OCTOBER 9-12, 2021 Volume 31 - No. 80 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages
Robredo, Marcos to face off for Philippine presidency by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
PHILIPPINE Vice President Leni Robredo’s decision to formalize her presidential bid in the 2022 national elections was “expected,” according to former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. In a press conference in Ilocos Norte on Thursday, October 7, he said: “Expected naman natin ‘yun eh (We expected that). It’s not surprising.” “Hindi nakakagulat dahil matagal na niyang sinasabi na
kung tatakbo ako, tatakbo rin siya (It didn’t come off as a surprise since she has said before that she will run if I run),” added Marcos. Robredo filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) for president on Thursday, a day after Marcos filed his own. “My resolve is firm: We need to free ourselves from the current situation. I will fight, we will fight. I am offering myself as a candidate for president in the 2022 elections,” the vice president announced in Filipino, hours before heading over to the
USA
DATELINE FAHM 2021: Carson to pay tribute to labor leader Larry Itliong on October 23
Harbor Garden Tent of Sofitel hotel in Pasay City, where the Commission on Elections will accept certificates filing until Oct. 8. Her move set the stage for a rematch of the 2016 vice presidential elections, only this time the two candidates will be facing off against each other to succeed President Rodrigo Duterte. VP race On the scoreboard, Robredo has won against Marcos twice: during the vice presidential race, and the latter’s electoral protest case. u PAGE A2
PFIZER JABS. A Bureau of Customs official inspects boxes of government-procured Pfizer vaccine doses transported by cargo plane Air Hongkong at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City on Thursday, October 7. A total of 797,940 doses arrived at NAIA while the rest of the total 1,003,860 doses were shipped to Cebu and Davao. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
Maria Ressa becomes first Filipino to win Nobel Peace Prize by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
THE City of Carson, California and various organizations on Saturday, October 23 will join the entire community in honoring the life’s work and legacy of Larry Itliong – a Filipino American labor leader and organizer. A tribute march will start at 8 a.m. around the vicinity of Veterans Park located at 22400 Moneta Avenue in Carson followed by a labor awards ceremony. The event is free and open to the public. This year’s Larry Itliong Labor Awardees are Mary Grace Barrios, a community, political and union leader and Justice for Janitors (JfJ), a social movement organization that fights for the rights of janitors (caretakers and cleaners)
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RAPPLER co-founder and veteran journalist Maria Ressa has made history as the first Filipino to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday, October 8, announced that Ressa and Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for their “efforts to safeguard freedom of expression.” Rappler co-founder and chief executive officer Maria Ressa “The Norwegian Nobel AJPress file photo
Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2021 to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace,” it said in its announcement. “Ms. Ressa and Mr. Muratov are receiving the Peace Prize for their courageous fight for freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia,” it added. According to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Ressa and Muratov are “representatives of
all journalists who stand up for this ideal in a world in which democracy and freedom of the press face increasingly adverse conditions.” “Maria Ressa uses freedom of expression to expose abuse of power, use of violence and growing authoritarianism in her native country, the Philippines,” it noted. “In 2012, she co-founded Rappler, a digital media company for investigative journalism, which she still heads. As a
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City of LA approves COVID-19 vaccine mandate for indoor establishments by KLARIZE
MEDENILLA AJPress
THE City of Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 6 signed off on a mandate that requires proof of the COVID-19 vaccine for everyone entering most public spaces. The measure — which applies to anyone going to bars, restaurants, shopping malls, salons, gyms, museums, and sporting events, among other spaces — is one of the nation’s strictest in safeguarding the public and mitigating the spread of the more prominent and contagious delta variant. After the LA City Council voted 11-2 in favor of the measure, Mayor Eric Garcetti signed it
into law. The requirement will come into effect starting Nov. 4, it will start to be enforced on Nov. 29 by the LA County Department of Public Health and the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. “Vaccinating more Angelenos is our only way out of this pandemic, and we must do everything in our power to keep pushing those numbers up,” Garcetti said in a statement. “These new rules will encourage more people to get the shot, and make businesses safer for workers and customers.” Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio Certain retail establishments, such as pharmacies and grocery stores, are exempt from u PAGE A3
California vaccine mandate extends to aides for people Sara firm: I’m not with disabilities PH OKs new quarantine protocols for running for president
WORKERS in adult and senior care facilities and in-home aides have been added to the list of California health workers who must be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Those who work directly with people with disabilities — such as employees paid through the state’s regional center network, aides contracted by agencies, and in-home support service workers who don’t live with the person they assist — are now included in the vaccine mandate. This new group must be fully vaccinated by Nov. 30. Previous health orders covered only people working in licensed congregate settings like nursing homes, leaving out staff members who support 89% of people in California with developmental disabilities living with family, on their own or in group homes. For months, that left people like Tim Jin who rely on aides for everyday tasks to wonu PAGE A2
travelers from ‘green, yellow’ countries by GAEA
KATREENA Philstar.com
CABICO
MANILA — The Philippines on Friday, October 8 started the implementation of shorter quarantine protocols for international travelers coming from countries classified as low risk and moderate risk for COVID-19. Fully vaccinated individuals coming from “green” (low risk) and “yellow” (moderate risk) nations and jurisdictions need to undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative RT-PCR test results taken on the fifth day, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said. They will then be required to undergo home quarantine until their 10th day. The
day of their arrival will be considered their first day. Meanwhile, unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or individuals whose vaccination status cannot be independently verified or confirmed as valid or authentic by local authorities coming from “green” or “yellow” countries will undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of the RT-PCR taken on the seventh day. After that, they need to undergo home quarantine until their 14th day. Foreign nationals are required to secure their own pre-booked accommodation of at least six days for the fully inoculated, and at least eight days for the unvaccinated,
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by CATHERINE
S. VALENTE ManilaTimes.net
DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has asked her supporters for understanding after rejecting their calls for her to run for president in 2022. In a statement on Facebook, Duterte-Carpio said it pains her to not be able to heed the call of her supporters, who have been urging her to reconsider. “Masakit din para sa aking damdamin na sana’y magpaubaya sa mga kaibigan na hindi ko maibigay ang gusto ninyo. Gusto ko po sana tapusin muna ang huli kong termino sa Mayor bago ako manungkulan sa
ManilaTimes.net photo
ibang position (It pains me not to be able to give my friends what they want. I want to finish my last term as mayor before I serve in another position),” she said. Duterte-Carpio, who has filed her certificate of candidacy (CoC) for reelection as mayor, said she still has a lot to do in the city. Should Duterte-Carpio win, it will be her fourth mayoral term. She assumed the post in 2010 to 2013, 2016 to 2019 and 2019 to 2022. Various groups have been prodding her to run for president, but she said she will not run after her father announced his bid for the vice presidency. u PAGE A3
A2 october 9-12, 2021 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JoUrNAL
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From the Front Page
Robredo, Marcos to face off... PAGE A1
In 2016, she defeated Marcos by 263,473 votes, prompting him to file a poll protest before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) and claiming Robredo “cheated” to win the elections. After the Supreme Court (SC) approved Marcos’ protest in 2017, a preliminary conference of the case was arranged. The PET appointed retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose C. Vitug to chair the panel of commissioners handling the election case. Marcos, in this year, also requested a vote recount in Camarines Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental. In October 2019, the PET found that Robredo widened her lead over Marcos in the recount of votes in the three pilot provinces, showing Robredo with 1,510,178 votes now compared to her 1,493,517 votes in the areas chosen by Marcos previously. With the additional 15,093 votes from the recount, Robredo maintained her lead over Marcos with 278,566 votes. In 2020, Marcos appealed to PET to review and re-examine the initial vote recount results and conduct a technical examination of the voters’ signatures in three provinces in Mindanao namely Lanao Del Sur, Maguindanao, and Basilan due to alleged fraud and terrorism. Meanwhile, Robredo filed her own memorandum asking the PET to dismiss the election protest after Marcos’ camp failed to present any substantial recovery in the three pilot provinces. In February this year, the PET finally ended the four-year case by dismissing the entire poll protest filed by Marcos. “With regard to PET Case No. 005 (Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr., protestant vs Maria Leonor “Leni Daang Matuwid” G. Robredo, protestee), the 15 members of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal unanimously dismissed the entire electoral protest,” the high court, through its Public Information Office, said on Feb. 15. It also shared the dispositive portion of the ruling that read: “WHEREFORE, the Presidential Electoral Tribunal DISMISSES
Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo shows her certificate of candidacy for president at the Sofitel Harbor Tent in Pasay City on Thursday, October 7. She filed her COC just hours after she announced her bid for the highest post. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
Former Sen. Bongbong Marcos talks to the media after filing his certificate of candidacy. Inquirer.net photo by Daniza Fernandez
the Election Protest filed by protestant Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. for lack of merit. The Counter-Protest filed by protestee Maria Leonor “Leni Daang Matuwid” G. Robredo is likewise DISMISSED.” 2022 elections While the electoral protest has met its conclusion, the upcoming election season brought a new fight to the fore. This week, Marcos and Robredo launched their presidential bids, both announcing their reasons for seeking the country’s top post. In his pre-recorded speech, Marcos vowed to bring “that form of unifying leadership” back to the Philippines. He also said that the country “must face” the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic “as one.” “I know that it’s this manner of unifying leadership that can lead us through this crisis, get
our people safely back to work for all of us to begin to live our lives once again,” he added. Meanwhile, Robredo — who chose Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan as her running mate — promised to end the “old and rotten” politics in the country. “We will defeat the old and rotten politics. We will restore the power to bring change to ordinary Filipinos. I know many of you have been working on this goal for the past few months. I can feel your trust in me,” she said. “Let me say it now: I also have complete trust in you,” she added. Other presidential hopefuls include Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, boxer-turned-senator Manny Pacquiao, Senator Panfilo Lacson and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. The 2022 national elections will be held on May 9, 2022. n
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DATELINE USA
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 9-12, 2021
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PH OKs new quarantine protocols for...
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MEGA VACCINATION HUB. Evangelina E. Tendegan receives her first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine from Health Secretary Francisco Duque III during the inauguration of Wellness Entertainment Sports (WES) Arena Mega Vaccination Hub in Barangay Punturin, Valenzuela City on Thursday, October 7. Also in photo are Senator Bong Go (left), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health; Senator Win Gatchalian (right); and Deputy Speaker Wes Gatchalian (2nd from left). PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.
FAHM 2021: Carson to pay tribute to... PAGE A1
across the U.S. and Canada. Mary Grace Barrios is the current Vice President for Policy and Strategy for the Pilipino American Los Angeles Democrats. She was the first Filipino American Chair of West Covina Community Services Commission. She is also the Vice President for Filipino American Chamber of Commerce, San Gabriel Valley. She is the Pilipino Team Organizer and represents SEIU 2015 at the L.A. County Federation of Labor. Justice for Janitors was started on June 15, 1990 in response to the low wages and minimal health-care coverage that janitors received. Justice for Janitors includes more than 225,000 janitors in at least 29 cities in the United States and at least four cities in Canada. Members fight for better wages, better conditions, improved healthcare
and full-time opportunities. “The City of Carson is the first city to recognize the contributions of labor union leader Larry Itliong. We are proud to have this annual event and proud to have been instrumental in the movement to get Assembly Bill 7 passed in Sacramento recognizing October 25th as Larry Itliong Day throughout California,” said City of Carson Mayor Lula DavisHolmes. In 1965, Larry Itliong led the successful “Great Delano Grape Strike” to protest the low wages and miserable working conditions. In 1966, he led the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee and merged with the National Farm Workers Association led by Cesar Chavez to form the United Farm Workers union. In 1970, Larry Itliong founded and became the president of the Filipino American Political
California vaccine mandate... PAGE A1 der: Is the person brushing my teeth vaccinated? “Due to my disability, I cannot do anything like cooking, eating, using the restroom or even using the microwave on my own. I am totally dependent on others to assist me,” Jin said. Jin has cerebral palsy and lacks the use of his arms or hands. He communicates mainly by typing with his toes on an iPad mounted next to his feet on his electric wheelchair. Up to six health aides come in and out of his home every day, helping him with intimate tasks like eating and bathing. “The staff who come into my home should be vaccinated. It’s that simple,” he said. “It’s a matter of life and death.” Only health workers with religious objections or a qualifying medical condition can be exempted from the vaccine requirement. They will be tested weekly for the virus that causes COVID-19 and must wear highgrade masks when working. In September, Los Angeles County included those aides in its vaccine mandate, following a KPCC/LAist story that reported on the discrepancy. But the order applied only to L.A. County, leaving out the 200,000 Californians with developmental disabilities living elsewhere, including Tim Jin, who lives in neighboring Orange County. Advocates for people with disabilities hoped state health officials would use L.A. County as a model, but California’s Sept. 28 health order went further, mandating the vaccine for some inhome support service workers, as well as home health aides. “These care settings are home
to Californians with complex medical conditions, all of whom are at high risk of having severe but preventable outcomes, including hospitalization, severe illness and death,” said Dr. Tomás Aragón, California’s public health officer. California has reported 19,830 confirmed COVID outbreaks throughout the pandemic, and nearly 50% of those were reported in health care, congregate care and direct care settings, according to the California Department of Public Health. Of these outbreaks, the most (22%) have occurred in adult and senior care facilities and in-home direct care settings. Studies show that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities often have underlying health conditions that make them more susceptible to COVID. “And when they do get diagnosed with COVID-19, they are about two to three times more likely to die from the disease,” said Scott Landes, an associate professor of sociology at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Landes said cases seem to be dependent on two variables: preexisting conditions and the amount of in-person intimate care that the developmentally disabled person needs. “Which really just makes sense for COVID,” he said. “If you’ve got a caregiver that’s right up next to you, all day, it’s going to increase the chances that you could get the disease.” (Jackie Fortiér/Kaiser Health News) This story is from a reporting partnership that includes Southern California Public Radio, NPR and KHN. ■
Sara firm: I’m not running... PAGE A1 Duterte had accepted the nomination of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) as its vice presidential bet. But on October 2, the 76-year-old Duterte said he would be retiring from politics and Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go would run as vice president instead. The President also claimed that her daughter would run for president with Go as her running mate. The camp of Duterte-Carpio has not reacted to the President’s statement. “No comment,” said Liloan Cebu Mayor Christina Garcia Frasco, Duterte-Carpio’s spokesman. Duterte-Carpio had been leading in pre-election surveys on presidential contenders. Duterte still believes her daughter is “the most able candidate” for president. In a virtual press briefing Thursday, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said he and the President were still hoping Duterte-Carpio would change her mind.
Roque also insisted he would only file his CoC for senator if Duterte-Carpio runs for president. “I have hinged my political future to that of Mayor Sara. The President has from the very beginning believed that she is the most able candidate for President,” Roque said. Roque said his CoC is “ready” and that they plan to pray overnight in Malacañang to convince Duterte-Carpio to rethink her decision. Asked about Duterte’s assessment of a team-up between Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Roque replied, “Sa ngayon po hindi ko alam kasi pareho kami ni Presidente that (As of now, I don’t know because both the President and I), we are hoping that Sara Duterte would still run for president.” Marcos filed his CoC for president on Wednesday, while Go, Duterte’s long-time aide, formalized his bid for the vicepresidential race on Saturday. The filing of CoCs ends on Friday, October 8. ■
Association (FAPA), the first national political Filipino American organization and a crucial alliance between Filipino professionals with 30 active chapters throughout the United States. ‘Stronger Together in CommUNITY and Heroism’ theme was inspired by Larry Itliong’s leadership with the Delano Grape Strike of 1965. What he did to start the farm labor movement in this country is a great example of standing up for what’s right, using your voice, coming together in unison to facilitate positive change. For more information about Filipino American History Month
and “green” countries: the partially vaccinated, Red list and individuals who vaccination • Bermuda status cannot be independently Green list confirmed as valid or authentic. • American Samoa Here is a list of documents • Burkina Faso that will be accepted to verify or • Cameroon confirm a person’s vaccination • Cayman Islands status: • Chad • Certification from the • China (mainland) Philippine Overseas Labor Office • Comoros in the country of origin for • Republic of the Congo overseas Filipino workers and • Djibouti their spouses, parents and/or • Falkland Islands (Malvinas) children traveling with them • Hungary • VaxCert digital vaccination • Madagascar certificate or Bureau of • Mali Quarantine-issued International • Federated States of Certificate of Vaccination or Micronesia Prophylaxis (ICV) for Filipinos or • Montserrat foreigners fully vaccinated in the • New Zealand Philippines • Niger • National digital certificate of • Northern Mariana Islands the foreign government which • Palau accepted VaxCertPH under a • Poland reciprocal arrangement or BOQ• Saba (Special Municipality of issued ICV for non-OFWs and the Kingdom of Netherlands) foreigners fully vaccinated abroad • Saint Pierre and Miquelon Here is a list of “red,” “yellow” • Sierra Leone
• Sint Eustatius • Taiwan • Algeria • Bhutan • Cook Islands • Eritrea • Kiribati • Marshall Islands • Nauru • Nicaragua • Niue • North Korea • Saint Helena • Samoa • Solomon Islands • Sudan • Syria • Tajikistan • Tanzania • Tokelau • Tonga • Turkmenistan • Tuvalu • Uzbekistan • Vanuatu • Yemen Yellow list • All other countries and territories ■
City of LA approves COVID-19 vaccine...
PAGE A1 the mandate. The ordinance would require negative coronavirus test results within 72 hours of entry for those with medical and religious exemptions for vaccinations. Currently, the city requires full vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test for “mega-events,” i.e. any public event with more than 10,000 attendees like sporting events and concerts. Businesses that violate the ordi-
nance would be given a first warning but for a second violation, they would be fined $1,000 — for a third violation, $2,000, and for a fourth violation, $5,000. City Council President Nury Martinez called the mandate “a necessary step toward returning to normalcy” and lamented on the fact that too many people are still unvaccinated despite the wide availability of vaccines. The two councilmembers who voted against the vaccine mandate
were Joe Buscaino of District 15 (San Pedro, Wilmington) and John Lee of District 12 (Chatsworth, west San Fernando Valley). Buscaino, who is running for mayor next year, argued that the ordinance’s enforcement condition would hurt businesses: “Making a teenager… serve as a bouncer to keep people in or out of a restaurant, and then fining the business for their failure is not the way to go about it,” he said, according to ABC7. ■
A4 october 9-12, 2021 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JoUrNAL
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Fil-Am named director of development at St. Vincent Meals on Wheels in LA
CHRISTINE Calderon-Caruso has been named Director of Development at St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, it was announced by SVMOW Executive Director Veronica Dover, effective immediately. Calderon-Caruso will lead fundraising for the organization’s senior nutrition programs, which serve 1,200 homebound seniors and other vulnerable individuals throughout Los Angeles. Founded in 1977 by Sister Alice Marie Quinn, DC, SVMOW has grown into the country’s largest privately funded senior nutrition program. Calederon-Caruso has served as a social media and community engagement consultant with the organization since 2018, so she brings a familiarity with its mission and the population it serves. She has initiated strategic relationships and promotions with a number of corporations and area businesses to raise funds for SVMOW’s programs. Veronica Dover commented, “Christine has such a heart for our mission and our ministry. She brings so much love to our program and the seniors we serve. We are excited for her to bring her energy, enthusiasm, and vision to this new role and look forward to the positive impacts she will have on our program and our homebound seniors.” Calderon-Caruso has a deep background in fund development and as a program director for health and human services pro-
Christine Calderon-Caruso
grams and has worked for small and larger non-profits in Los Angeles — Search to Involve Pilipino Americans, When Georgia Smiled and the Dr. Phil Foundation, Union Rescue Mission — to name a few. A native of the Philippines, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Union Theological Seminary in Dasmarinas, Cavite, later earning a Master of Divinity from Claremont University and working as a youth pastor prior to entering the non-profit world. After working for more than a decade in non-profits serving at-
risk youth and low-income families, Calderon-Caruso segued into fund development. “I’m really a storyteller at heart: I have seen and worked with some of the most marginalized members of our society, and I want to tell their stories, and give voice to the voiceless. I welcome the challenge at St. Vincent Meals on Wheels to put a face to the seniors in our midst who sometimes remain invisible to the larger society,” she points out, “and to raise awareness and build on resources to serve them.” ■
Maria Ressa becomes first Filipino to... PAGE A1
journalist and the Rappler’s CEO, Ressa has shown herself to be a fearless defender of freedom of expression,” the Nobel Peace Prize body added. For her part, Ressa dedicated the award to her colleagues at Rappler. “I think what we have to do as journalists is to just hold the line... When you attack the media, it’s oftentimes shooting the messenger... The recognition of how difficult it is to be a journalist today, this is for you Rappler,” she said in a live video with Rappler. “I hope energy for us to continue the battle for facts... We’ll just keep doing on what we are doing,” she added.
In February this year, Ressa was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2021 by Norwegian labor leader and parliamentary representative Jonas Gahr Støre. Støre noted that Ressa has been harassed, persecuted, and arrested numerous times due to her critical coverage of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration. In 2020, Ressa and a Rappler staffer were found guilty of cyber libel over an article tying a Filipino businessman to alleged wrongdoings. “Ressa has for years lived with death threats and harassment on social media. She is thus both a symbol and a representative of thousands of journalists around the world,” he said. “The nomination fulfills key
aspects of what is emphasized as peace-promoting in Alfred Nobel’s will. A free and independent press can inform about and help to limit and stop a development that leads to armed conflict and war,” he added. The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel. Nobel laureates will receive 10 million Swedish kronor (SEK) or $1.15 million, as well as a diploma and a gold medal. Before the Nobel Prize, Ressa was one of several journalists named Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2018 for efforts to preserve press freedom. ■
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Poll: About half of all Filipino Americans DATELINE PHILIPPINES blame Trump for anti-Asian discrimination Bato Dela Rosa is admin’s presidential bet by KLarIZe
meDenILLa AJPress
WITH a little more than a year out from the contentious 2022 midterm elections, among the most pressing issues that candidates are facing this year is one that is long overdue and could be politically costly: understanding the diverse Asian American community and improving Asian American outreach. A new poll from POLITICO/ Morning Consult released this week reveals a much more selfaware and politically invested AAPI community, which itself has historically been ignored in mainstream data gathering and surveying. Because of the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the anti-Asian hate it helped produce, there have been dramatic shifts in the ways the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is perceived: by others and by itself. A new poll from POLITICO/ Morning Consult reveals a far more self-aware, self-assured and politically engaged AAPI community that is more willing to call out discrimination and vitriol. The poll was conducted this past June and surveyed 2,000 adults from nearly 50 ethnic groups that make up the entire AAPI diaspora, and although the communities that make up the AAPI community are disparate, there were shared A majority of AAPI adults surveyed, 71%, blame former President Donald Trump for the increased bigotry and hate against AAPIs. Trump’s rhetoric regarding the pandemic often included xenophobic language that created a false equivalency between the virus’ origins in China to anyone
who looked remotely Chinese. As the Asian Journal previously reported, Filipinos make up about 18% of the entire Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community, making it the third-largest Asian origin group in the nation. According to the poll, 49% of Filipinos square the blame on the former president for the increase in anti-Asian discrimination. But among all other AAPI groups, Filipinos are less likely to actually place blame: 66% of Chinese Americans, 63% of Japanese Americans, 59% of Korean Americans, 54% of Vietnamese Americans and 52 % of Indian Americans surveyed blame Trump. Among the Filipinos surveyed, 46% see discrimination as a threat, while 61% and 66% see white supremacy and violence as threats, respectively. Since the onset of the COVID19 pandemic — which became a breeding ground for anti-Asian resentment, hate, and violence due to the false equivalency between anyone who looked Chinese and the virus’ known origins in China — the advocacy group Stop AAPI Hate has tracked more than 9,000 reported incidents of hate incidents directed at Asians and Asian Americans. While the pandemic provided a necessary albeit costly jumping off point, the hypervisibility of the AAPI community now is helping folks outside of the community understand AAPIs with greater contexts. American Studies professor Janelle Wong of University of Maryland, College Park told POLITICO that political and social outreach to the AAPI community mainly centered around immigration and education, zeroing
in on the “forever foreigner” and “model minority” stereotypes that stymie progress for the vast and diverse community. “This is to me what should have happened long ago among those who have been trying to mobilize Asian Americans — and that is focusing on racial bias and racial discrimination as something that is very important to Asian Americans as a whole,” Wong said. Political campaigns and candidates have a problematic history in shutting out the AAPI community because it represents a relatively small portion of the overall American population, tends to reside in less politically crucial districts, and takes far more preparation and resources to target the multilingual community and understand each culture’s unique needs. While ethnic and racial representation has become a major talking point, AAPI politicians and candidates have harnessed their racial backgrounds in the last few years with little to no avail — like the divisive Andrew Yang, who ran for president in 2020 but failed to garner majority AAPI support. The study found that a vast majority, 87%, of AAPIs feel most represented when elected officials share their values, regardless of their race. The 30% who want politicians to look like them and the 43% who want politicians from similar backgrounds paled in comparison. “Just appealing on the basis of ‘common identity’ was often quite difficult because the community is remarkably diverse,” said Taeku Lee, UC Berkeley professor. “What often works is this shared sense of threat or hardship.” ■
Detained De Lima files CoC for senator DETAINED senator Leila De Lima, through a representative, filed on Friday her certificate of candidacy (CoC) for senator to continue her fight for better government. De Lima, in a statement, said the primary reason for her decision to seek another six-year term is to continue her advocacy for social justice, human rights criminal justice report, good governance and rule of law, and national sovereignty.
Also on her agenda, De Lima added, is to protect democracy and the democratic institutions, which she claimed were destroyed by the present administration, and to uplift the honor of the Filipino people and the country in general. De Lima is detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame,Quezon City for the past five years for drug-related charges. De Lima is facing three-drug
related cases, all of which are non-bailable. De Lima was accused of accepting drug money from highprofile prisoners during her incumbency as justice secretary under the term of the late former president Benigno Aquino III. De Lima allegedly received P5 million on Nov. 12 and Dec. 15, 2012. The money was allegedly meant to support her senatorial bid in the May 2016 elections. (ManilaTimes.net)
by BeLLa
PereZ-rUBIo Philstar.com
MANILA — Less than an hour before the deadline for filing candidacy, Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has surfaced as the standard-bearer of the administration-led faction of the PDP-Laban party. The faction of PDP-Laban backed by President Rodrigo Duterte has struggled to find a replacement for Sen. Bong Go, who declined its nomination for president and chose to run as vice president under the party instead. Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio was also expected to seek the presidency after topping preferential surveys but filed her candidacy for reelection instead under Hugpong ng Pagbabago, the party she founded. Although he is PDP-Laban’s presidential candidate, Dela Rosa filed his candidacy at the Sofitel tent in Pasay City wearing an HNP shirt. Asked if the Davao mayor would take his place and enter the presidential race last minute as her father did in 2015, Dela Rosa said: “Hindi (No), I don’t know how we will do it if ganun (that way).”
Philippine Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa
Philstar.com photo
He said he was running to continue the administration’s fight against illegal drugs, corruption and terrorism. Dela Rosa, a former police chief, is known for his bloody implementation of the Duterte administration’s flagship campaign against illegal drugs. He was police chief of Davao City from 2012-2013 under Duterte-Carpio (2010-2013) and Duterte (2013-2016). Dela Rosa was appointed top
cop by President Duterte in 2016 and served until 2019. He sought election to the Senate in 2019 and won along with other close allies of the president. As a lawmaker, Dela Rosa coauthored the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, a widely opposed measure that petitioners before the Supreme Court say has potential for abuse and could be used to silence legitimate dissent and criticism. ■
DOJ: Review findings of drug war probe will be revealed by rItCheL
menDIoLa AJPress
THE Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) has assured that the government is not hiding the results of the investigation into the Duterte administration’s war against illegal drugs. “The government has no intention of keeping its review and investigation of the anti-illegal drug campaign secret, as this matter is openly reported to the people as the process goes along,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Friday, October 8. His statement came after United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called for the public release of the review findings of President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-narcotics crackdown. Guevarra also said that Duterte
allowed the agency to release recommendations on handling cases from operations by law enforcement agencies. “Our recommendations to let the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) build-up and file the appropriate cases against erring law enforcement agents have been effectively approved when the President stated before the UN General Assembly that he had directed the DOJ and the PNP (Philippine National Police) to review the conduct of the entire drug war,” he said. Likewise, the Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva assured that the DOJ is monitoring the preliminary investigation and prosecution of 87 criminal cases filed against some 100 law enforcement personnel. “Our authorities are further strengthening disciplinary and accountability mechanisms with
a human rights information system on violations and compliances by the 200,000-strong police force nationwide,” it said. “Post-operation reports for all drugs-related operations and the mandatory use of body-worn cameras in police operations are strictly enforced,” it added. On Thursday, Oct. 7, Bachelet urged the DOJ-led panel to be more transparent about its drug war report. “I encourage publication of the panel’s findings so its work can be evaluated,” she said “The authorities should also involve the National Human Rights Commission and other relevant actors including by sharing information on cases under investigation, to ensure an effective and victim-centered process,” she added. In June 2020, Guevarra announced before the UNHRC’s
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OPINION
Laggard in recovery
FEATURES
IN the latest gauge of the quality of the pandemic response, the Philippines sank to the bottom among 121 countries in the COVID-19 Recovery Index, drawn up every month by Nikkei Asia. The Philippines slid to the bottom in September from second to the last in August in terms of COVID infection management, vaccination pace and social mobility. Health officials explained that the September index was drawn up at the height of the surge driven by the highly infectious Delta variant, at the same time that cases were going down in neighboring countries. While the infection rate in the Philippines slowed down at the end of the month, however, Nikkei Asia noted that the vaccination rate remained among the lowest in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Indonesia, which also grappled with a Deltadriven COVID surge beginning in June that infected over 350 fully vaccinated doctors, claiming the lives of dozens, now ranks the highest within ASEAN in the recovery index at 54th place. Singapore followed at 70th place, Cambodia (76th), Malaysia (102nd), Myanmar (105th), Thailand (109th), Vietnam (118th) and Laos (120th). Nikkei Asia did take note of improvements in the Philippines as September drew to a close, including the shift to granular lockdowns with a new
alert system that allowed greater social mobility and more economic activities to resume. The country has had the longest and strictest lockdown in the world to contain the coronavirus. The restrictions have resulted in one of the steepest economic contractions in the world and high COVID cases. The 10,670 new COVID infections reported yesterday brought the total to 2,643,494, with deaths hitting 39,232. Rankings in the recovery index, as Indonesia has shown, can improve significantly. This is the challenge to all countries, especially those whose health care systems have been weak even before the pandemic. The inadequacies in the Philippines’ pandemic response, from testing to contact tracing, border controls and the vaccination program, have been pointed out by various sectors including healthcare workers. The Philippines needs greater effort to avoid being the laggard in COVID recovery. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Deficient
First Person ALEX MAGNO WE are not rating very well in the slew of comparative indexes recently released about how countries have handled the pandemic. The Philippines either rated last or close to it. Earlier, the country also rated embarrassingly low in comparative indexes about the education system. The loud official howl that followed release of one global index pressured the multilateral agency responsible for it to backtrack. Quite predictably, our officials end up arguing with the ratings we receive. But they are fighting the messenger instead of trying to understand the message. Unless there is some evil global conspiracy to put us down, the variety of indexes rating the country low on any number of metrics tells us one thing: our capacity for governance is deficient. We should focus on addressing that problem rather
One the move
SEGUNDO ECLAR ROMERO THERE they go! Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao, Mayor Francisco Moreno, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Vice President Leni Robredo are all racing for the presidency in May 2022. All eyes are on the candidates and their campaigns. But looking at the runners making their way on the track is looking too narrowly. Who wins may depend on factors outside their electoral performance. The biggest of them is “digital vote-buying.” Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez said the Comelec has worried about the possibility of electronic payments like GCash being used to buy votes in the coming elections. The COVID-19 pandemic not only has familiarized Filipinos with the practice of sending and receiving money electronically, it has also given them the occasion to use it to tap their social safety nets during the debilitating pandemic. Jimenez tells us the poll body is not capable of singlehandedly preventing digital vote-buying. Several government agencies need to work together to counter this threat that can lead to ques-
than denying it exists. Things have not changed much. Many years ago, an American features writer put out an article arguing we have a “damaged culture.” There was a predictable howl of protest, mainly condemning the writer. There was no effort at all to do self-examination of our cultural predispositions. We do have a predisposition to let problems fester, look for easy solutions or simply hope things will improve on their own. Take the case of the erratic supply situation plaguing Samal Island, Davao City and Davao del Norte. The area is served by a distribution utility called NORDECO. For years, the area endured power interruptions, rotating brownouts and high electricity charges. All these imply lost business opportunities and potential incomes. Samal Island, for instance, relied on a high tourist flow before the pandemic struck. But the larger resorts had to rely on their own generator sets to provide their guests a modicum
of comfort. In a 2016 survey, smaller resorts reported losses of about P5,000 a day because of the erratic power supply. Business owners in Davao City and Davao del Norte have ranted on social media about the added costs of erratic power supply. Refrigerated goods go to waste. Appliances break down because of the interuptions. Everyone is punished by the heat and humidity of long nights without power. How could this sort of situation have persisted for so long in an area touted as a growth driver not only for Mindanao but for the whole country? While delivering “dirty” power, NORDECO charges among the highest electricity rates. Apparently, those high rates are not being reinvested to improve service. NORDECO enjoys a franchise to exclusively deliver power to this fast-growing area. The combination of bad service and high rates means that the franchise has become a tool for rent collecting at the expense of economic efficiency the locality.
Philstar.com photo
The franchise has become the modern equivalent of a fiefdom. Apparently, there is little our power managers could do to compel holders of franchises to continuously improve their service. This enables franchise holders to short-change their customers. There is a need for policy change to prevent this from happening. It should be possible to regularly review the performance of those granted franchises and compel them to improve quality of service. If we wait for the franchises to expire, it might be too late. In this case at point, the potentials of a growth area may be bottled up by failure to efficiently deliver power. Final The period for filing of certificates of candidacy is over. The list of candidates is very likely final. There will still be conspiracy theorists arguing that what we see is not what we are going to get. They point out that there is a second deadline in play: the deadline for parties to substitute their candidates. This second deadline was what Rodrigo Duterte used in 2015
to enter the presidential race (and win it) via the backdoor. This is actually a very risky route. The Comelec could easily block substitution for reasons of frivolity as easily as they weed out those deemed “nuisance” candidates. The timetable for any sort of complex maneuver after the deadline for filing of candidacies is extremely tight. One will be slightly mad to pull the sort of trick Rodrigo Duterte did in the previous presidential elections. Nor is it likely that any of the major presidential candidates will withdraw during the campaign. They are by now heavily invested in their candidacies. The candidates who signed up to be their runningmates and senatorial hopefuls depend on their steadfastness. A campaign of sorts is in progress in social media for Isko Moreno to withdraw in favor of Leni Robredo. This is pretty naïve. It assumes that if Isko withdraws, his voters will predominantly migrate towards Leni. There is no statistical evidence to support that. Voter migration is a phenomenon unique to European parliamentary elections where
parties tend to be distributed along a Right-Left spectrum. It happens during runoff elections where the top two candidates contend for a simple majority of the vote. Those originally aligned with leftist parties will tend to vote for the left-of-center finalist. This is unlikely to happen in our electoral setting where there are no ideological and party constituencies. Voters identify with personalities and not ideas. The closest we have to “ideological” voting involves disposition over what happened at Edsa 35 years ago. With Bongbong Marcos in the running and Leni committed to block him, there is a danger the election discourse will be drawn towards re-litigating what happened over a generation ago. If the election discourse drifts in that direction, there will be less space for talking about the future. (Philstar.com) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
Biggest threat to the elections tionable electoral results. One problem, according to Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, is that the Comelec has not done this kind of tracing and prevention of digital vote-buying before. There are no systems established for dealing with this novel threat to fair and honest elections. Guanzon was told the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will be able to trace the use of digital vote-buying. But tracing after the fact might not be enough. What is needed is setting up the system and demonstrating the capability to dissuade attempts at massive digital vote-buying. After-the-fact forensic investigations that prove digital vote-buying happened after the candidate of interest has been proclaimed might be too late. Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar worries about the limited information electronic payment platforms may be willing to share in the interest of client privacy. They may also be unwilling to store and preserve massive data for the authorities. Eleazar thinks the challenge of digital vote-buying requires vigilant citizen reporting. Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code punishes votebuying and vote-selling with imprisonment, disqualification from office, deprivation of the right to vote, and fines. However, digital vote-buying is a new practice; processes for its regu-
lation, investigation, prosecution, and jurisprudence do not yet exist. The second most worrisome problem is the undue advantage that might result from the use of ads on Facebook and other social media platforms. Jimenez said the Comelec will tap Facebook for data on dedicated campaign advertisements of political candidates. However, the numerous social media platforms and the different ways in which information is communicated and shared would be challenging to monitor. Even if real-time monitoring is possible, final tracking can only happen when the campaign period has been completed. An effective system of countermeasures needs to be set up beforehand. For this, the Comelec is shorthanded and underfunded. Perhaps the biggest problem of all might be the absence of laws that regulate the use of social media during campaign periods. The Comelec has the distinction of undertaking the biggest project in government, that of bringing out 61 million voters on election day, record and canvass their votes, and proclaim the winners. It takes slightly longer to proclaim the national candidates, but this is amazing work. Comelec field officers have the gung-ho attitude of being creative, of being troubleshooters so the elections will happen
without a hitch despite problems in schedules, logistics, communications, machines, and other challenges. But they deliver each time. Digital vote-buying, social media campaign expenditures, and troll action are new types of challenges the Comelec has not faced before. The fact that illegal or unwanted activities might emanate outside Philippine borders is also a distinct probability. The Comelec and concerned agencies like the PNP, the National Bureau of Investigation, the BSP, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the electronic payment firms, the citizen arms of the Comelec, ICT-expert organizations, and international electoral integrity organizations need to work to set up the countermeasures before the election campaign gets going. This country needs clean and fair elections in May 2022. We owe this to the candidates running for elections in May 2022, all their supporters, as well as the Filipino citizenry that is hoping for a new beginning and national renewal after more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Time to get going! (Inquirer.net) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
Vice President Leni Robredo
Inquirer.net file photos
Former Senator Bongbong Marcos
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno
Senator Panfilo Lacson
Senator Manny Pacquiao
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CAYETANO FOR SENATOR. Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano (2nd from right) announces that he will run for senator as an independent candidate in the May 2022 polls during a press briefing at the Senator Renato Campanero Cayetano Memorial Science & Technology High School on Thursday, October 7. Also in photo is his wife, Rep. Lani Cayetano (right). PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
Philippine Senate urged to act on bill granting security for media workers THE National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) on Friday, October 8 appealed to the Senate to act on the long pending proposed law granting security of tenure and other benefits due to the members of the press. In a statement, NPC President Paul Gutierrez said the House of Representatives’ version of the Media Workers’ Welfare Act (MWWA) has been sitting idly in the senate for months after being approved by their counterparts from the lower house. “Members of the press have made their sentiment of dismay coursed [through] the NPC be known that up to now, the proposal remains languishing at the Senate Committee on Labor headed by Sen. [Emmanuel] Joel Villanueva,” Gutierrez said. “Indeed, we are disappointed that while the Senate can allocate as much time as it wants to investigate perceived corruption in the executive branch actively participated by most of our
senators, the single bill addressing the decades-old problems afflicting the media sector like security of tenure and granting of benefits provided for by law continues to gather cobwebs in the chamber,” he added. The neglect by Villanueva’s committee, he added, is more glaring considering that no less than Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd authored the Senate version of the bill under Senate Bill 8120 that the latter filed on Sept. 9, 2020. Authored by ACT-CIS partylist representative and former broadcast journalist Niña Taduran, the MWWA, under House Bill 2476, was unanimously passed by Congress on Jan. 18, 2021. The National Press Club is calling out Villanueva’s committee for its inaction, stressing that media workers, at this time of a pandemic, are also frontliners and among those at high risk. “Many in our rank not only contracted Covid-19 but also
died from it in the performance of their duty as journalists, the least that our lawmakers can do is to be also considerate by passing a measure that is long overdue,” expressed Gutierrez. “We are therefore again appealing to the sense of fairness of our senators for the expeditious deliberation and passage of the media workers welfare bill,” the NPC official added. Under the proposed measure, media workers shall, at the minimum, be paid the wages, allowances and benefits provided by law to workers. They shall also be covered by the Social Security System (SSS), the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) or the Pag-IBIG Fund, and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) upon employment. Once enacted, the MWWA likewise guarantees security of tenure to media workers after the probationary work period of six months of continuous work. (ManilaTimes.net)
DOJ: Review findings of drug war probe...
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44th session that the Philippine government created an interagency panel tasked to conduct a “judicious review” of the 5,655 deaths in anti-illegal drug oper-
ations. External to the Philippine National Police (PNP), the panel is chaired by the DOJ, with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) serving as an indepen-
dent monitoring body. So far, the panel has completed its report on 52 cases against law enforcement officers for alleged misconduct during drug war operations. ■
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Political rivalries on PNP radar PH ranks last out of 121 countries in global COVID-19 recovery index by emmanUeL
tUPaS
Philstar.com
MANILA — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar has ordered police commanders to start mapping out security plans as intense political rivalry is expected to heat up at the local level. Eleazar said that nearly all election-related violence in previous elections stemmed from political rivalries among candidates vying for local posts, including clashes among their supporters. He said they are also monitor-
ing candidates who are likely to resort to violence in their respective areas. “I also ordered our Intelligence Group to start the monitoring and background check on all the candidates who have the history, the potential and the means to sow violence,” he said. As part of efforts to ensure honest, peaceful and orderly elections next year, the PNP intensified its campaign against loose firearms and private armed groups. Eleazar assured the public that the PNP would do everything in
its power to protect the democratic process. On the filing of certificates of candidacy and of nomination and acceptance, Eleazar said he is satisfied with the election security measures laid out in the past six days. He reiterated his call to political aspirants to discourage their supporters from accompanying them or gathering outside the offices of the Commission on Elections and other venues to avoid super spreaders, which could lead to a surge in COVID cases. ■
by ZaCarIan
gaVIn Inquirer.net
h. Sarao
MANILA — Nikkei Asia’s latest COVID-19 Recovery Index ranks the Philippines last in infection control, vaccination and mobility. Tokyo-based financial magazine’s latest index lists the Philippines as the last country out of 121. The index measures the following factors, with each subcategory worth 10 points for a total of 90: Infection management: Confirmed cases of COVID-19 versus peak case count; Confirmed cases per capita; Tests per case. Vaccine rollouts: Total vaccine doses given per capita;
New vaccine doses given per capita; Share of people who have been fully vaccinated. Mobility: Community mobility; Oxford stringency index; Flight activities. The country only scored a measly 30.5 at last, with Malta leading the list with a score of 73. The top five countries are as follows: Malta, with a score of 73; Chile, 72; Bahrain, 72; United Arab Emirates, 71; Saudi Arabia, 70. Meanwhile, Vietnam, the nation that scored the lowest in the previous two rankings, received a full score of 10 in the “new vaccines” subcategory, said Nikkei, which places it among the top 10 percent of
countries administering vaccine doses daily. Vietnam is currently placed at 114, with a score of 33. Apart from the Philippines and Vietnam, other member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were also ranked lowest. However, Nikkei noted that some improved their ranking due to their vaccination efforts and a decrease in COVID-19 cases: Malaysia’s ranking increased from 115th to 102nd and Indonesia went up from 92nd to 54th. This recovery report came after Bloomberg’s COVID Resilience Ranking report on Sept. 29, where the Philippines also ranked last among 53 countries in a study that measures economies’ resilience to the COVID19 pandemic. ■
Watchdog wants BBM emergency alert probed by roBertZon
ramIreZ
Philstar.com
MANILA — Election watchdog Kontra Daya urged the Commission on Elections and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to conduct an investigation into the apparent illegal use of the “emergency alert system” supposedly to promote the candidacy of former senator Bongbong Marcos. It emphasized that using the alert system is a political statement to show they have the wherewithal to win the 2022 polls even if it means stealing, cheating and hijacking their way to do so. In a statement, Kontra Daya said it is not enough for the Comelec to just say that the action is “ill-advised” and for the NDRRMC to simply deny sending the message. It emphasized the need to identify the persons responsible for the act. “If the incident goes unchecked, this could be repeated on a grander scale from now until election day. This is not just intrusive to mobile phone users, but also offen-
sive to those who want clean and transparent elections,” the statement read in part. Kontra Daya said only Marcos and his supporters would benefit from the “hijacking of the emergency alert” to engage in a “de facto” premature campaigning for the May 2022 national and local elections. It also emphasized that the National Telecommunications Commission should identify “both the buyers and sellers of the technology used by the Marcos camp” after an NTC official said that the agency will probe the incident, and formally charge the persons responsible. The group said it is very concerned about the other “dirty tactics” that these politicians will bring to cyberspace and other social media platforms. Marcos denied that he and his camp had any hand in the “emergency level” alert sent out after he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) last Wednesday. Individuals at the vicinity of the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City received the alert, which is usually reserved only for times of calamity or danger.
But in an interview with CNN Philippines yesterday, Marcos said he “had no idea” what happened on the alerts. “I was shocked. The message was not about an impending crisis or disaster. It was about me. I immediately asked, ‘Why? I hope we have nothing to do with this.’ It is wrong. This should not be done. And so, everybody we asked that has anything to do with IT and social media, they told me they had nothing to do with it,” he claimed. Marcos said he is waiting for the results of the NTC probe. Victor Rodriguez, Marcos’ chief of staff, earlier said their camp is supporting the NTC’s probe. “We should not tolerate underhanded moves to trivialize this tool meant to forewarn the Filipinos of an impending, actual or post disaster event or scenario. We hope that the responsible parties do not interfere with government systems just to operate political sabotage against presidential aspirant Marcos,” the statement, posted on Wednesday, said. (Ralph Edwin Villanueva/Philstar.com)
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DHS issues new ‘guidelines for the enforcement of civil immigration law’ Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ IN what has been described as “…a dramatic shift in U.S. immigration enforcement policy that will likely spare most undocumented immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for years…,” on September 30, 2021, Alejandro Mayorkas, the Sec. of the Department of Homeland Security, issued new guidelines for the enforcement of civil immigration law, which are to become effective on November 29, 2021. This memo provides guidance to DHS for the “apprehension and removal of non-citizens.” More importantly, it provides guidance or a framework for DHS exercising prosecutorial discretion, which is basically the government deciding who is subject to arrest, detention, removal or deportation, and who should be left alone, even though they may be technically subject to deportation or removal. The reason for DHS to exercise prosecutorial discretion is explained in this memo. There are more than 11 million undocumented or otherwise removable noncitizens in the U.S. DHS simply does not have the resources to pursue removal proceedings against every single one of them. In addition,
there are simply not enough courtrooms, which are already backlogged. Therefore, DHS believes it needs to exercise discretion or judgment, and determine who to prioritize for immigration enforcement action or deportation. Thisnewmemoevenrecognizes the contributions being made by so many people who are out of status or undocumented, including those who work on the front lines in the battle against COVID-19, teach our children, do backbreaking work, and just want to be legal, so they can contribute to the U.S. The memo goes on to state that, “the fact an individual is a removable noncitizen… should not alone be the basis of an enforcement action against them.” In other words, if the only immigration violation a person has is being out of status, that should not warrant them being targeted for removal. Instead, DHS wants to focus its efforts on “those who pose a threat to national security, public safety, and border security and thus threaten America’s well-being.” 1. Threat to national security. This includes noncitizens who are engaged in terrorism, espionage, or terrorist-related activities, or otherwise pose a threat to national security. 2. Threat to public safety. This includes those who have committed serious criminal conduct. 3. Threat to border security. This includes people who are apprehended at the border or port of entry/airport, while attempting
to unlawfully enter the U.S., such as what may be happening at the southern border right now, or they were apprehended in the U.S. after unlawfully entering after November 1, 2020. The memo also instructs officers that they should not target a person for apprehension or removal because of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, national origin, or political associations. As the memo states, “we must ensure that enforcement actions are not discriminatory and do not lead to inequitable outcomes.” The memo also seeks to protect or assure vulnerable noncitizens who face threats of being reported to DHS by employers or landlords, who may seek to exploit them by threatening to turn them over to immigration. As the memo states, “we must ensure our immigration enforcement authority is not used as an instrument of these and other unscrupulous practices.” There have been many previous memos on prosecutorial discretion, and I have written articles, and posted videos on my YouTube channel, “US Immigration TV.” What happened was memos were issued, lawsuits were filed, court injunctions were issued, and new memos came out. But this memo is now going to be the operative memo or guidance on prosecutorial discretion. Therefore, if you or anyone you know is in deportation or removal proceedings, or may have already been ordered removed, and are not one of the listed
DADDY’S GIRLS FINALLY GET THEIR VISAS, THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Cathlene (extreme left) and Corinne (2nd from left) were petitioned by their U.S. citizen father while he was living in the Philippines in 2017. By law, a petitioner must be “domiciled” or living in the U.S. in order for family members to be issued immigrant visas. Since the father was still residing in the Philippines, the Embassy refused to issue the daughters’ visas. Their mother, Malou, (2nd from right) consulted with the office of leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (extreme right) to help establish the petitioner’s domicile in the U.S. and have the children’s visas issued. Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, October 10 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)
“enforcement priorities,” you should consult with an attorney who can evaluate your case and request the government to exercise prosecutorial discretion, which could include perhaps not pursuing removal proceedings against you in the first place, dropping or dismissing removal proceedings, or reopening previous removal order and having the case dismissed, so you can pursue a green card through other ways, such as marriage to a U.S. citizen. But the documentation and evidence have to be properly gathered assembled, packaged, and presented to the government.
That’s why, if you could benefit from prosecutorial discretion, you should consult with an attorney for guidance. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 40 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different, and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended
to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/ GurfinkelLaw, YouTube: US Immigration TV and Instagram.com/gurfinkellaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
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Groundbreaking ceremony celebrates future home of St. Cabrini Health Care Services A formAl groundbreaking ceremony was held on monday morning, october 4, 2021, in la Canada to mark the start of construction of a new two-story, 4,750 square foot office building located on Indianola Way, which will serve as St. Cabrini Health Care Services llC corporate headquarters, which is owned by Grace mercado ouano and her husband rupert ouano. Grace and rupert ouano have been planning to move their corporate headquarters to la Canada for several years. la Cañada has been home for the ouanos for 26 years and they are now delighted to be able to bring their corporate business headquarters to la Canada as well. This office building, designed by architect ludi Cruz Herrera, will house the offices for all their several health care and related business and non-profit entitles and will serve as the center from which they can ensure that they continue to provide the highest quality health care to every one of their patients in each of their five facilities. The headquarters will also house the offices for The Grace o foundation. Its mission is to research, explore and report on the role of food/ nutrients in wellness, aging and longevity, and to promote healthy, sustainable food and nutrition efforts, as well as supporting nutrition education
and food advocacy programs, especially for an aging population. The foundation will support food and wellness programs, churches, and those in need. As part of the foundation’s efforts, this building will also house the Grace o foodTrients test kitchen. Grace and rupert ouano could not build their corporate offices in la Canada without the support of the la Cañada City Council and mayor. Grace began the ceremony with a short speech about her plans for moving her businesses to la Canada. She also thanked mayor michael T. Davitt, who spoke a few words to honor this ground-breaking and to welcome Grace. mayor Davit was followed by the filipino Consul General Edgar B. Badajos, who also spoke in honor of the ceremony. Before the ceremony concluded with the traditional first shoveling of earth, monsignor Antonio Cacciapuoti provided a blessing of the building, which should be completely built and ready for occupancy in approximately one year. Before leaving, all the quests who witnessed Grace Mercado Ouano speaks at the groundbreaking along with special guests (from left to right) La Cañada Mayor Michael T. Davitt, the ceremony were presented with some Philippine Consul General Edgar B. Badajos, and Monsignor Antonio Cacciapuoti. delicious foodTrients treats prepared especially for this celebration, as well as with copies of Grace o’s two cookbooks, The Age Gracefully Cookbook and The Age Beautifully Cookbook. n
Grace Mercado Ouano (3rd from left) and her special guests dig in at the groundbreaking ceremony for St. Cabrini Health Services’ future headquarters. From left: Contractor Don Fennel, Sandy Matarazzo, Grace Mercado Ouano, Monsignor Antonio Cacciapuoti, Philippine Consul General Edgar B. Badajos, La Cañada Mayor Michael T. Davitt, and architect Ludi Cruz Herrera.
Architect Ludi Cruz Herrera’s rendering of St. Cabrini Health Care Services’ future corporate headquarters in La Cañada.
La Cañada Mayor Michael T. Davitt
Philippine Consul General Edgar B. Badajos
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 9-12, 2021
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B4 OctOber 9-12, 2021 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL
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PH Consulate General and Fil-Am community in ‘The issues of visas LA to celebrate Filipino American History Month 2021 and domicile,’ with a fashion show on Philippine textiles this Sunday on Citizen Pinoy
LOS ANGELES — The Philippine Consulate General and the FilipinoAmerican Community in Los Angeles (FACLA) will celebrate Filipino-American History Month with a commemorative dinner and cultural fashion show on Saturday, October 16, 2021, at the Church of the Scientology of the Valley in North Hollywood. In a statement, Consul General Edgar Badajos said, “this event is part of the Consulate General’s mandate of promoting the Philippines and its culture in its jurisdiction, where more than 1.3 million Filipinos live, the largest in the United States, as well as partnering with Filipino-American associations in organizing activities aimed at educating the public about our community’s contributions to American society.” The highlight of the event is a cultural fashion show dubbed, “Ani” (Harvest), which will feature traditional Filipino fabrics
EMPLOYMENT
Designer Jhay Layson
Designs by Jhay Layson
integrated into high fashion pieces and wearable creations by Philippine-based fashion designers Jhay Layson, Laura Concepcion Santos and Edwin Uy. These designers are stalwarts of the Philippines’ biggest fashiondesigners guild, the Designers Circle Philippines. The show is under the direction of renowned
Filipino pageant and fashion show director, Concon Siñel. According to Siñel, “Ani” also features a kaleidoscope of everything that is beautiful about the Philippines: its original music, colorful and vibrant dances, its magnificent destinations and the best in contemporary fashion. Assisting Siñel is Manila-based
EMPLOYMENT
events maven Jerome Malate, who is the show’s runway director. The event will be covered by ABSCBN International and LA-based community publication, Asian Journal. About the designers In their special fashion collection produced for this event, the featured designers incorporated various indigenous textiles from different parts of the Philippines — from to the intricately patterned fabrics of Luzon and Visayas to the brightly colored weaves of Mindanao – into their creations to create a modern look that is both chic and fashion-forward. Jhay Layson This young Filipino womenswear and menswear designer combines an exuberant vision to fabrics and silhouettes with a carefree yet gentle approach to femininity. Layson, who is also the Founder and Creative Director of PAGE B6
TO petition one’s family members to come to the U.S., the petitioner must prove they are living (or domiciled) in the U.S. In this episode, U.S. citizen father, Cesar, petitioned his daughters, Corinne and Cathlene. However, he was living in the Philippines when his daughters’ visas became available. The U.S. Embassy refused/denied the visas on “public charge” grounds because a petitioner must always submit an affidavit of support, and to do so, the petitioner must be domiciled in the U.S. The family retained leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel to prove the petitioner’s U.S. domicile and to overcome the public charge refusal. Atty. Gurfinkel and his team were able to convince the Embassy to issue the children’s visas. Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, October 10 on its new time at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the app for free.
EMPLOYMENT
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 9-12, 2021
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Misclassified ‘salaried’ employees who work long hours entitled to back wages titled to overtime pay for work beyond 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. Overtime exemption also applies to some very highly paid and highly skilled professional computer employees even if Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. they are paid on an hourly basis. But, the following computer professionals have to be AARON Kudatsky worked as paid overtime because they an implementation consultant are not exempt: in California for Tyler Tech• Those who work on comnologies, a company that sells puter-related tasks but have business and public sector opnot attained the skill and exerations software being used pertise necessary to work inin finance, payroll, billing, and dependently and without close others. Tyler’s implementation supervision consultants assist its clients in • Those who operate comcustomization and training in puters or in the manufacture, the use of Tyler’s products. The repair, or maintenance of comimplementation consultants are puter hardware and related classified as exempt and are equipment salaried employees. Kudatsky • Those who are skilled in often worked more than eight computer-aided dehours per day. sign software but Kudatsky sued the company claiming that Under California law, employees who are not working as computer systems he and other impleare entitled to overtime pay for analysts or programmentation consultants were misclassified as any work in excess of eight hours mers • Those who write exempt employees computer-related maand were, therefore, in one workday, or 40 hours in terials intended to be not paid overtime for any one workweek. Employees read by customers, work of more than 8 subscribers, or other hours in a day. are exempt from overtime pay users of the computer Under California media law, employees are enonly if they fall within very Rather than proceed titled to overtime pay specific exemptions. to trial, the parties for any work in excess agreed to settle the of eight hours in one case upon payment workday, or 40 hours in any one workweek. Employ- ing advanced knowledge; (2) by Tyler Technologies of $3.1 ees are exempt from overtime assigned a job that requires million to the class. Approxipay only if they fall within very the exercise of discretion and mately 300 employees will independent judgment.; (3) benefit from the settlement. specific exemptions. *** paid at least twice the state’s Executive Exemption For executive exemption minimum wage for full time The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, to apply, an employee must employment; (4) licensed or Jr. welcomes inquiries about this be: (1) paid at least twice the certified by the State and en- topic. All inquiries are confidential state’s minimum wage for full gaged in the practice of law, and at no-cost. You can contact time employment; (2) assigned medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, the office at (818) 291-0088 or as primary function the man- optometry, architecture, engi- visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [For agement of the business; (3) neering, teaching, or account- more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, responsible for regularly di- ing (or engaged in a learned or Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages recting the work of 2 or more artistic professions). If an employee’s primary for thousands of employees and subordinates; (4) has the authority to hire, fire, give pay duties involve day-to-day tasks consumers. He was named Top Labor treatment or recommend such that are not directly related to & Employment Attorney in California actions; (5) regularly and cus- management policies or gen- by the Daily Journal, consistently tomarily exercises discretion- eral business operations, then selected as Super Lawyer by the ary powers; and (6) devotes these employees may simply Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past less than 50% of work time to be engaged in production Presidential Awardee for Outstanding work, not administrative work. Filipino Overseas.] non-managerial duties. If so, then they should be en(Advertising Supplement) Administrative Exemption
Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights
To fall under the administrative exemption, an employee must be: (1) paid at least twice the state’s minimum wage for full time employment; (2) charged with the performance of office or non-manual work directly related to management policies or general business operations; (3) regularly exercises discretionary and independent judgment; (4) regularly assists a proprietor or an executive or administrative employee; and (5) works only under general supervision on special or technical assignments and tasks. Professional Exemption Employees exempt under the professional exemption must be: (1) engaged in work which is primarily intellectual, artistic, creative or requir-
Epiphany Kiosk photo
File photo www.sfio.co.nz
Hypergrowth global expansion of Epiphany Café commences as part of SFIO’s $100M business roadmap to be achieved by 2022 SMOKEFREE Innotec, Inc. (“SFIO”) announces the opening of franchising slots for Epiphany Café in the U.S., Australia, UAE and Canada, following the completion of acquisition of Agrokings Inc. This will be marketed as part of SFIO’s global investor roadshows, which will be held in key states in the U.S., including Los Angeles, Arizona, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York, from October 2021 onwards. A new name for SFIO is also well underway. Meanwhile, SFIO’s ‘The Global Academy’ — a masterclass and business coaching arm of the company — has been established, which will lead the global marketing campaign of SFIO by conducting informative sessions to highlight the entrepreneurial mindset about investing and owning a business. A key part of SFIO’s strategy is tapping into businesses and individuals who are in the sharing economy, which is aligned with its business model and particularly, the integration of co-ownership and microbusiness concepts in the holistic franchise model of Epiphany Café.
This fully integrated Epiphany Café franchise system will be epitomized at its upcoming pilot stores and is backed up by robust industry and market research to ensure the viability and sustainability of the business. SFIO has recently fully-owned Australian-based subsidiary, Accord Investment Group (AIG), and has successfully completed the strategic acquisition of MLV Group and Big Lou’s Donuts (BLD). BLD is a successful Australian company headquartered in Melbourne that specializes in producing a wide range of commercial donuts for retail and wholesale supermarkets across Australia. The state-of-the-art donut factory of BLD is capable of producing more than 9,000 donuts per hour. The facility will be utilized by SFIO to produce Epiphany Café’s pillow-soft donuts as part of its expansion plan in Australia. Additionally, SFIO has also successfully acquired MLV Group – a well-established accounting firm, 100% Filipino-owned company in Australia serving more than 5,000 Filipino-Australian clients which has a seen growth rate of
more than 30% annually due to its reliable, professional, and trustworthy services. MLV Group will also provide accounting and financial services to the SFIO conglomerate while pursuing its accounting firm expansion throughout Australia. “The acquisitions will expedite the expansion of Epiphany Café in Australia. Big Lou’s donut factory will be utilized as the central commissary to supply the Epiphany Café outlets with its signature pillow-soft donuts using SFIO’s Smart-Freeze technology while continuing Big Lou’s supply of commercial donuts to supermarkets across Australia,” says Jeths Lacson, CEO and Chairman of SFIO. There will be more synergistic companies to be acquired in the next 12 months to bring value to the conglomerate to strengthen the portfolio of the company. SFIO’s official website (www.sfio.co.nz) is now live with relevant and informative content about the company and its subsidiaries. Investor pitch deck and calendar of events pertaining to SFIO’s global campaign and roadshows will be posted on the website soon. Stay tuned for more updates. (Advertising Supplement)
B6 OctOber 9-12, 2021 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL
Tax Tips VictoR Sy, mBA, cPA (RetiRed) WHAT Is a Step-Up in Basis? The term “step-up in basis” refers to the readjustment of the value of an appreciated asset for tax purposes upon inheritance. It adjusts the value of an asset when it passes from owner to heir. The higher market value of the asset at the time of inheritance is used for tax purposes. When an asset is passed on to a beneficiary, its value is typically more than what it was when the original owner acquired it. The asset receives a step-up in basis so that the beneficiary’s capital gains tax is minimized. A step-up in basis is applied to the cost basis of property transferred at death. In summary: • A step-up in basis readjusts the value of an appreciated asset. • It is applied to the cost basis of property transferred at death.
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Step-up in basis for assets Will I have to pay spousal transferred at death support if I file for divorce? Biden tax plan series
• Step-up in basis is used to calculate tax liabilities for inheritance assets. • Transferred assets receive a step-up in basis so the beneficiary’s capital gains tax is minimized. • There are other proposals to replace it with lower capital gains taxes. Current Tax Law: “Step up in Basis” may not be a household term, but folks, this is the holy grail of tax planning. It’s a tax loophole (the best) for assets transferred at death. • If you bought a $500,000 investment property many moons ago and is worth $2 million at your death, there’s a gain of $1.5 million. Capital gains tax would be horrendous, but would be zero (yes zero) due to the step up in basis concept. The cost of $500,000 would be “stepped up” to $2 million resulting in a gain of zero and… tax of zero!
• I’ve used this legal concept for my clients during my 50 years of tax practice. It works beautifully. • Alas, this would change under Biden’s plan described below. Proposed Tax Changes: Proposed law would eliminate the step-up in cost basis for inherited and gifted wealth. Sigh. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV – Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation. *** He retired after 50 years of defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He published a book on “How to Avoid or Survive IRS Audits” that’s available at Amazon. Readers may email tax questions to vicsy@live.com.
Debt Relief
Atty. lAwRence yAng Another modification we will make to the above debtor is that he does not owe medical bills of $500,000, but he does owe $100,000 of credit cards and $50,000 of business credit lines. So he owes $150,000 of unsecured debt. The question is: What is the minimum Chapter 13 payment that he will have to pay? Generally speaking, he will have to pay at least the non-exempt portion of any asset that he has. In this example, we said that his house has equity of $120,000. This means that if he has another relative living in the house, his home equity exemption is $100,000 maximum. But because his total equity is $120,000, there is $20,000 that is a non-exempt asset. Therefore, in this example, his minimum Chapter 13 payment will be $20K over five years, or more or less $350 a month of 60 equal monthly payments. Why is this the minimum? Because in Chapter 7, creditors will have a right to get $20K, so in Chapter 13, creditors must at least get paid $20,000 over five years. Make sense? Of course, it does. In this situation, the debtor’s household income and expenses must be able to show that he has at least $350 of disposable income every month. What is disposable income? Disposable income is net income (gross income minus allowable deductions such as social security and taxes, union dues etc.) minus allowable expenses. The calculation is not that simple because not all expenses are allowable to be deducted. For example, charitable contributions are deductible without any set limit. But food expenses are subject to IRS standards for the size of the debtor’s family in California. Rent is also subject to IRS standards depending on family size. There are laws that apply to allowable expenses that your lawyer knows. For instance, you may have two kids in college. He gives them allow-
Atty. Kenneth uRSuA ReyeS
THE purpose of spousal support is not defined by the legislature in that its purpose varies according to the facts and circumstances of each case. The facts and circumstances of a particular case may be such which call for no spousal support, or for support for a very limited period of time, with the purpose to assist the supported spouse to “get back on his or her feet” as a single person, or until community property is distributed. On the other hand, the facts and circumstances of another case may call for support for an extended period of time, perhaps until death of the supported spouse, the purpose for which to provide assistance to one who cannot support himself. The two situations mentioned hereinabove are extreme cases, on opposite ends of the spectrum. Quite obviously, the facts and circumstances in a particular case may be such which call for some ances of $500 each per month. amount of support for some period Sorry, that’s not an allowable of time, though not until death of expense. the supported spouse. For examWhat happens if all assets ple, the court may order support are exempt? for that period of time required for The minimum Chapter 13 the supported spouse to obtain or payment would then depend complete an education, to allow on the disposable income of the supported spouse to take care the debtor’s household using of the children until they reach an the foregoing described calculation method. There is no set formula for calculation. Lawyers have bankruptcy software that helps them do this calculation. WHEN it comes to credit card But the software normally is not accurate because each case has debt, a lot of people are in desubtle differences from other nial that they have a problem. Of cases. So the lawyer’s experi- course, denying doesn’t help beence comes into play in this cause until you get to that point calculation. It’s important to where you can honestly admit to consult your case with an expe- yourself and acknowledge that a rienced bankruptcy lawyer. The problem does exist, you will never do anything to change your situacalculation is almost an art. What happens when you com- tion. Thus, you will simply remain plete all plan payments? In this stuck where you are. Most people don’t talk about example, the debtor will make 60 monthly payments at $350 their credit card debt because per month. Upon completion of they find it embarrassing. They all plan payments in five years, can talk to their friends and famhe will have paid the Chapter 13 ily about everything else but trustee who has the responsi- when it comes to the subject of bility of distributing these pay- how much debt they are carrying, ments among all his creditors, most people would not divulge a total of $20,000. So what hap- any information. It makes them pens to the difference between very uncomfortable. So, what haphis total debt of $150,000 and pens is that most people struggle his total payment of $20,000? silently on their own, sometimes In other words, what happens for years, until one day their situto the $130,000 that he did not ation becomes a financial emerpay? The $130,000 disappears gency. And even then, a lot of and is wiped out by the bank- these people continue to live in ruptcy court’s order discharg- denial as they pretend that their ing his debts. The $130,000 is debt problems don’t exist. They forever wiped out. It doesn’t hesitate to even see an attorney come back forever, even if the to get help. Don’t let this happen debtor’s income increases ten to you or someone you love. A lady came to my office crying times in the future. If you need debt relief, please about her situation. For the last set an appointment to see me. I 5 years, her debts have spiraled will analyze your case person- out of control as she continued to charge more on her credit cards ally. than she paid off every month. By *** Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is now, her debts have skyrocketed considered legal advice for anyone. to more than $60,000. She told There is absolutely no attorney-client me that at first, she was able to relationship established by reading this article. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and PAGE B4 Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand TCMI International, a modelling clients in California. Please call Angie, academy, creates his collection by Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for drawing his inspiration from the an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, works of Filipino masters in visual Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont art, whose depiction of local color Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South are unmodified and undistorted. Prior to the global pandemic, Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement) in 2019, he spent several fashion seasons touring his collections in the Filipino communities in the U.S. (particularly Houston, Beaumont, Austin, Cheyenne and Los Angeles) and in Europe (Rome, Kristiansand, Madrid and Paris) – as well as fashion weeks in Manhattan, Bangkok and the Philippines. Laura Santos Fast-rising designer Laura Jesus wants us also to share Santos established her fashionour talents of treasure, time, design career in 2014, creating and talent with the church and gowns for brides and the entire community. So, our posses- bridal entourage. Santos is the granddaughter of sions are not just money and material things. They are also “Don Juan” Santos, the founder of Glenmore Shoes, a well-respected our gifts, skills, and time. Jesus wants us to trust him Filipino shoe brand famous in in all circumstances--to see the 1960s through the 1980s. beauty and hope amidst suf- Glenmore was renowned for its fering and poverty. He wants handcrafted leather shoes, boots us to trust in his teachings and and accessories. After several years of designing live by them. He wants us to be courageous and hopeful in wedding gowns, 2021 saw Santos times of uncertainty, poverty, entering the ready-to-wear market. This is the result of her newfound sickness, and death. vision to pay homage to Filipino *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints culture, while preserving the expressed by the author do not nec- distinctive identity for which essarily reflect the opinions, beliefs her designs have been known. and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, Using homegrown textiles from its management, editorial board and Philippine indigenous hand-woven fabrics (such as ramit, yakan, staff. inabel and t’nalak) as accents for *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pas- her prêt-à-porter collection, Laura tor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, fuses her minimalist style with boho chic. California.
What is the minimum payment in Chapter 13? AS you probably are aware, an individual can file either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 under the bankruptcy code when he or she needs relief from accumulated debt. In Chapter 7, the debtor gets a fresh start in life, without having to pay anything to creditors. The debtor gets to keep most if not all of his assets, including the house, furniture, cars, retirement accounts, or bank deposits, subject to qualifying under a system of asset exemption. In order to keep the asset, there has to be an applicable exemption under the law. For instance, if you have a 401K of $750,000, can you keep this asset in Chapter 7? Yes, you can. There is an applicable exemption for qualified retirement accounts up to about a million dollars, therefore the Chapter 7 debtor with a 401K of $750,000, can wipe out credit cards, medical bills, business credit lines and any other kind of debt which are not excepted from discharge, in any amount, even $500,000 or $50 million, there is really no limit to the amount of debt that an individual can wipe out in Chapter 7, and still be able to keep his $750,000 of 401K. Let’s say that debtor owed $100,000 of credit cards, $50,000 of business credit lines, medical bills of $500,000 because he guaranteed the hospital bill of his father who was visiting from abroad and did not have travel insurance but got a heart attack when they went to Disneyland. The Chapter 7 discharge will wipe out all $650,000 of debt while he keeps his $750,000 of retirement account. That’s a great deal. He gets a fresh start in life without $650,000 of debt but with his asset of $750,000 still whole. Now, where in the world can you have such a great deal in life? Everything in your life stays the same; you don’t lose anything other than your accumulated debts. But let’s say that you can’t qualify for Chapter 7, the next best alternative for debt relief is Chapter 13. This is sometimes called a financial reorganization. In the above example, let’s assume that debtor also owns a house with equity of $120,000 and he or she is not yet 65.
Barrister’s Corner
age where a return to employment would be more feasible, or to become self-supporting within a reasonable time. Although the use of standard guidelines based on income is encouraged in the award of temporary support, such guidelines cannot be used in awarding permanent spousal support. As indicated hereinabove, the award of support is in large part based on the facts and circumstances of the particular case. In determining spousal support, the court considers numerous factors, set forth in Family Code Sec. 4320. They include: 1) The extent to which the earning capacity of each party is sufficient to maintain the standard of living established during the marriage, 2) The extent to which the supported party contributed to the attainment of an education, training, a career position, or a license by the supporting party, 3) The ability of the supporting party to pay spousal support, taking into account the supporting party’s earning capacity, earned and unearned income, assets, and standard of living, 4) The needs of each party based on the standard of living established during the marriage, 5)The obligations and assets, including the separate property, of each party, 6) The duration of the marriage, 7) The ability of the supported party to engage in gainful employment without unduly interfering with the interests of dependent children in the custody of the party, and 8) The age and health of the parties. The factors set forth herein-
above 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. *** 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)
Don’t let credit card debt ruin your life Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon at least make minimum payments on her credit cards by taking money from other credit cards. So for a short while, she was in denial that her debt problem was getting worse although she could see her credit card balances going up every time she received her credit card statements. Of course, it didn’t take very long before her credit cards were maxed out and she couldn’t take any more money out of them to pay her other credit cards. So from there she started falling behind on some of her debt payments. Her breaking point came recently when she got served a lawsuit by one of her creditors. So she panicked and called our office to get help. If you are reading this article and you can relate to the story I shared above, let me ask you these questions: What about you? Are you in denial or in control of your credit card spending? Sometimes when I ask people how much they owe, they can’t even tell me because they say that they have lost track of the
amounts. If this is you, this may be a danger sign of debt trouble. If I asked you to at least estimate the total balances of each of your credit cards right now, could you do it? A lot of people wonder why no matter how hard they work, they are always broke every payday. The reason is that they don’t even know or realize how much of their paycheck goes to just paying debts every month. They have “black holes” in their monthly budget that they can’t explain because they just can’t see where their money is being wasted. If you would like to explore your legal options in getting out of debt, we may be able to help you. Call my office at 866-4777772 and request a free consultation with me. *** NOTE: Due to pandemic safety concerns, I am currently offering consultations via phone or video. Please call the office to schedule your appointment with me. Questions? Email me at gethelp@rjblawoffices.com. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866477-7772. (Advertising Supplement)
PHL Consulate General and Fil-Am...
The call to greatness Pastor’s Notes ReVeRend Rodel g. BAlAgtAS LIKE many of us, the wealthy man in this Sunday’s Gospel was searching for wisdom and direction in life. He was also concerned about his right relationship with God and personal salvation. Is he doing the right thing? Will he get to heaven? It’s why Jesus looked at him with love and compassion. Jesus saw his genuine intentions, innermost desire, and humbleness. He also saw the man’s goodness and potential to be much more. So, Jesus challenged him, saying; “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” As the Gospel relates, the man went home sad because he had
“Jesus, looking at him, loved him...” Mark 10:21 many possessions that could not give up, sell, and share with others, especially the poor. Let’s focus on Jesus’ wish for this man. He wanted him not merely to be “good” but to be “great.” He wanted him not to settle for less but to be much more. If he was listening to Jesus’ teachings, to be great means to possess a childlike spirit—totally dependent on God’s grace and surrendering all of his life to God. To be much more means to be the least of all, the servant of all. Jesus’ wish for this man Is his similar wish for all of us. He desires that we live a life of radical generosity, kindness, empathy, mercy, openness, courage, and faith. And so, he asks us to forgive our enemies, walk an extra mile, and love even those that are not related to us.
Designer Laura Santos
Santos’ designs using T’nalak textiles
Designer Edwin Uy
Uy’s national costume creation
Edwin Uy An award-winning fashion designer of Filipino, Chinese, and Spanish descent, Edwin holds a degree in Mathematics from the Philippines’ University of the East before taking his place in the fashion industry. Uy has created a name for himself in the Philippine fashion industry because of his beautiful and unique ensembles. He balances creativity and wearability, qualities that make his creations
very appealing to women. Aside from his bridal and evening wear collections, Uy is also known for his versatility as a couturier, creating fabulous show-stopping costumes. His works have been used by top artists and celebrities in their major concerts and special events. His national costumes for innumerable pageant candidates have reaped countless “best in national costume” awards in the Philippines and in international pageants. n
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 9-12, 2021
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B8 OctOber 9-12, 2021 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797