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NOVEMBER 19-25, 2021 Volume 15 - No. 2 • 16 Pages
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DATELINE Elderly Filipino man speaks out after knife attack in San Diego FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
AN elderly Filipino victim has spoken out after being brutally attacked outside a trolley station in El Cajon, California earlier this month. “It...feels good to be alive,” Jose Serra told ABC 10 San Diego on Friday, November 12. Serra, 71, was walking to a nearby manufacturing facility at the Arnele Avenue trolley stop around 5 a.m. on Nov. 3 when he was attacked by a man with a 12” knife, as previously reported by the Asian Journal. He recounted what happened before the incident, saying a man got on the trolley and sat a few seats behind him.
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Marcos, Sara confirm tandem for 2022 national polls by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
IT’S official: Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will run as a tandem in the upcoming 2022 national elections.
Marcos made the announcement Tuesday, November 16, saying that he and DuterteCarpio have completed the process for their partnership. “Naitawid na namin ni Mayor Inday Sara Duterte ang proseso para sa tambalang inaasam-asam ng aming mga taga-suporta
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to run for senator is not related to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into the killings linked to his anti-narcotics crackdown, according to Malacañang. “Wala namang kinalaman sa ICC case ‘yung decision ni Pangulong Duterte na tumakbo bilang senador (The ICC case has nothing to do with President Duterte’s senatorial run),” Acting spokesman and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Tuesday, November 16, during an online press briefing. Nograles stressed that Duterte just wants to continue serving the Filipino people long after his term as President is over. “Ang pagtakbo ni Pangulong Duterte as senator ay dahil gusto niyang magpatuloy ng kanyang serbisyo sa taong bayan (Duterte wanted to run for senator be-
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PH approves vaccine booster shots for healthcare workers
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Palace: Duterte’s senatorial bid has ‘nothing to do’ with ICC probe
– ang BBM-SARA sa 2022 (Sara and I have completed the process for a tandem that our supporters have long wanted to see – BBMSara for 2022),” he said in a statement. “Napagkasunduan namin at ng aming mga partido ang pagsusulong ng mapagkaisang
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
BOOSTER SHOT. Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III vaccinates one of the health workers her third dose of Covid-19 vaccine during the start of booster vaccination at NKTI Gymnasium, Quezon City on Wednesday, November 17. Also present were NTF Covid-19 Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., DOH Undersecretary Dr. Leopoldo Vega, and other government officials. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
FULLY-VACCINATED healthcare workers in the Philippines may get their booster shots against COVID-19 starting November 17. The country’s Department of Health (DOH) on Monday, Nov. 15, made the announcement following the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to approve the emergency use of four COVID-19 vaccines as additional doses. “All fully-vaccinated healthcare workers may avail of booster doses starting 17 November 2021 (Wednesday),” the DOH said in a public advisory.
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Philippines remains closed DOT’s Puyat looks forward to to foreign tourists, says BI PH tourism recovery, optimistic MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) clarified on Tuesday that the Philippines is still closed to foreign tourists. According to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, the bureau will continue to limit the entry of foreign tourists until the government decides to open the country’s borders. “The country remains closed to foreign tourists.
Only those under the allowed categories as set by the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases), if coming from green or yellow countries may be admitted to enter,” he said in a statement. Morente said his clarification was prompted by reports that BI offices were being swamped with queries from
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that ‘revenge travel’ will happen by MOMAR
G. VISAYA
AJPress
Department of Tourism Secretary Berna RomuloPuyat AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya
THE Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) led by Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat is encouraging Filipinos in the diaspora to travel and explore the Philippines again, after a long hiatus due to pandemic-related
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California extends COVID Philippines wins global state of emergency science competition by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
GOVERNOR Gavin Newsom has extended the state of emergency in California for the third time as a result of the threat COVID-19 poses. The executive order issued on Thursday, November 11, is set to run until the end of March 2022, at which time the emergency will have been in effect for more than two years. Earlier, Newsom warned the public about the increasing COVID-19 infection rates during winter season. “Winter is coming. Winter is here,” he said Wednesday, Nov. 10. “Last year, we had a challenging winter, particularly down here in Southern California. We started to see around this time last year case rates, positivity rates, hospitalization rates, ICU numbers start to increase. We’re starting to see that now all across the globe. We’ve seen those trends, not dissimilar to last
year,” he added. According to Newsom, they are doing everything to prepare California for the incoming winter. “While we were spared the worst in this summer, the prospects of a challenging winter are upon us,” he said. “And that’s why we’re doing everything in our power to prepare and to protect ourselves.” Newsom noted that places like Riverside and San Bernardino are beginning to see a rise in hospitalization rates. Further, he pointed out that California had the nation’s lowest case rate in the fall but is now 16th. “Just yesterday, we went up to about 16th lowest,” he said. The key to breaking the “familiar pattern” of COVID-19, Newsom stressed, was increasing immunity through vaccines and booster doses. So far, California has distributed more than 54.7 million vaccine doses, with 73.7% of its entire popula-
tion being fully-vaccinated. The state’s vaccination campaign has also expanded to include children ages 5-11. More than 110,000 doses have been administered as of Wednesday. “That is just the beginning with more than 1.6 million of them available to young people,” Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said. He added, “We’re starting to see this pick up, and I’m really excited what this means for our state.” In March 2020, Newsom declared a state of emergency, as the state confirmed its first coronavirus-related death. The state of emergency was declared “to make additional resources available, formalize emergency actions already underway across multiple state agencies and departments, and help the state prepare for broader spread of COVID-19,” according to the governor’s office. n
MANILA — The Philippines won the firstever Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Catalyst Pitch competition given by the US Department of State with its Philippine-based startup Galansiyang, placing first in two categories. The GIST Catalyst Pitch is a global competition launched in 2017 that gives science and technology entrepreneurs a platform to develop innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues. The US embassy said Galansiyang was declared winner on Nov. 9. Galansiyang is a forestry services startup that helps mining industry speed up environmental rehabilitation with automation technology including aerial seeding for reforestation and forest monitoring. Galansiyang, one of the pioneering startups formed in Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, placed first in both the “Spirit of GIST” and “People’s Choice” categories. The team includes Jay Arneil Gajudo, Joshua Fernandez, Maynard Costanilla, Jiko Colita, Dreamer Lamberte and Harold Cuerbo.
Globally, 25 teams went to the semifinal round of GIST in October. In November, five innovators were chosen to advance to the finals of the competition, with Galansiyang representing the AsiaPacific region. “This challenge became an opportunity for us to showcase the grit and the hustle toward our love for innovation. Now, we are recognized as a promising startup committed to fighting deforestation,” Gajudo said. Galansiyang is also one of the Philippines’ global nominees for the 2021 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Space Apps Challenge, the world’s largest international hackathon addressing global problems using NASA’s open-source data. Global winners will be announced early next year. “This is a great achievement for the Philippine startup community. As the US and the Philippines celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations, we are committed to supporting the next generation of changemakers,” said US embassy assistant cultural affairs officer Pauline Anderson. (By Pia Lee-Brago/Philstar.com) n
Your out-of-pocket health care costs need not be a mystery by BeRnaRd
J. Wolfson Kaiser Health News
IF you’ve ever had a serious illness or cared for someone who has, you know how quickly the medical bills can pile up: from labs, radiology clinics, pharmacies, doctors, different departments within the same hospital — some of them in your insurance network, others not. It can be extremely confusing, no matter how clever you are, to determine which bills you need to pay. If you’re sick, or have
technological, cultural or language barriers — not to mention financial difficulties — navigating this maze can be especially intimidating. A California law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last month may help you sort through a tangle of medical bills to figure out what your health plan will cover and when the coverage kicks in. The law, SB 368, requires most state-regulated private-sector health plans to send enrollees updates, for every month in which they received care, showing how
much they have paid toward their annual deductible — the amount a person must shell out before insurance begins to cover most of their care — and how close they are to reaching out-ofpocket limits, the amount after which the insurer pays for 100% of care. The law, which takes effect in July, should help people with costly chronic conditions who need to keep better track of how much they owe, and healthy ones who rarely seek care but might suddenly en-
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Palace: Duterte’s senatorial bid has... PAGE 1 cause he wants to continue serving the people),” he said. “He believes in his heart that he still can contribute to public service, no longer as President but now as senator if he wins in the national elections of 2022,” he added. Nograles further reiterated that Duterte is not running for senator to evade the ICC’s probe. “Wala pong pag-e-evade ng prosecution ito at lahat ng mga batikos na narinig po natin ay wala pong katotohanan ang lahat ng akusasyon na ‘yan (There is no need to evade prosecution because all of the accusations are not true),” he stressed. According to Nograles, Duterte can contribute a lot in the Senate.
“Ako po’y naniniwala na magiging malaki ang kontribusyon ni Pangulong Duterte sa Senado (I believe that President Duterte will have a huge contribution in the Senate),” he said. On Monday, Nov. 15, Duterte filed his candidacy for senator via a representative. The decision came after his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio announced that she was running for vice president in the 2022 national elections under Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD). Meanwhile, Duterte will run under Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS), replacing Mona Liza Visorde, who withdrew her COC for senator. (By Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress) n
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From the Front Page
Marcos, Sara confirm tandem for 2022 national polls... PAGE 1 liderato sakaling kami ay palarin sa darating na halalan sa Mayo 9, 2022 (We agreed together with our parties to push for a unified leadership in case luck is on our side in the upcoming elections on May 9, 2022),” he added. Over the weekend, Marcos’ party, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), had adopted Duterte-Carpio, who is running under LakasChristian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), as its vice presidential candidate after she formalized her candidacy. Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio revealed that the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) rejected her when she sought support for her tandem with Marcos. “Ang aking partido ay nakipag-alyansa at humingi ng suporta para kay Bongbong Marcos at para sa akin matapos kong tanggapin ang inyong hamon at panawagan. Tinanggihan ito ng PDP at naiintindihan natin ito (My party forged an alliance and sought support for Bongbong Marcos and myself after I accepted the challenge to run. PDP rejected this and we
Former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte were wedding sponsors at the recent wedding of Gianna Revilla, daughter of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and her longtime boyfriend Jed Patricio. Marcos and Duterte-Carpio announced on Tuesday, Nov. 16, their official alliance as aspirants for president and vice president, respectively. Photo from the Facebook page of Mayor Inday Sara Duterte
understand it),” she said in a video message. PDP-Laban, the party her father Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte chairs, is supporting the presidential bid of Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go. Go withdrew his candidacy for vice president and filed one for president under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) after Duterte-Carpio announced her decision to run for the second-highest post in the country. Duterte-Carpio, for her part, maintained that no one
was put at a disadvantage over the new developments. “Pero gusto ko lamang na linawin — walang pangalan na sinisira o dinudungisan, walang sinasagasaan, walang inaagrabyado, inaaway, pinapaiyak o inaapi (But I just want to make it clear — no name is being slandered or defiled, no one is being abused, aggrieved, fought, made to cry, or oppressed),” she stressed. She also assured that building on her father’s legacy is the reason why she decided to run for vice president.
“Sa muli, nananawagan ako ng pagkakaisa. Ang layunin natin ay hindi lamang ituloy ang mga magagandang nasimulan ni Pangulong Duterte kundi ang mas pagbutihin at mas palawigin pa ang mga ito (Once again, I’m calling for unity. Our goal is not only to continue what President Duterte has started but also to improve and expand them),” said DuterteCarpio. “The people will make me strong. And it is through our solidarity and unity that we will be able to build a stronger nation,” she added. Further, Duterte-Carpio noted that the electoral battle is just starting. “Nagsisimula pa lang ang ating laban. Alam ko na mahaba at mahirap ito (The fight is just starting. I know it will be long and difficult),” she said. “Pero kampante ako na sasamahan at tutulungan nyo ako hanggang sa dulo, hanggang maipanalo natin ito para sa ating mahal na bayan at kapwa Pilipino (But I am certain that you will be with me and help me until the end, until we emerge victorious for country and people),” she added. n
Elderly Filipino man speaks out after knife attack...
PAGE 1 “When he got on the trolley, all he did was ask me how to get to Spring Valley,” said Serra. Later, he and the man both got off at the Arnele Avenue stop. According to Serra, the attack came as a surprise because there were no interactions between them while they were walking. “There was no change in his expression. Nothing. He just pulled out the knife and started slashing. It was a complete surprise,” he said. “As soon as the knife started coming, I fell to the sidewalk, because I was bleeding like crazy,” he added. In a news release, the El Cajon Police Department noted Serra “had numerous
life-threatening stab wounds and had been severely slashed across his face.” “The victim’s ear was nearly severed off and he had lost a significant amount of blood,” it said Thursday, Nov. 11. Additionally, the ECPD released a photo of the suspect: 24-year-old Ezekiel Valdivia, a convicted felon who is out on early release. Valdivia is described as a Hispanic man, 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighing around 180 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes, and numerous tattoos on his body, including a large “V” tattoo on his face. Valdivia also has a history of assault, elderly abuse, and weapons charges. While police have not yet ruled if the attack on Serra was racially motivated,
the Filipino American Community is urging officials to get involved. “Why did it take almost a week to get the word out that there is a dangerous man on the loose that had done this heinous crime,” said JoAnn Fields of the Filipino Resource Center. She added, “We have to hold people accountable. If we are going to stop the cycle of violence then we need not just see something but to say something.” Anyone with information on Valdivia’s whereabouts is urged to come forward and call El Cajon Police at 619-579-3311 or Crimestoppers at 888-580-8477. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Serra with the medical expenses as he recovers from his injuries. (Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress) n
Philippines remains closed to foreign tourists...
PAGE 1 persons who assumed that foreign tourists can now enter the country after Metro Manila was placed under the less restrictive COVID-19 Alert Level 2. However, Morente reiterated that presently, only Filipinos, balikbayans, and foreigners with valid and existing visas issued by the BI and other specialized Philippine government agencies are being allowed to enter the country. Meanwhile, those who wish to travel to the Philippines under a tourist visa may only do so if they apply for temporary
visitors’ visas and secure an entry exemption document (EED) from Philippine posts abroad. “We advise the public to refer to our website and social media pages to keep themselves updated on our latest advisories on guidelines and requirements for international travelers,” he said. Morente previously announced that the BI is ready for foreign tourists after presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that the country will accept international tourists “in due time.” (By Zacarian Sarao/Inquirer.net) n
ASSISTANCE TO FIRST-TIME JOBSEEKERS. First-time jobseekers maintain safe physical distancing at the entrance of a mall in Quirino Highway, Fairview, Quezon City to avail of free National Bureau of Investigation clearance certificate. First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act aims to give first-time jobseekers accessibility by offering a one-time waiver for pre-employment documentary requirements to ease their financial burden. PNA photo by Ben Briones
DOT’s Puyat looks forward... PAGE 1 travel restrictions. Puyat said that they are looking forward to welcoming balikbayans and tourists back especially now that COVID-19 travel restrictions are slowly being eased. “I know that most of you have made it an annual tradition to celebrate the December holidays in the Philippines, where the Christmas spirit begins to be felt on the first ber month with December just around the corner,” Puyat said in a speech she delivered at a recent virtual Kapihan sponsored by the Filipino American Press Club of New York, Department of Tourism New York and Orientours. “We are optimistic that revenge travel will soon materialize. We recognize the need to move forward and go along with the tide in order for us to transition into the new normal,” Puyat shared. “You know how we Filipinos are it will take more than a pandemic to keep us down and stop us from getting back up. And travel and tourism will be a fun way to help reboot the Philippine economy. Puyat also discussed the high vaccination rates of tourism workers in key travel destinations, including Baguio and Boracay which have recorded 100 and 99 percent vaccination rates respectively. Over 90 percent of tourism workers in Bohol and Coron are vaccinated. She emphasized that the swift immunization of the tourism workforce is essential in the recovery of the industry, citing the experience of Thailand when it used Phuket as an experiment.
Called the Phuket Sandbox, it was Thailand’s pilot run for reopening the tourism sector and was launched on July 1. Tourists who wanted to go to Phuket were required 14 days of quarantine on the island. The country reopened Bangkok and other leading tourist destinations such as Pattaya and Chiang Mai to fully-vaccinated foreign tourists from 46 designated “low-risk” countries. “That was my inspiration. I have a better chance if I start with our destinations. I’m so happy that there’s no vaccination hesitancy among our workers,” she said. “In fact in some areas, we’re already vaccinating friends and families of our tourism frontliners.” In Boracay, the vaccination rate has reached more than 100 percent, which means that more workers are being hired back. The tourism industry employed 5.7 million Filipinos in 2019 and last year, more than 1.1 million lost their jobs. Puyat mentioned that the Philippines has one of the shortest quarantine requirements in Asia. Travelers from the USA and Canada are only required to undergo facility-based quarantine with RT PCR testing on the fifth day. Upon the release of a negative RT PCR test result, travelers may continue home quarantine until the 10th day. Upon entry into the Philippines, vaccinated travelers from the USA can conveniently present their CDC vaccination card or their digital ID or certificate as proof of vaccination. PAGE 7
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OPINION
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FEATURES
Goodbye, face shield
Philstar.com photo
ON top of the face mask, the face shield aggravates difficulty in breathing and can be exceptionally uncomfortable in a poorly ventilated area on a hot day. Accusations of overpricing and sweetheart deals brokered by administration cronies intensified public distaste for the face shield. Last Monday, November 15, amid falling COVID-19 cases, President Duterte announced his approval of a recommendation to make the use of face shields voluntary in areas under Alert Levels 1 to 3 including Metro Manila, except in places such as hospitals. On Tuesday November 16, transport officials also lifted the face shield requirement in public utility vehicles. Health experts went along with the recommendation, but continued to encourage the voluntary use of face shields as added protection against COVID-19, especially in the so-called three Cs: closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places, and close-contact settings. While acknowledging the discomfort in
wearing face shields, the health experts maintain that they provide a measure of protection for the eyes, which are entry points for viruses and other pathogens. The experts say the added protection is important especially as complacency spreads and people stop using even masks in public places such as open markets. The shields can stop biological droplets such as those expelled in a sneeze from hitting the eyes, according to health experts, who point out that healthcare workers in COVID wards use medical goggles to protect their eyes. President Duterte himself is warning the public against complacency, amid reports of a new wave of COVID infections particularly in western Europe that is forcing a return to
Editorial
lockdowns. Scenes in Metro Manila since the region was eased to Alert Level 2 have shown people ignoring physical distancing, with many no longer wearing masks. In such environments, health experts say a
face shield on top of a mask can reduce the risk of catching COVID. Even with the lifting of the face shield requirement, experts warn that under certain settings, you discard it at your own risk. (Philstar.com)
May 9, 2022 is Election Day in the Philippines: How does the electoral process compare to the US? The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS MARK your calendar. Next year Monday, May 9, 2022, eligible citizens of the Philippines will be heading to the polls to vote for their new President,
Vice President, Senators, Representatives, as well as their local government public officials headed by the Governor, Vice Governor, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Councilmen/Councilwomen. This should be a very important milestone in our Motherland’s history for dual citizens like me who can now have our voices heard and help steer the nation to the right direction moving forward.
Even if you are not a dual citizen, and you still have your family permanently living in the Motherland, you know that the election results will be consequential to their lives and livelihood in the Philippines. Or perhaps like me, you are also sending money every month to the Philippines to help your family back home. Our sense of history is another important reason why whatever happens to
our Motherland is something we want to know more about because our life in the Philippines — good or bad — will always be part of who we are. So let us compare and contrast the Presidential Election in the Philippines and in the United States — our adoptive country. The Philippine Presidential Elections happen every six years. Here in the United States, we head to the polls
to exercise our right and duty to vote every four years. There are pros and cons for both. If you are fortunate to have elected a good, honest, hardworking, effective, leader with integrity and brilliant vision, then six years in the Philippines seem too short and Philippine laws allow only one term for President. However, if the people elected an abusive, lawbreaker and divisive president, then six years
feels like eternity. Here in the U.S., the President can have a maximum of two consecutive terms. Those who did not live up to the expectations of the electorate, have not delivered on their campaign promises, did not protect the people and the Constitution and abused the power and public trust accorded to the Presidency become one term president. PAGE 10
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal. ADVERTISING AND ADVERTORIAL POLICIES ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board
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D ateline PhiliPPines PH lifts face shield mandate in areas under Alert Level 1-3 by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
THE Philippines has lifted its mandatory use of face shields in areas under Alert Level 1 to 3. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, November 15, approved the recommendation of the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to drop the face shield requirement in certain areas. “Ang decision ko is okay, tanggalin nyo na yung shields. Pwede na ninyong (My decision is okay, you can remove the shields. You can), you dispense with the shields but not the mask),” he said in his pre-taped public address. However, the Chief Executive stressed that face masks will remain mandatory amid the pandemic, saying
Raffy Tulfo, Chiz Escudero and Alan Peter Cayetano
Cebu residents wearing mask and face shields in public.
that COVID-19 “will be here for a long time.” “You have to obey what the government will tell you to do because it’s for the good of the country and for you. Sumunod lang kayo (Just obey),” added Duterte. Earlier that day, Executive Secretary
Philstar.com file photo
Salvador Medialdea issued a memorandum saying face shields will be worn “on a voluntary basis for areas under Alert Levels 3, 2, and 1.” On the other hand, face shields will remain mandatory for areas under PAGE 8
Inquirer.net photos
Tulfo, Escudero, Cayetano top picks for Senate in new SWS poll by ZacaRian
SaRao
Inquirer.net
MANILA — Television personality Raffy Tulfo remains the top preferred senatorial aspirant in the 2022 national elections as Sorsogon Gov. Chiz Escudero and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano trailed close by in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey made public Tuesday, November16.
According to the new survey commissioned by Stratbase ADR Institute, Inc., 60 percent of 1,200 adult Filipino respondents picked Tulfo as their choice for senator, followed by Escudero with 51 percent and Cayetano – who jumped two spots from 5th place in the SWS survey released in October – with 50 percent. Coming in at the 4th spot was House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda with 45 percent PAGE 7
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PH approves vaccine booster shots...
FREE SHOTS. Dr. Andrew Buencamino (right), head of the Dasmariñas City Veterinary Office, leads the free anti-rabies vaccination for dogs and cats at Cardinal Village Phase 2 covered court in Barangay Salitran 3, Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Monday , November 15. Some 350 pet dogs and cats received jabs. PNA photo by Gil Calinga
PH makes progress in economic restart by Louise
Maureen Philstar.com
siMeon
MANILA — The Philippines is no longer at the bottom of the list in terms of economic reopening in Asia-Pacific, but its vaccination rate should still be fast-tracked to further achieve a stronger rebound. In the latest lockdown easing scorecard of London-based Oxford Economics, the Philippines ranked 10th among 14 major economies in Asia-Pacific in terms of how quick economies can reopen. The scorecard is based on current vaccination rates, COVID-19 prevalence and economic necessity. The Philippines got an overall reopening score of -0.1. Among the categories, it scored lowest in the vaccination rate at -0.5. Latest data showed that only 34 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated, much lower compared to other major economies in the region. Oxford lead Asia economist Sian Fenner said most Asia-Pacific economies are shifting toward living with COVID-19, but the easing of restrictions can be expected to vary across the region. “The economic imperative for Thailand and the Philippines to ease limitations is high, given their dependency on tourism and the mounting economic cost of restraints,” Fenner said.
“This is driving policymakers to reopen borders, but domestic restrictions are likely to be eased gradually given low vaccination rates,” she said. Fenner emphasized that there is a growing shift in the region to treat COVID-19 as endemic and an acceleration in vaccination rates would help. But she noted that vaccination is only one of several factors that will determine the timing and pace at which COVID-related restrictions are eased. “The Philippines has a strong incentive to reopen. And despite still elevated daily infections, restrictions are easing,” Fenner said. “It has also shifted toward ‘granular lockdowns’ and has announced plans to reopen its borders, as has Indonesia,” she said. The government has placed Metro Manila and most of the provinces under Alert Level 2 until the end of the month. Under Alert Level 2, more businesses will be allowed to operate at a much higher capacity. Further, Oxford expects that the lifting of restraints and resumption of domestic tourism will boost consumption, particularly on services such as accommodation and dining. “Indeed, we expect services to underpin above-trend growth in 2022 across the region, including Thailand and the Philippines, where the easing in domestic restrictions will be more gradual,” Fenner said. PAGE 8
Tulfo, Escudero, Cayetano top... PAGE 6 and Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri at 5th with 44 percent. It was a tie for former Vice President Jejomar Binay and Public Works and Highways chief Mark Villar as both garnered 40 percent at 6th place. Legarda, Villar, and Escudero were all ranked 2nd for having the same percentage points, in the SWS poll made public in October, which was conducted from September
12-16. Completing the so-called “Magic 12” in the recent SWS survey were reelectionist Senator Risa Hontiveros at 8tht place (36 percent), former senator Jinggoy Estrada at 9th (33 percent), actor Robin Padilla at 10th (29 percent), veteran journalist Noli de Castro at 11th (28 percent), and reelectionist Senator Joel Villanueva at 12th (27 percent). However, de Castro has al-
ready dropped out of the May 2022 senatorial race. The SWS survey released Tuesday was conducted on October 20-23, involving the interviews of 300 respondents each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. SWS said the survey had sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages and ±6% for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. n
PAGE 1 The agency also recommended Moderna, Pfizer, and Sinovac as booster doses regardless of the brand used in the primary series. “Sinovac will also be offered as a booster for those that had Sinovac as primary series,” it added. The FDA had approved the amended emergency use authorization (EUA) Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, and Sputnik to be used as booster shots and additional doses. According to FDA Director General Eric Domingo, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Sinovac could be used as homologous vaccines or using the same type of vaccine as a third shot. “Ibig sabihin, kapag naka-dalawang Pfizer, after six months, maaaring magbigay ng isa pa (This means, if you have received two Pfizer shots, after six months, you can receive another shot of it),” he said Tuesday, Nov. 16, in a taped public address. Meanwhile, single-dose Sputnik Light could be used as a booster shot or additional dose regardless of the vaccine brand of the primary series. Fully-vaccinated healthcare workers can choose the COVID-19 vaccine brand as their booster shot, said the DOH. Under the DOH Memorandum 2021-0484, healthcare workers have the option to receive a homologous or heterologous booster dose depending on the availability of vaccine brands at the vaccination site. If the individuals choose a different brand as
their booster, they may receive the following: • Sinovac: AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or Moderna • AstraZeneca: Pfizer or Moderna • Sputnik V: AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or a Moderna • Janssen: AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or Moderna • Pfizer: AstraZeneca or Moderna • Moderna: AstraZeneca or Pfizer The DOH noted that those who received AstraZeneca as their primary series are recommended to be “boosted” with a different vaccine platform due to “the theoretical possibility of pre-existing immunity attenuating or weakening the immune response on the second or third dose.” “Vaccine recipients with a previous history of adverse reactions after administration of Covid-19 vaccine – the elderly, people with comorbidities, people prone to blood clots, myocarditis, and anaphylaxis – shall consult their attending physician for the recommended boosting strategy,” the agency added. Fully-vaccinated healthcare workers can only receive one booster shot, given at least six months after completing their primary series. In March, the Philippines kicked off its national vaccination drive. So far, some 31.57 million have completed their COVID-19 shots, while 38.14 million have received their first dose. The country aims to at least inoculate 50 million before the end of this year to achieve herd immunity. n
DOT’s Puyat looks forward to PH... PAGE 4 “Again, may I stress this is as of today because protocols are forever changing. We in the Philippines continue to prioritize the health and safety of our people, including that of our overseas Filipinos and former Filipinos who are returning to the country,” she said. She reported that balikbayans and their foreign spouses and children may already enter the country, along with foreign spouses and minor children of Filipino staying in the Philippines are also allowed to enter the country subject to prevailing guidelines implemented by the IATF. Since May this year, Puyat said that the DOT has been pushing for the relaxation of testing and quarantine protocols for fully-vaccinated individuals from countries that are classified as low-risk following the lead of some of the country’s neighbors in the ASEAN as well as the models that are being implemented in Western countries. “As early as last year, December, the Philippines was already open to balikbayans and I have to give credit to Mr. Jojo Clemente and Miss Marge Munsayac because they were always pushing for that,” Puyat said.
Clemente is the p[resident of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines while Munsayac is chair of the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association Inc. Tourism Recovery “We are now moving from survival to recovery and rebuilding after two years of actual struggle for survival. The revival of tourism is a big part of this and that is why we are looking forward to welcoming back our balikbayans, Filipino Americans, Filipino Canadians, and even foreign tourists from all over the world,” said Josen Perez de Tagle, Philippine Airlines’ Vice President of Corporate Communications. He said that they are looking forward to having more flights into the country as they rebuild route by route. Puyat also announced that the first-ever Philippine Specialist Program will be launched this month to educate North American travel advisors about the Philippines. “What was perceived as a challenge has actually become an opportunity to reach a wider audience through digital marketing activities through webinars, the online promotion of culinary tourism, virtual cookbooks, social
media marketing, and supporting virtual Filipino community events,” she said. The tourism attaches assigned in the United States Francisco Lardizabal in New York, Soleil Tropicales in San Francisco, and Richmond Jimenez in Los Angeles - continue to engage with airline partners or operators, travel advisors, and consumers to strengthen business relationships and keep the Philippines as a top of mind destination. There has also been a shift towards more open spaces, outdoor activities, and more personalized and immersive travel. “We are focusing on products that will cater to the new normal travelers’ preferences,” she shared. Among these are 41 tourism circuits spanning the entire country - from food trips to eco-tours, fun farm circuits to pilgrimage tours, biking circuits, art and adventure, and dive and drive packages. Addressing the Kapihan audience, Puyat said she hopes the kababayans consider returning home. “Hopefully we really have more good news in the next couple of weeks. We can’t wait to see more of you, we really miss our balikbayans,” she said. n
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NOVEMBER 19-25, 2021 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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Robredo urges forgiveness, promotes unity among people split by politics by Gabriel
Pabico lalu
Inquirer.net
MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo has urged Filipinos, who may have been in conflict or disagreement with their friends and relatives due to their political stand, to start making amends, as people are hurt regardless of their beliefs. Robredo said this on Tuesday, as she noted the views of experts that there are hidden forces trying to make Filipinos fight each other, including in social media, as it would be easier to advance personal interest when people are divided. “Alam niyo, nitong mga nakaraang taon, nakita natin kung paano naghati-hati ang ating mga hanay. Lalo na sa social media, maraming masasakit na salitang binitawan. May mga magkakaibigan, pati na magakamamag-anak, na nag-away dahil sa posisyon sa pulitika,” she said in a video statement posted on her official Facebook page. (We have witnessed the past few years that people became divided, especially on social media, a lot of hurtful words were delivered. Friends and relatives became enemies because of political stance.) “Ang analysis ng mga eksperto, may mga puwersa na sadya tayong pinag-aaway. Dahil kapag watak-watak ang mga Pilipino, mas madaling maisusulong ang personal na agenda ng mga puwersang ito. Anuman ang dahilan, hindi maikakaila: nagkasakitan
tayo,” she added. (Experts say there are people who really want people to be divided. Because when we are divided, they can easily advance their political agenda.) Robredo then reminded her supporters to engage other people of different political beliefs calmly and with respect, ahead of their Wednesday movements. “Nasaang panig ka man, gaano man kasigurado sa paninindigan mo, may nakasakit ng kapwa. Panahon na, tayo na ang magsimula, lumapit sa mga naka-alitan, kung may nakita sa social media na hindi naaayon sa mga pinaniniwalaan natin, magpaliwanag nang mahinahon at may respeto,” Robredo said. (Whatever side you are in, even if you are really sure of your political convictions, you have hurt someone. It is time for us to initiate reconciliation, approach other people, and when you see something untrue or something that does not coincide with our beliefs, explain in a calm and respectful manner.) “Magpakumbaba. Mangumusta, makipag-usap, hilumin ang mga sugat, buksan muli ang landas ng pagmamahal, ipaalala ang katotohanan, hindi natin kalaban ang ating kapwa,” she added. (Be humble. Ask them how they are doing, talk, heal all wounds, open the path for love, remind people of the truth, and remember that fellow Filipinos are not our enemy.) n
PARADE OF GIANTS. Giant figures made of papier-mâché parade along Quezon Avenue in Angono, Rizal for the Higantes Festival on Sunday, November 14 -- the highlight of which are giant puppets with hands on their waists and usually with stern looks. The annual feast is in honor of St. Clement, the patron saint of fishermen. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
Sotto optimistic on next Senate SENATE President Vicente Sotto III remains optimistic that the chamber would be able to perform its mandate with independence despite the possible entry of President Duterte, who filed his certificate of candidacy for senator. Sotto, who is graduating as senator and running for vice president, issued the statement when asked about the prospect of Duterte in the Senate along with his close allies. “I’m optimistic that the Senate’s independence will be preserved gauging on
the possible winners whom I know personally,” Sotto said. Duterte has anywhere between four to six on his side in the current Senate, including Sen. Bong Go, his former aide who is now seeking the presidency. Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, a close ally, earlier raised the prospect of Duterte becoming the Senate president. Duterte has been attacking the Senate over its investigation into the P42-billion corruption scandal under his administration involving the procurement of COVID-19 supplies.
He has ordered his Cabinet to not attend the hearings. The Senate is set to question the President’s directive before the Supreme Court. Sen. Risa Hontiveros warned Duterte, if he wins a seat in the Senate, not to “dare stifle the potential of the Senate to fiscalize” and should not use the post to evade possible prosecution for alleged misdeeds. “The President’s brand of authoritarianism will never be the new normal and will not infect the Senate as an institution,” Hontiveros said. (By Paolo Romero/Philstar.com)n
PH makes progress... PAGE 7 “The reopening of borders will help boost services activity next year. However, while our tourism colleagues expect a strong rebound in total visitors next year, from a very low base, we do not expect international visitors to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025,” she said. Based on Oxford’s scorecard, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand are best placed to reopen given their progress on vaccina-
tion, falling or lower case numbers, and relatively large tourism sectors. All three would also experience strong gains from an easing of curbs, given recent lockdowns. Other countries that are expected to fare better in reopening include Korea, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand and China. Meanwhile, Vietnam, India, Taiwan and Indonesia ranked below the Philippines. n
PH lifts face shield mandate... PAGE 6 Alert Level 5 and granular lockdowns. For areas under Alert Level 4, local government units and private establishments are given discretion to mandate use of face shields. “The above protocols are without prejudice to the continuing mandatory use
of face shields in medical and quarantine facilities, and the required use thereof by healthcare workers in healthcare settings,” the memo read. Currently, Metro Manila is under Alert Level 2 until Nov. 21. The IATF first issued the use of face shields outdoors
in December last year. In September this year, Duterte limited the use of face shields in places that fall under the “3Cs” category: crowded, closed, and close contact. The Philippines is the only country in the world that requires using face shields in addition to masks. n
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 19-25, 2021
29% of Philippines population fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Christian
Deiparine
Philstar.com
MANILA — Some 31.82 million Filipinos have been fully inoculated against COVID-19 since the government launched its vaccination campaign in March. This is equivalent to 29.18% of the population, a long way from the 90% health authorities say is
needed to attain herd immunity. Department of Health figures as of November 15 also show that 38.47 million or 35.28% of Filipinos have received the first shot of a twodose vaccine regimen. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who is acting presidential spokesperson, during a media briefing on Tuesday said the govern-
ment administered 963,777 shots the day prior, inching closer to its goal of 1.5 million doses a day. An average of 763,881 vaccines daily was administered in the last seven days. DOH on Monday, November 15, announced that health workers fully vaccinated for COVID-19 can begin getting booster shots starting November 17. n
Marcos assures supporters he won’t be disqualified from presidential race by BernaDette
e. tamayo
ManilaTimes.net
FORMER senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. assured his supporters that he is eligible to run for president in the 2022 national elections as he dispelled speculations that he will be disqualified. “All pieces of evidence and legal arguments in our
hands clearly show that the petition against my candidacy is nothing but trash,” Marcos stressed. He issued the statement on Tuesday to assure his supporters that his “fight to serve the Filipino people under a unifying leadership is impeccable and will get through misleading propaganda.” Marcos said that although
he believes that the petition before the Commission on Elections to cancel his certificate of candidacy (CoC) for president was “walang kuwenta” (worthless) his lawyers were still preparing to oppose it. The presidential aspirant continued, “I’ve personally seen the documents for our defense.” PAGE 10
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SFIO to invest US$100M to develop land into a resort-like condotel property in Batangas City, Philippines SFIO has recently been named one of the “20 Promising Companies Everyone Should Know in 2021” by Global Business Leader Magazine. The joint venture project with Omnicor Industrial Estate & Realty Center Inc. has proven that it is worthy to be listed in one of the 20 promising companies. Omnicor Industrial Estate & Realty is a subsidiary of AbaCore Capital Holdings, a public listed company in the Philippines, plans to contribute land by the bay of Batangas where SFIO will develop the land into a resort with 500 units condotel owned by AbaCore Capital and PRIDE in Batangas City’s Montemaria. Omnicor Industrial Estate & Realty Center Inc. is a corporation 100% owned Philippines Regional Investment Development Corporation (PRIDE). Meanwhile, PRIDE is 100% owned by AbaCore Capital holdings, Inc. This Joint venture project has given an aim to SFIO to establish a US$100M project and it is established in a strategic tourist spot in Montermaria, Batangas City, Philippines. The property is aimed to be structured as a resort condotel concept which predominantly targets tourists, pilgrims, expats, and the returnees of Filipino descent who want a short holiday or for permanent stay for retirement. The purpose of the development is to
position the two companies in the new tourism industry and prepare for postpandemic restrictions. Also, the project provides domestic visitors with a utility in the uncertainty of travel rules and regulations in the future. Also, a key highlight of the property is it being equipped of state-of-the-art smart building technology. This technology will be built by the Technology and Software development team of SFIO. The technology is beneficial to its users by enhancing the health, wellness, safety, and security of the guests. The duration of the project is aimed to be accomplished in the next three years. According to Aba Core Capital, “the preselling of the units will commence once the permit is approved by the concerned government agencies.” SFIO and AbaCore agreed to be the preferred developer of the future project – the joint venture between SFIO and ABA will be the a first-ever experience. The companies are confident that the project will be a great success. This will enable them to grow and come together to build the greatest business relationship to support each party by efficiently achieving their goals. (Advertising Supplement)
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NOVEMBER 19-25, 2021 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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Your out-of-pocket health...
LIVING LEGEND. Six-time bowling World Cup champion Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno (left) receives framed commemorative stamps from Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio at the Manila Central Post Office in Liwasang Bonifacio on Saturday, November 13. Nepomuceno is one of the featured Filipino greats in the Philippine Postal Corporation’s Living Legends: World-Renowned Filipinos stamps series. PNA photo by Rico H. Borj
May 9, 2022 is Election... PAGE 5 Here in the United States, there is a short list of former presidents who ran for office as president again after leaving office as president, and this does not include presidents who sought reelection to a consecutive term while still in office. Just like in the Philippines, there there have been a few US presidents who ran for a seat in Congress, or governor. Most of them, however, retire from public office and just do charitable works through their own foundation, write books, and if the Constitution and democracy is threatened, some call out the sitting president. Here in the United States, the candidates for president and vice president are a TEAM belonging to the same party. They share the same ideology, policies, platform and visions for the country. The voters elect the President and along with this vote is the vote for the presidential candidate’s running mate. In contrast, the candidates for President and Vice President in the Philippines are elected separately in the ballot. I prefer our system here in the United States. The President and Vice President should be elected and sworn into office as a TEAM so they can work together toward fulfilling their campaign promises to the people. And if something happens to the President that will prevent him/her from fulfilling his/her duties and responsibilities like death or chronic serious illness (including mental incapacity), or be deposed from office through impeachment, then the Vice President will carry out the programs and initiatives they were elected to fulfill for the people. This does not happen in the Philippines
where the President and Vice President(VP) come from two different parties. Oftentimes, the VP is marginalized by the president for fear of being more popular than him/her and therefore, will diminish the chances of his/ her party to hold on to power in the next election cycle. Differences and even animosity are also inevitable when the President and VP come from different parties because they have opposing views, visions, policies and programs to begin with. And if the VP exercises his/her Constitutional duty to call out the President for any violations of the law or of public morals and ethics, then this will not be taken well by the President and his/ her party and will do everything to silence and marginalize the VP. These are some major differences between the U.S. and Philippine President Elections. However, since both countries are democratic forms of government, then both should adhere to the principles of democracy enshrined in their respective Constitutions. But I will discuss more of that topic in future editions of this column. Abangan! *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.
Marcos assures supporters he won’t... PAGE 7 “And I’ve personally discussed them with our legal team who, along with some reputable and respectable legal experts, concluded without doubt that the petition to delist my name from the roster of applicants for the presidency is without merit and has no legal basis,” he said. Marcos was referring to views by former Justice secretary Alberto Agra and University of Sto Tomas faculty of law dean Nilo Divina who both said that the petition “has no basis in fact and in law.” “Kaya nananawagan ako sa aking sup-
porters at sa buong sambayanan na panatilihin natin ang pananalig na hindi magtatagumpay ang baluktot na hangarin laban sa aking pagtakbo (That’s why I call on my supporters and to the entire nation to remain hopeful that the evil intention against my candidacy will not succeed),” he said. Marcos added, “At patuloy nating ipaglaban ang karapatan ng mamamayan para sa malayang pagpili ng mga napupusuang nilang kandidato sa darating na halalan (And we continue to fight for the right of the citizenry to freely choose their candidates in the coming elections).” n
PAGE 2 counter unexpected medical circumstances. “It’s not that hard to hit those maximums, and it doesn’t take a cancer diagnosis to get there,” says Dylan Roby, a professor of public health at the University of California-Irvine. “It could be one ER visit with a procedure. A broken leg could get you there pretty easily.” The new law requires health plans to send outof-pocket updates via mail unless the insured opts for electronic delivery. The information must also be stored in a format that is accessible to customers at any time. SB 368 “is part of a larger need to provide transparency about individuals’ outof-pocket risks,” says Roby. Consumers often are unaware, he notes, of what’s available for free under the Affordable Care Act, including preventive services like screening tests and immunizations. Most health plans offered through Covered California, the state’s ACA marketplace, also must cover outpatient services, including imaging, specialist appointments and physical therapy, before the deductible is met. One potential pitfall of the new law, Roby observes, is that insurers can crunch numbers based only on the claims they’ve processed, and some doctors and other providers might take six months or more to file claims. That means the information plans send to enrollees could be outdated. At present, state law imposes no specific requirement on insurers to inform enrollees of their current financial liabilities, but some plans already do so — either in the “explanation of benefits” they send after care is received, or in response to a customer request. “This law makes an optional practice a requirement,” says state Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara), who authored the legislation. “And it’s a good practice.” The new law should be helpful to a growing number of people, given the increasing prevalence of health plans with ever-larger deductibles. Between 2012 and 2020, the percentage of California
workers with single coverage who had an annual deductible of $1,000 or greater quadrupled, to 54%. And among families enrolled in health plans with deductibles, 70% had deductibles of $2,000 or higher last year, compared with 31% eight years earlier. For the cheapest Covered California plans, the deductible this year is $6,300 for an individual and $12,600 for a family. And there’s a separate deductible for prescription drugs (the new law requires health plans to inform enrollees where they stand on all their deductibles). As deductibles rise, health plan members are seeing the financial protection of their insurance kick in later and later in the year. And in many cases, after meeting their deductibles they still need to spend a thousand or more before reaching out-ofpocket spending limits for the year. People with serious diagnoses such as cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis or cystic fibrosis frequently make such calculations. Stacey Armato, a 41-yearold mother of three in Hermosa Beach, California, has a 6-year-old son with cystic fibrosis, a serious progressive lung disease. Her son, Massimo, takes about a dozen medications, with costs well into the thousands of dollars each month. Armato and her family are luckier than many: They have good insurance that limits their total spending on Massimo’s care to about $6,000 a year. But that is still enough to make them rethink spending plans at times. “I’m always going to prioritize my son’s care,” Armato says. She likes the new law. “I think transparency about how much a patient is spending and what their financial obligations are is really important,” she says. Some families coping with cystic fibrosis and other expensive illnesses face much starker trade-offs — choosing between treatment and paying their rent, for example. In those cases, it can be indispensable to know when the financial hemorrhaging will stop, easing pressure on the family budget. The new law can also be useful if you, like many people, postponed an elec-
tive surgery because of the pandemic — a hip replacement or cataract removal, for example — and want to reschedule it now. The best timing, financially speaking, will be when you are close to reaching your deductible and out-of-pocket spending limit — or if you already have reached them. If you know where you stand, you can schedule the procedure for a time when your financial liability will be minimal. The law might also help people avoid paying money they don’t actually owe. “Sometimes when people see any kind of bill, they think they need to pay it,” says Jen Flory, a policy advocate at the Western Center on Law & Poverty, which supported the legislation. “So unless they understand that, ‘Oh, I reached my deductible, or my out-ofpocket max,’ people panic and do whatever they need to do to pay the bill. And it can be hard to get the money back from providers if they pay unnecessarily.” Although your insurer is not required to provide your out-of-pocket status until the law takes effect in July, you can still call the customer help line and ask for it — or for clarification about a bill. If you don’t get the answer you want, ask your health plan to tell you who regulates it, and call that agency. It would usually be the Department of Managed Health Care, at 888-466-2219 or HealthHelp.ca.gov, or the California Department of Insurance, reachable at 800-927-4357. If you need help sorting through heaps of medical bills, you could hire a professional patient advocate, who will typically charge you a percentage of the amount they save you. To find patient advocates in your area, log on to www. advoconnection.com To see if you qualify for free assistance, try the Patient Advocate Foundation (www.patientadvocate.org or 800-532-5274), which helps people resolve unaffordable health bills and also provides disease-specific, need-based financial aid. This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.n
Community Journal
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 19-25, 2021
11
The December 2021 priority dates: No change from September Immigration Corner
The priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: FAMILY CATEGORY: First Preference
Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ THE November priority dates are typically the start of the new “fiscal year” for visas, where a new annual supply of visas is made available. Usually, with a new supply of visas, the priority dates move forward in the various family categories. However, for November 2021, the priority dates did not move at all. They are the same as September 2021. Fortunately, employment-based visas remain “current.” Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment-based categories. A priority date is PAGE 12
Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens (21 years old or older)
Application Filing Date
Visa Issuance Date
April 22, 2015
March 01, 2012
(2A) Spouse and September 01, Second Preference minor children (below 21 years old) 2021 of green card holders
Current
(2B) Unmarried sons and daughters October 01, (21 years old or older) 2013 of green card holders
October 22, 2011
Third Preference
Married sons and daughters of U.S. Citizens
October 01, 2003
June 08, 2002
Fourth Preference
Brothers and sisters of U.S. Citizens
February 01, 2004
August 22, 2002
Application Filing Date
Visa Issuance Date
LABOR CERTIFICATION:
Second Preference
Advanced Degree (Masters)
Current
Current
Third Preference
Professional/ Skilled Workers
Current
Current
Other Workers
Non-Skilled Workers
Current
Current
A FATHER’S DYING WISH IS FULFILLED THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Mother Cece (center) petitioned her son Vince in 2001. Because he was out-of-status, and had no section 245(i), he was not eligible to adjust status (apply for his green card) in the U.S. The family went through several attorneys who applied for political asylum, and later obtained an approved provisional waiver, after the regulations came out in 2016. Vince returned to the Philippines for his interview, but the family was devastated when the Embassy charged Vince with fraud, for having overstayed in the U.S. – the very reason a person pursues a provisional waiver! Desperate to get Vince back to the U.S. to fulfill his father’s dying wish, the family retained Atty. Gurfinkel, who was able to get a fraud waiver approved, enabling Vince to return to the U.S. as a green card holder. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, November 21 on its new time slot at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)
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NOVEMBER 19-25, 2021 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
Politics deadlier than COVID
Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS WHY the COVID-19 pandemic will most likely be with us for years is vividly demonstrated by the following well-publicized news: “A federal appeals court has called President Joe Biden’s vaccine and testing requirements for private businesses ‘fatally flawed’ and ‘staggeringly overbroad,’ arguing that the requirements likely exceed the authority of the federal government and raise ‘serious constitutional concerns’…the requirements criticized as a one-size-fits-all sledgehammers.” If the courts succeed in derailing the president’s plan, there will be more infections and more deaths in those sectors as a result of wanting to be fully “constitutional.” That’s only one instance. There are governors/legislators/protestors against masking/social distancing early on and now against vaccine mandates because they are ignorant, spineless, and want to be politically correct in order not to lose votes. Their inaction, baseless statements, and the chaos that followed have resulted in the massive loss of precious human lives, the total death count as of last Tuesday morning, November 16 is at almost 5.12 million worldwide, with nearly 784,000 in the U.S., and about 45,800 in the Philippines. This is gross negligence and dereliction of duties on the part of the Biden administration, Congress, and the governors and other leaders against federal mandates. They looked the other way as people, children included, languished and died…and the toll from COVID-19 is still rising. I am no lawyer, much less a constitutional expert, but to me, as a person and as a cardiac surgeon, it is most evident that the federal judge in this case was more concerned (and only considered) the constitutional technicality of the issues, rather than discern if President Biden’s “mandate” would save lives or kill more people. No discussion about the effects of the ultimate verdict on human lives, just “constitutional concerns” and correctness. To me, saving lives, pre-
venting deaths, or reducing loss of lives to the minimum should be the primary objective of any action, constitutional or not. We must uphold and protect our Constitution, yes, but when technicalities would cause misery and death of people, who the Constitution and our courts and government leaders are supposed to protect, the obvious just choice is to save people’s lives as primary, and the constitution’s propriety, secondary. The Founding Fathers brilliantly crafted the masterpiece called the Constitution of the United States in 1787 with the main objective of protecting and safeguarding this great nation and its people, especially the marginalized, the weak, the infirm and the helpless from foreign and domestic threats, and even from their own selves. And here we are today, 234 years later, using constitutional (wording) technicalities to justify going against the proper scientific protocol to end this deadly pandemic and allowing thousands more Americans to die…all in the name (an excuse) for exercising equality, civil liberties, individual rights, and the freedom to refuse. The right thing Scientifically, the proper and most effective way to manage a pandemic, which is much like a world war, is a universal, unified, federal strategy mandating quarantine, isolation, masking, social distancing on the first day the pandemic is declared, and a national mandate for vaccination for everyone, the very day the vaccine is available. This is the epidemiologic and evidence-based protocol to follow strictly, one that is medically accepted worldwide. All science, no politics. This is the right thing to do. If this strict medical protocol had been mandated, we could have prevented hundreds of thousands of deaths and we would be having a normal Christmas this year. The way our government leaders have mishandled the pandemic and the abuse of the constitutional freedom to choose by more than 50 million people who refuse the vaccines, we should brace ourselves for an extended misery and greater loss of human lives for a few more years before we see the end of COVID-19, if at all. It is unrealistic for people to expect a perfect 100 percent
protection from masking, social distancing, and now the vaccines for COVID-19 that are 100 percent safe. There is no such thing. Even aspirin, introduced to us in 1899, though used since antiquity, is not 100 percent safe or effective. The bulletproof vests used by SWAT teams and other law enforcement agents are not 100 percent safe, but they have saved countless of lives. While the vaccines for COVID-19 are not 100 percent risk-free, the risk of an adverse side-effect is a tiny fraction of 1 percent, while the risk of dying from COVID is one hundred to a thousand times greater. It is a no-brainer that getting the vaccine is wiser, more prudent, and a lot safer because COVID-19 is a serious killer. So far, there have been almost 7.5 billion vaccines administered around the world. The vaccines have long been proven safe and effective even before its first millionth mark. COVID-19 is a world war Medically speaking, President Biden’s requirement and mandates, if not thwarted by the courts, could save lives among the people in those businesses involved. The only question is why the president is limiting it only to that small segment of society in as pandemic that is akin to a world war? He should have declared federal mandates on all matters related to our global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic to protect the entire nation and all 332.9 million Americans. Anything short will allow the virus to live on, replicate, and mutate to deadlier strains and continue to kill more people. Of course, people have the right to choose not to get the vaccine. They even have the right to hurt or kill themselves, but they do not have the right to infect and take with them and kill other Americans who also have their rights – the right to be careful and get the vaccines, the right to remain healthy and live. Any choice we make that hurts other people is unjust and criminal, certainly not the kind of freedom of choice the framers of the Constitution had in mind when they ensured those civil liberties for us. All our personal rights come with grave responsibilities and obligations to society and to our fellowmen. The 50 million who refuse the vaccine on constitutional grounds
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Maymay overcomes fear of belting in song ‘Amakabogera’ By Alex
BrosAs Philstar.com
WITH already more than two million views, singer Maymay Entrata is thankful that her recent Wish Bus performance is an overwhelming success. “Hindi ko lubos na ma-explain’yung nararamdaman ko. Hindi ko in-expect ‘yung sobrang overwhelming na pagtanggap nila sa kanta kong ‘Amakabogera,’” Entrata said during the online press conference for her digital concert, Nov. 13. (I can’t fully explain what I feel. I didn’t expect the overwhelming response of people to my song “Amakabogera.”) Entrata’s digital concert, “Mpowered,” is streaming on Nov. 26 via KTX.ph, iWantTFC and TFC IPTV, with a rerun the next day, Nov. 27. What she was most happy about is the fact that the listeners knew the message of the lyrics. The singer is even more appreciative that listeners were able to understand the message of the song. “Doon ako mas natutuwa po kasi minsan talaga parang may mga insecurity tayo,” she
Maymay Entrata
Photo from Instagram/@maymay
said. (I am more happy about that because sometimes, it really seems we have insecurities.) With the song, Entrata wishes to help boost other people’s confidence, as the song is about a young woman who is confident about who she is and what she has become. Meanwhile, when Entrata first learned about the song, her initial fear was how to give justice to it, because it has high notes. “Ang taas (niya) sa lahat ng kinanta ko. Kakayanin ko ba? Sobrang birit. Doon na ako nag-decide na hindi na puwedeng puchu-puchu ito. Kailangang makawala na ako sa hiya ko… ‘pag kumakanta ako,” she said. (It has high notes compared with all other songs I sang.
Can I do this? It requires too much belting. That’s when I decided that I can no longer just settle for less. I need to break free from my shyness when I sing.) To achieve success, she sought the professional help of a vocal coach, one Ms. Jade, which she finds worth it because she learned a lot from her about how to give life to the song. Before performing on Wish Bus, Entrata admitted she was so nervous, to the point that she felt like throwing up. She had breathing exercises and also prayed. Meanwhile, VIP and SVIP ticket holders of the concert will be able to enjoy a special Zoom after-party admission with Entrata, and hosts DJ Jhai Ho and Edward Barber. n
The December 2021 priority dates... PAGE 11 a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below. If your priority date was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted status in the U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 40 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. should seriously reconsider in order to keep our nation as one people united in our war against COVID-19. Divided, we cannot win. And justice, to be true, must be served with Solomonic wisdom and compassion. Politics, as shown by the way this pandemic has been managed, is indeed a deadlier killer than COVID-19. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do
The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and reenactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw, YouTube: US Immigration TV and Instagram.com/gurfinkellaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES
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
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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, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 19-25, 2021
Herbert agrees to opening of cinemas; urges Filipinos to support local productions By riCky
Calderon ManilaTimes.net
FORMER Quezon City Mayor and Senatoriable Herbert Bautista did not run in the 2019 elections because he wanted to spend more time with his children. “Since they are grownups now, we talk about more adult topics,” said the actor, who is fondly called Bistek by his showbiz colleagues, in a recent interview with some members of the entertainment press. “In fact, I guess my children. In fact, I guess my children, the millennials are more rational. Iba na ang pananaw nila sa mga bagay. I learn from them,” he added. Bistek said he wanted to do a travel vlog with his sons while doing a tour of the many interesting places in our country. Friends advised him to go vlogging since everybody is doing it.
EMPLOYMENT
Herbert Bautist
ABS-CBN photo
But the pandemic derailed the said plan. When the pandemic struck, Bistek, in his own simple way, extended help to some residents in Quezon City and gave medicines to a hospital in Caloocan. “In our own little way, we hope we were able to assists in the needs of some
of our kababayans. We have a group which extends help to those in need.” No one from his family and his own circle knew that he is running for the Senate. In his past interviews, he had always said that he will leave it to the party to decide. It was when Senate President Tito Sotto told that it is time for him to run for the senate that he made the decision. He is such an industry stalwart that seeing movie workers lose their jobs from cinema closure during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic broke his heart. With the scheduled theater reopening on November 10, Senatoriable Herbert now urges the public to go out and support local productions that braved protocol restraints to provide them much-needed entertainment. Bistek is likewise PAGE 15
EMPLOYMENT
Angel Locsin
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Inquirer.net photo
Angel says entering politics not an option By Marinel
Cruz
Inquirer.net
ACTRESS and philanthropist Angel Locsin reacts to netizens’ observation that there are more show biz celebrities running for public office this coming elections compared to the previous years. “I am not here to judge them because these people really do have the capabilities to help the Filipino people. We should not pull each
other down because we are from the same industry,” she begins. “As it is, people think so little of us because we are actors.” ‘Different kind’ “If these people believe that they can truly help other Filipinos, then go ahead. If I would personally vote for them, I don’t know yet,” the actress says. “Maybe they agreed to run because they received offers. It’s also a possibility that people approached them with a
promise not to worry about campaign expenses, that this will be taken care of. I also think other politicians invited show biz celebs to run because they need known personalities in their political parties.” Angel further adds: “I personally don’t see myself being a politician. We all have strengths, and this isn’t one of mine. I don’t know how to create laws and policies. I’m used to taking action, but of a different kind.” n
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NOVEMBER 19-25, 2021 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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CONTINUING JONATHAN LARSON’S LEGACY
Tick, Tick... Boom!: Meet your new favorite musical obsession by MOMaR
G. VisaYa / AJPress
ULITZER Prize and Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda’s feature directorial debut is a definite must-see for every film lover out there. If you P adore musicals? Grab your popcorn. An adaptation of the autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson (who revolutionized theater as the creator of ‘Rent’), ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ is an honest-to-goodness love letter to musicals, and to a great extent, chasing the Broadway dream, and who better to deliver it than Miranda himself. The Netflix movie tells the story of the late Larson, played with aplomb by Andrew Garfield who delivered an incredibly raw and compelling performance worthy of an Oscar nod. “I just want to tell great stories because that’s what gets me out of bed every morning. It’s a feeling like you can offer something healing, something soulful, like Jonathan Larson did,” the 38-year-old Garfield told CBS Sunday Morning. Miranda and Garfield, and the rest of the supporting cast were present at the New York City premiere of the film celebrating the work and impact of Larson on Broadway held at the Schoenfeld Theatre on Monday, November 15. Vanessa Hudgens, Alexandra Shipp, and Robin de Jesus provided ample support that kept the show going. Bradley Whitford as the legendary Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim? Yes, please. Watching it at the
Director Lin-Manuel Miranda and Andrew Garfield prepare for a scene in the screen adaptation of Tick, Tick…Boom!, based on the life of playwright Jonathan Larson. The film debuts on Netflix on Friday, Nov. 19. Netflix Photos by Macall Polay
Schoenfeld Theater made it more special as every musical number was awarded with hearty applause from the audience. Seeing Broadway stars in their cameo roles was a major bonus. I saw Garfield’s portrayal of Prior Walter in ‘Angels in America’ a few years ago and I was awestruck by the way he attacked the role which
gave him a Tony Award. Miranda saw Garfield’s performance as well and describes it as fearless and vulnerable. “I didn’t know if he could sing but I knew he could do anything,” Miranda said in a talkback with the cast after a screening in New York. In this film, Garfield shows his singing chops as he ably
highlights his vocal range in 30/90, the opening number where he sings about turning 30 and being at a crossroads, facing the question everyone must reckon with: What are we meant to do with the time we have? Even his costars are impressed. Hudgens told Collider in October 2021, “I’m just such a big Jonathan Larson fan and it’s just a special, special project because audiences are gonna be able to hear songs that they probably never heard before, and just really get a glimpse into Jonathan’s mind. Andrew did such a fantastic job portraying him.” The Disney alum plays the role of Karessa, a backup vocalist in Larson’s one-man play. She previously essayed the roles of Maureen and Mimi in ‘Rent’ a few years ago. “The question that it asks is universal, which is “Am I doing what I should be doing with the time that I have?” Because our time really is so limited and it makes you be mindful and look at yourself and be like “What are my priorities?” and that’s beautiful, it’s a gift,” Hudgens said in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel. The film follows the life of Larson as a young theater composer who’s waiting tables at a New PAGE 15
The film’s stars were in full force at the New York premiere, from left: Judith Light, Robin de Jesus, Alexandra Shipp, Andrew Garfield, Vanessa Hudgens, Ben Levi Ross, and Joshua Henry. Photos by Monica Schipper
Vanessa Hudgens
Garfield and Miranda enjoy a moment at the New York premiere of their film Tick, Tick…Boom!
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 19-25, 2021
Jane finally starts taping Jao Mapa on surviving a for new Darna TV series changing show biz landscape By Dana
Cruz Inquirer.net
By Marinel
JANE de Leon has finally started taping for “Mars Ravelo’s Darna: The TV Series” after numerous delays in the show’s production. Moments from the first taping day for the upcoming series were shown by JRB Creative Production on its Twitter and Instagram pages on Monday, Nov. 15. De Leon can be seen talking to the show’s staff and co-director Avel Sunpongco in what appears to be a sound stage for ABS-CBN. Meanwhile, director Chito Roño was shown looking at previews while filming. De Leon is set to star in the ABS-CBN series adaptation of “Darna” alongside Joshua Garcia, Zaijian Jaranilla and Iza Calzado, among others. Garcia will play the love interest to de Leon’s character Narda while Jaranilla was
Jane De Leon
Photo from Instagram/@imjanedeleon
cast to play her sidekick and younger brother Ding. Calzado will portray Narda’s mother, the “first Darna.” The actress who will play Valentina, Darna’s nemesis in the original comic book series, is yet to be named. De Leon was the third actress tapped to play the Filipino superhero for this version of Darna. Angel Locsin, who played Darna in the GMA series back in 2005, was sup-
posed to reprise the role in 2014 for a film. She exited in 2015 due to health reasons. Locsin was then replaced by Liza Soberano who later backed out due to a finger injury. Erik Matti was also supposed to direct the Darna film, but he exited the project due to “creative differences.” He was replaced by Jerrold Tarog, who later left because of scheduling conflicts. n
Blind items don’t bother Joshua, and here’s why By alex
Brosas
Inquirer.net
BEFORE rumors about celebrities go viral, these start out as blind items. Actor Joshua Garcia knows how to handle such blind items — he says he ignores them. “Kasama iyon sa trabaho namin. Hindi ko masisisi kung bakit ginawan ako ng blind item. Kasi ‘yung reaction ko before noong ginawan ako ng blind item, kasi ikinuwento lang sa akin, sabi ko, ‘Hayaan mo na.’ Parang ganoon lang ang sinabi ko,” Garcia said, recalling how he handled a blind item about him, during the online press conference for “Viral Scandal” last week. (That’s part of our job. I can’t lay blame on why a blind item was made about me. My reaction at that time was just to tell the person who told me about it, “Just let it go.” I
Joshua Garcia
Cruz
Inquirer.net
Photo from Instagram/@garciajoshuae
think that was all I said.) Social media is right at the core of “Viral Scandal” as it tells the story of Rica (Charlie Dizon) who got embroiled in a scandal which went viral. Meanwhile, Garcia believes that dignifying a rumor about him does not improve the situation, so he deems it wise to just ignore rumors. “Kasi the more na mag-focus ka, the more na pagtuunan mo siya ng pansin, the more na mapapansin din siya ng mga tao. Kung nabasa mo ‘yung blind item at hindi ka sang-ayon, ‘di ba, parang ‘wag mo na lang pagtuunan ng pansin. Baka mamaya mali naman ang sinabi nila,” he explained. (The more you focus on it, the more you give it attention, all the more will people notice it. If you read the blind item and you don’t agree, just ignore it. Maybe what it says isn’t even true.) Good thing that Garcia is also not so much into social media, it keeps him protected to a degree. “Hindi ako mahilig mag-social media. Iyon ‘yung maganda rin sa akin. Medyo aware din ako, alam ko na medyo wild ang social media, medyo wild ang mga tao doon,” he said. (I an not into social media. That’s what’s good in my case. I am also sort of aware, I know that social media can be wild, people can be wild there.) Garcia plays architect Kyle Constantino in the series, which started airing on Monday, Nov. 15, on the Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, iWant TFC, and A2Z Channel 11 and TV5. The series also features Maxene Magalona, Jameson Blake, Markus Paterson, Gian Magdangal, Louise Abuel and Dimples Romana, among others. n
“YOUR home is your office now. You really have to adjust,” said ‘90s actor Jao Mapa as he described the currently changing landscape of local show biz. Jao claimed to have embraced change by reinventing himself and accepting that social media has already become the main avenue to reach his audience. “That’s what I’ve observed. Everything is seen in gadgets now. I started getting into the different platforms myself. I recently signed up on TikTok,” said Jao. “Aside from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, there’s also Lyka and Kumu now,” he observed. “You no longer go to the studio anymore to work. You can come up with your own content. You are your own producer, your own boss.” The 45-year-old added: “You present to your audience what you are really like, while at the same time catering to their interest. That’s where everyone is now, online.” Jao quit show biz in the early 2000s to finish college. He
Jao Mapa
Inquirer.net photo
took up fine arts, major in advertising at the University of Santo Tomas and is now also a professional visual artist. “I used to go live on (the streaming service) Yippee. I would prep out canvasses and would paint live for an hour, on the spot. It’s nice because aside from the fact that I get to promote my work there, I would earn from streaming, too. That’s how it goes right now,” he declared. Movies, they’re not on the big screen anymore, Jao observed. Until the cinema houses reopened last Nov. 10, cinephiles have been getting their fix from streaming platforms since the lockdown was imposed in March 2020. “You sign in to the app from your cell phone and you
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can already watch as many films as you want,” said Jao, whose latest project, the Yam Laranas drama “Paraluman,” is currently featured on Vivamax. “While there’s nothing like watching films inside movie houses, the good thing about this is that these apps don’t pull your film out of their list if, for example, it doesn’t do well on the first few days after it’s release.” Watch all you can “You can even watch the film again and again. I felt happy when one person told me she watched ‘Paraluman’ four times. That’s another advantage—you get feedback right away, whether good or bad. You don’t need to wait for critics to come out with their reviews in newspapers and magazines. Just read the comments.” Jao said even how celebrities promote their projects are different now. “You check for write-ups online. In a way, our industry is getting smaller but is able to reach a bigger audience. I consider myself old school but, now I realized ganito na pala ngayon. I guess those who haven’t accepted it yet will have to reevaluate their strategies in order to stay afloat.” n
Tick, Tick... Boom!: Meet your...
PAGE 14 York City diner in 1990 while writing the dystopian ‘Superbia’, which he hopes will be the next great American musical. Days before he’s due to showcase his work in a make-or-break performance, he is feeling the pressure from everywhere: from his girlfriend Susan (Alexandra Shipp), who dreams of an artistic life beyond New York City; from his best friend Michael (Tony Award nominee Robin de Jesús), who has moved on from his dream to a life of financial security; amidst an artistic community being ravaged by the AIDS epidemic. Larson originally performed the show solo in 1990. His career breakthrough happened when he composed ‘Rent’, which opened on Broadway in 1996. Larson died at age 35 on the morning of the first off-Broadway preview for ‘Rent’ after suffering an aortic aneurysm caused by an undiagnosed Marfan condition.
Miranda said that he watched ‘Rent’ on his 17th birthday in 1997 (with last-row tickets at the Nederlander Theater) and it inspired him to write one-act musicals and has often spoken about how much Larson’s early work informed his own. He was once more inspired by Larson as a senior theater major when he watched the initial off-Broadway run of ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ in 2001 a month after the September 2001 attacks. Larson’s legacy continues with this film, 30 years after he pioneered it as a solo work and 25 years after his untimely death. ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ is written by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson, and produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard for Imagine Entertainment, Julie Oh, and LinManuel Miranda. It is showing in theaters and streaming on Netflix beginning Friday, Nov. 19. n
Herbert agrees to opening... PAGE 13 encouraging the people to watch and support movies that will make up this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) line-up. Since the local TV and movie industry is closest to Senatoriable Herbert’s heart, he is planning to file bills that would benefit the industry and its workers will be on top
of his priorities once elected to the Senate in the 2022 polls. In addition to this, Senatoriable Herbert is poised as well to push for bills and programs that would cater to and benefit locally produced products, such as food, fabric, etc., that would boost and strengthen overall national pride. n
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NOVEMBER 19-25, 2021 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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