Notebook

By: Elsie Sy-Niebar

* Medical Precautions Against Deadly Corona Virus Or Covid-19 Which Sends People Worldwide Panic-buying Of Antidote Protection Against The Germ

* Presenting The Philippine Independence Week Committee (Piwc) 2020 Beauty Queens & Muses

* Philippine Congen Gina Jamoralin Attends Chicago Black History Month Hosted By Mayor Lightfoot

* Be A Bush If You Can’t Be A Tree,” Most inspiring lines from the speech of the late DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., in 1967, a living inspiration to the celebration of the Annual Black History Month on Feb. 25

* Like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s ‘i Have A Dream’: I, Elsie Sy-niebar, Also Have A Dream, To One Day See Our ‘brown’ Color Alongside With The White And Black Colors In The American Rainbow.

* Be Counted In The 2020 Census! Our Number Is Very Important! For More Information, Please Call Afire At 1-773-580-1025

“Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.”

This is one of the most soul-searching quotes from the speech of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he delivered on October 26, 1967, in Philadelphia. As the world knows it, Dr. King was one of the icons who died standing up for the emancipation from slavery of his “Black” brothers and sisters. In his honor, the late President Ronald Reagan in 1986, declared January 15th as MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY! An honor so well-deserved for an African American Icon of the civil rights movement in the United States of America. Or perhaps, in the World!

The late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., has always been my HERO, especially when I was fighting racism in Chicago first time I got here in 1976. My activism was published in mainstream newspapers like the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, etc., and mainstream television programs. That’s when I also got closer to the late great Mayor Harold Washington, the first Black Mayor of Chicago. Even at my old age today, these two Great Black Icons remain my Heroes. I hope the Younger Generation must study the life stories of these two Great Black American Gentlemen to make America the Greatest Country in the world. My Age-old Dream today? To one day – see our BROWN color on the American flag for the Brown Peoples in America, along with the Black and White folks of America, our Country.

“Black History Month” was the brainchild of Harvard- trained historian Carter G. Woodson in 1925. He was known as the “Father of Black History.” To celebrate the annual Black History Month this year, Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, first Black Lady Mayor, hosted a reception on February 25, at the South Shore Cultural Center, with live music and inspirational message.

Philippine Consul General Gina Jamoralin was invited to the reception together with the members of the Chicago Consular Corps; officials from the city of Chicago; and leaders of the African-American community.

In her speech, Mayor Lightfoot challenged the people to do more to help the poor. She underscored: “We cannot be a great global city if our neighbors are suffering, if the community is suffering. We need to make a difference in our community”. She also spoke about youth violence, affecting both the victims and perpetrators – and the consistent theme coming from them, that they “just want to be heard, they just want to be loved”

“We don’t want to lose another generation to violence. Whether we are parents, we need to tell our children we love them, we need to preach a certain set of values to build stable communities. We are great, strong, resilient city. We can solve the many challenges that we face. Our children deserve our best selves,” she concluded followed by applause from the audience. Consul General Jamoralin personally greeted Mayor Lightfoot at the start of the program and conveyed the best wishes of the Filipino American community.

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PRESENTING THE PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE WEEK COMMITTEE 2020 BEAUTY QUEENS and MUSES, under the chairmanship of Ms. JETJET GRUEZO, former PIWC Beauty Queen, herself and a very active community mover and shaker. According to Jet Jet, in addition to several activities like picnic, bowling and other sports, youth writing contests, etc., the gala event of the PHILIPPINE WEEK CELEBRATION 2020 will be held on Saturday, June 13, at the Hyatt Hotel O’Hare.

The following are lovely PIWC 2020 BEAUTY QUEENS and MUSES: Mrs. Philippines, Benilda Hizon; Mrs. PIWC, Dr. Marjorie Badilla; Mrs. Illinois, Anna Teano; Mrs. Chicago; Viola Coronel; Miss. Philippines, Jaina Sciakitano; Miss PIWC, Sepideh Ghadini; Miss Illinois, Madeline Morrow; Miss Chicago, Mayeth Llanes; Miss Teen Philippines, Lexine Lee; Miss Teen PIWC, Kailanie Charisse Ilagan; Miss Teen Chicago; Lexeth Royo De Castro; Little Miss Philippines, Isabella Rae Robles; Little Miss PIWC, Anicka Siao, and Little Miss-Chicago, Natalie Flores.

More information will follow. As soon as you see anyone of your friends among these names and pictures, please reach out to them and help them by attending their coronation night mentioned above, as well as all other PIWC activities like the picnic, sports and health events. Their involvement is not just for the “crown and honor,” but most importantly to HELP CELEBRATE OUR PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY and to raise funds for community charitable projects in the Philippines, and right here in Chicago. In this NOTEBOOK issue, see the lovely photos of some upcoming PIWC Beauties who responded to my request to send in their pictures. Sorry for those who ignored my request. MY DEADLINE can’t wait!

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CORONA VIRUS OR COVID-9: A DEADLY THREAT AROUND THE WORLD TODAY which sends all of us closely watching the news, doing panic-buying masks, disinfectant, food, etc., seeing empty business places and people losing their jobs. All because of this deadly CoronaVirus which just popped out in the air, and spread out like wildfire in so many countries, especially in Asia, Middle East and Italy. And, the number is increasing every day. This article below advising us how to protect ourselves from this deadly virus was shared by Dr. Bonzon to Don Azarias on Facebook. Got permission to use it, since it is intended to be a public service, by Dr. James Robb, a professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego, and one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses in the 1970s. Here’s his medical explanation about CoronaVirus or Covid19:

“Dear Family and Friends: As some of you may recall, when I was a professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego, I was one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses (during the 1970s). I was the first to demonstrate the number of genes the virus contained. Since then, I have kept up with the coronavirus field and its multiple clinical transfers into the human population (e.g., SARS, MERS), from different animal sources.

The current projections for its expansion in the US are ONLY probable, due to continued insufficient worldwide data, but it is most likely to be widespread by mid to late March and April. Here is what I have done and the precautions that I take and will take. These are the same precautions I currently use during our influenza seasons, except for the masks and gloves.:

(1) No handshaking! Use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc.

(2) Use only your knuckle to touch light switches. elevator buttons, etc.. Lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove.

(3) Open doors with your closed fist or hip – do not grasp the handle with your hand, unless there is no other way to open the door. Especially important on bathroom and post office/commercial doors.

(4) Use disinfectant wipes sold at the stores when they are available, including wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts.

(5) Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return home from any activity that involves locations where other people have been.

(6) Keep a bottle of sanitizer available at each of your home entrances and in your car for use after getting gas or touching other contaminated objects when you can’t immediately wash your hands.

(7) If possible, cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you have to. The clothing on your elbow will contain infectious virus that can be passed on for up to a week or more!

MY Stock in preparation for the pandemic spread to the US: Latex or nitrile latex disposable gloves for use when going shopping, using the gasoline pump, and all other outside activity when you come in contact with contaminated areas.

Note: This virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. This means that the air will not infect you! BUT all the surfaces where these droplets land are infectious for about a week on average – everything that is associated with infected people will be contaminated and potentially infectious.

1)The virus is on surfaces and you will not be infected unless your unprotected face is directly coughed or sneezed upon. This virus only has cell receptors for lung cells (it only infects your lungs). The only way for the virus to infect you is through your nose or mouth via your hands or an infected cough or sneeze onto or into your nose or mouth.

(2) Stock up disposable surgical masks and use them to prevent you from touching your nose and/or mouth (We touch our nose/ mouth 90X/day without knowing it!). This is the only way this virus can infect you – it is lung-specific. The mask will not prevent the virus in a direct sneeze from getting into your nose or mouth – it is only to keep you from touching your nose or mouth.

(3) Stock up now with hand sanitizers and latex/nitrile gloves (get the appropriate sizes for your family). The hand sanitizers must be alcohol-based and greater than 60% alcohol to be effective.

(4) Stock up now with zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel any “coldlike” symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and nasopharynx. Cold-Eeze lozenges is one brand available, but there are other brands available.

I, as many others do, hope that this pandemic will be reasonably contained, but I, personally, do not think it will be. Humans have never seen this snake-associated virus before and have no internal defense against it.

Tremendous worldwide efforts are being made to understand the molecular and clinical virology of this virus. Unbelievable molecular knowledge about the gnomics, structure, and virulence of this virus has already been achieved. But, there will be no drugs or vaccines available this year to protect us or limit the infection within us. Only symptomatic support is available. I hope these personal thoughts will be helpful during this potentially catastrophic pandemic. Good luck to all of us.(James Robb, MD FCAP)

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“CONVERSATION WITH GOD” With due respect to others with “different faith” – I wrote this following “conversation with God” I titled “MEDITATION FOR HEAVENLY HELP” on Facebook where Brothers and Sisters inthe- Lord usually respond and share their Faith: To help us combat this deadly epidemic bacteria called CORONA- VIRUS, what else can we do? With all the calamities going on today, i.e., natural phenomena like storm, flood, deadly fire,volcanic eruption, and man-made “eruption” like violence and murders, we ask God: “Why, why, Lord? When are you going to intervene? Don’t we have enough sufferings, already?” A plea as hurting as when Jesus was nailed on the Cross to pay for our earthly sins, questioning His Holy Father: “Why thou hast forsaken me?” The Holy Week is here…

Yes, we human children of God do the same when our prayers are “not answered.” WE ASK: “Lord, are you there? Please, WE NEED YOU. WE know you love us. Your children.” For my question here, I got answers. Not directly from God but from my Brothers-in- God as follows:

Pastor Dennis Bartolome: “The Omniscient God is perfect in His dealing with every individual with no mistakes nor hit or miss. The problem is how we will entrust our position to the Will of God. Is pestilence the last calamity? Or many more to come? Nonetheless, we believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, whether we live or we die. His Heaven is waiting for us.”

Dr. Ben Butuyan, a Church Elder: “God has a purpose for everyone and everything in this earthly world. He allows things to happen purposely– good and bad so we can turn to Him to worship and praise Him as we ask for His forgiveness and give Him our Thanksgiving. Amen

Elsie Sy-Niebar : Thank you, Brother Ben Butuyan and Pastor Dennis Bartolome. Indeed, God’s Door is always open, we need not ask Him for an “appointment”… we don’t need a cellphone to call Him. All we do is look up to the Heavens and see His Face even in a stormy night…then ask for His Mercy and Love. Amen.