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MAY 5-11, 2022 Volume 33 - No. 18 • 14Pages

T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER

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

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

Biden proclaims May as AANHPI Heritage Month

by AJPRESS PRESIDENT Joe Biden proclaimed May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month.

During this month, the United States "recognizes the innumerable contributions, vibrant cultures, and rich heritage of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AA and NHPIs),” according to the proclamation.

The president credited the community's "essential role in writing the American story” from serving the country to starting businesses.

Biden added that he is “proud” to serve alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, the first person of South Asian descent in the role, and Katherine Tai, the first Asian American U.S. trade representative.

Further, the proclamation recognized the surge in anti-Asian hate crimes since the start of the

pandemic.

In his first year in office, he issued an executive order denouncing the uptick in incidents and signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act last May 2021, which aims to make hate crime reporting more accessible and increase public outreach in multiple languages.

Under the act, the Department of Justice will also designate a role to expedite the review of hate crimes amid the pandemic.

"Many other incidents of anti-Asian bias, xenophobia, and harassment that surfaced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic were not even reported.

We cannot allow these horrific acts to continue threatening the safety of AA and NHPI Americans — especially women, girls, and the elderly. These acts are wrong; they are un-American; and they must stop,” the proclamation said.

The celebration for APAs started in 1978 when a joint congressional resolution established

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DATELINE

USA

VOTE COUNTING MACHINES. Members of the Electoral Board (EB) and other poll workers carry vote-counting machines (VCMs) to be used for the May 9 elections for final testing and sealing at Dr. Jose P. Rizal Elementary School in Brgy. Sto. Cristo, Dasmarinas City, Cavite on Wednesday, May 4. The final testing and sealing (FTS) will be done by EB members and will be witnessed by the poll watchers of candidates.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

Publishing survey results close to polls not prohibited – Comelec

by EVELYN

MACAIRAN Philstar.com

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

New call center launched to answer COVID-19 questions from Fil-Am community’s most vulnerable members LOS ANGELES — In an expansion of its COVID-19 resources, the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), through its Tayo project, announces the launch of a call center to assist community members with their pressing pandemic-related questions.

Beginning as a virtual help desk in the fall of 2020, Tayo has since continuously diversified its culturally tailored offerings to connect Filipinos with vital information and services, battle misinformation, and improve the collection of data through initiatives like educational webinars, surveys, public service announcement campaigns, and health clinics.

On May 4, 2022, Tayo will bolster its help desk capabilities by piloting a dedicated hotline to address the needs of Filipinos in the diaspora who may not have adequate access to trustworthy and reliable COVID-related information online.

“Creating this call center is a natural

MANILA — Survey firms are not prohibited from publishing survey results close to election day, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Tuesday, May 3.

This was the reply of Comelec spokesman James Jimenez when asked on Twitter if the publication of Pulse Asia’s survey less than 15 days before the election is a violation of Republic Act (RA) 9006 or the Fair Election Act. Composite campaign photo of top five presidential candidates for the May 2022 elections.

“No. The provision being cited – Sec. 5.4 Philstar.com photos

of RA 9006 – was struck down by the Supreme Court (SC) for being unconstitutional. SWS v. Comelec GR No. 147571 May 5, 2001,” Jimenez said referring to Social Weather Stations, one of the survey firms in the country.

Section 5.4 of RA 9006, which was declared unconstitutional by the SC, states that surveys affecting national candidates shall not be published 15 days before an election, and surveys affecting local candidates shall not be published seven days before an election.

Pulse Asia’s latest survey for the presidential, vice-presidential and senatorial

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Fil-Am group launches ‘troll exposer’ website to combat disinformation ahead of May 9 polls

MANILA — With the May 9 polls drawing closer, a group of dual citizens of the Philippines and the United States has launched a website “exposing trolls” at the forefront of widespread disinformation heavily influencing the elections.

In a statement sent to reporters, the U.S. Filipinos for Good Governance on Monday, May 2 launched TrollExposer.com, a website dedicated to exposing troll pages, accounts, and groups on Facebook.

Through its website, the group said that it “exposed” a hundred Marcos trolls, who have coordinated with each other through fake  PAGE 5 accounts, to spread fake news in sustained malicious attacks against the leading

opposition presidential candidate, incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo.

“Our country has become extremely polarized through vigorous troll activity... We hope it is not too late to detoxify the minds and hearts of our people,” said Eric Lachica, USFGG Washington DC Coordinator.

“Trolls have found fertile ground in weakly regulated social media to saturate the public with disinformation. These lies have been allowed to spread through Facebook for years.

Having the presidency decided based on lies that re-write history and hide the fact that much of this troll activity is state-sponsored would be a tragedy.”

Presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos

Philstar.com photo

Iglesia ni Cristo endorses $10K reward offered in case of Fil-Am woman Locsin to represent PH at US-Asean summit Marcos for president missing since January

THE city of Oakley, California announced a $10,000 reward for information in the case of a missing 24-year-old Filipino American woman as the police chief, mayor and her parents appealed for the public’s help in finding her.

Alexis Gabe has been missing since Jan. 26. Her last known whereabouts were on Benttree Way in Antioch. Her family found her car with the keys in the ignition, abandoned on Trenton Street and Carrington Drive in Oakley.

A surveillance video was taken at the corner of Oakley Road and Beldin Lane, about five

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MANILA – Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. will represent Manila in a leaders’ summit between the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) next week, Philippine Ambassador to U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez confirmed.

The envoy said the top diplomat would attend on behalf of President Rodrigo Duterte, who opted not to attend as the summit falls on a date when the country would have already named its president-elect.

“It is unfortunate that the summit is scheduled for May 12 shortly after our elections, that is why I totally understand why President Duterte cannot attend it.

As the President pointed out, we will definitely have a president-elect by then, so he was being prudent, opting not to attend out of delicadeza, and avoid making decisions or commitments at the summit that might not be aligned with the policies of our next president,” Romualdez wrote in a Labor Day column Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

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MANILA — Leadership of the influential Iglesia ni Cristo has announced its decision to formally endorse the presidential candidacy of former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Their official announcement came Tuesday afternoon, May 3 over Net25, owned by Eagle Broadcasting Corp. whose primary stakeholders hold key positions within the powerful church group.

The religious group also announced its Senate slate, which includes: • Former PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar • Actor Robin Padilla Inquirer.net file photo

• Former DPWH secretary Mark Villar • Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano • Antique Rep. Loren Legarda • Former senator JV Ejercito • Sorsogon Gov. Chiz Escudero • Former senator and plunder convict Jinggoy Estrada • Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian • Sen. Joel Villanueva • Sen. Migz Zubiri The INC has an estimated 3 million members in the Philippines and in over 150 countries and territories overseas. It was founded

by Felix Manalo who served as the first Executive Minister of INC.

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MAY 5-11, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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

From The FronT Page

Biden proclaims May as AANHPI...

PAGE 1 Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian/Pacific

American history: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843) and contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad

completed May 10, 1869.

In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a monthlong celebration that is now known as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. g

Among them are defense and security, future pandemic response, climate change, maritime cooperation, economic engagement, energy, digital technology and strengthening people-to-people ties, among others.

The special summit, hosted

by U.S. President Joe Biden, will run from May 12 and 13

in Washington, DC. According to the State Department, the meeting would demonstrate the United States’ commitment to serving as a “strong, reliable partner” in Southeast Asia and advancing PEP TALK. President Rodrigo Duterte addresses the crowd at a campaign rally at Arca South in Taguig City on Sunday night, May 1. Among an Indo-Pacific that is free the candidates he endorsed were senatorial bets Alan Peter Cayetano (seated, 2nd from left) and former presidential spokesperson Harry and open, secure, connected, Roque (standing, left).

PNA photo by Avito Dalan and resilient. (Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA)

Locsin to represent PH at US-Asean...

PAGE 1

on Philstar.

“Secretary Teddy Locsin will represent the President,” he added.

The envoy said Manila’s participation in this special summit is important because the discussions are expected to center on a wide range of areas of mutual interest and concern.

Starfleet Innotech cements US roadmap with series of investor meetings, strategic partnerships STARFLEET Innotech, Inc. (OTC Pink: SFIO) announced a series of strategic meetings to cement its expansion roadmap in the United States.

Over the next two months, representatives of the company will be traveling across the U.S. to meet with strategic partners, fund managers, institutional investors and family offices across Las Vegas, San Francisco, and New York.

Kicking off this leg of their global roadshow, Chief Investor Officer Richard De Lima and General Manager for Communications Santiago Arnaiz will be presenting SFIO at the upcoming Planet MicroCap Showcase. The conference will be taking place between May 3 to 5, 2022 in Las Vegas, bringing together promising companies and top dealmakers in microcap finance for three days of company presentations, one-on-one meetings, and educational panels.

Meanwhile, Chief Technology Officer Richard Prodigalidad is slated to meet with potential partners in Silicon Valley to expand SFIO’s global network of innovators across tech.

Among these is a meeting between San Francisco-based health wearable developer NeuroSky and community health dashboard startup Project Fort.

Stemming from SFIO’s strategy of collaborative innovation, this partnership will see the two companies – both recent additions to the SFIO portfolio – kicking off a co-development roadmap for the digital health systems that will power SFIO’s wellness township projects in the Philippines, under the Moraya brand.

In addition to this

partnership, Prodigalidad will be establishing pathways to connect the increasing demand for tech talent across Silicon Valley with highly-skilled developers and designers based in the Philippines – positioning SFIO as the central hub in a global innovation ecosystem.

Over the next two months, the company’s team will also be engaging in similar talks with New York-based partners towards the end goal of solidifying SFIO’s portfolio businesses, such as Epiphany Cafe, in the United States.

(Advertising Supplement)

Fil-Am group launches ‘troll exposer’ website...

PAGE 1 Why does this matter?

Academics have labeled the Philippines as the “patient zero” for digital disinformation, pointing to the disproportionate growth of disinformation operations in the Philippines in recent.

According to the preliminary findings of Tsek.ph, a factchecking initiative involving the academe and mainstream media, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the late ousted dictator, has been the beneficiary of positive but misleading messaging on social media ahead of the 2022 elections.

On the other hand, Philstar. com’s own fact-checking initiative has observed that Robredo has been on the receiving end of false claims seeking to discredit her as a candidate.

The USFGG on Monday said that corrupt, powerful, and wealthy politicians have financed troll armies for this upcoming election, “frequently with the help of the Philippines government and foreign state sponsors, such as China.”

While the rampant disinformation clearly favors him, presidential aspirant and son of the former dictator, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. continues to deny he has trolls and has even challenged the public to find a single troll of his.

“Fact-checkers and efforts by social media platforms to limit disinformation have not been enough to stop it. Troll Exposer is a new weapon in the arsenal

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against disinformation.” said Liz Derr, founder of Troll Exposer.

“Rather than focusing on content, Troll Exposer publicly exposes the social media accounts that are spreading this harmful disinformation so everyone can see who these liars are,” she said.

How does it work?

TrollExposer.com provides analysis of the troll networks and activities, and the direct links to the troll Facebook accounts so that the public can explore the pages of the trolls themselves.

“Now people don’t need to trust sources they might view as biased,” the group’s statement reads.

“People are desperate to understand what news can be trusted, who they can believe, and what can be done to save our democracies from further division.”

The group said this methodology allows readers to do their own research to discover the activities of the trolls, and find out if the content they view online is actually the result of a covert influence operation, rather than authentic narratives from real people.

Accountability from social media owners sought “If we can’t get social media platforms to enforce their own community standards, then we need to act ourselves. It is the right of every person to defend themselves from being manipulated by false information,” said Loida Lewis, US Filipinos for Good Governance National Chair.

“The spread of harmful disinformation, manipulated narratives, and false propaganda needs to stop,” she said.

“We’re calling on Mark Zuckerberg and Meta/Facebook to immediately take down these fake posts and disable the trolls identified in TrollExposer.com to reduce the disinformation on his platform in the lead up to the May 9th election.”

Trolls weaponized to weaken democracies The false narratives and propaganda that get spread by trolls on social media allow dictators and kleptocrats to weaken democracies around the world, USFGG said Monday afternoon.

“We’ve seen how dangerous disinformation and conspiracies can be in the US. In the Philippines, the danger is great and the need for action is urgent,” the group said.

The group went as far as saying that the political environment resulting from the efforts of trolls opens the possibility of a repeat of the United States Capitol attack in the Philippines.

“The vitriol and divisiveness created by these trolls is making a January 6th-type event in the Philippines more and more probable, regardless of the outcome of the election. Meta/ Facebook must act immediately to help protect our democracy by removing the lies that have divided us.” (Franco Luna/ Philstar.com)

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Dateline USa

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SUMMER TREAT. Children line up for free ice cream during the Eid al-Fitr celebration in Barangay Culiat, Quezon City on Tuesday, May 15.

The free treats were courtesy of the city government.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Publishing survey results close to polls...

PAGE 1

candidates was made public last Monday.

The survey was conducted from April 16 to 21, involving 2,400 respondents nationwide.

In the latest survey, the tandem of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio emerged at the top of the presidential and vice presidential race.

Meanwhile, senatorial aspirants who made it to the Magic 12 are broadcast journalist Raffy Tulfo, former senator Loren Legarda, actor Robin Padilla, Taguig City-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, Sorsogon Gov. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, former public works secretary Mark Villar,

former senator JV Ejercito, former vice president Jejomar Binay, Sen. Risa Hontiveros and former senator Jinggoy Estrada.

In a related development, Pulse Asia president Ronald Holmes on Tuesday defended the sampling of respondents that his survey firm used for its pre-election surveys.

Responding to concerns that there were under or oversampling of some respondents in some segments, Holmes explained the surveys are representative of the overall population of the country.

“Our sampling method secures that there is representation and that the total survey results would be the representative of the entire country,” he said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

“We’ve done the surveys and we feel that it is nationally

representative,” he added.

Former National Statistical Coordination Board secretary general Romulo Virola had earlier noted that some segments – particularly the youth and those who reached college – were underrepresented in the surveys conducted by Pulse Asia.

Virola also cited the lack of respondents from classes A and B, which he said could have an impact on the survey results.

Holmes said he would verify if the supposed under or overrepresentation in some segments would have an impact on the overall results.

“Whether there’s an undersampling of age group, I need to check whether this is something within the margin of error for that particular segment,” he said. g

PAGE 1 The religious group has historically announced its choice of candidates to support a few days before election day.

Its support for Marcos was long rumored among pundits but was only explicitly confirmed Tuesday.

To recall, Marcos’ proclamation rally in February was held at the Philippine Arena, which is legally owned by the religious group.

Marcos’ camp at the time denied that they obtained endorsement from INC. The religion is known for its practice of “bloc voting” during elections, where its members are encouraged to vote for whoever

their leadership will support.

Other presidential bets, including Manila City mayor and Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer Isko Moreno have expressed hope that they would get the religious group’s endorsement.

In a statement later Tuesday evening, Marcos said his camp was “very happy and wholeheartedly grateful” for the endorsement.

“We will strive that the trust granted by the Iglesia Ni Cristo fraternity will result in the true unity of Filipinos who love the Philippines and will undoubtedly face the challenges that will come together in preparing for a

better tomorrow for our youth,” he said.

Marcos Jr. is gunning for the country’s highest seat in the land, marking his family’s second attempt to return to Malacañang after the ouster of the clan patriarch.

The two-decade rule of the clan patriarch was marked by outright abuse of human rights and massive plunder of state coffers. Rights group Amnesty International estimated that 70,000 people were imprisoned, 34,000 were tortured and 3,240 were killed during Martial Law. (Kristine Joy Patag/Philstar. com)

Iglesia ni Cristo endorses Marcos for...

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 5-11, 2022

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MAY 5-11, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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

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

Dateline USa

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 5-11, 2022

$10K reward offered in case of Fil-Am woman...

PAGE 1

minutes from where Gabe’s abandoned car was later found. It shows a person of interest in the case near Gabe’s car.

The video showed a man 5’11 to 6 feet tall, slim build, dark skin, wearing a large jacket, a beanie, or a cap, with his face covered by an N95-style face mask with a beard showing from underneath.

“It’s been three long, excruciating months since Alexis’s disappearance,” said Gwyn Gabe, Alexis’s father, who spoke out for the first time since the disappearance during a news conference Thursday.

“Since the day our daughter went missing, we’ve questioned our faith, have been completely overwhelmed and filled with doubt.”

Oakley police investigators have held interviews and executed search warrants in hopes of finding Gabe. Community search parties have also looked for her. Police strongly suspect foul play.

Alexis Gabe, 24, has been missing since Jan. 26.

Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard said the investigation is the Oakley, California police suspect foul play.

Facebook photo biggest case in the history of the department. (Inquirer.net)

Ligal na Paunawa Siyudad ng Hilaga’ng Las Vegas 2022 Pangunahi’ng Halalan ng Munisipal IBIBIGAY DITO ANG PAUNAWA na ang Pangunahi’ng Halalan sa Lungsod ng Hilaga’ng Las Vegas ay gaganapin sa Martes, Hunyo 14, 2022, para sa mga sumusunod na tanggapan: Alkalde 4-na Taon ang Termino Jesse Addison, III Nathan Atkins Gary Bouchard Pamela A. Goynes-Brown Laura E. Perkins Pat Spearman Robert “Twixx” Taylor

New call center launched to answer COVID-19...

Konseho ng Lungsod Purok 1 4-na Taon ang Termino

Konseho ng Lungsod Purok 3 4-na Taon ang Termino

Isaac E. Barrón Lance Robert Eliason

Scott Black Jovan Jackson Mario Mitchell

Kagawaran 1 ng Munisipyo 2-na Taon ang Termino

Kagawaran 2 ng Munisipyo 6-na Taon ang Termino

Chris Lee Jonathan MacArthur

Courtney Ketter Jason Gunnell

PAGE 1

extension of the work and mission of Tayo - to empower our community by meeting them where they are at and providing them with essential information,” said Leezel Tanglao, Tayo project director and president of FYLPRO. “It’s truly going full circle as we leverage our network and resources both here in the United States and in the Philippines to bridge the gap.”

More than ever a resource like this is needed to ensure accurate and culturally tailored information is available to all members of the Filipino community as the pandemic continues to evolve while official guidance can run counter or is often confusing.

FYLPRO was inspired to develop the call center after evaluating insights gleaned from users of Tayo’s web-based platform and determining that seniors in particular felt more comfortable talking to someone on the phone rather than searching through a website for information.

The call center operates from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time and is available in English and Tagalog.

Callers can call 1 (800) 8995090 to reach a representative who can address questions on where to get a booster shot or to find a COVID-19 test.

The call center pilot is made possible by a grant from the Booz Allen Foundation, which also funded the initial launch of the virtual help desk (tayohelp.com).

“We’re proud to have played a part in supporting FYLPRO’s work to use innovation and technology to make such a positive difference

Ang maaga’ng pagboto ay magsisimula sa Sabado, Mayo 28, 2022 at magsasara sa Biyernes, Hunyo 10, 2022 (maliban kung nabanggit) sa mga sumusunod na lokasyon sa Hilaga’ng Las Vegas: Ang Mga Lugar ng Maaga’ng Pagboto sa Lungsod ng Hilaga’ng Las Vegas ay Bukas sa Buong 2-linggo’ng Panahon ng Maaga’ng Pagboto:

for the Filipino community,” said Christine Hoisington, Executive Director of the Booz Allen Foundation. “We’re impressed with their efforts and impact.”

The call center pilot will run for 3 months.

The call center launch team includes a diverse multidisciplinary team from across the United States: Tayo project director Leezel Tanglao, project manager Brian Tajo, product counsel Mark Calaguas, medical advisor Dr. Melissa Palma, technologist and special project manager Jobel Vecino, fellowship director Krystle Canare, and risk mitigator/creative consultant TJ Simba-Medel.

Operations manager Joselito

Alampayan and call representative Dhian Perez are based in the Philippines.

“The insights and learnings from this pilot will help inform how we better serve our community and as we continue to navigate life with COVID-19,” said Tanglao. “This is to ensure no one is left behind just because they don’t have access to technology.”

Tayo, a project of the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), is an innovative data hub that empowers Filipinx/a/o communities by collecting data, fostering partnerships, publishing culturally relevant insights, and developing leaders to create an equitable and sustainable future. g

Petsa

Oras

Lokasyon

Hunyo 6-7, 2022

10:30 NU to 7:00 NG

Aklatan ng Aliante, 2400 W. Deer Springs Way, NLV 89084

Hunyo 8, 2022

8:00 NU to 5:00 NH

Munisipyo, 2250 Las Vegas Boulevard North, NLV 89030

Mayo 28 - Hunyo 9, 2022

9:00 NU to 6:00 NG

Hunyo 10, 2022

9:00 NU to 7:00 NG

Sentro Pang-bayan ng Deer Springs, North 5th at Deer Springs Way - Paradahan malapit sa Home Depot

Mayo 28 - Hunyo 9, 2022

9:00 NU to 6:00 NG

Hunyo 10, 2022

9:00 NU to 7:00 NG

LVAC-Las Vegas Athletic Club, 6050 N. Decatur Blvd., NLV 89031

Mayo 28 - Hunyo 9, 2022

9:00 NU to 6:00 NG

Hunyo 10, 2022

9:00 NU to 7:00 NG

Lowe’s sa Craig / KUBOL NG KAGANAPAN sa Paradahan, 2570 E. Craig Road, NLV 89030

Ang mga sumusunod na sentro sa pagboto ay magbubukas sa Hilaga’ng Las Vegas sa araw ng Pangunahi’ng Halalan: Mga Lokasyon ng Sentro sa Pagboto sa Araw ng Pangunahi’ng Halalan Hunyo 14, 2022 7:00 NU to 7:00 NG Aklatan ng Aliante, 2400 W. Deer Springs Way, NLV 89084 Bridger, Jim Pang-gitna’ng Paaralan, 2505 N. Bruce St., NLV 89030 Cram, Brian at Teri Pang-gitna’ng Paaralan, 1900 W. Deer Springs Way, NLV 89084 Sentro Pang-bayan ng Deer Springs, (Malapit sa Home Depot) 640 E. Deer Springs Way, NLV 89084 Elizondo, Raul Mababa’ng Paaralan, 4865 Goldfiled Street, NLV 89031 Paradahan sa Lowe’s - Craig/ Losee, 2570 E. Craig Rd., NLV 89030 Hilaga’ng Paradahan ng LVAC Las Vegas Athletic Club, 6050 N. Decatur Bl., NLV 89031 Pearson, Dr. William U. Sentro ng Komunidad, 1625 W. Carey Ave., NLV 89032 Sedway, Marvin Pang-gitna’ng Paaralan, 3465 Englestad Street, NLV 89032 Swainston, Theron Pang-gitna’ng Paaralan, 3500 W. Gilmore Ave., NLV 89032 Wolfe, Eva, Mababa’ng Paaralan, 4027 W. Washburn Rd., NLV 89031

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MAY 5-11, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

Social problems

OpiniOn & Features

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

FILIPINOS must be at least 21 years old to play in a casino. But there are no age restrictions for online gaming and the numerous numbers games such as jueteng and masiao that are illegal but continue to proliferate, because some of the biggest operators are local political kingpins.

So even adolescents, most of whom are familiar with gadgets, can gamble online, with cockfighting among the most popular. Online cockfighting or e-sabong has become a multibillion-peso enterprise, with little state regulation except for the need to secure a franchise and pay taxes.

A good indication of the lucrativeness of the enterprise is the reported involvement of police officers, whether retired or in active duty, in the operations. Government personnel are prohibited from playing in casinos and other gambling establishments, but such rules are vague when it comes to online gaming.

Cops are suspected of involvement in the disappearance of over 30 e-sabong aficionados in Metro Manila, Bulacan and Laguna since last year. Probers suspect that the kidnappings, several of which were caught on surveillance video, could be linked to cockfight game fixing.

Addressing the issue over the weekend, President Duterte expressed suspicion that the

missing men had been killed and their remains burned. The President mentioned this as he acknowledged the “social problems” arising from a poorly regulated gambling activity.

He said he had ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government to study the matter and come up with recommendations on what to do with e-sabong, which he has refused to stop, saying the government needs the P640 million in annual revenues collected from the games. If the earnings cited by the country’s e-sabong operators are accurate, however, that P640 million is a gross underpayment of what is due the government.

The President had cited the same need to collect taxes for rejecting calls, including requests from Beijing, to stop offshore gaming operated in the Philippines by Chinese firms and catering mostly to overseas Chinese, who are banned in their own country from online gambling.

Some lawmakers have pointed out that the

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS “TROLLS? Show me one, they don’t exist,” Bongbong Marcos repeatedly claims.

Well, he is lying and here is very solid concrete evidence that you can see with your own eyes.

The Fil-Am group U.S. Filipinos for Good Governance (USFGG) exposes Duterte-Marcos trolls through the website TrollExposer. com.

According to USFGG, Troll Exposer is a new weapon in the arsenal against disinformation.

Rather than focusing on content, Troll Exposer detects and publicly exposes the social media accounts that are spreading this harmful disinformation so everyone can see who these liars are.

Quoting the website: “Part of this denial may be a misconception that trolls operate in large buildings similar to a call center. While that does happen, trolls are quite capable of doing their work remotely, and some of the trolls we’ve discovered appear to work remotely and are spread throughout the world. There is also the likelihood that foreign troll ‘farms’ are being used by some candidates, which would make it hard for them to find.”

How to spot a stealthy troll Sometimes fake accounts and trolls are easy to identify. In some of our other investigations, we were able to quickly spot obvious fake accounts and obvious troll behavior. Spotting BBM trolls is more difficult, and that may explain his confidence in insisting that there aren’t any.

One of the difficulties in finding

BaBe Romualdez AT the conclusion of the 2020 U.S. elections, we immediately reached out to Antony Blinken, who is now Secretary of State, and other advisers such as Deputy Assistant to the President and White House National Security Council Coordinator for IndoPacific Affairs Kurt Campbell and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Dr. Ely Ratner.

We were pleased that shortly after taking office in January 2021, the administration of President Biden set the wheels in motion to reach out to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through the ASEAN Committee in Washington (ACW) composed of ASEAN ambassadors to the U.S. The ACW diplomats regularly engage with the White House, U.S. congressmen and senators,

every aspect of e-sabong messed up, it should at least be suspended until clear regulations are in place or the President decides to abolish the online games. (Philstar.com)

US Filipinos for Good Governance exposes Duterte-Marcos trolls on new tracker to fight against disinformation ahead of the May 9 elections

trolls is that they are hard to distinguish trolls from “super fans.” There are ardent fans that follow multiple Bongbong Marcos Facebook pages and groups, and share and comment on the posts there. For an authentic user, doing authentic social interaction, that activity would be mixed in with other day-to-day social interactions and interests, and would likely be sporadic, rather than appearing to be a full-time job.

In our analysis, we’ve looked at sharing and commenting behaviors, and whether we can classify trolls as distribution trolls (sharing from a source page to multiple destination pages), commenting trolls (enhancing the perceived popularity of a post by increasing its comments), and fake accounts dedicated to filling their profile posts with 100% proMarcos content.

We include anti-opponent content in the same category with pro-Marcos content. Very few accounts specialize in only positive or only negative messaging.

The negative messaging usually involves insults to Leni Robredo’s intelligence, minimizing her accomplishments, criticizing the behavior of her supporters, accusing her of corruption, and fear-mongering about election tampering and what the country would be like under a Robredo presidency.

Political cartoons with these themes are commonly shared on pages and accounts that are proBBM. We’ve noticed a targeted effort to “red-tag” Leni Robredo as a communist terrorist. This has

grown out of a Duterte-era redtagging effort overseen by the Strategic Communications Cluster of the NTF ELCAC. The entire troll network is dedicated to attacking Leni Robredo and Maria Ressa, founder of the news site Rappler and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. We have issued a separate report on this troll network: statesponsored red-tagging of Leni Robredo on Facebook.

We recognize that there is a level of this activity that is normal for a Marcos supporter. So, when we identify a troll, we take a wholistic view. We look at the authenticity of the account, any troll-like behaviors of the account, and evidence of coordination with other accounts to spread propaganda.

First, we look for evidence that the account isn’t authentic. If the account is a troll, there is often some evidence that the account is fake, i.e. lack of full facial photos and About information that could be used for identification. Trolls generally want to stay anonymous and so don’t reveal information that could tie the troll activity to the actual person performing it.

“Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior” is prohibited on Facebook. Frequently this means fake accounts using automation and acting together on posts as soon as they are posted. It is possible for authentic accounts to participate in coordinated inauthentic behavior. For example a volunteer could use their own Facebook account to perform coordinated troll activities.

Secondly, we look for excessive troll behaviors. Sharing a few posts to your page is normal.

The importance of the US-ASEAN Special Summit Babe’s Eye View

Philstar.com photo

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has no authority to issue franchises to online gaming operations. Actual cockfights are under the supervision of local government units. With

key government officials as well as private sector groups to elevate the profile of the regional bloc and bring focus on issues of concern.

Aside from trade and investments, among the predominant topics of course include the COVID-19 situation and the hate crimes being perpetrated against Americans of Asian descent.

Reaching out to ASEAN is something we appreciate from the Biden administration, and scheduling the US-ASEAN Special Summit in Washington, D.C. this May is not only timely but important as well in underscoring the continued importance that the United States places on the region amid the growing crisis in Ukraine.

The special summit is being held to coincide with the 45 years of relations between the US and ASEAN, and is an opportunity to reinforce the important role that Southeast Asia plays in the IndoPacific region as highlighted in the concept of ASEAN “centrality.”

This is enshrined in the organization’s charter and is based on the principles of openness, transparency and inclusivity in dealing and cooperating with

external partners.

This centrality was explained in the statement issued by ASEAN leaders in June 2019 following the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok.

Titled “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific,” the statement took note of the “geopolitical and geostrategic shifts” happening in the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, with Southeast Asia “at the center of these dynamic regions.”

In short, ASEAN plays a central and strategic role and, as such, it is in the interest of Southeast Asian nations to “lead the shaping of their economic and security architecture and ensure that such dynamics will continue to bring about peace, security, stability and prosperity for the peoples in the Southeast Asia as well as in the wider Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions or the IndoPacific.”

The statement, which enumerated a broad range of areas of cooperation that include peaceful settlement of disputes, promoting maritime safety and security as well as connectivity, stressed ASEAN’s intention to “strengthen and give

Sharing them multiple times in a row, sharing a dozen per day, or sharing hundreds is not. Sharing hundreds of posts to other pages without sharing any to your own is also not normal authentic behavior. Commenting on a post with an authentic opinion expressed in words is normal.

Commenting 10 times in a row on the same post is not. Commenting on posts with a propaganda image or a simple phrase like “solid BBM” or only slightly varied, i.e.

“SOLID BBM” can be authentic if not done to excess.

Our findings The BBM social media presence is vast and has been created over more than six years (it started before his vice presidential bid in 2016). Our analysis covers a sample of the BBM-dedicated Facebook pages and groups. It cannot be considered complete.

We firmly believe that there are more BBM trolls than those we are exposing here.

Our analysis is based on public information. We did not examine or infiltrate private groups or private posts. This limits our ability to detect overt coordination which may be happening in private groups. Still, a troll’s job is to make sure people see the propaganda they are in charge of spreading, so not being able to view private activity does not prevent us from identifying trolls. People can keep all their Facebook activity private if they choose, and those people are not likely to be trolls.

Today we expose 100 BBM trolls. In our interactive BBM troll network report, we list each of the trolls and provide our analysis on

why we identify them as trolls, and a link to their Facebook profile so that you can see for yourself. You don’t need to take our word for it.“ According to USFGG, Marcos’ trolls are sophisticated in comparison to the other trolls we’ve found in this election. Their accounts very often look and may be authentic.

There are three types of troll activity: distribution, commenting, and filling up profiles and pages with Marcos content. Some trolls shared hundreds of Marcos posts to their own pages, making their user profile posts look similar to a dedicated Marcos page.

Distribution (taking posts from one page and sharing them to multiple other pages) and commenting (frequently with a propaganda image or a short phrase) don’t show on an account’s profile, so spotting a Marcos troll without knowing what they have been doing on other pages is difficult.

Go to: www.TrollExposer.com.

Click “explore Bongbong Marcos Trolls” and you can actually track these trolls. They are named. You see their posts.

One of the many disinformation campaigns using trolls is to redtag Leni Robredo. This is the President and the National task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) publicly sponsored red-tagging that according to the website, has expanded its charter to include a massive effort to brand Leni Robredo as a communist traitor. You see the diagram with circles that reveal the network of trolls, their fake news posts.

And taxpayers’ money is being used for this dirty political tactic to deceive you and dissuade you from voting for Leni. There are more. Check out the website.

REPORT them. They are toxic.

They pollute our minds with toxic lies for money! They are traitors just like Marcos and Duterte in doing this. Report them and ask Facebook to shut down these accounts NOW! FIGHT against disinformation peddled by Marcos and Duterte and their minions.

Soldier on for the Truth.

Marcos and Duterte have been robbing us of the TRUTH and our right to important information that is important for us to make informed conscientious decisions.

Our sacred election is the bedrock of our democracy.

Protect our democracy, our freedom, our right to have clean, honest, orderly and peaceful election that will reflect the true WILL of the Filipino people. Fight for our right to have “Gobyernong Tapat!” ***

new momentum for existing ASEAN-led mechanisms to better face challenges and seize opportunities arising from the current and future regional and global environments.”

Analysts have long recognized the importance of Southeast Asia relative to the national security strategy of the United States in the Indo-Pacific, and in light of the growing prominence of China.

U.S. policymakers must navigate the challenge of sustaining foreign policy commitments that would uphold U.S. interests while also serving the needs of the region.

Last February, the White House released the Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States, recognizing the “undeniable reality” that the Indo-Pacific is the most dynamic region in the world and that its future affects people everywhere. Aside from advancing a free and open IndoPacific, the strategy also aims to drive prosperity in the region, with the U.S. remaining as the “number one investment partner in ASEAN member-countries.”

Connectivity is also highlighted, with the U.S. set on building collective capacity within and beyond the region through several initiatives, including the deepening of regional treaty

alliances with Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Thailand.

As a member of ASEAN, it is important for the Philippines to play a major role in shaping future policies that would sustain economic growth while boosting human development to fight poverty and uplift the lives of people in the region.

It is unfortunate that the summit is scheduled for May 12 shortly after our elections, that is why I totally understand why President Duterte cannot attend it. As the President pointed out, we will definitely have a presidentelect by then, so he was being prudent, opting not to attend out of delicadeza, and avoid making decisions or commitments at the summit that might not be aligned with the policies of our next president.

Secretary Teddy Locsin will represent the President. I have no doubt our participation at the summit will be very important for us since discussions will center on a wide range of areas of mutual interest and concern such as defense and security, future pandemic response, climate change, maritime cooperation, economic engagement, energy, digital technology and

strengthening people-to-people ties, among others.

Just before we relinquished our chairmanship of the ACW last January, we had successful meetings with US officials that included Ely Ratner and White House National Security Advisers.

We also had meetings with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and just recently, we met with U.S. Transcom Commander Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost at the Philippine embassy in Washington.

The US-ASEAN Special Summit in May and our National Day celebration in June will be two of the last significant events I will be attending before the end of my term in Washington, DC. It’s not only been an honor to represent the President in such an important post but, more importantly, it’s been a privilege to serve our country and the Filipino people. (Philstar.com) ***

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** 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

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com

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 • MAY 5-11, 2022

7

Isko Moreno laughs off survey ratings

by MarC Jason

Cayabyab

Philstar.com

Manny Pacquiao, Philippine boxing legend and presidential candidate, speaks during a campaign stop ahead of the May 9 presidential election.

Philstar.com file photo

MANILA — Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on Tuesday, May 3 laughed off his dismal Pulse Asia ratings and bid himself good luck as he prayed for a miracle in the May 9 elections.

With just days before the end of the campaign period, Moreno returned to his mayoral duties on Tuesday as he cancelled his sortie in Quezon province to inspect the ongoing renovation of the Dr. Alejandro Albert Elementary School in Sampaloc.

In the Pulse Asia survey

conducted from April 16 to 21, Moreno slid to fourth place with four percent, down from eight percent in the March survey, overtaken by fellow presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao, who garnered seven percent.

“Four percent? Talaga? Good luck to me,” he said.

Moreno registered his lowest placing in the latest survey since he declared his presidential bid last year.

His Pulse Asia ratings had ranged from eight percent to 10 percent from January to March, and his OCTA Research survey from nine to 12 percent in December,

February and April surveys.

Moreno acknowledged that he has always had slim chances in surveys, but vowed not back out from the derby.

“Pray for me, I need a miracle,” Moreno told an elderly woman, who comforted him with an embrace.

He downplayed election survey as a form of “mind conditioning,” which creates an impression to the public that the presidential race is a contest between two political factions – that of Vice President Leni Robredo and the late dictator’s son former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. g

Pacquiao overtakes Isko in latest Pulse Asia survey Leni Robredo’s people’s campaign would prevail on D-Day despite surveys, says spox

by Gaea

Katreena Philstar.com

CabiCo

MANILA — Sen. Manny Pacquiao placed third in the latest Pulse Asia survey released Monday, May 2, overtaking Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso.

In a survey published just one week before the May 9 polls, Pacquiao ranked third, with a voter support of 7%. The boxerturned-politician gained one point from his rating in March.

Moreno dropped to fourth place after suffering a four-point loss.

UP Political Science professor Jean Franco told Philstar.com that Pacquiao’s sincerity and consistency during the campaign could have contributed to this development.

"The presscon of Isko also turned people off," Franco added.

'Disastrous' Easter presser The survey period from April 16 to 21 covered the Easter Sunday press conference at the Peninsula Manila Hotel, where the Manila mayor called on Vice President Leni Robredo to withdraw her candidacy as he criticized attempts to get other aspirants quit the high-stakes presidential race.

Pacquiao was supposed to participate in the press conference also attended by Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and former Arroyo Cabinet member Norberto Gonzales, but he missed it due to flight delays.

Some volunteer groups that backed Domagoso recently

announced their support for Robredo.

Pacquiao’s latest numbers in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon and Visayas were unchanged, but he gained three points in Mindanao.

Domagoso dropped by two points in the capital region and in Balance Luzon, by five points in Visayas, and by six points in Mindanao.

Former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio remained the top pick for president and vice president of many Filipinos. Marcos maintained a voter support of 56%, while his rival Robredo dropped by one point to 23%.

Lacson still placed fifth with only voter support of 2%. g

Tulfo, Legarda share top spot in Pulse Asia survey for senator MANILA — Broadcast journalist Raffy Tulfo and Antique Rep. Loren Legarda shared the top spot in the senatorial race in the recent Pulse Asia survey.

The survey — conducted on April 16 to 21, while results were released Monday — showed that more than half of the probable winners in the May 9 polls are former or incumbent legislators.

“Currently sharing the top spot are Mr. Raffy Tulfo (50.4%) and Antique Representative Loren Legarda (49.4%), both of whom have a statistical ranking of 1st to 2nd places,” Pulse Asia said in a statement.

Actor Robin Padilla is in third to

fourth places with a 42.9-percent voter preference while Taguig City-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano’s 42.3-percent voter preference puts him in third to fifth places.

Former senator and incumbent Sorsogon Governor Francis Escudero received 38.6 percent which sets him to a ranking of fourth to eighth.

Reelectionists Sherwin Gatchalian and Juan Miguel Zubiri are settling in the fifth to ninth places, both having 37 percent.

Former Public Works and Highways chief Mark Villar got a voter preference of 35.9 percent, landing him in the fifth to 12th

places.

Backed by 34.3 percent of likely voters, former Senator JV Estrada Ejercito ranked sixth to 12th.

Former Vice President Jejomar Binay, reelectionist Risa Hontiveros, and former Senator Jinggoy Estrada all placed eighth to 12th.

Binay got 32.5 percent while Hontiveros and Estrada both received 32.3 percent.

Pulse Asia noted that 41 percent of the voters have a complete slate for the upcoming elections. It added that 2.8 percent did not support any of the 64 senatorial hopefuls. (Daniza Fernandez/ Inquirer.net)

by Gabriel

PabiCo Inquirer.net

lalu

MANILA — Even if there was little movement in Vice President Leni Robredo’s survey numbers as of April, her spokesperson said on Monday, May 2 that they are confident that the people’s campaign would emerge victorious come May 9, election day.

In a statement, Robredo’s spokesperson Barry Gutierrez said that despite her losing one percentage point in Pulse Asia’s latest polls, the numbers confirm Robredo’s upward trajectory — adding that the house-to-house campaign has shown how many people are now supporting the Vice President.

“The latest Pulse survey conducted last April further confirms Vice President Leni Robredo’s upward trajectory and momentum […] The remaining weeks of the campaign have seen intensified efforts at houseto-house, person to person campaigning by thousands of volunteers, which we believe will translate to support on election day,” Gutierrez said.

“This has truly become a people’s campaign, a grassroots movement of Filipinos from all walks of life and from all over the Philippines. We put our trust that this people’s campaign will win the day on May 9,” he added.

Gutierrez claimed that the survey has not captured the

Vice President Leni Robredo during the Tagayan, a ritual sealing the “Quezonduan” between presidential candidate and the people of Quezon on April 28, Thursday at the Quezonduan: Grand People’s Rally in Lucena City, Quezon.

Inquirer.net photo

412,000-strong rally in Pasay City for Robredo’s 57th birthday last April 23 — as Pulse Asia conducted the study from April 16 to 21.

A lot of the country’s A-list celebrities showed up to endorse Robredo in the Pasay grand rally — among them Maricel Soriano, Vice Ganda, Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid, Janno Gibbs, Gary Valenciano, and John Arcilla all supporting Robredo.

“Her numbers remain encouraging, even if the survey does not yet capture the series of massive rallies from mid April onwards, including the record breaking 400k+ Pasay Rally on April 23,” he added.

In April, Pulse Asia’s survey showed Robredo still being a far second to frontrunner

and former senator Bongbong Marcos. Robredo’s voter share was at 23 percent, while Marcos kept his 56 percent share since last March.

This is not the first time that Robredo’s camp expressed confidence in their chances despite the huge gap between her and Marcos. Last March 14, when Pulse Asia data showed Robredo only having 15 percent of the votes, Gutierrez said that the survey did not capture the big rallies held by the opposition — including the PasigLaban sortie which drew over 137,000 attendees.

Then, when Robredo’s survey numbers increased, Gutierrez said that the surveys are starting to reflect the massive groundswell already. g

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Pacquiao projects ‘come-from-behind’ victory

by Neil JAysoN

seRvAllos

Philstar.com

MANILA — Presidential candidate Sen. Manny Pacquiao is unfazed by the presidential preference surveys, claiming a “come-from-behind” victory in the May 9 polls like that of President Duterte.

Noting how Duterte was a “poor third-placer” during preferential surveys in 2016, Pacquiao said on Monday he expects to pull the same surprise landslide win.

“I can feel in my heart the reaction of everyone, especially that I’m with you. You witnessed my visits in Northern, Western and Eastern Samar and in Leyte…

You saw that I never fetched nor called for participants. I never gave away snacks or water and yet people still waited for me from 3 p.m. even if I was to arrive at 10:30 p.m. They were there,” Pacquiao said during a sortie in Kibawe, Bukidnon.

He issued the statement following a Pulse Asia survey showing he had overtaken Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, but was still behind Vice President Leni

Presidential candidate Sen. Manny Pacquiao

the crooks in government.

He stressed the importance of giving the courts full financial support and reiterated his appeal for a swift resolution of the drug cases filed against detained Sen. Leila De Lima.

Pacquiao lamented that the sluggish resolution of De Lima’s cases has caught the attention of the international community.

To spare the country from further humiliation due to the delay in the resolution of the cases, Pacquiao said the government must ensure its full support for the judiciary.

The De Lima cases triggered new controversies after key witnesses implicating her in the illegal drug trade recanted their testimonies, among them self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and former Bureau of Corrections director Rafael Ragos.

Both Espinosa and Ragos said they were “coerced” into implicating De Lima in drug charges.

Pacquiao said the recantation of Ragos may put his credibility in bad light. He admitted though that he is not yet ready to give his full faith on the recantation of Ragos and Espinosa.

“As for me they are no longer credible because they have been changing their statements. How can one believe them?” he asked.

Pacquiao said his views on the recent retraction controversies are not important.

Pacquiao repeatedly promised Filipinos that he would fight for their welfare, especially the poor and the oppressed sector where he came from.

“This is the fight of Manny Pacquiao, and I have always repeated that this will be a revolution where the poor will finally have a voice in our government,” he said during a sortie in Borongan, Eastern Philstar.com file photo Samar. g

Robredo and the late dictator’s son Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Pacquiao said he was confident of getting at least 20 million votes to claim a “historic victory.”

“I believe that their support is with Manny Pacquiao because Manny Pacquiao represents the poor… because that’s where I came from,” he said.

Pacquiao said that because of his strong message of “genuine love for the country and the poor,” a majority of Filipinos would help him secure his victory despite Marcos’ lead in the surveys.

He vowed to increase the annual budget of the judiciary if he is elected president.

“My only appeal is for us to help the judiciary, which is almost always prevented from doing its mandate in providing justice because of its very limited budget. It has not maximized its functions in terms of punishing the corrupt,” he said.

Pacquiao said the judiciary would get the full support it deserves under a Manny Pacquiao government, wherein he intends to build a mega prison cell for all

Less than a week before elections, Duterte maintains he has no presidential bet

by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — Less than a week before the elections, President Rodrigo Duterte maintained that he is not endorsing any presidential aspirant as part of his commitment to ensure clean and honest polls.

Duterte said remaining neutral in the presidential race would erase suspicions that he is pushing for something while enforcing laws.

"Towards this attaining the clean and honest election, the reason why I am not supporting any candidate, by inference or implied or direct, I have none," the president said during a prerecorded public address aired Tuesday.

"I will repeat, you better disabuse your minds about getting into guesses and assumptions.

There is none. I have no candidate for president now until December, so you will realize that we do not have, and even the Cabinet," he added.

Duterte said he has also requested members of the cabinet to remain neutral in the elections.

"I am not prohibiting them but I requested the cabinet at the start of - our cabinet meetings, I said if possible, you should also remain neutral. If you have a candidate, just keep it to yourself and vote," Duterte said.

"But let us avoid endorsing any candidates so that there will be no second-guesses or implications that we are supporting this candidate or that candidate," he added.

Duterte clarified that while he

EMPLOYMENT

HOLY DAY. Filipino-Muslims perform in unison a Salat al-Eid or Eid prayer near the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Manila on Monday, May 2. The month-long Ramadan of fasting and praying ends Monday.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan

Release Senator De Lima – Robredo

by Ma.

Reina Leanne ToLenTino , FRancis eaRL cueTo ManilaTimes.net

and

JoMaR canLas

VICE President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo called for the freeing of Sen. Leila De Lima from detention after former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer in charge Rafael Ragos recanted his testimony against the senator.

Ragos was the second individual to disavow his testimony against the senator after self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.

"Patunay lang ito ng katotohanang matagal ko nang iginigiit: Walang kaso laban kay Sen. Leila De Lima. Ang tanging kasalanan niya ay ang magsabi ng totoo at ipagtanggol ang karapatan ng mga kapwa natin Pilipino (This is proof of what I have been asserting all along: There is no case against Sen. Leila De Lima. Her only fault was telling the truth and defending the rights of our fellow Filipinos)," Robredo, a candidate for president in May, said in a statement Monday, May 2.

De Lima has been detained since 2017 on drug-related charges.

Last year, one of the three cases filed against her was dismissed.

Ragos said that he was "forced" to execute affidavits "due to threats of being detained... for the crime of engaging in the illegal drug trade that I did not commit."

Earlier, the Department of Justice said Espinosa's retraction will not affect the two remaining cases against De Lima. It said that his statements were not used by the prosecution as evidence in any of the cases.

Also on Monday, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Dionardo Bernardo Carlos said he has ordered an inquiry into Espinosa's claim that he was threatened by police into implicating De Lima.

Carlos said in an interview that the Internal Affairs Service and the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management will investigate the matter.

But he said that Espinosa's statement is not the only basis of the senator's case.

De Lima was accused of using contributions from the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison to fund her 2016 Senate run.

"There are other evidences and affidavits that are part of the

proceedings," Carlos said.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that like Espinosa, Ragos could face perjury charges for lying about the "moneymaking" schemes at the BuCor and the New Bilibid Prison.

Ragos alleged he was coerced by then-Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre into giving false testimony against De Lima.

Guevarra said he has not seen Ragos' statement, but the former BuCor official could be charged with perjury for retracting his testimony.

"When a person willfully declares a false statement under oath, and another statement under oath nullifying the other sworn statement, one of these statements is obviously untrue and subjects the declarant to a possible charge of perjury," he said.

Prosecutor General Ben Malcontento has revealed that Espinosa is no longer a state witness after he was dropped from the Witness Protection Program of the Justice department for trying to escape from the National Bureau of Investigation's holding facility last January. g

by PiA lee-BRAgo

“The readiness of malign actors, including some states, to suppress media freedom and weaponize misinformation and disinformation, and to use digital tools to influence, harass and suppress citizens should be a source of concern for all,” they said.

The group said a brief survey of the global landscape illustrates the urgency for action, referring to a report from the Committee to Protect Journalists that recorded at least 27 journalists killed over their work in 2021 alone, including two in the Philippines.

“Authoritarian regimes have redoubled efforts to control narratives, as well as circumvent norms and institutions meant to uphold fundamental liberties,” they said.

“Much of this occurs in the digital domain, where malign actors have leveraged social media tools to flood feeds and inboxes with misinformation and disinformation, to undermine public confidence in democratic institutions and to subvert democratic processes,” the diplomats said, noting that the “rights to freedom of opinion and expression too are under pressure.”

The Philippines, according to the diplomats, is “no stranger to the misinformation and disinformation phenomena.”

Since as early as 2010, academics and experts have been

tracking its explosive growth in the Philippines.

They said that World Press Freedom Day – celebrated just 6 days before millions of Filipinos will go to the polls – is auspicious and provides opportunity for reflection.

The 2022 elections, the diplomats said, are unprecedented as they take place during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when there is an even greater need to protect and promote the crucial role of independent media.

Despite the challenges, the diplomats highlighted the growing civic awareness and the vibrant and dynamic civil society found across the Philippines offer hope.

Forums like the Media Freedom Coalition, Freedom Online Coalition, the G7 and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance are part of efforts to support media freedom, reinforce democracy and combat misinformation/ disinformation are being pursued, in close partnership with government, media networks, advocacy groups, NGOs, academe and the private sector, the group said.

They stressed that these efforts contribute to improve fact-checking, build civic literacy, build capacity of media and democratic institutions, combat corruption, enhance transparency and ensure accountability. g

Journalism under digital siege, foreign envoys warn Philstar.com

President Rodrigo Duterte

attended some political sorties, he did not raise the hands of candidates he does not know.

Duterte is the chairman of the PDP-Laban faction composed of his political allies. The president of the faction is a Cabinet member, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi. Another Cabinet member, Cabinet Secretary Melvin Matibag, is the secretarygeneral of the party.

The PDP-Laban Cusi wing is supporting the candidacy of presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., a former senator and the son and namesake of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos. Duterte, however, has distanced himself from the endorsement. Late last year, Duterte described the younger Marcos as "spoiled" and a "weak leader" with "baggage."

Last month, the PDP-Laban Cusi faction announced that it is planning to hold joint campaign rallies with the Marcos-led

PNA File photo

UniTeam alliance. Party officials claimed that there is a chance that Duterte would join the rallies but Malacañang has not confirmed this.

Honest polls guaranteed In the same public address, Duterte ordered state agencies and government forces to ensure that the May 9 elections would be honest.

"We will have an orderly, clean and honest election. I urge the government to be conscious of this because everybody would be working towards this end. I would emphasize that the military and the police focus on this event because we said we want an honest election," the president said.

"As President, I guarantee...that we will do everything to ensure that the election is free from violence and that people are not intimidated in any way to exercise their right to vote and to choose whoever," he added. g

EMPLOYMENT

MANILA — Foreign envoys on Monday, May 2 expressed concern that journalism is under digital siege, warning about the amplified impact of misinformation and disinformation in the Philippines, in a statement released on World Press Freedom Day. The envoys, composed of Ambassadors Anke Reiffenstuel (Germany), Peter MacArthur (Canada), Laure Beaufils (United Kingdom), Jana Šedivá (Czech Repubic), Grete Sillasen (Denmark), Bjørn Staurset Jahnsen (Norway), Jorge Moragas (Spain), Annika Thunborg (Sweden), Alain Gaschen (Switzerland), Luc Véron (European Union) and Charge d’Affaires Pieter Terpstra (the Netherlands) signed an article reflecting on the importance of press freedom.

The diplomats said that World Press Freedom Day, celebrated every May 3, is a timely opportunity for reflection on the crucial importance of media freedoms and the vital role of journalists in democracies.

This year’s World Press Freedom Day theme, “Journalism under digital siege,” spotlights the multiple ways in which journalism is endangered by surveillance and digitally-mediated attacks on journalists and the consequences of all this on public trust in digital communications.

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Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars, Bretman Rock and more Filipinos among Gold House’s most impactful APIs list BY

KLARIZE MEDENILLA / AJPRESS

ALIGNING with Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM), the Asian Pacific Islander (API) advocacy group Gold House released its yearly “A100” list, which honors the

Olivia Rodrigo

Bella Poarch Photo from Instagram/@bellapoarch

most impactful APIs in the culture over the past year.

Gold House, which describes itself as a “changemaker” in the API community that promotes all representatives of the vast API community, released the list on Monday, May 2.

Photo from Instagram/@oliviarodrigo

Hailee Steinfeld Photo from Instagram/@haileesteinfeld

Additionally, the organization announced its first ever Gold Gala, an inaugural in-person to take place on May 21 when the honorees on this year’s A100 list will be celebrated.

Among the esteemed list,

Rappler co-founder and chief executive officer Maria Ressa AJPress file photo

Jo Koy

Photo from Instagram/@jokoy

this year, 13 Filipinos made the grade, including pop music charttoppers Olivia Rodrigo and Bruno Mars (honored with Silk Sonic collaborator Anderson. Paak), both of whom struck gold at the 2022 Grammy Awards.

In addition, comedian and showrunner Jo Koy and Oscarnominated actor Hailee Steinfeld Silk Sonic Photo from Instagram/@brunomars also made the list, as well as popular internet personalities: influencers Bretman Rock and Bella Poarch and one of the leading video game streamers Rachelle “Rae” Hofstetter, aka Valkyrae.

The list honored Filipinos in professional sports: Olympic gold medalists Lee Kiefer and Justine Wong-Orantes, Olympian surfer Carissa Kainani Moore, and NBA stars Jordan Clarkson and Jalen Green.

And, to honor her efforts in speaking truth to power in the motherland, Maria Ressa, journalist and founder of Rappler, Bretman Rock Rachell “Rae” Hofstetter (aka Valkyrae) was also on the list.

Photo from Instagram/@bretmanrock Photo from Instagram/@valkyrae In addition to those on the broader list, Gold House also honored Grammy Award and Oscar-winning musician H.E.R. and businessman Manny Maceda to the organization’s Hall of Fame.

In a statement released by Gold House, the organization said, “The A100 List honors trailblazers who are at the forefront of this ‘New Gold Age.’ The honorees are selected across industry categories, and each category highlights an A1 who has demonstrated the most impact in their respective industries over the past year.”

The A100 list is voted on through Lee Kiefer Carissa Moore Photo from Instagram/@leetothekiefer PAGE 10 Photo from Instagram/@rissmoore10

Premieres on May 16

ABS CBN 1/2H In a world full of lies, can love still be true?

The comeback of the country’s Top Love Team in breakthrough series

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Celebrate Las Vegas Days May 14-15 with parade, festival & history Free Las Vegas Days Festival on Centennial Plaza following the parade EVERYONE is invited to enjoy the free Las Vegas Days Parade and Las Vegas Days Festival downtown Saturday, Mary 14, and the city’s four historical documentaries on KCLV-TV 2.

An annual event celebrating Las Vegas’ history and founding in 1905, the Las Vegas Days Parade will start at 10 a.m. and is expected to include Elvis in his pink Cadillac, high school marching bands, Zelzah Shrine Flivvers, horses, alpacas, drill teams, dance groups, car clubs and much more. The parade route is northbound on Fourth Street from Gass to Stewart avenues. See the map for available parking lots and parade route.

The free Las Vegas Days Festival will be held 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Centennial Plaza at the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St. Adults can enjoy the beer and wine garden, while youth will participate in kids’ activities from DISCOVERY Children’s Museum, The Neon Museum and much more. Everyone will enjoy the live entertainment from Las Vegas’ own Nashville Renegades band, featuring Ben Hale and Zack Ryan, as well as Las Vegas headliner Frankie Moreno and his 10-piece band. Lots of interactive artwork from First Friday and Fired Up Management will be on the plaza, as well as an exhibit from the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority of historical photos that members of the community are invited to identify. Broadcasting live from the festival will be radio stations Sunny 106.5 and 95.5 The Bull. Food trucks will offer refreshments for sale. Downtown businesses are invited to decorate their storefronts for the weekend in the historic Las Vegas Days theme.

In addition to the parade and

festival, the city of Las Vegas will premiere the fourth documentary chronicling the city’s history, “The City of Las Vegas: The Forties,” at 7:15 p.m. May 14 on KCLV Channel 2 on Cox Cable. In addition, the new documentary will be streamed via kclv.tv/live, the city’s Facebook and Twitter pages, the GoVegas app and on the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. For those who missed the first three episodes, or just would like to review them, KCLV will broadcast “Las Vegas: The Early Years” at 3 p.m. May 14, followed by “The City of Las Vegas: The Twenties” at 4:15 p.m. and “The City of Las Vegas: The Thirties” at 5:45 p.m. All four documentaries will be re-played in order Sunday, May 15, starting at 11:30 a.m.

“The City of Las Vegas: The Forties” will be replayed on KCLVTV 2 May 16 at 11 a.m., May 17 at 2:30 p.m., May 18 at 5 p.m., May 19 at 6 p.m., May 20 at 8:30 a.m. and May 21 at 3 p.m., as well as additional dates to be determined. To find the documentaries and additional city programming, search “GoVegas.” All episodes were produced by Boyd Productions LLC. For more Las Vegas historical photos and information, visit www. lasvegasnevada.gov/History.

“We are excited to add the Las Vegas Days Festival and the latest documentary about our history to our celebration,” said Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman. “From the marching bands to the beautiful horses and the floats, this parade is for the entire community. I look forward to seeing families lining Fourth Street to view the outdoor spectacle, enjoying the festival and then learning more about our history.”

Applications to participate in the parade with a float or performing group will be accepted through Sunday, May 8. There is space for a total of 100 entries. Application may be made at https://cityoflasvegas. formstack.com/forms/las_vegas_ days_parade online. There is no fee to enter the parade.

The Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial is offering $1,000 for local school marching band entries and $1,500 for quality local school float entries; limited to two parade entries per school. Some additional roving performance entertainment along the parade route will be supplied by the Commission budget, as well. A committee will judge the entries during the parade and prizes will be awarded, including $500 for the best marching band and $500 for the best historic Las Vegas-themed float, as well as an award for best float by a casino/hotel.

The theme of entries should reflect our heritage, the birthday of the city of Las Vegas, and Vegas, then and now. May 15 is the 117th anniversary of the land auction in 1905, which marks the beginning of Las Vegas. This parade celebrating Las Vegas’ heritage was created in 1935 as the Helldorado Parade. For more information on the Las Vegas Days Parade, call 702-229-4859; for more information on the Las Vegas Days Festival, call 702-229ARTS (2787).

Road closures for the parade begin at 6 a.m. May 14; roads will reopen by 3 p.m. Major road closures include Fourth Street from Las Vegas Boulevard to Stewart Avenue and all side streets in between; Third Street from Charleston Boulevard to Gass Avenue; and all side streets in between.

Asian Pacific Islander college graduates in Nevada honored for accomplishments in ‘GraduAsian’ ceremony LAS VEGAS - During Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Asian Pacific Islander college graduates from throughout Nevada will gather for a special ceremony to highlight and celebrate their accomplishments. The Spring 2022 GraduAsian Ceremony, organized by the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC), will take place on Saturday, May 7 at College of Southern Nevada, Charleston Campus Student Union Ballrooms at 6375 West Charleston Boulevard, Las Vegas NV 89145.

“We are so excited to bring GraduAsian back in person this spring,” said Vida Lin, Founder & President of ACDC. “We know the last few years have not been easy for a lot of people including students who are working to finish their college education. Their hard work, determination and

culture, and Filipinos are pivotal to that surge.

For the last two years, the API community has undergone several ups and downs, most notably the increase in violence against Asians amid the coronavirus pandemic. Those within the #StopAsianHate movement continue to advocate for better protection for the community, and for many, that starts with making known the positive

by Alex

BrosAs Inquirer.net

impact the API community across all industries.

A100 panelist Daniel Dae Kim said in a statement, “Though the news cycle may have moved on, it’s clear to anyone following that the challenges facing the AAPI community remain.

It’s vitally important that we continue to reclaim our narrative by celebrating and honoring the achievements of those of us making a positive impact on our Jona world today.”

FOR singer Jona, performing through singing is more than how it is perceived, because it involves emotions, and therefore, a little bit of acting.

“You are using your voice to project the emotions [needed in the lyrics of the song],” Jona explained during the online press conference for the “The Broken Playlist” yesterday, April 26.

Jona explains how this is done by a singer. For example, when singing songs about being brokenhearted, the singer needs to one’s voice in such a way that it can sound like crying. There’s also a different approach when singing romantic or happy songs.

With that, Jona also feels that theme songs, whether for a soap opera or the movies, are very important in enhancing the scenes, or to convey emotions to the audience.

Meanwhile, Jona is grateful to perform the song “Tinatapos Ko Na” for the concert, as it came from Himig Handog 2018 and it became the first theme song of the Philippine airing of the “The World Of A Photo from Instagram/@jona Married Couple.”

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Aside from running her media consulting agency based in Las Vegas, Patranya also teaches journalism at UNLV and serves as a visiting media & diversity trainer for the Poynter Institute in Tampa, Florida.

Students who register for GraduAsian 2022 will also receive personalized certificates signed by the Nevada delegation.

The event is free for all Nevada API college graduates. Those who want to be featured in the GraduAsian program can send an email to info@acdcnv.org with “GraduAsian Feature: (NAME)” in the subject line.

Send a photo of yourself, your major and a short description of your biggest accomplishment during your college career (100 words or less).

For more information,contact info@acdcnv.org.

Jona believes that singing is just like acting

Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars, Bretman Rock and...

PAGE 9 a “rigorous and comprehensive process” conducted by a panel of several of the community’s top tastemakers, including celebrated Filipina singer-actor Lea Salonga.

Many might call the current moment an Asian renaissance, a period where Asians across all industries — particularly in entertainment, professional sports, business, science, and art — are thriving and making big moves in mainstream

resilience to push through and succeed despite the pandemic will make this GraduAsian event even more meaningful this year.”

This annual GraduAsian Ceremony will feature a medallion ceremony for college graduates from University of Nevada Las Vegas, College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State College.

There will also be a job fair on site with recruiters from the following companies & organizations: • MGM Resorts • Caesars Entertainment • Everi • OCA Las Vegas • Las Vegas Desert Dogs • Bank of America • Light & Wonder The keynote speaker for this year’s event is Patranya Bhoolsuwan, founder of Patranya Media LLC and 3 time Emmy Award winning TV journalist.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 5-11, 2022

11

Clark County population expected to grow by 1M in 2060

by RealtoR

Fely Quitevis-Bateman

communities and master-planned developments moving outward to satisfy the demand from the MORE and more people are around 2.47 million by year’s end. population. expected to flock into Clark More than half of Clark County’s Communities like Green Valley, County in Nevada as construction population live in Las Vegas, Summerlin, Red Rock, Mountain’s and development continue to which is the seat of the county.

Edge, Inspirada, Providence, The same study, which was come into the area. and Cadence are now wellIn a recent study done by the commissioned for a few Southern known to residents, realtors and University of Nevada Las Vegas’ Nevada agencies and members astute property buyers. And Lee Business School’s Center for of the Forecasting Group, show more development is underway, Business and Economic Research growth in Clark County hovering perhaps fueled by a good network cited by the Las Vegas Review between 2.4% to 1.0% from of freeways and roads, as well as Journal, Clark County is estimated 2023 to 2035. From 2040 to 2060, interest from many sectors keen to add about 1 million more population growth is estimated to on gaining a foothold in the city residents to its fold by 2060, be from 0.2% to 0.7%. and the state.

Clark County has certainly putting the population by that The LVRJ article stated that come a long way from its roots, time to about 3.38 million. although there may be a limitation Currently, Clark County was having only been established to how far the boundaries for future estimated to have a population in 1909, and was formed when master-planned communities may of about 2.38 million in 2020. It the Nevada Legislature split off go, there is still a hot demand for is estimated to grow by 2.2% a portion of Lincoln County. In real estate and properties in Las in 2022, putting the estimate to 1910, its population was placed Vegas. Residential developers are still buying land for new projects, and house hunters are buying in new subdivisions throughout the valley, per the article.

Currently, in Las Vegas, there are multiple offers for properties who normally close at higher than asking prices. Plus, it is not uncommon for buyers to be put on a waiting list in order to secure a bid for one of the more affordable properties in the market.

This only means one thing for Las Vegas and neighboring regions – there will be demand for more housing, particularly affordable housing. There is already interest from real estate developers looking at other areas close to Las Vegas where they can develop communities to address the needs of a booming population.

Areas like Pahrump, Nevada, which is located in Nye County With Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (extreme left) in photo are (from left) Johnny and Grace Rustia of New Jersey, and Joannie Feliciano and and is only about 62 miles west nephew Aldo from Orange County. Quitevis-Bateman’s clients are scouting for a place to retire. of Las Vegas, are being looked at by the property-savvy due to affordability and proximity advantages. With about a million more people estimated to make their way to Clark County – and in particular, to Las Vegas – there is more of a probability for outward development to outside regions.

And now is the time, more than ever, to take a look at those golden opportunities – be it in Las Vegas or in neighboring cities like Henderson, Boulder or Mesquite, and towns like Pahrump. More affordable prices, better quality of life, ease of traffic and less crime may be some of the reasons why areas outside of Las Vegas may spark interest to property hunters.

Moreso, there are many advantages to buying land or Development going on in Las Vegas will bring more jobs and new residents to the area. property in Nevada, or even only at 3,321. A few major dates for the county included the incorporation of cities like Las Vegas (June 1911), North Las Vegas (May 1946) and Henderson (April 1953). Over the years, its population steadily increased, fueled by steep increases in the mid-80s to late 2000s.

Las Vegas houses Clark County’s largest population, with an almost 1.8 million people living in Las Vegas Census County Divisions (as of the 2010 Census). Las Vegas city by itself is estimated to have nearly 650,000 residents, placing it 26th among largest cities in the United States and first in the State of Nevada.

Billed as the gambling and entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas has been thoroughly developed, with sprawling

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (foreground) with a group of Filipino Americans at an event in Nevada. Fil-Ams are the largest Asian group in Clark County.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman with Ron Quilang from Henderson, NV who is running for Assemblyman for District 21. As the largest Asian American group in Clark County, QuitevisBateman believes there should be an elected Fil-Am in government.

becoming a resident of the state: a competitive business state tax, a county sales tax of 6.75% (not on food items), and no taxes associated with estate/inheritance, franchise, gift, inventory/interstate commerce, corporate income and personal income.

Whether you are looking to be gainfully employed, retire or just own a second home or land as an investment, Las Vegas and Pahrump are great places to start

your search, and I can help you.

Having seen the growth of these communities since 1990s, I can assist you, my kababayans, in your search for the best opportunities.

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

12

MAY 5-11, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

Features Health @Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS THE World Health Organization and the US-CDC reported last week an outbreak of a novel hepatitis in nine children, all under age 10, in a hospital in Alabama, who had severe liver injuries between October 2021 and February. The symptoms of hepatitis include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, upper abdominal pains, yellowish eyes and skin discoloration. None had a compromised immune system, none had COVID-19 infection, and none tested positive for Hepatitis Virus A, B, C, D, E. All the Alabama children survived but 3 had acute liver failure and 2 had liver transplants.

First reported in the UK, it is now in dozen countries, including the United States, Canada, and Japan. In the U.S., North Carolina and Illinois have also reported cases. So far, nearly 200 cases and 17 liver transplants have been reported and one death, besides the death of a child in Wisconsin with this mysterious hepatitis, which is suspected to be linked to the common cold adenovirus.

Children having symptoms of hepatitis should be medically evaluated without delay. Hepatitis A and B vaccines are strongly recommended for children.

E. Coli in beef About 120,000 pounds of beef were recalled by the Lakeside Refrigerated Services because of probable E. Coli (fecal) contamination. The ground beef was produced from February 1, 2022 to April 8, 2022, and distributed to various retailers in the U.S. The brand names involved include Thomas Farms, Marketside Butchers, SE Grocers, Tajima, Weis, and Nature’s Reserve. Those who have any of these in their freezer should discard them. Infection with E. coli could be serious, even life-threatening.

Vax “killed” nurse The nurse (Tiffany Dover, RN) who fainted on live TV following COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020 reportedly died and the rumor swirled endlessly on social media. She actually recovered 20 minutes later and was back on TV, but the false news still continued, courtesy of the antivaccine conspiracy perpetrators to scare the public with this fake news and other misinformation.

This discouraged people from

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Mysterious hepatitis getting the vaccines and countless numbers had gotten infected and died. Disinfo/misinformation, like political correctness, kills. NBC News, in a podcast, will feature Tiffany and the full story about this conspiracy. Compared to getting COVID-19, getting the vaccines is a hundredfold safer.

Keto diet and sex There is a claim that the Keto diet improves male sexual prowess by increasing testosterone levels. The Keto diet consists of super-low carbohydrates, a moderate amount of protein, and a high volume of fat.

While this could help people lose weight, a 2021 study shows the Keto diet to be associated with heart scarring. As for testosterone levels, studies have been limited and the impact on sex drive inconclusive.

While the three popular Erectile Dysfunction (ED) pills (Viagra, Cialis, Levitra) are safely prescribed by physicians, extreme caution should be taken with many advertised “natural/herbal libido” pills and potions for potential adverse reactions and side effects.

Consultation with a physician is prudent.

Caution: CBD gummies CBD (Cannabidiol Oil) gummies and other over-the-counter products with cannabinoids from Cannabis plants have been marketed for brain health, as pain reducers, and as a remedy for some common illnesses. These substances have quality and safety questions, and they could interact with prescribed medications. They can also cause uncomfortable dry mouth, reduced appetite, nausea, fatigue, and drowsiness (especially dangerous when driving or operating machines). The same goes with recreational marijuana, which could be addictive and has many harmful side effects that could ruin lives. Talk to your physician before taking this or any other drug or substances.

Avian Flu in humans The first Avian Flu (caused by AH5 or Bird Flu H5) in a human was detected in a Colorado Poultry Farm in the United States on April 29, 2022, only the second case in the world. The first was detected last December on a bird farm in the United Kingdom. The CDC tracked the health of 2,500 individuals exposed to birds infected with H5N1 and found only one case of human infection in Colorado. This virus usually infects birds and not humans. The first case of H5N1 in birds was discovered in late 2021.

Millions of birds have been culled in the past to control the spread of

this avian killer.

COVID-19 updates As of Tuesday, May 3, 2022, the 7-day daily average COVID-19 cases in the United States was 60,953 with 16,495 hospitalization and 391 deaths. The number of cases was 55 percent higher than in the previous 2 weeks. The vaccination is still low, around 66 percent of the entire U.S. population. Almost 60 percent of people in the United States have been infected with COVID-19. Worldwide numbers: Total Cases – 514,254,906, deaths – 6,264,024 (39,079,097 active cases); U.S.: 83,170,407 cases, deaths –1,021,089 (1,391,894 active cases); and the Philippines: 3,686,216 cases, deaths – 60,412 (4,125 active cases). Stats going up.

Vax in RP The National COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard of the Department of Health in the Philippines reported on May 1, 2022, that the total doses administered in the country (population 111,461) was 147,935,968 (First dose: 65,719,128; Second dose: 67,971,140; and Booster: 14,245,700. About 61.9 percent of the people have been fully vaccinated and around 12 percent had their first booster shot. The second booster (4th shot) is recommended after 4 months of the last shot for people who are 50 and older, especially those with co-morbidities, and those who are immunocompromised.

Still too risky!

As Shanghai is in a lockdown because of severe waves of COVID-19, New York City has entered a new high, about 2500 cases a day. Los Angeles County cases shot up by 40 percent last week, and California, after months of decreasing COVID-19 cases, is now showing a nearly 30 percent increase last week with a small rise in hospitalizations. Experts fear it is headed into new waves.

They attributed the increase to the loosening of restrictions on masking and distancing mandates and on vaccination verification rules, on top of emerging new subvariants of Omicron. The top four states with the highest numbers of cases since the pandemic started are California – 8,587,271, with 89,145 deaths; Texas – 6,734,179, with 86,533 deaths; Florida – 5,925,668, with 73,948 deaths; and, New York – 5,127,560, with 68,061 deaths. As long as there is a significant number of unvaccinated (34 percent in the U.S.), and people unmask and let their guard down prematurely, PAGE 13

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13

Fil-Italian model wins Miss Universe PH Nadine’s fulfilled personal and professional life crown, hopes to inspire with feat by ronnie

CarrasCo ManilaTimes.net

by Charmie Joy

Pagulong

Philstar.com

CLAD in powder blue evening gown, Filipino-Italian beauty Celeste Cortesi of Pasay City was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2022 on Saturday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. She will be representing the Philippines on the global stage in December.

The crowd at the venue went wild when her name was called as the new queen and she bested 31 other candidates.

She was an early fan favorite and consistently included in the top picks by various pageant websites.

The 24-year-old stunner is a model who previously represented the Philippines in the Miss Earth 2018 where she finished in the Top 8.

Cortesi also bagged major awards during the coronation night, including Best in Swimsuit and Miss Photogenic.

Prior to this, she received the Miss Havana and Miss Aqua awards at the preliminary competition.

Her predecessor, Beatrice Luigi Gomez, who placed Top 5 at the Miss Universe 2021 finals, passed the crown to her in suit, a first for the national pageant.

One of the hosts, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, asked Cortesi during the question and answer portion, “If you could stop time for a day, how would you spend it?”

“If I could stop time, I would spend it with my family, especially my mother. It’s been two years since I spent time with my family in Italy and I just came here by myself. So, if I have a chance to spend one day, I would be with my mom and tell her how much I love her and miss her,” she replied.

In a separate statement, Cortesi further shared that while she was on stage, she was only thinking of her parents.

“The strength I got from them is indescribable. I’ve worked so hard for this, I’ve prepared. And I let God do the rest in knowing that whatever is meant for me will never pass me by.

“I’ve grown so much since I came to the Philippines five years ago and I really promised myself that I would only join a pageant if ready to take the responsibility of a crown, and I am now.

“Yesterday, I received my second chance and I am beyond honored and grateful to be able to represent my country in the Miss Universe stage.

“I hope that with my story I can inspire so many to never give up on their dreams because (through) hard work, perseverance and faith you can achieve anything you want,” she added.

Meanwhile, completing the list of Top 5 winners were: Michelle Dee of Makati City (Miss Universe Philippines - Tourism), Pauline Amelinckx of Bohol (Miss Universe Philippines – Charity),

Filipina Italian beauty Celeste Cortesi of Pasay City was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2022 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday, April 30.

Photo from Facebook/Miss Universe Philippines

Annabelle Mae McDonnell of Misamis Oriental (first runnerup), and Ma. Katrina Llegado of Taguig (second runner-up).

Ilocos Sur’s Jewel Alexandria Pacat was named Miss Friendship while Haliya –inspired costume worn by Albay’s Julia Calleja Saubier was Best in National Costume.

Also a crowd favorite and the daughter of Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez, Dee snagged the Best in Evening Gown award and got the most special awards during the preliminary competition, including Miss Kumuniverse, Miss Creamsilk, Face of Essentials by Belo, Miss Jojo Bragais, Miss Savepoint, and Miss The Medical City.

Earlier, Amelinckx was awarded Frontrow Choice Queen and Special MG Miss Extraordinary Award while Llegado received the Miss Philippine Airlines and Miss CAD awards.

On the other hand, here is the list of other special awards during the preliminaries: Ivylou Borbon of Pangasinan (Luxxeslim Fitness Queen); Angelica Lopez of Palawan (Queen Majestic); Danielle Arielle Camcam of San Juan (Miss Coins.PH); Isabel Luche of Mandaue (Miss Jewel8mer); Gillian De Mesa of Nueva Vizcaya (Miss Smile Apparel); Chantal Schmidt of Cebu City (Miss Cavaso); and Lou Piczon of Cebu Province (Miss Okada).

Rounding up the Top 16 were: De Mesa, Lopez, Pacat, Piczon, Saubier, Schmidt, Jona Sweett of Aklan, Vanessa Ann Caro of Iloilo Province, Ghenesis Latugat of Baguio City, Dorothy Gemillan of Iloilo City, and Sonja Jeyn Tanyag of Laguna.

Aside from Wurtzbach, the other hosts were Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere and Miss

Bubbles proved wrong someone who said, ‘You can’t become a triathlete’ by alex

Brosas Inquirer.net

ACTRESS and triathlete Bubbles Paraiso reflected on her journey to sports, noting how she was not discouraged when someone tried to dissuade her from getting into the world of athletes.

Paraiso shared some of her little triumphs as a triathlete through her Instagram page today, May 2, posting a collage of videos in the different sports she has competed in.

“Someone once said to me: ‘you can’t become a triathlete. You don’t even know how to swim and you hate running. You cried when I made you run,’” she recalled, without naming the person who tried to discourage her.

The comment did not dampen Paraiso’s spirit. She continued to do her best in marathon, swimming and biking, and in time, she was able to accomplish little successes.

“When someone tells you that you can’t do something, do it well, prove them wrong, and take pictures. Lots of it,” she advised.

“With enough hard work, tenacity and mental fortitude you will exceed even your own limits and expectations of yourself.”

Bubble Paraiso Photo from Instagram/@bubblesparaiso

Now, Paraiso is excited for her comeback race. Last March, Paraiso returned to running, as per an Instagram update she shared with fellow sports enthusiasts. “[Of] the three disciplines of tri, running had been my least favorite of them all, having the mindset that it’s ‘just something I need to do (and quick!) to get to the finish line,’” she said.

Paraiso sustained a foot injury which was why running took a backseat.

Mysterious hepatitis PAGE 11

board and staff.

*** COVID-19 will continue to linger Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac and kill more people. Getting the vaccines, masking, and social Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana distancing minimize COVID-19 and and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Public Advocate, and save lives. *** 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

Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua. com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com

Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Tebow.

The artists who performed during the coronation night included: Morissette Amon, Jim Bales, Bamboo, Sam Concepcion, Francisco Martin, EZ Mil, and Arthur Nery.

Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu was also among the judges.

IT may just seem to be a pure coincidence that Nadine Lustre's last film, "Greed" is a homonym to her ex-boyfriend's last name, Reid. But of course, it wasn't Viva Entertainment's intention to remind Nadine about her romantic past. The good thing about her failed relationship with James is that despite everything that stood in their way, they remain friends.

Admirably, on their own Nadine and James continue to better themselves — she with her revitalized career; James with his passion for music.

With an ideal setup rarely found in erstwhile couples, it is reassuring to note that seeing them together in a project anew is not a remote possibility.

For her part, Nadine has signified her interest in working with James, only that much of it depends on the reunion project if ever.

Categorically, Nadine shuns recycled plots. If it's not James in the film, Nadine has strictly decreed never to pair her with a love team.

Eventually for actresses like her, she won't need a screen partner, not in any way to boost her premium. A good material in the hands of an equally good director can make Nadine achieve her dream.

Nadine must be all the more inspired to try new things. As she aptly puts it, just like James, she is explorative. Maybe, this is also a test to how far and wide her artistic talents can imaginably be.

Nadine will surely go a notch higher in her career, even without her former love teammate James Reid.

Photo from Instagram/@nadine

One perfect example is Bela Padilla who has crossed over to both screenwriting and directing.

Nadine may want to tap into her hidden knack for storytelling, most especially now that the environment she's surrounded with makes for a rich source of pregnant ideas to start with.

Also, given her mirthful disposition with her boyfriend Christophe Bariou there can be no room for failure. It is to Nadine's advantage that love fills the air with Christophe as her source of joy.

To the guy's credit, this is perhaps the first time we heard Nadine proudly talk about how everything about her personal life seems to have fallen in the right place.

To use a figure of speech, she describes her and Christophe like "two peas in a pod," sharing a lot of interests even the most inane ones. Nadine doesn't hide the fact that she's so impressed

with Christophe if only to find a guy who's well-versed in the capitals of the world like no other.

Exactly like her, Christophe is also a sucker for funny, if not shallow videos who gets tickled pink.

On this lies the disparity between Nadine's ex and present boyfriends.

It was during her happier times with James was Nadine seemingly lost in her career. The next thing we knew, the ill-advised Nadine found herself in a legal battle with Viva.

Thank God, Nadine is not just back to her old career-driven self, but is also a picture of an ostensibly happy, lovebug-bitten woman that she never was.

The next time Viva sits with Nadine, maybe it should hear her out as she might have a germ of an idea to lay on the brainstorming table.

Yes, we'd like to see Nadine go a notch higher. With or without James.

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MAY 5-11, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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