Weekend Balita- August 1, 2020

LOS ANGELES EDITION

PH’s first Covid-19 vaccine might come from China — Duterte PAGE 19 VOL. XXIX NO. 31

August 1-7, 2020

THE LEADING SOURCE OF NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR FELLOW FILIPINO-AMERICANS

Villanueva, escudero on DoH data:

TOP STORIES

Global News 20 million Filipinos to get free COVID-19 vaccine — Finance chief Dominguez 8  Death penalty? Let’s focus instead on life amid COVID-19 -- Binay 8  ‘All systems go’ for integrity, anti-corruption offices in judiciary — SC 9  New record-high: Over 4,000 more COVID-19 cases recorded as gov’t extends quarantine 9  Gov’t to ensure action vs. OFW trafficking during pandemic 10  Gatchalian urges transparency in study of nuclear energy 12  Ecleo to be probed for massacre of wife’s kin, says PNP 12  Filipinos divided about going to work, church even after COVID-19 lockdown — SWS 12  UP experts project 150k COVID-19 cases by end of August 12 

We’re BeINg fooLeD, We DeSerVe BeTTer

MANILA (Mabuhay) — Senator Joel Villanueva and Sorsogon Governor Francis "Chiz" Escudero on Thursday said Filipinos deserve better and that they are fooled by the Department of Health (DOH) amid a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Sections BUSINESS. Angara: P140-B Bayanihan 2 law won’t be the only stimulus plan vs.

COVID-19 13  ENTERTAINMENT. Liza Soberano reveals offers to buy fan accounts 14  HEALTH & FAMILY. Gov’t may require wearing of face shields, says DTI chief Lopez 18 

First “West Nile” virus cases in L.A. County

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he Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has identified the first two cases of human West Nile virus (WNV) infection in the county for the 2020 season (excluding Long Beach and Pasadena as cases identified in those cities are reported by their local health departments).

An older adult with no underlying illness was hospitalized with neuroinvasive disease in early July and is recovering. The second case was detected in late July in a healthy blood donor. The positive blood units were discarded. Both are residents of the San Fernando Valley region.

“West Nile virus continues to be a serious health threat to residents in Los Angeles County. We encourage residents to cover, clean or get rid of items that can hold water and breed mosquitoes both inside and outside your home. This is important now more than ever as we spend a majority of our time at home,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Health Officer.

“We are now in peak mosquito season in Los Angeles County and residents FIRST

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The statements were issued after the country logged a record-high of 3,954 new COVID cases and 38,075 new recoveries.

“Wow 38k recoveries in 1 day

Senator Joel Villanueva

Governor Francis Escudero

VILLANUEVA

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$15M for childcare for Unemployment insurance PhilHealth mafia delivery system reinforced ‘very much active’ essential workers T H E L os A ngele s County Public Health has announced that the Board of Supervisors allocated $15 million in CARES Act funding for childcare vouchers to serve essential workers and low-income families

in the County.

I n p a r t ne r s h ip with the Los Angeles County Early Childhood Educ at ion COVID-19 Response Team, Public Health will support the funding distribution.

The Office for the $15M

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CALIFORNIA Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a series of actions to better serve workers that have experienced job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the formation of an Employment Devel-

opment Department (EDD) strike team, and a renewed focus on processing unpaid claims.

The strike team – which will be headed

by Government Operations Agency Secretary Yolanda RichardUNEMPLOYMENT

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— Lacson

MANILA (Mabuhay) — Amid allegations of "widespread corruption" at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Senator Panfilo Lacson on Friday said he believes the syndicate within the agency is very much alive.

"It is revolting to see the PhilPHILHEALTH

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Fil-Am youths hold protest, caravan in LA

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n Monday (July 27), over 100 members of Malaya Movement Southern California, BAYAN Southern California and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) in Southern California launched a protest caravan from Precious Blood Church, which boasts of a significant Filipino congregation, holding signs that say “Junk Terror Law,” “Mass Testing Now,” and “PNP out of the U.S.” The caravan drove through residential communities in the Historic Filipinotown.

Simultaneously, Malaya Southern California, BAYAN Southern California, and ICHRP Southern California hosted an online rally over Zoom, hosted by Dr. Elaine Bernal, a convenor of the Malaya Movement and professor at California State University Long Beach, to accommodate those who are unable to physically attend the event due to concerns about COV-

ID-19.

Almost 200 people attended the rally online.

The caravan ended in front of the Philippine Consulate, where leaders spoke and cultural performances were held.

The program included a live acoustic performance of the song “Sandaang Taon” and a skit involving a Duterte “effigy.”

Many speakers from the coalition of Filipino grassroots organizations spoke, including Cathy

Miraballe-Arceo from Migrante, Vanessa Acosta from the Philippine-U.S. Solidarity Organization SoCal, Audine Tayag from Malaya SoCal, Chuck Parcon from Anakbayan UCLA, and Nikole Cababa from Bayan-USA.

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ABNER GALINO, Fil-Am News Editor

Fil-Am

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Communities should participate in the U. S. Census despite Trump´s memo on reapportionment

By PILAR MARRERO Ethnic Media Services

A

ll communities, regardless of citizenship status, need to respond to the U.S. Census inspite of President Trump’s July 21 policy memo on reapportionment, civil rights advocates and census experts urged in an ethnic media conference call on July 24.

The memo, issued July 21, instructs the Commerce Department to eliminate undocumented immigrants from census data used for reapportioning Congressional Districts for the next decade.

“One thing to make clear is that the President is not asking for undocumented immigrants to be excluded in the Census.

A great deal of media coverage suggests that those immigrants will not be counted, and that is not what the policy memo is asking for,”said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association for Latino Elected Officials (NALEO).

The Trump Administration asserts it intends to use “administrative data” from other departments to calculate the number of undocumented immigrants in the Census final count, and calculate population numbers for the purposes of reapportionment without them.

Public interest lawyers have said that this policy memo is unconstitutional, and three separate lawsuits have been filed in federal courts to challenge it. States with large immigrant populations could lose Congressional seats.

Vargas warned that excluding “undocumented immigrants” after the Census is fi nalized amounts to “nothing more than cooking the numbers, or making up an entirely new data set on which to

base the most important element of our democracy.”

Vargas and other experts say that the federal government´s data will be “very imprecise,” in part because the 2020 Census does not contain any question regarding citizenship or immigration status and because the data collected by other federal departments is generally inaccurate.

According to a new report by the Migration Policy Institute, the process the Administration proposes could incorrectly “lump together” as many as 20 million U.S. citizens with unauthorized immigrants due to matching errors.

“Such errors are likely to be greater in low-income urban and rural communities, thereby exacerbating any undercount that may occur in those communities and reducing their voting power relative to more affluent communities,” the MPI report noted.

The goal of community organizations regarding the Census has not changed in spite of the memo, said John C. Yang, President and Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ).

“There is no immigration status question whatsoever in the Census and we encourage people to respond online, on paper or by telephone, especially if they don´t want an enumerator to knock on their door,” Yang said.

“And I remind them that the deadline for responding is still October 31.”

Yang, who is also an attorney, reiterated that “Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution makes clear that apportionment is based on all persons in the United States,”

and makes no distinction between citizens and persons.

“The suggestion that somehow undocumented immigrants are not people or persons just flies in the face of logic, legislative history and policy of the United States for several hundred years,” Yang added.

Nevertheless, the memo has deepened uncertainty and fear which will further inhibit many communities from responding to the Census, especially those in Florida and Texas which have provided no state funds for census outreach.

“We are still having to address the fear of the citizenship question that was pushed by the Administration early on,”said Nestor Lopez, a census organizer from the Texas border county of Hidalgo.

The challenges in Hidalgo County are compounded by a persistent undercount of the area for at least the last two decades, the lack of internet connectivity in many of its communities and the pandemic, which crushed plans for person-to-person interaction, Lopez added. He and other activists have had to switch strategies from in-person activities to online outreach and rely on local voices and celebrities “to share our message.”

Data based on response rates by geographic area show that minority and poor regions consistently show lower response rates to date, but Native American nations are particularly challenging, said Kayla Olvera Hilario, Tribal Affairs Specialist of the California Complete Count-Census 2020.

“Our numbers are pretty low across the

state,” said Hilario. “We have some tribes at 60% self-response and a lot of tribes hovering around 20 to 30% response rates. About 20 tribes are under 15% response. The positive thing is that our response rates are greater than they were in 2010.”

California’s response rate so far is 63.8% and this year, the state has invested at least 2 million dollars in specific outreach towards counting tribal populations in the state.

The tribal specialist pointed to the fact that many households have not received a unique Census I.D., which wasn´t required in the general population, to use when responding to the questionnaire.

“Tribes were instructed to wait for the unique identifier,“ she said. “Some of those tribes to this day have not received those packets with the identifiers which is causing a huge challenge.”

Many tribes have also declared a state of emergency which does not allow for the entrance of enumerators to their areas.

Hilario pointed out that the most effective way to get Native Americans to participate is to reinforce the appeal of the Census as a way to strengthen sovereignty.

Marilyn Stephens, Assistant Regional Manager for the Southern District of the U.S. Census, highlighted precautions the Bureau is taking as enumerators begin knocking on doors for the next phase of the census. “Staff has been issued masks, sanitizer and clear instructions and training, they cannot enter a home, they must practice social distancing.”

But, she noted, “people can still avoid the visit by self-responding now”.

The specialist uses a simple message to encourage communities to participate: “The only message that I tell people is this: It takes less than 10 minutes to fill out the Census and it guarantees 10 years of services and representation. Everyone must be counted.”

Final version of California Water Resilience Portfolio released

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he final version of the Water Resilience Portfolio, the blueprint of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration for equipping California to cope with more extreme droughts and floods, rising temperatures, declining fish populations, over-reliance on groundwater and other challenges.

The portfolio outlines 142 state actions to help build a climate-resilient water system in the face of climate change. The actions tie directly to Administration efforts to carry out recent laws regarding safe and affordable drinking water, groundwater sustainability and water-use efficiency.

They also elevate priorities to secure voluntary agreements in key watersheds to improve flows and conditions for fish, address air quality and habitat challenges around the Salton Sea and protect the longterm functionality of the State Water Project and other conveyance infrastructure.

“Water is the lifeblood of our state, sustaining communities, wildlife and our economy,” said Governor Newsom.

“For more than a year, my Administration has worked to assemble a blueprint to secure this vital and limited resource into the future in a way that builds climate resilience for all communities and sustains native fish and the habitat they need to thrive.”

CONTNUED ON PAGE 5

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“Love in the Age of Coronavirus: Fundraisers for volcano victims, PeDRO milestones”

By LYDIA V. SOLIS LAKEWOOD, California — The birthday boy brought his own birthday cake. Imagine that!

PeDRO President Benito Moras Miranda celebrated his 71st birthday Jan. 31 at the Ziba Hospice office of PeDRO Treasurer Joey Cruz, joined by Bing de la Vega, Vic and Ellen Martires, Joey and Cora Cruz, Dr. Manuel and Myrna Baculi, Edith Sajor, Jun Capistrano, Heidi Mariano and me.

Joni Feliciano, ABS-CBN International ‘volunteer’ and Raymond Olano, Region Head, North and Latin America, Sales and Distribution, were also present to hear the good news that the Board has approved a donation of $7,000 to ABS-CBN for Taal families who were terribly affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano on January 12. Distribution of relief goods was held at the evacuation center, in the gymnasium of the Batangas Provincial Sports Complex in Batangas City.

Two months later, there was an outbreak of corona virus and PeDRO once again donated $3,000 to ABS-CBN for its ‘Pantawid ng Pagibig’ program -- this time it’s for kababayans who are suffering because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ever so generous, PeDRO also donated $3,000 to the United Church of Christ in the Philippines South Lu-

zon Jurisdiction Relief Operation Request. This donation was coordinated by Edith Sajor with Marlyn B. Anicete, Program Coordinator of UCCP SLJ. A $100 donation was also given to the Lucena Association of Southern California.

Founded in 2004, PeDRO is a 501 ©3 Non-Profit Corporation. It is an organization whose mission is to extend relief assistance to victims of natural disasters and to mobilize resources to rebuild and restructure their community. PeDRO’s focus lies in shelter, food aid, community awareness and educational opportunities.

The officers of PeDRO include Santos Capistrano Jr., VP/ Vice Chairman (President-elect); Jose Victor M. Martires, Secretary; Lilli Khan, Asst. Secretary; Joey Cruz, Treasurer; and Cirilo Pinlac Jr., Auditor. Board of Directors comprise of Manuel Baculi, MD, Lolita Frialde Bandong, Cora M. Cruz, Eleanor Martires, Serry Sabocor, Zenaida P. Sabocor, and Edith E. Sajor. Members: Emma Sabido, Linda Simbulan, Cecile Rosana. (Editor’s note: Lydia V. Solis serves as PRO.) Members look up for advice to their past presidents: Bing De La Vega (2004-2013); Gil Mislang (2014); Myrna M. Baculi (2015-2016); and Archerie G. Calunod (2017-2018).

PHILIPPINE Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez accepts certificate of donation from FilAm Maria Olsen to aid relief efforts after the Taal Volcano eruption.

When earthquakes and ash from the January 2020 Taal Volcano eruption forced 30,000 people to flee, the Philippine Red Cross became inundated with need. That’s when Maria Olsen jumped into action.

Olsen, a Women’s Diplomatic Series member, held “An Evening of Culture, Conversations, and Career” at the Washington, D.C. Philippine Embassy’s Carlos P. Romulo Hall Feb. 5. WDS, a non-profit organization of women focused on foreign diplomacy and international tourism, holds conferences and gatherings in collaboration with the D.C. diplomatic community.

Olsen handed a donation for the PHL Red Cross Batangas Chapter to Philippine U.S. Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez.

PeDRO, Philippine Disaster Relief Organization President Benito Miranda, center, celebrates birthday and approves donation of $7,000 to ABS-CBN International for Taal Volcano victims. Photo by Archie Calunod

Pilipino po tayo!

MESSAGE FROM CONGEN ADEL WILSHIRE DISTRICT, Los Angeles – teemed partners of the Consulate GenConsul General Adelio Angelito S. eral in our campaign to create more Cruz congratulated PeDRO fundrais- resilient communities that are better ing, calling the nearly 20-year-old equipped to help each other prepare for non-profit “inand respond to disputable natural calamproof of our ities,” ConGen overseas FiliCruz said. pinos’ love for C o n G e n added that their roots and PeDRO’s efdesire to be a forts led to an positive forcé “exceptionalin their adoptly significant ed country.” cont r ibut ion He commende d Pe to the progress DRO, “through and development in t he t he inspired Philippines,” leadership of so I wouldn’t Mr. Benito M. Miranda, for be surprised if promoting solthe Philippine idarity among Disaster Relief kababayans Organization is Consul General Adelio Angelito S. Cruz in the United nominated unStates, while remaining committed der the category LINKAPIL, “Lingkod to extending relief assistance to our fel- sa Kapwa Pilipino Award” for the 2020 lowmen faced with adversities both in Presidential Awards for Filipino Indithe Philippines and the United States. viduals and Organizations Overseas.

PeDRO’s Sept. 22, 2019 fundraising Since the COVID-19 pandemic has concert, in partnership with ABS- wrought havoc on the world, CommisCBN Foundation International (AFI), sion on Filipinos Overseas, which hondubbed “Friends…Unplugged” raised ors FilAms and FilAm organizations $2,370 for AFI’s Sagip Kapamilya. overseas, has extended the nominatConcert stars included headliner ing period for the 2020 Presidential Morris Albert (of the enduring bal- Awards to Dec. 31, 2020. lad “Feelings” fame), Odette Quesada, “Would you like to join us?” asked Ner De Leon, Kevin Click and Becca PeDRO President Miranda. Anyone Godinez. interested in becoming a PeDRO mem“PeDRO has been one of the es- ber, may contact him (310) 251-7045.

LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH U. REYES, P.C. ATTORNEY-AT-LAW

*Certified Family Law Specialist The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization - Certified Family Law Specialist - Certified Public Accountant (Inactive) -J.D Southwestern University Law School Los Angeles, CA - B.S Accounting California State University, San Bernardino, CA

CALL OR E-MAIL FOR AN APPOINTMENT 213-204-6366 or

kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com

FAMILY LAW - Divorce - Community Property Division - Child Custody and Spousal Support - Domestic Violence Restraining Order - Legal Separation and Nullity - Parentage - Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements

IMMIGRATION - Marriage Petitions - Relative Petitions - Removal of Condtional Green Card - Humanitarian Reinstatements - Child Status Protection Act Issues - Deportation Defense - Employment Based Petitions and PERM - H-1B Visas

ESTATES AND TRUST - Living Trust - Wills - Probate - Conservatorship CIVIL LITIGATION - Contract Disputes - Business Disputes - Corporate and Partnership Disputes

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Men's culture of "sexism" in the U.S. Congress slammed by a group of Congresswomen

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n Thursday, July 23, 2020, during a meeting at the Capitol building in Washington D.C., New York City Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is the youngest woman elected to the House, delivered a fiery message, unleashing the "culture of sexism" in Congress as a response to "sexist" and vulgar comments made by Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla. The comment was heard by a reporter from The Hill newspaper at the steps of the Capitol building, on Tuesday, July 21, 2020. Yoho's comment, referring to Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez's stance on poverty and crime, said "disgusting," and while going down to leave at the steps of the building. Yoho remarked "f----- b----." Upon hearing the sexist vulgar comment, in front of reporters, Ocasio-Cortez repeated Yoho's comment and said "by punching each syllable these are the words of Representative Yoho 'levied against a Congresswoman.'"

In return, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, whom we have all learned to admire, excelling in her own political brand, had invited a group of Democratic women in the House to rally with her in solidarity to come forward to express their shared stories of "harassment and mistreatment by men, including those in Congress."

Apparently, Yoho denied his profane remarks targeted at Ocasio-Cortez in an apology letter delivered on the House floor on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. In his letter, Yoho said "having been married for 45 years, with two daughters, I am very cognizant of my language. The offensive name-calling words directed to me by the press, were never spoken to my colleague, and if they were construed that way, I apologize for their misunderstanding."

In her speech, Ocasio-Cortez began her message by recounting the incident. "I was minding my own business, walking up the steps of the building and Representative Yoho put his finger on my face, and called me 'disgusting,' 'crazy,' and said that I was 'out of my mind.' and that I was 'dangerous.'

Further, Ocasio-Cortez said, 'This issue is not about one incident. It is cultural. It is a culture of lack of impunity, of accepting violence and violent language against women and an entire structure of power that supports it. She emphasized that this incident didn't allow her to fall down or faint, because she has heard it before - on the subway or as a Bartender. But she wouldn't let this pass, not even from a fellow member of Congress, because 'I could not allow my nieces, or the little girls that I go home to, and I could not allow victims of verbal abuse to experience it. Having a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect, makes a decent man. And, when a decent man messes up, as we all are bound to do, he tries his best and does apologize and clearly, I am someone's daughter too."

She went on by saying: "the politics of our moment are dominated by a bully of

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio - Cortez D- New York, 14th District

Senator Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House of Representatives

Rep. Ted Yoho R - Florida., 3rd District

Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz D - Fla., 23rd District

Rep. Pramila Jayapal D - Washington, 7th District

miserable character; a President who has failed to contain a Pandemic through sheer indifference, who has fabricated a reelection campaign based on bigotry and the deliberate inflammation of division. His language is abusive, his attitude toward women disdainful. Trump is all about himself: his needs, his ego, his self-preservation and along the way, he has Rep. Ilhan Omar Rep. Ayanna Pressley created a Republican Party D - Minnesota, 5th District D - Massachusetts, 7th District in his own image. Imitators like Ted Yoho slavishly folocratic women in the House, and three men, lows his lead. including Representative Steny H. Hoyer, the Further, Ocasio-Cortez went on by saying Democratic majority leader who had turned "this culture of sexism happens everyday up on the floor to speak for them, but there in this country. It happens when individuwere three other liberal women who were als who hold the highest office in this land with Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. The three makeadmit to hurting women and using this up the so-called 'squad' namely: Representlanguage against all of us." Upon emailed atives: Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida invitations to her fellow lawmakers to join Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of her on the House floor on Thursday, July Massachusetts - and another moderate like 23, 2020, where she planned to 'discuss how she was accosted and publicly ridiculed,' a copy of which came out and was published.

By Thursday morning, there were 13 Dem$15M... from Page 1 Advancement of Early Care and Education will contract with the Child Care Alliance, a network of LA County Resource and Referral /Alternative Payment agencies, to distribute vouchers.

To expedite the process, the funding will be infused into the existing voucher system. Families seeking early care and education services may access vouchers by calling 888-92-CHILD (888-922-4453). Eligibility for these vouchers is set by the state.

Public Health is reporting one additional case of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). This brings the total cases of MIS-C in LA County to 16 children.

Ten of these cases are among girls. The majority of cases (73%) were Latino/Latinx. No children with MIS-C in LA County have died.

MIS-C is a condition that has been affecting children under 21 years old across the country who may have been exposed to COVID-19 or had COVID-19. Different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs and there can be lifelong health impacts.

“To those grieving the loss of a loved one to COVID-19, I send my heartfelt condolences. My heart and blessings also go out to the many people who are suffering with COVID-19

Representative Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey.

In her initial message, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that "she would have been willing to let the incident pass, until she heard what Mr. Yoho called an 'apology.' She further said that a day prior to the House floor meeting, ' Mr. Yoho offered some words of contrition for his language, but denying that he had used the sexist phrase and he argued that his only passion stemmed from his concern about poverty, because he had experienced it at a young age.' A spokesman for Mr. Yoho commented that 'he used a barnyard epithet to describe her policies, but not to insult her.' Nevertheless, Mr. Yoho declined to apologize to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, concluding " I cannot apologize for my passion, or for loving my God, my family and my country."

Through her short speech on the House floor, Ocasio-Cortez showed an exemplary speech defining an outstanding leader who defended not only herself but for countless principled women of today. Thus, one by one, her Democratic colleagues also spoke about their own experiences.

Representative Pramila Jayapal, Democrat of Washington, recounted how a "male Republican lawmaker had once lashed out at her during a debate on the House floor, sternly calling Ms. Jayapal, 54, a 'young lady,' and saying that 'she did not know a damn thing' about what she was talking about. At the time, Ms. Jayapal did not name the lawmaker, but she was referring to Representative Don Young, Republican of Alaska, whose insults of Ms. Jayapal were captured on video in a 2017 incident that was widely reported.

Congresswoman, Debbie Wasserman -Schultz, Democrat of Florida and the former Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, also recounted her own experience as a '20-something lawmaker' in Florida's statehouse and again as a member of Congress in her 30's, she said 'few women were watching, and felt a man's bullying breath or menacing finger in our face as we were told exactly where our place was at work.'

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the most powerful woman in Washington, also offered her own account. She said: 'I can tell you this firsthand; they called me names for at least 20 years of leadership. And you'd say to them - do you not have a daughter? Do you not have a mother? Do you not have a sister? Do you not have a wife? What makes you think you can be so - and this is the exact word I use for them - condescending?'

So, inspite of the challenging times we're all currently experiencing - dealing with the pandemic where thousands of people have died worldwide, a decline on our economy with millions of people unemployed, women like us should be thankful for having elected a new wave of principled women leaders, empowered to protect us - our city and our country. God bless AMERICA!

in Los Angeles County," said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health.

“I know that we’re all eager and anxious to see our lives return to normal. We want our children to be back at school, seeing their friends and making cherished memories. We have the tools at hand to make this happen.

We need compliance with our directives - so please continue to wear a face covering and do not gather with people you don’t live with.”

The Governor has allowed local health officers the discretion to grant waivers to school districts and private schools that would permit schools to reopen for in-classroom instruction for students in grades TK through grade 6.

Superintendents must submit school district waiver requests to re-open for approval by the local health officer.

The decision to grant a waiver will be based on ensuring that schools are able to open in full adherence with the L.A. County school re-opening protocols, along with reviewing epidemiological data for each school district.

The process requires consultation with the California Department of Public Health prior to accepting or rejecting waiver applications.

The application process will be available online and is planned to be launched by the end of the week.

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DCBA helps consumers duped by false claims of coronavirus protection

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he Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) and partner agencies have been working to fight against COVID-19 related predatory business tactics.

DCBA’s investigative work has helped the office of Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer resolve its case against the Los Angeles-based Insan Healing and CEO Angela Oh for allegedly advertising and selling radish paste as “a must-have product for the protection and prevention of the COVID-19.”

The settlement, pending court approval, requires Insan to provide full restitution to those who bought the product while so advertised, a broad injunction and a $20,000 civil penalty.

DCBA is part of a task force alongside Feuer, the L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey, and Los Angeles County Counsel Mary Wickham that collaborates on investigations related to price gouging and COVID-19 scams. DCBA Senior Investigator Taryn Lyon assisted in the investigation of Insan Healing.

“Consumers and honest businesses alike are faced with so many challenges during this difficult emergency,”said DCBA Director Joseph M. Nicchitta.

“Our department is proud to do our part, alongside our task force partners, to make sure those bad actors in the

marketplace cannot deceive and profit from people seeking legitimate goods, services, and assistance.”

Defendants in this case are Koreatown-based KNATURE CO., Inc., doing business as Insan Healing, Inc. and Insan Healing and Angela Oh. The City Attorney’s complaint alleges that these Defendants falsely advertised and sold a radish paste product, claiming it was capable of protecting against and preventing COVID-19. Immediately after the filing of this lawsuit, Defendants took down the advertising at issue and agreed to an injunction prohibiting them from making such claims.

Pursuant to the parties’ settlement of the case, eligible customers who purchased the radish paste between March 17 and May 14, 2020, the period during which Defendants allegedly made false claims related to the product’s efficacy against COVID-19, will receive full refunds of their purchases.

In addition to restitution, defendants will pay $20,000 in civil penalties and agree to permanently desist from making misleading claims, among other prohibitions.

Report suspected COVID-19 scams to DCBA by phone at (800) 593-8222 or online at dcba.lacounty.gov.

Report suspected price gouging at: stoppricegouging.dcba.lacounty.gov.

UNeMPLoYMeNT... froM Page 1 son and Jennifer Pahlka, who co-founded the United States Digital Response, the United States Digital Service, and founded the Code for America – will create a blueprint for improvements at EDD, including a reimagining of their technology systems.

Further, EDD will begin addressing the backlog of unpaid claims by streamlining communications with consumers.

“There should be no barriers between Californians and the benefits they have earned,” said Governor Newsom.

“Unprecedented demand due to job loss during this pandemic paired with an antiquated system have created an unacceptable backlog of claims. Californians deserve better, and these reform efforts aim to move the Department in that direction.”

“While we have faced unprecedented challenges this year, unemployment insurance should be a human-centered system that supports people during hard times. From the first contact to final resolution and all communication in between, we are committed making the UI experience better for Californians,” said Julie A. Su, Secretary of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

Since March, EDD has processed more than 8 million unemployment insurance claims and distributed more than $49 billion in unemployment benefits. EDD has implemented several federal benefits programs since the onset of the pandemic, created a seven-days-a-week new call center for customer technical assistance needs, and both redirected and hired thousands of staff to assist impacted Californians with information and resources.

Specifically, Governor Newsom announced today that he will: Deploy a strike team to modernize information technology programs and transform the customer experience.

The strike team will be supported by the California Department of Technology (CDT) and the Office of Digital Innovation (ODI).

The strike team will identify steps to transform the unemployment insurance customer experience for the digital age. Within 45 days, the strike team will deliver a roadmap that outlines short-, mid- and long-term recommendations and solutions to transform the customer experience of applying for and receiving UI benefits.

Focus on immediately processing claims.

Prioritizing the oldest claims first, EDD is actively processing all claims in the “Pending Resolution” category and anticipates eliminating the backlog of actionable claims by the end of September. To assist with addressing the almost 1 million claims that may be eligible for payment with additional information, EDD will initiate immediate and weekly reminders to claimants to certify their claim. Going forward, EDD will work with the Legislature and advocates to create

more user-friendly notifications and enhance the UI Online customer service experience.

EDD will also streamline the call center experience including an updated Interactive Voice Response (IVR) automation with the goal of routing a caller to a call center representative who has specialized training with that specific issue.

Enhancing partnership with the Legislature to improve communication with claimants.

Building on bi-weekly meetings with legislators and staff, EDD hopes to leverage the Legislature’s unique ability to connect with their constituents to assist with improving communication with claimants.

EDD will collaborate with legislators and staff to amplify EDD messaging regarding certification requirements – claimants need to certify every two weeks – this message needs to be more broadly shared on a regular basis, as well as work in partnership to adjust FAQs and responses to the common questions constituents have raised. Input from legislative offices has been integral for the department in identifying areas of focus and we look forward to working with the Legislature to improve the Department in the months to come.

Today’s announcement builds on recent actions to strengthen the system, including: Standing up several federal pandemic-related programs, including Pandemic Additional Compensation; Pandemic Unemployment Assistance; Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation; and Federal-State Extended Duration (FED-ED), and modernizing Work Share.

Creating and staffing a technical assistance call center in April available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in both English and Spanish; Redirecting more than 600 staff from other units and 700 staff from other departments to assist the UI Branch full time; Creating an online chat bot to provide claimants information and resource on frequently asked questions. It has received 3.6 million inquiries since it was launched in April; Launching a text messaging alert system regarding claim status. Around 7 million texts have been sent to nearly 3 million claimants since its launch; Hiring of 5,300 new temporary employees; EDD worked with CalHR to expedite the hiring process. Over 4,700 employees have been approved for hire so far, and are in various stages of onboarding, training and deployment; Enhancing the federal Work Sharing Program, which helps businesses avert layoffs by reducing staff hours and allowing staff to receive both part-time earnings and a prorated percentage of UI benefits, thereby keeping their jobs and allowing the business to remain open.

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fINaL VerSIoN... froM Page 2 The California Natural Resources Agency, California Environmental Protection Agency, and California Department of Food and Agriculture solicited extensive public input to prepare the portfolio in response to an April 2019 Executive Order (N-10-19).

“The state’s playbook for managing water in coming decades must be broad and comprehensive,” said Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot.

“The portfolio identifies how the state can help regions maintain and diversify water supplies, protect and enhance natural systems and prepare for a future that looks very different from our recent past.”

The agencies released a draft version of the portfolio for public feedback in January 2020. Input from more than 200 separate individuals and organizations helped shape revisions, including the addition of 14 new actions. The revisions give greater emphasis to tribal interests and leadership, upper watershed health and cross-border water issues “The Water Resilience Portfolio is a roadmap that will help us plan and build for a climate uncertain future.

This blueprint establishes regional priorities that align challenges with opportunities for water-focused innovations like conservation, replenishing aquifers and direct potable reuse,” said Secretary for Environmental Protection Jared Blumenfeld.

“By implementing this portfolio of actions together, we can meet the existential threat posed by climate change with a strategic sense of obligation and vision.”

The portfolio also recognizes the role of healthy soils in building resilience, including efforts that promote using working lands to sequester carbon, store water and prevent pollution.

“Evaluating our water management system for improved resilience is an essential first step in our quest for longrange sustainability and reliability,” said Secretary for Agriculture Karen Ross.

“I look forward to collaborating with our state partners and agriculture stakeholders on this essential issue.”

Given the recent drastic downturn in the state’s budget situation, the final version acknowledges that the pace of progress on the actions in the portfolio will depend upon the resources available. The portfolio is a comprehensive, aspirational document, but there are several priorities the state will focus on.

These priorities include:  Implementing the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Act of 2019  Supporting local communities to successfully implement the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014  Achieving voluntary agreements to increase flows and improve conditions for native fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and its watersheds  Modernizing the Delta water conveyance system to protect long-term functionality of the State Water Project  Updating regulations to expand water recycling  Accelerating permitting of new smart water storage  Expanding seasonal floodplains for fish and flood benefits  Improving conditions at the Salton Sea  Removing dams from the Klamath River  Better leveraging of information and data to improve water management  State agencies intend to track and share progress on portfolio implementation with an annual report and stakeholder gathering.

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Are your Credit Cards still manageable, Are these short term loans helping you?

CONSUMERS weren’t shy about spending this holiday season, as the latest consumer credit report reveals a nearly 10 percent increase in overall consumer debt. According to the Federal Reserve, consumer borrowing surged in November by $20.4 billion raising the consumer debt total to $2.48 trillion. Financial experts at Consolidated Credit advise consumers to reexamine spending habits.

With more consumers turning to credit for purchases, revolving debt showed an 8.5 percent increase. credit card debt accounts for almost all of revolving debt, which rose by $5.6 billion to $798.3 billion. This was the largest percentage jump since March 2008.

We might be feeling better about the economy, in reality inflation is growing higher. Now more than ever families need to work at saving and paying off any outstanding debts. We are spending too much and spending like crazy again! This is concerning as the bills begin to roll in, consumers may find themselves unable to pay them off.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has ordered a review of rules on short-term loans. Three customers say companies lured them into a traps of quick cash and affordable payment terms.

These Quick Cash or Payday loan companies focus on the needy, often operating out of strip malls or corner stores. Interest can be 300%, plus fees.

Borrowers often hand over post-dated checks which are cashed if they do not repay on time.

Unless you have assets or a property to turn your equity to cash to pay off these debts, you will end up rolling that debt over and incur higher fees.

Short Term loan are easy to get but hard to pay back, usually when you are desperately in need and not thinking right, these loan sharking method of lending is the fastest way to get money. Unless you completely thought out how you will be paying the debt off or knowingly have money coming into to pay it off, you will end up owing much more after said and done.

An alternative if you can afford to wait for a few years before your credit gets back to par is the option of debt consolidation. You have to be careful because there are a lot of debt consolidators that are fly by night companies.

Look for one that has good standing and has been in the business for a long time. Fully understand the process and fees involve before jumping into it. Fees are high but could be worth it if you have a high debt, remember your credit might be ruined while

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you are on a payment plan. Mostly importantly if you start it, finish the process.

Better yet, if you own a property and has ample equity, use it to pay off your debts, refinance now while rates are so cheap.

Seniors Financial Advisor thinks that one explanation for Americans’ willingness to take on more debt could be the relative improvement of the economy over the past year, when the workforce added 2.2 million jobs over the course of the year.

For consumers with extra money in their wallets, taking on more debt in anticipation of a bonus or a raise may not seem so risky. But that could be a big mistake. We’ve already forgotten 2008 and 2009, and now we’re projecting into the indefinite future and we’re spending based on as if it had already happened. Our default setting is optimistic, and maybe overly optimistic.

If consumers aren’t on steady finan-

Saturday-Friday | August 1 - 7, 2020

cial ground, it could put Americans at greater risk if the economy doesn’t improve at a fast enough rate. And it doesn’t help that Americans are not very good savers. Americans have made some progress on debt repayment… but (savings) continues to be the Achilles heel of financial security. And it was never a strong point to begin with.

I feel that if we are all wondering what will be the cause of another financial recession, political turmoil?

I think it might be related to consumer debts, credit card loans, student loans etc. We can’t live paycheck to paycheck just clearing our minimum payments on our debts, sooner than later it will catch up with us and we wont be able to pay it.

Thanks for your inquiries and comments, please call Ken Go of 1st Innovative Financial at 562-508-7048 or write to kennethgo@verizon.net BRE01021223 NMLS238636.

Bankruptcy: Get Out of Debt, Get Your Finances Back in Order

LIKE most people, you’ve worked hard and have done your best to pay all your bills on time. But in life, at one time or another, we all find ourselves in a a situation where debt can be overwhelming.

Many people feel hopeless and powerless over their debt problems.

Debt problems can easily spill over into other areas of your life- your marriage, family and your business if you are self-employed. If you are currently in debt, rather than allowing your money problems to affect your life in such a dramatic way, filing for bankruptcy protection may help you get your life back on track.

If you’ve suffered a job loss, are facing foreclosure or have bills you can no longer afford to pay, Congress has enacted bankruptcy laws that can help you get your finances back in order. I know that the mere thought of bankruptcy makes most people nervous so they avoid exploring their options until it’s too late.

This is unfortunate because in a lot of cases, people could have turned their situation around much sooner had they acted sooner. Some people wait too long to file bankruptcy even when it is their only option. In the process, they use up hard-earned assets like their retirement plan and savings accounts. In the end they realize that this was nothing more than a temporary fix to a lingering problem. Sooner or later, these people realize that they would have been better off filing bankruptcy before losing everything that they had worked so hard for. Don’t let this happen to you!

If you’ve come to the end of your financial rope and don’t know what else to do, at least find out what your legal options are before things get worse. You don’t need to keep living paycheck to paycheck while digging a deeper financial hole every single month. Yes, bankruptcy may be a scary thing for a lot of people who don’t understand the process but once they’ve taken the time to find out how it works and how it could help them get out of debt, they often realize that it’s actually not as difficult as they first thought. Bankruptcy is a beginning, not the end.

Dealing with financial problems can result in stress, fear and embarrassment. With the current economy in turmoil, more and more people are filing for bankruptcy protection. The stigma that once surrounded bankruptcy has almost disappeared. Once you consult with a bankruptcy attorney, you may soon discover that the law is actually on your side and that you just need to let the legal process work for you.

If you need help in getting out of debt, call my office at 866-477-7772 to schedule a free confidential consultation. Since 1998, I have successfully helped more than 6,000 clients in solving their debt problems. If you have not read my book, “What You Need to Know Before Filing Bankruptcy”, you can download it free of charge at www.beforefilingbk.com.

For a free evaluation of your case, please call our office at Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772 to schedule a free consultation. ***NOTE: Due to the virus lockdown, I am currently offering consultations via phone or video.

Please call the office to schedule your appointment with me. Questions?

Email me at gethelp@rjb-lawoffices.com.

(None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772).

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Family Law Issues during the COVID-19 Pandemic T H E C O V I D -19 P a n d e m i c has changed our lives almost overnight. Not only has it changed our lives in terms of our daily routine, jobs, lifestyle, but also our relationship with our family members under the Stay at Home orders in place in major cities such as Los Angeles,

Divorce caused by Financial and Emotional Stress China is a few months ahead of the US in terms of the impact of this pandemic on families.

Statistics show that the number of couples filing for divorce in China is reportedly way up after long periods of COVID 19-related confinement.

This gives us a glimpse of the months to come after the stay at home order has been lifted.

The rapid spread of the corona v i r us ha s destabi l i zed ever y household particularly those of parents. The closure of schools and child-care facilities has created challenges for scores of parents who must figure out how to keep their children safe while continuing to work from home. The current situation has posed significant challenge to parents with existing custody orders. Many parents are attempting to renegotiate the terms of the existing custody orders at a moment when emotions run high and the Courts are closed for most hearings.

Most families have roles to play for each member of the household such as the parents getting up and going to work or the child being in school. When these roles are radically changed in a time that we’re all feeling incredibly stretched emotionally creates major stress on families. As a result of this stress, marriages may fracture and may result to divorce because the coronavirus crisis is causing many families to experience job loss from the massive layoffs caused by the shutdown of the economy.

Financial stress is always one of the big stressors that lead to divorce.

Parents are trying to figure out how they can support an entire family.

Effect of COVID-19 “Stay at Home Order” on Custody Orders The stay at home order issued by both the City of Los Angeles and later the State of California has stirred a lot of confusion among d ivorced pa rents who sha re custody of their children. Stay at home orders have required California residents to remain at home, except if they need to go out for essential needs such as for groceries, medication or health care appointments. People can’t go into work unless they are in certain essential jobs. The stayhome orders restrict travel for unapproved purposes. As a result, divorced parents didn’t know if they were allowed to travel to bring their children back and forth to the other parent during visitation schedules. There is confusion about whether the stay-at-home

is available during this pandemic to issue such emergency orders to protect the victims of domestic violence.

order trumped the custody order or whether the court order trumped the stay-at-home order.

Custody and visitation orders a re not a f fec ted by st ay at home orders or ot her order restricting movement issued by a governmental entity that arises from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The stay at home order does not change the existing parent-child custody orders that may be in place. Just the fear of pandemic is not enough to warrant keeping a child from seeing the other parent.

If there is an actual threat of harm to the child, the Los Angeles Superior Court is available for ex parte emergency RFO to address these issues. However, parents should attempt to work together first to come up with some kind of temporary agreement that works for both the parents and for the kids that accommodates the problems caused by the pandemic and modify temporarily the existing custody orders as a solution to the current environment. For example, if exercising the father’s alternate weekend visitation exposes the child to other members of the father’s new household, perhaps the parents can temporarily agree to a virtual visitations such as zoom video conferencing, face time, and other apps available that allows the father to see the child and interact the child without exposing the child to the risk of contagion. The Los Angeles Superior Court has been continuing most hearings except for emergency hearings. It would serve the parties best to coparent and work out a temporary custody agreement which can be turned into a temporary court order.

Domestic Violence during Stay at Home Order Many domestic violence victims live with their abusers and are now being forced to isolate with their abusers. Victims may have also lost their source of income and are having a harder time connecting with their support systems such as the victim’s family. Leaving their situation is much more difficult during the pandemic. COVID-19 stay at home order in Los Angeles means victims might be stuck with their abusers. Victims might also be losing their job and income. For the most vulnerable people in the community, stay at home order is the same as putting them in a cage with a dangerous creature. Even though there may be an increase in domestic violence during this period, neither law enforcement nor the family courts may hear about the domestic violence and abuse

because it is usually the community that reports these incidents when children go to school, when people see their friends, when people are in a situation where other people see what's going on. Now, teachers, childcare providers and, friends are physically cut off from the people and children they normally are in contact with daily.

In addition, seeing businesses shuttered and paychecks halted has put intense pressure and hardship on a growing number of people and families who are becoming increasingly depressed.

Many are self-medicating at home with drugs and alcohol. Add to that scenario the school closures and children and spouses sheltering together at home can create an extremely hostile, even dangerous, environment for many families. It is therefore important for victims to call the police or avail of the Family Courts by filing an application for a restraining order and a kick out order against the perpetrator.

The Los Angeles Superior Court

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.

This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC. This article is not a solicitation.

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist.

He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration.

He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com. Visit our website at Kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com.

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Saturday-Friday || August August 11 -- 7, 7, 2020 2020 Saturday-Friday

IN-HOME CAREGIVERS: ARE YOU PAID OVERTIME? IF you are employed as a 24hour caregiver, working aroundthe-clock to provide care and assistance to an individual inside their home, you are most likely entitled to overtime compensation.

If you are paid a fixed daily rate, regardless of the actual hours you work or the quality and quantity of work you perform, you are not receiving overtime compensation and likely have a valuable claim for wage theft. This is true whether you are hired directly by the care recipient or paid through a home care agency.

In 2014 the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights (“DWBR”) became law in California. The law was passed as part of a movement to enhance the rights of domestic workers, whom the California Legislature deemed to be some of the most invisible and vulnerable workers in the state. Now, under the DWBR, in-home caregivers are entitled to receive overtime wages for all hours worked in excess of 9 in a day or 45 in a week.

In California, most 24-hour caregivers must be paid a minimum of $378.00 per day to comply with the requirements of the DWBR. The first 9-hours of work should be paid at the legal minimum wage rate of $12.00 per hour, which equals $108.00.

Then, for the remaining 15 hours, the law requires overtime payments at a rate of $18.00 per hour, which amounts to an additional $270.00 per day.

Unfortunately, in actual practice, most caregivers receive far less than the applicable minimum wage,

often earning as little as $180 to $240 per day. A 24hour caregiver who is earning less than $378.00 per day likely has a very valuable claim for wage theft.

For example, if you are a caregiver working 24-hours per day, 5 days per week for a salary of $1,100 per week (or $220 per day), your weekly unpaid overtime claim is calculated as follows: Your weekly salary of $1,100 is divided by 45 hours to calculate a regular rate of pay, equal to $24.44 per hour. Your overtime rate is 1.5 times your regular rate of pay, which amounts to $36.66 per hour.

Your pre-determined salary does not compensate you, at all, for the 15 daily overtime hours you work.

So, each day, you accrue $550.00 of unpaid overtime wages. Employers, who willfully fail to pay an employee the requisite overtime compensation, are also subject to liquidated damages, which could add an additional $180.00 per day to the wage theft claim. Plus, the law provides for interest, attorneys fees, and penalties.

In t he above exa mple, t he hypothetical caregiver is owed $2,750 in unpaid overtime wages per week. On a yearly basis, the overtime claim alone exceeds $140,000. We have helped many caregivers whose claims exceed $500,000 in damages with the addition of penalties, liquidated damages and interest, after working for several years.

Caregivers, who are victims of wage theft, may recover their u npa id w ages goi ng back 4 years from the date a lawsuit is filed in court. We have helped many caregivers file claims against their former employers. Even if you last worked several years ago, you still have time to pursue a claim. The one exception is if the care recipient patient has passed away. In that instance, a claim against the care recipient’s estate must be filed within 1 year of their passing, or sooner if an estate has been opened.

If you are a caregiver and are hesitant to proceed with claims for wage theft against your current or former employer please visit our website at www. caregiverovertime.com/pa/concerns/ to review our article that addresses many of the common concerns we have heard from caregivers.

If you are a caregiver working 24-hour shifts without overtime compensation, we want to talk with you about your legal rights. We provide compassionate and confidential consultations.

Please contact us at (818) 807-4168, for a free case evaluation.

This article is an attorney advertisement written by Daniel Chaleff, employment law attorney at Chaleff Rehwald Peterson in Woodland Hills. Our examples are of a general nature and are not a guarantee regarding the outcome of your individual matter. The law firm focuses on caregiver rights. Please call us at (818) 807-4168 for a free case evaluation. Or visit us at www.caregiverovertime.com/ to learn more about caregiver overtime law. We offer a 24-hour chat line on our website.

20 million Filipinos to get free COVID-19 vaccine — Finance chief Dominguez Death penalty?

Let’s focus instead on life amid COVID-19 -- Binay MANILA (Mabuhay) — Senator Nancy Binay on Thursday questioned the push to bring back the death penalty at a time when so many Filipinos are already dying.

“Every day, there are reports na 20 yung namatay today. The next day 30, 40. We need to talk about paano tayo mabubuhay and by discussing death penalty... kamatayan pa rin ba yung kailangan pag-uusapan?” Binay said.

“The conversation will shift towards death again when there's so much death already happening around us. Para sa akin, at the moment, mag-focus muna tayo kung paano tayo mabubuhay, at kung paano natin bubuhayin ang ating mga kababayan,” Binay added.

Binay made the comments in response to President Rodrigo Duterte's call to reimpose capital punishment for drug-related crimes during the Chief Executive’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), delivered amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Philippines has at least 85,486 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday afternoon. Of this number, 26,996 have recovered while 1,962 have died. This leaves the number of active COVID-19 cases at 56,528.

“If I were to grade the SONA of the President, I would say it's incomplete. I expected more pagdating doon sa kung papaano natin bibigyang solusyon pagdating dito sa problema natin sa COVID-19,” Binay said.

“Medyo kulang pagdating doon sa detalye, doon sa roadmap, more or less, sana doon nag-focus ang ating Presidente,” she added.

Binay then argued that given the country’s ill justice system, reimposing death penalty is only a death sentence for the poor.

“I am against the death penalty. Unless maayos natin yung justice system natin, kawawa ‘yung mga mahihirap. They can't afford the best lawyers,” Binay said.

“Hindi magiging patas ang hustisya hangga't hindi naaayos ito,” she added.

(MNS)

MANILA (Mabuhay) — At least 20 million Filipinos will be provided with COVID-19 vaccine for free, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said.

At a briefing in Malacañang Thursday night and aired Friday morning, Dominguez said the government is capable of financing P20 billion worth of COVID-19 vaccines which are expected to be ready

by December this year.

“May three pharmaceutical companies na po sa China, one from Great Britain, one from the US na nasa advanced stage na. By around October, matatapos ang trials, so before December, most likely ma-aapprove ito ng Food and Drug Administration nila,” Dominguez said.

“When that happens, DOH ang mamimili ng tamang bakunang bibilhin. May financing na po kami. The vaccine will be free for 20 million people, $10 per dose, mga P20 bill i o n p o ,” Dom i ng uez added.

Dom i ng uez sa id t he vacc i ne s w i l l be purchased t hr u Philippine International Trading Corporation under the Department of Trade and Industry which will turnover the vaccine to DOH. “Once this [purchase] is made,

i-tuturnover sa DOH para magamit nila sa poorest of the poor, iyong lowest 20 million [income earners] in the country,” Dominguez said.

“DOH will put this in their budget, they will pay this P20 billion in two to three years, babayaran nila thru financing ng Landbank at DBP (Development Bank of the Philippines),” Dominguez said. (MNS)

FINANCE SECRETARY CARLOS DOMINGUEZ

Gasoline is alternative to alcohol as disinfectant, Duterte insists MANILA (Mabuhay) — President Rodrigo Duterte said he was not joking when he advised people last week that gasoline can be used as disinfectant.

At a briefing with Cabinet officials in Malacañang on Thursday, Duterte said gas can be an alternative to alcohol.

“Sabi nila itong si Duterte loko-loko, gago. Kung loko-loko ako, ikaw na sana ang na-presidente, hindi ako,” he said in his address aired on state-run PTV on Friday.

“Totoo’ yang sinabi ko, alcohol. ‘Pag walang alcohol available hindi ka naman puwede lalo mahirap pupunta ka lang diyan sa gasoline station pagkatapos magpatulo. That’s disinfectant.”

Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque and the Department of Health earlier dismissed as a joke the President’s suggestion that face masks can be disinfected through gasoline.

“Akala ninyo nagbibiro lang ako pero sa totoo hindi rin ako nagbibiro. You try to go inside my brain,” the President said.

Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire said last week that surgical and N95 masks are for single use only, but the public can wash their cloth mask for disinfection and use them again.

The government mandates the wearing of face masks in public to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

(MNS)

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'All systems go' for integrity, anti-corruption offices in judiciary — SC

MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday said it is "all systems go" for two offices that will act on complaints against and investigate erring justices, judges, and court officials and employees.

The SC Public Information (SC PIO) said the court has approved the proposed amendments for the implementation of the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) and the Corruption Prevention and Investigation Office (CPIO).

These offices were created in 2018 but were "put on the back burner" to give way to a review of the JIB's functions and prevent duplicity with those of the Office of the Court Administration (OCA) and other offices, the SC PIO said.

The JIB will act on complaints against erring justices, judges, officers and employees of the judici-

ary. The CPIO, on the other hand, will investigate erring justices of the tertiary courts, judges and personnel of the lower courts, including the Shari’a Courts; and the officials and employees of the Office of the Jurisconsult, Court Administrator, Deputy Court Administrator, Assistant Court Administrators and their personnel.

The resolution approving the amendments will be published in a newspaper of general circulation on August 1, the SC PIO said.

Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta had committed to "weed out misfits from the judiciary" as part of his 10-point program as top magistrate.

Early into his appointment last year, Peralta said he would implement the JIB, whose functions would be "harmonized" with that of the OCA. (MNS)

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New record-high: Over 4,000 more COVID-19 cases recorded as gov't extends quarantine M A NIL A (Mabu hay) — The Department of Health on Friday reported 4,063 additional COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, the highest number of cases reported in a single day since the start of the pandemic.

This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases to 93,354. It means the country has exceeded the University of the Philippines OCTA Research Group’s updated estimate of 90,000 for the end of July.

The announcement came several hours after the government announced the extension of the relatively relaxed genera l com mu n it y quarantine (GCQ) in Metro Manila despite the continued rise in cases.

It was also a day after the DOH announced more than 38,000 add i t i on a l r e c o v e r e d patients due to “data reconciliation,” which brought down drastically the country’s number of active cases.

“Of the 4,063 additional cases reported

today, 3,813 (94 percent) occurred in July,” the DOH said.

The top regions with cases in July were: NCR: 2,153 cases (56 percent) Region 7: 558 cases (15 percent) Region 4A: 492 cases (13 percent) For Friday, the DOH reported 165 additional recoveries or a total of 65,178 recovered patients.

There are also 40 additional coronavirus-related deaths or a total of 2,023 fatalities.

Of the 40 deaths, majority or 27 happened in July, 2 in June, 2 in May, 7 in April, and 2 in March.

The deaths were from NCR (13), Region 7 (12), Region 3 (7), Region 4A (2), Region 6 (2), Region 11 (2), and one each from Region 4B and Region 9.

The data is based on the tests done by 74 out of 91 operational labs.

T he DOH a lso removed 83 duplicate cases from the previ-

ous tally. It includes 42 recovered cases.

“Moreover, we have updated t he hea lt h status of nine (9) cases previously reported as recovered but after final validation were deaths (8) and active (1) cases,” the DOH said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported an increase of 1.26 percent in the total number of Filipinos who have recovered from COVID-19 with 69 new recoveries in the Middle East, compared to yesterday’s figures.

However, confirmed COV ID-19 cases also increased with 65 new cases in the Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and Middle East. Similar to yesterday’s report, the DFA confirms no new fatalities today.

"As the DFA, along with its Foreign Service Posts, joins our Muslim brothers and sisters in observing Eid’l Adha, we offer prayers of healing, peace, hope and unity in these challenging times," it said in a statement. (MNS)

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Gov't to ensure action vs. OFW trafficking during pandemic MANILA (Mabuhay) — The government will not let its guard down against human trafficking even during the coronav irus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, an official of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) said on Thursday.

In a statement, IACAT officer-in-charge Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Jinky Delumo said t he Ph i l ippi ne government will continue working to ensure coordinated action on cases particularly the trafficking of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

"We will not let the Covid-19 virus slow us down," Delumo said.

The IACAT announced the launch of its digital case management system for trafficking cases.

Meanwhile, Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar said IACAT aims to send more rogue government officials involved in human trafficking behind bars.

In an online forum and press conference on the occasion of the World Day Against Trafficking, Villar said one of the recommendations under the Global Trafficking in Persons Report “is to get more convictions against complicit government officials”.

“We’ve been working on that to get those convictions and hopefully this year we will be able to achieve that,” she added.

She said that since 2005, there have been a total of 565 persons convicted in human trafficking cases but only five government officials were sentenced.

The Philippines has been Tier 1 in the Global Trafficking in Persons Report from 2016 up to the 2020.

“In fact, in Southeast Asia, we’re the only one to be able to attain Tier 1 ever,” she noted.

She said that during these five years “the government of the Philippines has fully met the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking”.

“We’ve successfully managed to retain those efforts for five years. It’s not easy to attain this ranking,” Villar said. (MNS)

Saturday-Friday | August 1 - 7, 2020

Minors with special needs, foreign parents can enter PH MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has allowed Filipino children with special needs, as well as the foreign parents of minor Filipino nationals, who have Philippine visas, to visit the country amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

The IATF-EID’s latest decision was contained in its Resolution 60 approved on Thursday.

The new resolution introduces amendments to IATF-EID Resolution 14 approved on March 20, which states that only foreign spouses and children of Filipino nationals are exempted from the suspension of visa issuance.

Under IATF-EID Resolution 60, “foreign spouses, minor children, including children with special needs, regardless of age, of Filipino nationals, as well as foreign parents of minor Filipino nationals, including children with special needs, regardless of age” can enter the Philippines.

They, however, should secure Philippine visas before they can be allowed to go to the country.

Originally, only accredited foreign government and international organization officials and their dependents, as well as foreign spouses and children of Filipinos, can visit the Philippines amid the pandemic.

On July 17, the IATF-EID also approved a resolution allowing the entry of foreigners with long-term visas in the country

beginning August 1.

Foreign travelers are subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry because returning overseas Filipinos will be given priority.

They must also secure a prebooked accredited quarantine facility and a pre-booked Covid-19 testing provider.

Meanwhile, the IATF-EID also approved recommendations on the time-based reckoning of Covid-19 recoveries.

“Time-based reckoning of recoveries of mild and asymptomatic patients who have completed 14 days of isolation from the date of onset of illness or specimen collection shall be immediately implemented,” the resolution read.

The IATF-EID’s new resolution directs the Department of the Interior and Local Government to reiterate and cascade recovery plans to the local government units (LGUs) by clarifying that the counting of the 14-day isolation for mild and asymptomatic cases should start from the date of the onset of illness or specimen collection.

It also orders the submission of “accurate, complete, and timely” reports to the Department of Health.

The reports, according to the resolution, should include updates on the health status and outcomes of patients upon discharge, recovery, or death by all hospitals, LGUs, and disease reporting units. (MNS)

Saturday-Friday | August 1 - 7, 2020

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Ikumpleto ang 2020 Census online ngayon.

Ikumpleto ang census ngayon para makatulong i-inform kung saan ilalaan ang bilyones na mapupunta sa mga bagay katulad ng health care, transportation at education kada taon sa susunod na sampung taon.

Ilang minuto lamang para mabigyang hugis ang ating kinabukasan, kaya kumpletuhin and census online, sa telepono o by mail.

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Saturday-Friday || August August 11 -- 7, 7, 2020 2020 Saturday-Friday

Gatchalian urges transparency in study of nuclear energy MANILA (Mabuhay) — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday urged the inter-agency committee assigned to study the possible use of nuclear energy to proceed with utmost transparency to the public, saying that nuclear power is a ‘risky’ business.

On Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte formed the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee to study the possibility of tapping nuclear energy in efforts to seek a steady power supply in the country.

"Transparency should be the guiding post from day one on the conduct of the study for the possible adoption of nuclear power in our energy mix,” Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian said that “only an open and free discussion” of nuclear power "will deepen the comprehension of the public."

"The conduct of this study should proceed with utmost transparency to the public in every step of the way.

The public should be well-informed on the inherent risk and the potential

UP experts project 150k COVID-19 cases by end of August MANILA (Mabuhay) — Experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) said Friday the number of COVID-19 cases in the country may reach 150,000 by the end of August.

Almost double the current national case total, the projection reflects the "exponential growth" experts have talked about, Professor Ranjit Rye of the UP OCTA research team said.

The current national case total is 89,374 as of Thursday. Of this number, there are 22,327 active cases after the Department of Health reported a record 38,075 recoveries in one day. Nearly 2,000 patients have died.

Rye said the team recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday to either reinstate the modified enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila or retain the general community quarantine, with enhanced localized lockdowns and enhanced testing, tracing, and isolation.

Metro Manila, Bulacan, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Minglanilla and Consolacion towns in Cebu province, and Zamboanga City will be under GCQ from August 1 to 15.

The rest of the Philippines will be under modified GCQ. While the virus' reproduction number, or the number of people an infected person could pass the virus to, in Metro Manila has decreased from 1.75 to between 1.3 and 1.4, Rye said this is still a high value.

"Mataas pa rin po kasi siya... [dapat] below one," he said in the radio interview.

In an earlier report, the UP OCTA team said that to flatten the cur ve, the reproduction number should be less than one.

A value higher than one indicates the pandemic is spreading.

Meanwhile, the virus' reproduction number in Cebu has fallen to less than one -- - 0.8 or 0.9, according to Professor Guido David, who is also part of the OCTA research team.

He said this means Cebu has f lattened the curve but that this is not a reason to disregard health standards. (MNS)

of nuclear power,” he said.

The committee was tasked to evaluate and assess the need for and viability of introducing nuclear power into the country’s energy mix, taking into consideration economic, security and environmental implications, and engagement of the public and relevant stakeholders.

It was also directed to formulate a roadmap and timeline in the preparation of the Nuclear

Energy Program, measures to address infrastructure gaps, and recommend the necessary steps in the utilization of existing facilities.

The senator stressed that nuclear power is a “risky business."

"The world is always in constant debate on the adoption of nuclear power because of its inherent risk to public welfare,” Gatchalian said.

"Moreover, it is an energ y source that is very complicated and demands high-level knowledge to fully maximize it's utilization without sacrificing public safety,” he added.

(MNS) SENATOR SHERWIN GATCHALIAN

Filipinos divided about going to work, church even after COVID-19 lockdown — SWS

MANILA (Mabuhay) — Filipinos are divided about going to work and attending religious activities even after the community quarantine due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ends, Social Weather Stations survey results released Friday showed.

According to SWS national mobile phone survey conducted July 3 to 6, 55% of the employed Filipinos feel comfortable about going to work in case the community quarantine or lockdown ends next month while 40% feel uncomfortable.

Of the respondents, 20% feel very comfortable and 34% fairly comfortable going to work while 26% were not very comfortable and 13% were

not at all comfortable.

The survey also showed that 45% of adults feel comfortable while 54% feel uncomfortable about attending religious services, such as going to church or mosque.

Those from Mindanao feel comfortable about going to work and church, 64% and 45%, respectively, while residents of Metro Manila were the least comfortable, 45% and 39%, respectively.

The proportion of those comfortable going to work was higher in men than women.

The SWS also said those comfortable about attending religious services were higher among Muslims, 71%;

and members of Iglesia ni Cristo, 58%; compared to Christians other than Roman Catholics and Iglesia ni Cristos, 47%; other non-Christian religions, 42%; and Roman Catholics, 41%.

The survey asked 1,555 adult Filipinos nationwide using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing and has sampling error margins of ±2% for national percentages, ±6% for Metro Manila, and ±5% for Balance Luzon, ±5% for the Visayas, and ±5% for Mindanao SWS also said it employed its own staff for questionnaire design, sampling, fieldwork, data-processing, and analysis, and does not outsource any of its survey operations. (MNS)

Ecleo to be probed for massacre of wife's kin, says PNP MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Philippine National Police will investigate former lawmaker and cult leader Ruben Ecleo Jr. for his alleged role in the killing of his wife’s loved ones, Police Major General Debold Sinas said on Thursday.

In a briefing, Sinas cited reports from regarding Ecleo's alleged involvement in the killings.

“We will be tracking also kasi accordingly hindi lang ‘yung asawa ‘yung pinatay niya. According to our friends in Cebu City, 'yung pamilya po ni Alona Bacolod, comprising sa father, sa mother, ‘yung sister na si Evelyn at saka si

ARRESTED CULT LEADER RUBEN ECLEO JR.

Ben was also massacred din in June 2, 2002,” Sinas said.

In April 2012, Ecleo was convicted for the January 2002 murder of his wife, Alona Bacolod-Ecleo, whose body was found decomposing in a ravine.

Sinas said that reports showed that Ecleo was involved in the killings but a was not filed.

“According to reports, may kinalaman siya pero that case was not filed unlike ‘yung sa asawa niya. But everybody knows doon sa Cebu na siya ang prime suspect,” Sinas said. “[T]hat is investigated by Cebu before in 2002 and I think may mga investigation sila. As to the progress of the case, we will find out,” he added.

Ecleo, meanwhile, denied killing the family but said that he had admitted to the crime after being accused.

“Hindi ako ang gumawa pero kasi inakusahan ako at na prove na kaya aminin ko na,” Ecleo said in Bisaya.

His response was translated by Philippine National Police chief Police General Archie Gamboa.

Ecleo also said that he also did not issue an order to kill the family and later denied knowing the culprit.

Authorities arrested Ecleo at the vicinity of a golf course in San Fernando, Pampanga where he surrendered peacefully.

He is the leader of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, a group based in Dinagat Islands. (MNS)

Saturday-Friday | August 1 - 7, 2020

Processing of telco infra permits down to 16-20 days — DILG MANILA (Mabuhay) — The processing period of permits for power infrastructure of telecommunications companies (telcos) will now be shortened to a maximum of 20 days, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Friday.

In a taped briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte aired over state-run PTV-4, Año said the joint memorandum circular (JMC) recently signed by several national government agencies would significantly remove ‘red tape’ in the processing of licenses and permits particularly in setting up common towers to improve connectivity.

"Wala na po 'yun (There is no such thing anymore).

Sixteen days to 20 days po ang target para sa lahat ng permit (There is no such thing now as 16 days to 20 days is our target for all the permits)," Año said, referring to the usual eight-month period for the processing of permits for telco facilities, based on the clamor aired by telcos in a recent meeting with the President.

Usually, permission from homeowners’ association and the city or municipal council through a resolution is required before telcos can build towers.

Año also assured the local government units and other agencies would abide by the directive.

On Wednesday, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II supported President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for the immediate improvement in the services of telcos, noting that common towers will help move the country towards “better internet quality and more extensive telecommunications service coverage”.

The common tower initiative, according to the DICT, is expected to stimulate the growth of independent tower companies, widening the base of common or shared towers in the country.

It said common towers will help cut back on expenses when compared to the costs of construction and maintenance of private towers.

In his fifth State of the Nation Address on Monday, Duter te t hreatened t he countr y’s two operating telcos to improve their services by December or face expropriation—the seizure of assets by the government for public use.

He also called on telcos, other concerned companies, and government agencies to implement measures to boost internet connectivity, promote electronic governance, utilize ICT for education, and toughen up the country’s cybersecurity.

(MNS)

BALITA 13 Business BUSINESS Despite Q2 economic slump, Pinoys may have very nice Xmas — Diokno Visit www.Balita.com

MANILA (Mabuhay) — An economic contraction of more than 20% in the second quarter would be problematic for the Philippines but the country is likely to have a "very nice Christmas," Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Thursday.

In a virtual briefing, Diokno said that the Philippines likely recorded its worst economic performance during the second quarter, but recovery is seen in succeeding quarters.

"What I can see is if the contraction is single digit, that's really nice, very nice. If it's between 10 to 15 (percent) that's still tolerable, but anything that is higher than 20 (percent), that could be problematic," he said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is scheduled to release second-quarter growth figures next Thursday, August 6.

The economy contracted by 0.2%, the worst contraction in over two decades since the gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.5% during the Asian Financial Crisis in 1998.

"I foresee a hockey-stick-like recovery for domestic economic activity. I've said that we've seen the worst and that's the second quarter," said Diokno.

The Philippine economy was placed in a standstill in March to May, when Metro Manila and other "high-risk" areas were placed under an enhanced community quaran-

Weekend

tine (ECQ) from March 17 to May 15, followed by a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until May 31.

More relaxed restrictions have since been in place under the general community quarantine (GCQ) which was implemented starting June 1, and extended to last until July 31.

"As I said, the third quarter will be better than the second quarter and the fourth quarter will be much much better than the third quarter so we will probably have a very nice Christmas," said Diokno. (MNS)

Angara: P140-B Bayanihan 2 law won't be the only stimulus plan vs. COVID-19 M A NIL A (Mabu hay) — The proposed P140-billion Bayanihan 2 law will serve as a mini stimulus package but will not be the lone stimulus package amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Senate finance committee chairperson Sonny Angara said Thursday.

Angara made the pronouncement a day after House Assistant Minority Leader Stella Quimbo warned that a piecemeal set of stimulus packages will not be an effective response against COVID-19 because it would mean a more difficult monitoring if the government assistance will reach the target beneficiaries.

“In our discussion with the DOF (Department of Finance) and economic managers, there was an agreement that we can pass the Bayanihan 2 as a mini stimulus package,” Angara said.

“If the situation calls for it or improves…because you have to remember, we were discussing this before the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue’s) deadline for paying ta xes.

Now we

SENATOR SONNY ANGARA

would have a better idea how much we can spend moving forward. The premise is, this will be the first piece of stimulus package, but not the only stimulus.

That is where we are coming from,” Angara added.

Angara said that while a bigger amount of stimulus package is ideal, Congress has to pass a law that can be funded.

“What the economic managers asked us to do is to make it realistic. Otherwise, we will be raising expectations of our people, and there will be no money to finance it,” he said.

“An unfunded mandate would be a shame.

This is a matter of what is doable. We also need to be realistic in our expectation, and I doubt it (Bayanihan 2) will go over P200 billion,” he added.

The House version of t he Baya n i ha n 2 is worth P160 billion which is P20 billion more than that of the Senate version.

A mong the items prov ided for under the Senate version of the Bayanihan 2 is P50 billion for assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises, P32 billion for cashfor-work program a nd u nemployment assistance, P17 billion each for transportation and agriculture sector,

P10 billion for tourism, P4 billion for smart campuses and Technical Educations

and Skills Development Authority training, among others. (MNS)

Tax digital services?

That's part of business, says DTI chief

DTI SECRETARY RAMON LOPEZ MANILA(Mabuhay) — Paying taxes is part of doing business--even if its online, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Friday after a legislative panel approved a bill that seeks to impose tariffs on digital transactions.

All businesses in the Philippines should be registered with the government and are subject to taxation, Lopez said as Congress seeks to charge online transactions of Filipinos.

"Talaga hong dapat naman ay magbayad ng tax, dahil this is our responsibility sa ating lipunan at kailangan ay mayroon pong bahagi parati ang pagbubuwis sa atin pong mga ginagawa, basta ho negosyo," Lopez said in a virtual press briefing.

"Kahit po ito online or kahit hindi online...Ito po ay kailangan ma-register at ito po ay subject to tax," he added.

A 12 percent value-added tax on digital services, including non-resident or foreign service providers, could generate P10.66 billion in revenues once enacted into law, economist Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III earlier said tax for digital services such as e-commerce and video streaming platforms is "critical" as consumption turns digital in the new normal following the devastating coronavirus pandemic. (MNS)

14

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E ntertainment

Saturday-Friday August 1 - 7, 2020 Visit www.Balita.com

Liza Soberano reveals offers to buy fan accounts Liza Soberano took to social media to reveal that there have been offers from unknown Actress parties to buy her and Enrique Gil’s fan accounts.

LIZA SOBERANO

"Saw that some random accounts are trying to buy some LizQuen fan accounts.

Nice try but LizQuen can’t be bought. Mighty proud of all of you," Soberano tweeted.

After her revelation, the actress received messages of support from their fans, who stressed that their love

and loyalty are not for sale.

Prior to Soberano's revelation, the fan pages of Bea Alonzo and Angel Locsin also received offers to sell the accounts.

Alonzo on Sunday, July 19, shared screenshots from her supporters, showing similar messages asking them to sell the widely fol-

lowed fan pages they manage.

Fans of Locsin had the same encounters, according to screenshots posted by the actress on Monday, July 20.

Buying a community page to promote an agenda, and in the process deceiving followers of the group's original content, is one of the

Matteo promises to stand by wife Sarah as she achieves her dreams

M

atteo Guidicelli took to social media to shower Sarah Geronimo with positive words as she celebrated her 32nd birthday.

Sharing a photo of them during their recent trip to Amanpulo in Palawan, Guidicelli said he’s very proud of his wife for the person she is today.

“Happy birthday my lovely wife. I’m so proud of you.

You deserve all the happiness and positivity that life has to offer,” he wrote.

Guidicelli then vowed to be by Geronimo’s side as she fulfills “whatever dreams you want to achieve.”

To end his post, Guidicelli wrote: “You are so beautiful.

Happy birthday!”

Celebrity doctor Vicki Belo revealed that the couple finally got a chance to have the honeymoon they never had because of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As shown in Belo's Instagram account on Saturday, Geronimo and Guidicelli were enjoying their time together in Palawan surrounded by nature.

At one point, according to Belo, the couple planted a coconut tree. (MNS)

Lovely Abella talks about going from actress to certified fitness instructor

MAYMAY ENTRATA

MATTEO & SARAH

ANNE CURTIS

MANILA (Mabuhay) — If you're trying to get in shape from the comfort of your home, why not join Lovely Abella's online classes?

Sometime during the community quarantine, the Kapuso actress and comedienne became a certified fitness instructor. Her Facebook page, Lovely's Fitness Squad has already garnered over 62,000 likes.

Lovely said that in light of the coronavirus pandemic, she realized that she shouldn't just stick to the one thing she knows.

"Hindi pala pwede na naka-fo-

Maymay Entrata joins cast of ‘Four Bad Boys and Me’ MANILA (Mabuhay) — Maymay Entrata is set to have a special participation in Star Cinema’s first digital project “The Four Bad Boys and Me.” This upcoming content is the first installment of “Listen 2 Love,” which is described by the film outfit as a “lovecast” series, or a podcast anthology that falls under the love-story genre.

Anne Curtis now has 15 million Instagram followers MANILA (Mabuhay) — Actress-host Anne Curtis now has 15 million followers on photo-sharing app Instagram.

Curtis, who is still in Australia with her husband Erwan Heussaff and their baby Dahlia Amélie, continues to update her fans via social media.

In November 2017, the actress set a local record for posting the first photo to hit 1 million likes on Instagram.

That photo is from her wedding to Heussaff in New Zealand.

As of writing, Curtis have

schemes of "professional" trolls, according to tech news editor Art Samaniego.

Samaniego warned administrators to be vigilant not only of these offers, but also a "modus" where members seek administrator privileges who then kick out the original owner of the page. (MNS)

15,011,103 followers on Instagram, making her one of the most-followed Filipino celebrities on the platform.

Recently, Anne released Thursday her first vlog since becoming a first-time mom.

While the coronavirus pandemic has limited travel and halted industries, Curtis, the entrepreneur, successfully launched the latest collection of her

cus lang tayo dahil ito lang ang alam mo. Ang alam ko lang kasi umarte eh, ang alam ko lang magpatawa ng tao eh. Ito lang ang kaya ko," she said.

"Eh nangyari to. Ngayon tignan mo, parang kaya ko pala," she added.

She decided to teach HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training, because it was her strength.

"Kaya ko ituloy tuloy yan ng 45 minutes," she said.

"Alam ko kasi ang HIIT ang the best cardio para mag-lose ka ng weight. At the same time, building ng muscle," she added. (MNS)

makeup line BLK Cosmetics.

In a vlog on Instagram, Curtis shared a detailed tutorial of her light makeup for "a Zoom meeting," using products from her collection.

Previously, Curtis also put together her own pictorial in Melbourne, tapping Australian talents, for material for her latest BLK campaign. (MNS)

LOVELY ABELLA

A n adaptation of the Wattpad novel with the same title, “The Four Bad Boys and Me” is written by Tina Lata.

Aside from Entrata, Lata also announced through a vlog last Saturday that Karina Bautista, Aljon Mendoza, Mark Rivera, Alora Sasam, Chie Filomeno and Jenny Jamora will be part of the project.

They will join former “PBB” housemates Kaori Oinuma and Rhys Miguel, who were the first cast members named to be part of the show.

“The Four Bad Boys and Me” will be available on Star Cinema’s YouTube and Facebook pages and on Spotify.

(MNS)

Entertainment

Saturday-Friday | August 1 - 7, 2020

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Why Alessandra de Rossi didn't want to play Darna villain Valentina on TV

A

lessandra de Rossi admits she did not really want to play the role of Valentina in the 2005 TV adaptation of “Darna.”

Looking back, however, de Rossi could not say she regrets accepting the villain role because it literally gave her a roof above her head.

“Everyone knows naman na ayaw ko gawin 'yung Valentina from the beginning. Pero kasi when you look back, lalo na nitong pandemic, because of Valentina, nagtuloy-tuloy 'yung shows ko sa GMA although same role naman over and over, palit lang ng hair,” she said.

“It’s the same role na masama ugali, pumapatay, inggitera or whatever. But nakabili ako ng house. Ten years to pay. As soon as I paid the house in full, tapos na

Iwa Moto announces pregnancy

IWA MOTO MANILA (Mabuhay) — Former actress Iwa Moto announced being an expectant mom anew.

On Instagram, Moto shared a sonogram of her second child. She has an older daughter, Eve, with her partner Pampi Lacson.

“Hello there little one,” she wrote in its caption. “We are all excited to meet you. But for now chill ka muna diyan. Magpalaki ka at magpalakas. 'Wag mo na pahirapan si mommy, ha. Love you.”

“Hello everyone, meet the new addition to our family. Coming soon,” she added, indicating she is due to give birth next year.

Among those who expressed excitement with meeting the baby was actress Jodi Sta. Maria, the former wife of Lacson with whom Moto has formed a close friendship.

In fact, Moto considers Sta. Maria’s son with Lacson, Thirdy, as her own, making theirs an extended family.

(MNS)

ako sa TV, ayaw ko na,” she added.

De Rossi said her house alone is enough reason to be thankful she was cast as Valentina.

“How can you regret that part kung nabigyan ka niya nang wala kang monthly rent during pandemic. Salamat pa rin at nangyari siya. Sana hindi because 'yun nga as I said, gusto ko lagi good vibes sana and maganda 'yung message ng character, maganda 'yung message ng story. Kasi 'yun na lang ang iiwan mo kapag namatay ko so siyempre gusto mo okay. But because of Valentina, may bahay ako. Okay na 'yun,” she said.

As an actress, de Rossi said she is the type who really commits and gets into every character.

When asked why she always goes all out even with the risks, de Rossi said: “Dedicated ako only because gusto ko 'yung ginagawa ko.”

“Yung iba kasi basta project, blessing iyan, work iyan. Okay ako sa ganung point of view. Pero ako kasi, kung hin-

di ko talaga type 'yung story or feeling ko [walang] matutulong sa world or sa filmography ko, huwag na natin gawin.

Kung hindi lang din ako dedicated diyan, matutulog na lang ako sa house,” she said.

Currently, de Rossi shared that she’s working on a movie with Piolo Pascual where she is both the writer and the director. (MNS)

Ria Atayde to host new TV5 show but stays with Star Magic MANILA (Mabuhay) — Kapamilya actress Ria Atayde has found new work as host of TV5’s upcoming morning show "Rise and Shine."

The st at ion rele a se d Atayde’s pictorial for the show produced and directed by Mike Tuviera of APT Entertainment. She will cohost "Rise and Shine" with erstwhile Kapamilya artist Pokwang and Pauleen Luna Sotto.

Cris Navarro, Atayde’s ABS-CBN handler, said that Atayde will remain a contract artist of the Kapamilya network’s Star Magic talent pool.

“Star Magic has worked with APT before. Less than two weeks ago, they asked us to recommend some names and Ria was chosen,” Navarro said.

production team had earlier considered Kisses Delavin and Janella Salvador as the third host of the show.

The daughter of award-winning actress Sylvia Sanchez, Atayde has logged several projects with ABS-CBN including “Ningning,” “Sino ang Maysala,” and “My Dear Heart.”

T V i ndu s t r y i n s iders hope that "Rise and Shine," which begins airing mid-August, will also usher new employment opportunities for displaced ABS-CBN workers. TV5 programming consultant Perci Intalan earlier told ABS-CBN News that the RIA ATAYDE station is open to blocktimAtayde herself is overwhelmed by the whirl- ers and co-produced shows wind negotiation but is glad that she will be with other industry players.

(MNS) working with friends. The "Rise and Shine"

Maja Salvador opens up about relationship with Rambo Nunez MANILA (Mabuhay) — “I am home again.”

This was how Maja Salvador felt when she reunited with Rambo Nunez, who first became her boyfriend when she was just 21.

Salvador shared that their relationship had to take the backseat since fans then were not as open about their idols dating people who are not from showbiz.

“Nung una namin ni Rambo, 21 years old ako noon... Siyempre bata pa naman, kailangan mong i-sacrifice. May ganun ng konti,” she said.

Several years later, Salvador believes they made the right choice by giving their relationship a second chance.

“Kasi siguro hindi enough 'yung ilang months lang kami noon.

MAJA SALVADOR Naudlot talaga. Tapos iba din 'yung love ng family niya na ibinibigay sa akin. Ilang beses kaming may random na pagkikita, may certain feeling na 'yung naramdaman mo dati, parang meron pa rin,” she said.

When asked if she’s ready to settle down with Nunez, Salvador said: “Ano lang iyan, kung ibibigay ni God na ngayon, 'yun.”

Salvador also revealed that the only possible reason that could make her take a break from showbiz is, not marriage, but having kids.

“Siguro kapag nagkaroon ako ng anak… But hindi naman totally na wala. Feeling ko hindi ako mawawala sa industry pero magbibigay ako ng time naman para i-enjoy 'yung [pamilya ko],” she said.

It remains unclear when Salvador and Nunez started dating again, but in March 2019 the actress confi rmed that she got back together with her former boyfriend. (MNS)

Ruru Madrid: 'Two years na akong in love'

RURU MADRID MANILA (Mabuhay) — "Two years na akong in love."

This is what Ruru Madrid declared when fellow Kapuso star Mikee Quintos asked him about the last time he fell in love during a vlog.

The actor did not drop any names, and said his statement doesn't necessarily refer to a certain person.

"Ang pagiging in love, hindi lang naman sa ibang tao ba 'yan, or what. Masasabi ko rin na simula pagkabata, in love na ako," he said.

But he added, "Mas in love ako simula two years ago, hanggang ngayon."

Asked if he was happy, Ruru answered, "Yes, I'm happy."

Ruru and Mikee were playing "Best Friend No Laughing Challenge" with a twist for one of Mikee's vlog episodes.

The revelation comes at the heels of Bianca Umali posting a cute photo of the two of them, with her cheek pressed to Ruru's forehead.

When Bianca celebrated her birthday last March, Ruru also posted a photo of them on Instagram for the first time. (MNS)

www.Balita.com 20 16Visit Weekend BALITA

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Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., August 18 - 24, 2018

Saturday-Friday | August 1 - 7, 2020

Eid'l Adha: A story of sacrifice

for the observance of the Feast after the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) recommended it.

Malacañang has reminded the Muslim commuFor adver tising, call (818) 552-4503 • email: adver tising@balita.com nity and local government units to conform with ne of the most significant festivals in Islam, Eid'l Adha, embodies the spirit of existing community quarantine and safe physical CAREGIVERS CAREGIVERS CAREGIVERS distancing measures as they observe Eid’l Adha sacrifice that is rooted inCAREGIVERS the story of the Prophet CAREGIVERS Ibrahim's complete submission amid the prevailing threat of the coronavirus disto CAREGIVER the will of God. RN CAREGIVER NEEDED MALE CAREGIVER LIVE-IN CAREGIVER CAREGIVERS ease 2019 (Covid-19).

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(PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar, meanwhile, said the foundation of the Feast resembles the Covid-19 efforts, calling for sacrifice as a test of loyalty and love.

FOR R “We are daily tested to sacrifice during this perROOM F nicious period of a pandemic,” he said. Lake Balboa. Pre kids, no pets. Nea Andanar also enjoined Filipinos to honor the trainclude utilities, ca dition as everyone endeavors to end the pandemic. bathroom. Call 81 “The commonality of our nationhood438-9866. and the • Boulevard Apparel is in need of Office beliefs from which originate our religions bring me Personnel with knowledge on ecommerce you to FeastHILLS of Sacrifice FULLbefore TIMEall6 of DAYS A venerate WEEK INtheWEST as a people united before our one almighty God,” (i.e, Amazon, Overstock, Ebay).

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Preferably in home, 3-5 Days/Week of Eid’l Adha.”

Republic Act 9849 states that Eid’l Adha, one of Eugene Kaplan Tel.# Please leave your contact info at: the two major Islamic feasts along with Eid’l Fitr, Email: sales@blvapparel.com (818) 773-0869 (PLEASE CALL BETWEEN 9 AM.holiday.

AND 5 PM. shall be celebrated as a regular RA 9849 says the declaration of Eid’l Adha as regular holiday allows Muslims to “pay homage to EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Abraham’s supreme act of sacrifice and signifies mankind’s obedience to God.” (PNA) WTD is seeking for an Administrative Assistant that is driven, enthusiastic, self-motivated and able to dosacrifice. multi-tasking of various to as well VILLANUEVA... from Page 1 This Islamic festival, also known this symbolic story of calledadministrative Salat al-Eid tasks, is recited, provide support for the activities of the Executive as the Feast of Sacrifice, commemoIt is celebrated on the 10th day of as the Dhuhr prayer at noon.

DD only shows there's a prob- ident Rodrigo Duterte to ivers needed for Careg Team • MustFamilies have pleasant is & Ma rates theletale oflehow God commanded the last month of theManagement Islamic calendar and attitude friendsand typically get • Fema lem with data interpreta- replace Health Secretary a team player • Hajj Must be together proficient to in Microsoft Outlook, Anaheim s in Ibrahim sacrifice his, CA son. as a test and it also marks the end of the feast and celebrate and tion. Worse, it's giving Francisco Duque III. Facilitieto nuses.

Word Excel and other computer • Office potential Bo “PRRD: Sir, please fire people a false sense of of faith. pilgrimage to Mecca, theand fifth Pillar mosques andsoftware community groups will fers sick leave benefits & • Of dical Me is located in La Mirada, California, office hours is from #.

SS th security,” Villanueva said Sec. Duque! You/we/I deWi c eti Thestdevil had tried to convince of Islam. often arrange communal meals. erg en ong & • Mu betostr Monday to Friday 08:00-17:30 on Twitter. serve better po!” Escudero Ibrahim disobey the command A major part of the celebration is Many people dress up in their best sirable.

“Imbes na mass testing, said. ckground De BaIbrahim’s resume Camille gifts. but unfaltering belief7in5617 the sacrificing of livestock,Please suchemail as your clothes andtoexchange naging mass recovery.

Senators earlier sought at camille@wtdus.com Please call (714) 35 God prevailed. goats, sheep, cows, or camels. Ani‘Yung reporting style ng Duque’s resignation over When Ibrahim was about to do mals are usually cut into three parts The Islamic festival in the context DOH, mas malala pa sa his “failure of leadership” what he was told to do, God swapped with one part being given to the of the pandemic pagbago-bago ng panahon and blunders on the suphis son for a ram and Ibrahim slaugh- needy, another given to the family, President Rodrigo Duterte issued #DOHunreliable #WeAre- posed second wave of inBeingFooled.” fections and flattening of tered it instead. and another part to relatives.

Proclamation No. 985 declaring July The DOH said its mas- the curve.

The significance of Eid'l Adha lies in In the morning, a special prayer 31 a regular holiday in the country

O

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PHILHEALTH... from Page 1 Health mafia very much active and still in control of the already depleted resources of the agency, made worse by blatant manipulation of its financial statements," Lacson said in a statement.

"They must have mastered the art of influence-peddling as they seem to continue to gain access to the 'corridors of power,'" he added.

Following the resignation of a PhilHealth anti-fraud officer who alleged that there was widespread corruption in the agency, the Senate decided to open an inquiry.

The Senate Committee of the Whole will convene on Tuesday morning to look into the supposed irregularities at the state health insurer.

"We have witnesses who are will-

ing to testify and detail the pervasive and deep-rooted corruption in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp," Lacson said.

The senator believes that familiar names will surface in the upcoming hearing.

"At the outset, I can say that this new Senate investigation will reveal the same cast of characters, or at least a number of them, that we already exposed in a Senate inquiry in August last year after my 'PhilHealth and the Department of Wealth' privilege speech on July 29, 2019," Lacson said.

"I would say, the syndicate is back with a vengeance—or at least its core group has never left," he added.

During a Senate hearing in August last year, former PhilHealth President

Roy Ferrer alleged that there were eight regional senior vice presidents who used their influence to back fraudulent schemes in PhilHealth.

Ferrer and other top officials of PhilHealth resigned in June 2019 after President Rodrigo Duterte asked them to leave their posts in the wake of the "ghost dialysis" issue.

Incumbent PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales denied the new allegations of corruption against the state health insurer and welcomed the Senate probe on the matter.

Alleged irregularities in PhilHealth's Interim Reimbursement Mechanism, overpricing of ICT equipment, and financial status, among others, will be discussed in the upcoming hearing. (MNS)

tional recoveries on top of the 909 newly validated recoveries reported by regional and epidemiological surveillance units for July 30.

The same efforts were a l s o b eh i nd t he r e cord-high 3,954 new infections recorded Thursday, the agency said.

“After recording the highest one-day Covid-19 positive new cases of 3,954, the Department of Health reports a 38,075 'mass recovery adjustment' to include mild/ asymptomatic cases. This is ‘only in the Philippines’ and is intolerable and insulting!” Escudero said on Facebook.

He also called on Pres-

Duque.

The Philippines has rePlease call corded a total of 89,374

COVID-19 cases w ith 626-926-7186 65,078 recoveries and

way to reach my id

for inquiries or email 1,983 resume at as of Thursdeaths day afternoon. hrqagandres2@gmail.com "People are anxious and

and forget the wron of my life with me.

everything and confi

from You no matter

tired. Huwag na dagdato be with You and (A person gan," Senator Risa Hon- must pra wish. tiveros said on his Twitter asAfter the 3 difficult it may be. P she tagged the DOH. been granted. Grat "Na k a k a lito at nakakaduda ang paJOB O palit-palit na reporting system sa COVID. Pati ang kabagalan ng pag-collate at pagreport, ngayon pati sa recovered cases," Hontiveros said.

"Clear communication is what will earn the people's trust," she added.

(MNS)

FIRST... from Page 1

The number of people infected bites, especially now that most peoARE YOU READY TO with WNV each year in LA Coun- ple are staying home and spending ty is estimated to be more than time in their yards. Remember to GIVE UP USING PLASTIC 10,000, because most infected per- tip and toss anything that can hold do not experience any illness water on your property and use inSTRAWS? sons or perhaps only mild illness. These sect repellent when mosquitoes are

should also protect themselves from mosquito-borne illnesses by using EPA-registered mosquito repellent products.”

Mosquito season in Los Angeles County starts in June and ends in November.

Humans get WNV through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most mosquitoes do not carry the virus; therefore, most people bitten by a mosquito are not exposed to WNV. Those who do get WNV may experience mild symptoms including fever, muscle aches, and tiredness.

In some cases, especially in persons over 50 years of age and those with chronic medical conditions such as cancer and diabetes, severe WNV infection can occur and affect the brain and spinal cord causing meningitis, encephalitis, and paralysis.

There is no specific treatment for WNV disease and no vaccine to prevent infection.

cases are neither reported nor even recognized as WNV. Moreover, Public Health has reported elevated numbers of WNV cases in LA County over the previous 5 years, at an average of 159 cases per year. More than three-quarters of reported cases have had severe disease and approximately 7% of patients with severe WNV have died from complications.

“It’s important to remember that West Nile virus is transmitted by infected mosquitoes,” says Truc Dever, General Manager of the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District.

“That’s why residents need to take measures to prevent mosquito

present. Reducing the risk of mosquito-borne disease infection is a shared responsibility for everyone in L.A. County.”

Stagnant swimming pools or “green pools” should be reported to the Public Health Environmental Health Bureau at (626) 430-5200, or to a local vector control agency. Dead birds may be reported by calling (877) 968-2473 or online: http://www. westnile.ca.gov/ report_wnv.php.

Recovery from WNV can take months or years. One study showed that 12 months after infection, about half of those with this disease continued to have cognitive and physical impairment such as

SAVE OUR OCEANS AND MARINE LIFE!

memory loss, difficulty walking and fatigue.

PRAY

Holy Spirit Thou w

quitoes lay their eggs in standing water.

l Check for items that hold water Decrease your risk of exposure: l PROTECT YOURSELF: Mosinside and outside your home once quito repellents can keep mosqui- a week l Cover water storage containers toes from biting you. EPA-registered repellents containing DEET, such as buckets and rain barrels. If picaridin, IR3535, 2-undecanone, no lid is available, use wire mesh and oil of lemon eucalyptus are the with holes smaller than an adult longest lasting and most effective. mosquito l Clear standing water in flowerThey are available as sprays, wipes, weekendbalita.com and lotions. Find the repellent pots, saucers, birdbaths and other that’s right for you here. Consider containers wearing long-sleeved clothes and l Clean and maintain swimming pants when outside. pools, spas and drain water from l MOSQUITO PROOF YOUR pool covers HOME: Make sure that your doors Throw away old items in your and windows have tight-fitting patio or yard that can hold water, screens to keep out mosquitoes. e.g., old car tires and children’s toys Repair or replace screens with tears or holes.

Call 2-1-1 or visit socalmosquito. org to report persistent problems l REDUCE MOSQUITOES: Mosto your mosquito control district.

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Gov't may require wearing of face shields, IATF reactivates national says DTI chief Lopez avian influenza task force

WHEN IN MANILA IMAGE

MANILA (Mabuhay) — The government is considering requiring citizens to wear face shields while in a public place as an added protection against COVID-19, Trade Secretary Mon Lopez said Friday.

"Ngayon po, pinag-aaralan din po ngayon... 'yung wearing of face shields. Ito po yung isa pang mga kino-consider ng IATF na i-encourage na rin ang ating mga kababayan as an extra step para lumakas ang prevention at maiwasan ang transmission," Lopez said at the day's Laging Handa briefing.

IATF, or the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, is the government's policy-making body in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Citing a study, Lopez said a face shield can prevent 99% of

potential transmission especially when used with a face mask.

"Sa pag-aaral, something like 82% ang naba-block pag may mask. Pero pag may face shield ka pa, almost 99% ang naba-block na potential transmission," he said.

"Kaya ho beyond the wearing of mask ini-encourage na rin po natin yung pagsusuot ng face shield lalo na po pag nasa public place, o nasa maraming tao, or nasa public transport," Lopez added.

Lopez stressed that so far, face shields are not yet required. "Pero baka po in the future ay ma-require na natin kung kakailanganin pa natin mag-extra protection."

For his part, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque

said the wearing of face shield is "highly recommended" as it is part of "minimum health standards" to be observed to curb the spread of COVID-19.

“Magkakaroon po tayo ng stringent enforcement of minimum health standards. Ito po ‘yung hugas kamay, suot ng mask at social distancing, at pagsuot na rin…ng face shield,” Roque said.

Roque made the announcement during a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte and some Cabinet officials on Thursday when he enumerated the conditions that Metro Manila and CALABARZON must meet in order to remain under general community quarantine. “[It's] highly recommended,” Roque added in a text message.

(MNS)

PCR still best test for symptomatic Covid-19 patients: DOH exec MANILA — Polymerase chain reaction or PCR is the best test used for symptomatic patients of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), a health official said Wednesday.

In a Covid-19 virtual presser Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire reiterated that "PCR (test) is very sensitive and can detect the virus or the virus genetic material

or remnants".

Vergeire made the remark in response to Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri's question on the sensitivity of PCR test kits.

"Due to the test sensitivity, the PCR result of Senator Zubiri could be the remnant of the virus. It could also be false-positive result and/or cross-contamination," she said.

Vergeire added there were reports that patients can remain consistently PCR positive for many weeks or even test PCR positive after days or weeks of negative test.

"Recent available evidence suggests that eight days after the onset of the illness, viral culture had not been successful which correlates with the infectivity after the first week," she said.

On Monday, Zubiri said he skipped President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address after his reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test turned positive for Covid-19, contrary to the negative result of his rapid antibody test. (PNA)

MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved the recommendations of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to strengthen efforts versus the N5N6 avian influenza or bird flu in the country.

Under resolution no. 60, the IATF allowed the reactivation of the National Avian Influenza Task Force (NAITF) to manage the outbreaks using multi-agency coordination and collaboration.

The NAITF was first created in February 2004 under Executive Order No. 280.

The resolution also directs the DA to strengthen coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Interior and Local Government (DILG) with local government units to do sustained monitoring and surveillance of the H5N6 avian influenza and its possible effects to humans.

Moreover, concerned agencies will also be tasked to intensify information campaign that chicken meat and eggs are safe for human consumption; strictly enforce the Good Animal Husbandry Practices; and enjoin the public to immediately report poultry mortalities to their respective LGUs and to the DA Regional Field Offices or to the DA-Bureau of Animal Industries.

On Tuesday, the DA announced the resurgence of bird flu in San Luis town in Pampanga province.

To control the spread of the disease, the DA said the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has ordered the culling of nearly 39,000 egg-producing chickens.

"The team humanely culled a total of 38,701 head of layers and disposed them off properly, employing the protocols under the Avian Influenza Protection Program of the Philippine government," said DA-BAI director Ronnie Domingo, in his report to DA Secretary William Dar. A composite team of veterinarians and animal health immediately applied emergency control measures at "ground zero" and conducted disease surveillance around the infected farm in San Luis town.

All personnel involved in the disease control measures were strictly monitored by the health office of San Luis, Domingo said, adding that the DA-BAI assures the public that the A(H5N6) has not been reported and detected among broilers, the primary source of poultry meat.

Last week, the BAI declared Jaen town in Nueva Ecija province as bird flu-free, four months since an outbreak was announced in the area.

A (H5N6) is a subtype of the bird flu virus that can be passed from animals to humans.

In 2017, Pampanga was the epicenter of the bird flu outbreak in the Philippines.

(MNS)

Saturday-Friday | August 1 - 7, 2020

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PH’s first Covid-19 vaccine might come from China — Duterte MANILA (Mabuhay) — President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed optimism that the Philippines’ first vaccine for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) would come from China.

“Kaya ako, saludo talaga ako sa Chinese (That is why I salute Chinese). Ang unang makuha nga natin siguro from China (Perhaps, the first Covid-19 vaccine we will get is from China),” Duterte said in a taped public address aired on state-run PTV-4 on Friday morning, as he noted that Covid-19 vaccines produced by Chinese drugmakers Sinovac Biotech and Sinopharm are showing promising results.

He said he is confident that a vaccine for Covid-19 would be developed by December this year.

In his fifth State of the Nation Address delivered Monday, Duterte disclosed that he had personally asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to prioritize the Philippines’ request to receive China’s vaccine for Covid-19, once it passes all clinical trials.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Tuesday ensured that the Philippines would be the first nation to get the Covid-19 vaccine, once China becomes successful in developing a vaccine.

Two vaccines against Covid-19 developed by Chinese private pharmaceutical firm Sinovac and state-run Chinese firm Sinopharm have entered Phase 3 trials, the last step before regulatory approval.

‘Disadvantaged’, gov’t troops are priority Duterte was thankful that the Philippines' “friendly” relationship with China is bearing fruit.

He guaranteed that underprivileged Filipinos would be the first to receive Covid-19 vaccines, once these become available.

“Ang mauna ‘yung walang-wala at saka of course, those in the hospitals, ‘yung mga sick or dying. Ang una talaga ‘yung mga tao sa listahan na tumatanggap ng assistance sa gobyerno (Those who are disadvantaged and in the hospitals, sick, or dying, will be given priority. Those who are also receiving aid from government will

galawin, puwede kayong sumali, pumila doon," Duterte said.

"And even if you announce that you are an NPA, it's okay. Wala munang... pagamot ka muna, pa-vaccinate ka, para mahusay kang lumaban sa puwersa ko," he added, going on to taunt the rebels whom he said do not have jets and ships.

Clarifying that this is not a unilateral ceasefire, Duterte told rebels not to attack soldiers and to "allow the normal process of helping the country."

"As a matter of humanity, because it is not our money, and because you are a Filipino, okay lang sa akin," he said. be prioritized),” Duterte said.

He said he would also give priority to the police and the military, noting that he needs “a strong backbone.”

The President reiterated that Covid-19 vaccines would be distributed for free, except for rich people and drug personalities.

Military to lead distribution Duterte said he would tap the military to lead the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.

“Sino ang magdala nito? Military. Military lang.

Bahala na. I’m asking the armed forces. The implementing arm – military (Who will distribute this?

The military. Just the military. Let it be. The implementing arm would be the military),” he said.

Duterte made the pronouncement as he admitted that he could not trust local officials in distributing the vaccines. “‘Yung (The) overall umbrella to supervise must be the armed forces. This will remove partisan, favoritism, (and) corruption,” he said.

NPA to get vaccine if Duterte said members of the outlawed New People's Army (NPA) can get vaccinated against COVID-19 if they would "stop fighting" state forces during the health crisis.

"If you stop fighting for a while during the period or until December, kasi my soldiers will be busy monitoring, supervising, 'wag lang niyong

DOH: Over 37,000 COVID-19 recoveries in a single day is based on scientific evidence MANILA (Mabuhay) — The re-tagging of over 37,000 asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 cases is based on scientific ev idence, Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire said Friday.

Vergeire made the response in the aftermath of the over 37,000 COVID-19 recoveries recorded in a single day on July 30 largely due to the re-tagging of asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 cases as recovered due to improved data ha rmoni zat ion a mong government agencies.

Ve r g e i r e s a i d t h a t asymptomatic patients can already be tagged as recovered if the patient did not show symptoms for 14 days since day of RT-PCR test.

Those with mild symptoms, on the other hand, will be deemed recovered once they are deemed clinically recovered by their doctor and finished the required 14 -day isolation period.

“Iyong clinically recovered, meaning wala ka ng sintomas tulad ng lagnat.

Kung sa ika-10th day iyong clinical recovery, you have to be in isolation for another four days to be tagged as recovered,” Vergeire said in a press conference.

“This is not an assumption. This is based on scientific evidence. Experts across the globe are backing this up, and this is being implemented in other countries also,” Vergeire added.

Vergeire said that such a huge number of recoveries is expected to happen, considering that over 90% of COVID-19 cases in the country are mild and asymptomatic cases.

Vergeire said conducting RT-PCR test is not an effective way to determine if the patient has recovered from COV ID-19, considering that a patient can repeatedly test positive for COVID-19 even if the patient is already not infectious.

“Ang RT-PCR test basis for infection. Para po malaman kung may virus ang tao. Pero para po malaman kung recovered na, hindi natin yan gagamitin kasi napaka-sensitive po ng RT-PCR test. Mayroon nga po 55 days na, nagpapapositive pa rin, pero hindi na siya infectious,” Vergeire said.

“That is why we have this protocol [na hindi na gagamit ng RT-PCR test for recovery,” Vergeire added.

(MNS)

No vaccine for drug pushers However, Duterte said drug pushers will not be vaccinated against COVID-19.

"Drug pusher, wala kayo," Duterte said, calling drug pushers and drug lords "dogs."

The President said he will instead give the vaccine to poor communities. "'Yun ang utos ko. 'Yan ang gusto ko. Hindi maganda? Hindi talaga maganda. Mga tao, hindi pala tao sila, tingin ko [sa] mga drug pusher, drug lord, aso. Tingin ko sa kanila... hindi ako magtulong sa inyo, sinisira niyo ang Pilipinas, pinapatay niyo ang tao," he said.

Back to ‘normal’ Duterte said he believes that Filipinos need not experience the “new normal” because, for him, life will return to “normal” by December.

“Ang recovery natin is normal na (Our recovery would be normal),” he said. “We are not going back to a new normal. It’s going to be normal again.”

Duterte also asked the public to just be patient while the country is waiting for the successful development of a Covid-19 vaccine.

“I promise you, by the grace of God, I hope by December we would be back to normal. Huwag ninyo ‘yang new normal, new normal kasi sabi ko nga noon pag-umpisa natin hintayin lang natin ‘yung vaccine (Do not expect anymore the new normal because we’re just waiting for the vaccine),” he said. (MNS)

Avoid burdening health care system; observe health standards — DOH MANILA (Mabuhay) — Filipinos are urged anew to make it a habit to observe minimum health standards to avoid burdening the country's health care system and workers, amid the continuing increase of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections.

Doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners have been falling ill, increasing the burden on the health care system that is already groaning from the pandemic.

Tot a l bed oc c upa nc y, meanwhile, is at 50 percent, accounting for both Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 beds, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

As of July 28, some 4,691 health care workers have tested positive for Covid-19.

About 57 percent or 3,534 have recovered, while 36, or 0.8 percent, have died.

Some 1,121, or 24 percent, are active cases -- 818 or 73 percent are mild cases, 301 or 27 percent are asymptomatic, and two or 0.2 percent are in severe condition.

"We would like to reiterate the government’s continuing need to augment human resource for health. The call

for more health care workers is very evident," the DOH said in a statement Thursday.

To avoid burdening the health facilities, the health care workers, and the communit y, t he depa r t ment again reiterated its call for the public to wear face masks, wash hands regularly, and maintain safe physical distance.

"It is important to note that given the supply of hospital beds, mild and asymptomatic patients should be treated in Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs) and not in hospitals to ensure adequacy of hospital

beds for patients," it said.

Data from the department show a total of 81,636 beds in the TTMFs with an overall occupancy of 24 percent, as of July 28.

The use of the TTMFs in the National Capital, Ilocos, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen regions are at 30 percent to 70 percent or in the warning zone.

The Mega-TTMFs, such as the Ultra Stadium, Quezon Institute, Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Philippine Arena, and ASEAN Convention Center, are in the danger zone, with an occupancy of more than 70 percent. (MNS)

20

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