We’ve got you covered from Hollywood to Broadway...and Online!
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Volume 19 - No. 47 • 14 Pages
T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M M U N I T Y N E WS PA P E R
Volume 18 - No. 17 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
1799 Old Bayshore Hwy, Suite 136, Burlingame, CA 94010 • Tel: (650) 689-5160 • Fax: (650) 239-9253 • www.asianjournal.com
N O V E MBE R 2 7 - DE C E MBE R 3 , 2 0 2 0
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, SAN DIEGO, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
US renews support for PH in maritime row vs China by KLARIZE
MEDENILLA AJPress
THE United States on Monday, November 23, reiterated that it will continue to support the Philippines’ claim on the West Philippine Sea. “Our message is we’re going to be here, we’ve got your back, and we’re not leaving,” U.S. national security adviser Robert O’Brien said. He recently visited the Philippines to lead the ceremonial turnover of $18 million worth of precision guided munitions and other weapons system for use by the military to counter terrorism. He was welcomed by Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Executive Secretary Salvador MeU.S. National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien with Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. DFA photo
DATELINE
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Trump to nominate retired Fil-Am Army major general as US rep to ASEAN PRESIDENT Donald Trump intends to nominate a Filipino American retired Army major general to serve as the United States’ representative to the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the White House announced on Tuesday, November 24. Major General Eldon P. Regua, who is Filipino and Mexican American, will be nominated to represent the country to the ASEAN with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. The U.S. Mission to ASEAN, based in Jakarta, Indonesia, works with ASEAN-member countries like the Philippines to advance “U.S. interests in a peaceful, prosperous, and integrated Southeast Asia that respects the rule of law, upholds the dignity of its people u PAGE A2
u PAGE A2
ECO-FRIENDLY X-MAS LIGHT. Three kids look at battery-powered Christmas light bulbs inside a wine bottle on Tuesday, November 24 at Cogeo, Barangay Bagong Nayon 1 in Antipolo City, Rizal. It is an eco-friendly Christmas decor idea for homes during the holiday season. PNA photo by Rico H. Borja
PH House approves bill against women discrimination by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE Philippines’ House of Representatives on Monday, November 23, approved on its third and final reading a bill that expands the prohibited acts of discrimination against women in the workplace. With a unanimous 226 affirmative votes, the lower chamber passed House Bill 7722, which amends Presidential Decree No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines. HB 7722, authored by Reps. Eric Go-Yap, Rowena Nina Taduran, and Jocelyn Tulfo of ACT CIS Partylist, and Edgar Aglipay of DIWA Partylist, seeks
to strengthen safeguards against discrimination of women in the workplace on account of their sex and characteristics of their sex. The bill classifies as discriminatory the acts of: • Favoring a male employee over a female employee with respect to assignment, promotion, training opportunities, study, and scholarship grants, solely on account of their sex or characteristics, whether actual or presumed; • Favoring a male employee over a female employee with respect to the dismissal of personnel or the application of any retrenchment policy of the employer solely on account of their sex or characteristics, whether actual or presumed; and
A FILIPINA American mother of three young daughters is seeking a bone marrow donor after being recently diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Melissa Futagaki, 37, was diagnosed at the beginning of October after a history of grappling with allergy issues and anemia. After getting lab work done in September, her platelets were out of the normal range, and she began to notice symptoms like her heart racing or a sudden headache when going up the stairs. She was sent to the emergency room to rule out bleeding in the brain, but then the
u PAGE A4
u PAGE A2
California breaks single-day COVID-19 record with over 20,600 new cases by AJPRESS AS most of California went under a limited stay-at-home order over the weekend, the Golden State hit a daily record for new coronavirus cases at the beginning of this week, topping over 20,600 infections. The state recorded 20,654 new positive cases on Monday, November 23, surpassing the previous record of 13,400.
To date, the state has 1,125,699 confirmed cases of COVID-19, resulting in 18,769 deaths. On Saturday night, November 21, 41 of the state’s 58 counties began its limited curfew to curb the spread of the virus. From 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., nonessential activities and gatherings are ordered to stop in counties in the purple tier, the most restrictive level in the state’s reopening plan. These
u PAGE A4
Fil-Am mom of 3 US tops 12 million virus seeks bone marrow cases ahead of holiday donor following leukemia diagnosis
• Denying any woman the benefits of employment or other statutory benefits under our laws by reason of sex It also prohibits the discharge of a woman on account of her pregnancy, or while on leave, or while in confinement due to pregnancy. A fine of not less than P50,000 but not more than P200,000 and/or imprisonment between one to two years will be meted to any employer proven to commit or attempt in any manner to commit the prohibited acts. The measure likewise notes that the conviction or acquittal obtained by the employer shall not pre-
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE United States over the weekend surpassed 12 million cases of COVID-19, as public health experts urged Americans not to travel for Thanksgiving. By Monday, November 23, the country hit 12.5 million infections and 256,830 deaths. This comes after the U.S. logged more than 195,500 new infections on Friday, November 20, bringing the official tally to 12,085,389, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Meanwhile, the death toll has risen to 255,823. The number of hospitalizations saw an increase, as well — on Friday, the U.S. recorded over 82,100 COVID-19 patients under treatment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asked Americans to stay at
home for Thanksgiving on Nov. 26. “This holiday season, consider how your holiday plans can be modified to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to keep your friends, families, and communities healthy and safe,” it said. “Celebrating virtually or with members of your own household (who are consistently taking measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19) poses the lowest risk for spread,” it added. Meanwhile, several U.S. governors wrote an opinion piece for the Washington Post, saying Americans need to work together to fight COVID-19. “Right now, cases and hospitalizations are skyrocketing in the Midwest and across the country. As the weather gets colder and more people head inside, it will get worse,” they
u PAGE A4
The National Kidney and Transplant Institute sets up a tent which was coverted into a receiving area for medical workers to screen possible COVID-19 patients in Quezon City on April 2, 2020. Philstar.com poto by Miguel De Guzman
Palace: Cap on deployment of health workers may be lifted by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
MALACAÑANG on Tuesday, November 24, said that the cap on health care workers allowed to leave the country may be lifted once a vaccine against the novel
coronavirus becomes available. “The 5,000 (cap) is just an initial (figure). If that is completed in the second quarter and if there is a vaccine, it may be scrapped altogether,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said u PAGE A4