Weekend Balita (Los Angeles edition) February 27, 2021

LOS ANGELES / ORANGE COUNTY

Only 2 out of 10 Pinoys want to be vaccinated vs. COVID-19 — OCTA poll PaGe 18

VOL. XXX NO. 9

Saturday-Friday | February 27 - March 5, 2021

$1.4m fUND TO fIgHT ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE

Guevarra's report to UNHCR shows domestic legal system working -- Roque ManiLa (Mabuhay) — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra's latest statement before the United Nations Human Rights Council regarding pertinent issues in the government's drug war only shows that the justice system in the Philippines is working, according to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

At a press briefing Thursday, Roque said Guevarra's remark has shown that the Philippine government is serious in going after law enforcers who need to be held liable over their erroneous actions.

"Itong naunang pahayag ng ating Secretary of Justice ay nagpapatunay na seryoso po tayo sa obligasyon po natin na mag-imbestiga at maglitis dahil hinaharap po natin ang katotohanan na posible po na may ilang mga alagad ng batas na kinakailangan sigurong managot sa batas dito sa Pilipinas," he said.

Roque maintained that other institutions should not meddle with how the justice system in the Philippines works.

"That proves that our domestic legal system is working at hindi po dapat manghimasok ang ibang institusyon. Bigyan po natin ng pagkakataon ang ating mga legal system na gumana ngayong may ganyan na pong transparency at openmindedness sa parte po ng no less than, our Secretary of Justice," he said.

GUEVARRA’S

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LA supervisors okays $5/hour “hero pay” for essential workers

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he Board of Supervisors has approved on Tuesday an urgency ordinance that will require grocery and drug retail employers to give a so-called “hero pay” (an additional $5 per hour, to

Supervisor Hilda L. Solis

employees working frontline positions during this pandemic.

The motion was authored by Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis, Supervisor to the First District and co-authored

by Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.

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

“Grocery and drug retail employees have continued to report to work and serve our communities, despite the ongoing hazards and dangers of being exposed to COVID-19,” said Solis said.

CALIFOrNIA legislators has approved a $1.4 million funding to help fight violence against Asians through the Stop AAPI hate reporting center.

Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), who chairs the Assembly Budget Committee, secured the f unding through the passage of AB 85, which primarily provide additional state resources for the ongoing pandemic response.

The money will be used to support Stop A API Hate’s research and help the organization track anti-Asian incidents, which have increased during the COVID-19

pandemic.

“The rise in hate incidents against Asian Americans during the pandemic is alarming … But, we can’t solve a problem without knowing how big it is,” Ting said in a statement.

The said state funding, he added, will help data gathering on hate crimes to continue and the outcome of the research are going to be used to plan strategies and actions to confront the problem.

Assemblymember Phil Ting

Newsom signs urgent relief package law for Californians GOVernOr Gavin Newsom signed into law on Tuesday a comprehensive package of immediate actions that will speed needed relief to individuals, families and businesses suffering the most significant economic hardship due to COV-

ID-19.

The package, passed by the Legislature this week, builds on the initiatives in the Governor’s January state budget proposal to provide cash relief to lower-income Californians, increase aid to small

businesses and provide license renewal fee waivers to businesses impacted by the pandemic.

In addition to these measures, today’s action will commit additional resources for critical child care services and fund

NEWSOM

Robredo calls for unity amid pandemic, threat to democracy

Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell

“These workers, many of whom include older adults and single mothers, have put their lives on the line since the beginning of the pandemic to keep our food supply chain running and provide access to medicine our families need. Many are working in fear and without adeLA SUPERVISORS

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emergency fi nancial aid for community college students.

“As millions of Californians are struggling to make ends meet amid the devastating impacts of this pandemic, we are taking immediate action

Vice President Leni Robredo ManiLa (Mabuhay) — Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday called for unity similar to what Filipinos displayed during the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution to fight the "constant threat" to the country's democracy and also amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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TOP STORIES

Global News Fil-Am engineer helps NASA Perseverance rover land safely 8  Sara Duterte leads May 2022 presidential, VP elections survey 9  Duterte on 35th EDSA anniversary urges Filipinos to ‘set aside differences’ 9  Makabayan Bloc insists existing laws vs. red-tagging insufficient, defective 10  Boracay now ready for foreign tourists, says Aklan governor 11  Duterte changes heart about climate change after typhoons 11  PNP, PDEA: Criminal, admin charges will be filed 12  Vico Sotto named among International Anticorruption champions by US State Department 12  Vaccination of soldiers vs.

COVID-19 mandatory — AFP spox 12 

Sections

In a statement commemorating the anniversary of the historic uprising, Robredo acknowledged that the promise of EDSA has yet to be fulfilled completely, as she took note of "efforts to revise history for the personal agenda of a powerful few."

She then urged Filipinos to finish the ROBREDO

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BUSINESS. Economist eyes BOP position recovery 13  ENTErTAINmENT. Ruffa Gutierrez on speaking terms again with ex-husband Yilmaz Bektas 15  hEALTh & FAmILy. AstraZeneca, Pfizer vaccines suitable for senior citizens — FDA 19  FEATUrE. Jumping into the maskmaking business to sustain families’ needs 16 

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ABNER GALINO, Fil-Am News Editor

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Urgent telephone outreach helps Pinoys in Riverside

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s Riverside County endures more than 3 , 6 0 0 C OV I D -19 deaths and residents face the ongoing threat of wildfires, the state and county have teamed up with Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) to reach out to highly vulnerable Filipino residents with critical resources.

Specially trained, bilingual callers are urgently telephoning Filipinos to offer referrals, such as locations of COVID-19 testing or vaccine providers, and relief for pandemic-related hardships, such as food and housing insecurity or mental health concerns.

Callers are also assisting Filipino households in preparing for the next wildfire by signing up for county emergency alerts and planning for safe evacuations.

Callers offer free resources by text, email or mail, in Tagalog and English, to help residents get ready for disasters by following five simple steps.

The state’s Social Bridging Project is California’s first-inthe-nation public health and safety initiative to prepare vulnerable individuals, one-on-one by phone, for any disaster.

A project of Listos California at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), its callers, known as “Bridgers”, have had 11,300 one-onone phone conversations with Riverside residents since last summer.

Bridgers are calling Riverside County Filipino commu-

nity members in February in both English and Tagalog. More than 95,000 Californians have already benefited from Social Bridging conversations through both COVID-19 wellness checks and disaster readiness calls.

Focus on Filipinos

Filipino Americans in California have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, compared to their presence in the population, due in part to health inequities, multigenerational households and occupational risks. (For example, one fifth of registered nurses in the state are Filipino.)

This is significant in the Inland Empire, where 200,000 Filipinos represent one-third of all Asian residents in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

Asian Americans in California have also been subjected to bigotry, harassment and violence as scapegoats for the pandemic.

This abuse compounds the physical, psychological and economic impacts on Filipino Californians of pre-pandemic racism and xenophobia. Callers from this community understand these traumas and offer Filipino residents diverse COVID-19 resources in Tagalog and English.

“In these times of great challenge in the Inland Empire, IECF is pleased to connect our Filipino community with needed resources through oneon-one Social Bridging calls,” said R. Michelle Decker, CEO of Inland Empire Community

Foundation.

“In addition to the pandemic, recession and wildfire disasters, our diverse API residents also bear the unfair burden of stigma and blame-shifting from racist reframing of COVID-19’s origins. With Social Bridging, we are lending an ear, and a hand, to bolster the mental health and well-being of our Riverside Filipino community.”

“Filipinos have been on the front lines in the battle against COVID-19 and our families have disproportionately suffered from the disease,” said JoAnn Fields, Director of the Filipino Resource Center.

“Our community has long de-

served more attention and more resources to protect ourselves, and especially our elders. Social Bridging helps meet these needs by connecting individuals in the Filipino community with trained navigators who speak our language and know our culture. It empowers each individual to tell the caller exactly what resources they need. Social Bridging is a welcome model for public health outreach between government, nonprofits and community members.”

“Californians whose preferred language is not English often face obstacles in accessing services and resources, including lifesaving disaster readiness

tools and information,” said Karen Baker, Chair of Listos California.

“That’s why Listos California works with the County of Riverside Emergency Management Department and the Inland Empire Community Foundation to provide resources in Tagalog, such as a Disaster Ready Guide, a disaster preparation text course, an online readiness curriculum, and other tips and tools.”

“February’s Social Bridging phone calls and text messages in Tagalog build on that foundation to offer every Californian access to the skills and resources they need to prepare for wildfires in 2021.”

“Too many Filipinos who live in areas of high wildfire risk are not prepared to save themselves or their families in an emergency,” said California Filipino community leader Aurora S. Cudal-Rivera, D.Hum (h.c.).

“Even with the history of frequent wildfires and evacuations in Riverside, most residents do not get county alerts or have a plan to escape to a safe place and reunite with family members. Through the Social Bridging Project, the state and county now provide tools in English and Tagalog to enable multigenerational Filipino families to learn how to prepare for disasters, which is an essential first step. Providing bilingual callers to share this knowledge helps even more Filipinos to get ready, before the next wildfire threatens our community.”

NEWSOm... fROm PAgE 1 in partnership with our legislative leadership to provide families and businesses the relief they need,” said Governor Newsom.

“This critical assistance – including child care, relief for small business owners, direct cash support to individuals and households, financial aid for community college students and more – will help keep our communities afloat as the state continues to confront the immense challenges of this moment.”

“These bills help Californians pay their bills, and provide bread-and-butter relief to the small businesses that make our communities great, and who in turn, are the cornerstone of our economy. Stores we rely upon, restaurants we love, and services our families have turned to for years,” said Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins.

“This is what we can do right now to help them, but it isn’t the end of our efforts. Not by a long shot.”

“Californians are hurting. This plan represents a way of softening the human and economic blows of COVID. More than that, it builds an economic foundation for recovery. This is the people of California saying that we will not leave behind those who are hurting most, whether they are individuals or small businesses. This is California strong,” said Speaker Anthony Rendon.

Below are key provisions of the bills signed into law:

Direct relief to individuals and Families

Incorporates the Governor’s Golden State Stimulus plan to assist California households that have borne the dispro-

portionate economic burden of the COVID-19 Recession – those with incomes below $30,000, as well as those unfairly excluded from previous federal stimulus payments.

Provides $600 in one-time relief to households receiving the California EITC for 2020.

In addition, the agreement provides a $600 one-time payment to taxpayers with Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITINs) who were precluded from receiving the $1,200 per person federal payments issued last spring and the more recent $600 federal payments.

The actio n also provides $600 payments to households with ITINs and income below $75,000. ITIN taxpayers who also qualify for the California EITC would receive a total of $1,200. The payments will be provided to these households shortly after they file their 2020 tax returns.

Provides direct relief to additional lower-income Californians through a $600 one-time grant to households enrolled in the CalWORKS program and recipients of SSI/SSP and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI).

Grant payments for CalWORKS households are expected by mid-April; timing for the delivery of SSI/SSP and CAPI grants is currently under discussion with federal officials.

Combined, the package represents a total of 5.7 million payments to low-income Californians.

immediate relief for Small Businesses

Provides $2.1 billion – a four-fold increase over the $500 million currently be-

ing distributed – for grants up to $25,000 for small businesses impacted by the pandemic, and allocates $50 million of this total for non-profit cultural institutions.

Fee Waivers for Heavily impacted Licensees

Two years of fee relief for roughly 59,000 restaurants and bars licensed through the state’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control that can range annually from $455 to $1,235. The action also reflects fee relief for more than 600,000 barbering and cosmetology individuals and businesses licensed through the Department of Consumer Affairs.

More resources for Critical Child Care

Addition of just over $400 million in new federal funds to provide stipends of $525 per enrolled child for all state-subsidized child care and preschool providers serving approximately 400,000 children in subsidized care statewide.

The new federal resources will extend care for children of essential workers through June of 2022, and funds increased access to subsidized child care for more than 8,000 children of essential workers and at-risk children – who are not currently served in the system – through June of 2022.

additional aid for individuals and Families

Provides an additional $24 million for financial assistance and services through Housing for the Harvest – a program providing support for agricultural workers who have to quarantine due to COVID-19.

The effort also provides a combined $35 million for food banks and diapers.

emergency Financial relief to Support Community College Students

Provides an additional $100 million in emergency financial aid for qualifying low-income students carrying six or more units, with award amounts to be determined locally and made available by early April.

In addition, the agreement provides $20 million to reengage students who have either left their community college studies because of the pandemic or to engage students at risk of leaving.

CalFresh Student Outreach and application assistance

Provides roughly $6 million to support outreach and application assistance to University of California, California State University and California Community College students made newly eligible for CalFresh – the state-administered federal program for supplemental food assistance.

The agreement also provides $12 million in state funds to support associated county administrative workload.

In addition, the following provision is included in today’s action:

restoration of reductions

Restoration of the previously enacted reductions, effective July 1st, for the University of California, California State University, the Judicial Branch, Child Support Services and for moderate-income housing.

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Ethnic communities unite to combat anti-Asian violence In the midst of an epidemic of brutal attacks hate crimes against Asian Americans, ethnic communities are coming together to attack the virus of racism.

By Jenny Manrique Ethnic Media Services

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family celebrating a birthday at a restaurant is yelled at with racist remarks by a tech executive: “F-- you Asians. Trump is going to F--k you ... f--king Asian piece of s--t."

An Asian American resident physician is berated by a black patient for allegedly being a carrier of coronavirus. A middle school child is punched in the head twenty times in his schoolyard by a bully who accuses him of having COVID-19 and tells him to go back to China.

A rash of brutal crimes targeting Asian Americans highlights deepening racism related to the arrival of COVID-19 in the country. In recent weeks, videos on social media in which vulnerable elderly people are pushed on the sidewalks or physically attacked, have aroused not only the concern of those who have been tracking this racial violence but also the solidarity of other ethnic minorities.

“We have received over 2,800 incident reports in the course of 41 weeks,” said Manjusha Kulkarni, executive director of the Asia Pacific Policy & Planning Council (A3PCON), one of the organizations that launched the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center in March 2020, along with San Francisco State University and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA). Kulkarni and other activists spoke during a media briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services on Feb 19.

“We collect data from 47 states and the District of Columbia, and we know that many of the incidents take place in areas where there are significant populations of Asian Americans such as California and New York… but we’ve gotten reports from rural areas as well as urban, from far-flung states like Alaska and Hawaii, as well as much as in the heartland of America."

Data from Stop AAPI Hate shows that women are victims of these incidents at a rate two and a half times higher than men, while 7% of reported cases involve older adults. Most reports include verbal harassment or name calling, followed by shunning and avoidance, while physical assaults make up just under 10% of the cases.

Around 10% of the incidents involve civil rights violations such as workplace discrimination, and refusal of service like being barred from establishment or transportation. Close to 40% of the events have occurred in private businesses such as grocery stores or pharmacies, while 30% happened in public places, such as streets, sidewalks and parks. 40% of the victims identify as Chinese Americans, followed by Koreans, Filipinos, Vietnamese and Japanese.

“Most of these cases might not necessarily be prosecuted because they involve (just) pushing, shoving, throwing bottles or cans. So while of course we believe they are very serious, where there is not a significant injury a district attorney may not pursue these cases,” Kulkarni said.

And this is precisely one of the main challenges when seeking justice and accountability. In some local jurisdic-

tions, law enforcement agencies are reluctant to use the provisions of the hate crime statutes and ordinances, which enhance penalties for the perpetrator if the attack is based on the victim’s belonging to a certain gender, social group or race.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) relies on these reports to build reliable statistics, so experts insist these are underreported crimes.

“I think there's always been a line between free speech and hate speech," said Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. “We need to never hesitate to call out and condemn hate speech and make it very clear that hate speech that leads to violence against innocent people is illegal. It is inappropriate and should be punished by the law and by our judicial system,” he added.

According to John C. Yang, president and CEO of Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), it is also important to recognize that even acts considered legal -those protected by freedom of speech- are inappropriate and can be harmful for victims.

"We have to think about what is the proper response to protect and help the victim," Yang said.

He celebrated as a first step the executive memorandum that the Joe Biden administration issued on January 26, "condemning and combating racism, xenophobia and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders” in the country. It includes an explicit directive for the Justice Department to work directly with communities and grassroots organizations.

"The government needs to make investment in communities, whether it's to promote victim response centers, to provide financial assistance, or to encourage cross-cultural conversations between communities," Yang said.

In addition to the pervasive mental health challenges caused by the pandemic, the Asian American community has been experiencing alarming rates of depression and anxiety due to this xenophobia, and the attacks only intensify the climate of fear.

"The impact has been traumatizing," said Cynthia Choi, co-executive director of CAA and co-creator of the Stop AAPI Hate center. "We need accountability, but we need to look at it in a way that does not contribute to more violence and more incarceration."

CAA works on community mediation mechanisms at the local level and trains people on safe responses to hate acts. They want to bring this training to public schools and to address "bias and racial hierarchy and colors within our own community, including class differences," in order to have "authentic dialogues across communities."

The virus of racism

The panelists pointed to the Donald Trump administration as the main source of the attacks. At several of his rallies, Trump referred to COVID-19 with racist epithets such as "the Wuhan virus," "the China plague," and "the Kung flu". This proved to be harmful for a community that historically had dealt with racist rhetoric such as the so-called “yellow peril” CONTNUED ON PAGE 4

LA SUPERVISORS... from Page 1 quate financial support, while their employers continue to see profits grow and top executives receive steep pay bonuses.

I am proud of this Board for acting with courage to support our heroes on the frontlines to be justly compensated for the unprecedented risks they encounter on the job. We will not be intimated.

Rather, we remain committed in our ongoing fight for the rights and dignity of our most vulnerable.”

A study conducted by the Brookings Institution found that these top, publicly traded retailers have seen a 40% increase in profit averaging $16.7 billion in extra profit in 2020, while their stock prices increased by an average of 33%. Although these inequalities have been exposed, this public health crisis and the economic unraveling have widened the already deep divide between low-wage frontline workers and their employers and shareholders.

The passage of the motion adopts an urgency ordinance to require grocery and drug retail employers, who are publicly traded or have 300 or more employees nationwide and more than 10 employees per store site, to provide frontline non-exempt hourly employees in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County with “Hero Pay” – an additional five dollars per hour in wages to sunset in 120 days. Roughly two thousand employees will benefit from this urgency ordinance.

The motion also directs the County’s Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, in consultation with the Workforce, Development, Aging, & Community Services (WDACS), to report to the Board of Supervisors within 90 days of the date of adoption on the effectiveness of the provisions of the urgency ordinance, recommendations for additional provisions that further the intent of the ordinance including workforce development opportunities, and whether the provisions of the ordinance are still necessary based on

the County’s recovery from the impacts of the pandemic.

Cities across the nation have introduced similar urgency ordinances for “Hero Pay” including Los Angeles, Long Beach, Seattle, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Oakland, Berkeley, West Hollywood, Irvine, Coachella, Pomona, and Montebello.

In a related development, the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) will accept and investigate claims from workers of alleged violations of the ordinance, which will be in effect for 120 days beginning Friday (February 26).

"We understand that both workers and businesses are faced with significant challenges during this ongoing pandemic and we are here to help," said Rafael Carbajal, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs. "Our role is to enforce the 'Hero Pay' ordinance and to ensure that workers know their rights and that businesses understand their responsibilities and remain in compliance."

Workers must work at least two hours in a one-week period physically within a grocery retail or drug retail store in any unincorporated area of the County to be entitled to the new LA County “Hero Pay.” If you are a worker or a business owner seeking more information about LA County’s new temporary “Hero Pay” Ordinance, contact DCBA: Phone: (800) 593-8222 Email: heropay@dcba.lacounty.gov Website: dcba.lacounty.gov/heropay To find out if a grocery retail or drug retail store is in unincorporated Los Angeles County, visit the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk website at lavote.net/precinctmap and select “District Map Look Up By Address.”

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Proud of our Pinay engineer, Genevie Velarde Yang, in her role at the successful 2020 MARS PERSEVERANCE Mission

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he MARS 2020 PERSEVER ANCE ROVER science has its mission described as "studying Mars' habitability, seeking signs of past microbial life, collecting and catching samples, and preparing for future human missions." The helicopter named "INGENUITY" was "strapped to the rover's belly for the journey to Mars whose main purpose is to test the first powered flight to the Red Planet."

NASA's key facts about the MARS 2020 Rover stated that "it was launched on July 30, 2020 at 4:50 am (PDT) 7:50 am (EDT). The Rover landed on February 18, 2021 at 12:55 pm PST (4:55 pm EDT).

Mission Duration was at least one Mars year (about 687 Earth days).

One of the Flight System Engineers is a Filipina named Genevie Velarde Yang, who was born in Binan, Laguna to parents: Antonio Carino Velarde and Thelma Nuqui Velarde. She has two brothers namely: Michael James Velarde and Mark Raymond Velarde. Genevie was the middle child and initially, she attended pre-school at the Countryside Montessori School in Santa Rosa, Laguna, but their family moved to the United States when she was only 5 years old and they first settled in the City of Norwalk, but transferred to the City of Covina where she attended school at Cedargrove Elementary School and Royal Oak Intermediate School, but later on graduated at Walnut High School. In pursuit of higher learning, she enrolled at the California Polytechnic University in the City of Pomona and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Currently, Genevie is married to Daniel Yang and they are blessed with a daughter named Nicole, who attends the Temple City High School.

Genevie has worked for NASA/JPL for the past 20 years. But, looking back, she considers her employment at NASA/JPL as pure luck. As a brief background on how she became employed there, an Ice Hockey teammate, named Letitia Montanez, who was aware that she was an engineer, encouraged her to apply and get an interview for employment at NASA/ JPL. Genevie was unaware that Letitia was the main lead for all the testbed labs at JPL. Encouraged by her friend Letitia, Genevie then met and interviewed with Letitia's colleague named Eleanor Basilio, who to her surprise, was from the Philippines and she was the Flight Systems Lead for the Cassini Project at

Genevie Velarde Yang ware requirements, thus making her a member of the prestigious 2020 PERSEVERANCE TEAM. Overwhelmed by the success of their mission, Genevie will take a short break from all the excitement and recharge for a few days, but surely, she intends to go back, regroup and once again assist in the 2020 PERSEVERANCE SURFACE Program to further continue to learn and unlock the unending mysteries of Science.

Finally, Genevie's message to all the youths who wish to emulate her, they need to have good work ethics and if

Uplink Team the time, and apparently, they were in search of a young engineer to assist in their team. Thus, she was accepted and became employed at NASA/JPL, where the two ladies, Letitia and Eleanor became her role models, learning a lot from both of them, not only in guiding her at work but also about life in general and she stressed that she wouldn't be in the position she's in now had it not been for these two mentors of her.

While at JPL, Genevie rose through the ranks. She started as a Flight Systems Engineer in Operations, helping out with the Cassini Mission Project, which involved touring Saturn and its moons, followed by work on EPOXI to help the mission flyby a comet named "HARTLEY - 2." Thereafter, she worked on Mars Science Laboratory's "CURIOSITY ROVER" during its launch, Cruise, Entry, Descent and Landing. This was followed by work on "SURFACE" which landed on GALE CRATER and finally, for the last four years, she worked on the 2020 PERSEVERANCE Rover, assisting Flight Software tests, making sure that their requirements are met. However, two years prior to launching, she moved

FSW Functional Integration Team back to the Operations Department to help the Uplink Team to enable them to build and send commands to the spacecraft/rover. Due to her previous work with the Mars Science Laboratory, she was asked to help test the Flight soft-

they're interested in Science and Space Exploration, NASA/JPL has a ticketed open house, one weekend a year to allow guests to have a virtual tour online by logging on: https//www.jpl.nasa,gov/ virtual-tour.

ETHNIC... fROm PAgE 3 of the late 18th century that led to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, or the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese-Americans in concentration camps during World War II. "This virus of racism is a virus that is very contagious and affects all of our communities: African Americans, Latinx and Native Americans," Yang said. "There is this tendency by certain groups who want to silo us, to pit us against each other, but here racism is the common enemy ... In order to defeat this virus, we also need to disinfect it together."

According to Jose Roberto Hernandez of the Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance in Los Angeles, what the country is currently experiencing is the "America First" virus, which has fueled "frantic targeting of minorities and people that do not look white.”

Around 60% of the current population of the United States is white,

but by 2030 it is estimated that whites will make up a little less than 50% of the country's demographics. The so-called minorities will become the majority.

Hernandez’ organization defends the rights of workers in some 600 restaurants and 2,000 retail businesses in Koreatown - a community of 120,000 residents, of whom 53% are Latino, 32% are Asian, 7% are White and the 5% are black.

His experience has taught him to "look into alliances" given the fact that communities "live integrated", and experience the same "income inequality, (problems of) access to health care, fair housing and transportation."

"We must learn to look at ourselves not just as a white nation with minorities, but as a multicultural and multi-ethnic nation, which (can live) with social justice," Hernandez said.

5 BALITA Community City grants first-ever paid parental leave for employees Saturday-Friday | February 27 - March 5, 2021

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ayor Eric Garcetti and Council President Nury Martinez recently announced the launch of the Paid Parental Time pilot program for city employees.

Approved by the City Council, this initiative provides six weeks of fully paid time off for new parents, supporting thousands of municipal workers who are ineligible for employee parental benefits from the state.

“COVID-19 has shined a bright light on the unique struggles faced by parents every day to balance work and child care, and laid bare deep gender inequities across our society and economy,” said Mayor Garcetti.

“No parent should have to rely on their sick or vacation days to bond with their children — not during this pandemic and not ever — and the Paid Parental Time pilot will ensure our City workers can keep their jobs and paychecks, and never have to worry about their economic security, just for doing right by their families.”

“There's an unsaid assumption that women will work through their ma-

ternity leave. You're expected to give birth and get back to work,” said Council President Martinez.

“Today is an incredibly important day for all families who work for the City of Los Angeles. Mothers and fathers should not be financially penalized in our City for taking time off for pregnancy disability and/or to bond with their new child. I'm happy this City government is taking a step forward towards the progressive City we strive to be.”

Council President Martinez and Councilmember Paul Krekorian first introduced the motion calling for paid parental leave for City employees in 2015.

The Mayor’s office advanced the proposal further, ultimately putting forth a plan to provide six weeks of fully paid parental time for City employees unable to work due to pregnancy or following the birth, adoption, or long-term foster care placement of a child.

“Today's action by the Council is a huge step forward for working parents employed by the City,” said Councilmember Paul Krekorian.

Hispanic Caucus pushes for legalization of essential workers

By SuniTa SOHraBJi eMS Contributor

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ep. Raul Ruiz, D-California joined several immigration advocates Feb. 16 to push for an immediate path to legalization for more than 5 million undocumented essential workers, via the new COVID relief package currently making its way through Congress.

Advocates laid out the need for such an initiative, but noted there has been no commitment yet from members of Congress or the administration to include such language in the package, which is expected largely to focus on economic relief.

Greisa Martinez Rosas, executive director of United We Dream noted that undocumented immigrants were left out of initial rounds of “survival checks” — $1,200 distributed in June, and $600 in December to individuals earning less than $72,000. This could have paid rent or put food on the table, she said. It is unclear if undocumented immigrants will receive survival checks in the $1.9 trillion relief package proposed by the Biden administration.

“Farm workers are getting sick from COVID and dying at a higher rate. These are essential workers who are risking their lives to feed us,” said Ruiz, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The California Department of Public Health released data earlier this year, noting that 55 percent of COVID deaths in the state are LatinX people.

The congressman spoke of his own background: as the son of farm workers, he grew up in a trailer in Coachella, California, in which the kitchen table served as a bed he shared with his brother.

Ruiz went on to UCLA, and then to Harvard to study medicine and served as a physician for several years before winning his first term to the House in 2012.

The congressman said he had been out in his community to educate people about getting vaccinated. “I see the fear in people’s eyes about getting sick and not being able to work,” he said, citing poor workplace protections, crowded housing and worksite conditions, and insufficient health and in-language knowledge resources to combat COVID. Patrice Lawrence, national director of UndocuBlack, said temporary protected status — TPS — holders, have “gone through hell over the past four years. It is important that Congress assure citizenship to these individuals.”

“They were promised relief by this administration, and this is possible in the COVID relief package,” she said, adding the need for access to health care.

A PRRI poll released last year found that 67 percent of Americans support a pathway to citizenzhip, provided they meet certain requirements. Thirteen percent said they would prefer undocumented immigrants to be eligible for permanent residency status but not citizenship, and one in five say all immigrants living in the U.S. without requisite immigration papers should be identified and deported.

Two bold immigration reform bills, which include an eight-year path to citizenship for the nation’s 11 million undocumented residents — with a three year path for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — are making their way through the House and Senate. Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-California, is carrying the bill in the House, while Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, is carrying it in the Senate.

“We have waited entirely too long for meaningful reform to the broken immigration system that has prevented so many people and families from fully contributing to the nation they call home,” said Sanchez, in a Jan. 20 press statement introducing the bill.

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“Paid family leave is one of the most important things an employer can do to help strengthen families in our community. And, it is a tremendous benefit not only for the employees and their families, but for the employer and the workplace as well.

The implementation of this policy will help the City attract and retain the best employees, increase equity and inclusion, and bolster employee morale, creating a better workplace and better city services for all.”

Under this program, paid parental time would first be available to civilian employees — the vast majority of the City’s workforce — and subsequently extended to fire and police sworn personnel if the pilot is successful. This pilot program is not available for DWP employees.

With civil service retirements on the rise, this step will position our local government as a competitive employer and add another tool to attract young talent to the ranks of the public sector workforce.

This pilot will run retroactively from January 1, 2021, through June 30, 2025.

Six months prior to the expiration date, the City will engage with labor partners to discuss the performance of the program, negotiate any proposed modifications, and discuss the establishment of a permanent initiative.

“This new program will make a big impact on L.A.’s workforce in a very positive way, and that's why our union is proud to support it,” said Bob Schoonover, President of SEIU 721, which represents approximately 11,000 employees in the City of Los Angeles.

“Gender equity is something we hear a lot about these days, but this legislation is a solid example of us meeting the

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challenge with tangible new policies, not just talk. I’m very pleased to see how Labor and our City leaders, working in partnership on this shared goal, will improve the quality of life for generations of future Angelenos and their families.”

Data shows that women — particularly women of color — have lost more jobs than men over the course of the pandemic, in large part because industries dominated by women have been hit hardest by COVID-19 and because many mothers have stepped away from the workforce to take care of their children and families. All told, women have seen a net loss of 5.4 million jobs, nearly 1 million more than men.

In 2015, Mayor Garcetti issued an executive directive on gender equity, which called on every City Department to help Los Angeles fulfill its responsibilities under the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) ordinance.

As one of the first cities to adopt CEDAW, L.A. has served as a model for its implementation by creating the Gender Equity Coalition — which includes a Gender Equity Liaison from every City Department — and directing the leadership of each Department to prepare a Gender Equity Action Plan, complete with quarterly plan progress reports, to measure and address disparities in the workforce.

Today, women hold over 50 percent of the positions on more than 40 boards and commissions in Los Angeles, and there are no all-male commissions for the first time in City history. More than 66% of the City’s Deputy Mayors are women, and the rate of females hired in the Fire Department has more than doubled.

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When An Unpaid Credit Card Debt Becomes A Lawsuit HAVE your credit card debts become so large that you can’t even afford the minimum payments? Or perhaps you’re already behind and your accounts have been turned over to collections? What do you do to get out of this financial mess?

If you are in this situation, maybe you’ve wondered about what the legal repercussions might be once you get to the point where you can no longer continue paying your creditors. Can credit card companies sue you for what you owe? And when they do, what happens when they get a judgment against you? These are the questions I’m often asked by people who seek legal advice regarding their debts.

Of course, credit card companies don’t make it easy for you to catch up once you fall behind. They are quick to add on additional fees and demand that you bring your account up to date immediately by paying the current amount due, all past due payments as well as late fees. And if allowed by the agreement that you signed when you first applied for the credit card, your interest rate can also go skyhigh upon default. Before you know it, your debt problems have become a financial nightmare and your phone starts ringing off the hook with bill collectors harassing you at home and at work. What do you do at this point?

If your credit card debts have escalated beyond your control, perhaps you are getting nervous about what your creditors will do next. Can you be sued? Yes, you can be sued once your creditors are convinced that they have exhausted all other options to force you to pay. Of course, the benefit to be gained by suing you must outweigh the costs so the creditor will take that into consideration as well. But most delinquent accounts are turned over to collection agencies in high volumes which significantly reduce the creditors’ litigation costs.

Smaller companies like credit unions will also sometimes sue you in small claims court and they don’t even need

creditors will accept.

If you are in debt and have not figured out a way to get out, constant worrying will not get you anywhere unless you act to change your situation for the better. For a free consultation, call my office at Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772 and we will help you step by step in finding a solution that’s right for you.

an attorney to file the lawsuit.

I often see people who ignore their debts for a long time until one day they receive a summons at home or at work and only then do they realize the seriousness and urgency of their situation. If you are sued by a creditor, it is very important that you do not ignore the lawsuit or you will definitely regret the consequences once the creditor takes the next step of garnishing your wages, seizing funds out of your bank account, filing a lien against your real property or a combination of the above.

If your debts are small and you’re able to pay a reduced amount in a lump sum or in installments, it may be possible to negotiate with the creditor to prevent or stop an ongoing lawsuit.

From my experience, depending on how far the debt is along the collection process, most creditors will settle for 30-60% of the original debt amount.

It may be tougher once a lawsuit has been filed and the creditor knows that the collection potential is high based on your income and assets. It is important to know the best time to make an offer in order to get the lowest possible amounts.

If filing bankruptcy is your best and only option, it is best to seek legal help right away before your debt problems get worse. Spare yourself the suffering and the agony caused by debt if at all possible. In choosing a bankruptcy lawyer, remember that not all bankruptcy lawyers are created equal and may have different ideas

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on how to help you. It is important to choose a knowledgeable and experienced attorney who has your best interests at heart. Most debt problems are solvable but often they get worse if ignored. Don’t make this fatal mistake. If bankruptcy is not your best option, sometimes debt settlement can also be a way to avoid bankruptcy as long as you can come up with a realistic payment plan that your

NOTE: Due to the current lockdown order caused by COVID-19, I am offering free consultations BY PHONE to anyone who needs help in dealing with their debt problems.

(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).

California Conforming Loan Limits to Go Up in 2021, Due to Rising Prices

EARLIER this week, the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced that the conforming loan limits for California will go up in 2021. This is a direct response to rising home values across the state.

The 2021 loan limits for California counties will range from $548,250 to $822,375, for a single-family property. That’s a significant increase over the current caps, which range from $510,400 – $765,600 depending on the county. These changes take effect on January 1, 2021.

California Gets Higher Loan Limits in 2021 The term “conforming loan limit” refers to the maximum size for a regular or conventional mortgage loan. Conventional mortgage products can be sold to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and then resold to investors.

In order to go through this resale process, home loans must meet certain requirements and parameters. And that includes adhering to a maximum size limit.

When a person borrows more than the conforming loan limit for their particular county, it’s referred to as a “jumbo” mortgage. Lenders typically set higher standards and requirements for jumbo loans, due to the larger amount being borrowed. This can include higher credit scores and bigger down payments, among other things. Usually banks that will lend will portfolio the servicing also.

Conforming loan limits vary by county because they are based on median home values. For the 58 counties within California, the 2021 conforming loan limits will range from $548,250 to $822,375. Real estate markets (with a higher median home price) tend to have higher limits, and vice versa.

Ten of California’s 58 counties are considered “high cost areas” and therefore have the maximum conforming loan limit of $822,375. This applies to most of the San Francisco Bay Area, the Los Angeles metro area, Orange County, and Santa Cruz. See the table below for more details.

Table: Conforming Loan Limits by County The table below shows the 2021 conforming loan limits for all of California’s counties. This table was adapted from one provided by the FHFA. Note: The “one-unit” column on the right pertains to a regular single-family home. There are higher limits for multi-family properties, like duplexes and triplex units. Thus, the figures shown below apply to typical home-buying scenarios with a single residency.

ALAMEDA $822,375 LOS ANGELES $822,375 MADERA $548,250 MARIN $822,375 ORANGE $822,375 RIVERSIDE $548,250 SACRAMENTO $598,000 SAN BERNARDINO $548,250

SAN DIEGO $753,250 SAN FRANCISCO $822,375 SAN JOAQUIN $548,250 SAN LUIS OBISPO $701,500 SAN MATEO $822,375 SANTA BARBARA $660,100 SANTA CLARA $822,375 SANTA CRUZ $822,375 CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

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Family Law Issues during the COVID-19 Pandemic T HE COV I D-19 Pa ndem ic ha s 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 virus has destabilized every 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 divorced parents who share 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 stay-home 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 order trumped the custody order or whether the court order trumped the stay-at-home order.

Custody and visitation orders are not affected by stay at home orders or other 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 co-parent 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

MORTGAGE UPDATE… FROM PAGE 6 In most California cities, home values rose steadily throughout 2020.

This might seem counterintuitive, given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and economic downturn. But the real estate market has been the one bright spot in the broader economy.

Record-low mortgage rates and strong demand from buyers have boosted home prices at a time when you might expect the opposite trend. As a result of these trends, California will have higher conforming loan limits in 2021.

In November, California home values have gone up 6.3% over the past year and Zillow predicts they will rise 8.3% in the next year. But recently mortgage rates have gone up by almost .375% and that will surely holt the growth of momentum.

Thanks for your inquiries, please call Ken at 1st Innovative Finance Group 562-508-7048 or write to kennethgo@verizon.net CABRE 01021223 NMLS 238636

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 is available during this pandemic to issue such

emergency orders to protect the victims of domestic violence.

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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Fil-Am engineer helps NASA Perseverance rover land safely MANILA (Mabuhay) — Filipino-American engineer Gregorio Villar III was one of those who assisted in the safe landing of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Perseverance rover on Mars, the United States Embassy in Manila said Friday.

"As we celebrate the successful landing of NASA's Persevera nce rover on Mars, did you know that Fil-Am engineer Gregorio Villar III helped with its safe landing as the Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) Systems Engineer of the Mars 2020 mission?" it said in its official Twitter account.

He works as an EDL Systems engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

According to his profile at the agency, Villar spent seven-a nd-a-ha lf yea rs building and testing a system that would land a carsized rover on Mars.

He is also the head verification and validation engineer for the EDL phase of Perseverance.

Among others, Villar di-

rected a Mars parachute test campaign at NASA's Ames Research Center, the world's largest wind tunnel.

For the Mars 2020 mission, he also led a council of atmospheric scientists from institutions around the world to characterize the Martian atmosphere.

Villar was awarded a NASA scholarship in his junior year of college, which came with an internship at a NASA center of his choice.

"I started interning at JPL in 2010 and got hired full-time in 2012," he said in his reflections posted at the NASA Mars Exploration Program website.

For Villar, what excites him about Mars and space exploration is the "thought of going there" himself one day.

He studied at Saint Louis University-Laboratory High School in Baguio City and earned his bachelor's degree in physics from the California State Polytechnic University in Pomona and his master's degree in astronautical engineering from the University of Southern California.

'Touchdown' Launched in June 2020 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, Perseverance is described as the "largest, most advanced" rover NASA has sent to another world.

After a seven-month-long journey, it successfully touched down on the Jezero Crater in Mars on Friday, marking an ambitious first step in the effort to collect samples from the Red Planet and return them to Earth.

The rover was launched to investigate the rock and sediment of Jezero’s ancient lakebed and river delta to characterize the region’s geology and past climate.

However, it would undergo several weeks of testing before it begins its twoyear science investigation of Mars’ Jezero Crater.

A fundamental part of its mission is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life.

“This landing is one of those pivotal moments for NASA, the United States, a nd space ex plorat ion globally – when we know

we are on the cusp of discovery and sharpening our pencils, so to speak, to rewrite the textbooks,” acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk said.

Scientists believe that the Jezero Crater, which sits on the western edge of a giant impact basin called Isidis Planitia just north of the Martian equator, "had its own river delta and was filled with water" some 3.5 billion years ago.

“Perseverance is the first step in bringing back rock and regolith from Mars.

We don’t know what these pristine samples from Mars will tell us. But what they could tell us is monumental – including that life might have once existed beyond Earth,” said Thomas Zu rbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA. (MNS)

MISSION TO MARS. Filipino-American Gregorio Villar III, an engineer at NASA, is part of the Mars 2020 mission that successfully launched America's largest and most advanced rover called Perseverance to the Red Planet. The rover touched down on Mars' Jazero Crater on Friday (Feb. 19, 2021, Philippine time).

(Photo courtesy of the US Embassy in Manila/NASA Mars Exploration Program)

69 volcanic tremor episodes recorded in Taal in past 24 hours MANILA (Mabuhay) — At least 69 volcanic tremor episodes were recorded in Taal Volcano with durations of one minute to over an hour in the past 24 hours, PHIVOLCS said on Thursday.

This is higher compared to the one volcanic earthquake and two tremor episodes with durations of three to six minutes that were reported on Wednesday.

In its latest bulletin, PHIVOLCS said weak steam-laden plumes were emitted by fumarolic activity at the vents of the volcano's main crater.

A temperature of 74.6°C and pH of 1.59 were measured from the Main Crater Lake respectively on February 18 and 12.

Since October last year, a slight deflation has been observed around the main crater. Overall, PHIVOLCS said a very slow and steady inflation of the Taal region has been recorded after the eruption in 2020.

Alert Level 1 is maintained over Taal Volcano, which means sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur.

These hazards threaten areas within the Taal Volcano Island, PHIVOLCS warned.

“DOST-PHIVOLCS is closely monitoring Taal Volcano’s activity and any new significant development will be immediately communicated to all stakeholders,” PHIVOLCS said. (MNS)

PRRD: 10 countries cornered 75% of world vaccine supply MANILA (Mabuhay) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said that 75 percent of the global supply of COVID-19 vaccines have been purchased by at least 10 countries.

“Magkaintindihan na lang tayo na itong problema, atin lahat. How many countries? Ilan pa lang ang mayroon, again 75% nandiyan lang sa sampu, ang iba pati tayo wala,” Duterte said in his weekly address.

“Canada nga na kapitbahay ng America, nagdadamutan pa sila.

Kino-corner talaga ng America ngayon kasi they have… 332 million (people),” he added.

The President also advised the public to wait and to follow government instructions.

More than 200 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered in at least 107 countries and territories, according to the Agence France-Presse tally based on official sources on Saturday.

Some 45 percent of vaccinations took place in countries belonging to the wealthy G7 club (United States, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Japan), whose members account for just 10 percent of the global population.

Meanwhile, 92 percent of doses worldwide have been given in countries classified by the World Bank as "high-income" or "upper-middle income", accounting for around half of the global population.

In a joint statement on February 10, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) executive director Henrietta Fore and World Health Organization (WHO) director general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that of the COVID-19 vaccine doses administered so far, more than three quarters are in just 10 countries that account for 60 percent of global gross domestic product.

As of February 10, UNICEF and WHO said almost 130 countries, with 2.5 billion people, are yet to administer a single dose.

“This self-defeating strategy will cost lives and livelihoods, give the virus further opportunity to mutate and evade vaccines and will undermine a global economic recovery.”

Further, UNICEF and W HO called on leaders “to look beyond their borders and employ a vaccine strategy that can actually end the pandemic and limit variants.”

“We need global leadership to scale up vaccine production and achieve vaccine equity. COVID-19 has shown that our fates are inextricably linked. Whether we win or lose, we will do so together,” they said.

The Philippines aims to vaccinate some 50 to 70 million Filipinos from COVID-19 this year, with the country allocating some P73.2 billion for the procurement.

The amount includes P40 billion coming from multilateral agencies, P20 billion from domestic sources, and P13.2 billion from bilateral agreements.

According to the government's vaccination roadmap, health workers and frontliners from select government offices will be the first to receive the vaccine, followed by indigent senior citizens, other senior citizens, and other indigents.

(MNS)

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Duterte on 35th EDSA anniversary urges Filipinos to 'set aside differences' MANILA (Mabuhay) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday urged Filipinos to "set aside our differences" as he marked the 35th anniversary of the peaceful EDSA Revolution.

The People Power revolution that overthrew the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was "inspired by the valor of those whose sacrifice made the liberties we enjoy today possible," Duterte said.

"As we contemplate the relevance of this occasion, let us proceed with renewed hope and optimism towards the realization of our shared aspirations for our nation. May this serve as a constant reminder for all of us to remain vigilant in safeguarding our democratic institutions, preserving our values, and upholding our rights as Filipinos," said the President.

"Guided by the spirit of EDSA, let

us set aside our differences and work together in building a legacy that we can proudly leave behind for future generations of Filipinos," he added in a statement.

The peaceful 1986 uprising installed the late former President Corazon Aquino to the presidency.

The current administration has often lambasted the "dilawans" or "yellows", a color associated with the EDSA Revolution and Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino III, the only son of People Power icons Corazon Aquino and slain former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. Duterte has expressed admiration on several occasions for Marcos, whose burial at the Heroes' Cemetery he ordered.

The President has failed to attend the official commemorative ceremony

PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE of the EDSA Revolution at the People Power Monument in Quezon City for 4 years, from 2017 to 2020.

His spokesman Harry Roque said

on Wednesday he was not sure if the President had planned activities for the People Power anniversary this year. (MNS)

Sara Duterte leads May 2022 presidential, VP elections survey MANILA (Mabuhay) — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte emerged as the presidentia l and v ice presidential frontrunner of the May 2022 elections based on an independent survey released on Monday.

In a study conducted by OCTA Research last Jan. 26-Feb. 1, the President's daughter topped the poll as 22% of respondents chose her to be the country's next president.

Following Duterte is Sen. Grace Poe with 13%, Sen. Manny Pacquiao and form e r Sen.

Bongbong Marcos with 12% each, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno with 11%.

Vice President Leni Robredo lagged behind as she only got 5% in the independent survey.

In the vice presidential race, Duterte also leads the pack after getting 14% of the survey votes. Moreno and Pacquiao inched closer with 11% each, while Poe only has 10%.

In the senatorial race, Pacqu iao topped t he OCTA survey after getting the nod of 57% of the respondents. Former senator and now Sorsogon Gov. Francis Escudero followed with 53%, while former House Speaker and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano got 50% to complete the Top 3 for the May 2022 senatorial aspirants.

Included in the probable 'Magic 12' are broadca ster Er w i n Tu lfo (47%), former senator a nd A ntique Rep. Loren Legarda (46%), Moren o (4 4 %), Sen. Panfi-

DAVAO CITY MAYOR SARA DUTERTE

lo Lacson (43%), Marcos (42%), Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri (40%), former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada (37%), former Sen. JV Ejercito (34%), and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian (33%).

Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista (32%), former Sen. Bam Aquino (31%), Sen. Richard Gordon (30%), Sen. Francis Pangilinan (30%), Lipa Rep. Vilma S a nt o s-Re c t o (2 8%), former Sec. Mar Roxas (27%), Sen. Risa Hontiveros (27%), and Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez (27%) also have a statistical chance of making it in the Top 12.

About 1,200 respondent s pa r t ic ipated i n OCTA's Tugon ng Masa National Survey using face-to-face interviews.

The OCTA survey results came as the older Duterte still garnered a 70% approval rating in a poll commissioned by Publicus Asia Inc. last December 2020, even if the government has been widely criticized for its slow COVID-19 pandemic response and delayed vaccine rollout. (MNS)

DepEd backs postponement of face-to-face classes MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Department of Education (DepEd) has expressed support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s postponement of the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We understand that the availability and roll out of vaccines in the country are critical factors for this undertaking,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.

“In the meantime, we sha ll continue preparing action plans for this activity should the President give his approval in the coming months.”

O n M o n d a y, Malacañang said Duterte thumbed down a resumption of face-to-face classes until August due to the threat of COVID-19.

By Aug ust, physica l classes could be considered in areas with a low number of infections.

The DepEd said 1,904 public schools across the country have so far been ident i f ied a s possible participants for the pilot study.

Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said the department will consider a proposal to reduce the number of participating schools to under 1,000.

The following conditions were previously laid out by the DepEd on the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes: “Pilot implementation of face-to-face classes will take place only in areas categorized as low-risk (at least under modified gen-

eral community quarantine or MGCQ), There must be a commitment for shared responsibility of DepEd, the local government unit, the parents or guardians and the providers of transportation, Stringent health and safety standards shall be followed at home, during travel to and from the schools, and within school premises.”

“We shall continue to coordinate with national and local authorities and health experts, parents, teachers and service providers. We have also started consulting our various stakeholders to address challenges in the distance learning set-up,” DepEd said.

(MNS)

PNP probing 'issues' in drug war ops raised by Guevarra — spox MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has formed a panel to look into the "essential issues" in its anti-drug operations that were raised by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra before the United Nations Human Rights Council.

In a text message on Thursday, PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana said PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas has created a technical working group on February 17 to look into the issues presented by Guevarra.

“The Chief PNP has already designated a technical working group composed of key PNP offices to look into and discuss essential issues raised by the Secretary of Justice,” Usana said.

According to him, the result of the probe as well as recommendations will be submitted to Sinas by the first week of March.

“No reaction for the meantime from the PNP po, till the report is out,” Usana said.

In a speech, Guevarra reported to the UN Human Rights Council that many weapons allegedly belonging to slain drug suspects have been left unexamined by authorities.

Guevarra said that the inter-agency task group formed to look into the killings confirmed that many of the suspects resisted arrest or tried to draw their guns on government agents.

"Our initial and preliminary findings confirm that in many of these cases, law enforcement agents asserted that the subject that the subject of anti-drug operations resisted arrest

or attempted to draw a weapon and fight back," Guevarra said.

"Yet, no full examination of the weapon recovered was conducted.

No verification of its ownership was undertaken," he added.

Guevarra said the law enforcement agents involved failed to follow standard protocols pertaining to coordination with other agencies and the processing of the crime scene.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) deputy Asia director Phil Robertson said Guevarra's speech revealed "a reality that was obvious to those in the affected communities, namely that after killings occurred, there were no subsequent police investigations into the circumstances of what took place.”

“The real name for that is impunity, and these police failures were so systematic that these oversights go well past the accidental or inadvertent failures,” he said in a statement.

He believes that the PNP was operationalized to act as a government "hit squad" to go after drug suspects, with policemen receiving direct encouragement from Duterte and their local commanders.

“The failures to investigate these killings were baked into the ‘drug war’ model from the start, with the police prepared to act because they knew that not only can they get away with it, but that they're supposed to get away with it,” he said.

Malacañang has repeatedly denied that the killings have President Rodrigo Duterte's blessing. (MNS)

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Facility Caregivers:

Are you paid at least $494 a day when working a 24-hour shift?

CAREGIVERS working in Residential Care Facilities provide an important service to elderly and disabled individuals, as well as their families.

These caregivers often work up to 24 hours per day, providing necessary care and supervision to ensure the health and safety of each facility resident. However, many facility caregivers are grossly underpaid for the services they provide.

Fortunately, California law protects caregivers who work in licensed Residential Care Facilities from wage theft. Specifically, all facility caregivers are entitled to receive at least minimum wage for every hour they work, including all hours they are required to be present at the facility. Starting in 2021, the minimum wage rate in California is $13.00 per hour for employers with 25 employees or less, and $14.00 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees. Additionally, with some exceptions, facility caregivers are also entitled to overtime compensation for all hours worked in excess of 8 per day or 40 per week, and double time compensation for all hours worked in excess of 12 per day.

In light of these requirements, facility caregivers who work 24-hour shifts must be paid at least $494 per day to comply with California’s minimum wage laws.

That includes 8 hours of pay at the minimum wage rate of $13.00/hour ($104), four hours of pay at the overtime rate of $19.50/hour ($78), and 12 hours of pay at the double time rate of $26/hour ($312).

In lieu of paying overtime and double time wages, many employers pay facility caregivers a fixed salary, regardless of the actual number of hours they work each day. However, paying an employee a daily, weekly or monthly salary does not disqualify that employee from the minimum wage or overtime compensation requirements. In actuality, under California law, payment of a fixed salary to a nonexempt employee only compensates that employee for their regular, non-overtime hours worked. This means that a non-exempt facility caregiver who receives a fixed salary has probably not been compensated for any hours he or she worked

in excess of 8 per day or 40 per week.

Furthermore, those uncompensated hours are considered overtime and double time hours, compensable at a rate one-and-one half times or two times the facility caregiver’s regular rate of pay.

If you are a facility caregiver receiving a fixed salary for working 24-hour shifts, you may have a substantial unpaid overtime claim. For purposes of illustration, below is an example of how wage and hour claims are calculated for facility caregivers under California law: Tony is a facility caregiver. He works 24 hours per day and is not allowed to leave the care facility at any time during his scheduled shifts. Tony’s employer also requires him to sleep in the facility at night and the residents frequently wake him asking for assistance. Tony receives a daily salary of $120 each day he works.

This makes Tony’s regular rate of pay $15.00 per hour ($120/8 hours per day).

Subject to that calculation, Tony’s overtime rate is $22.50 per hour and his doubletime rate is $30 per hour, respectively. Because Tony’s daily salary of $120 does not compensate him for any overtime hours worked, Tony’s employer owes him $450.00 per day in unpaid wages: 4 overtime hours x $22.50 (Tony’s overtime rate), plus 12 double time hours x $30.00 (Tony’s double time rate). If Tony works 5 days per week, he is owed $2,250 per week, which equals $117,000 each year he works. If Tony brings a claim against his employer for these unpaid wages, he can seek unpaid wages going back three to four years, along with interest, attorney’s fees and costs, liquidated damages and penalties.

Caregivers work hard to provide support and assistance to our loved ones, and they should be paid in accordance with California law for their invaluable services.

If you are a caregiver working in licensed Residential Care Facility and you are not being paid according to California law, we would like to help. Please contact our firm at (818)807-4168 for a free and confidential consultation. We love helping caregivers get the overtime compensation that they deserve.

This article is an attorney advertisement written by Lauren Peterson, employment law attorney at Chaleff Rehwald Peterson.

Our office is located at 5855 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Suite 400, Woodland Hills, California. We accept cases throughout all of Northern and Southern California.

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 and confidential consultation.

Please visit us at www.caregiverovertime.com/ to learn more about caregiver overtime law. We offer a 24-hour chat line on our website.

Comelec to hold info drive to urge people to sign up

Makabayan Bloc insists existing laws vs. red-tagging insufficient, defective MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Makabayan Bloc underscored Thursday that the present legal remedies against red tagging are still insufficient and defective.

Members of the progressive group opposed what was stated in the committee report of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, saying that there is no need for a new law to penalize the act of red-tagging as there were already enough provisions in the existing laws against it.

But the group maintained that ex isting legal remedies need to be reviewed, adding that criminalization of red-tagging, through the enactment of the Human Rights Defenders bill, remains necessary.

"Current legal remedies are insufficient, defective and lacking.

Human rights violators have largely escaped accountabilit y," t he Makabayan Bloc said in a statement.

"E x per ience ha s show n t hat even w it h t he protect ive writs (habeas corpus,

amparo, data), victims remain vulnerable to harassment and fail to deter attacks," the group said.

Earlier, the Senate panel said there is no need to pass a law that penalizes red-tagging because recourse is already provided under the Revised Penal Code, Civil Code, special laws, and other judicial remedies. It added t hat these have already been availed by progressive groups.

However, the Makabayan Bloc has expressed dismay over t he S en ate pa nel's supposed failure to acknowledge the direct link between the red tagging of some government officials and the perpetration of human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings.

"The Committee has been too quick to devalue the testimony of victims of red-tagging who have suffered actual violations of their rights, while invoking exemption from the rules of evidence and according presumption of regularity in its appreciation of the largely hearsay testimony

provided by the NTFE L C AC's w it ne s se s against the Makabayan bloc and other progressive organizations," the lawmakers said.

De spite t h i s, t he group still welcomed some portions of the committee report, specifically about Southern Luzon Command commander Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade.

According to the report, Parlade's comments and accusations against certain personalities were deemed to be "counter-productive." The military general earlier drew flak for linking some personalities, including celebrities and members of the media, to the communist group.

The Ma kabaya n Bloc believed that the content of the report on Parlade prov ides "more t ha n enough grounds" for his removal as spokesman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and his dismissal from military service.

"In addition, we welcome the recommendation to the state security sector to 'refrain

from publicly vilifying, labelling and imputing guilt by association to the communist group various institutions and progressive organizations based on false or unverified information,'" the group said.

"In making this recommendation, the Senate has thereby tacitly acknowledged that the military, police, and certain public officials have engaged in such behavior," it added.

However, the Senate falls short of recommending that these officials should be held accountable for their actions, according to Makabayan Bloc.

Mea nwh i le, t he group maintained that its members do not espouse nor are engaged in armed struggle, contrary to the allegations being hurled at them.

"We certainly cond e m n a n d d o n ot tolerate any atrocity committed by any side of the armed conflict, especially those in violation of the Comprehensive Agreement for the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law," the Makabayan Bloc said. (MNS)

MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to hold an information campaign on Friday (Feb. 26) to promote the ongoing nationwide voter registration in connection with the May 2022 national and local elections.

In a statement on Wednesday, the poll body said the activity entitled “Walkah-Walkah: @MagparehistroKa Voter Education Campaign” will be held in Manila and Quezon City to help encourage more people to register to be able to participate in next year’s elections.

Expected to participate in the event are Comelec personnel headed by spokesperson James Jimenez and barangay officials and other elections stakeholders.

The activity will start in front of the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila, where the Comelec main office is located, as motorcycle riders from Comelec will take-off at 6 a.m., proceeding to Mindanao Avenue corner Quirino Highway in Quezon City, where participants are waiting for the second leg of the event.

“From Mindanao Avenue corner Quirino Highway, Comelec personnel led by Director James Jimenez, Barangay Chairman Atty. Eric Juan and Comelec District VI Election Officer Atty. Zebbia Ledesma-Magno, will walk towards the Gawad Kalinga Village in Barangay Talipapa, Quezon City to hand out flyers and invite the public to register as voters and explain to them the Comelec’s adoption of protocols to ensure a safe and Covid-19 free voter registration,” the Comelec said.

The Comelec assured that health and safety protocols will be implemented during the event.

“Minimum health standards and social distancing protocols will be strictly followed during the event.

Accompanying the team are four Covid-19 marshals who will be responsible in maintaining social distancing at all times,” it said.

The nationwide voter registration resumed in September 2020 and will run until September 30, 2021.

L ate st d at a revealed the poll body has so far received over 1.3 million registrants.

The figure is still far from the targeted number of new voters ATTY. JAMES JIMENEZ at 4 million. (MNS)

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World’s First All-Civilian Mission to Space, Inspiration4, Names Second Crew Member Hayley Arceneaux, physician assistant at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and pediatric cancer survivor, to represent Hope on historic flight Two remaining seats on mission still available to the general public until February 28 MEMPHIS (FEBRUARY 22, 2021) – Inspiration4, the world’s first all-civilian mission to space, has announced its second crew member, Hayley Arceneaux of Memphis, TN, a 29-year-old physician assistant at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® who was treated as a child for bone cancer at St. Jude. Arceneaux joins Inspiration4 mission commander Jared Isaacman.

She will occupy the mission seat representing Hope.

“It’s an incredible honor to join the Inspiration4 crew. This seat represents the hope that St. Jude gave me—and continues to give families from around the world, who, like me, find hope when they walk through the doors of St. Jude,” said Arceneaux. “When I was just 10 years old, St. Jude gave me the opportunity to grow up. Now I am fulfilling my dreams of working at the research hospital and traveling around the world. It’s incredible to be a part of this mission that is not only raising crucial funds for the lifesaving work of St. Jude but also introducing new supporters to the mission.”

Isaacman, the 38-year-old founder and chief executive officer of Shift4 Payments [NYSE: FOUR] and an accomplished pilot, donated two of the four seats on Inspiration4 to St. Jude, including the seat filled by Arceneaux.

The mission name Inspiration4 recognizes the four-person crew’s purpose – to send a humanitarian message of possibility and inspire support for St. Jude – and represents the pillars of Leadership, Hope, Generosity and Prosperity.

“Assembling a unique and diverse crew whose personal stories and values will inspire people everywhere is at the heart of the Inspiration4 mission,” said Isaacman. “As I’ve spent time with Hayley in the earliest days

HAYLEY ARCENEAUX of mission prep, she’s everything we want our team to represent – she’s interested in the world around her, devoted to caring for others and hopeful for a better future for all of us. She already inspires me, and I’m certain she’ll inspire many others as they get to know her in the course of our mission.”

Isaacman has committed to give $100 million to St. Jude and is inviting everyone to join him in support of St. Jude’s multi-billion-dollar expansion designed to accelerate research advancements and save more children worldwide. The fundraising effort will continue through the mission launch later this year.

“It has been a personal honor to watch Hayley grow up and fulfill her dreams. As a patient, an intern at ALSAC, and then in the Pediatric Oncology Education program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, she was always a rising star,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of

ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude. “From the beginning, St. Jude has been at the forefront of innovation and inclusion, leading in cancer research, and treatment for some of the world’s sickest children regardless of race, ethnicity, or a family's ability to pay, so that children like Hayley can live full, healthy and awe-inspiring lives.

She will be an incredible ambassador through this mission and inspiration to children fighting cancer and survivors worldwide.”

The mission is being targeted for the fourth quarter of this year. Arceneaux, Isaacman and the Inspiration4 crew will undergo commercial astronaut training by SpaceX on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft, including a specific focus on orbital mechanics, operating in microgravity, zero gravity, and other forms of stress testing. They will receive emergency preparedness training, spacesuit and spacecraft ingress and egress exercis-

es, as well as partial- and full-mission simulations. The mission will launch from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and will be carefully monitored at every step by SpaceX mission control as the spacecraft orbits the planet every 90 minutes along a customized flight path. Upon conclusion of the multi-day journey, Dragon will reenter Earth’s atmosphere for a soft water landing off the coast of Florida.

The remaining two seats representing Generosity and Prosperity are available to the general public through February 28, with details available at the mission website, Inspiration4.com. The Generosity crew seat can be secured by a member of the public who enters for an opportunity to join the flight to space. The Prosperity seat is available to any deserving entrepreneur who utilizes the new Shift4Shop eCommerce platform to submit their idea and be selected by a panel of distinguished judges.

The Shift4Shop platform is designed to empower entrepreneurs to build and grow successful eCommerce businesses.

To learn more about Inspiration4, how to support and potentially join this historic journey to space and the specific conditions of the promotions, visit Inspiration4.com and follow the mission on social media on Twitter (@ inspiration4x), Facebook (@inspiration4mission), Instagram (@inspiration4) and YouTube (@Inspiration4) to receive the latest news on mission training and preparation. Individuals who are interested in learning how to enter for an opportunity to secure one of the two seats still available should visit Inspiration4.com and review the Official Rules for the applicable promotion.

Boracay now ready for foreign tourists, says Aklan governor MANILA (Mabuhay) — World-famous Boracay Island resort is now ready to open its doors to foreign tourists, according to Governor Florencio Miraflores of Aklan.

M i ra f lores sa id that all tourist facilities in the resort are ready to accept and accommodate foreign visitors as the island has been serving local tourists since last October.

Likewise, the governor said quarant ine faci lit ies a re

ready, in case some visitors would catch coronavirus while on the island.

But he pointed out that since Boracay was opened to local tourists last October, it has not recorded cases of COVID transmission in the resort.

However, Mi raflores said the new coronavirus UK variant, and delays in the delivery of expected v ac c i ne s a ga i n st C OV I D -19 c o u l d possibly dampen the

reopening of the island resort to foreign visitors.

Citing data from the Malay Tourism Office, Miraf lores said that in December, Boracay had served some 15,000 local tourists, and last January, it recorded nearly 12,000.

Mea nwh i le, A klan's capital Kalibo is planning to set a record of being the first to roll out its vaccination program against COVID-19 among local government units

in the province.

Local vaccine czar Rey Villaruel was quoted in a press conference as saying

that the municipality has been in talks with vaccine manufacturers sine January this year. (MNS)

Duterte changes heart about climate change after typhoons M A NIL A (Mabu hay) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday evening expressed a change of heart about climate change after the countr y suffered consecutive typhoons in the latter part of 2020.

“Nung una, ‘yung climate change medyo ano pa ako noon, parang ayaw ko maniwala. But ngayon sobra talaga ang tubig na galing sa langit because of umiinit ho ang planeta,” Duterte said in a live briefing.

The president issued the remark as he recounted his visit to Surigao del Sur on Tuesday after the province was hit by tropical storm Auring.

“Even by a certain

degree higher, we are in serious trouble kasi ‘yung dagat ho mabilis na rin ‘yung singaw ng tubig. Umaakyat ‘yung, parang nag-init ka ng tubig, ‘yung sumisingaw,” he said. “[M]as marami pa sa landmass ang tubig, kaya kung bumagsak ‘yan, talagang todo-todo. A nd we a re not prepared for that,” he added.

Due to climate change, Duterte said typhoons can come at any time.

“Noon, we have the typhoons on the hot weather and the cold weather, usually in December. Pero ngayon ho wala nang panahon sa bagyo. The bagyo can

come any time. Nagwawala ang tubig sa dagat,” he said.

Duter te sa id t he people spared by the t y phoons shou ld be thankful.

“So many things, really, coming our way, problems, but if you want to have an advice, if you are ready to get one. There is one thing really that can save this planet. It’s God. Maybe you should pray more,” he said.

Duterte earlier expressed his misgivings about climate change deals, saying they favor on the rich.

He also said climate cha nge con ferences were a waste of time and money. (MNS)

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PNP, PDEA: Criminal, admin charges will be filed

MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Thursday assured the public that criminal and administrative charges will be filed against those who will be found liable for the shootout that transpired near a mall along Commonwealth Avenue on Wednesday.

"At the end of it all, we can assure our people that there will be criminal and administrative charges to be filed against those individuals found to have violated the laws, rules and regulations," PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana read the statement of the two agencies at the start of the press conference.

While admitting that the incident caused a temporary setback, PNP and PDEA said the war on drugs will continue.

The law enforcement agencies also said that all the pieces of evidence are being gathered by combined efforts of their investigators.

"Autopsies on the dead bodies were also being attended to. Firearms and empty shells have been surrendered and confiscated. Forensic examination on the cellphones and other gadgets from both sides has also been included. And yes, families of the fallen personnel were also notified," the joint statement read.

During the press conference, PDEA chief Wilkins Villanueva said they are careful in making statements.

“As of now, wala kaming puwedeng maibigay, kung ano, how it happened, because we are collecting all the pieces of evidence needed para ma-find out namin kung paano ito nag-umpisa at kung paano ito nag-escalate,” he said.

“Dito tayo careful kasi gusto natin malaman kung ano talaga ang nangyari by getting all the pieces of evidence required by this investigation,” he added.

Meanwhile, PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas said all the evidence

will be surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

The CIDG has been tasked to lead the joint investigation on the matter.

Further, the PNP and PDEA appealed to the public for patience in waiting for their investigation. A joint PNP-PDEA board of inquiry was established to investigate the incident.

“Give us two weeks. Baka may picture na tayo but as of now ‘di nakakatulong ‘yong lahat ng speculation natin kasi lahat ‘yan lalo lang nagpapaigting ng sama ng loob ng parehong unit ng pulis at PDEA,” Villanueva said.

“Speculations will not solve the problem but will just create a bigger one,” he added.

A total of four people were killed in the shootout between police and narcotics agents on Wednesday evening.

Both parties insisted that they followed procedures and conducted proper coordination.

Earlier, PNP spokesman Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana said

the incident would in no way affect the operational relationship between the two agencies. (MNS)

Vaccination of soldiers vs. COVID-19 mandatory — AFP spox MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Thursday said vaccination of its personnel against COVID-19 will be mandatory.

At a virtual press briefing, AFP spokesperson Major

AFP SPOX MAJ. GEN. EDGARD AREVALO

General Edgard Arevalo said soldiers may select their vaccine brand but cannot refuse to be inoculated.

"To get inoculated or not is not an option to the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

It is a duty," Arevalo said, adding the mandatory vaccination for soldiers was ordered by AFP chief Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana.

"At the most, the exercise of option will be the option as to what brand of vaccine they will be availing of but the cost of which will not be paid by the Armed Forces of the Philippines," he added.

On Tuesday, the Department

Marawi rehab on track, IDPs get permanent houses MANILA (Mabuhay) — Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) on Thursday handed over permanent housing units to some 109 families affected by the May 2017 siege in Marawi City.

In his ground visit, TFBM chairperson Secretary Eduardo del Rosario led the distribution of "permanent house ownership certificates" of the Marawi Resettlement Site and Permanent Houses (Phase 1) in Barangay West Dulay.

Each two-story house, built on a 100-square-meter lot, has a floor area of 42 square meters and is equipped with a toilet and bathroom, a kitchen, basic lighting, and outlets as well as a sewage piping system.

The task force assured the subdivision-like resettlement is with electric and water supplies.

Del Rosario, also the country's housing czar, said the turnover activity of permanent housing units to internally displaced persons (IDPs) symbolizes the government's commitment to pushing Marawi's full recovery and rehabilitation efforts.

"The government, through the TFBM, remains steadfast in helping our Maranao brothers and sisters affected by the 2017 siege rebuild their lives in coordination with the implementing agencies and partner-organizations like UN-Habitat," he said.

He said the housing units would also secure the IDPs' health safety amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

According to the TFBM, the permanent shelters were constructed on a 1.8-hectare land provided and developed by Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC).

In collaboration with the task

force's 56 implementing agencies, the permanent housing project was built under United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) through its Community-Driven Shelter and Livelihood Project with a USD10-million grant from the Japanese government.

"Having a house that the IDPs can now call their own is part of our commitment to ensuring Marawi’s overall rehabilitation,” said del Rosario.

The 109 IDP-families are the first batch among the Marawi residents to receive permanent shelters.

TFBM said more than 3,000 permanent shelters are now in various phases of construction.

Del Rosario's ground visit to Marawi City is part of the task force's monitoring efforts to ensure the progress of rehabilitation processes.

Amid the pandemic, del Rosario pointed out the massive rehabilitation works in Marawi City remain unhampered.

He said TFBM has implemented double-shift measures and hiring of more workers to fast-track the completion of various infrastructure projects in the war-torn city.

Del Rosario also inspected other ongoing infrastructure projects, including the repair of Marawi City Jail, construction of permanent housing sites in Barangay Gadungan and Barangay Kilala as well as the construction of Datu Naga barangay hall complex, the Grand Padian Market, and the Marawi museum.

The TFBM chair reiterated that the target project completion for Marawi rehabilitation remains on track within the scheduled timeline which is December this year. (MNS)

of National Defense said its employees as well as members of the military will receive the 100,000 doses of Sinovac Biotech's vaccines to be donated by China.

“The DND is set to begin its inoculation drive for its employees upon the delivery of the 100,000 doses donated to the DND by China through Chinese Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe,” it said.

The vaccines will also be administered to all the employees and military personnel assigned to DND’s civilian bureaus like the Office of Civil Defense, Government Arsenal, National Defense College of the Philippines and the Philippine Veterans Affairs

Office, as well as the civilian employees of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Their family members are also eligible to receive the vaccines, according to the DND. A reva lo sa id soldiers who want to be inoculated with other brands of COVID-19 vaccine other than Sinovac will have to pay for it themselves.

"Kung gusto nila ng ibang brand ng bakuna na ituturok sa kanila bukod o hindi doon sa bakuna na inilaan para sa AFP personnel, partikular ang Sinovac, puwede po niyang piliin ang brand na gusto niya pero siya po ang magbabayad ng halaga ng bakuna na iyon," he said. (MNS)

Vico Sotto named among International Anticorruption champions by US State Department MANILA (Mabuhay) — Pasig City Mayor Victor "Vico" Sotto has been named among 12 International Anticorruption Champions who "defend transparency, combat corruption and ensure accountability," US Secretar y of State Antony Blinken announced.

Blin ken sa id t he 31-year-old local chief executive "is a standa rd-bea rer for a new generation of Philippine politicians who prioritize anticorruption and transparency initiatives in their election campaigns and in office," the agency said in a statement released Tuesday.

Sotto first entered public service as a city councilor in Pasig in 2016. He ran for mayor in the 2019 polls and dethroned the Eusebio family, which has held the Pasig mayoralty for nearly 3 decades.

"Around the world, corruption threatens security and stability, hinders economic growth, undermines democracy and human rights, destroys trust in public institutions, facilitates transnational crime, and siphons away public and private resources," said Blinken.

"The Biden Administration recognizes that we will only be successful in combating these issues by working in concert with committed partners, including courageous individuals who champion anticorruption efforts and countries working to fulfill their commitments to international anticorruption standards," he added.

Blinken underscored that the award aims to recognize indiv iduals who have "worked tirelessly, often in the face of adversity, to defend transparency, combat corruption, and ensure accountability in their own countries."

Blinken underscored that US President Joe Biden emphasized the country's "commitment to truth, transparency, and accountability is a mission that we must live at home and exemplify abroad."

He further stated that the United States enforces a "robust anticorruption framework" in the world as they were the "first to criminalize foreign bribery and, in partnership with foreign counterpa rts, have

recovered and returned more than $1 billion in stolen public assets in the past two years."

"We use a range of tools to promote accountability for corrupt individuals, combat impunity globally, and engage in multilateral fora to fight corruption and strengthen citizen engagement," he said.

"We will defeat corruption by implementing sound reforms consistent with international anticorruption commitments; developing transparent, accountable institutions; and empowering citizens, journalists, and civil society organizations to help defeat this global threat to security and democracy," he added. (MNS)

PASIG CITY MAYOR VICTOR "VICO" SOTTO

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Senate okays COVID-19 vaccine indemnity fund, hastened procurement MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Senate on Tuesday approved on second and third read i ng t he measure seeking to expedite the procurement and administration of COV ID-19 vaccines and establ ish a v a c c i ne i ndemnity fund.

With 22 votes, t he chamber approved Senate Bill 2057, sponsored by Senate Committee on Finance chair Sonny Angara, five days after President Rodrigo Duterte certified the measure as urgent.

Certifying a bill as urgent would allow it to be approved on second and third reading on the same session day.

Under the measure, the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) are authorized to undertake negotiated procurement of COVID-19 vaccines and the ancillary supplies and services for their storage, transport, and distribution.

SENATOR SONNY ANGARA It also allows local government units to purchase COVID-19 vaccines and ancillary supplies and services in cooperation with the DOH and NTF through multiparty agreements.

The LGUs will be allowed to make advance payments if required by the supplier, manufacturer, or distributor, and they are allowed to purchase vaccines and supplies for up to 75% of their target population.

Private entities, in cooperation with the DOH and NTF, will also be allowed to purchase vaccines for their own use through a multiparty agreement. (MNS)

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Economist eyes BOP position recovery MANILA — Structural inflows such as remittances and revenues of the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector are expected to continue to fuel the Philippines’ balance of payment (BOP) position despite posting a deficit last month.

Data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Wednesday showed a USD752 million BOP deficit, the first negative print in a year, and a reversal from the record-high USD4.236 billion surplus last December.

In a repor t, R i za l Commercial Banking Cor poration (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort attributed the contraction in the BOP, which refers to a country’s total transactions with the rest of the world in a certain period, to the drop in the country’s foreign reser ves during the sa me per iod to USD108.67 billion.

It attributed the drop in the gross international reserves to the lower value of gold holdings given its fluctuations in the international market,

lower foreign investments, and payments of Philippine residents’ of their foreign liabilities as well as wider trade deficit because of improvements in imports.

The negative factors on the BOP position were, however, countered by the risk of more lockdown because of the new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) variants, which may lead to lower importation.

Despite the negative BOP print last January, Ricafort forecasts a n i mprovement i n t he com ing mont hs because of a narrower trade deficit, addition-

RCBC CHIEF ECONOMIST MICHAEL RICAFORT

al foreign borrowings of the government, and foreign debt issuances by the local companies and conglomerates.

He also banks on the regular drivers of foreign reserves like money being sent home by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), BOP revenues, and foreign investments.

He expects larger US dollar inf lows in the coming months given the expected arrival of vaccines this year “that could reduce new Covid-19 cases and fundamentally support further reopening of the economy.”

Risks to these factors include recovery in imports and lower prices of US and global bonds and gold.

“Going forward, any sustained increase in BOP surpluses could fundamentally lead to new record high GIR (gross international reserves) in the coming months, thereby providing greater cushion/ suppor t/bu f fer for the peso exchange rate vs. the US dollar especially vs. speculative attacks,” he added. (PNA)

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Bea reveals she and John Lloyd did not like each other in the beginning

J

BEA ALONZO

JOHN LLOYD CRUZ

ohn Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo are one of today’s most bankable pairings on screen but unknown to many people, their relationship as co-actors did not start off well.

Alonzo recalled how she and Cruz used to work in several projects back in the early 2000s without talking to each other except when filming a scene.

"Hindi kami magkaaway, hindi lang kami friends. Nung time na nag-uumpisa ako, hindi

niya talaga gusto na ako 'yung nandun, alam ko.

Hindi ko naman siya masisi. Mahirap pa ako makatrabaho kasi ang bata ko nun,” she said.

"Biruin mo, never ako nakalimot ng lines.

Pero biruin mo, lagi ako natatakpan ng camera niya, 'yung ilaw niya. Kasi hindi ko alam

Rica Peralejo says she once had breast implants, then had them removed ManiLa (Mabuhay) — Former actress Rica “Yes. When I was 18, nagpalagay ako ng boobs.

Peralejo was 18 years old when she under- Truth be told, I don’t really remember why I went surgery to have breast implants — which did that. I had my breast augmented — I had she then had remy implants — moved 18 years and I had them later — she reremoved in called in a Q&A 2017.” with her follow“I felt like, w it h a l l t he ers through her changes in my vlog. life, after how Peralejo, who many years, I is turning 40 in March, spoke understood na candidly on a hindi ko pala talaga kailanrange of personal topics, gan ‘to. Hindi pala ako ‘to,” from her past romance with she said.

Piolo Pascual Prior to to her t ur n2017, Peralejo ing point as a marked several Christian, as personal mileshe answered stones. She got questions sent married to to RICA PERALEJO Joseph Boniby her followers facio, a pastor on social media.

Answering whether there is truth that she at a church she has credited for changing her once had breast augmentation, Peralejo said: life, in 2010; and welcomed her first child in CONTNUED ON PAGE 15

kung paano, e. Umaarte na ako, wala na pala ako sa camera. 'Tapos umiiyak na siya, natakpan ko pala 'yung camera niya. So I had to do it again," she added.

Alonzo said it came to a point when Launrenti Dyogi, their director for “Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay” and “Now That I Have You,” had to talk to them so they could thresh out their differences.

"Nung time na 'yun, usung-uso nun 'yung SCQ (Star Circle Quest) 'yung mga talent shows. And then, meron ng Sandara (Park) and Hero (Angeles). Tapos nung time na 'yun, kinausap kami ni Direk Lauren. 'You have to step up. Hello? Kinikilig mga tao sa mga taga-'SCQ.' Anong i-offer niyo? Hindi kayo nag-uusap?’”

Alonzo recalled.

Apparently, Cruz wasn’t too keen about Alonzo at that time because he found her hard to work with. Alonzo, on the other hand, felt Cruz was arrogant.

"Parang feeling ko, ang yabang niya. Feeling ko, porke baguhang artista lang ako, hindi niya ako

gustong kaibigan. 'Yung isa naman, naiinis siya sa akin kasi feeling niya ang hirap ko katrabaho,” she said.

While their friendship did not have the best start, Alonzo said she is thankful that Cruz thought of her that way in the beginning.

“He helped me so much nung time na sinusungitan niya ako, hindi kami nag-uusap, hindi kami nagha-hi, hindi kami nagba-bye.

I had to prove myself that I am worthy. So actually, he pushed me, without him even knowing about it,” she said.

"Talagang ginawa kong fuel 'yung pagiging ganun niya sa akin. Na parang, 'Ah ganun ba?

Papatunayan ko sa iyo. Gagaling talaga ako.' Kung hindi naging ganun relationship namin, baka mas naging relaxed ako. Baka hindi naging ganun kalakas 'yung drive ko to prove myself," she said.

Cruz and Alonzo are set to reunite this year for a much-anticipated film project to be produced

by Star Cinema. (MNS)

Jak Roberto reveals what he would do should he bump into his ex

JAK ROBERTO ManiLa (Mabuhay) — It's not easy running into someone from your past.

Jak Roberto said he would simply test the waters should he bump into his ex.

"Depende sa memory 'yan guys. Depende kung may closure," the actor said. "Kung in good terms kayo, kung may closure naman kayo, kung friends naman kayo after ng pangyayari, simpleng kamustahan nalang, balita lang, kwentuhan tas casual lang."

He added, "Pero I think kung may bad memory ka na sa taong 'yun, kahit tanggap mo sa sarili mo o naka move on ka na, ang hirap i-approach."

Jak said that it was hard to know what was the right thing to do, especially if you weren't sure that your former partner had moved on already or still in the process of moving on.

"Medyo tatantyahin mo muna tas simpleng kamustahan tapos kung hindi, mag-phone nalang," Jak jokingly said.

Jak has been in a relationship with actress Barbie Forteza for over four years now. (MNS)

Rhian Ramos remains a Kapuso, renews contract with GMA Network ManiLa (Mabuhay) — Rhian Ramos continues to be a part of the Kapuso family after she renewed her contract with GMA Network recently.

Present during her signing were GMA Senior Vice President for Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable, GMA Vice President for Drama Productions Redgie Acuña-Magno, GMA Vice President for Business Development Department III Darling de Jesus-Bodegon, GMA Senior Assistant Vice

President for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara, GMA Assistant Vice President for Drama Productions Cheryl Ching-Sy, Senior Program Manager Charles Koo, and Rhian’s manager Michael Uycoco.

“I am so happy and ... I just feel lucky I get to live my dream and continue to live my dream with this station that supports me,” Rhian said. “This is where I feel most at home and most comfortable here.”

She added, “I grew up here

RHIAN RAMOS

even. I've been here for 15 years already ... GMA has been so loyal to me through the years with all the opportunity they’ve given me and the guidance.”

According to the actress, she’s learned so much about growth in the years she’s stayed with GMA. Now, she looks forward to hosting more since she feels much more “comfortable and confident” with herself.

“I am actually super looking forward to more hosting,” she said. “It’s really fun to experi-

ence something with the audience.”

Rhian started out in GMA7 when she was 15 years old.

Since then, she has starred in “Captain Barbell,” “Stairway to Heaven,” and the Philippine adaptation of “My Love From the Star.”

In December, Rhian, along with Carla Abellana, Mikael Daez, and other costars finished their lock-in taping for their drama series “Love of My Life.” (MNS)

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Ruffa Gutierrez on speaking terms again with ex-husband Yilmaz Bektas

r

uffa Gutierrez and her former husband, Turkish businessman yilmaz Bektas, have reconnected for the sake of their two daughters, Lorin and Venice.

“Nag-uusap kami ni Yilmaz ulit and nare-realize niya that time is so precious, that we’re getting old na and he wants to spend time with the kids,” she said.

Gutierrez said Bektas is trying to make right for their kids.

“Sabi ko, ‘Teka muna, step by step muna. Let’s see first. Itupad mo muna ‘yung sinasabi mo, pupunta ka dito para bisitahin ‘yung mga anak mo. Saka tayo mag-usap.’ Kasi, ilang beses nang puro promise nang prom-

ongoing pandemic.

When asked what her daughters think of the possibility of her and Bektas co-parenting, Gutierrez said: “Naiiyak sila, nami-miss nila ‘yung daddy nila.”

“But I think, it’s been 13 years since they last saw him, naging bato na rin sila, you know. Minsan, nandiyan ‘yung anger. Minsan, nandiyan yung ‘Okay we love him YILMAZ BEKTAS but is he really gonna come?’

Alam mo, masakit din iyan para sa mga anak ko, ha? Magaling lang sila sigurong magtago, katulad ko,” she explained.

Gutierrez and Bektas were married in 2003. In 2007, Gutierrez admitted RUFFA GUTIERREZ that she and Bektas have parted ways. ise. Hindi naman natutupad, di ba?” she related.

However, it was only in January 2011 According to Gutierrez, Bektas is supposed to come this that their marriage was declared null June, depending on the travel restrictions because of the and void. (MNS)

Carla Humphries reveals moving to US, switching jobs to ‘support myself’ ManiLa (Mabuhay) — Actress Carla Humphries has moved to Los Angeles, turning her back on a career in the limelight in the Philippines, she revealed.

Humphries shared her personal milestone in the latest vlog entry of model Michelle Madrigal, who filmed the episode during her visit to LA. Humphries, a former Star Magic artist whose acting career started in 2003, recalled that she had originally intended to stay in LA, prior to the pandemic, for just a week.

“It was really tough because I hadn’t really planned on moving to the United States,” she told Madrigal. “I was here for a week and my friend had told me, ‘You should totally come to LA.’ And I came here thinking, ‘Tingnan ko nga kung I can live here.’”

“I didn’t have any big ideas na I’m going to come here and I’m going to do this, I’m going to do that. I was like, ‘Tingnan ko nga,’ because I feel like everyone in my life has a different stage already, and I felt like I needed to search for myself in another place. And I felt like LA was calling me,” she said.

Her first weeks in the US were marred with uncertainties and struggles as the pandemic prevented her from getting settled properly.

“Sa totoo lang, I was overwhelmed because I was in a new country, I had no family and friends in Los Angeles,” she said, narrating that a friend and his family eventually took her in during the lockdown.

Humphries at one point grappled with depression — a struggle compounded by the physical absence of her close friends and family.

“Mahirap talaga. You’ll cry a lot. And I moved here alone. No family, no support system… I was alone mentally. Mentally, I was in the Philippines, thinking of the worst, worrying about my family, didn’t know if I should go back or stay here,” she said.

Aside from challenges concerning her mental health, Humphries also had to navigate a new life, literally and figuratively. Unlike in the Philippines, where she had a car to get around, Humphries now opts to “walk at least 10 miles a day.”

“You need to struggle and hustle,” she said, belying the impression that those who move to the US automatically live a comfortable life.

Humphries, for instance, said she had wanted to “stay in the creative field” for a job.

“But also, you have to be able to support yourself day-to-day. And until now, everything that I spend, I still convert it to pesos. And I’m like, ‘Wait, I’m going to eat fruit for 500 pesos? Why?’” she said.

Her ups and downs so far in LA have made her realize how “resilient” she can be, now that she is apart from the comforts of her home in

CARLA HUMPHRIES the Philippines.

“The beautiful thing about the Philippines is you’ll never feel alone. Kahit you’re around strangers, hindi ka magugutom. You always have people ask you how you are. Here talaga, it’s like every man for themselves because it’s hard enough to support yourself,” she said.

“So, if you find enough good people who will give a helping hand, then you’re very lucky. But it’s not always the case. And you’ll really grow up here.” (MNS)

RICA... fROm PAgE 14 2014.

“I have nothing against those na nagpa-boob job,” Peralejo clarified.

“It’s just that, pag niri-recall ko kung ano ba ‘yung reason ko, hindi ko maintindihan, hindi ko maalala kung bakit ko ginusto ‘yun.”

“I just felt so much peace after that.

It felt like, ‘Ito pala talaga ako, ito pala talaga ang katawan ko,’” she said.

Peralejo, in her vlog, also recounted a phase in her showbiz career when she starred in sexy films, including “Balahibong Pusa,” “Dos Ekis,” and “Tatarin,” which were all released within the same year in 2001.

Peralejo was 19 when she agreed to make the career shift from teenybopper roles, but recalled it was not a conscious decision or goal. “Nag-pofloat in and out of things lang ako,” she said.

“I bared some parts of my body, and

did some horrifying, not-so-proudof things on screen, just so we could give something to our producers for a movie,” she said.

Asked whether she regrets her time as a sexy star, Peralejo answered: “‘Yung pagsisisi ko lang din is, what I did, caused other people to sin or at least aggravated or contributed to the defiling of who they are. That’s, of course, heavy on me.”

She surmised that that chapter — as well as her past bouts with alcoholism and smoking addiction — were instrumental in her transitioning to become a faithful Christian.

“Baka kailangan ko talaga siya, para sa sarili kong puso, para malaman ko na hindi ako perfect. At the same time, [my past] really highlights the grace of God in my life. He can save somebody like me and He will choose to save somebody like me,” she said. (MNS)

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Alessandra de Rossi reveals she once offered to be a surrogate for sister Assunta ManiLa (Mabuhay) — Alessandra de Rossi revealed she once offered to carry in her own womb the baby of her sister, Assunta de Rossi, after the latter’s first attempt to do an in vitro fertilization failed.

“Nung nagpa-IVF siya tapos hindi nag-work, may dalawa pa siyang eggs na natitira. Tapos sabi niya, ‘Ayaw ko na siya pagdaanan.

Ayaw ko na pagdaanan y'ung feeling.’ Sabi ko, ‘Gusto mo ba ako ang magdala? Wala din naman akong direksyon sa buhay,’” Alessandra revealed.

When asked how Assunta reacted to her offer, Alessadra recalled: “Willing na akong

ALESSANDRA DE ROSSI gawin 'yun para sa kanya ng walang bayad. Willing ako pero tinawanan lang niya ako. So hindi ko alam kung kinonsider ba niya in her head,” she said.

According to Alessandra, she was one of the fi rst few people who learned that Assunta was pregnant but they had to keep it a secret.

“Hindi ako umiyak. Hindi ko alam anong naramdaman ko, hindi ko siya ma-explain. Pero tuwang tuwa ako siyempre. Tapos sabi niya secret daw muna, don’t tell anyone,” she said.

“Gusto ko na i-send sa group na ‘Buntis na po.’ Pero hindi pwedeng sabihin muna kasi I cannot trust her body din eh dahil 'yun nga, hirap siya so ang hirap magsalita. Pero 'yung tuwa talaga [ibang klase],” she added.

Alessandra said the first time she shed tears of joy was when she finally saw a picture of Assunta holding her baby daughter.

“Umiyak ako nung pinadala sa akin 'yung photo na kakalabas lang niya ng delivery room tapos hawak 'yung baby. Totoo na ba ito? Totoo na nga! Send to all talaga. Doon ako naging emotional,” she said.

Now that Assunta is already a mom, the “Kita Kita” actress said she is happy to see the total transformation of her sister.

“Grabe 'yung turnaround kasi siya 'yung tipo ng tao na – prinsesa kasi iyan. Lumaki siya na 'yung mga bagay ginagawa lahat para sa kanya. Wala siya masyadong gagawin. Nung naging mommy na, ang hands-on na. Biglang naging mommy talaga siya. Ito 'yung Assunta na papalakpakan natin siya,” she said.

As for her message for Assunta, Alessandra said: “Masaya ako na 'yung years na na-form ako, ang kasama ko ay siya. Balanse 'yung pagkasiraulo niya and pagkamabait niya. She’s my partner in crime. Kapag nauna si Ate, next ka na. Pero kapag hindi ginawa ni Assunta, wala akong gagawin na ganun.”

Assunta and her husband Jules Ledesma welcomed their first baby in October last year after 19 years of trying to get pregnant.

(MNS)

16

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Jumping into the mask-making business to sustain families’ needs

W

Feature

Saturday-Friday | February 27 - March 5, 2021

ith face masks still required in public places across the country, some entrepreneurs seized the opportunity by creating and selling washable face masks that serve as a stylish barrier against Covid-19.

Shining, shimmering, splendid are the best words to describe the face masks made by Randy Gomez and his wife Mina. They’re embellished with sequins, but nobody would ever think that they were made using backdrops from their photo studio “MRG Trading”.

Since lockdown was imposed in March last year with events and other gatherings prohibited, Gomez had to think of a way to make use of all the sparkly backdrops supposedly meant for weddings, debuts, anniversary parties, and other events.

“Di ba usually sa parties ang backdrop nila 'yung makikintab.

Eh nung nag pandemic nawalan kami ng event. 'Yung mga tinda namin na backdrop, ang ginawa namin, binasag muna namin, ginawa naming face mask (Parties usually need shiny backdrops.

When the pandemic started, we lost bookings. So we decided to cut the backdrops and turn them into face masks),” he told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview.

Gomez said one backdrop could make at least 100 face masks. To date, he and his wife have sold more than 4,000 masks that cost PHP40 each — quite affordable because they’re recycled.

While he’s in charge of cutting the sequined backdrops, his wife sews them into face masks.

“Meron kaming sewing machine dahil nagko-customize kami ng photography backdrop, photography bag (We have a sewing machine because we also customize photography backdrops and bags),” he said.

Their stylish face masks are now among the top sales in digital stores like Shopee and Lazada — a feat they never saw coming.

Gomez said buyers leave good reviews for their face masks because they not only keep them protected from Covid-19, but also get head-turns. “'Yung mga bumibili nagpo-post sila ng pictures, sini-send sa ’min. Usually nasa work sila. Sa work nila ginagamit kasi 'yung surgical mask, very common, pinapatungan ng sequined-face mask (Our buyers post photos then send them to us. They usually use them when they go to work.

They use them over their surgical face masks),” he said.

Apart from sequined-face masks, he said they also have other designs that cater to fans of floral, camouflage, and other patterns.

Here to stay Now that limited gatherings are allowed as long as health protocols are observed, Gomez is thankful that clients are using their backdrops again but the demand remains low.

“Bihira 'yung kumukuha ng photobooth kasi kung ikaw 'yung client, kukuha ka ng photobooth tapos ang pipictyuran is 10 visitors lang, mararamdaman mo na talo ka (People rarely want photobooths because if you were the client and get one to take photos of 10 visitors, you’ll feel like you’re at a disadvantage),” he said.

Gomez remains hopeful that they would get back to business once the government kicks off their vaccine program.

Because of the unusual shift from taking photos and selling photography equipment to making sparkly face masks, Gomez said he was initially embarrassed about having to sell them. However, he eventually grew to enjoy selling glamor face masks as it

GLITTERY. Shining, shimerring, splendid are the best words to describe the face masks made by

Randy Gomez and his wife Mina. They’re embellished with sequins, but nobody would ever think that they were made using backdrops from their photo studio “MRG Trading”. (Contributed photo) “Eto 'yung bumuhay sa ’min during pandemic so wala na kaming balak alisin ‘to kahit na bumalik sa dati 'yung photography (This what helped us survive during the pandemic so we have no plans of letting them go even if the photography business returns),” he added.

Model Edgar Torres Jr. sporting a Gundam face mask.

(Contributed photo)

helped him sustain their family’s needs.

“Nung una nahihiya i-post sa Facebook kasi siyempre puro pang babae 'yung pinopost ko, kaya lang dapat wala ka nang pakialam sa kritiko.

Ang kailangan mo ngayong pandemic is mabuhay (At the beginning, I was embarrassed about having to post them on Facebook since they mostly cater to women but I realized I shouldn’t care about critics.

What you need during this pandemic is a means to survive),” he said.

Even if a large portion of the community becomes immune to Covid-19, Gomez said he still intends to keep selling fashionable face masks alongside their photography business.

GUEVARRA’S... from Page 1

ROBREDO... from Page 1

Guevarra had reported to the UN Human Rights Council that many weapons allegedly belonging to killed drug suspects during operations have been left unexamined by authorities.

No verification of the ownership of the firearms was done, according to Guevarra.

He added that law enforcers involved had failed to follow standard protocols pertaining to coordination with other agencies and the processing of the crime scene.

According to the Philippine National Police, a panel will be created to look into the concerns raised by Guevarra. The result of the investigation will be submitted to PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas by the first week of March.

President Rodrigo Duterte's war against illegal drugs has been highly-criticized as it was linked to the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.

Government data showed that nearly 6,000 were killed in the drug war, far from the claim of human rights groups that over 20,000 individuals were slain under Duterte's drug campaign. (MNS)

work that started during EDSA People Power.

"The challenge now is this: We must find within ourselves that strength, that faith, that fire to continue the work that remains to be done," she said, adding in doing this Filipinos "must find a way to walk forward together."

Robredo also said it is through unity that Filipinos can weather the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Ito (unity) ang pinakamahalagang aral ng EDSA, at ito rin mismo ang kailangan natin para malagpasan ang mga hamon ng pandemya at ng kasalukuyang panahon: Na ang sagot sa mga suliranin natin, hindi iisa, kundi bawat isa," she said.

Robredo also stressed that a united people "can never be defeated."

"Today, we are reminded of what we can do, marching towards a shared horizon, bound not only by the crisis we face, but by our collective resolve to truly achieve the promise articulated 35 years ago — isang lipunang mas malaya,

Super-hero-themed masks Meanwhile, superhero fan, freelance graphic artist Rendell Sueña decided to design face masks that could make wearers feel like they have actual superpowers.

Sueña owns a printing shop so it made perfect sense for him to make face masks with the help of his ninong (godfather) when they started losing customers due to pandemic lockdown.

“Ang business ko po talaga nagtatatak ako ng shirts, tarpaulin pero nung nag-lockdown, humina 'yung business (My actual business is printing shirts, tarpaulins but during the lockdown, business slowed down),” he said.

He started designing masks that were inspired by his favorite basketball teams and eventually expanded to include his favorite superheroes like Spiderman, The Hulk, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as well as anime characters like Dragon Ball, Voltes V, and Gundam.

His face masks, which cost

mas makatarungan, at mas makatao," she said.

The EDSA People Power Revolution ended the decades-old reign of then-President Ferdinand Marcos and installed Corazon Aquino to power.

Years later, Marcos' son, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., would contest his defeat to Robredo in the 2016 vice presidential race. The Supreme Court, sitting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal, junked Marcos' poll protest on February 16 after years of litigation. work that started during EDSA People Power.

"The challenge now is this: We must find within ourselves that strength, that faith, that fire to continue the work that remains to be done," she said, adding in doing this Filipinos "must find a way to walk forward together."

Robredo also said it is through unity that Filipinos can weather the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Ito (unity) ang pinakamahalagang aral ng EDSA, at ito rin mismo ang kailangan natin para malagpasan ang

around PHP75-80, are also among the most preferred products in digital stores.

“Gumawa rin ako ng concept kong design tsaka mga request ng customers ko nagbibigay ng pictures (I come up with my own designs but also accept requests from customers),” he said.

Sueña considers his 93-yearold lolo (grandfather), Sofronio Porca, as a role model when it comes to design as he used to paint signages for stores in his younger days.

“Ang lolo ko kasi artist din kasi siya. Magaling mag drawing, gumagawa ng signages—'yung mga sinaunang signages plywood, nagpipinta po siya (My lolo is an artist.

He draws well, makes signages—those old signages on plywood, he paints them),” he said, adding that his lolo would also design posters which featured his favorite cartoon characters for his birthday.

As a father to two kids, Sueña makes it a point to make sure his kids wear face masks others would envy.

Designing face masks, he said, is an activity he enjoys doing so he doesn’t see himself stopping anytime soon.

“Kung may nakita akong kumbaga natutuwa 'yung ibang tao sa gawa ko, natutuwa na rin ako (When I see people happy with the products I make, I feel happy too),” he said. (PNA)

mga hamon ng pandemya at ng kasalukuyang panahon: Na ang sagot sa mga suliranin natin, hindi iisa, kundi bawat isa," she said.

Robredo also stressed that a united people "can never be defeated."

"Today, we are reminded of what we can do, marching towards a shared horizon, bound not only by the crisis we face, but by our collective resolve to truly achieve the promise articulated 35 years ago — isang lipunang mas malaya, mas makatarungan, at mas makatao," she said.

The EDSA People Power Revolution ended the decades-old reign of then-President Ferdinand Marcos and installed Corazon Aquino to power.

Years later, Marcos' son, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., would contest his defeat to Robredo in the 2016 vice presidential race. The Supreme Court, sitting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal, junked Marcos' poll protest on February 16 after years of litigation.

(MNS)

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PRAYER TO SAINT JUDE

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PRAYER TO SAINT THERESE

CLASSIFIEDS/JOBMARKET PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Most Holy Apostle St. Jude Thaddeus, faithful servant and friend of O Glorious St. Therese, whom Almighty God has raised up to aid Holy Spirit Thou who make me see everything and show me the Jesus, the name of the traitor who delivered your beloved Master into the hands enemies has advertising@balita.com caused you to be forgotten by and inspire the human family, I implore your Miraculous Intercession.

For advertising, call (818) 552-4503 • of theemail: way to reach my ideal, You who give me the divine gift to forgive many, but the Church honors and invokes you universally as the You are so powerful in obtaining every need of body and spirit from and forget the wrong that is done to me and who are in all instances patron of hopeless cases and of things despaired of. Pray for the Heart of God. Holy Mother Church proclaims you ‘Prodigy of of my life with me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank You for me who am so needy; make use, I implore you of that particular Miracles... the Greatest Saint of Modern Times.’ Now I fervently everything and confirm once more that I never want to be separated privilege accorded to you to bring visible and speedy help where beseech you to answer my petition (mention here) and to carry help is almost•despaired.

Come to my assistancetising@balita.com in this great need For adver tising, call (818) 552-4503 email: adver from You no matter how great the material desires may be. I want that I may receive the consolations and succor of heaven in all my out your promises of spending Heaven doing good on earth...of letting fall from Heaven a Shower of Roses. Little Flower, give ROOM FOR RENT to be with You and my loved ones in Your perpetual glory. Amen. necessities, tribulations, and sufferings particularly (here mention Lake Balboa. Preferably female. No (A person must pray this for three consecutive days without stating your petition) and that I may bless God with you and all the elect me your childlike faith, to see the Face of God in the people and kids, no pets. Near to all. $550/Mo. his wish. After the 3rd day the wish will be granted, no matter how throughout eternity. I promise you, O blessed Jude to be ever experiences of my life, and to love God with full confidence. St. of this great favor, and I will never cease to honor you as my Therese, my Carmelite Sister, I will fulfill your plea ‘to be made include utilities, cable, internet. Share difficult it may be. Promise to publish this as soon as your favor has mindful special and powerful patron and to do all in my power to encourage known everywhere’ and I will continue to lead others to Jesus ROOM ROOM/ JAY D” PLUMBER/HANDYMAN bathroom.

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Holy Spirit Thou who make me see everything and show me the way to reach my ideal, You who give me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and who are in all instances of my life with me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank You for HYHU\WKLQJ DQG FRQ¿UP RQFH PRUH WKDW , QHYHU ZDQW WR EH VHSDUDWHG from You no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with You and my loved ones in Your perpetual glory. Amen.

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Most Holy Apostle St. Jude Thaddeus, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the traitor who delivered your beloved Master into the hands of the enemies has caused you to be forgotten by many, but the Church honors and invokes you universally as the patron of hopeless cases and of things despaired of. Pray for me who am so needy; make use, I implore you of that particular privilege accorded to you to bring visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolations and succor of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings particularly (here PRAYERS mention your petition) and that I may bless God with you and all the elect throughout eternity. I promise you, O blessed Jude to be PRAYER TO BLESSED VIRGIN ever mindful of this great favor, and I will never cease to honor you (Never known toand fail).powerful O Most Beautiful Flower of all Mt.in Carmel, Fruitful as my special patron and to do my power to Vine, Splendor of Heaven, BlessedTHANK MotherYOU of the Son of God, encourage devotion to you. Amen.

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me and show me herein you are my Mother. O Holy Mary, Mother of PRAYERS God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the PRAYER TO SAINT THERESE bottom of mySt. heart to succor me inAlmighty my necessity request).

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- ABA and inspire theAmen humanTHANK family, IYOU implore your Miraculous Intercession.

You are so powerful in obtaining every need of body and spirit from the Heart of God. Holy Mother Church proclaims you ‘Prodigy of Miracles... the Greatest Saint of Modern Times.’ Now I fervently beseech you to answer my petition (mention here) and to carry out your promises of spending Heaven doing good on earth...of letting fall from Heaven a Shower of Roses. Little Flower, give me your childlike faith, to see the Face of God in the people and experiences of my life, and to love God with full confidence. St. Therese, my Carmelite Sister, I will fulfill your plea ‘to be made known everywhere’ and I will continue to lead others to Jesus through you. Amen THANK YOU - SHAHELA

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PRAYER TO SAINT JUDE

Most Holy Apostle St. Jude Thaddeus, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the traitor who delivered your beloved Master into the hands of the enemies has caused you to be forgotten by many, but the Church honors and invokes you universally as the patron of hopeless cases and of things despaired of. Pray for me who am so needy; make use, I implore you of that particular privilege accorded to you to bring visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolations and succor of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings particularly (here mention your petition) and that I may bless God with you and all the elect throughout eternity. I promise you, O blessed Jude to be ever mindful of this great favor, and I will never cease to honor you as my special and powerful patron and to do all in my power to encourage devotion to you. Amen. THANK YOU - ARDY

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Saturday-Friday | February 27 - March 5, 2021

Only 2 out of 10 Pinoys want to be vaccinated vs. COVID-19 — OCTA poll Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine safe for health workers, elderly, says GM MANILA (Mabuhay) — Although the company respects the Philippine regulator's recommendation, t he genera l manager of Sinovac Biotech said Wednesday their COV ID-19 vaccine is effective for health workers and the elderly.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, but said it is not recommended for health workers who may be exposed to patients with the disease.

"We respect any announcement made by any government and their decision. I think t hat wou ld be t he balancing of whether the benefit overweigh the risk because this approval is under an emergency, so the research is still ongoing," Sinovac Biotech General Manager Helen Yang said.

"I think more countries are sharing their

view that the vaccine shou ld be used on hea lt hca re workers and elderlies. I think more data are coming out to be shared with the public," she said.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo earlier said SinoVac has a lower efficacy rate of 50.4% when used on health care workers exposed to COVID-19.

"Therefore, it is not recommended for use in this group," he said in a Laging Handa briefing.

Yang said she was not in the meeting with the FDA after the announcement personally, but she believes Sinovac would still recommend its vaccine for the health workers and the elderly.

"I think generally, Sinovac would recommend not only for the Philippines but also for other countries using our vaccines that all products should be used among healthcare workers and the

elderly," she said.

"We think those are the people who should be protected at the high priority," she added in a later part of the interview when asked if she would recommend the vaccine for frontliners and the elderly.

She said it would be difficult to say whether or not the company was treated or viewed fairly in the Philippines, but she maintains that Sinovac respects the opinion of experts from different governments.

"We’re just trying to explain about the backgrounds and of course, the decision is still to be made by the government," she said.

"I think the FDA worked very hard to collect and review the data, similar to any FDA in other countries who are contributing…they want to do their best to protect their own people in order to use the vaccine to lower down the cases and we are sharing the same goal. We do appreciate everyone who are contributing to getting the access of vaccines against COVID in these difficult times," she added.

Following FDA’s grant of emergency use approval, the vaccine will be evaluated by the National Immunization Technical Group regarding inoculation procedure, which will include recipients of the jab, said Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

“The NITAG will now give its recommendations to the IATF as far as how the inoculation will roll out using that specific brand,” he told Headstart in a separate interview.

“For medical and health frontliners, ayaw kong pangunahan ano ang magiging (I don’t want to presume the) decision ng (of) NITAG because these are technical experts. But you will also hear statements I believe even from medical doctors themselves, many of them agree it should be given or made optional for health frontliners.” (MNS)

Velasco hopes for earlier vaccine rollout after bill seeking fast procurement passed on final reading M A N I L A ( Ma bu h ay) — Speaker Lord Allan Velasco expressed hope Tuesday that there would be an earlier rollout of COVID-19 vaccines after the proposed measure seeking to expedite its purchase and administration was already passed on third and final reading before the lower chamber of Congress.

“We hope the bill will serve its noble purpose of helping the national government hasten the purchase and administration of the vaccine against COVID-19, which already killed more than 12,000 people nationwide and sent the economy into deep contraction,” Velasco said in a statement.

Voting 225-0-6, lawmakers on Monday approved House Bill 8648 or the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021, which aims to hasten

the procurement and administration of COVID-19 vaccines without having to go through the long process of public bidding.

Another key provision of the measure is the creation of a COVID-19 National Vaccine Indemnity Fund, which will be used to compensate any individual inoculated through COVID-19 vaccination program, in case of death, permanent disability, or hospitalization confinement.

The said measure was certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte last week.

Velasco has been saying that the next crucible fight against the health crisis is the speedy procurement and effective administration of COVID-19 vaccines to individuals.

“Time is of the essence.

Each day of delay is very costly for the government, and leaves many of our vulnerable countrymen exposed to the dangers of this disease,” Velasco said.

The Senate is expected to continue their deliberations on their own version of the measure this afternoon.

Meanwhile, Health Secre-

tary Francisco Duque III has appealed for patience from the public amid the delay in the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines.

He said China’s Sinovac vaccine may be the first vaccine to arrive in the country after the Food and Drug Administration approved it for emergency use. (MNS)

SPEAKER LORD ALLAN VELASCO

MANILA (Mabuhay) — Majority of adult Filipinos do not want to be vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the results of a nationwide survey conducted by OCTA Research group showed Wednesday.

The survey showed that only 19 percent want to get COVID-19 vaccine while 46 percent said they do not want to be vaccinated against the illness. The remaining 35 percent remains undecided.

Results of the survey also showed that 58 percent expressed total distrust of vaccines from China while 13 percent expressed total trust.

The OCTA Resea rch group said this would pose a challenge to the country’s vaccination rollout, especially since the vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac may be the first to be used in the country.

“It’s going to complicate ‘yung deployment ng vaccine when people… number one, don’t want to get vaccinated because they are unsure if the vaccines are safe. And second, because they don’t trust vaccines coming from China,” OCTA's Professor Ranjit Singh Rye said.

A total of 1,200 Filipinos aged 18 years and above were interviewed from January 26 to February 1.

The survey had a ±3% nationwide margin of error.

OCTA said the misgivings of the people should be countered with an information campaign.

“Those who don’t want to be vaccinated, ang primary reason nila ay hindi sila sigurado kung ligtas ‘yung bakuna. So ‘yun ang mga kailangang tugunan ng education campaign ng ating Department of Health (DOH),” Rye said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said is not worried with the results of the survey. “‘Yung 35 percent undecided, so ma la k ing porsyento pa rin ‘yan na kapag nakita nilang may naunang magpabakuna at okay naman, eh madali namang magbabago ‘yang 35 percent undecided at kampante naman a ko m a g pa pa ba k u n a d i n ‘yan,” he said.

The DOH vowed to intensif y its information campaign.

“So far, ngayon parang 2 to 5 adverse events per 1 million case. Ang ibig sabihin niyan, ang incidence rate nasa .0005 percent. So ang baba-baba.

Iyan ang isa sa mga ating bibigyang-diin sa ating kampanya na maniwala sa kaligtasan ng bakuna,” Duque said. (MNS)

Saturday-Friday | February 27 - March 5, 2021

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AstraZeneca, Pfizer vaccines suitable for senior citizens — FDA MANILA (Mabuhay) — Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Eric Domingo on Wednesday said Covid-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca and Pfizer would be suitable for senior citizens like President Rodrigo Duterte who will be prioritized in the national vaccination program.

“Sa ngayon po ang may approval na for senior citizens ay ‘yung Pfizer, 16 and above po ‘yan dahil may mga kasama po sa trials nila, mga (For now, the vaccine that has approval for senior citizens is Pfizer, that’s 16 and above, included in their trials are) 4,000 senior citizens, older than 65,” Domingo said In an online public briefing.

Meanwhile, AstraZeneca's coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine is indicated for individuals 18 years old and above.

“Iyong AstraZeneca, medyo nag-iingat lang po tayo sa very elderly, yung mga 80, 85 years old na maraming sakit na very frail, ‘yun nga po yung mga nare-report sa Norway. Pero other than that indicated po sila sa mga mas nakatatanda (We’re careful about AstraZeneca for very elderly, those who are 80, 85 years old with comorbidities and very frail, like what was reported in Norway. But other than that, it is indicated for the elderly),” Domingo said.

He noted the efficacy rate of Covid-19 vaccines differs depending on location, situation, and group of people they are administered to.

Sinovac’s Covid-19 vaccine, he said, has a high efficacy rate for clinically healthy individuals ages 18 to 59 years old as mentioned in studies in Indonesia and Turkey but is not suitable for senior citizens and healthcare workers.

“Like the study in Brazil, tiningnan lang po talaga dun ay health workers na nag-aalaga ng may Covid-19 at ang efficacy rate ay 50.4 lang. Natutulungan naman tayo ng mga datos na ito para piliin kung kanino talaga mas nababagay ang isang produkto o

bakuna (healthcare workers caring for patients with Covid-19 were the subjects of the studies there and the efficacy rate is just 50.4. These data help us select which product or vaccine is appropriate for certain individuals,” he said. (MNS)

Only PRC labs allowed to perform saliva testing — DOH MANILA (Mabuhay) — Philippine Red Cross (PRC) laboratories are the only facilities the Department of Health (DOH) allowed to perform saliva testing since the procedure still involves validation.

In a Viber message to reporters, the DOH said local government units, offices, and epidemiological surveillance units recognize only the PRC labs for saliva testing, which indicates that home or do-it-yourself saliva test kits in the market are not approved.

“Saliva testing or using saliva as an alternative specimen for

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DOH: COVID-19 testing, tracing, isolation efforts ramped up in Pasay amid spike MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday said testing, tracing, and isolation measures in Pasay City will be ramped up starting this week after the city saw a spike in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

DOH NCR director Corazon Flores said that health authorities met with Pasay officials and the Metro Manila Development Authority to address the city’s case increase.

“Ang napag-usapan po talaga is pagtutulung-tulungan natin ‘yung ating active, aggressive contact tracing doon sa active cases,” she said.

Flores said 100 additional contact tracers will be deployed to Pasay to aid the local government unit.

“Itinaas na rin po ‘yung capacity for testing doon sa Pasay.

Ngayon po, meron tayong mga naka-put up na mga swabbing [area]… karagdagan po para doon sa mga na-contact trace na kailangan i-swab,” she said.

“May mga isolation facilities set up and of course meron ding pwedeng dalhin sa Oplan Kalinga,” she added.

The DOH on Wednesday said it would collect more samples for genome sequencing from Pasay to determine if the increased transmission is driven by a new coronavirus variant.

The Pasay City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) on Tuesday sounded the alarm on the rising COVID-19 transmission within households.

“Unlike po before ‘pag nagkaroon naman ng positive dati sa bahay, hindi naman po nahahawa lahat ng pamilya. Eh ngayon po ang trend po lahat po sila nahahawa,” CESU officer in charge Mico Llorca said.

Certain areas in 55 out of the 201 barangays in Pasay are under lockdown to curb COVID-19 transmission. (MNS)

RT-PCR is currently being assessed for possible use nationwide,” it added.

Following the recommendation from the Covid-19 Laboratory Experts Panel, the DOH approved the use of saliva as an alternate specimen in reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction testing on Jan. 21.

“Simultaneously, RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine) is conducting a validation study on saliva testing to further strengthen the evidence on the use of this alternative

mode of sample collection and shall form as basis for the guidelines that will be followed by other laboratories who intend to use saliva as alternative specimen,” the DOH advisory said.

(MNS)

National gov’t turns over 1M face masks for Manila residents MANILA (Mabuhay) — The city government of Manila on Tuesday received free 1,125,000 washable face masks through the presidential initiative “Libreng Mask para sa Masa”.

Officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) of the Office of the President turned over the face masks to Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso at the Manila City Hall. "(This is to) provide face masks to poor families to strengthen the government’s strategic plan to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 infections by enabling and encouraging the public to follow the mini-

mum public health standards and also to support the micro, small, and medium enterprises whose operations were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic,” DSWD Undersecretary Rene Glen Paje said.

The Face Mask Distribution Project is spearheaded by the National Task Force Against Covid-19, the Department of Health (DOH), DTI, Procurement Service of Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the DSWD, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI).

“Maraming salamat sa PMS, sa lahat ng bumubuo ng PMS

at sa other agencies like DTI, DSWD tsaka yung iba pang mga sub-agencies (Thank you so much to the PMS and to the other government agencies like DTI, DSWD including the other sub-agencies), we are very grateful,” Domagoso said.

Just like the Manila city government’s own free facemask project, he said the “Libreng Mask para sa Masa” provided livelihood to those heavily affected by the lockdowns to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

A lso present during the turnover ceremony were DTI Assistant Secretary Dominic Tolentino Jr., Assistant Secretary Demphna Du-Naga, Director Lilian Salonga, Presidential Communications Operations Office Undersecretary George Apacible and

Director Ma. Florinda Princess Duque, DSWD National Capital Region Director Vicente Gregorio Tomas, PMS NCR Team leader Jocely n Villegas, Kristine Tolentino and Cedric Raguindin, and Philippine Navy’s Joint Task

Force NCR area commander, Lt. Col. Noel Bermeo.

Aside from Manila, the cities of Pateros, San Juan, Navotas, Marikina, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasay, and Makati have already received their free face masks. (MNS)

20

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$2,899 Total Due Lease Signing (tax, title, license & doc fees extra)

$2,899 Total Due Lease Signing (tax, title, license & doc fees extra)

Model MLB-03 – M3705240 & M3705290 FINANCE OFFER As low as 0.9% Limited Term Financing on ALL 2020 Imprezas in Stock

2021 SUBARU

Offer Expires 3/5/21

Model Code: MFJ-41 – MH412044 & MH420322 Offer Expires 3/5/21 FINANCE OFFER As low as 0.9% Limited term financing on ALL remaining 2020 Foresters in stock

***This car is eligible for CA Carpool Lane Stickers!!!!****

Outback Premium CVT

2020 SUBARU

Crosstrek HYBRID

with Navigation, Moonroof & Harmon Kardon Premium Audio System

199

$

299

$

PLUS TAX PER MONTH LEASE/ 36 MONTHS @10k MILES PER YEAR

PLUS TAX PER MONTH LEASE/ 39 MONTHS @10k MILES PER YEAR

$2,899 Down Payment $0 Security Deposit $0 First Months Lease Payment

$2,899 Down Payment $0 Security Deposit $0 First Months Lease Payment

$2,899 Total Due Lease Signing (tax, title, license & doc fees extra)

$2,899 Total Due Lease Signing (tax, title, license & doc fees extra)

Model Code: MDD-11 — M3107255, M3110753 & M3107568 Offer Expires 3/5/21 FINANCE OFFER As low as 0% Limited term financing on ALL remaining 2020 Outback models in Stock

Offer Expires 3/5/21 FINANCE OFFER As low as 0.9% Limited Term Financing on ALL 2020 Crosstrek HYBRIDs in Stock

2020 SUBARU

289

$

Legacy Touring XT

Model Code: LRH-02 – LH283275, LH283339 & LH283343

Ascent TOURING– 7 Passenger CVT

2021 SUBARU

369

$

PLUS TAX PER MONTH LEASE/ 36 MONTHS @10k MILES PER YEAR

PLUS TAX PER MONTH LEASE/ 36 MONTHS @10k MILES PER YEAR

$2,899 Down Payment $0 Security Deposit $0 First Months Lease Payment

$2,899 Down Payment $0 Security Deposit $0 First Months Lease Payment

$2,899 Total Due Lease Signing (tax, title, license & doc fees extra)

$2,899 Total Due Lease Signing (tax, title, license & doc fees extra)

Model Code: LAL-41 – 1 at this payment L3030907 FINANCE OFFER Offer Expires 3/5/21 As low as 0% Limited Term Financing on ALL 2020 Legacys in Stock

Model Code: MCG-33 – M3401908 & M3422099 FINANCE OFFER Offer Expires 3/5/21 As low as 0% Limited term financing on ALL 2021 Ascents in stock

“Para sa bagong Subaru, tawagan niyo lang po kami!”

Driving People Happy

SUBARU OF GLENDALE 1308 S Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91204 www.SubaruofGlendale.net

855-230-1547 Andrew Marilla Christian Marilla Sales & Leasing Finance Manager

Enzo Patnongon Sale & Leasing Consultant

Subaru, Forester, Outback, Tribeca, Legacy, Impreza, WRX, STI, and SUBARU BOXER are registered trademarks. Purchase or lease any new (previously untitled) Subaru and receive a complimentary factory scheduled maintainance plan for 2 years or 24,000 miles (whichever comes first).

See Subaru Added Security Maintenance Plan for intervals, coverage and limitations. Customer must take delivery before 12-31-20 and reside within the promotional area. At participating dealers only. See dealer for program details and eligibility.