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APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022

T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER

Volume 33 - No. 17 • 12 Pages

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DATELINE Fil-Am teen killed in car crash in Riverside County FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

A Filipino American family is mourning the loss of their 17-year-old daughter who died in a car crash on Easter Sunday in Riverside County.

Sharmaine Legaspi was killed in a car crash around 10:50 p.m. on Sunday, April 17 when she reportedly lost control of the sedan she was driving and hit a light pole on Murrieta Hot Springs Road, according to the Murrieta Police Department.

Legaspi was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 19-year-old passenger was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to recover, per reports.

“My daughter is in heaven now. Thank you for the loving family and friends who

Duterte to skip US-ASEAN meet in May out of respect for successor

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte will be sitting out the meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden and with other leaders of Southeast Asia scheduled next month because the Philippines would have elected a new president by then.

Washington, through the US-ASEAN Special

Summit, will be hosting state leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on May 12 and 13.

"Pangit na tignan kung magpunta ako duon alam ko na may bagong presidente na (It won’t look good if I go and there is already a new president-elect)

by AJPRESS

The Nevada Conservation League (NCL) unveiled its new mural in Las Vegas calling for climate justice. The mural features a Tagalog message: “Katarungan para sa klima, ngayon na!” which translates to “Climate Justice Now!” Photo courtesy of Ivan Serge and @apvevents

Jimuel Pacquiao to return US House passes bill to study new to the ring in California Asian Pacific Heritage museum bout on May 12 AJP

MANILA — Jimuel Pacquiao is set for his ring return in the United States on May 12, this time he will be parading his wares before a bigger audience at Quiet Cannon Montebello Country Club in California.

The eldest son of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao will figure in a three-round featherweight fight against a soon-to-benamed opponent.

Pacquiao second amateur bout is part of the Hollywood Fight Nights series under Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions.

The event will be shown live globally on UFC Fight Pass.

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Philippine Consulate in LA: Ballots for May 9 election have been mailed

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Jimuel Pacquiao wins his first amateur bout.

Photo from Instagram/@mannypacquiao

and besides, if there is a working conference, there might be some agreements or commitments that will be made there," Duterte said in his weekly address.

The Philippines will be holding its national and local elections on May 9 and the presidential

by

RESS

PLANS to create a national Asian Pacific American museum in Washington, D.C. have moved to the next step as the U.S. House of Representatives this week passed a bill to form a commission to study the issue.

The bill approved unanimously by the House on Tuesday, April 26 would create a new commission to consider the development a new National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture. The measure will head to the Senate for voting.

The group would be responsible for  PAGE 2

studying the costs of building a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture and if it will be part of the Smithsonian Institution.

Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) called it a “joy” to see the legislation advance in Congress, noting the contributions Asians and Pacific Islanders have made to U.S. history.

“Those contributions are often unheard of and simply forgotten,” she said. “It is time to change that.”

AAPI Victory Alliance Executive Director Varun Nikore said the Asian American and Pacific Islander community is “more than the tragic headlines” during the pandemic,

A new mural in Las Vegas features a Tagalog message calling for climate justice.

The artwork in Downtown Las Vegas reads, “Katarungan para sa klima, ngayon na!” which translates to “Climate Justice Now!" The Nevada Conservation League (NCL), League of Conservation Voters (LCV), and artist Guilherme Lemes unveiled the mural at the First Friday Downtown earlier this month. The artwork honors the environment while calling on Congress to address the current climate crisis.

Nevadans are experiencing the firsthand the effects of climate change, from the uptick in wildfires to record-breaking temperatures, according to the NCL. Lemes, a Brazilian artist based in Las Vegas, weaves his own culture, as well as indigenous and Black elements, into the mural.

“Murals work in a sense of educating people,” Lemes told the Asian Journal. “The purpose of this is to bring awareness.”

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Final president, VP debates canceled ahead of May 9 polls

by DONA

Z. PAZZIBUGAN, JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE, MELVIN GASCON Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has canceled the last round of presidential and vice presidential debates this weekend due to the unavailability of the candidates just days before the May 9 polls.

The supposed town hall debates rescheduled on April 30 and May 1 will instead be replaced with pre-taped, hourlong interviews of the  PAGE 2 candidates to be aired from May 2 to 6, the Comelec announced on Monday, April 25.

The poll body was forced to cancel the final presidential and vice presidential debates originally set on April 23 and 24 after its partner organizer, Impact Hub Manila, was unable to pay P14 million of its P20.5million obligation to Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, the venue of the Comelec-sponsored PiliPinas Debates.

The fiasco has prompted an internal investigation within Comelec of its top officials for possible criminal liability for committing the poll body to an allegedly onerous deal with Impact Hub. On Monday, 14 senior Comelec officials submitted their formal A new mural in Downtown Las Vegas promotes the call for climate justice in English, Tagalog and Spanish.

Photo courtesy of Ivan Serge and @apvevents explanation to Commissioner

New Vegas mural features Tagalog message calling for climate justice

by AJPRESS

THE Philippine Consulate General in LA announced that all absentee ballots have been mailed for overseas Filipinos registered to vote in the upcoming May 9 elections.

On its Facebook page, the Consulate issued an election update, saying: “All ballots have been mailed out as of 22 April 2022. Per USPS, delivery is between 1-5 business days.”

The Consulate previously announced that ballot pickup at its office is available only for registered overseas voters whose ballots were returned due to USPS failure or “for voters whose registered mailing address is ‘c/o the Consulate General.’”

To pick up a ballot, voters are reminded to bring a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a state ID or driver’s license, U.S. green card, Philippine passport or Philippine dual citizenship documentation for proper identification.

Eligible Filipino voters have until May 9 to cast their ballots for preferred president, vice president, senatorial

Rey Bulay, who is undertaking the probe, though several among them said they took “no part” in the decision on the debates.

The Comelec tried to salvage the final round of televised debates by rescheduling them a week later, with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) as the organizer.

However, several candidates have begged off due to previous campaign commitments.

“In consideration of the inevitable scheduling conflicts as the candidates approach the homestretch of the campaign period, and as advised by the KBP, the Comelec will now adopt a single candidate/team-panel interview format,” the Comelec said in an advisory on Monday.

Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said the planned hourlong interviews with each candidate, or together with their running mate, would air next week, with the panelists provided by the KBP. The camp of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has skipped previous Comelec-sponsored debates, on Monday welcomed the poll body’s decision to hold taped

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APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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From The FronT Page

Duterte to skip US-ASEAN meet... New Vegas mural features Tagalog message...

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be acceptable to the next inauguration will be held end- administration."

In a statement dated April 16, June. Duterte pointed out that while it would take a while for U.S. Press Secretary Jen Psaki the elected president to be said the summit will "build on" proclaimed by Congress, it would Biden’s previously announced $102-million programs on be difficult.

If he attends and makes a COVID-19 recovery and health stand or enters into agreements, security, the climate crisis, Duterte said it might "not economic growth, promoting

gender equality, and "deepening people-to-people ties" in the October 2021 US-ASEAN Summit.

“It is a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration to serve as a strong, reliable partner in Southeast Asia,” Psaki said. (Kaycee Valmonte/ Philstar.com)

Jimuel Pacquiao to return to the ring in...

PAGE 1 American Andres Rosales at Pacquiao, 21, had his first House of Boxing Gym in San amateur fight in the U.S. in Diego, California.

He has been training at Wild March, beating Mexican-

panel interviews in lieu of town hall debates.

Lawyer Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ chief of staff and spokesperson, said: “The panel interview of candidates is exactly the format that we have been advocating.”

It is the format that “can measure the depth of a candidate, who is presenting himself to be the next president of our country, distanced from the usual political noise, personal bickering and worse, gutter politics,” Rodriguez said.

Marcos has appeared only in the presidential debate organized by Sonshine Media Network International, owned

by Kingdom of Jesus Christ head and self-proclaimed “appointed son of God” Apollo Quiboloy, who previously endorsed the presidential and vice presidential candidacies of Marcos and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Monday also said he was fine with a oneon-one interview “if the schedule will allow it.”

“As long as there’s free time, why not?” the Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer told reporters in Carles town, Iloilo province.

“The thing there is we have commitments and as I mentioned earlier, we still have many provinces and towns to return to or visit. But if the schedule will allow, yes, of course. I’ll be happy to join,” he said.

Domagoso said he also did not mind the new format.

“Whatever it is, I’m applying for a job. And job applicants don’t get to choose how they will be interviewed by their future employer, which in this case are the people,” he said in Filipino.

No editing Presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Monday welcomed the move to convert the botched debate series into a panel interview with candidates on one condition: It should not allow edits of the pre-taped question-and-answer session.

Lacson said he was wary that post-process editing might take out portions that the candidates feel are vital to their intended message, or muddle the responses.

“Editing will complicate matters because (the candidate) has no control (over the final content). My worry is that if something good I said was omitted, and that which is unpleasant is aired, that would be so unfair,” he said.

Lacson said he and his running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, would rather have the interviews either aired live, or recorded but aired on the same hour.

“So it will be pre-taped. But even if it’s taped (but aired) as live and no edits, we’re game,” he told reporters on the sidelines of their campaign sortie in Tarlac City.

The presidential candidate said the modifications in the

action on climate justice, we know that it affects us all, but it affects our communities differently.

Underserved communities, which are particularly the low-income communities and communities of color, which include our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, they were hit first and worse by the climate crisis.”

Tabalba added that the translations of “Climate Justice

Now” in Spanish and Tagalog “represent the diversity of the communities” in Las Vegas and serve as a reminder to federal leaders that these communities are affected most by the climate crisis.

“They need to tailor the solutions that they vote on in Washington to help meet the needs of our communities,” she said. g

Philippine Consulate in LA: Ballots for May 9...

Card Gym under the tutelage PAGE 1 of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach and Marvin Somodio. and party-list representatives.

After filling up their ballot, (Mark Gionco/Inquirer.net) voters can either mail their ballot back to the Consulate using the envelope and stamp provided by the COMELEC, or drop it off at the Consulate during office setup would allow for flexibility hours.

All ballots must be received by in the candidates’ tight schedule, with just 13 days left in their the Consulate before 4:00 a.m. on May 9, 2022 (PDT). Ballots campaign. received after this time will be Platform discussion “That’s flexibility and that considered “invalid” and not be makes it viable; that’s a very counted. feasible suggestion because it will allow us to adjust our schedules depending on when we can have that one-hour panel question-and-answer interview PAGE 1 squeezed in,” he said. referring to the uptick in antiAsked for confirmation if he Asian hate. will participate, Lacson said: “This bill would be “Yes, we will find time.” monumental for the Asian Sen. Manny Pacquiao, American Pacific Islander meanwhile, wants the Comelec to ensure that all presidential candidates will have ample time to air their platforms of governance in the run-up to the PAGE 1 May 9 elections. shared their time to be with her Pacquiao’s media team said in this life. I love you and you will the retired boxing champ turned always stay in my heart forever,” lawmaker was amenable with the Legaspi’s mother Marieanne poll body’s decision not to push wrote in a Facebook post. through with the debates.

A high school senior, Legaspi However, the senator is open participated in beauty pageants, to a forum where all candidates most recently in the Miss can explain their platforms one Philippines USA Pageant in 2021 last time for the electorate’s as a Miss Young Philippines scrutiny. contestant.

“Debates have been conducted “I want to give back the several times, during which kindness others have shown major issues hounding the to me and to use whatever country and even personal issues privileges I possess help were addressed,” Pacquiao said others who don’t have the in a statement on Monday. things I do. Finding ways for “I appeal to the Comelec to Filipinos and Americans to ensure for the last time that the improve the lives of the people candidates will be given enough (physically and mentally) is time to discuss our platforms so what I choose to advocate for,” that the public can hear us,” he Legaspi wrote as a candidate for added. g the pageant.

Final president, VP debates canceled ahead...

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As for the multicultural message in the mural, it features English, Spanish and Tagalog.

“This mural is connected in the ways we can honor our environment and uplift the ways our community is calling for climate action and climate justice,” said Angelyn Tabalba of the NCL. “When we think about the climate crisis, and the need for

Ballots received by the Consulate between April 10 and May 9 will be submitted into the VCMs by the Consulate General’s Special Boards of Election Inspectors every Monday and Thursday, beginning at 9:00 a.m. during the voting period until it closes at 4:00 a.m. on May 9, 2022 (PDT), upon which a final count of all the ballots shall commence.

Outside of the Philippines, over 1.5 million Filipinos overseas are registered to vote for the

2022 national elections, with nearly 200,000 registered in the United States, according to the COMELEC. The Philippine Consulate General in LA covers Southern California (the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Imperial, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Kern, and San Luis Obispo); Southern Nevada covering the counties of Clark, Lincoln and Nye; and the state of Arizona. g

community as well as the rest of America: it will allow future generations and our neighbors to understand and appreciate our long-standing history in this country and show that there is

no America without the AAPI community,” said Nikore.

The commission will have 18 months to report its findings back to Congress and the president. g

US House passes bill to study new...

Fil-Am teen killed in car crash in...

Sharmaine Legaspi

“Gone too soon. You are well- Facebook page in her memory.

Legaspi was to be laid to loved by so many, you will be missed,” the Miss Philippines rest on Wednesday, April 27 in USA Pageant said in its Murrieta. (AJPress)

Dateline USa

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MORNING WORKOUT. A group of cyclists rides on the right lane of the Salitran Road in Dasmarinas City, Cavite on Thursday, April 28. The stretch of Salitran Road has been a popular area among cyclists and joggers.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

Anti-hate crime initiative launched in New Jersey NEWARK, New Jersey – A first of its kind, anti-hate crime outreach program entitled United Against Hate was launched in New Jersey to directly link federal, state and local law enforcement with traditionally marginalized communities in order to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division joined U.S. Attorney Sellinger, Acting New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly of the FBI Newark Field Division to announce their federal and state partnership on this new initiative.

After they spoke to an audience of community leaders, civil rights advocates, and community members, subject matter experts from their offices engaged in a presentation and direct discussions with community leaders and advocates about taking steps to identify, report, and prevent hate crimes and incidents.

“Hate crimes and discrimination are antithetical to the core principles underlying our democracy,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said.

“No one should ever be subject to acts of discrimination or hate because of where they are from, what they look like, whom they love, or how they worship. In response to a dramatic increase in hate crimes and hate incidents, we are launching the United Against Hate Initiative in New Jersey.

Combatting hate crimes, hate incidents, and discrimination is core to our mission, and through dynamic outreach and prevention

Protesters demand an end to anti-Asian violence during a rally.

efforts, we are eager to take steps to combat hate beyond prosecution.”

“The U.S. Department of Justice continues to marshal all resources at its disposal to hold people who engage in unlawful, bias-motivated acts of hate accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke.

“The ripple effect of hate crimes is felt hundreds, even thousands of miles away,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Reilly. “People who identify with those victims see themselves and wonder ‘will it happen here?’ and ‘Will I be next?’ The Constitution of the United States grants us many freedoms. When any one of those freedoms – or any other constitutional right – is threatened or violated, we have to respond.”

“The numbers are clear. Hate and bias are at an all-time high across our nation and in New Jersey,” said Acting Attorney General Platkin.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey was chosen as one of three districts, out of 94 districts in the nation,

AFP/Inquirer.net phto

to advance the United Against Hate outreach initiative. The U.S. Attorney’s Office plans to engage with communities across New Jersey to deepen connections with those communities, further hate crimes prevention efforts, and encourage more people to report hate crimes and hate incidents.

Last month, U.S. Attorney Sellinger announced the creation of a Civil Rights Division within the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This new division, which enforces both civil and criminal civil rights laws, will engage with local community members, advocacy groups, and other federal and state agencies to protect civil rights. The division will lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts in implementing the United Against Hate initiative.

Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations through the https://www.justice.gov/ usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement or may call the U.S. Attorney’s Civil Rights Hotline at (855) 281-3339.

(Inquirer.net)

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Dateline PhiliPPines

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Kerwin Espinosa recants drug Comelec aiming for ‘COVID-19 proof’ elections trade accusations vs De Lima by cesar

ramirez Philstar.com

by TeTch

Torres-Tupas

Inquirer.net

MANILA — Self-confessed drug trader Kerwin Espinosa has taken back his allegations that connected Senator Leila De Lima in the business of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison.

His retraction was contained in a counter-affidavit submitted before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday, April 28.

“Any statement he made against the Senator are false and was the result of pressure, coercion, intimidation, and serious threats to his life and family members from the police who instructed him to implicate the Senator into the illegal drug trade,” the counter-affidavit states.

“For this, undersigned apologizes to Senator De Lima,” adds the legal document signed by Espinosa.

False promise Espinosa still has a pending drug trafficking case before the DOJ. This complaint was filed the by the National Bureau of Investigation in 2021, using his extrajudicial confession on December 14, 2016, as well as the statements he made during the inquiry conducted by the Senate joint committees on public order and dangerous drugs and justice and human rights on the killing of his father, Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. But Espinosa said the contents of the December 14, 2016 affidavit

Drug personality Kerwin Espinosa

Inquirer.net photo

he signed were not explained to him by a counsel of his own choice.

Instead, he said, he was given a verbal promise that the case against him will be dismissed “which turned out to be false.”

Made up stories Based on the complaint filed by the NBI, Espinosa admitted he learned the ropes of the drug trade while he was at the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center through mobile phones. When he was moved to the New Bilibid Prison, he purportedly continued the drug business.

He also allegedly said that even after he was released, he was able to continue with the drug trade since his long-time fellow inmate remained at Bilibid located in

Muntinlupa City.

Now, he said those stories were made up for the Senate hearings since he was “coerced, pressured, intimidated, and seriously threatened by the police.”

“He has no other option but to invent stories for fear of his life and of his family since his father, then [Albuera, Leyte) Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. was killed on November 15, 2016, just 18 days prior to the Senate hearing.

Respondent was told to cooperate or else he and some members of his family will suffer the same fate as his father,” his counter-affidavit states.

Espinosa said that because he has been removed from the Witness

u PAGE 8

Advincula appointed cardinal-priest of Rome parish by roberTzon

ramirez

Philstar.com

MANILA — Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula has been appointed cardinal-priest of the Parrocchia San Vigilio in Rome, a few days after his recent meeting with Pope Francis.

In a post on Facebook, the Parrocchia San Vigilio invited Catholic devotees to witness Advincula’s canonical possession on April 30 at 7 p.m. Rome time.

“We are all invited to participate in the Eucharistic celebration for this very important moment in the history of the parish and our community,” the Parrocchia San Vigilio said.

Advincula became part of the consistory on Nov. 28, 2020, along with 12 other bishops of the Catholic Church.

With his new role, Advincula will be taking care of the Catholic Churches in Rome that are called “titles” and are traditionally under the jurisdiction of one parish.

Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula On April 21, Advincula met with Pope Francis and Cardinal Giovanni Philstar.com photo Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals. g

MANILA — All the necessary safeguards are in place for a “COVID-proof” election, Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials assured the 67.4 million voters trooping to polling precincts nationwide on May 9.

Comelec Commissioner Rey Bulay gave this assurance at a press conference on Wednesday, April 27 amid fears of a possible surge in COVID-19 cases, following the Department of Health (DOH)’s confirmation that the highly contagious BA.2.12 Omicron subvariant has already been detected in the country.

Bulay said all safety measures, set by the poll body’s “new normal committee,” are in place with the help of various government agencies to ensure the safety of all Filipino voters.

“The new normal committee wants a COVID-proof election on May 9,” Bulay said partly in Filipino. “So Commissioner [Aimee] Neri went ahead and signed multilateral contracts with different department agencies for the control of the spread of COVID-19 and its new subvariants

during the elections.”

He emphasized that these safeguards to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are in place for the “present, during elections and post elections.”

He added that while they are not setting aside the view of some groups claiming a “high probability” for the elections to be a super spreader event for COVID-19, the Comelec shall not discourage voters manifesting any symptoms from casting their ballots.

On the part of the DOH, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they will not prevent any Filipino from voting on May 9, but strongly urged those experiencing possible COVID-9 symptoms to remain in isolation and avoid going out to avoid spreading an infection.

Amid the Comelec’s assurance of providing isolation facilities at polling centers for voters exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, Vergeire said: “Hopefully, voters won’t insist voting at the site if they feel sick to avoid infecting others.”

The DOH urged concerned agencies to enable those under quarantine and isolation to cast their vote safely without spreading

the virus.

Postponing elections possible Asked about the probability of postponing the May 9 polls in deference to a big surge in COVID-19 cases, Bulay said the Comelec cannot break its constitutional mandate to hold the elections regardless of the country’s pandemic situation.

“We appeal to our citizens to help conduct clean, peaceful and courageous voting; for credible results and for all to accept it,” he said.

Commissioners Aimee Ferolino and Marlon Casquejo echoed Bulay’s sentiments, saying that the Comelec is ready for the May 9 elections.

Ferolino said that she does not think the Comelec could suspend the May 9 elections since they have “already prepared for any eventualities.”

“So, if there are challenges, we have prepared for that. We have contingency measures,” she said, adding that in the event of a spike in COVID-19 cases, they are also prepared to respond to it.

“Whatever happens, we will have an election.”

Casquejo, too, was firm in saying that the May 9 elections

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SFIO announces 50% reduction of authorized shares from 5B to 2.5B STARFLEET Innotech Inc. (OTC Pink: SFIO), a global investment holding company, is pleased to announce that the company is reducing its current authorized share count by 50% from five billion to 2.5 billion.

“We believe this reduction leaves enough shares in reserve for us to continue our capital raising efforts, while also minimizing dilution among our shareholders,” said CEO Jeths Lacson.

SFIO is also announcing the creation of a new class of preferred shares pending processing on NVSOS, to be used for future acquisitions, as well as for onboarding new officers and key partners. The Series B Preferred Shares consist of 310 million shares – largely converted from common shares held by

the company’s officers and key shareholders – amounting to 22% of the total 1.415 billion. Approximately 1.105B outstanding shares is expected following the restructure.

The new class of preferred shares will carry at least a 12-month moratorium on sales, further restrictions on sales and an opportunity for conversion

to common shares beyond the moratorium, as well as a right of first refusal for the company to repurchase offered shares.

“These initiatives are only some of a number of moves we are making to champion transparency and maximize shareholder value across our community,” Lacson said.

(Advertising Supplement)

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APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

OPiniOn

Onion-skinned

FeatURes

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EXPOUNDING on his threat to have the Armed Forces of the Philippines arrest critics of the Commission on Elections, Comelec Commissioner Rey Bulay lamented at a press conference on Monday, April 25 that he had been subjected to flak particularly on social media.

Welcome to the digital age, commissioner. For peace of mind, there are public officials who simply disengage from social media or ignore critical posts, with the thought that one can’t please everybody. Instead Bulay, a law classmate of President Duterte who was appointed as commissioner last November, said last Friday, April 22 that the poll body could order the AFP to arrest critics who accuse the Comelec of bias or express concern about cheating.

And Filipinos thought martial law ended in 1986.

Fellow lawyers had to remind the former Manila city prosecutor that the Comelec’s deputization of the AFP to ensure orderly elections does not include the power to muzzle free speech and criticism.

With just two weeks to election day, the Comelec currently has enough problems in ensuring honest, orderly and peaceful elections or HOPE on May 9. While HOPE has always been the ideal in electoral exercises in this country, it has never been fully attained. Even before the official start of the campaign period, certain politicians have been implicated in the assassination of potential rivals.

Aside from armed violence, the Comelec is grappling with the new challenges posed by COVID

pandemic restrictions as well as widespread disinformation on social media and a data breach controversy involving its vote counting machine provider Smartmatic. Complaints about disenfranchisement have surfaced following the opening of the Comelec’s online precinct finder service. It must decide which political parties will have dominant party privileges, amid the prevailing chaotic party situation.

The poll body’s effort to help voters make informed choices has been undermined by its inability to compel all candidates to attend the Comelecorganized debates, and now by controversy that has forced a shift from the planned final debate to one-on-one interviews with the aspirants.

These are all matters crying for urgent attention and efficient response by the Comelec. There will be opportunities for more criticisms ahead, both for the Comelec and its officials, in all media platforms.

Public officials who can’t take the heat should get out of the kitchen and enjoy peaceful retirement.

The AFP also has more pressing problems on its plate than to be sicced on critics of onion-skinned public servants. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

If we want Leni and Kiko to succeed as ‘Gobyernong Tapat,’ vote for these trusted candidates for senator The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS THE enlightenment, zeal. commitment, and sense of volunteerism of the Filipino people have turned the tide in favor of candidates Vice President Leni Robredo for President and and Senator Kiko Pangilinan for Vice President.

This growing and burning momentum has been manifested in successful jam-packed record breaking political rallies in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao powered by volunteers around the nation — a testament to the grassroots movement clamoring for change toward good and honest governance.

Kababayans have found renewed hope in the leadership by example of Leni and Kiko with their proven integrity, tried and tested honesty, transparency, accountability, faithfulness to the rule of law and the heart of true public

servants even before they entered politics.

The rise of this grassroots support move in the same direction of the endorsements for Leni and Kiko by private citizens’ groups like doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, farmers, colleges and university leadership, scientists, etc. along with former government officials, retired military officers, priests of the Catholic Church and many nongovernment organizations.

Even the results of Google Trends, a website by Google that analyzes the popularity of top search queries across various regions and languages, has shown the momentum is on Leni and Kiko now, surpassing the supposed frontrunners Bongbong Marcos Sara Duterte Carpio if (questionable) surveys are to be the sources. Google Trends correctly predicted, based on the scores on search queries, that French President Emmanuel Macron would be re-elected.

The power of this movement has proven to be stronger than questionable surveys, fake news and disinformation peddled by their political

opponents who only have their own political and personal interests driving them instead of true and genuine public service.

May 9, though, is the ONLY survey that will matter. But the success of the cause transforming our corruptionplagued government into a “gobyernong tapat” headed

by Leni and Kiko does not end with a Leni and Kiko victory on election day. We need to elect Senators who also share the same integrity, commitment and faithfulness to the cause as the President and Vice President.

Senators do not only write and pass laws, they have other roles and responsibilities that are intended by the Constitution to help protect, defend and strengthen our democracy as one of the three co-equal branches of government, especially in its fulfillment of its obligation to provide checks and balances so that not one official nor institution will abuse its power — something that we are already seeing and have been witnessing in the systemic corruption in government.

Powers and responsibilities Create bills, resolutions, concurrent resolutions, and simple resolutions Debate measures in respective committees and during plenary sessions Conduct inquiries in aid of legislation Propose or concur with amendments in the appropriation of funds by the House of Representatives Try and decide cases of impeachment Declare the existence of a state of war (two-thirds vote along with the House, voting separately) Authorize the president to exercise powers to carry out a declared national policy “for a limited period and subject to restrictions” in times of war or other national emergency Revoke or extend the president’s proclamation of martial law Concur with or reject amnesty by the president Concur with or reject treaties or international agreements (two-thirds vote) Propose amendments to the Constitution through a constituent assembly or constitutional convention

Make full disclosure of financial and business interests, and notify the chamber of possible conflicts of interest when filing legislation of which they are authors (Rappler) WITH these tremendous powers given to the Senate, we need Senators who will be part of the SOLUTION and NOT the problem.

We need to FIRE senators who have betrayed public and been convicted and implicated in crimes and transgressions against the country for corruption, plunder, violation of the rule of law, loyalty not to the people but to their party and selfish personal interests, etc.

We need to VOTE OUT candidates who have proven to violate the rule of transparency, accountability, delicadeza.

We need to VOTE OUT candidates who have been lying to us, deceiving us with disinformation and robbing us with the truth that we need to have to make informed and conscientious decisions.

We need to VOTE for candidates who have been faithfully and dutifully fighting for us and the greater good all their life, and not just during

campaign season.

Therefore, I submit to you the following names to vote for on May 9 as our Honorable Senators: Chel Diokno Antonio Trillanes IV Risa Hontiveros Leila de Lima Neri Colmenares Teddy Baguilat Jr. Alex Lacson Sonny Matula Luke Espiritu Richard Gordon Elmer Labog Dr. Minguita Padilla *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

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

Relos. Also on Twitter, Instagram: Gel Santos Relos

Confronting disinformation in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities Commentary

CHRISTINE CHEN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

OF

APIAVOTE

MISINFORMATION and disinformation are one of the great challenges facing Asian American and Pacific Islander communities today. They are making our communities less safe, weakening our trust in the election systems, and tearing some families apart.

We saw how mis- and disinformation have impacted both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, and it continues to have an impact on issues that are important to our communities, including vaccinations, immigration, and public safety. For example, we have seen disinformation campaigns telling voters the wrong election day, lying

that immigration officials are appearing at the polls, claiming voting-by-mail is ripe for fraud, contending schools are indoctrinating students with critical race theory, and more.

Additionally, disinformation is also being used to direct hate towards Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, and to pit communities against each other and against other communities of color – such as claims Chinese Americans are spreading COVID-19 and that Black and brown Americans are the main initiators of anti-Asian Hate. All of these narratives have the real potential to threaten our democratic process, mis-inform voters with non-factual information on which they may base their vote on, and most importantly – cause harm.

These narratives are able to spread easily through AAPI communities because frankly, social media companies are not doing enough to combat the

problem. On top of this is the fact that AAPI communities speak over 50 languages, come from various cultural backgrounds, are found across many social media platforms that often utilize closed groups, and nonEnglish content is less likely to be flagged. These all make it hard to monitor, track, and report problematic narratives.

As a result, it is also hard to push back with quality information.

Confronting disinformation will require major change; however, it is also important we arm ourselves with the tools to detect disinformation in our own social media feeds so we are able to push back one step at a time. Here are some tips: Does something you are reading or hearing seem too good to be true? Is it inconsistent with what other sources are saying? Does it invoke an emotional response?

Are there other sources discussing this story? Does it appear to be overblown, exaggerated, or lacking in

specific evidence? If the answer is yes, these are tell-tale signs that disinformation or another type of problematic narrative might be at play.

When asking ourselves these important questions, one of the most important things one can do if something seems suspicious is to check to see if other reputable sources are covering the narrative or assertion.

This may include well-known national news outlets, trusted local news media, government websites, encyclopedias, and non-partisan fact-checking websites.

If you cannot find other reputable sources about what you are researching, check the source of the information! If it appears to be a news outlet or blog, use MediaBiasFactcheck. com or AllSides.com to determine if it is a trustworthy source.

It is important to note that identifying disinformation can be difficult if something

appears believable, especially if it already fits into our existing belief system. When consuming any information from a source you are unfamiliar with, or if it does not have any sourcing, ask yourself if this fits too comfortably into your belief system. This allows us to challenge our assumptions and catch us from making the mistake of believing something untrue or misleading.

When coming across disinformation, it is important to not only know how to detect it – but do something about it. If something is false, report it! If you know the person posting it, and they are open to feedback, try kindly and privately speaking with them about your concern and leading them towards factual resources. Doing this prevents public embarrassment and can help them understand the problem with the post.

Lastly, never engage with a problematic post; bad actors rely on any type of reaction to

spread their message.

Unfortunately, most of us will come across disinformation in our everyday lives. It is an issue that needs to be addressed by social media companies and our elected officials, but with these insights in mind, we hope to confront disinformation head on, one person at a time – and move towards a world where our communities are empowered with good information. *** 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.

***

Christine Chen is the co-Founder and Executive Director of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote). APIAVote is the nation’s leading nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to engaging, educating, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to strengthen their voices and create impact. For decades, our action-driven organization has led national initiatives to ensure AAPIs are represented and heard.

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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Dateline PhiliPPines

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022

7

Marcos solidifies lead in latest survey Expert: Some sectors not represented in poll surveys

by Janvic

Mateo Philstar.com

by Catherine

S. Valente ManilaTimes.net

SUPPORT for the presidential candidacy of former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. remains solid as he again led the latest survey conducted by Laylo Research.

Based on the survey held from April 14 to 20, Marcos got the vote of 64 percent of the respondents.

The poll showed Marcos gaining 3 percentage points from his March performance of 61 percent, putting him 43 percentage points ahead of his nearest rival.

Trailing Marcos at a very distant second place is Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo, who garnered 21 percent voter preference.

The other presidential contenders got single-digit voter preference from the 3,000 respondents of the survey, particularly Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso and Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao, who tied for third place with 5 percent each.

They were followed by Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson who obtained 2 percent voter preference.

"With less than two weeks before the elections, Marcos' surging poll numbers make it very likely for him to breach the 70 percent voter preference mark in the succeeding editions of the survey," the Marcos camp said.

In the survey, Marcos also continued to dominate all the major voting areas with 62 percent voter preference in the National Capital Region, 80 percent in North Central Luzon, 46 percent in South Luzon and Bicol, 57 percent in the Visayas, and 75 percent in Mindanao.

"The Laylo survey results reinforced the observations made by political pundits that Marcos' numbers are continuing to firm up as elections near," the Marcos camp said.

"This means that majority of Marcos' voters have made up their minds and are not likely to switch despite the barrage of negative propaganda directed against their candidate," it added.

Similarly, in the survey results released by PUBLiCUS Asia on Tuesday, Marcos' firm voters rose by 10 percent, from 70 percent in February to 80 percent this April.

David Yap, PUBLiCUS Asia's chief data scientist, said the increase in vote firmness means that voters become

Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

more committed to their chosen candidate.

"I think it is something that all of us voters can attest to that as election date nears we firm up our support, we firm up our preferences and we become more and more committed to the choices that we have made thus far," Yap said.

"It's a very common occurrence among voters that as election day nears, they become more and more convinced of who they are voting for," he added.

Withdrawal The survey conducted by PUBLiCUS from April 19 to 21 showed that the withdrawal of any presidential candidate may not necessarily affect the current ranking.

Yap said that the second choice preference of voters varies even if they have similar first choice bets.

"I think it's important to disabuse people of the notion that if one candidate withdraws, then unambiguously all of his voters will switch to another candidate.

It's important to note that people have different preferences, and pivotal events such as the withdrawal of a candidate would have consequences that would usually depend on the personal preferences and personality of the individual voter," he said.

Results of the survey showed that if Robredo withdraws, her supporters will split primarily among labor leader Leodegario "Ka Leody" de Guzman (17 percent), Domagoso (18 percent) and Senator Lacson (21 percent).

If Domagoso withdraws, the bulk of his supporters will switch to Lacson (33 percent), while the remainder will split between Robredo (20 percent) and Marcos (16 percent).

The survey also revealed that if

ManilaTimes.net file photo

Marcos withdraws, his supporters will switch to Domagoso and Lacson (24 percent each) with a few to Robredo (7 percent) and Senator Pacquiao (5 percent).

Yap said that despite Marcos and Robredo being "diametrically opposed," the withdrawal of either one from the race may correspond to a vote switch to the other.

"There are a significant enough proportion of respondents who would actually choose as their second choice, either Marcos or Robredo after supporting the other candidate in the first round. So, basically, we're seeing here that, for example, if former senator Marcos would withdraw, 7 percent of respondents who chose him as their presidential bet, would actually choose Robredo.

And if Vice President Robredo would withdraw, 8 percent of her support would go to former senator Marcos," he said.

He also pointed out that the survey results also revealed that some voters have the same first and second choice candidates, which could translate to them not necessarily changing their vote even if their bet withdraws from the race. This corresponds to 16 percent for Marcos, 8 percent for Robredo, and 12 percent for Domagoso.

"Some people would just opt out of the voting exercise entirely because their first choice would no longer be available. So that's another point to consider," he added.

PUBLiCUS surveyed 1,500 respondents through purposive sampling randomly drawn from the market research panel of PureSpectrum of over 200,000 Filipinos.

Results of the survey have a ±3 percent margin of error for nationwide results. g

MANILA — A former secretary-general of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) said a more inclusive sampling of survey respondents may show different numbers on voter preference for candidates in the coming polls.

Speaking with “The Chiefs” on Cignal TV’s One News Wednesday night, statistician Romulo Virola said budget constraints limit survey firms in terms of getting sampling of respondents.

For instance, in the case of Pulse Asia, he noted that some sample respondents were selected based on regional distribution “even if they know that age, for example, or educational attainment or socioeconomic classifications matter in the choice of the voters.”

“The budget limitation restricts the choices of the survey firm insofar as making adequate representation of every group that matters,” he said.

“If the young voters matter in this year’s election, and they were underrepresented in the Pulse Asia sample, then that would make a big difference,” he added.

Virola also noted the underrepresentation in the survey respondents of voters who reached college, noting that the results may be different if the more educated voters would tend to support a different candidate.

He also cited the lack of respondents from A and B classes in the Pulse Asia surveys.

“The question therefore is, ‘are those classes, A and B, big enough to impact on elections?’

Now if the election is not very close, it will probably not matter,” he said.

Pulse Asia research director Ana Maria Tabunda explained that they did not deliberately exclude the two richest classes, noting that is more difficult to include them in the survey as they live in gated subdivisions or condominiums.

The survey firm earlier said the two classes only represent a small segment of the population and would be insignificant in the overall results.

Virola, however, noted a study on socio-economic classification in the Philippines, which showed that classes A and B represent nine percent of the population.

“So that’s much bigger than the one to four percent of assessment of Pulse Asia. And if the, as I said, if the election is close, the nine-percent exclusion, although not intended, can make a lot of difference in the election final results,” he said.

“If you sum up… (the) underrepresentation of the young in the sample, underrepresentation of the A and B and C classes, and underrepresentation of those who reached college, they can sum up to a huge number because we’re talking of only 2,500 (respondents),” he said.

The latest Pulse Asia survey conducted from March 17 to 21 showed Ferdinand Marcos Jr. leading with 56 percent, with Vice President Leni Robredo a far second with 24 percent.

Small chance for upset During the same program, Tabunda said the probability of other candidates pulling an upset is very small considering the lead of Marcos.

“If there will be a chance, it might not be enough to make an upset. There won’t be an upset even if there might be change,” she said.

OCTA fellow Ranjit Rye also

noted that the gap between Marcos and Robredo “is quite significant and the trend seems to show a consistency.”

“But then again… there’s always a possibility of change, especially if VP Leni’s campaign towards the end gains some momentum, we might see different numbers,” he said.

“It will be an uphill climb until election day.”

Virola and Rye also cautioned against using Google Trends to predict election results.

“Google itself has clarified that Google Trends is not a scientific poll and should not be confused with polling data. It really reflects the search interest of the people who use the internet, who have access to internet,” said Rye. “When you see a spike in a particular topic, this does reflect that a topic is somehow popular or winning. Only that for some set of reasons, it appears to be many users are performing a search about a particular topic. So Google Trends or the data coming from Google Trends can be used as a data point but it is not the same as what is derived from polling data,” he added.

Polling data is not on the same plane as Google Trends, added Virola, noting that survey respondents are specifically asked who they intend to vote for, while the other just looks at online searches.

“So there are two different approaches, two different purposes and both of them are very transparent about it,” he said.

“Google Trend does not claim to predict the winner of the election poll and Pulse Asia, the other survey firms do not claim that their prediction will always be right. And it has not always has been right,” he added. g

Comelec aiming for ‘COVID-19 proof’...

PAGE 5 would push through, citing the creation of the Comelec Emergency Monitoring Action Committee (CEMAC) as proof of their ability to respond to all election-related problems.

“We’re certain that suspension is not an option,” he said.

Go appeals to Filipinos Eleven days before election day, Sen. Bong Go appealed to Filipinos to protect the sanctity of the ballot by taking a firm stand

and making a conscience vote against unscrupulous candidates who coerce voters or try to buy their votes.

“Don’t be afraid! Do not send threats and bribes just to vote for leaders you do not like and do not represent the interests of the majority. We will continue to be vigilant in the coming weeks and until election day itself,” Go said.

“Let us remember that our vote is sacred, and it is our own decision as to who we want to

vote,” he added.

He also echoed President Duterte’s call for orderly, fair and credible elections and supported his vow not to let terrorism and other illegal activities disrupt the May 9 elections.

“Like President Duterte, this is also my view and call to everyone. The election must be fair and peaceful to ensure that the outcome of the election truly represents the will of the Filipino people,” said Go. g

8

APRIL 28 - MAY 4, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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

PH logs first Omicron sub-variant case

by Red

Mendoza ManilaTimes.net

THE Health department reported on Wednesday the detection of the first case of BA 2.12 Omicron sub-variant of COVID-19 in the country.

The carrier was a 52-year-old Finnish woman who arrived in the Philippines on April 2 and was not required to undergo quarantine because she was fully vaccinated and asymptomatic.

The woman visited a university in Quezon City and later traveled to Baguio City to conduct seminars. She began experiencing mild symptoms nine days after her arrival, including sore throat and headache. A succeeding reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test revealed she was positive for COVID-19.

The woman recovered and was later discharged after a seven-day isolation.

She returned to Finland on April 21.

The Department of Health's (DOH) epidemiology and surveillance unit's contact tracing, yielded nine asymptomatic individuals. So far, two of them

were tested negative for the virus.

The BA 2.12 Omicron subvariant was the main cause of the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States, as noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While preliminary data suggests that the sub-variant's mutations could be associated with higher transmissibility, experts are yet to determine if these sublineages have the capacity to escape immunity, increase contagiousness and cause more severe disease.

The World Health Organization does not classify this sub-variant as a variant of interest or a variant of concern.

The DOH said that while the country's border surveillance systems are efficient, the public is urged to continue wearing masks, practice isolation when feeling sick, and get vaccinated and boosted as a safeguard against infection.

No lockdown in case of surge Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the country will no longer implement wide-scale lockdowns in the event of a BA 2.12 Omicron sub-variantdriven surge, but will instead

implement the existing alert level system.

She said that symptoms are bound to manifest in the next 12 days if people were exposed to the virus during the Holy Week break.

"It is every day close monitoring for all of us, but we are not seeing any significant increase," Vergeire said.

National Task Force Against COVID-19 special adviser Dr. Teodoro Herbosa agreed with Vergeire that lockdowns were no longer necessary, saying that the country has amassed enough experience in fighting the virus in the past two years.

"We already know how to respond, as we have fought COVID-19 for two years. Our hospitals are ready to expand if cases increase like an accordion, where more beds for COVID cases will be allocated, and we are saving our PPE (personal protective equipment) just in case we see increases," Herbosa said.

DOH Director for Metro Manila Center for Health Development Gloria Balboa said that except for the municipality of Pateros, no local government unit has reported a spike in cases in the past few weeks. g

Divisoria vendors sue Isko for graft

by WilliaM

depasupil ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENTIAL candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso and five other city officials are facing graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the sale of the Divisoria Public Market.

Also named respondents were Vice Mayor Maria Sheilah "Honey" Lacuna-Pangan, City Council Majority Floor Leader Joel Chua, Councilor Ernesto Isip Jr., Secretary to the Mayor and Chairman of the Asset Appraisal and Disposition Committee Bernardito Ang, and Assistant Secretary to the Mayor Manuel Zarcal.

The complaint was filed by the Divisoria Public Market Credit Cooperative, represented by vendors Emmanuel Plaza, Eduardo Fabrigas, Rogelio Bangot, Jr., Betty de Leon and Lourdes Estudillo.

In a 14-page complaint, the vendors group charged Domagoso and company for violation of Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the "Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act." The group claimed that the Divisoria Public Market, a cityowned patrimonial property of Manila located in Binondo, was sold by Domagoso without prior notice and consultation with the market's bona fide tenants and vendors.

The vendors alleged that the sale of the market was without the required pre-qualification standard for the bidders as stated in City Council Resolution 171, S, 2020, which gave the city mayor the authority to enter into a contract "with any reputable corporation or entity."

"The unrestrained disposition of

Presidential aspirant Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso ManilaTimes.net file photo

the Divisoria Public Market by the City Council was brought about by the hastily prepared endorsement of Councilor Joel Chua, supported by the letter of Assistant Secretary Manuel Zarcal, that trampled upon the rights and interests of the Divisoria Public Market vendors, among others," the complaintaffidavit read.

"Verily, the respondents must be held accountable for its arrogation of power, unbridled prerogative, unauthorized disposition of a cultural icon, in favor of a private holding corporation that is 40 percent Chinese," it further said.

The sale, it added, violated section (e) and as well as sections (g) and (j) RA 3019.

Section 3 states; "Causing any undue injury to any party, including the Government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident

bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence. This provision shall apply to officers and employees of offices or government corporations charged with the grant of licenses or permits or other concessions."

The complainants said Domagoso and his co-accused acted "hastily, unlawfully, oppressively, causing undue injury to the complainant... by giving Festina Holdings Inc. unwarranted benefits, advantage of preference in so discharging their official administrative function through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence."

"That, respondents public officials had entered on behalf of the government, into a contract or transaction that is manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the same, to the public at large, to the public market vendors in Divisoria Public Market, and depriving our future generation of priceless heritage," the complaint affidavit read.

Records showed that by virtue of City Council Resolutions 171 and 180, issued in June 2020, Domagoso was authorized to take action off the estimated 3,700 square meters property.

Festina Holdings Inc. won the bidding for offering P1,446,966,000. The Deed of Sale was consummated on Aug. 10, 2020.

City Council Resolution 180 approved by Chua, allowed the conduct of the public bidding while Resolution 171 permitted Domagoso to enter into contract with any corporation or entity to sell the old market.

On Aug. 17, 2020, the City Council and Lacuna-Pangan, resolved to have scrutinized and ratified the deed of sale entered by Domagoso. g

Arrested hackers can’t manipulate polls, only out to scam politicians

by Gabriel

Pabico Inquirer.net

lalu

MANILA — The hackers who were arrested for offering services to politicians who want to alter election results in the 2022 general polls apparently do not have the capability to do such things, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) claimed on Tuesday, April 26.

Instead, CICC executive director and Undersecretary Cezar Mancao II said that the three hackers were really only out to scam politicians.

Mancao clarified that while it is true that they got inside the system of automated election provider Smartmatic — with the help of an ex-employee who gave them access — the group never got close to altering election results.

“Sabi nila, actually naghanap sila ng mga kandidato na sumasang-ayon sa kanilang mga plano na magha-hack at papanalunin.

Ayaw naming banggitin ang mga pangalan dahil sa probinsya, subalit meron na. At alam namin sa ngayon masasabi namin together with the PNP na ito ay napakalaking scam,” Mancao said during the briefing. “‘Yong kanilang na-hack, totoo nga, meron silang access sa Smartmatic system no’ng una, subalit dun sa nakuha kay Argana, ay ganoon din, hanggang do’n lang sa preparation,” he added.

Mancao said that it is nearly impossible to hack into Comelec’s system and change the results of the elections, as hackers would have to face highlevel security covered in multiple

layers of protection.

“Pero sa actual election, hindi na ho (kaya) i-access ‘tong ating Comelec system na nakuha from Smartmatic. Ang dami hong mga klase-klaseng firewalls, multilevel checking,” the former intel cop noted.

Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza of the Philippine National Police, who has been assigned to coordinate with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), said that he tried to ask the Comelec representative to explain things .

However, Comelec’s information technology expert declined because of a tight schedule.

Still, Nobleza assured the public that the Comelec’s system is “foolproof.”

“We invited the presence of the Comelec IT expert regarding this concern, but they are too busy to attend this because of previous commitment today.

But sir the Comelec assures the public that the systems, these are foolproof. It is next to impossible that this elections will be rigged, so napakahirap daw po talagang i-rig ito, it is next to impossible,” Nobleza said.

“So the Comelec assures the public that the system that they have in place — they have placed high-level security on their system, so napakahirap po talagang pasukin,” he added.

Information relayed by CICC earlier said that Joel Adajar Ilagan alias ‘Borger’, Adrian de Jesus Martinez alias ‘Admin X’, and Jeffrey Cruz Limpiado alias Brake/ Vanguard/ Universal/ LLR’ were arrested in an operation in Laguna and Cavite last Saturday.

The three, who belong to the ‘XSOS Group’, are facing

cases for violating Republic Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 for the following reasons: • hacking the Smartmatic system • disrupting the Comelec website • hacking the Napocor website • hacking the credit cards and other online transactions • ransomware committed against local commercial website Mancao said that even the hackers led by Limpiado — despite having access from exSmartmatic employee Ricardo Argana — conceded that it was hard to pull off such a stunt.

Some of the victims of the trio appear to be local candidates seeking elective posts, but the CICC chief declined to give out names as the list has not been validated.

“Sa initial statement ng ating mastermind-suspect, sinabi niya despite of the many access given by the contact sa Smartmatic, napakahirap daw talaga manghack sa transmission at saka sa results. More on mangi-iscam lang talaga sila,” Mancao noted.

Earlier, Mancao confirmed that the three hackers were connected to Argana who is currently missing after first surrendering to the National Bureau of Investigation.

Just this January, there were fears that the election results may be rigged in favor of a candidate due to rumors of Comelec being hacked.

However, Comelec officials back then clarified that they are confident enough that their system cannot be hacked, as they did not see any evidence of a data breach. g

412,000 STRONG. Filipinos cheer as they attend the Leni Robredo-Kiko Pangilinan campaign rally along Macapagal Boulevard, Pasay City on Saturday, April 23. The gathering covered the stretch from the corner of Gil Puyat Avenue to Edsa Extension with an estimate of 412,000 attendees.

AJPress photo by Kendrick Tan

Police may have underestimated crowd size at Robredo’s Pasay rally, online tool suggests

by Xave

GreGorio Philstar.com

MANILA — The crowd at Vice President Leni Robredo’s rally in Pasay City on the occasion of the presidential candidate’s 57th birthday must have been quite sparse in the eyes of National Capital Region Police Office, which estimate that only 70,000 to 80,000 people attended the event.

According to online crowd estimation tool MapChecking, the NCRPO's lower-end estimate would mean 1.3 people for every square meter of the venue and 1.5 people per square meter for the higher-end estimate.

Even the NCRPO’s initial estimate of around 90,000 to 100,000 people might be an undercount, considering that these numbers would have meant that only 1.7 people per square meter to 1.9 people per square meter were present.

At these rates, the crowd along

the stretch of Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard should not have been as dense as what Philstar.com witnessed when we covered the rally last Saturday, April 23.

From our vantage point on a platform situated close to the main stage near Jose W. Diokno Boulevard, the crowd fluctuated from around three people per square meter to four people per square meter.

According to MapChecking, this would have yielded a crowd that ranged from 159,987 to 213,316 people. If bumped up to five people per square meter, which is the maximum number of people allowed by the online tool, the crowd would have been at 266,645 people.

These estimates are far lower than the numbers released by organizers, who said that around 412,000 people were present at the Pasay rally. But it bears noting that MapChecking cannot account for spillovers into nearby roads.

Former DILG chief Alunan gives own estimate A now-viral Facebook post by former Local Government Secretary Rafael Alunan III also attempted to provide an estimate for Robredo’s rally in Pasay City, which was graced by A-list celebrities and entertainers including Vice Ganda, John Arcilla and Maricel Soriano.

Alunan said that given that Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard has an area of 175,000 square meters and assuming that there were around three people per square meter, there would have been at most 525,000 people along the street.

"How many more people would you say spilled over to the peripheries and tributaries - 50,000?, 100,000?, 150,000?” he said. “One thing for sure, the crowd was mammoth, thanks to the organizers, volunteer groups and supporters. Take a bow everyone!" g

Around 27 Catholic lay organizations back Robredo, Pangilinan BACOLOD CITY — At least 27 lay organizations of the Diocese of Bacolod have declared their support for the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Monday, April 25.

Bobby Magalona, lay leader of the Community of Families for Christ-Gawad Kalinga, said this is the first time that the lay organizations have united to come up with a declaration of support for candidates.

“This is very significant and very historic,” he said during a

press conference at the John Paul II Hall of the Redemptorist Shrine in Bacolod City.

The lay organizations, in their joint statement, said the results of the May 9 elections will determine what will happen to the country and the future of children.

“The choice of leaders in these elections will be crucial in deciding our fate as a sovereign and democratic country,” they said.

They called on each community to go through a discernment process and to be guided by

the truth and not be deceived by propaganda, disinformation, revision of facts and all forms of lies.

The group said Robredo and Pangilinan met their criteria of leaders who are God-fearing, show godly values, and value the Filipino family, Magalona said.

“We ask our lay faithful to learn, listen and support our Catholic Church social teachings and guidelines regarding our national and local issues, including our Church leaders’ stand on our elections,” they said. (Inquirer.net)

7 municipalities, 1 city in Mindanao placed under Comelec control

by WilliaM

depasupil ManilaTimes.net

COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan on Tuesday, April 26 placed seven municipalities and one city in Mindanao under Comelec control.

Placed under Comelec control were the towns of Buluan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Piang, Mangudadatu, Pandag and Sultan Kudarat in the province of Maguindanao.

Also under Comelec control are Marawi City and the town of Maguing both in Lanao del Sur, in addition to Tubaran and Malabang towns.

Pangarungan said that his latest directive was based on

the recommendation of the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines and Regional Election Director Ray Sumalipao, the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC).

Under Comelec Resolution 10757 an area can be put under Comelec control if there is a history of/or current intense rivalry among contending parties.

Such rivalries could motivate people to engage in violent acts; incidents of politically-motivated violence involving aspirants/ candidates and other supporters.

Violence may be facilitated by the employment of Private Armed Groups (PAGs); and serious armed threats posed by the Communist Terrorist Groups

(CTGs), and other threat groups including the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFFs), the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the Maute Group, and other analogous threat groups as may be declared by the competent authority, or other paramilitary forces, private armies or identifiable armed bands widely perceived to have committed terrorism, fraud or other election irregularities and threaten or disrupt the holding of free, peaceful, honest, orderly, and credible elections in any political divisions, subdivisions, unit or area.

"As regards to other areas, we are continuously upgrading and updating our assessment status," Pangarungan said. g

confess’,” his counter-affidavit says.

DOJ’s reaction Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento said Espinosa’s recantation has no effect on the government’s case against de Lima.

“Hindi siya witness ng prosecution [He is not the prosecution’s witness],” Malcontento said in a message to reporters.

The Witness Protection Program or WPP is a program under the DOJ which was established via

Republic Act No. 6981. It aims “to encourage a person who has witnessed or has knowledge of the commission of a crime to testify before a court or quasi-judicial body, or before an investigating authority, by protecting him from reprisals and from economic dislocation.”

Espinosa was placed under WPP in 2017 as a witness against de Lima and removed from the program in February this year. g

Kerwin Espinosa recants drug trade...

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Protection Program, the NBI can no longer use his supposed confession before the Senate or any written documents to prove his guilt and those of other people he may have implicated.

“The complainant must rely on the strength of its own evidence and not on the basis of Espinosa’s alleged admissions outside of Court which the complainant itself admitted…as his ‘extrajudicial

BIOMETRICS. A Philippine Statistics Authority personnel (right) assists Rodeno Aquino, 62, in the fingerprint scanning during Step 2 of the registration process for the PhilSys or National ID system at the Barangay Hall of Barangay Salitran 3, City of Dasmarinas, Cavite on Thursday, April 28. Philippine Statistics Authority personnel have been holding national ID registration in the villages of the city.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

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Good things to come for eastern entrance to Pahrump

by RealtoR

Fely Quitevis-Bateman

DEVELOPMENT continues to take place in Pahrump, a town located some 62 miles west of Las Vegas, and one of the neighboring communities positively impacted by the great things happening in the gambling and entertainment capital in the western United States.

In a recent news development, a company named Adaven Management went before the Nye County Commission to provide an update on a development agreement that was approved more than two decades ago that, if things go according to plan, will see quite a change to the eastern entrance into the town.

What is planned is a construction of a roundabout on Highway 160 at Manse Road, something that the company has been working with the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT). According to a company official, the project is currently under review and it is expected to receive the green light to start on the project sometime in the near future.

Apart from construction plans for the roundabout, Adaven revealed in a recent Pahrump Valley Times report that it is being required “to provide rights of way necessary for the constuction of the roundabout, as well as to provide construction funds to build the roundabout.” It added that the company would like to

start the construction as soon as the NDOT will allow them.

The planned roundabout will provide access to a planned Common Interest Community dubbed “Mountain Falls South.”

The development agreement provides for the company and its associated parties to build around 5,160 residential units in the planned community. The subdivision’s location is on approximately 1,177 acres of land southwest of the intersection of Manse Road and Hafen Ranch Road.

And while it may be a bit of time before homes can be built on the site, other requirements set forth in the development agreement have taken place over the years, including the donation of a 12acre site for Floyd Elementary School, donation of water rights and necessary sewer connection, as well as coordination with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to help establish a church on Manse Road.

Additionally, there has been paving and curb and gutter work done on Manse Road, and installation of a fiber-optic line, which is in line with stipulations in the development agreement that called for certain improvements to be made to Manse Road from the highway to Hafen Ranch Road.

Currently, it is estimated that about $17 million has been invested by Adaven on

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (extreme right) attended a meeting with three Nye County commissioners who are leaning towards the approval of a glove factory on Mesquite/Avenue of the Stars in Pahump.

One of Realtor Quitevis-Bateman’s investors, Victor Covarubbias (left, seated), also a resident of Tower 2, Turnberry Place, visited Pahrump for a possible site of a Ford dealership. Mr. Covarubbias owns a Ford dealership in California. With Covarubbias in above photo are (from left) Realtor Quitevis-Bateman and another investor, Jennifer Benedict.

infrastructure; the roundabout is likely to cost another $1.5 million.

This certainly bodes well for the town of Pahrump as it continues on its way to progress. Originally inhabited by the Southern Paiute and mostly dotted with ranchstyle holdings over 400 hectares in size, Pahrump has grown into a town that major retailers and real estate developers are taking a look at due to its proximity to Las Vegas.

In an article in the Las Vegas Review Journal, it said that a broader acceleration for areas like Pahrump is seen in order to address the needs of homebuyers as real estate and property developers eye new regions where they can set up potential projects. That means more housing in the future, and perhaps an exodus of people looking for the right opportunities in newer markets.

From left: Jenny Truong, Ron Quilang and Alka Products CEO/President Andrew Hoang. Mr. Hoang is behind the proposed glove factory in Pahrump. Phase 1 of the project will reportedly provide 600 jobs in the area.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman with Nye County Chief Planner Brett Waggoner, who confirmed about the two roundabouts coming on Highway 160.

Plus, there’s the boon of the continued rise of real estate prices in the town. Although land prices in Pahrump may not be as low as it was decades ago, it is still an affordable alternative to the rising real estate prices in Las Vegas, which has seen many duking it out for available affordable housing and potential for overbidding.

Real estate in Pahrump has appreciated about 155% over the last ten years alone, according to latest data available, which puts the unincorporated town in the top 10% nationally for areas whose real estate values have appreciated exponentially.

Due to this, many observers see Pahrump as being one of the best long-term investments that people can make in the United States over the past decade and into the future. Despite a downturn in the housing market, Pahrump’s real estate portfolio has continued to appreciate.

The roundabout is just one of the projects planned in Pahrump.

Millions of dollars in projects are being infused in infrastructure

which will benefit the town in the long run.

While prices are still affordable, now is the time to look for opportunities in Pahrump and neighboring communities.

Whether you are looking to settle in a new place, find your own piece of retirement heaven, or just looking to own land or another property as an investment, Pahrump is a great find and I will help look for the best opportunities available in the market.

Many of my clients have reaped the benefits of their investments in land and property – you could be one of the many individuals and families who can grow their real estate portfolio and net worth by looking at what’s on the market.

My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company serving its clientele since 1992 and you can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-5592476 and 702-538-4948 for more information. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow

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April 28, 2022

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LIFESTYLE • CONSUMER GUIDE • COMMUNITY • MARKETPLACE

Fil-Am mother-daughter duo joins CBS’ new dance competition series by

Donnabelle gatDula-arevalo / AJPress

FILIPINO American mother and daughter duo Nicole and Emelyn Yniguez want to tell their story through dance as they join the newest CBS’ family dance competition series, “Come Dance with Me,” which premiered earlier this April.

Nicole, 41, who works as a social media consultant, said showing their true selves in their dance routines would somewhat give them an edge over other teams in the competition.

“The most valuable thing that I told Emelyn and myself was to be just ourselves and have fun,” Nicole, the mother of 4 children, told the Asian Journal when asked what people can expect from their performances in the 11-week dance contest series.

“Yes, it’s a competition and

we want to do our best but we just need to be ourselves and that’s what’s gonna come across the people watching on television that as long as we can stay true to who we are and not try to be anything other than Emelyn and Nicole, I feel that people can relate to us because we are just being our authentic selves,” Nicole added.

“Come Dance with Me” features exceptionally talented young dancers from across the country who invite one untrained family member who has supported their dance dreams to be their partner, for a chance to strut their stuff for a grand prize.

Never in her wildest dreams did Nicole imagine she would be joining a dance competition as big as this one.

Fil-Am daughter Emelyn and mother Nicole Yniguez from Las Vegas compete in CBS’ new dance competition series “Come Dance with Me.”

“I honestly didn’t expect to be in the show with her. We just applied and it was in 2020 and she was just 12 and it was mid-pandemic, we were home and the kids were not in school.

Everything was remote so we just did it on a whim, not really expecting to go far,” Nicole said.

“When we had an interview, I was actually trying to suggest my husband to do the show with her but they inquired about me and I guess they liked the idea that I was a mom that was sacrificing her work so her kids can dance,” she added.

Nicole left her day job to film the dance show’s two-hour premiere episode in Australia mid-last year.

While she never had a chance to shake a leg when she was younger, Nicole wished to learn but her hardworking parents did not have the luxury of time to bring her to dance schools.

“I always wanted to dance when I was younger but my parents, both working then, did not allow me because of time commitment issues. I never had the opportunities so when this presented itself and when Emelyn asked me to do it with her, then the rest is history,” said Nicole, who also used to hold an administrative office job at a dance studio in New Jersey before the family moved to Las Vegas.

With a supportive family, 14-year-old Emelyn, on the other hand, has been lacing up her dance shoes since she was three years old. She is now a preprofessional dancer and has been dancing competitively for over seven years.

Emelyn got her inspiration and love for dancing from watching students in the dance studio where her Mom used to work. She began dancing at the age of 3.

“When I was 7 years old, my

mom started working at a dance school. One day, my mom took us to watch a dance contest.

The dancers were on stage and I go watched them and I was just in awe and so inspired and I told my mom, ‘I wanna do this and I wanna dance on stage, too. I want to dress up and get a trophy and get an award for dancing,’” Emelyn said.

Through years of experience and immense training, Emelyn could muster any dance style and genre, such as hip hop, tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, ballroom and tumbling/ gymnastics.

Preparing for the intricate and complicated dance routines, Nicole admitted, was a major challenge for her.

“Before we went to Australia to film the show, I’ve never trained. I’ve never danced before. It was very physically demanding experience because you know at that time I was 40, my body doesn’t move the way my daughter’s does. So learning these intricate steps was very hard and it took a lot of practice and a lot of corrections from my daughter so that I could at least try my best to match her energy and all the stuff that she does,” Nicole said.

Emelyn, for her part, has been continuously honing her dancing prowess through intense and vigorous training.

“I am actually competing with my current studio Dance Connection. I am also training at Dance Connection about five to six days a week, four to five hours per day and I train in all styles,” the teen said.

With all these sacrifices and challenges, Nicole and Emelyn are just proud to be representing the Fil-Am community in the U.S. “We are so proud to be a Fil-Am mother-daughter duo representing the Filipino community. We hope that our

Duo Emelyn and Nicole Yniguez show off behind the scenes photos while filming CBS’ “Come Dance with Me” in Australia.

Photo courtesy of Nicole Yniguez/Instagram

story and our dances can inspire other young Fil-Am dancers out there,” Nicole said.

“We know that Filipinos are known to be great at everything, entertainment-wise.

It’s so amazing that we have this opportunity to not only represent the Filipino community but the Asian community and the most beautiful thing that I would say about the cast is that we are very diverse. There are actually three families that are of Asian descent. We are so proud to be one of them representing all the Asian and Filipino families out there and we just really hope that we make all the Pinoys out there proud,” she said.

This mother-daughter dance tandem from Las Vegas is one of the 12 teams from across the country who will vie for the competition’s grand prize of $100,000.

Emelyn, Nicole’s oldest child, said if they win, they would want to use the prize money to buy a house.

“Right now, we live in a condominium. A family of six in a three-bedroom condo, it’s very small compared to what we want to live in. We would really

like to buy a house,” the teen dance enthusiast said.

According to the 8th grader, they would also save some of the prize money for a college fund and other family expenses.

“Come Dance with Me” is from creators and executive producers Chris O’Donnell, LL COOL J (stars of CBS’ “NCIS: Los Angeles”) and 3 Ball Productions. The show, which premiered in April 15, will air every Friday thereafter for 11 weeks, at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific and 7 p.m. Central.

GRAMMY® Award-winning songwriter Philip Lawrence hosts the series which features music from popular artists across all genres.

Judges of the competition include one of Hollywood’s most prolific dancers and actresses, Jenna Dewan; professional celebrity dancer Dexter Mayfield; and renowned hip hop choreographer Tricia Miranda.

Throughout the season, each duo will learn and perform different styles of dance, from hip hop and ballroom to contemporary and theatrical, among others.

Fil-Am choreographer of Justin Bieber and BTS’ joins ‘Top Class’

by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net

"TOP Class: The Rise To P-Pop Stardom" — the biggest and newest P-Pop reality search competition in the Philippines — will have internationallyrenowned dance superstar and choreographer Brian Puspos as its official dance mentor.

The announcement comes after the show revealed Asia's Soul Supreme KZ Tandingan and Hip-Hop artist Shanti Dope as the contestants' vocal and rap mentors, respectively.

"It means the world to me being Filipino-American, and just my love for the Philippines and our people, but also representing

EMPLOYMENT

dance. You know, dance has just recently gone to the forefront of just art and I think it's very important for me as a Filipino and as a dancer to be on such a high platform and to help people reach their dreams, help mentor them and shape them to get better," he said during his launch.

Hailing from Houston, Texas, Puspos first gained recognition in the dance scene when his dance crew called "SoReal Cru" finished as the runner-up in the second season of Randy Jackson's "America's Best Dance Crew." In the seventh season, he competed once again but this time with the "Mos Wanted Crew," finishing third. He is also an R&B singer, having already released three EPs

in 2017 and 2020.

As a choreographer, he has worked with famous acts such as Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, and K-Pop group BTS. "I think out of everyone that I've worked with, in my dance career, I think BTS are the ones that really stick out because not only am I a fan of them, I'm also a huge fan of their hard work — they put their blood sweat and tears into everything that they do. That's something that really sticks out to me and somethingI hope to see from the contestants of Top Class as well."

Asked what the trainees of Top Class will have to show to impress him, the "Male Choreographer of the Year" — recognized by

EMPLOYMENT

the world's largest dance brand and enterprise, World of Dance (in 2012 and 2014) — simply encouraged future participants to be themselves.

"It's a cliché but I think that's very important because, you know, God made us all individuals and we're all very unique and special. So I think just looking out for people embracing themselves, and obviously having the discipline to work really, really hard."

He added, "From joining dance competitions, I've learned that it's not really about the placing the first place second place third place, it's really is just about having a lasting impression. So I Renowned Filipino American dance choreographer Brian Puspos Photo from Instagram/@brianpuspos PAGE 11

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Unmasking insanity Health @Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS THE pandemic is far from over. While we want to celebrate the tapering cases in the United States, statistics still show there were 76,612 cases and 353 deaths on Monday (April 25) and a 7-day average of almost 47,000 cases and around 400 deaths, an increase of about 51 percent compared to a week ago.

Only around 66 percent of the 332.6+ million U.S. population has been fully vaccinated (about 109 million still unvaccinated), a much lower vaccination rate than many other developed countries around the world.

China is currently facing a massive surge. Spillover to other parts of the globe is inevitable.

In the midst of the masking controversy and confusion, it is prudent to be on the safe side – to continue using a mask inside stores, public buildings, and mass transits, which will also protect the vulnerable seniors and immunocompromised people besides the wearer.

Wisdom, humility, patience, and compassion are essential in defeating this pandemic.

T cells protect Why are some unvaccinated people not getting infected with COVID-19? Findings of recent studies revealed that those who previously had common cold coronavirus infections have higher levels of T cells, which are a part of the immune system that protects the body from infection. The study provides “the clearest evidence to date that T cells induced by such common cold infections play some protective role against SARS-CoV2 infection. However, such “immunity” could not be relied upon solely as protection against COVID-19. Vaccination is still the best protection against COVID-19 infection and its potentially fatal complications.

Ventilation vs COVID-19 While it is obvious that the lower the viral load and exposure, the lower the chances of infection. Outdoor is safer as far as transmission of any airborne infection is concerned because the airflow dissipates and “dilutes” the germs in the air, markedly reducing the concentration of the “bugs” in the air. Studies over the past couple of years, since the pandemic started, have shown that good ventilation system in buildings, like schools, and enclosed areas, like our home, is vital in controlling the transmission of COVID-19.

E-Cig is worse Electronic cigarettes (E-Cig or Vapes), introduced to be a safe substitute for tobacco smoking, are churning out grave concerns about a range of diseases and deaths related to their use.

Studies show that using podbased e-cigarettes daily elevates inflammatory markers involving multiple organ systems, including the heart, lungs, and the brain, which impacts how organs respond to infections like COVID-19.

It is estimated that more than 12 million adults in the United States use battery-operated e-cig (vape) devices and the highest number of users are between the ages of 18 and 24. E-Cig and vaping are certainly not healthier alternatives to cigarettes, merely changing the killer.

Breastfeeding Evidence-based clinical studies have proven old-fashioned breastfeeding to be robustly associated with reduced risk for maternal diabetes mellitus Type 2, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. Breast-fed children are also healthier and more secure.

Marijuana dangers The legalization and wide use of recreational marijuana in the United States give society the delusion that it is totally safe and devoid of health risks.

Appropriate use of medical marijuana under a physician’s supervision is one thing; its use for recreational purposes is another. Nearly 55 million

Americans have used marijuana at one time in their life. Marijuana is illegal in the Philippines. The United Nations Office of Drug and Crime reports that in 2016, 1.1 percent of Filipinos aged 1064 used this illegal drug.

Marijuana has negative longterm health effects. Ten percent of users get addicted to it. Among those aged 18 and younger, the addiction rate goes up to 1 in 6.

Some adverse effects: • Brain – can cause permanent IQ loss of as much as 8 points, which do not come back, even if the user quits marijuana.

• Mental health – marijuana causes anxiety, depression, psychoses, and suicidal tendencies.

• Driving – driving under the influence of marijuana slows down reaction to other cars, signals, and sounds, laneswerving, reduces coordination, and concentration, worse than alcohol.

• Athletic Prowess – marijuana use negatively impacts movement, timing, reaction, and coordination, and can diminish total performance.

• Baby’s health and development – marijuana use during pregnancy may cause restriction of fetal growth and development, stillbirth, premature birth, and poor brain health, resulting in hyperactivity and poor cognitive function among children. Chemicals in marijuana also pass to the baby through breast milk, further impairing the child’s health and development.

• Life itself – The use of marijuana controls how well people perform in life; chronic users are more likely to have worse educational outcomes, poorer relationships, lower career achievement, and severely lower life satisfaction.

Title 42, the Wall On April 1, 2022, the Biden administration announced it would lift Title 42, a public health policy adopted by the Trump administration that empowers the government to immediately expel any person who makes an illegal border crossing into the United States to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Title 42 also prevents the entry of drug cartels, weapon smugglers, convicted criminals, and rapists into the country. The President and Congress seem to be having difficulty seeing the obvious and making the right decision. Give the problem to a class of 5th graders to solve and I guarantee you we’ll get a Solomonic decision within minutes, not months. It might even include bonus wisdom of completing the entire wall to stop the severe hemorrhage and save trillions for the U.S. As a cardiovascular surgeon, my natural instinct is to control any massive bleeding immediately to save the patient by patching the wall of the leaking main artery, instead of giving expensive wasteful blood transfusions ad libitum and allowing the hemorrhage to go unabated.

I bet that Biden, Pelosi, Schumer and others who are against completing the border wall to protect the United States would instantly employ carpenters to do immediate repairs if a large part of the wall protecting their own (securityguarded) homes were missing and strangers are invading their homes, for them to house, feed, and provide education for the kids and healthcare for all of them, all at these politicians’ expense.

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

Fil-Am choreographer of Justin Bieber and BTS’ joins...

PAGE 10

think if you pour your passion and your heart into something and you present it on stage, I think you've already won. And it's really just about the lasting impression that you give."

Top Class is a reality show made possible by the collaboration of Filipino entertainment giants — Kumu, Cignal Entertainment, TV5, and Cornerstone Entertainment.

The show will be hosted by Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray.

Auditions for the show is extended until April 30. For this edition of the series, Top Class will only be admitting boys aged 16 to 26. The audition mechanics can be found on the social media pages of Top Class. Aspirants will have to download kumu, upload their 57-second audition klip on their kumu account with the hashtag #kumuTOPCLASS, and accomplish the given steps to make their audition entries valid.

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‘Run for Rice, Walk for Wellness’ 5K kicks off Asian Pacific American Heritage Month THE countdown is on to the first annual “Run for Rice & Walk for Wellness 5K! This inaugural health/ fitness event, organized by the Asian Community Development Council, is happening on Sunday May 1 from 8AM to 1PM at the CSN Charleston Campus at 6375 West Charleston Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89146.

This 5K race will raise funds for the opening of the “HAPI” Medical Center and ongoing food distribution efforts in Southern Nevada. HAPI which stands for “Healthy Asian Pacific Islanders” will be the first medical center run by the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC). This project has always been the vision of ACDC’s Founder and President, Vida Lin, when she started the nonprofit in 2015.

“One place that we needed was one where the AAPI community could go without having to worry about the issue of language,” said Lin. “Growing up, I used to take my mom and dad to the doctors and I always had to translate for them and I thought, wouldn’t it be great to have a health clinic in Nevada that would provide quality health services without the language barriers for the underserved, uninsured, and underinsured people who call this place home”.

Registration is still ongoing for the Run for Rice/Walk for Wellness event.

Ticket Prices: 5K. $25 Individual: Includes t-shirt, ACDC can confirm additional food and information vendors, medal and bib $15 Student: Includes t-shirt, along with healthcare providers and performers will be part of the medal and bib

$88 Non-Profit Group of 5: Includes t-shirt, medal and bib $100 Group of 5: Includes t-shirt, medal and bib To register & for more information: https://www.

mightycause.com/event/ Ricerun2022 For sponsorships, vendors, and volunteer opportunities, please contact 702-489-8866 or manwah@acdcnv.org.

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