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OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 Volume 13 - No. 51 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

US carrier strike group resumes South China Sea operations FOR the third time this year, the U.S. Navy deployed its Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group for maritime security operations in the South China Sea. The carrier strike group comprises forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54).

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Halsey (DDG 97) and USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) are also part of the group, according to an October 15 report from the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

“While in the South China Sea, the strike group is conducting maritime security operations, which include fl ight operations with fi xed and rotary wing aircraft, maritime strike exercises, and coordinated

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Duterte says government ‘succeeding’ in COVID-19 fight

by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — President Duterte says the government is succeeding in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic due to im-

proving COVID-19 data and has thanked the “overworked” members of the Cabinet for the achievement.

During the meeting of the government’s pandemic task force on Monday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III reported that

by MOMAR

OUR LADY OF LA NAVAL. The image of the giant replica of Our Lady of La Naval de Manila sits at the roundabout of Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City on Wednesday, October 21 as motorists pass around the area. The first celebration of the Feast of La Naval de Manila was held on Oct. 8, 1646 in Intramuros, Manila, to mark the naval victory of the Spanish and Filipino Catholic forces against the invading Dutch fleet.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Philstar.com

THE United States has extended P170 million in fresh assistance to the Philippines, this time to bolster the government’s ability to respond to natural disasters that gets complicated with the pandemic.

Funds would train local government officials in areas considered “highly prone” to calamities namely Metro Manila, Samar and Maguindanao and will be coursed through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

The grant will finance training for faster evacuation, early warning systems, and

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G. VISAYA

AJPress

US grants third aid in 2 months to Philippines, this time for calamities Ambassador Petronila Garcia is new NICOLAS CIGARAL

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President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs celebrates Filipino American History Month

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by IAN

the national epidemic curve is on a downward trend while the number of recoveries continues to rise.

COVID-19 policy chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said there has been a notice-

THE President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), during its third open meeting virtually on Thursday, October 15, and in cooperation with the White House Office of Public Liaison and the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI), honored and celebrated Filipino American History Month (FAHM).

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao, and other Senior Administration offi-

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Arrival of almost 28,000 Philippine Consul General in New York young Chinese ‘retirees’ alarms senators

NEW YORK – Ambassador Petronila P. Garcia officially assumed on Tuesday, October 20, her post as Philippine Consul General in New York.

Ambassador Garcia is a career diplomat with the rank of Chief of Mission I who has served the government for 40 years. She previously served as the Philippine Ambassador to Canada from January 2014 to September 2020, becoming the first female PhilConsul General Petronila R. Garcia is a career diplomat ippine Ambassador to Canada since and brings with her 40 years of experience in the

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Philippine foreign service.

by

MELVIN GASCON Inquirer.net

MANILA — Several senators have expressed alarm over the arrival of almost 28,000 Chinese tourists who were allowed to enter the country as retirees, saying this poses a security threat for the Philippines.

During the Senate budget briefing of the Department of Tourism (DOT) on Monday, October 19, Sen. Richard Gordon asked the DOT led by Secretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat to review its policies allowing in as retirees Chinese who are 35, which, he said, is “soldiers’ age.”

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OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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From the Front Page

Jollibee among best fast-food fried chicken in US

by AJPress PHILIPPINE fast-food giant Jollibee’s best-selling Chickenjoy is one of the best fast-food fried chicken options in the United States, according to online magazine, Redbook.

In its “The Best Fast-Food Fried Chicken” article, released on October 13 to celebrate National Fried Chicken Day, Redbook ranked Jollibee as the fourth best fried chicken in the country.

“Jollibee is the Filipino fried chicken chain that’s about to take over the United States,” the magazine said.

“If you’re skeptical, check out this recent New York Times story heralding the chain’s first Manhattan location earlier this year. ‘The pleasures of Chickenjoy, as it’s called, are immediate: The sheath of skin is as craggy as a thunderhead, crannies and crunch multi-

Jollibee’s famous Chickenjoy (center) with other menu favorites, such as Filipino spaghetti and peach mango pie.

AJPress file photo by Momar G. Visaya

plying.’ Uhm, I’ll have some of that, please!” it added.

Jollibee bested other popular fast-food chain restaurants, including McDonald’s, which placed 12th; Kentucky Fried Chicken, ranked 11th; and Shake Shack, ranked sixth.

“Chickenjoy is served in bone-in pieces buckets, or you can opt for Chicken Dippers, which are the boneless tenders. Every order

of chicken is accompanied by a side of their signature gravy for dipping,” Redbook said.

It added, “They also boast a selection of Filipino side dishes unrivaled by any competitor on this list.

Chickenjoy with a side of the famed Jolly Spaghetti? Or, how about Fiesta Noodles (Jollibee’s take on pancit palabok, a classic Filipino

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President Rodrigo Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFEID) core members prior to his talk to the people at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on Monday, October 19.

Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal

Duterte says government ‘succeeding’...

PAGE 1 able reduction of infections in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon due to the cooperation between the national and local governments.

“I am happy to note that there is an improvement in all aspects of the fight against COVID-19. So meaning to say that we are working, we are succeeding and everything is, everybody is putting his effort, sweat here in this task,” Duterte said. “I’d like to thank you.

You are one of the overworked Cabinet members.”

Citing health department data, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said 83.1 percent of active COVID-19 infections are mild cases, 11.3 percent have no symptoms, 2.1 percent are severe and 3.6 percent are critical.

Roque said the number of active cases in the country has dropped from seven percent on Oct. 5 to three percent on Oct. 19. Active cases in Metro Manila, the

epicenter of the pandemic, dropped by 10 percent. The nationwide daily attack rate decreased to 5.9 on Oct. 19 from 6.53 on Oct. 12, while the reproduction rate stood at 0.9567.

The number of recoveries rose to 310,303 as of Oct. 19 while the number of fatalities reached 6,675.

Critical care utilization rate, Roque said, is still below 50 percent, which means that there are still available health facilities for people who will catch the virus.

He said the government is doing everything to ensure that the Philippines would be able to buy enough vaccines.

Roque cited Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez’s efforts to get in touch with the US State Department with regard to the production of vaccines by Pfizer.

He said the Philippine envoy to China Chito Santa Romana is also coordinating with his Chinese counter-

part to ensure that Filipinos would have access to vaccines.

“I think we also have coordination with Israel because apparently, there’s a joint venture between Russian company and an Israeli company,” Roque said.

COVID-19 cases hit 360,775 The number of COVID-19 cases nationwide reached 360,775 with 1,640 new infections recorded yesterday, the Department of Health (DOH) said.

Of the figure, the DOH said 310,642 have recovered.

According to the DOH, 91 percent or 1,487 of the new cases were reported in the past 14 days. National Capital Region accounted for 25 percent of the new infections.

The number of fatalities rose to 6,690 with the addition of 17 new deaths.

Metro Manila and Zamboanga Peninsula posted five

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US grants third aid in 2 months to...

PAGE 1 quicker delivery of relief to affected communities, while ensuring health protocols like social distancing are observed.

“Through this assistance, we hope that Filipino communities are able to prepare, mitigate, and recover quickly from the negative impacts of natural disasters,” U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Law was quoted as saying in a statement by the U.S. Embassy.

This is the third assistance USAID has granted Philippines in 2 months. In late September, the aid agency announced giving out $213 million to support health, education and environmental protection initiatives. Nearly a week ago, the finance department also announced a similar amount to build up public finance capacities and develop the capital markets, among others.

The aid was also timely as the Philippines deal with the

expected damage from tropical storm Pepito, the 16th storm to have entered this year and is set to make its first landfall in Aurora province on Tuesday. On average, around 20 storms and typhoons visit the country every year.

“As a friend, partner, and ally of the Filipino people, we are proud of our partnership with the Philippine government and the great strides we have made to boost the country’s resilience against natural calamities,” Law said. n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23-29, 2020

OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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President’s Advisory Commission on...

PAGE 1 cials from the White House, U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Commerce, thanked the numerous Filipino Americans on the frontlines.

Chao talked about the “hundreds of thousands of Filipino health care workers on the frontlines” and that America is grateful for the many contributions of the community.

“I am pleased that we are here today to celebrate Filipino American History Month.

I am especially thankful to the frontliners, many of them Filipinos, are taking personal risks to save so many lives and keep our country safe, healthy, and whole,” Ross, WHIAAPI co-chair, echoed.

Ross also acknowledged Fil-Ams for being “famously entrepreneurial” and cited Pedro Flores, who invented the yoyo and began an enterprise in California.

“Many of the nation’s 1.9 million AAPI-owned companies have suffered a dramatic loss of business due to the pandemic,” he said, adding that with the right policies in place, the country’s businesses will soon enter the recovery phase.

Filipinos in the Trump administration Three Filipino Americans who are a part of the Trump administration as senior officers also joined the virtual celebration.

Vic Mercado, among the high-level Filipinos in the Trump cabinet, works at the Department of Defense as Assistant Secretary for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities.

Prior to his current position, Mercado served in the U.S. Navy for 35 years where he held various acquisition and engineering leadership roles. until his retirement in November 2018.

He is responsible for advising the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy on national security and defense strategy; the forces, contingency plans, and associated posture

The President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs held a virtual Filipino American History Month celebration on Thursday, October 15.

JOKOY DAY IN SAN DIEGO. San Diego City Councilmember Chris Cate (right) with Jo Koy and emcee, Melissa Mecija of 10News at last week’s event which recognized the world-renowned stand up comedian. Cate, a second-generation Filipino American also proclaimed Jo Koy Day in celebration of Filipino American History Month Ceremony.

Photo courtesy of San Diego District 6 staff

US carrier strike group resumes South China...

Victor Mercado

necessary to implement the defense strategy; nuclear deterrence and missile defense policy; and security cooperation plans and policies.

Mercado joined the virtual meeting from his office at the Pentagon. He said he was looking forward to the month of October when Filipino American History Month is celebrated.

“We have such a rich and diverse culture and our history in this country goes way back, centuries back,” he said.

He shared a few stories about his trip to the Philippines a few years ago and called it “extraordinary,” particularly his experience when he visited the American cemetery, which at 152 acres, is the largest in terms of the number of graves with about 17,000 military members who died in World War II. “I have an uncle I never met, his name was Serapio Guerrero and he was a

Kelly Ilagan

Ninio Fetalvo

Filipino Scout who died at the Bataan Death March on July 4, 1942 and was one of 75,000 Filipinos and Americans who fought in the war.

The cemetery in Manila symbolizes the beautiful relationship between the United States and the Philippines,” Mercado said.

Kelly Ilagan is a senior advisor at the Department of

PAGE 1 tactical training between surface and air units,” the report read.

Read.

Adm. George Wikoff, commander of the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, said their deployment demonstrates Washington’s commitment to the lawful use of the seas.

“The focus of our operations has always been, and will continue to be, cooperation alongside our Indo-Pacific allies and partners in promoting regional stability,” Wikoff said.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet also deployed its destroyer squadrons (DESRON) in the South China Sea to practice operations in a tactical environment.

Personnel of DESRON 7 and DESRON 15 went aboard USS Ronald Reagan for the activity during the exercise

Valiant Shield, according to another U.S. Pacific Fleet report also dated October 15.

Capt. Tom Ogden, deputy commodore of DESRON 7, said his team looks for all opportunities to improve warfighting skills.

“Sitting next to DESRON 15 in high-level live training while underway as they executed sea combat commander provided a second to none training opportunity to refine our operational skills; a critically important task as we operate in the dynamic U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility,” Ogden said.

DESRON 7 serves as the U.S. 7th Fleet’s primary tactical and operational commander of littoral combat ships deployed to Singapore.

DESRON 15, on the other hand, is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed destroyer squadron.

In July, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that Washington would be strengthening its maritime claims in the South China Sea, countering China’s “bullying” in the contested waterway. “[China] has no legal grounds to impose its will on the region and claims resources off the coasts of Southeast Asian states,” Pompeo earlier said.

More than a month after Pompeo’s declaration, the U.S. Commerce Department placed 24 Chinese stateowned firms in its “entity list”, blocking exports of U.S. goods and materials.

The sanctions were given to companies involved in building artificial islands in the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com) n

Arrival of almost 28,000 young...

PAGE 1 “They (Chinese) choose the Philippines [as destination] because they can go back and forth without visa. With a re-

tirement visa, they can have multiple visa. That is dangerous. I didn’t know that. I’m disturbed by it,” Gordon said.

He made the statement

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on responses made by Bienvenido Chy, general manager of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA), an attached

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Duterte says government ‘succeeding’... Ambassador Petronila Garcia is new...

PAGE 2 deaths each. Central Luzon and Cordillera Autonomous Region recorded two fatalities each.

Meanwhile, the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) yesterday renewed its appeal for the mandatory testing of locally stranded

individuals (LSIs) for COVID-19.

LPP president and Marinduque Gov. Presbitero Velasco made the call after he and other governors noticed a surge in COVID-19 cases in the provinces.

He said local government units (LGUs) hosting LSIs

should subject them to RTPCR or antigen tests before allowing travel to their home provinces.

Velasco noted a local transmission in Marinduque, which he attributed to the entry of LSIs. – Edith Regalado, Mayen Jaymalin, Emmanuel Tupas n

PAGE 1 diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1949. She also served as the Philippine Ambassador to Israel from 2007 to 2011 and the first woman Ambassador assigned by the Philippines to an Arab country, the Arab Republic of Egypt, with concurrent juris-

diction over Sudan from 2004 to 2007. Her other foreign assignments include the following: Minister and Chargé d’affaires, a.i.at the Philippine Embassy in South Korea from 1997 to 1999; Counsellor and Chargé d’affaires, a.i.at the Philippine Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa from 1995 to 1997; Counsellor at the Phil-

ippine Embassy in Tel Aviv from 1993 to 1995; Consul at the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney, Australia from 1987 to 1992; and Third Secretary and Consul at the Philippine Embassy in Singapore from 1984 to 1987.

In the Home Office, Ambassador Garcia held the position

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OPINION

5

FeATUres

The ultimate betrayal

FOR many years now, the United Nations, the World Bank and other organizations have focused on corruption as one of the biggest hindrances to development and a major contributor to poverty. The organizations have estimated that global economic losses from corruption amount to billions every year.

Basic services as well as the construction of critical infrastructure such as roads have suffered as public funds are diverted to private pockets. In 2009, for example, the World Bank barred several Chinese and Philippine contractors from participating in road projects funded by the bank, for collusion in bidding for certain projects in this country. Today the companies continue to operate in the Philippines.

Corruption has not taken a rest during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the UN warned over the weekend that responses to the virus were opening new opportunities to exploit weak oversight and lack of transparency in governance, allowing crooks to divert public funds to personal coffers. The impact of this “ultimate betrayal” of public trust, the UN said, could be more damaging than COVID. It

could also further derail global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN warned.

The UN has also pointed out that collusion among those who control supply chains has led to unconscionable price increases of items needed for COVID treatment and containment responses. This has denied life-saving treatment to those who can’t afford it, the UN lamented.

While calling for transparency and accountability in governance, the UN has also urged private businesses to act responsibly. It also reminded governments about the UN Convention Against Corruption, a legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2003. The Philippines is one of the 187 state parties to the convention. Most of the state parties have

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

ratified, accepted, approved and acceded to the anti-corruption treaty, which came into force in 2005.

Amid the COVID health crisis, the Philippines continues to be rocked by corruption scandals, including one involving an agency

directly involved in the pandemic response, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. President Duterte has said fighting corruption is one of his top priorities. The World Bank warning adds urgency to the task. (Philstar. com)

Fact-checking Trump’s claim about Biden’s stance on abortion and what it truly means to be pro-life

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS MY mother who lives in Manila frantically asked me during a phone conversation lately about what she called “black propaganda” against Joe Biden relayed to her by my sister-in-law which I think she must have heard from Filipino Trump supporters visiting in Manila.

Mom said it is about

Trump claiming repeatedly that Biden supports late-term abortion, even when the baby is already viable to survive.

This is false.

FACT: Trump knowingly and maliciously fabricated misrepresentation and lies about Biden’s stand on abortion to elicit disgust and hate.

He crafted that messaging with the goal to deceive and misinform. That is discussed

below based on the reporting

by Newsweek.

FACT: Biden has reiterated his position on Roe V. Wade, a 1973 Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion nationwide which gives women the constitutional right to make a choice on her body’s reproductive system.

“I’m very pro-choice. I hate the concept of abortion… But you still — I just believe in

choice,” Biden said, pursuant to the law of the land. “I accept church rule personally, but not in public life,” he continued, alluding to his obligation as public officials to follow the laws according to the Constitution’s separation of Church and State. A devout practicing Catholic, Biden’s sentiments about abortion have evolved, but his decisions as a public servant al-

ways followed the law.

FACT: Biden is pro-choice and pro-life. Supporting abortion rights is not the same as mandating abortions. Biden honors and protects life from womb to tomb, and the Affordable Care Act of the Obama-Biden administration dramatically lowered abortion rates through women’s access to health care and information, contraceptives,

so that she can choose when she is responsibly ready to conceive a child, thereby, not having to resort to abortion.

This is backed by the studies conducted by Guttmacher Institute.

FACT: The same results are revealed in studies done globally. The Kaiser Family Foundation published several studies on this on July 24, 2020.

PAGE 10

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

Duterte takes responsibility DOT: Hotels in GCQ, MGCQ areas for drug killings anew can operate at full capacity by ritchel

MenDiola AJPress

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte took responsibility anew for the killings committed under his campaign against illegal drugs.

However, he insisted he was not to blame for the deaths with unknown perpetrators.

“If there are deaths, I said... you can hold me responsible for anything, any death that has occurred in the execution of the drug war. But do not blame me for deaths whose perpetrators are not known,” Duterte said in his televised public address on Monday, October 19.

The chief executive also claimed he is willing to go to jail for the drug-related deaths.

“If you die, that’s because I am angry with drugs. That’s what I am saying. If you bring me to court or send me to jail, fine, I have no problem. If I serve my country by going to jail, gladly,” he said.

Duterte likewise maintained that he is not commit-

ting crimes against humanity with his crackdown on drugs.

“Kailan pa naging humanity itong p***** i** mga drug na ito (Since when did these sons of b*****s become part of humanity)?” he said.

“If this is allowed to go on and on and if no decisive action is taken against them, it will endanger the security of the state,” he added.

PH still in the ‘thick of fight’ vs drugs Citing the 2019 National Household Survey on the Patterns and Trends of Drug Abuse by the Dangerous Drugs Board, Duterte said that there are “about 167 million or two out of 100 people” who are reportedly current drug users in the country.

“In the past, ‘yung panahon nila Dela Rosa, umabot ‘yan ng (during the time of [now senator Ronald] Dela Rosa), almost 4 million. And how much has been reduced in the use of shabu? I really do not know until now. But we are still in the thick of the fight against shabu,” he said.

On Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque

clarified that the figure that Duterte stated was a typographical error.

“Typo lang po ‘yun (It was just a typo). It should be 1.67 million,” he said.

Duterte addressed the parents of Filipinos who are using drugs, saying they are also to blame for the country’s situation.

“I forgot this important advice that parents should have also — a shared responsibility. Dapat kayo rin ang masisi nito kung ang inyong anak pupunta na doon. Pinabayaan ninyo (You should also take the blame if your child gets involved with drugs. You neglected them). Check on your children always. Supervise, check,” he said.

He also admitted that he grieves for drug users, reasoning that it is “a waste of life.”

“I grieve for the Filipinos na tinamaan ng droga. Talagang masakit sa akin because a waste of life (I grieve for the Filipinos affected by illegal drugs. It really pains me because it’s a waste of life),” Duterte said. n

‘Pastillas scheme’ bribe takers got P40 billion from Chinese – Hontiveros

by DJ

Yap Inquirer.net

MANILA — Corrupt immigration officers have pocketed some P40 billion in bribe money since 2017 by facilitating the entry of Chinese nationals or assisting the departure of trafficked people at the airport, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said in a Senate hearing on Tuesday, October 20.

Hontiveros said the socalled pastillas scheme generated some P30 billion in kickbacks from 3.8 million Chinese arrivals shared among officers at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and P2 billion in bribes from Chinese tourists under the visa-upon-arrival (VUA) racket.

The rest was reportedly earned through payola for the hassle-free departure of traf-

ficked people, she said.

“We will get to the bottom of this. This house of cards will fall. It is not a matter of if but when,” Hontiveros said at the seventh hearing of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality on the moneymaking scams in the bureau.

The pastillas scheme—socalled because the bribe monPAGE 10

Ambassador Petronila Garcia is new...

PAGE 4 of Assistant Secretary at the Office of Middle East and African Affairs from 2011 to 2014.

She also served as Executive Director at the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs from 2003 to 2004, Executive Director at the United Nations and International Organizations from 2002 to 2003, Special Assistant at the Public Informa-

tion Services Unit from 2000 to 2002, Head of the Department Legislative Liaison Unit from 1999 to 2000, Director at the Office of Middle East and African Affairs from 1991 to 1993, Assistant Director at the Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs from 1983 to 1984, Assistant Director at the Office of European Affairs from 1983 to 1985 and Principal Assistant at the United Nations and

International Organizations from 1981 to 1983.

Ambassador Garcia joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1981, after passing the Foreign Service Officer’s examination. She also passed the Career Minister’s examination in 1994.

Ambassador Garcia replaced Ambassador Claro S. Cristobal who retired from the service. n

by aJpress

HOTELS in areas under the modified general community quarantine and general community quarantine are now allowed to operate at full capacity, the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) announced on Wednesday, October 21.

“The decision to open at 100 percent operational capacity will be subject to the hotel management’s decision and compliance with the safety guidelines,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.

The announcement came after the DOT was given the authority by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to determine the allowable operational capacity of up to 100 percent for hotels under GCQ and MGCQ areas.

The IATF on Oct. 15 approved Resolution No. 79, which replaces the provision that accommodation establishments in areas under GCQ may only operate with a skeleton workforce.

The resolution also approved the easing up of interzonal and intrazonal movement, which is the predicate to reviving domestic tourism, according to Puyat.

CHECK-IN. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat tries the process to checkin during the inspection of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in BGC Taguig City on Wednesday, October 14. Puyat also underwent a swab test at the hotel to comply with the government health protocol.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

“Along with this comes the need to ready the whole tourism value chain, which includes the accommodation, transportation and tour operation sectors. Allowing the accommodation sector to operate at full capacity will be most welcomed by tourism’s workforce that has been greatly affected since the community lockdown,” she added.

Puyat also said that the DOT will soon issue the amended guidelines for the expanded operational capacity of hotels, including staycation hotels.

Earlier, she directed hotels and other tourism establishments in areas under GCQ to

Arrival of almost...

PAGE 4 agency of the DOT. According to Chy, present PRA policies allow the entry of retirees age 35 and up, with at least $50,000 (about P2.5 million) cash on hand.

Sen. Nancy Binay wondered whether the PRA has sufficient funds to monitor the foreign retirees and make sure that they are not taking jobs away from Filipinos.

High number “My concern is the high number of Chinese retirees.

I don’t know if you have the budget to monitor that these are not actually working in [Philippine offshore gaming operations] because if their demographics is 35 years, the probability of them working is high,” Binay said.

PRA records showed that about 28,000 Chinese, or about 40 percent of all foreign

retirees, have been allowed entry into the country, followed by 14,200 Koreans.

“I don’t have a problem with Korea, but we have a problem with our neighbor (China) and 35 years old is soldiers’ age,” Gordon said.

Sen. Joel Villanueva also raised concern over the PRA data, as about 6,700 illegal Chinese workers were arrested last year by the Department of Labor and Employment.

“Most of them came here with the intention of becoming tourists in the country and then afterward, they’ll be working illegally,” he said.

National security concern Other foreign retirees in the country consist of about 6,100 Indians, 4,850 Taiwanese, 4,000 Japanese, 3,700 Americans, 1,870 Hong Kong Chinese, 1,600 British, 800 Germans, 750 Australians

secure a DOT Certificate of Authority to Operate for Staycations (DCAOS) before accommodating any guests.

The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA), for its part, welcomed the new development.

“We thank the Secretary for her support to really slowly reopen business as it will benefit the establishments along with employees going back to work. We fully understand the importance of sanitation, safety, and strict adherence to the protocols which have been implemented since the start,” HSMA president Christine Ibarreta said. n and about 4,500 from other nationalities, according to the PRA. Gordon said the large number of Chinese retirees raises a “national security concern.”

“Their number is equal to 27 (Army) regiments; that’s dangerous. Why would they retire here at 35?” he said.

Gordon urged the PRA board to review its current policies on allowing the entry of retiring foreigners.

“I suggest Secretary Puyat, you better look into this very rapidly and give us a formal report on this,” the senator said.

Gordon said the Senate committee on tourism should also conduct an inquiry with the aim of amending the law and to attract more of the old population from other countries, such as Japan and the United States.

“Retirees, as you know, retire at the average of 56 to 60, to 65 years old,” Gordon said.

OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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President’s Advisory Commission on...

PAGE 4 Commerce for International Trade Administration. Born and raised in Michigan, Ilagan shared that both her parents are nurses and instilled in her Filipino values.

“They taught me to just work hard to achieve that American dream that our ancestors dreamt for us,” she shared. She acknowledged the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of Filipinos, especially those who opened small stores and restaurants across America.

As a small kid growing up in Detroit, she said she looked forward to their trips to the Filipino and Asian markets and restaurants.

Ninio Fetalvo, White House communications advisor, shared Ilagan’s sentiments and paid tribute to his parents who taught and instilled in him Filipino values.

“Who would have thought that a son of immigrants who grew up in Port Charlotte, Florida would be serving the President of the United States? I am so proud of the great strides we have made to make this a better country,” he shared.

Fetalvo added that his mother and sister both work as nurses, and just like the rest of the frontliners, have been working round the clock to beat the coronavirus pandemic.

“We grieve alongside every family who has lost a loved one due to COVID-19.

The administration has been doing unprecedented efforts in making sure that a safe and effective vaccine will be available to all Americans,” Fetalvo said. “We are not cutting corners, we are on track and we hope to distribute 100 million doses before the end of the year.”

Herman Martir, a commissioner on President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs, led the program, which was also attended by Brendan Flores, National Chairman of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), Tina Wei Smith, Executive Director of WHIAAPI and Alex Flemister, Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison.

Celebrating Filipino The White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacif-

ic Islanders’ Facebook page highlighted the achievements of several Filipino Americans in honor of FAHM. Among those they have featured are Shirlene D. Ostrov, President & CEO of Ares Mobility Solutions Inc. and Co-owner of Adaptive Cargo Solutions; Richard Felicelda, who is a teacher by profession and a businessman at heart, and founder of StarLab; Marie Cunning, owner and operator of Arizona Discount Flooring, LLC, Altair Realty, LLC, and the President and CEO of Arista Development, Inc. and Michele and Andy Rivera, who are cofounders of My E Three.

The Rivera couple’s wedding and events photography business was badly affected

by COVID-19, so they had to pivot their business and innovate. When there was a need and demand for face masks, the Riveras refocused My E Three, a Chicago-based lifestyle and wellness brand selling activewear products, to designing and selling quality face coverings.

To date, they have donated 1,000 masks to the underprivileged populations and

Jollibee among best...

PAGE 4 shrimp and noodle dish).

Still hungry? Grab a Peach Mango Pie or Halo-Halo for dessert. Yes, all of this is available, and actually good, at a fast food chain.”

Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) welcomed the ranking.

“We couldn’t be happier of this recognition, as it goes to show that our Chickenjoy is truly world-class.

We see customers continuing to come in droves to our stores because of their love for Chickenjoy,” said JFC North America President Rowel Vijandre.

“This is also why Jollibee North America continues to do well and is outperforming the QSR industry with positive systemwide sales growth despite the pandemic. We are grateful to our customers and will always

be happy to serve them the best Chickenjoy that they deserve,” he added.

Jollibee has 45 stores in the U.S. and will open more branches in Florida, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Texas, Nevada, California, and Hawaii. It also has 10 stores in Canada with plans to open more branches in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec this year. n

health workers in the Philippines. In honor of Filipino American History Month, for every mask they sell, the Riveras will donate a mask to a Filipino charity or non-profit in the U.S. Cunning, on theater hand, is the National President of Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce (FPACC) and on the Board of Trustees for National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA). She is also the Founder and President of the Filipino American Business Chamber of Commerce of Arizona.

Felicelda immigrated to the U.S. in 2008 and made

the jump to the healthcare industry. He started his own business, StarLab in 2011, offering phlebotomy services and diagnostic specimen testing. Last April, it was one of the first labs in Illinois to respond to the pandemic by providing COVID-19 PCR testing and continues to be at the forefront of meeting the needs of the community through this pandemic. He is a recipient of the Emerging Leaders U.S. SBA initiative, and believes in setting higher standards for laboratory services.

Ostrov served 23 years of active duty service in the United States Air Force as a

Colonel. A politically active community leader, she takes pride in her extensive combat experience commanding military logistics operations around the world.

Filipino American History Month is a chance for Fil-Am communities to commemorate the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the U.S. when Filipinos arrived in present-day Morro Bay, California aboard the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza on October 18, 1587.

U.S. Congress officially recognized October as Filipino American History Month in 2009. n

10

OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

DECISIONS 2020 : Comparing Trump... ‘Pastillas scheme’ bribe takers got...

PAGE 5 “Global rates of unintended pregnancies have fallen from 79 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 49 in 1990 to 64 in 2019, thanks in part to a concerted effort to increase access to contraceptives, according to new data published by health research organization the Guttmacher Institute and the U.N. Human Reproduction Programme (HRP).”

FACT: “No evidence’ that legal restrictions prevent women seeking abortions. In fact, according to research published on Wednesday in the Lancet Global Health journal, the abortion rate increased by an average of 12% between 1990 and 2019 in 107 nations with restrictive laws. But in countries where the procedure is broadly legal, the abortion rate dropped by eight percent.”

My husband and I are practicing Catholics. My husband is a doctor who took the Hippocratic oath to protect and save lives and “do no harm.”

While we personally choose not to have an abortion, if someone asks for our advice, we will share how we feel about it and other options she may consider, BUT we do not encroach on other people’s choices and other women’s reproductive rights, trusting they also uphold life and will benefit much from compassionate care and help during moments of desperation.

Ask yourself: Trump used to be pro-choice. He just aligned himself with the Republicans and out of political expediency, called himself “pro-life”. What has Trump done to protect the life of the American people?

Did Trump choose life when he downplayed the threat of the virus and continue to discredit and deny science, facts, and health officials that has resulted in the deaths of more than 221,000 Americans and the infections of more than 8.28 million and counting?

Did Trump choose life when he took the battle to abolish the Affordable Care Act all the way to the Supreme Court during the pandemic without a real concrete well thought of a pro-people plan that may immediately be implemented to save the lives of the American people? Include the sick, the elderly, or the disabled?

An executive order by Trump would not deliver what the Obama-Biden health care has done to help the American people.

Did Trump choose life

when he tried to take away safety nets like food stamps, unemployment insurance from those who have lost their jobs? Social security and Medicare for the sick, the elderly and the disabled?

Did Trump choose life when he would give corporate hand-outs to the billionaires and help them get insanely richer and richer as the poor ordinary hardworking Americans are denied a living wage, affordable education, and good health care that will help them get out of poverty?

Did Trump choose life when he separated babies and young children from their parents who were desperate to save their children from hunger and violence in their country when they tried to cross the US-Mexico border to seek asylum in the United States, and up to now, after almost four years, the Trump Administration still could not locate the parents of some 545 babies and children -- all living without their mothers and fathers for almost four years. Is this humane? Is this pro-life?

Did Trump choose life when he obsessively killed all of President Barack Obama’s regulations meant to help save nature and the environment from man’s greedy short-sighted abuse so we can leave behind a healthy planet for our children, grandchildren and future generations?

Trump’s action is not what true pro-life is. True pro-life is not just anti-abortion. It is honoring and nurturing life from womb to tomb, especially helping those who are most vulnerable and the poor.

Pro-life is also helping every woman not to choose abortion by empowering her from the beginning with knowledge about her reproductive system, how to avoid unwanted pregnancy, how to be healthy and well to take care of her baby not just inside the womb but until the baby is an adult, raised with good health care, education, good moral foundation to be good people and productive members of society.

Pro-life is helping a woman in despair with compassion in realizing that she has options other than abortion, because there are people who will help her through instead of crucifying her. Abortion restrictions did not stop women in despair from self-aborting. Only true love, empathy, compassion and support help and heal.

So, let’s do ourselves a favor and let us fulfill our obligation of due diligence in finding out the truth about issues so we can make informed and conscientious decisions when we cast our sacred vote. Doing otherwise is a mark of blind idolatry to Trump and complicity to his malicious disinformation to perpetuate his corruption and abuse of power.

Trump tweeted at 4:45 a.m. on Oct 6, 2020: “Biden and Democrats just clarified the fact that they are fully in favor of (very) LATE TERM ABORTION, right up until the time of birth, and beyond - which would be execution. Biden even endorsed the Governor of Virginia, who stated this clearly for all to hear. GET OUT & VOTE!!!”

FACT: Newsweek followed how Trump crafted these false claims and disinformation about Biden’s position on abortion: The Supreme Court’s rulings in Roe and in Planned Parenthood v. Casey say that states may ban abortion after the fetus reaches viability, which typically occurs near the end of the second trimester, according to the fact-checking service Logically. The cases mandate that states with such bans must allow an exception if it’s necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother—which some conservatives interpret as the law allowing for lateterm abortions.

When the Washington Post asked whether Biden supported restrictions, a campaign representative said that Biden believes in the terms laid out by Roe and Casey.

One such state is Virginia, where current law says that third-trimester abortions are permitted only if the risk to the mother’s life is “substantial and irremediable.” Last year, state Democrats proposed legislation that would allow for late-term abortions if the mother’s physical or mental safety were at risk.

Although the bill ultimately stalled in a committee, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, a Democrat, defended it during an interview with radio station WTOP. Northam, a pediatric neurosurgeon, explained what could happen in the case of a third trimester abortion if the bill was passed.

Northam’s comments sparked immediate outrage among prominent Republican figures, accusing the governor of favoring infanti-

PAGE 7 ey is rolled in white wrapper like the milk candy—involved BI officers who allowed the smooth entry of Chinese nationals to the country in exchange for a P10,000 “service fee.” Many of the Chinese tourists intended to work for Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos).

“Our estimate is that the masterminds have pocketed P30 billion. That’s based on the arrival data of Chinese nationals who are non-VUA. As for VUA, another revenue stream, the kickbacks go straight into the pockets of some officials,” Hontiveros said.

Based on BI figures, some 4 million Chinese nationals have entered the country since 2017.

“The numbers are staggering,’’ Hontiveros said, pointing out that the figure was even higher than the entire population of Quezon City, the most populous city in Metro Manila with 3 million residents. (See related story on Page A5.)

Of the 4 million Chinese, some 3.8 million were nonVUA applicants, while around 150,000 were VUA applicants, according to the senator.

About 3 million of the nonVUA applicants were believed to have paid the extra P10,000 “service fee’’ in the pastillas scam, based on the testimonies of whistleblowers Allison Chiong and Jeffrey Dale Ignacio.

“The cash enters the airport and is distributed among the IOs (immigration officers),” Hontiveros said.

As for questionable VUA

transactions, the bribe allegedly goes “straight to the main office,” where the visas are approved, the senator said.

Chiong earlier identified Red Mariñas, who was chief of the bureau’s Ports Operations Division before he retired, and his subordinate, Erwin Ortañez, chief of the Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU), as the leaders of the racket.

He named those working under Ortañez as Glen Comia, Bien Guevarra and Danieve Binsol, who handled Terminals 1 to 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport and their deputies Billy Cadang, Anthony Lopez and Arlan Mendoza.

None of these officials were among the 19 recommended for prosecution by the National Bureau of Investigation to the Ombudsman, Chiong said. “They are the bosses.

The bosses hold positions in TCEU because TCEU is the one in control. That is the backbone of the syndicate,” he told a Senate hearing on Sept. 22.

Mariñases Red Mariñas, along with his father, Maynardo, who headed the Special Operations Communications Unit before his retirement, appeared at Tuesday’s hearing to deny his involvement in the scam.

He also denied having a contact in the Office of the Ombudsman as Chiong allegedly claimed in a meeting with Ignacio.

But in the same hearing, Chiong said Red Mariñas achieved notoriety at the airport because he allegedly used the proceeds of the

pastillas racket to fund his 2019 campaign for mayor of Muntinlupa City. Mariñas ran under the National Unity Party and lost to reelectionist Jaime Fresnedi of the Liberal Party.

“The Mariñas family has profited greatly from this, but the question remains: Who are their protectors?” Hontiveros said.

Based on a copy of Red Mariñas’ statement of contributions and expenditures for his poll campaign obtained by the senator’s office, the former immigration official declared P1 million in expenses.

“One million pesos to run for mayor? That’s not even enough to run for barangay captain,’’ Hontiveros said.

‘Meant for Chinese’ At the hearing, Aguirre, who quit his post in April 2018, confirmed that his order was “meant for Chinese nationals,” but he said he had no role in the implementation of the VUA policy.

“The best person to answer that is the commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration,” he said.

Hontiveros said the BI rackets practically rolled out the red carpet for the “online gambling industry and the cross-border trafficking of women.”

Such huge amounts of cash were enough for public officers who had just lost their overtime pay to “live the high life, drinking expensive alcohol in high-class nightclubs and vacationing abroad almost monthly,” Hontiveros said, noting that there was even money to finance a run for election. n

cide. Even Trump weighed in, falsely claiming in his 2019 State of the Union address that Northam had “stated he would execute a baby after birth.”

The president was likely referring to Northam’s comments in his tweet Wednesday, moving to equate Biden with the governor. While Biden previously endorsed Northam during his 2017 campaign for governor, Biden was among those calling for his resignation last year after a racist photo from Northam’s 1984 medical school yearbook resurfaced.

Appearing at a September 25 campaign rally in Newport News, Virginia, Trump doubled down on his criticism of Northam, telling the crowd they have a “crazy governor” who is “so far left” and constantly attacks the right to life.

“As you know, sleepy Joe Biden endorsed your governor, so that means he endorsed the policy of your governor,” Trump said.

According to the New York Times, “The statistics hardly justify Trump’s description of babies being ripped from the womb — a horror story he has repeated dozens of times.

About 1 percent of abortions happen after the point of viability, so the cases at issue in this debate would be relatively rare.”

Yet, we are inundated with disgusting memes and videos telling these lies versus Biden and his running mate, California Senator Kamala Harris, with the help of Russia’s interference in our election to discredit opponents and help Trump win again, as revealed

by Trump’s own appointee FBI director Christopher Wray, under oath in a con-

gressional hearing.

Trump is just nominally, by name, pro-life to get your vote, but not in his attitude and action as president and as a human being.

For the past four years, Trump has spread misinformation. And now, being behind Biden in the polls, he is doubling down on the falsehoods to get re-elected.

Vote Biden-Harris to save the decency, unity, democracy and soul of America and the American people. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23-29, 2020

COMMUNITY Journal

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ DEAR Attorney Gurfinkel: I immigrated to the U.S. in 2008 through my mother’s F-3 petition (married son/daughter of U.S. citizen), which she filed in 1990. At the time my petition was filed, my son was only six years old.

By the time the priority date became current and my visa was issued, I was told he had “aged out,” and had to be left behind. I have not consulted with any attorney yet, but I want to know if he could have been covered by the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), and can he still come to the U.S. under my mother’s petition?

Very truly yours, LG

11

Why didn’t you file a petition already?

Dear LG: With regard to your child’s eligibility for a visa under the CSPA, I want to emphasize to everyone that eligibility is NOT based on the child’s age when the petition was filed, but instead on the child’s age when the priority date becomes current. Therefore, the fact that a child may have only been a baby, six years old, etc. when the petition was filed does not have any bearing on CSPA eligibility.

(The only exception to this rule is when a U.S. citizen is petitioning his or her minor child. In that case the petition must be filed before the child’s 21st birthday.)

There is a complex mathematical formula to determine a child’s CSPA eligibility. In your particular case, based on

that mathematical formula, your child’s CSPA age came out to be over 21. However, what makes me sad in your particular case is that you immigrated in 2008, and could have immediately filed your own petition for your adult single child in the F-2B category. Right now, they are already processing adult single children of immigrants who were petitioned in 2011. Had you filed your petition as soon as you got your green card in 2008, your adult single child could have already been here by now. So, all those years were wasted or lost, while you were wondering or thinking about options or solutions and waiting over 12 years to consult with an attorney.

This is a very common situPAGE 12

More Answers to Your IMMIgrAtIon QuestIons on CItIzen PInoY, “Your tAnong MY sAgot”. on a brand new episode of Citizen Pinoy, Atty. gurfinkel answers many important immigration questions from viewers. Maria from Dover, De (top right) asks whether her son is eligible for a visa under the Child status Protection Act when he aged out in 2011. Meanwhile, Janet of Chicago, IL would like to know how many more years does her family need to wait for her siblings’ visas to be approved? Their priority dates are all in 1998, and the nVC is already processing cases from 2002! these are just some of the questions that Attorney gurfinkel (left) will answer on a brand-new episode of --- CItIzen PInoY: Your tanong, My sagot, this sunday at 6:15 pm Pst/est (9:15 pm est thru select Cable/satellite providers).

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OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS A GROUP of 10 physicians, dressed in white coats, with the logo America’s Frontline Doctors on their uniform, spoke in front of the Supreme Court a few weeks ago, claiming, among others, that face masks do not protect anyone from getting infected with COVID-19, and, therefore, useless. Investigation revealed most of them never even got close to COVID-19 patients, much less front-liners, and that some of them were not even practicing, none of them surgeon or infectious disease experts.

Their claims are preposterous and a public disservice, a disgrace to the medical community. Fake information that poses a risk to life is criminal.

Science behind the advice The rationale for the recommendations to wear a face mask, do social distancing, not touching your face, frequent hand washing, and good personal hygiene (and even staying home for the most vulnerable seniors) is to minimize, if not avoid, the SARS-CoV2 virus of COVID-19 from getting into our body, through the mucus membrane of the eyes (conjunctiva), the nose (nasal mucosa), and the mouth (buccal mucosa) into our blood stream, leading to COVID-19 infection.

The size of the SARS-Cov2 virus determined by electron microscopy is between 60 to 140 nanometers, our invisible enemy. The virus is spread by droplets, which is “sprayed out” when an infected person breathes, talks, sneezes, or coughs. Depending on the air current velocity, the larger size virus, after a few seconds of release in the air will drop to the floor (could contaminate the shoes), and the smaller ones could be airborne and travel farther than 6 feet, infecting people through airborne transmission. Infectivity depends on the dose (number of virus particles), the integrity of the person’s immune system, comorbidities (medical conditions the individual has), and health in general.

Viral dose A single cough could spray out 3,000 droplets that travel 50 miles per hour. Majority are large and simply fall to the ground. One sneeze

The mask confusion shoots out 30,000 droplets at a speed of 200 miles per hour. The smaller ones are airborne and could travel distances, depending on the air current. The droplets from a single cough or sneeze by an infected person (symptomatic or not) could contain 200,000,000 (yes, millions!) of virus particles. A person infected with COVID-19 could be infectious (transmit to others) 5 days before the symptoms appear. It is, indeed, treacherous. This was why I had been saying early on (February) “that a little dose of healthy paranoia and vigilance are most beneficial in minimizing the risk of getting infected,” to suspect everyone near you in public places to be a carrier/infected. Wearing a face mask and social distancing (avoiding close contacts and crowds) are beneficial. In my personal case, I also wear long sleeve shirt, a cap, protective google, and gloves when going to stores. As a surgeon and a high-risk senior, I do not think this is an overkill, not fearful but cautious. The virus is obviously more infectious (more efficient) in close quarters, compared to the outside, where the air could scatter and diminish the concentration and dose of the virus.

Type of mask The US-CDC and the WHO recommend the use of N95 mask approved by the National Institute of Occupational Science and Health (NIOSH), which filters out 95 percent of the viral particles, especially good for healthcare workers. Homemade non-woven (material) masks are a second choice, especially the triple layered ones (coffee filters as added layers). It is important that the mask must cover the nose and the mouth, and that it fits snugly all around the face, to prevent virus particles from being inhaled. The use of mask does not guarantee 100 percent warding off infection. That does not mean we should discard them.

Home or car security alarms, firearms, condom, Medicare, and other things in life do not provide us 100 percent guarantee, but they are still beneficial, so we continue to use them. Together with social distancing, frequent handwashing and other healthy behaviors, the use of face mask has been proven to significantly minimize getting the infection. Surgical masks are more protective

than cloth masks. (Children younger than 2 years of age, or those with shortness of breath when wearing one, should not wear mask; discuss alternative with your physician).

Evidence Since we are dealing with a very infective disease, potentially fatal for some, we must stick with medical facts and scientific findings, not with anecdotal claims or political spins.

The current CDC and WHO guidelines, implemented after realizing COVID-19 is a high prevalence disease as evidenced by the raging pandemic, have been proven to be effective in cutting down the spread of COVID-19.

More than 50 countries and 33 States and the District of Columbia have mandated the use of mask in public places.

In 198 countries, the COVID-19 death rates among those with government or cultural policies favoring mask wearing were much lower. The COVID-19 growth rate before and after mask was mandated in 15 states in the District of Columbia found that “the first five days after the mandate, the daily rate slowed down by 0.9 percentage points compared toto the 5 days prior; at three weeks, the daily growth rate had slowed down by 2 percentage points.”

Case reports are useful clinical data. Researchers Chin-Hong and Rutherford filed these two: “A man flew from China to Toronto and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19. He had dry cough and wore a mask on the flight on the flight, and all 25 people closest to him on the flight tested negative. The other case: Two hair stylists in Missouri, last May, infected with COVID19, had a close contact with 140 adults. Everyone wore a mask and none of the clients tested positive.

The Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation forecasted 33,000 deaths would be avoided by October 1, if 95 percent of people wore masks in public. The best scenario is for 100 percent of people to wear a mask in public.

Common sense As I stated in a previous column, plain common sense will convincingly show the value of masks. Those working with fumes or dusts wear mask; welders, spray painters, sewage workers, all PAGE 13

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel answers more viewer immigration questions on this Sunday’s edition of Citizen Pinoy CITIzEN Pinoy continues to provide relevant information to individuals and families who have concerns about the latest immigration policies and how it affects them.

This Sunday, leading U.S. immigration attorney, Michael J. Gurfinkel, will provide answers to questions of viewers from around the U.S. Maria from Delaware re-

ceived r green card in 2011.

She was unable to bring her two sons with her because they already aged out. She asks if they are qualified for visas under the Child Status Protection Act? From Illinois, Janet has been waiting for her family to be reunited after so many years. She would like to know how long do they need to wait if the priority dates of her siblings are March,

May and August 1998, and NVC is already processing 2002?

Find out the answers to these questions and more on another informative and brand-new edition of CITIzEN PINOY: Your Tanong, My Sagot, this Sunday, October 25, at 6:15 pm PST/ EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

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‘Crazy Rich Asians 2’? Kris bares possibility of reappearing in ‘China Rich Girlfriend’

By Deni Rose M. AfiniDAD-BeRnARDo Philstar.com

AFTER the success of the first all-Asian Hollywood movie “Crazy Rich Asians,” many people asked: Is Kris Aquino going to appear too in the movie’s sequels?

In a virtual press conference with Philstar.com and other select media earlier for her launch as new endorser of e-commerce site Shopee, Kris affirmed such possibility.

According to her, Kevin Kwan, author of the bestselling trilogy from which the 2018 blockbuster movie was based on, told her that since her character, Princess Intan, a Malay royalty, was key to empowering the movie’s PAGE 13

Kris Aquino

Photo from Instagram_@krisaquino

Why didn’t you file a petition...

PAGE 12 ation among immigrants: they have questions, issues, or concerns about their family’s immigration situation. Rather than consulting with an attorney or taking immediate action to pursue immigration benefits, they “think about it,” or do absolutely nothing. That is why if a person has questions about their immigration situation, or they have been denied or refused a visa, and they think they may be eligible, they should immediately consult with an attorney, versus waiting years and years to do so. Perhaps had they done something right away, they

or their family would have already been eligible for a green card. *** 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 attorneyclient 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

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23-29, 2020

Angel is one of Tatler Asia’s ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ in yearly Gen T list

By KatRina

HallaRe Inquirer.net

KAPAMILYA actress Angel Locsin has been named among “Leaders of Tomorrow” in Tatler Asia’s Gen T list.

According to Locsin’s Gen T list profile, the actress was recognized for her “tireless philanthropic work in education, domestic violence and health.”

“Angelica Locsin became a household name for her philanthropic work, particularly since she donated US$300,000 to scholarships for the less fortunate, as well as supporting the economic and political rights of indigenous people, and working to end violence against women and children,” her Gen T list profile reads.

“Since the coronavirus crisis began, she has played an important role in raising funds for hospitals and equipment for frontline doctors,” it added.

Locsin, in an Instagram post on Sunday, did not hide her excitement on the recognition she received.

“I’m amazed [and] inspired to be alongside fellow artists all over Asia, and I’m proud to represent the land of maraming (many) feelings, Philippines!” Locsin quipped.

At the onset of the COVID-

Angel Locsin Photo from Instagram_@therealangellocsin

19 outbreak in the Philippines, Locsin, along with fiancé Neil Arce and fellow actress Dimples Romana, launched UniTENTweStandPH, a campaign that provides tents to address overcrowding in hospitals nationwide.

UniTENTweStandPH was able to reach out to 135 hospitals and raise P11.35 million to set up 246 tents that include 225 isolation tents and 21 sanitation tents with a misting machine.

The Gen T list, according

to its website, is a content and community platform for young leaders shaping Asia’s future.

“We celebrate the entrepreneurial drive and disruptive spirit of entrepreneurs and creatives across the region.”

Aside from Locsin, among those included in the list were Angkas chief transport advocate George Royeca, photojournalist Ezra Acayan, and Sen. Grace Poe’s son, Brian Poe Llamanzares.

Kathryn reveals marriage deal with Daniel

By Jan

Milo seveRo Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA actress Kathryn Bernardo echoed her boyfriend Daniel Padilla’s sentiment to marry before turning 30.

During the recent virtual press conference of their digital series “The House Arrest of Us,” Kathryn said she and Daniel both agreed to tie the knot before turning 30 years old.

“Before 30, ayon talaga ang deal namin. Pero may ilang panahon pa kami before 30,” Kathryn said.

The blockbuster queen also said that they are already discussing their marriage that’s why they are working hard now for their future.

“Of course, agree. Napaguusapan naman na talaga

Vice Ganda gets real

By Ronnie

CaRRasCo ManilaTimes.net

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VICE Ganda’s vlog (video blog) followers were in for a pleasant surprise when during the last days of September, he had stripped himself of his comedic antics, this time seriously contemplative of the current times.

The particular vlog carried a caption saying that it contained stories the public hardly knew — his brand of comedy set aside.

It’s been several months now since the virulent pandemic broke out, impacting the lives even of those in the entertainment business, “Unti-unti ko nang nararamdaman ‘yung ang tagal ko nang walang trabaho, ‘yung hindi yata kami makakabalik pa muna dahil bawal pa sa studio. Tapos, may mga namamatay na. Du’n ako nagsimulang mag-panic.”

But of course, “It’s Showtime” has found a home on Zoe Channel (owned by Bro. Eddie Villanueva). This is the realization of what Vice Ganda had termed “the coming of better days.”

The prior months though had the “Unkaboggable

Vice Ganda

Star” reeling from paranoia even by merely going out of the house or letting friends in for fear of the viral infection, “Sobrang nabaliw ako!”

Vice Ganda cited at least two major setbacks which were just as ill-timed — the shutdown of ABS-CBN and the demise of his best friend of many years, “Ang bigat!”

To say the least, ABSCBN’s closure for him meant loss of his platform by which he could entertain his audience. It is for this reason why Vice Ganda has put up a channel of his own to pick from where he left off.

Interestingly for the TV host-comedian, this pandemic-wrought crisis has stirred thoughts to ponder.

Photo from Instagram_@praybeytbenjamin

An epiphany of sorts, Vice Ganda sees himself as having neither strength nor confidence, thus he needs to get it from that One above.

“That’s what I’m thankful for as He made me realize something. Binawasan niya ako ng tapang para bumalik sa Kanya, that I needed to go back to Him.” Also, the fact that Vice Ganda has Ion Perez for — ahem — his life partner (actually a fulfillment of his dream), future pandemics (God forbid!) can come for all he cares.

Meanwhile, I wonder how Ion has been getting through it all. Lucky him, he has the luxury to simply engage in lollygagging for all eternity.

‘Crazy Rich Asians 2’? Kris bares...

PAGE 12 protagonist Rachel Yu at a cameo wedding scene, she would probably be invited to Rachel’s wedding with Nick Young in the sequel, which will probably take on its book title, “China Rich Girlfriend.”

“He’s been one of my really consistent WhatsApp friends, and I asked him because the opening of ‘China Rich Girlfriend’ is the wedding. So I asked him, ‘Am I going to be in the wedding?Is Princess Intan invited in the wedding?’ And he said, ‘Of course! Because you’re the one who gave her her valida-

tion in ‘Crazy Rich Asians.’

I said, ‘Oh my Gosh, hope it happens!’,” Kris shared.

According to Kris, apart from the trilogy, Kwan told her that she had also been an inspiration for characters in his other works such as “Sex and Vanity.”

“He was asking me where did they go to school in the 1950s? This is for ‘Sex and Vanity.’ I would imagine that it was where your mom went to school. Then I said, ‘Yeah, my mom went to school in Scholastica, then she went to Assumption and then she went to the States. And then

he used the school in the States where my mom went.

Because my went to a school in Philadelphia where Princess Grace of Monaco actually went. That’s included in the book. Then the sisters who are there, they have a cousin named Kris who owns the biggest talent agency in the Philippines and they were telling the girl that she should be a model and that Kris is me. And I said, Thanks Kevin!”

Kris is proud that Kevin is very interested about her country as he kept asking her “on certain things in refer-

The mask confusion...

Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla

namin ‘yon. I think nasa tamang age na kami para iready ang mga sarili namin sa puntong ‘yon,” she said “And now, ‘yon ang dahilan kung bakit kami nagtatrabaho ngayon, i-ready ‘yong mga

ABS-CBN photo

kailangang i-ready kasi malaking step ‘yon,” she added.

When asked if she also agrees with Daniel to have a child immediately after marriage, Kathryn laughingly said: “Siya magbuntis!”

PAGE 12 wear mask. When you cover your nose when someone near you farts, you get much less of the “aroma.” If there are 20 persons, ten wearing a mask, and the other 10 not wearing one, and you spray their faces with flour or washable paint, which group would have less flour or paint on their faces? If the spray were a sneeze from a COVID-19 patient, which group

would get a much larger dose of the virus and more likely to be infected? Remember, the lower the viral dose, the lesser the chance of infection, everything else being equal.

One final question: For those who do not believe wearing a mask minimizes, if not prevents, infection, would you allow the surgeon operating on you or your loved ones not to wear a

mask during surgery?

You Honor, I rest my case. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

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Joel de la Fuente grateful to retell the story of an unknown American hero

J

by MOMAR G. VISAYA

/ AJPress

OEL de la Fuente made noise and created quite a following in the Emmy-winning series “The Man in the High Castle,” one of Amazon Studios’ most watched original series. But his introduction to more Filipinos globally is through his controversial multi episode arc in the CBS drama “Madam Secretary,” where he played the role of Datu Andrada, a fictional Philippine president.

But more on that later.

A couple of years ago, he made his TheatreWorks debut for the play Hold These Truths and essayed the role of Gordon Hirabayashi, and

his 50-year journey from a Japanese American student who fought internment to a relocation camp during World War II all the way to the Supreme Court, and

eventually to a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Calling the character he played “a quintessential American hero” and perPAGE 15

Actor Joel de la Fuente says Hold These Truths remains to be relevant and necessary today because of its theme about patriotism and the fight for freedom. De la Fuente, who gained fame in the Amazon Studio-produced Emmy-winning series “The Man in the High Castle” believes all Americans should know the story of gordon Hirabayashi.

Photos by Kevin Berne

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Maja on how she has lasted 17 years in show biz—and what would make her leave

“Hindi pala pera pera lang sa industry. Kailangan may passion ka rin sa ginagawa mo (I realized the industry is not just about money. You must have passion for what you do),” she said.

Dee said Salvador is among his “top 3 leading ladies” that he enjoys working with because of her “working attitude.”

Salvador, meanwhile, said he knew how to take care of his leading ladies and get along with them.

The “Killer Bride” star also shared advice from her mom, who has helped her in the industry.

“Laging habaan ang pasensya at laging matutong makisama (Be more patient

and always learn how to get along with others),” she recalled.

When Dee asked how long she would stay in entertainment, she said, “Basta alam ko hindi ako mawawala sa industry (I just know I will not disappear from this industry).”

“Pero like kunyari pumasok na ako sa family life, siyempre may time na magfo-focus ka muna maging nanay ‘di ba? Pero hindi ibig sabihin na mawawala ka sa industry (But if for example I start with family life, of course there will be time that I will focus to be a mom right? But I will not leave the industry).”

Later on, Salvador said she would only turn away from show biz because of her family.

“Kung ire-request ‘yun ng magiging asawa ko or ng magiging anak ko, [I will do it]. Kasi time ang pinakamaibibigay mo sa kanila,” she said.

“Nauubos ng work natin ang oras… Kasi masyado tayong naka-focus sa work,” she said. “I will adjust. I will give it to them.”

(If whoever will be my husband or child will request it of me, I will do it.

Because time is the most you can give them. Work consumes all our time… we are too focused on work. I will adjust. I will give it to them.)

lished in Pyong Gap Min’s “Struggle for Ethnic Identity,” which has become a staple in Asian American studies programs all over the country. He also cowrote “Life Document 2: Identity,” which won the Columbia Students Award for Best Film in 2002.

An alumnus of Brown University and the Graduate Acting Program at N.Y.U., De la Fuente lives in Maplewood, New Jersey with his wife, his two daughters, and their dogs, Luna and Yuki.

Like many of his colleagues working as artists and performers, De la Fuente is affected by the global pandemic, which has also disproportionately hurt communities of color.

“We face unique challenges in the entertainment

industry, because our work depends on the collaboration of so many. From companies of actors, to film and television crews, to audiences, show business is dependent on gathering,” he shared. “We are having to find new, safe ways to do that during these times.”

He has used his social media accounts to promote the issues he believes in, including voting this November, wearing masks and banding together to defeat COVID-19, supporting local businesses and stopping the spread of racism.

[Closed captions for the show are available in English and Japanese. To purchase streaming access to Hold These Truths (sliding scale of $10-$100) the public may visit TheatreWorks.org or call (650) 463-1960.]

By Niña

GuNo Inquirer.net

The hit production of Hold These Truths is directed by Lisa Rothe, Hold These Truths is available to stream on-demand until November 3, 2020.

Photo by Kevin Berne

Joel de la Fuente grateful to retell...

PAGE 14 forming in the Bay Area “a very special experience,” de la Fuente shared a few of the memorable moments he had while doing the play and why the story continues to be relevant and necessary in today’s world.

“We think all Americans should know his story, so any time we get the opportunity to tell Gordon’s story to a new audience, we could not be more grateful,” de la Fuente told the Asian Journal in an email interview.

“There is such a large Japanese American community there [in the Bay Area], and I felt honored to serve the play in front of them.

The whole subscriber base at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley was incredibly supportive, and the Artistic Staff could not have made us feel more at home. It was a really warm, memorable time there,” he added.

Hold These Truths, the award-winning play by playwright Jeanne Sakata, tells the true story of a Japanese American who passionately defends his Constitutional rights against an unexpected adversary: his own country.

Realizing that the theme is as timely as ever, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley is offering streaming for the play now through November 3 as part of their online initiative Voices of Democracy which encourages audiences to “get out the vote” and stand up for racial justice.

De la Fuente shared that he recently saw a documentary that interviewed young kids in Hiroshima and that the majority of them did not know that an atomic bomb

had been dropped on their city.

“A recent survey reported

by NBC News found that 63% of those surveyed did not know 6 million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. And today, the administration of the United States is separating families at the border, inciting fear and violence over perceived difference because of one’s skin color,” he said.

Indeed, the inspiring story of Hirabayashi happened decades ago yet the theme still resonates to this day making it more important for the younger generation to learn about what happened in the past.

“We must continue to tell these stories, because otherwise we are at great risk of repeating them. It is sad to say, but the play has never been more relevant. It speaks not just of the past, but very much of our present,” De la Fuente emphasized.

Aside from the Bay Area, De La Fuente performed the show at leading theatres across the country in New York, Honolulu, Seattle, and Minneapolis and a set of benefit performances in Vancouver.

Critics lauded the play as a show which “gives hope that the arc of the moral universe does indeed eventually bend toward justice” (Los Angeles Times). Bay Area audiences and critics alike admired TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s 2018 production, hailing Joel de la Fuente’s performance as “flawlessly focused and dazzlingly versatile” (The Mercury News) and deeming Hold These Truths “a rallying cry for our own times” (San Francisco

Chronicle).

De la Fuente was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for “Best Solo Performance” for his role in this one-man show, which also saw him portray more than thirty characters under the direction of Lisa Rothe.

Controversial We also had to ask him about his stint as President Andrada on “Madam Secretary,” a show about fictional Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord, played by actress Tea Leoni.

“It was actually quite fun,” he said. “I was honored to be a part of the “Madam Secretary” family, if only for a brief time.”

The episodes aired on CBS in 2017 and tackled the issue of some people in power who are taking advantage of women. In one of the episodes, Leoni’s character McCord punched Andrada for making sexually suggestive moves during a private meeting.

“There was quite a hullaballoo when the fictional President Andrada first appeared on “Madam Secretary,” but the truth is, the character was based more on another particular president than the President of the Philippines,” De la Fuente revealed.

The Philippine Embassy in Washington strongly protested and said that the “highly negative” portrayal “not only casts doubt on the respectability of the office of the Philippine president but also denigrates the way our nation navigates foreign affairs” and “tarnishes the Philippines’ long-standing advocacy for women’s rights and gender equality.”

“The show was taking on

AFTER nearly two decades in show biz, Maja Salvador opened up about what has made her an indemand talent and what keeps her grounded.

Salvador, 32, shared her experience of lasting 17 years in the business on Enchong Dee’s YouTube vlog posted on Sunday, Oct. 18. The two are longtime friends and were vacationing in Amanpulo for Salvador’s birthday during the candid Q&A. The actress admitted that she learned the hard way when she was younger about what was stopping her from being successful.

“Hindi ko sineseryoso ‘yung work,” she said. “Parang maraming kumukuha sa akin. Bata pa lang ako, mga 16 or 17 years old.

Pero doon ko na-realize na parang lagi na lang puro ‘ASAP.’ Wala akong serye.

Kasi parang ang tingin nila, kino-quota ko lang, hindi ko ginagalingan ‘yung mga project na ginagawa ko.”

(I was not taking work seriously. But a lot were hiring me. I was young, about 16 or 17 years old. But I realized that I was always on “ASAP.” I had no TV show.

Because they saw me as just making a quota, I was not working hard on my projects.) very serious issues in the wake of the #MeToo Movement, and they were able to do so via this big, over-thetop character,” he added.

“The crazy thing is, he’s not nearly as over-the-top as some of our real life leaders these days.”

De la Fuente has been featured in many films and series including the Netflix supernatural series “Hemlock Grove,” “Nurse Jackie,” “Manifest,” “Hawaii 5-O,” “ER,” Red Sparrow, The Adjustment Bureau, among others. He has also performed throughout the United States at theatres including New York Shakespeare Festival, La Jolla Playhouse, The Public Theater, and others.

As a writer, his essay on his experiences as an Asian American actor was pub-

Maja Salvador Photo from Instagram/ @iammajasalvador

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