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JUNE 30 - JULY 6, 2022 Volume 33 - No. 26 • 12 Pages

T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER

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DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Tzeitel Paras-Caracci, Fil-Am mayor pro tem of Duarte, dies after cancer battle

It’s official: Bongbong Marcos sworn in as PH’s 17th President

by GABRIEL

PABICO Inquirer.net

LALU

MANILA — Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos is now officially the 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines after he took his oath of office on Thursday noon, June 30 at the National Museum grounds in the DUARTE Mayor Pro Tem Tzeitel Parasnation’s capital.

Caracci has died after nearly a three-year battle against lung cancer, the city announced on Monday, June 27.

Paras-Caracci, 49, passed away from stage 4 lung cancer at home on Saturday, June 25, surrounded by family.

She became the first Filipino American elected to the Duarte City Council in 2001.

She served as the city’s mayor four times — in 2006, 2011, 2015 and 2019. In office for over two decades, she was considered the longest serving Filipino American elected official in the U.S. “We have suffered a huge loss in our city and I am profoundly saddened as Tzeitel was an immensely capable member of our Council, as well as a great personal friend to me, as well as many others. Her smile and energy were infectious, and it was an honor to serve on Council with her,” said Mayor Margaret Finlay in a statement. “On behalf

Marcos took his oath before Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, marking the return of the Marcos family to power — 36 years since the administration of his late father and namesake, former president Ferdinand Marcos.

Marcos wore a barong tagalog designed by Pepito Albert. The design of the barong tagalog is said to

STEVEN Raga is one step away from the New York State Assembly.

As the New York State primary elections concluded on Tuesday night, June 28, it became apparent that Raga won his campaign for Assembly District 30 and will become the official Democratic candidate.

He is now on the November ballot against his Republican opponent. If elected, Raga would make history and become the first Filipino American to be elected to serve in the state assembly. There are 150 seats in the New York State Assembly that serve two-year terms without term limits.

“We’re going to the general election this November, we’ve won the primary. This is the first time that we will have AAPI representation in this district, the first time that a Filipino American will represent,” Raga said, speaking before supporters and volunteers as they waited for the election results.

A former chief of staff of Assemblymember Brian Barnwell of District 30 who announced

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

FIRST FAMILY. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the First Family’s official photo shortly after his inaugural address delivered at the National Museum of the Philippines in Manila on Thursday, June 30.

Malacañang photo by Rey Baniquet

AFTER more than a year of clinical trials, children in the United States between the ages of 6 months and 4 years old are now permitted to receive the COVID vaccine, nearly closing the gap between the unvaccinated and vaccinated.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) signed off on vaccines for young children last week, one day after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced three new authorizations regarding coronavirus vaccines.

Specifically, the FDA approved Pfizer shots for children between 6 months and 4 years old; Moderna shots for children between 6 months and 5 years old; and Moderna shots for children between 6 and 17 years old. (Previously, Pfizer was the only option for the latter age bracket.)

According to Moderna, the company’s vaccine for 6-month-olds to 5-year-olds will have a quarter of the strength of the adult dose and should be administered in

 PAGE 2

Gov. Sisolak signs executive order expanding protections for abortion, reproductive health care in Nevada

by AJPRESS

NEVADA Governor Steve Sisolak on Tuesday, June 28 signed an executive order that strengthens protection for any person seeking access to reproductive health care in the Silver State.

This order comes nearly a week after the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which overturned the decades-long precedent of Roe v. Wade and ended the constitutional protection for abortion.  PAGE 2 “Reproductive health care is a basic

human right, and Nevada stands firm in its commitment to ensuring there is safe and equitable access for Nevadans and anyone seeking refuge from the restrictive laws in their state,” said Sisolak. “No one should be punished for providing or receiving necessary medical care, including abortions, contraception and other reproductive health care services.”

Reproductive health care services include all medical, surgical, counseling or referral services relating to the human reproductive President Rodrigo Duterte system. This includes, but isn’t limited to,

Malacañang photo by Joey Dalumpines

Duterte has drawn high ratings Philippine SEC has upheld order from 2016 to 2022 – Pulse Asia  PAGE 2

to shut down Rappler, says Ressa

by KRISTINE JOY

Philstar.com

Rappler CEO Maria Ressa

 PAGE 2

Doctors discuss coronavirus vaccine authorization for kids 5 years old and younger

 PAGE 2

Steven Raga wins primary election for New York state assembly

be inspired by the military uniform worn during the Spanish colonial period.

Among the personalities present at the inauguration were members of the Marcos family including First Lady Liza Araneta, their children including representative-elect Sandro Marcos, and the

PATAG

MANILA — The Securities and Exchange Commission has upheld its 2018 decision to order the shutdown of news company Rappler Inc, its CEO and veteran journalist Maria Ressa said.

In a statement made at the East West Center conference, Ressa said the SEC “affirmed its earlier decision to revoke the certificates of incorporation of Rappler Inc. and Rappler Holdings Corporation (RHC).”

“We were notified by our lawyers of this ruling that effectively confirmed the shut Philstar.com file photo down of Rappler,” she added.

by ZACARIAN

SARAO

Inquirer.net

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has been getting high approval ratings from September 2016 to March 2022, according to a report released by Pulse Asia on Tuesday, June 28.

As of March 2022, Duterte had a 73 percent approval rating, which as Pulse Asia was lower than earlier ratings he got.

Throughout his term, Duterte’s approval rating has coasted above 70 percent, except in September 2021, when it dipped to 64 percent, according to the report.

Not long after that, Duterte’s  PAGE 2

The order is dated June 28, but a copy of it has yet to be made public.

Ressa, who was speaking at the conference said they will appeal the decision, especially that the “proceedings were highly irregular.”

The EWC, which is holding its conference abroad, shared Rappler’s statement on its Twitter account. Rappler meanwhile has yet to release its statement to Philippine media.

In a statement, the SEC said the latest order against the company “merely puts in effect its earlier decision and those of the Court of Appeals.”

“The contentions raised by Rappler

rating jumped back up to 72 percent in December 2021.

His rating, however, stayed in the low 70s from September 2021 to March 2022.

Before this, Duterte enjoyed ratings ranging from the high70s to the 90s. He got his highest rating of 91 percent in September 2020 and November 2020.

By region, Duterte in March 2022 scored his highest rating in Mindanao at 89 percent, Metro Manila at 74 percent, Balance Luzon at 70 percent, and the Visayas at 61 percent.

He also gained a rating of 73 percent from both rural and urban

 PAGE 2

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JUNE 30 - JULY 6, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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

From The FronT Page

It’s official: Bongbong Marcos...

PAGE 1 President’s sisters Senator Imee Marcos and Irene Araneta.

The President’s mother — the Marcos family matriarch — former first lady Imelda Marcos, was also present at the inauguration.

Marcos’ running mate Vice President Sara Duterte also attended the event.

Prior to his inauguration, Marcos first went to the Malacañang Palace to meet former president Rodrigo Duterte, who was given departure honors.

During the inaugural, the Philippine national anthem was sung by Marcos election campaign supporter and actress Toni Gonzaga.

After an interfaith prayer, a civil-military parade displaying the assets and capabilities of the country’s law enforcement and defense agencies was held.

Marcos will return to the Malacañang Palace for arrival honors. After which, he is expected to lead the mass oathtaking of his Cabinet members.

The inaugural dinner will also be held inside the Malacañang, while a “People’s Concert” will take place at around 9:00 p.m. at Mendiola in Manila.

Marcos won by a big margin in the 2022 presidential race, getting over 31 million votes while his closest rival, former vice president Leni Robredo got 15 million votes.

Last May 25, both houses of Congress proclaimed Marcos and Duterte as winners of the 2022 polls. g

Duterte has drawn high ratings from 2016...

PAGE 1

percent, and 72 percent in Class E. By age group, Duterte scored the areas.

In terms of income class, highest among the 25 to 34-yearDuterte fared the highest among olds at 80 percent, followed those belonging to Class ABC at by the 18 to 24-year-olds at 75 77 percent, then Class D at 73 percent, the 35 to 44-year-olds at

74 percent; the 45 to 64-year-olds at 73 percent, and senior citizens aged 65 and above at 70 percent.

He scored the lowest, 65 percent, among the 55 to 64 age group. g

Doctors discuss coronavirus vaccine...

PAGE 1 two doses one month apart.

Pfizer’s vaccine for 6-montholds to 4-year-olds is about one-tenth of the adult version’s strength takes three shots; the second shot is administered 21 days after the first, and the third is given 60 days after the second, according to the company.

As of press time, vaccinations for this age group have already begun across the country. As was the case with all prior vaccinations, every age-eligible child — regardless of immigration or insurance status — may receive their shots, is permitted to receive their free-of-cost shots.

California, which has been a leader in vaccinations since they were publicly made available, has 400,000 doses to distribute to this age group currently, but the state recently purchased more to cater to the 2.2 million children in this age bracket.

Parents and families who are still skeptical over the vaccine’s safety, particularly with younger children, may want to consider the alternative to not getting the vaccine, said Dr. Lucia Abascal of the California Dept. of Public Health.

“The decision to not vaccinate is the decision to get the COVID virus,” Abscal said in a press

conference on Thursday, June 23.

She added that although “[t] here’s no predicting how severe that will be,” if you take “a chance that it will be mild, just know that one in five children [hospitalized for COVID] end up in the intensive care unit.”

According to the latest metrics, COVID is the fifth-leading cause of death among children between the ages of 1 and 4 years old, and it is the fourth-leading cause for infants younger than 1 year old.

Even though prior COVID infections provides some immunity for the future, Abascal said that immunity is less than that which is provided by vaccines.

“There’s this idea that the omicron variant is milder, but within this age group, when the omicron variant started surging, there were record hospitalizations,” Abascal added.

“That misconception that kids are safe, that nothing happens to kids, is wrong. We have more and more evidence that kids are at an acute risk [and] can suffer consequences, such as multiinflammatory syndrome or long COVID.” Pharmacies are prohibited from administering vaccines to anyone younger than 3 years old, per federal law, but parents and guardians can visit https://myturn.

ca.gov/ to find a clinic accepting infants and toddlers if they don’t have a primary care doctor.

“This vaccine is going to be the most heavily studied vaccine in history,” noted Dr. Jennifer Miller of East Bay Pediatrics. “They’ve been properly tested and vetted.

The production didn’t cut any corners.”

Miller added that the vaccine adds extra protection as children are slowly gaining back their freedom to socialize and participate in school and community activities.

Parents may be fearful of the vaccine side effects, but Miller warned that the physical side effects from the COVID vaccine are nothing compared to actually contracting COVID.” She said, “I try to remind [parents] t hat we’re all in this together. Getting our children vaccinated helps us all and improves the health of our community.”

According to the latest data provided by the California Dept. of Public Health, about 36% of all 5 to 11-year-olds — who were given the OK to get the Covid vaccine in November 2021 — have been vaccinated so far. Across all age groups, nearly 79% of all eligible Californians have received at least one dose of the vaccine. g

FRIENDSHIP. Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan and Vice President Sara Duterte do an elbow bump during a courtesy call at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza on Wednesday, June 29. The two officials hailed the long-standing friendship and the fruitful result of the multi-faceted cooperation between the Philippines and China and vowed to explore opportunities to expand cooperation in fields of mutual interest, including education.

PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

Gov. Sisolak signs executive order expanding...

PAGE 1 services relating to pregnancy, contraception and abortion, according to the Governor’s Office.

Under the Executive Order, if services provided are legal in Nevada: • No Information or Assistance to Other States: No executive department agency or employee may provide any information or use time, money or other resources to assist another state that seeks to impose civil or criminal liability upon a person for receiving, assisting or providing reproductive health care services.

• Health Care Professional Protection: Health care and other licensed professionals in Nevada

must be protected by State Boards and Commissions that oversee these professionals and should not be disqualified or disciplined in Nevada based ondiscipline threatened or imposed under the laws of another State for services related to reproductive health care.

• No Extradition: The Office of the Governor will decline any request received from another state to issue a warrant for the arrest or surrender of any person charged with a criminal violation of a law of that other State if the violation alleged involves reproductive health care services.

The right to abortion is codified

by Nevada law. Nevada Revised Statute section 442.250 protects

the right to abortion until 24 weeks and after 24 weeks if the pregnant person’s health is at risk and that law cannot be repealed without a direct vote by the people. In 2019, Sisolak signed Senate Bill 179, the Trust Nevada Women Act, which decriminalized medicated abortions and removed antiquated informed consent laws and other barriers to accessing reproductive health care. Sisolak also signed Senate Bill 94 into law which allocated $6 million for statewide family planning services grants to fund health care services like contraception, maternal care, cancer screenings and STI prevention. g

Steven Raga wins primary election for New York...

PAGE 1

last April that he won’t be running for reelection, Raga was thrust into the position when he was selected by a committee to determine who would replace Barnwell on the ballot.

“I am proud of the campaign that Steven and his team ran in about three short months, and we are witnessing a historic event happening now in New York, in Queens,” said Rep. Grace Meng, who thanked Raga’s campaign volunteers for their “hard work, and hitting the pavement every single day.”

Raga amassed a slew of endorsements from elected officials and community and civic leaders such as Congresswoman Meng, Congressman Gregory Meeks, State Sen. John Liu and Assemblymembers Ron Kim and Catalina Cruz.

Assembly District 30 has undergone significant change due to redistricting. It currently covers the neighborhoods of Woodside,

Maspeth, Elmhurst, along with parts of Jackson Heights. The district is one of the most diverse in the state and is majority AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders).

Meng described Raga as the perfect candidate for the position, having served as the chief of staff for four years, has run nonprofit organizations, and worked tirelessly in the district during the pandemic.

Raga was optimistic that his team’s hard work was going to pay off. At a fundraising dinner held at the residence of community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis last week, he said he was looking forward to proudly wearing a Barong Tagalog on the floors of the New York State Assembly if he gets elected.

“I guarantee that with this support, with this level of excitement and enthusiasm and all of the volunteers coming every day, and crowds and events like this,” he said. “In less than seven

Steven Raga, who won the primary election for the New York State Assembly District 30 seat on Tuesday, June 28, speaks before his supporters and volunteers in Queens.

days, we will make history.”

On Tuesday night, Raga’s words came true and he made history, garnering more than 70 percent of the vote cast. (Momar G. Visaya/AJPress)

Philippine SEC has upheld order to...

PAGE 1 and RHC have been squarely and adequately addressed by the SEC and the CA in their respective decisions, resolutions and orders, including the latest issuance from the Commission,” corporate regulators said in a statement.

‘Business as usual’ The case stemmed from the SEC’s order to cancel the certificate of incorporation of the online news site’s operator and Omidyar Network’s PDR — a financial instrument that gives foreign investors passive economic interest in a Philippine company — in January 2018.

The regulatory body held that

the company allegedly violated the constitutional and statutory Foreign Equity Restriction in Mass Media.

Rappler appealed the SEC ruling before the Court of Appeals, which ordered the regulatory body to look into the effects of Omidyar’s donation.

Omidyar is a “philanthropic investment firm” founded by French-born Iranian-American billionaire Pierre Omidyar.

But, according to their lawyer Francis Lim’s update in November 2021, the SEC “submitted a report to the Court of Appeals saying it [donation] has no effect without giving us the opportunity to comment

on the effect.” The report was without comment from Rappler.

Lim said they also filed an appeal before the SEC panel on its report.

“It depends on how the [CA] views the SEC decision upholding the revocation, whether it’s already final and therefore cannot be revisited by the same division of the Court of Appeals,” Lim said then.

Ressa, however, said it will be “business as usual at Rappler since in our view, this is not immediately executory without court approval.”

Rappler continues to operate the news site as of this story’s posting. g

Tzeitel Paras-Caracci, Fil-Am mayor pro tem...

PAGE 1 of the Council and City Staff, we express our condolences to her family and offer our full support in this time of need.”

Paras-Caracci also served on the National League of Cities Board of Directors and the League of California Cities Board. She was most recently the president of Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO). She was also a Director for the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, a Governing Board Member of Foothill Transit, and a board member of the Duarte Community Coordinating Council.

Named after the eldest daughter from the Broadway musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” ParasCaracci was born in Quezon City, Philippines on August 8, 1972.

Her family migrated to Los Angeles in 1975 and settled in Duarte in 1985. She graduated from Duarte High School in 1989 and went on to graduate from Woodbury University in Burbank, before returning home to the city that she loved. In 2003, she and her husband K.C. purchased a home in Duarte, shortly after being married in Duarte’s Royal Oaks Park, according to the obituary on the city’s site.

Duarte Mayor Pro Tem Tzeitel Paras-Caracci (1972-2022)

Paras-Caracci leaves behind a legacy of passion and commitment for the city she loved and led the way for fellow Filipino Americans serving in local public office.

Filipino American local elected officials from Southern California issued a joint statement honoring Paras-Caracci as a “great trailblazer and community leader.”

“She served as an inspiration to her city and the Filipino American community. Her enthusiastic desire to serve others was inspirational to all of us. We will miss her as our fellow kababayan, but her legacy will live on. Our deepest condolences to the

Paras-Caracci family and the City of Duarte,” the group said, represented by current Fil-Am officials Artesia Mayor Melissa Ramoso, Lakewood Vice Mayor Ariel Pe, Bellflower Mayor Pro Tem Sonny Santa Ines, Sierra Madre Councilmember Rachelle Arizmendi, Cerritos Councilmember Frank Aurelio Yokoyama, West Covina Councilmember Letty LopezViado, Carson Councilmember Arleen Bocatija Rojas, South Pasadena Councilmember Evelyn Zneimer and Cerritos Councilmember Lynda Johnson.

Retired officials, such as Mark Pulido, Dr. Victor Manalo, Thomas Small and Marissa Castro-Salvati, also signed the statement.

Paras-Caracci is survived by her parents, Lino and Russel Paras, her husband, K.C. Caracci, stepdaughter Dr. Blake Caracci, and their son, Jack Russell, her brothers Bertrand and John Paul George and their wives.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking those that wish to honor Paras-Caracci to donate to the City of Hope at cityofhope.org/ giving/give-honor-or-memory.

A memorial service is slated to be announced at a later date.

(AJPress)

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 30 - JULY 6, 2022

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Fil-Am-led nonprofit seeks to reduce 5 things to know now that the US Supreme gun violence, turn firearms into art Court has overturned Roe v. Wade ruling

by Donnabelle

AJPress

arevalo

WITH hundreds of deaths by guns in America every single day, California-based nonprofit the Robby Poblete Foundation (RPF) is seeing the need to continuously expand its reach to other states, especially where gun-related violence is prevalent.

In 2017, RPF was created by Filipina American Pati Navalta in honor of her son 23-year-old Robby Poblete who was killed by gun violence in Vallejo, California on September 21, 2014.

Robby was learning to weld at a biotech company at the time of his death.

Navalta, in an interview with the Asian Journal, said for the past years since the inception of the RPF, they have been actively pursuing initiatives based on their three programs: Gun Buyback; The Art of Peace; and Vocational Skills. She said the COVID-19 pandemic had somewhat put their activities on the sideline but they are slowly trying to pick up the pace.

The RPF founder and executive director said they have recently partnered with local government officials of Richmond, Virginia to hold the city’s first-ever gun buyback initiative.

“Just recently, we have received a call from the mayor’s office in Richmond, Virginia which we were surprised because they said they want to hold their very first gun buyback in the city’s history and they really liked the fact that we work with law enforcement agencies and turn the guns into art,” Navalta said.

Aside from Richmond, Virginia, RPF’s programs have been adopted and implemented in Vallejo, Oakland, Solano, Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco counties in California, as well as in Augusta, Georgia.

Through these numerous gun buybacks, the foundation has succeeded in getting nearly 2,000 firearms out of circulation — many of which were assault weapons.

“In this gun buyback program, we have been partnering with different law enforcement agencies. We have gun buyback so people who no longer want will have a safe place to surrender their weapon and in exchange, we give them gift cards. What’s different about what we do is that

by victoria

The Robby Poblete Foundation's Art of Peace program uses materials from guns collected from the gun buyback program, along with confiscated firearms from throughout the state by law enforcement agencies, to transform weapons of destruction into instruments of hope through art.

Photo courtesy of Pati Navalta

after we get the gun, we have them dismantled, and then we put them in the hands of artists to turn them into sculptures (under the Art of Peace program),” she said, explaining how their programs work.

She said so far, about 30 pieces of art have been made from the firearms that they have accumulated through their gun buyback program and commissioned over 50 artists from different cities.

“Each of those exhibits (for Art of Peace) had been so powerful.

People crying, parents who have lost their children and have died from gun violence coming.

People who are even against what we stand for, coming and protested but were being drawn in by art that was created by it. I think that’s the difference between just talking about gun violence which becomes very political as opposed to creating art, to talk about it because if you just talk about gun violence, it is very political. But if you enter the conversation through art, it becomes very human. People are moved by what they see. People are touched and when you open the heart, then it starts to open the mind a little bit more,” she said.

The goal of the Art of Peace project, Navalta said, is “not only to forever transform these weapons into pieces of art but also to touch people so we could have an open and safe conversation about the impact of gun violence.”

Navalta, a former journalist, said they are eyeing to partner

with other cities like Los Angeles and Chicago to implement the RPF programs.

According to Navalta, the RPF is keeping at least one art piece from each city where the exhibit is being held. They also auction off some of the art pieces to make their programs sustainable. In San Francisco, the Warriors Community Foundation of the Golden State Warriors bought one of the art pieces as they have been very vocal in supporting anti-gun violence efforts. It was unveiled with the Warriors this past June.

“At the end of the exhibit, what we do is to auction each of the pieces and whatever money we make from that gun buyback goes to the next gun buyback. So this is a program that is meant to keep going. Whatever we get in terms of art goes straight back to the next gun buyback which produces the material for the next Art of Peace so it keeps going,” she said.

In the next couple of years, Navalta said they are considering holding a national exhibit to showcase all of the art pieces they have collected.

For the vocational program, on the other hand, Navalta said the RPF has given away more than $40,000 in vocational scholarships to members of the reentry and formerly unhoused populations and has seen a 100% success rate in job placement.

“There is this father and son who entered our vocational program, who are both homeless.

We put them to an apprentice PAGE 4

Knight anD rachana PraDhan anD Julie rovner

THE Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization dramatically and rapidly alters the landscape of abortion access in the U.S. The court on June 24 ruled 6-3 to uphold a Mississippi law that would ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, but also to overturn the nearly half-century precedent set in Roe v. Wade that guaranteed the constitutional right to an abortion. With the Dobbs decision, states have the ability to set their own restrictions, so where people live will determine their level of access to abortion.

The majority opinion, written

by Justice Samuel Alito, stated that “the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey [Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v.

Casey, 1992] are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives.”

Kaiser Health News

Almost immediately after the decision was released, protests and celebrations outside the court and across the country began — highlighting the patchwork of laws and restrictions that now will take effect. State officials from conservative states said they would move quickly to restrict abortion, while in other states, some officials pledged to keep the right to access.

Here are five key points that will affect access to abortion.

1. Where is abortion still legal?

The Supreme Court ruling means access to abortion will, very shortly, be highly uneven.

Sixteen states plus the District of Columbia have laws that protect the right to abortion. In two other states, courts have ruled that the state constitution establishes that right. Those states are concentrated on the East and West coasts.

On the other end of the spectrum, 13 states have “trigger” laws that would quickly ban nearly all abortions, and at least a half-dozen moved Friday to implement them, including Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and South Dakota. Four more have pre-Roe bans that would again be in effect. Three other states have laws on the books that will ban abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy.

Access to abortion is likely to evolve in other states, too.

Kansas and Montana, which are among the states where courts have ruled that the state constitution guarantees the right to abortion, could see rollbacks in those protections through a ballot measure in Kansas and a legal challenge by the Montana attorney general. In at least eight states, the right to abortion isn’t explicitly protected or prohibited by state law.

PAGE 4

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JUNE 30 - JULY 6, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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5 things to know now that the US Supreme... Fil-Am-led nonprofit seeks to reduce...

PAGE 3 And in Michigan, a 1931 state law bans nearly all abortions, but its enforcement was temporarily suspended by a May court decision. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, has said she will not enforce the law, but questions remain about whether that would also be the case for local prosecutors.

As was the case before the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe decision, people seeking abortion care will also be subject to a variety of restrictions even in states where the procedure is still legal. They include gestational limits outlining the maximum point in pregnancy that someone can obtain an abortion, requirements that patients receive counseling beforehand, waiting periods, and parental notification rules for minors.

2. What can the Biden administration do?

President Joe Biden has said his administration is looking into executive actions to counteract the impact of the ruling. In remarks after the decision, Biden said that it was a “sad day” and that, without Roe, “the health and life of women in this nation is now at risk.”

But in short, without a new law from Congress, he has limited options.

Supporters of abortion rights and Democratic lawmakers in Congress have pushed the administration to make it easier for women to obtain medication abortion, which is available up to 10 weeks of pregnancy and involves taking two pills, assessing whether services could be provided on federal property even in states that ban the procedure, and bolstering digital privacy to protect patients.

Medication abortion has become an increasingly large share of total abortions provided in the U.S. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights, the pills accounted for more than half of all abortions in 2020, the first year medication provided the majority.

Under the Biden administration, the FDA has already lifted one major restriction. Now, patients can receive mifepristone, the first drug used in the series, by mail. Mary Ziegler, a professor at the University of California-

Davis School of Law and an abortion legal historian, said that, even as conservative states move to curtail access to medication abortion, the Biden administration could argue that the FDA’s rules and guidelines on mifepristone preempt any state laws that criminalize that method. Attorney General Merrick Garland took this position in a statement he released shortly after the decision was announced: “The FDA has approved the use of the medication Mifepristone. States may not ban Mifepristone based on disagreement with the FDA’s expert judgment about its safety and efficacy.” Biden reinforced that message in his remarks.

In comments before the justices’ decision was announced, Zeigler said arguing this position is “the biggest thing they could do.” Still, the FDA approach is uncertain, both legally and because a future Republican administration could easily reverse any action that Biden officials take. “If it worked it wouldn’t be permanent, and it may not work,” she added.

The Biden administration could also expand the number of pharmacies that can dispense the medication.

3. Will people in states where abortion is illegal be able to access medication abortion?

For now, as a result of the Dobbs decision, states that ban abortions are likely to set limitations or bans on abortion pills as well. But some advocates note that people in those states still may be able to obtain abortion pills and perform a “self-managed” abortion at home, which carries some additional risk if the woman has a complication (though complications are very rare).

And abortion pills will still be accessible in states where abortion is allowed.

Before Roe was overturned, many states had already enacted restrictions on obtaining abortion pills, including prohibiting the pills from being sent through the mail and not allowing patients to be prescribed the medication via a telemedicine appointment. But people found workarounds — a practice that’s likely to continue.

These actions — such as traveling to neighboring states to secure the medication or having it sent to a friend’s house or a post office box in another location — could carry the risk of criminal charges, again depending on the

specifics of state laws.

There is also concern among abortion rights activists that the states that outlaw abortion could go even further and criminalize traveling to another state to get an abortion, though this is an untested legal frontier and likely would be tied up in courts.

In his remarks, Biden took a hard-line stance on this question, saying that nothing in the court’s decision prevents a woman who lives in a state that bans abortion from traveling to a state that allows it. Women “must remain free to travel safely to another state to seek the care they need,” he said, adding that his administration “will defend that bedrock right.” He also noted that doctors in the states that continue to allow abortions can provide abortions to women from other jurisdictions.

4. How will this affect doctors’ ability to provide care?

In many states that ban abortions, obstetricians, gynecologists, emergency room doctors, and any type of physician that takes care of pregnant people will likely be targeted by law and could face criminal charges if they provide abortion services.

This will have a severe effect on reproductive health care, Dr. Nikki Zite, an OBGYN in Knoxville, Tennessee, recently told KHN. Tennessee’s trigger law says abortions are permissible only to prevent a death or “to prevent serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman.”

“But exactly how much risk there needs to be is not clear,” Zite said. “Different physicians practicing at different institutions will have different interpretations of that law.”

There are also gray areas the law doesn’t address. In some very early pregnancies, the fertilized egg lodges outside the uterus — most commonly in a fallopian tube — a potentially life-threatening situation called an ectopic pregnancy. If that type of pregnancy proceeds, the woman can bleed to death.

Patients who have a miscarriage also sometimes need to take abortion medication or have dilation and curettage surgery — known as a D&C — to remove tissue that lingers inside the uterus.

“The challenge is that the PAGE 7

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job and they now both have their own apartment and have goodpaying jobs” she recalled, noting that there are about 30 to 40 who have been placed in jobs under RPF’s vocational program.

“My son, at the time he was killed, was learning to weld so what we thought we would do was to create career pathways for people who are most vulnerable, like people who are just getting out of prison or ex-offenders, people who are homeless, people who are recovering drug addict.

We help them find careers in the building trade. We pay for their boots, and their books and their tools and union dues to learn the trade. And we follow them all the way to job placements,” she said.

Recently, RPF also got a Reentry Through the Arts grant from the state-run California Arts Council (CAC) worth $45,000.

The grant will be implemented starting September this year and to be completed within one year. CAC supports local arts infrastructure and programming statewide through grants, programs and services.

“With that grant, we can work for the reentry population on our Art of Peace project. These are ex-offenders who are coming out. We are going to pair them with artists so they can create pieces of art with the dismantled gun together and if they like the work then we’re gonna put them in our vocational program so they could learn how to work with metal and then place them in jobs,” Navalta said.

With all these efforts being pushed forward, Navalta admitted there are still a lot of things that need to be done, particularly in terms of putting in place permanent long-term solutions to curb gun violence in the country.

“Unfortunately, you can drive to a lot of cities throughout the country and you can see signs for a gun buyback but at the same time, you also see signs for gun shows. So, for every gun we take off the street, there are hundreds put right back. Our work will never end. There’s no magic number that by the time, we take 10,000 guns off the street, the problem will be solved, it won’t be solved. There is a problem in America: guns. We are just a small nonprofit doing what little we can, but it would never be enough until there is true change in legislation,” she said.

Navalta is also urging U.S.

Pati Navalta, a longtime journalist, began The Robby Poblete Foundation in 2017, which pushes for a gun buyback program and turns the metal into art. The foundation was created following the death of her son Robby, who was killed by gun violence in the Bay Area.

Pati Navalta (middle) with her children Robby and Julie.

lawmakers to come up with concrete solutions that would take all these unwarranted firearms off the streets.

“It is our hope that this time, there would be some kind of resolution here. And I think, we have to be realistic...For me, the biggest thing is banning assault weapons, changing the age limit of people who can buy guns and being more rigorous on background checks. I’m sure there will be some kind of compromises made but we can not continue going on without something,” she said.

Recently, President Joe Biden signed a gun control bill — the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — after it was passed in both

Photos courtesy of Pati Navalta

the House and Senate.

Navalta also called on the Filipino American community to take an active part in this endeavor calling for more gun reform.

“Just to let the Filipino community know that there are Filipinos within the community who are trying to commit change in terms of gun violence...This is just a very personal story to me and...a lot of times in our community, we don’t want to talk about the tragedy that happened to us but if we could find a way to transform that tragedy into something that could help people, I think we should take that opportunity and that’s what I am doing with this,” she said. g

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Foreigners in PH warned against joining protest rallies THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has cautioned foreigners in the country against taking part in rallies and political demonstrations as President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. formally assumes office.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente issued the warning on Thursday, June 30 as groups critical of the new administration held rallies in Plaza Miranda, while Marcos supporters were at Liwasang

Bonifacio.

"Foreigners should steer clear from political engagements so as to avoid being charged with violating immigration laws here in the country," said Morente.

Morente cited the cases of Sister Patricia Fox, an Australian missionary, and Dutch lay missionary Otto Rudolf De Vries, who were both deported for their alleged involvement in political rallies during their stay in the Philippines.

The BI did not only cancel the visas of Fox and De Vries but also blacklisted them.

"Foreigners who were caught joining political demonstrations in the past have shown disrespect to our country's authorities," added Morente.

"Foreigners are prohibited from engaging in partisan political activities. Those who will be caught will be deported and blacklisted," he warned.

(ManilaTimes.net)

In the face of another Marcos, youth take up torch from Martial Law activists

by Xave

GreGorio Philstar.com

MANILA — As the country falls to the leadership of another President Marcos, activists from the days of the elder Marcos' brutal Martial Law passed the torch to the youth, counting on them to continue the battle they have long waged against the abuses and excesses of the 1970s to 1980s.

More than 31 million voters elected President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the highest seat in government in May, signaling an end to the chapter of PostPeople Power Philippines.

"Our generation who fought the Marcos dictatorship 50 years ago is dwindling. A lot of us are passing on. That's why there needs to be continuity," Martial Law survivor Bonifacio Ilagan told reporters in Filipino at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, a memorial site in Quezon City for victims of Marcos Sr.’s martial rule.

Martial Law victims and survivors and youth representatives took oaths to guard against disinformation and the trampling of people's rights ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s own oath-taking at Thursday noon.

Responding to the victims and survivors' oath, the youth in attendance agreed to continue the campaign to narrate the atrocities that happened under

Marcos Sr. from 1972 to 1986, when he had powers as a dictator.

"We deeply understand that what we’ll do is for our own generation and for our fellow Filipinos of future generations.

We will never forget the violations of human rights and the plunder of the country’s coffers which was the brand of Marcos’ rule," youth said in Filipino in their oath.

Disinformation battle Victims and survivors of Martial Law began their oath with a narration of facts that are now being put to under question, largely due to disinformation surrounding the Marcos family on social media.

"What is being called the 'golden years' of the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. are actually the darkest years in the recent history of the Philippines," they said. "Because we fought against the dictatorship, more than 70,000 Filipinos, including us, were jailed, tortured, and some of us even just disappeared and were never found."

Ilagan said young people can lead the charge against disinformation online as they are experts in social media and communication.

"The youth have the ability and expertise here. That's why I think our movement is strong in this regard for our fight to continue. On the part of the old

people, we want to offer them our insight, our experience and the lessons we learned in our lengthy battle," he said.

Activists arrested But the passing of the torch to younger activists is off to a bad start, with three youth leaders reportedly getting arrested after they attempted to hang a banner on a footbridge near the Commission on Human Rights along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.

Nagkaisa Labor Coalition reported shortly after the program at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani closed that Akbayan Youth’s RJ Naguit and Sentro Youth’s Benjamin Alvero and Jane Labongray were nabbed by police who supposedly "charged" at them and "violently arrested and dragged" the three to police vehicles.

"Throughout the incident the officers refused to explain why the arrest was being made and were very rough with the detained," Nagkaisa said.

"This is unacceptable in a democratic society. We condemn this reprehensible act.

It seems this new government is afraid of its own shadow on the eve of its first day of governance."

Akbayan said in an update later in the day that the three youth leaders have been released without any charges after a dialogue with police.g

NEW PRESIDENT. Employees wave national flags to welcome the arrival of the convoy of newly-sworn in President Ferdinand Romualdez “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at the Malacañan Palace on Thursday, June 30. Marcos took his oath of office as the country’s 17th President before Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo at the National Museum of the Philippines in Manila.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Pope Francis sends good wishes to BBM POPE Francis extended his congratulations to Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for his upcoming inauguration as the 17th President of the Philippines.

"I send my congratulations and cordial wishes to your excellency as you begin your mandate as

the president of the republic," Pope Francis said in his message shared by the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Charles Brown.

The pope said he is praying for Marcos as he takes over the mantle of leadership of more than

100 million Filipinos.

"In assuring you of my prayers that you will be sustained in wisdom and strength, I invoke the Almighty God's blessings of peace and prosperity upon the nation," the pope added. (ManilaTimes. net)

11 percent said they expect him to perform "neither poorly nor well," and 7 percent said they were unsure.

In the survey held from June 16 to 22, 2022 among 1,500 registered Filipino voters randomly sampled

by US-based panel marketplace PureSpectrum, respondents were also asked to select the three most important issues they believe the incoming administration should focus on. These are the economy (73 percent), job generation (53 percent) and education reform (32 percent).

Sinsuat said that although these could not be completely addressed over the course of 100 days, the public expects these issues to be prioritized by the incoming president and his team during their first few months in office.

He also noted that the continuation of landmark programs of the outgoing administration of President Rodrigo Duterte earned the majority support from

respondents.

These were the Build, Build, Build (79 percent), war on illegal drugs (73 percent), independent foreign policy (68 percent), BARMM transition (64 percent), and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) (56 percent).

Sinsuat said that Duterte's popularity could have made a significant effect on respondents' support for the continuation of his administration's programs.

"While the level of policy continuity between the outgoing and incoming administrations remains to be seen, it is reasonable to believe that public opinion on the Marcos Jr. administration will be influenced, at least in part, by its ability to continue and improve upon at least some of the Duterte administration's more popular flagship programs," Sinsuat said.

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

Most Filipinos expect Marcos to perform well

by Kaithreen

Cruz ManilaTimes.net

A MAJORITY of Filipinos expect President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to perform well or very well in his first 100 days in office, the Pahayag Second Quarter survey of PUBLiCUS showed.

It said that 44 percent expect him to perform "very well," and 24 percent said that they expect him to perform "well."

"Our survey suggests that roughly two out of three Filipinos expect President Bongbong Marcos to perform well during the first 100 days of his presidency.

President Marcos Jr. will have to hit the ground running from Day 1 to live up to these high expectations," PUBLiCUS Executive Director Aureli Sinsuat said.

Meanwhile, 9 percent of the respondents expect Marcos to perform "very poorly," 5 percent expect him to perform "poorly,"

6

JUNE 30 - JULY 6, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

OPINION

Stressed out

FEATURES

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JOB-related stress is common worldwide, and many countries have reported elevated stress levels among workers during the COVID pandemic. There is additional cause for worry in the Philippines, however, as an international survey showed that in Southeast Asia, Filipinos are the most stressed at work.

The 2022 State of the Global Workplace Report prepared by analytics firm Gallup showed stress among workers worldwide hitting another record high last year compared to the start of the pandemic in 2021. While worry, sadness and anger among workers declined last year from their all-time high in 2020, the global levels remained higher than before the pandemic.

Stress among Filipino workers is down by three points, but the 50 percent in the 2022 survey is higher than the global average, and the highest within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Thailand followed the Philippines with 41 percent of workers reporting stress. The figure was 38 percent in Cambodia, 37 percent in Myanmar, 35 in Vietnam, 34 in Singapore, 32 in Laos, 27 in Malaysia and 20 percent in Indonesia.

The Gallup Work Poll was conducted from 2021 to early 2022. Reacting to the report, organized labor said low wages and contractual work were the top causes of stress among Filipino workers. The Federation of Free Workers said the stress builds up as the six-month deadline for automatic regularization approaches.

While pandemic restrictions have been relaxed in the Philippines, workers still face the risk of catching COVID and infecting other members of the household.

Workers must also contend anew with pre-pandemic causes of stress, such as long hours stuck in traffic. The continuing fuel price surge, which is keeping many public utility vehicles off the streets, has also made commuting a nightmare.

Worldwide, healthcare workers have been among the most stressed in the past two years.

Decades before the pandemic, the World Health Organization was already urging governments, educators and other professionals as well as civic groups to implement measures to prevent mental, neurological and psychosocial disorders among HCWs. The Philippines has passed Republic Act 11036, the Mental Health Act, with the implementing rules and regulations released in January 2019.

The 2022 Global Workplace Report highlights the importance of fully implementing the law.

Reducing stress in the workplace enhances productivity and is critical in post-pandemic economic recovery. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Facts and fantasies on Marcos’ estate tax

With Due Respect ARTEMIO V. PANGANIBAN INCOMING Commissioner Lilia Guillermo of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) was put on the spot by TV journalists with hard questions on what she intended to do with the much-ballyhooed tax liability of the estate of former president Ferdinand E. Marcos that has allegedly ballooned to over P203 billion from the P23 billion originally assessed by the BIR. AT THE START, THE LADY ANSWERED PRUDENTLY that she needed to see the “correct data” first before giving a definitive commitment.

When pressed further on what she would tell Presidentelect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos II (BBM), given that the Supreme Court decision on the matter had become final and executory, she replied she would respectfully ask him, “P’wede ba maging role

Commonsense

MARICHU VILLANUEVA TAKING the bull by the horn idiomatically speaking could best describe how to address the labyrinthine problems besetting Philippine agriculture. Cattle raising, by the way, is a subsector of the livestock industry in our country’s agriculture. Levity aside, incoming President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) has obviously already braced self when he assumes in concurrent capacity as the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) effective this June 30.

It is on the same day that President Rodrigo Duterte steps down from office to give way to his duly elected successor at Malacañang Palace. In his press conference last week, PBBM announced he would fill in the Agriculture portfolio initially from day one of his administration.

PBBM, however, did not fix a timetable for how long he will stay on as President-cumAgriculture Secretary.

Before his administration could even begin, however, rabid critics already questioned

model kayo?” (Can you be a role model?) This reply was bandied by the broadsheets on June 23 and went viral on social media.

Since then, a lot of facts and fantasies have been written and aired about the matter.

But what are the “correct data” that are known, or publicly knowable, by accessing the e-library of the Supreme Court and reading the relevant Court of Appeals (CA) decision? Here are some undisputed facts therefrom: On Sept. 29, 1989, former president Marcos died in Honolulu, Hawaii, US. On June 27, 1990, the BIR created a “Special Tax Audit Team … to conduct investigations … of the tax liabilities … of the late president, as well as that of his family, associates and ‘cronies.’”

The investigation disclosed that the Marcoses failed to file a written notice of his death, an estate tax return (ETR), and income tax returns (ITRs) for 1982-1986 “all in violation of

the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC).” Thus, the BIR “caused the preparation and filing” of the ETR, the ITR “of the spouses Marcos for the years 1985 to 1986,” and the ITR of BBM for 1982-1985.

On July 26, 1991, the BIR issued a deficiency estate tax assessment of over P23 billion; deficiency income tax assessments against the spouses Marcos of P149,000 and P184,000 for the years 1985 and 1986 respectively; and deficiency income tax assessment against BBM of P258.70, P9,386.40, P4,388.30, and P6,376.60 for 1982-1985. Copies of these assessments were sent to their “last known addresses” in San Juan City in 1991; thereafter in 1992, at the office of BBM at the House of Representatives; and finally, a copy to the then lawyer of the estate, the late Dean Antonio Coronel, “inviting Mrs. [Imelda] Marcos to a conference … but to no avail.”

The deficiency tax assessments were not

administratively protested within 30 days from their service as provided by the NIRC. On various dates in 1993, the BIR issued several notices of levy on the real estate properties of the Marcoses to satisfy the estate and income tax assessments. Copies of these notices were furnished Mrs. Marcos, BBM, and their “counsel of record … De Borja, Medialdea, Ata, Bello, Guevarra, and Serapio Law Office.”

A public auction of some levied properties “took place on July 5, 1993. There being no bidder, the lots were declared forfeited in favor of the government.”

Petitioner BBM filed suit in the CA on June 25, 1993, contesting the above BIR actions. Failing to obtain relief in the CA, BBM, as administrator of his father’s estate, and Mrs. Marcos elevated the suit to the Supreme Court.

IN MARCOS II V. COURT OF APPEALS (June 5, 1997), the highest court dismissed the

appeal holding thus: “Apart from failing to file the required [ETR] within the time required … petitioner and the other heirs never questioned the assessments served upon them, allowing the same to lapse into finality, and prompting the BIR to collect the said taxes by levying upon the properties left by President Marcos … [A] ssessments [of the BIR] are presumed correct and made in good faith. The taxpayer has the duty of proving otherwise … The course of action taken by petitioner reflects his disregard or even repugnance of the established institutions for governance in the scheme of a well-ordered society.”

This decision, rendered 25 years ago by the Court’s Second Division, was penned

by Justice Justo P. Torres Jr. and concurred in unanimously

by Justices Florenz D. Regalado (Division chair), Flerida Ruth P. Romero, Reynato S. Puno, and Vicente V. Mendoza.

Significantly, the petitioner was named “Ferdinand R. Marcos II”—not Ferdinand R.

Marcos Jr.—in the title of the decision and, consistently, in its textual content.

FROM THESE FACTS, THESE QUESTIONS MAY BE ASKED: How much has the BIR collected from the levy and auction sale of the Marcos properties? How much remains to be collected? How was the P23 billion computed? How did it balloon to P203 billion?

Apart from those already levied and sold at public auction, what other properties does the Marcos estate have to satisfy the original assessment and balloon? What actions, if any, will the BIR undertake to collect these? Is it open to a compromise on the balloon and on the original assessment?

Let’s await BIR’s answers.

(Inquirer.net) *** 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.

*** Comments to chiefjusticepanganiban@ hotmail.com

President-cum-Agri chief executive via social media PBBM’s motives in taking over the DA post. In particular, fears were foisted on how the P75billion coco levy fund would be handled by the incoming President-cum-Agriculture Secretary. They based their suspicions to the fact that the Agriculture Secretary sits as ex officio chairman of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), an agency attached to the DA. Had they read first Republic Act (RA) 115421, or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund (CFITF) Act signed into law by President Duterte in February 2019, they would find their suspicions were unfounded. For sure, PBBM would know by now from his eldest sister—Senator Imee Marcos, one of the coauthors of RA 115421. This law mandated an inter-agency body to oversee the coco levy trust funds generated from taxes collected from coconut farmers decades ago.

Section 10 of this law created the Trust Fund Management Committee composed of the Department of Finance (DOF); the Department of Budget and Management (DBM); and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

It was tasked in setting the investment strategy of the CFITF. Section 11 of the same law designated the DOF as the trust fund manager. Both the DA and the PCA were not even included.

This law mandated that the use of the trust fund will be based on a coconut industry development plan (CFIDP) prepared by the PCA in consultation with coconut farmers and their organizations, industry associations, civil society groups and government agencies. It was only last June 9 when President Duterte issued Executive Order (EO) 172 to implement the CFIDP. Thus, these previously sequestered coco levy funds would follow the RA 11542 timetable mandating the release of these trust funds in tranches from the Treasury Bureau: P10 billion in the first year; P10 billion in the second year; P15 billion in the third year; P15 billion in the fourth year; and P25 billion in the fifth year. The trust fund will be maintained for 50 years.

Incidentally, the PCA was previously among the attached agencies that were carved out of the DA by the late president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III,

or PNoy for short. The PCA, along with National Food Authority (NFA); the National Irrigation Authority (NIA); the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) were all transferred to the new office created for PNoy’s political ally—Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan—in May 2014. Pangilinan, who was then at the end of his second term at the Senate, was appointed as Presidential Adviser on Food Security and Agriculture Modernization (PAFSAM).

When President Duterte took over the helm of government in June 2016, all these agencies, except FTI, were restored one after the other back to the DA. Outgoing DA Secretary William Dar disclosed during our Kapihan sa Manila Bay virtual news forum last Wednesday that the NIA was transferred back to the DA just two months ago.

President Duterte appointed Dar to his Cabinet in August 2019. Taking over the helm of the DA in the second half of the Duterte administration, Dar groused about a lot of “political accommodations” during the last three years he had to deal within the DA bureaucracy he inherited. Dar further grumbled the DA has become

the punching bag over the controversial Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).

Offhand, Dar admitted some sums of the annual P10 billion of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) were diverted as “ayuda” pay out to farmers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The RTL mandated that the annual tariff revenues from rice imports in excess of P10 billion shall be distributed as cash assistance to small rice farmers tilling two hectares of land and below until 2024.

Dar reminded lawmakers that RA 11598, or the RTL, was signed into law on Feb.14, 2019 replacing the rice import quantitative restrictions with tariffs in a six-year period.

The same law provided for a congressional review of the RTL by the middle of its implementing period.

The timing of this review, he noted, falls in the laps of the incoming 19th Congress.

Meanwhile, Dar called out the attention of local government units (LGUs), which by operations of the Local Government Code among other things devolved as many as 17,000 DA personnel as agricultural extension officers

down to the LGUs. Moreover, Dar pointed out, it also authorized LGUs to procure their own rice buffer stock.

Starting this year, he noted, the LGUs will have so much funds in their hands with the implementation of the 2018 “Mandanas ruling” of the Supreme Court (SC) on the internal revenue allotments (IRA). The IRAs of the LGUs will increase by as much as P959 billion this year and much more when fully implemented by 2024.

“It’s common sense for LGUs lacking rice to do their own buffer stocking and invest some of their IRAs for 60-day buffer stock,” Dar pointed out.

Having served for three terms as Ilocos Norte Governor and once as Senator, common sense is the least of worries for PBBM. The President-cumAgriculture Secretary chief executive could whip the LGUs to the directions he wants to lead the country within the next six years of his administration.

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

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7

Despite difficulties under Duterte, Robredo says no regrets

by Pia Lee

Brago Philstar.com

PH-JAPAN TIES. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. (left) and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa (right) pose for a photo during their meeting at the Department of Foreign Affairs building on Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City on Wednesday, June 29. Hayashi is the Special Envoy of the Japanese government for the inauguration of President-elect Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on June 30.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

5 things to know now that the US Supreme...

PAGE 4

treatment for an abortion and the treatment for a miscarriage are exactly the same,” Dr. Sarah Prager recently told KHN. Prager is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington in Seattle and an expert on early pregnancy loss.

Doctors may hesitate to perform D&Cs to treat miscarriages for fear someone will accuse them of performing a covert abortion.

“Physicians shouldn’t be fearful for being criminalized for taking care of patients,” said Zite. “I think there’s going to be a myriad of unintended consequences. I think that people will lose their lives. I also think there will be people in horrible situations, like those that strongly desire to be pregnant but have a complication of the pregnancy, that will not be able to make decisions on how that pregnancy ends, and that will be a different kind of devastation.”

5. Could this ruling affect more than just abortion?

Absolutely, according to reproductive health experts.

Depending on what is determined to be an “abortion,” states could end up criminalizing — on purpose or by accident — in vitro fertilization and certain forms of birth control, and limiting the training and availability of doctors and other health care providers.

At stake is what is determined

to be an abortion. Medically, abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy, by natural means — spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage — or by human intervention with medication or an invasive procedure. But when does a pregnancy begin?

Doctors say pregnancy begins when a fertilized egg implants in a woman’s uterus. But many anti-abortion activists say it begins when a sperm and egg unite to form a zygote, which can happen several days earlier. That earlier time frame would mean that anything that interferes with the implantation of that fertilized egg, such as an IUD (intrauterine device), a common form of birth control, could be defined as an abortion.

Similarly, in vitro fertilization, which involves removing a woman’s eggs, fertilizing them, and then implanting them back into the woman, could also be construed to involve abortion unless every fertilized egg was implanted.

An opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas that concurred with the decision to overturn Roe raised other questions. He suggested that the court could use the same arguments in the Dobbs case to overturn other key rulings, including those that established the rights to birth control and same-sex marriage. It was not clear that the other justices agreed, and Justice Alito, who wrote the main opinion, said

he did not believe the abortion decision affected other issues.

The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians & Gynecologists applauded the decision, terming it “momentous.” But others worry that the ruling could have a negative impact on women’s access to care in places that have or enact strict abortion laws.

Specifically, doctors and other health professionals may not want to train or practice in areas where they could be prosecuted for delivering medical care.

And this is not just theoretical.

In Texas, where abortion after six weeks’ gestation has been effectively banned since September, according to a report in The New England Journal of Medicine, the law “has taken a toll on clinicians’ mental health; some physicians report feeling like ‘worse doctors,’ and some are leaving the state. As a result, clinicians worry that pregnant Texans are being left without options for care and without doctors capable of providing it.” g KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

SOUTHERN NEVADA REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY Procurement Dept.

340 N. 11TH Street, Las Vegas, NV 89101 PUBLIC NOTICE EFFECTIVE JUNE 21, 2022 AND UNTIL SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority (SNRHA) provides subsidized housing for low-income persons who meet both the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) and SNRHA’s admission criteria. On-line entries as well as written applications will be accepted June 21, 2022 (beginning at 7:00 a.m.) through Tuesday September 20, 2022 (ending at 5:00 p.m.).

TO PARTICIPATE YOU MUST BE: • 18 years of age or older or legally emancipated: and • A U.S. citizen or eligible immigrant and have legal capacity to enter into a lease under applicable HUD, State and local law.

Please Note: Applications can be submitted on-line (through the internet) by using ANY computer or smart phone that has Internet access by going to SNRHA website https://onlineportal.snvrha.org 1. You must have an email address to apply online.

2. SNRHA will deny any applicants or any member of applicants household who is subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender registration program OR has been convicted of manufacturing or producing methamphetamine in a public housing development or in a Section 8 assisted property.

3. Criminal background checks will be conducted on all persons age 18 years and older.

4.Participants will be required to enter the Social Security Number of the Head of Household and Co-Head/Spouse.

5. Please print the Confirmation Page for your records.

6. Report any changes online. Include name, social security number and correct address.

The wait list will be open and we will accept applications for the following programs: MARION BENNETT PLAZA (PBV-RAD) – 1 and 2 Bedrooms BIEGGER ESTATES (PBV-RAD/Las Vegas) –2, 3 and 4 Bedrooms ESPINOZA TERRACE (PBV-RAD/Henderson) –1 and 2 Bedrooms, Head, Spouse or Co-tenant must be 55 years or older at the time of application.

ROSE GARDENS (PBV-RAD/North Las Vegas) –1 and 2 Bedrooms, Head, Spouse or Co-tenant must be 55 years or older at the time of application.

LUBERTHA JOHNSON ESTATES (PBV-RAD) – 1 and 2 Bedrooms, Head, Spouse or Co-tenant must be 55 years or older at the time of application.

DESIGNATED SENIOR (James Down, Sartini Plaza and Levy Gardens) 1 and 2 Bedrooms, Head, Spouse or Co-tenant must be 55 years or older at the time of application.

CORONADO DRIVE (PBV/Henderson) –1 and 2 Bedrooms, Head, Spouse or Co-tenant must be 55 years or older at the time of application.

CONVENTIONAL PUBLIC HOUSING-1, 2, 3 and 4 Bedrooms.

LANDSMAN GARDENS (PBV-RAD/Henderson) –2, 3, 4 and 5 Bedrooms.

JUAN GARCIA (PBV-Las Vegas) – 2, 3 and 4 Bedrooms.

ARCHIE GRANT PARK (PBV-RAD/Las Vegas) –1 & 2 Bedrooms VERA JOHNSON MANOR B (PBV-RAD/Las Vegas) –2 and 3 Bedrooms.

VERA JOHNSON MANOR A (Mixed Finance/Las Vegas) –3 Bedrooms.

Applicants meeting the following criteria will be assigned preference points. SNRHA must receive verification of all preferences. Preference points will impact your placement on the waiting list.

The following is a list of possible preference points: • Applicants who work 20 or more hours per week • Full-time students (Age 18 and older in an accredited school or training program • Receiving SSI/SSD or proof of inability to work • 62 years of age or older • Families that live or work within Clark County • Veteran or Spouse of a Veteran • Disabled Veteran (disability must be service connected) • Spouse of a Deceased Veteran (death must be service connected) **Please note that you are applying for the waitlist, SNRHA does not have immediate or emergency housing** **Applications submitted in writing must be date stamped and, in our office, no later than September 20, 2022 by 5:00 p.m.** Written applications are accepted Monday through Thursday, 7:00am to 6:00pm (except holidays) at SNRHA’s Admissions Department located at 5390 East Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, Nevada 89122. Disabled and out-of-state applicants may call (702) 477-3100 and request an application be mailed. Applicants may also log into our website at: www.SNVRHA.org to print an application and return it by mail or bring it into our office. For additional information, please call (702) 477-3100 or our hearing-impaired number (TDD) at (702) 387-1898. Please ensure all questions are answered to prevent your application from being returned. If you require future communication in a format other than English, please advise staff as soon as possible.

The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority is an Equal Housing Opportunity provider.

The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority (SNRHA) does not discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, or familial status.

MANILA — Despite the difficulties she went through due to her political differences with President Duterte, Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday, June 28 said she has no regrets.

During the final episode of her weekly radio program “BISErbisyong Leni” on dzXL, Robredo said the hardships and not being allies of the President motivated her and her team “to look for ways and become better.”

“All the difficulties given to us, those were actually the things that made us better. We learned to look for ways and accomplish our goals. And to my mind, those made us perform better. Because when it’s hard, you find ways to do your work well,” Robredo said in Filipino.

Robredo was the top target and biggest victim of disinformation even after the May 9 elections, reports said.

Admitting her office suffered much since 2016, Robredo refused to say what her team went through. “For us, the

Vice President Leni Robredo Philstar.com photo

difficulties were blessings,” she said.

In December 2016, Duterte instructed Robredo to “desist” from attending Cabinet meetings, pushing her to resign as chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

In October 2019, Duterte announced that he would name Robredo as co-chair of the interagency committee on antiillegal drugs with Cabinet rank.

Robredo, an opposition leader, accepted the post, saying it would allow her to stop “unnecessarily killing.”

However, Duterte backtracked after the vice president met with

representatives of the United Nations, the Catholic Church and institutions critical of the anti-drug campaign.

Vice President’s spokesperson lawyer Barry Gutierrez said Robredo’s camp is considering taking legal action against those who spread disinformation on social media after her term of office ends on June 30.

Gutierrez said the initiative would be launched to address the proliferation of fake news and lies on social media, explaining that this kind of trend is detrimental to democracy and public discourse.

He added that groups of lawyers are studying the filing of a lawsuit against those who continue to spread disinformation on social media platforms that host fake news.

He explained that the action to be taken is not only for Robredo, but also for other victims of disinformation on social media.

In February, University of the Philippines journalism professor Yvonne Chua said during a Senate hearing that most instances of disinformation on social media platforms were directed against Robredo. g

Leading opposition will be ‘very challenging’ — Hontiveros MANILA — Leading the opposition “would be very challenging” amid the political climate in the country, re-elected Senator Risa Hontiveros said.

“It would be very challenging not just for any leader, but for the whole opposition,” Hontiveros told CNN Philippines’ The Source in an interview on Tuesday, June 28.

Hontiveros is the lone opposition senator elected to the upper chamber in the 2022 elections.

On Monday, June 27, she took her oath of office before Vice President Leni Robredo, who turned over the opposition leadership to the senator.

“All of us in the opposition will really have to take stock of things again [to] think about, ask, listen, [and] talk with each other, not just within the opposition, but within the larger citizenry [in regards to] what are the issues we are facing and how do we want to solve them,” she added.

The lawmaker underscored that being in the opposition is not simply “opposing” any administration, but rather

presenting alternatives to address long-time issues.

“I think being [in the] opposition isn’t just opposing anyone on administration. It’s [about] presenting alternatives to long-time issues [and] presenting alternatives to the system itself,” she explained.

Further, Hontiveros said the opposition had an accumulation of hurdles, saying “some were cleared, attempted to be cleared, and a lot are still unfinished business.”

“We have an accumulation of hurdles in the past decades and in the past few years. Some of them we attempted to clear, some we’ve been able to clear, but there’s still a lot of unfinished business, still a lot of loose ends not tied up,” said Hontiveros.

Among these hurdles, she Senator Risa Hontiveros delivers a speech after said, is the recognition and taking her oath of office before Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday, June 27, 2022. compensation of human rights Photo from Sen. Hontiveros’ office victims, drawing accountability “Still, the task of any for corruption, territorial disputes, and emergence from government, any legislatures as economic recession caused by part of the government, and the opposition as part of our society the pandemic.

She also stressed the need is truly rebuilding and building to “rebuild and build unities” unities among our people,” Hontiveros ended. (Inquirer.net) among people.

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Young Fil-Am lawyer makes history, wins Miss Texas title

by Gus

Mercado Contributor

ALL Filipino Americans in the State of Texas, especially in the DFW Metroplex, brimmed with pride when its very own Averie Danielle Bishop won the Miss Texas crown on Saturday, June 25. From North Texas to the Miss America stage in December this year, Averie will make history as the first Asian American woman ever to win the Miss Texas title and represent the state in the national pageant.

Averie put herself through college, earning double degrees from the prestigious Southern Methodist University (Bachelor ‘sdegree with double major in Political Science and Human Rights), and a JD law degree with a 3.9 GPA. She is a firstgeneration Filipino American, born to a Filipino immigrant mother, Marevi Sabalilang, and a fourth generation Texan, Danny Bishop. Her younger brother Teddy is in the U.S. Army.

Beneath all the successes and encomiums that have come her way, she has humanitarian blood running in her veins.

She and her mom built Tulong Foundation – providing

education, livelihood and scholarships to poor children in their native village in Banga, South Cotabato, Philippines.

Their foundation has supported 45 poor students, including 7 full scholars, in different colleges in their province. With funding from SMU and some friends, she worked to build potable water systems for the community and their elementary schools.

Her impressive credentials also include serving as legal intern for the president and vice president of SMU, addressing higher education policy in Third World countries, as a Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Fellow, and as a Texas Women’s Museum Woman of the Year awardee.

Averie was appointed by the Mayor of Dallas as council member of their new Anti-Hate and Discrimination Advisory Council. In an impromptu interview, she said serving the community is her way of paying back, “growing up in very challenging circumstances with parents who sacrificed so much for me to become the force of nature that I am today.”

The Texas beauty spent a sometimes painful childhood

An excellent singer and dancer, Averie’s stirring rendition of a song from Les Miserables resulted in her winning the Most Talented award in the prelims.

in Prosper where she was confronted by bullies and hateful language. “From the way I spoke, the shape of my eyes, my flat nose, my upbringing, the financial situation that I grew up in, sometimes the way my Mom spoke,” she recalled. “Some people say rude things because they just don’t understand what they don’t know. My mission as Miss Texas and as a person is to try to teach everyone in our state that a Texan can look like me and feel equal and welcome.”

When she was Miss Dallas, before she became Miss Carrollton and went on to win as Miss Texas, many in the community saw greatness in this articulate but unassuming and down-to-earth young Filipina.

At the last PACC Texas Awards Night, Consul Ethel Mercado and this author honored her with the Founders’ Award as “Most Outstanding Young Leader in Texas.”

In addition to her amazing intellect and stunning beauty, she is also an excellent singer and dancer. Her stirring song from “Les Miserables” won her the Most Talented award in the

preliminary round. Explaining her wardrobe, she said, “I know wearing this costume is not typical wardrobe at a pageant.

But my choice was a reflection of how far I’ve come in life. I am proud to have worn hand-medowns, thrifted clothing, and torn up shoes as a child. To me, this costume was not a costume. It is a celebration of the rags I have shed, thanks to the village and the people who have embraced me.”

Averie is looking forward to her very hectic duties as Miss Texas while preparing for the Miss America pageant in Connecticut in December. Watch out, Miss America crown. Averie is on her way to claim you!

Watch this short clip of her powerful answer to one of the judges’ questions, “Five or ten years from now, what legacy would you hope people will remember you by?, at https:// www.facebook.com/allaboutmel/ videos/587018376135304.

About the Author: Gus Mercado is a well-known business and civic leader in Dallas, Texas. He Averie Danielle Bishop made history as she won the Miss Texas crown on June 25, becoming is a recipient of the Presidential the first Asian American woman to win the title and represent the state in the Miss America BANAAG Award for Outstanding pageant in Connecticut in December.

Photos courtesy of Mel Krater Community Leadership.

Averie and mom Marevi have worked to improve conditions in their native village of Banga, South Cotabato, Philippines through their Tulong Foundation. Photo above shows Averie at a water pump in their small village.

Averie Bishop was appointed by the Mayor of Dallas to the city’s new Anti-Hate and Discrimination Advisory Council.

Photos courtesy of Mel Krater

Anji hopes to be a good role model Bea willing to work with ex-BF Zanjoe by charMie Joy

by anne

PasaJol Inquirer.net

PaGulonG

Philstar.com

ANJI Salvacion said that it was through Pinoy Big Brother, where she was hailed as the big winner for the show’s Kumunity Season 10, that she realized her life’s purpose.

The “Singing Sweetheart ng Siargao” celebrity housemate sat down with The STAR in an exclusive interview and looked back on her journey in the reality game show.

She recalled: “There was this last question that was asked before we got to the stage. They asked us, ‘Bakit ikaw ang karapatdapat na maging Big Winner?’

That was the moment that I said to myself, ‘Oh my God, is this a sign where I’m finally going to know what’s my real purpose?’”

Her answer was, “Now, I am ready to conquer and take up the responsibility and the higher calling that He has given me.

This higher calling that God has given me is to share my ultimate goal in life (which) is just to spread love and kindness.”

Right at that moment, she knew her purpose in life and she was so happy and thankful that “everything was put in places where God has really built me slowly, up until that I know na my purpose in life.”

Knowing her purpose was Anji’s mindset from the very start. “It’s because I wanted to have this impact on others, especially the children because mindset ko na din, there are children who are watching me right now, especially the younger ones. Parang napaisip ako na I should be a better and a good role model for these children.

Because these children will be the people that my children will look up to in the future,” she shared.

What Anji considered her most memorable inside the house was when they had a challenge but

Anji Salvacion

ended up getting injured. “When we won in the third game, that was memorable for us. I remembered because we made a promise ni Ate Sam (Samantha Bernardo) and Mama Brenda (Mage), na sinimulan natin ‘to na magkasama, tatapusin natin ‘tong magkasama.”

“Kahit may bali-bali kami, si Ate Sam may sprain, ako naman baldado din po sa likod, we still did our best. What’s more memorable about that was hindi na po kami na-pressure sa game, mas parang in-enjoy namin yung moment,” she recounted.

“It was a funny experience and a memorable (one at the same time). Sobrang nakakaiyak din kasi everybody has an advocacy na pinaglalaban. And talagang ipinaglalaban din namin yung pangarap namin and nakikita namin dun yung unity, love and passion to win,” she furthered.

Anji is also dreaming of owning a house some day for her family and slowly, she is saving up to make this a reality. She said, “It really will cost a lot. So what I’m doing now is to really work hard for it because I’m planning to just surprise everyone.”

With her blossoming career, Anji wants to learn more of her craft because she sees “life as an

Photo from Instagram/@_anjisalvacion_

BEA Alonzo is open to do acting projects with her ex-boyfriend and fellow actor Zanjoe Marudo, stating that she is willing to work with her exes, except for one.

Alonzo talked about this after fellow actress Barbie Forteza asked her if she is “willing to work with an ex,” as seen in a vlog on Forteza’s YouTube channel Sunday, June 26.

“Depende kung sinong ex.

Kay Zanjoe OK akong [makipagwork]. Isa lang naman ‘yung ayokong ex,” Alonzo answered, without naming who she was referring to.

(It depends on who the ex is. I am OK to work with Zanjoe. I only have one ex I would not want [to work with].)

Alonzo then opened up about her friendship with Marudo and said that they are on good terms despite their breakup.

“Kami ni [Zanjoe], hindi kami ugly breakup (Zanjoe and I did

Bea Alonzo Photo from Instagram/@beaalonzo

“If you’re after giving your audience a good performance, it would be helpful. Hindi ako takot sa gano’n (I am not afraid of that) because I know my boundaries as an actor and as a girlfriend to Dom,” she stated, referring to her boyfriend, actor Dominic Roque.

Alonzo and Marudo were in a relationship for about five years, before the latter confirmed their split in 2016. The two did not disclose the cause of their breakup.

Alonzo then reportedly started dating actor Gerald Anderson in 2016 and had a controversial breakup with him in 2019. The split was speculated to be caused by a third party, after Anderson was linked to actress Julia Barretto who worked with him in a film at the time. Alonzo also stated that the actor “ghosted” her.

Meanwhile, Anderson confirmed his relationship with Barretto in March last year.

not have an ugly breakup). Until unending process of learning.” In now we’re friends. It would be her words, “I always tell myself disrespectful to our relationship to never stop learning. You’re if we ended it badly,” she said. still learning. These are just baby Alonzo also pointed out that steps. I still have a lot of things to she is not afraid to relive her learn in life and I really wanted past experiences with her exes to learn more ‘coz I want to set through acting scenes, as she can good examples for others.” separate her personal feelings “The more I learn, the more I from her craft. can share with others through my experiences. And that is my goal in life — to share my learnings and spread love and kindness,” she reiterated.

TV host Raymond Gutierrez introduced his boyfriend in The singer-actress is currently celebration of Pride Month. working on with new songs and In his Instagram account, Raymond posted photos of him given the chance, she would like with his unnamed boyfriend. to play a kontrabida role in a "Celebrate your love! Happy Pride, Philippines," he movie or a series. captioned the post.

On having a loveteam, she In his interview with Wil Dasovich earlier this month, the said, “Kung sino naman po yung twin of Richard Gutierrez admitted that he's in a relationship. ibibigay sa akin ng management “In January, I did meet someone and we’re taking it a little (I’m down for it). I trust the bit more seriously. And yeah, we are in a relationship,” he management. Sila din talaga said. ang magflo-flourish (career) and “There’s nothing to hide. What is there to hide? If the they’re the ones who will decide pandemic taught us one thing, it’s to live your life now,” he kung sino ang ibibigay nila na added. love team.”

Raymond came out as a member of the LGBTQ Right now, Anji is just community in an interview in August 2021. enjoying her days as a solo “I’m here to formally say that I am a proud member of the artist. “It’s just so fun when I LGBTQ community. And it feels great saying that publicly am not limited to some projects because I am,” he said. because of it. It was so fun that “I am out to a lot of my close friends and I’m lucky I’m able to also achieve it first that I have that support system around me to give me the solo before I’m going to have, confidence to really accept who I am and to love myself if ever, work to have any love Raymond Gutierrez and his boyfriend in an Instagram post on because not a lot of people have that,” he added. (Philstar. teams,” she added.

June 26, 2022.

Photo from Instagram/@mond com)

Raymond introduces ‘afam’ boyfriend

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Multi-billion project gains steam as heavy hitters plot new arena, entertainment mecca

by RealtoR

Fely Quitevis-Bateman

IT was not that long ago that Las Vegas was still awash in brush, dirt, rocks and empty land.

Slowly and steady, bigger resort-casinos have dotted the Las Vegas landscape, gradually extending its reach further and further south of the Strip. And so with residential properties and developments – many have been developed as a response to the demand from people who have continually flocked to the city.

The Oak View Group is going to be behind one of the biggest planned developments in Las Vegas – a privately financed $3 billion sports and entertainment district which would sit near the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Blue Diamond Road.

It recently bought 66 acres of land in that area for just under $100 million, according to the Las Vegas Sun, which is about 3 miles north of South Point.

The Southern California-based investment firm also had two additional hires who have had success with other projects and will be part of the group that will see its own project through, namely Marc Badain, former president of the Las Vegas Raiders (and who was connected to the building of Allegiant Stadium), and Randy Morton, a longtime

executive at the Bellagio. Both started out recently on their new roles.

The Oak View Group’s plan is to build what would include a hotelcasino and amphitheater, plus a world-class arena that could eventually be home to a Las Vegas basketball franchise. The arena would be NBA-ready, and will also be a possible home to major events, concerts and meetings.

Although there have been no specifics or rendering released on what the arena would like, the group has said it would be about 850,000 square feet. An additional entertainment district is planned to sit on 25 acres.

Although nothing is assured, the group is motoring on with its plans for the arena. Recently, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had announced that the league is not discussing any future expansion as of yet in response to persistent rumors of Seattle and Las Vegas as cities which are on its radar for expanding the league.

The most important thing for the Oak View Group is having had the opportunity to buy the land where they want to put their development in. This would help tremendously in concretizing any plans for the hotel-casino, amphitheater, arena and entertainment district.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (extreme right) with her great real estate team: son Primo (middle) and nephew John (extreme left) who are both ready to assist their company’s broad clientele, be it for residential, commercial or vacant land both in Pahrump (Nye County) or Clark County.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (standing, middle) is shown with her young investors, Wilmer and Gerlie Comahig, who bought parcels of land in Las Vegas and Pahrump, the latter of which has been approved for a 100-bed senior resort living.

While it has said that it will look for a partner for its hotelcasino, it will be taking care of the operations of the arena. The Oak View Group is not new to the development, management and providing event programming services to arenas as it has a client list in different locations around the U.S., including Washington, New York and Kentucky. It also owns arenas in New York and Seattle.

Along with Allegiant Stadium, this new $3 billion project, which will not be built with public funds,

The glove factory planned for Pahrump is moving forward fast. A recent meeting between Alka Products CEO/President Andrew Hoang (middle) and Nye County Chief Planner Brett Waggoner (extreme right) was very informative; details were also discussed for the site approval.

With Hoang and Waggoner in photo is Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman.

will certainly add to the branding conceived and marketed by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority of Las Vegas as “Sports Capital of the World” and as “The Greatest Arena on Earth.” After all, it already has football, soccer, women’s basketball, Triple A baseball and other sports teams based in the city. Las Vegas will also host the 2024 Super Bowl, and this month it will be the location of the NBA’s Summer League.

According to industry analysts, the piece of land chosen by the Oak View Group is a prime location – what with its access to freeways, proximity to the airport and existing transportation infrastructure, and its location along Las Vegas Boulevard.

The purchase price of this land, along with the other recent high-value land transactions that have taken place, shows just how much real estate has appreciated in this corridor. In a couple of years, those tracts of land would not just be rocks and dirt – they would showcase brighter, shinier additions to the landscape of Las Vegas and add more glamour to the city, which is already a gaming and entertainment capital in the world.

Badain, in the Las Vegas Sun article, pretty much summed up how their project is the next step in Las Vegas’ evolution, by saying, “This project represents the next step in that exciting evolution.

This city always bounces back, and it’s time for the newest and best arena to be in Las Vegas. If

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman helps those who need business financing, including loans for small businesses. For more information, call (702) 538-4948, or send email to fely@preciousproperties.com or fely.precious@gmail.com.

you’re an entertainment brand, you better have a foot in the door in Las Vegas because it’s an incredible city, and an incredible place to do business.”

I have been a Realtor since 1988, and have personally experienced the tremendous growth of Las Vegas and other areas in Nevada, including Pahrump, which is just 62 miles west of Las Vegas. While the area suffered in the 2008 housing debacle, along with the rest of the U.S., and was affected by the recent pandemic, it has shown signs of coming back.

Construction of many projects has helped provide steady employment for many, while plans of major companies like the one of the Oak View Group, are keeping many people interested in what the city will next have to offer to tourists, visitors and residents.

Although indicators have shown lately of a slight slowdown in home purchases, that isn’t expected to last long in a market like Las Vegas. After all, home prices in the city – and for the

State of Nevada, for that matter – are still more affordable than some parts of the country. Clark County, which is where Las Vegas is located, is expected to add more than a million people by 2060, according to a forecast from the UNLV’s Center for Business and Economic Research.

If you are looking to invest your money in real estate and/ or property, or you are in the market for a new home or vacation/second home, I can help. Together, we can look at the properties available in the market and find that suitable piece of land or property that you can call your own.

My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has successfully helped its clientele find the best deals since 1988. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-5592476 and 702-538-4948 for more information, or send me an email at fely@precious-properties.com or fely.precious@gmail.com. We have investors who buy houses

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Princess recounts abortion at 15: ‘The ‘Celebrating Life’ launches its debut with an extravagant premiere guy wouldn’t stand up for the baby’ red carpet event in California by anne

PaSaJol Inquirer.net

ON July 30th in the Legendary Bella Vista Polo Ranch, in Santa Barbara, Valentina Castellani and Gilles David launch their new venture “CELEBRATING LIFE” www.celebratinglife.la partnering on this initiative with Davos Business tycoon Lan Tschirky.

CELEBRATING LIFE is a new revolutionary company that creates Global Events and Exclusive Experiences, highlighting companies and initiatives around the world.

A kaleidoscopic way to unite Business-Entertainment-FashionFinances-Music and Sport.

Valentina Castellani, Chairman of Quinn Studios Entertainment in Hollywood, is an Award Winning Film Producer who recently signed an important partnership with the UAE Royal Family to develop the Film Industry in the Arab Peninsula. Miss Castellani brings to the table the highest level of experience and awards in Entertainment and the Film Industry. Miss Castellani is the recipient of many Awards including The US Congress Award recognition, The City of Los Angeles Award, The Human Rights Award, The prestigious WIFT English Award, and in November she will receive the WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AWARD next to Michelle Obama.

Quinn Studios Entertainment has produced Academy Award Candidate Films, Documentaries and TV series.

Gilles David has shaped the image and looks of the 21st Century through his work for major brands such from the NBA, the NFL, the Surf and Skateboard mainstream global branding, founded and was the original founder and Marketing global director of Paris Duty Free Group.

The ‘PDF’ Group was the first ever to sell luxury goods online, selling exclusive bands such as Pierre Cardin, Pierre Balmain, Sonia Rykiel Jean Paul-Gaultier, Burberrys, Ted Lapidus, Loris Azzaro, Torrente, Guy Laroche, Lancel and Jean-Louis Scherrer.

Involved early in his career with the NBA, NFL MLB & the NCAA as an exclusive apparel licensee, working with Jeff Hamilton, Starter & Russell Athletic Working for the Sultan of Brunei, being commissioned by Heineken for an energy drink collaboration

with the Partouche Casinos Group & the famous night clubs, restaurant Papagayo St Tropez, designing a sneaker collaboration with SPARCO Italy and apparel for the motorsports industry, as well a collaboration with SPY Optic’s MX Googles; this is his story, a successful entrepreneur, designer, art director and innovator. Gilles has drawn upon decades of experience in the fashion, food, cosmetics & fragrance packaging designs, and a lifetime of globetrotting.

In 2005 he founded of Los Angeles Fuel, a luxury life style fashion apparel company, from denim jeans, sweatshirts, tee shirts, hats, bags, and also energy drink, energy gums and a luxury jewelry as he collaborated with his longtime friend Herve Heumann; a Jewelry Designer which developed over the years in his career for companies such as: Cartier, Mauboussin, Messika, Jourdan, and Chris Aire. Herve has provided designs for celebrities, including actors, producers, singers, and designers: Will Smith, Bruce Willis, Kobe Bryant’s wife, Dr DRE, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, The Game, 50 Cents, Vivica Fox, Michael Jordan, Mohamed Ali, Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey.

Gilles is currently Based in Beverly Hills. Mr. David recently inherited the exclusivity of the full brand of Pierre Cardin relaunching the iconic Cardin style for the USA market. He is currently collaborating with some top VIPs, celebrities, designing

PRINCESS Punzalan was emotional while expressing gratitude for her adopted child Ellie, recounting her several years of failing to conceive a child, as well as the abortion she had at 15 years old.

The actress, who currently resides in the United States, spoke about her abortion and what urged her to do it, through a video on her Instagram page last Saturday, June 25. It was not the first time Punzalan opened up on the subject as she also talked about it during an interview with CBN Asia’s TV program “The 700 Club Asia” last year.

“When I was 15, I got pregnant.

I had an abortion because I was afraid of my mom and because the guy wouldn’t stand up for the baby,” she recalled in her some items/categories of Pierre Instagram video.

Punzalan narrated how she Cardin collection as well.

The company set for stardom got married at 19 and tried to get launches the initiative in full pregnant again but failed. The glamour with an extraordinary event set in the Exclusive Bella Vista Polo Ranch.

The full day experience is composed of Red Carpet, Press

by Charmie Joy Pagulong Conference with International Philstar.com Media, seated luncheon, Polo AFTER starring in ABSGame with the Monte-Carlo Polo Federation, led by Francesco CBN’s romantic-comedy series Mitrano who is in the Board Marry Me, Marry You and in of Directors of the Company, the infidelity-themed show The together with Mr. Richard Broken Marriage Vow, Jake Caleel, former President of FIP ( Ejercito once again graces TV Federation of International Polo). screens in the new sexy drama A Following up is The Pierre Cardin Family Affair as one of the Estrella Fashion show presenting the new brothers.

The series follows the story collection designed by Gilles David, and finally Frank Stallone of Cherry Red (Ivana Alawi), Birthday Party Celebration. Frank a beautiful woman who gets Stallone, brother of Sylvester, adopted by the Estrellas. During is a Grammy and Golden Globe her stay in the mansion, she forms n o m i n a t e d c o m p o s e r a n d unique relationships with the musician and will gift us with Estrella brothers, particularly with some of his recent work at the her first love Dave (Sam Milby), fiancé Paco (Gerald Anderson), event.

T h e G u e s t s l i s t i s v e r y the wild child Seb (Jake), and the exclusive accounting Hollywood youngest brother Drew (Jameson Celebrities, CEO and International Blake).

Jake felt “blessed,” “fortunate,” Business Leaders, Film Studios executives, NBA Players... and and “grateful” for the consecutive projects that were given to him by the list goes on.

CELEBRATING LIFE is already the Kapamilya network, he said in set for the next event at the Pierre a recent press conference.

In a separate media event, Cardin Villa in Cannes, the iconic “Palais Bulle’”, of which the during the launch of A Family Company will hold from now the Affair with select press, The STAR exclusivity. The company plans to had a chat with him where he got expand by January in Davos at the to talk more about his own family prestigious LAN SPACE, bringing relations, particularly with his dad, Films, Entertainment, Music and former actor and President Joseph Fashion for the first time in the “Erap” Estrada.

He opened up about how Erap World’s Capital of Business. influenced him as an actor and as a person in general.

“He always tells me to make sure your eyes are always expressive,” he shared of the acting tips he received from him. “Lagi niyang sinasabi sa akin, kahit wala kang lines, mata pa lang, kailangan umarte na.”

Erap also taught him the value of education and a sense of empathy for other people. Jake has a master’s degree in Marketing with honors from Northumbria University in Singapore.

“People know that he didn’t finish college. So ayaw niyang maranasan namin mga nangyari sa kanya ‘coz he was bashed for not finishing his studies,” Jake told The STAR. This is what he likewise imparted to his 10-year-daughter, Ellie, with former girlfriend Andi Eigenmann. “I keep on instilling in her to prioritize her education. We know she is in Siargao and ‘pag Photo from Instagram/@missritadaniela nasa Siargao ka, it’s like paradise. best for you. Always,” Rita So, I always message her every wrote. morning, ‘How’s school, What “Nanay will always make sure did you do today?’ I guess most of that you have a heart for people all yung education and also yung and joy in the Lord. I can’t wait empathy,” he shared. to meet you, anak. Ngayon pa “(Dad) taught us to have lang, mahal na mahal na kita,” empathy for others,” he continued. she added.

“He always tells us to think about

milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPUSO actor Ken Chan expressed his support to love team partner Rita Daniela after the actress reveled that she’s pregnant with her first baby.

In his Twitter account, Ken assured Rita that he’s always beside her no matter what.

“To you and your baby, I’m here if you need anything, as someone you can always rely on,” Ken wrote.

“I pray to God for the utmost positivity, protection, support & love to surround you & your baby,” he added.

Ken said that he’s proud of his love team partner's personal milestone.

“As a friend, as someone who cares, I’ll be here for you no matter what. I am so proud of you!” he said.

After Rita revealed that she's pregnant on GMA variety show "All-Out Sunday", the actress

FOR SALE

Rita Daniela and Ken Chan

took to her Instagram account to update her fans about her pregnancy.

“You came just in time. You are God’s greatest gift to me.

You give me hope to make more dreams COME true. I shall do anything and everything that’s

said marriage “dissolved” but Punzalan met her now husband Jay Field whom she also had an unfortunate pregnancy journey with. The actress then teared up after she disclosed how it took a “long hard climb” before they finally found their adopted child.

“We’ve tried for 10 years to get pregnant, I didn’t get pregnant.

What Jake learned about fatherhood from Erap

Ken expresses support for love team partner Rita’s pregnancy

by Jan

Princess Punzalan Photo from Instagram/@realprincesspunzalan

We tried different kinds of ways to get pregnant, I didn’t — so we adopted,” she stated.

“I’m so grateful that the birth mom didn’t decide to kill her because right now, I’m so happy with my daughter and I’m very grateful that she’s in my life,” she added.

While Punzalan is open about her adoption journey, the actress remains private when it comes to the identity of her child. Punzalan does not show her daughter’s face as well as limits the mention of her name in social media.

Punzalan recently starred in the 2019 film “Yellow Star” where she worked alongside Broadway stars Lea Salonga and Eva Noblezada.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that recognized women’s constitutional right to abortion, a decision condemned by President Joe Biden and is expected to dramatically change the lives of millions of women.

SERVICES

Jake Ejercito Photo from Instagram/@unoemilio

greater good of the greatest number. Lagi mong iisipin yung pangangailangan ng kababayan natin and that’s why siguro kasi I guess nasa dugo rin namin kasi talaga yung public service.” “’Pag nagta-travel kami ni Ellie, I try to pick places or show her places na iba sa kinalakihan niya, out of her comfort zone.

Para makita niya na, especially nag-COVID tayo, matagal kami na-stuck, hindi lang ito yung buhay. Madami pa ang iba’t-ibang klaseng buhay. Para also she is socially aware,” added Jake.

So, does he have any plans of entering politics like his dad?

“To be completely honest, also before I used to say that I would never enter showbiz, and look where I am now,” he answered before adding, “(but) to answer your question, I’m not closing any doors. If you ask me now, I have no plans whatsoever at all.

Hindi sumasagi sa isipan ko. As of now, no plans. In the future, who knows.”

With Father’s Day being recently celebrated, his message to his dad was, “I just wanna thank him for being a great dad, a great provider in spite of everything that happened to us, our family. I couldn’t ask for a better dad. I just wanna tell him I love him, I wanna wish him more, more life, more healthy years to come.”

Jake also recalled that his favorite memory with his 85-yearold father was watching NBA Games with him.

“Growing up when I was a kid,

SERVICES

my dad was in public office. (He was) vice-president, president so I barely saw him, parang once a week, twice a week. And at night lang yun kasi late siya umuwi.

When I woke up wala na siya kasi he had to go to the office,” he narrated.

“Nung time na na-detain siya, that’s the time that I get to know my dad on a personal level. Yung bonding namin nanonood ng NBA, kasi no choice siya eh.

Wala siyang bisita, wala siyang work. Siguro yun yung parang I guess some sort of a blessing in disguise,” Jake, who is the son of Erap with former actress Laarni Enriquez, told The STAR. “Kasi kahit painful yung memory, memorable pa rin siya kasi yun yung we had our moment.”

On the other hand, Jake’s costars in the series, Gerald and Jameson, also shared their best memories with their dads.

Jameson’s favorite memory with his stepfather, who passed on last year, was learning how to ride motorbikes and cars.

As for his biological dad in Hong Kong, “Growing up it was hard to tell because I was really young and I didn’t know, my parents were fighting a lot but I couldn’t see it.

They didn’t show it to us na may nangyayari sa kanilang dalawa.

He’d always show na happy yung family,” he shared.

Nevertheless, one of the actor’s treasured moments with him was eating popcorn for breakfast while watching baseball. “Now, everytime I get the chance to go to Hong Kong and visit him I just make the most out of it — every time,” he added.

Meanwhile, Gerald recalled he felt his father’s love during the Mt. Pinatubo eruption that happened 31 years ago on June 15.

“We were in Olongapo, sa Subic Bay yung naval base because my dad is a US Navy. Dun siya nadestino where he met my mom. For some reason vivid yung (memory), parang pakiramdam ko earthquake. Yung bahay namin nanginig. Tapos yung dad ko, kinuha niya ako. Tapos parang kinover niya ako ng ganun (hand gesture),” he recounted.

“It’s like bahala na kung anong mangyari sa kanya pero yung anak niya gagawin niya para mailigtas.

I don’t know why I just thought of that now. 31 years ago today (June 15) that it happened,” said Gerald.

Directed by Jerome Pobocan and Raymond Ocampo, the series also stars Aya Fernandez, Edu Manzano, Rans Rifol, Heaven Peralejo and a lot more.

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

Health @Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS THE name of this drink has led to a lot of curiosity. Is it a tea that explodes?

Gunpowder green tea is simply a type of green tea where the leaves are rolled up into tiny balls, making them look like pellets or gunpowder. This tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, originally grown in China, but now also available in Sri Lanka and Taiwan. It has a light smokey taste to it and could be mixed with other teas to achieve the desired flavor.

Studies have shown that those who regularly drink tea, especially green tea, are less likely to get sick, and they have more of the cells that fight viruses. Drinking green tea can reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, thus lowering the risk for heart disease and chronic illnesses, including Alzheimer’s and cancer.

It also contains catechins and alkaloids that help manage blood sugar levels, and aid in the management of diabetes T2.

The catechins in green teas also help reduce inflammation throughout the body and are good for digestive health.

A study in Japan shows green tea consumption (2-3 cups a day) maximizes natural longevity. Since gunpowder green tea has more caffeine, it boosts energy greater. It is an alternative to coffee for those who cannot tolerate the acidity of coffee. Gunpowder green tea also burns more body fat which helps in weight reduction.

This is certainly a healthy drink compared to soft drinks, which are poison, because they (cola or uncola, regular or diet, caffeinated or not) all increase the risk for Metabolic Syndrome for both adults and children.

Colorectal cancer Cancer of the colon and rectum (the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States) is expected to victimize 151,030 individuals, with 52,580 of them killed by this malignancy this year (2022), according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Traditionally, the treatment for these has been a combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery.

But chemotherapy is toxic, radiation has a lot of side effects, and surgery is not a trivial one. So, researchers are exploring other avenues.

For a highly specific type of rectal cancer (locally advanced, mismatch repair-deficient rectal cancer), immunotherapy has been used with great success to help the body identify and better fight cancer cells. An immune checkpoint inhibitor called a PD-1 inhibitor prevents cancer cells from evading the immune system.

Gunpowder tea The drug is dostarlimab, given intravenously every 3 weeks for over 6 months.

TMS for bipolar Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) uses magnetic stimulation of the brain to help improve the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder, a disease associated with periods of mania (extreme high) and periods of depressed mood. The current therapy includes a combination of medication and psychotherapy, which are helpful but not totally and permanently effective.

Hence, the search for a better modality.

TMS has shown success in treating depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and some studies revealed it could be effective for Bipolar Disease. It appears to be a viable option in the future in the management of people with Bipolar Disorder when the U.S. FDA finally approves it also for the treatment of Bipolar Disorder.

Fauci positive On June 15, 2022, a news report revealed that Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, tested positive for COVID-19. People have been wondering why he was infected when he was fully vaccinated, complete with the second booster. They are also questioning the worth of the vaccines for COVID-19.

Don’t blame the vaccines; blame the unvaccinated, who are the carriers and spreaders of the SARS-CoV2 virus.

The vaccines are safe and effective for most variants and to a little degree for the newer ones (Omicron BA.4 and BA.5).

Obviously, Dr. Fauci was infected with the new variant not covered (or only partially covered) by the boosters.

This is the reason why Moderna is coming out with a vaccine that is tailored to cover the Omicron variant and other sub-variants. Other custommade vaccines for COVID-19 are being tested in laboratories around the world.

Evidently, the waning vaccines, and the new and the future strains after them, would require all fully (4 shots) vaccinated individuals to get the 3rd, 4th, etc., booster shots to protect them from future variants after 4-6 months or so from the last booster. The CDC would surely monitor the situation and advise the public accordingly.

But this is the sad reality because there are still more than 100 million people in the United States who are not vaccinated, not even with one shot. There are more than 90 million in the Philippines who have not gotten their booster shot.

Moderna’s next-generation Omicron BA.4 and BA.5targeting boosters will be available this coming Fall.

Hopefully, Universal COVID-19 vaccines that would cover all

Features

strains and future variants would be created soon.

COVID-19 updates As of last Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at 12:42 GMT, the COVID toll reached 549,967,517, with 6,352,472 deaths worldwide; 88,910,140 cases with 1,041,027 deaths in the United States; and 3,702,319 cases (576 new infections), with 60,531 deaths in the Philippines.

It is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet. On Monday alone, June 27, there were still more than 132,000 cases and 279 deaths in the United States. With only 67 percent of the people in the U.S. fully vaccinated, the 109 million unvaccinated will continue to act as a reservoir, a factory, for the virus to replicate and mutate in their bodies, and exponentially spread to other people. The new strains could still infect even those vaccinated, albeit the symptoms would be milder for most people, but could still be dangerous to others.

Arrogance, bravado, and carelessness could be deadly. It is prudent to continue to be wise, cautious, and vigilant. Almost 10.8 billion vaccines have been administered worldwide; the vaccines are safe and effective.

Getting fully vaccinated (with the recommended boosters now and in the future) could save lives.

For those exposed to COVID-19 infection, here are the recommendations: “Day 0 of isolation should be your first day of symptoms or the day your positive test was taken, whichever is earlier. Days 1-4 are strict isolation days (in one room) unless you're going out to receive medical care. Day 5 is the last full day of isolation if you were asymptomatic or if symptoms have been improving. Day 6 is when you can leave isolation if wearing a mask. Day 11 is when you can leave isolation without a mask.” *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** The 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 NetworkUSA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

Why Tuesday goes emotional while loading groceries at a cashier

by Alex

BrosAs Inquirer.net

SINGER Tuesday Vargas reminisced the old days when she barely had enough for her groceries, which sent her shedding some tears.

Vargas recalled her bittersweet experience in her Instagram page last Saturday, June 25, while she showed a photo of herself inside her car with her purchases.

“Dati kapag namimili ako, bawat piraso ng bawang binibilang ko kung kasya ang pera ko. Nagdadala ako ng calculator (kasi pati telepono ko noon mumurahin lang walang calculator) para makita ko kung pasok pa sa budget. Ni wala akong membership sa kahit anong shopping club,” she recalled.

(In the past, when I shopped, I counted the pieces of garlic to make sure that I have enough money for them. I brought a calculator, because my cellphone was cheap and did not have a calculator, so I can see if the items are still within my budget. I did not even have a membership in any shopping club.)

Vargas admitted that she only got to taste imported grocery items when her mom sent them or when there was a relative who returned from abroad and brought pasalubong. But she is now able to buy healthy food because of her perseverance, and from the paycheck from her essential oils business.

“Aba ang mahal pala ng mga organic, grass fed chururut.

Pero mas mainam kasi kung makaka iwas ka sa sakit in the

Tuesday Vargas

long run, kailangan mag invest tayo sa katawan natin,” she said.

(Wow, organic and grassfed products are expensive, but those are better. Better to avoid getting sick in the long run. We need to invest in our bodies.)

“Pwedeng simple ito para sa iba. Pero kasi po kanina naiiyak ako habang nilo load sa cart ang mga bagay bagay at nagawa ko siyang bayaran galing sa pagod at sakripisyo ko nang di ako kinakabahan sa bawat beep ng kahera,” she said.

Photo from Instagram/@tuesday_v

(This could be simple for others. But a while ago, I got teary while loading the groceries in the cart, and I was able to pay for them from my own hard work and sacrifice, without me having to worry at every beep of the cash register.)

Vargas feels there are many who could relate to her story, about how one’s ability to provide for one’s family can be a source of pride and joy for a mother like her. She expressed gratitude for the blessings she receives and wished the same for others.

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 30 - JULY 6, 2022

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City of Las Vegas July 4 celebrations Community celebration with fireworks, plus pool parties!

THE city of Las Vegas invites the community to enjoy the Independence Day holiday Monday, July 4, at a free celebration at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs. The celebration begins at 6 p.m. and includes a free American flag to the first 500 people to arrive. Free LED necklaces for the kids will be distributed at the main stage in section 2 while supplies last. Enjoy music, vendors and activities throughout the event, which ends with a fireworks spectacular at dark.

Free entry to the park, located 9200 Tule Springs Road, starts at 8 a.m. and continues all day. Bring

low-back chairs and blankets to be more comfortable watching the fireworks. Refreshments will be available for purchase at several food trucks. The event is sponsored by the city of Las Vegas, Ward 6, the Laborers International Union 872, SilverSummit Healthplan and many other community organizations. Event restrictions include no ice chests, no smoking, no backpacks and no pets; capped bottled water is fine. For more information, call 702-229-2570.

The city of Las Vegas also offers plenty of pool fun July 4 with water games and activities at four community pools. The cost is $2 for ages 4-17 and 50+,

$3 for adults ages 18-49, and free for ages 3 and younger when accompanied by an adult. Times vary by pool location. Swimsuits are required.

• Garside Pool, 250 S. Torrey Pines Drive, 702-229-6393. Hours 12-4 p.m.

• Carlos L. Martinez & Darrio J. Hall Family Pool at Gary Reese Freedom Park, 889 N. Pecos Road, 702-229-1755. Hours 6-9 p.m.

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

Hours 12-4 p.m.

• Pavilion Center Pool, 101 S. Pavilion Center Drive, 702-2291488. Hours 12-4 p.m.

Catriona goes to Vietnam, helps put smiles on the faces of kids born with cleft

by Alex

BrosAs Inquirer.net

FORMER Miss Universe Catriona Gray is staunchly promoting the welfare of children who are born with cleft, going as far as Vietnam to advance her cause.

Gray is spreading awareness on the treatment for cleft as can be seen in her Instagram page today, June 30, where she shared photos of children born with cleft.

“Did you know 1 out of 500 babies is born with a cleft? It is an incredibly stigmatized condition, one that not only affects a child’s ability to breathe, speak and eat – but can also affect their self esteem and confidence. The good news is – there is treatment for cleft,” she said.

Gray is happy to support Smile Train founded in 1999 and which has since become the world’s leading cleft charity. “@smiletrainvietnam is doing amazing work, helping those affected by cleft all over the country, with a milestone of 25,000 surgeries this year – that’s 25,000 lives changed for the better,” the beauty queen said. “[So] that children would have a smile on their face.”

In her visit to Vietnam, Gray was able to meet “with a handful of @smiletrain beneficiaries who are to undergo surgery, have their check ups or orthodontic work. The treatments they receive are free.”

She encourages everyone who knows any individual or child with untreated cleft to refer them to email vietnam@smiletrain.org.

Photos from Instagram/@catriona_gray

Gray had her first stop at Mý Thien Hospital, one of the sixteen hospital partners of Smile Train Vietnam, as per her Instagram page.

“Here, patients come from both locally and hundreds of kilometers away to receive free, comprehensive and complete cleft care,” she said.

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JUNE 30 - JULY 6, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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