100720 - Southern California Midweek Edition

October 7-9, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 79 • 2 Sections - 14 Pages

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Vote by mail ballots mailed out to LA County voters, early voting begins STARTING this week, 5.6 million registered voters in Los Angeles County will begin to receive their vote by mail ballots for the November 3 presidential general election. Following an order by Governor Gavin Newsom, vote by mail ballots will be automatically sent to every active registered voter in California to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and provide a safe voting option. Meanwhile, LA County voters can cast their ballots in-person at the county registrar-recorder headquarters in Norwalk beginning this week. Select vote centers will begin on Saturday, October 24, while all vote centers will be open by October 31 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. All vote centers will follow state and county public health and safety guidelines, such as: voters wearing facial coverings and

Trump returns to White House to continue COVID-19 treatment by AJPRESS PRESIDENT Donald Trump told Americans to not “be afraid” of COVID-19 as he returned to the White House on Monday night, October 5 after a three-day stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Cen-

ter. The 74-year-old president arrived on the White House’s South Lawn after a 10-minute flight on Marine One and made his way up the stairs, where he removed his white surgical mask, and posed for photos before retreating inside.

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Duterte wishes Trump a ‘speedy recovery’ from coronavirus by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

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Public warned: Beware of COVID-related scams AS the pandemic continues, individuals are advised to stay vigilant against the COVID-related scams currently spreading — from websites peddling fraudulent virus cures to calls pretending to be contract tracers to generous aid promising to clear debt. To date, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has received over 206,000 consumer complaints, and recorded some $146 million in loses. Among the common scams right now include individuals ordering personal protective equipment like face masks, thermometers, and hand sanitizers. Customers would reportedly receive tracking notices, but the packages never ended up arriving. Scams related to online shopping make up a majority of the reports from Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to the FTC. “That is what keeps me up at night. At a time when so many people are experiencing income insecurity, nobody can afford to lose any money,” said Monica Vaca, associate director for the Division of Consumer Response and Operations in the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, during a recent press briefing. “And yet the data we have shows that people are reporting losing more than $146 million on COVID and stimulus related prob-

Before being discharged from the hospital, Trump downplayed the virus that has killed more than 210,000 individuals and infected over 7 million in the United States since March. “Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid.

President Donald Trump greets supporters during a drive by outside of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland on Sunday, Oct. 4. Official White House photo by Tia Dufour

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has extended his well wishes to United States President Donald Trump and first lady Melania after they both tested positive for COVID-19, Malacañang said on Monday, October 5. “Malapit na magkaibigan ang ating Presidente at si President Trump. Ang mensahe po ng Presidente (The President and President Trump are close friends. The President’s message is) he wishes President Trump and his wife first lady Melania a full and speedy recovery,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said during a press briefing in Boracay. On early Friday morning, the 74-year-old U.S president announced in a tweet that he contracted COVID-19 along with his wife. “Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!” he wrote. Later that day, Trump was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where he was being treated for the coronavirus. He was discharged on Monday night and will be continuing his quarantine at the White House.

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Duterte receives high performance rating amid 2020 challenges by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte’s performance rating climbed to 91% as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, a Pulse Asia survey revealed on Monday, October 5. The pollster’s Ulat ng Bayan Nationwide Survey, conducted from September 14 to 20, reported that 91% of Filipinos approved of Duterte’s performance. Meanwhile, 5% said disapproved and 5% were undecided. u PAGE A3 Duterte’s performance rating is

four points higher than the 87% he received in December 2019. According to Pulse Asia, Duterte enjoyed majority approval ratings across geographic areas and socio-economic classes, rising from 88 to 97% and 88 to 95%, respectively. For Duterte’s trust rating, 91% of the respondents said they have “big trust” in the president, while 3% have “small or no trust” and 6% were undecided. “Trust in President Duterte becomes more notable between December 2019 and September 2020 not only at the national level (+8 percentage points) but

also in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon (+12 to +14 percentage points),” said Pulse Asia. Vice President Leni Robredo received second to the lowest performance and trust ratings among the five top national officials in the country — at 57% and 50%, respectively. The survey found that 57% of Filipinos approved of the opposition leader’s performance, a point lower than the 58% she received in December. Meanwhile, 22% disapproved and 21% were President Rodrigo Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with undecided. the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Robredo’s trust rating also suf- core members at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on Monday, October 5.

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Malacañang photo by Simeon Celi

Pandemic forces PAL to cut 35% of workforce POEA allows newly-hired

health care workers to leave PH

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines will undergo a retrenchment program following a tumultuous year. Inquirer.net photo by Juliet Javellana

PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) plans to lay off 35% of its workforce, the company announced on Monday, October 5. Around 2,700 workers out of its total 7,800 workforce will be affected in the “first stage” of its downsizing initiative. The national flag carrier also called on employees to apply for “voluntary separation.” “The retrenchment is part of a larger restructuring and recovery plan as the flag carrier rebuilds its domestic and international network amid the global pandemic,” PAL said in a statement. PAL’s retrenchment program will combine voluntary and involuntary measures to be implemented in the fourth quarter of 2020. “PAL assured employees that the measures will be carried out in a fair manner that complies with all legal requirements and with support for outplacement assistance,” the airline said. Since March 2020, PAL has suspended capital expenditures, adopted a skeletal workforce, reduced management

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by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

NEWLY-hired Filipino health care workers with signed contracts as of August 31, 2020 may now leave the country to work overseas, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) announced Tuesday, October 6. “The cut-off date was extended from March 8 to August 31 upon the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFEID),” the agency said. In its Advisory No. 47-B Series of 2020, the POEA said

HCWs who have perfected and signed contracts as of the new date and “have secured overseas employment certificates (OECs) as their exit permits can now report to their employers overseas.” “New hire health care workers refer to newly hired HCWs who are direct hires, recruitment agency hires, including POEA Government Placement Branch hires who were already accepted under the hiring program of host countries,” the POEA said. The “Balik-Manggagawa,” or returning health workers with OEC exemption certificates, are likewise allowed to leave the

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Duterte wishes Trump a ‘speedy recovery’...

PAGE A1 Dr. Sean Conley, Trump’s physician, on Sunday said the president experienced “two episodes of transient drops in his oxygen saturation.” On Friday morning, Trump “had a high fever and his oxygen saturation was transiently dipping below 94%,” the doctor added. The president has been given Gilead’s antiviral drug remdesivir, Regeneron’s antibody cocktail and the steroid dexamethasone, according to his team of doctors. The president, wearing a mask, left the hospital in an SUV with the Secret Service on Sunday afternoon to wave at supporters outside of Walter Reed. Meanwhile, first lady Melania

Trump remains quarantined at the White House. “My family is grateful for all of the prayers & support! I am feeling good & will continue to rest at home. Thank you to medical staff & caretakers everywhere, & my continued prayers for those who are ill or have a family member impacted by the virus,” she said in a tweet on Monday morning. Trump’s close aide, Hope Hicks, had tested positive last week after traveling with the president. Other administration officials who have since tested positive for the virus include presidential assistant Nicholas Luna and White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, whose result was announced on

From the Front Page

Monday. Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel, former counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also tested positive last week. The U.S. remains as the country with the most COVID-19 cases in the world. To date, it has a total of 7,418,107 infections with 209,725 fatalities. Meanwhile, the Philippines has 324,762 cases, with 5,840 fatalities and 273,123 recoveries. The country has the highest number of infections in Southeast Asia. It also recently ranked as the 20th country with most cases, surpassing Pakistan. n

Vote by mail ballots mailed out to LA County voters...

PAGE A1 gloves (coverings and gloves will be made available if needed); wiping and sanitizing all surfaces and Ballot Marking Devices after each voter; social distancing of 6 feet; and election workers wear-

ing protective gloves and masks. In addition to dropping off the vote by mail ballots at the post office, the county has 400 secure drop boxes where voters can return their ballots through Election Day.

After returning the voted ballot at a drop box or by mail, voters can check their ballot to make sure it was received and tallied on the Where’s My Ballot tracking tool (https://california. ballottrax.net/). (AJPress)

Trump is shown to be working at the Presidential Suite at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Saturday, Oct. 3, after testing positive for COVID-19 the day before. Official White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian

Trump returns to White House... PAGE A1

Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!” the president tweeted on Monday. In another video posted on Twitter, he said: “One thing’s for certain: Don’t let it dominate you.” “We have the best medical equipment, we have the best medicines, all developed recently,” Trump continued. “I know there’s a risk, there’s a danger, but that’s OK,” Trump added. “And now I’m better, and maybe I’m immune, I don’t know.” He will continue to be treated for COVID-19 at the White House, though his physician, Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley, said the president “may not entirely be out of the woods yet.” “While he may not be entirely out of the woods yet, the team and I agree that all our evaluations and, most importantly, his clinical status support the president’s safe return home, where he will be surrounded by worldclass medical care 24/7,” Conley said. Early Friday morning, Trump revealed on Twitter that he and first lady Melania both tested

positive for COVID-19 after it was revealed that close adviser Hope Hicks had contracted the virus. Later that day, the president was transferred to Walter Reed “out of an abundance of caution.” Since his diagnosis, the president’s team of physicians have given him different treatments, including an 8-gram dose of an experimental antibody therapy cocktail made by biotechnology company Regeneron; a five-day course of antiviral drug remdesivir; corticosteroid drug dexamethasone after his oxygen level dropped on Saturday; and supplemental oxygen. “And after about a minute on only two liters, his saturation levels were back over 95%. He stayed on that for about an hour maybe, and was off and gone,” Conley said on Saturday. On Sunday afternoon, Trump, wearing a black cloth mask, briefly left his presidential suite aboard a black SUV to wave to supporters who gathered outside the medical center. Prior to this, the president said he “learned a lot about COVID.” “I learned it by really going to school. This is the real school, this isn’t the let’s-read-the-book school. And I get it, and I under-

stand it, and it’s a very interesting thing, and I’m going to be letting you know about it,” he said in a video posted on Twitter. The event was slammed by critics as irresponsible as it put two Secret Service agents with the president at risk. “That Presidential SUV is not only bulletproof, but hermetically sealed against chemical attack,” Dr. James P. Phillips, an emergency medicine physician affiliated with Walter Reed, wrote on Twitter. “The risk of COVID19 transmission inside is as high as it gets outside of medical procedures. The irresponsibility is astounding. My thoughts are with the Secret Service forced to play.” Other White House staff who have tested positive for COVID- 19 include senior adviser Stephen Miller, who tested positive on Tuesday; press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, who revealed her diagnosis in a statement on Monday; and Nick Luna, personal attendant to the president. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, who both helped the preident with debate preparations, also contracted the virus. n

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Public warned: Beware of COVID-related scams PAGE A1 lems.” Further, individuals have complained about receiving text messages with a hyperlink that says they have a package waiting for them. However, experts advise that the link may contain malware or may phish for information. “We don’t know — is there malware in there or is this a link that’s going to take you somewhere to ask for your personal information?” W.J. Murdoch of the FBI said. With individuals being laid off or furloughed from work, it puts them at a vulnerable position to look for other employment opportunities, especially those that allow them to work safely at home. But officials advise prospective employees to be cautious if a job seems too good to be true. “These con artists are preying on people who are already down. We’re seeing a lot of reports about phony job offers, where you’re pitched a job as a mystery shopper or as a clerk or to have advertising on your car. And often people think that they’ve landed some kind of a job only to find out later that they were being scammed,” Vaca said. One such scheme is the “fake check” scam where individuals are promised that they can work from home and receive a check in the mail. But then, individuals end up with their bank accounts wiped out once they deposit the check, she added.

Despite the alarming number of reports to the FTC, Vaca is hopeful that thousands more Americans can avoid being scammed if they hear about the different schemes out there. “Research that was released last year shows that people are 80% more likely to avoid losing money if they have heard about the scam before,” Vaca said. Fraudsters will often follow what’s newsworthy and build their schemes around what people are paying attention to, said Maricela Segura, regional director of the FTC’s western region Los Angeles office. Early on, the FTC tracked over 275 companies that were making false claims of treatment and cures related to COVID-19, and caught scammers promising stimulus checks and other small business relief programs, and to help individuals get out of debt. “Sometimes scammers are posing as part of a federal program that’s built to assist people to get out of debt. They will sometimes ask consumers to pay money in order to get a stimulus check,” Segura said, adding that under the CARES Act, individuals did not have to shell out money in order to receive assistance. Further, the commission has received complaints about individuals receiving a call that they’ve come into contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. “All these folks are attempting

to do is to get personal information,” Segura said. “We’re also starting to see scams that are offering to help people who are behind on their mortgage and on other debts all for a very large, upfront fee. Now that’s a red flag of a scam, because such upfront fees for debt relief are illegal under the FTC rules.” As there is no known cure or vaccine for COVID-19 yet, the rule of thumb that officials are following is whether the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued any guidance around certain remedies. “Generally speaking, if there’s a claim about COVID and it’s not consistent with something that out there on the CDC public guidance, it’s probably a scam,” said Nick Akers, senior assistant attorney general in charge of the consumer law section of the California Department of Justice. Segura also advised to consider how the information is being disseminated. “If we hear of a vaccine or a cure, it will be newsworthy,” she said. “You won’t get it in a text or an email from a company trying to sell you something.” Individuals who believe they have been victimized by a scam are encouraged to report it by using the online form at www. ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ or can report it to the California Attorney General’s office at www.oag. ca.gov/. (Christina M. Oriel/AJPress)

Duterte receives high performance rating... PAGE A1

fered a three-point drop from December’s 53% to September’s 50%. Twenty two percent of the respondents said they don’t trust her while 28% were undecided. Malacañang, for its part, welcomed Duterte’s high ratings. “Nagpapasalamat po kami sa taong-bayan dahil sa pinakabagong survey ng Pulse Asia, binigyan po ng 91 percent trust rating si Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte at 91 percent din sa performance rating (We thank the public because in the latest Pulse Asia survey, the president received a 91% trust rating and 91% performance rating),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said. “Ang pangako po talaga ng Presidente gagawin niya ang lahat para makabangon po tayo sa pandemiyang ito at isasantabi po talaga niya ang politika (The

president’s promise is he will do everything to recover from the pandemic and set aside politics),” he added. Roque also took a swipe at Robredo’s ratings, telling her to stop politicking during a global health crisis to boost her ratings. “Madam VP, mukhang tama ang aking sinabi: Ayaw ‘ata ng Pilipino na namumulitika sa panahon ng pandemya (Madam VP, it seems that my statement is right: The Filipinos do not like politicking during a pandemic),” the spokesman said. “Subukan po nating itigil ang pulitika, baka po tumaas nang mataas sa 50 percent ang trust rating at mataas pa po sa 57 percent ang performance rating (Let’s try to stop from politicking, maybe will rise higher than 50% and your performance rating will be more than 57%),” he

added. For the rest of the national officials’ ratings, Senate President Tito Sotto scored 84% approval rating and 79% trust rating; House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano received 70% approval rating and 67% trust rating; and Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta had 44% approval rating and 39% trust rating. “The performance ratings of the Congress and the Supreme Court are nearly constant during the period December 2019 to September 2020 both at the national level and across geographic areas and socio-economic groupings,” Pulse Asia said. The survey is based on a sample of 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above. It has a ±2.8% error margin at the 95% confidence level. n

Mark Magsayo took a split decision victory over Mexican foe Rigoberto Hermosillo to remain perfect in his first fight on U.S. soil. Photo courtesy of TGB Promotions

Mark Magsayo edges Mexican foe in US debut by Luisa

MoraLes Philstar.com

MARK “Magnifico” Magsayo (21-0, 14 KOs) kept his record perfect after defeating Mexican Rigoberto Hermosillo (11-3-1, 8 KOs) via split decision at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 3. The scores were 96-94 for Hermosillo, and 100-90 and 96-

94 for Magsayo, who was fighting for the first time on U.S. soil. Magsayo prioritized quality over quantity, throwing only 417 punches over Hermosillo’s 856. The disparity was much more smaller in shots landed with Magsayo connecting on 136 while the Mexican landed on 181.

The Bohol native came out with an efficient 33% shots landed after the 10-round bout. Magsayo’s efficiency and the power behind his punches were enough to push him to another win in his first-ever fight with new trainer Freddie Roach. Magsayo was more aggressive in the last three rounds and eventually propelled him to the win. n

POEA allows newly-hired health care workers... PAGE A1 country, as well as seafarers previously hired as doctors and nurses onboard, and would be deployed by the same licensed manning agency. “The deployment of HCWs will remain under a strict observance of prescribed quarantine protocols, social distanc-

ing measures, as well as in the departure and immigration formalities in the Philippines, in transit counties, and in countries of work destination,” POEA said. The agency, meanwhile, maintained that the deployment of HCWs to countries that impose travel restrictions is still

prohibited. It also reiterated that outbound passengers with visas that are not documented through POEA regulations, such as the U.S. J-1 visa, and permanent residents, immigrants or dual citizens of other countries are excluded from the temporary deployment suspension. n

Pandemic forces PAL to cut 35%...

PAGE A1 salaries, and slashed non-essential expenses to control costs. PAL’s shareholders, meanwhile, have infused additional capital to allow continued operations.v “At the height of the pandemic, PAL chose to implement temporary furloughs and flexible working arrangements to maintain jobs as long as possible,” the

company said. “However, the collapse in travel demand and persistent travel restrictions on most global and domestic routes have made retrenchment inevitable, with PAL currently operating less than 15 percent of its normal number of daily flights after eight months of lockdowns,” it added. The airline also said it will continue mounting special repatria-

tion flights to help bring home displaced Filipino migrant workers as well flying all-cargo services to meet the essential cargo transport needs of the public and support economic supply chains. “PAL recently flew its second repatriation flight from Beirut carrying OFWs fleeing the troubled Lebanese capital,” PAL said. n

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Dateline PhiliPPines

More than 200,000 overseas Filipinos repatriated by DFA amid pandemic by aJPress

PRESS BRIEFING. National Capital Region Police Office chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas discusses the role of law enforcers during the closure of the cemeteries on All Saints’ Day and Souls’ Day during the regular press briefing at the NCRPO headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City on Tuesday, October.6. PNP chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan on Monday said the police force would coordinate with barangays in maintaining peace and quiet in their areas as many are forced to stay at home amid the coronavirus pandemic. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Duterte’s claim of EJK probe ‘self-serving, without basis’ – Human Rights Watch by gabrIel

PabIco Inquirer.net

lalu

MANILA — Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based international group, isn’t buying the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte that he once ordered a “discreet” probe into the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) being blamed on his administration. “President Duterte’s claim that thousands of extrajudicial killings since 2016 are the result of rivalry between drug syndicates is specious, self-serving, and utterly without basis,” Phil Robertson, HRW deputy director in Asia, said in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 6. “The ‘hearing’ he claimed to conduct to arrive at this farfetched conclusion was never disclosed to the public, raising questions about whether it ever happened at all,” he added. Robertson noted that, if Duterte really had serious doubts about his drug war operations, he could have called for a more credible investigation — not something hidden from the public eye. “Instead, he made sure that experienced international investigators, such as the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial kill-

ings Agnes Callamard, were not permitted to set foot in the Philippines,” Robertson said. Duterte, during his pre-recorded address about the COVID-19 situation that aired late Monday night, revealed that he had ordered a probe on EJKs because he also had concerns about it. He said that the information that reached him blamed the killings on warring drug syndicates trying to get control over a specific territory. Some cases, Duterte said, involved botched-up drug transactions between pushers and users, with a quarrel over drug money resulting in killings. Duterte said police officers were not involved, although he also admitted the possibility that some of them might have been involved in a drug recycling scheme, under which substances seized during anti-drug stings were sold again on the street. “Truthfully, I also had my doubts,” Duterte, speaking partly in Filipino, said before members of his Cabinet. “There was a time when I conducted a discreet hearing. The information that reached me was that sometimes there is a rivalry of the turf — their territory, as to who was

controlling it,” Duterte said before members of his Cabinet. “Second, someone ran away with the money. And third, their [drugs] were stolen at the street level. That’s what we don’t know. They said it was the police [who did it]. But, you know, if I were a policeman, I would go all out. why would I get from those at the street level, or what they called garbage collectors [basurero],” he added. But for the HRW, Duterte’s claim was merely an excuse, fake stories that would divert attention from allegations that police officers were involved in EJKs. The President became a controversial figure after his election in 2016 as he waged a widespread and bloody campaign against illegal drugs, which was marred by accusations that state forces were involved in the EJKs. In all the suspected EJKs, only three officers were convicted of murder, and these were the Caloocan policemen involved in the slay of teeanger Kian de los Santos. “No one should forget that the ‘drug war’ killings immedi-

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OVER 200,000 overseas Filipinos have returned to the Philippines since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Sunday, October 4. A total of 204,481 overseas Filipinos have been repatriated, of which 135,004 (66.02%) are land-based and 69,477 (33.98%) are sea-based. “For September alone, the DFA repatriated 41,892 overseas Filipinos — an overwhelming majority of whom came from the Middle East,” the agency said in a statement. Overall by region, 31,217 (74.5%) were from the Middle East; 4,226 (10.1%) were from Asia and the Pacific; 3,666 (8.8%) were from the Americas; 2,634 (6.3%) were from Europe; and 149 (0.3%) were from Africa. “September also saw the goodwill mission of the DFA in Lebanon. Together with the Office of Presidential Protocol, led by

Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Chief of Presidential Protocol Robert E.A. Borje, the Philippine delegation brought 5,000 boxes of relief goods for the Filipino community in Beirut,” the DFA said. On August 4, a powerful blast rocked the Port of Beirut in Lebanon, leaving at least 220 people dead and over 5,000 wounded. Among the casualties were 4 Filipinos, while 47 Filipinos were injured. Based on reports, the explosion was triggered by 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stockpiled in a warehouse after it was confiscated from an impounded cargo ship in 2013. “The team also brought medical supplies which were donated to two Lebanese hospitals and two nongovernment organizations which have been taking care of OFs in Lebanon. The return flight brought home 317 OFWs, most of whom were household service workers affected by the economic crisis and the recent blast at the Port

of Beirut,” the DFA added. The agency also reported that it repatriated 16 stranded seafarers from Xiamen, China despite the country’s existing restrictions on the disembarkation of seafarers and the unavailability of commercial flights. “The repatriation was a product of months of negotiations and close coordination between the Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen, the Philippine Embassy in Beijing and the DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs,” the DFA said. It also facilitated the repatriation of more than 1,000 Filipinos from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, Saudi Arabia through chartered flights shouldered by the agency’s Assistance-to-Nationals Fund. “As the last quarter of the year starts, the DFA and its Foreign Service Posts will continue to facilitate repatriation flights to bring home our overseas Filipinos wherever they are in the world, the DFA said. n

Government roadblocks make PH internet slow and expensive by Ian

nIcolas cIgaral Philstar.com

MANILA — Regulatory impediments are hampering the Philippines’ digital shift, raising internet costs even as network speed has not caught up with rest of Southeast Asia despite a welcome boost from movement restrictions brought by the pandemic. In a joint report with the National Economic and Development Authority, the World Bank said that while “digitalization momentum has accelerated” in the country amid lockdowns, “weak digital infrastructure in the country is hampering the effective use of digital technologies.” Citing third-party data, the multilateral lender said the Philippines has a disproportionate number of people still relying on 3G, while countries like Indonesia, Thailand , Malaysia and China have seen their populations connected through a faster 4G network. Despite a notoriously slow connection, Manila also has the most expensive internet in the region. “The relatively poor performance in digital adoption can be traced to a multitude of factors including the high cost and uneven quality of internet, limited adoption of digital payments, expensive logistics and a business environment with low levels of competition,” the report said. Government policies are to blame. Apart from lack of foreign competition that left existing providers complacent, bureaucratic red tape in securing numerous licenses to build network towers have slowed digital expansion. While President Rodrigo Duterte had since ordered to accelerate permitting, requiring congressional franchises for new players

optimally “disincentivizes” competition. Online shopping may have also boomed from consumers too afraid to go out, but World Bank said shipping of orders have likewise been slowed by “complicated” customs procedures. This, in turn, increases logistics costs for firms which are then passed on to consumers. For cashless payments, a lack of national ID system also meant difficulty in identifying clients. Banks have also been hesitant to join the central bank’s Instapay and PESONet platform that allows interbank transfers despite the service being operational for years. Telco firms promise better connection “The ability of the private sector to be part of the digital economy requires a conducive and competitive business environment,” World Bank said. “Market leaders have little incentive to invest in technologies new to the firm since they do not face competitive pressures to reduce their costs— while laggard firms are too far away from the frontier to bridge the cost gaps and enter the market,” it explained. For their part, existing telco players vowed to continuously improve their services. “We expect to continue with the investments because of the increasing demand for or services,” Ernest Cu, Globe Telecom Inc. president and chief executive, said in a separate statement. For his part, Alfredo Panlilio, president and chief executive at Smart Communications, said last Friday the company has noticed an acceleration in the issuance of permits for construction of telco towers, even from local governments, since Duterte ordered that their release be fast tracked. PLDT Inc., which owns

Smart, said project rollout will be ramped up. “Complementing the towers is an extensive fiber optic network which we currently have of at least 360,000 kilometers. We continuously expand our fiber network, and will be applying for permits to build more...,” Panlilio said in a statement. Digital taxation a regional thing To be fair, some observations by World Bank are in the process of getting resolved. For instance, the government is finally rolling out the national ID program on October 12, while as World Bank cited, a common tower policy that removes the responsibility of building towers from telco firms to specific tower contractors is already in effect. That said, reforms had been slow in materializing. Another long-term fix the government can do is for the entire bureaucracy to pioneer the digital shift, which in turn should prompt the rest of the economy to do the same. Congress is also working on a digital transactions tax that already passed a Lower House committee last July. Kevin Chua, World Bank economist and lead author of the report, said the proposed 12% sales levy is not exactly bad news for the Philippines with its neighbors also moving toward that direction. “The idea of digital taxation especially in the case of the Philippines is we want a level playing field especially for those local sellers and also foreign sellers,” Chua said in a briefing after the release of report. “We have many things to consider here especially we’re going to the election period so the key here is this should be on our radar knowing that many other countries are also working on the digital taxation,” he added. n

VP’s camp blames ‘fake news’ for low ratings by Helen

Flores Philstar.com

MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo’s spokesman blamed disinformation and fake news for her relatively low approval and trust ratings in the September survey of Pulse Asia. Compared with President Duterte’s approval and trust scores both at 91 percent Robredo received approval and trust ratings of 57 percent and 50 percent, respectively, in the Sept. 14-20 poll. Robredo received the second lowest ratings among the country’s top officials. “Given the limited budget of the OVP, she has actually done a lot with the resources available to her. I think the problem is more with respect to people finding out, or getting informed, about what the Vice President is doing,” said Robredo spokesman Barry Gutierrez in an interview with ANC. He said millions of Filipinos were able to receive financial assistance from their local governments, and this was attributed to the administration as a whole. “The VP does not have that particular luxury,” he said. Gutierrez said since they do not have access to the same level of communication infrastructure as Malacañang, the Vice President is under “constant attack by trolls and other people who persist in spreading fake news online about

Vice President Leni Robredo received the second lowest ratings among the country’s top officials. Philstar.com photo by Boy Santos

her.” “We’re really hitting a disinformation wall and we have to deal with that every day that we are striving to work for the Filipino public,” he said. “Hopefully, Facebook itself, as an institution, is also attempting to take steps to address the proliferation of fake news on its platform. So hopefully, with these moves, slowly but steadily, we will be able to punch through the wall of disinformation that we have had to struggle against over the course of the last four years,” he said. Nevertheless, Gutierrez said the approval rating “is not really a concern that the Vice President prioritizes.”

“She does not really spend any money at all to promote herself on social media. What is important for her is that she does the work, she is able to help actual people on the ground,” he said. Pulse Asia president Ronald Holmes defended the survey result, saying they used the same methodology and questions for the last 20 years. Many have criticized the results of the survey, which showed Duterte’s high approval and trust ratings despite widespread criticisms over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a related development, a group supporting Robredo has urged the Supreme Court, situ PAGE A7

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ABS-CBN returns to free TV through ‘A2Z’ by lisbeT

esmael ManilaTimes.net

ABS-CBN Corp. forged a deal with broadcast media firm Zoe Broadcasting Network Inc. so that it could air some of its programs on free television. In a statement, Zoe Broadcasting said Zoe Channel 11 will be rebranded as “A2Z”. “Starting this October, A2Z will be the home of the newest

TV experience for Filipinos as it offers relevant, informative, and entertaining content geared towards spiritual strengthening,” it said. Zoe Broadcasting said the channel will deliver inspirational shows, local and foreign movies, and some shows of ABS-CBN through a blocktime arrangement. In a disclosure on Tuesday, ABS-CBN said A2Z could be

viewed in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces. ABS-CBN went off the air last May after its 25-year franchise lapsed. Two months later, 70 lawmakers voted against the renewal of the network’s application. A2Z will also be available on Sky Cable. Shares in ABS-CBN fell 14.93 percent of P1.58 to close at P9 each on Tuesday. n

Infighting simmers over speakership by Reina

TolenTino ManilaTimes.net

DEPUTY Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. said Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco was “wishful thinking” if he believed he had enough votes to become speaker. Villafuerte made the remark Monday as infighting in the House of Representatives over the speakership continued to simmer. Velasco is contesting the insistence of Rep. Allan Peter Cayetano to stay on as speaker, and demanded that Cayetano step down by October 14. “That they supposedly have the votes to install” Velasco “as speaker is nothing but wishful thinking on the part of Velasco and his” allies, Villafuerte, who is backing Cayetano, said. “The only way Velasco could win the respect and support of most members of our peers is if he were in an alternate universe or talking of a different House of Representatives altogether — and not in this lifetime,” he said. Last Sunday, Villafuerte said that it was time for Velasco and his allies “to face reality, move on and work with the leadership of Cayetano. Last week, the House of Representatives, voting 184-1, rejected Cayetano’s offer to resign as Speaker, a development that Velasco refused to accept. Under the term-sharing deal made last year, Cayetano will lead the House for 15 months, after which Velasco takes over until 2022. “Now, out of the blue, Velasco’s followers are gearing up for another balloting on the illusion that they ostensibly have racked up 154 votes behind Velasco as the next speaker — supposedly comprising the support of all 65 members of the PDP-Laban bloc

in the House along with all 54 members of the party-list coalition and the 35 members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition,” Villafuerte said. “This is convoluted arithmetic premised on their wishful thinking that all the members of these three political blocs in the House have switched to the Velasco camp,” he said. “Nothing could be farther from the truth because the reason that 184 House members voted to stop Speaker Alan from resigning…was because he enjoys the full support of the majority of the members of these three political blocs along with those of the other power groups in the chamber such as the NUP (National Unity Party), Lakas and NP (Nacionalista Party) who all want to keep the status quo,” Villafuerte said. Also on Monday, Deputy Speaker Dan Fernandez said the number (154) did not add up because those from party-lists and the PDP-Laban who were backing Cayetano were not counted. Buhay party-list Rep. Jose Atienza Jr., when asked over the phone if a vote is needed on October 14, said, “If he (Cayetano) is a gentleman, he would step down.” “Let’s not engage in any kind of debate because there is nothing to debate on. A gentleman’s agreement was reached, a gentleman’s agreement was defined, a gentleman’s agreement must be enforced” on October 14, Atienza said. He believes Velasco has the numbers to be installed as speaker in case a vote is called. Meanwhile, Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao and 1-Pacman Rep. Enrico Pineda, founders of 1Pacman party-list, decried the removal of the partylist’s representative Michael Romero as a deputy speaker.

Pacquiao believes Romero exhibited stellar performance as deputy speaker and saw no reason for his removal, Pineda said. “This act is uncalled for and a complete contrast to the call of unity within Congress. Congressman Romero is the president of the Party-list Coalition. He represents the Party-list Bloc — the second largest group in the Lower House. Removing him as Deputy Speaker is an affront against the coalition,” Pineda said in a statement Monday. Last Friday, Camiguin Rep. Xavier Jesus Romualdo moved to replace Romero with Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro. Without objection, the motion was approved. Pineda believed Romero was ousted because he accompanied Velasco to the meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte last week. “On the issue of term-sharing, the coalition supports…President Duterte’s wish to follow through with the agreement he brokered,” Pineda said. “Senator Manny also supports the call of the President to enforce the 15-21 term-sharing scheme, between the incumbent Speaker Cayetano and Representative Velasco,” he said. In a statement, the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. expressed its dismay over the ouster of Romero. ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo said a party-list representative “should be Deputy Speaker to maintain the representation of Party-lists among the ranks of the Deputy Speakers.” “Relative equilibrium is necessary especially now that the 2021 budget is the key agenda in plenary deliberations,” Tulfo said. n

MOBILE STORE. An SUV, loaded with overruns shirts that go for P250 each and other items like motorcycle face masks and arm warmers, is parked along the Marikina-Infanta Highway in Antipolo City on Tuesday, October 6. Some businessmen have been going out of their way to sell their merchandise to the public amid the coronavirus disease pandemic. PNA photo by Rico H. Borja

Crisis-stricken firms uncertain better days are coming by Ramon

Royandoyan Philstar.com

MANILA — Local firms were not optimistic of a quick turnaround from the pandemic’s damage even after the economy reopened in July, painting a bleak picture for a broader recovery seen highly reliant on the private sector’s drive to pull itself up. In a July survey, results of which were only released Tuesday, the World Bank said 45% 74,031 participating firms were unsure when to restart business after getting shuttered for 3 months by state-imposed movement restrictions to control the spread of coronavirus. For those that immediately reopened, 39% “did not know how long” they could sustain operations, while 36% said they could only do so for the next 3 months, indicating the likelihood that they could have already shut down by now. “Firms expressed a high degree of uncertainty and general pessimism about their operations, sales and employees for the next 3 months,” the World Bank said. “Such lack of confidence will likely limit additional investment and employment, restraining firms’ growth. These suggest that business activities are expected

to stay subdued for an extended period,” it added. The survey, conducted with the government, highlighted the plight of local companies, 98% of which are small- and medium-sized enterprises whose smaller capital and workforce were insufficient to deal with unexpected disruptions from the pandemic. On average, revenues of participating companies dropped 64% at the height of lockdowns between April and June, with a bigger 84% reportedly suffering a reduction in sales. Going forward, around a third of companies asked expect sales to decrease further. As a result, nearly one in two firms – 48%-- were forced to lay off workers in the early months of lockdown, while 24% said they were likely to do so in the future, survey showed. Tourism, entertainment sectors badly hit By sector, businesses under the arts and entertainment segment suffered the largest closures, with 61% of respondents reportedly closing temporarily, while 21% was shuttered permanently. Sixty percent of tourism enterprises, meanwhile, were closed down for the time being, while a fifth permanently went out of business.

“Alongside failing demand and disrupted supply chains, firms faced a deterioration of their cash flow…The impact was most pronounced for firms in tourism and accommodation, and arts, entertainment and recreation sectors,” World Bank said. “Job loss is most significant in the education, food services and construction sectors…,” it added. By location, firms in Central Visayas, where Boracay Island that reopened this week is located, and in the Bangsamoro region saw a lower turnout in sales and employment. To be fair, the World Bank noted that 1 in 5 firms surveyed received some form of government support, whether in cash subsidies, deferral of loan payments and even low interest rates from new bank credit, all of which were rolled out separately from March onwards. Still, some were asking for more assistance. For instance, 9% of the firms left out to bring their employees to work would have wanted the government to shoulder such costs, while 8% wanted trainings for the digital shift of their operations to better adopt to new work arrangements. Four percent also wanted deferral in tax payments, but did not get it. n

A6 OCTOBER 7-9, 2020 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPiniOn

Lessons from Trump

FeatUres

HEALTH experts have emphasized it from the start of the pandemic: coronavirus disease 2019 is highly contagious and can strike anyone. But by observing basic health safety protocols that are now known worldwide, it is possible to avoid getting COVID-19. Now the leader of the world’s lone superpower and biggest economy has contracted the coronavirus, together with his wife. US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania themselves announced their infection on Twitter in the early hours of Friday. The infection is significant because Trump has been vocal in downplaying the COVID threat and the need to observe the health protocols, starting with wearing a mask. U.S. media ran video footage of his children Ivanka, Donald Jr., Eric and Tiffany, all wearing face masks as they entered the university pavilion in Cleveland, Ohio where he had his first presidential debate Tuesday night with challenger Joe Biden. The siblings then took off their masks as they settled in their seats. In Trump’s campaign sorties, he has thumbed his nose at those who are stressing the importance of physical distancing. Some reports said the U.S. president was tested daily for the coronavirus. Clearly, testing is different from avoiding infection. Now the illness has sidelined him for at least a week, into the final stretch of

his campaign for reelection. The lessons here can be combined with those from other countries that have allowed the full reopening of businesses, particularly bars and dine-in restaurants, only to see a resurgence of the virus, compelling them to reimpose restrictions and shut down businesses again. Health experts have repeatedly warned that the resumption of economic activities must be accompanied by significant boosts in capabilities for COVID testing, contact tracing, isolation and treatment. And in the absence of a vaccine or cure, all health protocols must continue to be observed, including physical distancing, wearing of masks, regular handwashing and disinfection. These are worth remembering especially with the approach of the Christmas season and increased attendance at church services. The virus has infected even Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the for those who have succumbed to COVID, for the former archbishop of Manila who now occupies recovery of the infected, and for the virus to be a high position in the Vatican. While people pray beaten for good, prayers must be accompanied by

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

active efforts to prevent infection. Healthy people mean more people able to celebrate mass inside churches. (Philstar.com)

Despite COVID-19 infection, Trump has not learned the lessons of empathy, truthfulness and true patriotism

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS PRESIDENT Donald Trump tweeted on Monday, October 5: ”I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M. Feeling really good!” Trump sent this tweet to his followers shortly before making a dramatic exit through the front doors of the hospital, pumping his fist to cameras, NBC News reported. He said, “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!” This tweet from the president created more questions than answers regarding the true condition of Trump’s health on social media. Did he really test positive with the virus or was it another diversionary tactic after trailing behind Joe Biden in the polls by 13 points as a result of their chaotic and antagonistic first presidential debate? Was it his desperate way to elicit sympathy, even from his opponent Joe Biden who pulled out all negative ads out of respect for the president, and win sympathy votes? Was it his way to seal the loyalty of his followers who now demand empathy and sympathy

from critics even when they themselves cheered on Trump when he would, in all cruelty, mock and berate people with illnesses and disabilities? Was it a diversionary tactic to move national discourse away from the bombshell reporting by the New York Times about Trump’s much-concealed tax returns, showing that Trump “had paid no income taxes at all in 10 of the previous 15 years — largely because he reported losing much more money than he made.” “As the president wages a re-election campaign that polls say he is in danger of losing, his finances are under stress, beset by losses and hundreds of millions of dollars in debt coming due that he has personally guaranteed. Also hanging over him is a decade-long audit battle with the Internal Revenue Service over the legitimacy of a $72.9 million tax refund that he claimed, and received, after declaring huge losses. An adverse ruling could cost him more than $100 million,” the report continued. Many wonder how he could have been discharged from the Walter Reed Medical Center and try to claim victory over the coronavirus on Monday, as he returned to the White House, when he only announced that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive three days be-

fore? Many question why during his briefing on Sunday, October 4, the Physician to the President Dr. Sean Conley, “acknowledged that he had provided a rosy version of events to please his notoriously sensitive patient,” the New York Times reported. “I didn’t want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction, and in doing so, you know, it came off that we were trying to hide something, which wasn’t necessarily true,” Conley said. This sounded like a “double speak” creating ambiguity more than clarity. Could this imply that the president could not accept any report that would go against his image of himself as “invincible“? The Times reported that Alyssa Farah, a White House communications adviser, “conceded that Dr. Conley had been speaking to an audience of one during his Saturday briefing.” “When you’re treating a patient, you want to project confidence, you want to lift their spirits, and that was the intent,” she said. She said that Trump’s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was trying “to be as transparent as we can” be by amending the report later. Again, intentional double speak because the president isn’t mature enough to face the

truth. National Public Radio (NPR) reported that Trump gets steroid medication dexamethasone, which according to the World Health Organization and NIH guidelines, is given only to patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms, supplemental oxygen, and two other experimental drugs, Regeneron monoclonal antibody cocktail, and Remdesivir. After being infected with the virus, Trump said from a video recorded Sunday, October 4, from his hospital suite: “I learned a lot about Covid. I learned it by really going to school. This is the real school. I get it. I understand it.” Trump’s actions, however, betray his words. If he indeed got it, why would he endanger the life of his Secret Service agents when he made a trip outside the hospital in his SUV to wave at his adoring fans? Current and former Secret Service agents and medical professionals were aghast Sunday night at President Trump’s publicity stunt. Where was his empathy? Where was his compassion for these agents who have families to be bereaved if they die from the virus? As CNN’s Dana Bash eloquently articulated, the Secret Service would take a bullet FOR

the president to save his life. But their job description does not include making them “take a bullet” FROM the president just so he would project invincibility, strength and victory and over the virus. Where was his wisdom when his judgment call shows he did not have the intellectual nor emotional maturity to understand the facts and science about the virus, the effects of it — both short term and long term — on patients? He proclaimed: “I feel better than I did 20 years ago!” Really? Where were his wisdom and empathy when he and his cohorts in the Republican Party and his administration chose to conceal who among his staff have contracted the virus despite being asymptomatic? Was he acting based on science or his delusion that he knows more than scientists and health officials? Did Trump not know how important it is to determine who were exposed to a person with COVID-19 in order to quarantine them until a negative result comes out? Did he not understand that one can be asymptomatic yet be a carrier of the virus? Did he not get it that this was the reason why people were told by scientists like Dr. Anthony Fauci over and over again to wear masks to mitigate the spread of the virus?

Did he not get it that patients with a positive result should be isolated so he would not spread the virus and infect other people? Why did he not isolate himself when he went back to the White House? No, Trump did NOT get it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have done that SUV publicity tactic. He wouldn’t rush back to the White House, remove his mask, and interact in a short distance with his staff. Does Trump really care for these people’s safety and life? OR, does Trump see and use people as his “props” in this new episode of his reality show? Did he not learn the lesson that concealing and downplaying facts about the virus would lead to more death, even after he got infected himself? After so many members and officials of the Republican Party also got the virus because of his blatant lies and misinformation script and direction? Was projecting his false sense of strength, invincibility and victory more important to him than protecting and saving peoples’ lives? Was the threat of being determined to be “incapacitated to fulfill his duties as president” and therefore be replaced by Vice President Mike Pence or by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, pursuant to the 25th Amendment

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Fellow Fil-Ams: Whether it’s by mail or in person, make sure to vote FORMER President Dwight Eisenhower once said, “[t]he future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.” This is especially poignant as we approach the 2020 General Election in November. While the focus of the election is on who will be president, there is much more at stake—social equality, climate change, healthcare, taxes, and foreign policy, to name just a few. Over the past few months, our nation has faced an ongoing global pandemic, an economic downturn, record-high unemployment rates, and civic unrest from years of engrained social inequity. According to the Pew Research Center, only 61% of voting-age citizens turned out to vote during the last presidential election in 2016. As Thomas Jefferson so aptly said, “[w]e do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” Whether it be due to apathy or inconvenience, we as citizens cannot stand idly by and we must exercise our civic duty to vote. Voting is an important responsibility we all share in our democratic society. This election, we have an incredible opportunity to shape the future of our community. It is vital that candidates and elected officials understand the growing political power of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and address issues that affect our communities. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest-growing racial group in the country. In 2018, a survey by APIA Vote and AAPI Data indicated that the number of Asian American voters in the last decade has nearly doubled from about 2 million

Voting by mail is not a new voters in 2000 to 5 million voters concept. Much of the country in 2016, and that Filipino Ameri- Commentary has voted by mail through an can voters make up the secondabsentee ballot for years. In fact, largest group that account for absentee voting by mail first this figure. This year, more than started during the 1860s to allow 11 million Asian Americans will members of the military to vote be eligible to vote, making up PHILIP LIM NULUD during the Civil War. According nearly 5% of the nation’s eligi- AND MARI BANDOMA CALLADO to the U.S. Election Assistance ble voters per the Pew Research Commission, an independent Center’s analysis of Census BuU.S. government agency, 24% of the ballots cast reau data. The COVID-19 pandemic presents potential in the 2016 election were through mail-in absenbarriers to community members to vote in-per- tee voting. Many of us, including the authors of this opson. Long and crowded lines at polling places will force citizens to choose between risking COVID- ed, have used absentee ballots to vote by mail for 19 exposure and their right to vote. While many, years because of the sheer convenience. It affords if not all, in-person polling places will take certain one with the ability to take their time while reviewsafeguards with regard to social distancing and ing the various options on the ballot. It provides the ability to maintain one’s regular daily routine masks, voting by mail is a viable option for many. To help ensure the exercise of the right to vote and not have to go out of their way to go to a pollwhile balancing the health and safety of voters and ing location (especially if they’re far away). And, it poll workers alike, many states have expanded allows one to just avoid crowds in general. What a year to avoid crowds! (If you’re wondering, you mail-in voting. For example, California is automatically sending also get an “I Voted” sticker when you vote by mail-in ballots out to all registered voters (many mail, so you’ll still be able to show off on the ‘gram should have received their ballots by now), and that you voted.) With all these benefits to mail-in voting, includColorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah, and Washington are holding their elections entirely by mail. More- ing the ability to avoid COVID-19 health risks over, voters in 28 states and the District of Colum- with large crowds at polling places this year, bia have the right to request a mail ballot without there are still many that are reluctant to vote by excuse this coming election. (Please check your mail. Why? The arguments range from the opparticular state’s rules as each state handles mail- portunity for fraud or potential error from mail-in in voting, as well as their respective timeframes, voting, as well as ballots not being handled or delivered properly by the U.S. Postal Service due to slightly differently.)

budget cuts. Additionally, some believe that voting by mail favors one party over another. While these are all potentially valid concerns, they are unfounded. With regard to fraud and error, that is a misconception, paranoia, and exaggeration. There are several anti-fraud protections built into the process. In order to vote, one must be registered to vote. Ballots are only provided to registered voters and they are specifically tied to such registration, which are also cross-checked through other databases, such as the DMV’s database. States are taking safeguards to verify voters’ information so that ballots are only issued to rightful voters and that a vote only counts once. Additionally, election officials can track ballots throughout the process using a barcode. In most states, rather than mailing their ballot through the USPS, voters also have the option of dropping off their ballot at a secure government office, a secure official ballot drop box, or other identified locations. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has also weighed in. In an August 26, 2020 briefing to the press regarding election security, FBI officials stated that they have found no evidence of coordinated fraud with mail-in ballots and they even went as far as to highlight how unlikely such a scenario would be. Those who abuse mail ballots can be charged with election fraud and face stiff fines and/or prison time. Even though the USPS was subject to budget cuts, prompting questions on its ability to timely deliver mail-in ballots, that should no longer be an

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Crime rate down during quarantine

CASES of robbery and theft declined by 60% since the government imposed varying community quarantine restrictions in March to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said. He said that eight focus crimes — murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, and stealing of vehicles and motorcycles — dropped by 46% in the past 200 days. “While the community quarantine denied criminal elements the usual opportunity to strike, the increased police visibility down to the barangay level is a big factor in reducing criminal incidents across the country,” Eleazar said.

Citing data from the Philippine National Police (PNP), the task force said a total of 18,683 crimes were recorded from March 17 to October 2 this year compared to 34,768 criminal incidents from Aug. 30, 2019 to March 16, 2020. “Translated to a daily crime average, the Philippines has recorded an average of 93 criminal incidents per day during the 200-day implementation of the community quarantine compared to 174 per day incidents of the 200-day period before the community quarantine implementation,” Eleazar said. The biggest decline was recorded for motorcycle theft, which dropped by 64% from 2,210 cases to 786, followed by

robbery cases that declined by 61% from 5,627 cases to only 2,073. Theft cases plunged from 11,653 to 4,690 and stolen vehicles were reduced from 240 to only 97 during the lockdown period. The PNP also reported a 38percent decline (from 5,958 to 3,692) in cases of physical injury, 23% (5,080 to 3,911) in rape, 20% (3,463 to 2,971) in murder, and 25% (897 to 673) in homicide cases. Metro Manila, along with the province of Batangas and cities of Iloilo, Iligan, Bacolod and Tacloban, is under general community quarantine while Lanao del Sur including Marawi City were placed under a stricter modified Mayor Isko Moreno and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna flank German Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel as they view the Berlin Wall’s Fragment 22 at Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban enhanced community quaran- the Bonifacio Shrine in Manila on Monday, October 5. tine until October 31. (PNA)

VP’s camp blames ‘fake news’ for...

PAGE A4 ting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), to dismiss a poll protest filed by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “With no substantial recovery, the protest can only be deemed baseless. It’s high time for the PET to dismiss the case,” the TOWNS Foundation Inc. said in a statement. Meanwhile, despite obtaining a low public awareness rating in the recent Pulse Asia Survey, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta yesterday said he is still happy because it was still a positive approval rating. In the survey, Peralta received the lowest rating for public awareness and performance rat-

ings and for awareness and trust ratings among the five highest officials in government, compared to President Duterte, Vice President Leni Robredo, Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano. “He is happy that despite a relatively lower awareness by the public, he still had a positive approval rating. The Chief Justice noted that he and the other magistrates of the Judiciary are all appointed officials. Hence, they will logically have lower awareness by the public,” SC spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka said. The survey showed that only 44 percent of Filipinos approved of the performance of the chief justice. He also obtained a trust

Despite COVID-19 infection... PAGE A6 to the Constitution provision on the rules of succession, more compelling and matter more to him than the lives of more than almost 210,000 Americans who have already died because of COVID-19? Did he really get the science and facts of coronavirus? Then why double down on downplaying it when he was about to leave the hospital, instead of using this moment to educate his fans and the American people about the fatality of the disease to save their lives? Hasn’t Trump internalized yet that such was part of his oath when he was sworn to as president? Has he not learned the lesson that honesty and trustworthiness are important in governing? Has he not learned that true patriotism and love for the country is serving ALL of the American people, to protect and save their lives, to govern for the greater good and not for his own political and personal interest? “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge.” Were the lives of the American people who died of Covid insignificant to him because his goal is to be re-elected, no matter what the cost? Clearly, Donald Trump is incapable of learning the lessons of empathy and sympathy, science and facts, the true role, and the

obligation of the title “President of the United States.” He is incorrigible, a hopeless, helpless case as he has proven in the last four years because he does not have the character, the heart and soul required of the leadership position. He is beneath the dignity of the Office of the President of the United States. He is definitely the WRONG MAN for the job. But like he has done to other contestants in his reality TV show, we can fire him. Former Vice President Joe Biden has proven he has the temperament, judgment, character, vision and experience to be the leader to unite us instead of divide us, to serve us instead of using the Office of the President to serve his selfish intentions, to heal and rebuild America from the rubbles and destruction Trump has caused in the past four years, to help us all fulfill the promise of America and save the soul of our beloved nation. If you are looking for an alternative to what we have experienced as Americans for nearly four years, you can make the choice to vote Trump out of office this November. *** 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.

Fellow Fil-Ams: Whether it’s by...

PAGE A6 nation have issued injunctions ordering that election mail must be prioritized. For example, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, in Mondaire Jones, et. al. v. United States Postal Service, et. al., ruled that the USPS shall treat all election mail as first-class mail or priority mail express, pre-approve overtime that has been or will be requested for the time period beginning October 26 – November 6, and restore the on-time delivery of mail. Other courts across the nation have taken similar actions. As an additional safeguard, some states, like California, have implemented a process where a voter can track the status of their ballot online. Voting by mail does not favor any particular party. Mail-in voting simply allows more people to vote, and does not favor any candidate or party. In a recently released research article by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, independent researchers found that “universal vote-by-mail does not affect either party’s share of turnout or either party’s vote share”. Thus, no matter what your political affiliation, the ability to vote by mail (or in-person) does not change the balance towards any direction. Mail-in voting is at the forefront this year but it does not mean that the act of voting is any different, nor is its need any less. 2020 has brought about significant change in our daily lives, but it has not taken away our right to let our

voices be heard. Our vote is even more important now than ever. Make sure you exercise your right to vote, whether by mail, or in person. As said in Hamilton, “do NOT throw away your shot.” If you have any other questions regarding voting, the National Filipino American Lawyers Association has created a Voter Protection Program (VoPro). The NFALA VoPro is a national non-partisan effort designed to protect the vote and rights of voters for the upcoming election. Fil-Am attorneys from across the nation will be available to answer questions regarding voting in California, Arizona, and Nevada. For more information on the program, please visit www.nfala. com/VoPro. *** Philip Lim Nulud is an attorney at Buchalter in Los Angeles, where he specializes in intellectual property law. Many of his clients are well-known fashion brands, who he represents in IP protection, strategy, enforcement, and licensing matters worldwide. He is the current president of the National Filipino American Lawyers Association (NFALA) and a past president of the Philippine American Bar Association (PABA). He has been named as one of the Most Influential Minority Attorneys in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal. *** Mari Bandoma Callado is an attorney at the Dolan Law Firm in Oakland, where she represents employees in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower and human trafficking cases as well as injured individuals, and families of loved ones who have died due to the fault of others, including in elder abuse and neglect lawsuits. She is the current president of the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (FBANC). She has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers every year since 2017.

rating of 39 percent. – With Evelyn Macairan But Pulse Asia was unable to release comparative data for Peralta since it was his first time to be included in the Ulat ng Bayan survey. Since his appointment on Oct. 23, 2019, the 68-year-old Peralta has been focused on implementing reforms in the Judiciary and making the courts adapt to the restrictions being implemented during the pandemic. “More than anything, the Chief Justice is concentrated on providing the necessary reforms in the Judiciary to ensure the public that Justice will be better served. That is the thrust of the Peralta Court,” Hosaka said. n

Berlin Wall fragment unveiled in Manila by Rey

Galupo Philstar.com

MANILA — A fragment of the Berlin Wall was unveiled at the Bonifacio Shrine in Manila on Monday, October 5. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and German Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel led the ceremony. “I hope politicians like me will

remember that we should act in unison… in fighting this pandemic… that’s destroying our lives, families and economy,” Moreno said. “Fragment 22” was donated by the German government in 2014 to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the dismantling of the wall, which divided East and West Germany for three decades during the Cold War.

The fragment was displayed at the National Museum but later transferred to the Bonifacio Shrine. The German government sent fragments of the wall to different countries as souvenirs of goodwill. Fragment 22 is the 22nd of the wall’s 40 sections. It is 3.65 meters tall, 1.2 meters wide and weighs 2.8 tons. n

Duterte’s claim of EJK probe ‘self-serving...

PAGE A4 ately after Duterte was elected as president in 2016. Since then, thousands have died and with the exception of the case of Kian de los Santos, there has been no successful prosecution of either

police officers or mysterious civilian killers,” Robertson said. “Human Rights Watch and other groups credibly established that police or other local authorities perpetrated most of the killings. In many of these in-

cidents, police routinely manufacture evidence, by planting drugs and weapons on dead suspects at the scene of the alleged crime, to justify their claim that the suspects had fought back,” he added. n

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Social justice, activism and allyship: Filipino American History Month kicks off with calls to engage politically, culturally and socially Unpacking the history of social justice and revolution in the Filipino American community and cultivating a more inclusive, informed future

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by

Klarize Medenilla / AJPress

ARLIER this year, Filipino Americans from all walks of life took to the streets in protest of racial injustice and systemic discrimination following the high-profile murders of Black Americans.

Filipino Americans all across the country joined protests and rallies decrying the systems within American law enforcement that have allowed officers who have shot and killed unarmed people, particularly Black individuals, to bypass the justice system. Skeptics, critics and disengaged Filipinos alike all continue to question: Why are you getting involved in an issue that has nothing to do with Filipinos? For many Filipinos in social justice circles, that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. This year, the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) themed Filipino American History Month 2020 around the concept of social justice because of the pervasiveness of oppression that the Filipino American (and global Filipino) community has endured for centuries. “We choose this theme to highlight the myriad ways Filipino Americans have partici-

Filipino labor leaders Philip Vera Cruz and Larry Itliong, key individuals during the Delano Grape Strike that started in 1965, are memorialized in “Gintong Kasaysayan, Gintong Pamana,� a mural by Eliseo Silva. in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown. File photo courtesy of Eliseo Silva

pated in social justice movements, including but not limited to, the United Farmworkers Movement, the fight for Ethnic Studies, Hawaii Sugar Plantation strikes, Washington Yakima strikes, and Anti-Martial Law Movements across multiple decades,� the organization said. In June during an interview about the Filipino communi-

ty’s role in civil rights, Filipina American organizer Jollene Levid told the Asian Journal that “[e]very mass movement in our history that has changed the way a state or government or a country has been run, including the Philippines and the toppling of Marcos. People have found a way to contribute in ways that go beyond what you see as a normal protestor

on the street.� Although contemporary Filipino Americans enjoy a relatively comfortable life, the year 2020 presented them with stark reminders that as long as racism, political tyranny and propagandistic forms of communication exist, persecution, in any form, is just around the bend. “This living nightmare that we’re living in now is not new,� Filipino American lifelong activist Kalaya’an Mendoza told the Asian Journal in a recent interview. “The anniversary of martial law in the Philippines was just a couple weeks ago, so we have come from a place when one dictator took over. History can be replicated again.� Mendoza — who helped mobilize the Filipino American community following the reignition of the Black Lives Matter movement this past June — described a present-day Filipino American community that is slowly but surely becoming Continued on Page 2

Filipino Americans joined a Black Lives Matter protest in Chicago in June 2020. Photo courtesy of @hazelsunday/Instagra

The International Hotel, known as I-Hotel, was a low-income single-room-occupancy residential hotel in what used to be San Francisco’s Manilatown. During the late 60s, real estate corporations propose plans to demolish the hotel, which would necessitate displacing all of the I-Hotel’s elderly tenants, many of whom were Filipino. In response, housing activists, students, community members, and tenants united to protest and resist eviction. All the tenants were evicted on August 4, 1977 and the hote was demolished in 1981. Photo courtesy of Manilatown Heritage Foundatio

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 7, 2020

Social justice, activism an... From Page 1 privy to the various ways that bureaucracies and systems of power subjugate communities in America. “I think people are realizing that when the Black community is under attack, when the LGBTQ community is under attack and when the immigrant community is under attack, that means we are all under attack,” Mendoza remarked. As previously discussed in the Asian Journal, the “postracial America” myth paints the now as an unprecedented period of equality across all demographics, conflicting with the grim realities of Black Americans, immigrants and other communities. For the past several months, Filipino American community leaders, including those in FANHS, have been working to mobilize the nearly four million Filipinos in the U.S. to participate civically, but Filipino American History Month provides an opportunity for Filipino Americans to examine the community’s close relationship with social justice and political activism. “I think people are recognizing that we all have a place in the movement for social justice, whether it is on the front lines providing medical aid to protestors to being behind a computer screen educating our community,” Mendoza said. A (very) brief history of Filipino American social justice Celebrated every October to commemorate the landing of the first Filipinos in America in October of 1587, Filipino American History Month was first designated and recognized nationally in 2009. Filipino Americans are the second largest Asian American group in the U.S, a group that has exponentially grown since the first North American settlement of Filipinos in 1763. These were swaths of Filipinos who were forced into enslavement during the Spanish galleon trade who escaped and established settlements across the Louisiana bayou, eventually dispersing throughout the country. By the 20th century, the West Coast became the most

A group of Filipinos made their first permanent settlement in the bayous and marshes of Louisiana as early as 1763. Despite the booming settlement for two centuries, the village was largely destroyed by the 1915 New Orleans Hurricane.

popular point of settlement (by then, a part of the U.S.), coinciding with a changing of colonial guards when the Philippines became a U.S. territory. As a pawn for two consecutive colonial powers — Spain and then the U.S. — sovereignty wasn’t just an issue of national political autonomy; it also became about the right to be recognized as a community that has a place in the United States. Immigration to the U.S. from the Philippines flourished from 1900 to 1934. Filipinos became U.S. nationals when it was realized that Filipino workers could fulfill the demand for cheap labor in agriculture, cannery and domestic servitude. But Filipino immigrants of the manong generation faced intense racial discrimination prompted by changing immigration policies, anti-miscegenation laws (the prohibition of interracial coupling) and oppressive labor laws that kept wages low and conditions nearly unlivable. This prompted a wave of workers strikes and demonstrations, most prominently led by fabled Filipino organizer Larry Itliong, the godfather of the labor revolution that put Filipino American activism on the map. Fast forward to the present when the world is plagued by

intense political division, fights for racial justice and, of course, a literal plague when social justice once again comes to the fore of collective consciousness. The wound of the martial law era in the Philippines remains fresh for stateside Filipinos and their American descendants as a reminder that progress isn’t linear, that tyranny and loss of basic freedom and rights occurs in a domino formation. Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that has disproportionately affected front line health care personnel, communities of color and essential workers (which prompted weak government response), the need to participate in meaningful activism has never been more dire. Moreover, thousands of anti-Asian hate incidents have been reported by Asian Americans across all cultures, prompting the question over whether or not America is truly welcoming of all races and ethnicities, Mendoza noted. “We’re seen as the perpetual foreigner, so regardless of where this virus came from, this rhetoric will always come back to haunt us. And we should never throw our Chinese brothers and sisters under the bus and be like, ‘We’re not Chinese.’ [Racists] don’t care about

Search to Involve Pilipino Americans hosts virtual benefit on Oct. 10 to raise funds for future headquarters, programs AMONG the upcoming events to mark Filipino American History Month is a virtual benefit for one of the oldest and longest-running non-profit organizations serving Fil-Ams in Los Angeles. Historic Filipinotown’s Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) on Saturday, October 10 will be hosting its 48th annual benefit, entitled “Vision for Tomorrow.” Joining entertainers such as Apl.de.Ap of Black Eyed Peas, Nick Cannon, Josh Dela Cruz, Ava DuVernay, H.E.R., Jo Koy, Dan Lin, and Lea Salonga, are Ella Jay Basco of “Birds of Prey,” pro dancer Cheryl Burke, news anchor Cher Calvin of L.A.’s KTLA News, L.A.-based dancers from Malaya Filipino American Dance Arts, and Princess Punzalan of “Yellow Rose.” The benefit aims to raise money for the organization’s programs and other funds for its new headquarters at HiFi Collective, which is set to open in spring 2022, the organization said. HiFi Collective will house the future John Eric Swing Small Business Center, named in honor of Swing, a champion of small business and SIPA’s executive director who died of COVID-19 earlier this summer. The virtual gala will be hosted by Erin Lim, host of E! News’ The Rundown and BingE! Club, and beauty guru and YouTube personality Patrick Starrr. In addition to celebrated Fil-Am comedian Jo Koy, who appears on the September 30 cover of Variety magazine as a “Legend & Groundbreaker,” SIPA is honoring Commissioner Jessica Caloza of the Board of Public Works, community leader

Anna Marie Cruz of Entrepinayship, and SIPA co-founding board member and community advocate Alan Kumamoto. Also, to be honored for excellence in business is Seafood City Supermarkets, recognized for its support of the Fil-Am culinary scene and the dedication of its grocery store staff working on the frontlines during the pandemic. “All of us at SIPA are excited to produce this special program for the community,” said Lyle del Mundo, president of the SIPA Board of Directors. “One way to enjoy the virtual gala while safely dining at home is by ordering your favorite Filipino food. On October 10, viewers are encouraged to order takeout or delivery from a Filipinoowned restaurant in their city.” SIPA is offering a limited number of “Dine & Donate” exclusive gala dinners for viewers in Los Angeles, which can be purchased on its website. With a $50 or $100 gala donation to SIPA, viewers in L.A. can pick

up a special dinner from HiFi Kitchen in Historic Filipinotown or LASA in Historic Chinatown. Gala sponsors get to enjoy a special VIP dinner package from The Park’s Finest, the popular HiFi-adjacent restaurant in Echo Park, celebrating more than 10 years in business. For gala viewers across the country, SIPA encourages participating in a special “Support Small Business” gala dining program. Beginning October 5, a specially curated list of Fil-Amowned restaurants and small businesses offering food/catering in cities such as Cerritos, Chicago, Honolulu, Las Vegas, New York City, San Fernando Valley, San Francisco, Seattle, West Covina, and more will be available on https://sipacares. org. Supporting small business is at the heart of SIPA’s community efforts. Registration for the virtual gala is free athttp://bit. ly/SIPAGALA, with viewing available on Facebook, IGTV, YouTube or Twitch.

that,” Mendoza said. A more inclusive future One way that Filipinos can manifest social justice efforts into their daily lives is to become a beacon of information on these pressing topics and to marshal the people in their lives to get involved, whether that’s through phone banking, volunteering for campaigns or even simply voting. Filipino Americans for

Joe Biden — made up of key Filipino Democratic volunteers across the country — is currently making its last-ditch efforts to drum up support for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who has been characterized as an antidote to the current administration. A 2020 Asian American Voter Survey found that Filipinos are the second-largest Asian American group to sup-

port President Donald Trump, a leader who has stirred antipathy from Democrats, Republicans and moderates alike for his restrictive social policies and his efforts to scourge basic constitutional rights, as the Asian Journal recently reported. The admiration many of these Filipino Trump supporters have for the current administration is rooted in a warped Continued on Page 3

Aga open to a ‘Bagets’ homecoming movie

entertainment

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 7, 2020

By Katrina

Hallare Inquirer.net

IT’S been decades since the teenybopper film “Bagets” hit theaters. And 36 years down the line, is Aga Muhlach still game to do the reunion movie with the whole gang? During Viva5 sa TV5’s media conference on Tuesday, Muhlach said talks about the homecoming film first floated after he and Eula Valdes reunited for an adult milk ad. “I just hope it happens. But sabi ko, before pa pinag-usapan na namin a long time ago. Sabi namin if it’s not gonna be as nice as ‘Bagets’, parang we would rather not do it,” Muhlach explained. (I just hope it happens. But I said, we’ve been talking about this a long time ago. We said if it’s not gonna be as nice as ‘Bagets’, then we would rather not do it.) “Parang (So) if we’re gonna do a reunion movie, it has to be as big as that or as memorable as that. If not, let’s just leave it at that,” he added. Nevertheless, he said he has not closed the door on making a movie with the entire “Bagets” cast.

Still from “Jake and Cahrice” trailer.

Aga Muhlach

“But of course, I would love to do a movie with the whole cast,” he said. He then teased Viva and it’s big boss, Vic Del Rosario: “So Viva, calling Viva Viva. Boss Vic, partner, gawa na tayo ng script, magandangmaganda pwede natin gawin ‘yan (Boss Vic, let’s work on a script, we can write a nice script.)” Aside from Muhlach and Valdes, “Bagets” also starred

Photo from Instagram/@agamuhlach317

Herbert Bautista, Raymond Lauchengco, Yayo Aguila, William Martinez, and J.C Bonnin, among others. “Bagets”, a Maryo J. de los Reyes film, was released in 1984 and ushered the era of youth-oriented movies in Philippine cinema. Meanwhile, Muhlach is set to be a judge in the upcoming show “Masked Singer Philippines,” which will premiere on Oct. 24 on TV5.

Tips from Alden and Jasmine to turn ‘quaranflings’ to the real thing By CHristina

alpad ManilaTimes.net

WITH more people slowly going back to a semblance of their old routines under the new normal, posts announcing the end of “quaranflings” are popping up all over social media. If you’re not in the know, GMA Network stars Alden Richards and Jasmine Curtis-Smith answer what this new term about matters of the heart means and how does one make it last. According to the urbandictionary.com, a quaranfling is a “dating encounter that begins during quarantine, used as a means to fill the dating void, and ends before quarantine is over.” That in mind, Richards and Curtis gave life to the characters of Gio and Lea in “Love on the Balcony,” which is one of the scheduled mini-series of the network’s ongoing drama anthology, “I Can See You.” According to the popular actors, they found themselves in a quaranfling scenario for their week-long run. For a peek into this scenario, imagine Richards as wedding videographer Gio who crosses paths with Curtis’ Lea, a frontline nurse. Uninspired and creatively drained, Gio is persuaded by his business partner and friend Val (Pancho Magno) to search for a potential fling for the quarantine. Lea is the perfect choice of course but as she and Gio fall in love with each other for real, how can they transcend from their quaranfling set up? “The story tells the audience, regardless of where we are and what we do, that there’s always love right around the corner. Siguro doon sa mga nag-start ang relationship sa quaranfling, consistency is the key [to go beyond it],” Asia’s Multimedia Star Richards first answered. “Kung gaano kayo ka consistent during the quaranfling period, sana pagbalik sa normal — to be able to sustain the relationship — you have to be consistent right then and there. Yun lang mapapayo ko,” Richards continued. As for Curtis who is currently in a relationship with longtime boyfriend Jeff Ortega, a quaranfling is a situation that can feel like a long-distance relationship. Coming from her personal experience and Lea’s

Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Alden Richards

character, she believes that the goal should be being there for the other person no matter what. “I’m sure for some people mawi-weirduhan sila whoever they are flirting with or having a fling with [to see each other] for the first time. But kung gusto naman talaga, may paraan eh, magagawan yan ng paraan. You’ll be able to make it feel normal, make it feel like you are where you are supposed to be even with just technology for the moment,” the actress added. As always, funny man Magno — happily married to wife Max Collins — gave a hilarious suggestion on what two people in quaranfling should do the first time they meet each other. “Pag nagkita kayo, ang magandang tanong, ‘Nagpa-swab test ka na ba? So siguro yun yung magiging start ng conversation, ‘Ah okay negative ako, let’s go!” Magno joked. With Curtis and Magno happily committed to their respective partners, of course there is no one else to ask from the cast if they had a quaranfling or two but Richards. Shaking his head, the top endorser of the moment said, “Parang masyado akong na-focus into my gaming. So parang wala naman in the past six months.” What Richards is sure about, however, is how happy he is that he finally had the opportunity to work with Curtis in a TV series. Crossing paths in a movie four years ago, Richards said he wanted to reunite with the actress when she trans-

GMA photo

ferred to GMA Network from ABS-CBN. “I’ve always known Jasmine as a great actress that’s why I really wanted to work with her. Walang nagbago; she still gets better in her craft every day. Siguro being an actor as well, that’s what I look for in a partner — yung seryoso sa trabaho, yung gusto niya ang ginagawa niya kasi that brings out the best in me as much as it brings out the best in that person as well. “So yun ang nabigay sa akin ni Jasmine in this project and hopefully this won’t be the last.” Reacting to the compliment Curtis followed on, “It’s really the work ethics of someone, more than anything, that makes you impressed with them. Nakita naman namin sa isa’t isa how attentive we are to our work and how we really want to put effort there. “You feed off whoever you are sharing the scene with and if makukuha mo yung energy ng ka-partner mo, it makes your job so much easier talaga. Ever since, I’ve always felt that about Alden and the way he works. So, I’m glad I got to work with him too,” the actress finally noted. Besides “Love on the Balcony” and “High Rise Lovers” starring Lovi Poe, Winwyn Marquez and Tom Rodriguez, still up for airing is “The Promise” with Andrea Torres, Yasmien Kurdi, Benjamin Alves and Paolo Contis on October 12; and “Truly. Madly. Deadly” featuring Dennis Trillo, Jennylyn Mercado and Rhian Ramos starting October 19.

Social justice, activism an... From Page 2 view of rugged individualism and American exceptionalism that neglects the basic need for community-centered, inclusive solutions. According to Mendoza, the key to cultivating a successful social justice force — especially one that stands the test of time and isn’t built upon superficial and performative means of activism — is relationship and community building and finding which social justice avenues are the right ones to follow. If you’re immunocompromised and can’t attend a protest, you can use the internet and telecommunications to

participate in specific movements and causes. Donating to reputable charities or financially supporting those who are able to take their activism to the streets is another way to rally behind a movement. Using your specific talents, whether it be graphic design, writing, videography or any other creative outlet, is another way to participate. But the strongest impact comes from educating yourself and others, especially family members, about the nuances of issues like police brutality, voter suppression or immigration reform. Whatever form your chosen

mode of activism takes, Mendoza emphasized the potential of the Filipino American community to build a future that is more informed, civically engaged and inclusive of all races, ethnicities, genders and bodies. “We need to ground ourselves in the legacy that we all hold on this stolen land. When it comes to social justice because we have always been here and a lot of the times we’ve been erased from those stories, so it’s important for us to remember and to uplift all those who have come before and who will come after that fight for social justice for all communities,” Mendoza added.

Contributed photo

Int’l Emmy nod for Jake docu brings cheer to singer in trying times

award in one of the most prestigious award-giving bodies,” said Jake, who had earWITH all the stress and lier described the unexpected anxiety that comes with the recognition as “surreal,” in his COVID-19 pandemic, Jake social media posts. Zyrus can always use a bit of Though “Jake and good news to cheer himself Charice” is technically an enup. try of Japan, the 28-year-old This one surely did: After recording artist hopes that his winning top honors at the U.S. Filipino fans are just as proud International Film and Video as he is. “It represents Japan, Festival this year, “Jake and but the documentary tackles Charice”—a documentary my story. I’m a proud Filipino; that delves into the singer’s this is our story … I hope it musical journey and gender also uplifts the spirits of Filipitransition—recently received nos in trying times,” he said. a nomination from the coming For “Jake and Charice” International Emmy Awards. to win the award will obvi“It’s important to have ously mean a lot to Jake. But something like this amid the being nominated is already an challenges we’re facing … it’s achievement. “I’m humbled especially important for my to be able to tell my story,” mental health. It’s something he said. positive and I feel good about Shooting the documenit,” Jake told the Inquirer in tary entailed revisiting “dark an e-mail interview. times,” and reliving all the Produced by Japan’s naanxiety, depression and chaltional broadcasting organizalenges that came with his tion NHK in cooperation with decision to come out as a local network ABS-CBN, the transgender man and change documentary was shortlisted his name from Charice to for the arts programming Jake. category, alongside United Fortunately, the team beKingdom’s “Why Do We hind the documentary (direcDance,” Brazil’s “Refavela 40” tor-editor Hiroko Ninomiya, and France’s “Vertige de la producers Shin Yasuda, Akiko Chute.” Tabakotani, Keiko Tsuneki and “My team, the Japanese Kenji Hyodo; and directors of producers and I are grateful photography Yusaku Mitand honored that our entry suwaka and Jayson Pajarillo) has been nominated for an handled and depicted Jake’s By allan

poliCarpio Inquirer.net

story with sensitivity and the respect it deserves. “I would like to thank NHK and Documentary Japan for believing in me and the opportunity to work with an award-winning director and producer. During filming, they kept on reminding me about the importance of my story,” he related. “They were very professional in handling it, and were considerate in situations I wasn’t comfortable.” The documentary was first aired in Japan in November last year. And while it would be great to have screenings in the Philippines too, Jake said they won’t be able to do it by themselves. “I would love to share this with our people … But we will need support from our fellow Filipinos, fans, the media,” he pointed out. Whether or not he gets acceptance or understanding from viewers who have seen the documentary is immaterial to Jake. What truly matters to him, he stressed, is being able to reach out to people who have had similar experiences and struggles. “Being able to reach out to people who have the same experience, and making them feel that they’re not alone is important,” he said. “The goal is to make myself feel good, but also to touch and inspire other people’s lives.”

community The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 7, 2020

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA DO you believe in angels? I do. Most people do. The strong presence of angels in the various books of the Bible, especially during the birth of Jesus Christ attests to the role of angels in human history. The feast of the most famous Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, is celebrated on September 29 and is called “Michaelmas.” St. Michael is the archangel who fought and won over Satan and is the protector of all people. He is invoked for the protection against all the snares and wiles of the devil and all demonic activity which go on a frenzy when power is at stake particularly this election cycle. So keep praying without ceasing to God to let St. Michael the Archangel, “Who is like God” wage a victorious battle during this critical time. The Archangel Gabriel, “Strength of God” announced to Mary that she would bring forth a son. St. Zechariah received a message from Gabriel about the birth of John, the Baptist. Archangel Raphael, “Medicine of God” cared for Tobias on his journey. It was an angel that told Joseph to take Mary for his wife. It was a multitude of angels that told the shepherds where to find the newborn child while angels hovered above the stable during that wondrous night It was also an angel that warned Joseph of a clear and present danger to the child Jesus. Herod, the unhinged, murderous king descended from a long line of powermad monarchs, wanted to make sure no one stood between him and his throne. In haste, Joseph left with Mary and the child during the night after the Magi had left for a long and arduous trek to a town in Egypt some

Angels among us (Part 1 of 4)

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly father.” — Jesus Christ Matthew 18:10 scholars estimate to be 200 miles away where Herod had no authority to commit mass murder. You can bet a host of angels guided them in seeking refuge. Herod’s murderous rampage began when he realized that the Magi had tricked him and had taken a different route home ignoring his sly request to tell him of the Christ child’s location. It is believed 14,000 innocent male babies from the age of two and below were killed in Herod’s most cruel, preemptive strike against this perceived threat to his kingdom. The holy family stayed safely away for years until the king died and the danger had passed. Did these holy innocents become cherubs, angels without wings? Do the millions of the unborn of our time the world over cut down by murderous abortionists become cherubs? Does God repurpose innocent souls upon their deaths to become angels themselves? There is a belief that souls are indestructible. If so, do souls get recycled back to be born at another time and place? Only God knows for certain. Angels were strong proactive characters when the story of humanity unfolded during biblical times. And while today, cynics, atheists and those on the dark side might argue that angels are figments of the human imagination, there are countless people who will brave the scorn of scoffers,

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fight back vehemently and attest to the very real presence of angels in their lives. The belief in the presence and power of angels to intervene is strong in popular conservative culture. In a remarkable 1999 Hallmark film, “A Season for Miracles,” an angel plays a pivotal role in helping a loving aunt to two children whose incarcerated, drug addicted mother places them in a situation forcing them to run and escape from the foster care system that threatens to split them apart during Christmas. The film is based on a novel by Marilyn Pappano and scripted by Maria Nation. Michael Pressman directed the film. It is a heartwarming story set in a small town called Bethlehem during Christmas with engaging characters like Agatha and Corrina. For those with a penchant for romance, the story has spades of it as well. So check this film out on youtube whether it is Christmas or not. In my opinion, this is a timeless piece of good work worth watching a hundred times. It will be an hour and some minutes to lighten your load and feel the presence of angels in your life as well. Suspend disbelief. That is the only way to feel the presence of angels. (To be continued…)

Will I have to pay spousal support if I file for divorce?

tion, to allow the supported spouse to take care of the children until they reach an age where a return to employment would be more feasible, or to become self-supporting within a reasonable time. Atty. Kenneth Although the use of UrsUA reyes standard guidelines based on income is encouraged in the award of temporary support, THE purpose of spousal such guidelines cannot be used support is not defined by the in awarding permanent spousal legislature in that its purpose support. As indicated hereinvaries according to the facts above, the award of support and circumstances of each is in large part based on the case. The facts and circumfacts and circumstances of the stances of a particular case particular case. In determinmay be such which call for no spousal support, or for support ing spousal support, the court considers numerous factors, for a very limited period of time, with the purpose to assist set forth in Family Code Sec. 4320. They include: 1) The the supported spouse to “get extent to which the earning back on his or her feet” as a capacity of each party is sufsingle person, or until community property is distributed. ficient to maintain the standard of living established during On the other hand, the facts the marriage, 2) The extent and circumstances of another to which the supported party case may call for support for contributed to the attainment an extended period of time, perhaps until death of the sup- of an education, training, a career position, or a license by ported spouse, the purpose for which to provide assistance the supporting party, 3) The ability of the supporting party to one who cannot support to pay spousal support, taking himself. into account the supportThe two situations mening party’s earning capacity, tioned hereinabove are earned and unearned income, extreme cases, on opposite assets, and standard of living, ends of the spectrum. Quite 4) The needs of each party obviously, the facts and based on the standard of living circumstances in a particular case may be such which call for established during the marriage, 5)The obligations and some amount of support for assets, including the separate some period of time, though not until death of the support- property, of each party, 6) The duration of the marriage, 7) ed spouse. For example, the The ability of the supported court may order support for party to engage in gainful that period of time required employment without unduly for the supported spouse to interfering with the interests of obtain or complete an educa-

Barrister’s Corner

*** 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 create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC. 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 Visit our website at kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)

Buboy Villar, American partner Angillyn Gorens break up

According to Angillyn, she and Buboy mutually decided Inquirer.net to end their relationship. FORMER child actor Buboy They have also tried to fix Villar and his American partner their relationship, but things Angillyn Gorens have parted did not work out for the both ways. of them, Angillyn added. This was confirmed by Buboy and Angillyn first Angillyn’s younger sibling became a couple in February *** 2016. Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP Veybillyn in a Philippine Despite their breakup, Anof Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send Entertainment Portal (Pep) gillyn said that she and Buboy comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ report published on Monday, October 5. still talk through video call. asianjournalinc.com

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dependent children in the custody of the party, and 8) The age and health of the parties. The factors set forth hereinabove are only several of the many factors the court will consider in deciding the issue of spousal support. In that the amount and duration of an award is largely based on the facts and circumstances of the case, it is advised that one who is requesting support, or is opposing a request for support, obtain experienced counsel, who will be able to present the facts and circumstances in the best light possible.

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Hallare

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Buboy and Angillyn are also parents to two kids, 3year-old Vlanz Karollyn and 1-year-old George Michael. “Feeling ko, mas naging okay naman both sides,” Angillyn was quoted as saying in the Pep report about her relationship with Buboy now. (I feel that we both became more okay.) “Arrangement namin sa Continued on Page 5

Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture returns virtually for Filipino American History Month FilAm ARTS (The Association for the Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture) announced the return of its popular Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC), the City of los Angeles’ official Filipino festival and the longest-running Filipino cultural celebration in Southern California. FPAC 27 will take place virtually October 23, 24, and 25 from 7 - 10 Pm, streaming on multiple platforms: Facebook live, YouTube and the newly relaunched filamarts.org website. Admission is free. After a two year hiatus, FPAC returns with an impressive lineup of Filipino American artists in the following disciplines: musika (music), literatura (literature), Sayaw (Dance), Philippine martial Arts, Pelikula (Film), Komedya (Comedy), Kulinarya (Culinary), Teatro (Theatre), Tradisyonal (Traditional Dance) and Bisual (Visual Arts). The following notable artists have confirmed their participation in this year’s virtual experience: musicians Apl.de.Ap, Ruby ibarra, Klassy, Jocelyn Enriquez, and actors Jonjon Briones (“Ratched”), isa Briones (“Picard”), Nico Santos (“Superstore”/”Crazy Rich Asians”), Alain Uy (“Helstrom” on Hulu), standup comedians Rex Navarrete and JR de Guzman, choreographer Phil Tayag (Jabbawockeez) and more. “We’re humbled to have our community celebrate its tradition once again and this year’s theme, ‘ Tuloy Po Kayo’ couldn’t be more apropos.” said Winston F. Emano, FilAm ARTS Board Director. “Some may recall that the first-ever FPAC in 1993 also came after a period of much uncertainty and over a quarter of a century later, its return is a wonderful reminder to us all of the power of arts to heal and of our culture to affirm. it’s good to be back!” Premiering a week after the los Angeles Riots in 1993, FPAC, has presented countless artists in a multitude of disciplines to multigenerational audiences nearing an estimated half-million attendees over the course of 26 years. But, this year marks its first as a virtual presentation. “We’re excited to debut FPAC on a first-ever virtual stage but, in festival tradition, we continue to spotlight a strong lineup of Filipino and Filipino American multidisciplinary artists,” said Giselle Tongi-Walters, FilAm ARTS Programming Director. “The hard work, long hours and dedication put in by the production team — helmed by award-winning filmmaker, Charles Uy — and our amazingly passionate Festival Builders alike has been nothing short of community-strengthening and inspiring and we are certain that our artists will pro-

Philippine Jeepney at the 2016 FPAC held at Echo Park in LA

community

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 7, 2020

Photo by Florante Ibanez

Buboy Villar and Angillyn Gorens with their children, Vlanz Karollyn and George Michael

Photo from Instagram/buboyvillar

Buboy Villar, American partner...

vide equal inspiration through their art and performances.” “it’s a blessing in disguise presenting FPAC virtually this year. more people on a global scale get to see what we are doing. When FPAC was presented on a stage, only people here on the West Coast were able to attend the event. We now get to exhibit and discover the artists in a more personal setting through our live streams. Our hope is that we can make people aware that Art is essential. When working and being home during this pandemic, we are either binge-watching our favorite shows or learning how to cook our favorite meals. These were all created by artists. When growing up in Queens, NY, i always wondered what it means to be Filipino American. With FPAC, we get to define who we are through sharing to the world our art and culture,” shared Charles Uy, this year’s Festival technical director. The 27th Annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) will be held over three action-packed days, October 23, 24 and 25 from 7-10 p.m. on facebook.com/filamartslA, YouTube and filamarts.org. Follow @filamarts on instagram and Facebook for the latest updates. Official Hashtag #FPAC2020 FilAm Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in los Angeles that advocates for FilAm and Pilipino culture by connecting people through facilitating arts and culture programming so that our

cultural identity may be properly represented, embraced, preserved for future generations.

From Page 4 mga anak namin is pwede niya dalawin anytime, or kunin sa bahay sila Vlanz at George,” she added. (Our arrangement is that he can visit them any time, and he can pick up Vlanz and George.) Angillyn added that their kids are currently staying with her parents. “marami nagtatanong sa akin at sa vlog ni Buboy kung bakit sa bahay nakatira yung mga anak namin, ang dahilan dun is dati kasi nagti-taping si Buboy halos araw-araw. Hindi

niya rin maaalagaan mga anak namin, at sa bahay naman nila maraming batang inaalagaan mama ni Buboy,” Angillyn said. (Many are asking me and on Buboy’s vlog why our kids stay at my house. It’s because Buboy is out taping almost everyday. He’s not able to take care of our kids, and in his house, Buboy’s mom is already taking care of so many kids.) “So we both decided sa bahay na lang yung mga anak namin dahil maaalagaan naman sila mabuti nila mama at

Papa,” she added. (So we both decided that the kids will stay with me so my Mama and Papa can take care of them.) Buboy is known for his roles in GmA’s “Super Twins” in 2007 and in an adaptation of “Darna,” starring marian Rivera, in 2010. in 2015, Buboy was cast as a young manny Pacquiao in the biopic film “Kid Kulafu.” Aside from being an actor, Buboy also has his own YouTube channel, where he has 714,000 subscribers as of this writing.

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