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OCTOBER 23-29, 2020

T h e F i l i p i n o –A m e r i c a n C o m m u n i t y N e w s pa p e r

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San Diego Race for Mayor heats up

USA

DATELINE FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Inaugural conference of young Filipino American physicians brings community together amidst pandemic THE Council of Young Filipino Americans in Medicine (CYFAM) hosted its inaugural conference on October 10-11, with the theme “Isang Bagsak: United in Health”.  This two-day virtual conference brought to-

Fil Am Todd Gloria seeks community support to make history by Momar

G. Visaya

AJPress

FILIPINO American Todd Gloria, a 42-year-old Democratic Assemblyman who currently serves as the majority whip in the California State Legislature, is looking to make history in less than two weeks. He is in a virtual dead heat against his opponent for mayor of San Diego, the eighth largest city in the United States.  If he wins, he would be the first person of color and first openly gay person to be elected as the mayor of California’s second largest city, with a

population of 1.4 million.  Gloria, who was sworn in as the California State Assemblymember for the 78th Assembly District in 2016, became the second person of Filipino descent ever elected to the California State Assembly after Rob Bonta in 2012. Both assemblymen attended an online town hall meeting organized by some of Gloria’s friends in the Filipino American community to further drum up support for his mayoral bid.  “I am looking forward to making sure that our community issues are heard and I am proud to carry the mantle for the Filipino American communi-

AAPI labor and community leaders say No to 22, Yes on 15

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

Calls for California’s corporations to do their share in protecting workers and communities

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San Diego honors comedian Jo Koy during Filipino American History Month by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

FILIPINO American stand-up comedian Jo Koy was honored by the City of San Diego during a ceremony recognizing Filipino American History Month. District 6 City Councilman Chris Cate on

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Duterte takes responsibility for drug killings anew

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SAN FRANCISCO — On Monday, October 19, Asian American and Pacific Islander labor and community leaders spoke alongside gig workers at a virtual press conference to urge California voters to protect workers and invest in our communities by voting No on Proposition 22 and Yes on Proposition 15. The pandemic has exacerbated the economic and health gaps in California, including AAPI communities, and voters have a chance to stand

ty,” Gloria said about the prospects of becoming the first Filipino American mayor of a major American city.  He added that he is going to focus on the universal issues that are most important to the voters in the city, including homelessness, housing affordability, infrastructure and the housing crisis, among others.  Gloria shared how his grandparents moved to San Diego and how his parents Phil and Linda taught him traditional family values. He said that he is the first in his working class family to gradu-

MORNING RIDE. Cyclists cruise the bike lane along the banks of Marikina River in Marikina City on Thursday, October 22. People take advantage of the fair weather to ride their bikes after Metro Manila and other parts of the country were affected by Tropical Storm Pepito.  PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte took responsibility anew for the killings committed under his campaign against illegal drugs. However, he insisted he was not to blame for the deaths with unknown perpetrators. “If there are deaths, I said... you can hold me responsible for anything, any death that has occurred in the execution of the drug war. But do not blame me for deaths whose perpetrators are not known,” Duterte said in his televised public address on Monday, October 19.  The chief executive also claimed he is willing to go to jail for the drug-related deaths. “If you die, that’s because I am angry with drugs. That’s what I am saying. If you bring me to court or send me to jail, fine, I have no problem. If I serve my country by going to jail, gladly,” he said.

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A quick rundown of the 2020 California ballot measures by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

THOUGH the presidential race is always the primary focus of every general election, it is only one of at least two dozen items that appear on the big ballot every four years. This is the time of the election cycle when everybody from elected officials to celebrities are urging voters to complete their civic duty and cast their ballots. In a year with fake drop-

off boxes and efforts to suppress the vote are rampant, civic responsibility has never been more consequential. Those who have received their ballots in the mail (or have already voted early) know that the California ballot is extensive, and each item that needs a vote is just as crucial as the race to the White House. A majority “yes” vote approves these propositions while a majority “no” rejects them.

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The President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs held a virtual Filipino American History Month celebration on Thursday, October 15.

President’s Advisory Commission Yamane cites business, leadership USD Alum Runs for San Diego on AAPIs celebrates Filipino City Council, District 7 expertise as strengths in American History Month candidacy to NC city council by Joseph

L. Peralta

AJPress

by Joseph

L. Peralta

AJPress

Ditas Delossantos Yamane, candidate for city council of National City Image capture from www.ditas2020.com

DITAS Delossantos Yamane, one of several candidates vying for two open slots in the city council of National City, will bank on her experience, business knowledge and leadership skills to help the city recover from the ill effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and craft a plan that realistically deals with the challenges of future growth given limited funding sources in these challenging times. A long-time resident of National City, Yamane is no stranger to the National City political scene. Aside from serving on multiple

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San Diego City Council District 7 candidate Noli Zosa Image capture from www.noli2020.com

by Momar

WHILE the candidacy of Assembymember Todd Gloria for San Diego Mayor has dominated the news, another Filipino American has also been on the campaign trail in the San Diego area for the runoff for the San Diego City Council District 7 post. Business owner, community advocate, long-time volunteer and Republican Noli Zosa is vying to fill the post for termed-out fellow Republican Scott Sherman in the district which includes Allied Gardens, Linda Vista, Mission Valley, Serra Mesa and Tierrasanta. Zosa, according to his campaign website, is the son of immigrants and obtained his under-

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G. Visaya

AJPress

THE President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), during its third open meeting virtually on Thursday, October 15, and in cooperation with the White House Office of Public Liaison and the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI), honored and celebrated Filipino American History Month (FAHM). U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao, and other Senior Administration officials from the White House, U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Commerce,

thanked the numerous Filipino Americans on the frontlines. Chao talked about the “hundreds of thousands of Filipino health care workers on the frontlines” and that America is grateful for the many contributions of the community. “I am pleased that we are here today to celebrate Filipino American History Month. I am especially thankful to the frontliners, many of them Filipinos, are taking personal risks to save so many lives and keep our country safe, healthy, and whole,” Ross, WHIAAPI cochair, echoed.  Ross also acknowledged FilAms for being “famously entrepreneurial” and cited Pedro

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OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline USA

Inaugural conference of young Filipino American... they can assume places of lead- particularly true of those in medPAGE 1 t icine,” said Dr. Nico Cabrera.  gether more than 500 attendees ership as well.” “As IMGs and AMGs we Following the remarks from from all over the United States including Hawaii as well as from the keynote speakers, confer- certainly experience the U.S. Canada and the Philippines, or- ence attendees participated in healthcare landscape differently ganized through the generous various workshops based on that but hopefully we can learn from support of the UCSF PRIME-U.S. day’s theme. On Saturday, the and understand each other and Program, Princeton Review, as workshops focused on celebra- maybe even help each other out well as the support of its parent tion, identity, and mentorship. along the way,” stated Dr. Deorganization Association of Phil- One session included a presen- nise Sese.  This conference of Young Filippine Physicians in America tation from Dr. Rommel Rivera, (APPA), Filipino Young Leaders current president of APPA, who ipino Americans in medicine Program (FYLPRO), Mabuhay gave a lecture about the history also featured an interactive virCredit Union, and the Philippine of the Filipino American physi- tual research symposium, which Consulates General Los Angeles cians and the establishment of highlighted work from 21 FilipiFilAm medical societies. In an- no American researchers across and New York.  The conference’s theme other workshop, Dr. Melissa Pal- the U.S. in a variety of disciplines “Isang Bagsak: United in Health” ma led attendees in a storytelling and levels of training. This was a signifies how the Filipino Amer- session where she reflected on particular highlight in the conican community rises and falls her 10-year journey in immigrant ference given the relative lack together. It is associated with the health advocacy. The attendees of Filipino American focused Unity Clap of Filipino and Latino then had the chance to interact research shared in the U.S. medlaborers of the 1960s who orga- within mentorship groups known ical community. Research prenized around common struggles as “pamilyas,” which were com- sentation topics spanned across posed of one physician mentor, basic science, clinical medicine, and experiences. During this completely virtu- four to five medical students and and public health. The Judge’s al conference, young Filipino about 10 pre-medical students. Choice for “Best Abstract” was American physicians, medical The 23 pamilyas were each care- awarded to Sabrina Christensen, students, and pre-med under- fully selected in order to build a a medical student at the Califorgraduates from all over the U.S. community of members with for nia Northstate University College of Medicine. Her presentation gave interactive discussions future collaborations.  “Meeting other Filipino Amer- was on the “Role of Sirtuin 3 in based on the themes of kalusugan (health), pagdiriwang (cel- icans in this field is very moti- Adipogenesis and the Insulin ebration), kapwa (fellowship), vating, because many times I do Cell Signaling Pathway.” The and paroroonan (career destina- feel like an imposter, but seeing online audience voted for the tions). The conference included others that look like me in such “Audience Choice Oral Presentainspiring keynote speakers: Dr. a rigorous field and knowing I tion” in each session which was Imelda Dacones, president and have this community uplifting awarded to Jed Keenan L. Obra, CEO of Northwest Permanen- me is extremely reassuring,” a pre-medical student at the Unite, and Dr. Peter Bretan, pres- said Stephanie Anciro, a 4th- versity of California, Davis who ident of the California Medical year medical student from Drex- studied “The Role of Collagen Association and adjunct clinical el University College of Medicine Composition and Orientation in Lateral Force Transmission with professor at Touro University. in Philadelphia. On Sunday, the conference Aging,” and Mr. Alexander Adia, Other supporters of the conference included PhilDev, National themes were kalusugan, paro- a master’s student at the Brown Federation of Filipino American roonan, and community build- University Philippine Health Associations (NaFFAA), Salamat ing. Health workshops included Initiative who presented “DisYoga, and Kayamanan ng Lahi.  presentations from Dr. Katrina aggregating Health Conditions, During this conference, the Heyrana about “Filipino Sexual Outcomes, and Service Access members of CYFAM shared their Health through a Reproductive & Implications for COVID-19 experiences and challenges as Justice Lens,” as well as Alexan- Among Filipino Adults in Califorphysicians and trainees of color der Adia and Irene Quilantang, nia.” In October 2019, Dr. Antonio across the educational pipeline, who spoke about the current working to unite under a call to state of the HIV epidemic in the Moya and Dr. Angelico Razon esaction to support community Philippines and the impact of tablished CYFAM as a means to health and leadership in medi- COVID-19. The attendees then create a national community of had the opportunity to learn Filipino Americans in medicine. cine. After hearing the first keynote from Dr. Drew Park about “En- It was noted that though there speaker on Saturday, Mericien trepreneurship in Medicine,” or were many professional physiVenzon, an MD/Ph.D. student at Drs. Carlos Oronce and Hafifa cian organizations for Filipino the New York University School Shabaik about “Career Paths in physicians who later migrated of Medicine, said, “Dr. Dacones Research.” International Medical from the Philippines to the U.S. so eloquently reminded all of us Graduates from the Philippines, to practice medicine, there was women of how we must ‘take Drs. Nico Cabrera, Denise Sese, not a single national young Filour seat at the table’ and not let Martin Amor, John Macheal ipinx American physician orgathe fear of failure or intimidation Racoma, and Jeremy Santiago nization that worked to unite the keep us from having our voices also hosted a panel where they community.  Through a nationwide surbe heard. Hearing her speak at discussed how to navigate the the conference inspired me to medical education system in the vey of this community and after emulate her leadership, especial- Philippines and then in the U.S.  many town hall discussions, it “The communities of people was established that the mission ly in the way that she encourages others to take risks and also in the U.S. with roots in the Phil- of the Council of Young Filipinx 20SDG16360_CARE Smiles__Asian Journal__RUN: 10_23_20__ pg 4C__TRIM: 5.69” x 10.56” (CYFAM) Americans in Medicine are diverse and 1/4 that’s uplifts the women around her so ippines

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Quiboloy’s Hawaii church manager sentenced for lying about cash-filled suitcase THE manager of pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ’s Waipahu location is now facing jail time and a fine after a Hawaii court found her guilty of lying about a suitcase that contained more than $300,000 in cash. Honolulu-based Hawaii News Now reported that Felina Salinas will spend 30 days behind bars and would have to pay a $500 fine for the crime. Salinas had attempted to board a private plane with Quiboloy in 2018 when she told federal agents that the suitcase was hers.  She declared that she was only carrying $40,000 and P1,000, when officers found out that the suitcase actually contained $335,000 and $9,000 in Australian dollars in socks, prosecutors said. Federal law requires anyone taking more than $10,000 out of the country to declare it. Salinas was initially charged with cash smuggling, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and forfeiture of cash and property, but this was reduced upon further investigation. Only Salinas was arrested and charged for the crime, but Quiboloy was detained for a day and later left on a commercial flight for the Philippines. His lawyer insisted that the sect leader did not commit any crime in the United States. String of cases This is not the first time that

Photo shows Kingdom of Jesus Christ church founder Apollo Quiboloy. Photo from Facebook/Pastor Apollo Quiboloy

the church of Quiboloy, a close friend of President Rodrigo Duterte, had been involved in legal issues. In January, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested three administrators of Quiboloy’s church for allegedly submitting false visa applications to allow church members to come to the U.S. and then forcing them to work long hours begging for and soliciting donations for charity Children’s Joy Foundation USA. A former follower had also accused Quiboloy of rape in December 2019 and also claimed that she experienced forced labor when she was a member of the church. The victim also accused him and four others of qualified trafficking in persons and child

abuse. Quiboloy’s camp denied the allegations, dismissing them as part of a “grand conspiracy” against the church leader. Kristina Angeles, another former church member, also accused Quiboloy of running a “child sex ring,” according to a Hawaii News Now report in October 2018. Quiboloy dismissed the “child sex ring” allegation as “a pack of lies.” In 2008, Quiboloy was tagged in the killing of tribal leader Dominador Diarog in Davao City. The church leader published a statement in various Davao newspapers denying involvement in the killing. (Xave Gregorio with reports from Gaea Katreena Cabico/Philstar.com)

is to promote the leadership ing experience for me. It was a a pre-medical student at UCLA development of young Filipinx unique opportunity to grow as a and a member of the planning American physicians and train- leader while building community committee. ees, reinforce the educational with so many amazing healthBuilding off the momentum pipeline, and address structural care leaders across the country. from this historic conference, inequities in health through ad- One of my biggest take-aways CYFAM plans on creating an onvocacy, scholarship, and com- from being a part of the planning line mentorship program as well munity partnership. CYFAM’s committee is that we don’t have as a directory of Filipino Amerivision is to embolden leaders to to go through our journey to be- can physicians from all over the amplify the voice of our mem- coming healthcare professionals U.S. that can also be linked to bers, patients, and community. alone. To me, being a part of this APPA. With the pandemic ampliUltimately, the goal of the orga- committee is a real-life example fying existing health disparities nization is to equip and empower of Bayanihan, or the spirit of col- in the community, programs will every Filipinx American medical lectivism and communal action also be specifically focused on student, trainee, and young phy- towards a shared goal. It real- pandemic relief. sician to be an effective change ly does take a village to pull off “It’s time for young Filipino agent in tackling the communi- such a big event, and we were Americans in the U.S. to have ty’s most pressing health priori- able to do that primarily because a voice in our U.S. health care of everyone’s shared commit- system. We cannot remain sities.   “Being a committee head as ment to creating a profession- lent when it is well known that a pre-medical student was defi- al and educational space for our Filipino community suffers in disproportionately from stroke, nitely a challenging yet extraor- Filipinx/Filipinx-Americans medicine,” said Jaira Mendoza, dinary and immensely rewardPAGE 4 Downed Wire_The Asian Journal_RUN: 10/23/20__TRIM: 5.69” x 10.56”

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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23-29, 2020

From The Front Page

San Diego honors comedian Jo Koy during... PAGE 1 t Friday, October 16, proclaimed the day as “Jo Koy Day” in San Diego. The ceremony took place in Mira Mesa and was emceed by ABC 10News reporter Melissa Mecija. “Jo Koy is iconic and a trailblazer,” said Cate, who is a second-generation Filipino American. “His homage to the Philippines has reached the lives of millions of people worldwide. Filipino cuisine, culture, and arts are flourishing in District 6, and I am excited to celebrate Jo Koy and recognize his accomplishments,” he added. Jo Koy, whose birth name is Joseph Glenn Herbert, first took the stage in Las Vegas in 1989 and has been working as a stand-up comedian ever since. He has several Netflix comedy specials under his belt — “Comin’ in Hot,” “Live from Seattle,” and “Jo Koy: In His Elements,” which was shot in the Philippines. “I wanted to give back to a culture that gave me so much, and I wanted to inspire young Filipinos,” he said while accepting the honor. According to Cate, one in ev-

JOKOY DAY IN SAN DIEGO. San Diego City Councilmember Chris Cate (right) with Jo Koy and emcee, Melissa Mecija of 10News at last week’s event which recognized the world-renowned stand up comedian.  Cate, a second-generation Filipino American also proclaimed Jo Koy  Day in celebration of Filipino American History Month Ceremony.  Photo courtesy of San Diego District 6 staff

ery three District 6 residents is of Asian-American descent. The district includes Kearny Mesa, Clairemont Mesa, Miramar, Mira Mesa, Sorrento Valley, and Park Village. “Filipino American History Month commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States, which occurred in October of 1587 when Luzones Indios land-

ed at what is now Morro Bay, California,” Cate’s office said. “Filipino Americans are the second largest Asian American group in the nation and the third largest ethnic group in California. San Diego is home to one of the largest concentrations of Filipinos, with more than 200,000 Filipinos residing in America’s Finest City,” it added.

AAPI labor and community leaders say... PAGE 1 t with workers and close a tax loophole on commercial properties and generate much-needed funding for California public schools and local communities.  Prop 22 would have a significant impact on AAPI and immigrant communities. A recent study by the UC Santa Cruz Institute for Social Transformation shows that 1 in 3 San Francisco drivers are Asian, and 56% of gig drivers are immigrants. “Prop. 22 will hurt workers like me, who are mostly workers of color and immigrants,” shared Saori Okawa, who has been a driver for over 3 years. During the pandemic, AAPIs face vastly disproportionate rates of COVID-19 infection and death, and we believe that all workers deserve basic protections to keep our families and communities safe.  When the pandemic hit, drivers like Jing Xiao, Saori Okawa, and John Meijia had to choose

between putting their health on the line and drive to make money to support themselves and their families, or stop driving to keep themselves and their families safe. “It’s already a challenge trying to make ends meet as an Uber driver, but their ballot initiative would make it nearly impossible,” says Okawa. “Prop 22 would leave me and other drivers without protections. We need to hold corporations accountable and put people above profits.” said John Meijia, who has driven for both Lyft and Uber. Prop 15 will bring in $12 billion dollars a year to community resources and schools without raising taxes for renters, small business owners, and homeowners. “We have a once in a generation opportunity to make the future brighter by supporting Prop 15. As a provider of mental health services in Alameda County, I know how much the bill will provide infrastructure to

address homelessness, gaps in mental health services, and other issues impacting our communities,” shares Yeon Park, APALA National Executive Board Member and Vice President at SEIU 1021.  Local communities and small businesses are also struggling to respond to COVID-19, including minority and women-owned businesses. “By closing loopholes used by large corporations, it will not only level the playing field for small businesses, there will be more funding towards social services, preparation for future events like pandemics, earthquakes, and wildfires, and more resource-funded schools,” adds Park. Isaiah Aiotolu, a student at Sacramento State University shares why he supports Prop 15. “As a first -gen, low-income, minority student, I know the struggles of not having resources, but if I had the opportunity to change that PAGE 7

San Diego Race for Mayor heats up...

PAGE 1 ate from university. “I will be a mayor for everyone,” he said. “I am mindful that there are little Filipino boys and girls who might see me in government as someone that looks like them, and maybe inspire them.” If elected, he said he wants to work on the collection of data as far as COVID-19 is concerned, specially since the community has many members working on the frontlines and a number has been severely impacted.  He also looks forward to strengthening the ties and relations between San Diego and the Philippines, whether he wins as mayor or not. San Diego is home to the second largest Filipino population in the country, roughly 200,000 according to U.S. Census figures. “Mayors are the best sales people for our cities. I look forward to bringing jobs and investors from both sides, which would also bring economic and cultural benefits,” he said.  When Gloria won the primary race last March, Democratic candidate for Vice President and former California Sen. Kamala Harris, congratulated him on the win and tweeted, “My friend @ToddGloria will be a fearless leader for the people of San Diego and is the clear choice to be the next Mayor. I’m thrilled he’ll be on the ballot in

Todd Gloria with Vice Presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris

Todd Gloria with his parents Phil and Linda Gloria

November.” Apart from Sen. Harris, Gloria also received endorsements

Photos courtesy of @ToddGloria

from Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and labor and PAGE 7

Duterte takes responsibility... PAGE 1 t Duterte likewise maintained that he is not committing crimes against humanity with his crackdown on drugs. “Kailan pa naging humanity itong p***** i** mga drug na ito (Since when did these sons of b*****s become part of humanity)?” he said. “If this is allowed to go on and on and if no decisive action is taken against them, it will endanger the security of the state,” he added. PH still in the ‘thick of fight’ vs drugs Citing the 2019 National Household Survey on the Patterns and Trends of Drug Abuse by the Dangerous Drugs Board, Duterte said that there are “about

167 million or two out of 100 people” who are reportedly current drug users in the country. “In the past, ‘yung panahon nila Dela Rosa, umabot ‘yan ng (during the time of [now senator Ronald] Dela Rosa), almost 4 million. And how much has been reduced in the use of shabu? I really do not know until now. But we are still in the thick of the fight against shabu,” he said. On Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque clarified that the figure that Duterte stated was a typographical error. “Typo lang po ‘yun (It was just a typo). It should be 1.67 million,” he said. Duterte addressed the parents of Filipinos who are using drugs, saying they are also to blame for

the country’s situation. “I forgot this important advice that parents should have also — a shared responsibility. Dapat kayo rin ang masisi nito kung ang inyong anak pupunta na doon. Pinabayaan ninyo (You should also take the blame if your child gets involved with drugs. You neglected them). Check on your children always. Supervise, check,” he said. He also admitted that he grieves for drug users, reasoning that it is “a waste of life.” “I grieve for the Filipinos na tinamaan ng droga. Talagang masakit sa akin because a waste of life (I grieve for the Filipinos affected by illegal drugs. It really pains me because it’s a waste of life),” Duterte said.

From The Front Page

OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs... PAGE 1 t Flores, who invented the yoyo and began an enterprise in California. “Many of the nation’s 1.9 million AAPI-owned companies have suffered a dramatic loss of business due to the pandemic,” he said, adding that with the right policies in place, the country’s businesses will soon enter the recovery phase. Filipinos in the Trump administration Three Filipino Americans who are a part of the Trump administration as senior officers also joined the virtual celebration. Vic Mercado, among the high-level Filipinos in the Trump cabinet, works at the Department of Defense as Assistant Secretary for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities. Prior to his current position, Mercado served in the U.S. Navy for 35 years where he held various acquisition and engineering leadership roles.until his retirement in November 2018.  He is responsible for advising the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy on national security and defense strategy; the forces, contingency plans, and associated posture necessary to implement

NOTICE TO BIDDERS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of San Diego (City) is seeking to receive Electronic Bids for the below named Public Works project. The solicitation, including plans and specifications, may be obtained from the City’s website at: https://www.sandiego.gov/cip/bidopps. Contractors intending to submit a Bid must be prequalified. Please refer to the solicitation for instructions. Project Name: Morena Pump Station Project Number: K-211801-DBB-3-A Estimated Value: $93,850,000.00 Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting 1: 11/02/20 at 10:00 A.M. GoToMeetings Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting 2: 11/04/20 at 10:00 A.M. GoToMeetings Bid Open Date: 12/17/2020, at 2:00 P.M. License Requirement: A It is the policy of the City of San Diego to encourage equal opportunity in its Construction and Consultant contracts. Bids or proposals from local firms, small, minorityowned, disabled, veteranowned, and women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged. Contractors are encouraged to subcontract with and/or participate in joint ventures with these firms. The City is committed to equal opportunity and will not discriminate with regard to race, religion, color, ancestry, age, gender, disability, medical condition or place of birth; and will not do business with any firm that discriminates on any basis. Bids shall be received no later than the date and time noted above at: City of San Diego’s Electronic Biding Site, PlanetBids at: https://www. planetbids.com/portal/portal. cfm?Comp anyID=17950 James Nagelvoort, Director Engineering & Captial Projects Department 10/23/20 CNS-3409637# ASIAN JOURNAL

Victor Mercado

the defense strategy; nuclear deterrence and missile defense policy; and security cooperation plans and policies.  Mercado joined the virtual meeting from his office at the Pentagon. He said he was looking forward to the month of October when Filipino American History Month is celebrated. “We have such a rich and diverse culture and our history in this country goes way back, centuries back,” he said.  He shared a few stories about his trip to the Philippines a few years ago and called it “extraordinary,” particularly his experience when he visited the American cemetery, which at 152 acres, is the largest in terms of the number of graves with about 17,000 military members who died in World War II. “I have an uncle I never met, his name was Serapio Guerrero and he was a Filipino Scout who died at the Bataan Death March on July 4, 1942 and was one of 75,000 Filipinos and Americans who fought in the war. The cemetery in Manila symbolizes the beautiful relationship between the United States and the Philippines,” Mercado said.  Kelly Ilagan is a senior advisor at the Department of Commerce for International Trade Administration. Born and raised in Michigan, Ilagan shared that both her parents are nurses and instilled in her Filipino values. “They taught me to just work hard to achieve that American dream that our ancestors dreamt for us,” she shared. She acknowledged the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of Filipinos, especially those who opened small stores and restaurants across America. As a small kid growing up in Detroit, she said she looked forward to their trips to the Filipino and Asian markets and restaurants. Ninio Fetalvo, White House communications advisor, shared Ilagan’s sentiments and paid tribute to his parents who taught and instilled in him Filipino values. “Who would have thought that a son of immigrants who grew up in Port Charlotte, Florida would be serving the President of the United States? I am so proud of the great strides we have made to make this a better country,” he shared.  Fetalvo added that his mother and sister both work as nurses, and just like the rest of the frontliners, have been working round the clock to beat the coronavirus pandemic.  “We grieve alongside every family who has lost a loved one due to COVID-19. The administration has been doing unprecedented efforts

system illnesses. The CIRM was established in 2004 as the first-of-its-kind state-sanctioned stem cell agency and was issued $3 billion in bonds. By October 2019, the CIRM had $132 million remaining and earlier in July 2019, the CIRM had seized applications for new projects because funds were drying up. Supporters — including the CIRM, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the University of California Board of Regents (UC labs and hospitals are a primary beneficiary of the CIRM) — maintain that stem cell research has led to increased understanding of diseases that affect millions of families, biotech jobs and careers and clinical trials over the last 16 years. But opponents of the bill — in-

cluding the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle editorial boards and Jeff Sheehy, board member of the CIRM — argued that the lack of advancement in stem cell research to find cures doesn’t warrant an increase in funding.  California originally established the CIRM as a response to then-President George W. Bush’s ban on federal funding for stem cell research, and opponents also argue a state-funded institute is no longer necessary. As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the systems in which individuals donate stem cells is largely homogenous with ethnic groups — like Filipinos — vastly underrepresented, making it PAGE 9

USD Alum Runs for San Diego...

Ninio Fetalvo

in making sure that a safe and effective vaccine will be available to all Americans,” Fetalvo said. “We are not cutting corners, we are on track and we hope to distribute 100 million doses before the end of the year.” Herman Martir, a commissioner on President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs, led the program, which was also attended by Brendan Flores, National Chairman of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA),  Tina Wei Smith, Executive Director of WHIAAPI and Alex Flemister, Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison.  Celebrating Filipino The White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders’ Facebook page highlighted the achievements of several Filipino Americans in honor of FAHM. Among those they have featured are Shirlene D. Ostrov, President & CEO of Ares Mobility Solutions Inc. and Co-owner of Adaptive Cargo Solutions; Richard Felicelda, who is a teacher by profession and a businessman at heart, and founder of StarLab; Marie Cunning, owner and operator of Arizona Discount Flooring, LLC, Altair Realty, LLC, and the President and CEO of Arista Development, Inc. and Michele and Andy Rivera, who are co-founders of My E Three.   The Rivera couple’s wedding and events photography business was badly affected by COVID-19, so they had to pivot their business and innovate. When there was a need and demand for face masks, the Riveras refocused My E Three, a Chicago-based lifestyle and wellness brand selling activewear products, to designing and selling quality face coverings.    To date, they have donated 1,000 masks to the underprivileged populations and health PAGE 7

Inaugural conference of young... PAGE 2 t heart disease, diabetes, and now COVID-19 compared to other Asian Pacific Islander and minority communities,” Dr. Antonio Moya stated. “The dream of creating a national network of Filipino Americans in Medicine started as a conversation many years ago,

A quick rundown of the 2020... PAGE 1 t Here’s a quick guide to the 11 ballot measures for California. The ones you’ve seen on TV Proposition 14: Stem Cell Research Institute Bond Initiative As expected from the title, this ballot measure, if approved, would send $5.5 billion in general obligation bonds for the state’s stem cell research institute, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).  The increased funds to the CIRM — which would come from investors who would be reimbursed over the next 30 years through taxpayers — would expand research capacity and allocate $1.5 billion for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke, epilepsy and other neurological and nervous

Kelly Ilagan

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but it wasn’t until the pandemic occurred that this dream of a nationwide Fil-Am pamilya in medicine became real,” said Robert “Robi” Bucayu, a 4th-year medical student from UC Irvine School of Medicine and the Conference Coordinator. (Antonio Moya, Dianne Lumaquin, and Allen Siapno)

PAGE 1 t graduate and law school degrees from the University of San Diego. After graduation, he joined the family business, managing a boutique bed-and-breakfast, wedding facility and guava tree ranch. He is a partner in the wellknown restaurant chain, Dirty Birds, a locally- and nationally-awarded company that employs over 140 people. Zosa sees homelessness, housing, jobs, safe neighborhoods and infrastructure as major issues that need to be addressed in his district. Although he feels the city has made positive steps in addressing the issue of homelessness, Zosa believes that more can be done by addressing the root problems of homelessness, including high cost of housing, domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health issues. “The crisis is only going to be addressed by meaningful public-private partnerships like expanding on the models created by effective nonprofit organizations like ‘Solutions for Change’,” Zosa stated in his website. “Investing in programs that offer comprehensive wrap around services are critical: from counseling services, medical care and mental health services, to parenting classes, employment training and workforce development. Programs like ‘Solutions’ create solid foundations for struggling San Diegans.” When it comes to housing, Zosa, who cites high price of land, high fees and taxeson con-

struction and red tape as challenges faced by prospective and current homeowners, supports streamlining the permitting process and reviewing all fees, especially those that will be ultimately passed onto homeowners. He has championed the San Diego Housing Commission’s change in policy that now gives first priority to low-income families who have been or will be displaced by new development in their current apartment communities. Zosa believes in creating a more pro-business climate in order to help San Ciego thrive and increase the supply of jobs. “When I’m on the City Council, I’ll advocate for the business community at City Hall and fight against the policies that negatively affect our economy and I’ll work to create policies that promote job growth,” he explained in his website, adding, “We need a voice on the City Council who won’t be afraid to speak out against bad policies.” A member of various community/advisory boards and councils, Zosa maintains that the key to safe neighborhoods is a strong relationship between community members and its police officers. He supports diversity in the police force, feels that officers should have the pay and resources needed to do their jobs effectively to help keep neighborhoods safe and supports the move to allow officers flexibility in their patrols so they can be more approachable and engaging with residents. As for the city infrastructure,

Yamane cites business... PAGE 1 t commissions in the city, Yamane made a run for mayor in 2018. She is currently a member of the city’s Planning Commission. Yamane is a small business owner, a real estate broker, and is also president and CEO of the Mabuhay Foundation. The founding member of the United Pangasinan International has participated in numerous efforts to help underserved communities in National City through activities such as School Supplies Give-Away, Bike Give-Away, Backpack Give-away, Toys for the Holiday and Thanksgiving Turkey Give-Away. Yamane has also participated in helping give out scholarship awards for deserving high school students, providing free notary services to seniors and has volunteered for the VITA Program, which is free tax preparation for the low-income community. One of the cornerstones of her community involvement is through mentoring and supporting the youth whom she says she is always ready to help. According to Yamane, she will “bring leadership focused on un-

derstanding the heartbeat of our businesses and neighborhoods.” Among the main issues that she will work on if she gets elected to the city council are jobs, housing and public safety. “I will focus on growing our local economy, creating jobs and ensuring opportunity to all our residents. I will work to encourage building more housing by working with builders and investors, and revisiting permits and streamlined processes. I will dedicate to ensuring our first responders have the resources and the tools needed to keep our residents and communities safe,” Yamane told the Asian Journal via email. Yamane says her vast experience in business, civic engagement and volunteerism make her a good fit to the city council. “I am running to bring a quality of leadership to improve the community we live in. Our city desperately needs a policy maker with business knowledge and experience,” she said. “With years of experience in community engagement, financial analysis, business management and real estate business, my qualifications are above all the other candidates.”

Zosa says that residents can count on him to support increased funding for street repair and re-construction. He also says that technology will play an important role in helping alleviate traffic. “Technology can help to greatly reduce traffic. This includes investing in and upgrading more of our streetlights to utilize smart adaptive traffic signal optimization technology. Nothing is more frustrating than sitting and wasting time at traffic lights that do not accurately detect the amount of cars going through intersections,” he stated. Zosa’s key endorsements include San Diego Councilmember Chris Cate (District 6), San Diego Councilmember Scott Sherman (District 7), San Diego Councilmember Mark Kersey (District 5), San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox, San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, State Senator Pat Bates, State Senator Brian Jones, State Assemblymember Marie Waldron, Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey, Santee Mayor John Minto, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, San Diego Asian Americans for Equality, San Diego County Lincoln Club, California Restaurant Association and Greater San Diego Association of Realtors. For more information on Zosa’s candidacy to the San Diego City Council’s District 7, visit www. noli2020.com. A recipient of many community service awards and citations for her civic-oriented engagements, Yamane hopes that voters, including those from the Filipino American community, will see how she has advocated for the city throughout her career and volunteer activities. “I love National City and I will work hard to make sure to provide the services and respect our community deserves,” she said, while adding that she has received a very positive response from FilAms who have seen her efforts in promoting Filipino language and culture. Ditas Delossantos Yamane is endorsed by councilmember Ron Morrison, who is a former National City mayor. A partial list of endorsements for her city council bid include Congressman Juan Vargas, San Diego County Supervisor Greg Cox, Honorary Consul Audie de Castro of the Philippine Consulate in San Diego, Run Women Run, San Diego Lincoln Club, Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of San Diego County and the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR).  For more information on Ditas Delossantos Yamane, visit her campaign website at www.ditas2020.com.

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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23-29, 2020

Dateline Philippines

‘Gloria Macapagal Arroyo helped solve speakership row’ by Edu

Punay Philstar.com

MANILA — Former president and speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo might have retired from politics, but apparently she still wields influence over the country’s political affairs. The Star  learned that she played a crucial role in the resolution of the leadership squabble in the House of Representatives when Speaker Lord Allan Velasco ended up unseating Taguig Rep. Heavily guarded Reina Mae Nasino looks at her 3-month-old daughter as she lays her to rest at the Manila North Cemetery last October 16. Alan Peter Cayetano. A source revealed that Arroyo Allowed just three hours out of jail, the grieving mother remained handcuffed during the funeral. Photo courtesy of Kapatid met with congressmen in her political party, Lakas-CMD, days before the election of Velasco as Speaker last Oct. 12. “She played a pivotal role in settling the speakership issue – not just within Lakas, but also in Congress as a whole because the

After Baby River, Palace says reforms needed to improve facilities for pregnant inmates by Bella

Perez-Rubio Philstar.com

MANILA — Malacañang said it will look into the conditions in jail facilities following the death of a three-month-old baby who was separated from her detained mother only a month after she was born.  Presidential spokesman Harry Roque mentioned this after he was asked to comment on the case of Reina Mae Nasino, who was forced to part with her baby, River, after the Manila City Jail Dormitory said that it did not have the facilities needed to nurse newborn babies.  “We dont know the circumstance, again, its difficult to comment on something we have no information on but we will look into the matter. And, of course, we realize, unless convicted, you are presumed innocent and that we will see what reforms can come about because of this experience with this particular incident,” Roque said during a virtual briefing on Thursday.  “I will personally take steps to inquire into this, knowing that there’s some treaty obligations that will probably have to be

complied with. As it stands, I do not know Manila City Jail has that facility, in fact, and we will inquire from the DILG because it is the DILG that manages the jail for detainees, those who have not yet been convicted by the courts,” he added.  Roque previously said that the baby’s death is tragic but that “the president cannot do anything, that is within the jurisdiction of our court.” Officials of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, an agency of the executive branch, blocked previous attempts by Nasino to be with her baby as well as requests for furlough to attend the wake. Despite Malacañang’s recognition of Nasino’s right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, both the wake and the funeral for Baby River were marred by heavy police and guard presence.  Nasino was handcuffed for most of the funeral, unable to even wipe her own tears. Supporters calling for justice for River were instructed by police not to display their placards earlier in the day and the street leading to her final resting place was rife with tension. Advocacy

group Kapatid said police “hijacked” the procession, as the vehicle carrying baby river’s remains sped ahead of her family, forcing them to give chase.  Journalists and concerned citizens watched all this unfold last week, pointing out that even convicted criminals have received more compassionate furloughs than Nasino. However, the Department of the Interior and Local Government claimed that the presence of at least 20 police officers outside the funeral home was justifiable, as it was “anticipative” of a crowd and the need to enforce social distancing.  DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III, during a Laging Handa briefing, said that since the situation involves a major public issue, “we needed to augment a little our regular security given on such situations.” According to Kapatid, another set of police officers, more than 20 in number, were stationed outside the Manila North Cemetery. Jail Chief Inspector Xavier Solda, spokesperson for the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, confirmed that 43 guards and cops were deployed for the funeral.

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Philstar.com photo by AJ Bolando

vote of Lakas became the ‘swing vote’ that decided the speakership row,” the source told The Star. Cayetano earlier had more numbers with the support of the Nacionalista Party (NP), National Unity Party (NUP), some members of the ruling PDP-Laban and Lakas-CMD. This was why a majority of 184 congressmen voted to keep him

as speaker when he offered to resign last Sept. 30. At the time, Velasco only had support from a majority of President Duterte’s PDP-Laban and the party-list coalition led by Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero. When the Lakas-CMD bloc switched support to Velasco following the small group meeting with Arroyo, the House majority followed suit.

OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

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Opinion

The ultimate betrayal

Features

FOR many years now, the United Nations, the World Bank and other organizations have focused on corruption as one of the biggest hindrances to development and a major contributor to poverty. The organizations have estimated that global economic losses from corruption amount to billions every year. Basic services as well as the construction of critical infrastructure such as roads have suffered as public funds are diverted to private pockets. In 2009, for example, the World Bank barred several Chinese and Philippine contractors from participating in road projects funded by the bank, for collusion in bidding for certain projects in this country. Today the companies continue to operate in the Philippines. Corruption has not taken a rest during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the UN warned over the weekend that responses to the virus were opening new opportunities to exploit weak oversight and lack of transparency in governance, allowing crooks to divert public funds to personal coffers. The impact of this “ultimate betrayal” of public trust, the UN said, could be more damaging than COVID. It could also further derail global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN warned.

The UN has also pointed out that collusion among those who control supply chains has led to unconscionable price increases of items needed for COVID treatment and containment responses. This has denied life-saving treatment to those who can’t afford it, the UN lamented. While calling for transparency and accountability in governance, the UN has also urged private businesses to act responsibly. It also reminded governments about the UN Convention Against Corruption, a legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2003. The Philippines is one of the 187 state parties to the convention. Most of the state Philstar.com photo parties have ratified, accepted, approved and acceded to the anti-corruption treaty, which came into force in 2005. cluding one involving an agency directly involved corruption is one of his top priorities. The World Amid the COVID health crisis, the Philippines in the pandemic response, the Philippine Health Bank warning adds urgency to the task. (Philstar. continues to be rocked by corruption scandals, in- Insurance Corp. President Duterte has said fighting com)

Editorial

Fact-checking Trump’s claim about Biden’s stance on abortion and what it truly means to be pro-life

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel Santos-Relos MY mother who lives in Manila frantically asked me during a phone conversation lately about what she called “black propaganda” against Joe Biden relayed to her by my sister-in-law which I think she must have heard from Filipino Trump supporters visiting in Manila.  Mom said it is about Trump claiming repeatedly that Biden supports late-term abortion, even when the baby is already viable to survive. This is false.  FACT: Trump knowingly and maliciously fabricated misrepresentation and lies about Biden’s stand on abortion to elicit disgust and hate. He crafted that messaging with the goal to deceive and misinform. That is discussed below based on the reporting by Newsweek. FACT: Biden has reiterated his position on Roe V. Wade, a 1973 Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion nationwide which gives women the constitutional right to make a choice on her body’s reproductive system.  “I’m very pro-choice. I hate the concept of abortion… But you still — I just believe in choice,” Biden said, pursuant to the law of the land. “I accept church rule personally, but not in public life,” he continued, alluding to his obligation as public officials to follow the laws according to the Constitution’s separation of Church and State. A devout practicing Catholic, Biden’s sentiments about abortion have evolved, but his

decisions as a public servant always followed the law. FACT: Biden is pro-choice and pro-life. Supporting abortion rights is not the same as mandating abortions. Biden honors and protects life from womb to tomb, and the Affordable Care Act of the Obama-Biden administration dramatically lowered abortion rates through women’s access to health care and information, contraceptives, so that she can choose when she is responsibly ready to conceive a child, thereby, not having to resort to abortion. This is backed by the studies conducted by Guttmacher Institute. FACT: The same results are revealed in studies done globally. The Kaiser Family Foundation published several studies on this on July 24, 2020. “Global rates of unintended pregnancies have fallen from 79 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 49 in 1990 to 64 in 2019, thanks in part to a concerted effort to increase access to contraceptives, according to new data published by health research organization the Guttmacher Institute and the U.N. Human Reproduction Programme (HRP).” FACT: “No evidence’ that legal restrictions prevent women seeking abortions. In fact, according to research published on Wednesday in the Lancet Global Health journal, the abortion rate increased by an average of 12% between 1990 and 2019 in 107 nations with restrictive laws. But in countries where the procedure is broadly legal, the abortion rate

dropped by eight percent.” My husband and I are practicing Catholics. My husband is a doctor who took the Hippocratic oath to protect and save lives and “do no harm.” While we personally choose not to have an abortion, if someone asks for our advice, we will share how we feel about it and other options she may consider, BUT we do not encroach on other people’s choices and other women’s reproductive rights, trusting they also uphold life and will benefit much from compassionate care and help during moments of desperation.  Ask yourself: Trump used to be pro-choice. He just aligned himself with the Republicans and out of political expediency, called himself “pro-life”. What has Trump done to protect the life of the American people?  Did Trump choose life when he downplayed the threat of the virus and continue to discredit and deny science, facts, and health officials that has resulted in the deaths of more than 221,000 Americans and the infections of more than 8.28 million and counting? Did Trump choose life when he took the battle to abolish the Affordable Care Act all the way to the Supreme Court during the pandemic without a real concrete well thought of a pro-people plan that may immediately be implemented to save the lives of the American people? Include the sick, the elderly, or the disabled? An executive order by Trump would not deliver what

the Obama-Biden health care has done to help the American people. Did Trump choose life when he tried to take away safety nets like food stamps, unemployment insurance from those who have lost their jobs? Social security and Medicare for the sick, the elderly and the disabled? Did Trump choose life when he would give corporate hand-outs to the billionaires and help them get insanely richer and richer as the poor ordinary hardworking Americans are denied a living wage, affordable education, and good health care that will help them get out of poverty?  Did Trump choose life when he separated babies and young children from their parents who were desperate to save their children from hunger and violence in their country when they tried to cross the U.S.-Mexico border to seek asylum in the United States. Up to now, after almost four years, the Trump administration still cannot locate the parents of some 545 babies and children — all living without their mothers and fathers for almost four years. Is this humane? Is this pro-life? Did Trump choose life when he obsessively killed all of President Barack Obama’s regulations meant to help save nature and the environment from man’s greedy short-sighted abuse so we can leave behind a healthy planet for our children, grandchildren and future generations? Trump’s action is not what true pro-life is. True pro-life is

not just anti-abortion. It is honoring and nurturing life from womb to tomb, especially helping those who are most vulnerable and the poor.  Pro-life is also helping every woman not to choose abortion by empowering her from the beginning with knowledge about her reproductive system, how to avoid unwanted pregnancy, how to be healthy and well to take care of her baby not just inside the womb but until the baby is an adult, raised with good health care, education, good moral foundation to be good people and productive members of society. Pro-life is helping a woman in despair with compassion in realizing that she has options other than abortion, because there are people who will help her through instead of crucifying her. Abortion restrictions did not stop women in despair from self-aborting. Only true love, empathy, compassion and support help and heal. So, let’s do ourselves a favor and let us fulfill our obligation of due diligence in finding out the truth about issues so we can make informed and conscientious decisions when we cast our sacred vote. Doing otherwise is a mark of blind idolatry to Trump and complicity to his malicious disinformation to perpetuate his corruption and abuse of power.  Trump tweeted at 4:45 a.m. on Oct 6, 2020: “Biden and Democrats just clarified the fact that they are fully in favor of (very) LATE TERM ABORTION, right

up until the time of birth, and beyond - which would be execution. Biden even endorsed the Governor of Virginia, who stated this clearly for all to hear. GET OUT & VOTE!!!” FACT: Newsweek followed how Trump crafted these false claims and disinformation about Biden’s position on abortion: The Supreme Court’s rulings in Roe and in Planned Parenthood v. Casey say that states may ban abortion after the fetus reaches viability, which typically occurs near the end of the second trimester, according to the fact-checking service Logically. The cases mandate that states with such bans must allow an exception if it’s necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother—which some conservatives interpret as the law allowing for late-term abortions. When the Washington Post asked whether Biden supported restrictions, a campaign representative said that Biden believes in the terms laid out by Roe and Casey. One such state is Virginia, where current law says that third-trimester abortions are permitted only if the risk to the mother’s life is “substantial and irremediable.” Last year, state Democrats proposed legislation that would allow for late-term abortions if the mother’s physical or mental safety were at risk. Although the bill ultimately stalled in a committee, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, a Democrat, defended it during

u PAGE 9

Why Filipinos need to vote ‘yes’ on Prop 15

Commentary

Geordee Mae Corpuz FILIPINOS in California have a lot at stake in this election. As the largest Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) ethnic group in California, as well as one of the biggest voter blocs, Filipinos have a lot of power. And the 2020 election puts us at a historical juncture to use that power. California’s current trajectory, although familiar, looks bleak. It’s riddled with underfunded schools, crumbling roads, housing scarcity, lack of healthcare, and lack of a safety net. For Filipinos, our future looks no different. We are one of the most inequitably impacted essential healthcare workers battling COVID-19 at the frontlines. Although we are about 25% of the state’s AAPI population, we represent at least 35% of COVID-19

deaths amongst AAPIs . Yet this doesn’t even begin to capture the multitude of hardships Filipinos are going through.  Essential workers, such as USPS carriers, are working without hazard pay or PPE; small businesses are struggling to stay afloat or closing down; elders are living alone with inadequate access to health care; young people are struggling academically and emotionally during distance learning; families are unsure if they’ll be able to make rent or buy groceries because someone lost their job. But the reality is, COVID-19 just compounded the already existing economic inequities we are experiencing as a community. A March 30th report by the UC Davis Bulosan Center for Filipinx Studies stated that, “Filipinos make up 24% of API population who struggle with poverty in the state,” and that before COVID-19 “70% of Filipinos in California reported experiencing at least one of the follow-

ing problems including having difficulty paying their rents or mortgages, having to cut back on food expenses to save money, or not having enough money to pay bills among other challenges.” Despite the extreme increase in the cost of living in California over the decades, there has been historic disinvestment in our schools and communities. My family, rooted in Vallejo since the 1980s, has seen our community transform from a place of opportunity for working-class Filipinos, to a city with crumbling infrastructure and greatly underresourced schools. My cousins who grew up in the Vallejo City Unified school system have been experiencing budget deficits for decades. They didn’t have access to caring adults because of high teacher turnover, a high student-counselor ratio, and overcrowded classrooms. At the same time, they experienced violence and trauma

in their neighborhoods. There was a lack of healthy food options, health services, accessible and affordable transportation, clean and safe parks or recreation centers. Then when 2008’s Great Recession hit, the city of Vallejo was unable to recover. Many of the small businesses that we grew around have crumbled along with the streets of Vallejo. It’s hard to believe CA’s economy has grown in the last 40 years to become the 5th largest economy in the world while cities like Vallejo with concentrations of Filipinos, Black and Brown communities are declining. So why do our communities continue to struggle while still generating so much wealth for the state? Over the last 40 years, corporations have not been paying their fair share in commercial property taxes because of a commercial property tax loophole from 1978. This has allowed wealthy corporations to pocket billions of dollars that

rightfully belong to our schools and communities. These large corporations, like Chevron, who are planted in our communities, and receiving COVID-19 relief, are taking resources and leaving our communities behind. While their futures are guaranteed safety, ours are not. But, we can change this. In the spirit of bayanihan, we can use our collective power by casting our votes, voting for our values, our kababayans , and our future. With bayanihan , we can create a safety net for our community that will move us through this crisis. We can do this by voting YES on Prop 15, the single most important economic recovery policy in California history. Prop 15, the Schools & Communities First Act will generate $12 billion for schools and communities every year by closing the same corporate tax loophole getting the wealthiest corporations in California to pay their fair share. Prop 15 will generate an additional $13 million

specifically for California public hospitals and hospital districts, ensuring that our healthcare infrastructure is prepared and resourced to meet the needs of California’s communities now. It will also put millions into our schools so kids can have the support they need like counselors, school nurses, teachers and up to date technology so they can get a world-class education. It will protect homeowners, renters, and small business owners, even giving small businesses a $500,000 tax break. As people who are at the frontlines of this pandemic, we deserve to have a future post COVID-19, where our young people, our elders and everyone in our community are thriving. Voting YES on Prop 15 will ensure that. *** Geordee Mae Corpuz is the Strategy Director for Californians for Justice , and a leading member of the Filipinos for Schools and Communities coalition.

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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23-29, 2020

San Diego Race for Mayor heats up... PAGE 3 t civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, who co-founded United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez and organizations like Human Rights Watch, Sierra Club California and various city and state civic groups and labor unions.  Assembly member Bonta heaped praises on his colleague saying that Gloria is “absolutely exceptional” and someone “who leads from his heart.” “He deeply cares about people, their safety and their welfare. He is a true leader and a professional and he gets things done,” he added. “As someone with a Filipino-American background, having him elected empowers our Filipino community. With homegrown community leaders such as Todd on our side,

we know that our needs will be heard,” Olaes, one of the town hall organizers said. A lifelong resident of San Diego, Gloria began his public service career working for the County of San Diego’s Health and Human Services Agency. He went on to join the office of U.S. Congresswoman Susan Davis serving as a community representative and eventually her district director.  He was later appointed as a San Diego Housing Commissioner in 2005 and in 2008, was elected to the San Diego City Council. During his two full terms on the City Council, Gloria was selected by his peers to serve as City Council President for two terms and served as the City’s Interim Mayor from August 2013 to March 2014. He

also serves as the vice chair of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus.  Since being elected to the California Assembly in 2016, Gloria has served in Assembly leadership — first as an Assistant Majority Whip and, a year later, the Majority Whip. He said he has passed legislation on many of the major issues San Diego is working to address, including building more affordable housing, fighting gun violence, combating climate change and providing resources for the homeless.  Gloria graduated from the University of San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science. He lives in Mission Hills with his partner Adam, and adopted rescue dog, Diego.

President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs... PAGE 4 t workers in the Philippines. In honor of Filipino American History Month, for every mask they sell, the Riveras will donate a mask to a Filipino charity or non-profit in the U.S.  Cunning, on theater hand, is the National President of Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce (FPACC) and on the Board of Trustees for  National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA). She is also the Founder and President of the Filipino American Business Chamber of Commerce of Arizona.

Felicelda immigrated to the U.S. in 2008 and made the jump to the healthcare industry. He started his own business, StarLab in 2011, offering phlebotomy services and diagnostic specimen testing. Last April, it was one of the first labs in Illinois to respond to the pandemic by providing COVID-19 PCR testing and continues to be at the forefront of meeting the needs of the community through this pandemic. He is a recipient of the Emerging Leaders U.S. SBA initiative, and believes in setting higher standards for laboratory services. Ostrov served 23 years of active duty service in the United States

Air Force as a Colonel. A politically active community leader, she takes pride in her extensive combat experience commanding military logistics operations around the world. Filipino American History Month is a chance for Fil-Am communities to commemorate the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the U.S. when Filipinos arrived in present-day Morro Bay, California aboard the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza on October 18, 1587. U.S. Congress officially recognized October as Filipino American History Month in 2009.

AAPI labor and community leaders say... PAGE 3 t or to even lessen the struggle in someway for future students, for my nieces and nephews, for the future generations in my communities, then I would without a doubt, take advantage of that opportunity. That’s why it is important to vote Yes on Prop 15 because it will put our schools and communities first and provide resources that we need and that we deserve.” Lilibeth Mora, Equity Teacher Leader at Vallejo Unified School District and member of Filipino Advocates for Justice, shares the needs of students and teachers, and the role of educators during the pandemic. “Imagine right now being a student who has ei-

ther witnessed a family member that’s lost their job, or got sick with COVID-19, and still having to deal with accessing your virtual class using a smartphone with limited data or unreliable wifi. Now imagine you being a teacher, who has to care for over 100 students with those and other various needs everyday.  We as educators have a daunting task ahead, being frontline essential workers meeting the academic, social, and emotional needs of all students while preparing for a safe return to our school. And, we have to do this within an education system that’s 39% in the nation for school funding. “Inequality in our education

systems are here, and have been here for a long time,” shares Mara Randle, teacher for youth with special needs at Oakland High School, and member of Oakland Educators Association and APALA.“I currently have a student with a laptop that has no microphone, so she takes notes on paper and shows the notes on the screen - this is infuriating. We are the community that is hurting. Our students and our future are hurting. We have a chance to make a difference.” Our teachers, drivers and other essential workers are doing their share and more, and we are calling on California’s corporations to do their part. (AJPress)

OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

ANNOUNCEMENT

LEGAL NOTICE

Invitation to Bid Soltek Pacific Construction is requesting Bids from certified DVBE, WBE, MBE, SBE, WOSB, SLBE, ELBE and Section 3 Business Subcontractors and Suppliers for ALL TRADES & MATERIALS on the

Project No: S-16013 childreN’S Park imProvemeNtS Bid date – tuesday November 3, 2020 before 2:00 Pm

Assistance is available from Soltek in obtaining necessary equipment, supplies, or materials. Assistance is available from Soltek in obtaining bonding, lines of credit or insurance. Soltek is actively pursuing SLBEELBE subcontractors/vendors for trades including the following divisions: 03-concrete, 04-masonry, 05-metals, 06-synthetic decking, 07-thermal & moisture protection, 08-openings, 09-finishes, 10-specialties, 11-equipment, 12-furnishings, 13-water feature, 22-plumbing, 23-HVAC, 26-electrical, 32-exterior improvements

Bids to be submitted via fax at 619-296-4314 or email at estimating@soltekpacific.com Below is the direct link to view the plans and specs on our website or through planetbids available at no cost:

https://soltekpacific.app.box.com/s/bmkwbasso6ls68phh4kvimb7h91fuylc https:// www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=24128&BidID=76552

Contact: Jason Aviles javiles@soltekpacific.com Phone: (619) 296-6247 Fax: (619) 296-4314 By submitting a bid, the Subcontractor represents that it has reviewed the standard subcontract and consents to its use without modification and agrees to execute SPC’s standard AGC subcontract with SPC’s standard Attachment A thru N if awarded by SPC. Any listing of Subcontractor pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 4100 et seq. is expressly contingent upon Subcontractors’ acceptance to

SD#0002

LEGAL NOTICE CASE NUMBER: 37-2020-00032107-CU-PT-CTL TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner KATIE HICKEY ON BEHALF OF CHILD MINOR TALLIS WALDERS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: TALLIS ELIZABETH WALDERS to TALLIS ELIZABETH HICKEY WALDERS. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING 11/02/2020 8:30 AM, Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: SEPT. 23, 2020. NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ673 OCT. 23, 30, NOV. 06, 13/2020 AJSD 673

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FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9015474 GOLDEN SCARAB, REPAIR X located at 1591 GIBSON ST., SAN DIEGO, CA 92114. Registrant: ALEXANDER GREGORY RANGO, 1591 GIBSON ST., SAN DIEGO, CA 92114. And JASMINEE OCTAVIA RANGO 1591 GIBSON ST., SAN DIEGO, CA 92114. This business is conducted by MARRIED COUPLE. . REGISTRANT HAS BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME AS OF 01/01/19. Signature ALEXANDER GREGORY RANGO. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/16/2020 . AJ 665 10/02, 09 16, 23/2020. AJSD 665

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9016598 BABE’S BEAUTY CO. located at 3041 F STREET UNIT B, SAN DIEGO, CA 92102. Registrant: DESIREE BABE GONZALES, 3041 F STREET UNIT B, SAN DIEGO, CA 92102. This business is conducted by INDIVIDUAL. REGISTRANT HAS NOT YET BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME ABOVE. Signature DESIREE BABE GONZALES. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/07/2020. AJ 669 10/16/20, 10/23/20, 10/30/20, 11/06/20. AJSD 669

CASE NUMBER: 37-2020-00035460-CU-PT-CTL TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner ANITA MARTINEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: ANITA MARTINEZ to CACHO ALLEEN ESCOBAR MARTINEZ. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING 11/19/2020 8:30 AM, Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: OCT. 06, 2020 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 671 OCT. 23, 30, NOV. 06, 13 /2020 AJSD 671

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9015850

JASMIN INN, JASMIN RESIDENCE INN located at 1135 J STREET, SAN DIEGO, CA with mailing address at P.O. BOX 2226, LA JOLLA, CA 92101. Registrant: M & M JASMIN INN LLC, 9302 LA FARMS RD., LA JOLLA, CA 92037. This business is conducted by LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. . REGISTRANT HAS BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME AS OF 08/01/2020. Signature SHIRIN SAMIMIMASSARAT, SECRETARY. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/22/2020 . AJ 663 10/02, 09 16, 23/2020.

AJSD 663

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9016520 Farmdale Independent lIvIng FacIlIty located at 7217 Farmdale Street, San dIego, ca 92114. registrant: annabelle SIngSon QuIntoS, 7217 Farmdale Street, San dIego, ca 92114. this business is conducted as Individual. regIStrant HaS begun to tranSact buSIneSS under tHe aboved name aS oF 09/01/2020. Signature leaH m. ollman. Statement filed with recorder/county clerk of San diego county on 10/02/20. aJ 670 10/23/20, 10/30/20, 11/06/20, and 11/13/20. aJSd 670

LEGAL NOTICE CASE NUMBER: 37-2020-00005726-CU-PT-CTL TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner ROLANDO RUVALCABA ARIAS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: ROLANDO RUVALCABA ARIAS to ROLANDO RUVALCABA. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING 11/16/2020 8:30 AM, Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: SEPT. 23, 2020 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT DANIEL F. LINK Judge of the Superior Court AJ 672 OCT. 23, 30, NOV. 06, 13 /2020 AJSD 672

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9016669 Triple L located at 901 Plaza Boulevard, National City, CA 91950. Registrant: Leah M. Ollman, 1041 Alberta Place, San Diego, CA 92103. And Lissa Goldman, 17 Shir Hashirim, Elkana, Israel 44814. This business is conducted by General Partnership. REGISTRANT HAS BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME AS OF 10/15/1986. Signature Leah M. Ollman. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/07/20. AJ 668 10/16/20, 10/23/20, 10/30/20, and 11/06/20. AJSD 668

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2020-9015043

BETTER ON located at 310 PARK WAY UNIT C, CHULA VISTA, CA 91910. Registrant: : JESSICA VICTORIA FERNANDEZ 310 PARK WAY UNIT C, CHULA VISTA, CA 91910. This business is conducted by INDIVIDUAL. . REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME . Signature JESSICA VICTORIA FERNANDEZ. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/5/2020 . AJ 667 10/02, 09 16, 23/2020.

AJSD 667

CASE NUMBER: 37-2020-00033530-CU-PT-CTL

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner RUBY MICHELLE DELACERDA filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: RUBY MICHELLE DELACERDA.to RUBY MICHELLE MOETTE. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING 11/05/2020 8:30 AM, Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: SEPT. 23, 2020 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 664 OCT. 2, 9, 16, 23/2020 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE – Name Change (NC120) Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, which poses a substantial risk to the health and welfare of court personnel and the public, rendering presence in, or access to, the court’s facilities unsafe, and pursuant to the emergency orders of the Chief Justice of the State of California and General Orders of the Presiding Department of the San Diego Superior Court, the following Order is made: NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).. If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions. A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date. Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court. AJSD 664

CASE NUMBER: 37-2020-00034010-CU-PT-CTL TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner TATIANA TRANG NONG filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: TATIANA TRANG NONG to THANH TRANG NONG. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING 11/10/2020 8:30 AM, Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: SEPT. 28, 2020 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 666 OCT. 2, 9, 16, 23/2020 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE – Name Change (NC120) Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, which poses a substantial risk to the health and welfare of court personnel and the public, rendering presence in, or access to, the court’s facilities unsafe, and pursuant to the emergency orders of the Chief Justice of the State of California and General Orders of the Presiding Department of the San Diego Superior Court, the following Order is made: NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).. If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions. A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date. Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court. AJSD 666

(818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588 • http://www.asianjournal.com

A quick rundown of the 2020... PAGE 4 t difficult for patients of color to successfully find matches needed for potentially life-saving transplants. Prop 16: Restoring affirmative action Prop 16 would allow universities, government offices and other public sectors to factor in a prospect’s race, ethnicity or gender in admissions, spending and hiring.  In 1996, California voters approved a ballot proposition that prohibits affirmative action and put in place “race-neutral” policies. If passed, Prop 16 would reverse Prop 209. Prop 16 was inspired by the recent civil rights discourse following the killings of unarmed Black Americans, which catalyzed a national overview of whether or not systemic racism does exist within bureaucracies. Supporters of Prop 16 — which includes California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Cal State University (CSU)  and University of California (UC) systems argue that structural racism exists and it is propagated by color-blind approaches and philosophies. Examples of how Prop 16 may work, according to a recent virtual roundtable of Asian American business owners and experts: state offices would be allowed to establish goals for how many government contracts they grant to people of color-owned and women-owned businesses. In schools, principals of schools with a majority Black student body but majority white teaching pool may seek out Black teachers and teachers of color to more accurately represent the students they teach. Despite what opposers have argued, affirmative action would not induct quotas in university admissions since the U.S. Supreme Court banned those in 1978. But the opposition — which includes the California Republican Party and Chinese American Civic Action Alliance — still argues that allowing institutions to make decisions based on demographic identifiers is discrimination in itself. Prop 22: Protect-App-Based Drivers and Services Act One of the most advertised propositions to appear on this year’s ballot, Prop 22 would exclude gig companies — particularly ride-share and delivery companies like Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart — from a new state law that requires these companies to treat their workers as employees. The massive advertising comes from the combined $185 million

spent by these companies to support Prop 22. These San Francisco-based companies have been fighting to keep their drivers and couriers as independent contractors, arguing it provides workers with flexible schedules and customers rides at low prices. In January, the state passed a law that required former contract workers in several industries to be categorized as employees which granted them the right to overtime pay, health care benefits, paid sick leave, unemployment insurance and worker’s compensation. Currently, drivers and couriers who work for gig companies are treated like independent contractors. If this measure passes, these companies would keep workers classified as contractors and grant them a tapered set of benefits, including a salary of at least 120% of minimum wage, health care subsidies and accident insurance.  While proponents argue that such jobs were never meant to be full time positions, opponents argue that the measure would impede on job security during a time when unemployment is rampant. Opposers argue that the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the job market and further proved the necessity of the state law that would provide workers with paid sick leave and unemployment insurance. The fiscal impact of Prop 22 would be “minor increases in state income taxes paid by rideshare and delivery company drivers and investors.” Prop 23: Dialysis Clinic Requirements Initiative This ballot measure would “require chronic dialysis clinics to: have an on-site physician while patients are being treated; report data on dialysis-related infections; obtain consent from the state health department before closing a clinic and not discriminate against patients based on the source of payment.” In other words, this proposal promises a safeguard for clinics at risk of being closed, an increase in transparency between clinics and state health departments and networks and to be more inclusive regarding the payment of a patient’s treatment. The coronavirus pandemic has already made it difficult to access health care and specialized treatment, both of which are deemed essential services that have remained open throughout the various phases of safer-at-home policy. About 80,000 Californians

receive dialysis treatment three days a week in 4-hour sessions, and missing a treatment could increase a patient’s risk of death by 30%, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Prop 23 supporters — which includes the California Democratic Party and California Labor Federation — argue that the measure ensures that clinics are inclusive to all budgets and protected from closures the same way hospitals are currently. (State approval is needed to close or reduce services of a hospital, and Prop 23 supporters say this measure will hold dialysis clinics “to the same standard.”) Opposers of Prop 23 — which includes the California Medical Association, California Hospital Association and the Renal Physicians Association — argue that the ballot measure is a special interest plan that does not require the onsite physician administrator “to have specialty training in kidney care of dialysis,” the No on Prop 23 campaign said. “Every dialysis patient is under the care of a physician kidney specialist, and dialysis treatments are administered by specially-trained nurses and technicians. It makes no sense to require physician administrators on site full-time,” said Dr. Jeffrey Perlmutter, president of the Renal Physicians Association.  According to the ballot initiative’s text, the fiscal impact would be an increase in “state and local government costs likely in the low tens of millions of dollars annually.” The ones that would expand votership  Prop 17: Voting Rights Restoration for Persons on Parole Amendment Allowing former convicts the right to vote has been among the most contentious issues in contemporary electoral discourse. Prop 17 would allow Californians on parole to vote. Supporters like Gov. Gavin Newsom, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the League of Women Voters in California argue that civic engagement would reduce recidivism and give former convicts an opportunity to de-stigmatize their past. “Parole by definition is not punishment — it’s to help reintegrate people back into the mainstream,” Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) told CalMatters, adding that individuals who finish their sentences should be able to contribute to a democracy. The opposition, however, pre-

SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23-29, 2020

Fact-checking Trump’s claim... PAGE 6 t an interview with radio station WTOP. Northam, a pediatric neurosurgeon, explained what could happen in the case of a third trimester abortion if the bill was passed. Northam’s comments sparked immediate outrage among prominent Republican figures, accusing the governor of favoring infanticide. Even Trump weighed in, falsely claiming in his 2019 State of the Union address that Northam had “stated he would execute a baby after birth.” The president was likely referring to Northam’s comments in his tweet Wednesday, moving to equate Biden with the governor. While Biden previously endorsed Northam during his 2017 campaign for governor, Biden was among those calling for his resignation last year after a racist photo from Northam’s 1984 medical school yearbook resurfaced. Appearing at a September 25 campaign rally in Newport News,

Virginia, Trump doubled down on his criticism of Northam, telling the crowd they have a “crazy governor” who is “so far left” and constantly attacks the right to life. “As you know, sleepy Joe Biden endorsed your governor, so that means he endorsed the policy of your governor,” Trump said. According to the  New York Times, “The statistics hardly justify Trump’s description of babies being ripped from the womb — a horror story he has repeated dozens of times. About 1 percent of abortions happen after the point of viability, so the cases at issue in this debate would be relatively rare.”  Yet, we are inundated with disgusting memes and videos telling these lies versus Biden and his running mate, California Senator Kamala Harris, with the help of Russia’s interference in our election to discredit opponents and help Trump win again, as revealed by Trump’s own appointee FBI director Christopher

fers a longer period of rehabilitation for parolees before they are granted the right to vote. Violent offenders must prove they’ve effectively evolved beyond their criminal past. Republican State Sen. Jim Nielsen of Yolo County said that the victims of these crimes “cannot so blithely put the crimes behind them.” The fiscal impact of Prop 17 would be an increase in county costs — estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars across California — for voter registration and ballot materials. There would also likely be a one-time cost (similarly in the hundreds of thousands) to update voter registration cards and the electoral system. Prop 18: Primary Voting for 17-Year-Olds Amendment As stated in the title, Prop 18 would allow 17-year-olds who turn 18 “at the time of the general election to vote in primary and special elections.” It would also allow 17-year-olds who are eligible to vote to seek office as current law states that only registered voters are allowed to run for elected office. Supporters of this proposition say that this could be a solution to the historically low voter turnout among 18 to 24 year olds. This could be a way to increase interest and excitement for civic participation at a young age and cultivate a more engaged young adult electorate. Gov. Gavin New-

som, the ACLU and the California Association of Student Councils all support the initiative. “Young people whose birthdays fall between the primary and general election are currently at a disadvantage to those who are permitted to vote in the primaries,” the California Association of Student Councils wrote. “Without full exposure to the electoral process, they are unable to submit their most educated vote in the general election.” However, opponents like the Election Integrity Project California, an academic non-profit group dedicated to “electoral integrity,” argue that 17-year-olds are still minors and are biologically not fully developed. They argue that 17-year-olds still need guardian approval for other legal contracts and certain activities and voting should be no different.  “They are almost all still living at home and under the strong influence of their parents,” the Election Integrity Project California wrote in their argument. “This is not conducive to independent thought and voting without undue pressure from their immediate superiors.  Just like Prop 17, if passed, the fiscal impact of Prop 18 would include a one-time cost in the hundreds of thousands to update voter registration systems. It would also likely lead to an increased cost for counties of up to $1 million every two years, which is needed to send

Wray, under oath in a congressional hearing.  Trump is just nominally, by name, pro-life to get your vote, but not in his attitude and action as president and as a human being. For the past four years, Trump has spread misinformation. And now, being behind Biden in the polls, he is doubling down on the falsehoods to get re-elected.  Vote Biden-Harris to save the decency, unity, democracy and soul of America and the American people. ***

Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos. Relos.

and process voting materials to eligible 17-year-olds, the ballot measure said. The ones regarding criminal justice and privacy Prop 20: Criminal Sentencing, Parole and DNA Collection Initiative For those who have committed certain property crimes and repeatedly violated parole, Prop 20 would tighten the eligibility criteria for early parole and release from prison.  Specifically, prosecutors would be allowed categorized property crimes of more than $250, crimes that would include “serial shoplifting” and car theft, as felonies rather than misdemeanors. It would also impose increased penalties to former convicts who violate their terms of release three times, increasing the frequency of recidivism.  Police would also be required to collect DNA samples from those convicted of certain misdemeanors like shoplifting, forgery and illegal drug possession that would be kept in a state database. Supporters of this measure argue that the state has been lax on criminal justice, particularly when California downgraded many property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, which they say led to an increase of car thefts and shoplifting.  The bipartisan support for Prop PAGE 12

SAN DIEGO

OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588

JOURNAL

O C TO B E R 23, 2 0 2 0

‘Lakbai Diwa’ cultural ceremony comes to SOMA Pilipinas on Oct. 24-25 T by AJPRESS

HIS weekend, community members in San Francisco can experience a diasporic cultural ceremony and street mural tour while observing COVID-19 safety measures in SOMA Pilipinas, the city’s Filipino cultural heritage district.

Contemporary and tribal Pilipino arts group Kularts will present “Lakbai Diwa,”a multi-disciplinary project that explores ancestral oceanic culture of survival, resilience and prosperity. The project will entail a street mural tour and 20-minute dance ritual, which will be held at the Yerba Buena Gardens on Saturday, October 24 at 3 p.m. and at SoMa’s Sunday Streets Undiscovered SF Pop Up on Sunday, October 25 at 3 p.m. A film will be announced in the future. “Fused with indigenous spirituality, boats as vessels exemplify the balance we seek in life. In the Mindanaoan Ipat ritual, the spirit boat is a vehicle for communing with the spirit world and the higher self. The spirit boat carries the offerings and prayers to the sacred deities or energies of the five elements for a balanced world,” shared Kularts founder Alleluia Panis.  ‘Lakbai Diwa’ coalesces spirit boats with elemental states of fire, water, earth, wind and transcendence as sacred deities and powers, another component of the project. Bridging contemporary artistic experiences that represent the resilience and transformative values of the diasporic Pilipino people, ‘Lakbai Diwa’ draws inspiration from boats which have been an essential part of life and culture of our people in the archipelago for thousands of years. Used as vessels and with specific purposes such as

Dancers will perform a living dance prayer and meditation for the world. Spirit Boats will have offerings of food, flowers, herbs and power objects and will be festooned with prayer flags. Photos courtesy of Kularts

homes, transportation, fishing, trade, exportation, war and recreation. The diverse types of boats include lepa, bangka, paraw, baroto, vinta, kakap, karakoa and balangay. Lakbai Diwa, Diasporic Spirit is a year-long multidisciplinary project generously funded by the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, Open Spaces Program, and co-presented by the Filipino American Development Foundation. Another component to the project is the ephemeral street

art created by world renowned muralists and artists Cece Carpio, Nikila Badua, Dee Jae Pa’este, Paolo Salazar, and Mel Vera Cruz. They will design and paint images of Mga Diwatas/Deities of Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, and Transcendence. The murals will be on view at Bonifacio Street and Lapu Lapu Street starting October 25th, until it all fades away. Over 35 artists and cultural practitioners are involved in the project, which will be choreographed and directed by Al-

leluia Panis with participating dance artists, music by Rachel Lastimosa, and costumes by June Arellano. The general public can participate in the ritual by submitting their intentions or wishes to be added to the ‘prayer flags’ that will be tied to the boats. The project encourages people at home to make their own mandalas to be posted on Kularts website, and to take the self guided mural tour. For more information visit www. kularts-sf.org/lakbai-diwa.

Lakbai Diwa Prayer Flag

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Features

SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23-29, 2020

Beauty: I live for today by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

Daniel Padilla and girlfriend Kathryn Bernardo are starring in the ABS-CBN-produced digital series “The House Arrest of Us,” streaming starting on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2 pm on KTX.ph and iWantTFC. Kathryn’s pet dog Summer is appearing in the series. ABS-CBN photo

What ‘completes’ Daniel by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

AS The Star reported two weeks ago, Daniel Padilla is determined to get married before he’s 30 (that’s less than five years from now because he just turned 25 last April 26) and the lucky girl is none other than his girlfriend of several years Kathryn Bernardo (24 last March 26). “I don’t want to wait that long,” said Daniel. “Ayoko nang masyadong patagalin pa.” After all, he and Kathryn (uniname: KathNiel) have known each other very well, with their families close to each other. Kathryn’s mom, whom Daniel calls “Tita Min,” considers him part of the family, same with Daniel’s mom, Karla Estrada, who happily welcomes Kathryn as her daughter. Approved! Fans have a preview of how their idols will look as bride and groom in a publicity photo for the new KathNiel starrer, the ABS-

CBN-produced digital series The House Arrest of Us which premieres at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24 (can be accessed via KTX.ph and iWantTFC). Directed by Richard Arellano, the series cast KathNiel as a newly-engaged couple essaying married life by living together while quarantined with their loved ones. Unlike in real life, the sweethearts’ families are at odds, bickering all the time and disrupting the sweethearts’ love for each other. (The cast also includes Herbert Bautista, Arlene Muhlach, Gardo Versoza, Ruffa Gutierrez, Dennis Padilla, Hyubs Azarcon, Anthony Jennings, Riva Quenery and Alora Sasam.) Anyway, aside from Kathryn, what else “completes” Daniel? Here’s Daniel in this corner’s broken series “Complete the Sentence”: • What I like most about Kathryn is...Her being organized and her love for animals. And, of course, her love for me. (Note:

Kathryn’s pet Summer appears in the series.) • I stay away from people who are...Greedy and racist. • My biggest fear is...Losing people that I love. • My saddest experience was when... Thank God, wala naman! • My happiest experience is when...I am with Kathryn. • My most embarrassing experience was when...We were having a show abroad and I wanted to go to the CR, hahaha!!! • The song that makes me happy is... Anything from the ‘80s. • The song that makes me cry is... Smile by Nat King Cole. • I usually pray for... Good health and happiness. • What I like about myself is... My being patient. • What I don’t like about myself is... My being stubborn. • If ever, my dream wedding is... Beach wedding. • Alone in my room, I fantasize about...Having a quiet and happy life.

Arnel shares updates on Hollywood movie about his life

the screenwriter of the blockbuster movie “Joker” is penning the script of his biopic INTERNATIONAL singer Ar- under Hollywood studio Warnnel Pineda revealed an update er Bros. about the upcoming Holly“It’s ongoing. You must wood movie based on his life. know the movie ‘Joker’ right? In a recent exclusive inter- The scriptwriter of that movie view with Philstar.com, the and ‘Now You See Me’ is still “Journey” frontman said that working with his script. We’re by

Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

very positive that it’s going to happen,” Arnel shared.  Arnel added that the production wanted to do the movie soonest as they are just waiting when to start.   “Right now we’re eyeing when we can start to shoot the movie first. I can’t say five

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SO what’s in a name? Call Beauty Gonzalez by any other name and she’s still beautiful inside-out. A cliché but true: She’s beauty and brains. As she has proven in her Kapamilya shows, Beauty can easily lose herself in the character she’s playing. And as you will see in this interview, she can nicely acquit herself in every question. Formerly a Kapamilya, this contract artist of Arnold Vegafria’s ALV Talent Agency is now a Kapatid, starring in the weekly TV5 series I Got You (with RK Bagatsing and Jane Oineza, directed by Dan Villegas) which premiered last Sunday at 2 p.m. after Sunday Noontime Live (SNL). Both shows (and many others) are produced by Albee Benitez’s Brightlight Productions. What do you think are the pluses and minuses of this pandemic? “Apart from the obvious human suffering brought about by health and economic issues, I feel most of the ‘minuses’ can be spun around, reinvented and adapted into a ‘plus’ by the positive mind and the industrious body. “There has always been opportunity in chaos. Just clear your mind, think out of the box, pull yourself up and out, then carry on.” Aside from bonding with your family, how else are you spending your time? “With family bonding, I live for today. Hug today, be with my family today. “But what I like to do during this pandemic is to prepare and plan for tomorrow, for when this finally ends. “So I keep myself fit, I diet and I constantly nourish my mind with information pertinent to my line of work. I read a lot of books and study a lot of characters via movies and documentaries. “I project. I envision a productive and purpose-filled future. I train my mind to make it happen. When this ends as I know it will soon, I wanna hit the ground running.” How has your “Mommy Time” and “Wifey Time” been? (Beauty is married to Filipino businessman and art curator Norman Crisologo by whom she has a daughter, Olivia.) “Better than ever! So lucky to have this time to grow together,

Beauty Gonzalez

to actually grow and learn things about ourselves and our place in this world we live in. “We have always been close and inseparable, the three of us travel the world together, so we have always been comfortable with each other’s company 24/7. “We find ways. In our confined space, we compartmentalize our activities, we adjust, even play hide and seek with each other to make sure that my husband and Olivia both get their quality time.” Did you have time to assess your showbiz work and see what needs improvement? “Nobody criticizes me more than myself. In fact, I can hardly even look at myself after a shoot or a take. Not sure why, but I guess within me, I know that there will always be much room for improvement a different way, perhaps a better way. “Sadly, I’m the type that needs constant encouragement and reassurance. “But I also know it deep inside when I’ve done a good job. The thing I fear most is me being a copy of myself, so I make a special effort to serve something new for each project. I look at myself always with different eyes.” How do you make sure that your craft doesn’t become “rusty” at the time when there’s no work? “Real life is the best training for acting and with my co-stars

Photo from Instagram/@beauty_gonzalez

Olivia and Norman and all the helpers at home themselves being dramatic, there’s never a dull moment at home. “I’m a great observer. I am constantly learning and picking up tips by watching. No time for rust.” I presume that your contract with Kapamilya has expired and you are now with TV5. You must feel at home since you are working with fellow Kapamilyas. Is there a chance for you and Dimples Romana (now also with TV5) to continue your “clashes”? You were a big hit in the ABS-CBN show Kadenang Ginto. “My contract with ABS has officially ended but I am a Kapamilya in my heart forever. My gratitude runs long and deep. “So technically, I’m a freelancer now. I am open to any projects that come my way, I will entertain and consider them on their merits. “Of course, it would be my honor to do another show for ABS-CBN but at the moment I have not been asked. “So now I have graciously accepted a project from Brightlight and TV5 which I think will make people happy to watch. After all, that is the primary desire of us entertainers. “I am very grateful for the trust they have given me. “Romina and Daniela to meet

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OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588

Liza, Catriona warned against Leftist links A quick rundown of the 2020... by

Darwin Pesco ManilaTimes.net

A MILITARY official warned actress Liza Soberano and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray against having links with Left-leaning groups. Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. told Soberano, in a statement on Thursday, said that she still has a chance to get away from the Gabriela Youth that had invited her to speak in an event it had organized. “Liza Soberano, there’ s still a chance to abdicate that group,” Parlade said, who heads the Southern Luzon Command of the Philippine Army. Parlade, who also serves as the spokesman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), warned that the actress could suffer the same fate as Josephine Anne Lapira alias “Ella.” Lapira was a former Deputy Secretary General of Gabriela Youth of UP, Manila and women’s rights defender, who was killed in an armed encounter. Parlade also warned Miss Uni-

Vice Ganda

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and Liza Soberano

verse 2018 Catriona Gray and Ella Colmenares, sister of actress Angel Locsin. “The choice is yours Liza. And so with you Catriona,” Parlade

ABS-CBN photo

added. However, Parlade told the public to not “red-tag” Soberano, as she was “merely supporting advocacy for women’s rights”.

Photo from Instagram_@praybeytbenjamin

Vice Ganda gets real

Ronnie Carrasco III ManilaTimes.net

VICE Ganda’s vlog (video blog) followers were in for a pleasant surprise when during the last days of September, he had stripped himself of his comedic antics, this time seriously contemplative of the current times.

The particular vlog carried a caption saying that it contained stories the public hardly knew — his brand of comedy set aside. It’s been several months now since the virulent pandemic broke out, impacting the lives even of those in the entertainment business, “Unti-unti ko nang nararamdaman ‘yung ang

tagal ko nang walang trabaho, ‘yung hindi yata kami makakabalik pa muna dahil bawal pa sa studio. Tapos, may mga namamatay na. Du’n ako nagsimulang mag-panic.” But of course, “It’s Showtime” has found a home on Zoe Channel (owned by Bro. Eddie Villanueva). This is the reali-

u PAGE 13

PAGE 9 t 20 includes Assemblymembers Jim Cooper (D-Sacramento) and Vince Fong (R-San Joaquin Valley) who argue the state went too far when it increased opportunities for “non-violent felons.” Gov. Gavin Newsom, the ACLU, the California Teachers Association and the Chief Probation Officers of California all oppose Prop 20, arguing that the stringent “lock ‘em up and throw away the key” approach didn’t cut crime but instead inflated the state prison’s budget.  The penal system disproportionately harms the overrepresented Black and Latino community, which presents a civil rights slant to the issue, supporters say.  The costs of Prop 20 would include increased state and local correctional, court and law enforcement expenses in the tens of millions of dollars annually to support increases in county jail populations and community supervision. Prop 24: Consumer Personal Information Law and Agency Initiative This bill, in short, would tighten privacy law in California. Specifically, the bill would create a new state agency that enforces privacy law, conducts investigations into potential privacy violators and oversees penalties to violators. This bill would also give consumers the right to tell businesses to limit their use of sensitive data in their systems (like geographic location, demographic identifiers, health, etc) and prohibit businesses from storing this data for long periods of time. The government would also impose fines of up to $7,500 to companies that violate children’s privacy rights. Supporters of the bill argue that this gives consumers more agency over their personal data by limiting the use of location tracking and other sensitive information. However, the opposition posits that data privacy law, especially as it pertains to technology, is still in its infancy and should not be changed so hastily. They argue that parts of Prop 24 would hurt consumers, specifically through stifling a rule that allows workers to know what information employers are collecting about them. With the new state agency and the increased operations, the fiscal impact of Prop 24 would be at least $10 million annually and increased state costs for increased court and Dept. of Justice responsibilities. Prop 25: Replace Cash Bail with Risk Assessments Referendum Among the most talked-about issues during the primary election season, the cash bail system has been criticized for favoring criminal suspects who can afford to make bail and punishing those who cannot. After a suspect is arrested, they are held in jail. Sometimes, a cash

bail is imposed upon them, and if they’re able to afford it, they are released from jail awaiting trial. But this system puts at a disadvantage poorer Californians who often either have to pay bail bond companies or sit in jail for the duration until their trial.  Essentially, Prop 25 would uphold a 2018 law signed by thenGov. Jerry Brown that would have replaced cash bail with a “risk-based algorithm” — or, a method to gauge a person’s risk for not appearing at trial. In essence, the higher the risk, the less likely they’ll be released from jail. Almost immediately, bail bonds companies challenged the law. Now, it’s up to voters to decide Supporters of Prop 25 — Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California Medical Association and Service Employees International Union — argue that the cash bail system is classist, unfair and, ultimately, racist.  If two people charged with the same crime are put in jail, one who has generation wealth and one who is lower-income, the wealthier one who can afford to make bail will be able to go home that same night. The lower income one would likely not, even though they were charged with the same crime.  The opposition to Prop 25 is varied. The California Peace Officers’ Association and the California Bail Agents Association both argue that the proposed alternative to cash bail is more costly and no better than the current system. They also warn that if more people are freed before trial, there could be an increase of crime. Civil rights organizations like the California State Conference of the NAACP and Human Rights Watch argue that the risk-based algorithm is flawed and the factors associated with this method could still put people of color at a disadvantage. The fiscal impact is estimated to be an increase of costs in the mid hundreds of millions of dollars annually for a new releasefrom-jail-prior-to-trial process. Likewise, jail costs would potentially decrease by tens of millions of dollars every year. The ones concerning housing and property taxes Prop 19: the Property Tax Transfers, Exemptions and Revenue for Wildfire Agencies and Counties Amendment Under Prop 19, Californians aged 55 or older would be granted a property tax break when purchasing a new home. In California, the cost of living is astronomical for new homeowners because property taxes are calculated based on the value of the home when it was bought, not on its current market value. So when Californians buy a new home, their property taxes skyrocket.  That’s why Baby Boomers who bought homes in the 1970s to the 1990s pay lower property

taxes than younger families who bought homes of the same size and quality in the last 10 years. Prop 19 would also do away with the inheritance tax break to allocate more funds to local and state fire departments and schools, the initiative says.  According to the measure’s fiscal impact statement, local governments, schools and fire protection agencies could each gain tens of millions of dollars of property tax revenue each year. Prop 19 would allow the older homeowners to buy a new house and still pay relatively low property taxes. In addition to benefiting older homeowners, supporters say this actually benefits new homeowners because it provides an incentive for seniors to downsize, vacating an older home to younger owners. Supporters of the bill include Gov. Gavin Newsom, California Professional Firefighters and the California Association of Realtors, while opposers include Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Prop 21: Local Rent Control Initiative Housing (or, difficult accessibility thereof) is one of the longest standing pressing issues plaguing California. The pandemic has upended this issue, leading to many families being evicted and losing their homes. Prop 21 is an effort to alleviate the many renters woes of the Golden State. This measure would allow cities to pass rent control measures on nearly all rental units as long as the properties are more than 15 years old.  Last year, the state passed a law that capped rent increases at 8%, but that didn’t get rid of an older state law that prohibits cities from enacting their own, tighter rent control laws for rental units that were first occupied in the last 25 years. The law passed last year also didn’t prevent landlords from raising the rent for new tenants to keep up with the market. The fiscal impact would likely be a reduction in state and local revenues in the high tens of millions of dollars annually. This, according to the Legislative Analyst’s office, would be because landlords would pay lower property taxes. Supporters of this measure include the California Democratic Party and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (who supports strict rent control laws) who say that cities should be able to enact their own limits to rent increases as a way to reduce homelessness and gentrification, particularly in California’s metro areas.  But the opposition — including Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Apartment Association — argues that Prop 21 takes away an incentive for builders to construct more housing at a time when more housing is needed.

Arnel shares updates on...

PAGE 11 t years, they wanted it the soonest,” he assured fans. When asked if he will be playing himself in the movie, Arnel said: “I don’t think my face is for the movie. I’m only for singing. I haven’t spoken to Warner yet about that.” He also said that all of his life will be featured in the biopic. “Of course the whole thing, the struggles, when I grew I up, it’s those things. It’s about my life, anyway. It’s all going to be there.” He said it is not yet confirmed if the movie will also adopt the title “Don’t Stop Believin’,” which is also the title of an iconic Journey song. In an interview with the media last year during the grand re-opening of Hard Rock Café Manila in S Maison, Arnel said he will dedicate the biopic to unknown Filipino musicians. “Let’s cross our fingers. I hope it happens because I would like to dedicate this to all the unknown Filipino musicians who are losing their hopes. They thought hindi na sila magsa-succeed. I think if they see this, they would feel na hindi pala masamang maghope and then work hard.”

Arnel Pineda

It was in 2018 when Warner Bros. and “Crazy Rich Asians” director  Jon M. Chu announced that they are making a movie based on Pineda’s life following Freddie Mercury’s successful biopic, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” “Warner Bros is re-teaming with its Crazy Rich Asians di-

Photo from Instagram/@arnelpineda2007

rector Jon M. Chu to chronicle the journey of Arnel Pineda, a Filipino singer rescued from obscurity by a YouTube video that led him to become the lead singer of the iconic ’80s arena rock band Journey,” Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr. wrote in an article published on December 5, 2018.

Beauty: I live for today...

PAGE 11 t and clash again? Why not? I never back down from a good fight.” How competitive do you think the field will be with the entry of Brightlight Productions in the field? “Brightlight is making all the right moves. “Should Sir Albee continue to hire the best and brightest from both in front of the camera and behind it, he will find his house in a very good place. “His desire for a friendlier, more cooperative industry can

only be beneficial for everyone in it. There will always be plenty of room for excellence and for those who want to achieve it.” What are the specifics of your contract with Brightlight? “At this moment, I have a one-series deal only, for the seven-episode show I Got You. I am not under any contract. “However, I am very excited about our collaboration and I look forward to what the future may bring.” Good thing it’s okay for your husband that you’re in showbiz. Any “do’s” or “don’ts”?

“Norman has no rules or do’s and don’ts for me. He trusts me completely and lets me be my own woman. He knows I am a good girl with modern but conservative values a probinsyana at heart. “I, on the other hand, have many rules for myself. I will not do anything I wouldn’t want my daughter to do or be proud of. “I must act and do age-appropriate and decent shows. I want to do shows which uplift and celebrate women. I value my family’s respect and with that I act accordingly.”

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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 23-29, 2020

Kylie to star in PH adaptation of South Korean film ‘The Housemaid’ by Ryan

Arcadi Inqurier.net

Martin Nievera

ABS-CBN photo

Concert King returns to Vicor where he started his career

IT’S taken some time but Martin Nievera is back home. The esteemed balladeer and celebrity — singer of memorable songs — is back with his original record label. Vicor Music naturally and excitedly rolled out the red carpet and welcomed the Concert King with open arms when it announced the singer’s return over a digital conference last week. Through the years, Nievera never lost his soft spot for the iconic company as it is with this label that he started his recording career. He signed with the label on August 18, 1982 and from there released his 1983 debut album titled “Take 1.” It was this EP which carried the balladeer’s ultimate signature

Kris Aquino

song, “Be My Lady.” Nievera would release a total of six albums under Vicor — 1984’s “The Gift,” 1985’s “Martin,” 1987’s “Miracle,” 1988’s “A Martin Nievera Christmas” and 1989’s “Dream” — before moving on to further his career. Nevertheless, it was during this time with Vicor that Nievera acknowledges he built a solid career on whose foundation he continues to be relevant the business to this day. Intervene and now on his homecoming, the OPM Icon is looking to make more hits and memories with Vicor anew. Viva big boss Vic del Rosario — who alongside his cousin Orly Ilacad established Vicor more than 50 years ago — said, “Martin’s return to Vicor actu-

Photo from Instagram_@krisaquino

‘Crazy Rich Asians 2’? Kris bares possibility of reappearing in ‘China Rich Girlfriend’ By Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo Philstar.com

AFTER the success of the first all-Asian Hollywood movie “Crazy Rich Asians,” many people asked: Is Kris Aquino going to appear too in the movie’s sequels? In a virtual press conference with Philstar.com and other select media earlier for her launch as new endorser of e-commerce site Shopee, Kris affirmed such possibility. According to her, Kevin Kwan, author of the bestselling trilogy from which the 2018 blockbuster movie was based on, told her that since her character, Princess Intan, a Malay royalty, was key to empowering the movie’s protagonist Rachel Yu at a cameo wedding scene, she would probably be invited to Rachel’s wedding with Nick Young in the sequel, which will probably take on its  book title,  “China Rich Girlfriend.” “He’s been one of my really consistent WhatsApp friends, and I asked him because the opening of ‘China Rich Girlfriend’ is the wedding. So I asked him, ‘Am I going to be in the wedding? Is Princess Intan invited in the wedding?’ And he

said, ‘Of course! Because you’re the one who gave her her validation in ‘Crazy Rich Asians.’ I said, ‘Oh my Gosh, hope it happens!’,” Kris shared. According to Kris, apart from the trilogy, Kwan told her that she had also been an inspiration for characters in his other works such as “Sex and Vanity.” “He was asking me where did they go to school in the 1950s? This is for ‘Sex and Vanity.’ I would imagine that it was where your mom went to school. Then I said, ‘Yeah, my mom went to school in Scholastica, then she went to Assumption and then she went to the States. And then he used the school in the States where my mom went. Because my went to a school in Philadelphia where Princess Grace of Monaco actually went. That’s included in the book. Then the sisters who are there, they have a cousin named Kris who owns the biggest talent agency in the Philippines and they were telling the girl that she should be a model and that Kris is me. And I said, Thanks Kevin!” Kris is proud that Kevin is very interested about her country as he kept asking her “on certain things in reference to the Philippines.”

Vice Ganda gets... PAGE 12 t zation of what Vice Ganda had termed “the coming of better days.” The prior months though had the “Unkaboggable Star” reeling from paranoia even by merely going out of the house or letting friends in for fear of the viral infection, “Sobrang nabaliw ako!” Vice Ganda cited at least two major setbacks which were just as ill-timed — the shutdown of ABS-CBN and the demise of his best friend of many years, “Ang bigat!” To say the least, ABS-CBN’s closure for him meant loss of his platform by which he could entertain his audience. It is for this reason why Vice Ganda has put up a channel of his own to pick from where he left off. Interestingly for the TV

host-comedian, this pandemic-wrought crisis has stirred thoughts to ponder. An epiphany of sorts, Vice Ganda sees himself as having neither strength nor confidence, thus he needs to get it from that One above. “That’s what I’m thankful for as He made me realize something. Binawasan niya ako ng tapang para bumalik sa Kanya, that I needed to go back to Him.” Also, the fact that Vice Ganda has Ion Perez for — ahem — his life partner (actually a fulfillment of his dream), future pandemics (God forbid!) can come for all he cares. Meanwhile, I wonder how Ion has been getting through it all. Lucky him, he has the luxury to simply engage in lollygagging for all eternity.

ally coincides with our plans to revitalize the label.” “Vicor has a long, storied history, but that doesn’t mean it will remain in the past. We are now looking to the future of OPM and we will make more hits. We’ve done it before and we can do it again.” As every industry in the world begins to adapt to life with Covid-19, so are the Concert King and Vicor mapping out plans to get new music out as soon as possible. Initial plans include Vehnee Saturno — the very composer of Nievera’s biggest hit, Be My Lady — to write some song demos for the balladeer to try. He may even record an original song in time

u PAGE 14

KYLIE Verzosa is set to lead the upcoming Philippine adaptation of the 2010 South Korean erotic-thriller film “The Housemaid.” Viva Artists Agency revealed the Miss International 2016 titleholder’s involvement in the movie on its Instagram page on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The film will also feature Jaclyn Jose, Albert Martinez, Alma Morena and Louise Delos Reyes, as per the Philippine Entertainment Portal. Director Roman Perez will be helming the production of the Philippine remake. Prior to “The Housemaid,” Perez directed the 2019 drama-thriller “Adan.” The team will begin lock-in taping on Monday, Oct. 25. The cast and crew will shoot the film’s scenes in Batangas, Bulacan and Tagaytay. The 2010 version of “The Housemaid” starred Jeon Doyeon, Lee Jung-jae and Seo Woo and was nominated for the Palme d’Or, the highest prize at the Cannes Film Festival, in the same year. It centers on a woman who works as a housemaid for an upper-class family and soon gets involved in a love triangle. However, it is not the original version of the movie. The

movie was first produced back in 1960 and directed by the late Kim Ki-young. Prior to landing the lead role in the upcoming Philippine remake, Verzosa last starred in the romance-comedy movie “Love the Way U Lie” alongside Xian Lim and Alex Gonzaga.

Kylie Verzosa

Photo from Facebook/Kylie Verzosa

OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

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Scams that start on social media

SCAMMERS are hiding out on social media, using ads and offers to market their scams, according to people’s reports to the FTC and a new Data Spotlight. In the first six months of 2020, people reported losing a record high of almost $117 million to scams that started on social media. People sent money to online sellers that didn’t deliver, to romance scammers, and for phony offers of financial help. The biggest group of reports were about online sellers that didn’t deliver the goods. They were more than one-quarter of all reports about scams that started on social media in the first half of 2020. Next came reports of romance scams: about half of all romance scams reported since 2019 started on social media, usually on Facebook or Instagram. People also told the FTC about social media messages that pretended to offer grants and other financial relief because of the pandemic — but were really trying to get money, personal information or both. Scammers can hide behind phony profiles on social media. They can take over an account or join a virtual community you trust to encourage you to trust them. But you can make it harder for scammers to target you: • Review your social media privacy settings and limit what you share publicly. • Before you buy based on an ad or post, check out the company. Type its name in a

San Diego considers establishing Convoy Pan Asian Cultural District Asian American Legislators Champion Kearny Mesa Business Innovation District

IN the 1990s, San Diego saw the rise of Pan-Asian businesses and cultural influences along the Convoy Street area, including businesses on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, Mercury Street, and Balboa Avenue as described in the new Kearny Mesa Community Plan. The plan, which which was released in draft form in July 2020 is scheduled to be considered by the City Council this month. Councilmember Chris Cate has introduced a City of San Diego resolution to designate an area in Kearny Mesa as the Convoy Pan Asian Cultural and Business Innovation District.

Geographically, this includes the area on and adjacent to Convoy Street, bound on the west by Interstate 805, on the north by California State Route 52, on the east by Interstate 163, and on the south where Convoy Street becomes Linda Vista Road. “By recognizing the Convoy District, it will help promote the community’s economic and cultural development. This designation will allow the Convoy District to brand itself as a cultural and business District, which will help further transform the greater Convoy area into a vibrant cultural center,

dining destination, and innovative economic hub,” stated Councilmember Cate. “Having the City of San Diego recognize the Convoy District will also allow the community to work with CalTrans and pursue acquiring freeway signs. These signs will direct drivers to this culturally unique and historically significant area within San Diego. This will further cement the Convoy District as a top destination spot in San Diego,” said Assemblymember Todd Gloria. Gloria and Cate led a press conference this week to announce the initiative.

Mavy and Cassy transition to solo careers search engine with words like or “scam” or “complaint.”  • If someone appears on your social media and rushes you to start a friendship or romance, slow down. Read about romance scams at https://www. consumer.ftc.gov/articles/ what-you-need-know-about-romance-scams. • If you get a message from a friend about a grant or financial

relief, call them. Did they really send that message? If not, their account may have been hacked. Check it out before you act. If you spot a scam, report it to the social media site and the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. (Federal Trade Commission Release) (By Bridget Small/Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC)

By Iza Iglesias ManilaTimes.net

UNDER the guidance of their well-respected celebrity parents Zoren Legaspi and Carmina Villaroel, 19-year-old twins Mavy and Cassy Legaspi have successfully appeared on TV shows and endorsement projects but always as a package deal. With pretty good experience on their belt, however, this dy-

namic duo is all set to make their mom and dad even more proud as they officially begin to carve their own individual paths in showbusiness. For a start, Cassy is gearing up for a role in the upcoming GMA Network primetime series “First Yaya,” whose lead stars are Gabby Concepcion, Pancho Magno and Sanya Lopez. Come November, she will go into locked-in due to pandemic guidelines and will therefore be away from her family for a month. “Among my preparations for ‘First Yaya’ is continuing to work out and eating healthier as much as possible. I also started drinking vitamins to boost my immune system so that I’m stronger once taping starts,” said the mini-Carmina in an online media conference.” “I’m watching Filipino movies and shows as well as reading old script. I’m feeling super excited and nervous at the same time since this is my first drama show and of course because of the adjustments I have to make due to Covid,” she added. As expected, she credited her parents for giving all the advice she needs in her latest venture. “Right now, I’m focused on my own work and how to portray my character properly because next month it’s taping. It’s challenging because parang mag-boarding school ako. I think I’m more nervous because I’m on my own din. Thankfully, my parents are helping to prepare me. My dad gives advice on the technical side of acting while my mom shares her experiences working when she was my age and answers all of my questions.” For this project, Cassy will be paired with another showbiz scion, Joaquin “JD” Domagoso, son of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno. Meanwhile, Mavy is focused on getting back in shape for his fill of projects. Besides starring in the family’s morning talk show ‘Sarap, ‘Di Ba? Bahay Edition,’ he’s also busy with endorsement shoots as well as his performances on GMA’s weekend variety show “All-Out Sundays.” “When the pandemic came, I lost my rhythm but then the projects still kept coming which meant I needed to get back in shape. It was easy though since the whole family loves to work-

Mavy and Cassy Legaspi

out in our mini home gym,” he revealed. “Honestly, we bond that way — we all love to workout since that’s our stress reliever and we enjoy it.” Mavy also narrated how they have to juggle attending online classes while pursuing their careers, “I’m glad that with online classes I am able to focus on my education this time while working. I’m well-adjusted to the online situation since we honestly have no choice. We’re all home due to the pandemic but with that, you really need to find purpose to keep going.” Sibling rivalry The showbiz twins were honest with that sibling rivalry is pretty normal between them when the question came up. “I think what we have is a healthy competition. Let’s say we’re doing a dance production; we won’t let the other win. Of course, it’s all out, kung babanat si Cassy, babanat din ako. But it’s not to take down each other but to push each other to do better,” Mavy said. “Right now, since Cassy is the first to have a teleserye; ako naman I’m not like ‘ano ba yan nauna si Cassy.’ Walang ganung contest. Siyempre I have to prepare myself din because ang daming scripts dito sa house namin. At the same time I’m just here to boost my sister’s confidence.” While both are beginning to enter a new chapter in their individual careers, Mavy and Cassy swear they will not veer away from the Legaspi family brand, which has always been perceived as the embodiment of an ideal family. “We will never let go of our brand as a family. We will always be there if there’s a project or an event that wants the Legaspi family together,” Mavy said. “Our main goal when we first signed with Artist Center was to make our breakthrough as twins and we’ll always be together even if we’ve started taking projects on our own,” he added. Cassy further explained, “I think for now, just like anyone our age, we’re just trying to make our way as individuals. It’s really exciting because we haven’t experienced any solo projects yet. Mas prefer namin itong solo for now, but like we said, Legaspi forever.”

Photo from Instagram_@mavyvlegaspi

Concert King returns... PAGE 12 t for Christmas 2020. No matter which way the notes go, the prospect of having a Martin Nievera record within the year is growing day by day. More than eager to begin himself, the singer effused at the Zoom meeting, “Let’s do it! Let’s do it!” In a statement sent to The

Manila Times Entertainment, Vicor management cited, “Martin is the perfect artist to kickstart this music label again. He is an iconic OPM artist, and God knows we can all use good vibes that his singing brings. Who better to spread the goodwill of original Filipino pop music than Martin Nievera?” (ManilaTimes.net)

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CerarMist, Helping Communities Create SafeZones

Spencer with his wife Shiela and their children Sasha (21), Sofia (17) and Macoo (9) at home.

Photo courtesy of Spencer Reyes

Andres is back (from abroad) and is into cellphone and other electronics; Chris Cruz is in Cavite; and Nikko Manalo is in Manila managing his Streetwheels business. Spencer’s wife Shiela studied Architecture at UST. “She comes from a conservative family in Bataan,” was how Spencer described her. “She’s a simple, pretty, kind and lovely wife. We met through a blind date in 1994. Wala kasi siyang ka-partner, so...the rest is history.” They have three children: Sasha, 21, a Pharmacy junior at the Strathclyde University in Glasgow; Sofia, 17, a Marine Biology freshman in Aberdeen; and Macoo, nine years old, who is in primary school. “Mababait at magagalang po silang tatlo. They can understand and speak Tagalog. At home, we talk to them in Tagalog. We are raising them the Filipino way para hindi nila makalimutan ang kultura natin.” The family has easily adjusted to the Scottish way of life. It helped that Spencer’s sister-inlaw was there ahead of them. “Maganda ang pamamalakad ng gobyerno dito, in terms of health and education. Life here is okay, mahirap na masarap, hard but satisfactory. We don’t have maids, so all of us have to do the household chores. We have experienced how to commute and how to walk sa malalim na snow. When Macoo was born, it

was only Shiela and me who alternated in taking care of him... paghugas ng feeding bottles, chnage pads, laba, luto, linis ng bahay. I have learned every household chore here and others, including changing the car oil. Labor here is expensive so I studied basic plumbing, joinery, painting, welding and fabrication, and electrical engineering which I finished in four years even if I was working full-time. I work as a driver of a bus that is like a double-decker, coach, etc. Difficult but very fulfilling.” And also a frontliner. “Even during the pandemic, I still work because we have to drive health workers to the hospitals and care homes. Safe naman ako because we are isolated at the driving area; may salamin na enclosed, and we wear face mask, face shield and gloves, at parati kaming may dalang sanitizer.” Every now and then, Spencer (42; last April 18) has to put on his dancing shoes when he’s invited to perform in barrio fiestas all over UK and sometimes even in other parts of Europe. “I miss performing and acting,” admitted Spencer. “I miss Boss Chito, I miss my family and my friends back home.” And, of course, his fellow Streetboys. “We have regular communication. We talk every day. We have a WhatsApp group chat at kasama din namin si Boss Chito.”

Spencer on his simple life in Scotland By Ricky Lo Philstar.com

AWAY from it all, away from the topsy-turvy showbiz life, away from the prying (sometimes unkind) eyes of the public. Twelve years ago, Spencer Reyes and his wife Shiela Reyes migrated to Scotland, hanging up his dancing shoes and starting a new life as an ordinary citizen. Spencer was one of the members of the Streetboys, the dance group formed and managed by director Chito Rono who also groomed the boys as actors in such movies as Spirit Warriors and Computer Kombat. “We moved to the United Kingdom (UK) in 2008 kasi pinili ko pong magkaroon ng tahimik at simpleng buhay kasama ang pamilya ko,” Spencer told Conversations in an exclusive e-mail exchange. “Boss Chito knew about my plan and I’m really happy that he supported me in all my plans.” The other Streetboys (according to Chito): Vhong Navarro and Jhong Hilario are hosts of It’s Showtime and active also in films, with Jhong venturing into politics as Makati City councilor; Michael Sesmundo is also in Scotland; Sherwin Roux is on his way to a theme park in Dubai, UAE; Meynard Marcellano is a performer at the Universal Studios in Singapore; Danilo Barrios is a businessman living with his family in Tarlac; Joey

Pastor Steve Richardson Good News Church Long Beach, CA

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