We didn’t lose Wesley So

 “All I want to do, ever, is play chess.”

—Bobby Fischer

 

By Alex P. Vidal 

 

ANY Filipino who changes his citizenship doesn’t stop being a Filipino by heart.

What has changed is his permanent residence and oath of allegiance, which is technically a piece of paper.

When he goes back to his native land in the Philippines, he is still treated as a “true blue” Pinoy. He speaks and understands the Filipino language and his memories will remain Filipino.

His identity and heritage will always be Filipino.

Contrary to the fears and lamentation of chess aficionados and scribes in the Philippines, we didn’t “lose” Super Grandmaster Wesley So simply because he officially became an American citizen effective February 26, 2021 as confirmed by the US Chess Federation (USCF).

He can no longer represent the Philippines in international tournaments like the SEA Games and World Chess Olympiad, but every time the 27-year-old Cavite-born chess genius plays in major tournaments and conquers his fellow world-rated rivals, Filipinos all over the world are still proud to claim that So is their compatriot.

 

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 When he wins, the ones who rejoice first and foremost are the Filipinos. 

When he suffers heartbreaking setbacks in important tournaments, the first people who are quick to mourn are the Filipinos.

So is still very much with us; he is part of us, and will always remain as a Filipino in the heart and mind of every chess fan in the Philippines.

The world’s most exciting chess player, who stirred the international chess community when he toppled Norwegian world chess champion Magnus Carlsen in two major random tournaments in 2019 and 2021, will never turn his back permanently from the Philippines.

Let’s listen to him in an interview with the USCF: “l love that anyone can strive to succeed. You are not held back by your color, lack of connections, or the amount of money you have. If you work hard, you have a better chance of making it here than anywhere else in the world. I came here ready to work hard, and it turned out just as I dreamed.”

He added: “That does not mean I don’t love the Philippines. I have good memories from there. But I did not have the connections needed to succeed in that culture. I was from the province, not a city boy. Had no money etc. I wanted to go further, and there was only one country a nobody can make it. The USA!”

So used to play for the Philippines in the past before moving to the United States in 2014, or two years after his first visit to the country when So was Webstar University’s freshman recruit.

He stressed: “I want to give back to a country that has been so good to me. From the moment I landed here, I was encouraged and enabled to become better than I was. I like this attitude and the tremendous generosity of American culture.”

 

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This is the full interview on So by the USCF:

USCF: Why did you come to the U.S.?  

So: For a better future, because this is the land of opportunity. 

USCF: What do you like about the U.S.?  

So: I love that anyone can strive to succeed. You are not held back by your color, lack of connections or the amount of money you have. If you work hard, you have a better chance of making it here than anywhere else in the world. I came here ready to work hard, and it turned out just as I dreamed. That does not mean I don't love the Philippines. I have good memories from there. But I did not have the connections needed to succeed in that culture. I was from the province, not a city boy. Had no money etc. I wanted to go further, and there was only one country a nobody can make it. The USA! 

USCF: Why are you becoming a U.S. citizen?  

So: I want to give back to a country that has been so good to me. From the moment I landed here I was encouraged and enabled to become better than I was. I like this attitude and the tremendous generosity of American culture. Most people here have no idea what it is like anywhere else in the world, and they don't appreciate the amazing spirit of this country. I have competed in most countries of the world and I can say ... I love it here!  

USCF: How did you feel when you became a U.S. citizen?  

So: I got so hyper and excited I was talking kind of loud all day. It was literally a dream come true. I am now a part of the American Dream. I am part of the most successful country on earth, ready to make my own contribution and have my own legacy here.  

USCF: What will this mean for your future in the field of chess?  

So: Well, that I cannot say. Chess is a sport and like other elite sports your efforts can go up and down for all sorts of reasons. I know I will try my best to pay back what has been done for me. I plan to be a good citizen and help others the way I was helped. God Bless America!  

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

 

A botched murder attempt

“Violence is always the last option, but if that time comes, it is the ONLY option.”

—John Gilmour

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WHEN a thief intends to rob somebody in the street at night time, there’s no need for him to wear a ski mask—unless the robber targets a pawnshop or a grocery store where he can be identified through the CCTV if his face isn’t covered.

If the robber wants to steal only the victim’s laptop and documents, he doesn’t need a backup; the robber doesn’t need to use a screwdriver and stab the victim on his temple.  

We suspect the attackers of Atty. Angelo Karlo “AK” Guillen, assistant vice president of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), in Barangay Villa Anita, Iloilo City on March 3 evening were hired killers if not members of a powerful organization that specializes in summary execution.

Were they riding in tandem and following the 33-year-old lawyer with intention to shoot him, but decided to stab him after he slipped while running away after he spotted them?

Did the perpetrators panic or got nervous during the brief foot chase thus one of them was forced to use a screwdriver to stab Guillen but couldn’t finish off the unarmed but alert lawyer?

Did they take off with the victim’s laptop and documents to camouflage their real purpose which was to kill Guillen?

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If no cash and expensive valuables like cellphone and jewelry other than the lawyer’s laptop and documents were taken during the brazen attack, only fools wouldn’t believe that the “robbers” really had plans to kill Guillen.

It could be a case of a botched murder attempt.

But why would they be interested to kill him in the first place? 

This angle should be pursued by police investigators if they are really hellbent to solve the crime, which was widely and forcefully condemned by both Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas and other lawyers, human rights, and watchdog organizations in the country.

The cowardly assault on Guillen came after the Feb. 28 murder of Barangay Roosevelt, Roxas City Chair Julie Catamin, a key defense witness for the Tumandok represented by Guillen.

Were the twin attacks interrelated?

Authorities should pursue all angles and solve Guillen’s case.

They were speculations the government was involved in the brutal attack owing to the lawyer’s legal assistance to Tumandok and his open opposition to certain provisions of the controversial Anti-Terror Law now pending in the Supreme Court.

 

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WE continue to ask the following questions as we go to the health center on March 5 afternoon in Brooklyn to get a schedule for the Covid-19 vaccination. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) answers them in its website.

—If I get vaccinated do I still need to wear a mask/face covering? 

“Yes, you will still need to wear a mask and follow other precautions. Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools available. Vaccines boost your immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. Other steps, like masks and social distancing, help reduce your chance of being exposed to or spreading the virus.”

—Are there side effects to taking the vaccine?

“Some volunteers in vaccine trials have reported they frequently feel flu-like effects after getting vaccinated such as body aches, or even fever and a headache, federal health officials said.”

—Will I receive proof of having the vaccine?

“Vaccination cards will be used as the "simplest" way to keep track of Covid-19 shots, said Dr. Kelly Moore, associate director of the Immunization Action Coalition, which is supporting frontline workers who will administer Covid-19 vaccinations.”

“Everyone will be issued a written card that they can put in their wallet that will tell them what they had and when their next dose is due. Let's do the simple, easy thing first. Everyone's going to get that."

—If I had COVID-19, do I need the vaccine?

According to the CDC, there is not enough information currently available to say if or for how long after infection someone is protected from getting COVID-19 again; this is called natural immunity. 

Early evidence suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 may not last very long, but more studies are needed to better understand this. Until we have a vaccine available and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices makes recommendations to CDC on how to best use COVID-19 vaccines, CDC cannot comment on whether people who had COVID-19 should get a COVID-19 vaccine.

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

 

 

Will Rabiya Mateo finally meet her dad in America?

“Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven.”

—Tryon Edwards

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

NOW that the Miss Universe Organization has set the 69^th competition of the 2021 Miss Universe in the United States on May 16, will Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Occeña Mateo finally meet her long-lost biological father who is now reportedly residing in Illinois, USA?

Syed Mohammed Abdullah Moqueet Hashmi, an Indian national, reportedly vanished after Mateo’s mother gave birth to her and brother, Mokmok, in Balasan, Iloilo.

Mateo was quoted in the Philippine press as saying the following in November 2020: “I think it was his plan to abandon us, ‘cause what happened was when he went back to the US, his two brothers are still here studying.”

“And then all of a sudden, all of the connection was cut. And my mother went to the school to talk to his two brothers, but unfortunately they also left for the US.”

“As of the moment, I still have no contact or any trace, where is he right now. The last time I heard, he’s in Chicago and he’s practicing as a doctor.”

Mateo had said her mother never said anything bad about her father.

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Florida is 16 hours and 49 minutes away from Illinois by car, or two hours and 27 minutes away by plane.

Mateo, born on November 14, 1996, is the Philippines' official representative vying for the country's fifth Miss Universe crown when

the Miss Universe competition returns with a live telecast after a year and a half off the air on May 16  at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Hollywood, Florida. 

The competition will be held in the span of seven days and organizers vowed that all safety precautions for Covid-19 will be followed like Miss USA 2020 and Miss Teen USA 2020 competition.

Hollywood is a city on Florida's east coast, between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Palm-dotted Hollywood Beach is backed by the long Hollywood Beach Broadwalk. ArtsPark at Young Circle features an outdoor amphitheater and a striking fountain. Nearby, the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood offers contemporary exhibitions and performances.

The last Miss Universe pageant held in December 2019 was won by Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa, who has worn the crown longer than anyone else due to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

 

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Miss Universe Organization president Paula M. Shugart announced in a press release March 3  that they've spent months planning a safe competition but they will follow similar guidelines as November's 2020 Miss USA competition held in Memphis.

The Miss Universe competition will air in more than 160 territories and countries across the globe. In the U.S. it will reportedly air in Spanish on Telemundo and the English-language broadcasters will soon be announced.

Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi from South Africa, who has been performing her crown duties with utmost sincerity and honest even in tough times like pandemic will be crowning her successor at the end of the event finale. 

The representatives of respective countries have reportedly expressed their sheer excitement towards the date that has been revealed for the pageant and have started to prepare for their final night. 

The organization posted a video on their YouTube channel where the divas could be seen showcasing their confident and graceful walk from their homes.

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

‘Pinoy wins $500,000 New York scratch-off ticket’

“I've done the calculation and your chances of winning the lottery are identical whether you play or not.”

—Fran Lebowitz

 

 By Alex P. Vidal

 

A FILlPINO resident of Queens in New York City was reported to have won $500,000 in a scratch-off ticket on February 24, reports reaching the Filipino community in Elmhurst said.

The winner’s identity wasn’t immediately released upon his request for security reasons, according to a certain “Indat”, an Indonesian who resides across the store where the Filipino winner purchased the winning ticket on Whitney Street in Elmhurst.

Indat said they thought the winner was a fellow Indonesian because he purchased the card in the store near the Indonesian community. 

A certain Kent, also an Indonesian who resides in the Elmhurst neighborhood, reportedly relayed the information to some Filipinos on February 28.

Camilo Galinea Jr., a prominent Filipino-American living in the area, said it was the second time that a Filipino won big time in scratchcard in Queens in recent years.

A male employee of a cargo and remittance center on Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside, also won $1 million in the scratch off ticket from the New York Lottery six years ago.

“Umuwi kaagad sa Pilipinas hahahaha (He immediately went home to the Philippines hahahaha),” reported Galinea, 64, a former OFW in Saudi Arabia from Pasay City in the Philippines known in Elmhurst as “Jun Tawa” or “Laughing Jun.”

 

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“It was really meant for him,” said Mario Lena, a chess player from Iloilo City who lives in Woodhaven, referring to the Filipino who won the $500,000. “Basi dugay na ina sia naga taya kag this time naka jackpot gid (he must’ve hit the jackpot after playing scratch-off for so many times in the past).”

Lena, 57, admitted he was also a scratch-off enthusiast. 

“Barato man lang abi ang ticket. Kon kis a kalingawan man lang (the ticket is affordable and I sometimes decided to purchase it for fun),” Lena said, who purchased $20 worth of scratch-off tickets prior to visiting his friends in the park on March 1.

Also called a scratchcard, scratch ticket, scratcher, scratchum, scratch-it, scratch game, scratch-and-win, instant game or instant lottery, a scratch off can be purchased in mini-stores and groceries.

Often made of thin paper-based card for competitions and plastic to conceal PINs, it’s a small card where one or more areas contain concealed information which can be revealed by scratching off an opaque covering.

The player has to find an amount of money three times under the scratch area to win in this scratch game.

 

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Applications include cards sold for gambling (especially lottery games and quizzes), free-of-charge cards for quizzes, fraudulent free cards encouraging calls to premium rate phone services, and to conceal confidential information such as PINs for telephone calling cards (otherwise known as recharge cards) and other prepaid services.

Two years ago, one Jason Pae, 27, won the guaranteed $5,000,000 jackpot prize on the popular “Set for Life” scratch-off ticket in Flushing. Pae purchased his winning “Set for Life” ticket at the Maruti 149 Corporation on 41st Street in Flushing while on his way home from work.

According to the New York Lottery, Pae was the 50th person to claim a prize totaling $1,000,000 or more this year. 

Pae chose to receive his prize money in annual installments of $260,000 before withholdings and will receive a net check totaling $164,590 annually for the rest of his life.

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

 

Alex P. Vidal Quotes

 

Alex P. Vidal Quotes

 

There is a reason

 “If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve.”

—William Tecumseh Sherman

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WHEN politicians suddenly engage in feeding and gift-giving activities without any reason, there is a reason.

When they start to smile like Mickey Mouse at anyone they meet in the coffeeshops, barbershops, beauty parlors, public markets, malls, and other public places, there is more than meets the eye.

When they begin to shake our hands even if we did not win in any singing contest and visit our houses while we are watching our favorite soap opera on prime time, that means they need us to remember them during the election.

The next election will be on May 9, 2022, or 15 months away, but some political wannabes angling for higher or new positions have ignored the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic and are now visible in many barangays and public places. 

With or without a pandemic, politicians care for themselves first, their political existence and gains, and how to transform them into votes during election day.

They want to be recognized and remembered for purposes of name-recall.

 

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For the meantime, they, most particularly, want to be known as “givers” or “someone who cares for the downtrodden”, an archaic political strategy that is still very much relevant and being accepted by gullible voters until today.

Politicians are the biggest whales in the ocean. They are also opportunists by nature.

If they want something from us, our approval and votes, they will throw their weight around and go ashore near public visibility.

If they don’t need anything, they don’t give a hoot and sometimes we see them only in the next election when they start to again tantalize and mesmerize us.

With the proposed redistricting of Iloilo City as a highly urbanized metropolis nearing its final approval after hurdling the third and final reading in the House of Representatives on February 2, there is a good chance that the House Bill 8477, introduced Iloilo City Lone District Rep. Julienne Baronda, will become a law.

Under the bill, Iloilo City will be divided into two congressional districts: one will be composed of Jaro, Lapaz, and Mandurriao districts while the other legislative district will have the City Proper, Molo, Arevalo, and Lapuz districts. 

 

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If the bill will make it in the Senate and signed into law by President Rodrigo R. Duterte soon, Iloilo City residents will need to elect two sets of Sangguniang Panlungsod councilors and, the most valuable and No. 1 target of some eager-beaver local aspirants, two representatives in the Lower House.

If luck would have it, the Ilonggos will elect two representatives in 2022 and, thus, help spiral the development of Iloilo City in terms of social and infrastructure projects as enumerated by Senator Franklin Drilon.

Iloilo City will also have a “louder voice” in Congress, according to the lady legislator.

Mayor Jerry Treñas has been “fully” supportive of the proposed redistricting even during his term as congressman,

Citing that Cebu, Marikina, and Makati, among others, were also divided into two congregations disitricts, the mayor had said: “As a congressman for nine years, I have seen how a congressperson can help out in the development of our city.” 

Thus it’s understandable why many potential congressional aspirants have started painting the town red, so to speak, amid the pandemic, sending razor-sharp signals that they may be interested to join the  fray in 2022.

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