OCTOBER 10-13, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 80 • 2 Sections – 20 Pages
USA
DATELINE ‘Filipinos for Trump’ hold caravan to show support as president recovers from coronavirus FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
AS President Donald Trump spent last weekend at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after contracting COVID-19, a group of loyal Filipino American supporters in Southern California came together for a caravan and rally to double down on their support for the president. Dubbed “Filipinos for Trump,” more than 300 Filipino Americans gathered on Sunday, October 4 at Creekside Park in Walnut, California, where they sang “God Bless America” and chanted “four more years.” “This was a chance for us to pray, send well wishes and show our support for President Donald Trump,” Marc Ang, the president and founder of Asian Industry Business-to-Business who was among the organizers for Sunday’s event, told the Asian Journal. “We were able to share how the past four years have benefitted us as Filipino Americans.” Echoing the sentiments of other supporters who attended on Sunday, Ang’s top priorities are a strong economy and tougher policies
PH Bureau of Immigration: Travel restrictions still in place by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
TRAVEL restrictions to enter the Philippines are still in effect as the pandemic continues, the country’s Bureau of Immigration (BI) reminded the public on Wednesday, October 7. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente
stressed that only Filipinos, their foreign spouses and children who are minors are allowed to enter the country. Likewise, foreign children with special needs of Filipinos, foreign parents of minor Filipinos, and foreign parents of Filipino children with special needs may enter the country. Morente also said that foreigners are required to
COVID-19 cases in PH on a downward trend – researchers by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
u PAGE A4
Family of missing Filipino man in Ontario, CA requesting public’s help in search A FILIPINO American family in Ontario, California is desperately calling upon the public to help search for an older family member who has been missing since midSeptember. The person missing is Mauricio “Jun” Acero, who was last seen on Sept. 16. Acero’s family has since filed a missing persons case with the Ontario Police Department. According to Acero’s daughter MJ, the 62-year-old Filipino “was last seen wearing orange shorts, a blue shirt and black tennis shoes.” Acero is 5’7” and around 180 lbs, and he has a tattoo of Jesus Christ on his chest. Additionally, he was last seen around Sultana Elementary School located at 1845 S. Sultana Ave. in Ontario. The search for Acero is urgent due to his intensive medical needs, his daughter said. u PAGE A2
secure an entry visa from Philippine embassies or consulates prior to their arrival. The reminders came after an online petition urged the government to allow foreigners to reunite with their Filipino partners. “We acknowledge the petition of the #LoveisNotTourism movement, and we understand how difficult u PAGE A2
PLEA. Drivers who lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic beg on the streets for money from motorists on Commonwealth Avenue corner Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City on Friday, October 9. The drivers are also appealing to the government to allow them to resume their operations. PNA photos by Oliver Marquez
RESEARCHERS from the University of the Philippines have noted a decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases being logged in the country. “The number of cases in the Philippines has been decreasing, and currently at less around 2,500 new cases per day (based on case reports),” the UP OCTA Research team said in its report dated Tuesday, October 6. According to them, the figure is lower than the almost 3,200 daily cases recorded from September 15 to 22. The research team also noted that the number of cases in the National Capital Region decreased to less than 1,000 per day. “The situation in the NCR has improved as the rate of transmission, the number of cases, as well as the positivity rate are all on a downward trend,” they said. However, the group stressed that minimum health standards must be enforced to sustain the downward trend. “The situation in the NCR has improved as the rate u PAGE A3
Fil-Am voters weigh in following VP debate by CHRISTINA
M. ORIEL
AJPress
A FLY that landed on Vice President Mike Pence’s head and California Sen. Kamala Harris’ various smirks and “I’m speaking, Mr. Vice President” sound bite set social media abuzz following the only 2020 vice presidential debate on Wednesday, October 7. “Senator Harris was abrasive and condescending. It was disheartening that the liberals focused their attention on a fly on VP Pence[’s] hair instead of what he was saying,” said Rudy Asercion, an elected member of the San Francisco Republican County Central Committee. But amid the viral moments, other viewers found the vice presidential debate less chaotic than last week’s event between President
Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee, and that it gave the American public an opportunity to hear from their running mates before the November 3rd election. “Pence’s performance was better than Trump’s so I can say that…But if you listen to his substance, he really has a distorted view of what happened in reality,” said Irene Bueno, a government relations consultant and former official in the Clinton administration. “If you are already leaning towards Trump and Pence, then you think that he performed well, but if you are the average American voter who’s been looking at what’s been happening these last four years, you could see that Pence was just trying to spin you a truth that did not exist.” Kayceelyn Salminao (far right) is joined by supporters in front of the Torrance Courthouse on u PAGE A2 Tuesday, October 6, the day Lena Hernandez, a retired social worker from Long Beach, was sentenced to 47 days in Los Angeles county jail for assaulting Salminao at Del Amo Fashion Center last year. Photo courtesy of Kayceelyn Salminao
Condé Nast Traveler names Cebu, Visayan Islands top island in Asia Long Beach woman, center of viral also nabbed spots on the Top 10 in Asia list, placing fourth, fifth, CEBU and the Visayas Islands and sixth, respectively. Condé Nast Traveler invited have been named the Top Island in Asia in Condé Nast Traveler’s 600,000 travelers to weigh in on the survey for the Top Islands in 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards. “Located in the center of the Asia, Australia and the South PaPhilippines, Cebu draws nearly 2 cific, the Caribbean and the Atlanmillion travelers annually for its tic, Africa and the Indian Ocean, pristine beaches and diving off Europe, and North America. Cebu and the Visayas Islands the island’s northern coast. Spanish and Roman Catholic influenc- were lumped as one entry, while es permeate Cebu City; Basilica Boracay was a separate entry. “The Philippines is indeed Minore del Santo Niño houses a small statue of Christ that was blessed with the best of nature, presented by Ferdinand Magel- as exhibited by the conseculan,” the international luxury and tive accolades we are receiving lifestyle travel magazine wrote on from reputable and prestigious publications for our islands and Tuesday, October 6. Palawan, Siargao, and Boracay u PAGE A3 By AJPRESS
Kalanggaman Island, Leyte
Mactan, Cebu Photos from Instagram/@madamjoycing
anti-Asian tirades, gets 47-day jail sentence for assaulting Pinay
stroom at Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, California in October 2019. Hernandez will serve a 47-day A LONG BEACH woman who was captured in two viral anti- sentence in Los Angeles county Asian videos this past summer will jail, three years of probation, and get her time in jail for attacking a 52 weeks of anger management, Filipina American at a South Bay according to Torrance City Attorney Patrick Sullivan. She must also mall nearly a year ago. Lena Hernandez, a 54-year-old stay at least 100 yards away from retired social worker, on Tuesday, Salminao and the mall where the October 6 pleaded no contest to incident occurred. Salminao read her victim’s statemisdemeanor battery for attacking Kayceelyn Salminao inside of a reu PAGE A4 by CHRISTINA
M. ORIEL
AJPress
A OctOber 10-13, 2020 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL
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From the Front Page
PH Bureau of Immigration... PAGE A1
it must be to be separated from your loved one,” Morente said. “But this is a temporary measure. We trust the wisdom of the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force), and we are ready to implement immediately, should there be any changes in travel restrictions,” he added.
Morente also reminded that only foreigners, overseas Filipino workers, permanent visa holders, students enrolled abroad, participants in exchange visitor programs, and those travelling for essential reasons like medical emergencies are allowed to leave the country. “Visiting relatives abroad for
a vacation is still not considered under essential travel,” he stressed. “These restrictions were set by the IATF to protect everyone from the threat of COVID-19. If your travel is non-essential, it is best to defer it when the pandemic has subsided,” he added. n
Family of missing Filipino man... PAGE A1 “PLEASE NOTE that he takes medication for his diabetes, depression and bipolar disorder and hasn’t been on them since he went missing,” MJ Acero wrote on Facebook. She added that it is possible that her father may be anywhere in the Inland Empire since he has been missing for more than two weeks. For Inland Empire Filipinos Mauricio “Jun” Acero who live in and around Ontario, Photo courtesy of Acero family Acero often takes walks near the
intersection of Euclid Avenue and Philadelphia Street. The family is urging the public to share this information in hopes for Acero’s safe return. For more information or if you have any information that could help in the search, please contact the following: Maureen Acero (909) 544-8482; Vicky Acero (909) 218-9356; Celia Acero (805) 824-3354; Minda Hogue (760) 668-8419; or Corazón Bacosa (626) 967-4639. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
California Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, and Vice President Mike Pence squared off on Wednesday, October 7 for the only vice presidential debate before the November 3 general election. Photo courtesy of C-Span
Fil-Am voters weigh in following... PAGE A1
Bueno praised Harris for “keeping her cool” despite instances of being interrupted by the vice president. “What the American people saw was someone who is intelligent, firm, prepared, believes in science, and someone who could really step into the shoes to be president if that should happen,” she added. Pence and Harris squared off at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City for their only 90-minute debate wherein they touched on issues, such as the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, climate change and the Supreme Court vacancy. Debate moderator Susan Page, Washington Bureau Chief for USA Today, reminded the candidates that they had two minutes interrupted to respond to each question. From the start, the ongoing pandemic took center stage on Wednesday night as the death toll has risen to more than 210,000 Americans with over 7.5 million positive cases. The two candidates were separated by two plexiglass dividers and were seated 12 feet apart as a reminder of the new normal. “The American people have witnessed what is the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country,” Harris said in her opening remarks, referring to the current administration’s management of COVID-19. Pence, who is the head of the
White House’s coronavirus task force, defended the administration’s response and said that the president acted early on, such as suspending “all travel from China.” He also alleged that the Biden-Harris campaign’s coronavirus plan “looks a little bit like plagiarism” and mirrors what the administration has already done. “When you say what the American people have done over these last eight months hasn’t worked, that’s a great disservice to the sacrifices the American people have made,” the vice president said in response to Harris’ criticism. “The reality is, Dr. Fauci said everything that he told the president in the Oval Office, the president told the American people.” For Luisa Blue, executive vice president for the SEIU and former registered nurse, the vice president’s answer to the COVID-19 question fell short. She cited how health care workers across the country reported the lack of sufficient personal protective equipment. “This administration has failed totally — they still call it a ‘hoax.’ They don’t believe in science so they haven’t responded adequately at all,” Blue said following the debate, referencing the U.S.’ withdrawal from the World Health Organization earlier this summer. “This is a pandemic [and] everybody is supposed to work together to come up with a cure, to come up with common standards to apply across the world to tamp down this virus.”
Despite the CARES Act passed in the spring, many Americans are still unemployed and small businesses have had to shutter. “If [Trump] was smart, he would come to an agreement on a relief package because then he can claim victory that he’s getting money back into the pockets of the American people and he didn’t take that advantage,” Blue said. With the vacancy left by late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Pence said the “American people really deserve an answer” on court packing, the idea of expanding the Supreme Court to allow more liberal justices to be nominated. “Joe and I are very clear. The American people are voting right now, and it should be their decision about who will serve on this most important body for a lifetime,” Harris said. “Another key moment is when Kamala Harris refused to answer Vice President Pence’s question about packing the Supreme Court, this shows how polarization negatively impacts the Democrats and the Biden-Harris message of perpetuating radicalism instead of uniting our country over Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination,” said Lisa Noeth, a small business owner in Las Vegas. Days after the first presidential debate, Trump revealed on Friday, October 2 that he tested positive for COVID-19, and is still recovering at the White House, after spending three days hospiu PAGE A4
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 10-13, 2020
A
Fil-Am basketball star Sage Tolentino receives offer from Auburn University by AJPress FILIPINO American Sage Tolentino announced that he was offered a spot in Auburn University’s basketball program. “I am humbled and honored to receive an offer from Coach Bruce Pearl and the entire Auburn family. All glory to God,” the 7-foot Hawaii-raised center wrote his Instagram account on Wednesday, October 7. The Auburn Tigers, the college team of NBA legend Charles Barkley, ranked 20th in the United States last season as it went 126 in SEC and 25-6 overall before Filipina American women hold up a sign supporting President Donald Trump’s re-election bid and another saying to vote no on Prop 16, a the college season’s cancellation measure to end a ban on affirmative action in California. Photo by Lany Indrawati due to the pandemic. Tolentino also reportedly received offers from Tennessee State University, Kentucky UniPAGE A1 t are the issues that have drawn versity and Kansas University. home all day long?” Ang said. He is also a Gilas Pilipinas against China, two areas where The supporters then ventured him as a longstanding member prospect after steering Marykhe argued that Trump would off into their cars — decorated of the Republican Party. continue to deliver on. He also with signs and flags bearing “Don’t just look at the person, noll High School in Honolulu, voiced out his opposition to Prop messages like Trump 2020 and but look at the fundamental val- Hawaii to back-to-back State 16, a measure on California’s bal- his campaign slogan — and pa- ues. Because these values are Championships last year. The 16lot that would remove the ban on raded to nearby areas, including going to continue in the future,” affirmative action involving race- West Covina, Baldwin Park, and Chen told the Asian Journal. based or sex-based preferences La Palma. The recently released 2020 from the state Constitution. The Southern California gath- Asian American Voter Survey The president’s own experi- ering coincided with at least a found that though 52% of Filipi- PAGE A1 t ence with the coronavirus and dozen similar events nationwide no Americans are leaning toward the fact that Filipino Americans, in cities like Washington, D.C. former Vice President Joe Biden, beaches,” Tourism Secretary Berespecially those in the health and Jacksonville, Florida, under 34% support Trump — the sec- nadette Romulo Puyat said in recare workforce, are dispropor- the leadership of Herman Mar- ond highest support among Asian sponse to the accolade. “This latest citation from CNT tionately affected haven’t swayed tir, a Filipino American pastor American groups after Vietnamgives us in the Department of Fil-Am conservatives about tak- from Fort Worth, Texas who is ese voters at 48%. ing a stronger stance on the vi- on Trump’s advisory commission A large rally attended by Viet- Tourism (DOT) a boost of confirus. namese American supporters dence, as we continuously carry on Asian Americans and Pacific “When you go fill out your bal- Islanders. was also held in Westminster on out our strategies to gradually reopen domestic tourism, to once lot, do you want a president who The day before, a smaller Saturday. (AJPress) again welcome travelers from will manage this virus in a practi- group of Fil-Ams gathered at cal way or a party and a nominee the home of Henry Chen, a small that [are] telling everyone to stay business owner, in Burbank to home and live in fear? The rest decorate their cars and finalize of us have lives to live and who the caravan schedule. knows how long we have left on For Chen, law and order, antithis earth. Are we going to sit at abortion and legal immigration
‘Filipinos for Trump’ hold caravan to show support...
Budding Filipino American star Sage Tolentino announced that he has received an offer from Auburn University. Photo courtesy of Sage Tolentino/Instagram
year old posted 13.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks.
Tolentino is currently enlisted with East West Private. n
Condé Nast Traveler names Cebu, Visayan Islands...
Dozens of “Filipinos for Trump” gathered at Creekside Park in Walnut, California on Sunday, October 4 to share why they continue to support the president. Photo by Daniel Ynchausti
COVID-19 cases in PH on a...
PAGE A1 t of transmission, the number of cases, as well as the positivity rate are all on a downward trend. But these positive trends are not irreversible and significant efforts have to be undertaken by all stakeholders to sustain it,” the OCTA Research team said. “We urge the national and the local governments to strictly monitor and enforce compliance with minimum health standards such as physical distancing, the wearing of face mask and face shields and proper hygiene at the community level. We believe that the strict and universal compliance with minimum health standards can lower COVID-19 transmissions in the country,” they added. They also said that the private sector should complement the national government’s measures to address COVID-19. “The cooperation of the business establishments will significantly reduce the risk of workplace transmission while jump-starting economic recovery,” the group pointed out. The OCTA Research team likewise urged the government to consider shifting certain “high-risk” areas back to a stricter quarantine classification. Included in these areas are: • Benguet (including Baguio City) • Davao Del Sur (including Davao City), • Iloilo (including Iloilo City) • Misamis Oriental (including Cagayan de Oro) • Nueva Ecija • Quezon • Pangasinan (including Dagupan) • Western Samar • Zamboanga Del Sur (including Zamboanga City) These areas are considered “high-risk” because their daily attack rate per 1000 is greater than 1.0 percent, according to the group. “The national and local government must intensify their efforts at testing, tracing, and isolation to reverse the increase of transmissions in these areas. The national government may consider reverting to a stricter quarantine classification for the aforementioned areas,” the research team said. “It may also consider a strict-
er quarantine classification in areas with limited hospital capacity and with an increasing number of new cases such as in the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela,” they added. To date, there are 334,770 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, with 6,152 fatalities and 275,307 recoveries. n
LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION AND QUALIFICATIONS (RFIQ) LACMTA will receive Proposals for PS71380 - Real Estate Acquisition, Relocation, and Property Management Bench via email submission to bids@ metro.net ; Cc: marukianm@ metro.net. A Pre-Proposal Conference is expected to be held in the month of October. A follow up notification will be send to the planholder list once a date and time has been established. All Proposals must be submitted to LACMTA as instructed in the solicitation document via email submission to bids@metro.net ; Cc: marukianm@metro.netand received by LACMTA no later than 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 19, 2020. Proposals received after the above date and time may be rejected. Please review the letter of invitation within the solicitation documents for requirements on submitting proposal via email. For a copy of the Proposal/ Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro.net or for further information email Mark Marukian at marukianm@ metro.net. 10/10/20 CNS-3405747# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)
other countries when things become better,” she added. Puyat noted that the challenge for DOT is to continue advocating for more sustainable and responsible tourism practices to help preserve the destinations. “With over 7,641 islands in our archipelago, there are still so many left for nature-loving travelers to discover. In our
journey towards tourism revival, sustainable and responsible tourism development shall continue to be one of the DOT’s core principles, just like how it has always been in the past few years,” she said. Last year, Boracay was crowned as the best island in Asia, followed by Cebu and Visayas. Palawan, meanwhile, ranked fourth. n
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Long Beach woman, center of viral anti-Asian... Fil-Am voters weigh in following... PAGE A1 t ment in court recounting the incident and shared how for months, she could not visit the mall or other public places in the community in fear of encountering her attacker again. “I wish what Lena Hernandez would have done in court was to just apologize — a simple gesture to say that she’s aware that what she did was wrong. I understand that she took the plea deal at no contest, but that doesn’t mean she’s actually apologetic of her actions towards myself and the Asian American community,” Salminao told the Asian Journal. She had hoped that Hernandez would have received the maximum six month sentence, but she said she still received an ounce of justice on Tuesday. “It may be a disappointing sentence that we received against Hernandez but at the end of the day, she’s convicted, so it’s still a win,” Salminao added. The attack at the Torrance mall occurred on October 11, 2019 when Salminao tried to intervene after she heard Hernandez berating a custodian inside the restroom. Hernandez then shoved Salminao to the ground as the latter washed her hands, grabbed her by the hair, pushed her head down and punched the back of her head “multiple times.” Salminao recounted, “I remember when she was walking down the hallway and she was like, ‘You guys are all going to get it, you guys are all going to (expletive) get it.” She filed a report and pressed charges but nothing transpired afterward. She spoke up on Twitter about her experience in June — eight months later — when she recognized her attacker in two videos that went viral over the summer showing Hernandez spewing anti-Asian sentiments. In the first video from June 10, Hernandez is heard verbally harassing and hurling expletives at another Fil-Am woman, later identified as Sherry Bulseco, for exercising on the steps at Wilson Park in Torrance. “Get the f*** out of this world… Get the f*** out of this state. Go back to whatever f***ing Asian country you belong in,” Hernandez shouts at Bulseco in the video. “This is not your place. This is not your home. We do not want you here.” That same day at the park’s parking lot, Hernandez was captured in another video yelling at a Japanese American man and his
PAGE A2
Attorney Sandy Roxas (right) with her clients, Sherry Bulseco, who was subjected to Lena Hernandez’s racist tirade in June, and Kayceelyn Salminao, who was attacked by Hernandez last October. Photo courtesy of Kayceelyn Salminao
son. “The videos re-triggered some wounds I was trying to recover from,” Salminao said. “For that to happen again, it’s ridiculous that she was able to still roam around free for months and then be able to attack more Asians in my community.” ‘Wrong message’ On Tuesday, Salminao was joined outside the Torrance courthouse by Hernandez’s two other victims and a band of supporters, who called on the city to do more to protect the Asian American community, which makes up 36% of its residents. “This sends the wrong message. The first message is that if you’re assaulted, physically or verbally, the police in the city of Torrance is not going to take your case seriously and the only reason Kayceelyn’s case came to light is because of these viral videos,” Sandy Roxas, a Filipina American attorney who represented Salminao and the other victims, told the Asian Journal. Roxas is among those calling for an oversight committee in Torrance to ensure cases are being investigated and forwarded to the city attorney’s office. “You almost need something to be viral to get attention, to get your justice. And when you do get that criminal filing, what it ends up being is that the justice system says 45 days is enough time,” she added. Even though the viral videos showed Hernandez going on racist rants against the two separate victims, the Torrance City Attorney’s Office in July did not take further action due to “insufficient evidence to support filing any criminal charges against Ms. Hernandez.”
Lena Hernandez, who was at the center of two anti-Asian viral videos in June, will serve 47 days in jail, three years of probation, and 52 weeks of anger management. Torrance Police Department photo
talized. “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!” the president tweeted on Monday, October 5, before he was discharged from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Some voters hoped that going through the experience would change the president’s perspective on the seriousness of the virus. “When he came out of the hospital, and he said, ‘You know, I learned a lot about COVID because it happened to me,’ I was expecting that his next words would be, ‘We need to take this seriously. We need to wear a mask, we need to have social distancing, we need discipline in order to get this under control,’” Bueno said. “It’s because he got access to treatments that are not accessible to most Americans. So he’s asking people to continue to take risks that he’s continued to support and advocate for since he knew about the virus. He knew it was deadly back in January and concealed it from the American people.” The Commission on Presidential Debates announced on Thursday that it would move the upcoming Oct. 15 town hall to a virtual format with the candidates in separate, remote locations “to protect the health and safety of all involved.” The president, however, told Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo on Thursday morning that he would not do the virtual de-
bate, calling the format “a waste of time.” If a future debate between the two presidential candidates arises before the election, Fil-Am voters hope they can cover issues like health care reform, immigration, and the U.S.-Mexico border. “Our current health care system is broken as many Filipinos are facing job loss through massive layoffs due to the repercussions of COVID-19 across the nation,” Noeth said. “This issue about access to affordable health care needs to be addressed promptly by both presidential candidates about how can we reduce the cost of healthcare by removing Obamacare and forcing insurance companies to compete with one another for Filipino Americans out of work right now in these unprecedented times.” “Immigration has not come up, so assuming there’s a future debate, I hope the issue comes up because it impacts not only the Filipino American community, but also so many communities,” Bueno said. Blue said that given that family separation at the border has been a contentious topic over the past few years, it should be brought up. “I hope for the next debate, there’s going to be discussion about what’s going on at the border. They’re separating children. There’s over 2,000 migrant children that are still unaccounted for and folks are getting with COVID at the border.” Asercion would like to hear more about the U.S.’ foreign policy in the South China Sea, which other Fil-Ams are closely watching as well.
“I would like the next presidential debate to address freedom of navigation in South China Sea where $5.3-trillion worth of goods transit through annually,” he said. Last 20-some days until election With less than a month to go until the general election, Fil-Am voters on both sides are urging still undecided voters to look at both Trump and Biden’s political record. “For undecided voters, I believe Filipino Americans need to do their own research about the facts and impact of President Trump’s leadership and accomplishments of improving the lives of hardworking Filipino American workers for the past four years matters through tax cuts, protecting the police, and upholding our first and second amendment rights. President Trump and his administration’s policies triumph over Vice President Biden’s track record for over 4 decades in public office,” Noeth pitched. Meanwhile, Bueno said it’s telling how many Republicans and independents are supporting the Biden-Harris ticket. “I think it’s just really clear why they want to bring back respectability to our government. They want to be seen as a beacon of hope to the rest of the world. They want a government that relies on science and that cares about everybody…” Bueno said. “We’re exhausted these last four years of what this president has been doing tearing apart this country. We just want someone who can bring it back together again, and provide some stability and hope for all Americans.” n
The incidents came as hate crimes and xenophobia against the Asian American community have been on the rise since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Roxas and Salminao also urge fellow Asian Americans to speak up and document if they go through a similar experience. “Although we’re highly disappointed with the turn of events in this case, in a greater sense, it brings the Asian American community closer and it allows people to see that you can have the courage and you can stand up,” Roxas said. “The jail time is not that much but it’s better than zero days. Had Kayceelyn or Sherry not come forward, then we know, Lena Hernandez would still be roaming around the streets with no conviction. What we need to do as a community is continue to be vigilant, report on these crimes when they occur and push forward with prosecution.” Hernandez is due back in court COMMUTERS. Passengers wait for public transport vehicles along Quezon Avenue in front of Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City on a rainy on November 10 to begin her jail Friday, October 9. Minimum health protocols, such as wearing face masks, face shields, and physical distancing to curb the spread of COVID19 should be observed when riding a PUV. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon sentence. n
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How to avoid IRS audits Tax Tips Victor sy, cPA, MBA & roger L. orieL 1. REPORT all income IRS receives copies of 1099s and W-2s from your work, bank, buyers - people who pay you. Failing to report a W-2 wage statement or1099 subcontract
income is flirting with IRS scrutiny. 2. Check your occupation Your occupation must be consistent with your income and expenses. It does not make sense for an Uber Eats or Pizza delivery guy to report zero tips. So is an investor with zero interest or dividend income. 3. Dependent of another Don’t claim a dependent relative without verifying with child’s parents or guardians. IRS computers automatically tract and identify dependents who are
claimed more than once. 4. Be careful with Earned Income Credit This refundable credit is easy money - a breeding ground for abuse. It’s a source of fraud, a cause of IRS audits. 5. Don’t estimate mortgage interest Deduct exact amounts of mortgage interest that appear on form 1098. Don’t estimate. Form 1098 is reported to the IRS where computers match amounts from banks with your tax return. PAGE B6
Young client chooses Chapter 7 as business dies with $80K credit cards owed Debt Relief
Atty. LAwrence yAng THE client is young in his 50s. Believe me, that’s young. This is not only mentally young, but physically, 50s is still quite young. It is said that the 60s now are the new 40s. During the olden days, people were not expected to live beyond their 40s. Even here in the USA, the average life expectancy in the year 1900 for women was 48, while for men it was 43. So at that time, if you lived to 50, that was already considered very good for you. But truth be told, at 43, we’re just getting a little wiser from life experiences. We’re not yet ready to die. We would still want to go on living to a ripe old age. Life expectancy statistics have improved since 1900 fortunately. In 2019, the average life expectancy for a white male in the USA was 78.6 years. But for black males, the average life expectancy in the USA is only 73. Hispanics are doing much better at 81. Why the disparity here? Here’s an interesting fact. Males in Hong Kong have an average life expectancy of 83. So, why the disparity again? I guess eating dim sum contributes to longevity, right? Let’s not get into any kind of emotional argument. We all live by the grace of God Almighty. I mean Kobe was only 40 last year. Steve Jobs was only 56. Pre-COVID gross receipts were $800K The client owns and operates a business that used to generate $800,000 of revenues yearly with good profit for the last 10 years. But even before the virus hit, his business was really slowing down. Last year, his gross receipts were down by 30%. With the lockdown and general business slowdown, he just doesn’t see any light beyond the tunnel anymore. He obtained a $50,000 PPP loan but that has been used up. There’s just no money left to pay all monthly expenses that keep piling up. He still has $70,000 of inventory that nobody wants even if he were to give away for free. You need storage space to house $70,000 of inven-
tory because they take up a lot of space. $80K credit cards and $50K PPP The client used his credit cards to finance the business. He owes $80,000 in credit cards. And he just got the $50,000 PPP loan or grant. You know how the PPP works. If the $50,000 was used to maintain and pay salaries of employees at pre-COVID levels, the used for business expenses, then it may become a grant that does not have to be paid back. But the client has decided to throw in the towel. He notes that even Walt Disney threw in the towel twice with two Chapter 7 cases before success came in a big way. Mr. Hershey of Hershey chocolates also started fresh with no accumulated debt with Chapter 7 once before his chocolate business became the world’s largest chocolate business. Of course, Disney has suffered a major slowdown because of COVID, but once the vaccine is found and distributed, Disney’s business will bounce right back like a coiled spring no doubt. Didn’t the president just announce that the vaccine just cured him and that he was going to make sure that every American gets it for free? Well, that is certainly great news! We already got the vaccine and the president will make sure we get it for free! Hooray, Hooray, Hooray! But that’s what he said yesterday. It’s already today. What’s the story today? Fresh start in life without accumulated debt & fast credit build-up So the client has decided to get his fresh start in life without accumulated debt just like Walt Disney and Milton Hershey. His credit score will increase very fast. Next year, his credit score may already be over 600 depending on how well he handles new debt. I suggest getting one or two of the preapproved cards that debtors get soon after they get their discharge. There are banks that specialize in sending debtor who just got out of Chapter 7 with new credit cards. Just get those but pay the whole balance every month so credit score goes up much faster. The client will be able to get new car loans immediately upon discharge but interest will be higher. Life is great with the fresh start! Just imagine the client used to pay
a minimum of $2,500 a month to keep $80,000 of credit cards current. That’s $30,000 in 12 months, and $60,000 in 24 months, but the principal remains at $80,000 despite $60,000 of minimum payments in 24 months! *** DISCLAIMER: NONE OF THE FOREGOING IS CONSIDERED LEGAL ADVICE. EACH CASE IS DIFFERENT. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South, Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 10-13, 2020
Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes IN previous editions of this article, the process of obtaining permanent residence through marriage was explored. Discussion of that procedure began with the supposition that the couple was married, and continued with the various steps to ultimately gain permanent residence. In many cases, however, a problem exists in even getting to the point at which a couple is married. Often, a foreign national is in his/her home country and, for one reason or another, the U.S. citizen cannot travel to that coun-
Tapat Sa Batas Atty. rheA sAMson KAPAG ang USCIS ay nagdeny ng application for naturalization, ang USCIS ay magbibigay ng Notice of Denial na nagsasaad ng legal at factual na dahilan sa denial. Maaaring tanggapin ng aplikante ang denial decision; maaari ring ang aplikante ay hindi sumang-ayon sa denial decision at siya ay magfile ng Form N-336 Request for Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings. Ang N336 Request for Hearing ay kai-
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K-1 visa: Fiancé visa to marry US citizen
try to marry him/her. A solution in such a scenario can be found with the K-1 Fiance(e) Visa. A K-1 visa allows a foreign national to come to the United States to marry a United States citizen. The K-1 visa is valid for ninety (90) days after entry to the United States, during which time the marriage must take place. Once the foreign national is issued a K-1 visa, any of his/her unmarried children under the age of 21 may be issued K-1 visas. Upon arrival in the United States, the foreign national may immediately apply for permission to work. A two-step process is involved to obtain a K-1 visa.
First, the United States citizen (the petitioner) must file Petition for Alien Fiance(e) along with supporting documents with the USCIS. Through the filed petition and documents, the petitioner must demonstrate three things. To begin, it must be shown that the foreign national has a bona fide intent to marry within ninety (90) days after arrival. This is often accomplished by producing evidence that a marriage is going to take place—i.e. wedding announcements, catering contracts, etc. In addition, it must be shown that both parties are unmarried and of legal age. Birth certifiPAGE B6
Relief for denied naturalization application langang i-file sa loob ng 30 araw mula sa pagtanggap ng Notice of Denial. Kapag tinanggap ng USCIS ang Form N-336, kailangang ang USCIS ay mag-schedule ng hearing sa loob ng 180 araw mula sa filing ng Form N-336. Ang N-336 Request for Hearing ng aplikante ay itatalaga sa bagong USCIS officer, na siyang magsusuri ng orihinal na naturalization application, kasama na ang mga bagong ebidensya at mga testimonia na nakasaad sa Form N-336. Maaari ring magsubmit ng legal brief na nangangatwiran ukol sa pagkakamali
ng USCIS sa pag-isyu ng Notice of Denial. Sa N-336 hearing, ang USCIS Officer ay maaaring magsagawa ng buong pagsusuri ng naturalization application na parang walang denial decision na nangyari. Maaari ring mas streamlined ang pagsusuri at ang paglalaanan ng panahon ay ang dahilan sa denial ng naturalization application. Habang ang N-336 Request for Hearing ay posibleng remedy para sa aplikante, may mga pagkakataon na ang pag-file ng bagong N-400 Application for PAGE B6
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 10-13, 2020
Dateline PhiliPPines
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‘US findings on COVID-19 airborne transmission need further study’ by Mayen JayMalin Philstar.com
NUMBER CODING. Social Security System (SSS) members line up at the entrance of the SSS branch inside the Central Mall on Emilio Aguinaldo Highway cor. Salitran St., City of Dasmariñas, Cavite on Thursday, October 8. SSS-Dasmarinas implements a number coding scheme to regulate the number of transacting members in compliance with the safe physical distancing policy amid the coronavirus pandemic. PNA photo by Gil Calinga
Duterte calls Congress for special session on budget deliberations by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte called on Congress to conduct a special session next week to ensure the timely passage of the proposed P4.5-trillion budget for 2021, Malacañang said on Friday, October 9. “President Rodrigo Roa Duterte today, October 9, has called the Congress to a special session scheduled on October 13-16, 2020 to resume the congressional deliberations on the proposed 2021 national budget and to avoid any further delays on its prompt passage,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. He also said that Duterte has certified the 2021 budget bill as urgent. This came after House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano moved to suspend sessions until November 16 amid his dispute over the speakership with Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco. Duterte on Thursday directed Cayetano and Velasco to resolve the matter before it affects the timely passage of the 2021 budget. “I’m just appealing to you.
Gusto ko lang sabihin in one straight statement: Either you resolve the issue sa impasse ninyo diyan (about your impasse) and pass the budget legally and constitutionally. ‘Pag hindi ninyo ginawa, ako ang gagawa para sa inyo (If you don’t, then I’ll do it for you),” he said. “Hindi ako nananakot… Basta sinasabi ko lang (I’m not trying to threaten you. I’m just saying), if you do not solve the problem, then I will solve the problem for you. Mamili kayo (You choose),” he added. Cayetano and Velasco are supposed to be in a term-sharing agreement, brokered by Duterte in 2019, where Cayetano will serve as Speaker for 15 months before Velasco takes over for the remaining 21 months of their term. According to Cayetano, his tenure is supposed to last until the end of October. However, Velasco insisted he was slated to take over on September 30. The two then met with Duterte to settle the speakership issue, which led them to an agreement that relinquishes Cayetano’s post to Velasco on Oct. 14, the final day of budget plenary debates. Cayetano’s move to suspend House sessions, however, will
hinder Velasco’s chance to call for a Speakership vote on Oct 14. Cayetano, for his part, welcomed Duterte’s sudden call for a special session. “We trust his wisdom on how to address issues concerning the budget, and thank him for his continued confidence by allowing Congress to pass the General Appropriations Bill free from the specter of politicking and intrigues that we had originally sought to avoid,” he said in a Facebook post. Likewise, Velasco showed support for Duterte’s decision. “This is what [the] majority of us in the House of Representatives have been telling Speaker Cayetano and his small group of loyalists since the unceremonious termination of the budget plenary debates and the highly questionable and unconstitutional suspension of session,” he said. “President Duterte’s marching orders to Speaker Cayetano is clear: Reopen Congress to its members. This also means securing a safe and secure plenary hall in accordance with the health protocols set out by the IATF and the Department of Health,” he added. n
THE Department of Health (DOH) appears to be unconvinced about the findings of the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that the coronavirus disease 2019 has the potential for airborne transmission. It said the CDC findings are limited and need further study. “The virus is already assumed to be airborne when conducting aerosol generating procedures in hospitals. But more definitive studies are necessary to say that this is also the case for nonhealthcare settings,” the DOH said in a statement. According to the CDC, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted particularly by tiny particles suspended in the air for an extended period. Experts previously said the virus could be spread via droplets sourced from coughing, sneezing and talking. The DOH said the CDC findings should serve as reason for the public to practice minimum health standards. CDC has stressed the importance of wearing a mask in lowering the chance of COVID transmission by up to 85 percent. “This is why we need to err on the side of caution, the public is enjoined to wear masks and practice the minimum health standards to reduce the transmission of the virus. The effectiveness of personal protective equipment, such as face masks and face shields, and physical distancing must not be underestimated,” the DOH pointed out. Eye disorders Meanwhile, health experts warned yesterday of a possible rise in cases of eye disorders with the advent of online education and work from home schemes due to the pandemic. “With the increase in the use of gadgets and devices, especially for a prolonged period of time, it can affect our eye health,” said Ma. Margarita Lat-Luna, Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology (PAO) president. “Against this backdrop, eye strain, dry or itchy eyes, head-
ache, blurred vision, physical and mental fatigue, can start becoming common problems today,” she added in yesterday’s virtual briefing. She pointed out that when people stare at the screen for
too long the blinking reflex in the eye, which functions to keep moisture off its surface, could be affected. An increased use of digital media could also result in more frequent tired eyes and
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OPiniOn
Airborne transmission
FeatURes
WITH analysts seeing a deeper economic contraction for the country this year, President Duterte is expected to discuss with his Cabinet next week the reopening of the economy even as the COVID pandemic rages with no vaccine or cure available. People are going hungry and millions have lost their jobs and livelihoods, and economic activities need to resume. Seven months is a long time to lose one’s source of income. As other countries that reopened earlier are showing, however, the coronavirus can resurge, causing more illnesses and deaths and forcing a return to crippling lockdowns. In discussing economic reopening, policy makers must factor in a report this week from the US Centers for Disease Control. In an advisory on Monday, the CDC confirmed that aerosolized transmission of the coronavirus is possible, and that under “limited, uncommon circumstances,” the virus can infect someone six feet away, or linger for hours even after the spreader has already left the space. Researchers report that aerosolized transmission has occurred when infected people shout, sing, or even talk and breathe heavily while exercising.
These reports add urgency to compliance with the basic health protocols for preventing virus transmission: wearing masks and physical distancing. Researchers have already pointed out that the three days of easing of distancing rules on public transportation last month led to a jump in new COVID cases. Health experts cannot emphasize enough that wearing face masks properly – meaning with the mouth and nose covered, and with no vent in the mask – protects the wearer from catching the virus, and minimizes the risk of transmission. People have gotten used to wearing masks in public, and are getting used to adding a face shield. Physical distancing, however, remains a challenge as more businesses reopen. The CDC advisory merits bearing in mind.While there is undoubtedly a need to reopen more sectors of the economy, no one can afford to disregard the basic health protocols. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
The Fil-Am Perspective geL sAntos-reLos HEALTH CARE, especially in the age of the coronavirus pandemic, remains to be among the top concerns of the American people as we head to the polls to vote. Last October 2, President Donald Trump announced he and First Lady Melania Trump had been infected by COVID-19, and just seven days after, on October 9, claimed his physician has given him the go-signal to go back to the campaign trail. Trump “declares” victory over the virus, acknowledging the health care given to him as President, which we taxpayers have paid for. What is this miracle cure that armed Trump to declare victory over the virus? As the MIT Technology Re-
Commentary
DAnieL ynchAUsti AFTER attending the ‘Pinoys for Trump’ Rally in Walnut, California last week, it is clear that many Filipino Americans who do support President Trump this upcoming election have trouble reading between the lines when faced with ethical reasoning in comparison to their own religious values and virtues. When asked about how President Trump has helped Filipino or Asian Americans, some pointed to how they feel that Trump is hard working similar to Filipinos, while another went on an unfounded tirade about how underrepresented Asians are in Hollywood and that Trump is a representation of sanity in an insane world. Still, most of the attendees that were interviewed had a common theme of biblicality and Christian values when asked the same question—many providing it as a reason for why other Filipinos should vote for Trump as well. One attendee stated, “[Since] most Filipinos are Christians and Catholics, they are supposed to understand the platform of Trump is more leaning towards the biblical side.” When asked to expand on the ways Trump leans towards the biblical side, attendees said the issues included abortion, gay marriage, and welfare. However, the scripture’s verbiage on such matters fails to solidify within their interpretations. Filipinos supporting Trump this election show the same images of
Philstar.com photo
Decisions 2020: Comparing Trump, Biden health care plans view reported on October 7: “This week, President Donald Trump extolled the cuttingedge coronavirus treatments he received as “miracles coming down from God.” If that’s true, then God employs cell lines derived from human fetal tissue.” “The emergency antibody that Trump received last week was developed with the use of a cell line originally derived from abortion tissue, according to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, the company that developed the experimental drug.” “The Trump administration has taken an increasingly firm line against medical research using fetal tissue from abortions. For example, when it moved in 2019 to curtail the ability of the National Institutes of Health to fund such research, supporters hailed a “major prolife victory” and thanked Trump personally for taking decisive action against what they called the “outrageous and disgust-
ing” practice of “experimentation using baby body parts.” “But when the president faced a deadly encounter with covid19, his administration raised no objections over the fact that the new drugs also relied on fetal cells, and anti-abortion campaigners were silent too. Most likely, their hypocrisy was unwitting. Many types of medical and vaccine research employ supplies of cells originally acquired from abortion tissue. It would have taken an expert to realize that was the case with Trump’s treatment.” This abortion-cells-tested drug that Trump uses for his virus cost $1.5 million. Paid by taxpayers. Now, Trump pushes FDA to speed review of Regeneron and Eli Lilly COVID-19 treatments, Fox News Business reported on October 8, Thursday. Trump also boasts he knows more about COVID-19, but continues to defy wearing mask,
social distancing and even isolation. He has also foolishly claimed he has more authority to talk about COVID-19 than Biden because he has the virus, while Biden has not. And how has contracting the virus made Trump learn about empathy and compassion? Quoting Sen. Bernie Sanders: “After receiving the best socialized health care in the world Trump just said “no” to providing any relief to the unemployed, the uninsured or the hungry. But he’s still pushing the Senate to confirm a Supreme Court nominee who will strip health care from 20 million. How pathetic.” Let us compare what candidates running for president plan to do to make sure you and your family will have access to good, affordable and dependable health care, especially when you and your family need it most.
Donald Trump’s “America First” Health-Care Plan From the moment President Donald Trump ran for office, he has been obsessed about killing President Barack Obama’s biggest legacy — the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. He campaigned on the promise of “repealing and replacing Obamacare”, and have gone as far as asking the Supreme Court to abolish the Affordable Care Act during the pandemic without having a detailed plan after four years. On September 24, 2020, all that Trump was able to do was to sign an executive order that just laid out the three pillars of his “vision” without details on how he plans to overhaul the Affordable Care Act — “more choice” for health care options, “lower costs for families and seniors” and “better care” for American patients. This “plan” was just a rebranding of what
Obamacare already delivers to the American people. Trump also has promised to protect people with pre-existing conditions — a key provision of the Affordable Care Act which already guarantees that 135 million people with preexisting conditions cannot be denied coverage or charged more based on their health history. Trump also said he will look for a way to prevent surprise medical bills but doesn’t have a plan on how to execute it. (To be continued: Part 2 will cover Biden’s health care plan) *** 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.
‘Pinoys for Trump’ rally highlights the duality between virtue and reason identity politics not unique to the group that has been pushing the Trump campaign on: religiousbased voting. Many arguments reiterated at the rally included that abortion is akin to murder, marriage is solely between a man and a woman as instituted by Adam and Eve, and that the bible explicitly says to “help the poor” and not the lazy. All being attacks on abortion rights, gay rights, and social programs. The problem here doesn’t stem from typical religious centered voters who vote strictly on these issues, but from the interpretation of such gospels and the ambivalence between voters when faced with questions on biblical teachings in conjunction with President Trump’s own character. One attendee I talked to, a college student who is currently undecided, emphasized the importance of her religious beliefs in regards to voting, but also recognized that a true Christian is to live like Christ. She stated that “As Christians, we are called to live like Jesus, and Jesus was a kind and loving person, especially to those in need. Trump is not as kind.” Sadly, this is a condition that most religious Trump voters often lack when deciding to vote for him. The duality between the virtues they seek to live out, and basic moral reasoning begins here. Trump, to summarize it briefly, is the complete opposite of what it means to be Christian, as described by his own followers. He is the false idol they swear never to praise. This narcissistic, racist, misogynistic, dishonest,
childish, disgraceful, hating, homophobic, materialistic, gluttonous, anti-Semitic, playboy has made himself their representation of Christ. A man who is clearly antithetical to any Christian church teaching and has arguably broken every one of the ten commandments (taking into account the over 200,000 dead Americans and the disproportionate number of Filipino nurses who have died from the COVID-19 pandemic) has somehow captured the minds of church-going Filipinos. President Trump’s platform has redefined what being “Christ-like” is to his own image, making his religious voters experience cognitive dissonance, second-guessing their own beliefs to conform around him. This failure to use cognitive skills and basic reasoning, even in a religious sense, has led to the spread of misinformation and abuse towards religious voters from the Trump campaign. Looking at the frequent bones of contention such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and welfare, we can find that all arguments against it can be dispelled through Constitutional safeguards and scripture itself. To rally against abortion and same-sex marriage is to ignore both the Constitution’s separation of church and state and the 1st Amendment’s guarantee to freely express religion by using religious perspectives while making policies and infringing on other religion’s stances on the issue. To proclaim that welfare and social programs mainly help the lazy over those who are consid-
Filipino American supporters of Donald Trump made their way through a shopping plaza in West Covina, California on Sunday, October 4. Photo by Daniel Ynchausti
ered “actually poor” ignores plain scripture and who Jesus Christ was for. The argument that the bible only states to “help the poor” and does not say help the lazy is unsubstantiated by the book’s full verse. It reads, “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I, therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land’” (Deuteronomy 15:11). I am no theologian or pastor, but to understand and correctly interpret basic scripture text such as this, one must recognize who and what Christ
stood for. For justice, for the righteous, the poor, the needy, the sick, the outcast, and the underprivileged. To reject the government’s idea to help the needy, disadvantaged, historically marginalized, and push this narrative that they are not working “hard enough” and are lazy, reeks of one’s own privilege. And to stand in opposition and disbelief that these “lazy” people do not need and must be taken off of these resources, welfare, and other social programs is both immoral and profoundly unchristian.
Sadly, the misleading Trump train has taken head-on the religious voters of every community, including our own. No ounce of reason, virtue, or judgment could ever suffice to turn them away from the lies they feel pressured to believe, no matter how hypocritical and dissonant it is—making this November 3rd evermore vital to their faith. *** Daniel Ynchausti is a student currently studying political science and journalism at California State University, Fullerton. His topics of interest include U.S. politics, international affairs, and Fil-Am issues and concerns.
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
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Dateline PhiliPPines
PH to cooperate with UNHRC to address EJK, human rights violations by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
Malacañang on Thursday, October 8, welcomed the resolution passed by the United nations Human Rights council (UnHRc) that offers assistance in addressing the extrajudicial killings and human rights violations in the Philippines. “We are thankful for the Un Human Rights council. Tama po naman iyong kanilang ginawang resolution (The resolution they made is correct),” said presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. The resolution, adopted on Wednesday, requests High commissioner Michelle Bachelet to support the Philippines “in its continued fulfillment of its international human rights obligations and commitments.” The assistance will focus on domestic investigative and accountability measures, data gathering on alleged police violations, engagement with civil society and the commission on Human Rights, national mechanisms for reporting and followup, counterterrorism legislation, and human rights-based approaches to drug control. The resolution also urges member states, relevant Un agencies and other stakeholders to “encourage and support technical cooperation between the Philippine government and OHcHR (Office of the High commissioner for Human Rights).” according to Roque, the resolution is proof that the international body trusts the Philippines’ institutions to address violations against human rights. “Iyan po ay nagpapakita na nagtitiwala pa rin ang Un Human Rights council sa mga in-
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
stitusyon para mapanagot po ang mga lumalabag sa karapatang pantao ng ating mga kababayan (That shows that the UN Human Rights Council still trusts the institutions to persecute those who violate the human rights of our citizens),” he said. The spokesman also assured that the country will cooperate with the UnHRc, admitting that the national government is not without flaws. “We will fully cooperate po with the Un Human Rights system, dahil iyan naman po ang gusto natin (because that’s what we want),” Roque said. “We are not saying we are perfect, kaya nga kung gusto ninyo, huwag na ninyo kaming pulaan, tulungan na lang ninyo kami (We are not saying we are perfect, that’s why if you want, don’t criticize us, help us instead),” he added. Roque maintained that the government always welcomes
PNA photo
cooperation. “We always welcome cooperation. ang ayaw lang po ng Presidente iyong pula nang pula, wala namang solusyon ‘no at ito po ay nanggagaling pa doon sa kakilalang kalaban ng ating gobyerno (The president just doesn’t like criticism without offering solutions and they are coming from the opposition),” he said. “So, we always welcome cooperation with the United nations on a very important topic such as human rights,” he added. The resolution was introduced by the Philippines, India, nepal and non-member states Hungary, Iceland, norway, Thailand, and Turkey. It was supported by 40 states including australia, austria, Bahrain, Bulgaria, cambodia, canada, Denmark, Egypt, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Spain, and Switzerland. n
‘US findings on COVID-19 airborne... PAGE A5 t burning sensation. lat-luna noted that the lockdown has prevented people from visiting ophthalmologists to have their eyes checked. The limited or delayed interaction with healthcare providers increases the risk of eye diseases progressing silently and quickly into more
serious conditions. Based on the Philippine Eye Disease Study (PEDS) 2018, almost two percent of Filipinos suffer from visual impairment. One of the major causes of visual impairment is cataract, affecting 1.06 percent of the population or 1.16 million Filipinos, with 387,187 requiring surgery.
Other causes include uncorrected error of refraction with 0.38 percent (416,408 Filipinos), glaucoma with 0.27 percent (295,869 Filipinos), and maculopathy/DM retinopathy with 0.2 percent (219,162 Filipinos). Eye specialists advised the public to observe the “20-20-20” rule to avoid problems. n
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 10-13, 2020
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A OctOber 10-13, 2020 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL
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Pulse: 92% of Pinoys approve of Duterte COVID-19 response by alexis
roMero Philstar.com
MANILA — Despite the high number of coronavirus disease cases in the country, a large majority of Filipinos believe that President Duterte did well in preventing the spread of the viral illness, a recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia showed. The survey, conducted from Sept. 14 to 20 with the results released yesterday, showed that 92% of the 1,200 respondents approve of the President’s work in preventing the spread of COVID19. Sixty-two% of the respondents said they “truly approve” while 30% “somewhat approve” of the President’s performance in dealing with the transmission of the virus. Only three% disapproved while five% were undecided. In terms of location, the President obtained the highest approval in Mindanao at 98%, followed by Visayas at 92%, Luzon at 91% and Metro Manila at 87%. It was highest among those belonging to the poorest Filipinos at 95%, followed by Class D at 93% and Class ABC at 78%. The same survey showed that 84% of the respondents approve
of the government’s efforts to control the spread of the virus and provide assistance to those who lost their livelihood. On the matter of controlling the pandemic, 33% said they “truly approve” of the work done by the government, while 51% said they “somewhat approve” of it. Only six disapproved, while 10% were undecided. Across geographic areas, approval of the government’s performance to control the spread of the virus was highest in the Visayas at 86%, followed by Luzon and Mindanao at 85% and Metro Manila at 78%. Meanwhile, 32% said they “truly approve” and 53% said they “somewhat approve” of the government’s efforts to provide assistance to those who lost their jobs or livelihood due to the pandemic. Only seven% disapproved, while another nine% were undecided. Approval on efforts to provide assistance was highest among respondents in Mindanao at 91%, followed by Visayas at 87%, Luzon at 82% and Metro Manila at 75%. Malacañang thanked the public for the high poll numbers and reiterated that critics should set aside
politics during the pandemic. “Philippines, thank you for the trust you have given to the President. After giving him a 91% trust rating and 91% performance rating, you gave us 84% for the handling of (COVID-19). We are humbled and we are further inspired to serve the Filipino people in this time of pandemic,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a press briefing yesterday. He noted that only six% of those who were surveyed disapproved of the actions of the administration to contain the pandemic. “Included among those who disapproved is you know who,” the Palace spokesman said without elaborating. “My advice is stop politicking, let’s continue helping the nation and with that, on behalf of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, thank you very much Philippines. The President and the entire Cabinet and IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) will continue to serve.” Roque previously claimed that Vice President Leni Robredo’s trust and performance approval ratings in a recent Pulse Asia poll were lower than that of Duterte u PAGE A10
In this photo taken last September 3, photo, workers prepare the white sand for the beach along Manila Bay in Manila as part of its rehabilitation plan. Inquirer.net photo by Richard Reyes
More crushed dolomite needed to complete Manila Bay ‘white beach’ – DENR exec by Consuelo
Marquez
Inquirer.net
MANILA — Additional crushed dolomite is needed to finish the Manila Bay “white beach” project, an official of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) admitted on Friday, October 9. Environment Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said the crushed dolomite that previously arrived and covered a portion of Manila Bay to create the white beach was not enough but assured that the next delivery of the fake “white sand” would be of no extra cost to the government. “Aaminin natin kulang ‘yung dolomite na dumating sa atin, kung kaya’t mapapansin ninyo talagang kakarampot lang. Pero dahil sa doon sa, nagiisip na babayaran pa muli sa susunod na delivery nagkakamali po kayo. ‘Yung P389 million for the 500 meters na po ‘yun. ‘Yung buong proyekto na po ‘yun, wala na idadagdag na i-gagastos doon ‘yung ating pondo,” Antiporda said during an online press conference on updates regarding the Manila Bay rehabilitation project. (We admit that the dolomite DEVICE TEST. A parent tests the tablet camera with the help of a non-teaching school staff member to ensure it works for the children during that arrived was lacking, that’s the distribution of tablets at Juan Sumulong High School, Cubao, Quezon City on Wednesday, October 7. The Quezon City Government said why, if you notice, it’s really inadequate. But for those who are the tablets are part of the P2.9-billion supplemental budget approved by the Quezon City Local School Board. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler thinking that the next delivery
would have to be paid again, you are wrong. The P389 million, that’s for the 500 meters already. That’s for the whole project already, no more additional cost from our fund.) According to Antiporda, only 120 meters of the 500-meter project area in the Manila Bay have been filled so far with the artificial white sand. Asked about where they plan to source more crushed dolomite, Antiporda said: “That is the problem of the contractor and the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways).” Antiporda also promised that the contractor of the Manila Bay Nourishment Project is tasked to ensure that there will be no issues with the crushed dolomites that will be used on the bay walk. “Any untoward incident na mangyari, gumuho man ‘yan (dolomite), lumubog man ‘yan, well walang lugi ang tao diyan because they (contractor) need to do something about that,” he said. (Any untoward incident that would happen, if there is erosion, if it would sink, the people will not lose in this situation because it’s the contractor that should do something about that.) Previously, the DENR suspended two mining companies in Cebu that produced the
crushed dolomite for the project after the firms reportedly destroyed corals in waters near its site. Meanwhile, DENR Assistant Secretary Darius Nicer, head of the Manila Bay Task Force Operations Center, said “there is no definitive proof that any substantial portion of the dolomite beach has been washed away.” “If you make a conclusion, (that) the beach is washed away, then it should be based on measurements, based on beach area measurement and volumetric measurement,” he said in response to claims that the white sand is being washed away from the shores of Manila Bay. Nicer also said that the dolomite mining companies were an “ongoing business” that was approved by the DENR in the 2000s, which means it was not approved for the purpose of the white sand beach project. “Just to dispel any conspiracy theory that the dolomite mining in Cebu was initiated, conducted [for] the purpose of Beach Nourishment Baywalk, it is an ongoing business and it was approved 20 years ago by the DENR,” he said. Nicer further noted that he was also previously a consultant for the DENR review committee on the dolomite mining company in Cebu. n
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Majority of Filipinos find it risky to go to market, religious services, work amid pandemic by CatheRine
Valente ManilaTimes.net
MAJORITY of Filipinos find it “risky” to go to the grocery store or market, attend religious services and go to their workplaces due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey. The mobile phone survey from September 17 to 20 among 1,249 respondents showed 79% consider it risky to their health and well-being to go to the grocery store while 69% said it was risky to attend religious services. Some 65% or more than half of the respondents with jobs during the poll said they considered it risky to go to their place of work. By area, the proportion of those who consider it risky to go to the grocery store/market right now was highest in balance Luzon at 80%, followed by Metro Manila at 76%, the Visayas at 75% and Mindanao at 74%. Nationwide, 69% consider it risky (26% very risky, 43% somewhat risky) to attend reli-
gious services right now, 18% consider it a little risky, and 8% consider it not risky. The remaining 5% volunteered to say that they do not attend religious services. By area, those who consider it risky to attend religious services right now are highest in the Visayas (76%), followed by Balance Luzon (70%), Metro Manila (69%), and Mindanao (62%). Government last month allowed 10% capacity for religious gatherings ahead of the holidays. Meanwhile, the same survey found 52% of adult Filipinos with a job/livelihood at the time of the interview, and 36% with no job/livelihood but had one before. The remaining 12% never had a job/livelihood before. Among the 52% with a job/ livelihood, 65% consider it risky (24% very risky, 41% somewhat risky) to go to their place of work right now, 16% consider it a little risky, and 10% consider it not risky. The remaining 4% volunteered to say that they are work-
ing from home, while another 4% volunteered to say that they are employed but not working at the moment. By area, the proportion of those with jobs/livelihood at the time of the survey is 57% in Balance Luzon, 52% in Metro Manila, 51% in Mindanao, and 43% in the Visayas. Among them, those who consider it risky to go to their place of work are highest in Metro Manila (68%, correctly rounded), followed by Balance Luzon (66%), the Visayas (65%), and Mindanao (62%). The poll, conducted using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interview, had sampling error margin of ±3% for national%ages, ±6% for Metro Manila, ±5% for Balance Luzon, ±6% for the Visayas, and ±6% for Mindanao. The survey was taken when most areas of the country were under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ). As of Wednesday, the country has reported 329,637 cases of Covid-19, among 20 nations with the highest tally of the respiratory disease. n
Fil-Swiss joins Vatican guard by RobeRtzon
RamiRez
Philstar.com
MANILA — A 21-year-old Filipino-Swiss is making history in the Vatican for being the first Filipino to join the Pontifical Swiss Guard, the elite corps of soldiers who has been protecting the pope since 1506. In an article, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said Lt. Vincent Lüthi was one of the 38 new recruits who took their oath of allegiance to Pope Francis at the Vatican last Oct. 4. Lüthi is the only child of a Swiss father and a Filipino mother who hails from Santa Fe town in Bantayan Island, Cebu province. Lüthi’s mother Marma Marigomen was not available for comment yesterday, but expressed on her Facebook page that she is proud of her son. She wrote “fidelity, loyalty, and honor” as a caption to two photos of her son while serving Pope Francis.
“Vincent is God’s blessing to us as a Pontifical Swiss Guard, congratulations,” Evelyn Monsanto, friend of Marigomen-Lüthi, said in a comment section of one of her Facebook posts. The CBCP said the oath-taking ceremony for the new Swiss Guard was supposed to take place in May, but was postponed to this month due to the COVID19 pandemic. It added that the ceremony was also held privately due to current health restrictions in the Vatican.Pope Francis thanked the parents of the newly-recruited Swiss guards for choosing to dedicate “a period of their youth in the service of the Successor of Peter” as he told them that their time spent in the Vatican “is a unique moment in your life.” “May you live it in a spirit of fraternity, helping one another to lead a meaningful and joyful Christian life,” Pope Francis said. “The presence of your family members expresses the devotion of Swiss Catholics to the Holy
Lt. Vincent Lüthi takes an oath during the swearing-in ceremony for 38 new recruits to the Swiss Guard at the Vatican on Oct. 4, 2020. Photo screengrabbed from Vatican News
See, as well as the moral education and good example by which parents have passed on to their children the Christian faith and the sense of generous service to their neighbor,” he added. n
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11 Pinoy scientists among Asia’s top 100 by RanieR
allan Ronda Philstar.com
MANILA — Eleven Filipino scientists and researchers, including two heads of research and development institutes of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), joined the prestigious list drawn up by the Asian Scientist magazine for this year’s edition of their Asian Scientist 100. Among the Filipino scientists and researchers who joined the prestigious list is Dr. Raul Destura of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of University of the Philippines (UP) Manila, who headed a team of UP Manila researchers that developed an affordable rapid dengue diagnostic kit. The Biotek-M Dengue Aqua Kit is now being manufactured by a spinoff health tech startup he now heads, the Marikina City-based Manila HealthTek, Inc., which has also developed the country’s first and only locally produced real time-polymerase chain reaction swab test for COVID. The other Filipino honorees are Carlos Arcilla, the executive director of the DOST-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute that is leading the country’s push to harness nuclear power to bring down the country’s high power cost, and engineer Robert Dizon, the executive director of the DOSTMetals Industry Research and Development Center. The center developed the Hybrid Electric Road Train, an innovation on the bus rapid train technology, and the Hybrid Electric Train to provide locally developed and assembled train sets to help the Philippine National Railways install brandnew rolling stock to replace its vintage trains. The honorees also include Na-
tional Scientist Emil Javier; Alicia Aguinaldo of the University of Santo Tomas; Emma Sales of the University of Southern Mindanao; Cleotilde Hidalgo How of UP Manila; the late Alonzo Gabriel of UP Diliman; Raymond Tan and Susan Gallardo, both of the De La Salle University. “Every year since 2017, Asian Scientist magazine compiles a list of Asia’s most outstanding researchers. Now on its fourth edition, the Asian Scientist 100 list celebrates the success of the region’s best and brightest, highlighting their achievements across a range of scientific disciplines,” the publication said. “To be acknowledged in this list, the honoree must have received a national or international prize in the preceding year for his or her research. Alternatively, he or she must have made a significant scientific discovery or provided leadership in academia or industry,” it elaborated. The 11 Filipino scientists and researchers were joined by their equally prominent and prestigious scientists in Asia, which also featured past Nobel Prize winners. Among the other prominent members in the Asian Scientist 100 for 2020 are Akira Yoshino of the Asahi Kasei Corp., who was awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for creating the world’s first commercially viable lithiumion battery in 1985. Yoshino shared the prize with Prof. John Goodenough of the University of Texas and Prof. M. Stanley Whittingham of the State University of New York. “Today, lithium-ion batteries are used in a wide range of modern technologies, from smartphones to electric cars,” the magazine said.
From Malaysia, the list had Shivaani Mariapun, who received the 2019 LÓreal-UNESCO Fellowship for Women in Science National Award for her research on mammographic density and breast cancer risk in Asian women to formulate effective screening strategies for early detection of the disease. Another Nobel Prize winner in the list was Yang Chen-Ning of China’s Tsinghua University, who received the 2019 Qiu Shi Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to theoretical physics. Yang was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on parity non-conservation of weak interactions. Another member of the 2020 list is 2020 IEEE Nikola Tesla Award recipient Akira Chiba of Japan’s Tokyo Institute of Technology for his contributions to the bearingless and reluctance motors for application in hybrid and pure electrical vehicles. Qi Faren of China’s Beihang University, another honoree, is the chief designer of China’s spacecraft. He was awarded the 2019 Hall of Fame Award for his contributions to the progress of space science and technology in China. Another honoree was Yasuhiko Arakawa of the University of Tokyo, who received the IEEE JunIchi Nishizawa Medal 2019 for his contributions to the development and commercialization of quantum dot lasers. Among the Singaporean honorees was Toh Kim Chuan of the National University of Singapore. an awardee of the President’s Science Award 2019, for his fundamental contributions to the theory, algorithms and applications of convex optimizations. n
Pulse: 92% of Pinoys approve of Duterte...
PAGE A8 because of politicking. Robredo’s camp has attributed the lower ratings to “fake news” being peddled to defame her. Most Filipinos worried According to Pulse Asia, almost all Filipinos are worried about contracting COVID-19 with 84% saying they are very much worried and 13% somewhat worried. Two% said they were not worried, with the remaining one% undecided. Worry about contracting the coronavirus is high across all geo-
graphic areas and socioeconomic classes. Asked to choose three measures that they take to prevent contracting the disease, a large majority of respondents said they regularly wash their hands or use alcohol and sanitizer (71%). Fifty-five% of the respondents said they use face masks while only 33% selected “observing social distancing” as among the measures they take to prevent getting the virus. Other measures include staying home when not necessary to go out (32%); avoiding crowded
places (28%); avoiding people who are ill (25%); and covering nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing (15%). These are followed by praying (14%), taking vitamins (14%), avoiding domestic travel (six%), consulting a doctor when not feeling well (six%) and avoiding international travel (two%). Less than one% chose the other options, which included wearing face shields, following barangay rules, eating fruits and drinking calamansi juice. The survey had a margin of error of +/-2.8%. n
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The Asian Journal
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LifestyLe Consumer Guide Community marketpLaCe
No mercy or compassion Bea wants ‘more chances’ with some immigration laws with John Lloyd Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ SOME people hope or believe that if consuls or immigration officers hear their grave predicament, they would be filled with mercy and compassion and approve their case. If their situation is dire, and they tearfully pour out their heart and soul, this will help in getting their case approved. What people need to understand is that many laws are written in stone. By that I mean some immigration benefits require rigid compliance with the law. Mercy, compassion, and discretion have no bearing on the person’s eligi-
bility. In those situations, no matter how heartbroken a consul or immigration officer may be over the person’s situation, the law does not allow them to approve the case, no matter how much the person pleas or begs for kind consideration. It is important for people to know when mercy and compassion apply and whether rigid compliance is required. For example, under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), there is a mathematical formula for determining a child’s age. Either the child’s age computes to be under 21, or it does not. If it does not, the child is not eligible, no matter what. It does not matter arguing the child will be left behind, and that the child was only a baby when the petition was filed, etc. This type of law is rigidly applied, and there is no discretion for the consul or immigration officer to overlook or ignore these
legal requirements. However, there is also a separate CSPA requirement that the child applies for or “seek to acquire” their visa within one year of availability. In that situation, there could be room for discretion if the deadline was missed, because of “extraordinary circumstances.” Other situations, such as marital cases or petition, require the couple to have been “unmarried” on their wedding day. Otherwise, the marriage would be void as bigamous if one of them is still married to somebody else at the time they marry. The petition could not be approved. It does not matter how heartbroken the couple may be, or how aggravating it may be to them; the law requires compliance, and there really is no room for mercy or compassion for this requirement. PAGE B2
By Jan
Milo Severo Philstar.com
KAPAMILYA actress Bea Alonzo doesn’t consider herself as the “Movie Queen” of this generation. In Enchong Dee’s recent vlog on his YouTube channel, the actor asked his friend Bea what’s the responsibility of a queen. “Cliché as it may sound, I never considered myself a queen. In our generation, there are a lot of queens. There is Angel Locsin, there is Toni (Gonzaga), there is Marian (Rivera), Anne (Curtis), Sarah (Geronimo). I never considered myself as one,” she said. Bea said she would rather call herself as a “soldier of arts.” “My social responsibility first is to get roles that will inspire people and to also do social work para din ma-inspire sila.”
John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo
“Siyempre I have to do something to give back especially to those who I have worked with for so many years. And also to create projects that would support the industry as well,
ABS-CBN photo
not only monetarily but also in terms of arts, in terms of being proud of it and showing it to the world and letting everyone see what we are capable of,” PAGE B2
Erich to lead new teleserye ‘La Vida Lena’ By ian
Biong Inquirer.net
MORE IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS ANSWERED THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY! Josephine of Fremont, CA (2nd from left) asks about her sister in the Philippines, who has a naturalized U.S. citizen boyfriend who wants to visit Josephine’s sister to get to know her better. Due to the pandemic, he is not allowed to enter the Philippines since he is not a dual citizen. Can the sister travel to the U.S. instead? What is the best option for them? From San Diego, Fidela (3rd from left) would like to know if her grandchildren are included under her petition for her two married sons. When Fidela petitioned her sons, their children were still toddlers. Now, some of her grandchildren are over 21 years old. Can they still come with their fathers under the Child Status Protection Act? And Beatriz from Vallejo, CA (right) asks if her two siblings can still come to the U.S., even though the petitioner has died. Can the fact that their father (the petitioner) was a World War II veteran help them still come to America? These questions and more will be answered by Atty. Gurfinkel on a brand-new episode of “CITIZEN PINOY: Your Tanong, My Sagot,” this Sunday, October 11 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)
ERICH Gonzales is finally returning to television after two years with a major role in the upcoming ABS-CBN teleserye “La Vida Lena”. Gonzales is set to lead the series’ cast as revealed by Dreamscape Entertainment via Instagram on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Jerry Lopez Sineneng and Jojo Saguin will helm the show. “The ultimate Erich Gonzales comeback! #LaVidaLena SOON on ABS-CBN,” the production company announced. Gonzales will be joined by actors JC De Vera, Kit Thompson, Carlo Aquino, Agot Isidro, Raymond Bagatsing and Janice De Belen. Pen Medina, Ruby Ruiz, Soli-
man Cruz, Christian Vasquez, Malou Crisologo, Josh Ivan Morales, Hasna Cabral and Sofia Andres will also be part of the series, which will also be introducing up-and-coming actors Renshi De Guzman and Danica Ontengco. Amid the quarantine, Gonzales has kept herself busy by starring alongside Enchong Dee in their digital series “You. Me. Maybe“, the first project under their collaborative Enrich Originals YouTube channel. Under Enrich Originals, the two have promised fans that they will be producing series and films that will be available for free viewing online. Gonzales’s last major TV role was back in 2018, when she lead “The Blood Sisters” by playing the role of triplets who were sepa- Erich Gonzales rated at birth. Photo from Instagram/@erichgg
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EntErtainmEnt
How Marco keeps his sanity By Ricky Lo Philstar.com
HIS to-die-for body has been “exploited” in media interviews (and sufficiently showcased in the movies, particularly in the Viva movie Just a Stranger, where in a scene he rises from bed au naturel after making love with Anne Curtis). Asked if he’d agree to do some “sexy talk,” Marco Gumabao begged off. “Puede ba layo muna tayo sa ‘sexy talk?’ Sawa na ako sa ganyang topic, hahaha!!!” So Funfare veered away from such “wornout” topic and turned serious including what his biggest fear is during this pandemic. “I guess that like everybody else,” Marco admitted, “my biggest fear during this pandemic, of course, is if my family tests positive for COVID. That’s why as much as possible I try to stay at home so none of us can bring home any virus. My family’s health is my main priority right now.” Keeping fit (exercise, healthy diet, enough sleep, etc.) is the best defense against the virus,
Marco Gumabao
aside from following the protocols (wearing face mask and face shield, washing hands with soap and water, social distancing). “I try to work out as much as possible even if I’m just at home. But the most important thing is to strengthen your spirituality and mental health. I make it a point to read a few chapters from the Bible or play praise and worship songs to keep me sane. I’m at home with my mom and younger sister and
Photo from Instagram/@gumabaomarco
some house helpers.” Career-wise, shared Marco, he still wants to achieve a lot. “I wanna be recognized someday as the best actor, any award would be great. Sa life naman, siempre marami pa ‘yan, marami pa ko kakaining bigas. Kulang na lang siguro is love life, hahaha!!!” He added that he’s happy and proud of all the movies he PAGE B6
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Questions on family-based petitions take centerstage on this Sunday’s ‘Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot!’ THIS Sunday, leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel answers questions related to family petitions. Beatriz from Vallejo, CA would like to know if their father’s service as a World War II veteran could help the petition for her siblings? Their father petitioned them in the early 90’s but he died. Can the siblings still come to the U.S.? Josephine of Fremont, CA
would like to know if her sister can travel to the U.S. to meet her naturalized U.S. citizen boyfriend. The boyfriend really wants to visit Josephine’s sister to get to know her better, but due to the pandemic, he is not allowed to enter the Philippines since he is not a dual citizen. What is the best option for them? Fidela, from San Diego, petitioned her two sons when their children were still tod-
dlers. Now, some of the grandchildren are over 21 years old. Can they still come to the U.S. with their fathers under the Child Status Protection Act? These and more questions will be answered on an all-new episode of “CITIZEN PINOY: Your Tanong, My Sagot,” on Sunday, October 11 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).
(Advertising Supplement)
Bea wants ‘more chances’... PAGE B1 she added. Bea also said she doesn’t consider herself a showbiz royalty because she doesn’t want to think about it. “‘Yung term na ‘yun, I would not say that about myself because ayaw kong tumambay ‘yun sa utak ko. I just try to hold on to something that is real, like our friendship and my relationships,” she said. Prior to this, Bea said in an exclusive e-mail interview with Philstar.com that she is open to work with long-time love team partner John Lloyd Cruz again if there’s a good material for them.
In the interview arranged by Avon Philippines, for which Bea was launched as a new endorser, Bea said she wouldn’t say “no” in a project with John Lloyd. “I don’t know yet. But if there is a good material for the both of us and if it will inspire us to collaborate again, I won’t say no,” she said. After starring in lots of blockbuster movies with John Lloyd such as “One More Chance,” “A Second Chance,” and “The Mistress” to name a few, the popular love team starred in the experimental movie “Unconfined Cinema” directed by Antoinette Jadaone at the start of the pandemic lockdown ear-
lier this year. Jadaone said that Bea and John Lloyd‘s exchange on Instagram was her way of exploring new ways to tell stories amid the community quarantine. “The Unconfined Cinema was founded on the idea of exploring what else cinema could be, freeing our stories to be told outside of the traditional spaces and conceptual boundaries set by the last century of the medium,” Jadaone said. “In this unprecedented time of quarantine, in a time when movie production is impossible, we found it especially pressing to find ways to tell our stories,” she added.
No mercy or compassion... PAGE B1 The officer cannot approve a marital petition based on a void or bigamous marriage. In other cases, there could be room for mercy, compassion, and discretion, such as with fraud waivers, provisional waivers, or humanitarian revalidation cases. In those situations, the officer can exercise “discretion,” enabling them to weigh and balance the positive factors against the negative factors, and decide whether the person should be “forgiven” or the case approved. If you are applying for an immigration benefit, you should consult with an attorney, who can evaluate your case, including situations where you must strictly
comply with the law or whether the benefit you are applying for involves the officer’s exercise of discretion. If the law is rigidly applied, it does no good for you to cry or beg or seek compassion and mercy. Instead, an attorney can help you determine if you meet the actual legal requirements.. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case 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)
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How to avoid IRS audits Tax Tips Victor sy, cPA, MBA & roger L. orieL 1. REPORT all income IRS receives copies of 1099s and W-2s from your work, bank, buyers - people who pay you. Failing to report a W-2 wage statement or1099 subcontract
income is flirting with IRS scrutiny. 2. Check your occupation Your occupation must be consistent with your income and expenses. It does not make sense for an Uber Eats or Pizza delivery guy to report zero tips. So is an investor with zero interest or dividend income. 3. Dependent of another Don’t claim a dependent relative without verifying with child’s parents or guardians. IRS computers automatically tract and identify dependents who are
claimed more than once. 4. Be careful with Earned Income Credit This refundable credit is easy money - a breeding ground for abuse. It’s a source of fraud, a cause of IRS audits. 5. Don’t estimate mortgage interest Deduct exact amounts of mortgage interest that appear on form 1098. Don’t estimate. Form 1098 is reported to the IRS where computers match amounts from banks with your tax return. PAGE B6
Young client chooses Chapter 7 as business dies with $80K credit cards owed Debt Relief
Atty. LAwrence yAng THE client is young in his 50s. Believe me, that’s young. This is not only mentally young, but physically, 50s is still quite young. It is said that the 60s now are the new 40s. During the olden days, people were not expected to live beyond their 40s. Even here in the USA, the average life expectancy in the year 1900 for women was 48, while for men it was 43. So at that time, if you lived to 50, that was already considered very good for you. But truth be told, at 43, we’re just getting a little wiser from life experiences. We’re not yet ready to die. We would still want to go on living to a ripe old age. Life expectancy statistics have improved since 1900 fortunately. In 2019, the average life expectancy for a white male in the USA was 78.6 years. But for black males, the average life expectancy in the USA is only 73. Hispanics are doing much better at 81. Why the disparity here? Here’s an interesting fact. Males in Hong Kong have an average life expectancy of 83. So, why the disparity again? I guess eating dim sum contributes to longevity, right? Let’s not get into any kind of emotional argument. We all live by the grace of God Almighty. I mean Kobe was only 40 last year. Steve Jobs was only 56. Pre-COVID gross receipts were $800K The client owns and operates a business that used to generate $800,000 of revenues yearly with good profit for the last 10 years. But even before the virus hit, his business was really slowing down. Last year, his gross receipts were down by 30%. With the lockdown and general business slowdown, he just doesn’t see any light beyond the tunnel anymore. He obtained a $50,000 PPP loan but that has been used up. There’s just no money left to pay all monthly expenses that keep piling up. He still has $70,000 of inventory that nobody wants even if he were to give away for free. You need storage space to house $70,000 of inven-
tory because they take up a lot of space. $80K credit cards and $50K PPP The client used his credit cards to finance the business. He owes $80,000 in credit cards. And he just got the $50,000 PPP loan or grant. You know how the PPP works. If the $50,000 was used to maintain and pay salaries of employees at pre-COVID levels, the used for business expenses, then it may become a grant that does not have to be paid back. But the client has decided to throw in the towel. He notes that even Walt Disney threw in the towel twice with two Chapter 7 cases before success came in a big way. Mr. Hershey of Hershey chocolates also started fresh with no accumulated debt with Chapter 7 once before his chocolate business became the world’s largest chocolate business. Of course, Disney has suffered a major slowdown because of COVID, but once the vaccine is found and distributed, Disney’s business will bounce right back like a coiled spring no doubt. Didn’t the president just announce that the vaccine just cured him and that he was going to make sure that every American gets it for free? Well, that is certainly great news! We already got the vaccine and the president will make sure we get it for free! Hooray, Hooray, Hooray! But that’s what he said yesterday. It’s already today. What’s the story today? Fresh start in life without accumulated debt & fast credit build-up So the client has decided to get his fresh start in life without accumulated debt just like Walt Disney and Milton Hershey. His credit score will increase very fast. Next year, his credit score may already be over 600 depending on how well he handles new debt. I suggest getting one or two of the preapproved cards that debtors get soon after they get their discharge. There are banks that specialize in sending debtor who just got out of Chapter 7 with new credit cards. Just get those but pay the whole balance every month so credit score goes up much faster. The client will be able to get new car loans immediately upon discharge but interest will be higher. Life is great with the fresh start! Just imagine the client used to pay
a minimum of $2,500 a month to keep $80,000 of credit cards current. That’s $30,000 in 12 months, and $60,000 in 24 months, but the principal remains at $80,000 despite $60,000 of minimum payments in 24 months! *** DISCLAIMER: NONE OF THE FOREGOING IS CONSIDERED LEGAL ADVICE. EACH CASE IS DIFFERENT. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South, Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 10-13, 2020
Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes IN previous editions of this article, the process of obtaining permanent residence through marriage was explored. Discussion of that procedure began with the supposition that the couple was married, and continued with the various steps to ultimately gain permanent residence. In many cases, however, a problem exists in even getting to the point at which a couple is married. Often, a foreign national is in his/her home country and, for one reason or another, the U.S. citizen cannot travel to that coun-
Tapat Sa Batas Atty. rheA sAMson KAPAG ang USCIS ay nagdeny ng application for naturalization, ang USCIS ay magbibigay ng Notice of Denial na nagsasaad ng legal at factual na dahilan sa denial. Maaaring tanggapin ng aplikante ang denial decision; maaari ring ang aplikante ay hindi sumang-ayon sa denial decision at siya ay magfile ng Form N-336 Request for Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings. Ang N336 Request for Hearing ay kai-
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K-1 visa: Fiancé visa to marry US citizen
try to marry him/her. A solution in such a scenario can be found with the K-1 Fiance(e) Visa. A K-1 visa allows a foreign national to come to the United States to marry a United States citizen. The K-1 visa is valid for ninety (90) days after entry to the United States, during which time the marriage must take place. Once the foreign national is issued a K-1 visa, any of his/her unmarried children under the age of 21 may be issued K-1 visas. Upon arrival in the United States, the foreign national may immediately apply for permission to work. A two-step process is involved to obtain a K-1 visa.
First, the United States citizen (the petitioner) must file Petition for Alien Fiance(e) along with supporting documents with the USCIS. Through the filed petition and documents, the petitioner must demonstrate three things. To begin, it must be shown that the foreign national has a bona fide intent to marry within ninety (90) days after arrival. This is often accomplished by producing evidence that a marriage is going to take place—i.e. wedding announcements, catering contracts, etc. In addition, it must be shown that both parties are unmarried and of legal age. Birth certifiPAGE B6
Relief for denied naturalization application langang i-file sa loob ng 30 araw mula sa pagtanggap ng Notice of Denial. Kapag tinanggap ng USCIS ang Form N-336, kailangang ang USCIS ay mag-schedule ng hearing sa loob ng 180 araw mula sa filing ng Form N-336. Ang N-336 Request for Hearing ng aplikante ay itatalaga sa bagong USCIS officer, na siyang magsusuri ng orihinal na naturalization application, kasama na ang mga bagong ebidensya at mga testimonia na nakasaad sa Form N-336. Maaari ring magsubmit ng legal brief na nangangatwiran ukol sa pagkakamali
ng USCIS sa pag-isyu ng Notice of Denial. Sa N-336 hearing, ang USCIS Officer ay maaaring magsagawa ng buong pagsusuri ng naturalization application na parang walang denial decision na nangyari. Maaari ring mas streamlined ang pagsusuri at ang paglalaanan ng panahon ay ang dahilan sa denial ng naturalization application. Habang ang N-336 Request for Hearing ay posibleng remedy para sa aplikante, may mga pagkakataon na ang pag-file ng bagong N-400 Application for PAGE B6
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Why Prop 22’s denial of employee New law provides greater protection for your home against creditors status is bad for CA workers Independent contractors are in business for themselves and generally work on a freelance basis, often with several clients. they either have specialized skills (e.g., actors, writers) or advanced degrees (e.g., lawyers, doctors) that allow them to decide when, where, and how they perform the work. true independent contractors are not employees and, therefore, do not have the same rights and protections accorded to employees. It is illegal to misclassify employees as independent contractors. App-based companies like Uber, Lyft, and doordash classify their workers as “independent contractors.” despite the “independent” categorization, these companies retain the right to control how the worker should do the work, what tasks to accomplish and how to accomplish them. these workers, therefore, are misclassified. In 2018, the California Supreme Court decided a case that sought to outline more clearly the limited circumstances when a worker becomes an independent contractor. this decision was widely seen as strengthening protections for workers by clarifying when they should be considered employees. In 2019, California signed into law Assembly Bill 5, which codified the high court’s ruling. In a bid to retain their business model, Uber, Lyft, and other app-based companies funneled nearly $200 million into the creation of proposition 22, a measure that would legalize their current practice of misclassifying their drivers as independent contractors. With prop 22, California voters must now decide whether to exempt app-based companies from the laws laid out in AB 5.
Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. even if it is conceded that app-based companies provide an easy means to make extra money, and give some workers time flexibility that they would not otherwise have with a regular job, it is unclear if workers will be paid overtime if they are made to work more than 8 hours per day, or if they are entitled to be paid at least the minimum wage. What if they get injured while working? What if they need to take sick time or become disabled? prop 22 purports to address these issues but the solutions it offers fall far short of actual protections for workers. Here are some of the reasons why you should vote nO on prop 22: 1) It legalizes the practice of not paying workers for all hours worked. Workers would not be paid for the time they spend logged in, ready to work, but without a passenger or package and would only receive limited mileage benefits ($.30 to a mile). 2) Workers are still denied sick leave, paid family leave, or other emergency sick leave. Under prop 22, app-based workers are not entitled to any leave. 3) It fails to provide clear remedies for workers who experience harassment or retaliation on the job. the measure in fact weakens current anti-discrimination laws because the list of protected characteristics for independent contractors are narrowed and the process to bring claims are made more difficult.
4) It blocks access to unemployment benefits. If a worker loses the job, unlike employees, they would not be able to avail of state unemployment insurance. 5) even though it makes a big show of outlining compensation should workers be injured on the job, the coverage is still not on par with California workers’ compensation law. Workers may be denied coverage or their benefits are capped, regardless of the severity of injuries. 6) It is extremely difficult to change this law, once passed. prop 22 explicitly requires a 7/8th vote of the legislature to amend the law, which is unusual. 7) It essentially makes appbased companies exempt from California law to the detriment of ordinary workers. It sets a bad precedent and begins the erosion of employment rights and protections. At the end of the day, workers lose when they lose their employment status. Attempts by billion dollar companies to strip them of these rights should not be allowed. *** 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)
How Marco keeps his sanity PAGE B2 has done in his nine years in the business. “But I always remind myself that I can do better, therefore gagawin ko lahat para galingan ‘yung upcoming movies ko.” (Marco is starring with Xian Lim and Kylie Verzosa in a series to be produced by VivaMax. Anytime now, he will launch his Youtube vlog.) He begged off from being categorized as one of the 10 bestlooking Filipino actors, even humbly “downgrading” himself. “Well, I honestly don’t see myself as drop-dead good-looking. I don’t let it get to my head, kasi siempre dapat lagi tayong humble
at meron diyan na ibang tao who looks better than you... But I must say it has its pros and cons. pero I don’t really think about it too much.” Isn’t he annoyed by people who think that “drop-dead” lookers (with sexy bodies to boot) are dismissed as pieces of meat? “I let my work do the talking. It’s easy for people to say, ‘Pogi lang yan pero walang talent.’ Ako naman I don’t have anything against them, kaya I let my projects do the talking. I’m open also to constructive criticism, di ako nalulungkot o na-aapektuhan sa ganun. I can offer a lot more, not just my looks.” What is the best decision he
has made so far? “taking a leap of faith back in 2018. When I transferred to Viva is one of the best decisions I made sa career ko. I’m very happy where I’m at right now. Sana mag-tuloy pa.” thank goodness that he’s in a good place now. “I can say now that my heart is happy. And it hasn’t been this happy in such a long time. As of now, I’m just cherishing each moment and enjoying it. Masarap na feeling na inspired ka, at may nakukuhanan ka ng inspirasyon.” that is, even if he is fancyfree. “So I can say, I am still single, but not ready to mingle.”
8. Stay away from Schedule C - Income from business or profession It’s a lightning rod for audits. Schedule C puts you at the top of the food chain for IRS consumption. Majority of audit cases that I handle come from Schedule Cs. the government’s chances of collecting taxes, penalties, and interest from Schedule C audits are higher than the rest of the population. 9. Consider a corporation or LLC Corporate audit risk is about one tenth of a sole proprietor filing Schedule C. Recent studies estimate that 75% of Schedule Cs are not accurate. If you own rental real estate or a business,
K-1 visa: Fiancé visa to marry... PAGE B5 cates, and if one has been previously married, evidence that the prior marriage has been legally terminated are usually satisfactory to accomplish this. Finally, evidence must be provided to show that the parties have physically met each other within the past two (2) years. the petitioner may submit photos of the couple, plane tickets, hotel receipts, etc. as proof that the couple has met. exceptions to this third requirement apply in certain circumstances that cannot be explored here due to space limitations of this article. the USCIS may also schedule an interview of the petitioner wherein inquiry will be made on the foregoing issues. Once approved, notice is sent to the petitioner and the file is forwarded to the appropriate consulate abroad. Second, after the petition is approved, the foreign national can apply for a K-1 visa in his/ her home country. An interview is scheduled where the foreign national must provide certain documents for issuance of the visa.
An affidavit of support from the petitioner, proving that the foreign national will not be relying on public assistance upon arrival, in addition to originals of documents mentioned hereinabove, must be presented. Other documents may also be requested by a particular consulate. If all requirements are met, visa issuance will follow. After arrival in the United States and marriage, the foreign national may thereafter begin the process to obtain permanent residence. the fiance may also bring any children below the age of 21 years old as derivative beneficiary as a K-2 visa. this is another advantage of the fiance visa route. It is not necessary to prove that the marriage to the US Citizen petitioner occurred prior to the immigrant’s children turning 18 years of age. the K-2 derivative can still adjust to greencard after the K-1 fiance marries the US Citizen even if the marriage occurs after the K-2 derivative reaches the age of 18 as long as they are under 21 years of age. ***
Minding Your Finances Atty. rAymond BulAon life and have accumulated significant equity in your home, the old law not only left you vulnerable to judgment creditors but would have also put your family home at risk of being lost. enter the new law. AB 1885 was passed to amend these outdated homestead exemption amounts. Beginning the 1st of next year 2021, you now get to exempt the greater of $300,000 or the median sale price of a single-family home last year in your county, not to exceed $600,000. to help you understand what this means for you, here are some projections for several counties: 1. Los Angeles: $600,000 (estimated Median = $645,000) 2. Riverside: $400,500 3. Orange: $600,000 (estimated Median = $765,497) 4. San Bernardino: $370,215 So, let us say you were married and lived in Los Angeles County. If your home was worth $550,000 and you still owed $100,000 on it, that means you have $450,000 in equity. normally, filing Chapter 7 (which only allowed a $100,000 homestead exemption for married couples) would have been a problem. Under the new law, however, since you get to exempt $600,000 instead of only $100,000, you can file bankruptcy without losing you home. Going forward, these dollar
amounts will continue to be adjusted by inflation. In Chapter 13 where the court also looks at the unprotected home equity in determining how much a should pay, the old law made the Chapter 13 plan payment too high and unaffordable to a lot of people. the higher homestead protection amounts will now make a lot of Chapter 13 plans affordable by significantly reducing the amount that has to be paid in a lot of cases. For people in dire financial situations caused by COVId-19 who could not obtain bankruptcy relief under the old law, this new law provides the greatest protection that we have not had for a very long time. Homeowners who are crippled with overwhelming debt will now be able, in many situations, to file bankruptcy and discharge their unsecured debt while keeping their home 100% safe. Of course, every case is different, and you should seek the advice of a competent bankruptcy attorney in order to fully understand your legal rights. If you are in debt and need to find a way out, I can help you figure out all possible options. *** NOTE: Due to the current lockdown order caused by COVID-19, I am offering free consultations BY PHONE to anyone who needs help in dealing with their debt problems. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866477-7772. (Advertising Supplement)
God’s invitation
Pastor’s Notes reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAS
tHeSe words of St. paul from the Second Reading this Sunday evoke the joy of Christian life. With the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can face and endure the challenges and pains of life. Our faith in Jesus brings us courage and hope. With Christ, there is no burden that we cannot carry, and no day that we cannot endure. I see this message reflected in the faces of our people who attend our daily Masses. their love for the Catholic faith, particularly the Holy eucharist and their joy and piety, inspire me to live my priestly ministry to take issues out of your personal the fullest even in a pandemic income tax into an LLC that can time. elect to file either as a corporation Life with Jesus is a promise or partnership. of joy and peace! It’s what Je*** sus conveys in the Gospel this Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude Sunday, the parable of the Wedfrom UE with a BBA and from Indiana ding Feast. William Barclay exState University with an MBA. Vic plains it in his commentary on worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV the Gospel of Matthew. - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young First, the parable reminds before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental PAGE B5 agencies. He is publishing a book on his naturalization ang mas mainam expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE na remedy. Halimbawa, kung IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire ang aplikante ay hindi nakatuabout the book or email tax questions pad sa continuous presence reat vicsy@live.com. quirement o physical presence requirement para sa naturalization, mas mabuti na siya ay magantay at mag-ipon pa ng panahon dito sa the US bago magfile ng panibagong n-400 Application Please note that this article is not legal for naturalization. Kung ang deadvice and is not intended as legal advice. nial ay dahil sa kawalan o lack The article is intended to provide only of good moral character sa loob general, non-specific legal information. ng 5-year statutory period para This article is not intended to cover all sa naturalization application, the issues related to the topic discussed. mas mabuti rin na ang aplikante The specific facts that apply to your ay maghintay ng pagkalipas matter may make the outcome different ng 5 taon mula sa insidente na than would be anticipated by you. This nagdulot ng lack of good moral article does create any attorney client character. Kung ang naturalizarelationship between you and the Law tion applicant ay lalaking green Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC. This card holder na nakatanggap ng kanyang green card noong siya article is not a solicitation. ay 18 hanggang 26 taon gulang, *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a ngunit siya ay hindi nakapagCertified Family Law Specialist. He was register sa US Selective Service President of the Philippine American Bar System, mas mabuti na siya ay Association. He is a member of both maghintay na siya ay maging the Family law section and Immigration 31 taon gulang bago magfile ng law section of the Los Angeles County panibagong n-400 Application Bar Association. He is a graduate of for naturalization. *** Southwestern University Law School in Los If the USCIS denies an appliAngeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business cation for naturalization, the USAdministration. He has extensive CPA CIS will issue a notice of denial experience prior to law practice. LAW stating the legal and factual baOFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC is sis for the denial. the applicant located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, may accept the denial decision or Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 request a hearing before an Imor e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com Visit migration Officer by filing Form n-336 Request for Hearing on a our website at kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement) decision in naturalization pro-
How to avoid IRS audits...
PAGE B5 6. Don’t attract attention to yourself by taking outrageous deductions Submit a return that gets “lost” in the crowd. don’t stick out with red flags such as big round numbers or material miscellaneous deduction. don’t draw attention to yourself. Get lost… I mean, get lost in a crowd of taxpayers and disappear in a sea of returns. 7. Forgiven debt Be wary of Form 1099-A, 1099C, or 1099-S that represent debt relief from credit card debts, real estate foreclosure, abandonment, or short sale. these forms may look innocent but they can create troubles if you don’t report them correctly. Muy problema.
tHIS has got to be the best news I have heard recently! Given the huge job losses and high unemployment rate that have left many unable to pay their debts, this may be the biggest change in the law that can help many people protect and keep the substantial equity they have in their family home. On September 18, Governor newsom signed AB 1885 into law which takes effect on January 1, 2021. What exactly is AB 1885 all about and how does it benefit homeowners? In California, prior law (Section 704.730 of the Code of Civil procedure) provided that a specified portion of the equity in your residence was exempt from execution to satisfy a judgment debt: $75,000 for single person, $100,000 for a married couple (or the debtor and a dependent living in the residence) and $175,000 for homeowners over 65 years of age or disabled. So, for example, if a judgment creditor were to force a sale of your residence to satisfy the judgment, these were the amounts that they could not take from you. But what if you had substantial equity in your home that was above these amounts? Well, under the law, you were simply out of luck. these exemption amounts also apply if you were to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy. If your home equity exceeded the allowable exemptions amount, a bankruptcy trustee can force a sale of your home to pay creditors. While the old law did provide protection to SOMe homeowners, it still was not enough to protect those homeowners with higher equity amounts. So, if you have worked hard all your
us that God’s invitation is to a feast as joyous as a wedding feast. His invitation is to joy. “to think of Christianity as a gloomy giving up of everything which brings laughter and sunshine and happy fellowship is to mistake its whole nature. It is to joy that the Christian is invited; and it is joy he misses if he refuses the invitation.” Second, the things which make people deaf to the invita-
the world that we cannot hear the soft invitation of the voice of Christ. third, the appeal of Christ is not so much to think about how we will be punished as it is to see what we will miss if we do not follow his ways. the tragedy of those who refuse to accept God’s invitation is the joy of the wedding banquet—a life filled with grace. Indeed, in the last analysis, God’s invitation is an invitation to grace. As Barclay puts it well, “those who were gathered in from the highways and the byways had no claim on the king at all; they could never by any stretch of the imagination have expected an invitation to the wedding feast; still less could they ever have deserved it. It came to them from nothing other than the wide-armed, open-hearted, generous hospitality of the king. It was grace which offered the invitation and grace which gathered men in.” My friends, may we never miss God’s invitation to a life of joy—the joy of Christian life! *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.
“I can do all things in him who strengthens me!” (Philippians 12:1) tion of Jesus are not necessarily bad in themselves. In the parable, one person went to his farm and the other to his business. they did not engage in an immoral adventure, but instead, they took care of their livelihood. the problem is that they got busy with the things of this world that they forgot the things of eternity. It is true for many of us. As Barclay says, we are often preoccupied with the things that we see that we forget the things which we cannot see, to hear so insistently the claims of
Relief for denied naturalization... ceedings. the n-336 Request for Hearing must be filed within 30 days of receipt of the notice of denial, otherwise the same may be rejected by USCIS. If the USCIS accepts Form n-336, it must schedule a hearing within 180 days of receiving the timely filed Form n-336. the applicant’s n-336 Request for Hearing will be assigned to a new USCIS Officer, who will review the original naturalization application, as well as new evidence or testimony that is submitted with Form n-336. A legal brief may also be submitted arguing that the USCIS made an error in the denial of the naturalization application. At the hearing, the USCIS Officer may conduct a full review and hearing on the naturalization application as though a denial decision has not been made. the USCIS may also conduct a more streamlined review of the application and just focus on the reasons for denial of the naturalization application. While an n-336 Request for Hearing may be a possible remedy for the applicant, there are instances when filing a new n400 Application for naturalization will be the more appropriate remedy. For example, if the applicant fails to meet the continuous presence requirement or the physical presence requirement for naturalization, the applicant should wait and accumulate more time in the US before filing a new n-400 Application
for naturalization. Similarly, if there was a denial based on lack of good moral character during the 5-year statutory period immediately preceding the application for naturalization up to the time of the Oath of Allegiance, the applicant should just wait to reapply for n-400 until 5 years has expired until the incident giving rise to the lack of good moral character determination. For example, if the naturalization applicant is a male green card holder who received his green card between the ages of 18 and 26 and failed to register with the US Selective Service System, it is recommended that the applicant wait until he is 31 years old to file a new n-400 Application for naturalization. *** ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is the principal of SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C. She has been a member of the State Bar of California for over 15 years and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for over 20 years. Atty. Samson received her Legal Management degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School. She was a Professor for over 10 years, teaching Obligations and Contracts, Labor Laws and Social Legislation and Taxation Law. Atty Samson is the author of The Law on Obligations and Contracts (2016), Working with Labor Laws-Revised Edition (2014) and Working with Labor Laws (2005). SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C., 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010; Phone: (213) 274-4561; Email: info@ samsonlawfirmpc.com.
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