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OCTOBER 16-22, 2020
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DATELINE FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Bay Area Fil-Am father in desperate need for Filipino stem cell donor
People of color, including Filipinos, are less likely to find a stem cell match on national registry
1210 S Brand Blvd, Glendale, California 91204
IMF: PH to suffer biggest blow from COVID-19 in region by ritChel
Mendiola AJPress
THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday, October 13, downgraded its gross domestic product (GDP) forecast for the Philippines
this year following the slowdown in private investment and consumption due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. In its October 2020 World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, the multilateral lender said the country’s GDP is expected to contract by -8.3 per-
cent, which is a decline from its -3.6 percent projection in June. The contraction is deeper compared to Thailand’s -7.1 percent, Singapore’s -6 percent, and Indonesia’s -1.5 percent. China and Vietnam are
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ALAMEDA, CA — In a year marred by crises of varying proportions, everything feels a little bit precarious. Political divisions layered over a global health crisis and the quick erosion of socioeconomic normalities continue to shake the public consciousness.
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‘This is what we needed this year’: Fil-Am Laker fans react to the team’s 17th championship title Lacson sees no virus K M Sen. Panfilo Lacson
by
larize edenilla AJPress
LOS ANGELES — When it became clear that the Los Angeles Lakers would clinch their 17th NBA Championship, Josemaria Esteban began to cry tears of joy. The 38-year-old registered nurse in Northridge is a lifelong fan of the Lakers and, in
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Senate photo
response in P67-B DPWH projects by dona
z. PazzibuGan Inquirer.net
MANILA, Philippines — How can the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)’s funding of P67 billion to construct “multipurpose buildings” next year help the country recover from the economic slump due
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INFLATABLE TOYS. A vendor of inflated toys crosses the pedestrian lane on Scout Ybardollaza Street, Barangay Sacred Heart, Quezon City on Wednesday, October 14. Many ambulant vendors brave the streets even during a heavy downpour to sell their merchandise. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
Rules approved for PH’s anti-terror law by ritChel
Mendiola AJPress
Los Angeles City Hall was lit up in purple and gold on Sunday night, October 11 to celebrate the Lakers’ 17th championship, after they beat Miami Heat in Game 6 of the NBA finals. “This championship win means so much to our city and the people who call it home,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said. Photo courtesy of the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
THE implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (ATA) have been completed and approved by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC), the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday, October 14. “The ATC has approved today (Oct. 14) the IRR of the ATL crafted by a technical group led by the DOJ. We will disseminate copies to Congress and to law enforcement agencies as required under the law, and will
publish the IRR online and in a newspaper of general circulation in the next few days,” said Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra. The IRR will be effective once it has been published and registered with the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City. Justice Undersecretary Adrian Sugay said the DOJ clarified the anti-terror law’s provision on warrantless arrests in the IRR. “Yes we clarified what it means and what other laws should be followed. We clarified
CHECK-IN. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat tries the process to check-in during the inspection of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in BGC Taguig City on Wednesday, October 14. Puyat also underwent a swab test at the hotel to comply with the government health protocol. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
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COVID-19 cases in Philippines Utility boxes depicting Filipino Abakada alphabet pop up in SF’s SOMA neighborhood rise to 346,536 with nearly 2,000 new infections by Christina
M. oriel
AJPress
THOSE walking down Folsom and Howard streets in San Francisco’s South of Market (SOMA) neighborhood can get a brief lesson in the Abakada alphabet, which was once taught as part of the Philippine national language. Entitled the “We Live Here” project, 10 utility boxes depicting letters from the alphabet were recently unveiled during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, October 6 along the two streets in the neighborhood as the city celebrates October as Filipino American History Month. The project, which comes after years of advocacy, aims to
teach the community about the alphabet, as well as to amplify the work of FEC Galing Bata, an after school program of the Bessie Carmichael School PreK-8/ the Filipino Education Center. “For over a century, Filipino American organizations have been serving the BIPOC community of the SOMA. This project serves as an example of community empowerment through education. Historically, the different Filipino American organizations have been providing services that instill vital linguistically and culturally responsive services and resources in the SOMA to address the needs of immigrant and multi-racial families, and FEC Galing Bata and
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by Gaea
Katreena Philstar.com
CabiCo
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health reported 1,910 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to over 346,000. To date, the new coronavirus has infected 346,536 people in the Philippines, of which 13% were active cases or people still undergoing treatment or quarantine. This was the second consecutive day that additional COVID-19 cases were fewer Artist Mel Vera Cruz designed 10 utility boxes with letters from the abakada alphabet and than 2,000. Wednesday’s figure Tagalog words in SF’s SOMA neighborhood, which were recently unveiled to the public. was based on the submission of Photo courtesy of SOMCAN
all but 11 testing laboratories. Latest data from the department showed that 624 or 33% of the newly-reported cases were from Metro Manila. It was followed by Cavite (219), Batangas (104), Rizal (91) and Negros Occidental (63). The DOH also reported 78 new deaths due to COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 6,449. Most of the additional fatalities were from Metro Manila (35) and Calabarzon (12). Meanwhile, the number of recoveries is up by 579, raising the total to 293,860. Total recoveries accounted for around 85% of the country’s confirmed
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OCTOBER 16-22, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
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Philippines among countries most affected by disasters since 2000 — UN report by Gaea
KatReena Philstar.com
cabico
THE Philippines—an archipelagic country vulnerable to natural hazards—was among the countries that recorded the highest number of disaster events from 2000 to 2019, the United Nations said in a report. In a report titled “The Human Cost of Disasters 2000-2019,” the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction said 7,348 disaster events had occurred over the last 20 years, claiming approximately 1.23 million lives and affecting over 4 billion people. These disasters also resulted in economic losses of US$ 2.97 trillion worldwide. The figure represents a sharp increase from the 4,212 natural hazards recorded between 1980 and 1999. On average, there were 367 disasters around the world each year, 44% of which were floods. Storms accounted for 28% of disaster events worldwide.
China was the country most affected by geophysical, hydrological and meteorological events, experiencing 577 events in total. The United States placed second with 467. They were followed by India (321), the Philippines (304) and Indonesia (278). The Philippines was included both in the lists of top 10 countries by total population affected by disasters (149 million) and top 10 nations most affected per 100,000 inhabitants (7,796) from 2000 to 2019. The Global Climate Risk Index of environmental think tank Germanwatch identified the Philippines as among the nations most impacted by extreme weather events from 1999 to 2018. The country ranked fourth behind Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti. Asia By continent, Asia experienced the most disasters with 3,068 over the past 20 years, followed by the Americas with
1,756 and Africa with 1,192. Eight of the top 10 countries that reported the highest number of disaster events were in Asia. These include China, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. “The high frequency and impact of disasters in Asia is largely due to the size of the continent and landscapes that represent a high risk of natural hazards, such as river basins, flood plains and seismic fault lines,” the report noted. Warming climate The report said that much of the disaster events recorded from 2000 to 2019 was due to a “significant rise” in the number of climate-related disasters, which include storm, drought, wildfire, flood and landslide. Between 2000 and 2019, there were 510,837 deaths and 3.9 billion people affected by climate-related events. In the period of 1980 to 1999, there were PAGE 4
E-SCOOTER. A man clad in personal protective equipment (PPE) rides his electric scooter along Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City on Thursday, October 15. Aside from bicycles, electric scooters are among alternative means of transportation of workers and authorized persons outside of residence amid the coronavirus pandemic. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
COVID-19 infects more than 11,000 Filipinos abroad by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
THE Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday, October 15, logged 24 new additional cases of the novel coronavirus among overseas Filipinos, bringing the official tally of infections to 11,141. The agency also recorded three new recoveries, which pushes the total number of recovered and discharged patients to 7,175. Meanwhile, the death toll remains at 811 as the DFA reported no new fatalities. “Today, the DFA reports no new fatality due to COVID-19 among Filipinos abroad. Meanwhile, there are 24 new confirmed cases and 3 new recov-
eries among our nationals in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa,” it said. Overall by region, Europe – which comprises 19 countries – has recorded 1,211 Filipino cases, including 173 undergoing treatment, 943 recoveries and 95 deaths. The Middle East and Africa, covering 32 countries, has reported 7,364 cases; of which, 2,295 are undergoing treatment, 529 deaths and 4,450 recoveries. The Asia Pacific region, which spans across 20 countries, has 1,755 cases, with 520 undergoing treatment, 1,226 recoveries, and nine deaths. The Americas – covering 10 countries like the United States
– have 811 reported cases, with 167 undergoing treatment, 466 recoveries, and 178 deaths. “To date, the total number of countries and regions with confirmed cases among Filipinos is now 81, following a confirmed case reported in one country in Africa,” the DFA said. “The DFA shall continue to keep track of the status of overseas Filipinos and stands ready to assist and facilitate repatriations, whenever possible,” it added. Meanwhile, the Philippines has recorded 348,698 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 6,497 fatalities and 294,161 recoveries. It is currently the 19th country with most infections globally, according to John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.
UN rights council urges end to media attacks by KRixia
SubinGSubinG Inquirer.net
THE United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Tuesday, October 13, adopted a resolution seeking to protect journalists around the world, amid a growing hostile environment where leaders have used the coronavirus pandemic as a pretext to curtail civil and politi-
cal liberties. The eight-page resolution, which was sponsored and adopted by over 70 countries, including the Philippines, outlined a staggering list of 21 recommendations for all states that underscored the relationship between human rights and press freedom. It is also the first UN resolution since the death of Saudi Arabi-
an journalist Jamal Khasoggi, whose murder inside a Turkish embassy allegedly in the hands of Saudi Arabian henchmen sent shockwaves across the world. The resolution stressed that the freedoms of expression and the press are rights enshrined in international covenants, and expressed “deep concern” about “all attempts to silence journalPAGE 4
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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 16-22, 2020
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‘This is what we needed this year’: Fil-Am Laker... PAGE 1 t particular, an admirer of the late great Kobe Bryant. “I was beyond excited when it became clear that the Lakers would get their 17th Championship. It’s not an uncommon moment for Lakers fans since they’re one of the best teams in all of pro sports but to get it this year felt special,” Esteban told the Asian Journal in a recent phone interview. Filipinos Americans across the Southland erupted in cheers during Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, October 11 when the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 106-93 to emerge the victors of quite possibly the most unusual NBA season in history. It was easily one of the least contentious games of the series with the Lakers leading by double digits throughout most of the game, but the gravity of what an NBA Championship feels like for the population of Lakers fans across the world was like a Richter-breaking earthquake. Throughout the longest season of NBA history — which was extended due to the cancellation of the season after the COVID-19 pandemic and its return to the infamous COVID-19-free “bubble” in Orlando, Florida — the Lakers played with a chip on their shoulder. Following the death of Bryant, the organization and fans alike felt a collective pulsating sorrow. As previously covered in the Asian Journal, Bryant was a legend, his jersey numbers 8 and 24 becoming emblems of hard work, tenacity and unrequited love for the game across the globe. Bryant resembled hope and strength of will, and in the immediate aftermath of his passing, fans across the world saw it as a cruel and confusing resolution to one of the most revered legacies in all of sports. But as teammate Anthony Davis said in a post-game interview, the spirit of Bryant continued to inspire the team even when hope felt far away. “Kobe and Gianna’s legacy will last forever,” Davis said after Game 6. “It will impact lives around the world in positive ways, and this Lakers championship in 2020 is partly to build on that legacy and honor them. The moment couldn’t be any more special to do that for them.”
“He would come to the game and just tell us, ‘This is y’all year. This is y’all year. Go out and take it,’” Davis added. “He had a lot of confidence in our team. He had a lot of confidence in our organisation to go out there and win it this year.” On Sunday, the Lakers not only tied their rivals, the Boston Celtics, in NBA Championships with 17 titles apiece, but since the beginning of the new millennium, the Lakers have one the NBA Championship: 2000, 2010 and now 2020. For a whole coterie of younger Lakers fans, this championship-winning roster could signal a new stage for the Lakers, a team that is marked by dynasties the Showtime! era in the 1980s to the colossus of the early aughts 3-peat era with Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal to the back-to-back title wins in 2009 and 2010 during Bryant’s Mamba Mentality period. “Sometimes it’s hard to get used to a new roster of your favorite team since you feel so personally tethered to certain players, but this current roster with Anthony Davis and [team captain] Lebron James feels like the start of a new era,” said Hilario Gomez, an Orange County-based physical therapist who has been a Lakers fan since the 1990s. “I think this is a new team that will bring new excitement and new things to celebrate for younger generations of Filipino fans, and I think that the impact that players like Davis have could be similar to the impact that Kobe had globally,” Gomez said. Gomez also talked about the Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, who is half-Filipino and, for the last decade, has been making a name for himself as one of the best coaches of all time. “Obviously I wanted the Lakers to win. But if Miami had won, I wouldn’t have been totally bummed because of [Spoelstra]. I feel very proud that he’s a Pinoy and he’s actually done a lot for Filipinos in basketball, and it would be amazing to see him win another title. Just not against the Lakers,” Gomez added with a laugh. “We always talk about Lakers-Celtics and their rivalry, but there’s also now a Lakers-Heat rivalry so going into this series
was exciting,” said Gomez, who nearly joined the post-game rally at Staples Center. “I live alone so I’ve been watching all these post-season games alone so after Game 6 I just felt this adrenaline and this need to be with people who were also hyped up after the game,” Gomez said. Angelenos are famous for partaking in raucous celebrations following the victory of all teams in LA, especially the Lakers. Historically, fans would take to Downtown LA to cause traffic, flip cars, vandalize property — all in the name of LA sports pride. But not all fans celebrated the Lakers 17th championship title with theatrics. The rally on Sunday night — which began with chants of “Kobe! Kobe!” to the arrest of 76 rowdy fans — was too out of the bounds of social distancing for Gomez. “I like to think that Kobe and even the rest of the Lakers team wouldn’t want us breaking social distancing,” he said. “The bubble in Orlando operated for all these months with thousands of people and came out with not one COVID-19 case. I think that’s the standard we should follow.” For one Filipino American, in particular, the NBA Finals provided a return to comfort and relief. “This is what we needed this year, after losing Kobe and then being thrown into the pandemic and the cancellation of sports,” said Annalynn Rosario, a graphic designer from Lakewood. In June, Rosario lost her father to COVID-19, a moment that punctuated the continuing dread in the age of the coronavirus. After Game 6, she teared up watching the players’ interviews and watched quietly, thinking about her father the whole time. “He was a real inspiration in my life, and he was really the one who influenced me in terms of being a Laker fan because he was obsessed with them growing up,” Rosario, 35, shared, adding that her father “would’ve been overjoyed [at the Lakers’ win on Sunday] if he were here.” “He’s been a fan since he came to the U.S. in the early 1980s so he witnessed Magic Johnson and Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] and PAGE 4
IMF: PH to suffer biggest blow from COVID-19...
PAGE 1 seen booking GDP growths of 1.9 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively. Taiwan’s GDP, meanwhile, is expected to stay flat. “The downward revision of 2020 growth forecasts for the Philippines from -3.6 percent in the June WEO to -8.3 percent in the October WEO mostly reflects a larger-than-expected downturn in Q2 and a more gradual resolution of the pandemic as witnessed over the past months, with prolonged social distancing,” IMF country representative Yongzheng Yang said via email. The country’s economy experienced a record contraction of 16.5 percent in the second quarter after a national lockdown was imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19.
“Despite a somewhat softer global contraction expected in the October WEO, weak public confidence and low remittances in the Philippines as a result of the pandemic are expected to continue weighing on private investment and consumption,” Yang said. “The negative impacts of COVID-19 are expected to be only partially offset by policy support,” he added. For next year, the IMF expects the country’s economy to rebound and grow by 7.4 percent, which is better than the 6.8 percent it projected earlier. “We have seen some signs of recovery in high frequency data with the gradual reopening of the economy,” Yang said. “Real GDP is projected to expand by 7.4 percent in 2021,
helped by” in addition to the base effect” an expected rebound in pent-up demand from the relaxation of quarantine measures and continued effects of the policy easing in 2020,” he added. However, Yang noted that the Philippines will be left significantly scarred by the pandemic. “Significant scarring effects (e.g., hysteresis, bankruptcies) are expected and it will take a couple of years before real GDP to return to the pre-pandemic (2019) level,” he said. “Over the medium term, the COVID-19 crisis is expected to result in lower levels of potential output and higher structural unemployment, but real GDP growth is expected to converge back to potential, of 6.5 percent by 2025,” he added.
Bay Area Fil-Am father in desperate need... PAGE 1 t And just because the COVID-19 remains at the fore of public health doesn’t mean other unfortunate health catastrophes take a backseat. For a Filipino American family in the Bay Area, the fight for soundness of mind is literally a matter of life and death. This year, Andrew, a 35-yearold Sacramento-based father of two of Filipino heritage, was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare pre-leukemia disease, in June and he is in need of a stem cell transplant. MDS often goes unrecognized and, consequently, is an under-diagnosed group of bone marrow failure disorders. According to the MDS Foundation, between 12,000 and 20,000 new cases are reported every year with patients’ ages ranging from 33 to 55 years old. Organizations often try to connect patients with stem cell matches, like the Asian American Donor Program (AADP), a non-profit organization based in Northern California that works with a diverse array of blood cancer patients like Andrew to help them find a stem cell match. “Andrew is dependent on a stranger, most likely Filipino heritage or of Filipino and Eu-
Andrew currently receives a weekly routine blood transfusion. Photo courtesy of TeamAndrewZ/Facebook
ropean heritage, to step forward and register,” AADP Executive Director Carol Gillespie said in a statement, stressing the necessity of more multiethnic donors and donors of color to help close existing ethnic health care gaps. Andrew is part Filipino with European ancestry, but after it was discovered that his family
could not provide a match for him, the family began its search for a stranger who would be a match. Stem cell matches are based on ethnicity, specifically a patient’s human leukocyte antigen (HLA) tissue type. HLA contains key genetic characteristics and markers that make it possible PAGE 4
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From The FronT Page
OCTOBER 16-22, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
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Lacson sees no virus response in P67-B... PAGE 1 t to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson asked on Wednesday. During the Senate hearing on the DPWH’s P666.47-billion budget for 2021, Lacson questioned Public Works Secretary Mark Villar about the “pattern” of lopsided allocation for local projects to the detriment of national projects. Legislators’ intervention In the DPWH’s detailed budget proposal, the allocation for local infrastructure projects ballooned by P52.84 billion to P229 billion from the original allocation of P176.15 billion, while the allocation for national projects shrank significantly. Around 30 percent of the allocation for local projects, or P67 billion, will go to multipurpose buildings, Lacson pointed out. He asked Villar, a former Las Piñas representative, if the changes in the DPWH’s capital outlay next year were due to “intervention from some legislators.” “My question is, did your late [budget] submission involve intervention from some legislators? Or was it entirely [your] own doing?” Lacson said during the hearing conducted by videoconference. “I wonder how multipurpose buildings will contribute to the ‘Reset, Rebound, Recover’ theme of the budget,” continued Lacson, the Senate’s unrelenting pork hunter. Villar said his department’s budget was “adjusted based on “priority projects.” “With regards to your question regarding the multipurpose [buildings], we also receive many requests from various sectors for these [structures]. If you look at local communities, there is a need to service them somehow,” he said. “We also want to do pump-priming in the country-
side,” he added. The new budget the DPWH submitted on Sept. 7 was a “mangling” of the original budget contained in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted by Malacañang in August, Lacson said. “I can’t recognize it anymore,” he said. Villar said the Department of Budget and Management gave the DPWH a budget ceiling in July, so it was not able to prepare the details of the projects in time for the printing and submission of the NEP. ‘Haggling’ by House members On Sunday, Lacson said the delay in the submission of the DPWH budget could be due to the squabble for the speakership in the House of Representatives. “They (House members) themselves said there was no equitable distribution of budget in the [congressional] districts,” he said. Lacson said certain representatives were “haggling” with the DPWH to “preinsert or embed” in the national budget their chosen infrastructure projects to “avoid being detected during deliberations in Congress, especially in the Senate.” During the hearing on Wednesday, Lacson decried how the DPWH cut the funding originally earmarked for national roads and bridges by billions of pesos, saying such infrastructure projects will impact on national development. The DPWH reduced the funding for road network development by P21.45 billion to P109.99 billion from the original NEP allocation of P131.44 billion. The allocation for bridge projects was cut by P6.5 billion to P23.18 billion from P29.73 billion; for flood management projects by P4.5 billion to P84.37 billion; and for asset preservation by P9.81 billion to P46.29 billion. Lacson also questioned the
huge increase in the allocation for right-of-way payments by P24 billion to P36.63 billion from the original P12.6 billion, saying past allocations did not reach this much. “There’s too much that went to locally funded projects. There’s too much imbalance between local and national projects,” he said. He said he would question the DPWH budget during the plenary session for amendments. Pork parking in DPWH budget For years, Lacson has been watching the DPWH budget for pork, funds that lawmakers “park” in the agency’s spending plan to be channeled to their districts to finance projects designed by favored contractors to give them sizable cuts. Before the P67 billion for multipurpose buildings, Lacson had flagged P8.2 billion for various military infrastructure projects in the DPWH’s budget. While the placing of funds for military projects in the DPWH budget was not unusual, he said, he found it “quite irregular” that the same item was placed under two agencies. It creates confusion, he said. He said similar incidents had happened before, such as the earmarking of funds for public school buildings in the budgets of the DPWH and the Department of Education. “I had questioned it because it’s confusing, only to be told, although off the record, that allocations for school building repairs and construction were insertions made by some legislators, both congressmen and some senators,” Lacson told the Inquirer on Sunday. “I can only venture an explanation: It’s contractor-driven,” he added, hinting that the lawmakers may be getting kickbacks from the contractors of the projects.
COVID-19 cases in Philippines rise to... PAGE 1 t cases. OCTA research team’s recommendation Researchers studying the coronavirus pandemic in the country recommended that the towns of Bauan in Batangas, Calbayog in Western Samar and General Trias in Cavite be reverted to stricter quarantine classification due to spikes in COVID-19 cases. This prompted the Malacañang to urge the OCTA Research team to avoid publicizing their recommendations on quarantine status in the country to avoid pre-empting the government. Professor Guido David, OCTA Research team member,
said in a CNN Philippines interview that the group has been “doing this as a public service.” In a press briefing Wednesday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the department “notes” the research team’s recommendations. “We are noting different recommendations coming from different institutions and this recommendation, when we looked at the data, the analysis is the same,” Vergeire said in Filipino. She added that the major determinant for imposing or easing quarantine measures is the health system capacity of a certain area. The Cabinet approved a oneseat-apart rule on public trans-
port and allowed the expansion of the age bracket of people who can go out as the country reopens its economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. More than 3.976 million people have been tested for coronavirus in the country. The Philippines has the most number of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia and among the top 20 countries in terms of coronavirus infections despite implementing one of the longest lockdowns. COVID-19 has so far claimed the lives of 1.08 million victims from more than 38 million recorded infections since the virus emerged in China late last year.
Rules approved for PH’s anti-terror law... PAGE 1 t all of it and it abides by the Constitution,” he said in Filipino. “The IRR clarifies what our law enforcement agencies should do. What is more important is it should guide the people to follow the law. It’s for all of us, not just the police or authorities that will enforce it,” he added. The Armed Forces of the Philippines, for its part, welcomed the approval of the IRR. “This will surely capacitate and empower the AFP to run after, assist in the arrest and prosecution, and secure our country and people against terrorist organizations, associations, groups, individuals, proponents, and supporters,” AFP spokesperson, Marine Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, said Thursday, Oct. 15. The anti-terror law, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on July 3, took effect on July 18. Under the new law — which expands on the Human Security Act of 2007 — incitement of ter-
rorism can be done “by means of speeches, proclamations, writings, emblems, banners or other representations…without taking any direct part in the commission of terrorism.” Those arrested and detained may be held for 14 to 24 days. The new law enables the suspected “terrorist” to also be placed under surveillance for 60 days, extendable by up to 30 more days, by the police or the military. Acts punishable under the law include: • Engaging in acts intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to any person, or endangers a person’s life; • Engaging in acts intended to cause extensive damage or destruction to a government or public facility, public place, or private property; • Engaging in acts intended to cause extensive interference with, damage, or destruction to critical infrastructure;
• Developing, manufacturing, possessing, acquiring, transporting, supplying or using weapons; and • Releasing of dangerous substances, or causing fire, floods or explosions. • Any person who proposes, incites, conspires, participates in the planning, training, preparation, and facilitation of a terrorist act, as well as those who will provide material support to terrorists and recruit members in a terrorist organization, will also be penalized by life imprisonment without the benefit of parole. Meanwhile, anyone who threatens to commit terrorism, and those who propose any terroristic acts or incite others to commit terrorism, will suffer imprisonment of 12 years. This goes the same for anyone who voluntarily and knowingly joins any organization, association or group of persons knowing that such is a terrorist organization.
Philippines among countries most... PAGE 2 t 3,656 climate-related events. Scientific evidence suggests that certain areas of the world will experience an increase in flooding and storm events as a result of climate change. The warming of the world’s temperatures is also expected to increase the risk of droughts. “This report is a further reminder of the urgency of action on global heating in a world currently on course for a temperature increase of 3.2°C or more
unless the industrial nations deliver reductions in greenhouse gas emissions of at least 7.2% annually over the next ten years in order to achieve the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement,” the UN disaster risk office said. Environment Secretary said the Philippines is leaning toward declaring a climate emergency to compel a whole-ofnation approach to address the worsening impacts of climate change. Environmental groups have
been calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to make a climate emergency declaration, which should put climate urgency at the center of policy decision making, hold fossil fuel industry accountable for driving global warming and demand industrialized nations to make ambitious emissions reduction targets. Duterte, in his speech at the UN General Assembly in September, urged signatories to the Paris accord to honor their pledges for climate action.
emotions back for Rosario, who admitted to still having a difficult time coping with the death of her father. But Sunday’s game felt like a moment of closure for her, that the Lakers winning felt like a soft, welcoming cushion of solace after months of uncertain freefall. “I like to think my dad is in
Utility boxes depicting Filipino... PAGE 1 t the Filipino Education Center are some examples,” South of Market Community Action Network (SOMCAN)’s Lian Ladia, who facilitated the project, said. Under the collaboration between SOMCAN and FEC Galing Bata, community meetings were held to choose the designs and what would be illustrated on the boxes. “Aside from it being a learning tool, we believe that these flashcards showcase the long-lasting history and continuous presence of the Filipinos in San Francisco. The sentiment behind this project was to expose everyone, enrich the youth, engage families, and empower the community,” FEC Galing Bata teachers Shari Sarinas and Mark Belocura said. Bay Area multimedia artist Mel Vera Cruz was commissioned to create the art, which would represent the 20 letters, essentially in a style similar to alphabet flashcards. Abakada — which was developed by Filipino scholar Lope K. Santos in Ang Balarila ng Wikang Pambansa (The Grammar of the National Language) — bears 15 consonants and five vowels to represent the sounds of the Tagalog language. It was officially adopted in 1940 and remained the national language in the Philippines until 1976 when the Philippine Department of Education, Culture and Sports expanded the alphabet with 11 letters. The current 28-letter Filipino alphabet was institutionalized after the signing of the 1987 Constitution. Each utility box bears two letters, and are represented by a Tagalog word and illustration,
One utility box depicts the act of yakap (embrace).
such as radyo (radio), saranggola (kite), watawat (flag), and yakap(embrace). The sides are wrapped with designs mimicking traditional Filipino textiles. “The idea was to communicate a collective spirit and empower those while they’re walking around the neighborhood and they can say, ‘We are here, we are proud,’” Vera Cruz told the Asian Journal. “It’s our time to promote our culture and continue to share our history in SOMA.” The organizations involved with this project also hope it will bring awareness to the community’s struggles, which includes fighting for the Filipino language immersion program under the San Francisco Unified
Photos courtesy of SOMCAN
School District. In September, SFUSD staff recommended against the dual language immersion program at Bessie Carmichael/Filipino Education Center, which would require at least half of the daily instruction in Filipino, due to a lack of resources and conflicting visions. “In 2014, San Francisco certified Filipino as the city’s official third language. However, when we conducted an evaluation and assessment report in 2018, what we saw was Filipino language access has been unevenly delivered across city departments and agencies and not fully supported in institutions like SFUSD,” said SOMCAN Director Angelica Cabande.
Bay Area Fil-Am father in desperate need... PAGE 3t to undergo a successful transplant. This complicates patients’ of color efforts to find a match and increase their chances of successful recoveries. The AADP said that people of color who are blood cancer patients are more likely to die from their illnesses than patients of European ancestry who are diagnosed with the same cancers. According to statistics provided to the Asian Journal, the likelihood of finding a matched donor from the national Be The Match registry is 41% for Asians and Pacific Islanders, just above African Americans whose chances are 23%. “If there’s not enough donors on the registry, then it’s less likely that a patient will find someone with that same genetic marker,” said Mylanah Yolangco, a community engagement representative at AADP. Yolangco said that potential matches need to be between the ages of 18 and 44 and in “general good health.” Although the age range is wide, the younger the donor, the better the outcome, Yolangco added. The Be The Match registry — which is operated under the United States Health Resources and Services Administration’s National Marrow Donor Program — says on its website that transplants have higher success rates “when the HLA tissue type of the marrow donor or cord blood closely matches the patient’s.” It is crucial that patients like Andrew be able to find a match before it’s too late, and his family knows all too well the realities of MDS.
Andrew and his two children Photo courtesy of Asian American Donor Program
Andrew’s father passed away from the genetic deficiency in 2014, according to a press release, which punctuates the urgency of Andrew’s search for a stem cell match. The news of Andrew’s diagnosis was a shock to the entire family, especially in a year that was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic “I guess to put it bluntly, it was like an insult to injury,” Jonah Candelaria, Andrew’s nephew, told the Asian Journal in an interview. “He’s an amazing father and he’s definitely a family man and he lives life to the fullest, and he loves his daughters and his wife very, very much,” Candelaria said, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic and the safer-athome orders have made coping with Andrew’s diagnosis doubly difficult. The distance between Candelaria and his uncle — who haven’t seen each other in person since Christmas of 2019
— has been hard on both nephew and uncle. But because the family is tight-knit, not even the COVID-19 pandemic could dampen the family’s efforts to find a donor for Andrew. The family has set up a Facebook page to get the word out to potential donors and encourage anybody who may be eligible to request a swab kit. “Being Filipino, it’s just kind of inherent how we’re just naturally very close and there’s just a lot of love between everyone,” Candelaria said. “So when all this happened, we all kind of came together and did what we needed to do to try to find a donor. There was no hesitation.” Like nearly every other health care organization, the COVID-19 pandemic shifted daily affairs for the AADP, but the organization is still fully operational, and even those who are not located in the Bay Area could sign up on its website for a swab kit to help patients like Andrew. For those interested in registering as a potential stem cell donor, visit the AADP website to find out to receive a home swab kit. Yolangco added that even if potential donors aren’t a match for Andrew, they may be a match for someone else. “We really want to encourage as many people as we can to sign up,” Yolangco said. “If you think about it it’s kind of like an insurance policy and you never know who will be diagnosed with a blood cancer or disease. It could affect someone in their family down the line, and if we already have people signed up as donors, they’ll be able to find them and get a transplant.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
UN rights council urges end to media...
PAGE 2 t ists and media workers,” from the broad misuse of legislation to target critical reporters to blatant human rights abuses like murder, torture, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary arrests and detention. Toll on media workers It also recognized the physHeaven. Maybe he watched the game from above with Kobe and ical, mental and emotional toll [his daughter] Gigi and they cel- of COVID-19 on media workebrated,” she added. “I wish my ers around the world, and of dad was here to watch the game the concerning consequences with me and to experience all of the economic impact of the this with me, but as we kind of pandemic, which increases the all felt when Kobe died, people vulnerability of journalists and who physically pass away don’t weakens media sustainability, independence and pluralism, really leave us.”
‘This is what we needed this year’: Fil-Am Laker... PAGE 3 t got to see Kobe’s career from beginning to end. But what was awesome was that he was a fan through and through and supported the team even when they weren’t doing so well,” Rosario said. Speaking about her father’s affinity for the Lakers brought
FEC Galing Bata is an after school program in SOMA Pilipinas.
and worsens the risks of misinformation and disinformation spreading by limiting access to a wide range of reliable information and opinions. Among others, the resolution seeks all countries to align their national laws and policies fully in compliance with their commitments under international human rights law such that they do not limit the ability and safety of all media workers. Another crucial recommendation is to consider, whenever possible, “devising appropriate mechanisms to provide financial support for the media, including local journalism and investiga-
tive reporting,” in light of the economic impact wrought by the pandemic. Likewise, it sought the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) to present to the UNHRC at its 48th session a report “on the impact and repercussions of measures taken by governments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” The said report, the resolution said, “must integrate a gender perspective, and to identify trends and collect good practices, in particular on how the OHCHR can assist to the development of national approaches to protect journalists.”
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From quiet Marinduque to raucous speakership trek: Who is Lord Allan Velasco? by Neil
arwiN MerCado Inquirer.net
MANILA, Philippines — Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco has been making headlines over the past few weeks mainly due to his speakership row with Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano that has President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members prior to his talk to the people at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on October 14, 2020. Robinson Niñal/ Presidential photo
Duterte trains guns on DPWH corruption by Keith
Calayag
ManilaTimes.net
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte denounced what he said was massive corruption in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Speaking to the public late Wednesday, the President said no infrastructure project could start without going through under-the-table deals. He singled out contractors and project engineers as the biggest purveyors of corruption in the department. He told Congress, which is scrutinizing the proposed budgets of government agencies like the DPWH, that part of project expenses for infrastructure was earmarked for kickbacks. “Hindi ko alam kung sino (I don’t know who they are). There are so many officials lined up in the bureaucratic maze,” he said. Senators Franklin Drilon and Panflio Lacson earlier lashed out at the DPWH after discovering over P300 billion in lumpsum appropriations embedded in its P667.3-billion proposed budget for 2021. The President, however, made it clear that he still trusted DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said in a press briefing on Thursday. Despite the widespread corruption in his department, Villar was able to deliver, Roque said. He did not discount a probe
into alleged corruption in the DPWH, but he said that right now the President’s focus is addressing corruption in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth). Last September, Duterte, who had repeatedly said he would not tolerate corruption under his administration, revealed he had offered to resign because he was tired of fighting corruption in government. Lacson said he “unwittingly, provided the sordid details of such misuse and abuse of the DPWH funds” at the Senate Finance committee hearing on the department’s proposed P667-billion budget on Wednesday. He added that he relied on the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and the “mangled” or “mutilated” version of the DPWH’s late submission. “The mangled version alone — which contained a pattern of decreased budgets for national projects and increased budgets for local projects — is highly questionable,” Lacson said on Thursday. “Such submission should have only detailed the lump sums in the NEP that Malacañang submitted to Congress last August 25, but not to amend what was originally submitted, which is the exclusive function of the Congress as part of the budget process, thus preparation, authorization, execution and accountability,” he continued. “It has become an open se-
cret that commissions or kickbacks have become the rule rather than the exception in the implementation of public works projects involving not only some corrupt officials of the department but some legislators, as well,” he said. “Fact is, contractors openly talk behind the backs of these officials using descriptions too degrading to even mention,” Lacson said in a text message. The senator added: “I’ll just mention comparisons being whispered out loud by contractors who have shared with us their personal experiences with different officials, both from the executive and legislative branches.” He said officials from the executive and legislative branches who ask for “only” 10-percent kickbacks are “mabait” (kind). “Those who demand 20 to 30 percent are ‘matakaw,’ (greedy) while those who demand advance payments and renege on their word are ‘balasubas’ (swindler) and ‘mandurugas,’ (crook),” Lacson said. “That being said, if no substantial adjustments are made once the final version of the 2021 GAB (General Appropriations Bill) is transmitted to the Senate, hopefully next week as promised by the new Speaker, I intend to propose during our plenary debates to cut or realign the excessive and unjustified ‘NEP amendments’ that the DPWH illegally made,” he warned.
been hounding the House of Representatives – with even the proposed 2021 national budget seemingly caught in the crossfire. On Monday, however, a surprise turning point unraveled when Velasco’s allies finally pulled the trigger to eject Cayetano from the House leader-
ship and subsequently install Velasco as the new Speaker of the House in a session held at the Celebrity Sports Complex in Quezon City. One hundred eighty-six (186) lawmakers “elected” Velasco to the Speaker post although Cayetano insisted that what PAGE 9
Philippines lifts West Philippine Sea oil exploration ban MANILA — Upon the recommendation of the Department of Energy, President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the lifting of the moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the West Philippine Sea. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Thursday confirmed that Duterte approved the recommendation, which would mean the
resumption of petroleum exploration in the West Philippine Sea. “With the impending depletion of our natural gas reserve in Malampaya, it is the department’s position that there is an urgent imperative to resume exploration, development, and production activities within our EEZ to ensure continuity of sup-
ply of indigenous resources in the country,” Cusi said in a statement. The DOE has issued a “resume-to-work” notice to service contractors in the areas of service contract (SC) 59, 72 and 75 in the West Philippine Sea, according to PAGE 8
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OpiniOn
Plantitos, plantitas
Features
THE coronavirus lockdowns have an upside: they have given people time to stop and smell the roses literally. People cooped up in their homes, involuntarily or by choice to avoid COVID-19 infection, have taken to gardening, according to several reports. The phenomenon has even created new words to describe the budding gardeners: plantitos and plantitas. While gardening has become an environment-friendly way of de-stressing amid the pandemic restrictions, however, the renewed interest in plants has led to certain problems. In Baguio City, for example, officials have appealed to citizens to stop getting plants from parks. The city and neighboring La Trinidad Valley in Benguet, one of the country’s principal vegetable producing areas, are sources of a wide variety of flowers, potted succulents, cacti and other ornamental plants. The items are sold all over the country, including in Metro Manila, even if many of the species rarely thrive in the lowland heat. A bigger problem is that some of the new plant enthusiasts are poaching endangered species from their natural habitats, either for personal
enjoyment at home or for commercial propagation. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources sounded the alarm before the weekend about this emerging problem. Limited resources and personnel have long made the conservation of endangered flora and fauna in this country a challenge. The country is blessed with rich biodiversity. But illegal logging, slash-and-burn farming and unsustainable forestry activities have depleted forests Philstar.com photo and destroyed the habitats of many species, putting them on vulnerable or endangered lists. Environmental advocates are hoping that the plantitos and plantitas in the time of COVID, apart from indulging their interest in gardening, will also find time to look at the problems confronting ty. The enthusiasts may also help prevent poaching the enjoyment of the general public. (Philthose who are working to preserve this biodiversi- of flora from parks, where the plants are meant for star.com)
Editorial
DECISIONS 2020: Comparing Trump, Biden health care plans (Part 2)
The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS HEALTH CARE, more than ever, especially in the age of the coronavirus pandemic, remains to be the among the top concerns of the American people as we head to the polls to vote. In Part 1, I wrote about President Donald Trump’s “America First Health Care Plan,” which just laid out the three pillars of his “vision” without details on how he plans to overhaul the Affordable Care Act — a campaign promise he has yet to deliver. Here is a summary of former Vice President Joe Biden’s detailed health care plan. Compare and contrast this with Trump’s plan and make a decision on whom to trust for your family’s health care and safety. The Biden plan to protect and build on the Affordable Care Act Give every American access to affordable health insurance. As president, Biden will stop this reversal of the progress made by Obamacare. And he won’t stop there. He’ll also build on the Affordable Care Act with a plan to insure more than an estimated 97% of Americans. Here’s how: • Giving Americans a new choice, a public health insurance option like Medicare. If your insurance company isn’t doing right by you, you should have another, better choice. Whether you’re covered through your employer, buying your insurance on your own, or going without coverage altogether, the Biden Plan will give you the choice to purchase
a public health insurance option like Medicare. • As in Medicare, the Biden public option will reduce costs for patients by negotiating lower prices from hospitals and other health care providers. It also will better coordinate among all of a patient’s doctors to improve the efficacy and quality of their care, and cover primary care without any co-payments. And it will bring relief to small businesses struggling to afford coverage for their employees. • Increasing the value of tax credits to lower premiums and extend coverage to more working Americans. Today, families that make between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level may receive a tax credit to reduce how much they have to pay for health insurance on the individual marketplace. The dollar amount of the financial assistance is calculated to ensure each family does not have to pay more than a certain percentage of their income on a silver (medium generosity) plan. Expanding coverage to low-income Americans. Access to affordable health insurance shouldn’t depend on your state’s politics. But today, state politics is getting in the way of coverage for millions of low-income Americans. Governors and state legislatures in 14 states have refused to take up the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medicaid eligibility, denying access to Medicaid for an estimated 4.9 million adults. Biden’s plan will ensure these individuals get covered by offering premium-free access to the public option for those 4.9 million individuals who would be eligible
for Medicaid but for their state’s inaction, and making sure their public option covers the full scope of Medicaid benefits. States that have already expanded Medicaid will have the choice of moving the expansion population to the premium-free public option as long as the states continue to pay their current share of the cost of covering those individuals. Provide the peace of mind of affordable, quality health care and a less complex health care system. The Biden plan will not only provide coverage for uninsured Americans, it will also make health care more affordable and less complex for all. The plan’s elements described above will help reduce the cost of health insurance and health care for those already insured in the following ways: • All Americans will have a new, more affordable option. The public option, like Medicare, will negotiate prices with providers, providing a more affordable option for many Americans who today find their health insurance too expensive. • Middle class families will get a premium tax credit to help them pay for coverage. For example, take a family of four with an income of $110,000 per year. If they currently get insurance on the individual marketplace, because their premium will now be capped at 8.5% of their income, under the Biden Plan they will save an estimated $750 per month on insurance alone. That’s cutting their premiums almost in half. If a family is covered by their employer but can get a better deal with the 8.5% premium cap, they can switch to a plan on the
Signs of desperation
Street Talk GReG B. MacaBenta THERE are so many things happening in America – shocking, scary, funny, ridiculous, unbelievable – that the usual single-topic format of Street Talk would be inadequate. We are, thus, breaking a pattern of over three decades of column writing by discussing several hot topics in this piece: Schadenfreude This is a German term that literally means taking pleasure in someone else’s misfortune. An English equivalent would be, “Serves him right!” I first saw schadenfreude used in a news report on the COVID-19 affliction of President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The report suggested that it served Trump right to be afflicted by the virus, after he called it “a hoax,” then kept assuring the country that it would “miraculously go away” once the warm season set in, ignored guidelines of the
Center for Disease Control such as wearing a mask and social distancing, taunted those who wore a mask, withheld information about the seriousness of the plague, and failed to act promptly to protect the country from the pandemic. This has resulted in over 214,000 deaths and over 7 million afflicted in the US...and counting. The U.S. has the highest coronavirus affliction and mortality rate of any country in the world. However, I don’t think it is right to take pleasure in a fellow human being’s misery, especially with an illness as deadly as coronavirus. Thus, instead of saying schadenfreude to Trump, the First Lady and the White House staffers, let us wish them a speedy recovery – at the same time, let us ask them to set an example for everyone by following the guidelines for keeping the virus under control. In this regard, I was incensed the other night when Tucker Carlson of Fox News sneered that the mortality rate “was only one percent” of the number of afflicted persons. He dismissed 214,000 deaths as insignificant.
I didn’t think that I would ever witness such a despicable disregard for the worth of human life! I hope Carlson does not suffer the same pain felt by the families of those who have died, by losing his own family members to the plague. But, though it is un-Christian, if Carlson himself were to be downed by the virus, I would be compelled to say, schadenfruede! Homicidal negligence Legendary Washington Post journalist Carl Bernstein (who, with fellow reporter Bob Woodward blew the lid off the Watergate scandal that ended the Nixon presidency) has accused Trump of “homicidal negligence” for risking the health and the lives of others – his supporters, donors, administration officials, security detail, and the White House help – by persisting in moving at close quarters with them without a mask and in spite of testing positive for the virus. To date, several White House officials and at least three Republican Senators have been infected. Yet Trump has continued to act
individual marketplace, too. • Premium tax credits will be calculated to help more families afford better coverage with lower deductibles. Because the premium tax credits will now be calculated based on the price of a more generous gold plan, families will be able to purchase a plan with a lower deductible and lower outof-pocket spending. That means many families will see their overall annual health care spending go down. Stop “surprise billing.” Consumers trying to lower their health care spending often try to choose an in-network provider. But sometimes patients are unaware they are receiving care from an out-of-network provider and a big, surprise bill. “Surprise medical billing” could occur, for example, if you go to an in-network hospital but don’t realize a specialist at that hospital is not part of your health plan. The Biden Plan will bar health care providers from charging patients out-of-network rates when the patient doesn’t have control over which provider the patient sees (for example, during a hospitalization). Tackle market concentration across our health care system. The concentration of market power in the hands of a few corporations is occurring throughout our health care system, and this lack of competition is driving up prices for consumers. The Biden Administration will aggressively use its existing antitrust authority to address this problem. Lower costs and improve health outcomes by partnering with the health care workforce. The Biden Administration
will partner with health care workers and accelerate the testing and deployment of innovative solutions that improve quality of care and increase wages for lowwage health care workers, like home care workers. Stand up to abuse of power by prescription drug corporations. The Biden Plan will put a stop to runaway drug prices and the profiteering of the drug industry by: • Repealing the outrageous exception allowing drug corporations to avoid negotiating with Medicare over drug prices. Because Medicare covers so many Americans, it has significant leverage to negotiate lower prices for its beneficiaries. And it does so for hospitals and other providers participating in the program, but not drug manufacturers. • Repeal the existing law explicitly barring Medicare from negotiating lower prices with drug corporations. • Limiting launch prices for drugs that face no competition and are being abusively priced by manufacturers. • For these cases where new specialty drugs without competition are being launched, under the Biden Plan, the Secretary of Health and Human Services will establish an independent review board to assess their value. As a condition of participation in the Medicare program and public option, all brand, biotech, and abusively priced generic drugs will be prohibited from increasing their prices more than the general inflation rate. The Biden plan will also impose a tax penalty on drug manufacturers that increase the costs of their brand, biotech, or
abusively priced generic over the general inflation rate. To create more competition for U.S. drug corporations, the Biden Plan will allow consumers to import prescription drugs from other countries, as long as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has certified that those drugs are safe. Improving the supply of quality generics. The Biden Plan supports numerous proposals to accelerate the development of safe generics, such as Senator Patrick Leahy’s proposal to make sure generic manufacturers have access to a sample. Ensure health care is a right for all, not a privilege for just a few Expanding access to contraception and protect the constitutional right to an abortion. The Affordable Care Act made historic progress by ensuring access to free preventive care, including contraception. The Biden Plan will build on that progress. Reverse the Trump Administration and states’ all-out assault on women’s right to choose. As president, Biden will work to codify Roe v. Wade, and his Justice Department will do everything in its power to stop the rash of state laws that so blatantly violate the constitutional right to an abortion. As president, Biden will reissue guidance specifying that states cannot refuse Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood and other providers that refer for abortions or provide related information and reverse the Trump Administration’s rule preventing Planned Parenthood and certain
irresponsibly, urging everyone to defy the virus and not to allow it to “dominate” their lives. What he has heartlessly overlooked is that no one else enjoys the medical resources and attention that he gets. It’s like telling everyone to leap out of a plane when he alone has a parachute. And speaking of White House help, some of them are Filipinos, while nearly all are minorities, particularly Latinos and African Americans. If they are afflicted by the virus, they will not have the benefit of the medical attention that the Trumps are getting. It is truly cruel for Trump to tell them not to fear the virus or allow it to dominate their lives. Stand back and stand by In the course of the debate with Joe Biden, moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump if he was willing to condemn white supremacists. Trump hedged but finally said, ostensibly to a group called Proud Boys, “Stand back and stand by!” Far from taking Trump’s words as a condemnation, the white supremacists have printed Trump’s statement on t-shirts, using it as a slogan and a call to arms. Trump’s refusal to condemn white supremacists, neo-Nazis
and right-wing extremists, even referring to them as “good people,” has motivated and encouraged them to threaten violence against minorities and peaceful protestors. One group has just been busted by the FBI in the course of a plot to kidnap the governor of Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The group also planned to attack the State House and take over the government. Mercifully, the FBI learned about the plot early and managed to infiltrate the group and arrest the leaders. But the danger may still be hovering over the country like a Sword of Damocles. It is feared that other right-wing militias may attempt an uprising should Trump be defeated. Of course, the military and the police will surely stop them in their tracks. Thankfully, in spite of Trump’s dictatorial fantasies, America is not yet a banana republic or a Russian or North Korean satellite. Make sure to vote, and vote early At any rate, it is imperative that every citizen should vote. Trump has been claiming, without any basis, that the Democrats are rigging the election and that this is
the only way he can lose – this, in spite of polls that show him trailing Biden in most of the States, including those in which Trump won against Hillary Clinton. The latest polls show Biden enjoying a comfortable lead even in the battleground states like Pennsylvania, Florida and Arizona. As of the latest count, Biden appears to have crossed and gotten well past the magic number of 270 electoral votes needed to be declared the winner. But it is clear that Trump will not accept defeat, if he can help it. Philippine-style elections We are familiar with Philippine-style elections where voters are terrorized by private armies and by the police and the military. We may not see that kind of electoral violence in the U.S. but Trump and his fanatics may resort to other dirty tricks to win, like voter suppression and disenfranchisement. Come to think of it, violence may not be out of the question. As a last resort, Trump and his supporters may try to rig the electoral votes by appointing Republican partisans to sit as electors. Because of COVID-19, millions
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Philippines lifts West Philippine... Signs of desperation... PAGE 5 t Cusi. The Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corp. operates SC 59, Forum Ltd. operates SC 72 and PXP Energy Corp operates SC 75. “The lifting of the suspension places the service contractors under legal obligation to put capital into the contract areas and hire Filipino engineers and technical
workers to resume exploration,” Cusi said. The energy secretary added that the lifting of the moratorium would “infuse” the economy with fresh foreign direct investments. Cusi has informed Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. of Duterte approval of lifting the ban. The Philippines has long been in talks with China, which claims
indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea, for a possible joint exploration in the West Philippine Sea. In May, Cusi said he wants to further discuss joint exploration efforts in the West Philippine Sea with his Chinese counterparts. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, stalled the visit of Chinese officials to the Philippines. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com) n
DECISIONS 2020: Comparing Trump... PAGE 6 t other family planning programs from obtaining Title X funds. Just as the Obama-Biden Administration did, President Biden will rescind the Mexico City Policy (also referred to as the global gag rule) that President Trump reinstated and expanded. This rule currently bars the U.S. federal government from supporting important global health efforts – including for malaria and HIV/AIDS – in developing countries simply because the organizations providing that aid also offer information
on abortion services. Defending health care protections for all, regardless of gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Before the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies could increase premiums merely due to someone’s gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Further, insurance companies could increase premiums or deny coverage altogether due to someone’s HIV status. Doubling America’s investment in community health centers. Community health centers
provide primary, prenatal, and other important care to underserved populations. The Biden Plan will double the federal investment in these centers, expanding access to high quality health care for the populations that need it most. Achieving mental health parity and expanding access to mental health care. In the months ahead, Biden will put forward additional plans to tackle health challenges affecting specific communities, including access to health care in rural communities, gun
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9014587
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9014454
CorDx, Inc. located at 9540 WAPLES ST., UNIT C. SAN DIEGO, CA 82121. Registrant: Coretests, Inc., 9540 WAPLES ST., UNIT C. SAN DIEGO, CA 82121 This business is conducted by CORPORATION. . REGISTRANT HAS BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME AS OF 08/01/2020. Signature YUFENG LI. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/15/2020 . AJ 660 9/25, 10/02, 09/ 16, 2020.
MCI AUTO REPAIR located at 1521 COOLIDGE AVE, NATIONAL CITY, CA 91950 Registrant: MCI CARRILLO INC., 4344 MURRIETA CIRCLE, SAN DIEGO, CA 92154 This business is conducted by CORPORATION. . REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME. Signature CARLOS ALBERTO CARRILLO, PRESIDENT. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/02/2020 . AJ 661 9/25, 10/02, 09, 16/2020.
ISH EXCLUSIVE SKATE & APPAREL located at 8300 PARADISE VALLEY RD., SUITE # 118. Registrant: KALCULATE AND KAPITALIZE LLC., 8300 PARADISE VALLEY RD., SUITE # 118 This business is conducted by LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY . REGISTRANT HAS BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME AS OF 07/01/2020. Signature RAMESH C. SHRESTHA. MANAGER. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/29/2020 . AJ 662 9/25, 10/02, 09/ 16, 2020.
AJSD 660
AJSD 661
AJSD 662
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9015474
JASMIN INN, JASMIN RESIDENCE INN located at 1135 J STREET, SAN DIEGO, CA with mailing address at P.O. BOX 2226, LA JOLLA, CA 92101. Registrant: M & M JASMIN INN LLC, 9302 LA FARMS RD., LA JOLLA, CA 92037. This business is conducted by LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. . REGISTRANT HAS BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME AS OF 08/01/2020. Signature SHIRIN SAMIMIMASSARAT, SECRETARY. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/22/2020 . AJ 663 10/02, 09 16, 23/2020.
GOLDEN SCARAB, REPAIR X located at 1591 GIBSON ST., SAN DIEGO, CA 92114. Registrant: ALEXANDER GREGORY RANGO, 1591 GIBSON ST., SAN DIEGO, CA 92114. And JASMINEE OCTAVIA RANGO 1591 GIBSON ST., SAN DIEGO, CA 92114. This business is conducted by MARRIED COUPLE. . REGISTRANT HAS BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME AS OF 01/01/19. Signature ALEXANDER GREGORY RANGO. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/16/2020 . AJ 665 10/02, 09 16, 23/2020.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9016669
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9016598
Triple L located at 901 Plaza Boulevard, National City, CA 91950. Registrant: Leah M. Ollman, 1041 Alberta Place, San Diego, CA 92103. And Lissa Goldman, 17 Shir Hashirim, Elkana, Israel 44814. This business is conducted by General Partnership. REGISTRANT HAS BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME AS OF 10/15/1986. Signature Leah M. Ollman. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/07/20. AJ 668 10/16/20, 10/23/20, 10/30/20, and 11/06/20.
BABE’S BEAUTY CO. located at 3041 F STREET UNIT B, SAN DIEGO, CA 92102. Registrant: DESIREE BABE GONZALES, 3041 F STREET UNIT B, SAN DIEGO, CA 92102. This business is conducted by INDIVIDUAL. REGISTRANT HAS NOT YET BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME ABOVE. Signature DESIREE BABE GONZALES. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/07/2020. AJ 669 10/16/20, 10/23/20, 10/30/20, 11/06/20.
AJSD 668
AJSD 669
AJSD 663
AJSD 665
pressed the hope that the conservative justices in the High Court, particularly those he appointed, including Judge Amy Coney Barrett, his nominee to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, will support his threatened electoral protest and vote to make him win. Blatant abuse of the justice system It would be a tragedy if the High Court is ever used as a tool of a would-be president-for-life. Nonetheless, I have faith that the Supreme Court justices will not allow themselves to be used as a tool to
violence, and opioid addiction. Supporting health, not rewarding wealth Biden believes in rewarding work, not just wealth – and investing in hard-working Americans’ health, not protecting the most privileged Americans’ wealth. Warren Buffett said it best when he stated that he should not pay a lower tax rate than his secretary. The Biden Plan will make health care a right by getting rid of capital gains tax loopholes for the super wealthy. Today, the very wealthy pay a tax rate of just 20%
on long-term capital gains. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, the capital gains and dividends exclusion is the second largest tax expenditure in the entire tax code: $127 billion in fiscal year 2019 alone. As president, Biden will roll back the Trump rate cut for the very wealthy and restore the 39.6% top rate he helped restore when he negotiated an end to the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy in 2012. Biden’s capital gains reform will close the loopholes that allow the super wealthy to avoid taxes
on capital gains altogether. The Biden plan will assure those making over $1 million will pay the top rate on capital gains, doubling the capital gains tax rate on the super wealthy. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.
PETITION
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9015403
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9015850
PAGE 6 t of voters have opted for mail-in ballots. Trump has been deliberately creating doubts about the integrity of mail-in ballots, in spite of the fact that he and the First Lady have also asked for mail-in ballots. Without any basis, he has claimed that millions of fake ballots will be sent out to prostitute the election. On the basis of a trumped-up claim, Trump has threatened to contest the election results, should he lose, and bring the matter before the Supreme Court. Trump has also publicly ex-
inflict an injustice on the country. At any rate, I don’t think the freedom-loving people of the United States will allow such a blatant abuse of the American system of justice. I hate to imagine what would happen if Trump resorts to the dirty tricks that his idols in Russia, China and North Korea have applied to remain perpetually in office. It could be bloody. But it is feared that Trump may be desperate enough to try anything to win. According to one of Trump’s sons, if his dad loses, they may spend time behind bars. No wonder Trump has begun to show signs of desperation. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9015043
BETTER ON located at 310 PARK WAY UNIT C, CHULA VISTA, CA 91910. Registrant: : JESSICA VICTORIA FERNANDEZ 310 PARK WAY UNIT C, CHULA VISTA, CA 91910. This business is conducted by INDIVIDUAL. . REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME . Signature JESSICA VICTORIA FERNANDEZ. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/5/2020 . AJ 667 10/02, 09 16, 23/2020.
AJSD 667
CASE NUMBER: 37-2020-00034010-CU-PT-CTL TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner TATIANA TRANG NONG filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: TATIANA TRANG NONG to THANH TRANG NONG. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING 11/10/2020 8:30 AM, Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: SEPT. 28, 2020 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 666 OCT. 2, 9, 16, 23/2020 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE – Name Change (NC120) Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, which poses a substantial risk to the health and welfare of court personnel and the public, rendering presence in, or access to, the court’s facilities unsafe, and pursuant to the emergency orders of the Chief Justice of the State of California and General Orders of the Presiding Department of the San Diego Superior Court, the following Order is made: NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).. If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions. A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date. Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court. AJSD 666
CASE NUMBER: 37-2020-00033530-CU-PT-CTL
CASE NUMBER: 2019 - 65956
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner RUBY MICHELLE DELACERDA filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: RUBY MICHELLE DELACERDA.to RUBY MICHELLE MOETTE. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING 11/05/2020 8:30 AM, Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: SEPT. 23, 2020 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 664 OCT. 2, 9, 16, 23/2020 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE – Name Change (NC120) Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, which poses a substantial risk to the health and welfare of court personnel and the public, rendering presence in, or access to, the court’s facilities unsafe, and pursuant to the emergency orders of the Chief Justice of the State of California and General Orders of the Presiding Department of the San Diego Superior Court, the following Order is made: NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).. If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions. A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner REYNALDO SANTOS/ LAURA SANTOS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: TIMOTHY MATTHEW BUAN to TIMOTHY MATTHEW B. SANTOS. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING 11/10/2020 8:30 AM, Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: SEPT. 15, 2020 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 659 9/ 25 & OCT. 2, 9, 16, 2020 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE – Name Change (NC120) Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, which poses a substantial risk to the health and welfare of court personnel and the public, rendering presence in, or access to, the court’s facilities unsafe, and pursuant to the emergency orders of the Chief Justice of the State of California and General Orders of the Presiding Department of the San Diego Superior Court, the following Order is made: NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).. If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions. A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.
Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court.
Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court.
AJSD 664
AJSD 659
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From quiet Marinduque to raucous... PAGE 5 t transpired outside the halls of the Batasang Pambansa was illegal, calling it a sham. But who is Velasco, a young politician hailing from a relatively quiet province of Marinduque? For starters, politics is in his blood. His father, Presbitero Jose Velasco, Jr. – a former Supreme Court Associate Justice, is the incumbent governor of Marinduque while his mother, Lorna Quinto Velasco, is the current mayor of the province’s Torrijos town. Like his father, Velasco is also a lawyer by profession. He earned his degree in Bachelor of Science in Business Management from De La Salle University before obtaining his law degree from the University of Santo Tomas. “I studied law, I was a working student because I was working for my dad during that time. Didn’t have plans in running for politics,” Velasco said in a 2019 interview with ABSCBN News Channel. Before entering the world of politics, Velasco served as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) President of Marinduque as well as administrator of the province under former Governor Jose Antonio Carrion. As the Provincial Administrator of Marinduque, Velasco headed the Provincial Tourism Council and “undertook projects to promote the province as a haven for sports adventure and community-based Tourism”, according to his website. It was in 2010 when Velasco was elected as Marinduque representative, beating Edmundo Reyes from the ruling Reyes family by a slim 4,000 votes. Velasco ran again for a congressional post in 2013 but lost to Regina Ongslako Reyes in another close vote. However, Velasco contested this on the basis of Reyes’ citizenship and his petition was upheld by the Supreme Court – leading to his proclamation as Marinduque representative in February 2016. The Marinduque lawmaker ran again in 2016 and 2019 beating Regina Ongslako Reyes and Harold Lim, respectively. Ties that bind In an interview with ABSCBN News Channel before the term-sharing deal was announced in 2019, Velasco did
not hide his family’s closeness to President Rodrigo Duterte’s family. This even got to a point when Duterte celebrated his first Christmas as the nation’s top leader with the Velasco family. Velasco said that it was Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles who introduced him to Duterte. “We met him, we got off, it was a good meeting and then from then we just got close,” Velasco said. Velasco also admitted being close to presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. According to him, his closeness with Sara started when he hosted sorties for Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP). Sara is the chairperson of the regional political party. This relationship became apparent during a meeting between the presidential daughter and Velasco on October 9. Sara said in a statement that Velasco sought her help in securing the votes of three HNP congressmen from the Davao region in his speakership bid. In response, the Davao City mayor said HNP is backing the fulfillment of the speakership term-sharing agreement that was brokered by his father in 2019. There were also rumors that Sara made moves to ensure that the term-sharing deal will be followed. But Velasco denied this, saying the extent of the presidential daughter’s help to him in his speakership bid was only limited to their meeting. Gentleman’s agreement In July 2019, President Duterte announced that the speakership at the House of Representatives would be shared between Cayetano and Velasco. Under the gentleman’s agreement, Cayetano would serve as Speaker in the first 15 months while Velasco would succeed him to serve for the remaining 21 months of the 18th Congress. But the months leading to the speakership transition was not a smooth period for Velasco, who was accused of spearheading an ouster plot against Cayetano. In February 2020, Cayetano claimed that Velasco is promising chairmanship and budget allocation to members of the lower legislative body, saying that he received “verified” in-
formation regarding an “attempt” to oust him as Speaker. Velasco denied the alleged plan to oust Cayetano, saying the reports regarding the issue were “baseless.” A supposed ouster scheme resurfaced in September, during deliberations on the proposed 2021 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways. Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves, Jr., an ally of Velasco, questioned the distribution of infrastructure funds between congressional districts, particularly allocations for the districts of Cayetano and Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte. Ensuing arguments over the proposed 2021 national budget have led many to question if this is related to the speakership term-sharing deal. The leadership squabble escalated that the President had to intervene and hold a meeting with Cayetano and Velasco to purportedly settle the matter. By the end of the talk, news broke that Velasco would take over as Speaker on October 14. Cayetano offered to resign on September 30 but it was rejected by the majority of the House members. The Taguig-Pateros lawmaker’s allies claimed this rejection manifested the House members’ support of Cayetano’s continued leadership. Days leading to Velasco’s election as new Speaker was nothing short of dramatic – with House sessions being abruptly suspended by Cayetano and his allies on October 6, allegedly endangering the timely passage of the 2021 national budget, and manifestos being passed around as both camps rally for numbers. Nevertheless, in his victory speech Monday, Velasco said that under his leadership, the House will pass laws that are responsive to the needs of Filipinos here and abroad. He also pledged legislation that would focus on jobs generation, the economy, healthcare, food security, peace and order, and clean sustainable energy. “And most of all, today’s events would ensure that the President’s call for a timely, legal and constitutional approval of the 2021 budget will be complied with,” he stressed. For Velasco, October 12 was the culmination of the drawnout speakership struggle.
SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 16-22, 2020
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New Fil-Am-led startup plans to harness the power of data and AI for the emerging middle class in the Philippines
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by MOMAR G. VISAYA/ AJPress
ARL Valencia has been working on startups for as long as he can remember and he has made it his passion to help accelerate the development of the startup ecosystem in the Philippines.
Over the past decade, he was able to build three startup accelerators focusing on the Philippines - IdeaSpace for emerging market needs (70+ startups), QBO, the national innovation center of the Philippines (300 startups) and Cognity Labs, AI accelerator (3 startups). These initiatives were instrumental in the country as it paved the way to have the Philippines’ startup and innovation law that was passed in Congress. Because of this string of achievements and in recognition of the programs that helped the Philippines’ startup ecosystem, Valencia was honored as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) of the country in 2016. This year, Valencia is spearheading yet another project, this time focusing on finance technology and digital financial services. Earl and Kevin Gabayan, his partner in this venture were friends in Stanford, Kevin was in the PhD program for Machine Learning and Earl was taking his MBA at the Graduate School of Business. They were both members of Filipino Graduate School Club, and were even co-presidents of that club at that time. Gabayan was previously a computer vision researcher at NASA Ames, and led data science at Bump Technologies when it was acquired by Google. Valencia on the other hand was an aerospace engineer
Plentina founders Earl Valencia (right) and Kevin Gabayan
by training before going to business school. He founded a startup incubator while he was VP of the largest telecom in the Philippines, held executive roles at Bridgewater and Charles Schwab, and was a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. The duo started in late 2019 with the concept of Plentina, which they hope would create better financial opportunities to the emerging markets in the Philippines. They had a test launch recently with 7-11, one of their partners in the Philippines. They are also looking to scale their operations and build more financial products for the digital
generation of the country. Valencia shared that the name Plentina is from the song “Table of Plenty” that Kevin heard in Church. The song says that everyone can benefit because there food is plentiful to share. “We attached ‘na’ because that gave it a unique spin, but ‘na’ is also a uniquely Filipino expression, so you can say, it’s like ‘plenty na,’” he quipped. He hopes that through the power of technology, more and more people in the Philippines will be able to establish a good line of credit and gain access to better financial tools and services. “We believe that everyone
deserves access to credit and the right customer experience for financial services, and with our technology, we hope that we can build an alternative credit score for millions of Filipinos, especially the emerging middle class,” Valencia explained. “We hope that we create more opportunities for Filipinos and people in emerging markets because we help build a new digital first financial services experience for them.” Accelerator program Valencia has gone full circle. When he built Idea Space years ago, he took inspiration from the leading accelerator programs, and one such program is Techstars, a global platform for investment and innovation. Plentina made it to the 2020 Class of the Techstars and Western Union Accelerator, something that made the founders beyond inspired and excited, specially since it is the first Filipino-led startup to participate in the program. You see, when applying to these top startup accelerators, all one can do is to pray and hope but not expect to get in. That’s exactly what they did. “I believe Techstars only takes 1-2% of all applicants, so when we got the call that we are in, Kevin and I did a ‘virtual high five,’” Valencia shared. “The biggest thing really is that we are so excited to be around a group of people, the 10 other startup companies and the team that believe in our vision of financial access and inclusion.” The companies in the 2020 class are led by diverse founders from around the world including the Philippines, Egypt, Gambia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Israel, Nigeria, Singapore, Spain, South Africa and the United States. It is already a given that building a startup is extremely difficult and one needs all the help and support possible. Valencia and Gabayan believe that Techstars will help provide them part of their initial funding ($120k), the network and the mentorship in order to give them a shot to succeed. The Plentina co-founders have both committed to their investors that after Covid is done, at least one of them will be in the Philippines at least three weeks per month. They have also hired a country manager, Alex Capulong, who came from the fintech industry in the Philippines to help build out their Philippine operations. “I think with Covid, we have proven that we can execute virtually and build a business even if our families are based in the Bay Area, NYC/Connecticut and Manila,” he said. Based on his experience in startups and innovations, Valencia named the must-haves that these new companies should possess in order to thrive and prosper. “One thing I learned in Techstars that their criteria after we got in are: ‘team, team, team, market, traction, idea.’ I thought it was a typo, but it wasn’t. I think it is important for the founding team to be
Plentina is an alternative credit score and microlending for emerging markets. They use AI/Machine learning to build a credit model in markets like the Philippines where the equivalent of a FICO score is not abundant.
Valencia co-founded Plentina with his friend from Stanford, Kevin Gabayan, a fellow a Fil-Am. Gabayan was in the Machine Learning PhD program while Valencia was pursuing his MBA. Gabayan left Google in their headquarters to start the company.
aligned in the mission of the company and what positive impact you want to see if you become successful,” he shared. For example, both Kevin and Earl are passionate to democratize financial services in emerging markets, especially the Philippines. Another area is a balance in the skill set. “Kevin is one of the smartest Filipino engineers I know, coming from Google’s Android and emerging market credit team. I balance the team with my background in partnerships and investing that I learned when I was VP at Smart Communications and in financial firms Bridgewater and Charles Schwab,” he explained. The last one is to create something the people want. “It may seem simple, but if you begin on how you can change the customer experience because of a new technology, a lot of amazing innovations can happen,” he said. Emerging market The Philippines has always been called an emerging market and it is something that startups need to take advantage of, in terms of both helping it grow and the business climate it offers. Valencia said that most investors don’t know that the Philippines is the 13th largest country in the world by population but the amazing thing is that it is one of the youngest populations at age 24 and one of the most digital/mobile savvy. “I think that you can see the next 10 years of the Philippines to approach the economic sweet spot, where there
will be the rise of the middle class,” he shared. “Also, the Philippines is an English speaking country with amazing talent, we feel that we can build a great team from the Philippines even if we start expanding our company beyond the Philippines.” The startups in (and for) the Philippines have been growing at a steady rate. There have been many innovations in the Philippines with great funding stories in the social space, including fintech, edtech and others over the past few years, he said, citing coins.ph selling to Go-Jek a few years ago. “I think that if compared with our neighbors like Indonesia or Singapore, we maybe 3-4 years behind, but I believe that the next 3-5 years [postCovid of course] will be the golden age for Filipino startups, that we will be set-up to build the next ‘unicorn’ or billion dollar business because of the startup environment,” Valencia said. He is likewise hopeful that with partnerships between large conglomerates and the government, the passing of the Startup Law and support for incubators like QBO and the DOST Technology Business Incubator (TBIs) in universities, they will be able to find these new companies that will be the next big companies of the country. As he moves forward to a new chapter in his professional career, Valencia is all set to pack up his suit as a corporate innovator/investor and put on his hoodie as a VC-backed startup founder.
Valencia and Gabayan have built a team to pursue their mission to have every deserving citizen in the world to be able to access affordable credit. They hope that digital and data will be the catalysts to make change in the financial services industry in the Philippines and other emerging markets. Photos courtesy of Earl Valencia
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Gary V. still has high hopes for tomorrow
Features
SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 16-22, 2020
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by Nika
Roque ManilaTimes.net
IN the past seven months, it seems more difficult to stay motivated as industries struggle, particularly the events and entertainment fields. OPM icon Gary Valenciano can attest to this as he is among the many artists whose work the Covid-19 pandemic has upended. Both his local and international shows were postponed indefinitely, and his job has taken a confusing turn following the shutdown of his home network ABS-CBN. Despite these issues, he believes that they will all bounce back. Valenciano spoke about his experiences and thoughts during the lockdown in a webinar organized by the SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation or SMHCC. Entitled “Playlist of Hope,” the webinar also had SMHCC Executive Vice President Peggy Angeles and sustainability and culture advocate, and founder of Great Women and Echostore, Jeanie Javelosa. “This whole pandemic hit me in a different way. I wake up at night and [think of] what’s going to happen tomorrow. But it’s also wakened me to realize that fear is always going to be knocking at our doors.” In several industries’ effort to continue working and generate income, most have moved to online, something that Valenciano is grateful for as it brings his creativity to a different level. He learned how to set up cameras and other equipment at home, whereas rare trips to the studios involve enhanced safety protocols. He also learned new techniques on how to mix and arrange music at home for online concerts. He saw how more artists and employees have become more open-minded with adjusted talent fees as well, and he has worked to raise funds for struggling musicians, such as those who can no longer perform at hotels, weddings, or parties. Together with his wife, he held meetings with different people who are in need of income even from online events, and they do what
Bayani Agbayani is so funny that even the grumpiest person will certainly break into hearty laughter upon seeing him at the end of this writer’s virtual interview. Philstar.com photo
My interview with the one and only Bayani by Boy
aBuNda Philstar.com
Dubbed Mr. Pure Energy, this pandemic proved to be an anxious time for Gary Valenciano. Photo from Instagram/@garyvalenciano
they can to help out. Seeing good outcomes of today’s world, Valenciano said, “We are just thankful that history will prove that if there’s one thing that when catastrophes would hit, people would always look for entertainment no matter what. And music is thankfully one that can be really streamed online. In that aspect, that’s okay.” Valenciano shared that he feels optimistic with new plans in the entertainment industry that are meant for the last few months of this year — be it for online or actual live events. “Looking ahead, the music industry is slowly making its way [into the future.] This is all we have now, we have our creative juices flowing. People have become more self-sufficient, self-reliant. Let’s roll up our sleeves and let’s see what we can do. Production has transcended into the new
normal.” Valenciano considered how viewers and listeners now have a new view of artists which goes beyond the hype and performing just for the sake of earning. He said that musicians would most likely create music with more depth and more messages from hereon. “Music is really one of the powerful [media] that can really change a life; it can make [the listeners] decide on what is right. They can take the right direction because music can guide them. “I’m hoping that people will be looking at artists differently especially those that really have stood in the area of wanting to give not just their best talents, but really give something that can encourage people at this point in time when people need it the most,” he ended.
BAYANI Agbayani is either your favorite comedian or he will be soon when you get to watch the video for One: The Interview. He’s so convulsively funny that even the grumpiest person will certainly break into a hearty laughter upon seeing his reaction at the end of our virtual interview. Known for his quick wit and humor, Bayani accepted my invitation to appear on the Boy Abunda Talk Channel, a.k.a. Batalk Channel, on YouTube for One: The Interview. Apple, my executive producer in The Bottomline, Robby and some production staff in ABS-CBN assisted me in hooking up Bayani to my network connection and laptop. He was too patient and cooperative in following directions. He was smiling while being repeatedly asked to adjust the camera of his laptop for a better view and position himself a bit closer to the monitor to achieve the perfect angle and lighting. While my team was still busy setting up, I engaged Bayani in a casual chat for some kumustahan.
Like me, Bayani does not go out when not necessary. He is protective of his health and that of his wife Lenlen and their children. He does his morning routine exercise by jogging around the village in Quezon City. He lives just a stone’s throw away from my residence. “Lagi akong nag-e-exercise; araw-araw tuwing 5:30 ng umaga,” he said and then I also checked on his family. He again replied, “They’re fine and they’re already upstairs. We usually sleep early. So, what I did when I learned that this (interview) will be at 10 in the evening, I slept at 5 in the afternoon. Pinaghandaan ko ito kasi pag alas-otso, inaantok na ako kaya natulog ako ng hapon; ng 5 at nagising ako ng 7 (p.m.).” With his showbiz schedule not as tight as before, Bayani revealed that there’s nothing much to do but to exercise, sleep, binge-watch on Netf lix, eat and take care of the kids. Apple recalled that our very first interview with Bayani took place several years ago at his home in Fairview. “It’s my mother who is staying there now,” he replied while visibly uncomfortable
with the pair of wireless earbuds he’s wearing. “Do I still have to use these (holding the earphones) even if I can hear you clearly?” He was told that the earphones help in reducing or blocking feedback. His daughter Sab helped him check his set-up before we proceeded with the interview. I, too, was asked to move my laptop a bit to my left. For the last time, I asked if everybody’s ready. And then, I proceeded, “Yani, welcome to One: The Interview.” “Good evening, Tito Boy,” he responded excitedly. “Long time no see!” “Maraming salamat . Long time no see! Na-miss kita. Here’s your question.” “Opo,” said Bayani. With a straight face, I asked, “Yani, are you sexy?” “Yes,” he responded with a smile. “Maraming salamat . That’s the end of our interview. Thank you, for being part of One: The Interview. Goodbye.” He shot back, “’ Yun na ‘yun? Salamat din, Tito Boy.” His hands were covering his mouth while trying to control his laughter. “Matagal pa ‘yung dasal ko, sa sagot ko, hahaha.”
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OCTOBER 16-22, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
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Maricris on being a first time-mom by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net
Twice voted Most Beautiful Woman in the Philippines (2018 and 2020), Kisses Delavin says, ‘To me, a beautiful person is someone who reaches out and finds beauty in other people.’ Photo from Instagram/@kissesdelavin
Kisses on being beautiful by RIcky lo Philstar.com
AS soon as the ECQ (Extended Community Quarantine) in Metro Manila was eased several weeks ago, Kisses Delavin and her parents, Carrie and Gilbert Delavin, drove home to their native Masbate and stayed there since then. Although she has topped the recent 2020 Starmometer online poll on “The most beautiful woman in the Philippines,” for the second time (the first was in 2018; Angel Locsin was No. 1 seven times), Kisses isn’t just sitting pretty nor being simply a sleeping beauty while off from work as contract artist of All Access to Artists, Inc. (Triple A) management and APT Entertainment. When a powerful earthquake last August hit Cataingan, a town several kilometers from Masbate City, Kisses went there not just to sympathize with the residents but to distribute ayuda. In their own way, the Delavins have been contributing relief goods among the needy in the city. You call it (as beauty contests are wont to do) “beauty with a purpose.” “I didn’t expect to receive such an honor again,” Kisses said about the “most beautiful poll” that has been conducted for 15 years now. “and I thank my Kissables (her fans) for their continued support. I feel kilig. This award feels like when it’s so early in the morning and you just showered and have no makeup on yet and you’re told by someone you appreciate, eye to eye, that you’re beauti-
ful. It’s like romcom kilig. You say thank you and smile nonchalantly, of course.” She added, “But really, when a love this big is given to you by people from around the world, from different walks of life, it moves you. It feels as if it’s absolutely impossible to ever be sad or insecure. And it makes you wish you could instantly share that empowering love to every girl and boy in the world because each of them deserves to feel beautiful, too. That’s how it feels.” An only child born after her mom suffered seven miscarriages and who was intubated at five years old due to viral encephalitis at the ICU of Lourdes Hospital, Kisses believes that beauty goes deeper than skindeep. “While beauty is already within everyone of us, an important element for beauty to flourish more is a wonderful thing called self-worth. To know your worth and to be reminded of it each day, that is something your future self will thank you for. As Coco Chanel said, ‘Keep your head, heels and standards high!’ “I think that in this time, when I think of a beautiful person, I think of a person who reaches out and finds beauty in others, especially now that most people are so hard on themselves because of society’s pressures. Imagine how less lonely this world would be if we practiced telling people what we find most beautiful about them and do that on a regular basis. There are people that we pass by, hang around with, message online, and people we
consider the closest in our lives who may not have a clue what makes them beautiful or have already forgotten what it felt like and we can fix that.” She remembers that when she was three years old at preparatory school, there was a contest. “My parents told me that I went home triumphantly waving a P500 bill and a certificate in my hands that said ‘Most Beautiful Smile.’ I haven’t stopped showing off my smile since then.” Every success, no matter how small, is celebrated by the family. “I would come home from school and group work with random good news, and my dad and I would celebrate it over two-piece fried chicken and Coke float meals, my go-to recharge meal at the only open fastfood joint at one a.m., and I’d tell him all about it with my mom on the phone and they’d tell me how proud they were. Quarantining in Masbate gave me time to appreciate where I am, how incredibly supportive my family and supporters are for me and my career, and just how generous God is to me.” Her Kissables are patiently waiting for Kisses to resume work. “They have grown into one of the strongest, most positive and loving groups of people and individuals you could find. I’m so excited to get back to working hard after the pandemic, now with more focus than ever, making exciting movies and TV series to repay my supporters for all their hard work and love.”
IT was a double celebration for Kapuso singer-actress Maricris Garcia who marked her 33rd birthday with a gender reveal for her first baby. On September 26, she posted a photo of her and non-showbiz husband TJ Cruz holding a pink cake on her Instagram account and captioned, “3 on 33. We are having a GIRL!!! You are outnumbered Daddy, sorry!!!” Garcia — dubbed as “Queen of Kapuso Teleserye Theme Songs” — first announced her pregnancy on May 16, three years after tying the knot with Cruz in December 2016. In a recent online press conference with the entertainment media, the “Pinoy Pop Superstar” champion detailed her reaction after learning that she is pregnant, saying that it was what they have been pray for from the start. “Bago ko pa na-confirm, sobrang lakas na ng kutob ko. Actually ‘nung una ayaw ko pang sabihin kahit kanino, kahit sa asawa ko ayaw ko munang sabihin na ‘I think I’m pregnant.’ Hindi muna ako nag pregnancy test kasi gusto ko munang patagalin bago ma-sure,” Garcia recalled. “But noong naconfirm na namin, sobrang saya. As in wala akong ibang inisip kundi ‘Shocks, magkaka-baby na ako. Ito na yung sobrang tagal na naming hinihiling.’ Una naming inisip kung lalaki ba or babae, sino kaya kamukha niya, paano kaya siya paglaki niya — mga ganung bagay,” she added. With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Garcia admitted the fear of becoming a firsttime mom has been intensified, “Sana, soon or by the time na paglabas niya, because I’m due second week of January, sana okey na.” Further revealing their plans, Garcia said she will still give birth in a hospital notwithstanding the risks, “Kahit na siya yung pinaka ligtas at pinakanakakatakot na punta-
The singer-actress proudly revealed that she and husband TJ Cruz will be parents to a baby girl. Photo from Instagram/@maricrisgarcia_cruz
han na lugar at the same time ngayon. No choice. “Kahit gusto ko ma-experience yung katulad kela Max Collins [who delivered her first child with Pancho Magno via water birth], hindi ko kasi naprepare yung katawan ko for that noong simula pa lang. Baka sa akin, in the middle of water birth, itakbo rin nila ako sa hospital. So dun na tayo sa sure.” Despite the fears and the anxiety she has been feeling given the situation, Garcia chooses to look at her pregnancy with the lens of optimism. “Dahil sa kanya kaya kami nagiging optimistic in life kahit na maraming nangyayari ngayon. Siya ang rainbow at the end of the rain. Because ang tagal na naming pinagdasal
Kathryn Bernardo
ito, finally na nandito na siya, parang ito na talaga yung hope naming lahat,” Garcia continued. Garcia is hoping to return to work and continue singing after she gives birth. She is also open on taking mother roles in the future. Ending the interview on a happy note, Garcia, when asked what she wants her kid to take after from her, happily answered, “Siguro yung pagiging malakas ang loob. Yung go lang, fight lang ng fight. Kapag may gusto kang isang bagay, wag kang titigil hanggang hindi mo na a-achieve yun. Walang makakapigil sa iyo as long as you believe in yourself. Be positive always and wag siyang makakalimot magdasal palagi.”
Photo from Instagram/@bernardokath
Why Kathryn is staying with ABS-CBN by alex
BRosas Inquirer.net
DESPITE offers from other networks, and even in the absence of a franchise for her home network, Kathryn Bernardo is choosing to stay with ABS-CBN out of gratitude. “Aside from ABS-CBN being a mother network, sobrang malaking bagay sa akin ang loyalty. Ito ‘yung way ko para pasalamatan ‘yung network sa kung ano ang meron ako ngayon. Lahat ng blessing namin ay dahil sa kompanya,” Kathryn said in an online conference for her new digital series with Daniel Padilla, “The House Arrest of Us,” yesterday, Oct. 14. (Aside from ABS-CBN being [my] mother network, loyalty is something huge for me. This is my way to thank the network for giving me what I have today. All our blessings came because of the network.) Bernardo feels it is a wise decision to stay put with the network which built her up. She said these hard times are actually the times when the network needs her more, which is
why she will stay for as long as she can and stand up for the network until it gets up again. For now, she is just excited for the upcoming series. “Ngayon na meron uli kaming chance na mapasaya ang mga tao, mabigyan ng trabaho ang mga crew, bakit ka magno-no sa ganitong opportunity, ‘di ba?” she said. (Now that we have a chance to make people happy, to help our crew have jobs again, why would you say “no” to this opportunity, right?) Her last TV project was the soap opera “La Luna Sangre” also with Daniel Padilla. Since there is a new working environment for everyone due to the pandemic, Bernardo admits she’s still adjusting. “Honestly, nangapa kasi nga ang tagal namang hindi nagwork ni DJ. Ang hirap po gumawa ulit and we’re very lucky kasi nagtulungan ang buong team. Naka-adjust naman pero nakakapanibago lang with the new normal. Excited kaming mag-shoot everyday,” she said. (Honestly, I was still finding my way because Daniel and I
did not work for a long time. It’s so hard to do this again and we’re lucky because the whole team helped each other. I’ve adjusted but I feel it’s strange with the new normal. We’re excited to shoot everyday.) Bernardo recently supported Padilla on his online concert “Apollo: A Daniel Padilla Digital Experience,” also a new experience for Padilla. “Alam ko rin ang adjustment niya. Lalo siya, gusto niya nakikita ang crowd, alam mo ‘yun, ‘yung may interaction. Gusto ko lang ma-feel ‘yung success ng concert niya na kasama kami. It‘s a celebration of his concert and parang pagbabalik ni DJ. Lahat kami nag-enjoy sa concert niya,” said Bernardo. (I know about his adjustments too. More so for him, he wants to see his audience, you know, he wants interaction. I want to feel the success of his concert, with us being present. [Our after-show party is] a celebration of his concert and it was like a comeback in the concert scene for him. We all enjoyed his concert.)
Why lockdown is ‘an answered prayer’ for Jodi Sta. Maria by MaRInel
cRuz
Inquirer.net
FOR actress Jodi Sta. Maria, the ongoing lockdown that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic was actually an answered prayer. “Most of us have prayed for more time with the family, for a moment of rest, or maybe a vacation. I believe that this is somehow God’s way of answering our prayers,” Jodi pointed out. “Probably just not in the
way that we wanted Him to answer it.” The star of the hit drama series “Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin” shared with reporters recently that while on quarantine, “I started getting into aromatherapy; my exercise has become more intensive. I was happy to have spent more time with my son, Thirdy, and with my family.” Jodi further said: “Everything that happened to us, especially
during the first part of 2020, came as a shock. We didn’t see what was coming. We also didn’t expect that ABS-CBN’s franchise won’t be renewed at all. It’s normal to feel anxious. I also became a bit fearful back then, because everything seemed so uncertain. But when I started to sit down and ponder, I realized that you can turn tragedies into opportunities.” She observed that “a lot of PAGE 14
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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 16-22, 2020
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San Diego to recognize world-renowned stand up comedian Jo Koy and celebrate Filipino American History Month
‘Guadalupe’ to be streamed Oct 30-31 AFTER a long wait due to the COVID19 pandemic, “Guadalupe: The Musical” returns as a streamable video, taped live at the Meralco Theater in 2018, brought to the comfort of your living rooms and favorite devices starting at 9 a.m. October 30 for the premier showing until 11:30 AM on October 31, 2020 (Philippine standard time). The success of the musical has encouraged the producers to bring the story of the Our Lady of Guadalupe and Mexico via the Ticket2Me.net video streaming platform. Through technology, the Julie Borromeo Performing Arts Foundation Inc. and the producers of the online edition of this musical viewing hope to reach all the art aficionados and devotees alike in the Philippines and all over the world. This original Filipino musical is directed by theater legend Baby Barredo and was created by award-winning artists Joel Trinidad and Ejay Yatco. “Guadalupe: The Musical” is once again led by the inimitable Victor “Cocoy” Laurel (“Miss Saigon”), who reprises his role as Juan Diego, the Aztec mat-weaver at the center of the tale. Joining him once again are award-winning performers Shiela Valderrama-Martinez (“Binondo”), Lorenz Martinez (“Spamalot”), and a host of other theater stalwarts. “Guadalupe: The Musical,” set in 1531 New Spain, shows the quest of Juan Diego: a man claiming to have seen a vision of a half-Aztec, half-Spanish Virgin Mary who has given him the impossible task of building a church in her name. He relays this to Archbishop Juan de Zumarraga (who has lost his faith due to the countless atrocities he has seen but nevertheless sees the symbol as a way to unite the land) and his sickly old uncle Juan Bernardino (who thinks his nephew has gone insane). A ruthless governor
FILIPINO American History Month commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States, which occurred in October of 1587 when Luzones Indios landed at what is now Morro Bay, California. In San Diego, Councilmember Chris Cate, a second-generation Filipino American, is set to proclaim Day in Honor of Jo Koy and Filipino American History Month Ceremony.
“Jo Koy is iconic and a trailblazer. His homage to the Philippines has reached the lives of millions of people worldwide,” said Councilmember Cate. Filipino Americans are the second largest Asian American group in the nation and the third largest ethnic group in California, and San Diego is home to one of the largest concentrations of Filipinos, with more than 200,000 Fil-
ipinos residing in America’s Finest City. Councilmember Cate proudly represents the City of San Diego’s Sixth Council District where one in every three residents is of Asian American descent. “Filipino cuisine, culture, and arts are f lourishing in District 6, and I am excited to celebrate Jo Koy and recognize his accomplishments,” Cate added.
Pia Wurtzbach goes to UK amid feud with sister—report by Niña
V. GuNo
Inquirer.net
Nuño Beltran De Guzman opposes the Archbishop’s idea and throws Juan Diego out, threatening to imprison him if he ever shows his face again. Meanwhile, the Archbishop’s young niece Clara and his Aztec assistant Luis have fallen in love. Because of the current political climate, they are forced to keep their love secret; little do they know that, all this time, someone has been silently watching them from the shadows. One night in early December, a comet sets the sky ablaze. To the people of New Spain, it is an omen. For Zumarraga, it is a symbol of hope for his dying faith; for Guzman it is the spark of a revolution that must be extinguished; for Clara and Luis, it is passion, burning bright; for Juan Diego, it is no less than a sign from the Virgin herself. Soon afterwards, miracles begin to occur: A dying man returns from the brink of death. Flowers flourish where they cannot bloom. Unexplained images appear on a simple piece of cloth. And a doubter finds his faith once again. What is significant in this online event is that proceeds from the sale of the e-tickets from
COULD Pia Wurtzbach be attempting to patch things up with her sister Sarah in person? The Miss Universe 2015 titleholder headed to the United Kingdom last night after Sarah lashed out at her online, Inquirer Bandera reported yesterday, Oct. 13. Sarah hurled invectives at
Ticket2Me.net and sponsorships involved will benefit the following organizations: Joshua Evangelical Group Inc., Philippine Independence Day Council Inc., San Antonio De Padua Parish, St. Josemaria Escriva Mission Church, Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish, Nativity of Our Lady Parish, Our Lady of Peñafrancia Seminary of Sorsogon City, Southeastern Virginia Filipino American Lions Club, Montero Medical Mission, Regnum Christi Young Women’s Section, UP High Prep Elem Integrated School Foundation, Sigma Delta Phi Alumni Assocation, JCI Makati Senate, One Global Management Company Inc., SFO Cursillo Movement, UPIS Alumni Foundation, Punlaan School and Julie Borromeo’s Performing Arts Foundation Inc. E-tickets are still on sale at Ticket2Me.net or at the links at “Guadalupe The Musical Online” FB page, or contact via email at guadalupethemusicallive@gmail. com, or call the following numbers: 650-550-9851, +63 2 8634 5063, +639 939 910 2629, +63 918 921 8182. A 10% surcharge will be applied by Ticket2Me.net on all tickets prices as payment for its services. Pia Wurtzbach (Advertising Supplement)
Photo from Instagram/@piawurtzbach
Pia via Instagram Stories over the weekend, accusing her and their mom, Cheryl Alonzo Tyndall, of having bad attitudes. She claimed that their mom was abusive to her and that Pia has not given her support. When Inquirer Bandera asked a source close to Pia if she had not been able to help her younger sister financially, the source said, “Jusko, sa tingin mo ba may pagkukulang si Pia sa kanya? Sobra-sobra
pa nga, [‘di] lang financial (My God, do you think Pia has not done enough for her? She has given so much, not just financially)!” The same source said that Pia was saddened about the turn of events. “Siyempre malungkot. Aayusin nila iyan as a family. ‘Di kami nagkukulang sa pag-alalay kay Pia. Pero mahirap rin makialam kasi pamilya iyan (Of course it is sad. They PAGE 14
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OCTOBER 16-22, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
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Tri Counties Bank announces With improved gains, Abacore optimistic about contributions to programs supporting minority-owned small businesses long-term prospects
INVESTMENT holding firm Abacore Capital Holdings is optimistic that Batangas, one of the country’s fastest-growing provinces, will continue its economic growth in the years to come as they have seen the value of its real estate in the province surged in the past two years due to the rezoning of land driving up values. Abacore President and CEO Regina O. Reyes told stockholders that the company remains hopeful and confident about its long-term growth given its substantial land holdings, which are next to commercial, residential and industrial areas in Batangas. “It is hard to look beyond the current pandemic due to uncertainties and many variables that may affect our business, but we are still confident that Abacore will continue its 10 percent annual dividend policy,” Reyes said at the recent board meeting of officers and stockholders. “Unlike Metro Manila, values in Batangas remain stable and provide great value for those looking for capital gain,” Reyes added. According to her, the company’s commercial properties in West Batangas have increased in zonal value by more than 1,000% from
two years ago. As a holding company, ABA generates revenues through dividends from its subsidiaries and other companies where it has interests. The company’s flagship Montemaria Mother of All Asia Tower of Peace property in Batangas commands good value for investment due to its potential for tourism and industrial growth, according to Reyes. The landmark real estate project Montemaria International Pilgrimage & Conference Center is a faith-based tourism destination dedicated to Mary, Mother of All Asia. The development was conceived as a destination to attract devotees and pilgrims and through the years, it has become both a tourism and a retirement village. There is also a world-class township development located in Montemaria called Lombard by the Bay, The residential development overlooks the Verde Island Passage which, according to the United Nations, is the “center of the center of marine biodiversity in the world.” It is located 30 minutes away from the central district of Batangas City, and is accessible by concrete road and by sea.
Despite the surge in land values in the province, Reyes noted that prices are “still a bargain” compared to the cheapest commercial properties in Metro Manila. “We have seen the trend of logistics and international port container yards being built next to our properties. This has made our properties near or fronting the beach dramatically increase in value and we believe this growth to sustain in the coming years as the province and national government start building their major infrastructure,” Reyes said. Batangas, due to its strategic location, makes it a natural gateway to the rest of the Philippines as well as the Asia Pacific Region, enhancing the province’s potential in industrial, residential and tourism development. Abacore will reportedly continue to sell its land assets and reinvest a portion of the cash from the sale of land in joint ventures with recurring revenue. The company also remains on the lookout for properties in Batangas, which it sees as the next Metro Manila due to the presence of high end residences, commercial businesses, educational institutions and industrial growth.
TRI Counties Bank announced its partnership with the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC) as part of the Bank’s initiative to support minority-owned businesses throughout its footprint. NAAC is one of four organizations that the Bank is partnering with that offer programs to assist in the development of minority-owned businesses. Tri Counties Bank is matching donations up to $25,000 for the National Asian American Coalition until November 30, 2020. All donations to NAAC during this initiative will support its COVID-19 Small Business Loan Program, which is designed to help minority-owned businesses in California through the COVID-19 pandemic. These loans help business owners restore, maintain, build, or grow their business and can assist in paying for: · Rent · Inventory purchases · Payroll · Supplies to rebuild and re-
open “At Tri Counties Bank, our mission is to improve the financial success and well-being of the people we serve. A key element of fulfilling this mission is through supporting organizations that strengthen our communities as a whole,” said Rick Smith, President and CEO of Tri Counties Bank. “This partnership with the National Asian American Coalition supports an important part of our business community.” “It’s important for communities to have banks like Tri Counties Bank,” says Faith Bautista, CEO of National Asian American Coalition. “Banks that actively meet with local leaders to better understand the needs of the communities they serve. This is what true partnership looks like. Helping each other through our struggles as well as our great successes. Our goal is to help as many businesses as we can.” For more: https://www.tcbk. com/about/community/minority-business-initiative
To donate to this initiative, follow this link and write “TriCounties” in the memo line: https:// donate.chip-in.us/?nonprofitId=109618 Established in 1975, Tri Counties Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TriCo Bancshares (NASDAQ: TCBK) headquartered in Chico, California, with assets of over $7 billion and a more than forty five-year record of financial success and stability. Tri Counties Bank provides a unique brand of Service With Solutions® serving communities throughout Northern and Central California with a breadth of personal, small business and commercial banking services and easy access to it with all a surcharge-free nationwide network of more than 32,000 ATMs, advanced online and mobile banking and live banker support by phone 24 hours/7 days per week. For more information about Tri Counties Bank, call 1-800-922-8742 or visit www.TriCountiesBank. com. Member FDIC
Why lockdown is ‘an answered... PAGE 12 t ideas have been birthed during quarantine.” In fact, it was during this period that she inked a deal with two of her friends, Nino Bautista and Red
Gatus, and formed a company called Healthy Fix, a manufacturer of health supplements and cosmetics. Hands-on businesswoman Asked what she learned from collaborating with them, Jodi replied: “When it comes to business, I’m a neophyte, but I’m a sucker for learning new things.” Jodi, the businesswoman is actually very hands-on. “Even while the teleserye is in a lock-in set, we would hold Zoom meetings. We were in constant communication,” she explained. “I felt that I needed to be hands-on because we are new in the market. We really want this to work, not only for ourselves, but also for the people who will benefit from this later on.” Jodi, who is assigned to PR and marketing, said she would really make time to visit their office and coordinate with her team. “For our media launch today, for example, we each have our designations. Since this is part of my responsibility, I took charge, but with the approval of everyone.” ‘Me’ time When it comes to her emotional and psychological well-being, what’s Jodi’s healthy fix? The actress replied: “I take some time off when I feel overwhelmed with everything that’s going on. I make sure to have ‘me’ time. I read a good book. I do prayer and meditation. I exercise. I drink my favorite tea.
Jodi Sta. Maria with son Thirdy
Pia Wurtzbach
“For me, I’ve learned that saying ‘no’ is OK; that you don’t have to explain to anyone if ever ‘no’ is your answer. It’s also good to spend time with people who make you feel loved and appreciated; with people who nourish your soul with love. Body, soul and spirit: all three have to be well taken care of. You can’t just focus on one thing. Balance is important.” With everything that she has accomplished as an actor, Jodi said her focus now is no longer on herself, but on how she could make a difference in the lives of people around her. “I would always ask, ‘What can I do to spread change? What can I do to make people’s lives better? It’s no longer about my achievements, money, or goals.” Time with Thirdy When it comes to being a mom to Thirdy, her son with ex-husband Pampi Lacson, Jodi said, “I always include him in everything I do. We exercise together. When it comes to the things he needs for school, I make sure I’m here to help and guide him.” Jodi added: “I’m a mother first before I am an actor or a businesswoman. I can’t just neglect that part of me. When you start to have children, you have to be aware that what you’re entering into is a fulltime responsibility. Your being a mom never stops, no matter how busy your life is with your other endeavors.”
Inquirer.net photo
Photo from Instagram/@piawurtzbach
Pia Wurtzbach goes... PAGE 13 t will fix it as a family. We have done a lot to help Pia, but of course it is hard to interfere because it is a family matter).” Sarah has since appealed to the public not to “hate” on her sister and reasoned that she was simply venting her frustrations. She also said she was not seeking money or fame. “I really just want a hug… I feel so alone [every day],” she wrote on Instagram Stories. Prior to the feud, the two
sisters appeared to be on good terms. Pia visited her sister in the UK when she flew to the country last July and stayed there for a few months. She has also been open about her affection for Sarah’s young daughter Lara. The beauty queen’s manager, Rikka Infantado-Fernandez, told Inquirer Bandera in a statement, “This is a family matter so we respect their privacy. We pray for a peaceful reconciliation and healing for all concerned. Thank you.”
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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 16-22, 2020
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OCTOBER 16-22, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588
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