031022 - Las Vegas Edition

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MARCH 10-16, 2022

T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER

Volume 33 - No. 10 • 12 Pages

2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 201 Las Vegas, NV 89109 Tel: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879

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PH gov’t: 199 Filipinos from US delivers 4 million Ukraine now ‘out of harm’s way’ Pfizer jabs, largest DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

in single day to PH

MANILA — The United States delivered on Monday, March 7 its largest single-day shipment of 3,999,060 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines as part of its continuing worldwide effort to combat COVID-19.

The U.S. embassy in Manila said the U.S. government’s latest donation is part of the 1.2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses that the U.S. distributed through the COVAX Facility.

“We are immensely proud that our friends, partners and allies in the Philippines are receiving this historic shipment. This significant donation underscores the United States’ commitment to continue working with our Philippine partners to combat COVID-19 even as we face serious challenges around the world,” said U.S. embassy Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava.

U.S. Agency for International Development Philippines Health Office director Michelle Lang-Alli joined Philippine government officials and other stakeholders at the Ninoy Aquino

by CATHRINE

GONZALES Inquirer.net

MANILA — A total of 199 Filipinos who were evacuated from Ukraine are now “out of harm’s way,” an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday, March 9.

DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said 63 Filipinos have so far been repatriated to the Philippines, while 136 have been transported to other European countries.

“As of now, 199 Filipinos na po ang out of harm’s way, kasi may nakauwi na pong 63 tapos ‘yung iba po, ‘yung 136 nandoon na po sa ibang countries,

MARTINEZ — A policeman was sentenced to six years in prison on Friday, March 4 for the on-duty shooting death of a mentally ill Filipino American man in a slow-speed chase two years ago.

Ex-sheriff’s Dep. Andrew Hall was convicted last year of assault with a firearm and a gun enhancement in 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda’s shooting death.

The jury could not reach a verdict on a more serious manslaughter count. A sheriff’s internal probe cleared Hall of wrongdoing, and he returned to duty.

In March 2021, Hall shot and killed another man, 32-year-old Tyrell Wilson, who pulled a knife and took a step toward Hall during a jaywalking stop. Hall was cleared by an internal sheriff’s probe; the DA’s office

by DANIZA

FERNANDEZ Inquirer.net

MINORS VAX DRIVE. Roxcy Mae Escala, 13, receives her second dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from a health worker at the Dasmarinas II Central School, Dasmarinas, Cavite on Thursday, March 10. The Department of Health said vaccinating children will allow them to go out, attend physical classes, and restore social skills development and cognitive function affected by the pandemic. PNA photo by Gil Calinga

by DAPHNE

GALVEZ Inquirer.net

LAST year, when anti-Asian violence and hate spiked exponentially due to the coronavirus pandemic, the heartbroken Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community continued demanding justice for these senseless attacks, which primarily targeted women and the elderly.

The frustrations and tragedy among the AAPI community crested on March 16, 2021 when a gunman drove to three separate Asian-owned massage parlors

 PAGE 2

global economy.

In a research note on the Asian markets, ING Bank said the peso was also facing headwinds from rising oil prices and the policy stance of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), which remained accommodative even as influential central banks like the US Federal Reserve are tipped to start tightening in the next few months.

Trade deficit “Surging oil prices will bloat the country’s trade deficit as the Philippines is a net energy importer, resulting in an increased demand for dollars,” the bank RA 116481 says that someone with carnal knowledge of an individual who is “under 16 years said. of age or is demented” is now liable for committing rape.

PNA photo by Simeon Celi, Jr.

 PAGE 2

‘We need greater investment in our community’: Asian American women reflect on anti-Asian racism one year after Atlanta massacre MEDENILLA AJPress

MANILA — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is hoping that the Philippines can accept all foreign travelers by April.

Currently, the country is only accepting travelers from 157 visa-free nations.

“Right now, it’s only for 157 visa-free countries.

But, we are hoping that by April, we will be open to all foreigners,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat said in ABS-CBN News Channel’s Headstart on Thursday.

Since the country’s borders were reopened on February 10, the DOT has recorded a total of 73,178 tourist arrivals in the country.

Puyat noted that the number is lower compared to prepandemic levels, but they were surprised with the figure.

“From February 10 to March 8, we recorded a total of

Peso breaches 52 vs dollar, first time in 2.5 years

MANILA — The Philippine peso breached the 52-per-dollar mark on Monday, March 7 for the first time in almost two and a half years, with expectations that it will get even weaker over the next few months due to the worsening Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The local currency closed trading at P52.001 to the dollar on March 7, the weakest position since the P52.042 recorded on Sept. 30, 2019. As of this writing, the peso was trading at between 52.01 and 52.30 against the greenback as the escalating war between Russia and  PAGE 3 Ukraine has sent shock waves across the

by KLARIZE

 PAGE 2

DOT hopes PH can accept all foreign travelers by April

 PAGE 3

California cop who killed mentally ill Fil-Am sentenced to 6 years in prison

naghihintay na lang ng eroplanong pabalik sa Pilipinas,” she said in an interview with ABS-CBN News’ Teleradyo.

(As of now, 199 Filipinos are already out of harm’s way, because 63 have already been sent home, and 136 have been evacuated to other countries and are

and shot and killed eight people, including six Asian women.

Since March 2020, the community has faced more than 10,905 attacks, 16% of which were physically violent, according to Stop AAPI Hate, the national coalition of AAPI organizations that began gathering self-reports of anti-AAPI hate since the pandemic’s beginning.

Disturbingly, AAPI women comprised 70% of all reported harassment, according to the Stop AAPI Hate tracker. A separate poll from the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum

found that 70% of AAPI women experienced racially motivated harassment or discrimination between June 2019 and January 2021.

The increased attacks, as well as the increase in awareness toward the oft-overlooked social issues plaguing the AAPI community, brought forth a fervent string of AAPIs demanding betterment for the community through policy that protects the diverse AAPI community and education.

“In terms of education and awareness, we now have more voices speaking out to help

people understand the harm that racist rhetoric has on our communities,” Filipina American Maritza Etcubañez, senior director of strategic initiatives at Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ), said at an Ethnic Media Services press conference on Friday, Feb. 25.

She added: “We need greater investment in our community, including in social services, improving education, so that we can better create the conditions where people not only feel safe but are [also] able to thrive.”

In May 2021, President Joe

Duterte signs law increasing age of sexual consent from 12 to 16

by ANGELICA

Y. YANG

Philstar.com

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte recently signed a bill increasing the age of sexual consent to under 16 years of age, from 12 years old, which means that those who engage in sexual activities with children below the newly-prescribed age are liable for statutory rape.

A copy of the legislation, Republic Act (RA) 116481, was uploaded on the Official Gazette’s website on Monday, March 7, although Duterte signed the law on March 4.

The law amends several  PAGE 3 portions of the Revised Penal

Code, the Anti-Rape Law and the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. RA 116481 says that someone with carnal knowledge of an individual who is “under 16 years of age or is demented”, is now liable for committing rape.

It said, however, that there will be no criminal liability for people who engage in sexual activities with those under 16 years of age when the age difference between parties is not more than three years, and if the act is consensual, non-abusive and non-exploitative. “If the victim is under 13 years of age, this

 PAGE 2

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MARCH 10-16, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

From The FronT Page

Duterte signs law increasing age of sexual...

PAGE 1 exception shall not apply,” RA 11681 said.

The penalty for lascivious conduct with a minor under 16 years is a medium-term reclusion temporal.

The law also requires the Department of Education to teach age-appropriate subjects to children on their rights and protections based on the Act. ‘New law will protect kids’ On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, the More Filipinos from Ukraine arrive in the Philippines together with their dependents on Sunday, March 6.

Photos courtesy of DFA author and co-sponsor of the law, said this legislation will protect kids from malicious people from taking advantage of them.

“At thirteen or fourteen, our kids cannot make informed PAGE 1 Philippines so that they will not United Nations said two million waiting for a flight bound to the add to the many evacuees in refugees have left Ukraine.

Philippines.)

Filipinos can’t be considered European countries.

However, Arriola said some “Mas mabuti na nandito sila refugees because our country is PAGE 1 Filipino seafarers are still kaysa makipagsiksikan sila sa freely accepting them.) stranded while household more than two million refugees, “Tsaka parang tulong na 73,178 tourist arrivals. So, mainly, service workers and Filipino kasi sabi ng United Nations, rin po iyon sa mga Ukrainian. they’re coming from the [United women who are married to over two million na na refugees Umuwi muna po sila kasi States], Canada, Korea, Australia, Ukranian men are still staying in ang lumabas sa Ukraine. Hindi wala rin naman silang trabaho and Japan, and Germany, and Ukraine. naman po tayo refugee na maiko- doon dahil nakikita nga po Vietnam,” Puyat said.

According to the DFA official, consider dahil ‘yung bansa po natin sa television, grabe ang “It’s not big compared to the six Filipinos have been evacuated natin ay maluwag na maluwag bombahan,” she added. pre-pandemic levels because to Poland, 33 to Moldova, 73 to silang tinatanggap,” she noted.

(This is also to help the pre-pandemic levels, we had Romania, nine to Austria, and 15 (It is better if they will be Ukranians. They should go home to Hungary. repatriated to the Philippines because they do not have work Arriola urges Filipino evacuees instead of crowding with more there. We have seen the bomb to avail of repatriation to the than two million refugees. The attacks in television.) g

PH gov’t: 199 Filipinos from...

decisions about sex yet, especially sex with adults... With this law, we will be definitively drawing a line that adults cannot cross. They cannot say a kid below sixteen gave them consent. That is statutory rape, plain and simple,” he said in a statement released Monday.

Zubiri said he hopes the law will also lessen the instances of teenage pregnancy in the country.

According to him, the law broadens the definition of rape.

Before, rape was defined as an act committed between a man and woman.

With RA 11681, rape is defined as an act committed by a person against another person.

Meanwhile, Sen. Richard

Gordon, who chairs his chamber’s justice and human rights committee, welcomed the passage of the law increasing the age of sexual consent in the Philippines and called it a “big step in children’s rights.”

“We are thankful for the passage of this bill, which ends the stigma of the Philippines having the lowest age of sexual consent in Asia. It fortifies protection of children’s rights, and criminalizes perverted minds,” he said in a separate statement.

Citing data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Gordon said that in 2015, many victims of rape and child incest were aged 14 to below 18. g

DOT hopes PH can accept all foreign... about 8.28 million tourist arrivals for the whole year. But, we were pleasantly surprised,” she added.

The tourism chief said more tourists are expected by June — during the summer breaks of school children, and during the winter months.

Fully vaccinated tourists from the 157 visa-free countries must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and must present a negative reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction test taken within 48 hours before departure from the country of origin. g

Peso breaches 52 vs dollar, first time...

PAGE 1

“Dovish comments from the central bank may have also hurt the currency with BSP Governor (Benjamin) Diokno reiterating his preference to keep rates untouched for now,” it added.

In a separate commentary, ING’s senior economist in the Philippines Nicholas Mapa noted that Diokno had penciled in a 4.7-percent inflation under a worst-case scenario when the price of crude oil would go as high as $140 per barrel.

The BSP chief has also said inflation would stay within the government’s target band of 2 percent to 4 percent if crude oil averaged at less than $95 per barrel.

“Diokno has touted his hefty supply of GIR (gross international reserves) as his reason for comfort,” Mapa said.

“He has also cited the peso’s

general tracking of regional peers even if the local unit has largely underperformed and is now headed to a 2-percent depreciation for the year,” he added.

Spot market The economist said the BSP might be expected to step up presence in the spot market to smooth out volatility. “(B)ut we cannot rule out a scenario akin to 2018 where BSP burns through its reserves initially before relenting and turning hawkish,” Mapa said, referring to the year when the peso depreciated against the US dollar by more than 9 percent.

For his part, Diokno said the BSP was seeing a muted impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the peso, noting that the local currency continued to trade “sideways, with slight

depreciation pressure.”

“The BSP views such development as a result of the impact of the geopolitical tensions on oil prices, which likewise affected the peso,” Diokno said. “But this is in line with the behavior of other currencies in the region, which also depreciated against the US dollar.”

The BSP chief reiterated that the Philippines has a more than adequate level of foreign exchange reserves to temper any volatility in the currency exchange rate market.

The Philippines’ “external sector is supported by structural inflows from overseas Filipino remittances, receipts from business process outsourcing, and foreign direct investments which have shown resilience even amidst the pandemic,” Diokno said.g

DIALOGUE WITH RESIDENTS. Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson gets a warm welcome from residents of Barangay Baclaran in Parañaque City on Thursday, March 10. Lacson had a dialogue with residents, drivers and Muslim vendors to know their concerns.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan

Dateline USa

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 10-16 2022

‘We need greater investment in our community...

PAGE 1 Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law, which requires the U.S. Justice Department to establish nuanced guidance for police departments and agencies that caters to the AAPI community.v Despite the wide attention that last year’s surge in antiAAPI hate received — a surge that has certainly not quieted — ostracization and discrimination against AAPIs is historic and layered with misogyny and “othering.”

“As Asian American women, many of us felt this living in the United States long before COVID; we are constantly targeted both for our race and our gender,” Sung Yeon Choimorrow, executive director of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, said at Friday’s press conference.

She detailed the harmful stereotypes that are thrust upon Asian women — stereotypes of submissiveness and hypersexuality that make AAPI women the targets of harassment and assault.

Choimorrow shared that in the 19th century, “The first Chinese immigrant woman in the United States was brought over by a New York businessman who put her on display so that Americans could watch her eat, look at her small feet, look at her skin color or hair, and the way she talked. From the get-go of the Asian immigrant women’s experience, we were seen as entertainment or an experience to be consumed.”

These demeaning stereotypes and perceptions of the “china doll” Asian woman persist today, with many arguing that the Atlanta murders last year were a residual result of these dangerous stereotypes.

The Stop AAPI Hate movement gained significant traction last year, but because of the quickness of social media and news trends, it’s somewhat faded. #StopAAPIHate hasn’t trended in the United States in months and progress toward a safer environment for AAPIs remains slow, but steady.

And, anti-Asian harassment hasn’t stopped. Between October

and December of 2021, the hate crime tracker reported 535 incidents.

But the founders of Stop AAPI Hate continue to encourage deeper investment through community-based efforts, like bystander intervention training, encouraging states to adopt public school curricula that Asian American studies, and electing officials who pledge to stand for the AAPI community.

“In Georgia, the first generation of Korean Americans formed the Atlanta Korean American Committee Against Asian hate on March 17,” said Michelle Kang, general secretary of the Atlanta Korean Committee Against Asian Hate.

“During the 2021 elections, AAPIs made a tremendous effort to elect representatives who pushed the country in solidarity to stop hate crimes and to achieve inclusion and racial equity,” Kang added. “Georgia AAPI is making a historical record having 12 progressive Asian American candidates, including young candidates in their 20s to represent all Americans.”g

California cop who killed mentally ill...

PAGE 1 is reportedly still investigating that shooting.

Hall’s conviction is the first successful prosecution of a law enforcement officer in Contra Costa County for an on-duty killing.

Superior Court Judge Terri Mockler said Hall acted contrary to his training in dealing with

chases, and put colleagues and civilians in danger.

Police body and dash cameras show Hall running around the front of his patrol car, gun drawn, and coming face to face with Arboleda’s sedan and shooting into the car while backing away, inflicting nine gunshot wounds on Arboleda.

Arboleda’s mother, Jeannie

Atienza, told the court that her son was suffering a mental health crisis. Police found him loitering in a neighborhood where he used to reside. She had asked for the maximum sentence of 17 years.

Arboleda’s family settled a federal lawsuit with the sheriff’s office for $4.9 million. (Inquirer. net)

US delivers 4 million Pfizer jabs, largest...

PAGE 1 International Airport (NAIA) to receive the latest vaccine shipment.

Meanwhile, another shipment of 1,167,660 Pfizer doses procured by the government through the World Bank was set to arrive on Monday at NAIA Terminal 3 on Air Hong Kong flight LD456.

Only for seniors, vulnerable A second booster shot is only recommended for senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals, infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante said.

“For the more vulnerable population, the 60 years old and above and immunocompromised, these are the ones we are pushing

to be given a second booster for better protection against the severe form of COVID,” Solante explained in English and Filipino.

He added that the younger and healthy population don’t need additional shots as they are “immune competent” and are already protected by vaccines against severe infection.

Based on Department of Health data, 74.22 percent of A2 or the senior citizen population have been vaccinated, as well as 70.76 percent of the target population nationwide.

The government is looking to provide booster or additional doses to over 55 million fully vaccinated individuals, particularly

seniors.

Virology Institute The passage of Senate Bill 2241 that will create the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines (VIP) is key to enabling the local development and manufacture of vaccines for humans, animals and plants, Science and Technology Undersecretary Rowena Guevara said.

“Having our own Virology Institute is one of the first steps to make the country self-reliant in developing and producing vaccines,” Guevara said.

Currently, there is no government institution that focuses on vaccine development, she noted. g

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Karagdagang impormasyon sa Filipino (Tagalog) ay makikita rin sa website ng Lalawigan ng Clark Kagawaran ng Halalan sa: www.clarkcountynv.gov

STATE OF NEVADA ) ) ss: COUNTY OF CLARK ) I, JOSEPH P. GLORIA, the duly appointed Registrar of Voters of Clark County, Nevada, do hereby certify that the following State, District, County, Town Advisory Board, and Township offices are the offices for which candidates are to be nominated at the Primary Election to be held on the 14th day of June, 2022, in Clark County, Nevada.

Judicial and Non-Judicial candidate filing will be conducted March 7th through March 18th, 2022.

Candidates filing for district offices and candidates filing for municipal offices will file within their own jurisdiction at the following locations: • Candidate Filing (Judicial and non-judicial): Clark County Government Center, 500 South Grand Central Parkway, 1st floor, Pueblo Room, Monday – Friday 8:00am-5:00pm • City of Boulder City, City Clerk’s Office 401 California Avenue, Monday – Thursday 7:00am – 6:00pm; Closed on Fridays; except Thursday, March 17, 2022 open from 7:00am – 5:00pm • City of Henderson, City Clerk’s Office, 240 Water Street, Monday – Thursday 7:30am – 5:30pm; except Friday, March 18, 2022 open from 8:00am – 5:00pm

• City of Las Vegas, City Clerk’s Office, 495 S. Main Street, Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm • City of North Las Vegas, City Clerk’s Office, 2250 Las Vegas Boulevard North, Monday – Thursday 8:00am – 5:45pm; except Friday, March 18, 2022 open form 8:00am – 5:00pm • City of Mesquite, City Clerk’s Office, 10 East Mesquite Boulevard, Monday – Thursday 7:30am – 5:00pm Offices identified with asterisks (*) represent districts that are shared with other counties. Candidates for those offices will file with the Secretary of State at the Las Vegas or Carson City offices.

FEDERAL PARTISAN OFFICES

CONSTABLE, LAUGHLIN TOWNSHIP, 4-year term

UNITED STATES SENATE, 6-year term

CONSTABLE, MESQUITE TOWNSHIP, 4-year term

REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS, 2-year term Districts 1, 3, and 4*

CONSTABLE, MOAPA TOWNSHIP, 4-year term

CITY OFFICE (ALL NONPARTISAN) HENDERSON

CONSTABLE, MOAPA VALLEY TOWNSHIP, 4-year term

MAYOR, CITY OF HENDERSON, 4-year term

STATE PARTISAN OFFICES

CONSTABLE, NORTH LAS VEGAS TOWNSHIP, 4-year term

COUNCIL WARD III, CITY OF HENDERSON, 4-year term

COUNCIL MEMBER, BOULDER CITY, 4-year term

CONSTABLE, SEARCHLIGHT TOWNSHIP, 4-year term

MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, DEPT. 2, CITY OF HENDERSON, 6-year term

SECRETARY OF STATE, 4-year term

TRUSTEE, CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL, 4-year term Districts D, F and G

CITY OFFICE (ALL NONPARTISAN) LAS VEGAS

STATE TREASURER, 4-year term

MOAPA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, LOGANDALE, 4-year term

COUNCILMAN WARD 2, CITY OF LAS VEGAS, 4-year term

MOAPA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, OVERTON Vote for two 1 Seat, 4-year term 1 Seat, 2-yar unexpired term

COUNCILMAN WARD 4, CITY OF LAS VEGAS, 4-year term

GOVERNOR, 4-year term LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, 4-year term

STATE CONTROLLER, 4-year term ATTORNEY GENERAL, 4-year term STATE SENATE, 4-year term Districts 2, 8, 9, 10, 12, 20, and 21 STATE ASSEMBLY, 2-year term Districts 1 through 23, 28, 29, 34, 35, 36*, 37, 41, and 42

VIRGIN VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, MESQUITE, 4-year term Vote for two

COUNTY PARTISAN OFFICES

VIRGIN VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, MESQUITE, 4-year term Vote for two

COUNTY COMMISSION, 4-year term Districts E, F, and G DISTRICT ATTORNEY, 4-year term

VIRGIN VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, BUNKERVILLE, 4-year term

COUNCILMAN WARD 6, CITY OF LAS VEGAS, 4-year term MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, DEPT. 1, CITY OF LAS VEGAS, 6-year term MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, DEPT. 4, CITY OF LAS VEGAS, 6-year term MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, DEPT. 6, CITY OF LAS VEGAS, 6-year term CITY OFFICE (ALL NONPARTISAN) MESQUITE

COUNTY CLERK, 4-year term

MOAPA VALLEY TELEVISION MAINTENANCE DISTRICT Vote for not more than five 2 Seats, 4-year term 3 Seats, 2-year unexpired term

COUNTY RECORDER, 4-year term

OVERTON POWER DISTRICT 1, OVERTON, 4-year term

COUNTY TREASURER, 4-year term

OVERTON POWER DISTRICT 2, LOGANDALE, 4-year term

COUNCIL MEMBER, SEAT 3, CITY OF MESQUITE, 4-year term

COUNTY ASSESSOR, 4-year term

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR, 4-year term STATE AND DISTRICT NONPARTISAN OFFICES JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT, 6-year term Seats A and E COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE, 6-year term Departments 1, 2, and 3 DISTRICT COURT JUDGE, 4-year unexpired term (Clark County Eighth Judicial District) Department 11

OVERTON POWER DISTRICT 4, BUNKERVILLE, 4-year term OVERTON POWER DISTRICT 6, MESQUITE, 4-year term TOWN ADVISORY BOARD, BUNKERVILLE, 2-year term Vote for not more than five TOWN ADVISORY BOARD, LAUGHLIN, 2-year term Vote for not more than five TOWN ADVISORY BOARD, MOAPA, 2-year term Vote for not more than five

REGENT, STATE UNIVERSITY, 6-year term Districts 6, 7, 8* and 13

TOWN ADVISORY BOARD, MOAPA VALLEY, 2-year term Vote for not more than five

COUNTY NONPARTISAN OFFICE

TOWN ADVISORY BOARD, SEARCHLIGHT, 2-year term Vote for not more than five

CONSTABLE, BOULDER TOWNSHIP, 4-year term

SHERIFF, 4-year term

CONSTABLE, BUNKERVILLE TOWNSHIP, 4-year term CONSTABLE, GOODSPRINGS TOWNSHIP, 4-year term CONSTABLE, HENDERSON TOWNSHIP, 4-year term

CITY OFFICE (ALL NONPARTISAN) BOULDER CITY MAYOR, BOULDER CITY, 4-year term COUNCIL MEMBER, BOULDER CITY, 4-year term

COUNCIL MEMBER, SEAT 1, CITY OF MESQUITE, 4-year term

COUNCIL MEMBER, SEAT 4, CITY OF MESQUITE, 4-year term CITY OFFICE (ALL NONPARTISAN) NORTH LAS VEGAS MAYOR, CITY OF NORTH LAS VEGAS, 4-year term COUNCIL MEMBER, WARD 1, CITY OF NORTH LAS VEGAS, 4-year term COUNCIL MEMBER, WARD 3, CITY OF NORTH LAS VEGAS, 4-year term MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, DEPT. 2, CITY OF NORTH LAS VEGAS, 6-year term MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, DEPT. 1, CITY OF NORTH LAS VEGAS, 2-year term TOWNSHIP NONPARTISAN OFFICES JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, LAS VEGAS TOWNSHIP, 6-year term Departments 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, and 16 JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, LAS VEGAS TOWNSHIP, 2-year unexpired term Department 10

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the County Seal at my office in North Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada this 28 day of February 2022

JOSEPH P. GLORIA Registrar of Voters (Seal)

AMENDED PUB: March 11, 2022, Las Vegas Asian Journal

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MARCH 10-16, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Dateline PhiliPPines

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 10-16 2022

US, PH review effectiveness of air engagements MANILA — The United States and the Philippines held annual talks to review the effectiveness of all engagements, refine engagement priorities over the next years and strengthen interoperability between the two air forces.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Wednesday that the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), Guam and Hawaii Air National Guard Airmen and Hawaii Army National Guard members met with Airmen from the Philippine Air Force for the 10th iteration of Airman-to-Airman (A2A) Talks between the two countries in Hawaii from Feb. 15-18.

The talks provide an avenue to develop interoperability, foster military-to-military relations and improve bilateral cooperation.

“We appreciate the Philippine Air Force’s ability to support this event as it is critical to advancing our ability to work together and achieve common objectives,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. David Burgy, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, PACAF. The U.S. and partner nation air forces conduct these engagements to plan for upcoming bilateral activities and establish partner goals.

“In this current volatile security environment, interoperability is becoming more and more important,” said Philippine Air Force Maj. Gen. Stephen Parreño,

chief of air staff, Philippine Air Force.

“Despite our cultural differences and other various challenges for our nations’ militaries, it is relevant that our alliance shall continue to grow and be more effective.

May this engagement serve as a venue to nourish long-standing friendship and cooperation with the Philippine Air Force and Pacific Air Forces,” he said.

The two air forces held several discussions about an array of topics in order to develop a better understanding of the needs of the two countries. Working group sessions consisted of logistics, plans and policy, training and operations, and cybersecurity.

“It’s important because these engagements clearly demonstrate the air component support to the mutual defense treaty so that we can leave no doubt as to the steadfast nature of our alliance between our two great nations.

So we want to make sure that people understand that a threat to you is a threat to us and we will be side-by-side with you,” said U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Christopher Faurot, assistant adjutant general-air/commander, Guam Air National Guard, and assistant to commander, 11th Air Force.

Guam and Hawaii are state partners to the Philippines, through the State Partnership Program or SPP, which began in 2000. One key aspect of the SPP

links a unique component of the Department of Defense–a state’s National Guard – with the armed forces or equivalent of a partner country in a cooperative, mutually beneficial relationship.

Meanwhile, the United States turned over more than P5 million ($97,000) worth of equipment to aid the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)’s efforts to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

The donation, through the US Export Control and Border Security (EXBS) Program, will help DTI’s Strategic Trade Management Office (STMO) speed up processes and fulfill its role as the lead Philippine government agency for registering and licensing companies and establishing management systems for the trade in goods, under the Philippine Strategic Trade Management Act. Among the office equipment donated are 40 tablets, 30 computers and 30 antivirus software packages.

“The equipment donated to the STMO office will build its capacity and will make it easier for its staff to effectively manage strategic trade controls,” said EXBS program adviser Ransom Avilla.

STMO director Luis Catibayan noted that this donation “demonstrates the trust and cooperation between the United States and the Philippines in working toward the common goal of preventing the proliferation of WMDs.” g

‘Still no Duterte endorsement for president’

by Alexis

RomeRo

Philstar.com

MANILA — President Duterte will not endorse any presidential candidate unless there is a “compelling reason” for him to do so, acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said on Wednesday, March 9.

Andanar made the statement days after Duterte said voters could pick any Ilocano they want to install in Malacañang.

During the inauguration of a farmer’s market in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, a known bailiwick of presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Duterte told his audience that they may choose which Ilocano leader they want to put in the Palace. He did

not mention any presidential candidate.

Duterte made the remark after noting that a majority of his Cabinet men are Ilocanos.

“The President has repeatedly said that he does not support any presidential candidate unless there is a compelling reason.

And if you recall the interview we had with the President, he clearly said – he may or he may not. So let us wait for the decision of our President,” Andanar said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

“Whatever the President said in Ilocos, you know the President, he likes to play with words and he loves to horse around,” he added.

Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, is running for vice president under

the UniTeam alliance headed by Marcos, a former senator who is the son and namesake of the late dictator.

Duterte earlier said he was not impressed by the younger Marcos, whom he described as a “weak leader.”

Last Saturday, Duterte’s political party, the PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, proclaimed its national candidates without a presidential aspirant.

The party said it would only endorse a presidential candidate who would adopt its “11-point agenda for continuity,” which includes sustaining the Duterte administration’s campaigns against drugs, crimes and insurgency. g

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MARCH 10-16, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

OPiniOn

Gender equality for sustainability

FeatURes

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

ON the eve of International Women’s Day, President Duterte signed a law raising the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16. This should improve the country’s efforts against statutory rape, child prostitution and online sexual exploitation of children, with girls still the biggest victims.

Beyond protecting women and girls from sexual abuse, this year’s Women’s Day continues to focus on achieving gender equality, with the United Nations emphasizing its importance in sustainability efforts.

The world has come a long way in terms of gender equality. Even during the pandemic, women have been in the front lines of providing health care. Women are also actively participating in research for COVID vaccines and treatments.

In the past year, Danish toy giant Lego ended its gender-targeted packaging of its products. Women accounted for a record 49 percent of athletes who participated in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. And U.S. electronic stock exchange NASDAQ required 3,000 publicly traded companies to include in their boards at least one woman and one self-identified LGBTQ+ as well as promote racial diversity.

Also last year, Kamala Harris was sworn in as America’s first woman vice president, and the first of Black and Asian descent. For the first time, the World Trade Organization also picked

a woman and African as its head: Nigerian Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. In 2021, several countries elected or swore in women heads of state or government: Barbados, Estonia, Moldova, Tanzania, Samoa, Uganda, Tunisia, Sweden and Honduras.

Gender equality is one area where the Philippines has ranked high in international surveys. The country has had two women presidents, and the incumbent vice president is running for the highest office in May. Filipino women have distinguished themselves in many sectors and have broken the glass ceiling in areas long dominated by men.

The country has passed landmark laws against gender discrimination, domestic violence and sexual harassment including catcalls and wolf whistles. Enforcement, however, has been spotty, and many women are unaware of their rights guaranteed by law. It also took time before legal impediments against the full implementation of the reproductive health law were removed.

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS SURVEYS had been touted by the campaign of Bongbong Marcos as proof that the Filipino people are now solid in supporting the son of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos who was ousted by the 1986 People Power Revolution.

This surely emboldened the Marcos family who hired Cambridge Analytica to “rebrand” the Marcos family, that they are, indeed, on their way back to Malacañang through Bongbong’s candidacy for president.

After all, they invested a lot of money on those YouTube videos, TikTok contents and troll farms to spread disinformation to achieve two goals: Make Marcos be the hero and the underdog, by historical revisionism, and paint Bongbong as smart, hardworking, intelligent, patriotic, high achiever. They claim that Bongbong will continue his father’s legacy but at the same time counterargue with “The sin of the father is not the sin of the son”, when the atrocities, human rights violations, and abuse of the Marcos dictatorship are brought up.

The second goal is to destroy Vice President Leni Robredo by creating memes, maliciously edited/spliced videos to attack Robredo, the Aquino legacy, the Liberal Party and Marcos’ critics — painting them as the “lutang,” “bobo,” salot ng lipunan,” komunista,puppet, bayaran, etc.

Trolls are paid to create a toxic discourse online by using expletives, name-calling,

Commentary

ENRIQUE DE LA CRUZ THIRTY SIX years ago, early in the new year of the tiger, the Filipino people deposed a hated dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, who had to flee for his life, like a coward, under cover of darkness.

Aided by the U.S. Government, Marcos and his family fled to Hawaii, where he would spend the rest of his life.

This new year — of The Tiger — seems to be opening with a different story from that of 36 years ago, when a relatively bloodless revolt deposed a dictator.

This month an authoritarian power, Russia, is invading a fledgling democratic country with a land area no larger

Philstar.com photo

Apart from the political sphere, the UN is pushing for greater participation of women in climate change adaptation and response. The theme for today’s observance is “gender equality today for

a sustainable tomorrow.” Climate change will be around long after the COVID-19 pandemic has reached endemic state, and women play a critical role in confronting climate change. (Philstar.com)

The silent majority is silent no more, and the trapos are desperately trying to stop the Leni momentum intimidation and even threats aimed at Marcos critics and Leni supporters. They immediately respond to pro-Leni and antiMarcos posts and dominate the discussion threads with the aim of silencing the critics.

The Marcos campaign dominated the conversation and the surveys, for a while until the official start of election campaign season in February, when people had the chance to watch Leni, hear her talk and discuss about her vision and platform toward “Gobyernong Tapat” — beyond the online propaganda of the Marcos campaign against her.

And with caravans and political rallies moving from province to province, with fora and debates, EPIPHANY happened…

Let me quote Ding C. Velasco’s post on Facebook: “The Team Leni - Kiko Grand Rallies have now become an upmanship on cultural exposition extravaganzas, with provinces outdoing other provinces in good fun and cheer.

It started in the Proclamation Rally in Naga City on February 8; the Quezon Circle Mass on February 13, then the February 18 rallies in Cagayan de Oro. Loren tried to sabotage the February 20 rally in Antique (while theirs was postponed) then Cebu happened with the biggest crowd there in the Visayas but outgunned by Iloilo City a night later, then Little Balic-balic in Sampaloc stole the show, then another miracle followed in small Calapan on March 3 (where Marcos cancelled their March 7 Grand Rally).

Two nights later at General

Photo shows presidential candidate Leni Robredo at a campaign event in Silang, Cavite.

Photo courtesy of Facebook/@VP Leni Robredo

Trias, Cavite the Team Leni rally was sabotaged in many levels of obstacles but VPLR capped the night riding a motorcycle just to join the massive 47,000 crowds of Caviteños gathered.

The next night, Bulaceños timidly opined that Cavite was a hard act to follow but as things proceeded later in the bday 45,000 Bulaceños graced the Malolos rally where gorgeous fireworks and the singing RobreDocs stole the show with their rendition of “Les Miserables” in Tagalog.

In every way, the nation aside from Leni were the winners.

Clearly, the unique cultural traditions of each province get displayed, night after night in a friendly upmanship game awakening rich cultural displays each time.

This is a good thing. Not only are hundreds of thousands more people are engaged, but the political momentum has been clearly manifested that it has started in Cavite when the people

there defied their governor not only in numbers showing up but the variation of personal placards and tarps ridiculing the promise to deliver Caviteños to Marcos Jr without asking the electorate.

Who will follow Bulacan?

Albay says they want another stab at another grand rally in their province, but Northern Luzon beckons where Leni Robredo would be most interested to test her Robredo People’s Councils against the established sway of the dynastic politicians of the Solid North.

Leni Robredo has the momentum. It had been a miracle that in all these massive rallies — the People’s Councils shouldered the expenses in order to make her their Guest of Honor each time. It’s a beautiful thing too, to watch that our national culture is being dragged by Leni’s momentum to full display, every night.

We are witnessing a miracle a unique chapter in socio-politics never witnessed before.”

The political network of Bongbong Marcos campaign was caught flatfooted because of their own lies and disinformation that they did not anticipate the growing open support for Leni Robredo by the Filipjno people.

They scrambled to try to turn the momentum back to their favor by doubling down on their dirty tactics that would appear to violate election laws.

“Res Ipsa Loquitur” — Latin word for the thing speaks for itself: videos of the Marcos campaign in violation of election laws as stated in the Omnibus Election Code Article XX11 Section 261 on vote buying, hakot, public officials intimidating and accusing Leni’s supporters of receiving money to attend her rallies without evidence, etc.

And then there are questions on the integrity of the May 9, 2022 elections because of questions and doubts on the impartiality, objectivity and independence of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) because of recent developments.

The COMELEC junked the Disqualification Case against Marcos despite strong black and white evidence that he did not pay taxes for years as evidenced by a guilty verdict by the Regional Trial Court that should have imposed sentenced jail time and ban from running for any political post, had it not been for the Court of Appeals that overturned the sentence.

The COMELEC’S apparent favoring the Marcos campaign in setting up election materials while violating the rights of citizens in the privacy of their

own homes by destroying the tarps, posters, billboards they put up in support of Robredo.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent appointment of veteran election lawyer Greg Garcia as new COMELEC Commissioner.

Garcia’s clients include Bongbong Marcos, who he represented in the electoral protest vs Robredo in 2016.

Isn’t this conflict of interest, especially because of the unholy alliance between Duterte and Marcos, with the President’s sonSara Duterte-Carpio being Marcos’ running mate? Are there no other qualified candidates to fill this position without raising even more doubts about COMELEC’s impartiality?

And the DEBATES issue!

Marcos and Duterte declared they would not participate in any debates. Would COMELEC enforce its new rule that candidates who skip the COMELEC debates will be denied streaming time on the poll body’s e-rally channel on Facebook. (To be continued…) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989. She was a news anchor, TV host and radio commentator and public service host for ABS- CBN and DZMM. She is now working on her advocacies independently, serving the Filipino audience using different media platforms. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel. Santos.Relos. Also on Twitter, Instagram: Gel

The Philippines, Ukraine, and the Year of the Tiger that the State of Texas, but with a much, much smaller economy.

Russia’s economy is ranked 11th in the world, while Ukraine is 50th. Russia’s invasion is unprovoked yet Putin claims that Ukraine is a threat to Russian national security.

Russia’s invasion is unprecedented since the 2nd World War when Hitler began invading neighboring countries in Europe.

We know the outcome of the People Power Revolution against Marcos. The People Power Revolution of 1986 set an example globally of how people, when they come together and coalesce in the thousands can overcome obstacles that appear insurmountable, and force a democratic transition often ignored by those who wish to remain in power. It demonstrated quite literally how

people power, or the power of ordinary people — not armies — can bring about revolutionary change.

During his 1995 visit to the Philippines, Václav Havel, revolutionary idol of the Czechoslovakian uprising and later president of the Czech Republic, took note that People Power had been an inspiration to him and his fellow Eastern European dissidents.

People Power has come to symbolize a peaceful, spontaneous popular uprising that topples authoritarian rulers without resorting to violent revolution.

What we are seeing in this year of the tiger is the use of war for political gain and territory.

Putin claims that NATO, a military alliance of Western European countries, having added a few Eastern European

countries to its ranks after the break-up of the Soviet Union, notably Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and etc., is now a threat to Russian national security. This may well be, if NATO Countries were hostile to Russia. This is a big if, since NATO countries are interconnected with Russia via economic and cultural ties. E.g., much of Europe, especially Germany are heavily dependent on Russian natural gas exports. And in some cases, such as the operation of the International Space Station (ISS) joint projects require sharing of information and technology.

Cooperation and the settlement of conflict through diplomacy and negotiation are really the norms thru which war is avoided and the peace is kept.

Russia and Putin have violated this norm thru the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Putin’s Ukraine invasion is at best a high risk gambit that NATO countries will not be able to craft a unified pushback against the invasion. After days of fighting, all indications are that the invasion has unwittingly pushed NATO member countries whose relations have been somewhat contentious lately, to adopt uniform economic sanctions against Russia.

Even worse vis-à-vis Russia is that some member countries have been pushed to re-armor themselves.

Germany and Norway have broken with long standing tradition to not give arms to parties in conflict; they are now going to send arms to Ukraine. Germany is also significantly increasing its

military budget. With Putin’s threat to use its nuclear arsenal, and Ukraine expressing some regret over giving up its nuclear arsenal upon the break-up of the Soviet Union, some countries may now seek nuclear capability as a deterrent to aggression.

Ukraine most likely doubly regrets letting go of this arsenal since it gave it up over Russia’s assurances that it will respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Putin’s war on Ukraine harkens back to medieval times when warlords grabbed territory from their weaker neighbors without risking negative repercussions for their aggression. Putin started doing this with Ukraine in 2014 by invading and annexing Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula.

Now he wants to do it to the  PAGE 7

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 10-16 2022

Robredo vows to prioritize poorest, remotest areas Moreno’s camp to PCGG: Is there a deal

by Janvic

Mateo Philstar.com

MANILA — Presidential candidate and Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday, March 10 reiterated her commitment to prioritize the poorest and farthest communities in the country if she wins in the May 9 general elections.

During her visit to Romblon, she noted how small communities across the country have less access to different government programs.

“So under a Robredo presidency, we will turn this around. The farther you are, the smaller and poorer your community is, the more priority you will have. Because for a very long time, you had difficulty in accessing help from the government,” Robredo said in Filipino.

She also stressed the importance for the president to visit the farthest and poorest communities, saying only then will he or she understand the plight of those living in these areas.

“You really have to immerse yourself. Immerse, talk to people.

There are things that you cannot appreciate just by looking at reports,” she said.

“Visiting places, that is something that we will continue

Presidential candidate and Vice President Leni Robredo Philstar.com file photo

doing (if elected) because a visit from the president really spurs rural development. That gives attention to the area,” she added.

She highlighted different programs implemented by her office, such as the establishment of community learning hubs and support for the education sector.

“We will focus on this further once we have more resources and a bigger mandate,” she said.

Oil price hike Asked what the government can do to alleviate the impact of the rising fuel cost for fishermen, Robredo said the executive could immediately provide assistance to those who are affected.

In addition to suspending excise taxes, the Vice President said the

government should also consider other measures to address the situation.

“For example, we can assess if the minimum wage is enough to cushion the blow of inflation,” said Robredo.

Red-tagging Meanwhile, Robredo and her camp called out the red-tagging of their supporters and denied any plan of having a coalition government with communist groups.

“Over the course of this campaign, we have seen more than our fair share of attacks and fake news against VP Leni. But this blatant and persistent redtagging, masked as ‘concern’ is a new low,” Robredo’s spokesman Barry Gutierrez said.

“For the record, there is no ‘coalition government’ being contemplated, and to leap to the absurd conclusion that there is, based on self-serving reports, supposedly ‘validated’ by someone desperate for a seat in the party-list elections, is the height of irresponsibility,” he added.

While Gutierrez did not identify any person in his statement, it was Robredo’s rival Sen. Panfilo Lacson who expressed concern over a possible coalition government with communist groups.g

WRAPPED IN PAPER. At first glance, these trees at a farm in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija appear to grow paper but are actually wrapped mangoes. Wrapping fruits such as mangoes protect them from pests and cause them to ripen faster.

PNA photo by Oliver F. Marquez

7

on unpaid P203-B estate tax of Marcoses?

by John

eric Mendoza Inquirer.net

MANILA — The political party of presidential candidate Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso is asking the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) to shed light on claims of a deal regarding the P203 billion unpaid estate tax of the Marcos family.

Aksyon Demokratiko chair Ernest Ramel wrote PCGG chairman John Agbayani to verify the assertion of lawyer Vic Rodriguez, spokesman of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., that the PCGG and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) “have arrived at an agreement for the BIR to wait for the decision on the said case before any collection enforcement activities and to establish ownership of the subject properties with certainty to determine with accuracy the fair and just tax base to be used in computing estate taxes, if any.”

“As a taxpayer and a citizen of the Republic, I now ask you, the PCGG Chairman, if there is an iota of truth to the statement of Atty.

Rodriguez,” Ramel said in his letter dated March 9. The copy of the letter was distributed to the media on Thursday.

“The question is very simple, answerable by ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ Did the PCGG and BIR have an agreement regarding the P203billion Marcos debt to the Filipino people?” he also asked.

If there was indeed an agreement, Ramel said Agbayani should disclose the details since the issue is a “matter of public interest.” Otherwise, Ramel added, “this is another proof that the camp of Marcos Jr. has again lied as they always do in so many issues about their family, including their ill-gotten wealth.”

It can be recalled that Ramel also wrote to BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay, inquiring if the taxman has

sent a new written demand to the Marcos heirs regarding the P203 billion unpaid estate tax. In this letter, he pointed out that Marcos Sr.’s heirs – widow Imelda, only son Ferdinand Jr., and daughters Imee and Irene did not file the estate tax return nor did they pay any estate tax with the BIR as required by law.

Ramel even noted that if the government gets the P203 billion, Aksyon Demokratiko’s standardbearer Moreno would use the money to fund cash assistance for poor Filipinos if he wins the presidential race via the May 9 election.

“The aggregate amount of P203.819 billion, which the Marcos heirs owe the Filipino people, is such a big amount that Mayor Isko, if elected president, promised to give the money as ‘ayuda’ to millions of our countrymen who lost their jobs during the pandemic,” he said. g

The Philippines, Ukraine, and the Year...

PAGE 6

entire country.

But this is not the Middle Ages. We are so much more interconnected today. We are tied together by a globalized economy and its network of supply chains.

Information, knowledge, and our social bonds are globally nurtured via the internet and various social media platforms. And not the least is global migration: most likely there is someone in your circle that has a connection with Ukraine (we have a colleague who adopted Ukrainian children).

The invasion of Ukraine affects everyone (have you been to the pump lately?), every country, and most especially those who have direct economic ties with Russia.

The flip side to this interconnectedness is empowerment.

We can do something.

The ultimate outcome of Putin’s war against Ukraine and the fate of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government still lies beyond the horizon, but it has reunified the NATO alliance, and more importantly, it has unified Ukraine. Even Russian speaking Ukrainians are speaking out against the Russian invasion, dispelling Putin’s claim that he is doing this for Russian Ukrainians (who, he claims are

oppressed in Ukraine). Russian soldiers are allowing civilian protesters to stop their tanks, reminiscent of when unarmed Filipinos stood in harms way to prevent the advance of Marcos loyalist tanks.

Aside from NATO member countries who are crafting economic sanctions, corporate giants like Shell and British Petroleum (BP)who hold investments with Russia are disinvesting. Exxon-Mobile is ending operations in Russia while Boeing is withdrawing from Russian aircraft projects.

Elon Musk has assured Ukraine’s continued internet access via its starlink system of communications satellites.

Smaller countries are adding their voices to the protests by pointing out that Russia’s aggression violates the “sovereign equality of states,” a guiding principle of the United Nations.

The invasion of Ukraine is pushing the world towards a new geopolitical and economic order whose major outlines are still developing. A major aspect of this order is the moral condemnation of war mongers. Another aspect is the growing realization that our interconnectedness means that we can do something. And if we do it in concert, we might

effect change.

When the year of the tiger dawned upon the Philippines 36 years ago, it unified Filipinos against a hated autocrat. An army general, and Marcos’ Defense Secretary declared open rebellion against Marcos. Filipinos unified with them; their creative and spontaneous actions, such as bringing food to the rebel soldiers in Camp Aguinaldo; priests talking soldiers into joining the rebels; unarmed civilians putting themselves in harms way against a convoy of tanks and other acts of unarmed resistance brought down the Marcos dictatorship.

Putin’s war is a violent conflict, where lives are being lost along with horrific human suffering and untold damage to places of human habitation. But I am hopeful that this new year of the tiger will reaffirm a lesson from 36 years ago, that a unified people (of global proportions this time) can prevail over the actions of a war mongering autocrat. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

••• Enrique de la Cruz is Professor Emeritus of Asian American Studies at Cal State University, Northridge.

MARCH 10-16, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL 8LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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March 10, 2022

VEGAS&STYLE JOURNAL

INSIDE

LIFESTYLE • CONSUMER GUIDE • COMMUNITY • MARKETPLACE

It’s a family affair as pop duo Dingdong, Jessa embark on ‘Revelation: The US Tour’

by Donnabelle

AJPress

arevalo

AFTER two years of waiting, TFC Events is staging its first live in-person concert, “Revelation: The U.S. Tour,” featuring the Original Prince of Pop Dingdong Avanzado and the Phenomenal Diva Jessa Zaragoza with their daughter Jayda, the newest music wonder.

The concert tour promises to be an unforgettable experience for all music lovers who will be in for a great treat of “revelations” from this musically-inclined and multi-awarded family of performers.

Conceptualized by Anvanzado, the Revelation Concert Tour will showcase a repertoire that combines the couple’s nostalgic

songs and the latest hits from Jayda’s debut album.

Asked about the title of the concert, Avanzado said, “The Revelation concept came to me late last year. We were here in the U.S. that time and I remember attending bible studies. We encountered and learned a lot from the Book of Revelation.”

“I realized that during this pandemic, there are so many things that are revealed to us in so many aspects of our lives.

We discovered some things about ourselves that probably we don’t realize we had or we lack. At the same time, it’s like a perfect way for a great reveal for Jayda, her new undertakings and accomplishments as a

singer, a composer and an artist,” Avanzado said.

More layer of that “revelation,” he said, is that they will also be celebrating more than two decades of their marriage.

“We will be celebrating our 21 years of being married. We are going to reveal a lot about our marriage,” he said. “ And we will also want to reveal more things like the stories behind the songs like why and how we made them,” he added.

Zaragoza, for her part, said they are grateful that they are given the opportunity to be the first to hold a live concert in the US. “We feel so blessed. We will give our best for this concert.

There’s a lot of pressure on us.

But we will make sure that our

audience will love the show,” she said.

The Avanzados, who used to live in Northern California, said they also are excited the perform with their “kababayans.”

“It’s really an amazing experience for me to be able to be part of this event and not just as a milestone in terms of my career in the sense that this is one of the first live shows that I will be playing with my first debut album out now into the world. The first live show that I did was back in early 2020 before the pandemic hits so this is really a big thing. But I am also excited for our kababayans since this is a milestone for the Filipino community since this is one of the first official

Photo from Instagram/@dingdongavanzado

comebacks into the live concert scene,” Jayda said.

“There’s nothing like performing with live audience.

The timing is perfect and it all came together as planned,” Avanzado said, noting that especially now that the COVID restrictions seem to be easing up.

Avanzado said these are also concerts for a cause. Some of the proceeds from the LA show will go to the JIR (Jesus Is Risen) Foundation while portion of the San Francisco’s ticket sales will help the victims of typhoon Odette, through an

ongoing campaign of ABS-CBN Foundation.

“It’s nice to know that we will be having fun and at the same time, help people in need. It’s all encompassing. We really want it to be more meaningful and the fact that this is one of the first or the first Filipino show being done here in America now (after the pandemic) makes it special for us and we want to live up to the expectation,” Avanzado said.

Avanzado started his illustrious career in 1987, with his hit songs Ikaw PAGE 11

Olivia Rodrigo, Saweetie, H.E.R. shine at Billboard’s Women in Music event

By MoMar

G. visaya

AJPress

IT was a night for the Pinays at Billboard’s Women in Music event on Wednesday, March 2 when pop music’s It Girl, Olivia Rodrigo, along with rapper Saweetie and multi-talented musician H.E.R. were honored with accolades.

All three are among the biggest names in music right now — and all happen to be Filipina Americans — and stole the show on Wednesday night at an empty SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

The yearly event, appropriately taking place at the start of Women’s History Month, honors artists who also perform their top hits. Rodrigo was honored with the event’s top accolade, Woman of the Year, while Saweetie received the Game Changer Award and H.E.R. received the Impact Award.

Rodrigo — who was awarded the Woman of the Year award after a stellar year — shared touching tributes to the women in music who paved the way for them and noted the strong female camaraderie within the industry today.

“It’s not always easy being a young woman in the music industry, but I’ve found so much strength from the female songwriters who have come before me and paved the way and open doors for so many young women like me,” Rodrigo, 19, said after receiving the Woman of the Year award from country icon Sheryl Crow.

Rodrigo said, “I wanna say to all the young girls out there who are writing songs every day, in their journals, on their bedroom floors — I am constantly moved by your vulnerability and your creativity and bravery. And I promise everyone here today is working to make this world and this industry a better place, for you.

The event aired a prerecorded performance by Rodrigo, who performed “Deja Vu,” the hit second single off the young artist’s immensely popular debut album, “SOUR.” In addition to Rodrigo’s performance, Saweetie (born

Olivia Rodrigo received Woman of the Year at Billboard’s Women in Music event on Wednesday, March 2.

Photo from Instagram/@oliviarodrigo

The Oscar and Grammy Award-winning R&B artist H.E.R. added another accolade to her name as she received the Impact Award at Billboard’s Women in Music event.

Photo from Instagram/@hermusicofficial

Diamonté Valentin Harper) performed her new single, “Closer,” in an electric retro 70s-inspired performance that didn’t include the song’s collaborator, H.E.R. However, H.E.R. (born Gabriella Wilson) took to the stage by herself later on with an acoustic performance of her song “Fate.” The 24-year-old last year won an Oscar for the social justice anthem “I Can’t Breathe” and in her speech on Wednesday, she paid tribute PAGE 11

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Proximity of Las Vegas, a boon to Pahrump real estate buyers WHETHER you are buying real estate in Pahrump as an investment or as a place to live in or have a vacation home, its proximity to Las Vegas is a distinct advantage.

Located about 62 miles west of Las Vegas, it is only about a 45- to 55- minute drive for those who want to take advantage of the living in an area that does not present the big headaches of big city living, which includes traffic, crime, and higher rents/ mortgages.

Besides, you can enjoy all the things that Las Vegas has to offer, which has become an

entertainment capital, aside, of course, from its traditional gambling reputation.

Let’s take a closer, quick look at Las Vegas.

According to Wikipedia, stablished in 1905, Las Vegas initially attracted farmers, mostly from the Utah area, and was a designated water stop for wagon trains – and later railroads – between Los Angeles and other areas. Las Vegas is the Spanish name for meadows or what can be termed as “fertile plains.” Clark County, which is the county where Las Vegas was incorporated in around 1911, was established in

1909.

The city has undergone its ups and downs, and has experienced several booms and transformations from its humble beginnings.

The first boom took place with the construction and completion of Hoover Dam in the 1930s, which was responsible for increasing its population five-fold. Along with Hoover Dam began the rise of the gambling industry, which initially mostly catered to the dam workers. Fremont Street, which is currently home to an oft-visited tourist attraction, was the site of licensed casinos such as Las Vegas Club and Hotel Apache then.

After World War II, another boom took place when banks began lending money to casino businesses, which led to the building of casinos like Sahara, the Sands, the Riviera and the Tropicana, with their glittering facades and promises of fun and excitement. With these casinos also came the entertainment – big-time performers like Frank Sinatra, Liberace, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Carol Channing and Bing Crosby started to sing/ perform at intimate settings for their fans.

It is said that Howard Hughes was responsible for starting the move of Las Vegas to a more cosmopolitan image from its initial Wild West roots. The aviation entrepreneur moved to the city in 1966 and quickly extended

From left: Edna Gonzales (extreme left) of Edna’s School in Dagupan City, Philippines, with Russ Bateman and Fely Quitevis-Bateman.

his empire, spending about $300 million to take over many of the well-known hotels/venues.

From 1989 to this day, Las Vegas has become the venue for the mega-resort. Not only armed with gambling and entertainment/ shows, these huge venues are the go-to places for people for dining, shopping, photo opportunities, weddings/birthdays, conventions, expos and fairs, and just about any event you can think of. Starting with the Mirage in 1989, megaresorts built in the Strip include: Rio and Excalibur (1990); MGM Grand, Treasure Island and Luxor (1993); Stratosphere and Monte Carlo (1996); New York-New York (1997); Bellagio (1998); Mr. & Mrs. Hung Yeh of Las Vegas, who invested on a commercial lot on Highway 160. They are Mandalay Bay, Venetian and Paris in photo above with Fely Quitevis-Bateman (extreme right).

(1999); Planet Hollywood (2000); Palms (2001); Wynn (2005); Palazzo (2007); Encore (2008); The Cosmopolitan (2010); and The Linq (2014). The latest to join the bunch are Circa Las Vegas (2020) and Resorts World (2021).

Currently, top performers like Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, BTS and The Weeknd have concerts scheduled in Las Vegas, while singers/groups like Katy Perry, Donny Osmond, Jabawockeez, Journey USA, The Australian Bee Gees and tribute shows to Prince, Whitney Houston and Elton John/Billy Joel have residencies in the area’s hotel-casinos and performance venues. Mariah Carey, Tina Turner and Celine Dion have been some of the major stars who have held residencies in the past.

Dining has become a great The Abrishamis (seated) from Beverly Hills bought several commercial Gene Easton and his family from LA bought a 5-acre parcel two years parcels along Highway 160, which is ideal for assisted living facilities. experience in Las Vegas as well. ago, and is looking to invest more.

With them is Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (center).

Each of the mega-resorts have

Dr. Irene Taburnal (left), one of Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman’s closest friends, bought several parcels of land that she can flip now should she desire so.

The $1-B plus 17,500 seat Sphere Stadium at Venetian under construction will create hundreds of jobs when it opens in 2023.

their specialty restaurants, and well-known buffets. Celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, Giada de Laurentiis, Wolfgang Puck, Gordon Ramsay, Jose Andres, Alain Ducasse, Todd English, Thomas Keller, Michael Mina, Nobu Matsuhisa, Joel Robuchon and Guy Savoy have restaurants in the city’s well-known resortcasinos where people can taste their take on different cuisines.

You can find Filipino fare in restaurants in Las Vegas, including at Resorts World.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 count, Las Vegas’ estimated population is at 641,903, with Clark County having a total population of more than 2.2 million.

If you are looking to buy real

estate, investing in property in Pahrump – and even Las Vegas, for that matter – are great options for those with the ability to do so. Nevada has no personal income tax, and the effective property tax for both places are still significantly lower than the national average. Year-to-year, home prices have risen about 5.3 percent in Las Vegas; in Pahrump, home prices are up about 23% in 2022, as compared to last year.

Precious Properties is a fullservice company serving its clientele since 1992 and can be reached at 775-513-8447, 805559-2476 and 702-538-4948. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days.

(Advertising Supplement)

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Asia Pacific Fashion Week kicks off in Los Angeles, then goes to Las Vegas this summer APFW strives to create public awareness about sustainability issues and to cast a focus on ‘eco fashion’ PREPARE for two Saturdays of dazzling runway events, entertainment, and fashion expo in August 2022, when Asia Pacific Fashion Week (APFW) visits two legendary cities: Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

APFW is a global platform for fast-rising designers who are showcasing their cultural identity and unique voice in fashion. The purpose of APFW is to place these designers in the global market as

a way to celebrate ethnic variety of the Asia-Pacific realm through fashion.

However, APFW is more than just a slew of international runway shows. Textiles, accessories, and artistic objects are also on display.

APFW chose Los Angeles as its debut location due to the city's growing importance in the global fashion industry, with a regular stream of big-name designers establishing roots in the city. As

a result, many fashion experts think that L.A. is the place to be.

After London, Milan, Paris, and New York, Los Angeles is now the world's “fifth fashion capital.”

In its first year, APFW aims to raise public awareness about sustainability issues while focusing on “green fashion.”

A ‘can’t miss’ event On August 6, Saturday, at 4 p.m., the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, a historic landmark on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the heart of Los Angeles, will host APFW's debut event, a “can'tmiss” fashion presentation featuring three international designers.

The event will also feature a trade exhibit curated by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, the export promotion arm of the Philippines' Department of Trade and Industry.

Following its debut in Los Angeles, APFW will move to Las Vegas on Saturday, August 13, at 4 p.m., and will showcase more fashion-forward styles from the same international designers in Decades Event Center, located in Vegas Pointe Plaza, Unit 168, 9175 S Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas.

InterEdx, a business that provides educational and themed

NEO-ETHNIC FASHION. Fast-rising designer from Milan, Lionell ECO FASHION. MYET by Mayeth Codoy creates couture-worthy dresses Christian Lanuzo, says APFW is the perfect occasion to show his made from the natural leaf fibers of abaca and banana tree. fashion collection to the world.Photo courtesy of Sujata Photography Photo courtesy of MYET

events, is in charge of the Las Vegas event.

The latest stylish designs for summer, evening, and red-carpet occasions will be showcased at these two events, which will, of course, be the main attraction of APFW. According to Roger Oriel, the CEO of One Global Management, the event’s organizer, APFW “promises to be among the highlights of the fashion season in the West Coast for many.”

The designers Lionell Christian Lanuzo, a young designer from Milan set to unveil his 2023 collection in APFW, said that “APFW is the perfect occasion to show our collections to the audience that comes from all over the world.”

MYET by Mayeth Codoy,

NEVER TOO LATE. At age 50, Genette Mujar decided to pursue her dream, and established her own fashion label, Gnetz Designs.

Photo courtesy of Gnetz Designs

A ‘CAN’T MISS’ EVENT. Asia Pacific Fashion Week kicks off August 6 at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Photo courtesy of Jason Chang/Wiki photo

Following its debut in Los Angeles, APFW will move to Las Vegas on August 13, 2022 at the Decades Event Center.

Photo courtesy of Decades Event Center

Health @Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS FROM the Associated Press on Wednesday, March 2: “TAMPA, FL – A visibly annoyed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis admonished a group of high school students for wearing face masks at an indoor news conference Wednesday, saying it was time to stop what he called ‘this COVID theater.’ The Republican governor approached the students and asked them to remove their masks as they waited for him at the press event at the University of South Florida in Tampa. The college is located in an area where the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends indoor masking due to high COVID-19 risk.”

Obviously wanting to tell the world that “he was” the greatest state governor who was ahead in the country in “defeating” COVID-19, Governor DeSantis acted like a dictator, berating the

EMPLOYMENT

APFW is more than just a slew of international runway shows. Textiles, accessories, and artistic objects are also on display.

Photo from Instagram/@CITEM

Disturbing news students with him on the stage to remove their masks while some towns in Florida still had a high level of COVID-19 cases and the “CDC still recommended indoor masking due to high COVID-19 risk.”

He had no right to do that, especially in an angry manner devoid of respect, more so because of the risk, which the CDC recognized. Those students had the right to wear a cap, a gown, a mask as they so desired.

This is a free country. If DeSantis had a mask mandate to reduce COVID-19 transmission at that time and the students refused to do so, he would have that right to demand them to wear masks, but not the opposite situation since that area and the nation as a whole still had a significant number of cases and number of deaths, albeit lesser than a week ago.

This is an example of a medically ignorant, misinformed leader just like many other politicians trying to be politically correct. They are one of the reasons why we have almost a million COVID-19 deaths in the

United States.

“The Florida Health Department plans to recommend against COVID-19 vaccination in healthy children, directly contradicting CDC guidelines,” according to the Tampa Bay Times. This is one of the many confusing opposing views among our leaders that risk people’s lives, the very reason a timely national mandate on PPE and vaccination for all without medical contraindication is so essential during a pandemic, and not leaving the management to the various states, whose 50 governors have 51 different ideas, resulting in almost a million deaths in the United States, the worst compared to all other countries.

Kennedy against vaccines The other reason is Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who is insanely against the COVID-19 vaccines, besides all other vaccines in the past. He must be ignorant how the world has practically eradicated killer Smallpox with Jenner’s (1796) “inoculation vaccine,” and how Polio has been severely reduced with the

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Salk (1955) and Sabin (1960) vaccines. Not to mention all the pre-school vaccine requirements the whole world is using to protect all our children and the seasonal flu vaccines saving millions in the U.S. alone every year. And the most current are the COVID-19 vaccines which have so far saved billions of people around the world. (The WHO recommends the booster shot for more vulnerable adults with health issues for added protection.)

Sadly, even doctors…

Unfortunately, even some people of science, a few physicians and nurses are antivaxx, like “Simone Gold, founder of America’s Frontline Doctors, an activist group known for spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories about the pandemic and Covid vaccines, who has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a fine of $100,000.”

COVID-19: Brain fog?

People who have been infected and developed postacute COVID-19 syndrome, termed Long COVID-19 (40

Norway's fast-rising fashion house, will also show its latest collections during APFW. The designer recently debuted her collection at Paris Fashion Week, which included couture-worthy ensembles created from the natural leaf fibers of the abaca and banana trees.

Genette Mujar, a fast-rising fashion designer from Vancouver who won the “Outstanding Women of Vancouver 2021” award, is another designer to be showcased at APFW. She decided to pursue her ambition at the age of 50 and founded Gnetz Designs, a thriving fashion line. Her life story has gone viral, proving that dedication pays off no matter how old we are.

Event partners This inaugural edition of APFW

is presented by the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, DTI Los Angeles office, Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) and The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

The Los Angeles Event of APFW enjoys the support of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. Trending Beverages Inc., Napa Valley Distribution Inc., Montemaria Cellars, House of Pacquiao Wine, Individual Health Care, Lombard by the Bay, MTS Law Firm, Premier Asia Pacific Real Estate & Development, and Tina Modeling.

The Las Vegas event is coproduced by InterEdx, a dba of Dynasty Exchange Ltd. LLC., headed by Dr. Lee Dedicatoria, in cooperation with Asia on Earth, Dynasty Ventures, Club Paradisia,

percent incidence), could have lingering neurological effects like brain fog, fatigue, breathing difficulties, visual disturbances, cognitive impairment, anxiety, and a problem with memory.

These could last for up to 6 months for 37 percent of people.

Mild-to-moderate COVID-19 usually gets better within 1-2 weeks.

Studies have so far explained that the reduced oxygen supply to the cells of the nervous system can “silence” the cells.

These “silent neurons” may be responsible for some Long COVID symptoms and increasing their blood flow to increase their oxygen and micronutrients supply using neuromodulation techniques can reactivate silenced cells of the nervous system,” said the Journal on Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience.

“Researchers at the SAVIRCenter in Magdeburg, Germany, found that noninvasive neuromodulation using NIBS improved visual field loss in under 4 days and noted improved blood vessel dilatation in peripheral arteries and veins (113 to 300 percent) after NIBS treatment. Both vision

and cognitive problems have improved after treatment,” the research also stated.

Indoor air quality A research team at the University of Oregon found that air filtration, and good humidity levels of an indoor room can reduce how easily a virus spreads. Dryness enables the virus (much like dust) to float and fly around easier with airflow and cause infection. Outdoors, the wind dissipates the virus, the reason why outdoor dining, for example, is safer than eating inside restaurants.

One thing this pandemic also taught us is that “most public buildings have poor air quality inside them, which is conducive to increasing risk of pollution, respiratory illnesses, and during a pandemic like COVID-19, to increased risk of transmission.

The recommendation is to regularly monitor the air quality inside these buildings and be publicly graded. Large apartment buildings, children’s facilities, schools, commercial buildings, and stores are advised to have MERV 13 filtration, and every classroom and childcare facility in the United States should either PAGE 11

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Marcelito Pomoy excited to barnstorm It’s a family affair as pop duo Dingdong...

14 states for his US concert tour PAGE 8

By MoMar

G. Visaya

AJPress

MARCELITO Pomoy’s happy demeanor and positive outlook in life belie the pain and hardship he had to go through to be where he is today.

Barnstorming across the United States until April for a series of shows, Pomoy sat down in a chat with the Asian Journal to promote his concerts and share his inspiring tale. As of press time, Pomoy and his team are midway through their 18-city, 14-state tour.

“I’m so happy to be back. Mahaba-haba rin na walang events kaya ako ay nagpapasalamat at nakabalik ako dito sa U.S. and yung mga OFW dito, yung mag Pilipino, gusto ko siiang mapasaya,” the singer said.

He said he is looking forward to performing for kababayans even in states and cities where Filipino shows are rare as his concert tour will bring them to Biloxi, Wichita, Memphis, and Northern Arkansas.

Pomoy won Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT) in 2011 and nine years later, made it to America’s Got Talent: The Champions as one of the 40 acts from Got Talent franchises around the world who were invited to participate. His uncanny talent of seamlessly shifting between soprano and tenor voices made him a household name in the United States and he felt the momentum building up as there were offers for concerts left and right.

“After ng AGT, biglang nagkaroon ng COVID, ng pandemic kaya nawala yung excitement,” he said, noting that it was just another hiccup that they had to recover from.

Pomoy acknowledged and paid tribute to his wife Joan, the wind beneath his wings, for being able to rise above life’s challenges.

He shared that there was a point when he wanted to give up because his career was getting nowhere after he won the title in the Philippines. When he was at his lowest, his wife was there guiding him and telling him not to give up because as long as he has his voice, the possibilities are endless.

It was also Joan who was responsible for Marcelito’s appearance in The Ellen Show.

Marcelito Pomoy Photo from Instagram/@marcelitopomoy8

She was also the one who egged him to perform on the Wish Bus, which has become a platform for viral performances that made it around the world.

“Nag-away pa kami kasi ayoko talaga. Sabi ko ako na lang maghandle ng negosyo. Pinasampa niya talaga ako sa WishBus kaya napilitan ako,” he recalled.

That performance became the epitome of viral as hundreds of non-Filipino reactors made their respective reaction videos. That was how they were able to get into Ellen’s radar, catching the attention of the show’s producers who invited him to appear on the show.

Pomoy, who had picked to sing Celine Dion songs for the episode, mentioned to Ellen that she was his favorite singer. The host arranged for Pomoy and his wife to go to Las Vegas to watch Celine’s concert and have a meet-and-greet, a memory that he says he’ll treasure for life.

Pomoy told the Asian Journal that he credits whatever he does now to the upbringing he had, hardships and all.

His story may have been heartbreaking - his mother left the family when he was only two years old and his father was in jail for arson - but his spirit was never broken.

He became - in his own words, a “palaboy” at the age of eight years old because he left the home of his adoptive parents who got him from his father in prison.

Little did he know that the

cousins he grew up with in that household were actually his siblings. He only found out when he sold balut to someone who turned out to be a best friend of his father’s when they got to talk about their lives. Marcelito was 16 years old then when he met his father for the first time and the truth about his past was revealed.

He took on odd jobs: he became a pin boy, sold ice drop during the day, and balut during the evening. He earned fifty pesos a day as a pin boy, which was not enough to buy three square meals a day so sometimes, he ended up eating only one meal per day.

Then he became a construction worker and after a hard day’s work, his co-workers would ask him for a round of drinks. He would beg off because he didn’t want to spend money so the coworkers would cover his portion and would just ask him to sing a few songs.

Singing became his ambag, his contribution.

Pomoy is a firm believer in the adage “We Rise by Lifting Others” and during the height of the lockdown during the pandemic, he stepped up.

“Nasa puso ko talaga ang pagtulong siguro dahil naging pulubi ako at naranasan ko kumain ng tira-tira sa mga restaurant sa sobrang gutom,” he recalled. “Ibinabalik ko lang yung mga biyayang natanggap ko sa mga taong walang-wala.”

The singer said he is happy to share his blessings and this is evidenced by the numerous charity work and various acts of kindness like distributing food, milk, diapers, and supplies, and supporting local schools, in the town of Calauag, Quezon where he now lives with Joan and their growing family.

Marcelito and Joan are expecting baby number two, their first kid Marcella Janiah is now six years old. He wanted a boy but according to the gender reveal, it’s going to be another girl.

“Gusto ko sana lalaki pero ok naman ako sa kahit anong kasarian, kasi bigay ng Panginoon,” he said.

For his followers who may be downtrodden or are going through tough times, Pomoy said they shouldn’t give up.

“Hindi ako bumitaw dahil alam

Lamang, Tatlong Beinte Singko, Maghihintay Sa Iyo, Makapiling ka Sana, Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal, To Love Again, Paalam na and Walang Kapalit. Over the years, he has honed his craft to become a highly-respected multi-platinum recording artist, songwriter, concert director and total entertainer.

In the early 90s, Zaragoza already catching everyone’s attention being a star with a very distinct musical voice on the hit program that time, “That’s Entertainment”. In 1997, she released her first album, “Just Can’t Help Feeling” which contains the single, “Bakit Pa”,

which rose to the top of the chart and became the national anthem for many Filipinos worldwide.

It turned Platinum eight times and one of the biggest selling debut albums in the Philippines music history. She continues belting out unforgettable songs such as “Diba’t Ikaw,” “Paano Kaya,” “Baliw na Puso,” “Siya ba ang Dahilan,” “Ibigay Mo Na” and “Hindi na Bale” which permanently etched in the heart of Pinoy music lovers around the world. The hitmaker is also an award winning artist.

Born in June 1, 2003, Jayda, Janelle Amanda Loyola Avanzado, is being touted as the next artist to watch out for.

She has shown an extraordinary musicality even with the very early age, writing her first song at the age of 12. Her single “Paano Kung Naging Tayo?” became a hit and won the Best Music Video Award on International Film Festival Manhattan 2021 in New York. She also bagged the Best Performance by a New Female Performing Artist in Awit Awards in 2019.

The Revelation: U.S. Tour will be held on March 12, 6:30PM at Alex Theater in Glendale, CA, ticket prices start at $50, call 818-2548426; and on March 26, 6PM at Fox Theater, ticket prices start at $35, Redwood City, CA, call 650-443782.

Olivia Rodrigo, Saweetie, H.E.R. shine...

PAGE 8

to her Filipina mother, saying, “I want to thank my mom for teaching me to stay humble, be grounded and be hardworking.”

Saweetie’s mother, Trinidad Valentin, is also Filipina and introduced her daughter before her “Closer” performance, saying she is a “force to be reckoned with.”

PAGE 10

Valentin recalled asking her daughter what she plans to do if the music career doesn’t take off, to which Saweetie told her, “Mom, there is no Plan B.” Valentin then affirmed this, saying before her daughter took the stage, “Here’s to not having a Plan B, baby girl!”

After receiving the Game

Changer award, Saweetie said in her speech that with her music, she “would rather be changing the weather than to report on it. My frequency of gratitude is vibrating at an alltime high!” She then thanked her family, friends, and fans for “supporting me throughout my roller coaster journey because this sh*t ain’t easy.”

Disturbing news

MERV 13 or HEPA filters.”

Current data reveal COVID-19 case, hospitalization, and death rates are much lower for vaccinated Americans than they are for the unvaccinated, who are nearly 25 times more likely to be hospitalized than vaccinated individuals.

COVID-19 stat update As of Monday, March 7, 2022, there were 69,459 cases and 1,686 deaths in one day in the United States.

Globally, on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 ( 5:35 PM (EST), total cases number 449,368,894, deaths are at 6,033,022, with new deaths at

5,764; U.S.: 80,998,258 cases, deaths: 986,958, new deaths: 851; the Philippines: 3,668,710 cases, deaths: 57,072, new deaths: 6.

While the numbers are going down, the pandemic is far from over. Let us continue to be wise, vigilant, and careful. We are almost there.

And let us continue to pray for the people of Ukraine and all those who are suffering around the world.

[Erratum: In my column last week, the correct statement in the second paragraph under Health News Capsules should be: “Ivermectin, like

hydroxychloroquine, has NOT been found to be effective against COVID-19.”]

ko, may Diyos,” he said. “Huwag kayong bumitaw sa inyong mga pangarap, always pray and magtiwala kayo sa sarili ninyo.”

This is also the reason why he always sings The Prayer, which has become his signature song, the one that propelled his name to reach greater heights.

The Prayer was his winning song for Pilipinas Got Talent

and became his audition song for America’s Got Talent: The Champions. It was also the song that gave Wish Bus millions of views.

Today, the song’s message resonates more than ever, which is not lost on the singer.

“Hindi pa tapos ang COVID-19, ngayon may giyera naman sa Ukraine. Hindi na

natin maintindihan ang mga nangyayari sa mundo kaya magpray na lang po tayo,” he told his Las Vegas audience last week before singing the Celine Dion and Andrea Bocceli duet.

(Catch Marcelito Pomoy in his U.S. and Canada tour. For tickets and details, pleasetext or call Sherly Cheng (503) 746-3900 or Elvie Ferell (971) 344-866))

*** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and antigraft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

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