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Volume 21 - No. 17 • 12 Pages
T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER
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DATELINE California Joint AAPI Legislative Caucus to celebrate APIA Heritage Month, honor leaders FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
THE California Joint Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Legislative Caucus will celebrate May as Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Heritage Month and recognize distinguished AAPI leaders through this year’s “Excellence Awards.” The honorees range come from advocacy, health, civil rights, business, arts and entertainment, and more fields. “It has been two years since the start of the pandemic and the AAPI community continues to face anti-Asian hate, while dealing with the inequities that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Despite these challenges, each honoree continues to uplift the voices of the AAPI communities and enriches our history and culture through their achievements. They give us hope, solace, and courage in times when we need it most,” the caucus said in a release. The Joint AAPI Legislative Caucus is
APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2022
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, SAN DIEGO, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
PCGSF assures overseas voters that ballots will get to them by JOSEPH
L. PERALTA
AJPress
CONSUL General Neil Frank Ferrer revealed that the United States Postal Service (USPS) has indicated that completed overseas ballots mailed to their office in San Francisco, California will be delivered to them, even as some overseas groups expressed concern about a supposed insufficient return postage included
in the ballot packet. This was cleared in a morning tete-a-tete (kapihan) with some members of the Filipino American media at the 5th floor social hall in the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco on Thursday, April 21. The amount in question that has been making the rounds within community groups, $0.20, was not due to an error by the Consulate, according to ConGen Ferrer, as they had coordinated with the
by AJPRESS
CA still testing uninsured residents for COVID-19
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US House passes bill to study new Asian Pacific Heritage museum
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is still offering free covid testing to uninsured residents even though the federal government ran out of money to pay for it. While Congress debates whether to put more money into free testing, California is leaning on programs it already had in place: special state-based coverage for uninsured Californians, school testing, and free tests offered by clinics, counties, and other groups. Absent free options, people without health insurance could pay as much as several hundred dollars out-of-pocket depending on where they get tested. At the same time, demand for community testing — from residents with and without insurance — has dropped precipitously. On a recent Thursday, only three people could be found getting tested at seven testing sites in Sacramento County. Staffers at these locations — from the formerly bustling mass-testing site at the state fairgrounds to a tiny kiosk in a church parking lot — said hardly anyone
USPS regarding the postage needed to mail back the completed voting packet to its offices by overseas voters within their jurisdiction. “The postage is sufficient. If they want to add postage to the packet, they may do so. But they do not need to,” ConGen Ferrer said. “The USPS has assured us that we will get the packets. Should there be any missing postage, we will be the one charged
BALLOT FEEDING. An designated elections official feeds a ballot in a machine at the Consulate premises. Designated media and election observers are able to watch the ballot feeding Mondays and Thursdays; from May 2-9, ballot feeding will be done on a daily basis. Voters must turn in their completed ballots by May 9, 4 a.m. (Pacific Time) at the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco. AJ Press photo by Joseph L. Peralta
PLANS to create a national Asian Pacific American museum in Washington, D.C. have moved to the next step as the U.S. House of Representatives this week passed a bill to form a commission to study the issue. The bill approved unanimously by the House on Tuesday, April 26 would create a new commission to consider the development a new National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture. The measure will head to the Senate for voting. The group would be responsible for studying the costs of building a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture and if it will be part of the Smithsonian Institution. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) called it a “joy” to see the legislation advance in Congress, noting the contributions Asians and Pacific Islanders have made to U.S. history. “Those contributions are often unheard of and
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Duterte to skip US-ASEAN meet in Final president, VP debates May out of respect for successor canceled ahead of May 9 polls MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte will be sitting out the meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden and with other leaders of Southeast Asia scheduled next month because the Philippines would have elected a new president by then. Washington, through the US-ASEAN Special Summit, will be hosting state leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on May 12 and 13. "Pangit na tignan kung magpunta ako duon alam ko na may bagong presidente na (It won’t look good if I go and there is already
a new president-elect) and besides, if there is a working conference, there might be some agreements or commitments that will be made there," Duterte said in his weekly address. The Philippines will be holding its national and local elections on May 9 and the presidential inauguration will be held end-June. Duterte pointed out that while it would take a while for the elected president to be proclaimed by Congress, it would be difficult.
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AAPI Heritage Month celebration marks 18th year in SF Soriano, Yan among APAHF awardees at annual event’s reception by JOSEPH
L. PERALTA
AJPress
THE annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (or Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month) celebration is slated to take place in May with month-long celebrations focusing on its theme, “Forging Community Bonds.” In a brief kick-off press conference on Tuesday, April San Francisco city and APAHF officials pose with award recipients at the South Light Court in 26 at the South Light Court in City Hall. AJ Press photo by Joseph L. Peralta City Hall, San Francisco Mayor
London Breed and the Asian Pacific American Heritage Foundation organizers explained this year’s theme, introduced this year’s awardees and encouraged San Franciscans and community members to register and attend the slew of events curated by organizers. [For activities, the 2022 Celebration Guide and to register for any of the events, go to www.apasf.org.] Claudine Cheng of APAHF said the theme is particularly
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by DONA
Z. PAZZIBUGAN, JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE, MELVIN GASCON Inquirer.net
MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has canceled the last round of presidential and vice presidential debates this weekend due to the unavailability of the candidates just days before the May 9 polls. The supposed town hall debates rescheduled on April 30 and May 1 will instead be replaced with pre-taped, hourlong interviews of the candidates to be aired from May 2 to 6, the Comelec announced on Monday, April 25. The poll body was forced to cancel the final presidential and vice presidential debates originally set on April 23 and 24 after its partner organizer, Impact Hub Manila, was unable to pay P14 million of its P20.5-million obligation to Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, the venue of the Comelec-sponsored PiliPinas Debates. The fiasco has prompted an internal investigation within Comelec of its top officials for possible criminal liability for committing the poll body to an allegedly onerous deal with Impact Hub. On Monday, 14 senior Comelec officials submitted their formal explanation to Commissioner
Rey Bulay, who is undertaking the probe, though several among them said they took “no part” in the decision on the debates. The Comelec tried to salvage the final round of televised debates by rescheduling them a week later, with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) as the organizer. However, several candidates have begged off due to previous campaign commitments. “In consideration of the inevitable scheduling conflicts as the candidates approach the homestretch of the campaign period, and as advised by the KBP, the Comelec will now adopt a single candidate/team-panel interview format,” the Comelec said in an advisory on Monday. Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said the planned hourlong interviews with each candidate, or together with their running mate, would air next week, with the panelists provided by the KBP. The camp of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has skipped previous Comelec-sponsored debates, on Monday welcomed the poll
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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2022 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
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From the Front Page
PCGSF assures overseas voters...
Final president, VP debates canceled ahead...
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by the post office for it.” “So far, we have not had any incident or reports of ballots not being sent our way due to postage concerns. In fact, we have started to receive ballots from overseas voters,” he added. The Consulate, in a recent release, said that all overseas ballots in their possession totaling 47,711 had been mailed out to voters by April 18. The only remaining packets in the Consulate are those with incomplete, no address or were indicated as care of the Consulate, and those that were returned to them by the USPS. Eligible voters who have not received their packets are advised to look at the List of Voters with No or Complete Address (https:// pcgsanfrancisco.org/wp-content/ uploads/2022/04/LIST-OFOVERSEAS-VOTERS-WITH-NOADDRESS.pdf) or List of Returned Postal Voting Packets (https:// pcgsanfrancisco.org/wp-content/ uploads/2022/04/RETURNEDMAILED-BALLOTS-as-of-26April-2022.pdf). Those who are on either list are encouraged to contact the Consulate by email at ovs@pcgsanfrancisco. org to make arrangements for mailing of their voting packets, or indicate if they want to come to the Consulate and pick up their voter’s packet. Those who want to have their ballots mailed would be required to show a copy of a valid Philippine passport or dual citizenship certificate and proof of their address. Completed ballots must be received by the Consulate before the close of the voting period on May 9, 2022 at 4 a.m. (Pacific time). Ballot boxes are stationed at the ground floor for voters who want to drop off their completed ballots at the Consulate. Ballot counting had begun at the Consulate on April 11, with ballots fed to the counting machines every Monday and Thursday where three special Board of Election inspectors are present at each of the ballot feeding locations. Starting May 2 and until the end of the election period, ballot feeding will be done on a daily basis and moved to the Kalayaan Hall. Also at the kapihan, ConGen Ferrer told media members that
body’s decision to hold taped panel interviews in lieu of town hall debates. Lawyer Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ chief of staff and spokesperson, said: “The panel interview of candidates is exactly the format that we have been advocating.” It is the format that “can measure the depth of a candidate, who is presenting himself to be the next president of our country, distanced from the usual political noise, personal bickering and worse, gutter politics,” Rodriguez said. Marcos has appeared only in the presidential debate organized by Sonshine Media Network International, owned by Kingdom of Jesus Christ head and self-proclaimed “appointed son of God” Apollo Quiboloy, who previously endorsed the presidential and vice presidential candidacies of Marcos and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Monday also said he was fine with a oneon-one interview “if the schedule will allow it.” “As long as there’s free time, why not?” the Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer told reporters in Carles town, Iloilo province. “The thing there is we have commitments and as I mentioned earlier, we still have many provinces and towns to return to or visit. But if the schedule will
KAPIHAN AT PCGSF. Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer (3rd from left) talks to Filipino American media members about the overseas absentee voting process, ballot counting and other concerns by community groups at the Social Hall in the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco.AJ Press photos by Joseph L. Peralta
BALLOTS DOUBLE-CHECKED. Completed overseas absentee ballots are double-checked by designated Consular officials in a designated location against the official Comelec list. The sealed ballots taken to this room are from ballot boxes in the Consulate where voters drop off their packets and those received from the United States Postal Service (USPS).
the Consulate has been actively encouraging kakabayans to register as overseas voters, whether in its premises or through its consular visits within its area of responsibility. When registration for overseas voting opens, the Consulate shows videos, gives out information in various channels, and works with nongovernmental institutions (NGOs) to share the message. He said that more often than not, those who are eligible to register either do not have the additional time to do so or decide that they don’t want to register at that time. ConGen Ferrer agreed that more private sector participation may be done to encourage voter registration, which could include incentivizing the process, similar to how those who get COVID-19 are able to access freebies by getting vaccinated. The Consul General added that some private sector groups have joined their past consular outreach missions. Responding to an observation that this year’s registered voters are lower than in the previous
cycles, ConGen Ferrer said that it may be due to eligible voters who did not vote in two consecutive elections who were deactivated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). However, he is hopeful that through partnerships and the elections review process, including that of overseas absentee voting, these will give them a greater measure of what improvements to make for future election cycles. ConGen Ferrer is pleased with what he has seen so far. “We are encouraged by the turnout,” he declared. “So far, thousands of ballots have been mailed back to us.” According to ConGen Ferrer, amid the continuing pandemic, the Consulate was open all year (2021), providing services to community members. Beginning in July of 2021, the PCGSF started to accept walk-ins, depending on capacity, and provided about 44,000 types of services to Consulate visitors, which in itself is a record. g
allow, yes, of course. I’ll be happy to join,” he said. Domagoso said he also did not mind the new format. “Whatever it is, I’m applying for a job. And job applicants don’t get to choose how they will be interviewed by their future employer, which in this case are the people,” he said in Filipino. No editing Presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Monday welcomed the move to convert the botched debate series into a panel interview with candidates on one condition: It should not allow edits of the pre-taped question-and-answer session. Lacson said he was wary that post-process editing might take out portions that the candidates feel are vital to their intended message, or muddle the responses. “Editing will complicate matters because (the candidate) has no control (over the final content). My worry is that if something good I said was omitted, and that which is unpleasant is aired, that would be so unfair,” he said. Lacson said he and his running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, would rather have the interviews either aired live, or recorded but aired on the same hour. “So it will be pre-taped. But even if it’s taped (but aired) as live and no edits, we’re game,” he told reporters on the sidelines of their campaign sortie in Tarlac City. The presidential candidate said
the modifications in the setup would allow for flexibility in the candidates’ tight schedule, with just 13 days left in their campaign. Platform discussion “That’s flexibility and that makes it viable; that’s a very feasible suggestion because it will allow us to adjust our schedules depending on when we can have that one-hour panel questionand-answer interview squeezed in,” he said. Asked for confirmation if he will participate, Lacson said: “Yes, we will find time.” Sen. Manny Pacquiao, meanwhile, wants the Comelec to ensure that all presidential candidates will have ample time to air their platforms of governance in the run-up to the May 9 elections. Pacquiao’s media team said the retired boxing champ turned lawmaker was amenable with the poll body’s decision not to push through with the debates. However, the senator is open to a forum where all candidates can explain their platforms one last time for the electorate’s scrutiny. “Debates have been conducted several times, during which major issues hounding the country and even personal issues were addressed,” Pacquiao said in a statement on Monday. “I appeal to the Comelec to ensure for the last time that the candidates will be given enough time to discuss our platforms so that he public can hear us,” he added. g
US House passes bill to study new...
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simply forgotten,” she said. “It is time to change that.” AAPI Victory Alliance Executive Director Varun Nikore said the Asian American and Pacific Islander community is “more than the tragic headlines” during the
pandemic, referring to the uptick in anti-Asian hate. “This bill would be monumental for the Asian American Pacific Islander community as well as the rest of America: it will allow future generations and our neighbors to understand and
appreciate our long-standing history in this country and show that there is no America without the AAPI community,” said Nikore. The commission will have 18 months to report its findings back to Congress and the president. g
said the summit will "build on" Biden’s previously announced $102-million programs on COVID-19 recovery and health security, the climate crisis, economic growth, promoting gender equality, and "deepening people-to-people ties" in the
October 2021 US-ASEAN Summit. “It is a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration to serve as a strong, reliable partner in Southeast Asia,” Psaki said. (Kaycee Valmonte/ Philstar.com)
Duterte to skip US-ASEAN meet in May... PAGE 1
If he attends and makes a stand or enters into agreements, Duterte said it might "not be acceptable to the next administration." In a statement dated April 16, U.S. Press Secretary Jen Psaki
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2022
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California Joint AAPI Legislative Caucus to... PAGE 1 honoring the following individuals: • Excellence in Advocacy: Tammy Cho, Co-founder and CEO of Hate Is A Virus • Excellence in Arts & Entertainment: Dr. Ken Jeong, Actor, Producer, and Writer • Excellence in Business: Dr. Charles Huang, Entrepreneur, Founder and Chairman of Pasaca Capital Inc. • Excellence in Civil Rights: Manufou Liaiga-Anoa’I, Board Trustee of Jefferson Elementary School District Governing Board and Community Leader • Excellence in Health: Dr. Peter Bretan, Transplant and Urologic Surgeon, and First FilipinoAmerican Physician to serve as CMA’s 152nd President • Excellence in Labor: Bryan Ha, Director of Government Relations for the California Faculty Association • Excellence in Science: Samaira Mehta, Entrepreneur, STEM Promoter, and Creator of
CoderBunnyz • Excellence in Sports: Shohei Ohtani, Pitcher and Designated Hitter for the Los Angeles Angels “It is an honor to be a part of the Asian and Pacific Islander community,” said Dr. Richard Pan, Senator (D-Sacramento) and Chair of the Joint AAPI Legislative Caucus. “We celebrate the diversity of our varied communities recognized during APIA Heritage Month. This year, the AAPI Legislative Caucus is honoring eight amazing AAPI Leaders who not only led but uplifted our community during a time when we needed it most. These honorees elevated AAPI voices and insisted that our community be visible and heard in our country.” “I’m incredibly proud to join my colleagues in recognizing APIA Heritage month as we honor the accomplishments of our awardees and other heroes. Their respective excellence in a wide range of fields stands in sharp
contrast to the anti-Asian hate our community has been facing,” said Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley), Vice-Chair of the AAPI Legislative Caucus. “We will continue to stand up and rally in solidarity with our allies to root out all forms of racism and xenophobia.” “It is an absolute joy to see so many outstanding individuals nominated and honores this year, including Los Angeles Angel’s superstar Shohei Ohtani! I look forward to celebrating the achievements of this year’s nominees,” said Assemblywoman Janet Nguyen (R-Huntington Beach), Vice Chair of the Joint AAPI Legislative Caucus. On May 9th, Senate Resolution (SR) 80 and House Resolution (HR) 102, which were authored by Senator Min and Assemblymember Low, respectively, will be presented during floor sessions to establish May 2022 as Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month. (AJPress)
AAPI Heritage Month celebration marks... PAGE 1 relevant at this time as the community is grappling with anti-Asian hate, as well as a range of issues, including equality. She stressed that the theme is also a call to action for the broader community, and revealed that when the National Day of Solidarity takes place on May 14, 22 cities are also adopting the same theme that they are espousing. “Are we excited or what…” Mayor Breed declared to a round of applause as she took the podium after an introduction by Cheng. “…of the return of in-person events for APA Heritage Month… The truth is this is exciting, but we know that there have been real challenges during this pandemic that has forced us, I think, to take a hard look at some of the challenges of our history. And to have honest discussions about a lot of the discrimination that took place not just during the pandemic against our API community, but when you think about it, a hundred and forty years ago.” Briefly mentioning the Chinese Exclusion Act and Japanese internment anniversaries, Breed added, “Just thinking about this history makes me want to do more in order to bridge those gaps, in order to change some of those challenges that we unfortunately have seen many people in our API community experience over the course of this pandemic.” Citing the example of the Bruce Lee exhibit collaborated on by the Chinese Cultural Center and the African American Art and Culture Complex, Breed said the month-long celebrations is not just about telling API stories, but creating relationships with each other. “It is fitting that this exhibit came about at this time as we start to reopen, as we start to have these conversations and these celebrations,” Breed said. “This APA Heritage Month, [the organizers] try to make sure that the programming and everything that is done is not just an opportunity to share the stories of our Asian community, but to also build bridges, to build relationships, to continue to come together, to tell and share our stories and our life experiences, and
to learn about one another.” City Administrator Carmen Chu introduced this year’s awardees: the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center and Kearny Street Workshop for the Community Milestones Awards; and award-winning reporter Robert Handa, LIKHAPilipino Folk Ensemble founder Rudi Soriano and master chef Martin Yan for the Inspirational Achievement Awards. Chu, prior to announcing this year’s awards recipients, said that events like the AAPI Heritage Month will allow people, including her young daughter, “to see the city’s amazing history that is part of her history, all the people who have our San Francisco Asian American community and the Bay Area, and the history that we’ve contributed to this country and how we’ve helped to build this wonderful country that we all live in.” For his part City Attorney David Chiu spoke about how he loves the month of May “as it allows us to celebrate our diversity and celebrate our history and celebrate where we have come… Our community has come a long way. We’re in a city hall where Asian Americans were not accepted 100-plus years ago, and we are all in places today where that is not the case, again because of the leadership of so many.” In quick interviews with the Asian Journal, both Soriano and Yan expressed happiness over being recognized by the APAHF. “I was surprised and honored to be recognized by the APAHF,” Soriano said, while adding that it’s been a blessing to be a part of the community and how grateful he is to see the friendships that exist within the different Asian communities. As founder of LIKHAPilipino Folk Ensemble, Soriano revealed that his group participates in many events to promote Philippine dance and culture to a wide audience. “We always have an annual performance in San Francisco, and we have shows in the Bay Area and other states. We also participate in the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. Through dance, I believe, we can communicate with the community, with the nonAsians and show them who we
San Francisco Mayor London Breed talks about building bridges and relationships during the kick-off press conference for Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which is celebrated every May. AJ Press photo by Joseph L. Peralta
are as Filipino Americans, and as Asian Americans,” he said. The performer/teacher / choreographer said that aside from showing the Tinikling and Singkil and other more recognizable Philippine cultural dances, he has been actively researching other lowland and highland dances of different indigenous peoples and showing them in theater form.
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HACKERS NABBED. One of the suspects (middle) caught by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and the PNP-Anti Cybercrime Group personnel is escorted by authorities and presented to the media at CICC building on Tuesday, April 26. On April 23, authorities arrested in Imus, Cavite, and Sta Rosa, Laguna two members of the “XSOX Group”, who were claiming to have illegally accessed the Smartmatic system and can influence the results of the upcoming local and national elections on May 9. PNA photo by Rico H. Borja
CA still testing uninsured residents for... PAGE 1 shows up anymore even though testing is still important for monitoring and reducing the spread of COVID-19. They mostly see regulars who come in for routine testing required by their employer or school. Dr. Olivia Kasirye, the public health officer for Sacramento County, said the county sends specimens to a state lab at
no cost to the county, which has helped keep free testing services up and running. California is quietly ending its contract with a central lab, but the state says it will shift testing to a network of commercial labs. State officials told KHN there will be no changes for patients. “I think we can maintain services” for now, but the future
is uncertain, Kasirye said. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the federal government had reimbursed providers for testing, treating, and vaccinating uninsured people for covid-19. But the Health Resources and Services Administration stopped accepting reimbursement claims for tests and treatments
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CA still testing uninsured residents for... PAGE 1 March 22, and for vaccinations April 5, saying the money had run out. The government had been reimbursing providers $36 to $143 per test. Since then, states and counties have been watching their case rates and coffers to see whether they can keep testing uninsured residents. In Alabama, Dr. Scott Harris, the state health officer, said offering free testing to people five days a week through county health departments is “probably not something we’re going to be able to sustain much longer,” especially in pockets of the state with large uninsured populations. “We’re going to have zero services for those people,” Harris said. “And no ability to incentivize providers to see them.” Congress returns from recess in late April but may not renew the program. Lawmakers previously considered extending it but chose not to include money for it in a $10 billion covid funding deal that’s been pending since early April. The Covid-19 Uninsured Group Health care advocates say California has been able to continue free testing for the uninsured, including for residents without legal documentation, because of how it used a separate pot of federal funding. Although 15 other states also leveraged pandemic support, advocates believe California expanded benefits the most. In August 2020, California created an insurance program with pandemic relief money to cover covid-related treatments, testing, and vaccines for uninsured people or those whose insurance plans don’t cover those services. The Covid-19 Uninsured Group essentially acts as Medicaid for covid, but with no income requirements. That’s different from traditional Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, which is for low-income people. Coverage will end when the federal public health emergency does. On April 13, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services renewed the emergency declaration for 90 days, extending it to midJuly. The state program is a clever
way to use federal dollars, said David Kane, a senior attorney at the Western Center on Law & Poverty. But he noted there are drawbacks. People must be enrolled before they can obtain services, and they can’t enroll themselves. Only certain health care providers, mostly hospitals and clinics, can sign people up. “The program was never designed to exist in isolation,” Kane said, “but now it does.” About 291,000 people were enrolled in the program as of April 4, according to Anthony Cava, a spokesperson for the state Department of Health Care Services, which administers Medi-Cal. An estimated 3.2 million Californians, or around 9.5% of people younger than 65, are uninsured. Kane suggested that people find a qualified provider from a database maintained by the Department of Health Care Services or by calling the MediNurse line and get enrolled as soon as possible, especially if they are used to walking up to a testing site and paying nothing. The challenge is getting people to sign up before they get sick or need a test, Kane said, and keeping the program going with the added patient load. Screening Students Another major source of free testing in California is public schools. California distributed more than 14.3 million at-home tests to schools before students left for spring break. The schools in turn handed out the rapid tests to families so they can screen students before sending them back to campus. The state had a similar program for the winter holidays. The winter testing was “incredibly effective,” according to Primary Health, the company running the program for the state. About 77% of K-12 families voluntarily reported their results back to a sampling of schools, according to the company. In addition, the state is paying Primary Health to operate more than 7,000 free testing sites — most of which are in schools — by using leftover federal covid relief money disbursed to states at the beginning of the pandemic. How long that funding will last isn’t clear.
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“It seems like the federal government is stepping back and saying this portion of health care is going back to health care as we know it,” said Abigail Stoddard, Primary Health’s general manager of government and public programs. Stoddard’s conversations with schools outside California are changing. Instead of conducting surveillance testing to determine whether the virus is circulating on campus, as California is doing, many are moving toward testing only kids with symptoms, she said. For example, Primary Health operates in Minnesota, where schools are applying for grants to fund testing and will decide whether tests will be for sick students, healthy ones, or just staffers. Local Free Testing Free testing is still available in California through some hospitals, community clinics, local health departments, and private companies working with the state, although how long those options will remain is unclear. In Sacramento County, the loss of federal funding for testing uninsured people has gone mostly unnoticed so far. “Our hope is that we have enough services and resources in the community that the additional coverage going away will not have a huge impact,” Kasirye said. The county health department still offers free community testing to uninsured people every day at churches or community centers. But they may get harder to find. The testing company Curative used to offer free labrun PCR and rapid antigen tests around the state, but now that the federal funding has run out, it offers only PCR tests to the uninsured for free. The company has also reduced the number of its sites, from 283 on April 14 to 135 on April 19. In some states, Curative has either stopped testing uninsured people — or is charging them $99 to $135 per test. (Rachel Bluth/Kaiser Health News) This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. g
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Fil-Am teen killed in car crash in Riverside County by AJPress A Filipino American family is mourning the loss of their 17-year-old daughter who died in a car crash on Easter Sunday in Riverside County. Sharmaine Legaspi was killed in a car crash around 10:50 p.m. on Sunday, April 17 when she reportedly lost control of the sedan she was driving and hit a light pole on Murrieta Hot Springs Road, according to the Murrieta Police Department. Legaspi was pronounced dead at the scene. A 19-year-old passenger was taken to the hospital for nonlife-threatening injuries and is expected to recover, per reports. “My daughter is in heaven now. Thank you for the loving family and friends who shared their time to be with her in this life. I love you and you will always stay in my heart forever,” Legaspi’s mother Marieanne wrote in a Facebook post. A high school senior, Legaspi participated in beauty pageants, most recently in the Miss Philippines USA Pageant in 2021 as a Miss Young Philippines contestant. “I want to give back the kindness others have shown to me and to use whatever privileges I possess help others who don’t have the things I do. Finding ways for
Sharmaine Legaspi
Filipinos and Americans to improve the lives of the people (physically and mentally) is what I choose to advocate for,” Legaspi wrote as a candidate for the pageant. “Gone too soon. You are well-
loved by so many, you will be missed,” the Miss Philippines USA Pageant said in its Facebook page in her memory. Legaspi was to be laid to rest on Wednesday, April 27 in Murrieta. g
AAPI Heritage Month celebration marks... PAGE 1
“So they are basically much aware right now than before… there’s several organizations or Filipino dance companies who are promoting our culture through dance and music,” Soriano said. Soriano, who teaches dance to young kids and adults in their 50s to 60s, said it would be “it would be nice to teach Filipino culture to kids born here in the U.S. while they’re still young so that it will be embedded to them until they grow old.” Yan, meanwhile, said that the award, while being a testament to their work, is an encouragement for him and other community leaders to do more. While acknowledging that his programs introduced Asian heritage, history, culture and
food to other parts of the globe, including the western mainstream American, he said, “The more people understand each other, the more we accept and are receptive with each other. It’s a melting pot and let’s put all the wonderful things together and understand each other, and enjoy each other’s company through food and culture.” The culinary educator and prolific author also gave his thoughts on Filipino food, which is becoming more recognizable in the U.S. “I think Filipino food has a lot of intrinsic qualities that everybody should enjoy. Everybody knows that the suckling pig is amazing. And then the lumpia is very famous. And then adobo is my favorite. So to me, we should work harder to promote and
introduce Filipino culture, heritage and food. Let’s work together and do it. We’re part of the Asian community so we should work together and help each other,” said Yan, who added that he was amazed at how Filipinos embraced life when he did a show called “Taste of the Philippines” that explored Filipino culture, history and food. Asked what advice he would give to would-be chefs in the Filipino American community, the James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award recipient offered: “If you love what you do, enjoy it, follow your instinct, follow your nose, and never give up… If food is what you love and what you’re passionate about, keep at it, don’t give up, and move forward with courage, enthusiasm and optimism.” g
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2022
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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2022 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
OPINION
FeATUres
Onion-skinned
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EXPOUNDING on his threat to have the Armed Forces of the Philippines arrest critics of the Commission on Elections, Comelec Commissioner Rey Bulay lamented at a press conference on Monday, April 25 that he had been subjected to flak particularly on social media. Welcome to the digital age, commissioner. For peace of mind, there are public officials who simply disengage from social media or ignore critical posts, with the thought that one can’t please everybody. Instead Bulay, a law classmate of President Duterte who was appointed as commissioner last November, said last Friday, April 22 that the poll body could order the AFP to arrest critics who accuse the Comelec of bias or express concern about cheating. And Filipinos thought martial law ended in 1986. Fellow lawyers had to remind the former Manila city prosecutor that the Comelec’s deputization of the AFP to ensure orderly elections does not include the power to muzzle free speech and criticism. With just two weeks to election day, the Comelec currently has enough problems in ensuring honest, orderly and peaceful elections or HOPE on May 9. While HOPE has always been the ideal in electoral exercises in this country, it has never been fully attained. Even before the official start of the campaign period, certain politicians have been implicated in the assassination of potential rivals. Aside from armed violence, the Comelec is grappling with the new challenges posed by COVID
pandemic restrictions as well as widespread disinformation on social media and a data breach controversy involving its vote counting machine provider Smartmatic. Complaints about disenfranchisement have surfaced following the opening of the Comelec’s online precinct finder service. It must decide which political parties will have dominant party privileges, amid the prevailing chaotic party situation. The poll body’s effort to help voters make informed choices has been undermined by its inability to compel all candidates to attend the Comelecorganized debates, and now by controversy that has forced a shift from the planned final debate to one-on-one interviews with the aspirants. These are all matters crying for urgent attention and efficient response by the Comelec. There will be opportunities for more criticisms ahead, both for the Comelec and its officials, in all media platforms. Public officials who can’t take the heat should get out of the kitchen and enjoy peaceful retirement. The AFP also has more pressing problems on its plate than to be sicced on critics of onion-skinned public servants. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
If we want Leni and Kiko to succeed as ‘Gobyernong Tapat,’ vote for these trusted candidates for senator The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS THE enlightenment, zeal. commitment, and sense of volunteerism of the Filipino people have turned the tide in favor of candidates Vice President Leni Robredo for President and and Senator Kiko Pangilinan for Vice President. This growing and burning momentum has been manifested in successful jam-packed record breaking political rallies in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao powered by volunteers around the nation — a testament to the grassroots movement clamoring for change toward good and honest governance. Kababayans have found renewed hope in the leadership by example of Leni and Kiko with their proven integrity, tried and tested honesty, transparency, accountability, faithfulness to the rule of law and the heart of true public
servants even before they entered politics. The rise of this grassroots support move in the same direction of the endorsements for Leni and Kiko by private citizens’ groups like doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, farmers, colleges and university leadership, scientists, etc. along with former government officials, retired military officers, priests of the Catholic Church and many nongovernment organizations. Even the results of Google Trends, a website by Google that analyzes the popularity of top search queries across various regions and languages, has shown the momentum is on Leni and Kiko now, surpassing the supposed frontrunners Bongbong Marcos Sara Duterte Carpio if (questionable) surveys are to be the sources. Google Trends correctly predicted, based on the scores on search queries, that French President Emmanuel Macron would be re-elected. The power of this movement has proven to be stronger than questionable surveys, fake news and disinformation peddled by their political
opponents who only have their own political and personal interests driving them instead of true and genuine public service. May 9, though, is the ONLY survey that will matter. But the success of the cause transforming our corruptionplagued government into a “gobyernong tapat” headed by Leni and Kiko does not end with a Leni and Kiko victory on election day. We need to elect Senators who also share the same integrity, commitment and faithfulness to the cause as the President and Vice President. Senators do not only write and pass laws, they have other roles and responsibilities that are intended by the Constitution to help protect, defend and strengthen our democracy as one of the three co-equal branches of government, especially in its fulfillment of its obligation to provide checks and balances so that not one official nor institution will abuse its power — something that we are already seeing and have been witnessing in the systemic corruption in government.
Powers and responsibilities Create bills, resolutions, concurrent resolutions, and simple resolutions Debate measures in respective committees and during plenary sessions Conduct inquiries in aid of legislation Propose or concur with amendments in the appropriation of funds by the House of Representatives Try and decide cases of impeachment Declare the existence of a state of war (two-thirds vote along with the House, voting separately) Authorize the president to exercise powers to carry out a declared national policy “for a limited period and subject to restrictions” in times of war or other national emergency Revoke or extend the president’s proclamation of martial law Concur with or reject amnesty by the president Concur with or reject treaties or international agreements (two-thirds vote) Propose amendments to the Constitution through a constituent assembly or constitutional convention
Make full disclosure of financial and business interests, and notify the chamber of possible conflicts of interest when filing legislation of which they are authors (Rappler) WITH these tremendous powers given to the Senate, we need Senators who will be part of the SOLUTION and NOT the problem. We need to FIRE senators who have betrayed public and been convicted and implicated in crimes and transgressions against the country for corruption, plunder, violation of the rule of law, loyalty not to the people but to their party and selfish personal interests, etc. We NEED to vote out candidates who have proven to violate the rule of transparency, accountability, delicadeza. We need to VOTE out candidates who have been lying to us, deceiving us with disinformation and robbing us with the truth that we need to have to make informed and conscientious decisions. We need to VOTE for candidates who have been faithfully and dutifully fighting for us and the greater good all their life, and not just during
campaign season. Therefore, I submit to you the following names to vote for on May 9 as our Honorable Senators: Chel Diokno Antonio Trillanes IV Risa Hontiveros Leila de Lima Neri Colmenares Teddy Baguilat Jr. Alex Lacson Sonny Matula Luke Espiritu Richard Gordon Elmer Labog Dr. Minguita Padilla *** 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. She was a news anchor, TV host and radio commentator and public service host for ABS- CBN and DZMM. She is now working on her advocacies independently, serving the Filipino audience using different media platforms. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos. Relos. Also on Twitter, Instagram: Gel Santos Relos
Confronting disinformation in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities Commentary
CHRISTINE CHEN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF
APIAVOTE
MISINFORMATION and disinformation are one of the great challenges facing Asian American and Pacific Islander communities today. They are making our communities less safe, weakening our trust in the election systems, and tearing some families apart. We saw how mis- and disinformation have impacted both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, and it continues to have an impact on issues that are important to our communities, including vaccinations, immigration, and public safety. For example, we have seen disinformation campaigns telling voters the wrong election day, lying
that immigration officials are appearing at the polls, claiming voting-by-mail is ripe for fraud, contending schools are indoctrinating students with critical race theory, and more. Additionally, disinformation is also being used to direct hate towards Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, and to pit communities against each other and against other communities of color – such as claims Chinese Americans are spreading COVID-19 and that Black and brown Americans are the main initiators of anti-Asian Hate. All of these narratives have the real potential to threaten our democratic process, mis-inform voters with non-factual information on which they may base their vote on, and most importantly – cause harm. These narratives are able to spread easily through AAPI communities because frankly, social media companies are not doing enough to combat the
problem. On top of this is the fact that AAPI communities speak over 50 languages, come from various cultural backgrounds, are found across many social media platforms that often utilize closed groups, and nonEnglish content is less likely to be flagged. These all make it hard to monitor, track, and report problematic narratives. As a result, it is also hard to push back with quality information. Confronting disinformation will require major change; however, it is also important we arm ourselves with the tools to detect disinformation in our own social media feeds so we are able to push back one step at a time. Here are some tips: Does something you are reading or hearing seem too good to be true? Is it inconsistent with what other sources are saying? Does it invoke an emotional response? Are there other sources discussing this story? Does it appear to be overblown, exaggerated, or lacking in
specific evidence? If the answer is yes, these are tell-tale signs that disinformation or another type of problematic narrative might be at play. When asking ourselves these important questions, one of the most important things one can do if something seems suspicious is to check to see if other reputable sources are covering the narrative or assertion. This may include well-known national news outlets, trusted local news media, government websites, encyclopedias, and non-partisan fact-checking websites. If you cannot find other reputable sources about what you are researching, check the source of the information! If it appears to be a news outlet or blog, use MediaBiasFactcheck. com or AllSides.com to determine if it is a trustworthy source. It is important to note that identifying disinformation can be difficult if something
appears believable, especially if it already fits into our existing belief system. When consuming any information from a source you are unfamiliar with, or if it does not have any sourcing, ask yourself if this fits too comfortably into your belief system. This allows us to challenge our assumptions and catch us from making the mistake of believing something untrue or misleading. When coming across disinformation, it is important to not only know how to detect it – but do something about it. If something is false, report it! If you know the person posting it, and they are open to feedback, try kindly and privately speaking with them about your concern and leading them towards factual resources. Doing this prevents public embarrassment and can help them understand the problem with the post. Lastly, never engage with a problematic post; bad actors rely on any type of reaction to
spread their message. Unfortunately, most of us will come across disinformation in our everyday lives. It is an issue that needs to be addressed by social media companies and our elected officials, but with these insights in mind, we hope to confront disinformation head on, one person at a time – and move towards a world where our communities are empowered with good information. *** 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.
***
Christine Chen is the co-Founder and Executive Director of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote). APIAVote is the nation’s leading nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to engaging, educating, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to strengthen their voices and create impact. For decades, our action-driven organization has led national initiatives to ensure AAPIs are represented and heard.
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Dateline PhiliPPines
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2022
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2nd booster shot rolled out for immunocompromised by Franco Jose
c. Baroña
ManilaTimes.net
THE government started administering the second COVID-19 booster shot for the immunocompromised, or people with comorbidities, in the National Capital Region. The Department of Health (DOH) said it plans to administer jabs for an estimated 690,000 immunocompromised individuals across all priority groups. "Operations will initially aim to reach approximately 1 [to] 2 percent of this target, which corresponds to about 7,000 to 412,000 STRONG. Filipinos cheer as they attend the Leni Robredo-Kiko Pangilinan campaign rally along Macapagal Boulevard, Pasay City on 13,000 individuals. LGUs (local Saturday, April 23. The gathering covered the stretch from the corner of Gil Puyat Avenue to Edsa Extension with an estimate of 412,000 government units) will take the attendees. AJPress photo by Kendrick Tan lead in gradually expanding the rollout," the DOH said in a statement. The Philippine Children's Medical Center, Tala Hospital (Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital), Valenzuela Medical Center and the local government the stretch of Diosdado Macapagal Former DILG chief Alunan of Makati were the first sites that by Xave GreGorio Boulevard should not have been gives own estimate Philstar.com administered the fourth dose of as dense as what Philstar.com A now-viral Facebook post COVID-19 vaccinations. MANILA — The crowd at Vice witnessed when we covered the by former Local Government Secretary Rafael Alunan III President Leni Robredo’s rally rally last Saturday, April 23. From our vantage point on also attempted to provide an in Pasay City on the occasion of the presidential candidate’s 57th a platform situated close to the estimate for Robredo’s rally in birthday must have been quite main stage near Jose W. Diokno Pasay City, which was graced by sparse in the eyes of National Boulevard, the crowd fluctuated A-list celebrities and entertainers Capital Region Police Office, from around three people per including Vice Ganda, John Arcilla which estimate that only 70,000 to square meter to four people per and Maricel Soriano. Alunan said that given that 80,000 people attended the event. square meter. According to MapChecking, Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard According to online crowd estimation tool MapChecking, this would have yielded a crowd has an area of 175,000 square the NCRPO's lower-end estimate that ranged from 159,987 to meters and assuming that there would mean 1.3 people for every 213,316 people. If bumped up were around three people per square meter of the venue and to five people per square meter, square meter, there would have 1.5 people per square meter for which is the maximum number been at most 525,000 people of people allowed by the online along the street. the higher-end estimate. "How many more people Even the NCRPO’s initial tool, the crowd would have been would you say spilled over to estimate of around 90,000 to at 266,645 people. These estimates are far lower the peripheries and tributaries 100,000 people might be an undercount, considering that than the numbers released by - 50,000?, 100,000?, 150,000?” these numbers would have meant organizers, who said that around he said. “One thing for sure, the that only 1.7 people per square 412,000 people were present at crowd was mammoth, thanks to meter to 1.9 people per square the Pasay rally. But it bears noting the organizers, volunteer groups that MapChecking cannot account and supporters. Take a bow meter were present. everyone!" g At these rates, the crowd along for spillovers into nearby roads.
Police may have underestimated crowd size at Robredo’s Pasay rally, online tool suggests
"More vaccination sites will start administering second boosters as the days progress," the department said. The vaccine brands that will be used as a second booster are AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer, Sinopharm and Sinovac. Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje, head of the National Vaccination Operations Center, said the country's supply of COVID-19 vaccines was enough for the rollout of the second booster shots. "We have enough vaccines for primary doses, first and second booster shots," she said in a radio interview. Cabotaje said the government would put up special vaccination sites in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao after Ramadan because of the low vaccination rates. The DOH, she said, was also monitoring Ilocos Norte, Kalinga, Quirino, Catanduanes, Olongapo City, Tarlac City, Angeles City and Eastern Samar for possible increases in COVID-19 cases.
Around 27 Catholic lay organizations back Robredo, Pangilinan BACOLOD CITY — At least 27 lay organizations of the Diocese of Bacolod have declared their support for the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Monday, April 25. Bobby Magalona, lay leader of the Community of Families for Christ-Gawad Kalinga, said this is the first time that the lay organizations have united to come up with a declaration of support for candidates. “This is very significant and very historic,” he said during a
press conference at the John Paul II Hall of the Redemptorist Shrine in Bacolod City. The lay organizations, in their joint statement, said the results of the May 9 elections will determine what will happen to the country and the future of children. “The choice of leaders in these elections will be crucial in deciding our fate as a sovereign and democratic country,” they said. They called on each community to go through a discernment process and to be guided by
the truth and not be deceived by propaganda, disinformation, revision of facts and all forms of lies. The group said Robredo and Pangilinan met their criteria of leaders who are God-fearing, show godly values, and value the Filipino family, Magalona said. “We ask our lay faithful to learn, listen and support our Catholic Church social teachings and guidelines regarding our national and local issues, including our Church leaders’ stand on our elections,” they said. (Inquirer.net)
7 municipalities, 1 city in Mindanao placed under Comelec control by William
Depasupil ManilaTimes.net
COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan on Tuesday, April 26 placed seven municipalities and one city in Mindanao under Comelec control. Placed under Comelec control were the towns of Buluan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Piang, Mangudadatu, Pandag and Sultan Kudarat in the province of Maguindanao. Also under Comelec control are Marawi City and the town of Maguing both in Lanao del Sur, in addition to Tubaran and Malabang towns. Pangarungan said that his latest directive was based on the recommendation of the
EMPLOYMENT
Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines and Regional Election Director Ray Sumalipao, the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC). Under Comelec Resolution 10757 an area can be put under Comelec control if there is a history of/or current intense rivalry among contending parties. Such rivalries could motivate people to engage in violent acts; incidents of politically-motivated violence involving aspirants/candidates and other supporters. Violence may be facilitated by the employment of Private Armed Groups (PAGs); and serious armed threats posed by the Communist Terrorist
Groups (CTGs), and other threat groups including the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFFs), the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the Maute Group, and other analogous threat groups as may be declared by the competent authority, or other paramilitary forces, private armies or identifiable armed bands widely perceived to have committed terrorism, fraud or other election irregularities and threaten or disrupt the holding of free, peaceful, honest, orderly, and credible elections in any political divisions, subdivisions, unit or area. "As regards to other areas, we are continuously upgrading and updating our assessment status," Pangarungan said. g
EMPLOYMENT
SERVICES
The Food and Drug Administration has authorized a second booster shot for senior citizens, immunocompromised individuals and health workers. For immunocompromised individuals, the second booster should be administered at least three months after the first booster dose. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that health workers and senior citizens are not included in the initial rollout of the second booster pending review by the Health Technology Assessment Council. Duque defined immunocompromised individuals as those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, cancer patients, transplant patients and individuals taking immunosuppressive medicines. The DOH said only 12.6 million Filipinos have received booster shots out of the 67.2 million fully vaccinated individuals. The Philippines now joins South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore as countries administering a fourth COVID-19 jab. g
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Fil-Am mother-daughter duo joins CBS’ new dance competition series BY
DONNABELLE GATDULA-AREVALO / AJPRESS
FILIPINO American mother and daughter duo Nicole and Emelyn Yniguez want to tell their story through dance as they join the newest CBS’ family dance competition series, “Come Dance with Me,” which premiered earlier this April. Nicole, 41, who works as a social media consultant, said showing their true selves in their dance routines would somewhat give them an edge over other teams in the competition. “The most valuable thing that I told Emelyn and myself was to be just ourselves and have fun,” Nicole, the mother of 4 children, told the Asian Journal when asked what people can expect from their performances in the 11-week dance contest series. “Yes, it’s a competition and
we want to do our best but we just need to be ourselves and that’s what’s gonna come across the people watching on television that as long as we can stay true to who we are and not try to be anything other than Emelyn and Nicole, I feel that people can relate to us because we are just being our authentic selves,” Nicole added. “Come Dance with Me” features exceptionally talented young dancers from across the country who invite one untrained family member who has supported their dance dreams to be their partner, for a chance to strut their stuff for a grand prize. Never in her wildest dreams did Nicole imagine she would be joining a dance competition as big as this one.
Fil-Am daughter Emelyn and mother Nicole Yniguez from Las Vegas compete in CBS’ new dance competition series “Come Dance with Me.”
celebrityworld
“I honestly didn’t expect to be in the show with her. We just applied and it was in 2020 and she was just 12 and it was mid-pandemic, we were home and the kids were not in school. Everything was remote so we just did it on a whim, not really expecting to go far,” Nicole said. “When we had an interview, I was actually trying to suggest my husband to do the show with her but they inquired about me and I guess they liked the idea that I was a mom that was sacrificing her work so her kids can dance,” she added. Nicole left her day job to film the dance show’s two-hour premiere episode in Australia mid-last year. While she never had a chance to shake a leg when she was younger, Nicole wished to learn but her hardworking parents did not have the luxury of time to bring her to dance schools. “I always wanted to dance when I was younger but my parents, both working then, did not allow me because of time commitment issues. I never had the opportunities so when this presented itself and when Emelyn asked me to do it with her, then the rest is history,” said Nicole, who also used to hold an administrative office job at a dance studio in New Jersey before the family moved to Las Vegas. With a supportive family, 14-year-old Emelyn, on the other hand, has been lacing up her dance shoes since she was three years old. She is now a preprofessional dancer and has been dancing competitively for over seven years. Emelyn got her inspiration and love for dancing from watching students in the dance studio where her Mom used to work. She began dancing at the age of 3. “When I was 7 years old, my
mom started working at a dance school. One day, my mom took us to watch a dance contest. The dancers were on stage and I go watched them and I was just in awe and so inspired and I told my mom, ‘I wanna do this and I wanna dance on stage, too. I want to dress up and get a trophy and get an award for dancing,’” Emelyn said. Through years of experience and immense training, Emelyn could muster any dance style and genre, such as hip hop, tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, ballroom and tumbling/ gymnastics. Preparing for the intricate and complicated dance routines, Nicole admitted, was a major challenge for her. “Before we went to Australia to film the show, I’ve never trained. I’ve never danced before. It was very physically demanding experience because you know at that time I was 40, my body doesn’t move the way my daughter’s does. So learning these intricate steps was very hard and it took a lot of practice and a lot of corrections from my daughter so that I could at least try my best to match her energy and all the stuff that she does,” Nicole said. Emelyn, for her part, has been continuously honing her dancing prowess through intense and vigorous training. “I am actually competing with my current studio Dance Connection. I am also training at Dance Connection about five to six days a week, four to five hours per day and I train in all styles,” the teen said. With all these sacrifices and challenges, Nicole and Emelyn are just proud to be representing the Fil-Am community in the U.S. “We are so proud to be a Fil-Am mother-daughter duo representing the Filipino community. We hope that our
Duo Emelyn and Nicole Yniguez show off behind the scenes photos while filming CBS’ “Come Dance with Me” in Australia. Photo courtesy of Nicole Yniguez/Instagram
story and our dances can inspire other young Fil-Am dancers out there,” Nicole said. “We know that Filipinos are known to be great at everything, entertainment-wise. It’s so amazing that we have this opportunity to not only represent the Filipino community but the Asian community and the most beautiful thing that I would say about the cast is that we are very diverse. There are actually three families that are of Asian descent. We are so proud to be one of them representing all the Asian and Filipino families out there and we just really hope that we make all the Pinoys out there proud,” she said. This mother-daughter dance tandem from Las Vegas is one of the 12 teams from across the country who will vie for the competition’s grand prize of $100,000. Emelyn, Nicole’s oldest child, said if they win, they would want to use the prize money to buy a house. “Right now, we live in a condominium. A family of six in a three-bedroom condo, it’s very small compared to what we want to live in. We would really
like to buy a house,” the teen dance enthusiast said. According to the 8th grader, they would also save some of the prize money for a college fund and other family expenses. “Come Dance with Me” is from creators and executive producers Chris O’Donnell, LL COOL J (stars of CBS’ “NCIS: Los Angeles”) and 3 Ball Productions. The show, which premiered in April 15, will air every Friday thereafter for 11 weeks, at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific and 7 p.m. Central. GRAMMY® Award-winning songwriter Philip Lawrence hosts the series which features music from popular artists across all genres. Judges of the competition include one of Hollywood’s most prolific dancers and actresses, Jenna Dewan; professional celebrity dancer Dexter Mayfield; and renowned hip hop choreographer Tricia Miranda. Throughout the season, each duo will learn and perform different styles of dance, from hip hop and ballroom to contemporary and theatrical, among others.
Barbie Imperial saves for a house, proud to be ‘kuripot’
“I don’t need to do it immediately,” she clarified. “But I would like to buy another house.” By Ferdie Villar “It’s my dream to acquire one more house. We already have a house but my plan is to give it to my brother because he has a YOUNG actress Barbie otherwise bought at a discount. family of his own… So, it’s like Imperial is not shy to say that helping out… [and] I want to “The branded items that I she is “kuripot,” or thrifty when have my own house,” she added. have like clothes, bags and it comes to money. Asked what her dream house In a recent interview with other stuff, those were given would look like, the actressPEP.ph, Barbie revealed that to me,” she revealed. “Or if model born in Daraga, Albay is she doesn’t spend much on there’s a [good] discount, then opting for a minimalist, clean luxury items, and that most that’s when I would consider it. look. of the designer items that she Sobrang kuripot ako e, as in.” “I like all white, minimalist, Her decision not to splurge on has in her possession are gifts clean,” she answered. “Just from friends and fans or were luxury items stems from the fact like this (gesturing at her hotel room)… I see it as very beautiful because the interiors of the rooms are very simple. Very clean and sleek.” As for the location, initially they had planned to buy a house in Bicol, but the “Araw Gabi” lead actress divulged that it was not in the cards for them. “My mom and I had originally planned to buy a house in Bicol. But my brother and his family live here in Manila. And my work is here also. So, if we get a house in Bicol, Mama would only be the one staying there. She would be there alone. So we talked about it, Manila was our next option,” she said. Imperial was most recently seen in The Other Girl episode of iWantTFC’s “The Goodbye Girl” series where she played a woman (Kiera) who becomes a mistress to her colleague named Franco, and even befriends her colleague’s wife to get to know her competition only to find out that she is just one of the many women on the side of Franco. Having recently broken up with boyfriend Diego Loyzaga, Barbie was asked what lessons in love she had learned during the February presscon for “The Goodbye Girl.” “When we hear how we Luis Manzano celebrated his birthday at his TV show, “I Can See Your Voice,” Angeline Perez, a youth leader in Antioch, celebrated her 14th which is telecast by The Filipino Channel (TFC). Luis turned 41 last April 21. birthday at the Perez residence with her closest friends. She is the should learn to love ourselves Photo from Instagram/@@luckymanzano daughter of Antioch community leaders Anthony and Vangie Perez. first before we give our love that she would like to save for her dream home. “Sometimes when I think about it, ‘If I buy this bag, that money could be added to what I am saving for my house,’ something like that,” she said, but added, “If the discount is at 30 percent, that’s okay with me. It’s 30 percent already. But if it is regular price, it’s like ‘Ah, that’s painful for my wallet!’.” Although she has achieved one of her biggest dreams of buying their family their own home via her work and endorsement deals, she is planning to buy another house.
Actress/model/singer Barbie Imperial is focused on saving money to buy a dream home for herself. Photo from Instagram/@msbarbieimperial
to others, it just glosses over, right? But that’s what I learned from my past relationships – that you need to really love yourself too. Totoo pala ‘yun,” she answered. “I’m the type of person that even if I’m slowly flickering away, running towards empty, I still give all my love to other people. I figured out that these things may be happening to me constantly because I really don’t know how to love myself. Because it’s all the same story with each boyfriend. So what if
I change it now? I will focus on me and learn to love myself,” she added. The “It’s Showtime” regular guest continued, “Self-love is very important. You have to love yourself so that you know when to leave, when to fight for yourself, and know your worth as a person. That’s it. If you don’t love yourself, it’s like you just go with the flow even if that is not the path for both of you. Love yourself so you can be brave… your courage will be there and your beliefs will be there.”
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2022
Give yourself some credit (reports) DURING Financial Literacy Month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is focused on steps to protect your money by spotting and avoiding scams. But here’s another important way to help protect your wallet: regularly check your credit reports. Through December 2022, everyone in the U.S. can get a free credit report each week from all three nationwide credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). By checking your credit reports, you’ll be able to see if someone is misusing your personal information to run up charges on your credit cards, get new credit or open a new account in your name, and steal
your identity. The sooner you spot this fraud, the sooner you can take action to stop the harm and correct the errors. Follow these steps: • Order your free credit reports. Go to AnnualCreditReport. com or call 877-322-8228. • Read the reports carefully. Do you recognize the accounts? Do they list credit applications? Did you apply for credit at those places? Check your personal information too. Are your name, address, and Social Security number correct? • Dispute mistakes. Contact the credit bureau and the business that reported the information. Ask both to correct their records. Include as much detail as possible, plus copies
of supporting documents, like payment records. Our sample dispute letters for credit bureaus and businesses can help. If you don’t recognize an account, visit IdentityTheft. gov to report it to the FTC and get a recovery plan. IdentityTheft. gov will also help you create a sworn Identity Theft Report that you can send to the credit bureaus to block identity theftrelated debts from appearing on your credit report. Visit FTC.gov/credit for more information about credit reports, scores, freezes and monitoring, then share what you learned during #FinancialLiteracyMonth. And if you spot a scam, please tell us about it at ReportFraud. ftc.gov. (By Seena Gressin/FTC)
SFIO announces 50% reduction of authorized shares from 5B to 2.5B STARFLEET Innotech Inc. (OTC Pink: SFIO), a global investment holding company, is pleased to announce that the company is reducing its current authorized share count by 50% from five billion to 2.5 billion. “We believe this reduction leaves enough shares in reserve for us to continue our capital raising efforts, while also minimizing dilution among our shareholders,” said CEO Jeths Lacson. SFIO is also announcing the creation of a new class of preferred shares pending processing on NVSOS, to be used for future acquisitions, as well as for onboarding new officers and key partners. The Series B Preferred Shares consist of 310 million shares – largely converted from common shares held by
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GREEN CARD ACQUIRED AFTER BEING TNT FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS, THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Marie was petitioned as single by her father in the 90’s, but she got married in 1998, revoking her father’s petition. The marriage did not last, and in 2002, Marie and her three children went to the U.S. as tourists. Since then, they had been overstaying and living in fear. Marie’s mother, a green card holder, petitions her daughter this time. Marie had consulted with four attorneys who all told her she had to go back to the Philippines once her priority date becomes current. Marie refused to go back to the motherland for fear that she might not be able to return to the U.S. She consults with leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel who was able to find a way for Marie to remain in the U.S. and be interviewed here, and eventually get her green card in October 2021. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, May 1 at 7:00 PM PT (10:00 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)
Told she must leave, Marie was able to receive her green card in the US the company’s officers and key shareholders – amounting to 22% of the total 1.415 billion. Approximately 1.105B outstanding shares is expected following the restructure. The new class of preferred shares will carry at least a 12-month moratorium on sales, further restrictions on sales and an opportunity for conversion
to common shares beyond the moratorium, as well as a right of first refusal for the company to repurchase offered shares. “These initiatives are only some of a number of moves we are making to champion transparency and maximize shareholder value across our community,” Lacson said. (Advertising Supplement)
IN 2002, Marie and her three children visited the U.S. as tourists. They planned to visit family and then return home to the Philippines. However, Marie later decided to remain and became out of status. In 2009, Marie’s mother, a green card holder, petitioned Marie in the F2B category. When the priority date on her petition became current, she consulted with at least four attorneys, all of whom told her that because she was out of status, she had to go back to
the Philippines to apply for her immigrant visa. But Marie did not want to go back because she was worried about the uncertainty of applying in the Philippines, and that she might not be able to return to the U.S. She finally decided to consult with the “Attorney of Last Hope,” Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, who was able to find a way for Marie to apply for a green card (adjust status) in the U.S. After retaining Attorney
Gurfinkel, Marie got her green card in October 2021 in the U.S., and can now get healthcare, find a better job, and enjoy the other benefits of being a green card holder. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, May 1 at 7:00 PM PT (10:00 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download free app. (Advertising Supplement)
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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2022 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
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Trends continue upward for Boulder-Las Vegas-Henderson areas by RealtoR
Fely Quitevis-Bateman
THE market continues to move up for many areas in Nevada, including the cities of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Boulder and Henderson. In the most recent monthly report by First American Title Insurance Company, the aforementioned areas are still in a strong seller’s market segment, with market action indexes for each of the cities improving by a few points over last month’s numbers. In Las Vegas, the overall median list price is at $600,000, with the median price for new listings pegged at $535,000. The per square foot price is at $270. Inventory remains at around 1,529. The median rent, meanwhile, is set at $2,200. Analysis for the Las Vegas area says that “home sales continue to outstrip supply and the Market Action Index has been moving
higher for several weeks” and it has issued a “watch for upward pricing pressure in the near future if the trend continues.” The City of North Las Vegas, for its part, has an overall median list price of $451,500, with the median price of new listings priced at $445,495. Price per square foot is at $237, while median rent is at $2,141. There are currently 264 homes counted in the inventory. Analysis for North Las Vegas is similar to that of Las Vegas – “home sales continue to outstrip supply and the Market Action Index has been moving higher for several weeks” and “watch for upward pricing pressure in the near future if the trend continues.” Boulder City, meanwhile, has an overall median list price of $774,499, with the median price of new listings set at $712,000. The city has a per square foot Realtor Quitevis-Bateman and Russ Bateman attended the recent NAR Brokers’ Summit so they can be well-informed on real estate trends nationwide and globally.
Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (right) with National Association of Realtors president Leslie Rouda Smith at the Brokers’ Summit in Phoenix, AZ held on April 5-6, 2022.
price at $339, and an inventory of 34. Median rent in Boulder City is pegged at $2,240. The analysis for Boulder City says “the market continues to get hotter” with having fewer homes listed and more demand contributing to a relatively long run of increasing prices. The report says that “current supply and demand levels show no sign of prices changing from their current trend.” Finally, Henderson has an overall median list price of $650,000, with the median price of new listings set at $558,000. The per square foot price is at $299, and there are 441 homes in inventory. The median rent in Henderson is pegged at $2,330. The analysis for Henderson says that “home sales continue to outstrip supply” and that it is a seller’s market so “watch for upward pricing pressure in the near future if the trend continues.” This is great news for areas in Nevada and only confirms that real estate prices in the state continue to rise. This greatly benefits the many individuals who have invested their money in real estate and properties in Las Vegas and its surrounding areas as they have gotten a great Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman helps those who need business financing, including small businesses. return on investment on their initial ventures. For more information, call (702) 538-4948 or send email to fely@precious-properties.com.
With construction projects aplenty and developers looking at neighboring areas for development opportunities, per square foot prices and real estate/ property will continue to be on an uptrend. That bodes well for those who are looking to put their hard-earned money into land and/ or property, which almost always continues to appreciate as time goes by. In other news in Las Vegas, the Palms Casino Resort is slated to open this April. It is now under the ownership of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and had a $690 million renovation in 2019. It has been closed since March of 2020. According to a release, the 31.5-acre property will have an updated casino floor with a new layout for slot machines and table games. The 14 movie theaters have been updated with new reclining seats, an American gastro-pub named Serrano Vista Cafe has been added, and a new rewards program, Club Serrano, is ready. Club Serrano is shared with players at the Yaamava’ resort and casino located three and a half hours away in Highland, California. A recent news report said that the Palms aims to bring something
Realtor Quitevis-Bateman (left) with CA Realtor Lauren Honey Marcus, who also attended the Broker’s Summit. Both have talked about the possibility of doing business with each other.
fresh and exciting to the Strip while also honoring the San Manuel tradition. The property’s management and team will be focused on both quality of service and offering fabulous amenities to its clients and visitors. Whether you are looking to settle down in the area, purchase a second home, or just invest your money in real estate, now is a good time to scout for opportunities as prices are more affordable. I can help you find that piece of real estate that will match your needs and your
budget. Together, we can comb for the best real estate/properties available in Las Vegas and its neighboring cities/towns. My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has successfully helped its clientele find the best deals since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-5592476 and 702-538-4948 for more information. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days. (Advertising Supplement)
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Health @Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS THE pandemic is far from over. While we want to celebrate the tapering cases in the United States, statistics still show there were 76,612 cases and 353 deaths on Monday (April 25) and a 7-day average of almost 47,000 cases and around 400 deaths, an increase of about 51 percent compared to a week ago. Only around 66 percent of the 332.6+ million U.S. population has been fully vaccinated (about 109 million still unvaccinated), a much lower vaccination rate than many other developed countries around the world. China is currently facing a massive surge. Spillover to other parts of the globe is inevitable. In the midst of the masking controversy and confusion, it is prudent to be on the safe side – to continue using a mask inside stores, public buildings, and mass transits, which will also protect the vulnerable seniors and immunocompromised people besides the wearer. Wisdom, humility, patience, and compassion are essential in defeating this pandemic. T cells protect Why are some unvaccinated people not getting infected with COVID-19? Findings of recent studies revealed that those who previously had common cold coronavirus infections have higher levels of T cells, which are a part of the immune system that protects the body from infection. The study provides “the clearest evidence to date that T cells induced by such common cold infections play some protective role against SARSCoV2 infection. However, such “immunity” could not be relied upon solely as protection against COVID-19. Vaccination is still the best protection against COVID-19 infection and its potentially fatal complications. Ventilation vs COVID-19 While it is obvious that the lower the viral load and exposure, the lower the chances of infection. Outdoor is safer as far as transmission of any air-borne infection is concerned because the airflow dissipates and “dilutes” the germs in the air, markedly reducing the concentration of the “bugs” in the air. Studies over the past couple of years, since the pandemic started, have shown that good ventilation system in buildings, like schools, and enclosed areas, like our home, is vital in controlling the transmission of COVID-19. E-Cig is worse Electronic cigarettes (E-Cig or Vapes), introduced to be a safe substitute for tobacco smoking, are churning out grave concerns about a range of diseases and deaths related to their use. Studies show that using pod-based e-cigarettes daily elevates inflammatory markers involving multiple organ systems, including the heart, lungs, and the brain, which impacts how organs respond to infections like COVID-19. It is estimated that more than 12 million adults in the United States use battery-operated e-cig (vape) devices and the highest number of users are between the ages of 18 and 24. E-Cig and vaping are certainly not healthier alternatives to cigarettes, merely changing the killer. Breastfeeding Evidence-based clinical studies
Kris Aquino
Unmasking insanity How Wil Dasovich will react if Alodia have proven old-fashioned breastfeeding to be robustly associated with reduced risk for maternal diabetes mellitus Type 2, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. Breast-fed children are also healthier and more secure. Marijuana dangers The legalization and wide use of recreational marijuana in the United States give society the delusion that it is totally safe and devoid of health risks. Appropriate use of medical marijuana under a physician’s supervision is one thing; its use for recreational purposes is another. Nearly 55 million Americans have used marijuana at one time in their life. Marijuana is illegal in the Philippines. The United Nations Office of Drug and Crime reports that in 2016, 1.1 percent of Filipinos aged 10-64 used this illegal drug. Marijuana has negative longterm health effects. Ten percent of users get addicted to it. Among those aged 18 and younger, the addiction rate goes up to 1 in 6. Some adverse effects: • Brain – can cause permanent IQ loss of as much as 8 points, which do not come back, even if the user quits marijuana. • Mental health – marijuana causes anxiety, depression, psychoses, and suicidal tendencies. • Driving – driving under the influence of marijuana slows down reaction to other cars, signals, and sounds, lane-swerving, reduces coordination, and concentration, worse than alcohol. • Athletic Prowess – marijuana use negatively impacts movement, timing, reaction, and coordination, and can diminish total performance. • Baby’s health and development – marijuana use during pregnancy may cause restriction of fetal growth and development, stillbirth, premature birth, and poor brain health, resulting in hyperactivity and poor cognitive function among children. Chemicals in marijuana also pass to the baby through breast milk, further impairing the child’s health and development. • Life itself – The use of marijuana controls how well people perform in life; chronic users are more likely to have worse educational outcomes, poorer relationships, lower career achievement, and severely lower life satisfaction. Title 42, the Wall On April 1, 2022, the Biden administration announced it would lift Title 42, a public health policy adopted by the Trump administration that empowers the government to immediately expel any person who makes an illegal border crossing into the United States to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Title 42 also prevents the entry of drug cartels, weapon smugglers, convicted criminals, and rapists into the country. The President and Congress seem to be having difficulty seeing the obvious and making the right decision. Give the problem to a class of 5th graders to solve and I guarantee you we’ll get a Solomonic decision within minutes, not months. It might even include bonus wisdom of completing the entire wall to stop the severe hemorrhage and save trillions for the U.S. As a cardiovascular surgeon, my natural instinct is to control any massive bleeding immediately to save the patient by patching the wall of the leaking main artery, instead of giving expensive wasteful blood transfusions ad libitum and allowing the
Photo from Instagram/@krisaquino
Kris leaves PH in few days, to stay abroad for over a year for treatments by Anne
PAsAjol Inquirer.net
KRIS Aquino will be leaving the country anytime now and is set to stay abroad for more than a year for her medical treatments. Aquino gave an update on her departure through a birthday greeting she sent to Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez, as seen on the singer’s Instagram page last Saturday, April 23. “Mare (Friend) sorry if my greeting is late — we leave in a few days and we’ll be gone for more than a year for my medical treatments. Medyo (It’s a bit) overwhelming,” Aquino said.
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2022
The Queen of All Media also expressed her gratitude to Velasquez and her husband, fellow singer Ogie Alcasid, for consistently checking up on Aquino through Darla Sauler, her former “Kris TV” sidekick and friend. Sauler earlier visited Aquino which marked their reunion after almost three years of not seeing each other. Aquino has recently been diagnosed with erosive gastritis and gastric ulcer on top of her autoimmune disease. Despite her condition, Aquino attended a campaign rally held in Tarlac last March 23 where she endorsed presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo.
hemorrhage to go unabated. I bet that Biden, Pelosi, Schumer and others who are against completing the border wall to protect the United States would instantly employ carpenters to do immediate repairs if a large part of the wall protecting their own (security-guarded) homes were missing and strangers are invading their homes, for them to house, feed, and provide education for the kids and healthcare for all of them, all at these politicians’ expense. Why the administration and majority in Congress do not want to complete the wall to protect the health, security, and coffers of the country is deliberate insanity. *** 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. *** The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua. com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com
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Gosiengfiao will have a new boyfriend by jAn
Milo severo Philstar.com
MANILA — Cosplayer Alodia Gosiengfiao revealed on social media recently that she's dating a new man. She posted a photo of herself with her new beau, enjoying the cave in El Nido, Palawan. Alodia's ex-boyfriend Wil Dasovich hasn't spoken yet about the issue. He, however, said in a video blog by Nico Bolzico published weeks before the cosplayer's post that he would be happy if Alodia will find her happiness with another man. "To be honest with myself, I don’t know how I’d feel until that happens. But if she was happy, and I believe he was a good guy, I would be happy. Because my goal for her, and for everyone in the world, is to be happy," Wil said in the vlog. "And if she can find that happiness with someone else, that’s great. Hey, it may hurt, it may be weird, it may be awkward, it may touch a nerve or something— but at the end of the day, if she’s happy, that’s great," he added. Former celebrity couple Alodia Gosiengfiao and Wil Dasovich Wil and Alodia dated for three years before splitting Photo from Instagram/@wil_dasovich in November 2021.
Filipino foresters meet in Las Vegas THE Society of Filipino Foresters in North America (SFFNA) will bring together Filipino foresters from all over the world to its 9th Biennial Convention and Reunion on May 20-22, 2022 to be held at the Gold Coast Hotel (4000 W. Flamingo Road) in Las Vegas, Nevada. The three-day gathering features a Meet-and-Greet Reception, a Gala Night, and a field trip/picnic at the Valley of Fire State Park. A symposium focusing on the theme “SFFNA’s
relevance to and involvement in local community development” is the main activity of the event. According to Rudy M. Leal, SFFNA President, experienced individuals in forestry projects that benefit the rural or upland communities are invited to speak in the symposium. He added that the event will afford participants the opportunity to renew acquaintances and friendships they held during their student years in several forestry educational institutions in the Philippines.
Since its founding in 2004, SFFNA has held conventions/ reunions in Seattle, Washington; Los Angeles, California; Auburn, Alabama; Las Vegas, Nevada; Honolulu, Hawaii; San Francisco, California; Surrey, British Columbia, Canada; and Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. For inquiries, contact Rudy Leal at rudymanatleal47@ gmail.com; Abe Velasco at sr4str@gmail.com; Mike Marave at enex88@yahoo.com; or Ann Boado at annboado@ gmail.com.
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APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2022 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
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