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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Volume 19 - No. 51 • 14 Pages
T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M M U N I T Y N E WS PA P E R
Volume 18 - No. 17 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
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DATELINE Supreme Court rejects Trump challenge excluding undocumented immigrants from Census FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
THE U.S. Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s plan to exclude undocumented immigrants from the calculations used to allocate seats in the House of Representatives. “At present, this case is riddled with contingencies and speculation that impede judicial review,” the court said in an unsigned 7-page opinion. The Supreme Court added that the challenge from New York state was premature. “Consistent with our determination that standing has not been shown and that the case is not ripe, we express no view on the merits of the constitutional and related statutory claims presented. We hold only that they are not suitable for adjudication at this time,” the court continued. u PAGE A4
DE C E MBE R 2 5 - 3 1 , 2 0 2 0
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, SAN DIEGO, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
US approves Moderna vaccine by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE United States has authorized a second vaccine against the coronavirus for emergency use, with shipments starting to arrive this week. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday, December 18, granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) to Moderna Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine a day after the agency’s advisory panel endorsed it as safe and effective. “With the availability of two vaccines now for the
prevention of COVID-19, the FDA has taken another crucial step in the fight against this global pandemic that is causing vast numbers of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States each day,” FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D. said in a statement. Moderna’s vaccine has a 94.5% efficacy rate, occurring at least 14 days after the second dose. It is authorized to be distributed in the U.S. for use in individuals 18 years of age and older, following Pfizer’s vaccine, which began its national rollout last week. Both pharmaceutical firms utilize the new mes-
by AJPRESS
RUSH HOUR. Commuters wait for public utility vehicles along Quirino Highway, Fairview, Quezon City on Monday, December 21. Public transport has been allowed to operate at a limited capacity as restrictions were eased under the general community quarantine. PNA photo by Oliver Marquez
GOING into the holiday week, California is still hitting record COVID-19 numbers, signaling that restrictions could remain in place into the new year. Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, December 21 said that the state is inclined to extend the regional stay-at-home order for more than the three-week period. But he did not offer what that extension would look like. “Based upon all the data, and based upon all these trend lines, it’s very likely that we will extend the stayat-home order,” Newsom, who is quarantining after another staff member tested positive for COVID-19, said. This comes as four out the five regions, or 98% of the state, are under the order, which was triggered by the Intensive Care Unit capacities dropping below 15% and has implemented shutdown requirements for most businesses except for retail stores and essential services. Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley
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DFA sees spike in COVID-19 infections IATF allows foreigners to re-enter PH among Filipinos around the globe by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA
AJPress
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is observing another spike in COVID-19 infections among overseas Filipinos as 198 more individuals have contracted the virus. The new infections reported on Monday, December 18 brought the official tally to 12,816 — 3,654 of whom are currently unu PAGE A3 dergoing treatment.
THE Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has approved the re-entry of foreigners who left the Philippines on December 17 and onwards, Malacañang announced Friday, December 18. “The IATF, in its 89th meeting, also allowed the re-entry to the Philippines of foreign nationals with valid and existing visas u PAGE A3 under Section 9(e) and 9(g) of Commonwealth Act No. 613, as amended, who are already in the country and will be leaving the country starting December 17, 2020,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. Under Section 9 (g) of the Comend you right now?)” Nuezca is heard say- monwealth Act 613 or the Philiping in the middle of a heated exchange in pine Immigration Act of 1940, the video. He then pulled out a pistol and it says that foreign visa holders shot them both in the head. are those “lawfully admitted into Speaking at a press briefing on Mon- the Philippines for permanent day afternoon, December 21, Roque said that President Rodrigo Duterte—who has historically defended and even cleared police execs facing controversies—would not protect the policeman who killed two people in Tarlac. He was, however, careful to point out that the officer was not on duty. “That policeman should be punished...No ifs, no buts. [But] that massacre has nothing to do with police duty. He must be held accountable. By and large, our police are very disciplined,” he said. “We condemn what happened in Tarlac. That is not a servicerelated double murder ... That policeman u PAGE A2
The agency also recorded 107 new recoveries, which raises the official number of recovered and discharged patients to 8,234. Likewise, the death toll rose by 63 to a total of 928 fatalities. “Today, the DFA reports spikes in the total numbers of confirmed COVID-19-related statistics among Filipinos abroad, with 189 new cases, 107 new recoveries, and 63 new fatalities recorded among those in Asia and the Pacific, and Europe,” the DFA said.
‘Isolated incident’: Despite Tarlac killings, no policy changes in PNP ahead by FRANCO LUNA Philstar.com
Police SMSgt. Jonel Nuezca
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Stay-at-home order ‘very likely’ to be extended for certain California regions
FTC’s ‘Operation Income Illusion’ targets get-rich-quick scams IN the midst of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, criminals are brazenly floating “getrich-quick” schemes to fleece unsuspecting people seeking financial security for themselves and their families. Speaking at a mid-December ethnic media conference call, the Federal Trade Commission issued urgent warnings that people need to be on their guard to avoid being robbed. Kati Daffan and Rhonda Perkins, two lawyers in the FTC’s Division of Marketing Practices, spotlighted a variety of scams promoted in advertisements online or in TV, radio and newspapers and even within religious communities. In a year’s time, Daffan said, there was a 70% increase in this kind of crime. “In the first nine months of 2020 alone,” she said, “people reported losing at least $50 million.” And those victims are just the ones who came forward. Most people don’t, Daffan said, so “it’s a tiny fraction of what’s going on in the marketplace.” To combat the scams, the FTC has
senger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) technology for their vaccines. “Through the FDA’s open and transparent scientific review process, two COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized in an expedited timeframe while adhering to the rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization that the American people have come to expect from the FDA,” said Hahn. “These standards and our review process, which
MANILA — Reforms in the Philippine National Police’s policy surrounding firearms are unnecessary for now, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque claimed, as the recent murders of a mother and her son are an “isolated incident” that the government has vowed to address. This comes in the wake of the grisly killings in Paniqui, Tarlac over the weekend, a video of which has since gone viral on social media showing Police SMSgt. Jonel Nuezca shooting 52-year-old Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank Anthony Gregorio—both unarmed—at point-blank range during an argument. “Putangina, gusto mo tapusin na kita ngayon? (Son of a bitch, do you want me to
residence, who is returning from a temporary visit abroad to an unrelinquished residence in the Philippines.” Foreigners are allowed reentry provided that they have valid and existing visas on the date of arrival, a pre-booked quarantine facility, and pre-booked COVID19 testing at a laboratory operating at the airport. They must also be subjected to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry. “The foregoing is without prejudice to immigration laws, rules and regulations,” the IATF said. “The Commissioner of Immigration shall have the exclusive prerogative to decide on waiver or recall of exclusion orders for the above foreign nationals, including other foreign nationals who have entered the Philippines by virtue of Inter-Agency Task
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DECEMBER 25-31, 2020 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160
FROM THE FRONT PAGE
US approves Moderna... PAGE A1 are the same we have used in reviewing the first COVID-19 vaccine and intend to use for any other COVID-19 vaccines, included input from independent scientific and public health experts as well as a thorough analysis of the data by the agency’s career staff,” he added. U.S. President Donald Trump, for his part, lauded the authorization. “Congratulations, the Moderna vaccine is now available!” he said in a tweet. Likewise, President-elect Joe Biden hailed the FDA’s decision. According to him, the authorization of the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines “assures us that brighter days lie ahead,” but stressed that the fight against COVID-19 is not over yet. “We know the immense challenges ahead, including scaling up manufacturing, distribution, and the monumental task of vaccinating hundreds of millions of
Americans. We need to make sure we have the resources to do all of this and to do it quickly,” said Biden. The U.S. has agreed to purchase 200 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine, of which 5.9 million doses are already ready to ship nationwide. The country expects to have 40 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by the end of the year, enough to vaccinate 20 million people. Over 17.8 million people in the U.S. have been infected by COVID-19 since the beginning of the outbreak, resulting in a total of 317,684 deaths. 30M doses of Novavax vaccine The Philippines, meanwhile, has been assured of 30 million doses of Indian-made Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, which may be expected to be available in July 2021. “Thirty million dosages of the Indian-made Novavax vaccines
are assured, possibly with no cash advance. It will be available by July 2021,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. announced Monday, December 21. “The term sheet might be signed before the year ends. The good thing though, remember this is not a rumor, is that this is based on a press release made by Serum Institute of India (SII), the giant manufacturer,” he added. So far, the Philippines has secured over two million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine with the help of the private sector. The country is also looking into purchasing 25 million doses of a vaccine from China’s Sinovac Biotech, as well as securing four to 25 million doses of vaccines from Moderna and Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. The Philippines currently has the second-highest number of COVID-19 infections and fatalities in Southeast Asia, with 461,505 cases and 8,957 deaths. ■
YOUR WORKSPACE, YOUR FUTURE.
BUCKET OF GOODS. Some 250 buckets filled with food packs are placed at the covered court in Sitio Karugo, Wawa Dam, Brgy. San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal on Saturday, December 19. The goodies were given to the residents affected by the recent typhoons during the gift-giving event dubbed “Pamanang Kawayan: Tugon sa Hamon ng Panahon, Pamaskong Handog” as part of the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council’s initiative to promote bamboo as a source of livelihood. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
‘Isolated incident’: Despite Tarlac killings... PAGE A1 cannot invoke a defense related to his duty that murder.” “Guns are for the protection of the police, they can’t use that for personal vendettas. Policy cannot be formulated on the basis of aberrations,” Roque also said. In the ensuing outrage online, social media users opined that policemen were emboldened to use unnecessary force because of Duterte’s statements and, according to rights groups, the prevalent culture of impunity and violence. Under the Duterte administration, crying “isolated incident” has become the national police’s go-to line when approaching cases of abuse like the Paniqui murders. Senators urge ‘across-theboard value re-orientation’ in PNP In a statement, Sen. Nancy Binay called for a re-orientation among the national police’s ranks in the wake of the incident. The PNP’s own operational procedures, which are public documents available on their website for anyone to access, prohibit the use of excessive force. “Something is deeply wrong when you have both top cops and rank-and-file who flout the law. There is no more fear, because they do not seem to be punished
anymore. Often even promoted,” she tweeted in mixed Filipino and English. “It looks as though many of them forget their sacred duty to protect Filipinos.” For his part, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan also said in a statement: “Because there is no punishment for police or senior government officials involved in corruption or abuse of office, they continue to abuse. In addition, the prevailing culture of violence and massacre is the motivation for the police not to be afraid to kill.” Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (Davao del Norte, 1st District) also said: “We must look at the Philippine National Police (“PNP”) as an institution - now tagged by some as PNP “Pumapatay Ng Pilipino” - and review and reform what is wrong with it.” “Pursuant to this aim, let us also demand that command responsibility be implemented in our police force led by PNP Chief Debold Sinas. If the Chief cannot effectively lead PNP and guide its personnel towards serving and protecting the Filipino people, he should not be PNP Chief at all,” he said. “Failure of leadership is not acceptable. Lives are at risk. The credibility of the police force is in ruins. Reform the PNP or resign.” DOJ: Probable cause to
charge killer for two murder counts Nuezca, who was reportedly assigned to the Parañaque City crime laboratory, has since turned himself in to police in Pangasinan and is facing a complaint for double murder. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra also said in a resolution Monday that the Provincial Prosecutor of Tarlac found probable cause to indict Paranaque Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca for two counts of murder. “Without regard of the respect due the victim... The first shot was made while the victim was embracing her son and the second was made when she already fell on the ground, with said accused’s PNP service firearm,” the decision filed by assistant provincial prosecutor Manuel Pascua, Jr reads. As of this post, hashtags calling for an end to police abuse have gone trending on social media, including “#StopTheKillingsPH” and “#PulisAngTerorista,” though the PNP itself along with the Department of the Interior and Local Government both assert that the incident is an isolated case—a narrative they often employ after similar cases of violence. (With reports from Kristine Joy Patag and Xave Gregorio)
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Dateline USa
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • deCembeR 25-31, 2020
A
Stay-at-home order ‘very likely’ to be extended... PAGE A1 t remain at 0% ICU capacity, though they were slated to exit the regional order by December 28 if the ICU levels reached above or equal to 15%. The Bay Area is at 13.7%, with eligibility to exit on January 8 and Greater Sacramento is at 16.2% and can return to the Blueprint for a Safer Economy order by January 1. “Just because it’s at 0 doesn’t mean there’s no ICU available — it means we’re now in the surge plan,” Newsom said. Meanwhile, Northern California is the only region not under the order as its availability remains at 28.7%. Statewide, the current ICU capacity is 2.5%. Under the regional order, gatherings are prohibited, while outdoor dining and indoor activities like hair salons, personal care services, and movie theaters are temporarily shuttered. The state reported 37,892 new daily cases on Monday and 83 new deaths, bringing the totals to 1,892,348 cases and 22,676 fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic. The 7-day positivity rate is 13.3% and the 14-day positivity rate is 12.0%. The number of hospitalizations due to confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases in California reached a total of 18,359, an increase of 609 from the prior day total. The number of ICU patients due to confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases in California reached a total of 3,756, an increase of 46 from the prior day total. Vaccination campaign On Friday, December 18, the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the Moderna vaccine, becoming the second
vaccine against COVID-19 to be distributed in the United States. This comes a week after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was authorized and began to be administered to frontline health care workers across the country, including throughout California. Newsom said 672,600 Moderna vaccines would allocated for California in the first round this week. Already, 100,000 have arrived in the state as of Monday. Given that it does not need extreme-cold storage compared to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the Moderna vaccines are more suitable for distribution in rural and hard-to-reach areas. It is similarly a two-dose vaccine, but the second dose will be administered 28 days after the first, unlike a 21-day gap for the PfizerBioNTech one. Newsom said the federal government deserves credit for the swift arrival of the vaccines. “This is an extraordinary accomplishment, for this country, for our nation, for our world that these vaccines are even going into people’s arms, that they have arrived,” Newsom said. “I want to compliment everyone who was part of Operation Warp Speed — they deserve credit, the administration deserves credit, the president and vice president deserve credit for working hard over the course of the several months to get these vaccines out and to get them into these states.” The state is expected to receive a total of 560,625 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, 40% less than what was previously promised by the federal government. The first allocation was 327,600, with 233,025 anticipated in the second round. In the first week, 70,258 doses
Kati Daffan (left), Assistant Director, Legal Services Collaboration and Every Community Initiative, Division of Marketing Practices, FTC; Rhonda Perkins (right), Attorney, Every Community Initiative, Division of Marketing Practices, FTC
FTC’s ‘Operation Income Illusion’...
PAGE A1 t launched “Operation Income Illusion.” Both speakers urged everyone to contact the FTC with any suspicions. You can do so at www. ReportFraud.ftc.gov, or www. ReporteFraude.ftc.gov or by phone at (877) 382-4357. The FTC receives thousands of reports every week, Perkins said, making individual responses difficult to guarantee, but the reporting is a key driver of both domestic and international enforcement efforts. “It’s a real public service for people to let us know what they’re seeing,” she said. Besides alerting ethnic media directly, the FTC has posted examples of criminal schemes and tips about how to protect yourself from being victimized on its website in more than a dozen languages (www.ftc. gov/languages), including English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Amharic, Arabic, Dari, French, Russian, Haitian Creole, and Somali. New in 2020 are COVID-related schemes. The FTC has seen phony cures, phony vaccinations, phony home test kits, and phony research schemes seeking people’s personal information. Now, with real vaccinations starting to become available, the FTC expects new scams (https:// tinyurl.com/FTCvaccinescams) and is warning people not to pay out of pocket, put their names on lists, pay for early access, or provide a caller with Social Security or bank account numbers to get a vaccine. Some scammers mimic traditions from specific communities. One type of rip-off Operation Income Illusion is fighting are savings clubs (https://tinyurl. com/FTCfakeclubs), modeled after West African and Caribbean “sou sous,” in which people who know each other will pool their money and take turns getting a payout. In the Filipino community, the name is “paluwagan.” Another is phony coaching deals (https://tinyurl.com/FTCcoachingscams), where victims pay for things like real estate seminars, or help in making money on the stock market or online selling. Investment scams (https:// tinyurl.com/FTCinvestmentscams) have been the most costly, but the most common are the work-from-home propositions (https://tinyurl.com/FTCsellingandpyramids), which
sometimes include the victim getting a check in the mail. In these, the fraud is only revealed some time later, after the victim has sent a portion of that money back, or bought and distributed products or gift cards, only to find that the check to pay for them ultimately bounced. “It’s incredibly important to watch out for any kind of moneymaking opportunity that involves putting money in and recruiting other people to join. Those people are likely to get hurt,” Daffan said. Many scams are targeted to specific ethnic communities, such as Moda Latina, which advertised that you could make big money working from home selling jewelry and other luxury products. Victims were sometimes threatened that if they didn’t have a money order ready when a delivery driver showed up with the merchandise, they could be reported and face severe consequences. But when the boxes were opened, the contents were far from luxurious: shoddy, not fit to be re-sold, not even worth the cost of the initial purchase. Some con artists set their sights on specific groups, such as the “Raging Bull” investment scam that targeted seniors, or MOBE, a scam in 2018 that robbed students and veterans of $300 million before it was shut down. Then there are “pyramid schemes” (https://tinyurl. com/FTCsellingandpyramids). The FTC has identified a few by name, such as: “The Circle Game,” “Blessing Loom” and “Money Board.” The FTC works with numerous law enforcement agencies in pursuing scam thieves, both domestically and internationally. In some cases, it can recover some of the money victims have lost, but Rhonda Perkins advised that the better strategy is to avoid being scammed (https://tinyurl. com/FTCavoidandreport) in the first place. If you’re concerned about the wisdom of making a deal someone is offering you, she said, do some research on the company, its reputation, a record of complaints against it. “Do your research, check out that company’s reputation and talk to other people, people you trust in your community,” Perkins said. (Mark Hedin/Ethnic Media Services)
were administered across the state. For now, health care workers who have direct interaction with patients as well as residents in long-term skilled nursing facilities are prioritized in the initial shipments of the vaccines. Last week, the governor announced the “Vaccinate All 58” campaign to ensurer safe and equitable vaccine access for all 58 counties in the state once more doses are available for mass distribution. Other subgroups of the population, such as teachers, workers in the food industry and vulnerable senior citizens, are being eyed for the next tier of vaccinations in the state. CA Notify Newsom also reminded California residents to opt into the state’s CA Notify system, which is supposed to help with contract tracing and alert them of their possible exposure to COVID-19. Californians can receive notifications informing them if they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for the virus so they can take immediate actions around quarantine and testing. Californians with iPhones can enable CA Notify in their settings and Android phone users can download the app from the Google Play Store to immediately start receiving exposure alerts on their phones. Use of the technology is completely voluntary, private, and secure. To date, 7.35 million residents have enabled the notifications. n
HANDS-ON. One of the students tries to use one hand to push the wood into a cutting machine in their practical application session at the Wood Academy, Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City. The Academy’s mission is to fosters their attendees’ interest in woodworking, build their confidence and respect in handling power tools, and give them a solid foundation to build on toward their woodworking journey. Photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
DFA sees spike in COVID-19 infections... PAGE A1 t
“The increase is due to late reports from several countries in Europe,” it added. Overall by region, Europe – which comprises 20 countries – has recorded 1,772 Filipino cases, including 386 undergoing treatment, 1,226 recoveries and 160 deaths. The Middle East and Africa, covering 32 countries, has reported 7,626 cases; of which, 2,405 are undergoing treatment,
553 deaths and 4,668 recoveries. The Asia Pacific region, which spans across 21 countries, has 2,637 cases, with 801 undergoing treatment, 1,815 recoveries, and 21 deaths. The Americas – covering 10 countries like the United States – have 781 reported cases, with 62 undergoing treatment, 525 recoveries, and 194 deaths. “To date, the total number of countries and territories with
confirmed cases among Filipinos is now at 84,” the DFA noted. It added, “The DFA, together with its Foreign Service Posts, continues to partner with host governments to ensure the safety and well-being of Filipino nationals abroad amidst the pandemic.” Meanwhile in the Philippines, there are a total of 461,505 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 8,957 fatalities and 429,207 recoveries. n
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Dateline USa
december 25-31, 2020 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160
SF mayor celebrates grand opening of first new affordable housing in the Mission in over a decade
SIOMAI VENDOR. A vendor sells siomai on her tricycle along Gov. D. Mangubat Avenue service road, Barangay Burol Main, Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Saturday, December 19. Several vendors go around communities to sell various food and items to residents. PNA photo by Gil Calinga
IATF allows foreigners to re-enter... PAGE A1
Force resolutions,” it added. The IATF has directed the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) to issue the guidelines to implement the IATF resolution on foreign nationals.
suant to EO 226. The bureau on Nov. 27 also allowed foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens to enter the country as long as the Filipino citizen or balikbayan is traveling with them. n
On November 1, the BI allowed the entry of foreign nationals with visas issued under Executive Order No. 226 or the Omnibus Investments Code, and those with a Special Investor’s Resident Visa (SIRV) issued pur-
Supreme Court rejects Trump challenge... PAGE A1 In a 6 to 3 vote, the three liberal justices who dissented said that the effort to exclude people in the country from the population for the apportionment of House seats is unlawful. “The government has announced a policy to exclude aliens without lawful status from the apportionment base for the decennial census,” wrote Justice Stephen Breyer. “The government does not deny that, if carried out, the policy will harm the plaintiffs.” According to USA Today, the quick decision in a case argued Nov. 30 signaled the court’s hope that it can avoid a more consequential ruling on an issue that could affect the balance of political power in Congress for the next decade. Last July, President Donald Trump announced his intention to exclude up to 10.5 million undocumented immigrants from the tabulation on the theory that they are not permanent residents and do not merit political representation. “My administration will not support giving congressional representation to aliens who enter or remain in the country unlawfully, because doing so would create perverse incentives and
“President Trump’s efforts to pick and choose who to include in the apportionment base of the census is as illegal today as it was when he made this announcement. All today’s decision does is kick the can down the road until this lame-duck president knows whether he will receive the data he needs to violate the Constitution and the Census Act with the few weeks he has left in office,” James said. “The law is clear — every person residing in the U.S. during the census, regardless of legal status, must be counted — and any further efforts by the president or his administration to violate the law will be met with fierce opposition, and we are confident we will win. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to stop the president from putting politics above the law.” Dale Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, said in a statement that the court did not rule for Trump. “This Supreme Court decision is only about timing, not the merits,” he said. “The legal mandate is clear — every single person counts in the census, and every single person is represented in Congress. If this policy is ever actually implemented, we’ll be right back in court challenging it.” (Momar G. Visaya/AJPress)
undermine our system of government,” Trump said in a written statement at the time. “The president, to be sure, has made clear his desire to exclude aliens without lawful status from the apportionment base. But the president qualified his directive by providing that the secretary should gather information ‘to the extent practicable’ and that aliens should be excluded ‘to the extent feasible.’ Any prediction how the Executive Branch might eventually implement this general statement of policy is ‘no more than conjecture’ at this time,’ the court stated in its decision. “Everyone agrees by now that the government cannot feasibly implement the memorandum by excluding the estimated 10.5 million aliens without lawful status,” the majority said. New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 19 states, 10 cities, and five counties in filing the lawsuit against President Trump and others after they announced that they would leave millions of undocumented immigrants out of the apportionment base that follows the decennial census count. In a statement, AG James vowed to continue protecting the census because Trump’s plan was illegal and unconstitutional.
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helped give us this building, we hope that more opportunities like this one become available to more seniors.” Built with senior residents in mind, amenities at Casa Adelante—1296 Shotwell include rooftop terraces with shared garden plots and landscaped courtyards, a spacious community room with a kitchen, 22 bicycle storage spaces, a solar hot-water system, and a communal laundry room. The property also incorporated a state-of-the-art seismic design that ensures maximum safety of the residents in the case of an earthquake, where they will be able to remain comfortably in place with no temporary displacement to complete safety inspections. “Seniors are leaders in our community. The leadership of tenant movements are always seniors, and they take us along,” said Malcolm Yeung, Executive Director, CCDC. “Casa Adelante – 1296 Shotwell is for seniors, not only so that we can take care of them as they age in place with dignity, but so that we can provide a stable platform from which they can continue to lead the City, and we are deeply appreciative of that.” Major financing for 1296 Shotwell was provided by a $27.6 million investment from MOHCD that enabled the $54.2 million project to move forward. This highly anticipated development has been made possible by financing from the San Francisco voter approved 2015 General Obligation Housing Bond for Affordable Housing Program, San Francisco Affordable Housing Fund, and HOME funds from HUD. Other financial partners include the California Community Reinvestment Corporation, California Debt Limit Allocation Committee, California Municipal Finance Authority, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, Clarke & Soffa, Raymond James Tax Credit Funds Inc., and Silicon Valley Bank. The nine-story building, designed by local architect, Herman Colliver Locus includes studios and one-bedroom apartments. Construction started in January 2018 and was completed in December 2019, with all apartments fully leased up in May 2020. (SF Mayor’s Office Release)
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forever homes in District 9.” Casa Adelante—1296 Shotwell is the first project in San Francisco to utilize the Senior Operating Subsidy program created by Board President Norman Yee last year. The subsidy enables senior residents with incomes at 15% and 25% of the local Area Median Income (AMI) to meet the 50% AMI rents required to live at the development. “This has been the result of years of advocacy from the community to ensure that our affordable housing units are truly affordable to seniors on fixed incomes,” said Supervisor Norman Yee. “We have so much more work to do, but I am thrilled to see that the SOS (Senior Operating Subsidy) program will provide new opportunities to house senior residents who are often left with few choices to age with dignity. I hope we can continue to build upon this program and make the transformative changes we need to house our City’s growing aging population.” In August 2015, MOHCD selected Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) and Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC) to develop, own, and operate the affordable housing development proposed for the site. MEDA currently has three other Casa Adelante housing developments under construction in the Mission at 2060 Folsom, 1990 Folsom, and 681 Florida. “When I look at this building — MEDA’s first to be completed — I see the collaboration of the City, funders, architects, structural engineers, our co-developer Chinatown Community Development Center and our community,” said Luis Granados, Chief Executive Officer, Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA). “They say the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and that belief is embodied in Casa Adelante—1296 Shotwell.” “After one year of not having stable housing, I found MEDA through church and was able to apply and be accepted to live at 1296 Shotwell,” said resident Irma Soberanis. “I love the community and staff members at 1296 Shotwell who go above and beyond to help the residents. I thank God and the people who
Filipina nurse in California thrilled to be among first to get Covid vaccine OAKLAND – A Filipina nurse made history as one of the first Filipinos to be injected with the much-awaited anti-COVID19 vaccine, in the hospital she works for. Elgie Agcoaili Camales, a mother of two, from Vintar, Ilocos Norte and Stockton, California, was prioritized to be given the first of two doses of Pfizer vaccine assigned to the medical surgical force of Adventist Health Lodi Memorial in Lodi, California, where she has been working for 13 years. A nursing graduate of Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama, Camales laments that their hospital is at full capacity at present. Even regular rooms are full, as a result of a surge in the number of patients after the Thanksgiving celebration. But this only strengthened her resolve to get the vaccine right away should it become available for them at the hospital, although health workers were told that taking the vaccine was not mandatory but purely voluntary. “I vividly remember that at early afternoon of Wednesday, December 16, I was excited as a fellow nurse came in to inject the vaccine in my arm. He wanted it videotaped and pictures taken and I was like Yes! This is the day we are going to have the vaccine. It was exciting for me although I was a little nervous in the begin-
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SAN FRANCISCO — Mayor London N. Breed on December 17 celebrated the grand opening of a 100% affordable housing project in the Mission at Casa Adelante—1296 Shotwell Street, which is comprised of 94 affordable homes for seniors and formerly homeless seniors. The project is also the first in the City to use the Planning Department’s Affordable Housing Bonus program, which resulted in three additional floors and over 33 more units. “These 96 new affordable homes represent a new chapter for the residents who have moved in,” said Mayor Breed. “Housing is more than a place to live — it’s stability, community, and as we have seen so clearly during this pandemic, it’s also essential to public health. Projects like this one and the others that will break ground over the coming years are critical to addressing so many of the challenges we face as a city. As we emerge from this pandemic and work to get our economy and our City budget back on track, we need to make sure that we continue to create the new housing that San Francisco needs.” The parcel at 1296 Shotwell was conveyed to the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) via a land dedication — the City’s first — by the developers of the Vida Condominiums/Alamo Draft House at 2558 Mission Street in 2013. The transaction was conducted as part of the City’s Inclusionary Affordable Housing Program to create 100% affordable housing. The City’s newly piloted Senior Operating Subsidy (SOS) program is providing direct rental assistance to 40 of the tenants. “Casa Adelante at 1296 Shotwell is a true victory for District 9, the first new construction of affordable housing in a decade in my district,” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen. “It is, as most great wins are, the fruit of powerful and persistent advocacy, a partnership between community and the City. This same tenacity enabled us to break ground on another six affordable buildings since then. In this otherwise tragic year, I am thrilled to celebrate with MEDA and CCDC today and to welcome new elders to their
Elgie Agcaoili Camales hopes that the vaccine would end the COVID-19 pandemic that has already caused immeasurable harm and destruction. Contributed photo
Elgie Agcaoili Camales was relieved and happy after being given the first of two doses of Pfizer vaccine by a fellow nurse Cavan Quam. ADVENTIST HEALTH
ning. I don’t feel any side effects for now,” Camales narrated. “I am just happy to have it this early.” Camales immediately texted her 81-year-old mother and advised her to get the vaccine too when she gets the chance. After witnessing the worst horrible suffering of patients from the virus, Camales would not want anyone else, much less her mother, suffer the same fate. “We are tired and drained not just physically, but also emotionally and psychologically as coworkers also get sick and some even died. We want to rest but have to work because we do not have extra nurses. We are made to work extra hours so there would be enough nurses available at any given time,” admitted Camales. She was left devastated after losing two dear co-workers to the virus. She had taken care of them. “Hopefully this vaccine will help save all of us from the pandemic so we can go back to normal.” Filipino nurses like Camales are usually assigned to other critical COVID-19 departments, including respiratory care, geriatric and intensive care units (ICU) due to their expertise and ingrained empathetic ability for caring and having respect for others. As someone constantly updated on the status of the U.S. health system, Camales weighed the advantages with the disadvantages, kept in mind that they are always at risk of getting infected for being on the front-lines. She also is saddened that
more than 300,000 victims have died, and did not get the opportunity to be vaccinated. She was told that the hospital would initially have only two days of vaccination for now with more to be conducted later. “While it may be true that what is going to be injected is something that we know not much about yet, we may be protected somehow if we get the vaccine when we had the chance. It can be fatal if we get infected without getting the vaccine that is supposed to protect us,” Camales reasoned. As to the problem in staffing, Camales revealed that their hospital resorted to hiring nursetravelers as reinforcements. These nurses come from different places and stay only temporarily before they move on to other places needing their services. “The staffing problem due to manpower shortage and the continuous surge of patients are our major challenges at the moment. Let me reiterate that we health care workers are drained physically, emotionally and psychologically. “I also ask everyone to follow the health protocols – wearing masks, physical distancing, frequently washing hands — even after getting the vaccine,” Camales pleads as she, like other front-line health workers ,anticipate another surge during the celebration of the holidays. Incidentally, she ended the interview with INQUIRER.net, saying she had been asked to report back to work the next day, her day-off, to again augment their hospital staff. n
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US embassy to help SC strengthen judicial board by EvElyn
Macairan Philstar.com
MANILA — Officials of the United States embassy have pledged to help the Supreme Court (SC) strengthen its Judicial Integrity Board (JIB). The U.S. embassy’s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs country director Kelia Cummins and INL legal specialist Chudney Ngo on Mon-
day, December 21, made a virtual courtesy call on Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta. During their meeting, Peralta updated the embassy officials on his 10-point program that includes the reinvigoration of the JIB that aims to strengthen the integrity and prevent corruption in the judiciary. Also discussed were measures to be taken to improve the conduct of videoconferencing during this
time of COVID-19 and other projects of the Court. The SC said the US officials are committed to help the judiciary in providing resource persons in its training seminars and workshops for judges, as well as technology support in judicial reform projects. Present at the virtual meeting were SC Associate Justice Alexander Gesmundo and Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez. n
‘Victory for children’: PH set to raise age of consent by allison Jackson Philstar.com
MANILA — Manila teenager Rose Alvarez was 13 when she started having sex with a man who was more than twice her age. That would be statutory rape in most countries, but not in the Philippines. The Catholic-majority country has one of the lowest ages of consent in the world, allowing adults to legally have sex with children as young as 12. Child rights activists have lobbied for decades to increase the age — enshrined in the penal code since 1930 — but faced resistance from what they describe as a “culture of patriarchy” in a country where abortion and divorce are illegal. Congress now looks set to approve a bill to raise the age to 16. Campaigners say the legislation would help protect youngsters in a nation that has become a global hotspot for online child sex abuse and where more than 500 teenagers get pregnant and give birth every day. “This is a victory for Filipino children,” Patrizia Benvenuti, UNICEF’s chief of child protection in the Philippines, said recently as the proposed legislation moved closer to a final vote. “Pegging 12 as the age of consent is really not consistent with scientific studies on brain development.” Alvarez, who got pregnant when she was 14, says she now realises she had been too young for a sexual relationship and the demands of motherhood. “I was still a child then, I didn’t know anything about sex,” Alvarez, now 16, told AFP at a clinic run by the Likhaan Center for
Women’s Health in Navotas, one of the poorest areas of Manila. “I was telling him to use a condom... but he removed it. He didn’t want to use it,” said Alvarez, whose name has been changed to protect her identity. Alvarez — who until the age of 12 thought it was possible to get pregnant from kissing — said she was drunk the first time she slept with the man, who was about 29 when they met on Facebook. “When I woke up I was shocked to see blood in my underwear and it hurt a lot,” she recalled. “I was too intoxicated to know what was happening.” ‘Victim blaming’ Child rape and sexual abuse are rampant in the Philippines, according to official data. A woman or child is raped nearly every hour, Senator Risa Hontiveros said in a document to the Senate, citing figures from the Center for Women’s Resources. Seven out of 10 victims are children and the vast majority are girls, she said. A government-backed nationwide study in 2015 showed one in five children aged 13-17 experienced sexual violence, while one in 25 were raped during childhood, UNICEF said. But prosecuting adult perpetrators in rape cases involving children as young as 12 has been difficult because they can argue the sex was consensual, said Rowena Legaspi, executive director of the Children’s Legal Rights and Development Center. “Imagine a 12-year-old... that girl is still a minor,” Legaspi told AFP. “How could she have consented?” The proposed bill would make it automatically illegal and carry a penalty of life imprisonment,
though it would not punish young couples close in age. It is expected to be approved by the Senate in the coming months before going to President Rodrigo Duterte to be signed into law. Activists say increasing the age of consent will deter sexual predators. But they caution more needs to be done to combat sexual violence against children and one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Southeast Asia. All children should have access to age-appropriate sex education “from an early age” as well as information and services to make sex safer and avoid unplanned pregnancies, said Carlos Conde of Human Rights Watch. Sexist and “victim blaming” attitudes among prosecutors and judges also needed to be changed, and cases needed to move faster, said Legaspi. It currently take years for a rape case to reach court, by which time the victim may be an adult -- and in some cases, the accused has died. “We have so many laws that protect children but the problem is the implementation,” said Legaspi. “You only change the law but the system is still there.” ‘I want to have fun’ Not everyone favours increasing the age of consent. A social worker dealing with adolescents in impoverished areas of Manila told AFP it could push relationships between children and adults underground, making it more difficult to assist youngsters in need. Donna Valdez, 15, says it should be left to the couple to decide if they are ready to have sex. u PAGE A7
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FeatURes
OPiniOn Sans vaccine, boost testing FROM what could have been delivery of 10 million doses this January, Filipinos hoping to get the COVID vaccine developed by Pfizer / BioNTech will now have to wait until July at the earliest for the shots. Even the vaccines apparently preferred by the government, from Chinese companies, can arrive in the Philippines no earlier than March, according to the officials involved in vaccine procurement. Every day that passes sees more people getting sick and dying of COVID, more businesses closing, more jobs lost. The Department of Health has said the confidentiality disclosure agreement with Pfizer went through the usual government process. But these are unusual times, and that statement says a lot about why the deal fell through. With the government dropping the ball – as described by two officials involved in the negotiations – on the Pfizer vaccine, it should at least improve COVID testing capability. Even with price caps set on the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction swab test, the gold standard for COVID testing remains expensive for millions of Filipinos. There are now cheaper and still accurate tests available in other countries. But the Philippine
Editorial
Red Cross and certain business groups have been waiting forever for regulatory approval for the cheaper, faster, less invasive but still accurate saliva test for the
coronavirus. While waiting for this green light, another product has received the seal of approval from the US Food and Drug Administration: the first-ever rapid COVID test that can be administered at home and bought over-the-counter, without prescription, for the equivalent of about P1,000. Produced by Australian digital diagnostics firm Ellume, the test kit produces results in about 15 minutes, with no need for laboratory processing and the consequent wait of at least a day for results. Accuracy of the test is reported to be from 94 to 96 percent. The saliva test developed in Israel produces results in seconds, but there seems to be little official interest in the Philippines for new products that can revive the travel industry and other pandemic-battered sectors. Perhaps Philippine officials will be interested in procuring the Ellume
Philstar.com photo
test kits, or at least facilitating procurements by the private sector and speeding up the products’ approval by the Food and Drug Administration. Around the planet, the urgency of saving lives and reviving foundering economies has led to a
scramble for access to COVID vaccines and improved testing kits vetted by reliable regulators. The Philippines can’t afford to sit on the sidelines, twiddling its thumbs and carrying on at a pre-pandemic business-as-usual pace. (Philstar.com)
Ronald McDonald House: Home away from home during the holidays for families with chronically sick kids and premature babies
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS THE WORST crisis that parents (and grandparents) perhaps have to face is to see our helpless babies and children fight for their lives. If only we can take their place so that they will not have to suffer, we will do it in a heartbeat. This Christmas, and during the coronavirus pandemic, the main focus of these parents is to be with their child in the hospital where they have to stay for weeks, and months for treatment, or to stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for premature babies. Many of these families live more than 50 miles away from the hospital, and so the toll of commuting every day to be with their child, or the expense of staying in a hotel near the hospital adds to the load of the cross they have to carry for the love of their children. This is where the Ronald McDonald House becomes a blessing to these families. I first heard about this charity from my daughter Christine, when she gave birth to our first grandchild Azshara prematurely at 24 weeks and five days, instead of around 40 weeks in the womb. She and her husband Dave live in Missouri with no other family with them as a support system. Azshara stayed in the NICU of the hospital for 120 days.
Thankfully, there is a Ronald McDonald House within walking distance to the hospital where parents like them can stay so that they can always be there for their children during these most critical moments of their lives. I got to talk to a family who is staying at Ronald McDonald’s House (RMDH) - Stanford in Palo Alto, California. Dad Trevor and Mom Auburn Vanrooyen recalled how RMDH has been blessing their life through all these challenges. They found out about the Ronald McDonald House 15 years ago when their son Thayde was also born prematurely in Alaska. Their son Thayde had a heart problem when he was born prematurely and so they were sent to Portland, Oregon at Emmanuel Hospital. There they had a Ronald McDonald House and that was the first time that they had the experience of staying in what has become their home away from home. Mom Auburn remembers their experience when they arrived in Portland. “It was an emergency situation. It was completely unexpected and I was actually out of state when he was brought here. I got here the very next day, and we were in the hospital for just a couple of days and we were just trying to make the best of it, but they were able to get us a room within three days of us getting here.”
“And it just makes you feel like I have, we have a place to go, we can both be here we can take to being with him so he’s never alone but then we have a place to go where we can just take a breath unwind let out our emotions, whatever we needed to do. And it was close and it was safe. It’s huge, really.” “We knew if there was going to be an issue, either one of us or both of us would only be a moment or two away,” Dad Trevor said, reliving those difficult times. “We don’t have to worry about a one four hours away five hours away at home. If something happens, that’s way too long that’s way too far, the peace of mind that being here is really, really indescribable.” The Vanrooyen family now lives in Gridley, Northern California — a five-hour drive to Stanford where Thayde will be having open-heart surgery. Mom said Thayde is homeschooled, and their 14-year old daughter attends online classes. “And now that Thayde is on the mend, he can start doing a little bit more school as needed, but his teachers have assured me not to stress about it so having a room and quiet with no interruptions for, like, at the hospital. It’s been really good for them.” I asked Trevor how a day is like for the family to stay at the RMDH. “With COVID it’s been different, working very
hard to keep everyone safe. So they open specific times for us to come down and have meals majority of the time we’re in the room where it’s safe and then we’re comfortable.” “But the pre-COVID, we had, we had open kitchens we had playrooms the kids were able to interact with each other family members could have gatherings, they’re really fabulous. I can’t stress that enough we, as as the head in the family, taking care of everybody worrying about logistics, not having to stress about that.” The RMDH also helps the Vanrooyen family get the moral support they need from families who come and visit. “We don’t have to worry about where to do that, how to do that, when to do that we just tell them to come and, or they just come and we’re able to host them have them have, feel the support and the love and it’s really, really a blessing. “ Thyde himself agrees. He says staying at the Ronald McDonald House is more comfortable than staying in the hospital because it feels like home. He just walks to the hospital for treatment. The Ronald McDonald House Charity facts and figures: • Currently, the Stanford House serves 48 families (133 individuals) • From Jan 1-Dec 8, we have housed 827 families at Stanford (1,400 individuals),
providing 18,200 nights of accommodations, which totals nearly $8.5M worth of housing, meal, and family services • Thousands of families are being fed meals each day at Stanford, San Francisco and Oakland, prepared without the help of volunteers due to COVID visitor restrictions • All non-critical procedures have been delayed due to the pandemic, so the families that we are serving now are the sickest of the sick in the Bay Area Roger Cordoba oversees the operation at the Stanford House. “We’ve done everything within our power to maintain that extra support because even during this Covid time, you know, crazy times, we’re still having sick kids right, they still need to receive treatments. So being able to support that ongoing with the challenges we have is our biggest mission right now,” he said. Ronald McDonald House is a charity that depends on the help of people in the community. McDonald’s is one of the core sponsors of the RMDH, and it also serves free meals to the families every Friday. They also have jars in the restaurants where people can give donations to the Ronald McDonald House Charity. How can we help? Cordoba said: “Donations go a long way with everything we’re trying to
do in the operations. We have three different major services accommodations, the meal service which seems to be one of the biggest ones right now.” “Obviously, we normally don’t have the funds to be feeding families three meals a day. So anything that comes our way helps us in every aspect of it, including the holiday, giving comfort and joy that we are currently running to make sure the families can have as much as normal Christmas as possible.” If we have healthy children, we are far more blessed than these families. I hope we can join McDonalds and other donors in helping these families to be there for their sick children and premature babies as our act of gratitude for the cross we did not have to carry. 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.
*** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.
Fil-Am elected officials to Gov. Newsom: Appoint Assemblymember Rob Bonta to California Attorney General [Editor’s note: On December 18, 2020, several current and former Filipino American elected officials sent a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom endorsing Assemblymember Rob Bonta as the state’s attorney general.] DEAR Governor Newsom, As current and former Filipino American elected officials, we are proud to support one of our most outstanding colleagues, the Honorable Assemblymember Rob Bonta, and respectfully request that you appoint him to serve our diverse state as the next Attorney General. Collectively, we represent more than two centuries of elected public service experience in California local government. As our Governor, who also served in local government as a Supervisor and Mayor, we know you understand the important contributions local
leaders make to our great state. We believe Mr. Bonta is the best choice to fill the position of Attorney General because he is the most qualified and we strongly believe his experience in local and state government make him the most well-rounded choice for the job. Mr. Bonta has an Ivy League education and has obtained a Juris Doctorate from Yale Law School after attending Yale College and Oxford University in England. Although he has an elite education, he has never forgotten his humble beginning and his connection to communities up and down California. His personal story, having been raised as a child in La Paz, the United Farm Workers’ headquarters, where his parents organized Filipino American and Mexican American farm workers, to become the first Filipino American elected to the California State Assembly is truly re-
markable. Mr. Bonta has nearly 15 years of experience as a practicing attorney with litigation experience in the public and private sectors. Mr. Bonta has legal experience in key areas, including civil rights, criminal law, governmental affairs, consumer protection, contract, and fraud. He also has significant experience as a practicing governmental attorney, serving as a Deputy City Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco for nearly a decade. Mr. Bonta has demonstrated himself to be one of the most effective and capable leaders in the legislature during his tenure. He has an excellent track record of authoring bold, ground-breaking legislation and building strong coalitions. Rob has effectively tackled a wide range of our state’s most urgent and difficult issues like:
Criminal Justice Reform, Environmental Policy, Tenant Rights (Just Cause Evictions), Pension Reform (CalSTRS), Protecting Consumers from Surprise Medical Bills, Banning Private Prisons, and Cannabis Policy. His accomplishments as a state and local legislator also give him a deep understanding of the state’s laws and the functioning of government, which is critical to effectively enforcing state law and leading the Department of Justice. He is extremely competent and is also someone who will bring people together, listen, and lead. He is exactly who we need as our next Attorney General. For these reasons, we are excited to give our strong support to Mr. Bonta for the appointment of California Attorney General. Sincerely, Mark E. Pulido Mayor, City of Cerritos (Ret.)
Frank Aurelio Yokoyama, Esq. Councilmember, City of Cerritos Eric Arias Councilmember, City of Bakersfielda Rachelle Arizmendi Mayor, City of Sierra Madre Raymond A. Buenaventura, Esq. Councilmember, City of Daly City Pamela Bulahan Vice Mayor, City of Isleton Christopher L. Cabaldon Mayor, City of West Sacramento (Ret.) Antonio “Tony” Cartagena Mayor, City of Walnut (Ret.) Dr. Rod Daus-Magbual Vice Mayor, City of Daly City Pat D. Gacoscos Vice Mayor, City of Union City Michael P. Guingona, Esq. Mayor, City of Daly City (Ret.)
Jed Leano, Esq. Mayor Pro Tem, City of Claremont Dr. Victor Manalo Mayor, City of Artesia (Ret.) Henry C. Manayan, Esq. Mayor, City of Milpitas (Ret.) Tzeitel Paras-Caracci Councilmember, City of Duarte Armin Reyes Board President, ABC Unified School District (Ret.) Sonny Santa Ines Councilmember, City of Bellflower Elito M. Santarina Mayor Pro Tem, City of Carson (Ret.) Thomas Aujero Small Mayor, City of Culver City (Ret.) *** 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 PhiliPPines
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • deCembeR 25-31, 2020
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Government to decide on January quarantine status before yearend by Alexis
RomeRo Philstar.com
HANDWASH FACILITY. San Juan City washes his hands in the new handwashing facility donated under the WASH In Pandemic, Safe Philippines campaign at the Agora Market. The campaign seeks to deliver immediate water access, sanitation, and hygiene under the new normal. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
Duterte to sign P4.5-T budget bill on Christmas Day – Sotto SENATE President Vicente Sotto III expects President Rodrigo Duterte to sign the 2021 national budget on Christmas Day, December 25, after the printed “book form” of the General Appropriations Act, which he and Speaker Lord Allan Velasco signed, was transmitted to Malacañang on Friday, December 18. The Senate and the House of Representatives ratified the 2021 general appropriations bill on December 9 after agreeing to allocate a hefty P72 billion for vaccine purchase, to be funded mostly by loans and excess revenue collections. Under the ratified bill, the Department of Education will get the lion’s share at P708.18 billion, which would be allotted to the Commission on Higher Education, state universities and colleges, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will get P694.82 billion, with ar-
eas badly devastated by recent typhoons to get additional projects to rehabilitate roads and public infrastructure. The health sector was allocated P287.47 billion to be shared by the Department of Health (DoH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. This includes P2.5 billion under the DoH budget for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines and another P70 billion under unprogrammed allocations for purchase, storage and distribution. In October, President Rodrigo Duterte called on Congress to a special session to avoid further delays in approving the proposed 2021 national budget. Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who had opposed the ratification of the proposed P4.5-trillion budget, said President Duterte should review and veto provisions in the 2021 measure approved by the two-chamber Congress early this week as he referred to some dubious allocations that were inserted in the provisions. Lacson pointed to the bigger
allocation given to the DPWH despite the agency’s poor track record in disbursing funds and widespread corruption in the implementation of infrastructure projects. “These realignments being capricious and arbitrary on the part of the bicameral conference committee members, they did not involve proper planning by the DPWH,” Lacson said. The senator said he was willing to help the executive identify specific items in the spending bill “to help those involved in the review at least take a closer look at projects that should be scrutinized and even vetoed.” “In turn, this will make sure not a single centavo in the 2021 budget will go to wasteful projects,” Lacson said. Lacson took to social media his frustration over the changes made in the latest version of the General Appropriations Bill, describing the realignment made by his colleagues as driven by “greed.” (Javier Joe Ismael/ManilaTimes.net)
‘Victory for children’: PH set to raise age of consent
PAGE A5 t She was 13 when she met her current boyfriend, who is 10 years older than her, on Facebook. After chatting online for two months, they slept together. Soon she was pregnant. The couple live together and under the proposed bill he could be charged with rape. Valdez had no regrets becoming a mother so young, she told
AFP as her 10-month-old son wriggled in her lap at the health centre. “We’re happy that we’re blessed with a child,” said Valdez, not her real name. But Alvarez says she misses her old life. “I want to go out with friends again, I want to have fun,” she told AFP. “I’m jobless, my parents are
also out of work. Where will we get money for my baby’s needs?” Alvarez hopes to finish high school so she can work overseas — like millions of other Filipinos whose monthly remittances help support their families at home. “I’m too young to be worn out,” she said. “I still have plans, I want to marry an American to have a better life.” n
MANILA — The government’s pandemic task force is expected to meet after Christmas to discuss the quarantine classifications for January, Malacañang said, as it denied that stricter measures would be imposed in Metro Manila during the holidays. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) would be submitted to President Duterte, who is then expected to make a decision by yearend. “After Christmas, we will meet so we can decide on our recommendation to the president,” Nograles, also the co-chair of IATF, told radio station dzBB. “Before January... the presi-
dent will have a decision. We do it month by month,” he added. Metro Manila, Batangas, Isabela (except Santiago City), Iloilo City, Tacloban City, Lanao del Sur, Iligan, Davao City and Davao del Norte will be under general community quarantine until December 31. The rest of the country will be under the most lenient modified general community quarantine, where most businesses can operate and more people are allowed to join gatherings. Nograles also described as “fake news” a memorandum stating that Metro Manila would revert to a stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). The memorandum, which contained the logo of the National Capital Region Police Office and was circulated on messaging applications, said the capital region would be upgrad-
ed to MECQ starting December 19. “That is far from the truth. You know our procedure in the IATF. We make our decisions every month,” Nograles said. “The localized lockdowns are enforced only on street level, zone level or barangay level. They are not enforced on the regional level,” he added. Nograles, nevertheless, noted that local governments can impose localized lockdowns in areas with rising numbers of COVID-19 infections. The Philippines has logged more than 459,000 COVID-19 infections, about 21,000 of them active cases. Last week, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said a stricter quarantine classification may be enforced in January if the country’s health system capacity indicators reach critical levels. n
Marcos: Probe deaths, disappearances of judges by JAvieR Joe ismAel ManilaTimes.net
SEN. Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” Marcos called for an investigation into the deaths and disappearances of members of the legal community. Marcos said, “In recent months, the entire legal community has been shocked by the successive assaults committed against members of the bar, leading to serious harm, disappearances and, for some, their untimely death.” In filing Senate Resolution 593, she cited five deaths and two disappearances this year, which she said caused grave concern that must be taken up by the proper Senate committee. Last January, former Batangas representative Edgar Mendoza, with his driver and bodyguard, was found dead in Tiaong, Quezon. A money dispute was allegedly the motive behind the crime. The deaths of Camarines Sur Regional Trial Court Judge Jeaneth Gaminde, Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Maria Teresa Abadilla, and lawyers Eric Jay Magcamit and Joey Luis Wee also shocked not only the legal community but also the
Sen. Imee Marcos
whole country. Former Court of Appeals judge Normandie Pizarro and more recently lawyer Ryan Oliva have been reported missing as of press time. “The entire legal community, in various fora, have expressed their dismay, condemnation, and fear for these rampant and vicious attacks against members of the bar and other court officers who seem to escape with impunity,” Marcos said. “Let us not wait for another crime committed against the respected members of the le-
ManilaTimes.net
gal community before we take action on these unfortunate events,” she added. Meanwhile, Albay First District Rep. Edcel Lagman blamed President Rodrigo Duterte for encouraging a “culture of violence” in “rampant killings” in the country. “No less than President Rodrigo Duterte himself in many recorded utterances has encouraged and condoned extrajudicial killings. Violence by example and tolerance have mocked due process and the rule of law,” he said. n
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NVC erroneously sending notices to Filipinos on visa availability Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ
DEAR Attorney Gurfinkel: I was born in the Philippines, and in 2015 my mother petitioned me in the F-2B category (unmarried adult child of immigrant). Recently, I received a “Notice of Immigrant Visa Case Creation” from the National Visa Center (NVC), advising I
need to log on to the consular electronic application center (CEAC) and start paying fees and submitting documents. It further states that unless I do so within one year, they could terminate my case. When I checked the Visa PAGE B3
‘CITIZEN PINOY’ ANSWERS QUESTIONS FROM KAPAMILYA IN THE PHILIPPINES AND IN CALIFORNIA ON AN ENCORE EPISODE THIS SUNDAY. Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (left) renews his commitment and public service of bringing families together by providing relevant immigration information to Kapamilya. Hildi from Taguig, Metro Manila in the Philippines (top right) asks about the 1997 petition of her father, who died in 2017. The petition finally became current in 2019 and she wonders if there is still hope for her and her adult children to come to America? Jon from Riverside, California (bottom right) is a dual citizen who just returned to the U.S. after spending nine years in the Philippines. He was able to bring his four-year old daughter to the U.S., as she was considered a U.S. citizen at birth. Jon wants to know the fastest way to bring his daughter’s mother to the U.S.: via a fiancée visa or should he marry her first and then petition her as his wife? These questions and more will be answered by Atty. Gurfinkel on the “Parol” (Christmas Lantern) encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot” this Sunday, December 27 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)
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 the 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
RiTCHel meNDiolA / AJPRESS
as they welcome Christmas Day. And while every Noche Buena 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 popular 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 bite-sized 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. The Noche Buena is the mostanticipated dinner gathering of the year, and with all these dishes served on the table, it’s easy to see why. But more than that, the highlight of Noche Buena is being able to share the feast with your family, bonding over good food, stories, and love.
AJPress Illustration by Jillian Peñalosa
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Judy Ann Santos bags Luna trophy for ‘Mindanao’
By Ferdie Villar KAPAMILYA actress Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo once again proved her mettle by bagging the Best Actress trophy in the recent Luna Awards held on December 18 for the movie “Mindanao.” The 42-year-old multi-awarded mother of two and wife to fellow actor Ryan Agoncillo won her second Luna award, with the first one coming in 2007 for the movie “Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo.” The Luna Awards is formerly known as the FAP Awards and is given out by the Film Academy of the Philippines. The award-giving body started handing out awards in 1983. Aside from her two Luna best actress nods, has acting category wins from the other major awardgiving bodies in the Philippines, namely FAMAS, Gawad Urian and PMPC Star Awards. “Mindanao” has officially been selected as the entry to the 93rd Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category. It is helmed by Brillante Mendoza. In “Mindanao,” Judy Ann tackles the role of Salma Datupalo, a Muslim mother who cares for her daughter who is stricken with cancer. Actor Allen Dizon portrays the role of Judy Ann’s husband, Malang Datupalo, who is a combat medic with the Philippine armed forces and who is
deployed in the southern part of the country. The film has been exhibited in many film festivals around the world, and was an entry to the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival where it garnered acting, directing and best picture wins. At the 41st Cairo International Film Festival, the movie had two nods – Best Actress for Judy Ann Santos and the Henry Barakat Award for Best Artistic Contribution for director Brillante Mendoza. This is the second project of Judy Ann that has a connection to the Academy Awards. In 2008, her movie “Ploning,” which she starred in and also had a credit as producer, was the Philippine entry to the Best Foreign Language Film category. Aside from her acting career, Judy Ann is known for her YouTube cooking show, “Judy Ann’s Kitchen.” She has also dabbled in music, having released three albums. The actress also has her own star in the Eastwood City Walk of Fame and has been inducted into the Paradise of Stars in the Mowelfund Compound. *** Actor Jake Ejercito is not too keen to see daughter grow up so fast but accepts its inevitability. In an interview with PEP. ph, Ejercito says that though he
Jake Ejercito tries to balance letting go and parenthood duties as his daughter Ellie grows up. Instagram photo (@unoemilio)
she eventually seeks her independence and leaves the nest. He stated: “Maybe a few more years, she’ll leave the nest. And I just have to make sure na before Judy Ann Santos is all smiles after winning the Best Actress trophy at the recent FAP Awards that happens, she’s well-equipped for the movie “Mindanao.” Instagram photo (@officialjuday) to survive by herself.” While many laud Jake and Andi for their co-parenting ways, wants nine-year-old Ellie Eigen- the interview. According to the same article, the actor says it took a lot of hard mann, his daughter with former girlfriend Andi Eigenmann, to Jake keeps in mind a quote he work to get to a rhythm and be at remain a baby, he has noticed read from Hollywood actor Will this stage. Smith’s Instagram account, which “I get to read the comments subtle changes. “That’s the challenge kasi nan- he remembers as something like, about iyong set-up namin and doon na si Ellie sa age na she gets “Parenthood is a balance between how we’re doing nowadays. But you know, it wasn’t always this curious about lots of things and letting go and squeezing tight.” This early, Jake, for his part, is easy,” he related. slowly, parang gusto na rin niya “Co-parenting, it goes through maging independent somehow,” determined to give his daughter the actor was quoted as saying in the right skills and mindset when many phases. Pero eventually
Well-known community leaders Anthony and Vangie Perez will hold their traditional Christmas Day party with their children and grandchildren on December 25. Photo above shows the Perez Family.
Violet Orence, a San Francisco community leader, is shown with her Christmas tree and a few presents which she will be gifting to her children and grandchildren on Christmas Day.
when you guys mature and you learn to be child-focused and set the past aside, talagang iyon. You just have to compromise and focus on the welfare of the kid, and that’s what we did,” Jake added. Jake revealed that he tries to spend as much quality time with his daughter, having missed some of her growing up years while he studied abroad. “By the time I got back here, I made it a point to make up for lost time, na makabawi kay Ellie. Ginagawa ko talaga lahat,” he said. “I try to spoil her, but not too much. Every time she’s with me, I make sure na we have fun.”
Brenda Padilla, a devotee of the Nuestro Señor Padre Jesus Nazareno, is in charge of the food that will be served to devotees who will attend the fiesta of the miraculous statue at the Villar Residence in South San Francisco on January 1.
Bea on what’s the score with John: PH showbiz in 2020: With ABS-CBN’s shutdown, where are its Kapamilyas now? ‘I’m always in love with him’ By Katrina
Hallare Inquirer.net
“THIS is ABS-CBN, now signing off.” These were the words Peter Musñgi, the man behind the Kapamilya network’s golden voice, said for the last time as the country’s biggest network signed off at exactly 7:52 p.m. on May 5. This was hours after the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) order to shut down ABS-CBN’s operations after its franchise expired a day before. Two months, 70 lawmakers killed ABS-CBN’s bid for a fresh franchise. For many of ABS-CBN’s biggest stars, it was a heartbreak hard to bear — with some either making the painful decision to leave the network that they called home, or parting with ABS-CBN’s talent arm, Star Magic. With ABS-CBN’s shut down, where are some of its stars and personalities now? The Kapamilya stars who left Pokwang One of those who left the Kapamilya network was comedienne Pokwang. In an interview with Inquirer Entertainment, Pokwang, or Marietta Subong in real life, revealed that she was not with ABS-CBN anymore. “I don’t have a contract with ABS-CBN anymore. The management understands that I also need to make a living. I’m not as rich as the Zobels and the Ayalas,” Pokwang said. Moving forward, she is now one of the hosts of TV’s talk show “Chika BESH (Basta Everyday Super Happy)” alongside Ria Atayde and Pauleen Luna. Aside from this, she also hosts another TV5 show, “Fill in the Bank” with Jose Manalo. “Right now, my contract is on a per-show basis,” Pokwang stressed. Maja Salvador Maja Salvador, who starred in ABS-CBN’s most successful teleseryes such as “Wildflower” and “The Killer Bride”, also crossed over to the Kapatid network. These days, Salvador is one of the presenters of TV5’s Sunday variety show “Sunday Noontime Live” (SNL) with beauty queen
by niña
Guno Inquirer.net
Angel Locsin, Maja Salvador, Billy Crawford, Liza Soberano, and Enrique Gil. Photos from Instagram/@therealangellocsin,@iammajasalvador, @billycrawford,@lizasoberano)
Catriona Gray, Jake Ejercito, Donny Pangilinan, and Piolo Pascual. But Salvador, in an Instagram post back in September, somehow hoped her fans would still support her despite the move to TV5. “Mga kapamilya, sasamahan ko po muna ang aking tatay na si. MR.M kaya sana wag po kayo magulat kung makikita niyo akong lumabas sa ibang network at patuloy makapagbigay ligaya sa inyo kahit sa anong paraan at plataporma.” (Kapamilyas, I will join Mr. M so I hope you won’t be surprised if you see me in another network and continue to give joy to you through a different platform.) Mr. M is Johnny Manahan, cofounder of Star Magic and veteran TV and live show director. Manahan is now also the director of “SNL”. It was also through Manahan that Brightlight Productions, TV5’s most recent blocktimer, that many of ABS-CBN’s stars were featured in different shows under the Kapatid network. Though making the tough decision, Salvador said that switching networks would somehow help people who were displaced by the pandemic “A big part of why I said ‘yes’ was because I wanted to help people displaced by the pandemic and the network shutdown get back up again,” she said in a media gathering. “I’m thankful to Mr. M for trusting me,” she added. Ted Failon Not only did ABS-CBN lose some of its brightest stars and
employees, but also some of its longtime faces of broadcasting journalism. Ted Failon, who has been with ABS-CBN for 30 years, bade adieu to the network as he also crossed over to TV5’s Radyo Singko 92.3 FM. On his last day, Failon could not help but be emotional as he looked back on his journey with the Kapamilya network. “Mahal na mahal ko ang radyo, alisin niyo na lahat sa akin, ‘wag lang ang radyo. Bata pa lang ako talagang gusto ko na maging radio announcer. I fell in love with radio since I was a child,” Failon recalled as he once turned down a job as a TV anchor. (I really love radio. Take everything from me, but not radio. Since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to be a radio announcer.) These days, the veteran journalist, along with co-host DJ Chacha, now hosts “Ted Failon at DJ Chacha sa Radyo5.” Failon added that he could not be certain whether he would be back on television, saying he wants to focus on radio for now. “I want to be able to watch my grandkids grow and kiss them when they wake up in the morning,” he told Inquirer in an interview. “I’ve come to a point in my life and career when I want more time for myself.” Billy Crawford TV host Billy Crawford also found it hard to leave ABS-CBN. At one point, he let his tears flow as he told his friend, comedian Vice Ganda, how much he valued their friendship. PAGE B3
BEA Alonzo opened up on her love life in a vlog, answering questions about past relationships — and if she has one at present. The actress got candid with celebrity dermatologist Aivee Aguilar-Teo in a video shot in October, Alonzo’s birth month, but was only released last Wednesday, Dec. 16. One of the questions that probed into Alonzo’s love life was if she was ever in love with screen partner John Lloyd Cruz. “I’m always in love with him. I feel like our partnership will never work if I was not in love with him. So nandoon lagi iyon (it’s always there),” she said. She explained that their relationship had gone through all the levels it could have. “We were friends, we were enemies, we were almost lovers,” she related. “Iyong relationship namin, nata-transcend niya na iyong level of just romance (Our relationship transcends the level of just romance).” “Now, he’s more than just
that to me. That’s the beauty of it,” she added. “Maybe I’m also in love with the idea of what we are.” When Aguilar-Teo asked if she meant the idea of them as a couple, Alonzo clarified, “Parang hindi mo alam kung ano siya (It’s like you don’t know what it is), and I’m in love with that idea.” The doctor to the stars asked if there was a possibility of falling in love with Cruz again. Alonzo reiterated that she is always in love with him, but noted, “Sometimes, love is not enough. There’s more to a relationship than just love.” Alonzo also revealed which ex she would get back with and said that it would be Zanjoe Marudo. “My relationship with Zanjoe Bea Alonzo Photo from Instagram_@beaalonzo lasted for six years. Until now we’re good friends. I’m friends Alonzo confirmed their breakup. with the family,” Alonzo said. When asked if she is currently “Kung pag-uusapan ay (If we are dating, Alonzo quipped, “I’m dattalking about) good memories, it ing. And guys, if you’re interesthas to be with him.” ed, you can just comment below. She admitted that she has Leave your number, char.” only ever gotten back with one The “One More Chance” star ex. Alonzo briefly dated co-star has been linked to actor Dominic Gerald Anderson in 2010. There Roque, though both have been were speculations that they were tight-lipped about their relationan item in 2017, and by July 2019, ship status.
Andi and Philmar are engaged! by neil
arwin Mercado Inquirer.net
ACTRESS Andi Eigenmann and surfer Philmar Alipayo are now engaged! In an Instagram post Sunday, December 19 Eigenmann shared a photo of her and Alipayo with her engagement ring. “I never thought about how my engagement would go because quite honestly, I didn’t think I’d have one. It would’ve been ok regardless, but it did happen,” Eigenmann said. “And it happened the way I wanted it and so much more,” she added. According to Eigenmann, the engagement was “nothing grand,” “unprompted,” “simple,” and “sincere.” “That’s us. That’s him. That is how I want the rest of my life to be. I am over the moon, so stoked to be spending it with you my mahal,” Eigenmann
engagement. “After a few moments of silence, Papa (Alipayo) started whispering nice things to me about our life together and our growing family… He doesn’t normally talk about his feelings a lot so I was surprised,” the text in their vlog reads. Later in the video, Alipayo asked Eigenmann to marry him. “From my whole heart, I am asking you if you will marry me,” Alipayo said, as he pulled out the ring from his pocket and kneeled before a crying Eigenmann. The couple earlier announced that they are finally going to have their “little happy islandBOY” next month. The boy will be Eigenmann’s Andi Eigenmann and Philmar Alipayo second child with the pro surfer, Photo from Instagram_@andieigengirl just a little over a year after Lilo said. was born. The two first revealed In a vlog posted Sunday, the that they were expecting anothcouple also shared about their er baby back in August.
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Perla Puzon, 80 PERLA Salva Puzon joined her Creator on December 3 at the age of 80 after suffering from complications associated with COVID-19 at 10:06 a.m. at the St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. She was 80. Perla was born in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines to Ambrocio Salva and Guadalupe Noche. She was a devoted wife to Napoleon Feria Puzon (deceased) and loving mother to children Voltaire, Aldrin, Nigel and Princess, and grandchildren Elenaire and Aldrei whom she is survived by. Perla was a very beautiful, loving, caring, cheerful, friendly and God-fearing person. She was proud of all her achievements in life, in particular the many senior group activities that she was a part of. She was fond of joining pageants held by different senior organizations and was named, among others, Miss Charity, Miss Universe 2001, Miss Luzon, Miss Kalayaan 2005 and Miss Kalayaan 2017. She was also an active member of various church organizations and a very spiritual woman. She will be deeply missed by her
Saturday, December 19. The family would like to request the pious readers to pray for the eternal repose of her soul.
PH showbiz in 2020: With ABS-CBN’s... PAGE B2 During their conversation, Vice hinted that Crawford was set to transfer to another network — which was later revealed to be TV5. “I love you at gagalingan mo sa mga gagawin mong trabaho at alam mo, sa pamilya, ‘di ba, sa pamilya meron kang kapatid na lilipat ng bahay (I love you, and do well in the work you will do and you know that with family, you will have a sibling who will move away),” Vice told Crawford, his former “It’s Showtime” co-host. “Pero hindi porke’t lilipat siya ng bahay, hindi mo na siya kapatid, hindi mo na siya kapamilya. Hindi mo na siya mahal (But just because they move to another place, that does not mean you are no longer siblings, you are no longer family. That you no longer love them),” the comedian added. Crawford now hosts TV5’s noontime variety show “Lunch Out Loud”, as well “Masked Singer Philippines.” For Crawford, he says that ratings and competition between TV networks is not a big deal these days, as the opportunity to work is what matters the most. “I think, we all speak on behalf of every artist na lumipat or pumunta dito. We’re really just trying to spread humility as well and just be humbled na we are here and we are still given the opportunity to work,” Crawford said in a press conference. “So the playing field para sa mga ratings, parang ‘yun ‘yung last na iniisip namin,” he added. The Kapamilya stars who remained Angel Locsin And while there were stars who chose to leave ABS-CBN, there were also those who remained a Kapamilya — one of which was Angel Locsin. The actress, who has been vocal in support of her network’s fight for a franchise permit, was also undaunted in calling out her fellow celebrities who remained silent in the wake of ABS-CBN’s shutdown. “Sa mga kapwa kong artistang hindi nagsasalita, may career pa ba kayo? Wala na kayong network!” she said in a noise barrage outside ABS-CBN headquarters in Quezon City last July. (To my fellow actors who are not speaking, do you still have a career? You don’t have a network anymore!) “Kahit magpa-cute kayo diyan sa Instagram, nagsend kayo ng mga sad face, hindi n’yo nadadamayan ang mga katrabaho n’yo na dahilan kung bakit kayo sumikat!” (Even if you try to look cute on Instagram, sending a sad face, you are not sympathizing with your fellow workers who are the reason why you became famous.) Locsin, who was hailed as one of this year’s “Leaders of Tomorrow” by Tatler Asia’s Gen T list, currently hosts the inspirational program “Iba ‘Yan” aired on the Kapamilya channel and A2Z, ABS-CBN’s joint venture with Zoe Broadcasting Network through a block time agreement. Kathryn Bernardo While she was fighting for her mother network, Kathryn Bernardo once again talked about politics — a topic which, she said, had a “traumatic” experience with as she and her family I were attacked for it. “Pero ngayon, andito ako kasi pakiramdam, ko kailangan. Pakiramdam ko kahit walang kasiguraduhan na marinig ‘to, at least may ginawa ako. Pakiramdam ko, kailangan kong maging boses ng iba,” Bernardo previously said.
(But now, I am here because I feel it is needed. I feel that even if there is no certainty that this will be heard, at least I did something. I feel that I need to be the voice of others.) But as her network was not granted a franchise, Bernardo said she chose to stay with ABSCBN out of gratitude. “Ito ‘yung way ko para pasalamatan ‘yung network sa kung ano ang meron ako ngayon. Lahat ng blessing namin ay dahil sa kompanya,” the young actress then said in a press conference for hers and Daniel Padilla’s digital series, “The House Arrest of Us.” It was all thanks to ABS-CBN that made Bernardo the star that she is today — from her child actress days until she reached “Phenomenal Box Office Queen” status. Bernardo felt that she made a wise decision on choosing to stay as a Kapamilya, as she feels ABS-CBN’s toughest times are actually the times where the network needed her the most. Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil One of ABS-CBN’s most popular love teams “LizQuen”, consisting of Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil, is not going anywhere despite being offered projects from GMA, TV5 and entertainment company Viva, manager Ogie Diaz assured. Diaz, in his YouTube channel last August, even said that ABSCBN was not willing to let go of the reel-to-real couple, and that the network will do what they can to keep the love teams. “May ginagawa sila para maitawid ang mga love teams na pinoprotektahan nila, sinesecure nila,” Diaz said. (They are doing things for the love teams that they are protecting, that they are securing, so they could get by.) At one point, ABS-CBN issued a statement standing by Soberano after she was warned by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. to withdraw her support of women’s group Gabriela, which, he claims, is part of a terrorist organization. Soberano, in her own words, said that she was remaining a Kapamilya. “That is true I have received offers and I’m grateful for them but I told my manager Tito Ogie that for now, I want to be here and support ABS-CBN, especially at a time like this,” she previously said in an interview over ANC’s “Headstart.” “I think what they need is unity and they need to see that they are supported by the people that have been there with them since the beginning.” Enchong Dee Enchong Dee is also one of the stars that ABS-CBN was able to keep. Last Dec. 4, the 32-year-old actor was one of the artists who renewed their contracts with Star Magic, ABS-CBN News reported. But despite staying, Dee believes that the loyalty of Kapamilya artists shouldn’t be questioned when he/she decides to stay with the beleaguered network or find work to rival networks. Dee also said that the fact he decided not to accept any work from rival networks does not make him any better than other ABS-CBN artists who chose to do so. “One of the things that I realized was that it’s not right to judge people in relation to loyalty at a time like the present. A lot of my colleagues are breadwinners,” Dee said in a press conference for a financial services
company. “You can’t take away from them the opportunity to work elsewhere, especially now that we’re battling a pandemic and our home network has shut down,” he added.
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NVC erroneously sending notices to Filipinos on visa availability
PAGE B1 Bulletin, I see they are only processing F-2B priority dates from 2011. Does this mean the NVC is willing to accept and process my case years ahead of time? What should I do? Very truly yours AG
friends, family and all those who knew her. A funeral service was held at Mountain View Memorial Park in Lakewood, Washington on
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • deCembeR 25-31, 2020
Dear AG: I have had several Filipinos come to my office recently with the same issue: their priority date is not yet current, yet the NVC is already sending notices to them to begin processing their immigrant visa and advising that their failure to do so within one year could result in their case being terminated or shredded. While I don’t know the actual reason for this, in my opinion, it may be that someone working at the National Visa Center is making a mistake, by not focusing on the fact that you were born in the Philippines and are therefore subject to the priority dates for the Philippines. Instead, they perhaps mistakenly assumed you were born outside the Philippines, where priority dates are “current”. (So you know, a person’s priority date is based on their country of birth). For example, right now, NVC would be sending these notices to begin visa processing to Filipinos who have priority dates earlier than April 2012. However, for the rest of the world, they would send these notices
to those who have priority dates earlier than May 2016. Therefore, if you were born outside the Philippines (or Mexico, which is also backlogged), you would already be eligible to begin processing your immigrant visa if you have a 2015 priority date. However, if you are from the Philippines, you still have several years to go before your 2015 priority date becomes current. This creates problems for Filipinos. First, many get excited, thinking they are now eligible to be processed for their immigrant visa, even though, in reality, they still have several more years to wait. Second, even though the NVC has clearly made a mistake in sending out these notices prematurely, they could then add insult to injury by terminating the case unless you respond within one year. I would suggest you notify the NVC IN WRITING, such as by email, that you were born in the Philippines and your priority date is not yet current, and that they should classify you in the proper visa category for the Philippines and not terminate your case. Make sure you save copies of your correspondence to them and their acknowledgment, just in case they go ahead and terminate the case by mistake. I also hope someone at the NVC becomes aware of this
problem and notifies either their employees or contractors that the Philippines is years behind the rest of the world in terms of the waiting time for various family petitions. If this situation applies to you, you may want to consult with an attorney who can make sure your case is properly classified and protected against erroneous termination and shredding by the NVC. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different, and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw, Twitter @GurfinkelLaw and YouTube: US Immigration TV Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
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december 25-31, 2020 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL
Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS A NEW, 70 percent more rapidly transmissible, strain of SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) have been detected in up to threefourths of cases in the United Kingdom today. PM Boris Johnson has ordered a new and strictest lockdown and travel ban yet in London and Southeast England. Whether this new strain, a variant, which was first detected in September, is more deadly is still unknown. Is it already in the United States, under the radar currently? Will the vaccines available today also be effective against this new strain? We do not know yet. Scientists are on it. Regardless of this new [or another] strain and whether it is amidst us or not, it is prudent for all of us to continue the discipline and behavior of wearing a facemask (or two, like me, plus a neck gaiter because of my vulnerability) whenever we are outside our home, doing social distancing, and minimizing travels and exposure to crowd. Thou shalt not COVID thy neighbors! Looking like Darth Vader is not all bad during the pandemic, especially going to a bank teller asking for money. Moderna’s vaccine was made available three days ago, following Pfizer-BioNTech’s which has started to get distributed. With the first quarter of a million shots, there were six cases of severe allergic reaction. Hence, people who are given the vaccines are observed for about 30 minutes before being sent home. Some people are also allergic to other types of vaccines, including the Flu vaccine, but the risk and danger of COVID-19 is much worse, and could be deadly, compared to the risk of getting the vaccine. Are these COVID-19 vaccines safe? Yes, most definitely. Some fear the vaccine because they feel it has been developed real fast (11 months) when compared to development of past vaccines, like Polio (23 years), the Flu shots (15 years), Chicken Pox and HPV (20 years), Hepatitis B (4 years), and Typhoid (29 years). There was no shortcut or rushed development. Proper stages of clinical trials and observation were made. What made it possible was the
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COVID-19: New strain? improved and more rapid technology in vaccine development. An analogy: Simply because cars today are manufactured more rapidly compared with those of 100 years ago does not mean cars today are less safe. As a matter of fact, cars today are a lot safer and more comfortable with high-tech features, even compared to 55 years ago, when I bought my first car, a Plymouth GTO ($2,400 brand new!). Vaccines today (24 in a million) are safe. Realistically, there is no vaccine or drug or surgical procedure that is guaranteed 100 percent without potential risk because each person is different. What makes sense is to compare the risk of the vaccine with the nature and risk of getting infected with the SARS-CoV2 virus and developing COVID-19. Does the vaccine confer instant immunity? No, before and immediately after getting the first shot (52 percent effective), the individual is still not immune to COVID-19 and could get infected when exposed to the virus from another person. The immunity gradually develops, depending on how healthy and efficient the person’s immune system is. A second shot (95 percent effective) of the vaccine given 21 days later for the Pfizer-BioNTech version, and 28 days after the first for the Moderna vaccine is needed to achieve the 95 percent plus immunity and effectivity. Missing the second shot will not protect the person from getting COVID-19 infection. It is best to get the second shot. There are five more vaccines in the pipeline (230 around the world), and one of them requires only one shot. The other 4 also require 2 shots. The second shot three to four weeks later will increase the immunity to its fullest potential. Since these are new vaccines, and science does not yet know everything about it, the individual, after getting the shot, must continue to wear facemask and do social distancing, so long as COVID-19 cases are still around (hopefully not any longer than December 2021 or early 2022). The wise and prudent demeanor of the person after getting the vaccine is to behave as if he/she has not had the shot yet. Strict medical vigilance (with a bit of paranoia as I have said in the past) should continue till we wipe out the SARS-CoV2 virus and its variants. How long will the immunity
last? The vaccines are too new to know exactly how long the protection it would confer to recipients. But the clinical observation among those who have recovered from COVID-19 infection, [seems to be that] it appears to continue to protect the person from re-infection, so far. The medical community continues with its clinical observation about the virus, the new strain in the UK, and the effects of the vaccines. Hopefully, the immunity would be long term. The vaccine is our hope around the globe, the beginning of the end of COVID-19. Which is the worst pandemic? The Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 (Avian in origin, lasted 15 months, affecting 500 million) killed 50 million people worldwide and 675,000 in the U.S. The Great Plague of London (16651666) killed at least 70,000, a third of the Continent. It is a part of the Black Death in 1347 that resulted in 200 million deaths in Europe, and it lingered for centuries. Smallpox, which was reported about 3,000 years ago, had killed more than 300 million until British doctor Edward Jenner developed the vaccine in 1796. COVID-19 deaths as of last Monday, December 21, 2020, was around 1.7 million. Seasonal flu kills about 250,000 to 500,000 each year worldwide in various countries, about 60,000 in the U.S. Why is this pandemic getting worse? Since we, the people, are the vectors (carriers responsible for spreading the SARSCoV2 virus, human-to-human), we are to blame. The reason why the pandemic is getting worse is obvious and clear: majority of us, generally speaking, have been careless, non-compliant, ignorant or refusing to believe that wearing facemask and social distancing (including avoiding crowds, minimizing travels) are effective in limiting the spread of COVID19. Many believe their civil rights – to do whatever they wish – are more important than protecting themselves and the public from this deadly viral disease. The virus can access our body only through the eyes, nose, mouth, and wounded skin. If we cover all those access points PROPERLY, we significantly (or even totally) prevent the entry of the virus. If there is poison gas in the room we are in, what do we do to prevent death? Wear a gas
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In lovIng memory of
Val Corcuera Angeles (February 4, 1966 – December 14, 2020)
VAL Corcuera Angeles joined his Creator on December 14, 2020 after an undisclosed illness. He was 54. Born on February 4, 1966 in Quezon City, Philippines, Val immigrated to the United States in 1993 to join his family where they settled in the San Fernando Valley area. A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine graduate of the Gregorio Araneta University (De La Salle Araneta University) in March of 1988, Val had a deep fondness for animals of all shapes and sizes, and had dreamed of buying a ranch to care for horses and other pets. He worked for the Animal Control Department in Los Angeles County for 24 years, most recently as Senior Clerk Officer. At one point, Angeles was the highest-ranking Filipino American within the Department, an achievement he was proud of but which he rarely talked about with people he knew. According to his family, Val was a very joyous, friendly, kind, happy and generous person who loved his family and doted on his nephews and nieces. He extended help to his many, many friends and lived his life to the fullest. An avid traveler, Val enjoyed going on trips to countries like the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Iceland, Croatia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, the Czech Republic and more. Val had many friends around the world. He was an active member of the Rodeo Veterinary mask or get out of the room. It is plain common sense. If we do not behave with intelligence and wisdom, this pandemic will linger and the virus will have more chances to mutate and develop a deadlier version for its own survival. Sometimes, I suspect, the virus is less arrogant and smarter than many of us. Should we get the vaccine? My wife, who is a retired pediatrician, and I will definitely get the vaccine as early as possible. My daughters, sons-in-law, my son, who are physicians themselves and front-liners, have gotten their shots. While there are potential risks, the value of the vaccine outweighs them when
Club of the Philippines, and attended reunions and gatherings with club members frequently. His friendly and outgoing personality even gained him more friends as he reconnected with old acquaintances and met new people through his work, travels and social circles. Val is survived by siblings Jessie & Evelyn Angeles and children Jaycee, Jason Ray, Jesselyn and Jasmine Mae; Emily Angeles and children Joshua and John Aaron; Elizabeth Angeles; Rommel & Editha (Angeles) Escobar; and nephews and niece Jazz & Nicole, Nina Cello & Peavey
Nicolas; and grand-nephews Keoni and Ninja Nicolas. A memorial service is being planned for Val Angeles at Crawford Mortuary (8717 Tampa Avenue, Northridge, CA 91324), with a date to be disclosed at a later time by the family. Those who wish to share their memories of Val and/or send condolences to the Angeles Family can visit www.crawfordmortuary.com, click on Obituaries, go to Obituary Listings, and click on the box which shows Val Angeles/December 14, 2020. The family deeply appreciates all your comfort and prayers.
it comes to preserving life. This is an educated decision we must make, based on science, and not on a political, social, or religious one. After all, our life is our own. Just a reminder, though: it is the only one we have, and there is no spare in the trunk. To one and all, and to the world, a very Merry Christmas, and hopefully, a COVID-less(er) Happy New Year!
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 antigraft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
*** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** The main objective of this column is to
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