Hawaii Filipino Chronicle - July 4, 2020

JULY 4, 2020  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  1

JULY 4, 2020

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

Local, National Bills Aimed at Police Reforms Move Forward

WHAT’S UP, ATTORNEY?

ASK A DOCTOR

PHILIPPINE NEWS

GOUT is a Common Medical Problem in Asians

Ressa, Santos Appeal Cyber Libel Conviction

We Actually Won DACA says Trump

CANDID PERSPECTIVES

Trump’s Presidency The Death of America; Plus, The Death of My “Big Sister”

2 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLEJULY 4, 2020

EDITORIAL

Voting in the 2020 Elections is More Critical Than Ever

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o one should have to choose between protecting their health and exercising their right to vote. Hawaii lawmakers acted responsibly and quickly to ensure that this was not a dilemma by implementing the state’s first ever all-mail election (actually an expansion of absentee voting) in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically Hawaii ranks dead last in the nation in voter turnout despite many decades of election officials and community leaders trying to correct voter apathy. But this 2020 is a golden opportunity. If all goes as planned, the simplicity of all-mail in voting (ballots are automatically sent to registered voters) should result in a steep rise in turnout (meaning actual voting). All that’s necessary is for voters to fill in their ballot and mail it back before the day of the Primary Election, August 8. But Hawaii voters need to pay extra attention to important dates under this system, more than ever before. First, to receive a ballot packet at your home, voters need to make sure that they are properly registered before the deadline of July 9, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. Any changes in address, name, must be updated before the deadline. Other important dates to remember is July 21 for the Primary Election and Oct. 16 for the General Election. These are the dates that the ballot packages will be sent to registered voters’ homes. If a registered voter does not receive the ballet package within 3-4 days from these dates, it’s important to contact your Clerk’s Office. Visit the Office of Elections website for contact information. The most critical date to remember is at least 5 days prior to the Primary Election day (August 8) and prior to the General Election day (Nov. 3), voters should already have mailed in their ballot to leave time for it to be received by the deadlines (election day). It’s encouraged that if voters already have made up their minds on who to vote for, they should send back their ballots (remember to sign it for it to count) as soon as they receive it. If voters are not comfortable with the new mail-in process, voters can still vote in person at Voter Service Centers which will be open from July 27 to the Primary Election day on Aug. 8. (see details in this issue’s cover story).

Filipino community must come out to vote With so many pressing issues affecting the Filipino community from immigration to unemployment (Filipinos make up a large percentage of hotel workers and are disproportionately impacted from COVID-19 closures), it’s imperative that Filipinos have a high voter turnout rate. Remember: voting has a direct impact on policies and laws. Voting is a political equalizer, meaning that despite all of society’s inequalities, when it comes to voting, each vote counts equally. This is particularly significant for marginalized communities who lack equal power and influence in many other sectors of society. Our community ought to not only vote, but vote smartly. We must do our homework and examine closely which candidates align best with our values and needs. Know well ahead of time who the candidates are in your State House District, City Council, State Senate District, Congressional District, and their position on key issues. Ask yourselves: Is change necessary? Why is it increasingly more difficult to survive? Who has been voting on my side when it comes to healthcare? Who is protecting my union? Who is good for small business? Who supports a decent wage for workers? Who is for fair immigration reform? Who is for (continue on page 3)

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

t’s almost cliché that each election year, politicians and community leaders will say “this election is the most critical ever.” But given the current turbulence in our nation’s leadership, and our economic and public health crisis, it’s a no-brainer that this 2020 election cycle is truly among the most critical in modern times. For this issue we’re presenting our first cover story on the 2020 Elections. Associate editor Edwin Quinabo writes about the importance for our Filipino community to come out and vote as we continue to work toward building political empowerment. Clearly our community has the numbers as the second largest ethnic group in the state, but as Professor Emeritus at UH-Manoa and political scientist Dr. Belinda Aquino states, numbers are meaningless if they are not translated to real power. And basic to this is for all citizens to vote, and that includes our Filipino community. Other Filipinos express why they believe voting matters – it shapes policy and directs where tax monies should be spent; it gives opportunities for marginalized groups to uplift themselves in many areas like higher education; it gives people a direct means to rebalance power, to counter big monied-interest groups and SuperPACs; it is necessary for a healthy democracy. Nationally, Asian voter turnout is trending upwards, a 14 percent jump in the 2018 elections. Experts believe AAPIs will be pivotal in swing districts in California and Texas, as well in choosing our next president. The cover story also discusses some issues important to Filipinos and the historical context that gave every citizen the right to vote in the U.S. It concludes with important information on how Hawaii’s first mail-in voting will work. All registered voters will automatically receive a ballot packet sent to their home. Voters need to simply fill it out, sign and return it. But voters must be mindful of two dates – when ballots are sent, and when ballots must be received at the clerk’s office. See the article for these dates as well as other important election information. Also in this issue we have two articles on the COVID-19 pandemic as surges are seen in several new hotspots in the U.S. The numbers are startling as many of the U.S. states that reopened for business prematurely must now scale back their original plans as the virus spreads. HFC columnist Emil Guillermo talks about how coronavirus’ resurgence has kept him from even attending the funeral of his “big sister” Estelita Medina Napata. HFC columnist Seneca Moraleda-Puguan writes about how the pandemic has refocused her attention on two spiritual disciplines in her life -- gratitude and generosity. For our Ask A Doctor this issue, Dr. Jose de Leon writes “Gout Is a Common Medical Problem in Asians.” Gout is an inherited disease that makes it difficult for sufferers to secrete excess uric acid in the urine or the inability to process foods rich in purine leading to high uric acid levels. This causes gout patients to have painful inflammation in joints from fingers, toes, ankles, wrists, even knees and elbows. Lastly, HFC editorial assistant Jim Bea Sampaga writes about registering to vote in Hawaii. If you haven’t already registered, the deadline is fast approaching, this July 9, 2020. If you voted in the last election and your Hawaii residence or name haven’t changed, you’re automatically registered. Registering to vote can be done online, by mail or in person. For online registration, visit www.olvr.hawaii.gov. You will need your Hawaii Driver License or State ID and Social Security number. Or download the voter registration application (same website) and mail it to your respective County Elections Division by July 9. See the address in the article. Thank you for supporting your community newspaper. Please remember to register and vote in the upcoming elections. Until next issue, warmest Aloha and Mabuhay!

Publisher & Executive Editor Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D.

Publisher & Managing Editor

Chona A. Montesines-Sonido

Associate Editors

Edwin QuinaboDennis Galolo

Contributing Editor

Belinda Aquino, Ph.D.

Design

Junggoi Peralta

Photography Tim Llena

Administrative Assistant Lilia Capalad Shalimar Pagulayan

Editorial Assistant Jim Bea Sampaga

Columnists

Carlota Hufana Ader Elpidio R. Estioko Emil Guillermo Melissa Martin, Ph.D. J.P. Orias Pacita Saludes Reuben S. Seguritan, Esq. Charlie Sonido, M.D. Emmanuel S. Tipon, Esq.

Contributing Writers

Clement Bautista Edna Bautista, Ed.D. Teresita Bernales, Ed.D. Sheryll Bonilla, Esq. Rose Churma Serafin Colmenares Jr., Ph.D. Linda Dela Cruz Carolyn Weygan-Hildebrand Amelia Jacang, M.D. Caroline Julian Raymond Ll. Liongson, Ph.D. Federico Magdalena, Ph.D. Matthew Mettias Maita Milallos Paul Melvin Palalay, M.D. Renelaine Bontol-Pfister Seneca Moraleda-Puguan Mark Lester Ranchez Jay Valdez, Psy.D. Glenn Wakai Amado Yoro

Philippine Correspondent: Greg Garcia

Neighbor Island Correspondents: Big Island (Hilo and Kona) Grace LarsonDitas Udani Kauai Millicent Wellington Maui Christine Sabado Big Island Distributors Grace LarsonDitas Udani Kauai Distributors Amylou Aguinaldo Nestor Aguinaldo Maui Distributors

Cecille PirosRey Piros Molokai Distributor Maria Watanabe Oahu Distributors Yoshimasa Kaneko Jonathan Pagulayan

Advertising / Marketing Director Chona A. Montesines-Sonido

Account Executives Carlota Hufana Ader JP Orias

JULY 4, 2020  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  3

EDITORIAL

Affordable Care Act Must Be Preserved, Especially During This Pandemic

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ven as the COVID-19 pandemic is showing a resurgence with over 20 states posting jumps in infections (in the thousands, daily) and millions of Americans are losing their employment-based health insurance, President Donald Trump is urging the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) to overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a brief in support of Republican state attorneys general seeking to make the ACA unconstitutional. The ACA has helped millions of Americans get affordable insurance through the government. It has also proven to be very valuable recently by helping over 500,000 people -- who lost their insurance due to the national coronavirus shutdowns – get coverage through ACA. It’s estimated that 27 million people lost their employment-based health insurance coverage during the crisis. If SCOTUS takes up the case and the President gets his way, the 22 million Americans enrolled in ACA, plus

the new 500,000 enrollees, will all lose their health coverage at a time when it’s desperately needed. The President’s recommendation shows how cruel and out-of-touch he is with struggling Americans. It shows his priority isn’t about helping Americans, but helping lobbyists and the powerful who’ve been wanting ACA dismantled ever since it became law. The timing, in the midst of a pandemic, is unfathomable. Consider how Asia and Europe were able to curb COVID-19 from spreading largely because governments there practically made testing and treatment free. Contrast that to in the U.S., where COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire, COVID-19 patients are getting hospitalization bills in the tens of thousands. Americans are losing their health coverage. Now the President wants to exacerbate the problem by forcing a hard hand on SCOTUS to discontinue ACA. What’s wrong with this picture? This is not in any way helping to lift the country from the deadly grip of COVID-19. The callousness and dis-

(Voting...from page 2)

protecting Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and social safety nets? Who is best for jobs creation? Who stands for equal protection under the law, and of late, equal protection in policing? Who will protect the environment? Who is a moral leader? Who sides with the average American versus big-monied interests? Who is for senior care, child care? Who is the best consumer protection candidate and will fight for accountability and better rates for fixed costs like home insurance, car insurance? Who is for keeping utility rates low and manageable. Who is ensuring that Hawaii’s property taxes do not skyrocket as rates on the mainland? Who is for smart business regulations? Who is for smart development and preservation of lands? Who will work to diversify Hawaii’s economy? Who is the best money manager? Who will keep taxes on the middle-working-and poor manageable? Who would be willing to tax billionaires their fair share? Whatever your values and key issues are – know who is looking after your best interests.

Historical importance Non-voters should be reminded that it took many years of struggle for each American to have the right

regard for Americans’ health by the President and Republicans who’ve been challenging ACA should be remembered come election time in the fall. Former vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden said, “By siding with the Republican Attorneys-General who are seeking to invalidate the ACA in the U.S. Supreme Court, Trump has made clear where his priorities lie. “Trump has decided he’d rather destroy President Obama’s legacy than protect the health care of millions upon millions of Americans. He’d rather look after the profits of the insurance industry than make sure people can access healthcare in their hour of need. It’s despicable.”

Supreme Court’s recent track record Baed on recent SCOTUS rulings, the President shouldn’t be too confident that he would be getting a favorable ruling from the High Court’s conservative-majority even if it decides to take up ACA. Within the past few weeks SCOTUS has not been the trustworthy, indomitable conservative majority Trump has

relied on for favorable rulings. In fact, it has sided with liberals on a few high profile issues including the following: ON DACA: The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to keep the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program intact. The Court ruled President Trump didn’t properly end the program in 2017. This means, at least in the short term, the 650,000 people enrolled in DACA will keep their protections – ability to work legally and be shielded from deportation. ON LGBT DISCRIMINATION: The High Court ruled that federal law prohibits employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. Two conservative justices joined the court’s four liberals in the decision: Neil Gorsuch, a 2017 Trump appointee who wrote the ruling, and Chief Justice John Roberts. In a 6-3 ruling, the justices decided that gay and transgender people are protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex as well as race, color, national origin and religion. ON ABORTION: Once

to vote. The 14th amendment gave all persons with U.S. citizenship rights and privileges, including the right to vote. The 15th amendment declared that no citizen is to be denied the right to vote based on race or color. The 19th amendment gave women the right to vote. The 24th amendment declared that there would be no poll tax, and the 26th amendment declared that citizens 18 or older are given the right to vote. There has been resistance and efforts to challenge these amendments. Then finally the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (and five amendments to it) made it illegal to deny a citizen the right to vote.

Fighting for the right to vote actually goes back to the very beginning of our nation when Americans fought against the English monarchy. In the times of monarchy, the English King decided who the leaders would be. Early American settlers fought for independence from their colonial powers in part to be able to decide by voting who the new nation’s leaders ought to be, not the King. One way of looking at voting is that it gives honor to the many heroes of democracy – from the war of independence to the civil rights era of the 1960s -- who fought over the course of centuries to give each voter this privilege. Please exercise your right to vote that many have fought for. Your participation matters.

again SCOTUS sided with liberals and found abortion restriction in Louisiana to be unconstitutional. The Louisiana law would have restricted access to abortion clinics by requiring doctors who perform the procedure to have admitting privileges at local hospitals. Conservatives had hoped for a favorable ruling, believing that it would have set the stage for a challenge to Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that legalized abortion nationwide in 1973.

Hope for ACA Given SCOTUS’s recent rulings, it’s hopeful that ACA could survive yet another challenge in the High Court. The fact that millions of Americans are depending on health insurance during this pandemic is reason enough for ACA to continue. If struck down, besides millions losing their insurance, states would also lose expanded Medicaid and federal subsidies that come with the ACA. People with preexisting conditions could be denied coverage as it used to be, as well as young adults losing health coverage under their parents’ plan. ACA needs work, but striking it down completely is not the solution. Messing with major structural changes to the nation’s health care system during a pandemic is certainly not the wisest course of action, and disastrous if the objective is to take away insurance coverage.

4 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLEJULY 4, 2020

COVER STORY

FILIPINO COMMUNITY RALLY TO BOOST VOTER TURNOUT IN FIRST EVER ALL-MAIL HAWAII ELECTION By Edwin Quinabo

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hat’s new? What’s old? What’s buzzworthy? -- in the 2020 Hawaii Elections. The new -- Hawaii will hold its first ever all-mail election in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The old – all eyes will be on the Primary where the stiffest competition usually happens in our Democrat-majority state. The buzz – media attention and the talk-of-town are mostly directed at the races for president and Honolulu mayor. Once again the Filipino community is rallying to spike voter registration and voter turnout. And leaders, as they typically do during this time, are reassessing their community’s place in Hawaii’s political structure. Translating numbers to political power Already in 2010, based off the U.S. Census data 10 years ago, Hawaii’s Filipinos make up a sizeable portion of the state’s overall population. Filipinos and part-Filipinos is the second largest ethnicity in Hawaii making up 25.1 percent or 342,095 in 2010, behind Whites. With Filipinos having the largest immigration to Hawaii, the 2020 Census when completed most likely will show their size increasing. The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest American Community Survey (ACS) data for 2018 has the Filipino population in Hawaii at 367,952. But as Belinda A. Aquino, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and political scientist, said “numbers are meaningless if they are not translated to real power in terms of becoming a force to be reckoned with in the social, economic and political life of the larger community.” She elaborates, “Filipinos like to say that they are the fastest growing and second largest ethnic minority

If the metric is that Filipino candidates are up and down the ballot box -- the Filipino community gets a B to B-minus with ample representation this 2020 voting cycle. But…the big: what’s missing? Hawaii’s Filipinos do not have, say, a Robert “Bobby” Scott, Fil-Am congressman of Virginia (11th term member), nor do they hold any of Hawaii’s other top political offices in the state. And 2020, most likely will not change this based on who’s running. “Empowerment” for Filipinos in this election will come in less obvious ways – getting behind a candidate who best represents their community’s interests; and even below that radar, selecting can- matter of fair representation. Whatever metrics Filipinos choose to didates who would be supportive of appointing highly qualified Filipinos to top measure their political standing, central to cabinet positions and departments as a all of them is the need to turn out to vote.

in the state but it should not stop there. Real empowerment can only be achieved if all citizens who are registered to vote will actually vote in every election, which Filipinos often take for granted, or don’t really assert and exercise this right.” In the 2018 primary election, there were 741,007 registered voters. Of that, 38.6 percent or 286,180 turned out to vote. In the 2018 general election, turnout was at 52.7 percent. The state’s Office of Elections do not track voting by ethnicity. But political experts, like Dr. Aquino, have said “Filipinos are known on record as having one of the lowest turnouts in Hawaii.”

Voting Shapes Policy Aquino says voting is critical because it will determine the course of policy-making in government, which in turn determines the kind of community we can build. “Voting is the path to shaping a government we all deserve, and the quality of life that we can all enjoy with our dedicated participation and engagement in public affairs.”

Wayland Quintero, a registered voter, Aiea resident, also points out the strong correlation between voting and policymaking. “The candidates we elect will decide how tax monies are used on education, the environment, healthcare, housing, labor and business regulations.”

Gives opportunity to uplift marginalized groups Quintero said elections can be a positive tool to uplift historical and marginalized groups. He gives an example that voting can render improvements in race and class divisions. But if voter turnout is low, he said an election can also be a tool to perpetuate the status quo, “to feed systemic White privilege and White supremacy, and exclude BIPoC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) + LGBT people, immigrants and people who are incarcerated.” Helps underrepresented groups like Filipinos with higher education For Lizzette Martin of Moanalua, voting for politicians who support education for underrepresented commu-

nities like Filipinos and Native Hawaiians meant she was able to receive financial assistance through the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Office of Student Equity, Excellence and Diversity (SEED) program. “The political culture in Hawaii is Democrat. And as far as education goes, Democrat politicians have been very supportive of increasing access to minority groups like Filipinos to receive higher education through programs like SEED. Each financial assistance received can make a difference; and SEED was there for me during my college years. I was able to complete my bachelor’s in science in nursing. So you see voting actually has a real life impact.”

the way government operates, and weakens democracy. We see the interests of profit over the interests of regular people which has been making our lives more difficult each year. We see big-monied influence in local governments from city councils to state legislatures to Congress and the presidency. “How is it that people cannot afford to live and things remain the same? It’s because democracy is not properly functioning for the people. Each time I vote, I am hopeful that something will change, that politicians will finally represent the interests of the people. It also doesn’t help that the Supreme Court has made it easier for corporations to buy elections,” said Domingo. In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United Affirms “people” power For Marylou Domingo, v FEC that government could formerly of Pearl City, now a not prohibit the limit of indeNew York resident, she votes pendent expenditures on pobecause she believes it’s the litical speech. This paved the only way to bring balance in way for SuperPACS to throw a democracy. “The ‘people’ unlimited amount of money in have been increasingly left support of political candidates. out of the political process. While political candidates Big corporations over small still have campaign spending businesses, highly influential limits, SuperPACS can run as lobbying groups over regular many TV commercials, radio (continue on page 5) citizens – all have taken over

JULY 4, 2020  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  5

COVER STORY (from page 4)

ads, print ads on behalf of any candidate they support or oppose. “SuperPACS represent the interests of big money and the organized. It takes tens of thousands of individuals with small donations to counter the power of just one SuperPAC. We see SuperPACS will also do the dirty work by dirty campaign ads, usually against a candidate they oppose. I was still living in Hawaii when former Gov. Ben Cayetano ran for mayor of Honolulu and was smeared by a SuperPac. “But we the people have the last say. We have our votes. This is where it really counts,” said Domingo. “Voting is about affirming people power in a healthy democracy.”

Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) national voting turnout improving According to a 2018 survey conducted by AAPI Data and APIA Vote, the 2018 elections saw a 14-point jump in Asian American turnout compared to 2014, even as AAPI groups say neither the Democratic or Republican parties have made serious outreach to get the AAPI community to vote. Traditionally, AAPI have had low voter turnout so political parties never made significant efforts to get them involved. But this is changing, especially now that data shows a significant jump in voter turnout. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for a first time has hired a full-time AAPI outreach director and are investing more in resources to get AAPI voters. AAPI will play pivotal role in swing districts AAPI Vote and AAPI Data predicts 2020 could also be pivotal in swing districts in California and Texas. In the 2018 election, 77 percent of AAPI voters supported a Democratic House candidate in the midterm. In swing districts, like California’s 45th congressional district that was flipped to Democrat by the election of Rep. Katie Porter, political analysts believe that win was attributed in part to that district’s

large AAPI residents, about 25 percent. “What we saw in the 2018 midterms was that Asian Americans were more likely to live in competitive districts because the battleground districts expanded significantly in 2018,” said UC Riverside political science professor Karthick Ramakrishnan. According to a DCCC survey, AAPI’s top priority is health care. Twenty-eight percent of people listed health care as the issue they’d like their Congressional member to focus on the most, followed by 22 percent who were most interested in the economy and jobs.

Issues important to Filipino Americans Besides health care, Professor Aquino said Filipinos are mostly concerned with two issues – the first orbits around various immigration policies and the second relates to educational/employment opportunities. On immigration, she mentions family reunification (petitioning of families), long waiting periods for relatives to immigrate to the U.S. (immigrants want to shorten that time), even the legalization of DACA “dreamers” as concerns for Filipino voters. “The children of Filipino veterans who fought alongside with the American military during WWII with a promise that they will be able to petition their children to become citizens after the war was over [is another concern],” said Aquino. She describes, “After the war, the US Congress reneged on this ‘promise’ for no reason at all, and the veterans had been petitioning their children who have not been able to come to the US even after 20 or so years. It’s a terrible injustice done to Filipinos who have always been loyal allies of the US especially during wartime.” On higher education, she says there has been improvement among Filipinos, but the rate hasn’t been fast enough. “While Americans of Filipino ancestry have been going to college in greater numbers since the 1960s, their numbers in the rungs of higher education have not reached

appreciable levels in the state. Many still prefer to join the military after high school or to land jobs to help out with their families as soon as they can.”

The right to vote – remember historical context Quintero says he cannot think of reasons why any person who can legally vote and who identities as Filipino, Filipino American or Filipinx would not vote, especially considering how hard others fought for this right. “I wonder how many people realize that in the past, if a person was not a white man who owned land, or if one was Native American, a female, or an adult who could not pay a poll tax, or who was determined by the government to be ‘illiterate,’ that these persons were excluded from voting,” he said. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 finally corrected long-standing voting obstacles and cleared the way for racial minorities to vote. Section 2 of the Act prohibits every state and local government from imposing any voting law that results in discrimination against racial or language minorities. Literacy tests that were historically used against racial minorities were outlawed. Quintero said voting can be viewed as fulfilling an obligation to those who fought for the right to vote. Voting by Mail Initially meant to protect voters from contracting COVID-19 during voting at traditional polling sites, Act 136 adopted by lawmakers to conduct the state’s first-ever all-mail in election could have an additional benefit in finally raising voter turnout this year. Hawaii has long had the lowest or near lowest voter turnout in the nation. Registering to Vote. Voters who have moved, changed their name or mailing address, must update their voter registration. It can be done online by visiting elections.hawaii. gov. If you are uncertain if you are registered, you can visit the same website by logging in with your Hawaii Driver License or State ID.

“Voting is the path to shaping a government we all deserve, and the quality of life that we can all enjoy with our dedicated participation and engagement in public affairs…Filipinos like to say that they are the fastest growing and second largest ethnic minority in the state but it should not stop there. Real empowerment can only be achieved if all citizens who are registered to vote will actually vote in every election, which Filipinos often take for granted, or don’t really assert and exercise this right.”

— Belinda A. Aquino, PhD,

Professor Emeritus at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Political Scientist

If you haven’t registered to vote, you must do it online (same website) or by mail by July 9, 2020, at 4:30 p.m. Voter registration application can be downloaded at elections.hawaii.gov/voters/ applications or it can be picked up at the Office of Elections, County Elections Divisions, State Libraries, U.S. Post Offices, most State Agencies, Satellite City Halls. How mail-in voting will work? Once you have registered, all registered voters will automatically receive a mail ballot packet about 18 days prior to the primary and general election. For the Primary, ballots will be delivered on July 21; for the General,

on Oct. 16. If voters do not receive their ballot package within 4 days after the delivery dates, voters should contact the Clerk’s Office (808) 453VOTE (8683) immediately. After you have voted, place the ballot in the secrecy sleeve (provided), and then place it into the return envelope. The return envelope MUST be signed or your ballot will not be counted. The return envelope is postage paid and addressed to your Clerk’s Office. Ballots could be returned by mail or in person at your Clerk’s office. Your ballot must be received by the Clerk’s Office by 7 p.m. on Election Day. (continue on page 6)

6 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLEJULY 4, 2020

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

Local and National Bills Aimed at Police Reforms Move Forward

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he Hawaii Legislature passed in conference committee House Bill 285 HD1 SD2 CD1, a measure that requires the disclosure of the identity of officers who are suspended or discharged for misconduct in a report to the Legislature, removes the exemption for police from disclosure under Hawaii’s Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA), and clarifies additional authorities and powers of the Law Enforcement Standards Board. The next step for the bill is for it to be voted by the full House and Senate during floor sessions. “Transparency is critical to maintaining the public trust when you’re in charge of enforcing the law. The Legislature needed to take this step to help support and differentiate the many good officers who keep us safe from those who abuse their position of power,” said Representative Aaron Ling Johanson, Chair of the House Labor and Public Employment Committee. “The steps this bill takes will increase transparency, build trust in law enforcement, and make it easier for our good officers to do their difficult jobs with the help of a supportive community that trusts them,” said Representative Chris Lee, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee. The UIPA currently requires the names of all disciplined state and city government employees

to be disclosed but exempts county police officers. Amending the UIPA code effectively holds police to the same standard as civil servants.

National Policing Act

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI02) voted to pass H.R.7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act which aims to improve accountability and transparency in policing in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. The bill was passed in the House by a vote of 236-181 and now heads to the Senate for consideration. “George Floyd’s murder in broad daylight by a Minneapolis police officer was inexcusable, and has shined a light on the need for real reform,” said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. “This bill brings us one step closer to necessary law enforcement reforms that better serve our communities. But this is only the beginning.” Some of the H.R. 7120 features includes: • Establishing a National Police Misconduct Registry to prevent problematic officers who are fired or leave the agency from moving to another jurisdiction without any accountability. • Requiring states to report any incident where use of force is used against a civilian or against a law enforcement officer to the Department of Justice. • Curtailing qualified immu-

nity, which broadly shields police officers from being liable for damages for civil rights violations, opening the door to more criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits. • Creating law enforcement training programs to develop best practices and requiring the creation of law enforcement accreditation standards recommendations. • Prohibiting federal, state,

and local law enforcement from racial, religious, and discriminatory profiling, and mandating training on racial, religious, and discriminatory profiling. • Banning chokeholds, carotid holds, and no-knock warrants at the federal level. • Limiting the transfer of military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement. • Mandating the use of dashboard cameras and body

cameras for federal offices and requiring state and local law enforcement to use existing federal funds to ensure the use of police body cameras. • Banning the use of facial recognition technology on police body cameras. • Prohibiting law enforcement officers from engaging in sexual activity with an individual who is under arrest, in detention, or in custody.

Hawaii Activists Call for Philippines’ Anti-Terrorism Act 2020 to Be Scrapped

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awaii activists came together at the Philippine Consulate in Hawaii to oppose the Philippines’ Anti-Terror Bill. The Hawai’i Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (HICHRP), Anakbayan Hawai’i, Laing Hawai’i, Decolonial Pin@ys in Hawai’i, and the Cancel RIMPAC Coalition joined at the Consulate in solidarity for a Global Day of Action To Junk the Anti-Terror Bill. HICHRP listed in a press release 5 facts about the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020: • It expands the definition of terrorism to include acts intended to cause “death or serious bodily injury to any person,” “extensive damage and destruction” to a government facility,

private property or critical infrastructure and when the purpose of those acts is to “intimidate [the] general public,” “create an atmosphere or message of fear,” or “seriously destabilize or destroy the fundamental political, economic and social structures of the country.” Those found guilty face life sentences without the chance of parole. • The act also bans “speeches, proclamations, writings, banners and emblems” that may undermine the government’s work. This means that even netizens sharing memes could fall under this bill. • The Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has said that the vagueness

of the bill makes it open for abuse and the provision that allows law enforcement or military agents to detain arrested suspects for 14 days, or up to 24 days if warranted by a court is unconstitutional. • The act also erodes the ability of several constitutional mechanisms and institutions, including the judiciary, to protect basic human rights in the country. The law will be enforced by the President-appointed Anti-Terrorism Council without any oversight or intervention from the judicial branch of government. • This law will go into effect with or without the president’s sign off on July 9, 2020. 

mary Election Day) from 7 am-7 p.m. At these Centers, there will also be same-day voter registration if you’ve missed the July 9, 2020 deadline. Aquino expressed reservations over the new mail-in system and suggests the state establish an electoral literacy program for residents who might need guidance. “Many of them do not understand the instructions, let alone properly complete their mail ballots for both the primary and general elections,” she said. Quintero said voting by mail makes it safer during this pandemic. “Overall, voting by mail can encourage greater participation instead of limiting individuals to have to physically show up at a voting

precinct. As there will be people who for various reasons prefer to vote in-person, this preference ought to be facilitated even if voting by mail is the primary option.” The new all-mail in election is a big question mark for many. The procedure seems simple enough, but it could be problematic. Having two options, mail-in and vote-in person, could be beneficial. Some residents are saying having the lowest voter turnout in the nation, Hawaii’s new system can only get better with registered voters actually voting. This year’s big election change just might be what’s needed. Remember to vote. Every vote makes a difference. Every vote matters.

(COVER STORY: Filipino....from page 5)

Primary Election Day is Aug. 8, 2020; General Election day is Nov. 3, 2020. Your ballot should be mailed at least 5 days PRIOR to Election Day to ensure it is received on time. Voting in person will still be available. There will be no traditional voting sites near your neighborhood as in the past. But in-person voting will be allowed at Voter Service Centers. For locations, visit elections.hawaii.gov. Voting Service Centers will be open 10 days before the primary and general election. Voters can also drop off their mail-in ballots at these Centers. Voter Service Centers will be open from July 27 through Aug. 7, Mon-Sat, 8 am-4:30 pm; and Saturday, Aug. 8 (Pri-

JULY 4, 2020  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  7

WHAT’S UP, ATTORNEY?

We Actually Won DACA says Trump By Atty. Emmanuel S. Tipon

“J

udges are like umpires. Umpires don’t make the rules; they apply them. . . . . it’s my job to call balls and strikes, and not to pitch or bat.” – John G. Roberts’s (now Chief Justice) Opening Statement at his confirmation hearing before the Senate. “We actually won DACA,” exclaimed President Trump during the Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 20, “there’s just some additional paper work we have to do.” President Trump is right. The Supreme Court recognized that the Order issued by President Obama’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2012 creating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was illegal and that all the parties agreed that President Trump may rescind DACA. The dispute is about the procedure in rescinding it. The Supreme Court remanded the case for the Trump Administration to elaborate on its reason for rescinding Obama’s illegal order beyond saying that it is illegal. Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of University of California, No. 18-587, June 18, 2020.

What is DACA?

DACA recipients were brought to this country as children before age 16 and entered without inspection or entered with a visa but overstayed the period of their authorized stay. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides that aliens in both classes are removable. But DACA granted its recipients deferred action (forbearance) whereby DHS would de¬cline to institute removal proceedings, terminate re¬moval proceedings, or decline to institute a final order of removal. In addition DAPA recipients would be given federal benefits like work authorization and for this purpose would be deemed lawfully present. Thus, DACA

cre¬ated a new exception to the statutes governing removability and conferred lawful presence on an entire class of aliens. To lawfully implement such changes, DHS needed a grant of authority from Congress, but there was none. Prior to DACA, Congress tried but failed several times to enact the so-called DREAM Act – Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors. Hence DACA recipients are sometimes called “Dreamers”. Obama was urged by illegal alien advocates to enact the DREAM Act by Executive Order but he said he could not do it. He later caved in and approved DACA in 2012 signed by his DHS Secretary thereby avoiding putting his fingerprints on the illegal act. The short circuiting of the legislative process allowed more than 700,000 illegal alien children to avail of DACA. In 2014, DHS created a similar program - Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA). It would have given about 4.3 million parents of U.S. citizens and LPR’s the same benefits as DACA beneficiaries. Texas and 25 other states sued in district court challenging DACA and DAPA. The court issued a nationwide preliminary injunction barring the implementation of DACA and DAPA. The Fifth Circuit of Appeals affirmed the injunction, holding that DACA and DAPA violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) which defines eligibility for benefits. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed by an equally divided court. The case went back to the district court where litigation continued. In June 2017, the Trump administration revoked DAPA. In September 2017 the DHS Secretary terminated DACA. DHS would no longer accept new applications. DACA recipients whose benefits were expiring within six months could apply for a two-year renewal. Benefits of other DACA recipients would expire on their own terms. Certain groups challenged the DHS decision to rescind DACA claiming that it was arbitrary and capricious in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and infringed upon the Fifth Amendment’s equal

protection clause. The challengers won in the District Courts in California (Regents, No. 18–587), New York (Batalla Vidal, No. 18–589), and the District of Columbia (NAACP, No. 18– 588). The DHS appealed to the Second, Ninth, and D. C. Circuits, respectively. While the ap¬peals were pending, the DHS filed three petitions for certiorari with the Supreme Court.

DACA can be rescinded by Trump

The Supreme Court split 5-4. The majority, through Chief Justice Roberts, said that the DHS’ decision to rescind DACA was subject to judicial review pursuant to the APA’s “basic presumption of judicial review” of agency action, and that the parties agreed that the Trump administration may rescind DACA, but the dispute is about the procedure that DHS followed in doing so. The majority pointed out that DACA has two aspects – (1) granting eligibility for certain benefits like work authorization and (2) forbearance against removal. The majority said that the DHS’s decision to rescind DACA was “arbitrary and capricious” because while the DHS Secretary gave a reason for terminating the benefits aspect of DACA she did not give a reason for terminating the forbearance aspect. In revoking DACA, the DHS Secretary reasoned that the Fifth Circuit had concluded that DAPA was unlawful because it conferred benefits in violation of the INA and the Attorney General had concluded that DACA was unlawful for the same reason. The majority acknowledged that the DHS Secretary was bound by the Attorney General’s determination that DACA is illegal because it conferred benefits. But the Attorney General did not address the forbearance aspect. Thus the forbearance aspect remained within the discretion of the Secretary who was responsible for establishing national immigration enforcement policies but she offered no reason for terminating forbearance. The DHS failed to consider whether to re-

tain forbearance and what if anything should be done about the hardship to DACA recipients. Therefore, the majority concluded, the appropriate recourse is to remand to DHS so that it may consider the problem anew. As for the equal protection issue, the court said that the complainants failed to establish a plausible inference that the DACA rescission was motivated by animus in violation of the equal protection guarantee of the Fifth Amendment.

DACA unlawful; Problem is for Congress to solve Justice Thomas, the principal dissenter, pointed out that

DHS created DACA during the Obama administration “without any statutory authorization and without going through the requisite rulemaking process. As a result, the program was unlawful from its inception.” He said: “Today’s decision must be recognized for what it is: an ef¬fort to avoid a politically controversial but legally correct decision. The Court could have made clear that the solution respondents seek must come from the Legislative Branch. COMMENT: I took my oath of admission to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court before Chief Justice Roberts. He is a likable person. I was impressed by his declaration at his confirmation hearing that as an

umpire “It’s my job to call balls and strikes.” As a baseball fan, I sometimes hear fans shouting “rotten umpire” when the umpire calls a strike a ball. However, I have not done so and I will not do it now. If the Obama DACA program is illegal, why does the majority require the Trump administration to elaborate on its reason for revoking it beyond saying that it is illegal? If the Obama DACA program did not comply with the Administrative Procedure Act before it was implemented, why does the majority require the Trump administration to comply with the Administrative Procedure Act to revoke Obama’s illegal DACA program? As pointed out by Justice Thomas: “The decision to rescind an unlawful agency action is per se law¬ful. No additional policy justifications or considerations are necessary. And, the majority’s contrary holding—that an agency is not only permitted, but required, to continue an ultra vires action— has no basis in law.” ATTY. TIPON has a Master of Laws degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines. He is co-author of the best-seller “Winning by Knowing Your Election Laws” published by Rex Publishing. He writes columns for Filipino-American newspapers and co-hosts “The Tipon Report,” Honolulu’s most witty and useful radio show. He practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, focusing on immigration and other federal laws. Tel. 808-225-2645. E-mail: filamlaw@yahoo.com

8 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLEJULY 4, 2020

JULY 4, 2020  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  9

10 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLEJULY 4, 2020

AS I SEE IT

By Elpidio R. Estioko

A

s a frequent visitor of Hawaii, I am happy to learn that the island state has no confirmed COVID-19 cases in jails and prisons despite the surge of cases in these institutions across the United States in recent weeks, even as the overall daily infection rate in the nation has remained relatively flat. According to an article written by Timothy Williams, Libby Seline and Rebecca Griesbach of Agence France Presse, COVID-19 cases risen sharply in prisons even as they plateau nationwide. Based on data raised by The New York Times, “the number of prison inmates known to be infected has doubled during the past month to more than 68,000. Prison deaths tied to the corona virus have also risen, by 73 percent since mid-May. By now, the five largest known clusters of the virus in the United States are not at nursing homes or meatpacking plants, but inside correction institutions, according to data The New York Times has been collecting about confirmed corona virus cases since the pandemic reached American shores.” The surge is really concerning because it was reported that based on interviews

Collaborative Efforts Led to Hawaii Having No COVID-19 Cases in Jails and Prisons

with prison and jail officials, they “acknowledged that their approach has largely been based on trial and error, and that an effective, consistent response for U.S. correctional facilities remains elusive. If there was clearly a right strategy, we all would have done it,” said Dr. Owen Murray, a University of Texas Medical Branch physician who oversees correctional health care at dozens of Texas prisons. “There is no clearcut right strategy here. There are a lot of different choices that one could make that are going to be in-the-moment decisions,” he added. Why, in the first place, aren’t they testing? Is this costing the local governments money that they are sacrificing the lives of inmates to be positive? Life matters, not money! They need to spend money to be able to contain if not eradicate the spread of the virus and subsequently avoid death. It’s a must that a budget be allocated to this effect! Initial pronouncements made by public officials have long warned that “the nation’s correctional facilities would most likely become vectors in the pandemic because they are often overcrowded, unsanitary places where social distancing is impractical, bathrooms and day rooms are shared by hundreds of inmates, and access to cleaning supplies is tightly

controlled. Many inmates are 60 or older, and many suffer from respiratory illnesses or heart conditions.” In response, local jails, Hawaii included, have discharged thousands of inmates since February which led to a “substantial reduction” in the jail population across the state of Hawaii, according to the Big Island Video News (BIVN). In a Friday news update, the Hawaii Department of Public Safety said that from March 2 to May 15, the population has been reduced by 802 inmates, from 2,189 on March 2 to 1,382 as of May 15. With this, Hawaii has joined Wyoming and Idaho with still no identified confirmed cases of sick persons due to COVID-19. The police department stated: “These reductions are due to the huge, up-front diversion efforts made by county police departments, PSD’s Intake Services Center Division and the State Judiciary. More recent, additional reductions are due to the collaborative efforts of the state public defender’s of-

fice, county prosecutors, the Hawai‘i Supreme Court and the Supreme Court appointed Special Master…” The DPS website lists these inmate testing protocols: If an inmate shows symptoms of a respiratory illness, PSD Health Care Division’s staff will perform a full evaluation, including testing for COVID-19 and common infectious respiratory illnesses such as Influenza; health care staff conduct onsite specimen collection using the nasopharyngeal swab and submit the specimen to Clinical Labs for testing; Inmates pending testing are immediately placed in medical isolation; and the facilities have longstanding outbreak management plans in place to quickly identify, isolate and treat communicable diseases. They remain vigilant in their efforts to prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19 and that is the reason why Hawaii has no cases of the virus in jails. Also, the Hawaii Paroling Authority’s (HPA) suspension of all parole hearings is extended to the end of April. All hearings previously scheduled to take place during this time frame are being rescheduled. All offenders who have already tentatively been granted release on parole will continue to be processed for release pursuant to the individual release requirements established by the parole board during their previous parole hearing. In communicating the decision for the public to know, signs have been posted outside for parolees and inside for HPA staff with the latest scheduling and office updates. An information hotline was established with recorded updates for the general public and the number is: (808) 253-1642. PSD identified 52 inmates at the Haleiwa Correctional Facility and five inmates at the Women’s Communi-

ty Correctional Center who will be completing their full sentence between March 28, 2020 to June 30, 2020. A list has been sent to the Hawaii Paroling Authority (HPA) for its consideration in order to further decongest the prisons. Since March, The Marshall Project (TMP) is collecting data on COVID-19 infections in state and federal prisons to show the virus has affected correctional facilities where residents live. In a partnership with The Associated Pres, they track people who are sick and killed by COVID-19 in prisons and how widely it has spread across the country and within each state. By June 15, the TMP reported that “at least 46,249 people in prison had tested positive for the illness, a 5 percent increase from the week before and 30,152 prisoners have recovered. Texas has total cases of 7,467; Federal 6,458; Ohio 4,908; Michigan 3,982; California 3225; Tennessee 3,127; New Jersey 2,655; Arkansas 1,801; Florida 1,692; and Virginia 1, 328. “ Reports said the first known COVID-19 death of a prisoner was in Georgia when Anthony Cheek died on March 26. Cheek, 49, had been held in Lee State Prison near Albany, a hotspot for the disease. Since then, at least 547 other prisoners have died of COVID-19-related causes. By June 16, the total number of deaths had risen by 5% in a week. Fellow islanders, we are luckier than other states, so let’s continue to support our state officials in pursuing measures to fight the virus in order to avoid any confirmed cases in our prison system! ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO was a veteran journalist in the Philippines and an award-winning journalist here in the US. For feedbacks, comments… please email the author at estiokoelpidio@gmail.com).

JULY 4, 2020  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  11

CANDID PERSPECTIVES

By Emil Guillermo

I

decided not to go to my “big sister’s” funeral. W i t h COVID-19, how are we expected to get our Filipino death selfie? You know, the “open casket-big family” picture that we post on social media for all the relatives in the Philippines and throughout our Filipino diaspora. But I just couldn’t go. As an OG at risk, it’s prudent to stay home and address the spirits in pre-Zoom mode. No passwords necessary. (I will honor her below. She was the triumph of family immigration.) Originally, I might have attended since the whole country began reopening. But now, it seems the whole country is shutting back down. Like my “big sister.” The death toll globally from the coronavirus is now at 500,000. The U.S. is at 125, 814 as I write on June 29. Hawaii’s case load is still under 900, with just 18 deaths. But California’s death count has risen to nearly 6,000. Overall, the cases in California have climbed to over 216,000 with as more than 7,000 new cases in one day last week. California and Hawaii aren’t even considered hot spots like Florida, Arizona, and Texas. Those states are seeing such huge spikes that recovering states, such as New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, are starting to impose travel restrictions on them. When it comes to public health, you don’t mess around. So why is Donald Trump playing it fast and loose with our health? He’s even gaslighting America on basic

Trump’s Presidency The Death of America; Plus, The Death of My “Big Sister” things about the virus, from slowing or not slowing tests to the veracity of case numbers. Stats can’t be ignored. We’re close to 126,000 Americans dead, and counting.

When Trump first uttered the phrase in March, we saw a dramatic spike in anti-Asian violence in America. More than 1,500 cases in less than a month. And remember the majority of incidents involved non-Chinese Asian Americans, a number of them Filipino. As Trump continues maskless, his followers see their right to go unmasked as similar to gun rights. Give me liberty or give me COVID-19? It’s the right to espouse ignorant opinions in a pandemic without a face covering. Trump’s failure to lead our public health policy in a responsible and non-partisan way seems to be the birthing of a new and perverse right to die movement. If Kung Flu is really an indictment of China’s slow roll like McEnany said, what will the indictment of Trump be for his slow-rolling reaction to the virus once it got here? As the U.S. keeps breaking records for single-day cases, the evidence of Trump’s pandemic incompetence keeps growing and growing with no sign of any change to come. The Trump presidency is the death of America.

Trump’s “kung flu” spikes Meanwhile, many Asian Americans are rightly angered that the president insists on his continued use of the slur “Kung Flu.” It’s no joke. It’s a slur. Doesn’t matter what nonAsians think. It’s just as bad as using the “N-word.” When Trump mentioned KF at his Tulsa, “Make America Sick Again” rally, I was shocked. But Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany was protecting her boss, lying about the mention even after we all saw it uttered in Tulsa. “It is not about Asian Americans whom the president values and prizes as citizens of this great country,” McEnany said. “It is an indictment of China for letting this virus get here.” And then she conflated Trump’s use of KF and the media’s use of “Chinese virus,” as if they were the same. Of course, I take issue with the notion that Trump loves Asian Americans. He probably saw the Pew Report that called Asian Americans the fastest-growing racial or My Ate Estelita and the magethnic group of eligible vot- ic of immigration ers in the U.S. (OK, he didn’t “Ate” (pronounced ahsee it, but a staffer probably did. And notice how he suddenly is mentioning Asians when he cites inclusively the phrase “Blacks, Latinos and Asians,” as if that’s all he has to do for diversity’s sake.) Still, Trump loves us enough to endanger us by again repeating the phrase “Kung Flu” on Tuesday in Phoenix, before his typical non-socially distanced, anti-masking MAGA folk. Am I being oversensitive?

Ate Estelita Medina Napata

teh) is what you call a big sister in the Philippine language. And for me, that was my Ate Estelita Medina Napata. To me, she was Ate Esther. She died last week at age 77. My actual sister explained to me that Estelita was in the tradition of Filipino extended families, my de facto big sister. She was my father’s cousin’s granddaughter. Got that? Like Sister Sledge sang: “We Are Family.” Ate Esther came to live with my family when I was 10 because we had an extra room. She immigrated to America after the monumental Immigration Law of 1965 did away with the racist quotas that existed. So it was old school immigration, the family unity way—the kind Trump wants to abolish. When Ate Esther arrived, she was just 22-years-old. She cared for me, my sister, and even my mother. And we cared for her, even insisting on “chaperoning” her to dates

at drive-in movies. But when she got married to a naturalized Filipino American who served in the U.S. Navy, we all celebrated. Manong Pete was a good man. They moved from our flat to another one a block away in San Francisco. That’s how the Mission district worked in pre-Tech San Francisco. It was a neighborhood of families. And then Ate Esther began her immigration magic. She had six brothers and sisters in the Philippines. One by one, they all joined her. She even petitioned for her mother and father. Life is better in America? No doubt. She then started her own family—four kids. In all, Ate Esther was responsible for bringing to the world 12 Filipino Americans, who then started their own families, and all of them became productive members of the American middle class. At last count, she had 10 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Ate Esther did all this while working at the state hospital in a stable job with good retirement benefits. She wasn’t rich. But she was wealthy in the ways that count and enrich our country. She was the kind of immigrant we wanted in the U.S. The old-fashioned kind who improve America simply by wanting a better life for their own families. (continue on page 12)

12 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLEJULY 4, 2020

ASK A DOCTOR

GOUT Is A Common

Medical Problem in Asians By Jose de Leon, MD

W

hat is gout? Gout is very common in Asians. It is an inherited medical disease. It is a disease of the inability to secrete excess uric acid in the urine or the inability to process foods rich in purine leading to high uric acid levels. Kidney disease or dysfunction can lead to high blood levels of uric acid. Gout is due to the accumulation of monosodium urate crystals. Pseudogout is accumulation of calcium pyrophosphate crystals. Gout is more common. What are gout symptoms? Gout presents as inflammation of joints. Gout is peculiar; it occurs in areas farthest from the heart like fingers and toes, less common on ankles and wrists, less common on knees and elbows, and almost rare on hips and shoulders. Gout destroys the bone and the bone can not be replaced. Accumulation of destroyed bones are what we call tophi, which look like hard lumps

on the joints. Large tophi are treated with aggressive reduction of uric acid. Usually we do not surgically remove tophi as it can often lead to chronic non-healing wounds.

How is gout diagnosed? Gout is diagnosed on clinical history and by physical exam. Also, your doctor can simply take a blood test to check your uric acid levels. To distinguish between gout and psuedogout, a sample of fluid from the inflamed joint needs to be taken. This is a very painful procedure and since gout is more common than psuedogout, and the treatment of the diseases are the same, most of the time we do not need to take the fluid samples. How is gout treated? Gout medications are directed for reduction of uric acid, but reduction of uric acid is also known to trigger gout attacks. Therefore, usually for six months, patients need a low dose of anti-inflammatory medicine, such as colchicine or naproxen. It is presumed that in six months, the uric acid level is low enough not to trigger frequent gout attacks. The uric acid level goal is 6.0. Pseudogout is treated with an-

ti-inflammatory medication only and not medication intended to correct the uric acid problem. Probenecid is another medication to decrease uric acid levels, but sometimes we worry that this may lead to formation of uric acid stones if there is not enough hydration. Allopurinol is an old but effective medicine but is dependent on kidney function. The usual dose is one 300mg tablet daily in normal kidney function. Higher doses may be prescribed or lower doses like 100-200mg prescribed to those patients with kidney problems. A severe side effect of allopurinol is itchy skin that can turn into blisters all over the body and this can possibly lead to death. This reaction is rare, but a patient should call their physician right away if there are skin problems. Side effects of allopurinol triggered development of a safer medicine, febuxostat. There is cross sensitivity to allopurinol, but it is very rare. We generally do not give this medication to patients with a history of heart attacks or are higher risk for heart attack. The treatment goal is the same to lower the high uric acid to 6.0 to prevent triggering gout attacks. For acute gouty attacks, some doctors use colchicine IV or colchicine tablets. Oth-

er medications include indomethacin (specifically effective in gout but has a side effect of headache), high dose steroids like methylprednisolone dosepak, or a short burst of prednisone. Some non-gout medications surprisingly help to lower uric acid. Vitamin C leads to excretion of uric acid in the urine. Blood pressure medication losartan 50mg and a lipid medication fenofibrate 200mg also help in excreting uric acid to urine. There are even more powerful biologic medications that are given by specialists, specifically rheumatologists, for patients with difficultly getting to the desired uric acid levels and have tophi. These biologic medications however can trigger immune-related allergies and should be used only for a limited time.

What can we do to prevent gout attacks? We can decrease the frequency of gout attacks by

avoiding some foods, or at least only having them in moderation. Alcoholic beverages, particularly beer, trigger gout most of the time. The use and conversion of hops to make good beer alters uric acid. Making hard liquor uses ingredients other than hops and thus even though they can trigger gout, it is much less. Foods that are high in uric acid can obviously cause gout attacks and should be avoided. Some food have surprisingly high uric acid, including mushrooms, some broth, roasted vegetables, leeks, green peas, brussel sprouts, sardines and anchovies, shell fish, crabs, organ meats (liver gizzards innards), turkey (chicken is better option), cauliflower (broccoli is an option), whole milk sometimes (skim milk is a better option), tuna, haddock trout, and scallops. Certain foods, like sardines, end up with high uric acid by degradation. Other foods, like cauliflower, have a lot of individual cells that when processed yield high uric acid. Some food when barbecued produce more uric acid than boiled. Red and dark meat trigger gout more than white meat. Pork and lamb are notorious in triggering gout but duck and chicken are better substitutes.

JOSE DE LEON, MD is a private practice Internal Medicine physician in Kahili. He is a current member and past president of PMAH. He is involved in the Seafarers Free Medical Clinic.

(CANDID PERSPECTIVES: Trump’s Presidency ....from page 11)

My Ate would do the little things for me that a caring big sister does. Like making something good to eat from whatever we had on hand. Comfort foods. And now I’m sorry I won’t be there to comfort the entire family. Her death wasn’t even a COVID-19 death. But COVID-19 impacts how everything is done. In the end, Ate Esther just wanted to come home and live out her days in hospice and be with her family, especially with one of her adult daughters who had become bedridden after an illness.

That was Ate Esther, always the caretaker, even when she needed care herself. I last saw her a year ago at what has become the typical gathering, another funeral. Our lives had grown distant, but we still had our bonding memories. We never really spoke much beyond basic pleasantries, but she always showed her care and her love. She was my Ate. I now see her life as a reminder of the true power of immigration. Do we really just want the rich ones, or those who can do something

for America? How about the ones who just share universal values of love and family? My Ate Esther was one of the huddled masses. She died a woman grateful to the country that had allowed her to keep her family together. It’s the kind of immigration that truly becomes America. EMIL​ GUILLERMO​ is a veteran journalist and commentator. He was a member of the Honolulu Advertiser editorial board. Listen to him on Apple Podcasts. Twitter @ emilamok.

JULY 4, 2020  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  13

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

WHO Says Philippines Doing ‘Relatively Well’ vs Virus

By Christina Mendez Wednesday, July 1, 2020

M

ANILA, Philippines — The World Health Organization (WHO) lauded yesterday the Philippines’ early decision to impose lockdowns to slow down the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19. WHO country representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe said the Philippine government’s quarantine measures have been instrumental in achieving gains in the fight against the pandemic. Abeyasinghe, however, stressed the need for the country to beef up efforts in contact tracing to avoid the rapid spread of the virus, noting the increase in the number of cases in some areas in the Visayas. The WHO official downplayed earlier reports that the Philippines is among the fastest in terms of COVID-19 infection rate in the Western Pacific Region. “The Philippines has been doing relatively well,” Abeyangsinghe said, comparing the country’s response to other countries. “We are happy that the Philippines enforced early lockdowns, which actually helped prevent possibly hundreds of thousands of cases and thousands of deaths.” Due to the calibrated lockdowns and increased health-

care response, Abeyangsinghe said, “What we are seeing now are increasing number of cases being reported because of increased testing capacity.” He pointed out the need to further strengthen the government’s COVID-19 response, particularly in the National Capital Region, Cebu City as well as the “emerging hotspots” in Leyte and Samar.

‘WHO did not compare countries’ Abeyangsinghe said the WHO did not make assessment based on countries’ performance in the fight against COVID-19. He explained that the WHO has a dashboard with the number of cases. “What happened was a journalist used that dashboard and interpreted it that way,” he said, referring to reports that COVID-19 infection rate spread fastest in the Philippines among countries in the Western Pacific Region. “It is unfair to say that WHO made that assessment. We did not,” Abeyasinghe said. He said WHO provides COVID-19 data per country. Data from the WHO Western Pacific Region showed that the Philippines has the most number of new cases from June 17 to 23. WHO data showed that as of June 28, Indonesia recorded the highest number of infec-

tions with 52,812 followed by Singapore with 43,246. In the Philippines, there were 36,438 cases, 9,956 recoveries and 1,255 deaths as of June 29. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government has beaten the prediction of University of the Philippines researchers that cases of COVID-19 would hit 40,000 by the end of June. “Wala na po, panalo na po tayo! (We won!) We beat the UP prediction. We beat it. Congratulations Philippines! Let’s do it again in July,” Roque said, setting another challenge for the government to keep the numbers low to disprove the experts’ projection that cases will reach 60,000 by end of July. Roque said the Philippines is “winning the war” against COVID-19 despite the increasing number of infections in the past months. Former solicitor general Florin Hilbay slammed Roque for his statement. “The enemy is COVID-19, not UP. The enemy is COVID-19, not ABS-CBN. The enemy is COVID-19, not jeepney drivers. The enemy is COVID-19, not critics. The enemy is COVID-19, not online sellers,” Hilbay said in a post on Twitter. The Department of Health yesterday acknowledged the observations of Abeyasinghe about the poor implementation

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

Two Returning Residents Arrested for Violating Quarantine Restriction

S

pecial Agents from the Dept. of the Attorney General Investigations Division arrested two local returning residents for violating the state’s current mandatory traveler quarantine. A Kaneohe resident was first arrested on June 18 by deputy sheriffs from the Dept. of Public Safety at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport for refusing to complete the mandatory travel form and the order for self-quarantine. The Special Agents served the Kaneohe resident twice with orders restricting him to stay

in quarantine at his residence and say he continued to post his defiance. Special Agents followed him to the home of an elderly woman where he had been doing carpentry work for several days. The woman, who said she is in a high-risk category, was incensed upon learning the Kaneohe resident was being arrested for quarantine violation. His bail was set at $2,000. The second arrest involved a Mililani resident who was arrested after Special Agents made quarantine

checks on returning residents and arriving visitors. On June 26 an investigator checked on him and found that he was at a park with his son. He turned himself on June 29, was arrested, booked and charged. His bail was also set at $2,000. A total of 21 returning residents or visitors have been arrested since the imposition of the mandatory traveler quarantine. Even after August 1, the state will strictly enforce the 14-day traveler quarantine on anyone who does not meet the state’s testing requirements.

of COVID-19 response in some localities. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said some local government units are lacking in contact tracing efforts. She admitted that there are gaps in contact tracing that could be a contributor in the transmission of the virus.

60,000 cases by July 31 Unless significant strategies are put in place by the government, experts from different academic institutions said the number of COVID-19 cases in the country might reach 60,000 by the end of July. The COVID-19 forecast report released by OCTA Research, published on the UP website on Monday, projected at least 60,000 cases and 1,300 deaths by July 31 based on the current transmission rate of the virus. The report recommended a review of national strategy to combat COVID-19, noting a significant increase in transmissions, particularly in Cebu that has seen a surge in the number of cases in recent weeks. “The projection in Cebu province, assuming a continued implementation of enhanced community quarantine, is 15,000 cases by July 31,” read the report. “Relaxing the quarantine measures may cause an escalation of 20,000 to 30,000 cases.” Cases in Metro Manila may

rise to 27,000 by the end of the month, the report said, noting lags and uncategorized cases from the DOH. The experts also classified Rizal and Leyte as high-risk areas based on recent data from the DOH. The forecast report was written by UP mathematics professor Guido David, UP political science professor Ranjit Singh Rye, University of Santo Tomas vising professor of biology Nicanor Austriaco and OCTA research associate Ma. Patricia Agbulos, with contributions from experts in different fields. It was the same team that projected the number of cases to reach 24,000 by June 15 and 40,000 by June 30. Roque declared “victory” after the number of COVID-19 cases in the country did not reach the UP forecast, noting there are only 36,438 cases as of June 29. However, the latest forecast report noted that there are already 41,275 cases based on test reports as of June 24, but thousands of them have yet to be reflected in the official DOH data as these have yet to be validated. “We urge the DOH to resolve issues regarding the accuracy and timeliness of its data on COVID-19 cases in the country. To date, there are a significant backlog of around 5,000 cases and 2,794 uncategorized cases,” the researchers said. (www.philstar.com)

14 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLEJULY 4, 2020

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

Gratitude and Generosity By Seneca Moraleda-Puguan in right now but in all parts of the world. The two restaurants arly this morn- in our city that we frequently ing, as I looked go to when we want to unat my two little wind have closed down. We children enjoy see many empty shops. In our the French toast home country, many have lost that I prepared jobs. Many have been forced for them, I got very emotion- to retire early. They are not al that I felt like crying. My just numbers; they are close thoughts went out to the many family and friends. They are parents around the world not just part of statistics, they struggling to put food on their have faces. This has been one tables and roof on their heads. of the toughest seasons that I My heart bled for the many believe everyone has faced. children who have nothing to It’s heartbreaking. The pain is eat. It was a very humbling overwhelming. moment. I felt sad but grateful If there’s one thing that at the same time that my hus- this cruel pandemic has taught band and I are able to feed our me, it’s that we cannot get our children well. security from the things of this We are already on the world – money, jobs, wealth second half of 2020. Though and worldly success. These many countries have started things are shaky ground. In to go business as usual, the an instant, they can disappear. end of the COVID-19 crisis is Eventually, they will be gone. still out of sight. While some A friend once said, there’s no countries are still riding the such thing as job security or a first wave of the pandemic, fail-proof future with money. the others are already being The things we are holding on beaten and battered by the to in this world will disappoint second wave. My husband and fail us. Because of this still continues to work but we pandemic, I have learned the have felt the devastation this most important things in life. pandemic has brought about, I started to let go of my tight not just in the nation we are grip on the material things

an acknowledgment of God’s sufficient grace upon our lives. We can still be thankful even in the midst of suffering because we have a God who cares for us, and whose grace will see us through no what circumstances we face. We have a faithful God. This is more than enough reason to have an attitude of gratitude.

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that I value. I began to practice two spiritual disciplines that I have taken for granted: gratitude and generosity. GRATITUDE. I have never been more thankful to God for being alive. I learned to appreciate the simplest of things. We usually respond with thankfulness when we receive blessings, when things are going our way, when our prayers are being answered. But what if we are confronted with unemployment, sickness or even death? What if everything we have is taken away? In one of the morning devotions I listen to, the pastor said that gratitude is not a response to our circumstances or to an answered prayer; it is

GENEROSITY. Our family has food on our table, roof on our heads and clothes on our bodies to protect us from the summer heat. We have all that we need. This is what I always tell my children, especially my preschooler. We have been tremendously blessed. We have been given much, not to live comfortable lives but so we can be a blessing to others. My heart is compelled now, more than ever, to find ways to meet someone else’s need, to be an answer to someone else’s prayer, to be a carrier of God’s miracle to another. The world is in dire need right now, and I know that in one way or another, I have the ability to meet a need. I have something to give - an encouragement to someone who’s downhearted, hope

to someone who is in the brink of giving up, food to someone who is hungry, and support for someone who is in lack. I have acquired countless things in the many years of my life; it’s time to give them away to the people around me who need them more. One of my favorite pastors said that generosity is more than just the (financial) ability to give; it’s the capacity of the heart to give. I have received much; I am able to give much. The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the greatest storms that have battered (and still pounding) the whole world, and our lives. It is uprooting selfishness, greed, false sense of security, false hopes and materialism. On the other hand, it is cultivating gratitude and generosity in our hearts. The storm is far from over. For now, let’s continue to always be thankful for the grace that we receive each day and for God’s mercies that are new every morning; and let’s continue to keep finding ways to bless others just as we have been blessed. As we do this, we will soon see the colorful rainbow that will brighten the gloomy sky above us all.

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

Register Now: Voter Registration Ends July 9

 By Jim Bea Sampaga

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he Hawaii Primary Elections are fast approaching and if you haven’t registered to vote yet, register now because the voter registration deadline is on July 9, 2020. This year, all registered Hawaii voters will be voting by mail. Registered voters will be sent a ballot to their mailing address in Hawaii associated with their voter registration 18 days before the election day. Registering to vote can be both done online, by mail or in person. However, registering online and by mail are highly recommended to limit in-person interactions and to adhere to social distancing guidelines. Individuals who can register to vote must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the State of Hawaii and at least 18 years of age. To register to vote or update your registration, you just need your current Hawaii Driver License or State ID and Social Security number. For online registration, visit the Hawaii Online Voter Registration System at www.olvr.hawaii.gov. You can also register or update your registration by mail by submitting a completed a Voter Registration Application form to your County Elections Division. Download the voter registration application form online at www.olvr.hawaii.gov. The Voter Registration Application form is also available at the following locations: US Post Offices, State Libraries, Satellite City Halls, Most State Agencies, Clerks Offices and at the Office of Elections. For more information regarding voter registration, visit elections.hawaii.gov/voters/registration/.

JULY 4, 2020  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  15

COMMUNITY CALENDAR LEA SALONGA LIVE | Friday-Saturday, October 23-24, 2020; 8-10PM | Blaisdell Concert Hall, Honolulu l Filipina singer and actress Lea Salonga to serenade the Hawaii crowd in a two-night spectacular concert. Tickets $35 and up. Visit blaisdellcenter.com for more information.

MABUHI PACIFIC EXPO & SUMMIT | November 27-29, 2020 | Hawaii Convention Center l Panelists-presenters on various topics are being accepted for the Expo. For more details, visit mabuhiexpo.com.

PHILIPPINE NEWS

Ressa, Santos Appeal Cyber Libel Conviction

By Kristine Joy Patag Tuesday, June 30, 2020

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ANILA, Philippines — Rappler CEO Maria Ressa and former Rappler researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr. sought the reversal of the Manila court’s conviction on cyber libel, citing alleged errors in the ruling. In a 132-page motion for partial reconsideration filed Monday, Ressa and Santos—through the Free Legal Assistance Group—said the court erred in finding them guilty of cyber libel. Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa convicted Ressa and Santos on Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 or cyber libel. The court sentenced Ressa and Santos to the indeterminate penalty of imprisonment ranging from six months and one day of prision correccional as minimum to six years of prision correccional as maximum. In filing their appeal, Ressa and Santos only sought to reverse the portion in the ruling convicting them of cyber libel but no reconsideration was filed on the part that Rappler Inc. was exonerated from criminal liability.

KROSWORD

On republication The issue on republication is one of the main points legal groups questioned on the ruling. The article central to the case is a May 2012 story and was updated on February 2014. DOJ prosecutors said this counted as multiple publication, and the court held that this update—Rappler said it was just to correct the “evation” to “evasion”—a “republication.” Montesa held that with an updated story published on the site, the May 2012 article “can no longer be found” and “only the 19 February 2014 version presently exists,” the court said. Ressa and Santos said there has been no proof of “any alleged republication presented, whether as a legal concept, an alleged element of the offense, or as an objective reality by the prosecution.” They also pointed out that “’re-publication’ is not an element of cyber libel.” Assuming that there is “republication” as a legal concept, the prosecution still failed to prove that Ressa and Santos “willfully, unlawfully, and knowingly re-published” the assailed article.

They also pointed out that the court “did not even bother to cite any shred of support of its unilateral statement” that the update of the article counts as republication. “The absence of any such reference cannot be trivialized or shrugged off because of the constitutional command that ‘(n)o decision shall be rendered by any court without expressing therein clearly and distinctly the facts and the law on which it is based,’” the motion read.

On prescriptive period Another issue is on the prescriptive period—the time to bring forth legal action—in the case. In convicting Ressa and Santos, the court explained that since the anti-cybercrime law does not provide its own prescriptive period, then the provision of the law on prescriptions for violations penalized by special acts would apply. The court said that this means that the penalty of cyber libel is “one degree higher” than that of ordinary libel. It also looked at the penal provision of cyber libel. But Ressa and Santos countered the court’s finding that there

Blg. 18

(Solution will be on the next issue of the Chronicle)

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is no prescriptive period stated on the Cybercrime Prevention Act. “There is a specific prescriptive period provided. It is in Article 90 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by RA 4461 [Prescriptive Period for Libel and Other Similar Offenses...],” the motion read. They also reiterated that cyber libel is not a new offense, as such the one-year prescription period under Article 355 (Libel) of the Revised Penal Code should apply.  (www.philstar.com)

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JULY 4, 2020