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Volume 31 - No. 44 • 12 Pages
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As precincts still report, Filipino American DATELINE USA ACDC holds open candidates battle in key local, state races enrollment, food FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
distribution event in Chinatown LAS Vegas community organizations and leaders are urging Nevada’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community to participate in the latest open enrollment period under Nevada Health Link, the state’s online health insurance marketplace. The enrollment period, operated by the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange, began on Sunday, November 1, and will run until January 15, 2021. As the pandemic continues, the need for health care coverage has been amplified more than ever. On the online marketplace, Nevadans can compare among five insurance carriers and purchase options for health, dental and vision plans. Nevadans who don’t qualify for Medicare or Medicaid or don’t have employer-sponsored health insurance or are looking for affordable plans are encouraged to enroll.
LGBTQ Fil-Ams make strides in electoral politics, reporting historic outcomes in era of diverse leadership by KLARIZE
MEDENILLA AJPress
THOUGH all eyes are on the contentious presidential race that continues to be too close to call, several statewide and local races have already been officially counted, giving voters a clearer picture of how diverse candidates fared in one of the most cru-
cial elections in American history. As of press time, results in many precincts across the country have not been called due to expected delays in counting ballots, but some races involving Filipino American candidates have been counted. As reported in the Asian Journal last week, a record number of Filipino American candidates ran for office this election, signaling a push for diversity in
by CHRISTINA
FIRED UP. Several Filipino Americans for Biden-Harris attend an Election Day rally with Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (center) and Rep. Dina Titus (not pictured) organized by SEIU, a union representing health care and public service workers, in Las Vegas on Tuesday, November 3. Photo courtesy of Gloria Caoile
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA
AJPress
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte MalacanÐang photo by Simeon Celi
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday, November 4, urged airlines not to allow foreign nationals bound for the Philippines without the appropriate visas. According to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, the bureau received reports of foreigners who were turned back at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for not having visas. The incident also occurred in the international airports in Mactan, Cebu and Clark, Pampanga.
WHILE the nation continues to wait for a result from the presidential election, several Filipino American voters in battleground states like Nevada and Pennsylvania are urging patience in the counting process and road to 270 electoral votes. As of Thursday, November 5 — two days after Election Day — Democratic nominee Joe Biden leads with 72,649,061 votes (50.4%) and 264 electoral votes, while President Donald Trump trails behind with 69,079,009 votes (47.9%) and 214 electoral votes, according to the Associated Press. Several key states, such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina and Nevada, continue to be too early to call for either candidate, as of press time. So far, Biden already surpassed Barack Obama’s 2008 record for the most votes received in a presidential election. “I know that everyone wants to see the final results, but we must remain patient. It is paramount that every
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Palace: Duterte can work with any US president PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte can work with his counterpart in the United States regardless of who wins the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Malacañang maintained. “Kahit sino po ang manalo, wala pong problema ang ating Presidente (It does not matter who win. It won’t be a problem for our President),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque reiterated on Thursday, November 5. “We can work with any president because we have had a long
Int’l airlines urged not to board Typhoon Goni deaths climb to 25 travelers to PH without visas by RITCHEL
M. ORIEL
AJPress
Bay Area Fil-Am family in search of donor for baby with leukemia
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Fil-Am voters in Nevada, Pennsylvania urge patience in electoral process
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A BAY Area Filipino American family is in need of a bone marrow or stem cell donor for their 9-month-old infant. The baby, AJ, has been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of leukemia. Doctors say that for a full cure, he would need a donor. “AJ has finished his first round of chemotherapy,” said Eric, AJ’s father. “We are waiting for his body to recover from the treatment before the next round begins. We’ve been told that subsequent rounds of chemotherapy only get harder.” Siblings would be the best donor match, but AJ is an only child. Extended family members have offered to step up, but they are no more likely to match than a stranger, according to the Asian American Donor Program. Matching is based on one’s human leukocyte antigen (HLA) tissue type and matches are closely based on a patient’s ethnicity. Now, the family is taking their search nationwide, encouraging Filipino Americans or anyone with Filipino heritage to register as a potential stem cell donor.
American leadership across all offices. In San Diego, Filipino American mayoral candidate Todd Gloria — a current California state assemblymember — took an early lead in a race that, as of press time, is still close as the votes are still being tallied. As of early Wednesday morning, Gloria — who
Morente stressed that airlines are responsible for ensuring that the foreign nationals travelling to the Philippines have proper visas as the companies would bear the inconvenience if they would have to be sent back. “Apart from shouldering the cost of returning these aliens to their port or origin, it is also the responsibility of the airlines to defray the expenses of their accommodation at the airport while awaiting their return flights,” he added. Morente also urged airlines to keep themselves updated on the latest policies on international
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THE fatalities caused by Super Typhoon Goni (local name: Rolly) have risen to 25, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday, November 4. The breakdown of casualties were: 21 from Bicol, three from Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and one from Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan). PNP Chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan also said 43 persons sustained injuries, 39 of which were from Bicol, and four from Calabarzon. He added that two people are
missing in Calabarzon, one in Mimaropa, and three in Bicol. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that a total of 2,083,222 individuals or 532,794 families were devastated by Rolly in Regions II, III, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and the National Capital Region. Of the figure, 142,475 families or 517,172 people are being assisted in evacuation centers. Response Malacañang said it sees no problem in realigning a portion of the proposed budget for the anticommunist task force to aid areas battered by Rolly as it is “within
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history of very close friendship with the United States,” he added. As of writing, former Vice President Joe Biden has received 264 electoral votes against U.S President Donald Trump’s 214. On Wednesday, November 4, Roque said the Philippines-U.S. bilateral relations will not see any major changes no matter the results of the election. “You see the (U.S.) State Department ensures continuity as far as U.S. foreign policy is concerned. So we don’t expect any major changes in bilateral relations between the Philippines and
the United States,” he told CNN Philippines’ “The Source.” He acknowledged the friendship between President Rodrigo Duterte and U.S. President Donald Trump, but expressed confidence that the president can foster friendly relations with Democratic challenger Joe Biden. “Of course, there is an issue of personal relations but I think given time the President can establish equally warm personal relations with whoever wins this election even [if] it’s not President Trump,” Roque said. “And even if there is a new
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In the aftermath of Typhoon “Rolly” in Bacacay town, Albay province, electrical poles were destroyed which caused roads to close on Monday, November 2. Inquirer.net photo by Mark Arvic Esplana
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Int’l airlines urged not to...
PAGE A1 travel from the Inter-Agency Task Force. Atty. Candy Tan, BI Port Operations Division chief, said they have constantly reminded airlines not to allow improperly documented foreigners. “We understand that sudden change in policy happens worldwide because of the pandemic. Borders keep on opening and closing, depending on the number
of COVID-19 cases,” she said. “Hence we are in close coordination with airlines to update them on the policies as directed by the IATF. We are thankful for their cooperation, it’s a difficult time for everyone, especially for the airline industry, and through their support we are able to implement these measures to avoid the surge of cases in the country,” she added. Tan also noted that most of the
From The FronT Page foreign nationals who were turned away are those who have Filipino spouses and children but do not possess any visa. “What they have in their possession are usually their marriage certificates and the birth certificates of their children,”she explained. Filipinos, their spouse and minor children, foreign children with special needs of Filipinos, foreign parent of minor Filipinos, and foreign parent of Filipino children with special needs are allowed to enter the Philippines. Foreigners with visas issued by the Bureau of Immigration pursuant to Executive Order No. 226, or the Omnibus Investments Code, as amended, and Republic Act. No. 8756; those with 47(a)(2) visas issued by the Department of Justice; and those visas issued by the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority are allowed to enter the country as well. Foreigners entering the country are required to have a pre-booked accredited quarantine facility before entering the country. They must also be subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry, and must follow applicable immigration laws, rules and regulations. n
Palace: Duterte can work with... PAGE A1 President, I am not saying that there will be, but in case there is a new President in the United States in the person of Senator Biden, I am confident that the President can also develop a close personal friendship with Mr. Biden. May the best man win as of now,” he added. Roque meanwhile hoped that the Philippines’ own presidential elections in 2020 would be as peaceful as the U.S.’s. “Ang obserbasyon ng Palasyo, sana po matutunan din nating magkaroon ng eleksyon na walang nasasaktan, walang namamatay (From what the Palace observed, we hope that we will learn how to have an election where no one dies or gets hurt),” he said. “Sana po sa eleksyon natin ganoon din — na mapayapa at mahinahon ang lahat (We hope we will have the same in our polls — peaceful and calm voters),” Roque added. n
As precincts still report, Filipino... PAGE A1 would be the first person of color and first openly gay mayor of San Diego (the second largest city in California) — holds a 56% lead over challenger Barbara Bry. “Tonight, San Diego, because of you, we are poised to make history,” Gloria, a Democrat, said hours after the polls closed on Tuesday night. “While there are still votes to be counted, I believe that tonight is a night to celebrate.” Elsewhere in California, firsttime candidate for the state assembly Godfrey Santos Plata narrowly lost his bid for District 53, garnering 43.4% (31,785 votes) of the vote to incumbent Miguel Santiago’s 56.5% (41,401). Both Plata and Santiago were running as Democrats. Plata, a progressive organizer and public education advocate, still hopes for a chance after the ballots have all been officially counted by the end of the month. “#LA is counting ballots until November 27th, but I am still [so] excited by these results, y’all. We are building so much power,” Plata tweeted on Tuesday night. Rep. Bobby Scott, the Democratic incumbent from Virginia’s 3rd congressional district, sailed to re-election with 67.6% of the votes against Republican challenger John Collick. “We have a lot of work to do in the weeks and months ahead to heal our nation, defeat this pandemic, provide additional economic support to working families, small businesses and schools, and rebuild our economy so that everyone can succeed,” Scott, whose maternal grandfather was of Filipino ancestry, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. In one of the most-watched races in the United States House of Representatives, Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones once again narrowly lost her bid for Texas’ 23rd congressional district. Republican Tony Gonzalez claimed victory in the vacant seat left by Rep. Will Hurd. Jones, a U.S. Army veteran who would’ve made history as the first openly gay woman of color in Congress, garnered 47% of the vote to Gonzales’ 51% in a district that is heavily Latinopopulated. “I want to thank each and every grassroots supporter, volunteer, and member of my staff who poured their heart into our campaign,” Jones wrote in a Twitter thread on Wednesday morning. “I am so proud of the race we ran,
Marvin Lim
Todd Gloria
Sean Reyes
Nikki Villavicencio
and it is our shared commitment to fighting for working families in South and West Texas that continues to give me hope.” Though she didn’t indicate whether or not she would run again, Jones (who is Filipina on her mother’s side) added that “I will always remain dedicated to serving our country and my community in any way I can. I hope TX-23 is represented with all of her constituents in mind, and in a way in which she deserves.” In another congressional race, Democratic incumbent Filipino American TJ Cox of California’s 21st District currently trails by three percentage points behind Republican challenger and former U.S. Rep. David Valadao. As of press time, only 71% of votes have been reported, according to the Associated Press. In Georgia, Filipino American civil rights attorney Marvin Lim, 35, made history by becoming the first Filipino American to win a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives in the state’s 99th District. Lim, who ran unopposed, becomes the sixth openly LGBTQ member of the state legislature. In Maplewood, Minnesota, a
city outside of Saint Paul, Nikki Villavicencio is likely to garner a seat on the city council. Villavicencio — a disability rights advocate and community organizer who was born with a rare condition called arthrogryposis — has garnered 28.6% of the vote with all precincts reporting. In Utah, the incumbent GOP state Attorney General Sean Reyes won re-election in a narrow race against the Democratic challenger Greg Skordas. Reyes has held the post since 2013, and he focused on sex predators, street drugs, school violence and youth suicide and cybercrime in his re-election campaign. “Regardless of party or ideology, our state and nation are stronger when more of us educate ourselves on candidates and issues and participate in elections. It is exciting to see,” Reyes said in a statement released on Tuesday night. “No matter the outcome, hopefully we can remember those things that unite us as Utahns and Americans. And when all the ballots are counted, I look forward to serving four more years as attorney general, protecting Utah and all who live in this great state.” n
Members of the Philippine Nurses Association of Nevada promote its masks and face shields project
ACDC holds open enrollment, food distribution...
PAGE A1 The Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) — a nonprofit, non-partisan organization providing a host of services for the AAPI community — held a drive-up food distribution and flu clinic at Las Vegas’ Chinatown Plaza on Sunday and to promote the open enrollment period. The organization has state-licensed health navigators who can speak in Tagalog and Visayan to help those find the best health plan. Through these events, hundreds of community members affected by the pandemic have received hot meals and groceries, from partners like Seafood City Supermarket, 99 Ranch Market, California Wholesale Produce and 168 Supermarket. Elected officials Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada), Rep. Susie Lee of the state’s 3rd congressional district, and Clark County
Sen. Jacky Rosen addresses attendees at the Asian Community Development Council’s food distribution event on Sunday, November 1 in Chinatown Plaza.
Commissioner Justin Jones were present on Sunday. “No one in Nevada should have to struggle to eat and put food on the table or make those choices between medication or rent or food,” Rosen said. With flu season approaching,
Rep. Susie Lee joins the meal and grocery distribution led by the Asian Community Development Council on Sunday, November 1.
Rep. Susie Lee encourages community members to get a flu shot. AJPress photos by Robert Macabagdal
a free flu shot clinic was also offered. “This pandemic is now going through another peak across the country and now more than ever, as important as it is for all of us to wear a mask and social distance, make sure you get a flu shot because we don’t want to overwhelm our health care system when we don’t need to,” Lee said. Through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, ACDC received a $1 million grant to continue its family-based programs. The organization previously held meal distribution and early voting events ahead of the Nov. 3 election. ACDC is also running a direct cash assistance program that provides eligible households not receiving federal aid with a onetime, first come first serve assistance of $300. (AJPress)
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Filipino World War II veteran receives Congressional Fil-Am voters in Nevada, Pennsylvania urge... Gold Medal at Bayanihan Equity Center in SF Filipino World War ii Veteran Venancio Espinosa recently received a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor, during a private ceremony in San Francisco. The presentation ceremony for the 93-year-old veteran was organized by the Bayanihan Equity Center (BEC), a non-profit organization originally founded in 1999 as the Veterans Equity Center, and the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education project (FilVetREp). The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest award bestowed by the United States Congress to express national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. in 2016, presi- dent obama signed into law the Filipino Veterans of World War ii Congressional Gold Medal Act (public law 114-265), and collectively awarded over 260,000 Filipino Veterans of World War ii with the Congressional Gold Medal on october 25, 2017. At 19 years old, Espinosa responded to president Roosevelt’s call-to-duty, and fought under the
Filipino World War II Veteran Venancio Espinosa received a Congressional Gold Medal during a ceremony at the Bayanihan Equity Center in San Francisco. Contributed photo
American flag against the imperial Forces of Japan during World War ii. private First Class (pFC) Espinosa valiantly served in the infantry Regiment of the United States Army for three years as an infantryman and Administrative Technician Supervisor. on the third anniversary of the first Congressional Gold Medal award ceremony held in Wash- ington, D.C., and on Filipino American History Month (FAHM), pFC Espinosa was presented by Col
PAGE A1 vote is counted. We must remain committed to our democratic process and fight back against the misinformation that is being spread about voter fraud. We held a free and fair election, and the results will dictate the will of the people,” Dan Santos, chair of the state’s Asian American and pacific islander Democratic Caucus, told the Asian Journal. The Silver State, which has six electoral votes up for grabs, said it will continue to count mail-in ballots through the end of the week. “Mail ballots on this scale is new to the state of nevada. our process has run a bit slower as a result,” Clark County Registrar of Voters Joe Gloria said in a press conference on Thursday. The county had some 51,000 ballots to count on Thursday and would release the results the next day. The former vice president leads in the state with 49.4% of the vote (604, 251 votes), while
(Ret) Don Bautista with a bronze replica of the Congressional Gold Medal in a private award ceremony. “We are delighted to present the Congressional Gold Medal to Mr. Espinosa to express our gratitude for his valor and the sacrifice he made in defense of the philippines and the United States during the Second World War,” said BEC Executive Director luisa M. Antonio and California Regional Director of the FilVetREp. (AJPress) PAGE A1 mandate” of the national Task Force to End local Communist Armed Conflict’s (nTF-ElCAC). “i think that’s the objective of the ElCAC... to promote development in areas with ongoing “For us in the frontlines, this is a insurgencies because we know delicate balancing act between the that poverty is still the root cause insurgency,” presidential need to fulfill our public service of mandate and to ensure the health Spokesperson Harry Roque said and safety of our clients and per- Wednesday. “So i don’t think there is any insonnel. We appeal to the public for your understanding, and please consistency with the proposal to bear with us as we try to deal with actually spend funds in typhoon this evolving situation,” Romual- damaged areas because, i think, it is a fact that Bicol also is a hotbed dez added. The ambassador also appealed for insurgency,” he added. The statement came after Senato Filipinos to postpone their travtor Risa Hontiveros proposed to el plans for now. “if you can put your travel plans reallocate a portion of the nTFon hold for the meantime, please ElCAC’s p19-billion budget for do so,” he said. “i know this might 2021 to aid victims of Rolly. The philippine Department of be hard as the Christmas season is upon us, but these measures and Social Welfare and Development regulations have been put in place (DSWD), for its part, said it is to keep all of us safe from the looking into providing emergency pandemic. only with everyone’s shelter assistance to affected famcooperation will we be able to ilies by the typhoon. “While the economy is disruptdefeat this pandemic that has already claimed more than a million ed in the (Bicol) region, we are lives worldwide and changed the looking at providing emergency shelter assistance to families course of our future. whose homes were destroyed by Diplomatic career A career diplomat with the the typhoon,” said Secretary Rorank of Chief of Mission i, Garcia lando Bautista. The agency also said that over has served the government for 40 years. She previously served ₱8.3 million worth of aid has as the philippine Ambassador to Canada from January 2014 to September 2020, becoming the first female philippine Ambassador to Canada since diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1949. She also served as the philippine Ambassador to israel from 2007 to 2011 and the first woman Ambassador assigned by the philippines to an Arab country, the Arab Republic of Egypt, with concurrent jurisdiction over Sudan from 2004 to 2007. Garcia joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1981, after passing the Foreign Service officer’s examination. She also passed the Career Minister’s examination in 1994. She replaced Ambassador Claro S. Cristobal who retired from the service. Garcia shared that among her memorable experiences in her four decades of service, she counts extracting 121 Filipinos from Gaza and bringing them to safety all the way from israel to Jordan was among the more memorable ones. She said she is looking forward to meeting the Filipino American community members in the northeast. “it is a big privilege to work here as Consul General and i look forward to serving the community. These are strange times, no one foresaw the social and economic upheaval that would follow,” she said. “i have an open door, i will engage with the media and the community members.” n
the current president has secured 48.5% (592,813) of the vote. Though the final tally is still up in the air, Santos said grassroots organizing in Clark County — which is home to the majority of the state’s AApi population — has helped drive more voters to participate during this election cycle. “During the past cycle, AApi organizers in nevada created a model for the entire country to follow for BipoC organizing. We created culturally responsive political education programs, empowered young people to take on various forms of leadership, and built intergenerational and intersectional coalitions to ensure historically marginalized communities had a voice in this process,” Santos said. Attention is also on pennsylvania, which has 20 electoral votes to offer, where Trump is slightly in the lead as of Thursday afternoon with 3,260,869 (50%) votes, while Biden is
at 3,185,418 (48.8%) votes, based on the Associated press’ count. Brad Baldia, eastern region co-chair for Filipino Americans for Biden-Harris based in philadelphia, said it was expected that pennsylvania would be deciding factor for either candidate and the two campaign’s outreach throughout the state reflected that. The state is home to nearly 42,000 Filipino Americans. “Biden can win through multiple routes, but Trump, on the other hand, has a very narrow pathway, that’s why pennsylvania is so important,” Baldia told Asian Journal. The Trump campaign sought legal action in Georgia and Michigan to stop vote counting and is pursuing a recount in Wisconsin. Speaking in Wilmington, Delaware on Thursday afternoon, Biden said, “it is the will of the voters — no one, not anyone else — who chooses the president of the United States of America.” n
Typhoon Goni deaths climb...
Application for dual citizenship surges, consulate promises to shorten backlog by
MoMar G. Visaya AJPress
iT took the coronavirus pandemic for many former Filipinos to realize the importance of holding a dual citizenship. The philippine government temporarily banned the entry of foreigners and suspended the Balikbayan program and other visafree entry privileges last March in response to the coronavirus pandemic. prior to this suspension, former Filipinos traveling on US passports were allowed to enter the philippines and stay there for a maximum of one year without a visa under the aforementioned Balikbayan program. Because of the program’s suspension and the temporary restrictions set forth by the philippine government, thousands of former Filipinos have filed dual citizenship and passport applications with the philippine Embassy and Consulates across the United States to be able to travel to the philippines as Filipino citizens. in her first ConGen Hour with members of the Filipino American press Club of new York, newly arrived Consul General petronila p. Garcia said they are working to meet the requirements of the community. “There is still a mandatory appointment system but the consulate is working hard to expand its ability to process consular documents and applications,” ConGen Garcia said. “it is about balancing the safety and wellbeing of everyone, we have instituted measures in order to continue the services we offer.” According to Garcia, there was a spike in the appointment for dual citizenship applications and that they are already fully booked up to the end of January 2021. “We continue to prioritize emergencies even if they do not have appointments and we are adjusting as this is a new phenomenon to all of us,” she said. Garcia shared that there is a 450 person waiting list but they are hoping to process these applications in a shorter amount of time. She cited the fact that because of city and state health regulations, they limited the number of people who can be physically accommodated in consulate premises, slowing down processing times and creating backlogs that they are working hard to address. The consulate will also be implementing a Consulate Saturday where they will be open one Saturday a month. For november,
that Saturday is on november 14. Virtual events ConGen Garcia says she looks forward to continuing cultural engagement and the consulate’s traditional projects virtually, including a modified Simbang Gabi, an annual consulate project that community members look forward to during the holiday season. Despite the pandemic, the consulate already has a full calendar of events in the coming months. “We need to ensure that our clients and our employees as well, are not unnecessarily exposed. We are not out of the woods yet as we are seeing signs of a second wave and we ask you for your understanding and cooperation,” Garcia said as she explained how the pandemic has affected the consulate. Because of the lockdowns, quarantine rules, and indications of rising CoViD-19 infections across the country this fall, some of the consulate’s programs have been suspended as well, including the holding of consular outreach missions. other services The philippine Embassy and Consulates General in the United States are actively taking steps to meet the surge in demand not just for for dual citizenship but also for passport and visa services, both of which also registering spikes. According to a news release from the Embassy, the steps being undertaken vary from post to post, depending on the local conditions and state restrictions. These steps may include increasing the number of appointment slots, operating on weekends, and assigning more personnel to process applications and answer phone, e-mail, and social media queries, among other measures. The adjustments are being made in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs as pandemic-related restrictions and stringent health requirements, both in the philippines and the United States, continue to put pressure on posts’ consular operations. “We understand our clients’ frustration over the impact of the pandemic on our consular operations. We wish to assure them that we are aware of their concerns and we are doing everything we can to continue delivering critical services in the safest and most efficient way possible during these challenging times,” philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said in a statement.
Bay Area Fil-Am family in search of donor... PAGE A1 people of color are more likely to die of leukemia and other blood cancers because there is a shortage of ethnically diverse donors on the Be The Match national registry. Filipinos have a 46% chance of finding a donor, AADp said. “Filipinos are well known for supporting each other, and the more people who register, the more AJ’s odds of finding a match increase,” Eric said. “it can take some time to find a match. So, the sooner you register, the better.” Despite the pandemic halting the organization’s in-person education and outreach, those in the Bay Area or around the country can sign up on its website to participate. For those interested in registering as a potential stem cell donor, they can visit the AADp website (aadp.org/homekit) to find out how to receive a home swab kit. Requirements include being between 18-44 years old and
A Bay Area family is in search of a bone marrow or stem cell donor for their 9-month-old who was recently diagnosed with an extremely rare form of leukemia. Photo courtesy of the Asian American Donor Program
meeting general health standards. Even if individuals may not be a match for AJ, they may be asked to donate if they are a match with another patient. “For thousands of severely ill blood cancer patients, there is a
cure. You could be the cure. Those whose marrow/stem cells are not a match for a patient in need now may be a match for someone else down the road, anywhere in the world,” said AADp Executive Director Carol Gillespie. (AJPress)
Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo inspects houses along the coastline of Brgy. Sabang, Calabanga, Camarines Sur on Monday, November 2. Photo from OVP
been given to people who were affected by Rolly. The philippine Department of Health (DoH), meanwhile, granted p20 million worth of financial assistance to hospitals in areas battered by Rolly. According to Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire, the aid was distributed to three DoH hospitals and affected areas and cities in Bicol. p5 million went to Bicol Regional Training ang Teaching Hospital
in legazpi, Albay; another p5 million went to Bicol Medical Center in naga City, Camarines Sir (p5 million); and p2 million went to Bicol Region General Hospital and Geriatric Medical Center in Cabusao, Camarines Sur. The province of Camarines Sur received p2 million, while Albay and Catanduanes received p1.5 million each. naga City received p1.2 million, while Camarines norte, Masbate, and Sorsogon received p600,000 each. n
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NOVEMBER 5-11, 2020 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL
O PINION Resettlement
FEATURES
FOUR years ago this month, the House committee on housing and urban development approved a bill providing for on-site, in-city or near-city housing for informal settlers. This year as October drew to a close, the same committee, with different members, approved a similar bill for a relocation program to be implemented by local government units. House Bill 4869 noted that the normal practice of off-site relocation for slum dwellers has failed to address the housing problem for the poor or reduce squatting and urban migration. The reasons are well known: the same factors that drive urban migration persist in the typical off-site relocation area. The biggest factors are the lack of jobs and livelihood opportunities, and the weakness of many basic services. In certain areas, armed conflict and other security problems, such as extortion by the communist New People’s Army and harassment by government forces drive people to look for a better life in the cities. If these same problems bedevil a relocation site, it won’t take long before the beneficiaries of the resettlement program leave the houses awarded to them and return to the urban slums. Some local governments in Metro Manila and other urban centers are in fact developing in-city vertical housing for informal settlers. The housing programs are complemented by livelihood projects
not only to sustain the beneficiary families but also to allow them to pay the minimal amortizations. The subsidized payment is meant to give the beneficiaries a personal financial stake in the housing units. Given alternatives, no one wants to live off alms and sleep with their young children and even infants in shanties, under bridges or in city streets. Those who did not support the House bill in 2016, however, were worried that it could encourage more squatting and urban migration. While providing decent housing with livelihood opportunities to informal settlers is a good idea, the better answer to urban migration is to step up countryside development. Any in-city or near-city housing must be accompanied by job opportunities. Those who cannot be accommodated, however, must be presented with options outside the urban centers. Making agriculture an attractive livelihood option even for marginal players can reverse urban migration. Meaningful livelihood opportunities and jobs as well as the provision of adequate basic services such as education and health care outside the cities can encourage the urban poor to leave ism provides decent jobs and livelihood sources the urban centers and accept resettlement. Tour- even in rural communities. If the government
Editorial
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS FOR the first time since after George W. Bush defeated Al Gore for President in 2000 through absentee ballots, the winner of the 2020 presidential election amid the pandemic is still too close to call on the night of the election, with so many early voting mailed in ballots still left to be counted. This is a result of different state rules on when early voting mailed-in ballots may be counted and reported, especially in some battleground states ruling to count mailed-in votes after November 3. Before midnight on election night, however, projection of winners in different states by various news media organizations, including Fox News, showed Joe Biden leading. By Fox News’ report, 238 for Biden and 213 for Trump in the road to the 270 minimum electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency. Already, Trump had been flooding social media with accusations that votes are being stolen from him without any basis in fact. In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, Trump declared that he’ll go to the Supreme Court to push for “all voting to stop,” baselessly calling the continued vote count a “fraud” as key states sort through a historically high
Babe’s Eye View BABE ROMUALDEZ AS the world continues to grapple with the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are clear indications that the situation will be much better controlled as soon as the vaccines are out. Here in the U.S., “Operation Warp Speed” is proving to be successful as pharmaceutical companies start ramping up their production of a safe vaccine for the world. One of them is Pfizer that is looking to provide an initial 40 million doses by year-end for 20 million Americans with its application for emergency use authorization poised to be approved, and another 100 million doses by March 2021. Moderna is also expecting to deliver 20 million doses for the U.S. by the end of this year and is targeting to deliver 500 million doses every year starting in 2021. AstraZeneca is now back on track with plans to supply up to 400 million doses worldwide by early next year.
Philstar.com photo
wants to stop urban migration, it should present viable alternatives. (Philstar.com)
Let every vote be counted: US democracy tested with Trump’s baseless claim of victory even as Biden leads in the polls volume of early and mail ballots driven by the coronavirus pandemic. Trump also wanted a recount of states where he lost to Biden, but would not want the states where he is leading recounted. Before this delusional proclamation of victory by himself, Biden himself gave a speech, declaring that “we believe we’re on track to win this election”, and not declaring that he already won. On the other hand, Trump did claim he won big. Biden said he’s “optimistic about this outcome,” but that “we’re going to have to be patient... It ain’t over until every vote is counted, every ballot is counted.” On social media, Biden posted, “Keep the faith, guys. We’re gonna win this. It’s not my place or Donald Trump’s place to declare the winner of this election. It’s the voters’ place.” The Biden campaign said they will fight with Trump in court should the President bring this battle up to the Supreme Court. Many Democrats are heartbroken to see how Trump remains competitive in many Republican strongholds despite his failure to fulfill his solemn oath to defend and protect the Constitution and the American people, his abuse of power and threats against democratic institutions and processes because of his selfish
personal and political interests, despite the death of more than 200,000 Americans in the pandemic because of Trump’s failure in leadership. Looking at the bright side: Amid the escalating threat of the coronavirus pandemic, joblessness, disrupted economic and social activities, a divided nation and toxic political climate in the country, a record number of Americans voted early — more than 100 million before the November 3 election. Perhaps the better way to put is this: Because of the crises of our times that have been causing a lot of uncertainties about the future, and because of the threat of their votes being thrown away because of dirty political tactics to disenfranchise voters, American voters have decided to mail in their votes early, or went to the polling stations to cast their sacred votes and make sure they exercise their power to decide what kind of life they and their families would be living in the next four years. According to the U.S. Elections Project, the total early votes amounted to 101,167,740. Nationally, voters have cast 73.4% of the total votes counted in the 2016 general election which recorded 139 million votes. Comparing early vote count: In 2016, only 47 million Americans cast ballots before Election Day
vs 2020’s more than 101 million votes. The breakdown of the 2020 early votes: In-Person Votes: 35,923,053; Mail Ballots Returned: 65,244,687; and Mail Ballots Outstanding: 26,858,126. How are the early voting numbers divided according to party affiliation? We can have an idea based on the party registration statistics provided only for states that have party registration. Reporting states with party registration data: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, OK, OR, PA, SD. The breakdown: Democrats: 22,174,934 votes (44.8%) Republicans: 15,119,146 (30.5%) Minor parties : 334,919 (0.7%) No Party Affiliation 11,871,101 (24%) TOTAL: 49,500,100 How did the states perform in early voting compared to 2016? As reported by Axios based on the data gathered by the U.S. Elections Project: Hawaii (110.6%), Texas (108.3%), Washington (105.4%), Oregon (104.8%), Montana (102.4%), and Colorado (101%) all surpassed 2016’s total turnout via early voting.
Other states that amassed a huge portion of their 2016 totals include: New Mexico: 98% Utah: 97.6% Nevada: 96.7% North Carolina: 95.4% Florida: 94.7% Georgia: 93.9% Arizona: 92.9% Tennessee: 89.6% New jersey: 88.7% The battleground states The other side: Some key battleground states are lagging behind the frontrunners. Pennsylvania, for example, only reached 40.7% of its 2016 total turnout — but this is the first general election for which the state has implemented no-excuse absentee balloting. Historically, only about 5% of Pennsylvanians have voted by mail. The other side: Some key battleground states are lagging behind the frontrunners. Pennsylvania, for example, only reached 40.7% of its 2016 total turnout — but this is the first general election for which the state has implemented no-excuse absentee balloting. Historically, only about 5% of Pennsylvanians have voted by mail. Other key battlegrounds and their current early turnout against 2016 totals: Wisconsin: 64.7% Iowa: 60.5% Michigan 58.3%
Ohio: 53.5% Worth noting as reported by Axios: Mail-in ballots face deadlines. While some states only require that ballots be postmarked by or shortly before Election Day, others require ballots to be received by election officials on Tuesday. Swing states Florida and Wisconsin, for example, require mail-in ballots to be received by 7 and 8 p.m., respectively, on Election Day. But the Supreme Court recently shut down Republican attempts to trim mail-in deadlines in both North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Many states also can’t begin counting their mail-in ballots until Election Day, which is likely to cause a backlog in results — and could shift results in Biden’s favor as more get counted in the following days. Voter motivation These early voting numbers are just part of the bigger turn out numbers we have yet to get after the polls close on November 3, and after all votes are counted. Trump used COVID-19 super spreader crowded public campaign rallies to display support and enthusiasm among voters while Biden held drive-in rallies in addition to virtual campaign rallies to follow social distanc-
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Preparing for a post-pandemic world Many countries are already planning ahead to ensure that they can get supplies of the vaccines as soon as these become available because — as many economists and health experts have pointed out — a safe COVID-19 vaccine is the only way out of this crisis and restart the economy. The current situation has clearly shown us that we need to prepare for a major health crisis which could happen again even sooner than a hundred years, as seen with the 1918 flu pandemic. Being the two biggest economies in the world, the United States and China will have to face up to the stark reality that they have to find ways to work together and cooperate in keeping the world safe. The other day I and a select group of ambassadors were invited to the Blair presidential guest house to meet with Larry Kudlow, the economic adviser of President Trump. Larry Kudlow is confident the US will bounce back by the first quarter of next year, which may sound like a very optimistic view, but there are recent developments that show encouraging signs. One of them is the turnaround in the
U.S. economy as seen in the record 7.4 percent GDP growth for the third quarter, which basically recovered two thirds of the lost ground during the first half of 2020. As Mr. Kudlow said, it was a new record that beat all expectations. In the Philippines, there are also several positive indications, among them the recent United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Investment Trends Monitor that showed the Philippines as one of the two countries in Southeast Asia (the other one being Thailand) that managed to increase their foreign direct investment (FDI) for the first half of 2020. According to UNCTAD, FDIs contracted by 20 percent in the whole of Southeast Asia but the Philippines saw its FDI inflows rising by 20 percent, citing “mergers and acquisition deals in agriculture and energy” that played a role in sustaining the inflows. A new book titled “Green Finance Strategies for Post-COVID19 Economic Recovery in Southeast Asia: Greening Recoveries for Planet and People” recently
published by the Asian Development Bank also cited several programs of the Philippine government, among them “Build, Build, Build” as having the potential to create investment opportunities and generate green jobs that can contribute to recovery postpandemic. A recent report released by the World Bank and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) says that “rapid adoption of digital technologies can help the Philippines overcome the impact of the COVID19 pandemic, recover from the crisis and achieve its vision of becoming a middle-class society free of poverty.” The report noted that the growing use of digital payments, e-commerce, telemedicine and online education have been instrumental in the implementation of social distancing measures that have helped ensure business continuity as well as the delivery of services amid the pandemic. According to the iPrice Group’s Map of E-Commerce report, the pandemic has inevitably driven the Philippines’ online economy to catch up with its
ASEAN neighbors (https://iprice. ph/insights/mapofecommerce/ en/), registering the highest increase in the usage of shopping apps at 53 percent in Southeast Asia. The report also cited data from Statista revealing that 44 percent of Filipinos aged 35-44 purchased more online during COVID-19. And while many Filipinos are not yet as e-commerce savvy as their neighbors in the region, these data show that they are gradually adapting. There is no doubt that many investors see the Philippines as a viable investment destination, among them the Australiabased TMA Group that recently increased its investment to P4.4 billion. “The Philippines is a long well-kept secret and it’s time to tell people about it,” said its executive chairman Anthony Karam, adding that he highly recommends that investors locate in the country, pointing to the highly-educated work force as well as the low cost of operations as additional plus factors. We at the Philippine embassy in Washington, DC continue our work to elevate the profile of the country as an ideal place for in-
vestments. We are organizing a webinar forum scheduled for Nov. 13 (Philippine time) with Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez and Bases Conversion and Development Authority CEO Vince Dizon. We invited almost all the top 100 corporations from all over the United States for the event with selected guests. Other Filipino company heads have also been invited, as well as the U.S. American Chamber of Commerce headed by our friend, Charles Freeman, the senior vice president for Asia. We expect a large attendance. As McKinsey Global Institute chairman James Manyika put it, “the world after COVID-19 is unlikely to return to the world that was” – and the Philippines has to be economically ready for this new world when this pandemic is over. (Philstar.com) *** Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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Dateline PhiliPPines
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEmbER 5-11, 2020
Survey: PH 12th safest country by Ritchel
Mendiola
AJPress
THE Philippines is among the top 50 safest countries in the world, according to a recent survey by American analytics firm Gallup. In its 2020 Global Law and Order index, Gallup listed the Philippines as the 12th safest country with a law and order index score of 84. It shares the spot with Australia, New Zealand, Poland, and Serbia. The survey, conducted from October 8 to 24 last year, asked nearly 175,000 adults in 144 countries and areas the following questions to gauge the “personal security” of countries: • In the city or area where you live, do you have confidence in the local police force? • Do you feel safe walking alone at night in the city or area where you live? • Within the last 12 months, have you had money or property stolen from you or another household member? • Within the past 12 months, have you been assaulted or mugged? “Some areas were excluded from the sampling frame, due to security concerns — such as barangays considered as war zones in Marawi — and areas that are remote or inaccessible. The excluded population from these areas represent less than 1 percent of the population,” Gallup said. Singapore and Turkmenistan emerged as the safest countries with a law and order index score of 97. They are followed by China (93%), Iceland and Kuwait (93%).
Meanwhile, Afghanistan ranked the lowest with a score of 43. Bold reactions Local human rights group Karapatan, for its part, pointed out that surveys about such issues should “integrate the rightsbased approach and framework to provide a more holistic analyses on such responses.” “In countries like the Philippines, [confidence] in law enforcement in addressing crime and security issues is not a mere yes or no question, especially if the indicators are not placed in context,” Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said. “Narratives bereft of such frameworks may be unwittingly used to justify human rights violations in the name of ‘security,’” she added. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch (HRW) senior Philippine researcher Carlos Conde said the survey was not an endorsement of police operations against the country’s drug war. “When you have high police visibility and presence, of course people will feel safe. This is also consistent with statistics from the police that the crime rate has been going down,” he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “(The study) does not negate the fact that police conduct during the ‘drug war’ has been abusive, resulting in the deaths of thousands since 2016 and practically zero accountability. Moreover, [most] of the victims of the ‘drug war’ had been demonized thoroughly and so the public at large [have] no sympathy for them,” he added. Malacañng, on the other hand, welcomed the recent recogni-
tion. “We are grateful to our people as they somehow recognized the priority of our President to really maintain peace and order in our society,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in Filipino on Wednesday, November 4. “This confidence that you have given through this survey is proof that we continue to push for the restoration of peace and order in our communities,” he added. The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process likewise welcomed the survey results. “We are glad to be recognized as among the safest countries in the world. Thanks to our law enforcers, peace workers, and everyone who has made a commitment to peace, we are moving forward as a peaceful, progressive and resilient nation,” Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. said. The Philippine Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) also stressed that the report is proof that “the government is winning the war against criminality and drugs.” “The government is even more committed to maintaining its current efforts against crime and drugs following the Philippines’ excellent standing in a prestigious worldwide survey on people’s views on their security,” the agency said. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, meanwhile, said: “It is very reassuring for us working in the government knowing that the people feel safe in their homes and on the streets...The goal is to sustain this rating in the long run for the safety of the people and the country.” n
Let every vote be counted: US democracy... PAGE A4
ing and other public health safety measures. However, if we look at these election results numbers, it appears that more Democrats than Republicans were motivated to cast their votes early, breaking all records. These numbers are also in congruence with polls conducted just before the November 3 elections which revealed Biden leads Trump by 10 percentage points nationally, 52 percent to 42 percent. This is according to an average of national polls since Oct. 26 reported by the Washington Post. Biden’s margin in the battle-
ground states of Michigan and Wisconsin is nine points. It’s five points in Pennsylvania, five in North Carolina, four in Arizona and three in Florida. Whatever the final result may be, America wins as this election’s voter turnout may very well speak volumes about how they have come out of their shells of apathy. We learn the hard way that our votes indeed matter and are motivated to change the course of our nation’s history after four years of the Trump presidency. We all look forward to a better, brighter, and stronger America through the power of our sacred votes and our vigilance to make sure all votes are counted and
reflect the will of the American people in this democracy. democracy. *** 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.
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An April 9 file photo shows the Mother of All Asia-Tower of Peace, which serves as the highlight of the Montemaria pilgrimage site in Barangay Pagkilatan, Batangas City. The statue is expected to be completed in 2021, marking the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines. Once completed, the 96-meter statue would be the world’s tallest Virgin Mary statue. Philstar.com photo by Russell Palma
Batangas City bags WWF’s Most Lovable City award by Rhodina
VillanueVa Philstar.com
MANILA — Batangas City has been hailed as the “World’s Most Lovable City” and overall winner in this year’s edition of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)’s “We Love Cities” campaign. The announcement was made online via Zoom recently and attended by representatives of WWF national offices around the world and We Love Cities campaign finalists, said Oliver Gonzales, environment and natural resources officer of Batangas City. “We’re overwhelmed and happy. This challenge brought us together and made us proud as citizens of our city. We want to thank WWF-Philippines for their great support and guidance throughout this challenge,” Gonzales said. The We Love Cities Campaign, which has empowered the general public globally with the opportunity to celebrate, vote and upgrade their city through suggestions made and addressed to decisionmakers, is interwoven with the One Planet City Challenge (OPCC). OPCC is a biennial global challenge organized by WWF to guide cities toward the most
effective climate action, while publicly recognizing the most ambitious cities as leaders in the field of sustainable urban development. This interest-based ad was served to you by Tremor Video DSP. Visit Tremor Video DSP’s privacy policy to learn how Tremor Video DSP selects ads to serve to you or to opt out of its targeted ads. Visit the Digital Advertising Alliance to learn more or to opt out of Tremor Video DSP thirdparty data providers. Citizens from participating countries expressed their love and support for their cities with the campaign garnering over 1,170,000 votes through all channels, 4,600,000 social media engagements and a social media reach of 80 million. Through the OPCC, the country’s declared national winner for 2020, Batangas City and national finalists Muntinlupa City and Santa Rosa City, were the representatives of the Philippines in this year’s We Love Cities campaign. “This We Love Cities award for Batangas City is particularly special,” said lawyer Angela Ibay, WWF-Philippines’ Climate and Energy Program head. “It also highlights the active en-
gagement that Filipinos have with their cities as they promote their solutions and aim to make their cities more livable, sustainable and resilient. It is truly aligned with WWF’s call: Together Possible.” All the three Philippine cities ranked in the Top 10, out of 54 cities in 26 countries around the globe for the 2020 edition. “Our three Philippine cities that participated in the We Love Cities initiative really stepped up to the plate and did quite well, even as they were addressing the current challenges brought by the pandemic. We are truly honored by their participation,” said Ibay. “This means a lot to us, especially since we’ve been hit by the pandemic. The city is doing its best in implementing various initiatives and efforts. We have something new to hold on to, and this is great news to all of us. This win will inspire us to keep on going and to work hand-in-hand for this city,” said Gonzales. In addition to recognizing the importance of public engagement in achieving sustainability goals, Batangas City aims to be the first carbon-neutral city in the country by 2030 and has developed a comprehensive climate mitigation and adaptation plan to realize this vision. n
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november 5-11, 2020 • LAS veGAS ASIAn JoUrnAL
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
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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
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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEmbER 5-11, 2020
VEGAS&STYLE
B
Journal
Filipina American artists show ‘love of LA’ with new digital gallery by
Christina M. Oriel/AJPress
THOUGH museums, art galleries and performance venues remain closed for now, that hasn’t dampened the creative spirit in Los Angeles. To spotlight the artist community, which has been largely affected by the pandemic, The Music Center in Downtown LA recently launched “For The Love of LA,” a virtual art series featuring over 35 artists posted every Tuesday over a 13-week period. Whether photography, painting, dance or music, each artist employs an art form to illustrate the vastness and diversity of the city at this moment. “We created The Music Center’s ‘For the Love of LA’ as a way to shine a light on the resiliency and creativity of artists across our region. To do that, we partnered with local arts and cultural leaders to serve as guest curators who selected the artists featured in the series,” Daniel Soto, pro-
gram manager of programming and community engagement at The Music Center, told the Asian Journal. With the greater LA area home to over 600,000 Filipino Americans, it was important for the performing arts center to include artistic representatives from the community. The series includes three Filipina American artists — Valerie J. Bower, Christine Hipolito and Anna Luisa Petrisko — curated by Jennelyn Tumalad. “As a civic institution, it’s our duty to serve the residents of Los Angeles County through the arts, and part of that means amplifying the voices of those who make up our community,” Soto said, adding, “In working with our brilliant guest curator Jennelyn Tumalad, we talked about the power of seeing oneself reflected in the world through art, and what it means for The Music Center to highlight the work of three Filipina American artists. Petrisko, Bower and
One of the screens from Christine Hipolito’s “Desire Portals” series Courtesy of The Music Center Multidisciplinary artist Christine Hipolito
Hipolito use different strategies and complex the Filipino Ameriand mediums in their work and can community is.” together they reveal how varied As guest curator for the series, Tumalad wanted to challenge viewers to experience and engage with the artists’ pieces beyond looking at them from a distance through a computer or phone screen. “I figured what people are experiencing right now is: fear for what’s next, loneliness from this pandemic, uncertainty, and a desire to feel seen and connected. The best way I could think to get people to feel a sense of joy, inspiration, and connection was to curate from the heart,” Tumalad, an arts program producer and educator, told the Asian Journal. “As I mention in my curatorial statement, Los Angeles really represents a time and place where I felt seen and empowered as a Filipina American.” The three artists’ works were unveiled throughout October in line with the observance of FiliBlack and white photos from Valerie Bower’s “We Are Essential” series shows how Filipino Americans are integral in the food and agriculture pino American History Month. PAGE B2 Photographer Valerie Bower industries. Photos courtesy of Valerie Bower
B november 5-11, 2020 • LAS veGAS ASIAn JoUrnAL
Features
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Filipina American artists show ‘love... PAGE B1 Valerie J. Bower — “We Are Essential (Mahalaga Tayo)” When thinking of the ‘essential’ workers in the Fil-Am community, one automatically thinks of its contributions to the health care field. However, the immigration history of Filipinos to the U.S. since the early 20th century shows that Filipinos have also been an integral part in the food and agriculture industry, and the West Coast labor movement. The vital workers of today still include the farmworkers, grocery store attendants, restaurant servers, and food distributors who ensure that the community has food on their tables and is nourished. In “We Are Essential” (Mahalaga Tayo), a 92-page zine of black and white photos, photographer Valerie J. Bower pays homage to the history of Filipinos in essential food work — from the manong generation in Delano, California to the last remaining Filipino farming community in Orosi to volunteers delivering warm meals and groceries to families in need. She also captures the action inside markets selling food staples and items that help the diaspora stay connected to the culture and homeland. “When I include all of these images acknowledging the past, in addition to the current Filipino food workers, I’m trying to say that ‘We’ve been here, even if you haven’t noticed,’” Bower told the Asian Journal. “No matter where we are in the world, there is a need to keep our culture alive through language, traditions, and
especially food. In shooting my project, I realized how vital these workers are in order to have our foods from the homeland. With these familiar products, recipes, and fruits and vegetables of the Philippines, we’re able to maintain a sense of identity and cultural heritage.” Christine Hipolito — “Desire Portals” Artist Christine Hipolito infuses her Filipina identity with mediums, such as painting, sculpture and graphic art. For “Desire Portals,” Hipolito presents 14 drawings with prompts that invite the viewer to download and share them. They include a dream cultivation and a joy offering — small forms of self-care and introspection in a world of chaos. “The themes for the prompts are ideas that I’ve thought about the most this year. I see a couple of the prompts as tiny spells for self-care. The Dream Cultivation prompt, for example, is a shortened spin-off of a spell that I remember reading about and I wanted to share that because it feels accessible and tender,” Hipolito said in an interview with Tumalad. For the multifaceted artist, for the love of LA means embracing how art and expression are weaved into daily life. “For the Love of L.A. is about celebrating and nurturing our creative communities, and how much art and expression is a critical part of life—and we feel it and see it, especially during times of crisis. I feel that this platform
is a vehicle that continues to help artists and creatives thrive, especially within the Angeleno community,” she said. Anna Luisa Petrisko — “Ulit Ulit” Pre-pandemic, karaoke and the outward display of musical talent are normal activities at large family gatherings. For this series, Petrisko, a multidisciplinary artist, recorded a music video for “Ulit Ulit,” a take on the disco and karaoke culture she grew up around. With a saturated tropical background, Petrisko sings as the lyrics, which she co-wrote with her mom, are displayed at the bottom of the screen. Sister Santos (Oscar Miguel Santos) provides the instrumental track and is seen playing the guitar in the video. “It’s very special because this project has been part of a larger personal mission of mine to learn Tagalog and to spend more time with my elders. Making ‘Ulit Ulit’ became this embodied way of doing both of those things, meanwhile having fun and learning some essential verbs like love, touch, listen, call and punish!” Petrisko said in an interview with Tumalad. Also on The Music Center’s website, Petrisko shares a “Mahalaga” playlist of Tagalog songs from the 70s to today. She recommends a meditation before listening. “For The Love of LA” is available on The Music Center’s website (musiccenter.orgg) or on Instagram @MusicCenterLA.
Anna Luisa Petrisko contributes a karaoke-inspired video called “Ulit Ulit” to the “For the Love of LA” program. Photo courtesy of The Music Center
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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEmbER 5-11, 2020
B
Arjo celebrates birthday with Maine, family Julia admits being in a new relationship by niña
by Jan
Milo Severo Philstar.com
v. Guno
Inquirer.net
ARJO Atayde turned 30 on Thursday, Nov. 5 and marked the occasion through an intimate celebration with loved ones, including girlfriend Maine Mendoza. The actor spent his birthday at home, as seen in his mom Sylvia Sanchez’s Instagram post on Thursday. Sanchez shared photos of the low-key and joyful occasion filled with food, a handful of cakes and drinks. Mendoza and Arjo could be seen all smiles next to each other; his sister, “Chika Besh” host Ria, was also in attendance. “Masaya ako anak @arjoatayde kasi alam kong masayang masaya ka (I am happy Arjo because I know you are so happy),” the “Pamilya Ko” star told her son. The simple celebration comes
Maine Mendoza and Arjo Atayde
after both Sanchez and her husband Art Atayde recovered from the coronavirus disease (COVID19) in May. The couple also opted for a quarantine party for their
Photo from Instgaram_@sylviasanchez_a
daughter Gela’s 18th birthday. Arjo and Mendoza have been a couple for nearly two years. They celebrated their first anniversary last December.
Geneva on getting nose job at 16: ‘I was told my nose was too big for the movie screen’
GENEVA Cruz opened up on the insecurities she has had with her nose, even after getting plastic surgery for it. “I was only 16 when I was asked to have my nose altered a bit and I thought something was wrong with me,” the Smokey Mountain singer admitted in an Instagram post on Monday, Nov. 2. “[And] I carried that for many years kahit iba na ilong ko (even if my nose was already different).” The singer-actress showed photos of her through the years, her morena beauty shining from 13 years old and now to 44 years old. She said she “grew up confident in my own skin,” thanks to
KAPAMILYA actress Julia Barretto made a confession that she is now in love. In the November issue of Mega Entertainment, Julia was asked by G3 San Diego if she’s in love. “Yeah,” Julia replied. She, however, did not want to disclose who’s the guy she’s in love with because she said she learned her lesson when it came to publicizing her relationships. “I think nobody understands the kind of trauma of having a relationship so public, and then also have a lot of people see when your relationship fails. Like it’s so traumatizing for me because I genuinely cared about this guy, I genuinely loved this guy, and then I shared so much that when we broke up, they thought they knew the whole story,” she explained. Julia reflected on her past experiences, saying: “They thought they knew my pains, they thought they knew my joys, they thought they knew everything—all the reasons that caused the breakup. But nobody really does.” “So one of the things I made myself confident in when it comes to my personal relationships is that, I’m in control. I am in total control of how much I am only willing to share and how much I am only allowing people to know. I’ve already come to realize how important it is to protect your peace and privacy—and that both go well together,” she said. Julia first hinted about her happy love life in March when she posted about her birthday dinner with her family and a loved one. Social media users also speculated that she was the girl on rumored boyfriend Gerald Anderson’s beach house in Zambales. Recently, Julia promoted Gerald’s beach resort in her Instagram story. Last September, Kapamilya actor Joshua Garcia, Julia’s exboyfriend, revealed that he wanted to talk to Gerald because of the controversies surrounding them. In Cinema One’s “Cinema News At Home Edition,” a fan
herself as she is. She mused that the bullying she received throughout her showbiz career has made her “into a stronger person.” Cruz also addressed fellow Filipinos who feel insecure about their noses: “[Wala] kayong kailangang baguhin sa mukha ninyo, dahil maganda na kayo kahit ano pa ang sabihin nila.” (You do not need to change anything in your face because you are beautiful no matter what others say.) “[Pero] wala ring masama kung may gusto kayong baguhin, basta ito ay talagang kagustuhan ninyo at hindi ng ibang tao.” (But there is nothing wrong if you want to change something, as long as it is what you really want and not what others want.) “I am enough and I’m grateful,” Cruz concluded. Cruz hails from a clan that is considered showbiz royalty, counting the likes of Tirso Cruz III and Sunshine, Donna and Sheryl Cruz as relatives. She returned to the Philippines this year after being in the United States for the past few years while raising her son Heaven, 24, and daughter London, 6. Heaven KAPAMILYA actress Julia Mondecided to stay in the States tes greeted Kapamilya actor Coco while Cruz brought London back Martin on his 39th birthday. Photos from Instagram_@genevacruzofficial with her. (Inquirer.net) In her Instagram account, Julia posted a photo of Coco and only captioned it with wrapped gift, a red heart and birthday cake emojis. Celebrities such as Lorna Tolentino and Vina Morales, Isabel dreaming to be an actor, a dancer but they should not stop you from Oli-Prats and Shaira Diaz, to or a singer, then, continue to pur- trying again until you find your name a few, also greeted the “Ang Probinsyano” star in the comsue it because when you put your spot in this business.” Seeing contestants perform- ments section. heart into it, I’m sure it will yield Coco and Julia were rumored ing on stage brings back some positive results.” to be in a relationship for years After all, life without art would memories of her kontesera days. be dull, as what also Julie Anne “I’ve been there so I know the feel- but they have remained silent on pointed out. “When I say art, it ing na sa backstage pa lang may the issue. Last year, Coco asked involves everything in the per- kaba na. Kami ni Rita (Daniela, the public for his privacy when he forming arts. Like music, it gives one of “The Clash” hosts), we was asked if he’s the father of the color and joy to our life. Singing were together in Popstar Kids (as rumored baby of Julia. Julia also remained silent on tilts like ‘The Clash’ are a perfect contestants) but no rivalry or avenue for aspiring singers to whatsoever because we thought the issue during her recent guesting in one of the episodes of ABSreach for their dreams and this is it was just a game.” her parents. “I never lacked suitors, so I thought, ‘Hey! My nose is pretty wide but it is alright,’” she recalled. “[Until] I started making movies [and] was told that my nose was just too big for the movie screen.” After getting a nose job, she still struggled with her self-esteem — and that “trolls” took advantage of this. “I just couldn’t win [with] them… as if it was my decision to touch my nose,” Cruz said. “Anyway, I’ve come to love the nose I’ve had for 28 years — same bridge, just narrower, kasi deep inside, pareho pa rin naman ako sa pang-loob eh,” she said of her journey to embracing
Julia Barretto
asked Joshua who he wants to talk to during this lockdown. “Siguro si Kuya Gerald, pero hindi online, hindi ko kailangang i-online. Siya, kasi na-realize ko nu’ng quarantine, nu’ng nag-lockdown, ang hirap, ang liit ng industriya namin. Ang hirap nu’ng may ka-awkward-an,” Joshua said. Joshua added that he already texted Gerald, but he is yet to receive a reply. “Ang ginawa ko, tinext ko siya, sabi ko, ‘Bro, Joshua ito. Gusto ko lang maging honest, lahat.’ Tinext ko siya ng ganu’n, pero hindi pa siya nagre-reply,” he said. “Hanggang du’n lang ang kaya kong ibigay na text. Para ma-clear lang ‘yung air sa lahat ng nangyari.” Joshua admitted that he wanted to clear things out with Gerald so there would be no awkward feel-
Photo from Instagram_@juliabarretto
ings between them. “Nahihirapan akong gumalaw, parang gan’un ‘yung feeling. ‘Yun ‘yung isa sa na-realize ko nu’ng quarantine, nu’ng lockdown—ang hirap nung may ka-awkward-an ka. Nagka-issue kayo, ganyan,” he said. “I’m being honest lang, ha, kasi ako wala naman akong kaso sa kanya. Ako, sobrang cool na ako sa kanya. Ako, okay na ako sa kanya. Kuya ko kasi siya, same handler kami,” he added. It can be recalled that Gerald was allegedly the reason why Joshua and Julia broke up. Gerald and Julia co-starred in the Black Sheep movie “Between Maybes.” Gerald’s ex-girlfriend Bea Alonzo said that the actor suddenly “ghosted” her that caused their own breakup.
Julia Montes posts birthday greetings for rumored lover Coco
Geneva Cruz at 12 and 44.
Julie, Rayver to showbiz wannabes: Work hard for your dreams by Boy
aBunda Philstar.com
THE entertainment industry is beginning to settle into a new normal. Cameras are beginning to grind in film productions with cinemas prepping up for their reopening. There are new shows to watch either on free TV or on digital platforms. Game shows and talent searches, too, are making everyone excited, although not as many as compared to the days prior to the pandemic. However, Julie Anne San Jose and Rayver Cruz said showbiz wannabes should not be discouraged in pursuing their goal of getting a fair share of the spotlight even if opportunities remain scarce these days. “Do not stop but instead, be motivated to work hard for your dreams, especially at this time when the situation is not that normal yet,” began Rayver, who shares Clash Master duties with Julie Anne in the new season of GMA 7’s “The Clash.” “There’s always a platform for arts, you know, we have projects when it comes to singing, acting and dancing. Meron tayong social media kung saan nakatutok ang mga tao ngayon. Huwag kang bibitaw kung ano man ang mga pangarap mo sa buhay. If you are
Julie Anne San Jose and Rayver Cruz
also a way of honing your skills.” While auditions began during the lockdown, contestants were able to join through online. “Thousands of aspiring singers auditioned online. Makikita mo na marami pa rin talagang magagaling,” Rayver declared. Added Julie Anne, “That’s why we had a hard time choosing who will be included in the Top 30.” The production team couldn’t do anything but to trim down the number of contestants — from previous seasons’ 64 to the new season’s 30 — in accordance to safety protocols. The singer-actress also noticed the powerful voices of the Top 30 yet only one can be declared the winner. “It really takes so much hard work to succeed in any field, especially here in showbiz. There will be rejections along the way
Rayver, on the other hand, belongs to the prodigious showbiz clan of the Cruzes. He has become more popular for his acting and dancing and now, hosting skills on GMA. “We are thankful that we are back to work after the total lockdown,” said the actor and added that being at home during the height of the pandemic gave him the chance to spend quality time with his family. “Sa brothers ko, mas naging solid ‘yung samahan.” Asked to share some tips on achieving a successful career, Julie Anne responded by saying, “In showbiz, I’ve learned to work hard and to be patient. Always keep your feet on the ground and be grateful sa lahat ng natatanggap mo. And it’s true that whatever you have achieved is much sweeter when hard earned.”
Rumored lovebirds Coco Martin and Julia Montes.
ABS-CBN photo
CBN’s “Magandang Buhay.” dia on his birthday. The captions, Since 2017, Julia has always however, are just brief like HBD been greeting Coco on social me- or emojis. (Philstar.com)
Boy Abunda continues to reap fruits of his labor By ronnie
CarraSCo ManilaTimes.net
NO, this Boy Abunda production has no tie-up with the Department of Agriculture but rather is a tour around his farm in Lipa, Batangas in five parts. With no less than his partner of many years Bong Quintana as the sole cameraman-cum-director, Asia’s King of Talk (via his talk channel) takes his audience to his sprawling, spruced-up property this side of the Southern Luzon province, which he hasn’t visited again for almost a year. Nestled at the back of his rest house is a vast (and I mean it) garden dotted with fruit-bearing trees. Name it: lanzones, rambotan, calamansi, jackfruit, mango, banana, cayenne, etc. The fresh produce are usually transported to him in Manila in crates. As if a grotto of the Virgin Mary on one side isn’t enough, Boy had a chapel built complete with pews and religious images which can house at least a dozen people. Boy’s dream farm wouldn’t be complete without a tree house, only that his usual fashionable get-ups (in boots, imagine?) make the ascent hard for him to even step on the rungs. Further exploring your way around is a seemingly sturdy hanging bridge which connects to the other side of lush greenery. It’s not the typical bridge that sways and flounces like a flamboyant gay’s hips, “Kasi, ayaw ni Nanay, nalulula raw siya.” Under the bridge runs a stream, where Boy proudly samGMA photos pled his expertise in washing
Boy Abunda
clothes (not his but a lady neighbor’s). Turning to Bong, he said: “Laking seminary ako kung saan naglalaba ako. Magaling akong maglaba, pero don’t make me iron clothes.” He then shimmied away with the plastic basin of washed clothes on his head. The farm tour took all of four parts which we thought was already in its entirety. But wait, there was Part 5. Could it be the concluding part? I hoped so. Like some interview that needs to be wrapped up, or simply a sentence which has to end with a period, Boy’s fifth farmserye episode proved just that. It gracefully culminated in that area Boy and Boy refer to us “kamalig.” Built by Bong, it actually resembles a guest house where they entertain visiting friends over casual chitchats and fun karaoke sessions. A wall on which Boy’s and
ABS-CBN photo
Bong’s framed photos compete for attention sits a dining table made of sturdy wood, one that belonged to the late film director and National Artist Lino Brocka which Boy had bought. Pointing to his pictures taken in different moods, Boy justified: “If you notice, I am never without my hands on my face. Why? Because first, even Bong tells me I’ve got beautiful hands; second, I’m well aware of the fact that I’m not beautiful or good-looking or I’m flawed. But let me say this, nobody has the right to define my beauty. I’m okay with how I look or how I dress up as I’m not defined by seasons.” It’s also in this area where Boy’s dear house help-friends rustled up a scrumptious lunch in celebration of his nth birthday last October 29. It was fine dining in the sense that he gamely ate with bare hands.
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B november 5-11, 2020 • LAS veGAS ASIAn JoUrnAL
Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS Marketing claims are out there advertising drinking alkaline water made with a water ionizer device boosts the immune person and therefore useful for the prevention of COViD-19. this assertion is false, without any scientific basis, and a disservice to the people around the world, making them careless and reckless, and more susceptible to be victims for this pandemic. While wearing a good facemask properly (covering both nose and mouth, fitting snugly all around the facer, washing hands frequently, and social distancing does not guarantee us 100 percent protection against the SarS-CoV2 virus, those guidelines significantly help (more than 95 percent) in protecting the wearer and the public against this deadly pandemic. Drinking alkaline water does not! a 63-year-old acquaintance of mine, who had acquired a water ionizer and had been drinking alkaline water for more than 2 years, had developed mineral deficiencies, kidney failure, and died of COViD-19 infection a couple of months ago. and this is not an isolated case. there is no proof that drinking alkaline water makes us healthier. Financially poorer, maybe, and the scammers, for sure, financially wealthier. as far as health is concerned, majority, if not all of us, wants the best health minus the sacrifices needed to achieve it effectively and safely. We want to be healthy without exercising, dieting or abstaining from smoking and without disciplined alcohol intake. We want to have good blood pressure and good cholesterol level without skimping on our salt and fat intake and quitting cigarettes. We want to lose weight without cutting down on our calorie intake and exercising daily. For expediency, any pill or juice or gadget that comes along with the claim that it is good for our health becomes a “mustbuy” crutch, believing it will confer upon us good health and longevity, without lifting a finger, moving a muscle, or getting off the couch and putting down the remote control and the potato chips. Unfortunately, the manufacturers of these “health” lotions, potions, pills, juices and gadgets are mostly interested in making their bank accounts healthy, and least interested in the health of
COVID and water ionizer Kris turns designer bags into face its consumer-victims. Otherwise, they won’t continue to prey on the unsuspecting public and sell their useless products, which may even have severe long term side-effects. and organ-failure and cancer are some of those possibilities! it is one thing to pay for very expensive pill or juice or machine and finding out years from now that it was not effective. it is another to discover years down the line that its use has caused a debilitating or deadly disease. there is no scientific data that show regular consumption of alkaline water is beneficial to the body and its immune system. Most info-mercials on this are baseless, deceptive, and a money-making scam. now comes the water ionizer, the “ionized” alkaline water it produces, the “special” drinking water. not only are these marketed water and the ionizing machines expensive, but they are, according to scientists, “medically baseless and worthless.” Most of the good effects these manufacturers claim for their products are available in healthy food items, like fish, fruits, bran, wheat, nuts, vegetables, and water purified by the most advanced multiple-stage reverse-osmosis filtration system. it might come as a surprised to many but boiled water, minus its sediments, is safer than some of this expensive drinking water. Using the commercially available home water filtration pitcher or the below-the-sink filtration system, and then boiling the water will even double the protection. this will certainly not cost $1500$2500 like the ionizers. When it comes to health, there is no better guide than our modern science, where extensive and rigidly-controlled laboratory testing, and double-blind, randomized, human clinical trials are the standard before any medication or device gets official approval and goes out to the market. anecdotal reports (usually solicited) or testimonials (usually from paid endorsers) are not scientific proofs. Candidly, these are nothing but lies. if not approved by the US-FDa, rP-BFaD or any other similar national health agencies, any product is suspect. So, public, beware! as far as the water ionizer is concerned, here is “the bottom line” as objectively explained in a detailed scientific paper, which aims to educate and protect the public: “Here, in a nutshell, are few basic facts that anyone with a solid background in chemistry or physiology would concur with: (1) “ionized water” is nothing
more than sales fiction; the term is meaningless to chemists; (2) Most water that is fit for drinking is too nonconductive to undergo significant electrolysis; (3) Pure water can never be alkaline or acidic, nor can it be made so by electrolysis; (4) ground waters containing metal ions such as calcium and magnesium can be rendered slightly alkaline by electrolysis, but after it hits the highly acidic gastric fluid in the stomach, its alkalinity is gone; (5) the idea that one must consume alkaline water to neutralize the effects of acidic foods is ridiculous; we get rid of excess acid by exhaling carbon dioxide; (6) the claims about health benefits of drinking alkaline water were not supported by credible scientific evidence; (7) there is nothing wrong with drinking slightly acidic waters such as rainwater. Body pH is a meaningless concept in this context because different parts of the body (and even individual cells) can have widely different pH value; (8) if you really want to de-acidify your stomach (at possible cost of interfering with protein digestion), why spend hundreds of dollars for an electrolysis device when you can take calcium-magnesium pills, alka-Seltzers or Milk of Magnesia?; (9) electrolysis devices or ionizers are generally worthless for treating water for health enhancement, removal of common impurities, disinfection and scale control.” to protect our health and our pocketbook, we must use our wisdom and do due diligence. Caveat emptor, indeed! *** 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 anti-graft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
Trans actress invites Eddie Villanueva to debate on SOGIE Equality Bill by Ian
BIong
Inquirer.net
tranSgenDer actress Mela Franco Habijan has invited televangelist rep. eddie Villanueva to a “dignified debate” following the latter’s controversial remarks on the SOgie equality Bill. Habijan, the first-ever Miss trans global titleholder and an LgBtQia+ advocate, said in an open letter to Villanueva that she was “appalled” by his “faith-based arguments and thoughts” during the Congress’ online hearing on the said bill on Wednesday, nov. 4. Villanueva, founder of the Jesus is Lord Church, claimed that the bill is discriminatory against straight people. the anti-discrimination bill or aDB is the previous name of the said bill. “[in] the spirit of democracy and open discourse, i am reaching
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out to you to invite you in a dignified debate, an open-minded exchange of views and principles,” Habijan said in the letter. “i desire to challenge your Bible-based arguments with progressive perspectives rooted in diversity and inclusion, that hopefully could enlighten you about the plight of every Filipino LgBtQia+. in the same manner, i am open to hearing your counter-arguments as well,” she added. Habihjan also stressed that while she is not a lawmaker, she is “a Filipino citizen desiring to uphold the humanity my beloved LgBtQia+ community, who has been belittled, oppressed, scared, and silenced.” through the tweet’s caption, Habijan said that “it’s about time for us to elevate the discourse on humanity, dignity, faith, and
Mela Franco Habijan Photo from Twitter_@missmelahabijan
love.” “nawa’y maging bukas siya sa paaanyayang ito,” she added. (I hope that he will be open to this invitation.)
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masks, chest bags in new business by Ian
BIong Inquirer.net
MUSiCian kris Lawrence has been transforming designer bags — such as Louis Vuitton and gucci — into fashionable face masks and chest bags amid the COViD-19 pandemic. Lawrence, known as the “Philippines’ Prince of r&B,” has been buying the luxury bags and using the materials to create new products for his new business venture, he shared in an interview in aBS-CBn’s “Magandang Buhay” episode on nov. 3. “What i do is bumibili ako ng mga luxury bags tapos sinisira ko. tapos gumagawa ako ng mga face masks and bags, mga chest bags,” the singer explained. (What I do is I buy luxury bags and I break it apart. Then I make face masks and chest bags from the materials.) aside from earning extra income for his family, Lawrence noted that he was also able to give jobs to sewers who lost work during the lockdown. “i have a friend that has a company and iyong mga sewer niya, nawalan din ng trabaho (my friend’s sewers lost their jobs). So, since we’re going into the new normal, if we’re gonna stay safe, we mig
Kris Lawrence donning his Louis Vuitton face mask and chest rig. Photo from Instagram_@ikrislawrence
“So we gave a lot of jobs to the sewers. nabigyan namin ng trabaho iyong mga sewers na nawalan ng trabaho (We gave work to the sewers who lost their jobs) so they can sew our new PPes so everybody’s safe,” Lawrence added. aside from the said business,
the r&B artist has also started a Cavite-based courier service named after his son, J&Lyric express. Lawrence explained in the morning show that he tried his hand in these business ventures because income fell due to the global health crisis.
Bea, ‘ambassador of ghosting,’ gives tips on moving on by nIña
guno Inquirer.net
aCtreSS Bea alonzo gave her insights on moving on in a recent vlog, where her friends angel Locsin and neil arce asked her for advice about being ghosted. the actress described herself as the “ambassador of ghosting” and dished advice based on her personal experience, as seen in the couple’s video posted on thursday, Oct. 29. Locsin and arce gave tips for moving on that they found online and asked alonzo to weigh in on them. they also greeted her a “happy anniversary” — it has been over a year after her split with actor gerald anderson. “You know i can’t believe [that] after a year, pagtatatawanan na lang natin (we would just laugh about this),” the “One More Chance” star said. the first tip was to post on social media so that the other person can see it. alonzo disagreed, stating that what you post should be for you. “iniisip mo pa rin siya, ibig sabihin hindi mo binibigyan ang sarili mo ng room to move on. nabubuhay ka rin para sa kanya,” she said. (You’re still thinking about him, it means you are not giving yourself room to move on. You are still living for him.) “ghinost ka so in a way, binlock ka sa buhay niya (You were ghosted so in a way, you were blocked from his life),” alonzo explained, noting that you should block the person who blocked you. For the second tip, “Don’t blame yourself,” alonzo agreed and admitted that it took her some months before she realized it. She said she would add to the piece of advice: “Do not blame yourself, and also surround yourself with people who will empower you.” the actress explained that you tend to blame yourself because you were not given the chance to know what went wrong. “ramdam mo na hindi ka nagmatter (You feel like you do not
Bea Alonzo
matter),” she said. alonzo had conditions for the third tip, which is “don’t call or text.” She said that if there was no third party involved, she would give a chance for the person to explain their side. When arce asked if you need to talk to the other person to get closure, alonzo said, “i think closure is overrated.” “But having the respect to talk to another person for a breakup, i think iyon ang pina-kaimportante (that is the most important).” alonzo agreed with putting your energy into work and said that “soul-searching,” like traveling after a breakup, could lead to a “relapse” when you are back to your routine. She was against going to the house of the person who ghosted you.
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Photo from Instagram_@beaalonzo
“napaka-cheap iyon,” she said, adding that you should give yourself respect. and similarly, do not let that person into your home. alonzo said that what was most effective for her was self-love. “Once you decide to love yourself and live for yourself, not for another person, doon papasok ang growth, ang pagpapatawad, ang acceptance (growth, forgiveness, acceptance will come),” she said. the term “ghosting” became a trending topic last year after alonzo opened up on her breakup with anderson. She said that he did not bother to break up with her — he simply “started not talking to me.” alonzo opened up about her love life in a vlog last October and admitted that she is dating. She has been linked with actor Dominic roque.
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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEmbER 5-11, 2020
B
At whatever age, she will always be Ate Vi For Jasmine, patience key to dealing with life’s challenges by ALLAn
PoLicARPio Inquirer.net
by Ricky Lo Philstar.com
WHETHER she was six (when starting out in showbiz as Ging and Trudis Liit) or sixty-seven (as she turns on Tuesday, Nov. 3), Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos will always be Ate Vi not only to her Vilmanians but also to showbizwatchers. She hasn’t changed at all and not a part of her was altered by science (contrary to what some people may claim). Her life is an open book read and reread and dissected inside-out, every detail bared in public. Her birthdays have always been a private affair with her husband, Sen. Ralph Recto, and their children Luis Manzano (“I love you, Lucky!” Remember how she would greet him at the end of her then show VIP?) and Ryan Christian (who is getting good marks in school), and other members of the family (her siblings and close friends). But due to the pandemic that has kept her at home (attending sessions via Zoom), Vilma is celebrating her 67th in another way. Here she is in an exclusive interview with Funfare: How different will your birthday be this year? “It will just be a very intimate celebration at home with my family unlike in the past years when we would go out-of-town for short trips to celebrate my birthday. Basta we are all together and healthy, happy na ako kahit dito lang kami sa bahay.” What are your thoughts as you turn 67? “It is yet another year for being grateful, for new learnings, of facing new challenges, for appreciating and loving the Lord, my family, friends and the people around me.” As you look back, mayroon ba dapat baguhin sa buhay mo? “I can’t wish for anything else, except for the continued protection and safety of my family, as well as continued guidance on how to properly serve the people who have trusted me. I am very grateful to our Lord for all the blessings. Life has been very good to me. Salamat, Lord!” Do you have any regrets about something that you did or didn’t do? “I have been saying ever since that I do not have any regrets in life. For every downfall I experienced, there were always lessons learned. Ito ang nagpatibay sa pagkatao ko.” During this pandemic, have you assessed what are the essentials that you have to focus on or things that you have taken for granted? “I have learned to value and cherish life more, and not to take anything for granted. Life is a gift. Being healthy is a gift. Makalakad lang sa labas ng bahay mo is a gift.
As she turns 67 on Tuesday, November 3, Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos (shown on her birthday last year) says she thanks the Lord for all the blessings, ‘Life has been very good to me’ Philstar.com photo
Magkaroon ka lang ng trabaho is a gift. Mabigyan mo ng pagkain ang pamilya mo is a gift. Patuloy akong nagdarasal na matapos na ang mabigat na pagsubok na ito hindi lamang sa atin kung hindi sa buong mundo.” Among your many achievements, what are the three that you are proud of? “As a wife and mother, my family. As an artist, my acting and box-office awards. As a public servant, my Presidential Lingkod Bayan award.” Nasa iyo na ang lahat, ano pa ang kulang sa buhay mo? “Apo!” What are the top things on your bucket list? “To become a full-fledged grandmother, to visit the Holy Land and to become a film director.” Aside from your famous panyolito, what is in your bag every time you leave the house? What’s the story behind your famous hanky? “My rosary, cellphone, wallet, cologne, lipstick and powder. As for my panyolito, I have so many, I have lost count. I have given so many away. Dami humihingi! I was still single when one day, my very good friend Coney Reyes saw me na pawis na pawis. She advised me to always carry and use a handkerchief to keep me looking fresh. Since then, I always have a panyolito with me. It’s my ‘security hanky’.” Are you not worried about getting old? “Of course, I am worried but I tend to focus more on how to live and lead a meaningful and fulfilling life. These are what matter more. Lahat tatanda pero ang mahalaga ay meron kang
Pia airs side on issue with sister Sarah, mom by JAn
MiLo SeveRo Philstar.com
MISS Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach broke her silence on the controversy surrounding her, sister Sarah and mom Cheryl Tyndall. In her Instagram account, Pia asked the public to refuse giving rude comments on her sister Sarah since Sarah went through a traumatic experience. “I’m sure a lot of you know that my family is going through some issues at the moment and most of it is posted online,” Pia said. “This is a very hurtful time for our family. My sister, especially, had a very traumatic experience and I humbly ask everyone to be kind to her,” she added. The beauty queen shared that they are trying to resolve the issue privately and asked for her followers’ support. “We are trying to resolve our family issues privately and I ask for your support by not trying to put the blame on anyone and stop victim shaming. Please be mindful on your posts and comments to Sarah, mabigat ang pinagdadaanan niya ngayon,” she said. “Bilang anak at kapatid, napakasakit sa akin na makitang nagkakaganito ang mga taong mahal ko. Hiling ko na lang po sa inyo na isama nyo kami sa inyong mga
Pia Wurtzbach with sister Sarah
dasal at sana mahanap na rin ng aming pamilya ang nararapat na healing. Sa panahon na ito, magpakita po tayo ng pagmamalasakit at pagmamahal sa isa’t isa. Maraming salamat po.” It can be recalled that the tiff between Pia and Sarah was made known when early last month, Sarah called out Pia for her alleged bad attitude. “Ang baho ng ugali mo. Dami mong kuda pero sorry wala. Tapos mangdadamay ng ibang tao na wala naman sa usapan. Magsama kayo ni mama @piawurtzbach,” Sarah wrote. Sarah has since appealed to social media users to stop hating on the beauty queen after she ranted against Pia. “Stop hating on Pia. Yes I am angry and I still am, but your negative words will not fix anything. If anything, you’re condoning negativity and that’s what’s wrong with the world,” Sarah said. While Sarah has not yet revealed what caused her misunderstanding with her sister, she claimed to be a victim of rape, and their mom allegedly told her that she deserved it. “A lot of people here... gossip about me and Pia but literally just overshadowed the fact I said I got raped and the fact my mom said I deserved it. This world is a mad place to live in,” Sarah said.
Photo from Instagram_@piawurtzbach
pinagkatandaan.” How do you want to be remembered? “I want to be remembered as a God-fearing woman who tried her very best to become a good wife and mother, a loving daughter, a supportive sister, an artist who has hopefully made relevant contributions to the industry, and a public servant who cared for and gave honest service to the people she served.”
LIVING alone can get lonely at times, Jasmine Curtis-Smith admitted—and more so now that there’s a pandemic, and her family is hundreds of miles away in Australia. So, if there was one thing she had to relearn in the past couple of months to somehow bridge that distance, it’s patience. “Instead of feeling bad about the separation, I looked at it as something that taught me to look at the positive side. I just think that I will have so many more years with my family,” she said in a video conference for the return of GMA 7’s adaptation of the popular Korean drama series “Descendants of the Sun” (DOTS). “There’s the feeling of wanting and yearning to be with them. For people who live alone, it tends to be lonely. It’s hard. But it’s about learning to use that and turn it into something to look forward to,” she added. But luckily, Jasmine was able to squeeze in a quick trip down under in March and met her new niece, Dahlia, before lockdowns were put in place around the world. “I’m glad I really pushed the trip because I wanted to make sure I saw my niece as soon as I could … at her youngest,” she said of sister Anne Curtis’ firstborn child with Erwan Heussaff. Less than a week later, international flights were canceled. “I nearly got stranded in Sydney; not even in Melbourne, where my family is. Now I wonder, ‘What if I had gotten stuck there?
Maybe I could have stayed in Melbourne and be with my family.’ But then again, it would have been hard for me to fly back to the Philippines and resume shooting,” she pointed out. “Maybe everything happens for a reason,” surmised the 26-yearold Kapuso star, who plays Capt. Moira Defensor in DOTS. Patience was also key in dealing with the challenges her indie music label, Funky Records, is currently facing because of the pandemic. “I discovered how impatient and unforgiving I can be of myself especially with all the time we have. But now I understand that it’s important to give yourself a chance to breathe; to take in what’s in front of you day by day,” Jasmine said in an earlier video interview. Funky Records is home to such up-and-coming artists and bands like Bea Lorenzo and Flu. “You have to accept the reality of where things are, and think of the best way to move forward. Do you invest more? Is it time to take a pause?” she asked herself. It’s important that Jasmine remains emotionally detached, because some of her business partners have also become her friends. “It’s about being logical with business matters. We don’t want our emotions to affect our decisions,” she said. “It’s hard. But it is what it is, so we just have to deal with it.” How does she deal with the stress? One of the things that has kept her sane amid the quarantine, she said, is taking breaks from social media.
Jasmine Curtis-Smith
“One of the most effective ways is to stay offline because many of us work online, too. It’s important to give ourselves a break from all the things we’re trying to listen to and understand. Sometimes, when you take a break from it all, that’s when you find your real core, your center,” she said. It’s the quiet moments, she added, that can make one feel calmer, more appreciative of the things around us. “Give yourself a chance to breathe. We could always use a bit of patience and selfforgiveness, because tomorrow is another day,” Jasmine said.
B november 5-11, 2020 • LAS veGAS ASIAn JoUrnAL
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