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NOVEMBER 19-25, 2020 Volume 31 - No. 46 • 14 Pages
T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M M U N I T Y N E WS PA P E R
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DATELINE
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
USCIS revises naturalization test
THE U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has revised the civics portion of the naturalization test. In its news release on Friday, November 13, the USCIS said it has updated the civics test as part of a decennial update to ensure that the exam remains as an instrument that comprehensively assesses applicants’ knowledge of American history, government and civic values. The naturalization test has two components: an English test, which has not changed, and a civics test. The English test allows the applicant to demonstrate an understanding of the language including the ability to read, write, and speak basic English. Meanwhile, the revised civic test is an oral test wherein a USCIS officer will ask the applicant 20 questions from a list of 128 civics test questions. The applicant needs to answer at least 12 of the 20 questions cor-
Nevada could face new COVID-19 restrictions by AJPRESS NEVADA could soon see new measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Steve Sisolak said on Wednesday, November 18. This comes as the Silver State hit 127,875 cumulative positive cases and 1,288 more patients hospitalized, surpassing records set back in July. “My administration is exploring all mitigation options available to get this under control, while walking a tightrope to balance public health and economic impacts,” Sisolak told reporters.
Of the state’s total cases, 100,552 positive infections and 1,647 deaths are from Clark County alone. (The state’s death toll is 1,953). The testing positivity rate remains at 15.6%. On Tuesday, November 10, Sisolak urged residents to limit nonessential activities for the next two weeks as COVID-19 cases continue to climb across the state. Dubbed “Stay at Home 2.0,” Nevadans are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible, only leaving their homes when necessary, and to limit exposure to individuals outside of their households.
Ambassador Romualdez: The alliance between PH and US is very strong by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
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Judge rules DACA suspension invalid 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 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
If the directive is not followed, Sisolak said the state will be forced to implement stricter measures. At the beginning of the pandemic, nonessential businesses were closed to slow the spread and slowly began to open in the summer. The governor said that tourists can continue to come into the state, but must follow protocols like wearing a mask and social distancing. He encouraged airports to ramp up their enforcement of mask wearing. u PAGE A2
SYMBOL OF CHRISTMAS. A worker starts decorating the Christmas tree made up of lanterns at Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City on Thursday, November 19. Most Filipinos have started putting up Christmas decors in their homes as early as September. PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.
PHILIPPINE Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez on Tuesday, November 17, affirmed the strong ties between the Philippines and the United States. During a virtual event hosted by the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, Romualdez noted that the Philippines and the U.S. have one of the oldest military alliances in the Asia Pacific region. “The PH and the U.S. enjoy one of the oldest military alliances in the Asia Pacific, stretching back since 1951. We have the mutual defense treaty, the secure and defense cooperation which remains the cornerstone of our bilateral relations, also our friendship with the U.S. spans decades of cooperation, encouraging strong historical, cultural, and economic ties,” he said. “Our shared history in culture connects our two governments, the economies, and of course our people-to-people ties,” he added. Romualdez also said Philippine President Rodrigo
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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
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 Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo speaks with reporters in Ranay, Camarines Sur on quarantine facility. Wednesday, November 18. Photo from of the Ofice of the Vice President Morente said the BI sought clarification
Palace: Duterte won’t PH sees P90-B economic loss from recent typhoons apologize to Robredo u PAGE A4
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE damage caused by the recent typhoons in the Philippines could result in an estimated loss of P90 billion in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said on Wednesday, November 18. “I think our initial estimate is that it will shed off something like a 0.15 percentage point to the full year. But again, like I said, it is a very initial estimate. It will have to be updated once we get updates from the ground,” NEDA Undersecretary WATER RATION. Residents of Molino Homes II Subdivision, Barangay Salitran 3, in Dasmarinas Rosemarie Edillon said in a virCity, Cavite fall in line with their plastic buckets and jugs to get water from a water tanker on tual presser. “In peso terms... I don’t have Tuesday, November 17. A water pump generator is being repaired in the subdivision causing the water service interruption. PNA photo by Gil Calinga the exact amount but it will be
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something like P90 billion,” she added. Edillon noted that the damage caused by Typhoon Ulysses, which caused Metro Manila’s worst flooding in recent years, was still lower compared to the damage caused by Typhoon Ondoy in 2009. “Right now we are seeing that the impact is actually a bit less than the impact of (Typhoon) Ondoy and we think it’s really because in areas like Marikina, we see that the flood actually subsided more quickly than during Ondoy,” she said. The NEDA official also said that some recovery in spending could happen in the last quarter of the year due to the gradual re-opening of the economy as
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by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
MALACAÑANG on Thursday, November 19, said Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will not be apologizing to Vice President Leni Robredo following his recent tirades against her. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque maintained that Duterte was “justified” for his outburst, insisting that the Chief Executive did not say anything wrong. He also cited the recent blunder of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo for their false accusations against Robredo. “Unang-una, hindi naman sinabi ni Presidente sumakay siya ng
C-130 e. Humihingi na ng abiso iyong mga nagsabi noon – si Secretary Lorenzana at saka si Secretary Panelo (First of all, it was not the President who said Robredo rode the C-130. Those who said that already apologized – Sec. Lorenzana and Sec. Panelo),” Roque said. “Dapat silang humingi kung sila’y nagkamali dahil sila ang nagkamali pero hindi po ang Presidente. Bakit naman hihingi ng abiso ang Presidente na wala siyang pagkakamali? (They should apologize if they were wrong, but not the President. Why would the President apologize if he did nothing wrong?),” he added. Roque also came to the defense of Duterte, saying he was express-
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Palace: Duterte won’t apologize...
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ing his sentiment when he vented about Robredo. “Wala namang pagbabawal sa Presidente na ilabas ang kaniyang saloobin. At saka ulitin ko po, ang konteksto kasi iyong talagang pinakakalat ng supporters sa oposisyon nasaan si Presidente (Nothing prohibits the President from expressing his sentiment. I repeat, the context is the peddling
of ‘where is the President?’ by her supporters),” he said. Duterte on Tuesday, November 17 lambasted Robredo for supposedly questioning his absence during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses, calling her “dishonest.” He appeared to claim that Robredo started the #NasaanAngPangulo hashtag while Typhoon Ulysses (international name: Vamco) was ravaging the country.
He also said Robredo merely made phone calls during the typhoon, and accused her of acting like she was the one in charge of rescue operations. Robredo, for her part, denied the accusations, saying she never questioned Duterte’s whereabouts during the typhoon in her media interviews and tweets. She also said she was only doing her job when she responded to the calls of typhoon victims in need of assistance. “Sa panahon ng matinding sakuna, dapat lahat na tulong, welcome. Hindi ito contest. Hindi tayo nag-uunahan. Lahat tayo dapat nagtutulong-tulong para sa ating mga kababayan (In a time of worse calamity, everyone who offers help should be welcome. This is not a contest. We are not racing against each other. Everyone should help each other for our countrymen),” Robredo said. “There is no space for our ego when lives are at stake,” she add- FEEDING PROGRAM. A school personnel hands over a milk pack to a parent of a student-beneficiary during the School-Based Feeding Program for School Year 2020-2021 held at San Miguel Elementary School, Congressional Avenue, Barangay San Miguel II, City of Dasmarinas, Cavite ed. n
PH Bureau of Immigration... PAGE A1 from the Philippine Department of Justice (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
on Thursday, November 19. The program is a component of the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) of the Department of Education nationwide to improve the health of learners. PNA photo by Gil Calinga
Nevada could face new COVID...
PAGE A1 “They certainly should come because those are protecting our jobs. But when they come here and they’re staying in one of our properties, they need to be wearing a mask,” Sisolak said.
“Wear a mask. That’s what I’m asking for. I’m not implementing any new restrictions right now. I’m encouraging them to come. I’m encouraging them to please, please, follow the rules.” Sisolak announced that he
tested positive for COVID-19 last Friday, November 13, and has been isolating since. On Monday, in a press release, he said he “continues to be in good spirits and has only experienced mild head congestion.” n
PH sees P90-B economic loss... PAGE A1
well as loosening of the restrictions enforced by the government to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. “It will still be challenging because we still want people to practice social distancing,” she said. “If you are talking about a year-on-year growth, then it would still be much lower than what we had last year because last year we didn’t have the COVID-19. But I suppose with respect to a quarter-on-quarter, then hopefully it will be an improvement and that’s also what we hope to see,” she added. During the third quarter of the year, the Philippines’ GDP
contracted by 11.5 percent as the country continued to feel the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in a year-to-date economic growth that averaged at -10 percent. Edillon assured that the government will remain fiscally prudent in its crisis response while reviving the economy. “We still want to maintain fiscal prudence because as you know, if you stock up on borrowing, then it will be the next generation who will be paying for it, so we are being very prudent and very strategic about all this,” she said. “It’s really about making sure that we may use up all the tools
that are available there so it doesn’t have to be all the fiscal measures,” she added. Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said the government’s fiscal response remains on track. In a separate statement, he said: “What we are really facing is a problem of people’s confidence in the system. No matter what fiscal response you have, if you don’t have confidence, no one is going to spend. So essentially, we are looking at increasing people’s confidence in not getting sick and making sure that they understand that the health infrastructure of the government can support whoever gets sick.” n
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Ambassador Romualdez: The alliance... PAGE A1 t Duterte is looking forward to working with President-elect Joe Biden and fortifying the “many comprehensive ties” that the Philippines and the U.S. have between them. “President Duterte conveyed his warmest congratulations and we assured (Biden) of the Philippines’ commitment to continue building on a strong, open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” the envoy said. Romualdez stressed that the relationship between the Philippines and the U.S. will remain strong no matter the president. “The alliance between our two countries remains very strong and it doesn’t matter who the president of either country is,” he said. “We feel that this relationship is so strong that it has withstood many wars and many conflicts in the past worldwide, and perhaps even some issues we may not agree on, but at the end of the day, because of our special relationship, it has endured,” he added. Romualdez also expressed optimism that the Philippines will not have any problems with the Biden administration. VFA termination According to Romualdez, the dynamics between the Philippines and the U.S. shifted after the U.S. rejected most of China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea. Early in July, U.S. Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo announced that the U.S. stands with its Southeast Asian allies, stressing that Beijing’s claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea are “completely unlawful.” “We all know Secretary Pompeo announced that the U.S. recognized the arbitral award and we were extremely pleased with that. And that has changed the dynamics, as far as our relationship is concerned with the U.S.,” Romualdez said. “I think there is now a stronger commitment in our mutual defense treaty. There seems to be some teeth to it now,” he added. However, Romualdez maintained that the Philippines is a sovereign nation, and that the country wants to strengthen its own armed forces. “You have to have a mutual defense treaty but we also want to strengthen our own armed forces. We want to be able to contribute to that defense treaty,” he said. “We want to be able to defend ourselves but when the time comes — and we certainly hope it will never come — is that we need to be together and repel any kind of aggression from countries that would take advantage of the instability of the area,” he added, referring to the South China Sea. On the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Romualdez expressed hope that the Philip-
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez
Philstar.com file photo
pines and the U.S. could craft another one that is more “mutually beneficial.” “So the VFA, we know it’s an important part of our relationship, but we also would like to reserve the right that when the time comes, we would like to be able to do things on our own,” he said. “But at the same time, perhaps we could have a different kind of VFA, which would be more mutually beneficial,” he added. The envoy also said that it’s possible that the VFA abrogation will see another extension next year. “We are open to extending it,” Romualdez said. “Everything’s been suspended because of this pandemic. We were supposed to have a bilateral strategic dialogue between the U.S. and the Philippines that happens every year. We also have the mutual defense treaty board with both the U.S. and the Philippines, that also has been suspended. But we are hoping that before the August deadline comes into play, we’d be ready to talk about how we can strengthen that alliance we have with the U.S.,” he added. On Nov. 11, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. announced that Duterte has extended the suspension of the VFA “to enable us to find a more enhanced, mutually beneficial, mutually agreeable, and more effective and lasting arrangement on how to move forward in our mutual defense.” “The past four years have changed the South China Sea from one of uncertainty about great powers’ intentions to one of predictability and resulting stability with regard to what can and cannot be done, what will and will not be acceptable with regard to the conduct of any protagonist in the South China Sea. Clarity and strength have never posed a risk. It is confusion and indecision that aggravate risk,” Locsin said. He also attributed the renewal of stability and security in the region to the efforts by the governments of the Philippines and the U.S. “A great deal of credit for the renewal of stability and security goes to deft diplomacy, unequivocal expressions of policy, sturdy postures of strength combined with unfailing tact, and pragmatic national security advice exhibited by both our governments in the same period,” he said. n
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FOR TYPHOON VICTIMS. Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro (2nd from right) talks to an official of the Filipino Chinese Community Calamity Funds (FCCCF), which donated thousands of food and other relief packs on Wednesday, November 18 at Marikina Sports Center. Most of the city residents’ homes were submerged in floodwater at the height of Typhoon Ulysses. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
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 Biden-Harris administration is inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2021. “We are in the worst moment of the pandemic right now.” 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 ap-
proach 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 PAGE A4
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USCIS revises naturalization... PAGE A1 rectly to pass the revised version of the civics test. Previously, the civics test only asked the applicant up to 10 questions from the list of 100 civics test questions. The applicant needed to answer six questions correctly to pass the test. The revised civics test did not change the passing score, which remains at 60%. “USCIS has diligently worked on revising the naturalization test since 2018, relying on input from experts in the field of adult
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
Lorenzana: PH to receive $18-M worth of precision-guided 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 typhoonbattered 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. 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. “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
Judge rules DACA suspension... PAGE A1 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.
education to ensure that this process is fair and transparent,” said USCIS Deputy Director for Policy Joseph Edlow. “Naturalization allows immigrants to become fully vested members of American society, with the same rights and responsibilities as citizens by birth, and offering a fair test, which prepares naturalization applicants for these responsibilities, is of upmost importance to our agency,” he added. Applicants have two opportunities to pass the naturalization
civics test. “If you fail any part of the civics test at your first interview, you will be retested, only on the portion of the test that you failed, between 60 and 90 days from the date of your initial interview,” the USCIS said in its website. Applicants who apply for naturalization on or after Dec. 1, 2020, will take the updated version of the test. Those who apply before Dec. 1, 2020, will take the current version of the test. (AJPress)
Will communities hardest hit get COVID-19... PAGE A3 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)
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 MOON PHASE. The moon’s waxing crescent phase as seen from the night sky in Barangay Kamuning, Quezon City on Wednesday, November the U.S. Citizenship and Immigra- 18. In this phase, a thin fraction of the moon is illuminated and is the moon’s first step toward fullness. According to astrologers, this lunar phase presents us with a major opportunity for change. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler tion Services (USCIS). (AJPress)
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Dateline PhiliPPines
2020 English Proficiency Index: Philippines out of world’s Top 20 but is No.2 in Asia MANILA — The Filipino people’s English competency in 2020 placed seven spots lower on a global proficiency index compared to last year. International company Education First ranked the Philippines 27th in its 2020 English Proficiency Index (EF EPI), with the country garnering a score of 562 out of 700. For comparison, the highest ranking country, the Netherlands, garnered a score of 652. The country’s English competency in Asia is ranked second only to Singapore which garnered a score of 611 and is ranked 10th on the index overall. From 2016 to 2018, the Philippines managed to remain in the top 15 of the index, placing 13th, 15th, and 14th, respectively although the number of countries in the index varied. It included 88 countries in 2018 and 72 in 2016. In 2019, when the index grew to include a total 100 countries, the Philippines fell six spots compared to the year previous, but managed to remain in the Top 20. Philippines maintains ‘high’ proficiency The country’s “Proficiency Band,” which is based on score rather than rank, has consistently remained at “high” from 2016 to 2020. The proficiency bands range from very low proficiency to very high. According to Education First, those with a high proficiency band can accomplish the follow-
Students in uniform answer their learning modules during an online class under DepEd_s blended learning system this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Philstar.com photo by Miguel de Guzman
ing tasks: • Make a presentation at work • Understand TV shows • Read a newspaper Education First said it came up with the index by administering its English Standard Test to over 2.2 million individuals across 100 countries and regions, 54% of whom were female and 46% of whom were male. The median age of test takers, the company said, was 26 years old and 94% of them are below the age of 60. Key findings The following is a summary of the 2020 EPI’s key findings: • English proficiency is improving • English and innnovation go hand in hand • Countries with high English proficiency are fairer and more
open • Technology spreads English • Adults in their late twenties speak the best English • Managers speak the most English • Non-English speakers cluster in specific job functions • The gender gap is narrow • European English skills are polarized • Asia spans the spectrum of proficiency • Latin America’s proficiency is turning around • Africa’s English competency skews high and low • The Middle East’s English proficiency is improving The EF Standard English Test can be taken here: www.efset. org. (Bella Perez-Rubio/Philstar. com)
Amid China law allowing use of weapons vs foreign ships, AFP to have presence in WPS by Christia
Marie Inquirer.net
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MANILA — A top-ranking official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the military will maintain a maritime presence in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) amid a reported law being drafted by China that will allow its coast guard to use weapons on foreign ships in Chinese-claimed reefs.
“Our duty is very clear: To protect the people and secure the sovereignty and integrity of our national territory. We will remain in the area for maritime domain awareness and maritime presence,” AFP deputy chief of staff Vice Admiral Erick Kagaoan told a panel of the Commission of Appointments on Thursday, November 19. He and 59 other AFP senior officials are up for confirmation
by the CA. Kagaoan was asked how the reported coast guard law being drafted by China would impact the military’s position and operations in the West Philippine Sea. It was Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. who raised the question to Kagaoan. “We read a report saying China has drafted a coast guard
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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. Official results, have yet to
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 reelected 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 elec-
One country, two presidents Commentary
Philstar.com photo
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’ intransigence in the face of election results might well plunge the
tion officials, state secretaries, governors and lieutenant governors, Republican, 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 wellbeing 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
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 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 un-
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Amid China law allowing use of weapons... PAGE A5
law that authorizes its maritime law enforces to demolish foreign constructions on Chineseclaimed reefs and allows the use of weapons against foreign ships,” Revilla told the AFP official. “What are your thoughts on this?” he asked. According to Kagaoan, issues regarding the South China Sea
or the West Philippine Sea are being handled by the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, which he was a previous member of. “I’m sure those reports are being validated by the national task force and issues like these are usually being handled first diplomatically,” Kagaoan said. Asked if the AFP is prepared should another incident of Chi-
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nese aggression against a Philippine ship take place in the area. “There are rules of engagement in that area and the guidance at the National Task Force West Philippine Sea is not to heighten tension,” Kagaoan said. “If matters like that happen, it will be addressed first through diplomatic means,” he added. n
One country, two presidents
PAGE A6 rest 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 to the Philippine election results: Comply with the choice of the people. It’s time to leave, Baguio City’s swan boats are used as transportation for flood-hit residents of Barangays Anquiray and Abollo in Amulung, Cagayan. Mr. Trump. Photo courtesy of PNP Cordillera *** 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.
MANILA — Baguio City’s swan boats that used to among the attraction in Burnham Park, were repurposed to help transport flood-stricken residents in Cagayan. On Thursday, November 19, can Party that enables Trump and Public Information Agency Coris complicit to his assault against dillera reported that swan boats from Baguio reached Amulung our democracy. “There has been this sense over Cagayan, which is one of the the last several years that literally flood-hit areas in Cagayan Valley anything goes and is justified in or Region II. It said that these swan boats order to get power…There are strong men and dictators around are used as transportation for for the world who think that, ‘I can residents in Barangays Anquiray do anything to stay in power. I and Abollo. The boats are also can kill people. I can throw them used for recreational purposes 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 by Edith REgalado be? What are we doing, “We the Philstar.com People”, to protect and fight for our democracy? MANILA — The COVID-19 *** pandemic is high on the agenda
More deaths, chaos, economic hardship... PAGE A6
winter,” Biden said. “Things are going to get much tougher before they get easier.” As the United States struggles 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 ad-
dress 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 Republi-
Baguio’s swan boats used as transpo for Cagayan flood-hit residents for children who were traumatized by the heavy flooding following the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses. The boats were lent by private citizen and proprietor Vivian Celso, who coordinated with the Baguio City Police after learning the need for rescue operation. She sent four pontoon boats and swan boats. These are being used to carrying tourists in Burnham Lake. The Philippine National Police Cordillera said pontoon boats can carry ten persons at a time. These are ideal boats “since the fiberglass hulls are not easily
punctured as compared to that of rubber boats.” Some of the boats were transported on board boat trailer from PNP Maritime Group based in Pangasinan. Last Friday, #CagayanNeedHelps trended after the region composed of the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino experienced heavy flooding caused by“accumulated effects” of recent typhoons that struck the country. The widespread flooding is also attributed to the water release in Magat Dam. (Rosette Adel/Philstar.com)
Pandemic to top agenda at APEC summit
The theme of this year’s APEC Summit is “Optimizing Human Potential Towards a Resilient Future of Shared Prosperity: Pivot. Prioritize. Progress.” The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints at the first virtual summit of the The APEC leaders will discuss expressed by the author do not necessarily Asia-Pacific Economic Coopera- how they can collectively address reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of tion (APEC) forum on Wednes- the challenges brought about by the Asian Journal, its management, editorial day, November 18, in which the COVID-19 pandemic that has board and staff. President Duterte and 20 other the world grappling for ways to *** leaders in the region will partici- end or control the continued Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public pate. spike in cases and deaths, which service and educational broadcasting since 1989 Malaysia hosts this year’s have also led to the collapse of with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino APEC Summit, which followed economies. audience using different platforms, including the 37th ASEAN Leaders meetReports said this year’s theme digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on ing held from Nov. 11 to 15. was chosen to reflect the Asia a new public service program for the community. The ASEAN Leaders meeting, Pacific region’s resilience, agility You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ hosted by Vietnam, was also and inclusive economic growth icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook held through digital teleconfer- through the concept of Shared at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos. Prosperity amid a pandemic. ence.
President Duterte will join the APEC Leaders Summit from the Malago Clubhouse at Malacañang on Friday evening. The APEC leaders will then have their online family photo before proceeding to two short separate sessions and then break for the final session. They are expected to finish the summit by 10 p.m. Friday. APEC component economies – aside from the Philippines – include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States. n
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How to celebrate Thanksgiving under the new normal by
THANKSGIVING 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 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 decision of who can attend their respective feasts on Thanksgiv-
AJPress
As large gatherings and travel are not advised for this year’s Thanksgiving, many families will be connecting with relatives and friends through technology. AJPress Illustration by Jillian Penalosa
ing Day. For Jennifer Estacio, who runs the online Flip Family community, the Thanksgiving feast will begin earlier this year with intimate gatherings with both sides of the family. “Since some of our families want to travel safely we will celebrate with one side a little earlier than Thanksgiving and have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner,” she said. “Then the other side of the family we will celebrate on Thanksgiving. We get to have all our favorite Thanksgiving dishes twice and not overeat on Thanksgiving Day!” Roline Casper, a chef and restaurant owner in Vacaville, California, starts Thanksgiving morning fulfilling orders for customers, but closes early so she and her staff can spend time with their families. “As Filipino Americans, we have a few friends and family over for Thanksgiving because
we enjoy sharing food with others and enjoy their company. We always make sure to pray and give thanks before we eat. However, this year will be just my immediate family due to the current pandemic,” Casper said. Divide cooking tasks among family members Pacing out the cooking process and having family members contribute side dishes can help mitigate any stress on a day that is meant to be joyous. For Val Fishbain, co-founder and president of Spread The 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 brotherin-law bring over a potato salad and roasted beets. At Casper’s house, the Thanks-
giving 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. Host a virtual party Though social distancing is the norm, that doesn’t mean connecting with one another is lost. For the holiday, Zoom announced that it will lift its 40-minute time limit on meetings so “your family gatherings don’t get cut short.” Families that can’t be together in person can use technology to swap recipes and cook together, enjoy the feast together virtually, or play interactive games. Estacio’s Flipp Family has introduced PAGE B4
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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 yolks, condensed milk, evapocustard, and it’s topped with rated milk, and sugar. a caramel coating that comes 3. Using a fine-mesh strainer, together in minutes — you only strain the batter into a bowl. need five ingredients! 4. Scoop 1/2 cup of batter For the caramel into each caramel-lined ram1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup ekin and cover each with a water square of aluminum foil. For the leche flan 5. Place the ramekins into a 12 large egg yolks, 1 (14- baking pan with a high rim and ounce) can condensed milk, 1 fill water to reach halfway up (12-ounce) can evaporated milk, the side of the ramekins. 1 cup sugar 6. Bake for 1 hour, or until To make the caramel a toothpick inserted into the 1. Take out 6 (6-ounce) ram- center of the flan comes out ekins. clean. Take the pan out of the 2. In a heavy-bottomed sauce- oven. Remove ramekins from pan, combine the sugar and the water and let them cool for water over medium heat and let 5 minutes. it melt. You can swirl the pan to 7. With a knife, cut around move it around, but do not stir. the edge of each ramekin. Then Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. invert the ramekin onto a des3. While hot, pour the caramel sert plate to release flan. Serve into ramekin molds, making cold or warm. sure the bottoms are covered. Variation tip: Try adding Set aside. 1 tablespoon of calamansi or To make the leche flan lime zest to the batter after you 1. Preheat the oven to 450F. strain it in Step 3 for a citrus 2. In a bowl, combine the egg 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 PAGE B5
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Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS COVID-19 updates Recent studies have shown that wearing a well-fitting facemask, snug around the perimeter of the mask, and covering both the nose and the mouth significantly protects the person wearing it, and not only persons nearby, as previously thought. The rumors that facemasks are useless are fake news, medically unfounded. Together with limiting travels to essential ones, avoiding crowd, social distancing, and good personal hygiene, wearing a facemask dramatically lowers the risk of getting infected with the SARS-Cov2 virus, the cause of COVID-19. Prevention is the key. There is no treatment yet. Since those exposed to COVID19 and are carriers of the virus may be asymptomatic (early stage) and not even know they are infected, they could spread COVID-19 without realizing it. This is the medical rationale for those five recommended measures listed above. Let us not accidentally kill some people by our carelessness, indifference, and neglect. For most seniors with medical issues, getting COVID -19 could be a death sentence. Since the virus enters through the moist mucosa (eye conjunctiva, nasal mucus membrane, and oral cavity), these three must be covered properly. Falling mask exposing the nose is dangerous. The mask must fit snugly all around and should be worn whenever outside the home. Those who tested negative today and then infected tomorrow will test positive. New waves of COVID-19 People are wondering why new waves of COVID-19 have appeared and some cities are once again imposing mask mandate and lockdowns. The simple answer, which should be obvious, is people’s lack of discipline, indifference, non-compliance, and carelessness. This is more prevalent in democratic countries, where irrational people demand for their civil rights to do whatever they want, regardless of the societal consequences. They only care for themselves. In the case of this pandemic, they do not even care for their own health, refusing not to wear masks, do social distancing and avoiding crowds. While they have the right to get infected or even kill themselves, they do not have the right to spread the deadly virus to others, especially to the vulnerable elderly. Much less kill them, even accidentally or incidentally. Anyone contributing to or causing the death of another person could be considered negligent homicide. Betadine gargle Current clinical observations revealed that povidone iodine
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Medical facts and myths (Betadine) topical antiseptic used in wound care is effective as a mouth rinse against SARS-Cov2 virus (COVID-19), better than the various mouth washes on the market and better than hydrogen peroxide rinse. Ready-made Betadine mouth rinse for instant use and 10% Betadine solution are available in most pharmacies and on amazon.com. The DIY dilution recommended by Harvard graduate Dr. Sandra L. Cremers is 1:1 (equal parts of 10% Betadine and water = 5%), gargled 2 to 3 times a day. Vaccines Two vaccines against COVID19, using the same mRNA technology (Pfizer/BioNTech – (90% effective in 60,000 clinical trial), and Moderna - (94.5% effective in 30,000 clinical trial), are expected to be approved by the FDA for distribution by the end of this year for healthcare workers, the military, police, firefighters, other first responders, and for seniors and those with compromised immune system. The general public will get the vaccines after January 2021, certainly by Spring. How long the protective immunity these vaccines will provide will yet to be determined by clinical observation and follow-up. There appears to be no safety concerns or serious sideeffects found with either of these two vaccines. They will certainly be a game changer in our battle against COVID-19 worldwide, where the total cases as of February 17, 2020 was almost 55.7 million and deaths nearly 1.4 million. In the Philippines, almost 411,000, with about 8,000 deaths; and in the United States, almost 11.6 million, with more than 253,000 deaths. Men’s sweat good for women Don’t laugh. This is true. Biologists at the University of Pennsylvania found that men’s perspiration has beneficial effects on women’s mood, reduces stress and induces relaxation. It even has an effect on a woman’s menstruation. Blood test revealed a rise in the level of reproductive luteinizing hormone, which normally surges before ovulation. It is true then that when women say they love the scent of their man, it is genuine and scientifically founded. Guys, this does not mean we have to stop taking showers! Viagra for Women? Since Viagra has worked most effectively for men with erectile dysfunction since it was introduced by Pfizer, approved by the FDA on March 27, 1998, inspiring the quest for a similar drug for women. Forty three percent of women have sexual dysfunction compared to 31% of men, where cigarette smoking has been found to be a culprit of impotence. The most common complaint among these women (33%) is lack of desire for sex. But while men’s problem is more physical (inability to have effective erection), women’s is more psychological, more complex, since the more
significant sexual organ of the females is in between their ears, and not in between the thighs like the males. Flibanserin (Addyi), a drug developed as antidepressant has been approved by the FDA as a therapy for low sexual desire in premenopausal women. When taking this one-a-day pill, abstinence from alcohol is a must, since severe drop in blood pressure, dizziness, fainting can result from the combination. The drug should be stopped if it is not effective after 8 weeks. Bremelanotide (Vyleesi) is an injectable drug approved by the FDA to increase libido in premenopausal women, given 45 minutes before anticipated sexual activity, not more than one dose a day, not more than 8 times a month. Do a due diligence on this subject and discuss this treatment with your Gynecologist The myths about safe sex The following are myths: A woman is guaranteed 100% not to get pregnant IF: (1) penetration is done only a few times without completion of intercourse; (2) withdrawal is done before ejaculation; (3) coitus is done during the “safe” period; (4) sex is done during menses; (5) the woman did not have orgasm during sex; (6) the lovers drink wine before sex; (7) aspirin is inserted into the vagina as contraceptive; (8) the woman is on top during the act; (9) the man uses any plastic wrap in the absence of, and in lieu of, a condom; (10) the man already had sex with another woman, or had masturbated, an hour or so earlier; (11) oral sex preceded normal intercourse; and (12) the woman douches immediately after sex. These are all myths and cannot be relied upon to prevent pregnancy. Only total abstinence or the use of an intact condom, or birth control pills under medical supervision, can prevent pregnancy. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888. com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
Catriona on checking one’s physical and mental health by Nika
Roque ManilaTimes.net
NO one is spared from the continuing challenges brought about by the pandemic — not even singer, Miss Universe 2018, and cultural advocate Catriona Gray. During the whole lockdown period, Gray has not been living in the same home as her family. Work did not stop for the multihyphenate too, which is why she has to continue to take care of her health now more than ever. Asked about what she has been doing to cope and look after herself these past few months, the 26year-old shared that though the world has changed, the smallest activities — although mostly done online — help her get by. “It has been difficult for me to find time to workout because it’s all become virtual. I do a lot of Pilates virtually because I have back problems and it really helps me with my posture as I’m always in heels,” Gray answered The Manila Times during the virtual launching of her newest endorsement. Thankfully never experiencing a serious illness, she has seen the effects of her lack of sleep because of work and when she does not eat the healthiest food. Gray mentioned that there were times when she feels sluggish because of the nature of her job, reason why she regularly takes Vitamin C supplements. With this, matched with her strong advocacy for supporting Filipino talent, Gray was tapped to become the newest celebrity ambassador for Santé, a homegrown distribution and direct-selling company that offers organic health and wellness products. The beauty queen was tapped for the Daily C brand, a convenient non-acidic supplement best for families and young professionals who work all day. This extra dose of Vitamin C aids the immune system and adds an extra level of protection, which is why Gray said that she always carries around a packet given her heavy workload.
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEmbER 19-25, 2020
As someone who had to continue working, Catriona Gray makes it a point to take care of her physical and mental health. Photo from Instagram_@catriona_gray
In addition to that, she believes that taking care of her mental health is just as important. “Mental health naman — it has been so difficult to navigate. I think a lot of us can relate that it has been quite an isolating season. Especially me, I’m away from my parents, I’m an only child. That has been a really hard thing to go through for almost nine months na,” Gray explained. “But it’s really just finding whatever way I can to stay in contact with them. Mostly it is through virtual [which is a] way that I can find that can keep that interaction. It makes so much difference,” she said. “And then aside from that, finding time to really check in with myself and how I feel, how am I coping, just having those
moments of really [asking myself] like, ‘if I’m not okay, what can I do about it?’ Rather than ignoring it and putting it on the backburner so that it develops into something worse.” And to further prevent the spreading of any harmful symptoms among the people she works and interacts with, Gray believes that in wearing masks, washing hands, practicing social distancing, as well as looking at the food being eaten, and taking other safety precautions seriously also means that “it’s protecting ourselves, but it’s also respecting our family, our community, and looking out for everyone. “Check in with yourself. Surround yourself with good energy and the people that you love,” she ended.
Nanette Medved-Po with beneficiaries of a school from her non-profit Friends of Hope.
Photo from Facebook_@nanettepo
Nanette on what she learned from showbiz: ‘Don’t waste your platform’ by Niña
V. GuNo
Inquirer.net
NANETTE Medved-Po made her name as a stunning leading lady in the 1990s, starring opposite top male leads of the time — most notably Fernando Poe Jr. And of course, how could anyone forget her iconic role as the beloved superhero Darna? Today, she is better known for leading social enterprises. Her brainchild is Generation Hope, which is anchored on the belief that businesses can make a profit and still contribute to social good. Hope’s flagship product, bottled water called Hope in a Bottle, donates 100% of its profits to Friends of Hope, which builds classrooms in remote areas of the country. She stresses that Hope is in the business of impact, rather than simply selling water. Medved-Po collects no salary for her efforts as director of Generation Hope and president of Friends of Hope. “I’m fine, my husband provides wonderfully for us and I don’t think it would be right,” she told CNBC in 2018. Her husband happens to be Chris Po, son of Ricardo Po Sr., founder of Century Pacific, which carries the country’s canned food staples such as Century Tuna and canned sardines 555. Forbes puts the Po patriarch among the top 20 richest Filipinos.
The couple, who tied the knot in an intimate South African wedding in 1999, faced scrutiny for their relationship; a Filipino-Chinese tycoon’s son with an actress flouted tradition. As Chris lost his place in his family’s company, the two stuck it out, with Medved-Po helping her husband chart his own path in the world of business, according to an interview with Esquire in 2019. Perhaps it helped that Medved-Po had her own background in business, having graduated summa cum laude from Babson College with degrees in finance and entrepreneurship. Besides being partners in building their careers, the couple grew their family and are raising two kids. Medved-Po and her husband have since been given key roles in the family. Chris is now Century’s executive chairperson, while Medved-Po was named chairperson of the Po family council last year. The Russian-Chinese actressturned-entrepreneur is still a head-turner at 49, and could fit right back into movies or TV If she wanted to. But it will take a lot to pull her out of her philanthropic efforts. Besides building classrooms, Medved-Po’s advocacies now include the Plastic Credit Exchange, which encourages businesses to offset their plastic footprint. In this edition of Take 10, Medved-Po chatted with INQUIR-
ER.net about what she has learned from being in entertainment and her insights on the change desperately needed in the world. What is your earliest memory of realizing you could make a difference? Intimately, I think it was the relationship with my father. But publicly, I think it was show business, seeing the influence that celebrities have on their fans, for better or for worse. What is a lesson from the entertainment industry that you still carry with you? Don’t waste your platform. Do you ever miss acting or the showbiz scene? I think I miss the fun projects and wonderful people. But I also love what I do now. You played memorable roles during your career, in “Hiram Na Mukha” with Christopher De Leon, when you co-starred with Fernando Poe, Jr. in the hits “Dito sa Pitong Gatang” and “Ang Dalubhasa,” and of course as “Darna.” Among all these, what has been your most favorite role? Oh, wow. Each role was different so I worry about picking a favorite. Darna was certainly a dream come true, right? But Ronnie — FPJ — he was in a league of his own for so many reasons so he might be my unparalleled favorite (laughter). PAGE B4
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Jasmine, Enchong get steamy in new film Raised in the USA on Filipino roots by iza igLesias
by Ricky Lo
FOR the first time, Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Enchong Dee re teaming up via the Netflix film “Alter Me.” Directed by RC Delos Reyes, the story follows Aimee, an HR manager who seeks the mentorship of a coveted escort, Uno, to alter her personality and help her better connect with other people and her own emotions. Little do they know that such will lead to a different kind of relationship after he opens her heart to unexpected feelings. The film required the two stars to do daring and sexy scenes but Curtis-Smith shared that she felt comfortable in doing it, most especially because her co-star made it very easy for her. “Enchong made me feel comfortable by just being himself kasi he’s really good in making people feel comfortable by just letting me be myself also at the same time. So I think that helps a lot,” the 26year-old actress said in a virtual media roundtable for the film. Dee also leveled up his daring onscreen performance by doing naked scenes and even a bit of butt exposure. “I think there was an immediate interest. Nagdadalawang isip lang ako because of the sensitive parts of the film. Pero nung nakausap ko na si Direk, I know it’s funny pero I said, ‘Direk, yung mga kailangang pagandahin na part ng katawan ko ikaw na bahala.’ And he jokingly said, ‘yes akong bahala, aalagaan ka namin.’ “For you to get that kind of
THE 2021 Ginebra San Miguel Calendar Girl is imported from California, U.S.A. Christelle Abello, 26, may look familiar since last month she finished a semi-finalist in the 2020 Miss Universe Philippines pageant won by Rabiya Mateo. The 2021 edition of the calendar is very timely as it captures today’s “new normal” at home in six different layouts (four of which are published on this page). With the theme “Ganado sa Bahay,” the calendars feature Christelle being “ganado,” motivated and productive even amid the COVID-19 pandemic — working from home, honing her creativity and discovering new skills and taking care of her body and well-being. “More than just a pretty face, Christelle personifies our latest campaign ‘One Ginebra Nation.’ We were not only charmed by her intelligence, but also by her optimism, her courage, her never-saydie spirit, her heart for others and love for her kababayan,” related Ginebra San Miguel, Inc. (GSMI) sales and marketing manager Allan Mercado. For Christelle, being chosen as the next Ginebra San Miguel calendar girl is an opportunity of a lifetime. “I’m so thrilled. I’m so proud and honored to represent Ginebra San Miguel. I’m so grateful to be a part of such an iconic and historical brand,” she said. To prepare for the shoot, Christelle made sure that she was both physically and mentally ready. “I’ve been doing a lot of weights and cardio workouts. I’ve become accustomed to that lifestyle not because I want to look good physically but also because I want to feel good mentally. And I think that’s really important, especially at this time,” shared Christelle who at the start of the pandemic put up a fund-raising effort called Kapitbisig Tayo to assist healthcare workers. Christelle was born to Filipino parents. Her father is from Kalibo, Aklan (which she represented in the Miss U Philippines pageant) while her mother is from Silang, Cavite. She graduated with a degree in Communication from California State University San Marcos. While she spent most of her life in the U.S., Christelle has always been in touch with her Filipino roots. “My mom heavily enforced Filipino culture and values at home. She wanted my sister and I to learn Tagalog, and what better way to learn it than through watching teleseryes and movies. So, I grew up watching KathNiel’s Got to Believe, and A Very Special Love,” revealed Christelle who dreams of starring in her own teleserye or movie. Christelle admitted that the never-say-die story of Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach also inspired her to pursue her other dream — to become a beauty queen. Recalled Christelle, “Back in the
Philstar.com
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Enchong Dee and Jasmine Curtis-Smith as Uno and Aimee in ‘Alter Me.’ Photos courtesy of Netflix Philippines
answer from these people, it gives you a certain comfortability, it gives you that assurance na ‘okay kahit anong i-shoot natin, kapag lumabas sa pelikula, it will be good, fitting and it will be perfect.’” The 32-year-old added that his former profession as a swimmer gave him the confidence to pull it off, “For the past 15 years I’ve been doing this, wearing trunks, wearing swimwear in front of a lot of people so I have no problem with that.” Finally, the film’s director, who was also present at the online event, praised the two stars and shared that they were in fact the first choice to portray the characters of Aimee and Uno. “Sila talaga yung first option namin because when we made the
story, talagang inisip na namin, ‘sino kaya ang magandang ipagpartner dito?’ and since this is also my first time to do a film na medyo intimate and may pagkasexy, we wanted to cast someone na hindi mo ineexpect na gagawin ang mga scenes na yun,” de los Reyes pointed out. “Hindi niyo maiisip na gagawin ni Enchong ang mga scenes dito sa film na ito and hindi mo rin maiisip na this is going to be Jasmine’s romance-love story coming from those beautiful films that she did because this is her first time to do sexy scenes as well,” he ended. Written by Danno Christoper Mariquit and co-produced by Viva Films and Ten17P, “Alter Me” is now streaming on Netflix across Asia.
Nanette on what she learned from showbiz... PAGE B2 In life, aside from working on your advocacies, you also play the role of a mother. How are you as a mom? I don’t know. I’m hands-off. Because that’s how I was raised. If you could change something from the past, what would it be? I think I would’ve liked to realize the potential to influence from my platform earlier. What has been your biggest disappointment? (Laughter) I don’t think you have enough space or time for all of that. I think maybe seeing how polarized the world has become and our inability to unite around the really critical issues that affect us all. I
think that would be my biggest disappointment. What do you consider as your greatest achievement? My choice of husband. Who do you look up to as a leader? My gosh, there’s so many. Depends on what for. I’m a huge fan of Lee Kuan Yew. I don’t know, Bill Gates? I have huge respect for Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Eleanor Roosevelt. I have high hopes for President [Paul] Kagame in Rwanda, so we’ll see. There’s so many. What do you wish would change — or stay the same — after the pandemic? I hope we can all act on the systemic change that is so needed
in our world. We should not aim to go back to normal. We need to do better. Business as usual didn’t work. It failed us. This pandemic showed us how vulnerable the world can be. But it also showed us how we can really work together on the most important issues that impact us all. How do we solve inequality, close the gaps in wealth, education, health? How do we protect the planet? Those are the big issues, ‘di ba (right)? So at the risk of sounding nerdy — wala na (oh well), I think I blew that already — I have hope in what we can do together because I see it in the work that we do every day. The better angels of our nature.
Christelle Abello
day, my dad would tell me stories about (Robert) Jaworski and that even if the team was falling behind in a PBA game, people would still cheer them on and were confident that they would come back strong and win the game because of their never-say-die attitude. I think Barangay Ginebra resonates with Filipinos so well with who we are as people, resilient despite the adversities that come our way.” Among those who became a Ginebra calendar girl were Pia, Arci Muñoz (2018), Kim Domingo (2017), Marian Rivera (2009 and 2014) and Sanya Lopez (2020). How else did you prepare for the shoot? “Well personally, I love to eat! So, I had to follow a strict diet and ensured that I worked out at least three times a week. I also believe in having a healthy body and mind. Prioritizing rest and cutting out any negativity was vital for my preparation. Siyempre, dapat parating ‘Ganado sa Buhay!’” What kind of diet do you follow (what’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner)? “I love starting my day healthy. Breakfast can range from oats and grains to fruits and protein. For example, I love nilagang saba and pomelo because I love how much energy it can give me while also not being too heavy on my stomach. “I tend to eat a heavy lunch so that I can keep it light for dinner. For lunch, I go for protein, such as chicken breast, alongside brown rice para good carbs, and steamed vegetables. “For dinner, I usually go for egg whites and veggies. “I also don’t eat three times a day only. It’s better for me to spread out my meals but in smaller portions. Snacking is a must for me or else gugutomin ko lang ang sarili ko if I only eat three times a day.” How much water do you take per day (what about soda, coffee
Photo from Instagram_@christelleabello
or tea)? “Water lang talaga ako! I don’t drink coffee because I’ve never been inclined to drink it. Di ko siya nagustuhan once kaya never again did I have coffee. I love water and water will always be my No. 1 and go to drink forever.” Food that you avoid and food that you usually crave for? “I don’t necessarily avoid food because if I do, I will deprive myself which is unnecessary. I believe in proper portion control and as long as I work out to compensate for what I’ve eaten, then it’s a balanced and healthy life. When it comes to indulging, I crave all types of junk food! From chocolate to ice cream, lahat lahat, matakaw ako.” What workout do you do and how often do you do it? “At least three to four times a week! I usually follow a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and I also like to lift some weights because it keeps me toned.” Vulnerable part of the body? “Depends on the time.” Part that needs improvement? “Side stomach! My dream is to minimize my ‘muffin top.’ I also want to have stronger arms and legs.” Favorite part of your body? “My smile! Does that count? Hahaha!!!” Favorite part of a man’s body? “Depende sa man.” How do you cope with stress? “Cut out negativity in my life! I run to my family and loved ones for emotional support and love.” Last thing that you do before you go to sleep? “Brush my teeth, wash my face and drink plenty of water.” First thing that you do as soon as you wake up? “Workout if kaya ng body ko, hehehe!!! IF THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY!”
Seafood City Supermarket launches ‘My Online Suki’ rewards program, holiday meal packages SEAFOOD City Supermarket and Grill City introduce “My Online Suki,” which offers customers exclusive online frequency rewards and specials through the supermarket’s mobile app. Customers who register online can now enjoy exclusive introductory rewards from Seafood City and Grill City after shopping 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 rice from Seafood City, or free 4pcs of BBQ value from Grill City on the sixth time; free 12 pack of Pamana champorado from Seafood City or 1pc crispy pata from Grill City on the ninth time; and free 25lbs of Pamana
jasmine rice from Seafood City or 1pc Cebuchon from Grill City on the 12th time. Seafood City has a $60 minimum purchase to count as a frequency transaction, while Grill City has a $20 minimum purchase. Through their online apps, customers can now also preorder products online to avoid the rush brought by the holiday season. For Seafood City, customers need to select the shop or store they prefer on the app, reserve the date and time of the delivery, and choose whether they want pickup or delivery. With Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching, Grill City is encouraging customers to place their orders for party packages and trays in ad-
vance to avoid the holiday rush. Through the app or Grill City’s hotline (1-877-446-4969), customers can reserve the date and time of the delivery, and choose whether they want pickup or delivery. The pre-orders have a lead time of 15 days before pick-up or delivery, giving enough time for the stores to meticulously 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 PAGE B4
How to celebrate Thanksgiving under... PAGE B2
various Filipino food and culturerelated crafts and activity books that can be enjoyed by all ages. Order from a local Fil-Am business Though preparing a feast complete with the turkey as the star of the table is a traditional part of the holiday, families who don’t want to spend the day in the kitchen can choose to support a local Fil-Am restaurant offering meal packages. 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. 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.
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Pochero Beef (Pocherong Baka) PAGE B2
pan, heat the oil over mediumhigh heat and sauté the chorizo, 2 tomatoes, finely chopped tomatoes, onion, and garlic for 1 cup finely chopped onion about 1 minute. 3 garlic cloves, minced 2. Add the beef and stir until 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into well coated. Cover with cold 1 1/2-inch cubes water by several inches. Add the 1 bay leaf 1 sweet potato, cut into 2-inch bay leaf and bring the stew to a boil over high heat. cubes 3. Once the liquid reaches a 1 carrot, peeled and cut into boil, turn the heat to a medium2-inch pieces 4 saba bananas or 2 plantains, low and simmer for 1 hour. Skim the foam off the surface as it peeled and halved 1 small cabbage, cut into 8 cooks. 4. When the beef is tender, wedges add the sweet potato and carrot 2 cups tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes, until 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas tender. 1 tablespoon sugar (option) 5. Add the bananas and cook Salt and freshly ground black for about 5 minutes, until the pepper fruit is soft. Directions 6. Add the cabbage, tomato 1. In a wok or large sauté
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Seafood City Supermarket launches ‘My Online... PAGE B4
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.
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 Filipino-Americans could go to, which had led to more stores opening all over California, followed by stores in Nevada, Washington State, Hawaii and Chicago. SeaPhoto by Wyatt Conlon
Bibingka (Coconut-Rice Cake) with Philly Cream Cheese Excerpted from “AMBOY: Recipes from the Filipino-American Dream” © 2020 by Alvin Cailan. Photography © 2020 by Wyatt Conlon. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. Directions Serves 6 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. The first time I met Auntie Cita, she brought this dish as a gift for Line a 10-inch springform pan my parents. It looked different with one of the banana leaf from any other bibingka I had rounds. Butter the banana leaf ever seen. It was unassuming: a and the sides of the pan, then round pie tin wrapped in banana dust with rice flour. Set the pan leaves. I took a bite and it blew aside. 2. Sift together the rice flour, my mind. Every single mouthful had cream cheese. The texture baking powder, and salt into a was almost like cornbread with medium bowl. Don’t just dump a really sugary topping. I tried it in the dry ingredients. Sifting is with a salted duck egg, and it was a magical pro-cess than makes even better. The combination of pastries fluffier and helps prevent salt, egg, and cream cheese was unwanted lumps. 3. In the bowl of a stand mixer incredible. Obviously and gratefully, my fitted with the paddle attachment, parents hired Auntie Cita. Over cream the butter and muscovado the years, she became the main sugar at medium-high speed for caterer in our area. That bibingka about 5 minutes, until the butter with Philly cream cheese was her is creamy white. You’re looking specialty. She made her own dry for butter-cream icing texture. mix for the bibingka batter. She Scrape down the sides of the would line all these round cake bowl. 4. Using the whisk attachment, molds with banana leaves, pour the batter in, and bake them off. add the eggs, one at a time, Then, she would dip the bibingka whisking at medium speed after in niyog, or freshly shaved young each addition, until fully incorcoconut meat, for that perfect porated, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after textural touch. On Saturday mornings, I was each addition. No gooey streaks; in charge of making niyog all you want it to be one consistent day. Niyog as a word is kind of mixture. 5. Returning to the paddle an onomatopoeia. It’s the sound you hear when you scrape the co- attachment, slowly incorporate conut against the grater. I would the dry ingredients into the butsit on this little wooden stool ter-egg mixture in three batches, with a cowboy spur at the end. mixing at medium speed. Make I’d scrape half a coconut on that sure each is mixed well and spur, and the coconut meat would incorporated before adding the fly off into this little plastic basin. next—about 15 seconds of mixAnd I would do fuck tons of coco- ing for each addition. Scrape nut. Sometimes, you look at these down the sides of the bowl after kids and you think, “How do they each addition. With the machine have so much energy?” I had that running at medium speed, add energy as a kid, so I would mow the coconut milk and heavy cream in a slow stream. Beat until through cases of coconuts. That niyog was the secret to the consistency is like a pancake this whole dish. You would dip batter, about 2 minutes. 5. Pour the batter into the the bibingka, scarpetta-style, into fresh, soft coconut meat. The bib- prepared pan; lightly tap the ingka was spongy, creamy from pan five times on the counter to the cream cheese, and crispy distribute the batter and release from the crème brûlée–style any air bubbles. 6. Place the pan on a rimmed topping. It was an explosion of flavor and texture. Auntie Cita baking sheet and bake the bibingmade this dish every Saturday ka until the top layer has set, 10 to for six years. It made the house 15 minutes. It should be pale and somewhat firm. Remove from the smell amazing. oven, top the pan with the second Ingredients 1 large banana leaf (thawed, leaf round, and continue baking if frozen), cut into 2 (10-inch) until the bibingka is set and just slightly jiggly in the middle, rounds 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, about 15 minutes. Adding the at room temperature, plus more extra banana leaf will help flavor the bibingka and prevent the top for greasing 1 cup glutinous rice flour, plus from getting too brown. 7. Remove the pan from the more for dusting oven; peel off and discard the 1 tablespoon baking powder banana leaf on top. Arrange the ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup muscovado sugar, plus cream cheese slices decoratively over the top. Bake until a cake more for sprinkling tester inserted into the center 3 large eggs comes out clean, about 20 min1 cup canned coconut milk ¼ c u p h e a v y w h i p p i n g utes. Let cool on a rack for 30 minutes. Release from the pan cream 1 (8-ounce) block Philadelphia and peel off the leaf on the botcream cheese, cut crosswise into tom; sprinkle more muscovado sugar over the top. Garnish with 16 slices 1 cup Niyog or any frozen the niyog, slice into wedges, and serve. shredded coconut
food City’s locations included Remittance and other brands iconic Filipino brands like Jol- popular to Filipinos anywhere libee, Red Ribbon, Chowking, in the world. Philippine National Bank, Atlas (Advertising Supplement)
B november 19-25, 2020 • LAS veGAS ASIAn JoUrnAL
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