October 28-30, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 85 • 2 Sections - 14 Pages
Several Fil-Am candidates seek New survey: AAPI public office across the country registered voters in DATELINE
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
10 battleground states highly motivated to vote
WITH less than a week to go until Election Day, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) registered voters in 10 battleground states are favoring former Vice President Joe Biden and are highly motivated to cast their ballots, according to a new survey. As of September, 59% of AAPI voters in key states prefer Biden, the Democratic nominee, while 33% President Donald Trump, based on a survey called “AAPI Voters and the 2020 Elections” presented by Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group, the National Education Association and the Majority Institute. When asked about job approval rating, 64% of AAPI voters “disapprove” of the current president’s performance. Meanwhile, 47% of voters had a “positive” view of
u PAGE A4
Fil-Am millennial Jason Tengco shares his role building coalitions with the Biden campaign, importance of voting As protests over police brutality and the killings of Black Americans by police officers grew in cities across the United States, President Donald Trump drew criticism for having U.S. Park Police and National Guard troops clear a path using tear gas, so he could take a photo in front of the St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. Jason Tengco, coalitions chief of staff for the Biden campaign, had just finished his graduate degree in May from the University of California, Berkeley, and was on a road trip with his fiancé when he learned of the photoop incident. “I already knew that we couldn’t afford another four years under the current president, but that was the day that I told myself that I wanted to jump back in and get involved in the campaign myself,” Tengco told the Asian
u PAGE A3
by KLARIZE
MEDENILLA AJPress
ALTHOUGH Filipinos have been in this country since before the United States’ conception, the first election of a Filipino American didn’t happen until the 1950s. In 1954, the late Peter Aduja became the first Fili-
pino American elected into public office when he served as a representative for the Hawaii State Legislature. The Republican official hailed from Ilocos Sur and, like many Filipinos, served in the United States Army for World War II. For nearly 20 years, Aduja was the only Filipino elected official in the U.S. until 1973 when Filipino
American engineer and “energy czar” Larry Asera of Vallejo, California served in a variety of elected positions, including deputy secretary of state and chief legislative consultant to the California State Legislature. Until very recently, elected officials in the U.S. were
u PAGE A2
Silverado, Blue Ridge fires continue to rage in Southern California by AJPRESS TWO wildfires broke out across Southern California on Monday, October 26, prompting tens of thousands of residents to evacuate their homes. The Silverado Fire, which started near Irvine after 6:45 a.m. on Monday, has swept through 12,600 acres as of Tuesday in the Santa Ana Mountains at Santiago Canyon and Silverado Canyon roads. As strong winds have contributed to the spread, about 5% has been contained with no structures lost, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. However, two firefighters, ages 26 and 31, were critically injured on Monday. As of press time, Southern California Edison was investigating whether one of its power lines contributed to igniting the Silverado fire. Meanwhile, the Blue Ridge Fire, which began in Yorba Linda after 1 p.m. on Monday, has scorched 15,200 acres across Orange and San Bernardino counties. It BLUE RIDGE FIRE. Members of the Corona Fire Department battle the Blue Ridge Fire on Monday night, October 26, after a brush fire broke was spreading near Chino Hills, prompting some resiout on the west end of Corona in Riverside County and quickly spread into Orange County. The fire threatened homes in Yorba Linda and dents to flee. burned about 8,000 acres.
u PAGE A2
Photo courtesy of the Corona FD
2 Fil-Ams seek local posts in Orange County by CHRISTINA
M. ORIEL
AJPress
TWO Filipino Americans are vying for local posts in Orange County in the upcoming general election on November 3. Jose Paolo Magcalas is seeking re-election for the Anaheim Elementary School District Board of Education after serving a four-year term representing Trustee Area 3. He faces Lucille Kring, a councilmember who has represented District 4 in central-south Anaheim. In the final days, Magcalas has been clad in PPE to go door-to-door in the precinct as well as connecting with voters online. He recently appeared at a candidate forum hosted by a local parent group, while his opponent did not
show up. “Since I’ve lived here for 30 years, taught here for 14, and have served four years on the local school board, I am highly invested in this neighborhood,” Magcalas told the Asian Journal. “It’s been a grassroots community effort, relying on friends, family and students. I haven’t taken any corporate PAC money.” Magcalas is an assistant professor of education at California State University, Los Angeles, and previously taught ethnic studies and United States history at Loara High School. The Anaheim Elementary School District serves over 17,300 students at 23 schools. During the 2018-19 school year, 1.4% of students in the district identified as Filipino, ac- Jose Paolo Magcalas
u PAGE A4
Photo courtesy of Anaheim Elementary School District
April Bautista, a candidate for La Palma City Council Photo by Randy Bautista
Metro Manila retains GCQ status for November Fil-Am doctor cautions against large by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, October 27, announced that Metro Manila will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) until November 30. According to the chief executive, the mayors of Metro Manila wanted to keep the GCQ status in the region. “Ang gusto ng mga mayor, karamihan, gusto nila (The majority of mayors want to), make it permanent because they have seen the goodness of the result. It has considerably lowered the number of people infected with President Rodrigo Duterte shows a document while holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency the microbe,” Duterte said in a Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Matina Enclaves taped public address. in Davao City on Monday, October 26. Malacañang photo by Arman Baylon “So gusto nila ito. Palagay ko
naman sa inyo rin itong kapakanan (I think this is for your own good). Look, we are not here to make your life miserable or sad. We are here to make your life comfortable and to make you happy,” he added. Aside from the capital region, the provinces of Batangas and Lanao del Sur, and the cities of Iloilo, Bacolod, Tacloban, and Iligan will be under GCQ for the whole month of November. Last week, Metro Manila mayors sought to extend the GCQ status in their areas. They also decided to impose shorter curfew hours in the capital region, going from the current 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew to 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. The mayors likewise decided
u PAGE A4
gatherings ahead of flu, holiday season by AJPRESS
HEADING into the last week of October, Los Angeles County reached the milestone of 7,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 300,614 positive cases. On Monday, October 26, the LA County Department of Public Health confirmed eight new deaths and 861 new cases of COVID-19. Since the beginning of the month, cases have increased from around 940 new cases per day to, as of last week, almost 1,200 new cases per day. This increase, while not as steep as seen in July, is cause for concern. To prevent the future spread
of COVID-19, Filipina American Dr. Jasmine Eugenio, a pediatrics specialist at Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Center, reminded the community to minimize contact with non-household members, especially as the holiday season approaches. “Whether it’s Halloween or especially for Filipinos, Christmas is important to have the whole family there, unless you actually live with them, it’s not a good idea to have any gatherings with people that are outside of your home,” Eugenio told the Asian Journal. With Halloween this Saturday, October 31, the Health Officer Order prohibits large-scale gath-
u PAGE A4
SPOOKTACULAR
TREATS PROMO PERIOD | OCT. 29 - NOV. 4, 2020 ADOR FARM / ECU
ITE JUMBO WH -ON SHRIMP HEAD 14% VE SA REG. $6.99
5
$ 9/L9B
GHT FRESHLY CAU NORTHWEST IN THE PACIFIC GTON, USA OF WASHIN
LHEAD FRESH STEE ON BABY SALM SAVE 30% REG. $4.99
3
$ 49 /LB
SHOP ISLAND PACIFIC | DOWNLOAD THE APP
AN BEEF KORE BBQ RIBS SAVE 22% .99 $8 G. RE
6
$ 9/L9B