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SEPTEMBER 4-10, 2020 Volume 13 - No. 44 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Part of Route 35 in Daly City to be named after local Filipina American leader

The route known as Skyline Boulevard will bear the name of community leader and activist Alice Pena Bulos

A PORTION of California State Highway 35 in Daly City will be named after Filipina American activist and community leader Alice Pena Bulos according to a resolution passed in the state Legislature on Friday, August 28. The resolution, ACR 165, was authored and introduced by Assemblymember Phil Ting (DSan Francisco), and it designated the stretch of Route 35 that covers the well-known Skyline Boulevard as the “Alice Pena Bulos Memorial Highway.” “We see the influence of Alice Pena Bulos throughout our communities, as well as in elected local and state government leadership,” Ting said in a press release. “That’s why she’s considered the Godmother of Filipino American politics and empowerment. It’s my honor to carry the legislation that cel-

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

PhilHealth bleeding; reserves may go dry by 2022 – Senate by LEILA

B. SALAVERRIA, MARLON RAMOS Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Senate has found that Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is

financially “hemorrhaging” due to poor management that has been exacerbated by corruption. In his report on the Senate Committee of the Whole’s investigation of corruption in the state

insurer, Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday, September 1, called for a thorough review of PhilHealth’s financial life after one of its officials said it would no longer have a reserve

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Metro Manila placed under GCQ until end of September by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

METRO Manila will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) for the entire month of September, President Rodrigo Duterte announced Monday, August 31. The provinces of Bulacan and Batangas, as well as the cities of Tacloban and Bacolod, will also be under GCQ until Sept. 30. Iligan City will be under the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) after seeing an increase in its coronavirus cases.

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MASS TESTING. Tricycle drivers and vendors in Makati City undergo a free swab test held at the Makati Coliseum on Wednesday, September 2. It was organized by the city government of Makati, led by Mayor Abby Binay. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

A year into Paula del Mundo’s Acclaimed Fil-Am restaurant mysterious disappearance, her Ma’am Sir has closed family is desperate for answers by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

by MOMAR

G. VISAYA

AJPress

Paula del Mundo, a Fil-Am transgender nursing assistant, remains missing a year after being last spotted at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport where she was on a layover en route to Mexico for a vacation. Photo courtesy of the del Mundo family

A FILIPINO American transgender nursing assistant has been missing for almost a year, and while her family is terribly desperate about the slow process of the search, they remain hopeful that they will be able to be reunited with her someday. Paula del Mundo, 59, went missing on September 14, 2019 at the Dallas

Fort Worth International Airport where she was on a layover en route to Mexico for vacation. She never made it to her connecting flight to Cozumel and hasn’t been heard from since. “We miss her so much and too worried about her safety. It is so sad that we have not received any updates and developments regarding her reported loss,” Paula’s sister Yolanda told the Asian Journal.

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LOS ANGELES has lost one of its beloved modern Filipino American restaurants with the closure of Ma’am Sir along Sunset Boulevard, its chef and owner Charles Olalia announced on Friday, August 28. Olalia took to Instagram to share the fate of his restaurant, which had occupied a 1,800-square-foot space in

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The exterior of Ma’am Sir along Sunset Boulevard in LA’s Silver Lake neighborhood AJPress file photo by Christina M. Oriel

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From the Front Page

CA begins final push for 2020 census responses by AJPress COMMUNITIES across California are still urged to fill out their 2020 U.S. Census forms as the deadline approaches at the end of September. The decennial count, which can be done by phone, online or mail, enumerates where individuals live as of April 1. “Fundamentally, our message is clear: time is running out to make an impact on the funding for the next 10 years for your community,” Ditas Katague, the director of the California Complete Count campaign, during a press call on Monday, August 31. The results help guide how $675 billion in federal funding and resources, from medical services to infrastructure projects, are allocated to communities annually. States lose

approximately $1,000 per person each year for the 10 next years for those who are missed in the count. It also determines how many representatives each state gets in Congress and is used to redraw district boundaries. “We really want to emphasize taking just a few minutes to complete the census because it’s safe, secure and drives those critical dollars into education and health care programs,” Katague said, adding that everyone can be counted regardless of background or immigration status. By the end of August, over 10.2 million California households have responded to their questionnaire forms. The state’s self-response rate is 67.3%, which is above the national average of 65%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Leading up to September 30, the state will be focus-

ing on a final push in some 2,000 census tracts that have the lowest response rates and are the hardest to count. The hardest to count county in the state is Los Angeles County, which has a current rate of 62.6% compared to 69% in 2010. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, enumerators have begun knocking on doors of households that haven’t responded, while following local public health guidelines and conducting interviews while socially distancing. Door knockers are also available in various languages, such as Tagalog. One of the methods that has worked in recent weeks is through a texting and phone banking effort that directs callers to the census bureau’s hotline to get responses. Other counties that the state’s count committee will

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Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III with Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino and Sen. Panfilo Lacson during the second hearing of the Committee of the Whole on the Senate resolutions calling for an inquiry in aid of legislation the reported widespread corruption and mismanagement in the PhilHealth last August 11. Senate photo by Joseph Vidal

PhilHealth bleeding; reserves may go... PAGE 1 fund by 2022. “PhilHealth is hemorrhaging because of inefficient running of the corporation, compounded by corrupt practices inside,” Sotto said. “How much is PhilHealth bleeding here? In terms of the reported debt-to-equity ratio, it appears that PhilHealth is bleeding dry as it does not have enough money to pay its creditors in the event of liquidation,” he said in the 88-page committee report. Based on PhilHealth’s 2019 financial statement, it has P111 billion in liabilities and P109 billion in equities, which is a debt to equity ratio of 1 is to .99, Sotto said. This could be lower if the Senate does not take into account the P14 billion increase in equity based on “prior year adjustments” that the agency has yet to justify, he said. He noted an allegation by PhilHealth board member Alejandro Cabading that financial statements were manipulated to make it appear that the state insurance company was in good standing when it was actually overrun with debt and was bankrupt. SVP’s dire forecast The Senate also took seriously the statement of Phil-

Health Senior Vice President Nerissa Santiago that the company would no longer have a reserve fund by 2022 and would need an additional subsidy from the government to stay afloat. “If SVP Santiago’s statement was meant to scare the bejesus out of our stupor, it did. Therefore, there is an extremely urgent need for an intensive and extensive review and inspection of the corporation’s financial life before it is, as we all will be, gone to the dogs,” Sotto said. He said PhilHealth was in a “deep hole.” “How deep we are not certain, yet. Unless we discover the real state of PhilHealth finances, we will never know. And that lack of knowledge is something all of us can ill-afford to have,” he said. Sotto also questioned PhilHealth’s inaction on administrative and criminal cases and the dilution of charges against its erring employees. He cited the case of recently resigned Senior Vice President Rodolfo del Rosario, who was administratively charged with budget insertion in connection with the construction of PhilHealth’s corporate center when he headed the Physical Infrastructure Resource

Department. Impunity Del Rosario’s fellow respondent was dismissed but he was found guilty of only simple neglect of duty and fined an amount equivalent to 15 days of his salary, Sotto said. “If the internal policy in PhilHealth is really to grant its employees impunity or impose on them penalties that are not commensurate to the violations committed, the committee [of the whole] is not surprised now why the performance of the agency is very dismal and deplorable,” he said. He also cited Region II employees who had deposited P9.7 million in funds for B. Braun Avitum Philippines, a dialysis clinic, to the Balanga Rural Bank instead of the Deutsche Bank. These employees were charged with simple neglect of duty despite the substantial amount involved, he said. The employees implicated in another case involving P1.17 million in fraudulent claims for cancer treatment were just charged with simple misconduct despite an investigation report recommending much graver charges, including syndicated estafa, he added. n

Acclaimed Fil-Am restaurant Ma’am Sir... PAGE 1 the Silver Lake neighborhood since June 2018. “It all started with a wish. I wished for a place where Lucas can run and play, a place where people can come and enjoy Filipino cuisine, and an overall beautiful restaurant for the community to gather. Ma’am sir

fulfilled that for me and so much more. Ma’am sir was my home. God listened to my prayers and blessed us with this place,” the post said. The chef, who is originally from Pampanga, Philippines, was set to pursue a medical career but came to the United States in 2005

and ended up enrolling in a culinary program. Trained in French cuisine and fine dining, Olalia’s experiences include The French Laundry, Patina (where he spent four years rising up from sous chef to chef de cuisine then to executive chef), and mar’sel at

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A year into Paula del Mundo’s... PAGE 1 An intensive search was initiated by CUE (Community United Effort Center for Missing Persons) led by its coordinator Crystal Fields last July 25 to 26, 2020. CUE is a nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to rescuing and finding missing persons across the United States. Funded by donations, the search assigned for Paula was composed of a 12-man search team from various parts of Texas. They used various search gadgets and had K9 dogs, motorized boats, and drones. The youngest sister, Lolita, who worked with Paula at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, represented the family and flew to Texas to meet the group. With no traces or remains found, the search team decided to undertake another follow-up search scheduled this October. To saturate publicity of Paula’s loss, production of weatherproof posters will be placed in strategic locations both in Fort Worth and Dallas with the benevolent support of CUE to handle this undertaking, Yolanda shared. Malaya Movement, a human rights activist group in Texas through the initiative of Fil-Am Sarah Jalandoon, has put up a memorial landmark with plastic flowers and a laminated missing person poster where Paula was last spotted by an airport surveillance camera. According to Yolanda, through the persistent action of Caiti Le Ward, the caseworker assigned by Malaya Movement, they were able to track down the exact spot where Paula was last seen. Prior to the lockdown last March, a follow-up search by the family, represented by Paula’s siblings, Leonor a retired nurse from California, and Yolanda from New York was planned. However, due to the rising cases of COVID-19 in Texas, they cancelled their trip and instead, the family hired a private investigator to continue the search. After more than two months of no progress, the family decided to call it off. “Later, we found out, we were scammed and demanded a full refund of the one time upfront $5,000 demanded from us for the investigation services,” Yolanda said. Mysterious disappearance Paula’s sisters consider her as a force to be reckoned with, a strong and driven individual who always puts her family first. Which is why they know

Metro Manila placed under GCQ until...

Photo taken during Paula’s visit to New York where she celebrated her 58th birthday in June 2018. Seated, from left: Susan, Paula, Leonor; standing from left: Lilia and Lolita. Photo courtesy of the del Mundo family

that she had no plan or intention of going away from them. At DFW, Paula reportedly had changed her mind about the vacation. She texted her sister in Florida, saying that she was abandoning her travel plans and asked her to purchase a return ticket to Tampa. “She even relayed her last messages to my youngest sister Lolita, for her to get her return ticket back to Tampa. However, when my sister was about to confirm, Paula could no longer be contacted. It was tough because we feel she does not deserve to vanish and leave her family worrying for her,” Yolanda told the Asian Journal. “It was supposed to be a scheduled vacation treat to be in Cozumel, Mexico where all her travel and accommodation expenses [were] already taken care of.” For them, it was typical for Paula to make her own arrangements since she is organized and systematic in all her travels, including her last two vacation trips to the Dominican Republic. “And the thought that she was lost in Texas than in any other state was already terrifying for us to take. She was supposed to be only passing through, in transit. DFW Airport was only her jump-off point to Mexico,” Yolanda said. Hate crimes against transgender women of color were reportedly on the rise in Texas, according to the local media that talked about a string of transgender attacks in the Dallas area last year. Airport cameras caught Paula aimlessly walking through the huge DFW airport premises. She was not carrying any luggage, although the sisters know she had a yellow Nautica trolley bag.

Fond memories Paula is the ninth among a dozen siblings, two of whom have passed away. Leonor and Erlinda are based in California, Lilia and Lolita live in Florida and Yolanda is from New York. Susan is in Manila, along with their eldest sister and two older brothers. “She is my most favorite, special, and loved amongst my siblings,” Susan told the Asian Journal. A former Tourism Attache in the Department of Tourism New York office, Susan took care of Paula when she was sick, gave her medication and was by her side until she felt better. “I had to take Paula with me when I was posted in London and spent one-year with me. She was hardworking, [had] never been late or absent (except when sick), and most liked by her colleagues at the travel agency in London,” she shared. “My regret, Paula never joined me in my trips [through] Europe, only a weekend [in] England’s countryside, as she refused to take off days from work. Very hardworking and prudent in spending for herself. Now that Paula is missing, I’m praying for her safety and God’s protection wherever she maybe,” Susan added. Lilia, the nurse practitioner from Lake City, Florida, said that when she and her son first arrived in the States, they stayed with their sister Leonor in California. Although a doctor in Manila, Lilia took up nursing and while she was preoccupied with her Board review, Paula would always bring food for them to share at night and treated them to the movies. Lolita was the one who helped Paula the most to settle in Florida.

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PAGE 1 Meanwhile, the rest of the country will be under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ). According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), gyms, internet cafés, personal care centers, as well as review and tutorial centers, will be allowed to operate in GCQ areas. “As agreed with Metro Manila mayors, for gyms, fitness centers and sports facilities, the specific guidelines, including operating capacity and more specific health protocol requirements shall be issued by each LGU (local government unit),” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez. “The other newly opened sectors can reopen up to 30 percent operating capacity,” he added. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that plans to shift Metro Manila to the most lenient MGCQ are being discussed. “These are being dis-

BACK IN THE GYM. A fitness coach teaches a client on basic workout, warm-up, and stretching at a gym in Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City on Tuesday, September 1. Gyms and fitness centers are among non-essential establishments that have been allowed to operate subject to health and safety protocols starting Tuesday. Photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

cussed, we are looking at the critical care capacity, we are looking at the case doubling rate, we will know later on, the president will conduct an inspection,” he said. Roque also noted that shorter curfew hours are being proposed by mayors in Metro Manila, going from the current 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew hours to 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. “It won’t be immediate

because they (local governments) still have to amend their ordinances. Other local governments have given the mayor the authority to change the curfew hours through executive order,” he said. As of this press time, there are 224,264 COVID-19 cases in the country, with 3,597 fatalities and 158,012 recoveries. n

Part of Route 35 in Daly City to be... PAGE 1 ebrates her legacy.” A prominent community leader of the 20th century, Bulos was born on March 31, 1930 in the Philippines, where she earned degrees at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. She then became a professor of sociology and department chair, and in 1972, she migrated to Northern California where, for four decades, she would empower the Filipino American community with her activism. She inspired and became the spiritual leader for generations of Filipino American leaders like Daly City Councilmember Ray Buenaventura, who told Inquirer.net that “Alice Bulos meant the world to me. We formed a special relationship from the moment we met. She is like family to me, my mentor, confidant, mother, advisor, conscience and critic. I loved her dearly and wanted to do something to make sure her name will be memorialized forever.” As an advocate for Filipino American representation in

Community leader “Tita” Alice Bulos

public office, Bulos’ local impact evolved into nationwide recognition. In the 1990s, then-President Bill Clinton appointed Bulos to the National Council on Aging, making her the first Fil-Am appointed by a sitting president to serve a federal post. Bulos has also served on the Filipino American Caucus for the California Democratic Party, the National Filipino Women’s Network and the National Asian Pacific Democratic Council, making her a formidable figure in the progressive wing of Fil-Am poli-

tics. Bulos passed away in 2016 at 86 years old, but her reputation as the loving “Tita Alice” remains among Filipino American leaders in California, including members of the Filipino American Democratic Club of San Mateo County which credits Bulos for encouraging Filipino Americans to run for office. “Throughout her life, Tita Alice was committed to opening doors for young Fil-Ams who wanted to enter public service and politics but did not see themselves represented in those places of power,” the club wrote in a statement. “Tita Alice has left an everlasting mark in commuters all over California and especially here in the Bay Area where she called home. While she is no longer with us, her memory lives on in her family and the numerous friends, supporters and pupils she inspired over her decades of service.” The Alice Pena Bulos Memorial Highway signposts are set to be installed next year. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n

CA begins final push for... PAGE 2 be focusing on include San Francisco, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara, Fresno, Kern, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange and San Diego.

“This is an opportunity for individuals and households to take the census into your own hands and to make sure your voice is heard because no one else

should be defining who you are,” Katague said. “This is exactly the way in the next 30 days that you can absolutely have an impact on your community.” n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 4-10, 2020

OPINION

FeATUres

A chance for PhilHealth reforms A YEAR and another corruption scandal ago, Ricardo Morales was appointed president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. The retired Army brigadier general was moved from the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System to PhilHealth amid reports that the state insurer had paid for kidney treatments of dead patients at the Wellmed Dialysis Center. The National Bureau of Investigation has filed criminal charges for corruption and fraud against 21 PhilHealth accreditation officials over the “ghost” dialysis claims. Roy Ferrer lost his post as PhilHealth president and CEO. Now Morales himself is out of the post and has been recommended for criminal indictment by the Senate committee of the whole, which includes all members of the chamber, in connection with new PhilHealth anomalies. Resigned and incumbent PhilHealth officials have said a syndicate or “mafia” is behind the continuing anomalies in the agency. This is the challenge now facing Dante Gierran, a lawyer and accountant who once headed the NBI, and is now tasked to undertake

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the cleansing in PhilHealth that was assigned to Morales. The challenge is daunting. Morales, who is battling cancer and wished Gierran good health in the top PhilHealth post, has said it would take about three years and an external management team to clean up the agency. Morales says PhilHealth is “not configured” for clean and efficient management. He points to hospitals, working in collusion with PhilHealth insiders, for the rot in the agency. Gierran is assuming the PhilHealth post amid high expectations that he can carry out the long overdue honest-to-goodness housecleaning. The problem is complicated by the disclosure of Rodolfo del Rosario Jr., who resigned as PhilHealth senior vice president for the legal sector, that the regional directors of the agency who have been tagged in the scandal have political backers. Gierran will have to navigate this minefield as he implements structural reforms that will plug opportunities for stealing PhilHealth funds while at the same time identifying, prosecuting and penalizing those behind the

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

anomalous activities. In this pandemic, it is a national tragedy that one of the most critical agencies in the COVID response is mired in a corruption scan-

dal. The agency badly needs to regain public confidence. A new chief should pave the way for the long overdue overhaul of PhilHealth. (Philstar.com)

Law and order president? The chaos and violence Trump wants you to be fearful and hateful of is happening now under his watch

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS THE Republican Party was once known as the party of Abraham Lincoln; the party of true statesmen fighting for true conservative values and in the service of the American people; the Grand Old Party. But it has been hijacked by this reality star named Donald Trump. He has taken over the party,

while its members have been complicit in abandoning the very principles the GOP had been fighting for centuries just to ride in the fanaticism. The members of the GOP warned the American people about the danger of electing Donald Trump to be the nominee of the Republican Party. In 2016, Sen. Ted Cruz said, “he lies all the time.” Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley pointed out that

“Donald Trump is everything I taught my children not to do in kindergarten.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that Donald Trump needs to carefully select a running mate to bolster his inexperience, adding that Trump doesn’t know much about “the issues.” Florida Senator Marco Rubio warned, “Guys, we have a con artist as the front-runner of the Republican Party.” Sen.

Rand Paul asked about Trump: “Aren’t people eventually going to say, ‘Does the emperor have any clothes? Or does the emperor have a brain, frankly?’ We have seen them say these then, immortalized in videos we can watch now on social media. Lindsey Graham declared, ‘I think he’s a kook. I think he is lazy. I think he is unfit for office.’” These people, once sounding like fierce hyenas, have

morphed into meek lambs when Trump was elected president. Riding on the popularity of the reality star among the base, these members of the Republican Party, in cahoots with Fox News, have been singing praises in support of Trump’s rhetoric and actions they were criticizing before. They have been justifying and even glorifying Trump’s moral corruption. For fear of falling out of

Trump’s grace, and thereby putting their own political interests at risk, these Republicans have failed to do their Constitutional duty to provide checks and balances and hold the president accountable. They have become complicit in Trump’s failure to live up to the oath he took as president “to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States of America.” The Republican leaderPAGE 8

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Olongapo court orders release of Pemberton

by tetch

toRRes-tupas Inquirer.net

THE Olongapo City Regional Trial Court has ordered the release of U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton who was convicted for the death of a Filipino transgender woman. Pemberton was convicted of homicide on Dec. 1, 2015, for killing transgender Jennifer Laude in 2014. He was sentenced to suffer 6 to 10 years imprisonment. In an order dated Sept. 1 and signed by Olongapo RTC Presiding Judge Roline M. Ginez-Jabalde, Pemberton has a total accumulated time served of 10 years, one month, and 10 days. The computation has included the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA). The Uniform Manual on Time Allowances and Service of Sentence defines GCTA as a “privilege granted to a Person Deprived of Liberty (PDL), entitling him/her to a reduction of prison term for every month of actual detention or service of the sentence as a reward for good conduct and exemplary behavior.” Republic Act 10592 has increased the GCTA provided to persons deprived of liberty. Under the Law, in the first two years of imprisonment, the deduction has been increased from five days of each month of good behavior to 20 days. On the third to the fifth year inclusive of his imprisonment, the deduction has been increased

GARDEN ACCESSORIES. A woman chooses from the figurines for a garden displayed on the sidewalk along Dapitan Street in Quezon City on Wednesday, September 2. Also on display are wooden basket, picture frames, flower pot, among others. PNA photo by Joseph Razon This undated file photo shows U,S, Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton. Photo courtesy of Olongapo City Police

from eight days to 23 days for each month of good behavior during detention. The following year to the tenth year inclusive of imprisonment, the deduction has been increased from 10 days to 25 days for each month of good behavior, and on the 11th month and successive years, the deduction has been increased from 15 days to 30 days. In the case of Pemberton who was preventively detained for 405 while his trial is ongoing earned 260 GCTA points while in the succeeding years of his detention after he was convicted, he earned the perfect score of 20 days deduction per month from December 2015 and the 12 months of 2016. For 2017 to December 2019, he earned 23 days reduction per month and 25 days per month from January to August 2020.

“Finally, accused Pemberton has a total accumulated time served with the entitlement of GCTA of 10 years, 1 month and 10 days which is more than the 10-year maximum penalty imposed by this court and affirmed by the Court of Appeals. Thus, he is now entitled to be released for he had already served the 10-year maximum penalty,” the court said. Pemberton’s actual imprisonment is only six years. Bureau of Corrections spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag said they have already received the release order for Pemberton. However, Pemberton is detained at a restricted facility in Camp Aguinaldo, pursuant to the Visiting Forces Agreement. No official has yet to confirm if Pemberton has been released or would be released anytime soon. n

PH to continue projects involving a Chinese firm under US sanctions by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

MALACAÑANG on Wednesday, September 2, said the government will honor the projects involving Chinese investors as it is “satisfied” with an arbitral decision upholding the country’s sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea. “We will respect the con-

tracts that we entered into with Chinese companies,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told CNN Philippines. “There is already a decision that the Philippines has sovereign rights where they built the artificial islands and that means whoever built those artificial islands had no legal basis to do so. We are satisfied with that decision,” he added.

The spokesman also said that for as long as the Hague ruling stands, the country can proceed forward on matters that it can push like trade and investments. Earlier, the Palace announced that all Chinabacked projects will proceed despite the United States blacklisting 24 state-owned Chinese firms including subsidiaries of the statePAGE 8

Acclaimed Fil-Am restaurant Ma’am Sir... PAGE 2 Terranea Resort. In 2015, he began hosting pop-up, family-style dinners under the name A’postrophe where he had the chance to cook dishes he grew up eating. That led to Rice Bar, a seven-seat, 275-square-foot space in Downtown LA that received numerous recognitions, including a spot on late food critic Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list. (Rice Bar eventually closed in 2019 as Olalia wanted to focus more on the Silver Lake restaurant). “This was my way of staking a claim in my own heri-

tage and making it available to people the way I see it,” he told the Asian Journal in a previous interview. In June 2018, he opened the doors of Ma’am Sir, which featured a menu that had instant favorites like the sea urchin lumpia to the Happy Birthday Chicken. It became a gathering place for the community to share family-style meals or meet up for a drink as the cocktail menu featured Filipino flavors and spirits. The spot early on earned its place on the Los Angeles Times’ “101 Restaurants We Love” and GQ’s “Best New Restaurants

in America.” As Ma’am Sir may be one of the latest restaurant casualties in LA, Olalia remained hopeful that he will welcome diners again in the future in another form. “There will come a time when I can welcome you again,” he wrote, adding “As generic as it sounds, I may have closed this chapter, but I gained family in you all.” He told the Asian Journal in 2018, “Every time I open a restaurant, I always want to create a community. I’d love for people to make us part of their lives.” n

A year into Paula del Mundo’s... PAGE 4 “For Paula, it was a longcherished freedom, to live independently. Paula was able to get her apartment adjacent to her workplace. It was Lolita who encouraged her to apply in the same hospital she was working,” Yolanda shared. “Since both of them have different shifts in the hospital, Paula would make it a point to bring food that she cooked for Lolita as Lolita, a single mother with 4 kids hardly has time to prepare her food.” Married to a U.S. citizen, Leonor, the sister from California, was 24 years old when she left Manila in December 1980. On the day of her departure for the United States, and after bidding goodbye to everyone, Leonor realized that Paula was nowhere to be found.

She found her in her room, alone and crying. Paula told her, “Ate Len, please don’t forget to sponsor me to come to America.” She made a vow to petition all her siblings to join her in her new home. She made true to her promise and Paula was the first to be petitioned. At the age of 48, Paula came to America and stayed with Len in California for seven years. Len also sponsored Paula’s nursing assistant studies and was immediately hired as a caregiver because she finished at the top of her class. Paula’s fluency in Nippongo was an asset she used in conversing with senior Japanese wives who hardly could speak English. The siblings regularly communicate and discuss their plans of action for Paula.

They have tried all possible ways they could think of, even through, spiritual and psychic means. “We never lose hope. We never cease praying. We regularly pray the holy rosary as a family both in the U.S. and Manila with our special intention that she may be found safe. We continue to believe that one day a miracle is bound to happen,” Yolanda said. For now, they continue to wait. “Every cloud has a silver lining. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. And as our family tirelessly pray, whatever the consequences will be, may justice be served for trans Fil-Ams like Paula whose only wish is to reach her American dream,” Yolanda said. n

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PH to continue projects involving a... Palace sees wisdom in Lacson’s

PAGE 7 owned China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which bagged Cavite’s Sangley Point International Airport project. “The president declared last night that the Americans can blacklist Chinese companies in their territories in America and maybe in their military bases under their jurisdiction. But what the president said was clear: He will not follow the directives of Americans because we are a free and independent nation and we need those investments from China,” Roque said in a mix of Filipino and English on Tuesday, Sept. 1. “We are not a vassal state of any foreign power,” he added. Roque also confirmed that the Sangley project will proceed as planned. “So Sangley [project] and all other projects, regardless of which Chinese contractor is involved, will continue because the national interest is to ensure the flagship projects under Build, Build, Build will be finished,” he said.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila, for its part, welcomed the Philippines’ decision to move forward with the projects. “We have taken note of the statement made by the Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque that President Duterte charted an independent foreign policy course that puts the national interest at the core,” said Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian. “And that the national interest of the Philippines is to ensure the completion of the flagship projects under the Build, Build, Build program,” he added. Xilian also maintained that the cooperation between President Xi’s Belt and Road initiative and Duterte’s Build, Build, Build program has achieved “fruitful results.” “I believe that any attempt to undermine the normal economic cooperation between China and the Philippines will never succeed,” he said. Locsin backpedals Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. recanted

his earlier statement to terminate local contracts with any Chinese companies that have been sanctioned by the U.S. “President is right: A sovereign choice. Also, if we break a contract, we get sued abroad,” he said Wednesday, following the Palace’s announcement. Locsin on Friday, August 28, said local contracts with any Chinese companies involved in island-building activities in the West Philippine Sea should be rescinded. “If I find that any of those companies are doing business with us then I would strongly recommend terminating the relationship with that company,” he said in an interview over CNN Philippines. “If they were in any way involved in the reclamation, then it becomes consistent on our part to terminate any contract with them. Of course, since the contract was already entered into, they could sue us back... I’m very careful about validating anything China does by inaction,” he added. n

‘designated survivor’ bill

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

MALACAÑANG on Wednesday, September 2, admitted that there is wisdom behind Senator Panfilo Lacson’s bill authorizing “designated survivors,” should the top four leaders of the Philippine government perish in any occasion wherein they’re all present. “Well, you know, I think it’s based on a TV series ‘Designated Survivor.’ And while the series is based on fiction where everyone in government explodes away because of a terrorist attack during the State of the Nation Address, there is that scenario that should be addressed,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source. “We have a clear line of succession all the way down to the House speaker, but what happens in fact if similar to what happened in the TV series where everyone

perishes? Perhaps there is definitely wisdom in the bill filed by Senator Lacson,” he added. Under Lacson’s Senate Bill 982 that was filed last year, the most senior senator, most senior House representative, and Cabinet member designated by the President shall assume the powers and duties of the Office of the President until the following election, in case all other successors indicated in the Constitution dies or become permanently disabled. Lacson on Monday, August 31, urged his colleagues to pass the measure. “To avert a potential constitutional crisis and leadership vacuum, the process to pass a ‘designated survivor’ measure guaranteeing the continuity and stability of operations in government should be started immediately,” he said in a statement. “Because of the failure of Congress to pass the necessary legislation in extend-

ing the line of succession beyond the Speaker of the House of Representatives, a constitutional crisis is possible if all 4 top elected officials, God forbid, die in one event such as the State of the Nation Address due to a terrorist attack in the Batasang Pambansa, or any occasion where the president and all three officials in the line of constitutional succession are present,” he added. Roque, however, noted that Lacson now needs to “find a counterpart measure in the House because the author in the House has withdrawn her authorship of the bill.” On Sunday, Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Precious Hipolito-Castelo withdrew House Bill 4062, which she filed in August 2019. She said the bill’s withdrawal was meant to dispel any notion that she was ignoring the line of succession to the presidency, which includes the Vice President, the Senate President, and the House Speaker. n

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Law and order president? The chaos...

PAGE 5 ship has, without shame, condoned and normalized Trump’s behavior, rhetoric, and policies that: sowed division among the American people; enflamed a culture of hate - “them” versus “us’; discriminated against people of color; bent the truth that did not fit his narrative in his alternate universe; spread lies, falsehoods, misinformation, and conspiracy theories that have compromised the safety, well-being, decency, dignity and unity of the American people and the nation. The 2020 Republican National Convention showcases this failure and betrayal of the GOP to put the interests of the American people above the Republican Party’s political expediency. This year, the Republican Party decided not to write its convention platform that would have informed the American people the direction to which Trump, the nominee seeking re-election, and the party propose to steer the country to, and the policies and programs to help us get there given the enormity and gravity of the challenges we now face as a nation. The GOP is reusing its platform from 2016, which was written by the party even before Donald Trump was sworn into office. What has Trump and the GOP accomplished in the last four years? Killed many regulations put forth by the Obama Administration to protect the environment, and those that protect the ordinary hardworking Americans from abusive business practices. Tried to kill Obamacare (Affordable Care Act) even during the pandemic without any viable alternative. Threatened the Social Security, Medicare and other safety nets that ordinary Americans have paid for from their paychecks. Trump and his cohorts in the Republican Party gave huge tax breaks to billionaires and millionaires and just scraps to the middle class, causing even a greater disparity in income inequality and caused our national debt and deficit to balloon instead of being wiped out as promised by the demagogue Trump. They provided more money to the military while sacrificing the basic services like health, education meant to invest in our human resources. They Killed the Dream Act, separated families, demonized persons of color, empowered the racists. Trump antagonized our al-

lies while cozying up and singing praises to dictators while coordinating with our geopolitical adversaries like Russia to interfere in our democratic process, undermined the free press, the judiciary, and the U.S. intelligence agencies, local government officials, scientists and health officials, the Democratic Party who dared to call him out for his lies and transgressions against the rule of law. The delegates of the Republican Party would therefore not go through the usual thoughtful and intentional process of deliberating over policies and principles to determine what the party stands for in 2020, as Democrats recently did, so the American people can make an informed decision on election day. Instead, the RNC has become a showcase of the party’s undying love, reverence and allegiance, not to America and the Constitution, but for and to Trump — venerating, adoring, hailing Trump and echoing all the politically motivated falsehoods and conspiracy theories he has been peddling without bases in fact. Nevermind the continued threat of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 177,000 Americans under Trump’s watch; the economic hardship the American people and nation now face; the ballooning of our national debt from $19.57 trillion when Obama left office in 2017 to $24.95 trillion as of May 1, 2020; the threats to the sovereignty and democracy of the nation by foreign and hostile powers like Russia and China. Nevermind the rise in the division and hate crime in the past four years; the need for a health care system that truly covers all Americans; the broken immigration system; gun violence; economic inequality; race and ethnic inequality; climate change and energy issues. Instead, the party of Trump wrote this resolution on the Republican Party platform for 2020: RESOLUTION REGARDING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM WHEREAS, The Republican National Committee (RNC) has significantly scaled back the size and scope of the 2020 Republican National Convention in Charlotte due to strict restrictions on gatherings and meetings, and out of concern for the safety of convention attendees and our hosts; WHEREAS, The RNC has unanimously voted to forego

the Convention Committee on Platform, in appreciation of the fact that it did not want a small contingent of delegates formulating a new platform without the breadth of perspectives within the evergrowing Republican movement; WHEREAS, All platforms are snapshots of the historical contexts in which they are born, and parties abide by their policy priorities, rather than their political rhetoric; WHEREAS, The RNC, had the Platform Committee been able to convene in 2020, would have undoubtedly unanimously agreed to reassert the Party’s strong support for President Donald Trump and his Administration; WHEREAS, The media has outrageously misrepresented the implications of the RNC not adopting a new platform in 2020 and continues to engage in misleading advocacy for the failed policies of the Obama-Biden Administration, rather than providing the public with unbiased reporting of facts; and WHEREAS, The RNC enthusiastically supports President Trump and continues to reject the policy positions of the Obama-Biden Administration, as well as those espoused by the Democratic National Committee today; therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Republican Party has and will continue to enthusiastically support the President’s America-first agenda; RESOLVED, That the 2020 Republican National Convention will adjourn without adopting a new platform until the 2024 Republican National Convention; RESOLVED, That the 2020 Republican National Convention calls on the media to engage in accurate and unbiased reporting, especially as it relates to the strong support of the RNC for President Trump and his Administration; and RESOLVED, That any motion to amend the 2016 Platform or to adopt a new platform, including any motion to suspend the procedures that will allow doing so, will be ruled out of order. *** 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.

NATIONAL HEROES DAY. Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay (right), representing President Rodrigo Duterte, troops the line during the observance of this year’s National Heroes Day held at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City Monday, August 31. Gapay, escorted by Philippine Lt. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana (left), urged Filipinos to perform acts of valor in their day to day lives. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Ted Failon leaves ABS-CBN, ‘TV Patrol’ by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

M U LT I - AWA R D E D broadcast journalist Ted Failon on Monday, August 31, made his final appearance on ABS-CBN’s shows “TV Patrol” and “Failon Ngayon sa TeleRadyo.” The network on Sunday, Aug. 30, confirmed that the journalist was leaving after working there for 30 years. “The closure of ABSCBN’s radio broadcast operations led to his painful decision and we respect it. We admire Ted’s talent, passion, and commitment to radio as his most effective medium in serving the Filipino people,” said ABSCBN. “We thank Ted for his many years of dedication and service as a Kapamilya broadcast journalist. He will always be a Kapamilya. We wish him well on his journey,” it added. Failon’s exit followed the departure of radio hosts Gerry Baja and Anthony Taberna, who left the network for radio DZRH earlier this month. According to a Pep.ph report, Failon will be transferring to TV5’s radio station Radyo5, bringing his radio show “Failon Ngayon” as well as his staff to the other network. Last week, ABS-CBN announced that it will stop

Ted Failon

production on 12 regional “TV Patrol” programs on August 28. “Filipinos living outside Metro Manila across the country will lose a trusted source of local TV news and public service as ABSCBN pulls the plug on the 12 local ‘TV Patrol’ programs,” the network said Wednesday, Aug. 26. The 12 programs are as follows: • TV Patrol North Luzon (Baguio, Dagupan, Ilocos, Isabela and Pampanga) • TV Patrol Bicol (Naga, Legazpi) • TV Patrol Palawan • TV Patrol Southern Tagalog (CALABARZON) • TV Patrol Central Visayas (Cebu, Dumaguete, Bohol) • TV Patrol Negros (Negros Occidental, Negros

ABS-CBN photo

Oriental) • TV Patrol Panay (Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Guimaras) • TV Patrol Eastern Visayas (Samar, Leyte) • TV Patrol Northern Mindanao (Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental Lanao Del Norte, CARAGA, Dipolog) • TV Patrol South Central Mindanao (SOCSKSARGEN, Cotabato) • TV Patrol Southern Mindanao (Davao) • TV Patrol Chavacano (Zamboanga) “This unfortunate development is the latest service affected by the denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise by the House of Representatives last July 10, which also led to the closing of ABS-CBN Regional’s operations,” ABS-CBN said. n

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COMMUNITY Journal

11

Why did you wait so long? Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel, I was petitioned by my sister in 1990, and immigrated to the U.S. in 2013. Unfortunately, I had to leave behind my eldest child because she had aged out. I have been hoping and praying something could be done for her. Could she be covered by the Child Status Protection Act? Is there anything else I can do to bring my child to the U.S.? Very truly yours, GN Dear GN, First, I would like to point out an issue or problem I see common among many Filipinos who consult with me. They wait years before con-

sulting or taking steps to do anything for a family member left behind. I’m not trying to be critical: I’m just trying to point out that if a person has any question or issue, they should consult with an attorney or take action immediately, rather than waiting. The problem does not get better by ignoring it. In your situation, you immigrated seven years ago, leaving behind a child. That is seven wasted years of separation. As far as eligibility under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), there is a complicated mathematical formula to determine a child’s age, which basically involves subtracting the processing time of the petition from the child’s age when the priority date is finally current (or visa is available). If you immigrated to the U.S. in 2013, and filed an F-2B petition for your child right away, the child could

now be close to immigrating under your petition, without regard to the CSPA. That is because right now they are processing single adult children of immigrants who were petitioned in 2012. Instead, you let seven years go by, hoping or waiting for something to happen. While I cannot determine your child’s CSPA eligibility without considering and reviewing all the information and documents, other possible options are for you to finally file a petition for your child (even though you’ve already lost or wasted approximately seven years, had you filed it right away). Also, if there is an employer in the U.S. with a job related to her education, skills, or experience, the employer could petition her for a green card. A petition by an employer might take approximately 2 to 3 years. But the point or lesson I

LEADING U.S. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL ANSWERS YOUR IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS VIA ZOOM ON AN ENCORE “SOCIAL DISTANCING” EDITION OF CITIZEN PINOY. Under the new “normal” in the time of the pandemic, Citizen Pinoy continues its public service by providing relevant information and updates on immigration. On the first episode of “Your Tanong, My Sagot: Social Distancing Style,” Atty. Gurfinkel answers questions from Kapamilya in New Jersey, Guam, and California. Find out if an employer of an assisted living facility can petition someone in the U.S. with a tourist visa; or if the petition for a child with Down Syndrome can be expedited; or if the USCIS will excuse green card holders who are out of the country for over six months due to the pandemic. Get answers to these and more on an encore episode of CITIZEN PINOY: Your Tanong, My Sagot – Social Distancing Style this Sunday, September 6 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)

PAGE 12

Stepping out of hiS mother’S Shadow

Hilda Koronel’s son creates a path of his own

SeBASTIAN Reid, born and raised in Manila, is the youngest child of awardwinning actress Hilda Koronel. He is the man behind Sébre Studio. Reid went to Xavier School in San Juan and moved to the South Bay in California at the age of 14. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Game Art from Full Sail University in 2019 and plans to take further studies in the future. “I’ve been drawing since I can remember and I’ve been an avid gamer since 5 years old,” he shared. “I’ve always been inspired by Japanese pop culture like manga, anime, and heavily influenced by paranormal horror and various mythologies and folklore.” He intends to use his startup and raise funds so he can become more effiPAGE 12

NEW YORK & NEW JERSEY

EVERYDAY

9:00am - 11:00am

Sebastian Reid with his wife and his mom, award-winning actress Hilda Koronel.

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SEPTEMBER 4-10, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS WATER is life. Without it, there would be no life on Planet Earth. The normal lean adult body is made up of about 70% water (50% intracellular, 15% interstitial, and 5% in the blood plasma) and only 30% solid mass. This is an amazing fact which many of us don’t realize. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day benefits us in more ways than one. Adequate water intake helps us look and feel better by maintaining our blood in perfect liquid form to carry oxygen and nutrients to the cells, regulating our body temperature, assisting our kidneys eliminate harmful wastes and elements, lubricating our joints, revitalizing our dull skin and keeping our weight in check, to list some of the benefits. Our daily normal physiologic fluid loss (without exercise, illness, etc.) is as follows: Infants (2-10 kg), 300-800cc; Children (10-40 kg), 840-1500 cc; and Adults (60 kg), 1800-2100cc. The minimum 8-glasses-a-day (250cc per glass) recommendation for an adult barely equals the daily fluid loss. On the average, therefore, the replacement should actually be about 10% more than the daily fluid loss. Since the human thirst mechanism is not very reliable (most often thirst is mistaken by our brain for hunger), drinking at least 8 glasses a day is a good rule to follow, whether one feels thirsty or not. In most instances, dehydration has already taken place before the person feels thirsty. Don’t wait for dryness of the mouth, nasal passages, eyes, and any of those symptoms listed above before drinking water. It is best to pre-empt thirst. If we don’t drink enough water, a host of problems, in varying proportional degrees, can occur, like fatigue, headaches, irritability, mental dullness, sagging skin, retention of toxic wastes in our body, weight gain, kidney stone formation and urinary tract infection. If dehydration is severe, shock and death could ensue. The best fluid to satisfy our thirst is properly filtered water. Not cola drinks, coffee or alcoholic beverages, all of which cause us to urinate and further lose more fluids,

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Liquid candy vs water KC recalls relationship with Piolo: ‘It was very real for me’

not to mention their adverse side-effects on the heart, kidneys and liver. Nothing is better than the old fashioned clean, fresh, sparkling filtered water. Where more water is needed There are many situations where the 8-glasses-a-day recommendation will not be enough. These include the following: • Exercising – where one loses a lot of fluids through breathing, perspiration and urination. The rule of thumb is to replace every pound lost with 2 glasses, or four glasses for every 1,000 calories burned off. • Dieting – water suppresses the appetite (by filling the stomach and “fooling” the brain) and also speeds up body fat metabolism and water elimination through the urine, leading to weight loss. • Traveling – the atmosphere on board airplanes is very dry, causing dehydration, hence more fluid intake is recommended. A glass of water for every hour of flight is the minimum replacement recommended. • High altitudes – the very low humidity and the natural body adaptation (deeper, heavier and more frequent breathing) among mountain climbers, hikers, skiers, etc. lead to more body fluid losses, and require more than 8 glasses a day to replace. • Pregnancy – the blood volume of a pregnant woman increases, so she needs more water to maintain the proper fluidity for blood to circulate normally and with ease. For an individualized advice, please discuss this with your obstetrician. • Nursing – at least four more glasses of water a day, on top of the 8, is needed by nursing mothers to help ensure adequate milk supply. • Illness – any ailment, like infection or diarrhea, etc., speeds up body water depletion, and so added water intake is needed. • Age: Older people, and infants and babies, are at a higher and easier risk of dehydration, from almost any cause, so they require more water intake than normal adults. Facts and trivia 1. Seventy-five percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated. We don’t have statistics for the Philippines, but I suspect the incidence could be the same. 2. At 37%, the thirst mechanism is so weak that

it is often mistaken for hunger. This leads to overeating and weight gain. Drinking a tall of glass of water before each meal will help one lose weight. 3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as much as 3%. Male potency and female lubrication are reduced by dehydration. 4. One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of dieters, as reported in a University of Washington study. 5. Lack of water is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue. 6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers. 7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy shortterm memory trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or a printed page. 8. Drinking at least 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. Soft drinks: toxic! Countless of millions of people around the globe are still drinking soft drinks (liquid candy), cola or uncola, diet or regular, caffeinated or decaf, all of which are toxic to the body. Consuming soft drinks increases the risk for the development of Metabolic Syndrome, even among children, which is a group of medical conditions that includes high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and high cholesterol and triglycerides levels. All these increase the risk for (one factor why we have tons of) diabetes, heart disease and stroke. It is best for children and adults to stay away from soft drinks of any kind. The following interesting pieces of information are worth knowing: • In many parts of the United States the highway patrol carries two gallons of cola drinks in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident. • The phosphoric and citric acid in it removes stains from vitreous China, cleans toilet bowls, and also unclog blocked sink drains. • It removes rust from bumpers: rub area with a crumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil

By Katrina

Hallare Inquirer.net

FOR KC Concepcion, the relationship she had with Piolo Pascual was “very real” that it was her “first announced relationship.” In an interview over Instagram Live with entertainment writer G3 San Diego on Monday, the singer-actress looked back on her love affair with Pascual and how she regrets that their relationship had to end. “It was very real for me. That was my first announced relationship,” Concepcion said. “People know naman it was very real for me, and I was so young and naive. It was announced publicly so that’s why it also had to be announced publicly,” she added. In 2009, the two worked together for ABS-CBN teleserye “Lovers in Paris.” And in October 2010, Pascual confirmed that he and Concepcion were together. According to Concepcion, Pascual courted her – on and off – for a couple of years. But Concepcion admitted that even before she got to work with “Papa P,” she remembered saying something about the actor to director Joyce Bernal.

KC Concepcion

“There was a time he (Piolo) visited on set when I was doing my movie with Chard,” Concepcion said, referring to her “For the First Time” co-star Richard Gutierrez. That flick was directed by Bernal. “Parang siyang (Piolo) may halo. I remember that. Parang siyang may halo, parang siyang may light.” (It’s as if he has a halo. I remember that. It’s as if he has a light.) However, some good things never last as some would say that during a November 2011 interview with “The Buzz” Concepcion confirmed that she and Pascual had parted ways. Did she ever regret doing the interview? “I regret that we had to end,” she replied.

Photo from Instagram_@itskcconcepcion

“I think that in any relationship, you really had faith in it, right? And you go into it not thinking that you want to end it, you go thinking that you want it.” “So I think more than the interview, I mean on a personal level, you just regret that you have to end.” Asked subsequently what she learned from her relationship with Pascual, Concepcion said: “We all go through things in life, whatever you go through, you will bring into the relationship that you have.” “You have to make peace with the things that you went through before, before you go into a relationship. Kasi kung hindi, bitbit mo ‘yun. (Because if not, you’ll continue to carry it.),” she also said.

Why did you wait so long... PAGE 12 want to make is that if you have questions, issues, or concerns about your immigration situation, eligibility, or possible immigration benefits for your family, don’t wait years and years before finally consulting with an attorney to determine the best option. Do not waste years, which translates to additional years of family separation. Instead, consult with an attorney as soon as you have the issue or question. ***

Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different, and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a pre-

diction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw, Twitter @GurfinkelLaw and YouTube: US Immigration TV Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

dipped in cola drink. It also cleans corrosion from car battery terminals. Additionally, it loosens a rusted bolt and removes grease from clothes, as well as cleans road haze from your windshield. • The active ingredient in colas is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve

a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis. Soft drinks are all toxic. Do we love our children and ourselves enough to say “No”? *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a

Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com; Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com.

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Hilda Koronel’s son...

PAGE 12 cient in serving newcomers with big ideas. Right now, he takes on clients that come his way for promotion or small fees in exchange, but expansion to a larger audience and business model is the plan. He is hoping to use the funds toward equipment, software licenses, and auxiliary education, among others. “The idea behind the business is for me to be able to take on part-time client-based freelance art services focused for creatives who are starting out in the industry,” he shared. “I don’t plan to take on the industry competition by accepting all clients, but I will do my best to help the ideas that I can stand behind.” Being an artist and having experience in the game production pipeline, Reid realized that a lot of indie developers or creators struggle to find help. Most of them, like him, are most likely jacks of all trades. As an illustrator and game creator, Reid hopes

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to learn from the stuff he creates which is why he maintains a blog (journal) to take notes of the things he liked or disliked in a game he made. He also wants to be transparent with his process and he would like to teach his clients and visitors to accept their form of art and roll with it and nurture it. “I struggled to see that my work does not look like other’s simply because I’m me and I’m different. It didn’t mean that my art was “bad”,” he said. Looking forward, he hopes to be able to gain enough traction which he can use to mentor people who feel stuck or lost. “I have been an artist since I was 3 years old and a gamer since 5 (PS1), so it really takes time. I’m not the best in the field, especially since I stopped drawing for 7 years, but within the last year, I have had to re-learn a lot of fundamentals and concepts to elevate myself back to being artistically active,” he said. “The key is to really find peace and fulfillment in the

process of creating, not to focus on the end results.” He also dabbles on web design as he worked on his own homepage to cater to viewers who are new to his site. He hopes to be able to attract scouters and possible clients. The young man has a multiple dreams: to become a creator, illustrator, video game developer, 3D artist and printer, voice actor and mentor. But life is a learning process and he knows he has so much more to learn and that is why he is keeping his options open as far as learning more things go. In the end, he hopes to eventually help others along the way. “I know, I’m a big dreamer. But I know that if I keep seeking, I will eventually arrive at fulfilling my dreams. They’re all connected at one point or another,” he said. In the end, he hopes that his website can create a community of creators and learners and be able to assist the seekers and become a mentor to dreamers.

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Sarah turns emotional in addressing Mommy Divine, family By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA couple Matteo Guidicelli and Sarah Geronimo opened up their married life in their first concert together as husband and wife last August 30. Matteo thanked his wife Sarah for being true to herself. “Thank you very much for being you all the time, and not faking who you are not just to me but to my family and to our friends. Sometimes, you always tell me, ‘Love, hindi ako ganyan.’ But I trust in you and in God that you’re learning every single day to be a stronger woman,” Matteo said. He added that Sarah is becoming stronger and more independent every day. “I love you for that because you’re learning about life every single day. You’re becoming a stronger, more independent, bullet-proof woman every day. I am seeing it from my own eyes. I

Sarah Geronimo Photo from Instagram_@justsarahgph

am very proud of you and I will love you for the rest of my life,” he said. For her part, Sarah thanked her husband for being there for her every single step of the way. “’Yung mga simpleng bagay lang na gina-guide mo ako o ina-assist mo ako whenever I work from home. Ikaw nag-aasikaso ng cam-

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era, ng ilaw. Grabe ‘yung efforts mo and walang hinihinging kapalit ‘yun every time you do it. You do it out of love, not obligation. Naaappreciate ko lahat ‘yun kahit hindi ko nasasabi sa’yo,” Sarah said. The “Pop Star Princess” also opened up about being spoiled by Matteo since he cooks for her all the time. “Alam niyo po, spoiled ako dito kay Matt. ‘Yung babae, ang role is siya ‘yung nagluluto all the time, siya ‘yung nag-aasikaso sa asawa. Pero baligtad sa amin. Siya ‘yung ganun sa maasikaso, ipagluluto ka,” she shared. Sarah turned emotional in the concert when it came to thanking her family. “Our families, we love you. To my daddy, my mama, Ate Cheng, Ate Shine, Gab, at sa lahat ng aking my dogs, I love you all so, so, so, so much,” she said. Matteo and Sarah tied the knot last February in a secret ceremony in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

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people events arts culture entertainment

How Spyros Bros awed and impressed America’s Got Talent judges

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by MoMar

G. viSaYa / AJPress

‘ ILIPINO talents across the diaspora have graced the stage of NBC’s America’s Got Talent (AGT). Marcelito Pomoy wowed the judges and the audience for AGT: The Champions last season and Angelica Hale made history as the first contestant to earn Golden Buzzer wins in the two seasons she joined. The all-male hip-hop dance group called Junior New System also made it to the semifinals of the show.

Win or lose, the brothers have won the hearts of millions of kababayans worldwide, and for that, they are thankful. Their message to fans: No matter what hardship you are going through, you will be able to achieve anything as long as you put your mind and body to it. Hard work, passion and your belief in God will get you anywhere you want.

Marco told the Asian Journal that waiting for the verdict during the quarterfinals was harder than their performance. “Being picked for the Dunkinʼ Save and not knowing whether youʼll be voted in or save by the judges is equally nerve wracking. It could mean the end of the road for us. That our dream is over. The thought alone is real scary,” he said.

For Season 15, fans are earnestly looking at The Spyros Bros, who have mastered the art of incredible and elaborate diabolo (Chinese yoyo) tricks. Merriam Webster describes the diabolo as “an hourglass-shaped top that is balanced and spun on a string stretched between the tips of two sticks.” The duo, composed of Filipino-American brothers Marco Angelo and Marc Albert, are all set for the show’s semis this week. “We have more insane tricks we haven’t shown yet and a secret danger element to reveal. We don’t want to spoil, but it’s once again something that AGT has never seen before,” Marc told the Asian Journal. Equally excited, Marco promised that they are going to step up their game and they plan to keep the surprise and the wow factor going. “That’s the hardest part. We need to find new, fresh tricks the audience and judges have not seen,” he said. “The semifinals is where the men are separated from the boys.” The brothers delivered a riveting and captivating audition piece which was aired last June 16.They combined various elements of juggling, dancing and acrobatics to produce a great performance, one that opened the door for them in the NBC reality show competition and earned for them a standing ovation from the judges.

After this season of AGT, the brothers plan to travel and entertain people all around the world, and possibly pursue their respective masters degrees. Photos courtesy of Spyros Bros

“We pulled it off. We’re excited and exhilarated,” Marc said after the performance. “We worked 4 to 8 hours a day just to get to this point. This was not an audition to us, this was our grand finals. Diabolo is our life and passion, we’ve done it our whole lives and it has changed our whole lives,” Marco added. The brothers told us that they prepared for their audition piece for two months and practiced every single

day, whether it is in the dark, it is windy or in the rain, or even on uncomfortable ground. They had to work extra hard for the live quarter-final rounds which started a couple of weeks ago. This time, they delivered another epic performance, more than enough for the judges to swoon and express a little fear for their own safety at the same time. “The joy and enthusiasm

you bring to the show is special,” said actress Sofia Vergara, who shielded her face a couple of times. “I’ve never seen a diabolo in my life until I met you guys and it gives me fear, I feel like you will break my teeth or something bad is going to happen.” “It was quite incredible,” echoed fellow judge Heidi Klum who said she loved how the brothers were able to maximize the space at Universal. Except when that space was the “space right in our face,” she remarked. “You are precision, you make diabolo look so easy and you make judging look so dangerous,” said Howie Mandel. Finding an opening, Marc was able to give out a piece of trivia after their performance. Host Terry Crews mentioned Klum’s comment that the diabolo was not like a yoyo which was attached to a string. “It is a giant yoyo that flies. Fun fact: the small yoyo was invented by a Filipino and we’re Filipino. His name is Pedro Flores and that’s how it all ties in,” he said. Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson drove some of his viewers to the brothers’ performance which was uploaded on YouTube, as evidenced by the comment section. “Last night, the Democrats’ convention lost in the ratings to a variety show called “America’s Got Talent.” A pair of jugglers from the Philippines wearing PAGE 15

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How Spyros Bros awed and... Fil-Am R&B artist H.E.R. wins ‘Video for Good’ award at the 2020 MTV VMAs

PAGE 14 glow-in-the-dark headbands did a yo-yo demonstration. That out-rated “Doctor” Jill Biden. By a lot,” he said. Road to Fame Born and raised in Queens, New York, Marco and Marc lived with their family in Floral Park. The brothers were around 8 to 10 years old when the diabolo piqued their interest and curiosity. They first tried it at the China Pavilion of Epcot Center and found it so unique and fun to play with. They were amazed that unlike the yoyo, the diabolo is not attached to the string and it can be thrown into various places like onto the sticks, in the air, juggling multiple diabolos and doing athletic moves with it. They moved back to the Philippines in 2012 and continued mastering the craft. They settled in Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija, the hometown of their parents Alberto and Maritess Betito, and went to Holy Cross College for high school and Wesleyan University for college. Marc took up Electronics Communications Engineering and Marco studied Fine Arts. “We wanted to learn about our culture, language and family heritage,” Marco said, adding that he remembers how hot it was in Cabanatuan City and calls it “possibly the hottest city in the Philippines.” “New York is filled with so much diverse culture but it felt like we didn’t know much about our own besides the lumpia and tinikling,” Marc said. Marco turned 26 on August 29, and shares his birthday with his idol Michael Jackson. On the same day seven years ago, he won a talent show in the Philippines called “Talentadong Pinoy” with a Michael Jackson tribute performance. The brothers joined PINASikat on the noontime show Showtime, another talent search in the Philippines, in 2015 and won. From then on, they set their sights higher and wished to perform their act internationally and put AGT on their radar. It wasn’t an easy route though. Marco was born with Language Processing Disability and grew up with ADD but with enough family support and his own strength and determination, he was able to overcome such adversity. He shared that he dreamt of joining AGT when he was

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America’s Got Talent host Terry Crews and judge Sofia Vergara were enthralled by Spyros Bros and their skilled juggling and diabolo tricks.

only 14 years old. “It was always our dream to join AGT,” Marc, who is two years younger than Marco, echoed. “The actual question was when were we ready. We wanted to join because we wanted to show the world our talent & share our story of how we overcame hardships in our life.” Early this year, auditioning in front of the judges became an actual dream come true for them. This happened last March at the Pasadena Convention Center. Among the words they used to describe the experience: “super exciting but also nerve wracking” and “cool and really fun experience.” What people see on television is a four to five minute performance and not the ton of hard work poured into it. The brothers adhere to a process in order to craft each performance. “It takes countless hours

of rehearsals and endless thinking and brainstorming. We have to choreograph our own moves, edit our own music, and watch film as well,” Marc shared. “The process is gruesome. Hard physical work for at least 4 hours a day. It takes several weeks to perfect each performance.” Simplified further, it’s like the famous response to the question “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” Practice, practice, practice. “It involves a lot of blood, sweat and tears. We have to battle minor cuts and sprains. We had sleepless nights thinking of the routine and how to improve it,” Marco said. The AGT Experience For their live quarterfinals performance at the Universal Studios Hollywood last August 18, the brothers knew they had to show something different from their audition piece. And just like every perfor-

AJPress

BLACK Filipina American R&B artist H.E.R. won the Video For Good award for her song “I Can’t Breathe” at the MTV Video Music Awards 2020 on Sunday, August 30. “I Can’t Breathe” is a song highlighting the recent police killings of unarmed Black individuals, such as Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, and the ongoing protests around the world. “Praying for change ‘cause the pain makes you tender,” the lyrics read, adding, “All of the names you refuse to remember/Was somebody’s brother, friend/Or a son to a mother that’s crying, saying/I can’t breathe, you’re taking my life from me.” In a recorded message shown on Sunday, H.E.R. said winning a VMA is a “dream come true for me.” “I’m so proud to be a part of this category. All the other nominees were super dope. I’m super proud of everybody speaking out on social injustice,” she added, thanking the crew behind the video. Other nominees in the category included Billie Eilish (“All of the Good Women Go to Hell”), Lil Child (“The Larger Image”), Demi Lovato (“I Love Me”), Anderson Paak (“Lockdown”) and Taylor Swift (“The Man”). H.E.R.’s song “Slide,” featuring YG, was also nominated in the Best R&B video category alongside Alicia Keys’ mance they do, they have to conquer their nerves first. “Everybody gets nervous, even the professionals,” Marco shared. “Question is how do you manage it. We have a warm up routine that we use which involves physical, mental and the spiritual.” “Right before we perform, we always pray to God. Praying to God calms the nerves and helps us focus before our performance,” Marc said. But for them, waiting for the verdict was more nerve wracking than the actual performance even if they delivered a standing-ovationworthy act. “We didn’t want to go home. But when they finally called our name, we felt super relieved and happy,” Marc said. Asked if they have a favorite judge, Marc picked Simon Cowell.

An illustration promoting H.E.R.’s “I Can’t Breathe,” a song dedicated to the ongoing protests and Black Lives Matter movement.

Known as H.E.R, Gabriella Wilson was born in Vallejo, California to a Filipina mother and an African American father. Photo courtesy of RCA Records

“Underdog,” Chloe x Halle’s “It,” and Lizzo’s “Cuz I Love You,” but lost to The Weeknd’s ”Blinding Lights.” H.E.R., whose real name is Gabriella Wilson, was born in Vallejo, California to a Filipina mother and an African American father. She rose to fame in 2009 after participating in Radio Disney’s “Next Big Thing.” At the age of 14, she signed to RCA Records and released the single “Something to Prove” under her real name in 2014. In 2016, she debuted under the H.E.R. persona with her

debut EP “H.E.R. Volume 1.” She then released other EPs “H.E.R. Volume 2” and “The B Sides” in 2017 before releasing her first compilation album “H.E.R.” which consisted of tracks from the singer’s first two EPs plus six additional songs. In 2018, she released “I Used to Know Her: The Prelude” and “I Used to Know Her: Part 2.” H.E.R. received five nominations at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019, winning Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Album.

“Whatever he says is validation. The judges are really friendly and down to earth. After the performance they are always interested in interacting with us,” he said. Cowell also serves as an executive producer in the show. For Marco, “All of them. But Howie and Simon are very important to be there to judge us. They’ve been on the show for the longest time and they are the validation for the entertainment value we bring to the show.” There is no secret to the success that they are enjoying now. In fact, it can be summed up in two words: hard work. Spyros Bros is a testament to how focusing on one’s passion and mixing it with hard work and perseverance could open a lot of doors. Marc and Marco are thank-

ful to their fans, particularly the Filipinos in the diaspora who have been supporting them. Win or lose, they have earned the love and adulation of their followers. “We are here to represent our culture and raise our flag. We are here to share our story of overcoming bullying and that we can all achieve great things no matter what, through hard work and believing in God,” Marc said. “Their support and votes inspires and motivates us more,” Marco added. “To the youth, we hope we can inspire them to find their God given talents and pursue them. Despite the hardship of life, we hope we can still bring pride and joy to our people.” (America’s Got Talent airs Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.)

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