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Volume 34 - No. 42 • 12 Pages

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Caregiver confirmed as 4th Filipino fatality in Israel

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com

MANILA — Another Filipino caregiver – the fourth – has been confirmed to be among the fatalities in the attacks in Israel by Hamas militants on Oct. 7.

“I regret to inform the nation that we have received confirmation from the Israeli government of another Filipino casualty in Israel,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said on X on Thursday, October 19.

He said the identity of the deceased has been withheld as requested by her family.

“Out of respect for the wishes of

the family, we shall be withholding details on the identity of the victim.

But we have assured the family of the government’s full support and assistance,” he said.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the fourth fatality, a female caregiver in southern Israel, had initially been listed as one of the three missing Filipinos.

The remains of the four Filipino casualties would be flown to the Philippines, but no exact date has been given.

De Vega also said Filipinos in southern Lebanon are encouraged to evacuate because of possible retaliation by Israel against

Lebanon-based Hezbollah.

“In southern Lebanon, the embassy already informed the Filipinos there to evacuate, because of possible retaliation, because of attacks of Hezbollah,” De Vega said in a virtual press briefing.

The DFA, he said, is awaiting instructions from the Philippine embassy in Beirut regarding possible evacuation.

“Due to the persistent tension in Lebanon’s southern border, posing a significant threat to the safety and security of civilian residents, the Philippine Embassy urges all Filipino nationals close to the u PAGE 2

SAFE NOW. Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Mylene Rivera hugs her loved one upon arrival from Israel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City on Wednesday, October 18. Rivera was among the 16 repatriated OFWs escaping the Israel-Hamas conflict that killed four Filipinos.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

PH gov’t to evacuate Filipinos in Gaza

USA

DATELINE The new vaccines and you: Americans better armed than ever against the winter blechs

by Bernadette e. tamayo ManilaTimes.net

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

LAST year’s “triple-demic” marked the beginning of what may be a new normal: a confluence of respiratory infections — RSV, influenza, and COVID-19 — will surge as the weather cools each year.

Like blizzards, the specific timing and severity of these outbreaks are hard to forecast. But their damage can be limited in more ways than ever before. More protective vaccines against influenza are on the horizon.

And new vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, were approved this year, as were updated COVID vaccines. Although the first days of rollout for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines saw hiccups, with short supplies at some pharmacies and billing confusion with u PAGE 3

California governor signs 56 bills fast-tracking affordable housing SACRAMENTO — Amid California’s housing crisis, 56 bills signed by Gov. Newsom Wednesday, Oct. 11 expedite lowincome housing, notably on church and college land.

The two landmark bills in the package are sponsored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D — San Francisco). Support for these bills from historically opposed environmental and labor groups suggests the beginning of an unprecedentedly pro-housing majority bloc in California politics.

SB 4 Wiener’s SB 4 is formally known as The Affordable Housing on Faith Lands Act and informally known as “Yes in God’s Backyard” (YIGBY). It opens 171,000 acres of land across California by allowing institutions of faith (e.g. churches, synagogues and mosques) and nonprofit colleges to build 100% affordable housing on their property “by right,” bypassing most local permitting rules and environmental reviews. u PAGE 2

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. calls the family of the 49-year-old slain caregiver from Negros Occidental on Oct. 15, 2023.

Malacañang photo

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) placed Gaza under the highest alert level of 4 to pave the way for the mandatory repatriation of Filipinos in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

There are 137 Filipinos in Gaza that have to be pulled out before Israeli forces launch an invasion.

On Friday, October 13, the Israeli military instructed about a million residents in northern

Gaza to evacuate within 24 hours, an indication that an assault is imminent.

DFA spokesman Ma. Teresita Daza said in a statement on Sunday, October 15, the Philippine government has “accounted for 131 of our nationals in Gaza, and at least 78 of them are now situated near the Rafah border crossing near Egypt.”

“All the rest have left northern Gaza or Gaza City, which is expected to be the main site for hostilities,” Daza said.

DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the government is “calling on our nationals to leave” Gaza.

“If they stay, they do so at their own very grave risk,” de Vega said in a separate Viber message.

The first batch of eight Filipinos in Israel who requested repatriation was scheduled to arrive home on Monday, October 16.

Gaza remains under a strict blockade. The DFA said it is u PAGE 2

Hamas tried to infiltrate PH in 2018, 2022 – NSC by michaeL PunongBayan Philstar.com

MANILA — Two alleged operatives of the Hamas militant group now at war with Israel were in the Philippines and attempted to operate and ally themselves with local extremists in 2018 and 2022, according to the National Security Council.

NSC assistant director general Jonathan Malaya said one was a bomb expert who was arrested and deported five years ago.

“We saw there was intent by Hamas to launch activities in the Philippines. In fact, in

2018, there was a Hamas bomb maker that was arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and deported to Turkey,” he said.

“And also last year, there was an operative that talked to local extremist groups in order to operate in our country,” he told on Monday’s (October 16) Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing mostly in Filipino.

Malaya revealed that based on the PNP investigation, the Hamas operatives who tried to infiltrate the country had four main goals.

“Number one, kill Jews in the Philippines, that was the plan. Second, raise funds. And u PAGE 4

Vice President Sara Duterte and former President Rodrigo Duterte

Malacañang file photo

2 witnesses in last drug rap vs House leaders condemn De Lima withdraw testimonies ex-President Duterte

by Ian LaquI

by Red Mendoza

Philstar.com

MANILA — Two witnesses recanted their testimonies in the third drug case against former senator Leila De Lima, according to a document seen

by Philstar.com.

Former policeman Rodolfo Magleo, the witness who accused De Lima of being involved in illegal drug trade with late high-profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian, withdrew his Former Senator Leila De Lima has been detained since 2017 due to her testimony together with fellow alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison witness Nonilo Arile because with three cases filed against her. She has been acquitted in two of the three cases.

Philstar.com file photo

ManilaTimes.net

LEADERS of the political parties in the House of Representatives hit former President Rodrigo Duterte for criticizing the chamber over the reallocation of confidential funds and for declaring that the funds that would have been allotted to the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education aim to crush communists.

The political leaders urged the former president to “avoid u PAGE 2 making threats or insinuating

harm against any member of the House or the institution.”

“Our foremost duty as public servants is to the Filipino people, and it is incumbent upon us to rise above personal and political divides to prioritize their welfare and the nation’s advancement,” they said.

Duterte earlier defended his daughter over the use of confidential funds, noting that it would be used for the creation of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.

The former president added u PAGE 4

2

OCTOBER 19-25, 2023 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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From The FronT Page

Caregiver confirmed as 4th...

PAGE 1

border to evacuate preemptively to ensure their well-being and security,” the embassy said in its advisory on Tuesday, October 17.

On Thursday, in another advisory, the embassy reminded Filipinos to “take caution and avoid public places, social gatherings, and unnecessary travels around Lebanon, especially to the South” due to the ongoing mass protests across Lebanon and persistent tension in the southern border, which pose “a significant threat to the safety and security of civilians.”

Since violence escalated between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory on Oct. 7, there have also been reports of clashes on the border between Israel and south Lebanon,

resulting in casualties among civilians.

The Israeli military said on Sunday it intercepted five of nine rockets fired from Lebanon.

Israel said it has no interest in waging war on its northern front if the Lebanese group Hezbollah restrains itself.

The Philippine embassy in Jordan advised the Filipino community in the area to restrict non-essential movements and avoid public places, particularly where demonstrations are taking place.

Alert Level 2 is issued when there are real threats to the life, security and property of Filipinos arising from internal disturbance in, instability, or external threat to the host country.

“The Embassy reminds all Filipinos to exercise caution at all times, and to delay nonessential road travel. The safety and security of every Filipino overseas remain the priority of the Philippine government.

The Philippine Embassy is continuously monitoring the situation,” the embassy said.

Filipinos needing urgent assistance may contact the embassy.

According to records of Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority, there are about 30,000 Filipinos in Israel.

The death toll from the Hamas attacks and Israel’s retaliation has exceeded 4,150. (With reports from Delon Porcalla, Roel Pareño, Gilbert Bayoran)

elaborate the communication mentioned.

According to Magleo and Arile, five other witnesses will also withdraw their testimonies.

De Lima has been detained since 2017 due to her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison with three cases filed against her. She has been acquitted in two of the three cases.

The former senator and former justice secretary was acquitted in her second case after Rafael Ragos, a former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-

charge who was a star witness against De Lima, recanted his PAGE 1 allegation.

De Lima’s last pending case collaborating with diplomatic was raffled to the Muntinlupa partners in the region to Regional Trial Court Branch facilitate the safe passage of 206 last July after two judges Filipinos through the Rafah inhibited from the proceedings border crossing. that month.

The Department of Migrant The Muntinlupa RTC Branch Workers (DMW) and the 206 Presiding Judge Gener Overseas Workers Welfare Gito last August ordered three Administration (OWWA) will pay witnesses including Magleo, for the repatriation expenses, former policemen Froilan including bringing home the Trestiza and gang leader remains of Filipinos killed in the Jaime Patcho to testify in court fighting. hearings against De Lima. n The government asked the

2 witnesses in last drug rap vs De Lima...

PAGE 1 they were “bothered by good conscience.”

“We are bothered by our conscience. We do not want you to be victim of mistrial. We will reveal in due time. We are assuring you all that the last case will be dismissed,” the witnesses wrote in a letter dated Oct. 12, 2023, addressed to De Lima.

The witnesses also said that they wanted to recant their testimonies since 2018 but were restricted “due to impossibility of communication.” They did not

BACK HOME. Sixteen overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and an infant arrive from Israel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City on Wednesday, October 18. Upon arrival, the OFWs received financial aid and were assured of other forms of assistance.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

PH gov’t to evacuate Filipinos in... public to rely only on official statements and advisories and to refrain from spreading unverified information.

It also advised Filipinos against traveling to Israel until the security situation there stabilizes.

Sen. Maria Josefa Imelda “Imee” Marcos on Sunday cautioned concerned officials against issuing statements for or against Israel and the Hamas militant group in Gaza.

In a radio interview, Marcos said she was worried that the Philippines could become a

California Governor Gavin Newsom

target of local supporters of Hamas.

“We’re afraid that their support [for Hamas] will be reignited. That’s why we should be careful with our pronouncements. We should first ensure the safety of our fellowmen in Israel,” Marcos said in Filipino.

“But we condemn all kinds of terrorism. Likewise, many say that the reported bombing of Gaza constitutes a human rights violation. So, the situation of the Filipinos there is quite scary,” she said. n

File photo

California governor signs...

PAGE 1

It passed 32-2, with support from faith groups like the Jewish Public Affairs Committee and pro-development groups like the Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing.

According to an August 2023 study by UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation, half of land owned by nonprofit colleges and religious organizations are in the “highest” and “high” resource areas improving “economic, educational, and health outcomes for low-income families,” while 13% is within a half-mile of “high-quality transit.”

The law, which takes effect in 2024 and will sunset in 2036, comes as California’s housing crisis worsens. An estimated 172,000 of the state’s population — 30% — is homeless, as jurisdictions statewide fall behind in building a state-mandated total of 2.5 million homes over the next 8 years, 1 million of these being affordable.

SB 423 Wiener’s SB 423 extends by a decade the 2026 sunset of SB 35, a bill by the senator requiring local governments falling short of state housing goals to streamline affordable multifamily housing projects, i.e. to bypass many local zoning, permitting, and environmental review rules.

SB 35, which took effect in 2018, has already expedited over 19,000 homes, with about 60% of these being affordable.

The new bill passed 27-7, with support from staunchly pro-housing groups like the California Housing Consortium and California YIMBY. Given that the most costly and lengthy hurdle churches and colleges face in converting surplus land into housing is that this land is not zoned for residential use, those spurred on by the YIGBY bill to build affordable housing will use SB 423 to expedite the process.

Weakened labor, environmental opposition For this reason, however, several members of the League of California Cities opposed SB 423, citing concerns that it allowed the state to develop housing unregulated by local zoning standards, community input, and comprehensive environmental review.

Last July, environmental groups like the Coastal Commission also opposed the bill — which removed exemptions on streamlined housing in coastal zones — but

withdrew all opposition when Wiener amended the bill to state that it wouldn’t apply to “environmentally sensitive or hazardous” areas, like those prone to fires and flooding.

Labor unions like the state Building and Construction Trades Council also opposed both SB 4 and SB 423 — which mandate 100% affordable developments to pay average union-level wages but not necessarily to hire union workers — until Wiener added union protections for larger projects.

Some groups like the California Conference of Carpenters, the California Council of Laborers, and the Conference of Operating Engineers broke from their allies to express unprecedented outright support on the grounds that more high-paid construction jobs take precedence over guaranteed union jobs.

What it means for California SB 4 was Wiener’s third attempt to open church and college land to housing; he lost a 2020 version due to similar opposition from church and college sponsors on the grounds that union wage requirements would make affordable housing development untenable.

While the opposition is nothing new, however, the fact that it was not enough to prevent overwhelming support this year suggests a majority sea change in favor of more housing.

This political split on the part of California’s historically unified labor groups, and concession on the part of its historically litigious environmental groups, were key to removing local affordable housing barriers on such a scale as to have been a legislative pipe dream as recently as 2016, when Wiener was elected.

That year, for example, thenGov. Jerry Brown pushed a “by right” affordable housing streamline package similar to Newsom’s. It died without a legislative hearing due to opposition from many of the same environmental and labor groups.

Other bills in Newsom’s package penalize misuse of the California Environmental Quality Act (which allows litigation under aesthetic standards like the shadow a proposed building casts); let affordable housing developers increase density above the maximum in a city’s General Plan; limit tenant security deposits to one month’s rent; and replace 5,800 affordable homes in San Francisco lost to “urban renewal” of poor neighborhoods from the 1950s to the 1970s.

(Selen Ozturk/Ethnic Media Services)

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The new vaccines and you: Americans better...

PAGE 1 some insurers, the shots now are generally available at no cost.

What’s more, after enduring the worst pandemic in a century, people are more attuned to protecting themselves and those around them. Wearing face masks and staying home when sick can stop the spread of most respiratory infections. The rate of flu vaccinations has climbed over the past five years.

“It seems like the pandemic reminded them of how important vaccination is,” said Brian Poole, a microbiologist at Brigham Young University in Utah. In a study of college students, Poole and other researchers found that flu vaccination rates have nearly tripled since 2007, from 12% to 31% in the respiratory infection season of 2022-23. Only a minority of students expressed “vaccine fatigue.”

T h e r e i s , h o w e v e r, o n e dangerous departure from the past. Vaccination has become politicized, with college students and older adults who identify as Republican or conservative being less likely to get COVID vaccines, as well as vaccinations against flu. Before 2018, studies found that political affiliation had no influence on vaccine uptake. But as measures to limit COVID, such as school and church closures, became controversial, some political leaders downplayed the effects of COVID — even as the pandemic’s U.S. death toll soared above 1 million.

That messaging has led to a disbelief in public health information. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports data showing that COVID hospitalizations nearly tripled in

the latest surge, with more than 40,000 hospitalizations in the first two weeks of September compared with about 13,600 in the same period of July. But in a recent KFF poll, half of Republicans did not believe in the surge, compared with just 23% of Democrats.

Messaging to minimize the toll of COVID also makes vaccines seem unnecessary, with 24% of Republicans leaning toward getting the updated COVID shot versus 70% of Democrats in the KFF poll. A larger share of vaccineeligible adults said they planned to get, or have gotten, the flu shot and a new RSV vaccine.

“It’s important to recognize that the flu, COVID, and respiratory viruses still kill a lot of people, and that the vaccines against those viruses save lives,” said David Dowdy, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Flu vaccines prevent up to 87,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 deaths each year in the United States.

“I like to highlight that,” Dowdy added, “as opposed to making up terms like ‘triple-demic’ to make people cower in fear.”

Dowdy predicted this fall and winter will be better than the past few, when patients with COVID, influenza, or RSV filled hospitals.

Even so, he estimated that more people will die than in the seasons before COVID appeared. About 58,000 people died from the flu last season, and hundreds of thousands more were sickened, staying home from school and work. This year, the flu doesn’t appear to be kicking off unusually early, as it did last year with cases picking up in November, rather than in January. And more people are partially immune to COVID due to vaccines and prior infections.

The effectiveness of flu vaccines varies depending on how well its formula matches the virus circulating. This year’s vaccine appears more protective than last year’s, which reduced the risk of hospitalization from the flu by about 44% among adults.

This year, researchers expect an effectiveness of about 52%, based on data collected during South America’s earlier flu season. Its benefit was higher for children, reducing hospitalizations by 70%.

The flu’s toll tends to be uneven among demographic groups. Over the past decade, hospitalization rates due to the flu were 1.8 times as high among Black people in the United States as among white individuals. Just 42% of Black adults were vaccinated against the flu during that period, compared with 54% of white or Asian adults.

Other issues, ranging from a lack of paid sick leave and medical care to a prevalence of underlying conditions, probably contribute to this disparity. People who have asthma, diabetes, or cardiovascular issues or are immunocompromised are at higher risk of a severe case of flu.

Sean O’Leary, an infectious disease pediatrician and the chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on infectious diseases, urges parents to vaccinate their kids against influenza and COVID. Children hospitalized with co-infections of the two viruses last year were put on ventilators — an intense form of life support to allow them to breathe — far more often than those hospitalized for the flu alone. And COVID is surging now, O’Leary said. Hospitalizations among children under age 18 increased nearly fivefold from June to September. “Almost all of our kids who have died have been completely unvaccinated” against COVID, he said.

The FDA greenlighted new RSV vaccines from the pharmaceutical companies GSK and Pfizer this year. On Sept. 22, the CDC recommended that pregnant mothers get vaccinated to protect their newborns from RSV, as well as infants under 8 months old.

The disease is the leading cause of hospitalization for infants in the United States. The agency also advises people age 60 and older to get the vaccine because RSV kills between 6,000 to 10,000 older adults each year.

Rather than vaccination, the CDC advised a new long-acting Wearing face masks and staying home when sick can stop the spread of most respiratory antibody treatment, nirsevimab, infections. The rate of flu vaccinations has climbed over the past five years. for children between 8 to 19 Unsplash.com photo from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) u PAGE 4

ICONIC. Visitors view the “Spoliarium” of painter, sculptor and political activist Juan Luna at the National Museum of the Philippines in Manila on Tuesday, October 17. Spoliarium is a Latin word that means the basement of the Roman Colosseum, where fallen and dying gladiators were dumped, which scholars believed Luna used as comparison to the Filipinos’ condition under the Spanish rule when he painted it in 1884.

PNA photo by Joan Bondoc

Bengals’ Fil-Am rookie Andrei Iosivas lands 1st NFL touchdown on birthday

by Hans Carbonilla Inquirer.net

IN an iconic National Football League moment, a Filipino-American rookie marked his 24th birthday with a spectacular touchdown.

The Cincinnati Bengals’ promising wide receiver, Andrei Iosivas, caught a three-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Burrow.

Born in Japan to a Filipino mother and a Romanian father but based in Honolulu, Hawaii, Iosivas displayed exceptional skills and composure as he gave his team a lead of 14-7, firmly establishing presence on the NFL stage.

The thrilling play unfolded with 12 minutes and 20 seconds remaining in the second quarter, igniting the stadium with an eruption of cheers and applause.

In an interview with Spectrum News, the athlete shared that it was one of the best birthdays he had.

“I had a couple of good ones as a kid. A TD on your birthday is comparable.”

The Hawaii native was drafted in the sixth round and made his second successful catch in his sixth game of the season. Additionally, the team he plays for achieved two consecutive wins for the first time during the current season, and their overall record improved to 3 wins and 3 losses.

Get to know Andrei Iosivas more With his remarkable journey from college to the pros, the player with a mixed ancestry was nicknamed “The Romanian Rocket” as a child. His rich cultural background played a role in the young Iosivas’ ability to adapt to various environments throughout his upbringing.

He set his sights on the prestigious Ivy League, enrolling at Princeton University in 2018. During

Andrei Iosivas

Photo from Instagram/@andreiiosivas

his freshman year, he joined the junior varsity football team, where he honed his skills as a wide receiver.

According to Kollective Hustle, that season turned out to be quite exceptional and memorable, as it coincided with Princeton’s triumphant Ivy championship year, marking their first undefeated season since the historic milestone of 1964.

On Instagram, he posted some snapshots of his first NFL game, allowing fans to catch a glimpse of this momentous milestone in his football career. n

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Survey shows Asian Americans’ religiosity driven by family, culture 74 percent of Filipino Americans identify themselves as Christians while 23 percent as religious nones significant role in the Filipino culture and societal norms.

With the majority of its population adhering to Christianity, the Philippines stands as one of Asia’s largest Christian nations.

This is revealed by the survey with 74 percent of Filipino Americans identifying themselves as Christians, with 23 percent as religious nones or religiously unaffiliated.

Within the Filipino-American community, a nearly even distribution exists between Protestantism and Catholicism.

In addition, Born again or evangelical Protestants constitute 10 percent of the religious landscape.

The survey offers a glimpse into the complex nature of religions within Asian American cultures,

particularly Filipinos. Religion has not only shaped beliefs but has also been intertwined with A SURVEY released on customs, traditions, and even Oct. 11 by the Pew Research national identity, creating a Center reveals a significant rich tapestry of faith that defies shift in religious identity among simple categorization.

Asian Americans where it This deep-rooted connection unveils an increasing pattern of is evident in the country’s nonreligious stances. history, numerous churches, However, it is also important familial values, and religious to note that 40 percent of festivals. the surveyed individuals, Importance of religion in spanning various backgrounds, Asian Americans including Chinese, Filipino, Furthermore, Filipino Indian, Japanese, Korean, and Americans along with Koreans Vietnamese Americans, express tend to have a higher rate of a sense of religiosity driven by regular religious attendance factors such as strong familial compared to Vietnamese, and cultural bonds.

Japanese, or Chinese Americans.

It is a given fact that the This means that they hear Philippines is often referred to mass or go to church and have as a predominantly Christian an altar at home for worshiping, country, which plays a which is fairly common among Filipinos who are Christian, with 66 percent of them in the survey saying that they have an altar at home.

Moreover, 36 percent of Asian Americans report having an altar, shrine, or religious symbol within their homes, indicating the significance of personal and familial spirituality.

The findings provide insights into the complex relationship between religion, culture, and familial connections within the Filipino-American community and the broader Asian American population. It also highlights the ongoing process of redefining reimagining religious 36 percent of Asian Americans report having an altar, shrine, or religious symbol within their and identity in today’s multicultural homes, indicating the significance of personal and familial spirituality.

Unsplash.com photo by Isabella Fischer society. n

by Hans Carbonilla Inquirer.net

AND THE GAME BEGINS. Campaign posters of candidates for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) mushroom at the corner of Farmers and Angel Santos Streets in Barangay Tumana, Marikina City on Thursday, October 19), the first day of the campaign period. The Commission on Elections reminded BSKE candidates to place their posters only at designated common poster areas.

PNA photos by Ben Briones

Hamas tried to infiltrate PH in 2018...

PAGE 1 third, to use social media to spread their propaganda. And one more, to stage rallies at embassies and different places to create apparent disunity or chaos,” he said.

Malaya made the revelations in relation to National Security Adviser Eduardo Año’s earlier announcement that the country’s Anti-Terrorism Council will push to have Hamas designated as a terrorist organization.

“We know that Hamas is a terrorist organization, that’s why it was declared as such by the United States, European Union, Australia and many other countries,” he said.

Malaya said Año’s move to have the militant group declared as terrorists is being done in solidarity with Israel and to also

protect the Philippines.

According to him, the 2018 and 2022 Hamas attempts to gain a foothold in the country were foiled with the help of other nations.

“We stopped them. So this declaration of Hamas as a terrorist organization is to protect our countrymen. This is also a domestic act to ensure our security and prevent any Gazalike scenario,” he said.

Malaya explained that declaring Hamas as a terrorist organization will help Philippine authorities apprehend them easier or faster even without arrest warrants and detain them for a certain period of time.

He said it will also stop terrorist financing since the Anti-Money Laundering Council would be able to quickly freeze the assets

of persons or groups declared as terrorists.

“This is a clear message by the Philippine government that we won’t allow Hamas to operate here,” he stressed. “We are making sure of the safety of our countrymen and… we are expressing our solidarity with the state of Israel with whom we have had a long and fruitful relation.”

Asked to comment about the statement of a certain group that declaring Hamas as a terrorist group will not resolve the ongoing conflict and violence in Israel and Gaza, he said resolving the problem is not the main intention.

“We do not intend to resolve the Palestinian question,” he said, noting this was a problem dating back decades and the Philippines was not one to give the solution to it. n

PAGE 1 that Sara intends to use the intelligence fund to “target the communists in Congress.”

“The primary target of the intelligence funds should be France [Castro], the communists that I want to kill, tell that to her,” Duterte said. He was referring to ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. Rep. France Castro, one of those who opposed the grant of confidential funds to Vice President Sara Duterte.

In a statement sent by House

Secretary-General Reginald Velasco on Saturday night, October 14, the leaders said that it was unfortunate that the former leader “chose to malign the very institution that for years supported many of his own legislative priorities.”

They defended the reallocation of confidential and intelligence funds to security agencies, noting that it was taken in the best interest of national security.

“Aside from the Office of

the Vice President and the Department of Education, the House of Representatives also allocated zero confidential and intelligence funds to other civilian departments including Agriculture, Foreign Affairs and Information and Communications Technology,” the leaders said.

They added that the decision to reallocate the funds was for the benefit of the nation and not as a personal affront to any individual. n

The new vaccines and you: Americans better... House leaders condemn...

PAGE 1 months old who are at risk of RSV. However, the price could be costprohibitive — anticipated at $300 to $500 a dose — and many hospitals lack the staff needed to administer it. Although insurers cover it, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that reimbursement often lags for a year. “We don’t have the infrastructure in place to ensure all children can access the product,” said its president, Sandy Chung, in a statement. “And that is alarming.”

If the wrinkles can be ironed

out, said Helen Chu, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Washington in Seattle, better tools could arrive as early as next year. Pfizer, Moderna, and other pharmaceutical companies are developing mRNA vaccines against influenza and RSV that may more precisely target each year’s circulating virus.

Today’s flu and RSV vaccines are produced using traditional vaccine platforms, such as within chicken eggs, that are more cumbersome to handle, and therefore the vaccines take

longer to develop each year. And President Joe Biden has awarded companies $1 billion to develop COVID vaccines that provide longer protection.

“The future is going to be all three vaccines together,” Chu said, “but that will be a while yet.” (Amy Maxmen/KFF Health News) KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 19-25, 2023

5

Sotto, Go top senatorial preference survey

by William B. Depasupil ManilaTimes.net

AGRARYO FAIR. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) holds the Agraryo Trade Fair 2023 at the DAR building along the Elliptical Road in Quezon City on Monday, October 16. The fair, which runs until Oct.20 and carries the theme “Kababaihan sa Kanayunan: Kabalikat sa Pag-unlad at Repormang Sakahan,” features agricultural products from various regions.

PNA photos by Ben Briones

Marcos suspends Maharlika Fund implementation PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday, October 18 suspended the implementation of the sovereign wealth fund or Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) to further study its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) and ensure that safeguards are in place “for transparency and accountability.”

“Upon the directive of the president, the treasurer of the Philippines, in coordination with the LBP (Land Bank of the Philippines) and DBP (Development Bank of the Philippines), is hereby directed to suspend the implementation of the IRR of RA (Republic Act) No. 11954,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in a memorandum dated Oct. 12.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman told The STAR that the president’s economic team will abide by his decision to suspend the MIF’s implementation.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, who will chair the Maharlika Investment Corp., has yet to comment on the suspension.

The controversial Maharlika Investment Fund Act of 2023 was signed into law on July 18 and its IRR was issued on Aug. 28.

Last month, sovereign wealth fund critics challenged the legality of the measure before the Supreme Court (SC), arguing it was not duly enacted in accordance with the Constitution.

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday said his office is preparing to defend the MIF before the SC. “If they (petitioners) don’t (withdraw) and the SC does not suspend the proceedings either, the OSG will be prepared to submit its comment on the validity of the MIF law,” Guevarra told reporters.

The SC had ordered the government to comment on the petition filed by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III and former Bayan Muna party-list lawmakers.

The petitioners argued that the MIF should be declared unconstitutional as its passage “bypassed” the constitutionally mandated legislative process.

The test of economic viability, as required by the Constitution, was also not complied with and the MIF violated the central bank’s independence, the petitioners added.

Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman on Wednesday said that Marcos should suspend the “entire implementation” of Maharlika, as it was enacted with “inordinate alacrity without adequate and searching studies from the president’s economic advisers and congressional allies.”

“Since the MIF Act bled dry the (LBP and DBP) of their capital assets for infusion to the MIF, the two government banks suffered depletion of their resources so much so that they had to plead for exemption from the reserve requirements of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

No foreign investor has come to the rescue of the MIF,” he explained.

Lagman was referring to LBP and DBP’s respective P50-billion and P25-billion contributions to the MIF in September.

House Deputy Minority Leader Rep. France Castro said the MIF’s suspension showed that the measure was “rushed and flawed on so many levels.”

“Right from the start, the MIF had flaws because we don’t have excess funding for it. Secondly, it will be using public funds instead of utilizing them for social services,” she noted.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said that the IRR “should anticipate future issues.”

Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said she trusts Marcos’ instincts in suspending the MIF’s implementation.

Pimentel said the suspension is “a very good development (because) the law has a lot of defects.”

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Diokno misled the Senate.

“It is now clear that Finance Secretary Diokno misled the Senate when he said that the (LBP and DBP) had excess funds which were idle and could be used for the MIF. At best, he simply did not have the competence to understand the repercussions of messing with the finances of (LBP and DBP),” she said.

Sen. Francis Escudero urged the LBP and DBP to take back its contribution for the MIF’s seed capital, as he questioned the remittance to the Treasury when fund managers have not yet been appointed.

“The fund lacked direction...

That’s why I did not vote and support it,” Escudero said in Filipino in an ambush interview on Wednesday.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, who voted for the passage of the law, said that the “mere fact that they (LBP and DBP) sought regulatory exemption means they saw a problem which could affect the whole banking industry.”

Sen. Mark Villar, the law’s principal author and sponsor, has yet to respond to reporters’ requests to comment on the suspension.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the suspension is a “prudent move” to ensure MIF will be effective.

“When so much money is at stake, it is better to proceed with an abundance of caution than to be reckless. During the debates on the Maharlika bill,

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Malacañang photo

by Alexis RomeRo Philstar.com

we reminded the Executive of the need for responsible stewardship and installed guardrails against fund placements that would result in losses,” he said in a statement on Wednesday. (With reports from Sheila Crisostomo, Daphne Galvez, Emmanuel Tupas, Louise Maureen Sison, Marc Jayson Cayabyab, and Delon Porcalla)

FORMER Senate president Vicente "Tito" Sotto" III and Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go would be sure winners if the midterm elections were held today, an independent, non-commissioned survey conducted by a nongovernment organization showed.

On the third spot was partylist Rep. Erwin Tulfo with 64.5 percent, followed by Senators Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. with 63.8 percent and Francis Tolentino with 63.6 percent.

Sen. Ma. Imelda Josefa "Imee" Marcos was in the sixth spot with 55.8 percent, followed by her first cousin, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, with 53.4 percent.

Rounding up the top 12 were Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa and former vice president Leni Robredo with 51.7 percent and 50.9 percent, and Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos and Sen. Pia Cayetano with 40.3 percent and 39.6 percent, respectively.

Several presidential candidates from the previous election were also in the rankings.

Former senator Manny Pacquiao led the group with 37.2 percent, positioning him in the 12th to 14th spot.

He was followed by former senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson (36.9 percent) and former

Former Senate president Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go. File photo

Manila City mayor Isko Moreno (36.5 percent), also in the 12th to 14th range.

Sen. Manuel "Lito" Lapid got 25.3 percent; Dr. Willie Ong, 24.7 percent; ex-vice president Noli de Castro Jr., 20.2 percent; former senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, 19.8 percent; and television personality Willie Revillame, 19.4 percent.

Former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista completed the list, ranking 20th with a voter preference of 17.1 percent.

Dr. Paul Martinez from RPMD said the "2025 Senatorial Preferences" is a segment of the "Boses ng Bayan" nationwide survey.

Martinez said that a robust sample of 10,000 respondents was meticulously selected randomly from a vast panel of

65.75 million registered voters across the country.

For equitable representation, the percentage of participants was judiciously distributed across various regions of the country: 12 percent were from Metro Manila, 23 percent hailed from Northern Luzon, 22 percent were residents of Southern Luzon, 20 percent were from the Visayas, and the remaining 23 percent were from Mindanao.

The survey included only registered Filipino voters who are not affiliated with any political entity, ensuring that the outcome authentically mirrors the unbiased sentiments and preferences of the voting demographic. The results of this extensive survey carry a marginal error of just 1 percent (+/-). n

6

OpiniOn

OCTOBER 19-25, 2023 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

Another hazing death

Features

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

DESPITE the passage of two laws prohibiting violent initiation rites in fraternities and sororities, hazing is believed to have claimed another victim.

Police said Ahldryn Lery Bravante, a fourth year student of the Philippine College of Criminology, was dead by the time he was brought to the Chinese General Hospital on Monday night, October 16 by two members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity.

Bravante, 25, reportedly suffered difficulty in breathing and lost consciousness after being beaten and burned with cigarettes by fraternity members in an abandoned building in Sto. Domingo, Quezon City. It’s unclear if there were other hazing victims.

Police arrested the two men who brought Bravante to the hospital: Justine Artates, a third year criminology student in the same school, and Kyle Michael de Castro. Two others – Lexer Angelo Manarpies and Mark Leo Andales – surrendered to the Quezon City Police District early Tuesday, October 17. Police said the four – three of them just 20 years old – admitted participation in the hazing.

Whether training for the officer corps or pursuing a criminology course, some prospective members of the Philippine National Police seem to think violent initiation is a requirement for a career in law enforcement. The PNP Academy continues to be rocked periodically by reports

of cadets being beaten to death as part of hazing rites. Deadly hazing cases also continue to be reported at the Philippine Military Academy, whose graduates have been allowed to enter the PNP as officers despite the different skills sets required.

The slow pace of Philippine justice has to be among the reasons for the impunity.

Even when lethal hazing attracts national attention, the wheels of Philippine justice turn exceedingly slow to serve as a deterrent.

The parents of University of Santo Tomas law student Horacio Castillo, for example, are still waiting for justice for the fatal hazing of their son in September 2017 at the hands of Aegis Juris fraternity members.

Violent initiation can be particularly worrisome for those who are preparing to pursue a career in law enforcement. The PNP faces enough problems trying to instill respect based methods of criminal investigation, along for human rights among its personnel. What with public support in crime deterrence and the police service needs is efficient, science- maintenance of peace and order. There must

Editorial

Our world is on fire

Babe’s Eye View BABe roMuAldez NEVER in the recent history of the world have we seen so much devastation taking place in the past five years alone. It’s as if we all woke up one morning to the reality of a nightmare – catastrophes, calamities and conflicts that have set the world on fire.

When news first came out in December 2019 about a mysterious respiratory illness that was afflicting the residents of Wuhan in China, no one could have imagined that this would result in a nightmare that would kill tens of millions of people worldwide without a single bullet being fired.

Caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 pandemic upended the lives of people across the globe, not caring whether you’re rich or poor, utterly disregarding age, gender, race or religion.

The pandemic’s impact has been overwhelming, with over 771 million cases of infection recorded to date, while the

death toll associated with COVID-19 is estimated at close to 30 million. While the World Health Organization has declared an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency last May, there are still new cases of infection today, with scientists wary about virus mutations.

People lost jobs as a lot of businesses closed. And just as many countries were starting to see a glimmer of hope in recovering from the economic ramifications of the pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year set it all back, with millions displaced and experts warning that two decades worth of economic progress would be lost with the conflict dragging on.

As a United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs article had described it, the war in Ukraine will leave “lasting scars” on the global economy. President Marcos, in calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, warned that the effects would be “so far-reaching and profound to the detriment of the many economies and the food supply of everyone in the world.”

NOT too long ago, there were only “contingent” and “special” funds. The meaning was deemed to be straightforward: a contingency refers to an emergency, or an unforeseen special event requiring the rapid allocation of public funds.

“Intelligence funds” were associated mainly with national security and peace and order matters. Except for the sectors targeted in the counterinsurgency campaign, few people questioned the allocation of intelligence funds for the military, police and other agencies with security-related mandates.

Today we’re confronted with a dizzying array of terms for billions of pesos in public funds that are subjected to practically zero government auditing, with their utilization up to the full personal discretion of the beneficiary agency or its head.

Apart from contingent and special funds, there are the “confidential” funds for civilian agencies, and the “extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses” for

Today climate change is upon us – with heatwaves, floods, wildfires, hurricanes, storms and typhoons increasing in frequency and intensity. In July, temperatures rose to record high proportions of over 110 degrees Fahrenheit across three continents – North America, Europe and parts of Asia – to the point that climate experts likened the heat to a giant pizza oven. But while some nations experienced hellish heat, other countries were battered by heavy rains and strong typhoons that caused devastating floods and displaced hundreds of thousands, among them the Philippines.

And now, the raging IsraelHamas war that began on Oct. 7 when the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a horrific attack on Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of at least 1,300 Israelis that include women, children and the elderly, while hundreds of soldiers and civilians, including foreigners who took part in the Supernova music festival in the Negev desert, were taken to Gaza as hostages. In response

to the horrific massacre, Israel launched air strikes that has also resulted in the death of over 1,300 people.

It was heart-wrenching to see photos of the slain, especially that of an infant whose body was covered in blood – victim of the brutal assault launched

by Hamas. Among those killed are three overseas Filipino workers, one of them a nurse named Angeline Aguirre who refused to leave her elderly patient behind when the Hamas militants attacked Kibbutz Kfar Gaza.

In a post on X, Jerusalem deputy mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum paid tribute to the heroism of Angeline. “Despite having a chance to flee the Hamas terror attacks, Angeline showed unbelievable humanity and loyalty by remaining by Nira’s side during the violence, resulting in both of them being brutally murdered by Hamas,” Hassan-Nahoum shared.

Angeline embodies the kind of dedication that OFWs put into their work – even to the point of sacrificing their lives – unique in many ways for Filipinos and a trait much appreciated all over the world.

Admitting that it was a “most difficult phone call” to make, President Marcos assured families of the slain OFWs of his utmost support and directed the Department of Foreign Affairs to look for the three that remain missing, and to work on exit options for Filipinos seeking repatriation from Gaza.

Not surprisingly, the world is looking at the United States and expecting it to play a major role in helping de-escalate the conflict, with State Secretary Antony Blinken assuring Israel of unwavering U.S. support and traveling to countries in the region – Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain – for ways to release American and other hostages and prevent the conflict from further spreading.

But the world is concerned about how the United States would help deter the conflict from spreading due to the political situation, as the House has yet to elect a new Speaker and the budget is once again uncertain with the temporary stopgap running out on Nov. 17. The U.S. domestic political situation combined with the two major worldwide conflicts

taking place simultaneously are making countries uneasy because a distracted U.S. could encourage some countries in making aggressive moves, particularly in the Indo Pacific region.

The conflict has triggered student protests from pro-Israel and pro-Palestine sympathizers, with universities across cities in the U.S. becoming flashpoints.

Street demonstrations from opposing sides of sympathizers have also started in Rome, Barcelona, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Vancouver, Paris, Pakistan – with fears that this could increase in intensity, putting people on edge that the situation would be exploited by terrorist groups.

It is said that “violence spawns more violence,” which only means we can expect more future violence. As Christians, we can only hope and pray for God’s mercy. (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

An embarrassment of secrets

Sketches

AnA MArie PAMintuAn

ManilaTimes.net photo

be no room in law enforcement agencies for the senseless violence fostered by violent initiation rites. (Philstar.com)

the two chambers of Congress.

Local government units, meanwhile, seem to have both confidential and intelligence funds – the whole CIF hog. LGUs are authorized to declare, at will, up to a third of their annual appropriation as secret funds.

The amounts involved are not peanuts: a chartered city, for example, can have an annual budget of P1.5 billion, which will allow the mayor to declare around P460 million as confidential funds. *** Vice President Sara Duterte has not deigned to enlighten the public about how she intends to spend P500 million in confidential funds for the Office of the VP plus another P150 million for the Department of Education, which she concurrently heads.

But with the House of Representatives rejecting her secret funding proposal, former president Rodrigo Duterte, in a rare public defense of his daughter, said he saw VP Sara’s intended purposes.

These, he said, include conducting seminars, field trips and other activities that would ignite patriotism among the youth.

“She will be spending it on strengthening the PMT in high school to instill a love for the

country among the youth,” he said, referring to the preparatory military training.

But why should such expenditures require secret funding? All along we thought such expenditures must be sourced from the regular budget of government offices, covered by official receipts, properly identified for funding during congressional budget deliberations and subject to regular full audit.

“Special funds,” we’re finding out, can also be used for public relations and entertainment purposes. “Public relations” can cover expenses for “KBL” – kasal, binyag, libing (wedding, baptism, funeral).

Those pakimkim, abuloy and wreaths you receive from “generous” elected officials for KBL, folks, came from your own tax money. As we say in Pinoyspeak, you’re being fried in your own oil.

Why do such expenditures have to be exempted from regular audit? It’s understandable that people who provide intel to security forces would want to keep their identities top secret, for their personal safety. But why would owners of venues for seminars and special events, and operators of restaurants

and flower shops want to keep their identities and businesses confidential? They are required by law to issue official receipts and pay taxes. Unless they are engaged in illegal government deals, surely they would even want to have their enterprises publicized to invite more business.

Unlike in the security sector, where the sources of intel are the ones who need full confidentiality, officials in civilian agencies are the ones who want to keep their utilization of people’s money top secret. This goes against constitutional provisions on public accountability. *** Duterte, in his uncharacteristic public defense of his daughter, lashed out at Speaker Martin Romualdez, widely believed to be the ambitious “tambaloslos” (a mythical monster with oversized cojones) whom VP Sara had slammed after that failed attempt to unseat President Marcos’ favorite cousin from the top House post.

Romualdez has been “feeding congressmen with cash” because of his presidential ambitions, Duterte claimed, as he called for an audit of House expenditures.

A former political adviser said Duterte, who should know

whereof he speaks, could be referring to the annual extraordinary expense allocation of P1.5 billion to P2 billion enjoyed by a House speaker.

No wonder Gloria MacapagalArroyo allegedly plotted a coup (she denied it) to replace Romualdez. And when GMA consequently was stripped of her post as senior deputy speaker, her ally VP Sara threw a fit and quit the Lakas-CMD. The House super majority is circling the wagons, taking offense at Duterte’s description of the chamber as the “most rotten institution” and pointing out that the Office of the President had the greatest surge in its CIF during his watch.

House secretary general Reginald Velasco said the House has no CIF and its extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses are subject to regular accounting and auditing rules. The House has passed the COA audit, he said.

Senators led by Senate President Migz Zubiri said the same thing, denying like the House members that they have confidential funds.

Duterte’s former spokesman Harry Roque, a former party-list congressman, said extraordinary and

miscellaneous expenses are worse than CIF in the public accountability department, with no OR or other documentation required. During his stint in Congress, Roque said all that was required was a “certification of expenses.”

That sounds more opaque than an “acknowledgment receipt.”

Panfilo Lacson had been saying this all along, having served as a senator: while the pork barrel was officially removed, lawmakers have many other ways of circumventing the prohibition.

But accounting expertise and patience are needed to peel away the layers that conceal these “pork” replacements in the national budget.

Thanks to what is shaping up as warfare and disintegration of the vaunted UniTeam, these replacements are gradually coming to light.

Taxpayers have a message to those who believe they are entitled to “unli” authority without accountability in using people’s money: a pox on all your houses. (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.

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

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 19-25, 2023

7

New bill makes EDSA anniversary permanent holiday

by Cristina Chi Philstar.com

OVERCAST. Cloudy skies are seen from the Times Plaza Building in Manila on Thursday, October 19. The weather bureau PAGASA said moderate to heavy rains with possible lightning and strong winds are expected over Metro Manila, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, and Rizal within the next two hours.

PNA photo by Yancy Lim

PH hailed as ‘Asia’s best cruise destination’

by Ghio onG Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines has been recognized by an international body as the “best cruise destination in Asia” for this year.

The country was awarded as “Asia’s Best Cruise Destination 2023” at the World Cruise Awards in Dubai, United Arab Emirates last Sunday, October 15, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT).

The Philippines bested other nominees India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, the website of the World Cruise Awards said.

In a statement on Monday, October 16, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said the agency is grateful for the accolade, which was given to the country for the first time.

“This first-time recognition as Asia’s Best Cruise Destination 2023 is a big win for Philippine tourism as it reflects a resounding global preference for our island destinations,” Frasco said.

The World Cruise Awards is the “sister event of the World Travel Awards,” which also hailed the Philippines as “Asia’s leading dive destination” for this year.

Meanwhile, the country is expecting 128 cruise calls at 33 destinations, which could “bring

in more than 101,000 passengers and some 50,000 in estimated crew,” according to Frasco.

So far, Manila and parts of Palawan and Romblon have received passengers and crew from cruise ships this year.

Popular beach destination Boracay as well as Subic are also expecting the arrival of cruise ships, while Mindanao is being groomed by DOT as a cruise destination.

The agency has vowed to make the Philippines become more attractive to travelers onboard cruise ships as part of the government’s efforts to revive the tourism industry battered by restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. n

MANILA — A lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to make the historic overthrow of the Marcos dictatorship a permanent annual holiday after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. dropped the EDSA People Power anniversary from next year’s holiday schedule.

Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay, 1st District) on Monday, October 16 filed House Bill 9405 declaring February 25 of every year as a regular, national public nonworking holiday to commemorate the mass demonstrations that ousted the president’s father.

The annual declaration of the 1986 EDSA People Power as a national holiday has largely been left up to the discretion of presidents as there is no law that designates it as such, unlike Ninoy Aquino Day, which became a holiday through Republic Act 9256.

Instead, February 25 was declared a "special national holiday" through a presidential proclamation in 2000 by thenpresident Joseph Estrada.

This year, Marcos moved the EDSA People Power anniversary commemoration on February 24 — a Friday. Malacañang made the announcement just a day before, saying that it would create a long weekend and promote holiday economics.

For 2024, Malacañang has defended the event’s exclusion from the list of holidays, saying that the event has "minimum

socioeconomic impact" as it falls on a Sunday and “coincides with the rest day for most workers/ laborers.”

In filing HB 9405, Lagman said that the exclusion of the democratic milestone from the country’s holiday celebrations is a “continuing distortion of the verities about the evils and repression of the Marcos martial era.”

Past presidents have declared February 25 as a day of national celebration “irrespective of whether or not it falls on a Sunday,” Lagman said.

“The more Marcos Jr. would sweep under the rug of historical perfidy the profligacy and oppression of his father’s dictatorship, the more unreachable reconciliation and justice will be,” Lagman added.

Lagman said that the president and his allies in Congress — the lower chamber of which is ruled by his cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez — are “forced to good in agreeing with the bill” because doing so otherwise would make them appear to support the excesses of the Marcos dictatorship.

“Why is the bill filed only now? We forgot that Filipinos are forgetful and sitting presidents would treat in varying degrees the celebration of the peaceful EDSA People Power Revolution,” the lawmaker said.

“For this reason, albeit belatedly, there has to be a law memorializing the Filipino people's relentless crusade for freedom and democracy which

culminated in the ouster of Marcos, Sr,” Lagman added.

The bill's explanatory note also highlighted the importance of designating events as national holidays in preserving a nation's collective memory of its past.

"The imperative of memorialization cannot be overemphasized. In fact, an October 2020 report of the current United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence focused on memorialization processes as a fifth pillar of transitional justice,” the bill stated.

The Department of Education last month decided to shorten “Diktadurang Marcos” to a mere “Diktadura” in the Grade 6 Araling Panlipunan syllabus in the revised curriculum for Kinder to Grade 10.

Several anti-martial law advocates and human rights groups condemned the curriculum change — which became public knowledge due to an internal DepEd memorandum that circulated online — saying that the Marcos name cannot be detached from the rights abuses and ill-gotten wealth that characterized the Marcos dictatorship.

In 2022, Marcos was quick to dismiss any concerns that his administration would rewrite or remove history lessons pertaining to the abuses during his father's regime — once in his inaugural speech and again in his first State of the Nation Address. n

Air Force general appointed new PSG chief PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has named Brig.

Gen. Jesus Nelson Morales of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) as the new head of the Presidential Security Group (PSG), Malacañang announced on Tuesday, October 17.

“Brig. Gen. Jesus Nelson B. Morales has been appointed as the Commander of the Presidential Security Group, taking the place of Brig. Gen. Ramon P. Zagala,” Communication

Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement.

Morales served as the deputy wing commander of the PAF’s Tactical Operations Wing Eastern Mindanao, based in Davao City.

Garafil said Zagala would assume his new role as commander of the Civil Relations Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Zagala comes from a family whose military heritage spans three generations – his

grandfather, Col. Ramon Zagala, and father, Maj. Gen. Rafael Zagala.

He entered the Officer Candidate School in 1993 and became his class' 1st Captain, earning him the Chief of Staff Saber.

He was commissioned to the regular force on Aug. 9, 1994.

After he graduated from the Officer Candidate School in 1994, Zagala was assigned to different Army and general headquarter units. (PNA)

It rained with yellow confetti at the People Power Monument in Quezon City in celebration of the 28th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution in 2014, which ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.

File photo

Enjoy these FREE events at the Library District!

Vegas Valley

SATURDAY

COMIC BOOK FESTIVAL Saturday, November 4 9:30 a.m.

Clark County Library 1401 E. Flamingo Road

The Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival returns for a 15th year with comics, cosplay, workshops, and much more!

Shop our Vendor Courtyard filled with comic book stores and craft makers, then meet and support local and national creators in the Artist Alley!

Dress up in your finest cosplay (just leave your weapons at home!) and enjoy the crafts, food trucks, workshops, a movie, and music … It’s everything you want in a comic book festival and the event is FREE to attend!

at

East Las Vegas Library Saturday, November 4

12 p.m.

NOVEMBER 18 10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

SAHARA WEST LIBRARY 9600 W. Sahara Ave.

Teen animeFEST is a library-sponsored anime & manga convention for teens in grades 6-12. There will be a maid cafe, K-Pop dancing, panels, taiko drumming, anime bingo, food trucks, vendors, games, and a cosplay masquerade with prizes!

East Las Vegas Library 2851 E. Bonanza Rd. The East Las Vegas Library is proud to host a celebration of el Día de los Muertos for the whole community.

Please join us for live mariachi and folklorico performances, balloon artists, a lottery, crafts, and face painting! Commemorate your loved ones and contribute to our ofrenda.

Meet community partners and enter our raffle for the chance to win goodie bags!

Logo Contest Winner: Sophia Moapa Valley Library

For details on these events, or to see many more events, scan the QR Code or go to TheLibraryDistrict.org.

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October 19, 2023

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LIFESTYLE • CONSUMER GUIDE • COMMUNITY • MARKETPLACE

Kathryn Bernardo and Dolly de Leon discuss ‘A Very Good Girl’ and the rise of Filipino cinema The black comedy revenge tale directed by Petersen Vargas is currently playing in theaters in the Philippines and the United States

by Klarize medenilla / AJPress

IF there’s one thing to glean from the global economic downfall of the last few years, it’s that people are becoming more privy to the unjust system of power and wealth that gatekeeps opportunity for upward mobility.

Over the last few years, art

and entertainment media have depicted this system of rapacious greed, providing a colorful landscape of social commentary that transcends language, cultures, and geography — stories that fantasize and explore vengeance with comedy and

cynicism.

A recent entry into this theme of twisted revenge comes in the form of “A Very Good Girl,” a black comedy film directed by Petersen Vargas and presented

by ABS-CBN and Star Cinema that stars the Queen of Philippine Cinema Kathryn Bernardo and BAFTA-nominated Dolly de Leon.

“A Very Good Girl” — which was released in the United States on Oct. 6 — tells the story of a young working-class woman named Mercy (Bernardo) and the fascinating series of events that begins with her being fired by the swanky retail mogul Mother Molly (de Leon). Mercy then takes on the dark persona of Philo, a fake socialite who’ll do anything to keep up the mirage, in order to get back at her former employer.

The film, which was initially written by Marionne Dominique Mancol, embraces camp and theatrics as it portrays, rather lavishly, the brutal reality of how far a woman will go to attain high standing in modern society. It’s a story that doesn’t seek to villanize women like Mercy or Molly, but instead, it’s an interpretation of a social hierarchy that is designed to uphold an unjust status quo.

Bernardo, whom global audiences recognize from the countless roles in romantic films and otherwise likable sweetgirl roles, conquered this new assignment and effortlessly embraced the darkness needed to vacillate between Mercy and Philo.

At a press junket on Oct. 5, Bernardo told reporters that she sought to broaden her range as an actor and that this role

was her first step into layered, morally questionable roles and characters.

“This role is not like the usual roles I’ve portrayed, but as an actor, you always want to do something different and you need to offer something to the fans,” Bernardo told the Asian Journal.

“It was for my personal growth as well, so while I had a hard time with this movie, I really like to challenge myself.”

De Leon, who gained global recognition for her stand-out role in the Palme d’Or-winning “Triangle of Sadness,” is a BAFTA-nominated and Golden Globe-nominated actor whose decades worth of experience in TV, film, and theatre is epitomized in her performance of the opulent Mother Molly.

The effortless chemistry between Bernardo and de Leon is as clear on screen as it is offscreen. Both actors expressed appreciation for each other and described an “amazing support system” among all the crew of “A Very Good Girl.”

“We really created a family, and you know how sometimes you’re in a work environment where there’s at least one person you don’t like? In our case, that never happened because we loved each other,” Bernardo beamed.

“A Very Good Girl” also ushers in a new chapter in the career of de Leon, who is 54 years old and shows no signs of slowing down.

De Leon said she’s thankful for the current cultural push for greater opportunities for female actors, who historically saw roles become more limited as they aged.

“This generation [of artists] are very open and very intuitive, and they’re interested in telling different stories of different people from different walks of life” De Leon shared with the Asian Journal while acknowledging that the industry has a long way to go for aging actresses.

She continued, “I think we need to tell more stories about women from my demographic, and I’m hopeful we’ll eventually get there.

I’m very fortunate enough to be able to get very meaningful roles at my age and I hope that it keeps happening.”

De Leon added that she hopes that the success of films like “A Very Good Girl” will inspire studios and producers to invest in stories that represent middleaged and older women in more textured ways.

In order to play Mother Molly, de Leon told the Asian Journal that she didn’t look to any real-life figures or fictional characters for her performance. But de Leon’s

personality and values could not be any further from that of the haughty Mother Molly, who had no problem firing a determined, working-class employee.

As the American film industry is revolutionizing amid the multiple strikes in Hollywood, de Leon expressed appreciation and solidarity for the broader effort to recognize the work of actors and creatives.

“I find it so inspiring. It’s a very sad time because a lot of people are out of jobs, but I think it happened when it should have happened,” de Leon said of the writers and actors strikes.

In an even further departure from the character she plays in “A Very Good Girl,” de Leon added, “Change can be painful, but we have to go through this change so that we get fair wages and are not exploited by AI. So I think [the strikes] have been a great thing.

We have to do whatever it takes to just make things better for us as workers.”

Pia Wurtzbach takes center stage at Mark Bumgarner’s LA show

by Kristel sambile Inquirer.net

MISS Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach continues to make her mark on the international fashion scene.

After capturing the audience at Milan Fashion Week, she mesmerized the fashion crowd again as she graced the Los Angeles show of Filipino fashion designer Mark Bumgarner.

As the final muse for the show, Wurtzbach walked the catwalk with grace, donning a striking black strapless corset gown with a plunging neckline, a sheer bodice, and an elegant train.

Bumgarner’s collection was celebrated not only for its exquisite designs but also for the hard work of his team. “So many beautiful pieces in this new collection,” said Wurtzbach. She also shared her long-standing friendship with Bumgarner, recounting how he had been dressing her for significant events since her Miss Universe days.

Bumgarner, in return, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Wurtzbach, who had flown from Europe to attend his Los Angeles show. “I’m

forever grateful. Love you to the moon and back.”

As Wurtzbach continues to shine on international runways, her accomplishments serve as an inspiration for individuals

looking to overcome challenges and achieve their goals.

Without a doubt, Pia Wurtzbach’s journey from beauty queen to fashion forerunner is a story of persistence and passion.

Photos from Instagram/@earlsemitara

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 19-25, 2023

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Francis Magalona’s alleged lover, daughter go public; sell late rapper’s jersey

by Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

Ronald McDonald House wins ‘Nonprofit of the Year’ from Vegas Chamber Charity has much to celebrate during 25th year of serving families in medical crisis LAS VEGAS – On Thursday, October 12th, the Vegas Chamber hosted its “Business of the Year” Awards Luncheon at the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino, inviting businesses and nonprofits that “exemplify the tremendous spirit and capabilities of our business community.”

“We’re both excited and humbled to receive this incredible honor from the prestigious Vegas Chamber,” said Chief Executive Officer, Alyson McCarthy, of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas. “This award is the collective result of what a mission-driven team of staff, board, volunteers, and donors can accomplish, every day, when they put the comfort and care of families in great distress ahead of their own needs.”

For 25 years, RMHC Las Vegas has served more than 24,000 families and children through our existing programs. At the Ronald McDonald House alone, 72,000 nights of support, care, homecooked meals, transportation to and from local hospitals, and much more were provided for families with children receiving critical medical treatment. With a historic second Ronald McDonald House now under construction, and the launch of a new state-of-the-art Care Mobile Dental Van, RMHC of Greater Las Vegas looks ahead excitedly to the next 25 years of ensuring families of critically ill and injured children have access to the health care they need.

Congratulations to the other n o n p ro f i t s , T h re e S q u a re ,

HopeLink of Southern Nevada, St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, LVMPD Foundation, and Project Marilyn, who were also nominated for the “Nonprofit of the Year” award.

The Ronald McDonald House is honored to work alongside them to make our community a better and safer place for all.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities: Believing that every child deserves a safe and supportive place to grow, Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) of

Greater Las Vegas creates and supports programs that directly improve the health, education and well-being of children in our community. We fulfill our mission by providing a “home away from home” at the Ronald McDonald House® for families who travel to Las Vegas to receive critical medical treatment for their children and manage programs that service the immediate needs of children and families in our community.

For more information, visit www. rmhlv.org.

A WOMAN claiming to be the ex-lover of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) "King of Rap" Francis Magalona, and their alleged daughter, went public to sell his jersey.

As can be seen in the latest episode of "Pinoy Pawnstars" by Boss Toyo, Abegail Rait and Gaile Francesca were selling a jersey they claimed to be Francis', narrating the jersey's alleged backstory.

Included in the jersey is the photo of Francis and Abegail with the letter from Francis saying "I love you" to Abegail.

“Nakita niyo naman sa letter na may ‘I love you so much,' so meaning to say may relationship,” Abegail said.

Abegail, a former flight attendant, said that she met Francis when she watched "Eat Bulaga" live.

According to her, Francis sought for her number after she watched the show. They then started their relationship that produced Gaile Francesca, who was allegedly named by the late master rapper

As can be seen in the latest episode of “Pinoy Pawnstars” by Boss Toyo, Abegail Rait and Gaile Francesca were selling a jersey they claimed to be Francis’, narrating the jersey’s alleged backstory.

Philstar.com photo

himself.

Abegail said that they were in a relationship when Francis found out that he had cancer.

“Sobrang gumuho talaga ‘yung mundo ko nu'ng time na ‘yon kasi okay kami, andami naming plano tapos bigla siyang nagkasakit,” she said.

“Ang pinakamahirap na part is ‘yung situation ko. Hindi ka pwedeng lumabas, ayoko namang dagdagan pa kasi may sakit na,” she added.

Abegail said that she sold the jersey because she knew that it will be taken cared of by Boss Toyo.

“For 15 years nanahimik ako. I

didn’t say anything about me and my daughter. Siguro ito naman, ito lang ‘yung karapatan na pwede kong magawa para sa (anak namin),” she said.

“I know people will judge me, but we exist. What we had is real. Me and my daughter (are) real, mahal niya kami,” she added.

Gaile Francesca was asked to rap, to which she obliged. Abegail revealed that Gaile Francesca will soon debut as a musician, just like her father, from whom she also allegedly inherited her talent for the arts.

Boss Toyo bought the jersey for P500,000.

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OCTOBER 19-25, 2023 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

Health @Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS MY wife, Farida, and I have just been on a river cruise on the Vikings to historic Rouen, Omaha Beach, Normandy, and Paris (where the Faculty of Medicine at the University in Paris-Cite conducted valuable research on the effects on the brain of snoring with apnea (prolonged breath holding while asleep)), with the following findings: “Those who snore (breath holding) can be aging their brains by years and hurting their brain health by depriving themselves of getting deep sleep.

Loud snoring and obstructed breathing, often caused by sleep apnea, can lead to higher chances of exhibiting signs of stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, or overall cognitive decline.”

“Tiny lesions on the brain, known as white matter hyperintensities, are biomarkers that indicate brain health, becoming more prevalent with age or uncontrolled high blood pressure.”

“Participants with severe sleep apnea had more white matter hyperintensities than those with mild or moderate conditions and demonstrated a decrease in the integrity of the axons of the brain that connect nerve cells.”

“Deep sleep is one of the best indicators of sleep quality and the study found that for every 10% decrease in deep sleep, the white matter hyperintensities increased, equivalent to the brain aging 2.3 years.”

“The same 10% reduction of deep sleep was also associated with reducing the integrity of axons, and that decrease was similar to the effect of the brain appearing 3 years older.” These findings were published in Neurology on May 10, 2023.

Snorers or not, if you do not get a restful sleep at night, consult your physician for possible Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and for a Sleep Test to determine if you actually have OSA, which would require Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), the golden standard of therapy (very effective) for those with OSA. Sleep Apnea, when untreated, increases the risk for heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, diabetes T2, high blood pressure, etc., manifold. OSA which causes prolonged breath holding (could

Features

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Snoring impacts brain be more than 100 times a night) decreases the oxygen level in the blood, which deprives the brain, heart, liver, kidneys, and other vital organs of oxygen, resulting in various illnesses. These major diseases are prevented with the use of CPAP, among those diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

MedWalk and brain health A healthy diet, in this case, the Mediterranean Diet, and active lifestyle, like walking daily, lowers the risk of dementia (7th leading cause of death) and cognitive decline. A combined study, called “MedWalk,” that was just completed in 2023, revealed that following a MedWalk program diligently could reduce A l z h e i m e r ’s d e m e n t i a a n d decline in cognition. This study (among 60- to 90-year-olds) was conducted by researchers in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. It was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The processes and ongoing analysis were nonetheless published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

These findings are important to the whole world, where there are 55 million cases of Alzheimer’s; about 10 million a year, or one case every 3.2 seconds.

From 1990 to 2019, there was a 147.95% increase (from 2.92 million to 7.24 million). In the United States, 6.7 million (33.26 prevalence); Finland has the highest prevalence (54.56 cases per 100,000); the UK, 42.70; the Philippines, 10.6 prevalence, currently about 1 million).

The Med Diet The diet based on the historic eating habits of people who live around the Mediterranean Sea, which the American Heart Association recommends for cardiovascular health features the following: High intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and legumes, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, fish, poultry, non-tropical vegetable oils, and nuts, and very limited o r a b s t e n t i o n f ro m a d d e d sugars, sugary beverages, sodium, highly processed foods, refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, and fatty or processed meats.

Red meats, especially processed, are linked to a higher risk of cancer.

To these, the Harvard School of Public health adds the importance of healthy fats – oily fish, olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Eating meat occasionally, and eating fish at least 2-3 times a week, and

small quantities of poultry, eggs, and dairy products. One or two SMALL glasses of red wine each day is part of the Mediterranean diet, for those who enjoy red wine.

Personally, I prefer Pinot Noir from Oregon, one with the highest resveratrol (cardio-protective antioxidant).

Exercise: Potent weapon Regimented physical exercise, including brisk walking, besides being effective for cardiovascular health, is also helpful in preserving cognitive function especially in old age. Studies have shown reduced risk of neurodegenerative disease (dementia and Parkinson) and also slows the progress of these illnesses after diagnosis.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, regular physical activity is “one of the most important things you can do for your health. Exercise makes us feel better – higher levels are associated with lower levels of depression, and it is thought this is due to a natural ‘high’ from the release of endorphins and endocannabinoids, which can last for some time after exercising, but the physical effects last longer.

The endorphins relieve pains and may reduce inflammation and restress responses.” *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States.

He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, conferred by then Indiana Governor, later Senator, and then presidential candidate, Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, and Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Related websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

It’s Your Lucky Day is a dream come true for Luis Manzano

Group shot with Moderator, Dr. Samuel Hickson.

Photos courtesy of Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

Breaking barriers: Advancing diversity in healthcare & research

CLEVELAND Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, in collaboration with the Nevada Office of Minority Health and Equity and the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program, hosted “Breaking Barriers: Advancing Diversity in Healthcare & Research,” an interactive, candid community discussion.

With more than 30 community advocate organizations and, in attendance, and remarks from Nevada State Senators Dina Neal and Pat Spearman, the event focused on the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in Nevada as well as Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities with a specific focus on the importance of diversifying healthcare and clinical research.

The candid community dialogue featured a diverse array of panelists who spoke to a variety of topics including the barriers BIPOC communities experience in seeking Alzheimer’s clinical care and research, as well as how Nevada’s healthcare community can remove these barriers.

As Las Vegas is home to one of the largest Alzheimer’s clinical trial sites in the country – Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health – attendees learned about ongoing clinical research opportunities, the safeguards in place and firsthand experience from a current clinical research participant.

This event was a part of the All of Us Research Program’s southern Nevada community engagement series, as part of a nationwide tour aimed at recruiting at least one million participants that reflect the diversity of the United States. All of Us will help researchers understand more about why people get sick or stay healthy.

Charles Bernick, MD, MPH, staff neurologist with Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain and Dr. Dylan Wint

Dr. Dylan Wint Director of Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

Group shot of the panelists

by Kane errol Chua Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA seasoned host Luis Manzano has achieved numerous successes in his career, but the Pambansang Host shared that headlining the Philippines’ newest game variety show It’s Your Lucky Day is a dream come true.

Reflecting on the premiere last Saturday of ABS-CBN’s noontime offering for 12 days, Luis said, “Noong nag-opening kami, it just wasn’t happy, happy lang. There was an emotional thug sa akin na ‘wow’ sa more than 20 years ko na ginagawa ito, ito yung ginawa namin na para sa amin talaga.”

The show took Twitter by storm on its premiere as it dominated trending topics last Saturday. And Luis’ intention is clear. He wants viewers to believe that luck can be found at any given moment and in any place.

He shared, “Gusto ko maramdaman nila na yung swerte pwedeng dumating anytime. Yun ang gusto kong i-share sa lahat na malay niyo na isang araw pagkagising niyo, andyan yung swerte na babago sa buhay niyo.”

For the It’s Your Lucky Day hosts, being part of the show means they get to be a blessing to the viewers and studio audiences who will have the chance to win prizes via different segments.

Joining Luis in the show are Robi Domingo, Jennica Garcia, Melai Cantiveros, Shaina Magdayao, Francine Diaz, Seth Fedelin, Andrea Brillantes, Kyle Echarri, Petite, Tetay, Negi, and Long Mejia.

Melai expressed gratitude for Luis’ mentorship, saying, “Sobrang thankful kami kay Kuya

Josh Perez, All of Us Research Program Atoya Adams, MD, President of AB Clinical Trials Brenda Harris-Carter, AHEAD research participant

Josh Perez Tour Manager, All of Us Research Program

For the It’s Your Lucky Day hosts, being part of the show means they get to be a blessing to the viewers and studio audiences who will have the chance to win prizes via different segments.

Luis. Pagdating ko rito, inalalayan niya ako. Sinabi niya, ‘Mag-enjoy lang at huwag ma-pressure.’

Sinabi pa niya, ‘Hindi ko kayo pinili dahil I want you, pinili ko kayo kasi I need you.’ Sobrang sweet and humble.”

Apart from being grateful for their involvement in the show, Jennica and Shaina shared their enthusiasm in being able to serve the viewers.

Melai and Jennica are grateful for Luis’ hosting mentorship.

Jennica expressed her gratitude for the noontime show and said, “One of the things I’m thankful for about this noontime show is that whenever I see our Kapamilyas in person, it feels great to be able to help them through the prizes we give away. The truth is, It’s Your Lucky Day and ABS-CBN exist because of the people who watch and support us.”

Shaina shared her personal

It’s Your Lucky Day is a dream come true for Luis Manzano

journey, stating, “For me, personally, the entire process has been overwhelming. As you all know, I’m an actress, and I never thought of becoming a noontime host. At this stage in my career, my dream is to be of service, and this show has made that a reality.

The fact that I’m now a member of the It’s Your Lucky Day family means I get to be a blessing to the viewers and the studio audience.”

It’s Your Lucky Day offers studio contestants and people from different barangays the chance to win prizes in the show’s segments, Pang-Ma-Luck-Cashan, Luckyng Kalye, Lucky Pick, Pot Luck, and Stars for All Seasons.

Don’t miss the airing of It’s Your Lucky Day from Monday to Saturday, 12 noon. It will run until Oct. 27 on the Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, GTV, Kapamilya Online Live, and Facebook page, iWantTFC, and TFC IPTV.

Nevada State Senator Dina Neal

Tina Dortch, Nevada Office of Minority Health and Equity

Kim Chiu visits ‘Ate’ Kris Aquino in the US

by Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

ACTRESS Kim Chiu surprised her "Etiquette for Mistresses" co-star Kris Aquino by visiting the host-actress in the United States where the latter is currently seeking treatment for several autoimmune diseases.

Kris shared a snippet of Kim's visit to her house on her Instagram account, with text in the clip saying, "Reunion with my #panganay."

In the clip, Kim enters the house calling out to Kris, followed by a light scream that caught the attention of Kris' oldest child Josh whom Kim embraced after hugging Kris.

Kim then sat down on a couch's arm to ask how Kris was doing, and Kris sat atop the sofa to fill the actress in.

"All I can say is I love you, I super appreciate your effort to visit, and even if it was a gloomy day, you were the much needed reminder that after all the storms, we can look forward to a RAINBOW. I've missed you, as in SUPER," Kris wrote in the video's caption.

Kris was so relieved for Kim's visit that her biological injectable that afternoon hurt less, leaving Kris to ask Kim to visit more often.

The host-actress also thanked Kim for "16 years of genuinely caring for and trusting" her, and added that Kim just missed Kris' other son Bimby by just 10 minutes — Kim and Bimby share the same birthday, April 19.

Batangas vice-governor Mark Leviste was the one who coordinated Kim's visit, and Kris noted that she and Mark were bouncing back from the rumors that they were still romantically linked.

"We've both learned from our mistakes… with God's help sana tuloy-tuloy na 'yung harmonious Philstar.com photos and supportive relationship namin," Kris said,

Kris Aquino and Kim Chiu reunite in the US. Screengrab from Instagram/@krisaquino

thanking Bimby for helping the two realize what they needed to fix to strengthen their commitment.

Kris also took the opportunity to thank every person praying for her as her recovery improved, "Roughly 15 more months of treatment, but I'm alive and hopeful; tuloy ang LABAN, bawal sumuko."

Kim reciprocated her love for Kris in the comments, "Happy ako to talk and see you ate after so many years. Love u ate," and also thanked Mark for arranging the visit.

Apart from 2015's "Etiquette for Mistresses," Kris and Kim starred in "All You Need Is Pag-ibig" the same year though the two are best known for an interview for "Kris TV" where a crying Kim had Kris saying "Because?," inspiring the now-popular meme.

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