Pilipino Express • Apr 1 2021

Volume 17 • No. 7 • April 1 -15, 2021 Publication Mailing Account #41721512

Kira Balinger

Understanding COVID-19 vaccines

by Lucille Nolasco

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With three approved COVID-19 vaccines in Canada – Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca – and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine’s approval in the horizon, Canadians are hoping to return to some sort of normality in their lives. Now it’s only a matter of when a person actually receives a vaccine. Timelines for when specific age groups will be eligible vary depending on how much vaccine each province or territory receives from the federal government. As of March 29, all Manitobans aged 64 and older, and First Nations people 44 and older are now eligible for the vaccine.

However, as Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) is recommending provinces pause See COVID p7

Dr. Natalie Casaclang after getting vaccinated. Dr. Casaclang is a physician who trained in the Philippines before immigrating to Winnipeg in 2012. She has been a practicing family physician for the past three years and has been working in public health as a Medical Officer of Health for almost a year now.

Philippines back to stricter COVID-19 controls

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Derek Ramsay & Ellen Adarna

On Monday, March 29, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced that Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite would be under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) again from March 29 to April 4. The other provinces will be on varying levels of lockdown from April 1 to 30.

“We’re back to zero…” lamented Duterte during his national address, acknowledging the rapidly increasing cases of COVID-19 in the country.

See PHILIPPINES p19

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PILIPINO EXPRESS

Let’s protect each other.

Plan to get the vaccine as soon as it’s your turn, and encourage your friends and family to do it, too.

Sign up at ProtectMB.ca to find out when you’re eligible and for information about the biggest vaccine campaign in Manitoba’s history.

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One year into the pandemic It is hard to believe that over one year has passed since the COVID-19 pandemic began in Canada. Many people have shared with me that it seems like time has warped. It can feel like life has slowed down in many ways, but has also gone by quickly. Like no other time in modern history, human life on every continent has been affected. To date, over 2.7 million lives have been lost globally, and countless more have changed forever.

It may be a good time to look back and reflect on what we have learned over the last twelve months. Overall wellness depends on many factors, and they can be considered under the categories of Physical, Mental, Emotional, Social, and Spiritual wellbeing.

Physical wellness Regular exercise, enough sleep, and a healthy diet have always been the essential components of taking care of the body. Since the pandemic, we have to add more to this list: Wear a mask when you are around people who live outside your household, stay at least six

by Tim St Vincent A lot of people are very excited to get a tax refund from the government. I understand that response; it’s like a sudden windfall of unexpected money, of found money! I used to think that way too, until I realized that the money in the tax refund isn’t found money. It isn’t government money. It is my money. It was all along.

When you get a tax refund, what that really means is you have been kind enough to “loan” the government your hard-earned money by paying too much tax, and you let them use your money as they see fit for a year. When you file your tax return you get your money back.

Oh, and of course the government doesn’t pay interest to you for having borrowed your money. You see, when you get a refund, that means that you have paid too much tax, and the government is returning the

feet away from others whenever possible, and wash or sanitize your hands often.

Mental wellness The pandemic has also shone a spotlight on the importance of mental health. The World Health Organization reports that mental health services were chronically underfunded pre-pandemic, and now this global crisis has increased the demand for mental support and programs. The basic tips for optimal mental wellness include having a routine, limiting screen time, and challenging your brain by reading and games, such as crosswords and puzzles. Also, humans are creative beings and benefit from activities such as art, music, dance, cooking, baking, crafts, or woodworking.

You also want to watch out for negative thought patterns.

Do your best to eliminate criticizing yourself or others, and catastrophic thinking (“This will never get better”).

Emotional wellness Without a doubt, the ups and downs and uncertainty that the pandemic presents have brought about a range of emotions in

excess portion to you. This is how you have “loaned” your money to the government, interest free. To get a $2,500 tax refund, you have effectively loaned the government $2,500 of your money for a year. The funny thing is that the government charges you interest if you’re late paying them; but, they don’t pay you interest for the privilege of using your money.

What could you have done with that money? Paid down your debt, like credit cards or the mortgage. By paying down that debt, you would save even more money by not having to pay interest on the portion you just paid off.

Triple windfall! You keep your money, pay down debt and pay less in interest! What a win-win for you!

So how do you do this? I am a retired financial planner, so I suggest you contact your current financial planner or adviser and discuss options. An easy thing to do is to reduce your tax deductions

everyone – fear, sadness, anger, anxiety, hurt and guilt. It is absolutely normal to react this way in the face of loss, and let’s face it, life doesn’t look the same as it did at the beginning of 2020. The important thing to keep in mind is to let yourself feel these things for a little while and secondly, find a healthy way to channel this energy. Contrary to popular opinion, crying and tears are a natural way to release tension, show strength, and reenergize, rather than weakness.

Spiritual writer and Franciscan priest Richard Rohr says, “If we do not transform our pain, we will transmit it to those around us.”

Social wellness With pandemic guidelines, we have sadly had to keep physically distant from family, friends, colleagues and community.

This, arguably, may be the most challenging adjustment for people. We must connect with most people using telephone and video calls. Humans are not built to be isolated, so this has been most challenging for people who live on their own. We must now initiate conversations more, be patient with each other and cheer for others who are having a tough

time.

Spiritual wellness Living through this pandemic has certainly impacted our overall perspective, and that includes our connection to other people and matters that are not material or physical. Some rely on faith and religion to try to understand and cope with so much change. No matter what your beliefs are, we have learned spiritual lessons about how to cope. We can try to make things as simple as possible, and intentionally find time for quiet and deep breathing.

Aim to live in the moment, rather than worrying about the future all day or reliving past regrets.

Above all, when you are having a difficult time, try helping someone else. It may give you a different perspective, distract you from your own problems, and leave you feeling that life is indeed, still beautiful.

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive; to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” – Marcus Aurelius Cheryl Dizon-Reynante is a licensed therapist with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.

Yay! I got a tax refund! Oh wait, maybe that isn’t so good? at source. That means your employer deducts less federal tax on each payday. To do that you typically need to show that you are making regular RSP contributions.

Your financial planner and payroll person can help fill out the correct forms.

It’s still a good idea to have a few hundred dollars put aside for taxes, as this is not an exact science. My goal is to either pay no more than $200 in taxes or to get no more than $200 back.

Now for some, getting a tax refund can be a form of forced savings. People who don’t trust themselves to save money on their own can intentionally pay additional tax throughout the year.

The tax refund then acts like a savings account or bonus money.

It’s important that once you receive your refund to use it to pay down debt, apply it to savings or

towards a goal.

No matter how you manage your taxes, whether you reduce taxes at source with your employer to increase your take home pay on every cheque, or if you use your tax refund to manage a forced savings program, use the money wisely. Paying down debt is always a good choice as it helps increase your cash flow by helping to reduce your interest payments.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me here or you can contact me at tim.stvincent@ nomoredebts.org.

Have a great and healthy day!

Tim St Vincent is a retired CFP and is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance with the Credit Counselling Society, a Non-Profit organization. If you wish to contact Tim for a free workshop or webinar, have a question, or would like to submit an article idea, please contact Tim at 1-888527-8999 ext 1330. You can also contact the Credit Counselling Society for further information or assistance at 1-888-527-8999 or visit www.nomoredebts.org or www.mymoneycoach.ca.

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PM gives voice to concerns of COPR holders The current travel restrictions to Canada are impacting more persons than visitors. Many are familiar with the two-month ban on non-essential travel but are unaware how far the ban extends.

A Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) has brought public attention to the plight of foreign nationals with Confirmations of Permanent Residence (COPR), who cannot enter Canada. In a letter addressed to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marco Mendicino, opposition MP Christine Normandin described the plight of COPR holders as an “untenable situation for the department.”

COPR holders and families and friends inside Canada can appreciate the critical words of the Bloc Quebecois immigration critic.

Normandin plays an important

role in the Canadian political system, akin to that of the tribunes in ancient Rome. Her position as official critic does not mean that her only purpose in life is to criticize for the sake of criticizing.

It may appear that way to overly sensitive government supporters and office holders but the general public should appreciate the role of the opposition critic in giving voice to those who feel they cannot speak out. Many COPR holders and immigration applicants would rather suffer in silence than appear critical or unappreciative of immigration authorities, who appear to hold power over their admission or denial. It might be better to suffer in silence than create waves or in the words of homespun wisdom, “let sleeping dogs lie.”

Minister Mendicino has

several times admitted that his department is trying to improve things, but the facts speak for themselves. In 2020, Canada forecast 341,000 arrivals but the actual number of arrivals was only 184,370. The coronavirus has had a major impact over the past year and is still impacting numbers to Canada, including the COPR holders waiting in the cue. But there is room for improvement.

The immigration critic, acknowledges the reality of the coronavirus, but still raises some valid concerns. She correctly points out that many COPR holders have been forced to obtain extensions and undergo medical exams, which are only valid for one year and the necessity to redo these steps is costly for applicants and departmental staff.

“We are concerned that this will place an additional burden on immigration officers if, while waiting for the restrictions to be

lifted, applicants are required to undergo repeat medical examinations and criminal background checks, which officers will then have to reassess,” said Normandin.

The immigration critic offered an alternative approach.

Normandin suggests that COPRs, issued after March 18, 2020 be exempt from travel restrictions to Canada, and that all valid COPRs be extended by 12 months. She explains, “The COPR holders for whom we are requesting a lifting of the restrictions are mainly skilled workers and immigrant investors who will be called upon to participate in the economic recovery through their contribution of labour, [and] through job creation in the case of immigrant investors.”

IRCC does have a responsibility to reunite families, bring in necessary skilled workers, etc. but also to ensure the health and

safety of the country. The proposed modification of the country’s travel ban is an example of risk management. The government needs to manage the risk of spreading the virus with measures to stimulate economic recovery.

Normandin’s suggestions are appreciated, especially for giving voice to the voiceless, and giving working alternatives. We now wait to see how Minister Mendicino and IRCC respond to the plight of the COPR holders and the suggestions for change from the opposition.

Michael Scott is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC, R525678) who has 30 years of experience with Immigration Canada and the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. He currently works as a licensed consultant with Immigration Connexion International Ltd. Contact him at 204-691-1166 or 204-227-0292.

E-mail: mscott.ici@gmail.com.

Spirituality and feng shui – how to display religious articles appropriately Many people confuse feng shui as a type of mystical belief. The fact is that feng shui is no more mysterious – or spiritually-oriented – than acupuncture.

In its truest sense, feng shui is more correctly called a technique.

It’s a technique for aligning the energy of a space. Even with this knowledge, some people can become uncomfortable with the mixing of religion and spirituality with feng shui.

Part of the discomfort stems from some feng shui practitioners who like to align feng shui with certain rituals, and who imbue these rituals and feng shui recommendations with a type of mysticism. This can cause a misunderstanding about feng shui that it is a spiritual practice.

However, when it comes to traditional Chinese feng shui, the practice is decidedly more formulaic. Following compass directions (from the earth’s magnetic lines), for instance, is about as spiritual as it gets.

That withstanding, the use of

deities, such as thangkas, Buddha heads, a Star of David, crosses, crescents, and other icons brings about a mindfulness of heaven’s role in the trinity of luck and reminds us to seek the blessings of Heaven.

Below are tips for working with religious items, and icons.

Put Heaven in the Heaven position In feng shui, heaven is associated with the northwest sector. When you display religious items or have a family altar in the home, place them in the northwest corner of the living room or home. This is a good sector to place crosses, menorahs, crescents, or pictures of deities. It’s also a good location to place photos of deceased relatives.

Keep Heaven close to the door Altars placed directly opposite the front door are believed to be good for creating a spiritual home and considered to be very auspicious. They also keep our spiritual lives in the forefront of our minds because we see them the minute we walk into the house.

They are also believed to spill blessings out to all who enter the door.

Be respectful Religious icons, statues, or altars should be well-lighted, kept clean, and in an elevated position (at least five feet from the floor).

Religious items or symbols should be located in auspicious locations such as living areas or foyer and not in kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, or dining areas.

Place symbols properly Religious symbols such as crosses, stars, or crescents have points and emit strong energy. They should not be displayed on the front door, at the end of a hall, across from a bed, or behind someone seated (such as at a dining table, desk, or sofa).

Your house should also not be situated across from these symbols.

This is why living or working across from a house of worship is often considered bad feng shui, particularly if it is opposite your front door. If so, plant a hedge or install a fence to screen the view.

Activate your home’s spiritual sector If you want to boost your spirituality and spiritual life, then consider moving your religious articles into the northeast portion of your house or living room. This is the direction that coincides with wisdom, spirituality, self-growth, and education, and is an excellent location for meditation and prayer.

Put religion at the heart of your home The center of the home is a very important space. It impacts health, wealth, and happiness. Create good feng shui by locating your

icons, symbols, or altars in a central location. Be sure that they are well lit.

Kathryn Weber has over 20+ years of feng shui study, practice and professional consultation. Her witty, no-nonsense style appeals to audiences, making her a popular speaker and radio show guest.

She is often called on by media to explain feng shui in down-toearth terms, and has been featured in Seventeen, First for Women, Faces, Conceive, Martial Arts Professional, and Natural Health magazines, and on websites around the world.

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Mass vaccination and related issues more crucial than ever There is universal agreement that mass vaccination holds the key to the control the worst global public health crisis of our lifetimes, and to returning family and community life closer to a more normal routine. Since its launch in December 2020 in Canada, the United Kingdom, USA and European Union, its public health impact has been profound in reducing the daily number of new COVID-19 cases, preventing the healthcare systems from becoming overwhelmed, and decreasing mortality.

Yet, this springtime and the immediate future is not the time to pull back on public health measures that have worked to curb community spread. Variants of concern are increasing in circulation and the decline in the number of cases has flattened this past month while ICU admissions have trended upwards this past week.

As of March 29, CBC News reported 33,002 new cases in the past week – an increase of 29 per cent – nationwide. While British Columbia and Manitoba showed a decrease as well as a decline nationwide in hospitalizations, filled ICU beds rose 12 per cent, reflecting the increases in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. There were 184 deaths – a decrease of 17 per cent nationwide – but an increase in B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan.

As this commentary goes to the press, BBC News quoted Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of

the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention: “I’m going to reflect on the reoccurring feeling I have of impending doom. We have so much reason for hope, but right now I’m scared.”

The current cumulative tallies according to the Johns Hopkins dashboard of March 30, are: 977,878 cases and 22,885 deaths in Canada; 741,181 cases and 13,191 deaths in the Philippines; 30,342,222 cases and 550,165 deaths in the US; and 127,863,066 cases and 2,795,587 deaths globally.

Public health impact of vaccines and mass vaccination Vaccines are a vital part of the public health arsenal to control the current pandemic in Canada and around the world.

To date, four safe and efficacious COVID-19 vaccines, namely, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson have been granted emergency use authorizations (EUA) in Canada, while the USA has given their assent to the first two and the fourth and the European Union and the United Kingdom to the first three of these vaccines. Health Canada approved the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines on December 9 and 23, 2020 and the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson on February 26 and March 5, 2021, respectively.

Canada’s mass vaccination program began in Quebec and Ontario on December 13, 2020.

The country’s total orders come to 80 million vaccine doses of Pfizer and Moderna by the end of 2021; 22 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine between April and September; and 10 million doses, of Johnson & Johnson by the end of September.

With this volume of supply, Canada could fully vaccination all her residents from 16 years old and up. In fact, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised that every Canadian who wants a shot would be vaccinated by the end of September.

Disruptions in supply after the first shipment disturbed said timetable. Export bans on vaccines exist in the US and Europe – the jurisdictions on which Canada depends for its major suppliers.

While the timetable appears back on track, Canada has fully vaccinated only 1.77 per cent of her residents. Except for Nunavut, Yukon, and Northwest Territories,

whose rates of full vaccination are 17.46 per cent, 25.90 per cent and 31.04 per cent respectively, the rates for the ten provinces range from 1.56 per cent for New Brunswick to 3.92 per cent for Manitoba. To put this in context, the US has fully vaccinated 15.84 per cent of her population.

Of at least one dose given, 12.17 per cent of Canadians had been reached, with more than half of the population in the Yukon (55.61 per cent) and the N.W.T. (52.63 per cent); a third in Nunavut (33.46 per cent); and from 6.62 per cent to 14.71 per cent in the 10 provinces.

Stretching the interval between the first and second doses Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) announced on March 3rd that the maximum interval between the first and second doses of Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines should all increase to four months – that is up from the threeweek, four-week and 12-week intervals, as stipulated by the manufacturers, and upon which emergency use authorization has been granted. The rationale for the change is to increase the number of partially vaccinated Canadians and thereby protect more people sooner. Its analysis showed that as much as 80 per cent of eligible Canadians could get at least one shot by the end of June if second doses were stretched. Indeed, the recommendation is laudable from the epidemiologic and public health perspectives.

Dr. David Naylor, Co-Chair of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, told CBC News reporter Vassy Kapelos that the “evidence is there for the concept of further delay…but we have to do it safely and watch carefully.”

However, Canada’s chief science adviser, Mona Nemer, has some reservations, calling the interval spacing akin to a “population level experiment.”She added the caution that “we simply don’t have enough data that tells us this is an effective strategy.”

Adding further to the public dialogue, Dr. Larry Corey, Chair of the COVID 19 Vaccine Clinical Trials Working Group at the University of Washington, acknowledged the reasons for the stance taken by leading epidemiologists “that a one-dosefor-more-people approach is the correct course of action,” but differed that “it’s okay to have a lag time from the first dose to the second of two or three months.”

Instead of debating about the ethics of reduced efficacy from single-dose immunization or the efficiency of public health versus individual rights, he raised the question: “Would we actually be doing more harm than good by administering one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine to more people?”

In response, he wrote: “The viruses we’re going to encounter are going to be more formidable

adversaries. The variants have higher infectivity and have learned to escape from neutralizing antibodies. Seeding of that escape is among people with low/partial immune responses through natural infection. Partial protection and persistent replication can lead to prolonged viral shedding and subsequent community transmission. We overcome escape variants by providing immunity that is capable of eliminating the virus quickly and we don’t expose the virus to lots of people with low levels of immunity. The data we have on efficacy are derived from the clinical trials that were designed to match the vaccine strain with the original virus. We’ve recently seen the impact of the new variants on vaccine efficacy: the B.1.1.7 strain first identified in the UK required two- or three-fold more antibodies to neutralize; and the B.1.351 variant emerging from South Africa, six- to ten-fold.”

Corey continued: “Low antibody levels with one dose are magnified in the elderly, many of whom have very low titers; the elderly invariably require two doses to get a detectable neutralizing response. A similar situation is also seen among persons with a wide variety of chronic diseases: their less-thanrobust immune response will have an even greater impact on levels of protection after one dose.”

“We will actually do more harm than good by markedly increasing the population of people with partial protective immunity. It is best to solve the challenge of vaccinating our population by first immunizing with the timed two-dose regimens that we know have demonstrated high efficacy.”

Two recent research studies on the subject Adam Miller of CBC News posted on March 27 that two preprint studies from the U.K. and Canada suggest “delaying second doses of COVID-19 vaccines by up to four months may not be the best approach for some older Canadians.” In a study of 151 older cancer patients compared to 54 healthy adults, researchers from the United Kingdom concluded that “delaying second doses of the Pfizer vaccine to between eight and 12 weeks for most cancer patients left them ‘wholly or partially unprotected’ and had implications on their health and the potential emergence of coronavirus variants.”

A second pre-print study from Canadian researchers who studied long-term care residents in Vancouver a month after receiving their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and compared them with 22 younger health-care workers found that the immune response of seniors was not as strong as in younger, healthier people. One of the authors, Dr. Marc Romney, a clinical associate professor at the University of British Columbia, wrote, “The function of those

antibodies in older people was also compromised.” He suggested that “the dose delay may need to be revised for them” – a scientific sentiment shared by Dr. Isaac Bogoch, a member of Ontario’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force.

Indeed, the NACI has one more new agenda on its plate.

According to Dr. Caroline QuachThanh, chair of the Advisory Committee, it is currently reexamining its guidance on the timing of second doses for seniors and the immunocompromised and could issue a revised guideline very soon.

More crucial now than ever 1. That mass vaccination be speeded up more and more to create herd immunity and prevent the variants from dominating the virus in circulation.

2. That the extension of intervals between the two doses of the vaccines be shortened from four months to the original recommended intervals, more immediately for seniors and the immunocompromised.

3. That the public continue compliance with public health guidance respecting the wearing of masks, social distancing, and avoiding gatherings as summed up by the Public Health Agency of Canada in the quote below: “For individual Canadians, strict adherence to individual precautions means following public health advice and doing our personal best by aiming to have the fewest interactions, with the fewest people, for the shortest time, at the greatest distance possible, while wearing the bestfitting face-mask.”

Rey D. Pagtakhan, P.C., O.M., LL.D., Sc.D., M.Sc., M.D. is a retired lung specialist and professor, author and coauthor of articles in medical journals and textbooks, former Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and cabinet minister, and member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2003, he spoke on the “Global Threat of Infectious Diseases” at the G-8 Science Ministers and Advisors Carnegie Group Meeting in Berlin, Germany.

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The end is near That’s a pretty ominous headline isn’t it? Trust me, my intentions are good.

Just recently, the Government of Canada, along with each province, announced that shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine have ramped up and we will soon catch up with other countries who are vaccinating their population by the thousands and even millions. This is welcome news to the front line workers, essential services, the many Canadians who have preexisting health conditions, and most important, the elderly.

Here in B.C., the original plan was to provide a vaccine to anyone who wants by September.

With the recent increase in shipments, Dr. Bonnie Henry had pushed that target to the end of June, just in time for the summer break. Here’s hoping we stick to that timeline!

Furthermore, the B.C. government announced that individuals working in the kindergarten to grade 12 education system will be receiving the vaccine as early as this month. This is welcome news for the thousands who work in

COVID...

From page 1 the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine on those under the age of 55 because of safety concerns, some people are hesitant to get any vaccine, or they want to get a specific vaccine.

Filipino physician, Dr. Natalie Casaclang of Access NorWest Community Health Centre, sheds some light on the COVID-19 vaccine and other COVID questions.

PE: Have there been many kababayans who have already been vaccinated?

NC: We don’t have specific breakdown of data because as of now, the public health’s collected data is for the whole Manitoba, like what percentage of the population has been vaccinated.

There’s no specific data on how many Filipinos or any other ethnic populations have received the vaccine.

PE: Talking to our kababayans, what is the general feeling: are they still hesitant to get vaccinated or they can’t wait to get the vaccine?

NC: Oh yes. In my practice as a family physician, I have many Filipino patients and some of the elderly patients who are now eligible for the vaccine. So what I do is talk to them first, if they are ready or not yet. It’s kind of a split.

Some are excited to get vaccinated while others have many questions they want answered first before they book an appointment.

PE: I hear there are people who also seem to be “choosy”

our schools.

So, you see, the end is near – the end of COVID-19 that is.

I remain optimistic, even though there are many COVID variants being discovered daily.

As many of you know, I’ve worked in the public education system for many years. It goes back to my time with Pembina Trails School Division in 2008 and then over to the Winnipeg School Division in 2012. For the past six years, I’ve been living on Vancouver Island working for Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools (NLPS).

NLPS is the second largest school district on the Island, after Victoria. Yet throughout the pandemic, we’ve, unfortunately, been the leader with COVID exposures in schools. Local health officials attribute this to vulnerable populations and not adhering to health and safety measures. This has meant that I have been busy during the pandemic.

For those unfamiliar, I manage the communications and public relations for the school district. Each time there is an exposure, the health authority

when it comes to the kind of vaccine they want.

NC: I do get questions about that. Some people would like the Pfizer vaccine; others would like to wait for the vaccine from J&J because it’s only one dose.

What I do recommend is, if you become eligible for any of the vaccines approved and available in Manitoba, you should book an appointment right away because these vaccines, from Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca, are effective against severe illness due to COVID. And if ever you still get infected after getting vaccinated, your symptoms will most probably be just mild, and you won’t need to be hospitalized or intubated. And the risk of dying from COVID will be reduced.

PE: Is the COVID vaccine safe for pregnant women?

NC: We don’t have data about the safety and effectivity of the available vaccines for pregnant or breastfeeding women. But the Society of OB-GYN here in Canada strongly recommends the COVID vaccine for pregnant women – because if you’re pregnant and you get infected, there is increased risk of severe symptoms. So we do vaccinate pregnant women, and often there are no complications to the mother or the baby. The only time we don’t give them a vaccine is if it is a livevirus type, like with the measles vaccine, because the virus present in that vaccine might infect them.

Now, the three vaccines we have, they are not live-virus vaccines, so there’s no chance of getting infected with COVID through any

contacted me to coordinate the school investigation and provide information to our Medical Health Officer for their contact tracing. Each exposure event is easily a day’s worth of work.

The good news, since we’ve had the most exposures, this has also meant that we’ve been able to streamline the process.

COVID and its affects, whether through affecting people’s health or the extra work is has brought to our crucial front-line workers or essential

services such as education, has been a challenge. For me, this meant longer workdays and often working through the weekend.

While the work has been hard, I’m not complaining, as I know there are many people out there who are out of work and/or suffering the mental effects of the pandemic.

Recently, I was appointed to lead the communications for a B.C. government COVID-19 Rapid Response Team overlooking school districts

on Vancouver Island. It is a tremendous honour to have been chosen and I look forward to the challenge. I’ll be working with a team of medical health officers, senior administration, and environmental health officers. It is a dynamic and diverse team that will focus on the prevention, management and reporting of COVID-19 across 12 public school districts.

Taking this on during an already busy time managing my district will be interesting, but it is an opportunity I could not pass up. I mean, it won’t last forever since COVID will be gone by summer, right?

Dale wants to wish his mom the happiest of birthdays as she recently celebrated a milestone.

of these vaccines.

PE: Because of the pandemic and travel restrictions, many visitors to Canada cannot return to their home countries yet, but are also concerned about getting infected while abroad. Can they also be eligible for the vaccine?

NC: Yes, this includes anyone residing in Manitoba, regardless of immigration status: refugee claimants, migrant workers, international students, dependent children of temporary residents, and undocumented residents.

These individuals should bring some form of government issued photo ID, such as a passport, in order to get the vaccine.

PE: Why are there different symptoms for different people with COVID? NC: It depends on how the virus affects the body. We have different risk factors, which make the symptoms severe for some, while almost non-existent for others. Factors like age or if they have other medical conditions like diabetes or heart disease that can worsen the symptoms.

PE: Quite concerning also are people who are asymptomatic who go around oblivious, meeting and talking to people, not knowing they carry the virus and that they can infect others.

NC: Usually when you say “asymptomatic,” they don’t feel or experience any symptoms, but they carry the virus. We have cases of people testing positive through the swab test, but they don’t feel sick or anything. This is often the case with kids, younger children.

They don’t have any symptoms,

but they are positive for the virus.

That is why the advice from public health in Manitoba is to always maintain physical distancing and refrain from gathering because there is a subset of patients who don’t have symptoms but are carriers of the virus and therefore infectious.

PE: Is virus transmission strongest with droplets in the air or touching a surface that’s been touched by an infected person?

NC: Whether it’s droplets from an infected person or by touching an infected surface, often the virus is transmitted if many people are gathered in small, crowded places with poor ventilation. Yes, you are breathing the same air.

And droplets from the mouth or nose can travel faster if people are within close proximity to one another.

PE: How about reinfection, is that possible?

NC: What we know right now about COVID reinfection is still developing because this is relatively a new virus, and there’s not a lot of available information about it. What we know is, when you get infected, it’s possible to have short-term protection for up to six months. It’s less likely that you’ll be re-infected within three months after your first infection.

But after that, it’s possible that your antibodies will weaken and the possibility of reinfection is there.

Again, I would like to reinforce the message that even if you have already recovered or you have been vaccinated against COVID-19, you are still advised

to stay home when you have to, wash your hands often, practice physical distancing and wear your mask because there’s always that possibility of reinfection.

PE: Can you recover from COVID without going to the doctor or to the hospital?

NC: Often, based on statistics, 60 to 70 per cent of people infected have mild symptoms. They are able to isolate at home and then recover. Although I also want to stress that even after recovery, we’re seeing cases where people experience lingering symptoms, like feeling tired, coughing, difficulty breathing, even months after their infection.

I encourage everyone to regularly check their eligibility for the vaccine because it changes often. The web site to visit is Manitoba.ca/vaccine. There is a lot of information there about eligibility criteria. And when you do become eligible, you will also find information there on how to book an appointment at the RBC Convention Supersite.

Access NorWest is also a vaccination site. So if you are a patient there, you will get a call once you are eligible for the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Dr. Natalie Casaclang is a family physician at Access NorWest Community Health Centre, 785 Keewatin St., in Winnipeg. 204-938-5900.

Editor’s note: Dr. Casaclang was interviewed on March 25, 2021, before Manitoba paused the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine on people under the age of 55.

PAGE 8

PILIPINO EXPRESS

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021

MAFTI launches a bilingual program in Winnipeg School Division

by Gemma D. Dalayoan The pandemic has not deterred the Manitoba Association of Filipino Teachers Inc. (MAFTI) – a non-profit and voluntary association composed of Filipino and non-Filipino members – to continue its various educational and cultural programs for the community. The majority of the members are internationally trained teachers from the Philippines. The association is also open to educational assistants, childcare providers, child and youth workers, and all those who have a background of working with children and students. It was founded in 1976, and therefore has existed for 45 years. Many MAFTI members are currently employed in the school system.

MAFTI’s goal is to facilitate the delivery and administration of educational and cultural programs so that Filipinos and non-Filipinos in the different sectors of our community will have successful integration and participation in a multicultural, technological, and democratic Canadian society.

MAFTI has sponsored both English and Filipino programs, such as the General Educational Development (GED), Settlement Language Training Programs, (SLTP), Rondalla, Scholarship awards, and Filipino Heritage programs.

This year MAFTI is launching a bilingual program in the Winnipeg School Division in schools heavily populated

by Filipino students. Meadows West has been chosen as the

pilot school that will offer the bilingual program in a multilevel set-up from Grades 1 to 3. In a bilingual program, the medium of instruction is Filipino in Language Arts, Social Studies, Physical Education, and Arts and Crafts. Other subjects such as Mathematics and Science will be in English. It is hoped that parents will not worry about their children losing their ability to speak and write in English because they already live in English-speaking contexts.

Furthermore, studies show that from ages 6 to 18, children’s minds are malleable enough to learn as many languages they as they can.

MAFTI realizes that language and culture are intertwined or

interrelated. Language is defined as “the principal method of human communication, consisting of words used in a structured and conventional way and conveyed by speech, writing, or gestures.”

The language of a group of people also includes postures, expressions and gestures. This is called non-verbal language.

Voice tones are also included in a language.

Culture is defined as “the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group.” Simply defined, it is the way of life of a group or people.

The environment, values, customs, norms and traditions are embedded in the Filipino language. There are words in

Filipino that do not have very literal or exact translations in English. For examples are words that show respect for elders, such as ho, opo, and ate, kuya, tito, tita. Raising the voice tone of a younger to an elder person in arguments is frowned upon.

Postures, such as putting both hands on the respective hips, are also construed as being boastful or arrogant. Therefore, using the Filipino language skills in everyday communication will promote good relationship with families, relatives, friends, and other members of the community.

Studies show that when their heritage language is valued and appreciated in a school set-up, children not only develop pride in their own first language and

cultural heritage, but it also boosts their morale and self-esteem.

This, in turn, enhances students’ academic work.

The success of any bilingual program lies in the strong support and motivation of the parents as proven in the research by R.C Gardner and W. Lambert (1972).

They realize that “motivation is considered as a key feature in the success of language learning and has great effect on the efficiency and productivity of English language teaching.”

Thus, MAFTI will ensure that parents support the bilingual program by having a survey of their needs, meeting with them to explain the program, and involving them in other activities that will thoroughly plan and prepare schools for the bilingual program.

A team of MAFTI members will be guiding the parents as they ask approval from the School Board Trustees. This team will also help train and see to it that highly qualified teachers are hired to teach the program. Mary Jane Napolitano, Chairperson of the Filipino Heritage Programs (After-school and now the Bilingual Program); Genalyn Tan, MAFTI President; Victoria Cabrera, Curriculum Chairperson; and Gemma Dalayoan, Internal Consultant and Adviser, compose the team. Fatima Mota, WSD Superintendent of Education Services, has been working collaboratively with the team to make the Filipino Bilingual Program become a reality.

Mr. Wayne Wyke, Pincipal of Meadows West, is very supportive of the program.

So with parents’ support and the community, MAFTI envisions the Filipino Bilingual Program will be successful.

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021

PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 9

PAGE 10

Martes Santo, binulabog ng magkasintahang Derek Ramsay at Ellen Adarna ang buong mundo ng showbiz, pati ang kanilang mga bashers ay hindi makapaniwala sa lumabas na balita.

Ang magkarelasyong mahigit na dalawang buwan pa lang na lumalantad ay malapit nang magpakasal, nag-propose na si Derek kay Ellen, na ikinaligaya ng kanilang mga kaibigan.

Hindi na kami nagtaka sa pangyayari, inaasahan na namin ang pagpo-propose ni Derek, napaaga lang iyon nang ilang araw sa petsang inaasahan namin.

Narito po ang blind item na inilabas namin sa pahinang ito noong nakaraang Lunes, March 29, “Tatlong tulog na lang at tapos na ang Marso. Magtatapos na ang buwan na hindinghindi makakalimutan ng buong mundo dahil sa pagsisimula ng pandemya.

Nakaabang ang buong bayan ngayon sa mga susunod na magaganap, balik-ECQ naman ang NCR at iba pang mga piling probinsiya, balik na naman tayo sa grade one.

Pero may hatid na anunsiyo ang buwan ng Abril. May nakatakdang pasabog ang isang magkarelasyon na minamahal ng iba pero paborito ring upakan sa social media ng mga bashers.

Isang mahalagang rebelasyon ang isasapubliko nilang dalawa, ikaliligaya iyon ng mga taong nakakakilala sa kanila mula ulo hanggang paa, pero maituturing din iyon na pagkain para sa mga

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

bashers na walang inaabangan kundi ang butas na masisilip sa kanilang relasyon.

Abangan ang pasabog na ito sa mga unang araw ng Abril.

Papalakpakan ng kanilang pamilya at mga kaibigan ang desisyong ipapahayag nila.

At ikagugulantang iyon ng mga taong walang alam gawin kundi ang kundenahin ang kanilang relasyon. At ikakapahiya iyon ng mga napakaagang humusga sa kanilang pagmamahalan.

Promise!” *** Malaking sampal para sa mga humuhusga kay Derek Ramsay ang proposal, wala na kasing ibang ibinabato laban sa kaniya ang mga bashers kundi ang estado ng pagpapakasal sa kaniyang mga nakakarelasyon, hanggang salita lang daw iyon at wala namang natutuloy.

Sa nangyari kina Derek at Ellen ay maiisip na lang natin na ang isang relasyon ay hindi nasusukat sa tagal at igsi, kapag puso na ang nagsalita ay wala na tayong ibang magagawa, kailangan na lang nating makinig.

Sino nga ba ang magaakala na sa dinami-dami ng pinagdaanang relasyon ng hunk actor na bumilang nang maraming taon ay kay Ellen Adarna pa pala magaganap ang kaniyang pagpapakasal?

Enero lang sila nagkakilala, isang biglaang dinner lang na kasama ang kanilang mga kaibigan ang naganap, pero pagkatapos noon ay hindi na sila See CRISTY p11

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021

• Derek Ramsay at Ellen Adarna - Engaged na!

• Dating Pangulong Erap - Positibo sa COVID-19 • Nadine Lustre - Ngayon lang nagkaroon ng kalayaan • Maine Mendoza at Arjo Atayde - Ligtas na sa salot • Kira Balinger - Maganda na, napakahusay pang umarte • Kris Aquino - Kinaladkad na naman ang name ni Bistek • Gretchen Barretto - nauumay na sa mga hanash ni Kris Aquino • Coco Martin at Julia Montes - Magkasamang nagbakasyon sa Boracay • Nora Aunor - Kinalimutang banggitin ang kaniyang mentor • Elijah Canlas - Kahanga-hanga ang talento sa pag-arte • Raffy Tulfo - Naka-quarantine ngayon

Joseph Estrada

Derek Ramsay & Ellen Adarna

Kris Aquino

Nadine Lustre

Kira Balinger

Arjo Atayde & Maine Mendoza

Gretchen Barretto

Elijah Canlas

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021

PILIPINO EXPRESS

PAGE 11

One of the Zoo’s most beloved attractions returns.

Experience the magic of the NEW Aunt Sally’s Farm. Included with admission!

You’ll experience: • A MODERN DAY BARNYARD home to goats, pigs, llamas, and donkeys • PARALLEL PLAYGROUNDS where young visitors can play alongside lively goats • BRIDGES WITH RAINBOW PLATFORMS that encourage goats to climb overhead PLUS – learn about agriculture in Manitoba, sustainable farming practices, and what YOU can do to contribute to healthy ecosystems.

Where KIDS of all ages play!

Open daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

NOW OPEN Buy tickets online before you visit for for contactless entry.

Assiniboine Park Conservancy Client: APC Zoo / Insertion: Pilipino Express/ Insertion Date: March 2021 ZOO ASF Ad / CMYK / 10” x 7.6” Problems or questions email LCurtis@assiniboinepark.ca

CRISTY...

From page 10

nagkahiwalay.

Paniwala nga ng mas nakararami ay magka-live-in na sila ngayon, natutulog na sila sa isang kama, hindi na umuuwi si Ellen sa kaniyang bahay.

Ganoon katindi ang pana ni Kupido kung magtrabaho, tinamaan sina Derek at Ellen sa pinakasentrong bahagi ng kanilang puso, kaya sa kasalan na nga mauuwi ang kanilang pagmamahalan.

“Wala nang masasabi ngayon ang mga bashers na panay-panay ang pangunguwestiyon kay Derek, engaged na sila ngayon ni Ellen, ang pag-uusapan na lang nila ngayon ay kung kailan at saan ang kanilang kasal.

Pinanindigan ni Derek ang kaniyang sinabi kailan lang na si Ellen na ang gusto niyang makasama habambuhay.

Pinagtaasan iyon ng kilay ng iba, heto na naman daw ang bolerong si Derek, pero ano pa ba ang maikokomento nila ngayon?

May nang-usisa sa amin, bakit daw hindi si Andrea Torres ang inalok ng kasal ni Derek, isang tanong na walang-wala kaming karapatang sumagot dahil silang dalawa lang ang totoong nakakaalam ng mga dahilan kung bakit sila naghiwalay.

Ang mahalaga ay mauuwi na sa kasalan ang whirlwind romance nina Derek at Ellen, napakabilis ng mga kaganapan pero di nga ba, palagi raw may See CRISTY p13

Coco Martin & Julia Montes

Nora Aunor

Raffy Tulfo

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ

PAGE 12

PILIPINO EXPRESS

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021

Huwag Kang Mangamba A reminder to have hope in the time of uncertainty It is easy to lose hope when a series of untoward things happen in our lives. Especially when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, a lot of people had lost a loved one, their jobs, and had been challenged in different ways possible. Thus, the airing of ABS-CBN’s latest series Huwag Kang Mangamba on TFC, TFC IPTV, and iWantTFC is a timely reminder that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

Huwag Kang Mangamba is a series that stars Andrea Brillantes and Francine Diaz who give life to the characters of Mira and Joy, respectively. Mira may be blind, but she sees that there is hope despite everything that is happening in her life. On the other hand, Joy was blinded by the pains and hardships that are going on in her life.

Their paths cross through an accident, and with the second life given to them, they find themselves having to accomplish

what seems to be an impossible mission: to restore the faith of the people in the small town of Hermoso.

In the first few days of its airing, people already draw inspiration from the stories and characters of Huwag Kang Mangamba.

Huwag Kang Mangamba also stars Kyle Echarri, Seth Fedelin, RK Bagatsing, Dominic Ochoa, Diether Ocampo, Enchong Dee, Angeline Quinto, Soliman Cruz, Mercedes Cabral, Paolo Gumabao, Aylanna Angeles, Mylene Dizon, and Dimples Romana, and is under the direction of Jerry Lopez Sineneng, Emmanuel Q. Palo, and Darnel Villaflor.

Do not miss the inspiring and hopeful story of Huwag Kang Mangamba which you may watch outside the Philippines on TFC’s Primetime Bida block on cable and satellite, and via TFC IPTV and iWantTFC.

ABS-CBN’S COVID-19 response honoured at the 18th Philippine Quill Awards ABS-CBN’s multi-pronged COVID-19 response that helped Filipinos cope with the pandemic via a fundraising campaign, a multiplatform information drive, and programs that gave hope to families stuck at home was honored with an Award of Excellence at the 18th Philippine Quill Awards.

ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.’s Pantawid ng Pag-ibig provided relief goods to over 900,000 families within six months since it was launched in March 2020 with the help of partner organizations and local government units. It is now on its third phase called Pilipino Para sa Pilipino to call again for corporate donors and individuals to help provide food for families whose livelihoods continue to be affected by the pandemic.

Moreover, the company’s COVIDresponse helped educate the public about COVID-19 on TV, radio, and online through public service announcements featuring Kapamilya personalities via the See ABS CBN p13

Angel shares stories of comfort women on Iba yan Join Angel Locsin as she brings the stories of bravery of three comfort women or victims of military sexual slavery during the Japanese occupation in a special episode of Iba Yan on April 4, Kapamilya Channel, TFC and A2Z. Of the 200 who have come out with their harrowing experiences, only 12 women remain alive.

One of them is Estelita Dy, who was only 14 years old when she was abused by Japanese soldiers. Lola Estelita still remembers the three weeks of her ordeal in Talisay, Negros where she was repeatedly raped by different people.

Fedencia David and her grandmother, on the other hand, suffered physical abuse for a month. She recalls soldiers cutting off her ear and being left out to dry under the heat of the sun.

Meanwhile, Narcisa Claveria was abused for over a year. She was only 12 when she was taken captive and turned into a sex slave. She relates witnessing her father being skinned alive, her mother raped, and her siblings killed.

Watch and find out how you can help these grandmothers who are all under the care of Lila Filipina. Watch Iba Yan.

Angel Locsin (right) with surviving comfort women

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021

ABS CBN...

From page 12 Ligtas Pilipinas sa COVID-19 campaign and documentaries, and also amplified the government’s updates and health protocols through news reports delivered on different platforms.

ABS-CBN also helped ease the anxieties of families as the stay-at-home orders continued by bringing back well-loved classics on television, offering over 1,000 movies for free streaming online on iWantTFC (formerly iWant), and producing new content while also ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Kapamilya artists and workers.

Meanwhile, the company also received a Philippine Quill Award for KapamilYammer, an internal communications tool using the enterprise social network called Yammer, wherein Kapamilya employees get to express, interact, and receive updates anytime, anywhere such as health tips, safety protocols, company announcements, and inspiring features to engage the internal community.

The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines holds the Philippine Quill Awards annually to honour excellent communications programs and skills by companies and agencies in the country.

For updates go to abs-cbn. com/newsroom.

CRISTY...

From page 11 nakalaang sorpresa ang kapalaran sa dalawang pusong sinserong nagmamahalan?

Abangan na lang natin ang mga susunod na kabanata. Parehong simpleng tao sina Derek at Ellen kahit pa ipinanganak silang may gintong kutsara sa bibig, panahon pa naman ng pandemya ngayon, kaya hindi na mahalaga kung isang napakabonggang kasalan ang magaganap sa lalong madaling panahon.

Ang pinakaimportante ay ang kanilang magiging pangako sa bawat isa na sa hirap at sa ginhawa, sa pagbagsak at sa pagbangon, sa anumang panahon ay magmamahalan sila nang tapat. *** Mabuti na lang at naagapan ng kaniyang pamilya ang sitwasyon ni dating Pangulong Joseph Estrada, naisugod siya agad sa ospital, kaya hindi dumaan sa butas ng karayom ang kaniyang kaligtasan.

Martes pala noong nakaraang linggo ay sabay silang nagpaswab test ni dating Senador Loi Ejercito, negatibo ang resulta, pero dalawang araw pagkatapos ay nagka-diarrhea ang dating pangulo.

Naagapan naman iyon, nang bumuti-buti ang kaniyang pakiramdam ay umalis siya ng bahay, Sabado iyon. Pagbalik niya kinabukasan sa kanilang bahay sa Polk ay napansin agad ng mga dinatnan niya ang kaniyang panghihina.

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

Nakapaninibago nga naman iyon sa dating pangulo na mapagbiro, palaging nakikipagkumustahan sa telepono, palakad-lakad.

Kuwento ni Colonel Jude Estrada, “Napansin ng mommy ko na parang nanglalata siya.

Nakaupo lang, hindi nagsasalita, tahimik lang siya. Hindi kasi siya ganoon.

“Noong iniakyat na namin siya sa kuwarto nila, hinang-hina na talaga ang daddy ko, ramdam namin iyon, ibang-iba siya noong Sunday,” pag-alala ng bunsong anak ng pangulo.

Pagbalik sa kaniyang bahay na nasa Greenhills din ay tumawag kay Col. Jude ang isa nilang kasambahay, nagdudumi na naman daw ang pangulo, hinanghina na ang katawan.

Si dating Senador Jinggoy na ang agad na tumakbo sa Polk, nakahanda na ang ambulansiya, ito na ang nagsugod-naghatid sa kaniyang ama sa St. Luke’s Medical Center-BGC. Postibo sa COVID-19 ang aktor-pulitiko.

Sa darating na April 19 ay otsenta’y singko anyos na si dating Pangulong Erap, ang sinasabing edad na napakalapit sa pagkakaroon ng virus, kaya kailangang tutukan ang kaniyang sitwasyon ngayon.

Agarang nagpadala ng mga mensahe ng pampalakas ng loob at maagang paggaling ang mga kapamilya, kaibigan at tagasuporta ng mga Estrada.

Sama-samang panalangin ang ibinigay sa kaniya ng ating mga kababayan kaya ayon sa mga doktor ay mabilis ang pagganda ng kaniyang kundisyon na harinawang magtuluy-tuloy na sana. *** Sa kaniyang mga posts ay palaging sinasabi ni Nadine Lustre na mula nang umalis daw siya sa Viva Artists Agency ay naging malaya siya.

Ngayon lang daw niya nagawang tumanggi sa mga bagay-bagay na laban sa kalooban niya, nagkaroon daw siya ng kalayaan, dahil walang namimilit sa kaniya.

Napakasarap maging malaya sa kahit anong aspeto ng buhay.

Kung ang mga ibon nga ay umiiyak at nagpapanaghoy para sa kanilang kalayaan, tao pa kaya ang hindi, kaya may punto doon si Nadine.

Pero hanggang kailan niya mapaninindigan ang kaniyang nararamdaman ngayon? Mahirap para sa isang personalidad na tulad niya ang walang manager na nag-aalaga sa kaniyang career.

Mahirap ibenta ang sarili, kailangang may namamagitang manager para sa mga transaksiyon, iyon ang maayos na mahabang panahong pinagsaluhan nila ng VAA na biglang umasim.

Masarap maging malaya, iyon naman ang isinisigaw ng kahit sino, ang kalayaang mamuhay na kipkip natin ang pagdedesisyon para sa ating sarili.

Pero artista si Nadine, sa sinasabi niyang paglaya mula sa pamamahala ng VAA ay suntok pa sa buwan ngayon kung ano ang magaganap sa kaniyang karera sa mga darating na panahon, hindi

niya hawak ang bukas.

Siguradong mahihirapan na siya, hindi na ganoon magiging kadali ang pagdating ng mga proyektong gagawin niya, dahil wala nang magbebenta sa kaniyang talento hanggang hindi pa natatapos ang pagdinig sa kasong isinampa niya laban sa VAA. *** Isang kaibigan ang nagkuwento sa amin na totoong na-expose sina Arjo Atayde at Maine Mendoza sa isang kababayan nating nagpositibo sa COVID-19.

Bumiyahe sila at nagpunta sa isang resort, ipinagdiwang nila ang kaarawan ng Dubsmash Queen, tulad nang dati na nilang ginagawa para kapag dumarating ang kanilang kaarawan.

Sa isang punto ng pananatili nila sa resort ay sabay silang nagpamasahe. Regalo nga naman nila iyon sa kanilang mga sarili sa sobrang pagtatrabaho.

Ayon sa aming source ay nagpositibo sa COVID-19 ang masahista, sa contact tracing ay napasama sa bilang ang pangalan nina Arjo at Maine, kaya pinagquarantine silang dalawa.

Dapat sana’y may shoot para sa isang TVC si Maine, pero hindi iyon natuloy, ilang araw na rin siyang hindi napapanood sa Eat… Bulaga.

“Pero they were tested negative naman, wala nang dapat ipag-alala ang mga supporters nila, buti na lang,” komento pa ng aming kausap.

Dahil sa nangyari ay umani na naman ng mga negatibong komento si Arjo Atayde. Kung saan-saan daw kasi kinakaladkad ng napakagalang aktor si Maine kaya kung anu-ano ang nangyayari sa dalaga.

Wala namang may gustong malagay sa alanganin, matagal na nilang plano ang pagbabakasyon, hindi naman pinilit ni Arjo si Maine para ito sisihin.

Kunsabagay, kahit naman sino ang madikit sa pangalan ni Maine ay ayaw ng kaniyang mga tagahanga, si Alden Richards lang talaga ang pasable para sa grupo.

Kaso nga lang ay parang tambalang John Lloyd CruzBea Alonzo lang din ang kina Alden at Maine, hanggang sa harap lang ng mga camera pero sa totoong buhay ay hindi naman totoo, walang romansang nabuo sa kanila.

Ang importante ay ligtas na sa salot sina Maine at Arjo, maayos na ang kanilang sitwasyon, hindi nila hinanap ang sakit kundi sila ang aksidenteng nadamay sa contact tracing. *** Napakaganda na ay masarap pang tutukan ang pag-arte ni Kira Balinger na nagkaroon ng magandang oportunidad para maipakita ang kaniyang talento sa katatapos lang na seryeng Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin.

Siya ang nakatambal ng bagito ring si Grae Fernandez, tagumpay ang kanilang loveteam, dahil pareho silang mahusay umarte.

Sana’y bigyan pa ng mas maraming trabaho ng ABS-CBN si Kira, bibihira ang ganitong kumbinasyon, parang si Liza Soberano na ubod na nang ganda ay magaling pang umarte.

Sa maraming eksena ni Kira ay kitang-kita na mas marami pa siyang maipakikitang talento sa publiko. Hindi siya naggagandagandahan sa mga eksena, wala siyang pakialam sa kaniyang itsura sa harap ng mga camera,

PAGE 13 magkakahalo ang pawis, luha at sipon niya sa mga tagpo na ipinagkakatiwala sa kaniya.

Sabi ng kaibigan naming propesor na bihirang-bihira lang pumuri ng mga kabataang artista, “Magaling ang batang ito! Nakikita ko sa itsura niya sina Maritess Revilla at Congresswoman Lucy Torres Gomez. Pero minamarkahan ko ang mga eksena niya.

“Alam ni Kira ang pinasok niyang trabaho, marami silang nag-aagawan sa kapirasong karne, kaya pinaghandaan niya ang pagarte. Magaling siya!” sabi ni prop.

Nakasasawa na raw kasi ang ipinakikitang acting ng mga mas nauna kesa kay Kira, walang pagbabago, nangitlog na lang sa kung ano ang alam nila.

Sana nga ay magkasama sina Liza Soberano at Kira Balinger sa isang proyektong magkapatid sila. Labanan iyon ng magaganda, ng magaganda na ay maaasahan pa sa pag-arte, sana nga. *** Bukod sa mga komentong lutang na lutang ngayon sa social media na supot ang bantang pasabog ni Kris Aquino ay sabay-sabay ring nagtaasan ang kilay ng mga malalapit kay dating Mayor Herbert Bautista dahil sa rebelasyon ng aktres-TV host sa kaniyang “state of the nation address.”

Sabi ng isang malapit sa actorpolitician, “Kinaladkad niya na naman ang name ni Bistek, samantalang kahit minsan naman, e, hindi umamin iyong tao na naging sila.”

Boto kuno ang kaniyang bunsong si Bimby sa dating mayor ng Kyusi, nagkaroon daw uli sila ng komunikasyon, ewan lang kung alam iyon ni ex-Mayor See CRISTY p14

PAGE 14

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

CRISTY...

From page 13 Herbert.

Text naman ng isang kaibigan namin, “Naaalala n’yo pa ba ang makasaysayang kuwento ng lobo at flowers na ipinadala raw sa kaniya ng isang taong malapit sa puso niya?

“Ginawa pa niyang blind item sa IG niya ang tungkol doon, naghulaan naman ang mga supporters niya, si Bistek ang gusto niyang paniwalaan ng publiko na nagpadala noon sa kaniya!

“Nakakaloka! Nananahimik iyong tao, pero idinadamay niya sa kung anu-anong kuwento!

May nagtanong kay Mayor Herbert tungkol doon, pero puro tawa lang isinagot niya!” tawa rin nang tawang kuwento ng aming kausap.

“Kung nakauumay ang mga pagkain na palagi nating natitikman, kung may mga taong nakauumay dahil sa paglilitanya nang paulit-uli na pare-pareho lang ang laman, sino sa palagay n’yo ang personalidad na iyon? *** Kahit pa luma na ang lumabas na video ni Gretchen Barretto na tumutuligsa kay Kris Aquino ay pinagpistahan pa rin sila sa social media.

In-edit lang iyon, pinagdugtung-dugtong, pero lumabas ang video ni Gretchen na iyon noong January, 2019 pa.

Pero pagtatanggol kay Gretchen ng isang netizen, “Kahit luma na ang video, applicable pa rin sa mga kaartehan ni Kris ngayon! Ibig sabihin, nakakaumay na talaga ang mga hanash ng babaeng iyon, parepareho, walang bago!”

Komento naman ng isa pang tagasuporta ni Gretchen, “‘Yan ang magpapasabog! Kahit luma na ang video, hindi supot!

E, si Kris? Magbabanta pa na may pasabog daw siya, pero ang resulta? Ampaw! Walang kalaman-laman!

“Tantanan na niya ang kiyemeng pagpapasabog, siya lang naman ang nag-iisang naniniwala sa mga pasabog niya!” sabi nito.

Depensa naman kay Kris ng kaniyang tagahanga, “Si Gretchen, walang trabaho, kaya may time siyang makisawsaw! Wala kasi siyang pinagkakaabalahan, kaya buhay ni Kris ang tinututukan niya!”

Nagalit ang isang netizen, “Matagal nang tumigil sa pagaartista si Gretchen, pinipili na lang niya ang project na inooffer sa kaniya! E, si Kris, may

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021 tinatanggap bang alok? Waley!

“Ipinagsisiksikan niya ang sarili niya sa mga networks, pero may tumanggap ba sa kaniya? Waley! Tinatanggihan siya! Tapos na ang career niya, tanggapin na lang ni Kris na tapos na ang panahon niya!

“At please, huwag na niyang ginagamit at kinakaladkad ang mga taong nanaahimik na para lang paingayin ang sarili niya!

Wala nang naniniwala sa kaniya, kaya stop me (read: tigilan ako!)!” galit na komento ng umay na umay na sa mga litanya ni Kris Aquino. *** Higit pa sa pag-amin tungkol sa totoo nilang relasyon ang ipinakita nina Coco Martin at Julia Montes. Wala nang kahit anong salita na kailangan tayong marinig, sapat na ang pagpapakita nila sa publiko na magkasama sila sa Boracay, iyon na iyon!

Pero hindi pa nagkakasya sa ganoon lang ang iba, ang pag-amin tungkol sa kanilang pagkakaroon na ng anak ang susunod nilang gustong malaman, kailan daw naman kaya iyon ihahayag sa buong mundo nina Coco at Julia?

Hinay-hinay lang muna siguro ang mga nakaabang, ibinigay na nina Coco at Julia ang kanilang mga kamay, huwag naman nating kunin pa ang kanilang buong katawan.

Pasasaan ba at darating din ang panahon ng kanilang pagpapakatotoo, ang kapribaduhan lang ng kanilang buhay ang inaalala ngayon nina Coco at Julia, kaya bantulot pa silang umamin at karapatan nila iyon.

Gustung-gusto namin ang kuwento ng isang kaibigang nakasabay sa airport ng magkarelasyong ayaw pang literal na umamin.

“Mababait sila, hindi man sila pumapayag na makipagselfie, marespeto naman silang kumakaway na tanda ng respeto.

Okey na iyon, mahalaga ang pagrespeto, like na naming buong pamilya sina Coco at Julia ngayon,” kuwento ng aming kaibigan. *** Malinamnam ang panayam nina Kuyang Ted Failon at DJ Chacha sa kanilang programa sa Radyo 5 at Cignal One PH noong Martes nang umaga sa nag-iisang Superstar na si Nora Aunor.

Walang anumang kulapol ng make-up si Ate Guy, parang bagong gising lang siya, sa simula pa lang ay binigyan na agad niya ng pagpapahalaga See CRISTY p15

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021

CRISTY...

From page 14 ang kaniyang mga loyalistang tagasuporta mula noon hanggang ngayon.

Maraming dagdag na impormasyon si Nora sa kaniyang kabataan sa Bicol. Ang alam lang natin ay nagtitinda siya ng tubig sa riles ng tren pero may iba pa pala siyang pinagkakakitaan nung mga panahong iyon.

“Nagluluto rin kami ng ulam sa gabi, dagdag na kita kasi iyon para sa pamilya namin. Saka namumulot ako ng mga tingga sa basurahan. Naibebenta kasi iyon.

“Dahil mahirap lang po kami, lahat ng puwedeng pagkakitaan, ginagawa ko,” mainspirasyong kuwento ng Superstar.

Beinte pesos daw ang papremyo kapag nananalo siya sa amateur contest. Hanggang sa pumila na raw siya para magaudition sa Tawag Ng Tanghalan sa Maynila.

Tanong ni Ted, “Mayroon po bang kumumbinse sa inyo na sumali sa Tawag Ng Tanghalan?

Ang sagot ni Nora, “Wala po, talagang pumipila lang ako at nagbabaka-sakali. At nakuha naman ako.”

Doon kami nagulantang, maging ang mga kaibigan namin ay nagtawagan, “Bakit hindi niya binanggit ang pangalan ni Mamay Belen Aunor na nagdala sa kaniya sa paligsahan?”

Totoo iyon. Sa kasaysayan ng buhay at karera ng Superstar ay si Mamay Belen na kapatid ng kaniyang ina ang naging talent scout niya, ito ang nagdala sa kaniya sa Tawag Ng Tanghalan, ito rin ang naging mentor niya sa

SHOWBIZ SHOWBUZZ PILIPINO EXPRESS

pagkanta dahil mahusay kumanta at gumitara si Mamay Belen.

Pero bakit kinalimutang banggitin ng Superstar ang kaniyang mentor, ang kaniyang tiyahing si Mamay Belen, na nagpahiram pa nga ng kanilang apelyido para magamit ng Superstar?

Bagong gising lang ba si Ate Guy? O may problema siya sa pamiya Aunor? Hindi maaaring tanggalin sa kuwento ng pagiging Superstar niya ang pangalang Mamay Belen.

Bigla naming naalala ang istorya ng May Paparotti, ang Korean movie na tumutukoy sa pagtanaw ng utang na loob, nang sumikat ang tenor na si Jangho ay hindi nito kinalimutang balikan-pahalagahan ang kaniyang mentor na si Mr. Nan. Ang buod ng kuwento ay walang mararating si Jangho kung walang Mr. Nan na naniwala, gumabay, nagturo at nagsakripisyo para maabot nito ang rurok ng tagumpay.

Nakakalungkot. *** Paminsan-minsan lang kami humahanga sa talento ng mga artista na sa unang salang pa lang sa pag-arte ay markado na agad ang kipkip na kapasidad.

Ang una ay si Joel Torre sa Oro, Plata, Mata. Ikalawa si Cogie Domingo sa Deathrow.

Wala pa silang karanasan noon sa pagganap pero sinaluduhan ng publiko ang ipinamalas nilang pag-arte.

May idinadagdag na kami sa listahan ngayon, si Elijah Canlas, ang nagwaging Best Actor sa URIAN at iba pang award-giving body sa ibang

bansa dahil sa napakahusay niyang pagbibida sa Kalel, 15.

Nakuha rin ni Elijah ang paghanga ng ating mga kababayan sa BL series na Gameboys ng The IdeaFirst Company, malapit nang ipalabas ang ikalawang sultada nito, nakaabang na ang mga beki ngayon pa lang.

Si Elijah Canlas ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit namin tinututukan ang seryeng Paano Ang Pangako ng TV5.

Umaarangkada pa ang Frontline Pilipinas ay nakatanghod na kami sa harap ng telebisyon sa pag-aabang kung anong husay na naman sa pag-arte ang ipakikita ng batang aktor.

At hindi niya kami binibigo.

Magaling si Elijah, napakanatural ng kaniyang pag-arte, malinaw rin siyang magbitiw ng mga linya na kilometriko ang haba.

May mga mata ang binata na sumusuot sa puso ng manonood, naitatawid niya nang eksakto lang ang kaniyang emosyon, walang kulang at walang sobra.

Batang-entablado si Elijah Canlas, ang mundo ng pag-arte na walang take two, kung ano ang una mong ginawa ay iyon na iyon at hindi na maaaring ulitin.

Sabi nga namin kay Direk Perci Intalan ay nakahukay sila ni Direk Jun Lana ng ginto kay Elijah. Ang kaniyang sagot, “At mapagkumbaba si Elijah, walang kayabang-yabang.

Lilipad ang mga pangarap niya, pero mananatiling nakatapak sa lupa ang mga paa niya.”

Bilang si Noel sa Paano Ang Pangako ay sinasalamin ni Elijah ang mga milenyal na may paninindigan, lumalaban, pero humihingi ng tawad kapag

nagkakamali siya.

Lalong umalab ang paghanga namin kay Elijah Canlas dahil siya ang tagapamuno ng isang grupo ng mga kabataang mulat sa mga nagaganap sa ating bayan.

Maraming salamat sa mga magulang ni Elijah Canlas sa kinamulatang disiplina ng kanilang anak. Salamat sa pagbibigay sa mundo ng telebisyon at pelikula ng isang anak ng sining na hindi lang magaling umarte kundi mapagmahal sa kaniyang propesyon.

Simula pa lang ito. Sana nga ay lumipad pa nang mataas na mataas ang saranggola ng mga pangarap ni Elijah Canlas. *** Noong nakaraang Biyernes ay hindi na napanood nang live sa kaniyang mga programa sa radyo at telebisyon si Raffy Tulfo.

Boses niya lang ang naririnig sa pamamagitan ng phone patch.

Dalawang linggong hindi mapapanood-maririnig ang matapang na news anchor sa

PAGE 15 Wanted Sa Radyo, Idol In Action at Frontline Pilipinas.

Naka-quarantine siya ngayon, nagpositibo sa COVID-19 ang kaniyang driver, sa contact tracing ay siya ang nangunguna sa listahan ng mga nakasalamuha nito.

Huwebes nang gabi nakaramdam ng kakaiba ang kaniyang piloto, maagang-maaga noong Biyernes ay nagpa-swab test sila sa St. Luke’s Medical Center, mabilisan ang prosesong ginawa at positibo nga sa virus ang kaniyang driver pero negatibo naman si Kuya Raffy.

“Pero kami ang palaging magkasama ng driver ko, nasa harapan siya at nasa likuran ako, naka-aircon ang sasakyan ko.

Ako na ang nag-self quarantine, kahit pa negative naman ang swab test ko.

“Nasa bahay lang ako, hindi ako lumalabas ng kuwarto, dinadalhan lang nila ako ng pagkain,” paliwanag ni Kuya Raffy.

–CSF

PAGE 16

OUR HEALTH PILIPINO EXPRESS

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021

Mayo Clinic Q and A: Components of a healthy diet and clean eating DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I gained a bit of weight during quarantine. And this spring, I want to focus on losing the excess pounds. I enjoy exercise, but I struggle with snacking and eating more processed foods than I should. A friend suggested clean eating. Do you have any advice so I can focus on clean eating and making more healthful choices to get my nutrition back on track?

ANSWER: Congratulations on being proactive to put your health and weight on track.

Whether you are trying to lose weight or not, it is generally important to engage in clean eating. Although there are many variations to clean eating, it basically refers to eating foods that are as close as possible to their natural state.

One of the main reasons to eat clean are the health benefits of consuming foods rich in nutrient content that have not been overly processed. Clean eating nourishes you with healthy nutrient-dense foods, filling your body with vitamins, minerals, high-quality protein and healthy fats, all of which improve heart and brain health, assist in weight management, build a stronger immune system, and increase energy levels.

It may feel overwhelming to change your diet, but my advice to you would be to consider different categories of food and

then make small pivots based on what you like, what you are comfortable cooking and what may be in season.

Consider, for instance, the following foods: • Fresh fruit - Apples, bananas, blueberries, grapes, oranges, strawberries or 100% fruit juice; • Vegetables - Avocados, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, green beans, mushrooms, lettuce, peppers, sweet potatoes or tomatoes; • Lean meats/proteins Dried beans, eggs from grassfed chickens, fresh fish, plain nut butters (no sugars added) or unflavored nuts; • Grain (cereal) foods Those made with whole grains, air-popped popcorn, oats, brown rice or whole-wheat pasta; • Dairy products - Cheese, milk, plain yogurt or unsweetened non-dairy products.

So, for breakfast, consider a whole-grain avocado toast, drizzled with olive oil and maybe some spices. And grab a banana, too. A glass of low-fat milk or a side of yogurt can give you great protein and a calcium boost.

As for snacking, it’s still important to reach for clean foods that will fuel your body with good nutrients. Consider how often you reach for snacks during the day. If you know you’re snacking often,

plan out and prepackage snacks.

If you portion out healthy snacks and place them somewhere you will see them, it will be harder to overindulge. It can be very difficult to estimate appropriate portion sizes, which can lead to unwanted weight gain. Using these visual cues will help you get close to the actual recommended serving sizes: • Fruit — One serving is equivalent to a tennis ball. º 1 medium whole fruit º 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked or canned fruit • Vegetables — One serving is equivalent to one or two baseballs. º 2 cups of raw, leafy vegetables (two baseballs) º 1 cup of chopped, cooked or canned raw veggies (1 baseball) • Grains — One serving is equivalent to a hockey puck. º 1 slice whole-wheat bread º 1/2 cup of cooked pasta, potatoes or rice • Protein foods — One serving is equivalent to a hockey puck º 3 ounces of cooked meat • Fat – One serving is equivalent to one die. º 1 teaspoon butter, margarine or oil Another helpful tip is to track your progress and choices. This can help to motivate you to keep going. Jot down daily the number of meals and snacks. Consider a menu or checklist of options.

Track what you have selected,

See CRISTY p16

and then, at the end of the week, go ahead and indulge in a piece of chocolate or small scoop of frozen yogurt.

Be mindful also of when you snack. It’s very easy to turn to food when you are feeling stressed or bored, but this can lead to overeating, which can further increase stress levels with weight gain that may result.

If you are someone who craves sweets — which is a normal response to stress — reach for lean protein foods, such as hard-boiled eggs, tuna, cheese sticks, plain nosugar-added yogurt or soups made with lots of vegetables.

Before you grab a snack, always ask yourself, “Am I physically hungry or am I just stressed?” You also can distract yourself with walks or something creative.

As you start this journey, remember that weight loss and diet changes take time. If you

are going to weigh yourself, do so at the same time every day.

Remember that to maintain your weight, you should be eating 10 calories per pound per day. For you, seeing your goal is to lose weight, you will want to consume fewer calories than your body is using or burning. I would consider finding an app you like to help you track eating and exercise, as well as calories, to help keep you motivated.

Be patient with yourself, research has shown it can take up to 66 days of consistently repeating a behavior until it forms a habit. Work toward progress, not perfection. Engage in clean eating, healthy portion sizes and mindful snacking to maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors.

– Eileen Dutter, R.D.N., Weight Management Services, Mayo Clinic Health System, Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network

What to do if you have any Covid-19 symptoms Anyone who develops symptoms of Covid-19 should self-isolate and visit www. manitoba.ca/covid19/ to use the online screening tool, or call Health Links–Info Santé at 204788-8200 or toll-free at 1-888315-9257 for health guidance on how to seek testing.

Symptoms may include: • Cough • Headache • Fever/ chills • Muscle aches • Sore throat/ hoarse voice • Shortness of breath/ breathing difficulties • Loss of taste or smell • Vomiting, or diarrhea for more than 24 hours • Poor feeding if an infant • Runny nose • Fatigue • Nausea or loss of appetite

• Conjunctivitis (pink eye) • Skin rash of unknown cause While many people will develop only mild symptoms, some groups appear to be more vulnerable to COVID-19.

Those at higher risk typically develop more serious, even fatal, symptoms such as pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome and kidney failure.

High risk groups include those: • 60 years of age and older • living with chronic health conditions (e.g. diabetes, heart, renal or chronic lung conditions) • with weakened immune systems (e.g. cancer) Symptoms of COVID-19 or other coronaviruses may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to the virus.

EH KASI, PINOY!

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021

PILIPINO EXPRESS

KROSWORD

NO. 366

Ni Bro. Gerry Gamurot

PAHALANG 1. Kinakapa 5. Binubulyawan 12. Bahagi ng maghapon 13. Kaibigang babae 14. Suson 15. Bihasa 16. Puntirya 20. Kolor 24. Iluto sa mantika 25. Uri ng asido 26. Tuwa 27. Sirang-sira 28. Suri 30. Iluluto PABABA 1. Ang tagapagligtas 2. Taba ng alimango 3. Iwasto 4. Lahat 6. Lola 7. Napupunit 8. Titulo ng banal 9. Petrolyo

10. Nilinis 11. Una sa oras 16. Silab 17. Tuyo 18. Uri ng kahoy 19. Pugante 20. Gamit sa pamimingwit 21. Bumatay 22. Lola ni Hesus 23. Asawa ni John 29. Nota musikal

SAGOT SA NO. 365

PAGE 17

PAGE 18

PILIPINO EXPRESS

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021

See CRISTY p17

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021

PHILIPPINES...

From page 1 The Philippine president assured the nation that workers and low-income Filipinos would receive their ayuda, or supplemental aid from the government.

During the conference, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado assured Duterte that the government has P23 billion available to help those affected by the lockdown.

On Tuesday, March 30, the funds were released to the Local Government Units (LGUs) for distribution to affected individuals in kind. The in-kind ayuda is in the amount of P1,000 per person or P4,000 per family. This amount is lower compared to the 2020 ayuda when low-income families received P5,000 to P8,000.

Vaccines Duterte admitted that the government was having a tough time getting COVID-19 vaccines since other countries had been competing over supply.

“We are doing our best. We are not a vaccine producing country. We don’t have expertise, we don’t have knowledge, medical scientific knowledge. So, we are waiting,” he said.

PILIPINO EXPRESS “Something has gone wrong with most of the countries. They shanghaied [the vaccines]… I want to cry in front of you, but my tears have been used up,” he added.

National COVID-19 task force chief implementor, Sec. Galvez admitted that the Philippines is severely affected by the acute shortage in the global supply of the vaccines.

It has adversely affected the Philippines’ vaccination plans for the first and second quarter of the year.

On Monday, one million CoronaVac doses acquired from Chinese drug maker Sinovac BioTech arrived in the Philippines.

In April, the 979,200 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the global procurement pool COVAX are expected to arrive. This was originally scheduled for March.

Galvez also said Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology committed only 100,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine, hardly meeting the three million doses ordered by the Philippines.

To alleviate the vaccine problem and to help reopen the economy, Duterte gave the green light to the private sector to import COVID-19 vaccines to be given to their workers.

“No matter how much or how many they

want to bring in, it’s okay with me,” he added.

As of March 29, a total of 668,018 Filipinos, mostly frontline/essential workers, have been vaccinated.

Duterte also warned unscrupulous people who would import fake vaccines to sell to desperate Filipinos. He vowed that they would be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Current COVID-19 situation in the Philippines The Department of Health reported that the daily new cases peaked at 10,016 cases

PAGE 19 on Monday, March 29. This was a record increase in new cases in a single day since the pandemic started last year.

This brought the total number of cases to 731,894, with 602,213 recoveries and 13,186 fatalities.

The current number of active COVID-19 cases is 115,495.

The increase in infections was attributed to the new coronavirus variants like those first identified in South Africa and Britain. Both have been detected in the Philippines.

PAGE 20

PILIPINO EXPRESS

APRIL 1 - 15 , 2021

In our family, we make our plans together.

Sa aming pamilya, sama-sama kaming nagpaplano.

For all your important family events, it’s only natural that you plan ahead. It makes sense. And the same holds true for your funeral and cemetery arrangements.

Take the time now to discuss your final wishes with loved ones - and with a trusted representative from Arbor Memorial.

Call your local Filipino professional at Glen Eden Funeral Home & Cemetery and ask about our FREE customized planning kit.

Para sa mga mahahalagang family events, natural lang ang magplano ng maaga. Totoo rin ito para sa iyong funeral at cemetery arrangements.

Maglaan ng oras upang makausap ang iyong mga mahal sa buhay tungkol sa iyong mga huling kahilingan—kasama ang isang trusted representative mula sa Arbor Memorial.

Tawagan ang Filipino representative sa Glen Eden Funeral Home & Cemetery at magtanong tungkol sa aming FREE customized planning kit.

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