100120 - Las Vegas Edition

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LAS VEGAS

We’ve got you covered from Hollywood to Broadway... and Online!

OCTOBER 1-7, 2020

2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 201 Las Vegas, NV 89109

Volume 31 - No. 39 • 16 Pages

Tel: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

Fil-Am voters sound off after heated Miami Heat head coach presidential debate between Trump, Biden Erik Spoelstra heads to DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

NBA Finals for fifth time

The half-Fil-Am coach is seeking his third NBA Championship, this time against the Los Angeles Lakers

by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

AS President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden squared off in their first debate on Tuesday, Sept. 29, several Filipino American voters across the country reacted to what transpired and doubled down on support for their pre-

ferred candidate. The 90-minute debate — moderated by Chris Wallace, anchor of “Fox News Sunday,” at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio — covered six topics, ranging from the Supreme Court vacancy to Trump’s tax returns to COVID19 recovery, as the candidates attempted to make their case with a little over a month to go until

Election Day. “For my side, the Republican side, the issues covered will help galvanize voters, especially in regards to the Supreme Court,” said Ron Falconi, mayor of Brunswick, Ohio and a member of Asian Pacific Americans for Trump’s advisory council. “The president has made it no secret that

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EIGHT years after making history as the first Asian American head coach to win an NBA Championship, celebrated Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is heading to his fifth NBA Final, putting himself in position to earn his third championship ring. On Sunday, Sept. 27, the Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, securing a spot in the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, whom they will square up against on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Spoelstra is only 49 years old, but his shrewd approach to coaching and ability to work well with players of all experience levels propel him to the league of fabled NBA coaches.

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Philippine Consulate General in LA reminds Fil-Ams of procedures under ‘new normal’ THE Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles has reopened to handle certain services, but advises the public to follow its guidelines under the “new normal.” The consulate — which covers approximately 1.3 million Filipinos in Southern California, Southern Nevada and Arizona — has been accepting in-person services by appointment only for passport renewal, notarization/ legalization of documents, dual citizenship, and Social Security System matters, according to Consul General Adelio Cruz. “Right now, we do not accept walk-in applications because everything is done by appointment,” Cruz said during a recent “Tanong ni ConGen” livestream hosted by PH Consul General in San Francisco Henry Bensurto Jr. Meanwhile, the consulate is accepting the following services by mail: civil registry, visa renewals, travel document, certified true

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Filipino American volunteers in Clark County get out the vote for former Vice President Joe Biden while maintaining COVID-19 safety measures. Contributed photo

DISPLAY. An artist prepares a painting on a canvass to frame and display at the Rajah Sulayman Plaza in Manila on Thursday, October 1. Each artwork fetches around P2,500. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

SC moves forward with poll protest vs Robredo by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Philippine Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, has directed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to comment on pending issues related to the election protest filed by former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. In its latest resolution, PET ordered the Comelec to file its comment within 20 days on Marcos’ third cause of action in his electoral protest, which seeks to annul the elections in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Basilan, and Maguindanao due to alleged Former Senator Bongbong Marcos and Vice President Leni Robredo

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Biden campaign woos Fil-Am voters in Nevada through culturally relevant outreach by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

KAMAYAN feast fundraisers, packed phone banking sessions in Tagalog, door-to-door canvassing, and campaign staffers present at community festivals — these have been some of the traditional get-outthe-vote efforts during election season to court Filipino Americans in Nevada. But as the pandemic continues and Election Day nears, staffers for former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign have been shifting to socially distanced and digital methods, while still retaining cultural relevancy. In the Silver State, Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are 10% of the electorate, and Filipino Americans make up the largest ethnic group. As Fil-Ams are predominantly concentrated in Clark County, the Biden campaign brought on Fil-Am staffers to help woo and connect with the demographic. One of the weekly programs is a phone bank every Saturday calling Tagalog speakers in the state.

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Inquirer.net photo

Pacquiao sets 2021 fight against UNFPA: PH can see epidemic former UFC champ Conor McGregor of unintended pregnancies by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Philippine Senator Manny Pacquiao Photo from Instagram/@mannypacquiao

PHILIPPINE Senator Manny Pacquiao, the eight-division boxing world champion, is set to fight former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor next year, his special assistant Jayke Joson confirmed over the weekend. “For the sake of all the Filipino COVID-19 victims, Senator Manny Pacquiao will be fighting UFC superstar Conor McGregor next year,” Jason said on Saturday, September 26. “The huge portion of his earnings will proceed to those who are affected nationwide by the pandemic,” Joson added. McGregor also announced that he will

be fighting Pacquiao. “Anyway all water under the bridge who gives a fook. I’m boxing Manny Pacquiao next in the Middle East,” the Irish mixed martial arts fighter said in a tweet on Sept. 25. Joson said negotiations between the two camps are being finalized. “Regarding the news coming from McGregor himself, we don’t deny it. In fact, our lawyers are finalizing all the confidential details, but both fighters are getting ready for this one epic last boxing fight. According to Paradigm Sports Management head Audie Attar, the fight may happen in the Middle East next year,” he said. He added, “It is confirmed the negotia-

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by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE number of unintended pregnancies in the Philippines could experience a spike if the quarantine measures caused by the novel coronavirus remain in place until the end of 2020, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said on Tuesday, September 29. According to the agency, the number of women expected to give birth this year could increase by almost half to 2.6 million if movement restrictions stay until the year-end. “This is an epidemic within an

epidemic,” noted UNFPA program officer Aimee Santos-lyons during a Senate hearing. “The restrictions on mobility were designed to slow down and prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Yet the unintended consequence of this measure may have helped reinforce gender discrimination and inequity,” she added. Citing a study by the University of the Philippines Population Institute (UPPI), the UNFPA pointed out that the continued lockdown is causing 60 additional maternal deaths a month, since the restrictions are preventing two million more women from accessing fam-

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