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Volume 20 - No. 49 • 14 Pages

T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER

Volume 18 - No. 17 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

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DATELINE Attorney General Bonta issues charity consumer alert ahead of holiday season FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

CALIFORNIA Attorney General Rob Bonta is sharing tips and resources on how to avoid scams while donating this holiday season.

Bonta has the primary responsibility for supervising charities and the professional fundraisers who solicit on their behalf in California.

Under Government Code section 12598, the Attorney General may investigate and bring legal actions against charities that misuse charitable assets or engage in fraudulent fundraising practices. In providing today’s tips, Attorney General Bonta encourages donors to take the necessary steps to ensure that their donations get into the correct hands.

“This time of year, residents of Santa Barbara are stepping up to support one another by giving both their time and donations to local nonprofit organizations. One of those nonprofits being Unity Shoppe, whose volunteers and donors help provide food and critical support services to those in need,” said Bonta. “Many depend on the generosity of residents throughout our state, which is why it is important to make sure that you are

DECEMBER 10-16, 2021

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

Should travelers cancel holiday flight plans?

US tightens travel measures amid omicron

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA

AJPress

THE coronavirus omicron variant couldn’t have come at a worse time for travelers planning to hop on planes for the holiday season.

The highly contagious COVID-19 variant has made its way to the United States, prompting the U.S. to

implement yet another round of controversial restrictions and regulations.

Last week, the White House announced new actions to combat the omicron variant (as well as the delta variant) this coming winter season.

Starting Monday, Dec. 6, all international travelers coming into the U.S. will now be required to test within one day of departure — previously the

AS more indoor venues require proof of vaccination for entrance and with winter — as well as omicron, a new covid variant — looming, scientists and public health officials are debating when it will be time to change the definition of “fully vaccinated” to include a booster shot.

It’s been more than six months since many Americans finished their vaccination course against covid; statistically, their immunity is waning.

At the same time, cases of infections with the omicron variant have been reported in at least 17 states, as of Monday, December 6. Omicron is distinguished by at least 50 mutations, some of which appear to be associated with increased transmissibility. The World Health Organization dubbed it a variant of concern on Nov. 26.

The Centers for Disease Control and

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Duterte accepts Biden’s invite to Democracy Summit

by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

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Is it time to change the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’?

time frame to get tested was “within three days of departure” to the U.S. The one-day time frame applies to everyone, regardless of vaccination status and nationality, the White House said. Testing will be required for all travelers aged 2 years old and above, and it only applies to air travelers.

SHOW OF FORCE. Hordes of supporters of presidential aspirant former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte join a grand caravan along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Wednesday, December 8. Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Michael “Mike” Defensor, who is running for mayor of Quezon City, and other national and local candidates also joined the caravan that started in front of the Commission on Audit in Batasan and ended at the Welcome Rotonda.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

MANILA — President Duterte is set to join the U.S.organized Summit for Democracy to be held this week, Malacañang announced on Tuesday, December 7.

“President Duterte has accepted United States President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s invitation to participate in the Summit for Democracy on Dec. 9-10, 2021,” a statement issued by the Office of Presidential Protocol read.

The statement noted that Biden has invited heads of states, government leaders and representatives from the business and non-government sectors to join the virtual summit.

Citing Biden’s invitation to Duterte, Malacañang said the U.S. would host the Summit for Democracy “with humility and in the spirit of mutual learning.”

“President Biden further said that together, we will ‘embark on the work necessary to shape a prosperous and peaceful future built on respect for the rights and aspirations of all people,’” the Palace statement read.

Biden, Malacañang added, is looking forward to welcoming Duterte and hearing his ideas on how they can foster a “more democratic, equitable, inclusive

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Marcos disqualification petitions Comelec receives 2022 ‘nuisance cases’, says spokesman elections source code from US

by BERNADETTE

E. TAMAYO

ManilaTimes.net

THE camp of former senator and presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, December 7 maintained that the disqualification (DQ) petitions against him were nothing but “nuisance cases.”

Marcos’ spokesman, lawyer Victor Rodriguez, in a statement said all the petitions filed with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), which seek to disqualify the former from the 2022 presidential race, or cancel his certificate of candidacy, “are now being addressed by our legal team.”

by DAPHNE

“And while we maintain that these petitions are nothing but nuisance cases, we urge those who are behind these pathetic stunts to please respect the Filipino people and their democratic right to decide for themselves and their collective future,” Rodriguez said.

“We also urge them not to remove the right of the people to freely choose their leader and stop looking down on the intelligence of the Filipino people,” he added.

Rodriguez stressed that “elections are won and settled on election day and not through the filing of nuisance petitions.”

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GALVEZ Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) received on Wednesday, December 8, the source code and the final trusted build for the automated election system for the 2022 elections.

The source code and trusted build were brought from Huntsville, Alabama, after the U.S.based International agency Pro V&V Inc. conducted the source code review of the trusted build led by its chief Executive offi-

cer and director, Ryan Jackson Cobb.

The source code — saved in USB sticks, sealed in envelopes, and signed — will be deposited at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), where these will be held in escrow, as mandated by the Poll Automation Law. As of this writing, the source code is under the custody of the Comelec information technology department.

The system will be tested during the mock elections on Dec. 29.

Meet the young Filipinos who made Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30’ class of 2022

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

THE year 2021 was a complicated year for the Filipino American community.

As Filipinos (and Asians and Asian Americans in general) continue to fight misinformation and bigotry of anti-Asian hate, communities are seeking respite and unity amid the tragedies of COVID-19.

However devastating and hopeless the year may have been for Filipinos, there were plenty of high points and young members of the community stepping up and providing inspiration to the masses.

Every year, Forbes releases its “30 Under 30” list which honors innovators, tastemakers, and influencers under 30 years old to show that wisdom and tenacity can manifest even in younger generations.

The class of 2022 is one of the most diverse lists

since the magazine began its “30 Under 30” lists 10 years ago. According to the magazine, nearly half of the individuals listed identify as people of color and about a quarter are immigrants.

And, unsurprisingly, quite a few of the celebrants are members of the Filipino and Filipino American communities.

Olivia Rodrigo, singer/songwriter/actor If only one name could define the pop music genre in 2021, it would be Olivia Rodrigo. The 18year-old sensation claimed 2021 with her viral hit single “drivers license.” The award-winning torch ballad would just be the beginning of her speedy ascent, which accelerated with the May release of her debut album “SOUR,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200.

Aside from being the voice of Generation Z, Rodrigo also participated in a vaccine campaign

alongside the White House to promote vaccinations among younger Americans. In the latter half of the year, the young star scooped up a bevy of awards including Best New Artist at the American Music Awards and three MTV Video Music Awards.

As if the year couldn’t get better for America’s It Girl, Rodrigo also received seven 2022 Grammy nominations.

Marianne Paguia Gonzalez, engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Lab At 29 years old, Marianne Gonzalez’s work is out of this world — literally. As a chemical engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, she has worked on several projects including an experiment designed to generate oxygen on the planet Mars. Currently, she is working on an exploration into the possibility of microbial life on one of Jupiter’s moons.

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Olivia Rodrigo

Photo from Instagram/@oliviarodrigo

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December 10-16, 2021 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

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From the Front Page

Attorney General Bonta issues charity...

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contributing to legitimate charities, such as Unity Shoppe. As Attorney General, my office is committed to protecting donors from deceptive solicitations. You can help our efforts by taking essential steps in researching charities before giving this holiday season. If you believe that a charity or fundraiser has acted in bad faith, please report it immediately at oag.ca.gov/charities/ complaints.”

“Day in and day out, and for more than a century, Unity Shoppe has held the trust of the community by working in a manner that is reliable, welcoming, and inclusive, and that meets the critical needs of our most vulnerable residents,” said Tom Reed, Executive Director of Unity Shoppe Inc. “I couldn’t be more proud and grateful for our community of volunteers and donors, small and large, who entrust us with this important work.”

Donation tips • Check the Registration Status: Charities operating in California and telemarketers soliciting donations in California are required to register with the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts. They are also required to file annual financial reports, which are made available to the public. Prior to making a donation, make sure to confirm that the charity is registered and up-to-date with its financial reporting by searching the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts’ database, located here.

• Give to Organizations You Trust: Do your research before giving. Review the charity’s purpose and find out how the charity spends its donations.

How much is spent directly on the charitable cause? How much goes to overhead and employee compensation? Research charities in your community and support those charities that make a positive impact. If you choose to donate to a charity you are unfamiliar with, contact the charity and ask for information in writing about its programs and finances.

You should also confirm the charity’s name, address, and its nonprofit status.

• Be Wary of Social Network Fundraising: If you are planning to donate through a social network solicitation, first do some research. Find out what percentage

is going to the charity, whether you will be charged a fee, or if a percentage of your donation will be paid to the platform website.

• Don’t Be Pressured by Telemarketers – Ask Questions Before Donating: If you receive a call from a telemarketer, ask for the name of the fundraising organization, whether it is registered with the Attorney General’s Office, the name of the charity benefitting from the solicitation, how much of your donation will go to charity and how much to the telemarketer, and the direct telephone number of the charity. If the telemarketer tells you the donation is for your local animal shelter, hospital, school, police, firefighter, or other public safety agency, check directly with the benefitting organization to confirm that it authorized the solicitation and will actually benefit from your donation.

Don’t fall for pressure tactics or threats. Remember that you have the right to reject the donation appeal and if you feel pressured or threatened, just hang up.

• Be Vigilant When Donating After Natural Disasters or Tragedies: Well-intentioned or otherwise, charities are sometimes formed overnight to address calamities. As a result, oftentimes they lack the experience, contacts, and staff needed to respond to a disaster. Fraudsters are always seeking to capitalize on people’s desire to help.

Even during a crisis, make sure to take your time to research a charity before giving.

• Watch Out for SimilarSounding Names, Web Addresses, and Other Deceptive Tactics: Fraudulent organizations may use names that closely resemble those of well-established charitable organizations in order to mislead donors. Look out for fraudulent websites that have a slightly different web address (URL) than that of a legitimate charitable organization. Similar-looking URLs are sometimes purchased by fraudsters to lure in would-be donors. These sites may ask you for personal information or install harmful material onto your device. Be skeptical if someone thanks you for a pledge you never made, and always check your records.

• Understand the Difference Between “Tax-Exempt” and “Tax-Deductible”: Being a nonprofit does not mean the

organization is exempt from taxation, or that your donation is tax-deductible. Generally, a tax-exempt organization is exempt from paying tax on its income and gifts, but may or may not be able to offer a charitable tax deduction to donors for their contributions. Just because an organization has a “Tax ID Number” or provides donors with a receipt that says “keep this receipt for your records” does not mean that the organization is a charity, tax-exempt, or that your donation is tax-deductible. A few tax-exempt organizations – most notably those given 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – are able to offer charitable tax deductions for your donations. If you are not sure whether your donation is tax-deductible, verify the charity’s tax-exempt status by using the tools and information located on the IRS website.

• Consider the Costs of Gifts and Merchandise: Gifts that you receive from a charity in exchange for your donation cost money and generally, these expenses are paid from donated funds. The value of the goods and services that you receive for your donation is not tax-deductible. Some charities may sell merchandise online and claim that “100% of the proceeds” will benefit its charitable purpose. However, this does not necessarily mean that 100% of the sales price of the merchandise will go to charity, and the cost of the merchandise itself can greatly reduce the value of your donation.

• Protect Your Identity: Never give your Social Security number or other personal information in response to a charitable solicitation. Never give out credit card information to an organization unfamiliar to you. Some organizations sell or rent their donor lists to other organizations, including organizations that are not charities. Review the charity’s privacy policy to find out if your information will be shared with outside companies.

For more information on how to protect yourself and your donations, visit the California Attorney General’s tips webpage at oag.ca.gov/donations.

Complaints against charities can be filed using the charity complaint form at oag.ca.gov/charities/complaints. n

SWAB TEST FIRST. A woman undergoes a swab test, a mandatory dispatch procedure prior to going back home to the province, as a beneficiary of the Balik Probinsya program on Monday, December 6. Once tested positive for the coronavirus, beneficiaries would have to undergo quarantine before they can leave Manila.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Should travelers cancel holiday...

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Foreign travelers entering the U.S. still need to be fully vaccinated in order to travel, but unvaccinated Americans and legal permanent residents are permitted to enter the U.S. with a test taken within one day of their departure to the U.S. President Joe Biden also announced that masks are required for all travelers in airports, planes, trains, and other public transit modes — again, regardless of vaccination status and nationality. This federal mandate is an extension of a previous one and applies through March 18.

The CDC warns that a person should be fully vaccinated before traveling internationally, while the World Health Organization (WHO) advises people who are not fully vaccinated, have never been infected, and have underlying health issues to postpone travel plans.

Last week, the Biden administration announced a travel ban of foreign nationals of eight countries in southern Africa: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The controversial ban came after the CDC classified these nations as “very high” for COVID-19 transmission.

U.S. citizens and LPRs who

may be in those countries are permitted to return with the oneday test requirement.

These travel restrictions, and the threat of a new coronavirus variant entering new countries, put a hold on travel plans, even those who plan to travel to and from countries with no currently known cases of omicron.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday (which was when the WHO classified omicron a “variant of concern”) U.S. airlines transported about 2.4 million passengers, the most since February 2020.

Though not much is known about the variant so far, health officials and experts are urging travelers to not risk it and stay home for the holidays.

“We’ll know more in a couple weeks, but I think people should really get ready to hit the pause button [on air travel plans],” Dr. Robert Murphy, professor of infectious diseases and director of the Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University, told NPR this week.

He added that immunocompromised individuals, senior citizens, and anyone with any underlying health issues “should not be traveling anywhere.”

Murphy especially cautioned people planning to travel overseas, who are “at much higher risk than” domestic travelers.

With countries imposing their own travel restrictions, there’s a chance that travelers may find their flights canceled and themselves stranded overseas.

Following the news of omicron, the Philippines quickly imposed its own travel ban and restrictions to prevent the spread of the new variant. Along with the aforementioned southern African countries, the Philippine government added Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland — which all have reported cases of omicron — to its red list, barring travelers until Dec. 15.

The U.S. had not been included in its red list despite reporting cases of Omicron in multiple states, including California, however, travelers to the Philippines will be subjected to quarantine protocols depending on their vaccination status and COVID-19 test results.

“Border controls can be used to delay entry of the new virus and buy time, but every country and community must prepare for new surges,” Dr. Babatunde Olowokure, regional emergency director of WHO, said on Friday in a press briefing.

In the Western Pacific region, the omicron variant has been detected in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea. n

Date lin e USa

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Marcos disqualification petitions ‘nuisance...

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Marcos’ supporters in Cebu City on November 18 held a protest rally in front of the Comelec Central Visayas office to denounce the petitions seeking the cancellation of his CoC. They claimed that they were representing various groups opposed to the “dirty tactics being utilized by some desperate camps who are afraid that a Marcos presidency will bring out the true potential of the nation.”

The group, whose members

Marianne Paguia Gonzalez

Alyssa Navarro

identified themselves as “Cebuanos Kontra DQ,” gathered at Plaza Independencia then marched to the Comelec office, where they held a small program and lit red candles to symbolize their resentment.

“The purpose of this gathering is to voice our resistance to the disqualification cases being lodged against BBM (Bongbong Marcos),” said former Cebu City Councilor Erik Espina.

“We also wanted a fair hearing by the Comelec and not settle

this by technicality. The voice of the sovereign people must not be muted and thwarted,” he said.

Espina voiced hope that their protest will be replicated in other provinces and cities.

A petition for the cancellation of Marcos’ CoC was initially filed on November 2 by the group Kapatid.

Another petition was also filed on November 8, which was followed by a third one from former Bayan Muna partylist representative Satur Ocampo. n

Trisha Bantigue

Meet the young Filipinos who made Forbes...

PAGE 1 In March, Gonzalez, who is a second-generation Filipino American, told the Asian Journal, “As a Filipina and a minority in this field, it is easy to feel like you might not belong. I would encourage any aspiring Filipina engineers to work on building their confidence. Being a woman of color in a dominantly male field can be scary at times. As long as you remind yourself about why you’re passionate about engineering, it makes it all worth it.”

Alyssa Navarro, executive producer at Walt Disney Studios As media and entertainment companies strive toward more diverse workforces, Alyssa Navarro of Walt Disney Studios is front and center of the cause. Navarro, 27, specializes in minority representation and inclusion strategies for the entertainment titan and was integral in the formation of Disney Launchpad Shorts Incubator, which gives up-and-coming filmmakers a platform to showcase their work on Disney+.

Writing in an Instagram post celebrating her inclusion on Forbes’ list, Navarro wrote, “Representation, diversity, equity, and inclusion is so meaningful and personal to me. The fact that Forbes has recognized this work validates my passion and dedication to continue to open doors so that more people from underrepresented backgrounds get to tell their stories on the big screen.”

John Vincent Salcedo, vice president of digital marketing at Columbia Records As Columbia Records youngest and only Filipino vice president, Salcedo has been overseeing marketing strategies for some of today’s most exciting musical acts, including Tyler, the Creator’s Billboard No. 1 album “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” and Lil Nas X’s hit singles “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” and “Industry Baby (feat. Jack Harlow).”

As a Filipino who migrated to the U.S. as a young kid, he has made it a mission to bring in more Filipinos and Filipino Americans into the music industry. He told Myx Global earlier this year, “Filipinos have wild talent and as one of those who have been blessed with a position in one of the biggest global music labels, I hope to bridge the gap, build more connections, and bring to the spotlight our creative prowess.”

Bella Poarch, TikTok star In the pantheon of viral social

media stars, Bella Poarch’s rise seemingly came out of nowhere.

But once she came on to the scene, her place in the Generation Z cultural imagination was secured.

An immigrant from the Philippines who was born to Filipino parents and adopted by a white father and Filipina mother, the now-24-year-old Poarch initially enlisted in the United States Navy and served from 2015 to 2019, after her parents disapproved of her performing in a high school talent show.

In 2020 she created a TikTok account that started off as a gaming and cosplay account, but that summer, she gained a massive following from her lip-sync videos where she dons a cutesy, egirl aesthetic. This past May, she released her first single, “Build a Bitch,” and continues to rise the ranks of Gen Z idolatry.

Trisha Bantigue, co-founder of Queenly As a Pinay, Trisha Bantigue knows the importance of pageantry in the Filipino community.

But her story is unlike most Filipinas who decide to model and enter beauty pageants.

After escaping abuse as a teenager, Bantigue leveraged her ambition for a better future through working at fast-food joints, modeling and entering pageants to earn a living. After graduating from UC Berkeley, she worked at some of Silicon Valley’s largest firms like Facebook and Google before cofounding the online marketplace Queenly with Kathy Zhou (with whom Bantigue is featured on the Forbes list) in 2017.

Queenly allows users to resell formalwear to other pageant contestants, kind of like Poshmark or Depop but specifically for pageant wear, which can cost hundreds of dollars.

“Making it to the @forbes 30 Under 30 list is a literal dream come true, and never would I have thought I’d be on a Forbes cover by age 27. I can’t even begin to explain the overwhelming feeling of gratitude right now as it all feels so surreal (yes I’m screaming inside as I type this out),” Bantigue wrote on Instagram.

She added, “Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to create an impact onto society and with @ queenlyapp, I have the opportunity to touch millions of lives. My past self would be so damn proud seeing this today.”

Rachell Hofstetter, gaming content creator at 100 Thieves As an entertainment medium,

John Vincent Salcedo

Rachell Hofstetter

Bella Poarch

Photo from Instagram/@bellapoarch

gaming has become one of the hottest spaces over the last decade. Traditionally a male-dominated (and often misogynist) space, several women have come to the fore to establish a more diverse gaming community.

Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter is quite possibly the most influential female game streamer in the gaming world with more than 3 million subscribers on YouTube and Instagram, each. In 2020, she was named Content Creator of the Year at The Game Awards and joined 100 Thieves, a top gaming and esports organization.

Reacting to her placement on the Forbes list, she wrote on Twitter, “I MADE THE FORBES 30 under 30 LIST!!!!!!!!!! I’m honored.. this was one of my goals and i can’t believe it actually hap- Ferdinand Alexander ‘Sandro’ Marcos (holding mike on stage) drew crowds when he represented his father, former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., and vice presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio at a rally in Valencia City in Bukidnon on Sunday, Dec. 5. pened.. wow” n ManilaTimes.net photo

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DECEMBER 10-16, 2021 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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Duterte accepts Biden’s invite to Democracy...

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and sustainable world.”

“We recognize and appreciate your partnership in working to build democratic and human rights-respecting societies that allow all citizens to

thrive. In a moment of significant challenge and enormous opportunity, it is more important than ever for democracies to prove that we can deliver for the needs of our people,” the Palace statement quoted Biden

as saying.

Duterte, the statement said, welcomes the opportunity to “share the Philippine democratic experience and commitment to democratic values and nation-building” at the summit.

Is it time to change the definition of...

PAGE 1

SFIO, NeuroSky sign $15-M partnership to bring biotech wearables to global markets STARFLEET Innotech, Inc. (Smokefree Innotec, Inc.) and biotech company NeuroSky signed an agreement earlier this month, awarding the asset management company distribution rights of NeuroSky’s state-of-the-art health and wellness monitoring devices.

As part of SFIO’s broad campaign to build synergies across their core investment areas, the company plans to sell an initial batch of at least 100,000 wearables through partners in health, construction, education, and other related industries.

NeuroSky is a Silicon Valleybased, private biotech company that specializes in electronic wearables such as watches, wrist bands, and headsets. Depending on the device, features include vital sign monitoring, symptom tracking for conditions such as viral infections, and brainwave tracking to help enhance one’s learning abilities.

The agreement grants SFIO exclusive rights to sell NeuroSky products in New Zealand

and the United Arab Emirates.

SFIO also has non-exclusive distribution rights in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and other countries yet to be determined.

Tapping their partners across health, construction, education, and similar industries, SFIO intends to position these wearables as a quantitative way to ensure community health in a post-pandemic world, focusing on the communities that have proven to be most vulnerable to communicable diseases.

As an initial project, SFIO will be rolling out these devices to retirement villages, where residents will be able to both monitor their wellbeing and automatically alert medical staff and loved ones with SOS notifications in case of health emergencies picked up by the wearables.

Educators and researchers will also benefit from NeuroSky’s brainwave monitoring technologies. While initially designed to facilitate more data-driven meditation practices, these head-mounted

wearables have scientifically proven use cases in improving performance in the classroom as well.

For the first 18 months, SFIO aims to sell at least 100,000 units of NeuroSky’s wearables, including their flagship BioSense HR watch. SFIO expects this venture to generate $10 to $15 million in revenue.

In addition to selling to enterprise partners, SFIO will also be making these devices available to interested buyers through e-commerce platforms like Amazon, and other commercial channels via sub-distributors.

Beyond distribution, SFIO has larger plans to launch its own brand of health tracking wearables, with their in-house software development teams working alongside NeuroSky’s product designers and engineers.

These new products will be manufactured by NeuroSky and will fall under a new “white label” brand currently being developed by SFIO. (Advertising Supplement)

Prevention has recommended that everyone 18 and older get a covid booster shot, revising its narrower guidance that only people 50 and up “should” get a shot while younger adults could choose whether or not to do so. Scientists assume the additional shots will offer significant protection from the new variant, though they do not know for certain how much.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, during a White House press briefing Wednesday was unequivocal in advising the public. “Get boosted now,” Fauci said, adding urgency to the current federal guidance. About a quarter of U.S. adults have received additional vaccine doses.

“The definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ has not changed.

That’s, you know, after your second dose of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, after your single dose of a Johnson & Johnson vaccine,” said the CDC’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, during Tuesday’s White House briefing on covid. “We are absolutely encouraging those who are eligible for a boost six months after those mRNA doses to get your boost. But we are not changing the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ right now.” A booster is recommended two months after receiving the J&J shot.

But that, she noted, could change: “As that science evolves, we will look at whether we need to update our definition of ‘fully vaccinated.’”

Still, the Democratic governors of Connecticut and New Mexico are sending a different signal in their states, as are some countries — such as Israel, which arguably has been the most aggressive nation in its approach. Some scientists point out that many vaccines involve three doses over six months for robust long-term protection, such as the shot

against hepatitis. So “fully vaccinated” may need to include shot No. 3 to be considered a full course.

“In my view, if you were vaccinated more than six months ago, you’re not fully vaccinated,” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said Nov. 18 during a press briefing. He was encouraging everyone to get boosted at that time, even before the federal government authorized extra shots for everyone.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham had a similar response in mid-November, saying she defined “fully vaccinated” as receiving three shots of the mRNA type. She also opened up booster eligibility to all of her state residents before the CDC and Food and Drug Administration did.

What do the varying views on the evolving science mean for vaccine requirements imposed on travelers, or by schools or workplaces? And what about businesses that have required patrons to provide proof of vaccination?

Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, said the CDC’s stronger recommendation for everyone to get boosted signals to him that a booster is now part of the vaccine regimen. Yet Offit, who is also a member of the FDA’s vaccine advisory committee, wrote a joint op-ed this week in which he and two other scientists argued that boosters were not yet needed for everyone and that healthy young people should wait to see whether an omicron-specific booster might be needed.

“I think when the CDC said they are recommending a third dose, they just made the statement that this is a threedose vaccine series,” Offit told KHN. “And, frankly, I think it’s going to throw a wrench into mandates.”

Yet to be determined is whether restaurants or other

places of business will look more closely at vaccine cards for the booster.

Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said it’s too early to say. “For now, businesses should stay focused on current guidelines,” he said.

Dr. Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, said the question of whether you are fully vaccinated with just two doses or need a booster is a question of semantics. Covid immunity level is the more important issue.

Siegel said he thinks more suitable terminology would be to call someone “appropriately” or “adequately” vaccinated against covid rather than “fully” vaccinated, since it’s possible that more boosters could be needed in the future — making “full vaccination” a moving target.

But, as with so many aspects of the pandemic, ambiguity prevails — both in federal guidance on the definition of “fully vaccinated” and in entrance policies, which vary by state, school and business.

Right now, businesses don’t appear to be checking for boosters, but that could change. So, it may be wise to first check the requirements — lest patrons present a twoshot vaccine passport, only to be turned away as inadequately protected. (Victoria Knight/ Kaiser Health News) This story was produced by KHN (Kaiser Health News), a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. ■

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UN names world’s best tourism village in Cebu

by Ralph

edwin VillanueVa Philstar.com

MANILA — A community in Cebu was named one of the world’s “Best Tourism Villages” by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the government revealed recently.

In a statement, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat celebrated the recognition given by the UNWTO to Barangay Bojo in Aloguinsan town, home of the world-renowned Bojo River in Cebu.

Tourism officer-in-charge Undersecretary Verna Buensuceso and Philippine Ambassador to

Spain Philippe Jones Lhuiller received the award in Madrid last Dec. 2.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) said the award “recognizes the remarkable work of the local community in Bojo, through the Bojo Aloguinsan Ecotourism Association.”

“A local destination being inducted into the UNWTO Best Tourism Villages Program in its pilot year is a testament to the Philippines’ commitment to sustainable tourism development from the national level down to the grassroots,” Puyat said.

“The wealth of our natural resources and unmatched hospitality remains our key strength

as we strive for the reopening of the industry to international travelers anchored on the principle of safe and sustainable tourism,” she added.

Barangay Bojo now joins 44 communities in 32 countries recognized by the UNWTO for the award.

A Best Tourism Village is judged by its natural and cultural resources as well as its innovative and transformative actions and commitment to tourism development in line with the sustainable development goals.

The UNWTO program was also launched to advance the role of tourism as a tool for rural development. n

Marcos paid taxes, documents show

by JoMaR

Canlas ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. settled his tax dues in compliance with a 1995 court ruling, documents issued by the Supreme Court and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said.

The documents, copies of which were obtained by The Manila Times, bolster the argument that there is no legal impediment to the presidential candidacy of Marcos.

The standard bearer of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas is facing several petitions before the Commission on Elections seeking to cancel his certificate of candidacy.

One of the petitions contend that he is not qualified to run for president because he was convicted by a Quezon City court for tax evasion after he did not file income tax returns from 1982 to 1985.

Marcos brought the case before the Court of Appeals which in October 1997 cleared him of tax evasion charges, ruling that he was not given due notice of the tax assessment.

The court, however, sustained Marcos’ conviction for not filing his tax returns and fined him P36,000.

Marcos wanted to appeal the conviction and had asked the Supreme Court for an extension to file a petition for certiorari. He eventually withdrew the petition and opted to settle his tax liabilities which ran up to P67,137.27.

An official receipt issued by the Land Bank of the Philippines with receipt number 10622824, dated Dec. 27, 2001, showed that Marcos paid the sum in full.

Copies of BIR payment forms numbered 0605 and 1904 confirmed that payment was made.

In a separate document, then Supreme Court Deputy Clerk of Court and Chief of the Judicial Records Office Teresita Dimaisip sent a copy of the entry of judgment to the camp of Marcos, Court of Appeals, and the Solicitor General in connection with the former senator’s case

pesCo ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte ordered the creation of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) Hospital, Malacañang said on Tuesday, December 7.

Acting Palace spokesman Karlo Alexei Nograles said the President signed Executive Order 154 on Tuesday directing the establishment of the OFW Hospital, as well as the Inter-Agency

No omicron case detected in PH

by Red

Mendoza ManilaTimes.net

Former Senator Bongbong Marcos

in December 2001.

“This is to certify that on Aug. 8, 2001, a resolution rendered in the above-entitled case was filed in this office...” the entry of judgment read.

Dimaisip sent the copies on Nov. 5, 2001.

She also certified that the resolution has “become final and executory [on Aug. 31, 2001] and is hereby recorded in the Book of Entries of Judgments.”

On Sunday, December 5, Marcos said this will be the key to the country’s progress after the pandemic.

He cited his recent trip to Cebu with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio where they were greeted by thousands of supporters. He said that it gave him “hope that the unity being shown by the people will usher the country to a brighter future.”

Marcos said his latest visit to Cebu gave him the opportunity to meet the members and officials of the League of Municipalities during their regional planning conference in Region 7 who voiced their support for his tandem with Duterte-Carpio.

He said that the “historic joining of forces of the BBM-Sara UniTeam supporters signaled the country’s triumph over the challenges brought about by the pandemic.”

“Only together as a unified nation shall Filipinos be victorious during and after the pandemic,” Marcos said in a statement on Sunday. n

Duterte orders creation of OFW Hospital by daRwin

A resident walks past signages promoting health safety protocols in Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City on Sunday, December 5.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Enrique Agcaoili

Committee on the OFW Hospital (ICOH).

The ICOH, he said, will be headed by the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment and the Secretary of Health.

“We consider the establishment of this specialty hospital devoted to OFWs as a long overdue recognition of the valuable contribution of Filipino migrant workers to the economy and to the nation,” Nograles said. n

TROOPING THE LINE. Minister of Economic Affairs, Embassy of Japan, Masahiro Nakata troops the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) line during the arrival honors for the official visit at Pambasang Himpilan Tanod Baybayin ng Pilipinas, Port Area in Manila on Tuesday, December 7. The Japanese government has been supporting the PCG’s programs like the enhancement of capability of vessel operation/maintenance, planning, and maritime law enforcement.

PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

NO case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been detected in the Philippines, the Department of Health said on Monday, December 6.

It said that out of the 629 samples tested, nearly 91 percent, or 571 samples, contained the Delta variant. The others were the Beta and Alpha variants.

Meanwhile, out of the 253 passengers who arrived from South ManilaTimes.net photo

Africa from November 15-29, 80 had been located. Four were re-tested but were found negative of the Omicron variant.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that of the 80 who had been located, 71 are under facility quarantine, four are on home quarantine, and five have been discharged after completing the required quarantine period.

Vergeire said that studies regarding possible transmissibility of Omicron are ongoing.

“Mahirap gumawa ng (It is

hard to create a) study comparing these variants with other studies existing across the globe, but still they are doing their studies and in one to two weeks, maybe we can get more information on this,” Vergeire said during her regular briefing.

Despite the threat of Omicron, the country remains under minimal risk classification, with a two-week average daily attack rate of -57 percent and an average daily attack rate of 0.67 cases per 100,000 population. n

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IATF, high court sued over mandatory jabs

by Jomar

Canlas ManilaTimes.net

END TERRORISM. Members of the League of Parents of the Philippines and Liga Independencia Pilipinas rally outside the Supreme Court along Padre Faura St., Manila City on Tuesday, December 7. The groups have been supporting the thrust of the government to end the 52-year insurgency in the country with the aid of the Anti-Terrorism Act. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Libel raps vs media revive call for Senate hearings into Malampaya deal MANILA — A number of senators have condemned the libel suits filed by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Udenna Corp. chairman Dennis Uy against several media outlets over coverage of the controversial Malampaya gas field buyout.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, a member of the Senate minority, also revived her call for the Senate to look into the deal, saying it has implications on energy development and on national security.

“There is no basis to the libel cases filed left and right by [Cusi] and [Uy] against seven news organizations,” Hontiveros, a reelectionist, said in a statement delivered mostly in Filipino during a briefing with media.

“I also strongly condemn the clear act of harassment against journalists,” she added. “This is outright intimidation.”

This was echoed by detained Sen. Leila de Lima, also a reelectionist, who likened the suits filed by Cusi to strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) which are intended to intimidate or silence critics.

“The intent of SLAPP suits is not to win the case but to harass people enough to discourage them from speaking out further by forcing them to undergo the expense and rigors of intense litigation,” De Lima, a former justice secretary, said later Tuesday. “[T]he cases Cusi filed against our media should be dismissed for being frivolous, baseless, and ultimately violative of our Constitution.”

The outlets in question — ABS-CBN, Business Mirror, Business World, GMA News Online, Manila Bulletin, Philstar.com, and Rappler — were among those who reported on a graft complaint filed against Cusi and Uy over alleged anomalies in the sale of shares in the Malampaya project.

Cusi is demanding P200 million from each media entity for publishing stories that he said “damaged” his “good reputation and good standing in government.”

But Hontiveros quipped: “Isn’t it ironic that while Secretary Cusi is gagging the media, he and Mr. Dennis Uy are avoiding answering the Filipino people’s questions?”

She also advised Cusi to not be “onion-skinned” about the reports. “Let us remember, what is at stake here is the energy development, economic growth and national security of the whole country.”

Over the weekend, Sen. Man-

ny Pacquiao — a presidential candidate who has been feuding with Cusi for months over fractures in the administration PDPLaban party — asserted that “it is the right [and] the job of reporters to come out with stories that inform the public when someone steals or commits nonsense against the government.”

“They are just doing their job. There is basis to their [reporting],” Pacquiao said during a chance interview on Saturday, parts of which were published by ABS-CBN on social media.

“Let’s let [reporters] do their job,” he added, addressing Cusi directly.

Senate probe urged anew Hontiveros earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 950 for the chamber’s energy panel to “conduct an inquiry into the propriety of allowing a single private entity to control almost all of the nation’s strategic fossil energy assets in the West Philippine Sea.” The resolution is currently pending at the committee level but Hontiveros, pushing for the immediate launch of a probe, noted that Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, can take up the investigation motu proprio or without a formal request.

“Let’s go back to the questions: Why did the Department of Energy and the Philippine National Oil Company allow Udenna to liquidate the shares of Malampaya?” she said.

“Why did PNOC not exercise its right of first refusal? These are all valid questions that must be truthfully answered.”

“Are the sales of our strategic assets per kilo?” Hontiveros said, referring to government deals with companies linked to Uy. DITO, the country’s third telco, is a joint venture among Uy’s companies and China Telecommunications Corp.

Press groups assail libel raps The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility on Tuesday, December 7 called the libel suits “another attempt to intimidate, harass, and ultimately to silence the press,” saying also that they “could not have stood on flimsier ground.”

“The allegations — in general, a lack of due diligence on the part of certain officials, resulting in a shortchanging of the government — have been made openly and formally and are unmistakably a matter of public interest, given in particular the two men involved in it,” CMFR,

which monitors news coverage as well as press freedom issues.

On Monday, December 6, the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines expressed its alarm over the libel cases filed against their colleagues.

“The libel complaint can intimidate and muzzle independent and courageous reporting on issues surrounding Malampaya, a critical infrastructure that supplies a fifth of the Philippines’ energy requirements and benefits millions of Filipinos and businesses,” FOCAP said.

“The Senate Committee on Energy has conducted an inquiry on Malampaya’s change of ownership and various business groups have supported the probe, underscoring the profound level of public interest in the issue,” it added.

Decriminalization of libel CMFR on Tuesday also called for “the decriminalization of libel as has been the trend in democratic societies, to make our press as free as our Constitution intends and protect its independence from official and other power centers.”

In a separate solidarity statement, altermative news network AlterMidya also made the same call, saying “the country should observe international human rights standards that do not advocate imprisonment as punishment for defamation.”

AlterMidya pointed out that libel has been considered excessive, adding that “as seen in each Philippine administration, even in colonial times, libel has been used to relinquish accountability and punish the press who report on wrongdoings.”

“It goes against our right to a free press and free expression, and by extension, to our fundamental democratic rights,” it also said.

FOCAP also renewed its call for the decriminalization of libel which “has been used and abused by powerful individuals in government and beyond as a weapon against independent and factual journalism they deem critical of them and their interests.”

Aside from FOCAP, the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines, the Cebu CitizensPress Council and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines have called the libel cases attempts to intimidate the press.

The groups have stressed that Cusi is a public figure, the Malampaya deal is imbued with public interest and that journalists only reported on the allegations surrounding it. (Philstar.com)

A CLERK of court in Las Piñas City filed a complaint against the Supreme Court and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFEID) in connection with the implementation of the mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 for onsite workers in areas where there is an ample supply of vaccines.

In a 70-page petition for declaratory relief (with urgent application for the issuance of a temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction), Kathryn Joy Hautea-Nuñez, clerk of court of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 198 in Las Piñas City, asked the Manila Regional Trial Court to declare as void IATF’s recent resolution on mandatory vaccination.

Named respondents were the IATF-EID, the Supreme Court represented by deputy clerk of court and chief administrative officer Atty. Maria Carina Cunanan and her immediate superior, Judge Pia Cristina

Bersamin-Embuscado, presiding judge of the Las Piñas RTC Branch 198.

Hautea-Nuñez asked the court to “enjoin the [OAS of the Supreme Court and Bersamin-Embuscado] from adopting and implementing [the IATF resolution].”

Under the IATF directive, employees who refuse to be immunized cannot be terminated, but they must undergo regular RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) testing or antigen tests at their own expense.

The government has earlier announced that mandatory inoculation is meant “to increase demand for COVID-19 vaccination.”

Establishments can also refuse entry and deny service to unvaccinated individuals, or those partially vaccinated despite being eligible for vaccination.

Local governments were strongly enjoined to issue orders or ordinances providing incentives for fully vaccinated individuals and for business establishments to require proof of inoculation.

Workers to be vaccinated during work hours will not be considered absent as long as they present proof of a confirmed vaccination date.

A medical clearance issued by a government health office, or birth certificate, will be sufficient and valid proof of ineligibility for vaccination.

The petitioner claimed that there is no administrative remedy available to her “considering that the official pronouncement sought to be enjoined and subsequently voided is of general application and not subject to any grievance mechanism.”

Hautea-Nuñez said that the IATF resolution placed her under pressure because “the other vaccinated court employees tried to encourage [her] to be vaccinated.”

She explained that she is hesitant to get a jab because, “after weighing the information on the vaccines being used and the other means available to prevent the spread and severity of the COVID-19 infection, she came to the personal conclusion that vaccination is not for her and her family.” n

Reelectionist NCR mayors still top poll choices – survey

by JanviC

mateo Philstar.com

MANILA — Most Metro Manila mayors running for reelection remain the most preferred candidates in the latest survey by the RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc. (RPMD).

The survey, conducted from Nov. 16 to 24 with the results released Tuesday, December 7, also showed incumbent congressmen running for top local posts as among the frontrunners in their respective races.

In Quezon City, Mayor Joy Belmonte is leading with 62% of support among survey respondents, compared to 30% obtained by her closest rival, Anakalusugan Party-List Rep. Mike Defensor.

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto obtained the support of 67% of voters surveyed in their city, compared to the 32% who said they support Vice Mayor Iyo Bernardo.

Meanwhile, Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro has widened

his lead against former mayor and Rep. Bayani Fernando, 48% against 41%.

Other incumbent Metro Manila mayors who are leading in their respective races were Makati Mayor Abby Binay at 88%; Las Piñas Mayor Imelda Aguilar, 85%; Pateros Mayor Ike Ponce III, 82%; Pasay Mayor Emi-Calixto Rubiano, 80% and San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora with 75%.

Some lawmakers also emerged as the most preferred candidates in their respective mayoralty races.

They include Valenzuela Rep. Weslie Gatchalian at 85%; Navotas Rep. Rey Tiangco, 77% and Parañaque Rep. Eric Olivarez with 65%.

Caloocan Rep. Dale Malapitan, at 71%, is leading against Rep. Edgar Erice at 28%; while former mayor and Taguig Rep. Lani Cayetano is leading by 63% against former representative Arnel Cerafica who got 31% in the survey.

Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Bi-

azon obtained 62% of support, compared to his closest rival Red Marinas with 29%.

In Manila, Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna is leading with 48% against former representative Amado Bagatsing with 31% and Alex Lopez with 14%.

Former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. is also leading the race in Mandaluyong City with 84% of support among respondents in their city.

In Malabon, Councilor Enzo Oreta – brother of outgoing Mayor Antolin Oreta – is trailing former vice mayor Jeannie Sandoval with 40% and 48%, respectively.

According to RPMD, the survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of respondents selected through random sampling.

There were 1,500 respondents in Quezon City; 1,000 in Manila and Caloocan and 850 in other cities. It has a margin of error ranging from +/2.53% to 3.36%, depending on the sample size. n

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FeatURes

OPiniOn

Corruption and the pandemic A RECENT forum highlighted how corruption is exacerbating the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The problem has also been tackled by the World Justice Project. In a report earlier this year, the WPJ observed that the rapid mobilization of massive resources to respond to the public health crisis, combined with the suspension of corruption prevention and enforcement mechanisms during an emergency, have opened vast opportunities for graft.

Apart from eroding public trust in the government – as we are now seeing amid the multibillion-peso Pharmally Pharmaceutical scandal – corruption leads to waste of supplies and resources and compromises the pandemic response, the WPJ pointed out.

It stressed that in the pandemic response, speed need not come at the expense of public accountability. The WPJ suggests that easing public procurement mechanisms must be limited to what is necessary to meet immediate needs.

Procurements must always be subject to official audit and vetting of suppliers for competence and potential conflict of interest.

To promote transparency in pandemic procurements, the WPJ recommends that all government contracts forged under special emergency procedures should be published for open scrutiny.

In the Philippines, people have faced the spectacle of suppliers preferring to languish in the

overcrowded Pasay City jail rather than submit official records of their pandemic supply deliveries to the government.

Similar approaches should be applied to the distribution of pandemic emergency stimulus packages and aid programs for households and businesses, according to the WPJ. Best practices and guidance in this area have been laid out by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, based on standards set in the UN Convention Against Corruption.

From the start of the pandemic last year, a Europol bulletin had already warned about the risks of fraud, cybercrime, criminal profiteering and money laundering as countries scramble to source badly needed medical supplies. Corruption, however, need not be inevitable, according to the WPJ; it is possible to develop strong integrity cultures as well as implement global norms against corruption in the course of the long-term pandemic recovery. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Omicron variant: mRNA vaccine technology has the edge

Babe’s Eye View BABE ROMUALDEZ UNDOUBTEDLY, the new coronavirus Omicron variant has caused widespread concern because it shows multiple mutations, with early evidence indicating that it may have increased transmissibility compared to the Delta variant. But there is still a lot to be scientifically discovered and known about this new variant, and scientists here in the United States are working 24/7 to get the right answers. We were told by the White House that we should know within the next 10 days the results regarding its virality, and whether it can evade vaccines and cause severe illness.

The World Health Organization has confirmed Omicron infections in 23 countries that include the United States, with border closures once again imposed to prevent community transmission. But as President Biden had stressed, this should not be a cause for panic. While it’s possible that Omicron may have “immune escape” potential or the capacity to evade immunity from prior infection – scientists believe vaccines still continue to provide “a good degree of protection” and will at least slow down the spread of the variant and prevent severe illness.

According to Professor Salim Abdool Karim, a South African epidemiologist who wrote the article “Omicron SARS-CoV-2

variant: a new chapter in the COVID-19 pandemic” published in The Lancet, while there is very early evidence of increased transmissibility and reinfection among those who have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19, people should not “make too much of the early data.”

In our regular interactions with Moderna and Pfizer – both of which have developed COVID-19 vaccines using the mRNA (messenger RNA) technology – it is apparent that both companies have been very proactive, reviewing and assessing the efficacy of their vaccines and developing booster shots that would target mutations from new variants such as Omicron.

There is no question that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the superiority of mRNA technology through the COVID-19 vaccines that have proven to be the most effective, providing very high levels of protection.

Scientists such as Yale University professor of immunology, epidemiology and molecular, cellular and developmental biology Akiko Iwasaki point to the relative ease and speed with which companies can develop “very, very good vaccines” using mRNA technology as it only took Moderna several weeks to develop its COVID-19 vaccine and make it ready for testing and clinical trials, compared to traditional approaches that take so much longer for vaccines to be developed.

The beauty of mRNA technology, many scientists all over the world agree, is that the

time needed to create boosters that would target specific variants is shortened, because existing vaccines can be tweaked or adjusted to produce variantspecific shots within several weeks. It’s pretty much like upgrading cellphones or smart gadgets though software downloads to make them responsive to the changing needs of users.

Many agree – mRNA technology is the solution to lead the world out of this pandemic.

BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin, whose company developed the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine in partnership with Pfizer, said they are working on an upgraded version of their current vaccine quickly in response to Omicron, and is confident that people will still have substantial protection against severe disease caused by the new variant. “The only thing that worries me at the moment is the fact that there are people who have not been vaccinated at all,” Sahin said.

Pfizer and BioNTech have assured that actions have been taken “months ago to be able to adapt the mRNA vaccine within six weeks and ship initial batches within 100 days in the event of an escape variant.”

Moderna, on the other hand, said their booster shot will be ready by March next year.

Aside from an Omicron-specific booster candidate, the company is also working on “multivalent” booster candidates to anticipate mutations from the Omicron variant as well as the Beta and Delta strains. The

Unsplash.com photo by Spencer Davis

company is also reviewing the efficacy of 100 micrograms of vaccine as a booster for the Omicron variant as opposed to the current booster of 50 micrograms. According to the company, they can advance the booster candidates to clinical testing within 60 to 90 days.

The real good news is coming from Pfizer. The company submitted its application this month to the FDA to authorize their pill, Paxlovid, for emergency use. The company says the pill reduces serious illness, hospitalization and death by 89 percent. Pfizer is very confident that this oral drug can work for all known mutations including Omicron, and is continuously

working on other drugs just in case there is resistance to the drug down the line. Psychologically for all of us, this is absolutely good news.

What is important, however, is that this new variant still underscores the need for vaccination to protect people from severe illness and even death, and at the same time, lessen the chances of the coronavirus to spread and mutate into more virulent and threatening variants. The ramping up of our vaccination rollout in the Philippines, registering one of the highest single-day jabs worldwide with over 2.7 million people vaccinated last Nov. 29, is wonderful news, too.

The best tool to fight COVID19 is still the vaccines, and those who have been vaccinated and had their booster shots are better poised to get back to life that is as close to “normal” as we can get prior to the pandemic. Those who continue to refuse getting vaccinated are practically playing Russian roulette – endangering other people’s lives, including themselves. (Philstar.com) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com

Educated by the voters

No Free Lunch CIELITO F. HABITO I ALWAYS feel discomfort when I hear talk about the need for “voter education,” usually in the context of lamenting the nature of the candidates who tend to get the strongest support from the Filipino voting public. We hear terms like “bobotante” and “tangang masa” in such conversations, especially now as we again prepare to choose new leaders in 2022.

There’s no denying that we’ve seen elected into office too many people with reputations for vote buying, thievery, plunder, immorality, and even murder; show business or sports personalities and other public celebrities with no known qualifications for

governance; and even returning officials with past records of incompetence and nonperformance. A quote attributed to former Singapore leader Lee Kuan Yew made the rounds in social media years ago, where he supposedly called Filipinos “stupid” for perennially voting bad leaders into office.

Calls for “voter education” strike me as presumptuous, even bordering on arrogance.

To me, the Filipinos’ supposed lack of political maturity reflects a failure in the system that ultimately points the finger back at society’s economic and/or intellectual elite. I’m not the first to point out that those who want voters to be “educated” could well be the ones needing to be educated by those they want “educated.” What has been missing perhaps is for the country’s elite

and even middle class to listen more and engage more with the so-called “bobotante,” whom we have collectively failed and neglected. After all, how they cast their votes would have a legitimate motivation behind it.

For some, it is persistent poverty that leads them to keep looking for leaders who can promise immediate relief—including wads of cash and promises of more to come. That is one of the strong attractions of the candidate with whom many seem to have fallen for the yarn that once elected, he will give away the immense riches their family amassed while in power.

It is said that many in our elite actually prefer to perpetuate widespread poverty in our midst, appalling as that may sound, because it is through the patronage relationships it fosters by

which they maintain their grip on power.

For thinking voters with a longer perspective, the motivation could be a long-simmering dissatisfaction with the existing order, and anyone who sounds like he/she can deliver drastic change would attract their support. Seeing little improvement in their lives across various presidencies, it’s natural for common people to embrace leaders who break out of the familiar mold. But this one is not just about poor and less educated voters wanting to change the power balance in our society, in the hope of better lives for themselves. Let’s not forget that the current leader many of us love to hate found his strongest support base from the ABC classes of voters and not the bottom ones, seduced by the promise of change, not knowing that

it was going to happen in the wrong direction.

“What we see during elections,” a writer once put it, “is an accumulation of the collective resentment, frustration, and even anger of many Filipinos from past years or even decades.” It stems from the failure of society’s political and economic elite to sufficiently uplift the lives of the wide majority left farther behind as they uplifted their own. And as has now emerged, our greatest failure could have well been in education in general, and with all the cross-country evidence at hand, there is no denying this. The fact that our country has found itself at the bottom of the list of countries ranked in the Programme for International Student Assessment—worst in reading and second to worst (to the Dominican

Republic) in math and science— speaks for itself. Our education failure has been a huge impediment to achieving a progressive and inclusive economy and building a strong nation. Unless we change this fast, we are condemned to more of the same for time to come.

All told, the persistent call to “educate” voters is probably misplaced. Maybe we need to be “educated” by them first, to move us all to take a direct role in shaping a better future for the nation, and not count on one leader to do it. (Inquirer.net) *** 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.

*** cielito.habito@gmail.com

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THE ASIAN JOURNAL

MAGAZINE

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N O R T H E R N

C A L I F O R N I A

Friday, December 10, 2021

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

New developments on embassy interviews Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ

better position to gauge their own local conditions in terms of Covid restrictions, staffing, lockdowns, etc. Scheduling of immigrant visa interviews could be compared to reservations on an airplane, where the gate agent is in the best position to figure out seating arrangements on the aircraft, and if there’s a cancellation, to fill the seat with someone on the standby list. Similarly, as local conditions change, and more interview slots open up, and more staff returns to the embassies to take on a bigger caseload, the local embassies are better equipped to do the discretionary scheduling.

While this is good news, it would be great news if the existing backlog could be cleared as soon as possible so that people who have been patiently waiting for years can finally have their visas issued.

If your case has been “documentarily qualified” with the NVC, or you had already been interviewed at the embassy, but nothing has been happening with your case, you may want to consult with an attorney, to make sure your case

THE Department of State (DOS) recently announced a change in policy concerning scheduling of immigrant visa interviews. Previously, immigrant visa interviews were scheduled using a tiered approach to triage immigrant visa applications. The tiers, or order of priority were: Tier 1: immediate relative adoption visas, age out cases, special immigrant visas, and emergency cases; Tier 2: immediate relative visas (spouse or child of U.S. citizen), fiancées and returning residents; Tier 3: all other family-based petitions; and Tier 4: all other immigrant visas including employment cases.

Under the new policy, embassies no longer have to follow this tiered approach, but instead can use their own discretion or judgment on how to schedule immigrant visa interviews: “Embassies and consulates have broad discretion to determine how to prioritize visa appointments among the range of visa classes as safely as possible, subject to local conditions and restrictions.”

What this means is embassies no longer have to follow a rigid, tiered approach in scheduling interviews. Instead, if their calendar allows, they can schedule employment or other family-based cases, without worrying about prioritizing immediate relative cases.

I think this is a great idea, because embassies are in a much Amy Perez

is still on track, versus forgotten or fallen through the cracks. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 40 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different, and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter.

No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

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

BANNED FOR LIFE NO MORE THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Joyce (center) petitioned her fiancé, Ronald (left), in 2006. However, while the K-1 petition was approved in 2007, his visa was denied due to Ronald’s admitting to drug use to the doctors at St. Luke’s.

He was then banned for life from entering the U.S. In 2011, leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) was able to convince the U.S. Embassy in Manila to change their policy, and they agreed they would not ban people for life if the only “evidence” is the person admitting drug use to the doctors at St. Luke’s. In 2016, MJG was able to clear Ronald’s name, and Ronald’s immigrant visa was issued. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, December 12 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo.

(Advertising Supplement)

Amy gives useful tips on how to build ‘a habit of praise’ by aleX

Brosas Inquirer.net

Photo from Instagram/@amypcastillo

FOR life to be lighter, veteran TV host Amy Perez believes there is a need for people to have a “healthy dose of gratitude.”

Perez believes there should always be a moment of being thankful for life’s many gifts, as per her Instagram page, where she shared a Bible passage (James 1:17) which says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above.”

“Are you needing a boost of joy and strength for your day? Try adding a healthy dose of gratitude to your rou-

tine. Include a time of praise and worship as you exercise; post five things you’re thankful for on social media, your bathroom mirror, or your household white board; or share what you most appreciate from your day over dinner with someone you love,” she advised, noting that “the method doesn’t matter as much as establishing the habit — a habit of praise.”

For Perez, “God’s gifts don’t need fancy packaging to qualify for gratitude” because she believes these can come in the form of “small surprises and simple pleasures.” She cited examples such as getting a hug from

one’s child, a fellow driver letting you pass during commute, trying on a new shade of lipstick, or having chocolates after a meal.

“A thankful heart can’t help but mine deeper and deeper for the gems that are within each new day. Likewise, a grateful mind keeps looking higher and higher, above life’s difficulties or frustrations, to the One who is above it all,” she stressed.

Lastly, Perez also believes that one can be thankful even for the “worst days” as well, because she said people can trust God to see the bigger picture and has better plans for everyone.

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Bea gets out of her comfort zone

BEA Alonzo considers 2021 as a year of changes and of growth.

People not only saw her transfer to GMA Network from her former mother network of more than two decades; they also saw her become more confident and open to conquering new challenges.

This is what makes her the perfect Tanduay Calendar Girl for 2022, as the brand wanted someone who is brave enough to try new things and undergo change for growth.

“She is the Tanduay Calendar Girl we need during these uncertain times. Someone who will remind us that change can be a good thing, but you have to be strong as you breeze through these changes. No stress, just be calm and collected, so you can emerge beautifully out of every situation you are in,” said said Marc Ngo, Tanduay Senior Brand Manager and International Business Development Manager.

The theme for Bea’s Tanduay Calendar Girl shoot is La Dolce Vita. While she was briefed about the theme, the talented actress was given the freedom to interpret it with direction from the creative team.

“I was really nervous at first because it was my first time to do a sexy photo shoot,” Alonzo confessed.

Nevertheless, Alonzo was more than excited to become part of the elite circle of women who became Tanduay Calendar Girls.

“Each of them are not only beautiful, but have many admi-

rable attributes as well. They’re strong, independent, and talented,” she said.

Previous Tanduay Calendar Girls include Heart Evangelista, KC Concepcion, Ellen Adarna, Barbie Imperial, and 2021’s Ivana Alawi, among others.

Asked how she felt when she learned that she was chosen to represent the brand for the coming year, Alonzo said that she was surprised at first and ecstatic the next.

“I couldn’t believe it! Tanduay is an iconic brand that is known all over the world and has received so many international awards. To be the Tanduay calendar girl is a

huge honor,” Alonzo said.

Alonzo herself has numerous awards to her name. In 2019, she was declared the “Leading Lady of the Century” by the Film Development Council of the Philippines. She also has several Best Actress awards for movies and TV, and has been a recipient of a Box Office Queen award and a Phenomenal Box Office Star award.

As for her movie and TV projects for the coming year, fans can look forward to her first primetime teleserye as a Kapuso, and a movie with brand ambassador Alden Richards, among others.

(ManilaTimes.net)

Robi gives advice to youth voters KAPAMILYA host Robi Domingo gave an advice to youth voters to be a part of the 2022 elections for the country’s sake.

In an interview with the media during his new endorsement of Flash Express Philippines, Philstar.com asked Robi for advice to youth voters.

“Makialam at makibahagi. Yung information naman in a flash makikita mo yan sa internet e. But you have to know the difference between news and fake news. You have [to] verify information,” Robi told Philstar.com.

He also advised voters to choose a candidate who will really do their campaign promises.

“Hanapin na yung partner niyo and mag-decide kung sino nga ba ang pwedeng magdeliver ng pinakamagandang promises nila para sa’yo,” he said.

The “Pinoy Big Brother” host also hoped that his mother network ABS-CBN will come back next year.

“Makabalik ang ABS-CBN. Yung mga boss nasa loob ng Dolphy Theater with the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra saying ‘Welcome back, Kapamilya.’ I’m gonna fast forward to that moment in a flash kung kaya and it will only happen if we become responsible sa mga desisyon natin including voting for the right one,” he said. (Jan Milo Robi Domingo Photo from Instagram/@iamrobidomingo Severo/Philstar.com)

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Marian Rivera, Patrick Starrr become latest Chase opens new community center branch Filipinos to be judges at Miss Universe pageant in Oakland to fuel economic opportunities

celebrityworld

By Ferdie Villar PRIMETIME TV queen Marian Rivera and makeup vlogger Patrick Starrr are the latest Filipino to become part of the selection committee (or judge, in other words) for the Miss Universe pageant in its 70-year history.

The beauteous actress, top commercial model and product endorser, who has starred in popular television series like “Muli,” “Marimar,” “Dyesebel,” “Darna,” “Amaya” and “Temptation of Wife,” had actually confirmed last month that she was set to become a judge in the international beauty pageant in an interview with her home network, GMA Network (or otherwise known as the Kapuso channel).

In that interview, Marian was quoted as saying, “Minsan ka lang siguro mabigyan ng pagkakatong makabilang sa isang mahalagang okasyon kung saan doon magsasama-sama at siyempre, bitbit mo ‘yung bandila ng ating bansa. So, para sa akin malaking karangalan siya kaya naman buong puso ‘tong tinanggap.”

Before jetting off to the Miss U location, the actress shared that

she is looking forward to appreciating the beauty of each of the contestants who will be coming from all parts of the world.

“Not just their beauty, but also their courage to bring back humanity to this world in the face of the radical changes happening to us due to this pandemic. I am very excited to get to know all of them,” she said in an interview, when asked for qualities that she may be looking for in the contestants.

Starrr, meanwhile, is a YouTube sensation who has amassed millions of viewers on his social media platforms and works as a professional freelance makeup artist.

The Orlando, Florida native, who has developed his own make-up collection with MAC cosmetics, often includes his parents in his videos, and has stated that he would not succeed without the support of his parents and his brothers.

Rivera and Starrr join an illustrious list of Filipinos who have become judges at the Miss Universe pageant, which includes

to be held in Israel.

Photo from Instagram/@marianrivera

held in Israel.

Photo from Instagram/@patrickstarrr

Well-known actor John Lloyd Cruz has returned to his acting roots after a few years and has joined GMA Pinoy TV. The network recently released a teaser of the actor’s sitcom, “Happy ToGetHer.” John Lloyd is shown in photo above reading a copy of the Asian Journal’s Northern California edition on a previous U.S. visit.

statesman and former UN General Assembly president Carlos P. Romulo (1974), fashion designer Josie Natori (1989), pop/ jazz diva Kuh Ledesma (1991), former Manila Bulletin chairman of the board and VP of the executive department Don Emilio T. Yap (1994), Broadway star Lea Salonga (2011), boxing sensation and now Senator Manny Pacquiao (2014), former Miss Universe winner Pia Wurtzbach (2017), and fashion designer Monique Lhuillier and businesswoman Richelle Singson-Michael (2018).

As for the Philippine delegate to the Miss Universe pageant, she is no other than Beatrice Luigi Gomez, who was crowned last September in pageant rites held in Bohol, Philippines. She will compete for the crown on December 12 in Israel.

Pageant faithfuls are hoping that Beatrice will add to the list of the country’s Miss Universe winners which include Gloria Diaz (1969), Margarita Moran (1973), Pia Wurtzbach (2015) and Catriona Gray (2018). *** Megastar Sharon Cuneta has revealed that former screen partner Rowell Santiago is one of two men that she considers her TOTPatrick Starrr, YouTube sensation, content GAs (or, the one that got away).

Actress/model/endorser Marian Rivera will be creator and vlogger, will be one of the In an article in Inquirer.net, it one of the judges in the Miss Universe pageant judges in the Miss Universe pageant to be was said that the actress made PAGE 13

OAKLAND – On Wednesday, December 8, Chase celebrated the grand opening of a completely new branch experience in downtown Oakland. This Community Center branch is the first of its kind in Northern California – and only one of 12 among Chase’s 4,800 branches nationwide – offering a community-inspired model with free financial health resources like skills training, local pop-up shops and fintech innovation for local residents and small businesses.

Located at 3005 Broadway Avenue, the branch’s mission is to help Oakland residents realize a better financial future through innovative tools and resources, including: • Growth support for local entrepreneurs starting or expanding their small business • Mentoring for entrepreneurs and access to a pop-up space • New community “living room” area to host events, community groups and local nonprofits • Workshops to build financial health – including sessions on saving, budgeting and building credit • Free use of the tech bar space and Wi-Fi for community groups and residents • Traditional banking services and information that can help the underserved community open an affordable account with full digital and mobile capabilities • Art created by local artists is also integrated into the branch design.

“We’re continuing our mission to go beyond banking to community building and show up in other ways to help our local communities grow,” said Lawrence Bailey, Head of Community and Business Development for Chase Consumer Bank nationwide.

“The doors are now open at the Oakland Community Center to welcome in local residents. We ’ll be hosting financial health seminars for the community to learn and get advice on how to achieve their financial goals and ultimately build generational wealth.”

“The new Community Center in Oakland is a testament to JPMorgan Chase’s continued commitment to investing in our local communities,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. “We’re

putting our communities first and this new hub will serve as a place for our neighbors to learn and grow.”

Expanding minority small business growth across Oakland The new Oakland Community Center branch is part of the firm’s $30 billion commitment to advance racial equity and drive economic opportunities for underserved communities.

Under this commitment, Chase recently launched a new program to accelerate minority small business growth in 13 U.S. cities, including the San Francisco Bay Area. Through this initiative, available to Chase customers and non-customers alike, small business owners are matched with a senior business consultant who provides three to six-month advisory services, such as mentorship, business development coaching and financial planning. Over the next five years, Chase plans to provide an additional 15,000 loans up to $2 billion to small businesses in majority Black, Hispanic and Latino areas.

“After collaborating with my Chase Senior Business Consultant Nykole Prevost, myself and our Director of Operations were able to identify areas where the business can really impact our local communities on a faster timeline then we originally envisioned,” said Derrick Hill, Founder and President of Hill & Quality Associates, LLC. Increasing affordable housing and home ownership JPMorgan Chase continues to address the ongoing affordable housing crisis both nationally and at the local level by providing a wide range of solutions to help advance more resilient, prosperous communities. Some examples include: • Contributing to the creation and preservation of affordable housing by investing over $300 million in construction and permanent loans and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity over the past five years throughout Oakland.

• Committing a $75 million five-year investment in 2020 to Oakland and San Francisco. This investment combines long-term, low-cost loans and philanthropy to provide more affordable housing, protect local residents from

displacement and leverage new policy changes to advance solutions that tackle the region’s affordable housing challenges.

• Supporting local organizations like East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation and The Unity Council for preserving affordable housing in Oakland neighborhoods like Fruitvale and San Antonio, with a $35 million loan through the Housing for Health Fund – an $85 million collaboration among Enterprise Community Partners, Kaiser Permanente and JPMorgan Chase.

• Investing equity in earlystage companies like Bitwise Industries, which is developing an innovative model to build a more inclusive workforce through technology training, software consulting and tech-focused real estate activities.

• Offering a $5,000 homebuyer grant to help cover closing costs and down payment for qualified homebuyers purchasing a home in diverse and underserved communities across the nation. Customers who complete a certified education course can also save an additional $500 on a Chase DreamMaker mortgage.

“The housing crisis continues to impact the Oakland community, especially in Fruitvale and East Oakland and that’s why partnerships with bold companies like JPMorgan Chase are vital to create more opportunities to provide affordable housing,” said Chris Iglesias, Chief Executive Officer, The Unity Council. “Being anchored in Fruitvale for over 50 years helps us identify community needs in real time so we can take action quickly.”

Hiring locally to serve the neighborhood The branch includes a fulltime Community Manager who will engage the community and local businesses to increase awareness of available resources and tools and help connect them with financial health education.

A newly created role by the bank, the Community Manager will help connect residents to interactive programs on topics, such as credit and budget building and how to save for your future.

The new Community Manager, Branch Manager Latanya Millican and staff will provide PAGE 13

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Cruelty to our planet Marian Rivera, Patrick Starrr...

Health @Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS IT does not take an Einstein to understand that clean air, pure water, and unpolluted environment are conducive to health and longevity. In certain parts of the world, like in the serene Okinawa to the verdant valleys of Ecuador to the unspoiled hills of the Himalayas, a significant number of people normally live to a hundred. A common denominator among these centenarians is an environment that is nature’s best, untainted by the toxic byproducts of the advances in technology in this modern world of ours.

Today, man, in most parts of the earth, especially in well-developed cities, is no longer living in harmony with nature. He has been hostile to his environment, gradually killing it with poisonous gases and deadly chemicals from our factories and toxic smoke from our vehicles that pollute the air and deplete the ozone layer which shields and protects us from dangerous solar radiation. Irresponsible massive deforestation, obviously for financial gains and disregarding the law of nature, has caused widespread flooding and mudslides that kill thousands every year. Individually, we use countless noxious chemicals at home for cleaning which eventually end up in rivers and oceans that destroy bodies of water and their priceless inhabitants and contaminate our drinking water. And there are other human activities, some criminal like arson-causing forest fires, that negatively alter the “homeostasis” in our world, as well as the equilibrium in our environment and in our own selves.

These unwise and negligent human behaviors against Planet Earth and Mother Nature for centuries have boomeranged, causing untold calamities worldwide in the form of human diseases and destruction of our physical milieu, not to mention their immeasurable adverse effects on the human psyche around the globe. Our immune system as a species, for one, has been negatively impacted. Various diseases, including cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, diseases of the heart, lungs, and various other organs, and some unexplained ailments, have increased, especially in the last century or so. Our misadventures are now haunting us and our children.

While the governments of the world are trying to remedy this dire global “climate change,” it behooves us, earthlings, to do our daily share in showing more respect and love for our environment. After all, Planet Earth is the only home we’ve got today.

And destroying it is like helping detonate a bomb on board a plane we are in.

Organic is healthier Most of the produce and products on the market today are “contaminated” with some type of chemicals used in fertilizing them, protecting them, making them more appealing, preserving them, or enriching them.

Let’s opt for organic foods, vegetables, meat products, fruits, etc. that are raised and produced without pesticides, herbicides, hormones, antibiotics, preservatives and coloring. We must also avoid processed foods, which increase our risk for cancer.

Versatile plastic wares abound in the world, many of them releasing vinyl chloride and other toxic gases, or phthalates, which are cancer and birth defectcausing agents, and which are also harmful to the lungs and liver. Surprisingly, unbeknownst to most of us, some plastics are also used in chewing gum, cosmetics, carpeting, mattresses, toilet paper, sanitary napkins, polyester clothing, and tissue paper. The use of glass containers, natural fiber clothing, personal care-cosmetic products made with natural ingredients, wooden toys for kids, etc. and staying

away from aluminum cookware to prevent aluminum poisoning, are the healthier ways to go.

All white paper products are bleached with chemicals that leave behind residues of cancercausing dioxin, which are likewise found in lunch bags, coffee filters, diapers, paper towels, napkins, tissue, and toilet paper.

Dioxin, like other harmful chemicals, enters the soil and eventually contaminates groundwater.

The use of organic household cleaners, otherwise known as “Green Your Clean Routine,” is the safer and healthier alternative. An effective and safer cleanser, for instance, is diluted vinegar for use in the kitchen and bathroom tiles, mirrors, and even in carpets to inhibit mildew and bacteria. For hand sanitizer against viruses, alcohol (must be 75 percent or higher) is effective, but frequent handwashing with soap is still the safest. For COVID-19, social distancing is beneficial, and vaccination is a must to prevent getting infected with this killer virus with its Delta variant, and now, the new South African Omicron strain, which experts are closely monitoring.

Our obligation The corporate world, our community, and we, as individuals, have the moral duty and responsibility as members of society to protect and preserve our planet and Mother Nature for our survival and the survival of our family and all our fellow human beings traveling with us in this journey on Planet Earth. We, as a species, our genus, our race, will only survive if we all endeavor together to save Mother Earth. We do not have any other option. If we don’t stop poisoning and destroying our only home where we are all trapped, the end of man is not far behind.

I pray that reality catches up with our race sooner than later while there is still time.

The basic principle in all this is for us, the inhabitants of Planet Earth, to be responsible and be good to our environment by not contaminating our natural habitat with poisons in whatever form, and to allow Mother Nature to flourish at its best. We each can start this education, positive awareness, behavioral modification, compassion, and responsible practices in our own homes and community.

The purer the air we breathe in, the cleaner the water we drink, the more unadulterated food we eat, the more robust the ozone layer is, and the healthier our lifestyle is, the more wonderful our world will be, not only for us and our loved ones, but for humankind as a whole and for all the future generations to come.

Before the year 2021 ends, in the midst of this deadly COVID19 pandemic which has so far killed 5.3 million, let’s be wiser and kinder to ourselves. Let us protect ourselves and others around us by wearing a mask and doing social distancing in public. More importantly, let us all get vaccinated. More than 4.5 billion people have been safely vaccinated around the world, with more than 230 million of them in the United States. It is really a matter of life and death. *** 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, a Health Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com

Chase opens new community center branch in Oakland to...

PAGE 11

financial workshops with local groups in the Oakland community.

“Serving the local community is our top priority and it’s important that we continue to be there for our neighbors to help meet their financial needs,” said Branch Manager Latanya Millican. “We’re excited to find ways to continue helping the Oakland community achieve their financial goals.”

The Oakland Community Center branch will also employ a community home lending expert focused on helping more people in the neighborhood achieve affordable, sustainable homeownership.

The first prototype of this new branch model launched in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood in 2019, followed by Minneapolis, Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Detroit, Houston and Boston. JPMorgan Chase has a long history serving the Bay Area for over 130 years, with about 3 million customers and a local network of over 135 branches.

(Advertising Supplement)

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PAGE 11 this admission on her Instagram post on Tuesday, December 7.

“I can live without most everyone else (including any other ex) outside of my family, but I can never live without this boy in my life,” Cuneta was quoted as saying when referring to Santiago.

She also described Santiago as one of her best friends as well as a great director and leading man.

Sharon, who is currently starring in the “FPJ’s Ang Probinsiyano” series, then compared him to her husband, Sen. Francis “Kiko”

Pangilinan.

“Like Kiko, his heart is so pure,” she told fans. “So decent. A true gentleman. Truly TOTGA.” Sharon and Rowell were a loveteam in the 1980s and starred in films like “Cross My Heart” and “Friends in Love.” This was the time when Cuneta had broken up with actor Gabby Concepcion (who she later wed; the couple had their marriage annulled later on). *** Nadine Lustre, who is known to be a champion for environmental causes, was recently a guest volunteer at the Siargao Environmental Awareness (SEA) Movement patrol group headed by actress Andi Eigenmann’s daughter Ellie.

In an article in the Philippine Star, Eigenmann praised her fellow actress as she posted a photo of Nadine reading a book to the group.

“Ellie’s SEA patrol group had a special volunteer today! @nadine glad to have this island gain someone of great influence, taking her time to support and advocate for such an important cause!” she wrote in her Instagram post.

In a 2020 interview, Lustre spoke of her love for the environment.

“Growing up, I loved having a lot of plants around me. I love playing in the garden and going out. I’m very conscious about ‘yung mga kalat sa paligid and for some reason, it really bothers Actress-singer Nadine Lustre was recently lauded by fellow celebrity Andi Eigenmann for me. Lahat ng kalat ko noon pinuvolunteering at her daughter’s environmental pulot ko, nilalagay ko sa pocket,” she said. patrol group in Siargao. “‘Pag may nakikita akong Photo from Instagram/@nadinelustreofficial

Megastar Sharon Cuneta is shown in photo above with former screen partner Rowell Santiago, whom she referred to recently as TOTGA (the one that got away) in a social media post.

Photo from Instagram/@reallysharoncuneta

Retired Navy officer Jaime Velasco and Stockton community leader Mattie Roldan celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary last Friday, December 3.

Elvie Angeles, chief accountant of Health Professionals Inc. in Daly City, will celebrate her birthday on Thursday, December 16.

wrapper I put it in the trash can. I think it’s a very big issue na sana this time alagaan naman natin ‘yung environment natin,” she added.

The singer-actress, who re-

cently launched a new platform where she is currently selling her latest pop/R&B single “Wait for Me,” is currently based in Siargao with her boyfriend Christopher Bariou.

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