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FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

74-year-old Filipino dies after being attacked for ‘no apparent reason’ in Phoenix, Arizona AMID the uptick in violence against older Asian Americans, an elderly Filipino man was killed last month in an unprovoked attack in Phoenix, Arizona. Juanito Falcon, 74, was out on a morning walk on February 16 when he was punched in the face by a man for “no apparent reason,” the Phoenix Police Department said in a statement. Officers responded to reports of an assault around 11:20 a.m. at a Kentucky Fried Chicken parking lot near 17th Avenue and Bethany Home Road in Phoenix.

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

CDC releases guidelines for fully vaccinated people by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

AMERICANS fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can now gather with other fully vaccinated individuals indoors without wearing a mask or social

distancing, according to new guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last dose in a two-dose series (Pfizer or Moderna) or two weeks after re-

ceiving a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson and Janssen). “As more Americans are vaccinated, a growing body of evidence now tells us that there are some activities fully vaccinated people can do,” CDC Di-

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California has so far distributed 10.9M COVID-19 vaccine doses, officials say

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State officials continue encouraging eligible AAPIs to get vaccinated as distribution expands by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

PANDEMIC HEROINES. A mallgoer views the art portraits and stories of female front-liners who died in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic in an exhibit at the activity area of the Gateway Mall in Quezon City on Tuesday, March 9. The portraits on display were rendered by Filipino artists to pay tribute to female medical front-liners in celebration of Women’s Month. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

AFTER a problematic start to the coronavirus vaccine rollout in California, the state’s ramped-up distribution efforts over the past few weeks continue to encourage more communities to receive their shots. According to Johns Hopkins’ COVID-19 dashboard, California has administered 10.9 million doses of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, as of Tuesday, March 9. More than 3.4 million people have been fully vacci-

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House approves $1.9T COVID-19 bill How Noel Quintana’s with $1,400 checks, vaccine funding Noel Quintana

AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya

‘I’M NOT GOING TO BE A STATISTIC’

faith led him to the path of healing

THE gash on his face may have healed but it has left a big scar on Noel Quintana’s face and every time he looks at the mirror, he is reminded of that terrifying morning on February 3 when an assailant slashed his face with a box cutter. A few days after the incident, he joined a group of Filipino American leaders and supporters gathered to pray for his recov-

Following congressional approval, the bill will be sent to Biden for signature by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

DAYS after the Senate approved President Joe Biden’s sweeping coronavirus bill over the weekend, the House of Representatives passed the $1.9 trillion relief package on Wednesday, March 10, marking a significant political victory for Biden and Democrats. The bill — dubbed the American Rescue

Plan — will now be sent to Biden for his signature, meaning that within a few weeks, millions of Americans will receive their stimulus checks. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) described the president’s coronavirus relief bill as the most crucial piece of legislation of her career since the Affordable Care Act more than a decade ago. “It is one of the most transformative and

Pope Francis

Philstar.com photo

Pope to lead rites for 500 years California AAPI leaders support Gov. Newsom amid recall effort of Philippine Christianity u PAGE 4

by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

TOP Democratic Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) elected officials from California are doubling down on their support for Governor Gavin Newsom as he faces a recall effort. Current and former elected officials, representing “firsts” in various capacities down the state, denounced the recall attempt during a virtual press conference on Wednesday, March 10, the day after the governor delivered his State of the State address. “We won’t change course just because of a few nay-sayers and

dooms-dayers,” Newsom said on Tuesday, March 9, speaking from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. “So to the California critics, who are promoting partisan power grabs and outdated prejudices, and rejecting everything that makes California truly great, we say this: We will not be distracted from getting shots in arms and our economy booming again. This is a fight for California’s future.” Supporters — including Rep. Judy Chu, state Controller Betty Yee, Treasurer Fiona Ma and Assemblymembers Rob Bonta (DAlameda) and David Chiu (D-San Francisco) — spoke about Newsom’s leadership amid devastat-

ing wildfires, an economic recession, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. They represent 124 leaders who have come out in support for the governor. “We’ve seen how he shares our values and we’ve seen the tremendous impact of his work on our diverse AAPI communities…He has earned our trust and the trust of our communities,” Chiu said. “Let’s call this recall what it is — a partisan, political power grab.” Newsom, who was elected in 2018 with 61.9% of the vote, faces calls for removal with a year left in office as critics, who are largely Republicans, have slammed his

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stay-at-home orders that led to school closures and business restrictions. At the early stages of the pandemic, California was a national leader on response and action, but Newsom’s popularity sank as the state experienced a surge towards the end of 2020 and topped over 54,000 deaths. Opponents are also bringing up Newsom’s blunder of attending a birthday dinner at the exclusive French Laundry last fall, despite his public plea for Californians to stay home and avoid gathering with other households. Bonta underscored Newsom’s

by ROBERTZON

RAMIREZ

Philstar.com

POPE Francis will lead the Filipino community in Italy in celebrating 500 years since the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) announced last March 3. In an article, the CBCP said that Fr. Ricky Gente of the Filipino Chaplaincy in Rome disclosed that the celebration of the Philippines’ 500 years of Christianity will be highlighted with a mass to be celebrated by Pope Francis at u PAGE 2 St. Peter’s Basilica at 10 a.m. on

March 14. Gente said that only a limited number of people will be allowed to attend the mass physically inside the basilica due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he said it will be livestreamed from the Vatican to reach Filipinos worldwide. “Join us in Rome to pray, praise and thank God for his gift of the Christian faith,” Gente said. He said former Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, will be present during

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march 12-18, 2021 • NOrcaL aSIaN JOUrNaL

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

From the Front Page

CDC releases guidelines for...

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rector Dr. Rochelle Walensky said at the White House briefing on Monday, March 8. The new CDC public health recommendations said fully vaccinated people can: • Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or staying six feet apart; • Visit with unvaccinated people from one other household indoors without wearing masks or staying six feet apart if everyone in the other household is at low risk for severe disease; • Refrain from quarantine and testing if they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 after contact with someone who has COVID19. This means fully vaccinated grandparents can now gather with their unvaccinated grandchildren indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing, provided none of the unvaccinated family members

are at risk of severe COVID-19. “COVID-19 continues to exert a tremendous toll on our nation. Like you, I want to be able to return to everyday activities and engage with our friends, families, and communities. Science, and the protection of public health must guide us as we begin to resume these activities. Today’s action represents an important first step. It is not our final destination,” said Walensky. “As more people get vaccinated, levels of COVID-19 infection decline in communities, and as our understanding of COVID immunity improves, we look forward to updating these recommendations to the public,” she added. However, the CDC maintained that fully vaccinated people should wear masks, maintain physical distance, and practice other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households. They should also continue to wear masks and social distance

in public settings and avoid medium-sized to large gatherings. On traveling, the CDC has yet to change its recommendations, urging people to delay travel and stay home. While 30 million people in the U.S. have received their vaccines, the country still averaged more than 60,000 cases per day over the last seven days, as reported by Johns Hopkins University. “I want to stress that we continue to have high levels of virus around the country, and more readily transmissible variants have now been confirmed in nearly every state, while we work to quickly vaccinate people more and more each day, we have to see this through,” said Walensky. She stressed, “Let’s stick together. Please keep wearing a well-fitting mask and taking the other public health actions we know work to help stop the spread of this virus.” n

74-year-old Filipino dies after being attacked... PAGE 1 When they arrived, they found Falcon with head injuries from falling on the ground and hitting his head on the pavement. Falcon was initially believed to have suffered only abrasions and contusions to the face. However, when he was taken to the hospital, doctors found he had a skull fracture and that he needed surgery. Falcon ultimately died from his injuries two days later on February 18. “It is in such great sorrow that we are mourning my father’s passing. I have a lot of questions. Nobody should experience what happened to my father. I want this incident to be a cause of awareness to everybody,” Malou Acunin, Falcon’s daughter, told 12 News. “I don’t want the same incidence of violence and crime to happen to anybody, especially to the elderly,” she added. The detectives found probable cause to arrest 40-year-old Marcus Williams in connection to the homicide, according to ABC15. Williams was taken into custody on Wednesday, March 3, after an autopsy identified that Falcon’s cause of death was blunt force trauma. Court documents stated that Williams fled in a car after attacking Falcon. Witnesses were able to provide a partial license plate and description of Williams’ car, leading to his arrest. He was booked into Maricopa County Jail for one count of murder. The Phoenix Police Department said there were “no indications” that the attack on Falcon was mo-

Juanito Falcon, a 74-year-old grandfather, died from injuries on February 18, two days after being punched in the face while on his morning walk.

tivated by race. “If information is discovered, that will be part of the investigation,” said the department. Falcon’s family has set up a GoFundMe page (https://gofund.me/7234e6b2) to help with expenses. “We will always remember him as a loving man, always attentive to the needs of others. He was an avid gift giver, willing to go out of his way to make someone’s day. He was a man of sacrifice, especially for his family and us, his grandchildren,” the page said. (Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress)

WOMEN’S MONTH. Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar (3rd from right), DA Undersecretary Evelyn Laviña (2nd from right), DA Director Annray Rivera (extreme left), and Diplomatic officials of various countries during the Women’s Month celebration themed “Juana Para sa Pandemya: Kaya”, held at DA central office in Quezon City on Monday, March 8. This year’s National Women’s Month celebrates the extraordinary roles of ordinary Juanas in society as trailblazers and harbingers of change. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

California AAPI leaders support Gov. Newsom... PAGE 1

support for the AAPI community as it continues to face hate incidents related to the coronavirus. “We reject the conspiracy theories, the extremism and the cruelty and we embrace the pursuit of opportunity, equity, justice, inclusion, humanity and compassion that have been the hallmarks and priorities of Governor Newsom,” he said. With Newsom’s signing of Assembly Bill 85, which provides an additional $7.6 billion for state resources to address COVID-19, $1.4 million has been allocated to support Stop AAPI Hate’s collection of data and research on the

effects of the pandemic on the community. Recall organizers have until March 17 to submit 1,495,709 petition signatures from registered California voters, which will need to be verified by April 29 in order to qualify for the ballot. They say 1.95 million signatures have been collected to prompt a special election. “Voters would be asked two questions: First, should Newsom be removed, yes or no? The second question would be a list of replacement candidates to choose from, if voters recall the governor,” according to the Associated Press. So far former San Diego May-

or Kevin Faulconer and businessman John Cox, both Republicans, have announced their campaigns against Newsom should a special election happen later this year. “Instead of fighting COVID-19, Republicans are pulling a page of the Trump playbook and [are] attacking Californians with a recall effort that will cost our state over $100 million — money that can vaccinate our communities,” Chiu said. “The consequences of a successful recall amidst a global pandemic could be deadly serious for Californians, which is why we need to educate the public about what this is all about.” n

Pope to lead rites for 500 years of... PAGE 1

the mass along with Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, the pope’s vicar of Rome. Gente said the Catholic faithful can receive blessings from Pope Francis as he will also lead the traditional Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square at noon shortly after his mass at Vatican Square. The Philippines will be celebrating 500 years of Christianity, CBCP said, with most

dioceses launching the year-long commemoration on April 4, Easter Sunday. Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles John Brown said Pope Francis has a special place in his heart for the Filipino people as he recalled his visit to the Philippines in 2015, two years after Super Typhoon Yolanda hit Tacloban City. For his part, Brown urged the Filipino faithful to be proud of their religion not only because of

the 500 years of Christianity, but because of their strong Catholic character as he appreciates their efforts to spread the word of Jesus Christ wherever they are around the world. “Rejoice in your Catholic heritage; be proud of your Catholic character,” Brown said. Brown said the quincentennial of Christianity is a gift for the Filipino faithful to commit themselves to evangelization. n

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Dateline USa

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AARP names Joe Garbanzos as its first Filipino state president

VACCINE ARRIVAL. Boxes containing vials of AstraZeneca vaccines are offloaded from KLM Asia that flew in from Amsterdam on Sunday, March 7. The 38,400 doses are part of 525,600 secured through the COVAX Facility. PNA photo by Robert Alfiler

California has so far distributed 10.9M...

PAGE 1 nated — meaning they got both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one Johnson & Johnson vaccine — equating to about 8.8% of the entire state being fully immunized. Yolanda Richardson, secretary of the state’s Government Operations Agency, said in a press briefing on Tuesday that despite the overall improvement in the state’s numbers, the public should still be cautious. “[We’re] witnessing the case rates and hospitalizations throughout the state continuing to decrease as the vaccinations increase, which is exactly where we want to be,” Richardson said in a press briefing with ethnic media outlets. “But we have to continue to do all our part, by making sure that we wear our masks, wash our hands and continue to practice social distancing. In Los Angeles and Oakland alone, more than 250,000 vaccines across each city’s state or federal-run vaccine clinics have been distributed, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said in a statement on Tuesday. Moreover, of those doses, over 67% were given to people of color and those who live in underserved communities. At each of these clinics, about a quarter of the total vaccines administered went to AAPIs. “The two locations chosen for these efforts are in some of the

most diverse and socioeconomically challenged communities in the country,” Cal OES and FEMA said in a statement. “The goal of establishing these joint federal pilot sites in this manner was to expand the rate of vaccinations in California in an efficient, effective and equitable manner, with an explicit focus on making sure that communities that have been hit hardest by COVID-19 are not left behind.” The introduction and approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine — which only requires one dose — led to public speculation over whether it’s more effective than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Although the vaccines weren’t compared against each other — which would hypothetically require someone taking all three vaccines — each vaccine is effective in preventing the more severe outcomes of getting COVID, including hospitalization and death, according to Dr. Tung Nguyen, a general internist at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF). “People ask, ‘What’s the best vaccine?’ The best COVID vaccine is the one you can get as soon as possible. People ask me this and often I answer by saying it’s a little like asking which of my three children are better: they are all great,” Nguyen said. He stressed that getting the COVID-19 vaccine does not give you the virus — rather, it helps the body recognize if the virus ever enters our system. “The vaccines basically pres-

House approves $1.9T COVID-19 bill with... PAGE 1

historic bills any of us have ever had the opportunity to support,” Pelosi said after the House vote. “Today we have a decision of tremendous consequence, a decision that will make a difference for millions of Americans, saving lives and livelihoods. The massive $1.9 trillion COVID-19 bill includes provisions for $1,400 checks to millions of American taxpayers, $300a-week federal unemployment benefits, and more funding toward vaccine distribution. The package also allocates billions to help schools and colleges reopen. “This nation has suffered too much for much too long,” Biden said from the White House on Saturday, March 6. “Everything in this package is designed to relieve the suffering and to meet the most urgent needs of the nation and put us in a better position to prevail, starting with beating this virus and vaccinating the country.” The $1,400 checks, which were promoted as an add-on to the $600 stimulus checks approved by the federal government in late 2020, are expected to be distributed to an estimated 17 million Americans by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) later this month, Biden said on Saturday. Because the Senate made numerous amendments to the original legislation — including the deletion of the federal minimum wage increase to $15 an hour — the House still has to approve the amended bill. Though the House hasn’t officially passed the revised bill as of press time, the Democratcontrolled chamber passed a significant procedural measure on Tuesday evening that will allow House members to debate for two hours before voting. Approving the American Rescue Plan has proved to be a laborious effort for Democrats, whose seats are likely to be challenged in the 2022 midterm elections. Historically, the party in power tends to lose seats in Congress in

the midterm election, but Democrats are hopeful that the passage of the COVID-19 relief bill will secure their House majority. “Anytime you’re delivering for the American people, you’re strengthening your position politically. So this is going to strengthen us because it’s good policy,” Rep. Sean P. Maloney (D-N.Y.) said in an interview as quoted by NBC News. “We should shout it from the rooftops that we are passing historic legislation that will reboot the economy and end the pandemic.” As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the American Rescue Plan seeks to expand pandemic-related benefits, including a per-child cash payment of at least $3,000 for one year and an expansion of health care subsidies from the Affordable Care Act for two years. The unemployment benefits would be extended through Sept. 6. Regarding the $1,400 stimulus checks, couples who file jointly would receive double that and an additional $1,400 for each dependent. The stimulus checks apply to individuals earning up to $75,000 a year and married couples whose combined income does not exceed $150,000 a year. However, the check’s amount would decrease for those who make more than these benchmarks with a strict cut-off at $80,000 for individuals and $160,000 for married couples. Most Americans will receive the full amount from the IRS; according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in the country was $68,703 in 2019. The bill also allocates $130 billion in federal aid to K-12 schools, specifically to reduce class sizes and adjust classrooms to comply with social distancing and personal protective equipment guidelines. The bill also creates a new $25 billion aid program to businesses hurt by the pandemic, granting up to $10 million per company with a limit of $5 million per brick-and-mortar location. n

ent a small part of the virus to our body so that our defense system can prepare a response, so that when the virus shows up, our defense system recognizes it and removes it,” Nguyen explained. To those who still might be hesitant about getting the vaccine, the doctor said, “Millions have already died from COVID. It is very infectious: do you want to risk getting COVID and dying from it? Do you want to risk giving it to the people you love and watch them die?” n

JOE Garbanzos has been named AARP’s California state president, becoming the first Filipino in the capacity. The state president is a volunteer who serves as spokesperson and representative for AARP across California. In this role, Garbanzos will chair the all-volunteer Executive Council, a diverse group of professionals who provide advice and counsel to advance AARP’s social mission in California. Prior to his appointment, Garbanzos served on the Executive Council for six years, serving as volunteer leader for Asian American Pacific Islander outreach, chairing the Education Committee for the California Telehealth Coalition, co-leading AARP’s livable communities work in San Diego County, and chairing the new Hi-Speed Internet Advisory Committee. Garbanzos brings to his new role extensive experience in leadership, public health, change management, and public policy, having previously served as the CEO and Executive Director at Samahan Health Centers, a federally qualified health center in San Diego. He was also involved as a health care consultant in launching the Affordable Care Act in California, as well as the implementation of the Coordinated Care Initiative in San Diego County. He is an adjunct faculty member at the California School of

Joe Garbanzos, AARP CA State President

Management & Leadership at Alliant International University San Diego, teaching courses on healthcare. His knowledge and expertise includes leading outreach and education in culturally diverse communities with hard-to-reach populations. “We are thrilled to have Joe as our new state president,” said AARP California State Director Nancy McPherson. “Joe’s contributions to the Executive Council and as an ambassador on a multitude of programs and campaigns has helped position AARP as a trusted leader across California. Joe is committed to championing the issues that matter most to Californians 50+ and their families.” As volunteer state president, Garbanzos will work in close partnership with the State Di-

rector Nancy McPherson to colead the California Executive Council, as well as collaborate with other volunteers and staff statewide to advance AARP priority issues, such as promoting “age-friendly” communities, supporting family caregivers, awareness and prevention of fraud, and promoting financial resilience among the 50+ population. AARP California is the largest of AARP’s 53 state and territorial offices, representing 3.3 million members with office locations in Pasadena, San Jose, and Sacramento, as well as staff and volunteers supporting the San Diego Information Center. Approximately 30 staff and more than 5,500 volunteers across the state serve AARP California members through community engagements, programming, and advocacy. Garbanzos succeeds Patricia Pérez, who served with distinction as state president for AARP California since 2015. Garbanzos is a Peter F. Drucker MBA alum and has a post-graduate degree in Public Health from the School of Community and Global Health at Claremont Graduate University. Joe earned a BA in Mass Communications from the University of the Philippines. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration in Leadership and Management at Alliant International University. n

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Dateline USa

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Assemblymember Chiu announces bill to boost workforce to treat substance use disorders Legislation would combat opioid and substance use crisis by increasing number of substance use counselors in California

Noel Quintana speaks at the Rise Up rally in New York on Feb. 27

AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya

How Noel Quintana’s faith led him to... PAGE 1

ery. He has been expressing his thoughts and opinions on the matter, and in recent weeks, he has become the poster child of anti-Asian hate in New York. Quintana, who moved to the United States from the Philippines in 2007, juggles two jobs with a nonprofit organization and a tax preparer. Migrating to a new country without any family, he has found a support system by volunteering at the Migrant Center, a nonprofit organization at St. Francis of Assisi led by Fr. Julian Jagudilla. “His attack has made Asian members of our community scared and anxious. Reassuring them and finding resources for them so they can live safely in our city is the need of the hour. We have to fight racism and protect our Asian communities through vigilance and community action,” Fr. Jagudilla said at the ”Rise Up Against Anti-Asian Hate” rally on Feb. 27. It was a gathering of a veritable who’s who in New York politics led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Grace Meng, Attorney General Letitia James and Mayor Bill de Blasio, along with community allies and non-government organization leaders across the city. They were one in denouncing the surge of anti-Asian hate incidents in New York. A couple of blocks from the rally, a 36-year-old Asian American man was stabbed unprovoked two days earlier. “Pagaling na pero medyo masakit pa rin (It’s healing but it’s still a bit painful),” Quintana told the Asian Journal on the sidelines of the program. “I’m overwhelmed by the support of the people, the community, even outside the U.S. I am so thankful for the support. I think that something has to be done so it would be safer not just for Asian Americans but for everyone,” he said further. “There’s a lot of violence that happened during this pandemic and people should be aware that we need one another so that this would be avoided.” A Brooklyn resident, he was on his way to work in Harlem that fateful morning. He boarded the subway at the Jefferson Station in Bushwick. It was full so he picked a spot where he stood. A few stops later at Bedford Station, he recalled that a man hopped in and stood beside him. He was praying the rosary when the same man kicked the tote bag Quintana was carrying. Quintana recalled moving his tote bag away from the man but he kicked it one more time. He turned to the man and said, ‘What’s wrong with you?” and moved to the other end of the train car. At this time, the train has reached the First Avenue station. The painful memory of an

incident two years ago came rushing back that Wednesday morning, Feb. 3 as his assailant moved towards him. He thought he was going to be punched again and he somehow readied himself for the strike. But it didn’t happen. It was moments later when Quintana realized something worse had happened. He saw the shocked faces of his fellow subway passengers. He touched his face, looked at his hand and saw blood. “Nobody helped,” he said, his voice almost breaking. “We’re all New Yorkers and no one helped me. There should be an awareness campaign on how to deal with this kind of problem, not only on the subway but also on the streets, so people know who to respond to victims such as myself.” Realizing that no one called 911 or alerted the train conductor and that the subway was moving on, Quintana stepped out and walked toward the end of the platform. He stayed by the station booth as the attendant called 911 and asked for help. After answering questions from the police, he was brought to Bellevue Hospital where he received about 100 stitches on his face. New York police arrested the man who attacked Quintana, and according to him, the man is scheduled to be arraigned this week. As he said in a Zoom prayer meeting a week after the incident, he did not want to just be a statistic. Not this time, not anymore. A couple of years ago, he was assaulted outside his work in Harlem. He just left the office that day and as he was walking, he saw a man running towards him and before he knew it, the man had already punched him in the face. Gathering his composure, he stood up and attempted to walk but he faltered. He reported what happened to the nearest police station and moved on with his life. That was the end of it. Little did he know that two short years later, he would be facing another similar incident. Only this time, it would be more bloody and gruesome. In the past few weeks, he has been on the front page of the Washington Post and featured in People magazine, along with other mainstream publications. He has no problem being thrust into the limelight and becoming the face of the issue. In fact, he is embracing it. “I guess you can call it the bright side of the incident because may action na nangyayari (there is action going on). Hindi yung naging victim ka lang at wala ka nang nagawa (It’s not that you just became a victim and did nothing),” he said.

“Even if I was victimized, in my little own way, I would contribute in helping other Asians to not experience what I went through. I don’t want others to experience what I have experienced.” He is urging people to be safe and aware, to take videos and report incidents. He is also hoping for the strengthening of laws against hate crime. “It is important for me to voice my story so that people would be aware. Most of the time, Asians, in general, are shy, timid people. We keep things to ourselves, so it is important to reach out to other people, especially to our government, that we are also part of the society and we should not be neglected by them,” he said. It has been weeks since the incident and the scars have healed somehow but there’s still a little pain here and there, according to him. On top of that, he admitted he is still unable to sleep as the horrific scene keeps on replaying in his mind. “Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako makatulog ng maayos (To this day I still can’t sleep well). I try not to think about it and do meditation pero yun pa din ang problema ko, hindi pa rin ako makatulog (but that’s still my problem, I still can’t sleep),” he shared, adding that he continues to undergo counseling sessions. And when asked about his advice to kababayans who might be unnerved by his story and now scared to take the subway, he gave the following advice: “Be alert [of] your surroundings and magpasensya na lang din siguro tayo, umiwas (and we should be understanding too, and stay away [from trouble]).” Quintana is hopeful that in due time he will be completely healed psychologically and physically and that he’d be able to wear the scar across his face like a true survivor. For now, he says he derives strength from God and members of the community who continue to reach out to him and send him their prayers and support. A GoFundMe page (https://gofund.me/98ac2db9) to support Quintana has received nearly $5,000 as of this writing. As New York State Attorney General Letitia James told the crowd, “When I think of Noel, I think of the words of Dr. King. It is the good people who fail to stand up. It is the silence of good people who fail to stand up, who allow racism and hate to persist and so all of us are here today, all of us who believe in the goodness of one another. All of us who recognize that his scars will heal but the scars of hate, and the taint of hate, and the pain of hate that we have got to cure, so all of us must stand together.” (Momar G. Visaya/ AJPress)

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) announced a bill on Wednesday, March 10 that would address the shortage of substance use disorder (SUD) counselors and clinicians in California. AB 666 would create a pipeline of 1,000 new substance use disorder counselors by funding tuition assistance, testing and fee waivers, and a comprehensive analysis of needs in the SUD workforce community. “If we do not have the workforce to treat substance use disorders, we will never see an end to this crisis,” said Assemblymember Chiu. “This effort will build a pipeline of substance use disorder counselors and clinicians so all Californians can get the treatment they need.” California and the nation are suffering through a deadly opioid and substance use crisis that has only grown more dire during the course of the pandemic. This problem has compounded California’s homelessness crisis, as being unhoused exacerbates substance use and vice versa.

While social services and housing interventions can certainly alleviate challenges, substance use disorder is a clinical diagnosis that requires clinical treatment. Clinical treatment is the most effective way to treat substance use disorder. Without treatment, substance use disorders cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in healthcare spending. However, in California, the demand for SUD treatment has far exceeded the capacity to treat these disorders. About 2.7 million Californians met the criteria for having a substance use disorder last year, while only 1 in 10 of these individuals were able to receive treatment. A major reason for the capacity issue is a lack of qualified SUD counselors and treatment providers. California lags behind the rest of the nation in the number of SUD counselors per capita, with less than 20,000 SUD counselors currently certified in the state. It is difficult to recruit and retain this workforce because they face high stress situations and average compensation that

is below the national average. The SUD workforce is also older when compared to other healthcare sectors. Additionally, in a state as diverse as California, culturally competent services are crucial to serving diverse populations with substance use disorders. In California, the SUD workforce is made up of predominantly white, English speakers. AB 666 seeks to remedy this shortage and create a pipeline of 1,000 new SUD clinicians in California. The bill would provide tuition assistance for students in behavioral health related fields and fee waivers for testing and other certification expenses. The bill will also fund grants to diversify the substance use disorder workforce and require the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development to conduct an analysis of substance use disorder workforce needs in California. California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies, California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals,

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Innocent Fil-Am driver killed during fiery sheriff’s pursuit in LA by Christina and

M. Oriel ritChel MendiOla AJPress

AN innocent Filipino American driver was killed on Tuesday night, March 2 when a Los Angeles County sheriff’s pursuit ended in a fiery crash in Los Angeles’ Fairfax District. Jeeves Tangonan, a chef at the West Hollywood EDITION, was driving home from work when another driver crashed into his vehicle at the intersection of Third Street and Fairfax Avenue, across the street from The Grove and the Original Farmers Market. The impact of the crash caused Tangonan’s vehicle, a blue Toyota RAV4, to jump onto the sidewalk and come to a stop when it was wedged between a tree and the wall of the Citibank at the corner of the intersection. The 37-year-old, who is originally from the Philippines, was pronounced dead at the scene. He leaves behind his wife of eight years, Stephanie Tangonan. “She’s still heartbroken and devastated. It’s the worst pain we’ve ever felt because it’s a family member of ours. I don’t wish this for anyone to go through,” Tangonan’s brotherin-law, Marlon Chavez, told the Asian Journal. The suspect, identified as 28year-old Alex Lopez, was being chased by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies after he assaulted a deputy during a routine traffic stop. He was also reportedly under the influence of alcohol. The short pursuit ended at approximately 10:30 p.m. when the suspect crashed into Tangonan’s car. The suspect’s vehicle, a gray Chevrolet Malibu, immediately caught on fire upon impact. Lopez was taken into custody after Los Angeles Fire Department

Jeeves Tangonan is pictured with his wife of eight years, Stephanie. Tangonan, 37, was the casualty in a sheriff’s pursuit in LA’s Fairfax District on Tuesday night, March 2. Contributed photo

crew members rescued him from the flames. It took five minutes for firefighters to pull Tangonan out of the vehicle through the passenger side and again through the roof, a Fox 11 Los Angeles report said. Lopez pleaded not guilty on Thursday, March 4 to one count each of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, assault on a peace officer and fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s vehicle and two counts of DUI causing injury, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The suspect is in jail in lieu of a $205,000 bail and will have another court appearance on April 29. Tangonan’s family is now seeking justice and hopes that more drivers aren’t at risk during police pursuits. “I think a lot of these chase pursuits need to stop, especially in the streets, because a lot of innocent drivers like my brotherin-law have died or pedestrians have gotten run over,” Chavez said. “[Lopez] needs to pay for what he did because if he’s out in four or five years, he can go back out there and do the same thing again.”

Tangonan is remembered for his love of food and hospitality and for being a loving husband. “His love of food was out of this world…He had a love for cooking meals for every single human being that came into the door of that hotel,” Chavez said. “He was very inspiring, motivated, and happy. I never saw him disrespect my sister and he treated her perfectly as a husband should.” According to his Linkedin page, Tangonan graduated from De La Salle University with a bachelor of science degree in hotel and management. He migrated to the United States in his early 20s and worked as a cook at the Four Seasons Hotel for several years. Tangonan’s parents still live in the Philippines and he would send them money every month, Chavez said. Chavez set up a GoFundMe page (http://gf.me/u/zk6fp5) to help his sister with funeral expenses. “Any donations will be greatly appreciated… The most priceless thing is if everybody could keep [Jeeves] and my family in their prayers,” he said. n

Chess champion Wesley So becomes US citizen by AJPress SUPER Grandmaster Wesley So is now a United States citizen. The 27-year-old U.S. chess champion was sworn-in as a citizen on Feb. 26, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced in a social media post on Friday, March 5. So, who was born in Bacoor, Cavite, remarked that the “amazing spirit” of the U.S. motivated him to naturalize. “I want to give back to a country that has been so good to me. From the moment I landed here I was encouraged and enabled to become better than I was. I like this attitude and the tremendous generosity of American culture,” So told the USCIS. The three-time Philippine chess champion first came to the U.S. in 2012 as a freshman recruit for Webster University, and is now a world top-ten player, current World Fischer Random champion, two-time US Champion and a member of the 2016 Team USA squad that brought America its first Olympic gold medal since 1976, according to the U.S. Chess Federation. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with his adoptive family. “I got so hyper and excited I was talking kind of loud all day. It was literally a dream come true.

Wesley So is now a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Photo courtesy of USCIS

I am now a part of the American to make my own contribution Dream. I am part of the most suc- and have my own legacy here,” cessful country on earth, ready So added. n

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PH to receive 117K Pfizer jabs by April by ritChel

MendiOla AJPress

SOME 117,000 doses of PfizerBioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine will arrive in the Philippines next month, according to National Task Force Deputy Chief Implementer and Testing Czar Vince Dizon. The batch of Pfizer jabs is under the COVAX Facility, a global initiative from the World Health Organization (WHO) that aims to ensure fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries. “Nag-commit na po ang WHO na darating po iyong 117,000 doses ng Pfizer ngayong Abril, sa susunod na buwan (The WHO has committed that the 117,000 doses of Pfizer will arrive this April, next month),” Dizon said at the Laging Handa public briefing on Wednesday, March 10. “Kaya malaking bagay din po ito lalung-lalo na para sa ating

mga healthcare workers na priority nating matapos hanggang sa buwan ng Abril at Mayo (So this is also a big deal, especially for our healthcare workers who are our priority to get vaccinated by April and May),” he added. The Philippines is set to receive at least 5.6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca through the COVAX facility. In January, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the country will be provided with 117,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 5,500,800 to 9,290,400 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The initial shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines containing 487,200 doses already arrived in the country on March 4. Since the start of its vaccination campaign last week, the Philippines has so far administered around 44,000 doses to Filipino healthcare workers.

According to Dizon, the government aims to finish vaccinating all medical workers and senior citizens by April and May. “Ang objective po natin ay by mid-year ay natapos na natin ang healthcare workers pati na rin ang ating mga senior citizen (Our objective is that by mid year, we have finished vaccinating our healthcare workers as well as our senior citizens),” he said. He also said that some 3.4 million doses are needed to complete the vaccination of the country’s 1.7 million medical front-liners. Meanwhile, the vaccination for the country’s general population will start once the vaccines from Moderna and other brands arrive in the Philippines. “Pagdating po sana ng Moderna at ng ibang mga bakuna, magsisimula na tayo sa ating general population (When Moderna and other vaccines arrive, we will start with our general population),” said Dizon.

After curfews, checkpoints threaten to stage a comeback by FranCO lUna Philstar.com

MANILA — After curfews and lockdowns, a common sight in tighter movement restrictions is “most likely” to stage a comeback: checkpoints. The police are not ruling out manning the roads again if and when called as part of a fresh effort to bring down coronavirus cases in Metro Manila. But at this early, industries blocked by checkpoints last year are raising red flags the same may incur double the pain this time. On Friday, March 5 the Philippine National Police (PNP) signaled authorities are ready to put up checkpoints in areas where localized lockdowns are in effect. “If the movement of people and goods is affected since the economy reopened... Most likely what happens is an increase in personnel and checkpoints,” Police Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana, spokesperson, said in a phone call. This has already started. On Friday afternoon, the Muntinlu-

Did you know you have safety and health protections from COVID-19 at work? Workers in California have the RIGHT to: • Protection from safety and health hazards, including COVID-19 • Report an unsafe workplace • Refuse to work in an unsafe condition To file a confidential complaint about an unsafe workplace, contact your nearest Cal/OSHA district office. It is illegal for your employer to reduce your hours, fire you or otherwise retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Members of the Quezon City Police District keep their post on Jose Abad Santos Street at Sitio 5, Barangay Sta. Lucia in Quezon City after it was placed under a special concern lockdown on Tuesday, March 9. Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

pa local government announced checkpoints would be re-installed in barangay boundaries, coupled with a stricter enforcement of 3 a.m. curfew. Usana said the police would be guided by guidelines from pandemic task force, but the job on containing the latest surge highly rests on cities, municipalities

Learn more about your RIGHTS and how to contact Cal/OSHA at dir.ca.gov/covid.

and provinces. The return of checkpoints also creates a mismatch on national government rules. Under government quarantine levels assessed every month, checkpoints are not supposed to be put up in areas under general community quarantine or loosu PAGE 8

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Women in the time of COVID

WITH COVID-19 affecting the entire planet, some governments are doing better than others in pandemic response. And several of those with the best responses – as gleaned from both the health and economic indicators – are New Zealand, Taiwan, Denmark, Finland and Germany. They happen to have one thing in common: their governments are led by women. Such performance in a once-in-acentury catastrophic crisis says a lot about the leadership capabilities of women. This is being recognized in this year’s theme for International Women’s Day on March 8: “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.” Women also account for a substantial number of those in the frontlines of the battle against COVID: nurses, caregivers, doctors, scientists, social workers as well as those providing health care for persons suffering from psychological and emotional distress arising from the pandemic. The lockdowns have also seen a spike in domestic violence against women and girls as well as online sexual exploitation of children. While the leadership capabilities of women have been recognized, the United Nations reports that

women are heads of state or government only in 22 countries, and account for only 24.9 percent of national parliamentarians. At this rate, the UN estimates that it could take 130 years before gender equality is achieved among heads of government. And while many women are health frontliners in the pandemic, the UN reports that on average, they are paid 11 percent less than their male counterparts for the same work. A study of COVID teams in 87 countries found only 3.5 percent with gender parity. This month the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women will be held. Its theme gains more urgency in the pandemic: “Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the em-

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

powerment of all women and girls.” While there have been significant gains in women empower-

ment worldwide, there is still much work ahead. (Philstar.com)

After a year of coronavirus pandemic: Help is on the way to the American people to save more lives and rebuild our nation

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS

for them to do their job and pass this bill so it gets to President Biden’s desk for his signature to make this legislation final and executory. As reported by NPR, the American Rescue Plan will provide: Direct payments The bill allocates funds for a third economic impact payment to qualifying Americans. Individuals earning up to $75,000 and couples earning up to $150,000 would receive the full direct payments of $1,400 per person. Individuals will also receive an additional $1,400 payment for each dependent claimed on their tax returns. Senate Democrats agreed to lower the income cutoff at which payments phase out from $100,000 to $80,000 for individuals, and from $200,000 to $160,000 for couples filing jointly, following demands from moderate Democrats. Unemployment benefits Under the Senate version, federal unemployment insurance payments will remain at $300 per week — down from $400 per week in the earlier package passed by the House. The benefits will extend through Sept. 6. The Senate’s bill makes the first $10,200 in unemployment payments nontaxable for households with incomes under $150,000. Child tax credit The legislation would temporarily expand the child tax credit, increasing the amount to $3,000 for children ages 6 to 17 and $3,600 for children under age 6. The amount is gradually

YOU, yes, you. You and all the ordinary hardworking Americans will finally get the much-needed help to defeat COVID-19, save more lives and rebuild our nation -- after a year of death, destruction and desperation brought by the coronavirus pandemic. Yes, YOU, and not just the millionaires and billionaires and corporations of America, have so much to look forward to in order to rebuild your livelihood that was disrupted by the pandemic. Despair no more. This will be made possible by the $1.9 Trillion coronavirus relief that “allocates money for vaccines, schools, small businesses and anti-poverty programs such as an expanded child tax credit that would mean new monthly payments to many parents,” the National Public Radio (NPR) reported. Following the process of passing legislation, the American Rescue Plan that the House of Representatives passed was sent to the Senate. The Senate, in turn, had to make some changes, which the NPR explained, are needed to satisfy Senate budget rules and to gain bipartisan support. This process required negotiations and compromise. No one party could get all that they wanted. This paved the way to the vote on the budget resolution which, the NPR reported, “set in motion a decades-old budget rule called reconciliation to get around the 60-vote threshold to end a filibuster and pass the legislation with a simple majority.” The Democrat-led Senate was

able to pass the bill because they have the numbers for a simple majority to do so even without Republican support to move the bill back to the House of Representatives. The Republicans refuse to support the bill which they contend is too broad, and does not just fund COVID-related urgent needs. The Democrats, on the other hand, counter-argue that “the bill takes a holistic look at the entire American economy and how it was affected by the pandemic.” “The major pieces of the bill — payments to individuals, extended unemployment, money for states and localities, money for schools — all of those things were in the COVID package that passed last year that all the Republicans voted for. So they were OK then, but they’re not OK now, and I frankly can’t really figure out that argument,” Maine’s Independent Senator Angus King pointed out. President Biden’s legislative agenda aims to help the American people and the nation “build back better,” a campaign promise he aims to fulfill with the support of Congress. Time is of the essence, especially for Americans who depend on the help coming from the enhanced unemployment benefits to pay for the basic needs of their families. Congressional leaders urgently push to get the bill to President Biden before March 14 — the date when current enhanced unemployment benefits are set to expire. ALL of us need to do our share to tell our representatives in Congress how important it is

Demand and Supply

Appreciating Pinoy talents

Boo ChanCo AFTER being sworn in as an American citizen two weeks ago in St. Paul Minneapolis, Minnesota, Chess Grandmaster Wesley So said taking on US citizenship “doesn’t mean that I don’t love the Philippines. I have good memories from there, but I did not have the connections I needed in that culture. “I was from the province, not a city boy. Had no money, etc. I wanted to go further, and there is only one country that a nobody could make it. The USA.” So became the youngest grandmaster of the Philippines when he was 14 years old. It is well known he left the Philippines for the US after being exasperated with the politics of our local chess and national sports organizations. So is the inaugural World Fischer Random Chess champion, whipping world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen 13.5 to 2.5 points in the finals held from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, 2019 in the Norwegian’s

home turf. He reasserted his supremacy over Carlsen not once, but twice in a span of a few months recently, beating the latter in the finals of Skilling Open, the first leg of the online Meltwater Champions Chess Tour, last November 2020, then again in the Europa Rapid meet finals in February this year. So’s story highlighted the long running problem with Philippine sports federations which have been plagued by corruption and favoritism for decades. Our inability to win medals in the Olympics is largely the result of politics infesting sports development in the country. Even Manny Pacquiao and countless other boxers have been victimized by our exploitative sports structure. Manny only got respect after winning big internationally. In recent years, those who make good in international sports are those who come from well to do families and are able to support their expenses for training and attendance in international competitions. It isn’t only sports. Our propensity to make it difficult for

fellow Pinoys to succeed can be seen even in an exalted field like Medicine. I came across the story of a talented Filipino doctor who went to the US for training, got his specialty credentials as a diplomate in neurosurgery. He opted to go home, anxious to practice, teach, and give back. Sadly, he found out his colleagues in neurosurgery did not welcome him. He could not get in as a faculty in UST (where he was an alumnus), neither in UP, UE, FEU or MCU, even though he offered to teach with no salary. None of the major hospitals in Metro Manila would take him as an active staff, but only allowed visiting privileges. It is not unexpected. Local doctors don’t want him or any foreign trained and credentialed Filipino doctors back. He patiently tried to work his way into the local system. Eventually, one hospital took him at the behest of a college buddy who knew the hospital CEO personally. The neurosurgery chief of the hospital in the US where he trained, upon learning about

reduced for couples earning over $150,000 and individuals earning over $75,000 per year. Families eligible for the full credit would get payments of up to $300 per child per month from July through the end of the year. Congressional Democrats and the White House may want to figure out how to make the credit permanent. Paycheck Protection Program The bill includes $7.25 billion in new money for the small-business loan program known as PPP and would allow more nonprofits to apply, including those groups that engage in advocacy and some limited lobbying. It also allows larger nonprofits to be eligible. Education There are over $128 billion in grants to state educational agencies, with 90% allocated to local educational agencies, plus $39 billion in grants to higher education institutions. Nearly $15 billion in funds are directed to the Child Care & Development Block Grant program to help support child care facilities, particularly in high-need areas. The Senate version added a provision to make any student loan forgiveness passed between Dec. 31, 2020, and Jan. 1, 2026, tax-free — rather than having the forgiven debt be treated as taxable income. Support for low-income families The bill includes $4.5 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, to help families with

home heating and cooling costs. One provision would give the agriculture secretary the authority and funding to temporarily boost the value of cash vouchers for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) up to $35 per month for women and children for a four-month period during the pandemic. There is $1.4 billion in funding for programs authorized under the Older Americans Act, including support for nutrition programs, community-based support programs and the National Family Caregiver Support Program. The bill provides $37 million to the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for low-income seniors. Public health The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is set to receive $7.5 billion to track, administer and distribute COVID-19 vaccines. Another $46 billion would go toward diagnosing and tracing coronavirus infections, and $2 billion would go toward buying and distributing various testing supplies and personal protective equipment. Industry support There’s a variety of provisions in the legislation to offer support to different industries. The Small Business Administration would get $25 billion for a new grant program for “restaurants and other food and drinking establishments.” Grants would be up to $10 million per entity and $5 million per physical location, with a maximum of 20 locations. The legislation sets aside $5 billion of the total money to

be targeted to businesses with less than $500,000 in revenue in 2019. The bill includes another $1.25 billion for the Small Business Administration’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program. To support the transportation sector, the bill allocates nearly $30 billion for transit costs, including payroll and personal protective equipment; $8 billion for airports; $3 billion for a temporary payroll support program to help support the aerospace manufacturing industry; and $1.5 billion to recall and pay Amtrak employees who were furloughed because of the pandemic and to restore various daily routes. Another $15 billion would also be allocated to support workers in the airline industry. Rental assistance There is $25 billion for emergency rental assistance, including $5 billion for emergency housing vouchers for people experiencing homelessness, survivors of domestic violence and victims of human trafficking. ***

his plight, wrote and offered to help him return to the US if he wanted to, saying, “You would think they should embrace you with your training. You are a man without a country.” But he was not deterred. “Did fairly well very slowly, enough to buy a used car and a home with the help of my wife who taught in UP. Curiously, I had to buy my own portable operating microscope, specialty neurosurgery instruments… none of the hospitals had them. All the neurosurgeons had their own equipment.” This doctor didn’t take the snub personally. He said that perhaps we have just developed a tenacious instinct for survival, topped by unsinkable, maybe misplaced, pride. “We can argue beyond self, that the locals’ brazen efforts to block outsiders are outright wrong! But realistically, we who return to practice in the Philippines, regardless of lofty aims and purposes, are serious competition in the profession and a threat to their income and livelihood. Would we, if we were in their shoes, act or do any different?” So, this doctor thought that “rather than fight fire with fire, I opted to humble myself and

took extra effort to keep a low profile, be one of the guys. The initial enmity, which was overt, has gradually softened.” Actually, the local medical community has been inhospitable not just to returning medical practitioners who are seen as competition. They are also making it difficult for medical missions organized by USbased Filipino doctors. Visiting Fil-Am doctors who serve for free should not be seen as competition. Since 1998 Fil-Am doctors have met with seven different secretaries of health to try and work things out to no avail. In 2016, leaders of medical mission groups formed the FilAmerican Initiative to Transform the Homeland (FAITH) and once more they met with the DOH secretary and Philippine Medical Association leaders. A memorandum of agreement was drawn up by 2017, but has not been signed by DOH Secretary Francisco Duque. We need a new attitude that looks at all Filipinos, including those in our diaspora, as allies in the task of building our nation. In Medicine, so much change and progress is happening and interaction between our foreign-based doctors and

local practitioners should be helpful. As this neurosurgeon puts it, “There is much to do in Medicine and for the country as a whole, and the hurdles are many, and steep. We cannot give up on our Philippines now. Shouldn’t we who are in positions to help be part of it?” Our inability to appreciate Pinoy talent out of jealousy or simply because they don’t fit into our culture of corruption explains why there is so much misery in our country today. We could be roaring with the region’s tiger economies if we welcomed and used all the talents Filipinos have worldwide. A change of attitude is called for. We must put out a wide welcome mat for Filipinos returning from the diaspora to help us improve life in the motherland. Our ability to compete and even survive depends on it. (Philstar. com) ***

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.

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.

*** Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is bchanco@ gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @ boochanco

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • mARCh 12-18, 2021

UN condemns killing of 9 Filipino activists by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

THE United Nations has condemned the killing of nine activists in Calabarzon region by the Philippine police targeting suspected insurgents. “We are appalled by the apparently arbitrary killing of nine activists in simultaneous policemilitary operations in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal provinces surrounding Metro Manila,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said in a news briefing on Tuesday, March 9. She also expressed concern over the crackdown further promoting violence and “red-tagging” against human rights defenders. “We are deeply worried that these latest killings indicate an escalation in violence, intimidation, harassment and ‘red-tagging’ of human rights defenders,” said Shamdasani. The crackdown took place on Sunday, March 7, two days after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered state forces to kill communist rebels and “ignore human rights.” Of the nine killings, seven were identified by human rights group Karapatan as members of progressive and indigenous groups. Among them were Ugnayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Pagwawasak ng Kalikasan at Kalupaan

staff Chai Lemita-Evangelista and Ariel Evangelista, SIKKAD K3 members Michael Dasigao and Mark Lee Bacasno, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Cavite secretary general Manny Asuncion, and Dumagat tribe leaders Puroy dela Cruz and Randy dela Cruz. At least six were also arrested during the search warrant operations including Courage-Rizal member Eugene Eugenio, Olalia KMU executive vice president Esteban Mendoza, BAYAN Laguna spokesperson Elizabeth Camoral, and political prisoners’ paralegal aide Nimfa Lanzanas. The UN rights office, in response, urged the Philippine government and members of the security forces to “refrain from rhetoric that may lead to violations, and instead make public commitments to uphold human rights and the rule of law.” It also appealed to the police to take “urgent measures to prevent the use of excessive force resulting in loss of lives during law enforcement operations.” ‘Disappointed’ Philippine Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, for his part, said that he will include the CALABARZON killings in the Department of Justice’s ongoing task force probe into political killings. He also expressed disappointment over the killings, saying they need to “sit down” with state

forces to ensure bloody crackdowns won’t happen anymore. “I am quite disappointed kasi nga hindi nabawasan, notwithstanding na sinabi na natin ‘yan before the international body (I am quite disappointed because these were not avoided, notwithstanding my already saying this before an international body),” Guevarra said Monday, March 8. “I was really hoping that with that statement I made before the UN, our law enforcers would be more careful in their operations but these things continue to happen so we really need to sit down with Philippine National Police (PNP), with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and with other law enforcement to make sure na hindi na masyadong mangyayari itong ganito (that these things don’t happen anymore so), it could be avoided,” he added. On Tuesday, Shamdasani welcomed Guevarra’s statement, but pointed out that the government’s probe into the recent killings “will be a critical test for the domestic investigative mechanisms it has established for cases of this kind.” “The United Nations is working with the government to strengthen these mechanisms, but we stress that these must be prompt, transparent, and effective in order to meet international standards,” she added. n

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VOTER REGISTRATION. New registrants fill up the application form to register for the May 9, 2022 national and local elections at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Arroceros, Manila on Tuesday, March 9. The Comelec resumed the voter registration in September 2020 and will run until September 30, 2021, hoping to meet its target of four million new registrants. PNA photo by Ben Briones

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Assemblymember Chiu announces bill to...

Students wearing protective face masks have their temperatures taken while entering their college campus in Manila on January 31, 2020. Philstar.com photo

PAGE 4 and California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives are cosponsoring AB 666. “Expanding and equipping our SUDs workforce with the resources they need to provide care to the growing number of people diagnosed with substance use disorders must be a top priority for our elected leaders in California,” said Dr. Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Chief Executive Officer of the California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies. “The fact is that about 8% of Californians have met the criteria for a substance use disorder in the past year. We must act now to increase the percentage of qualified counselors and other addiction treatment providers to

be prepared for the increase in behavioral health conditions that have manifested in part due to COVID-19.” “Beds and buildings don’t treat people – counselors do,” said Pete Nielsen, President and CEO of the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals. “If California is to build a robust substance use disorder treatment system to respond to the growing number of SUD diagnoses, it will have to address the critical workforce shortages the state now faces.” “California has seen a sharp rise in drug overdose deaths and other substance use disorders during the COVID pandemic, and the need for qualified addiction treatment counselors is greater

than ever,” said Al Senella, President of California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives. “Yet the state lags the nation in the percentage of qualified counselors, largely due to a lack of funding for workforce expansion, and regulations that constrict the ability of counselors to work in treatment programs. Legislation that implements and funds a workforce development program by providing grants to train and recruit individuals to work as substance use disorder counselors is an important step toward meeting these workforce needs.” AB 666 is expected to be heard in an Assembly policy committee this spring. (Assemblymember Chiu’s Office Release)

A year since pandemic cancelled classes, After curfews, checkpoints threaten... plans unclear on return to classrooms PAGE 5

by Christian

Deiparine Philstar.com

MANILA — Classes in Metro Manila were called off on this day in 2020 as the coronavirus crisis unfolded in the country. But the suspension initially thought to last a few days has stretched to a year now, with plans for a safe reopening still unclear. President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of a class suspension after a meeting with Metro Manila mayors was only supposed to last until March 14, 2020 but students have yet to go back to their classrooms since then. Classes, which only began in October 2020, have been carried out remotely under the education department’s distance learning. But by end of last year, the Duterte administration admitted that the setup is far from ideal, with students struggling with lack of access to the internet and gadgets, and with errors in printed learning materials. Enrollment figures also saw a significant decrease, with only 25 million opting to continue schooling from the 27 million who enrolled in 2019. “Two million more out-ofschool youth while millions are not effectively learning, and many are on the verge of dropping out,” said Raymond Basilio, secretary general of the Allianced of Concerned Teachers on Tuesday, March 9. “This is

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the grim legacy of the Duterte government [that] has practically abandoned our youth and has tied their future to the availability of the vaccines.” DepEd in January 2021 said it has yet to see signs of a massive dropout with the second quarter of the school year ongoing although surveys have suggested teachers do not think students are learning as much as they should. In the poll by the Movement for Safe, Equitable, Quality and Relevant Education, 70.9% of 1,395 teacher respondents said they are not confident that students are able to grasp concepts being taught. Growing calls for safe resumption The much-needed vaccines against the coronavirus arrived in the Philippines this March and the delayed vaccination program is udnerway. It comes at a crucial time when two variants of the COVID-19 have already been detected in the Philippines and a spike in daily cases. The rollout of the program has led groups and even lawmakers to renew the call for allowing physical classes in areas with low virus transmission although Duterte previously said in-person classes might not resume until August. “Many schools in far-flung areas with zero COVID case could have been reopened safely by

now had the Duterte government saw to the installation of water facilities, hiring of school nurse and retrofitting of classrooms in the past months among other measures,” ACT said. Education officials have yet to convince Duterte to allow a pilot run of in-person learning, which he shelved in December 2020 due to the threat of a new COVID-18 variant. But in a Senate education committee hearing last week, members of the upper chamber told the agency to narrow down the number of schools for the proposed study. With over a thousand schools eyed, senators said officials are unlikely to get Duterte’s nod. Groups have since stressed that the longer schools remained shut, the heavier the losses will be in the long run for students and in turn, on the economy. Across the world, the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said that 168 million students are affected by school closures, a “catastrophic education emergency” resulting from the pandemic lockdowns. “With everyday that goes by, children unable to access inperson schooling fall further and further behind, with the most marginalized paying the heaviest price,” UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said. “No effort should be spared to keep schools open, or prioritize them in reopening plans.” n

HOUSING

er, which the entire archipelago is at, at least until March 31 before President Rodrigo Duterte comes up with a new order. “Just like before, we should just make sure that checkpoints won’t impede the flow of goods and cargoes, and workers,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said in a Viber message when asked to comment about the likelihood of checkpoints. Checkpoints are following a granular approach to lockdowns. San Juan and Caloocan re-imposed curfews, while Quezon City placed 2 more areas under tight watch. Manila locked down three barangays said to have 10 or more recorded infections to prevent their spread, and Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso told ANC he “will not hesitate” to expand that if needed. Indeed, COVID-19 cases had seen a resurgence with over 3,000 cases for the three of the past four days nationwide, while Metro Manila saw a spike in hospitalizations. But while smaller lockdowns were preferred, reinstituting checkpoints may be another matter, and something likely to prohibit more than what is acceptably restricted, including food and essential supplies. “That’s really a law enforcement and public health issue, but they should think about how to implement the free-flowing of goods…The real issue here if the delivery of goods is delayed, people think something’s

wrong,” Paul Santos, chair of the Philippine Retailers Association, an industry group, said in a phone interview. “There are a lot of unforeseen effects,” he added. Back to square one? There is basis to this. Almost at the same time last year, retailers such as supermarkets were struggling to fill up grocery shelves after the draconian quarantine was swiftly implemented without proper planning. That happened after COVID-19 cases, initially thought to have been under control, spiked with more testing that came later than most of our Southeast Asian peers. This time, lockdowns, curfews, and now even potentially checkpoints — basically the recipe of 2020 pandemic response blamed for economic deterioration — are likewise coming on the heels of something else that is delayed: vaccination. It also came after presidential spokesperson Harry Roque assessed that the Philippines excellently handled the pandemic, without citing any basis. Worse, checkpoints, and their inadvertent effect of restricting goods flow, may end up worsening an already-elevated inflation because supplies end up getting choked in these areas. “It’s basically a risk,” Santos said. Steven Cua, president of Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association, a group of community markets, agreed. “One example is pork. There is lack of pork supply and that

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started last year and when we checked, essentially what happened was pork from other provinces are being blocked in Metro Manila,” he explained. That can potentially be a problem now that more localized lockdowns are being enforced. “Last year, the problem was some were worried of allowing travelers from other areas to enter because of the virus,” he said by phone. There may be cases that businesses have already adopted to ever-changing restrictions and checkpoints may be easily handled, but for Cua, the broader economy is the most at risk with the return of prohibitions. “Most supermarkets would have adjusted by now, but nobody wants to go back to lockdown. We want consumers out,” Cua said. Aside from goods, employees too The bad government record on implementing lockdowns had also made employers worried about their workers now that checkpoints are again being considered. “Whether we like it or not, localized is okay ... For us, nothing will really change because there are passes,” said Sergio Ortiz-Luis, president of Employers Confederation of the Philippines. “It’s just too expensive (for businesses). We have to shuttle our employees of course. Also hopefully the implementation of lockdowns across borders will be uniform if they have checkpoints,” he said. n

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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

What are motions to reconsider and reopen? Immigration Corner attY. MIChael GURFInKel, eSQ WHEN a person has been placed in deportation/removal proceedings, they would ordinarily receive a decision from the im-

migration judge (IJ), or, if they appeal, a decision from the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). If the decision is unfavorable, they possibly could file either a motion to reconsider or a motion to reopen. What is a motion to reconsider and a motion to reopen? What are the requirements? What are the filing deadlines? When are they available? Motion to reconsider: A motion to reconsider requests “that the original decision [by the

IJ or BIA] be re-examined in light of additional legal arguments, a change of law, or an argument or aspect of the case that was overlooked.” In other words, reconsideration of a decision based on legal aspects: overlooked law, new law, additional law, etc. The motion must specify the errors of law or fact in the previous decision, supported by relevant legal authority/caselaw. A person is ordinarily allowed only one motion to reconsider,

which must be filed within 30 days of a final administrative order of removal. Motion to reopen: A motion to reopen is a request to have the proceedings reopened “so that new evidence can be presented and so that a new decision can be entered.” In other words, a motion to reopen is based on new facts coming to light that could have a bearing on the outcome of the case. If those facts existed at the time of the original decision, they would not be considered “new.” For example, an issue in the removal proceedings may have involved “extreme hardship” to certain “qualifying relatives” such as a spouse or parent. Later, that relative came down with a severe ailment that could affect their hardship. Perhaps the case could be reopened. Ordinarily, a person may file only one motion to reopen proceedings within 90 days of the date of entry of a final administrative order of removal. If you are subject to a final order of removal, and now have a new basis or way to legalize your status, or new facts have come to

light that could have a bearing on your case, you should consult with an attorney who can evaluate your case and eligibility for a motion to reconsider or reopen. Remember, ordinarily you have only one chance. So, you don’t want to try to do it yourself and have it denied, because then you’ve already used up your one motion. Also, if you are subject to a final order of removal, you cannot file a new adjustment with USCIS, as the Immigration Court, not USCIS, would have jurisdiction over the case. You would have to reopen the case. In addition, even if you are past the 30 or 90-day filing deadlines, in some cases it could be possible to bring a motion to reconsider or reopen beyond those deadlines, such as if you never received notices, the trial attorney agrees to a joint motion, or the judge, on his or her own motion (sua sponte), decides to reopen proceedings. Moreover, with Biden being elected president, and his efforts to “halt” deportations, have the government once again exercise prosecutorial discretion, and generally be more lenient when

it comes to deporting/removing people, you should definitely consider consulting with an attorney to evaluate your options. *** 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)

Questions on adoption and expired green cards will be answered this Sunday on Citizen Pinoy MORE QUESTIONS FROM KAPAMILYA AROUND THE U.S. WILL BE ANSWERED ON A BRAND-NEW EPISODE OF CITIZEN PINOY THIS SUNDAY. Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (top) answers questions from Kapamilya in Texas, California, and Washington. Rey of Abilene, Texas (top, right) wants to know what the fastest way is to bring an adopted child to the U.S. Christian of Antioch, California (middle, right) has a friend who is a green card holder. He returned to the Philippines in 2013, but his re-entry permit expired in 2015. Can he still return to the U.S. before his green card expires in 2022? Arlene from Vancouver, Washington (bottom, right) has a daughter who got her green card in 2004. However, the daughter has been in the Philippines for many years and her green card expired. Can the daughter still renew her expired green card? Find out the answers to these questions on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, March 14 at 5:30 pm PT (8:30 pm ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)

has a green card that will be expiring in 2022. The friend returned to the Philippines in 2013 but his reentry permit expired in 2015. Can he still return to the U.S. before his green card expires? Arlene from Vancouver, Washington has a daughter who got her green card through the daughter’s U.S. citizen father in 2004. However, the daughter was sent back to the Philippines and her green card has expired. Can the daughter still renew her expired green card? How can Arlene help her daughter? Answers to these questions and more on a brandnew episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, March 14 at 5:30 pm PT (8:30 pm ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)

THE latest developments in U.S. immigration reform will be discussed by leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, as featured on his YouTube channel, US Immigration TV. Atty. Gurfinkel will also be answering questions from Kapamilya that involve adoption of a relative, an expired re-entry permit, and an expired green card while outside the U.S. Rey and his wife Maryann of Abilene, Texas want to adopt the son of Rey’s sister whom they have treated as their own since birth. Baby Carl is now six years old. What is the fastest way to bring Carl to the U.S.? Christian of Antioch, California has a friend who

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Hear me roar: A brief history of the groundbreaking Filipina Looking back at revolutionary Filipinas who broke — and continue to break — barriers in national independence, social work, medicine and arts and entertainment

by

Klarize Medenilla / AJPress

TO understand the world, one must understand women; it is simply impossible to know world history without the history of women — in a biological sense and in a cultural sense. The Philippines is a country built on the strength of resilient women. On a macro level, women in the Philippines — before, during and after colonial occupations —have always held positions in power. On a micro level, women are the central figure of the household, as mothers, wives, lolas (grandmas) and titas (aunts) are respected members of any extended family. That being said, to honor of Women’s History Month is to honor the Filipinas — of the motherland and of the diaspora — who helped cultivate the strong and resilient identity of the Groundbreaking Filipina, the woman who pushes boundaries and subverts patriarchal systems of power in the name of equality and fairness. Early national heroines For nearly four centuries, the Philippines was a colonial instrument during the golden ages of world imperialism. The influence of European — and then, American — occupation remains in the country today, but with the help

of early Filipina revolutionaries, the fight for a truly unique Filipina identity continues today. Gabriela Silang (1731-1763) was a military leader who spearheaded the Ilocano campaign for independence from Spain. Born in Ilocos Sur to a Spanish Ilocano father and a Tinguian mother, Gabriela Silang was separated from her parents as a young girl and was raised by a priest. Known as the “Joan of Arc of Ilocandia,” Gabriela Silang became integral to her second husband’s, Diego Silang, effort to overthrow Spanish control in Ilocos and appoint native Filipino leaders. After his assassination by the Spanish in 1763, Gabriela assumed her husband’s position as commander of rebel troops and mobilized local fighting forces to lodge successful guerrilla attacks against Spanish soldiers. During the fight to liberate Vigan, the fearless Filipina leader led more than 2,000 soldiers against a formidable Spanish force of more than 6,000 men, but outnumbered natives were captured and eventually, the Spanish military executed her in September 1763. Despite her demise, Gabriela Silang is regarded as a national symbol in the fight for independence and is known as “the first Filipina to lead an uprising against a foreign power.”

Illustration of Gabriela Silang by Bayani Art

More than a century after the exploits of Gabriela Silang, a school teacher from Manila named Teresa Magbanua (18681947) parlayed her skills in horseback riding and marksmanship (which she learned while married to a wealthy businessman) to join the Katipunan’s women’s chapter in Panay. She was influenced after her brothers joined an uprising against the Spanish military and convinced her uncle, General Perfecto Poblador, to led her lead trips in the Visayas during the revolution, the first and only woman to do so. During this time, she lead a group of bolo soldiers during the Battle of Barrio Yoting and the Battle of Sapong Hills, two victories that led to the liberation of Iloilo City. After that first success, Magbanua collaborated with guerrilla forces in fighting against Americans at the turn of the century and later, against Japanese forces during WWII, making her one of the few who fought for Philippine independence against all three of the country’s main instigators: Spain, the U.S. and Japan. Pioneers in the modern era As the Philippines was slowly moving towards becoming a totally sovereign nation, innovation and cultural expansion grew among the Filipino people. A standard for what it means to be

Teresa Magbanua

celebrityworld

Encarnacion Alzona

a pioneer had been set, and Filipinas of the Modern Era helped catapult the global Filipino community onto the world stage. Encarnacion Alzona (18952001) was a pioneering Filipino historian, educator and suffragist who was also the first Filipina to earn a Ph.D. Encarnacion was the first Filipina to obtain a Ph.D. As white American women won the right to vote in 1920, Alzona was among the few who spoke out in favor of the right to vote for Filipino women. Born in Laguna, Philippines, Alzona’s father was a trial court judge and a distant relative of the renowned national hero Jose Rizal. Both Alzona’s parents encouraged the young girl to pursue academic excellence, an influence that helped Alzona earn undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of the Philippines in Manila (UPM). She pursued further studies in the U.S., earning a master’s degree from Harvard University in 1920 and a Ph.D from Columbia University in 1923. When she moved back to the Philippines at the end of the 1920s, Alzona dedicated herself to the suffragist movement and penned several books on the topic; many credit her 1934 tome “The Filipino Woman: Her Social, Economic and Political Status (1565-1933)” as an integral piece in granting Filipino women the right to vote in the Philippines in 1937. In 1985, she was granted the rank and title of National Scientist of the Philippines and her

Dr. Fe del Mundo

extensive bibliography continues to be a staple in the Philippine history genre. Another Harvard graduate, Dr. Fe Del Mundo (1911-2011), another boundary-breaker in higher education, was an extremely influential pediatrician who founded the first pediatric hospital in the Philippines. As reported in the Asian Journal, Del Mundo was inspired to become a doctor after one of her sisters died of appendicitis in her youth. After a stellar undergraduate stint at the UPM, then President Manuel Quezon recognized her achievements and offered her a full scholarship to any U.S. college of her choice for further studies. She chose Harvard University, and became the first woman ever to study at Harvard Medical School. After years of frustration of working for a government hospital, Del Mundo sold her home and possessions to establish the Philippines’ first pediatric hospital, The Children’s Medical Center in Quezon City, in 1957 — the first medical facility of its kind in the entirety of Asia. Del Mundo continued working through her 90s, making hospital rounds and seeing patients even when her own health began to deteriorate. “I’m glad that I have been very much involved in the care of children, and that I have been relevant to them. They are the most outstanding feature in my life,” Del Mundo said in 2007. Another pioneer of the crucial mid-century was Victoria

Vicki Manalo Draves

“Vicki” Manalo Draves, a Filipina American competitive diver who became the first Asian American to ever win Olympic gold medals. Draves was born in San Francisco to a Filipino father and an English mother and became interested in diving at the age of 16. As she became more competitive, she changed her name to Vickie Taylor to avoid racial discrimination for her Filipino background. In 1948, at the age of 23, Draves won five U.S. diving championships, which allowed her to join the U.S. team at the London Olympics, where she PAGE 11

Ellen Adarna, Derek Ramsay were ready for ‘single’ life before they met

By Ferdie Villar ACTORS Derek Ramsay and Ellen Adarna had sworn off relationships and were looking forward to staying single for a while – that is, before they met each other. This was revealed in a PEP.ph article that discussed the couple’s recent interview with celebrity photographer Raymond Isaac. Both were tired of a string of failed relationships: Adarna had a long-distance relationship with Spanish guy Carlos Lemus after her romance with John Lloyd Cruz, while Derek’s last relationship was with Andrea Torres. Adarna, who shares her twoyear-old son Elias with John Lloyd, told Isaac that she was ready to become an old maid and just be a mother to her son. Everything was already planned for her life (and that of her son’s) in Cebu. “Happy na ‘ko, e. Happy na

‘ko with Elias. Happy na ako with my life in Cebu. Everything was planned. I wasn’t looking for it all. Self-love lang talaga,” Ellen was quoted as saying. The meeting with Derek, however, threw a wrench with those plans. According to Derek, it was actor and friend John Estrada who invited him to a restaurant where they (John and Ellen) were discussing their TV5 sitcom. Derek recalled that it was freaky how Ellen just stared at him when he introduced himself to her after she came back from a restroom break. For her part, Ellen, told Isaac that she could not help at that moment but say aloud how handsome Derek is because she was not impressed with the actor when she saw him in pictures. The whirlwind and unexpected romance is now almost at two

Ellen Adarna was ready to become an old maid before she met current boyfriend Derek Ramsay. Instagram.com/@maria.elena.adarna

months – the couple confirmed that they have been in a relationship for about a month in late February. Derek and Ellen, who met in January, admitted that things just clicked with them. According to Derek, the relationship just blossomed, even if they both were prepared for the single life after the failure of their last romances. “We never denied it. We just didn’t know. We didn’t know it was going. We just enjoyed our time. Everything happened so quickly. Everything just clicked,” Ramsay explained. “Everyone around us knew, except us.” *** Here’s another couple who finally admitted to being in a relationship after months and months of denials and/or keeping mum about it – Gerald Anderson and Julia Barretto. Their romance has been speculated on ever since they shot the 2019 film “Between Maybes” and Gerald was acComedienne Ai-Ai de las Alas told fans in a recent virtual presscon not to give up on love, and cused of suddenly breaking up pointed to her marriage to Gerald Sibayan, who is many, many years her junior, as an example. (and ghosting) ex-girlfriend Instagram.com/@msaiaidelasalas Bea Alonzo.

In a recent interview with TV host Boy Abunda, which was featured in an article in the Philippine Star, Anderson finally admitted that Julia is the reason for his happiness. “Very happy. Very happy, Tito Boy, it’s a yes,” was Gerald’s response to a question from Abunda. And, officially, Barretto admitted to being Gerald’s girlfriend by posting a photo of them on the beach, with this text: “Everyday I celebrate you, but today I am extra grateful [heart emoji] Happy birthday my love, I am SO PROUD OF YOU.” *** And for those who are in despair because they have not found their partner in life, Ai-Ai de las Alas gave the following advice. “Intay lang, baka ‘di pa pinapanganak jowa n’yo,” the comedienne and Kapuso star said in a recent article in the Philippine Star. “Naku, ‘wag kayo mawalan ng pag-asa. Nakita n’yo naman ako, ‘di ba? Sino naman ang magaakala na makakapag-asawa pa

Derek Ramsay recently said that his relationship with Ellen Adarna just took a life of its own and that everything just clicked between them. Instagram.com/@ramsayderek07

Actors Gerald Anderson and Julia Barretto finally admitted to being a couple. The actress posted on Insagram a photo of the couple on the beach recently. Instagram.com/@juliabarretto

ako? Nakita n’yo asawa ko, bagets! So intay-intayin n’yo pa rin, baka naman ‘di pa pinapanganak magiging jowa n’yo. Intay-intay lang!” she added. Ai-Ai, 56, tied the knot with

Gerald, who is 26, in 2017. “Darating din ‘yan. Kung may ibibigay si Lord na para sa inyo, intay-intay lang, ‘wag kayo mainip! Kagaya nu’ng akin, happy lang,” she said.

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Hear me roar: A brief history of the...

PAGE 10 won a gold medal in the 10-meter platform and springboard, becoming the first woman to win both titles. She was also the first Asian American to ever win a gold medal. Staying true to her roots, she dedicated her post-diving life to advocate for Filipino American issues, supporting the Filipino Education Center in San Francisco in the 1960s when the second wave of Filipino immigrants came and settled in the Bay Area. As Filipinos were adjusting to their newfound sovereignty after centuries of colonialism and occupation, the community and the diaspora boomed, clearing the way for Filipinas to make their mark in society and pop culture. As more and more Asians began migrating to the U.S., the need for social services that specifically cater the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community became acutely apparent. In the late 1970s, Filipina American domestic violence survivor Nilda Rimonte saw the need for a resource that supports AAPI victims of domestic abuse and understood that AAPIs (especially immigrants) are among the least likely groups to seek help. Knowing that community trust is crucial for AAPIs to seek help from violent home life, Rimonte established the Center for the Pacific Asian Family in Los Ange-

Nilda Rimonte

les, the first anti-domestic abuse organization dedicated to serving AAPI survivors and victims. “We got high statistics but people didn’t want to talk about it. The issue of concealment and detail is huge. People told me not use the word ‘rape’ [for the center’s rape hotline] because women wouldn’t use it. I refused because I thought this was colluding with the community in hiding the issue. I thought it was time to bring it out, and it paid off,” Rimonte told the Los Angeles Times in 1981. The multi-lingual and multicultural center — which still operates today — provides emergency and transitional shelter as well as counseling and case management. Though Filipino American musicians today are mainly associated with hip-hop culture and Broadway, a little known band from the early to mid-1970s called Fanny set an important standard for women in music. Filipina American sisters June and Jean Millington — who were born to a Filipina socialite and a U.S. Navy lieutenant commander — moved from the Philippines to Sacramento, California, where they formed two all-female bands in high school with June on the guitar and Jean on the bass. The sisters — and their former bandmates Alice de Buhr, Nickey Barclay and Brie Brandt — moved to Los Angeles and rebranded as Fanny after being discovered by

producer Richard Perry during a gig at The Troubadour Club in West Hollywood in 1969. Altogether, the band released three albums, but because of the male-dominated nature of rock music at the time, the band largely went under the radar, despite being the first all-female group to achieve a Billboard Top 40 single (they released two during their short duration). But those within the music industry lauded Fanny for its fresh sound, even garnering high profile fans like the legend David Bowie, who told Rolling Stone in 1999 that “[they] were extraordinary: they wrote everything, they played like m*therfuckers. They were just colossal and wonderful, and nobody’s ever mentioned them.” Though the group ended up splitting by 1975, Fanny’s impact was monumental for women in rock. Throughout their career, the Millington sisters were adamant in rejecting record executive’s suggestions to emphasize sex appeal like other female acts of the time, preferring to acquire a reputation based on their talent and sound. The now and beyond As the Filipino diaspora continues to grow, so does the possibilities for the Groundbreaking Filipina. The arts and entertainment are the lifeblood of the Filipino community with acute attention placed on Filipino representation in Western media. But there are many groundbreaking Filipinas in the arts today who are redefining the boundaries of what it means to be a storyteller. As the conversation on gender continues to evolve, Filipino figures within the LGBTQ+ community are part of the force leading the way to cultural inclusion. Model Geena Rocero, born in Manila, started her career as a beauty pageant contestant at the age of 15. After moving to the U.S. in the aughts, Rocero was discovered by a fashion photographer in New York City, a chance encounter that led to a fruitful career in fashion editorials. As a transgender woman, Rocero rose up as an advocate for trans rights; she and fellow trans model Tracey Norman became the first two openly transgender models to appear on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in 2016. But Rocero’s big breakout came in 2019 when she was chosen

Geena Rocero

as the Playboy Playmate of the Month for August 2019, becoming the first openly transgender AAPI model to pose for the lauded publication. “As the first trans Asian Pacific Islander Playmate, I feel that I’m making it possible for someone to reach for their biggest dreams just like the people who came before me,” Rocero said in 2019. “I also hope that for anyone who’s been deemed ‘other’ to know that what makes you different, is your power, especially the unapologetic expression of your sexuality, gender and the value of your unique perspective.” In the era of diversity and inclusion in Hollywood, the primary concern among cinema aficionados — who fear for the disintegration of the art form — is the preservation of authentic and sophisticated story-telling. Streaming services and content pushers like Netflix and Marvel are regularly criticized for mass producing narratively sub-par content that may be diverse, racially and culturally, but lack creativity and imagination: which, to many, will eventually render the art of cinema nearly obsolete. But filmmakers like Diana Paragas (writer, director and producer of “Yellow Rose”) and Isabel Sandoval (director, writer, producer and star of “Lingua Franca”) are bridging the gap between mainstream representation trends and auteur filmmaking. As written about in the Asian Journal, “Yellow Rose” (available on Amazon Prime) tells the coming of age tale of a young undocumented Filipina in Texas named Rose who longs to be a country music star and struggles to find herself after immigration officers detain her mother. The film’s style is reminiscent of the

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Eva Noblezada

raw, elegantly dusty pictures of John Ford and the ethereal and devastatingly poetic films of Terrence Malick. “I kind of wanted to do a country song as a film, something that is something authentic, simple and straight with a lot of emotion,” Paragas told the Asian Journal in a 2019 interview. “That’s what I was going for in terms of the tone of the film: a simple, true authentic story that feels real and grounded in something poetic.” The film stars Tony-nominated Filipina American actress and singer Eva Noblezada (“Miss Saigon,” “Hadestown”) in her feature film debut, but the resolute spirit with which she brought to the role powered the film. Carrying a narrative isn’t new to Noblezada, another Groundbreaking Filipina, who brought an effortlessly youthful energy as the leading character of Eurydice in the popular Broadway musical “Hadestown.” In 2020, Sandoval made waves in the prestige independent film circuit with her third film “Lingua Franca,” a dramatic love story about a Filipina living in New York City who struggles to make money for her mother in the Philippines and to pay for an American man to marry her for a green card. The intimate lens with which Sandoval — who is trans — tells her story rejects popular filmmaking styles that opt for grandiosity and exclamations, preferring “complexity” in her “quiet, patient [and] subtle” narrative approach. “We have to establish what is distinct and unique about our voice and our worth because it’s so easy to get pigeonholed or to be put in a box especially for someone like me,” Sandoval told the Asian Journal last year.

Diane Paragos

Isabel Sandoval

“There will always be several expectations about you and the community you belong to and it’s easy for Hollywood to just be like, ‘You’re an immigrant so you should be telling immigrant stories or you’re trans so you should be making films about the trans experience,’ and kind of impose on me the kinds of stories that I should be telling and [am] only capable of telling.”

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‘Float,’ Pixar’s first short featuring Filipino Fil-Am star Olivia Rodrigo characters, reaches 20M views on YouTube makes Billboard history, surpassing Mariah Carey, BTS By Ritchel

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By Ritchel

Mendiola

AJPress

FILIPINA American Disney star and singer Olivia Rodrigo has made Billboard history with her debut single “Drivers License.” The song is now the longestrunning number-one song on the Billboard Global 200, dominating the chart for seven consecutive weeks. It surpassed BTS’s “Dynamite” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” both of which racked up four frames atop the list. “At present, it continues to succeed not only thanks to sustained sales and streaming activity, but also due to a lack of serious challengers,” according to a Forbes article published on February 21. “Drivers License” collected 63.5 million streams, the week’s top streaming sum, as well as 20,000 sold worldwide in the tracking week of February 19 to 25. Billboard on Tuesday, March 2, also announced that Rodrigo’s chart-topping hit became the seventh song in history to spend its first seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number one. It joins “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, “Candle in the Wind 1997”/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight” by Elton John, “God’s Plan” by Drake, “I’ll Be Missing You” by Puff Daddy &

Olivia Rodrigo’s official debut single “Drivers License” has been dominating the charts of major streaming platforms. Photo from Instagram/@olivia.rodrigo

Faith Evans feat. 112, “Hello” by Adele, and “Fantasy” by Mariah Carey. The 17-year-old star of “Bizaardvark” and “The High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” was born to an American mother of Irish and German descent, and a Fil-Am father. In an interview with the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), Rodrigo talked about the Fil-Am side of her family. “My great-grandfather immigrated here from the Philippines when he was just a teenager. He’s my grandma’s dad, and my grandpa is also Filipino as well,”

she said. “My dad grew up in a house where they were always making Filipino food, his grandpa always spoke Tagalog. All of those traditions have trickled down to our generation. Every Thanksgiving we have lumpia, and things like that,” she added. Rodrigo also revealed that she wants to go to the Philippines one day. “I have never been to the Philippines, but I really, really want to. We still have extended family there, but I’ve never met them. That’s on my bucket list, definitely,” she said.

PIXAR Animation Studios’ “Float,” written and directed by Filipino American storyboard artist Bobby Alcid Rubio, has garnered over 20 million views since its February release on YouTube. First released in November 2019 on Disney+, “Float” is the first Pixar short to feature Filipino characters. The seven-minute animated film tells the story of a father trying to keep his infant son’s special ability to fly a secret. The animated short is based on Rubio’s relationship with his son Alex, who is on the autism spectrum. He submitted it to Pixar’s SparkShorts, an immersive storytelling program that gives studio employees six months and a budget to develop animated short films. On Tuesday, March 9, Rubio took to Twitter to express his excitement over the short’s milestone. “20 MILLION VIEWS. 720K Likes. Just a week has passed and the response has been overwhelming positive! #PixarFloat’s message to #CelebrateOurDifferences is much needed right now and I am glad that it has resonated with people all across the world!” he wrote. Pixar on February 27 released “Float,” along with “Wind,” another animated film by Korean director Edwin Chang amid the recent spike of violent attacks

“Float” made history as the first Pixar animation featuring Filipino characters. Photo courtesy of Pixar

against Asian and Asian American communities in the United States. “Pixar Animation Studios and the SparkShorts filmmakers of FLOAT are in solidarity with the Asian and Asian American communities against Anti-Asian hate in all its forms,” the studio said. “We are proud of the onscreen representation in this short and have decided to make it widely available, in celebration of what stories that feature Asian characters can do to promote inclusion

everywhere,” it added. As of this writing, “Float” has amassed 22,295,329 views and over 735,000 likes on YouTube. “At the end of the day, [‘Float’] is about the bond between father and son. It’s about unconditional love, especially amongst family members and amongst everybody. I want that to be the end thing that people get. It’s about love and acceptance and hopefully, that will resonate,” Rubio told the Asian Journal in a 2019 interview.

Liza Soberano, Shay Mitchell to voice Alexandra Trese in upcoming Netflix anime series By Ritchel

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AJPress

ACTRESSES Liza Soberano and Shay Mitchell have been cast to voice supernatural detective Alexandra Trese in the upcoming Netflix original anime series “Trese.” Soberano and Mitchell will be lending their voices for the titular character of the highly-anticipated anime series, Netflix Philippines announced on Monday, March 8. The series is based on the Philippine graphic novel created by Budjette Tan and KaJO Baldisimo. “Call Alexandra… cause I’ve got news. It’s official, @lizasoberano [and] @shaymitch are Alexandra Trese!!! May strong women always lend a voice to one another, especially when there’s an aswang or two around. Happy International Women’s Day,” the streaming platform said in a tweet. Soberano will voice Alexandra Trese in the Filipino language version of the series. She took to Twitter to share her excitement over the project. “Screaming on the inside!!!!!! It’s an honor to be the voice of an iconic character such as Alexandra Trese. I’m a huge fan of Budjette and KaJO’s award-winning Trese comics. Maraming salamat! Excited nako (Thank you so much! I’m excited)!” she said. Filipina-Canadian Mitchell, who previously starred in “Pretty Little Liars” and Netflix’s “You,” will voice the female lead character in the English version. “I’m so excited to be a part of a unique and amazing project like Trese, and to voice a character as brilliant as Alexandra Trese. Philippine folklore is rich and

fascinating, and I am thrilled to be a part of the team bringing this story to life,” she said. “Trese” tells the story of Alexandra Trese, who protects Manila from threats of the supernatural kind such as tikbalang and kapre. It is executive produced by Jay Oliva and produced by Shanty Harmayn and Tanya Yuson of BASE Entertainment, a Jakarta and Singapore-based studio. Oliva, a Filipino American, is an executive producer, director, and showrunner for several animated series as well as the founder and CEO of Lex and Otis animation studio. He directed “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns” 1 and 2, and worked as a storyboard artist for live-action films such as “Man of Steel.” In a release to the media, he admitted that casting Alexandra Trese was going to be challenging. “It is important for the voice talent to embrace the layered character to fully become Alexandra Trese,” he said. “My concerns went away as soon as Shay Mitchell stepped into the recording booth. Shay’s Alexandra exceeded my expectations and she delivers a performance of strength, determination and family duty that is at the very core of the character,” he added. Oliva also praised Soberano’s casting, saying he was a “big fan” of hers. “If that wasn’t enough, imagine my delight when we confirmed Liza Soberano joining the Filipino voice cast! I am a big fan of hers and she fits the character so well. Having Liza play Alexandra Trese for the series makes this project even more special to me and my team!” he said. “Trese” will be released on Netflix later this year.

Pinay actresses Liza Soberano (left) and Shay Mitchell will voice Alexandra Trese in the upcoming Netflix original anime series “Trese.”

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