Philippine News Today by Philippine News Today

1 March 11-17, 2021

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA EDITION

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Vol. 60 No. 31 March 11-17, 2021

NEWS AND VIEWS YOU TRUST

ASIAN HATE CRIMES IN HISTORIC LEVEL Police unresponsive? PHL, US band to protect Pinoys

PHL, US team up to protect Pinoys over rising hate crimes

By ALFRED GABOT, Editor in Chief and SUNITA SOHRABJI, EMS Contribu�ng Editor

SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON – Anti-Asian hate crimes and threats have reached historic levels during the pandemic, sowing fears among Asian Americans in diﬀerent areas in the United States even as the Biden administration assured it will do its best to stem the tide of the rising hate crimes. Asian American leaders, including Filipinos, noted a a survey of police departments in 16 major U.S. cities, the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, a research oﬃce at Cal State San Bernardino, which found a total of 122 anti-Asian hate crimes last year — a 149% increase from the 49 in 2019. Page 9

More signs Philippines in cusp of a depression By Be�ng Laygo Dolor, Editor MANILA – Unless the economy recovers substantially this March, the Philippines will likely see another quarter of negative growth, all but guaranteeing that the country has entered into a much-feared depression. Unlike a recession – deﬁned as two consecutive quarters of negative growth – which is relatively easy to recover from, a depression – deﬁned as four consecutive quarters of negative

gross domestic product (GDP) – is a much harder rut to rise out of. In other words, recessions are mild downturns, even considered as normal by economists, but depressions are a severe and sustained shrinking of an economy. Oﬃcial ﬁgures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released over the weekend stated that four million Filipinos were out of work in the Page 8

CALBAYOG AMBUSH. Calbayog City Mayor Ronald Aquino and four others died in an ambush in the city purportedly by policemen. His van peppered with bullets is shown a�er the incident. See details on page 3.

Robredo, UN heat up over Calabarzon, Calbayog killings By Claire Morales True

MANILA – The debate between President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo over recent killings in the country like the murder of the Calbayog City mayor and nine activists during raids in the Calabarzon region continues to heat up.

“The Filipino people deserve better than this murderous regime,” said Robredo as she denounced the killings. Malacanang fumed over Robredo’s statements, challenging her to probe her claims. At least six died in Rizal province, two in Page 9

PHL virus cases top 600,000; curfew up, kissing, hugging in public banned by cops By Jeanne Michael Penaranda MANILA — The Philippines recorded 2,886 Covid-19 case on March 11, the highest number since October 24 last year, bringing the total to 603,308 as

vaccinations against the disease continue for the second week with Sinovac and AztroZeneca vaccines from China and United Kingdom. Page 8

WASHINGTON/MANILA – The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. continues to engage American authorities to protect Filipinos amid the alarming rise in anti-Asian violence in the United States. Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said the State Department already received their note verbale requesting immediate assistance to strengthen the protection of Asians, including Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in the country. A letter has been also sent to the US Senate, which was followed by a Senate committee hearing that probed on the reported hate crimes against people of Asian descent since the start of the pandemic. “Maganda naman ang mga sagot ng FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) dahil sila ay gumagawa ng puwede nilang gawin para matigil itong hate crimes so marami silang mga agents na naspread out all over the US (The response of the FBI is good and they are already taking Page 8

Calbayog mayor, 4 others die in ambush

Duterte praises Sen. Go, ‘his successor?’ VIEWS & COMMENTS

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 NATIONAL NEWS

March 11-17, 2021

After division of Palawan, Congress OKs creation of 2 Maguindanao provinces PASAY CITY – If Congress plans will not miscarry, Maguindanao may become two provinces if it hurdles a plebiscite on the split of the province into two. This as the Senate, which earlier approved the creation of three Palawan provinces and two new congressional districts for Rizal province, passed on the third and ﬁnal reading the bill which will create the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur. The House of Representatives passed on third reading the same measure on June 1, 2020. Senate Bill No. 6413, sponsored by Senator Francis Tolentino, chair of the Committee on Local Government, seeks to divide the present Maguindanao province to pave the way for the creation of two provinces. Tolentino said the measure seeks to accelerate the political, social, and economic development of the new provinces and ensure that government services are

more accessible and more responsive to the needs of their respective constituents. From a broader perspective, the creation of more public offices as a consequence of the division will further expand the democratic space for qualified and dedicated public servants to participate in the governance of the provinces. Once enacted into law, Maguindanao del Norte will be composed of the towns of Barira, Buldon, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Kabuntalan, Matanog, Northern Kabuntalan, Parang, North Upi, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura, and Talitay. Maguindanao del Sur will consist of Ampatuan, Buluan, Datu Abdulla Sangki, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Datu Montawal, Datu Paglas, Datu Piang, Datu Salibo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun, Guindulungan, Mamasapano, Mangudadatu, Pagalungan, Paglat, Pandag, Rajah Buayan, Sharif Aguak, Sharif Saydona Mustafa, Sultan sa Barongis, Ta-

layan, and South Upi. Under the bill, the capital towns and seats of government of the two new provinces will be Datu Odin Sinsuat for Maguindanao del Norte and Buluan for Maguindanao del Sur. Tolentino noted that Maguindanao has a population of 1,173,933 based on the 2015 official population count of the Philippine Statistics Authority and an estimated average annual regular income of P714.56 million as certified by the Bureau of Local Government Finance. He also said the two proposed provinces likewise comply with the minimum land area requirement of 2,000 km2 (200,000 hectares) as certified by the Land Management Bureau. Tolentino said Maguindanao is blessed with rich and abundant natural resources. Despite the existence of this vast potential, political and economic barriers persist. The size of the province remains to be a challenge for the provincial govern-

ment to provide basic services like public health care, education, and transportation to the most remote villages. In his co-sponsorship speech, Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. said the legislative measure is “an embodiment of the aspiration of our brothers and sisters in Maguindanao to create a new province”. , Senator Joel Villanueva, also a cosponsor, said he is one with the leaders of Maguindanao in accelerating their economic progress while ensuring lasting peace and stability for their fast-growing population, which is projected to reach 1.4 million in 2023. Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri -who moved for an omnibus amendment for Northern Maguindanao and Southern Maguindanao be renamed to Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, respectively, -- and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian are also co-sponsors of the bill.

Duterte praises Bong Go, hints senator maybe presidential bet CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte last week heaped praise on Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and even called the lawmaker “president.” Duterte made the statement about Go’s possible presidential bid in 2022 during the meeting of national and regional task forces to end local communist armed conﬂict (ELCAC) held in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental. At the event, Duterte introduced Go as “presidente” and instructed his former special aide to greet the audience. “Presidente, tindog og usab be angayan ba ka. Tindog og usab. Tindog unya ana-ana dayon sa mga.... Mubo ra na. Itaas ana. (Presidente, kindly stand up again let’s see if it suits you well. Stand up again. Stand up and wave to

the people. That’s too low, raise your hand higher),” Duterte told Go, drawing applause from the crowd. Go started in 1998 as the personal assistant of Duterte, who was then Davao City mayor. He also served as Special Assistant to the President from June 30, 2018 to Oct. 15, 2018 before securing a seat at the Senate. Duterte lauded Go for being “very hardworking” and for helping Filipinos, especially the ﬁre victims. “Senator Go? Basin... Kugihan kaayo ni. Basig asa mabasa nimo sa newspaper, di ba? Naay sunog didto, moadto siya. Basig asa (Senator Go? He might… He’s very hardworking. You always read his name in the newspaper, don’t you? If there’s a ﬁre somewhere, he’ll go there wherever it may

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PRESIDENT DUTERTE and Senator Bong Go

be),” he said. Duterte also cited Go’s credentials, telling the audience that the senator is a product of De La Salle University and has roots in Batangas. Reacting to Duterte’s remarks, Go said he has no plan to run for president in 2022. “I am very grateful for the trust given to me by the President. Salamat po sa tiwala pero hindi po ako interesado,” he said in a statement. Go added that he is focused on serving the public and helping them cope with the eﬀects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. “Pagdating sa usaping pulitika, please count me out. Dahil kung hindi

natin malampasan ang krisis na ito, wala na tayong pulitika na pag-uusapan pa (When it comes to politics, please count me out. We could not talk about politics until we can overcome this crisis),” he said. During a situational brieﬁng on the impact of Tropical Storm Auring in Tandag City on Feb. 23, Duterte encouraged Go to seek the country’s highest post next year. On Feb. 26, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said Go is also qualiﬁed to become Dutere’s successor. Panelo also said there would be continuity of Duterte’s legacy, in case Go decides to join the 2022 presidential race.

3 March 11-17, 2021

 NATIONAL NEWS

Calbayog mayor, 2 aides, 2 others dead in ambush CALBAYOG CITY Calbayog City Mayor Ronald Aquino, his two aides and three others, three of them policemen, were killed in an ambush in the city on March 8. Malacañang immediately condemned the killing of Mayor Aquino and his security aides. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Palace is alarmed by the ambush-slay in Calbayog City as he raised the possibility that the mayor might be a victim of election-related violence. “Naalarma kami na dahil isang mayor po ang pinatay, baka ito ay simula na naman ng patayan dahil sa politika sa panahon na napalalapit na ang eleksyon (We are alarmed because a mayor was killed and this might be the start of killings because of politics, as the elections draw near),” he said. Roque appealed to everyone not to resort to violence during election season. Department of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, meanwhile, ordered the National Bureau of In-

vestigation lead the investation of the killing and to look into reports that local police units were allegedly involved. “Political violence has no place in democracy. Kinukundena po natin iyan (We are condemning that),” Roque said. “Kinukundena po natin iyan dahil ang karapatang mabuhay po ay pinaka-importanteng karapatan (We condemn that because the right to life is the most important right of a person).” Police also formed a task force chaired by Col Edwin Wagan, Eastern Visayas Deputy Regional Director for Operation of the Philippine National Police, to investigate the incident. PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana said PNP Chief Gen Debold Sinas also directed Eastern Visayas Regional Director Brig. Gen Ronaldo de Jesus to conduct a thorough investigation. PNP’s initial statement hours after the deadly ambush said “some police personnel” were involved in the shooting incident. A revised police report released 8 a.m. Tuesday,

March 9, disclosed that while Aquino and his aides were heading north on board a white van, one of his security personnel fired at the vans, which they allegedly thought were following them. Other vehicles, later identified to be carrying PNP personnel from IMEG (integrity monitoring and enforcement group) and DEU (drug enforcement unit), then fired back. Aquino, S/Sgt. Rodeo Balonzo, S/Sgt. Romeo Laoyon, and Dennis Abayon, the mayor’s driver, died on the spot. Laoyon was onboard one of the vehicles reportedly pursuing the mayor’s car while Balonzo, Cebu, and Labonite were in the same car with Aquino. Wounded were S/Sgt. Neil Cebu and Mansfield Labonite, the mayor’s aide; and Clint John Paul Yauder, a local government employee, whose car was just passing by. He later died at the St. Camillus Hospital Calbayog. Eastern Visayas police spokesperson, Lt. Col. Bella Rentuaya, said the body of Capt. Joselito Tabada, chief of the Samar PNP DEU and acting chief of police of nearby Gandara town, was recovered under the bridge on the same night. Tabada was onboard a van said to be tailing the mayor’s car. His death was not included in the spot report due to the late discovery of his body. Calbayog, a commercial hub in the northwest part of Samar province, is about 172 kilometers north of Tacloban, the regional capital. The 58-year-old Aquino, three policemen, and two civilians were killed in the shootout at Laboyao Bridge in Lonoy village. Aquino suffered the same fate as his predecessor, Reynaldo Uy, who was killed during a fiesta celebration in Hinabangan, Samar in 2011. Then-Vice Mayor Aquino took over Uy’s post and was on his third and last term at the time of his death. Uy’s killing is still unsolved.

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 METRO NEWS

March 11-17, 2021

Isko alarmed by rising Covid-19 cases, orders stricter Manila rules MANILA – The “alarming” number of new Covid-19 cases has prompted the city government of Manila to reinforce stricter health and safety protocols. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso ordered the Manila Police District (MPD), Manila Traﬃc and Parking Bureau (MTPB), and the Manila Barangay Bureau (MBB) to be stricter and alert. “Kapag tuloy-tuloy na lumobo ang kaso ng Covid-19 sa alinmang barangay, automatic mong i-lockdown (If Covid-19 cases continue to rise in any barangay, automatically lock it down). Coordinate

with the MPD and General Francisco for the security plan,” Domagoso said. He also assured the city’s P3-billion food security program will make sure no Manileño will get hungry during the pandemic. The MPD, led by Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco, will provide more police presence, Domagoso said, while MTPB safety marshals will augment police visibility. “Lalo nating higpitan ang pagpapatupad ng minimum health protocols sa lahat ng kalsada at barangay sa Maynila, upang matigil ang tumataas na bilang ng kaso ng Covid-19 sa lungsod (Let us be strict in

enforcing the minimum health protocols in every street and barangay of Manila to halt the increasing number of Covid-19),” Domagoso told Francisco. On March 8, 202 new cases were recorded that upped active infections to 908. Sampaloc accounted for 151 of the total active cases, Malate has 140 and Tondo-I 111. There were also 118 recoveries for a total of 27,565. Domagoso reminded police oﬃcers to remain courteous in dealing with the public.

Parañaque lengthens curfew by 2 hours amid cases of South Africa variant PARANAQUE CITY - Parañaque City has lengthened by two hours its curfew after three cases of the more transmissible South Africa coronavirus variant were detected in the city. From the previous 12 midnight to 4 a.m., the curfew was extended to 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., said Mayor Edwin Olivarez. City Hall also formed a composite team of policemen and barangay oﬃcers in each barangay to ensure residents’ compliance with minimum health protocols and to reprimand violators.

Olivarez said the Metro Manila Council (MMC) which he leads is set to convene to tackle the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s proposal for a uniform extended curfew. “Yun ang pinag-uusapan namin at sa pagkakaalam ko magko-convene ng meeting ngayon ang MMC sa pamamagitan ni [Metropolitan Manila Development Authority] Chairman [Benhur] Abalos para maging uniform po tayo,” he said. “Pero sa Parañaque po ginawa na natin kaagad para po ‘yung action mabilis

po agad,” Olivarez added. He said Metro Manila governments need to have a uniform curfew as these areas are “inter-connected.” According to the Parañaque government, the three cases of South African variant of Covid in the city are returning overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who live in Barangay Baclaran, Barangay Sun Valley and Barangay Don Bosco. Two of the cases are seafarers while one is an OFW from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. All are undergoing quarantine.

Mayor Joy Belmonte

QC notes surge of virus cases, expands lockdown to 12 areas QUEZON CITY - The Quezon City government has expanded the lockdown in Barangay West Kamias to include additional 12 families in the area as city health oﬃcials noted a surge of Covid-19 cases in the city. Mayor Joy Belmonte ordered the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), barangays and other concerned city oﬃces to strictly implement ordinances aimed at suppressing the spread of COVID-19 amid the sudden surge in the number of cases in the last few days. In a memorandum dated March 8, 2021, Belmonte said the noticeable surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) “warrants for a more stringent implementation of existing ordinances and issuances” to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Quezon City.

5 March 11-17, 2021 Pampanga archbishop recovers from Covid-19 CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Another Catholic prelate has recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). The Archdiocese of San Fernando reported that Archbishop Florentino Lavarias was discharged from the hospital in the city on Saturday. Lavarias is the ninth bishop that has been inflicted by the virus and has recovered from it. Last month, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and Cebu Auxiliary BishopEmeritus Antonio Rañola have also recovered from the deadly virus. However, two bishops -- retired Imus Bishop Manuel Sobreviñas and Lingayen-Dagupan Emeritus Archbishop Oscar Cruz -- died of the disease. Lavarias thanked the doctors and hospital personnel who took care of him and those who prayed for him. “I am now doing home quarantine. I thank all those who took care of me, the doctors and hospital personnel especially, our good governor Dennis Pineda and family, Fr. Sol Gabriel, Fr. Ric Serrano, Sister Remy, the countless people, my family, priests (esp Fr. Edgar), bishops, religious, seminarians, friends and lay leaders, etc., who had been praying for me,” he said.

 PROVINCIAL NEWS

Gov’t to vaccinate 50-M Filipinos this year, Bataan folk told BALANGA CITY, Bataan – The government targets to inoculate about half of the country’s total population against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) this year, Secretary Vivencio Dizon, deputy chief implementer of the National Task Force Against Covid-19, said here. Dizon witnessed the ﬁrst inoculation with Sinovac vaccines of top oﬃcials of the Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) led by its director, Dr. Ria Baltazar. Dizon, together with Bataan Governor Albert Garcia, Rep. Jose Enrique Garcia III and Mayors Francis Garcia of Balanga City and Gila Garcia of Dinalupihan also inspected the Bataan People’s Center that will serve as the province’s mass vaccination center “Mga 50 million people ang target natin this year na mabakunahan (Our target is around 50 million people to be vaccinated this year),” he said as he noted the rise in Covid-19 cases in some parts of the country and what government is doing to curb further spread of the virus. “Tuluy-tuloy lang ang ating mga interventions, preventions, pagte-testing, tracing, isolation at pagti-treat pero kasabay niyan ngayon mayroon tayong dagdag na proteksyon, yong pagbabakuna natin (Our interventions, preventions, testing, tracing, isolation and treatment

are continuous but, at the same time, we (DOH) will provide the update. now have extra protection, our vaccinations,” Dizon said. Cases of other variants of the virus are rising in Metro Manila so there is a need to strengthen the intervention, he noted. He reminded the public to continue observing the minimum health standards such as the washing of hands, wearing of face masks and physical distancing. “Kailangan mas mabilis ma-roll out ang mga bakuna natin lalo na sa mga health care workers para kapag naospital ang mga positive sa Covid-19 ay protektado sila (We need to roll out our vaccines faster, especially for health care workers so that when those who tested positive for Covid-19 are hospitalized, they are protected),” Dizon added. He could not give the exact number of those already vaccinated, saying the Department of Health

 NATIONAL NATIONAL NEWS NEWS

March 11-17, 2021

US support to AFP modernization continuous: PHL envoy

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez.

WASHINGTON/MANILA – While the future of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) is still uncertain, the United States will continue to support the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine Ambassador to Washington DC Jose Manuel Romualdez said. Within the year, Romualdez said the US is set to deliver about 10 Black Hawk helicopters to the Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier demanded payment from Washington DC for the continuation of the VFA. The chief executive last week, however, said he has yet to decide as he wanted the public’s opinion and the view of the military. Romualdez said the Pentagon provided a “long list” of its aid to the Philippines in the past ﬁve years since 2016, which indicates the US was able to pro-

vide most of what Manila asked. “So, mayroon kaming nakuhang lista na ibinigay sa amin, na ibinigay sa amin ng Pentagon. Ikinompare namin doon sa list na ipinadala nila kay (Defense) Secretary (Delﬁn) Lorenzana at mukhang sapat naman sa lahat ng mga hinihingi natin (We got a list from the Pentagon. We compared this from the list sent to Secretary Lorenzana and we think it’s enough based on the things we’ve asked),” he said. “Mukhang kumpleto naman at marami pang dadating na mga kailangan natin na mga armas (I think it’s complete and more arms are expected to come) or whatever hardware that we need from the United States,” he added. Romualdez hopes the list would “satisfy” the President, but noted the latter still has the “sole prerogative” to either review or extend the VFA.

US contribution to COVAX reaches P97.2-B, PHL among beneficiaries MANILA – The United States’ contribution to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) has reached US$2 billion (about P97.2 billion), by far the largest, the US Embassy in Manila reported. “The United States already has provided an initial P97.2 billion (US$2 billion), and the Philippines is among the ﬁrst countries in the region to have received Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) vaccines through the COVAX fa-

cility,” it said. The Embassy said Washington earmarked a total of US$4 billion or about P194.4 billion in contribution to the COVAX AMC. US Embassy Chargé d’Aﬀaires John Law said the country would continue to support Manila in its vaccination rollout, including on mitigation eﬀorts to help curb the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). “The United States is proud to be

the largest contributor to COVAX, and we welcome the successful arrival of the first tranche of AstraZeneca vaccines in the Philippines. As we fight the pandemic together, the United States will continue to support the Philippines’ vaccination and Covid-19 mitigation efforts,” he said. The US contributions to COVAX, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), will support the purchase and delivery of safe and effec-

tive Covid-19 vaccines for the world’s most vulnerable and at-risk populations in 92 low- and middle-income countries. The Philippines welcomed last week the ﬁrst delivery of the much-needed AstraZeneca vaccines through COVAX Facility. Aside from Law, COVAX’s other donor countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway welcomed the vaccine arrival in Manila.

Manila locks down 2 villages, buildings due to Covid MANILA – Two villages and two buildings in the city of Manila have been placed under lockdown starting Thursday, March 11, until Sunday, March 14, due to rising coronavirus disease infections. As of March 9, 154 new active cases were recorded by the Manila Health Department, bringing the total number of conﬁrmed active cases in the city to 988. There were also 74 new recoveries and two new fatalities, as total recoveries and deaths reached 27,639 and 817, respectively. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said those placed on lockdown were the Malate Bayview Mansion on Adriatico Street and Hop Inn Hotel on M. H. Del Pilar Street of Barangay 699, Malate which have 17 Covid-19 cases; Barangay 351 in San Lazaro, Tayuman with 12 cases; and Barangay 725, also in Malate, which has 14. “Lahat ng barangay na may 10 pataas na impeksyon ay isasara natin pansamantala ang kanilang buong barangay o building, ila-lockdown (All villages in the city with 10 or more infections will be temporarily closed, the whole village or building will be placed on lock-

down),” he said. Domagoso signed Executive Order (EO) No. 06 “declaring certain barangays or portion thereof, of the city as critical zone (CrZ) per zoning containment strategy in order to provide rapid response operation to contain the resurgence and spread of Covid-19”. EO 6 will pave the way for disease surveillance and massive contact tracing, and veriﬁcation or testing, and rapid risk assessment in the said areas. Domagoso said the city will be strict in the implementation of the lockdowns, stating that only authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) will be allowed to go out of their homes. “Lahat ng lalabas na hindi kasali sa mga pinapayagan. Ilalagay namin kayo sa aming quarantine facility ng 14 days kasi you are exposing other people sa danger, so ‘wag kayong lalabas (All those who are not allowed to go out of their homes but still go out will be placed in a quarantine facility of the city for 14 days because you are exposing other people to danger),” he said. Those who will be given quarantine passes and may go out of their homes are health workers, military personnel, service workers (pharmacies, drug stores, and funeral homes), utility workers (en-

ergy, cable, internet, telecommunication companies, water, sanitation, and critical transport facilities including port operation), essential workers (goods delivery, food delivery, banking, and money services), barangay officials (Chairpersons, secretary, treasurers, councilors, and executive officers), and media practitioners accredited by the Presidential Communications Operations Office and the Inter-Agency Task Force. Domagoso said the early announcement will give ample time for residents

of the affected areas to buy their necessities. The residents of Barangays 351 and 725 will be given food packs and cops will be deployed to ensure proper implementation of lockdown rules. “Station Commanders of police stations covering the said barangays are hereby directed to employ and deploy officers and personnel in strategic locations and areas necessary for the effective implementation of the ECQ,” the EO read.

7 March 11-17, 2021

 NATIONAL NATIONAL NEWS NEWS

Alert level 2 raised over Taal Volcano; eruption possible

TAGAYTAY CITY – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on March 9 raised the alert level status of Taal Volcano from level 1 (low level of unrest) to level 2 due to signs of increasing unrest. In an advisory, Phivolcs said since February 13 the volcano has been exhibiting unrest on the following parameters: volcanic earthquakes, changes in

the main crater lake, ground deformation, and “microgravity changes.” This as Mount Pinatubo in the Zambales-Tarlac boundary, the Mayon Volcano in Albay and the Kanlaon volcano in Negros are showing signs of activities. Department of Science and Technology undersecretary and Phivolcs director Renato Solidum, Jr. said alert level 2 means eruption may or may not happen.

Under this status, evacuation is not recommended but the public is advised against going to the Taal Volcano Island (TVI), a permanent danger zone. The vicinities of the main crater and Daang Kastila ﬁssure must also remain strictly prohibited. In its latest volcano bulletin, Phivolcs said there were 28 volcanic tremor episodes, four low-frequency volcanic earthquakes, and one hybrid earthquake at shallow depths of less than 1.5 km. beneath the TVI in the past 24 hours. Volcanic tremors had three to 17 minutes in duration. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reminded all local government units (LGUs) near the Taal Volcano Island to undertake necessary precautions due to the volcano’s increased unrest. “The NDRRMC is constantly monitoring the situation of Taal, and Our Regional DRRMC for CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal Quezon) has already reminded all LGUs around the volcano island to ensure readiness for any possibility,” said NDRRMC deputy spokesperson Mark Cashean Timbal. Preparations include the activation of

evacuation sites and relief support. “(These include) preparations for evacuation activities, evacuation centers, relief support, etc, (aside from) integrating Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) protection protocols,” Timbal said. “Overall, seismic activity in the past month indicates increased magmatic and hydrothermal activity at shallow depths beneath TVI,” the Phivolcs said. Increasing acidity was also observed, caused by sustained volcanic gas input into the shallow hydrothermal system that feeds into the lake, signifying degassing of magma intruded at depth during the January 2020 eruption. Phivolcs has urged local governments to continuously assess previously evacuated barangays around Taal Lake for damages and road access and to strengthen preparedness, contingency, and communication measures in case of renewed unrest. Residents of these barangays are advised to be always prepared, to keep calm, and listen to information only from trusted or veriﬁed sources, Phivolcs said.

No water shortage in Metro Manila this summer: PAGASA QUEZON CITY – Angat Dam will not lack water to supply to Metro Manila and neighboring areas until April despite expected below-normal rainfall in its area. “We’re not anticipating such supply problem that month,” said Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) hydrologist Max Peralta. He said Angat’s water is “at a high

level” until next month which can still ably supply for irrigation and power, as well as potable water to Metro Manila. PAGASA reported Angat Dam’s 6 a.m. water level at 209.50 meters on March 9, higher than the 180 meters minimum operating level (MOL) of the facility. The water level may dip to about 200 meters by end-March but this is still above the MOL, PAGASA’s latest out-

look shows. Angat Dam has that much reserve and need not depend on rain next month to have water for its customers, said Peralta. “Even if it won’t rain over Angat watershed this April, the dam will still have more than enough reserve to supply,” he said. Peralta noted the watershed is receiving some rain

San Juan imposes curfew anew munities. Mayor Francis Zamora said the local government had to make the decision as surge in Covid-19 infections are being reported. San Juan has 163 active cases as of March 8. “Para sa kaligtasan ng bawat isa sa gitna ng pagtaas ng mga kaso ng Covid-19 sa Metro Manila (This is to ensure the safety of everyone amid the surge of Covid-19 cases within Metro Manila),” Zamora wrote on Facebook. Under City Executive Order No. FMZ-072, only health workers, essential government and private workers, security personnel, public transportation, and delivery drivers, as well as those who have health emergencies, are exempted from the curfew hours. Violators will be penalized under the Republic Act No. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notiﬁable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act. A ﬁne of P20,000 to P50,000 or one to six-month imprisonment, or both, await those who will be caught. The National Capital Region has 41,822 active casSAN JUAN CITY – San Juan re-imposed its city- es as of March 9 — 2,688 of them new infections and wide curfew, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., in a bid to control 13,384 reported in the last two weeks. San Juan has 163 active cases as of March 8. rising coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in com-

this March, enhancing Angat Dam’s potential to supply water. He added that PAGASA’s expected above-normal rainfall in the watershed this May and June will help Angat replenish its reserve and further enhance its potential to supply water for customers, he added.

March 11-17, 2021

PHL, US...

(From page 1)

actions to stop these crimes and has also deployed their agents all over the US),” he reported. “Things are moving in the right direction in the sense that they are well aware of these hate crimes that are now happening because of Covid-19,” he added. Last month, Filipino-American Noel Quintana was slashed with a boxcutter knife while on a morning com-

More sign...

(From page 1)

first month of 2021, up from 3.8 million unemployed at the start of the last quarter of 2020. Although the contraction is expected to ease in the first quarter this year, the lead economist of one of the county’s top 3 banks said last week that an economic recovery will not take place this year. “We’ve gone a long way,” said Bank of the Philippine Islands’ Emilio Neri, “Even if the GDP levels in 2020 did not reflect any improvement in mobility.” Neri added that he expects the decline in the first quarter of the year to be in the vicinity of negative two percent, a vast improvement from the negative eight percent of the last quarter of 2020. For his part, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Benjamin Diokno said last week that the economy would not show any signs of an improvement until the second

PHL virus...

(From page 1)

new recovered patients, or a total of 546,293 recoveries. (See related stories) The number of additional daily cases in recent weeks has been higher than those reported in January and February. The increase has been attributed to the spread of COVID-19 in the National Capital Region which prompted some cities like Manila and Quezon City to impose granular lockdown and restore or lengthen curfews.

mute in New York. His assailant, described as between 20 and 30 years old and wearing blue jeans and a red hoodie during the incident, reportedly kicked Quintana’s bag while on the train, prompting the 61-year old Filipino-American to move away. A New York Daily News said the man followed and kicked Quintana’s bag again before taking a box-cutter knife to cut his face.

The next thing the Filipino-American knew was blood was ﬂowing down from the long gash across his face that stretches from cheek to cheek. “Na-alarm kami doon (We were alarmed by that) and immediately we called our consulate in New York and called the attention of the State Department that we are very concerned about the safety of many FilipinoAmerican and Filipinos living in New York,” Romualdez said

quarter of the year. The biggest red flag is the unemployment figure, as a lack of improvement is considered a sign of a depression rather than a recession. The 8.7 percent unemployment rate at the start of the year is the third highest jobless rate in the past 16 years. While the latest figure is an improvement over the worst period in the middle of last year, the PSA warned that whatever gains have been incurred since then would be lost if the government again resorts to quarantine tightening. Aside from the bleak employment figures, the Philippines faces further challenges that put to risk any chance of a quick economic recovery this year. The number of newly infected coronavirus patients took a dramatic rise last week, when the daily total breached the 3,000 mark for four consecutive days leading to the weekend.

And unlike past infections where individuals would catch the virus and be taken to hospitals, the Health department noted that there are a growing number of cases involving families all getting infected. Prior to the sudden hike in new infections, the country had been averaging between 1,500 and 2,000 cases a day. The World Health Organization warned that among Southeast Asian nations, the Philippines was not doing well as the number of infections “has not yet flattened.” The Philippines began mass vaccinations only last week, among the last in the region to do so. The country’s first quarter GDP will not be known until towards the end of next month, when the PSA releases the official figure. Only then will it be known if the Philippines is in a depression, or just a recession.

In a related development, there is a “steady increase” of Covid-19 patients being treated at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and at St. Luke’s Medical Center. PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas said couples, members of a family or close friends were enjoined to keep their distance to help curb the spread of Covid-19 as he banned kissing and hugging in public. Sinas, however, said those caught displaying aﬀection in public will not be arrested but will be reprimanded. On Oct. 24, 2020, the DOH announced that out of the 367,819 cumulative total cases at that time, 47,773 (nearly 13 percent) are active infections. Of those currently battling the disease, 91.7% have mild symptoms, 4% are asymptomatic, 1.7% are in critical condition, 1.7% have severe symptoms, and 0.8% have moderate symptoms. The Philippines, which started last week its COVID-19 vaccine rollout, has been seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, especially in some parts of the NCR and Region 7. The WHO said this is

not considered a second wave but a spike in the ongoing wave that started last year. DOH officials said that the increase in cases is due to the non-compliance in health protocols, aggravated by the variants. WHO noted the need for quicker and more unified local government response. A survey by the OCTA Research Group showed that while majority of Filipinos wear face masks, only 67% said they were able to practice physical distancing. This was higher at 82% in Metro Manila. Senate President Vicente Sotto III, meanwhile, said he believes that it is not yet safe to place the entire country under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) as he and other senators expressed alarm over the surge in Covid-19 cases. Sotto and fellow Senators Panfilo Lacson, Aquilino Pimentel III, and Mary Grace Poe voiced concern over the reported sharp rise in the number of infections. House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco at the same time urged Filipinos to be more vigilant amid the uptick in cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) across Metro Manila. In a statement, Velasco said Filipinos must continue to follow public health protocols until the country has been broadly immunized to prevent further transmission of Covid-19. “While we understand that more businesses are reopening and people want to resume normal activities, we have to maintain our health protocols until the Covid-19 threat is effectively addressed by our vaccination program,” Velasco said.

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9 March 11-17, 2021 HATE...

 NATIONAL NEWS (From page 1)

They disclosed that the totals climbed in 15 of the 16 cities, with New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle, San Jose and San Francisco Bay Area experiencing the most significant increases and their highest tallies in at least five years. In California, the web portal Stop AAPI Hate, an initiative of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, has logged 250 incidents in Los Angeles County over the past 12 months, according to an Ethnic Media Services (EMS) report. Nationwide, over 2,800 hate incidents — including violent attacks against elderly Asian Americans — have been reported on the Stop AAPI Hate portal. Advocates at the briefing said that number represented an under-count: most antiAsian hate incidents go unreported. In Washington, the Philippine Embassy said it continues to engage American authorities to protect Filipinos amid the alarming rise in anti-Asian violence in the United States. Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said the State Department already received their note verbale requesting immediate assistance

Robredo...

to strengthen the protection of Asians, including Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in the country. (See related story) A letter has been also sent to the US Senate, which was followed by a Senate committee hearing that probed on the reported hate crimes against people of Asian descent since the start of the pandemic. On March 9, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted on a motion to expand the LA vs Hate initiative and the Rapid Response Network, both of which support victims of hate crimes and incidents with support and resources, including mental health counseling. The County has established the 211 hotline, which allows victims to immediately call for help. The motion is sponsored by LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis. “The situation has got worse over the past year. The person with the loudest bullhorn has mocked our community,” said Solis at the March 8 press conference, adding that the 211 hotline has reported more than 800 hate incidents in LA County. “The vast majority of hate crimes go unreported,” she said. LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who also attended the press conference,

said: “Just like COVID, hate has spread rapidly. It’s disheartening to see women, children, the elderly, and even health care workers who have put themselves on the front lines for us, are being targeted.” Shelly Shen, a long-time resident of West Covina, California — the bucolic burb which served as the backdrop for Rachel Bloom’s comedy series “Crazy Ex Girlfriend” — said she lived in a “wonderful community” that had nonetheless experienced hate. Over the past year, one nearby family has kept up a persistent attack on her family and her neighbors. Shen was bitten by the family’s dog, when out on a walk with her dog; the racist family set up a ﬁght between the two dogs, she said. “They told me they were going to eat my dog,” said Shen, who still suﬀers scars from the dog bites. Law enforcement were not supportive, until Shen got LA vs. Hate involved. “They brought us law enforcement help and emotional support,” said Shen. “We no longer felt like we were alone.” “Don’t think this problem will go away if we ignore it: it won’t. Only together will we come out of this dark time,” said Shen. Law enforcement was also unrespon-

sive for Hong Lee, a young resident of Los Angeles. Lee had gone into a restaurant to pick up food. A man approached her, handed her a card, and invited her to lunch. When she declined, noting that she was married, the man started up a seemingly unending volley of verbal, racist abuse. The staff at the restaurant would not help. Lee phoned 911. Police officers arriving at the scene cited the lack of a crime and did not take a police report. “There was a lack of empathy and compassion,” said Lee, adding later that she continues to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and was afraid to leave her house for several months. Lee shared a video of the incident on her social media pages: five other women, who had faced the same abuse by the same man, came forward. The LAPD subsequently apologized to Lee and took her report. Lee advised people to take a video, if possible, and to attempt to de-escalate the situation. She asked people who witness a hate crime to speak to the offender, and also to provide emotional support. “People have had acid thrown at them; faces have been slashed,” she stated emotionally.

that the death of at least nine “massacre”. activists in a series of po“Kung personal na nakita ni Vice Preslice raids in Cavite, Laguna, ident iyong pangyayari, aba’y magbigay Batangas, and Rizal provinces is “mas- siya ng ebidensiya. Kasi ang pananalita sacre.” niya ay parang nakita ng dalawa niyang Presidential Spokesperson Harry mata kung ano ang nangyari doon sa mga Roque said Robredo should show evi- patayan na iyon ‘no (If the Vice Presidence ﬁrst that cops murdered the nine dent personally witnessed the incident, activists before calling the incident as a she should present evidence. Because she

talks as if she saw in her two eyes what really happened),” Roque said. Robredo condemned what she called a “massacre” of nine activists during simultaneous police raids on March 7. Robredo also called for a “clean and independent” investigation to ensure that people behind the death of nine activists will be held accountable.

(From page 1)

Batangas, and one in Cavite following simultaneous police operations on March 7 as policemen conducted the raids by virtue of search warrants for illegal possession of ﬁrearms and explosives. Malacañang immediately challenged the Vice President to prove her claim

 NATIONAL NEWS

March 11-17, 2021

7 nabbed, P122-M shabu seized in Makati, Muntinlupa

MAKATI CITY – Seven drug suspects yielded over P122 million worth of shabu in separate antidrug operations in the cities of Makati and Muntinlupa. The Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas identified the suspects as Kemin Mansi and Abdulrahim Ysmael, both natives of Cagayan de Oro City, and Liezel Julhasan, Donnalyn Julhasan, Rovelyn Enot, Denver Porlahe, and Sharifa Kuly . Mansi and Ysmael were arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by the Southern Police District and local police along Kalayaan Avenue in Barangay West Rembo, Makati City on March 8. Seized from the two were 15 packs of refined Chinese tea packs containing shabu worth P108.8 million, marked money, and a black Ford Everest with conduction sticker IO-4444. Also on March 8, police officers and agents of

the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested five suspects -- Liezel Julhasan, Donnalyn Julhasan, Rovelyn Enot, Denver Porlahe, and Sharifa Kuly in an operation at a fast-food restaurant in Barangay Tunasan, Muntinlupa City. Confiscated from the five suspects were around two kilos of shabu worth P13.6 million, seven mobile phones, a wallet containing different IDs, boodle money, and a red Toyota Wigo with plate number DAI 6096. “Our anti-illegal drug operations are ongoing and this is properly coordinated with PDEA NCR. The PNP operations are focused on High Value Target (HVT) recovery of a large amount of shabu or illegal drugs,” Sinas said. The suspects are now facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

DRUG STING. Members of the Southern Police District and Maka� police arrest seven drug suspects in a buy-bust opera�on that yielded P122 million worth of shabu concealed in Chinese tea packs in Maka� City and Mun�nlupa City.

Spanish ship ‘Elcano’ joining Philippines’ quincentennial rites

MANILA – The Spanish ship Juan Sebastián Elcano will drop anchor in Philippine waters on March 16 to reenact the Spaniards’ ﬁrst contact with Filipinos and the ﬁrst circumnavigation of the world led by Ferdinand Magellan and the ship’s namesake 500 years ago. Spanish Ambassador to Manila Jorge Moragas disclosed that the ship’s stop in the Philippines is a key part of the global voyage around the world to commemorate the quincentennial of the momentous circumnavigation. The 93-year old training ship will ar-

rive in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, and stay in the waters oﬀ Suluan and Homonhon Islands until March 18 before sailing to Cebu on March 20, in the very places where the Magellan-Elcano expedition made the ﬁrst visual contact, landing, and meeting with the Filipino people. “The Juan Sebastián Elcano is doing the same world tour (as the expedition 500 years ago) and (on) March 16, it’s going to visit the very same place in the Philippines. So this coincidence in time and space is something very important that we have to underline,” Moragas said

in a PNA report. Due to coronavirus disease 2019 restrictions, he said the crew of the Elcano would be staying aboard the ship. Before the pandemic, the plan was to include a tour inside the ship. The Elcano is a four-mast brigschooner built in 1928. Its length of 113 meters makes it the third-highest ship in the world. A historic leap forward Moragas said the Magellan-Elcano voyage from 1519 to 1522 was a historic leap forward and a technical challenge at

that time. “The objective of the expedition was commercial and was to search (for) an alternative route to the Maluku (for spice) and in that context, they reached the Philippines,” he said. According to Fundación Elkano, it was in November 1520 when Magellan’s expedition sailed across the Paciﬁc for 100 days, with no land in sight aside from a few atolls. They ﬁnally saw dry land, having arrived in the Mariana Islands on March 6, 1521.

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11 March 11-17, 2021

 OPINION Brava, FilAm women mayors Part 1

EDITORIAL

Anything to contradict Biden

epublican governors, senators and congressmen will say and do just about anything to undermine the Biden presidency. This was made clear in recent days when the GOP showed that they were averse to anything that smacked of bipartisanship. Had they retained control of the Senate or grabbed the majority in the House of Representatives last November, the entire government bureaucracy would have ground to a halt by this time. The silliest stunt from the Republicans came from a congressmen who gave President Biden a grade of F for his supposed poor performance in his first 100 days in office. We will not mention the idiotic congressman by name, as he clearly has an IQ well below normal. When he gave the president – who scored a hefty 60 percent approval rating from the public at large for his handling of the executive department, thus far – a failing mark, he did so when Joe Biden had only been POTUS for 44 days. He wasn’t even halfway through his first 100 days in office when the GOP lawmaker pulled his silly stunt, oblivious to the fact that he was making a fool of himself. Or perhaps he was trying to score points with one-term, twice impeached former president Donald Trump. Political analysts say that the Republican Party is facing an existential crisis, and is not likely to survive in its present form because it has become hopelessly divided. Certainly there are countless Republicans who remain true to the core principles and values of the party of Abraham Lincoln, who voted for Donald Trump in November of 2020, but who accepted their president’s defeat with grace, albeit with much sadness. These are the Republicans who refused to heed Trump’s orders to find ways to overturn the results of the elections in their states. These are the Republicans who believe that the interests of the country come ahead of the interests of the party. These are the Republicans that no less than President Joe Biden said the country needs, not only at this time but all the time. The US can only be politically stable when it has a healthy two-party system in place, with the party out of power serving as check and balance on the party in power. It is not for us to say how the Republican Party of yore can find its way back. If the overwhelming majority believe that Trump should remain their leader, then so be it. Those who cannot stomach the mere presence in their midst of such a divisive figure as the former president have only two choices, either leave the party and strike out on their own as independents, or join the other side. Then again, who is to say that a third party cannot co-exist with the two dominant parties? But certainly the current Republican lawmakers who believe that they should not act as roadblocks to the Biden administration just for the sake of being roadblocks, cannot join forces with those who insist that the duly elected president’s program of government must be made to fail at all cost. By all accounts, the 46th president is doing his best to solve all the serious problems he inherited from his predecessor. Republicans should either help in any way they can, or step aside and let the grown-ups in the White House do their job.

Upside

NIQUE in their individual ways, Filipina American women mayors share a common heritage and face parallel challenges. Carmel-born Rachelle Sumagaysay Pastor Arizmendi, Mayor of Sierra Madre in Los Angeles County, represents a minute fraction or 3.7% of her town’s 11,000 residents, which is 82% white, statistics she finds sobering. “Not only am I the first FilAm woman but also the first person of color to be elected to the City Council of Sierra Madre. Nevertheless, my primary responsibility CHERIE M. QUEROL MORENO is to my constituents that elected me to represent them,” she said, before debunking the fabled crab mentality on which older predecessors blame their failed political forays. “I do recognize the role I have as Filipina American,” Arizmendi disclosed a selfimposed responsibility: “With Filipinos being the largest Asian group in California, we need to see more FilAms in elected offices and leadership roles. I hope to serve as a role model and a support to the Asian Pacific Islander American community, to other people of color, and to any young person that hopes to be a public servant.” But first she touts the fiscal solvency of her town she credits to “fiscal discipline,” which she sees as carrying over through 2021. Meeting the goal requires engagement of the entire community, she said, “given the impact of both the pandemic and the wildfires of this past year.” Sierra Madre may be a small municipality, but it has its own police and fire departments. What it doesn’t have are traffic lights or a major grocery chain. Or crime, giving folks confidence to walk their dogs late in the evening in the 3-mile area. “It’s a place where you feel like you’ve stepped back in time- that’s also why so many movies and TV shows are filmed here,” says Arizmendi, who has a BS in Nutrition and Food Science and a BA in Psychology from San Diego State and an MS in Family & Consumer Science and Nutrition from Eastern Illinois University. Arizmendi is Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of PACE - Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment, a nonprofit community development corporation born in 1976 with a grant from the City of Los Angeles to provide job training and placement services. PACE responds to issues of poverty and economic inequity in minority, ethnic and immigrant communities, a seedbed for future leaders like Arizmendi. “The success in my career is due to the mentors and pioneers who took the time to help nurture people like me. My hope is to continue building and supporting a pipeline of the next generation of leaders in both the Filipino community and the community- at- large,” she acknowledged the source of her inspiration. THOUGH HOME to the highest concentration of Filipinos per capita on the mainland, no FilAm woman was elected to the City Council Daly City until housing advocate Juslyn Manalo was elected in 2016. Hours after she swore in, the City Council voted her Vice Mayor. In 2018 Manalo became Daly City’s (Continued on page 27)

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 OPINION

March 11-17, 2021

“Despite the deaths of thousands of Filipinos and the embarrassment of the country before the world community, the government’s war on drugs has been an utter failure. “Let us not pretend anymore, the drug war really failed because the drugs are still there. If it succeeded, then there should be a signiﬁcant dent on the drug syndicates.” - Senator Panﬁlo Lacson

s columnist of HEALTH & WEALTH in the weekly PHILIPPINE NEW TODAY and founder of FITNESS FOR HUMANITY (aka FITNESS FOR CHRIST) I was delighted to read the latest syndicated column of fellow columnist Dr. Philip S. Chua, M.D. en- ART GABOT MADLAING titled “Lifestyle on Longevity.” It was God’s providence that after finishing the draft of my new book “LIFESTYLE FOR LONGEVITY” subtitled “How to be Healthy Emotionally, Financially, Physically, Sexually and Spiritually,” I was blessed and fortunate to read Dr. Chua’s syndicated column on Health@Heart entitled “Lifestyle on Longevity” (ASIAN JOURNAL, February 1925, 2021). Dr. Chua’s column affirmed and validated the Vision and Mission of FITNESS FOR HUMANITY (aka FITNESS FOR CHRIST) and the ideas and strategies discussed and presented in my upcoming book to be printed and marketed by Amazon on or before May 5, 2021, our 47th Wedding Anniversary with my beloved wife Virginia Jimenez Madlaing I would like to share excerpts of Dr. Chua’s column: “Indeed, a healthy lifestyle impacts longevity, “ he wrote. “Biologists have estimated that the human body has the potential to last 120 years, if not abused, and property cared for. The ‘fountain of youth’ appears to be a healthy lifestyle. How we live will forecast how far we can get. There are a few ‘strategies’ proven by scientific research which can maximize longevity. The studies also ‘calculated’ how many ‘added years’ each regimen will confer the person who uses any of them. While the benefits are not cumulative, the more strategies one uses, the greater the chance of enjoying a longer life. Have healthy sex often, if possible, and live longer. Studies revealed that there is an inversely proportional ‘doe-response’ relationship between orgasm and heart problems. The more sex, the lesser the risk of suffering a heart malady. One study of 918 men showed that those who had healthy sex the most had 50% less risk of death from heart ailment. A UCLA Studies of Public Health shows that men who took 300 mg of vitamin C or more a day lived 5.5 years longer than those whose intake was less than 50 mg. Getting Vitamin C from vegetables and fruits is the best way of doing it. Lowering the cholesterol from 239 to 200 adds 6 months to one’s lifespan, and dropping a high level of 300 down to 200 gives an additional 4 years to life. This can be achieved by diet, exercise and if needed, by cholesterol-lowering drugs. Go to church regularly and extend your life 4 to 7 years longer, as reported by Demography. Besides learning abstinence from tobacco and alcohol, religion in this case also provides strong social and psychological ties and other good practices conducive to a healthier lifestyle. Research has shown that an active social life can add nearly 10 years to one’s life. Those with practically no friends, minimal social contacts, live 4.5 years shorter. Among 10,000 men studies, those who have the highest level of aerobic fitness love 8.7 years longer than those leastfit individuals. Having regular medical check-up increases longevity by two to three years, by preventing diseases and detecting diseases in their early curable stages. Eating less r3ed meat extends life up to nine years. A diet of soy, legumes, and beans and other vegetables increases life expectancy by 13%. Limiting red meat to 3 ounces twice a week, if not eliminating it totally in exchange for chicken meat, will do the trick. Get a dog and walking it every day will add five years to your life. The studies at the Cooper Institute reported that men who walked briskly for 30 minutes a day, five times a week, prolong their life span by five years. Those who abstained tobacco live five years longer, compared to smokers. Alcoholics die at least 8 years sooner than disciplined imbibers or non-drinkers. A normal or medically controlled blood pressure increases your longevity by five to 5.3 years. The normal blood pressure level is 120/80. You can cut your risk of dying by 13% in the next two decades by ignoring fast food fries/hamburger chains, as borne out by a study on (Continue on page 27)

Diliman Way

It does not take extraordinary intelligence to say what Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has said about the drug war of President Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte. It does not take courage either to say that the drug war has failed. Many intelligent, objective and non-partisan individuals have said it more than three years ago. As a matter of fact, Digong’s drug war failed six HOMOBONO A. ADAZA months after he assumed office. Why? Six months was the timeline he gave when he could finish the drug war. He did not finish it in his designated timeline – so he failed. Worse, after the lapse of his timeline, he admitted the problem will not be solved even until the end of his term. So in law, he made an admission against interest – he failed in his drug war. Ping is correct – the drug war has utterly failed. The head of government is Digong, therefore, Digong is a failure in so far as the drug war is concerned. All Ping did is to ping he didn’t even have to pong. Game of pretenders: This comment of Senator Ping on the drug war is, to say the least, surprising. In the past four years, he has been seen as an ally of President Digong. With this recent outburst, he is not an ally after all. If he is not, he has just been pretending. If he sings or hums a tune, he must be singing or humming Nat “King” Cole’s Pretend – pretending these past four years to be happy when he is blue. Senator Ping has charged the government of President Digong that it is pretending to have succeeded in the drug war when it has not. While it is a direct stab at the government, it is an indirect stab at President Digong. And the stab is fatal on the drug war. Senator Ping is right because – it takes one to know one. A pretender knows another pretender, so they say. On President Digong’s part, since he said the Christian God is stupid, he must be telling himself, Pastor Quiboloy, self-acclaimed appointed son of God – Help me with my friends, I can take care of my enemies. But President Digong has only thus far took care of more than twenty-thousand supposed drug addicts, most of them young, poor and destitute, and a political pygmy like Senator Leila but he could not take care of other political pygmies like former Senator Trillanes and Senators Gordon, Hontiveros, Lacson and Pangilinan. President Digong. who is, on his own, a credible singer must be singing the Platters’ Great Pretender. Why: What is the possible reason of Senator Ping’s criticism? Is he playing a positioning game? Is he considering running for President or Vice-President in 2022? Does he think President Digong is beginning to lose credibility and support among our people? Has Senator Ping become familiar with the deluge of negativity against President Digong – even calling him the worst of names in social media? Is this the parting of the ways? Is he trying to prove to everyone he can do better than President Digong? Is he telling our people he is the best among the presidential contenders in 2022? So many questions! So many possible answers! So many imponderables! One thing is certain Senator Ping is in the game in 2022. As they say in chess, he has made his opening gambit. Winnable: Can the drug war be won in the remaining months of President Digong’s term? Most will say – it is impossible! I say – it is not only possible, it is highly probable! Why? It is simple - because in the words of Napoleon, “The word impossible appears only in the dictionary of fools.” In my words – the impossible is only in the mind. So what is the formula? President Digong should appoint a Secretary of Justice who knows the law and who has an unfailing formula to solve the problem. What are the powers of this particular appointee? He should have all powers of the President on evolving and imple- (Continue on page 27)

From exile to the halls of power

ebruary 25, 2021 marks the 35th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution that ended the 21-year reign of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos. During that time, Filipinos saw the collapse of a hated regime that looted the wealth of the Philippine government and made millionaires out of a few cronies of Marcos, PERRY DIAZ which until now are still being investigated by the Philippine Commission on Good Government (PCGG), a quasi-judicial government agency whose primary mandate is to recover ill-gotten wealth accumulated by the Marcoses and cronies. President Cory Aquino created it shortly after she assumed the presidency in the aftermath of the People Power Revolution. In 1988, according to Marcos’ representatives who were negotiating on his behalf, Marcos -- who was then in exile in Hawaii -- offered to give back $5 billion to the Philippines and to support the government of Cory Aquino if he was permitted to return there and be exempted from criminal prosecution. Aquino reportedly rejected the offer; however, she challenged Marcos: “Send the $5 billion, and then we’ll talk.” The negotiation ended but had it gone through, it could have been used to pay off 20% of the country’s foreign debt. In 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte announced that a representative of the Marcos heirs approached him and offered to return to the government a still-unspecified amount of money and “a few gold bars” to help ease the government’s expected budget deficit. “The Marcoses are ready to open and bring back [assets] including a few gold bars,” Duterte quoted the Marcos spokesman as saying. “It’s not that big, it’s not Fort Knox, just a few [gold bars] but they said, they’ll return.” But no exact amount had been discussed and what’s “a few gold bars” worth? Duterte was willing to accept the offer and would appoint a retired justice of the Philippine Supreme Court to negotiate with the Marcos family. But nothing came out of the negotiation. What happened? It died a few days after it was announced. Did somebody try to take a commission or “lagay”? Or did the Marcoses feel that they could gain power back without paying for it? Recovered assets As of 2019, the PCGG has recovered more than P171 billion ($3.4 billion) from the so-called Marcos loot, a far cry from the estimated $10 billion that was estimated in 1985 and which was believed to be ill-gotten, commonly known as the “Marcos loot.” However, estimates of wealth acquired are going as high as $30 billion. Later in 2019, there was an attempt to dissolve PCGG but failed due to resistance in the Senate. And the fact that the Marcoses have become so powerful again makes recovery seem futile. It’s amazing how the Marcoses recovered from their fall in 1986 when they went to exile in Hawaii. Five years later, then-President Cory Aquino allowed the family to come back home to face more than 60 criminal and civil charges against Imelda Marcos, including charges of graft and tax evasion. Chronology of success The Marcoses slowly returned to politics, with family members – one by one --elected to government positions. A chronology of their rise is as follows: In 1992, Imelda ran for president and lost. In 1993, Marcos’ remains were flown back to the Philippines. His body was encased in a glass vault and displayed at the Marcos Museum and Mausoleum in Batac, Ilocos Norte. In 1995, Imelda ran for congresswoman of her hometown in Leyte and won. Also, in 1995, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ran for the Senate and won. In 1998, Imelda ran again for the presidency but later withdrew when she was lagging behind her rivals. She said she withdrew to “save the Filipino people from the ultimate injustice of a possible bloody election.” Although many believed she withdrew to avoid an embarrassing defeat. In 1998, Bongbong ran for governor and won. He served three three-year terms. In 1998, Imee ran for congresswoman of Ilocos Norte, serving three terms from 1998 (Continue on page 27)

PerryScope

Physician validates lifestyle for longevity Health & Wealth

Controversial drug problem

13 March 11-17, 2021

 OPINION

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resident Rodrigo Duterte is committing the same mistake that most of his previous predecessors thought they could get away with. He wants to anoint his successor. Ferdinand Marcos wanted either his wife or son to take his place. We all know how that turned out. Cory Aquino was torn between Monching Mitra and Fi- BETING DOLOR del Ramos, and that did go her way, whoever won between her two allies. After Cory, it was a series of presidents who were not popular enough to convince the electorate to go his or her way. Fidel Ramos wanted Renato de Villa to be the next president, but the ex-general could not stand up to Erap Estrada and his mass appeal. When Erap won, he could not pick his successor because he was kicked out of office by the people. But he did back Fernando Poe Jr., who won the vote but lost the count to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. GMA them chose a most able potential successor in Gibo Teodoro, who by all accounts was the best qualified to succeed the unpopular Arroyo. Too bad, but Gibo lost to his cousin Benigno Aquino III, who wasn’t a bad president in my book. Not bad at all, at least where his handling of the economy was concerned. Alas, Aquino wanted Mar Roxas to take over from him, and Mar had all the smarts to become an even better president than Noynoy. Unfortunately for the country and the people, Rudy Duterte won, and he too wants to make sure his replacement will protect him. Specifically, he wants insurance against being surrendered to the International Criminal Court by the next president. Duterte has been floating several names to run with his blessings in 2022. He has said in the past that maybe Bongbong Marcos could succeed him, but the son of the late dictator does not have what it takes to be president. His supposed popularity is also suspect, considering his loss in the VP race to Leni Robredo in 2016. Duterte has said that he does not want his daughter Sara to take over, but this is a flatout lie. The countryside and even parts of Metro Manila have been flooded with “Run, Sara, Run”posters and tarps, and it was learned that they were being printed in the Armed Forces of the Philippines printing press. Of course this was done with the blessings of Duterte. Too bad for him that there has been a lot of negative reaction to Sara as President, for the simple reason that she is nothing more than a female clone of her father. Remove the Duterte name and she is a nobody, and she knows it. This is why she does not use her married name of Carpio. Then there’s Senator Manny Pacquiao, who wants to be president, and who may be popular enough to pull of a win next year. It will all depend on whether he can still defend his boxing titles a few more times. If Pacquiao loses his next fight, he will be viewed not only as a sports has-been, but as a political lameduck too. But if he wins, the possibility of a Philippine President Manny Pacquiao cannot be discounted. Finally, the president has been suggesting that his favourite butler-cum-alalay Bong Go could be elected president in 2022. Seriously. Last week, he even introduced the senator as President Go. I do not hide my disdain for the Duterte regime, which is more corrupt than Marcos, more incompetent than Estrada, and more sickening than Arroyo. It is for this reason that I want Duterte to force his party to nominate Go for president next year. Duterte makes a bid deal about Go having a La Salle education, and having his roots from vote-rich Batangas. I am a La Sallite (AKA La Sallian) and I not only will not vote for Go, I will campaign against him. I am also a pure-blooded Batangueno, and I reject Go as a real province-mate. He could be from Wuhan, China for all I care. The best reason I have for wanting Duterte to endorse Go is this: Neither the president nor the senator are aware of how much the majority of Filipinos (Continue on page 27)

Exploring the World of Philippine Literature

ere continues a string of essays on the percolating works of Philippine writers. It’s not an easy genre to cover because the distribution outlets seem so sparse and need to be expanded. English is one of the languages in daily use in the Philippines and the language of choice for Philippine writers. There is, indeed, an ample supply of aspiring writers—I have met some of them as a student. They may start in the literary clubs and papers of the Ateneo de Manila or the University of the Philippines but they may also come from anywhere. Writing is not a cost-intensive hobby compared with, say, 200 years ago when paper and ink were much more expensive. As a reviewer commented on Brown River, White Ocean: An Anthology of TwentiethCentury Philippine Literature in English, “English is often a primary literary language for Filipino writers—not only for those in the Philippines but for those resident in the US.” Add to that the rest of the diaspora throughout the world. This genre is worthy of attention. Yet, when I query for notable Philippine writers, I am returned over and over to the same names—Jose Rizal, F. Sionil Jose, Nick Joaquin, Carlos Bulosan, and NVM Gonzales. More contemporary writers of Philippine notability include Jessica Hagedorn, Miguel Syjuco, Luis Francia, and Butch Dalisay. I am sure that this brief list excludes many writers inside the literary community. Part of my motive for writing this column is in the hope that my errors will motivate people to reach out to me (through Facebook… as I have disconnected my Twitter account) and tell me where I am wrong. My point is that, whereas there seems to be a healthy amount of material, there is not much distribution. Thus this series covering Philippine writers worldwide. The ones I’ve listed are externally published writers—those who have received outside sanction from publishing houses, literary magazines, or anthologies. It comes with writerly cache and glamour. There is also that genre of Philippine writer that has spotted Amazon for the powerhouse that it is and self-publishes its work through their platform. There is a plentiful supply of memoir writers who have selfpublished their personal experiences from World War II or the Marcos Dictatorship. These books comprise a wealth of source material and I have been collecting these for years. To start, let me point you to an old project that can be found on philippinespeculativefiction.com. It is a sampler of Philippine fiction stories curated by Charles Tan and Mia Tijam. This one appears to be a project from 2008. The Philippine Speculative Fiction series is a numbered anthology series that can be found sporadically on Amazon or Goodreads. It is not certain whether this project continues to the present day. Just to give these sorts of writers more profile, share this link with your reading friends. It has been made free of charge by the publishers. And check it out yourselves. We are one of the paths for Philippine writers to reach the rest of the world.

‘Moral Compass is a necessity in a civilized society’

ome years back, Michelle Obama was a guest in Stephen Colbert’s Late Show program and Mr. Colbert asked her this question--- “FDR said that the presidency is essentially a moral position. The people look at the First Family as the moral center of the country . . . the first family to ATTY. JOJO LIANGCO set an example . . . ?” The former First Lady then gave the following answer to Mr. Colbert’s question--“Being the first bar is higher . . . you don’t have a room to make a mistake. . . in our eight years . . . everything should be done perfectly. . . there is no margin of error. . . our tone have to be perfect. . . this is the bar that was set for us, and the bar we set for ourselves. . . thinking that as the first, people will measure every one of our race, of our gender and by what we do. . . and there is pressure that come with that. . . that’s the way we carry ourselves. . . we have to watch our language. . . we also knew that in everything we said we thought about how we will be viewed by our children. . . we are the moral compass. . . so we speak carefully and clearly, and intelligently. . .” *** Moral compass is often used in reference to a person’s ability to judge what is right from wrong. Since Rodrigo Duterte was sworn-in as the president of the Philippines in 2016, the Filipino people have heard rants, curses, and foullanguage laden statements and speeches that they have never heard from their past presidents. His often use of the words “kill” and “rape,” taken by many as inciting the military and the police to do such acts have led many critics to say that Duterte lacks moral compass (and this is not a new criticism on the president). One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated. For the past few years, before and during the last Philippine presidential campaign and since he won and took office as the president of the Philippines, Duterte has been criticized about his choice of words and this is evident when he talks about his war on drugs, alleged communist rebels and leftist activists, and his so-called political enemies and adversaries. *** I believe that good values should be at the heart of every leader and should be the standard in choosing our leaders. As the highest law enforcer of a nation, a president is the moral compass and moral center of a nation. If a populist president’s supporters, followers, and admirers have tolerated and accepted a behavior that symbolizes and articulates the negative strains and values of a society, is it safe to say that this acceptance also reflects the nation’s challenged state as a civilized, caring, and compassionate society? *** I still remember this golden rule that was taught to many children and students in grammar school in the Philippines--“Madali ang maging tao, mahirap ang magpakatao” (It is easy to be born as a human being, but it is very hard to be humane and to act civilized). Vulgar language has been acceptable these days and leading politicians and so-called popular leaders have gotten away with foul-language and behavior that includes calling for extrajudicial killings of suspected street drug peddlers and users, rape, uncalled for attacks on the Catholic Church and the God that Catholics believe in, and sexist language that have no room in any civilized nation and society. Many Filipinos have accepted, tolerated, and even idolize and blindly support these so-called leaders without considering how such language and behavior affect the society (particularly the youth) and how such language destroys the moral fabric of the nation. It is a must for all to have and to follow a moral compass. Moral compass should never go out of style. It is a must for every leader. It is a must for every citizen in a society that claims to be civilized.

Immigrant’s Story

Duterte unsure of who he wants to succeed him in 2022

 IMMIGRATIONS Parents can get up to $3600 fully refundable tax credit The new stimulus bill as it stands, increases the existing child tax credit (CTC) to as much as $3,600 per child -- that’s in addition to the $1,400 per dependent in the stimulus check. It would also let families receive the funds “periodically” instead of just annually during tax season. What can parents expect on the new bill? The Child Tax Credit is a credit that parents and caregivers can claim to help reduce their tax bill, depending on the number and ages of their dependents. For many, it may provide a much-needed source of relief as part of a 2020 tax year refund. Before the new stimulus bill, the CTC right now is a $2,000 credit parents can claim on their taxes for every child under the age of 17 (the same age range for child dependents that was used for the first and second stimulus checks). Biden’s plan will temporarily increase the amount from $2,000 to $3,600 per child under 6 and $3,000 for children older than 6. The credit would also be fully refundable and there wouldn’t be a $2,500 earnings floor. Also, the plan would allow families to receive funds as monthly payments from July 2021 to December 2021 instead of one lump sum as part of a tax refund. How would parents know if they are eligible for the Child Tax Credit? For families with kids under 6 would receive up to $3,600 per child under the new COVID relief bill. Families with children aged 17 and under would receive a credit of $3,000 per child. Families with older kids are also eligible: You can claim $500 for each child aged 17 and 18, or for full-time college students between the ages of 19 and 24. Note that this tax credit applies to children who are considered related to you and reside with you for at least six months during the year. Also note that the size of the credit would start to phase out for single people earning more than $75,000 a year, heads of household earning more than $112,500 a year and married couples earning more than $150,000 a year. In addition, the credit would be fully refundable. There’d be no dollar cap and earnings limits that prevent many low-income families with children from receiving the full credit, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Payments would be sent monthly over the course of a year, starting in July to December 2021, instead of once during tax season. Will the Child Tax Credit be based on my 2019 or 2020 taxes? It would likely depend. The IRS will be tasked with basing your eligibility for the Child Tax Credit on your 2020 tax return, if that’s been processed by the first July payment. Otherwise -- in the case of a tax return extension, for example -- the agency would use your 2019 taxes to determine the amount you’re owed. Note: This is not a legal advice. Our office do income tax preparation. Please call our office for appointment. If you have immigration problems the Law Offices of Crispin C. Lozano can help you find a solution before your problem gets worse which could lead to deportation and family separation. Chris Caday Lozano, Esq. is an active member of the State Bar of California, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and San Francisco Trial Lawyers. He practices immigration law, bankruptcy and income taxes and personal injury law since June 1999. His contact phone is 1-877-456-9266, email: info@CCLlaw. net

March 11-17, 2021

Cebu City collects P7.37B in taxes in 2020 CEBU CITY - The Covid-19 pandemic was not a deterent in the Cebu City government’s tax collection campaign. This as City Hall collected P7.37 billion in taxes in 2020, according to Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella. Labella made the disclosure during his first day back in office on Tuesday, March 9. The City Hall’s efficient tax collection in 2020 resulted in Cebu being recognized by the national government as one of 10 cities in the country with the highest rate when it comes to locally sourced revenue last year, Labella said. Cebu City ranked fourth out of 156 cities in the country when it comes to tax collection efficiency. Labella said should the City adapt to a “new normal setting,” it can achieve its

yearly tax collection targets through efficient tax collection. Labella commended Cebu City Treasurer Mare Vae Fernandez Reyes for her determination in continuously guiding her office in the efficient collection of taxes in the City despite the ongoing pandemic. Labella said he had hoped that the selling of some parcels from the South Road Properties (SRP) could have helped in increasing their earnings last year. During Labella’s first year in office back in 2018, the City was able to collect P14 billion, with P6 billion from proceeds from the SRP. During the last year of Labella’s predecessor former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, the City was able to collect P5.2 billion in 2017 and P6 billion in 2018.

10 areas in Metro Cebu to experience DITO services CEBU CITY – Five cities and five towns in Metro Cebu will be the first to experience the services of DITO Telecommunity starting March 8, the company’s chief administrative officer announced. Lawyer Adel Tamano, chief administrative officer of DITO Telecommunity Corporation, said in a media advisory circulated on social media that their “services will be made available” in 10 localities in Metro Cebu. Cebu City, with a population of over six million, leads other localities that will experience the opening salvo of the services of the Philippines’ third telecommunications provider. In southern Cebu, the local government units (LGUs) identified as among the places included in the initial rollout of services will be the cities of Carcar, Naga, and Talisay, and towns of San Fernando and Minglanilla. The cities of Mandaue and Danao and the towns of Consolacion and Liloan in the north are also included in the launching of DITO’s services.

Services will also be experienced in ﬁve areas of Metro Davao, namely: cities of Davao, Panabo, Tagum, and Digos, and the town of Carmen. “However, commercial activities of DITO beginning March 8 shall be in key cities in Visayas and Mindanao and will eventually make its way to the rest of the country (located within, of course, the more than 37 percent population coverage) in just a couple of months,” Tamano said. On Aug. 24, 2020, the House of Representatives approved a measure renewing the franchise of the Dennis Uy-led Mislatel consortium, presently known as the DITO Telecommunity Corporation, for another 25 years. On July 8, 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte awarded the formerly known as Mislatel consortium the permit to operate as the Philippines’ third telecommunications provider. DITO Telecommunity is composed of Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Udenna Corp, and China Telecom.

Economists eye steady BSP rate this year MANILA – Economists forecast a steady policy rate for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) this year as inflation remains elevated, which is projected to even rise to around 5 percent level in the coming months. This, after the domestic inflation rate accelerated to its two-year high in February 2021 when it jumped to 4.7 percent from month-ago’s 4.2 percent. In a report, ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno has “quelled concerns about a possible policy rate hike in the near term, highlighting the supply-side nature of the recent surge in prices.” “Diokno, however, did indicate that monetary authorities were on the lookout for signs of second-round effects (wage or

transport fare adjustments) and if the recent spike in prices could affect the inflation outlook over the policy horizon,” he said. Mapa said the BSP chief is optimistic about easing inflation rate in the second half of the year as measures to address the supply constraints on food items take effect. “We expect BSP to remain sidelined for 2021 while inflation will likely remain elevated in the near term before gradually decelerating by the 3Q (third quarter),” he said, adding “the PHP (Philippine peso) will likely move sideways as Diokno suggest that a rate hike is not on the table for now.” Last year, monetary authorities reduced the BSP’s key policy rates by a total of 200 basis points to help address the economic impact of the pandemic.

15 March 11-17, 2021

 IMMIGRATIONS

Rice import tariff collections post 58% hike to P2 B MANILA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has reported collections amounting to P2.04 billion in tariﬀs from rice imports in January, representing a 58-percent increase over the P1.29 billion collected during the same period last year amid a further improvement in the bureau’s import valuation system. Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said preliminary data show that the amount collected in January 2021 were from imports of 287,957 metric tons (MT) of rice, up by 29 percent from the 223,278 MT brought into the country last year. Guerrero’s report to Secretary Carlos Dominguez III during a recent Department of Finance (DOF) Executive Committee (Execom) meeting was based on customs data as of Feb. 4, 2021. Based on the BOC’s electronic-tomobile (e2M) system, Guerrero said data also show that year-on-year, the average valuation of rice imports improved by 11.5 percent in January 2021. In January 2020, the average value

of rice imports was PHP18,177 per MT, which increased to P20,262 per MT in January this year. Dominguez earlier directed the BOC to check against private traders for possible undervaluation of their rice imports. Improvements made by the BOC to help ensure the proper classification, quantity, and weight of rice stocks brought into the country under the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) led to the increase in the average value of imported rice which, in turn, meant higher revenues for the government from the duties collected from these imports. All import duties collected from rice imports under the RTL go to the annual PHP10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). The RCEF is used to finance programs that will sharpen the competitiveness of palay growers by providing them access to farm machinery and equipAnnual tariff revenues from rice imment, high-yield seeds, cheap credit, and ports in excess of P10 billion shall be skills training programs on farm mecha- earmarked by the Congress —and innization and modern farming techniques. cluded in the national budget of the fol-

lowing year— for ﬁnancial assistance to palay farmers, titling of agricultural lands, an expanded crop insurance program on rice, and crop diversiﬁcation.

DBP returns to global bond market, refinances $300-M bonds MAKATI CITY – The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has returned successfully to the international debt capital market with the refinancing of its 10-year US$300-million bonds that were priced at even tighter spreads over the United States (US) Treasuries than when these notes were first offered to global investors in 2011. JP Morgan, who was among the joint lead managers and bookrunners of the offering, reported to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III that the bond refinancing tightened DBP’s spread over the US

Treasuries to T10+97.5 basis points, from T10 + 225 bps in 2011. The DBP raised US$300 million from its global bond offering in 2011. The DBP refinanced the notes, which are set to mature this March 25. JP Morgan said DBP and the Philippine government were able to score “another big win” with the bond refinancing last March 2 “despite a volatile past week on the back of weaker equity markets and large US Treasury rate swings.” DBP’s offering last March 2 was the first US dollar-denominated bond sale by

a Philippine issuer and the ﬁrst US dollar senior public bond issuance from a Southeast Asian bank this year. It also marked DBP’s return to the international debt capital market since its previous bond issuance in 2011. JP Morgan said the transaction saw strong demand from real money fund managers and achieved a 27.5 bps revision from the initial price guidance. “While investors had initially exhibited price sensitivity due to the volatility in rates, the transaction was eventually priced at T+97.5 bps to yield 2.421 per-

cent, which represents a premium of approximately 32.5 bps over the implied fair value of the Philippine sovereign at the time of issuance,” JP Morgan said. DBP’s spread over the implied fair value of ROP (Republic of the Philippines) bonds was 95 bps in 2011. JP Morgan said DBP “was able to time the market and capitalize on the stronger market backdrop” to launch its global roadshow on March 1 and subsequently price a successful transaction the following day.

PCCI, other biz groups vow full support to e-commerce roadmap MAKATI CITY – The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and other business organizations have committed to pursue programs that will support and complement the 2022 ECommerce Roadmap that was launched recently by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). “The PCCI, Philippine Franchise Association (PFA), and the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA), which I represent, fully support this roadmap and commit our cooperation to pursue our shared vision of promoting e-commerce in the country,” said Ma. Alegria “Bing” Sibal Limjoco, PCCI chair and vice chair of PFA and PRA. Limjoco said the E-Commerce Roadmap is “very timely and significant”, considering the accelerated use of e-commerce due to the pandemic, which also bared the country’s deficiencies in this field.

“This Roadmap, which outlines government and private sector strategies to advance e-commerce in the country, once implemented, will help us fully maximize the growth prospects for (the) digital economy,” she said. She congratulated the DTI, especially Secretary Ramon Lopez, for providing the leadership in the crafting of the Roadmap. Limjoco said as early as August last year, the PCCI already started a dialog among stakeholders to ﬁnd ways to promote cashless transactions and increase uptake of digital payments among the members of the PCCI, PFA, and PRA. The PCCI, she added, already launched an e-commerce platform carrying the brand SHOPALL during the Philippine Business Conference last year in support of the government’s Roadmap. This platform to be operated by the Philippine Business Center will allow mem-

bers of PCCI and local chambers to sell their products and services online. The largest business organization in the country also recently launched the PCCI innovation center, which is envisioned to serve as a central hub to facilitate knowledge exchange among the tech-savvy start-ups and established businesses. With the support of Huawei, the center housed at the DD Meridian Plaza at Bay Area in Pasay City will also provide mentorship programs in areas such as artiﬁcial intelligence (AI), robotics, coding, bi data analytics, internet of things (IOT) among others. This is a realization of the personal advocacy of its president Ambassador Benedicto Yujuico who has advocated for innovation for business. In the area of consumer merchant protection and dispute resolutions, the PCCI also has its own National Mediation Cen-

ter (NCM) which offers an alternative mechanism to resolve business conflicts through mediation. NCM, in partnership with the Conflict Resolutions (CORE) Group, is now discussing strategies to provide e-mediation services for both business and consumer alike. “And, of course, we continue to dialogue with our members and stakeholders to discuss pressing concerns relating to the propagation of e-commerce in the country and identify solutions that can be implemented both by the government and private sector. In fact, the PFA and PRA are calling on the local government units to be more considerate to the businesses affected by the pandemic particularly on calculating the payments for business permit renewal. Issues such as this should also be considered in the roadmap to help our SMEs recover and flourish,” Limjoco added.

 ENTERTAINMENT

March 11-17, 2021

After admitting romance, Julia Barretto and FilAm Gerald Anderson flaunts love with each other

For the ﬁrst time, Julia Barretto, 23, revealed her love for Filipino American actor Gerald Anderson Jr., 32. The young actress posted on Sunday, March 7, 2021 a short but sweet birthday greeting for her “love” on Instagram as Gerald celebrates his 32nd birthday, Evelyn Diao of Maharlika TV reported. Their sweet photo shows Gerald kissing Julia on her cheeks, according to the report. Julia in her caption said: “Everyday, I celebrate you, but today I am extra grateful [white heart emoji]. Happy birthday my love, I am SO PROUD OF YOU.” On March 5, two days before his birthday, Gerald admitted for the ﬁrst time his romance with Julia in a tell-all interview with popular television host Boy Abunda on TV host’s YouTube Channel. In the interview, Gerald admitted that he is now happy with Julia and they are happy about their relationship. The following day after Gerald’s revelation, he and Julia were together in distributing aids for the Aeta families who are living in Lupang Pangako Resettlement in Barangay San Agustin, Iba, Zambales.

It was their ﬁrst public appearance as lovers after Gerald’s confession about their relationship. The Department of Transportation reported the relief distribution on its Facebook page. “With the generous participation of the World Vision Philippines and actress, Julia Barretto, a total of 300 Aeta families residing at the Lupang Pangako Resettlement Area in Barangay San Agustin received basic commodities such as rice, canned goods, instant noodles, biscuits, coﬀee, chocolate drink, and hygiene supplies during said initiative,” the post stated. As seen in the photos, both Julia and Gerald were wearing a Philippine Coast Guard shirt as they give away relief packs to local residents. Gerald holds a Lieutenant Commander rank in the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary under the PCG which is a DOTr agency. “Nagpapasalamat ako kasi kasama ko kayo sa birthday ko. Sana nakapagbigay ng kaunting saya sa inyo ang pagbisita namin dito. Hiling ko rin na maging ‘partner’ kami ng komunidad na ito sa mga susunod pang pagkakataon,” Anderson said,

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as quoted in the same Facebook post. Following the revelation about the real status of their relationship, Julia and Gerald now are ﬂaunting their love for each other based on social media and published reports. As seen on the viral video at Gerald’s 32nd birthday bash in his beach resort in Zambales over the weekend, Julia was seen kissing her bae after they were teased by guests – which included Julia’s mother Marjorie and her family and actor Piolo Pascual. Prior to that, Julia also uploaded a snap of Gerald kissing her on the cheek. The controversy It has been two years since the controversy about Gerald and Bea Alonzo’s split broke out. It was in July 2019 when the paparazzi shots of Julia and Gerald spread on social media. They were spotted walking on a parking lot from a birthday party of their friend Rayver Cruz in Taguig. Gerald was accused of “ghosting” Bea and Julia was the third party in the relationship. Bea and Gerald parted ways but Gerald denied his relationship with Julia in some interviews. But the link between the two did not stop since paparazzi shots were coming out one after another on social media wherein Gerald and Julia were spotted together. Julia even hinted several times that she is in love and the clues of her man points to Gerald. In January 2021, social media was abuzz with a photo of Julia wearing a necklace with a letter “G” pendant. According to some netizens, the letter “G” could mean Gerald. The next statement from Julia came when she admitted in a TikTok video that she is TAKEN where she and a group fo friends were given a choice on who among them is still SINGLE or TAKEN. She was also asked if he is a “PINOY” o “AFAM” and is he “OLDER” or “YOUNGER.” Afam is an urban slang for the word foreigner. Julia chose “AFAM” and “OLDER,” that she was swarmed with comments that she was referring to Gerald. Then in her convo with sister Dani Barretto in a YouTube video, Julia said that she felt the only one lacking in her life is a baby. On March 10, Julia celebrated her 24th birthday. Earlier, after a year of silence, Gerald Anderson has ﬁnally spoken about all the accusations hurled at him with regards to his controversial split with Bea Alonzo and at the same time being linked with young actress Julia Barretto. In a one-on-one interview with Boy Abunda, Gerald admitted that while he has been trying to keep his personal life private, he saw how he was judged by the public and that was the reason why he chose to keep silent for a while.

“Judgment has been passed. At that point na pumutok, I’ve had my moments na parang ‘oh my God, paano ko nilagay ‘yung sarili ko sa ganito? What did I do? I tried to be a good person, bakit?’” was Gerald’s question ho himself during that time. According to the actor, he could hardly comprehend why there is a need for social media to talk about his love life. It was also in 2019 when his separation from Bea also broke out and the reason was his alleged romantic involvement with Julia. “Bakit kailangan umabot sa ganon? Did we really have to take the social media route or path?” he said. Still, Gerald added, he chose not to talk about the issue because he did not intend to blame other people especially if the person has become important to him. “I will never throw someone under the bus para lang linisin ‘yung pangalan ko… lalo na ‘yung tao na I have intimate moments with, I had happy moments with. Lalo na itong last, ang pangit. Ang lala,” the actor recalled. He didn’t have any plan to use other people just to clear his name. “I don’t have the guts to put someone in a bad light because gusto ko linisin ang image ko or ‘yung side ko,” Gerald said. In the same interview, Gerald put an end to all the speculations about his relationship with Julia. When Boy asked if Julia is currently the source of his happiness, the former “Pinoy Big Brother” teen housemate answered aﬃrmatively. “Very happy. It’s a yes,” Gerald replied and appeared to heave a sigh of relief after months of controversy involving the 23-year-old Julia swirling around social media. Gerald said he chose to focus on his blessings amid the accusations being thrown at him. “At the end of the day, ako ‘yung pinaka-controversial na tao sa Pilipinas ngayon but I’m so blessed with good health, ‘yung pamilya, nakakakain kami arawaraw, may work ako. I can still provide for them,” he told Boy.

17 March 11-17, 2021

 ENTERTAINMENT

Raya and the Last Dragon, an Asian-inspired Disney animation film on trust and unity so apt for today practically everything even the company of distrust, indifference, and even to the point of her father sprung to action and was left to do selfishness. The animated film also comes at a time It may be rare that we see film on an Asian so practically by herself with only her father’s setting, but the currently being shown epic sword and friend Tuk Tuk in search of Sisu, her when there is a surge of violence and hate adventure Walt Disney Animation Studios’ only chance to bring back peace in her world. crimes against Asians not just in the United It proved to be very challenging though as States where the spike in cases is more high“Raya and the Last Dragon” was worth all the wait to be watch a film set in the fantasy Raya had to take on challenges that broke even lighted but in other countries as well. “Raya and the Last Dragon” features the world of Kumandra, where long ago humans her trust while, as a child, she was betrayed a and dragons lived together in harmony. The supposed close friend Namaari who even be- voices of Kelly Marie Tran (“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” “Sorry for Your Loss”) as dragons, however, had to sacrifice themselves came an adversary. And this Raya had to learn dearly as she Raya; Awkwafina (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “The to save humanity when an evil force threatened embarked on her life full of adventure and mis- Farewell”) as the legendary last dragon, Sisu; the land. The same evil returned 500 years later and adventures punctuated by lessons on having to Izaac Wang as Boun (“Good Boys,” “Think Like a Dog”); Gemma Chan as Namaari (Marit was left to a lone warrior, Raya, to track put her trust even on strangers. Raya’s quest to find the last dragon, destroy vel Studios’ “Captain Marvel,” “Let Them All down the legendary last dragon to restore the the Druun, and save her world is also a journey Talk”), Daniel Dae Kim as Benja (“The Good fractured land and unite its divided people. With all the adventure, fantasy, comedic of self-discovery—a quest filled with danger, Doctor,” “Hawaii Five-0”); Benedict Wong as scenes and even the presentation tragic divi- adventure, humor and new friendships, yet Tong (Marvel Studios’ “Avengers Endgame” sion between characters in the once united tinged with regret, loss and anger born of the and “Doctor Strange”); Jona Xiao as Young Namaari (“Hightown,” “Gifted”); Sandra Oh artist John Ripa (“Moana,” “Zootopia”) are coworld of Kumandra, what really stood among need to revenge a wrong. What Raya learns, and comes to believe, is as Virana (“Killing Eve,” “Grey’s Anatomy”); directors. Osnat Shurer, who was nominated the takeaways from the animated film were the inviolable themes of trust and unity among the bigger than all of us: we can trust, we can work Thalia Tran as Little Noi (“Council of Dads,” for an Oscar® for “Moana,” and Oscar winner main characters the sacrifi cesStrip of the2009together, we can unite. And, most importantly, “Little”); Lucille Soong as Dang Hu (“Fresh Peter Del Vecho of “Frozen” fame, are the proISOinspired 12647-7by Digital Control 100 60 30 100 60 40 100 70 40 40 40 70Housewives”); 100 70 Sisu30the only 100 60 one100 100 10 Award-winning 25 50 75 90 and 100 70 30 100 40 100 Boat,” 40 70 40“Desperate 40 40 70 40 70 40 40and 3 ducers. Off 40the dragons, particularly left to70 we must. playwright writer Aside from the important messages of trust Alan Tudyk as Tuk Tuk (voices in “Frozen 2” Qui Nguyen (“Vietgone,” “She Kills Monbecome instrumental in bringing back the old united world of people living together for a and unity and theme, the film is a rare glimpse and “Ralph Breaks the Internet”). sters”) and Adele Lim (“Crazy Rich Asians,” on Asian culture and values particularly on the “Raya and the Last Dragon” is helmed “Private Practice”) wrote the screenplay. common cause and purpose in life. It was not easy though as people of frac- family unity and respect for elders underscored by Don Hall, director of Disney’s Academy Nearly all shot production for “Raya and 100 100 60 100 100 70 30 30 100 60 100 100 30 100 100 60 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 40 40 100 10 40 40 20 70 70 70 70 40 70 40 40 000 3.1 2.2 2.2 10.2 7.4 7.4 25 19 19 50 40 40 75 66 66 100 100 100 80 70 70 100 prominence along Raya’s journey in100 40Award®–winning “Big Hero 6,” and 0 Carlos tured lands went 70 against each100other and lived70 70and 30given the Last Dragon” took place from the homes of divided usually motivated with greed and self- the search for Sisu and towards a united Ku- López Estrada, whose feature film directorial more than 450 artists and crew members. In toish personal preservation and interests, the mandra, highlighted women empowerment in debut was the critically acclaimed “Blindspot- tal, more than 900 Walt Disney Animation Stumessage and inspiration of hope and success their important role in the world, among others, ting.” Veteran artist Paul Briggs, known for his dios employees worked remotely contributing the film is very appropriate, a silver lining and work as head of story on “Frozen” and “Big to the film and other upcoming Walt Disney brought to bear by adorable Sisu. T:9.75" Raya, the main warrior character who lost a breath of fresh air in this time of divisiveness, Hero 6,” and fellow longtime animator/story Animation Studios (WDAS) projects. By Jun Nucum

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 ENTERTAINMENT

March 11-17, 2021

OGIE ALCASID & IAN VENERACION IN CONCERT My friends Ian Veneracion & Ogie Alcasid are set to do a virtual concert on March 26, 2021 tittled “Virtually Yours, Kilabotitos” “Ogie and I are excited about this concert,” said Ian. “Bitin na bitin kami because we had already rehearsed for it and done promo. Show schedule na lang ang kulang. Finally, matutuloy na rin! It’s going to be a different virtual concert. Hindi lang ‘yung parang bahay-bahay set-up. It’s not going to be like that. It’s a full concert complete with a band, props and everything. It’s legit, the real thing.” “I have produced Ian’s solo concert called Ian in Color at the Music Museum more than two years ago,” recalled Ogie. “I was a guest in that show. Virtually Yours is our first concert together.” But first, how did they become known as Kilabotitos? “There’s a story about it,” related Ogie. “Two years ago, after a meeting at La Creperie, Ian’s favorite restaurant, there was a group of titas (aunts) waiting to have their picture taken with Ian, talagang magpapakamatay magpa-seflie kay Ian. Nasali ako. They also had their picture taken with me. I teased Ian, ‘Wow, you really are a tita killer,’ the Kilabotita. Those titas were the people who grew up watching our concerts, nanonood ng teleserye ni Ian at ng dating shows kong Bubble Gang and SOP. By the way, you don’t have to be old to be a tita. There

are titas who are only in their 30s.” Their Virtually repertoire consists of songs from the ‘60s (The Beatles, etc.), ‘70s and ‘80s, the same songs that titas love to listen to, songs they are familiar with and can hum (or even sing) along with, not new songs that will make the titas wonder, “Anong kanta ‘yon; sino ang kumanta n’un?” Songs that they miss during this pandemic. Mga James Taylor type of songs that I listened to in high school, songs that a lot of people still love to listen to, especially during this pandemic. Actually, they don’t create that kind of songs anymore,” added Ogie. “Ian is younger than me but he also loves songs of that era.” “Ogie and I are on the same wavelength,” agreed Ian. “We have the same sensibility. Hindi naman nagkakalayo ang edad namin, eh.” It was Ogie who hit on the idea of him and Ian doing a concert together. “I really just enjoy the tugtugan,” said Ian. “Wala lang, sound tripping lang. So when Ogie said, ‘Mag-concert tayong dalawa,’ ako naman, ‘Sige, why not?’ Si Ogie, totoong singer. Bata pa ako napapanood ko na siya sa mga kantahan.” “Uy,” Ogie reminded Ian, “dahan-dahan ka, ha. Bata pa rin ako napapanood na kita sa TV. Nauna ka sa akin.” Ah,” countered Ian, “you mean Joey & Son? But I was a kid at that time.” That kind of camaraderie (along with some people around them) characterizes their friendship and is evident in their concert. “You know what I like about Ian,” shared Ogie. “It’s like this...I have collaborated with several singers, I’ve seen other collaborations, at parang kinakabahan sila. But not Ian. He doesn’t get nervous. He loves the stage and that’s obvious. Enjoy na enjoy siya! And he loves to sing. Si Ian, he would say, ‘Akin na ‘yung mike, akin na ‘yung

gitara, kakanta na ako.’ Makapal ang mukha niya, hahaha!!!” “I feel so welcome in the music industry,” admitted Ian. “Thanks to Ogie...and to Regine and Miss Zsa Zsa who also appeared as guests in my concert...who were so supportive. As you know, I am an actor naman talaga and I’m just trying out music because it’s something that I really love, something that I’ve enjoyed my whole life. It was just for me, not for public performance. It took me a long time to have the conﬁdence to perform before a live audience. It was because of my teleserye with Bea Alonzo (A Love To Last) that I agreed to record a song. Ngayon,” he added with a laugh, “kumapal na ang mukha ko to be able to perform in public and I’m really enjoying it. Dati, hiyanghiya ako. Now, walang nang hiya-hiya, hahaha!!!” Asked what tips/pointers he could give Ian, Ogie said, “Do I have to give him tips pa? Mahusay ‘yan, eh!” For his part, Ian said he is learning a lot from Ogie. “His love for music. Seryoso ang music, hindi laro-laro lang. Ogie is meticulous with detail...from the areglo to the sound to the timpla, the mixing. He’s particular with the diﬀerent aspects of the show. Everything should be in sync.” ANG PROBINSYANO MOVES TO TV5 ABS-CBN Entertainment, Cignal, and TV5 continue to collaborate to

bring the best content to more Filipinos with the airing of well-loved primetime programs “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” “Ang Sa Iyo ay Akin,” “Walang Hanggang Paalam,” and “Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Connect” on TV5, started few days ago. These shows are the latest to move following the simulcast of “ASAP Natin ‘To” and “FPJ: Da King” every Sunday since January 24. “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” a favorite in Filipino households since 2015, will not end in April 2021, contrary to a media report. The program will continue to serve our loyal viewers with engaging and action-packed episodes that highlight love for family, nation, and God as they follow the story of Cardo Dalisay. “We welcome the inclusion of ABSCBN entertainment shows in our roster of programs. We believe that this content deal will beneﬁt Filipino viewers across the country because of TV5’s extensive coverage. “ said Robert P. Galang, Cignal and TV5 President and CEO.

Kristoffer Martin’s ‘secret love’ Liezel Lopez is no secret anymore Kristoﬀer Martin is no longer hiding his relationship with the new love of his life, “StarStruck Season 6” contestant Liezel Lopez. The 26-year old Kapuso actor broke

up with his ex-girlfriend AC Banzon on December 19, 2020. He is now open to his friends who witnessed his sweetness to the 23-year old actress when they were spotted having a vacation in

a beach resort. Liezel plays the role as Kristoffer’s sister in “Babawiin Ko Ang Lahat,” an afternoon drama series of GMA-7. In an exclusive interview with pep.ph on February 17, 2021, AC said that her relationship with Kristoffer was still okay before he started his lockin taping for the drama series which went on for a month. However, when the actor came home, AC felt the changes in him and he always said, “pagod na ako.” “I think he had someone else during his lock-in taping,” AC said during the interview. AC said that Kristoffer admitted that there was a third party involved in their separation, but he did not mention the name of the girl.

AC’s intuition was right and she need not investigate who the girl is, now that Kristoﬀer doesn’t keep it a secret anymore. She was also right that the girl was somebody from the cast of the drama series who was with Kristoﬀer during the lock-in taping.(ECD/MTVN)

19 March 11-17, 2021

 ENTERTAINMENT

Sarah Geronimo stays with ABS-CBN; Maine Mendoza has a show on TV5

There have been speculations that pop queen Sarah Geronimo is moving to the TV5 to host a new show “PoPinoy.” This surfaced after a teaser ad of TV5 “Pop-Siklaban Na!” with Sarah’s picture with a caption “PoPahuli ba kayo? Don’t miss this chance. The Popstar Royalty is

rooting for you!” The PoPinoy is TV5 search for the “biggest Pop Boyband” and this will start in April 2021. Sarah is the brand ambassador of a cellular service company which is the major sponsor of “PoPinoy” hence, her photo for the teaser ad of the Kapatid network’s new program. The Pop Princess has an exclusive contract with ABS-CBN and she can be viewed on TV5 only because of ASAP, Kapamilya’s musical-variety show which is also being shown on TV5 every Sunday through its sister company, the streaming service KTX.ph, and on VivaMax “Tala,” Sarah’s one-night only and exclusive online film concert on March 27, 2021. Sarah’s fans may have been so excited with the teaser ad, but she has no participation whatsoever in “PoPinoy.” The host of the said talent search show will be Paolo Ballesteros and Maine Mendoza. “PoPinoy” will be Maine’s first show on TV5. There is no conflict with GMA Network Inc. since she is the talent of Triple A, the talent management company of

APT Entertainment. “Eat Bulaga” where Maine is a regular co-host is a blocktimer of Kapuso network, produced by TAPE Inc. Viva Entertainment top honcho Vic del Rosario Jr. conﬁrmed that Sarah remains an exclusive talent of ABS-CBN and will not be hosting in any TV show outside the Kapamilya network. Del Rosario denied a social media announcement that Sarah will host a new talent search show titled “PoPinoy” with TV5. “Sarah appears only as an endorser in the show and she is not the host,” del Rosario told ABS-CBN News. “She just complied to her commitment as an endorser of Talk and Txt. She is still exclusive with ABS-CBN and the only time she appears on TV5 is when she comes out on ‘ASAP Natin ‘To.’” Sarah is expected to return to the Kapamilya Sunday noontime show amid preparations for her online show with KTX.ph and iwanTFC titled “Tala: The Film Concert” on March 27. “Tala: The Film Concert” marks Sarah’s major stage comeback this year after weeks of public clamor for her return to public performances. The show is also Sarah’s ﬁrst concert one year after she married actor Matteo Guidicelli. Viva Records has also announced the production of her new album this year.

ABS-CBN TFC selects Comscore as first national television measurement provider RESTON, Virginia - Comscore (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted cisions with confidence. A proven leader in measuring digital prehensive cross-platform measurement. To learn more, visit partner for planning, transacting and evaluating media across and TV audiences and advertising at scale, Comscore is the www.comscore.com. platforms, announced an agreement to provide The Filipino industry’s emerging, third-party source for reliable and comChannel (TFC), the home of Filipino stories and flagship channel of leading Filipino media and entertainment company ABS-CBN International, with national TV measurement. This multi-year agreement, which names Comscore as TFC’s first third-party measurement provider, marks a significant milestone for the network. Under the agreement, TFC will have access to Comscore’s best-in-class national TV measurement to plan, transact and evaluate their audiences for programming analysis and in driving ad sales. “The audience for Filipino content is evolving and getting diverse,” said ABS-CBN International Managing Director Jun Del Rosario. “Comscore’s leading industry insights will help us to better understand content performance, giving us a clearer picture of audience behavior and preferences. Aside from enabling us to better serve our subscribers, these insights will also help us design more effective solutions for advertising clients who want to reach out to the Filipino market.” “We are thrilled to partner with TFC for national TV audience measurement,” said Carol Hinnant, Chief Revenue Officer, Comscore. “This agreement reinforces Comscore’s reputation as a leading third-party measurement partner, and we look forward to providing TFC with meaningful, actionable insights that enable them to fully understand the behaviors and needs of their audience.” With more than a decade of experience measuring television viewership from return path devices across tens of millions of households in all local markets, Comscore is a trusted source for television viewing data. Comscore is also a leader in instrumenting change in television measurement by enabling the adoption of advanced audiences and the move to impressions, which allow the industry to go beyond age and gender to evaluate based on consumer behaviors, interests and lifestyles. This enables TV stations, networks, advertisers, agencies and media companies at both the local and national levels to effectively find and reach their ideal audiences to maximize their revenues. About Comscore Comscore (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating media across platforms. With a data footprint that combines digital, linear TV, overthe-top and theatrical viewership intelligence with advanced audience insights, Comscore allows media buyers and sellers to quantify their multiscreen behavior and make business de-

 REAL ESTATE

March 11-17, 2021

Cebu Landmasters to launch economic housing brand in VisMin

Why is it so hard to buy a house in California?

uying a house is like playing a complicated sport. You need to know the rules and get in shape before hitting the field, and then nimbly maneuver through challenges to win the game. But buying a house in California is totally different, you have to know the right agent and lots of money to show the ability to buy and get a loan or pay cash. More buyers than homes for sale If you find a reasonably priced house in good condition, chances are you won’t be the only one making an offer — even if it just hit the market. Agents tend to purposely market the house slightly lower in price to encourage over bidding by multiple buyers. For buyers, this means flexibility is important, and you may have to make some concessions. For example, it’s tough to win over a seller in a hot market if you make the purchase offer contingent on the sale of your current home. On the other hand, understand the risks of any concessions you offer, and don’t make any that you can’t afford. Home prices expected to increase Real estate experts expect home prices to go up in 2021, but not as fast as they did in 2020. Prices of existing homes are projected to increase 3.1% in 2021, compared with a 6.7% jump in 2020, according to an average of forecasts from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the National Association of Realtors and the Mortgage Bankers Association. Mortgage rates going up recently will have a slight effect on the purchase market. Due to Covid and school students staying home for online classes. The usually trend of seasonal market demand might be out the window, therefore buyers and sellers don’t need to wait for the summer season to market their homes or make offers. What hasn’t changed, get Pre-Qualified by your Mortgage lender Shopping for a home before shopping for a lender is a common home buyer mistake. Get your finances in order and shop for a lender before looking at homes. Before you apply, check your credit reports and dispute any mistakes you see, and find out your credit score. Get your paperwork organized. Be prepared to provide details about your income, debt, employment and financial accounts to get preapproved. A mortgage preapproval is an offer by a lender to loan you a certain amount under specific terms. It’s not a guarantee for a New Funeral home with Reception Center Flower Shop final loan approval, but it will show real estate agents and Beautiful Garden Memorial Park Cremation Services sellers that you’re a serious buyer. We transfer your loved ones to and from the Philippines Combined with your household budget, knowing the amount you’re qualified to borrow is essential for knowing how much house you can afford. What credit score and down payment do I need? The credit score needed to buy a house depends on the type of mortgage and the lender. Some lenders raised their credit score requirements amid the economic fallout from the pandemic. Near the end of 2020, credit availability was 30% under pre-pandemic levels, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Credit availability decreases when lenders tighten their standards. Some lenders may loosen credit requirements if the economy improves in 2021, but it may still be hard to find a lender if you have a lower credit score. Down payment requirements also vary by the type of mortgage and the lender, but could be as low as 3 3% for some conventional loans. Putting more money down will help you qualify for a lower mortgage rate and will decrease your monthly payment. A higher down payment may also give sellers more FFFFFFF HHHH RRRRRRRRR CCCCCC CCCCCCC LLLL confidence that your loan will close, which may increase your chances of getting an offer accepted. Mortgage rates expected to start going higher Economists expect mortgage rates to be around 3.5 – 4% in 2021 after falling to historic lows in 2020. This will have a heavy impact on first time buyers trying to buy a home, due to rates going up significantly, it will lower their buying power. Will this hurt the real estate market? I really don’t think so because I believe there are more repeat buyers or investors in this market than first time buyers. Thanks for your inquiries, please call Ken Go of 1st Innovative Finance Group at 562-508-7048 or write to kennethgo@verizon.net CABRE 01021223 NMLS 238636

CEBU CITY – Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) has announced the 2021 rollout of its flagship economic housing brand Casa Mira to four more key cities in the Visayas and Mindanao (VIsMin) regions as the response to the massive demand for safe and secure value housing heightened by the pandemic. CLI chief executive officer Jose Soberano III said the housing backlog in the VisMin region became “very apparent” last year as infections from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) surged highlighting a need for economic housing in secure and well-planned communities. “Many new residential seekers met that need by purchasing Casa Mira homes. As demand in other parts of the region continues to be largely unmet, we’ve made it our mission to roll out more Casa Mira projects in more VisMin cities to fill that gap,” he said in a statement. A study from Leechiu Property Consultants disclosed that the housing backlog is estimated to reach 6.8 million housing units by 2022. Ten Casa Mira communities with a development cost of P10.24 billion and a

total of over 10,000 housing units are currently in ﬁve VisMin locations: Cebu, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo and Sibulan, Negros Oriental. New developments will be launched in Dumaguete this month and in other key cities in VisMin in the next few months particularly in Ormoc, Puerto Princesa, and Davao City. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Vismin residents purchased in record numbers CLI’s Casa Mira housing units priced from P1.6 million. They all together accounted for 69 percent of CLI’s reservation sales of P14.23 billion, the ﬁrm’s highest to date. “We believe that an expansive mood and lessons learned from the pandemic– where homes in well-planned communities provided a safe haven–will drive Casa Mira forward for the balance of the year,” Soberano said. Through Casa Mira, CLI has maintained the largest residential market share in Visayas and Mindanao by upgrading the lifestyle of its residents with generous community amenities usually packaged with higher-priced developments.

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21 March 11-17, 2021

NEWS  NATIONAL SPORTS NEWS

Chess champion Wesley So now a US citizen, says he’s a Filipino at heart

ST. PAUL, Minnesota - Wesley So, one of the greatest chess athletes born in the Philippines, is now United States citizen. So, who was naturalized on February 26, nine years after he arrived in the States as a recruit for Webster University, posted his photo on Facebook displaying a US ﬂag and his citizenship oath. The Bacoor, Cavite-born So, who is now 27, took his oath at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services oﬃces in St. Paul Minneapolis, Minnesota where he is a resident under the support of his adoptive parents former PBA player Renato “Bambi” Kabigting and former actress Lotis Key. It was reported that So told Debbie Canon of the US CIS his reasons for acquiring US citizenship during his swearing-in ceremony. “For a better future, because this is the land of opportunity,” said So, who became the youngest grandmaster of the Philippines at the age of 14 years old, after securing his third GM Norm on December 8, 2007. “I love the fact that anyone can strive to succeed (in the US). You are not held back by your color, lack of connection and or the amount of money you have,” he explained as reported by ABS-CBN. “If you work hard, you have a better chance of making it here than anywhere else in the world. I came here ready to work hard, and it turned out just as I dreamed (it would be).” So said he cherished the land of his birth, saying:

Yuka Saso named Athlete of the Year, awards

Filipina-Japanese golfer Yuka Saso (File photo)

MANDALUYONG CITY – Filipina-Japanese golfer Yuka Saso will headline this year’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards. The country’s oldest media organization announced on Sunday that Saso, who quickly made waves in her rookie

season as a pro last year, has been named the Athlete of the Year. “The 19-year-old Saso was a bundle of hope and inspiration for the more than 100 million Filipinos at a time when local sports took a severe beating as the Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak cast its huge shadows not only in the country but globally as well,” the PSA said in a statement. Saso won two Ladies Professional Golf Association titles in Japan while displaying some brilliance in the US Open by ﬁnishing 13th overall. She ended the year at No. 45 in the world rankings with PHP50 million earnings. This will be Saso’s second Athlete of the Year award in a span of three years, having won the 2019 edition alongside fellow golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go and weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz for their 2018 Asian Games golds. The PSA Awards will be done virtually on March 27 with the physical aspect happening at the TV5 Media Center in Mandaluyong.

Daan tungo sa pagbangon ni Pacquiao sa pagkatalo

sang araw makaraang malasap ang marahil ay pinakamapait na karanasan sa kanyang noon ay ika17 taon bilang boksingero – ang matalong nakadapa sa lona sa ika 6 na round ng kanyang 12 round na pakikiharap kay Juan Manuel Marquez -- agad ipinabatid ni Pilipino icon Manny Pac- EDDIE G. ALINEA quiao ang kanyang pagbabalik sa ring. Sa panayam sa reporter na ito noong Disyembre 9, 2012, walong araw bago sumapit ang kanyag ika-34 na taong kaarawan, at kinabukasan makaraang patulugin siya ng maalamat na Mehikano, ipinahayag ng ating si Manny ang kanyang intensyong muling umakyat sa parisukat na lona. Upang ipaghiganti ang kambal na pagkabigo noong taong iyon kasama ang kontrobersiyal na di nagkakaisang talo kay Timothy Bradley, anim na buwan bago ang KO kay Marquez. Ito ay sa kabila ng panawagan mula sa kanyang ina, si Aleng Dionesia, Mommy D sa fans, kabiyak na si Jinkee, mga anak, kamag-anak at malalapit na kaibigan na panahon nang mag-retiro siya sa dahilang wala na naman siyang dapat patunayan pa base sa mga nagawa niya sa larangan ng pakikidigma sa loob ng kulang sa dalawang dekada sa propesyong napili niya. Iba ang nasa-isip ni Manny. Marami pang bagay ang dapat lupigin at kailangan niya ng isakatuparan ang mga ito. Alang-alang sa kasiyahan ng mga fans sa buong mundo na naniniwala pa sa kanyang kakayahan. “Disyembre na ngayon, kaya tiyak na sa susunod na taon, babalik na tayo,” bulalas ni Pacquiao sa kolumnistang ito. “By that time, 35 pa lamang ako. Marami pa tayong magagawa.” Sa nasabing interbyu, nabanggit ni Pacquiao ang kanyang kagustuhang bigyan ng pagkakataon si Marquez na makatabla sa kanya. Sa apat nilang paghaharap, lamang pa ang ating bata sa 3-panalo, isang tabla at isang talo. “In fairness to Marquez, dapat lamang namang bigyan natin siyang maka-tabla bago man lamang siya mag-retiro,” aniya sa reporter na ito. Samantala, ang pagkabigong ito ni Pacquiao ay lalong maka-antala sa planong iharap na siya kay wala pang talong si Floyd Mayweather Jr. na noon ay malapit ng matapos ang mahabang limang taong negosasyon para mangyari. Ang tutoo, matapos mapanood ang panalo ni Marquez, nagkalakas ng loob si Mayweather na ipahayag na halos done deal na ang usapan tungkol sa napipintong sagupaan nila ni Pacquiao. Gaya ng naipangako, Nobiyembre 24, taong 2013, ipinamalas ng noon at dalawang beses na kongresista at ngayon ay senador nang si Manny, ang kanyang kakayahang bumalikwas sa anumang kagipitang maaring mangyari sa buhay ng isang nilalang, boksingero man o hindi. Ang sumalo sa lahat ng kanyang kabiguan -- si Brandon Rios na pinarusahan niya sa 12 round para pasukuin sa isang nagkakaisang hatol at iuwi sa dalampasigan ng Pilipinas ang bakanteng sinturon ng WBO International welterweight sa sagupaang ginanap sa Venetian Resort sa Macau. Ang labang ito sa Amerikanong si Rios ay una sa dalawang nairaos sa lunsod ng mga bisyo sa Asya.

Outside Looking In

“That doesn’t mean that I don’t love the Philippines. I have good memories from there. But I did not have the connections I needed in that culture.” “I was from the province, not a city boy. Had no money, etc. I wanted to go further, and there is only one country that a nobody could make it. The USA,” he was quoted as saying by ABS-CBN. In acquiring US citizenship, the soft-spoken chess player, who came to the US in 2012 as chess scholar for Webster University, stressed that he wanted “to give back to the country that has been so good to me. “From the moment I landed here, I was encouraged and enabled to be better than I was (before). I like this attitude and tremendous generosity of American culture. Most people here have no idea what it is like anywhere else in the world, and they don’t appreciate the amazing spirit of this country.I have competed in most countries of the world and I can say . . . I love it here!” he added. In his Facebook post days later, So described his oath taking as “One of the biggest days of my life next to being baptized.” But while he switched citizenship, the grandmaster who was born in Bacoor City, Cavite, said he remains Filipino at heart. “I am now a proud Filipino American like millions of others. And like millions of others, I will not forget where I came from” he wrote with his photo. So, the first Fischer Random world champion and reigning US chess champion, also thanked to Eugene Torre, Asia’s first Grandmaster, for supporting his career moves. “Thank you Eugene for being one of the few Filipino Chessers who never had a bad word to say about me. Lotis (Key) told me that even before I was born, when you were a young man and used to visit their family house, none of them realized you were a genius but everyone knew you as a perfect gentleman, worthy of respect. It seems they also thought you were very handsome!” said So in another post. So, the first Fischer Random world champion and reigning US chess champion, thanked Eugene Torre, Asia’s first Grandmaster, for supporting his career moves. Torre has been supportive of So ever since he broke into the Philippine chess scene and later the international arena. Torre backed So’s decision to transfer to the USA in 2014 and was unbothered when the US Chess Federation announced So has become a US citizen last week, Rappler reported.

March 11-17, 2021

Q: Can my identity be stolen from my cell phone? A: A cell phone is virtually a small computer. It possesses applications that enables you to use it just like a computer as much as information that may be stored in its memory. So it is a computer and it has your information in it, then it can be hacked and your identity stolen. It is best to protect yourself as much as possible to prevent yourself from falling victim to identity theft. Once you become a victim, it will change your life forever. Here are some pointers to help protect your cell phone from being hacked and your identity stolen. Always establish a pin code or a password. This will force anyone who ends up with your phone with having to reset it which will wipe out all the current information it contains. Beware of phishing emails or scams. In some cases you might receive calls from someone pretending to be your service provider and ask you for certain information that they can use to hack your accounts. There might also be emails asking you about certain information but these are scams. Monitor your bills monthly. Always check your monthly bills for mobile phones and credit cards. There may be signs of fraudulent activities or suspicious activities. Safe disposal of phones. When you get a new phone and are ready to get rid of your old phone, erase everything and then give it to a recycling place or donate it. This will keep it away from the hands of thieves. Ang ating lesson, Laman ng moblie phone ay erase muna, para di mabiktima. If you need help in getting out of debt, call Debt Aid Consulting International. We do not use call centers which keeps your information safe. We have a new program that reconstruct debts for half of what you would pay our competitors. We also provide legal assistance that keeps collectors away. We take Federal Credit Unions, Payday loans and high interest personal loans in our program too. This is exclusively available for Debt Aid Consulting clients. None of our competitors provide this program. You are well protected. We only provide Federal Trade Commission compliant programs. Go with Debt Aid Consulting! Do not fall for marketing gimmicks saying that they have the right program for you. Most marketing companies only have one program and will enroll you in that program whether it fits you or not. So beware! Ben Lou at your service! I have over 35 years of financial experience. If you would like sound financial advice, call us at Debt Aid Consulting International. We do not use call centers. No one has the right to put your information at risk. Debt Aid Consulting is the first and only Filipino debt mediation company incorporated in the US and Canada, Caribbean Islands, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines! Your Global Debt Solutions Company! Tawag na po sa 1-888341-5234 at tutulungan po namin kayo. Itama po natin ang mali!

 COMMUNITY NEWS

March 11-17, 2021

Filipino and FilAm women writers in US share their journeys in virtual program WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Philippine Embassy in the United States marked International Women’s Day on March 8 with a virtual program entitled, “A Panel Discussion with Filipino and Fil-Am Women Writers” featuring Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, Luisa A. Igloria, Migs Bravo Dutt, and Gayle Romasanta. The poet laureate of San Mateo County, California, Aileen Cassinetto, moderated the event. “It is the first time that the Philippine Embassy is putting the spotlight on women writers and today’s event proves to be more exciting as we will hear and learn from the stories of the storytellers. We have been more familiar with foreign authors, foreign books, writings, and literature for far too long, especially in a foreign country where knowledge and access about the works of Filipino authors are neither popular nor accessible. Fortunately, we have been seeing an increasing number of Filipinos making a name for themselves in the global publishing scene and making their mark on the printed page around the world,” said the Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Renato Pedro O. Villa in his opening remarks. The speakers read excerpts from their published works and shared their respective journeys as Filipino migrant women, including their influences, sources of inspiration, and challenges. They spoke about how being Filipino or Filipino-American played a role in their writing and how they navigated various social issues that the Filipino diaspora has faced over the years. Cecilia Manguerra Brainard is a fiction writer whose three novels — When the Rainbow Goddess

Wept, Magdalena, and The Newspaper Widow, are set in Ubec, which is based on Cebu, her hometown in the Philippines. She said, “I have many homes. I have a home in Cebu. I have a home in Manila. I have a home in California, and sometimes I don’t feel like I really belong in one place because I’m a little bit different in each place so I’m kind of a misfit. But that’s also okay because I’ve discovered that as a misfit, I can have an objective eye and I can look at Cebuanos and say this and I can look at Americans and I can say this because I’ve got this perspective that’s broad.” Brainard also highlighted her focus on character development, saying that “What carries the weight of the story would be the characters and what happens to them.” Migs Bravo Dutt, author of the contemporary novel, The Rosales House, has likewise contributed poetry to various anthologies and journals in Asia, Croatia, and the United States. She described her writing process as an exercise in consistency. “I try to be consistent in my writing. So I think one of the things I tried to establish is to write daily….But whenever I know that I’m going to write for a couple of hours, I prepare a playlist and so on the day that I write longer, I play that on and on repeatedly…. I also get inspired by nature so whenever I go out for a walk, I try to be present. I try to observe what is happening around me, tiny things, tiny flowers, what’s the color of the bird, what kind of trees, just basically I try to be present and observe those details,” Dutt shared. Luisa A. Igloria was appointed as the Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia (2020-2022) in July and is one of 2 cowinners of the 2019 Crab Orchard Poetry Prize for Maps for Migrants and Ghosts (Southern Illinois University Press, Fall 2020). “I don’t think it’s possible to separate life from art, and vice versa. So the idea of equilibrium or balance and the idea of successful blending is beguiling, very attractive but this also seems to be premised on the thought that there’s something inherently wrong and may be disturbing about things that don’t show symmetry…. I think there’s more value in embracing and celebrating difference, or unblendability. We’re able to create more powerful connections when we tell our very specific stories and histories which are of course complex and messy, as well as profound and also ordinary”, said Igloria when asked about her thoughts on achieving equilibrium in writing by blending distinct experiences. Gayle Romasanta, a writer and artist whose

THE WRITERS (clockwise from top right) Aileen Cassinetto, event moderator; Luisa A. Igloria; Gayle Romasanta; Migs Bravo Du�; and Cecilia Manguerra Brainard work focused on social issues, underscored the still relatively small number of authors of color being published in the United States. However, she remains hopeful with what the community is creating, especially through the advancements in technology. Romansanta co-authored the ﬁrst book about Filipino labor leader Larry Itliong entitled, Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong, with the late and great historian Dr. Dawn Mabalon. “He [Larry Itliong] said that the downfall of the Filipino is the tribalism….The only way that we can actually unify in the United States is to come together… to ﬁght together,” Romasanta said as she shared her personal journey of letting go of the classism typically embraced by previous generations of Filipino-Americans and advocating for racial equity and justice. You may connect with the speakers and moderator by visiting their websites and social media pages below: Cecilia Manguerra Brainard https://ceciliabrainard.com Instagram: @ceciliabrainard Migs Bravo Dutt https://penguin.sg/book_author/mignon-bravodutt/ Instagram: @migs_dutt Dr. Luisa A. Igloria http://www.luisaigloria.com Instagram: @poetslizard Gayle Romasanta https://www.bridgedelta.com/gayle-romasanta Instagram: @grromasanta Aileen Cassinetto https://aileencassinetto.com Instagram: @smcountypl “A Panel Discussion with Filipino and Fil-Am Women Writers” may be viewed on the Embassy’s Facebook page. The Philippines’ 2021 National Women’s Month Celebration serves as a tribute, a platform, and a call to action that highlights the extraordinary roles of women as trailblazers and harbingers of change.

25 March 11-17, 2021

 COMMUNITY NEWS

NAFFAA celebrates International Women’s Month building bridges among women leaders across the US and motherland WASHINGTON, DC - On International Women’s Day, NaFFAA prepares to celebrate Filipina public officials, pioneers and changemakers at Women Building Bridges, co-presented by Comcast. The virtual event will be hosted by top Filipino newscaster and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader Karen Davila and Filipino American TV Pioneer Jannelle So-Perkins (Founder and CEO of SoJannelle. com), and will feature Filipina leaders from all over the country who will speak about their motivations and experiences as elected officials. About 60% of newly elected Filipino American officials during this past election cycle have been women. The Zoom event will take place on Friday, March 12 from 7PM - 8PM ET / 4PM - 5PM PT (Saturday March 13 - 8AM Manila). The central theme of the event is “Anong ‘K’ mo?”, a Filipino saying that means, “What’s your capacity, what’s your talent, what’s your story?” Filipina leaders will share their motivations, their skills, their contributions, and their actions in civic engagement. The event is a chance for Filipina women to come together to discuss their goals and their stories, as well as a networking opportunity between trailblazers and future leaders, featuring a Kumustahan and Kuwentuhan - checking in and getting to know one another. Invited featured leaders include: Rachelle Arizmendi, Mayor, Sierra Madre, CA Juslyn Manalo, Mayor, Daly City, CA Rozzana Verder-Aliga, Vice Mayor, Vallejo, CA Malia Vella, Vice Mayor, Alameda, CA Melissa Ramoso, Mayor Pro Tem, Artesia, CA

Krystle Ang Palmer, City Treasurer, Burbank, CA Sofia Aragon, Councilmember, Burien, WA Radiant Cordero, Councilmember, Honolulu, HI Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Councilmember, Puna, HI And connecting them with Women Leaders such as Loida Nicolas Lewis (Co-Founder, NaFFAA), Gloria T. Caoile (Founding Member, NaFFAA), and other NaFFAA Leaders and Members, plus Filipina Social Entrepreneurs Len Cabili (Founder of Filip + Inna) and Ayesha Vera-Yu (CEO and Co-Founder of Advancement for Rural Kids). “In this special and challenging time, connecting is one of the most valuable things we can do. Women, especially, need connecting. No matter where we are, or where we’re from, there are many ways to relate. Women play many roles: mother, worker, mentor, friend. We look forward to meeting many Fiilipina women, leading in their own fields and look forward to getting to know them and why they do what they do,” comments NaFFAA Executive Director, Carissa Villacorta. “We are honored to join NaFFAA to celebrate these strong Filipina women leaders who play such significant leadership roles in their communities and beyond,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at Comcast Corporation. “It is important that we recognize, listen to, and learn from these women as they share their experiences and perspectives and drive change as elected officials.” NaFFAA invites all to join us as we uplift the voices of the women in our communities. For more information and to register for free, go to NaFFAA.org/iwm or email info@naffaa.org.

Stand with Asian Americans and Paciﬁc Islanders in Solidarity to Denounce Racism

ELLIE ESTIOKO-RASAY celebrates her 1st birthday!

Brisbane to Hold Peaceful Vigil on Saturday, March 20 at 4pm BRISBANE, CA – Brisbane resident Kalvin Lee had been following the rise in racially-motivated attacks against the Asian community in the Bay Area and abroad that had been occurring at an increasing rate. Recent attacks in California include the fatal assault of an 84-year-old San Francisco resident and grandfather Vicha Ratanapakdee, the brutal attack of a 91-year-old man in Oakland Chinatown, and the assault and robbery of a 64-yearold Vietnamese grandmother in San Jose. In New York, a Filipino man was slashed across the face with a box cutter on the subway in New York City Lee reached out to the Brisbane City Council in early February to what could be done to bring awareness to this issue. “Hearing about these crimes I can’t help but to think, this could be our grandparents, parents, brothers, and sisters being attacked…The unprovoked targeted attacks against Asians is not okay; our community is being attacked, and we need to be heard,” he wrote. The Council heard Kalvin and immediately took action; City Manager Holstine also provided direction to staﬀ members to work with Kalvin on planning a vigil. “We want citizens of Brisbane in the Asian American and Paciﬁc Islander community to feel welcomed, respected, and valued,” added City Manager Clay Holstine. “In San Mateo County, we stand united against hate. Unprovoked attacks against our neighbors for simply being Asian can-

not and will not be tolerated,” San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President David J. Canepa said. “We need to celebrate who we are and not let racist behavior divide us.” The vigil will be taking place in Brisbane’s Community Park (11 Old County Road, Brisbane) on Saturday, March 20th at 4pm. Brisbane’s local Tahitian Dance School, O Hina’aro Nui, will be opening and closing the 30 minute program, which will feature remarks from Brisbane Mayor Karen Cunningham, David Canepa, President of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, Kalvin Lee, and Brisbane youth from the local CCD 3rd grade class holding their signs denouncing racism. San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen M. Wagstaﬀe will also be in attendance, saying, “I am glad to support this wonderful gathering.” San Francisco Avenue will be closed to vehicular traﬃc between Old County Rd. and Plumas Ave. to allow attendees maximum ability to observe social distancing requirements. Face coverings are also required. If you know you’re coming to the event, please register here: www.brisbaneca.org/standwithasiansvigil. See the City of Brisbane’s original press statement condemning the rise in racially-motivated attacks against Asians here: www.brisbaneca.org/community/ page/city-brisbane-condemns-recent-riseviolent-crimes-against-elderly-asian-americans

ELLIE ESTIOKORASAY celebrates her 1st birthday! Hawaii-born Ellie Estioko-Rasay celebrated her 1st birthday on March 7, 2021 virtually via Zoom hosted by her auntie May Estioko assisted by her uncle Paul Estioko. She is the daughter of Staﬀ Sergeant Jonathan Rasay, US Army, and Rose (Tweety) Estioko- Rasay, both originally residing in California and are temporarily assigned/residing at Mililani, Oahu, Hawaii. Ellie’s grandparents (Lolos and Lolas) are Elpidio and Delia Estioko of Milpitas, CA and Gil and Rowena Hilario, Las Vegas, California. Ellie’s baptism will be held at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, Milpitas, CA in July, 2021. The Zoom celebration was attended by friends, cousins, aunties, uncles, and relatives. Congratulations to Brandon Estioko and Sophia Evangelista who won the virtual bingo (Kiala).

 COMMUNITY NEWS

March 11-17, 2021

Charting California’s path to a brighter future

On the Record

onight, we mark an unprecedented moment in California history. To reflect on where we’ve been this past year, let’s consider where we are. I’m speaking to you from Dodger Stadium, transformed from the home of last year’s World Series champions into a centerpiece of America’s mass vaccination campaign. Instead of fans in stands, we GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM see nurses in PPE, saving lives one injection at a time. All because, one year ago a once-in-a-century pandemic arrived on our shores. COVID was no one’s fault – but it quickly became everyone’s burden. Forcing hard-working Californians into impossible choices – go to work and risk infection, or stay home and lose your job. It magnified daily worries about feeding your kids, paying rent, and keeping loved ones safe. It made the unthinkable, commonplace. COVID patients cared for by doctors, nurses, and paramedics who, despite the chaos and risks to themselves, paused to hold the hands of strangers in their final moments. Too many forever goodbyes over FaceTime. 54,395 Californians we now mourn with broken hearts. That’s almost the same number of empty seats behind me, marking a silent tribute to loved ones who live forever in our memories. 54,395 Californians who will never be forgotten by family and friends – nor by the health care workers who bore witness to unimaginable tragedy. But not every COVID hero wears scrubs. From the grocery workers to custodians who get a fraction of the gratitude they deserve, to the parents who’ve juggled and struggled – moms especially – but kept charging ahead. Your quiet bravery has created light in the darkest of times. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Only when it’s dark enough, can you see the stars.” So tonight, under the lights of this stadium – even as we grieve – let’s allow ourselves to dream of brighter days ahead. Because we won’t be defined by this moment – we’ll be defined by what we do because of it. After all, we are California. We don’t wait for someone else to show us the way forward. We go first, and we go boldly. We led – on gay rights, gun safety, and criminal justice reform. And now, we lead on combating COVID. From the earliest days of the pandemic, California trusted in science and data. We met the moment. Last January, we welcomed Americans home, accepting repatriation flights from China. And one year ago today, we brought to shore the Grand Princess, which was stranded off the coast of California, further opening our eyes to the seriousness of this disease. We were the first state to issue a stay-at-home order, which helped us avoid early spikes in cases. The top minds from our nation’s leading research institutions and life science companies immediately jumped into the development of groundbreaking COVID treatments and vaccines. While others competed to buy personal protective equipment at exorbitant prices—we quickly built our own pipeline, supplying critical gear to millions of essential workers. We sent ventilators and doctors to New York as well as other states that desperately needed them. We developed the most comprehensive COVID testing program in the country—including a first-in-the-nation state-run testing lab. We enlisted additional health care workers to expand capacity. We readied our ICUs. Our advance planning and curve flattening meant our hospitals were ready for surges. All of which is why California’s death rate has remained one of the lowest per capita in the nation: 134 deaths per 100,000, compared to 158 nationally, 153 in Texas and 247 in New York. Now, finally, vaccines are here. We were the first to launch mass-vaccination sites in partnership with FEMA, now a model for other states. Today, we have the most robust vaccination program in America. California now ranks sixth in the world for vaccine distribution, ahead of countries like Israel, Russia, Germany and France. I know our progress hasn’t always felt fast enough. And look, we’ve made mistakes. I’ve made mistakes. But we own them, learn from them, and never stop trying. After all, that’s the California spirit. We are bent but not broken. Bloodied but unbowed. Resolved to make it to brighter days ahead – to not let the pain of last year deter the hopefulness of tomorrow. The state of our state remains determined. I remain determined! We won’t change course just because of a few nay-sayers and dooms-dayers. So to the California critics, who are promoting partisan power

grabs and outdated prejudices, and rejecting everything that makes California great, we say this: we will not be distracted from getting shots in arms and our economy booming again. This is a fight for California’s future. Since this pandemic started, uncertainty has been the only thing we could be certain of. But now, we are providing certainty. Certainty that we are safely vaccinating Californians as quickly as possible. Certainty that we are safely reopening our economy. Certainty that we are safely getting our kids back in classrooms. All of which adds up to a brighter future for our state. Because California won’t come crawling back. We will roar back. When this pandemic ends – and it will end soon – we’re not going back to normal. Normal was never good enough. Normal accepts inequity. It’s why Latinos are dying from COVID at a higher rate than any other racial or ethnic group, why essential workers’ wages aren’t enough for them to afford the essentials, and why mothers have been leaving the workforce in staggering numbers. Look, our eyes are wide open to what’s wrong. So, our journey back must also be a path to close inequities. There is no economic recovery without economic justice. With more compassion, empathy, and connection, we can write the next chapter in the California story. After all, the answer to “what’s right” about our state is also readily available to us, so long as we stay focused on what makes California so damn special. Throughout this pandemic, we’ve been forced to find new ways to connect, to collaborate, to serve. New ways to grow, and new ways to innovate. And of course we have. We have more scientists, engineers, researchers, and Nobel laureates than any other state. To keep this conveyor belt for talent moving, we will keep investing in UC, CSU, and community colleges. California has the most innovation, venture capital, and smallbusiness investment in this country. We will keep fostering every small entrepreneur—the drivers of our GDP. Our agricultural industry feeds the nation, and California’s entertainment industry shapes global culture. We build the future the rest of the world dreams of. And I mean that literally. This year, we will invest $10 billion in the nuts and bolts of California – infrastructure like roads, rail, bridges and public transit – the biggest infrastructure package since the great recession over a decade ago. Building toward universal broadband, connecting all Californians equitably and affordably. And investing in the most important asset we have, our children – we propose to invest a record amount in K-14 education this year. Because, by planning ahead and through prudent fiscal management, California benefits from surpluses – not deficits. Record reserves, not cuts. We started the year with a $15 billion surplus, and since then revenues have been even stronger, allowing us to provide a down payment on building our brighter future. The building blocks of our recovery are in place. And now we are leading the way out of this pandemic. Because we listened to the experts—and were guided by evidence. Today, the light at the end of the tunnel is brighter than ever. From the peak in early January, we’ve gone from reporting 53,000 COVID cases per day to 2,600. The positivity rate is down from 14 percent to just 2.1 percent today. Hospitalizations are down more than 80 percent since their peak. ICUs are down 77 percent. And tonight, I’m proud to report that California has administered nearly 11 million doses. That’s three million more than any other state. So now, we look ahead to better days with the California can-do spirit – with the energy and optimism that defines us – we will beat this virus and realize our dream of a California for All. How? Equitable and plentiful vaccines, economic support for those who’ve struggled the most, and getting kids safely back into schools as soon as possible. First, we will make sure every Californian who needs a vaccine can get one. In our state, your access to the vaccine must not depend on who you know. We prioritize those who are at the greatest risk and with greatest exposure to the virus. We don’t just talk about vaccine equity—we designed our entire system around it. Setting aside 40 percent of vaccines for the most impacted communities. Vaccine equity is not just the right thing to do, it is also the fastest way through the pandemic. Grocery workers prioritized. School staff prioritized. And farmworkers, put to the front of the line. Like 85-year-old Maria in Reedley, who came to this country from Mexico decades ago to find a job in our fields. Maria said she was unsure – uncertain – about getting vaccinated, but after she received her shots, she’s now educating other farmworkers about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, helping them overcome similar anxieties. That’s the beauty of California. Leadership like Maria’s isn’t ordained, it’s earned.

We’ve built a vaccine system where our only constraint now is manufactured supply. Thanks to the Biden administration, those doses are on their way. I’ve traveled the state and seen first-hand the strength of communities banding together in Coachella, Arvin, Camarillo, and Stockton, stepping up to vaccinate the most vulnerable and the too often overlooked. Every Californian will have convenient access to shots – including those who are home-bound and those who don’t have transportation or the internet. Now with greater supply, emerges a challenge as old as vaccines themselves: hesitancy about whether to get it. Just ask Maria. To address these concerns, we have a large network of trusted community partners. They are helping us spread the word, in many languages and across many cultures. Vaccines are safe. Vaccines are effective. Vaccines will save your life. Allowing you to visit your parents again. Go to your daughter’s basketball game. Show up for your shift without fearing infection. It was a year ago, we made the incredibly difficult decision to issue a stay home order to slow the spread. We agonized about the sacrifices it would require. But we made sure that science – not politics – drove our decisions. And as experts like Dr. Fauci said, it was the right thing to do. People are alive today because of the public health decisions we made – lives saved because of your sacrifice. Even so, I acknowledge it’s made life hard and unpredictable, and you’re exhausted with all of it. For the millions of Californians pushed out of the workforce and essential workers with no choice but to keep showing up – this is who we fight for. We continue to work to safely reopen our economy – guided by equity principles, accounting for vaccines, moving as fast as we can. But we are mindful that we can’t let down our guard, particularly with so many new variants. As of today, 24 of our 58 counties are out of the most restrictive tier, and many more are poised to move next week. As we safely re-open, we are also providing financial relief. A few weeks ago, we took action to bring immediate stimulus to millions of Californians. We just directed $7.6 billion back to hard-working Californians and small businesses hit hardest by COVID. We didn’t wait for Washington, we acted with urgency. That included the Golden State Stimulus, which will put $600 directly into the pockets of millions of families, no matter their immigration status. And it included supporting our essential workers, with new child care subsidies, more funding for food banks and diapers, and financial assistance for farmworkers. We’ll keep the dream alive, not only for families but for all the small businesses who’ve fought to survive over the past year. The special mix of audacity, human capital, and creativity found only in California means there’s literally no better place to do business. California is where garages are the launch pads for world-changing industries and anyone with the telltale tenacity of a small business owner can create their own California Dream. But only if we nurture them. That’s why we’re providing the largest small business grant fund in the nation. $2.6 billion in grants of up to $25,000 for small businesses and nonprofits impacted by the pandemic. Behind these grants are countless stories of entrepreneurs and the dreams they’ve pursued with every ounce of energy they have. Like Francisco in Fresno, who received $5,000 to reopen his pastry business after being closed for nearly six months. And Catarah, right here in Los Angeles, whose dessert cafe used a $15,000 grant to make payroll. And 40,000 other businesses and counting, barbershops, auto repair shops, and clothing shops throughout the state. Three-quarters of these grants have gone to minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses, and those serving rural and low-income communities. We’re not just talking about equity, we are building it into the very fabric of all of our programs. There’s nothing more foundational to an equitable society than getting our kids safely back into classrooms. Remote learning has exacerbated the gaps we have worked so hard to close. Our kids are missing too many rites of passage: field trips, proms, graduation. Teachers pulling triple duty as counselors, curriculum developers, and tech specialists. Parents desperate for that reopening date. Look, Jen and I live this as parents of four young children. Helping them cope with the fatigue of “Zoom school.” The loneliness of missing their friends. Frustrated by emotions they don’t yet fully understand. In December, as COVID surged, many schools were contemplating an alarming decision – giving up on in-person instruction for the rest of the school year. In the few short months since – working together with parents, teachers, and school leaders – we have turned the conversation from whether to reopen, to when. Every day, more schools announce reopening dates. In fact, almost 7,000 schools are open or plan to reopen by mid-April for in-

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27 March 11-17, 2021

Upside...

(From Page 11)

Daly City Mayor Juslyn Manalo has been mayor twice in 5 years since she was became the first Sierra Madre Mayor Rach- FilAm woman elected to elle Arizmendi clearly is the City Council of Daly big on Filipina sisterhood. City. first FilAm woman mayor and then again in 2020. While finding solutions to curb Covid19 cases, Mayor Manalo lists her top priorities: “Igniting the Small Business Commission to aid in the horizon of recovery and introducing social justice and equity initiatives with staff and residents such as Ethnic Studies for Residents and implicit bias training for all staff.” She underscores “agility” and “adaptation” in the manifold crises, being a member of the “Sandwich Generation” or the sector caring both for their parents and their nuclear family. Manalo became a mother for the second time with the birth of daughter Juselle within days from her second mayoral oath-taking. “Life teaches you to pivot and trust God, do your best and hope this all will pass,” she told Positively Filipino how she rolls with the changes demanded by each situation - virtual communication, above all. She believes that being the first FilAm woman mayor of her town assigns her duty to answer the “intertwining needs of our ‘kababayan’ and the whole community at large,” reminding constituents she is “an email or message away.” Manalo also presides over the Filipino American Democratic Club of San Mateo County. Last year she led food drives and Census outreach in her city. She recognizes mentors and allies as mostly her peers on the City Council and fellow elected and appointed officials. - Adapted from original reprinted with permission from Positively Filipino. To be continued.

Oﬄine

(From Page 13)

have come to hate China, and all things Chinese. The majority of Filipinos will not only reject Go, they will turn him into a laughing stock during the campaign. I am fully aware that his is racist, but I can hear the crowds screaming, “Intsik beho, tulo laway!” Indeed, most Filipinos are quietly racist, and their mistrust for China has gone from bad to worse under Duterte. They can ﬂood the electorate with the billions they have stashed away, but Filipinos have become smarter. They will now follow what the late, great Jaime Cardinal Sin said, “Tanggapin and pera, sundin ang kunsensya.” Take the bribes but follow your conscience. In truth, Duterte’s possible choices for the next president of the Philippines is a pretty weak line-up. They all look like sure losers. Only massive cheating will guarantee the electoral victory of Duterte’s Anointed One. Whether he is dumb enough to resort to that is the $64 question.

On the Record

(From Page 26)

person instruction. But California has 11,000 schools in 1,000 districts spread across 58 counties – all locally controlled. And we won’t be satisfied until everybody is back in school. To achieve this, we’ve delivered three months’ worth of PPE to every school. We’ve directly enabled schools to provide routine COVID testing, especially for low-income students. And starting last week, California promised that at least 10 percent of our vaccine allocation will go to teachers and school staff directly. In the first week alone, we have already administered more than 210,000 doses to educators, a pace more than double our goal. And last week, we committed $6.6 billion for learning loss, tutoring, mental health, and the ability to extend school days and the flexibility to extend the school year. We can do this. The science is sound. We start with early grades and build up from there. Getting kids back to school, getting shots in arms, and getting the economy back on its feet. These are urgent priorities, but not the totality of our efforts. We entered this pandemic with a care economy suffering from decades of underinvestment. A societal scourge that the First Partner has shined a light on: working women – particularly women of color – earning only a fraction of their male counterparts. Widening gaps between haves and have-nots. California’s most acute preexisting condition remains income

inequality. So as we respond to this pandemic, we stay fixated on closing unacceptable disparities. That’s one of the fundamental reasons I ran for governor. By any measure, we’ve made great strides. Rewarding working families by nearly tripling the earned income tax credit and increasing child care subsidies, adding two more weeks of paid family leave, and raising the minimum wage to $14, on its way to $15 an hour. Providing first-ever health care subsidies for middle-class Californians so they can afford coverage. Increasing student financial aid and public assistance. Making community college free for two years. Creating opportunity for all. But I’m mindful that we aren’t truly addressing the needs of people in poverty unless we account for the biggest pressure most families face: housing and housing stability. So we crafted the strongest eviction controls in the nation, protecting millions of renters from losing their homes in the midst of this pandemic. And we provided a framework for billions of dollars in rental support for struggling landlords. All while remaining laser focused on the most severe part of the housing crisis: homelessness, a crisis pre-dating the pandemic. In response, we developed brand-new solutions – including two programs, promoted by the Biden administration as a model for 49 other states. Project Roomkey, launched in April, has provided over 35,000 homeless Californians with safe shelter from COVID. And Homekey, launched in July, created more than 6,000 new permanent housing units during the pandemic, buying hotels and motels and converting them at a third of the cost of traditional supportive housing. We did this cheaper and faster than homeless housing has ever been built in California history, literally rewriting the book on how to tackle homelessness. And while we acted swiftly during this pandemic, we are mindful that these tent cities on our sidewalks and the encampments along our freeways simply remain unacceptable. Our challenge moving forward is clear: to continue our immediate progress while focusing on our longer-term goals, which I laid out in last year’s State of the State. Now, bringing the same spirit of innovation behind Project Roomkey and Homekey, we’re committing nearly $2 billion this year to create more homeless housing, addressing mental health and substance abuse issues, and ending homelessness one person at a time. No one denies this is a huge challenge, but we know what it means to stare down big challenges. In 2020, we simultaneously faced two once-in-a-generation crises when we combatted the worst wildfire season in our state’s history in the middle of the pandemic. The fact is, the hots are getting hotter, the dries are getting drier, and not just here in California, but all across the globe. Let’s call it what it is: climate change. Just as we approached COVID, we are guided by science. Just consider last summer’s heat dome on the West Coast of the United States, which led to world-record breaking temperatures here at home. And in just one 24-hour period last August, 12,000 lightning strikes sparked 560 wildfires, requiring heroic efforts by our firefighters and national guard, who landed helicopters into flames to save fellow Californians. This year, we are budgeting more than $1 billion for fire prevention, including fuel breaks, forest health, and home hardening. We forged a historic partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to radically ramp up forest management efforts. We are reducing barriers on hundreds of fuel reduction projects and prescribed burns. We added 30 new fire crews and pre-positioning assets, new C-130s, Blackhawk helicopters, and radar technology. But historic wildfires are the symptom. Greenhouse gases are the cause. And to address them, we must confront the source of more than half the emissions in our state: transportation. I was proud to sign a groundbreaking executive order last year requiring all new cars and passenger trucks sold in California to be zero-emission by 2035. And the car companies – Ford, GM, and Volvo – seized the opportunity to innovate, create jobs, and dominate the industry of the future. Proving yet again that protecting our planet and growing our economy aren’t conflicting goals – they’re one in the same. There’s no doubt California is the pace setter of environmental policy, yet we are mindful of our responsibility to do even more. That restless spirit defines California. We know there’s no advancement without effort, no success without sacrifice. To paraphrase St. Francis, the patron saint of my hometown, now is the time to tell the world about our brighter future, and only if necessary, will we use words. We know that our strength comes not from what we preach, but from what we do. From our people who get their hands dirty every day, who come home tired, and do it all to give their kids a better life. When we set our minds to it, Californians can reach the stars. Just a few weeks ago, a NASA rover appropriately named Perseverance landed safely on Mars, 293 million miles away. It was a breakthrough achievement made possible by the engineers and scientists at our very own Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena. Led in part by the vision and drive of a Lebanese immigrant who was educated in California schools and rose to become the head of

JPL. By the risk-taking that’s in our DNA, by the dream to discover new frontiers, and by sheer force of will. It was an achievement made possible by California. And it tells you everything you need to know about who we are and what we can be. But California isn’t the world’s best place by birthright – we have to earn it every day. Our hopeful vision of our brighter future is the basis for the decisions we make today. We place faith over fear – optimism over pessimism. The power is in our hands. This is our moment – to create the California we all want to live in, to extend the dream of prosperity, equity, and progress to all. And to continue to lead the world into the future once more. (Excerpts of the State of the State Address of California Governor Gavin Newsom on March 9, 2021 at the Dodger Stadium.)

Health & Wealth

(From Page 12)

3,000 men. Also, controlling body weight to normal confers between 8 to 20 added months to longevity. A study conducted by a Scottish neuropsychologist on 1,000 eccentrics found that those unencumbered by the usual stupid worries that so called normal people obsess over, live 5 to 10 years longer. Professional men live 2.6 years longer than average; and unskilled workers live about 4.6 shorter life than average.” Here are some reviews and comments on the upcoming book LIFESTYLE FOR LONGEVITY: “This book can encourage, motivate and help you to be healthy emotionally, financially, physically, sexually and spiritually,” said Dr. Jason Reynoso, M.D. Baguio General Hospital, Baguio City, Philippines. “Many adverse phenomena beyond our control affect our daily lives. Through his guidebook, Art Madlaing gives us power to control a most vital aspect of our existence -- health,” wrote Juanita Robertson, retired Professor, City College, San Francisco, California. “I highly recommend this book for optimum health and balanced life,” echoed Atty. Junas T. Sagurit, President, Asian Christian University, Bugallon, Pangasinan, Philippines. “This book is a good resource for useful tips and advice for people to live by and maintain healthy and balanced lifestyle,” affirmed Stephanie Phong Tuliao, Doctor of Pharmacy, Daly City, California, USA. PRE-PUBLICATION OFFER: LIFESTYLE FOR LONGEVITY is available through Amazon on May 5, 2021 for $25.95 per copy. Get your pre-publication and autographed copy now for only $12.95 per copy. Just send $12.95 (includes mailing, shipping and handling) in check or money order to: ART G. MADLAING, 730 Madrid Street, San Francisco, CA 94112 Tel. (650)438-3531 or (415)584-7095 or email:agmadlaing@hotmail.com (ART GABOT MADLAING is accredited and commissioned Notary Public and licensed Real Estate Broker (DRE #00635976) in California since 1981. He is the founder of MOBILE SIGNING SERVICES, FITNESS FOR HUMANITY (aka FITNESS FOR CHRIST) and ACAPINOY. Art is active Evangelist with the GOLDEN GATE CHURCH OF CHRIST in San Francisco, California. )

PerryScope...

(From Page 12)

to 2007. In 2007, Bongbong ran and was elected congressman of Ilocos Norte. In 2010, Bongbong ran and was elected senator. He served for two terms. In 2010, Imee was elected governor of Ilocos Norte. She served for three terms. In 2010, Imelda ran for congresswoman of Ilocos Norte. She served for three terms. In 2016, Bongbong ran for vice-president and lost to Leni Robredo by 263,473 votes. Bongbong ﬁled an electoral protest. In 2016, the body of Ferdinand Marcos was buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery). In 2019, Imee ran for senator and won.

Diliman way

(From Page 12)

menting the solution on the drug problem without any intervention from the President or from anyone in a six months timeline. The solution is in the hands of President Digong. But will he do it? I doubt whether he will.. Why? President Digong is afraid. He is afraid that someone will be able to do it and he will be proved incompetent for the past four years. Imagine if someone could do it. The people would think that the man should be the leader of the country. That would mean the bloated ego of President Digong will be blown into a thousand fragments. That would be a calamity for him – bringing his self-respect to planet Pluto and his followers to planet Saturn.

 HEALTH NEWS

March 11-17, 2021

DOH, int’l orgs call for action against childhood obesity MANILA – The Department of Health and several organizations have called for the regulation of marketing unhealthy foods to children, following an increase in the number of overweight and obese children in the country. In a joint statement, the Department of Health (DOH), National Nutritional Council (NNC), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), and United Children’s Fund (UNICEF) urged stakeholders for the firm enforcement of existing laws and to introduce front of pack labeling of commercial foods. Based on the Expanded National Nutrition Survey by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) in 2019, there was a relatively low prevalence of overweight at 2.9 percent among Filipino children under five years old; and a medium prevalence of 9.1 percent and 9.8 percent among children aged five to 10 years old and 10 to 19 years old, respectively. “Among Filipino adolescents, overweight has tripled

in the last 15 years. There is a higher rate of overweight and obese children in urban areas than in rural areas and a higher prevalence of several risk factors and environmental conditions could rapidly increase the rates,” the statement read. “We also call on the public to change the way overweight and obesity is viewed by society and to become advocates for change for healthy food environments and policies that prioritize obesity as a serious health issue,” it said. According to the WHO, overweight and obese children are more likely to stay obese into adulthood and to develop diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease at a younger age. “Factors contributing to the increasing problem of overweight and obesity include poor diets, inadequate nutrition, and failing food systems. In addition, limited physical activity is likewise contributing to the growing problem of overweight and obesity,” it said. While overweight and obesity “pales in comparison”

with undernutrition, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said the emerging problem should be mitigated to prevent the future risk of non-communicable diseases, premature death, and disability in adulthood. “Further, the economic costs of this escalating problem are considerable both in terms of the enormous ﬁnancial strains it will place on the health care system and lost economic productivity,” Duque said. In recent years, several legislations have been enacted by the Congress to support healthier diets and nutrition while the Department of Education also issued policies on the sale of healthy foods and beverages in schools as well as the promotion of physical activity. Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov, UNICEF representative in the Philippines, said that while there have been positive developments for better nutrition in the country, there was still a need for “clear and prompt” action to address the burden of malnutrition and to recognize childhood overweight and obesity as a “central health issue”.

“No COVID-19” Heart of Hope

“There is no COVID-19; the virus was never proven to exist,” were the ridiculous, irresponsible, and crazy assertions blogger Jon Rappoport made, claiming the statements were made by Dr. Andrew Kaufman, Dr. Tom Cowan, and Sally Fallon Morell. While the falsePHILIP S. CHUA hood is self-evident, what bothers me more is that those 12 words, which are technically criminal because they could kill people who are gullible enough to believe them, have been disseminated in the social media, even by unthinking physicians themselves who should know better. Spreading lies is a disservice to humanity. About 219 countries around the globe have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with almost 115 million cases and more than 2.5 million killed, proven by the World Health Organization and independently by countless laboratories in each nation that the single culprit is the deadly SARS-CoV2 virus, and now its variants. Fake News: Criminalizing? “People who deliberately spread falsehoods about vaccines on social media may deter large numbers of people from getting vaccinated, which could cost lives,” reports Medical News Today. The British Medical Journal posted an article where two scientists “argued for and against criminalizing vaccine disinformation.” Since malicious dissemination of false information during a pandemic could actually kill people, it makes sense to make intentional public assertion of falsehood a crime. Why mask is effective Studies have shown that face masks reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV2 virus and may even lessen the severity of COVID-19. New clinical findings explain how wearing a mask or two accomplishes these two benefits. Published in the Biophysical Journal, the research showed that masks “increase the humidity of the air that a person breathes in.” The added humidity protects the respiratory tract and lungs from the virus. N95 mask is adequate; or double-mask. Neck gaiter not enough Neck gaiters worn around the neck over the face mask are added protection against the virus, but not

when they are used alone, without a mask. Worn over a mask, it covers the entire nape and the face except the eyes as an added layer of protection. The neck gaiter also helps hold the mask in place and even makes the wearer feel more secure. Vaccination progress Review of the worldwide vaccination rates revealed drop in new cases in some countries, including the USA. The vaccines are really making a big difference, with reduced cases and reduced hospitalization and deaths. Israel, for one, appears to be achieving herd immunity within a month because of the discipline of the people and the country’s aggressive vaccination program, which is considered the top in its vaccination rate per capita. Vaccination can prevent at least 9 out of 10 people (90 percent) from getting infected. The highest rate of vaccination list includes (2) United Arab Emirates, (3) the UK, and (4) the United States. Anti-COVID nose spray Researchers at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons have discovered a nasal antiviral spray (a lipopeptide) that blocks the transmission of SARS-CoV2 virus in ferrets, for potential use in humans “to prevent infection in people exposed to the corona virus, including recent variants,” according to Science and the New England Journal of Medicine. The study continues. Six vital reminders 1.After getting the vaccine, people can still get COVID-19. A retired physician friend of mine had his ﬁrst shot, got infected 5 days later, and died from SARSCoV2. Facemask and social distancing must still be observed after receiving the shots until the country has developed herd immunity. 2. Those who had been infected with COVID-19 still needs to get the vaccines, for full protection. For the two-dose vaccines, one dose is not enough. A second dose is necessary to get full protection. 3. The virus, which could land on any part of our body and clothing, could be transmitted by our unwashed hands and enters through our eyes, nose and mouth. After people get the vaccines, they could still transmit the virus. 4. Having no symptoms, after being exposed to people in public, does not mean no virus on the skin or in our system. The incubation period of SARS-CoV2 virus could be as long as 2 weeks, longer in others, before symptoms appear. 5. While seniors, especially those with health issues, are more likely to die from COVID-19, there are countless people, younger than 50 who have been killed by this virus. Let’s not be cavalier, cocky, or

arrogant about this invisible deadly enemy. 6. When 70 to 80 percent of people in the USA have been vaccinated and the people continue to be disciplined, careful, and vigilant, herd immunity in the United States will follow. Let’s all do our share to achieve this sooner. COVID-19: “Positives” This killer pandemic also has its silver linings. The British Journal of Psychiatry reported “A recent study of people who care for children concludes that COVID-19 lockdowns have provided some unexpected benefits. Some people reported positive changes in their family relationships, spiritual well-being, and more.” The courage and compassion of our healthcare and firstresponder heroes, the love and concern of children about their parents health and safety, the indomitable strength of the human race and its inspiring valiant struggle for survival, the unity among nations and peoples around the globe, arms-in-arms in their resolve to defeat a stealth killer, the ingenuity of people of all races, the flexible and adaptive nature of humans to their environment, the increased appreciation of the value of health and life, the magnified love and fear of losing loved ones, the untold and unseen sacrifices of people for their family members and friends, the heightened awareness today that what happens to other people thousands of miles across the oceans must also concern us enough to protect them, each other, and that we, The People of the World, are all, without exception, on this planet earth as ONE. Unity with magnanimity is our only hope for the survival of our species. ‘The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/ author, a Health Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

29 March 11-17, 2021

NEWS  NATIONAL VIEWS & COMMENTS

Lovelife Special

Q: “My wife and I are a very young couple. We did not plan to have a baby right away because we were still adjusting with one another, but our contraceptive did not work and so within a year our baby was born. Not that I resent being a dad, no! As a matter of fact I adore our baby girl. My problem is my wife because she doesn’t have time for me anymore. At the beginning of our marriage, she used to cook for me and to prepare my things and PTR. DANTE & CYNTHA VELUZ the house was always immaculately clean and orderly. But now, she doesn’t even have time to fix herself. It is all baby this and baby that. At times when I need and want to be intimate with her, she would complain about being so tired and sleepy because the baby’s wake–up cycle begins at 2am. I mean she is with the baby all day, and all I ask is a little of her time. Is that too much to ask?” A: Congratulations are in order for the brand new dad! We could imagine you rushing home from work to be with your baby. There is a verse in the Bible which says, “God has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). God’s timing is perfect. He blessed you with a baby at this time for a reason and a purpose. Be grateful for your beautiful baby as well as for a responsible wife despite her youthfulness and inexperience. You may not realize it but you are in an enviable position because a lot of couples are trying to have a baby but aren’t successful. Rejoice! Being a very young dad, you must be experiencing what we might call a “postpartum” jealousy (if there is such a term). You, too, are vulnerable to such emotions. You may feel jealousy over your wife’s full attention over your child and probably felt that she went to the extreme of totally neglecting you. You made your point about the latter. She probably needs to balance things a little, but with your help. You have a role to enable her to accomplish that. Her situation needs a lot of understanding and cooperation on your part. Your wife is young and probably feels alone and so overwhelmed in taking care of the baby when she is still learning the basics of motherhood. This is the time she needs your support the most. These are our suggestions: perhaps when you come home from work or during weekends you can take your turn in diapering, bathing and swaddling your baby (try to observe how your wife does it or otherwise attend a newborn care class). If your wife is breastfeeding, you can burp the baby after she is done and then put her to sleep. This will also develop your daughterfather bonding. Furthermore, whenever you are able, you can volunteer to take care of the baby when she wakes up early in the morning. You can also make it a ritual to take the baby in her carrier for an after-dinner stroll. You might also want to volunteer to wash the clothes (we hope this will be quite often). These will take some of the load off your wife, she is going to love you more for it, and these will free her to do things for you. This way, she will not be so tired especially at bedtime. With regard to your wife’s “negligence” over your needs, not after she sees your full support to her motherly duties, can you gently remind her that she has to remember that she also has some duties towards you that she needs to fulfill. She must not deprive you of your physical needs, especially. 1Corinthians 7:3-5 says, “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife and likewise, the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer.” Continue to be romantic with her. Shower her with much love and affection. Once in a while if you can afford it, when the baby is a little older, hire a baby sitter or leave her to the care of doting grandparents or relative and date your wife again. You both deserve a break. Shalom!

INSPIRATIONAL ARTICLE FOR THE WEEK

HELP FROM PRISON By TIM PEDROSA

To those who look up to our encouragement, to those who need us at their side, never lose an opportunity to bring sunshine into their lives, regardless where we are or what our situation is. We need to try. Even a few encouraging words could make a huge difference in someone’s life. It’s not enough to have lived. Be determined to live for something. It should be creating joy for others. There are many ways, regardless of the circumstances. There was a story of a man who needed the help of his son but the son was in prison. But even then, the son did something extra ordinary to help his dad. An old man lived alone in Minnesota. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his situation: Dear Son, I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden because your mother always loved planting time. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren’t in prison. Love, Dad Shortly, the old man received this telegram: ‘For Heaven’s sake, Dad, don’t dig up the garden!! That’s where I buried the GUNS!!’ At 4 a.m. the next morning, a dozen FBI agents and local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns. Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what had happened, and asked him what to do next. His son’s reply was: ‘Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad. It’s the best I could do for you, from here.’ The moral of the story is that we make progress only if we stop cursing and complaining about the situation and have the courage to do something about them. No matter where we are, if we have decided to do something deep from our hearts, we can dot it. It is the thought that really matter, not where we are or where the person is.

Jesus Fell Three Times

e encounter these events of Jesus falling three times when praying the Stations or Way of the Cross. This prayer is especially prayed during the Fridays of Lent, although it can be prayed on other days according to the choice or devotion of the person. These three falls of our Lord Jesus have always intrigued my attention. In reality, He may have fallen many times for reason of many people and soldiers abusing, beating, and pushing Him from all sides, plus the fact of exhaustion and pain all over His body after the torture of the scourging. But why the three falls? I do not know if you have personally reflected deeper on them; so, maybe now is the chance. I do not want to consider on the reason about the REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD three falls, but rather on what we can learn on each fall and see that these three falls were by way of progression. The first fall represents all our falling into sin. We fall into all kinds of moral and spiritual foolishness and sinfulness. We offend the people around us in many ways; thereby, offending the Lord too. By the merits of this first fall of our Lord, humanity was being saved from all our moral and spiritual failures. And as He rose up again, He empowers us to rise up readily and continue on. We fall into sin due to our human weakness, but our Lord wants us to know that rising and moving on with renewed vigor must be our focus. In our lives, this first fall is indicative of our mediocrity in the faith, our complacencies in spiritual life, and due to bad habits. If we can build ourselves up with self-discipline and self-mastery, we will surely become better. Our rising will give us a better story than the tragedies of our many sinful failures. So, if there are bad habits they must be replaced with good ones. Give time to know more the faith and live by its teachings; so that, mediocrity can be cast out and conviction takes its place. We fall into complacencies in our spiritual and prayer life because of laziness or sense of being routinary. Revitalize your spiritual journey this Lenten Season. This first fall of the Lord gives us the power to always rise up and walk on. The second fall represents the sins that we fall into repeatedly. The Lord Jesus falls the second time to save us from our falling into repeated sins, especially the mortal sins. As we can commit many sins, we become weaker; and as we know that we are weakened, we should have taken now a serious grip at ourselves. Jesus’ second fall is to tell us we have second chances, but that now we have to learn our lessons. We cannot take for granted the occasions of repeated sins, especially the grave sins. These repeated grave sins do not only hurt us spiritually, many other people can also be hurt badly. We fall into repeated sins, because we think we are in control. We think or have the attitude that we can just get away with it. Unless we put God where He truly belongs in our life, we will commit many big sins. And not only that, these sins will weaken us; but also, they will ruin relationships in our lives, and the most important relationship that gets broken is with God. We fall into repeated sins because of arrogance, we are prideful, we think highly of ourselves to the point that we are self-righteous. We must seek Jesus all the more if we are in this situation. Jesus fell the second time to tell us there is hope to become a better person, but we cannot take for granted our second chances. The third fall is representative of our falling rock bottom; our Lord fell the third time to save and empower with hope those who fall rock bottom. In life we commit sins; then, we fall into bigger sins and have our second chances; ultimately, when past experiences of sins and failures did not become learned lessons, the person ruins himself. The many forms of addiction are not only bad for the body, but are also deeply bad for the soul. As the Lord gives hope to all of us who may deeply fall to hit rock bottom or those who may be feeling they have reached there, do not give up, Jesus has not given up on you either. But this time truly learn well the lessons of life. Give God the rightful place and honor in your life and you will emerge in the other end a new you. This third fall gives a person in sin the hope that with God there is no sin greater than His merciful love. Amen. Visit faithexpressions.org to find this article and other articles, view us too in YouTube, Faith Expressions, for other reflections.

Aﬂame The Heart

Young Mom & Dad

31 March 11-17, 2021  NATIONAL NEWS

 FOOD & TRAVELS

Recipe of the Week Chicken Wings, Like Hooters Spicy hot chicken wings are best serve with blue cheese dip and celery also included the method on how to make the blue cheese dip. Bring out the cold beer! Enjoy.

Ingredients: 1/2 kilo extra large chicken wings cooking oil celery sticks Marinade: 2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. chili powder 2 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 tsp pepper powder Breading: 1 cup cornstarch 1 egg, beaten salt and pepper Hot Sauce: 30 ml. Tabasco pepper sauce 1/3 cup butter Blue Cheese Dip: 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 tbsp. fresh milk 1 tbsp. lemon juice powdered pepper

Cooking procedure: Cut the chicken wings at the joint for easier frying, discard the bony wing tip. To marinate mix the marinating ingredients and dust over the chicken wings, toss until the wings are evenly coated, place in a container with lid, chill in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight. To make the blue cheese dip combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, mix until smoothly blended leaving some chunk of the blue cheese for texture. Place in the refrigerator to chill until ready to use. To deep fry put the cornstarch in a big bowl mix a dash of salt and pepper to taste. In a separate bowl beat the egg. Now dip the marinated wings in the bowl of beaten egg then into the cornstarch mixture, ensure that each wing is evenly coated. Place in a platter and let sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Deep fry breaded wings in batches in moderate heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until breeding turn to crispy golden brown. Remove wing from the fryer and drain excess oil in kitchen paper towels, keep aside. To make the hot sauce melt the butter in a separate frying pan at medium to low, add in the Tabasco and stir until the sauce is totally blended. Now add in the fried breaded wings in batches and drench until evenly coated. Serve immediately with the blue cheese dip and celery sticks.

Puerto Princesa, Coron open up for tourists By Jeanne Michael Penaranda PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – Travel this summer. With this as slogan, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat invited Filipinos to help the tourism industry recover as the Department of Tourism approved the opening of more tourist destinations. The latest to open up are Puerto Princesa City, home of the underground river, and the island of Coron and its neighboring islands in Palawan. Romulo-Puyat and tourism officials visited Puerto Princesa, Coron and El Nido herself to lead the preparations for the reopening of the famous Palawan tourism destinations. The government earlier opened up El Nido, dubbed the island paradise resort, also in Palawan. Puyat said Puerto Princesa City has started to accept domestic tourists bouying up the tourism workers and travelers itching to take a vacation after a year in quarantine. Romulo-Puyat said the Department of Tourism (DOT) supports the decision of Puerto Princesa City’s executives to reopen attractions to more domestic tourists with minimum health and safety standards in place. It initially opened its destinations last December 8 but only for Palawan locals. “We are keen to discover and develop other tourism products to encourage visitors to stay longer or to entice repeat visits. We have great confidence in the city’s future as there is vast potential to further develop its nature-based, farm, and sun and beach tourism products,” she said. The coastal city requires visitors to take the RT-PCR test before travel with 48 hours validity, the negative result of which should be emailed directly by the Department of Health (DOH)-accredited testing facility to the City’s Incident Management Team (IMT). Also required is a confirmed booking from a DOT-accredited accommodation establishment and travel agency for guided tours. The use of the StaySafe.ph system as a contact tracing application is likewise mandatory. Puyat, meanwhile, assured that tourism front-liners would be included in the vaccination priority, particularly the quarantine hotel workers. The DOT said it will provide technical assistance on product development, marketing, and promotions, and conduct skills training programs. As of February 15, DOT Region 4-B has accredited 73 tourism establishments and service providers in Puerto Princesa City, the majority of which are tour guides. In Coron, the Department of Tourism (DOT) expressed support for Coron’s sustainable tourism development to draw more visitors and hasten tourism recovery. “Giving our recovery plans for Coron a major boost is the Sustainable Tourism Development Project or STDP, which will be launched this year and will run throughout 2026,” Tourism Secretary Romulo-Puyat remarked during the dialogue with stakeholders on March 4, banking on the able leadership of Mayor Mario Reyes Jr., local industry captains and community beacons to provide the impetus for this high-impact project. The STDP is an initiative under the Transforming Communities Towards Resilient, Inclusive, and Sustainable Tourism (TouRIST) program of the DOT. The STDP, a collaboration among the DOT, the provincial government of Palawan, the municipalities of Coron and El Nido, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is aimed at making Coron and El Nido’s tourism development sustainable and inclusive. A five-year project to commence by the third quarter of this year, the major components include urban infrastructure, ecosystems improvement, and enterprise development. Beef Spareribs Adobo with Oyster Sauce