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MARCH 17-23, 2022

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Volume 33 - No. 11 • 12 Pages

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Pfizer seeking authorization for second DATELINE USA US travel mask mandate COVID booster for adults 65 and older extended to April 18 FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

by KLARIZE

DAYS before the requirement to wear masks on public transportation was set to expire, U.S. officials extended the mandate through to April 18.

The measure affects those who plan to travel airplanes, trains, and buses — masks will also still be required at airports, train stations, and other hubs of public transit.

In a statement released on Tuesday, March 8, the agency responsible for setting safety measures for transportation, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), said that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will weigh other approaches to public safety, through a “revised policy framework for when, and under what circumstances, masks should be required in the public transportation corridor.”

The transportation mask requirement was set to expire on March 18.

“If you’re moving from one zone to another and picking people up, it’s a little bit different, and that requires some consultation, which is

MEDENILLA AJPress

OLDER people may soon be able to get a fourth COVID booster after it was announced that Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech, plan to ask the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency authorization for a second COVID-19 booster shot for those 65 and older.

According to the Washington Post, in which this was first reported, Pfizer and BioNTech’s submission to the FDA includes “real-world data”’ from Israel, which has already allowed for older folks to receive a second booster shot.

Those close to the situation said that the move is meant to further protect older adults against the omicron variant, which biomedical experts have said is more advanced at evading the immune system

PH Consulate urges authorities ‘to do more’

by MOMAR

G. VISAYA

AJPress

How to avoid surprise bills and the pitfalls in the new law

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67-year-old Filipina in New York savagely beaten in brutal anti-Asian attack

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PATIENTS are no longer required to pay for out-of-network care given without their consent when they receive treatment at hospitals covered by their health insurance since a federal law took effect at the start of this year.

But the law’s protections against the infuriating, expensive scourge of surprise medical bills may be only as good as a patient’s knowledge — and ability to make sure those protections are enforced.

Here’s what you need to know.

Meet the No Surprises Act. Studies have shown that about 1 in 5 emergency room visits result in a surprise bill.

Surprise bills frequently come from emergency room doctors and anesthesiologists, among others — specialists who are often outside a patient’s insurance network and not chosen by the patient.

Before the law took effect, the problem went something like this: Say you needed surgery.

You picked an in-network hospital — that is, one that accepts your health plan and has negotiated prices with your insurer.

But one of the doctors who treated you didn’t take your insurance. SURPRISE! You got a big

than variants past.

Authorization could be granted as early as Tuesday, March 22.

Currently, the COVID-19 booster is authorized for everyone aged 12 and older per an emergency authorization basis, as previously reported in the Asian Journal.

According to the Centers for Disease Control

ALMOST DONE. President Rodrigo Duterte responds to the queries of Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name, Inc. founder and leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy during a pre-recorded TV interview of the Sonshine Media Network International in Davao City aired on Saturday, March 12. With few months left before stepping down from power, Duterte said he has fulfilled his campaign pledges to the people when he ran for the presidency in 2016, from attaining peace and order to fighting illegal drugs and building modern infrastructures.

Malacañang photo by Joey Dalumpines

A 67-year-old Filipino woman in Yonkers, New York is now recovering in a hospital after being brutally beaten in the latest anti-Asian hate attack to rock the community.

The victim was entering her apartment building in Yonkers when she was attacked from behind by the suspect. Security video shows the victim was punched 125 times, stomped on seven more times and spat on.

She sustained fractures and lacerations to the head and face as well as bleeding in the brain.

The Philippine Consulate General in New York on Monday, March 14 called on authorities “to do more to protect the vulnerable” as it expressed outrage over the violent attack that left the elderly woman seriously

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Duterte: PH should maintain neutrality amid Russian invasion of Ukraine

by DANIZA

FERNANDEZ Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Philippines should maintain its neutrality amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated on Thursday, March 17.

“Other countries, Europe will die if Russia wreaks havoc. So we better — we better maintain our neutrality. Let’s avoid meddling in it so that we won’t get involved,” Duterte said in Visayan language during the inauguration of the New Leyte Provincial Government Complex and lot title

distribution to former rebels.

The President added that he would not allow Filipino soldiers to fight, should the Americans engage in war.

“I won’t commit. If the Americans engage in a war and they’re here, why will I send my soldiers? It’s not our battle to fight,” he explained.

“If the violence spills over and the war somehow gets here, that will be very difficult.

I won’t, I really won’t. For as long as I’m President, I won’t send a single soldier of Detained Sen. Leila De Lima attends the continuation of trial on the third drug case filed mine to go to war,” continued Duterte. against her at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 256.

Senate photo

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Marcos, Sara top Pulse Asia survey De Lima is alive and still running for senator

by KAITHREEN

CRUZ , KRISTINA MARALIT AND BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENTIAL candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio were again the runaway leaders in the February survey of Pulse Asia.

Marcos retained the 60 percent rating he notched in the January survey, while DuterteCarpio improved her rating by 4 percentage points to 53 percent.

He was also the top choice across all subnational areas, 68 percent in Mindanao; National Capital Region (NCR), 66 percent; the rest of Luzon, 58 percent; and Former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. was greeted by a big crowd during a motorcade the Visayas, 53 percent. in Las Piñas City on Sunday, March 13.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Gerard Seguia He also led in all socioeconomic

classes C, D and E. Marcos garnered support from 60 percent in the C bracket, 61 percent in the D bracket and 58 percent in the E bracket.

His closest rival, Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, received 15 percent.

She was followed by Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (10 percent), Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquaio (8 percent), Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson (2 percent), Faisal Mangondato (0.4 percent), labor leader Leodegario “Ka Leody” de Guzman (0.1 percent) and Jose

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by KRISTINE JOY

Philstar.com

PATAG

MANILA — A YouTube video is claiming without basis that opposition Sen. Leila De Lima, who is seeking re-election in the May polls, has passed away.

CLAIM: YouTube channel Banat Trending News posted a video with the title: JUST IN! SAWAKAS PDUTERTE! SEN. DELIMA CONFIRMED! PUMANA4AW NA? RATING: This is false.

FACTS: What the post claims The video started with an unnamed narrator claiming that

posts of De Lima passing away is "viral and trending" on social media, although it did not attach specific posts on it.

The narrator instead said videos of De Lima, which are part of campaign ads, showed that she has lost weight and may be sick.

This prompted social users to supposedly say they are saddened of news of De Lima’s passing is true but thought she deserved it her “karma” for her what “bad things” she did in the country, although no incident was cited.

What it left out De Lima's chief of staff and deputy campaign manager Fhillip

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MARCH 17-23, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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

From The FronT Page

Pfizer seeking authorization for...

PAGE 1 and Prevention (CDC), more than 66% of Americans aged 65 or older who are eligible for the booster have received it. Pfizer and BioNTech didn’t indicate whether they’re seeking authorization of a second booster shot for other age groups.

Pfizer spokesperson Jerica

Pitts told the Washington Post that the company was “continuing to collect and assess all available data and we’re in continuous, open dialogue with regulators and health authorities to help inform a COVID-19 vaccine strategy as the virus evolves.”

According to the Biden administration, the U.S. only has

enough doses of the COVID-19 booster for immunocompromised people to receive the fourth dose.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told the Washington Post last week that the company’s data presently shows that receiving a fourth dose “dramatically” improves protection compared to a third dose. g

67-year-old Filipina in New York savagely...

PAGE 1 injured.

The latest incident took place on Friday evening, March 11, and came a few days after the Consulate reminded members of the Filipino community to be vigilant and to take the necessary precautions following two shoving incidents in Queens that left two elderly Filipino women injured.

“We are outraged by this unspeakable act committed against another elderly member of the Filipino community,” Consul General Elmer G. Cato said on social media. “This is the third incident in less than a week where elderly kababayan have become victims of random violence.”

“We call on authorities to do more to protect the vulnerable.

We remind kababayan to be extra vigilant and to take the necessary precautions, especially in public,” Consul General Cato added.

Yonkers officials led by Mayor Mike Spano have condemned the attack.

“Hate crimes are beyond intolerable in our city. I applaud our Yonkers Police for swiftly apprehending this violent criminal and removing him from our streets,” Mayor Spano said in a statement. “I expect the suspect to be charged to the fullest extent of the law for his heinous actions.

I continue to keep the victim and her family in our thoughts and prayers.”

Yonkers Police Commissioner John Mueller agreed and called the hate crime despicable and one of the most appalling attacks he has ever seen.

“This defendant must be held to the maximum punishment allowed by law to send a clear message that hateful, violent behavior will not be tolerated in

NEW TRAINS. Modern train coaches are seen on the tracks of the Metro Rail Transit-7 along Commonwealth Avenue in Tandang Sora, Quezon City on Wednesday, March 16. The MRT-7 will have 14 stations from North Avenue, Quezon City to San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

Duterte: PH should maintain neutrality...

An Asian American woman was punched more than 100 times and stomped and spit on during an attack in her Yonkers apartment building on March 11, 2022. The assault was captured on surveillance video and the suspect was charged with a hate crime.

Courtesy of Yonkers Police Department

our communities. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and her family, that she may make a full recovery.”

In a tweet, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “Everyone deserves to feel safe in our streets — discrimination, hate, & violence will never be tolerated in New York State. I’m praying that the victim makes a full recovery and have offered assistance from New York State Police to investigate this horrific act.”

The suspect, who was identified as Tammel Esco had 14 previous arrests and multiple convictions, was immediately arrested and charged with attempted murder as a hate crime as he was shouting anti-Asian slurs while he was beating up the victim.

Consul General Cato said the Consulate is in touch with authorities in Yonkers and is also trying to reach the family of the victim.

In a statement issued over the weekend, the Consulate expressed concern over the latest incidents that followed similar assaults against other members of the Asian-American Community

INQUIRE NOW! +63 917 311 7246 /+1 858 229 9858

since the start of the year.

It said that the recent spate of attacks against Filipinos and other Asian Americans—whether triggered by racial bias or mental illness—is a serious concern that must be immediately addressed.

On Thursday, March 10, a Filipina in her late 50s, who walks with a cane and suffers from poor eyesight, was injured after she was shoved down the stairs by an unidentified man at the 179th Street Station of the F Train in the neighborhood of Jamaica in Queens.

On the same day, a Filipina in her mid-60s was pushed by an unidentified man at the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) train platform, also in Jamaica, causing her to land on her face and breaking her eyeglasses in the process. She sustained multiple injuries.

The Yonkers incident brings to three the number of attacks involving members of the Filipino Community in New York that have been reported to the Consulate this year. There were 23 incidents reported to the Consulate last year. g

PAGE 1 Early this month, the chief executive raised that the country should remain neutral amid the conflict between the two foreign

nations, expressing concern if the situation escalates to a nuclear war.

In February, Russia launched an invasion on Ukraine, amassing

150,000 to 200,000 troops along the latter’s borders.

The Palace then assured that Duterte’s main concern is the safety of Filipinos in Ukraine. g

De Lima is alive and still running for...

PAGE 1

Sawali branded this as fake news.

"The senator is alive and well. In fact, she was just interviewed by three media outlets yesterday (Tuesday) at the PNP Custodial Center, Camp Crame," he told Philstar.com.

De Lima has regularly been sending hand-written dispatches from her detention cell in Camp Crame. She sent out a dispatch on March 15 on the red-tagging of supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo.

Her team also continues to campaign for her in campaign caravans as part of the slate of Robredo and Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan.

Essential context De Lima is a staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte.

She has been in detention since February 2017 over three drug charges filed against her over her alleged hand in the proliferation of narcotics trade at the New Bilibid Prison during her sting as justice secretary.

De Lima asserted that these

are politically motivated — an allegation the Palace has long denied. She has since been acquitted in one charge and has pending two conspiracy to commit drug trade before the Muntinlupa court.

In April 2021, De Lima was brought to the hospital for a threeday medical checkup, although test results showed no signs of stroke.

Curiously, the video focused on De Lima but halfway through, the narrator quoted a social media post that started with shock of De Lima’s passing and then went to say that good always trumps evil.

The social media user then thanked Duterte for “cleaning the government and developing the country” and they believe that presidential bet Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is the only candidate who is smart brave and with love for country, like the incumbent president.

Why does it matter?

Just a day since the video was posted, it already earned 93,000 views on YouTube, with 1,700

likes. The video landed on Philstar. com’s monitoring of YouTube channels that have been flagged for sharing misinformation, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez also earlier said the poll body is monitoring attempts at voter suppression, such as making the voter believe that one candidate has died, has backed out, has been disqualified or otherwise out of the running.

De Lima is not the first candidate to mount an election campaign from detention.

This story is part of the Philippine Fact-check Incubator, an Internews initiative to build the fact-checking capacity of news organizations in the Philippines and encourage participation in global factchecking efforts.

Philstar.com is also a founding partner of Tsek.ph, a collaborative fact-checking project for the 2022 Philippines’ elections. It is an initiative of academe, civil society groups and media to counter disinformation and provide the public with verified information.g

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Marcos, Sara top Pulse Asia...

PAGE 1

HARVEST TIME. A harvester machine operator is preparing to harvest the remaining five hectares of the farm ricefield in Santo Tomas Barangay ll, Peñaranda in Nueva Ecija on Thursday, March 17. The operator said almost 90 percent of the ricefield has been harvested this year.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

How to avoid surprise bills and the pitfalls...

PAGE 1

bill, separate from the bills from the hospital and other doctors.

Your insurer didn’t cover much of it, if it didn’t deny the claim outright. You were expected to pay the balance.

The new law, known as the No Surprises Act, stipulates, in broad terms, that patients who seek care from an in-network hospital cannot be billed more than the negotiated, in-network rate for any out-of-network services they receive there.

Instead of leaving the patient with an unexpected bill that insurance will not cover, the law says, the insurance company and the health care provider must work out how the bill gets paid.

But the law builds in wiggle room for providers who wish to try end runs around the protections.

Caution: The law leaves out plenty of medical care.

The changes come with a lot of caveats.

Although the law’s protections apply to hospitals, they do not apply at many other places, like doctors’ offices, birthing centers, or most urgent care clinics. Air ambulances, often a source of exorbitant out-of-network bills, are covered by the law. But ground ambulances are not.

Patients need to keep their heads up to avoid the pitfalls that remain, said Patricia Kelmar, health care campaigns director for the nonprofit Public Interest Research Group, which lobbied for the law.

Say you go for your annual

checkup, and your doctor wants to run tests. Conveniently, there’s a lab right down the hall.

But the lab may be out of network — despite sharing office space with your in-network doctor.

Even with the new law in effect, that lab doesn’t have to warn you it is out of network.

Beware the “Surprise Billing Protection Form.”

Out-of-network providers may present patients with a form addressing their protections from unexpected bills, labeled “Surprise Billing Protection Form.”

Signing it waives those protections and instead consents to treatment at out-of-network rates.

“The form title should be something like the I’m Giving Away All of My Surprise Billing Protections When I Sign This Form, because that’s really what it is,” Kelmar said.

Your consent must be given at least 72 hours before receiving care — or, if the service is scheduled on the same day, at least three hours in advance. If you’ve waited weeks to book a procedure with a specialist, 72 hours may not feel like sufficient advance warning to allow you to cancel the procedure.

Among other things, the form should include a “good faith estimate” of what you’ll be charged. For nonemergency care, the form should include the names of in-network providers you could see instead.

It should also inform you of an unfortunate catch-22: The

provider can refuse to treat you if you refuse to waive your protections.

It is against the law for some providers to give you this form at all. Those include emergency room doctors, anesthesiologists, radiologists, assistant surgeons, and hospitalists.

Keep your antennae up on costs. Many patients report they are merely handed an iPad for recording their signature in emergency rooms and doctors’ offices. Insist on seeing the form behind the signature so you know exactly what you are signing.

If you notice a problem, don’t sign, Kelmar said. But if you find yourself in a jam — say, because you get this form and urgently need care — there are ways you can fight back: • Write on the form that you are “signing under duress” and note the problem (e.g., “Emergency medicine facilities are not allowed to present this form”).

• Take a picture of the form with your notes on it. Consider also shooting a video of yourself with the form, describing how it violates federal law.

• Report it! There is a federal hotline (1-800-985-3059) and a website for reporting all violations of the new law barring surprise bills. Both the hotline and website help patients figure out what to do, as well as collect complaints.

Speaking of that “good faith estimate” …

The new “good faith estimate” benefit applies anywhere you PAGE 5

Montemayor Jr. (0.01 percent).

Former Malacañang spokesman Ernesto Abella and former Defense chief Norberto Gonzales did not receive any support from the respondents.

Four percent of the respondents refused to answer when asked for their preferred presidential candidate.

Domagoso was the top second choice presidential candidate of 26 percent of respondents if their first choice drops out. He was followed by Pacquiao (13 percent), Robredo (12 percent), Lacson (11 percent), Marcos (9 percent), de Guzman and Magondato at 1 percent each, Abella (0.4 percent), and Montemayor and Gonzales at 0.2 percent each.

In the vice presidential survey, Duterte-Carpio posted a 29 percent lead over Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto 3rd, who had 24 percent. Trailing them were Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan (11 percent), Dr. Willie Ong (6 percent), Buhay party-list Rep. Jose “Lito” Atienza (1 percent), Manny Lopez and former Akbayan party-list representative Walden Bello at 0.1 percent each, and lawyer Carlos Serapio at 0.01 percent.

Rizalito David essentially did not receive substantial support from the respondents.

The Davao City mayor also took the lead across all subnational areas, with 82 percent in Mindanao, 51 percent in the Visayas, 48 percent in NCR and 41 percent in the rest of Luzon.

She was also the top pick of respondents in socioeconomic class C at 55 percent, class D at 54 percent and class E at 51 percent.

Sotto was the top second choice vice presidential preference of 31 percent of the respondents if their preferred first choice for the post quits the race. He was followed

by Pangilinan (15 percent), Ong and Duterte-Carpio at 11 percent each, Atienza (5 percent), Lopez (1 percent), Bello and Serapio at 0.1 percent each, and David at 0.05 percent.

Pulse Asia conducted faceto-face interviews with 2,400 registered voters who are likely to vote in the May elections.

The survey was conducted from February 18 to 23, after the campaign period officially kicked off last February 8.

Robredo’s spokesman, Barry Gutierrez, said the Pulse Asia survey did not capture the recent “surge” in the support for the vice

president.

“Recent weeks have seen a snowballing in support for VP Leni, with massive, record[-]breaking rallies from Butuan to Bacolod, Cavite to Isabela, Sampaloc to Malolos. The latest Pulse Asia survey was done prior to these game[-]changing developments, and does not yet capture the more recent surge in VP Leni’s support,” Gutierrez said in a statement on Monday, March 14.

“With this clear momentum from the people’s campaign — reflected both in the massive rallies as well as in online metrics — we are confident that the next 56 days will culminate in an election day victory for Leni Robredo,” he said.

Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) President and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said on Monday the results of the Pulse Asia survey showed that the UniTeam tandem is headed for a landslide victory. Lakas-CMD is chaired by Duterte-Caprio.

“Our candidates have maintained their high marks, less than two months before the May elections. Despite such survey showing, they will keep on campaigning and spreading their message of hope, patriotism and unity,” Romualdez said.

Raffy Tulfo leads in Pulse Asia’s survey for senatorial candidates, as broadcaster Tulfo kept his lead at 67 percent.

Trailing him were Antique Rep. Lorna Regina “Loren” Legarda (59 percent), former Public Works and Highways secretary Mark Villar (56 percent), Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (55 percent), Sen. Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri (51 percent) and Sorsogon Gov. Francis “Chiz” Escudero (50 percent).

Rounding up the list were actor Robin Padilla (47 percent), former vice president Jejomar “Jojo” Binay (46 percent), Sen. Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian (45 percent), Sen. Emmanuel Joel Villanueva (42 percent), former senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estada (39 percent), former Quezon City mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista (33 percent), Sen. Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros (32 percent) and former senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito (32 percent).

At the 15th to 24th positions were Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon (27 percent), former Information and Communications Technology secretary Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan 2nd (27 percent), former Interior and Local Government

3

secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro (20 percent), former Palace spokesman Herminio “Harry” Roque Jr. (20 percent), former senator Antonio Trillanes 4th (17 percent), former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar (16 percent), Human Rights Advocate lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno (12 percent), former Commission on Filipinos Overseas executive director Astravel Pimentel (12 percent), Sen. Leila de Lima (11 percent) and lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon (11 percent).

Pulse Asia said there were nine party-list groups that surpassed the 2-percent voter preference threshold needed to secure at least one seat in Congress.

These were ACT-CIS with 8 percent; Ako Bicol with 6 percent; Senior Citizens party-list with 6 percent; Malasakit@Bayanihan at 5 percent; 4Ps at 5 percent; An Waray at 3 percent; Uswag Ilonggo at 3 percent; Gabriela at 2 percent; and AGAP at 2 percent.

Only 83 percent of survey respondents expressed support for a party-list group among 177 participating groups for the 2022 polls.

Kilusang Bagong LipunanParañaque chairman Florencio “Jun” Bernabe Jr. vowed to fully support the UniTeam slate.

“We are the longest ally of the Marcoses here in Parañaque.

Loyal kami sa mga Marcos, hanggang may Marcos na tumatakbo nand’yan kami (We are loyal to the Marcoses, as long as there is a Marcos running, we’ll be there),” Bernabe said during a gathering of members of KBL, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and Muslim Alliance for BBM-Sara in Parañaque City recently.

In Cauayan, Isabela, where he is campaigning, Lacson claimed that the camp of Robredo has sent feelers for him to back out of the presidential race.

Lacson is Partido Reporma’s standard-bearer, while Robredo is running as an independent.

“Pino-project nila na dalawa lang sila magkalaban (They were trying to project that only the two of them were the competitors [to the presidency],” Lacson said in a press conference.

Asked if Robredo herself asked him to withdraw, Lacson said it was an emissary which he refused to name.

Sotto, Lacson’s running mate, described as plain “rumors” reports that he and Lacson would drop out of the race. g

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MARCH 17-23, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 17-23, 2022

Dateline PhiliPPines

5

Sec. Duque: PH likely under Alert Level 1 until Duterte’s term ends

by Gaea

FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT. A construction worker installs a gabion on the dike as part of the flood control project along Imus River in Barangay Burol, Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Thursday, March 17. The activity is part of the city's beautification and flood control project under the supervision of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

US travel mask mandate extended to...

PAGE 1

what [CDC officials] are going to endeavor to do between now and April 18,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a briefing on Thursday, March 10.

As of March 3, the U.S. reached the benchmark — 90% of the U.S. population living in low to mid-levels of Covid positivity rates — to which the CDC no longer recommends face masks in public indoor settings.

The relaxed mask guidance from the CDC was justified by the dwindling hospitalizations

and many states and jurisdictions easing their own mask mandates.

The mask requirement extension mirrors the continued mask mandates being upheld in several Philippine airlines, including Philippine Airlines (PAL), AirAsia Philippines, and Cebu Pacific which all still require face masks and shields for passengers and cabin crew.

“Alert levels may have eased, but Philippine Airlines’ safety protocols remain the same.

The highest standards of safety continue to be observed on each

and every flight,” PAL said in a statement.

The move comes at a time when the Philippines expects an influx of travelers this year.

“We are confident that summer 2022 is really the onset of recovery not only for AirAsia Philippines but also to all other airlines in the country,” AirAsia Philippines spokesperson Steve Dailisan told the Manila Times, adding that the upcoming Easter holiday as well as the May 2022 election when many expect Philippine voters to travel home.

(Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

How to avoid surprise bills and the pitfalls...

PAGE 3

receive medical care.

Once you book an appointment, the provider must give advance notice of what you could expect to pay without insurance (in other words, if you do not have insurance or choose not to use it). Your final bill may not exceed the estimate by more than $400 per provider.

Theoretically, this gives patients a chance to lower their costs by shopping around or choosing not to pay with insurance. It is particularly appealing for patients with high-deductible insurance plans, but not exclusively: The so-called cash price of care can be cheaper than paying with insurance.

Also: It wouldn’t hurt to ask if

this is an all-inclusive price, not just a base price to which other incidental services may be added.

It is not enough to ask: “Do you take my insurance?”

It still falls to patients to determine whether medical care is covered. Before you find yourself in a treatment room, ask if the provider accepts your insurance — and be specific.

Kelmar said the question to ask is, “Are you in my insurance plan’s network?” Provide the plan name or group number on your insurance card.

The reality is, your insurance company — Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, etc. — has a bunch of different plans, each with its own network. One network may cover a certain provider; another

may not.

Keep an eye on your mailbox.

To make sure no one bills you more than expected, pay attention to your mail. Hospital visits, in particular, can generate lots of paperwork. Anything billed should be itemized on a statement from your insurer called an explanation of benefits, or EOB. Notice anything off? Make some calls before you pay — to your insurer, to the provider, and, of course, to the new federal hotline: 1-800-985-3059. (Dan Weissmann/ Kaiser Health News) Dan Weissmann is the host of “An Arm and a Leg,” a podcast about the cost of health care.

This column is adapted from his newsletter First Aid Kit. g

Katreena Philstar.com

CabiCo

MANILA — The Philippines will likely keep Alert Level 1 as the lowest tier in its pandemic response system until the term of President Rodrigo Duterte ends in June, the country’s health chief said Thursday, March 17.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said authorities are still studying the possibility of further lowering the country to "Alert Level 0."

"Wala pang nabubuong policy patungkol sa Alert Level 0 at dahil marami pang mga lugar ang nasa Alert Level 2, ‘yun muna ang inaatupag natin ngayon: tulungan sila para

ma-de-escalate to Alert Level 1," Duque told state broadcaster People’s Television.

(We have yet to create policies for Alert Level 0. Since there are still a lot of areas under Alert Level 2, we will focus on helping those areas de-escalate to Alert Level 1.)

"Alert Level 1 muna tayo malamang hanggang sa katapusan ng termino ng ating Pangulong Duterte," he added.

(We’ll likely stay at Alert Level 1 until the end of President Duterte’s term.)

Metro Manila and 47 other areas are under Alert Level 1 until end-March. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority earlier said mayors of the capital region are ready for the further

easing of pandemic curbs.

The health chief also stressed that it is not yet time to remove the mask mandate even as COVID-19 cases continue to decline.

"Tingin ko hindi pa panahon para magtanggal ng face masks.

Matuto tayo sa karanasan ng iba’tibang bansa sa Europe," Duque said.

(I think it’s not yet time to remove face masks. Let’s learn from the experience of countries in Europe.)

"Let us be prudent. Let us be guided by data and science through our expert panel," he added.

The Philippines has confirmed over 3.67 million COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started, with 57,735 deaths. g

CBCP: Filipino bishops to join Pope Francis in consecrating Russia, Ukraine to Mary

by Zacarian

Sarao

Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Thursday announced that Filipino bishops will join Pope Francis in consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25.

The CBCP said this in a circular, signed by its president Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, amid the ongoing invasion of Russia in Ukraine killing thousands, and displacing millions.

David said that “with Russia’s sudden shift to an expansionist geopolitical policy,” people can only hope that the country’s move does not inspire any of its allies from doing the same thing.

He also said that while Europe is far from the Philippines, “we have every reason to be apprehensive about these global developments.”

“We are conscious of the fact that, in just the past few years, the peace and security of some of our own national territories have been among our major domestic concerns, especially in the West Philippine Sea, where an ally of Russia has already set up its own military installations, despite all our protestations,” said David.

Pope Francis

Inquirer.net file photo

“This is now turning out to be the more important global context that should determine the way we will choose a new set of leaders for our country in the coming elections. This too we must pray very hard for,” he added.

The Philippines has been in a long-running maritime dispute with China. which is asserting its expansive claim over the South China Sea that includes the West Philippine Sea. In July 2016, the Philippines won its case against China before the International Permanent Court of Arbitration (IPCA) in

The Hague.

But China has been refusing to recognize the historic ruling, repeatedly trespassing Philippine territorial waters.

“In view of this, we, your bishops, have decided to join the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25, 2022, Friday, Solemnity of the Annunciation,” said David.

The Pope earlier announced that he will consecrate both Ukraine and Russia to Mary during a penitential prayer service at Saint Peter’s Basilica, in response to a request sent to him by Ukrainian Catholic Bishops on March 2.

The chosen date, March 25, also coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord.

Meanwhile, “as an act of solidarity with the suffering people of Ukraine,” the CBCP’s Permanent Council also announced that there will be a special second collection to be held in all churches on Sunday, March 20.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine on February 24, which since killed scores of people and forced millions to flee Ukraine. g

6

MARCH 17-23, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

OPiniOn

Double Barrel Finale

FeatURes

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

WITH the easing of most of the country to COVID Alert Level 1, law enforcement operations have also intensified. The Philippine National Police said the war on drugs is now in its endgame. What this means exactly is raising concern among those who have decried the human rights abuses in the campaign against illegal drugs.

Only time will tell if the concerns are valid. The PNP has said operation Tokhang has been dropped and the “finale” version of Double Barrel will instead be pursued in earnest with the lifting of most COVID restrictions.

Tokhang is the knocking on doors ostensibly to encourage any drug personality within the premises to register and, if desired, to avail oneself of rehabilitation programs. Suspected pushers are also informed that they are under surveillance and must mend their ways, or risk arrest.

Double Barrel Finale is more focused on a holistic approach to the problem, according to the PNP, which also calls it ADORE – for AntiIllegal Drugs Operation through Reinforcement and Education. PNP officials have said the strategy is “reinforcement, rehabilitation, recovery and wellness and reintegration” of the more than 1.2 million drug personalities who surrendered under Tokhang.

According to the police, ADORE is a multisectoral approach to the drug menace that employs the so-called 8E’s: engineering the structure, extraction of information, enforcement, enactment of laws, environment, economics and evaluation.

The problem has always been in the enforcement.

No country has completely eradicated the drug menace. There’s simply too much money to be made in drug trafficking. Upon assuming power in 2016, President Duterte promised to eradicate the drug scourge in six months. Six years later, with over 6,000 drug personalities killed by police in the drug war, he himself has acknowledged that the scourge is still around – and very much so, as that one-ton shabu haul this week indicates.

With enforcement come opportunities for abuse.

The PNP must show that there is no cause for concern as it pursues the finale of the war on drugs.

(Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Leni Robredo’s momentum goes full speed and the trapos are in panic mode to stop her

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS PHILIPPINE Vice President Leni Robredo’s momentum strikes like a flashing lightning with roaring thunder, gaining even more strength and velocity as she and her chosen candidate for Vice President Sen. Kiko Pangilinan weave through towns and cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao with their caravans and the people’s rallies.

Indeed, this is a campaign riding on the wave of our kababayans’ yearning for the truth, for clean, honest government that works for them and they found their hope in Leni and Kiko. True to what Filipinos have been saying on social media, this is more than a campaign — it is a movement propelled by the sense of volunteerism and service inspired by the example of Robredo and Pangilinan.

The Leni-Kiko followers took it upon themselves to give everything they have to support the fight of Robredo and Pangilinan for #GobyernongTapat, volunteering their time, their talents, their own hard-earned money in the truest sense of the Filipino Bayanihan spirit to wake up and mobilize the silent majority wherever they go.

Every stop of the caravan offered the experience of sharing

Commentary

MARLEN RONQUILLO THE Russian invasion of Ukraine, a horrific war with no end in sight, has led much of the world to a so-called Great Rethink.

For example Europe — which is heavily dependent on heating gas from Russia — is now taking steps to wean the continent from too much dependence on Russia gas.

The plan is to reduce in the near future gas imports from Russia by 80 percent. And with winter almost over, they have several months to prepare for the drastic reduction of Russian gas imports.

The plan also involves sourcing gas from less toxic sources from within the continent if possible.

Or using other energy resources, like coal, on a short-term basis but with big shifts to clean energy after that. Russia's aggression has turned off one of its major gas markets, and Europe wants to end its dependence on Russian gas for good.

The transition to an economy less dependent on fossil fuel is

their collective goal for the Philippines and the Filipino people with a “Fiesta” vibe in it, with songs and dances of artists who have come to share their talents to the people in this movement for free, with chants and cheering, with the tender and funny moments of Leni reading the placards created by the people themselves expressing their support for Leni and Kiko, funny jokes and “hugot” emotional shout-out, including the call for hugs they long to get from a mother.

Lights and fireworks, banderitas, waving pink hearts all frame Leni and Kiko and their candidates for Senator on stage, as they deliver their vision, campaign promises, and platform to make these vision become their new reality.

There has been a feeling of “Olympics style” friendly competition among different towns and cities on how they would create their own “peoples’ Rally, but the truth is — each new town/city stands on the shoulders of past towns/ cities to make the movement stronger. Other people describe it like the relay and the batton is passed from one to another until we reach the Finish Line.

The Leni-Kiko crowds sweep beyond capacity, attended by 40,000 to more than 70,000 people, breaking barriers in areas already marked as Marcos/ Duterte territories, including those where other Presidential candidates come from —

Bongbong’s “Solid North,” Isko Moreno’s Manila, Ping Lacson’s Cavite, and Pacquiao’s Gensan.

While the one-month delayed surveys still show a Bongbong Marcos lead, the people’s investing themselves in the Leni-Kiko movement reveal what numbers in survey would not show: voter enthusiasm for their candidates, rooted in trust in their leadership by example.

These are breathing, thinking, feeling people whose spirits are roaring like Tigers, ready, willing and able to fight head on roadblocks along their way to victory.

THIS is what is scaring the Trapos who want to keep the status quo the most. Since the support for the Leni-Kiko campaign has reached a tipping point, these network of public officials have banded even more together and have launched even more attacks against Leni and Kiko, picking up from Dictators’ playbook. These questions beg some real answers for people to think about: On cue, why did they bring out the concerted “communist” scare card, with no less than President Rodrigo Duterte himself red tagging, irresponsibly using the Office of the President for his claims.

In an interview with his Pastor Apollo Quiboloy — Duterte’s “spiritual adviser”/ Kingdom of Jesus Christ pastor who calls himself the anointed son of God/SMNI news media network chief acting as Duterte/

When will we ever learn?

baked into the climate change and energy development programs of the Biden administration. As such, drilling for new oil fields has been stalled by such planned transitioning to energy sources other than oil. Now, the Biden administration may have to pause its squeeze on new drilling and allow the drilling permits already approved to do their thing. The oil imports of the US from Russia are insignificant. But still, there are preparations to offset that insignificant import volume.

Republican Party leaders, who are mostly for more oil drilling and exploration, are pushing the Biden administration into intensified domestic oil production.

Shell, the global oil giant, recently issued an apology for buying the deeply discounted Russian oil shunned by the global market. It is now sourcing from less toxic sources.

The nations in North Africa and the Middle East heavily dependent on Ukrainian wheat are also looking at Plan B, as the critical seaports needed for the shipment of Ukraine's wheat to those areas are now in peril.

Nations that are dependent on Russian-Ukraine corn for their animal feed production, are likewise crafting their Plan B. The two, before February 24, supplied 25 percent of the world's yellow corn requirement. Agricultural producing nations are easing their heavy dependence on Russian fertilizer.

Even before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the pandemic-induced gridlocked supply chains and the inflationary effects of delayed goods and jammed seaports, had already led to a serious questioning of the traditional manner of moving goods and critical commodities into nations that need them and on schedule. Which was — and still is — to source these goods and commodities from the efficient suppliers that can deliver and sell them cheap and on time. This is the efficiency doctrine.

The jammed ports and delayed deliveries and shipments — plus the inflationary effect of such — have led progressive economists to question the tenability of the efficiency doctrine. The free market zealots say the warts on the efficiency doctrine are merely

Marcos propaganda tool and one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitive, Duterte said on SMNI that there might not be a clean and orderly election in May because he claimed to have received intelligence reports that the Leni campaign and the “Dilawan” have been working with the NPA/NDF to disrupt the elections.

This accusation was denied by the Leni campaign and the NPA/ NDF. Where are the details, Mr. President? What are your proofs? Why are you using your bully pulpit to fabricate these lies for fear mongering? You know many deranged people have used this kind of accusations to put the law in their hands and kill people!

Some members of the PNP, presidential candidate Panfilo Lacson, and the supporters of Marcos and Duterte also used the red tagging card and their followers even produced malicious videos full of falsehoods and disinformation to connect Leni Robredo and Kiko Pangilinan to the NPAs. Why are political dynasties and Trapos like the Remullas of Cavite doubling down on malicious projection of their own dirty political tactics to the Robredo Campaign, downplaying the size of the crowd, and accusing their own constituents of corruption, alleging that they are in the rallies because they got paid by the Robredo campaign?

We have seen videos on

social of these violations of the Omnibus Election Code on vote buying and hakot, in different places and they were all coming from the Marcos campaign, not from the Robredo movement!

Why did these Trapos even connive with their friends and cronies to cancel bus service to people attending the Leni rallies, even orchestrating to have road and bridge work at the time of the rally that caused traffic congestion? To deter people from attending the event?

Lo and behold, they learned that these supporters were on fire, and nothing could stop them. People walked to the venue while Leni rode and “angkas” ” a motorcycle to get to the rally on time. “Kung gusto, may paraan. Kung yaw, marrying dahilan” - like Bongbong and Sara declaring they would not join any Comelec-sponsored debates!

Why did Comelec print out 66M ballots or 98% of all ballots as people have been talking about on social media. These were printed in violation of Sec. 15 of RA 9369 and Sec. 187 of the Omnibus Election Code.

These laws require presence of observers for transparency and accountability. Commissioner Marlon Casquejo disallowed the presence of observers citing Covid ( alert 2) as reason, but this is no excuse to follow the law!

With complaints from different sectors on this, the Senate under Imee Marcos who is Chair of the

Committee on Electoral Peoples participation, held a hearing but no action was made to nullify the illegally printed ballots.

Why did Comelec sign the P353-M contract to transport ballots and election materials with F2 Logistics, owned by President Duterte’s Davao based favorite crony Dennis Uy? Why did President Duterte appoint election lawyer George Garcia to be Comelec Commissioner when he was Bongbong Marcos’ lawyer during his electoral protest in his failed Vice Presidential bid in 2016?

Why are all these allowed to happen during the time when the people need to have faith and trust in the election system for a peaceful and orderly transfer of power to the next administration? How could they even perform their solemn duty to protect the integrity of the elections and honor the will of the Filipino people? What is driving them to desperately stop the Leni momentum? ***

temporary. The progressive economists want the world to move to a new paradigm — resilience.

This means stepped-up domestic production and the building of buffer stocks and reserves, in case a war of aggression (which indeed happened) or an epic calamity (which indeed happened via COVID-19) tightens or disrupts the seamless supply and movement of critical goods.

Those arguing for resilience instead of efficiency have found the compelling backdrop (the disrupted supply chains and Russia's war on Ukraine) to prop up their proposition.

OK, which part of the globe is unmoved, unfazed and unbothered by such Great Rethink and the raging debate between the proponents of efficiency and the proponents of resilience? As if no disruptive and epic events are currently roiling the broader world? Your guess is right. Our sad sack of a country. As they often say, Only in the Philippines.

The business news that came out of a recent meeting of the country's economic managers — the meeting was on how to cushion the impact of rising commodity prices — was along the lines of the broken record sung by the Duterte economic

managers for the past several years. The headline of the business news report said it all: "Amid rising global prices, govt urged to cut tariffs, import more."

Expletives cannot see print, but that was the only logical reaction to the policy response of our sad sack of a country to critical shortages. But many cannot help asking this question. Is doubling down on cutting tariffs and allowing more importation, which even one who flunked his Economics 101 can prescribe in a minute and without much thinking, the only way out of current supply gaps and price surges? It was supposed to be an ad hoc policy prescription when it started with reckless rice imports via the rice Tariff Law and the end of the QR on rice. But no. The ad hoc policy became the feckless way out of shortages and price surges.

The same import-pa-more via tariff cuts policy prescription was applied on pork after the African swine fever ravaged much of the thriving hog farms in Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.

Then, it was applied on fish. Then sugar.

On top of the extra-liberal import rules, has been the smuggling of fruits and vegetables

and other critical food items. The classic toxic pile-up of reckless importation and commodity smuggling.

The global disruptions on trade have clearly pushed our economic minds deeper into the rabbit hole of ruinous orthodoxy, unmindful that there are intense debates and new economic paradigms being carved out of the disruptions done

by COVID-19 and Russia's war on Ukraine.

The epic events that have been roiling and disrupting the old paradigms and pushing the world to think creatively and freshly on how to deal with these disruptions.

While much of the world is adjusting to these supply shocks with forward-looking responses, we still stuck to cutting tariffs and recklessly importing for national survival. And tragically, anchoring our national food security policy on tariff cuts and importations.

Even wars and pandemics seem to have no impact on the way we make policy. When will we ever learn? (ManilaTimes.net) ***

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

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.

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7

Robredo spox says no ‘official’ emissary sent BIR admits it demanded Marcos family for estate tax, Bongbong cries ‘fake news’ to mediate with other presidential bets

by Gabriel

Pabico lalu

Inquirer.net

COTABATO CITY — Vice President Leni Robredo’s camp has not officially sent out emissaries to mediate with other presidential candidates for a possible unification scenario, her spokesperson clarified.

Lawyer Barry Gutierrez said this in a statement on Wednesday, March 16, after Senator Panfilo Lacson who is also seeking the presidency in the 2022 national elections claimed that the Robredo camp has fielded a mediator to send feelers about possibly uniting against another presidential bet.

“The campaign has not officially sent any ‘emissaries’ to other candidates,” Gutierrez said.

However, he also noted that “several groups and individuals” are keen on seeing a united slate for the opposition — just as Robredo envisioned it before the filing of certificates of candidacy last October 2021.

Gutierrez said Robredo remains open to possible talks about a unity slate.

“There have been several groups and individuals that have been working towards

some form of unification, and the VP has always maintained that she remains open to these conversations,” he added.

Lacson said last Monday that a mediator has been deployed from Robredo’s side to talk about uniting against former senator Bongbong Marcos, who is, so far, the overwhelming favorite in recent surveys.

Robredo is second behind Marcos, but the gap between their ratings are wide; Marcos got 60 percent of the votes according to Pulse Asia, if elections were held from February 18 to 23.

The Vice President, on the other hand, only got 15 percent.

However, Lacson was adamant that he and his running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, will not back down from their respective bids.

Lacson did not mention any individual behind the supposed ‘feelers’.

However, this is not the first time that a possible united slate was brought up again, after failed talks between the two camps: on Monday also, fellow Senator Franklin Drilon said that if Robredo’s numbers start rising, other candidates may have to start thinking about giving way

and having one candidate to fight the administration.

“This brings me to the point, if indeed it is confirmed that the numbers of Vice President Leni have substantially increased as indicated in the rallies, then maybe it’s about time that the three other presidential candidates should start thinking and think in terms of unifying and having only one candidate to fight the administration candidate,” Drilon said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

“With all due respect, the other candidates should now start examining where they are if they have not even gotten to double figures. Kung mas mababa pa sa 10 percent, there’s no sense,” he added.

Drilon was also key in the pre-campaign meetings between Robredo and Lacson. However, the Minority Floor Leader was accused of trying to set-up a Robredo-Sotto tandem by pointing his fingers to the two officials — something that Lacson said he felt insulted about.

Drilon on the other hand stressed that if he really wanted to set Lacson aside, they could have just met with Sotto alone. n

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

MANILA — The Bureau of Internal Revenue confirmed it sent a written demand to the Marcos heirs regarding the payment of their estate tax liabilities amounting to P203.8 billion, the political party of Manila City Mayor and presidential candidate Isko Moreno disclosed Wednesday, March 16.

In a letter addressed to Aksyon Demokratiko Chairman Ernesto Ramel Jr., BIR Commissioner Ceasar Dulay said his office “did send a written demand to the Marcos heirs on December 2, 2021, regarding their tax liabilities.”

Dulay’s letter dated March 14 was received the following day, March 15, at Moreno's campaign headquarters. Aksyon Demokratiko released the letter to the media on Wednesday, March 16.

At a campaign stop in Silay City, Negros Occidental, Moreno Domagoso thanked Commissioner Dulay for sending a demand letter to the Marcos heirs, saying they have yet to pay the P203-B estate tax liability they owe the Philippine government.

“We have received the copy of the letter of Commissioner (Cesar) Dulay of BIR that they wrote on December 2, 2021, urging the Marcos family to pay their taxes because this is what they rightfully owe,” Moreno told reporters in Silay Plaza shortly before embarking on a motorcade.

As in past administrations, the BIR's admission that it indeed demanded the tax means Marcos' tax liabilities did not prescribe under the Duterte administration.

Moreno pointed out that while the current BIR commissioner did his job last December, there is a possibility that the P203 billion tax liability of the Marcos heirs will not be collected and will eventually be waived should another Marcos become president in May. “Now, there is a challenge.

There is a rule that we checked that after five years if nothing is rewritten or prescribed, all that will be waived. Now, if that is the case, if that family is elected and they run the government for six years, the P200 billion will be for nothing,” Moreno warned.

Marcos camp cries 'fake news' How much is owed, exactly? Citing findings by a Special Audit Tax Team from the BIR, the Presidential Commission on Good Government, the agency created to recover ill-gotten wealth

from the Marcoses and their cronies, said that the tax bureau determined the following liabilities in 1991: • Deficiency Estate Tax Assessment against the Estate of Ferdinand Marcos in the amount of P23,293,607,638.

• Deficiency Income Tax Assessments against Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda Marcos in the aggregate amount of P184,159,289.70 for the years 1985 to 1986 • Deficiency Income Tax Assessment against Ferdinand Marcos Jr [for the years] 1982 to 1985 in the aggregate amount of P20,410.

At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay session earlier Wednesday morning, Marcos — whose camp falsely claimed that collection was put on hold because it was unclear how much they should pay — said it was an issue of fake news.

"There’s a lot of fake news involved there, let’s leave it to the lawyers to discuss it because the so-called facts that they quote are not facts at all,” Marcos said when asked about the estate tax issue.

"They are just presumptions, they are not familiar with the cases or they choose not to be familiar with the case so yeah, it’s in the courts...In my case whatever the court orders me to do, I will do."

Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio told reporters that the assessment of the tax owed is "already final and inappealable, regardless of any error in the computation."

"This is like income from illegal sources like stock manipulation or theft - the income is still taxable even if later on the stock manipulator or thief is convicted and ordered to reimburse. In estate taxation, the gross estate includes assets in the name of the deceased and claimed by the heirs as part of the estate," he said.

"The PCGG letter shows that the BIR and PCGG had no intention of suspending or delaying the collection of the estate tax which they admit has already become final, executory and inappealable. They agreed that the estate tax will be collected first from Marcos assets that are not in custodia legis to maximize the collection of the government.

If the Marcoses are later declared owners of the assets in custodia legis, then the BIR will just execute on such assets."

Moreno vowed that if he becomes president, he will see to it that the P203-B Marcos tax liability will be collected by his administration and will be used for Filipinos affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said he would use the money as “ayuda” or cash assistance to ordinary Filipinos who lost their jobs and who are now reeling on the continuous rise in fuel prices that would eventually affect the cost of electricity and other basic commodities.

“Sadly, almost all of us, the general population, pay taxes. The call center agents, who pay taxes at that time, pay taxes. I think the sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. That is, there must be a certainty,” Moreno said.

Moreno camp on the offensive vs Marcos' tax issues To recall, Ramel on March 7 wrote the BIR chief to inquire if his office has renewed written demands on the Marcos heirs to pay their tax liabilities.

“The BIR, which you now head, must renew written demands on the Marcos heirs to pay these tax liabilities once every five years, otherwise they prescribe and become uncollectable. Past administrations under Presidents Ramos, Arroyo and Aquino have faithfully issued such written demands,” Ramel said.

Ramel pointed out that former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. died on Sept. 29, 1989, almost 32 years ago. “His heirs - did not file the estate tax return with the BIR as required by law. Neither did they pay any estate tax.”

Ramel had earlier said the Marcos family’s avoidance to pay the estate tax is a clear demonstration of “abuse of power, disregard for the laws enforced by the government and lack of respect to citizens who religiously pay their taxes imposed on them.”

On Monday, the Presidential Commission on Good Government denied the claim of the spokesman of former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that the issue on the P203 billion tax liabilities of the Marcos heirs is under discussion by the PCGG and BIR. Ramel said the PCGG rebuff of Atty. Rodriguez 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.

(Franco Luna with a report from Kristine Joy Patag/Philstar.com)

MARCH 17-23, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL 8LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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Getting to know Robert Alonzo, stunt coordinator and 2nd unit director of ‘The Batman’ Fil-Am stunt coordinator Alonzo trained Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz for the film by

MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

WITH nearly 30 years of stunt design experience, Filipino American Robert Alonzo is adding this week’s box-office hit The Batman into his extensive international resume.

He has accumulated over 200 credits in television, commercials, music videos, and film and his broad work in front of and behind the camera includes training the likes of Dwayne Johnson, Tom Cruise, Mark Walberg, Jeremy Renner, and Jake Gyllenhaal just to name a few.

With The Batman, we are adding Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz lead the cast of The Batman. Both stars underwent weeksRobert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz long training with Fil-Am Robert Alonzo, the film’s supervising stunt coordinator.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. to this growing list.

Alonzo is a multi-hyphenate talent in Hollywood. He is a fight choreographer, stunt performer, stunt coordinator, occasional actor, and 2nd unit director in films such as Oblivion, Tomorrowland, Deadpool, Bright, Braven, Lethal Weapon, and Ad Astra. He also worked closely with Disney’s Pixar film Incredibles 2, to formulate and capture the physics of live-action filmmaking.

In our recent conversation, the 51-year-old martial artist talked about his Filipino background and how he incorporates Filipino Martial Arts in his thought process when he designs Hollywood

Robert Alonzo

blockbusters’ action-packed fight scenes.

The Batman Alonzo’s journey to becoming the Supervising Stunt Coordinator and Second Unit Director for The Batman began with a call from Dylan Clark, who he had worked with previously on Oblivion starring Tom Cruise, where he also had the dual roles handling stunts and as unit director.

Clark called him without telling him what the project was.

Then they got on the phone with director Matt Reeves and he started talking about the project and what he would want to see from this project. Alonzo pitched in his ideas as well.

Looking back, he says that the meeting had “an instant like chemistry in regards to creative collaboration.” He told Reeves that he gravitates towards “designing action sequences that are so raw and gritty and real and based on the actual physics that we as humans can understand.”

And that’s exactly what he did when he trained the cast led by Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz.

“My process pretty much stays the same from movie to movie, project to project. But you know, what I do is delve deep into the study of the actual character, just like what Rob and Zoe have done,” Alonzo told the Asian Journal. “What I love to do is do grounded, raw, real emotional-based action.”

Reactive Training Alonzo said he did a lot of reactive training with the characters “so that they don’t get used to doing choreography.”

“I kind of focused more on reactive training - with Rob Pattinson I did some Filipino Martial Arts like Eskrima Kali, and Arnis, Penjak Silat drills, some Muay Thai, also some boxing and kickboxing and with Zoe, I focused a lot on Taekwondo and Hapkido,” he said.

This means that for Bruce Wayne’s character as The Batman, they trained Pattinson and used more hammer fists, elbows, and knees, while also drilling with sticks that would later enable him not only to improve his reaction time in closer pockets of engagement but also to pick up anything and use it as a weapon.

He explained that he likes to train this way and he doesn’t show them any choreography until two or three weeks before they shoot primarily because he doesn’t want them to get used to doing the same thing over and over and over the same way.

“You don’t want to say dialogue because then it’s anticipatory, and you’re not really feeling the moment so I hone in on reactive training,” he shared.

Through reactive training, they’re able to learn how to fight in a particular style, so that they’re always looking at center mass or knowing how to stand and how to close or open their center line when they need to, and knowing how to change ranges.

“It’s not necessarily about learning the choreography but so that they understand their own spatial awareness. And also so when they’re doing an offensive or defensive position, or neutral position, they can understand what the options are in the positive and negative effects of each position so that they’re actually using their mind to see what options there are,” Alonzo added.

Alonzo sounded like a proud mentor when he shared that he was Zoe’s taekwondo teacher when she was only seven years

AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya

old.

“Yeah, it was such a great experience working with her on this. I mean, I’ve known her for so long and I always have an affinity… to have my students succeed in whatever shape or form and whatever age they are,” he said. “She was really good and was so driven and focused, even at such a young age, when I noticed a lot of kids were so easily distracted.”

Alonzo’s Journey Alonzo was born in Manila and moved to the States with his family when he was 10 days old.

“The first five years of my life, I think we lived in San Francisco close to Daly City, where I believe there’s a big Filipino community,” he recalled. “The family moved down to LA five years after that.”

His mom Julieta was from Tarlac while his Dad Dionisio was from Cagayan.

“Unfortunately though, my brother and I were never taught to speak in Tagalog or Ilocano.

One thing I wished I would have learned growing up,” he lamented.

He started training in martial when he was around eight or nine.

He got into Filipino Martial Arts when he was 16 years old, adding to his growing arsenal of skills.

He made it a point to be trained in different styles including Capoeira, Jujitsu, Judo, and Wing Chun because all he wanted to do when he was younger (before he got into showbusiness) was to have his own school as a martial arts instructor.

“I love it. I train all the time in various styles because I think the more styles you have as a martial artist, it’s like a painter.

If you only have three colors, obviously you can have the colors you should have all the primaries. But if you have more colors on your palette, you can create much more definitive paintings and, you know, visual pieces,” he said.

Another thing he wishes he could have done more was visit his parents’ homeland, responding to our question on the last time he was in the Philippines.

“Oh, man when I was 14, it’s been a long time,” he exclaimed.

“So I’m hoping that I would be able to go back at some point.”

He shared a story where he had an opportunity to potentially work there, for The Bourne Legacy with Jeremy Renner.

“He asked me, he’s like ‘Man, I would love for you to come work on this with me,’” Alonzo recalled. “My schedule didn’t allow me to accept the offer because I was already locked in to do a film called Jack Reacher with Tom Cruise.

Alonzo said that he and Renner have become good buddies after they trained together for Mission Impossible. He said he gave the same approach and Renner loved the training he got that they trained when they were traveling and whenever there was an opportunity.

“You know, I don’t deal with choreography. I like to teach or train actors how to fight in their particular style because I kind of draw from different styles according to who their character is, and that’s how their character is shaped physically,” he said.

The reactive training has paid off and using Renner as an example, he said other actors should continue this kind of training even after their films.

“I mean, now he’s so wellversed and can do a lot of his own action,” he said. “He conPAGE 10

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Features

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 17-23, 2022

9

Downtown area offers great experience for Las Vegas visitors WHILE the Strip along Las Vegas Boulevard South seemingly offers boundless opportunities to explore for both tourists and residents, the downtown area is not far behind in offering fun and entertainment to those craving adventure.

The downtown area has not

expanded as fast as its counterpart to the south, but things seem to be looking up for the area.

Years ago, the late Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh invested about $350 million of his money to revitalize the downtown area. Though it did not take off as Hsieh expected, the ambitious project had minor

successes and resulted in local entrepreneurs taking a gamble and establishing their own roots in the area.

These days, a lot of great things are happening in the area.

First, construction is ongoing to rehabilitate and/or improve roadways, streetlights, driveways and off ramps. Millions of dollars are being poured into these projects that will help improve traffic and pedestrial flow in this corridor.

The opening of both Resorts World-Las Vegas and Circa Resort & Casino in 2020 breathed new life and employment for residents.

Remodeling/expansion projects for the Sahara Las Vegas, the Strat, the Las Vegas Convention Center and Circus Circus, as well as new projects like Fountainbleau Las Vegas (opening in 2023), a planned hotel project just across the convention center and a good probability of an expanded convention center loop (courtesy of Elon Musk’s The Boring Company) that will bring people from the airport and south end of the Strip to the north end where the convention center is located, has many people excited.

The Fremont Street Experience, one of the bigger draws in the downtown area, made its own changes with the installation of the Viva Vision Screen. The attraction, which has dazzled

From left: Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman, Russ Bateman, former Realtor Quitevis Bateman (extreme left) and hubby Russ Bateman Nevada Senator Sue Lowden and John Moran of Newport Beach, a (extreme right) legal counsel and former Nevada Gaming Commissioner former owner of the Sahara Hotel and other hotels along the Strip. Atty. Joe Brown, who is one of the movers and shakers in the state.

many spectators with its light shows through the years, offers a brighter and more colorful display, plus crystal-clear images and concert-quality sounds for viewers.

Thrill-seekers can ride the SlotZilla Zipline which takes high flyers through the Fremont Street Experience two ways – either from 77 feet high or from 114 feet high – and either halfway or all the way through the famous attraction.

The expanded Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino, bars like Realtor Quitevis-Bateman’s clients, who live in Mountain Falls, invested happily in Pahrump Whiskey Licker Up and Lucky with their all-time fully booked Airbnb home.

Day for a sampling of the area’s nightlife and bar scene, and giant screens at The D in Bar Canada and Circa’s Stadium Swim all give off a different vibe for tourists.

And Las Vegas is not just for gambling and fun… downtown Las Vegas has its Symphony Park Redevelopment, which has been at the forefront of the cultural and artistic resurgence of the city. So aside from all those shows you may be craving to go to at the hotelcasinos, you can also immerse in downtown offerings like the Smith Center for Performing Arts and the DISCOVERY Children’s Museum, as well as take a look at Project Enchilada, which aims to save iconic buildings and neighborhoods in the downtown area.

If you want to see live-action sports, that’s not a problem.

Professional sports teams have popped up in Las Vegas, including the Vegas Golden Knights (hockey) who play at the T-Mobile Realtor Quitevis-Bateman with U.S. Congressman Mark Amodei who Dave McKeon (extreme left), who gives Fely updates on the Strip, with Arena, the Las Vegas Raiders gives her updates on federal laws. (from left) Realtor Quitevis-Bateman and her husband Russ.

The Batemans attending a Keystone Corporation luncheon where Precious Properties is a member. Keystone is a very powerful organization that gives Realtor Quitevis-Bateman information on who’s coming to town.

(football) who play at Allegiant Stadium, the Las Vegas Aces (women’s professional basketball, or the WNBA) who play at the Mandalay Bay Arena, the Las Vegas Lights FC (football) who play in downtown’s Cashman Field, and the Las Vegas Aviators (triple A baseball) who play at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Las Vegas and the communities that extend beyond it have a lot of things to look forward to.

The major developments in Sin City will impact communities far beyond it, including Pahrump, which is located about 62 miles west of it. Better real estate prices, traffic ease and a quality of life unfettered by high crime and all the problems of a big city have people looking at

places like Pahrump as their base or residence, or a location for a second home or property investment.

With home and property prices continuing on its upswing in Nevada and perks like having no personal income tax and lower property tax rate, many people are looking at Las Vegas and Pahrump for opportunities.

Precious Properties is a fullservice company serving its clientele since 1992 and Fely Quirevis-Bateman can be reached at 775-513-8447, 805-559-2476 and 702-538-4948 for more information. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days.

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Features

MARCH 17-23, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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Health @Heart

Veggies maximize life SilversSummit HealthPlan kicks off ‘Sock Drive’ to help replenish hygiene kits for the needy

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

Community members asked to drop off donations through Feburary

OUR diet plays a very important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic illnesses, and some forms of cancer, especially of the gastrointestinal tract. A diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol, and low in fiber, consisting mainly of red meats (pork, beef, non-skim dairy products, etc.) and eggs, has been branded as unhealthy. Voluminous clinical studies have shown that excess serum cholesterol, specifically chronically elevated HDL (the bad cholesterol) and triglycerides, is the culprit in the more than half a million deaths from a heart attack each year in the United States alone. This translates to one person dying from a cardiovascular illness every 60 seconds. And this does not even include the mortality from cancer, which is higher among red meateaters.

Diet and longevity The proponents of the vegetarian diet argue that studies have shown that the longestlived animals had a low-calorie vegetarian diet and that rats fed a high protein, high fat diet had the shortest life span. The studies of Dr. Paul Dudley on the Hunzas of Pakistan, who have amazing longevity, showed that they subsist on a spartan and vegetarian diet of nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables, and a little goat milk. Fresh and/or dried apricots are their staple food. The Hunzas’ lifespan is 140 years.

Vegetables and fruits Vegetables and fruits have phytochemicals that are good for our bodies. Twenty-three epidemiological studies have shown that a diet rich in grains and vegetables reduces the risk of colon cancer by 40%, and breast cancer by 25%. Some of the hundreds of phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables are lycopene, ellagic acid, lutein, flavonoids, saponins, monoterpenes, phthalides, phenols, ajoene, capsaicin, coumestrol, genistein, sulforaphane and zeaxanthin. Our mothers were right in cajoling us to eat vegetables and fruits.

Too bad, most of us didn’t listen.

The incidence of cancers, heart and kidney diseases, diabetes, hypertension and obesity among vegetarians is much lower than among meat-eaters. Those fruits and veggies capsules being advertised are a sham. One has to take 20 or more capsules a day to satisfy the minimum daily requirements. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables (without preservatives) is healthier and less expensive. Diabetics must include the calories from fruits in their computation.

Types of vegetarians Vegetarian forms: (1) Lacto-ovo

vegetarians, whose diet consists of vegetables, dairy products and eggs, no meat or flesh of any kind (pork, beef, lamb, etc., poultry, fish, and seafood); (2) Lacto-vegetarians who do not eat eggs, but eat vegetables, fruits and milk; and (3) Vegans or pure vegetarians, who do not eat any food or food products of animal origin, including milk and eggs, and subsist on vegetables, grains, nuts, and fruits only. The Rev. William Metcalfe of England, together with his friend, Sylvester Graham, a young Presbyterian minister, and 40 other English church members, brought the vegetarian way of life to the United States in 1817. For thousands of years, being a vegetarian was a part of socio-cultural-religious practice around the globe, most notably in the Far East. Many people around the world today choose to be vegetarians for health reasons.

Vegetarian Who’s Who If you are a vegetarian, you’re in good company. Some of the famous vegetarians include Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Leonardo da Vinci, Buddha, Plutarch, John Milton, Sir Isaac Newton, Mahatma Gandhi, The Dalai Lama, Benjamin Franklin, Shakespeare, Vincent Van Gogh, Leo Tolstoy, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Voltaire, Albert Schweitzer, George Bernard Shaw, Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Rabindranath Tagore, Mark Twain, Robert Browning, Linda and Paul McCartney, John Denver, Richard Gere, Kim Bassinger, Steven Spielberg, Cameron Diaz and Josh Hartnett.

Man: Herbivore?

Were men supposed to be plant-eaters instead of meateaters? Yes, according to several investigations and books on the subject. A.D. Andrews, the author of “Fit Food For Men,” made an anatomical and structural comparison between herbivores (plant-eating animals) and carnivores (meat-eating animals), and came to the conclusion that man’s teeth, salivary glands, quality of saliva, long intestinal tract and absence of claws are all similar to those of herbivores, and very much unlike those of carnivores. Thus, he argues that man is a natural herbivore, and must eat what herbivores eat: vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and not meat or flesh, in order to stay healthy. Eating red meat more than once a week is unhealthy and is a factor in most of man’s ailments.

Strength and vitality The belief that vegetarians are weak and sickly is a myth.

Elephants, bulls, cows, carabaos, and some dinosaurs (plateosaurus, brachiosaurus, etc.) are a few of the strongest animals known to man – all herbivores. Various studies comparing athletes who are carnivores and herbivores revealed astonishing findings:

Vegetarian athletes fared 2 to 3 times better, with greater endurance and better recovery time, compared to their meateating counterparts in similar sport activities.

Vegetables with protein Vegetarians get their protein from soybeans, lentils, kidney beans, lima and pinto beans, black beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, peanuts, almonds, cashew, sunflower seeds, and other nuts, broccoli and other vegetables, wheat, grains, brown rice, potato, and eggs and dairy products.

These sources easily meet the daily requirement of between 60-80 grams of protein, even for vegans. Animal meat is really NOT essential for health and life.

Fountain of health A daily low-fat, low-cholesterol, high-fiber diet of fish and a lot of vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains (brown rice instead of white), with occasional red meat, if desired, coupled with abstinence from tobacco, doing daily exercises, maintaining proper weight, drinking a glass or two of red wine with dinner, taking time off with friends and/ or family for rest and relaxation on weekends, visiting the doctor for check-up as advised, and adequately treating any existing medical condition could be our fountain of health.

COVID-19 updates As of Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at 4:08 PM (EST), Global COVID numbers: new cases – 1,363,667, new deaths that day – 2,959, and total deaths so far – 6,070,299; U.S.: new cases – 2,929; new deaths – 326, total deaths – 991,185; the Philippines (on Monday, March 14): new cases – 554, new deaths – 15, and total deaths – 57,625 since the pandemic started. China locks down millions as it experiences the greatest outbreak (a surge to a 2-year high) of COVID-19 with 3,500 new cases, more than double in 24 hours.

*** 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. *** The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** 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

Getting to know Robert Alonzo, stunt...

PAGE 8 stantly wanted to train and it shows because looking now, in any of his fight sequences, that’s him doing it.”

Nowadays, Alonzo lives where he works and says he’s all over the place.

“So I still live in LA but I also live and work in London. I’m currently in Italy right now. So I’m kind of wherever the work is. That’s where I lay my head.

But you know, I will always be an Angeleno. I’m a huge Laker fan, huge Dodgers, and huge Rams fan,” he said. “I will always have Alonzo told the Asian Journal that he prefers giving the actors reactive training rather than my roots there. But you know, I love traveling, and I love London actual choreography to make the action sequences more real and organic.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. as well, too.”

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

LAS VEGAS – In an effort to collect new socks for the homeless and other disadvantaged community members, SilverSummit Healthplan announced that it has partnered with The Center to hold a “Sock Drive” until the end of March.

The donated new socks will be distributed in hygiene kits during routine monthly distributions put on by staff from The Center and the Las Vegas Metro Police Department.

Those who would like to donate are asked to drop off new pairs of men’s and women’s socks during normal business hours at one of three locations: • SilverSummit Healthplan – 2500 N. Buffalo Dr., Suite 250, Las Vegas NV 89128 • The Center - 401 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89101 • The Just One Project - 711 North Rancho Drive, Suite 100, Las Vegas, NV 89106 “Many times people don’t realize the need others have for basic hygiene products, socks and undergarments,” said SilverSummit Healthplan President & CEO Eric Schmacker. “SilverSummit Healthplan is an avid supporter of multiple community-based organizations that assist our community and our neighbors. This

sock drive is one of the many ways we try to help others and make an impact in their lives.”

Following the collection of socks, SilverSummit Healthplan and The Center will compile new hygiene kits that will be given to individuals in need throughout the Valley starting in April. The kits will also contain hygiene products and referral resources as well as important health and Medicaid information from SilverSummit Healthplan.

“We value our collaborative efforts with partners like SilverSummit Healthplan to help those in unfortunate circumstances,” said The Center’s Chief Operating Officer Brian Hosier. “When we distribute these kits every month, the recipients are truly happy to see fresh socks and other hygiene products that they seek. Making a difference in their lives is a real blessing.”

SilverSummit Healthplan is a managed care plan that delivers quality health insurance to the people of Nevada. Established in 2017, SilverSummit is committed to improving the health of its members through focused, compassionate, and coordinated care. SilverSummit’s active community evolvement reaches

beyond physical and mental health.

We are dedicated to improve the quality of life, one person at a time. SilverSummit Healthplan is a diversified healthcare organization that offers healthcare services through Nevada Medicaid, Medicare, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. For more information on SilverSummit, you may visit www.silversummithealthplan.com.

For over 25 years, The Center has cared for, championed, and celebrated LGBTQ+ individuals and underserved populations in Nevada. It functions as the heart and home of the LGBTQ+ community by making connections, delivering programs, and providing a safe space for health and wellness, social services, arts and culture, advocacy, and community building. Ongoing Center programs support LGBTQ+ youth, adults, families, seniors, vets, people with disabilities, those living with HIV, and underserved populations.

Additionally, it is proud to offer the Center Advocacy Network, the first nationally accredited program of its kind, focusing on LGBTQ issues for victim advocacy. For more information on how The Center empowers everyone to thrive in Nevada, please visit https://www. thecenterlv.org.

The New York laughter arrives in the desert!

THE mini reunion of Ateneo 60’s classmates was held in a cozy Fiesta Filipino restaurant South Las Vegas last March 9.

The music maestro Danny Mac sung mellow favorite songs and they danced high school style.

Friends from Manila zoomed in and participated. The night continued with classmate Enrico's birthday celebration.

The guys and gals also drove to tourist spots around Nevada. A bigger classmate and friends’ reunion is soon-brewing, a “necktie attire-desert” party, God willing.

Photos by Raoul Gatchalian

Bea on embracing femininity and subverting pageant norms

by Ayie Licsi Philstar.com

IN a room filled with eyecatching art pieces, Beatrice “Bea” Luigi Gomez easily stood out — not only because of her towering height but also her striking eyes.

She had a meekness about her as she got in glam, but as soon as she walked in front of the camera, she lit up like a firecracker.

Posing and modeling seemed to come as natural as breathing to the Cebuana beauty queen.

In between serving fierce faces, Bea would flash a friendly smile, and she was game for anything to get the perfect shot, whether it’s standing on a stool under the sun or walking down some stairs in six-inch heels.

As we sat down to talk, she was composed, poised. She took time to think about how she was going to answer, exuding the grace and wit instilled in her by her pageantry and military background.

But Bea isn’t your traditional beauty queen — there is power in her quiet strength which she attributes to her upbringing.

Embracing womanhood

For Beatrice Luigi Gomez, Miss Universe 2021 Top 5 finalist, beauty is more than the physical.

She says, ‘Beauty is deeper and I’m very glad it is what is shown in beauty pageants because that’s what it should be.’

Philstar.com photo

Raised by a single mother, Bea grew up in a household full of women. She learned how to be self-sufficient and responsible from her mom, grandmother, and sister.

“I love being a woman. When I was a young girl, I was exposed to Barbie dolls and fairy tales. I had this idea of women not being

SERVICES

viewed as brave unless they have a Prince Charming with them,” she remembered.

“But then my mom made me understand that in order to become a woman, you don’t need a Prince Charming. You can be strong as a woman, so I embraced womanhood.”

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EntErtainmEnt

Bea on embracing femininity and subverting...

PAGE 10 She learned that she was bisexual in high school, being in an all-girls section in a co-ed school. She came out to her sister and was met with a response alltoo-familiar with people in the LGBTQ+ community: “You’re still young and maybe you’ll change your mind when you grow older.”

But when her family saw that she was still the Bea they know and love, they accepted her with open arms.

“My mom saw that I didn’t change as a person. I was still an obedient daughter, I was still a good student, and I was still a responsible person. It didn’t matter to her, my family, and friends that I was into girls,” she shared.

Fast forward to 2020, she would come out proudly on the Binibining Cebu stage and a year later, represent the Philippines in the Miss Universe pageant as the country’s first openly bisexual candidate.

Setting an example On top of raising the LGBTQ+ flag, Bea is passionate about children’s rights, speaking about the youth with a glimmer in her eye. She talks openly about being bisexual because the queer kids that see her as an inspiration make it all worth it.

She muses about how she experienced discrimination in the pageant scene because of her sexuality. “There was one pageant that actually rejected me because I am part of the LGBTQ+ community,” Bea spilled about the first time she experienced discrimination in the pageant scene.

“But instead of feeling bad about it, I approached the committee and I told them that if they weren’t open about having an LGBTQ+ member in their pageant, I wouldn’t want to join anyways.”

“I still receive a few comments online about how I’m ‘sayang,’ how it’s such a waste for being an LGBTQ+ member,” she recalled.

“But when I receive messages from people who are grateful for me opening up, especially in a huge platform like Miss Universe and Binibining Cebu, and knowing that I’ve helped a lot of people through that, I don’t have any regrets opening up.”

“I really appreciate that (LGBTQ+ youth) try to reach out because one of the people who do not accept and understand them is their own family. I really appreciate that they open up about themselves through me because

it’s very important that these youth are also noticed and heard.”

“I think it also helps them, especially since when you’re in your teenage years, you’re still trying to figure out who you are. When they’re able to talk to someone who understands and will help them understand about themselves, (they are able to) exchange ideas, thoughts, knowledge. It makes it easier for them to grow up and accept themselves,” she added.

Asked about her thoughts on Miss Universe Philippines opening its doors to trans women, she said it will take more discussion with the organization committees.

“MUPH has a requirement which says you have to be legally a female and I don’t think here in the Philippines we have a certain law that allows transgender women to be legally female. So for now, I think it’s impossible for them to join MUP. It will have to take more discussion,” Bea answered.

Facing pageant fears Curiously, Bea hasn’t actually watched clips of her Miss Universe journey. “First time ko lang makikita yung video,” she laughed as we showed her a highlight reel of the Eilat, Israel coronation night.

When she joined the Miss Universe Philippines competition, she was actually scared, expecting an “every queen for herself” dynamic. She was pleasantly surprised at the pageant scene she was welcomed into, albeit experiencing a part of it online.

“I heard that’s what pageants are like — that women bring other girls down — but when I saw and experienced it myself, I’m glad that women are changing how beauty competitions are like now,” she said, relieved. “Girls tend to help each other out and we’ve become closer that we tend to forget that we’re in a competition!”

But her MU journey wasn’t always smooth sailing. When it was time for her to represent the country on the international stage, she started to feel the weight of the competition on her shoulders.

“With my national experience, I just enjoyed the entire competition. Maybe one of the reasons was I wasn’t one of the frontrunners so I didn’t have much pressure on social media.

But during the MU competition, it was like everyone united to look at my social media profile and there was pressure on my performance because everyone was supporting

me,” she said.

To deal with these pressures, the Cebuana beauty queen would take time to breathe — her biggest takeaway from the pageant.

“It’s very important to listen to yourself, especially when there’s a lot of noise around you and you tend to lose focus. It’s very important to go back to your core and remember who you are and what your purpose of joining the competition other than meeting other people’s expectations about you,” Bea said.

“Check yourself from time to time if you’re still okay with what you’re doing, if you’re still on track with your goals and if you’re still enjoying and happy with what you’re doing.”

Celebrating deeper beauty In a competitive space like pageantry, Bea experienced getting compared to fellow beauty queens and was subject to criticism.

“I know I’m different from other pageant girls. I think it’s one of the things that made me stand out. I think that’s one thing beauty queens and pageant enthusiasts should really appreciate: each other’s uniqueness because that’s how we see that there are different kinds of beauty,” she boldly declared.

For Bea, beauty is more than the physical.

“I don’t see someone as beautiful just by looking at him or her. I have to get to know that person for me to call them beautiful,” Bea defined. “It’s more than aesthetics. Beauty is deeper and I’m very glad it is what is shown in beauty pageants because that’s what it should be.”

Her journey to the international stage also seemed to have made her wiser. Even though she only heard stories about the rich cultures of other countries’ Miss U delegates, Bea said that exchanging tales with them made her feel like she was able to visit their respective homelands.

“I’ve learned that in other countries, women are discriminated against and violated because they weren’t taught how to stand up for themselves, and I realize that it’s important that we teach each other to empower ourselves and other women. There is a continuous need to educate society about how women need to be treated,” she stressed.

All this proves that Bea is a woman of worth — not only by embracing womanhood, but also by being an inspiration to many others.

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 17-23, 2022

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Joshua on being compared to John Lloyd, learning from female costars, choosing his battles

by Marinel

Cruz

Inquirer.net

JOSHUA Garcia said he tries not to feel slighted whenever he is compared to John Lloyd Cruz or other talented actors that came before him. “I’ve heard of the same comment from a lot of people and I respect their opinion. Of course, I’m thankful because these actors are considered heavyweights in the industry; they are known for their talent in acting. I’m happy some people see me as their equal,” Joshua said at a recent press conference for his ongoing soap series “Viral Scandal.”

The actor also said he now prefers not to be part of any love team anymore. He plays leading man to Charlie Dizon in “Viral Scandal,” and to Jane de Leon in the TV adaptation of “Mars Ravelo’s Darna,” which is currently in production. He is also working closely with Janella Salvador—his partner in “The Killer Bride”—in the said series. Joshua used to be paired with Julia Barretto, who also became his ex-girlfriend, from 2016 to 2020.

“I learn from each actress I work closely with,” Joshua explained.

“They don’t know this but they contribute to how my talent as an actor is honed. This is because they each use different acting techniques. I simply adapt the techniques I see from them that I think best works for me.”

Joshua described the latest project with Charlie as a “serious and difficult” one. He added that he hoped to make a romantic

comedy project with her in the future.

“I miss that. I also wish my character would be the funny one this time,” he declared.

Joshua, who joined showbiz years ahead of Charlie, has this advice: “Just enjoy everything, even though the project we’re doing currently is so serious. Enjoy the journey. Personally, I wasn’t able to process all the things I’ve experienced when I was just starting, but I was able to enjoy them. I have no regrets and I’m thankful that I’m still in showbiz despite the pandemic,” he began.

“Whenever I would reminisce, I would say, ‘At least I had a great time.’ Another piece of advice is that the people you meet in this industry who eventually become your friends, treasure all of them.”

On criticisms against him, the 24-year-old actor said: “The best way to handle negative issues is to not handle them at all. I’ve had so many experiences related to that.

I’ve learned through the years that it’s better to simply ignore them because ‘handing’ them would just be a waste of energy.”

However, Joshua said he would still try to learn from those experiences so that they will not happen to him again.

“For me, the negative issues that went viral are as important as the positive ones. I will treasure them because they’re part of my journey as an actor. I simply decide to choose my battles, to not exert effort on those that I know will not benefit me. It really depends on the

Joshua Garcia Photo from Instagram/@garciajoshuae

situation,” he pointed out.

Joshua shared his thoughts on how to best react when you suspect that you’re the subject of a “blind item,” or a news bit in which the identity of the subject being discussed is obscured.

“That’s part of our job as celebrities. There’s really nothing we can do to stop that, but how we react to blind items is what really matters. I’ve experienced that before. I wasn’t able to read the story but someone told me about it.

I just said, ‘Hayaan mo na.’ You will only make more people curious about the story if you focus your attention on it,” he explained. “And if you do get to read it and find that you don’t agree with it, just let it be. Since it’s a ‘blind item,’ you’re not really 100-percent sure that it’s you. You could be mistaken.”

Jericho set to star in int’l action series ‘Sellblock’ JERICHO Rosales, who recently moved to the United States, has been chosen to headline the upcoming international prisonaction series “Sellblock.”

Ruel S. Bayani, ABS-CBN’s head for international production and co-production, confirmed that Rosales will headline “Sellblock,” as per Variety yesterday, March 16 (March 15 in the United States).

The series is produced by ABSCBN and Manila-based BlackOps Studios Asia.

“ABS-CBN is excited to announce that ‘Sellblock’ will be headlined by our very own Jericho Rosales. In his nearly three decadelong career Jericho has earned the title of ‘Asian drama king’ and is one of our network’s finest homegrown

Jericho Rosales Photo from Instagram/@jerichorosalesofficial

talents and country’s top leading men,” Bayani said.

Joining Rosales in the cast of the series are Tirso Cruz III, Cherry Pie Picache, Ronnie Lazaro, Rosanna Roces, Mon Confiado and RK Bagatsing. Plot details, further

acting leads and the target release date for the series are yet to be announced.

“Sellblock” was first announced last month. It was included in BlackOps’ slate of projects with Philippines-based Psyops8, American production company Story Arch Pictures and Hong Kong’s Agog Film.

Rosales recently moved to his new home in New York City with his wife, model-stylist Kim Jones. He gave a glimpse of their new place last month while joking that he has been waiting for a taho vendor to pass by since moving in.

The actor also did not forget about his craft as he honed his skills in an acting workshop in the city.

(Dana Cruz/Inquirer.net)

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MARCH 17-23, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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