OCTOBER 16-19, 2021 Volume 31 - No. 82 • 2 Sections – 20 Pages
Fil-Am labor leader Larry Itliong DATELINE USA 2020 Census: Asian inducted into California Hall of Fame Americans in focus FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
THE U.S. Census Bureau continues to release information from the 2020 Census in order to provide rich information about the changing population of the United States. From the apportionment counts data in April to the redistricting data in August, each data set from the 2020 Census has progressively unveiled insights about the Asian American community. According to recent redistricting data results from the 2020 Census, there was a noticeable increase in the Asian-specific populations. Over 24 million people (7.2% of the total population) identified as “Asian alone or in combination.” “Asian alone” refers to people who reported Asian and did not report any other race. “Asian alone or in combination” consists of those respondents who reported Asian, whether or not they reported any other races. The Asian alone population grew by 35.5% between 2010 and 2020. Approximately 19.9 million people (6% of all respondents) idenu PAGE A5
by AJPRESS
FILIPINO American labor activist Larry Itliong is among the six notable individuals posthumously inducted into the California Hall of Fame. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom on Tuesday, October 12, announced the honorees for the California Hall of
Fame 14th class through a webcast streamed by the California Museum. “Sometimes the Hall of Fame gives us the opportunity to bring outstanding Californians out of the shadows when their contributions to society have been largely overlooked in history books,” said Siebel. “And there is no better example of that than Larry Itliong.”
US, PH to return to military drills by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
CA’s redistricting process gives citizens lead roles TWO members of California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission joined a press briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services on Oct. 11 to discuss the process of drawing new political boundaries for the next decade. Sara Sadhwani, chair of the commission, and colleague Linda Akutagawa joined Paul Mitchell, a national expert on redistricting and demographics, to discuss the process in California. “It’s one of the most under-appreciated, but also one of the most important jobs out there,” Akutagawa said. “It’s important that all of us have a voice in this process.” California is a pioneer in efforts to end the traditional political “gerrymandering” that for centuries has enabled incumbent politicians to choose their voters via the redistricting process. Typically, this was done by making districts less competitive, either by “packing” voters expected to vote a certain way together so their views aren’t reflected in neighboring districts, or “cracking” communities into several larger districts where their voices will be drowned
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Newsom added, “We all benefit from Larry’s leadership and unapologetic advocacy.” Itliong, according to his description on California Museum’s website, was one of the most important civil rights leaders of the 20th century and a father of the West Coast labor movement. He was born in the Philippines and migrated to u PAGE A2
LOCKDOWN. Two Barangay UP Campus personnel man the post on Castañeda St., which is now under a special concern lockdown, in Quezon City on Friday, October 15. The alert level status in Metro Manila will be downgraded to Alert Level 3 from the current Alert Level 4 beginning Oct. 16. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
THE annual “Balikatan” military exercises between the Philippines and the United States will be back in full scale in 2022. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Jose Faustino Jr. on Thursday, October 14, made the announcement after the 2021 Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) meeting in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. “Yes, the relationship between our two Armed Forces, especially now that for this MDB-SEB activity, we have lined up number of activities that will further strengthen the bilateral relationship between our two militaries and as mentioned, we will go full scale Balikatan next year,” he said. In 2020, the joint military drills were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this year’s Balikatan exercise, the number of activities and participants held from April 12 to 23 was scaled down to adhere to health and safety protocols. u PAGE A4
Last minute team-up with Robredo? Anything’s possible, says Pacquiao by NEIL
ARWIN MERCADO Inquirer.net
MANILA — Anything is possible until November 15, presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao said on Friday, October 15, when asked on a possible team-up with Vice President Leni Robredo who is also vying for the top government post in next year’s elections. While both Pacquiao and Robredo have filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) for president, the senator said he
is still open to the possibility of teaming up with the vice president, especially as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) allows substitution of candidates until November 15. “Hanggang hindi pa tapos ang November 15, anything can happen, possible sa lahat ng mangyayari. Hindi tayo nagclose ng door hanggang nandyan pa ‘yan pero happy ako sa aking Vice President ngayon si Lito Atienza,” Pacquiao said A Bureau of Quarantine employee shows the International Certificate of Vaccination, or yellow in an interview on ABS-CBN News Chan- card, at the new satellite office in Taguig City on Friday, October 15. Philstar.com photo by Krizjohn Rosales
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list inclusion PH updates green list, quarantine protocols for travelers Green of US, Canada pushed New measures don’t apply to US arrivals
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA
AJPress
THE Philippines has updated its roster of “red, yellow, and green” countries and jurisdictions following its decision to ease the quarantine protocols for arriving travelers, according to Malacañang. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Friday, October 15, said that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) came up with the list, which will take effect from Oct. 16 to 31. Romania is the only country
that has been included in the red list, or those classified as “high risk” based on their COVID-19 diseases incidence rate On the other hand, there are 49 states and jurisdictions in the green list, or those classified as “low risk” for COVID-19 infections: Algeria, American Samoa, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Chad, China (Mainland), Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Eritrea, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Gibraltar, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China), Kiribati, Madagascar, Mali, Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, and Montserrat. Also included in the green list are Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, North Korea, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Poland, Saba (Special Municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, and Yemen. Meanwhile, all other countries, jurisdictions, or territories not mentioned are included in the yellow list, or those classified as
“moderate risk” for COVID-19. The United States is under the yellow list. Testing, quarantine protocols Roque also said that the IATFEID has “streamlined and codified” the testing and quarantine protocols for international travelers entering the Philippines. Arriving travelers coming from or who have been to red countries within the last 14 days prior to their arrival in the Philippines will be barred from entering. However, travelers who are merely transiting through the red country should not be deemed as u PAGE A3
by LOUELLA
DESIDERIO Philstar.com
MANILA — Presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion has requested the government to include countries in North America, Canada and some European countries in the “green list” to allow travelers from these countries to enjoy facility-free quarantine upon arrival in the Philippines. At Go Negosyo’s Let’s Go Bakuna town hall meeting on Friday, October 15, Concepcion said other countries such as Thailand and Singapore are starting to open up by allowing
quarantine-free travel for vaccinated passengers from the U.S. “Hopefully, we get to move towards that level,” he said. “I think because of our vaccination rate there is a good chance that we can start really opening up our businesses more freely,” Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez said. On Friday, October 15, Malacañang announced that fully vaccinated travelers from “green list” countries are no longer required to undergo facility-based quarantine. u PAGE A3
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FROM THE FRONT PAGE
Fil-Am labor leader Larry... PAGE A1
the United States in 1929, working in the Alaskan fish canneries and along the West Coast as a farm laborer. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Itliong became a U.S. citizen in 1954 and settled in Stockton, where he organized for the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC). “He was so good at recruiting new members that union leaders asked him to move to Delano to organize Filipino grape workers,” noted the California Museum. “It was there that he helped change the history of farm labor.” Among Itliong’s achievements include uniting with the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) and starting the Delano Grape Strike and Boycott, which is one of the most important social justice and labor movements in American history. Itliong also formed the United Farm Workers (UFW) with César Chávez, with the latter as director and the former as assistant director. In addition, Itliong successfully secured funding for the construction of the Paulo Agbayani Retirement Village in Delano, which has provided housing and support for retired Filipino farmworkers since 1974. Aside from Itliong, LGBTQ advocates Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, artist Ruth Asawa, singersongwriter and guitarist Jerry Garcia, and rock music icon Ritchie Valens were inducted into the California Hall of Fame. “Jennifer and I are pleased to induct this group of extraordinary Californians into the Hall of Fame,” said Newsom. “There is no doubt their lives and legacies have helped make California synonymous around the world with innovation, imagination and progress,” he added. The new inductees joined 134 other Califor-
Larry Itliong as photographed by Jon Lewis Courtesy of Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University
nians recognized for embodying the state’s “innovative spirit.” “These luminaries represent the best of California,” said Siebel. “Each one has left their own indelible mark on history and reminds us of the creativity, ingenuity and courage that lives inside all of us.” The California Hall of Fame was established in 2006 at the California Museum by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver. Inductees are selected from all walks of life and have made distinguished achievements across a variety of fields, including the arts, education, business and labor, science, sports, philanthropy and public service. ■
MOBILE EATERY. A cyclist takes his breakfast at a mobile eatery after his laps around the Neopolitan Business Park, Novaliches-Fairview in Quezon City on Thursday, October 14. The business leisure park is popular for cycling enthusiasts and other fitness activities, especially on weekends. PNA photo by Oliver Marquez
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PH updates green list, quarantine protocols...
FEW DEVOTEES. Only a handful of Catholic devotees offer prayers to the image at the open doors of St. Peter Parish: Shrine of Leaders along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Wednesday, October 13. Social gatherings have been discouraged to control the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
Green list inclusion of US, Canada... PAGE A1 Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF) has “streamlined” and “codified” testing and quarantine protocols for international passengers entering the Philippines. Countries in the green list are Algeria, American Samoa, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Chad, China (Mainland), Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Eritrea, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Gibraltar, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China), Kiribati; Madagascar, Mali, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Montserrat, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, North Korea, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Poland, Saba (Special Municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands); Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and Yemen. Roque said passengers coming from Romania, which was placed under the “red list,” are not allowed to enter the country from Oct. 16 to 31. All other countries/ jurisdictions/territories not mentioned are classified as “yellow list.” The IATF classifies red list, yellow list and green list countries as “high risk,” “moderate risk,” and “low risk” for COVID-19, respectively. Roque said fully vaccinated foreigners are required to present a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin. “Upon arrival, no facilitybased quarantine will be further required but the passenger is enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the 14th day,” he said. Increased capacity Business establishments may now increase their service capacity by 30 percent if they secure a safety seal and are located in an area with a high vaccination rate like the National Capital Region (NCR), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said yesterday. “There’s additional 10 percentage points operating capacity if establishment has safety seal plus additional 20 percentage points if it is in a province or region with over 70 percent vaccinated rate like in NCR,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said in a Viber message. Concepcion welcomed the news. “That will serve now as incentive for LGUs (local
government units) that were able to achieve 70 percent and higher that they have plus 20 percent on top of their current capacity,” he said. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos said the additional operational capacity is a form of incentive for areas which have achieved a 70 percent vaccination rate. He said dine-in restaurants, as well as personal care service establishments such as barbershops, beauty salons, nail spas and hair spas located in Metro Manila which moved to Alert Level 3 today, are allowed to operate at 30 percent indoor capacity and 50 percent outdoor capacity. With the incentives, Abalos said these business establishments would be allowed to operate at as high as 60 percent for indoor capacity and 80 percent for outdoor patrons. “These are good news. We are definitely looking towards a great fourth quarter,” Concepcion said. He also welcomed the government’s move to set up a lending facility to help businesses provide the mandatory 13th month pay for their workers. “It is very challenging especially at this time when you’ve been locked down so many times. Your cash flow is depleted and your bank loans have been extended or restructured,” he said. Raising cap on arrivals The Department of Transportation (DOTr) seeks to raise further the cap on daily international passenger arrivals in Manila. The allowed international inbound arrivals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were already hiked from 2,000 to 3,000 passengers since Oct. 1, DOTr Office for Transportation Security Administrator Raul del Rosario said. Del Rosario, also One-Stop Shop head, told The STAR about plans to hike the cap by another 1,000 to 4,000 later this month since the turnaround time in quarantine facilities in Manila has been speeding up. However, the current daily international inbound quota for other international gateways like the Clark International Airport and Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) stays the same, he said. MCIA’s current cap is 1,000 a day, while for Clark, it is 450. Del Rosario said an increase in the international arrival cap for MCIA is currently being evaluated, while that of Clark Airport would likely remain given limited quarantine facilities. Airlines had previously asked the government to increase or even remove the daily arrival cap on international passengers
Senator Manny Pacquiao and Vice President Leni Robredo
Inquirer.net file photos
Last minute team-up with... PAGE A1 nel. (Anything can happen until November 15, anything’s possible. We are not closing our doors, but I am happy with my
vice presidential running mate, Lito Atienza.) Back in August, Robredo admitted holding talks with Pacquiao for a unified ticket in the 2022 elections. ■
to allow more Filipinos abroad to come home this holiday season. Earlier, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade ordered the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to explore the use of various regional airports for arriving international flights to address the need to increase capacity for inbound passengers. ■
PAGE A1 “having come from or having been to said country or jurisdiction or territory if they stayed in the airport the whole time and were not cleared for entry by its immigration authorities,” said Roque. Filipinos returning to the country through government-initiated or non-government-initiated repatriation, as well as Bayanihan Flights, will also be allowed subject to testing and quarantine protocols. Passengers from the red countries who are allowed to enter the Philippines are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival. The first 10 days shall be observed in a quarantine facility, while the last four days will be completed at home. They are also mandated to take a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test on their seventh day in the country. “Notwithstanding a negative test result, the arriving passenger shall complete the facility-based quarantine period of 10 days,” Roque said. The Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) has been directed to ensure strict symptom monitoring while in the facility quarantine for 10 days. For fully-vaccinated travelers from yellow countries, they are required to undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative RT-PCR test result taken on their fifth day in the Philippines. “After which, they shall be required to undergo home quarantine until their 10th day,” added
Roque. Foreign nationals are also required to secure their pre-booked accommodation of at least six days. For unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or individuals whose vaccination status cannot be independently verified, they need to undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on the seventh day. After which, they are required to undergo home quarantine for another week. Foreign nationals must also secure their pre-booked accommodation of at least eight days. Meanwhile, fully vaccinated foreign nationals coming from the green list territories are no longer required to undergo a facility-based quarantine. Instead, they need to yield negative RTPCR test results taken within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin. “Upon arrival, no facility-based quarantine will be further required but the passenger is enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the 14th day,” Roque said. Fully-vaccinated Filipinos, on the other hand, can choose facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken in the quarantine facility upon arrival, or no facility-based quarantine after getting a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin. They are likewise enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the 14th day. As for unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or individuals whose
vaccination status cannot be independently verified, and those vaccinated but failed to comply with the test-before-travel requirements, they are required to undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day. “In the case of foreign nationals, they shall be required to secure hotel reservations for at least six days,” said Roque. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated minors traveling with their fully vaccinated parents or guardians, on the other hand, are required to observe quarantine protocols corresponding to their vaccination status. A parent/guardian will need to accompany the child in the quarantine facility for the full term of the latter’s facility-based quarantine period. To validate their vaccination status, international Filipino travelers, their spouse, parent/s, and/or children; and foreigners vaccinated in the Philippines can present either VaxCertPH digital vaccination certificate, International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICV) issued by BOQ or the World Health Organization (WHO), or the national digital certificate of the foreign government accepting VaxCertPH to validate their vaccination status. Foreigners vaccinated abroad, on the other hand, can present WHO-issued ICV, or the national digital certificate of the foreign government which has accepted VaxCertPH under a reciprocal agreement unless otherwise permitted by the IATF-EID. ■
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Leylah Fernandez to skip Billie Jean King Cup Finals TORONTO – U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez has decided not to represent Canada at next month’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Prague, Tennis Canada said on Thursday, October 14. The 19-year-old Fernandez, who went out in the last 16 at Indian Wells this week in her first tournament since losing to fellow teenager Emma Raducanu of Britain in the U.S. Open final, will be replaced by Carol Zhao. “It has always been an honor to represent my country,” world number 28 Fernandez said in a news release. “Canada has given me and my family so much opportunity and in the last few weeks, the Canadian support has meant the world to me. “After consideration, I have made the decision to not play the BJK Cup Finals. I wish my team all the best this November!” Fernandez has enjoyed a breakout season during which she won the Monterrey Open in March for her first WTA title. She upped her game considerably at the year’s final Grand Slam in New York where her run to the final included wins over defending champion Naomi Osaka, three-times Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber and world number two Aryna Sabalenka. Following her loss at Indian Wells, Fernandez said it had been a long season and that she was unsure of her playing plans for the rest of the year and needed to meet with her team and see where she was mentally and physically. “It has been a long season and we understand her decision,” said interim Team Canada captain Sylvain Bruneau.
Leylah Fernandez
AJPress file photo by Troi Santos
“That said, we are delighted to be able to welcome Carol onto the team for the Finals. Carol has shown from her past experiences that she is a great team player. She will be a very valuable addition to the team.” Zhao, 26, has played in three Billie Jean King Cup ties so far in her career, the most recent coming in April when she and Rebecca Marino beat Ivana Jorovic and Aleksandra Krunic in a dead-rubber doubles match as Canada swept Serbia 4-0. In addition to Zhao, Canada’s lineup for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals will also include Marino, Gabriela Dabrowski and Francoise Abanda. Canada will start the Nov. 1-6 hardcourt competition by facing France and the Russian Tennis Federation in Group A. (Inquirer.net with reports from Reuters)
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US, PH to return to military... PAGE A1 U.S. Indo-Pacific Command chief John Aquilino, who led the 2021 MDB-SEB meeting with Faustino, likewise said that next year’s joint exercises will return to a “full-scale” level. “We value the capabilities, capacity, expertise that our Philippine counterparts bring but it is strengthened by our increased operations and exercises together. Gen Faustino has the lead for the next ‘Balikatan,’ I believe we will look to renew and get back to a full scale event and we will both look for opportunities to increase
the complexity, the scope all the way to look towards new partners participating in the future,” said Aquilino. The MDB-SEB meeting ended with the two allies agreeing to hold more than 300 military projects for 2021. Faustino, for his part, said that he was “optimistic” that the relationship between the Philippines and the U.S. will be further strengthened. “We were privileged to witness the advancing level of cooperation, and communication that both the Philippines and United States im-
part through the successful MDBSEB meeting,” he said. “I am optimistic that our alliance will continue to be robust in view of new and emerging security challenges that confront our nations. After all, we share the same goal of keeping peace and stability in this region,” he added. The MDB was established in 1958, while the SEB was founded in 2006. The two boards form the annual MDB-SEB meeting, which plans the framework for defense and security cooperation between the U.S. and Philippine militaries. ■
CA’s redistricting process gives citizens...
PAGE A1 out. By passing 2008’s Prop. 11 and 2010’s Prop. 20, California voters have tried to de-politicize the redistricting process by taking it out of the purview of state legislators and establishing a nonpartisan redistricting commission. (Prop. 11 only covered the state legislature, Prop. 20 added Congressional districts.) Both Sadhwani and Akutagawa said they applied to the commission in part to help ensure it would be representative of California’s diversity. “This would give our community, in this particular case, the Asian American community a voice on the commission,” Akutagawa said. Following California’s example, another eight states now have redistricting commissions, although debates continue on how to best make them truly non-partisan, for instance, in the process of selecting the commissioners. “It’s a pretty esoteric idea,” said Sara Sadhwani, chair of the redistricting commission, a mother of three and a professor of political science at Pomona College. “It’s not something moms sit around talking about on a regular basis, or at the water cooler or over coffee.” California, like every other state in the country, is redrawing voting districts based on changes in population in the past decade, as seen in new data from the 2020 Census. California has growing Latino and Asian communities, noted Paul Mitchell, who runs Redistricting Partners. The Asian community, he said, has not become as widely dispersed as the Latino/Hispanic
community has across the state, tending to instead add population to already established communities. Meanwhile, Black populations in California are tending to disperse throughout the state. Voter turnout patterns also come into play, with Latino voters typically less likely to vote than African American voters. But racial characteristics aren’t the whole ballgame, Mitchell noted. Voting districts still have to be “compact, contiguous and makes sense,” and also consider “communities of interest” that share, for example, language, culture, schools, commonalities in the amenities and services its people use, or characteristics such as being renters, or being homeowners. “The idea,” Mitchell said, “is to draw them into districts where they can affect the outcome of an election or they can have better representative or voting power.” The panel is continuing to hold meetings and hearings, in person and online, to gather community input. Information on these, currently scheduled through Dec. 22, is available at wedrawthelines. ca.gov/hearings/. Final maps have to be submitted to the secretary of state by Dec. 27. “We’re really in a phase of assessing to what extent can we be responsive to the communities of interest testimony that we received while at the same time upholding our obligations to historically excluded communities under the Voting Rights Act,” Sadhwani said. California also has a Fair Maps Act that applies to local government redistricting, adding transparency and rules against partisanship or emphasizing incumbent interests.
But, Mitchell said, “just because we’ve changed these laws doesn’t mean we’ve eliminated some of the gerrymandering we might see in local redistricting.” Mitchell demonstrated proposed maps in Riverside and Orange counties where minority blocks had been “cracked” to where there were no “majority minority” districts, despite those counties’ demographics, thereby diluting their representation. Redistricting follows close on the heels of the reapportionment process that divides the 435 seats in Congress among the 50 states to ensure that those officials all represent the same number of people – now, about 760,066 each. The 2020 Census found that California has not been growing as fast as other parts of the country since 2010, so it will lose one of its 53 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Texas, by contrast, will gain three. So California has to draw new boundaries to divide the state into 52 congressional districts instead of 53. It also has to establish 80 political districts for the 80 state assembly seats, 40 for the state senate, and four for the State Board of Equalization. “What does it take to have elected officials actually be responsive to the communities they serve? We know communities on the ground have real needs. Those needs and concerns really mean a lot to me,” Sadhwani said. “We are truly a citizens’ commission. The majority of us are not political individuals. That is truly what we have brought to this commission,” Akutagawa said. (By Mark Hedin/Ethnic Media Services)
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ART VENDOR. Joey Guerrero, 42, rests beside the oil canvas paintings he sells along Roosevelt Avenue, Quezon City on Thursday, October 14. He said the paintings were his uncle’s masterpiece that he helped sell on the street in various parts of Quezon City and its neighboring areas. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
2020 Census: Asian Americans...
PAGE A1 t tified as Asian alone in 2020, up from 14.7 million people (4.8%) in 2010. In comparison, the Asian in combination population grew by 55.5%. Approximately 4.1 million people identified as Asian in combination in 2020, up from 2.6 million people in 2010. Approximately 2.7 million people identified as Asian and White, making it the largest Multiracial Asian group. Hawaii, California, Washington, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Alaska, Massachusetts, and Maryland were the states with the largest percentages of the Asian alone or in combination populations. The 10 states with the largest percentage increase in the Asian alone or in combination population are North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, District of Columbia, North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, South Carolina, Montana, and Utah. The new data reflects changes in the population and the improvements in how the Census asked the questions and captured and coded the responses, a process that has changed nearly every decade throughout the history of the Census to reflect social, political and economic factors. “We’ve made several design improvements to the race question for the 2020 Census based on the research over the past decade,” said Rachel Marks,
Branch Chief, Racial Statistics Branch at the Census Bureau’s Population Division. “One of the major changes was adding dedicated write-in response areas and examples for the ‘White’ and the ‘Black or African American’ racial categories, and we also added examples to the ‘American Indian or Alaska Native’ racial category. [For] the Asian and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander categories, we reordered the detailed Asian and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander checkboxes by population size. And in the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander category, we changed the checkbox category ‘Guamanian or Chamorro’ to ‘Chamorro’ based on feedback and research.” The changes provide a more thorough and accurate depiction of how people self-identify. The re-ordered checkboxes for Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander by population size are: Chinese, Filipino, Asian Indian, Other Asian (for example, Pakistani, Cambodian, Hmong, etc.), Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Native Hawaiian, Samoan, Chamorro, Other Pacific Islander (for example, Tongan, Fijian, Marshallese, etc.). In order to provide the public with detailed information more frequently, data that were historically collected only once every 10 years by the decennial census long form is released
annually through the American Community Survey (ACS). The Census Bureau also releases other data products such as the Demographic and Housing Characteristics file (DHC) and the Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics file (Detailed DHC). “We have a lot more data to release in the future from the 2020 Census,” said Nicholas Jones, Director and Senior Advisor of Race and Ethnic Research and Outreach at the Census Bureau’s Population Division. “The Detailed DHC will include tables on detailed racial populations. This is where you’ll be able to get data on detailed Asian groups, such as Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Asian Indian, and many more.” Some examples include demographic and housing characteristics for sex and age, household and family type, and tenure (whether a housing unit is owner-occupied or renter-occupied). “The Census isn’t something that we conduct or something that is done to you, it’s something the American public participates in,” said Michael Cook, Chief of the Public Information Office at the U.S. Census Bureau. “It’s a big effort, and it’s an effort that is done in concert with many partners that have helped us reach each and every community to ensure that people know the value, the importance, of conducting the Census.” (AJPress)
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The North needs help
IT was a scene “too hard to watch,” recalled Bobby Dumayag, Jr., whose now-viral video showed Cagayan farmers desperately chasing sacks of corn being carried away by floodwaters at the height of Severe Tropical Storm “Maring” on Monday, October 11. When the embattled farmers didn’t heed his warning about the dangerous currents, the 19-year-old working student decided to help them salvage their harvest rather than see their loans for fertilizer and seeds go down the drain. But it was too late. Dumayag said that only 20 out of 450 sacks of corn were saved. In Baguio, rescuers dug out the bodies of a family of three whose house was buried in a landslide caused by Maring’s torrential rains. Earlier, three siblings aged 2, 6, and 8 perished on the way to the hospital after their house similarly collapsed under a mudslide in Benguet. Per the latest reports, Maring left at least 19 confirmed dead, mostly from Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, and Palawan; 13 are still missing. Some 50,000 families and 194,677 individuals were affected. Total agricultural loss is placed at P1 billion, with P29.4 million in the Cordilleras alone and P32 million in Cagayan, while infrastructure losses stand at P66 million. Agriculture officials said some 29,000 farmers and fisherfolk were affected. At least 109 houses in Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Caraga, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) were damaged. Fourteen incidents of landslides were reported, affecting at least 237 barangays mostly in the Ilocos region and CAR. It’s been a double whammy as well for Batanes,
which is currently in the grip of a COVID-19 surge, even as it is still recovering from the devastation wrought by Typhoon “Kiko” in September. Weather reports said Maring dumped 625 mm of water in Baguio over 24 hours, much more than the calamitous Typhoon “Ondoy” in 2009, whose 455 mm of rain in as many hours marooned Metro Manila in murky floodwaters for days. Live TV news footage documented the dire situation in northern Luzon, with entire households huddled on rooftops, bridges buckling under the pressure of rivers overflowing their banks, roads left unpassable by landslides and rising floods, and strawberry farms and rice and corn fields now underwater. News of Maring’s devastation came as a surprise to many. There were no extraordinary warnings from the weather bureau and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), and no mention at all of the calamity unfolding as President Duterte gave a public ad-
Editorial
Demand and Supply BOO CHANCO MY Facebook wall turned pink last week as VP Leni announced she is running for president. It had been pink ever since. That shouldn’t make me think the country has gone pink as well. It only means the algorithm of Facebook efficiently grouped me with like-minded Filipinos. We live in social media silos and it is easy to be misled. Those who say they are devoted to seeing VP Leni win despite the tough odds today must make an effort to reach out to ordinary folks who are still making up their minds. They must not appear exclusive and avoid making comments like Hillary Clinton, who once sneered at the “despicables” who are not voting for her. The “despicables” elected Donald Trump instead. An election campaign is supposed to win votes, not alienate fellow voters. Dr. Nuelle Duterte, the President’s niece who is supportive of VP Leni, posted this advice to Leni’s supporters in responding to negative social media posts:
Inquirer.net photo
dress on Monday night. It was only through social media—the desperate posts of people in the battered areas and Vice President Leni Robredo’s tweets around 1 a.m. Tuesday morning, October 12 appealing for help and providing updates—that most people got alerted about the disastrous floods sweeping across the country’s northern provinces. Was the government caught flatfooted by Maring, and was the NDRRMC remiss in warning provinces about the intensity of the howler? But a more comprehensive solution to the peren-
nial flooding that afflicts the region is clearly warranted. In November 2020, Cagayan was also inundated by massive floods brought on by Typhoon “Ulysses.” A study by the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, noted that “the climate hazards the (Asian) region faces in the future, from heat waves to flooding, are likely to be more severe, more intense, or both.” Countries in Asia must ensure that climate risk is incorporated in the urban planning and capital decisions of policymakers, the study said. (Inquirer.net)
We are all Filipino “Be inclusive. Engage. “If it is not productive, shower them with pink hearts, and move on...” Unfortunately, our election process is now a bloodsport that takes no prisoners. We have been framing our elections as “us versus them.” So today, political opponents aren’t merely rivals; they are enemies. The elites versus the probinsyanos and the common man. That was the winning strategy of Duterte’s troll army… demonizing the dilawans… even beyond the election. To win over voters this time, VP Leni’s campaign must be inclusive and reject their identity with the elite. But surprise, surprise… in 2016, the elite, the urban residents, the college educated voted resoundingly for Duterte. It was the probinsyanos and those with little education who were more responsive to Mar Roxas. In his Inquirer column five years ago entitled “Revelations of the TV5-SWS Exit Poll”, Dr. Mahar Mangahas showed why exit polling is important. More than providing early indications of how people voted, it answers the question of how voters voted according to geography and so-
cio-economic class. “As of 2 a.m on May 10, Duterte’s lead over Roxas was a massive 48 points in Mindanao and a large 22 points in Metro Manila. In the Visayas, Roxas was four points over Duterte. In the rest of Luzon, Duterte was only three points over Poe, but eight points over Roxas… “Only an exit poll has more details than geography. As of May 10, Duterte’s lead over Roxas was 26 points in urban areas, but only two points in rural areas. “The higher the class, the more the appeal of Duterte. His lead over Roxas was 26 points in class ABC, compared to 17 points in class D and only seven points in class E. “The more the schooling, the more the appeal of Duterte. His lead over Roxas was 28 points among college graduates, 19 points over those with some college, eight points among those with some high school and seven points among others. “The younger the voter, the more the appeal of Duterte: His lead over Roxas was 33 points in ages 18 to 24, 26 points in ages 25 to 34, 14 points in ages 35 to 44, 10 points in ages 45 to 54, and four points in ages 55 and
up. “Duterte’s lead was 22 points among men versus only 12 points among women. “Duterte was least supported by Catholics. Duterte led Roxas by 16 points among all voters, but a below-average 10 points among Catholics. He led massively by 53 points among Muslims, by 70 points among Iglesia ni Cristos, and by 24 points among other Christians…” So, stop looking down at the masa and stop calling them bobotantes. It was the educated elite pala who didn’t use their brains and were more mesmerized with Duterte! The SWS exit poll numbers show how the well off supporters of Leni should campaign for her. Start with their own kind who voted for Duterte in 2016. Current surveys show VP Leni is the underdog. Some pundits don’t give her a fighting chance even against a divided group of populist rivals. Only a miracle can bring Leni into Malacañang, and maybe a miracle will, like EDSA. Pray hard and work hard. Dr. Nuelle Duterte, who is also a psychiatrist, offers some suggestions for eager Leni supporters who are starting to feel
the bite of opposing camps. “I see people getting discouraged because of the amount of disinformation and propaganda. This is a marathon, not a sprint. “Pace yourselves, and don’t expect one conversation to change anything. Planting seeds, giving space, and keeping the doors open for dialogue can do wonders for change, both individually and collectively. “Hope is not just a wish, but something we must actively turn into a reality. And that only happens by working for it.” It is alright to correct false or fake news from the political trolls, but Leni’s supporters must not trade insults on social media, no matter how gratifying that may make one feel. Indeed, those who are working for Leni’s candidacy should follow her example. She has been terribly demonized over the last five years by Duterte and his minions. But she never returned the insults. Instead, Leni focused on her work, expressing her reactions to insults in dignified and well thought out responses. The insults and false accusations will worsen as the campaign season goes into high gear. I am sure VP Leni can
weather that, but I hope her supporters can also respond with the same equanimity. In any case, there is so much to talk about VP Leni, how she has accomplished much despite the meager budget her office was given. Her positions on various issues should provide more than enough material for supporters to convince the voters she is the best choice. The challenge is how to make people realize we need a servant-leader like VP Leni. All the others are just politicians eager to amass personal power and wealth by getting the presidency. VP Leni is the change we need. An election tests voters, as well as candidates. But in the end, we shouldn’t forget we are all Filipinos and the other side is not the enemy. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
*** Boo Chanco’s email address is bchanco@ gmail.com Follow him on Twitter @ boochanco
*** Follow me on twitter @boochanco
Family affair or dynasty?
Sentinel
RAMON T. TULFO THE proceedings in the next Senate will become a family affair if the following personalities win in next year’s elections: Mark Villar, Jinggoy Estrada, JV Ejercito, Alan Peter Cayetano and Jejomar Binay. Recently resigned public works secretary Mark Villar would be seated next to his mother Cynthia, an incumbent senator. It would be the same for Taguig Representative Alan Peter Cayetano, whose sister Pia is also an incumbent senator. Former vice president Jejomar Binay would be by the side of his daughter Nancy, whose term ends in 2025. The two squabbling half-brothers, Estrada and Ejercito, would make up another filial tandem. The Villars, Cayetanos, Binays and Ejercitos would make up one-third of the 24-member august body. * * * The New Constitution signed by president Corazon C. Aquino prohibited political dynasties “as
may be defined by law.” The clause “as may be defined by law” is the clincher for why political dynasties are allowed. Congress, from the time of Ms. Cory Aquino up to the present, has not passed an enabling law that would have barred members of a family from holding elected positions at the same time. So, it’s very common in the Philippines to see a father who is a mayor, with his child as his vice mayor, his wife as the congresswoman and the mayor’s and congresswoman’s grandchildren holding positions in the town council. It’s an ordinary phenomenon in the country to see a son replacing his father as mayor, a daughter taking the place of her father whose term has ended and a wife taking the place of her husband who ran for a higher position and won. Only in the Philippines. * * * The vice-presidential race is a tight one, so tight it will end up in a photo finish. Each of the candidates vying for the country’s No. 2 post would win hands down if they didn’t have very strong rivals.
Senate President Tito Sotto, who’s running under the banner of fellow senator Panfilo Lacson, has a very wide political base among the masses because of his fame as a TV personality. He is known as a hard-working head of the august body. Buhay party list Representative and Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza, who is Manny Pacquiao’s runningmate, is another formidable candidate. Big religious groups like El Shaddai, the Iglesia ni Cristo and the Muslims, as well as people against abortion, compose his political base. Dr. Willy Ong, Isko Moreno’s runningmate, is considered a “doctor of the masses.” As we all know, the masses – composed of the lower middle class and the poor – comprise the majority of the population. Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is another very strong contender because his wife, megastar Sharon Cuneta, would campaign for him. As we all know, Pangilinan became a senator because of Sharon. Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go has the overseas Filipinos, the poor who have benefited from his brainchild Malasakit Cen-
ters, and the DDS (Duterte Diehard Supporters) as his mass base. Go, a neophyte, placed third in the 2019 senatorial race because he is an aide-de-camp of President Digong Duterte. * * * The government prosecutors in Dasmariñas, Cavite may want to brush up on new laws, especially the new law on rape. Rodolfo T. Lopez Jr. filed a case of acts of lasciviousness, instead of rape, against the father-son tandem of Oliver Paul Bermejo, 36, and Leonardo Bermejo, 64, for sexually abusing two children, aged 8 and 9. Lopez’s resolution was approved by Joy Marie Frances C. Cortes, officer-in-charge of the Dasmariñas Prosecutor’s Office. Leonardo is the grandfather of the two children, while Paul is their uncle. The parents placed the two children under the care of their grandpa Leonardo and uncle Paul. The Bermejo father and son sexually assaulted the girls on many occasions by making the kids do lewd acts on them. I don’t want to mention here what the two men did to their two wards because the acts were
too gross and graphic. One of the children was found in the medico-legal examination with a lacerated hymen, yet the case filed against the Bermejos was only acts of lasciviousness. The children said the fatherson duo tried but failed to penetrate their sex organs. Under the new rape law (R.A. 8353, passed in 1997), even if the male organ only touched the woman’s in a failed attempt to penetrate her, that’s rape. So says veteran trial lawyer Artemio Amon. “Isumbong mo kay Tulfo” sought Amon’s help so the charges against the Bermejos would be rape, instead of acts of lasciviousness. The girls’ parents had sought our help. The Bermejos were allowed to post bail of P200,000 each for the acts of lasciviousness charges. Rape is a non-bailable offense. * * * Many criminal offenders got away scot-free even if the evidence against them was strong because government prosecutors who handled the preliminary investigation were either
too lazy or dull to scrutinize the cases filed in their offices. It’s high time prosecutors are given a refresher course every now and then, to keep them abreast of new laws or make them review the old ones. I’ve been to many prosecutors’ offices to answer summons for libel complaints against me, and I find many government prosecutors intellectually inadequate. Some of them filed libel cases against me and other journalists in court when those cases should have been dismissed from their end. Lack of malice on the part of the journalist who wrote an article that offended an aggrieved public official is enough basis to dismiss the libel case. Some prosecutors (formerly called fiscals) are too dense to know that journalists are guardians of public welfare and, as such, can play an adversarial role in governance. (Philstar. com) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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Political foes, Senate reelectionists in Robredo’s 11-member slate
MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo unveiled on Friday, October 15 an 11-man senatorial lineup for the 2022 elections, which include political foes and Senate reelectionists. Among the six additional names she announced as part of her Senate slate was former Vice President Jejomar Binay, who previously butted heads with former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV over corruption allegations. Trillanes is also part of Robredo’s Senate slate Sens. Dick Gordon and Leila De Lima — who clashed during Senate probes into drug-related killings back in 2016 — are also featured on the Robredo ticket. Gordon, Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri and Sen. Joel Villanueva, who all voted to oust De Lima as chairperson of the Senate justice committee in 2016, are also on Robredo’s senatorial lineup. De Lima, as justice secretary, filed a complaint against Villanueva over his alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund, or more popularly known as pork barrel. Robredo acknowledged that there were past disagreements among some members of her Senate slate, but said that they
all agreed to unite for shared aspirations for the country. “Ang shine-share namin ngayon yung aspirations para sa bansa natin. Noong kinausap natin sila, ‘yung commitment na makinig, ‘yung commitment na mag-share ng isang la mesa para pagusapan kung paano magpanday ng mas magandang bukas,” Robredo said. (What we’re sharing now is our aspirations for our country. When we spoke to them, they committed to listen, they committed to share a table to talk about how to forge a better tomorrow.) Asked about the corruption and cheating allegations that some in her slate have faced in the past, Robredo — who is running on a campaign for good governance — sidestepped the question and said that none of them are perfect. Overlapping bets Also in Robredo’s senatorial lineup are Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Sorsogon Gov. Chiz Escudero, former Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat, and lawyers Chel Diokno and Alex Lacson. Some of Robredo’s picks for senator are also in the tickets of other presidential aspirants. Binay, Gordon, Villanueva and Zubiri have been included in the
tickets of Sens. Ping Lacson and Manny Pacquiao. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, who helped in negotiations for Robredo’s Senate lineup, said that they have agreed that those featured in multiple tickets should not be supporting any particular presidential candidate. “We would like to suggest that at the minimum, you would not endorse any candidate for president so that you will stay as a guest candidate of a number of parties and groupings,“ Drilon said. 12th candidate Robredo said consultations with various groups are underway to determine who would be the last person to complete her Senate lineup. She said that she wants the 12th candidate in her ticket to be a representative of the marginalized sector and that among the “four or five” nominees for this slot are former Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares and Federation of Free Workers president Sonny Matula. Philstar.com learned Thursday that talks are ongoing between Robredo, Colmenares and Matula for their possible inclusion in her Senate slate. (Philstar.com)
TRAFFIC AIDE. A traffic enforcer (2nd from left) signals motorists to stop as pedestrians cross the Governor’s Drive, Sampaloc I, Dasmarinas, Cavite on Wednesday, October 13. Traffic officers not only direct and manage the flow of traffic but also ensure the safety of both pedestrians and motorists. PNA photo by Gil Calinga
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NAT’L ID SIGN-UP. Applicants for the National ID (left side) present their valid identification cards and other documents at the information desk of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) office inside the second floor of Robinson Place Dasmarinas, Emilio Aguinaldo Highway corner Governor’s Drive, Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Wednesday, October 13. Philippine Identification System or PhilSys is a centralized identification system of Filipino citizens and residents. PNA photo by Gil Calinga
Former VP Binay, reelectionists under Pacquiao’s Senate slate MANILA — Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Friday, October 15 bared his lineup of endorsed candidates for the Senate in the 2022 polls, which include reelectionist senators and former vice president Jejomar Binay, among others. Here is the 10-member list released by Ron Munsayac, the executive director of the PDPLaban faction headed by Pacquiao, to reporters: • Former Senate secretary Lutgardo “Lutz” Barbo • Former Vice President Jejomar Binay • Rep. Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna) • Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero • Sen. Richard Gordon • Labor leader Elmer “Bong” Labog • Rep. Loren Legarda (Antique) • Radio broadcaster Raffy “Idol” Tulfo • Sen. Joel Villanueva • Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri In an interview with ANC’s “Headstart,” Pacquiao said most of the names he bared would be guest candidates. “We are not cornering them because they are only running for the Senate,” he said in Filipino. “They are running for a senatorial post and 12 would need to win so they can be guest
candidates.” Colmenares was in talks with Robredo to join her Senatorial lineup but said on Twitter that his “non-inclusion in her slate at this time is based on what she thinks is best for the interest of her candidacy.” Binay filed his candidacy last week under the United Nationalist Alliance, which he founded for his failed presidential run in 2016. Reelectionists Gordon, Villanueva, and Zubiri are running as independents. All three of them figure on the Senate slates of presidential candidates Vice President Leni Robredo and Sen. Panfilo Lacson. Escudero and Legarda are both members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, the party headed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III. They are both also part of the Lacson-Sotto lineup. Escudero is on Robredo’s slate too. Tulfo, who has topped the last Pulse Asia survey where 55.2% of respondents saying they will vote for him, is also running as an independent. Barbo, meanwhile, is running under the PDP-Laban faction led by Pacquiao. He has served twice as Senate secretary and was among the first to file his candidacy on October 1. Pacquiao, who had announced
he was retiring from boxing to focus on his presidential bid, has picked Rep. Lito Atienza (Buhay Party-list) as his running mate in next year’s elections. Makabayan says not backing any presidential candidate yet Following Colmenares’ inclusion in Pacquiao’s slate, the Makabayan coalition on social media clarified that it “has not declared support for any presidential candidate at this time.” “We ask the public to be wary of statements, including outright lies and intrigue, made [on] our behalf by unauthorized parties,” the statement reads further. “We are ready to work with candidates who have taken a clear stand against the perpetuation of tyrannical rule through a Duterte or Marcos presidency, and supporting efforts to unite democratic forces to ensure victory in the coming elections.” Before their falling over PDPLaban’s chosen standard-bearer for 2022, Pacquiao was a close ally of Duterte’s. On several occasions, the senator defended the president’s bloody campaign against illegal drugs, the proposed revival of the death penalty, and pushed for the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. (Bella PerezRubio and Christian Deiparine/ Philstar.com)
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Remittances fall at 2-month low by MAYVELIN
CARABALLO ManilaTimes.net
MONEY sent home by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) fell to its lowest level in two months in August, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) released on Friday, October 15. Personal remittances – cash or kind transfers between families — totaled $2.88 billion in the
EVACUATED. Villagers are evacuated Monday, October 11, as the rising water of Wangag River threatens to submerge low-lying Barangay Taluro in Gonzaga town, Cagayan province at the height of Severe Tropical Storm “Maring.” At least 207 families in northern Cagayan province were evacuated to safety since due to flooding caused by Severe Tropical Storm “Maring” (Kompasu), civil defense officials said. Photo courtesy of MDRRMC
Estimated typhoon ‘Maring’ damage to agriculture, infrastructure hits 1.26-B
MANILA — Disaster authorities in their latest report estimate that Severe Tropical Storm Maring left in its wake damage to agriculture and infrastructure worth P1.26 billion. Agricultural damage is estimated by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to be as high as P1.2 billion. In its dashboard on Mar-
ing updated Friday, October 15, NDRRMC said some 53,428 hectares of crops, 2,559 livestock and poultry, and 67 agricultural equipment were lost to the storm. Meanwhile, 62 instances of damage to infrastructure were reported by disaster authorities, equivalent to a cost of P61.13 million. Reported deaths due to Mar-
ing rose to 37 while 16 individuals are still tagged as missing. A total of 310,845 people have been affected by the storm. The number of those displaced hit 42,606. Less than half of them — 18,271 are spread out across 137 evacuation centers. NDRRMC said it has extended P8.7 million in assistance to those affected so far. (Philstar. com)
Caroline Hickman, a psychotherapist and teaching fellow at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, during the 18th episode of The Climate Reality Project Philippines’ Klimatotohanan webcast series. Hickman is a co-author of the study titled “Young People’s Voices on Climate Anxiety, Government Betrayal and Moral Injury: A Global Phenomenon.” She is also a board member of the Climate Psychological Alliance, a non-profit organization that aims to address the psychological dimensions of the climate and ecological crisis. The study has been released on a pre-publication basis by the scientific journal Lancet Planetary Health while it is undergoing peer review. It was the first large-scale investigation of climate anxiety in children and young people globally and its relationship to government response. The group surveyed 10,000
children and young people, aged 16 to 25 years from Australia, Brazil, Finland, France, India, Nigeria, Philippines, Portugal, UK and USA. The group noted that the results of the survey among the Filipino youth are sobering. “Seventy-one percent of the respondents think that they won’t have access to the same opportunities that their parents had. Seventy-seven percent think that their family’s economic, social, and physical security will be threatened. Forty-seven percent are hesitant to have children because of climate change,” Hickman said. She said that climate anxiety is not a mental illness. “But if we put together the realities of climate change with climate anxiety and global inadequate action, what we are looking at are chronic, inescapable stressors that will inevitably impact the mental health of children and young people.” ■
first eight months of 2021, down 8.77% from $3.16 billion in July but up 4.8% from $2.75 billion a year earlier. It’s the lowest amount since June of this year, when $2.93 billion was transferred. The year-on-year increase was due to a 4.2% growth in remittances from land-based workers on one-year or longer contracts, which picked up to $2.20 billion from $2.11 billion a year ago.
In a statement, the BSP said that remittances from sea-based and land-based workers with contracts of less than one year rose by 8.4% to $629 million from $580 million a year earlier. Nonetheless, the latest data brought the total amount of remittances for the first eight months of the year to $22.67 billion, soaring 5.9% from $21.41 billion in January-August 2020. ■
Most Filipinos agree that ‘it’s dangerous’ to print, broadcast criticisms vs Duterte by KAITHREEN
CRUZ ManilaTimes.net
NEARLY half of Filipinos agree that “it is dangerous to print or broadcast anything critical of the administration, even if it is the truth”, results of the Third Quarter Survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed. Of the 45% who agreed with the statement, 15% strongly agreed and 30% somewhat agreed. However, 19% of the respondents disagreed with the statement, resulting in a net agreement score of 26%.
“This is a six-point rise from the moderate +20 (45% agree, 25% disagree) in June 2021,” said SWS. On the other hand, 42% of respondents also agreed that they were able to freely express their thoughts without fear, even if it is against President Rodrigo Duterte, but 22% disagreed with it. The pollster added that this gave a net agreement score of +20 on personal freedom of speech, which was a “two-point rise from the +18 in June 2021 and a continuing recovery from the neutral +5 in May 2021”.
SWS surveyed 1,200 adult respondents from September 12 to 16 nationwide using face-toface interviews. The results of the survey have a margin of error of ±3% for national%ages. The survey was non-commissioned and results were released as a public service. SWS surveyed 1,200 adult respondents from September 12 to 16 nationwide using face-toface interviews. The results of the survey have a margin of error of ±3% for national%ages. The survey was non-commissioned and results were released as a public service. ■
80% of youth suffer from climate anxiety – study Marcos tops ‘street surveys’ among presidential bets by RHODINA
VILLANUEVA
Philstar.com
A NEW study on climate anxiety showed that eight of 10 young people around the world are extremely worried about climate change. “Forty-five percent globally reported that their feelings toward the prevailing climate crisis are having negative impacts on daily functioning, which include eating, concentrating on work and school, sleeping, spending time in nature, playing, having fun and dealing with relationships,” the Climate Reality Project Philippines said. “In the Philippines, this number went up to a worrying 75 percent, with the report recognizing that young people in the global south are experiencing more severe climate anxiety, which is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a chronic fear of environmental doom,” the group added. These figures were shared by
by BERNADETTE
E. TAMAYO
ManilaTimes.net
FORMER senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. would be a runaway winner in the 2022 presidential race, based on a series of surveys by vloggers. The Kalye (Street) Surveys from October 1 to 11 showed that 60% of respondents preferred Marcos over six other candidates to be the country’s 17th president. Of the 2,137 respondents, 1,307 expressed their preference for Marcos. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso came in second, with 345; Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo at third with 231; Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, 125; Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, 89; Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, 23; and Davao City Mayor DuterteCarpio, 17. Marcos is the standard bearer of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. The Kalye surveys, conducted in Metro Manila and Region 4-A
Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
(Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), said people on the streets, buyers in mini-groceries, and vendors in public markets, among others, were randomly asked who they will vote for president on May 9, 2022. The vloggers said that while
ManilaTimes.net
the surveys veered away from the usual methods, the respondents were picked at random and may not serve as a real yardstick to predict the outcome of next year’s polls, as “they manifested the sentiment of the common people”. ■
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WKND Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ
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Sat urday, Oc tO ber 1 6 , 2 0 2 1
LifestyLe Consumer Guide Community marketpLaCe
DHS to cease worksite enforcement/raids
gal acts, ranging from payment of substandard wages to imposing unsafe working conditions FOR anyone who is out of sta- and facilitating human traftus, one of their biggest fears ficking and child exploitation.” is an immigration raid at their By paying substandard wages, workplace. We have all seen these unscrupulous employers news reports of immigration not only harm the undocumentraids at carwashes, restaurants, ed worker, but also create an factories, processing plants, unfair labor market, and create etc., where workers are round- a disadvantage to their business ed up, and if out of status, are competitors who follow the law handcuffed, and taken away in and pay proper wages. By changing the focus of vans for deportation/removal. During my consultations, I’m constantly being asked, “What are the chances of DHS coming to my workplace, handcuffing me, and marching me out in front of all of my coworkers?” There is now good news, which should bring a sigh of relief to these hardworking individuals. On October 12, 2021, Alejandro Mayorkas, the Secretary of the Department Homeland Security worksite enforcement (by going (DHS), issued a memo to ICE, after unscrupulous employers), USCIS, and CBP, which radical- DHS hopes to “enforce wage ly changes the focus of DHS’s protections, workplace safety, worksite enforcement policies labor rights, and other laws and or priorities. From now on, DHS standards.” DHS recognizes that many will focus its worksite enforcement efforts on “unscrupulous exploited workers are afraid to employers who exploit the vul- come forward and report the nerability of undocumented abuses they endure, out of fear workers,” rather than appre- their employer will report them hending workers who are out of to DHS. Therefore, rather than apprehending these victims of status. Sec. Mayorkas points out exploitation, DHS should conthese employers “engage in ille- sider providing a number of
protections and benefits, such as “deferred action, continued presence, parole, and other available relief for non-citizens or witnesses to, or victims of, abusive and exploitative labor practices.” There are also several temporary visas available for victims of crime, trafficking, or abuse, or will be witnesses at trial. DHS should also, “consider ways to ensure that noncitizen victims and witnesses generally are not placed in immigration proceedings during the pendency of an investigation or prosecution” of their unscrupulous employer. The memo also instructs ICE to “cease mass worksite operations,” or immigration raids. Secretary Mayorkas recognizes that the “deployment of mass worksite operations, sometimes resulting in the simultaneous arrest of hundreds of workers, was not focused on the most pernicious aspect of our country’s unauthorized employment challenge: exploitative employers.” Accordingly, DHS will, “no longer conduct mass worksite operations and instead refocus our workplace enforcement efforts to better accomplish the goals outlined above.” This memo is certainly good news in terms of changing the focus of immigration enforcement away from the exploited
On October 12, 2021, Alejandro Mayorkas, the Secretary of the Department Homeland Security (DHS), issued a memo to ICE, USCIS, and CBP, which radically changes the focus of DHS’s worksite enforcement policies or priorities.
A FAMILY IS FINALLY REUNITED AFTER 25 YEARS, THIS SUNDAY AT 6:30 PM (PST) ON CITIZEN PINOY. Marjun (right) missed the opportunity to join his father, Marcelo Sr. (left), and siblings in the U.S. in 1996 because his name was missing from the list of accompanying family members on his father’s petition. Because his parents did not know what to do, Marjun was left behind. His mother (2nd from left) finally petitioned him in 2007 as a single adult child of a green card holder (F2B). After several years, his petition became current. When it came time for his visa interview in 2019, his case was put under “administrative review” due to his work as a staff nurse in Libya and Saudi Arabia back in 2012 and 2015. The family never lost hope and retained leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (3rd from left) to guide them through every step. Finally, the long wait was over. The family was reunited for the first time in August 2021. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, October 17 on its new and better time at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol. (Advertising Supplement)
worker to the unscrupulous employers, who make their employees work long hours for low pay, in unsafe working conditions, while constantly threatening to keep quiet or they would be reported to DHS. But what is really needed is for Congress to act, and to provide a way by which these hardworking undocumented immigrants can finally have a way to legalize their status once and for all, rather than living in the shadows and in uncertainty. We should urge Congress to finally act on immigration reform, instead of bickering and fighting
among themselves, while the people suffer from their inaction. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 40 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different, and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any
particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw, YouTube: US Immigration TV and Instagram.com/gurfinkellaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
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Christian tells why pain is an actor’s ‘friend’ By MArinel
Cruz
Inquirer.net
FOR actors like me, pain is a friend,” said awardwinning thespian Christian Bables when asked to share the process he goes through as he takes on various roles on TV and the big screen. “Saktan n’yo ako. That will be my fuel. I will become better as a result of that,” said Christian, who is one of the products of Star Magic Workshops, which incorporates in its training the 12-step acting technique of American acting coach and author Ivana Chubbuck. The Chubbuck technique encourages an actor, among other things, to find the appropriate personal pain to help him effectively portray his character. This is also why in a recent virtual media gathering, Christian willingly admitted to feeling “sad and frustrated” when a certain project he prepared so much for eventually did not push through. “You don’t just spend a lot of time to prepare
for a character, you also put in a lot of heart into what you do,” he explained. “What Direk Rahyan (Carlos, head of Star Magic Artist Training and Workshops) kept telling us was to never go to the set unprepared.” Christian did not reveal what the project was, but show biz scribes knew he was referring to the teleserye he was supposed to do with actress Bea Alonzo, who recently transferred to GMA 7. ‘God’s plan’ “(Finding out that a project got canceled) had been very frustrating. I just told myself, ‘Maybe God has a better plan for me.’ I know He always has a better reason when things don’t turn out the way I expect them. Maybe it wasn’t the right time for that particular project. He still wants me to do something else,” he said. Christian was also asked to share his thoughts on the notion that accomplished actors like him shouldn’t attend acting workshops anymore, and should already be teaching younger talents. “The two things I learned from Direk Rahyn that I always remember are these, ‘Acting is a lifestyle of learning,’ and ‘You’re only as good as your last work.’ For me, these are very true,” he pointed out. Learning never stops Christian won the best actor award from the 5th Hanoi International Film Festival for his performance in Chito Roño’s “Signal Rock.” He also received a Gawad Urian best supporting actor trophy Wanderlust Creamery’s lineup of flavors for Filipino American History Month 2021 for Jun Robles Lana’s “Die Beautiful.” “I can impart my knowledge as an actor to others at any time, but I shouldn’t stop learning as well. Once you stop taking in new knowledge—since you’re supposed to learn new things from every experience every day—that will be the end of you as an actor,” he declared. “The Star Magic workshops I’ve attended helped me stay grounded. They remind me to always make sure my feet are planted firmly on the ground, to remain sensitive and observant of my surroundings, to always strive for By AJPress truth and sincerity in what I do.” n
Photo courtesy of Wanderlust Creamery/Instagram
An ode to growing up Fil-Am: SoCal ice cream brand celebrates Fil-Am history month with special flavors
Christian Bables
Photo from Instagram/@christiaaan06
Iya urges women to get tested for breast cancer: ‘Early detection saves lives’ By Alex
BrosAs Inquirer.net
IN support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, TV host and news anchor Iya Villania is encouraging women to have themselves tested. Villania expressed concern over the growing number of women afflicted with breast cancer, as per her Instagram page on Tuesday, October 12, where she shared a throwback photo of herself together with a friend who seems to be checking on her breast. “Self check or in this case, friend check, whichever you choose, just make sure to get checked,” she said. The photo was taken in 2018 when she was about four
Iya Villania Photo from Instagram/@iyavillania
to five months pregnant with her son Leon. “This #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth, we encourage women of all ages to be more conscious about their health. I know things can get busy, but pleeee-
ase make time to check yourself and get tested especially when there are 3/100 Filipinas who are diagnosed every year, making it the no. 1 diagnosis across Asian countries,” she stressed. Villania reminded fans that “early detections can save lives” and enjoined women to join “TheBoobment”: “[Do] a simultaneous self-check along with thousands of women at Avon Philippines’ FB page on October 21, 6pm.” She also provided details on how people can donate “to help the cause, in behalf of the breast cancer patients and the Philippine Cancer Society.” Married to TV host Drew Arellano, Villania has three children, Primo, Leon and Alana. n
AS Filipino American History Month is underway, community members are marking the month-long occasion with festivals and tributes to the community’s contributions to the United States. For one ice cream brand in Southern California, this month means unveiling flavors inspired by beloved Filipino ingredients and desserts. Wanderlust Creamery, which operates five brickand-mortar locations in Los Angeles County, has rolled out its third annual lineup of 10 flavors from keso and corn lengua de gato to mani milk tsokolate inspired by Choc Nut. “October’s menu is an ode to all the stuff we loved growing up Filipino American: Halo Halo hold the beans, favorite childhood candies as souvenirs from the homeland, that jiggly tri-colored dessert at every family gathering, every Filipino kid’s favorite cashew butter cake, banana leaf-wrapped sticky rice cakes, and more,” said Adrienne Borlongan, chef and co-founder of Wanderlust Creamery. Check out the full flavor lineup: • Keso + Corn Lengua De Gato: Mais keso reimagined with cheddar ice cream spun with thin & crispy homemade corn lang du chat cookies. • Mango Kesocake: mascarpone ice cream swirled with housemade Manila mango jam & buttery graham crumble. • Pearl of the Orient: Coconut sampaguita ice cream featuring grass-fed cream and a whisper of coconut milk infused with Philippine Sambac Jasmine • Sapin Sapin: A Neapolitan of the signature malted ube, jackfruit and sticky rice ice creams • Kapampangan Halo Halo: An ice cream form of the famous Filipino dessert featuring condensed milk, studded with cubes of jackfruit sherbert,
Mani Milk Tsokolate, a flavor inspired by “Choc*Nut” candy Photo courtesy of Wanderlust Creamery
swirls of saba banana dulce de leche, coconut sport and crispy “pinipig” rice. • Sans Rival: Buttermilk ice cream with pieces of crispy cashew dacquoise. Limited edition flavors: • Petite Peso Halo Halo (10/1-10/7): In collaboration with Chef Ria Barbosa of Petite Peso, a creamy vegan ice cream laced with guava and passionfruit jams, jackfruit sherbert, housemade oat condensed milk. • Palitaw de Yema (10/810/14): Yema custard ice cream and sticky rice ice cream swirled together with chewy, sticky, sesame-coconut rice cakes. • Abocado Pastillas (10/1510/21): Creamy simplicity in
classic Filipino form: Avocado + grass-fed milk churned into an ice cream swirled with housemade milk jam. • Mani Milk Tsokolate (10/2210/28): Inspired by the iconic “Choc*Nut” Candy, this iteration is a milky chocolate ice cream with pieces of housemade peanut cacao polvoron. For those who can’t get their scoops at one of the locations, there’s also an option to ship pints nationwide through the Wanderlust website. Other Filipino-inspired flavors Ube Malted Crunch and Pandan Tres Leches (which was introduced during last year’s Fil-Am History Month) are part of Wanderlust’s signature menu. n
Filipino cultural fashion show slated in North Hollywood
LOS Angeles-based runway models and event organizers gather for a grand photo-op during final final rehearsals for “Ani” (Harvest), a cultural fashion show, slated Oct 16, 2021 at 1455 Burbank Boulevard, North Hollywood. “Ani”, which will serve as the highlight of a special celebration by the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles led by Consul General Edgar Badajos, and the Filipino American Community in Los Angeles (FACLA) to commemorate Filipino American History Month, is a fashion show featuring traditional Filipino fabrics integrated into high fashion pieces and wearable creations.
Shown in photo are Filipino fashion designers Jhay Layson, Laura Concepcion Santos Edwin Uy and fashion show director Concon Sinel and his assistant director Jerome Malate – who all flew from Manila to attend this event. Also in photo are FACLA acting president Trinity Foliente, Asian Journal CEO Roger Oriel, head of Tina Modelling Tina Shih, and top model agent Javier Villegas. Special thanks to Virgelia Productions. This event commemorates the important milestones in Filipino American history, and in recognition of the contributions of Filipinos in the United States. n
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Remedies for workers injured by employee negligence (Facebook ignores work safety standards, pays the price) necessary to protect the life, safety, and health of employees. An employer cannot require or permit any employee to be in any employment or place of employment which is not safe and healthful. Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. The content moderators claim that by ignoring established workplace safety SELENA Scola and several standards, Facebook did not other workers worked at Faceprovide a safe working envibook, Inc. as content modronment for them. Facebook erators (hired from outside repeatedly exposed its content companies and classified as inmoderators to materials known dependent contractors). These to cause psychological trauma content moderators are tasked and PTSD. The lawsuit claimed everyday with reviewing and rethat Facebook refused to implemoving over ten million videos ment reasonable and adequate and images posted by Facebook safety measures to reduce the users that violate Facebook’s risks associated with exposure terms of use. Moderators claim to graphic content. that every day they are Rather than proexposed to videos, images, and livestreamed Under California law, employers ceed to trial, the parties agreed to a settlebroadcasts of extreme are required to do everything ment. Facebook will and graphic violence pay $52 million in such as child sexual reasonably necessary to protect damages. Class Memabuse, rape, torture, bers will receive an bestiality, beheadings, the life, safety, and health of automatic payment suicide, and murder. employees. Employers must that may be used for As a result of conmedical screening stant exposure to establish, implement, and and general damages highly toxic and exfor their exposure to tremely disturbing immaintain an effective injury potentially traumatic ages while moderators prevention program. material. In addition, do their work, they deClass Members may veloped and suffered seek other payments from psychological trauma and/or post-traumatic healthy relationships with fam- for treatment of a qualifying diagnosis and other damages. ily and friends. stress disorder (PTSD). Facebook has retained ap- Facebook also will implement Ironically, in 2006, Facebook, together with other tech com- proximately 15,000 content significant reforms addressing panies, helped draft workplace moderators around the world its workplace practices in order safety standards to protect con- to review content. Most of to reduce the harmful effects of tent moderators from workplace these 15,000 content modera- exposure to graphic or disturbtrauma and adverse conse- tors are employed by third-par- ing materials.. * * * quences while doing their jobs. ty vendors of Facebook and are However, while other tech com- not Facebook employees. Most The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, panies have implemented these content moderators last less Jr. welcomes inquiries about this safety standards, Facebook has than one year in their position. topic. All inquiries are confidential Under California law, em- and at no-cost. You can contact not. Instead, Facebook required its content moderators to work ployers are required to do ev- the office at (818) 291-0088 or under conditions which caused erything reasonably necessary visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [For and worsened psychological to protect the life, safety, and more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, health of employees. Employ- Jr., Esq. successfully recovered trauma. Scola, together with other ers must establish, implement, wages and other monetary damages content moderators, sued Face- and maintain an effective injury for thousands of employees and book on behalf of themselves prevention program. They must consumers. He was named Top Labor and all other content modera- provide and use safety devices & Employment Attorney in California tors. Scola claimed that as re- and safeguards, and adopt and by the Daily Journal, consistently sult of Facebook’s negligence, use methods and processes selected as Super Lawyer by the she sustained PTSD which is reasonably adequate to render Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past triggered when she touches a the employment and place of Presidential Awardee for Outstanding computer mouse, enters a cold employment safe. Employers Filipino Overseas.] (Advertising Supplement) building, watches violence on must do everything reasonably
Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights
television, hears loud noises, is startled, or when she recalls or describes graphic imagery she was exposed to as a content moderator. Other content moderators claimed injuries such as suffering from nightmares, hypervigilance around children, depression, a pervasive sense of helplessness, anxiety, flashbacks, depression, insomnia, social isolation, increased anger, frustration, unnecessary aggression, irritability, distrust of others, heightened stress response when listening to others discuss traumatic events, panic attacks, difficulty distinguishing fictional violence from reality, and difficulty maintaining
SFIO has recently established a new headquarters in New York City to accommodate U.S. investors and business partners.
SFIO commences US roadshow led by newly-appointed advisory board members
SFIO has started to embark on its six-month roadshow program across the United States through SFIO’s ‘The Global Academy.’ SFIO’s ‘The Global Academy’ (Training Hub for Entrepreneurship) is a strategic learning provider of masterclasses and workshops for business partners, shareholders and potential investors. It is led by newly appointed Advisory Board member Jonathan Petalver, who has over 25 years of designing and conducting learning and development programs under his belt. Coach Petalver, the CEO and co-founder of ‘The Global Academy.’ is headquartered in New Zealand, and with offices in New York, Melbourne, Dubai and Manila, it has extensive experience in conducting and facilitating masterclass programs in entrepreneurship and business leadership across Asia, Middle East, North America and Europe.
Petalver will also be conducting conferences with existing investors during the roadshows. He is to be joined by Roger Oriel, another newly appointed Advisory Board member of SFIO, and the CEO of Asian Journal Publication, Inc. headquartered in Los Angeles. SFIO has recently established a new headquarters in New York City to accommodate U.S. investors and business partners. Messrs. Petalver and Oriel will travel to Los Angeles to meet potential business partners for SFIO’s property development projects in the U.S. and to expand the business opportunity in the U.S. Moving toward the expansion in the U.S., Petalver scheduled to meet with the potential business partner who will operate the pilot store of Epiphany Cafe. He will be in Silicon Valley, where SFIO plans to establish its technology and development division. Then he
will proceed with meeting a partner in San Francisco, who has been shortlisted to operate the commissary of Ardent Bakers in the U.S. The six-month roadshow program is planned to complete in April 2022. The Chairman of SFIO, Jeths Lacson and the New Zealand team will follow in the first quarter of 2022. To achieve the SFIO’s target of a $100M business roadmap, SFIO officially appointed the CEO of Australia-based MLV group, Michael Venezuela, as the new Chief Financial officer with over 30 years of tax, accounting and audit international experience. His vision is to offer affordable charges of professional tax, accounting and business advisory services to a welldiversified customer base. The commencement of the U.S. roadshow with the new appointment is all part of SFIO’s $100M business roadmap to be achieved by 2022.
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When is my prenuptial Can I get a green card if I had a previous marriage petition agreement not enforceable? Barrister’s denied based on fraud? Corner
Legal Advice
Atty. dARRicK tAn DEAR Attorney Tan, I recently married a US Citizen, who is my second husband. He has filed an immigrant visa petition and green card application for me. My husband recently received from USCIS a Notice of Intent to Deny the petition that he filed on my behalf. The Notice indicated that the immigrant visa petition could not be approved since the USCIS had determined that I previously entered into a fraudulent marriage to get a green card several years ago. My ex-husband previously filed an immigrant petition on my behalf several years ago, which was denied since USCIS determined that I only married him to get a green card. My second husband and I truly love each other. What are my options? -- In Love but Out of Status Dear In Love but Out of Status, Under INA Section 204(c), a person who “attempted or conspired to enter into a marriage” in order to receive permanent resident status in the US is prohibited from obtaining USCIS approval of an immigrant visa petition. Simply stated, Section 204(c) prohibits approval of any immigrant visa petition if there has been a finding of “mar-
Tax Tips VictoR Sy, mBA, cPA (RetiRed) WHAT Is a Gift Tax? Gift tax is a federal tax applied to an individual giving anything of value to another person. The donor must report the gift on a tax return and pay the gift tax. Normally, the recipient doesn’t have to report the gift. In summary: • Gift tax is a federal tax levied on a taxpayer who gives items of value to someone else. • The gift tax ranges from 18% to 40%, depending on the size of the gift. • The lifetime exemption is $11.7 million for a single donor. • Excluded from the gift tax
riage fraud” in a prior marriage-based petition. Based on the above law, your case seems at first glance like an “open-andshut” case in favor of denial. However, you still have hope of getting a green card—a person can apply for and get his immigrant petition approved despite the prior finding of “marriage fraud” under certain circumstances. You may ask, how is this possible? Isn’t Section 204(c) straightforward? Not quite. The answer lies in the fact that USCIS must independently examine the prior finding of “marriage fraud” in considering the subsequently filed immigrant visa petition. Before invoking the Sec. 204(c) bar to approval of a subsequent visa petition, USCIS must make an independent determination of fraud based upon the record, including but not limited to any evidence gathered during adjudication of the prior visa petition, but may not parrot or rely on the conclusions made by other adjudicators. USCIS must have “substantial and probative” evidence of “marriage fraud.” Matter of Tawfik, 20 I. & N. Dec. 166, 168. The determination is to be made by the USCIS district director while adjudicating the subsequent visa petition. Matter of Samsen, 15 I. & N. Dec. 28, 1974 WL 29995 (B.I.A. 1974). The district director should not give conclusive effect to the determinations made in the prior proceedings, but should reach
his own independent conclusion based on the evidence actually before him. Matter of F-, 9 I. & N. Dec. 684 (BIA 1962). Therefore, in cases such as yours in which the USCIS has indicated it intends to deny the subsequent immigrant visa petition due to the prior finding of “marriage fraud,” new evidence can be submitted that demonstrates that the prior finding of “marriage fraud” was incorrect—i.e., evidence that shows that the prior marriage petition was based on a bona fide marriage, or that explains that the prior denial was based on an incomplete or inaccurate assessment of the facts. In cases in which the subsequent immigrant visa petition has already been denied, this new evidence should be submitted as part of a motion to reconsider. I recommend that you seek an experienced attorney to assist you in properly presenting the law and facts to the USCIS adjudicator to address the Section 204(c) bar. *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philippine American Bar Association. LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: 323-639-0277. Email: info@dtanlaw.com
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Annual exclusion of gifts Biden tax plan series
are gifts made to spouses who are U.S. citizens and gifts valued at less than the annual exclusion amount. • Use IRS tax form 709. Current Tax Law: • You can gift up to $15,000 per year per recipient have those gifts excluded from gift tax. • A couple can gift up to $30,000 per recipient per year. • You can gift to an unlimited number of recipients. • You can also receive an unlimited amounts of gifts from any number of donors. • Do all these with no gift tax ramifications. Bueno. Proposed Tax Changes: • Proposed law would reduce the maximum annual gift exclusion to $10,000 per recipient.
• Donors would be limited to total annual gifts of $20,000 that would be excluded from gift tax. • Worst, no recipient could receive more than $10,000 per year. Malo. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV – Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation. *** He retired after 50 years of defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He published a book on “How to Avoid or Survive IRS Audits” that’s available at Amazon. Readers may email tax questions to vicsy@live.com.
Do you have debt problems caused by the pandemic?
WHEN the virus makes your income disappear overnight, it can be very frightening to realize that you can’t go very long without it because your bills don’t stop just because your income did. No one ever wants to file bankruptcy. But if you are one of the millions laid off and don’t even know whether you have a job to go back to or not, it might make sense, especially if you are overwhelmed with debt. If bankruptcy is appropriate for your situation, it can give you a sense of control during these uncertain times and help you get back on your feet quickly when things go back to normal. While the government is doing its best to provide safety nets during this crisis, you are still left to figure out on your own how to survive financially. Your stimulus check may be enough to keep you afloat for a month or two, but once that’s gone, you’re back in the same situation. For small businesses hoping to get a loan from the SBA, the money quickly ran out in a couple of weeks, and there has been no word if they’ll even get any money if Congress decides to provide additional funding. If you have stopped paying your mortgage due to your lender agreeing to a temporary forbearance, you should realize that this relief is temporary, and that the money will still need to be paid back whether in payments or a lump sum. No such thing as a free lunch. Same thing applies to suspended rent payments due to the government issuing a moratorium on evictions for the time being. Once the stay
Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon at home order is lifted, you should assume that the missed rent will be due and unless you can work something out with your landlord, you can be evicted. The best thing you can do right now is to develop a financial strategy instead of doing nothing. Some people who call my office tell me that they are not even calling their mortgage company or the lender on their vehicle because they don’t know what to say. This is the wrong approach. It is always best to maintain communication with creditors who have quicker legal remedies than others. Your mortgage company can foreclose on your home. The lender on your car can repossess. It is important to let them know how the virus has affected your finances and see what type of assistance they can provide even if temporary. Remember that food and health should be at the top of your priority list. If you are fortunate enough to have a bit of savings, make sure that you only spend this on essentials for daily survival. It would not make sense to waste this money paying a bill that you could wipe out in bankruptcy if you have to file later. Don’t assume that just because you’re now unemployed or that the fact that your hours
have been cut that you will automatically qualify for bankruptcy. The court still looks at your income for the last 6 months and if you’re likely to go back to work soon making the same amount of money, it will be tough trying to convince the court that you have no ability to pay. But if you are uncertain as to when and if you’d even be able to go back to work, you may have a good argument to file bankruptcy now while the timing is right. Every situation is different and must be analyzed by an experienced bankruptcy attorney. Obviously, if now is the right time to file bankruptcy, the sooner you do it, the sooner you can rebuild your credit and get back on your feet. If you’ve hit the bottom or about to, you may be feeling a lot of stress right now like everyone. My suggestion is to take things day by day, remember that there is only so much that you can do and to be pro-active in developing a financial strategy instead of just waiting for things to happen. Call my office and together, we can figure out what the best strategy is for your situation. *** NOTE: Due to virus safety concerns, I am offering free consultations BY PHONE OR VIDEO to anyone who needs help in dealing with their debt problems. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772.
Atty. Kenneth uRSuA ReyeS MANY people are of the perception that simply downloading a prenuptial agreement from the internet and signing it with their fiance offers them a bullet proof protection from a divorce. What many people do not know is that certain statutory requirements must be met in order for the prenuptial agreement to be valid and to withstand attack in court by your future spouse’s lawyer. Family Code Section 1615 provides that a prenuptial agreement is not enforceable if the party against whom enforcement is sought proves either of the following (1) that party did not execute the agreement voluntarily or (2) The agreement was unconscionable when it was executed and, before execution of the agreement, all of the following applied to that party: (A) That party was not provided a fair, reasonable, and full disclosure of the property or financial obligations of the other party. (B) That party did not voluntarily and expressly waive, in writing, any right to disclosure of the property or financial obligations of the other party beyond the disclosure provided. (C) That party did not have, or reasonably could not have had, an adequate knowledge of the property or financial obligations of the other party. The issue of unconscionability shall be decided by the court as a matter of law. A prenuptial agreement shall be deemed not executed voluntarily unless the court finds in writing or on the record all
of the following: (1) The party against whom enforcement is sought was represented by independent legal counsel at the time of signing the agreement or, after being advised to seek independent legal counsel, expressly waived, in a separate writing, representation by independent legal counsel. The advisement to seek independent legal counsel shall be made at least seven calendar days before the final agreement is signed. (2) One of the following: (A) For an agreement executed between January 1, 2002, and January 1, 2020, the party against whom enforcement is sought had not less than seven calendar days between the time that party was first presented with the final agreement and advised to seek independent legal counsel and the time the agreement was signed. (B) For an agreement executed on or after January 1, 2020, the party against whom enforcement is sought had not less than seven calendar days between the time that party was first presented with the final agreement and the time the agreement was signed, regardless of whether the party is represented by legal counsel. (3) The party against whom enforcement is sought, if unrepresented by legal counsel, was fully informed of the terms and basic effect of the agreement as well as the rights and obligations the party was giving up by signing the agreement, and was proficient in the language in which the explanation of the party’s rights was conducted and in which the agreement was written. The explanation of the rights and obligations relinquished shall be memorialized in writing and delivered to the party prior to signing the agreement. The unrepresented party shall, on or before the signing of the premarital agreement, execute a document declar-
ing that the party received the information required by this paragraph and indicating who provided that information. (4) The prenuptial agreement was not executed under duress, fraud, or undue influence, and the parties did not lack capacity to enter into the agreement. Having both you and your fiance represented by separate counsel during the drafting and execution of your prenuptial agreement can help avoid any of the problems noted above which will can result to your prenuptial agreement being found to be invalid by the court during your divorce proceeding and your assets divided according to California community property law. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)
Seniors need Chapter 7 relief for $50K various unsecured debt
THE client is 72. He still works his normal job and makes about $3K a month. He also receives social security of $1K. So, his total income right now is $4K. He tells me that he is tired of working. His wife doesn’t want him to work anymore. His wife retired ahead of him at age 65, and now receives her social security of $800. She doesn’t work anymore. I ask him what’s the problem? He says they have the following debts: 1. He owes $30K of credit cards; 2. He owes $10K of car repo deficiency; 3. His wife owes $12K of credit cards. Minimum payment on his credit cards is $1K a month. Minimum payment on wife’s credit cards is $400 a month. Total minimum credit cards payment for the household is $1,400 a month. Net income for the household is $4,400 a month. They don’t own a house. They rent for $1200 a month, just a one-bedroom apartment. Utilities and food is about $700. They have a 2013 Lexus 250 IS that is fully paid. They only have
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Atty. lAwRence yAng one car. They had a new SUV but that was repossessed last year, thus the $10K repo deficiency. Car insurance is $120 and gasoline and car maintenance is $400. Cable TV and cell phone is $200. They contribute to their church $100. They send $1000 a month for the medical expenses of their adult son who lives abroad. He doesn’t have medical insurance, and has diabetes T 2. His illness has taken a bad turn recently. Although only 45, he now has to have dialysis 3 x a week. And, last month, his foot was amputated due to gangrene from a wound that would not heal. He accidentally cut himself while cleaning his backyard. He stepped on a nail that went through his flip-flop. The nail was rusty and made a nasty wound on the sole of his feet. The wound became infected with MRSA, which is a kind of
bacteria that does not respond to antibiotics. The wound and infection became full of pus, then, it became gangrene. Panic time. Doctors suggested that they amputate his foot to save his leg. Is there a choice? What a difficult position to be in. Lose your foot to save your leg. So, with the $1K that they send to their son, their total monthly expense for necessities is $3,800 vs. their net household income of $4,400. Hence, they still have an extra $600 a month, BEFORE they make the minimum payment for their credit cards of $1,400. Well, at this point, their short $800 because they need $1400 for minimum card payments but they only have $600 left. And who knows, their son may need more than $1K a month for medical expenses with his rapidly deteriorating health. We pray to our God Almighty through his Son, Jesus Christ, we’re never faced with this kind of sad situation. Imagine having your son or daughter having to choose with amputation of the foot to save a leg and being on dialysis. That’s too much to bear. You would probably cry your PAGE B6
Annual city-wide arts festival in Long Beach makes return
THE 6th annual POW! WOW! Long Beach made its long awaited return featuring artists from all over the globe who showcased their art throughout the city. The weeklong outdoor mural festival, held from September 28October 5, had the theme “Rise Play Repeat,” and was kicked off with a press event gathering city and community leaders. Special guest speakers included Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia and Louis Huang, the Director General of the Taipei Press kick off for POW! WOW! Long Beach 2021 Economic and Cultural Office. Artists featured in 2021 included Andrea James, Brendan Monroe, Brittney Price, Shak Smart, Bryan Blue, Nat Isokbaker, Noelle Martinez and TangWei Hsu. POW! WOW! Long Beach 2021 included the launch of Art Renzei, an imaginative multimedia arts festival woven along Long Beach’s diverse coastline. This annual event is part of the globally recognized POW! WOW! Worldwide series of street art events, which since 2010 has brought murals to public spaces in cities like Honolulu, Seoul, Washington DC, Taipei (Advertising Supplement) and Tokyo. n Mural by Tang-Wei Hsu
Photo courtesy of POW! WOW! Long Beach
B OctOber 16-19, 2021 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL
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Dingdong A. @ Noypitz LA Seniors need Chapter 7 relief for... Friday October 29 @ 8 PM
Dingdong A. with Noypitz owner Rey Perez and Larry Calonzo at California Country Club Golf Course
Dingdong A. with Col. Ding (standing) and Sgt. Greg
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Rey, Dingdong & Julian at Industry Hills Golf Course
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PAGE B4 heart out everyday. I refer you to Psalm 91: Whoever goes to the Lord for safety, whoever remains under the protection of Almight, can say to Him ‘You are my defender and my protector. You are my God; In you I trust… When they call to me, I will answer them; When they are in trouble, I will be with them. I will rescue them and honor them. I will reward them with long life; I will save them. Obviously, something else will now have to be chopped off. The credit cards have to be chopped off to free them of having to pay $1400 a month. Anyway, they have paid this minimum of $1400 for the last 10 years. They have paid a total of $168k for the last 10 years to keep $42K of credit cards current. So why do they still owe the same $42K of credit cards today? Because that’s the way it works. It’s a great deal for mastercard and visa but it SUX totally for clients. If they had wiped these cards out with Chapter 7 ten years ago, they would not only owe $42K today in cards, they would have at least
$250K in savings that will give them extra income of say 7%, giving them income of $17,500 a year, or $1,500 a month, which they can use to travel around the world, or just reinvest the income. I forgot to ask if their son has children. If he does, clients may need to help their daughter in law take care of their grand children if their son dies. It would certainly help to have an extra $1,500 a month for the care of their grand children abroad. $1,500 a month abroad in a third world country goes a very long way towards good care of their grand children abroad. Their son will appreciate this very much since he won’t be able to take care of his children anymore. Here’s the other problem clients are facing. He is about to stop working his regular job that gives him a gross of $3K a month. You don’t have to be an accounting major to figure out what the loss of that income will mean. There will just be no money available to make the minimum payment of $1400 a month to keep the credit cards of $42K current. No way,
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just, no way. It’s time to get rid of the $42K with a Chapter 7 wipe out. Should have done it ten years ago. Now, clients really must file to get rid of the $42K. It’s like the foot has to be chopped off to save the leg. Such is life. So I refer you to Psalm 91 again because that Psalm was written by Moses who is much beloved by our God. So it carries a lot of weight and truth in it. If you need debt relief, please set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally. *** Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advice for anyone. There is absolutely no attorney-client relationship established by reading this article. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 16-19, 2021
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