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DATELINE Report: Apple threatened Facebook ban over abuse of Filipina domestic workers FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

A NEW report revealed that Apple once gave Facebook an ultimatum over the abuse of Filipina domestic workers in the Middle East.

“Two years ago, Apple threatened to pull Facebook and Instagram from its app store over concerns about the platform being used as a tool to trade and sell maids in the Mideast,” the Associated Press said in an article published Tuesday, October 25.

In response to the threat, Facebook admitted to being aware of both the exploitative conditions of foreign workers and the use of Instagram to buy and trade maids online.

It also recognized the website’s problem with “domestic servitude,” which is a form of human trafficking “for the purpose of working inside private homes through the use of force, fraud, coercion or deception.”

Facebook engineers reportedly found nearly three-fourths of posts that showed

O C T O BE R 2 9 - N O V E MBE R 4 , 2 0 2 1

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, SAN DIEGO, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

FDA panel recommends Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5 to 11

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

ON Tuesday, Oct. 26, a committee from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended the Pfizer vaccine for children aged between 5 and 11

years old, a move that is likely to intensify national discourse and disagreement over whether children should receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

While the vote from the panel — which voted 17 in favor and one abstention — could bring the 28 million children in this age bracket closer to the

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Renewal process begins for Covered California consumers

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Duterte thanks Biden for COVID-19 vaccine donations during ASEAN summit

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DURING this historic COVID pandemic, more people than ever before signed up for health insurance through Covered California, the state agency that administers the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare).

With a record 1.6 million consumers now enrolled in brand-name health plans through Covered California, the agency recently announced that the renewal process is now underway for its current members for health coverage in 2022. The good news is that the vast majority of Covered California members will receive financial help, from the new American Rescue Plan, that will dramatically lower their monthly health care costs.

This year, Covered California has also seen an uptick in Asian Americans enrolling in health plans, with quality health care being critical during the pandemic. Asian American enrollment in Covered California health plans increased more than 3.7% in

vaccine, the ultimate decision to enact emergency authorization falls on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser for the White House, shots could be ap-

VIRTUAL SUMMIT. President Rodrigo Duterte joins other leaders from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries in the virtual 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits hosted by Brunei Darussalam at the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, October 26.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has personally thanked United States President Joe Biden for America’s COVID-19 vaccine donations.

The chief executive was able to express his gratitude during a high-level discussion at the virtual 9th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-U.S. Summit held Tuesday, October 26.

“Your Majesty, Excellencies, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought complicated challenges to all of us. We appreciate the United States’ generous offer of vaccines for the region, including the Philippines,” Duterte said in his intervention.

This was Biden’s first attendance to the ASEAN Summit, with the 38th and 39th iterations being hosted simultaneously by Brunei.

“President Duterte welcomed President Biden to his first ASEAN-U.S. Summit, noting the longstanding relations between ASEAN and the U.S.,” a statement from the Office of the President read.

To succeed against the pandemic, Duterte

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No quarantine for North America travelers sought Pacquiao, Mayweather to play basketball for charity in Las Vegas

by LOUELLA

DESIDERIO Philstar.com

MANILA — Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion has expressed optimism that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) would approve a proposal to do away with quarantine for returning Filipinos and visitors from North America to help the airline industry bounce back.

“We hope that the IATF would agree to our suggestion to allow no quarantine for travelers from North America as this would encourage returning Filipinos and other

visitors to travel to the Philippines and to be with their loved ones,” Concepcion said.

As a big market for airlines, Concepcion said North America can help the local aviation industry recover from huge losses they suffered, as lockdowns prevented people from traveling to various parts of the country and the world.

“If we can implement this regulation immediately, it would also be a happy Christmas for our airline industry as many Filipinos and other visitors would pack their bags and return to the Philippines and celebrate Christmas here with loved ones who they haven’t seen for a long time,”

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Larry Itliong Resource Center opens in Central Valley

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

California Attorney General Rob Bonta (2nd row, center) was joined by Filipino American community members on Sunday, October 24 as the Larry Itliong Resource Center held its grand opening.

Photo courtesy of Attorney General Rob Bonta/Facebook

THE Larry Itliong Resource Center has finally made its grand opening in California’s Central Valley.

“We Are A Living Legacy” was the theme for the event held Sunday, October 24, to celebrate the inauguration of the Larry Itliong Resource Center, in Poplar, California, as well as commemorate the birthday of recent California Hall of Fame inductee and Filipino American labor hero Larry Itliong Jr. The event was sponsored by the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) Delano, the Bulosan Center of

Filipino Studies, and the Central Valley Empowerment Alliance (CVEA).

Attendees included family members of movement leaders Itliong, César Chávez and Al Rojas.

Also present in the event was Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the National Farmworkers Association with Chávez, which later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to become the United Farm Workers. She was joined by state Attorney General Rob Bonta and State Treasurer Fiona Ma. “We remember the heroes who led especially our early farm

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by AJPRESS BOXING superstars Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather are planning to reignite their rivalry in a possible rematch, only this time it is going to be on the basketball court for a planned charity basketball event.

Organizers are planning to

stage the event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas which was also the venue of Pacquiao and Mayweather’s 2015 multimillion dollar mega-fight that drew a record 4.6 million payper-view buys.

“We agree on the main concept of the event, which is to bring

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OctOber 29 - NOvemebr 4, 2021 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

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From the Front Page

FDA panel recommends Pfizer...

PAGE 1

proved for 5- to 11-year-olds as early as next week.

“If all goes well, and we get the regulatory approval, and the recommendations from the CDC, it’s entirely possible, if not, very likely, that vaccines will be available from 5 to 11 within the first week or two of November,” Fauci said in an interview with ABC on Sunday, October 24.

The vaccine is nearly 91% effective against symptomatic illness among 5- to 11-year-olds, according to Pfizer’s most recent clinical trials for children.

The FDA reported that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the potential risks, like the known side effects associated with the COVID-19 vaccine.

While children are still less likely to die or suffer the more severe effects of COVID-19, doctors say that it is still necessary to vaccinate children against COVID-19. Children can

still become carriers (symptomatic or asymptomatic) of the virus and spread it to others.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 6 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 in the United States.

According to Dr. William Gruber, senior vice president of vaccine clinical research and development for Pfizer, one dose of the Pfizer vaccine contains about one-third the amount of the active ingredient compared to the adult dose.

In an FDA committee hearing, Gruber said that the dosage was chosen to “strike the right balance” between protecting children from the disease and limiting the vaccine’s side effects.

But just like with adults, children would receive a second dose 21 days or more after their first shot.

According to current COVID19 trends across the country,

children aged 5-11 have accounted for 9% of reported COVID-19 cases; according to the FDA, presently constitute about 40% of all pediatric COVID-19 cases.

According to the CDC, more than 700 children aged 18 years and younger have died of COVID-19 across the country.

When the FDA makes its official authorization recommendation, the issue moves on to the CDC which is set to meet Nov. 2 and 3, when it’ll be up to the CDC director to approve the recommendation.

As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the decision for children to actually receive their vaccines will be left up to their parents, many of whom are still skeptical on the issue.

The Kaiser Family Foundation OFF-LIMITS TO KIDS. A security guard intercepts a woman with a minor at the entrance of the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach on Tuesday, found in a September poll that October 26. Children below 12 years old are now prohibited from visiting the beach.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan about one-third of parents with kids aged 5-11 were willing to vaccinate their kids right away, while another third said they wanted to “wait and see.” n PAGE 1 and migrated to the United California Hall of Fame. workers who came here alone States in 1929, working in the In addition, California often and fought and toiled and Alaskan fish canneries and Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a fought for change,” said Bonta. along the West Coast as a farm proclamation declaring October “And also so we inspire our next laborer.

25, 2021, as “Larry Itliong Day” generation to make sure they Among Itliong’s achievements in the State. know people that look like them include uniting with the National “During Filipino-American from their communities fought Farm Workers Association Heritage Month, we celebrate and made change to this great (NFWA) and starting the Delano the birthday of trailblazing state and in this nation.”

Grape Strike and Boycott, Filipino-American labor leader, The event included a historical which is one of the most organizer and California Hall of tour of the region and solidarity important social justice and Fame Inductee Larry Itliong,” march and rally from Agbayani labor movements in American he said in his proclamation.

Village to Reuther Hall in 40 history.

“This month, I had the honor Acres.

He also formed the UFW of inducting Mr. Itliong into Itliong was one of the most with Chávez, with the latter the California Hall of Fame, important civil rights leaders as director and the former as recognizing his incredible impact of the 20th century and a assistant director. on our state and unapologetic father of the West Coast labor On Oct. 12, Itliong was among advocacy for those without a movement. the six notable individuals voice,” added Newsom. (Ritchel He was born in the Philippines posthumously inducted into the Mendiola/AJPress)

Larry Itliong Resource Center opens in...

Duterte thanks Biden for COVID-19 vaccine...

PAGE 1

stressed the need to “further strengthen bilateral, regional and international cooperation to ensure universal access to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines.”

He likewise underscored the need for sustained political dialogue, economic engagement and socio-cultural ties to further strengthen the ASEAN-U.S.

Strategic Partnership.

Last month, Duterte floated the idea of visiting the U.S. to thank its government for donating vaccines against COVID-19.

He made the statement after vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told him that the U.S. donated five million more vaccine doses.

“Kasasabi lang ni Secretary

Galvez at Secretary Duque na ang America nagbigay ng bago, five million (Secretary Galvez and Secretary Duque just informed me that America gave five million more doses),” said Duterte in his public address.

“Ang bait ng Amerika. Baka pupunta ako doon (America is kind. I might go there) just to thank the American government and the people,” he added. n

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IRS helps taxpayers in 350 languages — touting expanded child tax credits and other benefits Jenny Manrique Ethnic Media Services

by

Boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr., left, and Manny Pacquiao pose for photos after a news conference on March 11, 2015, in Los Angeles.

Inquirer.net file photo

Pacquiao, Mayweather to play basketball for...

PAGE 1 total entertainment to the fans of boxing, basketball and all sports in general and to create a project that will solidify our legacies to the fans,” read the letter of intent signed by both boxers and their teams, Mayweather’s TMT and Mayweather Promotions and Pacquiao’s MP Promotions.

Under the unique concept

created by promoter, UNIO Enterprise, a sports and entertainment collective, Pacquiao and Mayweather have agreed to participate in a charity event to benefit causes of their choice in time for Christmas.

Each Player will assemble a 10-man team, including two exNBA players.

“We also aim to generate

Famed boxers Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather crossed paths once again at an LA Clippers basketball game in Jan. 2019.

AJPress file photo by Noel Ty

Renewal process begins for Covered California....

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2021 over last year.

“Covered California continues to meet the needs of the state’s diverse population during this pandemic and heads into the upcoming open-enrollment period next month with more enrollees than ever,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “The surge in enrollment is driven by the increased financial help and lower monthly premiums made possible by the American Rescue Plan, which is helping more Californians than ever to get access to quality and affordable health care – no matter their income level.”

New financial help and credits available to lower monthly health plan costs to $0 The American Rescue Plan provides new and expanded financial help that will be available throughout 2022, which will help Californians across all income levels. The financial help covers about 90% of a consumer’s monthly health insurance premiums, making the cost of health coverage more affordable than ever before. It’s important to note that you can only get this financial help through Covered California.

Covered California also estimates that about 1 million of its existing members will be eligible for coverage at no cost because of a new state law called the California Premium Credit.

The new law means that some consumers will be able to get the same comprehensive health coverage – with all the benefits and protections of the Affordable Care Act – for free, and the State of California will be providing a credit of $1 per member per month for all Covered California members throughout 2022.

“Getting more people insured, and keeping them insured, not only leads to better health outcomes – it also lowers the cost of health insurance for everyone,” Lee said.

Current Covered California enrollees can begin renewing their health coverage now, and they have until Dec. 31 to renew their existing health plan or make changes to their plans for 2022. People who do not actively select a plan for next year will be renewed in their current health plan, so they do not suffer a gap in coverage.

When consumers renew their coverage, many will find that they have more choices to choose from this year. Three of Covered California’s health insurance companies will be expanding their coverage areas, and a new company will be joining the marketplace, bringing the total

number of health carriers to 12 for 2022. These are brand-name health insurance companies — Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Bright Health Care, Chinese Community Health Plan, Healthnet, Kaiser, L.A. Care, Molina Healthcare, Oscar, Sharp Health Plan, Valley Health Care, Western Health Advantage — who offer quality care through some of the best doctors and hospitals in the state.

Free preventive health care available Not only will renewing consumers have choice of health plans, but they should be reminded that Covered California health plans are designed to make it easier for someone to get the preventive health care they need for free – including annual physicals, COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, flu shots and all other immunizations, and screenings for diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer.

With many Asian Americans dealing from chronic health conditions, including diabetes and cancer, these preventive health care services and screenings can literally be lifesaving.

And with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, such preventive health care services are top of mind for many people.

Free mammograms are always available to women with Covered California health plans, and early detection of breast cancer is key.

In addition, Covered California health plans offer free video telehealth visits with primary care physicians, along with free mental health care and substance abuse services, of particular importance during these challenging times.

Easily Renew Your Health Coverage for 2022 Covered California members renewing health insurance for 2022 should go to CoveredCA.com, log in to your account and click on the “RENEW” button. You may also use the Shop and Compare Tool to see your health plan options and cost. It is important to review your health plan during the renewal period because you could receive additional financial help from the American Rescue Plan to lower the monthly cost of health insurance. This means you may now qualify for financial help, even if you didn’t in the past. Or you may receive even more help than you did before!

The amount of financial help you may get depends on your income, age, where you live and your family size. For questions or additional help renewing your Covered California health plan, contact an enrollment expert in your area for free assistance or call Covered California (800) 3001506. n

funds for our chosen charities this Christmas,” added the letter.

Pacquiao and Mayweather, aside from being world champions in the sport, both love to play basketball.

Pacquiao is the founder and CEO of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) in the Philippines and joined the Philippine Basketball Association as the playing coach of Kia Motors Basketball team in 2014. n

ON the same day that marked the last pandemic-related extension for filing taxes, IRS officials briefed ethnic media reporters about another major benefit under the American Rescue Plan — the expansion of the Advance Child Tax Credit.

One of the most widely used tax credits in the country, the plan increased this benefit for 2021: formerly capped at $2,000, qualifying families can now receive up to $3,000 for each child between the ages of 6 and 17 and $3,600 for those under the age of six. To be eligible, children must be these ages as of December 31, 2021.

Half of these advance payments began to be issued as of July 15, 2021, in monthly installments, and the other half can be claimed with the 2021 tax return. This benefit is expected to help more than 39 million households.

“The new law enhances the credit by making it fully refundable for certain taxpayers,” said Ken Corbin, Commissioner of the Wage and Investment Division and Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer, at the IRS, speaking at an EMS briefing Oct.15.

“This means that taxpayers can benefit from the credit, even if they don’t have earned income or don’t owe any income taxes.”

The IRS has provided three virtual tools for families to verify

whether they can access this benefit. The first is the Eligibility Assistant, which allows a parent, another family member, guardian, or caregiver to determine if they qualify for the tax credit by answering a series of questions about themselves and their family members.

“This includes those taxpayers who could be experiencing homelessness, low income households and other underserved groups,” Corbin said.

The IRS has partnerships with over 5,000 homeless shelters, which can provide their mailing address for homeless people to receive their payment.

The second tool is the Nonfiler Sign-up Tool to report qualifying children of those taxpayers who are not required to file a 2020 tax return, or have a gross income less than the applicable standard deduction amount, and have a main residence in the United States for more than half a year.

The third tool is the Update Portal that allows families to enroll or exclude themselves from advance payments if they have already received them, add or remove beneficiaries, report a change in their marital status or income, change the form of receipt from a paper check to direct deposit, change account numbers to which the payments are directed and update their address.

“Taxpayers may prefer to claim the full credit when fil-

ing their 2021 tax returns next year,” added Corbin. All of these tools are available in English and Spanish.

Advanced payments are not subject to federal income taxes nor are they counted as income when determining eligibility for amounts of benefits or assistance under federal programs such as unemployment benefits, food stamps, or Medicaid.

Singles and couples who have social security numbers can claim the earned income tax credit even if their children don’t have a SSN. This is important for undocumented families where parents can request an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).

“In January 2022, the IRS will be sending recipients of the advanced child tax credit payments and the economic impact payments, a letter that tells them how much they received in 2021.

This information is important to make sure that when they file their 2021 returns, it will match IRS records,” Corbin explained.

For those without children, the rescue plan has also provided benefits such as the earned income tax credit (EITC). Eligible workers who are at least 19 years old can receive up to $1,502, triple the amount authorized by the government in 2020.

“These credits are a great deal of money in many households so it’s very important to ensure

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Jordan Clarkson hits 8,000 career San Francisco celebrates major climate points, faces Jalen Green next success with 25 years of composting

by Mark

GionGco Inquirer.net

Jordan Clarkson #00 of the Utah Jazz Inquirer.net file photo

JORDAN Clarkson is showing no signs of slowing down coming off his best season in the NBA. Reprising his role as the Utah Jazz’s top gun off the bench, Clarkson is averaging 17.3 points through three games.

The Filipino American guard notched a season-high 19 points on Wednesday, October 27 (Manila time) to help the Jazz beat division rival Denver Nuggets, 122-108, at home.

Clarkson, 29, hit three triples with his last coming with under 30 seconds left in the third quarter that broke an 88-deadlock and pushed him to 8,000 career points.

“I thought Jordan really gave us some boost in the first half. He got some clean looks. … He did a good job of getting into the lane when we needed to attack the

rim,” said Jazz head coach Quin Snyder on the team’s website.

The 29-year-old Clarkson, last season, became the first Jazz player to win Sixth Man of the Year.

Clarkson looks to sustain his form when the Jazz visit the Rockets and their prized FilipinoAmerican rookie Jalen Green on Friday, October 29 (Manila time) in a game billed as Filipino Heritage Night.

The game marks the first time that two players of Filipino descent will play each other in the NBA. Green, the second overall pick in the draft, has been solid so far with averages of 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists with a steal and nearly a block per game.

The 19-year-old set a Rockets franchise record when he hit eight 3-pointers in a 107-97 loss to the Boston Celtics on Monday.

He also became the first rookie in Rockets history with 30 points and eight triples in a game. n

No quarantine for North America travelers...

PAGE 1 t Concepcion stressed.

During the arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccine purchase by Go Negosyo through its “A Dose of Hope” vaccination program for private sector workers, Concepcion said vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez are making sure that there would be enough vaccines arriving until the first quarter of 2022.

“The available vaccines will ensure that family members our balikbayans will go home to are also protected from hospitalization.

Let’s give them a chance to be reunited,” Concepcion added.

The Go Negosyo founder also emphasized that the increased inbound traffic and the influx of returning Filipinos from North America would greatly benefit the economy, particularly the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

In his last meeting with IATF adviser Dr. Edsel Salvana, Concepcion presented the proposals of the aviation industry, including the shelving of multiple requirements for traveling, such as RT-PCR test for most local destinations and long quarantine for passengers of international flights.

Concepcion, OCTA Research experts Prof. Ranjit Rye and Fr. NickAustriacoandrepresentatives and officials from local airlines met with Department of Foreign

Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez to discuss the possibility of implementing a no-quarantine policy for North America.

Go Negosyo and the country’s flag-carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) recently presented their plan to pilot-test the noquarantine policy on travelers from North America.

They also proposed the frontloading of the testing process before passengers arrive in the country and expanding international gateways to reduce the number of arrivals at the NAIA terminals.

During their meeting with government officials, Concepcion said the country should reciprocate the United States’ policy to require travelers from the Philippines to present a negative RT-PCR test and proof of vaccination status as travel requirements by implementing a no-quarantine policy.

Austriaco, for his part, stressed during his presentation that new infections in the Philippines cannot be attributed to international arrivals, claiming that arriving international passengers account for only 1.8 cases out of the 6,000 average new cases.

Philippine Airlines echoed Austriaco’s pronouncement, saying that based on its

monitoring of positivity rates among its inbound international passengers, positivity rates among inbound passengers from North America have been relatively low because 90 percent of passengers from that region are vaccinated.

Romualdez said the Philippine embassy in the U.S. is willing to support the documentation and authentication of vaccination records for arriving passengers to ensure that the. are indeed vaccinated.

Vaccination is also not an issue for U.S.-based Filipinos as 90 percent of them are already inoculated against COVID-19, Romualdez added.

The ambassador also said a Boston-based company has offered to pilot-test a PCR testing technology which can pool testing among passengers and have their results available upon their arrival in the Philippines.

“This can greatly ease the waiting time of arriving passengers at the NAIA, many of whom have already spent hours on the plane and must contend with spending even more time lining up for testing at the airport,” he said.

“Filipinos look forward to Christmas every year. It is best spent at home with family. We need to give our balikbayans the chance to be with their loved ones,” Concepcion stressed. n

PAGE 1 t

Despite the continued spread of ads exploiting foreign workers in the Mideast, Facebook maintained that it took the problem seriously.

“We prohibit human exploitation in no uncertain terms,” it said in a statement to the AP. “We’ve been combating human trafficking on our platform for many years and our goal remains to prevent anyone who seeks to exploit others from having a home on our platform,” it added.

Still, the AP pointed out that Facebook’s daunting size and user base around the world “proves to be its greatest weakness in trying to police illicit activity, such as the sale of drugs, and suspected human rights and labor abuses on its site.”

Filipina Mary Ann Abunda of the Sandigan in Kuwait warned of the dangers that Facebook can pose.

“Facebook really has two faces now,” she said as quoted by the AP. “Yes, as it advertises, it’s connecting people, but it has also become a haven of sinister people and syndicates who wait for your weak moment to pounce on you.”

One Filipina housemaid

in Kuwait told the AP of her experience in being “sold” to another family through an Instagram post in December 2012.

“I was like an animal that was being traded by one owner to another,” she said.

“If Facebook and Instagram won’t take stronger steps against this anomaly, there will be more victims like me. I was lucky because I did not end up dead or a sexual slave,” she added.

For its part, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) acknowledged that individuals who want to go abroad trust Facebook more than the private recruiting agencies monitored by the government.

According to POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia, some job seekers mistakenly believe that the agency endorses some of the Facebook and Instagram accounts due to misuse of the office’s logo.

He added that his office for the last two years had a direct line to Facebook to be able to flag suspicious accounts, but “even that isn’t enough.”

“It will affect their income so they don’t want to address this,” Olalia added. n

City’s curbside composting program leads the nation, providing all San Franciscans with easy composting at home and furthering the city’s zero waste efforts SAN FRANCISCO — Mayor London N. Breed on Wednesday, October 20 commemorated 25 years of organics recovery in what has been hailed as the most successful, comprehensive, and innovative composting program in the country. Since 1996, residents and businesses have recovered organic material, primarily food scraps, away from landfills and applied to local farmland, vineyards, and ranches. Today, the city collects more than 500 tons per day from the green bin.

“I’m so proud of our residents and businesses that continue to step up and redefine what it means to be a sustainable city,” said Mayor Breed. “For decades now, San Franciscans have steadily increased the food scraps they’ve collected in the green bin, helping us get closer to that Zero Waste City we aspire to be. This perseverance and dedication have showcased what’s possible to cities all around the world looking to emulate our practices.”

To commemorate this milestone, Mayor Breed and the Department of the Environment are asking residents to challenge themselves throughout the upcoming holiday season by using their green and blue bins more than their black bin.

To support these efforts, the Department of the Environment launched an eight-week public awareness campaign offering residents a free compost pail for their home. Throughout the campaign, residents will be reminded with helpful tips and resources that encourage them to rethink old habits and move towards zero waste.

“As our city’s total emissions continue to drop thanks to decades of successful climate action, we’re still faced with the challenge of pulling the carbon that already exists out of the air,” said Debbie Raphael, Director of the Department of the Environment. “When you use the green bin, you’re converting food waste that would’ve otherwise gone to landfill, into rich, nutrient-dense compost that feeds our farms and simultaneously captures CO2 from the atmosphere. There’s no better

time than now to improve our consumption behaviors and ultimately reduce waste.”

Composting is critical to California’s fight against climate change. When used on local agriculture, soils amended with compost are richer in nutrients, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and have improved water retention. This not only helps plants thrive but also reduces the risk of wildfires. Additionally, compost improves the overall quality and health of the soil, benefitting microbes and plants that in turn sequester carbon from the air. In contrast, food scraps improperly disposed in the black bin can turn into material that release harmful methane gases into the atmosphere. Methane is more than 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere, so achieving significant reductions in methane emissions is critical for meeting our climate goals.

San Francisco’s food scrap collection program for composting, the first of its kind in the nation, began in 1996 as a community-led effort at The San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market, now called The SF Market. Shortly afterwards, the city’s largest hotel chains worked with the city to implement food scrap collection for composting.

Building off of that success, a compost pilot program in the Richmond District was initiated, and in 2001, curbside collection of organic material to all properties became available on a voluntary basis. By 2009, San Francisco was the first city in the nation to mandate composting and recycling through the three-bin collection system residents, and businesses are familiar with today. As a direct result of San Francisco’s innovative policies and initiatives, the State legislature in 2016 passed Senate Bill 1383, which requires all jurisdictions to provide organic collection services to residents and businesses by 2022, among other policies to reduce methane emissions.

Today, food scraps and landscape debris properly collected in the green bin are transported to Recology’s Blossom Valley Or-

ganics, a state-of-the-art facility near Vernalis, California. There, contaminants like plastics are sorted from the organic material. The filtered material is then shredded, laid out in windrows, and carefully managed to balance moisture in the air. These steps encourage naturally-occurring microbes to break down the organic matter and destroy any harmful pathogens. After 60 days, the compost material is sold to local farmers to amend their soils. San Francisco’s curbside food scrap collection program has diverted more than 2.5 million tons of compostable material from landfill disposal.

“It’s on all of us to push further and redefine what it means to be an environmental city, which is why our staff have worked hard to ensure operations and best practices that are better for the planet,” said Vanick Der Bedrossian, coowner of San Francisco’s La Méditerranée restaurant, one of the City’s certified Green Businesses due to their waste reduction efforts and lower carbon footprint. “We’re grateful to be a part of a community and City that shares these values, and welcome others to take the next step by joining the City’s Green Business Program.”

At the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit, Mayor Breed committed San Francisco to new zero waste goals and challenged other cities to take the same pledge. Specifically, the city pledged to reduce its municipal solid waste generation by 15% by 2030 and reduce disposal to landfill by 50% by 2030. Today, San Francisco recovers more material than perhaps any other city in the United States due in part to compulsory recycling and composting. However, continued bold action and new investments are critical to reaching the City’s goals.

Residents wishing to learn more about the award-winning campaign and obtain a free compost pail can visit sfgasrelief.org. For more information on the Department of the Environment’s Green Business Program, please visit sfenvironment.org/green-businesses.

(SF Mayor’s Office Release)

Reed & Grant Sports Park awarded 2021 Report: Apple threatened Facebook ban over... Project of the Year for sustainable design as all-inclusive recreational destination maids in photos/videos and their biographical details, with over 60% of the material coming from Saudi Arabia, and about a quarter from Egypt.

And while Facebook disabled over 1,000 accounts on its websites, it acknowledged that it was “under-enforcing on confirmed abusive activity” that saw Filipina maids complaining on the social media site of being abused.

The move convinced Apple to relent and allow Facebook and Instagram to remain in the app store.

However, the AP noted that Facebook’s crackdown had a “limited effect.”

“Even today, a quick search for ‘khadima,’ or ‘maids’ in Arabic, will bring up accounts featuring posed photographs of Africans and South Asians with ages and prices listed next to their images,” it said.

“That’s even as the Philippines government has a team of workers that do nothing but scour Facebook posts each day to try and protect desperate job seekers from criminal gangs and unscrupulous recruiters using the site,” it added.

IRS helps taxpayers in 350 languages...

PAGE 3 t

sure no one else gets them,” said Susan Simon, Director of Customer Assistance, Relationships and Education at IRS “We have worked very hard with representatives from banks and other state and federal organizations to ensure that the taxpayer gets the money they have applied for,” added Simon, offering a tool for people to protect themselves from identity theft: irs.gov/security.

Those who have had trouble with scammers can also attend low-income tax clinics found in all 50 states.

Multilingual With tax season looming in early 2022, the IRS also released the get ready webpage available in eight languages, that allows taxpayers to find the information they need to file their return (such as collecting tax records,

bank statements, etc.) and select a tax return preparer to do it online and submit electronically.

“If they have direct deposit (in a bank) that will make the whole process faster, easier and more secure,” Simon said.

The official shared that starting this year, the IRS has the ability to provide translation services through telephone interpreters in 350 different languages. She also said that the 1040 form can now be completed in English and Spanish and that in the next five years all documents will be translated into languages such as Russian, Traditional Chinese, Formal Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean.

“Something new that we are very proud of this year is the Form 9000 that can be attached to the tax return and that allows taxpayers to select preferred alternative media in Braille, large

print or in audio format.”

Finally Simon recalled that for people who cannot use virtual tools, either due to lack of internet access or lack of knowledge, there is a telephone line in English and Spanish (800-829-1040) and another for different languages (833 553-9895) where assistants can provide information about tax accounts.

People can also schedule an appointment in person at one of the IRS taxpayer assistance centers, go to a local paid preparer in the community, or review the free option with VITA volunteers, which number about 90,000 nationwide.

“Because of COVID, many of our sites had to continue preparing tax returns online this year, but are trying to open face-toface sites by 2022,” Simon concluded. n

Project of the Year awarded by the American Public Works Association

SANTA CLARA – The City of Santa announced on Wednesday, October 20 that Reed & Grant Sports Park has received recognition as Project of the Year from the American Public Works Association (APWA) Silicon Valley Chapter in the Environmental/Parks greater-than-$25M category.

The Reed & Grant Sports Park is a 9.75-acre park located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Reed and Grant Street in Santa Clara. The complex consists of five lighted sports fields, four synthetic turf fields and one natural grass field, that can be set up in multiple regulation size configurations, a 3,500 square foot multipurpose building for recreation and activities, concession stand, restrooms, on-site parking and playground.

“The Reed & Grant Sports Park is an extraordinary project which exemplifies the City Council’s goal to enhance community sports and recreational assets to meet the needs of residential growth and build a vibrant and healthy community for current and future residents,” said Mayor Lisa M. Gillmor.

Before the site selection, the city and LPA conducted community workshops that included a robust community engagement process to gather input on the shared desires for programming, location, and accessibility.

“The community feedback we received was invaluable in shaping and guiding what residents of Santa Clara wanted to be included,” said City Manager Deanna J. Santana. “It’s incredible to see industrial lots transformed into a vibrant space where the community can come together to bond, exercise, compete and grow.”

This project reflects the mission of “Parks Make Life Better,” providing a venue for youth and adult soccer, volleyball, special events, recreational activities and space for children of all ages and abilities to enjoy an all-inclusive

Reed & Grant Sports Park

playspace.

“The City of Santa Clara was extremely resourceful in the management of this project with the collaboration between the Parks & Recreation and the Public Works Departments for the innovative design and construction of the project,” stated Parks & Recreation Director James Teixeira. The city selected a multidisciplinary firm LPA to handle architecture, landscape architecture and engineering. By partnering with LPA, the city had access to experts who could provide an integrated approach to the sports park’s design.

The Reed & Grant Sports Park is a stellar example of sustainable design. All storm water traveling throughout the fields is hard piped to onsite bio-filtration basins. Low-water-use and native plants were used for the entire site, and the restroom and irrigation systems utilize recycled water, reducing the facility’s water consumption by 85 percent. Four out of the five soccer fields are constructed of synthetic turf, allowing for intensive play up to 14 hours per day, significantly reducing maintenance and water use. The

Photo courtesy of City of Santa Clara

one all-natural grass field is a low water-use Bandera species, reducing water consumption by more than 20 percent over a cool-season grass. The use of synthetic turf and reclaimed water for trees and vegetation also reduces the overall water consumption. The facility also provides electric vehicle charging stations and solar panels to produce electricity making the facility environmentally sustainable and reducing operation and maintenance costs. The multipurpose building’s roof houses photovoltaic panels that can harvest approximately 40 kW of power, which is enough power to run the entire multipurpose building, exterior sports lights, and the maintenance building, with excess power for Silicon Valley Power. The facility complements the adjacent Raymond G. Gamma Dog Park providing additional recreational opportunities close to the city’s urban core.

The Reed & Grant Sports Park is currently open for scheduled classes, permitted activities, playground use and drop-in play.

Learn more at SantaClaraCA.gov.

(City of Santa Clara Release)

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • OCtObeR 29 - NOvemebR 4, 2021

Dateline PhiliPPines

Duterte calls for maritime peace, stability in South China Sea and preserve the biodiversity and marine environment of the AJPress South China Sea, pointing out PHILIPPINE President Ro- that 2017 to 2027 is the “Dedrigo Duterte has reiterated his cade of Coastal and Marine Encalls for peace and stability in vironmental Protection” in the maritime area. the South China Sea. In addition, Duterte urged In his remarks at the virtual 38th and 39th Association countries to translate commitof Southeast Asian Nations ments into action as regards (ASEAN) Summits and Related the 2002 Declaration on the Summits, the Chief Executive Conduct of Parties in the South urged his fellow ASEAN leaders China Sea (DOC).

The DOC “reflects the conto stay united in pursuing prosperity in the contested waters, sensus reached by all Parties in accordance with the United on seeking peaceful solutions Nations Convention on the Law to disputes and conducting of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the maritime cooperation in order to maintain regional stability 2016 Arbitral Award.

“We have come a long way in in the South China Sea,” ackeeping the peace and promot- cording to the ASEAN webing prosperity in our region. site.

“Talks should not remain We must not allow those with diverging interests to make our empty rhetoric. They should efforts fail,” Duterte said Tues- be translated into action to fortify the trust and confidence day, October 26.

He also renewed calls for we have cultivated through the “holistic” efforts to protect years. Acta non verba. Deeds,

by Ritchel

Mendiola

not words,” said Duterte.

Further, he lauded the Philippines’ contribution to the substantive progress in the second reading of the Single Draft Code of Conduct (COC) Negotiating Text.

Duterte likewise reaffirmed the country’s commitment to help finalize an “effective and substantive” COC in the South China Sea. Hosted by Brunei, the virtual 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits will run from Oct. 26 to 28.

During the first day of the Summits, Duterte was joined

by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin, Jr., Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana, Secretary of Trade and Industry Ramon Lopez, Secretary of Social Welfare and Development Rolando Joselito Bautista, and Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Carlito Galvez, Jr. n

DOH: Plans underway for COVID-19 booster shots in PH

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

THE Philippines is eyeing booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine for its priority groups such as healthcare workers and senior citizens.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Monday, October 25, said that the country’s Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has approved the recommendation of the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) to offer booster shots and additional vaccines.

She also said that the Philippine Department of Health is discussing the booster rollout during the last three months of 2021.

“Lahat naman ng plano ay underway na tulad naman ng sabi namin sa inyo (All plans are underway and like what we told you) we will have this third doses for the immunocompromised, senior citizens and our boosters for our healthcare workers,” she said.

However, Vergeire noted that an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still required.

“Pero kailangan po aantayin pa rin nating lahat ang emergency use authority na manggagaling sa (But we need to wait for the emergency use authority from the) Food and Drug Administration,” she said.

“While waiting for the EUA we’re already planning and discussing how we can go about with the implementation,” she

added.

Under the HTAC’s recommendation, booster shots will be given by the end of the year to healthcare workers and senior citizens, provided that they have completed the primary COVID-19 vaccine series at least six months before.

The booster shots could also be expanded to other eligible priority groups including those from A3 (people with comorbidities), A4 (economic frontliners), and A5 (poor population) by 2022, but only if an acceptable vaccine vaccination coverage or 50% have completed the initial series.

“The rationale for the set threshold prior to implementation of booster includes ensuring maximum coverage for the primary series as the premature rollout of booster vaccination without attaining acceptable coverage would exacerbate existing inequities,” said the HTAC. Further, the council recommended an additional dose for immunocompromised individuals at least 28 days after completing their initial vaccine series.

Among those are individuals receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood, those receiving an organ transplant, those with advanced or untreated human immunodeficiency virus or HIV infection, those with rare disease, and dialysis patients.

According to the HTAC, getting the same brand of the initial COVID-19 shots for an individual’s third dose is recommended, but

WHO: 3 million elderly Filipinos still unvaccinated vs COVID-19 MANILA — Around three million elderly Filipinos, among those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19, have yet to be vaccinated, the World Health Organization said Monday, October 25.

In Monday’s Laging Handa briefing, Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe — WHO representative to the Philippines — urged local government units to prioritize those among the priority groups who have yet to receive a single dose against COVID19 along with the simultaneous vaccination of the general adult population.

“This is what [the] position is now, to maximize the benefit of third dose in those groups who will be receiving third dose — but, again, the priority is to give first second doses to those who have not been able to get a single shot, which is about three million — unfortunately — still in the Philippines, among the elderly,” he said.

On the same day the DOH approved the Health Technology Assessment Council’s proposal for COVID-19 booster shots for health workers and elderly, while immunocompromised patients are recommended to get an additional or third jab.

Abeyasinghe said that the WHO recommended an additional dose to immunocompromised people as they are not capable of sustaining the level of immunity to protect themselves against severe COVID-19 cases.

Elderly Filipinos who received Sinovac or Sinopharm doses are also recommended to receive an additional jab.

For inoculation of the elderly, he said, the government should start giving the third dose to the

most severely immunocompromised who are those aged over 80, then over 70, then over 60.

Vaccine equity The Philippines’ vaccination program, which started in March, has now moved to cover the general adult population.

Inoculation of adolescents also started this month.

While Abeyasinghe said WHO believes that inoculation of minors outside Metro Manila may proceed, he also urged the Philippine government to be mindful in vaccine equity, especially areas outside Metro Manila and other major cities.

“WHO has raised previously several times its concerns that we do not see equity; we see an inequitable situation with regards to access to vaccines in provinces and regions outside NCR and major cities, especially to most vulnerable,” he said, adding that the elderly and those with comorbidity comprise 30-40% of the population in many of the regions.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government last week said around 7.9 million or 81.4% of the eligible population in the NCR are now fully vaccinated.

“With the increase in [the] availability of vaccines, we continue to urge the local government units in those regions to make sure that as they rollout vaccine, they ensure prioritization is also followed,” he added.

“This is critically important because we still believe we need to be very careful with dealing with the ongoing Delta experience in the regions,” Abeyasinghe continued. (Philstar. com)

the vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech may be used for those who had been injected with AstraZeneca, CoronaVac, and Moderna jabs. n

5

Carlos Yulo wins gold

by niel

VictoR c. Masoy ManilaTimes.net

FILIPINO gymnast Carlos Yulo ruled the vault event final round to win a gold medal at the 50th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at the Kitakyushu General Gymnasium in Japan on Sunday, October 24.

Yulo scored an average of 14.916 points after an exquisite performance, which saw him record 14.800 points for his first vault and 15.033 for his second.

Eager to bounce back after failing to defend his floor exercise title on Saturday, October 23, Yulo showed he’s on a mission right away as he executed a near flawless three-twirl act in mid-air for his first vault.

The 21-year-old, who placed third in the vault’s qualification phase with 14.808 points, then bolstered his chances of winning the event with an impeccable Dragulescu in the second vault where he launched himself high for multiple body rolls on the way down.

Japanese Hidenobu Yonukera claimed the silver medal with an average of 14.866 points, while Israeli Andrey Medvedev captured the bronze with 14.649.

Italian Thomas Grasso placed fourth with 14.549 points, as South Korean Yang Hakseon landed at fifth place with 14.399.

British Courtney Tulloch ranked sixth with 14.383 points, while Ukrainian Nazar Chepurnyi

Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo shows his floor exercise gold medal and vault bronze medal at the 2021 All Japan Senior and Masters Gymnastics Championships held last month in Japan.

Photo courtesy of Coach Munehiro Kugimiya

took the seventh spot with 14.149, and Canadian William Emard placed last with 13.199 points.

Yulo has now won two gold medals in the World Championships — the first one being the floor exercise event in 2019 which keyed his Tokyo Olympic qualification.

Two hours after getting the gold, Yulo won a silver medal

in the parallel bars at the same event.

Yulo, who topped the qualification phase of parallel bars with 15.566 points, scored 15.300 points this time around to finish as runner-up to champion Chinese Hu Xuwei who tallied 15.466 points.

Chinese Shi Cong took home the bronze medal with a score of 15.066 points. n

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Dateline PHiliPPineS

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PSA: Fewer births, more deaths logged from January-August 2021 than same period in 2020

by John

eRic MendoZa ManilaTimes.net

MANILA — Fewer children were born, while more people were reported to have died in 2021 compared to the previous period last year, preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed.

Data showed that 703,400 children were born from January to August 2021, compared to 981,270 births in the same period last year. This means that the first three quarters

of 2021 recorded the fewest birth in 35 years for that period.

A total of 1,528,739 births were reported in the country for 2020, according to PSA. Most births in the Philippines in 2020 averaged 100,000 a month, but most births occurred in September with 146,505 births.

More deaths were also reported in 2021 compared to the same period last year.

There were 486,401 recorded deaths from January to August in 2021, compared to

400,501 reported mortalities in the same period in 2020.

The total number of deaths in 2020 is 613,942.

Marriage Despite the crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the PSA recorded more marriages compared to the same period last year.

There were 211,247 marriages from January to August 2021, compared to 147,536 during the same period last year.

The total number of marriages last year is at 240,775. ■

Chinese ships just move elsewhere in PH EEZ when challenged - think tank

by FRanco lUna Philstar.com

MANILA — Chinese ships seen in areas of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) only to relocate when called out is “evidence of [their] shell game in the Spratly Islands,” a Washington-based think tank said in a new report released Monday, October 25.

This comes after satellite imagery found that over 150 vessels were anchored in the Pagkakaisa (Union) Banks within the EEZ on October 17, after only a handful were present months before on August 8.

In its report, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative tracked the “there and back again” movement of Chinese vessels in the Philippine EEZ and said that the continued presence of Chinese militia in the country’s waters remains constant even when the number of ships decreases.

When engaged in a radio challenge by Philippine authorities or in diplomatic protests by the government, they said, Chinese vessels disperse and then amass again somewhere else in Philippine waters.

Satellite images included in the report show that the number of ships at Iroquois Reef has fallen since the Philippine protest, but it “also suggests that many of those vessels likely headed back to Union

Banks,” where numbers are now steadily picking back up to the levels seen earlier in March.

“When international outcry or patrols by other claimants convince them to leave a disputed feature, they disperse to nearby reefs for a time. But their overall numbers in the Spratlys remain consistent,” the AMTI said.

“As was apparent in the aftermath of the mass deployment at Whitsun Reef, Chinese vessels leaving one contested area most often end up at another.”

Timeline To recall, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea reported in March that 220 Chinese fishing vessels, were spotted at Julian Felipe Reef.

Iroquois Reef is located at the southern end of Recto (Reed) Bank, an area northeast of the Spratly Islands thought to be rich in oil and gas.

AMTI in its report pointed to satellite imagery from Planet Labs that found that Chinese boats first arrived at Iroquois Reef in mid-April, suggesting that they came there right after the 200 massed at Whitsun Reef dispersed.

“The total number of ships at Iroquois seems to have remained low through early June, with no more than 5 ships visible on any date. But

by June 15, the number had grown to 15, and would double to an average of 30 boats

in late July. The average number of vessels fell back to 15 in August before rising again to 30 in late September,” AMTI said.

The think tank added that it found no visible Automatic Identification System signals from the reef, saying “the mass deployment at Whitsun Reef showed that most Chinese militia vessels are equipped with weak, Class-B AIS transceivers that are rarely detected by satellite.”

More diplomatic protests likely In his tweets on September 30, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin directed his department to fire diplomatic protests over the “Chinese radio challenges unlawfully issued against Philippine maritime patrols,” “incessant and unlawful restriction of Filipino fishermen,” and the continued presence of Chinese vessels in the vicinity of the Iroquois Reef.

“This may have had an impact as the number of ships at Iroquois has dropped significantly since. Thirty-five vessels were visible in satellite imagery from October 2 but only five were present by October 17,” AMTI said.

“If this massing of militia vessels at Union Banks continues, more diplomatic protests are likely to follow.” (reports from Patricia Lourdes Viray/ Philstar.com)

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • OCtObeR 29 - NOvemebR 4, 2021

When you GET VACCINATED you have greater protection against hospitalization and death.

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Safe campaigning

WITH certificates of candidacy filed, and with the Supreme Court ruling that there is no such thing as premature campaigning, candidates have started raising their profiles for the 2022 general elections.

The campaigning will be conducted even as COVID-19 continues to rage, with the coronavirus continually mutating and posing risks of resurgence. Candidates and supporters must be mindful of those continuing risks, especially in areas with low vaccination rates.

Even in Metro Manila, sufficient vaccination for herd protection has not yet been attained. The Delta variant is also infecting even children and accounting for breakthrough infections and deaths even among the fully vaccinated.

While social media can be widely used for safe campaigning, most politicians still see the need for face-to-face pitching of their candidacies. Since the filing of candidacies, political gatherings have started, with meetings, marches and motorcades being staged.

Candidates must take full responsibility for ensuring that such gatherings will not turn into COVID superspreader events. They will have to coordinate closely with authorities for such activities, to ensure strict compliance with COVID safety protocols. The Metropolitan Manila Development

Authority, for example, has advised politicians to get a permit for motorcades, if only for traffic management, since holiday traffic is building up in the capital region.

While the country is now at low risk for COVID19, as declared by the Department of Health, it is not yet time to let down one’s guard. A coronavirus sub-variant said to be about 10 times more contagious than Delta has started spreading in the United Kingdom and nearly 30 other countries including the United States. In the meantime, vaccine efficacies are waning for those who were first in line for the shots, raising their risk of breakthrough infections.

Last year, COVID cases also dropped dramatically with the approach of the holidays. The country happily prepared for economic revival during summer, with travel restrictions eased and tourist destinations reopened. And then the Alpha and Beta variants struck, beginning in late March and bringing sickness and death through the summer.

After 19 months of restrictions, people have

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

become used to COVID safety protocols. So it shouldn’t be such a challenge to maintain strict adherence to masking, physical distancing and other safety measures during campaign activities. Surely

candidates themselves don’t want themselves and their supporters getting sick, or worse, from their gatherings for the 2022 race. They should all reach the finish line healthy and safe. (Philstar.com)

The US’ slow but steady safe pace in defeating COVID-19 opens the gateway to our freedom of navigation

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS I AM BACK! Good to share with you what I have been up to in my monthlong hiatus from writing articles for this column.

I just arrived from Spain to go on the Camino de Santiago spiritual pilgrimage, after almost two years of delay because of the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the European Union, and even countries like our Motherland the Philippines, closed its borders to us, the people of the United States, because we were classified as high risk in spreading COVID-19 and its variants to their people.

The richest, most powerful nation in the world that other nations looked up to in our leadership in combatting infectious diseases became a hotspot of the pandemic, thanks but no thanks to the former administration’s failure in leadership because of its aversion to science. The former president and his minions thought the truth about the coronavirus pandemic was getting in the way of their political ambition to be re-elected and remain in power, and consequently, the United States failed to mitigate the spread of the virus early enough.

Thankfully, under the Biden Administration, saving lives became top priority again and science became our basis and tool in formulating policies and implementing programs to defeat the invisible enemy and lead us to-

ward the “normal” life we have been missing.

Fast forward to the present, the Mayo Clinic reports that as of October 25, 66.7% of Americans are now vaccinated with at least one dose, and 57.7% are now fully vaccinated, especially in light of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in August.

CDC has also recommended everyone 12 years and older should get vaccinated to help protect against the virus. According to the agency, widespread vaccination is a critical tool to help stop the pandemic and help us go back to the life as we knew it before 2020.

While compared to adults, fewer children have been infected with COVID-19, the CDC explained that children can also be infected with the virus, get sick and spread COVID-19 to others.

And because of the Delta variant and new scientific information about the deminishing antibody levels with time, the FDA on October 20 expands authorizations for COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for eligible populations who received Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and for Janssen COVID-19 vaccine recipients 18 and older.

As of press time today, October 26, the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee just announced amendment to the Pfizer-BioNTech’s Emergency Use Authori-

zation of their COVID-19 mRNA vaccine to children 5 through 11 years of age. This decision comes after the agency reviewed data released by Pfizer on October 22that showed a kid-sized, two-dose regimen of the Pfizer’s vaccine is safe and 90.7% effective against symptomatic illness from the virus in children ages 5 to 11 years old.

These new developments, coupled with a more unified effort to practice safety measures like wearing mask, social distancing and avoiding crowds especially in indoor setting, have taken us to a more optimistic place with a greater fighting chance toward victory.

Hence, the EU has once again opened its borders to American tourists who are fully vaccinated with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the EU that was why many of us in America have had the privilege of traveling again.

We felt safe with strict implementation of other travel safety requirements like getting a negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours for PCR and 48 hours for rapid test antigen, and wearing masks, observing social distancing.

The United States has also announced it is opening its borders to vaccinated international tourists, and this is great news for us to see our family and friends again from the Philippines and elsewhere aound the world!

Travel.State.Gov announced:

Starting on November 8, foreign national air travelers to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to fly to the United States, with only limited exceptions.

The CDC has determined that for the purposes of entry into the United States, vaccines accepted will include those FDA approved or authorized, as well as vaccines with an emergency use listing (EUL) from the World Health Organization (WHO). See the CDC’s website for more details.

Fully vaccinated air travelers will continue to be required to show documentation of a pre-departure negative viral test from a sample taken within three days of travel to the United States before boarding. That includes all travelers – U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), and foreign nationals.

To further strengthen protections, unvaccinated travelers – whether U.S. citizens, LPRs, or the small number of excepted unvaccinated foreign nationals – will now need to show documentation of a negative viral test from a sample taken within one day of travel to the United States.

As the State Department stated, “As long as the virus is spreading anywhere, it is a threat to people everywhere, including Americans here at home. That’s why earlier this year, President Joe Biden announced that the United States will share over

580 million doses with countries around the world”.

“America will be the arsenal of vaccines in our global fight against COVID-19, just as America was the arsenal of democracy in World War II”, President Biden said.

Reclaiming our leadership in the international community that we lost during the Trump presidency, the Biden Administration recognizes the fact that “COVID-19 is a global challenge that requires a global response.

Together, we will lead the world out of this pandemic.”

The State Department also stated: “The United Statuses exercising diplomatic leadership to mobilize an international response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its secondary impacts while strengthening global biosecurity infrastructure to address both the current crisis and future health related threats.”

WE, the PEOPLE, should also be part of the solution and not the problem, and always think in terms of what is for the greater good, not just in the present time but always until the future.

This is what we need to learn more from Spain. During the time we were there, most of the people of Spain observed safety measures and would remind others, including tourists to follow the same especially in enclosed places, for the safety of all people in their country.

Spain has vaccinated 80.2% of its population with at least one

dose, and 78.6% are fully vaccinated. Nearing 90% of its target population, Spain has really been successful in controlling the spread of the virus. From an all time high of 35,475 in January 2021, Spain is now down to a 7day average of 1863. Spain has a population of 47,431, 256. Can we do the same?

Let us not go too far . Look at California — home to the most number of Filipinos in the U.S. and outside of the Philippines.

Statewide, 72.6% of people in California are now fully vaccinated, with 7.8% partially vaccinated.

Of course, we can do more. We can do better. If we start thinking more of the good of all, less than what is good for me. If we keep on reminding ourselves this is the only patriotic and Christian way to go to save lives and go back to normalcy. Remember: we are all in this together. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** 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.

Filipino Americans asking for US inclusion in PH ‘green list’

Babe’s Eye View BABE ROMUALDEZ OUR consulates in the United States have been getting a deluge of inquiries and appeals from Filipino Americans on how soon they can go home to the Philippines without going through facility-based quarantine. They are appealing that if they are fully vaccinated and have a negative RT-PCR test taken 72 hours before arrival, they be allowed entry without quarantine.

Under current Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases protocols, fully vaccinated travelers from “green” countries do not need to undergo a facility-based quarantine if they have a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before departing from the country of origin and will just be instructed to self-monitor for symptoms.

The United States is currently under the IATF’s list of “yellow”

countries, and fully vaccinated travelers have to undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative result for the RT-PCR test which will be taken on the fifth day. This means visiting Filipino-Americans have to book at least six days of quarantine (or more if the RT-PCR test results take several days) at an accredited hotel – which is not only costly but also takes away precious time that could be spent with their loved ones and family, given that most also have limited vacation time. Even Americans with businesses in the Philippines have been wanting to go back but they can’t afford the one-week downtime due to the quarantine requirement.

The IATF’s color classification is primarily based on the number of COVID-19 cases. Being a large country, the U.S. case load is considered high. However, the number of cases per day in the U.S. has been declining in recent weeks by about 22 percent.

Approximately 90 percent of Filipino-Americans have been fully vaccinated. They are hope-

ful the U.S. could be included in the list of “green” countries. The clamor is growing, especially since Christmas is fast approaching, and so many have not been able to visit their loved ones since the COVID-19 pandemic broke.

During our virtual meeting last Thursday, October 21 with Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin, USec Dodo Dulay, Transportation Secretary Art Tugade as well as Fr. Nick Austriaco and Prof. Ranjit Rye of OCTA Research plus representatives from local airlines that include flag carrier PAL, we discussed how the difficulties faced by international travelers, particularly those from the U.S. and Canada, could be addressed.

One good news is that there is already new technology from a Boston-based company that can conduct PCR tests on all passengers before they board their flight with the results ready by the time the plane lands in Manila – which will provide authorities information if any passenger tested positive. As Secretary Locsin pointed

out, frontloading the PCR testing process can help prevent the long queues that can happen with arriving passengers lining up and waiting for the PCR test to be done at the airport.

According to Fr. Austriaco, data indicate that new infections in the Philippines cannot be attributed to arriving passengers as homegrown or local transmissions account for almost all of the new COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. The infection rate in fact is on a downtrend, especially in Metro Manila which has been placed under Alert Level 3 with more establishments and businesses allowed to open on a limited capacity – and we all know that this is largely due to the government’s vaccination rollout that continues to be scaled up.

There is no doubt we have to open our country and our economy for travel not only for the tourism sector but the downstream industries as well so we can start moving again. Many countries like Singapore and Australia are already open to vaccinated travelers and are scrapping quarantine

requirements for fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. The “bright light” at the end of the tunnel is fast approaching with worldwide scientists optimistically predicting the pandemic will soon be under control by early next year. With the development of oral antiviral drugs that show great promise in treating patients like molnupiravir from Merck which is being heralded as a potential “game changer,” patients will no longer need hospitalization because medication can be taken at home. Pfizer is also developing an oral drug to combat COVID-19, and the results have also been promising.

Experts, however, are emphatic that vaccination is still the best protection against COVID-19. Studies by the US National Institutes of Health on vaccine mix-and-match showed the level of antibodies increasing in people who switched vaccine brands for their booster shots, with no notable side effects.

With the possibility of COVID-19 becoming endemic and thus will require booster shots to be given yearly like the seasonal flu, the

mix-and-match option could help solve vaccine supply issues and keep COVID-19 manageable.

Almost two years now since the pandemic started and with millions dying or getting infected with the disease, we can only thank first and foremost God for giving us the terrific scientists who developed the vaccines to protect us from this deadly disease. Needless to say, I and countless Filipinos cannot thank all the countries enough, especially the United States, for their generosity in giving us the muchneeded vaccines for our people.

To me, being in the forefront of seeing closely and working with the U.S. government in getting the vaccines into our country and saving people’s lives is the greatest blessing ever in my entire life.

(Philstar.com) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com

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THE ASIAN JOURNAL

MAGAZINE

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N O R T H E R N

C A L I F O R N I A

Friday, October 29, 2021

INSIDE >>> L I F E S T Y L E • C O N S U M E R G U I D E • C O M M U N I T Y • M A R K E T P L A C E

How to expedite your case at USCIS Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ FOR anyone with a pending petition or application, the delays in processing their case at USCIS can be frustrating and can cause tremendous disruption, and unnecessary separation of family members. If this applies to you, you’re not alone.

The USCIS has a process or procedure to request your case to be expedited. In this article, I will discuss what types of cases could be eligible for expedited treatment and how to make the request to expedite.

First, the USCIS will consider expedite request only if it meets certain criteria or circumstances: • Severe financial loss to a company or person. However, the need for urgent action cannot be the result of the person failing to timely request the benefit or respond to requests for additional evidence. For example, did you wait until the last minute to file for an immigration benefit or extension? Also, you have to document to show what exactly is the loss and that the person requesting the expedite cannot “withstand the temporary financial loss that is the natural result of normal processing times.” In other words, everyone under petition is suffering in some manner, as well as the company waiting for them to be able to begin working. Maybe the person holds a key position in a company, and the company

may go out of business unless the case is approved immediately.

• Emergencies and urgent humanitarian reasons.

• U.S. government interests.

This could include government agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of Labor, Homeland Security, or other public safety or national security interests.

• Clear USCIS error.

However, the USCIS notes that even if your situation fits one of these categories, it may not warrant expedited processing. For example, if the person wants to expedite a work authorization or student status, that, standing alone, “without any evidence of other compelling factors, does not warrant expedited treatment.” This is likely because everyone wants a work authorization. Therefore, everyone would claim they’re entitled to expedited processing.

Once an expedite request is submitted to USCIS, it may ask for additional evidence and documents to support expedited processing. If you’re lucky enough to get the expedite request approved, it does not mean your actual case is being approved.

It simply means the USCIS will take your case out of order and put it to the front of the line and issue a decision faster than the posted processing times.

But the USCIS is extremely reluctant to grant expedite requests because everyone has their own reason or justification for wanting their case approved faster. Usually, USCIS thinks it’s unfair to move anyone to the front of the line, just because they came up with a better excuse or reason. You need

to demonstrate and document some extremely critical, out of the ordinary emergency to even have a chance. And of course, I would never guarantee anyone that just because they submit an expedite request, USCIS will be granting it.

But if you truly have a case or situation that meets one of these listed criteria or factors, you may want to consult with an attorney who can evaluate your situation and, if you do meet the requirements, help you package and document the expedite request, provided you meet all other eligibility requirements: there are no other issues or problems in your case, your priority date is current, and the like. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 40 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California.

Each case is different, and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

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

JUMPSHIP SON HELPS LEGALIZE HIS MOTHER THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Did you know that family members can “spread the love” by helping each other legalize their status? Mommy Emi (left) came to the U.S. on a visitor’s visa and overstayed. Upon consulting leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right), she was advised to wait for her son to legalize his status in the U.S. first. But Emi’s son, Jerome, was a crewman who jumped ship and was not eligible to adjust status in the U.S. When the provisional regulations came out in 2013, Atty. Gurfinkel filed a provisional waiver so Jerome could get his green card in Manila, and eventually become a U.S. citizen, so he could petition his mother. Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, October 31 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo.

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How a son who jumped ship was able to petition his out-of-status mother this Sunday on Citizen Pinoy THIS Sunday’s episode features Nanay Emi who wanted to legalize her status after she arrived in the U.S. on a tourist visa and overstayed in 2010.

After consulting with leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, she was advised to wait for her son to first legalize his status and become a U.S. citizen. Only then could the son be able to petition his mother.

They had to wait patiently

though, since Nanay Emi’s son, Jerome, was a crewman who jumped ship in 2004. Even though he was married to a U.S. citizen, he was unable to file for adjustment of status in the U.S. It was Nanay Emi who saw the news of a new regulation in 2013 that could benefit her son: provisional waiver.

Jerome was able to safely return to the Philippines in 2015 to get his immigrant visa from

the U.S. Embassy in Manila. After three years, Jerome became a U.S. citizen, and he was finally able to petition his mother.

Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, October 31 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the app for free.

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OctOber 29 - NOvemebr 4, 2021 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

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CoNCepCioN: AN immigrANt FAmily’S FortuNeS

‘History ripples into perpetuity’: Fil-Am author’s sprawling memoir weaves family history, migration, colonialism by

Author and BuzzFeed News inequality editor Albert Samaha’s second book Concepcion is his definitive love letter to his family, and the entire Filipino diaspora by extension. the book tells the personal journey of Samaha’s family leaving a comfortable life in Manila to start fresh in the united States and the author cleverly weaves the migration narrative into the colonial history of the Philippines along with that of Filipinos in America.

“If I have any single dream for the book, it’s that I hope enough people read it and are moved by it that it contributes to rolling back the oppressive rules by which our world operates, shrinking the gap between colonists and colonized, served and servers,” Samaha told the Asian Journal.

From a more practical perspective, he hopes the book helps people from immigrant diasporas better understand their place in the global age — and see themselves represented.

“I hope kids read it to frame the mythologies presented in their

MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

Samaha was born in Vallejo, went to Kindergarten in Manila, first through third grade in San Francisco, fourth grade in San Mateo, then middle school and high school in Sacramento. “I went to six different schools from Kindergarten to 8th grade, and having to keep adapting to those new environments and being constantly presented with the unfamiliar certainly shaped who I am today in ways I’m still untangling,” he told the Asian Journal in an earlier interview.

Photo shows Samaha reading excerpts from his book at a reading in Brooklyn sponsored by the Asian American Writers Workshop.

Photo from Twitter/@hanbae

Albert Samaha and his mom, Lucy. He told us, “If there was anything I know I’ve learned from this process, it was about my own understanding of my privileges as the American-born child of immigrants and the duties that came with that: to push my country toward the ideals that lured my elders here.”

textbooks. I hope it helps Filipino Americans unaware of our history embrace our collective past and interrogate our impulse to assimilate. And, above all, I hope it inspires others to investigate their

The author on how the book’s central message evolved: While I had abstract notions about the book’s central message, I couldn’t conceive or sharpen my points until I equipped myself with knowledge I lacked. One of the most important ways the book evolved was in my fundamental conception of its point of view: While I initially thought of this book primarily as an immigration story, I came to see that the ideas I was developing were products of my second generation experience, and so I framed the history through that lens.

Samaha with his uncle Spanky Rigor of VST. “When I was young I knew he’d been in a well-known band called VST & Company, but had no sense of how famous he was,” Samaha shared. “I never thought to dig into that past -- which now feels a bit shameful.”

Photos courtesy of Albert Samaha

own family histories. As I note in the book, my family’s story is but one thread in a vast tapestry, and the more stories we record, the fuller our vision of the world,” he added.

Critics are raving, Publishers Weekly calls it “an extraordinary look at the freedoms and perils of making a new life in America” while Kirkus reviews says it is “an expansive view of Filipino history and the experiences of Filipino immigrants... that provides an intimate perspective on the legacy of colonialism.”

Samaha seamlessly blending multiple story arcs involving Philippine history, FilAm history in America and his own family’s immigrant journey makes Concepcion an interesting, engaging, and compelling read. how else would one explain getting the feels of an epic history lesson interspersed with an intimate family narrative, all in one chapter?

Concepcion is his mom’s family name, and it’s the name that links the main characters in the story: from his grandparents and

uncles, aunties to his cousins. the second-generation FilAm read more than 50 books, dozens of research papers, and hundreds of pages of primary source documents just to learn the ins and outs of the history he hoped to explore in the book. his initial plan was to complete all the research before he started writing, only to realize within a few months that the breadth of information he was gathering “was far too massive to digest all at once — plus, I was restless to start putting words to the scenes and ideas bouncing around in my head.” thus, he ended up writing one page, one section at a time. once he had all the elements he needed for one section, he would start to write and build up the chapter. he admits he initially struggled with the structure, braiding together two timelines. the first began with his grandmother Caridad’s arrival in the u.S. in 1978, the other that stretched back to his ancestors on pre-colonial Mindanao and chronicled the path that led to their family’s exodus

from the Philippines. trying a bunch of different arrangements and combinations, Samaha added the second-generation experience, the lens that he was looking into. he also opted for short chapters that quickly jumped back and forth in time, but that muddled the core ideas and felt like laying out a bunch of dots without enough lines connecting them.

Eventually, it became clear to him, with help from many conversations with his editor Becky Saletan, that one of the central messages in the book is that “history ripples into perpetuity, the events of the past forever shaping the basic tenets of our reality.” “to show how past and present are linked, I decided to build longer chapters that paired a segment from each timeline under a shared theme — for instance, weaving the experiences of migrant Filipino workers in 1930s northern California with my cousin’s upbringing in 1990s Vallejo, California, to show how American definitions of race dictate opportunities,” he shared. “this structure posed its own challenges: how did the puzzle pieces best fit together, with chronology in order and the themes aligned? I’d print out early drafts and cut out sections with scissors so I could move the parts around on my living room floor until I eventually came to the arrangement that you see in the book.”

Asked if there was a specific moment that inspired him to come up with the book, Samaha said that the inspiration accumu-

lated over time.

Looking back, he thinks he first gained a vague inkling that he wanted to better understand his family history when he visited his granduncle tomas in Italy in 2009 after former Philippine president Corazon Aquino died. he was in college and writing about his role in the People Power revolution for a Filipino community newspaper in California.

Even before that, however, he had been curious about his roots, that over the following years he began to ask his elders more questions about their respective migrations. “then one day in 2016, when I was back in the Bay Area visiting family and contemplating the struggles my elders faced, I was suddenly struck by the impulse to promote my curiosities into a specific project — to build the stories I was hearing into a single, cohesive narrative,” he said.

As a journalist, he had exclusively been telling the stories of others, but deep within him he knew he had a story to tell as well. “the more I learned about my family’s history, the more I realized that it was so fascinating to me because I so rarely encountered books or shows or movies that presented experiences that reflected our own, even fewer exploring the second generation perspective I carried. that revelation convinced me that our story was worth sharing,” he added. he then embarked on this project with a question he didn’t know PAGE 12

Congresswoman and Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos celebrityworld heads list of November birthday celebrants

By Ferdie Villar VILMA Santos-recto, known to the Philippine entertainment world as the Star for All Seasons and now a congresswoman representing the province of Batangas, heads the list of prominent celebrities who are celebrating their birthdays in the month of November. Congresswoman Santos-recto turns 67 on Wednesday, November 3. the multi-awarded actress started her film career at a very young age when she was cast in the film “trudis Liit” for which she garnered a Best Child Performer award in the 1963 FAMAS Awards. rep. Santos has garnered multiple Best Actress trophies from the major award-giving bodies honoring annual film performances in Philippine Cinema (FAMAS, FAP/Luna, urian, PMPC) and has won recognition as producer and actress in local and international awards circuit and film festivals. rep. Santos-recto first entered politics by winning the mayoralty of Lipa, Batangas and was reelected twice. She then ran for Governor of Batangas Province in 2007, winning against the incumbent (Arman Sanchez). rep.

Santos-recto was successful in her reelection bids for governor

in 2010 and 2013. In both cases, she became the first female to serve as Lipa mayor and Batangas governor.

After being termed out for the governorship of Batangas, rep.

Santos-recto decided to run for Congress for Batangas’ 6th District which she won handily.

Aside from working on different committees within the Philippine house of representatives, she has co-authored bills tackling anti-discrimination, maternity leave, post-graduate education for teachers, senior citizen’s rights and cancer awareness. others celebrating their birthdays in November are: November 1: Filipino parish priest Abraham Alonzo, former Mrs. Philippines-uSA winner Arlene Lindalop November 2: the late fashion designer Encarnito (Ito) Curata; November 3: Star for All Seasons and current Congresswoman Vilma Santos, New haven health and hospice (in Vallejo and Daly City) owner Eunice Bejar Lee; November 4: Film/tV actress Angelica Panganiban; November 5: handsome actor Gabby Concepcion, ABS-CBN teleserye actor and model-swimmer Enchong Dee, former Miss

Actress, commercial model and television host Janice de Belen celebrates her birthday on Tuesday, November 9.

Photo from Instagram/@janicedebelen

Enchong Dee, an actor, model and swimmer, celebrates his birthday on Friday, November 5.

Photo from Instagram//@mr_enchongdee

Shaina Garcia Magdayao (born November 6, 1989) is a Filipino actress, dancer, singer and model.

Photo from Instagram/@shaina_magdayao

Earth Philippines uSA winner Melissa Sokukawa, Fil-Am basketball ace J taylor; November 6: Star Cinema actress Shaina Magdayao, singeractress Jolina Magdangal; November 8: Versatile recording artist Basil Valdez; November 9: Actress/tV host Janice de Belen, singer-actress tuesday Vargas, brilliant Filipino lawyer ted Laguatan; November 10: Actress and Eat Bulaga co-host Pauleen LunaSotto, actor-model rafael rosell IV; November 11: Former Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay (who will turn 79), Comedy Queen Ai-Ai de las Alas; November 12: Singer for All occasions tess Gregorio, Knights of Columbus leader Pat Ancheta; November 13: International wine distributor and executive ronald Villar, San Bruno Filipina community leader Alma de Leon Scott; November 14: Former Mrs. republic of the Philippines-uSA

Ai-Ai de las Alas, known as the Comedy Queen in the Philippine entertainment world, celebrates her birthday on Thursday, November 11.

Photo from Instagram/@msaiaidelasalas

Vilma Santos, known as the Star for All Seasons and now a congresswoman representing the province of Batangas’ 6th District, heads the list or prominent personalities celebrating their birthdays in November. She turns 68 on Wednesday, November 3.

Photo from Instagram/@rosavilmasantosrecto

Filipino priest Abraham Alonzo, the spiritual counselor of ANX Hospice in Daly City, celebrates his birthday on Monday, November 1.

Tess Gregorio, known to the Filipino community as the Singer for All Occasions, will celebrate her birthday on Friday, November 12.

Eunice Bejar Lee, owner of New Haven Health and Hospice in Daly City, celebrates her birthday on Wednesday, November 3.

winner Leilani Vinegas of Fairfield; November 18: Filipina caregiver/carehome owner remy Acedillo; November 19: Antioch community leaders Joselito and Margarita Cabrera; November 24: ABS-CBN Channel 2 News Bureau Chief Ging

reyes; November 26: Singer/director and tV host randy Santiago; November 28: Former Senate President Franklin Drilon, Ambassador Leoncio (Jun) Cardenas, 2009 Binibining Pilipinas universe Bianca Manalo; November 29: Actor/impersonator/Eat Bulaga co-host Paolo

Ballesteros, tV executive Jeff remigio; November 30: San Francisco veteran photographer Bonifacio Valera, the late entertainment producer/promoter Sunny tila. to all celebrants, happy Birthday! And to all my readers, happy thanksgiving to you and your beloved family!

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Health @Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS FOllOWING our series of articles on COVID-19 the past few weeks, we have received more than two dozen questions from our readers. We have integrated them in this Q&A: Are the vaccines safe for those pregnant?

Yes, the COVID-19 vaccines are safe for pregnant mothers, proven by the millions of shots administered to women in the various stages of pregnancy. The FDA strongly recommends the vaccines for those who are pregnant to prevent pre-term abortion/miscarriages and death of fetus in the womb.

Does the vaccine alter the DNA? This is a myth propagated in the social media. The vaccine does not alter the DNA, does not have a virus in it, does not cause COVID-19 or Alzheimer’s, does not have a micro-chip in it, does not change a person’s blood type, and does not cause infertility or cancer or any other disease among healthy individuals.

How effective are the vaccines for kids?

Pfizer, for one, reported its new “lower-dose COVID-19 vaccine showed 90.7% efficacy (95% CI 67.7-98.3) against symptomatic infection for kids ages 5 to 11. The FDA is releasing its final approval of this vaccines for this age group. Children eligible to get the vaccines should get it to be safe. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there were 130,000 new COVID-19 cases among kids for the week ending October 14, 2021, alone.

The cases among children are on the rise and so with hospitalization.

The stupid mandate against masked by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and the dangerous medically-baseless ideas of other arrogant leaders like her have obviously contributed to the gravity of the pandemic across the nation. It is one thing to mandate in favor of a protective strategy; it is another to mandate against one and endanger people. Are they epidemiologists? These politicians could be challenged in court and held liable for their words and actions. Why don’t they follow the federal guidelines?

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Your COVID-19 queries Any new ingredient in the Booster?

No, the ingredient in the Booster shot is the same as the first two shots. So, individuals who had any brand of the two shots and did not develop any complications will also most likely not have any untoward reaction to the Booster, which is not a new formulation. The booster is specially beneficial for those who are at high risk, those immunocompromised, and those who have co-morbidities (high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, COPD, asthma, etc.).

What if I skip the Booster?

The immunity/protection (antibody titer) following the first two shots of any brand of COVID-19 vaccines wanes after 6 months (the titer goes down to around 60 percent or so from the 90-95 percent titer level conferred by the vaccines), so the immunity is reduced by about 40 percent.

This figure represents the risk after 6 months. Getting the Booster will raise the antibody titer (protective immunity) back up to 95.6 percent or higher. This is the right way to go, even for children. Discuss your concerns with your physician.

What is mix-and-match?

Clinical studies have shown the safety and efficacy of giving one brand of the COVID-19 vaccines for the first shot (example: Pfizer’s) and a different brand (Moderna’s) for the second shot.

The same thing with the Booster: If one had Pfizer or Moderna for the first 2 shots, the booster shot could be either of the two. If equally available, take the same brand for the second shot or for Booster. If not, mix and match is similarly safe and effective.

How long do I stay test-negative?

After testing negative for COVID-19, a person remains negative as long as he/she does not get exposed to, or actually get the SARS-CoV2 virus form people who have the virus (even if they do not have symptoms).

A negative test in the morning could turn positive when tested the same afternoon or the following day if the individual does not wear facemask and does not do social distancing and get exposed to infected persons. The risk of negative turning into positive is at least ten times higher among the unvaccinated, unprotected.

Is natural immunity better?

No, natural immunity is not as

protective, not as stable, and not as long-lasting as the immunity from the vaccines. Natural immunity will not be sufficient to protect people from getting COVID-19 (again). Many unvaccinated individuals who have died from COVID-19, did not survive to benefit from natural. The best strategy is to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Did the court rule on a vaccine-mandate?

Yes, according to the Wall Street Journal, ”In nearly every instance, COVID vaccine mandates are holding up in court,” just like the federal mandate requiring all children to have the required vaccinations before enrollment which has held up for decades and protected billions of children around the world. Medically speaking, only a prompt federal vaccine mandate for all eligible persons will end this pandemic in the United States sooner than later. The body of the unvaccinated acts as a host and becomes a reservoir-factory of the virus, where it replicates and mutates to a deadlier strain, which will exponentially spread to millions more and prolong this pandemic. Without a host, the virus self-destruct.

Is there a pill for COVID-19?

While hundreds of potential oral medications to prevent or treat COVID-19 are undergoing clinical trials, Merck’s COVID19-antiviral pill is the only one so far scheduled to be reviewed and scrutinized by the US-FDA on November 30, 2021.

Are you against the freedom of choice?

No, I am not against civil rights or personal liberty to choose, as long as the choice does not cause harm or kill other people. let me echo my rhetorical questions to clarify my sentiment about freedom of choice: Does a driver of a school bus full of children have the right to choose to drive the bus over a cliff because he does not want to live anymore? Would you allow people who have active tuberculosis or any deadly infectious disease, who refuse treatment (as their constitutional right) to spread the disease and kill thousand others? Would a federal mandate to compel these persons (like those who refuse the COVID-19 vaccines) to get the shots to protect them and the general public not be justified?

Sadly, the abuse of freedom, political correctness, and canPAGE 12

SFIO’s The Global Academy in partnership with FPACC aims to guide businesses in their journey of digital transformation THE existence of the COVID-19 pandemic has lasted for almost two years, forcing the world to live in a “new normal.” Due to the constant lockdowns, businesses have been forced to close their doors under lockdown restrictions that have put most entrepreneurs in very difficult situations. To sustain the business, entrepreneurs have had to stay ahead of the curve, make necessary changes, and be creative during the pandemic – critical actions they have needed to do for their businesses to pull through.

Undoubtedly, technology has been a great help for the business to stay afloat; some businesses have performed even better than before with the support of technology. Most of the businesses moved online to protect their cash flow, their businesses, their staff and themselves. SFIO’s “The Global Academy” (TGA) headed by its CEO, Jonathan Petalver, is proud to present a new partnership with the Federation of Philippine American Chamber of Commerce (FPACC) to build business leaders and digital entrepreneurs.

The establishment of a new relationship with FPACC is to support its thrust to develop business owners’ mindset to stay ahead in this new digital economy. Transitioning into a new way of running a business has always been a challenge. The academy teaches business owners how to utilize their products with an improved process and digitalize it through a suitable platform, shortening the time of trials and lessening the failures as theyt embark on their digital business. We know the pain of going through the transition period. Hence, we would like to enable our kababayans to have a solid foundation in operating a digital business in the long term.

The course is sponsored by SFIO and SAM. The strategic learning provider, The Global Academy New Zealand, will provide coaching and training about digitalizing the product, process and platform. The coaching session will equip business owners with ways to thrive and stay ahead by transforming their business organizations digitally in this new economy.

The course of digital business will guide them from product to process and eventually to operate their businesses on different digital platforms to stay competitive in this new business and economic environment.

There are new strategies and practices required as most consumers move dramatically to online platforms nowadays. Digital transformation will be the core element to stabilize the business operation in the future. SFIO aims to create future-readiness and resilience for entrepreneurs, while TGA sets out to reset, reboot and reprogram the mindsets of FPACC members to be well-prepared entrepreneurs and welcome the ultimate “new normal” of reopening for future business.

SFIO has gone through the same process of digital transformation which enabled it to become a global leader. Throughout the program designed by TGA, we are confident that our business owners will be trained with strong foundations to be able to operate a steady digital version of sustainable business. TGA equips them through business coaching to stay ahead and thrive amidst this COVID-19 pandemic.

TGA is looking for Strategic Entrep Coaches to reach out to as many kababayans for 2022.

This is to raise interest for those who already became successful in the U.S. and would like to be part of TGA globally.

(Advertising Supplement)

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Features

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The Google Voice scam: How this verification SBA to host National Veterans Small Business Week Nov. 1-5 Events will highlight the agency’s efforts to support the code scam works and how to avoid it nation’s nearly 1.8 million veteran-owned small businesses returning your pet, they feign hesitation. They might say they’ve heard about fake online listings and want to verify that you’re a real person. Or they might say they want to verify that you’re the pet’s true owner.

They send you a text message with a Google Voice verification code and ask you for that code.

If you give them the verification code, they’ll try to use it to create a Google Voice number linked to your phone number. (Google Voice gives you a phone number that you can use to make calls or send text messages from a web browser or a mobile device.)

So, what’s the harm? The scammer might use that number to rip off other people and conceal their

identity. Sometimes these scammers are after a Google Voice verification code and other information about you. If they get enough of your information, they could pretend to be you to access your accounts or open new accounts in your name.

If you gave someone a Google Voice verification code follow these steps from Google to reclaim your number.

No matter what the story is, don’t share your Google Voice verification code — or any verification code — with someone if you didn’t contact them first.

That’s a scam, every time. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. (Alvaro Puig/Consumer Education Specialist, FTC)

‘History ripples into perpetuity’...

PAGE 10 the answer to: “Were my elders’ immigrant sacrifices worth the price they paid?”

He was deeply fascinated by his Uncle Spanky Rigor’s career as a rockstar and one of the founding members of the pioneering ‘70s disco band VST & Company, and his choice to leave it all behind. Rigor worked as a baggage handler at San Francisco International Airport for almost 30 years, since he immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines.

When Samaha last visited the Philippines in April 2017, he went with his mom, for an essay he wrote about President Rodrigo Duterte later. His mom grew up in Manila, though her parents are from northern Mindanao.

His dad is from Beirut and currently lives there. The couple met on an airplane. His mom was a flight attendant, his dad was a passenger.

PAGE 11

“They separated when I was young. I lived with my mom in California, but saw my dad at least once a year, and much more often in recent years. I grew up around my mom’s side, so culturally I felt full Filipinx growing up,” he told Asian Journal in an earlier interview.

As a journalist, Samaha said he was accustomed to the struggle of finding critical sources and digging up enough puzzle pieces to stitch together a truthful story.

This project posed an opposite challenge.

“I had easy access to the relatives I was writing about and had no trouble compiling a vast trove of material, from interviews and recollections — but what to omit?” he asked.

Certainly not the fact that Albert’s mother is ultra-religious and a Trump supporter, or that she had to go through financial trouble years ago.

Samaha shared that some rela-

tives were more forthcoming than others.

“My family, like a lot of Filipino families love to chismis, to talk and gossip about one another. I learned how to tell stories from my mom, from my family. We were always talking,” he said at a book reading in Brooklyn last week. “A lot of our friends, even some of our relatives don’t know some of the details revealed in the book.”

His initial reaction when he saw the book for the first time?

“Sheer joy, man. Just sheer joy.

And relief. A big weight off the shoulders. And immense, personal pride.”

“This project took me five years and has been on my mind for much longer. To see my family’s name there on the front of a hardcover — it brought me to tears and all I could think about was how excited I was to show my mom and aunties and uncles and cousins,” he said.

Your COVID-19 queries

cel culture today are standing in the way of safe public health. I strongly believe national societal interest and safety must always prevail over individual civil rights, especially in a pandemic which has so far killed more than ¾ of a million around the world.

King Solomon must be turning in his grave. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints

EMPLOYMENT

expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a

substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** 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 Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and antigraft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

through its 22 Veterans Business Outreach Centers

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration will celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit and resilience of veteran small business owners during National Veterans Small Business Week, Nov. 1-5, 2021.

“National Veterans Small Business Week is a time to honor the service and celebrate the impact of our nearly 1.8 million veteran entrepreneurs who are a driving force in our economy, generating approximately $1 trillion annually and employing nearly 4 million people,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. “The SBA team is committed to providing the capital, marketplace opportunities and supportive network of Veterans Business Outreach Centers so that our veterans and military spouses can continue to do what they do best – face hardships head-on to build, innovate, and adapt their businesses to survive and thrive.”

“Guaranteeing paid leave is a critical part of the effort to improve the economic security of families, support small businesses and increase economic growth. The pandemic has exposed the chronic caregiving crisis faced by working people and employers alike. We cannot emerge from this crisis and remain one of the only countries in the world without some

form of national paid leave. As we honor Veteran Small Business Week and continue our efforts to support small business owners, including the more than 330,000 Veteran business owners, now is the time make a bold investment in our nation’s working families,” Senator and Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth stated.

Representative and former Army Ranger Jason Crow (CO6) added, “Our service members have our backs; it’s our responsibility to have their backs, too.

That means ensuring veterans have the tools and resources they need to build and run a small business. I’m proud to join in recognizing our veteran small business community this National Veterans Small Business Week as we continue investing in the strength and resiliency of American veterans.”

Throughout the week, the SBA will focus on highlighting various aspects of the veteran small business ownership journey. Hosted by the Office of Veterans Business Development, the weeklong event will cover several topics such as transition assistance, entrepreneurial training, government contracting, disaster assistance, and access to capital resources.

SBA district offices, resource

partners, and local organizations across the country will host National Veterans Small Business Week activities in hybrid in-person and virtual formats based on the needs of their community.

For more information about National Veterans Small Business Week and to find events in your area, visit sba.gov/nvsbw. Sign up for an event and join the online conversation using the hashtag #VetBiz. The Office of Veterans Business Development works through SBA’s extensive resource partner network, which includes Small Business Development Centers, SCORE, Women’s Business Centers, and 22 Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC) located throughout the nation. VBOCs are also the leading partner in hosting the “Boots to Business” and “Boots to Business Reboot” programs, which offer courses on entrepreneurship on military installations and in local communities. Since the program’s inception in 2013, Boots to Business has trained and graduated more than 143,955 service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses. For more information on the resources available for veteran entrepreneurs, visit www.sba.gov/veterans. (SBA Release)

Silicon Valley Power recognized as a smart energy provider SANTA CLARA – Silicon Valley Power (SVP) has earned a Smart Energy Provider (SEP) designation from the American Public Power Association (APPA) for demonstrating a commitment to and proficiency in energy efficiency, distributed generation and environmental initiatives that support the goal of providing safe, reliable, low-cost and sustainable electric service.

Matt Hein, Energy Services Manager of Cedar Falls Utilities in Cedar Falls, Iowa and the Energy Innovation Committee chair, presented the designations on Oct. 25 in Scottsdale, Arizona at APPA’s annual Customer Connections Conference.

The SEP designation, which lasts for two years (Dec. 1, 2021, to Nov. 30, 2023), recognizes public power utilities for demon-

HOUSING

strating leading practices in four key disciplines: smart energy program structure; energy efficiency and distributed energy programs; environmental and sustainability initiatives; and customer experience.

“This recognition highlights our ongoing progress to our broader Council priorities and goals,” said City Manager Deanna J. Santana.

“We are committed to providing safe and sustainable electric service to our community, and we will continue to implement and promote smart-energy programs.”

SVP joins a prestigious group of public power utilities nationwide that hold the SEP designation. “Utilities that earn the SEP designations are going the extra mile beyond providing electricity for their communities,” said Hein.

SERVICES

Below Market Rate (BMR) Rental Apartments Available Prism at 1028 Market St, San Francisco CA 94102 12 Studios at $1,227 per month; 6 One-Bedrooms at $1,248 per month; 7 Two-Bedrooms at $1,361 per month.

Must be income eligible and must not own a home. Households must earn no more than the maximum income levels below: 55% of Area Median Income One person - $51,300; 2 persons - $58,600; 3 persons - $65,950; 4 persons - $73,250; 5 persons- $79,100 Applications must be received by 5pm on 12/9/21. Apply online through DAHLIA, the SF Housing Portal at https://housing. sfgov.org. Contact a housing counselor for assistance with your application: housing.sfgov.org/get-assistance. Please contact the Prism leasing team for more information at (415) 763-1451 or bmr@rentprism.com.

Units available through the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development are subject to monitoring and other restrictions. Visit www.sfmohcd.org for housing preferences and program information.

SF#2985

IT’S Cyber Security Awareness month, so the tricks scammers use to steal our personal information are on our minds. If there’s one constant among scammers, it’s that they’re always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam.

Have you heard about it? Here’s how it works.

Scammers target people who post things for sale on sites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. They also prey on people who post looking for help finding their lost pet.

The scammers contact you and say they want to buy the item you’re selling — or that they found your pet. But before they commit to buying your item, or

“This designation celebrates utilities that are committed to serving their customers with leading smart energy programs and energy services. These communities should be proud that their utilities are focused on providing excellent service while planning for the future.”

“We are proud to be recognized as a utility at the forefront of smart energy best practices,” said Manuel Pineda, chief electric utility officer of Silicon Valley Power.

“This SEP designation represents our dedication to offering programs and implementing practices that work toward our Climate Action Plan goals to reduce our collective environmental impact, help our customers save money and support our community’s responsible energy use.” (City of Santa Clara Release)

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