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JUNE 20-26, 2019 Volume 30 - No. 25 • 16 Pages

T H E F I L I P I N O –A M E R I C A N C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R

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Palace: Invoking US-PH defense pact vs China is reckless, premature

by DARRYL JOHN

ESGUERRA

Inquirer.net

MANILA—Invoking the Philippines’ Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States against China after a Chinese vessel rammed a Filipino fishing boat in the West Philippine Sea will be “reckless and premature,” Malacañang said on Wednesday, June 19.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo issued the statement after Senator Panfilo Lacson said the government should not wait for armed aggression to happen in the disputed area before invoking the 66-year-old defense treaty of the Philippines with the U.S. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo

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Inquirer.net photo

USA

DATELINE How did we get here?

New report dives into the immigration patterns of the API community FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Report also showcases the massive diversity within the API immigrant community and how policies affect AAPI immigrants WHEN we talk about immigration, it’s often generalized as a large, national issue that affects wide swaths of people with similar goals and plans.

Media coverage on immigration over the last several years has primarily zeroed in on immigrants from the Latinx community, be it conversations about the border wall, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the president’s suggestive comments regarding the violent gang MS-13 and nonviolent Central Americans with honest aims at making it in America.

But what mainstream media often ne-

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US calls for full investigation into Gemver sinking CALLING it a “very serious situation,” United States Ambassador Sung Kim said on Tuesday, June 18, that the sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese vessel near Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea last June 9 should be investigated.

“It appears that it was an accident but I would say it is a very serious situation and know that Philippine officials have called on Chinese authorities to fully investigate the incident,” Kim said.

His pronouncement came a day after President Duterte dismissed the incident as a “little maritime accident” and mere collision of boats that should not justify his sending Navy ships to Recto Bank or anywhere in the West Philippine Sea. But the U.S. ambassador stressed an investigation should determine accountability as well as steps that should be taken to

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IMMEDIATE REPAIR. Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol (left) assures Junel Insigne (wearing sando), the captain of the F/B Gem-Ver 1 of immediate assistance for the repair of the damaged fishing boat in Barangay San Roque, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro on Wednesday, June 19.

The F/B Gem-Ver 1 was hit by a Chinese vessel off Recto Bank last June 9.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

Corruption pulls country down – Duterte “Keep America Great”: Trump unveils

by RALPH

VILLANUEVA ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has admitted that the extent of corruption in government has left him with low morale and little trust in the bureaucracy.

In a speech during the 121st anniversary of the Philippine Navy on Monday, the President said corruption was everywhere, but that he could not address it within the constitutional powers given him.

“I almost cry. I said that I cannot take the corruption. If there is a table, if there is a single chair there, there is corruption because the papers go back and forth, inward. That is why I have lost trust in the bureaucracy,”

he said.

“I lost interest. Because, to tell you the truth, I regretted [being President] because I thought I can do it within the constitutional powers that were given to me,” he said.

“I now have low morale. But, anyway, let me fix things before I go,” he added.

Duterte lamented that his burden was “more than he can carry.”

Corruption, he said, happened everyday and “pulls the country down.”

To address the never-ending problem of corruption, the people should find and elect “another Marcos,” the President added.

Ferdinand Marcos was president for 21 years, but he faced charges of human rights

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PH gov’t, UN urged to probe killing of activists

by GAEA

KATREENA Philstar.com

CABICO

MANILA — The recent spate of activist killings in the country should be investigated by the Philippine government and the United Nations, New York-based watchdog Human Rights Watch said.

“The recent killings underscore that attacks on leftist activists is a serious human rights problem in the Philippines that has never gone away,” Carlos Conde, Philippine researcher for HRW, said on Karapatan protests the killings of two of its members: Ryan Hubilla and Nelly Wednesday, June 19.

Bagasala and peasant leader Nonoy Palma. Photo courtesy of Karapatan

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2020 presidential campaign in Florida

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

ALMOST exactly four years after his infamous speech announcing his bid for the White House, President Donald Trump on Tuesday, June 18 officially launched his 2020 presidential reelection campaign in a rally with his supporters in Orlando, Florida.

When he walked on stage and officially kicked off his campaign, Trump — who unofficially sloganed his 2020 campaign “Keep America Great” — promised his supporters a continuance of his administration’s effort to make America great again.

“With every ounce of heart and might and sweat and soul, we’re going to keep making America great again and then we will indeed keep America great,” Trump told his supporters. “And that is why tonight, I stand before you to officially launch my campaign for a second term as President of the United States.”

The overall message of the campaign kickoff offered nothing new and, minus the official announcement, moved along like his usual rallies.

Trump reminded supporters

of his stringent plans for immigration in the name of national security, saying, “We believe our country should be a sanctuary for law-abiding citizens, not for criminal aliens.”

And in true Trump fashion, he peppered in his favorite digs at “fake news,” Hillary Clinton (he promised supporters to find her emails “somewhere deep in the State Department”) and the Democrats, claiming that the party is “driven by hatred, prejudice and rage” and “want to destroy our country as we know it,” positioning himself as a salve for that perceived threat.

With the assistance of a lineup of speakers, the showy campaign rally featured speeches from the president’s family and Vice President Mike Pence who keyed into the sentiment with classic conservative rejoinders of “taking America back.”

“Jobs are back, confidence is back and thanks to the leadership of President Donald Trump, America is back, and we’re just getting started,” Pence said to a raucous sea of red “Make America Great Again” hats and signs.

Though Trump’s re-election campaign is not surprising in

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Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signs funding bills in Vegas’ Chinatown

by AJPRESS

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community leaders witnessed Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak sign two bills as part of his Las Vegas tour on Friday, June 14. During a ceremony at Chinatown Plaza hosted by the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) and Nevadans Count Coalition, Sisolak signed SB 504, which would allocate $5 million in outreach funding for the 2020 Census.

AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

ASIAN American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community leaders witnessed Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak sign two bills as part of his Las Vegas tour on Friday, June 14.

During a ceremony at Chinatown Plaza hosted by the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) and Nevadans Count Coalition, Sisolak signed SB 504, which would allocate $5 million in outreach funding for the 2020 Census.

“It’s important to ensure that every single person is counted so that…dollars go towards the communities who need it the

most and deserve it the most,” Sisolak said in his remarks.

“Those communities are notoriously undercounted and we need to change that.”

He noted that AAPIs make up about 10% of Nevada’s population and are considered the fastest-growing ethnic group in the state.

“Nevada will rely on the results of the 2020 Census to determine funding needs for infrastructure projects, economic development programs, job training, schools and other activities for the next decade,” the governor added.

The state is currently at risk for losing millions of dollars in

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JUNE 20-26, 2019 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

From The FronT Page

How did we get here? New report dives into the...

PAGE 1 glects to consider is the expansive Asian and Pacific Islander (API) immigrant community that has grappled with the growing laundry list of problems with the U.S. immigration system.

A new report from the national legal and civil rights organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice) called “Inside the Num-

bers: How Immigration Shapes Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities” takes a deep dive into the growing API immigrant community and how the U.S. immigration system serves this specific sect of immigrants.

There are an estimated 1.7 million API immigrants without papers living in the U.S. currently, yet they’re often

overlooked in conversations surrounding domestic and immigration policies, Advancing Justice researchers found.

“We have been advocating for policies that help our community, not hurt them,” John C. Yang, president and executive director of Advancing Justice said. “This report shows that long visa backlogs, constant attacks on the immigrant community and enforcement efforts are having a negative effect in our community, but, still, our community is a resilient one.”

The overall consensus of the report is that the current immigration system is inefficient and lacks the wherewithal to effectively serve the ethnically and linguistically diverse API immigrant community. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is still processing family sponsorship visa applications that were submitted as long as 23 years ago --- nearly 1.5 million individuals from Asia are still in the backlogs awaiting their visas.

But the report didn’t just point out the struggles faced by the cast API immigrant community. It also showcased the economic powerhouse it is — there are more than 1.1 million Asian American immigrant-owned businesses in the U.S., meaning that Asian-owned businesses comprise of one-third of all immigrant-owned businesses in the country.

Advancing Justice offered solutions to the problems faced

by API immigrants, including passing legislation that would alleviate the backlogs in family sponsorships and to urge Congress to repeal the travel ban.

However, President Trump has remained adamant about gutting immigration programs like family reunification and asylum claims in favor of a more “meritbased” immigration system that he claims would amp up national security and “contribute more to our social safety net.”

“My plan expedites relief for legitimate asylum seekers by screening out the merit-less claims,” Trump said in a speech at the White House last month.

“If you have a proper claim, you will quickly be admitted. If you don’t, you will promptly be returned home.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

ASIAN AMERICAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY OF SOUTHERN NEVADA WITH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MARIANNE WILLIAMSON. The Asian american and Pacific Islander Community of Souther Nevada hosted a dinner and an evening of conversation with presidential candidate Marianne Williamson. She is a best selling author, a lecturer and a non-profit activist. The event was well attended by her supporters coming from different ethnic groups in Las Vegas.

Photo by Justin Locust

Palace: Invoking US-PH defense...

PAGE 1 Lacson, a former chief of police, also described the MDT as the only arsenal in our disposal in case the ramming and sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese vessel in Recto Bank escalates into an armed confrontation.

“Gamitin daw natin ‘yung Mutual Defense pact. Mawalang galang na sa kaibigan kong si Ping [Lacson]. I think ‘yan ang tinatawag na reckless at premature (They sya we should use the

Mutual Defense pact, well excuse me, my friend Ping. I think that is what I call reckless and premature),” Panelo said in an interview over dzRH. “Eh wala pa ngang act of aggression. Hindi pa natin alam kung ano bang nangyari doon, is it intentional? Assuming na intentional, ang tanong ay ‘yan ba sanctioned ng Chinese government? Hindi ka basta babanat (There is no act of aggression yet. We still do not know what happened there, was it intention-

al? Assuming that it’s intentional, the question here is whether that act is sanctioned by the Chinese government. It’s not right to just attack),” he added.

The defense accord dictated that both nations would support each other if either the Philippines or the United States were to be attacked by an external party.

Earlier, Panelo and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the MDT can only be invoked in case of an armed attack against the Philippines. n

“Keep America Great”: Trump unveils 2020 presidential...

PAGE 1 any way (only four incumbent presidents in U.S. history have opted not to run for a second term), he officially enters the race with a booming economy under his wing but low approval ratings. (A recent Fox News poll put him 10 and 9 percentage points behind Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, respectively.)

But history shows that economic standing and the job market have massive influence on reelection chances.

Last month, the national unemployment rate dropped to 3.6% which is the lowest unemployment rate since 1969, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Though national issues such as immigration, health care and identity politics like race and gender are often used as arsenal against the president, the RNC highlighted the president’s first

term as “a series of promises made and promises kept.”

“From delivering a once-ina-generation tax cut to cutting regulations, reducing the price of prescription drugs and nominating two Supreme Court Justices, our economy is roaring and President Trump is delivering for all Americans,” a spokesperson for the RNC said.

The Democratic counter After Trump’s rally, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) hosted a counter rally in Florida this week that focused on the “outlandish promises” Trump made while running in 2016 regarding health care and immigration that left a lot more to be desired, according to John Santos, AAPI media director for the DNC. When asked how the Democratic Party should move forward as the debate stage of the

election approaches, Santos said that focusing on issues and providing solutions to the “pitfalls” of Trump’s first term should be top of mind for the 20-plus Democratic candidates currently in the running.

“Our entire campaign should not just be about how are we going to oppose Trump, and it should be about issues at hand, like how are we going to ensure there’s greater access to health care and how are we going to get rid of the inhumane immigration procedures at the border and establish a more effective immigration system in general, and I think that’s what the party needs to focus on,” Santos said.

But Santos added that it’s also important that the public be reminded of the “failed promises” and the proposals he made during his first term that “actually PAGE 3

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 20-26, 2019

PAL named ‘World’s Most Improved Airline’ in 2019 Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signs funding...

MANILA — Philippine Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, on Tuesday, June 18, won the World’s Most Improved Airline award for 2019.

International air transport rating organization Skytrax named PAL as the carrier that achieved the biggest leap in product and service quality among a survey of over 350 leading airlines worldwide.

Skytrax announced PAL now ranks 30th airline in the world, jumping 19 spots from being top 49 in 2018.

In 2013, PAL is only at the 90th spot in the world ranking.

PAL also ranked high in the

following important categories: • Top 10 World’s Best Business Class Comfort Amenities • Top 10 Best Airline Staff in Asia • Top 11 World’s Best Cabin Crew • Top 11 World’s Best Airport Services • Top 11 World’s Best Premium Economy Class • Top 14 World’s Best Economy Class Skytrax earlier this year certified PAL as a four-star Global Airline along with 40 other airlines.

It was based on the comprehensive quality audits performed by the carrier from Decmber 2018

PAGE 1 and January 2019.

Last year, Skytrax awarded federal funding if the population PAL the first ever four-star Glob- is undercounted.

“This funding is crucial to al Airline rating. It was named second most improved airline and the top 30 cleanest cabin.

Skytrax surveys more than 20 million travelers among over 100 nationalities and 335 airlines for its passenger satisfaction survey in the world.

This year’s 2019 World Airline Awards was held at the Paris Airshow in the Musée de l’Air et de l’ Espace, Paris Le Bourget Airport, France on Tuesday.

PAL is dubbed as Asia’s first airline. (Rosette Adel/Philstar. com)

ensuring a complete count of Nevada, which has undergone a population boom since the last census was conducted in 2010,”

Together, the Asian Community Development Council and Nevadans Count Coalition hosted this ceremony which included speeches by Governor Steve Sisolak, First Lady Kathy Sisolak, Lt. Governor Kate Marshall, Congresswoman Dina Titus, Vida Lin & Executive Director of Silver State Voices, Emily Zamora.

AJpress photo by Robert Macabagdal

said Vida Lin, ACDC founder and president.

Sisolak also signed SB 211, which would appropriate funding to the Commission on Minority Affairs, which advocates for minorities on education, housing, employment, civil rights, health, political empowerment and economic development.

Present at the Chinatown Plaza event were First Lady Kathy Sisolak, Lt. Governor Kate Marshall, Congresswoman Dina Titus, and Executive Director of Silver State Voices, Emily Zamora.

The Nevada governor also made several stops in the Las Vegas area, where he held similar bill-signing ceremonies for legislation, such as three health care-related bills, a ban on “bump stock” devices similar to those used in the 2017 Vegas Strip mass shooting, and a law compensating those wrongly convicted. n

PH gov’t, UN urged to probe killing...

Philippine Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, won the World’s Most Improved Airline award for 2019.

Pacquiao begins LA grind

MANNY Pacquiao shrugged off jet lag and started the final phase of his training in Los Angeles for his WBA welterweight title showdown with Keith Thurman next month.

Just a day before arriving in the City of Angels over the weekend, Pacquiao on Monday afternoon hit the uphill terrain of Griffith Observatory with his team of joggers. A sizable crowd that in-

cluded fans and media members gathered to witness his routine.

The fighting senator usually opens training day with a morning run either at the more challenging Griffith or the flat and easier Pan Pacific Park, also in Los Angeles.

Reports said Pacquiao is set to reunite with Freddie Roach at the latter’s famous Wild Card Gym in Hollywood on Wednesday to be-

Manny Pacquiao works out at the Griffith Park in Los Angeles. Photo by Wendell Alinea/Manny Pacquiao Promotions

gin gym work. The Filipino icon is expected to continue sparring in his bid to reach tip-top shape for Thurman on July 20 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on July 20.

Pacquiao broke his Manila training camp last Saturday and headed to Los Angeles via a Philippine Airlines flight, accompanied by his training team, family and entourage.

He held his training at the Elorde Gym inside Five E-com Center within the Mall of Asia complex, getting a few rounds of sparring in the bag against Australian prospect Tim Tszyu.

Pacquiao, the WBA’ “regular” welterweight champion, will try to become the sanctioning organization’s undisputed 147-pound titlist against the unbeaten Thurman (29-0, with 22 knockouts).

The 30-year-old Thurman, who fights out of Clearwater, Florida, is the WBA’s “super champion” in the welterweight class. (Dino Maragay /Phistar.com)

PAGE 1 He added: “The Philippine authorities should fully investigate these killings and bring those responsible to justice.”

Conde also said that the United Nations Human Rights Council, whose session is set on June 24, should ensure an international investigation into the “deteriorating human rights situation” in the Philippines, the government’s anti-narcotics campaign and killing of activists.

“UN member states should not let another session of the Human Rights Council go by without adopting measures that will put serious human rights violations in the Philippines under scrutiny,” the HRW officer said.

He added: “It’s clear that Duterte’s administration will not

credibly investigate abuses in the ‘drug war’ and against activists on their own.”

Former Bayan Muna Bicol regional coordinator Neptali Moraga was gunned down in Naga City, Camarines Sur while on his way to work Monday morning. A day earlier, Nonoy Palma, a member of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas-affiliated KASAMA Bukidnon, was shot dead outside his house.

On Saturday,June 15, Ryan Hubilla and Nelly Bagasala of Karapatan-Sorsogon were killed by unidentified gunmen. Karapatan said the killing happened after their members in the province were subjected to “periodic surveillance by elements of the military intelligence company.”

Labor organizer Dennis Seque-

na from Partido Manggagawa was gunned down on June 2.

HRW noted that very few of the killings of activists have been seriously investigated and hardly any have resulted in convictions.

The government has repeatedly denied that death squads and extrajudicial killings are not part of state policy. It has also stressed that security forces follow due process and respect human rights.

President Rodrigo Duterte and other government officials have also accused human rights defenders, however, of working with syndicates, terrorists and criminals.

The Commission on Human Rights earlier said it has deployed a quick response team to probe and monitor the recent killings of activists. n

“Keep America Great”: Trump unveils 2020 presidential...

PAGE 2 damaged many Americans” like his proposed termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the effort to kill the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the latter of which has lowered the uninsured rate.

Before the ACA, 48.6 million Americans were uninsured and after the ACA, that number lowered to about 28 million, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

After the 2016 election, the Democratic Party fell into a period of reflection and examining how best to move forward and agree on a cohesive focus, and Santos acknowledged the diversity of views within the Democratic Party, such as the disparate views on the Medicare For All campaign and reinstating the ACA. Despite the perceived partywide disarray characterized by cable news pundits, Santos believes that the collective goal of unity, inclusion and racial and

gender equity of the party at large aligns with the direction of the country and the culture.

“It’s fine to have those disagreements, but as long as everyone in the party believes in making sure that everyone has access to affordable health care and as long as we understand that that’s the common goal, I think we are starting from a really strong standpoint,” Santos said, noting that the Democratic Party represents “the future of America.” n

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Filipino brands harvest awards at ‘choco Oscars’

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com

Five Philippine chocolate brands received international recognition after bagging a total of 24 awards across various categories in the 2019 Academy of Chocolate Awards in the United Kingdom.

The chocolates of Auro Chocolate, Dalareich Food Products, Malagos Agri-ventures Corp., MS3 Agri-ventures and Theo and Philo Artisan Chocolates impressed more than 100 judges who made up the panel, according to the Philippine embassy in London.

This year’s board of judges included leading chocolatiers and LAFACE and LACEAA held a luncheon on Monday, June 17 to honor top Filipina Commissioners Jessica Caloza and Susana Reyes. The event was also attended by Councilmember Paul Koretz, Captain Donald Graham of the LA Police Department and Deputy Mayor for Budget & some of the UK’s most prominent Innovation Miguel Sangalang, AJPress photos by Christina M. Oriel food writers and bloggers. “The recognition given to Philippine chocolates over the years shows that Philippine chocolates are indeed world class,� Ambassador Antonio

by AJPress Lagdameo said.

More than a thousand entries from close to 50 countries were Two top-ranking Filipina American commissioners were honored during an event at Los Angeles City Hall on Monday, PAGE 1 June 18.

The luncheon, organized by the violations. He and members LA City employees Asian Ameriof his family were accused of can Association (LACeAAA) and amassing ill-gotten wealth.

LA Filipino Association of City “in our laws, even if you give employees (LAFACe), highme 20 years, i cannot do it. You lighted the recent appointments find another Marcos. or, someof Jessica Caloza to the city’s day, somehow, somewhere, that Board of Public works and Sufellow will be elected in the gensana Reyes to the Department erations to come,� Duterte said. of water and Power’s board of He added that the economy commissioners. and political landscape would Joan Ria Tagle, president of LAFACe, and Annie Chao of LA Board of Public Works Commissioner Jessica Caloza, LA Filipino Association of City Employees LACeAAA, said that this event (LAFACE) President Joan Ria Tagle, LA City Employees Asian American Association (LACEAA) was put together to recognize President Annie Chao, and LA Dept. of Water and Power Board Commissioner Susana Reyes attend a celebration at City Hall on Monday, June 17.

PAGE 1 the Asian American representation in these top LA positions. in addition to her work at the prevent similar incidents in the sure that more of us move up in Both Caloza and Reyes are these leadership positions.�

DwP, Reyes was on Garcetti’s future. the first Filipinas to sit on either Reyes, a public service veteran sustainability team and is the “we need to find out what board. for 32 years, was nominated by vice president of National Sierra exactly what happened and if in “it’s hard to believe that with Garcetti in April to join the Board Club Board of Directors. fact there was a wrongdoing by LAFACe and LACeAAA, we’re of water and Power Commission “i’ve dedicated myself to the the Chinese fishing vessel,� he still hearing ‘first this, first that’ and was confirmed by City Coun- fight for clean air, clean water said. so that’s why it’s so important to cil in early June. and clean energy, not just for the “i think there should be invescome together and acknowledge She previously served as the di- few, but for the disadvantaged tigation and there should be full when we have representation at rector of LA Department of water who suffer the worst impacts accountability. we need to take the highest levels,� Caloza told and Power’s (DwP) Low-income in pollution. Today there is no measures that we prevent acciattendees on Monday.

Customer Access, a position that doubt that we are in a climate dents or incidents like that from Caloza, who was the direc- helped ensure low-income rate- crisis,� she said. happening again,� Kim added. tor of scheduling for Mayor eric payers could access financial asAlso present at the luncheon He also said the incident Garcetti, was nominated for the sistance, discounts, and rebates on Monday were Councilmem- should serve as reminder of position in February and con- offered by the utility. ber Paul Koretz, Captain Donald the importance of a meaningful firmed a month later. “i’m ready to embrace the Graham of the LA Police Depart- Code of Conduct in the South in her remarks, she empha- tremendous responsibility that ment, Deputy Mayor for Budget China Sea. sized the importance of mentor- comes with it,� Reyes said. “we & innovation Miguel Sangalang, “i think the U.S. has continued ship among Asian Americans just don’t need more leaders, we and LAFACe and LACeAAA to support efforts by the region and Filipino Americans “to make need better leaders.� members. n to come up with a meaningful

Top Filipina commissioners honored at LA City Hall event

Among the Philippine chocolate brands that impressed judges at the 2019 Academy of Chocolate Awards were Malagos, MS3 Choco and Theo and Philo Artisan Chocolates.

Philstar.com photo

marked for appearance, depth of aroma and flavor, length and complexity in a rigorous 25-session judging process over 12 weeks. “Purity and sustainability of ingredients remain paramount considerations for the Academy,� Marie-Pierre Moine, board member and awards ambassador, said.

Last year, Malagos chocolates

of Davao City won five awards in the same competition.

Under the awards’ drinking category, Malagos’ 85-percent dark chocolate won silver while its 100-percent and 72-percent variants got bronze. in the tree to bar category, its 72-percent and 85-percent variants won silver.

The Academy of Chocolate awards was launched in 2005. n

not improve under the present Constitution. “if you tell me that we improved beyond the level that we find ourselves economically, politically, well, i am sorry. i am telling you that it will not come,â€? he said. “Not even half of what Hong Kong will be in 30 years. There is too much‌ i am not trying to criticize. it was better if we did

not have Cory[‘s Constitution,]� he added, referring to the administration of the late former president Corazon Aquino.

Duterte has been pushing for a shift to federalism, but the issue was not tackled in the 17th Congress.

Last week, the President said he regretted running for the presidency in 2016 because he was dismayed by corruption. n

Corruption pulls country down – Duterte

US calls for full investigation into...

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;And we are also looking at what needs to be done to hold those responsible accountable or responsible. what is more important is to know what needs to be done to prevent incidents like that in the future,â&#x20AC;? the U.S. diplomat said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And i am very pleased that we have a very robust partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), including the Coast Guard,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;i think we have done quite a bit of activities with the AFP, including the Coast Guard and i think as you build capacities, agencies will be able to deal with such situations more effectively.

The U.S. works to protect international rights,â&#x20AC;? the ambassador said. (Edith Regalado/Philstar)

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code of conduct. So i hope that that effort will continue,â&#x20AC;? the ambassador said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Also it is an important reminder that there needs to be responsible maritime behavior and activities that are consistent with international laws. Like for example, there is a world-established duty to preserve life at sea, you know that if fellow fishermen are in trouble, i believe it is your responsibility to help save them,â&#x20AC;? he said.

He said he was thankful there was a vietnamese fishing vessel in the vicinity that came to the rescue of the Filipinos.

He maintained the U.S. is eager to see Philippine and Chinese officials get to the bottom of the issue.

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OPINION

Cubao to Makati in 5 minutes

FEATURES

BY the end of the year, President Duterte has vowed, the drive along EDSA between Makati and Cubao, Quezon City would be cut to just five minutes.

If the President delivers on this promise, he deserves a monument along EDSA. People who grapple daily with the crippling traffic jams along the busy thoroughfare have tried numerous schemes to improve vehicular flow. After a brief improvement, however, backsliding occurs. Designated stops and dedicated lanes are ignored. Passengers still board and jump out of vehicles even in the middle of the road.

The President is counting on the opening of new overhead roads to make good on his promise. Recent such thoroughfares, however, have failed to ease traffic, possibly because these are toll roads. Ordinary folks are burdened enough with inflation to add to the cost of their daily drive or commute.

Unless people are in a rush – to catch a flight, for example – they would rather make allowances for getting stuck in traffic rather than add to the cost of their daily drive. Fuel costs are high enough and there are already too many toll roads

all over Metro Manila and neighboring areas, making people wonder where taxes go.

The President made the promise apparently in anticipation of the opening of new overhead, bypass or connector roads and expressways to ease traffic jams in Metro Manila. He may have to revise his projection that the improvement may be felt by December, considering that the Christmas season is the worst time for traffic jams. Still, he is expected to prod his officials to make his objective attainable.

Edison Nebrija, EDSA traffic zone head of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, has a more realistic target of cutting down the drive between Cubao, Quezon City to Chino Roces Avenue in Makati initially to 30 minutes. This is half of the regular travel time between the two points in moderate traffic. Of course if this could be cut down further to five minutes, EDSA can be renamed after whoever is responsible. (Philstar. com)

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS AN EPIPHANY is that moment in the story where a character achieves realization, awareness, or a feeling of knowledge, after which events are seen through the prism of this new light in the story.

Are we there yet, Filipinos in America? Or are we still blinded by the glaring prism of fanaticism?

I would like to look at the glass half full and will not stop believing that the truth will eventually free us and help us make better-informed decisions. This is if we remain relentless in putting the spotlight on the facts rather than a fabricated alternate universe maliciously created by conmen for their own political expediency, power, fame and self-aggrandizement.

As the truth comes out, such conmen try even harder to suppress the facts from coming out.

This cannot be denied in how the 45th president of the United States manipulated his cohorts in

Philstar.com photo

Fox News poll: Trump trails Democratic candidates in the 2020 presidential elections

government and his adoring fan base. On January 23, 2016, as a presidential candidate, Donald Trump boldly, proudly and brazenly stated the following during a campaign rally in Iowa: “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters.” Has he proven himself right through you?

Former First Lady Michelle Obama said in a speech, “Being president doesn’t change who you are, it reveals who you are.”

Indeed, we get to know a person‘s true character not only when he has nothing, but perhaps more so when he has all the power at his disposal.

From the illusion that Trump the business “mogul” and reality star will be “presidential” and will live up to the oath of upholding and defending the Constitution and the democracy of the nation, more and more Americans are now seeing who the real Donald Trump is during his chaotic first two years in office.

Delusional President Trump could not live with the facts that are not favorable to him, even if they come from his own internal polling, so much so that according to a report by the Washington Post, his “campaign is cutting ties with three members of his polling team after grim numbers showing him trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in several battleground states were leaked to the media last week, according to several officials with knowledge of the matter.”

The report further stated: “The news follows reports — first by Politico and later by the New York Times — on a 17-state internal poll conducted by Fabrizio.

The data, later reported by ABC and NBC, show Trump trailing Biden by double digits in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida and Michigan, where Trump narrowly edged out Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016. The poll also found Trump behind Biden in several other states that were key to the president’s win — Iowa,

North Carolina, Ohio and Georgia — while holding a narrow edge in strongly Republican Texas.”

Trump, as expected, called this “fake news” because it just did not support his own narrative in his alternate universe, even if the survey was commissioned by his own campaign.

“Those polls don’t exist. But I just had a meeting with someone who’s a pollster, and I’m winning everywhere, “ Trump claimed.

In fact, this is so very Trump: he refuses to listen to reports and studies that are not favorable to him and his own agenda, that his staff has been so daunted to bring them up to him from fear of falling out of grace and favor.

Trump and his ardent supporters contend this is all politics to bring down the president, but wait. This news about Trump trailing behind Biden has been corroborated by the poll commissioned by Trump’s favorite Cable news channel - Fox News!

According to the results of the Fox News polling, “the president

is currently lagging behind as many as five of the Democratic candidates for the 2020 presidential election. The latest poll, conducted between June 9 and June 12, found Democratic frontrunners — former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders — each garnering 49 percent of the vote in a hypothetical head-to-head against the president.”

Newsweek reported that “Biden fared slightly better against Trump, beating the incumbent by ten percentage points, while Sanders had a slightly smaller gap of nine points over the president.”

“The remaining three Democrats who could possibly unseat Trump were Senators Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris, and Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana. Warren, who was the first of the Democratic hopefuls to publicly call for Trump to be impeached holds the slight edge in this trio, beating the president by 43 percent to 41 per-

cent. Harris — who has also since called for Trump’s ouster — and Buttigieg each came out on top against the president, but only by a single percentage point.”

Trump’s reaction on Twitter? More lies. “Polls are always bad for me. They were against Crooked Hillary also. Something weird going on at Fox. Our polls show us leading in all 17 Swing States.”

This is the real Donald Trump.

The presidency cannot change the man. You cannot change the man. But we can change ourselves by being better informed, having more critical thinking and a discerning heart and the quest for the truth so we can make better decisions for our families and our nation come 2020. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFilAmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

Journey to Phnom Penh, gains under Premier Hun Sen and excellent ties with royal family

WE journeyed to Phnom Penh last week, June 4-8, where we conferred with Prime Minister Hun Sen on a major conference in the Cambodian capital scheduled for November and where we noted significant economic gains for the country.

We were accompanied in our visit by senior officers of the Seoul- and New York-based Universal Peace Federation (UPF), a global network of individuals and organizations dedicated to advancing the cause of peace through cooperation and dialogue. We serve as chairman emeritus of the UPF. Among those in our group were Dr. Chung Sikyong of South Korea, chairman for Asia of the UPF; Hon. EkNathDhakal of Nepal, former minister for peace and reconstruction and chairman for Asia of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), who is married to a Filipina, BlessieGadon from Zamboanga City; Dr. Robert Kittel of the USA, Director for youth education of the UPF; Ursula McLackland of Germany, secretary-general of UPF Asia; and Dr. Julius Malicdem of the Philippines, who hails from my province of Pangasinan, newly designated chairman for Southeast Asia of the UPF. Dr.HakJa Han Moon, active widow of UPF founder Rev. Sun Myung Moon, and UPF International President Dr. Thomas Walsh were attending another conference in South Africa.

Our group was received by Premier Hun Sen at the sprawling Peace Palace, where he receives foreign dignitaries and where important international events, like the East Asia Summit 2012 attended by then US President Barrack Obama, are held.

It is worth mentioning that the 6th General Assembly of ICAPP, the International Conference of Asian Political Parties, in December, 2010, was held in this magnificent edifice.

Our UPF group and Prime Minister Hun Senhave decided to hold the UPF Asia Pacific Summit 2019 in Phnom Penh, November 18-20, to be cohosted by Cambodia. The prime minister even graciously offered the Peace Palace to be the venue of the conference.

The scheduled summit in Phnom Penh aims to foster close partnership between government and civil society in addressing the critical challenges

besetting the Asian region and the global community, such as Peacepeace and security, development, good governance, climate Maker change, and poverty.

We also took the opportunity to invite him to the UPF World FORMER SPEAKER Summit to be held in Seoul in JOSE C. DE VENECIA, JR. February, 2020, and to the 20th founding anniversary and 11th General Assembly of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) in Manila in November 2020.

ICAPP, which we founded and launched in Manila in September, 2000, now represents some 350 ruling, opposition, and independent political parties in 52 countries in Asia.

After our meeting with the UPF group, Premier Hun Sen, an old friend, ushered us into his private office where we exchanged views with him, oneon-one, on the various issues and developments in Asia and the global community.

We found him with profound understanding of global affairs, in the light of his wealth of experience as head of government for almost 34 years and, earlier, as foreign minister for ten years, and having fought and helped defeat the barbarous Khmer Rouge with then much-adored King Norodom Sihanouk and his son Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who was then concurrently a general in the Royal Army.

Both Hun Sen and Prince Ranariddh later became unique co-premiers of Cambodia after the defeat of the Khmer Rouge, and later, following his visit to Manila, Prince Ranariddh became speaker of the House of Representatives which led to the passage of critical economic reconstruction laws and advance of agriculture, following the ravages of war.

Prime Minister Hun Sen is credited for bringing about peace, reconciliation, unity, and development in Cambodia, which suffered from decades of armed conflict and from the atrocious Khmer Rouge “killing fields” regime which murdered more than two million Cambodians.

He helped liberate Cambodia from the genocidal Khmer Rouge rule led by Pol Pot and played a piv-

otal role in the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements, which brokered peace in Cambodia. Hun Sen enjoys close working and personal relations with the royal family.

We believe the royal families of Cambodia, Japan, and Thailand are and have been exemplars in the global community as with the royal family in the United Kingdom and the others less publicized in Europe. *** In the course of our Phnom Penh visit, we also met with our young and dynamic friend Suos Yara, a member of the National Assembly (Parliament) and special adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen. He is a lieutenant general in the Cambodian Armed Forces.

Suos Yara also serves as spokesman and vice chairman for international Relations of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). He is knowledgeable in world politics and speaks fluent French.

He and former South Korean Ambassador to Russia Park Ro-byug, the respected and hardworking secretary general of our International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), of which we are founding chairman and chairman of Standing Committee, worked very hard in establishing and launching in Siem Reap in January this year the Asian Cultural Council (ACC), a subsidiary group under ICAPP. Suos Yara and Ambassador Park journeyed to Paris and successfully secured a working partnership between the ACC and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Suos Yara serves as director general of the ACC Secretariat based in Phnom Penh. *** We also met with the bright and charming woman leader Khuon Sudary, deputy speaker of the National Assembly and vice chairperson of the ICAPP Standing Committee. She concurrently holds other positions in the subsidiary groups of ICAPP — chairperson of the Asian Cultural Council (ACC)and vice chairperson of the Asia Europe Political Forum (AEPF).

We visited as well our old friends Tan Sri Datuk Chen Lipkeong, a Malaysian-Chinese who is based in Phnom Penh and who is one of the leading business tycoons in Asia, whose businesses include hotels, gaming, and entertainment in Malaysia, Cambodia, and Far Eastern Russia, and oil exploration and development in Canada; and Mrs. Annie Sok, wife of our late dear friend Sok An, deputy prime minister and minister in charge of the Council of Ministers, who also served as vice chairman of the ICAPP Standing Committee and chairman of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee. Annie keeps the memory and legacy of her beloved Sok An alive by maintaining his memorabilia in their lovely home in Phnom Penh and contributes to charity and women movements.

We wanted to meet with our old friend Prince Norodom Ranariddh but we were informed that, on his doctors’ advice, he could not accept visitors yet as he is still recuperating from a major vehicular accident a few months ago which killed his wife.

When he is fully recovered, we will invite him again to Pangasinan, where as crown prince with Princess Marie, he had impressed the people with his oratory and simple humility.

As we said, Prince Ranariddh was prime minister from 1993 to 1997, with Hun Sen as co-prime minister, and subsequently as president of the National Assembly from 1998 to 2006. He is the second son of the late great and legendary King Norodom Sihanouk and brother of the current young King, Norodom Sihamoni.

A day before we flew back to Manila, we and our able Assistant AldwinRequejo from Albay were invited by Senator Mong Reththy to his 16,500-hectare palm oil and 10,000-hectare mango plantations in Sihanoukville province, a three-hour drive from Phnom Penh and one-hour drive to Sihanoukville, a coastal city and capital of Sihanoukville province.

He gifted us with six hybrid mango trees with each tree bearing unique three varieties of mango.

We will proudly and gladly plant the trees in our frontyard and backyard in our home in Dagupan City on Lingayen Gulf by the South China Sea. If they flourish, we would like to share these hybrids with other mango growers. ■

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

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Dateline PGov’thiliPPines assures sustained poverty reduction initiatives

by Darryl John

esGuerra

Inquirer.net

MANILA – Malacañang assured that the government’s anti-poverty drive will be sustained even after a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that the self-rated poverty rate hit a new record low of 38 percent in the first quarter of 2019, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

“Poverty reduction efforts, particularly those designed for the

AIMED. The Philippine Marine Corps Marine Silent Drill Platoon performs at the 121st founding anniversary of the Philippine Navy on Monday, June 17, at the Naval Base Heracleo Alano in Sangley Point, Cavite.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Gerald Seguia

PNP: 6,600 killed in anti-drug war

and pushers had been accounted for and of this number, 6,600 died during police operations; 240,565 MORE than 6,000 drug suspects were arrested; and 1,283,409 have been killed since the Duterte yielded voluntarily to authorities. administration launched its camSince July 2016, the police paign against illegal drugs in conducted 153,273 anti-drug 2016, according to data from the operations nationwide.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Meanwhile, 12,177 barangay shown on Tuesday, June 18. (villages) have been cleared of Based on the figures presented illegal drugs as of April 2019. during the command conference Ilocos Region has the highest at Camp Crame in Quezon City, number of villages that were the headquarters of the PNP, cleared of drugs — 1,967. It was 1,530,574 suspected drug users followed by Eastern Visayas with

by DemPsey

reyes ManilaTimes.net

1,919 and Western Visayas, 852.

As to regions affected by illegal drugs, the National Capital Region has the highest percentage with 88.69 percent, followed by Central Visayas with 76.36 percent, Central Luzon with 75.50 percent and Bicol Region with 72.69 percent.

Col. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesman, said the figures were being double-checked with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency since it is the latter that would come out with official figures. n

UP climbs 28 places higher in world university rankings by neil

arwin mercaDo Inquirer.net

MANILA — The University of the Philippines (UP) remains as the country’s top university even as it climbed 28 places in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings.

UP placed 356th in the list, 28 places higher than its ranking in 2018 at 384.

“It is the only Philippine university among the 16 Southeast Asian institutions in the upper half of the list,” the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs said in a statement.

According to UP, the universities are ranked based on six indicators — academic reputation (40%), employer reputation (10%), faculty-student ratio (20%), citations

per faculty (20%), international faculty ratio (5%) and international student ratio (5%).

UP ranked 234th in facultystudent ratio, 240th in employer reputation, 242nd in academic reputation, but ranked in the 601st+ group in citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, and international student ratio.

Other Filipino universities included in the world rankings are the Ateneo de Manila University (number 601 to 650) and the University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University (number 801 to 1000).

Three universities in the United States topped the world rankings with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) ranking first, Stanford University ranking

second, and Harvard University ranking third.

72nd in Asian rankings In the Asian rankings, UP was ranked 72nd, with the National University of Singapore (NUS) taking the top spot.

Following are some of the other Filipino universities in the Asian rankings: - Ateneo de Manila University: 115th - De La Salle University: 155th - University of Santo Tomas: 162nd - University of San Carlos: 301st to 350th) - Mapua University: 401st to 450th Mindanao State UniversityIligan Institute of Technology and Silliman University: 451st to 500th n

lowest rung of society, remains on track. We aim to reduce poverty from 21.6% in 2015 to 14% in 2022, which is equivalent to lifting about 6 million Filipinos out of poverty by the end of the President’s term,” Panelo said in a statement on Wednesday,June 19.

“And we will grind daily to reach this goal,” he added.

Panelo thanked president Duterte’s economic managers, members of the Human Development and Poverty Reduction

Cabinet Cluster, and the social welfare officers and barangay health workers “for tirelessly making a positive impact on the socioeconomic lives of our countrymen.”

“This, notwithstanding the divisive and destructive political propaganda war waged by the President’s critics and detractors during the campaign period for the midterm elections when the survey was conducted,” Panelo noted. n

COA wants review of aerospace agency’s viability after P178-M losses

by Gabriel

Pabico Inquirer.net

lelu

MANILA – The Commission on Audit (COA) has urged the Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation (PADC) management to review whether the agency should still operate in view of losses worth P177.9 million in the past six years.

In an audit report released on Monday, June 17, COA said that PADC is “no longer performing its core mandate,” and the financial losses will require a “comprehensive review of its structure, policies, financial capability and business market” to determine if the PADC’s continued existence is still sustainable and economically viable.

“In the late 90’s, the revenue/ earnings of PADC declined over the years. In the CY 2017 audit, it was reported that PADC’s operational losses for the past five consecutive years (CY 2013 – 2017) had amounted to P149.615 million,” the commission said.

“CY 2018 is no different as PADC’s sales revenue totaled only to P5.918 million, with cost of sales and operating expenses of P34.207 million, resulting to operating losses of P28.289 million,” it added.

PADC, a government owned and/or controlled corporation, was created in 1973 to develop and maximize the country’s aviation industry, targeted at bolstering the security capabilities of the military.

“The goal was to establish a modernized and reliable technical repair and maintenance support system and a developed aircraft

assembly and manufacturing industry, that will meet the needs of the aviation industry, both private and government, particularly the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),” COA said.

According to COA, interviews with PADC personnel said that the corporation had a good standing in the 90s, because major commands of the AFP and the Philippine Air Force were tapping its services.

Now, financial losses were being compensated by lending three hangars inside the Manila International Airport Authority to commercial airline companies.

“PADC’s continuous existence is sustained primarily by the three hangars leased by Cebu Pacific and eight others. These hangars are located and installed in the properties of Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) which are leased to PADC,” COA said.

“Rental income from these properties in CY 2018 aggregated P43.448 million, which compensated PADC’s current operational loss of P28.289 million, which resulted to positive net income for the Corporation,” it added.

Not business-friendly State auditors also mentioned other factors, which hindered PADC from generating revenue, such as unsettled tax obligations from 2003 to 2004, which prevent the office from securing tax clearances.

PADC cannot participate in public bidding without tax clearances, as mandated by Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act. Aside from that, PADC’s accreditation to repair — one of its

primary tasks — has been expired since August 2018. It has also been blacklisted by the Philippine Navy.

“Application for renewal was submitted to Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) but was not acted upon due to lack of documents showing compliance with the required trainings of PADC’s technical personnel and the non-calibration of PADC’s equipment,” COA explained.

“PADC was blacklisted by the Philippine Navy (PN) in CY 2018 for failure to deliver/comply with conditions of the contract entered by the parties in CY 2015,” COA added.

The commission noted that PADC’s office was also poorly maintained, with some areas having no landline phones and internet connectivity.

COA has discussed the issues with PADC’s management, who said that steps are being taken to fix the problems. Also, management expects developments to happen after PADC was transferred under the Department of National Defense, effective March 15, 2019.

“Management commented that […] The blacklisting order of PN against PADC had been shelved and the former signified its intention for the latter to perform the IRAN (Inspection Repair As Necessary) of PN 311,” COA relayed.

“Likewise, Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) has been signed with Philippine State College of Aeronautics (PHILSCA) for the maintenance of their aircraft which will resume immediately upon the renewal of PADC’s AMO accreditation with CAAP,” they added. n

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june 20-26, 2019 • LAS VeGAS ASIAn jOuRnAL

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Rizal is not a national hero Filipinos believed he was

by Gaea

KatReena Philstar.com

CabiCo

MANILA — The country celebrated the 158th birth anniversary of Jose Rizal, considered as one of the greatest heroes of the nation, on Wednesday, June 19.

Rizal is everywhere. His face is on the one peso coin. Brands and places bear his name. Students are required to read his novels: “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo” in high school and take a course about his life and legacy in college. Every year, Filipinos remember his 1896 execution on December 30—a regular holiday.

Rizal—a physician, writer, artist and scientist—is taught in schools, written in textbooks and described in social media even search engine Google as the country’s national hero.

But the truth is: he has never been proclaimed a national hero.

According to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, there is no law, executive order or proclamation that has been enacted or issued proclaiming any Filipino historical figure as a national hero.

“Even Jose Rizal, considered as the greatest among the Filipino heroes, was not explicitly proclaimed as a national hero. The position he now holds in Philippine history is a tribute to the continued veneration or acclamation of the people in recognition of his contribution to the significant social transformation that took place in our country,” NCCA wrote on its website.

But while there is a no official declaration explicitly proclaiming him as a national hero, there are

Jose Rizal, considered as the greatest among the Filipino heroes, was not explicitly proclaimed as a national hero.

Contributed photo

two orders honoring Rizal as a historical figure.

Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo issued Decree of Dec. 20, 1898, declaring December 30 of every year as a day of national mourning in honor of Rizal and other victims of the Philippine Revolution.

Act 137, which organized the politico-military district of Morong into Rizal province, was the first official step taken by the Taft Commission to honor Rizal.

National Heroes Committee Former President Fidel Ramos issued an executive order to create a National Heroes Committee, which is mandated to study, evaluate and recommend Filipino heroes in recognition of their exceptional character and remarkable achievements for the country.

The committee recommended nine Filipino historical figures to be national heroes: Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, Marcelo del Pilar, Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat, Juan Luna, Melchor Aquino and Gabriela Silang.

However, no action has been taken on these recommendations since the submission of the report

by the committee in 1995.

“This was probably because this might trigger a flood of requests for proclamations. Another possibility is that the proclamations can trigger bitter debates involving historical controversies about the heroes,” NCCA wrote.

Official national symbols Republic Act 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines designates the Philippine flag, national anthem Lupang Hinirang, coat-of-arms and other heraldic items and devices of the Philippines as the country’s national symbols.

According to NCCA, apart from RA 8491, the country has only four official national symbols or those that represent the country’s traditions and ideas as well as convey the principles of Philippine sovereignty and national solidarity.

During the Commonwealth era, Governor-general Frank Murphy declared sampaguita as the national flower and narra as the national tree. Former president Ramos proclaimed the Philippine eagle as the national bird in 1995 and Philippine pearl as the national gem in 1996. n

WALLED CITY IMPRESSION. An artist does his entry for the The Manila Times ‘Intramuros on Canvas’ on-the-spot live painting event,which will run from June 12 to June 30 of this year.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan

Hazing victim’s parents to pursue case vs university, 30 others

by Jose

Rodel Clapano Philstar.com

MANILA — Despite threats and harassment, the parents of hazing victim Horacio “Atio” Castillo III have vowed to pursue criminal and civil cases against 30 more personalities involved in the incident as well as the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

“We are committed to finish this case. It’s not only for our son, this is for our youth,” Atio’s father Horacio Castillo Jr. said in an interview with “The Chiefs” aired on Cignal TV’s One News Monday night.

“Later on, this will become the basis. I see two-year-olds, threeyear-olds running around and sometimes it hits you, maybe when they’re in school, maybe there would be no hazing,” he added.

Castillo said the recent conviction of fraternity member John Paul Solano for obstruction of justice strengthens their case against the 10 other Aegis Juris members who are charged with violation of the anti-hazing law.

“It confirms the cover-up,” he said.

Castillo said they are convinced that UST should also be held accountable for the death of their son.

“We believe that the school is also liable. And when we speak about the school, it involves UST, its faculty members. UST has not been charged yet. Maybe, we wanted a perfect timing. Now is the time. We will file criminal and civil cases,” Horacio said.

Castillo said the 30 other individuals, composed of officers and members of the Aegis Juris fraternity, had direct and indirect participation in the fatal hazing of his son.

He said they were among those who also participated in the planning and execution of the hazing of Castillo as discovered in their chats and text messages.

The Manila Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 14 on Monday handed out the first conviction related to the 2017 hazing incident after it found Solano guilty of obstruction of justice.

Solano was sentenced to up to four years in prison for making false statements about the incident.

The frat man initially claimed he brought the unconscious Atio to the Chinese General Hospital after finding him on a roadside in Tondo, Manila.

Later investigation showed he was trying to revive the victim who had collapsed during initiation rites of the fraternity.

During The Chiefs interview, the Castillo couple claimed they are getting threats through phone calls.

“The two of us, Minnie and I, were followed around. We were stalked by suspicious people. It gets back every day. We also get harassment. There are threats, phone calls,” Horacio said.

Castillo said the harassment and threats they are getting are the usual calls from people making bad remarks.

“The usual. Somebody would call and make bad remarks. We feel it’s the same (threat to do us harm.) because it usually happens before there is a hearing. Before there is a decision… like the Solano case.

There was a barrage of phone calls before today. To tell you frankly and honestly, we got used to threats already,” Horacio said.

Minnie said she was advised by friends to change her number to avoid the threats.

“A lot of people are saying change your phone already. No, let them go on with their harassment,” Minnie said.

The couple said they are committed to finishing the cases.

“We are committed to finish this case. Not only for our son, maybe this is for our youth. Because later on this will become the basis... let’s start it in school, no more bullying,” Horacio said. n

9 nations adopt declaration on health care protection

by Jaime laude Philstar.com

MANILA — Sixty-five participants in the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)’s nine-country regional meeting held recently in Makati City have adopted a declaration on protecting health care in conflict zones in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Representatives of health ministries, medical associations, academia, military and aid organizations from nine countries have committed to work on ensuring that health care is safe from disruption and violence in the AsiaPacific region, affirming there is an urgent need to strengthen the preparedness of healthcare systems in this regard,” the ICRC said in a statement.

All 65 participants from nine countries – Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines – reaffirmed their collective responsibility in the “Manila Declaration on the Protection of Health Care” to enhance the protection of healthcare services from various forms of violence.

While the process needs to be led by states, the ICRC stressed that there are many opportunities for other stakeholders to contribute to the effort.

“Every day, medical personnel, nurses and health responders are confronted with situations of violence and other actions that disrupt the provision of health care to those who need it the most,” Maciej Polkowski, head of the Health Care in Danger (HCiD) initiative of the ICRC, said.

“This can range from deliberate attacks in cases of conflict to violent verbal abuse from a patient. These regional meetings concentrate on the ground realities in Asia-Pacific and are aimed at moving towards improved protection of health care in a very concrete, defined and, hopefully, inspiring manner.”

The HCiD initiative was launched globally in 2011 by the ICRC and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to improve the protection of health care. It is a multifaceted initiative that encompasses

partnerships, advocacy and an operational approach.

During the meeting, the participants discussed and shared concrete experiences in the task of making healthcare services accessible, safe and free from violence.

By adopting the Manila Declaration on the Protection of Health Care, all are in agreement that weapon bearers must strengthen their respect for safe and secure delivery of health care through practical measures such as training manuals and standard operating procedures.

The measure also calls for authorities to undertake appropriate measures to train and educate civil servants, healthcare workers and the public on domestic laws protecting health care.

The Manila Declaration also agreed that there is a need to strengthen the resilience and preparedness of healthcare systems to face attacks, with focus on the physical security of facilities, training of staff to prevent and manage violence and to strengthen coordination mechanisms.

For the meeting’s host country, the Philippines, the protection of health care is highly relevant in the southern island of Mindanao due to decades of internal armed conflicts that presented various challenges for health professionals.

“We have to be concerned with the safety and protection of healthcare workers deployed in areas affected by conflict as these are the places we also cater to,” Rolanisah Dipatuan-Dimaporo, chief of staff in the ministry of health of the newly formed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said.

“But we also realized during the meeting that health staff in contexts other than conflict are exposed to different risks,” Dimaporo added.

Moving forward, participants of the Asia-Pacific meeting agreed that by supporting the declaration, they commit to consolidate the good intentions and ideas into action by discussing and incorporating HCiD initiatives in their respective agencies’ strategic planning. n

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL â&#x20AC;˘ JUNE 20-26, 2019

Trillanes â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ready for anythingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; after June 30 House Speakership race heats up

by Paolo

romero Philstar.com

istration may throw at him, including being thrown in jail, once his term expires on June MANILA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Outgoing Sen. 30.

Antonio Trillanes IV, a staunch Trillanes described his 12 critic of President Duterte, is years as a senator as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;wild ready for anything the admin- ride with so many twists and turnsâ&#x20AC;? where he learned so much, made many friends and learned to love some of his colleagues who have been very critical of him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done my best.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve tried to make a difference given the time and energy resources I had. I believe Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done my job,â&#x20AC;? the opposition senator told the Kapihan sa Senado forum.

Trillanes said he plans to teach but will remain a vocal member of the opposition even if he is more at risk for harassment or being prosecuted on what he expects to be dubious charges in order to have him put behind bars. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even when I was a senator, that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop (the adminisSen. Antonio Trillanes IV Philstar.com photo tration) from harassing me, but

itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s they who should be afraid,â&#x20AC;? he said, referring to the attempt to arrest him in 2018 on coup charges when Duterte issued a proclamation revoking the amnesty granted to him in 2011.

Trillanes, along with several military officers, were jailed for over seven years after staging the so-called Oakwood mutiny.

Asked if he was ready to be jailed again, he said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m ready. The question is, are they ready?â&#x20AC;?

Under the present administration, a member of the opposition â&#x20AC;&#x153;should be prepared for everything,â&#x20AC;? according to Trillanes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All my experience led me to be who I am today. If I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t survive what may come my way, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s God who will bridge the gap,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Trillanes added that he is also proud of his legislative record, including successfully pushing for salary increases of public school teachers and uniformed personnel. n

by Delon

PorCalla Philstar.com

MANILA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The unofficial race for the speakership has begun.

The camp of returning Taguig congressman-elect Alan Peter Cayetano hosted on Wednesday, June 19, a seminar at a hotel in Clark, Pampanga for the newest House members who won in the recent midterm elections.

Cayetano, one of the contenders for speaker, also brought with him several members of President Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cabinet, who will be giving lectures on lawmaking and the budget process.

Among these Cabinet members are Secretaries Mark Villar of public works, Arthur Tugade of transportation and Carlos Dominguez III of finance.

The three are directly in charge of Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Build, Build, Build program until 2022.

An unnamed official of the Department of Budget and Management, who will either be an â&#x20AC;&#x153;undersecretary or assistant secretary,â&#x20AC;? will also be delivering a seminar on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;fundamentals of the budget processâ&#x20AC;? for rookie congressmen.

The event will start at lunch at of the feminization of labor migration. Domestic workers the Quest Hotel where dinner, make up nearly 20 percent of all migrant workers in the ASEAN region. Of that number, at least 83 percent are women.

by John UnSon Baruah said domestic workers Philstar.com make a â&#x20AC;&#x153;critical contribution to families, societies and economies MAGUINDANAO â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A ballot across the worldâ&#x20AC;? and under- box, which contained election scored that migrant domestic returns in the May 13 polls, was workers are â&#x20AC;&#x153;disproportionately recovered in a swamp in Datu exposed to abuse compared to Salibo town. other workers due to gaps in Farmer Mohadz Mindao found national labor and employment the ballot box, which was turned legislation, the relative isolation of over to the office of Maguintheir work place and a high degree danao election director Ernie of informality.â&#x20AC;?

Palanan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Furthermore, just as care work Palanan said the box should is seen as womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work, there is have been kept by the municipal also a certain tolerance for exploi- treasurer after the winning canditation and abuse towards women dates were proclaimed. domestic workers in patriarchal Meanwhile, the Commission societies,â&#x20AC;? he added. on Elections (Comelec) strongly An ILO statement also said that denied allegations of fraud in the in most ASEAN member states, May 13 elections by losing Datu labor laws do not apply fully to do- Salibo mayoral bet Sam Sailon mestic workers thus leaving them Esmael, with the recovery of the without the protection â&#x20AC;&#x201C; such as ballot box. social security, minimum wage Esmael posted photos of the and regulation of working hours ballot box on Facebook. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that are provided to other types The poll body said Ali Mamoriof workers. bid, the municipal treasurer of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Exclusion from legal protec- Datu Salibo, claimed the ballot tion also increases the risk of labor box was â&#x20AC;&#x153;stolenâ&#x20AC;? from the muexploitation and violence without nicipal office. recourse to access to justice,â&#x20AC;? the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Contrary to allegations made statement also said. n

by Esmael and in the absence of

Aging Asia to need more domestic helpers

by Sheila

CriSoStomo Philstar.com

MANILA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; As Asia remains â&#x20AC;&#x153;on track to become one of the oldest regionsâ&#x20AC;? in the world in the next few decades, the need for domestic helpers also grows rapidly, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said.

Nilim Baruah, ILO Regional Migration Specialist for Asia and the Pacific, noted though that questions on whether household workers, despite their important roles, are adequately protected also remains.

He cited the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific estimate that said the number of older persons in Asia-Pacific is expected to increase from about 548 million this year to nearly 1.3 billion by 2050.

By then, one in four people in the region is expected to be over 60 years old. Thailand, following Japan and South Korea, is the third most rapidly aging country in Asia.

Baruah said if this trend continues, then Thailand will join Japan, Hong Kong (China), Korea and New Zealand among societies where more than one in five people will be 65 years or older by 2031.

This demographic transition combined with an increase of women in the workforce increases the demand for home-based care and domestic work. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have seen that as societies develop and women enter the formal work force, they are less likely to perform â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;traditionalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; care roles. However, rather than other family members sharing the care responsibilities, many aging societies will look to migrants to fill the domestic work gap,â&#x20AC;?

Baruah said.

He added that Singapore is â&#x20AC;&#x153;illustrative of this trend, where, already in 2012, a national survey found that among persons aged 75 and over, 50 percent were dependent on migrant care workers, including domestic workers, for their daily care.â&#x20AC;?

The ILO statement, issued in line with the celebration of Domestic Workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Day today, showed that this work is also one of the lowest-paid jobs and, at the same time, with long and unpredictable working hours.

It is estimated that around 67 million people work as domestic workers around the world and 10 million of them work in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

The growing demand for domestic services is considered to be one of the main triggers

cocktails and socials with members of Congress will follow at 7 p.m. with Cayetano as host.

The former senator and foreign affairs chief said he was instructed by Duterte to help him push his legislative agenda for the second half of his six-year term.

Subjects on parliamentary procedure and traditions of Congress will be explained by professor and political analyst Edmund Tayao and reelected Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II. Others hosts include Cayetanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colleagues in the Nacionalista Party â&#x20AC;&#x201C; House Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu and Reps. LRay Villafuerte of Camarines Sur, Ronnie Zamora of San Juan, Abraham Tolentino of Cavite, Dan Fernandez of Laguna, Elpidio Barzaga of Cavite, Robbie Puno of Antipolo and Bong Bravo of partylist Coop-Natcco.

Rep. Jericho Nograles of partylist Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta hinted earlier that there would most likely be only two serious contenders for the speakership â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Reps. Martin Romualdez of Leyte and Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque.

Nograles, a presidential nephew as his mother Rhodora Ben-

digo is a cousin of Duterte, made this forecast in the run-up to the speakership race to be decided on July 22. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our choice is down to two â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Velasco or Romualdez. This will be a tough decision to make because both of them are close to our hearts but we will definitely choose the speaker who can treat us justly and fairly,â&#x20AC;? Nograles said, referring to the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. (PCFI). â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some of the wannabes who have tried to reach out to us obviously have a different view about party-list groups. Mababa ang tingin sa amin,â&#x20AC;? he said, echoing the same concern raised by their leader, PCFI and 1Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, about being â&#x20AC;&#x153;second-class citizens.â&#x20AC;?

Romero said their group, composed of 54 members, will be voting as a bloc. He expressed belief they would also be the â&#x20AC;&#x153;swing voteâ&#x20AC;? in the speakership race, being the second largest political bloc in the House next to the 95-member PDP-Laban party of Duterte. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the free for all, the party-list bloc with about 54 voting members might be the swing vote in choosing the speaker,â&#x20AC;? he said. n

Ballot box found floating in Maguindanao swamp

A ballot box is shown floating in a swamp in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao in this handout photo from the Maguindanao police.

Contributed photo

any proof of fraud, Datu Salibo election officer Mary Ann Marohombsar maintains the conduct of the May 13 polls in her jurisdiction was fraud-free,â&#x20AC;? the Comelec said.

Concerned election personnel are coordinating with Marohombsar to assist the Philippine National Police in its investigation.

Datu Salibo has 9,504 registered voters.

Data shows Esmael garnered only 273 votes of the more than 5,000 votes cast. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Actions are now being taken to set the facts straight and hold to account those who are responsible,â&#x20AC;? the Comelec said. (Sheila Crisostomo/Philstar.com)

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June 20-26, 2019 • LAS VeGAS ASIAn JOuRnAL

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

VEGAS&STYLE

Journal Philippine Ballet Theatre wows Los Angeles Bryan Munar: Putting his place onstage The Fil-Am stage actor joins cast in 42nd Street Moon’s “Once” with a spectacular performance of Filipino-themed classical ballet

by Malou liwanag AJPress

by AJPress RESOUNDING applause filled the auditorium as the dancers of the Philippine Ballet Theatre (PBT) made their finale curtsies on Saturday, June 15. The energetic company of 20 dancers showed their prowess through mastery of the pieces, and challenging throws and catches that literally had the audience ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘aah-ing’ and bursting into applause as ballerinas jeté into the arms of the strong danseurs.

The PBT was founded during the aftermath of the EDSA Revolution. The company was formed as a response to the clamor to support ballet artists and companies that felt left out by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) during the previous Marcos regime. In 1986, The CCP agreed to give minimal funding and a seasonal home to the fledgling group at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo.

Active dance companies called the “Festival Four” that assimilated and formed the PBT were Totoy

“Filipino Masterpieces-Sa Entablado”

de Oteyza and Inday Mañosa’s Hariraya Ballet Company; Eddie Elejar and Tony Fabella’s Manila Metropolis Ballet; Tita Radaic, Eddie Elejar, and Julie Borromeo’s Dance Theater Philippines; Eric Cruz and Vella Damian’s Dance Concert Company. National Artist Leonor Orosa Goquinco and Sony Lopez Gonzales integrated with the Festival Four, and with all of them combined, PBT was born.

The company has staged over 100 full-length ballet suites and danced over 300 invitational performances, both local and international for the past 33 years.

The carefully curated dance repertoire exhibited the hard work of ballet training is both evident and invisible, as the lithe dancers’ expressive movements and grace transported the audience back to the Philippines as they performed pieces from their dance repertoire that exhibited diverse Filipino culture and themes.

‘Dancing on pointe,’ the requi-

Bledsoe

SAN FRANCISCO’S 42nd Street Moon is proud to present the highly-anticipated Bay Area regional premiere of 2012’s Tony Award-winning Best Musical, “Once.” Directed and choreographed by Cindy Goldfield, “Once” runs from June 12-30 at the San Francisco’s Gateway Theatre.

Based on the 2007 movie, “Once” tells of an Irish musician who learns to love and dream again through a fateful week with a Czech immigrant. Heartbreakingly romantic but also bursting with joy and humor, “Once” features a lively folk score — with the onstage actors playing their own instruments — and is the only score to have won an Oscar, Grammy, Tony and Olivier Award.

“Serye at Sayaw” Joining the cast is Filipino site technique in ballet of dancing American stage actor Bryan Muon one’s toes in special toe shoes, nar, who is playing the character was the very unique way PBT “Eamon.”

“Eamon is the owner of the opened the show while modeling the exquisite work of Filipiniana de- recording studio where Guy and signer Cora Manimbo and filigree Girl record demos to help Guy’s music career. He’s pretty much jewelry master Oskar Atendido. unamused by these weirdos in PAGE 14 the room, but after impressing him with their songs, he definitely becomes a fan,” Munar said.

“He’s a minor character but still a beautiful part of the story that illustrates the main characters’ music changing the characters in the story.”

Born in Saipan to Filipino parents, Munar also lived in the Philippines with his grandparents and Tita Pearl, before moving to Southern California.

Munar has been in and around the Bay Area theater scene, performing in musicals like “A Chorus Line” with the Novato Theater Company, “Flower Drum Song (2002 revival)” with Palo Alto Players, “The Wizard of Oz” at the Berkeley Playhouse, “South AJpress photos by Andy Tecson Pacific” with the Mountain Play

Bryan in “A Chorus Line” in Novato Theater Co.

Association, and “Yoga Play” and “King of the Yees” with San Francisco Playhouse. His passion for singing and acting, he shared, started when he was still young.

“I always wanted to sing since I was a little kid. I was singing in choirs in church, show choirs in high school, etc.,” he said. “I didn’t realize I loved acting until about two years ago when I discovered that musical theater can be a profession! I took a couple classes at Studio ACT in San

Francisco, started auditioning, and never looked back!”

He considers his performance as “Paul” in “A Chorus Line” as his most memorable one because it was the biggest role he’s ever had. “It’s the biggest role I’ve played onstage and most lines I’ve ever had to learn,” he laughed.

“It was a really valuable experience for me and to top it off, got a bunch of Bay Area awards nominations for it which is really PAGE 12

Jodi as new Darna? Actress shares ‘near-Darna’ experience as possessed woman Clarita

by Jan

Milo severo

Philstar.com

DIRECTOR Derick Cabrido, who helmed the new Black Sheep horror flick “Clarita,” thinks that Jodi has what it takes to replace Liza Soberano as the new Darna.

In one of Cabrido’s Instagram posts, he tagged Jodi in a poster announcing Star Cinema’s open auditions for the upcoming superhero film.

“Mars sabi sayo eh. Valentina na next. Lol,” Cabrido told Jodi.

During the movie’s recent press conference for “Clarita,” Cabrido again kidded Jodi about her “mala-Darna” or Darna-like experience.

Jodi donned a harness for the levitation scenes in “Clarita,” where she stars as a woman plagued by demonic possession.

“Hindi comfortable ang maharness kasi hindi ka lang naman kinakabitan ng device para i-lift ka,” Jodi shared.

“Marami pang ibang kinakabit sa’yo bago pa nila ikabit ‘yung actual na line. Hindi ka lang basta iaangat. Kung baga, may isa pang line na ikakabit sa’yo para maging stable ka. Kung hindi, gagalaw at gagalaw ka.”

According to her, wearing a harness hurts because your body’s weight is concentrated on the hip area.

“Hindi s’ya kumportable tapos mainit s’ya,” Jodi recalled. “Pero okay na rin naman sa’kin ‘yun, chika na rin ‘yun kesa malaglag ako.”

Jodi Sta. Maria Photo from Instagram/@jodistamaria

She originally planned to have a body double for the levitation scenes because she has scoliosis.

“But ‘di ko na rin po alam kung anong nangyari eh. Parang the next thing I knew, nakasabit na po ako. Sige, ginawa ko na ‘to, ideretso na natin, aarte pa ba ko?”

In time for her 37th birthday last Sunday, Jodi received one of the best birthday presents ever: “Clarita” earned P22 million in just four days.

Produced by ABS-CBN’s Black Sheep, the film centers on Jodi’s character Clarita Villanueva, who was possessed in the 1950s and her case has been considered as the first-ever recorded possession in the Philippines.

“Clarita” opened in cinemas nationwide last June 12. It also stars Alyssa Muhlach, Romnick Sarmienta, Nonie Buencamino,

Angeli Bayani and Che Ramos.

In her Instagram account, Jodi posted a photo of her with the “Clarita” cast, which she described as an “amazing group of actors and creatives.”

“Feeling #blessed and grateful to have worked with an amazing group of actors and creatives for #ClaritaMovie! It wasn’t easy to shoot this film but these people inspired me & pushed me to do my best and not give up! Now showing in 190 cinemas nationwide.

Nood na! Maraming salamat!”

Jodi wrote.

In an interview with the media after the press conference of the movie, Jodie said that the Clarita role was “the most difficult, most dangerous and most challenging na nagawa ko sa buhay ko.”

“Kasi po may mga scenes na very physical, so hindi maiiwasan na hindi magkapasa. May mga times din na sumakit ‘yung crotch area. It’s because of the harness na kailangan kong gawin,” Jodi said.

“There was one whole day na shinoot talaga namin ‘yung scenes na kailangan ng harness.

Halos lahat po kasi nung stunts, ako po ‘yung gumawa. That’s the first time na ginawa ko ‘yun for a project, kaya sinabi din po nila na talagang itodo,” she added.

Jodi also stars in the ABSCBN drama series, “Sino Ang Maysala?: Mea Culpa,” alongside Bela Padilla, Tony Labrusca, Kit Thompson, Sandino Martin, Agot Isidro, Janice de Belen, and Ketchup Eusebio, among others.

Alden mulls Harvard studies STILL thinking of a fitting course, Alden Richards wishes to enroll at Harvard University.

Amidst bashers who seem to look down on the Kapuso actor, Vignettes believes that a businessrelated course will sure prove to be an advantage.

It’s a known fact that Alden owns Concha’s, a resto on Timog Avenue in Quezon City where he has at least held one or two thanksgiving events for the entertainment press.

The past two months saw Alden in separate outlets: in his franchise branch of a popular food chain in Biñan City, Laguna and at the reopening of his co-owned Concha’s Garden Café & Resto in Silang, Cavite (so far, the biggest one which is the main supplier of raw

materials to the other branches).

The latter, too, is open for franchising.

This June, still another Concha’s branch will rise in Tagaytay Highlands. And pretty soon, Alden might just realize his dream of putting up a boutique hotel come true.

Now we know where Alden’s hard-earned money is going.

But what does he need all this for? A gorgeous, family-oriented entrepreneurial bachelor, what more can Alden’s would-be-wife ask for?

“But isn’t it strange that he’s not even linked to any girl, a fellow celebrity or a private individual? May mga tsismis but none of those is true. Kahit naman yung sa kanila ni Maine Mendoza noon was a dud,”

Alden Richards Photo from Instagram/@aldenrichards02

someone told Vignettes.

It’s not about being picky. Alden, for all we know, is simply taking one step at a time.

Getting rich is first.

Alden is wrapping up his movie “Hello, Love, Goodbye” with Kathryn Bernardo under Star Cinema showing on July 31. (ManilaTimes. net)

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

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA BEATRICE was good with numbers and Jim was more of an artist. He played in a band and made a good living with shortterm gigs. She made a good living as an accountant and was content with a pretty predictable work schedule.

Bea, as she was called fondly, was financially savvy and fiercely loyal to the bone to those around her immediate orbit. She bought only branded, top of the line items she could meticulously care for, keep and use for a long time. Bea thought that high quality items, even if expensive than most, pay for themselves, over the course of long-term use. She meant to pass them on still in tip-top shape to her nieces and favorite people. Bea was careful with her beautiful stuff as she was with hers and Jim’s life.

They were good together in high school and they got married after college. They spoke the same language of the heart.

Life was normal for about a decade. For some reason, they had no children but they accepted it and got along well, neither one seeking blame for their childless marriage.

One day, the doctor told Jim who was thirty at the time, after running a series of tests that his kidneys were failing and unless he had a kidney transplant from a matching donor, he would be undergoing dialysis three times a week for the rest of his life.

As fate would have it, there was a donor for Jim, a young man who lost his life in a car accident and whose kidneys matched Jim’s.

It was an organ match made in heaven and the timing couldn’t have been more accurate. Yet the couple knew that life would never be the same again. They would

Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS We may not realize it, but in various places in our home, we have toxic chemicals which are hazardous to our health, especially for children. They are the cleaning solutions in our home, the most commonly found poisons in almost all homes today.

When the label shows chemicals in them, it is safe to assume they are toxic agents in one form or another. The popular poison we buy are toilet cleaning solution, laundry detergents, softeners, and bleaches, bathrooms cleaners, kitchen detergents, scourers, polishes, and cleaning liquid or powder, garage cleansers, etc.

The most corrosive are the sink drain or toilet drain chemical, chlorine and ammonia. In short, all chemicals agents are toxic, when they contaminate our water, our food, our skin, our eyes, or when we inhale their fumes.

They aggravate allergies, asthma, COPD and other pulmonary diseases. When swallowed, these chemicals could burn through the throat, esophagus (foodpipe) and stomach, and instantly kill. Not to mention accidental poisoning among children, accounting to almost a quarter million calls to the U.S. Poison Control Centers in a year.

Some of these chemical cause immediate acute reactions, like chemical burns to the eyes or skin, mouth, etc., others take time to cause respiratory or metabolic harm to our body. Hormonal abnormalities, neuro (brain) toxicity or cancer could result in the long run. More than 33 percent of substances used in fragrance industry are toxic. Even the aerosols or odor-fighting sprays, beads, and solutions are toxic to our body, whether one is allergic to them or not, and the ill-health effects could take months if not years to manifest. Any chemical in any products is a potential poison. And, of course, these toxic chemicals eventually wind up contaminating our good earth, rivers, lakes and oceans, some sources of our drinking water.

The U.S. Geological Survey “found persistent detergent me-

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

11

Beatrice’s fight for survival July 2019 recreation, adaptive recreation, Once upon a time series sports and community special events

have to take real care of how they were to live their lives, from the food they eat to the amount of stress they can manage. Jim and Bea rose to the challenge. They became two peas in a pod.

The doctor sat down Beatrice and told her outright what was in store for her as Jim’s wife and default primary caregiver. “If you can’t handle this challenge, you need a divorce,” the doctor told her.

He was forthright about the consequences of the surgery: a total change of lifestyle when it came to food, hygiene, personal and private life and even mobility. Bea would have to take the cudgels and fight for both their survival. She had no choice.

She would essentially be the dominant life force in the marriage when it came to making a living and managing finances and even getting from place to place. It would be a total reversal of roles.

Bea thought about it and prayed earnestly about how she can handle it all. Peace came to her as she offered her situation to God. “God, please give me the strength and fortitude,” she prayed.

Bea and Jim did what they had to do to live quietly following their doctor’s admonitions on what clean, careful living would be for someone with a transplanted organ.

It isn’t easy — not by a very long shot. The daily grind of following the do’s and don’t’s can strain one’s soul and marriage, both for the afflicted and the caregiver. They would have to fend off infection at all costs. There will be friction and fatigue but if there is an ounce of love between them, it oils out the tension and the strain. They can beat the odds together. They are likely to have a very good run for many years, much longer than what the doc-

tor predicted.

And they have indeed. It has been more than 30 years since Bea accepted her lot and Jim, for his part, followed the doctor’s orders strictly and lived to tell the tale of how love truly conquers all. The same doctor is in awe of the sterling record of survival that Jim and Bea hold to this day.

Popular myth ascribes heroism to those who fought in wars or those who have done dramatic things heralded in the media, Hollywood and the internet. The truth is, heroism and the generosity of the human spirit come in many shapes and forms, often in untold ways. This is one of them. There are those among us who quietly and victoriously fight their personal, private wars daily with joy and grace with none of the empty hype and fanfare. We meet them. We live with them.

Their stories of love and endurance inspire us and teach us to keep going no matter how rough things may be.

So next time we meet a stranger, BE NICE. We have no idea of what he or she may be going through. When people ask for prayers, pray for them in spades.

God blesses both the ones you pray for and YOU as the supplicant as well. Prayer, as a force, is both geometric and nuclear in its effects, like ripples in a giant cosmic pond. God answers all in His own good time and in his unfathomable ways.

More than likely in many human lives, there is an untold wonderful story of love, courage, endurance and ultimately, victory, that is begging to be told for all the world to know.

A story can inspire. This one does. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Dangers lurking in our home Our own poison collection

tabolites in 69 percent of streams tested in a May 2002 study of contaminants in stream water samples cross the U.S. Sixty-six percent contained disinfectants.”

One of the obvious reasons why many forms of metabolic illnesses and cancers have developed following the industrial revolution since the 1790s is the chronic exposure humans and animals have to the various chemicals agents that have contaminated our air, land, and water.

We have survived hundreds of years without these toxic chemicals, using only water, vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda for cleaning, scouring, scrubbing grease and grime.

This is where retrogession might actually be progress(ion), when we modify our behavior and habits and return to the safer old fashion way of cleaning our homes (more often), and use natural flowers as “aerosols.”

Dirtiest spot at home No, not the bathroom. The dirtiest spot in our home is actually the kitchen, believe it or not. There are more sources of germs in our kitchen than in our bathroom. According to the National Sanitation Foundation (NSAF, founded in 1944, changed to NSF International in 1990), the 10 most germ-ridden items in our home, ranked from most to least, are: Dish sponges and dish cloths (studies show at least 10 percent usually contaminated with Salmonella, E. coli), kitchen sink, toothbrush holders, pet bowls, coffee makers, bathroom faucet handles, pet toys, kitchen counters, stove knobs, cutting boards. Some people microwave their disk sponges or towels (10minute high blast), and others do not use them at all and use only paper towel and discard them immediately.

In general, a post-flushed toilet is cleaner than out unsanitized kitchen sink, without exaggeration. Washing chicken in the sink contribute a lot to germ contamination, compared to washing other meats or products. Chickens obviously have more bacteria in them than pork or beef, etc. After handling chicken, wash hands thoroughly before touching other food items, utensils, pots and

pans, or even your face.

Unwashed food items Unwashed food items from the store are loaded with germs of many kinds, from E. coli, salmonella, to Shigella spp., Yersinia spp., Bacilus spp., Clostridium perfringens, and Staph aureus, etc. They can cause diarrhea and other illnesses. Remember, these fruits and vegetables could also be contaminated with farming insecticide, etc. Fruits which are eaten whole (various forms of berries, apples) must be washed thoroughly, even the organic ones.

Some add salt to the washing water to clean them more effectively.

Oranges and others with peel also need to be washed. Another item to wash are soft drink and beer cans. Rodent (mice) droppings contaminating their top (tab pull opener) have caused serious hantavirus diseases.

Toilet air bacteria Flushing the toilet sends a jet stream of bacteria in the air.

It is best to turn on the vent to eliminate not only the odor but the contaminated air. It is also best to cover the toothbrush container with the glass you use. As far as toilet bidets are concerned, their proper use is AFTER the usual complete wiping ritual is done.

The bidet is an added hygienic step. NEVER use the bidet BEFORE thorough wiping, as you could imagine what will be splattered all over and how many hours you would need to sanitize your bathroom.

Toxic items Right inside our pantry and refrigerator are expired canned, bottled, or packages of food products we neglected to discard. One item that is toxic, even newly purchased, is soft drinks of any form, cola or uncola, diet or regular, flavored or not. This beverage in the long term will cause metabolic syndrome in adults and especially among children. This drink is simply toxic. Unfortunately, the adverse health effects do not show immediately, and hence, when they become obvious years later, it is too late. The danger in energy drinks happens more rapidly, and some have died from them. As stated in my book, “Let’s Stop “Killing” Our Children” PAGE 14

City of Las Vegas Offers pop-up fun in selected parks this summer

Free monthly sports, games & fun activities for all ages & abilities Mark your calendar now to bring your family to a city of Las Vegas park near you for free popup fun. There will be arts, crafts, sports, games and field-day activities led by Parks & Recreation staff. Look for the mobile city of Las Vegas Recreation Van and registration table at the days and times listed below.

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 20-26, 2019

• Bruce Trent Park, 8851 Vegas Drive – 2 to 5 p.m. June 14, July 12, Aug. 9.

• Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, 9200 Tule Springs Road – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 15, July 20, Aug. 17.

• Lorenzi Park north lake pavilion, 3333 W. Washington Ave. – 2 to 5 p.m. June 22, July 27,

Aug. 24.

• Rainbow Family Park, 7151 W. Oakey Blvd. – 2 to 5 p.m. June 28, July 26, Aug. 23.

• Justice Myron E. Leavitt & Jaycee Community Park, 2100 E. St. Louis Ave. – 2 to 5 p.m., July 13, Aug. 10.

For more information, call 702229-PLAY (7529).

ALL activities are subject to change. For links to facilities, programs, classes and activities in the current Beyond the Neon guide, go online to www.lasvegasparksandrec.com or for more information call 702-229-PLAY. Most activities require advance registration. Centers will be closed July 4 for holiday observance. Register today to build your healthy lifestyle! Parents can subscribe here to receive a monthly email, or text LV PARENTS to 468-311, about upcoming events and activities for their kids.

Sand Volleyball Adult Summer League II Registration open through July 1 for Thursday games July 18-Sept. 5.

Cost: $150 per team.

Centennial Hills Park Sand Volleyball Courts, 7101 N. Buffalo Drive.

For more information, call 702229-4616. Register online atrecreation.lasvegasnevada.gov/.

Summer Day Camps Monday-Friday, through Aug. 9 (no camp July 4).

Cost: varies by camp location and age group. Advance registra-

tion required.

The types of summer camps include Tot Camp (ages 3-5), Kids Camp (ages 5-11 and have completed kindergarten), Teen Adventure Camp (ages 12-14) and a Counselor-in-Training program (ages 15+). Mirabelli and Veterans Memorial offer elite camps with weeklong specialty themes.

See the Mirabelli and Veterans Memorial elite camp lists. The popular Teen Adventure Camp, offered at all community centers, will feature bus trips to fascinating spots all over Southern Nevada.

There will be specialized camp activities each week focusing on sports, science, art, dance and more. Call centers for information or go online.

Online registration at www. lasvegasparksandrec.com for summer activities is open now.

Click on “Summer Camps” or “Aquatics.” Walk-in registration at the community centers below is available during regular hours.

Registration will continue until camps are full. Day camp hours will be 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., except at Stupak Community Center (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Junior Lifeguard Camp (7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Pavil-

Calendar of Events across

ion Center Pool). Teen Adventure Camp days may vary by location.

A weekly, non-refundable $10 transportation fee will be charged for each participant in Kids, Teens and Elite Camps.

• Adaptive Recreation Summer Camp, 250 N. Eastern Ave., 702229-4903; $100/week per person ages 7-21 with disabilities.

• Cimarron Rose Community Center, 5591 N. Cimarron Road, 702-229-1607; $125/week ages 5-11; $150/week ages 12-14 for Tuesday-Thursday Teen Adventure Camp.

• Doolittle Community Center, 1950 N. J St., 702-229-6374; $75/ week ages 5-11; $100/week ages 12-14 Teen Adventure Camp.

• East Las Vegas Community Center, 250 N. Eastern Ave., 702229-1515; $75/week/child ages 5-11; $100/week ages 12-14 Teen Adventure Camp.

• Mirabelli Community Center, 6200 Hargrove Ave., 702-2296359; $150/week full day ages 3-5; $80/week half day 8 a.m.-noon or noon-4 p.m. ages 3-5; $150-$200/ week ages 6-11; $150/week ages 12-14 for Tuesday-Thursday Teen Adventure Camp.

PAGE 12

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS J U N E 2 0 -J U N E 29

“Tagolilong: Hidden in Plain Sight” exhibit in San Pedro, CA An interactive homage to Indigenous California Habitat will be on exhibit from May 18 to June 29, 2019. Created by LA-based artists-collaborators, champoy and Sarita Doe, it will open on Saturday, May 18th, 2019 from 3:00pm-6:00pm at Pinta*Dos Philippine Art Gallery which is located at 479 W Sixth Street, Suite 108, Historic Arts District, San Pedro, CA 90731. Tagolilong: Hidden in Plain Sight will be the sixth exhibit at Pinta*Dos Gallery since it was inaugurated in June 2017.

The Gallery is open from Wednesday to Friday, 3:00pm to 6:00pm except on First Thursdays when it is open until 8pm. It is also open by appointment. For further information, email Linda NietesLittle, Founder of the gallery at info@pintadosgallery.com. Also visit their website: http://www. pintadosgallery.com , facebook and instagram pages.

J U N E 22

Fiesta ng Calamba in Carson, CA The Association of Calambeños of Southern California invites everyone to the Fiesta ng Calamba, St John the Baptist Feast Day on Saturday, June 22. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Veterans Sports Complex ( 22400 Moneta Ave., Carson, CA 90745 ). For more information, please contact Ed Lim at (949) 285-1403 or connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/Calambenos/ or the website: www.acasca.org.

Celebration of Cultures Mass at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles All are invited to the 15th annual Celebration of Cultures Mass hosted by the Ethnic Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The Mass will be presided by Archbishop José H. Gomez at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, on Saturday, June 22, 2019 at 3:30 p.m., preceded by a procession of cultural communities at 3 p.m. With the theme, “I am the servant of the Lord,” the celebration recognizes the different cultural communities that enrich the Church and the local community through prayer, songs and cultural expression. The Archdiocese is the largest and most diverse Archdiocese in the United States. Every Sunday, Mass is celebrated in more than 40 different languages throughout the three counties it comprises: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura. For more information, please call the Office of Ethnic Ministry, at (213) 637-7356, or visit archla.org/cultures.

J U N E 24 -28

SIPA’s Filipino Summer Program in LA Happening from June 24-28, Search to Involve Pilipino Americans’ (SIPA) Filipino Summer Program is a fun, week-long experience that enriches, educates, and engages youth about the Filipino Culture! Youth will get to learn more about Filipino food, language, dance, arts, and music! Children ages 6-13 are able to participate, while older youth can volunteer. The program will be held at SIPA (3200 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026) from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Drop-offs and pick-ups are at the SIPA parking lot at Dillion St. and Temple St. Each day is $30 for the first child. Every additional child will be $3 less a day (e.g., the second child will be $27/day, the third child would cost $24/day, and so on). If your family cannot fully afford the cost of SIPA’s Filipino Summer Program, the FEE CAN BE LOWERED depending on the financial situation. Families can pay by cash, credit/debit card (2.75% fee), Venmo (1% fee), or check!If interested, contact Maria Carmel Valendez by phone at 213-382-1819 ext. 107 or email at mvalendez@esipa.org.

J U N E 29

UST Medical Alumni Association of SoCal anniversary ball in Garden Grove, CA The UST Medical Alumni Association of SoCal will have its 25th year anniversary ball on Wednesday, June 29 at the Hyatt Regency Orange County (11999 Harbor Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92840).

Mass begins at 5:30 p.m., with dinner reception at 7:30 p.m. Part of the proceeds will benefit the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and Hospital on Wheels. Tickets are $110 for premier and $90 for regular. Please RSVP by June 1 to Marilou Dichoso, MD at (310) 387-1632.

J U LY 4 - 6

International reunion of the Society of Boehringer Ingelheim Philippines Ex-Employees & Representatives in Las Vegas Join the first annual international reunion of the Society of Boehringer Ingelheim Philippines ExEmployees & Representatives (SOBER) to be held on July 4-6, 2019 at Stratosphere Hotel Las Vegas, Nevada. There will be a dinner-dance, induction of officers and a fun weekend of activities! For more information, contact Ben (818) 447-1411, Osang (213) 446-7209 or Rollie Agonoy (818) 806-5446.

J U LY 2 0

The Ibaan Association USA-Canada gala dinner in LA The Ibaan Association USA-Canada will hold its 32nd Annual Gala Dinner & Dance July 20, 2019 from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. at the Hilton Los Angeles / Universal City - Ballroom A at 555 Universal Hollywood Drive, Universal City, California 91608. For reservations call Monica Benitez at (323) 697-3731 / email: monica_benitez03@yahoo.com or Irene May Villafranca at (323) 423-2299 / email: imay02@ yahoo.com. Tickets are $85 for Adults and $40 for Children (3 to 10 years old). Please make checks payable to: Ibaan Association USA-Canada and mail to: Merly Pagunsan at 5025 Heintz St. Baldwin Park, CA 91706. For sponsorship information on our 2019 Souvenir Program please contact President Noli Reyes at homesbynoli@gmail.com or call (818) 458-7888. Please RSVP by April 12, 2019.

J U LY 24 -28

40th annual Philippine Nurses Association of America National Convention in Atlanta, GA The Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) will have its 40th annual national convention from July 24 to 28 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, GA, hosted by the PNA-GA chapter. More information and details TBA. To learn about the PNA-GA, please visit: https://pnaga.wildapricot.org/.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

12

June 20-26, 2019 • LAS VeGAS ASIAn JOuRnAL

EntErtainmEnt

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

July 2019 recreation, adaptive recreation...

Bryan in Woodminster’s production of “South Pacific.”

Bryan Munar: Putting his place...

PAGE 10 cool. People also still recognize me from time to time if I’m in the North Bay and compliment me for my performance in that show!

It’s kind of funny but also very humbling.”

He is also grateful that in spite being Filipino American, he did not have many struggles in the industry.

“In fact, I think because I am a POC (person of color) actor in the Bay, people notice me a lot more.

For example, I was at an Equity audition for a company who solely does straight plays and I counted about two people of color, including me, in a waiting room with about 25-30 people,” he shared and continued, “And if that continued throughout the audition slots, then I think I definitely have been noticed simply due to that ratio! I will say though, some challenges include maybe people not ‘non-traditionally’ casting me in lead roles? Even though I can play them, I don’t have a traditional leading man look/type going on for me, so they choose the one who looks the part more.”

But he feels that the theater’s view on the “traditional leading man” is changing. Because of this, he gives this piece of advice to new artists: Work hard.

“Never stop learning, have role models, and have a healthy ego.

There is a place for EVERYONE in the entertainment industry and sometimes you just have to knock the doors down yourself!”

The team Company: The cast of “Once”

EMPLOYMENT

Bryan in “A Chorus Line” in Novato Theater Co.

will feature Emma Berman as “Ivonka,” Cody Craven as “Guy,” Matt Davis as “Bank Manager,” Jake Gale as “Svec,” Devin Renée Kelly as “Reza,” Brady Morales Woolery as “Andrej,” Ariela Morgenstern as “Baruska,” Bryan Munar as “Eamon,” Olivia Nice as “Girl,” Christina Owens as “ExGirlfriend,” Rob Ready as “Billy,” Colin Thomson as “Da” and Myra Chachkin as “Emcee.”

Book by Enda Walsh Music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová Directed and choreographed by: Cindy Goldfield

Music director: Eryn Allen Scenic designer: Brian Watson Lighting designer: Michael Palumbo Costume designer: Cindy Goldfield Sound designer/Mic operator: Travis Rexroat Assistant stage manager: Lauren Howry Stage manager: Alicia Lerner “Once” runs until June 30, 2019 and will perform at San Francisco’s Gateway Theatre (215 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94111).

EMPLOYMENT

PAGE 11 • Pavilion Center Pool, 101 S. Pavilion Center Drive, 702-2291488; $150/week/child ages 11-14; Junior Lifeguard Camp 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Successful participants will earn essential pool lifesaving skills and Junior Lifeguarding certification in this American Red Cross Program. Camp will be offered July 8-12, July 15-19 and Aug. 5-9.

• Stupak Community Center, 251 W. Boston Ave., 702-2292488; $40/week ages 5-11; hours 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or an extended camp 3:30–6 p.m. for an additional $20/week. $100/week ages 12-14 Teen Adventure Camp (Stupak location only).

• Veterans Memorial Community Center, 101 N. Pavilion Center Drive, 702-229-1100; $150-$200 week ages 5-11; $200/week ages 12-14 Teen Adventure Camp.

Yankee Doodle at the Pool (all ages) Wednesday, July 3; 12-4 p.m. at most pools, 1-5 p.m. at Doolittle Pool.

Cost: $2 ages 4-17, $3 ages 1849, $2 ages 50+, free ages 0-3.

Participate in many water games and activities as we celebrate our independence — splash style!

Doolittle Pool, 1950 N. J St., 702-229-6398.

Pavilion Center Pool, 101 S. Pavilion Center Drive, 702-2291488.

Municipal Pool, 431 E. Bonanza Road, 702-229-6309.

Garside Pool, 250 S. Torrey Pines Drive, 702-229-6393.

Carlos L. Martinez & Darrio J. Hall Family Pool at Gary Reese Freedom Park, 889 N. Pecos Road, 702-229-1755.

Fourth of July Celebration (all ages) Thursday, July 4, 6:30 p.m.

Free and open to the public.

Skye Canyon Park, 10111 Skye Canyon Park Drive.

Bring the family to enjoy DJ music, live performances, food, beverages and an amazing fireworks display. Free refreshments while supplies last. The first 500 people in the park will receive a free American flag. Bring blankets and low-back chairs to be more comfortable during the fireworks.

Please, no ice chests, no smoking, no backpacks, no pets. Sponsored

by Ward 6 Councilwoman Michele Fiore, Ward 4 Councilman Stavros S. Anthony and County Commissioner Larry Brown. Fireworks services provided by Las Vegas Display Fireworks, Inc. For more information, please call 702-229-

6154.

Safekey and Ignite Registration for 2019-2020 School Year Registration opens 7 a.m. July 8.

Cost: $20 registration fee per child, per account; plus $7 per morning session and/or $10 per afternoon session.

Safekey Office, 416 N. Seventh St. Safekey is available to students in grades K-5; Ignite is available at select middle schools for students in grades 6-8. Visit the Safekey/ Ignite webpage or call 702-229KIDS (5437) for list of participating schools and more information.

Neighborhood College – Session 2 Thursdays, 6 to 7:30 p.m., July 11-Aug. 22.

Free and open to the public.

Learn how to connect to your councilperson and about resources available for residents, business incentives, what is new, fun activities for kids and adults, grant opportunities, where your tax dollars go, how to build your neighborhood association, access neighborhood services, and more. Classes will take place at Las Vegas City Hall, East Las Vegas Community Center, Stupak Community Center and Doolittle Community Center. To see available classes/sessions and register, go online tohttp://lasvegasnevada. gov/neighborhood-college.

Batteries Included Summer Circuit Adventuredome Trip (ages 13-18) Friday, July 12, noon to 7:30 p.m.

Free and open to ages 13-18.

Adventuredome, 2800 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

Batteries Included membership is not required to participate in event. For more information and registration, call 702-229-4075.

Pop-Up Fun In Selected City Parks This Summer Bring your family to a city of Las Vegas park near you for free pop-up fun. There will be arts, crafts, sports, games and field-day activities led by Parks & Recreation staff. Look for the mobile city of Las Vegas Recreation Van and registration table. For more information, call 702-229-PLAY (7529).

• Friday, July 12, 2 to 5 p.m. at Bruce Trent Park, 8851 Vegas Drive.

• Saturday, July 13, 2 to 5 p.m. at Justice Myron E. Leavitt & Jaycee Community Park, 2100 E. St. Louis Ave. • Saturday, July 20, 10 a.m. to

FOR RENT

SERVICES

2 p.m. at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, 9200 Tule Springs Road • Friday, July 26, 2 to 5 p.m. at Rainbow Family Park, 7151 W. Oakey Blvd.

• Saturday, July 27, 2 to 5 p.m. at Lorenzi Park north lake pavilion, 3333 W. Washington Ave. Ward 4/YMCA YSPLASH & Pool Party (all ages) Friday, July 12, 6 to 8 p.m.

Free for Y members or $5 per person.

Durango Hills YMCA pool, 3521 N. Durango Drive.

Enjoy an after-hours pool party with water games, activities, and YSPLASH. Pre-registration required for YSPLASH. Call the YMCA at 702-240-9622 for more information.

Dive-In Movie Night! (all ages) Friday, July 12; 7:30 p.m. doors open, 8 p.m. show time.

Cost: $4 per person.

Pavilion Center Pool, 101 S. Pavilion Center Drive, 702-2291488.

Take a dip in the pool, lounge on a raft, or relax in a deck chair while watching the animated movie “Incredibles 2” on the big screen. Light refreshments will be provided for a small cost. All pool rules apply.

Strong Future College Camp (ages 13-18) Monday-Thursday, July 15-18, 8 a.m. to noon Free and open to ages 13-18.

College of Southern Nevada, Touro University Nevada, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada State College.

Transportation provided all four days. For more information and registration, call 702-229-4075.

Batteries Included Summer Circuit Canvas Under The Stars (ages 13-18) Thursday, July 18, 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Free and open to ages 13-18.

Las Vegas City Hall, 495 S. Main St., second-floor patio.

Batteries Included membership is not required to participate in event. For more information and registration, call 702-229-4075.

Parent’s Night Out (ages 5-12) Friday, July 19, 6 to 9 p.m.

Cost: $20 per night per child.

Registration open until full.

Veterans Memorial Community Center, 101 N. Pavilion Center Drive, 702-229-1100. Participants will enjoy fun and engaging things to do, like arts and crafts projects, games and much more. Dinner PAGE 14

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Features

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL â&#x20AC;˘ JUNE 20-26, 2019

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ESQUIRE MAGAZINEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEST NEW RESTAURANTS IN AMERICA 2018

Karenderyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey and how a national magazine played a major part in it

By MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

Pork ribs sinigang

even as people began to flock to Karenderya to see what the fuss was about. How could this small gem of an eatery in nyack nab a place in the esteemed magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best new restaurants in america list?

But first we asked them, how did it happen?

Jeff Gordinier, the food and drinks editor of esquire, is a local in the area and he went to the restaurant. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I recognized when he first came in because I follow him on Instagram,â&#x20AC;? Cheryl recalled. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He did introduce himself, he was a very friendly guy and we started chatting. The restaurant wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t busy at the time so we talked about the food and it was a nice conversation.â&#x20AC;?

That was the end of it, or so she thought. Here was a nice guy with his family eating our food. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It never occurred to us that he would ever write about us. The best that I hoped for was maybe he would post something on Instagram. I would have been so happy with that,â&#x20AC;? Cheryl shared. a few months later, the magazine contacted them for a possible feature. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was a huge shock when it came out,â&#x20AC;? she remarked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still so hard to believe.â&#x20AC;?

They were expecting a restaurant listing, or maybe even a part of a feature on Hudson Valley restaurants. What they did not expect at all was their Karenderya being named as one of the Best new restaurants in america for 2018. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a big deal, a huge deal.

Isipin mo, hindi lang new york City, or Hudson Valley ang coverage, hindi lang east coast. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the whole america!,â&#x20AC;? Paolo exclaimed.

Shrimp adobo

Bicol express

Karenderya, a Filipino-inspired restaurant, opened its doors in the suburban village of nyack in July 2017.

Last november, the fast casual restaurant was named in Esquire Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best new restaurants in america 2018 list. according to esquire, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the future, we pray, thousands of small towns in america will have Filipino restaurants as excellent as this one, with adobo pork belly braised to crispy meltiness atop garlic rice, and shrimp aswim in a coconut broth that tastes like French cream, and a cassava-jackfruit cake that comes across like a cobbler in which the topping and the filling have magically merged, and a smart beer list that highlights the best of Hudson Valley breweries.â&#x20AC;?

The owners, Paolo Garcia Mendoza and Cheryl Baun, were beyond thrilled. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was completely crazy, totally unexpected,â&#x20AC;? Cheryl said, remembering the moment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a validation, not that we needed one because weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve known that this food is good all along. not our food in particular but Filipino food in general. It feels like a win for our culture and for Filipino food.â&#x20AC;?

Indeed, chalk it up as a major win.

Business tripled, quadrupled

The husband and wife team of Cheryl Baun and Paolo Mendoza AJPress Photos by Momar G. Visaya

One of their bestsellers is the pork ribs adobo, served here with a boiled egg and achara.

AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya

After Esquire â&#x20AC;&#x153;We see more Filipinos now that we have gotten some attention,â&#x20AC;? Cheryl said smiling. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It almost seems like it is more validation for the Filipinos who might have been skeptical.â&#x20AC;?

The restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clientele has always been very diverse, from locals who were not familiar with the food at first, to regulars who come from the neighborhood, to day trippers from new york and new Jersey who make the drive during the weekends.

Growing roots More than two years ago, Cheryl and Paolo decided to open a space in nyack, a village in rockland County that is about 20 miles north of Manhattan. Paolo as the chef would be in charge of the kitchen while Cheryl would handle some of the business and management side, including building a strong community-based presence for their restaurant.

Cheryl grew up in the rockland County area while Paolo grew up in Pasay City, Manila. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We chose this town because it is a very artsy town. We knew that if we were to open a restaurant, it would be here in nyack. Parang ito yung Brooklyn ng rockland County,â&#x20AC;? they said.

They chose the name as homage to the Filipino carinderia, which are market or roadside eateries in the Philippines.

The couple saw that opening a Filipino restaurant in the area is an opportunity for them â&#x20AC;&#x153;to share our food, but more than that, we want it to be a gathering place.â&#x20AC;?

That is how Karenderya has been in the past year, a place where people would come in and have a full experience, eat well, enjoy the food and feel the welcoming space. It is a place where couples can have drinks and still bring their kids, they can eat and linger if they want while the kids play in one corner. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We serve the food that we love.

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Filipino and you look at our menu, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d see a lot of things that are familiar. Occasionally, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see some things with a twist,â&#x20AC;?

Cheryl said.

On their menu are silog bowls, from the traditional tapa and longganisa to chicken tocino and pork ribs adobo. For first timers who are not familiar with Filipino food, these dishes can be served as a sandwich and they will get the same full Filipino flavors.

Paolo previously worked in fine dining restaurants and he knew that when he opened his own, it would be relaxed, casual and comfortable place for everyone to enjoy, including families with small children.

He insists on serving some traditional dishes and mixes it up with his creations. an example of this would be their pork ribs sinigang.

A delightful spread at Karenderya: P.E.I. Mussels in San Miguel Beer broth, bamboo shoots, ginger and grape tomatoes; pan-seared asparagus with sour cream bagoong dressing and lumpiang shanghai.

It does not look like sinigang at all but when you taste it, all the flavors of the dish are there.

His secret for the dish? no sinigang mixes, he uses tamarind puree, which makes the broth a little darker. He sears off the meat as well, which gives it the dark brown color and more flavor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have to give props to Cendrillon because they were the first ones to do this. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to use the word elevate. Sila yung pioneers ng modern Filipino cuisine,â&#x20AC;? Paolo said.

Karenderya is Paoloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first asian restaurant. He previously worked in restaurants that focused on French and new american cuisine and his last job was a sous chef at roost, a restaurant in rockland. He also interned at Tabla, owned by Floyd Cardoz.

When he started studying culinary arts at the Institute of Culinary education (ICe) in 2003, Cendrillon was the only Filipino restaurant in the city and as early as then, Paolo has dreamt of opening his own Filipino place some day. years later, Maharlika and Jeepney opened and people started

talking about Filipino food. He knew the timing was good. He quit his job and they opened Karenderya.

Two years in and the couple are working extra hard to keep the restaurant running. They know that it is a tough business, and they are prepared. The couple is thankful that esquire played a major role in their journey so far and made things a tad easier for them.

From â&#x20AC;&#x153;getting work permits, paper work, food cost and providing high quality dishes to handling staff and customers,â&#x20AC;? Cheryl and Paoloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hands are full, facing day to day operational challenges. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People ask us â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;when are you opening in this place or that placeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really think of it that way. We just try to think of how to make this the best that it can be. you can always make something better.

Our guess our dream for this restaurant is to just be the best in that, and make sure that people have a great experience from the moment they walk through the door and the time they leave,â&#x20AC;?

Cheryl said.

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Features

June 20-26, 2019 • LAS VeGAS ASIAn JOuRnAL

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Philippine Ballet Theatre wows Los Angeles with a spectacular performance of...

PAGE 10 Manimbo, a long-established name in the Philippine fashion industry, showed her spectacular couture pieces fashioned from indigenous Philippine fabrics — some of which take up to six months to embellish by native tribal craftswomen.

From the handwoven reds and yellows of Northern Luzon, to the golden embroidery on purple and blue silks of Mindanao, the mere sight of dancers on pointe flicking their vibrant skirts and grasping their butterflied sleeves ever so coyly was a grand statement on its own.

Classical crossover tenor Jon Paul Puno prepared the audience for even more grandeur to follow.

“Ballet for Everyone” is the unifying effort of PBT to bring the study of

“Vinta”

dance to under-served communities in the Philippines. Most of these dancers are scholars of PBT’s Cultural and Outreach Program.

PBT’s dancers are Irene Abrogena, Veronica Atienza, Gladys Baybayan, Maria Michaella Carreon, Matthew Davo, Dominador Delmo, Marika Desembrana, Julafer Fegarido, Marianne Grace Francisco, Ma. Isabel Regina Gonzalez, Crimson Guirjem, Ronilo Jaynario, Carl Edison Lacaba, Tara Jade Leach, Ma. Regina Magbitang, Clarise Miranda, Mark Joseph Pineda, Kazier Policarpio, Ana Mikaela Samson, and Alvin Santos.

“Filipino Masterpieces” presented the varied cultures of the North and South Philippines “VInta” had the dancers utilizing malongs and manipulating long swaths of fabric masterfully to evoke the movement

of the colorful sails of the Vinta, the traditional boat of Mindanao. It was a vision bathed in rich color as directed by PBT’s Artistic Director, Ronilo Jaynario.

“Mantones De Manila” comprised of several settings, including “Sa Sala” and “Sa Entablado.” The first suite had the dancers cavorting in Maria Claras while flashing and twirling the intricate Spanish shawls called “manton.” The second was an homage to Filipino American friendship, uniquely utilizing marching band music, both American and Filipino, giving the ballet a wartime entertainment flavor. This ballet was choreographed by the esteemed Tony Fabella, who also designed the costumes.

“Dancing in Once Voice,” originally staged in 2015, is a pioneering concept in Philippine ballet, choreographed to contemporary pop and classical singers’ interpretations of popular familiar songs.

PBT says “while not strictly Filipino in content, the timeless and ageless appeal of the songs surely attract Filipino as well as foreign audiences…”

“Serye at Sayaw” though originally performed with live singers, puts popular OPM (original Pilipino music) in a sequence that tells a story. PBT explains that is is “another PBT original celebrating the sentimental and evocative power of OPM songs, as Filipinos have come to know them through popular teleseryes or TV dramas. The music serves as the backdrop to the story of Marguerite, a prima ballerina who brings the audience along with the highs and lows of her life and loves.”

Closing with “Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika” further established the power of the Cayabyab-penned anthem heralding not only Filipino music, but Philippine dance as well. If there is a crossover dance category, the PBT has exemplified it with a world-class performance, as evidenced by the audience’s generous applause that evening of June 15 in North Hollywood.

Los Angeles City Commissioner for Public Works Jessica Caloza presented Philippine Ballet Theatre with Certificates of Recognition signed by LA Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Caloza mentioned that as a patron of the arts, ballet is her favorite form of dance.

Staged at the Scientology Community Centre Auditorium, producers from One Global Management

PBT is joined onstage for the curtain call by (standing) Ballet Master Anatoly Panasyukov (5th from left), LA City Commissioner Jessica Caloza (9th from left, onwards), Noemi Casiño (Treasurer), Cora Manimbo (Trustee and featured designer), Marichu Nepomuceno (Vice President), Trinity Foliente (Producer), Marilou Magsaysay (President), Cora and Roger Oriel (Asian Journal), Annie Nepomuceno (emcee-Music Arts Events)

“Filipino Masterpieces-Sa Entablado”

AJPress photos by Andy Tecson

PBT dancers model Cora Manimbo creations in their first on-pointe fashion show

Company Inc. (Trinity Foliente, Cora and Roger Oriel and Rosie Chua), presented flowers to the ballet company, led by Ballet Master Anatoly Panasyukov (originally from the famous Russian Bolshoi Ballet) and joined by PBT’s Board of Trustees Marilou Kahn Magsaysay (President), Marichu Hizon Nepomuceno (Vice President), Noemi Estrella Casiño (Treasurer),

PAGE 11

Designers Oskar Atendido and Cora Manimbo, with Sophia Manimbo.

The event was emceed by Annie Nepomuceno.

The evening’s sponsors were One Global Management Company Inc., Asian Journal, Balikbayan Magazine, Global Pageantry, Asian Commodities Company, Philippine Airlines, Filipino Heritage Festival, Oishi, Carmen’s Best Ice Cream,

Travel Trade and Consumer Roadshow, Premier Asia Pacific Real Estate and Development, Lombard by the Bay, Mega8 Productions, Toto’s Lechon, with production support from Music Arts Events.

For just one night, the PBT brought a piece of the Philippines to Los Angeles in a vibrant display of talent and to show the accessibility of the art of ballet.

Dangers lurking in our home

(www.philipSchua.com, amazon. com), studies have shown that ALL soft drinks of any variety are dangerous “liquid candy” that increases people’s risk for the development of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Let’s protect our children from these killers by saying NO to this poison. Someday, they would understand and love us more, and

also say NO to their own children. Health-wise, nothing beats filtered water (using between 7 to 14 stages of reverse osmosis filtration with ultraviolet ray for killing bacteria, viruses, and protozoan), besides removing harmful total dissolved solids (TDS) like arsenic, cadmium, lead, and nitrate. Remember, water is life, soft drinks are poison. ***

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

July 2019 recreation, adaptive recreation...

31st Anniversary Celebration of the Feastday of Our Mother of Perpetual Help

Monday June 24, 2019

Tel Nos. (702) 569-5528 Julie 510-3708 Toots (725) 201-3802 Vivian You can park at the left side of the Church and at Douglas Parking garage next to the Rectory Casino Center Blvd. validating ticket available from the ushers please pick it up as soon as you get to the church.

PAGE 12 and snack will be provided. Call 702-229-1100 for information and registration.

Special Event Saturday at Floyd Lamb Park – Peach Fest (all ages) Saturday, July 20, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cost: Free park entry.

Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, 9200 Tule Springs Road.

Enjoy a 7:30 a.m. Audubon Society Bird Walk, free gardening class at 9 a.m., Peach Fest Farmer’s Market at 10 a.m., tours of the historic ranch house, food trucks selling refreshments, and free games/activities for youth 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with Pop-Up Mobile Recreation team. Call 702-2298100 for more information.

Alpha Day at Doolittle Complex Saturday, July 20, 9 a.m.

Free and open to the public.

Doolittle Complex, 1950 N. J St., 702-229-6374.

Ward 5 Councilman Cedric Crear and Congressman Steven Horsford are partnering with the national Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity during the fraternity’s 95th anniversary celebration in Las Vegas this summer to have a free day at Doolittle Complex for the community. Bring the family to enjoy a health fair, a visit on the Strong Start Go Academy Mobile Pre-K, summer splash party at Doolittle Pool 12-3 p.m., activities on the baseball diamond (including the $10,000 donation for two new scoreboards. Call 702-229-5443 for more information.

Another Hot Tropical Night Sunday, July 21, 6 to 9 p.m.

Cost: $4 per person.

Pavilion Center Pool, 101 S. Pavilion Center Drive, 702-2291488.

Enjoy dancing, swimming, games and a DJ playing music at this annual tropical adventure! Hula dancers and fire-eaters are a must-see this year! All pool rules

apply; swimsuits required.

Coffee with Councilman Crear Thursday, July 25, 9 to 10 a.m.

Starbucks, 1925 N. Martin L. King, Jr. Blvd.

Join Councilman Crear for coffee and conversation about matters important to you. Residents and businesses are welcome.

Summer Splash Bash Saturday, July 27, 6 to 9 p.m.

Cost: $4 per person.

Garside Pool, 250 S. Torrey Pines Drive, 702-229-6393.

Bring the family to enjoy dancing, swimming, games and a DJ playing music at this party. All pool rules apply; swimsuits required.

Youth Flag Football Recreation League (ages 5-12) Registration July 28-Aug. 12 for league play Sept. 7-Nov. 2 Cost: $85 per youth; includes jersey.

Games will be played at various city fields, generally on Saturdays.

Teams receive two weeks of practice prior to season and one practice per week during the season, based on availability. Volunteer coaches are needed. Coaches will receive NAYS training prior to coaching. Register at any city community center or online.

Youth Flag Football NFL Competitive League (ages 9-12) Registration July 28-Aug. 12 for league play Sept. 7-Nov. 2 Cost: $125 per youth; includes NFL jersey.

Games will be played at various city fields, generally on Saturdays.

Teams receive two weeks of practice prior to season and one practice per week during the season, based on availability. Teams are guaranteed seven regular season games, with playoffs to be held afterward. Contracted officials provided. Volunteer coaches are needed. Coaches will receive NAYS training prior to coaching.

Register at any city community

center or online.

Youth Soccer League (ages 3-10) Registration July 28-Aug. 12 for Saturday league play that begins Sept. 7.

Cost: $5 for 4U; $55 for ages 6U, 8U, 10U; includes jersey.

All-American Park, 1551 S. Buffalo Drive, or Bill Briare Family Park, 650 N. Tenaya Way. Teams receive two weeks of practice prior to season and one practice per week during season (based on availability). Volunteer coaches are needed. Coaches will receive NAYS training prior to coaching. Register at any city community center or online.

Call 702-229-PLAY (7529) for details.

Youth Floor Hockey League (ages 7-12) Registration July 28-Aug. 12 for Friday/Saturday league play Sept.

7-Nov. 2.

Cost: $85, includes jersey.

Veterans Memorial Community Center, 101 N. Pavilion Center Drive (indoors).

Equipment may be checked out. Shin guards are mandatory. Teams receive two weeks of practice prior to season and one practice per week during season (based on availability).

Volunteer coaches are needed.

Coaches will receive NAYS training prior to coaching. Register at any city community center or online. Call 702-229-PLAY (7529) for details.

Derfelt Back-to-School Haircuts & Eye Exams (ages 5-18) Wednesday, July 31, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cost: Free with canned goods donation for the food pantry.

Derfelt Senior Center in Lorenzi Park, 3343 W. Washington Ave., 702-229-6601.

Youth will enjoy free haircuts and eye exams, courtesy of community professionals. Registration opens event day. Call 702-2296601 for more information.

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June 20-26, 2019 • LAS VeGAS ASIAn JOuRnAL

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