092922 - Las Vegas Edition

Survey: 63% of older AAPI women experience workplace discrimination

Marcos snags $3.9B in investment pledges

by CATHERINE S. VALENTE ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has secured $3.9 billion in investment pledges that could create more than 112,000 jobs during his working visit to the United States last week.

In a statement Thursday, September 29, Malacañang said the investments will come from various sectors, including Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM), data

centers, and manufacturing.

The Palace clarified the estimates would not reflect the full potential of future investments from several companies that Marcos and other officials met while he was in New York.

Some companies had expressed interest in considering new or further investments in the country, but their plans have yet to be finalized, it said.

The President met with business leaders from various U.S. companies, and they all committed

to be a part of the country's development and economic growth.

"Our discussion with the U.S. business community affirms the optimism with which international investors view the Philippines today," Marcos said.

He said his keynote address at the New York Stock Exchange and at the Philippine Economic Briefing drew institutional investors, senior corporate executives, fund managers, and  PAGE 3

ASIAN American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women continue to experience workplace discrimination based on their gender, ethnicity, and age according to a new survey from AARP.

AARP, the nation’s leading advocacy group for senior citizens, released new results from the annual “Mirror/Mirror: Women’s Reflections on Beauty, Age, and Media” survey that seeks to understand the intersections of gendered and racial discrimination in society.

According to the survey, about 56% of all working AAPI women aged 18 and above said they experienced workplace discrimination.

But for AAPI women aged 50 and above, that number increases to 63% who reported experiencing discrimination due to their age, also known as ageism.

Moreover, 78% of AAPI women aged 50 and

Is COVID ‘under control’ in the US? Experts say yes

PRESIDENT Joe Biden caused a stir in a “60 Minutes” interview on Sept. 18 when he declared that the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

“We still have a problem with COVID — we’re still doing a lot of work on it,” Biden said. “But the pandemic is over.”

Critics countered that the U.S. is still averaging about 400 deaths daily from the virus, that nearly 30,000 Americans remain hospitalized, and that many others are suffering from “long COVID” symptoms stemming from previous infections.

Two days later, Biden acknowledged that despite the negative reactions by some, the pandemic “basically is not where it was.”

White House press secretary Karine JeanPierre called the coronavirus “a lot more manageable.” Past experience means “we know what works,” she said.

PolitiFact has been tracking a campaign promise Biden made in 2020 that is closely related, but distinct, from what Biden told “60 Minutes.” During the presidential campaign, Biden said, “I’m never going to raise the white flag and surrender. We’re

ICC prosecutor’s insistence on ‘drug war’ probe a ‘disservice’ to Philippines — DOJ

by FRANCO LUNA Philstar.com

MANILA — The Department of Justice on Wednesday, September 28 took offense at the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for pushing to launch an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity in the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs.”

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan, in response to the Philippines’ submission of “drug war” findings, said the government did not give new arguments or information to preclude an official investigation.

At a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that while the country met its deadline for comment, Khan was “doing them a great

disservice by putting a challenge to our system here.”

“We submitted these things to the ICC out of the principle of comity, nothing more, nothing else. We are not there ‘complying’ with anything because we are not members,” he said. “I just hope that this matter is not politicized, not weaponized by people in political positions.”

“Here comes a foreigner who thinks he knows the Philippines more than we do... Does he want us to speculate about all these unfortunate events that happened? Our job at the DOJ is to establish facts and prove a case, because nothing is more important than the rule of law.”

Remulla said the key issue in the Philippine

MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte stepped down from Malacañang with a record-high satisfaction rating, according to a poll released on Friday, September 23.

According to private pollster Social Weather Stations, Duterte received an “excellent” +81 net satisfaction rating in the last days of his presidency, beating his previous record of +79 in November 2020.

Duterte's final satisfaction rating is 16 points higher than the “very good” +65 he received in April, which the SWS attributed to the rise in satisfaction with the president’s performance across all regions.

The net satisfaction rating is the difference between the number of Filipinos who said they were satisfied with Duterte as president and those who said they were dissatisfied.

In the survey conducted from June 26 to June 29 with 1,500 respondents, 88% of adult Filipinos said they were satisfied with Duterte as president, while 7% were dissatisfied and 5% were undecided.

Those satisfied with Duterte rose by 10 points from the last survey

MANILA — The Philippine peso touched the 59-level against the U.S. dollar in early Wednesday morning trading, as a rallying greenback powered by a super aggressive Federal Reserve continues its rampage across currencies in the region.

The peso’s weakest showing for the day stood at P59.02 against the U.S. dollar before paring some losses to close at P58.98, a tad stronger from its previous finish of P58.99.

It’s a weakness that mirrors the movement in other currency markets in the region, as the U.S. Federal Reserve’s jumbo hikes to tame stubbornly high inflation stateside send the dollar to its strongest level in decades.

Nicholas Mapa, senior economist at ING Bank in Manila, believes emerging markets can do “very little” in the face of an aggressive U.S. central bank. As it is, other central banks are in a dilemma: either let their currency weaken and risk stoking inflation, or move in tandem with the Fed and drag down their economies to another recession.

“Early rate hikes, jumbo rate hikes have all been cannon fodder as (Jerome Powell) and company tighten policy to combat U.S. inflation induced by ongoing Russian invasion

MANILA — The death toll from Typhoon Karding (Noru) has increased to 11, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported on Thursday, September 29.

The additional fatality was from Antipolo, Rizal who died of drowning, NDRRMC said.

The agency also previously reported 10 deaths in Central Luzon and Calabarzon. Eight of those, including the rescuers in Bulacan province, have been verified.

NDRRMC also said that five fishermen from Camarines Norte and one person from Rizal were missing.

In its latest report, NDRRMC said 176,337 families or 640,963 individuals have been affected by Karding in Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon,

Mimaropa, and Bicol region.

A total of 6,435 families remained inside evacuation centers, while 3,482 households stayed in the homes of their relatives and friends.

Karding, the strongest storm to hit the Philippines this year, unleashed heavy rains and strong winds that triggered flooding and landslides, and damaged crops.

The disaster agency also reported that 5,439 farmers and fisherfolk from Ilocos region, CAR, Calabarzon, and Bicol region were affected by the storm. Some 8,081.21 hectares of agricultural lands were also affected.

The agricultural damage from Karding has reached P152.2 million, with the volume of production loss pegged at 6,921.68 metric tons. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/ Philstar.com)

National AARP poll describes connection between workplace bias, AAPI women’s mental health

KIDS AT PLAY. Children idle their time away playing Chinese garter on Gasangan Street in Baseco, Port Area, Manila on Thursday, Sept. 29.  Chinese Garter is one of the most popular games in the Philippines, especially among girls during their elementary years.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

Motorists commute past a destroyed house in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Noru in San Miguel, Bulacan province on September 26, 2022. Philstar.com photo

Former President Rodrigo Duterte Malacañang file photo

ICC prosecutor’s insistence on ‘drug war’...

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government’s probe was that it was trying to investigate the cases individually. Official police data owns up to 6,100 drugrelated killings by the end of the Duterte administration.

He also said the government’s own investigation will continue for the time being, though rights advocates have raised serious doubts about the administration’s ability to investigate itself.

“We are hoping there are more witnesses to come forward, because that’s what we need here,” he said. “We are looking for ways to protect the witnesses, and we are offering witness protection to anyone who comes forward.”

The justice chief went on to cite one case before the National Bureau of Investigation as an example, where he claimed “the investigation was temporarily closed for lack of interest or cooperation on the part of the possible witnesses...for fear of life among other reasons.”

But global investigative panel Investigate PH has said that on the ground, the friends and families of victims are intimidated and even threatened. Meanwhile, government officials point to the lack of formal complaints as evidence that operations are done by the book.

In a 21-page response dated September 22, the ICC prosecutor

Khan maintained that “none of those arguments have merit.”

Familiar narrative on foreign interference

To recall, the ICC gave the Philippine government until September 8 to comment on the request of ICC Prosecutor Khan to resume the investigation of human rights violations allegedly committed under the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

It’s the same argument the national government has pushed since the time of Duterte. Remulla again framed the ICC as a meddling foreign influence overstepping into the affairs of the Philippines, whose justice system is supposedly working.

“Are they dictating on us what we should do as a country? [...] We are a sovereign country who has a functioning system so I don’t see what the racket is all about, because as far as we are concerned, we’re not members of the ICC anymore,” he said.

“This is a sovereign matter for us to decide as a country that’s democratic. We do everything in our own pace in our own country; this is our country, not their country.”

Whether a member-state or not, though, the Philippines still does have obligations before the global court from the time it was still a member. This is because the Rome Statute, which the country signed, outlines in Article

127 that: “A State shall not be discharged, by reason of its withdrawal, from the obligations arising from this Statute while it was a Party to the Statute.”

In a Viber message to reporters, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra asserted that the ICC’s pre-trial chamber has not yet actually ruled on the Philippine government’s request to deny the ICC prosecutor’s motion to resume investigation.

“What was published recently was the ICC prosecutor’s response to the Philippine government’s position on the issue. the office of the solicitor general is presently considering whether there is a need to reply to the prosecutor’s response,” he said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said that his administration has no intention to rejoin the ICC. Marcos was among the senators who signed off on the country’s decision to join the ICC back in 2011.

“Regardless of the ruling, the Philippine government will avail itself of all legal remedies, both domestic and international, even as it vigorously pursues its own investigation and prosecution of crimes committed in relation to the government’s so-called war on drugs, all within the framework of our own legal and judicial system,” Guevarra said.  (with reports from Kristine Joy Patag)

Marcos snags $3.9B...

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entrepreneurs.

"At these meetings, I shared with them our vision for the future and how important it was to address the key challenges that continue to constrain the development of our economy. I also informed them about how we intend to deal with some of

Cratering peso touches 59...

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of Ukraine,” Mapa said in a Viber message.

At its meeting this month, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas hiked its policy rate anew, this time by 50 basis points in a bid to control multi-year high inflation. However, this was not enough to match the aggression of the U.S. central bank, which raised its key rate by 75 basis points this month and indicated that more tightening would come.

So far, BSP Governor Felipe said there won’t be any emergency policy meetings after the one that happened in July. For ING Bank’s Mapa, the BSP would rather dip into the country’s foreign reserves than match the Fed to save the weak peso, which could fan inflation by pushing up import costs.

“With dollar strength looking like that, BSP will likely drawdown reserves built up over the last 2 years prior. From 2019-2020, BSP grew reserves by $23.8 billion. This year they’ve drawn down a relatively modest $5.5 billion for context,” he added.

But Jun Neri, lead economist at Bank of the Philippines Islands, said the possibility of another surprise policy meeting this year could not be ruled out.

"We think there is a big chance there will be an inter-meeting hike before November 17, which is the scheduled meeting of the BSP. We are simply anticipating that when the (Federal Open Market Committee) hikes by 75 bps on November 1, the BSP won't be able to wait for their scheduled November 17 meeting," he said. (Ian Nicolas Cigaral with a report from Ramon Royandoyan/ Philstar.com)

the fundamental problems in our food, energy, and broader economic security," Marcos said.

"I also emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the region, and the important role of great powers like the United States, so that developing countries like the

Philippines can have the space to achieve growth potentials," he said.

The President said he and his delegation also hosted four roundtable discussions that dealt with key economic sectors like IT-BPM, digital infrastructure, global brands, industry and infrastructure. g

PRISON ART. A jail officer arranges the paintings of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the visiting area of the San Juan City Jail on Thursday, Sept. 29. Jail authorities have urged the public to patronize the livelihood projects of PDLs to improve their lives while in detention.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Dateline PhiliPPines

Floyd Mayweather Jr. visits Philippines anew

by Celest Flores-Colina Inquirer.net

MANILA – Undefeated

American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. is in the country once again for a business trip.

Mayweather arrived in Manila on Tuesday, September 27 straight from Japan, fresh off his exhibition bout in Saitama where Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao was in attendance.

His return visit to the country, however, is not related to a rematch against his Filipino

rival.

Mayweather shut down talks of a second MayweatherPacquiao showdown, seven years since what was dubbed “Fight of the Century” happened in May 2015.

“I retired for a reason,” said Mayweather after knocking out mixed martial arts fighter Mikuru Asakura on Sunday.

“I’m here to have fun and enjoy myself… but I’m not going to take no punishment to the point to where I can barely walk and barely talk.

“People will always pay to get a glimpse of Floyd Mayweather,” he said, before asking, “so why would I go out there and… fight a top fighter when I can get the same amount of money for three rounds with whoever?”

Mayweather, who was last in Manila in 2019, has been on several exhibition matches since stopping Conor McGregor in 2017 for a perfect 50-0 record.

Pacquiao, too, is about to partake in his first exhibition match against Korean Youtuber DK Yoo in December. g

Hospital group wants mask mandate back

by Red Mendoza ManilaTimes.net

THE head of the country's group of private hospitals urged the Department of Health (DoH) to bring back the masking mandate in outdoor spaces, as he believes that the optional wearing of face masks is contributing to the increasing cases of COVID-19 in the country.

The government earlier lifted the mandatory masking mandate in open spaces and in low-risk settings as the country slowly moves away and heads toward COVID-19 possibly becoming endemic.

In a televised briefing on Tuesday, September 27, Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines President Dr. Jose Rene de Grano urged the government to bring back the mask mandate in outdoor spaces after the country reported a 22 percent increase in COVID-19 cases over the past week.

"We hope that the government would resume the mask mandate even in outdoor areas as we are seeing an increase in mild cases so that we won't see increased hospitalization," de Grano said.

In response, Health Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said there is no need for groups to request the government to reimplement the mask mandate once cases increased as the DoH will be the one to reintroduce it if it sees fit.

Vergeire added that aside from the lifting of the mask mandate, increased mobility of individuals, waning vaccine immunity and

return of face-to-face classes have contributed to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the past few days.

"It is not specific to the optional masking outdoors, it could also be attributed to the increased mobility of the population, to the opening of classes, or even the vaccination of boosters, we are seeing many factors," she said.

Vergeire recognized that there could also be circulating Omicron subvariants in the country, which are highly transmissible but less lethal than the Delta variant.

Infectious disease specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante said in a message to The Manila Times that another reason that the country's positivity rate remains high is the presence of other Omicron subvariants that are more transmissible than the BA.5 and the BA.4 subvariants.

He added that the "selection pressure" from the continuous transmission of Omicron in the population as a result of low vaccine coverage is the main reason why the subvariants continue to emerge within the Omicron lineages.

"And I think that's one reason an Omicron-specific booster vaccine makes sense to lower that selection pressure and prevent more subvariants within the Omicron lineages," Solante said.

Currently, 41 percent of the total number of samples sequenced in the country contained the BA.5 subvariant of Omicron, while 32.3 percent were of the BA.2.3 subvariant.

Vergeire said they are now in talks with manufacturers

regarding the possible procurement of reformulated vaccines that contain the Omicron subvariant.

She added that the DoH has initiated talks with Moderna, which is requesting term sheets for vaccine procurement, and Pfizer, noting that the government recognizes the need to procure these bivalent vaccines.

Vergeire said there had been no vaccine wastage reported during the onslaught of Super Typhoon "Karding" (international name: "Noru") in the Philippines and only a few health facilities sustained minor damage.

She added that areas that have suspended the "PinasLakas: Bakunahang Bayan" vaccination drive may now begin their booster vaccination campaign and are urged to extend the drive until October 1, Saturday.

Currently, around 66,756 had been given booster shots on the first day of the campaign in the Visayas and Mindanao. g

Survey: 63% of older AAPI women experience...

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above reported that, in addition to experiencing discrimination, they “felt pressured to look or act a certain way at work.”

For generations, Asian women have often been seen as inherently subservient and silent sufferers — though, those stereotypes still exist today, albeit perhaps, a little quieter.

However, recent attacks on the AAPI community, and the cultural awakening that followed, are encouraging community leaders to call out systemic forms of racism, sexism, and ageism.

“Being an Asian American and Pacific Islander woman has always been challenging due to the stereotypes we have to endure. On top of having to overcome stereotypes, AAPI women have had to contend with many forms of discrimination as well,” said Daphne Kwok, AARP vice president of the organization’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, AAPI Audience Strategy.

The discrimination that AAPI women experience, according to this survey, parallels the kinds of gendered racism that Black,

Latina, and Muslim women constantly endure.

And these specific forms of discrimination consequently tend to negatively affect their mental health; for AAPI women, 56% reported low mental health related to workplace bias.

Microaggressions, which are typically less aggressive than outright bias, can still significantly affect mental health, according to Gilbert Gee, a professor at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health.

“Things that people encounter on a day-to-day basis — people making assumptions about you, being treated less courteously or being followed in a store — all those things are very stressful.

They take a toll on self-esteem and self-concept,” Gee told AARP.

And, ageism throws another wrench into the equation.

As technology advances exponentially, workplace ageism continues to proliferate among older workers, who, for economic reasons, are becoming less likely to retire by 65 years old.

As a way to avoid becoming targets of ageism — which can

often be coupled with gender and race-related discrimination — 75% of AAPI women routinely practice “avoidance tactics,” like being careful of what they say and how they express themselves and putting others' feelings of comfort and safety before their own.

According to Tetyana Shippee, a social gerontologist at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, age discrimination is typically seen as a more “socially acceptable” form of discrimination, especially since many workplaces value innovation — and the older you are, the less you’re seen as innovative.

“Younger people assume I don’t know how to use technology,” Shippee told AARP. “And even though age is not supposed to be discussed in hiring, I hear people say they don’t want someone who is too old because ‘we still want them to be vibrant and engaging.’ Across different spheres, I’ve also heard comments about wanting people who are going to ‘stay involved for a long time.’” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

Duterte leaves office with record-high...

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conducted in April, while those dissatisfied fell by six points and those undecided fell by four points.

The former president logged new record-high satisfaction ratings in Metro Manila, Balance

Luzon and Visayas, where he went from “very good” to “excellent,” while he remained “excellent” in his home region of Mindanao.

Duterte's performance was also rated as “excellent” in both urban and rural areas, by both men and women, in all age groups and

educational groups.

Satisfaction with Duterte was higher among families who called themselves “non-hungry” at +83, while families who reported to have experienced severe hunger rated the former president +56. (Xave Gregorio/Philstar.com)

Is COVID ‘under control’ in the US...

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going to beat this virus. We’re going to get it under control, I promise you. “

Biden is on safer linguistic ground with his promise to get COVID “under control” than saying “the pandemic is over.”

There remains some debate among public health experts about whether the pandemic is “over” — or whether it realistically can ever be. There is no official arbiter for making that decision, and the word “over” suggests a finality that is not well suited for describing a pathogen that will exist in some form indefinitely.

However, we found broad agreement among infectiousdisease specialists that the pandemic by now is “under control.”

consistently between zero and 5,000 since the spring, after peaking at 20,000 to 25,000 per week during four previous surges since the pandemic began.

Hospitalization has held steady recently at some of the lowest rates of the pandemic. And even this level may overstate the virus’s impact; routine testing upon admission often detects cases that are asymptomatic and largely coincidental to the reason a patient is admitted.

Gandhi pointed to data from Massachusetts hospitals showing that most hospitalized patients who test positive for COVID have only “incidental infections,” with only 1 in 3 being treated primarily for a COVID-related illness.

yet.”

Some experts caution that a pandemic “under control” doesn’t mean the costs will be minimal.

“The degree of protection afforded by the current vaccines available, especially to the most vulnerable, is of limited duration, and nonfatal outcomes from COVID can still have knock-on consequences to the population health,” said Babak Javid, an associate professor in the division of experimental medicine at UCSF.

These consequences are called “long COVID,” and nearly 1 in 5 Americans who have had COVID are suffering from it.

Mayor 4 na Taong Termino

Pamela A. Goynes-Brown Pat Spearman

Oktubre 24-25, 2022 10:30 AM hanggang 8:00 PM

Oktubre 31 – Nobyembre 3, 2022 8:00 AM hanggang 5:00 PM

Oktubre 22 - Nobyembre 3, 2022

Nobyembre 4, 2022

Oktubre 22 - Nobyembre 3, 2022

Nobyembre 4, 2022

Oktubre 22 – Nobyembre 3, 2022

Nobyembre 4, 2022

Nobyembre 3, 2022

Nobyembre 4, 2022

Oktubre 25-26, 2022

9:00 AM hanggang 7:00 PM

9:00 AM hanggang 8:00 PM

9:00 AM hanggang 7:00 PM

9:00 AM hanggang 8:00 PM

9:00 AM hanggang 7:00 PM 9:00 AM hanggang 8:00 PM

9:00 AM hanggang 7:00 PM 9:00 AM hanggang 8:00 PM

Aliante Library, 2400 W. Deer Springs Way, NLV 89084

North Las Vegas City Hall, 2250 Las Vegas Boulevard North, NLV 89030

Deer Springs Town Center, 640 E. Deer Springs Way / North 5th StreetParking Lot malapit sa Home Depot

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

Lowe’s Craig / Losee, EVENT TENT, Parking Lot, 2570 E. Craig Road, NLV 89030

Silver Mesa Recreation Ctr. 4025 Allen Lane, NLV 89032

9:00 AM hanggang 7:00 PM SkyView YMCA 3050 E. Centennial Pkwy, NLV 89086

Oktubre 27-28, 2022 9:00 AM hanggang 7:00 PM

Oktubre 28

Nobyembre

Oktubre 31

Nobyembre

Nobyembre

Oktubre 26-27,

Oktubre 26-27,

hanggang

hanggang

AM hanggang

AM hanggang

Sun City Aliante Community Center 7390 Aliante Pkwy., NLV 89084

Pearson Community Ctr. 1625 W. Carey Ave., Rm. C NLV 89032

Albertsons 3010 W. Ann Road, NLV 89031

Alexander Library 1755 W. Alexander Rd., NLV 89032

CSN

North Las Vegas Campus, (Tyrone Thompson Student Union), 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., NLV 89030

Halalan

When Biden was inaugurated, physical distancing was widely enforced, schools were often virtual, public events were rare or tightly controlled, and few Americans had yet received a vaccine. Today, life for many Americans is much closer to the pre-pandemic norm, with virtually all schools open, concerts and restaurants well attended, and travel back to its typical level.

“The nation clearly has made tremendous progress on COVID-19 since President Biden’s election,” said Jen Kates, senior vice president and director of global health and HIV policy at KFF. “I would probably say that we are in a pandemic ‘transition’ phase — that is, moving from the pandemic into a post-pandemic period. But this is a continuum, not a cliff, where it’s a pandemic one day and over the next,” Kates added.

Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, added that the promise to get the pandemic under control “is certainly well on course, or perhaps even met, as far as what the federal government can provide to accomplish that.”

And Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and health policy at Vanderbilt University, agreed that the “emergent phase of the pandemic is coming to a close. We’re now moving into the ongoing struggle — call it a truce with the virus.”

Medical experts said pandemics inevitably become “endemic,” meaning that the pathogen is here to stay but does not present a widespread emergency.

Experts noted that hospitalizations and deaths, even at these reduced levels, remain too high, and they cautioned that infections could increase as winter forces people indoors. Still, they credit the availability of vaccines and therapeutics, as well as the knowledge gained from living with the virus for more than two years, for the likelihood that the darkest days of the pandemic are behind us.

“I am not worried at all that we will go back to the scale of hospitalizations and deaths of the worst days of the pandemic,” said Brooke Nichols, an infectious-disease mathematical modeler and health economist at the Boston University School of Public Health. “We will likely enter into a seasonal COVID vaccine situation, potentially combined alongside the flu into the same vaccine, and these seasonal vaccines will become critical to avoiding hospitalizations and deaths during the flu and COVID seasons.”

There has been no major new variant since omicron emerged in late 2021, and even the most recent omicron subvariant to emerge, BA.5, has had a long run as the dominant strain in the U.S., prevailing since early July.

This doesn’t mean that a more dangerous new strain couldn’t emerge. However, public health experts take comfort from recent patterns. The trend during most of 2022 suggests that a rapid succession of ever-more-confounding — and vaccine-evading — variants is not inevitable. If a major new variant does emerge, mRNA vaccines like those made by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech can be updated fairly easily for it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines long COVID as symptoms lasting three or more months after contracting the virus that weren’t experienced before.

“Under control” suggests progress on keeping further spread within modest limits. It does not mean that people haven’t lost loved ones or felt continuing effects from the virus; clearly, they have.

What does Biden still need to do?

Biden and his administration still have work to do, experts said.

Several public health experts urged Congress to pass Biden’s request for $22 billion in COVID-related funds. The White House has framed this funding as a way to be ready for a resurgence even though case levels are low now.

It proposes that the funding support testing, research on new vaccines and therapeutics, preparations for future variants, and global assistance. Biden’s open declaration that the pandemic is “over” could make congressional approval less likely, however.

Gandhi said the federal government should do a better job targeting boosters and therapeutics at populations most at risk of severe breakthrough infections, notably older Americans and people who are immunocompromised.

And Schaffner urged more effective and unified messaging, with efforts to remove any hints of politics. “I wish the federal government would get together on who the main messenger is, and provide sustained, clear, simple messages,” he said.

Aliante

Bridger,

Cram,

Lowe’s

LVAC

Pearson,

Sedway,

Swainston,

Wolfe,

North

Sun

Mga

Pangmunisipal

“We will always have to manage COVID in the medical system,” said Dr. Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine at the University of CaliforniaSan Francisco. “Unfortunately, although we can bring down deaths to very low, I don’t think we will ever get to zero deaths from COVID-19.”

The level of U.S. deaths from COVID is lower today than it has been during most of the pandemic, and it has been that way since the spring.

Notably, the number of “excess deaths” is also down. That’s a metric that gauges how many more deaths are occurring beyond the long-term average for that time of year. The number of excess deaths nationally per week has been

Vaccination uptake, though, remains an urgent question. About one-third of Americans are not fully vaccinated, and an even smaller percentage have received boosters. Plescia said “the main deciding factor right now is not going to be the president or the response of the federal government — it’s going to be the response of the public.”

“I think there’s disease fatigue and vaccine fatigue and wearing-a-mask fatigue,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “People are just tired of COVID and trying to wish it away, and it’s unfortunate because it’s not gone. We’re tired of it, but it’s not tired of us

Biden may not have used the most appropriate word when he described the pandemic as “over,” but the long-term statistical trends have been trending in the right direction, and the vaccines and treatments should dampen the severity of future waves. For these reasons, experts say it’s fair to declare that the pandemic is “under control.” If circumstances change, we will reassess our rating, but for now, this receives a Promise Kept. (Louis Jacobson, PolitiFact and Jeff Cercone, PolitiFact/Kaiser Health News)

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.

Health Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire ManilaTimes.net file photo

Legal na Paunawa Lungsod ng North Las Vegas Pangkalahatang Halalan na Pangmunisipal ng 2022

NAGBIBIGAY NG PAUNAWA na ang Pangkalahatang Halalan na Pangmunisipal ng Lungsod ng North Las Vegas ay gaganapin sa Martes, Nobyembre 8, 2022 para sa mga sumusunod na katungkulan:

Magsisimula ang maagang pagboto sa Sabado, Oktubre 22, 2022, at magtatapos ito sa Biyernes, Nobyembre 4, 2022 (maliban na lang kung may ibang isasaad) sa mga sumusunod na lokasyon sa North Las Vegas.

Ang mga sumusunod na sentro ng pagboto ay magbubukas sa North Las Vegas sa araw ng Pangkalahatang Halalan na Pangmunisipal:

Bukas ang Mga Lugar na Itinakda para sa Maagang Halalan sa Lungsod ng North Las Vegas sa Buong 2 Linggong Panahon para sa Maagang Pagboto: Petsa Oras Lokasyon

After the typhoon, the garbage

As in previous typhoons, tons of garbage washed up on the shores of Manila Bay as Super Typhoon Karding pummeled Luzon beginning Sunday night, September 25. The most visible was the garbage on the white dolomite beach in Manila.

Before the controversial artificial beach was installed beside Manila’s Baywalk, even normal tides regularly dumped tons of garbage along what used to be rock-strewn shores. This points to a problem that has yet to be resolved: improper garbage disposal. It also lies at the heart of plastic pollution: whether it’s singleuse or plant-based biodegradable, plastic – and all other types of materials – will continue to pollute land and oceans, getting stuck in the guts of whales, as long as waste is not disposed of properly.

These days, in addition to plastic, tin cans, glass containers, water bottles, paper waste and wood scraps, the other materials now regularly washed ashore around Manila Bay are pandemic-related garbage: face masks and medical waste. One can only guess where the garbage comes from, but it is a clear indication of inefficient waste management by the government, compounded by people’s filthy habits that can’t seem to be broken.

The garbage likely has multiple origins: households, business establishments, industrial plants, government offices, schools, health facilities, leisure areas, and even the large

Babe’s Eye View

BABE ROMUALDEZ

ARRIVING on presidential flight PR001 from Manila to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, we were extremely honored to welcome President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for his official visit to the United States – his first trip to the Western world as president. With me was Ambassador Antonio Manuel “Tonet” Lagdameo, our Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Our staff from the Philippine embassy in Washington D.C. and the New York consulate, together with the Philippine Permanent Mission to the UN office, worked extremely hard to make the President’s trip successful.

As instructed by the President, he wanted his trip to be meaningful and successful. And sure enough to begin with, the Filipino community event at

Postscript

FEDERICO PASCUAL JR

IT’S too early for followers of President Ferdinand Marcos to declare his recent six-day working visit to the United States a success – and for his critics to dismiss it as a failure. We’ll have to wait for the verified scorecard or make our own assessment and conclusions.

We can evaluate tentatively the mission’s accomplishments against the declared objectives. What did Marcos set out to do as a visiting chief of state? Was he able to do it? And at what expense of time and resources?

Before departing on Sept. 18, Marcos said: “I will outline our expectations of the United Nations and the work ahead, the role our country will play and our contributions in strengthening the international system.” Was he able to do that during his 21 minutes at the UN podium? We think he tried his best, although we were not sure the many vacant seats in the yawning session hall were listening.

But that’s the way it often is in

ships that enter the bay. Local government units, now equipped with a much larger share of national revenue, must boost their garbage collection and waste management services, especially in depressed areas where people cannot afford to buy plastic garbage bags, much less segregate their waste.

Garbage receptacles are also needed in public spaces with high foot traffic, such as in areas where people line up for mass transport. In the absence of such receptacles, many people simply drop cigarette stubs, used tissue paper and face masks as well as food containers on the sidewalk, knowing that no one is enforcing laws against littering.

Apart from attracting rodents, cockroaches and other vermin, the garbage piles also clog drainage systems, aggravating flooding that has worsened in recent years amid extreme weather attributed to climate change. During heavy rainfall and typhoons, the garbage washes ashore, spoiling the pristine state of the highmaintenance dolomite beach in Manila.

Barangay personnel, who are moving heaven and Earth to obtain yet another term extension from Congress and Malacañang, should make themselves useful and organize systematic

garbage disposal within their jurisdictions. People should do their part, through a change in mindset and practices. There are people who like

dumping their garbage anywhere except in their own backyard. In fact the entire planet is our backyard, and it is every person’s responsibility

A very successful US trip for President BBM

the New Jersey Performing Arts Center was jampacked where the President and the First Lady received a very warm welcome from our  kababayans – many of them traveling from across the U.S., with some coming all the way from Canada just to see the President, who lauded the overseas Filipino workers for their courage and heroism at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A good friend of mine, John Tuttle, who is vice chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, invited the President as their special guest. The President and the First Lady were expected to ring the closing bell. While making our way to the famous balcony, a number of Filipino traders and people at the trading floor came up to President BBM to congratulate and wish him well. I found it a very good omen that the green light was on, signaling that the stocks were going up.

Joining the President at the NYSE forum were members of his economic team that include Finance Secretary Ben Diokno and Trade Secretary Fred Pascual, as well as businessmen led by Aboitiz Group president

and CEO Sabin Aboitiz, lead convenor of the Private Sector Advisory Council.

The NYSE meeting was a great opportunity to signal that the Philippines is definitely back on track and is the “next big thing in Asia,” as Sabin Aboitiz said, describing President Bongbong Marcos as smart because he was able to get 30 of the Philippines’ busiest CEOs to “voluntarily work for him and our country.”

The President’s schedule was arranged in such a way that even dinners became meetings with American business executives coming from various industries, along with discussions from organizations such as the U.S.ASEAN Business Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as well as the World Bank.

The main event was of course his speech at the 77th UN General Assembly, where he told the world that we are a country that seeks global peace, underscoring “our open, inclusive and rules-based international order that is governed by international law and informed by the principles of equity and of justice” as we

continue to be “a friend to all, and an enemy of none.”

PBBM called attention to climate change as the greatest threat affecting nations and the people, saying “the time for talk about if and when has long since passed – it is here and now.” He called on industrialized nations to act responsibly as the effects of climate change are “uneven and reflect an historical injustice: Those who are least responsible suffer the most,” among them the Philippines.

The President also spoke about existential threats and the transcendent challenges of our times that are as consequential as those the world faced 77 years ago when the UN was founded. Saying the world is at a watershed moment and is ready for transformation, he enjoined world leaders to work together, to stand united and achieve success for the peoples of the world.

It was an excellent, well delivered speech that people thought was very well written. The President himself had been working on it for some time, adding ideas and keeping at it for the past month. As usual, the

sour-graping naysayers started posting that hardly anyone heard the President speak at the UN General Assembly hall.

The fact is, many permanent representatives usually watch it from their mission offices.

One of the highlights of the visit was PBBM’s meeting with Dr. Henry Kissinger, who came over to the President’s hotel.

The former U.S. State secretary – who has been described as “a master of the geopolitical chessboard” – was still very sharp at 99 and had fond memories of president Marcos Sr. and Mrs. Imelda Marcos.

During their one-on-one, the President had good insights from Dr. Kissinger on what the world was before, and the political challenges the world faces today. The President truly appreciated Dr. Kissinger’s insights that were extremely valuable.

The most awaited engagement was President BBM’s bilateral meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden. I accompanied the President together with Secretary Ricky Manalo and Secretary Diokno, House Speaker Martin Romualdez who

brought along Senior Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Sandro Marcos. President Biden has always been a warm and friendly person and the two leaders hit it off very well. I must admit that it gives me a great feeling that we are truly on the right track regarding our relationship with the United States.

We were hoping BBM could stay longer but it was clear his schedule was already packed full once he arrives in Manila. While the amount of business pledges is normally used to evaluate the outcome of a President’s overseas trip, I personally think that the success of this U.S. trip could not be measured simply in terms of the amount of potential investments but more in terms of elevating the country’s profile in ways that are immeasurable. (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.

* * * babeseyeview@gmail.com

Too early to say US trip was a success

assemblies of people of varied concerns (UN member-states now number 193). Marcos himself did not listen to the 16 other speakers after him. He left right after his speech.

The speakers after him were the heads of state of Lithuania, Romania, Bolivia, Peru, Marshall Islands, Seychelles, Argentina, Poland, Guatemala, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, El Salvador, Japan, Germany, Morocco and Italy.

Marcos also met with the U.S.ASEAN Business Council, the U.S.-Philippines Society and the Asia Society. Those meetings, together with briefings with investors, plus his appearance at the New York Stock Exchange, may help draw U.S. investments to the Philippines, but that would be counting the chicks before they hatch.

A trip is not complete without the President touching base with our  kababayans abroad who send foreign exchange back home that amounted to at least $31.4 billion in 2021. On this trip, FilAms welcomed him at a performing arts center in Newark, New Jersey.

So, was the Marcos expedition to America a success? We think

it was a qualified success, comparing what he was able to do and what he said he intended to accomplish. The missing figures are those of the U.S. investments that his team has been pursuing relentlessly.

The Biden-Marcos dialog in NY President Marcos sought a meeting with his U.S. counterpart. Two days after he spoke at the UN, President Biden met with him and his small group at the InterContinental Barclay in New York.

Part of the White House account of their exchange:

Biden: Well, Mr. President, welcome to you and your delegation. I think I woke you up election night. I called you so late to congratulate you. (Laughter.) But it’s a great victory, and I –and my best to your wife as well.

The relationship between the United States and the Philippines has very deep roots. We’ve had some rocky times, but the fact is it’s a critical relationship, from our perspective. I hope you feel the same way.

We have strong ties, including millions of Filipino Americans who are very proud of their ancestry and desperately want us to continue to have a strong

relationship. Our foundations are strong in the U.S.-Philippine alliance, which is of critical importance.

For decades, the alliance has strengthened both of us, I believe. And one of the things I want to talk about today is how we continue to strengthen that and work together on the things that are of greatest concern to you.

I look forward to discussing the opportunities for a wide range of issues, including COVID-19 recovery, energy security and renewable energy. I was impressed with the work you did on windmills and a whole range of other things. You and I both think that’s the future.

In addition, I expect we’ll discuss the South China Sea and disputes in a critical global throughway. I’ve spent a lot of time with not only the President of China but others about the international waters and how they have to be respected. xxx

Thank you for your position on the war against Ukraine and – by Russia – and how it’s impacting energy prices and – and food prices.

And so, we want to talk about human rights, talk about a whole

range of things. But I’m mainly interested to know what’s on your mind and how we can continue to strengthen this relationship.

Marcos: Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you. We’re very happy for the opportunity to meet with you despite the schedules that we both have to deal with.

Biden: You came a little farther than I did.

Marcos: (Laughs.) Well, the 100-plus-year-old relationship between the Philippines and the U.S. continues to evolve as we face the challenges of this new century and the events that we have been watching over the past few months. So, we have very much to discuss in terms of redefining, I suppose, in many ways.

But the role of the United States in maintaining the peace in our region is something that is much appreciated by all the countries in the region and the Philippines especially.

We feel that we are especially fortunate because we have very strong foundation of a very long relationship and the strong relationships on various facets not only political, not only diplomatic, but also economic.

And, of course, there is the very large Filipino population that have chosen to live and make their lives here in the United States and have been very successful.

Again, we would like to thank the United States for the massive help that we received during the pandemic. We had the provision of up to almost 36 million doses of vaccines very early on. For that, we are very, very grateful.

We continue to look to the United States for that continuing partnership and the maintenance of peace in our region.

Thank you again, Mr. President, for making time to see us. We are your partners. We are your allies. We are your friends. And, in like fashion, we have always considered the United States our partner, our ally and our friend.

Biden: Thank you. It’s mutual.

*

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.

*

NB: Author is on Twitter as @ FDPascual. Email: fdp333@yahoo. com. All Postscripts are also archived at ManilaMail.com

ManilaTimes.net photo

US Peace Corps, Philippines wrap up volunteer training with LGUs

MANILA — The U.S. Peace Corps and the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) has concluded a two-month training program for local government unit leaders in 12 provinces.

The U.S. Embassy in a statement on Wednesday the program was geared to highlight volunteerism as a means to “meet local development priorities.”

“Volunteerism is alive and well in the Philippines.  With the leadership and know-how of LGUs, it can be a powerful tool for achieving community-level development,” U.S. Peace Corps Country Director Jenner Edelman

was quoted saying.  Since 1961, the U.S. Peace Corps has deployed over 9,300 volunteers to other countries upon request. The organization will send volunteers in January next year to help the program participants to promote volunteerism.

Nearly 80 LGUs from Luzon and Visayas participated in the program. They were joined by the Australian Volunteers Program, Voluntary Service Volunteers, France Volunteers, the Global Initiative for Exchange and Development, and the Korean International Cooperation Agency.

Participants were taught how to mainstream volunteerism in communities by adopting local laws and through creating provincial volunteerism actions.

Every five years, the U.S. Peace Corps issues a John F. Kennedy Service Award to two staff members and two American volunteers among its members across 60 countries. It aims to recognize those who show extraordinary leadership and commitment to service.

A Youth Program Manager in the Philippines was given the award earlier this year, making Roberto “Ambet” Yangco the first Filipino recipient of the award. g

Padilla eyes bigger MinDA budget

by Berndatte tamayo ManilaTimes.net

SEN. Robinhood Padilla has pushed for a bigger budget for the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) to ensure lasting peace in the southern Philippines.

The senator made the call on Wednesday, September 28 at the hearing of the Senate finance subcommittee for the budget of the MinDA for 2023.

"Mindanao is close to us. We have seen the proposed budgets for Luzon and Visayas, and they are considerable," Padilla said in Filipino.

"But for Mindanao, the budget is quite small. This is very sad," he said after learning of a budget cut for MinDA for 2023.

"As you said, peace is very

important. And we know the key to peace is to address the cause of chaos by ensuring equitable development," he told MinDA chairman Ma. Belen Acosta.

Padilla said that while he and finance subcommittee chairman Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa will find ways to increase MinDA's budget, the agency's officials must also make representations with the Department of Budget and Management.

For 2023, the National Expenditure Program allotted P158.958 million for MinDA — P197.27 million lower than the agency's budget of P38.312 million for 2022.

Because of this, some P306.642 million in projects may go unfunded, including Mindanao digital innovations program,

P18.98 million; Expanded Mindanao economic recovery program, P20.977 million; Mindanao River Basins FoodEnergy-Water nexus program, P12.390 million; and Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Heritage Preservation and Development Support Program, P10 million.

Meanwhile, Padilla voiced hopes that there will finally be enough funds and local government support for the airport project in Mlang, Cotabato. He said it is a waste that the project has been in limbo for more than 15 years.

"It would be a waste. The airport would have been good for Central Mindanao. Progressive places have airports and seaports. Without these, the last 15 years would have been for nothing," he said. g

Marcos, private sector tackle plans for tourism industry

MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday, September 29 met with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) to discuss ways to boost Philippine tourism.

The tourism sector work plan was the agenda of Marcos’ meeting with PSAC, based on a short video clip uploaded on the official Facebook page of staterun Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM).

“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. convenes the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Tourism Sector Group in a meeting at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room in Malacañan Palace on September 29, 2022,” RTVM said in a Facebook post.

Malacañang, however, has yet to provide specifics about the plans to enhance the competitiveness of the country’s tourism industry.

The meeting was attended by PSAC Tourism Sector

Group, including Frederick Go (Robinsons Land Corporation), Roberto Claudio Sr. (Philippine Retailers Association), Rene Limcaoco (Hertz Philippines), Mary Geraldine Polanco-Onganon (Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc.), Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar (Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc.), and Leslie Vanessa Lim (Robinsons Land Corporation), RTVM said.

RTVM added that PSAC lead convenor Sabin Aboitiz (Aboitiz Group) and member Joji Gotianum Yap (Filinvest Development Corporation) also joined the meeting through virtual participation.

Presidential Management Staff Secretary Ma. Zenaida Angping and several officials from the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also participated in the meeting.

In his first State of the Nation

Address delivered on July 25, Marcos said his administration will push for the construction of more international airports and road improvements to attract more visitors and fast-track tourism's recovery amid the prevailing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Marcos made the vow, as he acknowledged the importance of tourism sector as an economic development tool and a jobgenerating industry that benefits the grassroots level.

The tourism industry employed at least 4.9 million individuals in 2021, higher than the 4.7 million registered in 2020, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority data released on June 28.

With borders virtually closed for the entire 2021, the country in 2021 only recorded a total of 163,879 foreign visitors. This is 89 percent down from the 2020 arrivals of 1,482,535. (PNA)

Marcos calls for unity, partnerships to achieve ‘an even better normal’

by Alexis RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. cited the need to achieve a "better normal" as he pushed for an economy that is sustainable and responsive to people's needs.

"While many things remain uncertain, one thing is for sure: We can no longer return to the way things were. It is time for us to work together to bring about an even better normal," Marcos said during the 55th annual meeting of Asian Development Bank's board of governors on Thursday, September 29 in Mandaluyong.

"I believe that at the heart of this goal is in the way that we must develop an economy that is green, that is sustainable, truly climate-resilient and responsive to people’s immediate needs. It is an economy that takes into account the ecosystem from which we harness our resources," he added.

Marcos reiterated the importance of forging partnerships as the world strives to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The partnerships once again that we will forge in these talks that we will be having after two and a half years of virtual meetings, I think, will really be lighting the way of what we are going to have to face in the near future as we navigate our way towards the new post-pandemic global economy," he said.

Marcos thanked the ADB for its efforts to address the impact of the pandemic, noting that the Manila-based lender was one of the first institutions to provide assistance with a grant of $3 million for the purchase of medical supplies for frontline health workers.

He also lauded the ADB for allowing the Philippines to access the CARES program,  a quick-disbursing budget-support facility designed to help countries mitigate the severe economic shocks caused by the pandemic.

The ADB, Marcos added, also enabled the country to push forward with infrastructure, social reform and community development and governance and institutions development projects that are in line with his administration’s eight-point

socioeconomic agenda.

"We must always acknowledge the ADB for being the steadfast partner in achieving the Philippines’ development goals," the president said.

Marcos assured the ADB that the government remains committed (to) the efficient and effective use of its assistance for the full benefit of all Filipinos.

"As President, I will assure that the government’s relationship with the ADB can only grow stronger in the years to come, harnessing mutual cooperation to nurture development here in our country, together with our partners around the world and in the region," he said.

According to the ADB website, more than half of the Manila-based lender's $2.2-billion total loan commitments to the Philippines in 2021 focused on boosting the country’s health care service delivery The funding helped the Philippine government buy lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines for its national vaccination program.

ADB said it has committed 612 public sector loans, grants, and technical assistance totaling $27.4 billion to the country. g

Nearly 80 LGUs from Luzon and Visayas participated in the program and were joined by the Australian Volunteers Program, Voluntary Service Volunteers, France Volunteers, the Global Initiative for Exchange and Development, and the Korean International Cooperation Agency. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Manila

‘LAHI’: Reina Bonta talks about how the multi-generational Fil-Am experience inspired directorial debut

by Donnabelle GatDula arevalo / AJPress

LOS ANGELES — Emerging Filipina American filmmaker Reina Gabriela Bonta says her earnest love for her family’s roots is what gave rise to her directorial debut, “LAHI.”

“Primarily, I am constantly struck by the privilege associated with having a living grandparent, who existed through and was a critical piece in major historical and cultural events, have such a sharp memory and be so eager to share about her experiences. I’ve wanted to, for a few years, find a way to document her life story for future generations to commemorate, “says Bonta, age 23, when asked about her motivation in making her short film.

LAHI, a Tagalog word for race or legacy, is a short film about cultural identity filmed in Hawaii. It is inspired by Bonta’s own experiences as a third-generation Filipina, as well as the life of her  lola Cynthia, a WWII survivor who was born and raised in the Philippines.

Specifically, the 21-minute “LAHI” tells a story of a young, culturally-disconnected Filipina girl named “Mimi” who returns to O’ahu for her grandmother’s funeral. On the island, she embarks on a journey to return a family heirloom and is visited by the apparition of her grandmother and elders whose stories about Filipino identity turn her worldview upside down.

“I saw this work as an opportunity to create a narrative-infused archive of my  lola’s incredible life story, as well as flex my imagination and the creative possibilities of a short film,” says Bonta, daughter of Rob Bonta, California’s first Filipino

Attorney General, and Mia Bonta, assemblymember for California’s 18th Assembly District.

“I often refer to ‘LAHI’ as a love letter to my  lola, and by casting her in the film as well, I was able to deepen our relationship in new, profound ways,” she added.

Recently graduated with distinction at Yale University with Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Studies, Bonta reckons her love for filmmaking began at a tender age.

“To some degree, I believe I was always drawn to film. When I was about five years old, and a ball of unbridled energy disrupting the house, my mother would hand me a disposable camera and send me into the backyard to ‘turn my energy into art’,” she recalls.

Growing up, she remembers also taking on photography from an early age, which naturally evolved into her deep love for film. “The year I spent away from Yale during the pandemic of 2020-2021 really affirmed this passion as something real and viable as a career for myself, building upon my lessons in the classroom,” she said. Some of her photography were featured in world-renowned publications including Forbes Magazine.

Her passion for film intensified further when she got to spend a lot of time in the film/movie industry during the past few years.

“I spent the first half of the year working as a production assistant in Hawaii on a multimillion dollar CBS television show, and the second half of the year working on-location in Kenya on a documentary project about endangered black rhinos on a wildlife conservancy and the

rangers that protect them from poachers,” she says.

“These incredible experiences allowed me to learn about film in a new and adventurous way, outside of a more classically pedagogical learning environment, and cemented my passion for it,” adds Bonta, born and raised in California, who is now currently based in Brooklyn, New York.

Bonta is also a life-long competitive soccer player like her father. Rob, who also attended Yale University where he graduated cum laude with a B.A. in History in 1993, played on the Yale Bulldogs men’s soccer team. The young Bonta is currently playing with the Philippines Women’s National Team in preparation for the 2023 FIFA World Cup.

In this ever-changing world, Bonta believes that it’s nice that some culture and traditions remain the same as reflected in the film.

“In my eyes, the (film) story itself is reflected in the act of making it... both center on a young, third-generation Filipina engaging in a journey towards cultural reconnection. During a modern time where people may grow further from their cultural roots, ‘LAHI’ is a reminder that preserving and honoring culture, specifically Filipino culture, is still a virtue of my generation,” she opines.

Bonta comes from a family of Filipino and Puerto Rican activists, which deeply informs all of her pursuits as a storyteller.

After viewing the film, she hopes that all supporters and audience members of LAHI will feel a renewed sense of optimism.

Maja Salvador to star in new ABS-CBN TV series with Richard Gutierrez

by anne Pasajol Inquirer.net

MAJA Salvador is set to star alongside Richard Gutierrez in an upcoming ABS-CBN TV series, which will mark the actress’ return to the network after two years.

Star Creatives announced this by showing a behind-thescenes photo from the series, via its Instagram page on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Salvador can be seen smiling while looking at Gutierrez who is resting his head in her lap.

“Starring Richard Gutierrez kasama sina (along with) Maja Salvador, Sue Ramirez and Jake Cuenca. To be shot entirely in Cebu,” it said.

Salvador also showed the said photo on her Instagram Stories, adding red, green and blue heart emoji which apparently stand for the colors of the network’s logo. Gutierrez shared the photo as well, saying, “Soon on primetime.”

No further details have been released about the series, as of writing.

Salvador last worked with ABS-CBN in the TV series “Killer Bride” which ended in 2020. The actress then became part of TV5’s shows “Sunday Noontime Live,” “Niña Niño” and “Oh My Korona .” In October last year, Salvador joined the long-running noontime show “Eat Bulaga ” in GMA as host.

“LAHI” will be having its World Premiere at Portland Film Festival, screening on October 14 and 17. Simultaneously, it will also be screening on October 14, 5pm, at the San Diego Filipino Film Festival.

Bonta told the Asian Journal that “LAHI” has also been selected to be shown, in other festivals such as LA Femme International Film Festival (Los Angeles, CA), Twin Cities Film Festival (Minneapolis, Minnesota), and Hawai’i International Film Festival (Honolulu, HI), within the months of October and November this year.

“LAHI” features exceptional performances by Tiki Willis as Mimi (debut lead performance, known for Magnum P.I., upcoming Netflix pilot project), Tessie Magaoay as Andrea, Virginia Almonte-Savella Harper as Gabriela, and Cynthia Bonta (Reina’s grandmother, lifelong activist) as  Lola’s Apparition. DP Kilani Villiaros (NCIS: Hawaii), Producers Connie M. Florez (Waikiki) and Angelique Kalani Axelrode, and Executive Producer Bryan Spicer (24, Bones, The X Files) are crew members of the

project.

Asked about her future and upcoming projects after “LAHI,” Bonta says she is currently producing a narrative feature film called “Characters Disappearing”, which centers on the IWK (the less visible Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) counterpart to the Black

“As for my own directorial pursuits, I am exploring the concept of expanding “LAHI” into a feature,” she adds.

Lea Salonga to receive TIME100 Impact Award

by Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

FILIPINO actress-singer Lea Salonga has been included as among the recipients for the 2022 TIME100 Impact Awards, which recognizes "visionaries who have gone above and beyond to make an impact and move their respective industries forward."

In a write-up by journalist Sanya Mansoor, Salonga recounted how becoming the singing voices for Disney princesses Jasmine and Mulan were meaningful to her, particularly the latter.

“All of a sudden, the people that look like me had a princess,” Salonga said. “[Mulan] brings honor to herself and to her family... and she does it with grace.”

Beyond Disney, Salonga also took pride in promoting representation in Hollywood

and in Broadway by showing underrepresented groups their stories matter.

Salonga won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Kim in "Miss Saigon" and in 1992 became the

first Asian woman to play Eponine in "Les Misérables" on Broadway.

Mansoor's write-up also mentions that Salonga is still hoping for a Filipina Disney princess, likely patterned after the legendary heroine Urduja.

Joining Salonga in receiving the award are British-Indian actress Alia Bhatt, Iranian-American computational geneticist Dr. Pardis Sabeti, and former James Webb Space Telescope Program director Gregory L. Robinson.

All four award recipients will make an appearance at a special cocktail party in October 2 in National Gallery Singapore, which will be followed by a viewing party for Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.

Previous recipients of the award include fellow musical artists Ellie Goulding and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.

Photos courtesy of Reina Bonta

Reina Bonta

A still from LAHI shows Mimi (played by Tiki Willis) at the thrift store.

Panthers and Young Lords who were instrumental to the 1970s Yellow Power Movement), and is primed for production in New York’s Chinatown in November of this year.

Lea Salonga Photo from leasalonga.com

Maja Salvador Photo from Instagram/@maja

Buying real estate is still a good investment

by RealtoR Fely Quitevis-Bateman

OWNING a home is the quintessential American Dream. It represents a triumph for all the hard work that you (and/or your family or spouse) have done in order to reach that level of home ownership.

There are positives associated with owning your own home, and/ or holding on to real estate as an investment – aside from growing your portfolio, there are benefits when you file taxes, and money earned when you decide to sell at a later time or develop the property to rent out.

One of the main thoughts that pops up is where to invest in property or land. Many people think about their retirement years and where they want to settle –perhaps in a peaceful place where there are things to do, and where people genuinely care for their neighbors.

Today’s increasing mortgage interest rates, coupled with higher real estate prices, have drawn people to look for places where real estate is more affordable. One of those places is Pahrump, a town adjacent to the California-Nevada border, and which is about 62 miles west of Las Vegas.

Originally inhabited by the Southern Pauite, Pahrump has grown by leaps and bounds from its beginnings, and had a reported population of 44,738 per the 2020 Census.

There is a great deal of development ongoing in this unincorporated town. Many

businesses are setting up in the town or expanding their operations.

One of my clients, Andrew Hoang, the president and CEO of Alka Products is in the process of building a glove factory in Pahrump. A new Circle K is under construction. The town recently welcomed the opening of its first dispensary, The Source, which offers drive-thru pick up service.

Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch enhanced its racetrack –its longest configuration now is at 6.1 miles, and is reportedly the longest road course in North America.

Earlier this year, plans by developers to bring Nevada’s first pari-mutuel harness racing to Pahrump were bared, a project that would include a casino, restaurants, batting cages, shopping facilities, campgrounds, a waterpark, a movie theater and parking for RVs and vehicles.

There are companies who are also planning to hire more people for their companies, including ARES Nevada LLC which was awarded a tax abatement of $2.5M. It is developing a merchant energy storage facility at a working gravel mine in Pahrump. The company plans to make an estimated $26.7M in capital investments in the first two years, and grow to 51 jobs in five years, per a report from the Pahrump Valley Times.

Industry analysts have reported that in Pahrump, median housing

price is at $386,000, which is up 7.2% compared to last year’s median price. On the average, homes sell in around 49 days in Pahrump. Depending on what type of property you are looking at, you may be able to negotiate with a seller as the Pahrump market has also been hit by the sales slump being experienced around the country.

That median price is very good for people who are looking to at this town, and quite affordable for those who are priced out of many markets in the U.S.

According to industry reports, California residents are the top movers to Pahrump, coming from varied locations like Los Angeles, San Jose, San Diego and Sacramento. Other cities that have residents coming into town are from Utah, Washington, Illinois, Oregon, New York and Arizona.

Traditionally, real estate has always been a solid investment for individuals and families. The market goes through its highs and lows, but one thing is certain – those who invest at the right moment are able to get their

money’s worth in the end.

Just to illustrate: in Nevada, the median price of a home in 1940 was pegged at $20,700. It grew to $136,000 by 1980 and to $142,000 in 2000. In the middle of the housing crash, the median price was at $143,651. The recent surge in home prices, fueled by the pandemic, saw the median price go up to a phenomenal $345,000 in 2020.

If any individual had invested on a property in 2000 in Nevada, he or she would have earned about $200,000 about 20 years later.

As of now, Pahrump is one of those towns where land and property are more affordable than other parts of the country, or even Nevada. Nye County, which Pahrump is situated in, keeps experiencing an increase in population, which indicates that many people are looking into the area as major cities get overpopulated and real estate prices get too high.

I have been a Realtor for many decades now and have seen the growth of Pahrump. I consider it one of the best towns to live in. With many residential

and commercial developments coming into the area, and many planned projects that will add to the diversity of the town’s entertainment offerings, it truly is a good place to look for a home, an investment property or a piece of land that you may want to construct your dream home in or sell for a profit later.

Many of my clients have bought multiple properties in Pahrump. Some have even turned their investments into Airbnb or rental properties, which is another source of income for them. There is an increasing inventory in the market and now may be the best time to look at these properties.

My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805559-2476 and 702-538-4948 for more information, or send me an email at fely@preciousproperties.com or fely.precious@ gmail.com. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days.

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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.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (center) with Alka Products CEO Andrew Hoang (left) and Jenny Truong (right).

The second Circle K gas station in Pahrump currently under construction is located on Homestead and Gamebird Roads.

The Source, which opened its first dispensary in Pahrump recently, is located along Homestead Road, and is walking distance to Highway 160. It offers a drive-thru pick up service.

The first Circle K station that became operational in town is located on Basin Road.

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

AS we lower our guard against COVID-19 because cases are decreasing, unvaccinated individuals, the prime target of the coronavirus, are becoming incubators (where the virus replicates, mutates) and carriers/spreaders churning out new Omicron subvariants.

As a consequence, we now have BA.4.6 and BF.7, as the predominant BA.5 decreases. In the United States, more than 106 million are unvaccinated; in the Philippines, about 37 million are not vaccinated.

BA.4.6 was responsible for nearly 12 percent of the cases last week and is now the most predominant strain behind BA.5. BF.7, an “offshoot” of BA.5, accounts for 2 percent of the COVID-19 cases.

While the cases are coming down, the data show that, as of last Tuesday, September 26, the daily average cases are still high – about 52,539 a day, with 417 deaths each day, 29,443 hospitalized. In the Philippines, about 66.4 percent (72.7 million) have full vaccination; 68 percent of the people in the United States (224,113,439) are fully vaccinated, and only 33 percent (108,806,974) got a booster shot. The vaccination rate for the new bivalent booster is very low, as people start having a false sense of security and becoming bolder and casual.

The question now is whether the new reformulated bivalent boosters, which were redesigned primarily for BA.4 and BA.5, would be effective against these two new subvariants of Omicron. Only time can tell as clinical pictures evolve. In the meantime, we urge everyone to be fully vaccinated, including the new Pfizer-BioNT or Moderna bivalent vaccines, which could be interchanged. Both are equally good. When it comes to virus infection, nothing beats the value (effectiveness) of vaccines.

COVID-19 impacts brain U.S. researchers reported on Thursday, September 22 that “people who had COVID-19 are at higher risk for a host of brain injuries a year later compared with people who were never infected by the coronavirus, a finding that could affect millions of Americans.”

The most common symptoms are memory impairments, labelled as brain fog, which 77 percent of those who had COVID-19 infection are prone to have. Fifty percent of them are also likely to have ischemic stroke, which is caused by blood clots, compared to those who never got infected. Those who were infected also have 80 percent higher risk to have seizures, 43 percent more likely to have mental health issues, like anxiety and

BA.4.6, BF.7 are here!

depression, 35 percent likely to have headaches, and 42 percent at higher risk to suffer movement problems, like tremors, compared to noninfected individuals.

This is a vital reason why everyone has to be careful to avoid getting COVID-19 infection, even if the symptoms from the Omicron sub-variants are usually milder, because the potential future “sideeffects” could be devastating.

Exercise in a pill

The old-fashioned, timetested physical exercise is universally known to confer great health benefits, not only for the muscles and bones, but also for the cardiovascular system and the body as a whole, including a person’s mental health. Brisk walking for those still able to do it, no matter how old the person is, is highly recommended more than jogging. The longterm side effect of jogging is trauma to the spine, the hip joints, knee joints, and the ankles, which show up in the later years.

Scientists reported recently that they found a drug that “apparently mimics the effects of vigorous exercise” in laboratory mice. The “exercise in a pill” is called locamidazole (LAMZ). While it did reinvigorate the muscles and bones, as does physical exercise, they are not sure if the benefits would be the same as conferred by actual physical exercise. If adequate studies show that it is applicable to humans down to the molecular level, it might be relegated to those where physical exercise is no longer safe or practical. For all others, we would continue to do our routine standard exercise.

Tea and diabetes

Scientists investigated the effects of drinking various types of tea (black, green, oolong) on diabetic risk, and found that drinking 1-3 cups of tea decreased the risk for diabetes type 2 somewhat but drinking 4 or more cups a day was associated with 17 percent lower risk. There are around 422 million people around the world with diabetes mellitus type 2. This study was a meta-analysis of 19 cohort studies from eight countries presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden. More extensive studies on a global scale are needed to confirm these findings.

Cardio-nuclear scan

To increase the value of a stress test, Thallium-201 or technetium-99m sestamibi (Cardiolite) are two radioactive ingredients given intravenously (nuclear perfusion scan) during the stress test at the point of maximum exercise. This combo then becomes more useful for heart test for evaluation of coronary artery disease. It shows the blood flow in the coronary arteries and looks for blockages in

the arteries and the affected region of the heart.

A stress test alone could show a false negative result among individuals whose tolerance to exercise is high, in spite of possible blockage in the coronary artery. With this perfusion scan, the accurate condition of the coronary artery flow is revealed even if the plain stress test comes out normal. Hence, stress test and nuclear scan perfusion are done together as a standard procedure in cardiology today.

Chronotype Chronotype tells us what time of the day individuals tend to be more active. Those who wake up early and active in the morning are “early birds,” and those who stay up late and take a longer time to start in the morning are “night owls.” Recent studies revealed that night owls may have greater risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease than early birds. Sleeping more than 8 hours a day also have the same risk as night owls.

Flu or COVID shots?

Since the flu season is here and COVID-19 is expected to rise again in the fall and winter, the question is which vaccine to get first? Experts say the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 booster may be received at the same time (one in each arm) or taken separately. What is important, especially for seniors, is that people able to receive the shots get them in a timely fashion, which is now.

Contact lenses

A clinical study shows that reusable contact lenses may increase the risk of contracting a rare, serious, preventable eye infection called Acanthamoeba keratitis. This infection could lead to blindness. Around 85 percent of this uncommon infection is seen among those who use reusable contact lenses and rarely among those who use disposable lenses. Making sure that hands touching the lenses are clean is vital to avoiding infections.

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

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

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Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com.

Nevada State Contractors Board Deputy Executive Officer Sam Palmer named Code Official of the Year

LAS VEGAS and RENO, NV – The Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) congratulates Deputy Executive Officer Sam Palmer on receiving the 2022 International Code Council - Gerald H. Jones, Code Official of the Year Award. Palmer was recognized by the ICC earlier this month during its 2022 Annual Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

“We commend Deputy Executive Officer Sam Palmer on this well-deserved honor,” said Nevada State Contractors Board Executive Officer Margi Grein. “In his brief time with the Board, Mr. Palmer has demonstrated his leadership and shared his extensive knowledge of building laws and construction practices in support of our mission.”

The International Code Council (ICC) is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions that include product evaluation, accreditation, technology, training, and certification. During the conference, ICC honored several outstanding individuals and organizations for their accomplishments and contributions to

building safety and resiliency in their communities. The Gerald H. Jones Code Official of the Year Award is awarded based on contributions to advance the code enforcement profession and the Code Council’s mission.

Palmer is a registered Professional Engineer with more than 35 years in the building and construction industry in Nevada. Most recently, he was assistant director of the Clark County Building Department. Additionally, he serves as a member of the International Accreditation Service Board of Directors, chairs the Code Council's Major Jurisdiction Committee, and serves as the immediate past president of ICC Region 1 representing the states of California, Hawaii and Nevada. Palmer also works with University of Nevada, Las Vegas and both the West and Northwest Technical Career High School Academies to advance their technical training programs, where he mentors future and aspiring code professionals/contractors/engineers.

First food delivery for Nevadans in need made through Home Feeds Nevada

THE Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) marked the first food delivery of the Home Feeds Nevada program on Wednesday, Sept. 21, with 600 pounds of locally grown tomatoes from Blue Lizard Farms in Caliente to Three Square Food Bank in Las Vegas. Home Feeds Nevada is a program through which the NDA purchases food grown and produced in Nevada for distribution to those in need.

“Ensuring every Nevadan has food on their plate is something the NDA works towards every day,” said NDA Director Jennifer Ott. “This first delivery through the Home Feeds Nevada program marks a huge success for us in the fight for food security and the support we’re able to offer our food and agriculture industries in the state.”

In an effort to support Nevada agriculture and improve food security for Nevadans in need, the Home Feeds Nevada Agriculture Food Purchase program was established through Senate Bill 370 and passed during the 81st Legislative Session in 2021. Through this program, the NDA is purchasing foods that are grown, produced or processed in Nevada and distributing them through designated food banks to populations in need.

“No one should wonder where their next meal will come from. The Home Feeds Nevada program is helping put food on the table for Nevadans,” said Governor Steve Sisolak. “As we continue pandemic recovery efforts, it’s important now more than ever to offer support and economic opportunity to our local businesses. Through this program, we can do both. The NDA has done an incredible job getting this program up and

running in nine months and I look forward to the positive impact this will bring to Nevada.”

"The Home Feeds Nevada program is giving my farm some much needed stability, and at the same time, feeding Nevadans in need with highly nutritious produce,” said Rodney Mehring of Blue Lizard Farms. “We are honored to be a part of the Home Feed Nevada program. I started farming so I could provide nutritious food to my children,

and now that they are grown my farm can provide produce to other families in Nevada."

The NDA is accepting applications from local farmers, ranchers, food producers and processors interested in selling food to be used to fight food insecurity, and from storage and transportation providers to help aggregate and transport food. Learn more about Home Feeds Nevada and the application process at agri.nv.gov/HFN.

National Savings Day reminds us to plan for the future

THIS year, October 12th is National Savings Day. This day serves as an important reminder to plan for your financial future.

Social Security is a vital part of any financial plan.  We have online tools to help you understand your potential Social Security benefits and how they fit into your financial future.

You should periodically review your Social Security Statement using your personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.  Your Statement is an easy-to-read summary of the estimated benefits you and your family could receive, including potential retirement, disability, and survivors benefits.

Our Plan for Retirement tool in your personal my Social Security account allows you to check various benefit estimate scenarios.  You can compare the effect different future earnings and retirement benefit start dates have on your future benefit amount.

Please let friends and family know they can take steps to improve their financial knowledge by signing

‘Tignan natin’: Kim Chiu not closing door to sexy roles

by Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA actress Kim Chiu is not closing the door to sexy roles in movies.

In an interview with the media during the premiere night of her movie “Always” with real-life sweetheart Xian Lim, Kim was asked if she is ready to do daring roles.

“Matured, mas matured. Tignan natin. Depende naman sa story,” Kim answered.

“Parang itong 'Always' ano lang 'to, kalma lang,” she added.

Produced by Viva Films, Kim and Xian star in the Philippine adaptation of the hit Korean romantic movie “Always,’ which started showing in cinemas on Wednesday, September 28.

The original K-movie starred Korean film and TV stars So Jisub ("Oh My Venus," "Doctor Lawyer") and Han Hyo-joo ("Dong Yi," "Happiness"). The movie has several adaptations from different countries like Turkey, India and Japan.

“Always” is a romantic drama about two people with different outlooks in life, both damaged by the cruelties of the world — one physically and the other emotionally.

One faithful night brings the two lead characters together as Anna (Kim), a blind woman who

often hangs out in a parking booth, finds out that it now has a new attendant, a former boxer and a mysterious, sad-looking man named Lino (Xian). Despite Lino’s dismissive attitude, Anna stays and even goes back nights after to hang out at Lino’s parking booth. Through shared snacks and Anna’s warm presence, Lino’s walls begin to crumble.

He starts to open up and be at ease with Anna, a feeling he has not felt in a long time.

"Always" is adapted into a screenplay by award-winning writer Mel Mendoza-Del Rosario and directed by Dado C. Lumibao.

Home Feeds Nevada purchases local food to fight food insecurity

Rodney Mehring of Blue Lizard Farms in Caliente, Nev. harvests tomatoes for the first Home Feeds Nevada delivery.

Photo courtesy of Abraham Mehring

omatoes at Blue Lizard Farms hang on the vine as they begin harvest for the first Home Feeds Nevada delivery.

Photo courtesy of Abraham Mehring

Boxes of tomatoes from Blue Lizard Farms are delivered and unloaded at Three Square Food Bank in Las Vegas, Nev. Photo courtesy of Nevada Department of Agriculture

Rodney Mehring of Blue Lizard Farms shows representatives from Three Square Food Bank some of the tomatoes that are being delivered. Photo courtesy of Nevada Department of Agriculture

As each day passes, Lino becomes more protective and caring of Anna. They start to feel something more for each other, and their blossoming romance starts to flourish. But Lino’s dark past catches up with him, and it becomes a hindrance to their relationship.

Real life couple Xian Lim and Kim Chiu at the premiere night of their movie "Always." Philstar.com photo

in to their secure my Social Security account.  If they don’t have an account, they can easily create one at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.