does not want the merchandise back. The supplier wants cash of $1 million.

Eventually, the supplier files a lawsuit here in Los Angeles against the client for $1 million breach of contract and fraud. A lot of breach of contract lawsuits adds a fraud cause of action, which basically works as follows. The element of fraud consists of a misrepresentation made by the defendant to the plaintiff. The plaintiff justifiably relied on the misrepresentation.

The plaintiff suffered damages by relying on the misrepresentation, and the damages of the plaintiff are proximately caused by the misrepresentation. More or less these are the essential elements of the fraud or deceit cause of action.

If the plaintiff fails to prove one element, there is no fraud.

For instance, the plaintiff alleges that he suffered damages because he relied on the defendant’s misrepresentation that he doesn’t have to file income tax returns for 2017. However, the plaintiff himself is a certified public accountant. There is no justifiable reliance on the defendant’s representation because the plaintiff himself is a CPA and therefore should know himself that he should or should not file income tax returns for 2017.

In any event, at trial, the plaintiff was able to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the client did indeed defraud the plaintiff supplier of $1 million.

Well, so now, the choice is to pay the $1 million or company files for Chapter 7 liquidation. What would you do if you owned this company? Of course, a fraud judgment for $1 million is an intentional tort that is that dischargeable. But the fact that the judgment is not dischargeable does not prevent the company from filing Chapter 7 to handle the claim.

Video-Streaming of “Guadalupe” at ticket2me.com, October 30-31, 2020 AFTER a long wait due to the COVID19 PANDEMIC, “GUADALUPE” the Musical returns as a STREAMABLE VIDEO, taped live at the Meralco Theater in 2018, brought to the comfort of your living rooms and favorite devices starting at 9 AM October 30 for the Premier Showing until 11:30 AM on October 31, 2020, (all Philippine standard time).

The success of the musical, staged live at Meralco Theatre in 2018 has encouraged the Producers to bring the story of our Lady of Guadalupe and Mexico via the TICKET2ME.NET video streaming platform.

Through technology, the Julie Borromeo Performing Arts Foundation Inc. and the Producers of the ONLINE EDITION of this musical viewing, hope to reach all the art aficionados and devotees alike, in the Philippines and all over the world.

This original Filipino musical is directed by theater legend Baby Barredo and was created by award-winning artists Joel Trinidad and Ejay Yatco.

GUADALUPE: THE MUSICAL is once again led by the inimitable Victor “Cocoy” Laurel (“Miss

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 26-29, 2020

Saigon”), who reprises his role as Juan Diego, the Aztec mat-weaver at the center of the tale. Joining him once again are award-winning performers Shiela Valderrama-Martinez (“Binondo”), Lorenz Martinez (“Spamalot”), and a host of other theater stalwarts.

What is significant in this online event, is that proceeds from the sale of the E-tickets from TICKET2ME.NET and Sponsorships involved, will benefit the following organizations: Early Bird E-TICKETS (PHP 1,000 for the Premier Showing and PHP 500 for the regular showing) are on sale now until September 30,2020 at TICKET2ME.COM or at the links at “GUADALUPE THE MUSICAL ONLINE” FB page or contact guadalupethemusicallive@ gmail.com or at 650 550 9851, +63 2 8634 5063, +639 939 910 2629, +63 918 921 8182.

Regular prices will apply starting October 1 to 30, 2020 (PHP 1,500 for the Premier Show and PHP 700 for the regular shows).

A 10% surcharge will be applied by TICKET2ME.NET for its services.

(Advertising Supplement)

So what happens? In Chapter 7, the trustee will literally attempt to liquidate the company.

The plaintiff will have to file a proof of claim in the bankruptcy as a judgment creditor. If the liquidation results in cash, the trustee will pay creditors in the legal order of priority.

The IRS has no. 1 priority for PAGE B6

Tapat Sa Batas Atty. rheA sAMson

ANG Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) ay naging epektibo noong Agosto 2002. Ang CSPA ay isinabatas upang mapanatili ang “child status” ng ilang mga beneficiary na maaaring mag-”age out”. Ang isang beneficiary ay masasabing nag- “age out” kung siya ay naging 21 taon gulang na bago siya mabigyan

ng immigrant visa, at ito ay dahil sa administrative delays sa visa processing. Sa ilalim ng Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), ang beneficiary ay masasabing isang “child” kung siya ay (1) wala pang 21 taon gulang; at (2) walang asawa. Kung ang beneficiary ay magpapakasal, siya ay mawawalan ng kanyang child status sa ilalim ng INA, kahit siya ay wala pang 21 taon gulang.

Sa ilalim ng CSPA, may formula sa pag-compute ng edad ng child-beneficiary-applicant.

Ibabawas ang mga araw/buwan kung gaaano katagal maaprubahan ng USCIS ang immigrant petition sa edad ng applicant noong petsa na naging available ang

kanyang visa. Halimbawa, ang I-130 Petition for Alien Relative ay nai-file noong Enero 1, 2010 at naaprubahan noong Abril 1, 2010 para sa child-beneficiary na ipinanganak noong Mayo 1, 1990. Kung ang immigrant visa ay naging available noon Hunyo 1, 2019, ang child-beneficiary ay masasabing nag-”age out” na.

Ito ay dahil ang kanyang CSPA age ay 28 taon at 10 buwan.

Ito ang computation: Ang edad ng applicant sa petsa ng visa availability noong Hunyo 1, 2019 ay 29 taon at 1 buwan. Ibawas dito ang 3 buwan na ang I-130 Immigrant Petition ay pending sa USCIS (Enero 1, 2010 hangPAGE B6

B SEPTEMBER 26-29, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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

New laws protect California Van Nuys Kia now open with workers during this pandemic over 700 cars to choose from IN continuing efforts to protect workers and their families from COVID-19, California recently enacted the following legislation: Notice to employees of potential exposure and report of outbreaks Assembly Bill 685 requires employers who were notified of potential exposure to COVID-19 to notify all employees who were on the premises at the same worksite as the infected individual, that they may have been exposed to COVID-19. The employer is then required to provide certain information regarding COVID-19-related benefits and options. The employer must also disclose its disinfection and safety plan that it will implement and complete per the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control. The employer is required to maintain records of these notifications for at least 3 years. The new law provides for a specified civil penalty for an employer that violates the notification requirements.

If the employer is notified of the number of cases that meet the definition of a COVID-19 outbreak, the employer is required to report within 48 hours the prescribed information to the local public health agency in the jurisdiction of the worksite. The employer that has an outbreak is required to continue to give notice to the local health department of any subsequent laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the worksite.

This new law also requires the State Department of Public Health to make specified information on outbreaks publicly available on its internet website.

Lastly, under this law, Cal/

Pastor’s Notes reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAS THIS Sunday’s Letter of St. Paul the Philippians (2:1-5) speaks to us in this country beset with deep conflicts and divisions, particularly during this election time. St. Paul urges us: “Brothers and sisters: If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.”

Love is the “one thing” that we need. We might not agree on political views or want to vote the same candidate, but we should not allow arrogance, anger, and resentment to destroy relationships in families and communities. Everyone should respect each other’s choices of candidates based on a well-formed conscience.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) tells us in the document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citi-

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. OSHA is authorized to shut down or suspend the operations of a workplace, if it determines that the workplace exposes workers to the risk of being infected with COVID-19 and constitutes an imminent hazard to employees.

Paid sick time Assembly Bill No. 1867 requires private employers with 500 or more employees in the United States to provide California employees with paid sick time for COVID-19-related absences. The law specifically provides supplemental paid sick leave to food sector workers.

The new law aims to close the gaps left open by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) by expanding coverage to healthcare providers or emergency responders.

This new law becomes effective on September 19, 2020 and expires on December 31, 2020, or upon the expiration of any federal extension of the FFCRA, whichever is later.

The new law applies to (1) all employees currently working, (2) employees on leaves of any kind, (3) employees of temporary placement agencies who are jointly employed under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and (4) day laborers.

This supplemental paid sick leave law expands coverage to all employers—including public entities and irrespective of the number of employees—that employ healthcare providers or emergency responders who

were excluded from emergency paid sick leave under the FFCRA. Presumption of coverage for workers compensation claims of frontline workers Senate Bill No. 1159 expands access to workers’ compensation by creating a rebuttable presumption for front line workers (health care workers, firefighters and peace officers) in their work comp claims. A “rebuttable presumption” means that something is taken to be true unless someone comes forward to contest it and prove it is false. In the case of COVID19 work comp claims, a front line worker’s claim that they contracted COVID-19 from work is taken to be true unless the employer can otherwise prove that the employee contracted the infection outside of work. In creating a rebuttable presumption, the law aims to remove burdens of access to workers’ compensation for those workers who most likely got infected at work. The new law also establishes a rebuttable presumption when there is a workplace outbreak over a 14-day timeframe. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.]

(Advertising Supplement)

Love must reign! zenship: “We bishops do not intend to tell Catholics for whom to vote. Our purpose is to help Catholics form their consciences by God’s truth. We recognize that the responsibility to make choices in political life rests with each individual in light of a properly formed conscience…”

Nonetheless, the bishops ask us to remember the four basic principles of Catholic social doctrine to cultivate a well-formed conscience: • The dignity of the human person. “The dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society.

Direct attacks on innocent persons are never morally acceptable, at any stage or in any condition.”

• The common good. “The common good indicates the ‘sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily’ (Gaudium et Spes, no. 26).”

• Subsidiarity: “The principle of subsidiarity reminds us that larger institutions in society should not overwhelm or interfere with smaller or local institutions, yet larger institu-

tions have essential responsibilities when the more local institutions cannot adequately protect human dignity, meet human needs, and advance the common good.”

• Solidarity. “Solidarity highlights in a particular way the intrinsic social nature of the human person, the equality of all in dignity and rights and the common path of individuals and peoples towards an ever more committed unity.”

To foster unity and love among us during this election time, the USCCB has launched a campaign inviting Catholics to model civility and love for neighbors throughout the year. Civilize It: Dignity Beyond Debate asks Catholics to pledge civility, clarity, and compassion in families, communities, and parishes, and call on others to do as well.

Find out more information and resources to share with your community at Civilizelt.org.

Let’s have respectful debates and dialogues. Let’s not ruin the love and unity among us! *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

About the Child Status Protection...

PAGE B5 gang Abril 1, 2010). Ang lalabas na CSPA age ay 28 taon at 10 buwan. Kahit ang applicant ay hindi nagpakasal o hindi nagkaasawa, siya ay nag-”age out” na.

Kung ang I-130 Petition for Alien Relative ay nai-file noong Enero 1, 2010 at naaprubahan noong Abril 1, 2010 para sa child-beneficiary na ipinanganak noong Mayo 1, 1998 at immigrant visa ay naging available noon Hunyo 1, 2019, ang child-beneficiary ay mananatiling “child” sa ilalim ng CSPA. Ito ay dahil ang kanyang CSPA age ay 20 taon at 10 buwan. Ito ang computation: Ang edad ng applicant sa petsa ng visa availability noong Hunyo 1, 2019 ay 21 taon at 1 buwan.

Ibabawas dito ang 3 buwan na ang I-130 Immigrant Petition ay pending sa USCIS (Enero 1, 2010 hanggang Abril 1, 2010). Ang lalabas na CSPA age ay 20 taon at 10 buwan. Kahit ang applicant ay mahigit 21 taon gulang noong naging available ang kanyang visa, siya ay nananatiling “child” sa ilalim ng Child Status Protection Act. Kailangang ang applicant ay hindi magpakasal upang mapanatili ang kanyang “child status”.

The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) became effective in August 2002. CSPA was enacted to preserve “child status” for certain beneficiaries who would otherwise “age out” or turn 21 years

old before they could be issued an immigrant visa, due to administrative delays in visa processing. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), a “child” is a person who is (1) under 21 years old; and (2) unmarried. If the child marries, he loses his child status under the INA, even if he is below 21 years old.

Under CSPA, the child-beneficiary-applicant’s age is computed. This is by subtracting the number of days that the immigrant petition was pending with USCIS from the actual age of the applicant on the date that the visa became available. Thus, if the I-130 Petition for Alien Relative was filed on January 1, 2010 and approved on April 1, 2010 for a child-beneficiary who was born on May 1, 1990, and the visa became available only on June 1, 2019, the child will have aged-out. The applicant’s CSPA age is 28 years and 10 months.

Computation is as follows: Applicant’s age at the time of visa availability on June 1, 2019 is 29 years and 1 month. Subtract the 3 months that immigrant petition was pending with USCIS (January 1, 2010 to April 1, 2010) equals 28 years and 10 months.

Even if the beneficiary-applicant remains unmarried, he has aged out.

If the I-130 Petition was filed on January 1, 2010 and approved on April 1, 2010 for a child-ben-

eficiary who was born on May 1, 1998, and the visa became available only on June 1, 2019, the child will benefit under CSPA. The applicant’s CSPA age is 20 years and 10 months. Computation is as follows: Applicant’s age at the time of visa availability on June 1, 2019 is 21 years and 1 month. Subtract the 3 months that immigrant petition was pending with USCIS (January 1, 2010 to April 1, 2010) equals 20 years and 10 months. Thus, even if the child is over 21 years old at the time the visa became available, he is still a “child” under the Child Status Protection Act. The applicant must remain unmarried to maintain “child” status. *** ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is the principal of SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C. She has been a member of the State Bar of California for over 15 years and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for over 20 years. Atty. Samson received her Legal Management degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School.

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

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

(Advertising Supplement)

VAN NUyS Kia has excitedly opened its doors for customers looking for a new car fit for their daily lifestyle or to trade in their old one at a bargained price. The car dealership has the largest selection, as well as the lowest prices in the San Fernando Valley.

Customers can choose from over 700 cars with brands ranging from Kia to Toyota, Honda, and Subaru by visiting Van Nuys Kia from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 6115 Van Nuys Boulevard, Van Nuys, CA 91401.

Van Nuys Kia values the health of its customers and staff so it is taking the extra steps necessary to maintain a healthy and sanitary workplace by sanitizing its dealership throughout the day as well as each and every car.

Van Nuys Kia is a car dealership with a mission to be the automotive home of drivers in the Van Nuys, CA area. Founded on the premise of providing a vast selection of new and used vehicles, exceptional car care, and customer service, the dealership has ranked 13th in the nation just after two months of being open.

“We understand that purchasing a vehicle can be very stressful, which is why our dealership has a ‘friendly working environment.’ We are transparent and pro-customers. We offer a variety of vehicles, from low-end to highend,” says Ken Penafiel, a Filipino American Kia salesman.

“What sets us apart from other dealerships is the team we have.

Our team members are diverse, easy-going, and most importantly, they treat every customer with the utmost respect. We opened up three months ago and our customers [since then] have tripled. It will just be a matter of short time until we become the number one Kia in the nation or the globe!” he added.

Among the hundreds of KIAs available during the grand opening are the new 2021 Kia Seltos LX, 2021 Kia Seltos S, and 2020 Kia Soul S. For additional information, please visit www.vannuyskia. com or call (818) 220-0529. Van Nuys Kia is located at 6115 Van Nuys Boulevard, Van Nuys, CA 91401.

(Advertising Supplement)

Asian American exporters looking...

PAGE B2 cash in advance. Furthermore, banks normally do not allow foreign accounts receivable added to a company’s borrowing base. However, with EXIM insurance you are able to mitigate the risk for the bank and hence borrow against your insured receivables.EXIM insurance covers short-term transactions as well as those for capital goods (typically from two to five years). For example, your company is trying to sell U.S.-made broadcasting equipment to a television media station in the Philippines. The media station is concerned about its cash flow and wants to pay over a period of five years.

Lenders are wary of supporting the loan but the competition is a Chinese manufacturer and they are offering the buyer payment terms.

With EXIM’s support, the media station will be able to repay the purchase over five years at

a competitive rate. The lender is insured against nonpayment risk by EXIM so they are more comfortable with providing a loan. your company, the exporter, will be able to win the sale and get paid in full upon shipment. Thus, EXIM generates a sale here at home that would have otherwise gone to China. your company sells more goods while EXIM has helped support more U.S. jobs.

Need funds to fulfill your order? EXIM’s Working Capital Guarantees guarantee repayment to U.S. lenders (primarily commercial) on secured working capital loans made to qualified exporters. your business can use the line of credit to fulfill export orders by using the funds for labor, materials, inventory, etc.

EXIM has a special minority and women-owned business team called (MWOB) to provide support and counsel about accessing EXIM’s products as

well. In fact, so far in Fy2020, EXIM approved approximately $273 million in authorizations in support of 378 minority and women-owned businesses.

For further information, you can email mwob@exim.gov to reach one of their dedicated specialists.

The agency also has staff nearby in Irvine that are happy to assist you: Greg Moore: mobile (562) 213-2529 Greg. moore@exim.gov; and Paul Duncan: (949) 660-0633 Paul.

Duncan@exim.gov. For the San Diego region, contact Sandra Donzella: mobile (619) 5171822) Sandra.donzella@exim. gov. EXIM’s website is www. exim.gov. *** Peter Ramirez currently works at UNICOM Capital, LP, a non-bank finance company as a director of Financial Asset Management for UNICOM Systems. See www.unicomglobal.com.

You may contact him at pacrimpeter@ yahoo.com.

When is my prenuptial agreement...

PAGE B5 or, after being advised to seek independent legal counsel, expressly waived, in a separate writing, representation by independent legal counsel.

The advisement to seek independent legal counsel shall be made at least seven calendar days before the final agreement is signed. (2) One of the following: (A) For an agreement executed between January 1, 2002, and January 1, 2020, the party against whom enforcement is sought had not less than seven calendar days between the time that party was first presented with the final agreement and advised to seek independent legal counsel and the time the agreement was signed. (B) For an agreement executed on or after January 1, 2020, the party against whom enforcement is sought had not less than seven calendar days between the time that party was first presented with the final agreement and the time the agreement was signed, regardless of whether the party is represented by legal counsel. (3) The party against whom enforcement is sought, if unrepresented by legal counsel, was fully informed of the terms and basic effect of

the agreement as well as the rights and obligations the party was giving up by signing the agreement, and was proficient in the language in which the explanation of the party’s rights was conducted and in which the agreement was written.

The explanation of the rights and obligations relinquished shall be memorialized in writing and delivered to the party prior to signing the agreement.

The unrepresented party shall, on or before the signing of the premarital agreement, execute a document declaring that the party received the information required by this paragraph and indicating who provided that information. (4) The prenuptial agreement was not executed under duress, fraud, or undue influence, and the parties did not lack capacity to enter into the agreement.

Having both you and your fiance represented by separate counsel during the drafting and execution of your prenuptial agreement can help avoid any of the problems noted above which will can result to your prenuptial agreement being found to be invalid by the court during your divorce proceeding and your assets divided accord-

ing to California community property law. *** 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 or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

Company files Chapter 7 due to...

PAGE B5 unpaid taxes. This judgment creditor will get paid after the IRS gets paid. The trustee will auction off the inventory, if any, and collect receivables. The trustee will administer cash in the bank.

Senior wants Chapter 7 discharge of $35K credit cards The second client is 70 years old and single. She never got married. She is still pretty and charming. But I guess she never met her prince charming so decided to stay single. She owes $35,000 of credit cards.

She has been paying $12,000 a year for the last 20 years. She has paid $240,000 in the last 20 years, and yet she says she still

owes $35,000! Wonder of wonders indeed, sad but true. She says she is just tired of paying for the cards and now that she is retired, the $12,000 a year for interest payments on the cards is a big dent on her retirement income and prevents her from enjoying her retirement years.

Not surprising.

Her retirement income consists of $1,200 of social security and $1,800 of pension. So, she has $3,000 a month. The cards take a third of that every month. Ouch!! In addition, she has already paid $240,000 to her credit card masters, modern-day slavery, no doubt. She decides it’s high time for her to get rid of these cards with a

discharge or wipe out in Chapter 7! I guess she got smarter as she got older, but could have saved $240,000 if she got rid of these cards when she was 52. *** If you need debt relief, set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

(Advertising Supplement)

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 26-29, 2020

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B SEPTEMBER 26-29, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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