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FEBRUARY 14-20, 2020 Volume 13 - No. 15 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858

USA

DATELINE Not just a smoker’s disease: Stigma of lung cancer still persists in Asian American community FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

WITH lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, there is still a stigma around the disease that prevents patients, especially in the Asian American community, from receiving proper support. A report from the American Cancer Society in January said that the cancer death rate in the U.S. dropped 29% between 1991 and 2017. However, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women at nearly one-quarter of all cancer deaths. The same report found that 34.4% of Asian American and Pacific Islanders — the fastestgrowing minority group in the country — had incidences of lung cancer from 2012-2017. A recent panel of doctors in Los Angeles highlighted that more education and outreach need to be done to reduce the misconceptions around the disease and barriers to care within the Asian American community. “Lung cancer stigma is why research funding at the national level is not what it should be,”

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

PH cannot forever rely on US — Palace by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

protection its counterpart. “As the president said, if we keep on relying on MALACAÑANG on Thursday, February 13, the United States on our defense, our defenses defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s deci- will always remain stagnant or weak. We have to sion to terminate the country’s Visiting Forces strengthen our own defense,” said Presidential Agreement (VFA) with the United States, say- Spokesperson Salvador Panelo. “We cannot be forever relying on the Ameriing the Philippines cannot forever rely on the

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

cans for our defenses,” he added. Malacañang announced on Tuesday, February 11 that the Philippines has formally sent a notice terminating the VFA with the U.S. Duterte ordered the termination after the government has canceled the visa of Senator

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Philstar.com photo

DOJ indicts Trillanes, 10 others for conspiracy to commit sedition by AJPRESS

FORMER Philippine Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and 10 others have been indicted for “conspiracy to commit sedition” for their involvement in videos that linked President

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PRACTICAL GIFT. A store in Dangwa flower market in Manila took loving and caring a notch higher by selling not only fresh flowers, but also — you guessed it — bouquets of sanitary and health products. The improvised bouquet features bottles of alcohol and hand sanitizer, face masks, wet wipes, and even sanitary pads. Apart from the bouquet which may protect a person from the dreaded virus, there are also other unique and more practical bouquets one can give to their loved ones. One bouquet included different types of sardines, while another included vegetables, both inserted with either white or red roses. Inquirer.net photo by Grig Montegrande

House Speaker vows impartial hearing House panel vows Taiwan says it is ‘wrongly included’ no quickie divorce in Philippines’ expanded travel ban on ABS-CBN franchise renewal bills by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA

AJPress

PHILIPPINE House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano vowed that there will be fair hearings into the bills seeking to renew the franchise of media giant ABS-CBN. According to him, the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN is among the issues that the House has been carefully studying from day one of the 18th Congress, even as some House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano

Inquirer.net photo

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by DIVINA

NOVA JOY DELA ManilaTimes.net

CRUZ

THE House of Representatives’ Technical Working Group (TWG) on the divorce bills on Wednesday, February 12 ruled out a “quickie” divorce. “This is not a quick process because there [are] judicial proceedings wherein the judge will be the one to grant or deny a petition for approved divorce,” TWC Chairman Edcel Lagman said after the meeting held by the House Committee on Population and Family Relations. He said the process would include a “cooling off period” of six months to allow the court to

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by GAEA

KATREENA Philstar.com

CABICO

MANILA — Taiwan’s representative office in the Philippines slammed the island’s inclusion in the travel restrictions aimed at China over the deadly novel coronavirus or nCoV outbreak. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines said Taiwan was “wrongly included” in the government’s expanded travel ban. “We urge the Philippine

government to immediately correct its decision on Taiwan and remove Taiwan from the travel ban,” TECO said. Early in February, President Rodrigo Duterte first issued a travel ban on foreign nationals coming from China and its special administrative regions Hong Kong and Macau. Taiwan was later on added since the World Health Organization recognizes the selfruled democracy as part of China. TECO stressed that Taiwan,

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From the Front Page

PH cannot rely forever on... PAGE 1 Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who spearheaded Duterte’s war on drugs during his stint as police chief. U.S. President Donald Trump, for his part, said he was “fine” with Duterte’s directive. “I really don’t mind. If they would like to do that, that’s fine. We’ll save a lot of money,” he said Wednesday. “You know, my views are different than other people. I view it as, ‘Thank you very much. We save a lot of money,’” he added. Trump also touted his good relationship with the Philippine president. “And my relationship, as you know, is a very good one with their leader” And we’ll see what happens. They’ll have to tell me that” he said. The VFA, which came into

President Rodrigo Duterte and his partner Honeylet welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump prior to the start of the gala dinner hosted by the Philippines for the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states and dialogue partners at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City last November 12, 2017. Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante

force in 1999, covers the conduct of U.S. soldiers in the Philippines. It can be terminated through a written notice from either of the countries, taking effect 180 days after the notification. Among the provisions of

the deal include lax visa and passport policies for U.S. troops, and the rights of the U.S. government to retain its jurisdiction over its military personnel when they commit crimes in the Philippines. n

DOJ indicts Trillanes, 10 others for conspiracy... PAGE 1 Rodrigo Duterte and his family to the illegal drug trade, the Department of Justice said on Monday, February 10. Aside from Trillanes, whistleblower Peter Joemel Advincula alias “Bikoy,” former Police Sr. Supt. Eduardo Acierto, Joel Saracho, Boom Enriquez, Yolanda V. Ong, Vicente Romano III, Fr. Albert E. Alejo, Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, Jonnel P. Sangalang, and a certain “Monique” were charged before the Metropolitan Trial Court in Quezon City for their participation in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos. The Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group filed a complaint against those allegedly involved in “Project Sodoma,” an alleged plot to unseat Duterte and install Vice President Leni Robredo in his place. Advincula alleged that the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos released in April 2019 were part of the Project Sodoma. He also claimed to be the hooded figure “Bikoy” who narrated the videos. The PNP-CIDG accused Robredo and 35 others in its complaint of having committed sedition, inciting to sedition, cyber libel, libel, estafa, and obstruction of justice. However, the panel of prosecutors chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Olivia Torrevillas cleared Robredo as well as Senators Risa Hontiveros and Leila de Lima and for-

mer Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino from their involvement in the video series. Grand conspiracy According to the DOJ, the prosecution panel found “interlocking pieces of proof” that provide a “complete picture of the grand conspiracy between and among some respondents to create hatred or revenge against the president and his family with the end in view of toppling and destabilizing the current administration.” “These videos, the Panel found, were made by respondents Advincula; Saracho (who acted as their narrator); Enriquez (videographer) and his assistant, @Monique; Ong and Romano (scriptwriters). The Panel likewise found that Fr. Alejo prepared the JesCom (Jesuit Communication Foundation) where the videos were taken,” the DOJ said. “Advincula submitted as evidence, among others, USB drives, photographs of the respondents, keys and access cards of the places where he and his companions stayed, as well as utility bills and receipts, copies of the purchase receipts of the gadgets and electronic devices used in the making of the videos. These pieces of evidence, along with certain admissions made by some respondents, were used by the Panel in arriving at their conclusion to indict the 11 respondents for conspiracy to commit sedition,” it added. Other raps junked The DOJ said the prosecu-

tion panel dropped the CIDG’s sedition, cyber libel, libel estafa and obstruction of justice complaints against all respondents. “In finding no probable cause for sedition or inciting to sedition, the Panel found the element of public and tumultuous uprising wanting,” the DOJ stated. “It further explained that while the video series ‘contains libelous imputations against President Duterte and his family which tend to create hatred or revenge against them,’ nonetheless no words were uttered which tended to incite the people to take up arms or rise against the government,” it added. In response, Trillanes on Monday called the case “absurd” and another example of the current administration weaponizing “the law against the political opposition, critics, and the media.” “But let me assure Mr. Duterte that we will not be cowed by such political persecution. On the contrary, we are more determined and motivated to continue our fight for democracy and the rights of our people,” he added. Trillanes, who had been previously charged with inciting to sedition, is currently facing a revived rebellion case over the 2007 Manila Peninsula Siege after Duterte ordered an amnesty granted during the Aquino administration void. His trial will resume in April. n

House Speaker vows impartial hearing on... PAGE 1 of his colleagues called for urgent hearings on the bill. “Consistent with the Duterte Administration’s stand on the protection of the freedom of expression, Congress is committed to conduct an impartial hearing where those who are against or in favor of the renewal may make their case,” Cayetano said on Tuesday, February 11, adding that the move would be in line with the current administration’s stand on the “protection of the freedom of expression.” A total of 11 bills seeking ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal remain pending in the House with less than a month left before the lower chamber’s sessions adjourn on March 11. ABS-CBN’s franchise is set

to expire on March 30. However, Cayetano said that the legislative process cannot be rushed, and that the House is working alongside the chamber’s panel on legislative franchises “on how to prioritize urgent and important legislation.” “While we understand that there are certain interests who want to rush this process, we stand by the leadership of the 18th Congress and the Committee on Legislative Franchises on how to prioritize urgent and important legislation. We also commit that the 18th Congress shall study this issue from all aspects in order to protect the interest of the public,” he said. Solicitor General Jose Cal-

ida on Monday, February 10 filed a petition before the Supreme Court for the cancellation of ABS-CBN’s 25-year franchise, alleging that the TV network reportedly violated rules set by Congress. “We want to put an end to what we discovered to be highly abusive practices of ABS-CBN benefitting a greedy few at the expense of millions of its loyal subscribers. These practices have gone unnoticed or were disregarded for years,” he said in a statement. ABS-CBN, for its part, maintained that it has complied with all the laws governing its franchise and secured all government and regulatory approvals for its operations. n

House panel vows no quickie... PAGE 1 try to reconcile the parties. The Albay First District representative said that even if divorce would be made legal in the Philippines, the State would still have the mandate to protect the sanctity of mar-

riage and the family as social institutions. While divorce will provide relief for spouses trapped in an abusive marriage, it is only for delimited cases where the marriage has become irremediably damaged.

The TWG is currently consolidating House Bill (HB) 100 authored by Lagman, HB 838 by the Gabriela Women’s Party and the Makabayan bloc, and HB 2263 by Davao del Norte First District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.

Maureen Rigney of GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, Dr. David Park of St. Jude Heritage Medical Group, Dr. Bing Xia of USC Keck School of Medicine, Dr. Alex Makalinao of California Hematology Oncology Medical Group and Dr. Ron Natale of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center participate in a recent panel challenging the stigma and changing expectations of lung cancer among Asian Americans. Contributed photo

Not just a smoker’s disease: Stigma of lung cancer... PAGE 1 said Maureen Rigney, director of support initiatives at GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer. “That’s why we haven’t seen a lot of increase in lung cancer survival rates over many, many decades.” Rigney cited data that 56% of the general public said that people who were diagnosed with lung cancer were “at least partially to blame for their disease.” “Even perhaps more heartbreakingly, there was a significant increase in patients who said that they felt that their family and friends would

have been more supportive if they’ve been diagnosed with a different type of cancer,” she added. “For all us, it’s just really important for us to know about the lung cancer stigma and help to work to eliminate it so that people who are diagnosed are confident that they’re going to receive the same level of care and the same compassion as people diagnosed with other types of cancer.” Reducing barriers to care One of the common beliefs around lung cancer is that it is a “smoker’s disease.” Evidence has shown that it is the

first health risk conclusively linked to smoking, but it has largely resulted in patients with the disease being personally blamed, even if they do not have a history of smoking. There is a growing incidence of lung cancer among Asian American non-smokers, panelists noted. Based on data from patients in Southern California, about 25% Filipino Americans who have never smoked were diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common form of the dis-

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Dateline USa

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Measures vs piracy, counterfeit trade Not just a smoker’s disease: Stigma of lung cancer... raise PH intellectual property index by Gabriel

Pabico lalu

Inquirer.net

THE Philippines’ intellectual property index has risen by almost four percentage points in 2020, thanks to the creation of measures against online counterfeiting and piracy. The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPO) relayed on Wednesday the latest United States Chamber of Commerce’s (USCC) 2020 International Intellectual Property (IP) Index, where the country’s overall index is now at 39.94 percent from 36 percent in 2019. This increase was attributed to obtaining positive ratings in 19.97 out of 50 indicators from USCC’s Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC). “The index cited as a contributing factor the country’s 0.25-point climb in the ‘Availability of frameworks that promote cooperative private action against online sale of counterfeit goods’ indicator,” IPO said in a statement. “The index also noted the country’s ‘strong performance’ in indicators it added this year, namely: ‘Plant variety protec-

tion, term of protection’ in which the Philippines scored 1 point; ‘IP-intensive industries, national economic impact analysis’ with 0.50 point; and ‘Membership of the Convention on Cybercrime, 2001’ with 1 point,” IPO added. According to IPO, the USCC-GIPC highlighted efforts to talk with e-commerce players in promoting IP rights to avoid people from accessing counterfeit and fake items through online shops. The agency also noted the frameworks in place and are being created, that would ensure creative workers protection from infringement. “It noted the anti-infringement efforts which some of the country’s biggest online retailers, specifically Zalora and Lazada, voluntarily put in place also in 2019,” IPO said. “USCC-GIPC also highlighted significant efforts to make the local environment more conducive to creative industry players.” As of now, there are two pending bills aimed to strengthen intellectual property rights protection: House Bill 9148 or the New IP Act

filed at the 17th Congress, and Senate Bill No. 497 or the Philippine Online Infringing Act filed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III last July 15. IPO officer-in-charge Teodoro Pascua, this is a welcome development as his office has worked to protect the creative ideas of people. He also assured the public that the IP Rights Enforcement Office (IEO) would continue working with authorities to stop the trade of counterfeit items. “We welcome the findings of USCC-GIPC’s report. We are most glad for its careful and positive observation on the progress of the country’s intellectual property rights environment, especially on enforcement which is entrenched in IPOPHL’s endeavor to protect creativity and innovation,” Pascua explained. “IEO will soon be ironing out its enforcement guidelines to keep in step with modern business models. It has also identified critical players in the supply chain of counterfeit trade with whom we believe we should engage,” he added. n

Passengers wearing face masks fall in line at the entrance of the Clark International Airport in Pampanga. Authorities have advised the public to practice proper hygiene and sanitation measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

Taiwan says it is ‘wrongly included’ in Philippines’... PAGE 1 officially called the Republic of China, is a “sovereign and independent state.” “Taiwan issues its own passport and visas and has exclusive jurisdiction over its people and territory. In fact, Taiwan is not, nor has it ever been, part of the People’s Republic of China,” the agency said. China views Taiwan as its own territory—part of “one China”—and has vowed to eventually take the island, by force if necessary. “It is a factual error for the World Health Organization to

regard Taiwan as a part of the PRC. The Philippines should not be misled by WHO’s wrong information on Taiwan,” TECO said. The Philippines has so far not restricted travel to countries such as Singapore, Thailand, South Korea and Japan even though they have more confirmed infections than Taiwan, which currently has 18 confirmed cases of the new virus. ‘Chinese factor’ Joanne Ou, Taiwan’s foreign ministry spokesperson, described Tuesday Manila’s decision as “wrong and uni-

lateral.” “To confuse Taiwan with China has caused troubles for our side and in the international community,” Ou said. When asked if Taipei suspected Beijing was pressuring Manila to expand the travel ban, Ou replied: “China’s shadow is lurking… I think the Chinese factor is obvious.” President Rodrigo Duterte has worked in recent years to improve ties with China in search of investment and trade. (With reports from Agence FrancePresse)

PAGE 2 ease, in the early 2000s. Certain social and cultural factors prevent early detection as well as receiving appropriate care once diagnosed. In the Asian American community, across the various groups, many are quick to hide their lung cancer diagnosis from family and friends for fear of shame and to not be a burden. Some adult children even hide the diagnosis from their elderly parents or family members in anticipation of the emotional difficulties. Filipino American oncologist Alex Makalinao said that before talking about the diagnosis and treatment, it’s important to approach care in a culturally sensitive manner and to build trust with patients. Many Asian American patients have said that language barriers have prevented them from raising concerns or asking questions about lung cancer. “It’s our culture to protect our parents and our family members…when I come and see them, the families outside are talking to me and telling me not to say anything and it’s very hard for me to convey what the diagnosis is,” Makalinao told the Asian Journal. Speaking to families in Tagalog has been helpful in breaking down the resistance and earn their trust, he found. “I just have to gain the confidence of the parent or the loved one and when I get that, it’s a lot easier,” he said. “But still, before you could say the ‘C word,’ it could take several visits before you even say it.” Makalinao added that one of the best ways to raise awareness among patients in the Fil-Am community is through media, whether through TV programs or newspapers. “When they come to us…patients show us what they read or what they saw in the newspaper and so making them aware that there [are] other ways of treating this cancer is very important,” he said. Testing and treatment options Like other types of cancer, lung cancer has several causes, presents itself in different forms, and affects various racial and ethnic groups in distinct ways. Though symptoms do not typically appear until the lung cancer is at an advanced stage, they include persistent cough, sputum streaked with blood, chest pain, a hoarse voice, worsening shortness of breath and recurrent pneumonia or bronchitis, according to the American Cancer Society.

Filipino American oncologist Alex Makalinao talks about the barriers to proper care for lung cancer within the Asian American community. AJPress photo by Christina M. Oriel

“Lung cancer is a disease of mutations, where carcinogens and cigarette smoke are responsible for smoking-related lung cancer, or carcinogens in the environment, which is responsible for non-smoking related lung cancer, damage the DNA of a normal bronco endothelial cell, producing a mutation that then drives the growth of that moment in the cell clone,” said Dr. Ron Natale, director of the Lung Cancer Clinical Research Program at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He added that studies show Asian Americans appearing to be more sensitive to environmental carcinogens that produce such mutations. One biomarker associated with NSCLC is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation, which is prevalent among Asians more than any other racial and ethnic group. (A 2017 multinational study found that 52% of lung cancer incidences in the Philippines were due to EGFR mutations.) When individuals are diagnosed with NSCLC, it’s crucial that they get biomarker testing — either through a blood test or a biopsy that removes tissue from a tumor — to identify the specific disease type, and receive a targeted treatment plan, such a once or twice a day oral pill. Other mutations include ALK, BRAF, NTRK, PD-L1, and ROS1. “Part of this program is really educating the public that there are good and better therapies out there for lung cancer now. It’s okay to ask your doctors about treatment options and getting tested for molecular alterations,” said Dr. Bing Xia, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California Keck

School of Medicine. In recent years, the development of targeted therapies has helped directly attack cancer cells by attaching to or blocking targets that appear on the surfaces of those cells. Xia added that in her practice, she has found that patients who take targeted pills are more receptive than when on chemotherapy drugs, which cannot tell the difference between normal cells and cancer cells. “Patients who take these targeted pills generally do very well. They have, generally speaking, higher efficacy than chemotherapy and generally lower side effects. So patients are very happy with these pills and they feel well when taking them,” she said. Rigney also noted that taking oral medications has a more positive impact on the quality of life for patients. “All medications have side effects…but oftentimes, these oral therapies can have fewer effects. So people aren’t tied to their treatment, they can continue to travel, they can continue to live their lives and oftentimes in the way that they would like to as opposed to when they’re going through chemotherapy,” she said. Though the discussion was supported by biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, the panelists did not specifically endorse or mention targeted therapy drugs by name. However, the company has been running an “It’s Okay to Ask” campaign that is “designed to encourage and empower patients and their caregivers to take a proactive approach in treating lung cancer and to ask their physicians specific questions about their cancer,” Natale said. (Christina M. Oriel/AJPress)

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OPINION

FEATURES

On the frontlines

REPORTs from China say workers in hospital intensive care units are bearing the brunt of the novel coronavirus contagion. Those on the frontlines of the public health battle naturally take the greatest risks. The 34-year-old ophthalmologist from Wuhan who blew the whistle on the nCoV but was shushed by his government, Li Wenliang, died of the disease after contracting the virus from an infected patient he had treated for glaucoma. The higher risk makes it even more laudable to see health professionals — in China and in all the other countries where nCoV has been reported — forging ahead with their mission of saving lives even at the risk of losing their own. It behooves governments and the civilian populace to ensure that the frontline workers in this challenging battle get sufficient protection from contagion and possible death. Developments in China indicate that nCoV is more virulent than the pathogen that causes SARS or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. As the novel coronavirus continues to

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spread, frontline health workers lack not only hazmat or hazardous materials suits but also — as pointed out by health officials — basic protective equipment starting with N95 masks. Civilians should heed appeals from health officials to stop hoarding N95 masks so that the limited supply can be used by those who need the items most — not only health workers, but also those whose work puts them in contact with people and goods arriving from nCoV-affected countries. The Bureau of Immigration reported on Monday, February 10 that 19 of its personnel are now on home quarantine. The 19 were the ones who had boarded the cruise ships from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, which were allowed to dock in the Port of Manila shortly before the government imposed a travel ban. Ordinary tasks have become risky in the time of nCoV. Those on the frontlines are sticking their necks out for the public, and must get all the protection they need from a killer virus. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

As CPV celebrates 90th founding anniversary, let us Support federalism and‘I’ll make amends with you’: Is remember the Philcag troops and contributions in the 70s Duterte’s proposal to ABS-CBN a vendetta and abuse of power? now represents some 350 ruling, opposition and indePeacependent political parties from Maker 52 countries in Asia, including the political parties from the Philippines led by the ruling FORMER SPEAKER PDP-Laban of President RoJOSE C. DE VENECIA, JR. drigo Duterte. In the congratulatory letter WE convey our congratula- we sent last week to the leadtions to the Communist Party ership of Vietnam’s Commuof Vietnam (CPV) as it cel- nist Party, in our humble caebrates its 90th Founding An- pacity as Founding Chairman niversary. of ICAPP and Chairman of the The Communist Party of ICAPP Standing Committee, Vietnam sits in the Standing we said that Vietnam has a Committee of our Interna- special place in our heart as it tional Conference of Asian Po- was where we spent our initial litical Parties (ICAPP), which foray in international relations,

as a 30-year-old Presidential Assistant, concurrently assigned as Minister, Economic and Press Counselor at the Philippine Embassy in Saigon, the South Vietnam capital then (now Ho Chi Minh, capital of the united Vietnam) from 1966 to 1969 during the then raging Vietnam War. As we earlier mentioned in this column, it was also in Vietnam, in 1967, where we conceived of, designed and began the implementation of the historic dollar Remittance Program for the Filipino overseas workers, which rapidly PAGE 7

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS THE NEW YORK TIMES reported that “the Philippine government moved Monday to end the franchise of the country’s leading broadcast network, the latest push by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte against media outlets that have been critical of his leadership”.

Representing the Philippine government, Solicitor General Jose Calida filed a complaint before the Supreme Court of the Philippines with the country’s highest court, contending that ABS-CBN Corp. and its subsidiary, ABS-CBN Convergence, violated the terms and conditions of operating franchise granted by Congress to the network, even before the expiry date of said license on March 30, 2020. This complaint was filed by Calida without following due process and despite the fact that the House of Representatives has yet to start hearings

and deliberations over at least 11 bills supporting the renewal of the franchise. The Times quoted Calida in his accusation that ABS-CBN has been “benefiting a greedy few at the expense of millions of its loyal subscribers.” Calida added, “These practices have gone unnoticed or were disregarded for years.” As ABS-CBN News reported, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano — whose father the late Senator Rene Cayetano was catapulted to the Senate via our programs “Compañero y Coimpanera” on radio PAGE 10

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

OFW remittances to catch a cold Cardinal Tagle begins new mission in Vatican as coronavirus-hit countries sneeze by Gaea

by ian

niColas CiGaral Philstar.com

MANILA — Money sent home by overseas Filipino workers could take a hit from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as weaker economic activity in China and other affected countries is expected to have spill-over effects into the Philippine economy, analysts at ANZ Research said Thursday, February 13. The coronavirus disease that emerged in China has killed over 1,300 people. There are two reported deaths outside the mainland: one in the Philippines and the other in Hong Kong. In a report sent to reporters, ANZ Research said that based on their estimate, a 50-percent decline in remit-

tances from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan and a 20percent plunge from the rest of Asia could shave off 0.11 percentage points of Philippine economic growth in the first quarter. In a more pessimistic scenario where total remittances from across Asia fall by 30% through the entire year, then it could trim as much as 0.51 percentage points from the Philippines’ full-year growth. “Mainland China accounted for a mere 0.1% of total remittances in the 11 months to November 2019. However, remittances from Filipinos working in Hong Kong and Taiwan accounted for 2.6% and 2.0% respectively, bringing the cumulative number to 4.7%,” ANZ Research explained.

“It is also important to bear in mind that around a fifth of overseas Filipino workers are engaged in the shipping (passenger and cargo) industry, so any weakness in cruise travel or global trade will have a negative impact,” it added. Beijing had already been battling a slowing domestic economy before the new coronavirus emerged, disrupting businesses, travel and supply chains. At its first meeting in 2020, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ Monetary Board cut its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 3.75% — a move the central bank described as a “preemptive” action against risks to economic growth, including the novel coronavirus fallout. (With a report from AFP)

enlarged each year and which now raises more than $30-billion a year for the Philippines, a continuing yearly bonanza for our Central Bank. We went to Vietnam for the second time in 1959, as a 22year-old journalist, when we were invited by then-President Carlos P. Garcia to join him on a visit to Saigon. We remember sailing the Saigon River with President Garcia and the then South Vietnam President Ngo Dinh Diem aboard the Vietnamese leader’s presidential yacht. President Garcia also offered us the position of Press Attache at the Philippine Embassy in Vietnam or somewhere in Europe but we politely declined, with deep humility and gratitude, as we were then enamored with the adventure and honor of being a journalist at home and overseas. We first visited the south’s capital Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh city (with the north keeping its capital, Hanoi) in 1956, for the Proclamation of the Vietnamese Constitution and the first anniversary of the Vietnam Republic following Vietnam’s partition at the waist in the 17th Parallel after the French forces’ classic defeat in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. We were then a 19-year-old journalist and fledgling foreign correspondent but rapidly promoted to Manila bureau chief of the first Asian news agency,

the Pan Asia Newspaper Alliance, founded by the late Norman Soong, then Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s “favorite war correspondent” in World War II. The largest international news agencies at the time up to today are Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UPI), Reuters, and Agence France Presse (AFP). We also had a Pan Asia weekly column then, printed once a week in the old Philippines Herald, which in the old days was edited by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Carlos P. Romulo, who later became President of the UN General Assembly and then our Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Herald’s editor in the mid-1950s was Carlos F. Nivera, then our journalism professor at the Ateneo, who gave us our first journalistic job. He was married to Pat Nivera, the late President Ramon Magsaysay’s social secretary. Professor Nivera co-established the Pan-Asia bureau in Manila with historian Carlos Quirino and we served as the first Philippine correspondent, then 19 with a meager but livable salary and our assistants were photographer Leoncio Alejandro. As fate would have it, seven years after our Vietnam visit with President Garcia, we were back in Saigon, in 1966, as Presidential Assistant and Minister and Economic Press Counselor at the Philippine

CabiCo

MANILA — Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle has begun his work in Vatican City, heading the office that oversees the Catholic Church’s missionary activities worldwide. Tagle recently moved to Vatican to begin his new mission as the prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. In a Facebook post, Fr. Regie Malicdem, Tagle’s personal secretary and chancellor of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila, quoted the cardinal during the first meeting with his collaborators. “I am here to start my new mission as prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. I am the prefect but I am not perfect. I came here as a student in order to learn from you, my masters and teachers,” Tagle said. He added: “I bring you all the greetings and affections Embassy there. Vietnam was from Asia and especially from then a hotbed amid an escalating war with the United States under then-President Lyndon B. Johnson. That year, our Philippine Government sent a contingent of the Philippine Civic Action Group (Philcag) and we welcomed the Philcag troops at the Saigon Airport with our veteran Ambassador Luis Salcedo, our Co-Minister Anastacio Bartolome, Press Attache Joe Aligno and our Military Attache, the Vietnam specialist Col. Joe Banzon, who was a friend of the legendary Cold War specialist Ed Landsdale. The Philcag had no combat duties, only civic action and engineering work, building roads, bridges, markets and hospitals but shielded by a Security Battalion. The Philcag mission was based in Tay Ninh province, near the border with Cambodia, was successful and much appreciated by the Vietnamese masses and not bothered by the militant Vietcong guerillas and by the Viet Minh. It was in Vietnam where we became friends with the then young military officials who would later rise to national prominence, among them, Major Fidel V. Ramos, who became a hero of the Edsa People Power Revolution, Armed Forces chief, Defense Secretary and then President of the Philippines; Captains Jose AlPAGE 10

As CPV celebrates 90th founding anniversary...

PAGE 5

Katreena Philstar.com

Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle and Fr. Regie Malicdem inside the former’s new office in Vatican City. Photo courtesy of Fr. Regie Malicdem

the Philippines and Manila.” Malicdem also shared photos of Tagle’s new office and the view from his room, which overlooks the famous column of the Immaculate Conception near the Spanish steps. “These will surely remind him of the Manila Cathedral and the Archdiocese of Manila,” he said. Pope Francis appointed the 62-year-old cardinal as prefect

of the Congregation for the Evangelization of the Peoples in December last year. His appointment marks the return of an Asian cardinal to the important department in charge of spreading the Catholic faith. Pope Francis appointed Bishop Broderick Pabillo as the apostolic administrator or caretaker of the Archdiocese of Manila. n

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Go pushes bill on dept of overseas Filipinos

charge, DoLE, DFA, DoH (I am pushing for the creation of the Department of OverSEN. Christopher Lawrence seas Filipinos, a department “Bong” Go again called for the that will solely focus on the establishment of the Depart- concerns and needs of OFWs. ment of Overseas Filipinos, As of now, when there is a saying an agency is needed crisis, various agencies are to look after the welfare of in charge, the Department Filipinos working and living of Labor, Department of Forabroad. eign Affairs, Department of “I’m pushing for the cre- Health),” Go said. ation of Department of OverHe was referring to the 30 seas Filipinos para po may- Filipinos from Wuhan, China roon na tayong departamen- who were repatriated through tong nakatutok sa kanila na the efforts of an emergency tuwing may mga ganitong team composed of officials of pangyayari, kita ninyo tuwing the Foreign Affairs and Health mayroong mga krisis, kung departments. Wuhan is the may mga sakit, iba-iba ang in epicenter of the coronavirus by Javier ismael ManilaTimes.net

disease 2019 outbreak. Under Go’s Senate Bill 202 or the “Department of Overseas Filipinos Act of 2019,” all government agencies concerned about overseas Filipino affairs will be consolidated under one roof. The senator emphasized the need for a unified department solely dedicated for overseas Filipinos to eliminate confusion on which department or agency will take charge of the concerns of overseas Filipinos, especially in times of crisis. Go called on his colleagues to support the early passage of the bill. n

As CPV celebrates 90th founding anniversary...

PAGE 7 monte, who became National Security Adviser under Ramos; Renato de Villa, later Defense chief; psywar and civic action leader Jose Magno, Thelmo Cunanan, one of the rare Filipino West Pointers, who became a General, and later, a highly-regarded Ambassador to Cambodia, married to noted Inquirer columnist Belinda Olivares-Cunanan; and capable Lieutenants Lisandro Abadia and Arturo Enrile, who later became heads of the Armed Forces, and many distinguished others. In Vietnam, where we lived for four years, we also had the privilege of meeting and making friends with Admiral John McCain Sr., U.S. commander in the Pacific, whom we invited to Manila and father of the late Sen. John McCain, also a war hero shot down over North Vietnam skies, prisoner of war in Hanoi and who later ran but missed the presidency of the U.S. Admiral McCain helped our Armed Forces with the organization of our first Engineering Construction Battalion, and equipped with construction machinery. (In peacetime, we invited him and served briefly as an honorary board member of our long-retired Landoil Resources Corporation). Later, we invited and accompanied to Manila the most bemedalled World War II hero in Europe, Gen. Creighton Abrams, later U.S. Commander in Vietnam after whom the U.S. Abrams Tank was named, for he was the celebrated combat officer of the equally famed U.S. General George Patton, the feared and foremost Allied military commander then against the German forces. Abrams later also helped the Philippines with its first Armalite Battal-

ion and engineering equipment for our Philcag troops in Vietnam, a precursor of our Engineering Construction battalions today. Today, we truly admire Vietnam, led by President Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, for rising from the tragedies and sufferings of war — the World War II conflict with Japan, the guerilla war for independence against the French Foreign Legion and Army, and then against the U.S. and Allied Forces after Vietnam’s earlier victory in the classic battle at Dien Bien Phu in the north against the French Army, all of which the North Vietnamese forces won — to become an economic and peaceful power today, lifting the living standards of the Vietnamese people and advancing agriculture, education and industries, and promoting today a culture of peace in Asia and the international community. We also commend the genuine reconciliation between the U.S. and the united Vietnam. We also note Vietnam’s role today with ASEAN partners to build a Code of Conduct in the East Sea/West Philippines Sea in accordance with international law and its now enviable role as Chair of ASEAN 2020 and its non-permanent strategic membership in the coveted U.N. Security Council in 2020-2021. ** Nobody knows how long the Coronavirus will rage and estimate its effects in the Philippines and in the various countries of the world. All the newspapers in the Philippines and elsewhere are preoccupied and have written extensively on the epidemic. No major health authority in Asia, Europe and the Ameri-

cas has spoken nor dared say how long the crisis will run. But generally, all the plagues in the various regions in history are dangerous and often claim many lives but are not long-lasting and peter out sooner than later. In the meantime, the government and our citizenry, families, friends, townmates and neighbors must and should help each other in every possible way. Today, the crisis rages but we know from past histories that in a few months, God willing, the spreading virus will sputter out and the plague will come to an end. ** In our column last Sunday, January 19 and in much earlier interviews, we said, “It is almost certain that U.S. President Donald Trump will win very shortly the impeachment case filed by U.S. Congressional Democrats, which indeed they overwhelmingly won in the House of Representatives but which they will most likely lose in the U.S. Senate, controlled by Republicans, in the next few days or weeks.” [Editor’s note: Trump was acquitted of impeachment charges on Wednesday, February 5, 2020.] We also said that the impeachment charge will “diminish” Trump but the “Senate clearance will uplift him en route to the electoral battle in November.” The Democrats are still struggling, beginning with almost 20 presidential contenders for the Democratic nomination. They have about three outstanding candidates but they must settle for only one to face Trump. It will be a rough-and-tumble contest for almost nine months until D-Day November 3, 2020. n

Dateline PhiliPPines

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A GIFT FOR VALENTINE’S DAY. A man wraps one of the teddy bears he is selling for Valentine’s Day in front of Sacred Heart Parish Shrine along Scout Ybardolaza Street, Quezon City on Wednesday, February 12. Each teddy bear costs between P200 and P250. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Support federalism and ‘I’ll make amends with you...

PAGE 5 DZMM and Channel 2 — said that while “certain interests” want to speed up the process, the House is working alongside the chamber’s panel on legislative franchises “on how to prioritize urgent and important legislation.” President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly threatened to block the franchise renewal bid of ABS-CBN Corp, which operates free TV Channel 2 and radio DZMM. ABS-CBN issued an official statement in response to Calida’s move: WE DID NOT VIOLATE THE LAW The Office of the Solicitor General’s filing of a quo warranto case against ABS-CBN on alleged violations of its franchise appears to be an effort to shut down ABS-CBN to the serious prejudice of millions of Filipinos who rely on the network for news, entertainment and public service. These allegations cited by the Office of the Solicitor General in his press statement are without merit. ABS-CBN complies with all pertinent laws governing its franchise and has secured all necessary government and regulatory approvals for its business operations. (1) All our broadcast offerings, including KBO, have received the necessary government and regulatory approvals and are not prohibited by our franchise. (2) ABS-CBN Holdings’ Philippine Deposit Receipts or PDRs were evaluated and approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange prior to its public offering. These are the same instruments used by other broadcast companies to raise capital for

the improvement of services. (3) The ownership of ABSCBN in ABS-CBN Convergence was undertaken under the same law and structures that have been utilized by other telecommunications companies. These are transfers that are approved under the Public Telecommunications Policy Act and are fully compliant with law. We reiterate that everything we do is in accordance with the law. We did not violate the law. This case appears to be an attempt to deprive Filipinos of the services of ABS-CBN. KBO remains one of the cheapest forms of entertainment that we can provide to the public. The capital we have raised from the PDRs has enabled us to provide services to nearly 90 percent of the Philippines and to our OFW’s all over the world. Our work with ABS-CBN Convergence supports the government policy of finding ways to bring down the cost of internet access. The Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Executive Branch have assured the public that our franchise will be allowed to go through the proper renewal process in a fair manner. To that end, the filing of the quo warranto case is ill-timed given that Congress has already resumed its session. We remain committed to our mission to serve the Filipino people especially at this time when millions of Filipinos rely on our services in delivering information such as the 2019 NCoV ARD, the developments in the Middle East, and updates on Taal Volcano situation as they relate to our countrymen.” Duterte claims Malacañang has nothing to do with this

move of Calida, but as Rappler reported, the president himself made public “a proposal for ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio ‘Gabby’ Lopez III that if his television network promotes federalism, Duterte is willing to call it quits.” “Kung magtulong kayo diyan sa federal system campaign at gawain ninyong slogan also for the unity and to preserve the republic, makipag-areglo ako,” (If you can help with the federal system campaign and you make a slogan also for unity and to preserve the republic, I’ll make amends with you) said Duterte during the PDP-Laban Christmas Benefit Dinner on Wednesday night, December 13, 2019. He said this right after repeating his usual rant against Lopez and the “debt” that the ABS-CBN chairman’s family owes the government. - an accusation refuted and denied by the network. Is this personal vendetta by Duterte for the critical and unflattering reporting by ABSCBN news as the network faithfully fulfills its sacred obligation to make the government accountable to the people? Is this abuse of power on the part of the president to use his position to silence the free press, and dictate support for his own political agenda?? *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos. Relos.

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COMMUNITY Journal

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What happens if the beneficiary of a petition dies? principal beneficiary and/or any derivative beneficiaries; • A derivative beneficiary of a pending or approved employment-based immigrant visa petition; Qualifying relative who died: Another requirement for eligibility is that a “qualifying relative” has died. USCIS includes the following as “qualifying relatives” who, immediately before death, was: • The petitioner in an immediate relative or other family-based immigrant visa petition; • The principal beneficiary in a widow(er)’s immediate relative immigrant visa petition; • The principal benefici-

sible for his wife and minor children to continue the case and get a green card through the employmentbased petition of the deceased worker. Atty. MichAel I want to emphasize that Gurfinkel, eSQ this law is complex, and there are many other eligibility requirements, such MOST people are aware as having certain relatives that if the petitioner (person to be substitute sponsors who files a petition) dies, the on an affidavit of support, beneficiary (family member whether the derivative benbeing petitioned) may apply eficiaries are out of status, for humanitarian revalidaetc. That is why, if you betion/reinstatement. If USlieve you may be eligible, CIS approves the request, you should consult with an the primary beneficiary and immigration attorney, who his derivative spouse and can evaluate your situation. minor children could conMy point is that in certain tinue being processed for circumstances it could be their green cards, despite possible for family memthe petitioner’s death. bers to still get green cards However, if the principal even though the principal beneficiary dies, humanibeneficiary tarian reindied. statement is “ Nevertheless, it could be possible in *** not available Michael J. to the spouse some limited situations that derivative Gurfinkel has and minor beneficiaries could still be processed for been an attorchildren (deney for over rivatives). green cards even though the primary 35 years and is Neverthelicensed, and less, it could beneficiary has died. ” an active membe possible ber of the State in some limited situations that deriva- ary in a widow(er)’s family- Bars of California and New York. tive beneficiaries could still based immigrant visa peti- All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision be processed for green tion; and • The principal benefici- of, an active member of the State cards even though the primary beneficiary has died. ary in an employment-based Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on This law (which I call the immigrant visa petition. Examples of cases: the facts of the particular case. “Survivor Law”) could ben1. A U.S. citizen petitions The information and opinions efit the spouse and minor children of a deceased ben- her brother, who has a wife contained herein (including teseficiary’s family or employ- and minor children. The timonials, “Success Stories”, enbrother (who was the pri- dorsements and re-enactments) ment-based petition. mary beneficiary) dies, but are of a general nature, and are Persons eligible: Among the requirements the U.S. citizen petitioner not intended to apply to any paris still alive. The brother’s ticular case, and do not constiare: • the applicant seeking wife is in the U.S. when he tute a prediction, warranty, guarthe immigration benefit died and continues to live antee or legal advice regarding (such as derivative family here. It could be possible the outcome of your legal matter. members) resided in the for the wife and children to No attorney-client relationship United States when the still be processed for im- is, or shall be, established with “qualifying relative” (such migrant visa under her sis- any reader. as the principal benefici- ter-in-law’s petition, with- WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com ary or petitioner) died, and out seeking humanitarian Follow us on Facebook.com/ continues to reside in the revalidation, even though GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @ United States on the date of the primary beneficiary has GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a conthe decision on the pending died. 2. A person is being pe- sultation for anywhere in the US: application; 1-866-487-3465 • The applicant is at least titioned by an employer through PERM/labor certi(866) – GURFINKEL one of the following: • A beneficiary of a fication. He has a wife and Four offices to serve you: pending or approved fam- small children, and they are LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ ily-based immigrant visa all in the U.S. The worker NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement) petition, including both the dies. It could still be pos-

Immigration Corner

After neArly 25 yeArs, this fAmily’s AmericAn DreAm is finAlly reAlizeD. Jean (center) was petitioned by her sister in 1994. life in America had always appealed to Jean and her family. eventually, in 2013, she came to the U.s. as a tourist with her daughter. the trip was a graduation gift for her daughter who was an honor student. they risked everything and decided to overstay, along with Jean’s husband, milo (left). When the petition became current, leading U.s. immigration lawyer Attorney michael J. Gurfinkel (right) pursued Adjustment of status for the family. Based on their eligibility, Jean’s petition was transferred from the Philippines to the U.s., where she and her family were interviewed. Watch how after almost 25 years of waiting, Jean and her family are now living the American Dream with no fear nor worries, on an encore episode of citizen PinOy – on sunday at 6:15 pm (Pst) on tfc. (Advertising supplement)

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February 14-20, 2020 • NeW yOrK aND NeW JerSey aSIaN JOurNaL

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Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA

BALLROOM DANCE LOVERS RAISE FUNDS. A group of ballroom dance enthusiasts staged a successful fundraiser over the weekend in Bayonne, NJ to benefit the Taal Volcano Evacuees in Batangas. The event featured professional ballroom dancers Ukraine Yevgenii Taraniuk and Melanie Weiler who waived their professional fees. The two dancers have competed numerous times at the prestigious Blackpool Ballroom Competition in England. The organizers are also thankful to Fr. Zenon Boczek, SDS, Pastor of St John Paul II, who allowed the group to hold the event at their gymnasium for free. The event which was well attended by ballroom and line dancers from Bayonne, Jersey City, and Queens, NY raised $3000 for the Taal evacuees in Lemery, Batangas.

Sunshine recalls Cesar’s cheating escapades By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

ACTRESS Sunshine Cruz revealed that she caught her ex-husband Cesar Montano cheating multiple times. In a recent episode of ABSCBN’s morning talk show “Magandang Buhay,” Sunshine said she decided to separate from Cesar when her daughters were the ones who caught their father. “Maraming beses. Pero ‘yung huli nakumpirma ko not through me but through my children,” Sunshine said. “Magkakasama sila sa kotse, nakita nag-text ‘yung girl. ‘Yung mga anak ko at first, they didn’t want to tell me. Siyempre, masasaktan ako e. Hanggang sa pinilitpilit ko,” she added. Sunshine said that she can take the pain because Cesar was her first boyfriend, but her daughters are also affected on that incident. “Kung ako lang kaya ko pagtakpan, kaya kong patawarin, kasi he was my first boyfriend, 13 years na rin kami,” she said.

Sunshine Cruz

“But nagising ako sa katotohanan na kapag ‘yung anak ko na, puro babae sila, na ‘yung naapektuhan at sila na ‘yung nakakaalam, ay, teka lang Sunshine. Ayaw mo naman siyempre na ‘yung mga anak mo maging katulad mo. Baka akalain kasi nila na tama. Baka akalain nila na okay lang, na ‘Ang mommy ko nga at ‘yung daddy ko ganito, ‘pag nag-asawa ako

Photo from Instagram/@sunshincecruz718

okay lang pala.’ Ayoko,” she stressed. That’s when she decided to leave Cesar and prioritize her daughters. “Kaya yun yung naging wakeup call ko na kahit gaano mo kamahal ang isang tao, kailangan talaga priorities,” she said. “Unahin mo ‘yung feelings at future ng mga anak mo kaysa ‘yung sarili mo.”

YOUR personal bucket list should be doable. Select a handful of those things that have the highest chance of coming to fruition given your time frame and personal circumstances. In tech speak, it means before your life span and energy goes into ‘ low batt mode’ and life is running out of sockets to plug into. How about waving your magic wand in the kitchen to create just one signature dish? Ever wonder how the Peach Melba dessert got its name? It was said that the celebrated French chef Auguste Escoffier named the confection after his friend, the soprano Nellie Melba of Melbourne, Australia. Nellie would dine in the restaurant where he was chef and would give him tickets to the opera where she was the main draw. Nellie Melba was the late 19th century equiva-

Health@Heart PhiliP S. ChuA, Md, FACS, FPCS IN the face of nine individuals in Manila who were under investigation for possible Coronavirus Disease2019 (COVID-19) infection who refused to be isolated, Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque III announced last Saturday, February 8 that “Philippine authorities will invoke state police power if people who have flu-like symptoms will refuse to undergo a mandatory quarantine to protect the public from this treacherous rapidly transmissible and potentially deadly illness.” In Hong Kong, violators are subject to a prison term of up to six months. Other cities and countries may already have such laws or will follow suit. In a press conference in Quezon City, Duque said the 44-year-old Chinese male companion of the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in the country, a 38-year-old Chinese woman, also tested positive for the virus and died February 2, 2020. Both came from Wu-

Bucket List #5

Whip up your signature dish “Food is a way of making a connection with others and making memories.” lent of a celebrity these days that could pack opera houses for the elite in London, Paris and New York. On a historical note, Escoffier partnered with Cesar Ritz (from whose name the term “ritzy” is derived, to mean elegant and first class, and pricey as well) to establish the Ritz-Carlton Hotels chain. Signature dishes are not just for the rich and famous. They are for you and me, as well. Choose just one dish. Just one from many possibilities… Choose a scrumptiously delicious one. Work on it many times until you can do it from scratch without looking at your cheat sheet and it

becomes a masterpiece. Cook it for family gatherings or potluck events. Cook it until they clamor for you to bring it because your dish is memorable. You notice that people come for seconds until it’s all gone. Clean plate and happy faces —the marks of a culinary success… Congratulations! You’ve created your signature dish. You have placed your name on it. Best of all, you’ve created gastronomic memories, quite hard to forget because, believe you me, the gut remembers. I have met many who have done this and it is a source PAGE 13

Police power to quarantine

han, Hubei province, China, and were isolated at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. This was the first death outside China, the other one in Hong Kong. The first American death, a 60-year-old, succumbed to the COVID-19 at a hospital in Wuhan on February 6, 2020. There are now at least 13 confirmed cases in the United States. This era of rapid transportation (air, sea, and land) enables infectious diseases to spread with impunity, unless contained properly in a timely (emergent) fashion. Apparently, the socialist authorities in Wuhan miserably failed in this regard. The UN and WHO fear COVID-19 is a grave threat to the entire world, with more than 100 deaths in China almost every day. Hopefully, not again! “The Black Death, also known as the Pestilence (Pest for short), the Great (Bubonic) Plague or the Plague, or less commonly the Black Plague, was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people in Eurasia, peaking

in Europe from year 1347 to 1351,” wiping out about one-third of the population of Europe. The SARS pandemic of 2002 involved 30 countries with 8,437 cases and 813 deaths. The MERS of 2012 was in 27 countries, with 2,494 cases and 858 deaths. These two viruses belong to the same family as COVID19. Common influenza affects 9 million to 45 million and kills between 12,000 to 61,000 a year in the USA. As of February 10th, the total number of COVID-19 cases in more than 25 provinces in China, a majority (32,000) being in Wuhan, Hubei, jumped to more than 43,000 (worldwide) and the death toll to greater than 1000, surpassing the SARS pandemic. With an incubation period of 14 days, where infected people are not even aware they have the virus in them and are carriers of this disease, which is easily transmitted to other people. This virus could spread like a wildfire and kill massively, if not contained. Quarantine is an effective weapon PAGE 13

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Trending blind Filipino Police power to quarantine... singer gets Hollywood nod, invited to appear on ‘Ellen’ By Ratziel

San Juan Philstar.com

ELLEN Degeneres is the latest celebrity to recognize Internet sensation Carl Malone Montecido, inviting him to guest on her talk show. Carl’s appearance, however, has not yet been finalized, according to a report by ABS-CBN morning show “Umagang Kay Ganda.” The “Blind Balladeer ng (of) Bacolod” recently drew international attention over a video where he is seen singing to Sam Smith’s “Too Good at Goodbyes,” using videoke demo equipment in a local mall. The video, uploaded by Facebook user Trixie Madi-

Carl Malone Montecido

son featuring Carl, has since been shared over 385,000 times. The young singer’s vocal prowess has been described by Sam Smith himself as “out of this universe.”

Bucket list #5...

PAGE 12 of joy specially when shared with many. My friend Angel cooked Spanish Paella with original ingredients from Spain and with great flourish wearing a chef’s hat and risqué apron of washboard abs, in a class reunion held in their mountain view home. It was delicious and memorable. Two of my sisters, Olga and Evelyn, bake Sans Rival and indeed, nothing rivals their concoction. Fresh lumpiang sariwa, with many hours of chopping, slicing and dicing of the ingredients is my mother’s and eldest sister, Olga’s signature dish. Another sister, Rhodora, tweaked a Kare-kare recipe and that was divine. There is Agnes Jovellana’s delightful original espasol which she prepares for her parties. My sister Mitch of San Antonio, Texas prepared Buttered Mochi and her baked dish was a hit. I do a simple potato soup with bacon that is popular in the winter time. The millenials in our family love it. My daughter-in-law Elia, prepares her special recipe for Turkey with bacon on Thanksgiving and draws rave reviews from the family. My son, Rene, prepares delightful chocolate ice cream, from scratch and there is never enough. A former colleague, Malou HaliliCase who hails from Pampanga (famous for women who cook heavenly dishes) prepares Dinuguan, on slow

cooker and it was special and memorable. Team it up with puto and, voila, you have a wonderful meal! There’s Tommy’s mom, Cindy Nguyen, who prepares fresh crabs, Vietnamese style. Of course, there’s Tony’s dad, David Ta, who cooks delicious beef stew, Cambodian style, like no other. If you don’t have any signature dish, get cracking and work on one, just one dish you can enjoy preparing and putting your mark on. With time and practice, you will get better at it. Choose one that is popular with most taste buds. Don’t let your ego rule trying to reinvent the wheel and try an exotic dish, like alligator soup, for instance. Stay away from using bats and snakes as ingredients. There is serious concern that the deadly Coronavirus currently raging in Wuhan, China and spreading to other parts of the world may have originated from that city’s wet market that sells exotic animals as food fare. Nix the labels low calorie, low fat, gluten free, low carb. It is a bit of a downer when you have to work within limiting parameters. It doesn’t have to be original but it must be pleasing to most taste buds within your orbit of friends and family. Oftentimes, it could be just a tweak on an existing, tested recipe with a secret ingredient or a differ-

ABS-CBN photo

Carl also drew attention from Kelly Clarkson and her team. The rising star first graced screens on ABS-CBN’s Showtime’s “Tawag ng Tanghalan” in 2016. ent technique of doing and presenting. Make it simple, easy and fun. Food is a way of making a connection with others and making memories. Remember that Jesus Christ in his time ate bread, fish and drank wine with his disciples on many occasions. Those were the staples of his time and salt was the flavoring. He multiplied the bread and fish as He fed thousands who followed him to hear his teachings. Jesus knew how important it was to make a connection. Christ connects with us two thousand years later in the Holy Eucharist at Mass when bread and wine are consecrated and become His body and blood. It is a daily reminder of how God loves us — so much He sent His only son to redeem us from sin and death so we may live forever. We use food to feed our bodies and make a connection with others. Partaking of the Eucharist to feed our souls in order to make a connection with the divine is the other aspect worth pursuing as part of our bucket list. Food is a blessing, a visual and visceral aid that makes our life here on earth so wonderfully engaging. Make your signature dish and the joys they bring to yourself and others part of the wonderful memories etched in your soul forever. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com.

PAGE 11 to minimize spread. And it is the duty and obligation of governments to implement quarantine to protect the general public. Utilizing the police power, if needed, is most justified for the interest and security of the people. Doing anything less would be negligent and criminal. It is obvious that people exposed to the virus, who refuse to be quarantined, are simply not smart. Going home will expose their family and the people around them and spread the killer virus to the entire community. Just like what is happening in China. While reading my column today, rapid escalation of cases and deaths in China and in other 28 countries continue. So far, the only two deaths outside of China are one in Hong Kong and one in the Philippines. Chinese doctor whistleblower punished Chinese ophthalmologist Li Wenliang, who tried to sound an alarm about the coronavirus outbreak in China last December, was

punished by the Communist Party in China for being a whistleblower. Sadly, Dr. Wenliang himself died from the virus infection late last Thursday, at age 34. According to Google News: “Anger was swelling online in China over the death of a whistleblower doctor who tried to sound the alarm about the deadly outbreak but was silenced by Communist Party authorities. On social media, users hailed Li Wenliang as a hero, after the ophthalmologist was reported to have died of the virus late Thursday. Social media users also began voicing rare fury toward the Chinese government and demanding freedom of speech, echoing the sentiments of the 1989 Tiananmen uprising, as censors moved to squelch the dissent.” This glaringly shows how freedom and democracy are superior to socialism, even in health and medicine, a gold standard for the world, for humankind and for kindness to humans and all living souls. Fecal transmission Knowing the nCorona vi-

rus to be airborne (virus in the air, spread by sneezing or coughing), fecal (contamination) transmission is now being considered another mode of transmission. Some cases of documented nCorona virus infection had abdominal discomfort, pain, and diarrhea before shortness of breath started and death from a form of pneumonia occurred. Is China being transparent? China has isolated itself, quarantined sectors of provinces and cities. Major airlines have stopped services to and from China. Countless passengers returning to their home countries via China are stranded. Countries around the globe have advised their citizens against traveling to China. It now seems plausible that China was (is) not transparent, nor proactive and preemptive in dealing with the virus infection from the very beginning way before December of 2019. Punishing a person, like Dr. Wenliang, especially a medical professional — who had taken the PAGE 15

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FEBRUARY 14-20, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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Remembering Harana: A lost Filipino tradition of courtship through song

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by

RAE ANN VARONA / AJPress

ITH Valentine’s Day approaching, we look back at a Filipino tradition that illustrates one’s love in the form of romantic songs.

In 1997, Filipino band Parokya Ni Edgar came out with a song that would become one of the Philippines’ most popular love songs to date. The song describes a scene in which a young man in old faded jeans, carries roses, and nervously prepares to serenade a lady he likes in the cold and star-lit night, hoping she’d fall in love with his song and him. The chorus, like the opening lines of the song, asks in Tagalog, “Uso pa ba ang harana?” (“Is harana still in style?”) While the sound is one reminiscent of 90’s MTV, the song was meant to encapsulate the awkwardness, vulnerability, and even transparency felt by previous generations of Filipinos who wooed significant others through serenades. Harana, as the song introduces, is an old Philippine tradition of courtship in which a man bears his heart in song to a woman (and sometimes vice versa), while standing underneath her window at night. Its music — unlike the Parokya Ni Edgar song — featured sweet habanera rhythms and impassioned lyrics. While it’s difficult to pin exactly when harana first began in the Philippines, the practice is believed to have started in the 1800s and was influenced by Spanish folk songs. By the 1930s, it reached its peak across Philippine provinces. However, the tradition has become nonexistent, remembered only by those

who have been fortunate enough to experience or engage in harana, or learn about it growing up. Critically acclaimed classical guitarist Florante Aguilar was among those who heard about harana while growing up in the Philippines’ Cavite province in the 1970s. This encouraged him to learn more about the music form after being away from the Philippines for 12 years. “During fiestas, our neighbor’s gardener who was a bandurria player, would get together with his friends and play rondalla and harana music in his shack by the gardens,” recalled Aguilar. He himself got involved in the local music scene as a child, which gave him even more insight into the Philippines’ unique music scene. “I was 9 years old and I remember being amazed at how everyone played different instruments — octavina, the laud, double bass, even a banjo,” said Aguilar, whose instrument of choice back then was the octavina, a guitar-shaped Filipino instrument. “It was only when I got older did I realize what a privilege it was to be part of this circle,” he added, noting that many in the group were in their 60s or 70s. “I felt like I got a pretty good glimpse of history, kind of like a time machine.” Remembering a dying tradition Strike up a conversation with any Filipino who experienced harana’s golden age, and they’ll likely light

up with stories of how either they wooed their significant other as a haranista, or were wooed themselves. In the award-winning 2013 documentary “Harana: The Search for the Lost Art of Serenade,” Aguilar met with people who reminisced on the days they met their spouse through harana. One woman, Liwayway Espino, talked about how she never minded when haranistas would disturb her sleep, and how news of one being serenaded would quickly become the talk of the town the next morning. “This is the experience I will never forget from my youth,” said Espino. Aguilar’s most significant encounters during his search for harana were when he met three men considered to be expert haranistas in their communities. There was Felipe Alonzo from Ilocos Sur, who grew up in the 1930s, learned the guitar himself, and eventually began recording Ilocano haranas for Villar Records. Then there was Celestino Aniel, born in 1946 in Cavite, who learned songs by artists like Ruben Tagalog and Larry Miranda through the radio. His singing style has been described as being similar to American crooners Perry Como, Nat King Cole, and Bing Crosby. Also born in 1946 in Cavite was Romeo Bergunio who was a winner of his town’s harana competition. Bergunio learned harana songs — including never before recorded songs — from his father and grandfather.

AJPress illustration by Godwin Gasacao

The three joined Aguilar in performing as the Harana Kings, traveling around the Philippines to reintroduce original harana love songs to Filipinos including to a young man in the historic city of Vigan. Capturing a real Harana on film, the Harana Kings helped the young man named Brian court a classmate of his by performing “O, Ilaw” (“Oh, Radiant Light”) to her and later her parents. “It was so genuine and Brian was so painfully shy,” said Aguilar. “I think it’s very

rare to capture that shyness born out of being in love, and it was really brave of him to let us do the serenading for him,” added Aguilar. “Imagine going under the window with a bunch of old men in tow, he could have been easily laughed off. He was really game and it shows the length he’d go to express himself to the girl.” ‘Not just any love song’ It’s undisputed that Filipinos have and continue to be fans of love songs, and even the dedicating of love songs. This is evident by the songs at the top of Filipino charts

today where almost all have to do with expressing strong feelings for another. However, harana music is not just any love song, explained Aguilar. A traditional harana song itself has very particular characteristics. A crash course in harana would highlight that truly authentic haranas are marked by a distinctive style or “stamp of authenticity” as Aguilar once wrote. For one, the haranas follow a 2/4 habanera rhythm. This PAGE 15

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Aicelle’s advice to singing search hopefuls

FOR Aicelle Santos, one of the trickiest aspects of judging a singing contest for kids is giving a truthful assessment in a way that’s still encouraging for the hopefuls. “You don’t want to say anything that will make them feel like not joining anymore. I want the experience to be enjoyable for them. I don’t want them to fear the stage. I don’t want them to feel that this is strictly a competition,” she told reporters at a recent press conference for GMA 7’s “Centerstage,” which starts its telecast on Feb. 16. She also hopes to emphasize that losing in a contest doesn’t spell the end of one’s dream; that losing is also an opportunity for growth. “I have joined several contests when I was young, and

Aicelle Santos

GMA photo

I failed some. I was so sad after one of my losses that I told myself I would never join a contest again. It hurt me,” she recalled. “I faced a belter back then. And I wasn’t one at the time. It wasn’t my strength. But I thought, ‘Maybe, I can build on what I have.’” Then, Aicelle was “rediscovered” in musical theater. She played

Gigi in the recent UK tour of “Miss Saigon.” What advice would she give young aspiring singers? “Just practice and keep singing. The more you sing, the more you improve. And you discover certain vocal placements or things you never knew you’re capable of doing. Don’t stop learning,” she said. “You also have to mean what you sing. You have to tell a story with the song to really capture the audience,” added the singer, who finished first runner-up in Season 2 of “Pinoy Pop Superstar” in 2006. “You have to own the stage.” And children shouldn’t be too hard on themselves. “It’s important to forgive yourself when you make mistakes,” Aicelle pointed out. (Allan Policarpio/Inquirer.net)

Frankie owns up to privilege after her family gets compared to rich ‘Parasite’ characters By Cha Lino Inquirer.net

MUSICIAN Frankie Pangilinan responded to criticism from an internet troll who compared her family to the rich Korean characters in the Oscar-winning movie “Parasite”. Frankie, the daughter of prominent actress Sharon Cuneta and Senator Francis Pangilinan, commended the film for its success during the Oscars last Sunday (Monday in Manila) in Hollywood, United States, where it won four major awards, including Best Picture. The dark comedy thriller, directed by Academy Award winner Bong Joon-ho, shows an impoverished family scheming to all get employed a wealthy family in South Korea. The film tackles inequalities between social classes, including poverty and privilege. One Twitter user questioned Frankie on her retweeted post from the Academy, stating: “[Coming] from you? [Kung] tutuusin kung may comparison, yung pamilya na mayaman sa [‘Parasite’] parang kayo din ng pamilya mo. [So] ano punto?” (If you think about, if there were a comparison, the fam-

Frankie Pangilinan

ily in “Parasite” is like your family, so what’s your point?) The user even threatened to “stab” her father, as a reference to a scene in the movie. The Megastar’s daughter responded to the troll with dark humor, explaining that she has no control over who her parents are. “[Bold] of u to assume [I] wouldn’t stab myself first in this crippling guilt over something [I] had no control over and cannot change tho,” she said. In a series of follow-up replies, Frankie said that she was her own person, “apart from the privilege.” Frankie also promised that she is trying her best “not to be a waste of advantages” that she was born into. The musician also talked about the “guilt” it gives her every day. “[I] don’t know how to

Photo from Instagram/@frankiepangilinan

apologize for that. [But] sorry anyway,” Frankie said. She also acknowledged the irony of enjoying a film about a poor family struggling to get by in life by feeding into a rich family’s ignorance. “[T]here might be a strange irony in me loving and appreciating [‘Parasite’] and I get that but the truth is [I’d] much rather be aware of it than turn a blind and ignorant eye,” she stated. Lastly, Frankie admitted the Twitter user’s comment “hurt” her. She ended her thread saying that even if “the system sucks and [I’m] a part of it however unintentionally,” she still wants to do something about it. She wrote, “[I’m] so fkin sorry from the bottom of my heart that [I] can’t fix it. but [I] promise to do my part as soon as [I’m] able.”

Remembering Harana: A lost... PAGE 14 differs from the 3/4 timing of another traditional form of love song, the kundiman. When it comes to arrangement, haranas begin with a solo guitar introduction, followed by verse one and verse two, another solo guitar in the middle, then back to verse two until the end. Some flexibility allows short exchanges between voice and guitar in the middle of the song. Another way to distinguish a true harana song is to look at its lyrics. “A good clue is in the lyrics, which places the singer right in the middle of serenading,” said Aguilar. Harana lyrics also use pure and archaic Tagalog words no longer used in everyday conversations. Classic examples of traditional harana songs are Ruben Tagalog’s “Dungawin Mo, Hirang” (“Look Out the Window, My Love”), and “Kay Lungkot Nitong Hatinggabi” (“How Sorrowful is the Night”) — all of which are accompanied by a guitar or two. Harana also adheres to a certain process that emphasizes the formality of the practice. The first stage is the Panawagan or announcement that the haranistas are outside the window. This is followed by the Pagtatapat or proposal, which takes place inside the house, and only if the serenaded opens the window and is invited into the house. Following the proposal may something be the Panagutan, or response by the serenaded, and then

again by the haranistas. The final stage is the pamaalam, or the farewell. Modern ‘haranistas’ While the days of true haranistas may exist today only in movie scenes, or reminiscent stories, the practice of serenading loved ones thrives, but in a more modern way — booked online and delivered to loved ones along with flowers, chocolates, and even teddy bears. In Cebu, a company called Harana.ph has been offering serenading packages to Filipinos for over six years. Watch any of their videos and you’ll see heart-felt reactions of loved ones reveling in the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs being sung by talented singers. “We basically have three packages, including our Premium Package where the singer is a voice coach of one of the most popular TV shows in the Philippines,” said Jane Soco, Harana.ph’s managing director. Their services have proven to be most popular outside of the Philippines by customers looking to find a unique way to show their appreciation for loved ones back home. “Eighty-percent of our customers are Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are unable to be with their loved ones during special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and Valentine’s Day, said Soco. When it comes to song requests, OPM songs like “Ikaw” by Yeng Constantino are among customer favorites. Unending love for bal-

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lads While there’s no telling whether harana will find its way back into the hearts of future generations, there’s no question that Filipinos will continue to have a sweet spot for “hugot” inducing songs — songs that tug at the emotions. “I submit that the Filipinos’ penchant for sad and pensive songs is a manifestation of the primeval kundiman sentiment,” said Aguilar. “It’s a direct result of the national affinity for sad songs dating back to pre-colonial times.” “We believe that music is a language we can all speak and understand,” said Soco. “Since Filipinos are known to be one of the most talented people in the field of music and continuously indulge in enjoyable recollections of past events in our lives, we still get ‘kilig’ whenever we see someone serenading their loved ones.” “Kilig” is a Filipino term that describes the feeling of romantic excitement. “Celebrating special occasions in the Philippines will be more fun with a little twist of harana,” added Soco. And for those interested in learning more about the country’s unique past tradition of harana, Aguilar encourages people to listen to some of the great original harana compositions by artists like Ruben Tagalog. And of course, there’s the Harana Kings’ album “Introducing the Harana Kings” which features 14 tracks recorded by Aguilar, Alonzo, Aniel, and Bergunio.

Police power to quarantine... PAGE 13 Hippocratic Oath to serve and protect the people, for warning and protecting the people, the country, and the world, from a deadly virus — is like allowing a massacre of countless human beings to go unchecked for a prolonged period, a catastrophic deadly happening intentionally hidden from the world, resulting in the devastation the whole world is now facing. The United Nations must hold culpable parties accountable. Prevention strategy As in any disease, prevention is the key, better than any cure. It is prudent (1) to wash hands for at least half a minute with soap and water and at least eight times a

day, after waking up routine, before meals, after meals, after visit to toilet, etc.; (2) Do not touch or scratch the face with fingers, use a clean tissue paper or the back of your hand; (3) Stay away from crowded places or people who may have respiratory infection, or people who could have been exposed (as those coming from China or a U.S. city with reported nCorona virus; (4) Help educate family members and friends re: viral spread; (5) If you have symptoms, quarantine yourself and protect your family and friends; (6) Eat healthy and get enough sleep and rest. Vaccines against nCorona virus are in the pipeline. The U.S.-CDC does not recommend wearing a surgi-

cal mask in public, which is not effective for an airborne disease like the nCorona anyway, useful only in upper respiratory infection. Where unavoidable exposure is possible, wearing a mask and doing the standard flu protocol won’t hurt. Vigilance and common sense are most beneficial in dealing with any illness, and, again, prevention is the key. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com and philipSchua. com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

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