So insensitive and no delicadeza

“I value my reputation. I work hard to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.”

—Richard Hanna

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

ILOILO City Hall officials, especially the city councilors, implicated in the brand new pick-up trucks brouhaha have nothing to gain but will have everything to lose in terms of public opinion and delicadeza.

Speaking of delicadeza, they can always feign innocence as what other obnoxious public officials are wont to do; after all, our brand of politicians nowadays are far cry from the politicians 40 to 50 years ago where they embraced the virtues of simplicity and humility as a way of life as long as they drew salaries from the taxpayers.

Nobody has gone to jail for being a kapalmuks in public office after all.

Weeks after the scandal was brought to public attention and the media in Iloilo thunderously admonishing them, those who accepted the vehicles worth a total of P14.4 million from the 2020 capital outlay under the mayor’s office, remained unmoved.

They even had the gall to defend and justify why they “deserved” it—in the middle of the pandemic!

We suspect many of them don’t really understand what delicadeza is. 

The issue simply is indefensible by hook or by crook and by any stretch of imagination.

It can’t be justified now that people are reeling from severe economic hardships and are losing both their hope, sanity and livelihood.

 

-o0o-

 

And speaking of public opinion, this is the most lethal part. 

Since public office is a public trust, they may soon find their way being chastised and ribbed by derogatory remarks by the same people who put them in office: the voting public.

This can be a cruel scenario as the election is barely 12 months away.

Any scandal that involves a misuse of public funds or anything that is bereft of proper conduct and decency is a potential killer punch against anyone attached to it during the campaign season.

No public official has survived the assault of a censure based on  impropriety, arrogance and opulence during the election. 

There was this story of Niobe who illustrated the favorite Greek theme that the gods were quick to take vengeance (nemesis) on human pride and arrogance (hubris).

Pride and arrogance. 

That’s how, in a nutshell, the actuations of city officials who cavorted with the brand new pick-up trucks can be best described.

Niobe was the subject of lost tragedies by both Aeschylus and Sophocles, and Ovid told her story in his Metamorphoses.

 

-o0o-

 

As human beings, we have certain basic needs. We must have food, water, air, and shelter to survive. 

Humans cannot survive If any one of these basic needs is not met. Before past explorers set off to find new lands and conquer new worlds, they had to make sure that their basic needs were met.

In other words, in this age it’s now a “survival of the healthiest” when we refer to the inhabitants in today’s generation who will continue to live beyond the specter of coronavirus.

HAPPINESS DRINK. A study involving more than 1,000 Japanese people age 70 or over found that those who drank at least four cups of green tea a day enjoyed better moods than those drinking a cup or less. The uplifting ingredient is theanine, the researchers believe.

ROAD TO FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH. Balance diet. Green tea. Vitamin D and fish oil. Good sleep. Laugh regularly (it is "the best medicine"). Control the temper (avoid getting mad, if necessary). Smile a lot. Daily exercise (walking is best and most natural).

THE SUN IS OUR SKIN'S NO. 1 ENEMY. We should always make sun protection a priority. Let us use a sunscreen formulated for our skin along with our moisturizer. Much of the evidence of aging; rough skin, wrinkles, age spots, etc. are really the result of too much sun.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

 

 

 

 

Faith in Filipinos

 “Faith and prayer are the vitamins of the soul; man cannot live in health without them.”

—Mahalia Jackson

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

AMID the depressing situation in the Philippines where 11,101 additional COVID-19 cases were recorded on April 17, bringing the total number of infections to 926,052, let’s continue to pin our hopes on the Filipinos’ courage and resiliency.

There’s no turning back now but to bravely face the gargantuan health crisis with strong optimism and positive outlook. 

Blaming game explodes from time to time but at the end of the day, the situation demands for a collective effort to combat and neutralize the coronavirus as a nation.

No one should lose enthusiasm now that we are hopefully in the homestretch of the pandemic as health authorities expedite the vaccinations of people around the world.

Active cases in the Philippines are now 203,710 or 22 percent of the total while recoveries reached 799, pushing the total to 706,532. There were

72 deaths, bringing the total to 15,810.

We shouldn’t quarrel with our government for its apparent lousy handling of the crisis, but we must be free to criticize government officials who are incompetent and sleeping on their job. 

It’s our moral obligation to call their attention and berate them if they pretend they know everything but in reality they are inutile and part of the huge problem.

The Filipinos actually aren’t alone. 

Almost at the time time, Brazil recorded 67,636 additional confirmed cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, along with 2,929 deaths from COVID-19, their Health Ministry confirmed on April 17.

 

-o0o-

 

Brazil has reportedly registered more than 13.9 million cases since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen to 371,678, according to ministry data.

India is also on the same stage. It recorded more than 200,000 new COVID-19 cases for a third day as capital New Delhi reportedly faces an acute shortage of hospital beds.

New Delhi reportedly recorded 24,000 coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period.

In the United States, COVID-19cases and hospitalizations were surging in Pennsylvania, as state officials warned of the impact of trends seen across the country: increased travel, relaxing restrictions and the spread of more contagious virus variants.

Pennsylvania reported an average of 4,922 cases a day, up from roughly 2,515 a month ago, according to a New York Times database. Hospitalizations have also reportedly climbed by about 16 percent in the past two weeks, and the state now has one of the highest per capita daily case counts in the United States. 

Deaths, which tend to lag behind infections by weeks, have also reportedly started to increase again after plunging from the state’s high of an average of 222 in mid-January, now averaging about 37 a day.

State and national health officials worried about the spread of more contagious virus variants, particularly the B.1.1.7 variant first found in Britain. 

That variant was estimated to be about 60 percent more contagious and 67 percent more deadly than the original version.

 

-o0o-

 

If we see tremendous improvements in our fingernails at least a month after taking Vitamin D and Omega-3 Fish Oil, that means 36 of our organs are well taken care of. Thanks to medical science for the education…Enoki, chanterelle, portabella, and shitake are all types of gourmet edible mushrooms…MEANING OF A.M. AND P.M.--A.M. means ante meridiem, Latin for "before noon." P.M. means post meridiem, Latin for "after noon”…I’ll be at the Citi Field in Flushing, Queens for my first dose of Pfizer vaccine at 11:45 in the morning on April 19.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

Daily Guardian: The thinking paper

“It's amazing that the amount of news that happens in the world every day always just exactly fits the newspaper.”

—Jerry Seinfeld

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

I ALWAYS refer to the Daily Guardian as the thinking paper although it is always known as the community paper with the best business and economic reporting with no less than the Philippine Press Institute (PPI), among other independent media institutions in the country, affirming and confirming it.

From the paper’s upper editorial echelon, the marketing department down to the circulation bandwagon, the Daily Guardian thinks before it rolls off the press and circulates; the publication utilizes its full intellectual apparatuses to bring the news to the reading public fresh, accurate, relevant, and informative.

Joseph Pulitzer once succinctly put it, “What a newspaper needs in its news, in its headlines, and on its editorial page is terseness, humor, descriptive power, satire, originality, good literary style, clever condensation, and accuracy, accuracy, accuracy!”

Now on its 20th year of serving the community as a catalyst of change and trailblazer in media industry in a competitive environment, Daily Guardian has earned the respect and adulation not only of avid readers of daily news in Western Visayas, but also of the business sector where it has carved a niche in terms of credibility and reliability over these years.

During the paper’s infant stage, I was with the two daily papers which are no longer visible in the sidewalks and other major circulation hubs today and have permanently folded up due to spiraling printing costs, among other economic lassitudes facing the publication industry these past years.

In a publication business, five years is an inspiration; 10 years is history. 

Twenty years is a victory.

I am proud to be part of this intelligent and highly regarded publication over the last years.

I dream to be still part of this thinking regional newspaper when it reaches the golden age. So guide and help us God.

 

 

-o0o-

 

ON the day I wrote an article explaining why I decided to push through with my April 19 appointment with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene COVID-19 Vaccine Hubfor vaccination with Pfizer and why I decided not to wait for the much preferred Johnson & Johnson, I received an email dated April 14, 2021 from New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo which he also probably sent to other New Yorkers:

Dear Alex, The effort to vaccinate New Yorkers continues in full scale. 

While Johnson & Johnson is paused, we are using the Pfizer vaccine in order to meet and maintain scheduled appointments. 

It is important to keep in mind as we wait for federal direction that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is being carefully scrutinized and reviewed by top experts on an independent federal panel. 

Close to 40 percent of New Yorkers have now received at least one dose of the vaccine, which is great progress—and a testament to the dedication of our providers and our partners across the state who have been instrumental in making sure the vaccine distribution is fair and equitable. 

We will continue vaccinating as many New Yorkers as possible as quickly as possible. 

Like it has been from day one with this virus, our progress is only as safe as our determination to keep building on it.

Here's what else you need to know tonight:

1. Effective Monday, April 19, the curfew for bars and restaurants will be extended. The current curfew will be extended from 11pm to midnight. The curfew for catered events will also move from midnight to 1am. 

2. COVID hospitalizations dropped to 4,091. Of the 208,163 tests reported yesterday, 6,192, or 2.97 percent, were positive. The 7-day average positivity rate was 3.12 percent. There were 887 patients in ICU yesterday, up 18 from the previous day. Of them, 563 are intubated. Sadly, we lost 43 New Yorkers to the virus.

3. As of 11am this morning, 39.1 percent of New Yorkers have completed at least one vaccine dose. Over the past 24 hours, 186,876 total doses have been administered. To date, New York has administered 12,440,535 total doses with 25.9 percent of New Yorkers completing their vaccine series. See data by region and county on the State's Vaccine Tracker: ny.gov/vaccinetracker. 

4. Spectators will be allowed at horse and auto races at 20 percent capacity beginning Thursday, April 22. Spectators will be subjected to the State's strict guidance, which is currently in effect for other professional sports competitions with fans. Attendees must show proof of a recent negative test or completed vaccination series prior to entry and are subjected to the State's health and safety protocols on face coverings, social distancing and health screening.

Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": Lincoln Center will soon have a brand-new front lawn—of sorts. 

"The GREEN," designed by noted set designer Mimi Lien, will transform Lincoln Center's concrete plaza into an expansive artificial lawn as part of an initiative to revive the arts. 

The installation, which runs from May 10 through September, will host pop-up performances, and will also offer books to borrow from the New York Public Library. 

Safety protocols in place to ensure all visitors can enjoy "The GREEN" safely.

Ever Upward,

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

 

 

Why I changed my mind

“The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.”

—Proverbs 12-15

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

AFTER weeks of dilly-dallying, I have finally decided to take a Covid-19 vaccine and my schedule is on April 19 at the Citi Field in Flushing here in Queens, NYC.

My decision to delay my vaccination had something to do with my obsession with the one-dose Johnson & Johnson until news broke out recently that it had been paused (it was not recalled contrary to some reports).

Like many of my friends in Queens, I preferred J&J over the Pfizer and Moderna because of the single dose as early as first week of March (my original schedule in Brooklyn), but recent developments changed my mind. 

I am now willing take the vaccine from either Pfizer or Moderna on April 19. I have no right to be choosy. 

News that six women developed a rare blood clotting disorder after receiving Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine has prompted new questions about whether vaccines affect women differently than men, and whether there are special considerations that women should take into account when getting vaccinated.  

The U.S. health agencies on April 13 called for an immediate pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose Covid-19 vaccine after six recipients in the United States developed a rare disorder involving blood clots within one to three weeks of vaccination.

Also, all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico temporarily halted or recommended providers pause the use of the vaccine. 

The U.S. military, federally run vaccination sites and a host of private companies, including CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart and Publix, also paused the injections.

Fewer than one in a million Johnson & Johnson vaccinations are reportedly now under investigation. 

If there is indeed a risk of blood clots from the vaccine—which has yet to be determined—that risk is extremely low, according to health authorities. The risk of getting Covid-19 in the United States is reportedly far higher.

It was reported that the pause could complicate the nation’s vaccination efforts at a time when many states are confronting a surge in new cases and seeking to address vaccine hesitancy.

Johnson & Johnson has also decided to delay the rollout of its vaccine in Europe amid concerns over rare blood clots, dealing another blow to Europe’s inoculation push. 

South Africa, devastated by a more contagious virus variant that emerged there, suspended use of the vaccine as well. 

Australia announced it would not purchase any doses.

 

-o0o-

 

Women appear to have more side effects after vaccination than men, according to New York Times’ Christina Caron.

She said a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published in February, examined the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines and found that 79 percent of the side effects reported to the agency came from women, even though only 61 percent of the vaccines had been administered to women.

It could be that women are more likely to report side effects than men, said Dr. Sabra L. Klein, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Or, she added, women might be experiencing side effects to a greater degree. “We’re not sure which it is,” she said.

If women are in fact having more side effects than men, there might be a biological explanation: Women and girls can produce up to twice as many antibodies after receiving flu shots and vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella (M.M.R.) and hepatitis A and B, probably because of a mix of factors, including reproductive hormones and genetic differences.

A study found that over nearly three decades, women accounted for 80 percent of all adult allergic reactions to vaccines. 

Similarly, the C.D.C. reported that most of the anaphylactic reactions to Covid-19 vaccines, while rare, have occurred among women.

And in a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine describing the experiences of people who had redness, itching and swelling that began four to 11 days after the first shot of the Moderna vaccine, 10 of the 12 patients were women. 

It is not clear, however, whether women are more prone to the proble.

If you have mild side effects like headache or a low fever, it’s actually a good thing, Dr. Klein said, because it means your immune system is ramping up. 

A lack of side effects, however, does not mean the vaccine isn’t working.

 

-o0o-

 

The most destructive insect in the world is the desert locust (Schistocera gregaria), the locust of the Bible, whose habitat ranges from the dry and semi-arid regions of Africa and the Middle East, through Pakistan and northern India. (Carneigie Library of Pittsburg)

According to sex therapist Mark Pines, having abusive parents can lead to sex addiction. 

Pines has a practice in Irvine, California. He told the Orange County Register in an article dated April 9, 2010 that "it's common for men who cheat to have a bottomless need for adoration."

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

We need a direction

“A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.”

—Arnold H. Glasow

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THE Philippines’ failure to provide adequate assistance for the Filipinos during the pandemic is a manifestation of a poor quality in national leadership.

More than a year after the COVID-19 imbroglio, Filipinos continued to reel like chicks abandoned by their parent in the nest. 

Vaccines that should have been distributed on a massive scale months back, are so niggardly if not immediately accessible especially for regions that badly need them.

Poor supply. Poor coordination. Poor management. Poor leadership to adequately address the problem, thus the surge of cases continue to accelerate upward instead of going downward.

And while this embarrassing failure takes place, our political leaders are bickering; they swap gutter words and putrid accusations as if their next meal is at stake and they’re all that matters while people are dying in the hospitals and losing their livelihood due to economic meltdown brought by so many restrictions to move around to eke out a living.

All this boils down to poor national leadership. People have been living in fear and nothing to eat. 

People are being walloped by the pandemic while the vaccines arrive like a drizzle. 

Disenchantment and frustrations can be felt and seen in the people’s eyes but they are helpless because all they can hear are whining and angry fulminations from leaders who no longer inspire the nation.

 

-o0o-

 

LET'S SAY "OM," NOT "OUCH". Many studies have shown that meditation can ease chronic pain, but most of these have depended on lengthy--and princely--training programs. New research at the University of North Carolina shows that a few 20-minute sessions may be all we need. (goodhealth news). 

WE MUST AVOID Decabromodiphenyl ether (DECA), a flame retardant found in electronics, furniture, carpets. It can cause permanent learning and memory deficits; hearing defects; decreased sperm count in animals. The good news is that the industry has begun phasing out the chemical in December 2009.

WE MUST BEWARE OF Perchlorate, an oxidant in rocket fuel found in drinking water, soil, some vegetables. It disrupts thyroid's hormone production. Environmental groups have been urging the government to lower perchlorate levels in drinking water.

Some sources indicate that one recycled aluminum can save as much energy as it takes to run a TV set for four hours or the energy equivalent of one half gallon (1.9 liters) of gasoline.

Even if we're overweight, ditching butter for a drizzle of olive oil may help you fend off diabetes, heart disease, and other ills associated with ab flab. The fat facts: Scientists puts 20 people with big bellies on diets high in either saturated fats (the kind in red meat and dairy) or monounsaturated fats.

Lightning is often seen as white or white-yellow, although it may appear to have other colors depending on the background.

'THEY CHANGED THE WORLD'. Oprah Winfrey, "Queen of all media," topped the list of "125 Women Who Changed Our World". No. 2 Hillary Clinton 3. Mother Teresa 4. Rosa Parks 5. Eleanor Roosevelt 6. Michelle Obama 7. Amelia Earhart 8. Princess Diana 9. Marie Curie

I will have my final visit at the Elmhurst Clinic this week and will hopefully be back to normal. I missed what I used to do on a normal basis.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

Unholy week

“He who laughs has not yet heard the bad news.”

—Bertolt Brecht

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IS the Philippines going the opposite direction in as far as the fight against the pandemic is concerned?

While more than 67 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in the United States so far as of this writing, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and there have been a reported “dramatic” decline in the number of hospital admission cases here, the Philippines’ new COVID-19 cases for March 29 reportedly breached the 10,000-mark for the first time ever, bringing the number of active infections to 115,495.

This report is so depressing and is tantamount to “unholy week” especially since many countries around the world are on the verge of inoculating a large part of their population as the pandemic entered its first year since terrorizing us all in 2020.

The Department of Health (DOH)’ COVID-19 bulletin reportedly showed there were 10,016 new infections on March 20, setting a new high for single-day increases since the pandemic arrived in the Philippines.

With this sad development, no one in the Philippines will completely feel the ambiance of a “holy week” as the total number of cases is now reportedly 731,894, with 602,213 of them listed as recoveries, with 78 patients officially recovering on March 29. 

The death toll, on the other hand, has risen to 13,186, with 16 new fatalities. 

Unholy week indeed.

Either we have incompetent health authorities or the Duterte administration was caught flat-footed and couldn’t handle the mammoth problem that has destroyed economies all over the world.

 

 -o0o-

 

Moderna, COVID-19 vaccine maker, said it was expected to ship 40 to 50 million doses per month to the US to fulfill its contracts even as it has shipped the 100 millionth dose of its vaccine to the US government, the company announced March 29.

The 200 millionth dose is reportedly expected by the end of May and the 300 millionth dose by the end of July.

“I would like to thank the millions of people who have put their confidence in Moderna’s science and our COVID-19 vaccine. We are encouraged by the fact that more than 67 million doses have been administered in the U.S. and we are humbled to know that we are helping address this worldwide pandemic with our vaccine,” Stephane Bancel, Moderna's CEO, said in a statement as reported in the U.S. media March 29.

“I would also like to thank the Moderna team, our suppliers and our U.S. manufacturing partners including Lonza and Catalent, for their tireless and extraordinary work in completing this important milestone.”

 

-o0o-

 

In the Christian church, Holy Week, the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, is observed with special solemnity as a time of devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ. 

It is called the Great Week because great deeds were done by God during this week in the Greek and Roman liturgical books.

Used in the 4th century by St. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, and St. Epiphanius of Constantia the name Holy Week were Originally only on Good Friday and Holy Saturday as holy days. 

Later, Wednesday was added as the day on which Judas reportedly plotted to betray Jesus, and by the beginning of the 3rd century the other days of the week had been added.

According to Britannica, the pre-Nicene church concentrated its attention on the celebration of one great feast, the Christian Passover, on the night between Saturday and Easter Sunday morning. 

“By the later 4th century the practice had begun of separating the various events and commemorating them on the days of the week on which they occurred: Judas’s betrayal and the institution of the Eucharist on Maundy Thursday; the Passion and death of Christ on Good Friday; his burial on Saturday; and his Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Holy Week is celebrated from Sunday, March 28 to Sunday, April 4 in 2021,” explains the Britannica.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

Mang Pepeng

“There are people who curse worse than me and want to hide it all, but I ain't no hypocrite.”

—BUSWICK BILL

By Alex P. Vidal

 

MANG Pepeng, 84, and his wife, Estelita, 85, finally received their stimulus checks worth $1,400 each on March 27.

Contrary to what he passionately declared two weeks ago, Mang Pepeng didn’t reject the largesse from Uncle Sam, which was part of the $1.9 trillion pandemic stimulus package otherwise known as the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

“Better late than never,” the old man, who survived the pandemic by taking a Tylenol tablet in June 2020, beamed. 

Mang Pepeng and Estelita were “expecting” to receive the checks before March 24 but they arrived late.

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Social Security recipients and railroad retirees who weren't required to file federal tax returns for 2018 or 2019 will receive $1,200 stimulus payments automatically based on information contained in their “1099” benefit statements

Under the law, a single filer making up to $75,000 will receive the full payment, while those earning up to $80,000 will get a reduced amount. 

Joint filers making up to $150,000 will get the full $2,800, while those earning up to $160,000 will receive a smaller amount. 

Previously, the phase-out thresholds were $100,000 for single filers and $200,000 for joint filers in the House version.

 

-o0o-

 

Eligibility was based on our most recent tax return and adjusted gross income. 

For the third round of checks, the IRS used our 2019 or 2020 tax return to determine if we qualified for the direct payment.

Social Security beneficiaries, Disability Insurance beneficiaries, Supplemental Security Income recipients, Railroad Retirement Board beneficiaries, and Veterans Administration beneficiaries all were eligible for the payment even if we didn’t file a 2019 or 2020 tax return

“Ayaw kong tanggapin yan kahit na dumating (I won’t get the check if it would arrive),” Mang Pepeng, a native of Nueva Ecija, told his fellow Filipino-Americans in Queen’s Elmhurst community second week of March. 

“Naawa ako sa mga bata sa masunod na henerasyon. Sila kasi ang magbabayad sa utang na yan (I pity the children in the next generation who will pay that debt).”

He believed that if Mr. Trump were the President, congress would reject the $1.9 trillion pandemic aid package.

Mang Pepeng was criticized by pro-Biden Pinoys in the community for being “hypocrite.”

“Sabi ko na nga ba. Kunwari iingay siya na ayaw pero pagdating ng stimulus check masaya naman siya (I knew he would take the stimulus check even if he was grumbling against it),” said Demit, 61, a Democrat and supporter of former President Barack Obama.

 

-o0o- 

 

Mang Pepeng, a loyalist of former President Donald Trump, scored the Biden administration’s “excessiveness” and the “wasteful” law, which was President Joseph Biden’s first big legislative initiative making good his  campaign promises of more economic relief in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mang Pepeng, who fled the Philippines after Marcos declared Martial Law on September 12, 1972, echoed Sen. Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, who called the bill “wasteful, poorly targeted, and largely unrelated to COVID.”

Taxpayers who don't receive a direct deposit by March 24 may get their payment as a paper check or a prepaid debit card in the mail.

The first batch of payments was worth approximately $242 billion, or more than half of the $450 billion earmarked for stimulus payments. 

It went to taxpayers who have direct deposit information on file at the IRS, either from their 2019 or 2020 tax returns or from those who used the IRS Non-Filers tool in 2020.

The majority of payments were expected go out by direct deposit, but around 150,000 paper checks—worth approximately $442 million— have been mailed as part of the first batch.

This round is $1,400 per eligible individual plus a $1,400 bonus per dependent. 

Around 158.5 million households are expected to receive a payment under the new stimulus deal, according to the White House.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)