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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Volume 19 - No. 50 • 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
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California receives first batch of COVID-19 vaccines by CHRISTINA
M. ORIEL
AJPress
AS California topped 1.6 million coronavirus cases this week, the state began to receive its first round of vaccines against COVID-19. Health care workers across the state were among the first to receive jabs of the PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as they have been fighting the pandemic and pleading with the general public to stay home and follow public health protocols for the past nine months. At Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Los Angeles on
DATELINE
Monday morning, December 14, five health care workers received the vaccine in an event witnessed by Newsom, state Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis. “It is a day where we can lay claim to the fresh air of progress, versus that stale air of normalcy,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a press conference following the vaccinations. “But nonetheless, as stated, we have to be sober and mindful about the moment we are in, which is challenging and trying. Today,
we received as many doses in the entire state of California as there were new cases.” On Tuesday morning, December 15, frontline health workers at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital were inoculated, becoming the first in San Francisco. The hospital received 2,000 doses this week. “This is a historic day for our city and, we hope, the start of a turning point in our response to COVID-19,” Mayor London Breed said in a statement. “This has been a really tough year, and this is good news
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A health care worker receives one of the initial COVID-19 vaccines at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on Tuesday Dec. 15, 2020. Photo courtesy of SFGOV
Locsin: ‘Somebody dropped the ball’on Pfizer vaccine deal
USA
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Todd Gloria sworn in as San Diego’s 37th mayor THIRTY-TWO years ago, a young Todd Gloria was a finalist in the Mayor For A Day essay contest in his hometown of San Diego. On Thursday morning, December 10, the 42-year-old third-generation San Diegan and son of hardworking parents who grew up in the Clairemont area, was officially sworn in Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. as the 37th mayor of the city in an online ceremony. Gloria, who previous to his election as San Diego mayor served in the California State Assembly, received his oath of office from California Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins. He started his address by thanking those u PAGE A3
Philstar.com photo
PHILIPPINE Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Tuesday, December 15, said the country was supposed to receive 10 million doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine as early as January, but a government official bungled the deal. In a series of tweets, Locsin shared that he and Philippine Ambassador to the United State Jose “Babe” Romualdez facilitated a deal with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to secure Pfizer’s vaccine that has a 95%
efficacy rate. The purchase was supposed to be financed by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. “That said my thanks just the same to US Sec of State Mike Pompeo we – Babe Romualdez and I – got 10 million doses of Pfizer financed by World Bank and ADB to be shipped thru FEDEX to Clark in January. But somebody dropped the ball,” Locsin tweeted. The foreign chief also maintained that the Philippines was not slow to act, in response to for-
mer poll commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal’s tweet noting that the country “missed the bus.” “No. We did not miss the bus because we were slow to act. Babe and I were fast. Offers poured in. But there are none so slow as those who never had the intention to catch the bus,” said Locsin. Romualdez, meanwhile, clarified that the vaccine deal was not scrapped, only pushed back. “Only pushed back to later date of delivery possibly June next year because we did (not) act quick
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Bay Area goes under stay-at-home order as ICU capacity falls below 15%
Crisis within a crisis: Survivors, legal experts discuss the dual struggles of surviving domestic violence during a pandemic AMONG Filipinos, there are certain things you don’t talk about that the community has deemed shameful, or nakakahiya. Chief among these topics include mental and emotional health, and even though there have been significant breakthroughs destigmatizing these complex issues, there’s still so much to unpack and specific areas that are still continually swept under the rug. There are a multitude of reasons why people, especially Filipinos, avoid talking about domestic violence: it’s messy, it’s painful, and it doesn’t make sense. But according to what we now know about the twofold complications of domestic abuse during a pandemic, maybe it’s actually the best time to talk about it. In a webinar hosted by the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) and the Philippine Embassy in the United States on Thursday, Dec. 10, experts shared the personal, psychological and legal perspectives of do-
San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Napa and Solano face new restrictions by AJPRESS
A TOTAL of 47 California counties are now under the regional stay-at-home order that limits nonessential businesses and activities after the Bay Area’s intensive care capacity dropped to 12.9%. Under the state’s mandate announced earlier this month, a region will go under a stay-at-home order 24 hours after its ICU
capacity falls below the 15% threshold. It will remain under the lockdown for at least three weeks or until its capacity is equal or above 15%. The Bay Area — consisting of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma — began its order on Thursday, December 17 at 11:59 p.m., a
VICTORY. U.S. President-elect Joseph R. Biden II and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivered victory speeches on Saturday night, November 7 at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware. They were joined by their spouses, Dr. Jill Biden (right) and Douglas Emhoff (far left), who will be the country’s first second gentleman. Photo courtesy of the Biden-Harris campaign
Electoral College makes Joe Palace rejects ICC report on drug war Biden’s presidential win official by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE assessment of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) prosecutor on the Philippines’ war against drugs is “legally erroneous,” Malacañang said on Tuesday, December 15. “Obviously, we do not agree with her. It’s legally erroneous dahil mayroon po tayong minimum gravity na required. Hindi po lahat ng krimen ay nililitis sa ICC (because we have the minimum gravity required. Not all crimes are tried at the ICC),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing. In her latest report, ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said: “The office is satisfied that information available provides a reasonable basis to believe that the crimes against humanity of murder, torture, and the infliction of serious physical injury and mental harm as other inhumane acts were committed on the territory of the Philippines between at least July u PAGE A3 1, 2016 and March 16, 2019 in connection to
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the WoD (war on drugs) campaign launched throughout the country.” She also noted how President Rodrigo Duterte and law enforcement officials “actively promoted and encouraged the killing of suspected or purported drug users or dealers.” According to Bensouda, her office will decide on whether to seek authorization to open a probe into the country’s situation in the first half of 2021. The Palace, in response, expressed confidence that the ICC will apply the April 2019 decision of its pre-trial chamber that prevented the prosecutor from investigating allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan due to the parties’ refusal to cooperate. “Kampante po kami na dahil sinabi na natin iyan ay ia-apply ng ICC iyong naging ruling na nila sa isang kaso. Na bakit ka pa magsisimula ng kaso, kung hindi ka naman makipagtulungan, iyong bansa na naging miyembro ng ICC u PAGE A4
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
DEMOCRAT Joe Biden is the next president of the United States after the Electoral College formalized his victory over
President Donald Trump this week. Voting 306 to 232, the members of the Electoral College met on Monday, December 14, to cast their ballots. The votes u PAGE A2
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december 18-24, 2020 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL
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From the Front Page
California receives first batch...
PAGE A1 for our city and for the fight against COVID.” The vaccination campaign comes as California reported 33,278 new cases and 77 additional deaths on Monday. The day after, another 32,326 cases and 142 deaths were reported, bringing the state’s totals to 1,617,370 infections and 21,188 deaths. The Golden State is slated to receive 327,000 doses of the vaccine in the first batch, with 33,150 that arrived at four sites across the state on Monday. The governor added that Pfizer plans to send an additional 393,900 vaccines to the state by next week. Pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration, the state could receive 672,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine by the end of December. “We won’t be able to fully get the amount of doses to cover everyone until anywhere between next year in the spring even. We still have some time where we have to go through
this process and ask people to be patient and wear their mask,” Breed said in a statement. Vaccinate All 58 On Monday, Newsom also launched “Vaccinate All 58,” a campaign for safe, fair and equitable vaccine rollout in the state’s 58 counties. The vaccines will be administered in phases by prioritizing groups according to risk and level of exposure, with the initial doses going to essential health care workers and those vulnerable in long-term care settings. With the shots as a remedy to slow the spread of the pandemic that persists across the state, Newsom conveyed that Californians must remain cautious and continue to comply with public health guidelines. “There’s light at the end of the tunnel and I am calling on all Californians to do our part to get us through this – wear a mask, reduce mixing, stay home, stop the spread and save lives. Together we will get
through this,” he said. Southern California, San Joaquin Valley and Greater Sacramento remain under the state’s regional stay-at-home order as their ICU levels dropped below the 15% threshold. The order also has shut down many nonessential businesses, such as bars, hair salons, personal care services and movie theaters. Regions must remain under the order for at least three weeks and will be eligible to exit the order and return to the Blueprint for a Safer Economy only if ICU capacity projections for the following month are above or equal to 15%. As of this writing, Southern California’s ICU capacity dropped to 1.7%, San Joaquin Valley climbed to 1.6% (after falling to 0% over the weekend), and Greater Sacramento at 14.9%. Meanwhile, the Bay Area is at 15.8% and Northern California at 29.8%. National rollout As the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine — which was approved PAGE A4
Electoral College makes Joe Biden’s presidential... PAGE A1
will be sent to Congress to be counted formally during a joint session on January 6. Biden and his running mate, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, will be inaugurated at noon on January 20, 2021. “Our democracy — pushed, tested and threatened — proved to be resilient, true, and strong,” Biden declared in a speech after the Electoral College formally confirmed his victory. He also condemned Trump’s accusations of a widespread voter fraud in the election, as well as his attempts to overturn the results. Trump, despite his clear loss during the November 3 election, continued to claim he was the real winner. His allies and supporters, meanwhile, filed lawsuits in several key states. “This legal maneuver was an effort by elected officials and one group of states to try to get the Supreme Court to wipe out the votes of more than 20 mil-
lion Americans in other states and to hand the presidency to a candidate who lost the Electoral College, lost the popular vote and lost each and every one of the states whose votes they were trying to reverse,” Biden pointed out. “It’s a position so extreme we’ve never seen it before. A position that refused to respect the will of the people, refused to respect the rule of law, and refused to honor our constitution,” he added. The U.S. Supreme Court, for its part, rejected the Republican appeal on Friday. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell congratulated Biden for the first time after the Electoral College “has spoken.” “Many of us had hoped the presidential election would yield a different result,” McConnell said in a statement. “But our system of government has the processes to determine who will be sworn in on Jan. 20. The Electoral College has spoken.”
He also congratulated Harris, saying “all Americans can take pride that our nation has a female vice president-elect for the very first time.” Biden further declared that “it’s time to turn the page.” “In this battle for the soul of America, democracy prevailed,” he said. He added, “We the people voted. Faith in our institutions held. The integrity of our elections remains intact. And so, now it is time to turn the page. To unite. To heal.” Biden also brought focus to the country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizing there is “urgent work” ahead. “Getting the pandemic under control to getting the nation vaccinated against this virus. Delivering immediate economic help so badly needed by so many Americans who are hurting today — and then building our economy back better than it ever was,” the President-elect added. n
ANTI-TERROR DRILL. Personnel from the various government agencies and the private sector line up to participate in the simulation exercise on anti-terrorism bombing scenario at the Food Park, Time Square Avenue corner General Roxas Avenue in Cubao, Quezon City on Tuesday, December 15. Participants included members of the Quezon City Police District anti-riot group, SWAT, K-9, forensic experts, as well as some first aiders team, ambulance team, Red Cross, firefighters, barangay personnel, and security guards. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
Locsin: ‘Somebody dropped the ball’ on Pfizer...
PAGE A1 enough on the CDA (Confidential Disclosure Agreement). Other countries got ahead of us like Singapore,” he told CNN Philippines in a text message. “We are ‘work in progress’ with Pfizer & Moderna for supply of vaccines. If we commit soon, we can possibly get delivery by mid next year,” he added. Neither officials disclosed the name of the person responsible for the missed Pfizer vaccine purchase. Malacañang was also left in the dark on who Locsin’s referring to in his controversial tweets. “No. I have no idea who dropped the ball,” admitted presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in a press briefing. However, he insisted that the government did its part in attempting to secure the vaccines for the country. “Malinaw na malinaw po na no less than our Secretary of Foreign Affairs negotiated with his counterpart in the U.S., Secretary Pompeo, para tayo po ay magkaroon ng supply ng Pfizer. So, hindi naman po tayo nagkulang diyan at mayroon talaga pong kasunduan na bibigyan tayo ng Pfizer (It’s very clear that no less than our Secretary of Foreign Affairs negotiated with his counterpart in the US, Secretary Pompeo, so we could have Pfizer’s supply. So, we
weren’t lacking and there was an agreement that Pfizer would supply us),” Roque said. Lacson: It’s a Cabinet member Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday, December 16 gave hints on who wasted Locsin and Romualdez’s efforts. “Cabinet syempre (of course). Captain ball at that,” he told INQUIRER.net. “You can figure that out. He’s the captain ball. He keeps dropping the ball but he stays in the game. The coach refuses to replace him,” he added. Lacson shared that he had an SMS exchange with Romualdez and the envoy told him who the individual in question was. The senator also urged Locsin not to pass the ball to the Cabinet member when he arranges a deal again. “I wish you and Babes good luck in your next effort to intercept the ball,” Locsin said in a tweet. “Next time, don’t pass it to that doggone...teammate of yours. He keeps dropping the ball. Our people need those vaccines,” he added. Ongoing negotiations Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, for his part, denied that someone mishandled the deal with Pfizer. “First of all, there is no such
thing as dropping the ball. The negotiations are ongoing,” he insisted. Duque also said that he signed a CDA with the American vaccine developer in October. “Tuloy-tuloy lang kami sa mga reviews nung mga conditionalities/provisions and I just wanted to make sure na hindi onerous or disadvantageous to government yung mga provisions (We are just continuously going through the reviews of conditionalities/provisions and I just wanted to make sure that the provisions aren’t onerous or disadvantageous to government),” he said. “Our vaccine czar also signed a CDA with Pfizer last November. So, he would be in the best position to tell you or us at what stage that the negotiations we are in,” he added. Earlier this year, Duque received flak for failing to immediately issue a directive stopping Chinese travelers from entering the Philippines after COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan in December last year. He also received criticisms for failing to solve the corruption issue in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth). Several senators signed a resolution urging Duque to resign as Health, but President Rodrigo Duterte said Duque continues to enjoy his trust and confidence. n
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Crisis within a crisis: Survivors, legal experts...
Todd Gloria makes history as San Diego’s top leader.
PAGE A1 t mestic violence as part of the Philippines’ 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women. Earlier this year, the United Nations released a report that found that cases of physical, psychological and emotional domestic abuse spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the demographic makeup of victims and survivors is diverse, domestic violence continues to disproportionately target women and girls. About 243 million women and girls (aged 15-49) were subject to sexual or physical violence by an intimate partner from April 2019 to April 2020, according to Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, executive director of UN Women. Photo courtesy of Todd Gloria/Instagram As families and couples continue to be quarantined due to the pandemic, domestic violence, or intimate partner violence (IPV), taking, Mayor Gloria had an- continues to be an increasingly nounced appointments to his worrying threat. Domestic violence is usually administration. Among the Filipino-Americans joining the staff of characterized as abuse of a spouse Mayor Gloria are Michaela Valk, or partner in a home setting, and director of community engage- in the United States, it affects ment; Matt Yagyagan, deputy more than 10 million people of director of policy; Jen Lebron, all genders every year, according communications director; and to Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel del Gallego RoMichelle Porras, scheduler. In announcing the appoint- mualdez, who delivered remarks ments, then Mayor-elect Gloria during Thursday’s webinar. “Let us be resolved in our comsaid, “At a time when people are especially looking to government mitment to stopping domestic for leadership, this group of tal- violence and ending violence of ented, hard-working and dedi- the rights and dignities of anyone cated professionals will help me who is forced to endure such exmove our city forward #ForAllo- periences,” he said. Domestic violence can manifest fUs. Join me in thanking them for stepping up to serve the people in many ways, and one person’s of San Diego.” (Joseph Peralta/ experience can look completely different from someone else’s. AJPress) For journalist Christine Lee,
Todd Gloria sworn in as San Diego’s... PAGE A1 t
closest to him, including his family, his partner, his mentors and his staff. “I’d like to start this morning by thanking my parents, Linda and Phil, my brother Tye and his beautiful family, my incredible partner Adam, my staff both past and present, all City of San Diego employees, and all the people who mentored me and supported me over the years, most especially Congresswoman Susan Davis, my friend Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins and of course our trailblazer who broke San Diego’s rainbow ceiling, State Senator Christine Kehoe. Thank you all so very much,” Mayor Gloria stated. He then addressed city residents and described his excitement at assuming the mantle of leading the city while acknowledging his beginnings. “My fellow San Diegans, it is with pride that I stand before you today as the 37th mayor of our city. I’m humbled by our support, I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve, and I am hopeful about the future of our city. Today is more than an inauguration day for me, our city attorney and our new councilmembers. Today is the day that marks a new chapter in San Diego’s history. Today is the day that we start building a San Diego that truly is for all of us,” the University of San Diego alum said. “As a kid growing up in Clairemont, I didn’t see people who looked like me leading practically anything, let alone the eighth largest city in the United States. But today I stand in front of you as the first person of color and LGBTQ person to ascend to our city’s highest office,” he continued. “This is a testament to what we all know: San Diego is a unique place, with incredible people where anything is possible. It is the birthplace of California and a bridge between two nations. It’s the home of artistic creativity, ground-breaking innovation and research that changes the world. It’s the place where the son of a hotel maid and a gardener, a Native American/Filipino/Puerto Rican/Dutch gay guy has just become your mayor,” Mayor Gloria further said. The newly-installed mayor also laid out his plan for his administration’s first 100 days where they will tackle major issues faced by San Diego. “Over the next 100 days we will dispense with the small issues that past leaders have struggled to resolve so that we can focus on the biggest problems facing our city. We will be rolling out an aggressive strategy to address the worsening public health crisis in COVID-19, the economic crisis that is impacting San Diego’s families, small businesses and our city budget, the housing and homelessness crisis that has become even more dire. “My team and I are moving swiftly and decisively to protect our most vulnerable. And we’ll do it with the long-term goal of building a more resilient city in the process. Not enough to get things back to normal – normal wasn’t and won’t be good enough. “If we dream big, work togeth-
er and believe in San Diego we can accomplish anything. We will change the narrative, not just for the privileged few but for everyone, especially those who have traditionally felt unheard. “We will recover and build back, better and stronger from COVID-19. We will stand up for workers and create good-paying local jobs and bring neighborhood improvement to all corners of our city. We will center racial justice and equity not just in public safety, but in everything we do, recognizing that Black Lives Matter. And we will fully and faithfully implement our crime and action plan to ensure that the city that we love is here for generations to come,” Mayor Gloria elaborated. A former San Diego city councilmember, Mayor Gloria said this is the dawn of a new era where San Diego can reach new heights. “It’s time for us to dare to be a truly great city. A city where your zip code doesn’t determine your destiny. A city that embraces what makes us unique and celebrates who we are. A city that tackles major challenges headon and doesn’t let distractions get in the way. No more San Diego specials. San Diego is a big city. It’s time that we acted like it,” he said. To end his address, Mayor Gloria reiterated his pride to be Mayor of San Diego and what he hopes can be achieved during his tenure. “I believe in us, San Diego. I know who we are and who we can be. I’m so proud to be the mayor of this great city, but I’m even more excited about what we can accomplish together. Because together, I know, we will build a San Diego for all of us. Thank you,” he said. Outgoing Mayor Kevin Faulconer, in his farewell speech, asked San Diegans to support the newly-elected Mayor and other elected officials while expressing confidence in Gloria’s abilities. “To my fellow San Diegans, please join me in lending our public employees and our Mayor, our city attorney and our city council our support, our prayers and our trust,” he said. “Our new mayor, Todd Gloria, is a colleague and a friend. And he knows, like I do, that the work of our city is never done. And I know that he has what it takes to overcome today’s challenges and keep San Diego leading well into the future.” Among the things Faulconer cited as his accomplishments include keeping the city’s financing strong (healthy reserves, balanced budgets) and leading the fight for LGBTQ equality. He also cited a few firsts for San Diego during his time, including San Diego as the first big city in the U.S. to move to 100% renewable energy, the largest city in America to switch to community choice energy and the only big city in America to repair over half of its streets in record time. Faulconer said that he will “remain passionate with our relationship with Mexico, about sharing our story of bi-national success with the world” and that he will continue to work with the San Diegans to improve the city and the community. In the week prior to the oath-
Bay Area goes under stay...
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day after the ICU capacity fell. The stricter measures apply to San Mateo, Sonoma, Solano and Napa counties, as the other counties had preemptively gone under lockdown on December 7. Under the order, sectors that must close include: hair salons, barbershops, personal care services, museums, movie theaters, wineries, bars, family entertainment centers, cardrooms, live audience sports and amusement parks. Meanwhile, retail stores and shopping centers can operate indoors at 20% capacity and 35% for standalone grocery stores, with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Non-essential travel is prohibited. Hotels and lodging can be
used for essential workers, COVID-19 mitigation and containment measures or for providing housing solutions. Restaurants must close indoor and outdoor dining and only allow for takeout or delivery. Further, offices are encouraged to allow for a remote option if possible, and places of worship can allow outdoor activities. Industries, studios, and other related establishments such as establishments that provide content for professional broadcast can operate without live audiences. In addition to the Bay Area, Greater Sacramento, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California are under regional orders. As of this writing, the Northern California region is the only one in the state not under the order. n
a victim and survivor who has dedicated her life to shedding the stigmas of domestic abuse among the wider Asian American community, it began innocently in a relationship with a man who would become her abuser. “First he was so charismatic and that’s what drew me in. We just had this instant connection. I felt like someone finally understood me,” Lee says in a video, describing the “honeymoon phase” of what would become an abusive relationship. Her partner then began calling her unsavory names when he was upset and became verbally and emotionally abusive, but she said she “kept letting that go because I did want to believe that it was me, that if I fixed this aspect about myself, he would be the prince charming that I originally met.” But one night after a date, an argument devolved into her partner striking and choking her to the point where she didn’t think she would live. She got the courage to leave the relationship, but she still found herself in a quandary when it came to talking about the topic with her family. “This is still very much a hushhush topic in our family. They don’t understand why I’m still talking about this,” Lee explains. “The thing is, I don’t enjoy talking about this because every time I talk about it I’m re-traumatizing myself, but then I think, ‘Is there anyone else out there that’s going to talk about this?’” Lee’s experience happened years ago, but she knows that the more she destigmatized these conversations in the Asian American community, the closer it gets
to providing more resources to victims and survivors within that community. For Filipinos, the thick barrier between wanting to openly rectify the plight of IPV survivors and community support continues to stifle progress, a longstanding struggle for Filipino American victim advocates for years. In 1981, a Filipina American domestic violence survivor named Nilda Rimonte opened the first women’s shelter in the U.S. that specifically catered to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women who were experiencing domestic abuse and sexual violence. Rimonte knew personally the complicated dynamics and emotional complexities of AAPI domestic abuse, especially among immigrants, who at that time didn’t have many mental health support options. Rimonte knew that the concept of acceptable behavior within AAPI marriages and couples was blurry, that many Asian cultures did little to curb what she called “wife beating.” “[Husbands] go home and feel safe, so they feel they are able to hit their wives. They have been told it is OK to hit them…(that) it might be good for her,” Rimonte told the Los Angeles Times in 1986. The Every Women’s Shelter in LA became a safe haven for AAPI women, most of whom were immigrants, and it offered counseling and legal support as well as a place for AAPI women to support each other. The programs Rimonte created evolved into the Center for
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for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration on Friday, December 11 — arrived in the United States, the country surpassed 16 million COVID-19 cases and 300,000 deaths this week. The number of dead, according to Associated Press, rivals the population of St. Louis or Pittsburgh. It is also more than five times the number of Americans killed in the Vietnam War, and is equal to a 9/11 attack every day for more than 100 days. “The numbers are staggering — the most impactful respiratory pandemic that we have experienced in over 102 years, since the iconic 1918 Spanish flu,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert. Sandra Lindsay, a critical care nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York, was the first person to receive the shot outside of a vaccine trial in the country on Monday morning.
“I’m hopeful. I’m excited. I feel relieved,” Lindsay told the AP after the injection. In a separate interview with CNN, Lindsay, a Black woman, wants to inspire other people to get vaccinated, especially those in minority communities. “I understand the mistrust among the minority community. I don’t ask people to do anything that I would not do myself and so I was happy to volunteer to be among the first,” said Lindsay. “I did not know that I would make history and that’s not why I did it. I wanted to do it to inspire people who may be skeptical about taking the vaccine and trust in the science,” she added. Fauci, for his part, stressed that the impacts of the vaccine won’t happen overnight. “It’s not going to be like turning a light switch on and off,” he said. “I don’t believe we’re going to be able to throw the masks away and forget about physical separation in congregate
settings for a while, probably likely until we get into the late fall or early next winter,” he added. He also said that he may be vaccinated in the next week or so. “As soon as my turn comes up, which likely will be very soon, I’m going to be available to get vaccinated publicly so that people can see that I feel strongly that this is something we should do, and hopefully that will encourage many more people to get vaccinated,” Fauci told MSNBC. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the general public could start receiving the vaccine by late February and March. “It really, again, is going to be up to our nation’s governors, but with the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine, we’ll have, as I said, as many as 100 (million) shots in arms by the end of February,” he said. (With reports by Ritchel Mendiola/ AJPress)
Multi-year program opens eligibility to small businesses owned by black, indigenous and people of color
NEW YORK – Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) recently announced the first round of Comcast RISE award recipients — over 700 b usinesses will receive consulting, media and creative production services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, or technology upgrades from Comcast Business, based on the specific needs. Recipients in 285 cities in 29 states include a diverse roster of small business from restaurants and salons, to professional services and retail shops. In addition, 3,300 small businesses have already signed up to receive the Comcast RISE monthly newsletter, which will offer free marketing insights and resources. On November 25, the next phase of Comcast RISE, the multi-year, multi-faceted initiative launched in October to help strengthen small businesses hard hit by COVID-19, opened up eligibility to include Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)owned, small businesses. They can apply at www.ComcastRISE. com. “2020 has been a challenge. We literally could not create anything new, because we couldn’t get our suppliers to make it. This has drastically slowed down the opening of our store, COOL Creative, which was slated to open in the spring,” said Johanne Pradel Wilson of Hollywood, Florida. “We’re thankful that we now have the opportunity to promote the store through TV advertising from Effectv, so we can let people know that COOL Creative is here and open for business.” “I decided to open my ice cream shop, MyKings Ice Cream, on March 1, which was about 15 days before the world pandemic hit. It has been hard to staff, and I just want the shop to fully function. In order to do that, we need help with our website, payroll system and other tools to help make the business succeed. I know ice cream, not technology,” said Le’Day Grant of Denver, Colorado. “I am looking forward to partnering with Comcast Business and to receiving our technology makeover, as it will set MyKings Ice Cream up to succeed and grow.” The first phase of Comcast RISE, which stands for “Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment,” focused on U.S. Blackowned, small businesses, those hit hardest by the pandemic according to a recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research. Comcast RISE brings together two of the company’s brands — Comcast Business and Effectv, both with expertise in the small business space — to empower business owners with the expertise and resources needed to navigate the economic effects of the pandemic. “We created Comcast RISE to partner with small businesses and give them access to tools to help them survive the pandemic and thrive. As we’ve gone through the
selection process, it’s been so powerful to hear these business owners’ stories and see the tangible ways that we can help grow their businesses and impact their communities,” said Teresa Ward-Maupin, SVP for Digital and Customer Experience at Comcast Business. “I could not be more pleased to open this program to the entire BIPOC community and continue this positive momentum.” “Fueling the success of small businesses is what our business is all about. We partner with them to better understand their needs and what we can do to help them grow. Our success is their success,” said James Lavallee, Vice President, Sales Marketing, Effectv. “That’s why, at a time when so many in our small business communities are struggling, it’s incredibly humbling to be able to give back and share our knowledge and resources with those hardest by the pandemic. We want to help our partners and communities rise.” Comcast RISE consists of the following main components: • A media and technology resources program: This pillar combines Effectv’s renowned media platform and marketing expertise, its award-winning creative agency, Mnemonic, and state-of-the-art technical support from Comcast Business to help small businesses foster and elevate growth. Recipients will receive help with their marketing, media campaigns and creation of 30-second commercials, as well as equipment and technology upgrades, including: • Consulting: Advertising and marketing consultations with local Effectv marketing, research and creative teams to gain insights on how to grow your business. • Media: A linear TV media campaign to run over a 90-day period. • Creative Production: Turnkey :30 TV commercial production for their businesses. •Technology Makeovers: Computer equipment and Internet, Voice and Cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period. (Taxes and other fees may still apply for tech makeover services.) • Business resources to help with curated content: Comcast has launched the Comcast RISE destination complete with aggregated small business news, tips, insights and more on the X1 platform. The destination is designed to help businesses grow by empowering them through education, inspiration and entertainment. Just say “Comcast RISE” into the X1 voice remote. • Grants: In early 2021, Comcast will be awarding grants of up to $10,000 each for U.S.-based small and diverse businesses that have been in operations for three to five years. Comcast RISE is part of a larger $100 million Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative that Comcast launched this summer. In June, Comcast NBCUniversal announced the development of a
comprehensive, multiyear plan to allocate $75 million in cash and $25 million in media over the next three years to fight injustice and inequality against any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or ability. Visit www.ComcastRISE.com to apply, for more information and the latest updates. Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is one of the United States’ largest high-speed internet, video, and phone providers to residential customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the Xfinity brand. NBCUniversal is global and operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks and Resorts. Sky is one of Europe’s leading media and entertainment companies, connecting customers to a broad range of video content through its pay television services. It also provides communications services, including residential high-speed internet, phone, and wireless services. Sky operates the Sky News broadcast network and sports and entertainment networks, produces original content, and has exclusive content rights. Visit www.comcastcorporation. com for more information. About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and Managed Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes transform their business. Powered by an advanced network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is one of the largest contributors to the growth of Comcast Cable. Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and has emerged as a force in the Enterprise market; recognized over the last two years by leading industry associations as one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866- 429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/ social. Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps local, regional and national advertisers use the best of digital with the power of TV to grow their business. It provides multi-screen marketing solutions to make advertising campaigns more effective and easier to execute. Headquartered in New York with offices throughout the country, Effectv has a presence in 66 markets with nearly 35 million owned and represented subscribers. For more information, visit www.effectv.com.
Palace rejects ICC report on... PAGE A1 t
(So, we are confident that because we said that, the ICC will apply their ruling in a case. That is why you will start a case, if you do not cooperate, your country that has become a member of the ICC),” said Roque. “Desisyon po iyan ng ICC mismo, pre-trial chamber doon po sa kaso na nais nilang mag-imbestiga laban sa mga Amerikano. I am confident po na ia-apply din iyong prinsipyo pagdating kay Presidente (That is the decision of the ICC itself, the pre-trial chamber in the case where they want to investigate against the Americans. I am confident that the same principle will also apply when it comes to the President),” he added. Roque stressed that the ICC will not waste its time and resources on an investigation that won’t move forward. “Mayroon na pong desisyon ang ICC, na hindi sasayangin ng ICC ang panahon ng kanyang mga opisyales sa mga kaso na hindi naman po uusad dahil walang kooperasyon (The ICC has already made a decision, that the ICC will not waste the time of its officers in cases that will not progress because there is no cooperation),” he said. The spokesman also maintained that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the country. “The ICC does not have jurisdiction over the Philippines after the country withdrew from the treaty that established ICC,” Roque said. He added, “The Philippines has quit the ICC and does not recognize its jurisdiction.” The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in February 2018 after Bensouda started a preliminary examination of the communica-
tion filed by lawyer Jude Sabio regarding the country’s drug war. Political agenda Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo accused Bensouda of politicking in her ICC report. “With no authority to proceed, it becomes clearly evident that what Ms. Bensouda and her office are doing is playing politics in an attempt to besmirch the reputation and popularity of President Duterte – akin to the practices of other lowly vulnerable and biased international rights groups which accept unthinkingly and without basis the lies peddled by the dyed-in-the-wool opposition detractors,” he said on Wednesday, December 16. He also dismissed the report as “irrelevant” to the Philippines. “The report, or more appropriately, a political propaganda against (President Rodrigo Duterte), is not only irrelevant to the Philippines but immaterial as well to the affairs of the country’s government,” said Panelo. “This is so, since the ICC, as we have repeatedly expounded, does not have jurisdiction over the Philippines, nor any of its state officials, given that the Rome Statute failed to comply with the publication requirement demanded by the fundamental principle of due process under our Constitution, more so because the Rome Statute is penal in nature,” he added. Panelo maintained that the country’s judicial system is “robust enough” to conduct criminal proceedings brought before the courts of justice. “The Republic of the Philippines shall continue to claim its independence and call out all persons or entities that seek to destroy its exclusive supremacy over its affairs
to refrain from doing so for they shall be repelled at every stage pursuant to – and in accordance with – our Constitution,” he said. Impunity is not forever Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares, on the other hand, welcomed Bensouda’s findings. “We are glad that the ICC Prosecutor found credence to these complaints and the pieces of evidence that we have presented,” he said. “The Duterte administration may deny to high heavens that they are blatantly violating human rights but the international community is also closely watching and we hope that justice will be served soon,” he added. Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate likewise welcomed the report. “With the recent intensified red tagging, arrests and extrajudicial killings of critics of the administration and the political opposition, we are relieved that the ICC has voiced its concern on the issue. To the violators of human rights, you have been forewarned. Nothing is forever; not even impunity,” he said. “We hope that the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC will seek authorization to open an investigation in the Philippines in the first half of 2021 or earlier if they can, so as to focus the international limelight in the horrid human rights situation in the country and help to put a stop to it,” he added. Meanwhile, Senator Francis Pangilinan said the ICC finding wasn’t surprising, but “troubling” that it took the international tribunal over four years to find “reasonable basis.” “Perhaps if they acted sooner, thousands of lives could have been saved,” he noted. n
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A
PH 2021 budget to prioritize COVID-19 vaccines by ritChel
MenDiola AJPress
NECESSARY adjustments in the proposed 2021 national budget have been made to prioritize the country’s procurement of vaccines against COVID-19, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said on Wednesday, December 16. “We have made all the requisite adjustments, congressmen have made all the sacrifices to prioritize the vital needs of the nation, in terms of medical concerns like vaccines and social amelioration program,” he said in a news forum. “We are one with the President (Rodrigo Duterte) and one with you and the nation to defeat this COVID pandemic and help us recover economically,” he added.
Romualdez also assured that House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco is focused on passing vital legislations that will help the Philippines recover from the damages inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Speaker is very focused on this and he is providing the efficiencies and better performance of this Congress,” he said. “We are very confident that with the able and steady hands of the Speaker and the unified leadership, we shall achieve these goals and reach our destination to full recovery and back to prosperity in 2021,” he added. Among Velasco’s top priorities is procuring a COVID-19 vaccine for House members and employees. Velasco on Wednesday said that the House of Representatives
will be setting aside P50 million of its internal funds to purchase vaccines for their House employees. “Five of their immediate family members will be included mainly because we just want the legislative mill to be grinding,” Velasco said. He added that the House media will be included as well. “Naisip ko rin po na ang ating (I also include our) media friends, we consider you as our family, we will include our media friends to be part of the vaccines,” Velasco explained. House lawmakers, on the other hand, will not be prioritized. “Kapag may natira (if there are more vaccines), that’s the time we will use them for the House members and their families,” Velasco said. n
Duterte OKs January dry run of face-to-face classes in low COVID-risk areas by Darryl John
esguerra
Inquirer.net
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte approved the conduct of a dry run of face-to-face classes in select schools in areas deemed low-risk to SARS-CoV2 transmission for the whole month of January 2021. According to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Duterte approved the proposal of the Department of Education (DepEd) during Monday’s Cabinet meeting. It’s not yet clear, however,
exactly when in January the dry run will start. The DepEd will be tasked to coordinate with the National Task Force against COVID-19 for the monitoring of the conduct of the face-to-face classes dry run. “The pilot shall be done under strict health and safety measures, and where there is a commitment for shared responsibility among DepEd, local government units, and parents,” Roque said. Roque noted that the face-toface classes dry run will not be
compulsory on the part of the learner/parents. A parent’s permit will be needed for a student to participate in the pilot implementation, the Palace official said. Classes resumed nationwide on Oct. 5 with schools utilizing distance learning modality— a combination of online and modular learning—as campuses stay closed and physical classes remain suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 is a respiratory ailment caused by the new strain of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. n
Duterte signs EO strengthening border control by Keith
Calayag ManilaTimes.net
AIRLINES are now required to provide the Bureau of Immigration (BI) with passenger information ahead of flight arrivals in the country. This after President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order 122 which mandates the adoption and implementation of an Advance Passenger Information or API system to strengthen border control.
According to the order, the data that should be transmitted to the BI include flight details such as flight number and time of arrival and departure; and passenger and crew information including name, birth date, gender, citizenship, and travel documents. “The captain, master or agent, or owner of a commercial carrier whose vessel or aircraft is arriving in or departing from any port within the Philippine territory, shall provide the BI the API of
its passengers, and those of the crew and non-crew members.” According to the order, the API shall serve as initial security vetting of passengers, crew and non-crew members to facilitate and expedite the arrival and departure process of legitimate travelers during primary inspection. The order mandates the BI to perform security vetting or information verification of the passengers after receipt of the API. n
SWAB TEST. A tricycle driver undergoes swab testing at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City on Monday, December 14. The city government of Pasay has implemented free swab testing for tricycle drivers and other informal sector workers as part of efforts to ramp up its testing capacity for COVID-19. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
Lawmaker pushes Chacha talks for ‘better normal’ by Divina
nova Joy Dela ManilaTimes.net
Cruz
REPRESENTATIVE David Suarez urged his colleagues at the House of Representatives to reopen discussions on Charter change (Chacha) that he believes would facilitate economic recovery and help build a “better normal” after the COVID-19 pandemic. “It is an issue that we need to tackle in order to help our country build back better. It is even more critical to talk about it now that we are facing the devastating effects of multiple calamities and disasters, on top of a global pandemic,” Suarez said. The lawmaker from Quezon pointed out that “building a better normal requires a better constitution.” Former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano shelved discussions on Chacha last August, saying that the House needs to focus on pandemic response. Constitutional Amendments Committee Chairman Rufus Rodriguez had announced that the panel would
defer meetings until January or February next year. Suarez however said that constitutional reforms should be discussed, particularly changes that will help the country recover from the impact of the pandemic. “If this is an extraordinarily difficult time, then it is also the high time to explore and pursue extraordinary solutions,” he said. The lawmaker acknowledged the “legitimacy” of the fear of some sectors on Chacha, but he said this was “partially due to propaganda and the lack of understanding.” “Our responsibility as lawmakers and representatives of the Filipino people is to build trust, initiate a sober and people-inclusive discussion, and exhaust all means to enlighten our people about the issue,” he said. “The Covid-19 pandemic is unprecedented, and it has drastically changed our lives. Our Constitutional framework must be responsive to the challenges of the current times. Building the new normal – the better normal
– for all of our people cannot be hinged on hoping that the old system will work perfectly, given the numerous flaws that have worked to our disadvantage. We cannot ignore this anymore,” he added. Suarez said the country’s declining Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) shows the need to institute reforms. He said that attracting FDIs would help address unemployment in the country. He cited data from the World Investment Report 2020 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development that the country’s net FDI declined to $5 billion in 2019 from $6.6 billion in 2018. “That’s a 24% decline in investments, Mr. Speaker. That’s $1.6 billion lost, or P77 billion,” he said. “Opening our economy guarantees not only more funds to be used for people’s agenda, it also ensures that foreign partners have a direct and strong stake in our fast recovery and economic stability,” the lawmaker added. n
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FeatURes
OPiniOn
The gift of health
AS people plan holiday celebrations in the time of COVID, the World Health Organization is urging everyone to consider giving the most precious Christmas present in this pandemic: the gift of health. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued the reminder as people prepare to celebrate the most joyous event in Christendom, shopping for gifts and readying special meals for holiday get-togethers. Over the past weeks, Tedros reminded everyone, there has been a 60 percent increase in COVID cases worldwide. Even as countries begin rolling out the first vaccine against COVID, the pathogen continues its rampage across the globe, as virulent and deadly as ever. As COVID vaccination with the Pfizer shots got underway in the United Kingdom last week, the United States registered a record high number of deaths in a single day, with 3,124 Americans succumbing to COVID on Dec. 9. In the Philippines, experts are worried that the slowdown in COVID transmission in recent weeks could be reversed during the holidays, with cases already beginning to rise in the past days. Officials have urged people to temper Christmas and New
Editorial
Year’s Eve celebrations, limiting family gatherings and observing health safety protocols while shopping for the holidays. Even the use of torotot or horn noisemakers is being discouraged during the New
Year’s revelry. In recent days, shopping has been particularly problematic for enforcers of health protocols, as consumers crowd outdoor public markets. As people prepare to celebrate Christmas in this year of tragedy, it would be useful to heed the reminder from the WHO director general: “The festive season is a time to relax and celebrate but... celebration can very quickly turn to sadness if we fail to take the right precautions. As you prepare to celebrate over the coming weeks, please, please consider your plans carefully. If you live in an area with high transmission, please take every precaution to keep yourselves and others safe. That could be the best gift you could give – the gift of health.” (Philstar.com)
Philstar.com photo
Change is coming: Joe Biden is officially elected 46th US president with VP Kamala Harris
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS FOLLOWING the rule of law as set forth by the Constitution, January 20, 2021 marks a new chapter in the history of the United States when Presidentelect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be sworn in to lead the nation in building back better from the rubbles and ashes of the Trump presidency. The American people have spoken. Joe Biden won during the November 3 presidential elections, garnering the greatest number of popular votes in the history with 81,283,495 votes compared to outgoing President Donald Trump’s 74,223,753 — a solid 7,059,472 margin of victory. The Electoral College has spoken. Pursuant to election laws, Biden won the majority vote, surpassing the 270 electoral vote threshold, garnering 306 electoral votes or 51.4%, versus Trump’s 232, or 46.9%. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have certified the
election results, upon which the electors cast their votes and handed Biden the victory. Trump has desperately tried to hold onto power with all his brazen evil attempts to overturn the election results and trash the will of the American people with his baseless claims of massive election fraud and conspiracy theories that Biden and the Democrats — and basically the whole infrastructure of our democratic institutions and processes — stole the votes and the presidency from him. But, the rule of law will and shall prevail. Biden won. Trump lost. The Judiciary has spoken. The Supreme Court and 86 judges, appointed and elected by Republicans and Democrats alike, ruled against Trump’s and his cohorts’ efforts to overturn the results of the election. The Legislature has spoken. Our representatives in Congress have affirmed the will of the people. The day after the election and with Biden
already leading significantly, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote, “Joe Biden’s election will be historic, propelled by the votes of a record-shattering 70 million Americans—the most votes ever received by a presidential ticket in American history.” And she was right. Meanwhile, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell congratulated Joe Biden on Tuesday, December 15, saying, ”I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden. Many of us had hoped the presidential election would yield a different result, but our system of government has the processes to determine who will be sworn in on Jan. 20. The Electoral College has spoken.” McConnell called Biden someone “who has devoted himself to public service for many years.” He also congratulated Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, saying “all Americans can take pride that our nation has a female vice president-elect for the very
first time.” The transition of executive power from the outgoing to the incoming administration has always been procedural and ceremonial, until Trump came along. Sadly those who value their own political survival chose to ignore the rule of law and the Constitution and instead vowed their adoring loyalty to Trump. Trump himself continues to urge his blind followers to continue fighting for him, spewing even more toxic lies, and milking his fans with money he needs for his legal woes and campaign debts. While McConnell’s acknowledgment of Biden’s victory gave other Republicans the impetus to abandon the sinking Trump ship and support the incoming administration, others remain Trump fanatics despite all the challenges we are facing as a nation. Hence, the move of Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (DN.J), who has been outspoken against Republicans backing
Trump’s baseless allegations of voter fraud. As USA Today reported, “Pascrell authored a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Administration Committee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren arguing the 126 House Republicans who signed on to support a lawsuit, which asks the Supreme Court to invalidate election decisions in several key states in hopes of overturning Biden’s win over Trump, were attempting to ‘demolish democracy’ and steal the election.” The New Jersey Representative cited provisions in the Constitution outlining “that a person cannot serve in Congress if they have “engaged in insurrection or rebellion against” the Constitution or the country and asks the leaders to ‘evaluate steps you can take’ in holding Republicans accountable.” Indeed, the chaos we are facing, the division and misplaced priorities can be linked to these government officials’ derelic-
tion of their oath to abide by and defend the Constitution and the American people. Their loyalty must be to the country and not the party nor Trump. On top of the list is no less than Trump himself, enemy No. 1 of democracy, the nation and the American people. Making them accountable will deter another Trump and his minions. This is our sacred duty as citizens of the United States of America. *** 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.
Trump’s plan A, B, C... and D?
Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA The United States Supreme Court has twice denied the desperate efforts of Donald Trump to overturn the election of Joe Biden as president and Kamala Harris as vice president, respectively. Even before the elections, Trump had warned, without any basis, that the only way he could lose to Biden was if the Democrats cheated. Thus, when the poll numbers in the battleground states trended inexorably in Biden’s favor, Trump began repeating the lie that he had been planting in the minds of his fanatic supporters. He was cheated. Dinaya! Despite the results of the popular vote and the electoral votes that gave the Biden-Harris team a clear victory, Trump continued to insist that he had won and would serve a second term. Trump was clearly in denial! Trump then mustered a battery of lawyers, led by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, to file a flood of lawsuits in the courts of the battleground states to invalidate the results. Except for two or three minor instances where the courts sided with the Trump legal team, over 40 dismissals and denials were slapped on Trump’s efforts to overturn Biden’s victory.
But that may only have been Plan A. Giuliani revealed that the court filings were merely intended as leverage for a subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court. That, in effect, was Plan B. A few days ago, the High Court unanimously denied a Republican petition to invalidate the results of the Pennsylvania election. Inexplicably, Trump and his allies led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, filed another suit with the Supreme Court to invalidate the elections in three other battleground states of Michigan, Georgia, and Wisconsin in addition to Pennsylvania. It seemed to be a “long shot.” Texas had no business questioning the way the elections in the other states were conducted. Trump had made it known that he was counting on his three appointees to the High Court to support his protest. He had gone on network TV calling on the Justices to “have the courage” to rule in his favor. The Justices did display their courage — they decided against Trump. Much earlier, Attorney General Bill Barr also declared that he saw nothing in the election that could warrant overturning Biden’s victory. Until then, Barr had been accused by detractors of acting more like Trump’s personal lawyer than the head of the Department of Justice.
But the Supreme Court has sent Trump’s hopes crashing a second time. Denied!!! Was this the final nail on the coffin that buries Trump’s presidential fantasy? Not quite. Those who know how Trump’s mind works, are not underestimating his talent for translating a loss into a win. A LegalZoom article published on November 24, 2020 by Monica Sanders had the intriguing headline, “How Does Trump Repeatedly File For Bankruptcy And Still Stay On Top?” The article relates how he filed for several bankruptcies for his casinos, thereby avoiding his financial obligations, but how he arranged to retain control of the businesses, along with a fat salary. The bankruptcies were, in effect, a win-win for Trump. During the presidential campaign, Trump was asked about the bankruptcies, a fact that would ordinarily cast a cloud on his purported genius as a businessman. Trump gloated that he took advantage of what the laws of the land allowed, in order to stay ahead. While working on Plan A and Plan B, Trump has apparently already been activating Plan C. You see, by repeating the lie that the presidency was stolen from him, Trump intends to keep his voter base agitated and motivated all the way up to 2024 if he decides to run again
for the presidency. At the same time, Trump will retain his stranglehold on the Republican Party. By means of his loyal voter base, Trump has succeeded in intimidating GOP leaders who are concerned about their political careers. Although many have privately expressed disdain for Trump’s ways, they don’t dare to admit it publicly. The “long shot” suit filed by Paxton may not have been as frivolous as one might think — neither was the support of 126 Republican legislators for the apparently baseless and hopeless Supreme Court filing. Paxton is currently under investigation by the FBI for allegations he abused his office to benefit a wealthy donor — a problem Trump could eliminate with a presidential pardon. On the other hand, GOP legislators may have simply been trying to remain in Trump’s good graces by reassuring Trump that they have his back. Since his loss to Biden, Trump has managed to raise over $207 million in contributions from supporters, ostensibly to cover his legal expenses. In fact, only a small portion of that amount has so far gone to legal costs. It is suspected that the rest — plus future contributions — will go to a political action committee to fund a 2024 campaign. Trump’s enemies may be waiting to unleash criminal and civil cases against him, once he
leaves the White House. While he has begun to wield his pardoning power to buy loyalty — he is reportedly planning to also pardon himself — this authority only covers federal crimes, and not indictments slapped on him by States like New York. The Southern District of New York is reportedly waiting to charge him for a number of violations of state law. That could mean a prison term for Trump. But would that disqualify him from running for president? Not at all. The U.S. Constitution allows convicted felons, even those behind bars, to run for public office. The 50 states have different laws governing those who can vote, but with respect to running for president, one only needs to be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and must have resided in the U.S. for 14 years. But can Trump win, even as a convicted felon? The odds would weigh heavily against him, of course. But no one can ever underestimate the loyalty of Trump’s voter base. Remember how he bragged that he could shoot someone in the middle of Manhattan and not lose a single vote? The 73 million Americans who voted for Trump could be persuaded to rally to his cause if he succeeds in portraying himself as the victim of injustice — just like Nelson Mandela who spent decades in prison
and emerged as the President of South Africa. It should now be clear what Trump’s Plan C is. He will repeat the lie about being a victim of “massive fraud” — over and over and over again until most Americans take it as gospel truth. That is already happening even now. Like a vampire, Trump has tasted blood and wants more of it. There are enough suckers among his voter base to feed on. Dinaya will be his mantra. That mantra will be in addition to the lies that he will tell about anyone who stands in his way — and that will include not just Democrats but also ambitious Republicans who may be eyeing the presidency — like Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. Those who think that they can deal with Donald Trump in the usual orthodox or traditional manner will be in denial. Trump is loyal only to himself. Everyone else is fit for throwing under the bus. No one should be surprised if Trump is also activating Plan D. A dictatorship? *** 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.
*** gregmacabenta@hotmail.com
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Crisis within a crisis: Survivors, legal experts... PAGE A3 t the Pacifc Asian Family (CPAF) which continues its work in community engagement and violence prevention, providing multilingual and multicultural transition programs for survivors of IPV. (The center’s website includes 24/7 multilingual hotlines for victims who need help.) Rimonte’s work created a foundation for the kind of activism and destigmatization surrounding IPV that we see today, but understanding the warning signs and red flags in a relationship could be the preventative measure that saves lives. “Police usually get calls related to domestic violence when an abusive incident turns violent, and I’ve covered countless stories over the year as a TV news reporter on homicides, murder suicides and things like that, and eventually I thought that domestic violence just meant extreme physical assault,” Lee explained, emphasizing that there are many non-violent forms of abuse that could predicate physical violence. The road to eradicating domestic abuse is a long and winding one, riddled with misconceptions and obstacles that require an undoing of cultural stigmas and victim-shaming. All the panelists on Thursday’s webinar acknowledged the harm that “Well, why didn’t they just leave?” arguments do to the vast community of IPV victims. Even when the red flags are present, it’s common for victims to believe that what they’re going through doesn’t warrant abusive behavior. It only becomes clear in retrospect, as in Lee’s experience. “When I reflect on my past relationship with my abuser, I knew it was much more,” she went on. “Yes, it was assault; that made me finally leave and that’s what prompted the call to the police. But months led up to that incident and in many cases victims and survivors experience years of abuse that’s more than just physical violence. It started out [as] emotional, psychological and verbal abuse.” Some of the non-physical abuse that Lee detailed included that “honeymoon phase” where the abuser lured her in with “too good to be true charm” that secured her commitment to the relationship. He then began losing his temper in private and in public, often blaming Lee or others instead of taking accountability.
He spoke negatively about Lee to her face and isolated her from her family. Isolation is a key characteristic of domestic abuse and it manifests in codependency and control, according to Ana Jayme, a licensed marriage and family therapist and co-founder of the Long Beach-based group psychotherapy practice Bridges to Healing Counseling and Training Center. By isolating the victim, the outside world becomes distant, making it difficult for victims to seek help and break away from the relationship. Jayme points out that leaving an abusive relationship is not as easy as deciding to call the police and walking out the door — doubly so for victims who are immigrants. “Because of isolation, the abuser might be the sole economic supporter of the family and the survivor might not have any knowledge or control of money,” Jayme explained. “They may be thinking. ‘Even if I am to leave, where am I going? I don’t know where to go.’” The fear that an undocumented immigrant victim would be penalized if they came forward with their story is real, but what many of them may not know is that they actually have specific rights. “Many Filipino Americans here in the United States on fiance visas or different types of visas may feel afraid or uncomfortable with coming forward and jeopardizing their legal status,” said Joyce King, chief counsel at the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office in Maryland. King, who is Filipina American, said that undocumented victims can self petition for legal status under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), apply for cancellation of removal under the VAWA or apply for a U-visa under VAWA, which is for victims of crime. King also emphasized that these options differ from other legal criminal processes, which usually require victims coming forward and either swearing by written testimony before a judge or providing an open court testimony. These protocols are “by paper only and they’re not contingent on you having to file a police report” or “deal with the police ever.” She stressed that anybody who is going through an IPV situation or knows someone who is should seek legal advice. She added that even if a victim who has outstand-
ing criminal charges still can obtain a restraining order against an abuser. “A lot of these individuals don’t realize how many rights they actually have and how many resources they do have in the law,” King said. It makes sense that talking about domestic violence, or IPV, is difficult and it’s a struggle trying to unpack the complexities of any given situation. Jayme noted that abusive behavior is cultivated and learned; it’s not inherent. There’s a social and community responsibility attached to knowing what are and are not healthy behaviors in a relationship. Abusers often have either been the targets of abuse or witnessed domestic abuse themselves, both Jayme and Lee acknowledged. Although this doesn’t excuse abusive behavior, it can help inform and develop healthy, non-abusive family structures. Years after she left her abusive relationship, Lee admitted that she still feels like she hasn’t received the justice she deserved. “How can you bring true justice to a situation like mine, where my life was in danger or someone intentionally tried to cause me harm?” Lee remarked, adding that she hopes her abuser fully understands what he has done and the trauma he’s put her through. “I have a really hard time forgiving my abuser, and I know that is a really important step in the healing process. I’m not quite there yet, but I’m a lot closer than I was several years ago,” she said. If you’re undocumented and are currently experiencing domestic abuse, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles is a legal and civil rights organization that provides legal support to undocumented immigrants. To reach out by phone, you may call (213) 977-7500; for the Tagalog hotline, please call (855) 300-2552. To contact Jayme’s psychotherapy group center, Bridges to Healing, please call (562) 5280606 or email at bridgestohealing@gmail.com. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7/365: 1-800-799-SAFE, or you may communicate with a counselor on their website. (For safety purposes, the hotline advises users to clear internet browser history after visiting their website.) If there’s an emergency, always call 9-1-1. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
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december 18-24, 2020 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL
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Spread ChriStmaS Cheer, not the viruS:
How Filipinos around the world will celebrate the holiday by
Ritchel Mendiola / AJPress
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T’S been over 10 months since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and the virus is still raging. The situation may not be as bleak as before, with the promise of two vaccines coming to provide some hope, but we’re still far from the “normal” life we were once used to. As it stands, the world will be celebrating Christmas this year with a lot of restrictions. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly advises against traveling and going out during the holidays lest another wave of infections happen, and world leaders have echoed the sentiment. Large gatherings and Christmas parties are a no-go, as well — which has left a lot of people feeling disheartened.
“Celebrate with people in your household. If you have plans to travel, you have to think twice, three times before doing so. This is really not the time because it’s not just bad for you, but bad for the people you’re visiting because you don’t know what you’re bringing to them,” said Dr. Jasmine Eugenio, a Filipina American pediatrics specialist at Martin Luther King, Jr. Outpatient Center in Los Angeles.
For many, Christmas was seen as a reprieve from the monotony that the pandemic has afforded. No one wants to be alone during the holidays, not when we’ve been isolated for more than half a year already. “Reach out to family members through Zoom or other means. Call your lolo and lola, but you don’t have to visit them. They say Christmas only comes once a year, but there will be other Christmases,” Eugenio added.
AJPress Illustrations by Godwin Gasacao
celebrity world
Still, many are willing to make the necessary adjustments, especially Filipinos, who have always been big on family-oriented celebrations. Around the world they’re prepared to comply with the safety measures imposed by their governments, welcoming Christmas Day with as much warmth and conviviality as they can in their situations. “Here, gatherings are restricted especially in public. But if you’re staying at home, you’re allowed to celebrate provided that there won’t be any guests. Same with work, we can only celebrate by ourselves since there is a huge penalty if you invite someone from outside,” said Zeny Martin, from Abu Dhabi. Greg Villar, who resides in Los Angeles, California, is also holding off on inviting his extended family for the holidays. “My daughter and I will be celebrating Christmas at my house. We usually have cake, ham, lechon kawali, and leche flan,” he said. “Back when my wife was alive, we used to host a Christmas party and invite her siblings and relatives alongside mine, and though my daughter and I still do that after she passed away two years ago, we won’t be inviting anyone this year because of COVID-19,” he added. Meanwhile, Beth Cruz is finding ways to connect and celebrate with her loved ones in Dubai. “Every year, we celebrate Christmas with our family, friends and relatives at home.
However, due to the situation and restrictions, we will celebrate Christmas Eve with our family at home and organize small gatherings separately with friends and relatives at the park or restaurants,” she said. According to her, the pandemic won’t deter her from celebrating Christmas, but stressed that she’s going to exercise caution while doing it. “This pandemic will not keep us from celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus, we just have to practice precautionary measures for the safety of all our loved ones,” said Beth. Likewise, Minda Lesaca from Toronto, Canada refuses to let the pandemic dampen her Christmas spirit. “Christmas will continue despite the pandemic, however, there are many restrictions due to health protocols. We can’t invite relatives or neighbors, and we also can’t go outside to celebrate with others. There’s
a limit in the number of people celebrating,” she said. Lesaca lamented the restrictions in doing normal holiday celebrations, but reasoned that they’re needed for the sake of everyone’s lives. According to her, being considerate is important during these unprecedented times. “It’s sad to think about, but we really can’t do anything but comply with the rules to avoid getting infected or infecting others. We need to obey to protect not only our family but also everyone else,” Minda said. “We really need to keep others in mind. We can still celebrate Christmas without any grandiose plans, anyway,” she added. “Christmas won’t be gone. It’s still the most important occasion because it’s the birth of Jesus Christ.” To date, COVID-19 has infected around 69 million people worldwide and has taken more than a million lives.
richard Yap signs contract with Gma artist Center
By Ferdie Villar ACTOR Richard Yap, who became widely recognized for his roles in primetime soaps, recently signed a management contract with GMA Artist Center, transitioning to become a Kapuso artist after spending the past decade as a Kapamilya, according to a story on PEP.ph. Known to fans as “Sir Chief” (Be Careful With My Heart) and “Papa Chen” (My Binondo Girl), Yap will be seen in GMA Network’s “Dear Uge Presents,” a comedy anthology topbilled by Eugene Domingo, and the late night variety/comedy program “The Boobay and Tekla Show.” “I am quite overwhelmed as I never thought this would come about. Now that it’s finally here, I am just so happy and so thankful to become a part of the Kapuso family,” the actor/ model/singer/businessman was quoted as saying. According to Yap, he is excited to work with the network’s stars, including Marian Rivera, Heart Evangelista, Solenn Heusaff, Andrea Torres, Jean Garcia
(a friend of his) and Michael V. “Expect the unexpected? I guess you can expect me to try and experiment into other genres other than the ones that I’ve done before,” Yap answered when asked what viewers can expect from him as he joins a new network. *** Luis Manzano and Jessy Mendiola are officially engaged! In his column Funfare by my good friend Ricky Lo of The Philippine Star, the two lovebirds gave a few details of their engagement ceremony, done on a beach in Amanpulo in Palawan. According to Jessy, the details of Luis’ proposal are hazy as she felt like her mind went blank for a bit. “Kasi ganoon pala when a guy is proposing to you,” she stated. “Your mind goes blank. Parang nawawala ka sa sarili mo!” “Ang dami niyang sinabi. When he finally proposed, I didn’t hear the rest of the pro-
Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, which was brought to Northern California by beauty impresario Ferdie Syquia de Villar when he immigrated to the U.S., will celebrate its 42nd anniversary on Friday, January 1, 2021 with a Novena and Holy Mass at 12 noon. Shown in photo above is the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno with Health Professionals Inc. president Ray Satorre, who will be Hermano Mayor at this year’s celebration. Rema Zafran Vasa is the Hermana Mayor.
Actor Richard Yap has officially joined the Kapuso Network after a recent contract-signing ceremony witnessed by GMA top brass. Instagram photo (@iamrichardyap)
posal and only ‘yung ‘marry me.’ And I said yes,” she continued. Of the ring, which reportedly
Luis Manzano and Jessy Mendiola got officially engaged in a private ceremony in Amanpulo, Palawan recently. Inquirer.net File Photo
is three to four carats, 18K, white ful and flattered na pinagbigyan gold, with diamonds on the side, ni Luis ang dream ko to have a Jessy says she is “just so grate- ring na ganito ang design.”
Rev. Fr. Abraham Alonzo, the spiritual counselor of ANR Hospice in Daly City, will officiate the Holy Mass of the Black Nazarene on Friday, January 1, 2021 starting at 12 noon.
Marilen Bernardo, socialite and former model, celebrates her birthday on Monday, December 21 with her family at the Bernardo Residence in Hillsborough.
Jessy also appreciates the fact that Luis respected her timeline and waited until everything fell into place. Jessy revealed that her wish is for a beach wedding, although they haven’t set a date yet and are still in the planning stages. Luis, for his part, is superhappy that he and Jessy share the same values and likes. “The one thing I appreciate about Jessy is her being familyoriented. Just like me, she givds importance to her family, kung gaano ka-espesyal ang pamilya. She also reminds me of my mom… very loving and very caring,” Luis related. “They have a special personal relationship,” Luis answered when asked if Jessy has developed a bond with his mom, current Batangas 6th District Representative Vilma Santos-Recto, known to everyone as the Star for All Seasons. “They call or text each other every day. Grabe mag-usap ‘yung dalawa. At parehong maalaga. Let’s say I get sick, silang dalawa ang aligagangaligaga. Para ngang sila ang doctor ko, eh!” As for kids, Luis said that he and Jessy plan on having three.
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Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently announced “Operation Broken Promise,” targeting for arrest and removal/deportation those aliens who were in removal proceedings and promised to voluntarily leave the U.S. (instead of being ordered deported), but never left. So far, ICE has arrested hundreds of individuals who accepted voluntary departure but failed to depart. “Voluntary departure” is requested by the alien and granted by an immigration judge, where the alien is typically granted about 60 to 120 days to arrange for their own departure from the U.S., versus facing a formal deportation order (and the various barriers to readmission that such an order carries). In other words, rather than being ordered to leave, the alien promises to leave (or depart) the U.S. voluntarily. If they fail to do so, the voluntary departure converts into a final deportation order. In the past, many were placed in deportation/removal, such as when they applied for political asylum, but their claim of persecution was denied, and they were
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ICE going after those with ‘voluntary departure’ placed in removal proceedings. At the time of the hearing, they had no form of relief (or way to get a green card), and were facing certain deportation/removal. Rather than being “ordered” removed, they agreed to leave voluntarily, so a deportation order would not appear on the records. But they never left, and now ICE is going after them. While ICE states it is mostly targeting criminals with convictions, they also state that “ICE does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All those in violation of immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the U.S.” In other words, everyone who accepted voluntary departure but didn’t leave, even if they have no crimes, could be subject to being picked up by ICE. If you accepted voluntary departure but never left, I would advise that you consult with an attorney who can evaluate your situation rather than trying to handle this on your own. In some cases, it could be possible to have your case reopened and/ or even dismissed, provided you now have a form of relief or way
to get a green card which at the time of your original removal proceedings, you didn’t have. An attorney can evaluate your circumstance in light of applicable law and your chances of success. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 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. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) 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, Twitter @GurfinkelLaw and YouTube: US Immigration TV 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 (Advertising Supplement)
‘CITIZEN PINOY’ ANSWERS QUESTIONS FROM KAPAMILYA IN HAWAII AND CANADA ON A NOCHE BUENA HOLIDAY ENCORE EPISODE THIS SUNDAY. Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (left) celebrates the holiday season with a Noche Buena feast, and in the Kapamilya spirit, answers immigration questions from guests from Hawaii and Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Seph, from Oahu, HI, (top right) asks if he can include his brother’s 5-year-old daughter under the same petition he filed for his brother back in 2004, even though the child was not even born when the petition was filed. From Vancouver, Ronald would like to know how much longer he must wait for his petition by his U.S. citizen mother. He is bringing along his wife and their two children. Their priority date is March 2012, and they got an approval notice in 2018. How long is the processing time in Canada? These questions and more will be answered by Atty. Gurfinkel on the Noche Buena encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot” this Sunday, December 20 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)
Darna is still set to fly
Vogue says Heart is rumored to join ‘Crazy Rich Asians 2’ cast
“Tuloy na tuloy na po ang pa- The TV Series,” said Cory Viglipad ni Darna. Ngayong 2021 danes, ABS-CBN chief operating na po ang Mars Ravelo’s ‘Darna: PAGE B4
By Kata
Dayanghirang Philstar.com
WHAT are the chances that Heart Evangelista will bag the role of Colette Bing in the sequel to the mega-hit 2018 “Crazy Rich Asians”? Heart is among the rumored to play the spoiled brat fashion blogger who is a daughter to mega-billionaire Bao Gaoling in the sequel “China Rich Girlfriend.” Production has yet to start and if the sequel follows the said second book in the popular series penned by Kevin Kwan, then Colette is a fitting character to play for Heart. But she has to contend with her closest competition for the role — Netflix darling Lana Condor, the star of the two movies in the “To All The Boys I’ve Love Before” movie adaptations. Kwan shared the Vogue Australia article that mentioned the rumors about Condor, Heart and Taiwanese-Australian actress Hannah Quinlivan on his Facebook page on December 4. “A fun bit of speculation from our friends at Vogue,” he wrote and shared the link to the article. Kwan himself met with Heart and he tagged her as “The Real Crazy Rich Asian” in the Harper’s Bazaar YouTube clip. Colette is an important character because she will affect the story of the two main characters of the books and movie adaptations, Nick Young and Rachel
Jane de Leon
ABS-CBN photo
THE much-awaited ABS-CBN project “Darna” is set to fly as a TV series in 2021, following foiled plans due to the pandemic and the network’s loss of franchise this year. The announcement was made as newcomer Jane de Leon, who beat so many others for the part, renewed her contract with the stricken network, which is now getting back on its feet. ABSCBN had to retrench hundreds of employees over the failure of renewal and in recent months experienced an exodus of stars from management arm Star Magic.
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Heart Evangelista
Chu. If there will be a third movie to the movies and it will also be based on the books, Colette will see a major character development after her “fall” in the second book. In the third book, “Rich People Problems,” Colette will see good character develop-
NEW amm NO st progr I P I FIL late
Photo from Instagram_@iamhearte
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ment and a noble title to boot. Now, does Colette Bing seem tailor-fit to be Heart Evangelista’s first international role after being rumored, too, of supposedly playing the role of Cho Chang in the “Harry Potter” series? We’ll just have to wait and see.
the
Filipino Canadian voice actor is Bugs Bunny in ‘Space Jam 2’ FILIPINO Canadian voice actor Eric Bauza will be lending his voice as the iconic Bugs Bunny in the upcoming “Space Jam” sequel next year. Bauza, 41, will be voicing everyone’s favorite rabbit alongside NBA star LeBron James in “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” as per Global News on Dec. 9.
Filipino Canadian voice actor Eric Bauza
The voice actor from Ontario, Canada emphasized that amid the pandemic, in this “2020 world, the only thing we have is nostalgia to keep our spirits up.” Prior to landing the role for the much-awaited sequel of the hit 1996 film, Bauza has been voicing Bugs Bunny in the Warner Bros. Animation-produced “Loo-
Photo from Instagram_@bauzilla
ney Tunes Cartoons” on HBO Max. “To know that I grew up on this stuff, something that’s widely received as Space Jam, to be able to contribute to the next version of it is something else — another Willy Wonka golden ticket for me,” Bauza was quoted as saying. “Some kid from Scarborough is the voice of Bugs Bunny? What the heck is going on? Now I know it’s the end of the world,” he joked. Bauza, who noted that these cartoons are being made for kids, admitted that he is “a big kid” and since he has a 4year-old child, “it’s all for him now.” Back in March, Bauza gave the public a glimpse of his Bugs Bunny voice in a public service announcement concerning COVID-19, where he reminded kids to always wash their hands and listen to their parents. Aside from the classic carrotloving character, Bauza also previously voiced childhood favorites such as Marvin the Martian, Daffy Duck and Tweety, among others. In his younger years, Bauza was known as a prankster and a wisecracker among his peers, as per Toronto Star also on Dec. 13. Using his talent for mimicking different voices and comedy, Bauza used to deliver announcements using the voices of Homer Simpson, Ace Ventura and many more at the Cardinal Newman Catholic High School, where he graduated as valedictorian. (Ian Biong/Inquirer.net)
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Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS COVID-19 Update Worldwide: nearly 74 million cases, with almost 1.7 million deaths; the Philippines: about 452,000 and 9,000 deaths; the United States: around 17 million cases and 310,000 deaths. Last Saturday, there were almost 200,000 cases, with about 1,400 deaths in one day in the U.S. The first-dose supply of the FDA-approved Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the SARS-CoV2 virus of COVID-19 was delivered to 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Priority recipients are healthcare workers and first responders, to be followed by seniors with health issues. The rest of the population will be getting the vaccine early to middle of next year. Even after getting the vaccine, people will still have to wear mask properly (covering nose and mouth) in public and do social distancing (with a healthy dose of paranoia and medical vigilance) until we know more about the effectiveness, length of protection it confers, side-effects, and whether some of those vaccinated could still get COVID-19 and transmit it. Letting the guard down after receiving the vaccine is a serious mistake. We will have more vital clinical data by 2022. The reason COVID-19 has spread like wildfire, infecting 74 million and killing almost 2 million, is because more than 50 percent of the people refuse to follow COVID-19 guidelines. The more compliant we all are, the sooner this pandemic will end. Does coffee raise our blood pressure? Yes, most definitely. A cup of regular coffee or two can abruptly blood raise blood pressure (8 mm in systolic and 6 mm in diastolic) even among those not predisposed to hypertension. For those who suffer from high blood pressure, drinking coffee, even only a cup a day, makes the blood pressure shoot up for at least four hours, but not to a dangerous level, especially among treated persons. The BP is no longer affected by coffee among those chronic drinkers who are on BP meds. Healthy lifestyle, regular medical check-up, taking prescription medications and moderation are the keys to health.
EMPLOYMENT
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Warning: Grapefruit Nadine unfazed by Viva’s new lawsuit Does condom protect one from AIDS? Only complete abstinence from sexual activity and from needle sharing (especially among addicts) can guarantee protection from AIDS. The use of condom, in general and to a great extent, may lessen the transmission of AIDs, but this is not a guarantee. A significant number of condoms come from the factory – defective, or with tiny holes, or weak spots. There are more than 17 million people in the world who are HIV-infected. Don’t be one of these statistics. Is durian an aphrodisiac? Durian, a popular Asian fruit that has the distinct reputation for its “bad smell but heavenly taste” (for some people) has been bantered around as one that increases sexual libido. There is no scientific evidence durian is an aphrodisiac. If anything at all, the smell alone might turn off some lovers, or excite those who love its taste. Is wine really good for our heart? Yes, more specifically red wine. It is not the alcohol in it that is good for our heart. The ingredient in red wine called resveratrol has been found to be cardio-protective. This comes from the skin of the Pinot Noir grapes used to make red wine. Pinot Noir has the highest resveratrol content among red wines. Somehow, white wine does not confer the same significant health benefit. Neither do beer nor most liquor, which do not contain this special ingredient. Does grapefruit affect some medications? Yes, there are several medications that should not be taken with grapefruit or grapefruit juice. This fruit or its juice inhibit a group of enzymes in our body (CYP3A4), resulting in higher level of the medications getting out of our intestines into our blood stream and the entire body. So, this can lead to overdose. One glass of grapefruit juice can inactivate these enzymes for half a day to 36 hours. Some of the groups of medications affected include certain calcium channel blockers, hormones, chemotherapeutic agents, sedatives and tranquilizers, some cholesterol lowering drugs, some psychiatric drugs, and the antiarrhythmic heart medication called Amiodarone. The most prudent thing to do if you are on any medications and love grapefruit or grapefruit
juice is to discuss this with your physician. Is self-medication safe? Buying over-the-counter medications on your own, or following advice from friends or relatives who may be taking such drugs as prescribed by their physician, is dangerous. Allergies and some deadly complications have been reported in medical literature, even with the ingestion of so-called “common and simple” household pills like aspirin. There is no drug which has no possible side effects. None. All medications, including prescription meds, have possible adverse effects among some people – some mild, others severe or even fatal. Each person reacts differently to specific drugs. What is good and effective for one may be harmful to others. About 25 years ago, I did open heart surgery on a patient in Hobart, Indiana. She was recovering very well but complained of her gout. On the fourth day after surgery, her internist ordered a pill for her gout. She had a violent reaction to the medication and rapidly went on to develop kidney, liver, and general organ failure, and subsequently died within four days from taking the medication. Always consult a physician before taking any medication you have not taken before. Is taking antibiotics often dangerous? Yes, it is not only expensive but very dangerous. In our body, there are so-called “good bacteria” which help in the normal metabolism and function of our body, and are thus essential to our health. The bacteria we want to kill with antibiotics are the “bad bacteria” that cause us diseases. If we have an infection that is properly diagnosed by a physician, he/she will prescribe the specific antibiotic that is effective for a particular bug or groups of bugs causing the malady. Not all germs are killed by the same antibiotics. If one takes antibiotics indiscriminately, the “good bacteria” in our body will die and fungus infection will emerge because the normal (protective) balance is disrupted. Also, if antibiotics are used often, the “bad bacteria” will get used to them and become resistant to the antibiotics, making them ineffective in fighting infection. Is dental flossing necessary? Brushing our teeth thoroughly after each meal is an excellent idea, but it is not enough. Using the toothpick is not enough.
By Jan
Milo Severo Philstar.com
VIVA Artists Agency (VAA) filed a complaint at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court last December 11 against actress Nadine Lustre, claiming that the actress allegedly violated the contract that she signed with the company. In a statement released by Viva, the talent agency said that Nadine should be exclusively working with the company, according to her contract, but she has been allegedly “contracting independently with advertisers, promoters, and third parties.” Viva claimed that it was the one that “developed, built, and nurtured Nadine’s career to make her one of the most sought after artists in the entertainment industry.” The agency said Nadine last renewed her contract with them last 2015, with an effectivity until June 29, 2029. “Despite her continued success as an exclusive artist of VAA for almost a decade, Nadine still chose to violate and disregard her contract with VAA,” Viva said. Nadine’s lawyer Lorna Kapu-
Nadine Lustre Photo from Instagram_@nadine
nan said that the truth will come out and she is ready to defend the actress. “The contract is an Agency contract and Nadine is the Principal — and it is the right of the Principal to terminate the Agent when it is not performing its commitments under the Agency Agreement,” Kapunan told ABSCBN in an interview. “We are prepared to prove VAA’s material breach of the contract. We are likewise pre-
pared to show that VAA is guilty of tortious third party interference by its threatening/ pressuring third parties dealing with Nadine in good faith and scaring them with potential court cases,” she added. Last January, Kapunan & Castillo Law Offices announced in a statement that Nadine is now self-managed and bookings and inquiries may be directly addressed to her. “For the information of the public, Nadine Lustre is no longer a talent of Viva Artists Agency. Consistent with her rights under the Civil Code of the Philippines, specifically Article 1920, she has decided to terminate her agency contract with Viva,” the law office said. “As of now, Nadine is selfmanaged and will continue to be so indefinitely. She shall directly manage her affairs from now on, and booking and inquiries may be directly addressed to her,” the statement added. Last December, Nadine signed a contract with Careless Music, a recording label founded by her former boyfriend James Reid.
Darna is still set to fly
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officer of broadcast. In return, the very patient actress told media, “I’m overwhelmed by the happiness I feel. I am so excited for the next chapters of my life. It’s another dream come true. I have so much gratitude for our bosses because until now, they still entrust me with (the classic Filipino komiks) Darna and her magical stone.” Star Magic is now headed by director Laurente Dyogi after its founder and former topman Johnny Manahan stepped down to direct TV5’s newest Sunday variety show “Sunday Noontime Live!” Besides de Leon, other artists Brushing does not remove all food trapped in between our teeth. While toothpick helps get rid of the bigger particles, the smaller pieces caught in between the tighter spaces between our teeth can only be removed by dental flossing. If not removed, the trapped food particles decay, much like a rotten piece of dead meat, causing severe halitosis (bad breath). Using mouthwash (with stabilized chlorine dioxide) should also be a part of the daily routine because this kills germs
EMPLOYMENT
who renewed their ties with ABSCBN before the year comes to a close included Millennial Multimedia Idol Kim Chiu, leading men Enchong Dee, JM De Guzman and Joseph Marco, MYX VJ and host Robi Domingo, and teen actresses Andrea Brillantes and Kira Balinger. Officially joining them too in the roster of Star Magic talents are talent search Star Hunt’s newest P-Pop groups, BINI and SHA Boys. ABS-CBN chairman Mark Lopez thanked these artists for their trust and expressed optimism for the coming year, “As a new year is about to begin, we remain hopeful and positive with our art-
ists, our ABS-CBN leaders, our employees and most especially our loyal followers. We know we will be able to soar to new heights as we continue to serve the Filipinos worldwide.” ABS-CBN president and chief executive officer Carlo Katigbak finally said on his part, “Today, I want to thank the stars who represent ABS-CBN to the world outside. Kayo ang nagbibigay ng liwanag at ligaya sa ating mga Kapamilya. Thank you for choosing to be part of our mission, thank you for believing in our company, and thank you for supporting us in our most difficult moments. (ManilaTimes.net)
that cause bad breath. Chewing gums (sugarless) helps.
and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and antigraft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
*** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** 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
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