LAS VEGAS
We’ve got you covered from Hollywood to Broadway... and Online!
OCTOBER 28 - NOVEMBER 3, 2021
T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M MU N I T Y N E WS PA P E R
Volume 32 - No. 43 • 12 Pages
2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 201 Las Vegas, NV 89109 Tel: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
Duterte thanks Biden for COVID-19 DATELINE USA Larry Itliong vaccine donations during ASEAN summit Resource Center opens FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
in CA’s Central Valley
THE Larry Itliong Resource Center has finally made its grand opening in California’s Central Valley. “We Are A Living Legacy” was the theme for the event held Sunday, October 24, to celebrate the inauguration of the Larry Itliong Resource Center, in Poplar, California, as well as commemorate the birthday of recent California Hall of Fame inductee and Filipino American labor hero Larry Itliong Jr. The event was sponsored by the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) Delano, the Bulosan Center of Filipino Studies, and the Central Valley Empowerment Alliance (CVEA). Attendees included family members of movement leaders Itliong, César Chávez and Al Rojas. Also present in the event was Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the National Farmworkers Association with Chávez, which later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to become the United Farm Workers. She was joined
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has personally thanked United States President Joe Biden for America’s COVID-19 vaccine donations. The chief executive was able to express his gratitude during a high-level discussion at the virtual 9th Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN)-U.S. Summit held Tuesday, October 26. “Your Majesty, Excellencies, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought complicated challenges to all of us. We appreciate the United States’ generous offer of vaccines for the region, including the Philippines,” Duterte said in his intervention. This was Biden’s first attendance to the ASEAN Summit, with the 38th and 39th iterations being hosted simultaneously by Brunei.
A NEW report revealed that Apple once gave Facebook an ultimatum over the abuse of Filipina domestic workers in the Middle East. “Two years ago, Apple threatened to pull Facebook and Instagram from its app store over concerns about the platform being used as a tool to trade and sell maids in the Mideast,” the Associated Press said in an article published Tuesday, October 25. In response to the threat, Facebook admitted to being aware of both the exploitative conditions of foreign workers and the use of Instagram to buy and trade maids online. It also recognized the website’s problem with “domestic servitude,” which is a form of human trafficking “for the purpose of working inside private homes through the use of force, fraud, coercion or deception.” Facebook engineers reportedly found nearly three-fourths of posts that showed
u PAGE 4
u PAGE 2
FDA panel recommends Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 by KLARIZE
MEDENILLA AJPress
u PAGE 3
Report: Apple threatened Facebook ban over abuse of Filipina domestic workers
“President Duterte welcomed President Biden to his first ASEAN-U.S. Summit, noting the longstanding relations between ASEAN and the U.S.,” a statement from the Office of the President read. To succeed against the pandemic, Duterte stressed the need to “further strengthen bilateral, regional and international cooperation to ensure
REPAINT. Josephine Pabularum 42, (right) together with her daughter Jannel, repaints the tomb of their departed loved one at the Tala Cemetery in Barangay 176, Phase 7A, Bagong Silang, Caloocan City on Thursday, October 28. The public is advised to visit the cemeteries, memorial parks, and columbaria early as these will be closed from October 29 to November 2. PNA photo by Ben Briones
ON Tuesday, Oct. 26, a committee from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended the Pfizer vaccine for children aged between 5 and 11 years old, a move that is likely to intensify national discourse and disagreement over whether children should receive the COVID-19 vaccine. While the vote from the panel — which voted 17 in favor and one abstention — could bring the 28 million children in this age bracket closer to the vaccine, the ultimate decision to enact emergency authorization falls on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser for the White House, shots could be approved for 5- to 11-year-olds as early as next week. “If all goes well, and we get the regulatory approval, and the recommendations from the CDC, it’s entirely possible, if not, very likely, that vaccines will be avail-
u PAGE 2
PH remains at bottom of COVID resilience ranking by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE Philippines is still the worst place to be during the pandemic, according to Bloomberg’s latest COVID Resilience Ranking. With a score of 40.5, the Philippines placed last among 53 countries for the second month in a row. The indicators used to rank the countries include vaccination coverage, virus containment, the severity of lockdowns, quality of healthcare, progress toward re-
starting travel, and the overall mortality throughout the pandemic. “While other Southeast Asian nations also continue to be ranked low among the 53 economies tracked, the Philippines fares among the worst on vaccine coverage, with just 26% of the population covered amid challenges in bringing shots to areas outside of the big cities,” Bloomberg said Wednesday, October 27. It also said that the Philippines’ ongoing restrictions on domestic movement and international travel continued to drag down Famed boxers Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather crossed paths once again at an LA
u PAGE 3
Clippers basketball game in Jan. 2019.
AJPress file photo by Noel Ty
No quarantine for North America travelers sought Pacquiao, Mayweather to play by LOUELLA
DESIDERIO Philstar.com
MANILA — Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion has expressed optimism that the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) would approve a proposal to do away with quarantine for returning Filipinos and visitors from North America to help the airline industry bounce back. “We hope that the IATF would agree to our suggestion to allow no quarantine for travelers from North America as this would
encourage returning Filipinos and other visitors to travel to the Philippines and to be with their loved ones,” Concepcion said. As a big market for airlines, Concepcion said North America can help the local aviation industry recover from huge losses they suffered, as lockdowns prevented people from traveling to various parts of the country and the world. “If we can implement this regulation immediately, it would also be a happy Christmas for our airline industry as many Filipinos and other visitors would pack their bags and return to the Philippines and celebrate
Christmas here with loved ones who they haven’t seen for a long time,” Concepcion stressed. During the arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccine purchase by Go Negosyo through its “A Dose of Hope” vaccination program for private sector workers, Concepcion said vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez are making sure that there would be enough vaccines arriving until the first quarter of 2022. “The available vaccines will ensure that family members our balikbayans will go home to are also protected from hospitalization. Let’s give them a chance to be reunited,”
Concepcion added. The Go Negosyo founder also emphasized that the increased inbound traffic and the influx of returning Filipinos from North America would greatly benefit the economy, particularly the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). In his last meeting with IATF adviser Dr. Edsel Salvana, Concepcion presented the proposals of the aviation industry, including the shelving of multiple requirements for traveling, such as RT-PCR test for most local destinations and long quarantine for passengers of international flights.
u PAGE 2
basketball for charity in Las Vegas by AJPRESS BOXING superstars Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather are planning to reignite their rivalry in a possible rematch, only this time it is going to be on the basketball court for a planned charity basketball event. Organizers are planning to stage the event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas which was also the venue of Pacquiao and Mayweather’s 2015 multimillion dollar mega-fight that drew a record 4.6 million payper-view buys. “We agree on the main concept
of the event, which is to bring total entertainment to the fans of boxing, basketball and all sports in general and to create a project that will solidify our legacies to the fans,” read the letter of intent signed by both boxers and their teams, Mayweather’s TMT and Mayweather Promotions and Pacquiao’s MP Promotions. Under the unique concept created by promoter, UNIO Enterprise, a sports and entertainment collective, Pacquiao and Mayweather have agreed to participate in a charity event to benefit causes of their
u PAGE 4
2
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
OctOber 28 - NOvember 3, 2021 • LAS veGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL
From The FronT Page
No quarantine for North America... PAGE 1 Concepcion, OCTA Research experts Prof. Ranjit Rye and Fr. Nick Austriaco and representatives and officials from local airlines met with Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez to discuss
the possibility of implementing a no-quarantine policy for North America. Go Negosyo and the country’s flag-carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) recently presented their plan to pilot-test the noquarantine policy on travelers from North America. They also proposed the frontloading of the testing process before passengers arrive
in the country and expanding international gateways to reduce the number of arrivals at the NAIA terminals. During their meeting with government officials, Concepcion said the country should reciprocate the United States’ policy to require travelers from the Philippines to present a negative RT-PCR test and proof of vaccination status as travel requirements by implementing a no-quarantine policy. Austriaco, for his part, stressed during his presentation that new infections in the Philippines cannot be attributed to international arrivals, claiming that arriving international passengers account for only 1.8 cases out of the 6,000 average new cases. Philippine Airlines echoed Austriaco’s pronouncement, saying that based on its monitoring of positivity rates among its inbound international passengers, positivity rates among inbound passengers from North America have been relatively low because 90 percent of passengers from that region are vaccinated. Romualdez said the Philippine embassy in the U.S. is willing to support the documentation and authentication of vaccination records for arriving passengers to ensure that the. are indeed vaccinated. Vaccination is also not an issue for U.S.-based Filipinos as 90 percent of them are already inoculated against COVID-19, Romualdez added. The ambassador also said a Boston-based company has offered to pilot-test a PCR testing technology which can pool testing among passengers and have their results available upon their arrival in the Philippines. “This can greatly ease the waiting time of arriving passengers at the NAIA, many of whom have already spent hours on the plane and must contend with spending even more time lining up for testing at the airport,” he said. “Filipinos look forward to Christmas every year. It is best spent at home with family. We need to give our balikbayans the chance to be with their loved ones,” Concepcion stressed. n
VIRTUAL SUMMIT. President Rodrigo Duterte joins other leaders from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries in the virtual 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits hosted by Brunei Darussalam at the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, October 26. Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez
Duterte thanks Biden for...
PAGE 1
universal access to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines.” He likewise underscored the need for sustained political dialogue, economic engagement and socio-cultural ties to further strengthen the ASEAN-U.S. Strategic Partnership. Last month, Duterte floated the idea of visiting the U.S.
to thank its government for donating vaccines against COVID-19. He made the statement after vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told him that the U.S. donated five million more vaccine doses. “Kasasabi lang ni Secretary Galvez at Secretary Duque na
ang America nagbigay ng bago, five million (Secretary Galvez and Secretary Duque just informed me that America gave five million more doses),” said Duterte in his public address. “Ang bait ng Amerika. Baka pupunta ako doon (America is kind. I might go there) just to thank the American government and the people,” he added. n
FDA panel recommends Pfizer vaccine...
PAGE 1 able from 5 to 11 within the first week or two of November,” Fauci said in an interview with ABC on Sunday, October 24. The vaccine is nearly 91% effective against symptomatic illness among 5- to 11-year-olds, according to Pfizer’s most recent clinical trials for children. The FDA reported that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the potential risks, like the known side effects associated with the COVID19 vaccine. While children are still less likely to die or suffer the more severe effects of COVID-19, doctors say that it is still necessary to vaccinate children against COVID-19. Children can still become carriers (symptomatic or asymptomatic) of the virus and spread it to others. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than
6 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 in the United States. According to Dr. William Gruber, senior vice president of vaccine clinical research and development for Pfizer, one dose of the Pfizer vaccine contains about one-third the amount of the active ingredient compared to the adult dose. In an FDA committee hearing, Gruber said that the dosage was chosen to “strike the right balance” between protecting children from the disease and limiting the vaccine’s side effects. But just like with adults, children would receive a second dose 21 days or more after their first shot. According to current COVID19 trends across the country, children aged 5-11 have accounted for 9% of reported COVID-19 cases; according to the FDA, pres-
ently constitute about 40% of all pediatric COVID-19 cases. According to the CDC, more than 700 children aged 18 years and younger have died of COVID19 across the country. When the FDA makes its official authorization recommendation, the issue moves on to the CDC which is set to meet Nov. 2 and 3, when it’ll be up to the CDC director to approve the recommendation. As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the decision for children to actually receive their vaccines will be left up to their parents, many of whom are still skeptical on the issue. The Kaiser Family Foundation found in a September poll that about one-third of parents with kids aged 5-11 were willing to vaccinate their kids right away, while another third said they wanted to “wait and see.” n
Dateline USa
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
Larry Itliong Resource Center opens in... PAGE 1
by state Attorney General Rob Bonta and State Treasurer Fiona Ma. “We remember the heroes who led especially our early farm workers who came here alone often and fought and toiled and fought for change,” said Bonta. “And also so we inspire our next generation to make sure they know people that look like them from their communities fought and made change to this great state and in this nation.” The event included a historical tour of the region and solidarity march and rally from Agbayani Village to Reuther Hall in 40 Acres. Itliong was one of the most important civil rights leaders of the 20th century and a father of the West Coast labor movement. He was born in the Philippines and migrated to the United States in 1929, working in the Alaskan fish canneries and along the West Coast as a farm laborer. Among Itliong’s achievements include uniting with the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) and starting the Delano Grape Strike and Boycott, which is one of the most important social justice and labor movements in American history. He also formed the UFW with Chávez, with the latter as director and the former as assistant director. On Oct. 12, Itliong was among the six notable individuals posthumously inducted into the California Hall of Fame. In addition, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring
California Attorney General Rob Bonta (2nd row, center) was joined by Filipino American community members on Sunday, October 24 as the Larry Itliong Resource Center held its grand opening. Photo courtesy of Attorney General Rob Bonta/Facebook
October 25, 2021, as “Larry Itliong Day” in the State. “During Filipino-American Heritage Month, we celebrate the birthday of trailblazing Filipino-American labor leader, organizer and California Hall of Fame Inductee Larry Itliong,” he said in his proclamation.
“This month, I had the honor of inducting Mr. Itliong into the California Hall of Fame, recognizing his incredible impact on our state and unapologetic advocacy for those without a voice,” added Newsom. (Ritchel Mendiola/ AJPress)
PH remains at bottom of COVID... PAGE 1
the country’s score. “The capital Manila has allowed more businesses to open their doors again, including gyms and cinemas, but it’s still behind neighbors like Thailand and Indonesia which are back to embracing tourists,” Bloomberg added. However, it noted that the decreasing new infection rates in the country indicated that the Philippines has “a better handle” of the COVID-19 pan-
demic. “The percentage of those testing positive for the virus has declined significantly from nearly one in three in September to about 12%, indicating the Philippines has a better handle on its outbreak than before and is catching cases,” said Bloomberg. “That could pave the way for more reopening going forward,” it added. Other Southeast Asian nations joined the Philippines at the bot-
tom of the list: Indonesia (48th), Malaysia (50th), Thailand (51st), and Vietnam (52nd). Meanwhile, Ireland dominated the ranking with a resilience score of 75.1. This was followed by Spain, United Arab Emirates, Denmark, and Finland. The United States ranked 26th, while China placed 28th. To date, there are a total of 2,772,491 COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, with 42,575 fatalities and 2,680,081 recoveries. n
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 28 - NOVEmbER 3, 2021
3
4
OctOber 28 - NOvember 3, 2021 • LAS veGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL
Dateline USa
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
Jordan Clarkson hits 8,000 career points, faces Jalen Green next by Mark
GionGco Inquirer.net
JORDAN Clarkson is showing no signs of slowing down coming off his best season in the NBA. Reprising his role as the Utah Jazz’s top gun off the bench, Clarkson is averaging 17.3 points through three games. The Filipino American guard notched a season-high 19 points on Wednesday, October 27 (Manila time) to help the Jazz beat division rival Denver Nuggets, 122-108, at home. Clarkson, 29, hit three triples with his last coming with under 30 seconds left in the third quarter that broke an 88-deadlock and pushed him to 8,000 career points. “I thought Jordan really gave us some boost in the first half. He got some clean looks. … He did a Jordan Clarkson #00 of the Utah Jazz good job of getting into the lane Inquirer.net file photo when we needed to attack the
rim,” said Jazz head coach Quin Snyder on the team’s website. The 29-year-old Clarkson, last season, became the first Jazz player to win Sixth Man of the Year. Clarkson looks to sustain his form when the Jazz visit the Rockets and their prized FilipinoAmerican rookie Jalen Green on Friday, October 29 (Manila time) in a game billed as Filipino Heritage Night. The game marks the first time that two players of Filipino descent will play each other in the NBA. Green, the second overall pick in the draft, has been solid so far with averages of 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists with a steal and nearly a block per game. The 19-year-old set a Rockets franchise record when he hit eight 3-pointers in a 107-97 loss to the Boston Celtics on Monday. He also became the first rookie in Rockets history with 30 points and eight triples in a game. n
Report: Apple threatened Facebook ban... PAGE 1 maids in photos/videos and their biographical details, with over 60% of the material coming from Saudi Arabia, and about a quarter from Egypt. And while Facebook disabled over 1,000 accounts on its websites, it acknowledged that it was “under-enforcing on confirmed abusive activity” that saw Filipina maids complaining on the social media site of being abused. The move convinced Apple to relent and allow Facebook and Instagram to remain in the app store. However, the AP noted that Facebook’s crackdown had a “limited effect.” “Even today, a quick search for ‘khadima,’ or ‘maids’ in Arabic, will bring up accounts featuring posed photographs of Africans and South Asians with ages and prices listed next to their images,” it said. “That’s even as the Philippines government has a team of workers that do nothing but scour Facebook posts each day to try and protect desperate job seekers from criminal gangs and unscrupulous recruiters using the site,” it added. Despite the continued spread
of ads exploiting foreign workers in the Mideast, Facebook maintained that it took the problem seriously. “We prohibit human exploitation in no uncertain terms,” it said in a statement to the AP. “We’ve been combating human trafficking on our platform for many years and our goal remains to prevent anyone who seeks to exploit others from having a home on our platform,” it added. Still, the AP pointed out that Facebook’s daunting size and user base around the world “proves to be its greatest weakness in trying to police illicit activity, such as the sale of drugs, and suspected human rights and labor abuses on its site.” Filipina Mary Ann Abunda of the Sandigan in Kuwait warned of the dangers that Facebook can pose. “Facebook really has two faces now,” she said as quoted by the AP. “Yes, as it advertises, it’s connecting people, but it has also become a haven of sinister people and syndicates who wait for your weak moment to pounce on you.” One Filipina housemaid in Kuwait told the AP of her
experience in being “sold” to another family through an Instagram post in December 2012. “I was like an animal that was being traded by one owner to another,” she said. “If Facebook and Instagram won’t take stronger steps against this anomaly, there will be more victims like me. I was lucky because I did not end up dead or a sexual slave,” she added. For its part, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) acknowledged that individuals who want to go abroad trust Facebook more than the private recruiting agencies monitored by the government. According to POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia, some job seekers mistakenly believe that the agency endorses some of the Facebook and Instagram accounts due to misuse of the office’s logo. He added that his office for the last two years had a direct line to Facebook to be able to flag suspicious accounts, but “even that isn’t enough.” “It will affect their income so they don’t want to address this,” Olalia added. (AJPress)
BUYING CHRISTMAS DECORS. Shoppers check out Christmas decorations on sale at a stall along Dangwa in Manila on Tuesday, October 26. Filipinos are hopeful the Christmas season will be better than last year as more vaccines are coming in to help end the COVID-19 pandemic. PNA photo by Rico H. Borja
IRS helps taxpayers in 350 languages — touting expanded child tax credits and other benefits Jenny Manrique Ethnic Media Services
by
ON the same day that marked the last pandemic-related extension for filing taxes, IRS officials briefed ethnic media reporters about another major benefit under the American Rescue Plan — the expansion of the Advance Child Tax Credit. One of the most widely used tax credits in the country, the plan increased this benefit for 2021: formerly capped at $2,000, qualifying families can now receive up to $3,000 for each child between the ages of 6 and 17 and $3,600 for those under the age of six. To be eligible, children must be these ages as of December 31, 2021. Half of these advance payments began to be issued as of July 15, 2021, in monthly installments, and the other half can be claimed with the 2021 tax return. This benefit is expected to help more than 39 million households. “The new law enhances the credit by making it fully refundable for certain taxpayers,” said Ken Corbin, Commissioner of the Wage and Investment Division and Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer, at the IRS, speaking at an EMS briefing Oct.15. “This means that taxpayers can benefit from the credit, even if they don’t have earned income or don’t owe any income taxes.” The IRS has provided three virtual tools for families to verify whether they can access this benefit. The first is the Eligibility Assistant, which allows a parent, another family member, guardian, or caregiver to determine if they qualify for the tax credit by answering a series of questions about themselves and their family members. “This includes those taxpayers who could be experiencing homelessness, low income households and other underserved groups,” Corbin said. The IRS has partnerships with over 5,000 homeless shelters, which can provide their mailing address for homeless people to receive their payment. The second tool is the Nonfiler Sign-up Tool to report qualifying children of those taxpayers who are not required to file a 2020 tax return, or have a gross income less than the applicable standard deduction
amount, and have a main residence in the United States for more than half a year. The third tool is the Update Portal that allows families to enroll or exclude themselves from advance payments if they have already received them, add or remove beneficiaries, report a change in their marital status or income, change the form of receipt from a paper check to direct deposit, change account numbers to which the payments are directed and update their address. “Taxpayers may prefer to claim the full credit when filing their 2021 tax returns next year,” added Corbin. All of these tools are available in English and Spanish. Advanced payments are not subject to federal income taxes nor are they counted as income when determining eligibility for amounts of benefits or assistance under federal programs such as unemployment benefits, food stamps, or Medicaid. Singles and couples who have social security numbers can claim the earned income tax credit even if their children don’t have a SSN. This is important for undocumented families where parents can request an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). “In January 2022, the IRS will be sending recipients of the advanced child tax credit payments and the economic impact payments, a letter that tells them how much they received in 2021. This information is important to make sure that when they file their 2021 returns, it will match IRS records,” Corbin explained. For those without children, the rescue plan has also provided benefits such as the earned income tax credit (EITC). Eligible workers who are at least 19 years old can receive up to $1,502, triple the amount authorized by the government in 2020. “These credits are a great deal of money in many households so it’s very important to ensure sure no one else gets them,” said Susan Simon, Director of Customer Assistance, Relationships and Education at IRS “We have worked very hard with representatives from banks and other state and federal organizations to ensure that the taxpayer gets the money they
have applied for,” added Simon, offering a tool for people to protect themselves from identity theft: irs.gov/security. Those who have had trouble with scammers can also attend low-income tax clinics found in all 50 states. Multilingual With tax season looming in early 2022, the IRS also released the get ready webpage available in eight languages, that allows taxpayers to find the information they need to file their return (such as collecting tax records, bank statements, etc.) and select a tax return preparer to do it online and submit electronically. “If they have direct deposit (in a bank) that will make the whole process faster, easier and more secure,” Simon said. The official shared that starting this year, the IRS has the ability to provide translation services through telephone interpreters in 350 different languages. She also said that the 1040 form can now be completed in English and Spanish and that in the next five years all documents will be translated into languages such as Russian, Traditional Chinese, Formal Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. “Something new that we are very proud of this year is the Form 9000 that can be attached to the tax return and that allows taxpayers to select preferred alternative media in Braille, large print or in audio format.” Finally Simon recalled that for people who cannot use virtual tools, either due to lack of internet access or lack of knowledge, there is a telephone line in English and Spanish (800-829-1040) and another for different languages (833 -553-9895) where assistants can provide information about tax accounts. People can also schedule an appointment in person at one of the IRS taxpayer assistance centers, go to a local paid preparer in the community, or review the free option with VITA volunteers, which number about 90,000 nationwide. “Because of COVID, many of our sites had to continue preparing tax returns online this year, but are trying to open face-to-face sites by 2022,” Simon concluded. n
Pacquiao, Mayweather to play basketball... PAGE 1 choice in time for Christmas. Each Player will assemble a 10-man team, including two exNBA players. “We also aim to generate funds for our chosen charities
this Christmas,” added the letter. Pacquiao and Mayweather, aside from being world champions in the sport, both love to play basketball. Pacquiao is the founder and
CEO of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) in the Philippines and joined the Philippine Basketball Association as the playing coach of Kia Motors Basketball team in 2014. n
Boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr., left, and Manny Pacquiao pose for photos after a news conference on March 11, 2015, in Los Angeles. Inquirer.net file photo
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 28 - NOVEmbER 3, 2021
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
Dateline PhiliPPines
5
Duterte calls for maritime peace, stability in South China Sea by Ritchel
Mendiola
AJPress
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has reiterated his calls for peace and stability in the South China Sea. In his remarks at the virtual 38th and 39th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits and Related Summits, the Chief Executive urged his fellow ASEAN leaders to stay united in pursuing prosperity in the contested waters, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award. “We have come a long way in keeping the peace and promoting prosperity in our region. We must not allow those with diverging interests to make our efforts fail,” Duterte said Tuesday, October 26. He also renewed calls for “holistic” efforts to protect
and preserve the biodiversity and marine environment of the South China Sea, pointing out that 2017 to 2027 is the “Decade of Coastal and Marine Environmental Protection” in the maritime area. In addition, Duterte urged countries to translate commitments into action as regards the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). The DOC “reflects the consensus reached by all Parties on seeking peaceful solutions to disputes and conducting maritime cooperation in order to maintain regional stability in the South China Sea,” according to the ASEAN website. “Talks should not remain empty rhetoric. They should be translated into action to fortify the trust and confidence we have cultivated through the years. Acta non verba. Deeds, not words,” said Duterte.
Further, he lauded the Philippines’ contribution to the substantive progress in the second reading of the Single Draft Code of Conduct (COC) Negotiating Text. Duterte likewise reaffirmed the country’s commitment to help finalize an “effective and substantive” COC in the South China Sea. Hosted by Brunei, the virtual 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits will run from Oct. 26 to 28. During the first day of the Summits, Duterte was joined by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin, Jr., Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana, Secretary of Trade and Industry Ramon OFF-LIMITS TO KIDS. A security guard intercepts a woman with a minor at the entrance of the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach on Tuesday, PNA photo by Avito Dalan Lopez, Secretary of Social October 26. Children below 12 years old are now prohibited from visiting the beach. Welfare and Development Rolando Joselito Bautista, and Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Carlito Galvez, Jr. n
Duterte urges ASEAN to buy more COVID vaccines by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to fast-track the procurement of additional COVID-19 vaccines to aid the region’s recovery from the pandemic. In his intervention at the 38th ASEAN Summit, the Chief Executive noted that the road to recovery will be “long and difficult.” “Today’s circumstances tell us one thing: The road to comprehensive and inclusive recovery will be long and difficult. While we welcome and appreciate the support of our external partners, we as ASEAN community must be able to stand on our own,” Duterte said Tuesday, October 26.
He also urged the ASEAN Secretariat to expedite vaccine procurement through the COVID-19 Response Fund. “If there are still available funds, then we should purchase more,” said Duterte. “We must also have our own regional vaccine research and production facilities for us to be ready for future public health emergencies,” he added. Further, Duterte stressed that the regional bloc must ensure “the phased and comprehensive implementation of the broad strategies under the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework.” “We also need to immediately establish the ASEAN Centre on Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases. It has been almost a year since we conceptualized the Centre. Our generous donors and
partners are still waiting for us to choose the host country,” he added. Duterte also pushed for the operationalization of theAsean Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework to revitalize the region’s economies in the “soonest” time possible. “As we have said before, an open multilateral trading system and a clear roadmap are vital to economic recovery,” he said. He likewise urged the ASEAN to address the “unique” needs of vulnerable groups. “This pandemic has exacerbated inequalities within our societies. We must therefore address the unique needs of vulnerable groups, particularly women, children, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and migrant workers, among others,” Duterte stressed. n
DOH: Plans underway for COVID-19 booster shots in PH by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
THE Philippines is eyeing booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine for its priority groups such as healthcare workers and senior citizens. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Monday, October 25, said that the country’s Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has approved the recommendation of the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) to offer booster shots and additional vaccines. She also said that the Philippine Department of Health is discussing the booster rollout during the last three months of 2021. “Lahat naman ng plano ay underway na tulad naman ng sabi namin sa inyo (All plans are underway and like what we told you) we will have this third doses for the immunocompromised, senior citizens and our boosters for our healthcare workers,” she said. However, Vergeire noted that an emergency use authorization
from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still required. “Pero kailangan po aantayin pa rin nating lahat ang emergency use authority na manggagaling sa (But we need to wait for the emergency use authority from the) Food and Drug Administration,” she said. “While waiting for the EUA we’re already planning and discussing how we can go about with the implementation,” she added. Under the HTAC’s recommendation, booster shots will be given by the end of the year to healthcare workers and senior citizens, provided that they have completed the primary COVID-19 vaccine series at least six months before. The booster shots could also be expanded to other eligible priority groups including those from A3 (people with comorbidities), A4 (economic frontliners), and A5 (poor population) by 2022, but only if an acceptable vaccine vaccination coverage or 50% have completed the initial series. “The rationale for the set
threshold prior to implementation of booster includes ensuring maximum coverage for the primary series as the premature rollout of booster vaccination without attaining acceptable coverage would exacerbate existing inequities,” said the HTAC. Further, the council recommended an additional dose for immunocompromised individuals at least 28 days after completing their initial vaccine series. Among those are individuals receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood, those receiving an organ transplant, those with advanced or untreated human immunodeficiency virus or HIV infection, those with rare disease, and dialysis patients. According to the HTAC, getting the same brand of the initial COVID-19 shots for an individual’s third dose is recommended, but the vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech may be used for those who had been injected with AstraZeneca, CoronaVac, and Moderna jabs. n
6
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
OCTOBER 28 - NOVEMBER 3, 2021 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL
OPINION
Safe campaigning
FEATURES
WITH certificates of candidacy filed, and with the Supreme Court ruling that there is no such thing as premature campaigning, candidates have started raising their profiles for the 2022 general elections. The campaigning will be conducted even as COVID-19 continues to rage, with the coronavirus continually mutating and posing risks of resurgence. Candidates and supporters must be mindful of those continuing risks, especially in areas with low vaccination rates. Even in Metro Manila, sufficient vaccination for herd protection has not yet been attained. The Delta variant is also infecting even children and accounting for breakthrough infections and deaths even among the fully vaccinated. While social media can be widely used for safe campaigning, most politicians still see the need for face-to-face pitching of their candidacies. Since the filing of candidacies, political gatherings have started, with meetings, marches and motorcades being staged. Candidates must take full responsibility for ensuring that such gatherings will not turn into COVID superspreader events. They will have to coordinate closely with authorities for such activities, to ensure strict compliance with COVID safety protocols. The Metropolitan Manila Development
Authority, for example, has advised politicians to get a permit for motorcades, if only for traffic management, since holiday traffic is building up in the capital region. While the country is now at low risk for COVID19, as declared by the Department of Health, it is not yet time to let down one’s guard. A coronavirus sub-variant said to be about 10 times more contagious than Delta has started spreading in the United Kingdom and nearly 30 other countries including the United States. In the meantime, vaccine efficacies are waning for those who were first in line for the shots, raising their risk of breakthrough infections. Last year, COVID cases also dropped dramatically with the approach of the holidays. The country happily prepared for economic revival during summer, with travel restrictions eased and tourist destinations reopened. And then the Alpha and Beta variants struck, beginning in late March and bringing sickness and death through the summer. After 19 months of restrictions, people have
Editorial
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS I AM BACK! Good to share with you what I have been up to in my monthlong hiatus from writing articles for this column. I just arrived from Spain to go on the Camino de Santiago spiritual pilgrimage, after almost two years of delay because of the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the European Union, and even countries like our Motherland the Philippines, closed its borders to us, the people of the United States, because we were classified as high risk in spreading COVID-19 and its variants to their people. The richest, most powerful nation in the world that other nations looked up to in our leadership in combatting infectious diseases became a hotspot of the pandemic, thanks but no thanks to the former administration’s failure in leadership because of its aversion to science. The former president and his minions thought the truth about the coronavirus pandemic was getting in the way of their political ambition to be re-elected and remain in power, and consequently, the United States failed to mitigate the spread of the virus early enough. Thankfully, under the Biden Administration, saving lives became top priority again and science became our basis and tool in formulating policies and implementing programs to defeat the invisible enemy and lead us to-
Babe’s Eye View BABE ROMUALDEZ OUR consulates in the United States have been getting a deluge of inquiries and appeals from Filipino Americans on how soon they can go home to the Philippines without going through facility-based quarantine. They are appealing that if they are fully vaccinated and have a negative RT-PCR test taken 72 hours before arrival, they be allowed entry without quarantine. Under current Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases protocols, fully vaccinated travelers from “green” countries do not need to undergo a facility-based quarantine if they have a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before departing from the country of origin and will just be instructed to self-monitor for symptoms. The United States is currently under the IATF’s list of “yellow”
Philstar.com photo
become used to COVID safety protocols. So it shouldn’t be such a challenge to maintain strict adherence to masking, physical distancing and other safety measures during campaign activities. Surely
candidates themselves don’t want themselves and their supporters getting sick, or worse, from their gatherings for the 2022 race. They should all reach the finish line healthy and safe. (Philstar.com)
The US’ slow but steady safe pace in defeating COVID-19 opens the gateway to our freedom of navigation
ward the “normal” life we have been missing. Fast forward to the present, the Mayo Clinic reports that as of October 25, 66.7% of Americans are now vaccinated with at least one dose, and 57.7% are now fully vaccinated, especially in light of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in August. CDC has also recommended everyone 12 years and older should get vaccinated to help protect against the virus. According to the agency, widespread vaccination is a critical tool to help stop the pandemic and help us go back to the life as we knew it before 2020. While compared to adults, fewer children have been infected with COVID-19, the CDC explained that children can also be infected with the virus, get sick and spread COVID-19 to others. And because of the Delta variant and new scientific information about the deminishing antibody levels with time, the FDA on October 20 expands authorizations for COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for eligible populations who received Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and for Janssen COVID-19 vaccine recipients 18 and older. As of press time today, October 26, the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee just announced amendment to the Pfizer-BioNTech’s Emergency Use Authori-
zation of their COVID-19 mRNA vaccine to children 5 through 11 years of age. This decision comes after the agency reviewed data released by Pfizer on October 22that showed a kid-sized, two-dose regimen of the Pfizer’s vaccine is safe and 90.7% effective against symptomatic illness from the virus in children ages 5 to 11 years old. These new developments, coupled with a more unified effort to practice safety measures like wearing mask, social distancing and avoiding crowds especially in indoor setting, have taken us to a more optimistic place with a greater fighting chance toward victory. Hence, the EU has once again opened its borders to American tourists who are fully vaccinated with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the EU that was why many of us in America have had the privilege of traveling again. We felt safe with strict implementation of other travel safety requirements like getting a negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours for PCR and 48 hours for rapid test antigen, and wearing masks, observing social distancing. The United States has also announced it is opening its borders to vaccinated international tourists, and this is great news for us to see our family and friends again from the Philippines and elsewhere aound the world! Travel.State.Gov announced:
Starting on November 8, foreign national air travelers to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of vaccination status prior to boarding an airplane to fly to the United States, with only limited exceptions. The CDC has determined that for the purposes of entry into the United States, vaccines accepted will include those FDA approved or authorized, as well as vaccines with an emergency use listing (EUL) from the World Health Organization (WHO). See the CDC’s website for more details. Fully vaccinated air travelers will continue to be required to show documentation of a pre-departure negative viral test from a sample taken within three days of travel to the United States before boarding. That includes all travelers – U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (LPRs), and foreign nationals. To further strengthen protections, unvaccinated travelers – whether U.S. citizens, LPRs, or the small number of excepted unvaccinated foreign nationals – will now need to show documentation of a negative viral test from a sample taken within one day of travel to the United States. As the State Department stated, “As long as the virus is spreading anywhere, it is a threat to people everywhere, including Americans here at home. That’s why earlier this year, President Joe Biden announced that the United States will share over
580 million doses with countries around the world”. “America will be the arsenal of vaccines in our global fight against COVID-19, just as America was the arsenal of democracy in World War II”, President Biden said. Reclaiming our leadership in the international community that we lost during the Trump presidency, the Biden Administration recognizes the fact that “COVID-19 is a global challenge that requires a global response. Together, we will lead the world out of this pandemic.” The State Department also stated: “The United Statuses exercising diplomatic leadership to mobilize an international response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its secondary impacts while strengthening global biosecurity infrastructure to address both the current crisis and future health related threats.” WE, the PEOPLE, should also be part of the solution and not the problem, and always think in terms of what is for the greater good, not just in the present time but always until the future. This is what we need to learn more from Spain. During the time we were there, most of the people of Spain observed safety measures and would remind others, including tourists to follow the same especially in enclosed places, for the safety of all people in their country. Spain has vaccinated 80.2% of its population with at least one
dose, and 78.6% are fully vaccinated. Nearing 90% of its target population, Spain has really been successful in controlling the spread of the virus. From an all time high of 35,475 in January 2021, Spain is now down to a 7day average of 1863. Spain has a population of 47,431, 256. Can we do the same? Let us not go too far . Look at California — home to the most number of Filipinos in the U.S. and outside of the Philippines. Statewide, 72.6% of people in California are now fully vaccinated, with 7.8% partially vaccinated. Of course, we can do more. We can do better. If we start thinking more of the good of all, less than what is good for me. If we keep on reminding ourselves this is the only patriotic and Christian way to go to save lives and go back to normalcy. Remember: we are all in this together. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
*** 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.
Filipino Americans asking for US inclusion in PH ‘green list’ countries, and fully vaccinated travelers have to undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative result for the RT-PCR test which will be taken on the fifth day. This means visiting Filipino-Americans have to book at least six days of quarantine (or more if the RT-PCR test results take several days) at an accredited hotel – which is not only costly but also takes away precious time that could be spent with their loved ones and family, given that most also have limited vacation time. Even Americans with businesses in the Philippines have been wanting to go back but they can’t afford the one-week downtime due to the quarantine requirement. The IATF’s color classification is primarily based on the number of COVID-19 cases. Being a large country, the U.S. case load is considered high. However, the number of cases per day in the U.S. has been declining in recent weeks by about 22 percent. Approximately 90 percent of Filipino-Americans have been fully vaccinated. They are hope-
ful the U.S. could be included in the list of “green” countries. The clamor is growing, especially since Christmas is fast approaching, and so many have not been able to visit their loved ones since the COVID-19 pandemic broke. During our virtual meeting last Thursday, October 21 with Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin, USec Dodo Dulay, Transportation Secretary Art Tugade as well as Fr. Nick Austriaco and Prof. Ranjit Rye of OCTA Research plus representatives from local airlines that include flag carrier PAL, we discussed how the difficulties faced by international travelers, particularly those from the U.S. and Canada, could be addressed. One good news is that there is already new technology from a Boston-based company that can conduct PCR tests on all passengers before they board their flight with the results ready by the time the plane lands in Manila – which will provide authorities information if any passenger tested positive. As Secretary Locsin pointed
out, frontloading the PCR testing process can help prevent the long queues that can happen with arriving passengers lining up and waiting for the PCR test to be done at the airport. According to Fr. Austriaco, data indicate that new infections in the Philippines cannot be attributed to arriving passengers as homegrown or local transmissions account for almost all of the new COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. The infection rate in fact is on a downtrend, especially in Metro Manila which has been placed under Alert Level 3 with more establishments and businesses allowed to open on a limited capacity – and we all know that this is largely due to the government’s vaccination rollout that continues to be scaled up. There is no doubt we have to open our country and our economy for travel not only for the tourism sector but the downstream industries as well so we can start moving again. Many countries like Singapore and Australia are already open to vaccinated travelers and are scrapping quarantine
requirements for fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. The “bright light” at the end of the tunnel is fast approaching with worldwide scientists optimistically predicting the pandemic will soon be under control by early next year. With the development of oral antiviral drugs that show great promise in treating patients like molnupiravir from Merck which is being heralded as a potential “game changer,” patients will no longer need hospitalization because medication can be taken at home. Pfizer is also developing an oral drug to combat COVID-19, and the results have also been promising. Experts, however, are emphatic that vaccination is still the best protection against COVID-19. Studies by the US National Institutes of Health on vaccine mix-and-match showed the level of antibodies increasing in people who switched vaccine brands for their booster shots, with no notable side effects. With the possibility of COVID-19 becoming endemic and thus will require booster shots to be given yearly like the seasonal flu, the
mix-and-match option could help solve vaccine supply issues and keep COVID-19 manageable. Almost two years now since the pandemic started and with millions dying or getting infected with the disease, we can only thank first and foremost God for giving us the terrific scientists who developed the vaccines to protect us from this deadly disease. Needless to say, I and countless Filipinos cannot thank all the countries enough, especially the United States, for their generosity in giving us the muchneeded vaccines for our people. To me, being in the forefront of seeing closely and working with the U.S. government in getting the vaccines into our country and saving people’s lives is the greatest blessing ever in my entire life. (Philstar.com) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
*** Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal. ADVERTISING AND ADVERTORIAL POLICIES ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board
CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIEL President Main Office: 1210 S. Brand Blvd Glendale, CA 91204 Tels: (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 Fax: (818) 502-0858 • (213) 481-0854 e-mail: info@asianjournalinc.com http://www.asianjournal.com
Las Vegas Sales Office: 2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 201 Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 Tel.: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879
ROBERT MACABAGDAL Vice President & General Manager Las Vegas Asian Journal
With offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York/New Jersey, Las Vegas, San Diego. Philippines MOMAR G. VISAYA Executive Editor
Asian Journal Publitions, Inc. (“AJPI”) reserves the right to refuse to publish, in its sole and absolute discretion, any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publition by client. (“Client’s Material”) Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Client’s Material. AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Client’s Material and to delete objectionable words or phrases. Client represents and warrants that a Client’s Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous, slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity; does not and will not violate or infringe upon, or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including, without limitation, any copyright, trademark, service mark or contract right) of any person or entity, or violate any other applible law; and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigation. Publition of a Client’s Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publition. Client agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss, liability, damage, expenses, cost, charges, claims, actions, uses of action, recoveries, judgments, penalties, including outside attorneys’ fees (individually and collectively “Claims”) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Client’s breach of any of the representations, warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Client’s Material. AJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Client’s Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Client’s Material. In the event of an error, or omission in printing or publition of a Client’s Material, AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error, with maximum liability being ncellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republition of the correct advertisement. Under no circumstances shall Asian Publitions, Inc. be liable for consequential damages of any kind. ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLITIONS, INC. publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal, published twice a week; Northern California Asian Journal, Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York / New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange Counties, Northern California, Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectively. Articles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Letters to the Editor are welcome. Letters must contain complete name and return address. The materials, however, are subject to editing and revisions. Contributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays. For advertising rates and other informations, please ll the L.A. office at (213) 250-9797 or the Las Vegas Sales Office at (702) 792-6678 or send us an email at info@asianjournalinc.com
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
Dateline PhiliPPines
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 28 - NOVEmbER 3, 2021
NEDA sees strong growth in 2022 by anna Leah
e. GonzaLes ManilaTimes.net
SOCIOECONOMIC Planning Secretary Karl Chua on Wednesday said managing risks will allow the Philippine economy to go back to growth trajectory this year and return to pre-pandemic growth level by the latter part of 2022 or early 2023. He added that ramping up the vaccination campaign will help the country achieve a stronger growth next year. “We can ensure strong recovery in 2021 and 2022 with growth rates at 4 to 5 percent this year and 7 to 9 percent next year if we accelerate the vaccination. And I think at this point, it is about vaccinating everyone with the least restrictions or prioritization. As soon as the supply comes, my thinking is we should vaccinate everyone who is available and willing. That will help speed up our achievement of our goal,” he said. Chua said the government started to better manage the risks by implementing the alert level system. “In general, I believe that the better management of risks in 2021 will allow us to grow by 4 to 5 percent this year, and 7 to 9 percent next year and returning to our pre-pandemic growth path of 6 to 7 percent in the outer years,” Chua said at The Manila Times’ “Let the Future Begin: Moving Forward Despite COVID19” forum. The economy contracted by
9.6 percent last year due to the combined effects of the Taal Volcano eruption and the Covid-19 pandemic. Chua, who is also directorgeneral of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), admitted that the long-run total cost of Covid-19 and the forced quarantine to present and future society is estimated at P41.4 trillion. In 2020, the economy lost P4.3 trillion and in the next 10 to 40 years losses are estimated to reach P37 trillion. He said consumption and investments are likely to be lower in the next 10 years because of reduced demand in sectors that require social distancing, such as tourism, restaurants and public transportation. Consequently, tax revenues will be lower if businesses cannot operate at 100 percent. Chua said the estimated total loss due to lower consumption is P4.5 trillion while the loss in private investment and returns in the same period is around P21.3 trillion. “We expect the economy to converge to the pre-pandemic growth path by the tenth year. While we will recover to the prepandemic level by the end of 2022 or early 2023, it will take several more years before we converge to our original growth path,” he said. Chua, however, said that there are signs of recovery, adding that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) already grew by
11.8 percent in the second quarter from a 17 percent contraction in the same period last year. Enablers of recovery include the acceleration of the vaccination program, safe reopening of the economy while strictly adhering to health protocols, and the full implementation of the recovery package, especially the 2021 budget. As of October 25, the Philippines has administered a total of 55.7 million doses of the anticoronavirus disease vaccine. The pilot implementation of the alert level system started in Metro Manila on September 16. The National Capital Region shifted to a more relaxed Alert Level 3 starting October 16. The alert level system allows more business establishments to operate but with a limited capacity. “To manage the risks better... we have started that, we have shifted to alert level. I think there is an opening to lower the alert level to two soon. We hope to allow more children to have a more normal life by going back to school physically, and families also going out,” he said. “Finally we implement the recovery program. And I’m thinking we will need to review the medium-term budget so that we can put in more resources, reallocate more resources to the areas such as education and health and the overall human capital spending to close the gap that was enlarged by the Covid-19 pandemic,” added Chua. n
DepEd backs UN stance vs hate speech by Romina
CabReRa
Philstar.com
MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) has expressed support for the United Nations’ strategy and plan of action on hate speech, saying it has no place in the classroom or society. The DepEd stressed the importance of strengthening good manners and right conduct and values education curriculum in the basic education system, especially among children. Anti-bullying and child protection policies are also being strictly implemented in schools to protect and educate learners, especially amid the new chal-
lenges posed by the changing communication landscape. “Guided by international and national frameworks and policies on equality, DepEd recognizes the important role of education in addressing and building resilience against hate speech, which can cause grave implications to people, groups, or even nations,” DepEd said in a statement. The agency noted that social media has spurred the proliferation of conflicting information, fake news and misrepresentation that need to be countered by critical thinking skills by all members of society. It urged teachers, parents, learners and partners to help foster decency and civility in the fight against violence, hate
speech and discrimination, both virtually and in person. “Hate speech and discrimination – on the basis of gender, ethnicity, religious affiliation, political belief and age – must have no place in our homes, in our classrooms, and most importantly, in our democratic society,” DepEd said. The UN strategy and plan of action aims to address hate speech through measures in line with international human rights norms and standards, in particular the right to freedom of opinion and expression. It aims to enhance UN efforts to address the root causes and drivers of hate speech and enable effective responses to the impact of hate speech on societies. n
7
TASTE OF CHRISTMAS. A vendor prepares to cook puto bumbong (purple rice cake) at his stall along Eton Centris in Quezon City, exactly 60 days before Christmas on Tuesday, October 26. Steamed in bamboo tubes, puto bumbóng is among popular dishes sold during the Christmas season. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
Bongbong Marcos camp eyeing Pacquiao, VisMin bets as VP options by ChRistia
maRie Inquirer.net
Ramos
MANILA — The camp of presidential aspirant former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is eyeing bets with bailiwicks in Visayas and Mindanao as his vice presidential candidate, including fellow presidential bet Senator Manny Pacquiao. This was according to the former senator’s sister, Senator Imee Marcos, who said that her brother is still looking for a running mate. “Very obvious naman yung preference namin, sinasabing may ‘Solid North,’ mas malakas kami sa norte. Si Bongbong may [National Capital Region] din, malakas din naman kahit paano. Tapos Region 8. Pero medyo takot sa Mindanao, medyo bulag kami doon,” Sen. Marcos said in Teleradyo interview Wednesday, October 26. (Our preference is very obvious, we have the so-called “Solid North.” We’re strong in the north. Bongbong is also strong in the National Capital Region in one way or another as well as Region 8. But we are a bit scared when it comes to
Mindanao.) “So naturally we’re tending towards the Mindanao and VisMin candidates,” she added. (So naturally we’re tending towards the Mindanao and VisMin candidates.) Bongbong-Pacquiao? Sen. Marcos also said they are considering Pacquiao to be her brother’s running mate should the boxer-turned-politician is willing to slide down to a vice presidential bid. Pacquiao is running for president with House Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza as his running mate. “There’s also the option…we also like the idea, syempre taga-Mindanao din, kung magislide naman si Sen. Pacquiao. Taga-Mindanao din ‘yan, super popular din at kaibigan naman natin yan kahit na may pitik pitik lately,” Sen. Marcos said. (There’s also the option…we also like the idea, of course he’s from Mindanao, if Sen. Pacquiao will slide down. He’s from Mindanao, he’s super popular and we are friends even though there’s been a slight attack lately.) “Di na kami balat sibuyas pag medyo may bumibira, alam mo
naman sa kasagsagan sa init ng halalan, OK lang,” she added. (We are not thin-skinned, we know it’s because of the elections, it’s OK.) The senator did not elaborate on this but it can be recalled that Pacquiao earlier said the Marcos family should return their “ill-gotten wealth” and apologize for abuses during the Marcos regime. Aside from ensuring votes in the South, Sen. Marcos said her brother is looking for a running mate he can get along with well. “Si Bongbong, naghahanap ng ka-tandem na bagay sa kanya, yung kasundo niyang katrabaho kasi kahit papaano di ba dapat may tiwala ka, tapos bagay kayo at nagkakaintindihan kayo ng maigi,” she said. (Bongbong is looking for a running mate that goes well with him, who he can go along with and trust.) “Hindi lang naman boto boto yan e. Kailangan kaibigan mo rin to a certain degree,” she added. (It’s not all about the votes. He needs someone he also considers a friend to a certain degree.) n
8
OctOber 28 - NOvember 3, 2021 • LAS veGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL Las vegas ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
VEGAS&STYLE
October 28, 2021
Journal
inside
LifestyLe • Consumer Guide • Community • MARketpLAce
ConCepCion: An immigrAnt FAmily’s Fortunes
‘History ripples into perpetuity’: Fil-Am author’s sprawling memoir weaves family history, migration, colonialism by
Author and BuzzFeed News inequality editor Albert Samaha’s second book Concepcion is his definitive love letter to his family, and the entire Filipino diaspora by extension. the book tells the personal journey of Samaha’s family leaving a comfortable life in Manila to start fresh in the united States and the author cleverly weaves the migration narrative into the colonial history of the Philippines along with that of Filipinos in America. “If I have any single dream for the book, it’s that I hope enough people read it and are moved by it that it contributes to rolling back the oppressive rules by which our world operates, shrinking the gap between colonists and colonized, served and servers,” Samaha told the Asian Journal. From a more practical perspective, he hopes the book helps people from immigrant diasporas better understand their place in the global age — and see themselves represented. “I hope kids read it to frame the mythologies presented in their textbooks. I hope it helps Filipino Americans unaware of our history embrace our collective past and interrogate our impulse to assimilate. And, above all, I hope it inspires others to investigate their own family histories. As I note in the book, my family’s story is but one thread in a vast tapestry, and the more stories we record, the fuller our vision of the world,” he added. Critics are raving, Publishers
momar G. Visaya / AJPress
Samaha was born in Vallejo, went to Kindergarten in Manila, first through third grade in San Francisco, fourth grade in San Mateo, then middle school and high school in Sacramento. “I went to six different schools from Kindergarten to 8th grade, and having to keep adapting to those new environments and being constantly presented with the unfamiliar certainly shaped who I am today in ways I’m still untangling,” he told the Asian Journal in an earlier interview. Photo shows Samaha reading excerpts from his book at a reading in Brooklyn sponsored by the Asian American Writers Workshop. Photo from Twitter/@hanbae
Albert Samaha and his mom, Lucy. He told us, “If there was anything I know I’ve learned from this process, it was about my own understanding of my privileges as the American-born child of immigrants and the duties that came with that: to push my country toward the ideals that lured my elders here.”
Samaha with his uncle Spanky Rigor of VST. “When I was young I knew he’d been in a well-known band called VST & Company, but had no sense of how famous he was,” Samaha shared. “I never thought to dig into that past -- which now feels a bit shameful.” Photos courtesy of Albert Samaha
Weekly calls it “an extraordinary look at the freedoms and perils of making a new life in America” while Kirkus reviews says it is “an expansive view of Filipino history and the experiences of Filipino immigrants... that provides an intimate perspective on the legacy of colonialism.” Samaha seamlessly blending multiple story arcs involving Philippine history, FilAm history in America and his own family’s immigrant journey makes Concepcion an interesting, engaging, and compelling read. how else would one explain getting the feels of an epic history lesson interspersed with an inti-
mate family narrative, all in one chapter? Concepcion is his mom’s family name, and it’s the name that links the main characters in the story: from his grandparents and uncles, aunties to his cousins. the second-generation FilAm read more than 50 books, dozens of research papers, and hundreds of pages of primary source documents just to learn the ins and outs of the history he hoped to explore in the book. his initial plan was to complete all the research before he started writing, only to realize within a few months that the breadth of information he was gathering “was far too massive to digest all at once — plus, I was restless to start putting words to the scenes and ideas bouncing around in my head.” thus, he ended up writing one page, one section at a time. once he had all the elements he needed for one section, he would start to write and build up the chapter. he admits he initially struggled with the structure, braiding together two timelines. the first began with his grandmother Caridad’s arrival in the u.S. in 1978, the other that stretched back to his ancestors on pre-colonial Mindanao and chronicled the path that led to their family’s exodus from the Philippines. trying a bunch of different arThe author on how the book’s central message evolved: While I had abstract notions about the rangements and combinations, book’s central message, I couldn’t conceive or sharpen my points until I equipped myself with Samaha added the second-genknowledge I lacked. One of the most important ways the book evolved was in my fundamental eration experience, the lens that conception of its point of view: While I initially thought of this book primarily as an immigration he was looking into. he also optstory, I came to see that the ideas I was developing were products of my second generation ed for short chapters that quickly experience, and so I framed the history through that lens. jumped back and forth in time,
but that muddled the core ideas and felt like laying out a bunch of dots without enough lines connecting them. Eventually, it became clear to him, with help from many conversations with his editor Becky Saletan, that one of the central messages in the book is that “history ripples into perpetuity, the events of the past forever shaping the basic tenets of our reality.” “to show how past and present are linked, I decided to build longer chapters that paired a segment from each timeline under a shared theme — for instance, weaving the experiences of migrant Filipino workers in 1930s northern California with my cousin’s upbringing in 1990s Vallejo, California, to show how American definitions of race dictate opportunities,” he shared. “this structure posed its own challenges: how did the puzzle pieces best fit together, with chronology in order and the themes aligned? I’d print out early drafts and cut out sections with scissors so I could move the parts around on my living room floor until I eventually came to the arrangement that you see in the book.” Asked if there was a specific moment that inspired him to come up with the book, Samaha said that the inspiration accumulated over time. Looking back, he thinks he first gained a vague inkling that he wanted to better understand his family history when he visited his granduncle tomas in Italy in 2009 after former Philippine president Corazon Aquino died. he was in
college and writing about his role in the People Power revolution for a Filipino community newspaper in California. Even before that, however, he had been curious about his roots, that over the following years he began to ask his elders more questions about their respective migrations. “then one day in 2016, when I was back in the Bay Area visiting family and contemplating the struggles my elders faced, I was suddenly struck by the impulse to promote my curiosities into a specific project — to build the stories I was hearing into a single, cohesive narrative,” he said. As a journalist, he had exclusively been telling the stories of others, but deep within him he knew he had a story to tell as well. “the more I learned about my family’s history, the more I realized that it was so fascinating to me because I so rarely encountered books or shows or movies that presented experiences that reflected our own, even fewer exploring the second generation perspective I carried. that revelation convinced me that our story was worth sharing,” he added. he then embarked on this project with a question he didn’t know the answer to: “Were my elders’ immigrant sacrifices worth the price they paid?” he was deeply fascinated by his uncle Spanky rigor’s career as a rockstar and one of the founding members of the pioneering ‘70s disco band VSt & Company, and his choice to leave it all behind. rigor worked as a baggage handler at San Francisco International Airport for almost 30 years, since he immigrated to the u.S. from the Philippines. When Samaha last visited the Philippines in April 2017, he went with his mom, for an essay he wrote about President rodrigo Duterte later. his mom grew up in Manila, though her parents are from northern Mindanao. his dad is from Beirut and cur-
rently lives there. the couple met on an airplane. his mom was a flight attendant, his dad was a passenger. “they separated when I was young. I lived with my mom in California, but saw my dad at least once a year, and much more often in recent years. I grew up around my mom’s side, so culturally I felt full Filipinx growing up,” he told Asian Journal in an earlier interview. As a journalist, Samaha said he was accustomed to the struggle of finding critical sources and digging up enough puzzle pieces to stitch together a truthful story. this project posed an opposite challenge. “I had easy access to the relatives I was writing about and had no trouble compiling a vast trove of material, from interviews and recollections — but what to omit?” he asked. Certainly not the fact that Albert’s mother is ultra-religious and a trump supporter, or that she had to go through financial trouble years ago. Samaha shared that some relatives were more forthcoming than others. “My family, like a lot of Filipino families love to chismis, to talk and gossip about one another. I learned how to tell stories from my mom, from my family. We were always talking,” he said at a book reading in Brooklyn last week. “A lot of our friends, even some of our relatives don’t know some of the details revealed in the book.” his initial reaction when he saw the book for the first time? “Sheer joy, man. Just sheer joy. And relief. A big weight off the shoulders. And immense, personal pride.” “this project took me five years and has been on my mind for much longer. to see my family’s name there on the front of a hardcover — it brought me to tears and all I could think about was how excited I was to show my mom and aunties and uncles and cousins,” he said.
Yassi: No regrets over past sacrifices for love by Nathalie
tomada Philstar.com
YASSI Pressman is caught up in a “complicated” love story that requires sacrifice in the Philippine remake of the hit South Korean film More than Blue. In the romantic drama, Yassi is Cream, who is best friends and practically soulmates with K, played by JC Santos. Both orphans, they find a home in each other sans any romantic ties. however, when K discovers that his days are numbered due to terminal cancer, he keeps his condition a secret from Cream. And even though it breaks his heart, he pushes her to marry someone who can love and look after her when he’s gone. Premiering on Nov. 19 via Vivamax, the Philippine adaptation is written by Mel Mendoza del rosario and directed by Nuel Crisostomo Naval. “I read the script many times and every time, I cried. Every time, I feel what the character is feeling. I feel for the different characters as well. they share a love that is different, it’s very complicated and sometimes, if the love is complicated, it requires a lot of sacrifice, it’s more difficult,” Yassi said in a recent virtual interview.
“But at the end of the day, if you love a person, you love that person, and you will fight for that love. It doesn’t mean kelangan mo kunin. Pwede mo ibigay.” the actress can relate to her character in that she’s always trying to be happy. “Dun talaga ako naka-relate sa kanya na kahit anong pain, ayaw niya nararamdaman, and that can be a curse and a blessing. It could be a curse because you don’t want to deal with what’s in front of you. And sometimes, by not dealing with it, yung tatahakin mong daan magiging iba sa kung ano mangyayari kapag kinon-front mo yung problem or kung ano yung alam mong nakakasakit sa ‘yo,” she explained. Yassi recalled how in the past, she would be in painful situations where she wouldn’t process what she was feeling. Instead, she’d focus or imagine the “mabubuting moments, (like) oK na ‘to, masaya na ‘to, let’s keep it happy, walang problema, ‘wag na nating isipin. And that’s how Cream is,” she said. She also related how she had a lot of realizations after filming More than Blue, especially since it allowed her to access deepseated emotions to flesh out her character. She didn’t go into specifics, but Yassi’s father passed
away just before the pandemic in February 2020. “I went through a lot prepandemic and during the pandemic din. Marami akong mga sinara na box, na di ko akalain mabubuksan ko ulit agad para sa isang project. I opened a lot of emotions here from my real life so it was nice because after everything, siguro mas na-dissect ko yung mga real-life pains and struggles. And that’s always good when you recognize them (because) you get to deal with them better.” Since sacrifice is one of the themes in this film, Yassi was asked if she had made sacrifices in the name of love. “Marami rin po akong nagawa for love. Sobra po nga minsan, naiisip ko, masyado yata,” she admitted. “Kasi that’s time eh, time that you lose for your family, time that you lose for other opportunities, and lahat naman tayo, gusto nating may mapuntahan yung mga sacrifices from our past loves, kasi yun po yung iniisip natin na pang-forever…” She, however, wouldn’t regret any of these sacrifices. “hindi mo rin siya maisip na sayang because it brought you to a certain point in your life that could change your mindset or may lesson ka natutunan. So, for me, tiis
and sacrifices na yun ay worth the time.” Meanwhile, More than Blue marks Yassi’s acting return after her last tV show FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano and the 2018 romantic-comedy film Ang Pambansang third Wheel. For future roles, the actress dreams of doing action like in Angelina Jolie’s Salt, or any project that lets her perform, ala Zendaya in the hollywood film the Greatest Showman. overall, she appeared happy and content with the direction Viva is taking her career, which also includes hosting the tV5 game show rolling In It Philippines. She said in a separate presscon, “I’ve been with Viva for a very, very long time. I started with my management when I was 14 years old and I’m 26 now, and I’m still gonna be with them. It’s just been a great relationship because they’ve helped me grow into the actress or woman or performer that I am by giving me advice when I was way younger. And then now, I’m very happy with where I’m going and I’m excited to see where our relationship takes us.” Yassi also shared a “gratitude ritual” that keeps her going in her career. “Every morning, I
Yassi Pressman
do like a five-minute meditation kung saan iniisip ko na ano yung mga bagay na thankful ako. I feel like it’s been really good to clear my mental headspace. We can’t avoid thinking about our problems and what’s happening in the world right now… but if we try to think about the things that we are grateful for, it always makes us more hopeful for better things in the future. I always think about where I came from, and I look around and am thankful for the opportunities for me
Photo from Instagram/@yassipressman
to work hard and provide for my family.” While showbiz is her “bread and butter,” Yassi has started exploring her entrepreneurial skills with the mobile dog grooming service Presidential Paws, which opened this month the country’s first off-leash dog park in BGC with Pet Me. She has an oral hygiene company named Wavee and is into property investments, including one in Lake Scugog in ontario, Canada that’s listed on PAGE 10
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
Features
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 28 - NOVEmbER 3, 2021
9
Big Lou’s Donuts clinches multiple multimillion-dollar Australia-wide supply contracts, including with Metcash, FoodWorks and Foodland THE Australian-founded Big Lou’s Donuts, which specializes in producing a wide range of commercial donuts for retail, wholesale, events and corporate markets since 2008, recently sealed several deals with national wholesale distribution heavyweights, including Metcash, FoodWorks and Foodland. The new supply contracts are poised to more than double the company’s current annual revAlden Richards will always be grateful to GMA for believing in him. enue of approximately US$2.5M. Photo from Instagram/@aldenrichards02 An estimated US$1.3M alone will come from the contract with wholesale distribution and marketing company, Metcash, while an estimated US$0.75M will be Richards shared at his contract by Christina alpad signing held in Edsa Shangri-La, from the contracts with AustraManilaTimes.net lian supermarket chains, FoodManila. “I’d like to celebrate this kasi Works and Foodland. IN the last ten decades, Alden Richards has slowly but surely every year na nadagdag sa taon threaded a path laden with local ko with GMA is a milestone for and international recognitions, me and it made me feel that I am box-office hits, top-rating series, in the right place. Isang malakand chart-topping albums. Along ing karangalan po talaga magthe way, he has also earned the ing parte ng GMA for 10 years. trust of his audience and brands, Here’s to another 10 years and making him an effective endorser I’m really looking forward to not only for products and services more beautiful projects and opportunities with the Kapuso netbut also causes and advocacies. With all of these, the Kapuso work,” he added. Showing their equal love for actor has proven worthy of his title as “Asia’s Multimedia Star.” their prized talent, top GMA But as many of his loyal fans executives were in full force at know, this superstardom didn’t Richards’ special day — be it via Zoom, physical, video messages, come overnight. Richards had to patiently wait and their presence at Edsa Shanfor his big break in GMA 7, which gri-La Hotel. Also in attendance was Domibecame more evident in 2015 when the noontime show “Eat nic Zapata, Richards’ director in Bulaga” gave birth to the phe- his current prime time show, “The World Between Us” (TWBU). nomenal love team “AlDub.” Last June, “Alden’s Reality: The From there, he wisely used his newfound popularity to Virtual Reality Concert” earned showcase his acting prowess a finalist slot at the prestigious — which had undoubtedly been 2021 New York Festivals (NYF) there even before his love team “World’s Best TV and Films” became a household name — Competition. On top of being a trusted and took on more challenging brand ambassador, Richards has roles. And it surely all paid off with been recognized as one of the 10 the young actor still maintaining Most Influential Celebrities of the Decade at the 10th EdukCircle his stature all on his own. Despite the many achieve- Awards. He was recently given “Movie ments credited to his name, Richards would always go back Actor of the Year” at the recently to his home network. As such, it held 36th Star Awards for Movwas with pride and gratitude that ies by the Philippine Movie Press one of today’s most loved actors Club (PMPC). Richards is currently gearrenewed his exclusive contract ing up for the return of TWBU with GMA Network. “I’m a homegrown Kapuso on November 15. Fans are also at isa yun sa pinagmamalaki ko looking forward to his exciting because my dreams came true movie team up with fellow Kasa tulong ng GMA. It’s an honor puso actress Bea Alonzo, which to be part of people’s lives and the actor assured will definitely I get to do it because of GMA,” take place.
Alden shares his secret to success
The remaining extra revenue is to be generated through the supply of commercial donuts to retail stores in petrol service stations, such as Caltex, BP and APCO, as well as food trucks across Australia, including 40 vans in New South Wales via Munch Express and a potential 140 trucks in five states via Tasty Trucks. The contracts were clinched following the new ownership of Big Lou’s Donuts by Smokefree Innotec (SFIO), an asset management company that now also owns the New Zealandbased Epiphany Café Franchise Group. Both donut brands look to increase their market share in Australia. Commercial donuts produced by Big Lou’s Donuts
are ideal for groceries and supermarkets while Epiphany Café’s pillow-soft donuts are more suited for the upper market that entails cafés and restaurants. “We plan to expedite the expansion plan of Epiphany Café in Australia by utilizing Big Lou’s Donuts as the central commissary to supply all Epiphany Café outlets in Australia. This is made possible by our Smart Freeze Technology, a frozen technology that prolongs the product shelf-life up to six months while maintaining the quality of pillowsoft donuts and premium cakes. Also, Big Lou’s Donuts’ factory is able to produce more than 9,000 donuts per hour. Such productivity is sure to make our products more competitive in the mar-
ket,” says Jeths Lacson, CEO and Chairman of SFIO. Another feature that will set Big Lou’s Donuts apart is its own proprietary vegan donut formulation, which maintains a donut’s light and fluffy textures despite the lack of dairy and egg. The vegan donut will also include a vegan chocolate hazelnut spread custom made by Big Lou’s Donuts. The unique formulation took nearly 12 months to develop and the vegan donuts were recently launched on 27 September 2021 at Coles Supermarkets, an existing distributor of Big Lou’s Donuts. Visit the official SFIO website (http://www.starfleetinnotech. com) to find out more. (Advertising Supplement)
10
OctOber 28 - NOvember 3, 2021 • LAS veGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL
Features Health @Heart
Top corporate income tax rate Biden tax plan series
Tax Tips
result in a combined average top corporate tax rate of 29.53%t - higher than the 23.51 average among industrialized countries. Victor Sy, The combined top corporate tax MBA, cPA (retired) rate would be higher than in most other country in the industrialized wE have been concerned about world. President Biden’s proposal to Current tax law: raise the federal corporate income • Current corporate top income tax rate from 21% to 28%. law- tax rate is 21%. makers have suggested raising Proposed tax changes: the rate to 25%. including state • The corporate top income tax corporate taxes, a 25% federal rate would be raised to 28%. corporate income tax rate would ***
Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV – Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation. *** He retired after 50 years of defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He published a book on “How to Avoid or Survive IRS Audits” that’s available at Amazon. Readers may email tax questions to vicsy@live.com.
McDonald’s® USA unveils first-ever NFT to celebrate 40th anniversary of the McRib Limited-edition digital collectibles featuring the iconic sandwich will be given away to select fans beginning Nov. 1, as the McRib returns to participating restaurants nationwide CHiCAgo — McRib season is almost here, and no one is more excited than the McRib superfans that eagerly anticipate its return to McDonald’s menu each year. From sliding into our DM’s asking “when is the McRib coming back?” to creating a locator tool where fellow fans can report McRib sightings, they’ve proven their love for this delicious, yet elusive sandwich. And now, we’re giving them the chance to enjoy it year-round... digitally. For the first time in the U.S., McDonald’s is creating a limited number of nFTs in celebration of the McRib’s 40th anniversary. For those new to the world of nFTs (like us), they are non-fungible tokens – unique pieces of virtual art that can’t be duplicated. our McRib nFTs are digital versions of the fan favorite sandwich – almost as saucy as the McRib itself – and we’re giving them away to a few lucky fans on Twitter beginning nov. 1. Here’s how it works – to enter for a chance to win, make sure you’re following @McDonalds on Twitter and retweet the Sweepstakes invitation tweet any time between nov. 1 through nov. 7 from your public account. By nov. 12 we’ll select 10 fans who will receive the exclusive McRib nFT to add to their personal collection and enjoy even when it’s
not on the menu. with the McRib nFT, you’ll never again have to say goodbye to the sandwich you love. whether you score one or not, be sure to treat yourself to the legendary tangy BBQ flavor of the McRib iRl once it hits participating restaurants nationwide beginning nov. 1 for a limited time. McDonald’s USA, llC, serves
a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to nearly 25 million customers every day. ninety-five percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook. www.facebook.com/ mcdonalds. (Advertising Supplement)
BB gives advice to niece Kylie, Aljur by Jan
Milo Severo Philstar.com
loS Angeles-based model BB gandanghari gave her reaction on the breakup issue involving her niece Kylie Padilla and Aljur Abrenica. in her instagram account, BB was asked by her fans during a live session what’s her reaction to the issue. “Matagal na silang hiwalay. That’s what i know,” BB said. when asked what’s her reaction to Aljur’s post saying Kylie was the first one to cheat, BB refused to answer the question. “That, hindi na ako pwede makialam. Hindi ko na alam iyan. Hindi naman ako nagtatanong,” BB said. BB, who also separated with wife Carmina Villaroel when she was still Rustom Padilla, said that separation is not a joke. “Ang paghihiwalay, galing tayo diyan ‘di ba? Ang paghihiwalay is not a joke. it’s not a career move or something para mapag-usapan ka. Masakit ‘yan,” BB said. She then advised Kylie and Aljur to keep their marital problems private. “Try to keep your dirty linens in the washroom. Try to keep things private as much as possible kasi may mga anak kayo. As of now, i think you’re not the priorities — the parents. i think what you need BB Gandanghari Photo from Instagram/@gandangharibb to think about now are the children,” BB said.
Michelle comforts her inner child with letter-to-self by alex
BroSaS Philstar.com
ACTRESS and fitness coach Michelle Madrigal looked back at her young self through a self-addressed letter which touched on the value of letting go, being real and self love. Madrigal recalled how fearful and hurt she was as a young child, as per her instagram post yesterday, oct. 26, where she shared throwback photos of herself. “i know that you’re scared. i know that you have gone through some painful experiences growing up,” she told herself. “it’s time to let your guard down now, you no longer need to be hurting anymore. You don’t need to be triggered by every single thing.” Madrigal noted that there are good people who want the best
for her, people who she doesn’t need to please so she’d be accepted by them. “You are allowed to set boundaries,” she said. “Everything you need and want in life is within you.” She also stressed how important it is to “forgive and let go of those who hurt you.” ou are allowed to break free from your old thinking patterns. You are safe now. You are loved. You are amazing. You are an inspiration,” she added. Madrigal has been busy in her ventures on health and fitness, joining physical fitness contests like the global search for Ms. Health & Fitness in the United States. She has also participated in a fitness competition, Hyrox America, in Austin, Texas where she placed fifth in Michelle Madrigal her age group. Photo from Instagram/@mitch_madrigal
Yassi: No regrets over past sacrifices... PAGE 8 AirBnB. Her businesses are also reasons why she’s been traveling to the U.S. these past few months. Speaking of her US trips, The STAR had asked Yassi about her connection to nBA superstar Damian lillard, who through Yassi made a donation to the Philippine general Hospital (PgH) after it caught fire in June. “Matagal na po kaming magkaibigan ni (Damian). i called him nung nalaman ko po ang nang-
yari sa PgH, dahil alam ko po isa siya sa mga taong tumutulong sa lahat po ng mga charities. in fact, when i called him for PgH, sinabi ko lang, ‘Hi Dame, there was a fire, i want to help them, you wanna help?’ And he said yes, no problem, anytime. Then and there, nagbigay po siya.” She finally met the Portland Trail Blazers star player in los Angeles last July. “Finally, nagmeet na po kami in person in l.A. and we had lunch together and spent time. it was really nice
because sobrang bait niya po. He’s exactly who he is on TV, ganun na ganun. napaka-humble, nakaupo lang sa hotel lobby, parang regular, normal and very, very down-to-earth (guy). “gusto niya po pumunta (sa Philippines). Dapat po pupunta sila after Japan (Tokyo olympics) but they will have to fly together, kaya sabi ko, you should come back. nakapunta na po daw siya dito… before. He loves the Philippines and he wants to come back.”
PhiliP S. chuA, Md, FAcS, FPcS Following our series of articles on CoViD-19 the past few weeks, we have received more than two dozen questions from our readers. we have integrated them in this Q&A: Are the vaccines safe for those pregnant? Yes, the CoViD-19 vaccines are safe for pregnant mothers, proven by the millions of shots administered to women in the various stages of pregnancy. The FDA strongly recommends the vaccines for those who are pregnant to prevent pre-term abortion/miscarriages and death of fetus in the womb. Does the vaccine alter the DNA? This is a myth propagated in the social media. The vaccine does not alter the DnA, does not have a virus in it, does not cause CoViD-19 or Alzheimer’s, does not have a micro-chip in it, does not change a person’s blood type, and does not cause infertility or cancer or any other disease among healthy individuals. How effective are the vaccines for kids? Pfizer, for one, reported its new “lower-dose CoViD-19 vaccine showed 90.7% efficacy (95% Ci 67.7-98.3) against symptomatic infection for kids ages 5 to 11. The FDA is releasing its final approval of this vaccines for this age group. Children eligible to get the vaccines should get it to be safe. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there were 130,000 new CoViD-19 cases among kids for the week ending october 14, 2021, alone. The cases among children are on the rise and so with hospitalization. The stupid mandate against masked by iowa governor Kim Reynolds and the dangerous medically-baseless ideas of other arrogant leaders like her have obviously contributed to the gravity of the pandemic across the nation. it is one thing to mandate in favor of a protective strategy; it is another to mandate against one and endanger people. Are they epidemiologists? These politicians could be challenged in court and held liable for their words and actions. why don’t they follow the federal guidelines? Any new ingredient in the Booster? no, the ingredient in the Booster shot is the same as the first two shots. So, individuals who had any brand of the two shots and did not develop any complications will also most likely not have any untoward reaction to the Booster, which is not a new formulation. The booster is specially beneficial for those
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
Your COVID-19 queries who are at high risk, those immunocompromised, and those who have co-morbidities (high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, CoPD, asthma, etc.). What if I skip the Booster? The immunity/protection (antibody titer) following the first two shots of any brand of CoViD-19 vaccines wanes after 6 months (the titer goes down to around 60 percent or so from the 90-95 percent titer level conferred by the vaccines), so the immunity is reduced by about 40 percent. This figure represents the risk after 6 months. getting the Booster will raise the antibody titer (protective immunity) back up to 95.6 percent or higher. This is the right way to go, even for children. Discuss your concerns with your physician. What is mix-and-match? Clinical studies have shown the safety and efficacy of giving one brand of the CoViD-19 vaccines for the first shot (example: Pfizer’s) and a different brand (Moderna’s) for the second shot. The same thing with the Booster: if one had Pfizer or Moderna for the first 2 shots, the booster shot could be either of the two. if equally available, take the same brand for the second shot or for Booster. if not, mix and match is similarly safe and effective. How long do I stay test-negative? After testing negative for CoViD-19, a person remains negative as long as he/she does not get exposed to, or actually get the SARS-CoV2 virus form people who have the virus (even if they do not have symptoms). A negative test in the morning could turn positive when tested the same afternoon or the following day if the individual does not wear facemask and does not do social distancing and get exposed to infected persons. The risk of negative turning into positive is at least ten times higher among the unvaccinated, unprotected. Is natural immunity better? no, natural immunity is not as protective, not as stable, and not as long-lasting as the immunity from the vaccines. natural immunity will not be sufficient to protect people from getting CoViD-19 (again). Many unvaccinated individuals who have died from CoViD-19, did not survive to benefit from natural. The best strategy is to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Did the court rule on a vaccine-mandate? Yes, according to the wall Street Journal, ”in nearly every instance, CoViD vaccine mandates are holding up in court,” just like the federal mandate requiring all children to have the required vaccinations before enrollment which has held up for decades and protected billions of children around the world. Medically speaking, only a prompt federal vaccine mandate for all
eligible persons will end this pandemic in the United States sooner than later. The body of the unvaccinated acts as a host and becomes a reservoir-factory of the virus, where it replicates and mutates to a deadlier strain, which will exponentially spread to millions more and prolong this pandemic. without a host, the virus self-destruct. Is there a pill for COVID-19? while hundreds of potential oral medications to prevent or treat CoViD-19 are undergoing clinical trials, Merck’s CoViD19-antiviral pill is the only one so far scheduled to be reviewed and scrutinized by the US-FDA on november 30, 2021. Are you against the freedom of choice? no, i am not against civil rights or personal liberty to choose, as long as the choice does not cause harm or kill other people. let me echo my rhetorical questions to clarify my sentiment about freedom of choice: Does a driver of a school bus full of children have the right to choose to drive the bus over a cliff because he does not want to live anymore? would you allow people who have active tuberculosis or any deadly infectious disease, who refuse treatment (as their constitutional right) to spread the disease and kill thousand others? would a federal mandate to compel these persons (like those who refuse the CoViD-19 vaccines) to get the shots to protect them and the general public not be justified? Sadly, the abuse of freedom, political correctness, and cancel culture today are standing in the way of safe public health. i strongly believe national societal interest and safety must always prevail over individual civil rights, especially in a pandemic which has so far killed more than ¾ of a million around the world. King Solomon must be turning in his grave. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and antigraft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
Maine names her worst critic by allan
PolicarPio Inquirer.net
BECAUSE she’s her “own worst critic,” Maine Mendoza still gets shy and awkward when her costars shower her with praise about her growth as a performer. “i still don’t know how to react because we’re our own worst critic, and we sometimes feel that what we’re giving is not enough in the things we do,” Maine said in reaction to her “Daddy’s gurl” costar Vic Sotto describing her as a “natural talent” who has “evolved into a better actress and host.” in fact, she still gets nervous when doing scenes with Vic, even if the latter works from home and shoots through online means. “i don’t think that will ever go away and it’s not his fault i find him intimidating,” she said. “He just has that kind of charm … you become unsure of how to act with him.” Improvement “But i’m happy that there are people there who appreciate what i do,” the 26-year-old star said in a recent Zoom conference for the said weekly sitcom, which is now in its third year. whatever improvement the viewers see in her, she credits to her longtime colleagues. “whatever i’m able to deliver now or the growth people see, i have Bossing and my ‘Eat Bulaga!’ Dabarkads to thank for that. They’re the reason why i’m here. They all bring out the best in me,” she said. in “Daddy’s gurl,” which airs Saturday evenings, Maine plays the city girl and “pa-sosyal unica hija,” Stacy. when her mother dies, her father Barak (Vic) in the province moves in with her in a plush condo unit. And now, they must deal with each other’s contrasting lifestyles. She attributed the show’s continued success to the rapport of the cast members. “we all get along off-cam so people see that
Maine Mendoza
on television, too. our relationship with each other comes natural and it looks natural,” Maine said, adding that playing Stacy has been a learning experience as well. “Prioritize your family. Always think of the consequences of your decisions and ask your family for guidance. Don’t just make big and risky decisions on impulse. That’s what Stacy is like and sometimes she ends up in bad situations,” related Maine, who feels blessed that her real father trusts her. “Even if he’s quiet, i know he’s keeping a watchful eye. He trusts us to handle our own lives or make the right decisions. But if they notice that something’s wrong, he’s there,” she said. one thing to look forward to in the upcoming episodes, director Chris Martinez said, is that Stacy will finally meet her first love interest. “we’re working on it. we held auditions and we have already chosen someone. Magkaka-boyfriend na si Stacy. That’s
Photo from Instagram/@mainedcm
coming up,” she said, adding that the actor who got the role is a relative newbie. Despite the pandemic, Maine stayed booked and busy. Aside from “Eat Bulaga!” and “Daddy’s gurl,” she also hosts the TV5 talent search “PoPinoy,” the Cignal TV travel show “Maine goals.” And on top of those are various endorsements and show biz commitments. it can be taxing, Maine admitted. But she chooses to be thankful instead. “Sometimes it’s tiring. But you have to value the jobs you get instead of thinking about how mentally or physically draining they are. i try to make the most out of the opportunities i get,” she said. with the help of her handlers, Maine said she still manages to maintain work-life balance despite her busy schedule. “Kinakaya pa naman. it’s all about time management and mind-set. i don’t want to get burned out. But at the end of the day, i’m grateful for the blessings in the middle of a pandemic,” she added.
Features
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 28 - NOVEmbER 3, 2021
11
City of Las Vegas announces new art exhibitions at City Hall
The boys of SB19 Sejun, Stell, Josh, Ken and Justin
Photo from Instagram/@officialsb19
SB19 nominated at MTV Europe Music Awards By roSSane
raMoS Philstar.com
PINOY pop boy band SB19 has been nominated for Best Southeast Asia Act at this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards. The boys of SB19 Sejun, Stell, Josh, Ken and Justin are nominated alongside Ink Waruntorn (Thailand), JJ Lin (Singapore), K-ICM (Vietnam), Lyodra (Indonesia) and Naim Daniel (Malaysia). This is not the first time for homegrown talent to represent
the country at the awards show. Just last year folk-pop rock band Ben&Ben was nominated under the same category. The 2021 MTV EMAs will take place in Hungary and will broadcast live on MTV channels in 180 countries on Nov. 15. Other nominees for the awards show include BTS, LISA, Monsta X, NCT 127, ROSÉ and TWICE for Best K-Pop. American singer-songwriter Justin Bieber leads the 2021 MTV EMAs with nominations for the categories Best Artist, Best Pop,
Best Song, Best Video and Best Collaboration. Fans can now cast their votes for their idols at mtvema.com. The voting period will end on Nov. 10. MTV is also featuring P-pop groups BGYO and BINI for the MTV Asia Spotlight series for the months of October and November, where they will give exclusive performances and play variety show games. It will also be premiering an MTV Asks video (where fans submit questions for stars) with the EMA nominees SB19 soon on MTV Asia social media.
Carla, Tom get married in style KAPUSO sweethearts Tom Rodriguez and Carla Abellana tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony in San Juan, Batangas last Saturday. “Mr. and Mrs. Mott,” Carla posted on Instagram. “Flex ko lang na ikinasal ako kagabi sa isang napakagandang binibini. Officially, nabakuran ko na sa wakas!” Tom added on Instagram. Carla was stunning in a pristine white lace embroidered dress by New York-based, FilipinoAmerican designer Monique Lhuillier, while Tom was dapper in an all-black suit by internationallyacclaimed Filipino designer Francis Libiran. The star-studded wedding included their celebrity friends Christian Bautista, Valeen Montenegro, Iya Villania, Rafael Rosell, and of course, Carla’s dad Rey “PJ” Abellana, among others. Early this week, the pair shared a nostalgic prenup video and photos that went viral. The two dated for seven years and got engaged last October 2020. Born in Subic Naval Base in Zambales to a Filipina mom and an American serviceman dad, Tom, whose real name is Bartolome Alberto Mott, migrated to the US with his family when he was 12. He lived in Arizona, then to San Francisco, where he took up Digital Animation. Carla Angeline Reyes Abellana, meanwhile, was
THREE new art exhibitions are now open to the public at Las Vegas City Hall, 495 S. Main St. Galleries are open MondayThursday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. An opportunity to meet the artists of the Grand Gallery ceramic exhibition will be available at a free reception Monday, Nov. 15, from 5 to 7 p.m. Masks are mandatory at all times inside city of Las Vegas facilities until further notice. “The Extended Family Dinner” Guest curator Peter Jakubowski of Clay Arts Vegas Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., through Feb. 22, 2022 Artists’ Reception Monday, Nov. 15, 5 to 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. Las Vegas City Hall Grand Gallery, 495 S. Main St., first-floor lobby. For this exhibition, 24 ceramic artists from across Southern Nevada were commissioned to create dinner place settings. The artist are Lorraine Blume, Maya Pudi, Margaret DeYoung, Amy Joiner, Peter Jakubowski, Roianne Byrd, Jacqui Short, Sarah Khan, Andi Goodman, Thelma Davis, Betty Newberry, Leslie Shurmer, Jennifer Mitchell, Thom Bumblauskas, Rhonda Anderson, Christal Cardinali, Cathye Baldonado, Julie Hopkins, Chuck Arnett, Beth Macleod, Johannes Bernau, Courtney Broussard, Judy Smith and Cyndi Maloney. “Over the past 20 months, we have all become acutely aware how much time together means. This installation has made us reflect on the importance of
coming together – whether for school, sports, church functions, a pottery class, or dinner with friends. All of these things have a new-found importance.” – Peter Jakubowski “A Passionate Life: Public Employees Art Exhibition” Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., through Jan. 13, 2022 Free and open to the public. Las Vegas City Hall Chamber Gallery, 495 S. Main St., second floor. Every year the city of Las Vegas presents an exhibition of artwork created by Nevada public employees. This year, participants were asked to submit artwork that conveys their passions outside of their work in public service. It is our pleasure to showcase the artistic accomplishments and exceptional talent of our state and local government workers. This exhibition opportunity was given to all city, county and State of Nevada employees. This exhibit shows residents and visitors of Nevada our strong commitment to the arts and features the artwork of: Linda Shaffer, David Seidner, Chanel Smith, Matt Kozanecke, Sapira Cheuk, David Wignall, Jamie Zepeda, Julie Meyers, Janna Hudson, Richard Saladino, Robin Stark, Cathy Razor, Georgia Stergios, Steve Horlock, Diane S. Pink, Kevin C. Buckley, Chris Tsouras, Julie Okabayashi, Jeanne Voltura, Karen Buford and Kim Cochrane. Windows on First: “Fading Light/Shifting Landscapes” An installation by Megan Berner through April 15, 2022.
Free and open to the public in the First Street windows of City Hall. The exhibit is a series of digitally printed fabric pieces made from images using photographic transfers and cyanotypes* of Nevada desert and Arctic landscapes. The artist explores the way landscape shifts in the changing light over time with an interest in liminal spaces, both internal and external. Originally from the high desert, Megan Berner is a visual artist living and working in Reno, Nevada. Berner works with digital and experimental techniques, such as instant film, digital transfers and cyanotypes. Her work is greatly influenced by the landscape of her native Nevada home as well as the vast prairies of the Midwest. She creates site-specific installations that incorporate video and sound and constructs performative scenes that ultimately exist as photographs. Megan’s work has been shown nationally and internationally and is part of multiple collections including the Center for Art and Environment at the Nevada Museum of Art, University of Arizona Art Museum, the University of Iowa Special Collections and Southern Graphics Council International Archive. More information on the artist is available at www.meganberner. com. *The cyanotype is a photographic printing process discovered in 1842 that produces blue prints using chemically coated paper and light.
LJ says ex Paulo reached out after breakup with Paolo by Jan
Milo Severo Philstar.com
KAPUSO actress LJ Reyes revealed that her old flame Paulo Avelino reached out to her upon learning that she had troubles with her last partner, actor Paolo Contis. In her new interview with Boy Abunda in his YouTube channel The Interviewer, uploaded yesterday, LJ bared that Paulo reached Carla Abellana and Tom Rodriguez out to her, assuring her that the Photo from Instagram/@teampatdy actor will support her and their born in Manila by dad, actor Rey “PJ,” and mom, son Aki. “Nagsabi lang siya na ‘I know Rea Reyes. She was the grandchild of veteran actress Delia Razon. She graduated cum laude with a you are going through a very difBachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from De La ficult time.’ Syempre ang iniisip niya rin si Aki. And if anything daw Salle University. (Philstar.com)
that I need, when it comes to Aki, I can always tell him,” she said. She also said that Avelino is from Baguio. “Paulo is from Baguio. May family du’n si Aki. Pupunta talaga kami du’n,” she said. In the same interview, LJ said she’s thankful for her family for always supporting her in these trying times. “Sila ‘yung nagsasabi na relax ka lang diyan. Enjoy. Do what you want to do. Kung kailangan mo ng time for yourself, you can do that. Iba talaga ‘pag sinabi ng nanay mo na ‘Sa akin ka muna.’ Alam mong ‘di ka ilalaglag. ‘Di ka bibitawan kahit anong mangyari,” LJ Reyes she said.
Photo from Instagram/@lj_reyes
12
october 28-november 3, 2021 • LAS veGAS ASIAn JoUrnAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678