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Vol. IX Issue 588 1028 Mission Street, 2/F, San Francisco, CA 94103 Email: [email protected] Tel. (415) 593-5955 or (650) 278-0692 July 16-22, 2020

Record high cases, new China doubles down vs. OICs in PH struggle vs. 2016 WPS arbitral ruling on pandemic NEWSOM ORDERS RE- anniversary of Hague award CLOSE IN COVID RESURGE By Corina Oliquino US NEWS | A2 FilAm Star Correspondent By Daniel Llanto FilAm Star Correspondent MANILA -- The Department of CHINA declared anew that the Per- Health reported more than 1,200 new manent Court Arbitration (PCA) 2016 COVID-19 cases daily from July 3 to ruling in favor of the Philippines over July 12. disputed areas in the West Philip- On July 8, the Philippines report- pine Sea is “illegal and invalid” after ed a record-high 2,539 new cases and Foreign Affairs Sec. Teodoro Locsin Jr. in the past 10 days alone, the number issued a reminder to mark the fourth of new infections breached the 2,000 year anniversary of the historic Hague mark four times. award. DOH Undersec. Maria Rosario The Chinese embassy in Manila Vergeire said 766 is the average num- said it has “taken note” of the state- PH QUARANTINE NOW IN ber of daily new cases per day by date ment Locsin Jr made but it will not of onset of illness while 1,571 is the FACILITIES, NOT HOMES recognize the arbitral award no matter average number of daily new cases by PH NEWS | A3 if it confirmed the Philippines’ rights in date of reporting. the West Philippine Sea. “We are experiencing an increase “China’s position is consistent, in the number of positive cases due to clear and firm. The South China Sea increase in testing and the identified arbitration and its so-called award are community transmission. The increase illegal and invalid,” the embassy said has been gradual and our health sys- in a statement. “China does not accept tem is able to cope with the increasing or participate in the arbitration, nor number of cases,” Vergeire said. does it accept or recognize the so- ■ TO PAGE A7 called award.” (Photo: GMA News) ■ TO PAGE A7

PH geothermal EU members ask Duterte to drop GHISLAINE CAUGHT FLEEING IN EPSTEIN SEX CASE industry rising ‘harassment’ raps vs. Rappler’s Ressa LEGAL & LAW | A12 By Daniel Llanto Lima, who was detained for drug-relat- to 4th largest FilAm Star Correspondent ed charges. A Filipino They claimed the case against the American in world MEMBER-STATES of the European senator was “politically motivated” and Parliament asked President Duterte called on the government to “end any Census By Beting Laygo Dolor to drop what they called campaign further acts of harassment against her.” Contributing Editor of legal harassment against on-line The Palace hit the regional bloc’s champion news group Rappler, its CEO Maria resolutions and called them an “inter- Ressa and researcher-writer Reynaldo ference” with the affairs of the Philip- fights to get all ITS STEADY growth over the past Santos. pines. few years is propelling the Philippine In a letter to Duterte, the EU Duterte then labeled the 28-coun- communities geothermal industry to soon become members said they are “concerned try European Union --- the Philippines’ the fourth largest in the world. that Ressa’s conviction on cyber libel second most important trading partner counted The high ranking will be attained charges sends a strong message to --- “stupid” and warned he would not stay silent in the face of Western con- within the next decade, according to journalists that critical reporting risks By Anthony Advincula demnation of his anti-crime crackdown. an industry report by Fitch Solutions imprisonment” in the Philippines. The first time the European Par- The legislative body of the Euro- SAN FRANCISCO, CA — When Ditas Country Risk and Industry Research, liament rebuked the Duterte adminis- pean Union stated that the “conviction Katague was growing up in Kansas City, a copy of which was released to local tration came as a resolution expressing is part of an orchestrated campaign of Missouri, in the 1960s, only 150,000 media. concern on the high number of killings legal harassment against Maria Ressa Filipinos lived in the United States. The Philippines is one of the linked to the bloody campaign against and Rappler.” About five decades later, when she world’s geothermal “outperformers” illegal drugs. It subsequently issued “We are worried her arrest shows began leading the U.S. Census Bureau’s possessing high levels of installed geo- Pres. Rody Duterte (Photo: GMA News) a resolution calling on the Philippine National Advisory Committee on Race, thermal capacity, according to Fitch government to release Sen. Leila de ■ TO PAGE A7 Ethnicities and Other Populations, the Solutions. Filipino population in the country had The report said, “By 2029, we risen to nearly 2 million. expect that the Philippines will have Trump fuels, then downplays, tensions with virus expert Fauci Katague now is heading up her the fourth largest installed geothermal PRESIDENT Donald Trump said repeatedly minimized the dramatic third decennial census, and nearly 4 capacity in the world.” Monday he has a “very good” working increase in the number of COVID-19 million Filipinos live in America. Of those, more than 1.6 million call Califor- Fitch Solutions based its project- relationship with America’s top infec- cases across the United States, even as nia home. ed growth outlook on the country’s tious disease specialist, despite repeat- the country surpassed 3.3 million con- edly undercutting the respected scien- firmed infections and 135,000 deaths, This rapidly growing ethnic group present 12 percent share of geothermal overall has significantly higher incomes tist amid the coronavirus pandemic. the world’s highest toll. energy, excluding hydropower. compared to the country’s total foreign However, the company said, For several days Trump has hurled “Dr Fauci is a nice man, but he’s and native-born populations, but the Fil- “a high level of existing geothermal criticism at Anthony Fauci, a senior mem- made a lot of mistakes,” Trump said ipino voter turnout is only 46%. It is in capacity means that the geothermal ber of his coronavirus taskforce, who has last week. closing gaps like this that Katague found power will supply just over 70 percent warned -- sometimes in blunt language At the weekend, a White House her calling early on in census work. of the total renewable electricity gener- -- that US officials and citizens have not official sought to further discredit Fau- “It has been my desire to be an ation during this time.” done enough to fight the pandemic. ci by anonymously circulating talking agent of change and guide census Indonesia, the US, and Turkey are “I have a very good relationship points to The Washington Post warn- efforts,” said Katague, now director of the world’s top three geothermal pro- with Dr Fauci,” Trump told reporters, ing that White House officials were the California Complete Count – Cen- ducers and are expected to retain their adding: “I find him to be a very nice “concerned about the number of times sus 2020 Office. “I am a proud Filipino American.” positions in the foreseeable future. person. I don’t always agree with him.” Dr Fauci has been wrong on things.” Less than four months before ■ TO PAGE A7 the presidential election, Trump has ■ TO PAGE A7 Pres. Donald Trump (Photo: Facebook) ■ TO PAGE A7 A2 FilAm Star July 16-22, 2020 US News American Airlines California rolls back reopening as resumes trying to pack planes as nations battle resurgent coronavirus virus cases surge CALIFORNIA drastically rolled back its Latin America on Monday recorded the The latest high-profile personality to test reopening plans Monday as coronavirus cas- world’s second-highest death toll, declaring a to- positive for COVID-19 was India’s Bollywood su- AMERICAN Airlines resumed trying to fill its es surged across dozens of US states and the tal of 144,758 deaths to pass the 144,023 record- perstar and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai. planes to full capacity Wednesday, abandoning World Health Organization warned that too ed in the United States and Canada. And two US Marine bases on Japan’s Okina- some coronavirus precautions and drawing criti- many nations are mismanaging their pandemic It now stands second only to Europe, where wa island have been locked down after a spike cism from public health officials as the pandemic response. 202,505 people have died. in cases with dozens infected and local officials runs wild in parts of America. Governor Gavin Newsom ordered all indoor In Spain, regional officials were in a standoff expressing “serious doubts” about the US mili- While other carriers such as Delta Air Lines restaurants, bars and movie theaters to close with courts after a judge suspended a lockdown tary’s containment efforts. decided in May to keep some seats empty so again across California -- by far America’s just hours after it was imposed on 160,000 travelers could practice social distancing, others richest and most populous state, with a larger people in the Catalonia city of Lerida following a ‘Petri dish’ like United Airlines had not taken such measures economy than all but four countries. sharp rise in cases. At the weekend, US President Donald because at that point no one was flying anyway. Churches as well as gyms, shopping malls, Despite calls to respect the closure, many Trump wore a face mask in public for the first The decision by American Airlines comes as hair salons and non-essential offices must also people were on the streets by mid-afternoon, time, in the world’s worst-hit country where steps to reopen the US economy coincide with a shut indoor operations in half of the Golden with shops and bars still open, an AFP corre- some 135,000 people have died. major surge in COVID-19 cases. State’s worst-hit and most densely populated spondent said. California’s announcement came as educa- Robert Redfield, the director of Centers for counties, including Los Angeles. It was the first such order given since tion officials in Los Angeles and San Diego said Disease Control and Prevention, told lawmakers “We’re moving back into a modification Spain’s lockdown ended on June 21. the cities’ schools would remain closed when this week the American Airlines decision had mode of our original ‘stay-at-home’ order,” classes resume with online-only lessons next caused “substantial disappointment.” said Newsom, whose state was the first to close Reimposing lockdowns month. “We don’t think it’s the right message,” he down in March, but began easing restrictions Across the globe, the pandemic has infect- “There’s a public health imperative to keep told a Senate hearing Tuesday. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top in May. ed nearly 13 million people, killed more than schools from becoming a Petri dish,” said Austin expert on infectious diseases, also criticized the The move came as California reported 8,358 566,000 and triggered massive economic dam- Beutner, schools superintendent for Los Angeles decision as he warned that the country could reach new daily coronavirus cases, bringing its total age in the seven months since it was detected in -- the nation’s second-largest district with some 100,000 new virus cases a day if more is not done to nearly 330,000 including more than 7,000 the Chinese city of Wuhan. 600,000 students. to suppress the pandemic. deaths. South Africa reimposed a nationwide curfew The neighboring state of Oregon banned “Obviously, that is something that is of Like the governors of Texas, Arizona, and to prevent a “coronavirus storm” from ravaging indoor gatherings of more than 10 people -- ex- concern. I’m not sure what went into that decision Florida -- which were also hit hard in the virus’ the continent’s hardest-hit nation, where new cept at places of worship and businesses -- and making,” he said at the same Senate hearing. “I second spike -- California initially declined to is- infections have topped 12,000 a day. mandated outdoor face coverings where social think in the confines of an airplane that becomes sue a statewide mask order and allowed counties Morocco followed suit on Monday, locking distancing is not possible. even more problematic.” to reopen indoor dining, gyms, and bars. down Tangiers, with public transport suspend- And virus epicenter Florida saw 12,624 new With new infections spreading like wildfire ed, cafes and public spaces closed and move- cases -- the second highest daily count recorded Air as clean in hospitals globally, many countries were also reimposing ment restricted in the northern port city of a by any state, after its own record of 15,300 new The virus has claimed more than 127,000 restrictions Monday, locking down towns and million inhabitants. COVID-19 cases a day earlier. lives in the US and as of Tuesday night it had cities and reintroducing measures to halt the With eyes keenly focused on the economic Across the border, Mexico became the coun- recorded more than 42,000 new cases in the pre- spread of the sickness. fallout, the IMF warned Monday that the Middle try with the fourth-highest number of COVID-19 vious 24 hours, according to the Johns Hopkins But WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreye- East and North Africa region was facing its worst deaths in the world, climbing to a total of 35,006 University tracker. sus warned that too many countries were “head- downturn in 50 years, citing the “twin shock” of and surpassing Italy. Because of the sharp rise in deaths and cases ed in the wrong direction” with governments the virus and low oil prices. More than 80 millionaires -- including Ben of infection, particularly in the south and west, giving out mixed messages that were undermin- Iran, the worst-hit country in the Middle and Jerry’s ice cream co-founder Jerry Green- some states have put the reopening of their econo- ing trust. East, counted more than 200 new deaths in 24 field and screenwriter Richard Curtis -- urged mies on pause. “There will be no return to the ‘old normal’ hours, pushing its toll over 13,000. governments around the world to hike taxes on American Airlines appears to be moving in for the foreseeable future,” he said, warning that In Asia, the Philippines imposed a two- the super-wealthy to help fund the recovery. the opposite direction when it comes to coronavi- without governments adopting a comprehensive week lockdown on 250,000 people in the capital Meanwhile, a French expert warned that rus precautions. strategy, the situation would get “worse and Manila as new infections soared, and Hong Kong a fully effective vaccine was highly unlikely by “We are unwavering in our commitment to worse and worse.” stepped up precautions to combat a sudden 2021. the safety and well-being of our customers and Since the start of July, nearly 2.5 million spike in infections. And in what may prove a blow to those who team members,” a company official told AFP. new infections have been registered across the Restaurants there can only serve takeaway have recovered, researchers at Kings College He said American has “multiple layers of globe, with the number of cases doubling over food after 6 pm, gyms, nightclubs, karaoke bars London said COVID-19 survivors could lose protection” for passengers including required face the past six weeks, according to an AFP tally and beauty salons were shuttered and public their immunity, leaving them vulnerable to rein- coverings, enhanced cleaning procedures, and a based on official figures. gatherings were restricted to four people. fection within months. (AFP) “pre-flight COVID-19 symptom checklist.” (AFP) July 16-22, 2020 FilAm Star A3 PH News Gov’t directs COVID cases 2 prospects bat for to facilities for quarantine, NAIA upgrade after instead of homes MVP, others back out

By Beting Laygo Dolor According to Dominguez, “We’re not worried Contributing Editor about it. We believe these other two (prospects can) step up to the plate.” AFTER TALKS with a super consortium con- He added that the two were “willing to get into trolled by the country’s taipans broke down last agreement with the government which are very sim- week, the Philippine government is looking at two ilar to the terms of agreement with Clark airport.” possible contractors to handle the upgrade of the It is believed that one of the two prospects Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA, the is Megawide Construction Corp. and its partner country’s main international airport). India-based GMR Infrastructure Ltd. The government said on July 8 that it is not The partnership had earlier submitted a worried by the original consortium’s decision to proposal to rehabilitate and upgrade the interna- pull out of the long gestating project as there are tional airport for US$3 billion, with the contract two other proponents that have the capability to stretched out over an 18-year period. handle the mega project. Megawide-GMR had earlier built the new Before pulling out of the PHP102 billion Mactan terminal facility in Cebu. (about US$200 million) project, the NAIA Con- The upgrade of the NAIA was proposed as far sortium comprised of the Aboitiz Group, Metro back as the Ramos era. Back then, the country’s six Sec. Karlo Nograles (Photo: Facebook) Pacific Investments Corp., AC Infrastructure taipans -- Lucio Tan, Henry Sy, John Gokongwei, By Macon Araneta al meeting with Metro Manila mayors. The IATF Holdings Corp., Alliance Global Group, Inc., Asia’s Andrew Tan, George Ty and Andrew Gotianun -- formed Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp. but internal FilAm Star Correspondent told them if they impose a localized quarantine, Emerging Dragon Corp., Filinvest Development a few days will not be enough. It has to be two Corp. and JG Summit Holdings, Inc. disagreements caused the project to go nowhere. weeks. Even before the contract fell apart, Metro Pa- Back then, the need to upgrade the former IN A recent development, the government is Manila International Airport (MIA) had become discouraging home quarantine for COVID-19 “There’s a need for 14 days quarantine. Like cific had already backed out from the consortium. what we’re doing at IATF, every 15th and 30th, The Manuel Pangilinan-led company cited unre- a must due to worsening air traffic congestion as positive individuals to lessen the risk of infection well as overcapacity of passengers. inside the same household. we’re giving community quarantine level in the solved issues with the government as its reason for different places in the Philippines. This is also withdrawing from the consortium. The plan was to re-configure and renovate Cabinet Sec. Karlo Nograles related that facilities while enhancing operations and mainte- the government now prefers COVID-19 cases to the same with regards to localized lockdown,” he As for the Cebu-based Aboitiz Group, Cosette said. Canilao, chief operating officer of Aboitiz Infra- nance, thereby allowing for the accommodation of undergo facility quarantine instead. increased traffic. “We are now discouraging home quar- This recommendation stems from the fact Capital, Inc. said her group was no longer inter- that the incubation period of the novel coronavi- ested in pursuing the project but gave no specific The Ramos administration was able to com- antine and it should instead be facility quar- plete the “Millennium terminal,” which is current- antine,” said Nograles who also serves as rus takes 14 days, Nograles said. reason for their pull-out. He stressed the need for local government The remaining members of the consortium ly the principal terminal used for both domestic co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force and international flights. (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infec- units to always keep in touch with the national told the National Economic and Development Au- government in their COVID-19 response mea- thority (NEDA) that they were no longer confident The original MIA, which was renamed NAIA, tious Diseases, is used mainly for cargo, as well as for domestic Nograles said there’s a bigger chance other sures. in financing the NAIA upgrade and rehabilitation. Nograles likewise reminded the public to The government, however, said last week that flights. household members can contract COVID-19 The NAIA is located within the cities of Pasay when a person who tested positive goes home for always practice minimum health standards such it was not worried about the collapse of the pact as wearing face mask, frequent hand washing with the super conglomerate, as two other possible and Paranaque. quarantine, even if he isolates himself. The NAIA project now in limbo, was originally “So, we’re now shifting na kung mahawa, and observing social distancing so as not to con- proponents were willing to step in and take over tract the deadly virus. the mega project. planned to be implemented in three phases, from kahit asymptomatic, mas bibigyan ng priority na 2021 to 2024. doon mag-facility quarantine. Anyway, marami “Whether GCQ (general community quar- Without naming the two proponents, Finance antine) ka, MGCQ (modified general community Sec. Carlos Dominguez said that the Department Meantime, to alleviate the load at NAIA, the pa naman tayong mga facilities na maka-accom- San Miguel Corp. is constructing another inter- modate ng mga mild cases,” he said. quarantine) ka, nandiyan pa rin ‘yung virus. of Transportation was talking with both groups to Kaya kailangan laging mag-ingat,” he said. take over the NAIA project. national airport in Bulacan, just outside Metro Earlier, Nograles said the IATF held a virtu- Manila. A4 FilAm Star July 16-22, 2020 PH News Bill to provide P1k work-from-home Duterte: I dismantled allowance for public, private employees oligarchy in PH without declaring martial law MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo House of Representatives panel on legislative Duterte said he has dismantled oligarchy in the franchises voted to reject broadcast giant ABS- Philippines without declaring martial law and CBN’s franchise application. vowed that the remaining years of his presiden- ABS-CBN was ordered shut on May 5 fol- cy will be harsh for oligarchs. lowing the expiration of its legislative franchise, In a taped speech in Jolo, Sulu aired Tues- in compliance with the National Telecommuni- day morning, Duterte said that he can now die cations Commission’s (NTC) shutdown order. happy knowing that he has “dismantled” oli- The NTC order follows Duterte’s repeated garchy in the country which he said has milked public rants against the Lopez-owned television Filipinos and even manipulated the economy network which he had repeatedly lambasted and elections for years now. for not airing his 2016 presidential campaign “Ganun nila nilaro ang bayan ko. Kaya advertisement. ako mamatay, mahulog ang eroplano, I am In a speech on Dec. 3, 2019, Duterte said very happy. Alam mo bakit, without declaring he will see to it that ABS-CBN’s franchise appli- (Photo: Unsplash) martial law I dismantled the oligarchy that con- cation is rejected. trolled the economy and the Filipino people,” In December last year, Duterte also By Corina Oliquino Tolentino said the bill will “shift the bur- Duterte said. threatened to file a plunder case against Metro FilAm Star Correspondent den from employees paying for electricity costs (That’s how they played my country. So if Manila water concessionaire companies Manila of their work-from-hope set-up. I die, if the plane crashes, I will be very happy. Water and Maynilad for supposedly entering MANILA -- Senators Francis Tolentino and “Ang itinaas na porsyento ng electric bill ay You know why? Because without declaring mar- into onerous agreements with the government. Ronald Dela Rosa filed on July 13 Senate Bill puwedeng ibawas sa doon sa bill ng empleyado tial law, I dismantled the oligarchy that con- Last month, Duterte said the water conces- 1684 which would amend RA 11165 or the Tele- at bigyan siya ng kauukulang tax deduction trolled the economy and the Filipino people.) sionaires must “return” billions of pesos to the commuting Act. dahil di naman ‘nya kagustuhang magtraba- He then warned that the remaining years of government and accept the new deals crafted The Bill seeks to compensate public and ho sa bahay. Naging option lang because of his administration will be harsh for oligarchs. by his administration, or else they will face private sector employees performing tasks COVID-19,” Tolentino said. Duterte made the statement after the charges. (inquirer.net) under an agreed work-from-home set-up of “Because he was able to produce some- P1,000 telecommuting allowance every month, thing for the government office or for a private which will be deducted to firms’ taxable in- employer, he is entitled to some tax relief,” he come. added. Chatting with companions, “Working from home tends to increase util- Tolentino said he will work with panel ity consumption, particularly electricity. Some chair Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian to make the bill workers even purchase their own equipment possible by asking him to be a co-author and answering calls on MRT 3 for working at home. These additional expenses review the proposed measure. are out of the employee’s own pockets and for The Senator said he is considering three the benefit of the employer’s business,” accord- options to implement the deductions, includ- trains banned ing to the Bill. ing asking employees to attach a form in his MANILA, Philippines — Chatting with com- their face masks,” the tweet added in Filipino. It also does not prohibit employers or the or her income tax return indicating how much panions and answering calls while on a Metro Passengers are now also required to fill up collective bargaining agreement from providing the deduction should be, asking employers to Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT 3) train are prohibit- a health declaration form while queueing up terms more favorable than the said rate. compute how much deductions should be given ed to prevent the release of droplets that may and should be submitted before the go through “Ibigay na lang ng employers ‘yon sa em- to employees at the end of the tax year and to contain the latest coronavirus strain. the turnstile. ployee nila. At ‘yon naman ay puwedeng i-claim give a fixed amount to employees every month These new rules, which the Department of The MRT-3 management admitted before as business expense at deductible sa kanila kasi to subsidize electricity expenses. Transportation (DOTr) and MRT-3’s manage- that it was finding it hard to do contact trac- nakatipid sila.” Tolentino told Rappler. Tolentino first raised the idea on July 6 ment announced in a tweet on Monday, came ing with thousands of commuters coming into Electricity allowance to work-from-home during a Senate energy hearing on complaints after the rail system’s operations were suspend- contact every day with 15 of the 202 coronavi- employees about bill shock, when the Manila Electric Co. ed due to an increase in COVID-19 cases among rus-positive employees working at ticket booths. According to Rappler, Sen. Tolentino in a (Meralco) which services Metro Manila and its personnel. The rail system, which cuts through five media interview on July 7, said he will file a bill nearby areas confirmed that electricity con- “The virus can be transmitted through the cities along EDSA in Metro Manila, resumed which would amend Republic Act 8524 or the sumption by residential customers spiked by transfer of respiratory droplets produced by operations on Monday, although with fewer National Internal Revenue Code to allow tax 30 percent during the implementation of the talking, coughing, sneezing. That’s why we employees with the absence of those who had deductions on the gross income tax of employ- enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and continuously remind passengers to always wear tested negative for COVID-19. (inquirer.net) ees under a work-from-home scheme. modified ECQ in previous months. July 16-22, 2020 FilAm Star A5 PH News Children forgo schooling Palace: No house-to-house as parents lose livelihood search for COVID-19 patients JULY Descipulo should have been in Grade But all those who enlisted will not necessarily (Photo: PNA) 11 this coming school year. Continuing school, attend classes or complete the school year, ac- however, remains a dream as her single mother cording to Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT). lost her job in a watch repair shop due to the Due to the uncontrolled pandemic and the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. destitute state of most Filipinos, more may be Her brother, a college student, also lost his expected to join the at least 5 million learners work as a part-time babysitter in Makati City. whom the DepEd expects to defer enrollment He now sells food to make ends meet but not this year, ACT secretary general Raymond enough to buy a laptop for her had she and her Basilio said in a statement. three other siblings enrolled in Pasig City. “One child left behind is one too many, and the government is duty-bound to ensure each Free tablets in Pasig and every Filipino’s exercise of all of their con- Descipulo, 17, is just one among the many stitutionally guaranteed rights,” Basilio said. students who opted not to register this time. In Cavite province, some 100 private The city has 138,000 public school students. schools will not reopen this school year due to “Don’t give up school. Just enroll. You the pandemic, Gov. Juanito Victor Remulla said won’t have to spend extra,” Mayor Vico Sotto on Monday. (See story in Regions, Page A5.) said in an earlier Facebook Live briefing. Sotto said the city had raised P1.2 billion Open letter to Briones for tablets and laptop computers, which would In an online open letter to Education be given “automatically” to all public school Secretary Leonor Briones, Remulla criticized MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on air-conditioned centers, free lodging, free meals students from elementary to high school. the DepEd for its lack of funding for distance Wednesday clarified that there will be no “house- three times a day and with free Wi-Fi,” Roque The city government would also provide learning. to-house” search for coronavirus patients, and said. hot spots for downloading of modules and raise “Under the Deped’s modular teaching and that authorities will only transfer reported The Palace official added that the quarantine another P30 million to provide laptops and/or learning process for Cavite’s 600,000 students, patients who are unable to have a proper home facilities are also “medical facilities” with doctors tablets to teachers and students at Pamantasan we have to prepare P5 billion and that … this quarantine from their homes to government and nurses. ng Lungsod ng Pasig. will be 100 percent shouldered by the [local quarantine facilities. Asked what would be the protocol if a As of this month, only 2 million students government],” he said. In an interview with ANC, presidential COVID-19 patient preferred to stay at home, from kindergarten to senior high school, as well He noted that the province’s 2020 budget spokesperson Harry Roque said COVID-19 pa- Roque said: “Sentido common. It’s a very com- as alternative learners, have enrolled for the was only P4.7 billion. “This is only in Cavite. tients who will be fetched from their houses must municable disease. And if they refuse to be isolat- coming school year in Metro Manila, and 19.5 How much more in other schools?… [T]he be either reported by their own families, mem- ed, the state, of course, can isolate them.” million in the whole country, the Department reality is only the rich can afford to learn.” bers of the community or the local government While he does not think it will come to this of Education (DepEd) reported. (inquirer.net) units themselves. extent, Roque noted that transferring patients to “We don’t have a provision for house-to- a quarantine facility is part of the “inherent police house. Only the political critics of the govern- power of the state,” considering that it is “still PHLPost stamps pay tribute to front-liners ment, again, weaponizing this very important promotion of public health.” “FRONT-LINE heroes” such as medical pro- difficult time right now with the coronavirus task of tracing. They will not go house-to-house,” “Anywhere in the world, pag merong quar- fessionals, government troops, delivery and [pandemic]. And we have [five] front-liners Roque said. antine, meron dapat i-quarantine, puwede yan food service personnel and other workers at the surrounded by the virus as they protect those in- “They will have to be reported. They will kunin ng gobyerno. Let’s not make a big issue out forefront of the fight against the coronavirus side the building,” he explained. There are only have to be reported by the persons themselves, of it especially when we know that studies already pandemic have been honored through colorful 5,000 copies of the stamp selling at P55 each. their family or the barangay,” he added. indicate that this virus may have already mutated postal stamps released by the Philippine Postal Teodoro, who has been designing PHLPost Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said police and it’s even more contagious,” Roque said. Corp. (PHLPost). stamps for five years now, said that these “win- authorities along with local government units will (Anywhere in the world, if there’s a person “This postage stamp is our simple way of dows to history” often depict heroes. It is only go house-to-house for COVID-19 patients with needed to undergo quarantine, the government uplifting and boosting their morale and making fitting that essential workers, medical profes- mild symptoms, adding that home quarantine is can take them. Let’s not make a big issue out of them feel that their sacrifices are not left unno- sionals and other front-liners are recognized no longer allowed if their houses are ill-equipped it especially when we know that studies already ticed,” Postmaster General Joel Otarra said in a for their heroic efforts today in the midst of a as isolation facilities. indicate that this virus may have already mutated statement. pandemic, he added. This drew criticisms from Senator Risa Hon- and it’s even more contagious.) Designed by graphic artist Rodine Teodoro, Currently on display at the Post Office tiveros, who likened it to the police’s campaign Earlier, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, each stamp features a front-liner, including lobby in Manila is a board containing letters for a doctor, nurse and soldier wearing a mask front-liners. against illegal drugs, “Oplan Tokhang,” where co-chair of the government’s COVID-19 task bearing the words “We fight for you.” Around Those who want to contribute should take authorities visit homes of suspected drug users force, earlier discouraged home quarantine for 200,000 stamps are for sale at P12 each. a photo of their letter and post it on social and ask them to surrender. mild COVID-19 patients to prevent further trans- PHLPost, however, is also offering a media instead of sending it through the mail to “Now, we prefer that the asymptomatic mission of the disease. limited edition stamp depicting what Teodoro avoid the risk of infection. PHLPost has so far (patients) and the mild cases voluntarily surren- As of Tuesday, the Philippines recorded described as a “dark night.” received around 100 letters, mostly from chil- der and isolate themselves in isolation centers. 57,545 COVID-19 cases nationwide with 1,603 “It’s a dark night since we are facing a dren, according to Teodoro. (inquirer.net) We are enticing them with the fact that these are fatalities and 20,459 recoveries. (inquirer.net) A6 FilAm Star July 16-22, 2020 Opinion Street Talk PerryScope

The anti-immigrant Blue tsunami virus looms ahead

GREG B. MACABENTA PERRY DIAZ

AN FRANCISCO, California is said to be was tempted to take out my phone to record the PRESIDENT Trump likely suffers from a fight for racial justice reaching fever pitch, Trump a bastion of liberal and progressive folks. incident, but feared that it would just further range of mental disorders developed over the saw an opportunity to ride the crest of dissent. The city has a black mayor, London Breed, anger them and didn’t want to be spat on! So I S course of a turbulent childhood, cheated his But he has to choose which side he’d pitch his who replaced a Chinese-American mayor, the just quickly got out of the car, ran to my office to “ banner. And guess what? He sided with the way into a top college, subjected his own brother late Ed Lee. Governor Gavin Newson, who was pick up the mail and got out of there. The irony to severe emotional abuse and turned himself bunch that he’s familiar and comfortable with: first to recognize same sex marriage, was mayor is, the doughnut shop they went into is owned into a scruples-free bully who could now bring the white supremacists, the Nazi, the Ku Klux before Ed Lee and after Willie Brown, who is and run by Asians!!! about an ‘end to American democracy,’ “ says Klan, the white nationalists, the Boogaloo Boys, black. The hate is very real, friends. If you need to Mary Trump in her tell-all book about her uncle, the rightwing militias, and lately, the southern And yet, the following disturbing incident go out, have somebody else accompany you. Donald J. Trump. Titled, “Too Much and Never Confederates. was reported on social media by a couple of Enough: How My Family Created the World’s It’s interesting how the southern Confed- friends, Lloyd LaCuesta and his wife, Mona Lisa Please be careful and cautious. Most Dangerous Man,” her story is an explosive erates come into play in the 2020 presidential Yuchengco. Lloyd was South Bay Bureau Chief Lisa account of Trump’s tumultuous life and rocky campaign. While there is no political movement for the San Francisco Bay Area of KTVU TV’s presidency that will soon be judged by the Amer- that supports the Confederacy, they have always news division. A Hawaiian-born GI (Genuine The reactions to the incident ranged from ican people on Election Day, November 3, 2020. been seen as loyal Republican constituency in the Ilocano), Lloyd was a familiar on-camera per- shock to outrage to pugnacity, to one that could Will he be re-elected? southern states. sonality up to his retirement a few years ago. only have come from a military man, retired US Three months ago, some people were putting The last presidential candidate who became Lisa Yuchengco was founder and original Army Major General Antonio Taguba: their bets on Trump. They were optimistic that the torchbearer of southern politics was George publisher of Filipinas Magazine and is one of the “I would turn on my cell and calmly con- Trump will win in November. As a matter of fact, Wallace. Best remembered for his segregationist, highly-respected leaders of the Filipino-Ameri- front him and his son. This hate will not go away they were bragging on social media that Trump populist, and demagogic views, he ran for pres- can community. She also currently publishes the but I would want to know why he hates so much. would beat Joe Biden in a landslide. ident three times as a Democrat and once as an online magazine, Positively Filipino. And offer to buy his coffee and his happy pill his Three months later, Trump is on the brink American Independent Party candidate. He lost I hope Lloyd and Lisa will not mind my donuts!” of a landslide defeat. Polls taken in six key each time. reposting and circulating their narrative. I Of course, not everyone can face enemy bul- battleground states – Michigan (16 electoral Wallace notoriously opposed desegregation do not want to unduly create any tensions or lets as calmly as a military officer, either. A pair votes), Wisconsin (10), Pennsylvania (20), during the Civil Rights Movement, declaring resentments among those who consider the US of racists would hardly rattle the general. Florida (29), Arizona (11), and North Carolina in his inaugural address as Alabama Governor, home – whatever their race, creed, nationality The reaction of Jon Melegrito, founding (15) – show that Biden is ahead by six to 12 “Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and or political persuasion and whether native born executive director of the National Federation of points. That’s a total of 101 electoral votes or segregation forever.” In 1965, Dr. Martin Luther or naturalized citizens, immigrants or are in the Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) and 37% more than what’s needed to win. Even King Jr. called Wallace, “Perhaps the most dan- process of making their stay permanent. How- “forever” information officer of the federation, as Fox News is showing Biden ahead of Trump by gerous racist in America today.” ever, I believe we should all be aware of what well as the entire FilAm community, was typical 12 points. That’s 50% to Trump’s 38%! Fu- is happening in our midst that can – or will of someone who wouldn’t budge an inch during rious, Trump tweeted, “Fox News is out with Culture war – affect us, the better for us to be prepared for it. the repressive years of President Ferdinand another of their phony polls, done by the same Wallace reminds us of Trump today, whose The Facebook narrative of Lloyd LaCuesta Marcos: group of haters that got it even more wrong in politics closely resemble Wallace’s racist and and Mona Lisa Yuchengco (Posted Juy 9, 2020): “This is no longer an isolated incident. It’s 2016. Watch what happens in November. Fox divisive nature. Trump’s policies on immigration, My wife and I live in the “liberal” San Fran- happening everywhere, almost daily. But we’re is terrible!” And it raises the question, what’s race, and minorities would dovetail into Wallace’s cisco Bay Area and yet this is what happened to not going to let these haters drive us out. This going on with Fox? Is Trump losing the support views. her this morning: is as much our country as theirs. Their forbears Trump’s support of the Confederate flag, were immigrants too. We are staying and we’re of his favorite network? I don’t think so. Polls are based on public opinion. They measure the Confederate generals’ monuments, and retention Dear All, not moving an inch.” pulse of the people. The other networks are also of military bases named after Confederate gener- We have seen so many videos of white racist My own reaction was more prudent and, I showing Biden ahead too… even better. CNN als, clearly puts him at odds with the majority of people attacking Asian Americans lately, and think, practical: shows Biden ahead by 14 points. In an effort to the American people. you do not think it would happen to you. Well, “Hi Lisa and Lloyd, it was prudent to avoid forestall the avalanche of negative polls, Trump In tweets last week, Trump argued against this morning, I had a very close call. a confrontation, but I suggest that the next time instructed his lawyers to send a cease-and-desist changing the names of bases like Fort Bragg, Fort I went to the office to pick up the mail. this happens, we should take a photo of the car letter to CNN. CNN ignored it. Hood, and Fort Benning, all of which are named Since the concert is already tomorrow, I wanted license plate so that the bullies can be traced and after Confederate generals. Why not rename exposed.” to see if there would be additional donors that Divide and conquer them as Fort MacArthur, Fort Eisenhower, and needed to be included in the credits. So this was The harsh fact is that there is a virus that It seems that whatever the bad news is, Fort Theodore Roosevelt? These were generals not a regular trip as I only go in on Fridays. I has infected America. The people whom Lisa Trump would say, optimistically, “Let’s see what who won wars under the U.S. flag. The Confed- thought it would be an opportunity also to buy and Lloyd described are just two among a group happens in November.” He’s been saying that erate generals fought under the Confederate flag my favorite kronuts (croissant and doughnut of Americans who may be characterized as “an- since March when the polls started to show Biden fighting the U.S. fried together). I parked in the handicap zone. ti-Asian” or “anti-Chinese” or “anti-immigrant” picking up in the battleground states. With the Trump criticized NASCAR for banning Con- Beside me was another car with two white male or “anti-colored,” depending on where they general election less than three months away, his federate flags and emblems. He also criticized occupants who were just getting out of their car. stand in the American racial spectrum. window of election victory is getting smaller and the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians I think they were father and son. The older man “Anti-colored” obviously refers only to white smaller. Pretty soon it would shrink to just a peep- for considering changing their names in order to was already grumbling. My car door was open folks. Among them, there are those who believe hole. And if Trump were going to look through be “politically correct.” as I was about to get out of the car. Then I heard that only they have a right to live in the US be- that peephole, he’d see his dream of re-election Trump also issued an executive order ban- the older man yell at an Asian lady who just exit- cause “they were here first.” The bigoted father shrinking to a fuzzy blue blob. And as he focuses ning destruction of historical monuments, memo- ed from the doughnut shop, “It took you fucking and son apparently belong to this group. farther, he’d read “Black Lives Matter.” It’s only rials, and statues by “hoodlums” and “anarchists.” 20 minutes just to get coffee?” At that point, That attitude, of course, is an exercise then that he would realize the fallacy of his racist Among them is a statue of Andrew Jackson riding the younger man, started cursing too: “Fucking in self-denial because it glosses over the fact campaign that he pivoted into when he lost control a horse, which is prominently located in the La- people. Why don’t you go back to your fucking that native Americans were in this land ahead of the coronavirus pandemic. Having failed to fayette Square across the White House. The 19th country? I served in the war, but not for fucking of these father and son’s ancestors, as well as eradicate or at least mitigate the pandemic and century president’s ruthless treatment of Native people like you (something like that).” And he Christopher Columbus, the Vikings, the Span- with time running out, Trump abandoned the fight Americans has made his statue a target of dem- kept going on cursing for another 30 seconds iards, the Portuguese, the Pilgrims and the to squeeze the life out of the invisible virus. And onstrators protesting the United States’ legacy of maybe, saying the same things, and at the same Puritans. he was left with nothing but to go back to his old racial injustice. time walking near my car (he went around his election strategy: divide and conquer. car to go to my side) since he saw I was Asian. I ■ TO PAGE A7 With the pandemic still going strong and the ■ TO PAGE A7

practice hand hygiene and get tested. As Dr. Fauci said,”the only way we will end this is by ending it As I See It together.” While both Presidential advisers on corona The Opinions expressed by our writers and virus emphasized the importance of all these guide- contributors do not in any way reflect the opinion Assembly member lines however, our very own US president Donald of the management of Fortune News Media Inc. Trump and vice president Mike Pence are both not abiding with wearing the mask guideline. Kansen Chu President Trump does not wear mask because Fortune News Media Inc. allegedly “he doesn’t like how it looks.” Vice Presi- Publisher dent Pence, head of the White House Corona virus urges constituents Task Force, a United States Department of State Harvey Barkin task force that “coordinates and oversees the Ad- Editor-in-Chief to wear mask ministration’s efforts to monitor, prevent, contain, and mitigate the spread” of corona virus disease Edwina Aniag 2019 (COVID-19, doesn’t wear mask too. Vice President for Marketing and Operations ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO What does this mean? When the President, the vice president and practically everyone around them Gary De Guzman ESPITE the surge of the corona virus in 38 6 pm.Stop by and get 10 free masks and 2 hand san- doesn’t wear masks, they are sending a message: Vice President for Community Relations states, especially in the state of California, itizers per household at my District Office located “Masks aren’t necessary or optional despite science Dmost people still don’t wear mask! at 1313 N. Milpitas Blvd. Milpitas, CA 95035 at the and virtually every doctor, medical professional and To address this issue, California Governor Parking Lot.” infectious disease expert has said that mask wearing Geoffrey Julian Gavin Newsom issued late last month a statewide In his website, Chu said: “Research shows that is the single best defense against a second surge of Creative and Production Manager order that requires “all Californians to wear face wearing a face covering helps limit the transmis- the virus as the county begins to reopen.” coverings in public indoor spaces and outdoors sion of COVID-19 and encourage so I encourage We need to understand that this isn’t about Elpidio Estioko when social distancing is not possible.” all of you to wear a face covering whenever you are convenience or not liking it! This is about public Los Angeles Times quoted Newsom as saying: outside your home, in a public place.” health… and we wear a mask to protect other peo- Atty. Crispin Lozano “Simply put, we are seeing too many people with Masks and sanitizers will be given on a first ple… especially those who are older or have pre-ex- Dr. Philip Chua faces uncovered — putting at risk the real progress come first serve basis. Chu said “When you arrive at isting medical conditions -- since we know they are Ben Lou / Perry Diaz we have made in fighting the disease. California’s the parking lot, please stay in your car and volun- more vulnerable to Covid-19 than anybody else. Federico Espiritu strategy to restart the economy and get people back teers will hand masks and hand sanitizers to you Winning the fight against the corona virus re- Columnists to work will only be successful if people act safely while maintaining physical distance.” quires that we all understand we’re in this together and follow health recommendations. That means Chu’s website also encourages his constitu- and responsible for every action we do. I guess, wearing a face covering, washing your hands and ents to get tested. They can find information about what Trump and Pence are doing is a confusing Macon Ramos-Araneta practicing physical distancing.” testing sites from your health care provider and situation that somehow splits the American people. Corina Oliquino According to a representative for the Newsom the websites for the Alameda County Public Health Actually, they… our nation’s leaders, are sending Daniel Llanto administration, “under state law, residents who Department, the Santa Clara County Health De- mixed messages! violate the new requirement could be charged with partment and the California Department of Public Actually, this is not fantasy but a real situa- Correspondents a misdemeanor and potentially face a financial Health. tion because in a study released by the National penalty.” However, officials have shied away from I think, what Assemblymember Chu is tell- Academy of Sciences (NAS) earlier this month, the enforcing other statewide coronavirus mandates ing his constituents is for them to be responsible authors concluded: “Our analysis reveals that the with similar actions, choosing instead to encourage members of the community. We need to be part of difference with and without mandated face covering @FilAmNewspaper compliance and educate residents about the bene- the solution, not the problem! If we want to end the represents the determinant in shaping the trends of fits of safeguards against spread of the virus. pandemic, we need to be part of the solution, not the pandemic. This protective measure significantly FilAm Star is published weekly by Fortune News Media Inc. Pursuant to this, California District 25 Assem- the problem! reduces the number of infections. Other mitigation www.filamstar.com bly member Kansen Chu encouraged his constit- As I See It, this is pursuant to the message of measures, such as social distancing implemented in uents to wear mask! Now, there is a high demand CDC director Dr. Robert Reidfield which was cor- the United States, are insufficient by themselves in for face coverings, so Chu said: “Because of the roborated by Dr. Anthony Fauci, saying “Everyone protecting the public.” Headquarters: high demand for masks and hand sanitizers, I am should take personal responsibility!” And the Centers for Disease Control and 1028 Mission St., 2/F, San Francisco, CA 94103; hosting a free masks and hand sanitizers distri- Reidfield said: “It is our collective responsi- Tel. (650) 278-0692 or (415) 593-5955 Prevention (CDC) has been recommending Email: [email protected] bution event in the parking lot outside my district bility to protect the vulnerable from COVID-19 mask-wearing when outside: “CDC recommends office in Milpitas on Friday July 17, 2020 at 4 pm to – continue to social distance, wear face coverings, that everyone wear cloth face coverings when leav- July 16-22, 2020 FilAm Star A7

China.... From Page A1 Record... From Page A1 Locsin earlier said the arbitration case which properly handling the so-called arbitration case, In a report by GMA News, the Philippines Against COVID-19 Deputy Chief implementer had been “overwhelmingly won” by the Philip- which has laid down solid ground for the turn- has 85 licensed laboratories which have tested Vince Dizon (chief testing czar), Baguio City May- pines and was based on the United Nations Con- ing-around of bilateral relations,” the embassy 926,252 individuals. or Benjamin Magalong (chief tracing czar), Public vention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) “con- claimed. Vergeire also attributed the rise in cases in Works and Highways Sec. Mark Villar (chief iso- clusively settles the issue of historic rights and Beijing said it hopes that with the current the growing number of clusters of community lation czar) and Health Undersec. Leopoldo Vega maritime entitlements in the South China Sea.” state of China-Philippines relations, the two transmission, noting the reproduction number, (chief treatment czar). Locsin reiterated that the ruling struck down country can work together to uphold peace and as illegal China’s 9-dash line, which it used to stability in the South China Sea. which refers to the average number of people that “Ang ating istratehiya sa matinding pag- claim virtually the entire South China Sea and “It is hoped that the Philippines could make one COVID-19-positive individual can infect, was subok ng COVID-19, mas malawak ang targeted stressed that China’s actions in the West Philip- concerted efforts with China in jointly securing at 1.23 as of June 22. testing, mas maraming isolation centers, mas pine Sea were found to have violated the Philip- the hard-won sound momentum of bilateral “Bahagyang tumaas po ito kumpara sa naiulat matinding tracing at mas matinding treatment pines’ rights. relations and upholding peace and stability in the natin noong nakaraang linggo na 1.09 as of June para sa mga nagkakasakit,” Roque said. He then urged China, as a signatory to UN- South China Sea,” the Embassy said. 17, ngunit ito po ay dahil mayroon tayong nakitang “Lahat po iyan sa ilalim ng NTF, sa Ilalim ng CLOS, to comply with the award in “good faith,” On July 12 four years ago, the PCA ruled in pagtaas ng bilang ng mga kaso,” she said. ating Chief Implementer (Carlito) Galvez,” Roque calling the ruling “non-negotiable.” favor of the Philippines’ arguments for maritime Vergeire noted that it was also a “good added. In a statement, the Department of Foreign entitlements over the West Philippine Sea, reject- indication” that case doubling time has increased In another report by Rappler, Magalong Affairs said the Philippines’ arbitration victory ing China’s claims in the resource-rich area. to 8.18 days as of July 12 compared to 7.97 as of said he will improve the country’s contact trac- against China is “non-negotiable”. China however rejected the arbitral win, with July 03. ing system by introducing skills training on two “The Arbitral Tribunal authoritatively ruled no less than Chinese President Xi Jinping tell- As of July 13, the Philippines recorded fronts by conducting proper ways of questioning that China’s claim of historic rights to resources ing President Duterte to the latter’s face during 57,006 COVID-19 cases with 20,731 recoveries patients and by using the government’s new “con- within the sea areas falling within the ‘nine-dash their bilateral meeting in Beijing last year. China line’ had no basis in law,” Locsin said. instead ramped up its militarization efforts in the and 1,599 deaths. tact tracing e-system” capable of collecting data He added that the Philippines, as a law-abid- vital waterway. New COVID-19 czars from contact tracing efforts. ing, peace-loving and responsible member of the Last April, the DFA filed a diplomatic In another report by GMA News, Mala- “Gusto ko lang pong banggitin sa inyo na international community, reaffirms its adherence protest against China after a Chinese warship cañang through presidential spokesperson Harry radically ay babaguhin po natin iyong structure to the award and its enforcement without any pointed a radar gun at a Philippine Navy ship in Roque introduced new COVID-19 czars tasked ng ating contact tracing system. Ang itatawag po possibility of compromise or change. the West Philippine Sea. to implement the country’s test, trace, and treat natin diyan is iyong contact tracing ecosystem. In a statement released on the occasion of In June last year, a Chinese vessel collid- strategy as virus cases rise. It’s a partnership between health workers at the anniversary of the verdict, the embassy said ed with a Filipino fishing boat and sank it, then left Dubbed by Roque as “Philippine anti-COVID iyong ating pong law enforcement investigators,” Chinese “sovereignty and maritime rights” in the the boat’s crew floating in the middle of the sea. czars” the officials included National Task Force Magalong said. area will not be affected by the ruling. Former Foreign Affairs chief Albert del “China firmly opposes and will never accept Rosario said Duterte can still raise the country’s any claim or action based on aforesaid award. arbitral win “before the world.” Last May, Indo- EU.... From Page A1 It has to be highlighted that China and the nesia cited the Philippines’ arbitral win in its own Philippines have already reached consensus on sea dispute with China. that the law in the Philippines is used against ing that the updated article fall under re-publi- journalists perceived as being critical of the au- cation and puts it under the anti-cybercrime law thorities,” they added. — a theory that Ressa’s legal team challenges in PH... From Page A1 The regional bloc called on Duterte to “drop their appeal. all charges against Ressa and Santos, not to Job-generating foreign direct investments But while the Philippines is rising in world In a statement, the EDC said that prioritizing oppose the appeal of her conviction in the cyber from EU to Philippines stood at $250 million in rankings in the production of the clean source of renewables will “help the economy attract more libel case and guarantee a free and independent the first quarter this year, up 437.9 percent year- energy, it is not without its share of challenges. companies and investors who are making the press in the country.” on-year from $46.5 billion recorded in the same One major hurdle is that private companies pivot toward sustainable and green practices in Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 Judge period in 2019. are having a hard time pursuing “numerous” un- their business operations.” Rainelda Estacio-Montesa convicted Ressa and The European Union provided millions derdeveloped geothermal energy sources because EDC is considered the country’s leading Santos on Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 or of euros to the Philippines to fight poverty and of the “high risk and capital intensive nature of geothermal energy developer. cyber libel. The court sentenced Ressa and San- counter-terrorism in Southern Philippines. There exploring and developing these areas and the ab- According to Marvin Bailon, EDC head of tos to an indeterminate penalty of imprisonment are more than 30,000 Europeans living in the sence of guaranteed rate under the Feed-in-Tariff business development, trading and market- ranging from a minimum six months and one day Philippines. (FIT) System,” according to the National Geo- ing, there has been an observable rise in retail to six years of prision correccional as maximum. Duterte last year turned down an invitation thermal Association of the Philippines (NGAP). electricity market customers who subscribe to Ressa and Santos are currently out on to an Asia-Europe summit in Brussels as he The country is set to hike its geothermal ca- geothermal energy in recent years. post-conviction bail, as they appeal the guilty lashed out at the EU and accused the bloc of in- pacity to 2,098 megawatts (MW) capacity in the The Philippines’ rise to the fourth spot among verdict of the court. sulting him over his deadly war on drugs. Dute- next decade, adding 170MW to current capacity. the world’s suppliers is nothing new. It actually The case was based on a complaint filed rte hit out after saying European Council Presi- NGAP said the increase “will come mostly from represents a rebound in the country’s fortunes. by businessman Wilfredo Keng over an article dent Donald Tusk had invited him to the biennial the country’s strong existing geothermal capacity and In the early 2010s, the Philippines was published in May 2012, roughly four months Asia-Europe meeting in October. forecast limited growth in the renewables sector.” actually the world’s second in the production of before the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 Europe has been vocal in its criticism of Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi welcomed the Fitch the clean energy but lost its focus in geothermal was instituted. Laws like this cannot be applied Duterte’s hallmark policy, which has left nearly Solution report. in favor of other renewable energy sources. Also, retroactively. 4,000 drug suspects dead and seen human rights Said Cusi: “Proven na natin etong geother- few developers were interested in investing in The Justice department found probable groups claim he was responsible for a crime mal. Let’s go for it and regain our previous global geothermal energy. cause to bring Ressa and Santos to court, assert- against humanity. standing as one of the top countries in geother- On the plus side, geothermal energy does mal development.” not suffer from the same cost fluctuations experi- Cusi said the Energy department is preparing enced by oil and gas prices. Trump... From Page A1 an order to bolster geothermal development. Use of geothermal power results in substan- The Energy Development Corp. (EDC), tial savings on heating, ranging from 30 percent The same official provided a list of Fauci’s the buck by blaming the top infectious disease ex- controlled by the Lopez family of ABS-CBN fame, to 60 percent. There are also large savings when statements that he believed were incorrect. pert in the country -- whose advice he repeatedly expressed its support for the Energy department’s geothermal energy is used for cooling, ranging Despite the efforts to malign Fauci, the White ignored and Joe Biden consistently implored him initiative. from 25 percent to 50 percent. House appeared eager to downplay tensions, to take -- is yet another horrible and revealing with press secretary Kayleigh McEnany saying failure of leadership as the tragic death toll con- Monday that Trump “certainly” still values the tinues to needlessly grow,” campaign spokesman From Page A1 A Filipino... expert’s opinion. Andrew Bates said in a statement. “Dr Fauci is one of many on the task force Faced with outbreak surges in the US south Rites of passage to census to understand the impact that Filipino Americans who provides advice,” she said. and west, Fauci sounded the alarm last week, are having on a lot of different things … especially Katague’s father had his early years of medical Trump is trailing Democrat Joe Biden in the denouncing the hasty end to lockdowns in several practice in the 1960s in Kansas City. When she was during this time of COVID-19.” polls ahead of a November election and surveys states and the general carelessness of many 10 years old, her family moved to a new subdivision The deadline to submit the questionnaire to show most Americans are unhappy with how he Americans. in Modesto, California, where she had an experi- the U.S. Census Bureau has been extended to Oct. ence that forever changed her perspective on the 31 because of the pandemic. has handled the public health crisis. “As a country, when you compare us to other decennial count. Katague acknowledges that many households The Biden campaign slammed Trump for the countries, I don’t think you can say we’re doing The father of her best friend in the neighbor- in the Filipino community are composed of mul- Fauci comments. great,” he said last Thursday. “We’re just not.” hood had a stroke and was taken from their house tigenerational families, which poses challenges to “The president’s disgusting attempt to pass (AFP) in an ambulance. But because the hospital was far count. from where they lived, the stroke damaged him “We have those living with lola (grandmother) seriously. or lolo (grandfather) and staying with them, or tita Perry... From Page A6 That terrible memory has always reminded her (aunt) is staying over, and then they’ll often see an that if the federal government had allocated more undercount because they won’t report everyone,” Trump’s advocacy for the retention of Con- November, which would create a hole so deep resources to their neighborhood, there might have Katague said. “Maybe tita’s not supposed to be federate icons and symbols has opened another that it could take years for the Republican Party been a hospital nearby that could have given her living there at that time, or maybe they think they’ll battleground in his campaign -- a culture war on to dig out of it. friend’s father immediate care. get their own forms. But since the housing crisis, we race and heritage. He described the “Black Lives It makes one wonder then: Has Trump “I always wonder, if that ER was even 10 have seen houses that are doubling up.” Matter” as symbol of hate and threatened to veto reached his “Katrina” moment, the tipping point minutes closer, would he have suffered less dam- a massive defense appropriation bill if it includes in his presidency when public opinion would cast age? Would he have been able to walk on his own?” Is Filipino Asian or Pacific Islander? an amendment to strip the names of Confederate a die to his re-election bid? Trump was on the Katague said. “If we are not counted, those facilities Katague is American, born and bred. She generals from military bases. right track when the coronavirus cases plateau’d or things that we need would be a lot farther away.” attended American public schools, and established in May. But he opened the country too soon her career mostly in American public service. Public opinion without following the guidelines set by the White Census participation in California By identifying herself as Filipino, her ethnicity Public opinion polls have shown broad sup- House Task Force on Coronavirus. And as soon In an effort to achieve a complete count in Cal- offers a thread, a more significant meaning for her port among Americans for the “Black Lives Mat- as he opened the country, the virus started infect- ifornia, and despite the difficulties of achieving that commitment that every Filipino living in California ter” movement, with about two-thirds of Ameri- ing people again. It’s like letting the genie out of during the coronavirus pandemic, Katague contin- and the United States — young and old, document- cans saying they support the movement, including the bottle, which would be hard to put it back in. ues to encourage communities across the state to ed and undocumented, biracial and multiracial — some 60% of white Americans. However, a source And now, it’s spreading like crazy! If Trump did participate in the census. gets counted. close to the White House said Trump’s recent it right, he would have been in a better position to As of June 28, she said, California’s count rate Katague talked about how being a Filipino remarks were “less about appealing to his base get re-elected. was 68% — more than 9 million households have American has shaped her personal and political and directed more at low-propensity voters who Many Republican strategists think that submitted their census questionnaires by phone, identity, and she mused aloud about questions her are angered by protesters attempting to tear down Trump is close to the point of no return. Has online or mail. The state’s rate is higher than the own daughter grapples with. these landmarks.” Truly Machiavellian, indeed. Trump permanently lost the trust and faith of the 61.8% national average. The teenager is multiethnic — half Filipino, a But some of his allies have urged him to majority of voters? The Cook Political Report, a Those most at-risk of going uncounted in the quarter Italian and a quarter Irish. focus more of his attention on Biden and issues nonpartisan campaign tip sheet shows 279 elec- census include minorities, immigrants, residents in According to the Census Bureau, an individ- that affects voters beyond his base. Bu Trump toral votes for Biden, nine more than he needs to hard-to-reach or remote areas, renters and children ual’s response to the race question is based upon has been unmoved, putting fellow Republicans in be elected president. ages 5 and under. self-identification. The Bureau does not tell individ- a tight spot. At the rate the states are heading toward uals which boxes to mark or what heritage to write And this brings to the fore concerns among Biden’s camp, could it be that a blue tsunami Challenges in the Filipino community in. Instead, the questionnaire gives the respondent Republicans that Trump might lose big enough looms ahead? Anecdotal evidence suggests that Filipinos who the option to self-identify with more than one race to drag down all Republicans on the ballot in ([email protected]) don’t participate in the census are mostly undoc- or ethnicity. umented immigrants and those who are too busy “My daughter is also trying to find her iden- with work, especially those with multiple jobs. tity,” Katague said. “She’d say, ‘Mom, we are the Street Talk... From Page A6 “The census is safe and confidential, but I get Latinos of Asia.’ But the census gives her the op- the fear,” Katague said. “Many of our hardest-to- portunity to choose her identity — the way anybody That means that these bigots who verbally supremacists and neo-Nazis – including the count populations … our TNTs (undocumented) wants to choose it. Now, she’d say, ‘Mom, I’d only assaulted the Asian woman could also be told to father and son in Lisa’ post. within the Filipino community are definitely like, fill out Filipino,’ because that’s what I identify with go back to their country. But that kind of trash Fortunately, not everyone who is white is a ‘I’m not going to answer that.’ But we need the data and that’s what resonates with her.” talk sets back America several hundred years. bigot like Trump. There are many enlightened This anti-immigrant virus has been around Americans who don’t care about race, color, for a long time, but folks were more discreet creed or even sexual orientation. Being a human As I see it... From Page A6 about displaying their affliction. Unfortunately, being is good enough for them. President Donald Trump made it fashionable But what is sad is that there are some Filipi- ing their homes, regardless of whether they have you have a social responsibility because if we want to openly bare the virus when he recently told a no-Americans who have mindlessly jumped on fever or symptoms of COVID-19. This is because of to end this outbreak - really end it – and hopefully group of non-white members of Congress to “go Trump’s anti-Chinese bandwagon, conflating the evidence that people with COVID-19 can spread the when a vaccine comes and puts the nail in the cof- back to your country.” coronavirus with other perceived Chinese “sins,” disease, even when they don’t have any symptoms.” fin, we’ve got to realize we are part of the process.” Trump may not have realized that he was from fake products to the trade war. The corona virus is not going anywhere! It’s Defeating the virus needs social responsibility spitting in the wind, because he also can be What these anti-Chinese Pinoys may not surging and posing more dangers as it did in the where a concerted effort is needed making us a part told to go back to Germany, where his relatives realize is that they are also showering in their first wave. It’s not true that it’s fading away… of the solution, not the problem! reportedly had their roots. And his wife Melania own saliva like Trump, mainly because, to many So we need full responsibility in getting infect- Folks, let’s listen to science, not politics, wear could be told to go back to Slovenia. non-Asians, everyone who comes from “that part ed with COVID – 19 in all levels of society because masks, okay? It’s our social responsibility to work as Aside from the anti-immigrant virus that of the world” (i.e., Asia), is “Chinese.” if we get infected, we are part of the problem… not a team… and we can end the pandemic… together! Trump unleashed he also made it fashionable And that includes Pinoys. the solution. (Elpidio R. Estioko was a veteran journalist in to attach an anti-Chinese label to the other That brings to mind that classic Mad Com- In a Friday briefing in the White House Coro- the Philippines and an award-winning journalist virus that the world has had to struggle with: ics strip where the Lone Ranger and his faithful navirus Task Force, Dr. Anthony Fauci said: “You here in the US. For feedbacks, comments… please COVID-19, also called Kung Flu by Trump. sidekick, Tonto, were surrounded by Indians. have an individual responsibility to yourself, but email the author at [email protected]). It is, in fact, possible that in Trump’s “Hey Tonto,” the Lone Ranger warned, bigoted mind, Kung Flu applies to everyone who “looks like we’re surrounded.” One of the data sources for Corina Oliquino’s July 2 story, Manila 5th among cities with highest burn-out rate is isn’t white. We could all come from South of the At this, Tonto replied: “What you mean from: : https://savvysleeper.org/cities-with-highest-burnout/ border, for all he cares. It’s the attitude of white we?” ([email protected]) A8 FilAm Star July 16-22, 2020 World News the region, you have a rich history and you can do “Something we want to better understand, much more.” and that’s important for planetary dynamics over- all, is the reasons for the loss of the atmosphere First Arab mission to Mars Narrow window and if the weather system on Mars actually has Sarah al-Amiri, the mission’s deputy project an impact on loss of hydrogen and oxygen,” she manager, said it was imperative that the project said, referring to the two components that make have a long-term scientific impact. up water. designed to inspire youth “It is not a short-lived mission, but rather Sharaf said that fuelling of the probe is to one that continues throughout the years and begin next week. THE FIRST Arab space mission to Mars, armed produces valuable scientific findings -- be it by It is scheduled to launch on July 15 from with probes to study the Red Planet’s atmo- (Photo: Facebook) researchers in the UAE or globally,” she told AFP. Japan’s Tanegashima Space Centre and return sphere, is designed to inspire the region’s youth She said that the probe will provide a com- to Earth in February 2021, depending on many and pave the way for scientific breakthroughs, prehensive image of the weather dynamics in variables including the weather. officials said Tuesday. Mars’ atmosphere with the use of three scientific “If we miss the launch opportunity, which The unmanned probe Al-Amal -- Hope in instruments. is between mid-July and early August, then we’d Arabic -- is to blast off from a Japanese space The first is an infrared spectrometer to mea- have to wait for two years for another window,” centre on July 15, with preparations now in their sure the planet’s lower atmosphere and analyse Sharaf said. final stages. the temperature structure. But hopes are high that the mission will take The project is the next giant step for the The second, a high-resolution imager that place as scheduled, and not be derailed by the United Arab Emirates, whose colossal skyscrap- will provide information about the ozone; and coronavirus pandemic. ers and mega-projects have put it on the world a third, an ultraviolet spectrometer to measure In a new sign of warming ties between Israel map. oxygen and hydrogen levels from a distance of up and Gulf Arab nations, the Jewish state Tuesday The UAE sent its first astronaut into space to 43,000 kilometres from the surface. wished the UAE success with the mission. last year and is also planning to build a “Science The three tools will allow researchers to ob- We “hope this step will contribute towards City” to replicate conditions on Mars, where it serve the Red Planet “at all times of the day and deeper cooperation between all countries in the hopes to build a human settlement by 2117. that we used to be generators of knowledge,” he observe all of Mars during those different times”, region,” its foreign ministry’s “Israel in the Gulf” Omran Sharaf, the mission’s project manag- told AFP. Amiri said. Twitter account wrote in Arabic. (AFP) er, said that apart from the ambitious scientific “People of different backgrounds and reli- goals, the mission was designed to hark back to gion coexisted and shared a similar identity,” he the region’s golden age of cultural and scientific said of the Arab world, where many countries are achievements. today wracked by sectarian conflicts and econom- China warns citizens of “The UAE wanted to send a strong message ic crises. to the Arab youth and to remind them of the past, “Put your differences aside, focus on building ‘arbitrary’ searches in Australia CHINA stepped up a travel warning to Australia been escalating on various fronts after Beijing Coronavirus masks, gloves on Monday, telling its citizens of a risk of being reacted with fury to calls for an independent searched “arbitrarily” by law enforcement author- investigation into the origins and spread of the ities, as tensions between both countries grow. coronavirus pandemic -- which first surfaced in polluting Europe’s rivers The foreign ministry’s latest notice comes a central China last year. month after Beijing warned of “discrimination” Apart from warning of discrimination recent- EUROPE’S major rivers are littered with surgi- tegrate quickly in the ocean, making it almost against Chinese people in Australia, telling its ly, China’s culture and tourism ministry advised cal masks and medical gloves discarded by people impossible to recover, she added. citizens not to travel there. against travelling to Australia last month due to protecting themselves against coronavirus, scien- The Tara Foundation recently concluded a It also came days after Australia offered increasing racism linked to the coronavirus. tists have reported. scientific survey of nine major rivers -- the Elbe, some 10,000 people from Hong Kong pathways On Monday, the foreign ministry said that The rubbish adds to plastic pollution already Rhine, Seine, Rhone, Garonne, Loire, Tiber, to permanent residency in response to China’s “racial discrimination and acts of violence in clogging the continent’s major waterways, re- Thames and Ebro -- to measure concentrations of crackdown on dissent in the city, encouraging en- Australia have significantly increased”, accusing search organisation Tara Ocean Foundation told microplastics. trepreneurs or skilled workers to relocate as well. Australian media of fanning the flames of an- France Inter radio on Sunday. The expedition from May to November 2019 The moves drew ire from Beijing. ti-Chinese sentiment. During the month of June, researchers “sys- found them in 100 percent of the water samples “Australia’s relevant law enforcement authori- Responding to questions on Australia’s tematically found gloves and masks” along the they collected, showing that particles had already ties arbitrarily search Chinese citizens and seize their latest announcements about Hong Kong, foreign banks and beaches of rivers across Europe said broken down before being carried out to the sea. items, and these circumstances could cause harm to ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying warned Romy Hentinger, head of international coopera- “We’re waiting for the final results from our Chinese citizens in Australia, as well as the safety of at a regular briefing that Australia’s moves could tion at the foundation. scientists,” said Hentinger. their assets,” said the Chinese foreign ministry. bring negative consequences. “This is worrying,” she said. “We can only as- Contrary to what was once thought, bits of The notice posted on the WeChat social “We urge Australia to change its course sume that others (masks and gloves) have already plastic in ocean water are not broken down by UV media app also reminded Chinese citizens to “pay and stop interfering in Hong Kong’s affairs and made it to the ocean.” rays and salt. close attention” to local safety risks and “travel China’s internal affairs in any way, or risk further The disposable protective gear is manufac- Around eight million tonnes of plastic end up with caution to Australia in the near-term”. damage to China-Australia relations,” she said. tured from polypropylene and will thus disin- in the world’s oceans every year. (AFP) Tensions between Australia and China have (AFP) California’s incredible diversity makes accurate census count difficult Ethnic Media Services accurate count of California’s population. we are reaching out to them in a language that economic fallout are hurting communities that Many immigrants also fear the information they understand and that we’re using trusted are least likely to be counted by the census,” said SAN FRANCISCO — California’s rich diversity they share on the nine-question form may be messengers, people that they trust from their Ramakrishnan, advocating for investments in of ethnic populations makes an accurate census shared with immigration enforcement authorities faith-based associations to nonprofits that serve health care and economic assistance for vulnera- count extremely challenging, says Karthick Ra- or the Internal Revenue Service. “It’s important them so that they can be reassured that this infor- ble communities. makrishnan, founder and director of AAPI Data. to reassure them that all of the information they mation is protected,” said Ramakrishnan. Census data, collected every 10 years, is used “California’s diversity is the source of our provide is protected by law,” and not shared with The U.S. Census Bureau conducted a survey to allocate federal resources and accurate repre- strength. There’s a lot that we gain from having other agencies, said Ramakrishnan. of Asian Americans, Blacks, Hispanics and whites sentation in Congress. Businesses also use data the kind of racial diversity. At the same time, “The census is constitutionally mandated two years ago.Two-thirds of Asian Americans from the decennial survey to determine where to those factors make it more by the US Constitution to make sure that every surveyed said they were extremely to somewhat set up shop. challenging to count,” said Ramakrishnan, person counts. So this includes citizens as well as concerned that their data would be used against As of early July, more than 46 percent of who serves as the associate dean of the UC Riv- non citizens regardless of their immigration sta- them. California households had filled out their Census erside School of Public Policy, and professor of tus or what kind of visa that they have,” he said. About 43 percent of AAPIS surveyed said forms, according to the California Census 2020 public policy and political science. Reaching the Asian American Pacific Island- they would not likely fill out the Census form. Campaign. San Mateo County had the highest Ramakrishnan cited a lack of in-language er population poses some unique challenges, said Only 22 percent said they were familiar with the response rate in the state, with over 72 percent resources, geographic diversity, including popu- the researcher, noting that a large percentage of Census. of residents returning the survey, which can be lations living in rural areas, and first-generation the population of California are first generation The COVID-19 pandemic has also made mailed in or filled out online. Enumerators do go immigrants who may not understand the census AAPIs with limited English language proficiency. it harder to reach populations that have had a door to door to reach households who have not process or its importance as barriers to getting an “So it’s so important for us to make sure that history of non-participation. “The disease and the filled out their census forms. July 16-22, 2020 FilAm Star A9 Stellar Events her nonprofit Rodney’s Hope with the Summer and daughters of God. We have to collaborate Food drive as its debut project. They were lat- with each no matter how we live out our faiths. er joined by Union City Councilmember Jaime But the knowledge and belief in what we call God, Summer food drive at Union City Patiño. the source of life, is something very essential. The Rodney’s Hope was created on behalf of Yap’s love for our neighbor and ourselves are important autistic brother Rodney and for more about Frag- things that cut across faith and religion that bind ile X Syndrome which Rodney had, go on https:// us together.” en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragile_X_syndrome. At the end of the activity, some 200 food Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church packs and grocery bags were distributed with the Pastor Fr, Jesus Nieto Reyes said, “We are sons hope for more food drives in the future.

Event group leaders, volunteers and other supporters gather for a souvenir picture

Gurdwara Sikh Fremont and Sikh for Humanity official Kashmir Shahi, Union City Human Relations Commissioner Ann Ruth Yap and Sarah Loading of food and grocery bags Halog of Kyäni Caring Hands Story and photos by Jun Nucum Families and friends gathered together to enjoy and celebrated the 60th birthday of Mr. Jimmy Lising at their house, last July 12, 2020. Photo: Charisse Lising THE SAME dedicated group in Union City put out Summer Food Drive for another round of food distribution, dubbed Summer Food Drive at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church parking lot over the weekend. Union City Human Relations Commissioner Ann Ruth Yap, community leader Johnny Veloso got together with Gurdwara Sikh Fremont and Sikh for Humanity official Kashmir Shahi to come up with another worthwhile project after they served around 500 families in an Independence day food drive in Fremont. “The Gurdwara Sikh Fremont and Sikh of Humanity have been instrumental in helping the community during the Pandemic crisis to provide food, groceries, face masks and hand sanitizers,” Yap said. The group of Sarah Halog of Kyäni Caring Hands then came onboard after they also thought of doing a local project for their upcoming Kyani The joy of the grandparents - Elpidio and Caring Hands Day. Delia Estioko enjoying their 4-month apo Hawaii State Governor David Ige (left) has appointed Bennette Misalucha(right) to fill the Everything seemed to fall into places as the Elyse Estioko-Rasay from Oahu, Hawaii. late Sen. Breene Harimoto’s state Senate seat. State Senate District 16 includes Pearl City, Sikhs and Kyani Caring Hands group committed Elyse is the first child of SSgt. Jonathan and Momilani, Pearlridge, ‘Aiea, Royal Summit, ‘Aiea Heights, Newtown, Waimalu, Halawa and Tweety Estioko Rasay from Hawaii. Jonathan to the planned drive while Yap decided to launch Pearl Harbor. The newly appointed Senator is a niece of famous Filipina singer Ms. Lani is with the US Army stationed in Hawaii. Misalucha, Asia’s Nightingale. A10 FilAm Star July 16-22, 2020 Business & tax returns. This is based on the understanding huwag ito kalimutan. that your job is the sole source of your income. If If you need help in getting out of debt, call you have multiple jobs or have other sources of Debt Aid Consulting International. We do not use Tech News income, you may want to consult with a tax expert call centers which keeps your information safe. so you do not overpay or owe too much. 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Analog Devices to acquire Maxim Huawei sales recover Integrated, form $68-bn firm: statement from coronavirus slump AMERICAN semiconductor firm Analog De- market value of $17 billion and ADI of $48 vices has agreed to buy rival Maxim Integrated billion. in an all-stock transaction valued at $20.91 “With the increased breadth and depth of billion, the companies announced Monday. our combined technology and talent, we will be The acquisition, one of the biggest deals able to develop more complete, cutting-edge of the year, would create an enterprise with a solutions,” ADI CEO Vincent Roche said in a combined worth of $68 billion and estimated statement. revenues of $8.2 billion. “Together, we are well-positioned to de- “Maxim’s strength in the automotive and liver the next wave of semiconductor growth, data center markets, combined with ADI’s while engineering a healthier, safer and more strength across the broad industrial, commu- sustainable future for all,” he added. nications and digital healthcare markets are The combined company will be positioned highly complementary,” the statement said. to serve “more than 125,000 customers and Under the terms of the deal, Maxim would capture a larger share of a $60 billion total TELECOM giant Huawei reported double-digit The company said it “reiterated its com- receive 0.63 shares of ADI for each of its addressable market,” the statement said. revenue growth for the first half of the year on mitment to working with carriers and industry shares, giving its shareholders 31 percent own- The deal, which still has to be approved by Monday as it appeared to have recovered from a partners to maintain stable network operations, ership of the combined company. regulators, is expected to close in the summer sales slump seen after the coronavirus pandemic accelerate digital transformation, and support At Friday’s closing prices, Maxim had a of 2021. (AFP) broke out in its home country China. efforts to contain local outbreaks and reopen local The sales figures came just as the British economies”. government was poised to make a crucial deci- Allegations that Huawei has both the capac- sion on Huawei’s involvement in the UK’s future ity and willingness to spy on users of its telecom 5G telecoms network. networks on behalf of China have placed the com- The 454 billion yuan ($64.9 billion) first half rev- pany at the centre of a global controversy about enue figure -- up 13.1 percent year-on-year -- pointed how much access is should get as many countries to a sharp uptick in sales for the second quarter, after prepare to roll out super-fast 5G technology. first-quarter revenue came in at just 182.2 billion Analysts say Huawei’s 5G equipment is both yuan, a mere 1.4 percent increase year-on-year. more advanced and cheaper than anything the Analysts had blamed the slowdown in the competition can bring to the table. first three months of 2020 on the virus fallout British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will on business, and on US-led efforts to contain reportedly decide this week whether to phase out the company’s involvement in foreign telecom the Chinese tech giant’s equipment from the UK’s networks. 5G network. Washington has lobbied allies to shun Hua- The government had already pledged to cut wei over suspicions that its telecoms gear could the firm out of the most sensitive “core” elements contain security loopholes that allow China to spy of 5G that access personal data. on global communications traffic. Reports say Johnson has received a damning The COVID-19 pandemic emerged in China security agency reassessment about the long-term in December before spreading globally. safety of Huawei. Also reporting a net profit margin of 9.2 percent for the first half, Huawei said communi- ‘Impossible’ to remove cations technologies were both a tool for combat- The British review was triggered by new US ting the coronavirus and an engine for recovery of sanctions that blocked Huawei’s access to US the world’s battered economies. chips and semi-conductors at the heart of 5G The net profit margin for the first half also networks. marked an improvement over the first quarter, On Monday, the head of British telecom when it was 7.3 percent, as well as over the first operator BT said it would be “impossible” to re- half of 2019, when it was 8.7. move Huawei’s equipment from Britain’s current But despite the improvement in the latest infrastructure in under 10 years. figures, Huawei’s sales growth of 23.2 percent BT chief executive Philip Jansen warned that was still well below that seen a year earlier. Britain could suffer “outages” and potential secu- rity risks if the sector was forced to stop dealing ‘Crucial tool’ with the Chinese firm. Huawei is the world’s top supplier of telecom Huawei, which denies all spying charges, networking equipment and number-two smart- urged Britain last week not to rush into taking phone maker behind Samsung. any costly decision to phase out its equipment “As countries around the globe are grappling because of US sanctions. with the COVID-19 pandemic, information and Also last week, China urged France to communications technologies (ICT) have become guarantee a “fair and just” environment for its not only a crucial tool for combatting the virus, companies after Paris decided to restrict licenses but also an engine for economic recovery,” Hua- for telecom operators using 5G technology from wei said in Monday’s statement. Huawei. (AFP) Google to invest $10 billion in India GOOGLE said Monday it will invest $10 billion in a piece of the Asian giant’s burgeoning digital India over the next five to seven years as it battles economy. rivals like Facebook and Amazon in the vast mar- This has included only this year around $16 ket of 1.3 billion consumers. billion in investments from Facebook, Intel and Chief executive Sunder Pichai told a virtual others in stakes in the digital services unit of Jio, Google in India event that its fund would help controlled by Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani. “accelerate India’s digital economy” and will Pichai on Monday briefed Prime Minister include investing in local firms and infrastruc- Narendra Modi on his plans, but a government ture in areas like digital payments, education statement suggested that Modi also expressed and health. concerns about data security and privacy. “There’s no question we are facing a difficult Modi “said that tech companies need to put moment today, in India and around the world. The in efforts to bridge the trust deficit,” the statement dual challenges to our health and to our economies said. have forced us to rethink how we work and how we Earlier this month the Indian government live,” Pichai said. banned 59 Chinese cellphone apps including the “But times of challenge can lead to incredible hugely popular TikTok over concerns the firms moments of innovation,” Indian-born Pichai said were passing user data to the Chinese government. according to a transcript of his remarks released The move came amid a dramatic worsening by the US search engine giant. in relations with China following a brawl on their Foreign firms have spent tens of billions of disputed Himalayan border on June 15 that left 20 dollars in India in recent years as they fight for Indian soldiers dead.(AFP) July 16-22, 2020 FilAm Star A11 Community CAA denounces Trump administration Awareness for USCIS guidance on student visas PG&E upgrades website during public SAN FRANCISCO -- Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) denounces the recent announce- ment from the Trump administration and safety power shut-offs in wildfire season Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) that SAN FRANCISCO — As part of its ongoing the day before and just before power will be turned may subject more than one million internation- commitment to keep customers and the commu- off. After power has been turned off, daily updates al students and their dependents to sweeping nities it serves safe and informed, Pacific Gas and will be provided until power has been restored. enforcement and deportation actions. Electric Company (PG&E) announced an im- The guidance issued by ICE terminates proved emergency website and redesigned cus- Additional languages F1 and M1 visa programs for international tomer notifications for Public Safety Power Shutoff Reflecting the diversity of its customer base, (PSPS) events this wildfire season. PG&E’s emergency website will be available in 13 students in academic and vocational studies Website Improvements languages by September. Currently, the website who are enrolled in institutions implementing When PG&E calls a PSPS event due to is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, all-virtual, remote learning during the COVID extreme weather conditions, customers visiting Russian, Vietnamese and Korean. Six additional 19 pandemic. If schools attended by these visa www.pge.com will be directed to the “Safety & languages will be available by September to in- holders do not modify their all-virtual learning, Alert Center” website which will provide more clude Farsi, Arabic, Hmong, Khmer, Punjabi, and students will have to transfer to schools offer- detailed and accurate information as much as two Japanese. Customers will have the opportunity to ing at least partial in-person learning or else days before the shutoff. choose their language of preference for viewing the leave the country. The new emergency website was designed information when visiting the emergency website “This policy is both unconscionable and with a mobile-first approach to optimize the expe- landing page at www.pge.com/pspsupdates. unworkable. Rather than address the pub- rience on mobile devices When a PSPS event is called, customers lic health crisis with leadership, the Trump The new site is cloud based for improved with their preferred language set to Spanish will administration is weaponizing the pandemic Pres. Donald Trump (Photo: Facebook) scalability to handle high traffic levels receive notifications in Spanish. For all other The new site is currently available in six lan- languages, customers will receive notifications to further restrict access to our immigration students in an impossible predicament. But guages other than English with more coming in English with the option to get to in-language and education systems. This is another blatant this administration has shown they are more The new site is also ADA-accessible versions. Updates will also be provided via social attempt to attack immigrants and part of their interested in demonizing immigrants, as well as media channels, local radio and TV outlets in- longstanding campaign to make America white international students and scholars especially Improved Tools and Maps cluding multicultural media outlets. Customers again,” said Hong Mei Pang, director of Advo- those from China, to score xenophobic political Improved tools include a new “all-in-one” can choose their preferred language for notifica- cacy at CAA. points,” said Cynthia Choi, co-executive direc- map that combines three critical tools (address tions by visiting www.pge.com/mywildfirealerts Roughly one million international stu- tor of CAA. search, PSPS forecasted area maps and current or by calling 1-800-742-5000, where in-language dents were in the United States in 2018-19 and CAA calls on the Administration and Con- outage maps) in one place. support is available. among them over 70 percent are students from gress for the immediate reversal of the policy Maps have been upgraded for 2020 to be Asian countries including China, India, South and stands in solidarity with students and oth- more precise and provide more accurate details Reducing the risk of wildfire Korea and Vietnam. The exact number of in- ers who continue to be impacted by the Trump Last year’s address look-up tool has been A PSPS will only be done as a last resort when re-designed to offer a text-based “no map” view of the most extreme fire danger conditions are fore- ternational students holding F-1 and M-1 visas administration’s anti-immigrant policies and that will be impacted by this policy is uncertain current and future outages casted to help reduce the likelihood of an ignition politics. The policy is strongly criticized by New address look-up tool will help those on and help keep our customers and communities as remote learning policies and local public colleges and universities who are expected to lower bandwidths get the information they need safe. health guidelines remain in flux. International challenge the rule in court. CAA advocates for faster. Customers will also see simplified content No single factor drives a PSPS as each situa- students and scholars make our colleges and an immigration system that reflects values of and information that’s easier to read at-a-glance. tion is unique. PG&E carefully reviews a combina- universities more diverse and dynamic for all inclusion, compassion and justice and that During the October 7, 2019, PSPS event, www. tion of many criteria when determining if power students. The cultural and academic exchanges ensures students, families and workers can live pge.com was unavailable for customers due to the should be turned off for safety. These factors and collaboration are more crucial than ever in without fear and achieve their fullest potential. increase in the number of visitors. The website generally include, but are not limited to: an increasingly globalized and interconnected Individuals who may be affected by the received more than 30 times the normal volume A Red Flag Warning declared by the National world. policy should contact the international office of traffic. The new website is optimized to load Weather Service “This is no time to be playing politics with of their home institutions and consult with an quickly and has been tested to more than six times Low humidity levels, generally 20 percent and our public health or our immigration policy. immigration attorney for legal advice. CAA the peak traffic seen during 2019 PSPS events. below This reckless maneuver only makes the pan- maintains an immigration referral phone line Forecasted sustained winds generally above Notification improvements 25 mph and wind gusts in excess of approximately demic situation worse by putting schools and at (415) 761-3222. Improvements have also been made to 45 mph, depending on location and site-specific PG&E’s customer notification process before, conditions such as temperature, terrain and local during and after a PSPS event. The more detailed climate notifications will show the date of the shut-off, the Condition of dry fuel on the ground and live Advocates call for expanded 2020 address that will be affected and estimated shut-off vegetation (moisture content) and restoration times. When possible, PG&E will On-the-ground, real-time observations from try to notify customers of a PSPS event via auto- PG&E’s Wildfire Safety Operations Center and Census COVID-19 safety measures mated call, text message or email two days prior, observations from PG&E field crews WASHINGTON – Advocates are calling for president and CEO of The Leadership Conference expanded measures to better protect the public on Civil and Human Rights. and census workers, following the US Census John Yang, president and executive director Bureau’s recent news briefing on changes made of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC said, to field operations due to COVID-19. The Lead- “At a time of high levels of mistrust of the govern- ership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, ment, with our community struggling with health Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, concerns amid COVID-19 and reeling from racist National Urban League and National Associa- coronavirus attacks, it is essential for the US Cen- tion of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials sus Bureau to take every precaution to ensure the (NALEO) Educational Fund noted gaps in the health and safety of our communities, especially as Bureau’s plan and demanded stronger protec- it begins to send out census takers to follow-up in tions. person.” While providing gloves and hand sanitizer “In addition to facing the pandemic’s se- and requiring Census Bureau employees to wear vere economic consequences, Latinos across the masks as they interact with the public and each country are also experiencing the highest rates of other are critical first steps, the Bureau must, in COVID-19 infections and deaths,” stated Arturo consultation with public health experts, consider Vargas, National Association of Latino Elected and additional ways to mitigate risk — including em- Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund ployee testing and air filtration in census offices. CEO. “That is why the Census Bureau’s Nonre- The groups are urging a safety audit of current sponse Follow-up operation efforts to reach Latino and planned operations to explore and implement households that have not yet responded must additional measures to ensure the safest 2020 require stringent safety practices and aggressive Census possible. messaging that conveys the cacophony of the “Many of the communities hit hardest by job crisis.” loss and illness right now are the same ones the “Considering the obstacles that already need census has missed for decades. Historically un- to be overcome for Black Americans to be fairly dercounted communities need increased, targeted counted in the 2020 Census, we cannot allow the outreach, and the outreach needs to be safe. With- risk of contracting coronavirus to be one more,” out proactive COVID-19 protections for the 2020 said Marc Morial, president and CEO of the Census, people across the country could be denied National Urban League. “It is imperative that the the funding, resources, and political power they Census Bureau take every precaution not only to deserve. Congress and the Census Bureau need protect workers and the vulnerable communities to take action and address the gaps in the current they serve from infection but also to offer these plans: the public and census employees deserve communities every reassurance that their partici- a safe and accurate count,” said Vanita Gupta, pation is safe.” A12 FilAm Star July 16-22, 2020 Legal & Law tuition from international students, and some Adjustment of status applications, three N-400 stood to lose millions of dollars in revenue if applications for naturalization and three fiancé the rule had taken hold. visa application. Harvard and MIT were the first to contest 7. For the month of December 2019, Trump withdraw rule the policy, but at least seven other federal we received four approvals of naturalization suits had been filed by universities and states applications, five approvals of Adjustment of on restrictions on opposing the rule. Status applications, two approvals of Petition Harvard and MIT argued that immigration to remove condition on residence, one renewal officials violated procedural rules by issuing of green card approval and one green card foreign students the guidance without justification and without application at the U.S. Embassy. allowing the public to respond. They also 8. For the month of November 2019, argued that the policy contradicted ICE’s we received approvals of one naturalization BY ATTY. CRISPIN CADAY LOZANO March 13 directive telling schools that existing application, one renewal of green card, one limits on online education would be suspended Petition to remove condition on residence and HY DID President Trump withdrew light of the policy. “for the duration of the emergency.” one adjustment of status. the rule requiring foreign students What policy of Trump administration is The suit noted that Trump’s national 9. For the month of October 2019, to leave the U.S. if they are attending being challenged in court? emergency declaration has not been rescinded we received five naturalization application W and that virus cases are spiking in some regions. approvals and two renewal of green card and online classes only? Under the policy, international students Answer: Facing eight federal lawsuits in the U.S. would have been forbidden from one DACA approval. and opposition from hundreds of universities, taking all their courses online this fall. New SUCCESS STORIES 10. For the month of September 2019, the Trump administration on Tuesday visas would not have been issued to students at 1. For the month of June 2020, we received approval of two naturalization rescinded a rule that would have required schools planning to provide all classes online, we received approvals from USCIS two applications, one adjustment of status and international students to transfer or leave the which includes Harvard. Students already in naturalization applications, two renewal of one application to remove condition on country if their schools held classes entirely the U.S. would have faced deportation if they green card and one adjustment of status. residence. online because of the pandemic. didn’t transfer schools or leave the country 2. For the month of May 2020, we 11. For the month of August, 2019, we The decision was announced at the start of voluntarily. received approvals from USCIS for three green received approval from Immigration Court a hearing in a federal lawsuit in Boston brought Immigration officials issued the policy card renewals, two adjustment of status, and for a waiver of misrepresentation for a client by Harvard University and the Massachusetts last week, reversing earlier guidance from one naturalization application. who has committed marriage fraud. We Institute of Technology. U.S. District Judge March 13 telling colleges that limits around 3. For the month of April 2020. we also received approval from USCIS of two Allison Burroughs said federal immigration online education would be suspended during received approval of one adjustment of status, naturalization applications and two fiancé visa authorities agreed to pull the July 6 directive the pandemic. University leaders believed the three removal of condition on residence and petition. and “return to the status quo.” rule was part of President Donald Trump’s one renewal of green card. 12. For the month of July 2019, we A lawyer representing the Department of effort to pressure the nation’s schools and 4. For the month of March 2020, we received approvals of three N-400 application Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and colleges to reopen this fall even as new virus received six Adjustment of Status and three for Naturalization, one I-751 Petition to remove Customs Enforcement said only that the judge’s cases rise. Naturalization approvals from USCIS. condition of residence with interview and two characterization was correct. The policy drew sharp backlash from 4. For the month of February 2020, I-90 renewal of green card. The announcement brings relief to higher education institutions, with more we received approvals from USCIS of five If you have immigration problems the thousands of foreign students who had been than 200 signing court briefs supporting the Adjustment of Status application and three Law Offices of Crispin C. Lozano can help you at risk of being deported from the country, challenge by Harvard and MIT. Colleges said Naturalization application. find a solution before your problem gets worse along with hundreds of universities that were the policy would put students’ safety at risk and 6. For the month of January 2020, which could lead to deportation and family scrambling to reassess their plans for the fall in hurt schools financially. Many schools rely on we received approvals from USCIS of five separation. Family sues Minneapolis Maxwell ignored FBI orders during arrest: prosecutors for George Floyd’s death BRITISH socialite Ghislaine Maxwell ignored the The prosecution responded by saying orders of FBI agents during her arrest on sex-traf- Maxwell’s conduct at the time of her arrest ficking charges, prosecutors said Monday as they suggests she may use her wealth and three urged a US judge to deny her bail request. passports to try to flee justice. in police hands Attorneys for the Southern District of New They said that during a search of her York said in a court filing that agents had to house, the agents found a cell phone wrapped THE FAMILY of George Floyd whose murder to bring them millions of dollars if they can breach the front door of the 58-year-old’s home in tin foil -- “a seemingly misguided effort to by a Minneapolis police sparked nationwide prove that the city’s policies are at fault for to detain her on July 2. evade detection... by law enforcement.” protests announced Wednesday that they are the behavior of Chauvin and the other officers “Through a window, the agents saw the The government’s attorneys added that a suing the city for his death. involved. defendant ignore the direction to open the door security guard told the agents that Maxwell’s Attorney Benjamin Crump said the family In May 2019, Minneapolis was ordered to and, instead, try to flee to another room in the brother had hired a security company staffed filed the wrongful death lawsuit in the Federal pay $20 million to the family of a yoga teacher house, quickly shutting a door behind her,” the with former British military members to guard District Court in Minneapolis, even as the four killed by a police officer as she sat in her car. prosecution wrote. her New Hampshire property. officers involved in the Floyd’s death have yet “The city of Minneapolis has a history The allegation was made in response to “She appears to be skilled at living in to go on trial on murder and related charges. of policies and procedures and deliberate Maxwell’s lawyers asking New York Judge hiding,” the prosecution said. Floyd died on May 25 when now-fired indifference when it comes to the treatment Alison Nathan to release their client on bond of The charges against her include conspiracy officer Derek Chauvin held his knee to his neck of arrestees, especially black men, that cries $5 million during Tuesday’s bail hearing. to entice minors as young as 14 years old to for more than eight minutes after the 46-year- out for training and discipline,” Crump told They insist that Maxwell -- who has been travel in order to engage in illegal sex acts. old black man was detained for allegedly reporters. charged with six counts related to the alleged sex Maxwell is also accused of taking part in passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery. “This is an unprecedented case, and with crimes of her former boyfriend, convicted sex some of the sexual abuse and of committing Much of the country was stunned by a this lawsuit, we seek to set a precedent to make offender Jeffrey Epstein -- is not a flight risk. perjury during a 2016 lawsuit. bystander video which showed Floyd pleading it financially prohibitive that the police won’t Maxwell is accused of grooming and Tuesday’s bail hearing is scheduled for for his life, saying “I can’t breathe,” before he wrongfully kill marginalized people, especially recruiting minor girls to travel and engage in 1:00 pm (1700 GMT). Maxwell is due to appear went limp and died. black people, in the future.” sex acts with Epstein, who killed himself in via video-link. Floyd’s death touched off riots and Crump called Floyd’s case a “tipping point prison last year while awaiting trial. Her arrest has put fresh scrutiny on demonstrations in Minneapolis, neighboring for policing in America.” Her defense team said she “vigorously” denies Britain’s Prince Andrew, who vehemently Saint Paul and across the country over police “While all of America is dealing with the charges and “intends to fight them,” during a denies claims he had sex with a 17-year-old girl mistreatment of African-Americans. the public health crisis of the corona virus written plea for bail submitted on Friday. procured by Epstein. (AFP) “It was not just the knee of Officer Derek epidemic, black America has to deal with Chauvin on George Floyd’s neck for eight another public health pandemic of police minutes and 46 seconds, but it was the knee brutality,” he said. of the entire Minneapolis Police Department Chauvin, 44, remained at a maximum- China says Hong Kong democracy on the neck of George Floyd that killed him,” security prison in Stillwater, Minnesota. Crump said in front of the federal courthouse Three other fired officers who either helped in Minneapolis. hold Floyd down or stood guard are charged activists trying to launch ‘revolution’ Floyd’s family did not say how much in with abetting second-degree murder and CHINA has accused Hong Kong democracy Kong, with a vain attempt to launch a Hong Kong damages they are asking. manslaughter. All three have posted $750,000 activists of trying to start a revolution as it warned version of a ‘colour revolution’,” the office said. But the civil lawsuit has the potential bail. (AFP) some campaigning for recent primaries may have Colour revolution is a term used to describe breached a tough new security law it imposed on multiple popular protest movements around the the city. world that either swept a government from power The bellicose comments by the Liaison Office, or tried to. Austrian politicians trade which represents China’s government in the semi- However in authoritarian Communist China autonomous city, dramatically heighten the risk -- itself a state built from revolution -- the term has of prosecution for opposition parties and leading frequently been used by both the government and accusations over Wirecard figures. state media to describe an illegitimate revolution More than 600,000 Hong Kongers turned backed by hidden, usually western, forces. THE DRAMATIC collapse of German payment government. out over the weekend to choose candidates for Tai, a law professor, has previously been jailed provider Wirecard fueled a political row in “This is about Austria’s security and upcoming legislative elections despite warnings for his involvement in peaceful pro-democracy Austria Monday, with former right-wing coali- neutrality,” Schwarz said, adding that she from government officials that the exercise could protests in 2014. tion partners trading accusations of links to key wanted the council to consider Marsalek’s breach Beijing’s sweeping new law. On Tuesday, the Apple Daily newspaper players in the scandal. alleged links to the FPOe and intelligence Polls for the city’s partially elected legislature published a column by Tai in which he hailed the Once a darling of the fintech scene, circles, “how intense the links were, who spread are due to take place in September. primaries. Wirecard filed for insolvency in June after what secret information”. Pro-democracy parties are keen to use “Threats from the powerful did not deter being forced to admit that 1.9 billion euros Earlier Schwarz’s FPOe counterpart seething public anger towards Beijing’s increasingly tens of thousands of citizens from coming out and ($2.1 billion) missing from its accounts likely Christian Hafenecker had called another authoritarian rule to win a majority within a casting a ballot,” he wrote. did not exist. press conference, to call attention to “the chamber that has always been weighted in favour of “They have not given up on their Both Wirecard’s former Chief Operating intense links between the OeVP and the pro-establishment parties. determination to pursue democracy and Officer Jan Marsalek and its founder and scandal-ridden firm Wirecard”, and Braun in Control could give them a greater ability to stall universal suffrage.” former Chief Executive Markus Braun are particular. budgets and legislation, one of the few tactics left Apple Daily is owned by Jimmy Lai, one of Austrian. He appeared alongside Kurz at an OeVP open to the opposition camp. the few tycoons in Hong Kong to openly support In recent days reports have emerged about campaign event in 2017 and in the same year But in a statement released late Monday, the democracy. He is also being prosecuted for taking their connections in Vienna’s political and donated 70,000 euros ($79,500) to the party. Liaison Office described the primaries as “a serious part in pro-democracy protests. intelligence circles, in particular to the far-right Braun was also a member of an OeVP- provocation against the current election system”. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meanwhile Freedom Party (FPOe) and the centre-right linked think-tank. It said campaigning that pushed to take control sent his congratulations “to Hong Kong’s pan- People’s Party (OeVP) of Chancellor Sebastian Schwarz rejected the characterisation of of and paralyse the chamber is a breach of Article democrats for a successful primary” in a Twitter Kurz. Braun as an “OeVP man” and pointed out he 22 of the security law. post calling for the Legislative Council’s September According to Austria’s Die Presse daily, in had also donated money to the liberal NEOS Article 22 targets “subverting state power”. It elections to be “equally free and fair.” 2017 Marsalek passed confidential information party. outlaws “serious interference and obstruction” of from Austria’s secret services and interior Braun has turned himself in to police while the central and Hong Kong governments, or any Fear grips city ministry to the FPOe. an international arrest warrant has been issued act that causes them to be “unable to perform their Hong Kong has seen waves of pro-democracy The Financial Times has reported for Marsalek, who remains at large. functions normally”. demonstrations over the last decade. that Marsalek also had an association with Kurz presided over a coalition of the But last year the city was convulsed by seven individuals or networks linked to Russia’s OeVP and FPOe that collapsed in spectacular ‘Colour revolution’ straight months of huge and often violent protests. military intelligence directorate, the GRU. fashion in May 2019 over a separate corruption The Liaison Office’s statement also singled out In response, Beijing imposed its security law in On Monday, the head of the OeVP’s scandal. Benny Tai, a prominent democracy activist who a bid to end the unrest once and for all. parliamentary grouping, Gaby Schwarz, said Following elections last year, Kurz and the played a leading role in organising the primary. The legislation bypassed Hong Kong’s her party had called for a meeting of Austria’s OeVP returned to government, in a coalition “The goal of the Benny Tai gang and the legislature and its contents were kept secret until National Security Council, which advises the with the Greens. (AFP) opposition camp is to seize power to govern Hong the law was enacted at the end of last month. (AFP) July 16-22, 2020 FilAm Star A13 Health & Health@Heart Lifestyle Do we need normal homeostasis (internal balance) within us, CPAP prevents potentially fatal heart irregularity weakening our immune system, and increasing our and heart attack due to hypoxia (lack of oxygen) risk of developing metabolic diseases, hypertension with frequent breath holding (apnea). All the items sleep? (high blood pressure), stroke and heart attack, on the market claiming to prevent or cure OSA are among others, or aggravating existing illnesses. ineffective and are actually very harmful as their The recommendations of the National Sleep use delays proper diagnosis and early treatment. PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS Foundation and experts in the field are abstinence CPAP mask or nasal pillow, which is surprisingly from any stimulant, coffee, alcohol, television, comfortable to use and even psychologically HE BEST way to answer that question Quality besides quantity arguments before bedtime, and to seek medical “addicting” for the protection and sense of security convincingly for yourself is to not to sleep for Obviously, the quality of sleep, besides the help if they think they are having sleep problem it offers, is one of the wonders in medicine. Tone night, or more. If you are still alert and number of hours, is very important. Chris Drake, and/or snoring, or not getting enough rest at night. feeling well after this trial of sleep deprivation, ask senior scientist at the Henry Ford Sleep Center in In our own hands yourself the same question and you will have the Detroit and co-chair of the 2005 poll task force, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) We are not born with a set destiny. Our future answer. stated that some of the nation’s sleep habits can be About one billion people in the world have depends on our discipline and behavior. What we Alpine swifts, fly continuously (non-stop from attributed to an “always-on-the-go society.” Obstructive Sleep Apnea (frequent prolonged do or not do to our body mostly determines our Switzerland to West Africa) for 6 months, with The commercial world of today stretches breath holding leading to oxygen deficit), majority health. The prescription for a healthy lifestyle, for no sleep; bullfrogs can survive without sleeping business to 24 hours a day, with 24-hour undiagnosed, dismissed as “normal snoring.” The maintenance of good health, disease prevention, and for months; giraffe and elephants, sleep about 30 pharmacy, restaurants, casinos, supermarkets, prevalence of OSA in the United States is about maximal longevity, besides regular medical check- minutes a day; walruses can stay awake for 84 etc., so people tend to stay up late, watch late 25 million, according to the American Academy up, includes the following ingredients: Adequate hours; calves of killer whales and baby dolphins night shows on television, surfing the web on the of Sleep Medicine. Untreated OSA reduces the refreshing sleep, rest and relaxation, total abstinence remain fully awake the first few months of their internet, etc. All these reduce people’s time to integrity of the white matter fiber of many areas from tobacco, strict moderation in alcohol intake, lives. We, on the other hand, need a restful sleep sleep. And some people even need more than 9 in the brain. More than 90 percent of people with daily exercises (like brisk walking), low-fat, low- every day, to maintain health and normal function. hours of sleep to feel refreshed and rested. OSA have heart irregularity, due to diminished cholesterol, low-carb, high-fiber diet (vegetables, Sleep experts recommend a minimum This study also showed (1) Sixty percent oxygen in the body because of frequent (more than fruits, grains, nuts, etc), and, equally important, of 7 to 9 hours of sleep in 24 hours. Lack of of adult stated they have driven a vehicle while 100 times during sleep in some people) prolonged having a happy and positive attitude in life. sleep translates to lesser mental acuity and drowsy from lack of sleep the past year; and 4 in breath holding (apnea). Many obese persons The main objective of this column is to concentration, poorer health, greater driving 10 reported they have had an accident or near and snorers (not all) have OSA. Untreated, OSA educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle hazards, reduced productivity, and diminished accident because of tiredness or falling asleep at increases the risk for major illnesses from sleep to prevent illnesses and disabilities, and achieve a sex drive. Inadequate sleep increases our risk for the wheel. (2) Seventy five percent claims their deficit listed above, including cancer. happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, major illnesses, like high blood pressure, diabetes, partner has a sleep problem, snoring as the most For people who usually feel tired and recommendation or treatment in our article are heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and even common complaint. (3) Four out of ten of those sleepy in the middle of the day, a Sleep Study is general medical information and not intended cancer. surveyed reported lack of sleep adversely affected needed to confirm the diagnosis. Sleep and rest to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This Richard Gelula, the Chief Executive Officer of their sexual relationship, having lost interest in deficit is unhealthy and shortens longevity. The column is not a substitute for your physician, who the Sleep Foundation, said there’s a link between sex, having poorer performance or having sex ONLY effective treatment for OSA is the use of knows your condition well and who is your best sleep and quality of life. “People who sleep well, in less often. (4) Seventy percent claimed that their Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) ally when it comes to your health. general, are happier and healthier,” said Gelula. physician never asked them about their sleep. machine, to keep the collapsing (obstructed) Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac “But when sleep is poor or inadequate, people Lack of sleep reduces the normal “recharging airway by the throat open, and humidified air Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and feel tired or fatigued, their social and intimate time of our body battery, our energy source” causing pushed into the lungs with measured gentle Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical relationship suffer, work productivity is negatively a chain of reactions in our physiology and body pressure. This prevents dangerous breath holding lecturer/author, and Chairman of the Filipino United affected, and they make our roads more dangerous chemistry. This “lo-bat” condition leads to physical (also stops snoring permanently) and enables the Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation by driving while sleepy and less alert.” in the United States. Websites: philipSchua.com and and mental stresses to our system. All these alter the person to have good level of oxygen while asleep. FUN8888.com Unmasking the truth behind your Covid-19 face mask MANILA – With the ordinary face mask taking The N95 respirator, on the other hand, is Just like the N95 mask, the surgical masks the limelight during this time of pandemic, it is a respiratory protective equipment designed to are also tested for fluid resistance, bacterial very important to know what kind of face mask achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration efficiency, particle filtration efficiency, you would use to get the needed protection from filtration of airborne particles. The edges are breathability, and flammability. Similarly, the the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus deliberately designed to seal portion around surgical mask should only be used once and 2 or SARS-CoV-2 that causes the deadly coronavi- the nose and mouth. However, the Surgical discarded properly after every use. rus disease or Covid-19. N95 Respirators are more commonly used in Taking up the challenge to find a better healthcare settings like hospitals by healthcare Cloth mask alternative, the Philippine Textile Research workers as a personal protective equipment (PPE). A cloth mask, from its name, is made of cloth Institute (PTRI) of the Department of Science To ensure its protective characteristic, the or fabric and is mostly worn by people to protect and Technology (DOST) embarked immediately N95 respirators are subjected to fluid resistance, themselves from air pollution. Its effectivity varies on developing a special face mask with added bacterial filtration efficiency, particle filtration mainly with the kind of material used, the design functionality and value. So, in truth, not all face efficiency, breathability, and flammability tests. and construction or how it was put together. masks are created equal. It is called ‘N95’ because the respirator Specialized cloth masks can provide blocks at least 95% of very small (0.3 micron) protection against particulate matter (PM) or N95 mask test particles. When fitted properly, the filtration microscopic particles that are present in the air. As a general description, a face mask is a capabilities of N95 respirators exceed those of DOST-PTRI, using the water-repellent textile (Photo: Facebook) loose-fitting device that creates a physical barrier ordinary face masks. However, it must be noted finishing technology under its Smart Textiles R&D made of cotton, typically absorb liquid droplets, between the mouth and nose of the wearer that even a properly fitted N95 respirator does not Program, has developed the REwear Face Mask unless a finishing process is applied to it. By using and potential contaminants in the immediate completely eliminate the risks. that was made smarter than the ordinary cloth face water-repellent finishing, the liquid droplets will environment. mask. In fact, the REwear Face Mask is washable just slide down the REwear Face Mask. If the face mask is worn properly, it can help Surgical mask up to 50 times thus making it more economical in Like a surgical mask made of multiple layers, block large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays or Leveling up, the surgical mask is a kind of the long run. the REwear face mask is constructed with a two- splatter that may contain viruses and microbes face mask made with non-woven fabric, that has REwear face mask, the smarter alternative piece, three to four-layer mask. Fully detachable, from reaching one’s mouth and nose. On the other better bacteria filtration and air permeability The finishing procedure involves application the first piece (outer layer) is made of water hand, the face masks also help reduce exposure of while remaining less slippery than woven cloth. of silane compounds which are prepared into a repellent fabric and the second piece (inner layer) one’s saliva and respiratory secretions, especially if The surgical mask material is commonly made nanosol or solution that is applied onto a natural- is made of absorbent fabric. one has cough, to others. of polypropylene with 20 or 25 grams per square fiber blended textile such as cotton fabrics. REwear Face Mask also underwent rigid In general, face masks are effective in blocking meter (gsm) in density. Other masks can also Many textile materials used for clothing, testing for water-repellency, toxicity, fluid splashes and large-particle droplets, a by design, be made of other materials: synthetic fibers like home textiles, and others may have water resistance, bacterial filtration efficiency, particle they do not filter or block very small particles in polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyethylene, or repellency or the ability to prevent water from filtration efficiency, breathability, and flammability the air that may be transmitted through coughs, polyester. penetrating. An example of this is the water- following the standard protocols. sneezes or certain medical procedures. Face masks This kind of mask is composed of multi- repellent fabric that can be used for a face mask. It is an ideal protection for the following: also do not provide complete protection from germs layered structure. The outer layer is made of Respiratory diseases, such as Covid-19 are people who care for patients with respiratory and other contaminants because of the loose fit nonwoven, water-repellent protective layer. The transmitted through respiratory droplets over a infection symptoms, people visiting clinics or between the surface of the face mask and one’s face. middle part is made of high-efficiency filter spray short distance by coughing and through direct hospitals, workers handling food, public transport Also, the face masks are not intended to be used nonwoven. Lastly, the inner layer is made of finer contact with a patient’s secretions. operations staff/drivers, and people in crowded or more than once and should be disposed of properly. fiber and skin friendly material. As protection, cloth masks, especially those poorly ventilated places. (PNA) HOROSCOPE KROSWORD (Source: Kappapuzzles.com) www.starlightastrology.com ARIES (MAR. 21- APRIL 20) LIBRA (SEPT. 24 -OCT. 23) Try to curb your tongue and let others at least get a word in. Don’t Don’t let those close to you get under your skin. You need a be afraid of opposition; your suggestions are valid. You must be change of pace. Don’t let your personal dilemmas interfere with sure not to be frivolous, because as the saying goes, easy come, your goals. Disappointments are likely if your mate embarrasses easy go. Limitations will set in if you haven’t followed the rules. you in front of friends. Your lucky day this week will be Saturday. Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday.

TAURUS (APR. 21- MAY 21) SCORPIO (OCT. 24 - NOV. 22) Control your emotions and everything will fall into place. You Try a barbecue or a day at the beach. It’s time to consider will expand your circle of friends if you join groups. Uncertainties putting money into long-term investments. You may have ignored regarding your love life will surface if you have neglected your or neglected your mate lately. There might be a problem with a mate. You may be offered opportunities that will result in a higher will or with an insurance policy. earning potential. Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday. Your lucky day this week will be Saturday. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 23 -DEC. 21) GEMINI (MAY 22-JUNE 21) Social activity with friends and relatives will be most successful. Patience will be of utmost importance. Express your interest if you If everyone wants to do their own thing, let them. Don’t let want the relationship to progress. Travel will initiate new friendships opposition from those envious of your talents daunt your progress. or love connections. Much can be accomplished if you compromise. Use your creative talent in order to accomplish your goals. Your lucky day this week will be Thursday. Your lucky day this week will be Sunday.

CANCER (JUNE 22-JULY 22) CAPRICORN (DEC 22.- JAN. 20) Don’t confide in any relatives whom you know have a tendency This will not be the time to give too much to your children. to meddle in other people’s affairs. Empty promises will cause Get involved in groups that can offer intellectual stimulation. upset. A need to be in love may fool you. It might be time to do Advancement can be yours if you put your efforts into work some of those chores at home. related matters. Empty promises and a lack of cash may put a Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday. damper on your plans. Your lucky day this week will be Tuesday. LEO (JULY 23-AUG 22) Don’t put your professional reputation on the line. You can AQUARIUS (JAN. 21.- FEB. 19) accomplish a lot if you direct your thoughts toward starting your Secret affairs can only lead to devastating circumstances. own small business on the side. Don’t allow colleagues to stand in Friends may not be completely honest with you. Don’t believe your way. Love could develop with someone of a different cultural everything you hear. Past partners are likely to reappear. background. Your lucky day this week will be Saturday. Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday. PISCES (FEB. 20-MAR. 20) VIRGO (AUG. 23 -SEPT. 23) Problems with appliances or electrical gad gets will drive you Do your job and then spend some time with family; you’ll be crazy. Mingle with those who have similar interests, and you glad you did. Get busy putting your place in order. Don’t count on should be able to start something. The great outdoors will allow your friends to be loyal when it comes to doing things. You may you to teach youngsters some of the things you learned when want to get involved in financial investments presented to you. growing up. You’ll be tempted to spend extravagantly this week. Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday. Your lucky day this week will be Sunday. A14 FilAm Star July 16-22, 2020 Entertainment Body of actress Naya Rivera Anthony Rosaldo launches recovered from US lake: police new single under GMA Music the water,” said the sheriff. THE CLASH Season 1 alumnus Anthony Rosaldo Ayub pointed to the lake’s strong currents as a tells a story about two individuals who found love possible cause of a fatal accident. at the wrong time in his newest single under GMA “The idea perhaps being that the boat started Music titled “Pwedeng Tayo.” drifting -- it was unanchored -- and that she The song was written by Vehnee Saturno, Davey Langit, Jonathan Manalo, and Edwin mustered enough energy to get her son back onto Marollano during the first ever FILSCAP Master the boat, but not enough to save herself,” he said. Camp. The lake has been closed to the public The Kapuso singer revealed that choosing since Wednesday, with around 100 personnel, this song for his next single was an easy one, a step including the US Coast Guard and rescuers from towards reinventing himself as an artist, “Very neighboring counties, joining the search. skeptic ako noong naghahanap ng next song for Search teams used footage from video my single. I really wanted to reinvent my music, messaging calls Rivera made from the boat before give my listeners a new one to fall in love with. And her disappearance, as well as interviews with then came the day for my song listening (listening her son, to scour portions of the lake bed for her session). Ito yung mamimili na ako ng song. Funny remains over six days, with no success. kasi I will be presented only one lang pala. And “We believe she was concealed within some of the reason is, Sir Kedy Sanchez found the perfect one na. Nagustuhan ko agad ang “Pwedeng Tayo” the shrubbery on the floor bed of the lake” before when I heard it. Fresh music, easy listening and eventually floating to the surface due to natural very relatable story.” decomposition, said Ayyub. He recorded the song in his own home during Anthony Rosaldo (Photo: GMA Network) With less than one foot (30 centimeters) of quarantine. The other people who were part of visibility underwater in daylight, the recovery the recording such as the musical arranger, the “Hindi lahat nakakahanap agad ng perfect operation was a “complex search effort” even with backup vocalists, and the guitarists, as well as the match for them. Either you fall for the wrong use of sonar equipment, he said. vocal processing were also done in their respective person or it wasn’t really your time yet. Sometimes Rivera was best known for her role as high homes. Only the final mixing of the song was done it takes a lot of tries, a lot of heartbreaks to find school cheerleader Santana Lopez in “Glee.” in the studio. Anthony described this experience as “The One’’ pero the good thing is, you still will try “fun and challenging at the same time.” kaya kapit lang,“ Anthony said. Naya Rivera (Photo: Facebook) She starred for six seasons in the wildly popular musical television series set in a US high “Iba kasi yung nagre-record ka under the Recently, the GMA Artist Center talent was conferred as Most Promising Male Recording US OFFICIALS on Monday found the body of school that ended in 2015. supervision of a professional. Sure ka na maganda Artist of the Year for his debut single “Larawan “Glee” actress Naya Rivera in the Californian lake The “Glee” cast has been struck by tragedy ang kalalabasan. Tapos this time, it was all up to me. Pero siyempre, I tried to do my best. Mo” under GMA Music at the 51st Box Office where she drowned last week during a boat trip before. Perfectionist kasi ako sa sarili kong work so I really Entertainment Awards. The recognition was given with her four-year-old son. Actor Mark Salling took his own life in 2018, made sure na maganda yung quality ng ipinasa by the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Rivera’s body was retrieved and an initial weeks before being sentenced for possession of kong material,” he shared. Foundation Inc. examination found no evidence of foul play or child pornography. “Pwedeng Tayo,” a song that most of the “Pwedeng Tayo” will be available for suicide, Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub told a Canadian castmate Cory Monteith died in people who’ve gone through heartbreaks in their downloading and streaming beginning July 9 on press conference. July 2013 of an overdose of drugs and alcohol. life can relate to, mirrors the reality of love and Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music and other “We are confident the body we found is that of (AFP) life. digital stores worldwide. Naya Rivera,” said Ayub, pointing to the location, appearance, clothing and condition of the body. Her body was being taken to a medical examiner’s office for a full autopsy and Daniel Matsunaga—From actor-model to fisherman confirmation of her identity from dental records, “I TURNED into a fisherman during the lock- Thursday. “You see, life had been hard for the fisher kept him busy, Daniel said he also felt worried and though no other missing persons have been down,” revealed Daniel Matsunaga, who was va- folks there because of the ECQ. There was a point anxious as a result of the isolation. “There were areas reported at Lake Piru, he added. cationing at their family’s resort in Batangas when when their local market had to be shut down, so on the island that we were not allowed to go to. Local Rivera, 33, is believed to have accidentally the government imposed the enhanced community they couldn’t sell their catch.” officials also prohibited gatherings. One time, we drowned after renting the boat with her young son quarantine (ECQ) in March. Daniel’s family bought vegetables and chicken, were told off when we had wanted to play volleyball at the camping and recreational hotspot around an Daniel and his family left for Batangas three days and had them delivered to the community every on the beach. Of course, when we were there, we hour’s drive northwest of Los Angeles. before the lockdown for a short vacation, “but we week during the ECQ. “Other than what they got missed our homes, as well as our close friends.” She vanished on Wednesday afternoon, and a ended up staying there forever,” recalled the Brazilian- from the sea, they really had no food to eat. When It also didn’t help that Internet signal there massive search involving divers, patrol boats and Japanese actor-model. “Forever” meant being trapped they received the delivery, they were so happy,” was very poor. Daniel said he had a hard time helicopters was launched after her sleeping son on the island for three whole months, he added. Daniel recalled. “I really didn’t want to publicize this communicating with business partners, as well as was spotted drifting alone in a boat on the lake. “To be honest, quarantine life for us there was because some people might say I’m mayabang, but potential clients. “I had to do business meetings via The son later told investigators that Rivera great. I couldn’t complain. But what made our stay the chance to be of help to them has made me really Zoom, but couldn’t. At one point, I had to borrow had helped him into the boat before “he looked there memorable was that we were able to help the happy. I actually learned a lot from the fishermen.” my brother-in-law’s phone because he had a better back and saw her disappear under the surface of community,” Daniel told Inquirer Entertainment on Even though helping the community had signal.” (inquirer.net) July 16-22, 2020 FilAm Star A15 Entertainment ABS-CBN and GMA stars one in feeling the blow of Kapamilya franchise denial Ruru Madrid, on the other hand, reminded tweeted Gretchen Ho.For Robi Domingo, what his followers that despite their network affiliations, happened to ABS-CBN can have a “chilling effect” everyone in show biz share the same goal. on the industry. “They have done this to a media “Magkaiba man ng bakod pero iisa ang hangarin. giant which did not violate any law. They can easily ’Yan ay ang magpasaya ng mga tao. Isang mahigpit do it to you. Chilling effect? That’s what they wanted na yakap mga Kapamilya,” he said. Like her Kapuso from the start: Fear,” he pointed out in a tweet. colleagues, Liza Soberano hoped she could give a “Kahit ano mangyari, ikaw ang tahanan ko.”Jake hug to everyone. Ejerctio can only wonder what’s next. “ABS-CBN’s “To all the supporters of ABS-CBN, its franchise is the latest casualty on the horrific death programs and its talents who stood by us through toll under this administration. What or who’s next?” this journey. Thank you. Thank you for the endless he tweeted. tweets using the hashtags and thank you for your Seasoned Kapamilya music artists were just as prayers. We may not be able to repay you right now, affected by the shutdown. but in due time,” she wrote on Twitter. On Twitter, Gary Valenciano lamented “Just reading your tweets right now brings that intellect, it turns out, doesn’t necessarily tears to my eyes,” the actress said of her fans. equate to compassion. “If there’s one lesson I “Thank you for believing in me and for supporting have learned about some men and women with my projects under ABS-CBN. I will forever be such brilliant minds: You can have such amazing grateful to each and everyone. I love you all so intellect but still have no compassion in your much.” heart. Sad. It makes one resemble a resounding For Bea Alonzo, it all feels like a dream. “Tapos bell making the same noise over and over and na ang botohan. Nakakatulala. Parang panaginip. over again,” he wrote. Yakap mga kapamilya,” she wrote on Instagram. Still, the singer-songwriter tried to see the good Angel Locsin (Photo: Facebook) Anne Curtis (Photo: Facebook) Anne Curtis is similarly “lost for words” on that in the bad. “Even now … I thank all who have shown “very sad day.” us their support. Thank you for all your words of FOR THE past weeks, the social media feeds of motorcade on Sgt. Esguerra Avenue in Quezon City, My heart breaks for everyone that’s affected encouragement and your constructive criticism. ABS-CBN celebrities, workers and their supporters where the ABS-CBN headquarters are located, and by this … from our bosses to all the employees Many of you have moved me with your honest care brimmed with heart emojis in red, green and blue— dedicated their effort to their fans and supporters and the loyal viewers of ABS-CBN. It’s indeed a and reasoning. I will continue to do my best for the colors of their embattled home network—as whom they fondly call “madlang pipol.” very sad day. I know people won’t forget this,” you,” he promised. they rallied for their franchise renewal. Nikki Valdez, who attended the said she wrote on Instagram. “Maraming salamat sa On Facebook, Martin Nievera insisted that in But last Friday afternoon, after 13 hearings demonstration, bemoaned some of the lawmakers’ lahat ng sumuporta at nagdasal. I stay hopeful “punishing ABS-CBN,” Congress “actually crippled in Congress, the hearts bore cracks and set perceived “personal vendetta” against the that somehow this isn’t the end. A big hug to my a nation.” But despite the devastating blow, the against black, as 70 lawmakers voted to reject network. “Tayong mga tao ang nagluluklok sa Kapamilya Family.” balladeer looks forward to the day the network their bid to operate for another 25 years. Before mga mamumuno ng bansa. Hindi kabutihan ng Kim Chiu, on the other hand, appeared more returns to its feet. long, the topics and hashtags #ABS-CBN, konsensiya ang nakita natin sa Kongreso ngayong feisty, as she highlighted the fact that the various “Make it or break it I am proud to be #NotoABSCBNFranchiseDenial and #Halalan2022 araw na ito. Puro self-interest at personal vendetta government agencies invited to the hearings Kapamilya! I have been with them since the day appeared on Twitter. ang meron sila,” Nikki said on Instagram. attested that ABS-CBN committed no violations. they re-started. I will be with them again when Some were distraught and asked for prayers; The actress also professed her loyalty “We voted for our lawmakers into power they re-start again. Sooner or later, I’m with others were indignant and vowed that this isn’t and love, not only for ABS-CBN, but more hoping that they will act for the greater good. But them. One truly can’t deny how ABS-CBN served the end. They will never forget July 10, 2020, they importantly, for the people who work behind the what happened today? What happened to the 13 and helped and inspired the Filipinos all over the said. Some couldn’t find the words to express their scenes. “Our bosses, our directors, producers, hearings? ABS-CBN proved na walang violations world,” wrote Martin, who had hoped against emotions; others needed only a few. writers, editors, personal assistants, camera men, ang nagawa. Why are we experiencing this? Why hope for a second chance. “Nakaka-p*****ina” tweeted actress Ria lighting directors, utility people, crowd control, now? Why not help each other for the better?” she “If there’s one thing I know about Filipinos it’s Atayde, who thanked the 11 representatives audio men, gaffers, location managers, wardrobe, asked on Twitter. that we’re a forgiving people, and if it’s broken we who sided with ABS-CBN. “Hindi kami makeup artists … ’Till my last breath, ’till my last “Nangako naman na aayusin ang mali. Para fix it. And when we do, sometimes it works better makakalimot.”Vance Larena didn’t mince his words gasp, mahal na mahal ko kayo!” saan pa at nag-hearing. Para mapahiya? Sorry for than ever,” he said. either. “I’m so p*****ina tired,” he wrote. The sympathies and well-wishes didn’t come my words pero sobrang grabe lang po talaga ang The day prior to the final hearing, Regine Earlier that day, Kapamilya stars Angel solely from within ABS-CBN’s fences. A number of nangyari,” the actress added. Velasquez urged everyone to vote for the right Locsin, Piolo Pascual and Kathyrn Bernardo, celebrities from rival network GMA 7, also took to On Instagram, she questioned the people in the coming elections. together with other workers, trooped to the social media to express support for their Kapamilya government’s priorities amid the COVID-19 “Noon pa man kaming mga artista at singers House of Representatives to show support for the colleagues. Some messages weren’t as explicit as the pandemic. “In the middle of this pandemic, na ang ginagamit para mangampanya. Gamitin network and make a last ditch effort to appeal for others, but were appreciated nonetheless. pagpapasara ng ABS-CBN at pagpapatupad ng natin ang impluwensya natin para maihalal compassion. “Dasal para sa ating mga Kapusong Anti-Terror Bill ang nangyari. What’s happening ang mga nararapat,” she said. “Tama na sa mga “Tapos na po ang botohan. Kami po ay tulala at kapitbahay. Nasabi ko na ’to noon, parang mas to our country?” said Kim, who also showed trapo.” David Licauco’s tweet echoed Ruru’s: “I’m hindi alam kung ano’ng gagawin,” wrote Angel on kailangan ’to ngayon … dasal, mahigpit na virtual appreciation for her bosses. a proud Kapuso, but I know that both networks Instagram, where she also posted a photo of herself yakap at puso,” Bea Binene tweeted. “Kapit lang.” “They did everything they can, proved them have the same mission—to serve the Filipinos. hoisting a banner that read “Give us a chance to be “Hoping for the best for you,” Janine Gutierrez wrong, showed everything, gave everything to The fight is far from over and we all know this is better.” “Gusto ko lang pong magpasalamat sa ilang tweeted. “Unbelievable.” protect their people … stayed calm amid being more than just about the franchise.” taong pagtanggap nyo po sa amin sa inyong mga “Yakap,” wrote Gabbi Garcia, who also tweeted bullied,” she said. “For now, let me send out hugs and prayers tahanan.” emojis of clasped hands. “We have been preparing for this moment. But to the displaced employees of ABS-CBN. We stand Vice Ganda and Vhong Navarro led a “Isang mahigpit na yakap,” Barbie Forteza said. it’s different when it actually hits you. No words,” with you,” he added. (inquirer.net) Maymay learns to save Wendell Ramos urges others and budget her finances to also train, volunteer as “That’s why I’m grateful that during this firefighters amid COVID-19 crisis pandemic, I’m okay. I was able to save before and I’m still able to provide for my family. It’s really very important to have savings and become wise in handling finances,” she says. It’s no secret in the four corners of the ‘biz that Maymay takes the role of a breadwinner after clinching the grand prize in ABS-CBN’s “Pinoy Big Brother Lucky Season 7.” “It’s been three years now and I’m thankful that I learned how to budget and save for the needs of my family. My mindset changed since I started to assume the role of a breadwinner.” It is to the talented lass’ credit that in the few years she spent in show business, she was able to build a house for her family in Camiguin as well as in Bohol, with the help of her older sibling Vincent. They invested in the house for their mother Lorna who has been in Japan working. “I think majority of my earnings was put into good use. The money I spent was a product of my collective showbiz work---movies, TV shows, endorsements, recording album plus international fashion shows. Weldell Ramos (Photo: Facebook) “My mom cried when she first saw the house. She couldn’t help but get emotional because she’s ACTOR Wendell Ramos is encouraging people to “Paglilinis ng kalsada, pagsu-supply po ng tubig, Maymay Entrata (Photo: Facebook) been working for 28 years in Japan but they’re still train and become firefighters as well so they can ‘yun po ‘yung maganda ngayon.” renting the house. Never in her wildest dreams did help citizens amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Firefighting is not only about putting out By Joseph Peter R. Gonzales she expect to own a house.” Ramos, who became a firefighter only fires and rescuing. It also entails cleaning, which Maymay is basically helpful. It can be last month, wants others to add firefighting to is very important in these times. Cleaning the MAYMAY Entrata is glad that she belongs to remembered that in her previous guesting in their bucket lists this quarantine, he said in an streets and giving water supply are especially the present crop of actors who learned to save “Magandang Buhay”, she revealed that she also interview with “Unang Hirit” yesterday, July 13. appropriate these days.) for the rainy days, so to speak. It’s a fact that the helps her relatives financially. “To be honest po, hindi ko po talaga ginawa “Kaya sa tingin ko po, itong nagawa kong showbiz industry is one of the hardly hit by the “I gave one of my cousins his own tricycle unit ‘to para, alam niyo ‘yun, mapag-usapan lang po… ‘to ay talagang tamang-tama lang po at hilig ko current Covid-19 pandemic. Because shootings or which he can use as source of income. I’m close to I’m doing this to encourage lang po,” he said. rin ho talaga simula nung bata ako eh,” Ramos tapings are not yet in full swing at this point due to him and he’s like a brother to me already. I’m also (To be honest, I did not do this just to be talked added. (So for me, I think what I did is very the quarantine, a great number of celebrities are sending three cousins to school. I promised this to about… I’m doing this to encourage others.) appropriate and this is something I have really affected. The celluloid firmament is practically at them since they’re products of a broken family. It’s He added that while people have found new wanted since I was a child.) a standstill and stars are left with no choice but to good that they’re honor students.” hobbies in cooking and doing TikTok videos Ramos became a certified firefighter after wait until everything goes back to normal. Interestingly, the petite lass remained during lockdown, he wishes others to try out undergoing training with Ang Bumbero ng In a recent virtual Star Magic press con, the productive despite the quarantine. being a firefighter as well, not only to put out fires Pilipinas (ABP), a non-government organization popular Kapamilya talent is thankful that she can “Oh, yes! During this pandemic, I was able to do but alsoto help maintain cleanliness, a significant “which aims to unite and provide latest manage the present situation. various things. For one, I painted, which I discovered factor in fighting the pandemic. information/updates to firefighter groups in the “It helps that I’m the type who thinks ahead. relaxing. I also edited my vlog and uploaded it to my “Ang pagbubumbero kasi hindi lang sa Philippines.” I always think of the possible things that might Youtube channel. I managed to compose a song as pagpatay ng apoy and hindi lang ho sa pag-rescue Ramos currently stars alongside actresses happen in the future. If there would be emergencies. well. It is fun engaging yourself into things which you ‘no, pero ‘yung paglilinis, which is ‘yun ‘yung Katrina Halili and Aiko Melendez in the GMA 7 I get paranoid. I always want to be ready. haven’t tried before,” ends Maymay. very important sa panahon po ngayon,” he noted. television drama “Prima Donnas”. (inquirer.net) A16 FilAm Star July 16-22, 2020