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NOVEMBER 26 - DECEMBER 2, 2021 Volume 15 - No. 3 • 16 Pages

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DATELINE Attorney General Bonta co-leads multistate coalition in support of DACA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

CALIFORNIA Attorney General Rob Bonta is co-leading a coalition of 24 attorneys general in a comment letter in support of the federal government’s efforts to preserve and fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

In the comment letter sent Friday, November 19, the coalition highlights the critical contributions of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers to broader public health efforts, the economy, and

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

CDC approves COVID-19 boosters for all adults

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

ALL fully-vaccinated adults in the United States are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine boosters, giving them more

protection amid the pandemic.

Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) authorized its advisory committee’s recommendation to expand vaccine booster eligibility to all adults ages 18 years and older who received

a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least six months after their second dose.

“After critical scientific evaluation, today’s unanimous decision carefully considered the current state of the pandemic, the latest

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Marcos says he tested negative in cocaine test, insists he wasn’t being alluded to by Duterte

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by DAPHNE

GALVEZ Inquirer.net

Sen. Panfilo Lacson

ManilaTimes.net photo

US eyes reinforced defense ties with PH

SENATOR Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said the United States is exploring the possibility of strengthening its Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the Philippines to prevent further incursions into its territory.

The EDCA supplements the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement between the US and the Philippines. It was signed in Manila on April 28, 2014.

Flying in on a private plane on Saturday, November 20, Lacson visited Pag-asa Island, the second largest island in the disputed Spratlys chain in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

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MODERNA VAX. A Department of Health personnel disinfects a huge box containing the government-procured 682,360 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Parañaque City on Tuesday, November 23. The country has so far received about 134 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, about 90 million purchased by the national government.

PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

MANILA — To put to rest speculations brought

by President Duterte’s claims of a cocainehitting presidential aspirant, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, November 23 claimed he has undergone a cocaine test, and had tested negative.

Marcos said he had the drug test done on Monday and his results were submitted on Tuesday to the Philippine Drug Enforcement

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Go: Duterte will not prevent PH to allow entry of fully Quiboloy extradition vaccinated tourists soon PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo will not get in the way if the United States requests for the extradition of his friend and spiritual adviser Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, according to Senator Bong Go. The senator on Monday, November 22, noted Duterte’s close ties with Quiboloy, saying that the Chief Executive will offer

moral support to his adviser.

“The President is there to give moral support kay (to) Pastor Quiboloy. Kaibigan sila (They are friends),” Go said in a chance interview with reporters in General Santos City.

“Si Presidente pag kaibigan ka, kaibigan talaga (When the President says you’re friends, he really

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by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA

AJPress

THE Philippines may soon welcome fully-vaccinated tourists from “green list” countries, according to Malacañang.

Acting Presidential Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Friday, November 19, said the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) is finalizing the

guidelines for tourists coming from low-risk countries.

“There are just a few things that we need to tweak but the reason why we’re announcing it is because we’re putting the entire world in advance notice that we will eventually open up our shores to tourists from green list countries,” he said.

Likewise, the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) announced that the IATF “has approved in prin-

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PAL reroutes more flights to alternative gateways

by Richmond

meRcuRio Philstar.com

MANILA — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is rerouting flights to alternative gateways outside Manila to accommodate the high demand this holiday season and prevent greater inconvenience.

“We are utilizing new ports of entry to accommodate more returning Filipinos and prevent cancellations of flights due to arrival limit at NAIA,” PAL said.

“Our top priority is to help more of you fly home for the holidays,” the airline said.

International arrivals to Manila are currently limited to 4,000 passengers daily, which are shared by all international airlines.

Given this existing cap at NAIA, PAL has recently rerouted flights from Bangkok to Panglao, Los Angeles and San Francisco to Cebu, Kuala Lumpur to Laoag, Doha to Subic, and Dubai to Subic, Davao or Cebu, among others.

“We realize that any change

MORE TIME OUTDOORS. A girl poses at a Christmas display inside a mall in Quezon City on Sunday, November 21. As quarantine restrictions have been relaxed in Metro Manila, children get to enjoy more time outside their homes so long as they continue to adhere to the health protocols.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

of routing affects your travel plans and regret the inconvenience. However, we believe this is better than scaling back on flights that would make it harder for Filipinos to proceed with their homecoming plans,” PAL said.

“With December just around the corner, we recognize that more and more of you need to find a way to fly home and reunite with your families. With the help of enlightened government intervention to open up alternative airports and liberalize health and quarantine protocols, we will do our best to adjust our network so that we can fly more people home and sup-

Philstar.com photo

port the revival of our local economy,” it said.

PAL said passengers whose flights are rerouted to a new gateway may complete their quarantine at their port of entry in any accredited hotel.

They can also fly onward to their final booked destination with PAL at no extra cost.

“Philippine Airlines welcomes the latest government decision to increase the strict limits on flying overseas passengers into Manila.

We continue to appeal for further increases that will help us add more flights on more routes from Asia, the Middle East, Australia and North America,” the airline said. n

CDC approves COVID-19 boosters...

PAGE 1 vaccine effectiveness data over time, and review of safety data from people who have already received a COVID-19 primary vaccine series and booster,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said Friday, November 19.

“Booster shots have demonstrated the ability to safely increase people’s protection against infection and severe outcomes and are an important public health tool to strengthen our defenses against the virus as we enter the winter holidays. Based on the compelling evidence, all adults over 18 should now have equitable access to a COVID-19 booster dose,” she added.

Earlier that day, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) unanimously voted to recommend booster shots to all adults. It also recommended that every adult ages 50 and over should receive a booster.

Likewise, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the requests of American drug makers Pfizer and Moderna to clear the booster doses for all

fully vaccinated adults 18 and older.

“Authorizing the use of a single booster dose of either the Moderna or PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 18 years of age and older helps to provide continued protection against COVID-19, including the serious consequences that can occur, such as hospitalization and death,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock.

According to the FDA, streamlining the eligibility criteria and making booster doses available to all adults “will also help to eliminate confusion about who may receive a booster dose and ensure booster doses are available to all who may need one.”

In October, the CDC and FDA approved the mixing and matching of booster shots, allowing vaccinated adults to get a different brand as a booster than was used for an initial vaccination.

Based on the latest numbers from the CDC, more than 35 million people in the U.S. have received a booster shot. n

Marcos says he tested negative in...

PAGE 1 Agency (PDEA), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the National Bureau of Investigation.

“I really don’t feel that I am the one being alluded to. In spite of that, I believe it is my inherent duty as an aspiring public official to assure my fellow Filipinos that I am against illegal drugs,” he said in a statement.

“This is why I took a cocaine test yesterday and the result was submitted this morning to the PDEA, the office of the Chief of the PNP, and the NBI,” he added.

Marcos said he is a “vigilant anti-illegal drugs campaigner” and called on political aspirants to take the drug test to “ensure our people, particularly the young generation, that no elected leader is into illegal substances.”

Duterte earlier questioned the leadership skills and the contributions of a presidential aspirant, pointing out that the individual is even using

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Inquirer file photo

illegal drugs such as cocaine.

He did not name the candidate, whom he described as a “weak leader” but said he came from a rich and well-known family with a famous patriarch.

In a later speech, Duterte said the presidential aspirant was able to elude the police because he does cocaine in exclusive places such as yachts and private planes.

Duterte also went on a separate speech describing Marcos, the scion of the late dictator former President Ferdinand Marcos, as a “weak leader,” as he rejected the idea of forming an alliance with Lakas-CMD, the political party of her daughter, incumbent Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who will run for vice president in tandem with Marcos Jr. in next year’s polls.

The camp of Marcos Jr. has brushed aside Duterte’s remarks, saying they feel that their candidate is not the one being alluded to by the President.

Meanwhile, in an effort to prove they were not the ones being alluded to by Duterte, presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson, along with his running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III, went to the PDEA on Monday to undergo voluntary drug testing.

They were found negative for cocaine and other illegal drugs. n

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From the Front Page

Attorney General Bonta co-leads multistate...

PAGE 1 communities across the country — and urges the federal government to finalize regulations strengthening DACA and ensuring that states can continue to benefit from the program.

Since 2012, DACA has protected from deportation and extended work authorization to approximately 825,000 individuals who grew up in this country, most of whom have known no home other than the United States. California is home to more DACA recipients than any other state in the country.

“From defending DACA in court to supporting new federal efforts to fortify it, California will continue to lead the way in standing up for our nation’s Dreamers,” said Bonta. “DACA is critical, it is needed, and it’s important we get these updated regulations done. DACA recipients — many of whom are on the front lines of this pandemic — deserve to have peace of mind about their status.

Bottom line: For hundreds of thousands of Dreamers across the country, home is here. They continue to show up for our communities and we’re going to keep showing up for them.”

The DACA program has allowed recipients to live, study, and work across the United States free from the fear of being forcibly separated from their families and communities.

DACA has enabled hundreds of

Attorney General Rob Bonta

File photo

thousands of grantees to enroll in colleges and universities, complete their education, start businesses that help improve our economy, and give back to our communities as teachers, medical professionals, engineers, and entrepreneurs — all on the books. These contributions became especially evident as the deadly coronavirus pandemic began to sweep through the nation and thousands of DACA recipients stood, and continue to stand, on the frontlines as essential workers. As of April 2020, an estimated 27,000 healthcare workers and support staff depend on DACA for

their authorization to work in the United States, including nurses, dentists, pharmacists, physician assistants, home health aides, technicians, and others.

DACA has also advanced public health and societal interests in another way: by giving its recipients the opportunity to procure employer-provided health insurance, which has been particularly critical as the states fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the comment letter, the coalition asserts, among other things: • DACA has public safety and public health benefits for the states; • The states benefit economically from DACA and DACA recipients; • DACA and DACA recipients are important to the states’ higher education institutions; • The states have adopted laws, regulations, and programs in reliance on DACA; and • Opponents of DACA are unable to substantiate any alleged harms.

In filing the comment letter, Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of New Jersey, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. n

US eyes reinforced defense ties with PH...

PAGE 1 Pag-asa is about 500 kilometers from Palawan and within the jurisdiction of the municipality of Kalayaan.

“Gusto nilang [U.S.] i-enhance pa ‘yung EDCA (they want to further enhance EDCA), including funding requirements,” Lacson, a presidential candidate, said.

“I think the United States is becoming a little more aggressive when it comes to the West Philippine Sea issue, which is a good indication,” he added.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Friday his country is standing with its longtime ally, the Philippines, following mounting tension in the WPS over the Ayungin Shoal incident.

Last November 16, three Chinese coast guard ships fired water cannon to turn back two civilian boats resupplying Filipino troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded Philippine Navy ship in the Ayungin Shoal that has been converted into a Philippine Marines outpost.

Price agreed that the actions of the Chinese vessels

directly threatened peace and stability in the region and infringed on the freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law.

Lacson, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation said diplomacy must still reign in dealing with issues concerning the WPS. Citing his own observations following his visit to Pag-asa Island over the weekend, he said one of the best ways for the Philippines to defend its territorial integrity is to create a “balance of power” in the region.

The Partido Reporma chairman and standard-bearer recognizes that China is a force to reckon with in terms of its military might and economic influence. “A direct confrontation, therefore, would only put our country at the losing end so we need to build a strong alliance with other nations that could rival China’s strength,” Lacson said.

By aligning with other nations that support freedom of navigation in the disputed waters, he believes the coun-

try could deter China from bullying its weaker neighbors, which are trying to maintain maritime rights in their own exclusive economic zones (EEZs).

Lacson indicated plans to increase the defensive capabilities of Philippine troops guarding outlying islands and territorial waters, as well as providing livelihood, housing and education to Pag-asa residents.

With Lacson were Partido Reporma president and former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, secretary general and Davao del Norte Gov. Edwin Jubahib, senatorial candidate and former Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, spokesperson Ashley Acedillo, and former Interior Secretary and National Unity Party chairman Ronaldo Puno.

In an online message to reporters on Sunday, November 21, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said China has no right to harass Filipino ships within the country’s EEZ. Lorenzana and Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Andres Centino ordered the resumption of resupply missions to

Ayungin Shoal.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs defended the action of the Chinese coast guard vessels, saying the Philippine boats “trespassed” Chinese waters.

Zhao Lijian, the ministry’s spokesman, said the coast guard ships “performed official duties in accordance with the law and upheld China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime order.” Lorenzana stressed it was China who has been violating the Philippines’ sovereign rights.

He said the 200-nautical-mile EEZ was established by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).

China was among the nations that ratified the Unclos, Lorenzana said.

“Therefore, they have no right to impede, prevent or harass our ships within our EEZ whether we are fishing or bringing supplies to our detachment in [BRP] Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal,” he said.

He said he has been in talks with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian PAGE 7

Apollo Quiboloy

Philstar.com photo

Go: Duterte will not...

PAGE 1 treats you as a friend),” he added.

However, Go maintained that Duterte will not prevent the U.S. from extraditing Quiboloy should it happen.

“Abugado si PRRD at ako po’y naniniwala na sumusunod sa batas ang ating presidente. Bilang presidente, naniniwala ako siya nagpapatupad sa anumang treaty (President Rodrigo Duterte is a lawyer and I believe our President follows the law. As president, I believe that he implements any treaty),” he said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) pointed out that there will be no need for extradition if Quiboloy turns himself in to the jurisdiction of the U.S. authorities.

“All talks about possible extradition will be mooted if the person sought to be extradited opted to voluntarily surrender to the jurisdiction of the requesting state and defend himself/ herself with the assistance of counsel in the appropriate legal proceedings in the requesting state,” said Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra in a separate statement.

On Friday, Nov. 19, U.S. prosecutors charged Quiboloy and two other top church officials for participating in a conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion.

In a 74-page indictment, the three church leaders were alleged to have recruited females ranging from approximately 12 to 25 years of age to work as personal assistants or “pastorals” for Quiboloy.

“The victims prepared Quiboloy’s meals, cleaned his residences, gave him massages, and were required to have sex with Quiboloy in what the pastorals called ‘night duty,’” it added.

Five females allegedly fell victim to this, three of whom were minors when the supposed sex trafficking began.

For its part, Quiboloy’s camp dismissed the sex-trafficking charges filed against him in the U.S. “Once again, another vicious attempt to bring down Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy and some of the Kingdom leaders has been organized just recently in the United States, but (Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name) and all its followers remain steadfast and committed to faithfully respond to its mission, its ministry and its divine calling despite all the detraction efforts made against them,” the KJC Legal Counsel said in a statement.

It also said that accusations will not “detract” the KJC from its mission and ministry.

“People may have tried to silence Pastor Quiboloy, but they cannot put down the Kingdom nation. They will never detract from the mission and the ministry of The Kingdom.

It will never stop. It will go on forever,” said the KJC Legal Counsel.

“We are confident and ready to face whatever is hurled against Pastor Quiboloy and the Kingdom leaders. We trust the process of justice and we certainly expect the truth to prevail, and the Kingdom ministry will continue to prosper,” it added. (By Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress) n

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OPINION

5

FEATURES

Preventing a resurgence

AFTER jumping to 2,227 new cases on Sunday, November 21, COVID infections again fell below 1,000 yesterday for the first time in a week.

The daily tally of 984 did not include data from five laboratories, DOH officials have repeatedly warned the public against complacency as pandemic restrictions are eased to revive the economy in the final quarter of the year and allow people to have some cheer during the Christmas season.

In Europe, restrictions are being reimposed in several countries amid a fresh surge in COVID cases attributed to the highly contagious Delta strain and its sub-variant that is said to be even more infectious. Beginning Nov. 22, Austria became the first European country to reimpose a full COVID lockdown, with Germany saying it might do the same, sending jitters through financial markets. The Netherlands has been under partial lockdown since Nov. 13. Beginning Feb. 1 next year, vaccination will also be required for all Austrians.

Even with new infections slowing in the Phil-

ippines, health experts have also pointed out that COVID deaths remain high. Last Sunday, 175 deaths were recorded; 99 were added on Monday, November 22, bringing the total to 45,808. The numbers do not include the people who die after recovering from the illness but suffer from post-COVID complications such as cardiac and respiratory problems.

As restrictions on minors are lifted, there is also growing concern about pediatric infections, since most children are not yet vaccinated against COVID. Tracking infection trends, the OCTA Research Group says daily cases could go down to as low as 500 by December, allowing Metro Manila to be eased to the lowest Alert Level 1 – but only if people continue strictly observing COVID safety protocols.

Tossing out those protocols is one of the rea-

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS THANKSGIVING is a very special holiday, very much like Christmas minus the tree and decorations, gift giving, carols, and festive parties.

But like Christmas, such love and beauty of the season makes our hearts sing praises of joy and thanksgiving, especially when our family gather together, hold hands in prayer before our

Philstar.com photo

sons being cited for the resurgence of COVID in Europe. Masking and physical distancing have been junked even as vaccine hesitancy persists in many areas, while efficacy of the jabs has also started waning among the first

groups to be inoculated.

The world is now seeing the consequences of all these factors. If Filipinos want to avoid a return to lockdowns, there must be no room for complacency. (Philstar.com)

Thanksgiving reflections: Offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God even before He answers our prayers Thanksgiving feast, acknowledging the pure solemnity of the moment that we have everything within our reach all that are essential and important — our life, our family, our faith.

However, when there are dark clouds hovering over us, when times are so difficult and the pain becomes excruciatingly hard to bear, when the toxicity of lies and deception cause us to be blind

to what is real and what is important, when the hurdles of sickness, loneliness, lack cause us to lose hope, it becomes so hard to pray to offer praise and thanksgiving.

It is easy to offer praise and thanksgiving when times are great, when people get along in harmony, when our plans go well, when we get what we want, but what if these are not real in our life?

It does not require much

faith to praise and thank God when the good times are rolling. But what about in the bad times? This is when the test of our faith comes in.

The Bible says “bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the Lord.” (Jeremiah 33:11).

It is thought provoking why the word “sacrifice” was

used in this verse. But this is what God asks of us — to offer praise and thanksgiving even in the midst of our pains, suffering, hopelessness as our sacrifice, because a sacrifice is something that is hard to do , especially under these circumstances.

But we do them anyway — to offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving because of our strong faith in God that He will answer our prayers,

that He will make everything work together for our good.

This Thanksgiving Day, let me share with you some messages of hope that we can hold on to. Whatever it is we are going through as a person, as a family, as a nation, remember to keep the faith that this, too, shall pass. Weeping may endure for the night but joys comes in the morning. God promisPAGE 10

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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D ateline PhiliPPines ICC suspends probe into PH drug war ‘There are things I have to do

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

THE International Criminal Court (ICC) has suspended its investigation into the killings linked to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-narcotics crackdown following a deferral request from the Philippine government.

“The prosecution has temporarily suspended its investigative activities while it assesses the scope and effect of the deferral request,” ICC prosecutor Karim Khan wrote in a court notification dated November 18.

“The Prosecution will, however, continue its analysis of information already in its possession as well as of any new information it may receive from third parties, and actively assess the need for applications to the pre-trial chamber for authority to conduct necessary investigative steps for the preservation of evidence under Article 18(6) of the Statute,” he added.

Based on court documents released by the ICC, Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands Eduardo Malaya requested the deferral on November 10, in which he said that the administration was already looking into the alleged crimes against humanity committed during the drug war.

Malaya also said that the Philippine gov-

ernment “has undertaken, and continues to undertake, thorough investigations of all reported deaths during anti-narcotic operations in the country.”

In September, the ICC’s pre-trial chamber found a “reasonable basis” to proceed with a full investigation into Duterte’s bloody war against illegal drugs.

The decision was signed by Presiding Judge Péter Kovács, Judge Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera.

“On the basis of the above, the Chamber concludes that there is a reasonable basis for the Prosecutor to proceed with an investigation, in the sense that the crime against humanity of murder appears to have been committed, and that potential case(s) arising from such investigation appear to fall within the Court’s jurisdiction,” the judges said.

No jurisdiction For its part, Malacañang welcomed the ICC’s decision to suspend its drug war probe.

Acting Presidential Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Saturday, Nov. 21, maintained that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippine government.

“This, however, does not preclude the government from communicating with the ICC, and it should be stressed that the governPAGE 7

before retiring’ - Duterte

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he ditched his plan to retire from politics after his term ends in June next year because there are still goals he wants to achieve.

“There are just things that I have to do before retiring.

But not really staying for something na (that) it’s no longer our time,” Duterte said in a speech in General Santos City.

He did not elaborate what these goals are but reiterated that “there’s always a time for everything.”

“A time to be great, a time to be small, a time to be a shining star, but a time to fade and just maghanap ka na lang ng kanto kung saan magkakasya. Ganoon ang tingin namin sa buhay namin (look for a place to fit in. That’s what we think about life),” he added.

Duterte said it does not really matter if his administration was remembered for their accomplishments because it is their job to serve the country and people.

“We do not really care if we are remembered or not.

That’s something na (that’s) irrelevant kasi (because) as I have said trabaho namin ‘yan (it’s our job) and we are just doing what we are supposed to do,” he said.

On October 2, Duterte announced that he will retire from politics.

He, however, surprised many when he filed his candidacy for senator via a representative in the 2022 elections.

His certificate of candidacy was filed by representative Melchor Aranas during the last day of the filing of statements of withdrawal

and substitution at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Intramuros, Manila on November 15.

He substituted a certain Mona Liza Visorde, who withdrew her certificate of candidacy for senator.

Duterte, who chairs the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), is running for senator under Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS), an allied party of the PDP-Laban.

The PDP-Laban earlier planned to field Duterte as vice president with his long-time aide, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go as president.

He later withdrew his vice presidential bid in consideration of public sentiment that his intent to seek the second top post PAGE 7

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US eyes reinforced defense ties...

WAITING FOR VAX. Adults and teenagers wait for their second dose against COVID-19 at the Commonwealth General Hospital and Medical Center in Fairview, Quezon City on Monday, November 22. As of November 20, the National Task Force against COVID-19 said the Philippines has administered 73,921,542 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with 32,993,083 Filipinos now fully vaccinated.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

‘PH raised Ayungin incident at ASEAN-China summit’

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte, speaking at a regional summit with China, has raised the issue of Chinese ships blocking efforts to resupply Philippine troops on Ayungin Shoal, the Palace said Monday, November 22.

According to a Palace statement, Duterte raised the South China Sea issue at the ASEAN-China Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Dialogue Relations, where he stressed that the dispute cannot be solved by force. Manila calls parts of the South China within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone the West Philippine Sea. “We abhor the recent event in the Ayungin Shoal and view with grave concern other similar developments. This does not speak well of the relations between our nations and our partnership,” Duterte said, referring to Chinese coast guard vessels blocking and water-cannoning two supply boats headed to Ayungin Shoal last week.

According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, some of the Chinese ships have left Ayungin Shoal — where a Philippine Navy ship is grounded and serves as an outpost — leaving only two Chinese coast guard vessels in the area as of Sunday.

Duterte stressed that the UN Covenant on the Law of the Sea and a 2016 arbitral ruling invalidating China’s sweeping ninedash-line claim over the South China Sea “provide legal clarity…pointing us to a just and fair solution to our disputes,” the Palace also said.

The Palace said the president urged China to remain committed to working towards “the conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea”, a goal that ASEAN and China have been working on for decades.

Absent a binding code of conduct among claimants in the South China Sea, the Philippines and China have put in place the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea. The mechanism, established in 2016, is meant as a venue for parties to address differences and ease tensions.

“There is simply no other way out of this colossal problem but the rule of law,” the Palace quotes Duterte as saying. The president has repeatedly said that the Philippines does not stand a chance against China and has cautioned against escalating tension between the two nations over the South China Sea. (Philstar.com) n

‘There are things I have to...

PAGE 6 violates the Constitution.

He was referring to the June 23 to 26 polls conducted by the Social

Weather Stations (SWS), which showed that 60 percent of 1,200 adult Filipinos believed that his vice-presidential run could

violate the intention of the Constitution, “which should be amended first before he may run for office again.”

(Azer Parrocha/PNA) n

ICC suspends probe into PH drug...

PAGE 6 ment’s communication to the ICC was conditioned on the fact that in making that communication the Philippine government was not waiving its position regarding the ICC’s lack of jurisdiction,” he said.

“In any event, we welcome the judiciousness of the new ICC prosecutor, who has deemed it fit to give the

matter a fresh look and we trust that the matter will be resolved in favor of the exoneration of our government and the recognition of the vibrancy of our justice system,” he added.

Meanwhile, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that the ICC’s decision is proof that the Philippine institutions are “working.”

“This order is a recognition that the Philippine institutions are working and that the ICC will not exercise original jurisdiction precisely because sovereignty and jurisdiction provides that it is Philippine authorities that must investigate, punish, and prosecute these alleged instances of illegal killings in connection with the drug war,” he said Sunday. n

PAGE 4 since the night of November 16, when the incident transpired until November 20.

He said Huang had assured him the Chinese “will not interfere” with supply missions to Ayungin Shoal.

“We will see if they are true to their word as our navy will proceed with the resupply this week,” Lorenzana said.

Vice Admiral Ramil Roberto Enriquez, commander of the military’s Western Command which covers the West Philippine Sea, said the supply boats involved in the incident were still under repair after incurring damage.

Even after the repairs are completed, the boats still have to undergo sea trials before being deployed again, Enriquez said.

He said bigger ships from the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources cannot be used for supply missions because of the shallow approaches to Ayungin Shoal.

“One wrong move can lead to the ship running aground,” he said.

“What I want to assure our fellow Filipinos is that we will not stop securing our seas,” Enriquez said. (By Bernadette E. Tamayo and Dempsey Reyes/ManilaTimes.net) n

PH to allow entry of fully...

PAGE 1 ciple the entry of fully vaccinated tourists from green list countries/territories/jurisdictions” upon the agency’s request.

“Allowing tourists from green countries or territories that have the majority of its population vaccinated and with low infection rate, will greatly help in our recovery efforts--increasing tourist arrivals and receipts among others,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.

“This move will likewise aid in bolstering consumer confidence, which is a large contributor to our gross domestic product or GDP growth,” she added.

Puyat also assured that the proposal to open leisure travel from “green countries” will be based on strict conditions.

Further, she said that a Special Technical Working Group on Travel has been tasked to immediately come up with the guidelines on international travel to be approved by the IATF. “Our ASEAN neighbors like Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia also did the same.

We believe that it is also time for us to reopen our borders for inbound tourism as a way towards full recovery,” noted Puyat.

Green list Based on the latest IATF Resolution, the following countries have been classified under the “green list” from Nov. 16 to 30: • American Samoa • Bhutan • Chad • China (Mainland) • Comoros • Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) • Falkland Islands (Malvinas) • Federated States of Micronesia • Guinea • Guinea-Bissau • Hong Kong (Special Ad-

ministrative Region of China) • India • Indonesia • Japan • Kosovo • Kuwait • Kyrgyzstan • Malawi • Mali • Marshall Islands • Montserrat • Morocco • Namibia • Niger • Northern Mariana Islands • Oman • Pakistan • Palau • Paraguay • Rwanda • Saint Barthelemy • Saint Pierre and Miquelon • Saudi Arabia • Senegal • Sierra Leone • Sint Eustatius • South Africa • Sudan • Taiwan • Togo • Uganda •United Arab Emirates • Zambia • Zimbabwe Meanwhile, Faroe Islands and The Netherlands are classified under the “red list.”

New testing, quarantine rules Nograles also announced that the IATF has updated the testing and quarantine protocols for all international travelers entering the Philippines.

Fully-vaccinated Filipinos coming from countries under the “green list” who fail to take a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test 72 hours prior to their departure are required to undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative test result.

“After this, the individual is enjoined to self-monitoring until the 14th day of their arrival with the date of arriv-

al being the first day,” said Nograles.

He also said that fully-vaccinated Filipinos with negative RT-PCR test results taken within 72 hours prior to their departure from green countries are no longer required to undergo facility-based quarantine and take another RT-PCR test.

Meanwhile, fully-vaccinated individuals coming from yellow countries who have pre-departure RT-PCR tests will undergo facility-based quarantine and take an RTPCR test after three days.

“Upon release of a negative RT-PCR test, they may be discharged from facility quarantine. After which they are enjoined to self-monitor up to the 14th day from date of arrival,” Nograles said.

As for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals, as well as those with unverified vaccination status, they will undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on their fifth day in the Philippines and self-monitor until their 14th day of staying in the country.

“All passengers whether Filipinos or foreigners, merely transiting through nongreen list jurisdictions, shall not be deemed as having come from or having been to the said country, territory or jurisdiction if they stayed in the airport the whole time and were not cleared for entry by its immigration authorities,” said Nograles.

On the other hand, those who were in red countries for the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter the Philippines, regardless of vaccination status.

Exempted from this are Filipinos returning through government-initiated or non-government-initiated repatriation and Bayanihan Flights, as well as passengers merely transiting through red list nations. n

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NOVEMBER 26 - DEcEMBER 2, 2021 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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

SFIO officially signs $100-M agreement with Omnicor Industrial Estate & Realty Center to develop a resort condotel in Batangas, Philippines THE memorandum of agreement will see Omnicor Industrial Estate & Realty Center, Inc., a subsidiary of Filipino publicly listed company AbaCore Capital Holdings, contributing land by the bay of Batangas for SFIO to develop into a resort-like condotel property.

The announcement of the project has been made official by offering further details to the public.

In a recent announce-

ment, SFIO revealed that they signed last October a memorandum of understanding with Omnicor Industrial Estate & Realty Center, Inc. to pursue a joint venture that would see a two-hectare, bayside property in Batangas, Philippines developed into a $100 million eco-friendly, tech village.

SFIO said that the planned development, which is strategically located in Montemaria, Batangas City, just south of

Metro Manila, will service residents looking for a new kind of work-life balance, with it being at the crossroads of breathtaking marine biodiversity, historical religious sites, and a suite of modern amenities fit for a better normal.

Asset management company SFIO, recently named one of the “20 Promising Companies Everyone Should Know in 2021” by Global Business Leaders Magazine, will be developing the 500-unit tech village as part of a 10year development plan with Omnicor’s parent company, AbaCore Capital Holdings, Inc. This agreement establishes SFIO as the preferred developer of projects across AbaCore Capital Holdings’ over 200-hectares of real estate around Montemaria.

As part of SFIO’s investment roadmap into future-oriented industries, this tech village blends residential luxuries with the hyper-connected amenities necessary PAGE 10

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 26 - DEcEMBER 2, 2021

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NOVEMBER 26 - DEcEMBER 2, 2021 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

Lacson, Sotto take multi-drug test

by Christia

Marie Inquirer.net

raMos

MANILA — Presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson and vice presidential running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III underwent a voluntary drug test on Monday, November 22.

Lacson and Sotto went to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) headquarters to take the test.

“Magkaalaman na kung sino matatapang,” Sotto said.

(Let’s see who’s brave enough.)

According to Sotto, PDEA used a multi-drug testing kit on him and Lacson.

“What we underwent was not the ordinary testing.

PDEA uses a MULTI DRUG testing kit. It can check all types of illegal drugs. Encompassing holistic drug tests,” Sotto said.

“Ordinary testing only checks marijuana and shabu,” he added.

The tandem decided to be drug tested after President Rodrigo Duterte last week accused a presidential aspirant

Presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson and vice presidential running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III undergo a drug test at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) headquarters.

Photo from Sotto’s office

of using cocaine.

While he did not give the person’s name, Duterte hinted that the aspirant comes from a well-known and rich clan, whose family name means “strong” and is known for its patriarch.

Earlier, Lacson said he is “1,000%” certain that the President was not referring to him.

“I have never been addicted to drugs all my life, so I have no problem with that.

In fact, we should all undergo random testing to make it more credible. I understand drug toxins may dissipate after 72 hours,” Lacson said in a previous statement.

Other presidential bets have likewise said they are willing to be drug tested. n

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

All regions in PH now minimal to low risk for COVID-19 — DOH

MANILA — All regions in the Philippines are now minimal to low risk for COVID-19, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire announced on Monday, November 22.

“All regions are now at minimal to low risk case classification with negative two-week growth rates and average daily attack rates less than seven per 100,000 population.

Region 2 shows a positive two-week growth rate in the recent week,” Vergeire said during the Department of Health media forum.

“Majority of the regions have a total COVID-19 bed and ICU (intensive care unit) utilization at low risk. Region 9 has its ICU utilization at moderate risk at 54 percent utilization,” she added.

For the country’s capital region, Vergeire

pointed out that Metro Manila is at “low risk case classification with a negative two-week growth rate and an average daily attack rate of 2.69 per 100,000 individuals” which is higher than the previous 1.48.

Metro Manila’s total bed and ICU are at low risk, she said.

Moreover, the Philippines as a whole remains at low risk for the coronavirus, according to Vergeire.

“Nationally, we remain at low risk case classification with a negative two-week growth rate at negative 49 percent and moderate risk average daily attack rate at 1.55 cases for every 100,000 individuals.

The national health systems capacity is at low risk,” she said. (By Daniza Fernandez/ Inquirer.net) n

Thanksgiving reflections: Offer...

PAGE 5 es beauty for ashes. But let us do our part — pray, believe, offer praise and thanksgiving, and God will reward us.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Phil 4:6 “Being thankful is not always experienced as a natural state of existence, we must work at it, akin to a type of strength training for the heart.” - Larissa Gomez See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

-1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 “I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness - it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.” - Brene Brown “…to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” Isaiah 61:3 “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” - Melody Beattie “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Col. 2:7 “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” - Willie Nelson “The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.” Ps. 28:7 “I looked around and thought about my life. I felt grateful. I noticed every detail. That

is the key to time travel. You can only move if you are actually in the moment. You have to be where you are to get to where you need to go.” - Amy Poehler “I will praise the name of God with song, and shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.”

Ps. 69:30 “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” - Gilbert K. Chesterton Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. -James 1:2-4 “If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.”

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” - Epictetus Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. -Psalm 107:1 Happy blessed meaningful Thanksgiving! *** 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.

SUPPORT. National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) deputy director, Eleanor Rachel Angeles (2nd from right), receives a check worth P8.82 million from Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma (2nd from left) in a ceremony at the PCSO main office in Mandaluyong City on Monday, November 22. The amount represents the bureau’s share from PCSO’s STL earnings for the second quarter of 2021.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

SFIO officially signs $100-M...

PAGE 8 for modern work. Ground floor office and retail spaces give way to resort-like recreational facilities and residential units, making it an ideal space for high-value firms and professionals to embrace remote work.

Just a few miles from the Verde Island Passage, one of the most biologically diverse water ecosystems in the world, the tech village project will embrace eco-friendly development practices, such as solar roofing. An environmental compliance certificate has already been issued over the site, allowing immediate commencement of preliminary survey and design.

The project also aims to cater to religious pilgrims looking to visit the Mother of All Asia Tower of Peace, a 316-foot tall statue of the Virgin Mary. Taller than New York’s Statue of Liberty, and nearly three times taller than Rio De Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer, this is the world’s tallest statue dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Intended for longer-term residents, the tech village will be designed as a timeshare concept, catering not only to working profes-

sionals and tourists but also to expatriates and Filipinos from around the world looking for a vibrant community to spend a short vacation or their retirement years in.

While SFIO and AbaCore Capital Holdings see this project as the first of many that will thrive in the coming post-pandemic economic boom, both companies see health and wellness as a continuing priority across all their future projects.

Work is already underway at SFIO’s recently established Technology and Software Development Division on a suite of state-of-the-art, smart-building technologies designed to ensure the long-term, holistic well-being of communities. Set to be piloted in Montemaria, these technologies are expected to set a new gold-standard for community health systems across resorts and residential developments.

SFIO, which has just filed their Q3 financial reports in line with their broader plans to uplist onto the Nasdaq Exchange, aims to complete this development project by 2024. Permits to commence pre-selling of units are already pending approval.

(Advertising Supplement)

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 26 - DEcEMBER 2, 2021

COMMUNITY Journal

11

Thanksgiving message Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ THANKSGIVING is again being celebrated differently this year. Thankfully, although we are still in the midst of a pandemic, we may finally be able to have a gathering of loved ones, with masks, vaccinations, social distancing, and other protocols.

We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, in all areas of our lives, including immigration, and I hope we can finally get back to “normal.” The pandemic created such turmoil, frustrations, delays, and hardship for so many in connection with

their immigration matters.

Embassies and USCIS offices were closed, no interviews were being conducted, there were travel bans, immigration bans, and lockdowns.

Thankfully, embassies are slowly reopening, visa interviews are being scheduled, and visas are again being issued, allowing families to be reunited in the U.S. USCIS offices also are reopening and scheduling interviews.

Therefore, we do have a lot to be thankful for, compared to how the situation was last year.

In the coming year, I hope the pandemic will further subside, and we can all get back to our normal lives. I also hope Congress can stop all its bickering and infighting, and get together and come up with comprehensive immigration reform, as both

parties have continuously promised, but have yet to deliver, including a possible amnesty for the approximate 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. My personal Thanksgiving wish is to be able to assist eligible applicants in achieving legalization and their American dream, enabling them to be reunited to celebrate with their families in America.

Happy Thanksgiving to All! *** 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

DADDY’S GIRLS FINALLY GET THEIR VISAS THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Cathlene (left) and Corinne (2nd from left) were petitioned by their U.S. citizen father while he was living in the Philippines in 2017. By law, a petitioner must be “domiciled” or living in the U.S. in order for family members to be issued immigrant visas. Since the father was still residing in the Philippines, the Embassy refused to issue the daughters’ visas. Their mother, Malou, (2nd from right) consulted with the office of leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (extreme right) to help establish the petitioner’s domicile in the U.S. and have the children’s visas issued. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, November 28 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)

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 consul-

tation 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)

12

NOVEMBER 26 - DEcEMBER 2, 2021 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

Great medical news

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS A CARDIoLoGIST friend of mine in Indiana, who had referred countless patients for open-heart surgery to me in the 80s and 90s, had a freak accident at home that broke his neck (like actor Christopher “Superman” Reeves, who fell from a horse), which left him quadriplegic, unable to breathe on his own, with total paralysis of his arms and legs. Connected to a ventilator, he lived for about 10 years. He retained a mind that was brilliant and clear as ever to the end. Unfortunately, the injury to his spinal cord remained “without a cure,” even to this day.

A potential hope for patients with broken spinal cord, with paralysis from the hip down (paraplegia) or from the neck down (quadriplegia) might be in the offing, albeit this could be years down the line. Human neural (nerve) stem cell can restore mobility in cases of chronic spinal injury,” suggests a study from the University of California Irvine, following successful results of transplanted human stem cells in mice, which recovered from their 30-day laboratory-induced spinal cord injury.

This encouraging preliminary findings in stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury is indeed promising. The therapeutic strategy will need more laboratory confirmations and, later, application to human clinical trials, before the final verdict is made.

At least, it is a spark of hope. *** Vitamin C has been found to rapidly improve a person’s mood state, especially among acutely hospitalized patients, in a double-blind clinical study at Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital and the affiliated Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research. While Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate) supplements are available in pills, this antioxidant and essential nutrient is abundant in these plant sources, in the order of level of vitamin C content: kakadu plum, camu camu, rose hip, acerola, jujube, red pepper, red hot chili, guava, parsley, broccoli, kiwifruit, brussels sprouts, papaya, strawberry, orange, kale, lemon, melon,

cantaloupe, lime, mango, blackberry, potato and other fruits and vegetables. The phyto-phenols and Vitamin C in these foods also boost immunity. *** The gene that increases an individual’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, tagged MTHFD1L, a gene on chromosome 6, has been identified in a genome-wide study at the John P. Hussman Institute of Genomics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

This discovery will help the scientific community understand Alzheimer’s better and potentially develop a marker for higher risk persons, and hopefully, discover a preventive regimen, if not an effective treatment for this tragic disease.

Today, there are drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors that can help with the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease “by blocking the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which breaks down the neurotransmitter (brain chemical) acetylcholine, which plays an important role in cognitive functions like thinking and remembering.”

Low acetylcholine levels cause memory loss. Some of these medications include Aricept (donepezil), for all stages of Alzheimer’s; and Exelon (rivastigmine) and Razadyne (galantamine), for early and the middle stage of Alzheimer’s. As the dementia progresses, the level of acetylcholine goes down and even these medications may not be beneficial anymore. *** Medical Xpress reports that “researchers at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering are using generative adversarial networks (GANs) – technology best known for creating deepfake videos and photorealistic human faces – to improve brain-computer interfaces for people with disabilities.”

The team was able to “teach an AI to generate synthetic brain activity data which were fed into a machine-learning algorithms to improve the useability of brain computer interface (BCI), which analyzes a person’s brain signals and translating that neural activity into commands, allowing the user to control digital devices using only their thoughts.”

These devices can obviously help improve the “quality of life for people with mo-

tor dysfunction or paralysis, and those fully conscious but unable to move or communicate.” *** Those who hold their breath during sleep, snorers or not, and wake up several times during the night gasping for breath, most likely have obstructive Sleep Apnea (oSA). They are usually sleepy and feeling tired by noon. Undiagnosed and untreated, oSA increases the risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s, and even cancer, due to chronic lack of oxygen during those breath-holding (apneic) moments, which could be dozens, [or even] a hundred. A sleep test is needed to confirm the diagnosis.

The good thing about oSA is that today, there is a proven, fully beneficial, treatment for it: the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine. Users love it and feel more secure using it for a restful sleep every night. *** Anger and any form of stress, especially emotional, can make one ill. Psychosomatic disorders are real. Anger, for instance, causes the release of stress hormones, like adrenalin, cortisol and noradrenalin, which increase heart rate, breathing, body temperature, muscle tone, sweating, alertness, and elevated blood pressure. All these also lead to the constriction of arteries in most organs, lessening their blood supply, and channeling a large share of blood supply to the muscles as a part of the body’s defense mechanism. This is normal physiology when anger sets in, as it prepares the body for fight or flight. Anger also depresses the immune system, slows down digestion, and the alertness it causes impairs sleep. Chronic emotional stress and anger do cause a lot more illnesses, and aggravate existing diseases (depression, heart condition, impending stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, insomnia, even allergies and skin diseases, etc.). on the other hand, positive thoughts, laughing, listening to soothing music, relaxing, loving and the knowledge of being loved, spending quality time with family and friends, feeling happy and having serenity and peace, all these allow the body’s builtin “pharmacy” to produce the good hormones, called

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

Fil-Am star Olivia Rodrigo leads American Music Awards nominations BLACK and Filipina American hip-hop darling Saweetie performed a brand new single as she made her musical debut on “Saturday Night Live” over the weeked.

The 28-year-old rapper on Saturday, November 20, performed new single “Icy Chain” in front of massive lit-up block letters spelling out “ICY.” She also performed a medley of her hits such as “Tap In” and “Best Friend,” which originally featured Doja Cat. Released on Friday, Nov. 19, ahead of her SNL guest appearance, “Icy Chain” will be included on Saweetie’s long-awaited debut album, “Pretty Bitch Music,” which has been pushed to 2022.

“Pretty Bitch Music was supposed to come out this month, but I was really living with it,” she said during an interview with Big Tigger in June.

“And one of my goals is for people to really feel something with every song, so I had to go back and reconstruct some songs. Just know that I’m a perfectionist, and it’s on the way,” she added.

In a separate interview, Saweetie told Billboard: “This album needs to have feelings, it needs to have soul, it needs to have spirit. And I have a lot of room for improvement, so I’m gonna work on that.”

Saweetie, whose real name is Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper, was born to an African American father and Filipina-Chinese mother.

In September this year, she put her Filipino and Black heritage on display at the 2021 Met Gala, where the theme was “American Independence.”

She wore a rose-colored Christian Cowan

Saweetie, whose mother is Filipina, made her SNL debut on Saturday, November 20, performing a new single and a medley of her famous tracks including “Best Friend.”

Photo from Instagram_@saweetie

gown with an iridescent train split in two panels. one panel had the colors black and red to represent the Black American heritage flag, while the other panel had red, yellow, blue, and white for the Philippine flag.

In a previous interview with the Asian Journal, Saweetie said her mother reminded her to speak up about her background and culture.

“I remember my mom telling me that it’s important for me to share my heritage, to share my culture. So anytime that it makes sense, I do let people know that I am half-Filipina,” she said. n

Fil-Am artists Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars win big with BTS at AMAs 2021 MANILA — With seven nominations, Filipino-American singer-songwriter olivia Rodrigo was the most nominated artist at this year’s

American Music Awards broadcast live from Los Angeles earlier today.

The 18-year-old “Good 4 U” singer was slated to break records as a first-time nominee with the most wins if she bagged five of her sev-

en nominations. She has so far won as New Artist of the Year.

She also reaped nominations for Artist of the Year, Favorite Female Pop Artist, Favorite Pop Album for “Sour;” PAGE 15

endorphins (from the word endogenous, meaning produced by the body, and the word morphine, which is like opium, heroin, and the medical pain killer, morphine).

This gives us a high when produced by our body in abundance, circulating in our blood stream. Endorphins switch oFF the nerves in the frontal lobe of the brain, inhibiting pain, and this part of the brain is then flooded with endogenous dopamine, resulting in the sense of euphoria, the reason why many are addicted to drugs.

Let’s us encourage our

mind and body to produce these endorphins more often and be addicted to them, for a cheaper, healthier, safer, and legal way of getting high. *** 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. *** 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, 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.

By Dana

Cruz Inquirer.net

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John Lloyd wishes Ellen, Derek a ‘strong and fun marriage’

By Dana

Cruz

Inquirer.net

JOHN Lloyd Cruz has extended his well wishes to his ex-girlfriend Ellen Adarna and her husband, fellow actor Derek Ramsay, after their wedding earlier this month.

Cruz talked about Adarna’s wedding to Ramsay, which took place last Nov. 11, in an exclusive interview with broadcaster Jessica Soho for her show “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” Sunday, Nov. 21.

Soho brought up the subject when she asked the actor about his past relationships. Though Adarna was not named, the broadcaster asked Cruz how he feels about the recent marriage of his ex-girlfriend.

“Finally, she found the one,” Cruz said, noting that he is being “very careful” when talking about his former girlfriend’s personal life.

“I have to put it in context

EMPLOYMENT

John Lloyd Cruz

GMA photo

and I have to be very careful because that’s her life,” he told Soho. “Nagsisimula at natatapos sa anak namin ‘yung aking masasabi patungkol sa kanya o sa buhay niya.” (What I say about her or her life starts and ends with our child.)

Cruz then wished Adarna and Ramsay a “strong and fun” marriage. He believes the union between the two is important for his son with

Adarna, Elias.

“Sincerely, I wish her all the happiness in the world. I wish them both a strong and fun marriage kasi vital ‘yon sa welfare at sa growth ng anak ko (because it’s vital to the welfare and growth of my son),” the actor explained.

Aside from his thoughts on Adarna’s wedding, Cruz also opened up on his relationship with his son.

“I try my best to lead without imposing. As much as possible, I try to bring him closer to nature,” he said.

Cruz added that he considers El Nido, Palawan his second home, and his son also enjoys staying there.

Cruz and Adarna dated in 2017 and welcomed Elias in 2018. They eventually parted ways the following year. They have since been co-parenting their child, as Adarna explained that she did not want to involve her son in her “issues.” n

EMPLOYMENT

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What ‘Christmas in Our Hearts’ means during this pandemic

By Charmie Joy

Pagulong Philstar.com

AS the month of December begins next week, Jose Mari Chan has reminded us of what his iconic Christmas songs mean as we celebrate holidays in these extraordinary times.

Also known as Joe Mari, the singer-songwriter has always been associated with the season, starting off with the “ber” months, because of his timeless classics Christmas in Our Hearts, A Perfect Christmas, A Wish on Christmas Night, and many more. But he refused to be dubbed as the country’s “King of Christmas Carols.”

“I am just one of the many artists who wrote songs and carols. It just so happens that Christmas in Our Hearts has remained a favorite for the past 31 years, but that does not make me the King of Christmas Carols,” he told The STAR. Nevertheless, the song “reminds us that the reason

Jose Mari Chan

for this season is to celebrate the birth of Jesus,” he said.

It also means that “As a Christian, we need to have a grateful heart for all the blessings we have been showered with and at the same time, be cheerful givers because the spirit of Christmas is giving and sharing.”

In the lyrics, “May the spirit of Christmas be always

Philstar.com photo

in our hearts,” is “saying to be prayerful, be grateful, and be thankful for all the blessings. It reminds us to be a cheerful giver, share our blessings with those in need, for those who’ve been blessed with sufficiency, there are many Filipinos who are hungry and without jobs who we can reach out to and help,” he added.

PAGE 15

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FOOD AS A LOVE LANGUAGE

Angela Dimayuga on ‘Filipinx’ and her mission to help drive Filipino cuisine forward

by MOMaR

G. VisaYa / AJPress

HEF Angela Dimayuga wanted to explore Filipino food seriously as a professional cook but when she was just starting, she was told that that EuroC centric cuisine was the way to go in order to be seen. When she started to cook European food, she realized that the food she had at home growing up, the dishes from her Lola and mom were actually very technique-driven and needed to be honored on their own.

Through the years, she made waves as a celebrated chef and an activist. This year, she added ‘author’ to her name and came up with her debut cookbook called Filipinx: Heritage Recipes From the Diaspora.

“The idea, that we can all come together to really celebrate our cuisine as a love language to communicate with each other and bring us closer together, I think this is the moment. It has been a moment and I’m just coming to it but I feel very welcome,” Dimayuga told us at their book launch party in Brooklyn.

The book, co-written with Ligaya Mishan of the New York Times, offers 100 personal recipes culled from her family and the years of learning the cuisine from her mom and Lola. The title is a nod to the neighborhood Dimayuga grew up in San Jose, which was predominantly Filipino and Mexican.

“I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area around a lot of Latinx culture where there were a lot of Filipinos and Mexicans, so I like to call that a merge of brown culture. I chose to use the word Filipinx in honor of the gender neutrality that Latinx brings because that’s very important to me,” she shared.

The book is deeply personal for her because it was her inward journey of thinking about her heritage, honoring her ancestors - both living and the dead, and exploring the idea of who she is and what home is.

Dimayuga is the fifth of six children of Filipino parents who emigrated to

In her debut cookbook, acclaimed chef Angela Dimayuga shares her passion for Filipino food with home cooks.

AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya

the U.S. in the 1970s. For this book, she collaborated with Ligaya Mishan, one of her favorite writers, to come up with this dream project.

The idea that she wanted to do a book with Mishan began as early as 2017.

At that time, however, Dimayuga went through career changes and she had a family project to work on.

A different opportunity materialized in 2019: her 10-recipe suite for New York Times where she got to work with Mishan and felt that the moment was

right to dive deep into this book project.

Doing that spread for The Times (Angela Dimayuga’s 10 Essential Filipino Recipes), Dimayuga had to draw from inspiration from her own experiences. She was then creative director for food and culture at the Standard hotels, coming from her successful stint as the star chef at Mission Chinese Food.

“I knew it because this is what I grew up with. I feel really lucky that I grew up around really delicious Filipino food because that’s, you know, that’s a privilege. That’s not an experience that everyone gets to have,” she shared. “But that was a way of expressing love if we didn’t always say it, we would always have the food. And so the process was also it came very intuitively.”

The two began working on the book around March of 2020, the beginning of the pandemic. By this time, Dimayuga had already left her job at Standard, which made diving into the project easy and really quick.

Trained in restaurant kitchens in New York City, Dimayuga returned to her roots, discovering in her family’s home cooking the same intense attention to detail and technique she’d found in fine dining.

Filipinx was made in six months, all work done remotely. They wanted to cook with family and friends but the lockdowns prevented them from doing that so doing it remotely was the only way to go.

PAGE 15

Filipinx offers 100 deeply personal recipes—many of them dishes that define home for Angela Dimayuga and the more than four million people of Filipino descent in the United States.

Angela Dimayuga said she wanted to collaborate with New York Times food writer Ligaya Mishan for Filipinx.

Angela Dimayuga with her mom, who flew in from San Jose to attend the book launch in Brooklyn.

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Why JK isn’t into accepting awards Angela Dimayuga on ‘Filipinx’ and...

By

Alex BrosAs Inquirer.net

BEING an accomplished singer, it is quite ironic that JK Labajo does not enjoy receiving awards and recognition.

This he revealed in an online press conference for Janine Berdin’s latest single, “Pagod Na Ako,” last Monday, Nov. 15. Labajo is the arranger and producer of Berdin’s song.

“It feels nice but at the same time I don’t like it. [It’s like] if you try to compare me to all of the actual legends in the OPM industry, I’ve made nothing but a dot in this vast circle,” Labajo revealed.

While he feels elated each time he receives an award, Labajo feels he’s not really into “accolades and names.”

“Marami akong awards na hindi tinanggap, actually.

Because back then da-drama-drama ako, so feeling ko napaka-cool kapag hindi mo tanggapin ‘yung awards,” he said.

(There were a lot of awards I did not accept in the past, actually. Because back then, I was having this sort of drama, so I felt like it’s cook not to accept awards.)

But he is clear in his decision to shun away receiving awards. His reason? “I wasn’t doing it for any of those things.”

JK Labajo

“I wasn’t making music for the sole purpose of being called Asia’s next singing guy or the next total performer or the next whatever. I’m not after those things,” Labajo said.

For him, doing music is “really all about again being able to execute the ideas” and “being able to put out the thing that [he wants] to put out and share with the people.”

“Once I release something, once I put [out] the song in public, that’s not my song anymore. That’s the people’s song,” he explained. “For example, ‘Buwan’ is the Filipino people’s song. It’s everyone’s song. And that’s what makes me happy… when I look back and I see how peoples are consuming, listening to ‘Buwan’ and some songs that I

Photo from Instagram/@jk_labajo

make. That’s what makes me happy, not the awards.”

As he arranged and produced Berdin’s single, does this mean he’s now on a comeback trail in music?

“No, actually,” he insisted.

“I’m just really enjoying my time. I don’t know. I guess marami lang iba’t ibang bagay (there’s just so many different things), there’s so many things going on internally that has to be taken cared of especially when it comes to paper and everything like that, like contracts and what not.”

“I don’t have any specific comeback, ganito, ganyan (this and that) or ‘JK is back.’”

Labajo added. “Wala naman akong planong gano’n. So, hindi.”

(I don’t have such plans.

So, no.) n

From left: Olivia Rodrigo, BTS and Bruno Mars at the American Music Awards 2021 in Microsoft Theater on November 21, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

AFP / Getty Images / ABC / Amy Sussman, Kevin Winter, Shaun Hoffman

Fil-Am artists Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno...

PAGE 12 and Favorite Pop Song, Favorite Trending Song and Favorite Music Video for “Drivers License.” Fellow Filipino-American singer Bruno Mars, together with Anderson .Paak, was also nominated under Favorite Music Video for “Leave The Door Open.”

Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, who form the duo Silk Sonic, also got the Favorite R&B Song nod for “Leave The Door Open.”

Other Filipino-American artists who bagged nominations included Saweetie (Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist) and H.E.R. (Favorite Female R&B Artist, Favor-

ite R&B Album for “Back of My Mind” and Favorite R&B Song for “Damage”).

Korean superstars BTS swept three AMAs, including Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop Duo or Group, and Favorite Pop Song for “Butter.” (By Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo/Philstar. com) n

PAGE 14 “So I feel honored that I had something so meaningful to do during such a quiet time. I wanted to get to know my family better by just understanding how I feel about them,” she said.

Dimayuga said she felt overwhelmed the first time she held the book.

“I still feel like it’s very surreal to hold an object that is a relic of this time. I think of it, it feels like a time capsule. And even the recipes that I did there, it’s kind of like capturing being a young person up until the point that I was 35 and even my relationship to those recipes are already evolving.”

The 36-year-old chef was included in the Zagat’s “30 Under 30” List in 2015 as an upcoming culinary star and was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award in 2016 and named a 2017 Rising Star Chef.

An industry veteran, Dimayuga has been, in her own words, “quietly cooking, putting my head down and doing what I do”. Now, she is being given the opportunity to share her deep culinary knowledge and her experiences in numerous kitchens with the world.

“The idea of sharing Filipino food, knowing that other folks have paved the way is a true honor and a way that I can communicate what I feel about Filipino culture and my own place in it, and everybody’s experiences so for me, it’s a language. Food is a language to explore our culture and drive it forward,” she said.

Dimayuga hopes that the book becomes an opportunity for readers to see a reflection of their own experience whether they’re Filipino or not.

“I would really hope that nannies around the world, working in spaces where they’re not around other Filipinos can see versions of their food being celebrated, and I want it to be also for honorary Filipinos. I feel like we have many of those that want to understand our culture and our cuisine,” she said.

Dimayuga said that her mom and Lola are a huge part of this book. She mentioned that she was lucky enough to receive a lot of her mom’s recipes, compiled in a Microsoft Word document. The collection includes, among others, Tita’s version of this, Tito’s version of that may be the same dish, but different recipes.

This gave her the creative freedom to modify their recipes based on ingredients that were readily available when she was growing up in the Bay Area.

Now, it is her turn to share these recipes with the world.

“Well, I think it’s really interesting that now people can reach my food by opening the book and making it at home. I provide a lot of opportunities for people to be creative themselves, replicating something that I made or riffing off of them,” she said.

For now, Dimayuga has embarked on a book tour, going to different cities across the United States. There’s also a dinner she is doing in Mexico City to promote the book.

Beyond that, she hopes to make more books someday and explore her art practice.

“My ultimate dream is to continue finding opportunities to explore myself, explore our stories and continue to share them,” she said. n

What ‘Christmas in Our Hearts’...

PAGE 13 And the Christmas season is “perfect opportunity to do so,” said the Ilonggo musician and businessman.

He considered Christmas in Our Hearts as “God’s reward” to him.

“In my 54 years of recording career, I have written many songs and produced many hits over the years. Many of those songs have been forgotten, but I feel that Christmas in Our Hearts is God’s reward to me,” he recalled.

“You see, music is God’s gift to man and how I use this gift is my gift back to God. God has rewarded me with this song I’ve written to celebrate His birth, and it has become a hit all these years because of Him,” shared Joe Mari.

On the role of music at this stage of his life, he said, “Music relaxes me and takes me back to places and people in my past. It has the gift of reminding you of summer days, sunshine, and happy moments.”

Seven years ago, the 76-year-old musician released a Christmas album titled Going Home to Christmas, which featured 22 brand-new songs. He hopes that “everyone can either stream online or buy copies of (it) so they can make it a part of their holiday celebrations.”

The last song that he has written is a tribute to his parents. His father passed away in 1994 and his mother last February. “I wrote a special song to thank them for everything they’ve done. I have not released it as at the moment no one really buys CDs anymore so I’m still looking for an avenue or platform to sell my songs.”

Apart from the glittering lights, the beautiful music and the joyful prayer time, what he loves about Christmas is that it is also

the time for reflection.

“Reflection on the months that have just passed and the year that has just passed.

That’s the best for me. Time for reconciliation with those that we have hurt and time for strengthening our family ties. I always remember that the spirit of Christmas is giving and sharing. I’m very happy that Shopee made it meaningful for all of us.”

Joe Mari, who has been the e-commerce platform’s celebrity ambassador for four years already, said he “feel blessed” to be part of the Shopee family and that his “songs are now associated with this most joyful season of the year.”

With Joe Mari leading its Christmas campaign for annual 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, Shopee Philippines director Martin Yu reiterated how Christmas “holds a special place in Filipinos’ hearts.”

“Shopee Philippines hopes to make this year’s festivities even more memorable for both our users and sellers. As the holidays approach, we aim to bring more joy to shoppers and help them save more on things they love by curating the best deals.

We’ve also pioneered efforts to expand our digital ecosystem to help more consumers, businesses, and communities access and benefit from e-commerce,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Joe Mari’s Christmas wish this year is for this pandemic to end. “I am an optimistic person, so I am looking forward to a Merry Christmas for all my countrymen — that we all be free from COVID, Filipinos remain healthy, and for them to spend Christmas the way they used to spend Christmas in the past,” he shared. n

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