030521 - Northern California Edition

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Volume 20 - No. 9 • 14 Pages

T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M MU N I T Y N E WS PA P E R

Volume 18 - No. 17 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

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Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, SAN DIEGO, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

San Francisco, 6 counties move to state’s red tier by AJPRESS

NEARLY a year into the coronavirus pandemic, seven counties, including Napa, San Francisco and Santa Clara, moved into the red tier of California’s reopening plan, allowing more businesses and activities to resume. The counties of El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Napa, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo and Santa Clara met the criteria on Tuesday, March 2 to exit the most restrictive purple tier and enter the red, which indicates the risk of COVID-19 in the counties remain “substantial.” The red tier allows indoor gatherings — though still strong-

DATELINE

moved to the red tier in February. Meanwhile, bars, breweries and distilleries that do not serve food will remain closed. Wineries and family entertainment centers like kart racing and mini golf will continue to follow outdoor only operations. “This year has been incredibly hard on our residents and small businesses, so every step forward is critical to making sure they can survive this pandemic. To make sure we can keep moving forward, we all need to stay focused and continue to follow the health guidance. We are making good progress managing the virus and

ly discouraged — with modifications and three households maximum. Retail stores and shopping centers can operate at 50% capacity, up for 25% in the purple tier. Meanwhile, museums, zoos, aquariums and places of worship are allowed to open indoors at 25% capacity. Movie theaters and restaurants can reopen at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. With this week’s announcement, 40 counties remain in the purple tier, 16 in the red and two in the orange (moderate). No counties are in the yellow or minimal tier. Humboldt, Marin, San Mateo, Shasta and Yolo counties

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

What Biden’s US Citizenship Act of 2021 will do for family immigration WHEN Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Rep. Linda Sanchez of California first introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 in Congress on Feb. 18, the general consensus among immigration activists was mixed. Some criticized the bill — which largely calls for reviews and not immediate repeals of the immigration policies of former President Donald Trump — for not being proactive enough. But many saw the bill as a win, the first step into what Democrats are calling a more “humane” immigration plan. “What the immigrant community was just put through these last four years was beyond

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2ND DAY VACCINE ROLLOUT. Dr. Emerson Chua of Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Marikina City receives his first dose of CoronaVac vaccine manufactured by Sinovac from China during the second day rollout of the vaccination program of the government held at the Marikina Sports Complex on Tuesday, March 2. Also in photo are National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (second from left), and Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro (left). PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

Duterte: Sara won’t run PH starts COVID-19 vaccine rollout for presidency in 2022 by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

by AJPRESS DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will not be running for the presidency in the 2022 national elections, according to her father, President Rodrigo Duterte. In a press conference in Pasay City on Sunday, February 28, the chief executive revealed that Sara wants to focus on raising her three children. “Si Sara ayaw because may anak kasi yan tatlo. Maliliit pa. Gusto niya na magfocus muna siya sa family ano ng — mga affairs. Sabi niya sa akin, marami pa namang panahon (Sara doesn’t want to run because she has three kids. They are still young. She wants to focus on her family affairs. She told me that there’s still much time),” explained Duterte. He added that Sara told him she will be the president

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AFTER being delayed for weeks, the Philippines has finally kicked-off its vaccination drive against COVID-19 this week. The first dose of Sinovac Biotech’s “CoronaVac” vaccine from China was administered to University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital Director Gerardo Legaspi on Monday, March 1, making him the first person in the country to officially receive the COVID-19 jab. “Hindi ko ma-describe ang (I

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte is threatening to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) anew if he finds “hard information” that the United States has stored nuclear weapons in the country. “I am warning you that if I get hold of a hard information that nuclear armaments are here brought by you, I will immediately ask you to go out and I will Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte with daughter Davao City Mayor Sara terminate the Visiting Forces Duterte-Carpio Malacañang photo by Richard Madelo Agreement ora mismo (right

community organizations by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

WITH the rise in violence against Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), GoFundMe this week launched the #StopAsianHate initiative, a centralized hub of fundraisers that will benefit the community. The GoFundMe page (gofundme.com/ AAPI) features verified fundraisers from across the country that will benefit victims of violence, organizations that provide resources for those affected and increased protection in communities, as well as

Following his inoculation, Domingo urged the public to get vaccinated. “Huwag lang sana natin maging choice yung hindi magpapabakuna. Kasi ‘yung pagpapabakuna para sa COVID-19 para ‘yan sa sarili natin, para sa pamilya natin, tsaka para sa bansa natin (Let’s not choose not to get vaccinated. Because getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is for ourselves, for our family, and our country),” he said in a press briefing before the ceremonial vaccination.

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Duterte to end VFA if US nukes found in PH

California’s $6.6 billion school re-opening plan prioritizes low-income, GoFundMe launches #StopAsianHate special needs children initiative to benefit victims, AAPI MEMBERS of the California state legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a $6.6 billion school re-opening plan, which aims to get children in grades kindergarten through 6th back to classrooms by March 15, and older children by mid next month. The plan prioritizes students who would benefit the most from in-person instruction kids from low-income families who may lack computing devices and high-speed internet, English language learners, and those with learning disabilities, among other disadvantaged students. The additional dollars will include money for extended academic and mental health support, help schools adjust for smaller u PAGE A4

can’t describe the) feeling. It’s probably release from all the fears... The honor is there,” said Legaspi. Dr. Edsel Salvaña, director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at UPNational Institutes of Health, was the second person to get the vaccine. A total of 756 individuals were vaccinated, including Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo, testing czar Vince Dizon, and Metro Manila Development Authority chair Benjamin Abalos Jr.

support for neighborhoods and AAPIowned businesses. Some examples of vetted fundraisers include campaigns for: Noel Quintana, a Filipino American who received almost 100 stitches after being slashed in the face on the New York subway; assistance with medical expenses for Marc Quidit, a FilAm store owner in Vallejo, California who was shot multiple times during a robbery; a volunteer group to watch San Francisco Chinatown’s residents and merchants; and restoration for the Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple, which was recently

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now),” the president said during a press conference at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Sunday, February 28. According to Duterte, the Philippine Constitution prohibits the presence of nuclear armaments in the country. “We are making a big gamble there because if there are no armaments in the Philippines, if we only have what we need for counterinsurgency, we’re OK. We do not need weapons that would fight other countries because we do not have it, the

arms, and we do not want it,” he added. Duterte noted that the Philippines will be the first country to get hit should a war break out between the U.S. and its enemy. “Kung magka-giyera (if a war breaks out) and it will surely start maybe in the theater of war would be the Spratly and China Sea. Katabi lang tayo. Pangasinan, it’s just — nakaharap. Maraming probinsiya nandiyan. Alam mo kung may armaments sila dito ang unang tatamaan

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march 5-11, 2021 • NOrcaL aSIaN JOUrNaL

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From the Front Page

Duterte to end VFA if US nukes found...

PAGE A1 ‘yon. Saan? Sa Pilipinas (We’re just beside it. Pangasinan, it’s just — in front. There are so many provinces there. You know if they have armaments here we’ll be first to get hit. Where? The Philippines),” he said. He also claimed that the U.S. has “depots” for their weapons in the Philippines. “The arms are stored everywhere in the Philippines, baka hindi niyo alam (in case you don’t know). May mga depots (They have depots) all around the Philippines,” said Duterte. “Sinabi ko sa kanila (I told them) I cannot stop you because we have yet to renegotiate the Visiting Forces Agreement but I am warning you that if I get hold of hard information that the nuclear armaments are here brought by you, I will immediately ask you to go out and I will terminate the VFA immediately,” he added. Last week, Duterte admitted that he doesn’t know whether

to renew or abrogate the agreement with the United States, adding that he wants to hear Filipino public’s sentiment. “I must be frank, I do not keep secrets to the people. I have not yet decided on what to do. Meaning to say, to abrogate or renew because I want to hear the people,” he said in a public address aired on February 24. “I want the narratives to come up, not necessarily from the [lawmakers]. Well, of course, they count very much pero hindi limitado dito sa (but it is not limited to) Congress,” he added. Previously, he said the U.S. would have to “pay” to keep the VFA from being terminated. “I would like to put on notice if there’s an American agent here that from now on, you want the Visiting Forces Agreement done? Well, you have to pay,” Duterte said in his speech on February 12 at Clark Air Base in Pampanga. The VFA, which came into force in 1999, covers the conduct

of U.S. soldiers in the Philippines. Among the provisions of the deal include relaxed 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. In February 2020, the Philippines sent the U.S. a notice terminating the VFA reportedly after the U.S. canceled Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s visa. The termination was later suspended in June “in light of political and other developments in the region,” and the suspension was extended in November for another six months to enable the Philippines and the U.S. to find a more enhanced, mutually beneficial, mutually agreeable, and more effective and lasting arrangement on how to move forward in their mutual defense. In December, the president threatened to continue with the VFA’s termination if the U.S. did not extend at least 20 million vaccines to the Philippines. n

San Francisco, 6 counties move... PAGE A1 ramping up vaccinations, and I’m hopeful for what lies ahead. We have shown that San Francisco can do what needs to be done to protect our city and each other,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in a statement. San Francisco is opening remaining activities allowed in the purple tier that had not yet reopened, such as personal services that require mask removal, and groups of up to six people from three households eating together outdoors. Additionally,

the city will lift its local nighttime hours limit for all activities except indoor dining, meaning that non-essential businesses and gatherings, such as outdoor dining, can continue past 10 p.m. With the move into the red tier, middle schools and high schools that had not yet opened can resume opening with a COVID-19 safety plan approved by the San Francisco Health Officer. All other schools can already be open with an approved safety plan. As they have been able to do since September, all schools may pro-

vide in-person instruction and services to youth with disabilities, foster children, English learners, children experiencing homelessness, and children from families experiencing housing or food insecurity among others, without Health Officer approval. California reported 3,352 new cases and 278 fatalities on Wednesday, bringing the total to 3,484,963 infections and 52,775 deaths since the start of the pandemic. The 7-day positivity rate is 2.2% and the 14-day positivity rate is 2.6%. n

PH starts COVID-19 vaccine... PAGE A1 On Sunday, February 28, 600,000 doses of CoronaVac donated by China arrived in the country; 100,000 of the donated doses will go to the country’s military while the remaining 500,000 doses will be for health care workers. “With this very important shipment, I am confident that more batches of vaccines will be available with great dispatch until every Filipino will be given the chance to be vaccinated at the earliest possible opportunity,” said Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who was present at the ceremony. “I convey my sincere gratitude to the Chinese people and the government of China for this gesture of friendship and solidarity — the hallmark of PhilippinesChina partnership,” he added. The Sinovac-made vaccine was the third vaccine brand to secure an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the FDA, following Pfizer and AstraZeneca. However, the agency advised against using Sinovac on healthcare workers after data from Phase 3 trials in Brazil showed lower efficacy results (50.4%). In a Palace briefing on Tuesday, March 2, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said health care workers “celebrated” during the ceremonial vaccination. “Naging napakatagumpay po ng day one ng ating national COVID-19 vaccination program kung saan lahat po ay nagdiwang (Day one of the national COVID-

READY FOR VAX. Health care workers of Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center and the Marikina City Health Office await their turn to receive the first dose of China-donated CoronaVac vaccine at the Marikina Sports Complex in Marikina City on Tuesday, March 2. The vaccination program is simultaneously done in other local government units in Metro Manila and selected government hospitals. PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

19 vaccination program was very successful. Everyone celebrated),” he said. The Sinovac-made vaccine was the third vaccine brand to secure an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Philippines’ FDA, following Pfizer and AstraZeneca. Meanwhile, Philippine vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. announced that the delivery of the AstraZeneca vaccines has been delayed. “The AstraZeneca was delayed because of global acute shortages and logistical challenges,” he said Monday. Meanwhile, COVID-19 jabs from Pfizer would arrive by the second quarter of the year. “What we are seeing is maybe

by second quarter for Pfizer from COVAX,” said Galvez. “But not on the procurement as they are saying initially by third or fourth quarter as they no longer have supplies,” he added. On January 20, the Philippines received confirmation of the country’s participation in the COVAX distribution of vaccines for an early rollout. The World Health Organization-led COVAX facility is a global platform that aims to ensure fair and equitable access to COVID19 vaccines for all countries. The Philippines is aiming to vaccinate 50 to 70 million Filipinos in 2021, with up to 200,000 individuals receiving jabs every day. n

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Dateline USa

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • mARCh 5-11, 2021

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Garcia: ‘Dream fight’ vs Pacquiao not happening by Niel

Victor Masoy ManilaTimes.net

RELIGIOUS ITEMS. A vendor (left, seated) sells different kinds of religious items on the sidewalk in front of the Saint Jude Church Manila on Tuesday, February 23. Several vendors are allowed to sell their merchandise as long as they observe the health protocols such as wearing a face mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease. PNA photo by Rico H. Borja

GoFundMe launches #StopAsianHate... PAGE A1 vandalized in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo. Meanwhile, tax-deductible donations to the AAPI Community Fund will help organizations address” the urgent issues that face the AAPI community as well as broader, systemic problems.” “The recent attacks against the AAPI community have catalyzed a strong response among a diverse cross section of society. The feedback from those who want to effect change has been clear: what can I do, and where do I go? Working closely with Phillip Lim, and other leaders in the community — we knew we could help by doing what GoFundMe does best — connecting those who need help, with those who are willing and able to do so,” GoFundMe CMO Musa Tariq said in a statement. “Together, we can help those facing immediate needs in addition to organizations working to address long term, systemic issues.” In addition to designer Phillip Lim, supporters of the initiative include big names in fashion, media and entertainment, and sports. Among the Filipino American

leaders and personalities are Away co-founder Jen Rubio; journalist and immigration activist Jose Antonio Vargas; and actors Manny Jacinto and Joel De La Fuente. As of this writing, the GoFundMe, which was created on Tuesday, March 2, received $361,131 of its $500,000 goal in the first day. Individuals can also start their own GoFundMe for over a dozen identified AAPI organizations, such as Filipino Advocates for Justice, Asian Health Services, Asian Pacific Environmental Network, and Gold House. Beyond monetary aid, supporters are also encouraged to help amplify the messages. Stop AAPI Hate — an online reporting center started by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, Chinese for Affirmative Action and San Francisco State University’s Asian American Studies department — received over 2,808 firsthand accounts from March to December 2020 of anti-Asian hate ranging from shunning to physical attacks. In recent weeks, several incidents involving older Asian Ameri-

What Biden’s US Citizenship Actof 2021 will do for... PAGE A1

cruel,” Menendez said in a virtual press conference unveiling the bill. “Trump assailed DREAMERS and [Temporary Protected Status] holders to strip their legal status. He slashed legal channels of immigration into our country. He stole from our military to pour billions into an ineffective border wall. And instead of addressing the root causes of migration, he cut off aid to Central America.” As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the sweeping immigration bill seeks to address the many facets of immigration policy from improving border security technology and expanding the asylum program to protecting employee-based immigration and creating an eight-year fasttrack to citizenship for about 11 million undocumented people. The bill also includes the Reuniting Families Act, which addresses the exorbitant backlog in granting visas through familybased and employment-based programs. Chinese American U.S. Rep. Judy Chu (D-C.A.) first introduced the measure in 2019 and seeks to strengthen and modernize family-based petitioning, the most common way that Asian immigrants reunite with their families in the U.S. According to John Yang, executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, about 70% of Asians who migrate to the United States opt for family-based immigration and have done so since the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which established family-based immigration. However, since family-based visa caps have not risen since 1990, leading to an extreme backlog in processing these visas for the exponentially growing Asian community in the U.S. Currently, there are 1.7 undocumented Asian immigrants living in the U.S., many of whom are frontline workers in the health, food and emergency industries, Yang pointed out. “The importance of immigration policy for Asian Americans — and for Americans as a whole — cannot be understated,” Yang said at a press briefing on Feb. 24, referencing census data that projects that Asian Americans will make up the largest community of immigrants in the U.S. by 2055. Currently, there are about 4 million immigrants stuck in these backlogs; additionally, more than 1 million with H1-B visas are “stuck in temporary status,” Yang said. Based on current patterns of immigration, about 40% of immigrants hail from Asia and about two-thirds of Asians and

Asian Americans are immigrants. About 90% are either immigrants or children of immigrants. Yet, immigrants from the Philippines are among the groups that have the longest wait times for processing, along with those from Mexico, China, India and Vietnam, Yang said. The Trump administration — among its many restrictive immigration policies and practices — included gutting family-based petitioning in favor of more merit-based employment visas, the beneficiaries of which the administration saw as more of a priority. A majority of immigrants from Asia who are able to come to the U.S. on employment-based visas come from the tech and telecommunications space, but according to Chu, prioritizing one immigration program over another puts families at risk because it narrowly favors individuals who possess certain education and employment credentials over others. “Prioritizing merit-based or employment-based visas at the expense of family-based visas is counterproductive,” Chu said at the press conference. “In reality, family and employment visas are linked; people with high skills also have families and they are motivated to come to the U.S. if they can also bring their families. Immigrants on familybased visas contribute greatly to the economy, they go on to start businesses and create jobs and only allowing certain people with higher education would put other industries at a disadvantage.” Though in the past certain immigration reform bills have garnered bipartisan support, the likelihood of the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 passing nervously hangs in the balance as Democrats hold thin majorities in both chambers of Congress. The bill would require at least 10 Republican votes to bypass a Senate filibuster and advance the bill to a final vote. But Republicans have criticized the bill for being too lax on border security and argue that the broad pathway to citizenship will encourage illegal immigration. Upon the first introduction of the bill, both Sanchez and Menendez said that there will be a possibility of alternative approaches to ensure the bill has bipartisan support. “We are pursuing an ‘all of the above strategy,” Sanchez told reporters in February. “All options are on the table, and we hope to pass robust immigration reform, but there are other great immigration bills that we also will be taking up and hopefully passing as well.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

cans have come to light, including the death of Vicha Ratanapakdee, an 84-year-old Thai immigrant, who was fatally shoved to the ground while out on his morning walk in San Francisco. “These hate crimes are up by 1,900% and are a symptom of a larger issue rooted in systemic racism. It is a direct result of the xenophobia and colonialism that has existed in America for decades,” Lim said. Individuals who have experienced an incident can go to the Stop AAPI Hate website (stopaapihate.org) and file a report in English or an Asian language, including Tagalog. n

RYAN Garcia said his “dream fight” against Filipino boxing Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao will not be realized anymore or, at least, in the near future. “To all my fans and supporters, my fight with Manny Pacquiao is not happening right now,” captioned Garcia on an Instagram post on Tuesday, March 2. “I tried my best after getting the call to fight him, but it didn’t happen due to some issues,” added the American. Garcia, the current World Boxing Council interim lightweight champion, said he’s already preparing for his next fight. “I didn’t expect [it] to come up, but I’m already working on the next fight. Thank you for all the support,” he continued. In January, the 22-year-old teased fans by posting on Instagram a mock-up poster of him and eight-division world champion Pacquiao, dubbing it as a “dream fight.” Garcia continued posting about the “dream fight,” saying that it would be a real fight with all the records on the line and that he eyed knocking Pacquiao out. Last February, however, Golden Boy Promotions President Eric Gomez announced that the Garcia-Pacquiao fight wouldn’t happen anymore, saying that he didn’t see any possibilities of the fight push-

Ryan Garcia and Philippine Senator Manny Pacquiao Photo from Instagram/@mannypacquiao

ing through. Meanwhile, the 42-year-old fighting senator announced three weeks ago that he had already begun training for his next fight. “Training camp has begun.

I’m ready to get back in the ring and to further add to my legacy in the sport of boxing. Big news [is] coming soon. Paradigm Sports. Audie Attar,” posted Pacquiao on Twitter. n

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march 5-11, 2021 • NOrcaL aSIaN JOUrNaL

Dateline USa

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

‘Dedicated to her work’: Pinay nurse dies of COVID-19 in SoCal by cHristiNa

M. oriel

AJPress

CLEARING POWER LINES. A lineman prunes tree branches that caused a short circuit along Congressional Avenue in Barangay Salitran 3, Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Tuesday, March 2. Energy officials remind local authorities to help promote public safety and protect the reliability of transmission and distribution facilities. PNA photo by Gil Calinga

Duterte: Sara won’t run for presidency... PAGE A1

if it’s meant to be. “She used my favorite statement. Sabi niya, kung gusto rin ng Diyos maging presidente ako kagaya ng sa iyo, magiging presidente ako. Hindi kailangan ngayon (She said, if God wants me to be president like you, I’ll be president. It doesn’t need to happen now),” Duterte recounted. Duterte also said that Sara would have limited options after her term ends if she runs for president and wins in 2022. “Ayaw niya ngayon. Sabi niya, kung magpresidente siya, just assuming, assuming after six years, bata pa siya, anong gawin niya? (She doesn’t want it now. She said, if she becomes president, just assuming, assuming after six years, she’d still be young, what

would she do?)” he said. “As an ex-president, hindi siya makatrabaho, hindi siya makaappear ng korte. Eh presidente ka na eh (As an ex-president, she won’t get to have another job, she can’t appear before court. She already became president),” he added. According to him, the salary of the president isn’t even big. “At sabi ko mabuti sana kung maganda yung suweldo, makapag-ipon siya. Pero wala ka namang ambisyon. Diyan ka lang, trabaho (And I said, it’s good if it pays well, she’d be able to save. But since you don’t have any ambitions. Just stay there, just work),” said Duterte. In January, Duterte said he advised his daughter against running for the presidency in 2022,

claiming that women are not fit for the top government post. “My daughter, inuudyok man nila. Sabi ko, ‘My daughter is not running.’ I have told Inday not to run kasi naaawa ako sa dadaanan niya na dinaanan ko. Hindi ito pambabae (My daughter, they are urging her [to run for president in 2022]. I said my daughter is not running. I have told Inday not to run because I take pity if she goes through what I went through. It’s not for women),” he said. “Alam mo, the emotional setup of a woman and a man is totally different. Maging gago ka dito. That is the sad story (You know, the emotional set-up of a woman and a man is totally different. You will become a fool here. That is the sad story),” the chief executive added. ■

“A Taste of History”

A FILIPINA mother of two sons from Whittier, California has died from COVID-19 after working on the frontlines as a licensed vocational nurse. Rowena “Wendy” Miguel, 53, died on January 10, three weeks after testing positive for COVID19. She was employed at Kindred Hospital in La Mirada, California for nearly five years, and worked a second job, also as an LVN, at nearby Imperial Convalescent Hospital. “She was dedicated to her work and really took care of her patients. During a ceremony for her, her co-workers remembered how she was a hard worker and how she was precise about everything,” her 22-year-old son, Ken Miguel, told the Asian Journal. Miguel, who was from Candelaria, Philippines, began her nursing career in her home country. “This was my mom’s way to pay my grandma back for the hard work she’s done. That’s why she became a nurse because it was a gateway to a good life,” Ken said. She and her family moved to Southern California in 2006 and she landed her first job as an LVN two years later at La Habra Convalescent Hospital, where she worked before joining Kindred Hospital. Two weeks before Christmas, Miguel experienced symptoms,

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Miguel (center) is survived by her husband Dodjie and sons Ken and Kyle. Photos courtesy of Ken Miguel

such as chills and a high fever, before she was taken to Kaiser Permanente in Downey, where she was hooked up to an oxygen machine to help with breathing. She later tested positive for COVID-19. Miguel was discharged from the hospital and recuperated from home for the next week, while her family kept their distance, until the evening of December 23 when she had an accident in the bathroom and couldn’t stand up. Her husband Dodjie and son Ken carried her into the car and brought her back to the hospital, where she was admitted to the intensive care unit and was hooked up to a ventilator. She was later transferred to Kaiser Permanente in Woodland Hills and showed signs of improvement. Despite their mother not being home for Christmas, the family still opened presents and kept in touch with her through FaceTime each day she was in the hospital. “It was kind of weird, but it was the best thing that we could do. She was there in spirit even though she was at the hospital,” Ken said. After the holiday, Ken and his father, Dodjie, started experiencing symptoms like the loss of taste and smell and fatigue. They tested positive for COVID-19 and recovered in about 10 days. On the morning of January 8, they were notified that Miguel had gone into cardiac arrest. Her family rushed to the hospital, which is over an hour drive from their house in Whittier, to be by her side. “We basically had two choices. It was try to revive her at risk of hurting her even more or let her pass away,” Ken recounted,

pushing for his mom to be revived. “But [the doctor] told us that even if my mom were to recover from this, and the chances would be super low, she would be in a vegetative state.” Two days later, in the early morning of January 10, the family received a call that Miguel had died. Forty days after her passing, her family had a private viewing ceremony before she was cremated. Ken set up a GoFundMe page to help the family with expenses. “It would really help me support my family and it would really help to pay off my mom’s debts,” he said. Miguel worked two jobs and rarely had days off, but whenever she had free time, she would study to be a registered nurse. She is also remembered for her love of shopping and sewing clothes. “During our last conversation before she passed away, she said, ‘Study hard and become a nurse.’ I’ve latched onto how caring she is and I’m going to hold onto that forever,” Ken said. In addition to her husband and eldest son, Miguel leaves behind a 14-year-old son named Kyle. Though vaccinations against COVID-19 are a step toward curbing the pandemic, the grim toll of over 500,000 deaths in the United States serves as a reminder that it is not over. “When the pandemic first started, I didn’t think it was going to personally affect me the way that it did,” Ken said. “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is always cherish your loved ones because you don’t what’s going to happen.” ■

California’s $6.6 billion school re-opening plan prioritizes...

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PAGE A1 classrooms, and provide Personal Protective Equipment for three months. The state is also set to receive $8 billion in federal funding to re-open schools, and may receive additional funding in the proposed $1.9 trillion COVID relief package. Schools are set to re-open even in the state’s most-restrictive purple tier. Schools will likely operate over summer to catch students up with coursework missed during the year of remote learning. “We cannot re-open the state’s economy until you safely re-open schools,” said Newsom, noting that positive testing rates have dropped to 2.4%, from a high of over 9% at the start of the year. Hospitalization and intensive care unit admissions have also dropped by 41%. More than 9 million people in California have received at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine — which requires two doses for full efficacy — and more people are expected to be vaccinated as the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, which only requires one shot and was approved Feb. 27, rolls out. For school personnel, 75,000 doses of the vaccine have been set aside. Additionally, the state will run a mega-vaccination event only for school personnel on March 4 and 5, using FEMA super-sites. The plan was unveiled after weeks of negotiations with the state’s teacher’s unions, the governor’s office, and members of the state Legislature. Late last year, Newsom had released his ‘Safe Schools For All’ plan, which was thrashed by

the state’s teachers’ unions and state legislators. Sen. Richard Pan, a Democrat who chairs the state Senate’s health committee, said the plan represented a deep compromise between the Legislature and the Governor’s office. “As a pediatrician, I know that kids are suffering anxiety, depression, and isolation.” “We need to make up for delays and keep our students on track, but we also know that our teachers are concerned about family members who may be at greater risk of exposure (to COVID),” he said, during a press briefing at Franklin Elementary School in the Elk Grove Unified School District. Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon also attended the briefing along with members of the state Legislature. AB 86 and SB 86, which formalize the plan, are set for a vote March 4. At press time, the California School Employees Association had not released a statement on the plan. The California Teachers Association released a statement Feb. 23, noting that the state Legislature had heeded its recommendations. “Vaccinating teachers and education support professionals, coupled with the multi-layered safety protocols, including testing, Personal Protective Equipment, six-feet social distancing, sanitization, proper ventilation, testing and contact tracing are all key to protecting students and their families as well as educators and school staff,” said CTA President E. Toby Boyd. (Sunita Sohrabji/Ethnic Media Services contributing editor)

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Anti-terrorism law debates weigh state interest vs freedom of expression by Kristine Joy

Philstar.com

Patag

MANILA — Petitioners have come to the Supreme Court to assail the anti-terrorism law that they said infringe on the people’s freedom of expression, among other rights, but a magistrate asked: How about the State’s interest? In the resumption of the oral arguments on the Anti-Terrorism Act petitions on Tuesday, March 2, Associate Justice Mario Lopez asked University of the Philippines Constitutional law professor John Molo this. Lopez, a known expert on criminal law, pointed out that there are 14 titles under the Revised Penal Code, which explains the nature of the crime. He asked Molo: Now, in facial challenge petitions what are the nature of the crimes involved? Facial challenges, or a petition contending the the law is unconstitutional on its face, were mounted in the 2014 case of Imbong vs Ochoa on the Reproductive Health law and in the landmark 2014 case of Disini vs Secretary of Justice on the Cybercrime Prevention Act. In the Imbong case, Lopez said that since falsification is involved, it would fall under crimes against public interest and if it involves abortion, than it would be crime against a person. In Disini, it may fall as a crime against public order but more specifically, it involves a crime against public interest, the justice said, since social media is involved, it would cover the interest of the public. “So you are saying that [Imbong] and Disini, these cases are applicable to the Anti-Terrorism Act? The void for vagueness rule, because if involves freedom of expression?” Lopez asked. Molo added: The ATA covers the fundamental rights of the people too. In the separate interpellation of Justice Samuel Gaerlan of UP Criminal law professor Theodore Te, the former asked whether he would place free-

dom of expression above the freedom to peace, safety and security. Te said that the SC itself had said that freedom of expression occupies a preferential right. He added that when a law transgresses on the face of freedom of expression, the state bears the burden to prove that the law is constitutional. Strict scrutiny test As the tense interpellation of Lopez continued, the justice pressed Molo: What is the nature of the crime involved in anti-terrorism law? That would be crimes against national security, the justice said, and in the SC jurisprudence, “never did we use that void for vagueness use in crimes involving national security.” “Since this involves a crime against national security, it is more than the fundamental rights why because what is affected in crimes against national security is not only the people’s right… what is involved is the right of the people the state’s rights to its sovereignty, to its government and that of its territory,” Lopez said. “In other words, here, speaking of crimes against national security, the main issue is not the presence of that right of freedom of expression but rather the compelling state interest to justify that freedom of expression that you are now invoking before this court,” he added. But Molo raised that when compelling state interest is involved, narrow tailoring should be considered. This is part of the strict scrutiny test, which applies when the challenged law results in “suspect classification.” “To pass strict scrutiny, the government must actively show that the classification established in the law is justified by a compelling governmental interest and the means chosen by the State to effectuate its purpose must be narrowly tailored to the achievement of that goal,” former Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro’s Separate Opinion in Garcia vs

Drilon read. But Lopez pushed that there is national state security involved in the ATA, and there may be a “higher level of scrutiny more than strict scrutiny test.” Molo stressed that under strict scrutiny, the state is put under test especially when it chose unconstitutional means. He tried to elaborate but Lopez cut him and just told him that he would be given a chance to rebut. Not, as it turned out, in the oral arguments, but in a written memorandum they will file after the debates. “Professor, dakdak ka naman nang dakdak (you keep on chattering), mamaya in-anticipate mo na naman lahat ng sinasabi ko eh (you’re trying to anticipate what I’ll say). If you disgharee, I will give you a chance and this is your chance after I have said everything). File your memorandum to that effect after the solicitor general said his piece. Hindi tayo matatapos (We will not finish) if I let you talk and talk. Tama? Thank you, professor,” the justice said. Lopez went on: “’Yun lang ang gusto kong sabihin, yung point ng husgado iniintindi namin kayo, eh yung pagkaintindi naming, ibigay nyo rin sa amin, so kung ano ang pagkaintindi nyo sa batas and we cannot take those things here in the oral arguments because we have a limited time.” (That’s the only thing that I want to say, the point of justices. We are trying to understand you, then you must also give us our understanding. So, however, you understand the law, we cannot take those things here in the oral arguments because we have a limited time.) The oral arguments wrapped up past 6 p.m., after more than four hours of interpellation of the petitioners. Lopez took nearly an hour of Tuesday’s session. Oral debates will continue on March 9, with Solicitor General Jose Calida set to present the government’s defense. n

20 million register for national ID system by Louise

maureen Philstar.com

simeon

MANILA — More than 20 million Filipinos have pre-registered for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) and the government is eyeing to reach 70 million citizens. Project implementer Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Monday, March 1 said a total of 20.133 million Filipinos completed the first step of registration for the national ID system. This involves the house-to-

house collection of demographic information of low-income households and appointment setting for the second step. The PSA started the pre-registration in October in 32 provinces considered low-risk areas for COVID-19. Statistician Dennis Mapa said the PSA is targeting to register 70 million Filipinos by yearend. Target registrants include vulnerable groups identified by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerg-

ing Infectious Diseases such as health workers, senior citizens, indigents and uniformed personnel. Mapa said operations for the second step continue to roll out on a gradual, small-scale basis in all 32 provinces. This involves validation of supporting documents and capture of biometric information such as fingerprints and iris scans in registration centers. The third and final step involves the issuance of the PhilSys number and ID. n

Senator seeks tougher law vs sexual abuse by Bernadette

tamayo ManilaTimes.net

SENATOR Ana Theresia Hontiveros has sought a law that will further protect children from online sexual abuse and exploitation. The senator recently filed Senate Bill (SB) 2068, or the proposed “Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (Anti-Osaec) Law,” to strengthen the protection of children against online sexual abuse and exploitation. “Due to [apparent] negligence [of concerned authorities], the Philippines has become a global

hotspot for Osaec,” Hontiveros lamented. “Our women and youth have long become victims [of online sexual exploitation]. The social media and internet worsened it,” she said. According to the International Justice Mission, 86 percent of victims of online sexual exploitation of children were female while 14 percent were male. “Even before the rise of technological advances, our country has been a destination for sexual offenders, who would target or manipulate women and children, especially those from impoverished areas,” the senator said.

SB 2068 amends the AntiChild Pornography Act of 2009 and the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009, as these laws “do not capture the extraordinary features of Osaec and these are not responsive to the protection needed by using the internet,” she explained. The bill seeks to penalize those who willfully subscribe to, join or support an internet address that hosts Osaec content; those who hire, employ or pay a facilitator to stream sexual abuse of children; and those who knowingly benefit from the commission of Osaec, among many others. n

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MARCH 5-11, 2021 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPiniOn

FeatURes

Body cameras

LONG before the COVID pandemic, agencies involved in the campaign against illegal drugs had been talking about the procurement of body cameras for use by their operatives. The devices are meant to promote transparency amid criticism of the brutal way the war on drugs has been carried out. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency procured 100 body cameras together with 20 aerial surveillance drones back in 2018. PDEA agents underwent training in May of that year on the use of the equipment. Media workers accompanying PDEA teams during operations were also required to use body cameras. Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police procured 2,696 body cameras, to be used for all its operations and not just against illegal drugs. Training on the use of the cameras began only last Friday, involving members of the National Capital Region Police Office. The waterproof camera can record video for up to eight hours. Its configuration cannot be altered and it cannot be switched off by the police officer until his or her duty ends. It’s unfortunate that neither the PDEA nor the PNP considered using the body cameras for the

anti-drug operation that resulted in a shootout between members of the two agencies in a fast-food outlet last week in Quezon City. Two policemen, a PDEA operative and a civilian allegedly serving as an informant were killed in the shootout that is now the subject of a probe by the National Bureau of Investigation. Instead of body camera footage, what investigators have are video or photos of the shootout and its aftermath, taken by bystanders, by civilians caught in the crossfire, and by the Quezon City police officers who staged the drug sting. The use of body cameras would have made the search for the truth over what happened easier. Thousands of the cameras are now available for use. Both the police and PDEA should be reminded that the cameras are supposed to be used for law enforcement rather than for taking selfies. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Spring forward: Vaccine supply for every adult in the US by end of May The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS SPRING comes early with great news that brings us closer to our collective aspiration to defeat COVID-19, so we can go back toward “normalcy” and rebuild our lives and our nation. President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday, March 2 that the United States will have the vaccine supply we need to cover ALL adults in the country by the end of May, which brings us two months ahead of his previously announced target to vaccinate almost all Americans by the end of July. In a televised message, Biden broke the news that two competing companies in the fields of health care and pharmaceuticals — Johnson and Johnson and Merck — have joined together to help produce more of the Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccine that was authorized for emergency use over the week-

end. As CBS News reported, “Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine has been shown to provide 85% protection against severe COVID-19 by 28 days after vaccination. Among people who got the vaccine in clinical trials, there were no COVID-related deaths.” This vaccine will augment the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna that were approved earlier. This has been made possible by having a true leader who uses the power of the Office of the President of the United States and the National Defense Production Act to truly help the lives of people to defeat COVID19. Biden announced in his televised message that he will use the act to accelerate the production of equipment, machinery and supplies. This will also help fulfill the aspiration “to get the country’s public school system back up and running for in-person learning nearly 10 months after the coronavirus pandemic shuttered classrooms for 50 million children,” one of Biden’s initiatives on Day One of his presidency, U.S. News reported.

On Biden’s first full day in office, the administration rolled out a plan which stated: ”The United States is committed to ensuring that students and educators are able to resume safe, in-person learning as quickly as possible, with the goal of getting a majority of K-8 schools safely open in 100 days. Biden’s executive order gave the Education Department and Department of Health and Humans Services with the mandate “to provide guidance on how to reopen safely for inperson learning and operate in a way that allows schools to stay open”. This collaboration would “produce a Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse to share lessons learned from across the country,” U.S. News further reported. Tuesday’s announcement by the president is a step toward this direction. Biden is asking states to prioritize vaccinating not only essential workers, but also “teachers, childcare workers and school staff through the administration’s partnership with pharmacies, although the president cannot make states

prioritize educators. Mr. Biden said he wants all such educators and support staff to have at least one vaccine shot by the end of March,” CBS News reported. The president has warned in January that in this war against the pandemic, the situation” could go worse before it gets better.” However, the “war time effort” of the Biden administration gives us much to be hopeful about. We have been seeing positive developments that indicate we can go back to “normalcy” if we ALL work together and do our share of responsibility, especially in light of the new variants we have yet to know more about. Given the generally downward trend in new cases, hospitalization and deaths, many states, including California, have downgraded their restrictions based on science and data. However, Biden urges Americans in his speech to continue abiding by safety measures of wearing masks, physical distancing, avoiding crowds and practicing hygiene like washing our hands, using sanitizers to mitigate the spread of the virus. While getting vaccinated pro-

GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM AFTER one of the most challenging years of our lives, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel—the COVID-19 vaccines are here, and my administration is working to ensure that no community is left behind. The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. They are our best hope to end the pandemic. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is free, even if you’re undocumented or don’t have health insurance. After the federal government authorized the use of the vaccines back in December, our own Western States Scientific Safety Review Group confirmed that the vaccines are safe. The Panel includes nationally acclaimed scientists, many from California, with expertise in public health. Although supplies of the vaccine are limited right now, we’re working in close partnership with the federal government to get more vaccines into the state. And we’re working hard to build a system for swiftly and safely vaccinating Californians with equity at the forefront. While supply of vaccine is constrained, we’re prioritizing vaccines for the Californians most at risk--including healthcare workers, individuals 65 and older, and

workers in education and childcare, emergency services and food and agriculture. That means grocery store workers, restaurant workers, farmworkers, those who work in food processing facilities and many others may now be prioritized. And we’re working to ensure that the communities most impacted by COVID-19--so often the communities of color and essential workers who have been sustaining us through this crisis-can access the vaccine. We’re investing in communitybased organizations and partnering with trusted messengers who have been providing critical services and information to California’s diverse communities during the pandemic so that they can help educate, motivate and activate people to get vaccinated when it’s their turn. We’re also building messaging through a public education campaign, creating in-language content with cultural humility and meeting Californians where they are—literally, through the mobile vaccination sites that have deployed throughout the state to community centers, places of worship and health clinics. Vaccination sites are being set up throughout the state, and we’re working closely with community partners to make sure that vaccines are distributed to those who have been hit the hardest by this virus. You may see people in uniform or police protecting vaccine sites. They are here to help Californians get vaccinated and are not immigration officials. The federal government, under

President Biden, has confirmed that they will not conduct immigration enforcement operations at or near vaccine sites or clinics. You should not be asked about your immigration status when you get a COVID-19 vaccine. Also, your medical information is private and cannot be shared with immigration officials. And, vaccinations do not count under the public charge rule. All Californians can sign up on myturn.ca.gov to be notified when they are eligible for a vaccine. Eligible individuals in several counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno and San Francisco, can also use My Turn to schedule an appointment, with more counties expected to begin using My Turn for scheduling in the coming weeks. My Turn is also accessible via a toll-free hotline at 1-833-4224255. Operators speak English and Spanish, and third-party interpretation is also available in 250+ languages. You can also ask your physician or your pharmacy about scheduling an appointment. After you’ve been vaccinated, it’s still important to wear a mask, wash your hands often and continue to stay six feet apart to protect others in your community who have not yet been vaccinated. I encourage every Californian to get vaccinated as soon as it’s your turn. Together, we can end the pandemic. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

wear masks to prevent disease and prevent the spread of those variants which could then mutate further causing even more infections.” If you have family and friends in Texas and Mississippi, or have family members who, because of financial priorities and because of defiance of science and facts, hastily go back to pre-COVID days, urge them to continue wearing masks, practice physical distancing, avoid crowds, wash their hands and get vaccinated. This is all for their own safety and for the greater good so we can all go back to “normalcy” faster. Finally, call your senators to vote for the passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that the House of Representatives just passed. Biden said in his message: “Now’s not the time to let our guard down, people’s lives are at stake. We have already, and I carry this in my pocket, lost more… As of today, we’ve lost more than 511,839 Americans, as of today. It’s got to stop. We need the United States Senate to follow the House and pass the

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Put more czars on the job

A shot in the arm against COVID-19 On the Record

tects us at best or at least prevents us from having deadly symptoms, we still need to practice these safety measures, especially wearing masks. Gregory Poland, M.D., a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group, explains three important reasons to wear masks and practice all safety measures: “Number one, while the vaccine reduces your risk, it does not eliminate the risk of being exposed to having the disease and asymptomatically transmitting the virus to others,” says Dr. Poland. “Remember that even the best of these vaccines is about 90%–95% effective, meaning, you might still have a 1 in 10 or 1 in 20 chance of being exposed and getting the disease. So the mask is protecting you.” The third reason is related to these new mutant variants and other variants still to come. “The vaccine might protect you against death, but maybe your protection against disease ends up being about 50%– 60%,” says Dr. Poland. “If that’s true, then we still want to

Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA MY favorite anecdote about “improving operations efficiency” is that one about the kid who overheard his engineer father tell his assistants to “put more men on the job” in order to fast-track an infrastructure project. The kid, being an only child, also wanted his parents to give him a baby brother. When his father replied that it would take a while to do so, the kid suggested, “Why not put more men on the job?” While I realize that the subject is no joking matter, the fact that the Philippines has lagged behind the other ASEAN nations in acquiring COVID-19 vaccines reminds me of that anecdote – because it appears that President Rodrigo Duterte’s solution to the problem is, in effect, to put more officials on the job. Duterte has appointed five “czars” to deal with the coronavirus crisis. No kidding! Last July 13, 2020 – over half a year ago – the Philippine Daily Inquirer ran this headline: “Palace names ‘PH anti-covid czars’”. The news item read: “MANILA, Philippines — Five months since the Philippines recorded its first coronavirus case, Malacañang on Monday introduced the country’s

anti-coronavirus czars who would spearhead the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” At that time, Duterte designated four senior officials to address specific aspects of the antipandemic effort: Public Works Secretary Mark Villar as “Chief Location Czar,” to take charge of “overseeing the country’s quarantine facilities;” Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as “Chief Tracing Czar;” to handle contact tracing; Vince Dizon, president of the Bases Conversion Authority as ”Testing Czar;” and Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega as “Treatment Czar.” Then, in November last year, Duterte added a fifth czar: retired Philippine Army General and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Carlito Galvez, as “Vaccine Czar,” apparently in anticipation of the availability of COVID-19 vaccines. Don’t be surprised if Duterte adds a sixth Czar – an Inoculation Implementation Czar – to guarantee the efficient conduct of the vaccination process. You see, this January, Manila City Mayor Isko Domagoso organized what the media described as a “mock inoculation” exercise, with the mayor – who prefers to be called Yorme – simulating a vaccination. It was a dress rehearsal of sorts, in preparation for the arrival of the first shipment of the vaccine. President Duterte will probably want to carry the title of Czar-in-Chief, unless he decides to give his presidential wannabe daughter, Sara Duterte, the title

of Czarina (no truth to the rumor that the title could be conferred on presidential spokesman Harry Roque). Using the title of “czar” is one way of giving due importance to the various “critical aspects” of solving the coronavirus crisis (not to mention the need to rationalize the extra emoluments, as well as the new budgets for personnel, office quarters, equipment and official vehicles). But why use the title, “Czar”? Why not a Chinese title like Kabisi, since the Duterte government reportedly prefers to acquire the Chinese-made vaccine, Sinovac? Does this suggest a secret Russian leaning on the part of the president? (Didn’t we always wonder why Duterte’s language has been loaded with such expressions as Putin-Ina?) At any rate, with their functions delineated and their titles properly conferred, one would expect the czars to get to work and deliver results. Wellll…. they have – in a way. After all, it’s hard work batting out press releases on their important appointments. Besides, there are important preliminary steps to be taken. We can only guess what these are (accuracy not guaranteed). First of all, there is the all-important oath taking ceremony to be officiated by the president himself, and then a solemn induction of all key personnel and staffers – the undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and the secretaries of the assistant secretar-

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Four of 10 Filipino students lack distance learning tech by Helen

Flores

Philstar.com

MANILA — About four in 10 Filipino students do not have any devices needed for distance learning, according to a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). The poll, taken from Nov. 21 to 25 last year, found only 58% of enrolled school-age – five- to 20-year-old – Filipinos who are using devices for distance learning. These devices were already owned (27%), bought (12%), borrowed (10%), given (nine%) or rented (0.3%), the SWS said. The remaining 42% said they do not use devices for distance learning. Among the 13% who bought or rented devices for distance learning, 79% got a smartphone, 13% got a desktop or laptop, five% got a TV and three% got a tablet. The use of devices for distance learning was highest in Metro Manila at 96%. It was followed by balance Luzon at 64%, the Visayas at 43% and Mindanao at 41%. The%age of those who use already owned devices was higher in Metro Manila and balance Luzon (36% and 30%) than in the Visayas and Mindanao (20% and 23%). Only four percent of students in Metro Manila said they do not use devices for distance learning, much lower compared to more than half in the Visayas (56%) and Mindanao (58%) and more than a third in balance Luzon (36%). SWS noted that the use of devices is more common among students in urban areas (67%) than among students in rural areas (49%). SWS said the question on the

means of acquiring devices for distance learning was directed to the household head. The use of devices for distance learning is positively correlated with the household head’s educational attainment, it added. The %age of those who use devices is highest among students whose household head is a college graduate at 74%. It was 67% among students whose household head has only some college education, 52% among students whose household head only has some junior high school and 35% among household whose household has some elementary education. The survey also showed that families that bought devices spent an average of P8,687 per student. The median amount is P6,800. The survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide. The Department of Education (DepEd) has implemented blended learning for the school year 2020-2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, senators are seeking the immediate launch of pilot tests of localized and limited face-to-face classes in low-risk areas to avert further learning losses and other adverse social, developmental and health costs linked to prolonged school closures. Sens. Sherwin Gatchalian, Nancy Binay, Francis Pangilinan, Grace Poe, Pia Cayetano, Joel Villanueva and Sonny Angara filed Senate Resolution No. 668, recommending that the pilot tests start in 1,065 public schools nationwide identified by DepEd in its risk assessment. The senators said the pilot

tests, which should follow the most stringent mitigation measures and health protocols, will help the DepEd gather on-theground evidence and design its framework for the safe reopening of schools. While studies abroad show that schools are not the source of COVID-19 outbreaks, Gatchalian cited the need to gather local evidence that will give reassurance to learners, parents and other stakeholders in the education sector. A global study of 191 countries, for instance, showed that there is no association between school status and COVID-19 infection rates in the community. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also emphasized that the return to in-person classes is possible as long as mitigation measures such as the wearing of face masks, physical distancing and increased room ventilation, among others, are observed. Despite DepEd’s efforts to foster learning continuity while face-to-face classes are still not allowed, the quality of distance learning is still hounded by challenges such as limited preparations for educators, parents and learners. Unreliable and expensive information and communications technology services are other gaps exposed in the rollout of blended learning. To prevent adult-to-adult transmission in schools, the senators also recommended the prioritization of teachers in the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Philippines is the only country in the East and Asia Pacific Region where schools have remained closed since March 2020. n

Spring forward: Vaccine supply for... PAGE A6 American Rescue Plan, because despite the optimism, without new resources, our entire effort will be set back. We need the resources, the American Rescue Plan, and we need it urgently. We need them expanding testing, ramp up vaccine distribution, fund FEMA and other federal vaccine efforts, and continue reimbursing states for their efforts. We need the resources

to expand genomic sequencing, to stay ahead of emerging variants, find the protective gear, transportation, staffing, and other costs required for school and businesses to open safely. We need to fund it. The bottom line is, we need the American Rescue Plan now, now.” *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of

the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** 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.

EXPRESS YOURSELF. PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY.

MASK UP. Wear a mask to help keep your community healthy. Take a risk with fashion, not your health. covid19.ca.gov

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WAY OF LIFE. A female vendor along Burgos Street in Manila sells a pack of five guavas for PHP30 on Tuesday, March 2, just enough to buy her family’s meals for the day. The photo shows how Filipinos try to cope each day, pandemic or not. PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

Put more czars on the job

PAGE A6 ies, as well as the department supervisors, section heads, and the confidential assistants of each of the czars. With that done, the Pandemic Czars would be ready to get some serious work done. Right? That’s exactly what the czars may be expected to do. But first, to ensure optimal coordination and to avoid duplication of key areas of accountability and responsibility, the czars must first hold a Coordination and Integration Summit (in the Philippines, a meeting of important high-ranking officials is always called a “Summit”). But prior to the summit, the czars and their retinue need to go on an Overseas Observacation and Tourientation Trip to critical coronavirus areas, like New York, Los Angeles, London, Brazil and South Africa. This is in order to learn “Best Practices” in combating the pandemic. Thus, when the czars stage the Summit, each one will be armed with a Comprehensive COVID-19 Battle Plan. Naturally, each czar has to hire foreign consultants and experts to help formulate the strategies. Needless to say, the individual strategy documents have to be presented to the president – but only after seeking the imprimatur of the Secretary of Health who, in turn, must get the approval of the Speaker of the House and the Senate President, with the endorsement of the House Committee on COVID-19 and its equivalent in the Senate – of

course, after thorough study and analysis by the respective SubCommittees on Testing, Isolation, Contact Tracing, Treatment and Vaccine Procurement (assuming only five czars, but then, there is the possibility of an Inoculation Implementation Czar, remember?). I guess these critical preparatory steps must be taken to ensure the effective and efficient execution of the anti-pandemic campaign – and understandably, these steps take time, which explains why up to now the Philippines has not brought in the vaccines. But better to be safe than sorry, di ba? What we cannot understand is why the Presidential Security Command couldn’t wait a year or two for the entire process to be consummated. We understand that the PSG went ahead and smuggled its own supply of vaccines from China. Last we heard, smuggling is illegal. but that doesn’t bother Duterte because of the need to protect the president. Indeed, it would have been more dangerous for the president’s security force to be the main reason for his health insecurity. Duterte’s special envoy to China, columnist Ramon Tulfo, recently admitted having been inoculated with a smuggled vaccine which he got from an unspecified source. But he himself had not participated in the smuggling. In fact, Tulfo wants to bring in the vaccines legally by becoming a Philippine distributor. He sees no conflict of interest in this. After

all, as the late Senate President Jose Avelino aptly put it, “What are we in power for?” In this regard, there are VIP Vaccinations for powerful and influential folks who are more entitled to survive the virus than the average Pinoy. Thus, Mang Juan, Aling Maria, Karyas and Kikay have to wait for the vaccines to become available for them in a year or two – that is, if they have the money to pay for the antidotes. There are other issues swirling around the Philippines’ determined effort to fight, conquer, eliminate and irrevocably vanquish the virus. Too many to cover in one column. Hopefully, COVID-19 will eventually be overcome. But there is a virus that may continue to gnaw at the guts of the poor people of the Philippines. Last February 25, the country observed the elimination of one such virus – but the virus has mutated in many ways. It may take more than five, six or even a dozen czars to eliminate that virus. In fact, before that happens, the Filipino people may develop “herd immunity” – which is another way of saying, “If you can’t beat the virus, then be a virus yourself!” *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** gregmacabenta@gmail.com

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INSIDE >>> L I F E S T Y L E • C O N S U M E R G U I D E • C O M M U N I T Y • M A R K E T P L A C E

The March 2021 Priority Dates Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ THE March 2021 priority dates, continue to provide great news for workers in the EB-3 (skilled/professional) and “other worker” (unskilled workers like caregivers). The priority dates for all countries (except India and China) are CURRENT! This includes the Philippines! This means visas are available, regardless of the person’s priority date. If a person is being petitioned by an employer, and their Form I-140 employment-based petition has been approved or is pending, they could possibly be eligible to file for adjustment of status and work authorization, assuming they are otherwise eligible for adjustment of status (i.e. no issues re maintaining status, no fraud/crimes, etc.) People with approved or pending I-140 petitions should see an attorney about their eligibility to file for adjustment, now that the priority dates for these employmentbased categories are current. Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment-based categories. A priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below. If your prior-

The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: FAMILY CATEGORY:

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

First Preference

Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)

October 22, 2012

January 08, 2012

Second Preference

(2A) Spouse and minor children (below 21 years old) of green card holders

February 2021

(2B) Unmarried sons and daughters (21 years old or older) of green card holders

April 15, 2012

August 15, 2011

Married sons and daughters of US Citizens

January 08, 2003

March 08, 2002

and sisters Fourth Preference Brothers of US Citizens

October 01, 2002

March 01, 2002

LABOR CERTIFICATION:

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

Third Preference

01, Current

Second Preference

Advanced Degree (Masters)

Current

Current

Third Preference

Professional/ Skilled Workers

Current

Current

Other Workers

Non-Skilled Workers

Current

Current

ity date was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted status in the U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 40 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”,

endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw, Twitter @GurfinkelLaw and YouTube: US Immigration TV Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

Mission to Mars: Fil-Am NASA engineers play key roles in Perseverance rover landing BY

CHrIsTInA M. orIel AnD rITCHel MenDIolA / AJPRESS

AFTER a seven-month-long journey, NASA’s Perseverance rover made its historic landing on Mars in mid-February, ushering in a new era of exploration and study on the red planet. Perseverance is touted as the “most advanced astrobiology laboratory ever sent to another world.” The mission was launched on July 30, 2020 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, and touched down in Jezero Crater on Mars on February 18, 2021 at 12:55 p.m. PST. The 2,263-pound robotic geologist and astrobiologist, which is roughly the size of a car, will undergo several weeks of testing before it begins its two-year science investigation of the Jezero Crater. Its primary aim is to study the rock and sediment of Jezero’s ancient lakebed and river delta to characterize the region’s geology and past climate. “This landing is one of those pivotal moments for NASA, the United States, and space exploration 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. Several Filipino Americans were among the thousands of brilliant minds who played integral roles in the momentous landing. They include Gregorio Villar III, an entry, descent, and landing (EDL) systems engineer, and Marianne Gonzalez, a chemical engineer. Both work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Gregorio Villar, an EDL engineer, was involved in assisting the safe landing of the rover. Photo courtesy of NASA

Marianne Gonzalez, a chemical engineer at NASA, was part of the team that built MOXIE, an oxygen measuring device inside the Perseverance Rover. Contributed photo

Gregorio Villar III The 33-year-old engineer has been with the space agency for over 12 years, working as an EDL systems engineer at JPL. His career highlights include directing a Mars parachute test campaign at the world’s largest wind tunnel, as well as leading a council of atmospheric scientists from institutions around the

world to characterize the Martian atmosphere. He also spent seven-and-a-half years building and testing a system that would land a car-sized rover on Mars. To add more to his list of achievements, Villar is also the head verification and validation engineer for the EDL phase of PAGE B4

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Gary V remains loyal to ABS-CBN

By Ferdie Villar DURING a recent contract signing, “Mr. Pure Energy” Gary Valenciano revealed why he has remained loyal to ABS-CBN, which has been his home network for the last 18 years. “Ganoon talaga ako when it comes to people who allow me to expand my wings, to soar, and ABS has done that,” the multiawarded recording artist said in a featured article in the Philippine Star. “Dahil sa kanila, maliban sa pagiging Kapamilya, they’ve also allowed me to reach so many more people with my involvement with, of course, ‘ASAP,’ ‘Your Face Sounds Familiar,’ ‘X-Factor,’ ‘World of Dance,’ ‘Tawag ng Tanghalan.’ To be able to reach more people is something that I am really so thankful for. That’s one big reason that I stayed loyal. They never lessened their support for me,” he added. And despite the fact that he has been in showbiz for a long time, he is thankful that the network still supports him. “Nagpapasalamat ako dahil naniniwala sila hanggang ngayon sa akin. You know, I’m not as young as I was and yet they are still there to support me. And because of them, I still have many who continue to support me,” he said.

Gary V revealed that during the initial dark days when the network lost its franchise, he sent words of encouragement via text. “Those days when all these lights were off and all the power was off, sometimes I would text the management that I would try with great difficulty to put in some words of encouragement. Pero ang masasabi ko lang ngayon sa ABS and everyone who are here, ‘pag si Lord ang gumalaw sa buhay natin at hinayaan natin s’ya ang gumalaw, when he plants talent in a place like ABS, no matter what happens, God is going to see through. He did not give us the ability to reach, to encourage, to uplift for no reason at all. May rason kung bakit Niya binigay ang lahat ng ito and so that’s my message now,” Gary revealed. The ultimate performer also believes that the network will be to see everything through with the Lord’s help. “Hindi natin alam ang kung anu-ano pang klaseng bagyo ang maaring harapin ng ABS. Not only ABS, but all the others who were somehow part of ABS. My only word is kahit anong mangyari, just like what we did during the darkest of times, let’s just always remember that He is with

Aljur Abrenica, a handsome singer and actor of GMA Pinoy TV, celebrates his birthday on Wednesday, March 24. Photo from Instagram.com/@ajabrenica

Gary Valenciano, one of the biggest stars in Philippine entertainment, has remained loyal to ABS-CBN, his home network for the last 18 years. He says he is thankful that the network still believes in him even though he is not young anymore. Philstar.com file photo

star’s Facebook account and YouTube channel and written about in an article in Inquirer. net, Megastar Sharon Cuneta revealed that she is able to remain positive up to this moment in her life because she makes a list of things that she is grateful for. “If you start out with gratefulness in the morning, it makes a big difference in your life. It really, really does. So what you do is list down in one column all your blessings and things that you’re thankful for – even if it’s just a good cup of coffee or a good breakfast that you had. Then, on the other side, you list down all your concerns,” she explained as quoted in the article. Also, choosing to stay positive even when the roof seems to be falling on your head and differentiating between problems and inconveniences can work wonders. “Not everything that’s upsetting you or making you worry is a problem. You have to learn how to differentiate between a problem and an inconvenience,” Sharon stated. Stating an example, Sharon elaborated: “When you woke up, you thought, ‘Oh my! I have work today. I have to go to the office and traffic will surely be heavy again. Those are inconveniences – maybe because you have to Rocco Nocino, a popular TV and movie actor, celebrates his birthday on Sunday, March 21. Photo from Instagram.com/@nacinorocco wake up early for work or trafus. He is not above us. He is not around us. He is with us, at least that’s where He wants to be and if that happens, malamang kahit minsan magiging mahirap ang pagsubok, we will rise above the storm, we dance in the storm, we will sing in the rain,” Gary V shared. *** In a recent question-and-answer portion of “The Sharon Cuneta Show” uploaded on the

Megastar Sharon Cuneta says she has remained positive through the years and despite the pandemic by continually making a list of things that she is grateful for. Inquirer.net file photo

fic is heavy. These are not problems. Real problems are things you have to deal with like bills to pay but you don’t know where to get the money from, especially during these times of COVID19. That’s not an unusual problem anymore. There are more and more people going through tough times so it’s best that you start out by being grateful.” “Sometimes, it just takes a long while and a lot of patience to resolve. That happened to me before,” she recalled. “For seven years, I had a substantial debt. After those years, I discovered that I had a property that doubled or tripled in value, and had I sold it earlier, I wouldn’t have earned as much from it. That was such a big help for me in paying some of my debt. I still have some, but it’s a lot smaller than before.” “So problems are like that,” she added. “If you choose to stay positive, even when life is hard, there are things that will surely make you happy.” According to Sharon, listening to happy music has its advantages (“something happens inside your brain and it changes your mood”), and even forcing yourself to smile when you don’t feel like it can change your outlook. As for advice to her fans, the Megastar has this to say: Focus on the good things happening in your life. It’s tempting to pity

yourself. I get into that; I know I have to snap out of it. I cry because I want to let it out, and then, I immediately make myself busy. If you don’t know how to start, just start. For example, I feel overwhelmed because there’s so much cleaning that’s needed to be done at home, I just start. Just do something. You’ll be surprised when you realize that you’ve already finished your chore. I read that somewhere and it worked for me. There’s nothing like starting off by being really thankful.” And looking back, Sharon revealed that she would tell her younger self to marry later despite the fact that it gave her a blessing – a child. “Although I was very happy when I found out that I was pregnant with KC; because we were secretly married and I was tired of hiding from my parents. I wouldn’t have hurried. I would’ve enjoyed my single-blessedness first for a long time. I would’ve traveled more,” Sharon said. “I don’t know if I would’ve had the chance to study abroad like the original plan was. I was supposed to go to finishing school in Switzerland but that didn’t push through because I started my movie career and I enjoy it. It made me happy and it turned out to be my calling,” the Megastar added.

Fil-Am actor Alec Mapa to join new ABC comedy series By Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

Alec Mapa

FILIPINO American actor Alec Mapa will star alongside Alec Baldwin and Kelsey Grammer in ABC’s newest multi-cam comedy series. The untitled series from “Modern Family” co-creator Chris Lloyd and executive producer Vali Chandrasekaran centers on three men who were roommates in their 20s until their egos drove them apart, according to Variety. The trio come together decades later in pursuit of the lives they’ve dreamt of. Mapa will play as Andre, an empathetic gay man who will help ease tensions between Channing (Baldwin) and London (Grammer) “while also seeking a romantic and professional

success that have so far eluded him,” Variety reported. Mapa, born to Filipino parents, was raised in San Francisco. He is known for starring in the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of “M. Butterfly.” He has appeared in various shows and films like “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan,” “Switched At Birth,” “Devious Maids,” “Ugly Betty,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Friends,” “Alias,” and “Half & Half.” He is currently starring in the HBO Max-DC series “Doom Patrol.” Lloyd and Chandrasekaran will executive produce the ABC comedy series with Baldwin, Grammer, Jason Schrift, Matt DelPiano, Tom Russo, Adam Griffin and Jeff Morton. 20th Television, part of Disney TV Studios, is the studio behind the project.

Ramar Foods’ premium brand Magnolia to launch new line of dimsum, BBQ meats RAMAR Foods’ premium brand, Magnolia, continues to grow with its new line of dim sum and bbq meats. The new line is available in the frozen aisle of various Asian grocery stores. The new line of dim sum and bbq meats will include a variety of Filipino household favorites: Siopao: Restaurant quality and Chinoy style steamed buns, in both pork and chicken asado. Siomai: Restaurant-sized Chinoy style pork and chicken dumplings. Sisig: Filipino stir-fried pork with chicken liver, perfect with freshly squeezed lemon. BBQ Skewers: BBQ Skewers in a Filipino-style marinade. Available in pork and chicken. The Philippines is distinguished as Asia’s melting pot with the uniqueness and variety of food. With the new launch, families in the diaspora will taste Filipino-style dim sum and bbq. Ramar Foods continues to nourish and provide frozen Filipino meat products with authentic flavors to families in the diaspora. Magnolia Siopao and Siomai are restaurant quality and size, with authentic Filipino flavors. “I would say that Filipino cuisine is greatly influenced by Chinese, but they made a twist to the recipes to make it more suitable to the Filipino palate,” said

Mary Jane Ali, a representative from Ramar Foods. “Philippine dim sum has a different flavor profile from Chinese dim sum.” Ramar Foods’ premium brand Magnolia will also be launching a new line of BBQ meats alongside the dim sum. Grilling Filipino BBQ meats is thought to bring families together to celebrate life and each other. Perfect for any family gathering, the Magnolia BBQ Skewers and

Sisig will be ready to cook. “One of my favorite products we sell. They are great for the game-day Sunday and always heavily requested by family & friends at the bbq,” said Brett Kuntz, a representative from Ramar Foods. Magnolia’s new line of dim sum and bbq meats is locally made in Pittsburg, CA, and is available in the frozen section of various Asian grocery stores.

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Filipino avant-garde designer Rocky Gathercole, known for dressing Hollywood stars, dies unexpectedly by

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AJPress

ROCKY Gathercole, a celebrated Filipino avant-garde designer who dressed Hollywood celebrities from Lady Gaga to Jennifer Lopez, died unexpectedly at the age of 54. Gathercole was found unconscious at his Quezon City home on Wednesday, March 3, ABSCBN News reported. A cause of death has not been revealed as of this writing. In a 2016 interview with the Asian Journal, the designer recounted his humble beginnings when he left home at 14, resorting to taking refuge at the foot of the Quezon Bridge in Quiapo and supporting himself by working various jobs. He sold tapsilog on a kariton (push cart) along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. His “dream” at the time was to be a janitor at an SM mall but the job required a high school diploma. He instead waited tables at a Makati restaurant and would sketch designs during his free time. Gathercole received a job opportunity in Saudi Arabia, where his employer encouraged him to become a designer. “There were other Filipino designers who taught me things like how to bead and cut [fabric]. That was for two months and the rest is history. I went to Dubai and that’s where the idea enhanced that I wanted to really be a designer,” he told the Asian Journal. Gathercole spent over two decades in the Middle East, opening up a shop in Dubai, where he primarily designed wedding dresses and formal couture gowns for women. It was his artful, over-the-top designs — which include edgy bodysuits and gaudy headpieces — that caught the attention of Hollywood A-listers. “I could do the weird things and at the same time, I could do the very simple and elegant wedding dresses. In the Middle East, my line was wedding dresses. I

Rocky Gathercole was an avant-garde designer who dressed celebrities from Lady Gaga to Jennifer Lopez. Photos courtesy of Rocky Gathercole/Facebook

can do anything. Here in the U.S. is where I got noticed so I’ve been associated with kabaliwan (madness). That’s okay as long as I am enjoying what I’m doing. Personally it’s important masaya ako (that I am happy). I can make a lot of money but if hindi ako masaya, wala rin, (if I wasn’t happy, there’s nothing also) I wouldn’t enjoy,” he said. In 2010, Gathercole showcased designs at Miami Fashion Week, his first fashion show in the United States. Since then, he held shows in New York, Los Angeles and Australia. For The Stars Fashion House along Melrose Avenue in LA served as his home base in the U.S. Gathercole’s creations have also been worn by Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, Cardi B, Ariana Grande, Carrie Underwood, and Paris Hilton. Among his famous designs include Katy Perry’s gold corset in her “Dark Horse” music video and a black-and-white flare dress

Hilton wore at Cannes Film Festival in 2014. In the past year, he designed a black gown with a blue, jeweled crusted hood for Cardi B, while J.Lo donned his bright red gown on Christmas Eve 2020. Despite his international and star-studded clientele, he remained grounded and was reminded of his early years. “It’s important that the client trusts the designer. I don’t get starstruck anymore. I think living on the streets [helped] with that because I never expected a life where everything was given to me,” he said. When asked about his advice for future designers, he shared, “I don’t believe designers are made; I believe they’re born. From [my experience], I didn’t study to be a designer. Somehow, designer talaga ako (I really am a designer). The best advice I can give is to be yourself and find it in your heart, and the art will come out.”

FAMILY-BASED PETITIONS TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT ON AN ALL-NEW EPISODE OF CITIZEN PINOY THIS SUNDAY. Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (top left) answers questions regarding family-based petitions from Kapamilya in various parts of California. Loretta of Temecula (top right) asks if she can revive her petition for her son. Delia of San Diego (bottom left) petitioned her son as a “single adult child” after his son’s short-lived marriage ended in annulment. She received a letter from the National Visa Center with a heading: “Intent to Deny.” Should she be worried? Cora from Los Angeles (bottom right) petitioned her daughter when she was still a green card holder. Cora is now a U.S. citizen. Will this change in status affect her daughter’s petition? Be sure to watch this brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, March 7 at 5:30 pm PST (8:30 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)

Mothers and their immigration concerns for their children on Citizen Pinoy this Sunday LEADING U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel discusses the latest developments in U.S. immigration reform, as featured on his YouTube channel, US Immigration TV. Atty. Gurfinkel will also be answering questions from Kapamilya regarding family-based petitions. Loretta (Temecula, CA) petitioned her son, Eli, but he missed his interview when his petition became current. Now, Eli wants

to come to the U.S. Can Loretta revive her son’s petition? Delia (San Diego, CA) has a son who had a very brief marriage that was annulled. She petitioned her son after his annulment as a “single adult child.” In 2013, Delia got a letter from the National Visa Center (NVC) with the heading “Intent To Deny,” asking for documents, including a copy of the annulment. Delia submitted the documents but never heard back from the NVC. What happens to her son’s peti-

tion? Cora (Los Angeles) petitioned her daughter when she was a green card holder. Cora is now a U.S. citizen. Should she inform the NVC about her change in status? Will this affect her daughter’s petition? Answers to these questions and more on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, March 7 at 5:30 pm PST (8:30 pm EST thru select Cable/ Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)

‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ finds inspiration in the cultures, people of Southeast Asia Gathercole’s designs have been worn by Britney Spears, Cardi B, and Katy Perry.

KZ Tandingan sings Disney’s first Filipino-language song for ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ By AllAn

PolicArPio Inquirer.net

FILIPINA singer KZ Tandingan will sing Disney’s first Filipino song for its upcoming animated film “Raya and the Last Dragon.” Tandingan — dubbed “Asia’s Soul Supreme” — will be “lending her voice” for “Gabay,” which was described as a song about trust, strength, and unity, Disney Philippines revealed on Tuesday, March 2. “Asia’s Soul Supreme KZ Tandingan will be lending her remarkable voice to an all-new song titled ‘Gabay’ from Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon. This first-ever Filipino-language track from Disney will be coming your way very soon. Abangan!” it said in a tweet. Disney Philippines on Monday, March 1 announced that “Raya and the Last Dragon” will feature its first Filipino-language song, attaching a teaser photo of the mysterious Filipina singer. “The first Filipino-language song from Disney, sung by one of the Philippines’ most powerful voices. Find out who she is tomorrow,” Disney Philippines said Monday across social media platforms. Tandingan, for her part, said she was “very grateful” to sing the first-ever Disney track in Filipino for an international animated film. “I am very grateful and I feel very proud to be singing in my language, and show off its beauty to the rest of the world. I am proud to be part of history,” she said in a statement sent to Philstar.com. “I grew up watching Disney

“Asia’s Soul Supreme” KZ Tandingan sings “Gabay,” Disney’s first song in Filipino. Photo from Instagram/@kztandingan

movies. Finally, there is a Disney Princess who I can feel a very strong connection to, and that is Raya as the first one inspired by Southeast Asia,” she added. Set in the fantasy world of Kumandra, where long ago humans and dragons lived together in harmony, “Raya and the Last Dragon” — directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada — tells the story of Raya (Kelly Marie Tran), who embarks on an adventure to track down the legendary last dragon, Sisu (Awkwafina), to restore the fractured land and unite its divided people. Other cast members include Daniel Dae Kim as Raya’s father Benja; Gemma Chan who plays Raya’s nemesis Namaari; and Sandra Oh as Virana, Namaari’s

mother. “‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ is inspired by various Southeast Asian cultures and, as such, we found it fitting to launch ‘Gabay’ as a way for us to celebrate the film and connect with our Filipino fans,” said Allie Benedicto, studio marketing head of Disney Philippines. “‘Gabay,’ the first-ever Disney track sung in Filipino, demonstrates our commitment to work with local creative talents to tell our stories in a locally relevant manner,” she added. “Gabay” is set to drop on Spotify on Friday, March 5. “Raya and the Last Dragon” will be released in theaters and on Disney+ with Premiere Access for an additional $29.99 fee on March 5 as well.

WALT Disney Animation Studios’ new animated film “Raya and the Last Dragon” is an exciting, epic journey about the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together long ago in harmony. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. However, along her journey, she’ll learn that it’ll take more than a dragon to save the world—it’s going to take trust and teamwork as well. Inspired by the various cultures and people of Southeast Asia, the imaginary lands of Kumandra in “Raya and the Last Dragon” each has its own customs and geography. Although the film is a fantasy, Disney sought to ensure that the portrayals of the cultures that inspire the film are accurate and respectful. The creative team visited multiple countries in the region, including Laos, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, to conduct research. Disney also enlisted experts to its Raya Southeast Asia Story Trust, who had a strong influence on all elements of the film. Dr. S. Steve Arounsack, professor of anthropology at California State University, Stanislaus, guided the creative team through the cultural inspiration behind the story. Husband and wife team Emiko Saraswati Susilo and I Dewa Putu Berata of Çudamani collaborated closely with the animators to create character movement inspired by the philosophies of Balinese dance and gamelan. Dr. Rebecca S. Hall, a curator at the University of Southern California’s Pacific Asia Museum, used her expertise in textiles to inform the design and colors of the characters’ clothing, like the sabai top and sampot pant, found in

Kelly Marie Tran stars as Raya and comedian Awkwafina voices Sisu, a dragon that provides comic relief. Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios

Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Dr. Juliana Wijaya, a linguist at UCLA’s Indonesian Studies Program, helped craft the characters’ names to have special meaning inspired by different Southeast Asian languages. Laos Angeles, an organization serving the Laotian community in Southern California, hosted a Baci ceremony to bless the production. The attention to detail pays off in the rich portrayal of Kumandra. “You can see the inspiration in the terrain, the shapes in the movie, the fabrics people are wearing, and the colors used,” said Vietnamese American actress Kelly Marie Tran who voices Raya. “Disney is very meticulous about wanting to accurately represent the parts of the world their movies are about.” In the film, characters sharing food together symbolizes trust and harmony. The scenes of Raya and her friends sitting around a table to enjoy meals together commemorates the way food is shared family-style in much of the region. In many Asian cuisines, there are five disparate flavors– spicy, sour, sweet, salty, and bitter– that come together to create deli-

cious meals. Communal meals also advance the characters’ journey towards becoming a team and the sense that if they trust each other and work together, they can achieve anything. Southeast Asian martial arts are front and center in “Raya and the Last Dragon.” As a warrior princess and daughter of the chief of Heart, Raya’s fighting styles are inspired by Pencak Silat of Malaysia and Indonesia and Kali and Arnis of the Philippines. Other fighting techniques featured in the film are inspired by Muay Thai and Krabi Krabong of Thailand, multi-limbed attack styles from Muay Thai of Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, and the flying scissor-leg takedowns of Vietnam. Co-screenwriter Qui Nguyen acted as one of the film’s fight reference choreography consultants. “It was really important to me that the fighting styles were grounded in physics that are real,” he said. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Raya and the Last Dragon” will be released simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on March 5, 2021.

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SF agencies, Facebook offer digital marketing Mission to Mars: Fil-Am NASA engineers... program for small, medium-size businesses PAGE B1

THE JobsNOW! Program of the San Francisco Human Services Agency has teamed up with the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and Facebook to offer a program for 50 small businesses in San Francisco. Facebook will train 50 candidates to become Facebook Digital Marketers, paid for by JobsNOW!. The first three months of employment wages are fully subsidized by the program*, and the next three months of employment, partially subsidized. The deadline to express interest in the program is by Friday, March

12. Qualified businesses have the opportunity to interview several pre-screened San Francisco candidates who are deemed a potential good fit and will be completely trained by Facebook. In addition, participating companies receive free advertising credits from Facebook to get them off to a great start. Qualified businesses will receive: • Employee trained + vetted by Facebook + First 6 months of wages subsidized *up to $30/hr; • Exclusive training, resources + support;

• Improved social media + digital presence; • Networking opportunity with peers and Facebook program staff; • A $500 Facebook/Instagram ad credit. Learn more at https://careerconnections.fb.com and apply today! SIGN UP by Friday, March 12! For queries or if you would like more information, email Emily Romero at emily@careerconnectionsfb.com or Amelie Linde at alinde@sfchamber.com. (SF Chamber of Commerce Release)

The Batangas City-Sto. Niño Devotees Association members and St. Augustine Catholic Church clergy post in front of the church after the Thanksgiving mass. In photo are (from left) Amy Mascvario, Fr. Ray Reyes (pastor), Melvin Macatangay, Dr. Malou Atienza Cuasay, Fe Remo Bueno (association president), Bobby Reyes, Violie Reyes, Fr. Eduardo Pura (parochial vicar), Eleth Mendoza and Marlon Macaraig. Photo courtesy of Violeta Omega

Batangas City group commemorates Sto. Niño Fiesta amid pandemic

THE year 2020 gave us some seldom-used words such as pandemic, COVID-19, face masks, Pfizer, Moderna, vaccination and social distancing. Despite the pandemic, the Batangas City Sto. Niño Devotees Association saw to it to dedicate a day of prayer to the Sto, Niño to commemorate the annual 42nd Sto. Niño Fiesta on January 16, 2021 at the St. Augustine Catholic Church along Callan Boulevard in South San Francisco, California. The mass intentions were offered to the Sto. Nino to provide us relief from the scourge of Covid19. Observing all protocols required by San Mateo County and the church, the 70 devotees enjoyed a sunny winter day at the parking lot in front of the church for the Thanksgiving Mass officiated by Fr. Ray Reyes and

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Fr. Eduardo Dura, Pastor & Parochial Vicar of the church, respectively. The attendees were provided chairs on the parking lot in front of the altar, while others chose to hear the mass in their cars. The other devotees were able to avail of the mass via live streaming courtesy of the church. After the mass the attendees were treated to lunch boxes provided by the association and catered by Hapag Pilipino of Daly City, California. The fiesta activity was highlighted with virtual zoom bingo games at 5 p.m. that same day. Cash prizes were awarded to the devotees who participated in the bingo games. The virtual bingo games were ably handled by bingo master Carolyn Agustin Hernandez.

Association president Fe Remo Bueno extended her appreciation to the church’s clergy, donors and the different committees who participated in the 42nd annual Sto. Niño fiesta. The current officers and members of the board of directors of the Batangas City Sto. Niño Devotees Association are the following: Fe Remo Bueno, president; Jason Alcantara, vice president; Bobby Reyes, secretary; Philo Mendoza, treasurer; Clarito Agustin, auditor; Marlon Macaraig, PRO; Romel Chozas (immediate past president), Bayani Baliwag, Christian Buquid, Chinag Calucag, Malou Atienza Cuasay, Melvin Macatangay, Delia Godoy Montano, Ardie Perez, board members; and Cecil Zaraspe and Joseph J. Minioza, legal counsels. (Violeta Omega)

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Perseverance. Villar credited his education in the Philippines for his NASA journey. “I thank part of my education in the Philippines for that. I studied so much in the Philippines, my foundation in math and physics because of my teachers there in high school,” he said in an exclusive interview with Teleradyo. Villar was born in the United States to Filipino parents, but he went to the Philippines when he was 13 years old to spend time with his father. He studied high school at Saint Louis University-Laboratory High School in Baguio City, Philippines before moving back to the U.S. where he earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from the California State Polytechnic University in Pomona and a master’s degree in astronautical engineering from the University of Southern California. A career-related to space has been a life-long dream for Villar, who grew up fascinated by science fiction films like “Apollo 13” and “Independence Day.” He wanted to be an astronaut, and the thought of going to Mars himself one day is what excites him about the Red Planet and space exploration. “The dream is to go to space someday, maybe even Mars... It’s just cool right? Like another planet, like outer space. Things that we grow up watching in movies like ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Star Wars.’ Just the idea of going to another planet is really really awesome,” Villar said. As the EDL engineer of the Mars 2020 mission, the Fil-Am engineer was involved in assisting the safe landing of the rover. It was a complicated process to land since it can be affected by a lot of factors, he said. “It’s known as the ‘seven minutes of terror.’ That’s what entry, descent, and landing is. We enter the atmosphere of Mars, we descend the atmosphere and we land,” he told Teleradyo. The landing on the atmosphere of Mars causes friction to slow the rover down, prompting the team to release a large parachute called the supersonic parachute which is ejected faster than the speed of sound. “After that, we separate the heat shield that covers the spacecraft. The Rover comes down on rockets; it has its own jet pack. The jet pack lowers the Rover, it separates the Rover on its cables. It safely touches the ground, then

Photo shows the first 360-degree panorama taken by Mastcam-Z, a zoomable pair of cameras aboard NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover. The panorama was stitched together on Earth from 142 individual images taken on Sol 3, the third Martian day of the mission on Feb. 21, 2021. Photo courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS

the jet pack flies away,” explained Villar. “All of that is extremely complicated with thousands of things happening left and right. There’s so many things that can go wrong in those seven minutes. It’s extremely frightening, extremely nerve-racking,” he added. Villar also revealed that he was not the only Filipino American who worked on the Mars 2020 mission. “There are other Filipinos who worked on Perseverance as well. Not just me,” the engineer said. Marianne Gonzalez Gonzalez, a 28-year-old secondgeneration Filipina American, has spent nearly six years at JPL as a chemical engineer. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from California State University, Long Beach and went on to pursue a master’s degree in the same field at the University of Southern California. After undergrad, she interned at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida before moving back to Southern California to join JPL. She has made her mark on several agency projects, including: Mini Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (miniTOCA), a miniature water quality monitoring instrument that will be used to replace the current water analyzer on the International Space Station; the Spacecraft Atmosphere Monitor (SAM), which is analyzing cabin air for astronauts on the ISS; and the Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally (VITAL), a ventilator for COVID-19 patients, which received approval from the Food and Drug Administration. For Perseverance, Gonzalez was part of the team that built Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE), a device about the size of a car battery housed inside the rover. She specifically helped deliver

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sensors to measure the gases in the device and created a model simulator of MOXIE to “understand how it would operate on Mars and to help decide what commands we should send it,” Gonzalez said in an email to the Asian Journal. “It is going to demonstrate the autonomous production of oxygen on Mars from the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. We can potentially use the technology for future crewed missions to Mars to make rocket fuel,” she added. Witnessing the successful landing on Feb. 18 was surreal and dreamlike, the Pinay engineer recounted. “It is amazing to see something that I worked on for so long finally arrive at its destination. I felt so appreciative of the thousands of people who worked on this rover. We all did our part and are excited to see the rover finally start its mission on the surface of Mars; this is only the beginning. It felt great to see the world celebrate with us and to see the public excited about science and space exploration,” she said. After MOXIE, Gonzalez has several tasks on her plate, a spacecraft called Europa Clipper, which will visit a moon orbiting Jupiter to search for signs of life, and projects for the International Space Station to monitor life support systems for the astronauts. She hopes that her career as a Filipina American and woman of color at NASA will inspire others to pursue opportunities in a maledominated field like STEM. “As a Filipina and a minority in this field, it is easy to feel like you might not belong. I would encourage any aspiring Filipina engineers to work on building their confidence. Being a woman of color in a dominantly male field can be scary at times. As long as you remind yourself about why you’re passionate about engineering, it makes it all worth it,” she said.

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