PHILCONGEN-LA HOLDS HISTORIC CELEBRATION OF PHL INDEPENDENCE DAY IN LA’S HISTORIC FILIPINOTOWN

Los Angeles — With horns blazing and nationalistic music playing in the background, Filipinos and FilipinoAmericans from Southern California, Southern Nevada, and Arizona, garbed in colorful national attire, flocked to LA’s Historic Filipinotown (HiFi) in the morning of Sunday, 25 June, to participate in what is possibly the biggest and most festive celebration of Philippine Independence Day seen in Southern California to date.

The celebration was historic because it is the first time that the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, since its establishment in 1947, celebrated the annual commemoration of Philippine Independence Day in Los Angeles’s Historic Filipinotown.

The neighborhood is fondly regarded as the birthplace of the Filipino diaspora in Los Angeles. The celebration itself was historic because it consisted of not just the traditional diplomatic reception (this was held in the evening inside the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles [FACLA] compound), but also a motorcade in the morning which saw over 400 cars participating (according to police estimates) and a festival later in the day.

The motorcade moved through Historic Filipinotown, including a pass through the newly installed Filipinotown Archway also known as the “Talang Gabay” at the eastern entrance into the neighborhood.

The festival attracted hundreds of members of around 35 Filipino-American community organizations from all over southern California, southern Nevada and Arizona. Several Fil-Am elected and appointed officials attended the festival. Among them were Mr. Kenneth Mejia, the first Fil-Am to be elected City Comptroller, and Ms. Susana Reyes who was appointed by

Commissioners in April 2022.

Councilmember Hugo Soto Martinez of LA’s District 6 where Historic Filipinotown is located also attended. Various Filipino talents, including Filipino movie icon Mr. Gabby Concepcion as special guest, provided the entertainment.

The diplomatic reception in the evening welcomed over 200 guests, including representatives from the Office of Foreign Missions-Los Angeles, members of the LA Consular Corps, Fil-Am local officials, and FilCom organization leaders and members. One of the highlights of the reception was a fashion show featuring Filipiniana wear created by Fil-Am designer Mr. Amiel Noble.

The well-attended celebration was a heart-stopping and record breaking display of unity and strength by the FilipinoAmerican community in Los Angeles and beyond.

The Consulate organized the celebration in collaboration with the Filipino-American Community in Los Angeles

(FACLA), the Philippine Independence Day Foundation (PIDF), Kalayaan, Inc., the Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI), the National Federation of Filipino American Associations in Greater Los Angeles Region (NaFFAA-GLA), Usapan, the National Diversity Coalition (NDC) and the Historic Filipinotown Council. The occasion was also supported by one of the stalwart members of the Filipino-American community, Dame Grace Mercado-Ouano, D.S.G., who was also the motorcade Grand Marshal.

Throughout the various events commemorating the 125th Anniversary of the Philippine Independence in Southern California, Southern Nevada, and Arizona, LA Consul General Edgar Badajos reminded the FIlipino diaspora that “The task of nation-building is a neverending process.” He encouraged them to continue doing their fair share in nation-building “to ensure that our hard-fought rights and freedoms will endure.”

DO cellphone radiation shields work?

No, the so-called “radiation shields” for cell phones do not work, and therefore are not effective in protecting the user from radiation, reports the ftC in the United states. If anything at all, this shield “lulls” the user to complacency and thus the user is subjected to a more prolonged radiation exposure because of the false sense of security the unsuspecting consumers will have. While the association between cell phone use and some type of brain tumors is still unclear, it is best to avoid and minimize any type of radiation exposure from whatsoever source. to reduce radiation exposure from cell phones, we recommend the use one of the hands-free devices now commercially available.

Can skin ointment be used for the eyes?

No, most definitely, no. skin lotions, creams, gel, ointments, and solutions, are for topical (external or skin) application only and are not safe for the eyes. there are specific drops and ointments for the eyes. Never use any other preparation, except those prescribed by healthcare professionals specifically for the eyes, which are always labeled “ophthalmic” or “for ophthalmic use.”

How does tobacco hurt the smoker?

Besides the tissue irritation on the breathing pipes and lungs caused by the fumes and the various toxic chemicals in the cigarette, tobacco also thickens the blood, which makes the smoker (active or passive) more prone to thrombosis (blood clot formation) in the arteries and veins, and aggravates arteriosclerosis (hardening of the artery). on top of this, smoking also speeds up the process of arteriosclerosis (especially the arteries of the heart and brain, abdomen and legs). smoking can also cause cancer of the breathing pipes and/or the lungs and cancers in other organs in the body in either gender. stained teeth and fingers, smoker’s bad breath and a household that smells like tobacco fumes are the more minor effects of smoking.

What causes palpitation?

Palpitation (pounding heartbeat, harder and faster than normal) could be due to extrinsic causes like ingestion of a stimulant (coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolates, some medications, etc.) and/or cigarette smoking, or due to intrinsic causes like coronary or heart valve diseases. the person feels the heart thumping in his/her chest which could lead to some degree of discomfort and anxiety. When this happens regularly, in spite of abstinence from the extrinsic causes listed above, prompt medical consultation is recommended. most definitely, especially among persons whose diabetes is untreated, poorly treated or simply brittle and hard to treat. the blindness is due to what is termed diabetic retinopathy. A significant number of blindness in the world today is caused by diabetes. once the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is confirmed, prompt and appropriate therapy should be instituted. the diabetic should be disciplined enough to religiously follow the prescribed medical regimen if the complications of the disease, like blindness, leg gangrene, etc. are to be prevented.

Are body moisturizing lotions safe?

Yes, in general, hand and body lotions in the market are safe. the frequent (two or more times a day) use of hand and body lotion is recommended because our skin needs moisture to keep it comfortable, healthy and as young looking as possible. Caution: some people may be allergic to some of these commercially available skin moisturizers.

Does diabetes cause blindness?

Can hydrogen peroxide be used for gargling?

Yes, hydrogen peroxide could be used for gargling, but ask your dentist first since he/she knows your dental condition better and can advise you accordingly. hydrogen peroxide, together with sodium fluoride and other common ingredients (like triclosan) in toothpastes, help prevent tooth decay, gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), tartar and plaque formation, and halitosis (bad breath). hydrogen peroxide is a substance that is incorporated in many toothpaste preparations in the market today. Baking soda is another. for children, the anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis effectiveness of toothpaste are still not proven.

What is cardioversion?

Cardioversion, as the term suggests, means converting the heart rhythm from an abnormal one to a so-called normal and regular sinus rhythm, either by medications or by electrical (shock) “zapping.” the term is most often used to imply electrical cardioversion. this is done when the type of abnormality of the rhythm of the heart is one of the dangerous forms that adversely affects the vital signs of the person or one that could potentially cause cerebral emboli (blood clots from within the heart) traveling to the brain resulting in stroke. the two paddles (“zappers”), held one in each hand of the cardioverting personnel (a physician, a nurse or a medical technician) are applied on the mid-chest of the patient and the heart is “electrically shocked” to a normal rhythm or to a safer, more benign form of irregularity. In some persons with a heart disease, it may not be possible to convert the rhythm to a perfect sinus rhythm. In these cases, the goal is to convert the rhythm to an acceptable more benign rhythm. Does surgery make cancer spread?

No, this is a myth. Doing surgery or “opening the patient up” does not cause metastasis (spread) of the cancer. In general, cancer proliferates rapidly to invade surrounding tissues and distant organs. the misconception resulted from the refusal of patients suspected or confirmed to have cancer to be operated on early when first advised and had delayed the surgery so much that the malignant tumor had already spread beyond help before acceding to have the operation. so, when the surgeons operated on them that late, invariably the cancer had already spread all over. When the patients soon expired, people blamed the surgery as the cause of the spread. today, almost everybody knows that prompt detection and early operation in the treatment of cancer gives the best chance for a cure for a greater number of patients with malignancy.

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

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The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.

* * * Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali and Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

Fil-Am magician Anna De Guzman impresses ‘America’s Got Talent’ judges, gets 4 yeses

mANILA — filipino-American magician Anna De Guzman wowed the judges and the crowd in “America’s Got talent.”

In one of the episodes recently, judges simon Cowell, sofia Vergara, heidi Klum, and howie mandel voted “yes” to Anna as she did “cardistry” or “manipulation of playing cards.” the judges were impressed with Anna’s magic tricks.

“Growing up as an only child with a single mother, I spent a lot of time learning how to entertain myself,” she said on stage.

“When I found my first deck of cards, I was instantly captivated by the magic they seem to possess,” she added.

“It was the most adorable, fun, magical thing I’ve seen so far this season,” howie said.

“I agree with howie. You’re totally a breath of fresh air. You showed us some magic we haven’t seen before and you have a million-dollar smile on your face,” heidi added.

Before joining the show, Anna already showcased her talent in different tV shows such as “mtV’s Amazingness,” “the steve harvey show,” and “CW’s Penn & teller: fool Us.”