050722 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

MAY 7-10, 2022 Volume 32 - No. 36 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages

DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Study: Nearly 70% of Asians feel like they ‘don’t belong’ in America FOR the last two years, Asian and Asian Americans have experienced a collective, unfortunate reckoning that has exacerbated the two destructive stereotypes toward the community: the perpetual foreigner and the model minority myth.

As a way to gauge the cultural temperature regarding the Asian community in the United States, the Leading Asian Americans United for Change (LAAUNCH) and The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) led a study designed to “reveal the attitudes and stereotypes towards Asian Americans” in a post-#StopAsianHate world.

The study — called the Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S. (STAATUS) Index — is described as a revolutionary study that seeks to address, understand, and solve the layered causes of anti-Asian racism in the U.S. “For the past two years, Asian Americans have lived in a period of mourning, anger, fear, and exhaustion from the devastation of COVID-19 and the surge in anti-Asian violence, bigotry, and hate crimes,” the study read. “At  PAGE A5

Overseas voter turnout for 2022 PH election to surpass past polls IN the final days before the end of the voting period, 385,437 registered overseas voters have so far cast their votes.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Marlon Casquejo said the number represents 23 percent of the 1,697,215 registered voters abroad.

"We have a good turnout. As of today (May 5), we are already at 23 percent voting turnout so far," he said. "With this trend, we are likely to surpass the previous turnouts." In the previous polls, the voter turnout during presidential elections have been traditionally higher, with 2004 having 233,137 voters (65 percent), 2010 with 153,323 voters

WHO: COVID-19 caused 15 million deaths, not 5 million

by SHIELA

CRISOSTOMO Philstar.com

A guide to keeping up with omicron subvariants TWO years into the coronavirus pandemic, Americans can be forgiven if they’ve lost track of the latest variants circulating nationally and around the world. We’ve heard of the alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and omicron variants, but a new Greek-letter variant hasn’t come onto the scene in almost half a year.

Instead, a seemingly endless stream of “subvariants” of omicron, the most recent Greek-letter variant, has emerged in the past few months.

How different are these subvariants from one another? Can infection by one subvariant protect someone from infection by another subvariant? And how well are the existing coronavirus vaccines — which were developed before omicron’s emergence — doing against the subvariants?

We asked medical and epidemiological experts these and other questions. Here’s a rundown.

Q: What are the subvariants? How much do they differ from one another?

The omicron subvariants seem like an alphabet soup of letters and numbers. The original omicron variant was called B.1.1.529.

The initial omicron variant begat such

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(26 percent), and 2016 with 430,695 voters (31 percent).

Of the number, the Middle East and African nations recorded the highest number of voters at 148,127; followed by the Asia Pacific with 139,041.

There were 56,550 voters in the Americas and  PAGE A2

UNITEAM MITING DE AVANCE. Supporters of the UniTeam flock at the Tagum City Hall grounds in Apokon, Davao del Norte on Thursday, May 5 to join the team’s miting de avance in Mindanao. Presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and vice presidential bet Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte took the center stage along with their senatorial slate during the event.

PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

ALMOST three times as many people have died as a result of COVID-19 as official data show, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report, the most comprehensive look at the true global toll of the pandemic so far. Almost three times as many people have died as a result of COVID-19 as official data show, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report, the most comprehensive look at the true global toll of the pandemic so far.

There were 14.9 million excess deaths associated with COVID-19 by the end of 2021, the UN body said on Thursday.

The official count of deaths directly attributable to SARS-CoV-2 and reported to WHO in that period, from January 2020 to the end of December 2021, is slightly more than 5.4 million.

The WHO’s excess mortality figures reflect people who died of COVID as well as those who died as an indirect result of the outbreak, including people who could not access health care for other conditions when systems

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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 The energy is high during the early morning “Sorsogon Grand Rally: Angat Buhay, Bicolandia!” these horrific acts to continue threatening for fellow Bicolano, presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo, and running mate, Inquirer.net photo the safety of AA and NHPI Americans — Senator Kiko Pangilinan on Friday, May 6.  PAGE A2

Pulse, OCTA see majority win for BBM-Sara Duterte

by EDU

PUNAY Philstar.com

TAGUM CITY — Presidential frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. may win the presidency with a majority vote on Monday, May 2 the first in decades, based on the final pre-election surveys of prominent polling firms OCTA Research and Pulse Asia.

The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas standard bearer received a preferential rating of 58 percent in the OCTA survey released on Thursday, May 5 Presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos with his running-mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte- and 56 percent in the Pulse Carpio.

Philstar.com file photo Asia survey released earlier this

week.

Marcos, number 7 in the official ballot, even increased his voter preference by one percent as compared to his previous 57 percent in the survey released by OCTA earlier this month.

Based on the survey conducted from April 22 to 25 with 2,400 respondents, Marcos maintained his huge lead of 33 percentage points against his closest rival, Vice President Leni Robredo who scored 25 percent in voter preference.

At distant third place is Manila Mayor Isko Moreno with  PAGE A2

Robredo calms anxious supporters

by GABRIEL

PABICO Inquirer.net

LALU

MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo on Friday, May 6 reassured supporters and volunteers who were getting anxious as Election Day draws near.

In an ambush interview, Robredo urged them to be faithful and remember that all of them gave their all during the 90-day nationwide campaign to win the presidency for her and the vice presidency for running mate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, as well as the senatorial bid for the tandem’s slate.

Robredo narrated how she and her team and the volunteers

were the most hardworking, as they barnstormed as many areas – near and far – across the country and conducted house-tohouse efforts at the tail end of the campaign.

“Hindi ako kinakabahan kasi ginawa ko naman lahat. Ako na yata ‘yong pinakamasipag […] ’yong nangyayari ngayon so much more than we expected at the start of the campaign.

Hindi natin inaasahan na hindi na lang siya magiging simpleng kampanya kundi talagang krusada na and I think ‘yun ang biggest blessing,” Robredo told reporters after her rally in Sorsogon City.

(I am not feeling nervous  PAGE A4

A2 MAY 7-10, 2022 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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2ND BOOSTER. Sherryl Lumontad (left), 71, from Mabuhay City Subdivion receives her second booster shot for immunocompromised individuals from a nurse of the City Health Office 3 in Barangay Salawag, City of Dasmariñas in Cavite on Thursday, May 5. The national government has been encouraging local government units to consider house-to-house vaccination drives to get more senior citizens and persons with comorbidities vaccinated against COVID-19.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

Overseas voter turnout for...

PAGE A1 41,719 voters in the European region.

Casquejo urged those who have yet to cast their votes to visit the Philippine posts before the May 9 deadline.

"If they haven't been able to get their ballots, they can go to the post or embassy, get the ballots,

sign a waiver and affidavit that they haven't voted yet," he said.

"If you haven't received the ballots, you can go to the Posts.

It is allowed," he added.

Meanwhile, Casquejo said they are going to verify reports that Comelec-trained teachers in Cotabato City have been reportedly replaced with new and

untrained teaching staff to handle the vote counting machines for Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. "I will ask the Election Officer in the area for verification. How true if those who have been replaced are qualified or did they go proper training. I'll have that verified," he said. (PNA)

Biden proclaims May as AANHPI Heritage Month PAGE A1 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 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. 

Pulse, OCTA see majority win for BBM...

PAGE A1

eight percent voter preference, followed by Sen. Manny Pacquiao in fourth with five percent, and Sen. Ping Lacson fifth with two percent.

Marcos also maintained his lead in all areas in the country during the same survey. He scored 46 percent in National Capital Region, 59 percent in balance Luzon, 62 percent in Visayas, and 56 percent in Mindanao. He also topped in all

socio-economic class, scoring 53 percent in Class ABC, 60 percent in Class D, and 54 percent in Class E. In the final Pulse Asia survey, on the other hand, Marcos scored a majority preferential rating of 56 percent. Conducted from April 16 to 21 with 2,400 respondents, Marcos showed a 33-point lead over Robredo’s 23 percent.

Pacquiao is in distant third with seven percent, Moreno

dropped to fourth with four percent and Lacson in fifth with two percent.

House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez, Lakas-CMD president, said if the BBMSara Duterte tandem scores a landslide victory, they would be the first presidential and vice presidential candidates in the country’s recent history who would win by a majority, instead of a plurality, vote. 

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Robredo calms anxious...

PAGE A1 because I did everything I could.

I may already have the most hardworking… what’s happening now is so much more than we expected at the start of the campaign. We are not expecting that it would no longer just be a simple campaign but a real crusade already and I think that is the biggest blessing.)

“Magtiwala lang, magtiwala lang kasi hindi lang naman ako ang nagsipag, sila din. Hindi lang naman ako ang ginawa ang lahat, pero sila din. ‘Yung lesson naman natin sa buhay basta lalaban tayo to the best of our ability pero sa tamang paraan,” she added.

(Just trust, just trust because it’s not only me who worked hard, they too. It’s not only me who did everything, they did everything they could too. Our lesson in life is to just fight to the best of our ability but in the right way.)

According to Robredo, there were times when she and her team were so tired but the crowd’s energy pushed them to continue working despite the odds.

“So sobrang energized pa.

Napapagod pero ‘pag kasama mo na kasi ‘yong mga tao, parang

‘yung energy ng mga tao nalilipat sa amin kaya kahit puyat, kahit pagod, looking forward pa parati sa mga susunod na events. Parang nakakalungkot nga na tapos na bukas dahil naging masaya talaga ang kampanya,” she said.

(So, we’re still so energized.

Tiring but when you’re already with the people, it seems like the people’s energy is transferred to us so, despite the lack of sleep, and tiredness, we’re always looking forward to the next events. It’s quite saddening that it would end tomorrow because it’s been really a fun campaign.)

“Gagawin natin lahat, leaving no stones unturned. Hindi natin gagawin ‘yung mga masasamang ginagawa ng iba, ‘yon naman ‘yong pinaka-mahalaga. Diyos na ang bahala pagkatapos,” she added.

(We’ll do everything, leaving no stones unturned. We will not do the dirty tricks being done by others, that’s the most important thing. God will do the rest after this.)

Robredo earlier returned to Sorsogon City where she received a rockstar welcome from more than 40,000 supporters along Magsayasay Street. Sorsogon was their team’s first stop for

her miting de avance on Friday, before moving to Legazpi, Albay, for another Grand Rally later on the same day.

Robredo’s penultimate campaign sortie would end at her hometown Naga City, where a huge crowd is expected to fill up Magsaysay Avenue. As early as Thursday night, people have been flocking along the road to check the preparations for the program in Naga.

In the 2016 vice presidential race, Robredo won big in Bicol Region, getting 1.499 million votes compared to secondplacer, incumbent Sorsogon Gov. Francis Escudero, who got 476,483 votes.

At that time, Robredo was running against four other candidates with roots from the Bicol Region – Escudero who hails from Sorsogon where he largely won; former senator Antonio Trillanes IV who is part of Robredo’s Senate slate now; and former senator Gringo Honasan.

Robredo would need similar or more support from the Bicol Region again in the upcoming polls to overcome the perceived edge of her archrival, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whom she beat in the 2016 presidential race. 

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)

THIRST QUENCHER. A fruit vendor sells watermelons in Barangay Santiago, General Trias, Cavite on Thursday, May 5. Watermelons are popular during summer as they are juicy enough to quench a person’s thirst.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan

A guide to keeping up with omicron...

PAGE A1 subvariants as BA.1; BA.1.1; BA.2; BA.2.12.1; BA.3; and the most recent, BA.4 and BA.5.

“They all differ from each other by having different mutations in the spike protein,” which is the part of the virus that penetrates host cells and causes infection, said Dr. Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine at the University of CaliforniaSan Francisco.

The minor-to-modest mutations in these subvariants can make them marginally more transmissible from person to person. Generally, the higher the number following “BA” in the subvariant’s name, the more transmissible that subvariant is.

For instance, BA.2 is thought to be about 30% to 60% more transmissible than previous subvariants.

These mutations have enabled subvariants to spread widely, only to be overtaken by a slightly more transmissible subvariant within a few weeks. Then the process repeats.

In the United States, for instance, BA.1.1 was dominant in late January, having overtaken the initial variant, B.1.1.529. But by mid-March, BA.1.1 began losing ground to BA.2, which became dominant by early April.

By late April, another subvariant — BA.2.12.1 — was gaining steam, accounting for almost 29% of infections, according

to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(The delta wave of late 2021 has been a non-factor during this time frame.)

Q: What about the severity of illness?

Fortunately, the illnesses caused by omicron have typically been less severe than those caused by previous variants — a pattern that seems to hold for all the subvariants studied so far. One analysis from Denmark showed that BA.2 doesn’t cause more hospitalizations than the BA.1 subvariant, Gandhi said.

Even the most recent subvariants that have been discovered, BA.4 and BA.5, show “no evidence to suggest that it is more worrisome than the original omicron, other than a potentially slight increase in transmissibility,” said Brooke Nichols, an infectious-disease mathematical modeler at Boston University.

Dennis Cunningham, the system medical director of infection control and prevention at Henry Ford Health in Detroit, told NBC News that the symptoms from the omicron subvariants “have been pretty consistent. There’s less incidence of people losing their sense of taste and smell. In a lot of ways, it’s a bad cold, a lot of respiratory symptoms, stuffy nose, coughing, body aches, and fatigue.”

Q: If you get infected by one subvariant, will you be protected against others?

So far, in all variants to date, the ability of the virus to evade existing immune protection “is only partial, much like it is for the seasonal flu,” said Colin Russell, a professor of applied evolutionary biology at the University of Amsterdam’s medical center.

While some people who had BA.1 have also gotten BA.2, the initial research suggests that infection with BA. 1 “provides strong protection against reinfection with BA.2,” the World Health Organization has said.

“This may explain why our BA.2 surge in the U.S. was not that large as the very large BA.1 surge over the winter,” Gandhi said.

The level of protection can vary depending on how sick you were, with mild cases boosting immunity for perhaps a month or two and recovery from a severe illness granting up to a year.

Q: How do existing COVID-19 vaccines stack up against these subvariants?

Although the current vaccines and boosters aren’t quite as successful in protecting against omicron as they are against earlier variants, they will generally protect people

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US senators renew call for the A guide to keeping up with omicron... release of jailed PH Sen. De Lima PAGE A3

WASHINGTON – Several U.S. senators renewed their call for the release of imprisoned Philippine Senator Leila de Lima after witnesses who testified against her recanted, saying they had been coerced.

“The recent recanting by key witnesses of allegations made against Senator Leila De Lima warrant her immediate release,” said a statement released by Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Dick

Durbin (D-Ill.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).

“Clearly, the bogus charges against her were, as we suspected all along, politicallymotivated and based on false information,” the statement said further. “That she has lost five years in jail due to these spurious charges is a travesty.

She should be released immediately and any remaining charges should be dropped without further delay.”

In 2020, Senators Markey, Rubio, Durbin, Blackburn, and

Coons led the successful passage of a resolution condemning the ongoing human rights abuses in the Philippines. Due to their advocacy on behalf of Senator De Lima and other human rights activists in the country, Senators Markey, Durbin, and Leahy have been banned by the Duterte government from entering the Philippines. In 2019, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed an amendment barring Philippine officials from the United States who were involved in the jailing of Senator De Lima.

(Inquirer.net)

PAGE A1 a time when attacks against our community have increased, we have seen a corresponding rise in anti-Asian American sentiment among non-Asian Americans, particularly those who are less educated and more marginalized.”

This year’s STAATUS Index is the second report of its kind; last year, the LAAUNCH and TAAF released the inaugural STAATUS Index and compared to that report, it’s clear that there is not much progress in eschewing antiAsian attitudes.

In 2022, 57% of Americans disagree that “Asian Americans as a group are at least partly responsible for COVID-19,” a decrease from the previous year when 74% disagreed with the statement.

Moreover, according to the STAATUS Index, one thing is made clear: most Americans recognize anti-Asian racism is real.

Fifty-six percent of participants agreed that Asian Americans “are being discriminated against” while 6% say that Asian Americans “are more advantaged compared to other groups.” (The rest either declined to answer or were unsure.)

Only about 29% of Asians feel a sense that they belong or are accepted in the United States, a product of the perpetual foreigner stereotype: that no matter how much work one puts into assimilating into American culture and life, they will always be an outsider.

Furthermore, according to the study, Asians and Asian

Americans are the least likely to feel accepted in the U.S. among other racial groups, compared to Black Americans (33%), Latino Americans (42%) and white Americans (61%).

Another key finding found that a majority of Americans still see Asians as the model minority, which incorrectly posits that Asians — who are stereotypically academically smart and successful in corporate America — are well-represented in the American landscape, rendering the need for social programs and resources specific to their community pointless.

The study was conducted through a series of Englishlanguage online surveys administered from Feb. 10, 2022 to Feb. 28, 2022 by Savanta Research. Out of a total of 5,113 U.S. residents who participated in the study, the racial breakdown of the study included: 2,840 white; 1,074 Asian; 1,023 Latino/ Hispanic, and 888 Black.

(According to LAAUNCH, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders were not included in the study because of their “unique identities and perceptions,” and “further research is needed to analyze… the NHPI community.”)

In addition to race, the study itself breaks down findings by demographic markers like age, gender, and political preference.

Notably, 19% of Asian Americans between the ages 18-24 feel that they belong in the U.S., and men (33%) are more likely to feel that they fully belong than women (27%).

Despite the overwhelming

consensus that Asian Americans continue to face discrimination, the study also concluded that 70% of Americans consider Asian Americans as important contributors to American excellence via academia, medicine, and the economy.

For years, the Asian American community has been nearly invisible in contemporary conversations about race and race relations in the United States.

Following recent disturbing increases in anti-Asian harassment, violence, and murder, the need for protective solutions is key, and the study found that most people believe that starts with education, changes in media narratives, and further data and research dedicated to the Asian American community.

Interestingly, across all racial groups, 70% of Americans expressed a desire to see more (and better) Asian and Asian American representation in entertainment, which is one of the fundamental forms of media that contribute to public perception.

“Despite these challenges, the prognosis for the future of the Asian American community is positive,” LAAUNCH and TAAF wrote in the report. “Working with Asian American youth, who feel a strong sense of Asian American identity, to build greater pride and belonging will lay the foundation for the next generation of leaders who will shape both perceptions and policy.” (Klarize Medenilla/ AJPress)

Study: Nearly 70% of Asians feel like they...

from severe disease if they are infected by one of the new subvariants.

“We’re steady as she goes with the vaccines we’re using,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and health policy at Vanderbilt University. “I have not seen a single study from the field that shows a substantial distinction between the vaccine responses to omicron subvariants.”

The vaccines generate cells known as “memory B cells” and have been shown to recognize different variants as they emerge, Gandhi said.

The vaccines also trigger the production of T cells, which protect against severe disease, she said.

“While B cells serve as memory banks to produce antibodies when needed, T cells amplify the body’s response to a virus and help recruit cells to attack the pathogen directly,” Gandhi said.

The end result is that a breakthrough infection for a vaccinated individual “should remain mild with the

subvariants,” she said.

The wide spread in the U.S. of a relatively mild strain of the virus likely paid dividends by providing many Americans with some immunity, whether or not they had been vaccinated. Research shows that people who had been vaccinated and then were infected had even greater protection than people who had been vaccinated and not gotten covid.

“This family of omicron could indeed offer a bright side” in the course of the pandemic, Schaffner said.

Looking ahead, vaccine manufacturers are beginning to design vaccines that specifically target omicron, and some would combine a coronavirus vaccine with a seasonal influenza vaccine in one shot. But these vaccines are in their early stages, and Schaffner said he suspects they won’t be ready and approved by this fall’s flu vaccination season.

Whether such new vaccines represent the next step in the fight against covid will be up to the FDA and the CDC. Q: Are any entirely new variants on the horizon?

Experts agreed that the only newcomers in recent weeks have been incremental subvariants — certainly nothing that seems as game changing as delta or omicron were when they first appeared.

“There’s nothing we know of that’s lurking yet, and the surveillance is pretty darn aggressive,” Schaffner said.

There are estimates that more than 60% of the world’s population has been exposed to omicron and over 65% of the world’s population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, Gandhi said, “so I am keeping my fingers crossed the development of new variants will slow with this degree of population immunity.”

Gandhi acknowledged some surprise at how quiet the horizon is right now, but she sees it as a positive development.

“We have now gone five months since hearing about a new variant, which I hope is reflective of increasing immunity in the world’s population,” she said.

(Louis Jacobson/Kaiser Health News)

A6 MAY 7-10, 2022 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

An anarchy of parties

OPINION & FEATURES

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IT says a lot about the state of the country’s party system that several of the leading contenders for the posts of president and vice president are not running under their traditional political parties.

And the party declared by the Commission on Elections as the dominant majority has no official standard bearer and running mate, although the two factions are supporting rival tandems. Days before the elections, the Comelec at least has finally resolved the question of which faction of the dominant majority PDP-Laban will get official recognition.

The Comelec is also clear on the dominant minority, the Nacionalista Party, which like the majority PDP-Laban will get copies of election returns and certificates of canvass. The dominant majority and minority parties get priority in posting watchers at the polling precincts and canvassing centers. Meanwhile, the Comelec recognized 10 major national parties, which will also get copies of the ERs and COCs. It’s bad enough that political parties in this country do not stand for anything, and often have

the same stand on controversial issues. This weakness has reinforced the personality-driven rather than issues-driven selection of candidates by voters during elections. Certain candidates in the current race have further set back efforts to promote an informed vote by confining themselves to talks with friendly interviewers.

Because there are no strong parties to speak of, there is also no censure for jumping from one party to another, or forming one for election expediency. There are no turncoats if there are no parties to speak of. The weakness of political parties has also complicated efforts to streamline or regulate campaign finance, and to make campaigning much less expensive to level the playing field.

With the conduct of the current campaign in mind, the next Congress should consider reforms without the need for constitutional amendment. in the party system that can be carried out even Like the party-list, the multiparty system has

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

been abused and is urgently in need of reforms.

(Philstar.com)

Silent no more: Thank you, silent majority and the Filipino youth, for fighting for truth, justice and ‘gobyernong tapat’

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS I was on my Camino de Santiago pilgrimage around September 21, 2021 when I was shocked to read so many people posting comments on social media disputing the commemoration of the deposed dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos’ declaration of martial law.

They argued against reporting of credible news organizations about the evils of martial law, contending that martial law was the best thing that ever happened to the Philippines, and that the dictator was the best president the Philippines have ever had.

From then on, I tried to share perspectives with those commenters, but the more I tried to present facts, the more I got vile malicious and coordinated responses on my social media platforms and inbox — curses, ill wishes and even death threats.

I knew then the Philippines has retrogressed to those dark years of martial law, that Philippine history was being revised contrary to the truth and hard facts, and that this was all part of a big coordinated effort orchestrated by the Marcos family.

This has been confirmed with the filing of candidacy of the son of the dictator — Bongbong Marcos — for president of the Philippines. It is like a nightmare for all those who knew what really happened during martial law.

And lately, through the empirical AI-data based finding revealed through the website TrollExposer. com, a project of the US Filipinos for Good Governance to fight against trolls and disinformation.

This has to stop.

Initially my social media posts were swarmed by these commenters who behaved like

trolls, who were even mocking me for having no one to support and validate the truth I was sharing.

True — they lorded over the online discourse, and when one courageous commenter would try to debunk their lies, they — as in many of them — would bully this commenter and drown his/ her voice out with their angry, malicious attacks and their lies, all meant to intimidate people from speaking up.

Along with these are surveys that came frequently, touting Marcos as the frontrunner, and the Marcos trolls and loyalists would jump in and coronate the son of the dictator as the rightful successor to the throne who would “make the Philippines great again,” picking up from the playbook of another wanna be dictator, former U.S. President Donald Trump, who we Americans voted out in his reelection bid.

My husband was asking where are the defenders of the truth?

Why were they so quiet? This would go on and on and on, until the official start of the campaign season on February 8, 2022…

Until people started flocking the caravans and rallies of VP Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan…

Until volunteers from different ways of life started joining in, giving all that they have to support the candidacy of Leni and Kiko who have inspired them to make a stand, come out and fight for good honest governance through their leadership by example as tried and tested true public servants with integrity and genuine love for the country…

Until this campaign has become a movement toward change for a better government that they deserve and worth

fighting for…

The Trolls did not stop. In fact they grew louder and meaner and more evil, reinforced by the same attitude and language and example of public officials who are pro-Marcos and pro-political dynasties…

These supposed public officials were even caught on camera promising victory through X number of votes of their constituents to their master. With their surrogate and campaign machineries they give out bribe money, use “hakot” for money. Some supposedly civil servants working as teachers or employees of the local and national government, or even those working in private businesses would share how they were being intimidated and harassed to support Bongbong and Sara and the UniTeam to keep their job and to get bonus if they play along.

The appointment of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte of members of his Davao squad to leadership positions in COMELEC and even in the Supreme Court, or the granting of contracts to one of the companies of Duterte’s Davao-based crony Dennis Uy (hello Pharmally scandal) to transport election materials and results , the questionable polls that would report BBM’s lead over Leni by a wide margin each time Leni-Kiko’s rallies beat record number of people joining their rallies — they all were carried out unabashedly to keep their loyalists loyal to the UniTeam, now being called “Unithieves” as many of their member were convicted of plunder and other abuse of power like Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the Estrada, Revilla, Remulla, Villafuerte, etc. joining the Duterte and Marcos

Beyond the elections

Sketches

ANA MARIE PAMINTUAN SO, is the boxing match all but over? Tapos na ba ang boksing?

If the surveys prove accurate, it is. But it looks like certain groups are gearing for sustained battles beyond the elections, for accountability, an end to lies and disinformation, good governance and a better Philippines.

The camp of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, for one, is reportedly set to file a petition in court for a writ of mandamus, to compel the Bureau of Internal Revenue to collect from frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. the P23 billion owed by his family in estate tax (now reportedly ballooned to an estimated P203 billion, with interests and fees over two decades).

Ernest Ramel, chairman of presidential aspirant Yorme Isko’s Aksyon Demokratiko party, says such a case won’t be covered by presidential immunity from suit, in case the surveys prove correct and

Ferdinand Marcos 2.0 becomes reality. * * * A sitting president, of course, has many weapons in his arsenal to prevent the loss of such a family fortune, whether ill-gotten or discovered in a treasure hunt.

Just the promise of promotion or appointment to a cushy postretirement job (or perhaps an attractive share in P23 billion) can easily blind a magistrate (or a Comelec official) to tax laws and our cash-strapped nation’s dire need for those billions in estate tax.

Still, we will await the outcome of Yorme Isko’s efforts to give the taxman his due – if the petition is filed while he is in his final push for the presidency.

Moreno bested Joseph Estrada and Alfredo Lim for the mayor’s post in 2019, despite surveys by one of the pop-up polling firms (they pop up during election season) showing him consistently lagging Erap. So Moreno has not lost hope that he has the support of a “silent majority” sick of the decades-old battle between the Marcoses and their traditional

enemies.

There is an undercurrent of a similar message in Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s campaign, although he has avoided any direct reference to the yellows and kakampinks.

Moreno, being relatively still a spring chicken, and deeply offended by calls from the kakampinks to give way to their standard bearer (followed by attacks when he refused), could sustain the message all the way to the midterm elections in 2025.

Bongbong Marcos surely has provided inspiration to politicians on the virtue of patient determination: if at first you don’t succeed, just try, try again. * * * The Marcoses undoubtedly have been working for their family’s full vindication as soon as they set foot in Hawaii instead of the dictator’s hometown of Paoay, Ilocos Norte on that fateful day in February 1986. (By some accounts, they resented being misled and kidnapped by those nasty Americans.)

BBM’s campaign is being closely watched by those who are

and Marcos dynasties.

But despite and perhaps because of these continued transgressions against the Constitution and the country, the grassroots movement supporting Leni and Kiko just kept on growing bigger and stronger. They worked together in campaigning with radical love for the country, reacvhing out to people in their homes and barrios — tao sa tao.

There is "strength in number" when people work together for a common cause bigger than ourselves, fighting our good fight of faith for the country and for the future generation. Even Google Trends have revealed this strength in numbers that will catapult our "gobyernong tapat" team of Leni and Kiko to victory.

Indeed, the silent majority are silent no more, especially the idealist youth, many of whom are first time voters. They have evolved from being apolitical, “walang pakialam” to being heavily invested in fighting for their future. They have proven our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal right when he said “ And mga kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.”

May 7 is the scheduled Miting de Avance, and after this, no more organized campaign activities are allowed leading up to May 9, Election Day. I would like to THANK YOU ALL for giving us hope when we were almost in despair. You have soldiered on, defying all odds, to fight for a better brighter Philippines that all of us can be proud of. We are writing a new chapter in our nation’s history together, and we, the People, will write a victorious flourishing finish for this movement.

Tunay na magiging kulay Rosas ang bukas with the victory

of our candidates for gobyernong tapat— Leni and Kiko. Their victory is OUR victory, because WE the people fought for them to lead us— our government by the people, of the people, for the people. Let us pray for a clean, honest, orderly and peaceful election.

Together we lift up this petition to God this Easter prayer shared by the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP): Tagapamuno: Manalangin tayo upang sa papalapit na pambansa at panglokal na halalan ay tunay na maghari ang kalooban ng Diyos, na Siyang gumagabay sa lahat ng bansa.

Sama-sama nating idalangin: Lahat: Iligtas mo kami, Panginoon.

Mula sa pamimilit, pananakot, karahasan, at terorismo …

Mula sa panloloko, pagsisinungaling, at pagbaluktot sa katotohanan…

Mula sa panunuhol, kasakiman, at sabwatan upang makapandaya…

Mula sa kawalang-muwang sa panlilinlang at makitid na pananaw…

Mula sa pagbabanta, pananakot, at lapastangang pananalita…

Tagapamuno: Sama-sama nating idalangin: Lahat: Dinggin Mo kami, Panginoon.

Upang ang aming budhi ang siyang gawing tunay na pamantayan…

Upang ang kabutihan ng nakararami ang aming pinakamataas na layunin…

Upang ang dignidad ng tao ay palagiang igalang…

Upang ang kapos-palad at mahihina ay pag-ukulan ng higit na pansin…

Upang ang pangangalaga sa kalikasan ay hindi ipagwalangbahala…

Upang ang pagkakaisa ay magbigay-daan sa landas ng kapayapaan at kaunlaran…

Upang ang banal na pagkatakot sa Diyos at pag-ibig sa kapwa ang maging gabay ng mga nagnanais manungkulan sa pamahalaan…

Tagapamuno: Manalangin tayo.

Lahat: Pastol ng aming kaluluwa at Tagapagligtas ng sanlibutan, ang pulitika ay Iyong kaloob sa amin; isang paanyaya upang maglingkod sa iba at lumago sa kabanalan. Gabayan Mo ang pulitika sa aming bansa katulad ng pag-gabay mo sa amin.

Nawa ang aming pulitikal na pakikilahok para sa mga botante at kandidato ay magdulot ng kaluwalhatian sa Iyong mahal na ngalan at matulungan din kaming yumabong sa kabutihan, ngayon at magpasawalang hanggan.

Amen.

Thank you, our silent majority, especially the Filipino youth, for fighting for the truth, justice and “gobyernong tapat” with our vote that honors God. TARA! Ipanalo na natin ito!

SO HELP US GOD. ***

seeing the impact of information manipulation using social media.

The concern about fake news and disinformation is global, as we are seeing in recent official statements released by the United Nations, the World Health Organization and even Pope Francis.

The Europeans have been after social media giants for a long time for freeloading (and making tons of money) on content generated by mainstream media. Unregulated, open digital platforms that allow anonymity were also quickly mastered and used by lowlifes for all sorts of criminal activities, from terrorism to financial fraud, e-commerce scams, human and drug trafficking, and online sexual exploitation of children. Global watchdogs have pointed to the Philippines as one of the hot spots for OSEC. Information control has always been used to perpetuate authoritarian regimes and suppress dissent. But digital technology has made this exponentially easier.

Americans have intensified their scrutiny of the use (or misuse) of social media for political purposes since Donald Trump’s ascent to power. * * *

In our case, the Marcos camp fully appreciated the influence of social media in Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign for the presidency in 2016. When Bongbong Marcos lost the battle for the vice presidency to Leni Robredo by the skin of his teeth, he licked his wounds and worked tirelessly for the bigger battle ahead.

It wasn’t as if the nation wasn’t warned; long before the pandemic, his mom Imeldific openly hoped on several occasions that her only son and dearly departed husband’s namesake would one day become president.

For the past six years, we’ve seen the sustained work of trolls, paid influencers and mass media hacks in spreading lies, hate messages, fake news and disinformation while extolling their clients to the heavens. This type of sustained operation needs vast resources.

We’re now seeing a spirited pushback, although much belated, powered it seems by socmed-savvy youths worried about their future.

The energy behind the pushback is likely to be sustained beyond election day. A presidency built on lies, disinformation,

opaqueness, tax dodging and money laundering will face perpetual turbulence.

One campaign promise of the UniTeam that is guaranteed to be unattainable is national unity.

The nation is so deeply polarized that even children are openly denouncing their parents’ politics.

The children’s lamentations about their elders remind us of the “banality of evil” that a Jew who fled Nazi Germany referred to in reporting on the trial of Holocaust war criminal Adolf Eichmann.

Those who are presenting themselves as the middle forces, between the two major warring camps, are also likely to continue pursuing their message of being the alternative, all the way to the next elections.

Alongside the continuing political battles will be the movements to stop the tsunami of lies and disinformation.

When all the votes are counted, the fat lady can sing her heart out, but this battle won’t be over.

(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.

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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Comelec says decision on appeals vs Marcos Jr. cases may be out before polls

by JOHN

ERIC MENDOZA Inquirer.net

MANILA — The decision on the appeals against the dismissal of disqualification cases against presidential candidate former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. may be out before May 9, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Garcia said on Thursday, May 5.

Garcia, in a press briefing, said it is the Comelec’s commitment that the three consolidated appeals and another appeal filed before the Comelec en banc may be solved within the time period.

It can be recalled that Comelec chairman Saidamen Pangarungan said that five commissioners have already signed the en banc’s

resolution on the appeals. Two members of the en banc — including the chairman himself — have not signed the resolution yet.

“Di ba nung Thursday sabi ni Chairman, dalawa na lang daw silang hindi nakakapirma?

So siguro simula noon, I do not want to speculate, pero sa kanya naman nanggaling yung sinabi niya na dalawa na lang silang hindi nakapirma, kasama siya.

So hopefully baka nakapirma na yung isa, so baka naman yung isa na lang ang hindi nakakapirma doon sa resolution,” Garcia pointed out.

(Chairman actually said on Thursday that only two of them had not signed, right? So maybe from then on, I do not want to speculate but he said so himself that only

the two of them have yet to sign.

So hopefully the other one has already signed, so maybe we are only waiting for a signature of one person in the resolution.)

“Bago naman mag-eleksyon ang (Before the election the) commitment is, the decision will be released before the election,” he added.

The en banc will vote on the appeals filed by Akbayan party-list; Abubakar Mangelen, chairman of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas faction; and the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law after their petitions MED CHECK. A Department of Health (DOH) personnel (center) asks the beneficiary some the questions before issuing a medical clearance were dismissed by the Comelec’s during the send-off procedure at multi-purpose court 2, BP2 depot, Quezon City on Thursday night, May 5. The DOH also conducted a physical assessment of each beneficiary family.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler First Division.

The fourth appeal is on the junked disqualification case filed by group Pudno Nga Ilocano. 

At Cavite miting de avance, Ping Lacson Filipinos urged to reject media suppression asks voters to launch ‘silent revolution’

two years after ABS-CBN shutdown

by GAEA

KATREENA CABICO

Philstar.com

MANILA — Groups called on Filipinos to reject all forms of media suppression and false content two years after media giant ABS-CBN was shut down by the government.

ABS-CBN ceased the operations of its television and radio channels on May 5, 2020 by the order of the National Telecommunications Commission after its 25-year franchise expired.

In July of the same year, lawmakers who are members of the House of Representatives’ committee on legislative franchise—most of whom are allied with President Rodrigo Duterte—rejected the broadcast network’s application for renewal of its broadcast franchise.

After ABS-CBN went off air, 11,000 network employees all over the country lost their jobs and millions of Filipinos lost a source of crucial and timely information as the nation faced catastrophic disasters and continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While it is true that other networks have continued to broadcast, it is impossible to say

that the loss of one network— especially of a broadcast giant— had no effect on the media landscape or on the people’s access to reliable and up-to-date information?” the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said in a statement.

The shutdown of ABS-CBN and the denial of its franchise application came after Duterte’s sustained attacks against the broadcaster for failing to run political advertisements he had paid for during the 2016 presidential elections.

“We choose to remember the manner with which a privileged few made decisions that cost our colleagues their livelihood and deprived millions of our fellow Filipinos with one less source of reliable information in a world already under siege from disinformation and misinformation,” NUJP said.

“We choose to remember as well colleagues who lost their jobs or who were forced to leave media altogether because of the shutdown,” the group added.

Call to voters, leaders In a statement, Akbayan Partylist said the shutdown of ABS-CBN is “not just a vulgar

display of the abuse of power, but a violation of every ABSCBN employee’s right to work” as it stressed that a free and independent press is one of the cornerstones of democracy and a just society.

“The press fulfills a vital role when it exposes the abuse of power, brings to life the impact of such abuse, and forces social change and justice as a result.

Because the media do not just report facts. Its highest mission is the defense of truth and the public trust,” Akbayan said.

The party-list called on the public to reject all forms of media suppression, fake news, or manipulation, and choose leaders “who will defend the welfare of the individual backed by a commitment to rigor, facts, and the pursuit of what is right.”

Altermidya—a network of independent and progressive media outfits—also urged the country’s next leaders to bring back ABS-CBN, free detained journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, drop all charges against journalists, and decriminalize libel, and stop the red-tagging of journalists and cyber-attacks against media outfits. 

by ANGELICA

YANG

Philstar.com

MANILA — Presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and his running mate Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III held their miting de avance or final rally attended by an estimated 50,000 people in Carmona, Cavite on Friday, May 6.

The event is a departure from the traditional miting de avances which are typically held in areas frequented by candidates.

Lacson underscored the significance of holding the campaign's final rally in Cavite which he said is the birthplace of several Filipino heroes and revolutionaries.

"Sa darating na Lunes, May 9, ako po ay nagaanyaya sa lahat... na maglunsad tayo ng isang rebolusyon. Hindi po rebolusyon nakatulad na pinaglaban ng ating mga ninuno, ng ating mga bayani. Ito po ay isang tahimik na rebolusyon na kung saan ang ating gamit ay ang ating mga panulat upang i-shade sa balota ang mga pangalan ng mga dapat at karapat dapat na mamuno sa ating bansa," he told his supporters. ("This coming Monday, May 9, I'm asking everyone...to embark on a revolution. Not the kind of revolution which our leaders and

heroes did, but a silent kind of revolution where we would use our pens to shade our ballots [on the spaces where] the names of those who deserve to be our country's leaders.")

This isn't his first presidential bid. He ran for the same spot in the 2004 polls, but was defeated

by President Gloria MacapagalArroyo.

Meanwhile, Sotto vowed that an administration under him and Lacson will pursue a new kind of governance, one where they will actively engage the public. He explained that they have been engaging people in dialogue for the past three months of the campaign.

"Ang gusto namin, diyalogo.

Gusto namin nakakausap ang mga kababayan. Umikot po kami ng 88 araw [at] nakikipag diyalog kami sa ating mga kababayan...

Ayaw na po namin 'yung old style, luma, puro pa-rally rally, hindi mo naman naririnig kung anong pinagdadaanan ng mga kababayan," he said. ("What we want is dialogue.

We want to speak with our countrymen. We've been going around the country for 88 days and holding dialogues with our countrymen...We don't like the old style where all you do is rally, and you don't hear what our countrymen are going through.")

Although the miting de avance normally caps a campaign, the Lacson-Sotto tandem will be holding a caravan traversing through Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, and Cavite on May 7.

Lacson and Sotto earlier launched their campaigns on February 8 in Imus, Cavite. The province, where Lacson was born, is the second vote-rich area in the country, with over 2.3 million registered voters, based on data from the Commission on Elections.

Lacson has been consistently trailing behind in voters' preference surveys.

Pulse Asia's latest survey conducted April 16 to 21 showed that only 2% of registered voters out of the 2,400 respondents said they will choose Lacson as their presidential bet in this year's polls.

He said he is banking on his "active and silent" supporters to vote for him in the elections.

Meanwhile, Sotto is faring better, according to the same Pulse Asia survey which said 20% of registered voters are likely to choose him as their vice presidential candidate.

The national and local elections will take place on May 9. On that day, some 67.5 million voters will flock to polling precincts to cast their ballots. 

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Duterte: Five presidents from now, PH might have improved standard of living

by DANIZA

FERNANDEZ Inquirer.net

TRAVEL TO SAMAR. Beneficiary families of the “Balik Probinsya” program get on a shuttle bus during their departure at Multi-purpose court 2, BP2 depot, Quezon City last Thursday night, May 5. A total of 13 individuals consisting of three families traveled back to their home provinces of Samar and Northern Samar.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

PPCRV expects 85% voter turnout in May 9 polls MANILA — The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) said on Friday, May 6 that they are expecting an 85-percent voter turnout in the May 9 national and local elections PPCRV is a non-partisan and non-profit organization that helps the Commission on Elections (Comelec) attain “clean, honest, accurate, meaningful and peaceful elections.”

“Well, ako very positive ako at very optimistic, kaya ang iniisip ko diyan aabot tayo ng 85 percent sa voter turnout,” PPCRV Director Arwin Serrano said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

(Well, I’m very positive and very optimistic, so I think we will reach

85-percent voter turnout.)

Serrano said there are 106,174 polling precincts, excluding the special polling precincts, and around 37,000 voting centers nationwide for this year’s polls.

He assured the public that there will be PPCRV presence in polling areas.

Since the May 9 elections would be the first held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Serrano noted that one of the challenges that they may face is social distancing.

“Well, una iyong ating social distancing. Hindi natin alam kung talagang ganap na mapapasunod iyan. Iyong wearing of mask, most likely susunod naman iyong mga botante natin. And then

iyong mga pagka-crowd ng mga tao not only in the voting centers but also outside,” said Serrano when asked what hurdles they see.

(Well, first, our social distance.

We do not know if that will be observed. The wearing of a face mask most likely will be complied with. And then, the crowding of people, not only in the voting centers but also outside.)

He likewise hoped that there would be no attempts of votebuying and vote-selling.

The PPCRV will have a voters’ assistance desk that will guide voters on where they will vote and where their room assignments are, among others, according to Serrano. (Inquirer.net)

MANILA — The Philippines’ standard of living may become better after the term of five presidents, according to President Rodrigo Duterte.

In an interview on Sonshine Media Network International that aired Friday, May 6, Duterte said such a future may be attained as long as the country’s leaders would not be corrupt.

“We are really a poor country.

By any standard, as compared to the others, we are poor. But somehow, five generations – five presidents from now, we might be able really to raise the standard of living sa Pilipinas (in the Philippines),” he said.

“We will reach there as long as ‘yung mga leader natin

(our leaders) – mahirap kasi ‘yung corruption (corruption is difficult). Stealing money from or into corruption, mahirap (it is difficult),” the chief executive added.

Duterte maintained in the same interview that he will not endorse any presidential candidate in the May 9 polls.

“Realistic tayo dito sa – andiyan naman ‘yung mga ano mamili na lang kayo. Ako wala akong kandidato pagkapresidente. I said it before, I will say it again for everybody to hear me, lalo na dito. I am not supporting any person as president, a candidate,” he said.

(Let’s be realistic – the candidates are there, just choose.

I do not have a candidate for president. I said it before, I will

say it again for everybody to hear me, especially here. I am not supporting any person as president, a candidate.) Based on research released in 2021 by data aggregator iPrice Group, the country’s capital city, Manila, is one of the world’s most expensive cities to live in.

This, even if Manila has the lowest average salary for the working class relative to peers in Southeast Asia, iPrice Group noted.

Based on research released in 2021 by data aggregator iPrice Group, the country’s capital city, Manila, is one of the world’s most expensive cities to live in.

This, even if Manila has the lowest average salary for the working class relative to peers in Southeast Asia, iPrice Group noted. 

At Cebu rally, Manny Pacquiao says presidential run is ‘revolution’ of poor

by GAEA

KATREENA Philstar.com

CABICO

MANILA — Sen. Manny Pacquiao believes his fight for the presidency is the "revolution" of the poor as he held in Cebu City the first of his two miting de avance rallies.

“Kung kayo nahihirapan sa buhay, kung kayo naghahangad nang matagal na ng kaunlaran,

Sen. Manny Pacquiao

ito na 'yung pagkakataon na may isang tao na inangat ng Panginoon sa putik.

Nakikipaglaban para sa mga pobreng tao,” Pacquiao said on Friday, May 6.

(If you are having difficulties in life, if you have been dreaming of progress for so long, this is your chance because there is a person that the Lord brought up from dirt, who fights for the poor).

Pacquiao’s father, Rosalio, was born in the province’s Pinamungajan town. Cebu is also the home of Pacquiao’s party PROMDI (Progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives).

The boxing great-turnedpolitician made fighting corruption and poverty the centerpiece of his campaign. He said his impoverished roots make him the best person to succeed President Rodrigo Duterte at the helm of the country.

He vowed to provide houses to millions of Filipinos, build

Philstar.com file photo

a “mega-prison” for corrupt government officials, and increase the minimum wage of workers.

In Cebu, Pacquiao claimed around 30 million people had filled out the pabahay forms that his camp distributed.

“Silent lang tayo... Ang ating botante ay mga pobre, mga isang kahig isang tuka,” he said.

(We're just silent. Our voters are the poor.)

Pacquiao improved his numbers in the latest Pulse Asia survey, placing third with 6% voter support. He, however, is well behind Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who is leading with 56%.

The incumbent senator is running alongside Rep. Lito Atienza, who was unable to campaign in person because of a knee injury.

Pacquiao will end his 90day campaign trail in his hometown General Santos City on Saturday. 

WHO: COVID-19 caused 15 million...

PAGE A1

were overwhelmed during huge waves of infection.

It also accounts for deaths averted during the pandemic, for example because of the lower risk of traffic accidents during lockdowns.

But the numbers are also far higher than the official tally because of deaths that were missed in countries without adequate reporting.

Even pre-pandemic, around six in 10 deaths around the world were not registered, WHO said.

The WHO report said that almost half of the deaths that until now had not been counted were in India.

The report suggests that 4.7 million people died there as a result of the pandemic, mainly during a huge surge in May and June 2021.

The Indian government, however, puts its death toll for the January 2020-December 2021 period far lower: about 480,000.

WHO said it had not yet fully examined new data provided this week by India, which has pushed back against the WHO estimates and issued its own mortality figures for all causes of death in 2020 on Tuesday.

The WHO said it may add a disclaimer to the report highlighting the ongoing conversation with India.

In a statement issued after the numbers were published, the Indian government said WHO had released the report “without adequately addressing India’s concerns” over what it called “questionable” methods.

The WHO panel, made up of international experts who have been working on the data for months, used a combination of national and local information, as well as statistical models, to estimate totals where the data is incomplete – a methodology that India has criticized.

However, other independent assessments have also put the death toll in India far higher than the official government tally,

including a report published in Science which suggested three million people may have died of COVID-19 in the country.

Other models have also reached similar conclusions about the global death toll being far higher than the recorded statistics.

For comparison, around 50 million people are thought to have died in the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, and 36 million have died of HIV since the epidemic began in the 1980s.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “these sobering data not only point to the impact of the pandemic,” but also to “the need for all countries to invest in more resilient health systems that can sustain essential health services during crises, including stronger health information systems.”

“WHO is committed to working with all countries to strengthen their health information systems to generate better data for better decisions and better outcomes,” Tedros said.

Most of the excess deaths (84 percent) are concentrated in Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas. Some 68 percent of excess deaths are in just 10 countries globally.

Middle-income countries account for 81 percent of the 14.9 million excess deaths over the 24-month period, with highincome and low-income countries each accounting for 15 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

The global death toll was higher for men than for women (57 percent to 43 percent) and higher among older adults.

Dr. Samira Asma, WHO assistant director-general for data, analytics and delivery for impact, who coled the calculation process, said data was the “lifeblood of public health” needed to assess and learn from what happened during the pandemic.

She called for more support for countries to improve reporting.

“Too much is unknown,” she told reporters at a press briefing. 

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Saturday, MAY 7, 2022

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Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu calls Philippines ‘the best’

By Marane

a. Plaza

Philstar.com

Kristine prioritizes her being a mother to her five children namely, Kiel, Ondrea, Kaleb, Vin and Vittorio, with husband Oyo Sotto.

Photo from Instagram/@khsotto

Kristine loves being a mom and wife

By Boy

aBunda Philstar.com

IT’S been a long time since Kristine Hermosa and I just had our last kwentuhan. It was only a few days ago when we finally got to see each other again and, of course, we did some reminiscing.

Kristine is an actress, daughter, wife and mother all rolled into one. Her very seldom onscreen appearances already make obvious that Kristine prioritizes her being a mother to her five children namely, Kiel, Ondrea, Kaleb, Vin and Vittorio, with husband Oyo Sotto. The last time I saw her on TV, if my memory serves me right, was on her father-in-law Vic Sotto’s sitcom Daddy’s Gurl.

“Actually, Tito Boy, it was really my choice, kumbaga nabigyan na ako ng chance to experience that (acting) so here I am now,” said Kristine during our one-on-one for The Interviewer Presents on the Boy Abunda Talk Channel on YouTube.

Even when she can have her plate full with showbiz commitments like other celebrity moms do, Kristine prefers to focus on her family.

“Well, ngayon na maliliit pa ang mga anak ko, masasabi ko na hindi ko s’ya pwedeng gawing hati-hati. I mean, I could do that if I wanted to but I choose to stay with my kids to support them because they’re still young.”

However, Kristine is not completely shutting the door on acting again in the future.

“Na-mi-miss ko rin naman ang showbiz s’yempre, pero siguro ‘pag malalaki na sila, that’s the time that I will slowly go back to acting.

“Being a mom, to be honest, is not easy.

There are so many challenges, but when you know exactly what you like and truly love what you do, like me, I love being a mom and a wife, everything becomes easy, especially when your heart is into it.”

Part of her and Oyo’s parenting approach is monitoring their children’s activities. Kristine revealed that they do not allow them to watch television for fear that their kids might be exposed to shows with inappropriate content or violence.

“TV wala talaga, kinakabahan kami sa TV kasi malingat ka lang baka kung ano na ‘yung makita PAGE B3

AFTER a series of hate comments from netizens due to her weight gain, reigning Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu seemed to finally find a chill, friendly place in Manila during her recent visit to the country.

As one of the judges of the recently held Miss Universe Philippines 2022, Sandhu visited the Philippines and finally met former titleholders Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere, and Miss Universe 2017 Demi Tebow. In a pre-pageant Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) event, she also met Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, who was one of the vocal ones to defend her from body shamers.

In a video posted by Miss Universe on Instagram Stories, the current Miss Universe titleholder declared that the Philippines is “the best.”

“So guys, it’s time to say goodbye as I’m heading back to New York. Philippines, you are the best and you will always be the best,” she said.

“Thank you so much for sharing a lot of love, a lot of gratefulness, and I can’t wait to come back again,” she added.

The Indian beauty was able to enjoy the sights of Vigan in Ilocos Sur during her stay in the Philippines, and spread messages about her advocacy on women’s health.

The President of the League of

Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu exploring Vigan

Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) and Narvacan City Mayor Chavit Singson along with Architect Richelle SingsonMichael, LCS Group Vice Chairperson and Ako Ilokano Ako Partylist first nominee welcomed Sandhu as their special guest in the inauguration of the Narvacan Digital Palengke, an initiative that aims to empower Filipino vendors with opportunities to make use of cashless transactions and provide training to help them improve their livelihood in these digital times.

The Digital Palengke program is an innovation by Casha, Inc., a finance and technology company

also headed by Singson-Michael.

“The majority of the population still lacks access to financial products, which is why we are continuously issuing digital wallets for the public market vendors, buyers and citizens of Narvacan. The digitization of payments, particularly for small businesses allow for a safer, more convenient flow of cashless transactions as their Narvacan Digital Wallet allows for instant bank transfers to any bank, bills payments, pre-paid loading, all from their mobile phones,” said Singson-Michael.

“The presence of Harnaaz just makes everything beautiful and inspiring. We as Ilocanos feel more inspired to innovate to better serve the municipality” she added as she went around the public market with Mayor Chavit purchasing goods from the vendors in a quick and cashless manner by using QR codes from their Narvacan Digital Wallet.

Mayor Chavit also expressed optimism that the Narvacan Digital Palengke will help Filipino vendors and small businesses revitalize the local economy through the efficiency of the cashless transactions which will boost livelihood, result in more job opportunities and attract larger enterprises to the region.

“First and foremost, I am extremely proud of this project because we in Narvacan, aim to be a Municipality that is current with the technology age. The Digital Palengke launch is one of PAGE B2

EntErtainmEnt

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Maxene shares how she deals with negative energy By alex

Brosas Inquirer.net

IN observance of mental health awareness this month, actress and yoga instructor Maxene Magalona has shared her ways of dealing with negative energy.

On her Instagram page on Monday, May 3, Magalona recounted her struggles with mental health issues as she posted a recent photo of hers.

“My higher self looking at me and secretly judging my bad decisions,” she said of her photo.

“Visualize your highest self and start showing up as her,” she added, quoting jewelry designer Anita Quansah.

Magalona admitted that she recently “made some poor choices” that had her “swimming in a pool of shame and guilt for a couple of days now.”

“It’s not the easiest feeling, to be honest, as there are moments when I would just like the earth to swallow me up,” she noted.

“Now that it’s #MentalHealthAwareness month, I just want to share how I’ve been dealing with negative energy such as feelings of shame, guilt, anxiety and fear, to name a few,” she said.

She described humans as “very complex beings with so many different layers that transcend the physical.”

Maxene Magalona

Photo from Instagram/@

“We are energetic beings who need to learn how to work with our emotions as these are actually our superpowers. The reason why we suffer and experience mental health issues is because we overthink and stay stuck in our analytical minds while cutting ourselves completely from our emotions,” she said.

What needs to be done, Magalona said, is to “learn how to detach from our

external material reality and connect to our inner world by sitting with ourselves and just being with whatever is happening underneath the surface.”

This can be achieved “through yoga and meditation, we can gently hold space for ourselves as we process our emotions— both the good and the bad.”

“We cannot just keep clinging on to what feels good for us. We need to process our pain as well. We need to feel in order to heal,” she said.

Magalona has lately been into meditation about her thoughts and actions, keenly observing how she has been handling herself, “crying, sitting and breathing through the discomfort.”

“This may be a difficult and painful process but I choose to go through it because if I don’t, these negative energies will stay stuck and stagnant in my system and there’s just no way I’m going to allow them to poison my soul,” she said.

Believing that her life is a “collection of all my choices,” she feels that “I am 100% responsible for my current life situation.”

“I may have tripped and made a mistake, but I choose to learn from it instead of run away from it. I choose to feel my pain instead of denying and sweeping it under the rug. Pain is potential power and I choose to use it as fuel for my evolutionary development,” she said. g

Newly engaged celebrity couple Pia Wurtzbach and Jeremy Jauncey Pia Wurtzbach and Jeremy Jauncey via Instagram

Pia, Jeremy get engaged

By Marane

a. Plaza

Philstar.com

PIA Wurtzbach and Jeremy Jauncey are engaged.

In a reel shared by the Miss Universe 2015 titleholder on Instagram, the couple showed a glimpse of their beach getaway together, and Pia flaunted a diamond ring on that important finger, signaling their new chapter as a betrothed couple.

Pia captioned the video with, “We found the perfect place to celebrate and tell you guys,” with a ring emoji.

The beauty queen was seen donning a white bikini, hanging out on a yacht with Jeremy.

The video hinted that Jeremy

By Christina alPad proposed during night time, ManilaTimes.net probably in Amanpulo, Palawan DAISY “Madam Inutz” Lopez might be the trending online as the two have been sharing seller turned “Pinoy Big Brother (PBB)” housemate but there is snaps of their travel together more to this funny and popular TV personality. She bares it all in a two-part Mother’s Day series of “MMK.” During her stay as a celebrity housemate in PBB, the audience saw a loving daughter and mother in Lopez but apparently, there are still episodes in her life she has not yet shared public, PAGE B1 a side of her that the audience will finally see.

“Ayoko talaga i-share [at first] kasi siyempre ‘yun yung mga the modernization projects in the panahon na gusto kong kalimutan, yung hirap. But at the same advancing town of Mayor Chavit Dimples Romana Photo from Instagram/@dimplesromana time, naisip ko bakit hindi. Gusto ko magbigay ng inspirasyon which includes solar parking shed modules that power the sa mga tao.”

Before Daisy Lopez became “Madam Inutz,” she grew up in Market, a Dancing Fountain a family with nine siblings, under the care of her sick mother, for entertainment and soon played by Susan Africa. Driven by love for her family, she tried e-Jeepneys to service the town. different jobs here and abroad, ventured into online live selling I am certain these projects will and eventually gained fame as viewers were entertained by her bring a bright future and great unique drunk-style interactions. This changed her life as it also opportunities to businesses and landed her a spot on the reality show Pinoy Big Brother as “Ang consumers not only in Narvacan, but in the entire region.” he Mama-Bentang Live Seller Ng Cavite.” continued.

Portraying Lopez is Dawn Chang who was tasked not only to takes for a woman to weather the By alex Brosas When asked about her portray the hilarious antics and loud personality of Madam Inutz most difficult of challenges.

Inquirer.net experience, Harnaaz said, “I am but also to bring to life the real Daisy Lopez, a hardworking yet The series is about a young DIMPLES Romana, through woman, Ikay, (Charlie Dizon) fierce mother to her three children and a caring daughter to so excited for my friend Architect Richelle Singson-Michael, her Kakay Sicat character in who got embroiled in a sex her sick mother.

“Napapanood ko si Madam Inutz sa social media and sa una, who has always been leading “Viral Scandal,” has earned a scandal which has gone viral.

Filipinas towards empowerment. deeper understanding of what it PAGE B5 PAGE B6

Madam Inutz: Beyond curses and laughter

recently on social media.

Wurtzbach and Jauncey first sparked dating rumors back in January 2020, when eagleeyed fans saw the similarities in their Instagram posts, hinting that they’re together in a trip to Indonesia. Pia first addressed the issue in an interview with Mega Magazine in March 2020, sharing she’s happy with her love life, without mentioning Jeremy’s name.

“I’m happy, I’m inspired, I feel very empowered. I feel like I can be myself and I don’t have to water myself down,” she said in the interview.

By June 2020, the couple made their relationship officially public by gracing the cover of Philippine Tatler Magazine together.

The two have been together for almost two years reportedly. g

Miss Universe 2021...

Dimples sees struggle, strength of women in ‘Viral Scandal’

I am proud that through her leadership in different industries, women are able to take charge of their future through innovations made available by initiatives like these that allow convenience and security for their livelihood.”

In an exclusive interview with Philstar.com during her Vigan trip, Sandhu said Filipinos’ kindness left her “out of words.”

“I’ve been grateful as to how everybody showed me love since the day one even before coming,” she said. “I’m just thankful, grateful from the bottom of my heart... Philippines has my whole heart. What I want to say is to keep supporting, keep showing love. !” g

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 7-10, 2022 B3

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Sharon cheers on KC for Hollywood Sassa Gurl reacts to bashing as White Castle movie: ‘Show the world what you’ve got!’ calendar girl

By Dana

Cruz

Inquirer.net

By Kathleen

a. llemit

Philstar.com

SASSA Gurl did not expect to be bashed as White Castle calendar girl.

The online star was another historic first for the liquor brand, as Sassa Gurl who identifies as a trans woman, became the brand’s first trans ambassador.

This game-changing move came after tapping chef and YouTube star Ninong Ry as its first male calendar model for 2020.

The TikTok star, however, admitted to be surprised with the bashing after the revelation as this year’s calendar girl. In the past, the calendar featured the likes of actresses Carmi Martin, Cristina Gonzalez and Roxanne Guinoo.

“Actually, hindi kasi ever since noong nag-start ako talaga, ang pinaka-backbone ng following ko talaga is LGBTQ community,” Sassa Gurl said in an exclusive interview with Philstar.com.

Sassa Gurl rose to fame as a TikTok star who does parodies and skits mostly of high school days with a “kanal” humor as the comedian calls it.

“Doon ko napatunayan na

Sassa Gurl is the newest model of liquor brand White Castle Photo from Instagram/@itssassagurl

hindi kadalasan... Sabihin nating hindi pa masyadong tanggap nga or hindi talaga sobrang accepting pa ng community natin in regards sa mga LGBT content, LGBT representation.

Aliwin mo lang sila. Aliwin lang natin sila. So ayun. Deadma,” the TikToker said.

Despite the bashing, Sassa Gurl said it was a good experience because modeling for the calendar was different from the comedian’s usual fare.

Sassa Gurl is doing relatively well among the growing number of social media influencers as the TikTok star joins the list of online personalities who have been tapped by brands for their campaigns.

One of the comedian’s recent collaborations was the taste test video with Erwan Heussaff for Grab’s Indie Eats campaign.

The campaign aims to help local food merchants by providing them a dedicated tile in the Grab app. Users can easily swipe through the hundreds of local businesses selling their favorite Filipino snacks and dishes like Halo-Halo, Sisig and Lugaw. The campaign also helps merchants upskill their online marketing skills through workshops and seminars.

Sassa Gurl was pleasantly surprised to find chemistry with the restaurateur and content creator when they shot the 14-minute video. The video has since been viewed at more than 700,000 times and is generally liked by viewers.

The TikTok comic also shared thoughts on the growing social media landscape. When asked if there are “don’ts” in starting out a channel or TikTok account, Sassa Gurl said that one should not limit oneself and be authentic as much as possible.

“Well, tingin ko naman walang ‘don’ts’. I think, jusko, ang dami ko na ngang na-post sa TikTok at sa kung saang-saang platforms na feeling ko illegal na nga e.

Papasa na sa illegal.

“Wag lang sigurong sobrang harsh na alam mo ‘yun, meron ka nang tinatapakang tao. Feeling ko sa panahon ngayon wala na masyadong don’ts e,” the online sensation advised. g

SHARON Cuneta could not help but feel proud of her eldest daughter and fellow actress KC Concepcion, who is starring in the upcoming Hollywood movie “Asian Persuasion.”

The Megastar expressed how happy she is for Concepcion while showing moments of her daughter as a child via her Instagram page last Monday, May 2.

“My eldest [KC Concepcion] now doing an all-Asian, mostly Pinoy Hollywood movie. Tina (Concepcion), I am proud of you!

Sharon Cuneta and KC Concepcion

Show the world what you’ve got!” she told her daughter while calling Concepcion by her real name, Kristina.

Meanwhile, Concepcion has

Photo from Instagram/@reallysharoncuneta

been giving glimpses of her shooting days via her Instagram page. She also showed herself with her child co-star Scarlett Sher, who plays her daughter in

the film.

Concepcion was the second actress tapped to take on the lead role in “Asian Persuasion.”

She replaced actress-TV host Toni Gonzaga, who left the production due to “schedule conflicts.”

“Asian Persuasion” is directed by Tony Award-winning producer Jhett Tolentino and written by Mike Ang, who also serves as producer alongside Tolentino.

The film is already on its 16th day of filming, after it started in New York last month. It is expected to be released in 2023. g

Kristine loves being a mom and...

PAGE B1 nila so mahirap,” she remarked. “It’s too early for their minds to be polluted, although the time will come when we will let them go out and explore the world but at this point, we want to make sure that their foundation is strong.”

She furthered, “If there is a show that they want to watch, we need to check first if it is okay before allowing them to watch it. There are only certain days when they are allowed to watch, for example on weekends, but not during weekdays. They need to finish their home schooling first.

When we allow them, we make sure that we know what they are watching and that they have a time limit.”

Below are excerpts from our conversation.

Read on.

You are a daughter, a mother and a wife. Who are you first?

“Kahit na pilitin kong maging wife muna, hindi ko magagawa ‘yun sa lima kong anak.

Mag-pro-protesta silang lahat (laughs). So, definitely, (I am) a mother first.”

May panahon na nag-seselos si Oyo? “Hindi naman, Tito Boy, kasi alam naman namin ‘yung pinasok namin na once na magka-anak kami, ito talaga ‘yun. It’s a commitment. So, we just find time like, for example, if there’s nothing much to do then, we can go out.”

Paano ka binago ng pagiging isang ina?

“Ngayon ko na-realize na ganun pala ang sakripisyo ng mga ina. So, mas naappreciate ko ‘yung nanay ko, nanay ni Oyo, lahat ng nanay sa mundo. Sabi ko grabe pala ‘yung pinag-dadaanan nila so eto pala ‘yun. This is what it means kumbaga, they are very selfless. ‘Yung pagmamahal nila, di bale na mawalan sila ng oras for themselves just to serve their children.”

So, there’s truth to what they’re saying that the moment you become a mother,

you are no longer the center of your own universe. It’s not about you anymore, it’s about your children.

“Yeah, and your perspective in life will also change. ‘Yung fashion mo mag-iiba, ‘yung oras ng gising mo mag-iiba, ‘yung katawan mo mag-iiba. Everything will change including your hormones (laughs).”

Do you pray together as a family?

“Of course, Tito Boy, ‘yan ang No. 1 sa amin kumbaga, it’s hard to go through your day without starting with a prayer. We teach them to pray first.”

Let’s talk about your parenting style, kayo ni Oyo. “We’re both disciplinarians. We take turns like kung sino ang mas mahaba ang pasensya today because you really need to have patience in order to deal with them.”

Is this something you talk about like kunwari, hindi ako okay ngayon, ikaw muna?

“For example, I’m not feeling well today or I didn’t have enough sleep because you know when you lack sleep, you snap easily so, I’ll tell him to handle the kids or if he’s not okay, I take charge, palitan kami.”

How do you discipline the children?

“First of all, we explain to them that discipline is good. So, we would tell them that when we correct you, it’s for your own good and they understand that. They know that they should obey their Mama and Dada.”

Namamalo kayo?

“Kailangan, Tito Boy, but only until a certain age kumbaga, si Caleb and Vin, may rod pa sila but when it comes to Kiel and Ondrea, wala na.”

Do you explain to them why?

“Yes, kumbaga ‘pag pinalo mo sila, you have to explain to them why or what they did is wrong, so we need to correct that.

But we also make sure to explain to them

that they are not bad but the thing they did.”

Let’s talk about the challenges of being a parent, especially that you are raising very different kids or one is extremely different from the other, how is that?

“For example, Kiel is already a teenager and sometimes it’s a bit hard for him to express himself. So, we always remind him that he can talk to us and tell us what’s on his mind. We would tell him to share what he’s thinking for us to guide him.

“With Ondrea, she has many questions about changes in the body and we have to explain to her one by one (laughs). What’s nice is that they listen and they trust us na kapag sinabi ni Mama or ni Dada, totoo ‘yun. So, trust is really important in any relationship.”

May nakikitaan ka bang mahilig mag artista?

“Si Kiel gusto daw nya mag artista. Si Ondrea naman gusto mag singer kasi siguro nakikita na ginagawa namin so gusto rin nila although they have other things that they wish to do like to be a motocross rider o to be a pilot. We will support them to whatever it is they want to be.”

You have five kids and some mothers are competitive in arts, drama club, medals, etc. Are you that kind of a mother?

“I’m not like that. Hindi kami ganun ni Oyo. We would always remind them that in everything that you do, do your best.

Pero kumbaga hindi naman nila kailangan makipag-compete. I mean, it’s okay to be competitive because it motivates you to do your best but it’s not good when you hurt your confidence, ‘yung nawalan ka ng loob dahil lang hindi ka nagka medal. Hindi kami ganun ni Oyo kumbaga, maliliit na developments nila, maliliit na milestones sine-celebrate namin, happy na kami doon.” g

B4 MAY 7-10, 2022 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes THERE are situations in both Divorce and Child Support cases where the Summons and Petition resulted to a default against one party for failing to respond on time. In certain situations, the defaulted party failed to respond on time because he or she did not even know that he or she was served with a Summons. This situation places the defaulted party in a precarious situation in that the first time the defaulted party usually becomes aware of the existence of the case is when the default child support judgment or divorce judgment is actually being enforced against the defaulted party. At this point, the party no longer has the right to participate or defend itself in the litigation.

Based on my experience in practice, the defaulted party usually gets in this situation because they moved residences and the summons was served at

EMPLOYMENT

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Relief from default in divorce cases the prior residence. Sometimes, the proof of service of summons is fraudulent or defective.

Fortunately, relief is available for the defaulted party. If a default judgment is entered against a party who was served with summons, but service did not result in actual notice in time to defend the action, the party may serve and file a notice of motion to set aside the default or default judgment, and for leave to defend the action. Code Civ. Proc., § 473.5, subd. (a) “Actual notice” means genuine knowledge of the party litigant. Rosenthal v.

Garner, 142 Cal. App. 3d 891, 191 Cal. Rptr.

300 (2d Dist. 1983)The Courts has strictly construed this term to implement a policy of liberally granting relief so that cases can be resolved on their merits.

Olvera v. Olvera, 232 Cal. App. 3d 32, 283 Cal. Rptr. 271 (4th Dist. 1991) In addition, actual

notice by a party’s attorney will not be imputed to the client.

Rosenthal v. Garner, 142 Cal. App. 3d 891, 191 Cal. Rptr.

300 (2d Dist. 1983) There is an additional angle of argument

258 (2d Dist. 1978); Tunis v.

Barrow, 184 Cal. App. 3d 1069, 229 Cal. Rptr. 389 (2d Dist.

1986) So even if you actually received the complaint, if you do not speak English and are

setting aside such defaults and having the case heard on the merits.

Default Judgment may be set aside by an attorney by filing a Motion for relief from default. This would be accompanied by a declaration from the defaulted party that he never received actual notice. A copy of the proposed response is also required to be filed with the court.

This type of motion must be filed and served within 2 years after entry of default judgment or within 180 days after service of a notice of default or default judgment on the defaulted party, whichever comes first.

If you are a defaulted party, you should retain the representation of an experienced attorney to set the default aside as soon as you can. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as

There is an additional angle of argument available for non native English speakers. Receipt of summons and complaint by a non-English speaking defendant lacking in business sophistication may not impart “actual knowledge.” Goya v. P.E.R.U. Enterprises, 87 Cal. App. 3d 886, 151 Cal. Rptr. 258 (2d Dist.

1978); Tunis v. Barrow, 184 Cal. App. 3d 1069, 229 Cal. Rptr. 389 (2d Dist. 1986) available for non native English speakers. Receipt of summons and complaint by a non-English speaking defendant lacking in business sophistication may not impart “actual knowledge.”

Goya v. P.E.R.U. Enterprises, 87 Cal. App. 3d 886, 151 Cal. Rptr.

EMPLOYMENT

not sophisticated with business and legal matters, you may use the arguments that the default judgment should be set aside because you did not receive “actual notice.” It is the Court’s policy to, as reflected in the Olvera case, to liberally grant

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SERVICES

legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist.

He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail Kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

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Pastor’s Notes reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAS IT’S a special day to celebrate the gift and contributions of motherhood to life and society.

It’s a day to thank God for mothers’ love, dedication, sacrifices, and hard work to raise their children. It’s also a day to trace back the origins of Mother’s Day in the United States to see its profound meaning and relevance today.

In 1870, Julia Ward Howe, an abolitionist best remembered for her poem, “Battle Hymn of the Republic, worked to establish a Mother’s Day Peace Day. In this celebration, she campaigned for peace and the eradication of war. She penned the Mother’s Day Proclamation that same year. Here is an excerpt of the powerful proclamation: Arise, all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears! Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, our husbands shall not come to us, reeking carnage, for caresses and applause.

Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.

From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says, “Disarm,

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 7-10, 2022

Happy Mother’s Day! disarm! The sword is not the balance of justice.” Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession.

In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality may be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace.

Inspired by the initial efforts of Julia Ward Howe, a woman named Ann Jarvis saw the need to organize mothers whose sons had fought or died on the opposite side of the American Civil War. She aimed to give emotional support to grieving mothers and encourage them to advocate for peace and the end of the war, as Howe did.

Ann Jarvis’ daughter, Anna Jarvis, continued this advocacy of peace by campaigning to establish Mother’s Day first as a U.S. national holiday and then later as an international holiday.

In addition, she organized the first church service to honor mothers on May 10, 1908, in the St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia.

When President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring the first national Mother’s Day as a day for the American people to show the flag in honor of those mothers whose sons had died of war, Anna Jarvis’ advocacy bear fruits. In 1934, U.S. President

Franklin D. Roosevelt approved a stamp commemorating the holiday.

When we look at the origins of Mother’s Day, we cannot help but see the profound intentions of this celebration. It’s not just about honoring mothers by giving flowers and cards and taking them to breakfast or dinner. It’s honoring their desire to see all children live in a peaceful and just world.

In her YouTube video post, Marianne Williamson, an American author, spiritual leader, and political activist asks us to reflect on the origins of Mother’s Day and see its relevance today. She urges us to claim the aspect of mother in us: to conceive, labor, and give birth to a new world.

“The world we live in is not sustainable,” she said. “It’s time for all of us to choose to be all mothers. Mother, to me, is a place of the human psyche.

It’s not just women who have given birth or women who adopted children. It’s an aspect of consciousness, and we must now mother a new world. It’s time for us to claim the aspect of divine mother in us.”

Indeed, on this Mother’s Day, let’s pray for peace in every home and the world! *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

Dimples sees struggle, strength...

PAGE B2 Romana plays Dizon’s mother, a returning OFW. “Yung laban lang nga mga kababaihan dito, hindi lang kababaihan, nakikita natin ‘yung different perspectives pagdating sa pagsugpo o pagharap sa isang viral scandal. Nobody wants to be part of a scandal, ‘di ba?” Romana said during the online press conference yesterday, May 3, for the series’ last two weeks of airing.

(The fight of women here, not only women, we saw different perspective when it comes to curbing or facing a viral scandal.)

Romana also realized that her character made her even stronger.

“As in ipinaalala sa akin na ang kababaihan ay may taglay talagang kalakasan na innate. At hindi lang ‘yun, ha. Kapag pinagsama mo pa ang pagiging ina niya, pagiging victim niya also ng sitwasyon na

pinagdaanan niya in the past, pinagtibay siya ng mga nangyari at ng lahat ng pagkakataon,” she said. “Isa ‘yon sa strongest suits na dinala ko and hopefully na-convey ko sa mga tao.”

(As in it reminded me that women really possess innate strength. And not only that, because when you consider her being a mother, her being a victim of the situations she went through in the past, she was strengthened by what she has gone through and by every circumstance. That’s one of the strongest suits I carried and hopefully I was able to convey to people.)

Aside from Dizon and Romana, “Viral Scandal” also stars Jake Cuenca, Maxene Magalona, Ria Atayde, Markus Paterson, Jameson Blake and Joshua Garcia, with Dado Lumibao and Froi Leonard as directors. It will have its final episode next week. g

B5

Unequal pay based on race, gender or disability is unlawful discrimination Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. Q: I HEAR a lot of talk about “diversity” and “pay equity” in the workplace. I live in California and, yes, I work with a “diverse” group of people in terms of race, age, gender, etc. But it is obvious to me that there is no “pay equity” in this diversity. How, as an employee, can I even begin to address this with my employer? Should I even bother?

A: Diversity in the workplace is a noble goal. While we continue to work for a world where, someday, people of all races, genders, ages, etc. are fairly represented in all workplaces, we are far from such a utopia. Perhaps part of the difficulty is that even though workplaces may hire more “diverse” workers, this hiring does not necessarily translate into paying or even promoting the diverse workforce equitably.

This ultimately results in a lack of diversity at the management levels which make decisions that could potentially end the vicious cycle of inequity and lack of inclusion.

Based on the latest data from 2020, an analysis conducted by the National Women’s Law Center continue to show that working women were paid 73 cents on the dollar compared with working men, despite there being more women in the workforce. Women of color are paid even less than white women, with black women making 64 cents on the dollar compared to white men, while Latina and Native American women made just 57 cents.

California law prohibits discrimination on the basis of a person’s protected characteristics, namely: race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. Discrimination

comes in many forms: refusal to promote; unequal pay; and unequal treatment in terms of socio-business relations.

Several laws have been enacted to address discrimination based on each of these protected characteristics.

For example, under California’s Fair Pay Act, an employer is prohibited from paying wage rates that are less than what it pays employees of the opposite sex, or of another race, or of another ethnicity, for substantially similar work and performed under similar working conditions.

If differences in wages exist, the difference must be legally justified based on factors that have nothing to do with sex, race, or other protected characteristics (for example, seniority or merit systems).

As an employee who sees pay inequity in the workplace, what should you do? Start by asking the following questions: • Does the company maintain public records of its job positions and wage rates? If so, can you access these records?

• Does the employer post job classifications online? What are the wage rates and how does it compare with yours or other employees’?

• Does the employer have a diversity, inclusion, pay equity policy in place? Are you able to determine whether this policy is followed?

Consider the case of Michael Cuenca who worked for Kaiser Permanente for 10 years in Kaiser’s diversity, inclusion, and human resources department. Cuenca was the only Hispanic person in a group of four workers doing substantially the same work.

Of the four, he was the lowestpaid, even though he had the most experience in the group.

His efforts to get promoted was continually denied.

After several attempts to get management to remedy the pay and promotion inequities for Hispanic employees, Cuenca left the company and sued Kaiser on behalf of

himself and others, alleging that Kaiser has maintained a policy of discrimination in hiring and promotions despite its Affirmative Action Plan.

Hispanic employees who were actually hired or promoted were paid lower than their counterparts.

Cuenca alleged that Kaiser is required to maintain records of wages and job classifications of all its employees in California and should have been able to track that it paid its Hispanic employees less than employees of other races for substantially similar work.

Cuenca claimed that his complaints to management should have alerted Kaiser to the disparities.

However, Kaiser failed to make things right.

Rather than proceed to trial, the parties, as reported by the Daily Journal, agreed to settle for $7.4 million, with Kaiser agreeing to make changes that would result in equity throughout the company (the parties pegged these changes an additional $9 million in value).

So should you bother advocating for equity and inclusion at work? That’s a resounding yes! Because if not you, then who? *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic.

All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw. com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.]

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Don’t let excessive debt ruin your financial future ARE you worried about your future due to having too much debt?

You’ve probably heard the saying, “The failure to plan is a plan to fail”. And yet so many of us don’t realize how we so easily neglect to plan for our financial future.

Ask a few people you know what kind of financial planning they have done for the next 5 to 10 years and you’ll be amazed at the responses you will get. “Oh, I can’t worry about that right now. I have enough problems dealing with my current financial situation, let alone think about what my life would be 5-10 years from now.” Or maybe you’ll get something like, “I’ll start saving for the future at the right time.

I just can’t start doing that right now.” And then, of course, “the right time” never comes. Before you know it, years have gone by, and no preparation has been done.

I think that the reason this happens is exactly what most people will tell you. If you are so wrapped up in your own financial struggle at the moment, you’ve got blinders on that stop you from seeing anything else but your present situation.

According to Maslow, man’s primary need is the need to survive. So long as you’re in survival mode, the only thing in your mind is the goal to work as hard and as many hours as you can so that you can make enough to make ends. And because your ability to survive depends on your ability to produce income that will sustain your needs, you become very vulnerable to anything that

Minding Your Finances Atty. rAymond BuLAon threatens that security. Instead of being on the offensive, you are always on the defensive.

Have you ever watched a boxer in the ring with a good defense but has nothing else, no offensive strategy, no counterpunching ability? That means you may always be able to block the punches that life throws at you, but you’ll never win the fight.

The moment you let your guard down, you’d be down for the count. And it can happen in a split-second.

What you need to do is to get out of “survival mode” so that you can start taking control of your own future.

No one else is looking out for you. Remember, people who succeed in their financial goals are those who make things happen, not those who wait for things to happen.

Once in a while you have to ask yourself the following questions: Have you set financial goals for yourself and your family for the next 5-10 years? What kind of lifestyle would you like to have then? Where would you like to live? What school would you like to send your children to? How much do you need to have in your bank account before you can start feeling a bit secure?

Only you can provide answers to

these questions.

If you are currently in “survival mode” and want to get out, do you have an exit plan that can get you back on track? Or are you just rolling the dice on your financial future hoping that “things will change somehow, sometime” for the better? Don’t leave something as important as your future to chance. You need to have a definite plan, a detailed map of where you want to go. See, that “lucky break” you’ve been waiting for may never come. It is time to take matters in your own hands. Earl Nightingale once said that “Luck is where preparedness meets opportunity”. Now, it’s your move.

If you have serious debt problems, perhaps you need to find out what you can do legally to wipe the slate clean and start over. Remember, our federal bankruptcy laws allow you to either eliminate or consolidate your bills when debts become unmanageable.And while bankruptcy is not the solution to every problem and should only be resorted to when necessary, it has allowed millions of people regain control of their finances and change their lives for the better.

For a free attorney consultation, call Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 6,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772.

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Madam Inutz: Beyond...

PAGE B2 makikita mo talaga yung pagmumura niya, yung parang pagiging lasing niya, yung bardagulan talaga.

“But when I portrayed her, played her character in MMK, I realized, ‘kaya naman pala.’ And I hope the audience will also see that,” Chang shared.

Wanting to portray Lopez in her truest form, Chang said, “I had to use all the pain I experienced in the past to bring out such bravery for this character, the real Madam Inutz.”

Director Raz dela Torre believes Lopez’s story is not just a Mother’s Day tribute but a tribute to humanity.

“This will teach the viewers to get to know deeper the people they meet around and to not jump to conclusions, because all of us are going through different things,” he Daisy ‘Madam Inutz’ Lopez Photo from Instagram/@daisyinutz said. g

How is life after bankruptcy?

MANY people who need debt relief are afraid to file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 because they fear that life after bankruptcy will be difficult. The fear is that bankruptcy will prevent them from getting new credit cards, buying a car, buying a house.

Some even believe that they won’t be able to freely travel in and out of the country after bankruptcy.

Or, the bankruptcy may affect their immigration status. All of these fears are baseless.

The fact is that life after bankruptcy is great! Whether or not you believe that life is great after bankruptcy doesn’t change the fact that it is great.

If I were to tell you that Hawaii is beautiful, that it’s like paradise, but you have not been there, it’s going to be hard for you to believe that Hawaii is indeed a beautiful place.

First, bankruptcy is confidential.

Nobody knows about it unless you tell everybody about it. In most bankruptcy cases, the debtor keeps everything that he owns because he is able to exempt them under applicable bankruptcy law. Most debtors keep their houses, cars, furniture, retirement accounts, and everything else that they own when they file for bankruptcy. There is no sign on your door that says you filed for bankruptcy.

Second, many successful people have filed for bankruptcy to obtain a fresh start in life without accumulated debt. For instance, Walt Disney filed for Chapter 7 twice before his Disney empire became a global success; Star Wars Edge of the Galaxy, anyone? Milton Hershey filed for Chapter 7 before he became the biggest Chocolate business in the world; Reese’s Pieces, anyone?

President Trump’s businesses filed for bankruptcy four times in the 90s. Yet, he has been president of the United States of America since 2016.

Third, the sole purpose of bankruptcy is to give the debtor a fresh start in life without the burden of accumulated debt and to make the debtor productive again.

Just imagine having $50,000 of credit card debt. You need $1,500 a month to keep them current.

That’s $18,000 a year, $36,000 year two, and $90,000 by year five.

In other words, the debtor would have paid out $90,000 in five years to keep $50,000 of credit cards current, but guess what? He still owes the same $50,000 in year

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng five after paying in $90,000 to keep them current. The debtors in this situation are like hamsters in a wheel. They keep on working and running in the wheel but don’t go anywhere because they are no longer productive. Bankruptcy allows them to wipe out the $50,000, start fresh without the $50,000, so they can be productive people again.

In this example, the debtor will save $1,500 a month, and in five years will save $90,000. With these savings, he can buy stocks or invest in real estate. Buy a house.

Invest his money wisely. Then the $90,000 will keep on growing until it becomes $1.0M! Then debtor becomes a millionaire! And if the debtor is as smart as Walt Disney and Milton Hershey, he can become a billionaire! No kidding.

This is true.

Fourth, rebuilding credit score is fast and easy after bankruptcy!

As soon as you get the discharge order, and want to buy a Camry, for instance. Just walk into any Toyota dealership but make sure you bring your discharge order because they will ask for a copy of it. Let’s say you got your discharge order today. Bring it to any Toyota dealership tomorrow and they will finance the purchase of your car of choice. Of course, your interest rate will be higher than normal.

But if you wait a year or two after your discharge to buy the car, your interest will be much lower. The point is, you can re-establish credit very fast as soon as you get your discharge. In three years, you can buy a house.

Many lenders will provide you with a mortgage to buy a house in year three 3. In six months from discharge, you will be getting new credit cards preapproved sent to you in the mail. Yes, you will get new credit cards, no problem.

Some banks specialize in giving people who have filed bankruptcy new credit cards because they can’t file another bankruptcy for another eight years. There’s a reason for everything under the sun, right? There’s a time to be born, a time to die, a time to sow and a time to harvest (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11).

Fifth, there’s no restriction on setting up new businesses after bankruptcy. Neither is there any restriction on traveling in and out of the United States. Debtors who file for bankruptcy can freely set up new businesses like Walt Disney and Milton Hershey after bankruptcy. It’s a fresh start in life without accumulated debt.

Let’s say you file for Chapter 7 today and you have to travel to Greenland next week to assure Greenlanders that they don’t have to sell themselves to the United States. Can you do that? Sure you can.

Sixth, bankruptcy does not affect your immigration status in any way, shape or form. To get your green card, if your income is not enough, you need a sponsor with enough income to qualify you for permanent residency. If you have enough income and don’t need a sponsor, the fact that you filed for bankruptcy doesn’t affect your qualification for permanent residency.

Bankruptcy law prohibits the Federal government from discriminating against someone who has filed for bankruptcy. I have many clients in the process of getting green cards or citizenship in the last 30 years.

None of them have been affected negatively by their bankruptcy filing. They are all permanent residents or naturalized citizens now. This fear that bankruptcy will affect immigration status is purely psychological and has no basis in fact or law.

So take it from the lives of Walt Disney and Milton Hershey, life after bankruptcy is great, beautiful and productive! Indeed life after bankruptcy is prosperous and abundant! From Chapter 7, Walt Disney and Milton Hershey became, billionaires with global businesses, literally true! *** Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advise for anyone.

There is absolutely no attorney client relationship established by reading this article. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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Clark County population expected to grow by 1M in 2060

By RealtoR

Fely Quitevis-Bateman

MORE and more people are expected to flock into Clark County in Nevada as construction and development continue to come into the area.

In a recent study done by the University of Nevada Las Vegas’ Lee Business School’s Center for Business and Economic Research cited by the Las Vegas Review Journal, Clark County is estimated to add about 1 million more residents to its fold by 2060, putting the population by that time to about 3.38 million.

Currently, Clark County was estimated to have a population of about 2.38 million in 2020. It is estimated to grow by 2.2% in 2022, putting the estimate to around 2.47 million by year’s end.

More than half of Clark County’s population live in Las Vegas, which is the seat of the county.

The same study, which was commissioned for a few Southern Nevada agencies and members of the Forecasting Group, show growth in Clark County hovering between 2.4% to 1.0% from 2023 to 2035. From 2040 to 2060, population growth is estimated to be from 0.2% to 0.7%.

Clark County has certainly come a long way from its roots, having only been established in 1909, and was formed when the Nevada Legislature split off a portion of Lincoln County.

In 1910, its population was placed 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.

communities and master-planned developments moving outward to satisfy the demand from the population.

Communities like Green Valley, Summerlin, Red Rock, Mountain’s Edge, Inspirada, Providence, and Cadence are now well-known to residents, realtors and astute property buyers.

And more development is underway, perhaps

With Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (extreme left) in photo are (from left) Johnny and Grace Rustia of New Jersey, and Joannie Feliciano and nephew Aldo from Orange County. Quitevis-Bateman’s clients are scouting for a place to retire.

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, Quitevis-Bateman believes there should be an elected FilAm in government.

fueled by a good network of freeways and roads, as well as interest from many sectors keen on gaining a foothold in the city and the state.

The LVRJ article stated that although there may be a limitation to how far the boundaries for future master-planned communities may go, there is still a hot demand for real estate and properties in Las 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 and is only about 62 miles west of Las Vegas, are being looked at by the propertysavvy 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 property in Nevada, or even 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 fullservice company serving its clientele since 1992 and you can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-559-2476 and 702-538-4948 for more information. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days.

Development going on in Las Vegas will bring more jobs and new residents to the area.

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