111122 - New York & New Jersey Edition

Steven Raga wins assembly seat, becomes the first Filipino American in the New York State legislature

by MOMAR G. VISAYA AJPress

NEW York State Assembly District 30 candidate Steven Raga has made history as the first Filipino-American elected to office in New York State.

On election night, Raga won his race to serve in the state assembly. There are 150 seats in the

New York State Assembly that serve two-year terms without term limits.

Raga won against his Republican opponemt Sean Lally in Tuesday night’s (November 8) general election, garnering 57.84% of the votes (10,972 votes), against Lally’s 41.12% of thevotes. The results will not be certified until all ballots are counted as Raga’s district has registered 97.66% of precincts reporting ac-

cording to unofficial results from the city Board of Elections.

Raga expressed thanks and gratitude to all the support that his campaign received during the past eight months of the historic campaign for an Assembly seat.

In an Election Day post on social media, he described himself as “a kid from Queens who

The pandemic’s collateral damage: Long COVID

AN estimated 4 million people in the U.S. have permanently dropped out of the workforce due to long COVID, which can include an array of symptoms that last well after the initial infection.

Experts say the nation lacks the resources to handle the predicted swell of such cases.

Long COVID is characterized as people experiencing a multitude of symptoms for three months or longer after first being

In ation races to 14-year high

by KRISTINA MARALIT

AND EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ ManilaTimes.net

INFLATION in the country surged to 7.7 percent in October, the highest increase in 14 years, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday, November 4.

The rate is likely to rise further in the last two months of the year, the PSA said.

It rose from 6.9 percent in September and almost doubled the 4.0 percent a year earlier.

The increase was higher than the 7.3 percent median in The Manila Times' poll of analysts

Filipino man sentenced to 20 years for deadly stabbing on container ship

by AJPRESS

A FILIPINO man who fatally stabbed a fellow crewmember on a container ship heading to Los Angeles was sentenced on Monday, November 7 to 20 years in federal prison.

Michael Dequito Monegro, 44, a resident of the Philippines, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer, who said in court at the court hearing that Monegro’s

Monegro pleaded guilty on May 2 to one count of committing an act of violence against a person onboard a ship that is likely to endanger the safe navigation of the ship.

In September 2020, Monegro was working as a seaman aboard the MSC Ravenna, a 153,000-gross-ton Liberianflagged container ship. The murder took place on September 20, 2020,

Marcos to lay down economic agenda in APEC Summit

by KRISTINA MARALIT ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is expected to lay down his administration's economic agenda when he meets with his foreign counterparts at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) in Bangkok, Thailand on November 16 to 19.

Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) Officer in Charge Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil said that Marcos will discuss his plans on trade, investment and post-pandemic economic recovery efforts.

"The economic leaders from 21 APEC economies will discuss sustainable trade and

Easing of inbound travel restrictions OK’d to boost PH tourism

by HELEN FLORES Philstar.com

MANILA — To allow the Philippines’ tourism sector to catch up with that of neighboring countries, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the recommendation of the government’s pandemic task

force to further relax travel restrictions for inbound travelers.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, in a memorandum dated Oct. 28, said the President approved the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’

MODERN COACHES. Modern train coaches are parked on the tracks of the Metro Rail Transit-7 along Commonwealth Avenue in Tandang Sora, Quezon City on Wednesday, Nov. 9. Eyed for partial operations by the fourth quarter of the year, MRT-7 will have 14 stations from North Avenue, Quezon City to the City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

“conduct was unusually heinous, cruel and brutal.”

Steven Raga

Steven Raga wins assembly seat...

PAGE 1

grew up with a single mother, working three jobs while pur suing my education, the over whelming support from all corners of the district means a lot to me.”

Raga was a former chief of staff of Assemblymember Bri an Barnwell of District 30 who announced last April that he won’t be running for reelec tion. Raga was thrust into the position when he was selected by a committee to determine who would replace Barnwell on the ballot.

Addressing his supporters, Raga praised his campaign team and the volunteers and recalled “being out in the train station stops at 6 a.m. and at bus stops, knocking doors, and figuring out hashtags for future posts.”

“I am very proud of the cam paign we ran,” he said. “This is really a team effort, this is a movement and effort that we are going to continue next year and for years to come.”

“This neighborhood means a lot to me,” Raga added as he talked about his family who has called it home for the past few decades. “I look forward to advocating for everyone here, defending our rights and working in partnership with our other forward-thinking legislators to bring more value to all New Yorkers, specially our most vulnerable, and our new immigrants.”

As a candidate, Raga amassed a slew of endorse ments from elected officials

and community and civic leaders and won his primary race in June. Among those who threw their support were Congresswoman Grace Meng, Congressman Grego ry Meeks, State Sen. John Liu and Assemblymembers Ron Kim, Catalina Cruz, and Jessi ca González-Rojas, who was present to congratulate him on his win.

Assembly District 30 has undergone significant change due to redistricting. It current ly covers the neighborhoods of Woodside, Maspeth, and Elmhurst, along with parts of Jackson Heights. The district is one of the most diverse in the state and is majority AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders).

During the campaign, Ra ga’s days start with him giving out literature and campaign materials at train stops and then he goes to the poll sites before meeting with commu nity leaders to put campaign events. He then spends six hours knocking on doors and calling voters.

“We’re still putting in the hard work and we’re not tak ing anything for granted,” he told the Asian Journal in a pre vious interview. “Although it looks good, we want to make sure that we follow through until the very end and we just want to stay the course.”

Raga was the Executive Director for Woodside on the Move, a social service and advocacy non-profit locat ed in Woodside. Before that,

he served as the Northeast Regional Manager of Policy & Advocacy for the Komen Foundation, and before his time in politics, he spent near ly a decade doing non-profit work, including his time as a Senior Strategist Multicultural Leadership for AARP.

He served as Barnwell’s chief of staff for four years. He is also a board member of Queens Pride and the Na tional Federation of Filipino American Associations. Raga is also the founder of Pilipino American Unity for Progress (UniPro).

“From experience, I can tell you issues that everyday resi dents are facing; I’ve worked with non-profit organizations that are filling vital gaps in providing community resourc es and services. I was able to develop bonds with so many of my own neighbors while also learning about pertinent legislative issues to Western Queens and the complex re lationship between City and State politics,” Raga shared.

Last June when he won the primary, he said he was look ing forward to proudly wear ing a Barong Tagalog on the floors of the New York State Assembly if he gets elected.

Among his top priorities are combating Asian Amer ican hate, coming up with a comprehensive measure to protect both tenants and homeowners, and helping small businesses or any busi nesses that helped especially during COVID. g

Filipino man sentenced to 20 years for...

PAGE 1

when the Ravenna was approximately 80 nautical miles from Southern California and nearing the end of its twoweek voyage from Shanghai to the Port of Los Angeles, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

That morning, several crewmembers were in a dressing room on the ship’s upper deck, preparing for their shift and waiting for their direct supervisor to provide their work assignments for the day. Shortly after Monegro saw his direct supervisor –identified in court documents as “M.S.” – in the hallway outside the locker room, Monegro began stabbing him with a knife while they were both in the hallway in full view of several crewmembers.

The victim grappled with Monegro and the two fell to the floor. Monegro then got on

top of the victim and continued stabbing him. Monegro then removed a second knife from the victim’s coveralls and stabbed him with both knives.

Crewmembers attempted to intervene to stop Monegro, including throwing a trash can at him, but their actions were unsuccessful. Monegro stopped stabbing the victim only when he became too tired to continue. In total, Monegro stabbed the victim 31 times.

The ship’s captain, chief mate and chief engineer all arrived on scene during the incident, and the captain convinced Monegro to get off the victim, who died on the ship from multiple stab wounds.

Monegro was convinced by the captain to walk to a conference room. After continued discussions, Monegro placed the knives on the conference room table and was escorted to his cabin.

After the incident, Monegro was confined to a cabin and crewmembers were assigned to guard the door, so they were unable to perform their normal duties on the ship. Other crewmembers were traumatized by witnessing Monegro stab and kill the victim.

Federal agents arrested Monegro after the ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles on September 27, 2020. He has been in federal custody since his arrest.

“The tragic impact of defendant’s conduct cannot be overstated,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Monegro’s] murder of M.S. left behind M.S.’s wife and daughter, who was 17 at the time of the murder. M.S. was the sole bread winner for the family, and his death caused significant financial strain on the family.” g

Marcos to lay down economic agenda...

PAGE 1

investment, reconnecting the region and charting our paths toward postpandemic recovery and inclusive and sustainable growth," Velicaria-Garafil said during a press briefing in Malacañang.

The gathering of heads of state will likewise serve as an opportunity for the Philippines to push its economic agenda and priorities. These include empowerment of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and their inclusion in globalvalue chains, recognition of the essential role of maritime

crews and seafarers in ensuring stable and resilient supply chains, and ensuring food and energy security as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation, she said.

The President is also slated to take part in the APEC CEO Summit where he will have face-to-face discussions with the region's top business leaders.

"He will meet with top executives of Thai companies to discuss business opportunities, investments and expansion plans," Velicaria-Garafil said.

Besides his high-level meetings, Marcos will also meet with the Filipino

community in Thailand.

This will be the first in-person meeting of the 21-member regional economic bloc since the pandemic hit.

The two previous AELMs were held virtually in 2021 and 2022, hosted by Malaysia and New Zealand, respectively.

The 21 member economies of APEC are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. g

Easing of inbound travel restrictions...

PAGE 1

No. 2, recommending the lifting of pre-departure testing requirement for fully vaccinated arriving passengers, whether Filipinos or foreign nationals.

“Please be informed of the approval of IATF Resolution No. 2 subject to strict observance of other minimum health protocols and compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations,” Bersamin said in his memo addressed to IATF chair Department of Health officerin-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire and the task force’s members.

Filipino and foreign nationals shall be deemed fully vaccinated if he or she had received the second dose of a two-dose series

or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine more than 14 days prior to the date and time of departure from the country of origin or port of embarkation, according to IATF Resolution No. 2, dated Oct. 4.

The vaccinated individuals are required to present the following proofs of vaccination upon arrival in the country: World Health Organization International Certificate of Vaccination and Prophylaxis, VaxCertPH, national or state manual/ digital certificate of the country/foreign government or other proof of vaccination.

In the memo, the Palace directed the Bureau of Quarantine to coordinate with the DOH and other concerned agencies to identify the other acceptable proofs of vaccination in order to avoid

confusion and inconvenience on the part of inbound travelers, and facilitate dissemination thereof for public information.

Meanwhile, unvaccinat ed Filipinos and foreign na tionals 15 years or older shall present a remotely super vised, or a laboratory-based rapid antigen negative result administered and certified by a health care professional in a health care facility, laboratory, clinic, pharmacy or other sim ilar establishment taken with in 24 hours prior to the date and time of departure from the country of origin/first port of embarkation in a continu ous travel to the Philippines, excluding layovers; provided that he/she has not left the air port premises or has not been

LIGHT A CANDLE. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Administrator Arnell Ignacio, members of the Special Alliance of Welfare Officers, Advocates, Recruiters and Migrant Workers Inc., led by its founder and chair David Castillon, light a candle during a dialogue at the Diamond Hotel in Ermita, Manila on Sunday, Nov. 6. The candle lighting ceremony is a symbol of unity among private recruitment agencies, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the government in ensuring the welfare of migrant workers. Their discussion focused on the concerns and problems of OFWs. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

The pandemic’s collateral damage: Long COVID

infected. Such symptoms include: tiredness, fatigue, malaise, fever, shortness of breath, brain fog, dizziness, headaches, and sleep disturbance. People also experience psychological symptoms such as depression and anxiety.

More than 21 million Americans have experienced long COVID. A paper released last month in the scientific journal Nature found that almost half of people who had experienced COVID had not fully recovered two months later.

People who have underlying health issues — such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and obesity — are at greater risk for developing long COVID. Vaccines and therapeutics taken early in the infection are significant tools

in staving off the disease. The three W’s — washing hands, wearing a mask and watching one’s distance from others — are also helpful in preventing infections.

However, lower-income people may lack the ability to access therapeutics in time for it to be effective. Paxlovid, for example, must be started within five days of an infection. And, because of work and living conditions, they may also lack the ability to maintain the distance required to prevent infections.

Few people have availed of the updated booster, also known as the bivalent vaccine.

Less than 10% of Californians have taken that shot, according to data from the California Department of Public Health. Nationally, only 20 million people have taken the updated

Easing of inbound travel restrictions...

PAGE 2

admitted into another country during such layover.

Filipinos and foreign nationals 15 years or older who fail to present negative pre-departure testing with conditions set forth above, shall be required to undergo a laboratory-based rapid antigen negative result administered and certified by a health care professional in a health care facility, laboratory, clinic, pharmacy or other similar establishment taken upon arrival at the airport, it said.

Those who shall test positive for COVID-19 through rapid antigen test shall be subjected to the latest prevailing quarantine and isolation protocols of the DOH, the resolution stated.

Accompanied minors below 15 years of age who are not vaccinated for any reason shall follow the quarantine protocols of their parent/s or an accompanying adult/ guardian travelling with them, the IATF said.

Unaccompanied minors below 15 years of age who have not been vaccinated for

any reason shall follow the protocols set for Filipino and foreign nationals 15 years and above.

On Oct. 28, Marcos issued Executive Order 7, lifting the mandatory wearing of face masks in indoor settings, except in medical facilities and public transportation.

On Sept. 12, the President issued EO 3, which allowed the voluntary wearing of face masks in outdoor settings, particularly in open spaces and noncrowded outdoor areas with good ventilation. g

Inflation races to 14-year...

PAGE 1

and was near the upper end of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' (BSP) 7.1 to 7.9 percent range for the month.

The last time consumer price growth was higher was in December 2008 when it hit 8.2 percent.

BSP Governor Felipe Medalla told Bloomberg on Friday that "our best guess is that it will peak either next month or the last month of the year."

The stock market initially fell on the news but was lifted by last-minute bargain hunting.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index ended the day up 29.42 points or 0.48 percent to 6,185.53. The peso, meanwhile, added 25 centavos to close at P58.55 to the U.S. dollar.

National Statistician Dennis Mapa, who attributed the October rise to "increasing food inflation," told a briefing there was a "substantial probability of an increase" given rising cooking gas prices and the recent damage from Storm "Paeng."

In a statement, the PSA attributed the continued inflationary rise to the "higher annual growth rate in the index for food and nonalcoholic beverages at 9.4 percent, from 7.4 percent in September 2022."

Food inflation alone increased to 9.8 percent, up from 7.7 percent in September and more than double the 4.0 percent in October 2021.

Core inflation, which does not include price-volatile food and energy items, rose to 5.9 percent from September's 5.0 percent. It stood at 2.5 percent a year earlier.

The National Economic and Development Authority

(NEDA) said in a statement the "surge in prices resulted from external price pressures, like the Russia-Ukraine war and lockdowns imposed in parts of China, which disrupted global supply chains, and the lingering aftermath of recent typhoons, including Typhoon 'Karding' that hit the country in late September."

NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the govern ment's "immediate priority is to continue supporting the most vulnerable sectors of the economy, hence, the cash transfers and fuel discounts will continue."

Medalla told Bloomberg that "our forecast is by the second half of next year, it (inflation) will be below four [percent] already."

The BSP, which has a 2.0 to 4.0 percent inflation target, has estimated that this year's result will be in the 5.6 to 5.7 percent range. Year to date, average inflation is at 5.4 percent.

Commenting on the latest inflation data, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) lead economist Emilio Neri Jr. said, "we continue to see price pressures that could prevent inflation from going back to the target of the BSP in the coming year, with inflation prints likely to remain above seven percent for the remainder of the year."

The latest consumer price growth figure underlined Medalla's preemptive announcement on Thursday, November 3 of a 75 basis point increase in key interest rates on November 17.

In the Bloomberg interview, he reiterated that the move aimed to prop up the peso and maintain a 100-point differential with the U.S.

Federal Reserve's rate.

Asked about the Marcos government's push to stop the currency — which last month hit an all-time low of P59 to the dollar — from falling to P60:$1, Medalla replied that monetary authorities would not draw a line but would continue to use policy tools such as interest rates and the country dollar reserves to support the peso.

Neri said he sees the peso continuing to depreciate in the coming months. With the country becoming more and more reliant on imports, dollar outflows will continue to significantly exceed inflows, he added.

"Even if The Fed stops hiking in 2023, it may not necessarily lead to a huge appreciation of the peso given the country's fundamentals. The peso may even continue to weaken in this scenario if the trade deficit remains sizable, although at a slower pace compared to this year," Neri said.

On Friday, Malacañang said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the continuation of financial aid and fuel discounts to the most vulnerable sectors to help cushion the impact of rising inflation.

In a statement, the Palace said the President "is committed to support our farmers and other stakeholders in agriculture in post-disaster recovery, while improving the value chain and investing in climate-smart technologies remain a priority in the medium and long term."

The President also directed concerned agencies to invest in innovations and technologies to make communities and businesses resilient amid extreme weather challenges. g

AFP JOINT EXERCISE FLAG. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro (left), and AFP Joint Exercise (AJEX) Director Brig. Gen. Marvin Licudine unfurl the AJEX flag at the opening rites of the AJEX “DAGIT-PA” at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Monday, Nov. 7. DAGIT-PA, which stands for “Dagat-Langit-Lupa”, is an AFP-wide/AFP-only exercise that integrates Philippine Navy, Phil-ippine Air Force, Philippine Army, and AFP Special Operations Forces to level up capabilities to accomplish missions in the sea, air, and land. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

OFEATURES PINION

The next challenges

FROM the moment the self-confessed triggerman had said the order to murder Percy Lapid came from the New Bilibid Prison, suspicion had focused on Gerald Bantag, at the time the director general of the Bureau of Corrections, which runs the NBP and other prison facilities. Despite his denials, Bantag was suspended “indefinitely” as BuCor chief by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, on orders of President Marcos.

On Monday, November 7 Bantag along with BuCor official Ricardo Zulueta and 10 Bilibid prisoners were charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of Lapid and another NBP inmate, Cristito “Jun” Villamor Palaña. Considering the circumstances and the personalities involved, the progress in this case is commendable. It would not have been possible if self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial had not turned himself in, but he was forced to because of his image caught on surveillance video and widely disseminated to the public. Authorities should expand the use of surveillance equipment in public spaces, while still being mindful of privacy laws.

The next challenge is to make the charges stick. Ricardo Zulueta, who was in charge of security and operations at the BuCor, was also Bantag’s co-defendant in the deaths of 10

Babe’s Eye View

FOLLOWING the Washington, DC leg of the reporting tour program organized by the Philippine embassy in Washington for a group of journalists from print, online and broadcast news outfits, the next leg was in New York for a more

inmates at the Parañaque City Jail in an explosion in August 2016 when Bantag was its warden. Both of them were working at the time for the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. Parañaque Regional Trial Court Judge Betlee-Ian Barraquias acquitted them along with a third defendant ostensibly for lack of evidence.

At the same time, probers should continue to pursue the possibility – as expressed by Lapid’s relatives – that there could be a “comastermind” higher than Bantag behind the broadcaster’s murder. Resentment over Lapid’s commentaries in his radio show, “Lapid Fire,” led to his murder, according to authorities. His relatives, however, have noted that he had criticized many other officials in the past years, who might have encouraged Bantag to order the murder.

Beyond the two murders, Remulla said probers are also looking into the causes of deaths of around 30 corpses sent recently by the NBP to its accredited funeral parlor, the Eastern Funeral Services in Muntinlupa. The funeral home management said on Monday that it has in its safekeeping 176 corpses, unclaimed after being sent there by the NBP since last year.

The murders of Lapid and Villamor, apparently arranged from behind prison walls, should lead to long-term reforms in the penal system. And while justice appears to be at hand for Lapid, there are still many other journalist murders waiting to be solved. Their killers should be pursued as vigorously as those responsible for Lapid’s deat. (Philstar.com)

Preventing hate and discrimination

in-depth perspective on the concerns and issues that Filipinos face in the city, among them anti-Asian hate, immigration and employment.

Our consulate in New York informed me that the journalists were able to engage with various city government officials that include Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Hannah Yu, chief of the

Hate Crimes Unit; Hassan Naveed, executive director of the New York City Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes; Jasper Diaz, legislative representative of the Mayor’s office; Peter Koo, Senior Adviser of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Mirna Velasquez, Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Foreign Consular Affairs.

Since the onset of the

COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in hate incidents against Asians across the United States, with New York registering one of the biggest numbers of hate crimes directed at Asian Americans according to reports. During the briefing by Assistant DA Hannah Yu, she disclosed that the city recently increased its budget to include $1.7 million for

the Hate Crimes Unit –underscoring the growing concern for the anti-Asian hate crime incidents that have increased in the last two years, with Manhattan seeing some of the highest number of cases.

“Hate crimes are on everyone’s minds – whether they are taking their kids to school, riding the subway or on their way to work, and we understand, through

the work that we do, that New Yorkers feel this threat every single day,” Yu acknowledged, adding that currently, they have the largest hate crimes docket ever in the history of the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, with antiAsian hate crimes making up the largest category of open hate crime cases at the moment.

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Dateline PhiliPPines

‘UN rights panel’s recommendations disrespect sovereignty’

MANILA — The United Nations should stop interfering in the country's domestic issues, Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa said on Tuesday, November 8 in response to recommendations made by the UN Human Rights Committee in a recent review of the situation in the Philippines.

Dela Rosa, a former national police chief, claimed the panel's recommendations to help the Philippines comply with international obligations trampled on the country's sovereignty.

"Our justice system is functioning. Mayroon tayong sariling gobyerno. Sana huwag na sila mangialam sa atin. Huwag na tayo nilang diktahan. Kasi naman, ano bang gusto nilang i-impose sa atin? Hindi naman tayo mga subjects nila,” Dela Rosa told reporters Tuesday. "Respetuhin nila iyong ating

kasarinlan."

(Our justice system is functioning. We have our own government. I wishe they would not meddle here. They should not dictate upon us. Why do they want to impose on us? We are not their subjects … They should respect our sovereignty.)

Asked if the Philippines should take the recommendations of the panel of human rights experts monitoring the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Dela Rosa said, "we should demand our freedom from these people."

Dela Rosa stressed that the Philippines has its own ways of doing things.

"Ang mga tao po namin ay happy sa nangyayari sa amin.

Bakit ho kayo mag-insist na diktahan kami kung ano ang dapat namin gawin?" the

- Dela Rosa

senator said.

(Our people are happy with what is happening here. Why are you insisting on dictating on us what we should do?)

As Philippine National Police chief, Dela Rosa was among the architects of Oplan Tokhang, the previous administration’s flagship antiillegal drug program that saw thousands of drug suspects killed in police operations. Thousands more died in what police said were done by vigilantes or by warring drug syndicates.

The Philippines, as a party to the ICCPR, is required to submit periodic reports on the policies being implemented to align the country with the international treaty.

In its most recent review, the UN rights panel issued a flurry of observations and recommendations on the u PAGE 7

Remulla to Lapid slay suspects: Surrender, face raps

by Franco Jose c. Baroña ManilaTimes.net

UNLESS there are other pieces of evidence that would surface, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Tuesday, November 8 they do not see anyone else involved in the murder of veteran radio broadcaster Percival Mabasa, popularly known as Percy Lapid, and urges the suspects to surrender and face the charges.

“This is where the investigation begins and ends,” Remulla said referring to the the filing of charges against suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag and others in connection Lapid’s killing.

Nevertheless, the Justice chief said state prosecutors still have “people to talk to and certain things to obtain that are still in the custody of the courts.”

“We are also still finishing reports from the AMLC (Anti-

Money Laundering Council) that are being finalized to make it official because we only got a preliminary report,” said Remulla. “Those details are important to really prove that there is a criminal enterprise within the NBP.”

Double murder charges were filed on Monday, November 7 against Bantag, Senior Jail Officer 2 and former BuCor deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta, and several persons deprived of liberty in connection with the killing of Lapid and Cristito Villamor Palaña, the alleged middleman who died inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

“I’d like to ask Zulueta and Bantag to surrender and face the charges. If they are innocent, the law will uphold them. If they are guilty then they would have to face the consequences,” he said.

Remulla added that he has ordered a lookout bulletin against the two former BuCor officials.

He said no arrest warrants have been issued against Bantag and Zulueta.

“We will ask them to respond to the charges, if they fail to do so this is an indication of guilt,” said Remulla. g

Remulla has urged Bantag and Zulueta to surrender

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla ManilaTimes.net file photo

WHO says countries continue to learn from pandemic

by Rhodina VillanueVa Philstar.com

THE World Health Organization (WHO) said it is committed to supporting all countries in continuously learning from the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the 7th World One Health Congress (WOHC) being held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, WHO DirectorGeneral Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus encouraged member-countries that included the Philippines to continue working toward a healthier, safer and fairer world while the battle against the pandemic is still ongoing.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has taught all of us many painful lessons. There have been many reviews of the global response to the

pandemic with more than 300 recommendations,” Tedros said in his opening remarks given virtually.

He added, “Drawing on those reviews, the WHO has developed a proposal for an enhanced global health architecture with stronger governance, stronger systems and tools, stronger financing that strongly empowered and sustainably financed WHO.”

Tedros said the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, UN Environment Program, WHO and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) have launched the “One Health Joint Plan of Action” to integrate and coordinate their work across humans, animals, agricultural and environmental sectors.

“If you want to take action, it

must be based on a One Health approach that addresses the intimate links between the health of humans, animals and our environments,” he added.

At the same time, the WHO chief also noted that “about 70 percent of all emerging pathogens have zoonotic source.”

“Irresponsible land use, deforestation and climate change all increase the risk of pathogens spilling over from wildlife, domestic animals to humans,” Tedros said.

“We can only truly make the world safer if we address these underlying drivers of epidemics and pandemics,” he said.

The WOHC, which aims to advance the One Health agenda, commenced on Monday, November 7 with

more than 1,400 in-person and 1,000 virtual attendees from academic institutions, civil society, government bodies and the private sector.

Singapore President Halimah Yacob graced the opening ceremony as guest of honor.

“We have journeyed long and hard, learning many lessons from COVID-19 together. Perhaps the greatest lesson on our interconnectivity is that we must leverage it well and early, to the best of our advantage,” Yacob said in her opening remarks as she highlighted collaboration as a key facet of the One Health approach, and an important factor in global health preparedness efforts.

“We must work together u PAGE 10

‘UN rights panel’s recommendations disrespect...

PAGE 6

human rights situation in the country, which include concerns over reports that authorities continued to fail to promptly, effectively and independently investigate extrajudicial killings and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Other recommendations include cooperation with the International Criminal Court probe, amending the AntiTerrorism Act, the release of former Sen. Leila de Lima from detention, and the passage of measures on abortion, antidiscrimination and divorce, among other proposals. (Xave Gregorio/Philstar.com)

The pandemic’s collateral damage: Long...

PAGE 4

booster, about 8.5% of the total population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Four million people not working and not contributing to our economy is a significant burden to our society,” said Dr. Jose Luis Perez, during a news briefing organized by Ethnic Media Services, in partnership with the California Department of Public Health. Other speakers at the briefing included Dr. Nisha Viswanathan, Director of UCLA’s Long COVID Program; and Michelle Burroughs, Director of Community Engagement and Outreach at the UC Riverside School of Medicine’s Center for Healthy Communities.

Perez is the Chief Medical Officer of the South Central Family Health Center in Los Angeles. His clinic takes in primarily Latino and African American patients that — through their employment — have a high degree of contact with the community, which puts them at higher risk of a COVID-19 infection.

“Symptom control is the bedrock of management,” said Perez, noting that there is no cure for long COVID.

The clinic helps its patients access physical therapy, mental health services, and treatments for specific issues brought on by COVID.

“So, no cure. Just let’s make your foggy brain less foggy. Let’s make your joint pain less painful. Let’s try to get you back in some kind of semblance of your normal life. The important thing here is to treat it holistically, treat the person as a whole person,” he said.

Viswanathan, of UCLA’s Long COVID program, agreed with Perez’s approach to managing the illness. Her clinic also employs a symptoms-based strategy to manage fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, and the loss of taste and smell, among other issues.

“When we have patients with shortness of breath, for example, we may talk about doing things like pulmonary rehabilitation or breath retraining, which is the idea that you can slowly retrain your diaphragm to take deeper breaths, which can help our patients with that sensation of shortness of breath.”

She added that for many patients struggling with fatigue, “creating a

mindfulness practice that incorporates meditation, acupuncture… can be really successful in managing these symptoms.” An antiinflammatory diet that’s primarily plant based — eschewing meat, sugar, and alcohol, but focusing on whole grains and nuts — can also help with long COVID symptoms.

Both doctors and Burroughs of UC Riverside spoke about the disparities in access to care for long COVID. Perez’s patients may take one or two buses to get to his clinic. Viswanathan’s patients have, on occasion, flown in on private jets. She noted that many low-income patients may not have health insurance that is accepted by the clinic, or may lack the resources to support a healthy diet and mindful practices.

“Black people are not receiving the same quality of care as their white counterparts, and this contributes to a shortened lifespan. Researchers discovered that several severe racial and ethnic disparities have led to higher COVID mortality rates in Black Americans,” said

Burroughs.

She also noted that Black people participating in her center’s town halls have reported facing challenges getting their providers to even believe that they have long COVID symptoms. “They feel unheard and they often feel unseen and are sent away not receiving treatment for the symptoms that they presented with,” she said.

“If the Black community continues to not receive proper care, treatment and diagnosis for long haul COVID, it could result in other social injustices like the inability to work, triggering financial instability, which could cause them to lose health insurance and then render them potentially homeless. I know this sounds really extreme, but it’s possible. This has actually happened,” said Burroughs. She noted that providers have often failed to correctly diagnose long COVID for Black people, rendering them unable to qualify for disability insurance.

All three speakers discussed the need to create a pipeline of diverse health care professionals. (Sunita Sohrabji/ Ethnic Media Services)

However, she reassured that making New Yorkers feel safe is a top priority of her office, and that they leave no stone unturned as far as investigating the motives go. What makes it difficult and challenging, however, is when the perpetrator is not identified – either there was no CCTV footage to document the incident or the victim cannot recall the face of the assailant.

According to the FBI, a hate crime is a criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or gender identity, or what Yu described as the “protected identity” of a victim. She was also careful to emphasize that the immigration status of a victim does not matter. One reason why crimes are underreported is that undocumented immigrants may hesitate to file a complaint due to fear of deportation. As Yu explained, if a victim is undocumented, her office cannot, and does not, report the information to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or the Department of Homeland Security, as they are not also allowed to do that.

For his part, Diaz assured that they are taking a multiagency approach to address discrimination. Aside from legal options, other initiatives include a pilot program that would teach students about hate crimes. Naveed echoed this, explaining that education is a major pillar to the “comprehensive approach” in preventing hate crimes through community-based programs. For instance, townhalls in Tagalog and other languages are conducted to spread awareness on how community members can help each other, particularly the most vulnerable. For his part, Koo said that most of the crimes are committed by people who are homeless or are suffering from mental health problems.

There is no question that anti-Asian hate crimes continue to be a concern, but authorities are “exhausting every possible avenue” to address them. And while they are seeing results, Diaz admits that “there is still more to be done,” assuring that they are “going to continue to work hard for our community.”

As I have consistently explained to the media, we have been coordinating with New York authorities to address the issue, knowing that the safety of Filipinos is paramount. We’re also cooperating not only with FilipinoAmerican groups but other Asian associations as well to get a more accurate picture of the reported incidents and see if these are really hate crimes or just random attacks by mentally unhinged individuals.

The visiting journalists also spoke with Bergenfield, New Jersey mayor Arvin Amatorio, the second Filipino mayor in New Jersey. The borough of Bergenfield is known as the “Little Manila” of Bergen County due to the presence of many Filipino-owned businesses, a lot of them restaurants offering authentic Filipino cuisine. An estimated 7,000 Filipinos are living in Bergenfield, with many of them working as nurses and health care workers.

Mayor Amatorio also shared that part of the curriculum developed by professors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology would include a subject on the heroism of Filipino veterans during World War II to underscore the alliance and shared history of the Philippines and the United States. This will be taught in a public high school in Bergenfield that has about 3,000 students.

The initiative was started by retired U.S. Army general Antonio Taguba, who actively lobbied for the awarding of the Congressional Medal of Honor to Filipino World War II veterans.

The outcome of the reporting tour program has been very encouraging as far as providing journalists an on-theground perspective is concerned. We were informed that future programs are being considered by the DFA public information office for implementation. (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.

Why Nevada is a good choice to settle to, live in

by RealtoR Fely Quitevis-Bateman

THE State of Nevada is one of the places many people tend to look at nowadays when they are trying to find a place to move to or start their life/career.

The state, particularly places like Las Vegas, which is a gam ing/entertainment capital in the U.S. and a budding sports center, is not a one-trick pony. Since gambling was legalized in 1931, people tend to think that the only jobs in Nevada tend to be associated with the gambling

industry. Not so, as many indus tries and companies have found a happy home in Nevada.

There are many advantages to living in the state, and that includes the presence of jobs, whether it’s in the construction, mining, education, and gam bling/entertainment fields. For instance, employment is up an estimated 9.2% in Las Vegas.

If you visit Las Vegas now, construction projects abound. There are many corporations,

groups and companies that are betting on Las Vegas, as it comes out of the pandemic and resumes some type of normal cy. With tourists and visitors coming back, and McCarran International Airport reporting a huge number of travelers passing through its gates, it looks like the city is on its way to gaining back the status and revenues it raked in before COVID-19 reared its ugly head.

Education is also being em phasized by state and local officials, with the school sys tems trying to attract the best teachers out there to make the

student population competi tive. In fact, several colleges offer hands-on training for their students.

The biggest names in the ca sino industry are making their expansion plans. Red Rock Re sorts are putting up projects in different parts of the state and pursuing projects in the down town area and northern part of Las Vegas, while MGM Resorts International purchased The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and enhanced its meeting and convention spaces. Meawhile, Hard Rock International plans to open its hotel along the strip

in 2025, which will feature a guitar-shaped hotel similar to the one they have in Hollywood, Florida.

Of course, gambling is not the only recreational activity in the state. When you tire of the slot machines and card tables, there are shopping avenues to get lost in, including high-end and outlet types. For many of the casino-resort properties, there are brand-name and oth er stores to visit, and purchase your favorite goods from.

Also, watching shows, con certs and musicals is another other great activity. Las Vegas

is no longer the city where “old” performers make their way to when their popularity fades. Big musical and award-win ning acts like BTS, Lady Gaga, Adele, Celine Dion, Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry and Carrie Underwood have had their series of shows or residen cies to cater to their fans.

Food is another great show case in the state, with many popular chefs opening their places in the resort-casinos, especially along the Strip. Giada de Laurentiis, Bobby Flay, Gor don Ramsay, Nobu Matsuhisa,

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman takes a picture from her place at Turnberry Tower towards the west side of her building, which shows the changing landscape of Las Vegas Blvd., which now includes Resorts World Las Vegas on the left and the Wynn/Encore towers on the right.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman takes a photo of the east side from Turnberry Tower, showing how developed the Las Vegas area is. The city has many projects under construction, which will change the cityscape and landscape of Las Vegas further.

The Las Vegas Convention Center (in foreground) is currently the site of the SEMA Car Show 2022, where the latest product and custom vehicle trends, as well as innovations from new and iconic exhibitors can be seen by thousands of attendees. The city’s comeback from the pandemic has seen the convention center attracting major expos and events from around the U.S.

The concrete building in the middle of the photo is a parking structure near the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and the Convention Center, which has been, in recent days, full to the top due to events in Sin City.

Filipinos’ bravery, kindness prevail 9 years after Yolanda

MANILA – Despite the ordeal that the typhoon victims suffered when Super Typhoon Yolanda wreaked havoc in 2013, Filipinos continue to demonstrate gallantry and benevolence, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday, November 8.

"It is important to come to this commemoration because it is also a demonstration and manifestation of the strength and courage of Filipinos, to remind ourselves that Filipinos are brave, that Filipinos are kind, and that Filipinos will conquer all, especially if it is for their community, for their families, and for the land that they love," he said in a ceremony held at the Holy Cross Memorial Garden in Tacloban City, Leyte province.

Marcos also emphasized the need to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the killer typhoon to pay homage to the thousands of people who perished, especially the "uncounted dead."

"It is sometimes asked when we do have a commemoration of this kind, they say, “Why do we commemorate Yolanda still after nine years?” The people — those whose families had a loss from their families of a loved one, have learned to live with that grief. And although we continue to feel sad, life has gone on for them," Marcos said. "So why continue? Why bring it up? I come here because I must commemorate those uncounted dead that up to now, we do not know how many that number is. We must come to these commemorations so that we will remember those who were told not to remember," he added, apparently questioning the accuracy of the reported death toll during the onslaught of Yolanda.

Marcos said it is only befitting to honor those who were killed by the super typhoon, adding that their memory "dies," if the country fails to commemorate the Yolanda tragedy.

"If you remember during the count of the casualties, the count was stopped, and we knew that there were still thousands out there. And for those thousands, those countless thousands, we come here, we commemorate," he said.

In 2013, Yolanda unleashed its wrath in central Philippines, killing an estimated 6,300 people and leaving over 4.4 million people displaced and homeless.

Tacloban City, the regional hub of the Eastern Visayas region, was considered as Yolanda's ground zero.

Marcos expressed elation after Tacloban City has been "built back better," saying this gives Filipinos a renewed sense of hope.

"It is a wondrous sight to see. It always gives us hope that even if there are tragedies and disasters in other places, we know that Filipino spirit will never be quelled. The Filipino spirit will always burn bright and bring back normal life to their communities. That is what we commemorate," he said.

He also thanked the international community and non-government organizations for providing assistance to the Yolanda victims.

"[You did] all of this out of the generosity of your own heart once again. Many people owe their lives to you. And for that, we cannot thank you enough," Marcos said.

Marcos also offered a wreath and attended the blessing of the Yolanda Memorial Mass Grave at the Holy Cross

Memorial Garden.

Government assistance

Meantime, Marcos also led the ceremonial distribution of various government assistance to the qualified beneficiaries at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo town, also in Leyte.

During the event, cash aid was granted to recipients of the Department of Agriculture's (DA) Rice Farmer Financial Assistance Program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), and the Department of Labor and Employment's TUPAD Emergency Employment Program.

A unit of disinfection truck was handed over to the provincial government of Southern Leyte province, while an ambulance was also given to other local government units under the Department of Health's Health Facilities Enhancement Program.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) also distributed laptops to intended recipients of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Tech4ED Program.

Marcos said his government's resolve is to give Filipinos a comfortable life despite the challenges they are facing.

"So, that is what we are putting at the top of our priority list," he said.

"Hindi mabilis ang pagbabago kahit na i-adjust natin ngayon, siguro ilang buwan pa makikita iyan one, two, three months pa bago makita ang effect, pero sa tingin ko (Change cannot be done overnight, even if we adjust it now. Perhaps, it can be felt one, two or three months from now. But I think) we are going in the right direction," Marcos added. (PNA)

WHO says countries continue to learn from...

PAGE 7

not only when a crisis unfolds, but strive to be ahead of the curve through strong collaborations and preparations even during peace time,” she said.

The five-day Congress hosted by Singapore’s SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute under the auspices of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Center is themed “Integrating Science, Policy and Clinical Practice: A One Health Imperative PostCOVID-19.”

It seeks to advance the global One Health movement to improve health and well-being by preventing and mitigating crises that originate at the animal-human-environment interface.

It was earlier reported that WHO member-states including the Philippines are crafting a “pandemic treaty”

that will be used to guide and unite countries in times of health crisis.

Department of Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said, “Because of the current pandemic, all of the countries agreed that this treaty should be there. We all need to be prepared. We need to help each other when we find ourselves in this kind of situation.”

The pandemic treaty was among the issues discussed in the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific that was recently held in the Philippines.

Focus on prevention

At the same conference in Singapore, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) said that in addressing pandemics such as COVID-19, there is a need to focus on prevention as it has a much lower cost compared to response and

recovery.

WOAH Director-General Monique Eloit said prevention has the strongest case for investment.

“While expenditures for prevention and preparedness are measured in billions of dollars, the cost of just a single pandemic is in trillions,“ said Eloit.

She noted, “Recent work by the World Bank has highlighted that $10 billion, including about $7 billion for animal health, robust veterinary services and biosecurity at farm level, will be needed for prevention using a One Health approach.”

“Despite lessons learned from past pandemics and as evidenced by our recent experience, we must refocus our attention to financing risk reduction and pandemic prevention, for which a One Health approach is critical,” Eloit added.

She said prevention is

the first crucial step to stop or at least limit spillovers of zoonotic diseases from animals to humans.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need to work together to tackle the risks at the human-animalecosystem interface while considering the multiple drivers, including land use and climate change, loss of biodiversity and degradation of our ecosystems, unsustainable agricultural practice and animal production and wildlife trade and the rapid pace of globalization and population mobility,” the WOAH official said.

Unless we address these drivers we will continue to face increased frequency and severity of health emergencies and pandemics, she said, adding, “We need to transform our relationship with the environment and how we confront pathogens emergence and spread.” g

Guy Savoy, Buddy Valastro, Guy Fi eri, Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse and Masaharu Morimo to are just some of the world-renowned chefs whose restau rants have struck a chord with diners.

Plus, many of the properties feature their own unique restaurants, with some featuring cuisine around the world (as with Pe pita’s Kitchen in Re sorts World, which showcases Lechon Diva Dedet De La Fuente’s unique take on a classic Filipino offering of suckling pig and is a part of the proper ty’s Famous Foods Street Eats fast food section).

What draws people, too, to Nevada is the fact that it has no state income tax, and there’s also no tax on food and medicine purchases. Also, with a lower tax rate for businesses, many com panies have found it easy to build their businesses in Nevada than in other states. And if you do your research, you’ll also find that Nevada does not have corporate income tax, no franchise tax, no inheritance or gift tax, no estate tax, no unitary tax and has very competitive sales and property tax rates, among other things.

Moving to a place, whether it’s for a job, a fresh start, or to retire to means looking for a place to live in. Or you may be looking at properties to plunk down your extra money in. While today’s real estate market is not as thriving as it was in the last year or two, it is a good time to look for a land or real estate properties as there is more inventory to choose from. Contrary to what took place in the last two years, where some developers and sellers put people on waiting lists or did a lottery to have prospective buyers have their turn at looking at a certain property, buyers now have more choices to look at and may be able to negotiate with sellers when it comes to prices and other things.

Nevada, and its popular cities like Las Vegas or burgeoning towns like Pahrump, has not been immune to the real estate slowdown, which is being experienced in many parts of the United States. But in terms of affordability, land and real estate prices in Nevada are very competitive. In fact, the affordability factor may be one of the reasons why people and families from other parts of the U.S. are moving to Nevada. Plus, of course, the cost of living is lower, especially when you compare living in a major city like Las Vegas, as compared to, say, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Miami and Hawaii. An industry expert has put the cost of living in Las Vegas as 1.9% lower than that of the national average.

Now may be one of the best times to take a look at what’s out there in the market, and negotiate your way to a great deal!

The growth in Nevada, especially in Las Vegas and neighboring cities and towns, have been tremendous. I can tell you that from experience – I have many decades under my belt, assisting clients who are looking for their first home, second/vacation homes, investment properties or land (for future use/development). I can assist you in looking for these opportunities, given your budget and things you are looking for. Many of my clients have begun to reap the benefits of their investments, including turning their properties to rentals or Airbnb, or getting a good return on investment for the properties they bought in previous years.

My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-559-2476 and 702-538-4948 for more infor mation, or send me an email at fely@precious-properties.com or fely.precious@gmail.com. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days. (Advertising Supplement)

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman helps those who need business financing, including loans for small businesses. For more information, call (702) 538-4948, or send email to fely@precious-properties.com or fely. precious@gmail.com.

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Client gets his green card even after aging out and before the Child Status Protection Act became law, on a brand-new success story on Citizen Pinoy this Sunday

TWENTY-FIVE years ago, San Diego area’s “King of Lechon” was denied his green card because he aged-out before his case was approved.

The family was heartbroken, but leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel was persistent to the point of filing a lawsuit against the INS for failing to expedite Michael’s case.

Although the Federal Court denied the case, Atty. Gurfinkel knows when he is right, and he appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and won. INS was ordered to issue Michael’s green card despite his aging out.

Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, November 13 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol PAGE 12

LEADING U.S. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL (RIGHT) SUES THE INS, AND WINS GREEN CARD FOR CLIENT, ON A BRAND-NEW SUCCESS STORY OF CITIZEN PINOY THIS SUNDAY! Michael (left) aged out before his green card was approved. Unfortunately, the INS did not expedite the case despite the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel repeatedly urging them to do so since they were trying to beat the clock before Michael’s 21st birthday. Atty. Gurfinkel filed a lawsuit against the INS and appealed the case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled in their favor. Michael was able to get his green card even though he already aged out. And this was before the Child Status Protection Act became law. Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, November 13 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

THE predicted Tripledemic this Fall and Winter will bring us the flu and coronavirus (Flurona) and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), a trifecta of infections. The Big Pharmas are working on vaccines for RSV and now, a combination vaccine for both the influenza viruses (A&B) and the COVID-19 Omicron subvariants. The FC vaccines are two-in-one, a single jab for both the flu and COVID-19, annually.

Vaccine combos are not new; children’s vaccines, like MMR (Measles, 1963, Mumps, added in 1967, and Rubella, added in 1969); and DPT (Diphtheria-PertussisTetanus) since 1984, are multiple combo vaccines. And they have been working wonders for decades, saving millions upon millions of children’s lives.

The FC combo vaccines could be available for the next flu season (2023). Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax are working on this vaccine combo.

Hopefully, they would also develop a vaccine for RSV, and then make the FCR (fluCOVID-19-rsv) triple vaccine combo in the future. One needlestick for all three.

In the meantime, one can (and should) get the flu shot and the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time, one in each arm, with your physician’s Rx. XBB – new Omicron!

Among the new Omicron subvariants, XBB is here, besides BQ.1.1, BQ.1.3, and BQ.2.3.20, thanks to the 100 million unvaccinated whose bodies are massive reservoir for the viruses, where they replicate and mutate to various variants and subvariants. They are evolving to evade antibody protection from vaccines and antiviral medications. They are evolving to be more deadly to us. That’s the nature of viruses. Without a warm body host, viruses self-destruct!

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is monitoring 300 sub lineages of these viruses. XBB was first detected in India in August 2022, and now in the United States and 16 other countries and is able to evade antibody protection exceeding BA.5 and the SARS-CoV1 (the famous “SARS”) level, which caused severe disease. Remember the first COVID-19

and the Delta variant, which killed millions? The XBB could be as vicious, and is being closely monitored. The vaccines (1 thru 5) against COVID-19 do not guarantee a fully vaccinated individual against getting infected by newer strains/sub-strains, but the vaccines (especially booster #3, the new bivalent one) will minimize the symptoms, the risk for needing hospitalization and the risk of death from the infection.

As these viruses evolve, let us continue to be vigilant, masking up and social distancing (again) till we get national herd immunity, and this will happen ONLY when all the 100 million get infected and obtain immunity from COVID-19 infection or from the COVID-19 vaccines. As I have advocated in the past, let us treat these invisible potential killers with wisdom, humility, and respect, and not with arrogance and recklessness.

Flu+Bivalent booster

The CDC is strongly recommending for everyone eligible to get the flu shot and the COVID-19 bivalent booster (#3) as soon as possible. For those who missed the first COVID-19 booster or both the first and second booster, they may obtain the bivalent booster (#3) instead. The new bivalent shot is a reformulated one, designed to target the omicron subvariants, including the new ones. And the clinical studies so far show they are safe and very effective in minimizing severity/hospital/ and deaths. Many who have been infected, in spite of the vaccines, had minimal symptoms (like mild cough) only, and maybe a lowgrade temp for less than 24 hours. For the vulnerable, Paxlovid pills (2 tabs twice a day for 5 days) have been most efficacious, when given within 5 days of the first symptom following a positive antigen test. Blood thinners and statin drugs must be stopped when taking Paxlovid. As always, consult with your physicians for any medical concerns.

CBD tea

While some sectors of the community, mainly the purveyors of cannabidiol compound found in cannabis plant, hail CBD teas as beneficial to health, there are actually no serious scientific studies to prove these claims. These marketing schemes are

not supported by science. Not to mention the fact that they are expensive, that cannabis may negatively affect male and female fertility, and that products containing trace amount of THC can produce positive drug test, which could be a potential problem with the police. Hopefully, we shall have objective scientific clinical evaluation of the value, safety, dosing, efficacy, and side effects/ complications of using these derivatives from cannabis plants.

In the meantime, let us stick to FDA-vetted and proven medications, and to green tea, black tea, chamomile tea, etc. for a simpler healthy refreshing drink. And talking about drinks, soft drinks of any variety are toxic to the body. They increase the risk for the development of metabolic syndrome, especially among children, but a lot of adults get it also. Stay away from this poison hiding behind its phosphoric acid fizz. The acid chemical in these beverages could be used for cleaning carburetors and flushing blocked toilet bowls. Phosphoric acid could induce kidney stone formation and increase in blood pressure even among young people. Google it, YouTube it, and find out yourself how soft drinks increase the risk for metabolic syndrome.

Coffee and pregnancy

Experts say that it is safe for pregnant women to drink coffee of no more than 200 mg caffeine. (One 8-oz cup contains about 100-120 mg caffeine). However, here is a warning: While it is safe for the mother, a recent study shows that those mothers who consumed caffeine (coffee or caffeinated drinks) had children who were shorter in stature compared to those conceived by mothers who abstained from caffeine. Caffeine consumption during pregnancy impacts child growth and development. The same could be true with those breast-feeding their babies. For women (and men) in general coffee consumption confers some health benefits to brain function (cognition and reducing the risk for dementia).

Alcohol and health

Alcoholic drinks in general, when imbibed wisely and responsibly, have been found beneficial to health and longevity. The caveat is to drink in a disciplined manner: one drink maximum for women and two for men,

Client gets his green card even after aging out and the

Child Status...

PAGE 11

Anne Curtis’ longevity

By Christina alpad ManilaTimes.net

IN an industry that prioritizes youth, it’s not unusual for celebrities to see work slow down once they reach a certain age or enter a new life phase. Anne Curtis, who debuted onscreen at the age of 12, however, proves that some artists can defy that.

Now 37 years old, Curtis continues to enjoy a massive following on and offline. And while she has not prioritized acting in recent years, she

remains visible on television via “It’s Showtime” and on the concert stage through her “Luv-Anne” concert held just this year.

Indeed, there seems to be no stopping Curtis who is just as hands-on with motherhood as she is to her showbiz career.

No wonder brands continue to partner with her.

In fact, a list released by U.S.-based online lender Netcredit (“The Top Instagram Earners Globally and From Every Country”) showed that Curtis is one of the top influencers on Instagram at an estimated earning of $2,936,119 (P172 million) from ad fees.

And just recently, Curtis once more proved her bankability as an endorser when online e-Commerce platform Lazada tapped her to headline headline 11.11 Lazada’s Biggest Sale campaign, happening from November 11 to 13.

“We have chosen Anne Curtis as our new ambassador because we believe that she completely exemplifies our values and what we stand for. She’s someone who turns her passions into actions and who manages all the different roles — from being a businesswoman, mother,

actress and an incredible person that inspires all of us,” Lazada Philippines CEO Carlos Barrera said at the brand’s grand launch for Curtis.

And because Curtis always said she stands for or only endorse brands she actually use, she shared that online shopping has always been integral to her and her career.

“Pre-pandemic, I already love shopping online. Before I became a mom, I had a love for fashion, I love dressing up. People would see that on Instagram, on ‘It’s Showtime.’ I think having a daily show also, you always have to keep on coming out with new outfits so even before, I update my wardrobe frequently. So that would mean shopping online,” Curtis shared.

The pandemic amplified the convenience of online shopping for Curtis who also welcomed her daughter in 2020.

“I relied even more on online shopping during the pandemic. When I became a mom I got afraid to go outside, even going to the grocery, so I ended up ordering everything online, for everyone’s safety,” she noted.

per day. Unfair? Sexist? No. Why so? Because studies have shown that this recommendation confers the best benefits to the body, with the least negative effect for either sex, since their physiologies differ somewhat. So, a glass of wine (like Pinot Noir from Oregon, which has the highest resveratrol, a heart-protective compound from the grape skin), or a vodka or gin Martini (Beefeater’s gin dry Martini is my personal favorite), afterdinner drinks, any low sugar mixed drinks, or beer, have all been found to provide

the same health benefits (anti-stress, calming, happyhormone stimulating, etc.) when taken as recommended above – one max for women and two max for men. Anything in excess is abuse and unhealthy. Adhering to the science when drinking, here’s to one and all: Cheers! A votre sante! To your health!

* * *

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 Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888. com and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (left) with Michael from San Diego

Now 37 years old, Curtis continues to enjoy loyal following on- and off-line. Photo from Instagram/ @annecurtissmith

Bella Poarch files for divorce after 3-year secret marriage

By Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

FILIPINA American TikTok sensation Bella Poarch is getting a divorce, U.S. online tabloid TMZ reported.

The American entertainment website reported that they obtained documents that Bella filed documents in Los Angeles to end her marriage to Tyler Poarch.

Though it’s not reported that the social media personality is already married, Bella said that “irreconcilable differences” was the reason of the divorce.

Documents obtained by TMZ said that Bella and Tyler tied the know back in January 2019.

The couple has no children.

Bella is one of TikTok’s most popular personalities with 92.3 million followers.

Last August, Bella admitted that she has a huge crush on Kapamilya actor Joshua Garcia. Rumors, however, said that Joshua is now in a relationship with another Bella, a beauty vlogger named Racelis

Robi is ‘officially off the market’ after engagement to girlfriend

By Kathleen a. llemit Philstar.com

THE Japan vacation proved to be not just a barkada trip for Robi Domingo and his girlfriend Maiqui Pineda.

The TV host actually popped the question for his girlfriend of four years on the busy streets of Shibuya.

“Officially off the market,” Robi said on his social media posts on November 7, 2022.

The “Pinoy Big Brother” host posted four photos of him and his now fiancee after he bent his knee and proposed to her.

Entertainment reporter MJ Felipe first broke the news by posting the proposal clip on his Twitter account last Friday, November 4.  Robi and Maiqui were

in Japan last week with their celebrity friends that included Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, Joshua Garcia, Ria Atayde and Zanjoe Marudo.

Cebuana stars in horror film

By Justine rey Inquirer.net

IN case you missed it, another Filipino actress will grace the international film scene.

Dominating our TLs lately is the freshly released trailer of “Nocebo,” an upcoming thriller film by Irish director Lorcan Finnegan. In the eerie preview, we spot Cebuana singer-songwriter and “Patay na si Hesus” star Chai Fonacier as a newly hired caregiver inside the home of a fashion designer (Eva Green) and her husband (Mark Strong).

Nocebo per se is a harmful impact on health brought by psychological factors such as negative expectations of prognosis or treatment.

In this psychological movie, Eva’s character suffers from a mysterious illness. The couple—and even the doctors—are baffled by her health condition, but the Filipino caregiver offers an effective treatment in traditional folk medicine, which also uncovers a “horrifying truth” to the family.

While the caregiver continues “curing” her employer with unusual remedies, the husband grows suspicious. He then accuses the caregiver of “controlling” his wife.

Behind this thrilling plot and the obvious stamp of global recognition for Filipinos, the film also prompted an “internalized racism” discourse on social media, particularly Chai’s accent.

While some believe the “thick” Filipino accent Chai’s character uses in the film might propagate a harmful stereotype, others

argue that there’s nothing wrong with it seeing as that’s how most Filipinos speak English anyway and the accent isn’t mocked or used as a joke in the film. They also contend that the accent makes sense for Chai’s character.

We are all aware of the terrible stereotypes and discrimination Bisaya people face. “The Bisaya language is often used when cracking a joke or when someone is trying to make a person laugh by mimicking the native accent,” says Iris April L. Ramirez in the study, “The Racial Slur against Bisaya in The Light of John Rawls’ theory of Justice.”

As the discussion continued online, other concerns were raised. Will the Filipino character be antagonized? Will this put a bad impression on folk healing? But others want to give the benefit of the doubt—what if a plot twist actually reveals that the husband is the villain all along?

Witnessing these divided POVs leaves us more intrigued about what lies behind the film’s plot. On top of these sentiments, it shows how Filipinos are taking the matter of representation in the global scene seriously, especially through a non-Filipino director’s lens.

Bella Poarch Photo from Instagram/@bellapoarch

Chai Fonacier

Photo from Instagram/@chaifonacier

Robi Domingo proposes to his girlfriend of four years, Maiqui Pineda, during their trip to Japan last week. Photo from Instagram/@iamrobidomingo

‘MARIKIT AND THE OCEAN OF STARS’

Filipina author’s remarkable debut is inspired by Filipino culture and folklore

by MOMAR G. VISAYA / AJPress

RISING talent Caris Avendaño Cruz has just released her debut book inspired by Filipino folklore.

Cruz said she wrote Marikit and the Ocean of Stars in honor of two amazing women in her life: her mother and Inang, her grandmother. Inang was a seamstress and had a vintage sewing machine that helped her get her eight children to school.

The book, which has been described as atmospheric, evocative, and thoughtful, has made it to the Junior Library Guild Selection. This means that the book has received distinction from the group that reads and reviews thousands of manuscript submissions each year (prior to publication) to choose the best, award-worthy books for their members.

Julie Abe, author of the Eva Evergreen series calls it radiant and lyrical while Alex Aster, award-winning author of the Emblem Island series describes the book as “a stunning, lyrical, and magical tale that is sure to become a new favorite.”

"Marikit and the Ocean of Stars is rich and magical, full of heart and imagination. A must-read for fans of mythical creatures, magical gods, and marvelous monsters,” said Erin Entrada Kelly, winner of the 2018 Newbery Medal for Hello Universe and 2021 Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space.

Many elements in the book transport the readers back to Inang’s room: the

creaky wooden floors, the Capiz windows fully opened to let the daylight in, the yards of fabrics folded on her workplace.

“My mother, equally spirited and brilliant, is the fifth of the siblings and was born on Inang’s birthday. When Inang passed away, my mother inherited the sewing machine and began repairing clothes for us, too,” Cruz told the Asian Journal

The author revealed that she drafted the story as soon as she had the idea.

In the original version, a young girl’s mother was kidnapped, leaving only a strange dress that was the only map to find a secret treasure. Cruz got stuck in the

first chapters for so long that she decided to play around, adding magic and folklore to it.

That was when the story took a complete turn.

There was no outline for Marikit, Cruz felt like it was a story that wanted to be written, and she just happened to be the pair of hands to type the words.

Cruz started drafting Marikit early in 2019 when she took a break from her first manuscript.

It was her “in-between book,” a story she kept putting off thinking that her first novel would make it (it did not).

Early in 2020, she decided to finish Marikit for a pitch event. That same year, she got an agent, then the book deal. Marikit and the Ocean of Stars Is published by FSG Books for Young Readers, established in 1953, and is an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

“I went from an obscure writer to a debut author. It was a book of many miracles and much Filipino heart! My editor, Trisha de Guzman, and the book’s cover illustrator, Alexis Young, are both Filipinos, and the work and love everyone put in radiate from every page,” she shared.

In essence, Marikit and the Ocean of Stars is an ode to Cruz’s childhood.

“It is a tribute to my

roots, to my community who embraced me with warmth and generosity. It is for our lolos and lolas, to tell them that their stories have never been forgotten,” she proudly said.” And above all, it is a love letter to every young Filipino, reminding them of what was and what has been, so that they can find their way back to who they are.”

As a child, Cruz loved reading and writing. However, she realized that the media she consumed “always had white heroes—or, in my specific circle, as a lover of anime, Japanese leads.”

“So many Filipino creators have been trying to change that for a long, long time. When I finally wrote my story, I knew this was a chance to steer the lens toward my people. The thing I kept asking myself was, “How Filipino do you want this to be?” And my answer was, “As Filipino as it gets.” From here I knew that the heroes I’ll write about will always be us and ours,” she said.

This was the reason why she took immense joy and pride the day she first held her published book.

Cruz was born in Malolos, Bulacan, where she currently lives, in a house “in front of a thinning bamboo grove where many familiar faces have grown up and left.”

“It’s a place that brings me so much comfort and

inspiration: the familiar shout of our local magtataho, the view of the rice fields on both sides of the road, the old cathedrals, our favorite stall owners at the palengke, and the sound of the neighbors’ children laughing as they played habulan,” Cruz shared, describing her home in vivid detail. “It’s a community that

feels like a family, and I’d like to soak in more of their joy and warmth.”

For now, Cruz is working on her second book, and just like Marikit and the Ocean of Stars, she promises it is inspired by magic, myths, and a young hero she describes as “proudly kayumanggi.”

This debut book is about the fantastical journey of a 10-year-old girl named Marikit who navigates the land of Engkantos, allowing readers a peak into Philippine folklore and culture.

Caris Avendaño Cruz

Kate levels up acting by playing dual role in new show

By Jerry Donato Philstar.com

POISED to deliver her most challenging role thus far is Kate Valdez in the GMA Afternoon Prime series, Unica Hija. The Sparkle actress traverses the separate yet connected tales of Bianca and Hope, set against the drama and sci-fi backdrop. This is a breath of fresh air for Kate herself and her fans, who have seen the Kapuso talent in mostly a string of kontrabida (antagonist) and supporting roles. Her journey of portraying a dual role begins on Monday, November 7 after AbotKamay Na Pangarap

“When it comes to the characters, I’m able to differentiate one from the other because of their (social) status in life,” said Kate in a virtual group interview for Unica Hija, which presents the idea of human cloning. “Bianca is sheltered and has the support of her entire family, while Hope lacks (whatever Bianca has). She needs (and longs) for love and looks for

her real parents.”

Such disparity between the characters’ fates and fortunes gives Kate the ground and grip to approach each role differently but Bianca and Hope share a commonality.

“They both want family love,” said Kate. “Bianca wants her family to remain intact because her parents are having (marital) problems in terms of time (spent together). Hope literally doesn’t have parents. It’s difficult for her to find that love in (the people whom she considers) family, maraming naranasang paghihirap at pananakit (she has experienced suffering) from her stepmom and step sister.”

Based on the show’s video preview, Kate’s Hope will have allies in Jhong, her adoptive dad, played by Biboy Ramirez, and Ralph, portrayed by Kelvin Miranda, whose onscreen partnership with Kate will be further explored, unlike in their tandem in the episodes of GMA 7’s Dear Uge and GTV’s Tols.

“What I can say about my character is, he is one of those people who will protect Hope sa napakagulong mundo (in a chaotic world),” shared Kelvin, who was paired with Bianca Umali in Mano Po Legacy: Her Big Boss. “I’m the son of the billionaire, who seems to have a hand in what’s happening in the story. (With that,) there will be conflict (between Hope and my character).”

With regard to the topic of human cloning, the creative team did careful research by reading pertinent studies and watching documentaries. From the thoughts of the show’s creatives, one could gather that aside from the aspect of science to it, Unica Hija tackles the idea of finding one’s identity and presents the saying, “Ang daling maging tao pero ang hirap magpakatao,” which speaks about the day-today challenge for human beings to show compassion and love for others. All of this can be linked to talks about the marginalization

of a society’s certain sectors because of gender or group affiliation. The thrust of Unica Hija, however, is the need to belong, aside from the need to be accepted, that Hope, the human clone will struggle to find and fulfill.

“For me, they will realize and learn a lot from it,” said Kate of what’s in store for audiences and what the latter can find in watching content like Unica Hija. “(The show) is not totally focused on science or cloning.”

With its trailer being aired, the show, which touches on a controversial and polarizing topic, has been receiving good feedback. Kate and Kelvin are aware of the pressure that comes with it.

Asked about the experience of playing their roles and acting in scene after scene, Kelvin had this to say: “I can’t say that every scene is easy. Every scene is difficult for me. You need to justify the journey (and the connection) of the scene to its destination. Even if you have already

Ruffa eyes Pinoy lover, gets closure from Yilmaz

By Marinel Cruz Inquirer.net

NOW that we’re older, we just tend to be with people we’re comfortable with,” said actress Ruffa Gutierrez, who added that she has already come to terms with the fact that the guy she’d end up with will most likely be a Filipino.

Ruffa was once married to Turkish businessman Yilmaz Bektas. She also dated Jordan Mouyal, a French national. These days, she is rumored to be dating Filipino comedian and former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.

“Baka sa Pinoy na nga talaga ang bagsak ko. I just thought, ‘What would happen if I’d date a foreigner again? Do I relocate myself so I could be with him? Or do I make him live here?’ There are obviously a lot of things that I need to consider,” she told reporters during the recent launch of her hygiene product brand Gutz and Glow by Ruffa Gutierrez.

“Now, this is the mature me speaking. Do I really want to uproot myself and live in a different country? What am I going to do there; go online selling?” she said. Ruffa also talked about the recent reunion between Yilmaz and their daughters Lorin, 19, and Venice, 18, in Istanbul. “I thought it’s going to be the beginning of a lot of great things in terms of us being coparents, but, maybe, what happened was also a closure. It sort of answered their questions like, ‘Who is my father really? What does he look like? How come I’ve not seen him for almost 15 years? How does he feel about me being his daughter?”

‘Very emotional time’

She continued: “For a child, there’s always that curiousness, that need to get to know her dad. I understand that healing from the pain is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight, but goes through a lot of stages. When they met in Istanbul, they cried and hugged their dad. Yilmaz and I also got to talk a little. He said ‘thank you’ to me, too. It was a very emotional time, but now that it’s finished it’s time to move on. If this doesn’t continue, it’s OK, at least they got to see their dad finally.”

Ruffa also reported that Yilmaz is now constantly communicating with their kids. She also told reporters that she was aware of people romantically linking her to Yilmaz again. “If that happens, of course, I will publicly talk about it. I don’t want to play any games. It’s funny because there

read the script, you can’t help but be surprised (and awed) by the actions made by the characters for their loved ones. In every scene, you need to study it and be prepared for it.”

For her part, Kate

considered the experiment scene as the most challenging part so far, “which I found physically and emotionally draining. Isa (ito) sa mga pinakamabigat sa akin na nagawa ko,” said she.

are a lot of Ruffa-Yilmaz fan sites, and that they started to come out just when Yilmaz and I were no longer together. I feel that there’s no more reconciliation that will happen. I’m sorry to disappoint the fans,” Ruffa pointed out.

‘It’s wrong’

“The only ‘balikan’ that will ever happen is for us to resume being coparents to our children and to have a healthy relationship. In terms of romantic love, wala na. I will no longer remarry Yilmaz, contrary to what’s been written on fan sites. I also think he is dating someone,” she declared.

“I understand where they are coming from. As Filipinos, they want us together as a family. But Lorin and Venice are already 19 and 18, respectively. They’re no longer 3 or 2 years old. They’re already adults. It’s wrong for us to reunite just for the sake of our children, who are now adults. You should be with the one you really love and shouldn’t just be in a relationship for your kids.”

Meanwhile, Ruffa said she will begin working on the sequel to the controversial Darryl Yap film “Maid in Malacanang” this November. She is also scheduled to shoot a film with Cesar Montano and his son, Diego, that will be shown in February.

She is also very excited to be the CEO of the Gutz and Glow brand. “We see a lot of possibilities in this business, not only locally but abroad. We can tap the OFWs (overseas Filipino workers). I’ve always been interested in business, but most especially in the business of beauty and well-being. When you venture into something, it also has to be something that you enjoy,” she stressed.

Ruffa added that she has inspired her daughters so much that Lorin will also be launching her own brand in 2023. “She will introduce a different product line. I guess I’ve inspired them a lot, also in terms of my education. I’ve finished college and is now taking up my masters. I told them that I’ve worked so hard as a single mom and my only wish is for them to finish their education, too.”

In fact, Ruffa said Lorin already has so many offers to join show biz. The teenager is a talent of Viva Artist Agency, Inc. and was supposed to be launched this month. “She opted to finish her sophomore year because she understands that it’s important to have a fallback, especially now that talents in show biz stars come and go so quickly.”

Kate is taking up the challenge to essay the characters of Bianca and Hope, a human being and a human clone, respectively, in the GMA Afternoon Prime series, Unica Hija. GMA photo

Ruffa Gutierrez

Photo from Instagram/@iloveruffag