Hawaii Filipino Chronicle - March 6, 2021

MARCH 6, 2021  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  1

MARCH 6, 2021

BOOK REVIEW

CANDID PERSPECTIVES

AS I SEE IT

Filipina 1

Fil-Am Angelo Quinto is Our George Floyd

Burial Rites The CoronaWay

NEWS FEATURE

Filipino Community Celebrates Women’s Month

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

An Ode to The Woman

2 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE MARCH 6, 2021

EDITORIAL

Lawmakers Must Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform

P

resident Joe Biden sent the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 to Congress, a comprehensive immigration reform bill that is fair, practical and should be signed into law.

It’s been close to three decades since the last sweeping immigration bill. And it’s arguable that today’s political environment couldn’t be less challenging than in the past for Republicans to come on board on immigration reform with nativism and anti-immigrant sentiments at a high just after Trump’s immigrant-scapegoating presidency.

But Democrats won the election, seized control of the Congress and the presidency, and according to polls a vast majority (around 75%) favor immigration reform.

This rare opportunity cannot be wasted. Biden, a long-time DC fixture knows how precious a moment this is with immigration reform failing to come to fruition under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama (16 years of missed opportunity) and a zero-chance of passing under Trump.

End the Filibuster The destiny of the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 lies squarely in the US Senate where there is an archaic, odd Senate rule (not written in the Constitution) that requires a 60-vote supermajority to pass legislation.

To date, newly minted Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer has been hesitant to pull the plug on the filibuster (until the latest COVID assistance package) even as his predecessor Mitch McConnell had used a simple-majority (only requiring 51 votes) to pass the 2017 Corporate Tax Cuts and more recently Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation to the US Supreme Court.

Should Schumer decide not to go over the filibuster rule on immigration reform this year, rest assured Republicans will block the bill, and the will of the American people will be denied, yet again.

Sen. Schumer needs to be smarter than what he’s been showing so far.

It should also be noted that the Senate 50-50 current composition (VP Kamala Harris would break any tie) does not equally represent the nation’s population as what appears. Fifty of the Republican-led states actually represent 41.5 million fewer Americans than the 50 Senate Democrats. How so? Many smaller states are represented by Republicans. But small or large, each state only gets two US senators.

This fact alone should make it easier for Schumer to break the filibuster and push through immigration reform by simple majority or reconciliation (legislation with budgetary consequence passed by a simple majority).

What’s good about Biden’s U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 The longstanding criticism is the legal immigration process takes too long for immigrants and that not enough immigration judges and staff are available to address the huge backlog of cases already pending.

The Citizenship Act of 2021 proposes to clear backlogs, eliminate lengthy wait times and increase per-country visa caps.

It also proposes to expand family case management programs and hire more immigration judges to reduce court backlogs.

There are other noteworthy features: the bill makes it easier for STEM graduates to stay in the US and improve access to green cards (great for business and maintains the US’s edge in Science and Technology globally); and enables immigrant farmworkers to be eligible for green cards immediately (great (continue on page 3)

FROM THE PUBLISHER

O

ne of President Joe Biden’s campaign promises was to overhaul the outdated immigration system that hasn’t been updated for decades.

Polls show that a majority of Americans favor comprehensive immigration reform and with the current Democrat-controlled presidency and both chambers of Congress, a bill could finally become law.

For our cover story this issue, associate editor Edwin Quinabo highlights some of the proposals in the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 recently introduced in Congress. The centerpiece of the bill is a pathway to citizenship for an estimated 11 million undocumented. The scope of the bill is expansive, covering many types of immigration from family-based to special groups like Filipino veterans of WWII and their families, as well as farm workers and STEM graduates. The overall goal is to streamline the naturalization process, make it easier, faster and more accessible. Given the history of failure in getting a comprehensive immigration bill passed, lawmakers and immigrant advocates are considering different strategies. One is by advancing separate bills, instead of one, all-or-nothing bill.

They call this the “multiple trains” strategy. Another option is passing one bill using reconciliation, which means only a simple majority is needed for it to pass in the Senate. Prior to the introduction of the Citizenship Act of 2021, Biden took immediate action on immigration matters by signing several important executive orders (EOs), mostly to undo the harm on immigration that Trump did. Immigration advocates say while EOs have immediate impact, larger and more permanent features of immigration policy must be legislated. Closing out the cover story, we present local feedback from Sen. Mazie Hirono and our Filipino community.

Also in this issue, HFC columnist Emil Guillermo reports on the tragic death of Fil-Am Angelo Quinto. Like George Floyd, Quinto was handcuffed behind his back, facedown, as an officer put a knee to the back of his neck for over 5 minutes.

Police were called to the Quinto home by Angelo’s sister who had concerns over her brother’s mental stability. No crime or violence were committed. Angelo was not armed, not threatening, according to his mom. But still, Antioch police resorted to a brutal takedown and deadly knee-to-neck restraining.

What’s also important about this story is that it went basically unnoticed and unreported for over a month. Our Filipino community must know about this injustice. Spread the word and demand accountability. Our deepest condolences go out to the Quinto family.

In observance of International Women’s Month (March), HFC contributor Rose Cruz Churma features in her Book Review “Filipina 1,” an anthology published close to 40 years ago, a first of its kind, a book exclusively by women. Also in celebration of Women’s Month, HFC columnist Seneca Moraleda-Puguan contributes “An Ode to the Woman,” a beautiful and powerful ode affirming the woman. HFC contributing editor Belinda Aquino, Ph.D. writes “Why We Celebrate International Women’s History Month.” HFC editorial assistant Jim Bea Sampaga gives us a rundown of the upcoming events planned for Women’s month. Be sure to read our other interesting columns and informative news.

Lastly, we’re pleased to report that Oahu is slated to transition to Tier 3 due to declines in COVID cases and positivity rate. This means some restrictions will be eased. Social gatherings can go up from five to 10. Retailers will be able to operate without capacity restrictions. Oahu has been stuck in Tier 2 since October. Let’s keep progressing and keep wearing our masks. Until next issue, 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

MARCH 6, 2021  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  3

EDITORIAL

Filipino-Americans Demand Answers and Justice to the Police Killing of Angelo Quinto

“P

lease don’t kill me.”

“Please don’t kill me” -these were the last few words that Angelo Quinto said before being forced to the ground and handcuffed.

The 30-year old, Fil-Am and Navy veteran is now dead.

The Filipino American community should be outraged and demand an independent investigation over the killing of Angelo who allegedly died after police kneeled on his neck for five minutes, similar to the restraining technique used on George Floyd.

The incident occurred on Dec. 23, 2020 when police were called to the Quinto home in Northern California

by Angelo’s sister who was worried about the mental condition of her brother. The family said Angelo had mental health issues and would slip into paranoia after he sustained a head injury from an assault in early 2020.

By the time police arrived, Angelo’s mother said he already had calmed down.

But she said the police still restrained him. “One officer was holding his legs and the other officer had his knee here,” said Cassandra Quinto-Collins (mother of Angelo), gesturing to the back of her neck.

“I trusted the police because I thought they knew what they were doing but he was actually passive and visibly not dangerous or a threat so, it was absolutely unnecessary what they did to him,” she said.

Angelo eventually lost consciousness. Blood flowed out of his mouth. He never regained consciousness. Three days later he died in the hospital.

Cassandra began recording the police after she said she saw her son’s eyes were rolled up in his head. The video shows her son’s body on the floor, bloodied face. His hands cuffed.

The Quinto family is now suing the Antioch Police Department. An investigation is ongoing.

The family’s attorney John Burris said, “There are a lot of issues wrong here. The technique applied by officers.

The failure to de-escalate. The jumping on his back, the putting into his neck by a knee.

“Given what we know, which is that we had a healthy young man in his mother’s arms. The police grabbed him. They themselves, their conduct, snuffed the life out of him. We see that not only as a violation of his civil rights but it’s a violation of humanity, frankly.”

Burris also mentioned that police failed to turn on their

Lawmakers...from page 2)

for business and secures the nation’s food production).

The Filipino community should also be pleased with the bill because it gives Filipino veterans (who fought alongside the US during WWII), their widows, and children immigration protections.

For Dreamers, the bill includes a pathway to citizenship, a very popular proposal.

Fixing the legal immigration process ultimately contributes to lowering illegal immigration. With a faster, fairer and improved legal immigration process, it deters illegals from taking that risky entry that will never allow them to be completely free in the US; and rather influence them to enter the country the right way.

New Direction, New Tone The fact the Biden administration is making comprehensive immigration reform a high priority is in itself a welcomed change from the past four years. It signals a renewed commitment to immigrants; that Americans should be reminded of the valuable role

could be viewed as threatening, especially to someone who isn’t mentally together at the time. If Angelo showed visible signs of anxiety, it shouldn’t have been cue for police to use aggressive force, and definitely not restraining by knee-to-neck, a technique that should be illegal.

body cameras and the camera in their patrol car.

Death shouldn’t have happened While the details of the incident are still under investigation, there are glaring misconduct by the police officers.

The knee-to-neck restraining is widely discredited by law enforcement experts because it can cause suffocation. And it shouldn’t have been used, period.

Angelo was not armed.

He has no history of criminal behavior. The police wasn’t even entering a crime scene.

There were no reports of violence, just a family concerned over another family member’s mental health anxiety. That reason alone should have prompted police to attempt de-escalation. Police are trained for that. But they failed.

Police should already be aware that their presence alone

Police working with mental health professionals Whether the Antioch police officers received training to handle mental health situations has not been stated in reports. But they should have been.

In addition, all police departments should have a mental health professional on-call to handle situations like Angelo’s where an urgent mental health crisis, not a crime, is needed to be addressed safely.. A health professional could have prevented Angelo’s death. Antioch is located East of the San Francisco Bay Area and certainly there’s no shortage of mental health professionals willing to work with the Antioch police on some kind of program.

Late Response The incident took place on Dec. 23. It took the Antioch Police almost one month on Jan. 25 to inform the public of Quinto’s death only when a local newspaper started to ask questions about the incident.

Given the heightened public awareness of police miscon-

immigrants play in our country; and that immigration has always been and will continue to be a cherished tradition in our country. Hopefully, the Trump years will be looked upon as a misguided path that Americans will not want to revisit.

Given the major contributions immigrants have in the US economy and that the bill continues the goal of securing our borders and facilitating orderly legal entry – there really is no reason why Republicans should find it impossible to approve.

Passing the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 by a supermajority (60 votes, that will require Republicans) would send a strong message that our country is accepting of immigrants and diversity. But if the votes are not there initially, Schumer and Democrats must play hard ball, circumvent the filibuster, and plow ahead with a simple majority. Something as monumental as comprehensive immigration reform cannot be passed off yet again for a lousy Senate rule that puts at advantage minority rule over the will of the majority.

duct nationally, it shouldn’t have taken that long. In fact, it’s downright insensitive, a poor handling of public relations, and not a smart way to keep community trust in law enforcement.

Was Race a factor?

There is no evidence at this moment to suggest racism in policing occurred. But that must be investigated. The public should be made aware of this police officer’s record, if he has had any complaints filed against him, if so, for what reason; or if he had been disciplined in any way that went against Antioch Police policy.

Transparency Angelo was born in the Philippines. Was there a communication problem between the immigrant family and police? There are many unanswered questions that must be investigated.

We hope the Filipino-American media report on this incident and the Filipino-American community rally to demand transparency and accountability. Make no mistake this was a tragic act of police brutality; completely avoidable with proper police training. Incidences like it must not be repeated. Policing reform must continue to be a high priority in communities throughout the nation.

Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Quinto family. We demand that justice be served.

4 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE MARCH 6, 2021

COVER STORY

It’s A Tall Order, But Immigration Reform Could Finally Become Law

By Edwin Quinabo

F

or well over two decades, a comprehensive immigration reform bill has failed to pass.

From George W. Bush to Barack Obama, both chambers of Congress, both political parties, big business, labor unions, security-minded conservatives to pro-immigration liberals -- all have argued features of what should be included in a single comprehensive immigration bill, but failed to reach a compromise to adopt one as law.

The last sweeping immigration bill came in 1986 when President Ronald Reagan granted amnesty to three million undocumented immigrants (mostly Central Americans). Ironically, that move would prove to be invaluable to the Republican party in unforeseen ways Executive Orders Before hunkering down on his U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, Biden moved quickly, literally in his first hours in office to pass several executive orders that reversed Trump’s executive orders on immigration. Biden struck down the controversial “zero tolerance” policy that separated parents and children at the border. He formed a Task Force to reunite families separated at the border under “zero tolerance,” giving urgency to reconnecting the lost children with their parents.

Biden also ordered a halt to the construction of the southern border wall. He signed an executive order to continue the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that grants work permits and protection from deportation to people brought illegally to the US as children. DACA was ended by Trump, but the Supreme Court gave a new lease to the program.

Biden also ordered a review by executive order of Trump’s “public charge rule” that prevents immigrants on public assistance from receiv-

as these immigrants, mostly Cubans, made Florida home and became ardent Republicans. Since then, each four years these immigrants and their descendants (still mostly Republicans) have been the potential swing vote to each presidential race, given Florida’s weighty electoral prize.

The reality is immigrants can influence elections, and this is arguably the “real” reason why immigration reform keeps getting shelved. President Donald Trump knew this – the powerful influence immigrants have. His xenophobia is actually in response to this fact, which led him to take immigrant scapegoating to levels never seen before.

ing a green card. A policy that immigration advocates called discriminatory against poor immigrants.

He revoked Trump’s Travel Ban that targeted a majority of Muslim countries.

Biden said, “There’s a lot of talk, with good reason, about the number of executive orders that I signed. I’m not making new law, I’m eliminating bad policy.

“The last president of the United States issued executive orders I felt were very counterproductive to our security, counterproductive to who we are as a country, particularly in the area of immigration.”

Immigrant advocates say while Biden’s executive orders have immediate impact and signals a sharp shift in policies from the previous administration, comprehensive reform must be passed in Congress for long-term, major changes.

Laws enacted by Congress is harder to undo than policies set via executive order.

Sen. Mazie Hirono said of Biden’s executive orders, “Through some of his first actions as President, Joe Biden

has demonstrated that his immigration policies will represent a meaningful departure from the mindless cruelty of the Trump administration.

President Biden’s commitment to advocating for immigrant communities can be seen in his executive actions to rescind the Muslim Ban and strengthen the DACA program.”

The Hawaii senator said as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, she looks forward to working with the President to restore fairness and justice to the nation’s immigration system.

Highlights of the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 (comprehensive immigration reform bill) On Biden’s comprehensive reform, Sen. Hirono said, “his comprehensive immigration reform proposal provides a pathway to citizenship, restores humanity in our asylum process, and reinforces family unity as a guiding principle in our immigration system.”

The thrust of the bill is centered on looking at ways to streamline the naturalization process, make it easier, faster

In today’s hostile political environment towards immigrants, President Joe Biden and Congress must now work magic in getting the recently introduced U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 passed. It’s a tall order to get this latest comprehensive immigration reform bill approved, even with the perfect storm of a Democrat-controlled Congress and presidency.

and more accessible by eliminating barriers and reducing processing times.

Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, a chief backer of Biden’s legislation, said “We have an economic and moral imperative to pass big, bold and inclusive immigration reform — reform that leaves no one behind.”

On family-based immigration, the bill proposes clearing backlogs and increasing per-country visa caps to get more families reunited faster.

It also eliminates the so-called “3 and 10-year bars,” and other provisions that keep families apart. Biden’s family-based immigration goal is to keep families together. His policies are counter to Trump’s proposal that sought to get rid of family-based immigration entirely and implementing a merit-based system in its place.

The bill plans to expand family case management programs and immigration judges to address backlog. Trump proposed to cut immigration judges.

Filipino veterans (who fought alongside the US during

WWII) and their families, widows and children could receive immigration protections.

Foreign graduates of US universities who specialize in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine) fields could have improved access to green cards to stay and work in the US. Immigrant farmworkers could get a quick boost and get green cards immediately.

Other groups to receive enhanced immigration protections include foreign nationals assisting US troops, asylum seekers, immigrants with approved family-sponsorship positions to join their family in the US on a temporary basis, Temporary Protected Status holders.

The bill changes the word “alien” to “noncitizens” in immigration laws.

Called embracing diversity, a section of the bill includes the NO BAN Act that prohibits discrimination based on religion and limits presidential authority to issue future bans.

The bill also increases Diversity Visas to 80,000 from 55,000.

As a means to promote (continue on page 5)

MARCH 6, 2021  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  5

COVER STORY (It’s A Tall Order....from page 4)

immigrant integration and citizenship, the bill provides new funding to state and local governments, private organizations, educational institutions, community-based organizations, and not-for-profit organizations to expand programs to promote integration and inclusion, increase English-language instruction, and provide assistance to individuals seeking to become citizens.

To grow the economy, the bill clears employment-based visa backlogs, recaptures unused visas, reduces lengthy wait times, and eliminates per-country visa caps.

Pathway to citizenship for undocumented A very popular proposal and viewed as the centerpiece of the bill, Biden wants to offer a pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals that include DREAMERS, TPS holders, and immigrant farmworkers currently in the US. The proposal is estimated to affect 11 million undocumented.

Undocumented individuals would need to apply for temporary legal status, with the ability to apply for green cards after five years if they pass criminal and national security background checks and pay their taxes. Applicants must be physically present in the United States on or before January 1, 2021.

Major polls show that providing an eight-year-long path to legalization for the 11 million undocumented in country is favored by a majority of American voters.

New “Multiple Trains” Strategy, piecemeal approach Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, said “We want 11 million people legalized. That is our North Star. But we can’t come home empty-handed. We’re not going to adopt an all or nothing approach. We have to achieve a breakthrough.”

As an advocate working on immigration issues in DC for more than 30 years, Sharry joins a growing number of advocates who are looking at a more practical approach to getting at least parts of immigration reform passed.

Instead of shooting for a single comprehensive bill that has failed two decades and counting, some advocates want to work on prioritizing features of the bill, get them passed through piecemeal, individually.

They are calling this a “multiple trains” strategy.

For example, the first goal could be to work on DREAMERS getting citizenship. Then the next goal could be to work on farm workers. After that, it could be undocumented “essential workers” who worked the front lines during the coronavirus pandemic.

Advocates are looking at moving forward separate bills, instead of one, all-or-nothing bill.

Kerri Talbot, the deputy director of the Immigration Hub, said “We’re always open to having a broader discussion, but absent that, we want to move forward with pieces that can pass.”

A massive system overhaul could be unrealistic as hard negotiations have shown to fail time after time, advocates say.

Immigration advocates say the history of failure should be driving a change in strategy.

US Rep. Linda Sanchez of California, another chief backer of Biden’s comprehensive reform bill, said abandoning the broader effort before it has even begun would be a mistake.

Lawmakers pushing the comprehensive bill approach say it’s too early to settle for piecemeal legislations.

Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said Biden was pushing for comprehensive changes because “they all need to be addressed — that’s why he proposed them together.”

Parliamentary Tactic, Push through Reconciliation, a Simple Majority Getting a comprehensive immigration bill to pass the House isn’t a problem, policy analysts predict. The challenge will come in the US Senate where there is a Senate rule called the filibuster, that requires a supermajority of 60 votes to pass most major legislation. This means to get the U.S Citizenship Act of 2021 approved in the Senate, Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer must get all Democrat sen-

ators to sign on their approval and flip at least 10 Republicans.

Parliamentarians say there is a loophole to circumvent the filibuster. Through a process called reconciliation under Senate rules, legislation that affects the nation’s budget can be passed with only a simple majority (51 votes). But under reconciliation, still, all Democrats must be united. One stray vote could mean failure, considering that the 51st vote to break a deadlock would be Vice President Kamala Harris.

Immigration proposals could qualify as a reconciliation matter because newly legalized US residents have an impact on tax revenues and government benefits, both that would meet the “impacting” national budget requirement.

Lorella Praeli, president of Community Change Action, is an advocate of both the “multiple trains strategy” or piecemeal and using reconciliation.

She favors enacting smaller components of the legislation at the same time of pushing the larger comprehensive effort.

“You’re talking about a fight that we’ve had for over three decades at this point,” said Praeli. “I’m not interested in a dance. I’m committed to seeing this through and delivering on concrete changes.”

Political analysts say it is more difficult to get Republicans on board with immigration reform today because many of those Republican senators who agreed with it in the past have already left politics like Jeff Flake, Dean Heller and others. While others who have supported it in the past who are still in the Senate like Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham, they have moved far right, in the Trump zone.

Filipinos reaction Laura Tagalicud grew up in a Hilo farm. Her parents are papaya farmworkers who emigrated from Ilocos Sur, Philippines.

“It’s nice to know that farmworkers are a part of the immigration reform, that they could get a green card faster.

Farming is very hard work.

And we do so much to keep our people fed,” said Tagalicud.

Many of the US farm workers are visa-holding im-

“Through some of his first actions as President, Joe Biden has demonstrated that his immigration policies will represent a meaningful departure from the mindless cruelty of the Trump administration. President Biden’s commitment to advocating for immigrant communities can be seen in his executive actions to rescind the Muslim Ban and strengthen the DACA program. It can also be seen in his comprehensive immigration reform proposal that provides a pathway to citizenship, restores humanity in our asylum process, and reinforces family unity as a guiding principle in our immigration system. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I look forward to working with President Biden and his administration to restore fairness and justice to our immigration system.”

— Sen. Mazie Hirono migrants. They have been working through the pandemic as essential workers. Even before the pandemic, for decades foreign farm workers have been crucial to keeping American farms in business and keeping food on the tables of American households.

But because immigration reform has been on hold for decades, many farm workers on visas were not able to stay in the US even after working years in the US. “My parents eventually owned their own farm. But many of these foreign farmers

on visas work for American companies and get paid little. They send money back to their families and eventually have to leave. I hope they get a chance to stay and bring over their families instead of going back to their countries after giving to the US the best of their working years. It’s only fair,” said Tagalicud.

Soledad Alquero, 83, of Wahiawa is an immigrant who came to Hawaii in her 30s in the 1970s. She said she’s just pleased to see the shift in attitude towards immigrants in (continue on page 7)

6 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE MARCH 6, 2021

OPINION

Positioning A University In A Competitive Market

By Dr. Freddie Rabelas Obligacion

T

he higher education market has become highly competitive. This has spurred academic managers to cater to a diversified studentry, conduct cutting-edge research, strengthen services to communities and establish their institutions as economic, technological and innovation powerhouses locally, nationally and internationally.

In response to the opportunities and threats posed by keen competition, a coherent and viable market positioning strategy needs to be crafted.

In fact, university positioning has evolved into a focal point for academic leaders, higher education researchers and policymakers.

Positioning is a strategic exercise to impress the image of a service or product in a potential customer’s mind. To do this, a careful delineation of the four Ps – promotion, price, place, and product/service – must be conducted. The more detailed the positioning strategy is at defining the Ps, the more effective the strategy will be.

There are five steps in fashioning a viable university position.

First is the crafting of a positioning statement. A positioning statement is a declaration one or two sentences long that succinctly captures the university’s unique value relative to its competitors.

Before writing the positioning statement, the following issues must be addressed: Who is the university’s target clientele? What category does the university belong to?

What is the biggest advantage the university provides? Can you prove that advantage?

Once a positioning statement is expressed, the following aspects need to be considered: Does it do a good job of differentiating the university from its competitors? Does it share the university’s unique value? Is it focused on the target market and its needs? Is it consistent across all areas of the university? Is it easy for university outsiders to understand?

If the answer to all of the above is yes, one can be confident that the positioning statement is apropos and ready to be shared publicly.

A good example of a positioning statement is the State University of New York at Buffalo: “The University at Buffalo amplifies ambition for

students, faculty, staff and the community, offering vast possibilities of achievement in a diverse, supportive and creative environment.”

The second step in establishing a university position is the creation of a tagline. A tagline is a shorter and catchier version of the positioning statement that tells the target market everything it needs to know in a short, memorable line. Here are a few wellknown taglines for reference: L’Oreal: “Because you’re worth it.”

Nike: “Just do it.”

B&Q: “You can do it when you B&Q it.”

California Milk Processor Board: “Got Milk?”

The third step in positioning is conducting competitor analysis, a process of identifying the university’s competitors and analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. Competitor analysis must take into account the following factors: Objectives. What share of the market do your competitors have? What’s their growth rate?

History. Take a look at their past marketing efforts and their dominant messages.

Strategy. Assess promotional campaigns and advertisements Audience. What’s their relationship with their clientele like? Analyze social media, features, collaborations, and review sites to determine their strong and weak points.

The fourth step in positioning is the evaluation of the university’s current position. What is the university’s location relative to its competitors? How do competitors size up the university’s capabilities? How do university constituents view the university’s role in the market?

Once the market status of the university is figured out, the fifth step can now be undertaken; that is, the crafting of an impactful marketing strategy.

In a study conducted in Turkish universities, eight different positioning strategies

were identified in which universities attempted to be distinct from each other through their promotional videos.

These strategies are internationalization, training systems, academic achievement, social and sporting facilities, job opportunities, physical facilities, scholarship and dormitory facilities, and rooted history.

The internationalization strategy accounts for international accreditation. For instance, students and staff may participate in an international exchange program. Further, international scientific, social, and cultural activities are organized on campus. The university also provides training and a joint degree via 12 international joint degree programs of the partner universities in the United States.

The training systems strategy is how well students are being taught critical, inquisitive, social, teamwork skills, and achievement-oriented expertise.

The academic achievement strategy is related to several scientific projects, publications, and patents which are made by the faculty and lecturers at the university, and other scientific activities in the university.

The social and sporting facilities strategy is associated with social, cultural, and sportive activities which are held on campus, and the number of student clubs, and places for social activities.

The job opportunities strategy is related to job placement rates of graduates, positions staffed by graduates, application classes in the university, entrepreneurship and career courses, and relations between the university and the private sector.

The physical facilities strategy is associated with the accessibility of the campus and facilities in the campus.

The scholarship and dormitory facilities strategy stand for the capacity and comfort of the dormitories which the university has and scholarship opportunities of the university.

The rooted history strategy is associated with how old, well-known, and big the university is, and the numbers of students, graduated students, faculty, departments, and campuses of the university.

The findings of this research indicate that the physical facilities strategy is the most frequently used in promotional movies. Findings also show that both public and foundation universities emphasize the location, accessibility, attractiveness, and technological equipment of their campuses, and facilities on the campuses such as restaurants, cafes, health centers, and sports complexes. These features of the universities are the most accentuated ones not only in the promotional movies, but also in the print advertisements of the universities in Turkey.

The second most frequently used in promotional movies is the social and sporting facilities. This strategy accounts for student clubs, sporting events, social events, cultural events, and social centers on the campuses of the universities. On the other hand, the scholarship and dormitory facilities strategy is the least used.

Results also indicate that public universities mostly engaged in the internationalization strategy, academic achievement strategy, and rooted history strategy.

In conclusion, universities with a carefully formulated positioning strategy can better navigate the uncertain and unpredictable demands of a constantly shifting market.

DR. FREDDIE RABELAS OBLIGACION, a sociology professor, is an alumnus of The Ohio State University-Columbus (Ph.D., MA Sociology; Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Delta) and the University of the Philippines-Diliman (MBA Honors, BS Psychology, magna cum laude).

MARCH 6, 2021  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  7

WHAT’S UP, ATTORNEY?

How to Get a Stay of Removal of An Alien – By Really Trying

By Atty. Emmanuel S. Tipon

O

n February 27, our Filipino client, whom we shall call AG, would be flying back to the Philippines pursuant to a final order of deportation if we did not file a Petition for Review on his behalf and succeed in obtaining an order for the stay of his deportation from the Court of Appeals 9th Circuit.

Immigration authorities had been calling AG to report but he was terrified to go and did not report until I told him to do so, assuring him that I had a stay order and was going to talk to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

I called up the chief of the enforcement and removal office of the Honolulu DHS to tell them that I had a stay order, but the chief was not there, so I left a message. When I arrived at the DHS the officers had already fingerprinted and processed AG. I told the officer in charge that I had a stay order and showed it to him. You must have convinced the court that you had a strong case to get a stay order, he said. We are going to win the appeal, I pre-

dicted.

AG had been convicted of “sexual assault in the third degree” under Hawaii law, and the DHS charged him as deportable for having been convicted of a crime of “child abuse.” We won in the Immigration Court, arguing that AG was wrongfully convicted, that the term “child abuse” was unconstitutionally vague in violation of the due process clause, that “sexual assault in the third degree” does not constitute “child abuse,” and that AG was eligible for cancellation of removal.

The DHS appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals which vacated the decision of the Immigration Judge and ordered AG removed to the Philippines.

We filed a Petition for Review of the BIA decision with the Court of Appeals. We also asked for a stay of removal pending the adjudication of the petition.

Getting a stay of removal is not an easy task. The requestor must meet the conditions for a temporary stay articulated by the Supreme Court in Nken v. Holder, 556 U.S. 418, 434 (2009). These are: (1) The stay applicant has made a strong showing that he is likely to succeed

on the merits.

(2) The applicant will be irreparably injured absent a stay.

(3) The issuance of a stay will not substantially injure the other parties interested in the proceeding.

(4) The public interest lies in granting a stay.

Many applicants for a stay of removal fail because they cannot establish the four requirements. For example, in Ramos v Barr, No. 19-1728, (CA7 06/05/2019), involving a motion for stay of removal pending appeal filed by a Mexican who had been convicted and sentenced to more than ten years for drug offenses, the majority of a 3-judge Court of Appeals panel, including Judge Amy Coney Barrett (now Supreme Court Justice), denied the motion, holding that the alien “demonstrated neither the irreparable harm nor substantial likelihood of success on the merits” required for a stay under Nken v.

Holder, 556 U.S. 418 (2009).

The majority said that while it was cognizant that removal imposed a serious burden on petitioner, the Supreme Court had made clear that “the burden of removal alone cannot constitute the requisite irreparable injury.”

(COVER STORY : It’s A Tall Order....from page 5)

this new administration, compared to the unwelcoming vibe of the past four years.

“Biden’s immediate action to make good on his campaign promises to reverse Trump’s hardline policies says a lot to me about where Biden’s heart is on immigration. Millions of immigrants could benefit from an overhaul of the system.

“It’s good that they will try to make family reunification faster,” said Alquero.

In the early 1980s, Alquero petitioned for her sister Anathalia to come to the US. She isn’t considered immediate family like a child or parent so Alquero says she waited years before Anathalia

was able to come over in the 1990s. By then Anathalia was already in her mid-60s.

“We spent a few great years together in Hawaii. But she went back home shortly after arriving because she was already in her late years and wanted to be with her children. I wish we had more time together,” said Alquero.

Florante Domingo of Kalihi said he wants reform to address security and maintain the current system of legal entry. “I want our borders to be secure, but I also support plans that improve the legal process.

Immigration experts say overhauling the legal process to make it easier and faster ac-

tually deters illegal immigration. Fixing the legal process helps to fix the problem of illegal entry, to a degree.

Domingo is a second generation Fil-Am. He says he supports “controlled, legal immigration.”

With nearly one in five Hawaii residents being an immigrant, and one in seven residents having at least one immigrant parent, comprehensive immigration reform is an issue of high value. Many Filipinos – that comprise the largest group of immigrants to Hawaii at 45% -- will be tracking updates closely as changes to immigration could impact their own families.

In the case of AG, we told the Court of Appeals that: (1) The stay applicant has made a strong showing that he is likely to succeed on the merits. This is shown in petitioner’s reasons for this Petition for Review. Petitioner has established that the crime of “child abuse” for which he was ordered removed is unconstitutionally void for vagueness; the crime of “sexual assault in the third degree” for which he was convicted is not categorically a crime of “child abuse” within the federal definition; there is no factual basis for the judgment of conviction against petitioner; and the Board used the wrong standard – “abuse of discretion” – rather than the “clearly erroneous” standard, in reviewing the decision of the Immigration Judge.

(2) The applicant will be irreparably injured absent a stay, because he will suffer extreme hardship resulting from his separation from his wife of which he has a constitutional right to be with and from his three children; he will be forced to return to the Philippines which is a third world country and where he has no home, no income, no health insurance, and no close relatives; he will deprived of his constitutional right to be present and defend himself in this case; and “that the deprivation of constitutional rights ‘unquestionably constitutes irreparable injury.” State of Washington v. Trump, No. 17-35105 (9th Cir. Feb. 9, 2017)(denying motion to stay of district court order staying Executive Order 13769 on “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States”);

(3) The issuance of a stay will not substantially injure the other parties interested in this proceeding, namely the government, because the petitioner has not caused harm to the government or anybody since the time the current proceeding commenced, and there is no indication that he intends to cause any harm; and (4) The public interest lies in granting a stay, because while the government has an interest in removing removable aliens, the public also has an interest in seeing to it that due process is observed before a person is deprived of his “liberty”, and that “The procedural protections provided by the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause are not limited to citizens. Rather, they “appl[y] to all ‘persons’ within the United States, including aliens,’ regardless of ‘whether their presence here is lawful, unlawful, temporary, or permanent.” Zadvydas v. Davis, 533 U.S. 678, 693 (2001).” State of Washington v. Trump, No. 17-35105 (9th Cir. Feb. 9, 2017).

The Court of Appeals agreed and granted a stay of removal. The Court has made another Filipino and his family very happy.  ATTY. TIPON has a Master of Laws degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines. His current practice focuses on immigration law and appellate criminal defense.

He has written books and legal articles for the world’s largest law book publishing company and writes legal articles for newspapers. Listen to The Tipon Report which he co-hosts with son Noel (senior partner of the Bilecki & Tipon Law Firm) on KNDI 1270 AM band every Thurs. at 8:00 a.m.

Atty. Tipon was born in Laoag City, Philippines. Tel. (808) 800-7856. Cell Phone, (808) 225-2645. E-Mail: filamlaw@yahoo.com. Websites: https:// www.tiponlaw.com.

The information provided in this article is not legal advice. Publication of this information is not intended to create, and receipt by you does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

8 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE MARCH 6, 2021

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

Filipino Community in Maui Launches Bayanihan Feeding Program

By Jim Bea Sampaga

I

n partnership with Maui Food Bank, the Binhi at Ani Filipino Community Center launched a weekly community service project called “Bayanihan Feeding Program.”

Every Sunday, volunteers prepare and deliver plate lunches to Hale Mahaolu residents in Kahului and Wailuku.

“Our kupuna is in need of nutritious food on weekends,” said Binhi at Ani president Melen Agcolicol.

“The Meals on Wheels program doesn’t distribute meals on weekends so the Board of Directors of Binhi decided [Bayanihan Feeding Program] would be a great way to continue to reach out to our neighbors.”

Through Mayor Michael Victorino and Councilmember Tasha Kama, Binhi at Ani also received a grant from the County of Maui to renovate the community center’s kitchen where volunteers would cook and prepare the plate lunches.

“It’s really in the spirit of the Bayanihan — which translated means to help one another in time of need,” Agcolicol shares.

Binhi at Ani are in need of volunteers who will prepare and deliver food for the Bayanihan Feeding Program.

Monetary donations for food and supplies are also appreciated.

For individuals, businesses or organizations interested in volunteering, please contact Melen Agcolicol at 2057981 or sign-up online by

filling out forms.gle/cVUGB6XLmtJi7MVH8.

For check donations, please mail it to Binhi at Ani at 780 Onehee Avenue, Kahului, HI. Binhi at Ani is a non-profit corporation based in Kahului, Maui. Established in

1985, they provide scholarships, promote cultural understanding, awareness, appreciation, good citizenship and general welfare. In 2005, they opened the Binhi at Ani Filipino Community Center at 780 Onehee Avenue.

Hawaii to Receive $1.215m to Combat Fraud and Identity Theft in Unemployment Insurance Claims

L

ast month, the Hawaii Department of Labor & Industrial Relations (DLIR) announced the $1.215 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to help prevent fraud and identity theft in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation programs.

The grant will be used to

assist DLIR with administrative expenses, new identity verification process and upgrading current identity verification tools.

“We quickly acted to obtain this funding as our teams are battling UI fraud on all fronts as we continue to build out the many new programs implemented by Congress last year, particularly the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

Program,” said Anne Perreira-Eustaquio, DLIR Director.

According to the press release, DLIR “have struggled to balance enormous workloads while simultaneously implementing and administering new programs for workers typically not eligible for benefits” since the enactment of the COVID-19 relief package.

Moreover, fraudsters were able to find a way to

take advantage of the agency’s current challenges. The press releases states that there has been “significantly more fraudulent attacks while new schemes emerge daily.”

Perreira-Eustaquio warns residents to always keep an eye out.

“We are asking Hawaii residents to be vigilant of their credit information and help us combat the fraudsters who

are unlawfully taking funds from the UI program,” she explained.

“This is a critical issue that is plaguing labor departments across the United States involving local, state, and even international criminals at times.”

To learn more about identity theft, visit www.identitytheft.gov. For more information about unemployment insurance, visit www.labor. hawaii.gov. 

to normalize, including the possibility for in-person graduations this May. “We’d like to salvage graduation ceremonies this year,” he said.

In order for in-person graduations to take place, teachers must be vaccinated and graduation venues must take place outdoors.

Healthcare Association of Hawaii President Hilton Raethel warned Oahu residents to not let infection controls such as social distancing fall to the wayside, despite the loosened restrictions.

“If people remain vigilant

in wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, washing their hands, and sign up for vaccination when their turn arrives, we are confident we can remain in Tier 3 without creating an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, and without regressing to Tier 2,” he said.

To move into Tier 4, the final stage of Oahu’s reopening plan, the island’s seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases would need to remain under 20, and its seven-day positivity rate would need to be below 1%. 

Oahu Moves to Tier 3, Pandemic Restrictions Loosened

I

n response to reduced COVID-19 infections, Oahu moved to Tier 3 of the city’s COVID-19 Reopening Strategy, under Gov. David Ige’s amended Emergency Order. There are four tiers, from most restrictive Tier 1 to the most relaxed Tier 4. Oahu has been in Tier 2 since Oct. 2020.

All businesses must still

comply with social distancing and mask covering requirements, but some of the new Tier 3 restrictions include: • All essential businesses are allowed to open.

• Social gathering goes up from 5 (tier 2) to 10 people.

• Restaurants, visitors attractions are up to 10 people

• Gatherings at Parks, Beaches, Trails, Camping are up to 10 people.

• Movie Theaters, gyms, allowed at 50% capacity.

• Spiritual services: groups up to 10. The capacity limit of 50% of legal occupancy is eliminated • Bars and night clubs are still required to stay closed.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said it’s possible more rules could be loosened in the weeks ahead. Blangiardi plans to submit another request to Gov. David Ige to modify the Tier 3 restrictions to allow for organized sports among other adjustments that have not yet been made public.

Lt. Josh Green is also considering more activities

MARCH 6, 2021  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  9

NEWS FEATURE

Filipino Community Celebrates Women’s Month with Weekly Events

By Jim Bea Sampaga

E

very March, the world celebrates International Women’s Month to celebrate women, raise awareness on gender issues and promote gender equality and inclusion.

In partnership with the Filipino Community, the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu organized a series of online activities in support of Women’s Month movement.

The Consulate will feature Filipino women who use the hashtag #ChooseToChallenge on their social media accounts. The hashtag celebrates women who #ChooseToChallenge gender stereotypes, distinguish themselves in their professions and advanced women’s rights.

There will also be nu-

merous webinars discussing women’s issues, professions and achievements with topics ranging from the food industry and government policies to education, culture and arts.

“By hosting a series of events featuring Filipino women, we hope that more people will have a better appreciation of the varied experiences of women, especially women of color,” said Philippine Consul General Joselito Jimeno.

“Our community needs to act in solidarity to ensure that the progress made in terms of the gender equality agenda continues, especially with the pandemic magnifying some of the persisting gender issues.”

To engage more discussion within the community, the Consulate is hosting a threeweek “#ChooseToChallenge Ideathon” event that where students can come together to address and propose solutions to a specific gender-related issue they want to discuss. The

event is open to all students, communities and genders.

The “ChooseToChallenge Ideathon” orientation will be on March 11. Submission of initial draft will be on March 24. And to end the Women’s Month, group topics and proposals will be presented to a group of judges on March 31.

With a massive line up prepared by the Consulate, below is a comprehensive list of the upcoming events during Women’s Month: ■ MARCH 6, 1pm 1:30pm. Pinay In Diaspora: Rediscovering Filipino Cultural Values by the Filipino Association of University Women. Register via bit.ly/3uMB4jg.

■ MARCH 8, 6pm - 8pm.

Kinabukasan #ChooseToChallenge Panel by the FilCom Center, Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii and Hawaii-Philipines Business Economic Council. Register at bit. ly/3r6al9K.

■ MARCH

11, 5pm 6:30pm. #ChooseToChallenge Ideathon Orientation by the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, Chaminade University Communications Department and Filipino Junior Chamber. Register at bit.ly/3uEVgUe. ■ MARCH 18, 5pm - 6pm.

Filipino-American Women in the Armed Forces by the Filipino Young Leaders Program and National Federation of Filipino American Associations.

Register via bit.ly/3dLlMoO. ■ MARCH 19-21, 8:45am onwards. Pinay Powerhouse IV by Pinay Powerhouse. Register at pinaypowerhouse4.com.

■ MARCH 20, 4pm - 5pm.

Women and Leadership in Higher Education by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Hawaii. To register, visit bit.ly/3pWRD8w.

■ MARCH 23, 5:30pm -

6:30pm. Women in Government by the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu and the Filipino Junior Chamber. Register at bit.ly/3uD9tAH. ■ MARCH 27, 6pm - 7pm.

Kasama Rum Tasting by the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, Kasama Rum and CIH Events. Register via bit. ly/3pZNfFM. ■ MARCH 27, 7pm - 8pm.

Himig ng Filipina by the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, Center for Philippine Studies and Knights of Rizal. Register at bit.ly/2PghlYW. ■ MARCH 31, 5pm 6:30pm. #ChooseToChallenge Ideathon Demo Day by the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, Chaminade University Communications Department and Filipino Junior Chamber. Register at bit. ly/3uEVgUe.

#ChooseToChallenge Filipinas

Annalisa Burgos

F

Cristina Arias

or this year’s International Women’s Day, the campaign theme #ChooseToChallenge urges everyone, regardless of gender, to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. The hashtag aims to inspire people to celebrate women’s achievement while calling out issues to raise awareness.

“We go out there and we’re brave and fearless,” said Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach. “[We] are much more different than what people think we used to be.”

To celebrate Women’s Month this March, recognition were given to these outstanding Filipino women who continues to #ChooseToChallenge gender bias and inequality:

Dr. Eva Washburn Repollo

Dr. Marel R. Ver

ANNALISA BURGOS TV Anchor and Reporter on KITV-4 Island News.

With over 20 years of experience in the news and media industry, Burgos has been to different cities in the United States and Asia, including Manila, sharing stories about people making big moves in business, politics and lifestyle.

CRISTINA ARIAS Vice President of Survivor Advocacy Services of the Honolulu Domestic Violence Action Center.

Since 2003, Arias has been with the Domestic Violence Action Center where they advocate for victims and provide support as they navigate the systems towards freedom and self-sufficiency.

Khara JabolaCarolus

DR. EVA WASHBURNREPOLLO Faculty Senate President at Chaminade University.

An Associate Professor of Communications at Chaminade University, Dr. Washburn-Repollo is also an author and director who is passionate about empowering a diverse learning environment through multilingualism in our multicultural society.

DR. MAREL R. VER President Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii (PMAH).

A surgeon at Pali Momi Medical Center, Dr. Ver organized PMAH outreach programs such as food distributions, mask donations and blood drive to support

Kimee Balmilero

Chef Isabelle Toland

Leni Acosta Knight

Amy Agbayani

the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

KHARA JABOLA-CAROLUS Executive Director of the Hawai’i State Commission on the Status of Women.

Jabola-Carolus leads Hawaii’s feminist government agency to advocate for women and girls through legislations, education, collaboration and program development.

KIMEE BALMILERO Filipinx Performing Artist.

Sheryl Yoshimura

Chef Abby Ferrer

Known for her roles in Hawaii Five-0, Magnum P.I. and Hi-5, Balmilero founded Improve Hawaii in 2012, a company dedicated to improv comedy, and produced the first Hawaii Comedy Festival in 2015.

LENI ACOSTA KNIGHT Hawaii-based International Fine Artist.

Knight is a full-time artist whose art has been featured in numerous international contemporary (continue on page 13)

10 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE MARCH 6, 2021

OPINION

Why We Celebrate International Women’s History Month

By Belinda A. Aquino, Ph.D.

T

here are numerous reasons to observe the celebration of International Women’s History in March of every year.

This essay attempts to look into the origins of this annual celebration dedicated to women, but in fact, involves all of humanity as well.

This annual event should have happened before it actually happened. It would be interesting to understand why it was so late in coming in the international community.

Actually, it should have happened to mark the significance of the women’s efforts starting in the middle 18th century when the right to vote for public service was given to women themselves as functioning members of the international community.

What actually happened

was that men were able to get the right to vote while women were left to themselves.

Women didn’t have the right to own property. Women weren’t able to run and get elected to public office even though they are a functioning member in the wake of a modernizing society. They didn’t have the same rights as the ones earlier acquired by men.

A Human Tragedy At the height of the Great Depression in the mid1960s, measures or legislative initiatives were slow in coming to improve the status of women to own property, run their own businesses and most of all, the right to vote.

Women were typically portrayed as frivolous with a main responsibility to raise a family and educate their children. In addition, women are expected to perform the duties of a housewife who obeys her husband.

But over time through

their own efforts, women worked hard to improve their status in society.

One day in March 1911, a garment factory in New York was destroyed by a fire because of poor working conditions in the factory.

Several women were killed while escaping from the building while many more were rushed to the hospital and other safe places succumbed to the fire.

A woman named Frances Perkins was having coffee in a restaurant across the factory when she witnessed the fire engulf the garment factory. Perkins saw the devastating fire and decided to see President Franklin Roosevelt.

He was so impressed by Perkin’s courage and that he listened with what she had to say to render attention to the victims of the fire. The president also gave Perkins an audience to tell her plans of assistance the victims of the tragedy. The victims were mostly immigrant women from Europe who were

working under unsafe conditions during the Great Depression in order to survive.

The following day, Roosevelt released numerous executive orders to provide aid to the victims. Moreover, he appointed Perkins to his Cabinet. It was the first time in U.S. history to have a woman serve in a Cabinet position.

Perkins immediately went to work, closely meeting with Roosevelt to make their plans effective and implementable. They lobbied the Congress to pass legislative measures to approve their plans in aiding the fire victims.

The bill they sponsored became a law with March as the month designated for the observance of the new law.

Since then, the law has been a gateway for Roosevelt to add numerous executive measures to support women. The law has also been declared a national holiday to mark its historical significance.

Perkins was given more

measure to make the new law as effective as possible in reaching the families of the victims.

Reasons for the Celebration Before long, countries around the world made it a point to designate March as the month for the international celebrations of this once-in-lifetime achievement of women’s power.

Now, the celebration has been seen as the supreme achievement of women themselves.

But we should not stop there. There is still work needed to be done in order to achieve equal rights, not just for women, but for everyone. DR. BELINDA A. AQUINO is Professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa where she taught Political Science and Asian Studies, and also the founding director of the Center for Philippine Studies for nearly four decades before retiring. Also, an accomplished journalist she has written numerous contributions, articles, and book reviews for international, national and local publications.

MARCH 6, 2021  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  11

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

An Ode to The Woman

By Seneca Moraleda-Puguan

T

his March, we celebrate one of the most beautiful creation – the woman.

The world we live in, with all the comparison and competition, with all the wrong definitions and expectations, has wounded the woman’s heart and marred her real beauty.

The society has broken her heart, destroyed her dignity, and scarred her soul.

But we need to be reminded of who we are and what God has intended us to be.

So, to every warrior princess, here’s an ode to you.

YOU ARE UNIQUE. You are one-of-a-kind.

You are fearfully and won-

derfully made.

You are not defined by what others say.

You have a role that only you can play.

You have a purpose that is solely yours.

You have a calling that only you can fulfill.

Truly, dear one, you are like no other.

Unique, that’s what you are.

YOU ARE POWERFUL. You are strong and mighty.

Your strength is in your wisdom and grace.

You have the capacity to cause a change.

You have the power to make a difference.

You have a voice, let it be heard.

Don’t let it be silenced by the noise of the world.

The world’s history can be shaped by you.

A woman of valor, a warrior, that’s who you are.

YOU ARE CAPTIVATING. You are beautiful.

Your beauty is beyond what people can see.

You have an exuding charm, allure that is from within.

Society says otherwise but you must not listen to its lies.

Your body does not define

you; it does not determine your value.

Do not compare yourself, do not try to imitate others.

Lovely, excellent, exquisite, charming and wonderful.

A masterpiece, exactly how God made you to be.

YOU ARE LOVED. You are adored.

Beloved, you are significant so please remember your worth.

You may have been scathed by other people’s unfair expectations,

You may have been rejected and brokenhearted countless times, But despite these, you are precious, you are treasured.

You are fully known, gladly accepted and called His own.

Someone has laid down His life for you so you can be made whole.

Loved, truly loved, that is your identity.

May this ode be an encouragement to you, princess. May you be reminded of your identity. Know that you are unique, powerful, captivating and loved. Beloved You are worth celebrating every day. Beautiful one, shine.

12 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE MARCH 6, 2021

BOOK REVIEW

FILIPINA 1

By Rose Cruz Churma

T

he month of March is designated as International Women’s Month, and to acknowledge this, we are featuring an anthology published close to 40 years ago – a first in local publishing history in the Philippines – “a book exclu-

sively by women, but of and for women and men.”

The editors were aware then that, given more time, they could come up with an anthology thatx may be more representative of women’s writings in the country. But in the early 1980s, the need for such a collection was urgent.

The women writers felt that to procrastinate would be “to hinder the first step forward…” as written in the preface by the three editors, one of which is the late Lilia Quindoza Santiago, whose contributions as a faculty member at the University of Hawaii in Manoa and as a multi-lingual writer and poet will always be remembered.

The editors of this anthology, published in 1984, lament that “the inclusion in anthologies of women writ-

ers is a merely patronizing or token gesture.

Above all, for women to be accepted in both journalism a literature, they must think and write like men.”

In four decades, things have changed, not only in women’s writing but in every facet of society. For us to appreciate the distance we’ve traveled, it is imperative to see where we’ve come from – thus the review of this book.

This book is dedicated “to our mothers, sisters and daughters – that they may keep the fires burning.”

This anthology of works written mostly in the 70s includes new contemporary themes such as feminism, identity, and ethnic connections. Social inequities and nationalistic stirrings are themes that had inspired

Filipina writers since the Spanish times and continue as a recurring topic.

However, this is the first time that bilingualism is celebrated in an ant h o l o - gy. Before this publication, the inclusion of English and Tagalog/Filipino in the same volume is rare. But in this anthology, easy bilingualism can be gauged by the shift to English from Tagalog/Filipino by the authors.

What is constant throughout are the writers’ desire to strive for originality, style and relevance – traditional criteria in any literary or artistic form which earlier women writers also strived for.

Aside from poetry and fiction, the anthology also

includes a one-act play in Tagalog/Filipino. The one poem that stood out as we celebrate International Women’s month was written by Marra PL. Lanot in Tagalog/Filipino entitled “Babae Kami.” The last stanza is shown below: Babae kami nagluwal ng sanggol Na tagapagmana ng mundo Marunong kaming umaninag Ng hugis ng araw at gabi Marunong maghimay Ng kulay ng bahaghari Marunong sumalo Sa kaluluwang babagsak Marunong magmahal Sa pusong maalalahanin Marunong lumaban At magwasto ng baliktad Habang naghahardin Sa ikagaganda ng daigidig ROSE CRUZ CHURMA is a former President of the FilCom Center. She is also the co-owner of Kalamansi Books and Things, an online bookstore promoting works by Filipino Americans. For inquiries, email her at kalamansibook@gmail.com.

MARCH 6, 2021  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  13

CANDID PERSPECTIVES

Filipino American Angelo Quinto Is Our George Floyd

By Emil Guillermo

I

f you don’t know who Angelo Quinto is by now, copy a link to this and send to your friends.

Everyone needs to know about Angelo Quinto.

But the full Quinto story broke around the time of the Tiger Woods accident. Everyone knows about Woods’ rollover in Southern California that nearly killed him. Thankfully, he’ll walk again.

Angelo Quinto won’t.

Woods, you see, wasn’t the only Asian American who deserved some headlines.

Sure, Quinto got local coverage in the San Francisco Bay Area and mentions on a few internet outlets after what happened to him was finally released.

But his story deserved more, especially when people understand how he died – the George Floyd way.

Floyd, an African American man, was handcuffed behind his back, facedown, as an officer put a knee to the back of his neck for nearly 9 minutes. He died on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis.

Quinto, an Asian American of Filipino descent, was handcuffed behind his back, facedown, as an officer put a knee to the back of his neck for over 5 minutes.

That’s according to his mother and sister, who saw it all play out in a San Francisco East Bay suburb last Dec. 23.

Five minutes was enough to kill Quinto.

Quinto, a 30-year-old U.S. Navy veteran born in the Philippines, was at his family’s home in Antioch, California when he experienced what has been described as a mental health episode.

Quinto’s 18-year-old sister, Bella Collins, said she called 911 for help when she saw Quinto holding their mother and feared he would hurt her. She said her brother

was dishonorably discharged from the Navy in 2019 due to food allergies but had suffered from depression. She said that after her brother was in an altercation and hospitalized in 2020, he had moments of paranoia and anxiety.

As they all waited for help that night just days before Christmas, Quinto’s mother, Cassandra Quinto-Collins, says she hugged her son and tried to calm him down.

But then the police arrived.

Quinto-Collins described her son’s reaction when the police arrived: “[Angelo] said ‘Please don’t kill me. Please don’t kill me,’ as they were putting him on the ground.

They handcuffed him and one officer put his knee on the back of his neck the whole time I was in the room.”

The family’s lawyer, local civil rights attorney John Burris, said Quinto was “snatched” from his mom.

Quinto’s sister said one officer held him by the legs while another knelt on Quinto’s neck for nearly five minutes.

In a videotape released by the family’s attorney, Quinto can be seen unconscious on a bedroom floor, his face bloodied. You can see him handcuffed from behind his back as police try to assess the situation. After a minute, Quinto is carried out on a plastic sheet into a hallway. After another minute, finally an attempt is made to resuscitate him.

“Does he have a pulse, what is happening?” Quinto’s mother can be heard saying in her Filipino accent. The responders can be heard pumping Angelo Quinto’s chest in vain.

Quinto-Collins later expressed her shock. “I trusted the police because I thought they knew what they were doing, but he was actually passive and visibly not dangerous or a threat. So, it was absolutely unnecessary what they did to him.

Angelo was unconscious when taken to the hospital and

Angelo Quinto

died three days later on Dec. 26.

It’s remarkable how the story had been kept under wraps for nearly two months.

Not a peep from the police.

Even the mayor of Antioch said he hadn’t heard about it until he saw it on social media.

It shouldn’t be that way.

We only heard about it because the family’s legal counsel, led by Burris, announced on Feb. 18, that a claim had been filed against the Antioch Police Department. The city now has 45 days to respond before wrongful death and civil rights lawsuits are filed on behalf of Quinto, his mother, and his sister.

How Quinto died makes this case important not just to Antioch, but to the nation.

“I refer to it as the George Floyd technique; that’s what snuffed the life out of him and that cannot be a lawful tech-

nique,” Burris said, indicating the similarities between Quinto’s death and the death of Floyd, a Black man who yelled, “I can’t breathe” as a police officer placed a knee to his neck.

“We know the young man’s dead as a consequence of police activity,” Burris said, adding that officers didn’t have to “snatch him from his mother’s person,” but rather talk to him in order to de-escalate the situation. “All they had to do is follow the rules.”

But they didn’t. And that’s why this story must be heard.

People call for defunding the police, but that doesn’t address some underlying problems. Police need retraining, so that they can gauge a situation and be a respectful presence rather than a disruptive one that only makes things worse.

Given the range of issues officers face, from domestic violence to mental health, police need to be better problem solvers, rather than just crime-busters. Maybe someone who is a combination EMT/psychologist/cop.

Angelo Quinto’s life depended on that new model of policing, that new kind of cop.

The ones that didn’t show up in Antioch the night of Dec. 23.

Let’s hope Quinto’s case gains more media attention, an important factor in the quest for justice. The family’s attor-

ney Burris, an African American, said winning that fight will take a community to “rise up” and ask the uncomfortable questions of people in power.

“Like the late great John Lewis would say, ‘Make good trouble,’” Burris said as he stood with the family in front of gift-wrapped boxes – Angelo Quinto’s unopened Christmas presents. “That’s what we intend to do.”

Will the community “rise up”? This isn’t just a local San Francisco Bay Area story.

That’s the legal team.

What is the nationwide Filipino American community going to do?

“Rise up”?

Here’s your chance. At the very least we need to let people know that a Filipino American has been a victim of police and has died in the manner of George Floyd, handcuffed with a policeman’s knee to the back of his neck.

Do your part. Let everyone know what happened Angelo Quinto. What’s the reaction? Did they know? Do they care?

We should all care.

What happens to Angelo Quinto’s case is the true test of the value of being Filipino in 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.

(NEWS FEATURE: #ChooseToChallenge Filipinas....from page 9)

exhibitions and is now represented by Van Gogh Art Gallery in Madrid, Spain.

SHERYL R. YOSHIMURA Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist at Wahiawa Health.

A board-certified Diabetes educator and Renal Nutrition specialist who provides health coaching, medical nutrition therapy and chronic disease self-management education, Yoshimura received the Outstanding Preceptor Award from the Academy of Nutrition and Diabetics Foundation.

CHEF ISABELLE TOLAND Chef de Cuisine at Banyan

Tree, The Ritz-Carlton HoShe advocates for policies tel in Kapalua. that provides better support With extensive experiences and voice to the immigrant in renowned restaurants in community in Hawaii.

Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Maui, Chef Toland shares CHEF ABBY FERRER her French and Filipino up- E x e c u t i v e C h e f o f bringing by creating clasStar Noodle, Maui. sic Filipino and European A New York native, Chef Ferfusion dishes with a local rer has worked at renowned twist at The Banyan Tree restaurants in Las Vegas, Restaurant in Maui.

Boston, and Miami, and was even the Lead Chef Instructor DR. AMY AGBAYANI at the Le Cordon Bleu College Civil Rights Activist. of Culinary Arts in Boston priFor the more than 40 years, or to moving to Maui. As the Dr. Agbayani served as the executive chef of Star Noodle, founder and director of the she crafts amazing noodle Office of Student Equity, Exdishes with inspirations from cellence and Diversity at UniSoutheast Asian cuisine and versity of Hawaii at Manoa. her Filipino heritage. 

14 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE MARCH 6, 2021

AS I SEE IT

Pandemic: Burial Rites the Corona Way!

By Elpidio R. Estioko

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re we burying our dead the traditional way during the pandemic?

What must be done to respect tradition and keep people safe during funeral rites and COVID-19?

When the coronavirus settled in the US about a year ago, it meant not only making government and personal decisions on how to care for the sick, address the issue, and fight the spread of the virus, but also on how funerals should be carried out.”

Published in The Conversation (July 7, 2020), anthropological research shows that generally, around the world, the ceremony around funerals begins at the first signs that someone might die, and continues after the burial. These “funeral rites” include rituals, ceremonies and acts which are cultural and religious obligations. We must ensure that standard precautions are applied since they have a direct impact on a whole range of funeral practices.

Records show that lessons

from Ebola, during West Africa’s Ebola outbreak, certain funeral rites contributed to the spread. For this reason, “safe burials” specialized procedures were put in place. For instance, “agents had to carry out Ebola tests on all deceased persons and uphold bans that prevented families from touching the body.”

Across all the affected countries, “these procedures clashed with local funeral customs. People often perceived them as disrespectful to the deceased, families, and community at large.”

The World Health Organization and other institutions, taking into consideration local values and social practices, decided to change these burial procedures and recommended “safe and dignified burials” or “risk-free burials with dignity” such as respecting the family’s cultural and religious practices.

On January 21, 2021, my sister-in-law Ermina Diaz Estioko, 83, married to my elder brother Romulo, passed away at a time that the pandemic is still surging. She did not die of COVID-19 but due to lingering illness. We were able to claim her body and came out with burial procedures the pandemic way.

After complying with the required documentations,

burial rites were scheduled.

Burial mass with St. Victor Catholic Church in Berryessa, San Jose was held on February 20, 2021, officiated by the priest inside the church.

We complied with church requirements and other safety regulations.

At the church, we occupied every other pew (alternate) and seated with 6-feet distance from each other, with 35 close relatives in attendance. Unlike three months ago, this number should have been reduced to 12 or 15 due to the upsurge of death tolls at that time.

The priest officiated the mass wearing a face mask on and likewise maintaining social distancing. The queue for the communion is also distanced in such a way that we were complying with CDC regulations.

The casket was never opened and was covered with a white cloth during the entire duration of the mass. The cloth was removed after the mass and the flowers were put back on top of the coffin for the exit.

All attendees signed the registry book with their pertinent contact information. The church clerk explained to us that this is essential because in case somebody becomes COVID-19 positive after the mass, the registry book will serve as a document for contact tracing.

We maintained the 6-feet social distancing, and everybody wore a mask or face covering. Because of the face coverings, we hardly recognized each other except when we came closer to each other

and introduced ourselves. Of course, it’s difficult to ban attending funerals, mass rites included, given people’s natural inclination and social obligations.

For those who were not able to attend the mass rites, they joined us via Zoom courtesy of May assisted by Michael and Jane, who took video footage.

CDC Guidelines outlined funeral guidance for individuals and families which we followed. Our grief due to the loss of our loved one during the fear and anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic was overwhelming.

To help lower the risk of virus spread, we followed these guiding principles: The more people interact, the closer in distance the interaction is (less than 6 feet), and the longer the interaction lasts, the higher the risk of spreading COVID-19; Masks reduce the chances of getting and spreading COVID-19; During the in-person gathering in church/ indoor, a well-ventilated area; and outdoor (cemetery site) to help lower risk of spreading COVID-19; and Practice social distancing by maintaining at least 6 feet between attendees; facility and clergy officiants, as well.

Given the pandemic, we were aware that hosting gatherings now could be dangerous to those who would want to participate, so we found alternate ways to connect, support each other, and grieve after their loss via the Zoom meeting.

We considered the following modifications to funeral services to help prevent

the spread of COVID-19 such as limiting the attendees to a small number of immediate family and close friends; and practiced social distancing.

After the mass, we drove to Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose for the burial rites.

We likewise observed social distancing and people attending wore their masks/face coverings. Thirty-two close relatives who joined the burial rites were Rhoda Estioko; Rocky and Myrna Estioko; Dr. Romy Villar and children; Simo and Jeng Castillo; Al and Wilma Estioko; Seymour Estioko; Gina’s family; my wife Delia and myself with daughter May; and Rica Estioko; among others.

For those who were not able to make it, they joined us via Zoom: Dr. Manuel and Bobbie Estioko from Pacific Palisades; Mar Estioko, Canada; Marciano and Rosie Estioko, Jr., and their kids, San Jose; Paul Estioko and Tweety Estioko-Rasay from Hawaii; and Aurora and Rene Rentar, San Jose; among others.

The casket was never opened for viewing. After the priest’s burial prayers, we were asked individually to place our hand on the side of the coffin and say a few words in silence. Then, when every individual was done, the coffin was lowered to the ground.

Then, we were asked to drop individual flowers and again pray in silence. After everybody has dropped their flowers, the coffin was covered with soil and my sister-in-law was laid to rest… forever!

She is survived by her husband Romulo; children Marius, Rica, Richard, and Gina; and grandchildren Michael, Julian, Nikko, Sarah, Tiffany, Morgan, Bobby, Rachel, and Jason.

During the burial rites, we took steps to protect ourselves, the corona way! Manang Ermina, may your soul rest in peace! We love you! ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO was a veteran journalist in the Philippines and an award-winning journalist here in the U.S. For feedbacks, comments… please email the author at estiokoelpidio@gmail.com).

MARCH 6, 2021  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  15

PHILIPPINE NEWS

After Delays, First AstraZeneca Jabs from COVAX Arrive in Philippines

By Christian Deiparine Thursday, March 4, 2020

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ANILA, Philippines — Initial doses of AstraZeneca under the COVAX facility arrived in Manila on Thursday night, the first delivery from the World Health Organization-led initiative that comes days into the country’s vaccination efforts.

A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines plane carrying some 487,200 doses landed at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City by 7:10 p.m., with officials set to officially receive the much-needed jabs at a time when nearly 585,000 Filipinos have contracted COVID-19 and with over 12,400 dead from the pandemic.

In total, the Philippines is seen to receive 4.58 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines as part of its share from the COVAX facility, along with 117,000 doses of doses made by Pfizer.

Officials initially said 5.5

million of the British-Swedish drugmaker’s doses were allocated for the country but this was changed recently per an allocation list published by the WHO. The vaccines from the COVAX facility were expected to arrive in February, as the administration sought to give dates that later on turned out to be estimates.

AstraZeneca’s jabs secured emergency use approval from the Food and Drug Administration in late January after Pfizer did, and was followed by Sinovac. The government’s vaccination program started this week with 600,000 doses donated by Beijing, the first to reach the Philippines last week.

Taken in two doses, the AstraZeneca vaccine was found to be 70% effective on average. On Wednesday, however, a member of the OCTA Research team warned that its efficacy rate could decrease to just 10% against the

Hawaii Police Union Loses Legal Battle Against Police Misconduct Disclosure

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new COVID-19 variant first seen in South Africa that has already been detected in the country.

But the health department in a briefing earlier Thursday sought to allay such fears, saying the studies cited had a small sample of individuals.

It came as South Africa halted the rollout of AstraZeneca after trials there showed a poor showing against combating the said variant. To which, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vegeire said: “No matter what the publications say that its efficacy has gone lower, until we are not cer-

tain, we will continue to use the vaccines.”

The arrival marks an important step in the vaccination efforts in the country, as some health workers — first in line to receive the jabs — sought alternatives to Sinovac.

Government said too that medical workers above 60 could be prioritized to get Pfizer vaccines, since Sinovac is not recommended for senior citizens.

All donations, none bought COVAX facility’s allocation is different from the direct procurement by government

to vaccine manufacturers.

The European Union, for one, said it has provided € 2.2 billion to help countries gain access to vaccines, including the Philippines.

In a statement, EU’s ambassador to the country Luc Véron said the union “has both a responsibility and interest to make vaccines available for all,” adding that the union is the “biggest contributor” to the COVAX’s donation to the country.

To date, only term sheets have have been signed, with no purchase deals yet. The supplies from Sinovac and AstraZeneca are also donations.

This means that despite officials’ repeated pronouncements that the country will have enough supplies this year, the administration has yet to spend the allocated P72.5 billion meant to buy vaccines, funding that is from money borrowed from multilateral sources such as the World Bank. (www.philstar.com)

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

he State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO) lost months-long legal battle against Act 47, the law that requires disclosure of officer misconduct.

According to Civil Beat, Circuit Court Judge Dean Ochiai ruled that Act 47 is “constitutional and appropriate even in cases in which appeals to the discipline are ongoing.”

For decades, Hawaii used to not disclose officer misconduct to the public except in “rare cases in which an officer was terminated.”

With large protests last year against racial inequality and police brutality, Act 47 was passed and overturned Hawaii’s past procedures in handling officer misconduct.

SHOPO argues that Act 47 violates the officers’ privacy.

The police union’s attorney Keani Alapa even asked if the public has the right to know the names of the officers who are already retired, had been disciplined long time ago, or had their misconduct offense overturned.

Deputy Attorney General Robyn Chun said that there is “a need in transparency and accountability in the process of handling incidents of police misconduct to rebuild the public’s trust in the police departments.”

In the Civil Beat article, Attorneys for Honolulu and the Hawaii Attorney General’s Office stated that Act 47 is essential for citizens to hold police officers accountable.

Vaccination for Aged 70+ Starts in March 8th

By Jim Bea Sampaga

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s Hawaii expands eligibility pool for the COVID-19 vaccine, people age 70 and older will be eligible for the vaccine starting on Monday, March 8.

State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Char said vaccinating our elder will “provide an-

other layer of protection to this vulnerable population.”

So far, vaccines were reserved for healthcare workers, employees in long-term care facilities, frontline essential workers and people age 75 and older.

Char said they have already vaccinated enough people in the said pool, therefore expanding the eligibility to people age 70 and older.

“We will closely monitor how quickly vaccines are used and may open to people age 65 and up and those in phase 1c in a couple of weeks,” Char explained in a March 3 press release.

According to the press release, weekly vaccine allotments for Hawaii increased from 40,000 doses (continue on page 16)

16 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE MARCH 6, 2021

PHILIPPINE NEWS

Businessmen Back Uniform Travel Rules

By Louella Desiderio Thursday, March 4, 2020

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ANILA, Philippines — The country’s largest business organization, which supports the government’s move to have uniform travel rules and regulations, is pushing for investments in the health care system in tourist spots to promote the growth of domestic tourism and help revive the economy.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said it is supporting the recent approval by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) of uniform travel protocols by no longer requiring COVID-19 tests unless specified by the local government unit of destination prior to travel.

The group said the harmonized travel protocols would facilitate flow of goods and services, as well as boost local tourism.

“PCCI believes that domestic tourism could serve as catalyst for restarting not only Philippine tourism, but also the economy as a whole,” the group said.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show that tourism accounted for an average of 7.4 percent of the economy from 2000 to 2018.

In 2018 and 2019, tourism’s contribution grew to 12.7 percent and the sector employed 5.71 million Filipinos.

To help promote the growth of the tourism industry, the PCCI sees the need for greater investment in the country’s health care systems in tourist destinations.

“Investing in health care systems in the country’s tourist spots must be central to tourism planning now that COVID-19 is driving tourists to think about their health and safety first,“ PCCI president Benedicto Yujuico said.

Yujuico said LGUs should go beyond what is being required by the guidelines of the national government agencies.

“Investing in infection control facilities such as widespread availability of disinfectants, improvement of ventilation and re-designing of spaces to allow greater social distancing are significant to reinvigorate the industry and it will benefit the constituents as well,” he added.

PCCI tourism commit-

tee chair Samie Lim said public-private partnership would also be important in restarting the tourism industry.

“If the public and private sector work as one, we can find the solution of bringing people from their homes to COVIDfree bubble destinations through a secured travel system for a safe vacation. Safe travel routes will allow us to go on vacation again,” he said.

As online meetings have become common in the pandemic, PCCI tourism co-chair Jose Mari del Rosario said hotels and resorts are offering new rates to encourage travelers to stay for longer periods while being able to work.

ative swab test to gain entry to their jurisdictions.

However, as a general rule nationwide, swab testing would no longer be required for domestic travel.

Some LGUs are still requiring swab tests, including Aklan for entry to Boracay.

He defended the protocol, saying that swab test – although no longer mandatory – had scientific basis and was consulted with the Department of Health.

He clarified the swab test requirement following public inquiry on standard travel protocol.

The protocol streamlined documentary requirement for domestic travel to dispense with the police travel authority and medical certificate from point of origin.

Densing said travelers should inquire with LGU of their destination to ensure a smoother trip.

He said that even with the more lenient travel protocols, health protocols such as wearing

of masks and physical distancing should be followed.

The DILG is expected to issue a memorandum that will echo the IATF’s resolution on the new travel protocols for faster dissemination in LGUs. Some P2 trillion was lost in 2020 due to domestic travel restrictions amid the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has been cited for supporting government’s tourism efforts as the country continues to deal with effects of the pandemic.

In a letter, the Department of Tourism (DOT) thanked the PCG for providing a safe, swift and comfortable transport on the BRP Malabrigo despite the rough sea condition on Feb. 18.

The DOT thanked PCG spokesman Armand Balilo and several officials in the PCG-National Capital Region for their help. (www.philstar.com)

LGUs can impose tests The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) clarified that LGUs are still allowed to impose mandatory COVID tests for travelers, even as the standardized travel protocols omitted this requirement in a bid to spur domestic tourism.

DILG Undersecretary (HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS: Google....from page 15) Epimaco Densing said LGUs “We must still wait our could still impose their own last month to more than 67,000 turn as our elders and frontline executive orders that would re- doses this week.

The increase in doses is essential workers continue to quire travelers to present a negrelated to the recently autho- be vaccinated,” Char said.

“But we are thrilled others rized use of one-shot vaccine from Johnson & Johnson which in our community will soon helped advance Hawaii’s vac- have access to these life-saving vaccines.” cine schedule.

MARCH 6, 2021  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  17

PHILIPPINE NEWS

Pope Leading Rites for 500 Years of Philippine Christianity

By Robertzon Ramirez Wednesday, March 4, 2020

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ANILA, Philippines — Pope Francis will lead the Filipino community in Italy in celebrating 500 years since the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) announced yesterday.

In an article, the CBCP said that Fr. Ricky Gente of the Filipino Chaplaincy in Rome disclosed that the celebration of the Philippines’ 500 years of Christianity will be

highlighted with a mass to be celebrated by Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica at 10 a.m. on March 14.

Gente said that only a limited number of people will be allowed to attend the mass physically inside the basilica due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he said it will be livestreamed from the Vatican to reach Filipinos worldwide.

“Join us in Rome to pray, praise and thank God for his gift of the Christian faith,” Gente said.

He said former Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, prefect of the

Pope Francis

Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, will be present during the mass along with Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, the pope’s vicar of Rome.

Gente said the Catholic

faithful can receive blessings from Pope Francis as he will also lead the traditional Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square at noon shortly after his mass at Vatican Square.

The Philippines will be celebrating 500 years of Christianity, CBCP said, with most dioceses launching the year-long commemoration on April 4, Easter Sunday.

Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles John Brown said Pope Francis has a special place in his heart for the Filipino people as he recalled his visit to the Philippines in 2015, two years after Super

Typhoon Yolanda hit Tacloban City.

For his part, Brown urged the Filipino faithful to be proud of their religion not only because of the 500 years of Christianity, but because of their strong Catholic character as he appreciates their efforts to spread the word of Jesus Christ wherever they are around the world.

“Rejoice in your Catholic heritage; be proud of your Catholic character,” Brown said.

Brown said the quincentennial of Christianity is a gift for the Filipino faithful to commit themselves to evangelization. (www.philstar.com)

Arab Emirates and Qatar, while the sixth case is being validated if an or a local case.

At the same time, the DOH said the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) had sequenced 30 more cases of B117 or the United Kingdom variant, bringing the total cases to 57 Meanwhile, two more “mutations of interest” with both N501Y and E484K mutations were recorded in Region 7. These samples were found among the eighth batch of 350 positive swab samples processed by PGC for genome sequencing.

Vergeire noted that while both the South African and UK variants have

an “immune escape” component that can affect vaccine efficacy.

She did not discount the possibility that the presence of the new variants is contributing to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the country.

Malacañang vowed to intensify health and safety protocols after the discovery of the South African strain in the country.

“We are really monitoring this. We cannot deny that as long as COVID is there, more people will be infected.

What is important is we are in a position to provide medical attention and help to those who are in need,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said. (www.philstar.com) 

DOLE to Prohibit 6 Cases of South African Variant ‘No Vaccine, No Work’ “higher transmissibility,” Detected in Philippines there are initial studies saying for their workers. The survey Policy By Sheila Crisostomo (ROF) from the United that South African variant has of 250 human resource pracBy Xave Gregorio Wednesday, March 4, 2020

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ANILA, Philippines — Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said that he is set to issue an order prohibiting making COVID-19 vaccinations a requirement for returning to work.

“That cannot be made mandatory. It’s up to the employee if they want to get vaccinated or not,” Bello said in Filipino, adding that the policy that is supposedly cropping up in some companies is discriminatory.

Labor unions want ban on ‘no vaccine, no work’ policy He said that businesses that would impose a “no vaccination, no work” policy could face an administrative penalty since there is “no legal basis” for such a requirement.

“It will be considered as illegal suspension or illegal dismissal, whatever action the employer would do if the employee does not get vaccinated,” he said.

According to a BusinessWorld report citing a survey by global advisory firm Willis Towers Watson and the People Management Association of the Philippines, a majority of companies are already moving to procure vaccines

titioners found that “as many as 68% of employers said that they would fully subsidize the cost of vaccines, while 11% said they would partially pay for the doses.”

‘Emerging’ policy Associated Labor Unions, the largest group of labor unions in the country, sounded the alarm about what it described as an “emerging” policy of some businesses requiring their workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 before they are allowed to return to work.

ALU said that some factory workers have complained to them about how their superiors have told them that they would not be allowed to report to work unless they participate in the company-sponsored coronavirus vaccination drive.

It added that other business owners have given instructions to supervisors and managers to deem employees who do not get vaccinated against COVID-19 as unfit to work.

It also said that another group of employees have been told that they would need to present a certification to prove that they have received a COVID-19 jab before they are allowed to work. (www.philstar.com)

TUesday, March 3, 2020

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ANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday the detection of six cases of B.1.351 or the South African variant of COVID-19.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said data showed that among the six South African variant cases, three are in Pasay City. Samples from these three local cases were collected between Jan. 27 and Feb. 13 this year.

One of them is a 61-yearold female while the other is a 39-year-old male. The third is a 40-year-old male who has already recovereD. The other two cases are returning overseas Filipinos

18 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE MARCH 6, 2021

MAINLAND NEWS

U.S. House Passes $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill

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he third COVID-19 relief bill passed the U.S. House of Representative on February 26. The $1.9 trillion package will provide federal emergency assistance to the ongoing health, economic and social crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This bill is the critically-needed next effort by Congress to deliver assistance to so many still-critical needs throughout our country,” said U.S. Congressman Ed Case.

“This measure will add billions more to assist governments, businesses, workers, communities and families across Hawaii as we continue to weather the crisis.”

With the House approving the bill, the attention are now focused on the Senate. The Senate’s approval will officially make the third COVID-19 package accessible to majority of Americans.

Lawmakers are hoping to pass the bill by March 14.

Some of the highlights of the third COVID-19 relief package includes: Stimulus checks. Qualifying individuals and families can receive $1,400 for an individual, $2,800 for joint filers and $1,400 for each qualifying dependent.

Extended Federal Unemployment Benefits. $400 per week for those who qualified for the federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation.

$350 billion for state and local governments. Hawaii will receive an projected total of $2.69 billion to help the state respond to COVID-19 emergency needs.

Support for small businesses. The bill will fund the new programs such as the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and Community Navigator Pilot Program to help small businesses stay afloat. Moreover, $840 million will go to Paycheck Protection Program and and other initiatives.

Healthcare funding. To strengthen the efforts in fighting COVID-19, some of the funding includes $47.8 billion will go for testing and tracing activities; $8.5 billion for vaccine development and review at

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; $7.7 billion to expand the public health workforce and $6.1 billion to support manufacturing and purchasing vaccines.

School funding. To address learning loss, $128.6 billion will be allotted to states to support local educational efforts. At least 20% of the funding is expected to be used for summer learning, after-school programs or extended-day or extended-year programs.

Tourism assistance. $3 billion will go to the Economic Adjustment Assistance program with 15% of

Attorneys General Coalition Shows Support to Protect Students From Bullying

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awaii Attorney General Clare E. Connors joins a coalition of attorney general in filing a friend-of-the-court brief to urge the Supreme Court to protect school’s ability to address off-campus bullying including cyberbullying that affects student’s education.

The coalition filed the brief for the case Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L which concerns the ability of schools to hold students

accountable for off-campus speech and does not support either party.

The lower court ruled the case that schools may never regulate student’s off-campus speech.

In the coalition’s brief, the attorneys urge the Supreme Court to reject this rule arguing that this ruling will undermine state anti-bullying laws.

Moreover, the coalition believes the ruling will pre-

vent schools from addressing in-person and online bullying that started off-campus.

“Public schools clearly have the legal ability to regulate off-campus bullying that impacts a student’s education,” said Attorney General Connors.

“Our state DOE should have access to every available tool to combat bullying in the school system, including addressing off-campus intimidation and aggression.”

A harmful and disruptive form of behavior, bullying often involves verbal and/or physical attacks to the victims. And whether the bullying was done in-person or online, it will still have a huge impact on the student’s ability to perform well in school.

The coalition explained that schools have “a duty to provide high-quality education to all students.”

With bullying making school an unsafe place for victims, it has shown that

the budget dedicated to communities with job losses in the tourism industry.

“I sincerely hope the U.S. Senate now passes our measure and sends it to President Biden for signature as soon as possible and in any event by mid-March, when some of our existing emergency benefits expire,” said Case.

“In the meantime, the full resources of my office will remain focused on getting all of this assistance to where it is needed as fast and comprehensively as possible.”

bullying can lower the academic performance of victims and bullies in the shortand long-term, according to the coalition’s brief.

The attorneys general explained that they do not take sides on the underlying facts of the Mahanoy Area School District case.

Instead, they want the Supreme Court to respond to students’ off-campus speech like any other students’ speech, allowing schools to regulate it when it has substantial effects on the school or other students’ learning.

GLOBAL NEWS

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle in Legal Stink with Filipino Deodorant Maker

R

oyal couple Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are questioning the legality of a trademark used by a Filipino business owner.

Cobblestone Lane LLC, an entity representing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, is pursuing legal action against Filipino businessman Victor Martin Soriano for use of the term “Archewell Harvatera” — the name of his brand of tawas deodorants.

“Opposer (Cobblestone

Lane LLC) intends to file an opposition to the above-identified trademark application,” read the motion filed July 8, 2020.

Notwithstanding the legal challenge, the product’s official theme song and its choreography have since been posted onlin The name “Archewell” is shared with the organization founded by Harry and Meghan that currently includes Archewell Foundation, Archewell Audio and

Archewell Productions.

“At Archewell, we unleash the power of compassion to drive systemic cultural change,” reads a post on the organization’s official website.

But in the Twitter profile apparently belonging to Victor found by World Trademark Review, the businessman appears unfazed and undaunted by the events.

In this legal battle, he’s making it clear that he will put up a fight.(www.philstar.com)

MARCH 6, 2021  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  19

COMMUNITY CALENDAR PINOY FOOD STORIES: EVOLUTION OF PHILIPPINE CUISINE | The Mama Sita Foundation; Univer-

sity of Hawaii at Manoa Center for Philippine Studies; Consulate General in Honolulu | February 12 to March 12, 2021 (Fridays, 3:00 - 5:30PM) and February 13 to March 13, 2021 (Saturdays, 9:00 - 11:30AM) | A free online short course hosted on Zoom. Link will be sent 48 hours before the session day. Contact Pia Arboleda, pca62@hawaii.edu and/or mkpsauhm@gmail. com for more details.

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ber of Commerce of Hawaii and Hawaii-Philipines Business Economic Council. Register at bit. ly/3r6al9K. MARCH 11, 5:00 - 6:30PM | #ChooseToChallenge Ideathon Orientation by the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, Chaminade University Communications Department and Filipino Junior Chamber. Register at bit.ly/3uEVgUe. MARCH 18, 5:00 - 6:00PM | Filipino-American Women in the Armed Forces by the Filipino Young Leaders Program and National Federation of Filipino American Associations. Register via bit.ly/3dLlMoO. MARCH 19-21, 8:45AM Onwards | Pinay Powerhouse IV by Pinay Powerhouse. Register at pinaypowerhouse4.com.

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MAINLAND NEWS

Mail-In Voting Amendment Included in Voting Rights Bill

T

he “For The People” Act, which advocates for better voting rights, recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives and Hawaii-inspired mail-in voting amendment was included, according to Congressman Ed Case.

“Our ‘For The People’ Act is a truly revolutionary bill that will implement many of the most critical government reform efforts we need to get government working for the people again,” said Case, noting that the bill will address voter suppression, simplified voting, election security and such.

The press release states that Case highlighted Hawaii’s first universal

mail-in voting process and created an amendment to strengthen it that is now included in the “For The People” Act. Case notes that the Aloha state showed the whole country that an all-mail election is possible “with virtually no fraud claims or disputed election results.”

He also believes there is still

ship in Higher Education by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Hawaii. To register, visit bit.ly/3pWRD8w.

MARCH 23, 5:30 - 6:30PM | Women in Government by the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu and the Filipino Junior Chamber. Register at bit.ly/3uD9tAH. MARCH 27, 6:00 - 7:00PM | Kasama Rum Tasting by the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, Kasama Rum and CIH Events. Register via bit.ly/3pZNfFM. MARCH 27, 7:00 - 8:00PM | Himig ng Filipina by the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, Center for Philippine Studies and Knights of Rizal. Register at bit. ly/2PghlYW. MARCH 31, 5:00 - 6:30PM | #ChooseToChallenge Ideathon Demo Day by the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, Chaminade University Communications Department and Filipino Junior Chamber. Register at bit.ly/3uEVgUe.

Have your organization’s events listed in our community calendar. It’s recommended to submit press releases a month in advance of your organization’s event. Send information to filipinochronicle@gmail.com.

room for improvement. And improvement will encourage states to adopt the vote-bymail process.

“My amendment simply directs the Election Assistance Commission to conduct a study on vote-by-mail efforts in 2020 elections and develop recommendations to help states better administer their elections in the future,” Case explained.

Among other highlights of Hawaii’s vote-by-mail system according to Case were the state’s high voter turnout percentage and wider election accessibility, especially elders and underserved communities.

KROSWORD ni Carlito Lalicon

(Solution to Crossword No. 2 | February 20, 2021)

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