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DECEMBER 23-29, 2021
T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M MU N I T Y N E WS PA P E R
Volume 32 - No.51 • 12 Pages
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Odette’s impact on PH described as ‘catastrophic’ by TONY
S. BERGONIA Inquirer.net
MANILA — The extent of destruction dumped on the Philippines by Super Typhoon Odette (Rai) has not been fully inventoried but could be gleaned through one word used by scientists to measure the storm’s impact on at least five regions in the country—catastrophic. Scenes reminiscent of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), which ravaged parts of the Philippines in 2013, are rising like ghosts of Christmases past. The scale of the relief effort needed is indescribable but
DATELINE
could be partly painted by the presence of at least 10 United Nations agencies, 40 international and local nongovernment organizations and dozens of private sector groups that are now on the ground to help. A rapid assessment report by the UN Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), which compiled damage estimates in areas hit by Odette, said initial data would show that at least five regions were hardest hit by the typhoon, which made landfall nine times carrying Category 5 winds of up to 260 kph. These regions were Caraga, Western Visayas, Central Visayas,
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Fil-Am named deputy chief of Los Angeles Police Department THE Los Angeles Police Department will have its first Filipino American deputy chief in its 152-year history. Commander Donald Graham becomes the first person of Filipino descent to hold such a position, following an announcement from Chief Michel Moore made public on December 17. The announcement did not specify when the promotion takes effect. A member of the LAPD for over two decades, Graham made history in 2019 when he was named a commander of the department, focused on leading the Transit Services Division and as the Homeless Coordinator under the Office of Operations.
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The vaccine rollout was a success. But events within and beyond Biden’s control stymied progress. ELEVEN months ago, President Joe Biden assumed office during one of the most critical moments of the COVD-19 pandemic. Case counts and death rates were shockingly high. The vaccine rollout, which had started under former President Donald Trump, was disjointed. People were generally sequestered in their homes, and kids were relegated to remote learning. Biden promised to change all that. He said he would differ from Trump in that he would listen to the scientists, encourage the use of masks and give the federal government a stronger role in addressing the pandemic. He also pledged to deliver the “most efficient mass vaccination plan in U.S. history” and to get 100 million covid shots administered in his first 100 days. How well did Biden do? We asked four public health experts who said the president’s vaccine rollout, overall, was excellent, but his messaging was off at certain points, and oth-
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Eastern Visayas and Mimaropa, according to the UN OCHA report. The UN OCHA report said communities in three of the hardest hit areas—the provinces of Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Island and Southern Leyte—bore the brunt of Odette. Assessments, said the report, “identified extensive damage and humanitarian needs also in Bohol and Cebu.” UN OCHA said satellite imagery showed “large inundated areas” in Siargao Island, a popular tourist destination. Satellite images also showed “an increase of standing water level” in the southern part
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AFTERMATH. This aerial photo taken on Friday, December 17, shows houses destroyed by Super Typhoon Rai (local name Odette) after the storm crossed over Surigao City in Surigao del Norte province. Inquirer.net photo by Erwin Mascarinas
3 Fil-Ams among commissioners to Biden’s advisory commission on AANHPIs by AJPRESS PRESIDENT Joe Biden on Monday, December 20 announced his intent to appoint three Filipino American leaders to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Amy Agbayani, Teresita Batayola, and Luisa Blue are among the 23 community leaders who will be appointed to serve on the commission, the White House announced on Monday. Agbayani is an Emeritus Assistant Vice Chancellor for student diversity and (L-R) Amy Agbayani, Teresita Batayola and Luisa Blue will be commissioners of the President’s Advisory equity, University of Hawai’i at Manoa. Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Agbayani was born in the Philippines
and received her education from the University of the Philippines, East West Center and the University of Hawai’i. She is a former chair of the Hawai’i Civil Rights Commission, conducts research on AANHPI in higher education, member of the Patsy T.Mink PAC and The Legal Clinic for immigrant justice Hawai’i. Batayola is the President and Chief Executive Officer of International Community Health Services, Washington state’s largest Asian and Pacific Islander non-profit health center providing comprehensive health care to all those who need affordable care, especially immigrants and refugees.
Bongbong, Sara lead Pulse Asia survey by RED
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MENDOZA AND KRISTINA MARALIT ManilaTimes.net
THE tandem of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio topped the 2022 pre-Election Pulse Asia survey, according to the research firm. Marcos got 53% in the poll from December 1 to 6. Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo is second at 20%, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, both at 8%, are ranked third and Sen. Panfilo Lacson, fourth, at 6%. Marcos led in all regions and in all class-
es, while Domagoso and Pacquiao placed second in the National Capital Region and Mindanao. Duterte-Carpio is the first-choice for vice president with 45%. She is followed by Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd at 31%, Sen. Francis Pangilinan at 12%, Dr. Willie Ong at 6% and Rep. Lito Atienza at 1%. Duterte-Carpio led in NCR with 45% and in Mindanao with 82%. Sotto led in Balanced Luzon. Both are in a statistical tie in the Visayas,
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RESBAKUNA. Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (left), National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer, and U.S. Embassy ad interim Chargé d’Affaires Heather Variava (right) do the Resbakuna sign during the arrival of 1,776,060 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine donated by the United States government through the COVAX Facility at NAIA Terminal 3 on Monday, December 20. Another 1,623,960 doses were delivered on Tuesday, December 21. The Philippines has received more than 64.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility and bilateral donations from other countries. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
PAL: Returning Filipinos might cancel trips going home due to PH arrival cap 3.4 million Pfizer shots donated by US arrive in PH by MIGUEL
R. CAMUS
Inquirer.net
PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) started to cancel international flights after plans to lift the government’s daily cap of 4,000 overseas arrivals had stalled. The flag carrier warned in a statement that arrival restrictions would “end up preventing thousands of overseas Filipinos from returning home.” Thus far, PAL announced the cancellation from Manila-Singapore flight PR507/508 on Dec. 21. On Dec. 19, it rescheduled a Manila-Damman flight to the following day to meet the daily cap at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. “We seek the public’s understanding over this unfortunate situation. We are a vital air
bridge to bring families together, and we try to do all we can to fly our countrymen home, hence the flights we had arranged to serve their urgent travel needs,” Dexter C. Lee, PAL senior vice president and chief strategy and planning officer, said in a statement. “However, we have to abide by the latest limits and we regret that this will prevent us from serving many travelers,” he added. Carriers, including PAL, were banking on the doubling of the daily cap to 10,000 passengers to allow them to serve strong demand during the busy Christmas holidays. After the Omicron coronavirus variant was detected overseas, the plan was put on hold. In its statement, PAL continued to urge
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MANILA — The U.S., in partnership with the COVAX Facility, this week donated an additional 3.4 million doses of the PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to the Philippines. The vaccines are part of the 500 million Pfizer doses donated by the U.S. to the world through COVAX, a global initiative to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The first shipment of 1.78 million doses arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and was received by
vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava, and other representatives. Another 1.62 million doses were delivered Tuesday, on December 21. The 3.4 million doses are the largest single donation of the Pfizer vaccine to the Philippines from the 500 million made available by the U.S., a longtime ally and former colonizer of Manila. In a statement on the donation released by the U.S. consulate,
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december 23-29, 2021 • LAS VeGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL
From The FronT Page
3 Fil-Ams among commissioners to Biden’s... PAGE 1
FLOODED TOWN CENTER. Muddy floodwater still inundates the streets of the center of the Bohol provincial town of Inabanga on Saturday, December 18, two days after Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) swept through the province. Inquirer.net photo
Odette’s impact on PH described...
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of Dinagat Island on Dec. 17, a day after Odette made its first landfall. At least 95 percent of households in Siargao alone were affected in different ways—some losing their homes or seeing severe damage to their houses. “Banks and remittance centers were damaged and resumption of operations may take weeks,” said the UN OCHA report. The report said the education cluster of the UN team on the ground reported up to 30,000 schools had been affected in 11 regions. These schools. have at least 12 million students, the report said. The UN OCHA report said schools were either damaged or being used as shelters, which meant class activities—whether face-to-face or remote—were suspended. “Wind damage, flooding and landslides interrupted road access, power, and communication throughout affected areas,” said the UN OCHA report. In the first 72 hours, Odette cut power in 277 cities and towns while cutting communications in 135 other locations. On Dec. 19, or two days after Odette made its first landfall, power had been restored in only 21 of 95 cities and towns that lost their electric supply. “Some major cities, including Cebu and Puerto Princesa, as well as large areas in Southern Leyte, remained without power even 72 hours after landfall,” the UN
OCHA report said. At least 80 seaports had been closed and 160 domestic and international flights had been cancelled. The UN OCHA report counted initially 20,102 houses destroyed and 34,681 others damaged across the regions on Odette’s path. Houses made of light materials were hardest hit. “In Loboc, Bohol, floods reached the roofs of houses and people were observed on their roofs waiting to be evacuated within hours after landfall,” the report said. In the town of Bubong, Lanao del Sur province, 23 of 36 villages were flooded when the river overflowed. “In Caraga, people built makeshift shelters beside houses and in the streets as infrastructures were heavily damaged,” the report said. “Local governments fear lack of necessities would result in potential looting,” it said. “While experiencing reduced wind gusts, Palawan—which does not typically experience the brunt of typhoons—was also hardly hit,” UN OCHA said. “As assessments were yet to be conducted, partners were concerned that communities and response structures in Palawan were less experienced and might require significant humanitarian support in the coming weeks,” the report said. As of Dec. 20, or four days after the first landfall, Puerto Princesa City remained without power, water and communication.
The airport remained closed to commercial flights. The provinces of Bohol, Cebu and Negros Occidental and Butuan City had declared states of calamity on Dec. 19 “though there is an expectation entire regions may be put under the state of calamity,” said the UN OCHA report. It said Philippine government agencies had already asked for support from the UN team’s logistics cluster for transport of relief items to the hard-hit areas. It said UN agencies with existing agreements with government agencies had also received requests for help from the government. “Assessment largely confirmed that additional capacity would be required to attend to growing humanitarian needs,” said UN OCHA. But deployment by UN humanitarian partners, the report said, is being “hampered by prevailing COVID-19 related precautionary measures and travel restrictions.” The trail of destruction left at least 385,374 people displaced or homeless with 10,856 houses destroyed or damaged in three areas alone—Surigao del Norte, Siargao Island and Southern Leyte. The data excluded those in Dinagat island. 49 percent below poverty line What’s more disheartening, according to the report, was that nearly half—49 percent—of the people in the worst-hit areas were already living below the poverty PAGE 5
Batayola is anadvocate for health care access, equity, and addressing social determinants of health. ICHS has received awards for its high quality of care and Batayola has been recognized in the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Award for Outstanding Business & Philanthropic Contributions, Woman of Courage Undaunted from the University of Washington Women’s Center, and the Filipino Women’s Network’s Most Influential Filipino Woman in the World. Blue retired from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in August 2020 after serving as an Executive Vice President for four years, one of the highest ranking AAPI officials in the labor movement. During her term was responsible for the SEIU Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Engagement and Leadership program, a member of the Racial Justice Task Force, chair of the Environmental and Climate Justice Committee, and chair of the Ethical Culture Committee. She served on the
SEIU Executive Board prior to her election as Executive Vice President. Luisa continues to be active in the community and serves on the Asian Health Services Community Board, a Trustee on Alameda County Health Systems Board of Trustees, and Vice President of the AAPI Victory Alliance Board. Luisa is the proud grandmother of seven grandchildren. The Commission will advise the president on ways the public, private, and non-profit sectors can work together to advance equity and opportunity for every Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. The Commission is also charged with advising the president on policies to address anti-Asian xenophobia and violence, ways to build capacity in AANHPI communities through federal grantmaking and policies to address the intersectional barriers that AANHPI women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities face. The Commission will include civic leaders from across the country
and will reflect the rich diversity of AANHPI communities across the United States. Other commissioners include Ajay Bhutoria, Kimberly Chang, Emily Chen, Daniel Dae Kim, Kerry Doi, Grace Huang, Victoria Huynh, Mia Ives-Rublee, Kamal Kalsi, Michelle Kauhane, Kevin Kim, Sarah Min, Simon Pang, Ai-jen Poo, Naheed Qureshi, Raynald Samoa, Sonal Shah, Smita Shah, Robert Underwood, and KaYing Yang. Biden on May 28 signed Executive Order 14031, “Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders” to establish the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) and deliver on his commitment to reinstate and reinvigorate this historic Initiative. The Commission is co-chaired by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and the U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai. n
3.4 million Pfizer shots donated by US...
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Variava also extended “heartfelt sympathies to those affected by Typhoon Odette,” the strongest storm to ravage the Philippines this year. “We are supporting ongoing Philippine response efforts and exploring ways to further assist communities in need,” she added. “We also remain committed to partnering with the Philip-
pines to protect Filipinos from COVID-19.” The U.S. said it has facilitated the delivery of more than 53 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the Philippines as the largest donor to the COVAX facility. Of these doses, the embassy said, 22 million were donated by the American people. The embassy added that the vaccines donated by the U.S. are
enough to fully vaccinate 10% of all Filipinos. In addition to vaccine donations, the U.S. said it provided the Philippines with more than P1.9 billion in COVID-19 assistance to support testing, critical care, communication campaigns, health worker protection and training, vaccine deployment, and necessary equipment and supplies. (Philstar.com)
PAL: Returning Filipinos might cancel... PAGE 1 the government to raise the limit on international arrivals. PAL’s share amounted to a fourth of the daily cap—or 1,200 passengers per day— to cover flights from at least 22 cities in the Middle East, North America, Asia and Australia. “We maintain our appeal to allow more arrivals to address the crying need to bring our compatriots home at this special time of the year,” Lee said.” We will do all we can to work with
the government authorities, including assistance with quarantine hotel bookings, to achieve this.” “Indeed, we are very grateful for the support that our government has extended in recent weeks, and we have made full use of alternate gateways in Subic, Davao, Cebu and Bohol to cater to the peak season arrivals,” Lee added. The flag carrier earlier appealed for a higher cap to accommodate the thousands
of returning Filipinos. It also provided assurances that all OFWs would have pre-arranged hotel bookings above those set by the Overseas Welfare Workers’ Administration. “The flag carrier is left with no choice but to cancel certain flights to comply with the stricter limits on certain days. An unplanned shortage in quarantine hotel rooms allotted for OFWs has limited the ability of OWWA to absorb arrivals from OFW-heavy countries,” PAL said. n
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The vaccine rollout was a success. But events...
‘MERCI BEAUCOUP’. National Task Force Against Covid-19 medical consultant Dr. Ma. Paz Corrales (4th from left), French Ambassador to Manila Michele Boccoz (3rd from left), and United Nations Children’s Fund immunization specialist Carla Orozco (5th from left) welcome the 1,697,000 doses of AstraZeneca donated by France through the COVAX Facility that arrived via Emirates Airlines Flight EK334 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal on Tuesday, December 21. The same flight also carried 1,623,960 doses of Pfizer vaccine donated by the United States via the COVAX Facility. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
Bongbong, Sara lead Pulse Asia... PAGE 1 with Sotto having a slight advantage at 39% to Duterte Carpio’s 38%. Duterte also led in all economic classes. In the senatorial race, Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano led the mag-
ic 12, followed by broadcaster Raffy Tulfo, Rep. Loren Legarda, Sorsogon Gov. Francis Escudero, Former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, Sen. Miguel Zubiri, former vice president Jejomar Binay, Sen. Joel Villanueva, Sen.
Sherwin Gatchalian, President Rodrigo Duterte, Robin Padilla, Sen. Risa Hontiveros and Former Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito. The Chief Executive, however, has pulled out of the race. n
Fil-Am named deputy chief of Los Angeles... PAGE 1 In 1984, Graham was a teenager when his mother Amalia moved him and his two siblings from Bayonne, New Jersey to Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. She raised the children as a single mother, while working as a nurse, as previously reported by the Asian Journal. As a student at Los Angeles Valley College, Graham worked part-time at the campus police department and met retired LAPD officers who encouraged him to explore a law enforcement career. He applied and was accepted into the LAPD Academy, where he graduated from in the fall of 1995. He completed his probation in the Pacific Division, before being assigned to the Devonshire station, which covers Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Granada Hills, Northridge, North Hills, Porter Ranch, West Hills and Winnetka. “I thought I was going to do this for about 10 years…take my pension and then walk away,” Graham told the Asian Journal in a 2019 interview. “But like any corny story, you fall in love and I fell in love with doing this job.” Graham spent nine years as an officer in the Devonshire
Commander Donald Graham has been promoted to deputy chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. AJPress file photo by Noel Ty
territory before being promoted to sergeant in the Southeast Division in 2006, sergeant II as a commander’s aide in the office of operations two years later, and then lieutenant in 2012 in the West Valley Patrol Division. The Fil-Am officer rose the ranks from captain to area commanding officer in North Hollywood before rising to commander in 2019. “As a Filipino American, as a New Jersey American, I can’t
imagine having done anything else with…my life. This is the most incredible job, not just because it’s different every day, not just because there’s this visceral idea that people who prey on other people are the people who are afraid of us. Trust me, it’s a visceral feeling. But really what is the key to this job is how many people who have come back and have said ‘thank you,’” Graham said in a previous interview. (AJPress)
PAGE 1 er setbacks — both within and beyond his control — stymied progress against CoVID-19. After all, cases in the U.S. are again surging, largely due to the delta and omicron variants. In some places, these numbers, as well as hospitalization tallies, are approaching the highest levels in months. This month, the U.S. surpassed 800,000 covid-related deaths since the pandemic started, and the 1 million mark is in view. The reopening of Broadway shows — something viewed by many as a sign that normalcy was returning — is facing interruptions as breakthrough cases among cast members cause intermittent performance cancellations. The sports world is facing its own covid-related disturbances. Colleges have announced they will hold final exams remotely and are canceling winter graduations. All of this calls into question how much progress has been made against covid. Let’s take a look at what happened in 2021 and whether Biden’s efforts have made a difference. Even before taking office, Biden set an initial target of getting 100 million doses of vaccine administered in his first 100 days. While there was initial uncertainty about this target, it turned out to be an easily achievable goal that took only 58 days. Still, vaccine distribution unfolded by fits and starts. At first, only certain populations were eligible for shots. And when Biden announced he was ordering states to open up eligibility to all adults May 1, demand outstripped vaccine supply in many locations. By summer, though, most who wanted a vaccine could get one — free of charge. That push “was extraordinary,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “The Biden administration increased the number of people to get shots, they increased the number of places to get shots, they reduced the number of disparities for those getting shots,” he said. Indeed, getting almost half of the U.S. population fully vaccinated in the first six months of 2021 resulted in a huge drop in covid cases, hospitalizations and deaths by early summer. Recent data from the Commonwealth Fund indicates that the covid vaccination program in the U.S. prevented 1 million deaths and
10 million hospitalizations. Yet, those two optimistic signs — high vaccine availability and low covid cases — led the Biden administration to prematurely assert triumph over the virus, said Dr. Leana Wen, a professor of health policy and management at George Washington University. This was just one of several messaging missteps made by Biden and his administration in 2021, said the experts. “They had declared victory right when delta was starting to surge,” Wen said. Wen pointed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “confused” messaging, starting with an announcement in May that those who were fully vaccinated no longer needed to wear masks indoors or outdoors, or practice physical distancing, even though those strategies had proved useful in combating the virus. The change in mask guidance came at a pivotal time. The dangerous delta variant was beginning to take hold throughout the U.S., and public health officials were only starting to understand that those who had been vaccinated could still spread the virus. As delta boosted case counts in midsummer, the CDC had to walk back its guidance to recommend that vaccinated people resume wearing masks indoors if they lived in an area with substantial or high transmission. This remains the recommendation. Yet, that initial announcement opened
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a door for many states and localities to repeal their mask requirements and never reinstate them, despite continued high levels of transmission nationwide. “The unmasking order back in May was too hastily done,” Benjamin said. “That was a misstep.” Also, Biden’s announcement in mid-August that booster shots would be available by Sept. 20 to all Americans preceded both the Food and Drug Administration’s recommendation and the CDC’s guidance on boosters for everyone — another stumble. The FDA didn’t authorize boosters for all adults until November. “I think people saw that as him making a political statement,” Benjamin said. “He knew that was where we were going, where the science was taking us. He got ahead of it.” overall, though, Biden followed the science, said the experts. Plus, implementing regular covid media briefings with scientists and public health leaders, and allowing Dr. Anthony Fauci, his chief medical adviser, to be front and center and not contradicting his advice, represented a meaningful change from the previous administration, when daily briefings were held but speakers often dismissed scientific evidence in favor of untested treatments and the president, himself, would dismiss the pandemic’s severity. Biden also used the power of his office to advance certain PAGE 5
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Odette’s impact on PH described...
PAGE 2 line before Odette struck. According to the UN OCHA report, basic needs included rice supply good for at least two months, meat, water and hygiene items. The supply of meat was expected to have been wiped out. People who sought shelter in evacuation sites continued to plead for communication with their families through either satellite phones or other means of relaying messages. “To rebuild livelihoods, fishing boats and gears as well as agricultural inputs are needed,” the UN OCHA report said. Bringing in supplies was one of the biggest challenges. The report said supplies for Dinagat Island may have to come from Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City or the Agusan provinces. Findings made by assessment teams showed that priority needs included shelter, water, sanitation, food security, health, education, psychosocial intervention. “Equally important were emergency telecommunications, logistics and coordination,” UN OCHA said. Needed with urgency are food, potable water, fuel, medical supplies. In areas where markets had been restored, the UN OCHA report said, people were pleading for cash instead. Education pummeled The UN team’s education cluster reported 29,671 schools affected and forced to suspend class activities. At least 71 schools were damaged and 3,935 classrooms were being used as shelters. As of Dec. 19, the UN OCHA report said, classes in 16,666 schools were suspended. “The repair of damaged schools
solar lamps, shelter equipment. The report took note of some positive developments in the telecommunications sector in the hardest-hit areas. “The private sector mobile operators were making progress in getting signals working again,” said UN OCHA. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) had already asked for the help of World Food Programme to restore communications of government offices for better coordination and response. Agriculture damage is a major concern, too, said the UN OCHA report. Two days after Odette’s first landfall, the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture already estimated initial loss of P127 million. This was the initial cost of at least 8,600 metric tons of produce destroyed. At least 6,695 hectares of farms were hit and 2,582 farmers were facing income loss. “The effect of Typhoon Rai was expected to severely and negatively impact families dependent on farming and fishing as their primary or secondary source of livelihood,” said the UN OCHA report, using Odette’s international name. Backyard gardens, which help families earn income and add nutrition to their food intake, had been destroyed. “People, including farmers and fishers, were in need of food to prevent food insecurity,” said the UN OCHA report. The lack of food carried security and law enforcement threats, the report said. Displaced people, who have not been getting enough food, had admitted they may resort to “negative coping mechanisms”, like looting, in the absence of long-term food assistance. In the region of Caraga, the UN OCHA report said, food stock may last only up to two months. CitingthePhilippineDepartment of Health (DOH), UN OCHA said at least 128 health facilities in areas hit by Odette took a beating from Category 4 wind gusts. Early data, said the UN OCHA report, counted at least nine facilities damaged or destroyed. “Several hospitals had patients in damaged hospital buildings,” the report said. The impact of Odette on the Philippines’ vaccination campaign was significant, too, according Fallen electric pylons block a road while a sign asking for food (L) is displayed along a road in to UN OCHA. It said at least 637 Surigao City, Surigao del norte province, on Sunday, Dec. 19, days after Super Typhoon Odette local governments had cancelled devastated the city. Photo courtesy of AFP vaccination activities. ■ and classrooms was likely to take several months and hamper the education of learners,” the report said. In areas where schools had been destroyed or damage, UN OCHA said the immediate needs were temporary learning spaces, learning kits and psychosocial support. While assessment and documentation of the damage continued, UN OCHA said preliminary data showed 20,102 houses had been destroyed while 34,681 others had been damaged. Most are made of light materials. In two areas—Siargao and Dinagat—“assessment indicated that 95 percent of structures in coastal areas were destroyed or damaged,” said the report. Quoting the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the report said as of Dec. 20 at least 631,402 people had been displaced in areas on Odette’s path. In two areas—Surigao City and Bohol province—it was estimated that people may have to stay in evacuation centers for three to six months until their homes had been rebuilt. People in Surigao City are appealing for supplies of corrugated sheets and tarpaulins as they start repairing their houses. “Inside evacuation centers, assessmentsobservedovercrowded spaces, especially at night when families come back to the center after repairing their homes,” the UN OCHA report said. “Partners highlighted that the spread of COVID-19 was more likely in the crowded shelters,” it said. Among items needed immediately were mosquito nets,
YUMMY ‘PASALUBONG’. Workers of an espasol (rice cake) shop demonstrate the process of making the delicacy during the Green Corridor Initiative (GCI) experiential tour of the Department of Tourism. The DOT has launched five tourism circuits in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) featuring “visitor-ready” destinations in the region. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
The vaccine rollout was a success. But events... PAGE 3
public health measures. He issued vaccine mandates for federal employees and contractors, health care workers and certain companies. This has increased the number of people vaccinated, though the mandates, except for the one aimed at government workers, are on hold while objections work their way through the court system. And, despite state rollbacks of mask mandates, the president has continued to require masking in areas under his control, including within the interstate transportation and air travel industries and in federal buildings. He also signed a $1.9 trillion covid relief law in March that provided financial assistance to people in the form of stimulus checks, child tax credits and additional unemployment benefits, as well as aid to states and local governments. However, one area in which government efforts have been severely lacking is covid testing, said every public health expert we consulted. “We need more availability of at-home rapid tests. There shouldn’t be shortages,” said Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, which represents state and local public health agencies. The Biden administration has invoked the Defense Production Act to ramp up production of rapid tests, and is providing tests free of charge to commu-
nity health clinics and requiring private insurance companies to reimburse consumers for tests they buy. It could do more, said Jen Kates, director of global health and HIV policy at KFF. “They still haven’t gone to the next step and bought tests and sent them to every household, to really blanket the country with tests,” Kates said. That would prove especially vital if the U.S. does indeed experience a winter surge due to delta and omicron as anticipated. Variants, especially delta, have caused more serious disease symptoms than other forms of the covid virus, exacerbating the challenge of battling the pandemic this year. Still, data shows that covid-related death rates were far higher among the unvaccinated than the vaccinated. The volume of people unwilling to get the shot because of vaccine hesitancy or misinformation may have contributed to the high number of covid deaths in 2021, which have surpassed 2020, said Kates. In addition, covid vaccines weren’t widely available to everyone in the U.S. until May. Plus, during 2020, much of the U.S. was locked down at home, while many activities have resumed in 2021, with increased opportunities for viral spread. Still, under Biden, according to the latest metrics, more than 61% of the U.S. population — and 72% of adults — have been fully vaccinated against covid.
“I think we should really be celebrating the 70% more,” Plescia said. “For adult vaccinations, we never get anywhere close to that number with other vaccines, like influenza.” Yet, as the nation stares down omicron, the country braces for increasing cases amid continued uncertainty over when the pandemic will finally end. Experts agreed the U.S. has made positive gains in its efforts against covid this year, but there is more work to do. Testing, continuing to encourage vaccinations and boosters in the U.S., and providing shots to the world — to help prevent future variants — are the only ways to reach a point where covid becomes endemic, they said. “We are in a different place. Last year we needed vaccines. Now we need to get to the point where testing is the norm,” Wen said. “This is how we’re going to live with covid in our lives in the future and is how we as America will be able to move on.” (Victoria Knight/Kaiser Health News) This story was produced by KHN (Kaiser Health News), a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. ■
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6
DECEMBER 23-29, 2021 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL
OPINION
An industry in the ICU
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
FEATURES
BUSINESSES are coming back to life as pandemic restrictions are eased. One industry, however, has been in the intensive care unit even before COVID struck: the fireworks manufacturers and dealers, based mostly in Bulacan. The government must decide whether it wants to get the industry out of the ICU or just have it incinerated for good. As part of efforts to make the New Year revelry safe, the government has discouraged the use of firecrackers, imposing a ban on potentially deadly products and tightening regulation of the manufacture, distribution and sale. From Dec. 21, 2020 to Jan. 1, 2021, the fireworksrelated injuries were down 85 percent from the previous year, from 340 cases to just 49, with no cases of fireworks ingestion or death. The industry, however, blames injuries and deaths on substandard or unsafe products churned out by unlicensed operators. At stake, according to industry players, are the livelihoods of an estimated 200,000 people not only in Bulacan but also in other areas where fireworks are made or distributed. Industry players have lamented that law enforcers and consumers alike have been confused by the passage of Republic Act 7183 in 1992 and the release of Executive Order 28 in 2017 by President Duterte. RA 7183 and the
Editorial
As A Matter of Fact SARA SOLIVEN DE GUZMAN JUST as we were about to begin our nine-day Advent novena prayer (or Simbang Gabi) last week, Super Typhoon Odette hit the Visayas and Mindanao islands with strong winds, heavy rainfall and storm surges that destroyed homes, uprooted trees and toppled power lines. Super Typhoon Odette, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane, is the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year. It made landfall nine times, causing massive floods in: (1) Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte; (2) Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands; (3) Liloan, Southern Leyte; (4) Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte; (5) President Carlos P. Garcia, Bohol; (6) Bien Unido, Bohol; (7) Carcar, Cebu; (8) La Libertad, Negros Occidental; (9) Roxas, Palawan. The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) initially reported that millions of households were affected, over 330,000 people were evacuated. The typhoon left over 63 cities and municipalities without electricity, affected 73 seaports and had over 160 domestic and international flights cancelled. Typhoon Odette exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) at 12:40 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18. According to initial reports from the local government units, the typhoon left over a dozen people dead
With 139 days or less than 20 weeks before elections, political analyst Mon Casiple advised this columnist not to believe what election surveys are saying today. In my TV interview, Casiple says the people, by and large, are not yet “serious” enough today in revealing their “final presidential, vice presidential or even senatorial preferences” asked by pollsters. “They will critique the entire campaign period and watch their performance in televised debates before making a final decision,” Casiple added. He says the poll survey in last quarter of the month of April, or less than two weeks before the polls open, will reveal the
altogether. Industry players also lament the proliferation of mom-and-pop backyard enterprises that produce firecrackers in dangerous environments, with some employing even minors. The result is the proliferation of substandard or unsafe products. RA 7183 seeks to impose quality controls on the industry, but unlicensed operators continue to undermine the law. Even before the sale and use of fireworks were tightened, poor quality control had made the industry suffer from imported competition. The flood of imports prompted calls for the industry to develop export-quality products. Around the world, firecrackers and other pyrotechnics continue to be widely used during celebrations. As another New Year in the time of COVID
Philstar.com photo
approaches, the beleaguered fireworks industry will be meeting with authorities to discuss the proper implementation of the law and EO. At the same time, the government must decide whether
it should provide assistance to an industry in the development of products that are not only safe to use in the country but also of such quality that they can compete with the world’s best. (Philstar.com)
Christmas – a new journey of optimism and hope and caused huge destruction in parts of Mindanao and the Visayas. “Our landscape in the aftermath is reminiscent of, if not worse than, when Yolanda hit our province,” Dinagat Governor Arlene Bag-ao said. According to DPWH Undersecretary Emerson Benitez, damage to infrastructure, particularly roads and bridges alone, has been estimated at P178.4 million. This does not include buildings and private structures. The provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Biliran, Leyte and Eastern Samar experienced power interruption. By the way, in the midst of this typhoon, I was changing channels both on the radio and on my television set, hoping to find up to date news about how the typhoon has hit the different areas but to my dismay no station covered this disaster as extensively as how ABS-CBN did in the past. In hindsight, President Duterte and his allies in the House of Representatives shouldn’t have closed ABS-CBN. They should have just sanctioned the station to pay up to their mistakes, if any. They should actually acknowledge how this station has helped our country bring the news from North to South and from East to West and how it has grown significant in helping the country. Our poorly equipped PTV channel doesn’t have the ability to do the job of such public service. This is one endeavor our future leader must actually prioritize. Well, this double-whammy
situation with the threat of COVID-19 virus (and numbers rising again) still lingering around is quite devastating. Those in evacuation centers must continue to protect themselves with face masks and get vitamins to boost their immune systems. But how can they even think of any safety precautions when survival is the priority. This is where government must exert more effort in creating good and effective systems in providing temporary shelter, food, clothing, medicine and other basic needs to the people. * * * Isn’t this very timely? Is God trying to send us a message? While everyone is politicking amidst the pandemic, He sends us a typhoon. Not just a storm but a super typhoon, the strongest ever. Truly, we can always see the worst and best in our leaders during a disaster. By their deeds you will know them (Matthew 7:16). You know who are sincere in reaching out. Those who care versus those who are callous and cold. Those who are pretending to care. In Filipino, the term “pakitang tao” describes how our public servants are like today. They only come out to show off. They want people to believe that they are sincere and truthful in their words, actions and deeds but in reality there is a very dark side to them. In fact, they can easily sway and influence the masa, making the poor and illiterate adore them, hail them as their savior, their answered prayer. Little do they know how much they abuse power and steal from the
country’s coffers. These dirty politicians have made an industry out of governance. They are the very reason we continue to suffer and why we never progress. The sad fact is that Filipinos allow bad leaders to easily influence them. Even with lessons from history already written and told, many choose to ignore the stories, allowing corruption, greed and abusive power to prevail without making them accountable. Many of the poor and illiterate are easily swayed by money. They are not principled enough to fight for what is right, to help protect our country from the force of evil and to sustain their future. On the day of the elections, they are easily lured by what they will receive from the corrupt politician, forgetting the suffering and sacrifices of the life they live. So, this vicious cycle will continue to repeat itself unless our people start to think right. By this tragic event, a week before Christmas, isn’t God giving us a chance to cleanse our hearts and our spirits? One more chance to clearly see right from wrong, good from bad? I am pretty sure that this nation is tired of the politicians from the Old Order. Aren’t we weary of the contending political parties of the Old Republic or the apparently “new” parties, party-lists and groups that have sprung up, cloaking old ambitions in the trappings of a new crusade? My late father would always get annoyed by the word “new” in every political slogan. He would quip – the word “new” is a bit frayed and has gotten
AJPress photo by Kendrick Tan
discredited over the years, with such flashy titles as “New Society,” “New Filipino” and “New Republic” being tarnished and misused. But what is called for is a New Opposition and a fresh array of leaders who have not been scarred or tarred by the old politics. Just as Christmas was born in Bethlehem to signal the conclusion and fulfillment of the Old Testament, a New Political Testament must be laid out to give
the Filipino people an opportunity to begin anew, to start out on a journey of optimism and hope. Here’s wishing everyone God’s love and protection in the coming days, in the coming year. Merry Christmas! *** 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.
Don’t believe those poll surveys yet
Commentary
JAKE J. MADERAZO
EO regulate the manufacture, sale and use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices, but some people erroneously think the law and EO have banned the products
“winning candidate”. With our experience from the 1992 (FVR win), 1998 (Erap), 2004 (PGMA), 2010 (Pnoy), and 2016 (Duterte), I would agree that past surveys during the pre-campaign periods are purely “mind conditioning” or “posturing” by candidates to look “winning” and therefore “collect” much needed and substantial donations from “gambling” businessmen. Senatorial candidates, particularly, do this. Let us remember that two primary issues today are our economic situation and the other is the pandemic threat of Omicron. The opposition continues to fan the issue of “pandemic corruption”, the arbitral ruling, the drug problem, and the ICC issue of Duterte, hoping to score points. Analysts also argue that the massive
damage inflicted by recent super-typhoon Odette is becoming a political issue from voters in Central, Western Visayas and Northern Mindanao especially on how government and presidential candidates responded. Very interesting questions, but which candidate must be blamed by the opposition? After Senator Bong Go formally withdrew his candidacy followed by President Duterte in the senatorial race, it is very clear that they will assume roles as “kingmakers” in the May 2022 polls. Of course, daughter Sara Duterte is the chosen one but she is just a vice presidential aspirant. Now, who is the presidential candidate do you think will be blessed by Duterte? Who among the legislators will receive the massive resources of the incumbent administra-
tion? Who among the allies will receive the more than P141-B pesos For Later Release (FLR) budget allocation for this year 2021 and P280-B carryover of last year 2020? The opposition has been clamoring for the immediate release of these line-item funds (pork barrel) but the General Appropriations Act requires the approval of the President. And now that Digong is a kingmaker, these massive funds empower him as a very influential lame duck, one that can dictate the outcome of the coming polls. And so, what kind of political game is the President playing? Early in the day, he lambasted Bongbong Marcos for being lazy. He never retracted his accusation even if his daughter chose Bongbong as her running mate. And what about the
great possibility that the Comelec, of whom all will be Duterte appointees, will cancel Bongbong’s COC and disqualify him? What will the Supreme Court, the majority of which will be Duterte’s appointees also next year, say on this matter? Is the President waiting for a third or a fourth candidate outside of the Marcos and the yellow groups? There are strong views that if either Bongbong Marcos or Leni Robredo wins, this country will be further divided and sunk by unending partisan politics. Or is the President waiting and playing on the geopolitical ramifications of the coming elections? It is established fact that Leni Robredo is the American and Western preference. It is also known that Mrs. Imelda Marcos has direct ties with Mainland China’s leaders, af-
ter her husband opened diplomatic relations in 1974. It was rumored that when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited here years ago, he attended a private party with the Marcoses. Of course, at stake here is our next President’s future assertions on the South China sea arbitral ruling, our alliance with the US or diplomatic relations with China. And so, hold your horses. A lot of things will happen from today until the last week of April. And President Duterte, the political genius-lame duck, will keep us all guessing, as always. *** 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.
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Dateline PMarcos hiliPPines team answers petitioners’ court certificate LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • december 23-29, 2021
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‘PH needs permanent evacuation centers’
MANILA — The construction of permanent evacuation centers in the communities should be planned by the government to address the lack of facilities for victims of calamities such as typhoons and earthquakes. Senatorial aspirant Gen. Guillermo Eleazar made the proposal after noticing the lack of evacuation centers for victims of Typhoon Odette. Eleazar lamented that some of the victims had to be shel-
tered in covered courts or barangay halls while others stayed in classrooms during the typhoon. “We cannot take away the fact that many typhoons pass our country each year, so we have to focus on preparing for these. Once elected, I will push in the Senate the establishment of strong and orderly evacuation centers where people can go during a typhoon or an earthquake,” he said in
Filipino. He said the Department of Public Works and Highways should be allocated with a specific budget for the construction of permanent evacuation centers. “It’s better if we can have an evacuation facility in each city or municipality so we don’t have to use schools or basketball courts,” Eleazar, former national police chief, said. (Philstar.com)
PH no longer at last spot of Bloomberg’s monthly COVID-19 resiliency ranking by John
Eric MEndoza Inquirer.net
MANILA — The Philippines is no longer as the last spot in an international ranking that assesses the resiliency of selected countries in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, breaking a third-consecutive month combo when the country placed at a rock bottom of the list. The archipelago now ranked 50 out of 53 countries in Bloomberg’s monthly COVID-19 resiliency ranking. “The Philippines — ranked last the past three months
— edges up three places as restrictions were eased, vaccination rates improved and the positive test rate fell, suggesting that undetected infection is finally coming under control,” said Bloomberg in its report published Wednesday, December 22. The indicators used in the Bloomberg report include vaccination coverage, virus containment, the severity of lockdowns, quality of healthcare, progress toward restarting travel, and the overall mortality throughout the pandemic. Bloomberg noted that South-
east Asian countries continue to occupy the bottom rankings on the list for seven months in a row. Replacing the Philippines, Vietnam is now at the bottom of the list. The vaccination rate continued to increase after the Philippine government administered a total of 101,656,214 vaccine doses with 45,284,617 individuals now fully vaccinated as of Wednesday. The country saw a continuous decrease of cases despite the detection of three confirmed cases of Omicron variant of the new coronavirus. n
17 government agencies flagged over idle projects by ElizabEth
MarcElo Philstar.com
MANILA — The Commission on Audit (COA) has called out 17 government agencies over delayed, abandoned and idle infrastructure projects amounting to P1.44 trillion, saying this may result in complete wastage of government funds. In its consolidated annual financial report for national government agencies for 2020, the COA said various infrastructure projects implemented by the agencies “were either not executed in accordance with the plan, with noted deficiencies, not completed on time (or) not completed at all, which may result in waste of government
funds or delayed enjoyment of project benefits.” This was on top of uncompleted infrastructure projects amounting P1.1 billion implemented by various state universities and colleges, he said. The audit body attributed the delays in the project completion to “abandonment by the contractor, inefficiency in monitoring of project implementation, poor planning and workmanship and lack of coordination with local government units and other agencies concerned.” One of the agencies identified as responsible for the bulk of the delayed projects was the Department of TransportationOffice of the Secretary (DOTr– OSEC).
The COA noted that 15 foreign-assisted projects (FAPs) under the DOTr-OSEC for 2020, amounting P1.313 trillion, have encountered “various issues/ setbacks,” resulting in extension of project implementation period, further delays, change in total project cost, slippages and low to no actual physical project accomplishments, “which consequently will require project restructuring.” “The overall causes of delays in the project implementation also resulted in the incurrence and payment of additional commitment fees for the seven FAPs amounting to P158.224 million in calendar year 2020 per Bureau of Treasury report,” the COA added. n
7
with BIR document of payment in tax case by KristinE Joy
Philstar.com
Patag
MANILA — The campaign of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, December 22 presented a certification of payment to the Bureau of Internal Revenue, in an apparent answer to petitioners seeking the cancellation of his Certificate of Candidacy. Lawyer Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ spokesperson, showed to the media a BIR certification showing that it received four payments on December 27, 2001 from Marcos, totaling to P67,137.21. The receipt showed that Marcos paid P3,172.48 for the year of 1982; 8,788.13 for 1983; P5,925.57 for 1984 and P49,251.09 for 1985. According to the receipt, Marcos paid a total of P13,137.27 for total deficiency income tax, fine of P36,000 and surcharge of P18,000. The campaign of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday presented a certification of payment to the Bureau of Internal Revenue, in an apparent answer to petitioners seeking the cancellation of his Certificate of Candidacy. The certification, Rodriguez said, supposedly shows that Marcos “has paid all his deficiency taxes including interest.” Rodriguez said they have long had the certification but opted not to show it because, he said, the petitioners were “fishing for evidence.” He is referring to the six civic leaders who filed a petition to cancel or deny due course Marcos’ COC, through a plea prepared by lawyer Theodore Te. “It has been paid. We owe nothing to the government,” Rodriguez said, adding that “there is no greater authority when it comes to ITR than the BIR.” He added that the BIR certification “invalidates” claims by the petitioners that submitted to the Comelec certifications from the Quezon City Regional
Trial Court Branch 105, and the Office of the Clerk of Court of Quezon City stating that they have “no records” of Marcos’ compliance The QC RTC Branch 105 issued a certification, dated December 2, stating that it has “no record on file” of “compliance of payment or satisfaction of the Decision of the [RTC] dated July 27, 1995 or the [CA] dated October 31, 1997.” The QC OCC meanwhile on December 14 issued a separate certification stating that “per verification with the records on file, this office has no record of any compliance/payment of fine” in the four criminal cases against Marcos. Asked how it was possible for the court to not have records of the fines being paid, Rodriguez refused to venture an answer and said he does not speculate, nor can he answer for the court. Rodriguez also reiterated their defense, filed through a memorandum by Estelito Mendoza — solicitor-general during the dictatorship of the elder Marcos — that the petitioners engaged in an “ambush” when they presented the certificate as evidence. In their filed memorandum, Marcos’ lawyers said: “Petitioners acted in contravention of not only the rules of the Honorable Commission but also of the concept of fair play and due process,” Payment The Court of Appeals ruling on the case against Marcos stated that he is ordered to pay the following: • Pay to the BIR the deficiency income taxes due with interest at the legal rate until fully paid • Pay a fine of P2,000 for each charge in Criminal Cases Nos. Q-92-29212 and Q-9212917 for failure to file income tax returns for the years 1982, 1983 and 1984; and the fine of P30,000 in Criminal Case No. Q-91-24391 for failure to file income tax return for 1985, with surcharges In Marcos’ Answer to the
petition filed in November, his lawyers said the order to pay the BIR is “unclear” as it “does not specify the particular deficiency income tax which appellant therein is required to pay with interest at the rate until fully paid.” In a separate pleading, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas officers, including Rodriguez, filed an Answer-in-Intervention, telling the Comelec that Marcos paid the “fine on December 27, 2001” but this was ordered stricken off by the Commission as with other pleas to join the main petition. “[Marcos] appealed the CA decision to the Supreme Court. On August 8, 2001, he decided to withdraw his appeal and opted to just pay the fine plus interest and surcharges which amounted to P67,137.27,” the PFP officers’ pleading read. Why is it important that Marcos had paid the income tax dues with interest and fines? Petitioners said Marcos not complying with the Court of Appeals’ final judgment means he has not served the sentence. Marcos’ lawyers however argued that, following the Omnibus Elections Code, disqualification stemming from the conviction has been automatically removed upon the lapse of five years from the payment of fines and penalties in December 2001—which means by December 28, 2006, Marcos “was no longer disqualified to be a candidate and hold public office.” But the petitioners asserted that the conviction on Marcos’ case falls under PD 1994 and not under the Omnibus Election Code. “Marcos Jr.’s conviction under PD 1994, ipso facto, perpetually disqualifies him from public office without regard to ‘moral turpitude.’ To rule otherwise is to engage in judicial legislation,” they told the Comelec. Marcos and his runningmate, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, emerged as the top choices in the latest Pulse Asia pre-elections survey released on Wednesday. n
8
DECEMBER 23-29, 2021 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL
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VEGAS&STYLE
December 23, 2021
JOURNAL
INSIDE
LIFESTYLE • CONSUMER GUIDE • COMMUNITY • MARKETPLACE
Dissecting the classic Noche Buena spread by
IF the long list of Christmas trends and traditions was any indication, Filipinos love celebrating the yuletide season. Be it decorating the house with lanterns and ornaments as early as the Ber months begin, going Christmas caroling, or completing Simbang Gabi, Filipinos are known to never run out of ways to signify the festivities. However, nothing marks the season more than preparing the Noche Buena spread. Noche Buena, which is Spanish for “night of goodness,” is an important Filipino custom that brings together two of Filipinos’ most beloved things: food and family. After attending the last Mass of Simbang Gabi on Christmas Eve, Filipinos go back home to a large feast adorning the dining table. The spread of various dishes is then shared with their extended families and invited friends as they welcome Christmas Day. And while every Noche Buena
ritchEl MEndiola/aJPrEss
spread is different, there are still a couple of staple dishes that you’re likely to find in every Filipino household. Here are some of them: • Christmas ham or hamon – this mainstay dish is not only found on dinner tables, but in Christmas care packages gifted to friends and/or employees, as well. The hamon is usually marinated in pineapple juice, sugar, salt and spices, for that sweet and savory flavor all Filipinos crave. • Keso de bola – this ball of Edam cheese, which usually has a red paraffin wax covering, is the perfect companion for the beloved hamon. • Lechon – no Filipino festivity is ever complete without lechong baboy (roasted pig). This popular delicacy is usually stuffed with spices such as lemongrass, garlic, onions, laurel, ground black peppercorn, and salt, and then roasted on a large bamboo spit over an open fire. Filipino lechons are also popu-
lar for their perfectly crispy skin, and flavorful tender meat. • Kakanin – sweet, sticky, and rice-based cakes like bibingka and puto bumbong are the crowd favorites especially after attending Simbang Gabi, but these also never leave the dining table during Noche Buena. • Lumpiang shanghai – this finger food is the Filipino version of spring rolls. Deep-fried and stuffed with ground pork, green onions, carrots, and water chestnuts, this crunchy bitesized dish is everyone’s favorite appetizer to eat before the main dish. • Fruit salad – this one is the Filipinos’ choice dessert for the holiday season. It’s very easy to make: just mix a drained canned fruit cocktail with cream and sweetened condensed milk in a large container, refrigerate it for a few hours, and you’re good to go. AJPress Illustration by Jillian Peñalosa The Noche Buena is the mostanticipated dinner gathering of es served on the table, it’s easy the highlight of Noche Buena with your family, bonding over the year, and with all these dish- to see why. But more than that, is being able to share the feast good food, stories, and love.
Alex and Toni: Strong sisterhood Angeline is confident about becoming a good parent on- and off-screen by boy
abUnda Philstar.com
by christina
alPad
ManilaTimes.net
PEOPLE in and outside showbiz admire the strong bond between celebrity sisters Toni Gonzaga-Soriano and Alex Gonzaga-Morada. Through the years they’ve proven that sibling rivalry doesn’t have to happen even among those who choose to forge the same career path. In fact, in the case of Toni and Alex, they’ve always been each other’s biggest cheerleaders in every endeavor. And even if they’re both married women now, the sisters are proud to say they are closer than ever before. So whether on or off camera, what you see is what you get with the Gonzaga sisters. “I think nakatulong din na dalawa lang kami kaya yung talagang bond na nabuo namin, made us so connected until now. We may not be physically together all the time but the communication is always there so in every milestones, ano man ang pinagdadaanan, lagi kaming present,” older sister Toni shared at the media conference for their Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry, “The Exorsis.” Alex added she has always felt her sister’s support and presence in her ups and downs. “Ate ko ang una kong sinabihan when I got pregnant and siya din ang isa sa una kong sinabihan with the outcome. Hindi mo man mararamdaman yung physically nandyan siya pero yung presence, love and care niya nararamdaman mo. Lagi kaming one text and one call away.” Those who know this strong bond between the
Gonzaga girls will therefore be surprised that for the second time, they play warring sisters in the MMFF. In 2018, the Gonzagas debuted in the annual film festival via the comedy-drama “Mary, Marry Me” where they fought over one groom in Sam Milby. This time around, the two are at odds in a horror-comedy. Exorcis is a co-production of Viva Films and TinCan Production, and follows the story of Gina (Toni) and Dani (Alex), sisters with very different personalities. Gina is formal and goal-oriented, while Dani is more of a free spirit, who lives life by the day. Orphaned earl, orphans, it has been Gina’s responsibility as the eldest to take care of their family. Orphaned, it is Gina who assumed the responsibility of taking care of both of them. As the eldest, she dutifully manages their grocery business, which has been able to provide for her and her sister’s needs. One day, fate steps into the sisters’ routine life as Gina’s longtime dream to work abroad comes knocking at her door. She holds back, though, worried that Dani’s reckless and irresponsible ways will get the better of her and spell the end of their small but dependable business if she leaves managment to her little sister. In the middle of her dillema, an eerie night turns for the worse when a mysterious girl named Leng-Leng meets an accident right in front of Gina’s grocery store and dies. The poor young lady’s soul quickly wanders, finds Dani, and takes over her body.
Now possessed by Leng-Leng, Dani tries to attack everyone she meets, including her sister. As Dani’s condition worsens, Gina frantically finds a way to help, protect and save Dani from the evil spirit that refuses to leave her body. “Matatawa kayo kasi even if the movie has that horror feel to it, binabali namin yung takot sa mga dialogue at eksena,” Alex promised. “Hindi siya ganoon ka-nakakatakot kasi ang iniisip namin lagi, gusto namin mapanood ng bata. Meron din siyang drama kasi papasok yung nasirang relationship ng magkapatid,” Toni furthered. All in all, the sisters promise audiences will feel different kinds of emotions when they watch the horror-comedy. The sisters are also happy that even if their project was long delayed, it will be among the first local movies to return to the big screen after the strict pandemic lockdowns. “Before pandemic, we were scheduled to shoot a movie na talaga. Then [when they were finally allowed to shoot], ang daming inadjust at pinalitan yung story para masunod ang protocols. Nung tapos na yung film, ang tagal naka-can then biglang nagbukas yung submission sa MMFF,” Toni, who is also the movie’s co-producer, shared. “Because of the pandemic, wala na kaming idea kung saan siya lalabas. So the fact na nakasama kami sa MMFF and now, magbubukas na ang sinehan, very excited kami. Hindi na namin inexpect na makikita pa ito sa movie house,” Alex finally said.
ANGELINE Quinto displayed a praiseworthy sense of responsibility when she announced that she is expecting her first child. The happy news set the record straight about speculations of her pregnancy that began after her Nov. 6 Instagram post of an image with a caption, “New Life, Chapter One.” “Mama Bob (her mom who passed away last year) was the reason why I made such a post. Nung nawala ang Mama ko, parang panibagong panimula ulit,” said Angeline during our conversation in The Purple Chair Interview for the Boy Abunda Talk Channel on YouTube. “And second, because I am going to be a mother,” added the Kapamilya talent, who is due to give birth in April 2022. Angeline admitted to having initially felt scared upon learning that she’s pregnant. She wondered how to break the news to people. “Tito Boy, natakot ako nung una kasi sa totoo lang, hindi ko pa nga alam tingnan yung positive at negative sa pregnancy test, kasi nasanay ako sa swab (laughs). Pero nag-search ako sa Internet at yun positive nalaman ko. “It took me so long inside the CR, I couldn’t go out as I was thinking to whom am I going to tell about it first. Sa bahay, wala akong sinabihan agad kasi natatakot nga po ako. Natakot ako una, (dahil) sa trabaho ko. Paano ko masasabi sa mga katrabaho ko? Pero bukod naman dun, ‘yung takot na pagiging nanay o sa bata, wala naman.” Angeline is confident about becoming a good parent, stressing the point that she was raised so well by her very loving and responsible Mama Bob. “I’m so excited. I’ve never been so excited like this in my life. Parang hindi na ko mahihirapan kasi ang daming nanay na malapit sa akin, at unang-una, napalaki naman ako ng maayos ng Mama Bob.
Angeline Quinto
Photo from Instagram/@loveangelinequinto
“I’m sure I’ll be a good mother as well. ‘Yun yung habang buhay kong babaunin, lahat ng mga naiwan sa akin ng Mama Bob. Hindi na yung materyal na bagay, Ang akin, ‘yung mababaon ko talaga hanggang pagtanda ko, yung mga natutunan ko kay Mama Bob,” she said. Angeline recalled how her mom would often nudge her about getting married and starting her own family. “Sabi ko nga sa kanya, ‘Ma, bakit mo ba ‘ko laging kinukulit na mag-asawa?’ and she said, ‘kasi ‘pag nawala ako, wala kang kasama.’ And that’s true, Tito Boy, nung nawala ang Mama Bob, wala, mag-isa lang ako. Naramdaman ko yung lungkot.” She had her first boyfriend, she mused, when she was in sixth grade. “’Yung sumunod, second year high school yata ako,” added Angeline. Without giving away the identity of her non-showbiz boyfriend, Angeline shared that he is equally enthusiastic about becoming a father again. She disclosed that he already has children from his past relationships but he is not married. “For me, before you enter into a relationship, there is something complicated that you will find out. Tinanggap ko, kahit alam kong may mga kumplikado sa kanya.”
She met her partner through their common friend in Sampaloc, Manila. “Nag-kita kami isang beses, hanggang sa nagkaroon ng communication, nag-tuloy-tuloy. So, ngayon, bale mag-iisang taon mahigit na rin po kami.” Angeline knew from the start that she has found her match. “Ganun pala ‘yun, parang alam mo agad. Matagal na rin kasi akong hindi nagkaroon ng relationship. We met before the pandemic.” She described her boyfriend as, “handsome, baby-faced and three years younger than me.” What Angeline likes most about her boyfriend is his honesty “because he told me everything even if I already knew about his children.” The singer doesn’t see any reason not to form a good relationship with his children, stressing that her child is their sibling. Angeline also shared that she got to meet her boyfriend’s mother, who is based in the U.S., when she performed in the US as a guest in Vice Ganda’s concert. “Tinanong ako ng mommy n’ya kung kailan kami mag-papakasal. It’s my dream and my mom’s as well. Ang akin nga, sana naabutan n’ya, kahit ‘yung baby man lang.” For now, Angeline said the focus is on the baby and the wedding may come after.
Arjo, Maine mark 3rd anniversary
Alex Gonzaga- Morada and Toni Gonzaga-Soriano have always been close in real life.
CELEBRITY couple Maine Mendoza and Arjo Atayde celebrated their 3rd anniversary as a couple on Tuesday. On their Instagram accounts, the couple posted photos of them together on a yacht decorated with red balloons and watching the sunset. “Life with you just keeps getting better. Happy 3rd Anniversary my bubba pie,” Arjo captioned his post. Maine, meanwhile, simply wrote “Happy third,” with a heart emoji. Arjo’s mother Sylvia Sanchez and sister Ria Atayde showed their support to the couple commenting on his post. “Happy anniversary. Love you both,” Sylvia wrote. “Happy you’re both happy. Happy anniversary you two,” Ria commented. Their third anniversary marked that they became a couple in December 2018. Arjo had admitted that he and Maine were “exclusively dating” Photo courtesy of Viva Films in January 2019. (Philstar.com)
Celebrity couple Arjo Atayde and Maine Mendoza Photo from Instagram/@mainedcm
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Health @Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS OMICRON is super-contagious and skyrocketing across the nation, while the virus continues to replicate and mutate mostly in the bodies of those more than 50 million unvaccinated people in the U.S. who are “carriers/transmitters” causing the current massive surges (almost a million last week) in COVID-19 infections, 70,000 hospitalizations, and about 1,300 deaths daily. Indeed, this is mostly the pandemic of the unvaccinated. Those with the booster must still be careful, since they still have a 5-10 percent chance of getting infected, especially with Omicron and future strains. In spite of the more than 829,000 deaths in the U.S. from COVID-19, the government still refuses to employ the proven standard epidemiologic protocol at its disposal that would rapidly end this pandemic: most importantly, a federal vaccine mandate. It might sound crazy but, as a physician who is very frustrated like millions of other people, I feel like suing the government for gross negligence and dereliction of duty resulting in unintentional “negligent genocide.” If I neglect to follow the standard of care protocol in treating a patient who died as a result, I will lose my license, be fined, and maybe go to jail. So, why not hold our government accountable and liable? Post-COVID-19 syndrome For those who are waiting for natural immunity to protect them from COVID-19, the bad news is this: In order to develop natural immunity, one has to be infected by COVID-19 first and many of them would die (like the two anti-vax radio talk show hosts) before they develop natural immunity. Natural immunity is unstable, unreliable, and short-lasting, compared to immunity from the vaccines. The risk from COVID-19 infection is at least 20-30 times greater than the risk from the vaccine, which is a fraction of one percent. And if one survives the infection, there are a lot of health issues (post-COVID19 syndrome) that could last for months, if not years, with exhaustion, headaches, rapid heart rate, weakness, depression, cognitive impairment, loss of appetite, loss of smell and/or taste, blood clots, etc. Getting the vaccine is the clear and wise choice. Proven vaccine safety More than 8.7 billion vaccines have been administered around the world – about 487 million doses in the U.S., and more than 60 million doses in the Philippines. The vaccines have been massively proven to be safe and effective. Laboratory studies show the
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4th COVID-19 shot? T-cells induced by the vaccines could protect people from Omicron, and those infected might have milder symptoms. We still don’t know for sure if Omicron is not worse. In the pipeline are chewing gum from lettuce that neutralizes the SAR-CoV2 virus in the saliva to reduce infection and transmission, and pills for COVID-19. 4th vaccine? The new definition of “fully vaccinated” now appears to include the booster. The need for a 4th shot will be decided by the ravages from Omicron and the future strains “churned out” by the unvaccinated. The Omicron is at least ten times more rapidly contagious. COVID-19 patients are filling up hospital beds around the country, with many of them waiting in hallways, and resulting in the cancelation of elective surgeries. The current 70,000 hospitalizations are 40 percent higher than last month. I only pray that the repeated mutations, enabled mostly by unvaccinated carriers, will not produce a deadly variant that would not respond to vaccines or anything else, resulting in Armageddon, the annihilation of our civilization. Science fiction? A figment of my imagination? Yes, and I hope it stays that way, with God’s mercy. Global medical mission Filipino American surgeons in the United States are well known for their love of our beloved native land of birth, the Philippines, and our people back home, especially those marginalized, suffering in the gutter of poverty in the hinterlands. Annual medical/surgical missions, like our own Las Vegas yearly mission to Kamay ni Hesus (Hands of Jesus) Pilgrimage town in Lucban, Quezon, (led by Danny Fabito) serve more than two thousand people each year. And there are dozens of other Fil-Am groups from the U.S. and Canada who fly home to provide free medical care and medicines to our neglected fellow Filipinos. These Fil-Am physicians are inspired by their compassion and desire to give back to their homeland. One such group is headed by Dr. Pedro J. Obregon, MD, FACS, a graduate of FEU Institute of Medicine in 1960, who was inducted into the Global Medical Mission Hall of fame in 2014 at the University of Toledo, Ohio. The award also included the Distinguished Global Faculty Membership of the University of Toledo Health Sciences. Pete is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Philippine Surgeons in America, and recipient of the Most Outstanding Medical Alumnus Award from the FEUDNR School of Medicine Alumni Foundation. Pete started his general sur-
gery practice in 1967 in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and moved to Columbus, Ohio, in 1973. While in practice, he volunteered 2-4 weeks a year to do surgical missions abroad for the faith-based humanitarian Medical Ministry International (MMI). He also directed two homeless clinics, Faith Mission and Open Shelter in Columbus. He decided to devote his time to his humanitarian endeavors, retired from private practice in 1993, and accepted the full-time directorship of MMI, a position he still holds today. His wife of 31 years, Judy, a respiratory therapist, pharmacy technician, and a medical assistant, is the Project Director of MMI. The Ministry was based in Irving, Texas, till 2009 when it moved to Toronto, Canada. Pete heads regular surgical missions, 2-3 times or more each year, in various countries around the world. A sample tour is the one in 1994, when he and his team traveled to Kibogora, Rwanda, after the genocide. They proceeded to Iloilo, Roxas City, Malaybalay, Bukidnon, T’Boli, South Cotabato, Esmeralda, Ecuador, and Karanda, Zimbabwe. With 2 other surgeons, anesthesiologists, his team of 10-12 did 80-100 cases each time and a total of 500-550 a year. They have provided surgical missions in many other areas (Cebu, Aklan, Palawan, Leyte, Antique, etc.) in the Philippines. The COVID-19 pandemic derailed their schedules for 2020 and 2021. For 2022, they are planning to go to Bolivia, Dominican Republic, and Panama. This indefatigable Fil-Am surgeon and his team have performed surgeries in 45 countries in the last 32 years, a great source of pride and inspiration for the Philippines, the Society of Philippine Surgeons in America, and for every Filipino. A blessed Christmas and a joyous and safe New Year to all! *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail. com.
Fil-Canadian is the latest winner of ‘Survivor’ By Kristofer
Purnell Philstar.com
FILIPINA Canadian Erika Casupanan was crowned the winner of the 41st season of the American reality competition show “Survivor,” becoming the first Filipino and Canadian to become the “sole survivor.” Collecting seven votes from eight jury members at the Final Tribal Council, Casupanan becomes the show’s third winner of Asian descent, following “Cook Islands’” Yul Kwon and “San Juan del Sur’s” Natalie Anderson. She is also the first female “Survivor” winner since Season 34 “Game Changers’” Sarah Lacina in 2017. “If you want any proof that we’re in a new era of ‘Survivor’ is that I am the winner, a Filipino immigrant woman who lives in Canada, and I won the game,” Casupanan said in an Instagram post after her victory aired on television. “I don’t care what you look like, sound like, where you’re from, your background, what you believe in... you can win the game. I’m proof.” Casupanan also said she would love to see more beautiful diverse winners of the show following her win. Game progress Casupanan was born in Hermosa, Bataan and migrated with her family to Toronto, Canada where she currently resides. She was cast for “Survivor 41,” which features a diverse cast after a new commitment by the show to feature 50% of contestants who are people of color. In 2020 however, the COVID19 pandemic pushed the show to be filmed in April-May in Fiji this year—the traditional 39-day game was also cut to 26 days, incorporating more twists to make up for the lost days. Casupanan was part of the successful Luvu tribe that won every challenge up to the traditional merge, meaning she and her tribemates never had to go to
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • december 23-29, 2021
tribal council and vote someone out. Though initially having a quiet start, Casupanan’s gameplay blossomed when she was sent into exile and overturned the results of a challenge to allot immunity to other players, including herself. Post-merge she reunited with her old teammates to take out former members of the rival Yase tribe as well as the players holding immunity idols, namely Naseer Muttalif and Shan Smith. Casupanan formed a strong relationship with Luvu tribemate Heather Aldret; together they ensured to be on the right side of the votes, and were a formidable threat at challenges, winning immunity twice. Despite being his closest competitor for the title of sole survivor, fellow finalist Xander Hastings selected Casupanan to join him in the Final 3—his explanation was to avoid Casupanan boosting her resume should she become victorious in a fire-making challenge. Casupanan made her case at the Final Tribal Council, explaining her subtle moves to navigate her way through the second half of the game and her social skills as reasons that she deserved to win. She received all but one vote from the jury, which went to cofinalist Deshawn Radden. ‘Looking like a lamb, playing like a lion’ During her two days in exile, which became pivotal to her future performance, Casupunan admitted she broke down in tears because she came from a strong tribe but was not selected for the merge feast. In her private interview with the production crew, Casupanan shared the challenges of being a young Filipino in Canada and her parents’ struggle to give her family a good life. “Everything [my parents] did set me up with the skills to achieve what I want to do,” the eventual victor said through bro-
Erika Casupunan was crowned the winner of the 41st season of the American reality competition show “Survivor”. Photo from Instagram/@survivorcbs
ken tears. “Me being on Survivor is like a love letter to my parents to let them know that everything they did gave me what I need to survive out here.” “The way that I look really affects the way people treat me,” Casupanan later said after her victory, sharing that she is always mistaken for a minor or an intern when in truth she is “the one pulling the strings.” She added that she had no ego about how she was going to play, “The path to the end didn’t have to be pretty, I just had to get there.” Her mantra for the game, which inspired the title for the this season’s sixth episode, became a resurgence where she would be “still looking like a lamb, but ready to play like a lion.” “Survivor” is an American reality competition series where contestants must live in the wilderness, win challenges, navigate social politics through alliances and voting people out in order to become the “sole survivor.” The show has taken place in the Philippines four times, from Season 25 to 28, shot in Caramoan, Camarines Sur and Palaui Island, Cagayan.
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Apolo Ohno, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Alex and Maia Shibutani are ‘leading with a champion mind’ AARP hosted panel of Winter Olympians to share how resilience helped shape their lives and careers AFTER a challenging year of navigating the “double pandemic” of COVID-19 and the rise of anti-Asian hate, AARP brought together generations of Asian American Olympians who embody resilience and excellence on December 16 for “Leading with a Champion Mind.” The live virtual panel celebrated the strength of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and shared how to be more resilient. Olympic gold medalist speed skater Apolo Ohno moderated the uplifting conversation with panelists Olympic gold medalist figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and two-time Olympic bronze medalist figure skaters, Alex and Maia Shibutani. According to AARP, mindfulness can help one be more resilient because it keeps people in touch with what’s happening in the moment. Whenever someone practices mindfulness, it bolsters and protects them against feeling powerless and lacking control, especially during challenging events. “Something that has worked for me, that I probably wouldn’t have been able to articulate back when I was training, is the ability to pause and reflect,” said Apolo Ohno, the most decorated U.S. male Winter Olympian of all time. “We are living in a time where we’re always reacting to things. We can have more mindfulness over our thoughts and actions.
Sometimes we react in a way that doesn’t truly suit the outcome that we desire. We can [learn to] zoom out to gain a better perspective.” Resilient people often seek social support to help them overcome a difficult situation. They lean on family and friends or request assistance from experts. “Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. A lot of times we try to take things on ourselves. I’ve learned along the way that there are many people willing to be mentors,” said Kristi Yamaguchi, founder of Always Dream, a nonprofit whose mission is to advance early childhood literacy. “We are afraid to bother someone or ask for something, but I am certainly not where I am [today] because I did it on my own. All along the way, there’s always been someone there as a support system. Surround yourself with some quality people and you’ll learn quality.” Although resilience is a quality that you possess, you can work on becoming more resilient by adopting certain habits or practices. “Knowing the direction that you want to head in is important, then break it down into small goals so that you have a sense of time and direction,” said Maia Shibutani, who, with her brother Alex, was the second sibling duo in the history of the sport to win an Ice Dance medal. “We both find it very helpful to communicate with each other. If you don’t
have someone that you feel that you can talk to, journaling can also be incredibly helpful and important so that you make sure that you’re reflecting and checking in with yourself.” When many things are beyond someone’s control, they can still make decisions that impact their lives that may help boost their resilience and help them learn to cope better with adversity. When they tap into their reserves of mental toughness and inner strength, they can feel more positive and in control. “For everything that we do, we set a feasible plan. When you have a long term goal that you’re trying to reach, whether it’s happiness or fulfillment, or the next chapter of your life, there are certain checkpoints along the way,” said Alex Shibutani, who along with his sister Maia, became the first ice dancers of Asian descent to medal at the Olympics. “And Maia will hold me accountable. Having someone who you feel you can share your fears with, and also celebrate your successes with along the way, makes it feel less isolating, especially during this time when we are so physically isolated from each other.” To be a part of their journey and hear about other upcoming events, or to access this recorded event, follow the AARP AAPI community on Facebook (@AARPAAPI) and Twitter (@AARPAAPI). (Advertising Supplement)
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december 23-29, 2021 • LAS VeGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL
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Christian expresses opinion on critical issues like EJK through his art by AllAn
PolicArPio Inquirer.net
IN the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) film “Die Beautiful,” Christian Bables—in what turned out to be his career’s breakthrough role—played Barbs, a trans make-up artist who lovingly gave her dead best friend celebrity transformations every night of the latter’s wake. Five years later, in this festival entry “Big Night!,” Christian— now the lead star—is Dharna, a gay beautician who finds himself doing makeup on corpses of victims of extrajudicial killings. And as he watched “Big Night!” with members of the press at an advanced screening last week, Christian couldn’t help but feel that he has finally come full circle. “The MMFF jump-started my
Christian Bables
career, so it feels good to be back here. But this time around, I’m now the one on the poster. I’m so happy! It feels so good,” he told the Inquirer. After “Die Beautiful,” he went on to play other LGBTQ+ characters in movies like “The Panti Sisters” and television series like “Halik.” While there was a time he was worried about being typecast in such roles, Christian realized that the call to exercise his craft was greater. “In my early years in show biz, typecasting was something I thought about. I was worried about being boxed in those roles,” he said. “But as my journey went on, I realized that you learn your lessons from making decisions and meeting people you can trust. Now, more than anything, it is my craft’s call or demand to you as an actor that
Photo from Instagram/@christiaaan06
matters.” Crucial message And as long as the character can serve as a vehicle to deliver a crucial message, he will do it, he added—“it doesn’t matter if it’s a cockroach or a lizard I’m playing.” Directed by Jun Robles Lana, “Big Night!” follows the exploits of Dharna whose name gets mistakenly included in the “Oplan Tokhang” or drug users’ watchlist of his area. Worried that his tainted reputation will affect his livelihood, he jumps through all sorts of hoops to clear his name—even if it means dealing with exploitative and shady characters. Lana, who also directed “Die Beautiful” and “The Panti Sisters,” said Christian was his only choice for Dharna and that he was willing to wait for the actor and postpone the project if he didn’t accept the offer. Luckily, it didn’t have to come to that. “I didn’t hesitate,” Christian said. “When my manager called me up and told me that Direk Jun wanted to offer me something, I said yes, even if I hadn’t even read the script yet. Hearing Direk Jun’s name alone made me want to do the project.” Besides, Christian said, he’s not in a position to turn down a blessing. “If that’s what is being asked of me, then who am I to push that away? I’m getting an offer, being entrusted with a well-written character, when so many of us are struggling to find work,” he pointed out. Marked differences Because Dharna’s predica-
ment is different and far graver than Barbs or the other LGBTQ+ role he has played, Christian had to make marked differences in his portrayal. “I had to change the way I talk, my mindset and how I view the world,” he said. “And I submitted myself to Direk Jun, telling him that, ‘I don’t know where to bring the character. Please teach me what to do.’” “I thought that I had to do everything to play the character well. Bahala na kung saan huhugutin. I will focus on this and won’t think of anything else,” he added. “And now, looking at the movie, I’m a little speechless … I don’t see myself at all. I don’t know how I did it.” Although he has always struggled with voicing out his opinions, especially in public, Christian is thankful that his projects, in a way, help him express his stand on certain issues. “It’s not OK to take away lives,” the 29-year-old actor said of extrajudicial killing (EJK)—something his character was in danger of. “I have a firm stand, but I have trouble expressing it. But I’m able to show that through my art. There are things I want to say but don’t know how. I’m still trying to find my voice to speak up. I think I’m getting there.” While “Big Night!’s” overall tone was comedic, the issue it tackles and the things at stake for Dharna were certainly no laughing matter. “His dilemma is that he’s at a dead end; he loses either way,” he said. “He may die. Or he may physically live but die on the inside.”
In ‘The End of Us,’ Jeffrey (Zoren Legaspi) and Maggie’s (Carmina Villaroel) relationship will be tested due to a mistake involving another woman. GMA photo
A first for Carmina and Zoren by izA iglesiAs ManilaTimes.net
FOR the first time in their careers, celebrity husband and wife Carmina Villaroel and Zoren Legaspi will play the lead in “The End Of Us” – the fourth offering of the afternoon drama anthology series “Stories from the Heart.” “Actually emotional ako, kasi as an actor, you wait for this kind of story, this kind of director, this kind of writers, this kind of creatives, this kind of producers, this kind of EP and bihira ‘yun mangyari sa isang show na hinihintay mong lahat ng magagaling ay magsama-sama sa isang production,” Legaspi said in a virtual media conference. “So it’s really a blessing and great opportunity for us na magasawa to be chosen dito sa magandang programa na ito,” he added. Villaroel admitted that they don’t want to accept the project at first because of her father’s health condition. He’s been in and out of the hospital lately. “Buti nabigyan kami ng pagkakataon makapag-isip-isip. So we did a lot of thinking and Zoren and I said, ‘Sige, Hon, tanggapin natin. Bahala na. Let’s just pray and live it all up to God and then let’s just give it our all.’ And then we are very thankful God really guided us. This is very close to our hearts,” Villaroel shared.
“First time kong makita si Zoren na very emotional pagdating sa show... actually pati rin ako,” she continued. While viewers see them and their twins Mavy and Cassy as a picture of a happy and perfect family — especially across their many brand endorsement and commercials — the long-time married couple, interestingly, plays a husband and wife on the verge of separation. “Pag nag-aaway sila sa eksena, minsan alam nila nakuha na nila. After ng take, nagbibiruan na sila. Laking ambag na real-life couple sila. History ito para sa kanila,” the show’s director Zig Dulay shared. The Legaspis portray the roles of Maggie Corpuz, a middle class career woman who marries Jeffrey Guevarra. Theirr relationship is soon tested because of infedelity. “When I get to the set, I am the role. Ako si Maggie kaya nalalabas it’s real, it’s authentic. I was Maggie there, not Carmina,” the 46year-old actress stated. Legaspi, on the other hand, said he had to be very creative when it comes to his scenes. “Kaya ako nagkukulong sa kotse. Doon ko dini-digest. Gusto ko magpakita ng something new as an actor. Gusto ko umiyak nang kakaiba,” the 49-year-old actor-director noted. With them in this compelling afternoon series are Ariella Arida, Karel Marquez, Johnny Revilla and Andrew Gan.
How Janno & Bing keep their marriage intact for more than three decades TWENTY-five years ago, reallife couple Janno Gibbs and Bing Loyzaga were paired to star in a family-comedy flick, Edgardo Vinarao’s Hindi Ako Ander (1996), with their eldest daughter, Alyssa, then only six years old. Their first team-up on the big screen didn’t have a follow-up until now, with the fantasy-comedy, Mang Jose, megged by young director Rayn Brizuela, to be streamed on Vivamax starting Dec. 24. Through the years that they have been married, Bing has played her role as ideal housewife to Janno. To the hilt. In their early years, she even prepared all of Janno’s clothes needed for TV tapings and film shooting. “I think on the first year lang ‘yun,” she smilingly says about taking care of Janno’s things. “Today, hindi na. Malaki na siya. Alam na niyang gawin lahat ‘yun.” One of the traits that Bing admires about Janno is the latter’s humor. “He’s a good partner,” Bing describes her hubby. “He’s a team player. Magaling din siyang ka-trabaho. Magaling siya sa partnerships. Even sa marriage namin, as a co-parent, siyempre, okay kami.” Janno and Bing have been married for more than three decades now. They are parents to two girls – Alyssa and Gabby. They have admirably managed to keep their marriage intact, despite the demands and pressures of their respective showbiz careers. “Generally, I think because Bing and I appear in different genres,” Janno offers. “Magkaiba ang mundo namin. She is seen mostly in dramas, while I do comedy. Medyo mahirap pagsamahin ang mundo namin.” The three-decade union is not always smooth-sailing. Janno and Bing had their occasional rifts and misunderstanding. Yet, nothing became tumultuous for the couple. They managed to iron out their differences. Janno and Bing are working together again in Mang Jose, taken after Parokya ni Edgar’s song of the same title released in 2005. Mang Jose is an exciting superhero film that will keep viewers on their toes. Not only is Mang Jose easily available to help everyone, any time. He can be also be paid for his services.
“I actually requested for both Bing and also Manilyn (Reynes) to be with me in Mang Jose,” Janno grants. “Baby ko itong project na ‘to, so I wanted this to be the first time that me, Bing and Manilyn will share the screen together. Kaming tatlo, individually, we respect each other regardless of whatever happened.” Bing is working with Manilyn for the first time in a film. “Of course, I will grab this opportunity to also work with her,” Bing asserts. “Frankly, when Janno was doing Mang Jose and they told me they had Manilyn in mind, I got excited for them and for their fans, because ang tagal na nilang hindi nag-work sa movie.” Bing readily asked Janno if she could play a role in Mang Jose. “I asked Janno, ‘Baka naman pwede akong sumali diyan?’ Kasi nga, I never had the opportunity to work with Mane (Manilyn’s popular nickname) until this project. “Maybe, we were really waiting for just the right project. Then, Mang Jose came along. How can I pass this chance? Of course, I will grab the opportunity to work with Mane. Excitement and kilig ang nangyari.” Bing cannot be thankful enough that she was given the chance to become part of Mang Jose, because it revived the Janno-Manilyn loveteam. “We all grew up with that love team,” Bing says. “Pampagulo ako doon. But we all moved on. We are all doing well and we will support each other. That’s what’s important.” Janno wrapped up filming Mang Jose even before the pandemic disrupted everything around the world. Last June, however, the film premiered at the 25th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea, where it was screened at the World Fantastic Blue Section. Director Rayn was overwhelmed to work with veteran actors in Mang Jose. “Very collaborative sila, especially Janno and even Mikoy (Morales). We sent notes and they always listened to all my directions for their characters. “Super fun ang shoot namin at nag-enjoy ako. Si Janno kasi, nakakatawa siya in person, so talagang nag-enjoy kami sa shoot at sa experience working together.” (Philstar.com)
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • december 23-29, 2021
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
SFIO leadership team: ordinary people with exceptional dedication, passion
SFIO is an asset management company focused on innovation through disruptive collaborations across its three key industries: Food and Beverage (F&B), Real Estate, and Technology. With a strong presence across New Zealand, Australia, and the Philippines, as well as a roadmap for further global expansion, SFIO makes strategic investments in high-growth businesses, building synergies across its diverse portfolio to provide maximum shareholder value. Guided by tradition, driven by innovation, and enabled by collaboration — SFIO is on a hyper-growth path to build a thriving business ecosystem, with plans to uplist onto a major stock exchange in the near future. It is a company full of potential and it recently released the composition of its leadership team. These are ordinary people with extraordinary passion & dedication, leading SFIO as it navigates its ambitious roadmap. Here’s a glimpse at the leadership team who will be guiding SFIO and helping concretize its plans: • Jeths D. Lacson, CPEng, CAMA – Chairman and CEO of SFIO
Jeths D. Lacson
Mark G. Epifanio
Richard Agluba
Michael Luis Venezuela
Chito Galvez
Jorge Gabin
Elvin Alcala
Richard Prodigalidad
Jonathan Petalver
Roger Oriel
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Jeths is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Starfleet Innotech, Inc. He is also the CoFounder of Epiphany Café, Ardent Bakers, Gorgeous Coffee and A+ Electrical. Furthermore, Jeths is a Chartered Professional Electrical Engineer and Certified Asset Management Assessor for ISO 55001, with over 15 years of professional and leadership experience in different industries. Jeths graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering from Mapua University in the Philippines. His expertise is in Asset Management and Business Development. Jeths was formerly one of the lead technical consultants in setting up a Polytechnic University in Saudi Arabia for the Waikato Institute of Technology (WINTEC) in New Zealand. He was also responsible for leading a team that manages the multi-million operational and capital expenditures of an electricity distribution company in Hamilton, New Zealand.
• Mark G. Epifanio, CPEng – Chief Operations Officer of SFIO
Mark is the Chief Operations Officer of SFIO. He oversees day-to-day operations to support the growth and add to the bottom line of the organization. He focuses on strategic planning and goalsetting and directs the operations of the company in support of the company’s goals. He also cofounded Epiphany Cafe, Ardent Bakers, Gorgeous Coffee, and A+ Electrical. Mark has over 16 years of combined industry experience from business development, franchising, distribution, and food manufacturing. Mark was formerly managing the business development of ethical products within the pharmaceutical industry. Mark graduated with a Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southeastern Philippines in Davao, Philippines in 2002. Mark is a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) and APEC Engineer in Australia with areas of expertise in Leadership and Management and Asset Management. Mark is currently a Director of Epiphany Café and AIG. His ability to generate strategic partnerships and spearhead the growth and development of the company led the Board of Directors to the conclusion that he should serve as Chief Operations Officer. His expertise is in Asset Management and Business Development.
• Richard Agluba – Chief Secretary of SFIO
Richard is the Secretary of SFIO. He is responsible for the efficient administration of the company and ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements, and implementing decisions made by the Board of Directors. Richard has over 20 years of experience in Electrical Design and Project Engineering with a demonstrated history of working in the Electrical Utility, Oil and Gas industry, Residential, Commercial & Industrial environment. Richard has been involved in multi-million-dollar projects in Saudi Arabia where he was in charge of Electrical, Controls and Instrumentation equipment ordering, Factory testing, Installation and Commissioning support which he handles a group of Electrical Engineers, Technicians and Electricians. He has also handled the design of Substations and Project Engineering of a multi-million-dollar Electrical Substation upgrading project in New Zealand. Richard graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering from Manuel L. Quezon University and a diploma in Electrical Engineering from the University of Saint Louis, both in the Philippines. Richard is also a member of Engineering New Zealand (MEngNZ) and a registered Electrician under the Electrical Workers Registration Board, New Zealand. Richard is a current Director of A+ Electrical and AIG. His various exposures in different companies have led the Board of Directors to the conclusion that he should serve as the chief secretary of the company.
• Michael Luis Venezuela, CPA – Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of SFIO
Michael is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of SFIO. He is a fully Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) in Australia, and managing director of a CPA public practice firm called MLV Accounting Pty Ltd,. He is also a registered SMSF Auditor and a registered tax agent in Australia. Michael finished with a double degree of BS Business Administration and Accountancy from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City in 1991. He passed the CPA board exams in Manila in November 1991 and became a member of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) in the same year. Michael worked as an audit staff at SGV & Co (Ernst & Young Manila) and started several businesses in the Philippines. Michael migrated to Australia in 2002 and became a fully qualified member of CPA Australia. He worked in several suburban accounting firms and eventually started MLV Accounting, a Melbournebased CPA public practice that has grown by 20-30% annually since 2013. Presently, his accounting firm has 4,000 to 5,000 clients across Australia, serving clients of diverse multicultural backgrounds and businesses.
DIVISIONAL MANAGERS • Chito Galvez – Franchise Business Division
Chito Galvez has over 35 years of experience in franchise business development, retail site expansion, sales building, customer service, negotiations, and business relationship building. He held senior management positions in renowned companies in Asia such as SM Prime Holdings, Chowking Food Corporation, and Jollibee Food Corporation and has extensive experiences gained from working in several countries which include the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, India, and New Zealand.
• Jorge Gabin – Coffee Business Division
Jorge Gabin has over 25 years of experience in the manufacturing industry, as well as factory, operations, supply chain, management, logistics, and coffee roasting. He has extensive experience in food production, wine and spirits, and animal pharmaceuticals. Jorge led the team at Universal Robina Corporation (URC-Philippines) towards the plant’s certification to ISO9002, GMP and Halal. He is also the current director of Gorgeous Coffee Co. in New Zealand.
• Elvin Alcala – Property Development Division
Elvin has over 25 years of experience in master planning, architectural design, interior design, and property development. He led numerous architectural firms in several Residential, Commercial, Public and Urban, Industrial and Institutional development projects. His collective professional experience includes stints in Singapore, the Philippines, and New Zealand.
• Richard Prodigalidad – Software & Technology Division
Richard Prodigalidad is the CEO at LEENTech Network Solutions Inc., managing an IT-BPO company based in the Philippines and a Co-Founder of several tech startups in the Philippines with over 15 years of experience in consulting, developing, managing and deploying software applications, turnkey websites, e-Commerce, internet portals, CMS Development, Online Business Solutions projects, Security Auditing and Internet Consulting. His collective experience include Technical Research & Business development, Cloud Computing, Offshore Service Management, Web Marketing & CMS Solutions, Server Administration, Remote Monitoring & Penetration Testing and Advanced Computer Troubleshooting. Richard has the ability to facilitate seminars, symposiums, and speeches in web design, security solutions, and ethical hacking related topics, and has a strong background in leading, developing, and executing ISO (International Organization for Standardization).
• Jonathan Petalver – Fundraising
Coach Jonathan Petalver is the CEO and Co-founder of the Global Academy, headquartered in New Zealand, with offices in New York, Melbourne, Dubai, and Manila. He has designed and developed programs for more than 25 years. In addition, he has conducted and facilitated masterclass programs in entrepreneurship and business leadership across Asia, the Middle East, North America and Europe. Coach Petalver is actively doing coaching programs and pursuing his PhD in Business Leadership. Coach Jonathan will lead the strategic Business Education Roadshows for SFIO.
• Roger Oriel – Member, Advisory Board
Roger Oriel is a businessman, investor and leader. His breadth of knowledge and experience is tied to scaling and leading companies in numerous industries. Since 1991, he has served as the Publisher and CEO of Asian Journal Publications Inc., one of the largest Asian multimedia companies in the United States with a focus on the Filipino American community. He is the Chairman of the Board of Premier Asia Pacific Real Estate and Development, the developer of Lombard by the Bay in Montemaria, Batangas City, Philippines. Roger is the Chairman of the Board of Napa Valley Distribution, Inc., a distribution company for Montemaria Cellars and House of Pacquiao, a private label wine brand. Most recently, Roger became a Board of Directors for BayaniPay, a Los Angeles-based fintech innovator providing cross border financial services to millions of Filipinos to bridge the gap for Filipinos in the U.S. and the Philippines. He’s also the Chairman of the Board of Trending Entertainment, Inc., a Hybrid immersive and digitally interactive Streaming and Entertainment Company that offers platforms for all things trending to appeal to a wider variety of audiences.
• Jose Gerardo Noble – Member, Advisory Board
Jose, or “Jinggoy,” has more than 25 years of business experience from various industries, including banking and stock brokering. A graduate of De La Salle University with a degree in BS Legal Management, Jinggoy began his career with Far East Bank and Trust Co. before working as an Investment Analyst with Pryce Securities Inc. for 5 years. However, it is in the real estate business where he spent the majority of his time working only for the largest developers (Ayala and SM) while earning several awards during that span. He is a licensed real estate broker and is currently the Dep-
Jose Gerardo Noble
uty Sales Head of SM Development Corporation, managing between 400 to 500 of the company’s organic sellers. Under his leadership, the team has delivered an annual average of P30B ($600M) in sales for SMDC for the past two years. Jinggoy is also an experienced entrepreneur and restaurateur dating back to 2012 when he opened up his first franchise – Hap Chan Tea House in the Mall of Asia Complex. Since then, he has opened up five more branches, while also venturing into another franchise called Mesa-Modern Filipino Cuisine that has three branches to date. To complement his businesses, Jinggoy co-founded FJ Prime Management Inc., a service management company, back in 2016. FJPMI currently handles four restaurants and has consulted for business owners who have opened restaurants in the Philippines. FJPMI also recently partnered with the Mercato Group of entrepreneur RJ Ledesma to open its very first cloud kitchen in Makati City. As both an entrepreneur and real estate professional, Jinggoy currently manages a property portfolio of rental units in BGC, Makati and the Bay City area. A businessman, investor and sales leader, Jinggoy is first and foremost a husband and a father. SFIO has put in place a team of capable and knowledgeable professionals to support the expansion of the company. The capability of the team will be an asset of SFIO by providing multiple business opportunities with hyper-growth potential and a high level of stability and viability. With that being said, SFIO has a powerful business team to form more lucrative solutions and products at the forefront of innovation that will suit the needs of their customers. (Advertising Supplement)
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december 23-29, 2021 • LAS VeGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678