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California reinforces indoor PH, US set more high-level meets to mask mandate amid COVID surge DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

strengthen alliance

THE Philippines and the United States have discussed ways to further strengthen the alliance between the two countries with more high-level visits, meetings and defenserelated activities in the first half of 2022.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said said on Monday, December 13 Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. met on Saturday, December 11 with U.S. Undersecretary of State for political affairs Victoria Nuland on the sidelines of the G7 Ministerial Meetings in Liverpool, United Kingdom held from Dec. 10 to 12.

“I was very pleased with their firm assurances that the United States continues to regard the Philippines as a crucial ally in the region, and that it stands ready to support the Philippines, including against armed attacks on our armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific,” Locsin said.

On the other hand, Nuland said: “We are proud to stand with you and we are very proud to see how you stood for international

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

STARTING Wednesday, Dec. 15, California will require face masks and coverings while indoors following a sharp spike in coronavirus cases since Thanksgiving.

While individual counties — like Los Angeles and Ventura — have their own mask mandates, the state is moving forward to ensure all Golden State counties comply with the effort to mitigate the surge.

At a press conference with California’s health

FOR nearly a month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s online vaccine tracker has shown that virtually everyone 65 and older in the United States — 99.9% — has received at least one covid vaccine dose.

That would be remarkable — if true.

But health experts and state officials say it’s certainly not.

They note that the CDC as of Dec. 5 has recorded more seniors at least partly vaccinated — 55.4 million — than there are people in that age group — 54.1 million, according to the latest census data from 2019. The CDC’s vaccination rate for residents 65 and older is also significantly higher than the 89% vaccination rate found in a poll conducted in November by KFF. Similarly, a YouGov poll, conducted last month for The Economist, found 83% of people 65 and up said they had received at least an initial dose of vaccine.

And the CDC counts 21 states as having almost all their senior residents at least partly vaccinated (99.9%). But several of those states

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PH to remain under Alert Level 2 until end of 2021

by DANIZA

FERNANDEZ Inquirer.net

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Health experts worry CDC’s COVID vaccination rates appear inflated

and human services secretary, Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state anticipates many year-end holiday gatherings, a forecast that impacted the state to reimpose its mask mandate.

Currently, the per capita rate of new coronavirus

DONATIONS FROM EUROPE. Boxes containing 1,058,400 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from France, 453,600 doses more from Spain, and 945,600 doses of the single-shot Janssen vaccine from the Netherlands arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday, December 14. The government assured anew that all local government units across the country would get access to an equitable distribution of the vaccines with the arrival of more donations from European countries.

PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

MANILA — Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Wednesday, December 15 announced that the country will remain under Alert Level 2 until December 31.

“Inaprubahan ng IATF ang rekomendasyon na ipanatili sa Alert Level 2 ang lahat ng lugar sa Piipinas simula bukas, 16 ng Disyembre hanggang sa katapusan ng Disyembere,” Nograles said during the Palace press briefing.

(The IATF approved the recommendation to keep all areas in the Philippines under Alert Level 2 from December 16 until December 31) Despite the declining COVID-19 cases, Nograles explained that the IATF decided to maintain the current status as the threat of the Omicron variant looms.

“Well, we are being very cautious because, ito nga, iyong banta ng Omicron na nakikita natin sa ibang mga lugar, mga bansa, territories, and jurisdictions na may positive na Omicron lalo na ng local transmission ng Omicron, pataas nang pataas ang bilang ng COVID cases doon,” he pointed out.

(We are being very cautious because we observe the

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DFA to cancel passports unclaimed since 2020 PH gov’t reports first two

by JANVIC

MATEO Philstar.com

MANILA — Starting next month, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will cancel and dispose of all unclaimed passports that were scheduled for release before December 2020.

The DFA cited a recent department order stating that all passports left unclaimed by the holder one year after receipt by the releasing office shall be cancelled.

It said unclaimed passports scheduled for release before December 2020 will be cancelled and properly disposed of beginning Jan. 10.

“Those yet to claim their passports, which were scheduled for release in

President Rodrigo Duterte officially withdrew his candidacy for senator on Tuesday, December 14.

ManilaTimes.net photo

December 2020 or earlier, may do so until Jan. 7, 2022 at the DFA Consular Office where they were processed,” it said.

“Those who are unable to claim their passports at the respective DFA Consular Offices before Jan. 7, 2022 must file a new passport application after securing a certificate of unclaimed passport from DFA Aseana or at the DFA Consular Office where they were processed,” it added.

Passports scheduled for release after December 2020 are not affected and may still be claimed from the DFA Consular Office where they were processed.

While no penalty is given for passports claimed at a later date, the DFA encouraged the public to claim

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Duterte drops Senate bid

by WILLIAM

DEPASUPIL ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has withdrawn his certificate of candidacy (CoC) for senator, joining his long-time aide Senator Christopher “Bong” Go who also backed out from the presidential race in the upcoming 2022 elections earlier on Tuesday, December 14.

It may be recalled that the duo who have been inseparable since Duterte was mayor of Davao City also filed on the same day or last November 15 their CoCs for senator and president.

Duterte had vowed to retire from politics but surprised everybody when he filed a CoC for senator under the Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) party with Go as the party’s standard bearer.

Prior to that Go filed a CoC for vice president under the PDP LabanCusi Wing but withdrew also after presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte-Carpio decided to run for vice president under the Lakas-CMD (Christian Muslim Democrats) party. ■

cases of Omicron variant

by GAEA

KATREENA Philstar.com

CABICO

The Department of Health said two imported cases of the Omicron variant were detected MANILA — The Philippines from the 48 samples sequenced reported on Wednesday, De- Tuesday. cember 15 its first two cases of One of the cases is a returnthe Omicron variant of COVID- ing overseas Filipino who ar19, which has been classified as rived from Japan on December 1 being “of concern” by the World via Philippine Airlines PR 0427.

Health Organization. u PAGE 2

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December 17-23, 2021 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

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From the Front Page

PH, US set more high-level meets to...

PAGE 1

law.”

During the meeting with Locsin, Nuland said they discussed ways to further support the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.

The meeting is part of the two countries’ enhanced and sustained bilateral engagement in pursuit of their common national security objectives and post-pandemic recovery agenda.

Building on the series of visits by Philippine and U.S. officials this year, including the most recent Bilateral Strategic Dialogue, the DFA said the two officials discussed the next steps to strengthen relations and cooperation within the context of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations to address current and emerging challenges.

Locsin and Nuland also tackled preparations for the Special US-ASEAN Summit the U.S. is proposing to host in January.

“They also discussed arrangements for the Two-PlusTwo Ministerial Dialogue that was previously agreed upon by the respective defense and foreign secretaries,” the DFA said in a statement.

Locsin congratulated the U.S. for its successful virtual hosting of the Summit for Democracy last week with the participation of President Duterte.

Recounting the messages of both Presidents Duterte and Biden at the summit, the

two officials underscored the countries’ shared commitment to the protection and promotion of democratic ideals and principles and to continuing work on imperfect democracies to ensure that they benefit people, especially the poor and marginalized.

Locsin invited the U.S. to support the UN Joint Program on Human Rights, noting that its contribution would be “an expression of your support to a long-standing ally and to our shared commitment to democracy and the rule of law.”

He also expressed gratitude for the close to 20 million donated doses of Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen vaccines that the Philippines received from the U.S. through the COVAX Facility.

Philippines, France deepen ties Meanwhile, the Philippines and France have discussed opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation in the fields of defense, maritime safety and security.

Locsin and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian talked on regional and bilateral issues as they met for the first time on Saturday in Liverpool.

Both officials underscored the importance of the ASEANEuropean Union cooperation in addressing new and existing global concerns, including climate change and maritime security.

Le Drian had previously stressed that the Indo-Pacific

region would be a priority for France when it assumes the presidency of the European Union in 2022.

Japan reaffirms commitment In a related development, Japan reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen the strategic partnership with the Philippines.

During a phone call on Wednesday, December 8, Locsin and new Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa discussed key areas of Philippine-Japan bilateral cooperation, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, Mindanao peace process and maritime security and safety.

Locsin conveyed appreciation for Japan’s vaccine donation, emergency grant assistance, crisis response support program and loan packages that contributed greatly to the Philippines’ COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.

On the maritime issue, Hayashi expressed his strong opposition to unilateral attempts to change by force the status quo in the East and South China Seas.

Locsin said the Philippines values Japan’s statements of support for the arbitral award and for an international lawbased order in the South China Sea, adding that such formal demonstrations of support send a message of respect for outcomes of diplomatic and legal processes as well as strengthen the legal order over the seas. (Pia LeeBrago/Philstar.com)

PH gov’t reports first two cases of Omicron...

PAGE 1 The DOH said the individual is currently asymptomatic but had colds and cough upon arrival.

The other case is a Nigerian national who arrived from Nigeria on November 30 via Oman Air WY 843. He is also asymptomatic.

Both are isolated in a facility managed by the Bureau of Quarantine.

The DOH said it is verifying the test results and the health status of passengers who were on the same flight as the travelers found to have the Omicron variant.

Those who arrived in the country through the aforemen-

tioned flights are advised to call the DOH COVID-19 Hotlines at (02) 8942 6843 or 1555, or their respective LGUs to report their status.

The detection of Omicron comes as authorities announced the entire country will remain under Alert Level 2 until December 31.

Early studies suggest that Omicron, the heavily-mutated variant first detected by South Africa, can be resistant to vaccines and is more transmissible that the Delta variant.

The spread of Omicron globally prompted the government to tighten border controls, postpone the country’s tourism re-

opening, and accelerate the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

More Delta cases The department also reported the detection of 33 cases of the Delta variant. This brought the total number of confirmed Delta variant cases to 7,919.

Of the additional cases, 14 were returning overseas Filipinos.

The rest were local cases from Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Caraga, Soccsksargen, Western Visayas, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Eastern Visayas and Davao region. (With reports from Agence-France Presse)

SHOE DOCTOR. John Angeles (left) repairs rubber shoes at a sidewalk along Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City on Monday, December 13.

Angeles said hand-sewn pairs are stronger than those repaired using machines.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

California reinforces indoor mask...

PAGE 1 cases in California has jumped 47% in the past two weeks.

Hospitalizations are also up by 14%, according to the last available state data.

While the mandate impacts those who want to attend public gatherings — like in restaurants, malls, and other social gathering hubs — it does not apply to private gatherings.

“Wearing a mask is going to be one of the most important things to get through this period of uncertainty,” Ghaly said on Monday. “We know people are tired and hungry for normalcy.

Frankly, I am, too. That said, this is a critical time when we have a tool that we know has worked and can work.

The mandate, which will last until at least January 15, will apply to everyone regardless of vaccination status.

As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the state lifted its

last mask mandate for vaccinated individuals on June 15, when most coronavirus-related safety protocols eased restrictions for businesses and public places. But about half of the state’s counties have since imposed their own indoor mask mandates as case, death, and hospitalization numbers fluctuated in the latter half of 2021.

“This increase in case rates is not experienced equally across the state,” Ghaly said. “We have some counties that remain very low — many of the Bay Area counties, L.A. But others are quite high, and we see this in greater percentage in communities and counties where vaccine rates are low.”

Along with the mask mandate, state health officials also announced that it will strengthen testing requirements, ordering unvaccinated people who are attending indoor events of 1,000 people or more to provide a negative test within one or two

days. (Vaccination proof will also be required at these venues.)

The state is also recommending travelers departing from and arriving to California to get tested for Covid-19 within five days of travel.

California’s mask mandate for indoor settings mirrors the CDC’s long-standing recommendation of wearing masks indoors for those in “areas with high numbers of Covid-19 cases.”

The CDC however stands by its guidance that fully vaccinated individuals do not need to mask up in outdoor settings.

“We know that there’s going to be people who don’t necessarily agree with this, who are tired, who aren’t going to mask,” Ghaly said. “We hope that those are few and far between, that most people see the purpose of doing this over the next month as something to protect them and their communities during a very tough time.” n

DFA to cancel passports unclaimed...

PAGE 1 passports within 30 days from the scheduled release.

Applicants may authorize other persons to claim the

passport on their behalf provided the authorized persons comply with the requirements, including an authorization letter, original and photocopy

of valid IDs, original DFAissued receipts and notarized special power of attorney for non-immediate family members of passport applicants. n

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Date lin e USa

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • DeCembeR 17-23, 2021

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Filipino Young Leaders Program, Philippine Health experts worry CDC’s COVID...

Embassy in Washington D.C. and Ayala Foundation Inc. extend partnership WASHINGTON, D.C. - Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. and the Ayala Foundation Inc. extend partnership for another three years through Dec. 31, 2025.

On Dec. 6, 2021, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, President Louella Rose Cabalona, Ayala Foundation, Inc. (AFI) President Ruel Maranan and Senior Director Joanna Duarte virtually signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during the virtual year end meeting with Philippine Consulates General in the United States, and the Department of Foreign Affairs – Office of American Affairs.

Earlier in the day, several directors and alumni led by Cabalona was received by Ambassador Romualdez, Deputy Chief of Mission Jaimon Ascalon and Vice Consul Mark Lim to discuss the significance of FYLPRO in Filipino American youth engagement and COVID-19 response efforts. Ambassador Romualdez expressed his enthusiasm on celebrating FYLPRO’s 10th anniversary in 2022, inviting the organization to be part of the Philippine Independence Day celebration in D.C. The FYLPRO delegation present at the Romulo Hall in the Philippine Embassy included incoming President Elect and current Vice President Leezel Tanglao, Secretary Jean Gavina, Directors Jan Paul Ferrer and Bryan Ramos. Alumni also in attendance included Baron Cabalona, Mark Calaguas and Tyler Dos SantosTam. They were joined by 2018 delegate Brian Tajo and volun-

PAGE 1 show much lower figures in their vaccine databases, including California, with 86% inoculated, and West Virginia, with nearly 90% as of Dec. 6.

The questionable CDC data on seniors’ vaccination rates illustrates one of the potential problems health experts have flagged about CDC’s covid vaccination data.

Knowing with accuracy what proportion of the population has rolled up sleeves for a covid shot is vital to public health efforts, said Dr. Howard Forman, a professor of public health at Yale University School of Medicine.

“These numbers matter,” he said, particularly amid efforts to increase the rates of booster doses administered. As of Dec. 5, about 47% of people 65 and older had

teers Sabrina Sayoc and Robbie Lopez during the virtual signing.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to continue our longstanding relationship with our partner institutions, Philippine Embassy in Washington DC and Ayala Foundation, building upon our previous agreements signed in from 2016 and 2018”, said Cabalona.

“This historic MOU is an affirmation that, one, our immersion program will continue in its mission to connect Filipinos in the diaspora to the motherland beyond leadership changes in the Philippine government and two, that FYLPRO, the non profit organization has proven itself able and willing to take on the responsibility of shaping the immersion program in the years to come”, adds Cabalona.

The MOU also transfers the immersion program ownership which now will be in the hands of FYLPRO with support from the Philippine Embassy and Ayala Foundation.

received a booster shot since the federal government made them available in September.

“I’m not sure how reliable the CDC numbers are,” he said, pointing to the discrepancy between state data and the agency’s 99.9% figure for seniors, which he said can’t be correct.

“You want to know the best data to plan and prepare and know where to put resources in place — particularly in places that are grossly undervaccinated,” Forman said.

Getting an accurate figure on the proportion of residents vaccinated is difficult for several reasons.

The CDC and states may be using different population estimates.

State data may not account for residents who get vaccinated in a state other than where they live or in clinics located in federal

facilities, such as prisons, or those managed by the Veterans Health Administration or Indian Health Service.

CDC officials said the agency may not be able to determine whether a person is receiving a first, second or booster dose if their shots were received in different states or even from providers within the same city or state. This can cause the CDC to overestimate first doses and underestimate booster doses, CDC spokesperson Scott Pauley said.

“There are challenges in linking doses when someone is vaccinated in different jurisdictions or at different providers because of the need to remove personally identifiable information (deidentify) data to protect people’s u PAGE 7

PH to remain under Alert Level 2 until end...

Ambassador Romualdez reiterated the Philippine Embassy’s support of FYLPRO’s vision of PAGE 1 The heightening of alert level “a thriving future for the Filipino threat of the Omicron in other will be based on COVID-19 case people built upon the strength of places, other countries, territo- classification and COVID-19 bed our Filipino identity, our global ries, and jurisdictions where the utilization, Nograles previously community, and our connections variant is detected, cases contin- said. with the Philippines.” ue to increase.)

Meanwhile, the community “Celebrating your 10th year “At marami pa tayong hindi quarantine system, which was next year will really be a mile- nalalaman tungkol sa Omicron, implemented prior to the alert stone because you have gone a plus hindi pa namin talagang level system, was also abollong way from the time I became totally napa-finalize ang mga pa- ished. the ambassador four years ago. rameters for Alert Level 1,” he The IATF then adopted the I could see there’s been a lot of added. guidelines on the nationwide activities, events you’ve had in(We also do not know a lot yet implementation of the alert level spite of the challenges of the past regarding the Omicron, plus we system, Nograles said. two years,” said Ambassador Ro- have not yet totally finalized the “Kaugnay nito, ini-repeal ng mualdez. “With the help of the parameters for Alert Level 1) IATF ang Guidelines on the Department of Foreign Affairs Earlier, the IATF amended its Implementation of Community in collaboration with the Ayala metrics for determining alert lev- Quarantine in the Philippines, as amended, at ang pag-adopt u PAGE 7 els in the country.

ng IATF sa Guidelines on the Nationwide Implementation of the Alert Level System for COVID-19 Response, as amended,” Nograles said.

(Related to this, the IATF repealed the Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines, as amended, and adopted the Guidelines on the Nationwide Implementation of the Alert Level System for COVID-19 Response, as amended.)

The alert level system was piloted in Metro Manila in September in a bid to balance the economy while safeguarding the public’s health. n

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December 17-23, 2021 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • DeCembeR 17-23, 2021

SFIO closes $5M series of global distribution partnerships for premium beverages and New Zealand Manuka honey GLOBAL asset management company Starfleet Innotech, Inc. (OTC: SFIO-Smokefree Innotec, Inc.) entered into a partnership last month with food ingredients supplier Annapolis Co., Ltd., granting SFIO distribution rights over a suite of products under their premium beverage solutions brand LongBeach.

This is the latest in a series of agreements the asset company has signed, following a similar arrangement with SFIO’s New Zealand-based subsidiary Gorgeous Coffee Co. Altogether, these partnerships are projected to launch SFIO towards their $100 million revenue target by the end of 2022.

With this latest partnership, Thailand’s leading premium ingredients supplier for beverages and bakeries, Annapolis Co., Ltd., will see its LongBeach brand premium purees, syrups, sauces, powders, and teas sold across SFIO’s sprawling food service network in Australia and New Zealand.

According to the latest data from Statista, despite the ongoing pandemic, Australia and New Zealand’s cafes, restaurants, and takeaway food services together present a roughly $36 billion market, which is expected to grow steadily over the next few years. Beginning January 2022, SFIO will be the sole distributor of LongBeach products across these two markets’ thriving food service industries.

The company expects this deal alone to bring in up to $5 million in additional revenue for SFIO’s food and beverage division.

Earlier this year, SFIO established a global expansion roadmap for their fully-owned sub-

sidiary Gorgeous Coffee Co. that would see New Zealand Manuka honey and a premium health brand of 5-in-1 Instant Coffee reaching U.S. shelves as early as next year.

New Zealand’s Manuka honey, considered the best in the world, is a highly valued, energy-boosting superfood boasting a distinct earthy flavor and health benefits such as antioxidants, probiotics, and antibacterial support. The honey is graded according to a global potency scale called the Unique Manuka Factor, or UMF. Come January 2022, SFIO will be distributing Manuka honey variants, including UMF 5+, UMF 10+, UMF 15+, and UMF 20+.

Revenues from this arrangement are expected to reach $1 million by the end of 2022. Samples of the Manuka honey products have already been shipped to the United States and parts of the United Arab Emirates, with SFIO currently working on sending more to other countries across Asia.

Similarly, Gorgeous Coffee Co.’s 5-in-1 Instant Coffee will be exported across the United States, Australia, and Asia, including the United Arab Emir-

ates. The product is a healthful mix of premium Arabica coffee, Manuka honey, barley grass, non-dairy MCT creamer, and Stevia. In addition to the benefits of Manuka honey, the instant coffee mix claims to aid in digestion, reduce inflammation, and boost immunity thanks to its barley components. Followers of the popular keto diet will also appreciate the instant coffee’s MCT creamer, an easy-to-digest alternative to traditional dairy.

The instant coffee product is expected to bring in at least $2 million in additional revenue for SFIO. Samples have already been sent to potential partners in the United States.

These partnerships play into the asset management company’s long-term ecosystem strategy, which prioritizes high-value synergies across its growing portfolio of companies. Leveraging the expanding footprint of its food and beverage businesses, including flagship franchise business Epiphany Cafe, these products will be rapidly stocking shelves across the globe as early as the first quarter of next year.

(Advertising Supplement)

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DECEMBER 17-23, 2021 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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FEATURES

OPINION

Overcoming Omicron

IN less than a week, the new COVID-19 variant Omicron has grown into a global menace, with country after country sealing its borders to block its advance.

The speed with which Omicron has spread is astonishing. First detected in South Africa, it sneaked into neighboring countries Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

Since then, Omicron cases have been reported in Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and several other places that are far from the African continent.

The new variant takes center stage at a time when many countries felt it was safe enough to relax the coronavirus restrictions that had choked economies and disrupted millions of lives. Falling COVID-19 figures and stepped-up vaccination efforts helped build up their confidence.

Leading virus scientists, however, have been reminding us that COVID-19 is far from conquered, and that like any organism, it has built-in mechanisms for survival. One of them is mutation.

In the right environment, the coronavirus could reconfigure itself to make it more difficult for antibodies to detect. By creating new masks, the virus could even make itself invisible to present-day vaccines..

The World Health Organization (WHO) agreed that travel bans were a knee-jerk reaction that was not science-based. The agency said it needs time to know more about the variant and recommend ways to handle it.

Many countries, the Philippines included, have taken the view that it is better to enforce a travel

ban while waiting for the WHO to release its findings on Omicron.

We believe that is the right course to take. Prompt action is needed in dealing with a threat like Omicron.

Quick response Delays in the past in setting up point-of-arrival controls allowed coronavirus variants to infiltrate the Philippines. Early this year, the government hedged before restricting travel from India, where Delta was on a rampage. We paid a high price for that delay.

The government must be commended for its quick response this time. It has banned foreign travelers from countries where the variant has been detected or where infections have sharply risen.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has, as of Monday, not announced tighter quarantine restrictions for arrivals from Hong Kong. The issue must be cleared up soon.

Government officials assure that the country is prepared to counter an Omicron-driven surge.

Local government units have been directed to keep a sharp eye out for any clustering of cases, and to get ready to do more aggressive contact tracing.

One of the most effective ways to deny Omicron a foothold here is to rev up mass inoculation efforts.

The three-day vaccination blitz that began last Mon-

Editorial

ManilaTimes.net photo

day, December 13 could not have come at a better time. We have stockpiled enough doses to last until the end of the year. We only need to see to it that the doses are delivered and administered.

There is also a proposal to make the wearing of face shields mandatory again, as added protection against Omicron which is said to be much more contagious than Delta.

Quarantine alert levels may have to be readjusted.

Omicron could derail efforts to turn around the economy and lift the people from the ennui brought about by a series of lockdowns.

We cannot let that happen. We must be primed to confront the threat it presents. (ManilaTimes. net)

Democracy: A work in progress

Babe’s Eye View BABE ROMUALDEZ ONE must admit, President Biden’s call for a summit of democracy was a courageous and challenging move that one can only admire. The U.S. President was very emphatic about strengthening democracy not only in the United States but the world over, believing that committing to democratic principles and practices is critical in meeting the challenges and the threats to democracy at this time.

In his speech during the opening of the first ever virtual “Summit for Democracy” with over 100 world leaders as well as members of civil society and the private sector participating, President Biden talked about the decline of global freedom in the last 15 years, with democratic countries including the United States experiencing some form of decline in at least one aspect of their democracy in the last 10 years, according to the International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

“In the face of sustained and

alarming challenges to democracy, universal human rights and – all around the world, democracy needs champions,” he said, admitting that even for a country like the United States, renewing democracy and strengthening democratic institutions “requires constant effort,” and that democracy does not happen by accident but has to be renewed with each generation.

“Democracies are not all the same,” the U.S. president acknowledged. “We don’t agree on everything, all of us in this meeting today. But the choices we make together are going to define, in my view, the course of our shared future for generations to come,” he continued, vowing that the U.S. will “lead by example…” investing in democracy and supporting its partners around the world at the same time.

As Secretary of State Antony Blinken pointed out in an oped published in USA Today last Wednesday, December 8, “Strengthening democracy can’t be a solo endeavor that countries do in isolation. It must be approached as a global mission

– governments, civil societies, private sectors and citizens working together across borders, languages and cultures – everyone committed to inaugurating a new era of rising freedom and stronger human rights protections around the world.”

Acknowledging that “democracy can at times be fragile,” President Biden also pointed out that democracy is inherently resilient and capable of self-correction and self-improvement.

After all, there is no such thing as a perfect democracy, or even a perfect constitution for that matter – not even the Constitution of the United States which has been amended 27 times to make it more attuned to the need of the times.

In her book “Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom” published in May 2017, former State Secretary Condoleezza Rice highlighted the need for the U.S. to continue being active in promoting, strengthening and spreading democracy all over the world.

Her focus on promoting democracy is not really surprising, considering that she served as

National Security Adviser and then State Secretary during the term of George Bush Jr., who had pledged to strengthen democracy and help emerging democracies build institutions that would sustain freedom and liberty. In his second inaugural address in January 2005, Bush Jr. said, “The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in the world.”

Admittedly, defining democracy is not as simple as describing it as the control of the majority in an organization, or that it is a system of government where people have the authority to decide through elected representatives. But there are certain parameters, such as the conduct of periodic and free elections, an independent judiciary, freedom of the press, exercise of free speech, freedom of religion.

In her book, Rice wrote, “The paradox of democracy is that its stability is born of its openness to upheaval through elections, legislation and social action. Dis-

ruption is built into the fabric of democracy.”

As a young democracy, the Philippines has gone through many challenges, upheavals even. We must admit our own Constitution also needs substantial changes to make it more responsive to the changing times.

Critics say it was crafted hastily and essentially not thought out well. That is why those who claim that democracy is nonexistent in the Philippines and that dissent as well as freedom of the press is suppressed – even so far as claiming that the country is under a reign of terror and mass murder – are definitely exaggerating. The fact that these groups can speak their minds and continue to criticize the government prove that democracy is very much alive in the Philippines.

This reminds me of the time in 2014 when Condoleezza Rice was giving a speech at Norwich University when several protesters heckled and interrupted her.

As the protesters were peacefully escorted out of the building, Rice remarked, “Democracy is noisy.”

In fact, in 2005 when she was

State Secretary and speaking at a place in San Francisco, California that was described as “hostile territory” with protesters outside the venue, three members of the audience put on black hooded robes and stretched their arms, chanting, “Stop the torture, stop the killing, US out of Iraq.” Maintaining her composure, Rice gestured to the protesters, saying, “It’s a wonderful thing that people are able to speak their minds in our democracy. In Baghdad, Kabul and soon in Beirut, they, too, will be able to speak their minds.”

As President Biden stated on the International Day of Democracy, “No democracy is perfect, and no democracy is ever final.

Every gain made, every barrier broken, is the result of determined, unceasing work.”

Democracy is never static – it’s a continuing work in progress.

(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.

***

Getting vaxxed: A choice of life or death

Sentinel

RAMON TULFO EVEN with 200 million people in the United States inoculated against COVID-19, the virus continues to wreak havoc on the population of 325.9 million.

The number of people infected with the deadly virus is filling up hospitals during this Christmas season.

Cases have spiked in New England, one of the most vaccinated areas.

New cases in the U.S. have gone upward from an average of 95,000 a day on Nov. 22 to almost 119,000 a day in just the past week.

The number of patients hospitalized has increased to 25 percent over a month ago, according to a report from the Associated Press.

Why is there a spike in cases in the highly-vaccinated population of New England?

The answer is there are people who are still unvaccinated, or refuse to be inoculated. These people are the ones in hospitals in New England.

“The virus will find you. It is searching for hosts that are not immune. The fact that you live in New England or New York doesn’t insulate you,” said Lawrence Gostin, director of the WHO Collaborating Center on Public Health Law and Human Rights at Georgetown University.

New York, one of the states that is heavily vaccinated, used to have the biggest number of COVID fatalities.

What does the above-cited AP report mean to the Philippines?

It means that Filipinos who are unvaccinated or refuse to be vaccinated are more likely to be afflicted with the deadly ailment.

The mother of one of our household staff died in Dumaguete City recently, despite the fact Tocilizumab vials were sent to the hospital where she was confined.

Tocilizumab, which is in short supply, is one of the most effective medicines for critical COVID patients.

It saved the life of my wife, Josephine, who was badly hit with the deadly virus.

Tocilizumab also saved the lives of some prominent people.

I won’t identify them, to respect

their privacy.

But while Josephine was fully vaccinated, the mother of our house help refused to be inoculated.

Getting the vaccine early spelled the difference between Josephine, who has prior medical conditions, and the mother of my household help, who was relatively strong and healthy because she always worked in their small farm.

So, I offer again this friendly but unsolicited advice: Please have yourself vaccinated ASAP. * * * No less than President Digong Duterte is urging all Filipinos to be vaccinated.

Digong said the “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” campaign’s first phase brought the country to its goal of population protection against COVID. The President agrees restaurant and mall management teams have the right not to accept unvaccinated individuals within their premises.

More than eight million people were inoculated in the first round of the mass vaccination campaign from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.

Organizers of the second

phase of the mass vaccination campaign expect to inoculate seven million people. * * * If Health Secretary Francisco Duque is to be believed, 99 million Filipinos will be vaccinated against COVID-19 by June 2022.

“The President’s marching order is to inoculate no less than 90 percent of the Philippine population, which is equivalent to about 99 million Filipinos,” said Duque.

That’s big talk from our health secretary, who clings to his position like barnacles to a ship.

Vaccine supplies for COVID-19 come in trickles from abroad.

How can the government vaccinate “90 percent” of the entire population when vaccines are in short supply?

The U.S., for example, has so far been able to vaccinate 200 million Americans out of a population of 329.5 million. That’s 60 percent of the US population.

The U.S., needless to say, is one of the countries manufacturing anti-COVID vaccines; and yet, it has not reached herd immunity, or 70 percent, of its population.

Duque probably is trying to

flatter the President who has offered his position to a Catholic priest; but the man of the cloth refused. * * * Deputy Speaker Wes Gatchalian and Representatives Victor Yap of Tarlac and Manny Lopez of Manila should be commended by the public for sponsoring a bill requiring all SIM card holders to be registered.

The bill proposing the SIM Card Registration Act has passed the House of Representatives.

All SIM card holders who scam or threaten other cellphone owners or use the SIM card to detonate remote-controlled bombs would be identified under the proposed law.

The identities of SIM card buyers will be registered by stores which sell SIM cards, and that info will be given to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

Question: How do we know the SIM card buyers will give their true identities or names to the sellers?

Methinks the best way to solve the problem is to compel the buyer to present his government ID card.

* * * The Philippine Navy recently retired two of its World War IIera warships, BRP Magat Salamat and BRP Miguel Malvar, during rites held in Sangley Point, Cavite.

Both ships were used by our Navy for 44 years and 10 months.

The United States Navy commissioned the two ships 77 years ago, transferred them to the defunct Republic of South Vietnam, and from there they were handed down to the Philippine Navy.

The Philippines was given hand-me-down ships that were earlier given to another country; so pathetic!

Beggars, that’s how the US treats us, their long-time allies who stood with them in the Second World War. In hindsight, can you blame President Digong for pivoting to China, which he thought (apparently wrongly) would treat us as their equal? (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.

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

7

Filipino NGO wins UNESCO prize for Media and Information Literacy advocacy

Filipino Young Leaders Program, Philippine...

PAGE 3 Foundation, I am sure that this program will be more successful in the future. I’d like to congratulate all of you for doing a great job and you can expect the Embassy in Washington DC to continue to support you in every way we can.”

AFI President Maranan and Senior Director Duarte echoed these same sentiments for FYLPRO’s future legacy projects and newfound independence.

“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Louella and her leadership, that you have truly gained so much during your watch. These were challenging times and you were able to pivot and make FYLPRO more efficient and effective,” said AFI President Ruel Maranan.“I know that under the new leadership of incoming President Leezel Tanglao, the rest of her team will surely emerge and continuously explore all possibilties and opportunities to make FYLPRO more relevant not only in terms of celebrating the 10th year but making it more meaningful (in

the decades) to come.”

AFI Senior Director Joanna Duarte added: “I am very proud of this organization because in Ayala Foundation our vision is for communities to be creative, productive, self reliant and proud to be Filipino and what we aim to do is empower the communities we work with such that they can eventually do things on their own and this is what FYLPRO has done.”

Since 2012, FYLPRO has partnered with the Philippine Embassy and the Ayala Foundation to offer a transformative, life changing immersion experience that brings 10 to 15 delegates from the United States to the Philippines for a week.

This extension of this unique partnership between the three organizations ensures continuity as FYLPRO celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2022. n

Health experts worry CDC’s COVID...

PAGE 3

privacy,” according to a footnote on the CDC’s covid vaccine data tracker webpage. “This means that, even with the highquality data CDC receives from jurisdictions and federal entities, there are limits to how CDC can analyze those data.”

On its dashboard, the CDC has capped the percentage of the population that has received vaccine at 99.9%. But Pauley said its figures could be off for multiple reasons, such as the census denominator not including everyone who currently resides in a particular county, like parttime residents, or potential datareporting errors.

Liz Hamel, vice president and director of public opinion and survey research at KFF, agrees it’s highly unlikely 99.9% of seniors have been vaccinated.

She said the differences between CDC vaccination rates and those found in KFF and other polls are significant. “The truth may be somewhere in between,” she said.

Hamel noted the KFF vaccination rates tracked closely with CDC’s figures in the spring and summer but began diverging in fall, just as booster shots became available.

KFF surveys show the percentage of adults at least partly vaccinated changed little from September to November, moving from 72% to 73%. But CDC data shows an increase from 75% in September to 81% in mid-November.

As of Dec. 5, the CDC says, 83.4% of adults were at least partly vaccinated.

William Hanage, an associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard University, said such

MANILA — UNESCO’s Media and Information Literacy Alliance has awarded Manila-based Out of the Box Literacy Initiative first prize in the 2021 Global Media and Information Literacy Awards for its projects for media literacy and against disinformation.

According to a press release, the Global MIL Awards recognize educators, librarians, artists, activists, policymakers, NGOs and other individuals and groups that are “integrating MIL in an innovative way in their work and related activities.”

OOTB, which has been operating since 2014, is the first Filipino organization to win the prize since the Global MIL Awards were launched in 2015.

Among its recent projects are the #IWASFAKE Remote Learning Resources that were released to address the infodemic and the shift to online learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

These modules can be accessed for free on their website. “’Iwas’ in #IWASFAKE stands for the four key habits against disinformation: Ikalma ang sarili (Pause and calm down); Wag basta maniniwala (Be skeptical); Alamin ang source at konteksto

Among Out of the Box’s projects is a set of resources to help students cope with the infodemic during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Philstar.com photo

ng impormasyon (Check the source and context of the information); and, Salain bago i-share at sitahin ang nagkakalat ng mali (Filter what you share and call out disinformation),” OOTB says in the release.

OOTB has also produced the #MIL4Democracy Handbook that contains 18 lesson plans meant to teach young Filipinos about their rights and duties as digital citizens, the organization said.

The organization currently co-runs — with Mano Amiga

Philippines and Meta (formerly Facebook) — the Youth Leaders Incubator, a mentorship program for Filipino youth advocacy organizations.

The spread of misinformation and disinformation — seen as a factor in the coming 2022 elections — has prompted initiatives on fact-checking as well as on media and information literacy to promote critical thinking and a better appreciation of democratic institutions. (Philstar.com)

Duterte orders DILG: Prepare drug war report

by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — President Duterte has ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to prepare a report on the war on drugs even as he maintained that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction over the case.

During a meeting of the government’s pandemic task force on Monday, December 13, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said antinarcotics operations against suspected drug traffickers continued despite the pandemic.

Año said a total of 940 stings were conducted from Dec. 5 to 11, which resulted in the arrest of 1,253 suspects and confiscation of about P72.87 million worth of drugs.

Duterte asked Año if the government could make an inven-

tory of drugs seized during his presidency.

“It’s intended to apprise the human rights advocates. Maybe when the time comes, we can show to the ICC the reasons why we are not, why I am not going to bow down to their jurisdiction, because they would see the enormity of the problem of shabu in the country,” the President said.

Año vowed to produce the drug war report.

Police have confiscated an estimated P79 billion to P80 billion worth of shabu, according to Año.

“I will come up with a detailed report in our next meeting, Mr. President,” the DILG chief said.

More than 6,000 people have died since Duterte launched the war on drugs, which according to human rights advocates has

encouraged extrajudicial killings and other abuses.

An ICC pre-trial chamber has allowed an investigation into the deaths linked to the drug war, but the Duterte administration maintained that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the issue.

Officials argued that the Rome Statute, which formed the ICC, did not satisfy publication requirements and therefore did not take effect in the Philippines.

The government has asked ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan to suspend the probe, saying actions are being undertaken to look into the drug war deaths.

The ICC has suspended the probe, but requested the Philippine government to provide information about its investigation.

In his previous speeches, Duterte insisted that he would not face trial before the ICC. n

Unsplash photo by Jakayla Toney

discrepancies call into question that CDC figure. He said getting an accurate figure on the percentage of seniors vaccinated is important because that age group is most vulnerable to severe consequences of covid, including death.

“It is important to get them right because of the much-talked-about shift from worrying about cases to worrying about severe outcomes like hospitalizations,” Hanage said. “The consequences of cases will increasingly be determined by the proportion of unvaccinated and unboosted, so having a good handle on this is vital for understanding the pandemic.”

For example, CDC data shows New Hampshire leads the country in vaccination rates with about 88% of its total population at least partly vaccinated.

The New Hampshire vaccine dashboard shows 61.1% of residents are at least partly vaccinated, but the state is not counting all people who get their shots in pharmacies due to data collection issues, said Jake Leon, spokesperson for the state Department of Health and Human

Services.

In addition, Pennsylvania health officials say they have been working with the CDC to correct vaccination rate figures on the federal website. The state is trying to remove duplicate vaccination records to make sure the dose classification is correct — from initial doses through boosters, said Mark O’Neil, spokesperson for the state health department.

As part of the effort, in late November the CDC reduced the percentage of adults in the state who had at least one dose from 98.9% to 94.6%. It also lowered the percentage of seniors who are fully vaccinated from 92.5% to 84%.

However, the CDC has not changed its figure on the proportion of seniors who are partly vaccinated. It remains 99.9%. The CDC dashboard says that 3.1 million seniors in Pennsylvania were at least partly vaccinated as of Dec. 5. The latest census data shows Pennsylvania has 2.4 million people 65 and older. (Phil Galewitz/Kaiser Health News)

VACCINATE

KIDS 5+ TO PROTECT

THEM FROM

COVID-19 Talk to a doctor or learn more by visiting MyTurn.ca.gov or calling 833-422-4255

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Office of the Vice President gets more Department of Migrant Workers bill passed, hailed accolades for best practices, programs by cecille

Suerte Philstar.com

by Gabriel

Pabico Inquirer.net

lalu

MANILA — The Office of the Vice President (OVP) has earned more accolades recently — this time from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), Vice President Leni Robredo said in a statement issued on Monday, December 13.

From the CSC, the OVP got the PRIME-HRM Level II Accreditation for Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management — a distinction given to offices that are able to develop their human resources to a more competitive level.

From the DAP, it got a citation called Government Best Practices for COVID-19 Response for two of its programs — the Community Learning Hubs and the Free Shuttle Service.

Vice President Leni Robredo’s office got more accolades as it was hailed by two institutions — the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) — for its best practices.

“Last week, we were also awarded our ISO Certification which we have been achieving every year since we first got our ISO Certification in 2017,” Robredo said.

The OVP launched the

Vice President Leni Robredo visits the OVP Community Learning Hub in Taytay, Rizal.

Photo from OVP

Community Learning Hubs in partnership with several local government units with the aim of allowing students to get tutorial help and access to key gadgets and internet connectivity as the pandemic required a shift to distance learning modes, like online classes or a modular system.

The free shuttle program, also done in collaboration with private sector partners, started in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when lockdowns shut down public transportation. It was set up for health workers and other frontliners reporting for work.

In one gathering where she presented her platform as a presidential aspirant in the 2022 elections, Robredo said that,

as part of her labor agenda, she would want the regain the people’s trust in government.

On several occasions, Robredo referred to the achievements of her office, including getting the highest ratings from the Commission on Audit, as examples of what she could achieve if elected president.

Robredo and her running mate, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, are facing an uphill battle, as recent surveys have placed them in the middle of the pack.

But recently, Robredo’s camp expressed delight after a survey released last November showed that her numbers were improving, showing her in second place behind former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. n

Joblessness slightly falls to 24.8% – SWS

by Janvic

Mateo Philstar.com

MANILA — The number of jobless Filipinos slightly decreased in the third quarter of the year, but remains above pre-pandemic levels, according to a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The survey, conducted from Sept. 12 to 16 with the results released on Monday, December 13, showed that the adult joblessness rate in the country is at 24.8% of the labor force or an estimated 11.9 million Filipinos.

The figure went down by 2.8 points from the 27.6% (estimated 13.5 million) in June, but is still five points higher than the average of 19.8% joblessness rate in 2019 before the pandemic.

The SWS defines labor force as adults aged 18 years and above,

EMPLOYMENT

who are presently with a job plus those looking for a job.

The jobless consist of those who voluntarily left their old jobs, are seeking jobs for the first time or lost their jobs due to economic circumstances beyond their control.

According to SWS, adult joblessness in the country reached a record-high 45.5% in July 2020 amid quarantine restrictions imposed to stop the pandemic.

It eased in the succeeding months, resulting in an average of 37.4% joblessness rate in 2020.

The decline in the latest joblessness rate was due to decreases in all areas except in the Visayas.

Joblessness is still highest in Metro Manila at 33.6% (down from 40.9% in June), followed by the rest of Luzon at 27.5% (down from 30.9%), the Visayas at 22.6% (up from 21.3%) and

Mindanao at 16.4% (down from 19.2%).

It is also higher in urban areas at 30% (down from 30.7%) than in rural areas at 20% (down from 25.3%).

By gender, joblessness hardly changed among men at 19.3% (from 19.8%), while it fell among women at 32.3% (from 38.3%).

It is highest among the 18-24 age group at 55.5% (from 57.2%), followed by those aged 35 to 44 at 25.6% (from 23.9%), 24 to 34 at 24.6% (from 33.6%) and above 45 at 18.2% (from 18%).

In terms of educational attainment, joblessness is highest among high school graduates at 31.1% (from 28.7%), followed by college graduates at 24.8% (from 23.8%), elementary graduates at 18.7% (from 31.5%) and nonelementary graduates at 10.1% (from 15.9%). n

EMPLOYMENT

FeliPe

MANILA — The Senate on Monday, December 13 unanimously approved on the third and final reading a bill that calls for the creation of a department tasked with addressing the needs and concerns of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who remit P3 million every minute.

Voting 20-0-0, senators passed Senate Bill 2234, or the proposed Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act. Sen. Joel Villanueva, one of the bill’s proponents, said the department would serve as the “go-to agency” for all OFWs’ concerns, including recruitment, red tape, regulation, emergency response, repatriation and reintegration.

Sen. Bong Go, also a main proponent of the measure, congratulated and thanked Villanueva for pushing for the passage of the measure.

“Our sponsor is really determined to provide our OFWs with their own department. I know what our sponsor went through from talking to various agencies and OFW groups to reconciling different versions of the bills,” Go said in his manifestation.

“On my part, I can just pass it on and give it as a gift to them – to our OFWs, to migrant workers – this Christmas,” Go added.

Go also thanked all of his senator-colleagues for their support of the measure, especially Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon for his assistance and scrutiny to improve the measure with the goal of providing better services to OFWs. He noted that the Department of Migrant Workers is his and President Duterte’s priority.

“Our OFWs are close to the President’s heart. In fact, just recently, President Duterte issued Executive Order 154 to ensure the establishment

and operations of an OFW hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga.”

“Mr. President, we know the situation our OFWs are going through. Sadness cannot be paid for, especially when you are away from your loved ones just to provide for the family’s expenses and give your children a better future. In fact, many of our OFWs have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. They came home to our country, they lost their jobs and they had a hard time,” Go said in his manifestation.

“They have a problem with how to feed their family. In recent months and years, many OFWs have come to our office for help. Some are imprisoned for murder, some are abused by their employers. Hopefully, with the establishment of this department, they can return to normal life,” Go added.

Go said OFWs have long considered OFWs to be modern-day heroes because of their great contribution to the economy and community. n

South China Sea Code of Conduct negotiations ‘went nowhere,’ Locsin admits

by Pia lee-braGo Philstar.com

MANILA — Negotiations for a binding Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea “went nowhere,” even with the Philippines as Country Coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. admitted on Tuesday, December 14.

In a statement he delivered during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)G7 Foreign and Development Ministers Meeting in Liverpool, United Kingdom, Locsin said he opposed “the exclusion of any outside power from the South China Sea.” China claimed that the progress in the COC consultations showed that Beijing and ASEAN countries have the capability, wisdom and willingness to reach consensus and formulate regional rules, and any external interference like the United States should be excluded as it is “not a party to the South China Sea issue.”

In 2016, an international tribunal ruled against Chinese claims,

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin

backing a case brought by the Philippines, but Beijing said it would not honor the ruling.

China’s more aggressive approach to its unlawful claims in the South China Sea has directly challenged the global rulesbased order.

The Philippines opposed efforts to block foreign powers, particularly the US, from having access to the South China Sea under a COC being crafted by China and ASEAN. “These worrying developments underscore the urgency and importance of the Code of Conduct

PERSONAL

SERVICES

Philstar.com photo

in the South China Sea. The Philippines, in its role as then Country Coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, is proud to have helped lead the process and build consensus,” Locsin said.

“But negotiations for the Code of Conduct, even in our watch, went nowhere. I opposed the exclusion of any outside power from the South China Sea. That would create a semi-legal sphere of influence repugnant to the comity of all nations,” he added.

The country’s top diplomat also aired concern over recent incidents in South China Sea. n

CO M M U n itY JO U Rn al

FILIPINO

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Friday, December 17, 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 Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ ON December 13, 2021 the Department of State (DOS) published a temporary final rule (TFR) allowing consular officers the flexibility or discretion to waive the personal appearance (or interview) of certain repeat immigrant visa applicants: (a) who were previously approved for an immigrant visa in the same classification and on the same basis as their current application; and (b) the previous visa was issued on or after August 4, 2019, but it was not used or expired.

By law, every immigrant visa applicant must submit an application, which must be signed in the presence of a consular officer and verified under oath.

This means every immigrant visa applicant must have an in-person interview with a consular officer.

Many people applied for their immigrant visa, appeared for their interview, and their immigrant visa was issued, which was valid for six months. But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit with various lockdowns, travel restrictions, etc. As a result, they did not travel to the U.S. within the validity period of that immigrant visa and the visa expired, or it was lost or mutilated, etc.

Under these circumstances, they would have to apply for a new (or renewed) visa. Another immigrant visa interview would be an inconvenience to the visa applicant, who may have to travel a long distance. It would also unnecessarily increase the

No interview required embassy’s workload and create further backlogs for interviews.

This TFR provides that a new interview may not necessarily be required. To qualify for this discretionary in-person waiver, an applicant must: 1. Have been issued a U.S. immigrant visa on or after August 4, 2019; 2. Seek an immigrant visa in the same classification and pursuant to the same approved petition as the previously issued immigrant visa; 3. Qualify for an immigrant visa in the same classification, or another classification as a result of automatic conversion due to the death or naturalization of the petitioner; and 4. Have no changed circumstances that could affect the applicant’s eligibility for the visa.

For example, if a person was petitioned as “single” by their immigrant parent, but they married, they would no longer be eligible for the visa.

Depending on the circumstances, a repeat immigrant visa applicant may be required to submit a new Form DS-260/ DS-230, in which case the applicant must also submit the required supporting documents and pay a new fee. It would seem likely the person may also be required to submit to a new medical exam or police clearance.

I know there have been many cases where a person was interviewed and their immigrant visa was issued. But because the COVID-19 pandemic struck, many could not travel to the U.S. or were reluctant to do so.

As a result, their immigrant visa expired. Under this guidance, the person must still submit another immigrant visa applica-

tion, to have another/new immigrant visa issued. However, since they had already been interviewed in connection with their previous application, they may no longer be required to appear again at the U.S. Embassy for another in-person interview.

If this situation applies to you and your initial immigrant visa expired, you may want to consult with an attorney, who can evaluate your situation and perhaps help move your case forward so that if you’re prepared to immigrate to the U.S. and you meet the eligibility requirements for waiver of interview, the attorney can also assist in having a new visa issued. *** 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)

FAMILY PETITIONING FAMILY FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED GREEN CARD. Many people believe the only way to bring a family member to the U.S. is through a family petition. Auntie Eva started as a caregiver when she first set foot on American soil. Through the years, she was able to put up her own six-bed facility, but desperately needed help. Eva’s niece, Russell, just finished her nursing courses back in the Philippines.

While watching an episode of Citizen Pinoy, Eva learned a valuable lesson: family members in the U.S. who have businesses that are financially stable can legally petition relatives for an employment-based green card (PERM/labor certification). Watch this informative episode on how Atty. Gurfinkel’s office was able to complete all the necessary requirements, and help Tita Eva get the much-needed help for her facility (and a green card for her family member) on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, December 19 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo.

(Advertising Supplement)

A powerful performance and triumphant Top 5 Miss Universe finish by cHriStina

alPaD Manilatimes.net

BEATRICE Luigi Gomez may not have won the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe crown at the pageant’s 70th coronation night in Eilat, Israel but she is considered a triumph for this pageantloving nation just the same.

For not only did the Cebuana beauty land a triumphant Top 5 finish amid very tough competition this year but she gave the Philippines its best standing in the contest since Catriona Gray won the crown in 2018.

Gomez was a stunner from the onset but shined even brighter when host Steve Harvey called her to the Top 15 circle and asked after her tattoo.

“The tattoo that you’re talking about is the one that I’m wearing on my sleeve. It actually means rebirth and new beginnings. So this is a cherry blossom, I got it on my 23rd birthday and I got it to celebrate my womanhood.”

During the swimsuit competition, Gomez was the picture A Filipina goddess indeed.

PAGE 12 Photo from Instagram/@francislibiran

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Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu is new Miss Universe

By Ferdie Villar MISS India Harnaaz Sandhu, a Bollywood actress and model, was crowned as the 70th Miss Universe Pageant winner in rites held in Eilat, Israel on Sunday, December 12.

She becomes the third contestant from India to win the title, following Sushmita Sen (1994) and Lara Dutta (2000).

Along with Sandhu, South Africa’s Lalela Mswane and Paraguay’s Nadia Ferreira placed in the top three.

Sandhu was clearly elated and shocked with the win, following the announcement by pageant host Steve Harvey as she and Miss Paraguay stood front and center of the stage. Paraguay’s Ferreira was bidding to become her nation’s first Miss Universe winner. Both Sandhu and Ferreira were among pre-pageant and preliminary favorites by pageant watchers and enthusiasts.

The other two contestants who finished in the top five included Miss Philippines Beatrice Luigi Gomez and Miss Colombia Valeria Maria Ayos Bossa.

Earlier in the competition, after being selected as one of the top 16 in the pageant, Sandhu was asked by host Harvey about her ability to mimic pet sounds. She obliged by making cat sounds, to the delight of the audience (although some critics watching the telecast from their homes

posted on social media comments asking why Harvey decided to make such a request).

For the final question-andanswer segment prior to choosing the top three, Miss India was asked what advice she would give to young women who are watching on how to deal with the pressures they face today.

After a brief pause, Sandhu said, “Well, I think, the biggest pressure that the youth is facing today is to believe in themselves.

To know that you are unique and that what’s make you beautiful… stop comparing yourself to others and let’s talk about more important things that’s happening worldwide. I think this is what you need to understand: come out, speak for yourself because you are the leader of your life, you are the voice of your own. I believed in myself and that’s why I’m standing here today.”

Before being crowned Miss Diva 2021 and going on to represent India in the Miss Universe pageant, Sandhu chose to talk about global warming and climate change in that competition as part of the final five.

In her short speech, Sandhu said, “One day, life will flash before your eyes, make sure it’s worth watching. However, this is not the life you want to watch, where the climate is changing

Ray Satorre (right), president of the Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center, is the Hermano Mayor of the 47th Fiesta of the Nuestro Señor Padre Jesus Nazareno on Saturday, January 1, 2022. He is shown in photo above with San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa, who also regularly attends the celebration.

Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu was crowned as the new Miss Universe after pageant festivities held in Eilat, Israel on Sunday, December 12. Sandhu is shown in her official portrait as 2021 Miss Universe. missuniverse.com file photo

switch off those extra lights when not in use. Thank you.”

Sandhu, who was born in Chandigarh, India, has a bachelor’s degree in information technology was pursuing a master’s degree in public administration prior to her Miss Universe win.

The 21-year-old says her mother is her inspiration.

Sandhu’s passions include sustainability, limiting our carbon footprint and promoting climate change awareness.

Meanwhile, by making the semifinals, Gomez has continued the Philippines’ streak of making the semifinals of the Miss Universe Pageant for 12 consecutive years, reportedly marking a first in Miss Universe history. *** Actor-singer Janno Gibbs recently revealed that he wants to become a film director in a recent article posted on philstar.com.

Gibbs, whose latest movie is the superhero movie with a twist “Mang Jose,” wants to direct to benefit the comedy genre in the movie industry.

“I already talked to Boss Vic Janno Gibbs wants to become a film director to make comedy films and help Lelith Adriano, a talented graphic artist, designed the the comedy genre in the Philippine movie industry. invitation for the yearly Fiesta of the Nuestro Señor Padre and the other bosses. I have told them about my intentions to go Photo from Instagram/@jannolategibbs Jesus Nazareno this January. and the environment is dying. It is one of the fiasco that us humans have done to the environment.

I do believe that we still have time to undo our irresponsible behavior. Earth is all we have in common and our small acts as individuals when multiplied by billions can transform the whole world. Start now, from tonight,

Gil and Jett Navarro, the Club Royale couple, are getting ready for the holiday season by decorating their house in elaborate Christmas décor.

into directing. I am pitching my ideas to them,” Janno was quoted as saying.

As to why he wants to direct comedy movies, Janno feels that the industry lacks comedy directors and he wants to help the industry’s comedy genre.

“Of course, comedy. I think we kind of lack comedy directors right now because from my experience, all of the comedy directors that were directing actors like me and Andrew E are no longer there. The only one who is directing us at the moment is Direk Al Tantay,” he answered, when asked what kind of movies he would like to direct.

“I want to help the comedy

genre para maituloy naman namin,” he added.

Janno’s latest movie, “Mang Jose,” is based on the Parokya ni Edgar song and sees him as man who has the special ability of energy absorption and redirection. People in need of saving call on him, but the catch is they need to be able to pay him afterwards. Mang Jose’s services can actually cost a few thousand.

The movie sees him reunite with his former ka-loveteam Manilyn Reynes. Their tandem was one of the biggest loveteams in the Philippine entertainment industry in the 1980s. In this fantasy-comedy movie, however, Janno and Manilyn play rivals.

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Health @Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS SILDENAFIL Citrate, popularly known as Viagra, was originally developed to treat angina because it dilates arteries. However, the beneficial effect for angina was not impressive and researchers discovered that the side-effect of Viagra (penile erection) instead was more effective for male erectile dysfunction.

My very first article on Viagra on June 18, 1998, after the USFDA approved Sildenafil Citrate on March 27, 1998, was about the “giant blue” miracle pill from Pfizer.

On top of this wonderful discovery, which has saved a lot of relationships, Sildenafil was also found effective in controlling pulmonary arterial hypertension, even in infants, and good therapy for altitude sickness in humans and jetlag in hamsters. Recent studies with a 6-year follow-up show Sildenafil reduces the risk for Alzheimer’s by an impressive 69 percent.

For the treatment of erectile dysfunction, Sildenafil stimulates the production of nitric oxide, which activates an enzyme that relaxes the muscles, arteries, and veins of the penis, allowing the flow of more blood to engorge the penis and keep it erect for successful penetration.

There is a warning, though: Viagra should not be taken when one is on any nitrate (coronary dilator) medications for angina, like nitroglycerine, Peritrate, Imdur, Isordil, Nitrobid, etc.

The combination causes a sudden drop in blood pressure and shock. Sildenafil is a prescription drug and should be used only under a physician’s direction.

This initial observation on Viagra’s beneficial role in reducing the risk for Alzheimer’s Disease will require multiple large independent worldwide evidencebased randomized clinical studies for confirmation before the therapy could be accepted as a standard of care.

Stroke prevention Around three million people in the United States have atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm ailment, causing irregular heartbeat. This condition increases the chance of blood clots forming in the left atrium of the heart, pieces of which could travel upwards to block an artery in the brain and cause stroke.

Afib is responsible for 15-20 and percent of all strokes and also elevates the risk for heart failure.

To minimize blood clot formation, patients take warfarin blood thinners. Unfortunately, a significant number of them develop severe bleeding as a side-effect.

Today, there is a non-drug alternative, the Watchman device.

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Viagra for Alzheimer’s? Contra Costa County health advocates warn On March 13, 2015, the USFDA approved the Watchman device (Boston Scientific Corporation) for Non-Valvular atrial fibrillation, and on March 24, 2015, the first 4 patients with NV-AFib received the first implants of the Watchman at two heart centers in Los Angeles.

The Watchman is a device the size of a quarter, shaped like a parachute. It is introduced through a catheter inserted in a vein in the groin and directed to the left atrium, guided by a video monitor, and deployed (open the parachute) to close the left atrial appendage to prevent blood clots from leaving that chamber and traveling to the brain.

Over 150,000 patients with NVaFib have received the Watchman implant and no longer take blood thinners. It is a one-time minimally invasive stroke-preventing procedure that is life-changing.

Stealth Omicron The Omicron variant from South Africa is now practically in the entire United States. It appears to be more rapidly transmissible but “not more” deadly than Delta. But it is too early to tell for sure. Omicron itself is reported to have a stealth version, which is much harder to detect.

The unvaccinated are evidently the target of all strains of the virus, especially the Delta variant, which is more than 99.9 percent the cause of current surges in COVID-19 infections. There were almost 835,000 cases in the U.S. last week alone, a 40 percent increase the past 2 weeks, and 1100 deaths a day! Those vaccinated, especially those who had the booster shot, are dozen times better protected, even from Omicron, compared to those who are not vaccinated.

After the booster, breakthrough infection is still possible, albeit the chances are very low. Those 16 and over are now eligible to get the booster. After six months of the booster, I predict that a 4th shot might be needed, amidst (mostly the unvaccinated) carriers/transmitters of newer variants, and an annual shot might be the norm, like the yearly flu shots.

As of Thursday, December 9, 200,717,389 people in the United States have been fully vaccinated, representing only 60.5 percent of the population. This is still far from the 90 percent needed before the country could develop herd immunity, especially with newer strains coming out.

It is a shame that the United States, a world leader with stateof-the-art education, science, and epidemiology and all the vaccines at its disposal, is lagging by default behind 50 other countries, many of which have more than 80 percent of their population vaccinated.

We have a time-proven standard epidemiologic protocol to manage and end this pandemic

soonest, which the government refuses to employ resulting in thousands of preventable deaths. Is this the price we are paying for some people’s abuse of their civil rights, the freedom to refuse (hurting others), and our science-incompetent and spineless government leaders’ political correctness? Is this not gross negligence and dereliction of duty on the part of our leaders?

The sad reality is that almost 40 percent of Americans are not fully vaccinated yet, including the 20 percent who remain refusing the shot. These individuals are serving as massive human reservoirs (hosts) for the COVID-19 viruses, enabling them to replicate and mutate to more variants, spreading the viruses exponentially to others. As we have stated before, without a host (when everyone is vaccinated), the virus will self-destruct.

Scientifically, the unvaccinated, which are hosts keeping the virus active, is the reason why this pandemic will linger, and cause more deaths and devastation.

More than 8.47 billion COVID shots have been given worldwide proving the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. To prefer COVID-19 infection over the vaccines to acquire immunity does not make any sense, practically a suicidal choice.

COVID-19 has so far killed almost 5.4 million people around the world, nearly 818,000 in the United States, and more than 50,000 in the Philippines. It behooves all of us to get fully vaccinated, continue to use our facemask, do social distancing and avoid crowds, even if we already had the booster shot.

We must deal with these killer viruses with humility and not with recklessness, carelessness, or arrogance. Our life is too precious to gamble with. *** 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

ConGen Neil Ferrer delivers his keynote address during the 50th anniversary celebration of the Fil-Am Lions Club of San Francisco at the Elks Lodge in South San Francisco.

Photos courtesy of PCGSF

ConGen Ferrer graces 50th anniversary of first Fil-Am Lions Club in US

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO – Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Frank Ferrer joined the Fil-Am Lions Club of San Francisco, the first Lions Club of Filipino ancestry in the United States, in their milestone 50th anniversary banquet and ball at the Elks Lodge in South San Francisco on November 19.

In his remarks during the celebration, Consul General Ferrer acknowledged the San Francisco Fil-Am Lions Club for “inspiring and uplifting the community through charity missions and community service.”

“Organizations such as yours allow members of the community to develop deeper relations with one another, fostering inclusivity, solidarity and unity among Filipinos and Filipino Americans… I encourage you to continue to imbibe the inherent Filipino spirit of bayanihan that so pervades our community’s actions in the United States,” ConGen Ferrer said.

The Consul General noted that the San Francisco Fil-Am Lions Club’s golden anniversary coincided with the 75th year of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the U.S. “The friendship between our

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Philippine Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer (center) joins the top officials of the Fil-Am Lions Club of San Francisco during their 50thanniversary banquet and ball at the Elks Lodge in South San Francisco last November 19. With ConGen Ferrer in photo are (from left) Golden Anniversary executive chair Mario Panoringan, Norma Panoringan, current Fil-Am Lions Club president Lorna Feria, and former Fil-Am Lions Club president Ferdinand Feria.

two countries has been strengthened by resilient people-to-people ties, especially through the efforts of organizations such as the San Francisco Fil-Am Lions Club,” he said.

The Philippine Consul General also called on the attendees to actively participate in next year’s Philippine national elections. “As members of the Filipino community in the Bay Area, I urge all of you to perform your sacred duty of electing our next leaders, and to invite your families, neighbors, co-workers and

friends to do the same,” ConGen Ferrer said.

The San Francisco Fil-Am Lions Club is a non-partisan service organization under the U.S.based Lions Club International.

The activities and projects of the club in recent years include medical missions, book donation drives, and COVID-19 vaccination clinics. Its members recently provided free flu shots for Filipino community members during the “Health Day Sa Konsulado” last October 2021.

(PCGSF Release)

about tobacco, vaping products proximity to schools, youth and need for TRL policies

By Joseph

L. peraLta

AJPress

CONTRA Costa County officials and community advocates came together in a Zoom briefing to talk about the issues attached to tobacco retailers, vaping and e-cigarettes – specifically, the products’ proximity to schools and youth, as well as its well-heeled presence in underserved, minority communities.

A panel of experts led the presentation and discussion with ethnic media moderated by Odette Keeley of Global MediaX that included Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Public Health Director and Deputy Health Officer of Contra Costa Health Services, Dr. Phillip Gardiner of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC), Ali Wohlgemuth of Bay Area Community Services and John Chung of Community Health for Asian Americans. Nathan Hill Meza provided testimony from the youth sector.

According to graphs and materials provided by experts, there are a total of 129 tobacco retailers in the cities of Pittsburg and Antioch.

In Pittsburg, 18.8% of these retailers are within 500 feet of schools, and the percentage increases to 22.9% when the scope is widened to within 1,000 feet of schools.

In Antioch, 9.9% of tobacco retailers are within 500 feet of schools, and the percentage jumps to 31.0% when looking at retailers within 1,000 feet of schools.

What is alarming to advocates is that when tobacco retailers’ proximity to public schools are singled out, the percentages increase dramatically for both cities – for Antioch, 26% are within 500 feet of public schools and 53% are within 1,000 feet of public schools; for Antioch, 53% are within 500 feet of public schools and 66% are within 1,000 feet of public schools. In both cities, exposure for students from elementary and middle/junior high public schools are north of 50%.

Experiences are similar, according to experts, in both cities where vaping and e-cigarettes are readily available to youth when they go to these stores, and are marketed in a variety of flavors that look enticing to youth. What’s more, these products are sold in single packs at some of these retailers, allowing young people the affordability of starting the activity of vaping and/or trying e-cigarettes, which can then lead them to trying more dangerous products.

According to Dr. Gardiner of the ACCTCLC, menthol cigarettes are prevalent in the African-American community and other poor communities of color, and have been responsible for the loss of about 1.5 million life-years among African-Americans within the period of 1980 to 2018. A recent study, Dr. Gardiner said, showed that menthol cigarettes were responsible for 1.5 million new smokers and 157,000 smoking-related premature deaths.

“Let’s be clear: the main killer of African-Americans are these product. And while AfricanAmericans constitute only 12% of the total U.S. population, they represent 15% of all new smokers, 41% of smoking-related premature deaths, and 50% of the total menthol-related harm,” he said, as he reminded listeners how these products (tobacco and flavored cigarettes) have been the main vectors of disease in Black, Brown and other poor communities of color.

Dr. Gardiner showed in his slides that the peppermint taste in tobacco masks the harshness of smoking and makes it easier to inhale smoke, allowing for more nicotine to be taken in. The cooling sensation also contributes to making it agreeable with consumers, and slows down metabolism allowing for the nicotine to stay more in the body.

Dr. Tzvieli, meanwhile, showed in his presentation how more prevalent tobacco retailers are situated in communities that have a lower household income in Contra Costa County. Accessibility and availability of tobacco products, including vaping devices and e-cigarettes as well as marketing and promotions for these products, mostly impact communities with a dense amount of people of color.

Dr. Tzveili said that since vaping has been unregulated for the last 12 years, many young people

are starting to vape and getting hooked on tobacco products, and the county sees this as a public health challenge in the years to come and will more likely contribute to many, many more deaths in the future.

“We know that nicotine is addictive, we know that it does a lot of harm. There was a Surgeon General report in 2016 on the use of e-cigarettes amongst youth that concluded that youth use of nicotine in any form, including e-cigarettes, is unsafe, can harm adolescent brain development and impacts attention, memory, learning, and can lead to a lifetime of use,” Dr. Tzveili stated, as he talked about how the tobacco industry has pivoted to vaping and the use of e-cigarettes in the face of the dwindling number of tobacco products users.

Dr. Tzveili pointed out a few things: four out of five kids who have used tobacco have initiated it with a flavored product (almost 85% among middle and high school students); over 70% of kids have tried it with fruit or candy flavors, mint or menthol; vaping devices are almost difficult to tell from school supplies, and made to look like pens, USB ports and other common items; it is possible for retailers to sell a single piece or minimum number to youth (unlike traditional cigarettes that need to be sold in packs of 20s) as these products are not covered by existing law.

His report included a California Health Kids Survey that showed about 31% of Antioch 11th graders (2017-2018) and 30% of Pittsburg 11th graders (2018-2019) reporting having ever used an electronic cigarette device.

Wohlgemuth, for her part, focused on the work being done by the Youth Tobacco Advocacy and Policy Project (YTAPP), which mirrored some of the information shared by Dr. Tzveili. YTAPP’s members, in addition to being informed on social justice and health issues, also shared among themselves lived experiences of tobacco use in their own families or in their communities.

According to information gleaned by the youth members of YTAPP via store surveys, 1 in 3 of Antioch schools are within 1,000 feet of a tobacco retailer, and that 97% of retailers sold flavored tobacco products. Other findings include seeing tobacco smoking for kids as early as 11 years old due to social marketing strategies employed by companies to sell vaping products; marketing the products in brightly-colored packages and flavors (grape, bubble gum, unicorn milk, cotton candy, etc.) that appeal to kids/youth; products priced to move (e.g.

Swishers priced at 2 for $1) and can sometimes be cheaper than a candy bar.

“In practice, this means that a child growing up in a wealthy, predominantly white suburb like Danville or Lafayette is significantly less likely to be exposed to tobacco in the retail environment than a child growing up in Concord or Antioch,” Wohlgemuth said. “So we see this as a real equity issue in our county.”

Chung, who focused on the community of Pittsburg, showed that 39% of retailers are within 1000 feet of a school or youthsensitive area, and that 100% of Pittsburg retailers surveyed sold flavored tobacco products. Little cigars or cigarillos are sold in Pittsburg for less than $1, and can be sold individually or in packs of 2 or 3.

Among the data points presented, Chung showed that 80% of youth smoker started with a flavored tobacco product, 85% of teen vapers use flavored e-cigarettes, youth who vape are four times more likely to smoke one year later, and 50% of youth start with menthol cigarettes.

Meza, a 17-year-old senior who lives has lived in the Pitts-

burg/Antioch area all his life, has experience with a family member who became addicted to menthol cigarettes at a young age. He said that you could smell remnants of flavored cigarettes and vapes, and that vaping has become rampant that the restroom has become known as Juul room.

Meza has observed that the Pittsburg/Antioch area has been heavily marketed with flavored tobacco products, particularly menthol-flavored ones. Corner stores close to Pittsburg High School, where a lot of the youth visit when they get out of school, are riddled with great promotions for flavored cigarettes and other products, including alcohol, he related.

“We’re being exposed intentionally to tobacco from youth.

So, we don’t second-guess when it appears in front of us. We actually place a positive connotation to it, especially to African-American and Hispanic communities,” he said, as he added that flavored cigarettes have that added marketing component of being “cool and grown-up” and that kids from communities of color are disproportionately affected by these products.

All panelists were one in saying that communities need to be very proactive in seeing that Tobacco Retail License (TRL) policies need to be put in place and implemented thoroughly in order to protect vulnerable youth from getting access to flavored tobacco products.

By eliminating the sale of ecigarettes, eliminating coupon prices and promotions, restricting flavors, setting a minimum price and pack size, and setting rules for density and proximity of retailers to communities and schools, TRLs are a good way to ensure there is compliance with local business standards, there is a reduction in the inequities when it comes to the prevalence of flavored tobacco and other tobacco products in underserved communities, and there is a reduction to youth access to tobacco.

All these will lead to a lessening of the negative public health effects associated with tobacco use, and, perhaps, accelerate the reduction of one of the leading causes of preventable disease and death in the country.

According to Dr. Tzveili, 15 of the 19 jurisdictions in Contra Costa County have adopted a basic policy that require tobacco retailers to maintain an annual license to sell tobacco products, and that many jurisdictions have strengthened their regulations by adopting comprehensive Tobacco Retail License policies.

As Dr. Gardiner put it, communities cannot wait for the federal government to enact rules that prevent flavored tobacco, including menthol, from being marketed heavily to vulnerable populations, including poor, underserved communities of color.

Local communities must take up the cudgels for themselves as he expects the tobacco industry to challenge any rules implemented by the government. And concerned citizens must inform themselves and fight for the passage of laws that take away these products that have killed millions of lives.

“We can’t wait for the state or FDA. Lives are at stake. We must continue to fight for local and state bans on this…Enough is enough,” he said. “…Menthol is a social justice issue. The disproportionate marketing and targeting of candy-flavored poison to African Americans and other speciallyoppressed sectors or our society is outright discriminatory and genocidal. The poorest, the folks that are the least informed, people with the fewest resources… indeed, it is the definition of preying on the most vulnerable sectors of our society.”

“So what’s at stake: it’s our future, it’s our kids,” Dr. Gardiner added.

A powerful performance and triumphant Top 5...

PAGE 9 t perfect lady in a modest red one-piece. Her confident walk and sweet smile earned her a spot in the Top 10.

The 26-year-old then wowed the crowd with her ethereal gold gown by Francis Libiran, looking every bit a winner. She was a shoo-in to the Top 5.

While getting the short end of the stick with a highly political and controversial question, Gomez, who was last to draw a card among her fellow finalists, nonetheless delivered a wellformed and clearly justified answer regarding her opinion on the need for vaccine passports.

All in all, Beatrice Luigi Gomez delivered a powerful performance in the competition of her young life, and with the grace, eloquence and quiet dignity she showed, this Filipina — just liker gown — is sure to have a dazzling future ahead.

Salamat at mabuhay ka Bea Gomez!

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