1 February 4-10, 2021
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA EDITION
www.pnewstoday.com
THE PREMIER FILIPINO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPER IN THE U.S. SINCE 1961
Vol. 60 No. 26 February 4-10, 2021
PHL IS ‘SINKING,’ GOV’T ADMITS Losing P2-B daily due to COVID-19, Duterte vows to keep economy afloat By ALFRED GABOT and BETING DOLOR
MANILA – As the Philippines is in a frenzy trying to stem the tide of the Covid-19 pandemic and readying the vaccination of millions of Filipinos, President Rodrigo Duterte, backed up by his economic team and business leaders, admitted this week the bitter truth - the Philippines is in a sink hole as it is Page 9 losing P2 billion a day due to pandemic.
NEWS AND VIEWS YOU TRUST
Military coup in PHL? No way, says Lorenzana By Jeanne Michael Penaranda CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City – A coup or a military takeover in the Philippines? That is unlikely, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana assured as the military and the police fully support President Rodrigo Duterte. Lorernzana made the statement after the military staged yet another coup in neighboring Myanmar alleging cheating in the last election. “(That) will never happen,” Lorenzana said. “The military and police are happy with PRRD. He Page 8 has our full support.”
Biden appoints more FilAms to gov’t posts
PHL’s COVID cases surpass 530,000; vaccines arriving By Claire Morales True MANILA — The country’s infections. COVID-19 cases topped 530,000 Globally, over 103.8 million on February 3 after the Department have caught the coronavirus, acof Health confirmed 1,266 more cording to data from Page 8 SECRETARY OF STATE. Governor Newsom swears in Secretary of State Dr. Weber
Newsom swears in Weber as California Secretary of State By Jo Erlinda Yabut SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom has sworn in San Diego Assemblymember and Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus Dr. Shirley N. Weber as California Secretary of State. Dr. Weber becomes the firstever African American to serve Senator John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña passes away at 86, story on page 13
as Secretary of State in California history. “On the eve of Black History Month, California once again makes history in swearing in Dr. Weber as Secretary of State,” said Governor Newsom in a statement sent to Philippine News Today. Page 8
WASHINGTON D.C. - More Filipino Americans, including two more Filipina leaders, have been named to top government posts under the administration of United States President Joe Biden. The FilAm community immediately lauded Biden for the appointment which they said is an affirmation of the government’s track towards diversity in America’s leadership. Earlier, President Biden appointed Filipino American Gloria Steele, a career officer, as acting administrator of the United States Agency for Development (USAID) and Jason Tengco, former executive director of the National Federation of Page 8
Nation mourns passing of Sen. Osmena
Senate ratifies nuke ban treaty VIEWS & COMMENTS
SHOWBIZ
SPORTS
‘Remembering Rizal in Trump’s now repealed travel ban’
John Lloyd, Bea Alonzo ready for their reunion movie
Pacquiao stripped of WBA belt, eyes fight vs Garcia
Page 13 By A�y. Liangco
Page 18
Page 21
P2
PESO-DOLLAR RATE
$1.00= P48.04
as of Febuary 4, 2020 1:25 am
Page 8
P6 P3