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November 18-20, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 91 • 2 Sections - 14 Pages

As COVID-19 cases surge, Gov. Newsom DATELINE USA Judge rules DACA orders mass county shutdowns across CA suspension invalid FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Newsom considers curfew as the state experiences ‘the fastest increase’ of virus cases

THE Trump administration’s rules limiting applications and renewals for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program are invalid, a federal judge ruled over the weekend. Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York ruled on Saturday, November 14 that the suspension of DACA, which protects some 650,000 young immigrants, was unlawful because Chad Wolf was not legally appointed acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. “DHS failed to follow the order of succession as it was lawfully designated,” wrote Garaufis. “Therefore, the actions taken by purported Acting Secretaries, who were not properly in their roles according to the lawful order of succession, were taken without legal authority.” On July 28, Wolf suspended the DACA program pending DHS review, despite the

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

AFTER months of economic reopenings that allowed residents to partake in public life again, California is approaching yet another period of

restrictions as Sacramento downgrades threequarters of the state’s counties to the strictest pandemic restrictions, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced this week. Newsom announced on Monday, Nov. 16 that 41 of the state’s 58 counties have seen significant

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Lorenzana: PH to receive $18-M worth of precisionguided munition from US by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE United States will be giving the Philippines $18 million worth of precision-guided munitions next month, according to Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. “They have given us USD18 million worth of (military) equipment (that will arrive) next month,” Lorenzana said on Tuesday, November 17 during the send-off of the BRP Tarlac, which was deployed to typhoon-battered Catanduanes for a relief mission. “Those are precision-guided munitions that can be dropped with pinpoint accuracy,” he added. Lorenzana, however, did not disclose more details about the munitions. The defense chief on Friday, November 13 reportedly met with a U.S. Embassy official at the Department of National Defense (DND) headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.

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Will communities hardest hit get COVID-19 vaccines? THE U.S. is weeks away from rolling out COVID-19 vaccines, but pandemic experts say the challenges of vaccinating people will be acute, especially in communities of color. “Vaccines don’t save lives: vaccinations do,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, speaking at a Friday, Nov. 13 briefing organized by Ethnic Media Services and moderated by Dr. Tung Nguyen, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. “There’s a huge challenge from a supply chain perspective to getting the vaccines out,” said Jha, noting that the vaccines will have to be stored and delivered frozen. More challenging is “vaccine hesitancy,” especially in communities of color who have been hit hardest by the pandemic, he said. Jha predicted 100,000 more deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. before the new BidenHarris administration is inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2021. “We are in the worst moment of the pandemic right now.”

increases in COVID-19 transmission, effectively ordering those counties’ indoor dining, gyms, movie theaters and other businesses to either remain closed or shut down. Newsom hinted at more restrictions to come by

LONG LINE. Residents of Barangay Tumana on Singkamas Street and Bagong Farmers Avenue 1 in Marikina City receive relief goods from the Good Samaritan on an Elf Truck on Tuesday, November 17. The city is one of the areas badly hit by Typhoon Ulysses. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

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PH Bureau of Immigration clarifies guidelines for foreign investors by AJPRESS

FOREIGN investors planning to enter the Philippines must first secure an investor’s visa before they can be allowed entry to the country, the country’s Bureau of Immigration (BI) clarified on Monday, November 16. Foreign nationals holding visas under Executive Order No. 226 or the Omnibus Investments Code, and those with a Special Investor’s Resident Visa (SIRV) issued pursuant to EO 226 can enter the country, BI u PAGE A4 Commissioner Jaime Morente said.

“Those who will be entering the country under visa types not yet allowed by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) will still be restricted,” he stressed. The IATF on October 22 allowed the entry of foreign nationals with visas issued under EO 226 starting Nov. 1. Their entry, however, is subject to conditions, such as having a valid visa and a pre-booked accredited quarantine facility. President Rodrigo Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Morente said the BI sought clarification Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malacañang from the Philippine Department of Justice Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on Tuesday, November 17. Malacañang photo by Toto Lozano

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Duterte urges US to Typhoon Ulysses death toll climbs to 73 increase support for ASEAN COVID-19 response fund by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE death toll for Typhoon Ulysses (international name: Vamco) has reached 73, the Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Tuesday, November 17. Of the additional deaths this week, two were recorded in Cagayan Valley, and four in Central Luzon. On Sunday, the NDRRMC reported that 22 deaths were from Cagayan Valley, two were from Central Luzon, 17 from CALABARZON, eight from Bicol ReResidents walk past the piles of muddy debris along Angel Santos Street in Barangay Tumana gion, 10 from Cordillera Adminin Marikina City on Tuesday, November 17. Barangay Tumana, a low-lying area in Marikina, is istrative Region (CAR), and eight one of the areas badly affected by Typhoon Ulysses. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon from the National Capital Region

(NCR). The NDRRMC also placed the total numbers of injured and missing persons at 24 and 19, respectively. A total of 3,052,049 persons or 727,738 families in eight regions have been affected by Ulysses. Of the figures, 70,784 families or 283,656 persons are being served inside 2,205 evacuation centers, while 41,203 families or 158,926 individuals are being served outside. Damage to agriculture is estimated at P2.72 billion in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Bicol Region, CAR, and National Capital Region (NCR), while infrastructure damage was placed at P5.26

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by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday, November 14, expressed his gratitude for the United States’ support of the Philippines’ response to the coronavirus pandemic. “President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in a speech read by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr, first expressed his gratitude to the United States for its generous assistance of state-of-the-art ventilators and other medical supplies to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines,”

said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a statement. Duterte was not able to attend the virtual 37th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and Related Summits on Saturday as he was visiting rescue efforts to the flooding in Cagayan Valley. In his speech, he urged the U.S. to help the rest of the ASEAN countries in combating COVID19. “He (Duterte) further invited the US to contribute to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, the ASEAN Regional Reserve of

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A November 18-20, 2020 • SoCal ASIAN JoUrNAL

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From the Front Page

As COVID-19 cases surge...

PAGE A1

Friday, Nov. 20. “We are sounding the alarm,” Newsom said in a statement. “The spread of COVID-19, if left unchecked, could quickly overwhelm our health care system and lead to catastrophic outcomes.” In the last 10 days, the daily coronavirus tallies have doubled across the state; as previously reported in the Asian Journal, California last week became the second state to exceed 1 million coronavirus cases total. State officials have attributed the rise in cases to the public’s frustration over pandemic safety protocols: large groups of people gathering in close quarters with no masks, socializing in public spaces where the recommended 6 feet distancing is ignored and regularly visiting family and friends’ homes. California is operating on a color-coded tier-based reopening blueprint — counties that achieve lower transmission rates are able to move out of the more restrictive tiers of the plan. Newsom’s announcement on Monday puts 94.1% of Californians in the strictest purple tier. Among the counties that moved back to the purple tier include Orange County, which has seen a dramatic increase in hospitalizations over the last month. According to the state, schools that have already reopened won’t be affected by Orange County’s return to the purple tier. “I’m hoping that people understand when we let our guard down and have these gatherings, we transmit the virus to each other,” Orange County Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau told Orange County Supervisors at their meeting on Tuesday. As of Tuesday, Nov. 17, 270 Orange County residents were hospitalized for the virus with 79 in ICUs, the county’s Health Care Agency reported. It’s the highest amount of hospitalizations the county has seen since the summer. The current totals for Orange County as of press time include 1,526 COVID-related deaths and 65,957 confirmed positive cases. Los Angeles County continues

to lead the state in confirmed cases and deaths with a huge surge of positive cases over the weekend: 3,780 on Saturday and 3,061 on Sunday. There are currently 1,049 patients currently hospitalized with more than a quarter in the ICU; this is the highest number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients since the summer. “The county has not experienced daily numbers like this since late July, durin the last surge that resulted in many people becoming very seriously ill and losing their lives to COVID-19,” the county’s public health office said in a press release. With the surge of numbers, officials are doubling down on their pleas to the public to stay at home as much as possible and avoid socializing with people outside the home. Masks have been scientifically proven time and time again to curb viral transmission, but even with masks, spending the holidays with out-of-household people still poses a significant risk. LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a briefing on Monday that “the risk of this disease has never been higher and the accelerating rate of infections has never been swifter,” calling on residents to take heed of the following: “Stay at home as much as possible for the next two to three weeks, assume that everyone outside your household is infectious and stop gathering.” Newsom’s announcement of stricter state protocols follows a controversial decision to attend a birthday celebration in Napa Valley on Nov. 6 for his friend and lobbyist Jason Kinney. The governor’s attendance was first reported in the San Francisco Chronicle, and while Newsom assured that the 12-person party adhered to social distancing protocol, Californians criticized the governor. “I want to apologize to you because I need to preach and practice, not just preach and not practice, and I’ve done my best to do that. We’re all human. We all fall short sometimes,” the governor said in a briefing on Monday, acknowledging the dinner at the posh French

Laundry did not appear as pandemic-friendly as he thought. “As soon as I sat down at the larger table, I realized it was a larger group than I had anticipated and I made a bad mistake. Instead of sitting down, I should have stood up and walked back, got in my car and drove back to my house,” the governor admitted. Newsom wasn’t the only lawmaker accused of breaking social distancing recommendations. Nearly 100 lawmakers and lobbyists from four states — including California, Hawaii, Texas and Washington state — gathered at the luxury Fairmont Kea Lani resort in Maui, Hawaii for a legislative conference organized by the Independent Voter Project. Organizers of this event assured that the annual event was one-third of its regular size and that attendees must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of arrival. But as scientists from the CDC have stressed, tests don’t guarantee a negative diagnosis or mitigate risks; tests could fail to catch the virus during the incubation period and travelers could still expose themselves to the virus on the island and bring it home. In Washington, after receiving intense backlash from the public, two separate dinners for freshman Republican and Democratic House members became a carry-out meal instead of the planned formal dinner. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had told the media on Friday, Nov. 13 that the venue was “very spaced” and safety protocols were to be imposed, but due to the backlash, the dinner was modified. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) followed Pelosi’s decision to downgrade the dinner. “Fair to say that the timing isn’t great,” Jack Pitney, a politics professor at Claremont McKenna College, told Politico “Anybody organizing an in-person event should think carefully about the optics, particularly in California, where the governor has just sent most of the state into purple. There’s a chance this will not be received well by the general public.” n

Lorenzana: PH to receive $18-M worth of...

PAGE A1 According to U.S. Charge d’Affaires John Law, his meeting with Lorenzana focused on “robust and deep-rooted military cooperation.” Meanwhile, Lorenzana said that the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) was among the topics discussed during the meeting. The VFA’s termination was once again suspended for another six months to “find a more enhanced, mutually beneficial, mutually agreeable, and more effective and lasting arrangement on how to move forward in our mutual defense,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said last week. Lorenzana also said that U.S. embassy officials have assured that that there would be no change in the U.S.-Philippine defense alliance under U.S. President-elect Joe Biden. Malacañang has previously said that Philippine-U.S. bilateral relations will not see any major changes no matter the result of the election.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Law met on Friday, November 13, two days after the Philippine government announced that it was extending the suspension of Visiting Forces Agreement for another six months. Photo courtesy U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Law

“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,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila maintained that the relationship between the Philippines and the U.S. will remain strong no matter the president. “The relationship between our countries is always very strong and (I’m) certain it will continue,” Law said. n

PH Bureau of Immigration clarifies...

PAGE A1 (DOJ) on whether SIRV holders can enter the country, following questions expressed by several business groups. Visas under EO 226 are given to executives of regional or area headquarters of multinational companies, as well as their spouses and unmarried children below 21 years of age.

These visas are also valid for three years. The SIRV program was launched by the government to attract foreign investments to the country. It also requires investors to invest capital in “viable” economic activities. Under the program, the spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age of the SIRV holder

are allowed to secure an SIRV as dependents. However, Morente said that SIRVs issued under Executive Order No. 63 for tourist-related projects and tourist establishments are still restricted. “Only those issued under EO 226 may be allowed for now, following the IATF ruling,” he added. n

Duterte urges US to increase support for...

PAGE A1 Medical Supplies and the ASEAN Center for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases,” Roque said. Duterte also asked ASEAN member-states and the U.S. to sustain the initiatives of the ASEAN-U.S. Strategic Partnership for regional growth, where both parties could benefit from increased trade and investments as well as cooperation in the digital economy and innovation. On the South China Sea issue, the Chief Executive underscored that the Philippines is for the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law.

According to him, there is no other viable path but honest negotiations and sincere diplomacy. On Thursday, Duterte invoked the country’s arbitral victory against China over the South China Sea. “The Philippine position is clear and firm. We must solve the disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” he said. “The 2016 arbitral award on the South China Sea is an authoritative interpretation of the application of UNCLOS. It is now part of international law. And its

significance cannot be diminished nor ignored by any country, however big and powerful,” he added. Duterte also called for the completion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to promote peace and stability in the busy waterway. “The Philippines is one with ASEAN in transforming the South China Sea into a sea of peace and prosperity for all,” he said. “We are committed to the immediate conclusion of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. And if I may add, it has been a long time and it is a long wait,” he added. n

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Dateline USa

UMBRELLA REPAIR. A repairman fixes an umbrella on the sidewalk in Barangay Salitran 3, Dasmarinas City, Cavite on Tuesday, November 17. The cost of repair ranges between P30 and P50, including parts replacement. PNA photo by Gil Calinga

PH disqualified from MCC grant in 2021 by Bernadette

tamayo ManilaTimes.net

PHILIPPINE Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Monday, November 16 lamented that the Philippines will not be able to access millions of dollars in grants from the Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) because the country was given a failing mark on corruption. The Washington-based MCC gave the Philippines a failing mark on corruption control, rule of law, freedom of information, health expenditures, immunization rates and access to credit, “thus the country becomes ineligible for a new aid compact in 2021,” Drilon said. “Another missed opportunity. We missed a great opportunity to get funding aimed at reducing poverty and strengthening good governance,” he said in a statement. In a statement on November 9, the MCC said: “The scorecards are a key component in MCC’s annual competitive selection process that determines which countries are eligible to develop a five-year grant agreement, known as a compact, with the agency. To be considered for an MCC compact, countries are expected to first pass MCC’s scorecard, passing at least 10 of the 20 indicators, including the Political Rights or Civil Liberties

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon

indicator, and the Control of Corruption indicator.” “It saddens us that the government’s inability to curb corruption has affected our access to critical grants such as the MCC,” Drilon said. “This underscores the need to combat corruption. Otherwise, we risk losing several funding, grants and incentive programs that can help alleviate poverty in the country,” he stressed. The MCC extended $434 million worth of aid to the Philippines during the Aquino 3rd administration. The money was used to modernize the Bureau of Internal Revenue to strengthen tax collection, provided communitydriven development projects to

ManilaTimes.net file photo

far-flung and high-poverty communities, and rehabilitated a critical secondary national road on Samar Island. Drilon said another MCC could have helped the country recover faster if it accessed more funding in 2021. “The country has lost not only grants but a chance to change lives and create impact,” the senator said. Drilon said the MCC aid also implemented 4,000 small-scale development projects in poor rural areas and renovated 222 kilometers of a national road “that serves as a lifeline for numerous towns and municipalities in one of the poorest and most typhoonprone areas of the country.” n

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • NOvembeR 18-20, 2020

A November 18-20, 2020 • SoCal ASIAN JoUrNAL

Dateline USa

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

Judge rules DACA suspension invalid

PAGE A1

U.S. Supreme Court blocking the Trump administration’s plan to dismantle the program a month before. The memo further stated that the administration would suspend new applications, while having renewals only for one year instead of two. The Obama-era program granted renewable deportation protections of two years to certain young undocumented immigrants, known as “Dreamers,”

who were brought to the United States illegally as children. Aside from being able to stay in the U.S., recipients were able to work legally which allowed many to pursue higher education and pursue other career goals. The program, however, does not offer a pathway to citizenship for the grantees. Saturday’s ruling restores DACA to nearly its original purpose as new applications will be accepted for the first time since 2017, according to the Wall

Street Journal. According to Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice), an affiliation of five independent civil rights organizations, at least 16,000 DACA recipients are of Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI) descent. Between 2012 and 2017, at least 3,880 Filipinos were granted DACA protection, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). (AJPress)

Will communities hardest hit get... PAGE A1 Dr. Nirav Shah, adjunct professor of medicine in the Division of Primary Care and Population Health at Stanford University stated: “We need to do this in a more structured and standardized way as opposed to the thousand points of light approach where every state, every city is doing something on their own. Simple coordination, using evidence-based approaches, will make a big difference here.” Dr. William Schaffner, professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University, agreed that vaccine delivery would pose enormous challenges. “This is not a vaccine that will be available at the local pharmacy or in a physician’s office,” he said. Schaffner also noted that the vaccine is reactive: people taking it may experience a sore arm, fever, or headaches. Nguyen warned that such side effects could increase people’s distrust of the vaccine, and deter them from getting the shot. Skepticism of the vaccine is strong in the African American community and other ethnic communities, said Schaffner. “So we’re going to have to do everything we can to reach out and provide information and also provide reassurance,” he said, noting that much of the work will have to be done through churches or by prominent leaders in ethnic communities. Pfizer and Germany-based BioNTech announced Nov. 9 that they had jointly developed a vaccine with an efficacy rate of 90%. The study enrolled 43,538 participants, with 42% coming from diverse backgrounds. The companies have submitted an application for emergency use

authorization to the Food and Drug Administration. The application is expected to be approved by the end of November. Concurrently, Moderna announced the results of its trial Nov. 16 which had an efficacy rate of 94%. Approximately 37% of the participants in the Moderna trial were people of color. Jha noted that a 90% efficacy rate for the Pfizer vaccine was astounding. “I was speaking at a conference and saying that we will be lucky if the vaccine is 60 to 70% effective. A 90% efficacy was not what I was expecting and am I happy to be wrong on that,” he said. “We’re not just testing it in 18 to 30 year old white men and women, but in fact we’re testing it in a broad swath of America,” said Jha, noting that the Moderna trial was delayed as the company tried to diversify its testing recruits. Shah said the news from Pfizer, which indicated efficacy of the vaccine with just two doses, was an enormous step in the right direction. But once the vaccine is approved with by the FDA with emergency use authorization, it is unlikely that most people will be able to get vaccinated right away. A maximum of 10 to 20 million doses will be available by the end of the year, he said. “There will be a ramp up after that, but it is going to be some time before we get the kind of widespread availability of multiple vaccines with secure supply chains that get everyone the two doses,” said Shah. Schaffner said treatment for people infected with COVID is getting better. “We’re doing a better job of getting people out of the Intensive Care Unit and

out of the hospital; we are lowering the fatality rate.” He also spoke about the use of the antiviral medication Remdesivir, which was approved last month by the FDA, and dexamethasone, a steroid that helps control the inflammatory response during the second half of the infection. Monoclonal antibodies also received emergency use authorization Nov. 9, but Schaffner said the intravenous treatment poses a challenge as to who should get those and at what stage of the infection. All four physicians agreed that a coordinated effort by the incoming administration — as opposed to the current patchwork quilt of efforts — would help the U.S. get the pandemic under control. Jha said he was astounded that some states have closed their schools but opened their casinos. He noted that the Presidentelect has no formal powers yet, but can use his soft powers to go out to red states and let people know why wearing a mask is effective. Nguyen said the Biden Administration must impose a national mandatory mask mandate. “If we all had worn masks in the last seven months, we would have 100,000 less deaths,” he stated. “We do not have a silver bullet,” said Shah. “Testing alone won’t work. Contact tracing alone won’t work. Physical distancing alone won’t work. Wearing masks alone won’t work.” “But all of these together will collectively bring us to where we need to be, so that we actually see cases go down,” he said. (By Sunita Sohrabji / EMS Contributing Editor)

CLEANUP. A Quezon City government worker hands over a sack of debris collected from the Diliman Creek waterway in Barangay Kalusugan and Barangay Roxas, Quezon City on Tuesday, November 17. Quezon City Solid Waste Management personnel are tasked to clean up all creeks, streets, and public roads in the city. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Typhoon Ulysses death toll climbs... PAGE A1 billion. The NDRRMC also recorded 39,808 damaged houses, of which 4,473 were classified as “totally damaged” and 35,335 as “partially damaged.” State of calamity pushed for Luzon The disaster agency recommended placing the entire Luzon under a state of calamity due to the devastations brought by the three successive storms that entered the country recently. The NDRRMC Council approved the recommendation on Monday, Nov. 16, during an emergency meeting where they discussed the impact of typhoons Quinta, Rolly and Ulysses. “It was approved during the meeting the recommendation for President Rodrigo Duterte to place under state of calamity the entire Luzon to address the impacts of the latest typhoons that hit the country,” said NDRRMC Executive Director Usec. Ricardo Jalad. Jalad also said the council agreed on convening a technical working group of the joint prevention, mitigation and preparedness clusters of the NDRRMC to assess the current dam management.

Malacañang, for its part, said Duterte has received the recommendation. “The President has received the recommendation of the NDRRMC to place the island of Luzon under state of calamity, but while he hasn’t made a decision yet, we expect him to declare state of calamity in areas in Luzon that experienced flooding due to successive rains,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in Filipino on Tuesday. To those interested in extending aid, below is a list of organizations and groups with donation drives and relief initiatives: ABS-CBN Foundation What: cash donations Where: BDO Account (0039302-14711, swift code: BNORPHMM), BPI Account (4221-0000-27, swift code: BOPIPHMM) Caritas Manila What: cash donations Where: Banco De Oro Savings Account (000-5600-45905), BPI Savings Account (30635357-01), BPI Savings Account (dollar account: 3064-0033-55, swift Code: BOPIPHMM), Metrobank Savings Account (1753-17506954-3), RCBC Savings Account (000-300-090-2216)

Savings Account Name: Caritas Manila, Inc. Kaya Natin! Movement What: cash donations Where: BPI Account (30811173-72), Paypal, JustPayTo Account name: KN Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, Inc. Tulong Kabataan Network What: cash donations Where: BPI Savings Account (008339 4735 53), BDO Savings Account (012220 0134 36), Paypal Who: Thalia R. Villela Ateneo de Manila University What: cash donations Where: BPI Account (3083 7210 56) UP Diliman Student Council What: cash donations Where: BPI Account (Patricia Emerie Dela Pena: 3879 0420 88), BDO Account (Keana Sumi Rachelle Nerona: 007000543504), Paypal Proof of donations may be sent to: straw.updusc1920@gmail. com PAWS Philippines What: cash donations Where: BPI Account (USD: 3944-0021-61, PHP: 39430086-11), PNB Account (188870015305), BDO Account (00364007-0350) n

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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • NOvembeR 18-20, 2020

Dateline PhiliPPines

Duterte grants active hazard pay to COVID-19 frontliners by aJPress PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, November 16, signed Administrative Order No. 35, granting active hazard duty pay and special risk allowance to COVID-19 medical frontliners. Under the order, national government agencies, governmentowned or -controlled corporations and local government units are authorized to grant active hazard duty pay up to P3,000 per month to pandemic frontliners such as medical, allied medical staff, and other personnel in the public sector.

Excluded in the hazard pay grant are consultants and experts engaged for a limited period to perform specific activities or services with expected outputs; laborers engaged through job contracts and those paid on piecework basis; student workers and apprentices; and individuals and group of individuals whose services are engaged through contract of service or job order, including barangay health workers, who are not assigned to hospitals, laboratories or medical and quarantine facilities. The grant is in addition to any hazard pay, hazardous duty pay, hazard allowance, special risk allowance or other similar benefits

under existing laws, issuances, rules, and regulations. It is also exempted from income tax. The hazard pay grant will be pro-rated based on the number of days that the front line HRHs physically report for work in a month, reckoned from Sept. 15 until Dec. 19. The Philippine Department of Budget and Management and Philippine Department of Health were ordered to draft the guidelines necessary for the effective implementation of the order. The order will take effect immediately after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. n WATER RATION. Residents of Molino Homes II Subdivision, Barangay Salitran 3, in Dasmarinas City, Cavite fall in line with their plastic buckets and jugs to get water from a water tanker on Tuesday, November 17. A water pump generator is being repaired in the subdivision causing the water service interruption. PNA photo by Gil Calinga

SC rejects Marcos move to keep Leonen out of poll protest, tells Calida to explain self Joma Sison on trial for Leyte massacre by Kristine Joy

Philstar.com

Patag

MANILA — The Presidential Electoral Tribunal has ordered Solicitor General Jose Calida to explain why he should not be cited in contempt as it junked his and former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s motions for Associate Justice Marvic Leonen to inhibit from the vice presidential poll protest. The Supreme Court Public Information Office said Tuesday that the SC, sitting as PET, tribunal voted unanimously to deny the Motions to Inhibit separately by Marcos and Calida. The PET also issued a showcause order to Calida over his motion to inhibit Leonen from the case. Marcos, in his motion, accused Leonen of manifesting partiality to Vice President Leni Robredo in the poll proceedings. Calida, just hours later, filed a separate motion bearing almost the same arguments as Marcos’. Calida said he was filing the motion to inhibit as part of his mandate of being “tribune of the people,” the same reason he used when he took a stand favoring Marcos in the voting shade

Solicitor General Jose Calida Philstar.com photo by Kristine Joy Patag

threshold issue. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said he supposed Calida’s motion “had to filed” because of people’s interest on who won the vice presidential elections. The PET also issued a show cause order to Manila Times reporter Jomar Canlas, who wrote a two-part report on the supposed “reflections” of Leonen on the poll protest case early in the case deliberations. Calida’s and Marcos’ two unrelated motions to inhibit filed on the same day quoted from Canlas’

report. A copy of the PET resolution has yet to be made public. The SC PIO said this will be uploaded on its website once available. PET proceedings The tribunal is deliberating issues on the third cause of action in Marcos’ poll protest, which is the annulment of elections in three Mindanao provinces due to alleged terrorism and vote-buying. The OSG and the Commissions on Elections had already submitted their separate comments on the issues that involve votes from Maguindanao, Basilan and Lanao del Sur. While the OSG and Comelec both said the PET can declare annulment of elections, Calida went on to say in his separate comment: “In the case at bar, it is undubitable that even if the votes cast in the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and Basilan are declared null and void, there is no failure to elect to speak of. On the contrary, the ultimate winner, or the one with the majority (or plurality) of the valid votes cast, is easily determinable.” Nullifying the votes in the three provinces will wipe out Robredo’s narrow lead over Marcos. n

by John

eric Mendoza ManilaTimes.net

A COURT in Manila on Monday, November 16 started the trial of Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison and 37 others for alleged involvement in the Inopacan Massacre in Leyte more than 30 years ago. Sison, his wife Juliet, and 36 others are facing 15 counts of murder before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32. Political prisoners former Bohol mayor Exuperio Lloren, peasant leaders Dario Tomada, Norberto Murillo, and Oscar Belleza and peace consultants Vicente Ladlad and Adelberto Silva, were among the defendants. The trial, presided by Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina, is being conducted through videoconferencing. Sison, former congressman Satur Ocampo, along with communist leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, did not attend the virtual hearing. National Security Adviser Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr., who physically attended the trial, served as a witness. Esperon showed the court photos of the alleged mass grave the

Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison

soldiers discovered in 2006. Sixty-seven skulls were recovered in Mt. Sapang Dako in Inopacan town in Leyte, which was said to be the remains of suspected military informers who had been executed by the CPP’s armed wing, New People’s Army. The trial will resume on December 14. Dozens of supporters from the League of Parents of the Philippines demonstrated outside the city hall, in support of the trial. Members of the Samahan ng Ex-detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (Selda) had their own rally to call for the dropping of charges.

ManilaTimes.net photo

Selda Secretary General Rosalia Bacarra said in a statement sent to reporters on Monday that the testimony of Esperon “is based on hearsay, highly questionable evidence and recycled testimonies full of inconsistencies.” “Such have been the basis of the preposterous Hilongos “mass grave” case, where three skeletons found in an alleged mass grave in Baybay, Leyte — a case which was already dismissed for lack of evidence way back in 2005 — but by some happenstance managed to travel to another mass grave in Inopacan, Leyte, which was allegedly found in August 2006,” Bacarra said. n

A6 NOVEMBER 18-20, 2020 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPiniOn

No MCC grant

FeatUres

BECAUSE of the immense funding needed for the coronavirus pandemic response, with revenue sources massively reduced amid the economic contraction, the government has had to obtain funds from foreign sources. Officials said that as of Nov. 4, the government had secured a total of $10.1 billion in loans and grants for the COVID response. Obviously, grants that need no repayment should be preferred over loans, no matter how soft the repayment terms. A grant of over $400 million would go a long way in the pandemic response, especially in the procurement of COVID vaccines that several foreign pharmaceutical companies are expected to roll out within a few months. Senators have lamented what they consider to be a small allocation for vaccine procurement in the proposed national budget for 2021. A decade ago, the country qualified for a fiveyear grant of $433.91 million from the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corp. The MCC was established by the U.S. government in 2004 to provide grants to developing countries that demonstrate a commitment to good governance, which places them on the path of solid and sustainable economic growth. Countries need to pass at least 10 of 20 indicators, plus two “hard hurdles” – either the “political rights” or “civil liberties” indicator, and the “control of cor-

ruption.” A Sept. 8 report of the MCC said the Philippines, whose first MCC grant expired in May 2016, was one of 68 countries being considered for the new package. A report this week, however, showed that while the Philippines passed 12 of the 20 indicators, it failed one of the “hard hurdles” – control of corruption – and cannot qualify for the MCC grant. The country also failed in rule of law and freedom of information. Philippine officials said the country would opt instead for funding assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development. USAID has extended P780 million so far for the Philippines’ pandemic response. Still, the MCC aid would have been a significant addition to the pandemic resources. President Duterte has given priority to the cam- cians and magistrates, and an ombudsman who paign against corruption. But there are major has become a champion of opaqueness in governobstacles in his path, among them corrupt politi- ment. The country’s failure to qualify for the MCC

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS JUST when we thought we experienced the worst, President Donald Trump has outdone himself again in attacking America’s democracy, democratic institutions and processes, and the American people. After losing his desperate bid to be re-elected to a second term, Trump has dug deeper in his bottomless pit of transgressions against America that can lead to even more deaths, chaos, economic and social hardships for the country’s people. Facts and figures: Election results As of November 17, Biden leads in the national popular vote by a 51% to 47% margin, or by 4 percentage points. So far, Biden has earned 78,729,579 votes, compared to Trump’s 73,126,938 votes, with outstanding ballots still being counted in several states, including California and New York. Translate that to electoral votes: 306 Biden, 232 Trump. The metrics that called Trump presidentelect in 2016 are the same ones that declared Joe Biden’s victory this time around, as well as their predecessors. Trump’s ‘alternate facts’

ENRIQUE

DE LA CRUZ

THE Philippines once had two presidents but only for a few days. On Tuesday, February 25, 1986, Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon Aquino held dueling presidential inauguration ceremonies, each being sworn in as President of the Philippines. Each claiming to be duly elected by the people in “snap elections” held a few weeks before. With Trump’s refusal to concede, could the 2020 presidential election lead to a similar scenario? When major media organizations called the U.S. presidential elections for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, jubilation over their victory led to celebrations in the streets, complete with someone spraying the crowd with champagne, and others crying with joy. Trump is still to concede as of this writing, claiming that he had prevailed by a large margin of votes. It is over a week now since media organizations predicted the Biden/Harris victory.

grant in this public health crisis should add to the government’s resolve to fight corruption. (Philstar. com)

More deaths, chaos, economic hardship in America as Trump blocks Biden transition efforts Even before the November 3, 2020 presidential election, Trump has been planting the seed of doubt in the minds of his die-hard followers that the only way he would lose his re-election bid is if he was cheated. In fact, this was the same defense he would resort to using in all battles and contests he’d been in as a private citizen, and as a politician. Trump himself said in an interview on Fox and Friends: “I’m not thinking about concession speech or acceptance speech yet,” he told reporters. “Hopefully we’ll be only doing one of those two. And, you know, winning is easy. Losing is never easy. Not for me it’s not.” Despite Trump’s efforts to disenfranchise voters during the pandemic, the American people turned out in historic numbers to cast their votes, both Democrats and Republicans, as well as Independents and those with no party affiliations. Most Democrats chose to mail in their ballots in compliance with public health safety measures to protect themselves from COVID-19 versus most Republicans who followed Trump’s command NOT to mail in their votes but to go to polling stations on election day. The verdict: a rebuke of Trump’s

failure of leadership as the 45th president of the United States. He governed to be re-elected more than to fulfill the oath he took to defend and protect the Constitution and the American people. After four chaotic years, with the coronavirus pandemic testing and revealing his true color, a majority of the American people fired him. Instead of respecting the will of the American people, Trump refuses to concede and has doubled down on pushing the conspiracy theory that he was cheated. He is still demanding a recount and is even trashing the sacred votes of people, calling them “illegal votes” except those ballots that voted for him and the Republicans. Trump and his minions filed at least 16 lawsuits only for the judges to rule that there is no sufficient evidence to prove his allegations of widespread election fraud. Even his own lawyers pulled out of the case to admit there was no fraud. The President vowed to take this battle all the way to the Supreme Court where he rushed to confirm his nominee less than a month before the election to tilt the balance of power to his favor. I believe the judges, the Republican and Democratic election officials, state secretaries, governors and lieutenant governors, Repub-

One country, two presidents Commentary

Philstar.com photo

Official results, have yet to be certified (as expected) as every ballot cast has to be duly counted, with election workers in every state and county working feverishly to meet deadlines. During the February 1986 Philippine elections, the counting became fraught with allegations and counter allegations of fraud, with the Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC), a government but Marcos controlled entity, and a non-partisan, election poll watcher, NAMFREL coming up with different tallies. COMELEC had Marcos ahead in the count, while NAMFREL’s favored Aquino. The conflicting tallies came to a head when 35 COMELEC computer technicians staged a walkout alleging that the figures they were posting did not correspond to the tallies that were getting posted. This protest pretty much sealed the faith of Marcos as the election loser. NAMFREL’s numbers became the accepted figures for election results. And the specter of widespread social unrest became a reality. The dueling inaugurations were only a front, as the U.S. worked behind the scenes to diffuse the situation. Folks will recall that this was during the Cold War era; the Philippines was a client state of

the U.S. Marcos was dependent on assistance, especially military assistance, to maintain himself in power. All he had to do, really, in order to maintain himself in power, was to demonstrate, as a fig leaf, some adherence to democratic processes, such as holding periodic “demonstration elections”to insure continued U.S. Support. (Demonstration elections was the term that the progressive community applied to elections held by dictators in U.S. Client states.) In the fall of 1985, during an interview with Nightline’s host, Ted Koppel, Koppel observed that Marcos appeared to be losing public support. Marcos denied this, and with much bravado, asserted, “If you want, I will hold elections to prove this.” This set in motion an unscheduled presidential election in the Philippines, thus the term “snap elections.” No other offices were at stake, only the presidency (and vice presidency). As the cliche goes, the rest is history. U.S. Senator Richard Lugar, a Republican from Indiana, went to the Philippines to observe the elections. Upon his return he convinced President Ronald Reagan, a fellow Republican, that Marcos claims about winning were without merit, but Marcos’

lican, Democrat and international poll watchers and observers who publicly say there is no evidence of massive election fraud. I believe the Republican, Democrat independent, no-party affiliation American people who overwhelmingly cast their sacred vote, whether in person or by mail during this pandemic, to make our voices heard and our will be known. Enough! We move forward, build back better But it is beyond Trump to even accept nor respect this. Instead, he claimed he won on Election Day and after Biden was called President-Elect on November 7. Trump asked his die-hard supporters to protest in the streets despite the threat of COVID-19 to “stop counting the votes” (mail in ballots) on November 3, and when Biden was pulling ahead to count all the votes their votes he claimed were being “stolen”. Then, Trump demanded monetary contributions toward his election defense. As the fine print says, the money will go to any of his campaign debts. The WORST part of it all is his order to his administration NOT to acknowledge Biden as the president-elect, and to block efforts toward a peaceful and orderly transfer of power pursuant

to the rule of law. The President Transition Act of 1963 The “President Transition Act of 1963” was enacted “to promote the orderly transfer of the executive power in connection with the expiration of the term of office of a President and the inauguration of a new President. The national interest requires that such transitions in the office of President be accomplished so as to assure continuity in the faithful execution of the laws and in the conduct of the affairs of the Federal Government, both domestic and foreign. Any disruption occasioned by the transfer of the executive power could produce results detrimental to the safety and well-being of the United States and its people. Accordingly, it is the intent of the Congress that appropriate actions be authorized and taken to avoid or minimize any disruption. This law was violated by Trump because he could not accept that he lost. Therefore, he has been denying the Biden transition team with information, intelligence briefing and the resources that had been accorded by all other outgoing presidents to their successors. Country before party. The American people before selfish

political interests. This is something Trump cannot comprehend nor commit to. President-Elect Joe Biden spoke to the American people on Monday, saying there will be “dire consequences if President Donald Trump and his administration continue to refuse to coordinate with his transition team on the coronavirus pandemic and block briefings on national security, policy issues and vaccine plans.” “More people may die if we don’t coordinate,” Biden told reporters during a news conference in Wilmington, Delaware, as reported by the Associated Press. “Biden and his aides — and a small but growing group of Republicans — have emphasized the importance of being briefed on White House efforts to control the pandemic and distribute prospective vaccines. The Trump administration is working on its own distribution plan, while Biden’s chief of staff indicated his transition team will proceed with their own planning separately because of the obstruction,” the AP said. “We’re going into a very dark winter,” Biden said. “Things are going to get much tougher before they get easier.” As the United States struggles

intransigence in the face of election results might well plunge the Philippines, into chaos, and open the way for an ascendant communist insurgency to take over. The alternative, to abide by the election results and transfer power to Corazon Aquino, would be much more desirable. This led President Reagan to offer Marcos safe passage out of the Philippines and safe haven in Hawaii. Lore has it that Senator Lugar, after delivering the details of President Ronald Reagan’s offer said with finality, “it’s time to leave, Mr. President.” A couple of days later, under cover of darkness, Marcos abandoned Malacañang, the official residence of Philippine presidents. When news spread that Marcos had left, jubilation spilled out into the streets of the capitol region with Filipinos shouting, “We are free! We are free!” I would be remiss if I failed to recognize the role that Filipinos played in this “relatively” peaceful and “bloodless” (there were injuries but no lives lost) transition into a Corazon Aquino-led government. The threat of a bloodbath was very real as parts of the military headed by General Fidel Ramos, and Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile staged a military revolt, taking control of Camp Crame, and called upon other members of

the armed forces to join them. A bloody confrontation between forces led by Ramos/Enrile and Marcos loyalists was averted by civilians literally flooding access points to Camp Crame, especially EDSA, the beltway boulevard that bordered Manila. Barricades and civilian bodies were literally thrown into the paths of tanks and troop carriers to prevent Marcos loyalist forces from reaching the military rebels. It is really this outpouring of civilian support for the military revolt led by Ramos and Enrile and that morally undermined any Marcos claims of legitimacy and hastened defections. This revolt is known today as the EDSA/ People Power revolution. Marcos might have suffered a more ignominious faith, had the U.S. not intervened to pluck him out of the Philippines. Republicans (Lugar and Reagan) then affirmed the people’s vote in the Philippines for Aquino. In the current U.S. election, they have become conspicuously silent, despite uncontroverted vote counts heavily favoring Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, raising probabilities of a post-election scenario of one country, two presidents for the U.S.A. American democracy, depends as much on law, as on tradition. The law decrees that every president must stand for election every four years, and can serve

no more than eight years, or two terms. Tradition dictates to insure a smooth transfer of power that the losing candidate concede the elections, as soon as it becomes fairly clear, that he cannot win the majority of electoral college votes. This same tradition also dictates that the outgoing president provide as much assistance and resources to the incoming president to insure a minimum of disruption on the affairs of the state and the federal government. Policy and security briefs must be prepared. Security codes must be transferred, and security clearances must be obtained in preparation for these transfers. Clearly, an outgoing president’s concession of the election is pivotal to all these. Though not legally required, it eases and smoothens the transfer of power, and tells his supporters to abide by the election results, as he is. There is an unwritten social contract to elections, by the way, which is that by participating in the election process, we all agree to abide by the results, everything else being equal. Compliance with this unwritten contract to abide by the election results is the basis for smooth transfers of power in any democracy. Losing candidates and their supporters who renege from this contract endanger the

u PAGE A7

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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • NOvembeR 18-20, 2020

Pope Francis offers prayers to Pinoys affected by typhoons POPE Francis on Sunday, November 15 offered prayers for Filipinos affected by typhoons and floods. The pontiff expressed solidarity with Filipinos. “I express my solidarity to the poorest families and those who are doing all they can to help them,” the Pope said. Several provinces were devastated by four typhoons that hit the counPhoto by Vatican News try one after another.

Pope Francis

Floods and landslides killed dozens and forced hundreds of thousands of families to flee their homes. On Sunday, Bishop Broderick Pabillo called on the faithful to help the victims of calamities. “In all of these, we are being challenged to stand up together and put our resources together and help,” Pabillo said. (Jomar Canlas/ManilaTimes.net)

SC asked to hold preliminary conference on anti-terror law pleas remotely by Kristine Joy

Philstar.com

Patag

MANILA — Petitioners represented by the Free Legal Assistance Group urged the Supreme Court to conduct the preliminary conference on the anti-terrorism law case through videoconference, citing COVID-19 risks and the protocol enforced to curb the spread of the virus. In an urgent omnibus motion filed Monday, FLAG said they are grateful for the SC’s move to conduct preliminary conference on the case, but asked the high court to allow the remote participation of the parties in it. “As to the conduct of the preliminary conference by videoconference, the petitioners submit that the said mode will best balance the need for the speedy resolution of the consolidated petitions with the current public health realities arising from the COVID-19 pandemic,” they said. The SC will hold preliminary conference on the case on November 26, but it has yet to set a date for the oral arguments. FLAG noted that the petitioners come from various areas in the Philippines, including from Visayas and Mindanao, and travel

restrictions remain in place. It also pointed out that other than the 37 legal teams of each group of petitioners, the Office of the Solicitor General will also attend the preliminary conference. “Taken together, travel to Manila appears to be impracticable and may pose a serious health risk to counsel and all attendees of the preliminary conference,” they said. FLAG also proposed common issues among the 37 petiitions that the SC may deliberate through live questioning, on the oral arguments. • The overbreadth of the ATA • The void for vagueness of the ATA • The necessity for the issuance of a status quo ante order or similar preliminary injunction by the Court” They said procedural issues meanwhile may be argued through a memoranda that specific group of petitioners will submit. “The resolution of issues that affect the viability only of some but not all of the petitions would therefore have no bearing on the ultimate question of whether the ATA should be nullified,” they added. FLAG also said: “While there are thirty-seven petitions, only

More deaths, chaos, economic hardship in America as... PAGE A6 with the record-breaking number of coronavirus cases, hospitalization rate and death toll, Presidentelect Biden has already been hard at work “in the days after he was projected to be the winner of the presidential election.” All the while, Trump has been busy golfing, tweeting against his political opponents, spreading conspiracy theories that denigrate and invalidate the integrity of the election and the will of the American people to rile up his base and attempt to delegitimize Biden’s win. Biden has already announced his transition teams, including the “COVID-19 advisory board comprised of doctors and scientists, which will create a blueprint for tackling the pandemic once his administration is in office,” CBS News reported. “But Mr. Biden said his team needs access to the Trump administration’s plans for distributing a coronavirus vaccine, which he called a ‘huge undertaking,’ in order to be fully prepared to address the pandemic once in office,” CBS News added. “If we have to wait until January 20 to start that planning, it puts us behind over a month, month and a half,” Biden said. “So it’s important there be coordination now, now or as rapidly as we can get that done.” Biden emphasized that economic recovery “starts with a real strategy to deal with the pandemic. We can’t solve the jobs crisis until we solve the public health crisis.” True patriotism and love for the country In an interview on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” former President Barack Obama said, “When your time is

up, it is your job to put the country first and think beyond your own ego, and your own interests.” This was how Trump’s predecessors showed their true love and patriotism and loyalty to the country. “My advice to President Trump is, if you want at this late stage in the game to be remembered as somebody who put country first, it’s time for you to do the same thing,” the 44th president said. But Obama also directed the call for accountability to the Republican Party that enables Trump and is complicit to his assault against our democracy. “There has been this sense over the last several years that literally anything goes and is justified in order to get power…There are strong men and dictators around the world who think that, ‘I can do anything to stay in power. I can kill people. I can throw them in jail. I can run phony elections. I can suppress journalists.’ But that’s not who we’re supposed to be,” Obama said. And who are we supposed to be? What are we doing, “We the People”, to protect and fight for our 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.

One country, two presidents PAGE A6 democratic transfer of power and the processes that presuppose it. The result could very well be violence, civil unrest, a military coup, or civil war. While I am normally be skeptical about predictions of civil unrest and violence from this election, I cannot make light of them in light of Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. He has stoked fear, and repeatedly made baseless claims about election irregularities. His othering of women, LGBTQ+ folks, and persons of color has encouraged a siege mentality among his followers. During the RNC, he has warned that “Joe Biden and the radical left are also now coming for our freedom of speech, and want to bully us into submission.” Other convention speakers declared that “They (Democrats and Sanders) want to destroy this country.” Trump has stoked violence and insurrection; his irresponsible tweet,

“Liberate Michigan,” may have encouraged a self-styled militia group to plot the kidnapping of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Fortunately, the plot was foiled. American democracy is at an inflection point. President Trump can choose to abide by tradition and graciously concede in light of uncontroverted election results, or he can be intransigent. I call on him to do the noble thing, as President Reagan did when it came Philippine election results: Comply with the choice of the people. It’s time to leave, Mr. Trump. *** 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. ••• Enrique de la Cruz is Professor Emeritus of Asian American Studies at Cal State University, Northridge.

one of them needs to succeed for the ATA to be annulled... Hence, and most respectfully, to conduct oral argument on issues particularly only to some of the petitions (such as procedural issues) would be to waste the valuable time of the Court.” Petitioners have been pressing the SC to rule on their prayer for a status quo ante or temporary restraining order that would prohibit the government from implementing the controversial anti-terrorism law. In separate motions, groups of petitioners have raised the promulgation of the Implementing Rules and Regulation of the law, budget allocation for the anti-terrorism program and the amplified redtagging of military and government officials against members of progressive groups. n

EVACUATION CENTER IN MARIKINA. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian talks to the evacuees at the temporary shelter during his visit to the evacuation centers at the Hermogenes Bautista Elementary School and Malanday Elementary School in Concepcion, Marikina City on Tuesday, November 17. He also distributed food packs to the 7,465 evacuees at the evacuation centers. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Filipinos forced back home by pandemic top 254,000 –DFA MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday, November 16 said it brought home another 8,831 Filipinos from overseas last week. This brings the total number of migrants repatriated by the agency due to the novel coronavirus crisis to 254,785. “More than 87% or 7,715 of [last] week’s repatriates arrived from the Middle East,” the DFA said in a press release. It added that another 611 Filipinos returned from Asia-Pacific, trailed by 503 repatriates from Europe and two from the Americas. “[T]he DFA chartered a Phil-

ippine Airlines flight to Guangzhou, China, which brought home 86 distressed overseas Filipinos from various regions in China, including a medical stretcher case,” the agency said, adding that these repatriates arrived safely in Manila last Wednesday. Meanwhile, 151 deportees from Malaysia landed in Zamboanga last Thursday, the department said. “Three [overseas Filipinos] with chronic illness were also medically repatriated from [the United Arab Emirates], Bahrain, and Oman. Finally, our various Foreign Service Posts helped

in the return of overseas Filipinos from Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Vietnam, and Japan,” DFA added. On Monday, two DFA-chartered flights from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Dili, Timor-Leste were scheduled to bring home around 370 “distressed” Filipinos from the two countries. The department said it expects to repatriate another 90,000 Filipinos before the year is out. Latest data from the agency shows that more than 11,500 Filipinos have contracted coronavirus overseas, over 800 of whom died. (Bella Perez-Rubio/ Philstar.com)

A November 18-20, 2020 • SoCal ASIAN JoUrNAL

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How to celebrate Thanksgiving under the new normal by

AJPress

HANKSGIVING is on Thursday, November 26 this year, and families are gearing up for their grocery runs and are planning their menus. While the holiday is T known for traveling to see loved ones, gathering with relatives and friends around

the table, and passing large plates of food, the traditional ways of celebrating are not advised as coronavirus cases continue to spike across the country. For nearly the past year, holidays and special occasions — from Easter to birthdays — have had to adapt under this socially distanced time by going virtual or moving outdoors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its holiday guidelines, which include avoiding potluckstyle gatherings; not convening in crowded, indoor spaces with individuals not part of your household; and avoiding singing or shouting, especially indoors. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued travel advisories urging residents to stay local and to limit mingling with others outside of their immediate household. Those who come from out of state or another country are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days. In the Golden State, large gatherings are still prohibited and must follow requirements such as: no more than three households and should be limited to two hours or less; outdoor gatherings in counties in the restrictive purple tier; higher-risk individuals (e.g. older adults and those with chronic medical conditions) are strongly urged not to attend; and limiting removal of face coverings to only when eating and drinking and maintaining 6 feet apart from others. Despite the restrictions, there are creative ways to still mark this season of gratitude. Keep the Thanksgiving meal attendees limited Though Filipinos generally enjoy any reason to gather in numbers, the pandemic is forcing families to make the tough

Love, this year’s Thanksgiving dinner will be intimate with her family along with her sister’s family and their mother. Their feast will have a duck at the center instead of turkey, while her husband contributes a cauliflower mash, mom makes pancit and lumpia, and sister and brother-in-law bring over a potato salad and roasted beets. At Casper’s house, the Thanksgiving feast will feature traditional dishes with Filipino ingredients and flavors: an oven roasted turkey with tamarind leaves, calamansi and other herbs/spices; apple-persimmon stuffing; pochero, baked ube with cinnamon, cloves, and walnuts; and roasted whole kalabasa with coconut ginger cream. For dessert, they’ll have leche flan and baked spiced apples with homemade maple ice cream. As large gatherings and travel are not advised for this year’s Thanksgiving, many families will be Host a virtual party connecting with relatives and friends through technology. AJPress Illustration by Jillian Penalosa Though social distancing is the norm, that doesn’t mean conmorning fulfilling orders for cusdecision of who can attend their necting with one another is lost. respective feasts on Thanksgiving tomers, but closes early so she and her staff can spend time with For the holiday, Zoom announced Day. that it will lift its 40-minute time For Jennifer Estacio, who runs their families. limit on meetings so “your family “As Filipino Americans, we the online Flip Family community, gatherings don’t get cut short.” have a few friends and family the Thanksgiving feast will begin Families that can’t be together over for Thanksgiving because earlier this year with intimate in person can use technology to we enjoy sharing food with othgatherings with both sides of the swap recipes and cook together, ers and enjoy their company. family. enjoy the feast together virtually, We always make sure to pray “Since some of our families or play interactive games. Estaand give thanks before we eat. want to travel safely we will celHowever, this year will be just my cio’s Flipp Family has introduced ebrate with one side a little earimmediate family due to the cur- various Filipino food and culturelier than Thanksgiving and have a related crafts and activity books rent pandemic,” Casper said. traditional Thanksgiving dinner,” Divide cooking tasks among that can be enjoyed by all ages. she said. “Then the other side of Order from a local Fil-Am family members the family we will celebrate on Pacing out the cooking proc- business Thanksgiving. We get to have all Though preparing a feast ess and having family members our favorite Thanksgiving dishes complete with the turkey as the twice and not overeat on Thanks- contribute side dishes can help star of the table is a traditional mitigate any stress on a day that giving Day!” part of the holiday, families who is meant to be joyous. Roline Casper, a chef and don’t want to spend the day in For Val Fishbain, co-founder restaurant owner in Vacaville, the kitchen can choose to support and president of Spread The California, starts Thanksgiving a local Fil-Am restaurant offering meal packages. In Southern California, several chefs and businesses have special family-style entrees and desserts to-go: Seafood City Market’s Grill City has several party kits complete with a meat option like cebuchon and a tray of pancit and leche flan; Petite Peso in Downtown LA is selling platters from kare kare to sans rival meringue cookies that can serve 6-8 people; Ma’am Sir and Obe & Del’s Coffee are collaborating on ube passionfruit cheesecake and banana bibingka loaf cake with a pandan glaze; and Tatang and AJ’s Tex Mex & BBQ have two meal package options that include a whole smoked turkey, crispy pata, ube swirled mashed potatoes, and more. Share what you’re grateful for At the heart of the holiday is going around the table to share what you’re grateful for. Despite the ongoing pandemic and a host of challenges that 2020 has presented, families take this moment to express gratitude. For Fishbain, this year has been about living simply and shifting focus on important things like family time. ”So very grateful for the pandemic forcing us to stay in, live within our simple means and pay attention to really important things in life such as love and family. The pandemic also forced us to look out-of-the-box when it comes to learning options for our kids. We took them out of their elementary school to be in a homeschool learning pod (six neighborhood kids) that we created ourselves. Now they are thriving and learning so much from a credentialed teacher without having to do distance learning on the computer. I trust that we’ll figure things out again when it’s time for them to go back to school,” she said. Casper’s restaurant, Roline’s Uniquely Filipino, has weathered COVID-19 restrictions and the Vacaville fires in recent months. “I am grateful for my family and team members for being safe and healthy, customers are supporting us and keeping our restaurant open, and at the same time, we were able to donate and give back to our community. My cookbook came out in March at the height of COVID-19 and was a #1 new release on Amazon. No matter how challenging the circumstances present themselves to be, I am thankful each day to have the strength to move forward and be resilient,” she said.

Leche Flan Recipe courtesy of “The Easy Filipino Cookbook: 100 Classics Made Simple” by Roline Casper (Rockridge Press, 2020) Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Serves: 6 Did you know that delicious, creamy caramel is a snap to make? It’s simply just water and sugar. In addition to being a great topping for a wide variety of desserts, it also serves as the primary flavor profile of this family-favorite dessert. Flan originated in Spain but once it made its way to the Philippines, it became an instant crowd-pleaser and a staple at celebrations. Eggs, milk, and sugar make up the creamy custard, and it’s topped with a caramel coating that comes together in minutes — you only need five ingredients! For the caramel 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water For the leche flan 12 large egg yolks, 1 (14ounce) can condensed milk, 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk, 1 cup sugar To make the caramel 1. Take out 6 (6-ounce) ramekins. 2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat and let it melt. You can swirl the pan to move it around, but do not stir. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

3. While hot, pour the caramel into ramekin molds, making sure the bottoms are covered. Set aside. To make the leche flan 1. Preheat the oven to 450F. 2. In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and sugar. 3. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the batter into a bowl. 4. Scoop 1/2 cup of batter into each caramel-lined ramekin and cover each with a square of aluminum foil. 5. Place the ramekins into a baking pan with a high rim and fill water to reach halfway up the side of the ramekins. 6. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the flan comes out clean. Take the pan out of the oven. Remove ramekins from the water and let them cool for 5 minutes. 7. With a knife, cut around the edge of each ramekin. Then invert the ramekin onto a dessert plate to release flan. Serve cold or warm. Variation tip: Try adding 1 tablespoon of calamansi or lime zest to the batter after you strain it in Step 3 for a citrus twist.

Pochero Beef (Pocherong Baka)

Recipe courtesy of “The Easy Filipino Cookbook: 100 Classics Made Simple” by Roline Casper (Rockridge Press, 2020) Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes Serves: 4 to 6 Pochero Beef was one of my favorite foods growing up, and I have since cooked it many times for my family. The recipe can also be made using beef, chicken, pork, or a combination of meats like in this chorizo-and-beef version. Serve this dish with rice for a complete meal. Ingredients 5 tablespoons canola oil 1 chorizo sausage, cut into 1/4-inch rounds 2 tomatoes, finely chopped 1 cup finely chopped onion 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes 1 bay leaf 1 sweet potato, cut into 2-inch cubes 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces 4 saba bananas or 2 plantains, peeled and halved 1 small cabbage, cut into 8 wedges 2 cups tomato sauce 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas 1 tablespoon sugar (option) Salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions 1. In a wok or large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the

chorizo, tomatoes, onion, and garlic for about 1 minute. 2. Add the beef and stir until well coated. Cover with cold water by several inches. Add the bay leaf and bring the stew to a boil over high heat. 3. Once the liquid reaches a boil, turn the heat to a medium-low and simmer for 1 hour. Skim the foam off the surface as it cooks. 4. When the beef is tender, add the sweet potato and carrot and simmer for 5 minutes, until tender. 5. Add the bananas and cook for about 5 minutes, until the fruit is soft. 6. Add the cabbage, tomato sauce, and chickpeas, and let it simmer until the liquid has reduced to the consistency of a thin stew, about 10 minutes. 7. Add the sugar, if using, and season with salt and pepper before serving. Substitution tip: Use 1 (12ounce) can of pork and beans instead of the tomato sauce. Cooking tip: In an electric pressure cooker, use the sauté function to complete step 1. Cover the beef in water as instructed, seal, and cook at high pressure for 25 minutes. Quick release the pressure and continue with the recipe using the sauté function to simmer the sweet potatoes, carrots, banana, cabbage, tomato sauce, and chickpeas.

entertainment Seafood City Supermarket launches ‘My Online Suki’ rewards program, holiday meal packages The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - November 18, 2020

SEAFOOD City Supermarket and Grill City introduces “My Online Suki,” which offers customers with exclusive online frequency rewards and specials ‘Blue’s Clues & You’ host Josh Dela Cruz with Fil-Canadian actress Carolyn Fe as Lola in an episode set to air on Friday, Nov. 20. through the supermarket’s Photos courtesy of Nickelodeon mobile app. Customers who register online can now enjoy exclusive introductory rewards from Seafood City and Grill City after shopping for a number of times. These include a free case of 24 pack SFC bottled water from Seafood City, or free 2 item combo meal from Grill City on a customer’s third time to shop; free 10lbs of Long Life calrose By Christina M. Oriel rice from Seafood City, or free AJPress 4pcs of BBQ value from Grill City on the sixth time; free 12 A VISIT from Lola, mano pack of Pamana champorado po, baking bibingka, hearfrom Seafood City or 1pc crispy ing ‘masarap’ — mainstream pata from Grill City on the ninth America will get a glimpse of time; and free 25lbs of Pamana Filipino culture in an upcomjasmine rice from Seafood City ing episode of ‘Blue’s Clues & or 1pc Cebuchon from Grill City You!’ on the 12th time. Josh Dela Cruz, the Fil-Am Seafood City has a $60 host of the iconic kid’s series, minimum purchase to count as will introduce viewers to his loa frequency transaction, while la (played by Filipina-Canadian Grill City has $20 minimum veteran actress and singer purchase. Carolyn Fe) in an episode Through their online apps, entitled “Blue’s Big Baking customers can now also preShow” set to air on NickeloJosh welcomes Lola with the ‘mano po’ gesture in an upcoming episode of “Blue’s Clues and You!” deon on Friday, Nov. 20, at 11 Screengrab order products online to avoid the rush brought by the holiday a.m. (ET/PT). The episode is part of the Josh welcomes Fe into the season. “I can’t wait for families to first-ever “Blue’s Clues & You” house and says, “it’s my Lola!” For Seafood City, customers get to know her and to learn a ‘Blue Friday’ dedicated to as he does the mano po, a need to select the shop or store little bit about Filipino culture celebrating families. Nickelogesture of respect to elders. they prefer on the app, reserve in the episode and see the deon will make a donation to Fe — donning an all-blue the date and time of the delivsimilarities, not just between nonprofit organization Baoutfit and a scarf that matches ery, and choose whether they Asians, but also within their by2Baby to help provide basic want pickup or delivery. Josh’s striped shirt — waves culture about…how they innecessities to kids and families to the audience and asks, “Is With Thanksgiving and teract with their grandmother, in need. that bibingka I smell?” Christmas approaching, Grill and how they feel about their Another holiday-themed “It is and it’s finally ready. City is encouraging customers grandmother. I love her to episode, “Blue’s Night Before to place their orders for party We made it for you,” Josh death,” Dela Cruz previously Christmas,” premieres on Friresponds as they move into packages and trays in advance told the Asian Journal. day, Dec. 4, at 11 a.m. (ET/PT), to avoid the holiday rush. the kitchen. Josh and Blue spend the featuring Josh’s “cousins” The blue CGI pup brings Through the app or Grill City’s day making bibingka, a sweet Steve (Steve Burns) and Joe out four slices of the dessert hotline (1-877-446-4969), cuscoconut rice cake dessert that (Donovan Patton). In the epi— including one for ‘you,’ tomers can reserve the date and is especially eaten during the sode directed by Burns, Josh the viewer — as she makes a time of the delivery, and choose holiday season, in preparation and Blue play Blue’s Clues to barking sound that sounds like whether they want pickup or for Lola’s visit. figure out what Blue wants “bibingka.” delivery. In a teaser clip, “Oh for Christmas, decorate with “Blue, Josh, this bibingThe pre-orders have a lead Joshie” is heard off-screen as Steve, help Joe wrap presents, time of 15 days before pick-up ka is masarap (delicious). It is Josh asks, “Who could that and celebrate a night full of or delivery, giving enough time be?” The children’s voices say, sweet and delicious!”Fe says. holiday traditions. “I love this bibingka.” for the stores to meticulously “Lola!”

Upcoming ‘Blue’s Clues & You’ episode features Josh’s Lola, Filipino traditions like mano po and bibingka

Cebuchon Party Package

Krispy Pata Party Package

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prepare the orders and successfully serve their customers. Grill City has also announced a Holiday Party Package for $109.99 (plus tax) that can feed between six to eight individuals. The options include: the Cebuchon Party Package with a full Cebuchon slab, 2 pieces of Hardinera, half tray of pancit bihon and 2 leche flans; the Crispy Pata Party Package with 3 Crispy Patas, 2 pieces Hardinera, half tray of pancit bihon and 2 leche flans; the Crispy Bagnet Party Package featuring a 4.5 lb bagnet, 2 pieces Hardinera, half tray of pancit bihon and 2 leche flans; or the Barbecue Party Package with 18 pieces of pork or chicken BBQ, 2 pieces Hardinera, half tray of pancit bihon and 2 leche flans. The promo is available at any Grill City U.S. location and should be ordered at least three days before pick-up. Famous for its Filipino-style pork and chicken barbecue, Grill City serves authentic Filipino grilled favorites. It offers

delicious grilled choices like inihaw na liempo (grilled pork belly), stuffed squid and fish (tilapia, pompano and bangus). As side dishes, classic Pinoy viands are available like adobo, kare-kare, sinigang, nilaga, bopiz, kaldereta and menudo. With Grill City, families can enjoy delicious grilled and classic favorites with authentic Pinoy ingredients, without the hassle of cooking and grilling at home. Seafood City Supermarket offers quality and authentic Filipino specialties at the most affordable prices. Launched in 1989, it was the first-ever grocery store that FilipinoAmericans could go to, which had led to more stores opening all over California, followed by stores in Nevada, Washington State, Hawaii and Chicago. Seafood City’s locations included iconic Filipino brands like Jollibee, Red Ribbon, Chowking, Philippine National Bank, Atlas Remittance and other brands popular to Filipinos anywhere in the world.

(Advertising Supplement)

community

What is a postnuptial agreement? A pOSTNupTIAl agreement is a contract between you and your spouse entered into after you get married resolving issues in your marriage. It is similar to a prenuptial agreement except it occurs after your marriage. For couples that get married without a prenuptial agreement, it is not too late to have an agreement dealing with issues of property division, management of finances, spousal support, division of a business that takes effect in case of a divorce. You can enter into a postnuptial agreement even if the marriage is going well. people grow and change over time. You can never predict if your relationship with your spouse will stay the same in the future. In a way, it is a form of planning to cover the contingency in case the marriage does not ABS-CBN photo work out in the future. If you are the spouse who is the primary breadwinner such as a Registered Nurse, a physician, or other professional, California community property law provides for a 50% interest to your spouse for any income earned by you during the marriage and any property acquired by you and your spouse during the marriage. Basically, your spouse Ellice’s father promises to pay has a one-half interest in your the latter p10 million. While in prison, Marissa suffered enormously. Thinking that the Ceñidozas had neglected her, Marissa returns to exact revenge from Ellice for robbing her of the good life she felt she deserved. This includes Ellice’s husband, Gabriel (Sam). FM recalled the time the Minding Your two lead actresses shot the controversial scene where Jodi Finances ripped off a string of pearls from Iza’s neck and then the two slapped each other in the face. This was also the scene Atty. rAymond where Iza recited the show’s BUlAon title, “Ang sa iyo ay akin.” “Before the take, we saw ONE common misconcepIza frantically shaking her hands tion people have is that if they while walking back and forth. file bankruptcy, they will lose This was the most important everything that they’ve worked scene for them. We’ve been hard for. For this reason, a lot using this for the show’s OBB of people continue to suffer (opening bill board),” exneedlessly in debt when the law plained FM. As a trivia, FM provides a solution to their debt recalled the scene where Ellice problems. Not good. humiliates Marissa in front of Don’t get me wrong. their employees by throwing a Bankruptcy is certainly not the wet rug on the latter’s face. He answer to all debt problems. But said it was an incident that was after having represented more inspired by a true event. “Just than 5,000 bankruptcy clients Continued on Page 5 over the years, I have seen the

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - November 18, 2020

Jodi Sta. Maria, Maricel Soriano, Sam Milby and Iza Cazado

Dramatic scenes in ‘Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin’ show magnitude of Iza and Jodi’s ‘emotional investment’ By Marinel

Cruz

Inquirer.net

AFTER the director shouted “Cut!” you’d still see Jodi Sta. Maria sobbing and shaking in one corner. prior to taping an all-important scene, Iza Calzado would nervously prance around her room while shaking her arms and clearing her throat. These were some of the observations of FM Reyes, who is at the helm of the muchtalked-about drama series “Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin,” which features Jodi and Iza in the lead. FM further observed: “They are too modest to tell you the magnitude of the emotions they rendered for every difficult scene we’ve shown in the program. They will never boast about what they do for this project, so I will because, as their director, I’ve witnessed all these things.” The soap, which recently launched its second season, also features Maricel Soriano, Sam Milby, and new cast members Rita Avila, Grae Fernandez, Kira Balinger and Joseph

EMPLOYMENT

Marco. It is codirected by Avel Sunpongco. “Jodi was so into her character that it had a physical effect on her,” FM continued. “In one of the scenes for Book 2, I got so rattled because I didn’t know who between her and Maricel I should run to first. Jodi was left alone in the banquet, wearing her red gown, still shaking and crying; but also in one area, medics were attending to Maricel because she was shaking as well. You can just imagine the emotional investment that they give to their characters.” In “Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin,” Ellice (played by Iza) is blessed with a luxurious life at Villa Ceñidoza while Marissa (Jodi) lives simply with her mother lucing (Maricel), who works at the villa. Despite the vast difference in their social status, the two women become inseparable best friends. However, one fateful night changes the course of their lives forever. Ellice accidentally kills a man who was trying to rape her, but Marissa agrees to go to jail instead. This was after

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes salary, earnings, and any assets you acquired during the marriage even if it was you who sweated to earn that money and even if a particular asset or bank account is under your name alone. This 50/50 division can be changed even after the marriage by ways of a postnuptial agreement. What issues can be resolved in advance through a postnuptial agreement? You can agree on how a business or a professional practice is to be divided in case of a divorce. Through the postnuptial agreement, the division does not have to be 50/50. The agreement can provide that the business will be awarded to one spouse alone or it can provide a certain amount of buyout to the other spouse. There is a lot of flexibility as to how you want to structure this. You can also provide for how real property is to be divided such as a house or rental property. Typically, a house

purchased during the marriage is community property to be divided equally. A house purchased before the marriage is separate property but if there was a mortgage or refinancing during the marriage and the monthly mortgage payment is paid from earnings during the marriage, there could be a community interest in that separate property house which entitles your spouse to a portion of the house. This confusion can be squared away and clarified in a postnuptial agreement. You can provide for who gets the house and what buy out , if any, your spouse will get in case of a divorce. Spousal support can also be addressed in the postnuptial agreement. A common provisions is to agree to a certain amount of spousal support which varies depending on how long the marriage was at the time the parties divorce. It is also possible to waive spousal support altogether. However, such waiver of support will be scrutinized as to unconscionability at the time of the divorce. Other issues that can be resolved in a postnuptial agreement are division of debts and credit cards, ownership of a life insurance policy, beneficiaries Continued on Page 5

Filing bankruptcy to eliminate debt while protecting assets

EMPLOYMENT

benefits it provides to people who are no longer in a position to help themselves. In bankruptcy, there are exemptions allowed by that can help you protect your assets. For example, if you own a home that you live in, state homestead exemption laws allow you to protect anywhere from $300,000-$600,000 (*These homestead amounts, which are MuCH HIGHER than allowed under current law are effective 1-1-21 as per CA Governor Newsom’s approval of a bill 2 months ago due to the pandemic). If the amount of your home equity falls within the allowable exemption amount, your house is not at risk in any way. Thus, even if you file for bankruptcy, you can keep your home as long as you are making your payments.

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FOR RENT

Most bankruptcy cases are considered “no asset cases”. That means that the debtor literally has nothing of value, or the assets are considered protected under the exemption laws. So, don’t ever believe it when creditors or other people tell you that filing bankruptcy means that you automatically have to lose your home, vehicles or other assets. Your bankruptcy lawyer should be able to do a thorough review of everything you own and advise you what is exempt and what is not. For example, in almost 100% of the cases my office handles, clients lose nothing and keep everything. Again, seek legal counsel to understand your legal rights so you can make an intelligent decision as to whether bankruptcy is advisable for your Continued on Page 5

entertainment

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - November 18, 2020

Dramatic scenes in ‘Ang Sa Iyo Ay...

From Page 4 wait until we show clips of real people with similar stories in Book 2,” the director declared. “There’s nothing I want to say about my two leading ladies except that they’re so humble. I’m sharing this with you now so you know that what you see on TV when they perform comes from the center of their hearts. I’m thankful to these ladies. Their performances are so effective that the audience is actually torn as to who to support between them,” said FM. “There’s much to expect of Book 2.” Asked how they remain consistent with the portrayal of their respective characters, Iza said: “It’s all in the writing; and in the guidance of our

directors. At this point, we’ve already established who our characters are. We understand them now, as we’ve all seen in the climax of the story on Season 1.” Iza said it also helped that they live their characters almost every day, especially since they currently stay in a lock-in set. “Compared to before when we go home and then do something else. There were times when we get so confused. This time around, we’re focused on our characters. We constantly go back to their core,” she explained. “Also, I’m able to sustain it because I have an amazing partner—my archnemesis here. I draw strength and inspiration from Jodi in all of our scenes together.”

Jodi, meanwhile, agreed with Iza in terms of “going back to the character’s core. You try to recall what your objective is. You ask what you want to achieve and where you are heading.” She added: “Of course, portraying a character effectively does not depend solely on the actor. One factor is that this story is well-written. We also have our directors to guide us when we experience off days. It also helps that we tape the scenes chronologically so the continuity of emotion is still there. In spite of the things I’ve said, our work is not easy. I’m just so thankful that I’m in the company of good actors, an amazing creative team, and two brilliant directors.”

What is a postnuptial agreement...

From Page 4 to a life insurance policy, and who gets the family pet. Since the postnuptial agreement is the first issue that can be attacked in a divorce case, it is best that each party be represented by their own attorney in negotiating the agreement. In that case, there is less likelihood that the postnuptial agreement will be found invalid since you can argue that there was no undue influence since both parties were represented by counsel. Having a postnuptial is defi-

nitely beneficial in minimizing the uncertainty in the future pertaining to your marriage and finances..

*** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation.

*** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com. Web: kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

Filing bankruptcy to eliminate... From Page 4 situation. If you are filing for Chapter 13 to consolidate your debts, none of your assets are at risk of being taken. This is due to the fact that Chapter 13 is simply a repayment plan, not a case where assets are sold. In Chapter 13, you are committing your income to pay creditors the best you could over a 3-5 year period. Again, you are not forced to sell assets to pay your debts although it may be possible for you to sell assets voluntarily to pay off your plan earlier. I am trying to simplify here but the

point is that in Chapter 13, you can keep everything you have, and you can pay creditors based only on what you can afford. This allows you to live within your means- by making your debt payments more affordable. If you are in debt and are considering filing bankruptcy but are not sure if this is right for you, I can help you make the right decision by explaining to you how the process works. Just call my office at 866-4777772 and ask for a free initial consultation. As this year comes to a close, make it a goal to be the last year you will remain in

debt. It’s not too late to start over. Rebuild your finances and your life. *** NOTE: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, I am offering free consultations BY PHONE to anyone who needs help in dealing with their debt problems. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1866-477-7772. (Advertising Supplement)

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/LB

UNT CO

F F OF OF TANGERINE 3LBS BAG 33% 40%

99¢

GREEN BELL PEPPER

S AV I N

BEFORE

/LB $1.49

CLEMENTINE

UNT CO

S AV I N

DIS

89¢

UNT CO

$1.49

$1.99

BEFORE

/LB

UNT CO

F OF 50%

S AV I N

DIS

F OF 30%

BABY

DIS

UNT CO

$1.49

F OF BOKCHOY 40%

FOR

89¢

BEFORE

/LB

UNT CO

F EGGPLANT OF 40% G

GREEN PAPAYA

F OF 33%

2pcs $

KOPIKO BROWN COFFEE 8.8OZ

S AV I N

BEFORE

DIS

BEFORE

UNT CO

$1.49

FILIPINO

UNT CO

S AV I N

69¢

BEFORE

F OF 30%

F OF 54%

S AV I N

EACH $5.99

KOPIKO ASTIG COFFEE 7.7OZ

UNT CO

F OF 25%

S AV I N

$1.39

UNT CO

MAMA SITA BBQ MARINADE 23OZ

DIS

F OF 29%

BEFORE

S AV I N

BEFORE

UNT CO

FOR

KABOCHA

UNT CO

S AV I N

5pcs $

DIS

IP CHICHARON GARLIC/ VINEGAR/ REGULAR 2.5OZ

5 99¢

FOR

VILLA SOCORRO BANANA CHIPS 100G

S AV I N

3pcs $

S AV I N

4pcs $

$1.79

BEFORE

DIS

F OF 30%

PATOLA

S AV I N

UNT CO

BEFORE

UNT CO

DIS

EACH

SUNTROPICS 100% COCONUT JUICE IN CAN (REG/WITH PULP) 17.5OZ

UNT CO

F OF 49%

S AV I N

EACH 79¢

GOLD CARP FISH CHICHARON 100G

BEFORE

$ 99

UFC TAMARIND MIX 40G

LE SA

S AV I N

UNT CO

$ 99

F OF 17%

$7.99

F OF 38%

UNT CO

SUNFLOWER CRACKERS IN TUB (PLAIN/ STRAWBERRY/ MANGO) 28OZ

BEFORE

EACH

UNT CO

99¢

THE GOLDEN DUCK SALTED EGG YOLK POTATO RIDGE 110G

DIS

S AV I N

$1.69

UNT CO

F OF 41%

DIS

BEFORE

DIS

BARRIO FIESTA FROZEN BANANA LEAVES REGULAR 16OZ

FOR

$ 49 /LB

CHICKEN BREAST BONELESS

PRODUCE PICKS

4pcs $

MIX & EACH MATCH

DIS

S AV I N

$ 99

$9.99

KING CORN/ CANOLA/ VEGETABLE OIL 88FLOZ

LE SA

DIS

S AV I N

BEFORE

UNT CO

EXCELLENT CANTON / BIHON 8OZ

DIS

F OF 20%

UNT CO

DIS

TIGER SUGAR BOBA MILK ICE CREAM BAR 4PC

$ 99 /LB

WHOLE COOKED LOBSTER

PANTRY SAVINGS

$2.99

DIS

PACK

DIS

WILD CAUGHT / CANADA

SCALLOPS

$ 99

EXTRA JUMBO WHITE SHRIMP HEAD-ON

/LB

WILD CAUGHT / JAPAN

OCEAN FARM / MEXICO

BEFORE

S AV I N

AMBERJACK BABY HAMACHI

S AV I N

UNT CO

F OF % 0 5

$10.99

DIS

$ 49

WILD CAUGHT / JAPAN

BEFORE

F OF 18%

$7.99

S AV I N

UNT CO

DIS

F OF 13%

$14.99

S AV I N

BEFORE

F OF % 7 2

$2.99

UNT CO

DIS

BEFORE

F OF 17%

UNT CO

DIS

BEFORE

DIS

UNT CO

DIS

THANKSGIVING SALE PROMO | NOVEMBER 19 - 25, 2020

BEFORE

/EA 79¢

2lbs $ FOR