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JUNE 26 - JULY 2, 2020 Volume 13 - No. 34 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858

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‘Great Lockdown’ to cripple Philippine economy — IMF

by Prinz

Magtulis Philstar.com

MANILA — “A crisis like no other” would sink the Philippine economy to its worst contraction in 35 years, signaling a deeper fallout from the coronavirus pandemic that triggered the global “Great Lockdown” crippling eco-

nomic activity, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Wednesday, June 24.

On an update to the agency’s World Economic Outlook last April, the Washington-based lender now sees gross domestic product (GDP) shrinking 3.6% in 2020, a turnaround from the 0.6% growth seen just two months ago.

When compared to the 6.3% growth forecast last December 2019, when the outbreak was not anticipated, the latest projection paints a greater deterioration for the local economy, which similar with the rest of the globe, has faced the tough balancing of public health and economic goals.

“It is mostly attributable to larger-than-

expected supply disruptions related to COVID-19 and weaker demand in major trading partners,” said Yongzheng Yang, IMF representative to the Philippines, in an e-mail.

Compared with other multilateral institutions that also lowered their GDP outlook,

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Trump signs order temporarily freezing DATELINE worker visas, prefers Fil-Am DACA recipients breathe a sigh of relief ‘merit-based system’

USA

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM across America

as US Supreme Court halts ending of program

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Thursday, June 18 stopped President Donald Trump’s administration from rescinding a program that protected more than 800,000 young authorized immigrants, or “Dreamers,” who came to the U.S. as children from deportation.

In a narrow 5-4 vote, the court held that the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) effort to end the Deferred Action for

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

CERTAIN foreign workers will be barred from seeking employment in the United States as President Donald Trump on Monday, June 22 signed an executive order that places a temporary freeze on work visas through the end of the year.

Those affected include the H-1B visas for tech workers, H-2B visas for low-skill jobs, H4 visas for spouses of certain visa holders, J visas for those in work and student exchange programs and L visas for “intracompany transfers.”

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FOUNDER OF MANILA. Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (2nd from right), and Vice Mayor Dra. Honey Lacuna (right), visit the tomb of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi at the San Agustin Church during the 449th founding anniversary of Manila on Wednesday, June 24. Miguel Lopez de Legazpi established Manila in 1571, which became the capital of the new Spanish colony and Spain’s major trading port in East Asia.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Duterte: OFWs facing Philippine villagers brace NY man charged with sex repatriation could as volcano grows restive crimes committed in PH exceed 100,000 PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, June 22, said that the number of overseas Filipinos facing repatriation could exceed 100,000 in the coming months due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

He noted reports from cruise line companies saying 29,963 more seafarers are expected to be repatriated.

Likewise, foreign service posts of the Department of Foreign Affairs said 17,830

MANILA — Philippine villagers near a restive volcano on a central island are bracing for possible evacuations that would require physical distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic, an official said Wednesday, June 24.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said it detected dozens of small earthquakes on the western flank of Kanlaon volcano, which emitted plumes

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by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island

Photo courtesy of DOST

A GARDEN City, New York man on Friday, June 19, was indicted by a federal court in the United States for traveling to the Philippines with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, sexual exploitation of a child, distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

The indictment was filed with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District

of New York charges, after an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York.

Thomas Blaha, 64, traveled from New York to the Philippines in September and October of 2019 to engage in sexual activity with a 13year-old female in exchange for money. He also enticed the victim to produce sexually explicit images of herself and

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From the Front Page Trump signs order temporarily freezing... ‘Great Lockdown’ to cripple Philippine...

PAGE 1 According to a White House proclamation, the administration would be “moving to a merit-based immigration system” but the president also cited the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason to preserve jobs for Americans.

“American workers compete against foreign nationals for jobs in every sector of our economy,” the White House wrote, adding that the “economic shocks” reverberating across the country are “likely [to] require several months to return to” pre-pandemic economic output.

The suspension announced on Monday follows the abrupt halting of visas for certain family members of green card holders, which was placed on April 22 and was also a response to the pandemic. Those working in essential industries, like health care, medical research, food processing and university professors, however, were exempt from that measure.

Though the suspension is

temporary, the White House proclamation also noted that it would direct the departments of Homeland Security, State and Labor to draft offshoot regulations that will provide more permanent action that the administration hopes will lead to a “meritbased system.”

These changes would affect a great number of workers including hospitality workers but will also end permits for many asylum seekers and those hoping tocontend in the lottery system for H-1B visas.

Without providing clear projections, the White House says that 525,000 “American jobs” will be saved by these measures.

But CEOs and workers at major tech companies such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Uber, Twitter and Box say that the new measures do more to harm the U.S. economy than save it, denouncing the president’s freeze as “unbelievably bad policy” that would undermine American competitiveness.

Silicon Valley reacts Tech companies routinely rely on H-1B visas to recruit computer engineering from other countries, a tactic that has hoisted Silicon Valley as the capital of tech innovation.

Each year, the U.S. offers about 85,000 H-1B visas each year, and according to Business Insider, Google and Amazon each received roughly 9,000 H-1B visa applications.

Microsoft President Brad Smith wrote in a statement, “Now is not the time to cut our nation off from the world’s talent or create uncertainty and anxiety. Immigrants play a vital role at our company and support our country’s critical infrastructure. They are contributing to this country at a time when we need them most.”

Mirroring Smith’s statement, Apple CEO Tim Cook took to Twitter to express disappointment “by this proclamation,” saying that, “Like Apple, this nation of immigrants has always found strength in our diversity, and

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PAGE 1 IMF’s 2020 figure for the Philippines is better than the Asian Development Bank’s 3.8% slump, but more pessimistic than the World Bank’s 1.9% reduction.

The Duterte administration is resigned to a contraction this year, albeit much tempered at 2-3.4%.

Regardless of which forecast is realized, the economy is poised for its worst performance since 1985 when GDP slipped 6.5%.

The recovery next year would also be slower than expected. From 7.6% growth seen last April, the Philippines is now projected to grow 6.8% in 2021, below the government’s 89% target. “We expect the resolution of COVID-19 to be more gradual, and hence the impact of the pandemic on economic growth to be larger and longer than previously anticipated,” Yang said.

Global phenomenon To be fair, the bleaker outlook for the Philippines reflects a global phenomenon. On average, the global economy is likely to shrink 4.9% this year, worse than the 3% forecast last April as an intensified pandemic “necessitated stringent lockdowns resulting in even larger disruptions to activity.”

Emerging economies would contract 3%, while the smaller group of five Southeast Asian economies known as Asean-5— of which Philippines is included— would see GDP down 2%, figures showed.

“In countries with high shares of informal employment, lockdowns have led to joblessness and abrupt income losses for many of

‘BUSINESS AS USUAL’. Unlike other fathers who won’t let this day pass without celebrating Father’s Day, this man has to earn a living first by selling guavas to motorists along Katigbak Parkway in Manila on Sunday, June 21. Father’s Day was first celebrated to honor fathers on the third Sunday of June in 1910.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

those workers (often where migrants work far from home, separated from support networks),” the lender said.

Movement restrictions used to counter the virus spread were so stringent that consumers were left with no safety net. Firms, faced with “precipitous demand declines,” also pulled back investment plans.

With growth essentially scratched off this year, IMF said more people would be thrown back to poverty. “In countries with high shares of informal employment, lockdowns have led to joblessness and abrupt income losses for many of those workers (often where migrants work far from home, separated from support networks),” the lender said.

Vaccine an economic booster The IMF, on its report, however made clear that its

forecasts are not set in stone and drew up two scenarios that underscored the “considerable uncertainty” surrounding the pandemic.

One scenario depicted a “second global COVID-19 outbreak” in 2021 that would essentially delay recovery to 2022, while another was more optimistic of a faster rebound.

“Medical breakthroughs with therapeutics and changes in social distancing behavior might allow healthcare systems to cope better without requiring extended, stringent lockdowns. Vaccine trials are also proceeding at a rapid pace,” IMF said.

“Development of a safe, effective vaccine would lift sentiment and could improve growth outcomes in 2021, even if vaccine production is not scaled up fast enough to deliver herd immunity by end of 2021,” it added. n

Philippine villagers brace...

PAGE 1 of steam up to 300 meters (980 feet) in the air overnight.

Kanlaon on Negros island is one of about two dozen active volcanoes in the Philippines.

Those signs, along with a slight bulging of Kanlaon’s slope, “indicate that hydrothermal or magmatic activity is occurring beneath the edifice,” the institute said. It added that the volcano “is at an abnormal condition and has entered a period of unrest.”

Zeaphard Caelian, who heads the disaster response

agency in Negros Occidental province, said authorities issued an initial alert in March after Kanlaon began showing signs of restiveness, which intensified last weekend.

More than 20,000 people in eight villages within 6 to 12 kilometers (4 to 7 miles) of Kanlaon would have to be evacuated if the volcano shows signs of an imminent eruption.

Officials are identifying evacuation centers where physical distancing could be observed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Caelian said.

The Philippines has reported more than 32,000 confirmed coronavirus infections, including 1,204 deaths, among the highest in Southeast Asia.

The volcano-monitoring institute warned the public from venturing into a permanent 4-kilometer (2.4-mile) danger zone around Kanlaon due to possible sudden eruptions of steam. It advised airplanes to avoid flying close to the summit of the 2,465-meter (8,087foot) mountain. (Inquirer.net with reports from Associated Press) n

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Fil-Am DACA recipients breath...

PAGE 1 Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was “arbitrary and capricious” in that it violated the Administrative Procedure Act. “I woke up to my Slack notifications going off like wildfire,” Set Hernandez Rongkilyo, an undocumented Fil-Am filmmaker and community organizer, told the Asian Journal.

Originally from Caloocan, Philippines, Rongkilyo came to the U.S. from Japan with his family when he was 12 years old. It wasn’t until he began school at the University of California, Los Angeles when he met other undocumented people.

In the days leading up to the ruling announcement, Rongkilyo had been organizing with a group of undocumented people across the country. Like many, he was also protesting with the Black Lives Matter Movement taking place with a backdrop of the still current COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was shocked, but I was so tired. I didn’t even have time to process emotionally,” added Rongkilyo, admitting that he wasn’t expecting a decision to go in favor of undocumented immigrants.

While the ruling does not provide permanent protections, the decision has been a sigh of relief for the hundreds of thousands who have grown up in the U.S. from a young age — many of whom are approaching their 30s.

Of the current 650,000 DACA recipients in the U.S., roughly 200,000 recipients are in California with about 85,000 in Los Angeles. The majority come from Mexico and other Central or South American countries, but many were also brought from Asia including the Philippines.

According to Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice), an affiliation of five independent civil rights organizations, at least 16,000 DACA recipients are of Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI) descent.

Between 2012 and 2017, at least 3,880 Filipinos were granted DACA protection, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Raymond Portolan, an undocumented Fil-Am living in Atlanta, Georgia echoed many in calling the decision a sigh of relief after years of uncertainty.

“Yesterday was a momentous victory for the immigrant

CLEAN-UP FIRST. A worker splashes water in cleaning a modern jeepney at the terminal in Uniwide in Parañaque City on Monday, June 22. Around 1,500 modern jeepneys and 3,600 public utility buses were allowed to travel at the start of the second phase resumption of public transport subject to health and safety protocols.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Duterte: OFWs facing repatriation...

THE FACES OF DACA. Nearly 4,000 Filipinos are reported to have received DACA protection in the United States, including (L-R) Set Hernandez Rongkilyo, a documentary filmmaker in Southern California; Veronica Velasquez, a physical therapist at a Los Angeles community hospital; and Raymond Portolan, an immigration paralegal in Atlanta, Georgia.

Contributed photos

rights movement and a huge blow to the Trump administration’s efforts to dehumanize and undervalue DACA recipients like me. I am still reeling from the absolute surprise that I felt yesterday when the Court handed down its decision,” Portolan, who works as an immigration paralegal, told the Asian Journal.

He added, “For weeks, our communities have prepared for the worst and yesterday’s decision rendered a collective sigh of relief. Our work, however, is not over.”

Given that the ruling was based on procedural requirements, the Trump administration may try again by presenting stronger justifications.

Trump did say on Friday that his administration would be “submitting enhanced papers shortly.” However, many experts said after the ruling that it is unlikely that it would do so before the upcoming presidential elections in November.

Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts — in joining the high court’s four liberal Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomay-

or — wrote in his opinion, “The appropriate recourse is therefore to remand to DHS so that it may reconsider the problem anew.”

“We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies. We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action,” he added.

Justice Sotomayor was the only justice to take an added stance shared by many DACA advocates in arguing that the move to rescind protections may have been motivated by discrimination against immigrants.

The dissent, which included Trump appointees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, dismissed the ruling as being politically charged.

“Today’s decision must be recognized for what it is: an effort to avoid a politically controversial but legally correct decision. The court could have made clear that the solution respondents must seek came from the legislative branch,” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in his dissent.

On Twitter, President Don-

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PAGE 1 land-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) showed interest in being repatriated.

“Barring any complications, this would bring the total number of repatriates to 93,675,” Duterte pointed out in his 13th report to Congress.

“However, due to the continuing impact of the pandemic, the number of repatriated Filipinos could reach 100,000 or even higher in the coming months,” he added.

Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque cited the Department of Labor and Employment’s data that showed 50,105 Overseas Filipino Workers have been transported back to their home provinces from

May 15 to June 14 by planes, boats and buses.

He also defended the government from critics saying that repatriated OFWs are being treated like “garbage” in the country.

“Inuwi po natin lahat ng manggagawa natin. Binigyan namin ng libreng PCR testing, binigyan natin ng libreng pamasahe sa eroplano, sa bus, at sa barko (We’re bringing home all our workers and we give them free PCR testing and we shoulder their ride home),” Roque said in late May. “Hindi po ‘yan garbagelike treatment. VIP treatment po ‘yan (That’s not garbagelike treatment. That is VIP treatment),” he added.

Duterte in his report also

mentioned that the COVID19 Adjustment Measures Program-Abot-Kamay ang Pagtulong (CAMP-AKAP) program has released P1.5 billion as the first tranche of its funding assistance.

He added that overseas Filipino health workers who returned to the country are covered by CAMP-AKAP, with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) processing their online applications.

The Department of Labor and Employment, meanwhile, oversees the distribution of the assistance to affected workers in the country through the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) and the DOLE regional offices. n

NY man charged with sex crimes...

PAGE 1 send them to him in exchange for money.

Government agents obtained search warrants in December 2019 for Blaha’s Facebook account as well as his residence in Garden City, New York and electronic devices.

The court filings said the searches revealed hundreds of images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

“It’s alleged Blaha made trips to the Philippines to sexually abuse a 13-year old

female who was being exploited for money,” said Peter C. Fitzhugh, special agent in charge of HSI New York.

He stressed that crimes involving the sexual exploitation of unwitting children are the most heinous and will not be tolerated, regardless of where the sexual acts occur.

Fitzhugh also vowed that the HSI will stop at nothing to put an end to child victimization worldwide.

Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue said: “The defendant allegedly trav-

eled halfway across the globe to sexually exploit a minor that he had enticed through Facebook and create child pornography.”

“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting children from online predators by identifying such offenders and prosecuting them to the full extent of the law,” he added.

Blaha, if convicted, will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and up to a maximum 170 years imprisonment. n

Trump signs order temporarily freezing...

PAGE 2 hope in the enduring promise of the American Dream.

There is no new prosperity without both.”

Jessica Herrera-Flanigan,

Twitter’s vice president of public policy and philanthropy for the Americas, said in a statement that the “proclamation undermines America’s greatest economic asset:

its diversity. People from all over the world come here to join our labor force, pay taxes and contribute to our global competitiveness on the world stage.” n

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Opinion

Mental health in a pandemic WITH no vaccine or cure in sight for the coronavirus disease 2019, people are focused on protecting public health and economic health. But there is another health aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic that isn’t getting enough attention: mental wellness.

Around the world, health professionals are reporting a spike in mental problems since people were forced into lockdowns at home to contain the pandemic and millions lost their livelihoods. This is apart from the suffering of those who lost loved ones to COVID-19 or who were themselves infected with the coronavirus.

In the Philippines, suicide prevention hotlines have reported a doubling of calls for help since March when Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon were placed under enhanced community quarantine. The calls for help cut across age groups, from youths to senior citizens, according to mental health advocates.

Philippine society has traditionally paid little attention to mental wellness, even as suicides continue to rise especially among the youth.

The focus on public health during the pandemic provides an opportunity to give special attention to mental wellness and the full implementation of Republic Act 11036 or the Mental Health Act, which was signed into law on June 20, 2018.

The implementing rules for RA 11036 were released last year.

Under the rules, community-based mental health care facilities must be set up apart from hospitals dedicated to mental health so that counseling and other services can be accessed at the grassroots. The community facilities can be set up in outpatient care centers, for example, or even in halfway houses.

All regional, provincial and tertiary hospitals are mandated to provide psychiatric, psychosocial and neurologic services, including hotlines and other mechanisms for suicide prevention, with special attention on the youth.

Over two years, mental health subjects will be included in the school curriculum and mental health programs must be integrated into the education system as well as workplaces.

Under the law, those seeking mental health

Features

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

services are assured of privacy as well as protection from stigma and discrimination.

Barangay personnel will be given training for community-based mental health promotion, and to act as first responders in emergency cases. The Philippine Council for Mental

Health is tasked to develop a national multisectoral strategic plan for mental health promotion. The mental health problems now emerging amid the COVID pandemic should give urgency to the full implementation of the Mental Health Act. (Philstar.com)

International confidence in US leadership In memory of Eduardo ‘Danding’ plummets under Trump, especially during Cojuangco: Industrialist, political leader, the war against the coronavirus pandemic sports patron, a great Filipino The Fil-Am Perspective Gel Santos-Relos BEFORE Donald Trump was elected president of the United States in 2016, the nations and people of the free world looked up to America to lead the global community

in matters of shared concerns like peace, human rights, hunger, the threat of nuclear arms, climate change, protection of the environment and pandemics. That was then.

But now, a big majority of people living outside the United States do NOT trust Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, with fewer than one-third expressing confidence in him.

Surveying 32 countries, “a median of 64% say they

do not have confidence in Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, while just 29% express confidence in the American leader,” according to Pew Research Center.

The study finds that “antiTrump sentiments are especially common in Western Europe: Roughly three-infour or more lack confidence in Trump in Germany, Sweden, France, Spain and the Netherlands. He also gets PAGE 10

Commentary

Jose C. de Venecia, Jr. WE first met the late visionary industrialist Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco some 50 years ago in 1969,

when we were both elected to the House of Representatives. We served until 1972 as our term was abruptly terminated when martial law was declared.

Some of our colleagues in the pre-martial law House were Cornelio Villareal of Capiz, Jose B. Laurel Jr. of Batangas, Nicanor Yniguez of Leyte, and Ramon Mitra Jr. of Palawan, who all became speakers of the House; as well as

Jose Zulueta of Iloilo and Neptali Gonzales of Rizal, who both became Senate president.

Ambassador Cojuangco and we would sometimes find ourselves at different sides of the political fence but we have kept our friendship and respected each other’s political convictions.

In 1992, when Danding ran for president, we PAGE 8

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

Supreme Court junks quo warranto petition vs ABS-CBN

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

THE Supreme Court on Tuesday, June 23, dismissed Solicitor General Jose Calida’s quo warranto petition against broadcast giant ABS-CBN on the “ground of mootness.”

“I was able to confirm with Chief Justice [Diosdado] Peralta that the Supreme Court dismissed today during their en banc meeting the quo warranto petition filed by the Solicitor General against ABS-CBN Corporation on the ground of mootness,” said SC Public Information Chief Atty. Brian Keith Hosaka.

He also confirmed that the court still hasn’t issued a resolution on the franchise case of ABS-CBN Convergence, which operates ABS-CBN Mobile.

ABS-CBN Convergence expired on March 17, before the franchise of ABS-CBN Corpo-

ration did.

“The complaint against ABSCBN Convergence remains pending,” Hosaka said.

“Let us wait for the resolution of the court on this matter, as for the reason for their action,” he added.

Malacañang, for its part, said it respects the High Court’s decision.

“We leave it to the Solicitor-General as the petitioner to decide on his next legal steps,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.

“Meanwhile on the issue of renewal of ABS-CBN franchise, we consider this a prerogative of Congress, which is presently deliberating on the matter,” he added.

Calida on February 10 filed a petition before the SC for the cancellation of ABS-CBN’s 25-year franchise, alleging that the TV network reportedly violated rules set by Congress.

“We want to put an end to what we discovered to be highly abusive practices of ABS-CBN benefitting a greedy few at the expense of millions of its loyal subscribers. These practices have gone unnoticed or were disregarded for years,” he said in a statement.

ABS-CBN went off-air after the broadcast of its primetime news program “TV Patrol” on May 5 after the National Telecommunications Commission issued the network a ceaseand-desist order.

The order directed ABSCBN to shut down its various TV and radio broadcasting stations nationwide “absent a valid Congressional Franchise as required by law.”

Republic Act No. 7966, which granted the network a 25-year franchise to operate TV and radio broadcasting stations expired on May 4, 2020. n

DOJ asks NBI to set up system to monitor spread of false information online

by Kristine Joy

Philstar.com

Patag

MANILA — The Department of Justice asked the National Bureau of Investigation to set up system to monitor the spread of false and malicious information on social media.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Wednesday, June 24 that the department asked the NBI “to establish a system of monitoring the spread of false and malicious information in social media.”

The bureau is also ordered to establish the source and determine if there is a pattern or scheme, and take appropriate action to preserve evidence for potential prosecution.

This comes a day after Vice President Leni Robredo again was subjected into a fake news social media post that claimed her office sent spoiled food to a Quezon City hospital and her spokesperson paid the hospital staff to not speak about it.

Robredo and Diliman Doctors Hospital denied the incident.

Robredo asked other social media users to take screenshots of fake news posts on Facebook and Twitter “because we will go

after them.”

Guevarra said that Robredo or her office has not reached out to the DOJ on potential filing of complaint, “but we’ll be ready to help should the VP wish to pursue the matter.”

Fake news on social media Back in February, Guevarra said he directed the NBI to conduct a case build up against unnamed people “on the alleged deliberate spread of misinformation and fake news about... and false reporting of the [COVID-19].”

The directive was meant to avoid “causing undue panic and alarm.”

This was the DOJ order that led to the NBI summoning dozens of social media users, including a Facebook user who commented on the government purchase of a P2-billion private jet.

When NBI summoned the social media user early April, the bureau indicated that the person is being investigated on a possible violation of the Revised Penal Code, which explains “unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances.”

It remains unclear whether the decades-old rule applies on

social media posts.

The Bayanihan Act contains a provision on penalizing those who spread “false information” on social media regarding the COVID-19 crisis.

It is yet to be known whether the Bayanihan Act is still in effect, as the Constitution holds that “in times of war or national emergency,” lawmakers may grant powers to the president “which shall cease upon the next adjournment of Congress.”

The Congress’ first regular session ended on June 5.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque previously told Philstar.com that the government adheres “to the view that the sunset clause prevails” on the Bayanihan Act. This means that the measure “shall be in full force and effect only for three months, unless extended

by Congress,” and would be effective until June 25.

Guevarra has also not indicated the potential offenses that may be filed against individuals who may be found spreading malicious social media posts.

Calls for decriminalization of cyber libel again rang following the conviction of veteran journalist Maria Ressa on the charge. n

FIESTA UNDER ‘NEW NORM’. Residents watch the motorcade of St. John the Baptist on the window of their houses along A. Luna Street in San Juan City on Wednesday, June 24. The feast is traditionally marked with the dousing of water along the streets, reminiscent of the baptism performed by St. John at the Jordan River. However, due to COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional “basaan” (water splash), was turned into “basbasan” or blessing by the priests.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Fil-Am DACA recipients breath...

PAGE 4 ald Trump said, “These horrible & politically charged decisions coming out of the Supreme Court are shotgun blasts into the face of people that are proud to call themselves Republican or Conservatives. We need more Justices or we will lose our 2nd.

Amendment & everything else. Vote Trump 2020!”

In a following tweet, he asked, “Do you get the impression that the Supreme Court doesn’t like me?”

Trump also said he’d soon release a “new list of Conservative Supreme Court Justice nominees” by September.

‘The fight does not end here’ Veronica Velasquez, a FilAm physical therapist at a Los Angeles community hospital, was getting ready for work early Thursday morning when she found out about the news.

“I found out the great news, cried a little, then treated a full day of COVID patients,” Velasquez told the Asian Journal.

“Today I was reminded of the power of my mere presence. While many wanted me, a Brown Filipina undocumented womxn, out of the country… I AM STILL HERE. Despite the constant barriers/ doubts, I am here to stay,” Velasquez wrote in an Instagram post on the day of the decision under her handle @ thisptlife.

“Not only that, but I am here to provide care as a healthcare worker. I am here to help/heal the community as an essential worker. I am here to combat against a global

pandemic,” she added.

Despite the small victory, the Supreme Court ruling is not an ending point and Dreamer advocates are eager to continue pushing for more concrete changes.

“While I am so happy, I must also remember that the fight does not end here. We gotta keep pushing for more,” Velasquez wrote.

She added, “We must continue to fight to: abolish ICE and the police, close down ICE detention centers, create a path to citizenship for all 11 million undocumented people.”

The DACA program was created in 2012 under thenPresident Barack Obama and provided renewable deportation protections of two years, though no pathway to citizenship. Aside from being able to stay in the U.S., recipients were able to work legally which allowed many to pursue higher education and pursue other career goals.

However because it was an executive order, the program was subject to opposition which ended up being the case under President Trump.

In September 2017, Trump announced plans of rescinding the program on claims that its adoption was unlawful and that courts did not have the power to review its decision. Lower courts blocked the rescission and the Supreme Court took the case last fall.

“From the get-go in 2012, we’ve been saying that this is an executive order and that the next president could take it away,” said Rongkilyo.

“When we experience these

‘Band-aid’ solutions, it’s easy for us, including myself, as someone impacted, to sometimes feel complacent.”

In moving forward from the ruling, he said it’s important that people recognize the vulnerability of the DACA program. Also important is continuing to engage in other present issues that impact minorities and people of color.

“We need to be bold in what we are asking for,” said Rongkilyo. Like Velasquez, abolishing ICE and local law enforcement, and being an ally to Black Americans were issues he said still need to be addressed.

When it comes to Filipinos speaking up, Rongkilyo emphasized that deportation is not an issue that is remote from the Filipino community and encouraged Filipinos to embrace the idea of solidarity.

How the police impacts communities, for example, is also something Filipinos should be concerned about.

“We need to be in solidarity with the movement for Black lives because we can’t act like this issue does not impact our community,” said Rongkilyo.

For now, DACA recipients may continue to renew their permits which they are encouraged to do. In the meantime, the fight for permanent legislation continues.

“We will continue to fight until DACA recipients like me have a permanent pathway to citizenship,” said Portolan. “We dodged a bullet, but DACA was and always will be a temporary solution to a greater issue.” (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress) n

JUNE 26 - july 2, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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

‘Small amounts’ from Wirecard-linked person entered Philippines — DOJ

by Ian

Nicolas Cigaral Philstar.com

MANILA — “Small” amounts of money entered local bank accounts of a person with ties to a German payments firm, escalating the Philippines’ probe of billions in cash missing on the company’s books that has spawned into a global accounting scandal.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is now investigating “certain individuals” because of transactions that showed “monies entered the local account of a person in the Philippines who has links with Wirecard,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Wednesday.

“We can’t really say for now if it’s really money laundering because the amounts involved are small,” he said in a text message. More information will be available in “a few days.”

Whether the amounts are connected to the missing $2.1 billion from the company at the center of an

accounting scandal remains unclear, cash which no less than Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said to have not entered the local financial system based on “initial” central bank report.

Four years since $81 million was lost in a cyber-heist involving a local bank, the Philippines is finding itself involved in another controversy, which has fast evolved since fake bank documents brought Wirecard AG’s external auditors looking for missing cash here in Manila.

The lenders allegedly involved, BDO Unibank Inc. and Bank of the Philippine Islands, already denied holding the 1.9 billion euros said to have been diverted to escrow accounts. They were backed by Diokno last week, who said the lenders were used “in an attempt to cover the perpetrators’ track.”

That said, BDO and BPI have also either suspended or fired employees found to have forged bank docu-

ments to show the subject funds were being kept in the Philippines.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council, the secretariat of which did not respond to request for comment on Wednesday, already said it stands ready to assist foreign counterparts that may look for the money, which Wirecard is now saying potentially did not exist at all.

Up to today, the ongoing investigation has centered on the “spurious” documents reproduced by certain bank workers.

“Upon consultation with the BSP governor, I have directed the NBI to investigate certain individuals who are reportedly involved in the Wirecard case in Germany…,” Guevarra said, without citing names of those under probe.

Search on for Wirecard COO Apart from the investigation, authorities are also looking for Jan Marsalek, the company’s erstwhile chief PAGE 10

In memory of Eduardo ‘Danding’ PAGE 5 were a close political colleague of his fellow presidential contender, then former Defense Secretary Fidel V. Ramos who is our provincemate in Pangasinan. We co-founded with Ramos, hero of the Edsa People Power Revolution, and the late Senator and Foreign Affairs Secretary Raul Manglapus the LakasNUCD-UMDP, now LakasCMD, which became Ramos’ campaign vehicle that catapulted him to Malacañang.

Danding founded and served as chairman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), which is still running strong up to this day.

In 1998, when we ran for president, Danding backed another presidential aspirant, the then incumbent Vice President Joseph Estrada, who won the presidency. We landed second in the field of ten candidates. President Estrada and we have also remained friends up to this day.

When we were privileged to have served five-times

as speaker of the House, the Nationalist People’s Coalition under Danding was our ally in shepherding and passing socio-economic and political reform laws, including some of our humble landmark initiatives – the Bases Conversion Law, which converted the former U.S. military bases into Filipino industrial parks and satellite cities, and the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) Law, and which was later adopted by various countries around the world.

In early June of 1992, following the intense electoral battle among seven presidential candidates and our own desire to reach out to those who slugged it out with Ramos in the presidential race, we sought a meeting with Danding and he warmly received us in his New Manila residence.

Ramos was then leading in the national canvassing being conducted jointly by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Danding, a true cavalier and statesman, fully understood that a post-election

crisis would not be good for the country and made it clear that he would do his part in avoiding possible political chaos. On our invitation, he later met with Ramos in our then Dasmarinas Village residence.

In that meeting, Danding chose the path of reconciliation, solidarity and cooperation without setting any conditions. He gave paramount importance to the country’s interests, more than any other consideration.

Danding’s contributions to national development have carved a wide and unique niche in our country’s history. The San Miguel Corporation, which he and his incomparable associate, Ramon Ang, successfully established into the largest food, beverage and industrial conglomerate in the Philippines and Southeast Asia is truly a pride and honor of the Filipino people for all generations and an inspiration for Asians.

Certainly, Danding Cojuangco is one of the great Filipinos of our time. n

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

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 26 - july 2, 2020

10

JUNE 26 - july 2, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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

International confidence in US leadership...

PAGE 5 especially poor reviews in Mexico, where 89% do not have confidence in him.”

Comparing the view and confidence of the world, in the United States and in Trump’s predecessor, Pew Research Survey revealed that “in nearly all nations where trends are available, Trump receives lower ratings than his predecessor, Barack Obama. As reported by the Center in 2017, international confidence in the U.S. president plummeted after Trump’s inauguration, while favorable ratings for the United States also declined.”

The current medical emergency that has hit the global community just reinforced the mistrust and confidence in Trump, whose incompetence, ignorance about science, denial of facts, and selfish interests have pulled the country down with him in his quagmire.

Imagine the United States is now in the same level as his Russian and Brazilian counterparts, Vladimir V. Putin and Jair Bolsonaro, both of whom, according to a report by the New York Times, have “followed what critics call a comparable path in their pandemic response that leaves all three countries in a similarly bad spot: they were dismissive at the outset of the crisis, slow to respond to scientific advice and saw a boom of domestic cases as other parts of the world, notably in Europe and Asia, were slowly managing to get their outbreaks under control.”

Consequently, as the officials of the European Union are now “racing to agree on who can visit the bloc as of July 1 based on how countries of origin are faring with new coronavirus cases — Americans, so far, are excluded.”

This news was based on the draft lists reviewed by The New York Times.

The Times reported that the “EU is prepared to block Americans from entering because the United States has failed to control the scourge.”

While the United States provides the EU nations with tourists that boost the bloc’s economy, the consideration leaned headily on what would keep the people of the bloc more protected from a resurgence of the COVID-19 infection, unless the future numbers change for the better in the future.

“Countries on the E.U. draft lists have been selected as safe based on a combination of epidemiological cri-

teria. The benchmark is the E.U. average number of new infections — over the past 14 days — per 100,000 people, which is currently 16 for the bloc. The comparable number for the United States is 107, while Brazil’s is 190 and Russia’s is 80, according to a Times database,” the report said.

As the country’s highest leader, Trump is responsible for the American lives lost and for the continued upswing in the number of confirmed cases in the United States. Had he acted on warnings of the U.S.’ own intelligence agencies and the World Health Organization on the possible escalation to being a pandemic of the coronavirus instead of calling it a “hoax” fabricated by the Democrats to kick him out of office; Had Trump not been consumed by his “economic numbers” that he needed to boast for his re-election bid and instead followed the country’s top epidemiologist Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S.’ own health officials and scientists on the need for protective gears, social distancing, and not rush to open the U.S. economy to help mitigate the spread and not overwhelm our health systems, then more lives could have been saved.

But NO. Trump continues to defy science, facts, data by pushing through with his failed comeback campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he wanted a big crowd of adoring fans with no masks just to show off and energize his base.

And he really thought not doing more testing will save lives because there would be no measure of confirmed cases? How stupid is this prescription! This is not like his sex scandals whereby when he pays people to be quiet, the scandal never happened!

We are talking about the lives of the American people here, for God’s sake!

Trump’s approval rating in the U.S. Here in the United States, President Donald Trump’s job approval rating has fallen to 39 percent, down among ALL party groups, and especially so for his handling of issues that matter to the American people.

According to the Gallup Poll conducted during the period May 28-June 4, this finding includes drops of seven percentage points among Republicans (to 85%) and independents (to 39%), and nine points among Demo-

crats (to 5%). Moreover, Republicans’ approval of Trump is the lowest it has been since September 2018 (also 85%).

On specific issues, Gallup Poll reports: Forty-seven percent of Americans approve of President Trump’s handling of the economy, a decline from 63% in January and 58% in February. Approval of Trump’s handling of the economy had not been under 50% since November 2017, when 45% approved.

Americans are also increasingly critical of the president’s response to the coronavirus pandemic itself.

Currently, 42% approve of the way Trump has handled the matter, down from 50% in the prior reading in late April, and 60% just after coronavirus infections spiked in many areas of the country in mid-March.

Also, 41% of U.S. adults approve of the president’s handling of foreign affairs, seven points lower than the previous measure in February. The current approval rating on foreign affairs nearly matches the 40% average approval on this issue throughout his presidency.

Public anger over the Floyd killing and racial injustice more generally have proven to be a significant challenge for the president, in addition to the ongoing challenges for society and the economy arising from the coronavirus.

His current level of approval would make another term as president unlikely, given the historical relationship between job approval ratings and incumbent reelection.

With five months to go before Election Day, there is still time for those ratings to improve and get back near the 50% level associated with incumbent reelection in the past, but also time for them to get worse and give the president even longer odds of winning a second term.

ENOUGH, AMERICA. We need to wake up. We cannot afford four more years of this madness, selfishness and disrespect to the lives of Americans in Trump’s own reality show. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

President Rodrigo Duterte confers with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III during a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Matina Enclaves in Davao City last June 4.

Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal

My people are clean: Duterte stands by Duque

by Reina

C. Tolentino ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte stood by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and other officials of the Department of Health, who are being investigated in connection with their alleged slow response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Duterte vouched for Duque’s integrity amid calls for the latter’s resignation.

In his taped address to the nation, the President said he was willing to place his reputation on the line to prove that there were no anomalies on the side of Duque.

“My people here are clean, and I still believe in them.

I will stake my reputation as President. There are no anomalies taking place,” he said.

The Office of the Ombudsman ordered last week an investigation into supposed “irregularities and anomalies” in the DoH’s pandemic response measures.

Among the issues raised against Health officials was the slow acquisition of medical equipment for frontliners.

“With due respect to the Ombudsman, iniimbestiga pa niya pero ako, kung ako lang ang tanungin, (the Ombudsman is still investigating but if I were to be asked) I believe in the honesty and integrity of my people,” Duterte said.

Duque clarified that the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers had been placed as early as February.

“Talagang namroblema lang po tayo sa supply. Kasi nga po, at that time, marami na pong mga ibang mga bansa na nauna po sa atin dahil nauna rin po silang nagkaroon ng mga kaso ng COVID-19. So, nag-antay po tayo (We really had a problem with the supply. Other countries were able to place orders earlier because they were the first to have COVID-19 cases. So we had to wait),” he said.

He said orders placed in February arrived in March.

Duque added that it took time for the Philippines to acquire sufficient numbers of medical equipment because there was a global shortage.

Duque said the DoH would

submit its response to the ombudsman.

Malacañang on Tuesday said the President’s public show of support for Duque would not affect the probe by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. maintained that the Office of the Ombudsman is an independent body. “ Tu l o y p a r i n p o a n g imbestigasyon. Kaya nga sabi ni Presidente ‘with all due respect to Ombudsman Martires.’ Alam po niyang independiyente at Constitutional office ang Ombudsman at hindi po niya hinahadlangan ang imbestigasyon na ito (The investigation will continue.

That’s why the President said ‘with all due respect to Ombudsman Martires.’ He knows the Ombudsman is independent and he will not hamper this investigation),” Roque said.

“Ang sinasabi lang niya, kampante siya na lahat ng tauhan niya sa gabinete ay mapagkakatiwalaan (All he is saying is that he is confident that all of his people in the Cabinet are trustworthy),” he added. n

‘Small amounts’ from Wirecard-linked...

PAGE 8 operating officer, who was dismissed on Monday by Wirecard and now appears to be staying in the Philippines.

Immigration records showed Marsalek, in fact, entered Manila last March 3 but departed after two days

in March 5. “However, there are some indications that he may have returned recently and may still be here,” said Guevarra, who has supervisory powers over NBI and the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

“I have ordered the BI to conduct an immediate investigation,” he pointed

out, saying authorities found “something curious in the BI database.” He did not elaborate.

Asked if his office will ask a local court to issue a hold departure order against Marsalek if NBI agents locate him here, Guevarra said: “Too early to answer that.” n

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

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 26 - july 2, 2020

COMMUNITY Journal

11

Trump extends and expands proclamation ‘suspending’ immigration

Immigration Corner Atty. Michael Gurfinkel, ESQ ON June 22, 2020, President Trump issued another Executive Order (EO) or Proclamation, extending his April 22, 2020 proclamation to December 31, 2020, and expanding its scope to also include H-1B, H-2B, J-1, and L-1 non-immigrants and their derivative spouses and children from entering the U.S., as they may compete for jobs with unemployed Americans caused by the COVID19 pandemic.

Some highlights are: 1. The ban on entering the U.S. until December 31, 2020 applies to: a. Immigrant visa applicants (both employmentand family-based cases) as well as H-1B, H2B, J-1, and L-1 non-immigrants and their derivative spouses and children who are outside the U.S. on the effective date.

Therefore, it would not affect people in the U.S. applying for adjustment of status, change, or extension of status. b. The person does not yet have an immigrant (or non-immigrant) visa that is valid on the effective date of the proclamation, meaning an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa has not yet been issued in their passport. c. They do not have any other kind of official travel or entry document, such as advance parole, boarding letter, etc. that allows them to enter the U.S. in lieu of having an immigrant or non-immigrant visa.

2. This proclamation does not apply to: a. Existing green card holders, who may be outside the U.S. on a trip or vacation b. Any alien seeking to

enter the U.S. on an immigrant visa as a physician, nurse, or other healthcare professional, who will help in combating COVID-19, or recovering from COVID-19, including their immediate family c. Aliens coming to perform temporary labor or services that are essential to the U.S. food supply chain. This could mean people who will pick or harvest fruits and vegetables. d. Spouses and children of U.S. citizens and members of the Armed Forces

have waited years for the priority date on their employment or family-based petitions to become current, are now left in limbo if they are outside the U.S., because they cannot be issued immigrant visas under this proclamation.

If you or a family member may be affected by these changes in immigration or your case is subject to this proclamation, you may want to consult with an attorney to evaluate your situation and the effects of Trump’s proclamations on your case. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 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, Twitter @GurfinkelLaw and YouTube: US Immigration TV 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)

The proclamation will expire December 31, 2020, and could be “continued as necessary,” meaning this ban could go on until Trump believes the U.S. unemployment situation is under control. and their families, and aliens whose entry would be in the “national interest.”

The proclamation will expire December 31, 2020, and could be “continued as necessary,” meaning this ban could go on until Trump believes the U.S. unemployment situation is under control.

Many of us hoped Trump’s original April 20, 2020 proclamation would expire in 60 days. But now, he’s extending it through the end of the year and including non-immigrant workers and their families.

Tens of thousands of people applied for their H1B visas on April 1, 2020, hoping to have their visas issued by October 1, 2020.

That will not happen, at least until next year, assuming Pres. Trump doesn’t further extend this ban.

In addition, people who

CASE REVIVED AFTER NVC TERMINATES IT FOR FAILURE TO APPLY FOR VISA WITHIN ONE YEAR – FULL STORY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Khalidha (second from right) was petitioned by her mother Shami (center) in 2004. In 2011, the National Visa Center (NVC) sent a notice that Khalidha’s visa was available and gave her one year to reply. However, Khalida never received any notice, until she finally received one advising that her visa petition had been terminated, for failure to respond to the NVC within one year. The family went to two lawyers, to a U.S. senator, and to a congressman, but none were successful in reviving the case. Finally, a Filipino co-worker (and fan of Citizen Pinoy) suggested they consult with leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel. After going through hundreds of pages of documents, and diligently reviewing the case history, Attorney Gurfinkel was able to convince the NVC to reopen the case and issued visas for the entire family. Watch this success story on an encore of CITIZEN PINOY on Sunday at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

12

JUNE 26 - july 2, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

Health@Heart Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS THE massive poverty in the Philippines, compounded by frequent natural calamities, causes untold tragedy to the almost 110 million Filipinos, especially to the more than 3.5 million of them who are indigent members of society. As could be expected, medical care is absent, if not scarce, in many areas of the country.

The Montero Medical Missions, founded by a renowned Fil-Am surgeon and medical leader, Dr. Juan M. Montero of Chesapeake, Virginia, is a humanitarian foundation, among others, which seeks to minister to the medically underserved Filipinos in various remote towns in the Philippines.

His vision includes a floating medical clinic.

The concept of floating hospital first started in the New York area in October 1866 with “a series of charitable excursions, initially conducted by steamboat tycoon John Starin for the benefit of newsboys, war veterans and the needy.”

Impressed with the MMM and its vision of a floating medical clinic, I conducted an interview with Dr. Montero, which follows: What is Montero Medical Missions?

Montero: The Montero Medical Missions is a nonprofit 501(c)3 tax-exempt international faith-based (interfaith) humanitarian organization based in Chesapeake, Virginia. I initiated this long overdue project with hopes of a public-private partnership. We are dedicated to the promotion of world friendship through the universal language of the healing arts.

How would you accomplish this?

Montero: The plan is to create and work with a consortium of corporations, foundations, health institutions, service organizations such as Rotary, Lions clubs, churches, tourism industry, etc. MMM was created in July 2011 with a mission and vision to combine the work of medical missioners and those of Peace Corps volunteers. In spite of its limited funding, this concept has worked beautifully so far, in the service of the poor.

What is MMM’s Floating Medical Clinic?

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

Floating medical clinic Angel inspires body positivity

Montero: The Floating Medical Clinic, a vision of MMM, is a novel healthcare delivery system best suited for archipelagic countries like the Philippines which has 7,106 islands. This project we are proposing is a 19-meter long Trimaran, fiberglass, shallow draft, with solar panels to be built at Evercat Asia boat building company in Mactan, Cebu. In November 2018, during our visit to this company arranged by my good friend Dr. Shawn Espina, a local general/trauma surgeon, we were quoted the price of 16 million pesos ($300,000). This FMC can accommodate 60 persons.

Being shallow draft, it can land on beaches where mission work gets started, including performance of minor surgical procedures [bumps/lumps] under local anesthesia. Since it will cost more today, we plan to raise $500,000.

Why a Floating Medical Clinic?

Montero: We are embarking into this venture for two main reasons. Firstly, to serve the many far-flung coastal communities in their health care needs and create sustainable projects such as Eyesight 20/20, Prosthesis, Dental Care, Women’s Heath, Diabetes Screening, Feed and Educate the Children. Secondly, in times of calamities, i.e. typhoons, earthquakes, etc. these same communities can readily get assistance with needed medical care and supplies. Many of my contemporaries, expatriate health professionals whom I call a vanishing breed, are always wanting to help the homeland together with their counterpart fellow countrymen and colleagues, and this vehicle surely can be an answer because of its affordability and flexibility, let alone it would be fun.

What would this FMC do for the people?

Montero: The Floating Medical Clinic will give them hope for a more convenient and improved answer to their health care needs. The seamstress who has abandoned sewing for losing clear vision can now return to her job right after being examined by an optometrist and fitted with a correct prescription eyeglasses.

The leg amputee with new prosthesis becomes productive again. This is bringing medical care to their door-

step. Most of these people do not have cars.

Who would be the beneficiaries of the FMC? Montero: The occurrence of an average 22 typhoons yearly in the Philippines is more than enough reason to have such a novel project and be a leader in this aspect of healthcare delivery wherever it is needed. Besides post-natural disasters, those less fortunate folks in far-flung coastal communities who seldom, if any, get medical attention would benefit from this program.

The country’s dream of a universal healthcare will be enhanced by this unique FMC safety net.

How will the FMC actually function?

Montero: Dr. Espina is the head of a group of multi-specialist group of physicians in Cebu, many of whom are veteran medical missioners.

He and his colleagues could use this clinic on water, and oversee the operation of the FMC through a calendar of medical service events year round. When not in use for medical or relief mission purposes, the FMC can accommodate tourists for whale-shark sightseeing, scuba diving adventures, etc., to add to the revenue.

For strategic reason, the docking headquarter will be in Liloan, Cebu.

Who would finance the operation of the FMC? Montero: The Montero Medical Missions is currently in the process of communication for potential partnership with the PH Merchant Marine Academy, PH Coast Guard Auxiliary and School for Seafarers.

Once established, it will definitely lower down the cost of operation, which initially should come from our major fundraising efforts both in the U.S. and PH, then eventual creation of an Endowment Fund for its sustainability. When MMM sponsors an FMC medical mission, we get supplies/ equipment from the World Medical Relief warehouse in Metro Manila thru the kindness of its Executive Director, Dr. David Zarate, who also sits on MMM Philippines Advisory Board.

Any other partnership in the offing?

Montero: I am communicating with my personal friends, like Sen. Manny Pacquiao, Rev. Pat Robertson and son Gordon of 700 PAGE 13

with latest physique

By Ratziel

San Juan Philstar.com

ACTRESS Angel Locsin is inadvertently sparking conversations of body positivity among Filipino netizens after pictures highlighting her curvaceous figure surfaced online.

Online users argued that Angel’s proactive stance in helping out her countrymen through humanitarian projects before and during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is proof that weight and body image should not matter.

Angel’s healthy, curvy figure can also be seen and admired on her new public service program “Iba ‘Yan,” which she hosts and oper-

Angel Locsin as seen in “Iba ‘Yan”

ates alongside a dedicated team in order to feature inspiring stories of unrecognized heroes.

ABS-CBN photo

Here’s what netizens are saying about Angel Locsin and the power of body positivity.

Michelle six months after removing breast implants: ‘I feel more like myself’

By Niña

V. Guno

Inquirer.net

SINCE undergoing a breast explant six months ago, Michelle Madrigal described herself as “more like myself” and “perfectly fine.”

“I feel amazing, I feel light, I feel more like myself,” she said of her recovery.

The actress, who is now a fitness coach in the United States, detailed her postoperation journey on her YouTube vlog Friday, June 19. She also gave advice to those interested in getting breast implants based on her own experience.

Holding up the silicone implants, she said, “I am so happy that these bad boys are now out of my system.”

Madrigal said she had breast implant illness, and noted symptoms she had over the years that she believes are linked to the implants because she no longer has them six months later.

These were fatigue, sharp pains on her breasts, brain fog, itchiness and acne.

“I’m not 100% sure if this is because of the implants but I’m just letting you know, I’m just sharing my story as to why I think it had something to do with them,” she said.

Prior to the breast explant,

Michelle Madrigal holds up the implants she had removed from her breasts after getting them in her teens. Photo from Instagram/@mitch_madrigal

Madrigal said she always needed to take naps even after 10 hours of sleep. But now, she has noted that she has “more energy,” “barely [takes] naps” and is feeling “perfectly fine.” She also no longer feels stabbing pains on her breasts, as well as itchiness that she felt was “internal.”

With regard to brain fog, she admitted she was not sure if it was “mom-related” that she had memory problems, though she and husband Troy Woolfolk welcomed their daughter back in 2017. After the explant, she said she was more “mindful.”

Prior to the surgery, she said she would get pimple breakouts even if she is 31.

Now, she describes her skin

as “perfect.” She has no regrets about getting the procedure done.

“I am so happy that I actually had my implants removed. I am so happy even if [it’s] itty bitty, it’s not full.”

Madrigal said she understands if one would want to have implants, but urged others to consider the costs, such as having to go under the knife every 15 years, among other health risks.

Though she found confidence in having bigger boobs for about 10 years, she said she wants to live longer for her husband and daughter.

“There’s a reason that there are more women getting their implants removed,” she stressed. “Like they’re getting sick.”

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 26 - july 2, 2020

BB bares ‘untold story’ behind Rustom, Carmina split

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

MODEL BB Gandanghari opened up on the relationship Rustom Padilla had with Carmina Villaroel.

In BB’s YouTube channel, BB said Rustom loved Carmina and their breakup was the saddest part of Rustom’s life.

“Marami ang nagtatanong, minahal ko raw ba talaga si Carmina? Honestly and true, oo. Ang pinakamasakit na nangyari kay Rustom, nung dumating sa panahon na kailangan na silang maghiwalay.

It’s the fact na they thought they found the right love, para kay Rustom,” BB said.

“Pero hindi na rin niya ipinaglaban kasi, at that time, binibigyan nila ng pagkakataon ang sarili nila na mag-isip.

Napakabait ng Diyos, I hope si Carmina, ganito rin ang pakiramdam. I don’t wanna be selfish about it, pero itinuturing kong blessing si Carmina sa buhay ni Rustom.”

BB said Rustom dreamt of a happy family with Carmina but Carmina understands what Rustom really wanted.

“Ano ba ang pangarap ni Rustom? Magkaroon ng

EMPLOYMENT

BB Gandanghari Photo from Instagram/@gandangharibb

C a r m i n a V i l l a ro e l P h o t o f ro m

Instagram/@mina_villaroel

pamilya, magkaroon ng mabuting asawa, magkaroon ng mga anak, maging mabuting asawa, maging mabuting provider,” BB said.

“Yun ang pangarap ni Rustom. And Rustom thought na si Carmina din yung babae para sa kanya to fulfill that dream, pero sa paglipas ng panahon, nagkakaroon ng mga natutuklas mo kung ano ba yung katotohanan sa kaibuturan ng puso mo.”

BB also said that if Rustom

is here again, he will court Carmina again.

“Rustom may be right, he may be happy with Carmina, but he wasn’t happy with himself. That’s the problem. Doon nag-umpisa na bakit kasama na niya ‘yung babaeng… kasi ‘yung pagmamahal, walang question,” BB said.

“Kung ako magiging lalake ulit, babalik, siya pa rin liligawan. Hindi ko naman naiisip noon na bilang Rustom, magpapatawag ako na BB after 21

SERVICES

years or 31 years? I really don’t know. Sabi ko nga, it may be the right love, but hindi lang wrong time, but wrong body.”

BB also admitted that a part of Rustom died when they decided to separate.

“Dumating sa punto na nagdesisyon si Carmina to move on. Isa sa mga pinakamasakit na panahon, you can just imagine, isang tao na pinaka-importante sa iyo, nagpapaalam. So Rustom was really devastated, pero hindi na siya nag-disagree. It was a very amicable separation, walang sigawan, walang sumbatan, pero pinakamasakit,” BB said.

“Did it kill Rustom? A part of him died. Definitely kung pag-uusapan yung dreams, kung pag-uusapan ni Rustom, yun yung kabuuan, yun ang Carmina. Definitely after the separation, hindi ko alam kung ano nangyayari noon.

Hindi ko na alam how to move on, pero, at that time, wala naman choice, but to move on.

Wala naman choice, but to overcome, so gaano man kasakit, na-overcome.”

Rustom and Carmina separated in 1997 after three years of marriage.

Floating medical...

PAGE 12 Club, Investment banker Steve Cuunjieng, Mr. Andy Koval of Tacha Foundation and others for potential partnership, like the various medical associations in the Philippines and in the U.S. The naming rights of this novel healthcare delivery system would be in play if requested. The Filipino United Network-USA (www. fun8888.com), a United States humanitarian foundation, is endorsing the MMM and its Floating Medical Clinic.

What is your timetable for the FMC? Montero: The major determinant for this is our success in our fundraising.

It will take eight months to finish the construction of the Floating Medical Clinic.

We are approaching potential major gift donors both in the U.S. and in the Philippines. We will utilize social media to the maximum in its promotion, i.e. email, constant contact, website campaign, Facebook, Twitter, PowerPoint presentations, teleconferences, etc. This novel humanitarian proj-

SERVICES

13

ect will provide doorstep delivery of medical care to the poorest of the poor. I am most optimistic in this venture because failure is not an option in serving our country and our suffering fellowmen.

How do people contact MMM? Montero: Google Montero Medical Missions, view it on YouTube, and see it on Facebook and Twitter, for more information. Email us at AceDocJmm@aol.com.

Let us all roll up our sleeves, support, and rally behind this wonderful humanitarian endeavor in the service of our helpless underserved fellowmen in pain and not wait for surgery to open our heart! *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888. com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail. com.

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JUNE 26 - july 2, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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From Bukidnon to West Point: Filipino nuclear engineering graduate shares US Military Academy journey

C

by

Momar G. Visaya / AJPress

ADET Lieutenant Jesson Peñaflor graduated from the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point on Saturday, June 13 with a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering.

Peñaflor, who comes from the town of Kalilangan, Bukidnon spent a year at the Philippine Military Academy in 2015 before being accepted to West Point the following year, becoming the lone Filipino member of the batch.

An original member of the PMA Mabalasik Class of 2019, Peñaflor said he was looking forward to his homecoming to the Philippines.

“We Filipinos are globally competitive. We’ve been sending Filipino cadets to the West Point since 1913,” he told the Asian Journal when asked about what getting in and graduating from the top military academy in the United States meant for him.

U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the 1,107 Class of 2020 graduates, including Peñaflor, who gathered for the military academy’s annual commencement exercises.

The graduation ceremony was a little bit surreal for him since there were no personal guests and the cadets were seated about a meter apart at the Plain Parade Field. They were also not allowed to bring cellphones and smartwatches for security reasons. Family and friends were not allowed to attend the event, which was broadcast online and monitored closely by his family in

The 24-year-old Peñaflor is thankful to the Fil-Am families and organizations in the tri-state for helping him survive his four years at West Point.

Bukidnon.

When it was over and done with, it dawned on him how quickly it happened.

“Yun na pala yun, parang rehearsal lang (That was already it, it felt like a rehearsal),” he said laughing.

He expressed a tinge of sadness since he had always thought of bringing his parents in for his graduation so they could see the fruit of his

hard work and sacrifices.

The opportunity to study at West Point came through the Foreign Service Academy program between the PMA and USMA, which counts among its alumni two presidents of the United States, Ulysses Grant and Dwight Eisenhower; NASA astronauts; and a number of Fortune 500 CEOs. Peñaflor is grateful for the chance.

“I did this for my family,” the eldest of three children said, adding that his father Jose Peñaflor was an enlisted Army sergeant in the Philippines. “Honor and glory.

I want to really help my family, and for the Filipino people, especially the service members and uniformed personnel, our frontliners right now.”

His first assignment upon his return to the homeland will be a six-month stint at PMA. After that, he is unsure about the path he has to take yet and is planning to join either the First Scout Rangers Regiment or the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) unit of the Philippine Army.

He also corrected the misconception among friends and family when they learn that he studied nuclear engineering, explaining to them that he did not study nuclear weapons or how to make bombs.

“Pinag-aralan namin mostly is about the use of nuclear energy, sa mga power plants, how to shield from nuclear radiations. We talked about weapons, but not as in-depth as power usage and energy consumption,” he revealed.

The 24-year-old graduate studied mechanical engineering at Mindanao State University for three years prior to his PAGE 15

The new West Point graduate will go back to the Philippine Military Academy for a six-month stint before joining the Special Rangers or the CBRN unit of the Philippine Army.

Peñaflor with some of his West Point classmates.

Photos courtesy of Jesson Peñaflor

Peñaflor with some of his fellow cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 26 - july 2, 2020

Lea apologizes for viral ‘PI’ post

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

AWARD-winning international actress Lea Salonga clarified her recent viral Facebook post, saying that she didn’t curse the Philippines.

In a series of tweets in her Twitter account today, the “The Voice Philippines” coach said that while she stands with every single word she wrote in a now deleted Facebook post, she said that as an expression of her frustration with the current events in the country and not against the country itself.

“Hi, gang. It seems a

recent Facebook post of mine has gotten quite a bit of attention and launched all sorts of... I don’t even know what word to use, so I thought to use this platform and this space to offer some clarification in the hope that I’m more clearly understood,” Lea said.

“Regarding the post itself, yes I stand by every single word I wrote as an expression of my frustration with certain events currently taking place in our country.

However, contrary to what some of you might believe, I never, NOT EVER, cursed the Philippines,” she added.

The theater sensation also said that serving the Philip-

pines is her greatest honor.

“To serve her is one of my greatest honors. To be able to hold my head up high and say, ‘Yes, I am Filipino’ representing the hundreds of millions of brethren both here at home and all over the world is a source of pride and pleasure,” she said.

She explained that her cursing aimed at no one particular and was used only as an outburst.

“So, to further clarify, I didn’t say p- i- mo, or p- ika. If that was what I meant, I would’ve been explicit in my expression. My p- i- was aimed at no one in particular, and was used only as an outburst, a cry. My apolo-

It’s Baby No. 1 for Aicelle and Mark

By Iza Iglesias ManilaTimes.net

SEVEN months after tying the knot, singer-theater actress Aicelle Santos and broadcast journalist Mark Zambrano announced on social media that their first baby is on the way.

Over Instagram, the couple shared a photo showing soon-to-be dad kissing Santos’ growing belly on her 14th week of pregnancy.

“You are our hope that this world will become better. We can’t wait to meet you, anak. Your father and I love you so much. Chill ka muna diyan sa loob ha,” Santos wrote in the caption.

“Panginoon, maraming, maraming salamat po.

Kayo na po ang bahala. #amazinggrace #AllGlorytoGod #babyontheway,” the 35-year-old mom-to-be added.

Meanwhile, Zambrano wrote a letter to his unborn child on his personal account.

“Napakaraming biyaya na ang aking natangap mula sa Panginoon. Ngayon, ikaw anak ang pinakamalaki. Ikaw at ang iyong ina ang sentro ng bago kong mundo.

Pangako ko na pupunoin ko ng pagmamahal at saya ang buhay ng ating maliit na pamilya. Kaunti na lang anak, magkikita na tayo.

Nagmamahal, daddy Mark and mommy A. #soontobeastagedaddy” Santos and Zambrano were married on November 16, 2019 at the El Jardin de Zaida in San Juan, Batangas. They became a couple in 2016 and got engaged in

Aicelle Santos with husband Mark Zambrano

2018.

They were supposed to go on a belated honeymoon in Japan this year but travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible.

A second-placer in GMA Network singing contest “Pinoy Pop Superstar” in 2005, Santos eventually captured the hearts of theater enthusiasts with her role as Aileen in “Rak of Aegis,” earning her the moniker “Rock and Soul Diva.” She deservingly won Best Actress in a Musical Production for the role at the 2014 Aliw Awards.

In 2017, she won another Aliw award as Best Actress in a Featured Role for her portrayal of Perla in

Photo from Instagram/@aicellesantos

“Maynila Sa Mga Kuko Ng Liwanag.” A year later, she played Elsa in the criticallyacclaimed musical “Himala” before becoming part of “Miss Saigon’s” touring group in Europe as Gigi Van Tranh for a year. She then returned to the Philippines in early 2019 to resume her showbiz career.

Meanwhile, Zambrano bid goodbye to GMA Network in May 2019 after working as a sports and news broadcaster for eight long years. He transferred to ESPN 5 to join their sports broadcasting team.

Before joining GMA News, he was first a commentator and courtside reporter of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

gies if I hurt your feelings with my choice of words,” she said.

“If after following this post you still decide to cuss me out, you’re well within your right to do so. I totally understand and get that you’re doing it as one tasked to protect our country from anyone that dares to desecrate it. Know though that that was not my intent.”

She thanked her fans for defending her from bashers.

“To my fans and friends that have my back, you have no idea the amount of appreciation I hold in my heart for your tireless efforts to explain my side of things.

Thank you so much. You will

Lea Salonga

always have my gratitude.”

It can be recalled that Lea became a top trending Twitter topic last week after she tweeted “I hate this year. I

ABS-CBN photo

really, really hate this year” and wrote the now deleted Facebook post “Dear Pilipinas, p***** ina, ang hirap mong mahalin.”

From Bukidnon to West Point...

PAGE 14 PMA stint. At West Point, he was influenced by an upperclass student about nuclear engineering because it might have a possible future in the Philippines.

Asked what the biggest lesson learned from this experience, he replied, “The biggest obstacle here is yourself. Once you overcome yourself, not even the devil can stop you.

Just push yourself hard. You can use your motivation, ako nga ang sinasabi ko sa sarili ko, nakakahiyang umuwi kung hindi ko matapos ito (I tell myself it’s going to be shameful if I don’t finish).”

West Point journey Peñaflor was 20-years-old when he started as a plebe at West Point and he had to go through major adjustments and changes, from food to climate to his study environment.

While he was already a stickler to punctuality, he still had to adjust.

“Iba ang punctuality ng US Army, lalo nasanay ako sa Filipino time,” he told the Asian Journal, laughing. “Dito, pag sinabi nilang alas singko may formation, dapat five minutes before nandun ka na. If you are on time, you are late,” he shared. (U.S. Army punctuality is different, specially since I was accustomed to Filipino time. Here, if they say there is a formation at 5:00, you should be there five minutes before 5:00.)

“I was one of the first plebes in my class na nag-walk ng punishing hours, kasi na late ako ng 30 seconds,” he revealed.

Punishment tours, or “hours” as the cadets call them, are punishments given

to cadets where they walk a specified number of hours as a penalty for their infractions, from being late to class or having a dirty room.

There was also a dearth of Filipino food in the area, which is why he is thankful to the “foster families” that brought them food. It was one of the first major adjustments he made.

“Pagkain, walang kanin, walang Filipino food. Malaking adjustment yun (Food, no rice, no Filipino food. That was a big adjustment),” he admitted.

He expressed gratitude for the foster families from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut that helped them, along with Fil-Am organizations such as FALCONN and PMA Alumni Association Northeast Group. The families would also bring him to gatherings, including picnics and gala events.

“They were my home away from home. Wala kaming pamilya dito kaya sila yung naging family namin dito for four years (We had no family here so they became my family for four years),” he said.

“Sila yung source ng Filipino food namin, malaki yung role nila that’s why I survived West Point (They became our source of Filipino food, they played a big role that’s why I survived West Point).”

Long-term plans Studying at West Point gave Peñaflor a different perspective and he hopes to be able to use that in the future. He has set lofty goals for himself.

“I want to have a star, I want to reach General position if possible. But if I can be president [some day], why not, di ba? It’s not out of the

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table. Pero as of now, gusto ko lang mag-serve,” he said, mentioning the name of former President Fidel V. Ramos, one of the most famous West Point graduates from the Philippines.

Peñaflor now joins the ranks of West Point alumni from the Philippines, including Vicente Podico Lim, the first Filipino graduate of West Point, Brigadier General Danilo Lim, and former Defense Secretary Gen. Rafael Ileto.

He said he observed many things that if applied to the Philippine setting, the system in the Armed Forces would improve.

Among those he cited is the empowerment of enlisted personnel.

“Here, they are the backbone of the U.S. Army. Maybe giving more influence and responsibilities to non-commissioned officers (NCOs) would strengthen the military. And if they want to study, they can enlist. Para ma-attract yung mga youth natin na hindi makapagaral (So they can attract the youth who can’t afford to go to school),” Peñaflor shared.

The new graduate has promised himself to work hard and make his way up if he wants to implement these changes.

For now, it’s one step at a time as he looks forward to his homecoming.

“Hopefully, I can also be an inspiration to the youth, lalo na yung mga nag-a-aspire to serve the country through the military (Hopefully, I can also be an inspiration to the youth, specially those who are aspiring to serve the country through the military),” he quipped.

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JUNE 26 - july 2, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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