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DATELINE PH Consulate in LA closed until Jan. 2021 due to at least 1 COVID case among staff FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
THE Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles will temporarily shut down operations for the rest of the year following at least one confirmed COVID-19 case among its personnel. The Consulate General will shut down operations until January 3, 2021, it said in a public notice on Saturday, December 21. This update comes after the Consulate previously announced it would shut down until Dec. 21 after a “highly probable exposure to COVID-19” from a client last week. “All clients who have availed of our services for the month of Dec. are strongly
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US Congress passes $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill by Klarize
Medenilla AJPress
FOLLOWING months of inaction, the United States Congress on late Monday, Dec. 22, passed the long-awaited stimulus package that includes $600 in direct payments to millions of American taxpayers as well as a flurry of
other funding measures that are unrelated to the COVID-19 economic crisis. The 5,593-page spending bill’s eleventh-hour passing this week arrived after months of partisan arguments and speculation over whether or not ranking members of Congress would compromise on a bill that could provide aid to individuals and businesses grappling with the financial burden of
the ongoing pandemic. The $900 billion stimulus bill is roughly half the size of the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed in March that provided, among other things, an unprecedented $1,200 in direct payments to millions of taxpayers.
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US approves Moderna vaccine by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
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Nuezca was seen on video shooting two people in the head over an argument. Screen grab from Facebook account of Ronjie Daquigan, a councilor from Gerona, Tarlac
PNP CHIEF IN TARLAC. Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Debold Sinas visits the wake of Frank and Sonya Gregorio on Tuesday, December 22. The two were shot dead by Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca in Tarlac. Following the crime, some lawmakers have come out to voice out their support—renewing their push for the others—to reimpose the death penalty in the Philippines. PNP photo
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, fol-
Duterte on Tarlac shooter: Lock him up Stay-at-home order ‘very likely’ to be
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extended for certain California regions
by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has condemned the police officer who shot a mother and son dead in Paniqui, Tarlac. In a taped speech, Duterte said Police Senior M/Sgt. Jonel Nuezca should be locked up for shooting and killing Sonya Gregorio, 52, and her son Frank Anthony, 25, after an altercation on Sunday, December 20. “Ang pagmamahal ko sa trabaho lang natin (My love is for the work we do). You do something which is not — out of the ordinary just pulling a gun and shooting people, you must be… Eh ikulong ninyo ‘yon. Huwag ninyong
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IATF allows foreigners to re-enter PH
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 under Section 9(e) and 9(g) of Commonwealth Act No. 613, as amended, who are already in the country and will be leaving
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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 stay-at-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
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Leticia “Letty” Lopez-Viado (left) is sworn-in as mayor of West Covina, California by Judge Lucy Armendariz of the Los Angeles Superior Court during a ceremony at the West Covina council chambers on Tuesday night, December 15. She was joined by her husband Garry Viado and their two children Victoria and Garrett. Photo by George Ogden
Supreme Court rejects Trump challenge excluding undocumented Letty Lopez-Viado ascends to immigrants from Census by AJPress 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. 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 Con-
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West Covina, CA mayorship, becoming first Filipina-Mexican American in top role by Christina
M. Oriel
AJPress
WEST Covina, long considered home to one of the largest Filipino American concentrations in Southern California, now has its first Filipina-Mexican American mayor. Leticia “Letty” Lopez-Viado, who previously served as mayor pro tem, will lead the San Gabriel Valley city in the top
post for the next year. The incoming mayor was sworn into office by Judge Lucy Armendariz of the Los Angeles Superior Court, with her husband Garry Viado and their two children Victoria and Garrett at her side, during a ceremony at the West Covina council chambers on Tuesday night, December 15. “I feel extremely honored
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DECEMBER 25-31, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
Dateline USA
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US Congress passes $900 billion COVID-19... DFA sees spike in COVID-19
PAGE 1 The four Congressional leaders at the helm of the bill — Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — have spent months in partisan gridlock negotiating a deal as wages and employment plummeted during the pandemic. The bill passed with overwhelming majorities in both chambers of Congress: 359 to 53 in the House and 92-6 in the Senate. “Today, we have reached agreement with Republicans and the White House on an emergency coronavirus relief and omnibus package that delivers urgently needed funds to save the lives and livelihoods of the American people as the virus accelerates,” Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement. “We are going to crush the virus and put money in the pockets of the American people.” The $600 payments to individuals are expected to arrive via mail or direct deposit next week, and eligibility is contin-
gent upon yearly income: individuals who earn up to $75,000 a year and married couples who earn up to $150,000 with an additional $600 per dependent under 18 years old living in the same household. The bill also extends unemployment with an additional $300 a week. The bill also includes $284 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses as well as $69 billion for vaccine distribution and $82 billion for schools, McConnell said on the Senate floor on Sunday. Pelosi and Schumer added that $25 billion will be allocated to rental assistance and eviction moratoria, $13 billion in food assistance and $7 billion to increase internet access as schools across the country continue to operate through distance learning. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the bill in the next few days, but because annual government funding was set to expire on Tuesday, Dec. 22 at midnight, lawmakers tacked on a separate measure to avoid a week-long govern-
ment shutdown. Public backlash over the bill immediately followed the bill’s passing, largely over the decision to give taxpayers half of what they received earlier this year through the CARES Act. And, although the stimulus checks and immediate financial aid remain a priority to Americans, tucked away in the lengthy bill are other stipulations and questionable financial allocations that stray far from the bill that was designed to assist struggling individuals. More than $110 billion will be set aside toward tax breaks for niche industries like liquor producers, the motorsports entertainment industry and electric motorcycle manufacturers, according to the bill’s text. Among the more controversial components of the bill include $500 billion is allocated to Israel’s defense programs, an increase from 50% to 100% deductibility of business meals, funding for two new Smithsonian museums and the creation of a new U.S. consulate office
infections among overseas Filipinos 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 undergoing treatment. 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-relat-
ed 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. “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 undergo-
ing 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.
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While on a bicycle ride with his father, 12-year-old Noel Bascon was fatally struck by a suspected drunk driver in Costa Mesa, California on Sunday, Dec. 6. Photo courtesy of the Bascon family/GoFundMe
12-year-old Filipino Costa Mesa boy killed by drunk driver Driver held without bail and convicted of second-degree murder by Klarize
Medenilla AJPress
EARLIER this month, a young Filipino boy was killed while riding a bicycle with his father by a suspected drunk driver in Costa Mesa, California. The tragedy occurred on Sunday, Dec. 6 around 6 p.m. on Arlington Drive near Juniper Drive when 12-year-old Noel Bascon and his father were biking near the intersection. According to police, a man driving a rented F-150 pickup truck ran past a stop sign and fatally collided with the boy. The driver was 59-year-old Richard Lavalle of Long Beach who police investigators said had a prior DUI charge in 2013. Authorities alleged that Lavalle was intoxicated when he crashed into Noel. In an interview with NBC4, Noel’s mother Eleanor Bascon said that her husband witnessed the crash. He had tried to get the driver’s attention to get him to stop but Lavalle didn’t see; Bascon’s husband called her immediately from the scene. NBC4 reported that Noel was a 7th grader “who loved gummy candy and going to the beach,” and was excited to be going back to school, the mother said. “He’s a sweet, smiling, happy, energetic boy. He loves being outdoors in the parks,” she said, adding that Noel was “just an innocent boy enjoying a bike ride, and he never came home.” A GoFundMe was set up to
help the family with funeral and memorial expenses. As of press time, the fundraiser has exceeded its $10,000 goal, but donations are still being accepted to help the family during this difficult time. Bascon (whose Filipino heritage was confirmed to the Asian Journal last week by the fundraising host) and her husband both work in the medical field, and she said that they both have been witness to family tragedies throughout the pandemic. The mother also noted that she and her daughter would have joined the father and son on the bike ride, as they often did as a family, but they stayed home to wrap Christmas presents. She said that she hopes Lavalle will be served justice for killing her son. “He’s a menace to society. He needs to be locked up for life so he doesn’t do this to anybody else again,” she told NBC4. Lavalle was arrested on the scene and charged with second-degree murder on Tuesday, Dec. 8. Lavalle was previously convicted of driving under the influence in San Diego County in 2013, which upgraded his charge from manslaughter to murder, per the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. A passenger of the F-150, 56-year-old Lee Anna Diaz Murphy of Artesia, was also booked on suspicion of possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia and controlled substances, Orange County police said. A former convict, Lavalle was
also convicted in August 2009 of armed bank robbery in federal court and was sentenced to 35 months in federal prison in April 2010, court records showed. He returned to prison to serve one more year after he violated supervised release in 2013,and according to court records, in 2018, he was also convicted of robbery in Los Angeles County. If convicted of murder for Noel’s death, Lavalle faces a maximum sentence of 30 years to life. In California, law enforcement are required to give drivers convicted of DUIs a “Watson advisement,” which “informs them that if they kill someone while driving under the influence, they can be charged them of murder,” according to Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “The unimaginable pain that this family is being forced to endure because of a selfish decision of a stranger is unconscionable,” Spitzer said in a statement released on Dec. 8. “Now another innocent child has paid the price for someone else’s selfish decision. I am sick and tired of my prosecutors having to go to court to file murder charges against repeat drunk and drugged drivers who have been warned about the consequences — multiple times.” He added, “Taking a Sunday bike ride with your dad shouldn’t equate to a death sentence.”
60 members of Democratic Women’s Caucus urge Biden-Harris to use executive action for bold gender equity, racial justice reforms WASHINGTON, DC – On Tuesday, December 22, 60 Members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC), led by Co-Chairs Congresswomen Jackie Speier (CA-14), Lois Frankel (FL-21), and Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), and Vice Chairs Congresswomen Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Deb Haaland (NM-01) sent a letter to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris encouraging them to use executive power to advance gender equity and racial justice. “We are enthusiastic about your transformative agenda for women and families and have appreciated our discussions with you about the importance of your policy proposals,” the Members wrote. “Because of the substantial damage done by Donald Trump to the women of our country, we encourage you to use executive power to immediately begin
reversing the harm wrought by the outgoing administration and chart the new course articulated by your platform that affirms gender equity and allows all women and girls to reach their full potential.” DWC Members outlined numerous areas in which President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris have the authority to pursue executive action. Those recommendations include but are not limited to actions on the following: • Establishing a White House Council on Gender Equity, appointing a Special Assistant to the President on Gender Equity; • Protecting and expanding access to reproductive health care by rescinding harmful Trump-era restrictions, addressing urgent maternal health needs; • Taking a critical look at childcare and care-giving needs;
• Improving pay equity for women; • Protecting victims of sexual assault on college campuses by rescinding harmful Trump administration changes to Title IX; • Reunifying families separated at the border; and • Supporting women globally by appointing a highly visible Ambassador-at-large for Global Women’s Issues, fully reinstating global women’s health funding, and rescinding the Global Gag Rule. A copy of the letter with the complete list of recommendations can be found https://speier.house. gov/_cache/files/6/b/6b03e6e278d6-4956-841f-ee958380c020/ E6EC364C74FCEA1E27DF60625A3B0106.dwc-executive-action-letter-to-biden-harris-administration-002-.pdf. (Democratic Women’s Caucus Release)
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DECEMBER 25-31, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
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From The Front Page
Letty Lopez-Viado ascends to West Covina...
BLESSED. Rev. Fr. Placido de Jesus douses the newly opened modular hospital and dormitory with holy water during the turn-over ceremony of the facility at the Quezon Institute compound in Quezon City on Tuesday, December 22. The modular hospitals are for treating moderate and severe COVID-19 patients while the dormitories are for the medical personnel manning the facility. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
IATF allows foreigners to... PAGE 1 t the country starting December 17, 2020,” said presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. Under Section 9 (g) of the Commonwealth Act 613 or the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, it says that foreign visa holders are those “lawfully admitted into the Philippines for permanent 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 prebooked COVID-19 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 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. 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 pursuant 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. (Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress)
PAGE 1 t and proud. It’s nice to see that I can take on a leadership role and give inspiration to others who have been in situations like mine in the past. West Covina is a diverse city with high populations of Filipinos and Hispanics,” Lopez-Viado told the Asian Journal in an interview. West Covina, located about 19 miles east of Downtown Los Angeles, boasts a population of 107,786 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. About 11,000 Filipino Americans have settled in the city. Lopez-Viado — whose mother hails from Manila and her late father from Mexico — was elected to the City Council in 2018, becoming its first councilmember of Filipina and Mexican descent. She ran touting her nearly two decades of experience working in Los Angeles County’s public sector. By day, she is a senior recreation director with the city of LA’s Department of Recreation and Parks, where she manages an all-around sports program. “I’ve worked with different types of cultures and economic backgrounds on both extremes. These experiences have made me stronger and see what’s needed. My family, upbringing [and] the places I’ve worked all combine and come into how I work for the community,” she said. Prior to being councilmember, she was involved with the
Letty Lopez-Viado was first elected to the West Covina City Council in 2018, becoming the city’s first councilmember of Mexican and Filipina descent. Photo courtesy of West Covina City Council
local government as a community and senior services commissioner, and as a member of the Friends of West Covina Library, which supports literacy programs. Lopez-Viado’s goals for the council include improving the quality of life of West Covina residents through clean and safe parks, public safety resources, and controlling spending. As the pandemic continues into the next year, the council under her leadership will focus on the local recovery efforts. “I’m hoping to rebuild and improve our city and community and give them faith and hope that everything’s going to be okay,” she said. “We don’t know when the pandemic will end, but as soon as it does, we will work to reopen our city and businesses and bring community events that people have been missing.” She also seeks to maintain the “business friendly” environment within West Covina, which has around 4,000 small businesses, according to several estimates. With the holiday season, she’s encouraging residents to shop local and help keep them open. “We’re not going to be too hard on our businesses. LA County has rules, which we will follow. But in terms of hard enforcement, I don’t want to use our resources because we have very little police offices and we want to make sure the city is safe,” Lopez-Viado said. Along Amar Road alone, two shopping plazas across the street from one another bear two major Filipino American supermarkets and over a dozen small businesses like restaurants, hair salons and repair shops. Fil-Am community members have long been pushing for the area to be designated as a “Little Manila.” Last year, Jollibee moved its North American headquarters along North Barranca Street, with the company’s iconic bee
logo visible atop the 13-story building along the I-10 freeway. When LA County and then the state of California moved to close outdoor dining, Lopez-Viado and other councilmembers challenged the orders, saying in a letter that there is a lack of sufficient data correlating COVID-19 transmission with dining out and “no discussion of the impacts on people’s livelihood.” As of this writing, Southern California is under a regional stay-at-home order, which has closed certain sectors from personal care services and family entertainment centers, and has limited restaurants to take and delivery and placed occupancy limits on retail stores. Earlier this month, outgoing Mayor Tony Wu introduced the idea of West Covina having its own health department separate from the LA County Public Health umbrella, similar to the cities of Pasadena and Long Beach. This is something Lopez-Viado said she would continue to explore. “We want to work with LA County but also take a load off. So if we can work with our hospitals and medical industry, we can focus on local control of what is occurring here because it’s not a one-size-fits-all,” she said. “Something that’s occurring in another city or another region doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to be the same in our city.” Though families are encouraged to stay home as much as possible, Lopez-Viado reminds them that going out for walks and getting fresh air a local park can boost mental and physical health at this time. Along with Lopez-Viado, other Fil-Ams leading Southern California cities, as previously reported by the Asian Journal include: San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Sierra Madre Mayor Rachelle Arizmendi, and Artesia Mayor Pro Tem Melissa Ramoso.
Supreme Court rejects... PAGE 1 t gress 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 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. “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 lameduck 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.”
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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 25-31, 2020
Dateline Philippines
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16 early presidential contenders listed 46 policemen test positive for illegal drugs by William
Depasupil ManilaTimes.net
A RESEARCH firm has listed 16 names as potential contenders in the 2022 presidential elections, based on their popularity on social media. BluePrint.PH said that among those in the list are Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo; Senators Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros and Mary Grace Poe; and tycoon Ramon Ang. Also included are human rights lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, former speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto 3rd, Cavite Gov. Juanito Victor “ Jonvic” Remulla, Sen. Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano, former senators Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Manuel “Manny” Villar, Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres- Gomez, and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso. In a statement, BluePrint.PH said it scanned 344,761,479
data points or Facebook engagements, such as likes, shares, reactions and comments, from June 1 to November 30. “If we go by our big data metrics, about 16 names are frequently being mentioned on social media, particularly Facebook, as potential presidential candidates,” said Eero Brillantes, BluePrint.PH chief executive officer. Brillantes highlighted the powerful influence of social media in determining the country’s next president. “All have paths to the presidency. Social media networking activities alone through Facebook can generate 22 percent to 35 percent of the votes in 2022,” he said. He enumerated four components to a serious election campaign: ground game, the air war through mainstream media, network engineering (social media) and big data for decision support. Brillantes said the 16 names have at least one of these components, but none have all four. He said ground game and mainstream media through ad-
vertising and public relations would account for the 65 to 78 percent of vote generating potential. Big data will be crucial in determining the right messaging and priority spending across many segments of the electorate. Among the personalities with the highest media coverage on traditional media and posted on Facebook were Robredo followed by Pacquiao and Moreno. Moreno also ranked highest in the ability to engage social media influencers to promote ideas that could generate interest and potential votes, followed by Robredo, Go, Pacquiao, Duterte-Carpio, Marcos, Remula, Hontiveros, Sotto, Poe, Cayetano, Diokno, Torres-Gomez, Cayetano, Ang and Villar. Torres-Gomez, Ang, Remulla and Hontiveros ranked highest in the list of candidates with the most growth potential on social media. These personalities have a small number of followers and influencers but indicate good potential.
PH Consulate in LA closed until Jan... PAGE 1 encouraged to get tested for COVID-19 as soon as practicable,” it added. For clients with appointments until December 29, 2020 will “still be accommodated on any day they wish to come beginning January 4, 2021 until the last working day of February 2021.”
Only emergency services will be rendered during the temporary shutdown: • One-way travel document or passport validity extension stamp by emailing phppt.lapcg@gmail.com • Consular mortuary certification or report of death (for shipment of remains to PH) by emailing registry.pcgenla@
gmail.com • Visa by emailing visa_pcgla@earthlink.net • Assistance to Filipino nationals in distress by emailing lapcg.atn@gmail.com or calling the hotline at (213) 587-0758. Updates can further be found at the Consulate’s website at https://www.philippineconsulatela.org/. (AJPress)
US Congress passes $900 billion COVID-19... PAGE 2 in Tibet (the bill also includes providing support to the Tibetan Buddhist faith community for the future “reincarnation” of “any future Dalai Lamas”). These elements — which stirred criticism among tax experts, policy experts and every day Americans alike — are a part of one of the largest
government spending bills in American history. The corporate tax breaks — like the one granted to producers of beer, wine and spirits — continue to reflect the influence corporate lobbyists have on major federal policy, economy experts fear. “They are a gravy train for members and lobbyists, who repeat the same exercise every
year or two,” Howard Gleckman, tax policy expert at the Urban Institute, told the Washington Post. “The lobbyists get to keep billing hours. The members get campaign money from the same people. Many of these are classic special interest tax breaks that do not benefit the overall economy in any way.”
random drug tests conducted from January to December 18. PNP chief Gen. Debold Sithe policeA TOTAL of 46 policemen nas said 20 of were from the National tested positive for illegal drugs men this year, the Philippine Nation- Capital Region Police Office and al Police (PNP) said on Monday, five of them were members of the Special Action Force (SAF). December 21. Eight others were from They were caught through by Darwin
Pesco ManilaTimes.net
the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), and another eight were from the Central Visayas and Police Regional Office 11. Sinas said that all 46 policemen have been disarmed. Criminal and administrative charges will be filed against them.
Lawyers demand action over rise in attacks on colleagues MANILA — Legal practitioners on Tuesday, December 22 demanded that the Supreme Court act on the rise in killings of lawyers in recent years, citing the adverse impacts of the attacks against the legal profession and on the independence of lawyers. “The continuing, increasing and more brazen killings on Filipino lawyers and judges have
been going for many years now but we noticed a sharp increase since President Rodrigo Duterte came to office in 2016 and has made the legal profession one of the most dangerous careers in the country,” over 70 signatories said in a letter addressed to Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta. “When lawyers, judges, prosecutors, and workers in the justice
sector are murdered with impunity and alarming regularity, no one feels safe, our people lose trust and faith in our government and its justice system, and the unscrupulous are emboldened to take the law in their criminal hands,” the Integrated Bar of the Philippines also wrote in a separate letter sent to Vice President
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DECEMBER 25-31, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
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Opinion
Sans vaccine, boost testing
Features Philstar.com photo
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 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 test kits, or at least facilitating procurements by the private sector and speeding up the products’ and reviving foundering economies has led to a The Philippines can’t afford to sit on the sidelines, scramble for access to COVID vaccines and im- twiddling its thumbs and carrying on at a pre-panapproval by the Food and Drug Administration. Around the planet, the urgency of saving lives proved testing kits vetted by reliable regulators. demic business-as-usual pace. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
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
Missing Pasko Street Talk Greg B. Macabenta MY wife and I would have wanted to spend this Christmas in the Philippines, but unfortunate circumstances prevented a trip. First of all, there is COVID-19 and the quarantine protocol being strictly enforced by the government. Secondly, U.S. citizens now need a visa to enter the Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte’s tit-fortat response to the visa that Pinoys need to enter the U.S. And thirdly, my former company driver, when I was CEO of a Manila ad agency, just died and is lying in state at our house in Parañaque. Two years ago, we spent Christmas in the Philippines for the first time in 32 years. That trip brought back fond memories that I would like to share with you. “Singko lang po, singko lang po, Singko lang po ang ibigay niyo Ayos na ang buto-buto!” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” never had such a less literal translation. Funny how I caught myself singing it.
It was 1986. Our first Christmas in America. I was imagining our two youngest kids, Jojo and Jinky, and their playmates scurrying around the neighborhood in Parañaque, knocking on doors like Halloween trickor-treaters, holding homeowners hostage with their repertoire of carols until they were paid a ransom of coins and crumpled pesos. My wife, four children and I were spending the yuletide season slushing through the snow or shivering by the fireplace, bundled in layers of clothing, our fingers stiff and frozen, our ears and noses threatening to fall off from the cold. If anybody had told us how fun it was to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, we would have disagreed. We had a house in a little town on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake, perhaps not much bigger than Bethlehem. And if a place could have inspired the song, “Silent Night,” Cambridge, Maryland would surely have done so. Enduring the cold winter nights, huddled by an open fire, we wondered when Jack Frost would stop knocking at our door. And as we listened to the carols being sung by television choirs, we all pined for the Pasko that we had known all our lives back home. Home. There we were in our own snow-covered cottage, ac-
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
tually experiencing the white Christmas we had dreamed and sang about, and we still thought of the house in Parañaque as home. Lest I be misunderstood, Christmas in America has always been a joyful experience for our family, having been fortunate to be always together. But even to this day, Pasko is the time of year when we miss the Philippines most. Ah, the flood of nostalgia. The old hometown, the old neighborhood, the relatives and friends. The sights, the sounds, the fragrances, the things we did as the months began to end with “Ber.” “Ber” – that was the signal that the yuletide season was upon us. Septem-Ber was when the first carols could be heard on radio. Then would follow Octo-Ber and the retail stores began to hang holiday displays. Novem-Ber was when the first installment of the Christmas bonus or the thirteenth month pay was given. Time for gift shopping before prices went up. And then came Decem-Ber when the count-down to Araw ng Pasko began in earnest. The airwaves would reverberate with carols that served up a confusion of sounds and images, of red-nosed reindeers and carabao sleds, of Pastores de Belen and Santa Claus and of “Ang Pasko ay Sumapit” and “The Twelve Days of Christmaas.” But for the children, the ca-
cophony invariably blended into one warm package called Happiness. Even adults, despite having to hustle for extra cash for gifts and the festive table, always managed to survive the season with a smile. How can we ever forget Pasko? Brightly-colored parols hanging at every window, bidding welcome to men of goodwill. Ersatz fir trees covered with ersatz snow, laden with shiny balls and bells, little angels and Santa Claus cut-outs and the fold-out cardboard Belen at the base. The Misa de Gallo commencing on December 16. A great way to cleanse one’s soul for Advent and a perfect opportunity for flirtation and young love. Then on Christmas Eve, the Midnight Mass. And the Media Noche. Puto bumbong, suman and bibingka. Queso de Bola and Lechon de Leche. And the next morning, the stream of kumares and kumpares with children in tow, all reminding you that you were ninong and ninang at that baptism so many unremembered years ago, and gently adding that you still owed your inaanak the aginaldo for Christmases past. Throughout the season, community choral groups serenading for funds. Professional carolers canvassing neighborhoods like appliance sales teams. And children scam-
pering from house to house, wielding makeshift instruments and screaming at the top of their lungs. And the office Christmas parties. What’s Pasko without them? The one day in the year when the Scrooges showered their benevolence on the Cratchits. I remember one office party where I replaced the lyrics of Levi Celerio’s classic, “Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit” with lines of my own: “Ang Pasko ay dumako, tayo ay mangagsitago Pagka’t ang ating bonus, kulang pa sa mga gastos.” The Chairman of the Board didn’t think that was funny, especially coming from his CEO. But the happiest gatherings of all were the family reunions. A time to remember lolas and lolos, aunts and uncles, nephews and nieces. To meet new in-laws and prospective ones. To see the grandchildren and some great grandkids. To be reminded how ancient you had become. A time for kissing hands and bussing cheeks. For loud laughter and teasing and pinching. And, yes, a time for profligate consumption of food and drink, including that bottle of “stateside” so carefully kept for such a special occasion. But my reverie must end here. Christmas Day was always celebrated at the house of an elder brother, Manong Dan-
ding. Sadly, he passed away shortly after our visit to the Philippines two Christmases ago. We also observed the Feast of the Three Kings at the house of another elder brother, Manong Fredo. And New Year was always greeted at the house of an elder sister, Manang Adoracion, and her husband, Manong Kakoy. They, too, have passed away. December 24 was always celebrated at our house, along with our wedding anniversary. Gigi and I were married on the day before Pasko. But, even that would not have been possible, even if we had gone home this Christmas because my former driver is lying in state at the old house in Parañaque. However, God willing, we may live to celebrate more Christmases to come. I would love to teach our US-born grandchildren to sing the Pinoy version of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”: “Singko lang po, singko lang po. Singko lang po ang ibigay niyo. Ayos na ang buto-buto.” ***
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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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gregmacabenta@hotmail.com
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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 25-31, 2020
Duterte on Tarlac shooter: Lock him up...
CHECKPOINT. Police officers check the documents presented by motorcycle riders at a checkpoint near the Marikina-Cainta, Rizal border along Marcos Highway on Tuesday, December 22. Checkpoints have been restored in the city to prevent a possible surge in COVID-19 infections during the holiday season. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
Stay-at-home order ‘very likely’ to be... PAGE 1 t 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 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 Pfizer-BioNTech 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 previ-
ously 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 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. (AJPress)
PAGE 1 t bitawan ‘yang y*** na ‘yan (Lock him up and do not let him out),” he said Monday night. He stressed that Nuezca should be detained for committing a serious offense. “(Nuezca) should not be allowed to go out because double murder ‘yon eh (that’s double murder). Double murder is a serious offense, a grave offense. So from the time you are arrested up to the time that you are hailed to court to answer for the death of those two persons, innocent ones, walang bail ka (you have no bail),” said Duterte. “So ‘pag nahuli ka, diretso-diretso na ‘yan (when you get caught, you head straight to jail). And I don’t think that you can escape the rigors of justice because nakuha sa TV (it was caught on TV),” he added. Duterte admitted that he was shocked by the brutality displayed by Nuezca. “Pati ako napanganga (Even my jaw dropped),” he said. “That’s unfair and brutal masyado (too brutal). Kung ako ang nandiyan, ewan ko lang (If I were there, I don’t know),” he added. According to Duterte, he does not condone oppression, noting that some policemen abuse their power. “I do not like oppression at ‘yang nag-ano ng tao – papahirapan niyo ang tao (and making people suffer). Usually kasi itong pulis (these policemen) you tend to exhibit your authority even in matters not connected with police work,” he said. Duterte also described Nuezca as “crazy,” wondering how he passed his neuropsychiatric examinations. “Isa lang itong klaseng pulis na ‘to. May sakit ito sa utak. Topak (This policeman is one of a kind. He’s sick in the head. Crazy). And I’m just wondering why he was able to – nakalusot sa (pass the) neuro. You could detect a person by the way he answers in a – ‘yung mga tests sa neuro (in the neuro tests),” he said. He called for the Philippine National Police to lock Nuezca up. “I’d like to call the PNP: Be sure that he is detained ha. He should not be allowed to go out kasi (because that’s a) serious offense ‘yan. There’s no bail,” Duterte said. The Executive Chief reminded policemen to act in accordance with the law.
“Di ba sinabi ko (Didn’t I say): You do it right, I’m with you. You do it wrong, and there will be a hell to pay. Iyon ang sinabi ko sa aking (That’s what I said during my) SONA (State of the Nation Address),” Duterte said. He added, “Do your duty enforce the law. Your actions must be in accordance with the law. You do not follow the law, mag-salvage ka, magpatay ka diyan (if you murder someone), then I’m sorry, that is not part of the agreement of how we should do our work.” The shooting incident in Tarlac was caught on camera and has gone viral online with the hashtags #StopTheKillingsPH, #JusticeForSonyaGregorio, and #EndPoliceBrutality. No mercy Senator Panfilo Lacson, former PNP chief, urged the force to make sure Nuezca rots in jail. “If what’s on video tells the whole story, I enjoin the Philippine National Police leadership to show no mercy. They should spare no effort to make sure that he rots in jail. He’s the last policeman that they need in the force,” he said in a statement. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo also condemned the actions of Nuezca. “This murderous act has no place in any civilized society. That the suspect is a member of the PNP is symptomatic of an incipient cancer that lies in the body of the police force that must be excised instantly,” he said. “No person of authority, or any person for that matter, has any right or license to unjustifiably kill anyone at will, more so over a petty proprietary dispute triggered by a mere nuisance,” added Panelo. Isolated case Philippine Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, meanwhile, said the shooting incident was an isolated case, urging the public not to condemn the whole police force. “This is an unfortunate but isolated incident. While there are unfortunate incidents like this, the vast majority of our PNP personnel perform their sworn duties everyday with honor and integrity to protect and serve the people,” he said. “The sin of Nuezca is not the sin of the entire Philippine National Police. As we have seen during this pandemic, they place their very lives on the line as frontliners in our COVID response,” he added.
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PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas echoed Año’s sentiment. “The PNP considers this an isolated act of criminality that does not reflect the PNP’s policies and practice,” he said. “In no way will such an incident affect the sworn duty of the 221,000 police personnel to serve and protect our people. Our organization remains committed to carry out our mandate and we will always be ready to selflessly provide our people the services that they deserve from their Philippine National Police,” he added. Sinas also condemned the murders, assuring the victims’ family that justice will be served. “The PNP leadership strongly condemns to the highest order the criminal act committed by one of our police personnel that had gone viral. Words are not enough to assuage the feelings of the bereaved family of the victims, Mrs Sonia Gregorio and her son, Frank. But we assure them and the Filipino people that justice will be served,” he said. Culture of impunity Human rights and civic groups argued that the Tarlac shooting incident was not an isolated case, contrary to what Año and Sinas have said. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW) deputy Asia director Phil Robertson, killing was “just the latest incident” of the reality that “many members of the Philippine police are simply out of control.” “As with many incidents of recent police violence, the killing by Nuezca of Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank was brazen and underscores the impunity that prevails in the Philippines,” he added. HRW also pointed out that Duterte has excused police misconduct countless times in the past. “Sunday’s killings in Tarlac province are an inevitable result of the Philippine government’s failure to hold erring law enforcers to account,” it added. Artist-activist group Dakila likewise said that Duterte has normalized the “culture of impunity” in the country. “This culture of impunity and violence – normalized by the President himself – has encouraged uniformed personnel to abuse their power and use their force outside duty. Their authority doesn’t give them a license to kill and violate law,” it said.
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DECEMBER 25-31, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588
US approves Moderna vaccine... PAGE 1 t lowing Pfizer’s vaccine, which began its national rollout last week. Both pharmaceutical firms utilize the new messenger 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 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
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EMPLOYMENT
BENEFICIARIES. Some 300 residents of Purok Zone 7A of Bgy. Cupang in Antipolo City, Rizal show their Christmas Kalinga packs on Tuesday, December 22 during the distribution at SM Cherry Antipolo. The activity is a joint project of the city government and SM Foundation to provide essential items to residents and families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and recent calamities. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
doses of a vaccine from Chi- na and Arcturus Therapeutics na’s Sinovac Biotech, as well Holdings Inc. The Philippines currently as securing four to 25 million doses of vaccines from Moder- has the second-highest num-
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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
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CASE NUMBER: 37-2020-00035487-CU-PT-CTL
CASE NUMBER: 37-2020-00040018-CU-PT-CTL
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner EVAN ALKASS TOBIYA / RENAN KARO filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: KAMIYA ALKASS TOBIYA to KAMILYA E PUTRUS. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 01/19/2021 Time: 8:30 AM, Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: NOV. 19, 2020 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 680 DEC. 04, 11, 18, 25/202
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner ROSITA MARIA RODRIGUEZ filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: ROSITA MARIA RODRIGUEZ to ROSA MARIA COTA. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 01/12/2021 Tine: 8:30 AM Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: NOV. 25, 2020 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 681 DEC. 11, 18, 25, 2020, JAN. 01, 2021
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner OSAMA AL RAJABI filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: OSAMA AL RAJABI to OSAMA EARTHKING. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 01/21/2021 Tine: 8:30 AM Dept. C-61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: NOV. 25, 2020 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 683 DEC. 18, 25, 2020, JAN. 01, AND JAN. 08, 2021
TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner SEYHAN STEVE ARAL filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: SEYHAN STEVE ARAL to SEYHAN SELCUK ARAL. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 01/28/2021 Time: 8:30 AM, Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: DEC. 14, 2020 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 684 12/25/20, 01/01/21, 01/08/21, AND 01/15/21
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Labor group wants J.Crew to push local manufacturer to rehire retrenched workers MANILA — A labor group is calling on clothing brand J.Crew to persuade its garment manufacturer in the Philippines to rehire the 300 workers who were retrenched in what it claimed to be a move to bust a union there. “We thus ask J.Crew to exert moral suasion on its supplier to resolve the dispute by reinstating the 300 fired workers and ending anti-union actions,” Partido Manggagawa said on Tuesday, December 22 on Twitter. The labor group reported in November that First Glory Apparel, a garment exporting firm operating in the Mactan Economic Zone in Cebu, laid off some 300 employees citing the bankruptcy of J.Crew and the coronavirus pandemic. But Cristito Pangan, president of the First Glory labor union, said the company is just
using these as “alibis to bust the union,” which has a pending petition for certification election. J.Crew has since responded to the union-busting allegations, saying that they have convinced First Glory to commit to holding union elections. However, it noted that the retrenchment process had been overseen by the labor department following negotiations between factory and worker representatives. According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, fewer Filipinos were jobless or out of business in October although this is partly because many had stopped looking for jobs. The jobless rate, which is the proportion of unemployed people to the labor force, declined to 8.7% in October from 10%
in July and a record-high of 17.7% in April, the Philippine Statistics Authority said earlier this month. The labor force participation rate, representing people actively looking for jobs, was at 58.7% in October, the second lowest since 2005. While start of schooling partly explained the dip, with students formerly searching job exiting the workforce, there was also low enrollment and National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa admitted this may not be the sole factor. “We notice that there is a significant decrease in labor force whenever there is school opening, but the reduction here is quite large to account for such. We will have to look at it closely,” Mapa told reporters in an online briefing then. (Xave Gregorio with a report from Prinz Magtulis/Philstar.com)
Lawyers demand action over... FUEL PROMO. Motorists line up at a Petron gas station for its 50-percent price off on all fuels for a limited time in Barangay Zone 1-A, Aguinaldo Highway, Dasmarinas City, Cavite on Tuesday, December 22. The promo only runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in select branches. PNA photo by Gil Calinga
Ronald McDonald House: Home away... PAGE 6 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 possi-
ble.” 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.
PAGE 5 Leni Robredo and to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea. In their letter to the high court, the lawyers called for “a thorough, prompt, impartial, and independent investigation into all the killings of lawyers,” a dialogue between the SC and state security forces, and accountability for the victims of extrajudicial killings and of violence against lawyers and judges. The past two months have seen a string of killings of lawyers Joey Luis Wee and Baby Maria Concepcion Landero-Olealso in Cebu and of Eric Jay Magcamit in Palawan. Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Maria Teresa Abadilla was reportedly shot dead by her clerk of court who then killed himself. On Monday evening, December 21, the National Bureau of Investigation announced that a body found in Tarlac in October was that of retired Court of Appeals Justice Normandie Pizarro who had been reported missing that month. Government mandated to protect lawyers An earlier report by the human rights office of the United Nations noted in July this year that many in the legal field in the country have been killed, with others have faced threats and
Lawyers submit a letter to the Supreme Court on December 22, 2020 urging action on the killings of lawyers. Philstar.com photo
most of the cases have remained unresolved. That same month, the chief inquest prosecutor of Manila City was shot dead by unidentified men in broad daylight. They all join the list of now more than 50 individuals in the legal profession who were murdered in recent years. “We would like to reiterate that under the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, governments are mandated to ensure that lawyers are able to perform their profession without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference,” the letter, whose signatories include Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares, lawyer Tony La Viña, former dean of the Ateneo School of Government, and former Supreme Court
spokesperson Ted Te, also reads. IBP national president Domingo Cayosa also said in a separate statement that “the unabated killing of lawyers, too often with impunity, is a sad reflection of the spiraling violence and disregard of, if not contempt for the rule of law in our land.” “As we recognize our responsibilities and limitations, we seek concerted action on the part of our leaders in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, many of whom are fellow lawyers,” he also said. Cayosa also pointed to the killing in daylight of a mother and son in Paniqui, Tarlac at the hands of an off-duty police officer, which drew mass outrage in social media on Monday. (Franco Luna/Philstar.com)
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DECEMBER 25-31, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
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COVID-19: New strain?
Health@Heart Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS
Maine Mendoza and Arjo Atayde
Photo from Instagram/@mainedcm
Maine, Arjo celebrate 2nd anniversary By Ian
Biong Inquirer.net
JUST a few years ago, a then-teenaged Maine Mendoza called Arjo Atayde a “cutie” on Twitter. Fast forward to 2020 and the two stars are marking anniversaries together. To mark their second year as a couple on Monday, Dec. 21, Mendoza took to Instagram to share a photo of her and Atayde simply captioned, “happy second.” Although it was not disclosed if it was recently taken,
the photo shows the two with smiles on their faces as they chilled at a beach. Atayde likewise took to Instagram to mark their special day by sharing a wacky photo of them also at the beach. “I love you more than you could possibly imagine. Happy 2nd Anniversary bubs!” the doting boyfriend said. Mendoza and Atayde revealed that they were “exclusively dating” in January last year, back when speculations were being made about their relationship.
It is as if they were destined to be together: Mendoza made the famous “Arjo cutie” tweet back in 2013 — which has been dug out several times by fans, who claim that Mendoza “manifested” being Atayde’s lover. The said tweet was made by Mendoza, who rose to fame over her Dubsmash videos, even before she officially became a part of GMA 7’s “Eat Bulaga.” She took on the persona of Yaya Dub back then and was partnered with actor Alden Richards, creating the famous Aldub tandem.
Sharon misses out on Christmas Special By Jan
Milo Severo Philstar.com
KAPAMILYA actress Sharon Cuneta explained the reason why she’s not on ABS-CBN’s Christmas Special last Sunday. In her Instagram account, Sharon posted the logo of the network asking her fans not to blame the network for her absence on the Christmas Special last Sunday, December 20. “Please do not blame ABSCBN for my absence in their Christmas Special last night! It was not their fault. Ako ang hindi pumuwede,” Sharon wrote. “But I was getting several calls and texts from my Boss to go. Sorry for the mix-up! I couldn’t make it and am so sorry because I really wanted to be there!” she added. Despite the non-renewal of
Sharon Cuneta
Photo from Instagram/@reallysharoncuneta
its franchise, the Kapamilya network managed to create the Christmas special for their fans. Talents of the network
performed in the event held only on a studio, far from its annual tradition of doing the show in Araneta Coliseum.
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 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 (1665-1666) 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,
Regine Velasquez with husband Ogie Alcasid
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 COVID-19. 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 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 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! *** The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.
Photo from Instagram/@reginevalcasid
Staying at ABS-CBN not a tough choice for Regine and Ogie By Jan
Milo Severo Philstar.com
KAPAMILYA singer Regine Velasquez and her crooner husband Ogie Alcasid chose to remain at ABS-CBN even after the network lost its broadcast franchise. Speaking with ABS-CBN entertainment reporter MJ Felipe at the backstage of the network’s Christmas special, the “Asia’s Songbird” said they have no place to go. “Oo. Hahaha! Saan ba kami pupunta? May pupuntahan ba kam-
ing iba?” Regine said. Regine also found this year’s Christmas special as a standout affair compared to other specials the network staged in the past. “That is so special, siyempre, nandoon lahat ng artista, ang daming tao, special na special talaga iyon. Plus, you know, iyong mga ganito kasing gatherings, dito mo lang din nakikita iyong ibang artista na hindi mo madalas nakikita, nakakasalamuha, so you get to talk to them lalo na kapag may rehearsal,” she said. “But this year, parang for me, it’s more intimate. A lot of the
numbers are tagos na tagos sa puso, so ayun special pa rin,” she added. Ogie echoed his wife’s sentiment. “Hindi ko sinasabing mas okay ito kaysa sa malalaking concert, it’s just that I guess, it’s also the year that has been. Itong taong ito ay kakaiba not only because of the pandemic, but because of what we all went through,” Ogie said. Regine joined ABS-CBN in October 2018 in a much-publicized transfer from rival GMA Network.
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Dissecting the classic Noche Buena spread I by Ritchel
Mendiola / AJPress
F the long list of Christmas trends and traditions were 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 i n -
vited friends 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 f lavor all Filipinos crave. • Keso de bola – this ball of Edam cheese, which usually has a red paraffin wax covering, is the perfect compa n ion
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 f lavorful 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 most-anticipated 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
Andi Eigenmann and Philmar Alipayo
Photo from Instagram_@andieigengirl
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 said.
In a vlog posted Sunday, the couple also shared about their 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 second child with the pro surfer, just a little over a year after Lilo was born. The two first revealed that they were expecting another baby back in August.
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Recipe Corner
Angel Locsin, Maja Salvador, Billy Crawford, Liza Soberano, and Enrique Gil. Photos from Instagram/@therealangellocsin,@iammajasalvador, @billycrawford,@lizasoberano)
PH showbiz in 2020: With ABS-CBN’s shutdown, where are its Kapamilyas now? 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 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, co-founder 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 ABSCBN’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.
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Fruit Salad (Serves 10-12)
IN the old days, anything imported was served on the Filipino holiday table – the ham, the fruits, the chocolates. The Philippine fruit salad continues that Christmas tradition of using imported canned fruit cocktail even with good fresh fruits available year-round. But some recent versions have given the salad a Filipino touch. Canned fruit cocktail now use Filipino fruits and other decidedly Filipino food products like kaong, the seed from the sugar palm tree. Ingredients: 1 can PAMANA Fruit Cocktail in Syrup 2 cans Nestlé Table Cream 1 can Jans Sweet Cow CondensedMilk 1 can PAMANA Pineapple Slices; drained 1 can PAMANA Kaong White 1 pack PAMANA Coconut Shredded
Directions 1. In a large bowl with lid, combine table cream and condensed milk, mix well. 2. Open PAMANA Fruit Cocktail in Syrup can, separate the juice. Add the cocktail into the cream mixture. 3. Cut PAMANA Pineapple slices into cubes. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. 4. Cover the bowl with lid or cling wrap. Chill for 4 hours before serving.
This recipe is provided courtesy of Seafood City. Visit their Facebook Page or http://www.seafoodcity.com for more recipes. If you have any recipes that you would like to share with Asian Journal readers, please send email to editor@asianjournalinc. com or info@asianjournalinc.com, and include a photo of your dish.
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DECEMBER 25-31, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
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PH showbiz in 2020...
PAGE 11 t 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 cohost 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 ABSCBN. At one point, he let his tears flow as he told his friend, comedian Vice Ganda, how much he valued their friendship.
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 o 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 ABSCBN 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
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Morissette Amon engaged to ‘answered prayer’ Dave Lamar by Ratziel
San Juan Philstar.com
SINGER couple Morissette Amon and Dave Lamar proved second chances at love are possible after announcing their engagement on Monday evening, December 21. “More than just an 11:11 wish, you’re an answered prayer. I love you, Dave Lamar, always have and always will,” Morissette posted on social media, along with photos of her and Dave wearing engagement rings. Asia’s Phoenix revealed that although their relationship once faltered, it was ultimately able to rise out of the ashes. “We were fortunate enough to get a second chance at love. And take note, we really broke up and thought it was really over. Pero ‘pag para sa’yo, para sa’yo talaga,” she posted as an Instagram backstory. The couple had been engaged for months, letting only their families and closest friends in on the plan. They were ready to share the news to the world a day after Dave celebrated his 30th birthday on Sunday, December 20. “Nine years since we’ve met, best friends for seven, our second round at love, each other’s firsts... and now, last and only... It’s definitely a Y E S to a forever
Singer couple Morissette Amon and Dave Lamar just got engaged. Photo from Instagram/@itsmorisette
with you!” Morissette addressed her fiancé. Dave, meanwhile, recounted the “twists and turns” of his life journey with Morissette. “Thank you for saying yes to a lifetime of adventures with me. I adore you with all my heart and I am so blessed and excited that I get to experience the rest of this life with you by my side. I know everyone says this, but you have
truly been my best friend and my rock, and I am so so excited that I will get to marry my best friend,” the groom-to-be posted. “Morissette, thank you for being mine! Gihigugma tika (I love you).” The couple was congratulated by their celebrity friends, including Vicki Belo, Janine Berdin, Moira Dela Torre, Darren Espanto, and Mimiyuuuh.
Bea on what’s the score with John Lloyd: ‘I’m always in love with him’ By Niña
V. Guno
Inquirer.net
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 lasted for six years. Until now we’re good friends. I’m friends
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Community
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More money from the government?
CONGRESS has just passed another bill to help the people whose finances are taking a beating from the pandemic. Once again, some of us will be getting money by check or direct deposit. The timing and details are still TBA, but here’s what we know: • The government won’t ask you to pay anything up front to get this money. Anyone who does is a scammer. • The government won’t call,
Pops Fernandez with Martin Nievera
SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 25-31, 2020
text, email, or contact you on social media to ask for your Social Security, bank account, or credit card number. Anyone who does is a scammer. • There’s no such thing as getting your money early, or faster. Anyone who says they can hook you up now (or soon) is both lying and a scammer. We know from the early days of the CARES Act that scammers will be using numbers 1, 2, and 3, above, as part of
their playbook. So, if you spot someone who says any of these things, you (a) know they’re a scammer; (b) can warn someone you know about the scam, because (chances are) they’ll get that call, text, or email, too; and (c) can tell the FTC so we can work to stop scammers and warn people about them: ReportFraud.ftc.gov. (Jennifer Leach/Associate Director, Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC)
Philstar.com photo
The unsinkable Martin-Pops tandem By Ricky Lo Philstar.com
THROUGH the years, we have been the insatiable witnesses to what has become the most exciting spectator show this side of showbiz — yes, The Martin & Pops Show whose ups and downs, and ins and outs are being laid bare for, ehem, gossipmongers to gobble up with gusto (burp, burp!!!), dished out in roller-coaster, Ferris Wheel fashion. Everything is for real, no scripts, no cuts, no nothing. So what else is there about un-couple Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez that you and I don’t know? “That we can exist together even if we are not together,” said Martin who has found a new love (not the mom of his son Santino). “The point is exes should get along. For several years now, Pops and I have been co-parenting our sons Robin and Ram. Viewers can learn nice lessons, magic lessons, after every episode.” Pops could only say “Amen!” to that. It’s Pops and good friend Joji Dingcong who are the producers, together with another show, Louie O Live with Robin Nievera, which premiered last December 20, with Robin directing both shows. “Actually,” revealed Joji, “we pitched four shows and all of them were approved, thanks to the station’s supportive big bosses Robert Galang and MVP. The two other shows are scheduled next year yet.” According to Louie O(campo), his show with Robin will be “raw, different and organ-
ic,” with guest musicians (Jose Mari Chan in the maiden episode) not only singing their songs but also talking about the back stories. The show comes full circle with three generations of Nieveras (patriarch Bert who could have appeared as guest if he were alive, Martin and Robin). Besides the “nice and magic lessons,” what’s interesting about eXes & whYs is the lineup of guests. “I would love to have Brad Pitt on the show,” wished Martin. “Our guests could be anybody sikat or not sikat who has interesting stories to tell. The show will be something like Penthouse Live (of yesteryear where Martin and Pops first met. —RFL).” “Ako, I would love to have Sharon (Cuneta) as guest,” said Pops. To make it more exciting, why don’t they invite their own exes? “Hey,” Martin exclaimed, “that’s a great concept!” Pops, addressing Martin, “Mas marami kang exes!” Martin replied, “We need more furniture for that. Great idea!” Pops said, “Maybe we can invite Derek (Ramsay) so he can explain everything.” (Pops was wrongly mentioned as the cause of Derek’s break-up with Andrea Torres.) “The truth,” Martin joked, “is that I was the cause of the break-up. I have better abs than Derek.” Seriously now, what tips could they give “un-couples” who should be “coupling” again?
PH showbiz in...
PAGE 12t 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 ABS-CBN 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 ABSCBN 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 ABS-CBN 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 ABSCBN, 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.
Martin: “Pops and I are okay because we have remained friends. Our foundation is friendship and that’s the most important thing.” Pops: “Everything takes time to heal. You cannot escape that process. Go through the sadness, the hurt and the pain but don’t linger on them, don’t enjoy them. After that, move on ka na. Forget everything that happened because if you keep recalling them, they will pull you down.” Martin: “Let it go!”
Bea Alonzo
Photo from Instagram_@beaalonzo
Bea on what’s the score with...
PAGE 12 t with the family,” Alonzo said. “Kung pag-uusapan ay (If we are talking about) good memories, it has to be with him.” She admitted that she has only ever gotten back with one ex. Alonzo briefly dated co-
star Gerald Anderson in 2010. There were speculations that they were an item in 2017, and by July 2019, Alonzo confirmed their breakup. When asked if she is currently dating, Alonzo quipped, “I’m dating. And guys, if you’re in-
terested, you can just comment below. Leave your number, char.” The “One More Chance” star has been linked to actor Dominic Roque, though both have been tight-lipped about their relationship status.
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DECEMBER 25-31, 2020 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL
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