033023 - Las Vegas Edition

Fil-Am athlete runs 340 miles from LA to Vegas

FORMER American Ninja Warrior, Wipeout finalist and rare disease warrior

Pamela Price ran 340 grueling miles from the Santa Monica Pier to the Las Vegas sign with Team Unlimited Women for The Speed Project relay race.

Pamela is mixed Filipina American and ran alongside Korean American, Rosa Kwak (winner of Ventura Marathon) and Chloe Ang who also represents the Filipino running community.

In 51 hours, Pamela endured freezing temperatures, high elevation, desert heat and high winds as she and her teammates proved that women can do anything they set their mind to. The Speed Project included 65 teams from 12 countries.

Departing at 4AM from the Santa Monica Pier, Pamela took on relay segments, from fast 1 mile repeats for 24 miles in Death Valley to long 8-mile race segments at sunrise.

A trained dancer, Pamela traded in her pointe shoes for sneakers after

End of COVID emergency will usher in changes across the US health system

THE Biden administration’s decision to end the COVID-19 public health emergency in May will institute sweeping changes across the health care system that go far beyond many people having to pay more for COVID tests.

In response to the pandemic, the federal government in 2020 suspended many of its rules on how care is delivered. That transformed essentially every corner of American health care — from hospitals and nursing homes to public health and treatment for people recovering from addiction.

Now, as the government prepares to reverse some of those steps, here’s a glimpse at ways patients will be affected: Training rules for nursing home staff get stricter

The end of the emergency means nursing homes will have to meet higher standards for training workers.

MANILA — The Philippine government has not retracted its appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to stop the reopening of the latter’s inquiry into the Duterte administration’s war on drugs “unless President Marcos orders its withdrawal,” Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said on Wednesday, March 29. The official made the clarification in response to the president’s pronouncement on Monday, March 27 that the Philippines would “disengage” from the ICC after

and military are held accountable has been reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild (Pennsylvania, 7th District) again filed the Philippine Human Rights Act (PHRA) before the U.S. House earlier this month in

commemoration of the second anniversary of the "Bloody Sunday Massacre" where raids across the Calabarzon region in 2021 left nine activists dead.

Dela Rosa says we can also pull out of EDCA

MANILA — Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Thursday, March 30 brushed off the reignited bid in the United States Congress to block the security aid to Manila as he broached the idea of the Philippines withdrawing from its Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the U.S.

The proposed measure, which wants to block any assistance to the Philippine military and police until the government ensures that perpetrators of human rights abuses are held accountable, has been refiled in the U.S. House of Representatives.

But dela Rosa said he might match that with a resolution seeking to pull the country out of the EDCA – a defense pact that allows troops from both countries to conduct joint exercises and grants the U.S. access to more military bases in the Philippines.

“O sige, putulin niyo. Ihinto rin namin iyong Edca rito. Huwag na kayo mag-exercise dito. Ginagamit

the Hague-based court rejected the government’s request to suspend the drug war inquiry, which is distinct from its other appeal pending with the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber (PTC) to reverse the decision allowing a full investigation to proceed.

"I’ll have to clarify with him that the appeal itself is still pending. It has not been denied. It has not been dismissed. We are simply awaiting the resolution of that appeal, which we don’t know when  PAGE 2

Palace creates task force to prepare for PH hosting of FIBA World Cup

by KRISTINA MARALIT ManilaTimes.net

MALACAÑANG on Tuesday, March 28 released an Administrative Order creating a special Inter-Agency Task Force to ensure the unhampered preparations of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas' (SBP) for the country's hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup in August.

Signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on March 27, AO No.

5 states that the Task Force shall be chaired by the Philippine Sports Commission chairman with the heads or designated representatives of the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Health, Interior

and Local Government, Public Works and Highways, Tourism, Transportation, Customs and Immigration as well as the Philippine National Police and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority as members.

The Task Force will streamline, integrate, harmonize and coordinate all government efforts with the plans and programs of the SBP for the "effective preparation and successful participation of all delegates in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023."

All heads of departments, bureaus, offices, agencies or instrumentalities of the government, including government-owned or

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with Filipina American actress Vanessa Anne Hudgens during her courtesy call at Malacañang Palace on Thursday, March 30. Marcos conferred the title of Global Tourism Ambassador on Hudgens to promote Philippine tourism. PNA

Vanessa Hudgens named

Global Tourism Ambassador

by KRISTINA

MARALIT AND RENSEL SABANDO

ManilaTimes.net

FILIPINA American actress Vanessa Hudgens continues to enjoy her stay in the Philippines as she shared photos of her experience in El Nido, Palawan.

The "High School Musical" star uploaded photos of herself on Instagram on Thursday wearing a swimsuit while taking a dip at the Pangulasian Island Resort. She captioned, "Paradise,"

adding the hashtag "#foreverphilippines." The post garnered more than 830,000 likes as of posting time. Meanwhile, Hudgens – who currently has 49.1 million followers on the social media application – shared the same day a video clip of her dancing traditional folk dance tinikling  PAGE 2

Contributed photo

Gilas Pilipinas

US lawmaker reintroduces bill...

assistance to the Philippines until the government fully investigates and prosecutes any military or police personnel engaged in human rights abuses.

Should the the bill pass into law, Washington will require Manila to comply with a set of "basic human rights standards" before it can receive military aid.

"Those standards include the effective protection of labor leaders and activists, journalists, religious and faith leaders, and dissidents; a functioning judiciary capable of prosecuting members of police and military units; and the withdrawal of military forces from domestic policing activities, in accordance with the constitution of the Philippines," U.S. Rep. Wild

wrote in an opinion piece published on The Hill on March 10.

The bill is supported by multiple groups, including the Democratic Socialists of America, the Malaya Movement, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines - U.S., Migrante USA, among others. Wild also introduced the bill in 2020 and 2021. g

Vanessa Hudgens named Global Tourism...

barefoot while wearing a Filipiñana dress.

In the background, her Filipina mom Gina can be heard cheering and saying, "so proud of you baby." Just last March 28, she also posted an Instagram reel capturing the breathtaking view and sunset of Palawan.

"5am hike to the top of the world," she wrote. The 34-year-old celebrity arrived in the country on March 25, 2023 for her upcoming travel documentary directed and produced by Paul Soriano.

Before this the Department of Tourism named Hudgens Global Tourism Ambassador in ceremonies in Malacanang.

Hudgens is known for playing the role of Gabriella Montez in the hit series "High School Musical" film series which brought her significant success on mainstream media.

This is her first time traveling to the Philippines and was accompanied by her mom Gina – a native of Manila, and younger sister Stella. g

US wants to block security aid to PH...

niyo lang kami para sa pag-raid ninyo sa Taiwan. Tapos ngayon, anong klaseng relationship ito?

One way? Your way lang? We cannot have our own way–iyong sa Pilipinas?” the senator said in an online news briefing.

(Okay, cut the aid. We’ll also put a stop to Edca here. We’ll stop conducting exercises here. You’re just using us, so you can

raid Taiwan. And now, what kind of relationship is this? One way?

Just your way? We cannot have the Philippines’ way?)

The former national police chief also downplayed the aid the Philippines receives from the US, saying he barely feels it.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila has warned the Philippines against opening up additional Edca sites with the U.S. government,

SolGen clarifies Marcos quip: ICC appeal...

saying this will “seriously harm Philippine national interests and endanger regional peace and stability.”

Last week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed that four additional Edca sites will be scattered around the Philippines despite earlier objections from local governments which, he claimed, have since been resolved. g

to come,” Guevarra said in an interview on ANC. “The president might have gotten the impression it was the appeal itself that was dismissed. So I’m sending him a memo today to clarify that the appeal is still on,” he said. In a separate message to reporters, Guevarra, who served as justice secretary under the

previous administration, said he would discuss possible options with the president.

“Personally, though, since we have already filed the appeal, we are not going to lose anything further by waiting for its resolution,” he said.

‘Unwise, rash’

Asked on Monday what was the next step for the government in the ICC case, the President replied that there wasn’t any new move, as the country was “disengaging from any contact, from any communication with the ICC.”

Such a statement, however, was “unwise and rash,” National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) counsel Kristina Conti said in a message to the Inquirer, noting that the government recently hired London-based lawyer Sarah Bafadhel to help in the appeals proceedings.

No ‘persuasive reasons’

She advised the President to confer with his legal team and discuss the proper course of action for the Philippines, following the rejection of the government’s petition to suspend the drug war inquiry.

“So far, the ICC proceedings is on track and aligned with our search for genuine justice for the victims of grave rights violations,” Conti said.

In its eight-page decision, the ICC’s Appeals Chamber said it did not find “persuasive reasons” to grant the Philippine government’s appeal to suspend the drug war inquiry, pending a decision into another appeal for the court’s PTC to reverse its earlier authorization of a full inquiry into the drug war.

As explained by lawyers for drug war victims, the ruling allows ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan to continue gathering evidence and witnesses while the appellate chamber has yet to decide on the Philippine government’s second appeal.

The chamber ruled that the Philippine government failed to substantiate its argument that the court lacked jurisdiction over the drug war case. It also dismissed the government’s assertion that a drug war probe by the ICC “would create an irreversible situation that cannot be corrected.”

Multiple interpretations

In the ANC interview, Guevarra said Marcos’ statement was open to multiple interpretations.

“Does that mean we will stop communicating and submitting any further pleadings in connection with our appeal?” he said, adding: “Does that mean if the ICC chamber calls for an oral argument on the appeal, we will not participate anymore? Or does that simply mean no further action?”

“Let’s just await the ruling, on the appeal itself? Or alternatively, could that also mean that let’s just withdraw the appeal, anyway they have already proceeded

with the investigation? That is also a possibility,” Guevarra said.

“If I am asked by the president, since we have already filed our appeal brief, and nothing more remains to be done except to await the judgment of the Appeals Chamber, then we might just as well wait for it. But in the meantime, we don’t have to do anything further,” he added. If the ICC prosecutor seeks official assistance in his investigation, Guevarra said the ICC official would be told “sorry, you do it on your own.”

At the Senate, an ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Francis Tolentino, disclosed his plan to summon Khan, the ICC prosecutor, to a hearing on two separate resolutions asking the Senate to defend Duterte from the international body’s investigation into the thousands of killings and other atrocities in the government’s war on drugs.

“I am inclined, if time permits, to conduct a hearing concerning the resolutions filed last February,” Tolentino said, referring to the resolutions introduced by two other Duterte allies: Senators Robinhood Padilla and Jinggoy Estrada.

“I would want to have Mr. Khan explain the reason why they insisted that the pleading filed by the Office of the Solicitor General was not complete, was not conclusive enough,” he told reporters at an online press briefing.

Bato’s lawyer

Tolentino also said he had accepted the request of his friend and political ally, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, to stand as his counsel should the ICC issue a warrant for his arrest. Dela Rosa led the first two years of Duterte’s bloody campaign against illegal drugs as the Philippine National Police chief.

Tolentino acknowledged that his decision to provide legal services for Dela Rosa might put into question the credibility of the Senate hearing.

Under the 1987 Constitution, “no senator or member of the House of Representatives may personally appear as counsel before any court of justice or before the electoral tribunals, or quasi-judicial and other administrative bodies.”

Not consistent Opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros criticized Marcos’ statement, saying it was not consistent with his pledge to cooperate with international bodies on the protection of human rights.

“Where is the integrity of the president’s word? Did he not promise commitment to human rights and justice?” she said in a video statement.

“If [Mr. Marcos] acts on his decision to disengage from the [ICC], he will embarrass the Philippines on the international stage,” Hontiveros said. g

‘PALASPAS’. A woman readies the palm fronds for making the “palaspas” ahead of Palm

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra Inquirer.net file

Banning noncompete contracts for medical staff riles hospitals

Dr. Jacqui O’Kane took a job with a hospital in southern Georgia in 2020, as the lone doctor in a primary care clinic in a small town that’s a medically underserved area. She soon attracted nearly 3,000 patients.

But she said the hospital pressed her to take more new patients, so she had to work nights and weekends — not ideal for the mother of two young daughters. She thought about opening her own practice in town, which would give her more control over her schedule.

The problem was that her threeyear contract included a noncompete clause barring her from practicing within 50 miles of the hospital for two years after it ended. So, she has decided to join a practice in South Carolina. That means she and her husband will sell their house, move hundreds of miles, and enroll their children in a new school.

“It sucks,” she said. “I know my patients very well, and I feel like I’m being forced to abandon them. But I can’t stay in this job because it’s unhealthy for me to work this much.”

In January, the Federal Trade Commission proposed to end predicaments like O’Kane’s by prohibiting noncompete clauses in employment contracts. “The freedom to change jobs is core to economic liberty and to a competitive, thriving economy,” said Lina Khan, the FTC chairperson.

The proposed rule would prohibit employment contract provisions that block employees or contractors from working for a competing employer when they move on, or from starting a com-

peting business. Such contracts typically bar people from working within a certain geographic area for a period after the job ends.

The FTC estimates that 30 million workers are bound by noncompete clauses. It says ending those provisions would boost economic competition, reduce prices, and increase workers’ earnings overall by up to $296 billion a year.

Eliminating noncompete contracts would allow doctors to practice wherever their services are needed, which would improve patients’ access to care. They say it would free them to speak out about unsafe conditions for patients, since they wouldn’t have to worry about getting fired and not being able to continue working in their community.

But the FTC’s proposal faces resistance from employers in all industries, including hospitals and private equity-backed medical groups that employ thousands of physicians, nurse practitioners, and other medical professionals.

It’s about money for them, too. They say eliminating noncompetes would drive up the cost of hospital care because hospitals would have to pay physicians more to keep them. They also say noncompete clauses are necessary to protect proprietary information and investments in employee training, and to prevent employees from taking clients and patients with them when they leave.

Business and hospital groups are likely to sue to block the rule, arguing that Congress hasn’t authorized the commission to regulate noncompete clauses. While there is bipartisan support in Congress for legislation that would restrict noncompete clauses and authorize FTC action, the bill hasn’t advanced; similar legislation

stalled in past years.

Health care industry groups hope to block any change with the argument that the FTC lacks statutory authority to regulate nonprofit, or tax-exempt, hospitals, which account for nearly 60% of all U.S. community hospitals. In the proposed rule, the FTC acknowledged that entities not conducting business for profit may not be subject to the rule because they are exempt from coverage under the Federal Trade Commission Act, the law that gives the agency its authority.

“The rule would create an unlevel playing field because we compete with nonprofit and public hospitals that wouldn’t be subject to it,” said Chip Kahn, CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, which represents for-profit hospital systems.

But other experts aren’t sure the FTC lacks authority over nonprofits. While the FTC Act exempts nonprofits, the commission has acted many times under the Sherman Act and the Clayton Act, federal antitrust laws used to block anti-competitive conduct by nonprofit hospital systems. It’s not clear whether the FTC will clarify this issue before it finalizes the rule.

“We fully support having the noncompete ban apply to all hospitals,” said Dr. Jonathan Jones, president of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, half of whose members are bound by noncompetes.

California, North Dakota, and Oklahoma already ban enforcement of noncompete clauses for all employees, while six other states prohibit enforcement of noncompete clauses for physicians. Even in states without bans, judges have

End of COVID emergency will usher in...

Advocates for nursing home residents are eager to see the old, tougher training requirements reinstated, but the industry says that move could worsen staffing shortages plaguing facilities nationwide.

In the early days of the pandemic, to help nursing homes function under the virus’s onslaught, the federal government relaxed training requirements. The Centers for

Medicare & Medicaid Services instituted a national policy saying nursing homes needn’t follow regulations requiring nurse aides to undergo at least 75 hours of state-approved training. Normally, a nursing home couldn’t employ aides for more than four months unless they met those requirements.

Last year, CMS decided the relaxed training rules would no longer apply nationwide, but states and facilities could ask

Fil-Am athlete runs 340 miles from LA...

discovering her love for distance running. Diagnosed with Behçet's disease in 2013, a rare autoimmune disorder caused by inflammation of the blood vessels, Pamela lives with permanent nerve damage on her right side.

Scouted for NBC's hit show, American Ninja Warrior, she also starred in TBS' reboot of Wipeout, making it to the finals. Suffering from multiple concussions and a rotator cuff injury, Pamela continues to compete, run the mountains of SoCal and rock climb.

PAGE 4 PAGE 4

for permission to be held to the lower standards. As of March, 17 states had such exemptions, according to CMS — Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and Washington — as did 356 individual nursing homes in Arizona, California, Delaware,

She has finished first place at races such as Valencia Trail Race, Spacerock Trail Race, Spartan Trail and Tougher Mudder. Off the course, she is the senior executive producer of the Hollywood Beauty Awards, known as the 'Oscars of beauty' and a journalist/Vice President of the daily news site, LATFusa.com. In 2020, Pamela launched the care package community and rare disease resource program: We Care When You Flare, operated under WE CARE WHEN Inc. She is an active member of The American Behcet’s Disease Association and activist for the #BehcetsWarrior community, corresponding with women and men living with Behcet’s Disease around the world. g

CLEANUP. Environmental volunteers rid the shoreline of the Las Piñas–Parañaque Wetland Park of

activity organized by the Haribon Foundation and FitFlop Philippines on

End of COVID emergency will usher in...

Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C.

Nurse aides often provide the most direct and laborintensive care for residents, including bathing and other hygiene-related tasks, feeding, monitoring vital signs, and keeping rooms clean. Research has shown that nursing homes with staffing instability maintain a lower quality of care.

Palace creates task force to prepare for...

-controlled corporations, and state universities and colleges were ordered to extend full support and assistance to the PSC and SBP.

"The successful organization and hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 requires the involvement, coordination, and support of all concerned

government agencies, local government units, and the private sector," the order said.

The order takes effect immediately. g

Banning noncompete contracts for...

invalidated noncompetes when they found them to be overbroad or unreasonable.

But it can cost tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees to challenge a noncompete clause, and other employers may not want to take the risk of hiring a person in the middle of a legal fight, said Luke Campbell, a Seattle attorney who represents physicians.

The FTC rule also would bar the use of nondisclosure or training repayment agreements in employment contracts if they functioned as de facto noncompetes.

Hospitals often require nurses to sign training repayment agreement provisions, called TRAPs, which nursing groups say lock nurses into jobs by demanding they pay as much as $20,000, for what’s essentially job orientation, if they leave before two years.

National Nurses United, a labor union, wants the FTC to explicitly prohibit TRAPs.

As of last year, nearly three-quarters of all U.S. physicians were employed by hospital systems or other companies, with many working under noncompete agreements.

A 2018 survey found that nearly half of primary care physicians in California, Illinois, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Texas were bound by

noncompetes.

Private equity-owned staffing firms such as TeamHealth, Envision Healthcare, and Sound Physicians, which provide emergency physicians and other medical professionals to work in hospitals, commonly use noncompete provisions. None of those three companies agreed to talk about their employment contracts. As for-profit employers, noncompete clauses in their contracts clearly would be barred even if their employees were working in nonprofit hospitals.

Hospitals, insurers, and physician-owned medical groups also use noncompetes in employing doctors and other medical professionals.

Hospital-based doctors — emergency physicians, anesthesiologists, hospitalists, radiologists, and pathologists — refute the industry’s argument that they would take patients or proprietary information with them.

“We don’t have any trade secrets and we don’t have the capability of stealing patients because we don’t have our own patient referral base,” said Dr. Robert McNamara, the chair of emergency medicine at Temple University.

Instead, he said, noncompetes are a way for the physician

staffing firms to lock in their contracts with hospitals. “The private equity group can say to the hospital, ‘You might not like what we’re doing, but if you get rid of us, every single one of your doctors must be replaced,’” McNamara said.

Dr. Vanessa Urbina, a general practice physician in central Florida, also worries about the impact on patients. She left a corporate-owned medical practice in Altamonte Springs last year because of what she said was an abusive environment. Hobbled by a noncompete agreement she signed forbidding her from practicing within 15 miles of the clinic, she opened her own primary care clinic in rural Mount Dora, 19 miles away. She had to stay in the area because of a child custody agreement. Fighting the noncompete cost her $25,000 in legal fees and lost income. Even though she now must drive farther to transport her daughter to school and back, she’s happier in her new practice. But she’s angry she can’t take care of her former patients.

“They forced me to abandon my patients,” she said. “Now they have to wait three months for an appointment. Noncompetes should be illegal.” g

Advocates for nursing home residents are pleased the training exceptions will end but fear that the quality of care could nevertheless deteriorate. That’s because CMS has signaled that, after the looser standards expire, some of the hours that nurse aides logged during the pandemic could count toward their 75 hours of required training. On-the-job experience, however, is not necessarily a sound substitute for the training workers missed, advocates argue.

Adequate training of aides is crucial so “they know what they’re doing before they provide care, for their own good as well as for the residents,” said Toby Edelman, a senior policy attorney for the Center for Medicare Advocacy.

The American Health Care Association, the largest nursing home lobbying group, released a December survey finding that roughly 4 in 5 facilities were dealing with moderate to high levels of staff shortages.

Treatment threatened for people recovering from addiction

A looming rollback of broader access to buprenorphine, an important medication for people in recovery from opioid addiction, is alarming patients and doctors.

During the public health emergency, the Drug Enforcement Administration said providers could prescribe certain controlled substances virtually or over the phone without first conducting an inperson medical evaluation. One of those drugs, buprenorphine, is an opioid that can prevent debilitating withdrawal symptoms for people trying to recover from addiction to other opioids. Research has shown using it more than halves the

risk of overdose.

Amid a national epidemic of opioid addiction, if the expanded policy for buprenorphine ends, “thousands of people are going to die,” said Ryan Hampton, an activist who is in recovery.

The DEA in late February proposed regulations that would partly roll back the prescribing of controlled substances through telemedicine. A clinician could use telemedicine to order an initial 30-day supply of medications such as buprenorphine, Ambien, Valium, and Xanax, but patients would need an inperson evaluation to get a refill.

For another group of drugs, including Adderall, Ritalin, and oxycodone, the DEA proposal would institute tighter controls. Patients seeking those medications would need to see a doctor in person for an initial prescription.

David Herzberg, a historian of drugs at the University at Buffalo, said the DEA’s approach reflects a fundamental challenge in developing drug policy: meeting the needs of people who rely on a drug that can be abused without making that drug too readily available to others.

The DEA, he added, is “clearly seriously wrestling with this problem.”

Hospitals return to normal, somewhat

During the pandemic, CMS has tried to limit problems that could arise if there weren’t enough health care workers to treat patients — especially before there were covid vaccines when workers were at greater risk of getting sick.

For example, CMS allowed hospitals to make broader use of nurse practitioners and physician assistants when caring for Medicare patients. And new physicians not yet credentialed to work at a particular hospital — for example, because governing bodies lacked time to conduct their reviews — could nonetheless practice there.

Other changes during the public health emergency were meant to shore up hospital capacity. Critical access hospitals, small hospitals located in rural areas, didn’t have to comply with federal rules for Medicare stating they were limited to 25 inpatient beds and patients’ stays could not exceed 96 hours, on

average.

Once the emergency ends, those exceptions will disappear. Hospitals are trying to persuade federal officials to maintain multiple COVID-era policies beyond the emergency or work with Congress to change the law.

Surveillance of infectious diseases splinters

The way state and local public health departments monitor the spread of disease will change after the emergency ends, because the Department of Health and Human Services won’t be able to require labs to report COVID testing data.

Without a uniform, federal requirement, how states and counties track the spread of the coronavirus will vary. In addition, though hospitals will still provide COVID data to the federal government, they may do so less frequently.

Public health departments are still getting their arms around the scope of the changes, said Janet Hamilton, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. In some ways, the end of the emergency provides public health officials an opportunity to rethink COVID surveillance. Compared with the pandemic’s early days, when at-home tests were unavailable and people relied heavily on labs to determine whether they were infected, testing data from labs now reveals less about how the virus is spreading.

Public health officials don’t think “getting all test results from all lab tests is potentially the right strategy anymore,” Hamilton said. Flu surveillance provides a potential alternative model: For influenza, public health departments seek test results from a sampling of labs. “We’re still trying to work out what’s the best, consistent strategy. And I don’t think we have that yet,” Hamilton said. (Rachana Pradhan/California Healthline)

(This story was produced by KHN (Kaiser Health News), a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. g

COOLING OFF. These boys try to beat the heat at a pool at Bernardo Park in Cubao, Quezon City on Wednesday, March 29. The weather

p.m. in Pangasinan and 38°C in Metro Manila. PNA photo by Joan

Marcos: Rule of law prevails, justice system fully functional in PH

MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, March 29 said the rule of law prevails in the Philippines and its criminal justice system is functioning fully.

In a video message during the plenary session of the Second Session for Summit for Democracy, Marcos said the Philippines has been committed to fighting impunity for atrocity crimes despite the country's withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019.

Marcos made the remark following his latest pronouncement that the Philippines is “disengaging” from any contact and communication with the International Criminal Court (ICC) after it rejected the country’s request to suspend its ongoing investigation into former President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war.

“We continue to improve mechanisms such as the AO35 inter-agency committee to enhance accountability. The Philippines’ commitment to fight impunity for atrocity crimes is solid and unwavering, notwithstanding the withdrawal of the country from the Rome Statute,” he said.

“The Philippines has a national legislation punishing heinous crimes. We have vigorously exercised our jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute crimes, including those allegedly committed in the context of the anti-illegal drugs

campaign,” he added.

In the Philippines’ fight against illegal drugs, he noted that the government continues focusing on strengthening state programs on rehabilitation, prevention, education and assistance to drug victims and their families as well as ensuring transparency and accountability in law enforcement operations.

He said the government is also investing more to enhance the administration of justice "through the various institutions and mechanisms already in place to protect the right to life, liberty and security of the Filipino people" to achieve its objectives for people-centered growth and prosperity.

Marcos cited as an example the establishment of the Department of Migrant Workers to protect and promote the rights of more than 10 million Filipino migrants.

He highlighted that the nation’s justice reform agenda acknowledges that real justice means the humane treatment of persons deprived of liberty and efficient prosecution of criminal cases.

President Marcos said the administration is pouring resources and energy into improving the processes in the investigation of cases and the witness protection program.

He further assured that the Philippines will continue being an

active player both bilaterally and globally in dialogues tackling various issues based on constructive engagements as long as they back the country’s interests.

“The Philippines will continue to engage countries bilaterally and in international platforms on issues concerning democracy, human rights, and good governance, as long as these engagements are constructive, based on facts, and respectful of Philippine sovereignty,” Marcos said.

“The Philippines will sustain its tradition of open, constructive, and active engagement on human rights on matters that will meaningfully contribute towards reinforcing the sinews of democracy and of freedom. Thus, we enable our people to flourish and meet our national aspirations to be a modern prosperous middle-income society by 2040,” he added.

Marcos thanked US President Joe Biden and the US government for convening the Second Summit for Democracy, along with co-host countries Costa Rica, South Korea, The Netherlands, and Zambia.

The Filipino leader said the Summit “affirms the solidarity of nations bound by values of democracy and sends a powerful message of our collective will to bring about the best of peoples and societies empowered by freedom.” (PNA)

DFA vows to save Filipinos on death row abroad

MANILA – The Philippine government will spare no effort in saving the lives of all Filipinos facing a a death sentence abroad, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday, March 29.

“The DFA continues to work hard and exhausts all diplomatic channels available to ensure that no death penalty sentence is executed against any of our 'kababayans' ( countrymen ). Currently, there are 81 death penalty cases involving overseas Filipinos,” the DFA said in a statement.

Since 2018, the DFA has secured the acquittal of two nationals sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia and the United

Arab Emirates.

Meanwhile, the death sentence of two more Filipinos in Saudi Arabia were commuted to nine-year imprisonment last year with the intervention of a legal retainer hired by the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh.

The DFA said it also secured 556 acquittals from 2018 to 2022, of which 135 were absolved last year.

“The 2022 figures should be appreciated vis-a-vis the fact that, for the first half of 2022, most countries in Asia and the Middle East were still practicing strict Covid-19 control protocols. Therefore, courts generally remained closed and there was thus

Government revises departure protocols after complaints vs immigration officers

MANILA — Immigration procedures are undergoing revisions following complaints over the apparently overly strict implementation of departure protocols for travelers leaving the Philippines, the Department of Justice said on Thursday, March 30.

Filipino travelers," the DOJ said, adding that the "excessive or inappropriate behavior" of some immigration officers are being investigated.

Filipinos who have the financial capacity for travel to work in call centers engaged in online scamming—poses a challenge to the implementation of departure formalities.

a general slowdown in the resolution of cases,” it said.

The DFA said most of the acquittals involved retaliatory cases filed against household service workers in the Middle East for theft, absconding, and “breach of trust”.

It also pointed out that many of the cases filed are for crimes that are “not necessarily viewed as offenses in the Philippines” such as immorality cases or giving birth out of wedlock.

“There are almost no chance for acquittals for these kinds of cases,” it said.

In the same period, the DFA also obtained 354 pardons for convicted Filipinos from their host government. (PNA)

In a statement, the DOJ said the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking is "in the process of revising the departure formalities to better reflect current trends and plug the gaps that arose along the way."

IACAT, chaired by the DOJ, serves as the coordinating and monitoring mechanism on all anti-human trafficking efforts of the government.

Several travelers have complained on social media about missing their flights or being offloaded after fielding probing questions by Bureau of Immigration officers.

"Moreover, we are in coordination with the BI and other stakeholders to minimize the inconvenience caused by the departure formalities to

According to a source familiar with procedures, immigration officers may ask follow-up questions when a travelers' circumstances — like not having enough pocket money or a visible source of income — raise suspicions. Those with acting working visas to a third country could also come under scrutiny, a source said.

Fight vs human trafficking

The DOJ, however, stressed that BI officers are tasked to protect Filipinos from human trafficking and other dangers.

"The departure formalities are only one of IACAT’s measures to combat human trafficking. It is an integral part of a holistic and multi-dimensional campaign that involves prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership and policy," it said.

The department noted that a recent scheme—recruitment of educated and well-traveled

"The underlying problem here lies in the fact that for these new schemes, it is extremely difficult to distinguish regular passengers from potential victims of human trafficking. The main consideration of the department is not only stopping trafficking per se, but also lessening the victims of this heinous crime," the DOJ said.

"We are asking for the public’s consideration in bearing with the BI in its efforts to combat human trafficking," it added.

According to the DOJ, the BI deferred the departure of 6,788 out of 1,056,247 Filipinos who exited the country’s international airport. Of the figure, 57 were referred to IACAT as likely victims of human trafficking. The rest were deferred for other reasons such as incomplete, improper or misrepresented documents. (Phistar.com)

BAHAY BULILIT. The Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Philippines, Inc. turns over a Bahay Bulilit Learning Center to Barangay Tibungco, Davao City, on Thursday, March 30. The Bahay Bulilit, which costs P2.5 million, is the fourth in the city. It can accommodate 60 to 70 kids.

Disengagement

GOVERNMENT lawyers lament that the International Criminal Court is rushing the Philippines in its probe of thousands of deaths in the campaign against illegal drugs waged by Rodrigo Duterte when he was president and before that, mayor of Davao City.

On Tuesday, March 28 the ICC announced its rejection of the Philippine appeal to suspend its probe pending a final ruling on the request of its chief prosecutor to proceed with a full-blown investigation of the deaths in Duterte’s so-called war on drugs. The ICC stressed that the rejection of the suspension must not be construed as a ruling on the merits of the chief prosecutor’s request.

Editorial

these cases were no mere tokens, as critics of the drug war believe, and must show that justice is possible for other suspected victims of extrajudicial killings. Critics also lament that accountability has been limited to minor players in the anti-drug campaign.

Nevertheless, with the rejection of the Philippines’ appeal, President Marcos said the country has no more moves left and is “disengaging” from the ICC, as he deplored its “interference and, practically, attacks on the sovereignty of the republic.”

If the ICC proceeds with its formal probe, the Philippines cannot stop it, but the government can refuse to cooperate. The government, however, cannot stop private individuals from providing information to the ICC or participating in the probe.

Rejecting ICC jurisdiction and refusing to cooperate should not mean stopping the country’s efforts to unearth the truth about possible abuses in the war on drugs, and to give justice to victims. Several former police anti-narcotics operatives have been convicted and sent to prison for the execution of teenage drug suspects.

The government must dispel perceptions that

HOLDING that the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) was pursuant to the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the United States and the Philippines, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of EDCA, maintaining that it was not EDCA that allowed foreign troops into the country but the Visiting Forces Agreement. This too was the subject of constitutional litigation, and the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality. The VFA case was itself interesting because it squarely dealt with the issue that while for the Philippines, it was a treaty, for the U.S., it was an executive agreement. The Supreme Court, relying largely on the representation of the U.S. government that it

Breakthrough

THE distinction between an American party and a Filipino party, according to friends and relatives who have been at both types of parties, is that in Filipino celebrations, the center is the food offerings. Guests are encouraged to eat more and are even offered to take home some of the food that is served.

According to the doyenne of Philippine cuisine, the late Doreen Gamboa Fernandez, in Metro Manila and large urban centers, parties serve traditional Filipino offerings and other cuisine like Chinese style noodles, Spanish paella, American burgers and steaks, Japanese sushi and sashimi, Korean barbecue, British fish and chips and other cuisines native to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Italy, Middle East, Mexico and other nationalities.

The food selections in the upper class Metro Manila household may be considered as eclectic. But Fernandez has observed that even decades ago, away from major urban

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra has said that the government is still trying to put together a broader picture of what happened, to determine if there is basis for allegations that drug suspects were summarily executed in a state-sanctioned systematic campaign that might constitute a crime against humanity. Guevarra has not ruled out the possible accountability of higher officials. He has expressed openness to the creation of an independent fact-finding or truth commission, but only if the members and the appointing power will be Filipinos.

The conviction of the former policemen for the execution of the teenage drug suspects showed that abuses were indeed committed in carrying out what the government insists were legitimate law enforcement operations. The country’s “disengagement” from the ICC need not lead to a stalemate in the pursuit of justice. The wheels of Philippine justice can and must continue to turn, preferably at a quicker pace and with greater

conducted most of its foreign affairs in executive agreements, ruled that for as long as the agreement "had the effect of a treaty" on the U.S., the requirements of the Philippine Constitution were met.

It ruled that the EDCA was an executive agreement entered into by the president in implementation of existing treaties and statutes — and was therefore properly the subject of an executive agreement that called for no Senate concurrence.

Since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared that he favors the implementation of the agreement, the next issue is deciding on where the military exercises take place and where the American troops are to temporarily make camp. Some local government officials have voiced misgivings, claiming that their constituents do not want to be caught between warring factions. Of course, there is no war, neither is there an imminent threat of one. China, it should not be surprising, is vehemently against EDCA and

centers, it is still mostly native cuisine in all its regional variations that are the daily fare. However, in the last decade or so, it has been observed that Filipino cuisine has increased in stature and has even begun to be internationally recognized. Several decades ago, Filipino cuisine was considered as food for daily consumption. Today, we have television shows that focus on Filipino cuisine with its different variations.

My favorite show is “Chasing

Flavors” hosted by Claude Tayag, the well-known Filipino and Kapampangan food gourmet. His show centers on his travels to various regions where he goes out of his way to look for distinctive regional variations. There are now more authors that have written about our native cuisine. There are even authors that have explained and written narratives on Philippine culture as defined by the food that is indigenous to the culture. Some of these authors are Felice P. Sta. Maria and Fernando N. Zialcita.

However, the pioneer in Filipino culinary history is Doreen Gamboa Fernandez. Among her books are Tikim

has warned the Philippines against engaging in military exercises with the Americans, but it would be as detrimental to our sovereignty as a nation to buckle down because China has bared its fangs.

In fact, it has done so many times in the past, and for all the rhetoric and the bombast from our end following incursions of China into maritime zones in the West Philippine Sea over which the Philippines has sovereign rights, we have done very little to put China in its place. Perhaps we have decided that we cannot do it, and that is probably right — strategically. But that is the reason that aside from strategic action, there is normatively regulated action: action that arises from norms and is sanctioned by them. If the only kind of action there was strategic, then certainly it would be foolhardy for the Philippines to even attempt to stand in the way of a giant like China. But the moment we adopt this posture, then small, weak, powerless nations do not stand a chance against the bullying of

(Taste), a collection of essays on Filipino book and culture written before her death on June 24, 2002. This was revised and updated in 2020. It is amazing that the essays in the book have remained relevant to the Filipino culinary scene as of this date.

Alfred Yuson wrote in the introduction to the book:

“Throughout this collection of food essays, features and formal papers culled from a quarter century of authoritative writing, the author repeatedly stresses that what we eat has history behind it, is premised on setting and has a meaning beyond its taste and flavor.”

Fernandez, in her book, also quoted from cultural icons like E. Aguilar Cruz and Martin Tinio. Among her most quotable quotes are from her co-author for several books, cultural researcher and food expert, the late Edilberto Alegre, who said, “… that if Ilocanos favor the bitter (as in pinakbet and the famous pinapaitan, a goat dish with the bile sauce), the Tagalogs the sour (katamtamang asim in sinigang) and many Bicolanos the hot (Bicol express is a dish of sautéed chili peppers),

the huge and the mighty — and that is certainly no world order that is a welcome proposition to any state, or to anyone, for that matter! That is what I have always insisted about the arbitral decision in the case between the Philippines and the People's Republic of China. It transposes the exchange from the level of strategy to the level of normativity. It asks about the norms of conduct by which both parties must regulate their actions — and the pronouncement of the tribunal leaves no doubt that the rights are on our side, and that China has been — and remains — in violation of law.

In blatant transgression of the tribunal's judgment, it has converted features into military bastions and taken its firepower closer to the Philippines. Now, it tells us that we should not allow Americans to challenge her dominance over the troubled waters on our western seaboard? By what logic? By what law? And by what inanity should we, Filipinos, insist that

the Ilonggos have their own predilection. For them, no large dominant flavor but layers and nuances prized over predominance of flavor.”

In this collection of essays, Fernandez dedicates it to her parents, Dr. Alicia Lucero Gamboa of Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija and Aguinaldo S. Gamboa of Silay, Negros Occidental.

The essays are divided into four categories, namely Food and Flavors; People and Places; Books and other Feasts and Food in Philippine History.

The first essay is seemingly timeless and one of the most interesting. The title is “Balut to Barbecue: Philippine Street Food.” She writes: “Street food in the Philippines is not only a convenience for those without time to cook or an economic phenomenon that flourishes during hard times. It is a convenience.”

She categorizes Philippine street food from the points of view from place and manner of vending. The first category is the Walking Street Food. Among the examples she gives are the peanut vendors selling in street corners, the taho vendors who sell in residential areas and the vendor on a

China means well, and that it would not be in our interest to provoke her by joining with Americans in military exercises.

No, America is not the lilywhite hegemon with motives pure and intentions immutably fair. It has had its own share of shenanigans and doubledealing. But its sins are not the issue here. The point is whether it makes sense to desist from alliances with the United States in respect to this very limited field of defense preparedness and readiness at China's bidding, the very country that has thumbed its nose at international law and our rights? Some local officials have reportedly profited from deals made with Chinese corporations over resources of the country within their respective constituencies. If so, then their opposition to EDCA and to military exercises in their localities is as unprincipled as their shady deals.

It is not a question of canonizing one hegemon as good and the other as evil. No one is engaged in such

bicycle moving from place to place.

The second category includes the Sitting Vendors offering baskets or trays of products like rice cakes, syrup-coated bananas or banana cues, pork barbecue and quail eggs.

Next are the Market and Church Yard Food whose food wares depend on the time of the day. It begins with breakfast, then are replaced by snacks and then lunchtime fare, primarily noodles, fish and meat dishes. It ends with snack foods.

The next are School Street Food, which are found outside every elementary, high school and college. Their offerings range from boiled corn, “dirty” ice cream, fish balls and cheap lunches with plenty of rice.

The next category is Food at Office and Factory sites. These are jeepneys or small vans from the back of which one can buy a variety of fare, ranging from sandwiches to lunch dishes.

Today, office workers refer to these as Jollijeeps.

Among the other interesting essays are the Flavors of Negros, the Filipino Kitchen, the Restaurant of Yesteryears and Mother Cuisine.

childish characterizations. What we have to do with rather is the stark reality that China has fired water cannons at our fishing boats, shooed our fishermen away from the Scarborough Shoal, cordoned off reefs and features well within our exclusive economic zone and simply shoved aside a legally rendered judgment of a competent tribunal that had adjudicated on our rights over this section of the sea. And then there is the useful point made by Foucault that after the Treaty of Westphalia, balance of power has become a crucial consideration, and the painful, hurtful and disappointing events of late in this part of the world have warned us quite clearly I think about the deleteriousness of a lack of balance! (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.

* * * rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph

From a historical point of view, Fernandez also wrote a lengthy essay on Philippine foodways answering the question, what is Filipino food? Among the most typical and widespread examples of Filipino cuisine, she cites two. The first is the sinigang, which is meat, fish or seafood stewed in sour broth with vegetables. The second is kinilaw which has uncooked fish marinated in vinegar or lime juice.

At the end, Fernandez states that Filipino cuisine persists despite efforts by colonization and neo-colonization, unchanged in its traditional ways or slightly changed with its contact with other cultures. She says: “Its vigor augurs well and offers much hope for the folklore, the folkways, the folk art and the folk culture which many have feared are too fragile to survive modernity and global tides.” (Philstar. com)

* * *

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.

* * *

Email: elfrencruz@gmail.com

Las

Only 29% of SIMs registered so far

by RainieR allan Ronda Philstar.com

MANILA — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will continue coordinating with local government units (LGUs) nationwide to boost the subscriber identity module or SIM card registration, which as of March 21 has only 49.20 million subscribers registered.

The figure represents 29.12 percent of the total 169 million subscribers nationwide.

DICT spokesperson Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo, undersecretary for public affairs and foreign relations, said they have tapped the department’s Tech4ED or Technology Empowerment for Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development centers to boost the SIM card registration drive.

Solon welcomes Cabinet’s support for economic Cha-cha

MANILA – Cagayan de Oro

City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Wednesday said he is inspired by the growing support for the amendment of the Constitution’s economic provision among members of the Cabinet of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

He said Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno was the latest Cabinet member who supported the House of Representatives' move to rewrite the 1987 Constitution’s restrictive economic provisions.

“We are heartened by Secretary Diokno’s supportive statement. He is an influential voice in the administration and in the business community,” he said.

Rodriguez, chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments, said five Cabinet members have previously submitted their position papers to his panel upon his request in the previous public hearings.

He said the position papers came from Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual, National Economic and Development Authority Director-General Alfredo Balisacan, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian and Foreign Affairs

Secretary Enrique Manalo.

Pascual told the panel that recently-enacted laws provide some space for liberalization in certain sectors of the economy such as foreign investment, retail trade and telecommunications.

“However, we still note that several foreign equity restrictions are still enshrined in the Constitution, rather in an investment law or sectoral legislation, which actually makes economic reform more challenging…I think we’re the only two countries (the other is Myanmar) that have economic restrictions, foreign (investment) limitations that are enshrined in the Constitution,” he said.

For his part, Balisacan said NEDA would be open to revisiting or amending the restrictive economic provisions “in line with, of course, the goal of propelling our growth, projecting our global position upward.”

Abalos said the DILG has written its Core Constitutional Reform Handbook which advocates Charter amendments, including “liberalizing citizenship-based restrictions on foreign direct investment.”

Gatchalian said: “We believe that amending the Constitution is timely and necessary, particularly the economic provisions that are already outdated and

are no longer in the context of the present economic situation.”

“A lot of foreigners want to retire in our country, but they want to own their retirement home. They end up, more often than not, marrying a Filipina, as a workaround. They want to own an investment, it’s very difficult for them,” Manalo said.

Rodriguez said local government units grouped under the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines led by Quirino Governor Dakila Cua, have also supported the House initiative.

“Whether through the process of a constituent assembly or constitutional convention, we can clearly see that some changes are necessary to address the various challenges the country is facing,” Cua said.

Rodriguez said the economic team of former President Rodrigo Duterte, led by then Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, had likewise backed efforts to change the Charter’s economic provisions.

On March 6, the House of Representatives voted to approve on the third and final reading Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 calling for a hybrid constitutional convention (con-con) that would propose amendments to the economic provisions of the Constitution. (PNA)

The Tech4ED project is among major programs of the DICT that aims to establish e-centers in areas with limited internet access.

“To encourage the public to register their SIMs, the DICT continues to collaborate with LGUs in spreading awareness and information. For far-flung areas and isolated locations, the DICT is working with the National Telecommunications Commission to facilitate SIM registration,” Lamentilo said.

The DICT, headed by Secretary Ivan John Uy, continues to remind the public to register their SIMs through the official portals of their respective telecoms.

Lamentillo said the DICT expects an increase in SIM registration in the next four weeks, with the April 26 cutoff nearing.

She admitted that the government has yet to decide whether it would extend the procedure as it expressed belief that Filipinos will flock to the registration portals before the deadline.

The DICT plans to convene on the possible extension of SIM registration a week before the April 26 deadline, she said.

Announcing an adjustment in the deadline as early as now will discourage subscribers from registering their SIMs soonest.

“As soon as the interagency group has decided, we will let the public know. As of now, we don’t look at that option [extension] seriously,” Lamentillo said. “We still have one month and a lot can happen in one month and we

want to maximize the period to see where it will lead us.”

The DICT is committed to sustain its efforts to provide assisted registration in areas where residents are having difficulty accessing the internet.

“I think we will have a sudden surge of SIM registrants toward the end, although we would like to remind everyone that they should register ahead of the deadline,”

Lamentillo said.

“What we can assure you is that we are going to geographically

isolated and disadvantaged areas to assist in SIM registration. We expect most of the late registrants to come from urban centers,” she added.

Lamentillo advised telco providers to no longer improve the package of incentives that they give out upon registration of SIM.

She expressed belief that telco players have given enough, from freebies of internet data to raffling of concert tickets, to encourage users to register. g

Pagpapalathala: ika-23 ng Marso at ika-30 ng Marso, 2023 TAG: Paunawa sa Maaga’ng Pagboto, Espesyal na Halalan,Tagalog

PAUNAWA SA MAAGA’NG PAGBOTO PARA SA

LUNGSOD NG HENDERSON

2023 ESPESYAL NA HALALAN – PUROK 1

ANG PAUNAWA’NG ITO AY NAGBIBIGAY NANG KAALAMAN na ang maaga’ng pagboto para sa Purok 1 Espesyal na Halalan ay gaganapin sa Lungsod ng Henderson Purok 1.

KINAKAILANGAN SA PANINIRAHAN

Ang mga botante lamang na nakarehistro na bumoto sa lungsod ng Henderson Purok 1 ang karapat-dapat na bumoto sa halalan na ito. Hindi ka maaari’ng bumoto sa Espesyal na Halalan sa Purok 1 kung nakarehistro ka upang bumoto sa alinmang Purok maliban sa Purok 1.

PAGBOTO SA PAMAMAGITAN NG KOREO

Ang sinumang rehistrado’ng botante na karapat-dapat na bumoto sa halalan na ito ay maaari’ng pumili na bumoto sa pamamagitan ng koreo. Kung nakatanggap ka ng balota sa pamamagitan ng koreo, maaari mong ibalik ang balota’ng iyon sa lugar ng Maaga’ng Pagboto at bumoto nag personal.

MADALI ANG PAGBOTO! Ang mga botante ng Henderson Purok 1 ay maaari’ng bumoto sa Munisipyo ng Henderson, 240 Water Street Henderson, NV, sa panahon ng maaga’ng pagboto at sa Araw ng Halalan. Kung nakatanggap ka ng balota sa pamamagitan ng koreo, maaari mong ibalik ang balotang iyon sa lugar ng Maaga’ng Pagboto o Araw ng Halalan at bumoto.

LUNGSOD NG HENDERSON 2023 PUROK 1 ESPESYAL NA HALALAN

LUGAR NG MAAGA’NG PAGBOTO PARA SA LAHAT NG BOTANTE SA HENDERSON PUROK 1 Bukas Lamang sa MGA TIYAK NA PETSA at ORAS na Nakatala sa Ibaba

PETSA/LUGAR DIREKSIYON ORAS

IKA-20-23 NG MARSO;

NG MARSO

NG

Araw ng

Lunes, ika-3 ng Abril, 2023 sa sumusunod na lugar mula 7 n.u. hanggang 7 n.g.

ng Henderson, 240 Water St., Henderson, NV, 89015 Para sa karagdagang impormasyon bisitahin ang lungsod online sa www.cityofhenderson.com

SUMMER DELIGHT. A roadside stall along Moriones Street in Tondo, Manila sells halo-halo, a popular summer treat, on Tuesday, March 28.

Halo-halo and cold drinks are popular among those who want to beat the heat during the summer months. PNA photo by Yancy Lim

VEGAS&STYLE

‘Accidental author’:

Abi Balingit’s book

‘Mayumu’ highlights Filipino sweets and treats

by MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

FILIPINO American Abi

Balingit’s unlikely journey as a cookbook author began when she posted photos of Lao Gan Ma spicy chili crisp cupcakes that she made. Her now-literary agent reached out and asked if she was interested in writing a cookbook.

“I wasn’t thinking about writing a cookbook at all but obviously I was like ‘yeah, why not?’ she told the Asian Journal

This was a few months into the pandemic, around September 2020, and about a month since she started her baking blog called The Dusky Kitchen out of her apartment in Brooklyn.

Two-and-a-half years later and Balingit is a newly-minted accidental author with her book

‘Mayumu: Filipino Desserts

Remixed”. The book is a nice combination of remixed Filipino American dessert recipes and essays on her Filipino American experience.

As a pandemic project, her blog became an outlet to share her baking journey and the pasalubong treat boxes she sold to benefit some non-profit organizations that she supported.

“I used baking as a tool to cope. I’m really glad that baking was there and through the blog, it was also a way to connect with people outside of my apartment and the people I already knew,” she explained.

Balingit has been baking since she was 13. She humbly rated herself a seven when I asked her.

“I was self-taught. I had just learned on YouTube and my

mom showed me some things like Filipino recipes,” she said.

“There’s so much more for me to still learn even after doing this book and baking is so precise and such a science that I definitely learned a lot while doing research for it.”

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Balingit feels that all her influences have contributed to developing her palate and her taste and those are what she offers in the book.

“Growing up in California and even living in New York, you’re exposed to so many different cultures here and you get to try so much different food. And so I think a lot of the inspiration that I got was from childhood nostalgia and meeting new people and trying other people’s food,” she said. “I do like how certain flavors can play together but still trying to like respect where things come from.”

She cited the sapin-sapin as an example.

“The hardest thing to explain about the book is like, I try really hard to you know, be intentional about where these flavors are coming from and to show sapinsapin I know is like ube, jackfruit, and macapuno I think are the three flavors and that’s usually purple, orange and white, but you know there’s so much more you can do with those different layers.

For her, these layers are a good opening for other people who may not have tried Filipino desserts before. In her book, Balingit made it Strawberry

Shortcake Sapin Sapin (Layered Rice Cake) with layers of red strawberry, white vanilla and brown molasses.

With her book, Balingit says she wants to offer options to home bakers so they can use whatever is accessible or familiar to them.

Because she created her remixed and reimagined version of some traditional Filipino pastries and desserts, she is ready when she encounters comments with negative connotations such as “Adobo cookies, of course, she’d do that because she’s FilAm.”

“I think a lot of the savory combinations that I come up with, it’s like, you know, I don’t want you to taste, to bite into and be like ‘Ugh!” I would never put ratios that are too much, I don’t want you to feel like you’re eating it with rice but that it’s the flavor inspiration,” she said.

‘Bahala ka sa buhay mo’

Balingit learned a lot of life lessons from her parents Arnel and Angelita, which is why she chose Mayumu as the book’s title to honor her parents’ mother tongue – the word means sweet in Kapampangan. She memorialized one of these life lessons in her book, which she dedicated to them. She wrote: ‘To my parents. You told me “Bahala ka sa buhay mo!” So I did.’

A rough translation would be “Do whatever you want with your life” and parents usually deliver this line to their wayward children.

me. It’s always like what are you gonna do, what are you doing, are you going out, are you doing this? I always think about that a lot,” she explained. “They just want you to succeed and you know, it’s not always positive but it’s always with good intentions.”

Balingit took that to heart and despite having a business degree, she set forth into the field of baking and it is a journey she’s enjoying to the hilt.

“There are things that your parents would want for you but I think that you’re only happiest when you can do the things that you personally want. And by that point, they’ll be happy for you,” she added. “Baking is a passion but I still do everything to stay stable until I am financially secure.”  She also fondly remembers her mom telling her ‘Do your best and God will do the rest’ while her dad would tell her to just be good to other people a major life lesson that she learned at such a young age through the folk story about the monkey and the turtle that her dad used to tell her as a kid.

Her parents inculcated in her to lead her life with kindness and do good for others and that’s what she has been doing with her baking. The joy of doing it is sharing the stuff that she has created with other people and one way to do that is through the book. Another way is that every time she holds a pop-up, she tries her best to donate proceeds to mutual aid organizations.

California homecoming

“I think that’s mostly what my parents say when they’re mad at emailed her saying that she has the first copies of the book and it was sent to her by mail.

Strawberry Shortcake Sapin Sapin

After a couple of events in New York earlier this month, Balingit is all set to fly to California to do a mini book tour to launch the book.

“In my heart and my feelings, I feel very proud and very excited,” she told us. “My parents have a book already and they’re reading it right now. But it’s really special to come home - I’m the only one here on the East Coast right now and it’s been six years of me living here.”

She knew from the get-go her primary market and she made sure her publishers knew about it.

“I was very upfront and I was like, obviously personally, I want Filipinos… to make the Filipino Americans as the most specific target but I hope that this is also to all bakers out there,” she said.

“I don’t think there’s any reason why anyone should turn an eye and be like, ‘Oh, I’m not Filipino and I have a Filipino cookbook’ because I think there’s genuine curiosity across every type of baker and every different level of baker. So I think this book appeals to hopefully everyone,” she added.

“I was so excited and I cried,” she said, recalling the moment. “A lot of people compare writing a book to literally having a baby because it’s such a long gestation period.”

“Holding the book for the first time was just surreal. I think it was like a pinch yourself kind of thing because I just didn’t think it’d ever be done, to be honest.”

The sweet test

Balingit admits that as a young kid, she loved everything sweet, from candies and cakes to pastries. As she grew up, her taste matured as well.

“Now my favorite thing to say is like that’s not too sweet, that’s so good and that’s a major compliment, you know. And I think a lot of the times like American desserts are traditionally a bit sweeter,” she shared.

This is the reason why among the 75 recipes included in her book, some have savory influences, like the aforementioned Adobo

Pork Floss, Kare-Kare Cookies, Stamped Calamansi-Fish Sauce Shortbread, Spicy Bagoong Caramels, and Sampalok Tajin Snickerdoodle, among others.

It was a conscious effort on her part to create these recipes that are not too sweet so she found ways to cut the sweetness by adding salty and savory components to balance things out.

Asked about what’s in store for the future for her, Balingit said she is open to everything. Some people have asked her to open a café to showcase all her treats, and others have suggested a follow-up book.

“I still want to love baking, I think that’s what I want to continue to do,” she said. “But it’s also about finding that delicate balance. I think maybe the right time will come for me to do all these things.”

Tibok-Tibok for One Photos by Nico Schinco

Balingit was on a vacation in Key West, Florida with her boyfriend as a celebration of their fifth anniversary. Her editor

Birthday girl Kathryn bares next film projects

by HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

KATHRYN Bernardo is about to make her return to the big screen with three films in the works, including a reunion project with her boyfriend singer-actor Daniel Padilla, and Golden Globe nominee Dolly de Leon.

Bernardo’s film projects were announced during the “New Movie Alert” virtual media conference on Monday, March 27, which coincidentally took place a day after her 27th birthday.

The actress confirmed that she will be working with de Leon in the dark comedy film “A Very Good Girl,” which will be directed by Petersen Vargas.

“It’s such an honor because I would be working with — and she agreed to work with me — with the one and only Ms. Dolly de Leon, ohmigod,” a visibly elated Bernardo began. “For sure, I would learn a lot from her, and I can’t wait to meet her again. So it was such an honor that she found time (to make this movie).”

The film, which is said to be a dark comedy genre with an “eat the rich” concept, will include Marionne Dominique Mancol as the screenwriter, Carmi Raymundo as the creative manager, and Daniel Saniana as the creative supervisor.

Raymundo also revealed that de Leon and Bernardo worked together when the latter was still young, which was shared to the former by the “Triangle of Sadness” star during a pitch meeting.

“We are very honored and very, very grateful that she gave us time to listen to the concept and story. When I was pitching to her, tinanong niya kung sino makakasama sa pelikula. When we said Kathryn Bernardo, immediately, nag-light up ‘yung mukha si Ms. Dolly,” she said.

(We are very honored and very, very grateful that she gave us time to listen to the concept and story. When I was pitching to her, she asked whom she would be working with Kathryn Bernardo, Ms. Dolly’s face lit up immediately.)

"Kasi sabi niya, ‘I don’t know if she remembers but we worked

together when she was very little. Noon pa lang, nakitaan ko na she’s very professional, she’s very humble.’ Tapos natatandaan daw niya na naka-kwentuhan daw niya si Tita Min (Kathryn’s mother),” she further added.

(She said, “I don’t know if she remembers but we’ve worked together when she was very little. Even before, I saw that she’s very professional and very humble.” She also remembered that she even spoke with Kathryn’s mother, Tita Min, before.)

“A Very Good Girl” will kick off filming “very, very soon,” while it is slated for a 2023 release. Details about the cast, plot, and premiere date are yet to be disclosed.

Another Lamasan film

Bernardo will also be reuniting with veteran filmmaker Olivia Lamasan in the upcoming Black Sheep Productions film “Elena 1944,” which tells the story of comfort women during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines.

The storyline of the historical action-drama was brought to life by Patrick Valencia and Enrico Santos, while Vanessa

Valdez will serve as the creative manager.

This marks the actress’ reunion project with Lamasan after “Barcelona: A Love Untold” in 2016.

"This was pitched to me prepandemic. In 2019, to be exact. Then fast forward, I turned 27. Buo na ‘yung loob kong gawin siya. It is something na nagre-represent ng pagkababae ko and I love to do a project like that, representing women empowerment,” the actress said.

(This was pitched to me prepandemic. In 2019, to be exact. Then fast forward, I turned 27. I’m fully ready to do it. It is something that represents my femininity, and I love to do a project like that, which represents women empowerment.)

Additional details about the production timeline, premiere date, and castmates were not revealed, as of this writing.

During the event, Bernardo also confirmed that a reunion film with Padilla would be filmed after “A Very Good Girl,” but she remained tight-lipped about the details. She also hinted that her partner would be working

Chocolate Chip Cookies. Then there’s Miso Caramelized White Chocolate Champorado with

“It’s interesting how it wasn’t always my intention to write a book, it wasn’t my intention to have this blow up the way that it did. But I’m really grateful for it,” Balingit added. “But it’s more like, I’m letting the tide take me and that’s how I want the future to be so I will never say no to anything.”

made

after they

Abi Balingit

Kathryn Bernardo

Photo

Heart reunites with ex-boyfriend Jericho

by JAn Milo Severo Philstar.com

FORMER lovers Heart Evangelista and Jericho Rosales were reunited in an intimate gathering with other former Star Magic artists.

In her Instagram account, Heart posted photos of the reunion with Jericho, Bea Alonzo, Maja Salvador, Diether Ocampo, Piolo Pascual and Johnny Manahan.

"About last night," Heart wrote in the caption.

"Growing up together was fun … seeing where life has taken all of us is pretty cool," she added.

It can be recalled that Heart said then that Jericho was her "greatest love."

Heart and Jericho broke up in 2008. The actress said then that her parents made her believe that the actor cheated on her with Malaysian actress Carmen Soo. She, however, learned that Jericho did not really cheat on her.

Heart also said that her parents did not approve of Jericho because he already had a child from a previous relationship.

Barbie and David on the impact of ‘FiLay’ tandem

by AllAn PolicArPio Inquirer.net

BARBIE Forteza and David Licauco were well aware of their love team’s growing popularity while shooting the hit series “Maria Clara at Ibarra.” But it wasn’t until their recent thanksgiving fans’ day that they managed to fully grasp the magnitude of their show’s success and their impact on viewers.

“Nakakawala ng pagod. During the event, I had flashbacks of the challenges and hard work we had to put in for the show but looking at the crowd made everything worth it. It made us realize just how many people support us, how many people we were able to make happy,” Barbie told the Inquirer in a recent Zoom session.

Last Feb. 26 at a Quezon City mall, the “FiLay” tandem —from David and Barbie’s respective characters, Fidel and Klay—drew a huge crowd that the Kapuso stars delighted with musical performances and a thrilling dance number.

As he got up the stage, David was instantly reminded why he decided to be an actor in the first place.

“Things have gotten busy with everything that has been happening after the show. It can be overwhelming, especially for someone like me who’s relatively new in the industry. But the moment we saw the crowd, I thought, ‘This is the reason we do this,’” he told the Inquirer. “It’s from the fans we draw the inspiration and strength to continue what we do.”

“I feel like one of our goals as actors is to make people happy, especially if they’re going through something,” David added. “We’re blessed to be in a position to do that … It can be tiring, but you just have to sit back and remind yourself how lucky you are.”

While “Maria Clara at Ibarra” has already ended, the clamor for the screen partnership—now amusingly called “BarDa”— remains strong. And GMA 7, Barbie and David’s home network, reportedly has a new soap in the works for them. But for now, fans can have their fix of the two Kapuso stars in the Sunday fantasy anthology “Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko.”

Lady and Luke

Their four-part installment, which runs until April 2, is titled “Lady and Luke.” The story follows a fussy, authoritative condominium manager, named “Lady,” and her happy-go-lucky sister, Sabrina (Zonia Mejia). Lady’s controlling,

cantankerous ways get her into trouble with a tenant named Delilah (Gilleth Sandico), who turns out to be a fortune teller who practices witchcraft.

One day, Lady wakes up to learn that her world has been turned upside down: This time, she’s the one getting controlled. Just like a puppet, Lady finds herself moving or doing things against her will. “Lady can be bossy, to the point of being controlling. But she doesn’t realize it. She micromanages her tenants,” Barbie said.

David, on the other hand, plays Luke, a contractor whose personality is the complete opposite of Lady’s. “He takes a more logical approach to solving problems. Eventually, he falls for her,” he related. Did they foresee the love team continuing after “Maria Clara at Ibarra”? Barbie said she had an inkling that she and David would be on this journey for a while longer, after the “tinatangi kita” episode aired.

"When that scene aired, the one where Fidel confesses his love for Klay and tells her, ‘Tinatangi kita,’ it really made a mark. There were a lot of heavier developments happening in that episode—our scene wasn’t really the highlight— but it stuck with the viewers,” Barbie said.

“That’s when I realized ‘Iba rin talaga ‘yung David Licauco! Mukhang medyo matagal-tagal pa siguro kami magsasama!’” she said. “And true enough, we’re busy right now. And we were able to cross over to a different project.

I’m thankful and I’m so happy. Ang

sarap sa puso when something good and unexpected happens.”

The tandem’s chemistry A lot of the tandem’s success had to do with the characters they played and their cat-and-mouse dynamic. The challenge therefore is for the actors to sustain their chemistry as they take on different roles and projects.

“I don’t think the chemistry will go away. If anything, David and I have only gotten closer. There’s pressure, but more in terms of improving our acting, or meeting people’s expectations when it comes to character development … I think the challenge is doing our scenes, and making sure that it’s not Klay and Fidel they see,” Barbie pointed out. As an entrepreneur, David couldn’t help but acknowledge that every decision or move can also lead to not-so-good outcomes. “I think people liked me because of my character. What if they don’t like my character in the next series? That’s something that has crossed my mind. But I guess I just have to let go of that kind of thinking,” David said. It might be for the better, he said, if he just takes things one day at a time. “I have to focus on doing better. I think I just have to enjoy and live in the moment,” he said. But one thing’s for sure: David wants to continue working with Barbie. “I don’t want to look too far ahead. Whether we end up doing a movie or a series, I will do my best to make the love team work. Barbie always gives good performances, so it would be embarrassing if I don’t do my part,” he said.

Maja Salvador, Jericho Rosales, Heart Evangelista and Bea Alonzo Photo from Instagram/@iamhearte

David Licauco and Barbie Forteza

GMA photo

NoyPitz Owners at NoyPitz Las Vegas. L-R: Nestor Manahan, Larry Calonzo, Rey Perez and Col. Ding Vilela

FIRING squad – drug shortage

“Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) signed a bill that will allow for executions to be carried out by firing squads, as the nationwide shortage of lethalinjection drugs continues.” (AP)

D3 wonders

Vitamin D 3 supplement has been shown in a study of 12,000 older adults to lower the risk for dementia by 40 percent, compared to people of the same age who did not take the D3 supplement, according to the University of Calgary in Canada and the University Exeter in England and coauthors. This sunshine vitamin is also known to boost the immune system, improves brain function, prevent osteoporosis, manage blood pH level, prevents rickets (softening bones), strengthens bones, prevents certain types of cancer, boosts mood, lowers risk for diabetes, aids in weight loss, fights inflammation, helps lowers blood pressure, and might help lower risk for heart disease.

CPAP and SPO2 monitoring

CPAP (Continuous Positive

Airway Pressure) is the gold standard and the only effective way to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Worldwide estimate is about one billion (1/8 of the global population), between ages 30-69, have varying degrees of OSA. In the United States, there are around 18 million people with sleep apnea, 6.2 percent of the US population, or 1 in 15 Americans. In the Philippines, about 11.3 million, have OSA, 10 million with insomnia, and 46 percent of the population (about 114 million) do not get enough sleep, one of highest sleep-deprived nation in Asia.

A significant number of OSA patients on CPAP therapy have not been monitored around the clock (continuous SPO2+heart rate monitoring also while asleep). SPO2 is the blood level of oxygen (O2 saturation, which is normally between 95 and 100 percent, ideally). Patients on CPAP should undergo continuous SPO2 monitoring because while CPAP will keep the airway open for good ventilation, it does not improve the SPO2 of those with asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that results in poor lung function and leads to low oxygen saturation level). More than 8 million people in the USA are on CPAP therapy and many of them are also using oxygen with their CPAP.

Wellue brand (CheckMe)

Bluetooth pulse oximeter for SPO2+heart rate monitors (work with a cellphone App to record large data) are available

Vital med tips

on Amazon. People who are on CPAP therapy should consult their physician about continuous overnight SPO2 monitoring, even if they do not feel short of breath during the daytime. The monitoring will show how many drops in heart rate and oxygen saturation and how low the O2 level goes down to, while one is asleep.

Blood oxygen saturation below 90 is unhealthy, and below that even dangerous. All organs, the brain, heart, liver, kidneys, etc.) are deprived of enough oxygen if the SPO2 drops below the normal level.

It is worthwhile to do

SPO2+heart rate monitoring while asleep because it is non-invasive; just wear the monitor like a watch and put the detector ring around one of the fingers for one week or so. This is just a precaution to prevent a potentially serious problem during sleep.

Silicone butt injections

To improve the butt and achieve a JLo butt admired by women, silicone could be injected to buttocks to achieve a more attractive, sexy, protuberant derriere.

But hold it, and listen to this warning from a model and TV personality Blac Chyna, who sounded an alarm about the potential risks and side-effects of silicone butt or breast injections. They include longterm pain, infections, scarring and permanent disfigurement, embolism (blood clots blocking blood vessels), stroke, and even death. These complications were also found after liposuction procedures. To undergo a cosmetic procedure that could be potentially deadly is obviously unwise and a waste of money. Life and health first before beauty.

Sleep and heart health

A new study on 300,000 people revealed that poor sleep is associated with a shorter lifetime for heart health. It also suggests people with sleep apnea, especially untreated, are at a higher risk for poorer cardiac health. People who slept poorly had two years less of heart health, meaning they developed cardiac disease two sooner than those who were sleeping well, achieving restorative rest. The research was done by the University of Sydney, Australia, and the University of Southern Denmark. A restful sleep is vital to general health. Lack of sleep is like lowbat in devices, with poorer performance and efficiency, and shorter life.

Amazing metformin

A retrospective analysis showed metformin users had a 24 percent reduction in relative risk of developing osteoarthritis. Its versatility as a drug includes improving fertility to increasing lifespan.

Metformin is the first drug in the initial treatment of T2 diabetes. It acts to reduce insulin resistance. For our

body insulin produced by the beta cells of our pancreas to work, it must be able to enter (penetrate) the more than 37.2 trillion cells in our body.

About 90 percent of T2 diabetics are non-insulin dependent, meaning their body is able to produce insulin, but it is unable to get into the cells (a condition called insulin resistance), so then insulin is unable to be absorbed to do its job in sugar metabolism, resulting in high blood sugar level (known as diabetes T2). Insulin-dependent diabetes is caused by the pancreas not producing enough insulin, causing diabetes (about 10 percent of all diabetes). On the other hand, in diabetes due to insulin resistance, the pancreas produces enough insulin, but it is unable to penetrate the cell. Metformin reduces cell resistance, making insulin able to go into the body cells to do its job.

Off-label use of metformin includes weight reduction, infertility, polycystic ovarian syndrome, prevention of pregnancy complications, and obesity. Metformin has also been found to improve executive function skills, learning and memory attention among patients with Alzheimer’s. It is now being tested for the management of inflammation and metabolism conditions. Those on metformin need Vitamin B-12 supplement. Lactic acidosis, which is rare, should be watched for. Generally, metformin is very safe, the second most common drug prescribed globally (52 percent of all international prescriptions), and taken by more than 120 million people around the world.

* * *

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, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, and Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com.

City of Las Vegas offers free Symphony Park Fine Arts Festival on May 6

THE city of Las Vegas invites the public to celebrate the arts at the second annual Symphony Park Fine Arts Festival Saturday, May 6, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 360 Promenade Place, adjacent to The Smith Center for the Performing Arts. The outdoor event is free and offers performances by the Nevada School of the Arts, Vegas Theatre Company, Majestic Theater and Broadway in the Hood, as well as children’s art-

making activities. Meet more than 50 local fine artists, artisan vendors and hometown arts organizations’ representatives as you walk the marketplace aisles in this park setting. Refreshments will be available for purchase. Fine artists who would like to participate should submit an online application by April 5, 2023, at www.lasvegasnevada. gov/SymphonyParkArts.

“I hope everyone will take

SOUTH-ASIAN Women's Alliance of Nevada (SWAN) inpartnership with the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) held its first freeSouthAsian food distribution event on March 25, 2023, providing muchneeded assistance tofamilies facing food insecurity in Las Vegas. This event, which was open to all members of thecommunity, distributed free food to 100 families and individuals. Each box included two bags ofrice, dal (lentils), dates, commonly found South-Asia spices, fresh fruits and vegetables.

ACDC, who generously provided funding for the food and donated the distribution space,supported this event. Over 35 volunteers from the community of which 10 were high schoolstudents, played a key role in the success of the event. This was well-received by theSouth-Asian community, with many expressing their gratitude for the opportunity to receivetraditional South-Asian food and connect with others in the community.

"We are thrilled with the success of the event, and we want to thank all of our volunteers,partners and community members for their support,” said Sweta Verma, Chair of SWAN. “Thisevent is just the beginning, and we are committed to continuing our work to address foodinsecurity and provide other services to members of the SouthAsian community."

"We are thrilled with the success of the event, and we want to thank all of our volunteers,partners and community members for their support,” said Sweta Verma, Chair

In the face of widespread economic strain, national conflicts and social unrest, surveys indicate that confidence in the future is at an all-time low in many countries, including the United States. According to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, 24 of the 28 countries surveyed are seeing “all-time lows in the number of people who think their families will be better off in five years."

Against this backdrop of pessimism, a special global program featuring the theme “You Can Face the Future With Confidence!” will be held on the weekend of April 1–2, 2023. The free 30-minute presentation will be hosted locally at a Las Vegas Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, with a videoconferencing option available. Please check the “Attend a Meeting” section on the home page of jw.org for local addresses and meeting times.

of SWAN. “Thisevent is just the beginning, and we are committed to continuing our work to address foodinsecurity and provide other services to members of the SouthAsian community. The success of the first free South-Asian Food Distribution event was a testament to the power ofcommunity and collaboration in addressing important social issues. SWAN looks forward tocontinuing its work and making a positive impact in the lives of the individual and families in theSouth-Asian community.

SWAN’s mission is to bridge the gap between the SouthAsian communities and the mainstream services and resources that exist within Nevada. The South-Asian diaspora includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Indo-Caribbean and other descendants of South-Asia. With the continuous growth of the South-Asian community in Nevada, specifically Las Vegas, SWAN intends to be the central point for the community.

advantage of this opportunity to buy directly from local artists, enjoy the music, the spring weather and the beautiful outdoor setting at the Symphony Park Arts Festival,” said Ward 5 Councilman Cedric Crear.

The event is presented with support from The Smith Center for the Performing Arts. For more information, visit www. LasVegasNevada.gov/artsfestival or call 702-229-ARTS (2787).

“The challenges we face may seem overwhelming, but the Bible holds out a powerful hope for the future that can help us right now,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “This global program is designed to give all those who attend tangible reasons to face the future with confidence."

Nevada resident James Keys felt hopeless after a recent cancer diagnosis. “I’m dealing

Millions around the world will join Jehovah’s Witnesses the weekend of April 1-2 for a program entitled, “You Can Face the Future With Confidence!” This event will be followed by the annual observance of the Memorial of Christ’s death on April 4. with cancer for the second time, and it’s not curable,” Keys expressed. Being a diligent student of the Bible has helped him to improve his outlook.

“(Hope) gets you through a day and gets you to look into the future, knowing that this is only temporary,” explained Keys, who is looking forward to attending the upcoming special program.

“Without that hope, I don’t know what I would be doing right now.”

The special talk is the first of two free programs that will be held in all 118,000 congregations

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT PSYCHIC

of Jehovah’s Witnesses during the first week of April. The public is also invited to join nearly 20 million other global attenders for the annual observance of the Memorial of Jesus Christ’s death, to be held on the evening of Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Admission to both programs is free, and no registration is required. Details on when and where these events will be held locally are available on jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Facing the future with confidence

Successful first free food distribution event bring relief to the community