May 13-15, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 37 • 2 Sections - 14 Page
DATELINE
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Nurse credentialing group appoints Filipino Fulbright scholar as director of global standards and qualifications A FILIPINO American registered nurse has been appointed director of global standards and qualifications of CGFNS International, Inc., the world’s largest credentials evaluation organization specializing in the nursing and allied health care professions. Jasper Tolarba, a Fulbright scholar, will assume the new position responsible for the oversight of global standards and qualifications for nursing and other health care positions. “I am hoping that in my expanded role as director of global standards and qualifications, I would be able to contribute to the improvement of international nursing education by looking at best practices and evidence in the field,” Tolarba told the Asian Journal. He is hoping to translate these global standards into useful instructional concepts that nursing institutions globally can reference
LA County’s stay-at-home order likely to be extended for another 3 months by AJPRESS AS Los Angeles County’s “safer at home” order is slated to expire this week, officials are now recommending that it be extended for another three months in a continued effort to diminish the spread of the novel coronavirus. The county’s current emergency order was set to
be lifted on Friday, May 15. The possibility for an August reopening comes after Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, May 12 said that the directive “with all certainty” should be extended unless there is a “dramatic change to the virus and tools at hand” to combat COVID-19. “Our hope is that by using the data, we’d be
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Confirmed viruses cases among overseas Filipinos reach over 2,200 by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
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US senators urge Justice Department to tackle surge in anti-Asian hate WASHINGTON — U.S. senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Mazie K. Hirono (DHI) and 14 other Democratic senators urged the U.S. Department of Justice to take more “concrete steps” against the rising number of hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) during the COVID19 pandemic. In a letter addressed to Assistant Attorney General Eric S. Dreiband, the senators expressed “deep concern” over the surge in discrimination directed against AAPIs and urged the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ to take more active measures in responding to the rise in racism and xenophobia. According to the Center for Public Integrity(CPI), “Neither the Justice Department nor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have announced efforts to prevent the public targeting of Asians, which ranges from bias incidents to hate crimes. Both agencies were quick to act in similar situations: the CDC during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak and the Justice Department after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.” Assistant Attorney General Eric S. Dreiband
able to slowly lift restrictions over the next three months,” she said, according to the Los Angeles Times. The director subsequently in a statement clarified her remarks made earlier in the day by saying that the county is continuing its “road to recovery” with a phased approach to lifting certain restrictions.
MEGA SWABBING CENTER. Medical personnel perform a swab test on returning overseas Filipino workers at the Palacio de Maynila along Roxas Boulevard in Malate, Manila on Sunday, May 10. The opening of Palacio de Maynila as one of the mega swabbing centers is seen to bolster efforts to detect and isolate patients. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
THERE are now 2,233 positive cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, among overseas Filipinos, according to the latest figures released by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs. The DFA’s daily count on Tuesday, May 12 also announced one new death, bringing the death toll of 261. Meanwhile, 669 individuals have now recovered from COVID-19 as 25 additional recuperations were reported. “Based on the latest figures, the total number of Filipinos who recovered from COVID-19 at 669 remains more than twice than the total fatalities and is now almost 30% of the total confirmed cases,” the DFA noted. The agency’s breakdown includes: 38 deaths, 537 individuals receiving care and 68 recoveries in the Middle East and Africa; 79 deaths, 422 undergoing treatment, and 167 discharged among 16 European countries; and 142 deaths, 193 in treatment and 194 recuperations in
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NAIA reopens to some international flights on assigned days this week by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
INTERNATIONAL arrivals into Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport resumed on Monday, May 11 following new guidelines. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) released a Notice to Airmen over the weekend, specifying a new schedule for international chartered and commercial flights to ease congestion into the country’s main gateway. Chartered flights will be allowed to land on Mondays and Thursdays after securing
clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the aviation authority for slotting purposes. Meanwhile, scheduled commercial flights will be allowed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and weekends after securing an approval from CAAP 48 hours before their scheduled departure from the airport for the “necessary slotting and rescheduling of flights in order to subscribe to the 400 passengers per day capacity of NAIA.” The restrictions are slated to last for a SAF PATROL. Members of the Mandaluyong Special Action Force patrol Barangay Mauway, which month until June 10. Other international the city government placed under a four-day lockdown starting on Monday, May 11 because airports in the country will have their own of the high incidence of COVID-19 infections. ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez
Manila, Laguna, Cebu City From the 1904 World’s Fair to the Filipino farmworkers: PBS’ new placed under modified docu-series ‘Asian Americans’ also includes history of Filipinos in the US quarantine until May 31 u PAGE A3
by KLARIZE
MEDENILLA AJPress
AS Asian Pacific American Heritage Month continues on during a time of unprecedented fear and tension, a new documentary series from PBS celebrates the complex history of Asian Americans through stories of resilience in the face of persecution. The five-episode docu-series — simply called “Asian Americans” — is the result of a groundbreaking program that spans the incredibly tumultuous 150-year history of Asians in America, a Filipino labor leader Larry Itliong (right) talks to Cesar Chavez in front of the National Farm Workers country that would have never Association headquarters at Delano, California on July 28, 1967. AP photo by Harold Filan been the way it is today without
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the efforts and exploits of immigrants and people of color. The series, which premiered on Monday, May 11, follows the journeys of early Asian Americans from the mid-19th century when Chinese immigrants, who built half of the transcontinental railroad, became the first racial group to be banned from immigrating to the United States. This was a period when Asians had no political leverage or representation in government, rendering numerous uphill legal battles in immigration and equal protections. “These Asian immigrants arrived at a time of great upheav-
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by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
METRO MANILA, Laguna and Cebu City will continue operating under a “modified enhanced community quarantine” until the end of the month, following President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval. This decision to extend the quarantine from May 16 to 31 came after Duterte’s meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Monday night, May 11. “It is not ECQ as we know it. It is
not GCQ (general community quarantine) as we know it. It’s somewhere in between. It is a transition phase po at ini-envision natin na matapos ang one month, makakapunta na tayong lahat sa GCQ (we envision that after one month, we will all transition to GCQ),” said presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in an online press briefing on Tuesday, May 12. Under the new guidelines, individuals will be able to leave their homes for essential activities, such as going to the pharmacy or grocery store, and to go to work if the
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Confirmed viruses cases among...
PAGE A1 six countries in the Americas. “Based on the reports received today, the DFA confirms that Europe and the Middle East remain as the hotspots of confirmed cases among our nationals abroad. While most recoveries are reported in the Asia and
Pacific at 239 cases, [and the] most number of deaths at 142 in the Americas,” the agency said on Monday. It added that through its various foreign service posts, the DFA is managing the “welfare” of its nationals abroad and “stands ready to assist returning Filipinos avail-
From the Front Page
ing of the government’s repatriation program.” The DFA on Monday also resumed its repatriation efforts with the re-opening of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, welcoming home 299 Filipino crew members of MV Azura from London. n
Manila, Laguna, Cebu City placed under...
PAGE A1 government has allowed their industries to reopen. It will also only allow the operation of selected manufacturing and processing plants up to a maximum of 50% workforce. Face-to-face classes will remain suspended. Meanwhile, Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3), Calabarzon (Region 4-A), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Central Visayas (Region 7) except Cebu City, Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9), Davao Region (Region 11), and Caraga (Region 13) will be under the general community quarantine. Areas under this type of quarantine will have limited movement to
services and work. There will also be limited transporting services to support government and private sector operations. The quarantine will also allow operation of government offices and industries up to a maximum of 75% workforce and flexible learning arrangements for students. On the other hand, Ilocos (Region 1), Mimaropa (Region 4-B), Bicol (Region 5), Western Visayas (Region 6), Eastern Visayas (Region 8), Northern Mindanao (Region 10), Soccsksargen (Region 12), and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) will no longer be under any type of quarantine — provided that minimum health standards
are observed. “Hanggang walang vaccine kinakailangan minimum health standards. Iyong mga minimum health standards — social distancing, good hygiene, temperature control, temperature checks at iba pang mga pini-prescribe po ngayon ng DOH (For as long as there is no vaccine, minimum health standards are needed. These are social distancing, good hygiene, temperature control, temperature checks and others prescribed by the Department of Health),” TEMPORARILY CLOSED. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso temporarily closed the Ospital ng Tondo in Manila on Tuesday, May 12 until May 24, 2020, so that several medical personnel who contracted COVID-19 while on duty can be treated and recuperate from Roque explained. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan As of Tuesday, there are 11,350 the disease. confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, with 751 fatalities and 2,106 recoveries. n
LA County’s stay-at-home...
PAGE A1 “While the Safer at Home orders will remain in place over the next few months, restrictions will be gradually relaxed under our five-stage Roadmap to Recovery, while making sure we are keeping our communities as safe as possible during this pandemic,” Ferrer said. “We are being guided by science and data that will safely move us forward along the road to recovery in a measured way—one that allows us to ensure that effective distancing and infection control measures are in place.” On the same day, the county Department of Public Health confirmed 45 new deaths and 961 new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The latest statistics bring
the county total to 1,613 deaths and 33,180 positive cases. The department reported that 2,009 individuals of Asian descent have contracted the virus, though no further information of disaggregated data by group is provided. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 1,490 people (99% of the cases); 38% of deaths occurred among Latino residents, 29% among White residents, 18% among Asian residents, 13% among African American residents, 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races. The county began easing restrictions this past weekend in time for Mother’s Day, allowing
certain retail businesses previously deemed non-essential to reopen with social distancing and curbside pickup measures in place. Among those that resumed business for the first time in two months are florists, bookstores, sporting goods stories and car dealership showrooms. However, the establishments are closed to all public entry. Hiking trails, parks and golf courses were also included in the reopening. On Wednesday, May 13, beaches in the county were reopened to the public under restrictions and limited activities, such as running, walking, swimming and surfing. Leisurely activities like sunbathing and picnics are still not allowed. n
Nurse credentialing group appoints Filipino...
PAGE A1 and adopt with the unified goal of developing caring and competent world-class nurses. Tolarba, who received his doctorate in nursing practice with specialization in leadership and health policy from Yale University in 2015, returns to CGFNS after completion of his research as a J. William Fulbright Scholar at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) in the Kingdom of Jordan. He first joined CGFNS in 2016 as director of credentials evaluation services. “I’m pleased to welcome Dr. Tolarba back to our team and know that his Fulbright experience, combined with his previous depth of knowledge and expertise, will go far to further strengthen our role in the global standards and qualifications sector,” said Dr. Franklin Shaffer, president and CEO of CGFNS International. “Having migrated from the Philippines and used CGFNS’ services in his own journey to practice nursing in the U.S., Dr. Tolarba’s experience in these areas provides personal insights that enhance our leadership team.” Journey to CGFNS Tolarba joined CGFNS International, Inc. (formerly known as the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) in the summer of 2016 as the director of credentials evaluation and was in charge of various programs such as VisaScreen® service and Certification Program. Prior to this, Tolarba was the director of nursing at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. At CGFNS, he has helped thousands of foreign-educated nurses and other health care professionals (e.g. Physical Therapists, Medical Technologists, Clinical Psychologists, etc.) with their goal of migrating and practicing their profession in the United States, Canada, and other parts of the world. In his new role, Tolarba will lead CGFNS’ programs around global standards and qualifications for health professionals by collaborating with global leaders in the fields of education, regulation, accreditation and practice to promote innovation and the advancement of harmonization to enhance cross-border mutual recognition. Nursing milestone Last year, the World Health Organization declared 2020 as the International Year of Nurses and Midwives coinciding with the 200th year of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. “We never expected that this year would also catapult the role of nurses to the limelight with the onslaught of COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses, along with doctors and other healthcare professionals, are deemed modern-day
Jasper Tolarba
heroes, putting their lives on the line,” Tolarba said. “It is indeed a very challenging time for nurses around the world especially those who are in the front line.” The virus, considered by many now as the treacherous enemy, has taken the lives of many people around the world including those nurses in the frontline fighting this war. This is the reason why he would like to personally call for nurses around the world to be vigilant in the frontlines to make sure they are taking the proper precautions to protect themselves. “They also need to speak up if they feel that they are unsafe going to their patient care assignments,” Tolarba said. “Always wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for patients afflicted by COVID-19 and demand to have proper PPEs.” “Nurses’ lives are priceless, and they too have families. Losing one more life in the fight against COVID19 is too many. The whole world appreciates the work and dedication of all frontline nurses fighting this battle against the coronavirus,” he added. Reluctant nurse “Quite honestly, I never planned on becoming a nurse. I was really planning to take up architecture or journalism in college,” Tolarba told the Asian Journal. When he was in high school, he realized that he had a knack for writing and drawing. Tolarba comes from a modest family and his mother singlehandedly raised him and his five siblings since his father died when he was still a small child.
“So, my mother, a public school teacher in the Philippines, asked me (more like told me) to take up nursing instead because my older brother was a senior nursing student that time and this way, I could use his books, old uniforms, and clinical paraphernalia, in order to save money,” Tolarba shared. So despite being less than thrilled, he soldiered on. On the side, he dedicated his time still doing what he loved, i.e. writing and campus journalism and ended up being the editor-in-chief of the Bicol Universitarian, the official student campus paper of Bicol University. He graduated but still, he didn’t want to become a nurse so instead of taking the board exams for nurses he went to enroll for his second degree, this time in journalism. After two years, he was still unemployed so his mom gave him an ultimatum to take his board exams. To appease his mom, he did and even though two years have passed since he obtained his nursing degree, he passed the board. However, the prospects of landing a job as a nurse in the late 1990s was dim because that was the time when the United States was on retrogression and there was an oversupply of nurses in the Philippines. While waiting for better prospects, Tolarba went to graduate school, finishing a master’s degree in education. He went on to the University of the Philippines-Diliman and got admitted to the doctorate program for education, where he spent the next three years, until his immigration papers arrived. PAGE A4
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FIRST STORM OF 2020. Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) senior weather specialist Christopher Perez gives an update on Tropical Depression “Ambo” at the PAGASA Weather and Flood Forecasting Center in Quezon City on Monday, May 11. “Ambo” is expected to bring scattered light to moderate with isolated heavy rains over Mindanao in the next 24 hours. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
US senators urge Justice Department to tackle...
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reportedly assured that the Justice Department will prosecute hate crimes against AAPIs and others to the “fullest extent of the law”, but has yet to propose a plan to counteract the rise in racism, details CPI. “I haven’t seen anything,” Stewart Kwoh, founder of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles told CPI. “We haven’t heard anything from … any of the federal agencies that they will be of assistance in tackling the problem. … If they really are serious about it, they are going to have to have a major outreach campaign.” Acknowledging the warnings of public health experts that the use of stigmatized language risks fueling anti-Asian sentiment, the senators criticized President Donald Trump and his administration’s referral to COVID-19 as the “Chinese Virus,” “Wuhan Virus,” as well as the “Kung Flu”. The senators further emphasized the contributions of AAPIs in fighting against COVID-19 and the need to ensure that the rights of all Americans are protected. “There are more than 20 million Americans of Asian descent, and 2 million AAPI individuals are working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, as health care workers, law enforcement agents, first responders, and other essential service providers,” the letter continues. “It is critical that the Civil Rights Division ensure that the civil and
constitutional rights of all Americans are protected during this pandemic.” Discussing the rise in Asian hate crimes, the senators cited the stabbing of an Asian American family–a father and his two children ages 2 and 6–by a man who thought they were “Chinese and infecting people with the coronavirus,” according to KTSM. Data collected by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council was also sourced in the letter, which reported that the STOP AAPI HATE reporting center had received nearly 1,500 reports of coronavirus-related harassment against AAPI individuals across the country. “Asian Americans are still facing racism and xenophobia related to the #COVID19 pandemic,” tweeted Asian American Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who signed the letter. “That’s one reason why @SenatorDurbin [Richard Durbin] and I joined @maziehirono in calling on @TheJusticeDept to take concrete steps to address the surge in hate crimes and discrimination against this community.” The senators called upon the Civil Rights Division to implement the measures below immediately: • Develop and publicly release a plan that sets forth how the Civil Rights Division will address the increase in discrimination and hate crimes against AAPI individuals;
• Designate a DOJ official responsible for coordinating (a) a review of discrimination and hate crimes related to COVID-19 and (b) an interagency response to this issue; • Provide monthly reports to Congress on the (a) number of incidents of discrimination and hate crimes related to COVID19 received—disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender, and (b) status of related cases that are pending; • Conduct extensive outreach in partnership with communitybased organizations and regularly meet with AAPI community leaders; and • Distribute materials explaining civil rights protections in diverse languages used by AAPI communities. The letter concluded with a request that the “Civil Rights Division respond by May 15, 2020, to inform Congress what steps the Division has taken in response to the jump in anti-Asian discrimination and hate crimes since the COVID-19 outbreak began.” The signatories are Sens. Warner, Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kamala Harris (DCA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jack Reed (D-RI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Dick Durbin (D-IL). (Inquirer.net)
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CBS Sports adds to Pacquiao accolades From the 1904 World’s Fair to the Filipino... PAGE A1 al, reinvention and expansion. Asians will play a crucial role as a new America is being forged,” esteemed Korean American actor and co-narrator of the series Daniel Dae Kim says in the first episode “Breaking Ground” which details the late-19th century to the early 20th century, an important period in American history when Asian Americans helped set precedents in U.S. courts. Five hours is certainly an iota of time if the objective is to recount the epic battles and achievements of Asian Americans, but the documentary makes good on its attempt to illuminate the complicated cultural, legal and political history of Asians in America. As expected, the docu-series shares a bevy of stories of Asian American resilience and the strides early Asian Americans had to endure to ensure the equity and safety of future generations. But the most stark moments of the docu-series lie in the stories of exploitation, the blatant examples of racism and the unnatural belief that certain races held rights and privileges that others do not. The series opens up with the story of Antero Cabrera, an Igorot man from the Philippines who was taken to the St. Louis World Fair in Missouri in 1904 as a part of the Philippine exhibit. Designed as a display of America’s imperial force, the Philippine exhibit wasn’t so much a true reflection of the Filipino people but a carefully curated interpretation of a “barbaric,” racially inferior community that needs the U.S. in its development. This was a time when scientific racism was widely accepted among renowned anthropologists, who used pseudoscience to declare certain races inherently primitive — and would remain so without the help of American colonialism. By showcasing Cabrera and other Igorots acting in ways that would be considered subhuman — like a live eating of a cabound international passenger nine in front of fair-goers — it was and commercial flights in and visual proof of this pseudoscienout of the country to further tific myth. “Anthropology at that time had stop the spread of the novel an evolutionary aspect to it where coronavirus. “This decision is meant to they believed that there were racdecongest our quarantine fa- es that were inherently barbaric cilities to protect our people by and races that were inherently preventing the further spread of enlightened, and they rated acCOVID-19 and also ensure that cording to skin colors,” said Mia our overseas Filipino workers Abeya, Antero Cabrera’s grand(OFWs) are well taken care of daughter, adding that the exhibit when they arrive from abroad,” was “a way for Americans to show that they were superior to the rest he said. n of the world.” Despite the humiliation, Cabrera soldiered through the exhibit and other like anthropological displays to make money to send to his family in the Philippines, eventually making enough to live a stable life. But the project created a lasting impression of this “exotic” country in Southeast Asia, a way to show people that “[t]hese are savages. This is how they look and this is how they live. Americans just saw them as objects of display in those human zoos.” Landmark immigration and education cases — like Tape v. Hurley in 1885, which declared the exclusion of a Chinese American student based on her ancestry from a public school unlawful — offset the many, many personal stories of descendants of early Asian Americans and those who lived to tell their experiences. The docu-series then flows to the labor movement of the 1930s led by Larry Itliong and Filipino farmworkers, the internment of Japanese Americans during the
sports analyst Ed Tolentino explained to The Manila Times that ManilaTimes.net the ranking of CBS Sports was fair only in the light of the welAS the only eight-division terweight class and the period of world boxing champion, Manny 1970 onwards. Pacquiao has earned the distinc“Pacquiao is coming in at No.3, tion of being ranked by the interbut take note that he is still an acnational television network CBS tive fighter, who is still in the poSports as No. 3 among the greatsition to improve on his ranking. est welterweight warriors of the Leonard is ranked No. 1 on the past five decades. strength of his unification victory CBS Sports columnists Brian over Thomas Hearns and wins Campbell and Brent Brookhouse over all-time greats Roberto Dulisted the 41-year-old Pacquiao at ran [in the rematch] and Wilfred third place while unbeaten Floyd Benitez,” said Tolentino. Mayweather Jr. hugged the secThe legendary Leonard was a ond spot and 1976 Olympic gold famous boxer from the late ‘70s medalist Sugar Ray Leonard and early ‘80s. claimed the plum position after “Mayweather is coming in at the two reporters debated and No. 2 because, at welterweight, voted last April 30. he actually beat Pacquiao and a As reported on the website slew of other great welterweights. www.cbssports.com, the CBS Mayweather also defeated Juan Sports writers chose the greatest Manuel Marquez at the catchboxers in the 147-pound class weight of 144 lbs, which is within since 1970. the welterweight limit. Marquez Campbell mentioned Packnocked out Pacquiao at welterquiao’s “steady rise in the welterweight,” he continued. weight category over a legendary The boxing analyst also justi25-year career,” which is why the fied why Mayweather was chosen as No. 2 by the CBS Sports reporters. “Mayweather was never beaten at welterweight. So, these factors explain why he is ranked ahead of Manny Pacquiao [who is] at No. 3, which is not bad,” added Tolentino, who began his career as a TV sports analyst in the early ‘90s. “But like I said, he (Pacquaio) can still improve on this because he is still an active boxer.” CBS Sports completed its ranking with Pernell Whitaker at No. 4, Thomas Hearns at No. 5, Felix Trinidad at No. 6, Oscar de la Hoya at No. 7, Miguel Cotto at No. 8, Donald Curry at No. 9 and International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council Manny Pacquiao (right) throws a jab at Floyd Mayweather Jr. during their fight on May 2, 2015 welterweight titleholder Errol at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. ManiilaTimes.net file photo Spence Jr. at No. 10. by Josef
T. Ramos
Pacman was put on the list. Campbell said the wins over Oscar Dela Hoya in 2008 and Miguel Cotto in 2009 were the Pacman’s very best. Pacquiao, the reigning World Boxing Association super welterweight champion, also beat Joshua Clottey, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley, Brandon Rios, Jessie Vargas, Lucas Matthysse, Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman. Campbell also cited Pacquiao’s stunning first round knockdown punch against the erstwhile champion Thurman last July 20 in his last bout at the age of 40 in Las Vegas, Nevada. “The fact that he would drop and outpoint unbeaten Keith Thurman 10 years later at the age of 40 to reclaim a title just speaks [of] his overall greatness,” Campbell cited in the joint-article entitled “The greatest welterweight boxers of the past 50 years: Where do Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao rank?” Veteran Filipino boxing and
NAIA reopens to some international...
PAGE A1 guidelines, the CAAP said. However, emergency flights, ferry flights, cargo flights, air ambulance, and medical supplies flights, government, military flights, weather mitigation flights, maintenance flights, and outbound ferry flights, cargo flights with passengers are not covered by the notice and will remain unrestricted. The CAAP also clarified that only returning residents,
Philippine passport holders, foreign dignitaries and diplomats are allowed to enter the country. Tourists are still not allowed. Passengers arriving in the country will undergo strict quarantine and testing procedures. The Philippines on May 3, under the order of National Task Force COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, suspended all the in-
Black and White photo of Antero Cabrera (Ba-Long-Long) and weapon as Igorot villager in the “Living Exhibits” at 1904 St Louis World’s Fair. Courtesy of “Asian Americans” / PBS
Second World War and legislative achievements like the Voting Rights Act of 1952 which gave Asian Americans the right to vote. Cultural landmarks like the increased representation of Asian Americans in Hollywood following the regular practice of yellowface) and the rise of Asian American entrepreneurship. And it wasn’t just the legislative victories that initiated the emergence of the growing and hustling Asian American community. From the construction of the transcontinental railroad, to the cultivation of California’s farms, to the technological innovations in the auto industry, Asian Americans are inextricable from the overall narrative America. Simply put, the docu-series proves that America wouldn’t be what it is today without the labor and assimilation of Asian immigrants who underwent enormous trauma and sacrifice to cultivate a life for the Asian American. It redefines what it means to be American, that it isn’t based on race or what a piece of paper dictates: it is a mindset and unyielding work ethic that makes you American. But the struggles faced by early Asian Americans are not exclusively things of the past. As films about slavery and the 1960s civil rights movement attempts (and often, fails) to provide a distant memory of America’s ugly past — as if to say, ‘’Look how far we’ve come from blatant racism and discrimination — it may be grating to celebrate the victories and achievements of the Asian American community while undergoing a new wave of anti-Asianism in the age of COVID-19. The current generation of Asian Americans, millennials and younger, especially, were fortunate enough to be born after the regular lynchings of Chinese Americans at the turn of the century as well as the gruesome murder of Vincent Chin in
1982. However, although it may seem dampened by the expanding awareness of social justice and activism, the Asian American community faces a new wave of discrimination. The only difference between then and now, however, is a vigorous, outspoken community of lawmakers, celebrities and other Asian American public figures who are leading the charge against anti-Asian racism propped up during this pandemic. “I cannot think of a more important conversation to be having right now,” PBS Newshour correspondent Amna Nawaz said last week during a digital town hall. Nawaz added that “2020 was supposed to be a consequential year for Asian Americans” noting the crucial 2020 election and the census. “But as we know, the pandemic changed everything, and now 2020 stands to be consequential for very different reasons,” she remarked. It’s a point that the documentary series illustrates in its final episode called “Breaking Through” that progress isn’t a linear journey. There are going to be pitfalls, and even though we’re living in a time of unprecedented success and increased awareness of social justice, times like these prove that society isn’t a perfect construct, and there will be periods upon which resilience and strength of character will be tested. As journalist and activist Helen Zia put it in the final episode of the series: “History has a way of moving in cycles, and if we can learn from history, even a little bit, we can avoid repeating it. But even better than that, we can find the things that have moved civilization forward and have led to greater progress, and if we learn from that, we can really move ahead.” “Asian Americans” is available to stream now on PBS apps as well as its website. n
Larry Itliong, who is originally from San Nicolas, Pangasinan, rose to prominence after he and several Filipino farmworkers demanded for better pay, an effort that became known as the Delano grape strike. Photo courtesy of “Asian American”/PBS
Nurse credentialing org appoints Filipino... PAGE A2 “It was a hard decision to abandon my Ph.D. studies but beginning a new life in America in 2004 was something I looked forward to because my wife was already in the US at that time,” he said. In the U.S., his first employment was as a staff nurse at a local hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. While working full-time, he also received a master of science
degree in nursing. After graduating, his family moved to Connecticut, where he spent more than a decade working before pursuing further studies. Tolarba was one of the 14 inaugural doctoral students accepted to the Yale University Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, among the many achievements he has amassed throughout his career. He has become an international expert in the
topics of international nursing education, nursing mobility and migration, and nursing curriculum evaluation. “I am humbled by the opportunities that come my way and I have to thank my mother for showing me the right path even though nursing was not my initial choice. It only proves the old adage, ‘Mother knows best!’” he said. (Momar G. Visaya/AJPress)
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D ateline PhiliPPines Cayetano on ABS-CBN franchise renewal: ‘There
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US skipped on Duterte’s ‘thank are still other concerns that need to be resolved’ you’ list despite $15.2 million aid by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
PHIlIPPIne House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday, May 12, said that other bills need to be prioritized before addressing media giant ABS-CBn’s bid for a franchise renewal. This came after 14 lawmakers who spearheaded the network’s franchise renewal bills urged him to immediately tackle the longpending measures in the lower chamber. “We remain cognizant of our responsibility in addressing the pending issue of the ABS-CBn franchise,” said Cayetano in a Facebook post. “While the deception of the nTC (national Telecommunications Commission) and the meddling of the Solicitor General add exigency to the matter, there are still other concerns that need to be resolved,” he added. Cayetano also pointed out that a hearing “does not mean automatic renewal” of franchise. The hearing will only allow the network to present its case, in the same manner as those who oppose it. “The serious concerns that have been raised can no longer be swept under the rug, and it is absolutely necessary for Congress to give this matter all the time and attention it requires,” he said.
“Ultimately, it is only through a fair, impartial, comprehensive, and thorough presentation and appreciation of the evidence that we can clear the air. Your House of the People will put the interest of the Filipino people first, and in these extraordinary times prioritization, fairness and timing are of utmost importance,” he added. ABS-CBn on May 5 shut down its radio and television operations nationwide after the nTC issued the network a cease-and-desist order. The order came after Solicitor General Jose Calida warned the nTC against granting a provisional authority to the network. In the lawmakers’ letter addressed to Cayetano, they expressed their frustrations with the nTC not issuing a provisional authority to ABS-CBn. The House and its legislative franchises committee “are now being blamed for the shutdown of the network and for being off the air since then, as well as for the displacement of thousands of its employees and workers,” they wrote. “While we take strong exceptions to nTC’s trickery and the Office of the Solicitor General’s interventionist actions, we firmly believe that the House now has the primary duty and responsibility to put an end to the uncertain-
Philstar.com
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano
ties and confusion brought by the pendency of the application of renewal of ABS-CBn’s franchise,” they said. The letter was signed by Deputy Speakers Vilma Santos-Recto of Batangas, Rose Marie Arenas of Pangasinan, and Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur, and Representatives Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City, Joy Myra Tambunting of Parañaque, Micaela Violago of nueva ecija, Josephine Sato of Occidental Mindoro, Sol Aragones of laguna, Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, France Castro of Act Teachers, Sarah Jane elago of Kabataan, and Carlos Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite and eufemia Cullamat of Bayan Muna. n
Philippine Navy vows more patrols in disputed sea by deMpsey
Reyes ManilaTimes.net
THe Philippine navy will continue to patrol territorial waters, especially the highly volatile West Philippine Sea (WPS) to provide a reassuring presence to Filipino fishermen. The navy feels that the patrols are one way to encourage the fishermen to continue fishing in waters where Chinese ships have shown aggressive behavior, Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, the navy’s flag officer in command said. The patrols will cover the exclusive economic zones of Manila in the West Philippine Sea. Bacordo also said the navy would continue to rotate and replenish personnel in the nine oc-
In honor of the 200th anniversary of Florence nightingale, the World Health Organization declared 2020 as the “International Year of the nurse and Midwife.” The American nurses Association followed suit by adopting the same observance for this year. Wednesday, May 6 marks national nurses Day, the annual celebration for the nearly 4 mil-
cupied features at the Kalayaan Island Group (Spratly Group of Islands). The features are in Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, likas (West York) Island, Parola (northeast) Cay, lawak (nanshan) Island, Kota (loaita) Island, Patag (Flat) Island, Panata (lankiam) Cay, Rizal (Commodore) Reef and Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal. “When we do our patrols, [this is] to encourage our fisherfolk to continue with their livelihood there…every time they see our ship patrolling at the West Philippine Sea, it gives them strength to conduct their fishing activities there,” Bacordo said in a radio interview. His assurance came weeks after the Department of Foreign Affairs filed two diplomatic protests
the U.S. embassy said in a statement. U.S. President Donald Trump PReSIDenT Rodrigo Duterte, himself offered additional asthrough spokesperson Harry sistance to the Philippines in Roque, expressed gratitude to a phone call with Duterte last several governments and groups month. that have provided assistance to the Philippines in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The president, however, missed the United States, which has so far donated more than P768 million ($15.2 million) to the country. In a recorded video message, Roque thanked the governments of Australia, France, Japan, United Arab emirates, european Union, as well as the Un humanitarian country team, UnICeF Philippines and Un Human Settlements Program. Roque also mentioned the Manila economic and Cultural Office, Philippine Red Cross, Philippine Stock exchange, Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia. Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine national Police who donated their salary were mentioned. The Permanent Mission of China to ASeAn was also included in the list, along with the municipal governments of several Chinese areas. even Chinese video-sharing app Tiktok made it to the list. Just last week, the U.S. embassy announced an additional P298 million ($5.9 million) to help support the Philippines in its response to COVID-19, which has infected more than 4 million individuals across the globe. The latest assistance from Washington, wherein the U.S. Agency for International Development will partner with 18 local governments in the Philippines’ hard-hit areas, sought to promote effective crisis management and implement response plans. “Funding will support local governments to rapidly disburse emergency funding and supplies, and strengthen the capacity of local crisis response centers to disseminate accurate and timely crisis response information, manage quarantine measures, set up public handwashing facilities, ensure food supply, and support local business recovery,” by patRicia louRdes
against China over its belligerent action in the disputed waters, one of which was aiming a fire control radar gun at the Philippine navy’s BRP Conrado Yap. The incident in February was downplayed by Defense Secretary Delfin lorenzana, who said the aiming of the gun was a “test” by Beijing, which was challenged by the BRP Conrado Yap. For Bacordo, the action of the Chinese vessel was unnecessary. The Duterte administration has often taken a softened stance on territorial issues with China. last year, when a Chinese fishing vessel rammed a Philippine fishing boat in the West Philippine Sea, President Rodrigo Duterte and some security officials initially downplayed it as a “little maritime accident.” n
ViRay
According to the U.S. embassy, Trump “expressed his solidarity and offered additional assistance” to the country as it continues to face the contagion, which has infected 11,086 in the country as of Monday afternoon. n
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OPINION
Modifying the quarantine
FEATURES
WALKING a tightrope between lives and livelihoods, the government has decided to extend the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and Laguna, with the fate of two other provinces to be known later this week. The ECQ, however, will be “modified” after May 15, to allow the gradual reopening of the economy in the National Capital Region after two months of quarantine. So far, various degrees of quarantines and lockdowns nationwide to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic have rendered 2.5 million Filipinos jobless, according to the Department of Labor and Employment. Overseas Filipino workers, forced out of jobs by the COVID-19 crisis in other countries, are also arriving in droves, looking for alternative sources of livelihood. With the start of the modified ECQ in Metro Manila, the country’s most densely populated region, the biggest danger is complacency. Wuhan City in China, where the COVID-19 virus originated and which became the epicenter of the pandemic in that country, reported six new infections over the weekend – the first cases since the city lifted its lockdown. New cases have also been reported in countries such as South Korea and Germany after they eased restrictions. France, which began eas-
ing lockdown measures last Monday, also recorded at least nine COVID cases linked to a funeral. In Metro Manila, its police commander himself has set a bad example of complacency if not outright flouting of quarantine rules even before the ECQ is modified. Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas entertained a large gathering for his birthday celebration on May 8 at Camp Bagong Diwa. Photos of the party showed guests – clearly numbering more than the ECQ limit of 10 persons – digging into the food, unmindful of physical distancing. As in the earlier case of a COVID-infected Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III visiting the Makati Medical Center, those tasked to enforce quarantine rules prefer to see no evil in the case of Sinas. Little wonder that the killer disease is spreading among members of the Philippine National Police, with Camp Karingal, headquarters of the Quezon irresponsible behavior gives urgency to warnings City Police District, placed under lockdown. Such against easing restrictions and relying on self-dis-
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
cipline to fight the contagion as the country reopens for business. (Philstar.com)
What is good for the White House should be good for all of America before asking people to safely return to work
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS SCARED to go back to work in fear of being infected by the deadly COVID-19? This is what is happening now in the White House after two people working close to President Donald Trump have tested positive for the virus this past week. Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary Katie Miller — who is married to one of Trump’s closest aides, Stephen Miller — and one of Trump’s personal valets have contracted the virus, TIME reported. As a result, the White House has implemented new safety measures: every staff member in close proximity to the president and vice president is being tested DAILY for COVID-19 as well as any guests. Contact tracing is also now being conducted to help patients recall everyone with whom they have had close contact with during the timeframe while they may have been infectious — a laborious and elaborate measure that helps mitigate the spread of the virus. The fear and worries of the people working in the White House are the same concerns of people all over America, especially after President Trump has been pushing to relax social distancing and other safety measures and reopen America for business. Many
governors from Republican states allied with Trump warned people that either they go back to work or they lose their unemployment benefits. For many Americans, this order from Trump and the Republican governors was like a death sentence, especially since health officials, scientists and many Democratic governors have been warning that to safely re-open the country for business, widespread testing combined with contact tracing need to be implemented as they are still the most effective ways to slow the spread until a vaccine is available. Additionally, protective equipment should be available to ALL Americans returning to work. We would think that after having firsthand experience with the threat of the coronavirus pandemic in the White House, Trump would finally heed the advice of health officials and be more aggressive and proactive in conducting widespread testing, contact tracing, providing protective equipment, making sure social distancing orders are still being followed wherever warranted, to the degree required by their specific circumstances and COVID-19 infection cases in their states. Unfortunately, Trump does not think what is good and safe for the White House is something
he will push and support for the rest of us. As of press time on Tuesday, May 12, the total confirmed cases around the world was recorded at 4,178,156 and counting, killing more than 286,353 people. The United States leads the world in the number of confirmed cases with more than 1,382,630 and a death toll of more than 81,779. The number of cases per 1 million people in the U.S. is now at 4,195 and counting. Despite the death toll and continued threat to infect more people, Trump continues to deny the scientific facts and evidence about COVID-19 and insists that the pandemic will disappear on its own. ABC News reported that during a White House meeting with Republican House lawmakers last week, Trump again said, “I feel about vaccines like I feel about tests. This is going to go away without a vaccine.” Trump has been touting that no other country in the world has been testing like the United States, but this claim is misleading because he is boasting based on the absolute numbers without reference to the over-all total population of the nation. A country as big as the U.S. would require more testing. It still lags behind countries like Italy and
Denmark in per capita [per how many persons] tests performed, ABC News reported. How can he address the need for more testing if he denies the fact? Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top epidemiologist, has been pushing for more testing, something that Trump undermines. Dr. Fauci said in a National Geographic interview, “I don’t think there’s a chance that this virus is just going to disappear.” “Shame on us if we don’t have enough tests by the time this socalled return might occur in the fall and winter,” he said, suggesting that the U.S. needs to make sure there’s an adequate supply of tests and a system for getting those tests to the people who most need them before a second wave of the virus hits. “It’s going to be around, and if given the opportunity, it will resurge.” Response coordinator for White House Coronavirus Task Force Deborah Birx estimated that about 2.5% of all Americans have been tested, adding that the number is increasing by half a percent every week. As ABC News reported, she agreed with many experts, stating that testing and contact tracing are proven to be critical to helping identify cases locally and contain the spread. Birx also stressed in the re-
port the importance of “being proactive about testing,” and monitoring high-risk places with vulnerable populations such as prisons, long-term care center and inner city communities after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, announced required twice-weekly testing for nursing staffers in his state. Even more important numbers to consider: According to the COVID Tracking Project, testing for the coronavirus in the U.S. has steadily improved to around 264,000 tests a day — nearly 9 million tests total as of Monday — but the U.S. is still below proposed benchmarks from several experts. Researchers at the Harvard University, for example, calculated that the U.S. would need to do approximately 500,000 tests per day, as a bare minimum, by May 1 — a figure they have since revised to 900,000 for May 15 as more states ease restrictions. WHY is Trump doing this? It is all about POLITICS. “I will tell you, you look at some cases, some people think they’re doing it for politics,” Trump was quoted by ABC News, suggesting some Democratic governors are moving slowly to undercut him politically. “Here we go again. But they think they’re doing it because it will hurt me the
longer it takes to — to hurt me in the election, the longer it takes to open up.” “The media likes to say we have the most [coronavirus] cases, but we do, by far, the most testing. If we did very little testing, we wouldn’t have the most cases. So, in a way, by doing all of this testing, we make ourselves look bad,” Trump said last Wednesday, May 6. What is worse than being attacked by the COVID-19 pandemic? It is to have a president who denies science and facts, misleads people, just because to him, his personal interests and political survival are more important than saving the lives of the people he has sworn to defend and protect. SPEAK OUT! Do not wait for you and your family to be casualties of this invisible enemy before you call out this president for the dereliction of the duty and betrayal of public trust under the United States’ highest office. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel. Santos.Relos.
Old networks never die, they get resurrected
Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA ABS-CBN signed off after its franchise expired on May 4, 2020. Actually, the franchise was left to expire by the Philippine House of Representatives that preferred to second-guess President Rodrigo Duterte rather than do its job. Duterte had made it clear that he didn’t like the network and its owners. Too powerful for their own good. Their source of power had to be crushed. So, the country’s largest broadcasting network had to be knocked off the air. For millions of television viewers and radio listeners all over the Philippines, that is like being deprived of their daily victuals — as much of a habit as kape and pan de sal for breakfast, and kanin, ulam and merienda, the rest of the day. For journalists and civil rights activists, the closure of the network is a brass-knuckled assault on press freedom. To the marketing industry, it is a loss of a potent sales and promotional vehicle. For my colleagues in the advertising
agencies, a loss of commissions. And for ABS-CBN’s thousands of employees, talents, production staffers and stars, the loss of jobs and income. For its business rivals and political enemies, ABS-CBN’s going off the air means one pain-in-theneck gone. For its allies, one platform for gaining prominence and visibility lost. But not for Pinoys in America and the OFW enclaves in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. They will continue to have their daily serving of news, tear-jerkers, action serials, fantasies and showbiz tsismis that remind them of home. For the Lopez family, owners of the network, the closure is just one more chapter in the corporate complex’s storied existence in Philippine business and politics. Just one more predictable consequence of being in and out of power. It is déjà vu. But, as in the past, ABS-CBN will go on the air again. Indeed, old networks never die. They get resurrected. In 1972, following the declaration of martial law by President Ferdinand Marcos, the network was forced to close down — its assets taken over by business and political rivals and its ex-
ecutives jailed and subsequently forced into exile in the U.S. This was the same Ferdinand Marcos whom the Lopezes helped in winning the presidency in 1965, along with the vice presidency of one of the family patriarchs, Fernando Lopez. The same Marcos that the family helped to depose in the 1986 People Power revolution, en route to resurrecting the network and reclaiming its dominance I have no doubt that ABS-CBN will outlast Rodrigo Duterte, just as it outlived Marcos. And, as sure as day follows night, Duterte’s current allies will become Lopez allies when the Davao cartel’s time has come. In Philippine politics, there are no permanent enemies or friends, just ongoing interests. Don’t be surprised if even ABSCBN’s arch tormentor, Solicitor General Jose Calida, will become a member of the Lopez cheering squad at the network’s resurrection. I have a unique affinity for ABSCBN. For me, the network is like an old rich neighbor, whose family members I have known most of my life, whose kids I practically grew up with, befriended, and even fought and competed with. Can one ever avoid fighting with
the neighbor’s kids? As a boy in Manila, fresh off the boat from Leyte, I performed in soap operas aired on the network’s DZAQ Radio, broadcasting from the Republic Supermarket Building on Avenida Rizal. I was also among the earliest oncamera talents when television was introduced in the Philippines by Alto Broadcasting System, the ABS part of ABS-CBN. This was in 1954. As an ad agency producer in 1960, I wrote and co-directed a weekly radio show on DZXL Radio. Located in the Chronicle building on Aduana, it was owned by the Chronicle Broadcasting Network, the CBN part of what would become the Philippines’ largest broadcasting network. And then in late 1965, the merged ABS-CBN, housed in a huge broadcast complex on Roxas Boulevard, hired me as a manager for program evaluation and development. I also became head of script quality control and executive producer of the network’s prime TV property, Buhay Artista (which starred the comic duo, Dolphy and Panchito). It was presidential election season. On the instruction of network chairman Geny Lopez, Jr. I produced a daily satire that
helped defeat reelectionist President Diosdado Macapagal and helped catapult Ferdinand Marcos to Malacañang. The title of the daily satire was “Alis Diyan!” I had a great admiration for Geny Lopez, whom everyone reverently referred to as Capitan, although I only worked for ABSCBN for less than a year. In the early 1990s, I was retained by the network, this time, under Geny’s son, Gabby or Eugenio Lopez III, who had begun laying the groundwork for ABS-CBN’s expansion to the United States. However, as luck would have it, it was ABS-CBN’s rival, GMA Network, that I eventually helped to break into the U.S. market. Did I say that I fought and competed with ABS-CBN, just like fighting with the neighbor’s kids? I did. The Lopezes are fierce competitors and dislike business rivals with a passion. Because I was associated with rival GMA, I was also disliked. ABS-CBN top management even had me “disinvited” to a special event despite receiving a formal invitation from the network’s middle managers in my capacity as National Chairman of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA). Of course, being an equally
fierce competitor myself, I also had ABS-CBN expelled from a Fil-Am community festival that I had cornered exclusively for GMA. Those were just two of the many instances when ABS-CBN and GMA, which I used to represent, pre-empted each other, in dealings with the Fil-Am community. But these things I have never taken personally against the network and its people. I have a lot of respect for them as industry colleagues. Besides, many of them are friends. However, I take personal offense over the closure of ABSCBN in the Philippines. I consider it an assault against things I hold dear. Press freedom, particularly. And the freedom to speak out for or against a country’s leaders, as well as the freedom to compete in business with a passion. I do not grieve for the fortunes of the Lopez family and their business empire. The family has enough wealth to last many generations and the corporate complex can outlast several presidential tenures and political enemies. Will the network lose money with the closure of its Philippine operations? For sure. But it will
u PAGE A7
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Dateline PhiliPPines
Ronnel Mas with NBI agents followng his arrest after posting on Twitter that he will give a reward of P50 million to anyone who will kill President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo courtesy of NBI
NBI nabs teacher who offered P50-M to anyone who will kill Duterte by Cathrine
Gonzales Inquirer.net
has completed a master’s degree, and is now pursuing a doctorate degree. His tweet read: “I will give P50 MANILA — A public high school teacher was arrested by million reward kung sino makathe National Bureau of Investiga- kapatay kay Duterte (to whoever tion (NBI) after posting on Twit- will kill Duterte).” Distor said Mas was brought ter that he will give a P50-million reward to anyone who would kill to the NBI head office in Manila and will be presented for inquest President Rodrigo Duterte. NBI Deputy Director Ferdi- proceedings before the Departnand Lavin confirmed the ar- ment of Justice for inciting to rest of the teacher, identified sedition in relation to the Cyberas Ronnel Mas. He said the crime Prevention Act of 2012, teacher will undergo inquest and for violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards proceeding. Meanwhile, NBI spokesperson for Public Officials. A video posted on Facebook, Nick Suarez, in a text message to INQUIRER.net, said the teacher supposedly taken by an arwas arrested on Monday in Ba- resting NBI agent, showed an rangay North Poblacion, Sta. emotional Mas who admitted to posting the incriminating post Cruz, Zambales. According to NBI officer-in- on Twitter, for which he later charge Eric Distor, Mas is cur- apologized to Duterte. “Nagsosorry po ako kay rently teaching social studies,
President Duterte at nagawa ko ‘yung tweet na ‘yun. Hindi ko po intensyon ‘yun (I apologize to President Duterte for that Tweet. It wasn’t my intention),” he said. While calling his tweet a “wrong move,” Mas said he did not expect that he would be arrested over that, especially since his intention was only to “seek attention.” “Naghahanap lang po ako ng atensyon (I am just seeking attention),” he said. According to Mas, he mentioned P50 million in his social media post to equate with the P50 million offered by Duterte for any Filipino who would be able to invent a vaccine for the coronavirus disease. In the same video, he also denied he was forced to apologize to the President. n
Old networks never die, they get... PAGE A6 continue to make money from its worldwide operations. The owners of the network are savvy entrepreneurs and it will take more than a Duterte and a Calida to sink them. I do not grieve the loss of the tear-jerkers, action serials and fantasies of the network. They can always be revived when friendlier times come. Show business, like the Phoenix, will always manage to rise from the ashes.
But I grieve for the staffers of the network, especially the journalists and production people who have lost their jobs and their means of livelihood. Many of them are isang kahig isang tuka. Most of all, I grieve for the loss of the freedom to criticize and hold accountable the leaders of my beloved Philippines. I resent the raw use of power and the way the law has been bent and used as a weapon of oppression. In this regard, I am glad that
the network’s U.S. and overseas staffers are still in harness and I hope that those who have lost their jobs in the Philippines will be employed again. They are professionals who have nothing to do with corporate and political power struggles. I regard them like good neighbors. And, to paraphrase the slogan of an insurance company, like a good neighbor, they can count on me to have their backs. (gregmacabenta@gmail.com)
SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • MAy 13-15, 2020
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Award-winning Fil-Am author Erin Entrada Kelly releases sixth novel about famous space shuttle incident, family dynamics by
Christina M. Oriel / AJPress
ERIN Entrada Kelly is a product of 1980s pop culture, from having names for each Cabbage Patch doll to collecting sticker books to rewatching “E.T.” countless times. But what the author — who was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana to a Filipina mother and a white father — remembers the most from her elementary school days was when the space shuttle Challenger launched on January 28, 1986 and subsequently exploded, killing all seven astronauts on board. Decades later, Kelly revisited news about the incident and delved deeper into the stories of the astronauts. With that research, coupled with how the incident has been almost forgotten by subsequent generations of young students, she knew this historical moment would be the backdrop of her sixth middle-grade novel, “We Dream of Space.” Released on May 5, “We Dream of Space” brings readers into the lives of the Nelson-Thomas siblings, 12-year-old twins Bird and Fitch and their older brother Cash, and the weeks leading up to the Challenger launch. Along the way, we read about Bird’s dreams of being NASA’s first female shuttle commander and the dynamics of this middle-class family in Delaware. We also get introduced to their science teacher Ms. Salonga and see the recurring themes, such as loneliness, found in Kelly’s work, namely “Hello Universe” (2017), for which she received the 2018 Newbery Medal, the most prestigious award in children’s literature. Kelly, a former journalist who is now a full-time author based in Delaware, spoke to the Asian Journal about how her upbringing as a Filipina American has shaped her writing, the development of her latest release, and what’s next for her award-winning novel. Asian Journal (AJ): You’ve written and released six novels in the past five years. How do you begin developing a story? Erin Entrada Kelly (EEK): The story kind of grows and blossoms. For several months, I’ll spend time just thinking about the characters and the story. Once I feel like I have it kind of fleshed out in my head, then I’ll get a notebook and start writing things down longhand. I’ll just write down the characters’ names and the seeds of the idea that I have and let it go from there. AJ: Once you’ve filled the notebooks, do you have sticky notes or other tools to help map and organize the story? EEK: I’m a very linear writer so I write in order by chapter. Usually I’ll do a chapter outline, but it changes so I’ll cross things out and add things. This is the only mapping I really do. I write several chapters in the notebook and then I’ll type it out. Then I print the whole thing out and go by hand and that’s when I use a lot of sticky notes for revisions I need to make. AJ: It’s interesting to ask that question to writers and authors because everyone handles it differently. You’re seem so organized.
EEK: I am completely disorganized and a mess in every other aspect. I never know where anything is and I lose things. But when it comes to writing, I am pretty organized. AJ: Going back to your first novel “Blackbird Fly,” what was the process of pitching that to a publisher and finding an editor? EEK: After I published a series of short stories and decided to focus on middle grade and wrote my first middle grade novel, I had a pretty conventional journey. I queried agents and found my first agent — she’s no longer my agent — and she brought it to editors. It probably took almost a year or two for an editor because I had to do more revisions and such. Then about after a year, I got the offer from HarperCollins, who I’ve been with ever since. AJ: It’s been two years since “Hello Universe” received the Newbery Medal. How has this award helped your work and how has it been to be among this roster of authors we grew up reading and learning in school? EEK: It’s surreal every single day. Even two years later, it’s very, very strange, but in a great way, of course. It’s very surreal because you never think that’s going to ever happen. I think the greatest benefit has been a larger platform. The book has been translated into many different languages, which is cool. But honestly the greatest benefit has been the wider readership — and I don’t mean that from a business royalties standpoint — and being able to connect with even more readers, librarians and teachers. I was working-full time when “Hello Universe” first came out and not long after it won, I was able to leave my job. Now I write full-time and do some teaching. AJ: Also to mention what the book has done for Filipino American representation in literature. You have a Fil-Am central character, Virgil. The book illustrations were done by a Filipina artist [Isabel Roxas]. EEK: Definitely, thank you, yes. That was absolutely a benefit because when I was growing up, I didn’t really have access to any books that had Filipino characters, and even Asian characters or minority cultures of any kind were not really depicted. Next year, actually, I’m working on a chapter book series now that will have a mestiza — half Filipina, half white girl — as the main character so I’m really excited about that too. I’m doing the illustrations as well. AJ: “Hello Universe” has also been picked up by Netflix to develop it into a movie with Fil-Am screenwriter Michael [Golamco]. Did you ever imagine any of your work would be translated to the big screen? EEK: No, never! Again, it’s been really surreal. I think right now, they’re still in the script development stage so the production hasn’t gotten started yet. But when that all starts up, I’m really looking forward to it. One of the things they asked me at the beginning was, “What is most important to you about
A copy of Erin Entrada Kelly’s award-winning “Hello, Universe” and her notebooks that contain early drafts of the novel. Photos courtesy of Erin Entrada Kelly/Instagram
Kelly’s spring book events have turned virtual. Photo shows the author delivering the keynote address for the Pocono Mountain Retreat organized by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
this story?” I said, “The representation!” Virgil’s Filipino American and then Ori is Japanese American. I didn’t want any of that to change. I didn’t anticipate that they were going to but I wanted to make sure it was important that the representation stayed the same. For Virgil, it’s a very important part of the whole narrative because he has his lola and Filipino folk tales woven in there. They said that was one of the things they loved about the book and it wasn’t even in their mind to cast it any differently. AJ: How involved are you going to be during the production? EEK: I will probably not be very involved. I know different writers are involved in different ways but I prefer to not be that involved only because I don’t know anything about making movies and I trust them. I trust Michael [Golamco] — he’s great and very talented. He gets it. I trust that they’re going to do well by the material so I don’t necessarily need to be involved. As long as I know what’s going on and when things are happening, that’s all I really need to know. AJ: Are there any screen adaptations you’ve particularly loved and did justice to the stories? EEK: I have to say I did enjoy “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” I’m not huge on book to movie adaptations because I always, of course, prefer the book. But that’s the first recent one that comes to mind. AJ: Shifting to your latest novel, “We Dream of Space.” It takes place in Delaware, where you currently live, and goes back to the 80s when you were growing up. What led to the development of this story and creating this family? EEK: The Challenger disaster, I think for a lot of people of my generation and my age group, was one of the biggest events of adolescence. It really stayed with me as it did with other people as well so I knew I wanted to write about it at some point. Also, partly because I feel like it’s been forgotten in a general sense. For example, when I go to schools, I ask students if they’ve heard of the Challenger disaster and almost none of them have. It was a huge news event that has kind of been lost. I knew I wanted to revisit it and have a book set in the 80s because I was a child of that era. AJ: The central characters are the three Nelson-Thomas children. Though they’re not of Filipino descent, our community can likely relate as they’re from a big family too and we see similar dynamics play out among the siblings and even in their relationships with their parents. For example, we read about the only daughter Bird receiving passive aggressive comments from her mother about her appearance and role as a girl. How did this family come about? EEK: The idea started with Bird and I thought it would be interesting to have siblings who are all in the same grade. When I was thinking about Bird and her story and I thought, “Okay, she has these siblings.” Then I thought, “Well, how are they all going to be in the same grade?” So then she became a twin to Fitch and has an older brother, Cash. It’s really underrepresented in literature to see children that fail grades so I thought it was important to have Cash in there. I’m really glad you mentioned that with Bird because
you never quite know what’s getting across or if your intentions are coming through. But my intention with Bird is that she’s the glue of the whole story. Number one, she feels responsible for whatever reason for the tenor of the house so she tries to interject when she can and to manage the mood of the home, which is an unfair and large responsibility for an 12-year-old girl. She also gets conflicting information from her mother because her mother tells her that looks aren’t important but she also harps on her about gaining weight and not eating that kind of cereal. The three siblings together get conflicting information as well because their parents correct them and tell them to be kind but they’re not kind to each other as they argue all the time and use certain language. That was something I wanted to explore too because adults are very often critical and they operate under this view of “do as I say, not as I do.” It’s a very dangerous way to bring up young people because they can see those contradictions. Bird, Fitch and Cash are getting different information but they’re also not getting the emotional support that each of them needs. AJ: Through this book, what did you learn about yourself as a writer and what aspects of your childhood and upbringing did you revisit and tap into? EEK: Of course, on the fun side, I got to explore things like the arcade, a phonebook and cassette tapes — all these things I have nostalgia for. One of the things all my books have in common is that they explore loneliness on some level. In this book, I thought it would be interesting to explore that there are these three siblings and there’s five of them in this fairly modest home. Even though they’re surrounded by family, they’re still very lonely. This concept of loneliness, being within and not without, is something that I wanted to explore because I often felt like that when I was young. Also this feeling of family floating in its own orbits was something important to me. When I was growing up in south Louisiana, my father was white and his family all lived in the Midwest. My mom’s entire family was in the Philippines so I had so many relatives that I didn’t know or would never meet. They’re all far away so it was a strange, insular experience when you’re connected to your family, but not really connected to them. AJ: Since you mentioned your two family backgrounds, how did your mom end up in Louisiana? EEK: They met in the Philippines because my dad was stationed there. He ultimately had a job transfer. He’s originally from Kansas so she moved there from the Philippines in the middle of a blizzard and obviously she had never been around snow before. Then he got transferred to Louisiana. AJ: And how did you find your way to Delaware? EEK: I moved to Pennsylvania like eight years and my partner now is in Delaware so we bought a house here together. AJ: Since the book takes place there, what do you want people to take away from the small state? EEK: What’s fun about living in Delaware is that when I travel and people ask where I live, I tell them Delaware and they always look at me as if I said I lived on Mars. But the point I wanted to explore as well is that there’s a line where Bird’s brother tells her, “You’re just a girl from Dela-
Kelly holds a copy of “We Dream of Space, which was released on May 5 by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Photo shows Entrada Kelly (center) as an infant held by her mom, Virgilia Sy Entrada, while her older sister Anna stands to the left.
Research for “We Dream of Space” included newspaper clippings of the Challenger tragedy.
ware.” Delaware is this underdog state that people seem to forget about. I wanted to show that it doesn’t necessarily matter where you’re from and you don’t have to be from some big exciting place to do amazing, incredible things. When you grow up as I did in Louisiana, there were very few immigrant families or any firstgeneration parents and you’re kind of going up against being an “other,” whether you’re an other ethnically, culturally or religiously. Whereas in Bird’s case, she feels like an other because she’s interested in all these things other people don’t seem to be interested in. It really shapes who you are. So the fact that she’s from Delaware, it doesn’t matter. You can be from anywhere. AJ: This book comes out as students and families are learning from and staying at home. How is the story fitting for this time to get lost in this universe you created? EEK: I’ve met at this point thousands of young people from traveling and they tell me about their own life in some situations. This book explores a non-ideal family situation — it’s not that the parents don’t love their children, but they’re caught up in their own toxic dynamic that’s permeating the rest of the family. It was important so that young people who are in that kind of family can see their dynamic on the page. My hope is that families can use it as a jumping off point to talk about family dynamics and other things mentioned. AJ: What’s something surprising readers may find in the book? EEK: The teacher, Ms. Salonga, in “We Dream of Space”
is never explicitly mentioned to be Filipina American but a lot of Filipinos have written to me to ask because she has a Filipina name. For the audio book, which is read by Ramon de Ocampo who also narrated “Hello Universe,” I didn’t speak to him before he read it. But when I listened to the audio book, he speaks in a Filipino accent doing her sections, which I love! AJ: Advice for aspiring writers and storytellers? EEK: My advice is definitely to read — a good writer is a good reader. It sounds kind of cliché but just keep writing because like with anything, it’s practice. That’s how you perfect your craft. AJ: What are you reading right now? EEK: I am in between books. I just finished a book called “The Blackbird Girls” [by Anne Blankman], which is very good. Now I’m trying to figure out what to read next. I read about two to three books a week. AJ: There are so many options out there, especially in Filipino American literature alone coming out from major publishing houses. EEK: Oh yes. Most notably, Randy Ribay’s book “Patron Saints of Nothing” was a National Book Award finalist and was on all these lists. I know the landscape for not just Filipino authors, but people from all kinds of marginalized groups, has opened up and will continue to do so because literature needs to reflect our entire society. That’s what our world and bookshelves should look like. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 13, 2020
‘Float,’ the first-ever Pixar short featuring Filipino characters, earns Peabody nod by AJPRESS
PIXAR’S first-ever short film featuring Filipino characters has been nominated in this year’s Peabody Awards. Filipino American storyboard artist Bobby Alcid Rubio took to social media to share that his seven-minute short, “Float,” is one of the nominees in the award ceremony’s entertainment category. “So honored to have @Pixar Fling 2020 is going to be filled monetary help to the Univer#PixarFloat to be nominated sity of the Philippines in their with games, entertainment, for the #PeabodyAwards. I am contests, door prize drawings, COVID-19 relief efforts. grateful that our #SparkShorts UPAAGLA is a 501 c3 non- #ShortFilm about Acceptance and other surprises. Adrian profit alumni organization that and Celebration of our DifferLecaros, UPAAGLA Board Member and Event Chair said, aims to engage U.P. Alumni ences is being recognized. I in Southern California and “There is no stopping U.P. share this achievement with to raise funds to support the alumni from getting together my wonderful producer, Krissy for our beloved university. We various academic programs, Cababa @cababapalooza, my are very excited to see our fel- capital improvement projects, amazing crew #TeamFloat and and disaster relief efforts of low U.P. alumni virtually.” the entire Pixar Family!” Rubio Participants can join at any the University of the Philipwrote in an Instagram post on pines. time and are not required to Thursday, May 7. For more details and to stay for five hours. There will The organization on join Spring Fling 2020, U.P. also be fundraising activities Wednesday revealed this year’s to contribute to the UPAAGLA alumni need to register at: ht- 60 nominees, chosen by a board tps://upaagla-springfling-2020. of 19 jurors from nearly 1,300 Endowment Fund. Just reeventbrite.com. cently, UPAAGLA disbursed entries, for the most compelling and empowering stories released in broadcasting and digital media during 2019. “Float,” written and directed by Rubio and produced by fellow Fil-Am Krissy Cababa, tells the story of a father trying to keep his infant son’s special abilFor Martin’s second perform- ity to fly a secret. ance, he dedicated a heartfelt The animated short is based performance of Leon Bridges’ on Rubio’s relationship with his “River” to his mom. son Alex, who is on the autism “From Tarzan to singing spectrum. He submitted it to ‘River,’ I don’t know what hapPixar’s SparkShorts, an impened but you have grown even mersive storytelling program more,” Perry noted. that gives studio employees six “This set of Mother’s Day months and a budget to develop songs is really separating the animated short films. pack. It’s showing who deserves “I’m a storyteller at heart. I that top position and you are was thinking of doing this story making it difficult for all these about my son and me…I’ve other contestants because that been holding onto this story for performance was so soulful and eight years and I finally felt like Francisco Martin of Daly City, California continues beautiful and real… it was so it was time to tell it,” he told the to impress judges on Season 18 of “American heartfelt, what you just did,” she Asian Journal in an interview last Idol.” Photo courtesy of ABC added. year. Bryan went as far as to say doubt has been really stripped The short was screened at El that Martin “beat the original away.” Capitan Theatre in Hollywood record.” “What you gave us at the last October before it made its Meanwhile, Richie praised the Disney+ debut a month later end is kind of what I wanted from singer’s confidence. Louis Knight. This is a competi“The thing I love the most tion. Let’s get real. There’s only is your confidence is front and one Idol and you were spot-on center. You’re no longer in your with your performance and then head. Congratulations because at the end, you let us have it with you have a career and that is the talent of your voice. Good for you. You are a good bet,” she what’s important,” he said. The season finale will be held added. next Sunday, May 17, starting Bryan, for his part, dubbed with two contestants being elimihim as the “King of American nated based on audience votes. Idol.” The five remaining hopefuls will “My man! Great job. Just in perform two songs each as realthat performance, you were like the King of the jungle and you felt time voting will help determine who gets the “American Idol” like the King of American Idol in title. my opinion,” he said.
UP alumni spring fling 2020 goes virtual
LOS ANGELES — On its fourth year, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles (UPAAGLA) will be hosting its annual Spring Fling get together and general assembly that is open to all U.P. alumni from Kern County to Orange County on Saturday, May, 16 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m, online and for free via Zoom. Spring Fling is a great opportunity for U.P. alumni (UPAAGLA members and nonmembers) to come together, network, and have fun. Just like in previous years, Spring
Fil-Am Francisco Martin makes it to ‘American Idol’ Top 7 By RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
FILIPINO American singer Francisco Martin advanced to the next round of ‘American Idol’ Season 18 as he secured a spot in the top 7. For the penultimate episode of the season, the contestants had to perform twice, with the first performance being centered around Disney songs. Martin, a 19-year-old student from Daly City, California, performed his own version of “You’ll Be in My Heart” from the movie “Tarzan,” impressing judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan. “We’re witnessing here a transformation of Francisco,” Richie said. He added, “I saw several times of that performance. You’re smiling at yourself when you perform. In other words, what you’re doing now is just giving us confidence and enjoyment. And by the way, we as an audience, we’d love to see that kind of emotion. Francisco, congratulations on being on the Top 7, man. I’m really, really proud of you.” Perry, meanwhile, said: “Francisco, I thought that performance was amazing. I agree with Lionel, you looked relaxed. All that self-
Pinay reality TV star Rose Vega lauded for standing up against American boyfriend By JAN
MILO SEVERO Philstar.com
ROSE Vega, the Filipina in the latest edition of reality dating show “90 Day Fiance,” is now verified on Instagram and has surpassed the followers of her former fiance, Big Ed, with a 19,000 margin. Rose now has 370,000 followers while her American ex-boyfriend has 337,000 followers. Recently, Rose became viral on social media when fans supported her after she confronted and separated with Ed in the TLC reality TV show. “I think for now I don’t feel good about the relationship. I want to have kids because it’s my dream. Why didn’t you tell me the truth about not wanting to have a baby? Why? Why didn’t you tell me first before coming here to the Philippines? Why are you not telling me the truth?” Rose told Ed. “First you lied to me about your height. And then you want me to give me an STD test. And then you insulted me that my breath smelled bad. You know I am sick and that I have an ulcer. So I’m disappointed because you are always embarrassed by me. You think my sister and I are the same -- that I want your money and not you. You make me feel small. I think that you do not love me,” she added. Social media fans supported Rose for standing up for herself despite her poverty. “Good for ROSE!!! Standing up for herself!!! Ed has been very disrespectful of Rose. I think he thought he could walk all over her. I hope she stays strong!!” a social media user said. “Rose going off on Ed was
one of the best scenes I’ve seen in this entire franchise. It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t overthe-top. It was truthful and beautiful in it’s own right of passage,” another user wrote. Likewise, CNN praised Rose, calling her “the Internet’s New Hero.” “Rose Vega made clear that while a better life in America would have been nice, it wasn’t worth having if she had to pay for it with her self-respect,” Bernadette Giacomazzo wrote in her CNN report. Rose is a single mom to a four-year-old son. “I woke up Sunday morning and it wasn’t a good morning because all the haters came up because I had asked Rose if she would shave her legs. And people were so upset about that... It’s normal. I live in San Diego and when people goes to the beach, people laser their legs,” Ed said in a US Weekly interview after he was dumped. He admitted that he lied “a little.” “When I got back to the US, they measured my height and believe it or not, I was actually a little bit taller than I said I was,” he claimed. He said he should have showed Rose an STD (sexually transmitted diseases) test of himself before asking her to do the same. “When I did get back to the US, I got tested immediately and I’m clean,” he said. He and Rose dated “digitally” for three months before personally meeting each other. “My heart was beating a hundred miles per hour,” he said when asked if he was inlove with Rose. “When I saw her for the
Rosemarie Vega Photo from Instagram_@rose_vega_official
first time, Oh my God, it was like surreal, like a dream,” he recalled. “I just wanted to hold her. She was very warm. Her skin was very soft. Her hair smells amazing, she didn’t have mayonnaise, thank God.” In one of the show’s episodes, Ed showed his mayonnaise beauty routine wherein he would apply mayo onto his hair to make it shiny and beautiful. “Make sure you’d wash it out at least two or three times. If not, you’d smell like an egg salad sandwich,” he warned. He regretted how he handled his relationship with Rose, but assured their viewers that everything ended well between them. “How I wish I could have handled it differently but we gave up so it’s all good,” he enthused.
Bobby Rubio photographed on August 20, 2018 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar
“Float” made history as the first Pixar animation featuring Filipino characters. Photos courtesy of Pixar
“Float” tells the story of a Filipino father who discovers his infant son has the ability to float.
when the streaming platform was unveiled. Rubio has worked as a traditional artist and storyboard artist on films like “Pocahontas,” “Tarzan,” and “Treasure Planet.” He was also an assistant director and storyboard artist for “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” before moving to Pixar, where he has worked on “Up” and has since included “Brave,” “Monsters University,” “Inside Out” and most recently, “Incredibles 2” and “Toy Story 4.” “At the end of the day, [‘Float’] is about the bond between father and son. It’s about unconditional love, especially amongst family members and amongst everybody. I want that to be the end thing that people get. It’s about love and acceptance and hopefully, that will resonate,” Rubio said in his Asian Journal interview. “Float” is up against shows, such as “Chernobyl,” “Stranger Things,” “Succession,” “Fleabag,” and “Watchmen.” Apple
TV+’s original comedy series starring actress Hailee Steinfeld — who is of Filipina descent — also garnered a nomination in the category. “Float” and “Dickinson” mark the first Peabody Awards nominations for Disney+ and Apple TV+, respectively, since the two streaming platforms debuted last year. “Peabody is proud to champion this year’s nominees who inspire our connection, provoke our thinking and delight our senses. From the communal strength of black women to the eminence of science to the conviction of those who speak up, these stories and their creators celebrate the diversity of human experience and of our democracy,” Peabody Executive Director Jeffrey P. Jones said in a statement. “Amidst the challenges of our present moment, we can find empathy, entertainment and truth in these nominees,” he added.
entertainment Xian defends Kim, laments word war amid ABS-CBN shutdown
The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 13, 2020
by Ian
BIong Inquirer.net
XIAN Lim has spoken up to defend his longtime girlfriend Kim Chiu after the latter got
singled out by netizens following ABS-CBN’s online protest held by several stars last Friday, May 8. With “Kim Chiu” being among the top trending topics in
the Philippines on Tuesday, May 12, Lim condemned the hate and insults online, noting that Chiu is “a wonderful human being.” “Kim does not deserve to be singled out and get all the hate she is getting from people in the internet. She is a smart, empathetic person who deeply cares for all the people around her. She cares so much that it scares me,” Lim stressed on the same day via Instagram. “We are not perfect. No one is. We have our share of mishaps that shake us down to the ground but we learn and we rise back up again. My love and support goes out to Kim for being a wonderful human being,” he added. Previously, Chiu’s “classroom analogy,” in which she tried to explain the shutting down of the media giant in a classroom setting, immediately went viral following the Facebook Live session, and has since become a meme. The actress, however, has laughed it off and also admitted that she herself got confused by her statement. In the said online protest, Chiu called for compassion and pointed out that ABS-CBN gives ordinary people the chance to become successful, just like how she gained stardom with the help of the network. Lim noted that Chiu, along with the other celebrities who joined the online protest, had “a whole lot of guts to face millions of people and fight for what you truly believe in,” adding that “most people won’t even have that opportunity in their lifetime.” ‘The world is not perfect’ Lim also lamented how despite the COVID-19 pandemic, “people are throwing hurtful words back and forth hoping that an issue will be resolved through insults, rage, hate, fake news.” He noted, however, that while he does not have the educational background or know much about the facts behind the issue, he has his “observation on what our society has become.” Continued on Page 5
Minding Your Finances
Warning: Never hire a debt settlement company
are making their monthly payments to the debt settlement company. The debt settlement company, after deducting their A LOT of people who are fees, simply saves the money in burdened with credit card debt a trust account and will only be often don’t know where to turn able to settle with creditors one for help. They see all the ads on by one as money accumulates. TV, internet, etc. by so-called So, if they put you on a 3-5 year “debt consolidation” or “debt plan, that means there will be settlement” companies hoping a very long wait for creditors to that this will get them out of get their money if they even do. debt without filing for bankruptMost of your creditors will cy. More often than not, hownot wait that long to get paid. ever, they end up either getting So, what happens? They will sue scammed or disappointed when you! And if they do, the debt those companies cannot deliver settlement company is not gothe big promises made. Buyer ing to be able to represent you beware: Hiring a debt settlement because they are not lawyers. company can actually make your In the meantime, your debts debt problems worse and keep are still growing because of the you in debt forever. I am sure added interest, penalties and this is not what you want, is it? other collection costs. This is What a lot of people don’t NOT the best way to consolirealize is that when they hire date your bills. While you are on a debt settlement company, their program, the creditors will it doesn’t mean that they are also continue to report damagnow legally protected from ing information on your credit their creditors as long as they report until the debt is paid.
Atty. RAymond BulAon
This is not what you want, is it? Of course, the debt settlement companies will not tell you that. In my opinion, if you wish to consolidate your bills, there is nothing better than doing it through a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Here are the advantages: (1) You pay 0% interest on credit cards and other unsecured debts. This means all your payments go towards principal. (2) You can be totally debt-free in 3-5 years, (3) In most cases, you only pay based on what you can afford, not based on how much you owe, (4) Your monthly debt payments can be slashed by at least half in most cases, allowing you to have extra money for other expenses, and (5) All kinds of debts can be included in Chapter 13, not just credit cards. So if you have unpaid taxes, medical bills, payday loans, personal loans, student loans, late mortgage payments, etc., all of these can be included Continued on Page 5
Kapamilya artists heartbroken, outspoken By Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net
AFTER the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a Cease and Desist Order following the expiration of ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise, the network shut down on Tuesday, May 12 at 7:52 p.m. lit a firestorm across social media platforms with no less than the country’s biggest stars at the forefront. On Instagram, an emoji hugging the network logo with the caption “Para sa #MalayangPamamahayag” was posted by a flood of artists. On Twitter, the hashtag #NoToABSCBNShutdown trended not just in the Philippines but worldwide. Other hashtags proclaimed “#IStandWithABSCBN,” “#DefendPressFreedom” and “#ABSCBN.” Among the ABS-CBN talents who painfully and boldly aired their sentiments online were Kathryn Bernardo, Angelica Panganiban, Maja Salvador, Julia Montes, Iza Calzado, Lea Salonga, Angel Aquino, Isabelle Daza, Bianca Gonzales, Yassi Pressman, Vice Ganda, Vhong Navarro and Shaina Magdayao, all in support of the public service network. “Para sa kapwa. Sa panahon na kailangan ng hanapbuhay ng mga tao. Let’s be considerate and ask ourselves kung makakatulong ba ang mga desisyon natin lalo na sa panahong ito. To ABS-CBN, isang karangalan po na naging bahagi at nakasama ko po kayo. Mahal ko kayo. Para sa #MalayangPamamahayag #NoToABSCBNShutdown,” posted Angel Locsin. Bea Alonzo also shared, “Today’s news is just heartbreaking. I AM A KAPAMILYA through thick and thin. Mahal ko kayo. #IStandWithABSCBN #InTheServiceoftheFilipino.” Sharon Cuneta uploaded a photo of the news where the network officially shuts down and captioned, “Iniisip at inaalala naming artists ang aming tahanan, ang ABS-CBN, ang limampung-libong empleyadong lumaki nang kasama ko, at ang mga batang bagong empleyado pa lamang ng aming istasyon… You are all in my heart and prayers. We love our HOME. And some people have made us HOMELESS now…May God bless us all.” “Sa dami ng problema ng Pilipinas… sa dami ng may sakit at namamatay sa COVID… sa laki ng problema ngayon sa ekonomiya… sa dami ng nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa COVID… Talagang pagpapatigil ng ABSCBN ang inatupag nila. Hindi ko maintindihan nasaan ang puso ng mga ito,” joined in broadcaster Karen Davila saying, “ABSCBN is not the enemy. COVID is. #May52020 #IntheserviceoftheFilipino #istandwithabscbn.” Gary Valenciano’s commented, “On or off the air… in front or behind the camera… with or without a microphone… our hearts, as one, will always stand in the service of the Filipino… worldwide.” “Praying now with thousands of my Kapamilyas #NoToABSCBNShutdown ParaSa #MalayangPamamahayag,” said Dimples Romana. “Iniisip ko pa lang ang libu-libong Kapamilyang lubos na maaapektuhan nito, ako ay nanlulumo. Hindi sana ito ang panahon ng pagkuha, panahon sana ito ng pagbibigay. Panahong iniisip natin kung Ano ang makakatulong sa Mas nakakarami at Mas nangangailangan. It is an honor to serve with you Kapamilya #InTheServiceOfTheFilipino #IStandWithABSCBN.” Piolo Pascual, on the other
Sharon Cuneta
Gary Valenciano
Judy Ann Santos
Anne Curtis-Smith
hand, mourned the closure with a plain black post, and wrote, “As I was watching closely and with disbelief, tears flowed and my heart just felt the pain. And then I heard the words ‘now signing off’ then it went black. Wasn’t able to move for a few seconds. I have nothing but prayers for a positive outcome for this hurdle. And as always we’ll get through this together. Let’s continue praying for each other and for ABS to return to broadcasting asap. Maraming salamat Kapamilya.” Meanwhile, Judy Ann Santos posted at length, “Nakakalungkot. Nakakapanghina. Nakakatulala. Dalawang bagay ang hindi ko inakalang mangyayari sa buong buhay ko. Ang maranasan ang ECQ at magsara ang naging bahay at buhay ko mula 13 years old ako. Maraming mas dapat pagtuunan ng pansin sa mga panahong to. Maraming nangangailangan ng tulong mula sa gobyerno. Maraming natutulungan ang kumpanyang bumubuhay sa puso ng mga tao sa panahong to sa pamamagitan ng mga programang pwedeng magpalibang at pansamantalang makalimutan ang mga problemang pinagdadaanan nating lahat.” She bravely asked the authorities, “Bakit po? Bakit ngayon? Hindi po bang mas importanteng magtulungan tayo at magkaisa kahit pansamantala na muna habang may kinakaharap tayong mas malaking kaaway? Hindi po ba dapat sama sama nating ginagawa ang pwede nating maggawa para makapagsilbi sa mamayang Pilipino? Hindi ko naiintindihan. Kung may iilang tao ang nagbubunyi ngayon dahil nakuha at nagawa nilang maipasara ang ABS-CBN mas marami po kayong taong nasaktan at tinanggalan ng trabaho sa panahong lahat ng tao ay nag aalala kung paano bubuhayin ang mga pamilya nila. Maari po bang makahingi ng sapat na paliwanag?” Anne Curtis, who has been living in Australia since December 2019 for the final stretch of pregnancy, said on Instagram, “I’m still in disbelief that this is actually happening. It’s so heartbreaking. Nakakalungkot. To my ABS-CBN Family, I stand with you. I pray for brighter days and hearing ‘in the service of the Filipino’ on air again. A big hug sa lahat ng aking KAPAMILYA #intheserviceofthefilipino #notoabscbnshutdown #westandwithabscbn.” Bela Padilla posted on Twitter, “That sign off brought me to tears. Before becoming an employee of ABS-CBN 13 years ago, I was a kid who watched ‘Sineskwela,’ ‘Bayani’ and ‘Wansapanataym’ at home. As the youngest child of a single
mom, our TV was my companion, ABS-CBN, my dear friend. Waiting for you to go on air again.” Richard Gutierrez also showed his support saying, “In this time of a global health crisis, we should be focused on unity. Not only has ABS-CBN helped those affected by the pandemic and other natural disasters, but it’s also a source of vital information and entertainment for Filipinos across the globe. Praying for those losing their jobs and to the families affected by this. Isang karangalan maging bahagi ng ABS CBN. #notoabscbnshutdown.” Meanwhile, Coco Martin – whose action-drama series “Ang Probinsyano” has been running for five years now – shared a series of posts expressing his frustrations regarding the order issued by the NTC. His name and the title of his show thereafter trended on Twitter for hours. On one of his posts, Martin wrote, “Tutal wala naman kasiguraduhan kung buhay pa ako pagkatapos ng pandemic na ito. Tama lang na masabi ko ang mga saloobin ko. Sa mga taong pilit nagsulong sa pagpapasara sa ABS-CBN, sana ay panatag na panatag na ang kalooban niyo. Sana nagdala ito ng lubos na kaligayahan sa mga puso ninyo. Mahirap magsawalang-kibo sa mga taong katulad ninyo na patuloy na nang-aabuso. Wala kayong mga konsensiya, naatim niyong pagkaitan ng hanapbuhay at pabayaang magutom ang ilang libong mga pamilya! Lalo lang lulubog sa kahirapan ang mga Pilipino! Ito ba ang serbisyo niyo sa bayan?” He continued, “Hindi ako mangingiming sabihin ang totoong nararandaman ko ngayon. Sa mga taong tulad niyo na hindi karapat-dapat pakitaan ng diplomasya at pagkamalumanay. Ang dapat sa inyo usapang sanggano at walang-hiyaan! Galing ako sa hirap at jologs ang pagkatao ko, kaya wala akong pakialam ngayon kung anong sasabihin ng ibang tao. Hindi man ako kasing talino ng iba, alam ko at malinaw sa akin na MALI at KAWALANG KATARUNGAN ang tanggalan ng hanapbuhay ang ilang libong empleyado ng isang kumpanyang naglilingkod sa sambayanang Pilipino ng ilang dekada! Maraming maraming salamat Solicitor General Joe Calida at sa bumubuo ng National Telecommunications Commission sa kontribusyon niyo sa ating bayan!” Finally, veteran actress Vilma Santos who is incumbent Deputy Speaker at the House of Representatives, posted a more reassuring message for the public on her Instagram account: “Hindi ako magpapaalam dahil alam kong magbabalik kayo!!! Mabuhay ABS-CBN.”
How to obtain custody and visitation rights for unmarried dads
for paternity issued by a court of competent jurisdiction” and trumps §7611 presumptions discussed below. A post 1996 voluntary declaration of paternity “shall be recognized as a basis for the establishment Atty. Kenneth of an order for child custody, UrsUA reyes visitation, or child support.” Family .Code §§ 7573, 7644; ESTABLISHING parentKevin Q. v. Lauren W., supra, age rights for Moms is a lot 175 CA4th at 1132, 95 CR3d easier than establishing one for at 485; In re J.L. (2008) 159 unmarried Dads. Moms can CA4th 1010, 1019, 72 CR3d establish this by simply show27, 33. ing proof of her having given Another way of establishing birth to the child. Family Code presumed father status is if you §7610. fall under any of the categories Establishing parentage listed (a) to (f) under family rights, including custody and code §7611: visitation rights, becomes more (a) He and the child’s natuproblematic with unmarried ral mother are or have been Dads because proving yourself married to each other and the as the biological father does child is born during the marnot automatically make you riage, or within 300 days after the natural father of the child. the marriage is terminated by Under the family code, there death, annulment, declaration are competing presumptions of of invalidity, or divorce, or after paternity which allows the non a judgment of separation is biological father to be deemed entered by a court. the natural father of the child. (b) Before the child’s birth, A typical situation is when he and the child’s natural boyfriend gets girlfriend mother have attempted to pregnant. Girlfriend for some marry each other by a marriage reason decides to exclude boy- solemnized in apparent complifriend from baby’s life so she ance with law, although the breaks up with boyfriend, does attempted marriage is or could not give the boyfriend any be declared invalid, and either information about her delivery, of the following is true: and does not state the boy(1) If the attempted marfriend as the father in the birth riage could be declared invalid certificate or decides to name only by a court, the child is someone else as the father. born during the attempted Girlfriend does this because marriage, or within 300 days her parents disapprove of the after its termination by death, ex boyfriend. annulment, declaration of invaOne way a presumption lidity, or divorce. of Paternity is created is by (2) If the attempted marexecuting a voluntary declarariage is invalid without a court tion of paternity. A Voluntary order, the child is born within declarations executed before 300 days after the termination 1997 give rise to a conclusive of cohabitation. presumption of paternity and (c) After the child’s birth, he can be overcome only by blood and the child’s natural mother or genetic tests ordered on have married, or attempted to noticed motion by the mother marry, each other by a maror presumed father must be riage solemnized in apparent made within three years of the compliance with law, although date of execution of the volun- the attempted marriage is or tary declaration Family.Code. could be declared invalid, and § 7576; Kevin Q. v. Lauren W. either of the following is true: (2009) 175 CA4th 1119, 1133, (1) With his consent, he is 95 CR3d 477, 485 If the volun- named as the child’s father on tary declaration of paternity is the child’s birth certificate. executed after 1996, it is not (2) He is obligated to supcharacterized as a conclusive port the child under a written presumption. Instead, it “shall voluntary promise or by court establish the paternity of a order. child and shall have the same (d) He receives the child force and effect as a judgment into his home and openly holds
Barrister’s Corner
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out the child as his natural child. (e) If the child was born and resides in a nation with which the United States engages in an Orderly Departure Program or successor program, he acknowledges that he is the child’s father in a declaration under penalty of perjury, as specified in Section 2015.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure. This subdivision shall remain in effect only until January 1, 1997, and on that date shall become inoperative. (f) The child is in utero after the death of the decedent and the conditions set forth in Section 249.5 of the Probate Code are satisfied. An alleged biological father who does not meet any of the § 7611 conditions for presumed father status has no constitutionally-protected “liberty interest” in establishing a parentage relationship with a child as against the rights of a presumptive father who has an extant parentage relationship with the child. Dawn D. v. Super.Ct. (Jerry K.) (1998) 17 C4th 932, 940–942, 72 CR2d 871, 876–877. The facts get even more complicated if the girlfriend, whom boyfriend gets pregnant is married to another man because the law provides a conclusive presumption of paternity to the husband of the girlfriend. Under Family Code §7540, the child of a wife cohabiting at time of conception with her husband, who is not impotent or sterile, is “conclusively” presumed to be a child of the marriage. This conclusive presumption may be challenged by showing that the husband was sterile. It may also be challenged by filing a motion for blood or genetic testing under Family Code §7541 but this has to be done within 2 years of the childs birth. In addition, only persons with standing can bring this motion which is limited to the husband, child, mother and a presumed father as listed in Family Code §7611 and 7612. Even absent a recognized rebuttal, the court has discretion as a matter of due process not to apply § 7540 conclusive presumption of paternity when it would not further the statute’s underlying policies of
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entertainment Warning: never hire a debt...
The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - May 13, 2020
From Page 3 in one affordable monthly payment. So if you are struggling every single month even just making minimum payments, you’re probably feeling frustrated because you realize that there is just no way that you can pay all your debts anytime soon. Some people get stressed out once they realized that they owe so much that it is simply not possible to ever become debt-free with the amount of debt they have accumulated given their monthly income. Well, Chapter 13 can be a game changer for you. If you have not explored this legal option, perhaps you should. Finally, the greatest advantage of filing Chapter 13
vs. hiring a debt settlement company is that in Chapter 13, you are 100% protected from all creditor lawsuits, judgments, liens, garnishments, etc. Once your creditors are notified of the filing, they also cannot report you as being late to the credit bureaus anymore. Your credit report will show that your debts are being paid through Chapter 13. Seven years after filing a 13, the bankruptcy will be deleted from your credit report. If you need to purchase a home or a car while in Chapter 13, this is also possible provided that you obtain court approval for the purchase. This is quite common. If you are considering bankruptcy as a way out of debt, I am sure a lot of questions are going through your mind at this
time. For a free evaluation of your case, please call our office at Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772 to schedule a free consultation. Let us help you. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. *** NOTE: Due to the virus lockdown, I am currently offering consultations via phone or video. Please call the office to schedule your appointment with me. Questions? Email me at gethelp@rjb-lawoffices.com. ***
None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772. (Advertising Supplement)
Xian defends Kim, laments word...
From Page 4 “Lastly, tigilan na natin ang paninira sa kapwa dahil hindi ito nakakatulong sa sitwasyon ngayon. Tulungan [na lang] natin ang [isa’t isa] sa kahit anong paraan at tigilan na ang pininisi at paninira kay ganito’t ganyan. Hindi perpekto ang systema. Hindi perpekto ang mundo,” Lim stressed. “We have little time in our hands,” Lim added. “It’s really a matter of asking yourself how well you want to be remembered when your time is up.” preserving the integrity and stability of an extant marital family, protecting children from the stigma of “illegitimacy,” and promoting individual rather than State responsibility for child support ... as where the ostensible § 7540 presumptive father never developed a parental relationship with the child and the only established parent-child relationship is with a third person. Brian C. v. Ginger K. (2000) 77 CA4th 1198, 1200–1201, 92 CR2d 294, 296; In re Kiana A. (2001) 93 CA4th 1109, 1115, 113 CR2d 669, 675. Procedurally, the ex boyfriend should file a Petition for Parentage as soon as the child is born. While the case
Xian Lim with Kim Chiu
is pending, the ex boyfriend may seek temporary visitation order although this may be on a limited or even monitored basis. If successful in proving parentage, the ex boyfriend may be granted custody and visitation rights. However, the ex boyfriend would also have the obligation of paying child support based on California guidelines. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does
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Photo from Instagram_@xianlimm create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail Kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)
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