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NOVEMBER 3-9, 2022

T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER

Volume 33 - No. 43 • 20 Pages

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DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Educators mull ways of teaching legacy of Filipino WWII vets to US students MORE than a dozen teachers educators, administrators and community organizers from across the country convened Oct. 22 in the first-ever “Duty to Country (DTC)” teachers’ conference in Arlington, Virginia, to explore ways of teaching American students the historical contributions of Filipino veterans of World War II. Hosted by the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project or FilVetRep, educators and organizers reviewed the organization’s award-winning online exhibit and curriculum and shared ideas on how to improve existing teaching resources and practical ways to adapt these materials for their students.

FilVetREP will be working closely with these educators and teachers in the next 12

Typhoon ‘Paeng’ death toll hits 110

by FRANCIS

EARL CUETO

AND CATHERINE ManilaTimes.net

THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Tuesday, November 1, said deaths from Severe Tropical Storm “Paeng” (international name: “Nalgae”) have reached 110, with 101 injured and 33 missing.

A report from the agency said that as of Monday night, October 31, 59 of the confirmed fatalities were from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which suffered massive floods and landslides.

S. VALENTE

A total of 741,777 families or 2,418,249 individuals from 6,158 barangay (villages) were affected by the storm.

Houses damaged numbered 6,542, of which 5,035 were partly damaged and 1,507 were totally damaged, for a loss of P12,415,000.

The NDRRMC said total damage to infrastructure was P760,361,175 and to agriculture, P1.3 billion with 58,086.852 hectares of crops destroyed.

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This handout photo taken and released by the Philippine Coast Guard on October 28 shows rescue workers evacuating people from a flooded area due to heavy rain brought by Tropical Storm Nalgae in Parang, Maguindanao province.

Marcos calls for better disaster response

by KRISTINA

MARALIT ManilaTimes.net

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Shopping for ACA health insurance? Here’s what’s new this year IT’S fall again, meaning shorter days, cooler temperatures, and open enrollment for Affordable Care Act marketplace insurance — sign-ups begin this week for coverage that starts Jan. 1, 2023. Even though much of the coverage stays the same from year to year, there are a few upcoming changes that consumers should note this fall, especially if they are having trouble buying expensive policies through their employer.

In the past year, the Biden administration and Congress have taken steps — mainly related to premiums and subsidies — that will affect 2023 coverage. Meanwhile, confusion caused by court decisions may trigger questions about coverage for preventive care or for abortion services.

Open enrollment for people who buy health insurance through the marketplaces begins Nov. 1 and, in most states, lasts through Jan. 15. To get coverage that begins Jan. 1, enrollment usually must occur by Dec. 15.

SHOPPING FOR DECORS. Shoppers check out Christmas decorations on sale at the Dapitan Arcade in Quezon City on Thursday, Nov. 3. The Philippines is one of the countries that have the longest Christmas celebration in the world, starting as early as September until the first week of January.

PNA photo by Alfred Frias

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, November 1 urged local government units (LGUs) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to have closer coordination and have more joint projects for the easier facilitation of government aid in times of disasters and calamities.

“I think that is something that we can improve on, the coordination between the LGUs and BARMM. And then the procedures. I know that you are just drawing up your procedures now. But you can see why this is important,” the Chief Executive said during the situation briefing with BARMM officials and several key members of the Cabinet in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

Marcos said joint efforts between the LGUs and BARMM are vital to ensure better response coordination in times of emergency to address the needs of those affected by the calamity while at the same time reducing the impacts of disasters.

“That is why I always press you about so that in times like this, you already know what to do. You know the

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Marcos visits father’s tomb on All Saints’ Day PH still among world’s worst

by CATHERINE

S. VALENTE ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. visited the tomb of his father on All Saint’s Day, when millions of Filipinos flock to the tombs of their loved ones.

The President shared photos of him attending the mass for the late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City on Tuesday, November 1.

Aside from the President, his mother former First Lady Imelda Marcos, other members of the Marcos family, and other  PAGE A5 relatives also attended the Mass.

The President had proclaimed Monday, October 31 as a special nonworking holiday so that Filipinos will have a longer weekend to visit their dead and spend more time be with their families.

In his message for All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day on Monday, the President called om Filipinos not only to remember their dead, but also heal their hearts and renew their faith as the country recovers from the pandemic.

He described All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day as important Christian holidays that celebrate the lives of heroes of the Christian faith and the memories left by departed loved

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Palace further eases rules for inbound travelers

by KRISTINA

MARALIT ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has approved the further easing of protocols for inbound travelers to help ramp up economic recovery, Malacañang confirmed on Wednesday, November 2.

Among the recommendations in the Oct. 4, 2022, resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) that was given the green light by the Chief Executive is the entry of unvaccinated travelers without the need to undergo quarantine at a state-approved facility.

IATF Resolution 2 likewise IATF Resolution 2 allows fully vaccinated travelers to fly to the Philippines without prior testing.

ManilaTimes.net file photo allows fully vaccinated travelers

to fly to the Philippines without prior testing.

They only have to present any proof of vaccination apart from the Bureau of Quarantine (BoQ)issued "yellow passport," VaxCert from the Department of Health (DoH), and other certifications from other countries.

Those who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or with unvalidated vaccination status, will have to secure a negative antigen test administered by a certified health care professional in a health care facility a day before they fly to the Philippines.

Those who fail to comply will be tested upon arrival at the airport.

 PAGE A5

countries in prosecuting killers of journalists

by BEATRICE

PINLAC Inquirer.net

MANILA – For the third straight year, the Philippines maintained its spot as the seventh worst country in convicting killers of journalists, according to a report released by a global media watchdog on Wednesday, November 2.

The annual Global Impunity Index of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York-based organization tracing attacks against media, saw no movement in the ranking of the Philippines, with 14 murders still unsolved.

Only countries with five or more unsolved cases are included on the CPJ index.

For this report, CPJ monitored unsolved journalist killings that occurred across the globe between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2022 – from the administration of late and former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to that of current President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. “The election of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. brought hope of a shift away from outgoing President Rodrigo

Duterte’s campaign of intimidation and harassment of the press,” the CPJ said in its report.

It noted, however, that the brazen murders of two toughtalking radio broadcasters – Percival Mabasa and Renato Blanco – since Marcos took the country’s helm in late June “raised fears that the culture of violence and impunity will endure.”

Somalia topped the list as the worst country for prosecuting journalist murderers for the eighth straight year with 19 unsolved killings, according to the CPJ. The next countries in descending order with the highest tally of unsettled mediarelated murders are Syria, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Mexico.

After the Philippines, Myanmar debuted on the list at the eighth place followed by Brazil, Pakistan, and India.

Getting away with journo murders The CPJ’s 2022 Global Impunity Index pointed out that the majority of the killers of journalists have still not

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From The FronT Page

Typhoon ‘Paeng’ death toll hits...

PAGE A1 A total of P50.327,122.52 in government assistance was provided to affected residents.

Severe losses from Paeng in the autonomous region prompted President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, November 1 to intensify tree-planting efforts in BARMM as he expressed alarm over massive deforestation in Maguindanao province.

Marcos made the statement after conducting an aerial inspection in Maguindanao, which reeled from flash floods and landslides unleashed by Paeng.

During a situational briefing that he presided over in the province, the President pointed out the need to plant trees to tackle flooding as he acknowledged threats of climate change.

He said areas that were not prone to flooding in the past are now being inundated, while typhoons no longer follow their

path as forecast.

“That’s the problem today.

Talagang may (There is really) climate change. It’s undeniable,” Marcos said.

“So, we have to include treeplanting in our flood control.

Dapat kasama ‘yan. Kung gagastos tayo sa flood control, kailangan may tree-planting (That should be included. If we spend on flood control, there must be treeplanting),” he added.

During the inspection, the President said he noticed that areas badly hit by Paeng were the ones that had been deforested.

“We have been hearing this over and over again, pero patuloy pa rin tayo nagpuputol ng kahoy, ‘yan ang nangyayari nagkakalandslide ng ganyan (But we keep on cutting down trees, so landslides happen),” Marcos added.

“Mag-isip tayo ng mabuti doon sa tree-planting. Hindi maliit na bagay yan (Let’s think about that tree-planting. It’s not a small

thing). I know people think that it is just for saving the environment.

No, it’s to save lives,” he said.

The President earlier raised concern over the high death toll in the province saying, “That seems very high for a flooding incident.”

Latest tally from the NDRRMC indicated that most of the 110 reported fatalities, or 59, were from the Mindanao autonomous region.

In the briefing with the President, Maguindanao del Sur Gov. Bai Mariam Mangudadatu said Paeng left 61 people dead, 40 injured and 17 missing in the province.

On the other hand, BARMM Interior Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said damage to agriculture has reached P211,975,479.

He added that this could still increase as authorities continue to assess the damage from the tropical storm. g

PH still among world’s worst countries in...

PAGE A1

murdered in retaliation for their been held accountable for their work globally over the past decade, the perpetrators have crime.

“In nearly 80 percent of faced no punishment,” it said.

From the total number of the 263 cases of journalists

murdered journalists examined in the CPJ report, 148 were threatened, 47 were taken captive, and 20 were tortured prior to their murder. g

Marcos visits father’s tomb on All...

PAGE A1

ones, adding, “both remind us to strive, live Christ-centered lives, and fulfill our life’s purpose until we meet our Creator.”

“The pandemic of recent years forced us to come to terms with our mortality. It taught us to

number our days as we realize the uncertainty of our time on Earth.

It made us contemplate what it truly means to live a meaningful life and to die free of regrets and at peace with oneself,” Marcos said.

“As we gain momentum toward

complete recovery, I pray that our efforts to remember the saints and our late loved ones will bring healing to our hearts. May it likewise reinforce the foundations of our faith and compel us to live with genuine love and compassion in all of our days,” he added. g

Educators mull ways of teaching legacy of...

PAGE A1

months as the project reaches out to school districts in as many states as possible to ensure that this program, which is accessible for free, will be widely used and taught in classrooms.

“FilVetREP’s education program, “Duty to Country – Under One Flag,” is a powerful venue to remind not only ourselves but the next PAGE A1 government agencies and local operating procedures) more generation, to carry on the legacy coordination with the LGU,” he officials not to be too strict in efficient... The point of all these of these brave soldiers and honor following the bureaucracy when relief goods, to get as much their service and sacrifice,” said explained.

“I noticed that the BARMM and it comes to giving aid to affected relief goods, to give as much FilVetREP Chairman Maj. Gen. LGU, you have no joint operation. citizens during disasters, as relief goods. There is no such Antonio Taguba.

You have to have joint operations there is a fine line between life thing as too much relief goods.

FilVetREP also celebrated to maximize your assets. There is and death in the middle of a Whatever we have, we give the 6th Anniversary of the them away immediately. That is Congressional only so much [you can do]; focus crisis.

Gold Medal, “Let’s not mind too much something we can improve on, a historic achievement when is needed. The different areas, of course, there are places with the bureaucracy; let’s send the the coordination between the Congress honored Filipino and more residents in the BARMM; relief. You know the people are LGUs and BARMM.” American World War II veterans Prior to the briefing, Marcos on Oct. 25, 2017 with this highest there are also places with more fighting for their lives. This is people in the LGU. So, join your life and death for them. So, let’s conducted an aerial inspection civilian award. forces for us to maximize that. not wait. Let’s just go to them as to assess the damage left by Since 2017, FilVetREP has We need that coordination,” he long as we can give something,” Typhoon “Paeng” over the held nearly 100 ceremonies the President said. “We have weekend in the province of across the U.S., Hawaii and added.

He also reminded all frontline to make our SOPs (standard Maguindanao. g Alaska. Similar ceremonies have also been held in the Philippines.

To date, more than 5,000 veterans have been honored with this medal. On Oct. 22, seven more families received medals on behalf of their deceased fathers and grandfathers.

According to the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), there are only 2,022 Filipino Veterans who are still alive, as of April 8 this year, 236 of whom are over the century mark. Among the longest living veteran in the Washington, D.C. area, Celestino Almeda, died in last April. He was 104.

Repeal of Rescission Act Philippine President Bongbong Marcos meets with officials on Monday, Oct. 31 to discuss the aftermath of Tropical Storm "Paeng."

Taguba reiterated that the Malacañang photo

Marcos calls for better disaster...

FilVetREP Chairman Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (Ret) introduces the Honorable Erika Moritsugu, Deputy Asst. to President Biden and Senior Liaison for Asian Americans Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders at the Oct. 22, 2022 6th anniversary celebration of the Congressional Gold Medal.

organization is “committed to repeal the Rescission Act of 1946 – an act of Congress that tarnished the honor of our Filipino World War II veterans and brought pain and sorrow upon their lives and families for over 75 years.”

FilVetREP was formed nine years ago with three goals: to secure the Congressional Gold Medal for the 270,000 veterans who served, to develop an online interactive educational program to preserve their historic legacy, and to repeal the 1946 Rescission Act. “Having accomplished our first goal in 2016, we are currently expanding the education program, Duty to Country. Once this is completed, we will focus our energies on a national call to action to repeal the Rescission Act,” Taguba said. “We must

close this dark chapter in U.S. history and restore the honor and dignity of our heroes who were betrayed by America’s broken promise.”

In her keynote address at FilVetREP’s 6th anniversary celebration, Erika Moritsugu, Deputy Asst. to President Biden and Senior Liaison for Asian Americans Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, commended FilVetREP for securing the Congressional Gold Medal to honor the service and sacrifice of the 270,000 soldiers who fought under the American flag, and for its continued advocacy on behalf of Filipino World War II veterans.

“We must never forget their courage and grit. We must ensure their stories are not erased from history,” Moritsugu said. (Inquirer.net)

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NOVEMBER 3-9, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline USa

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REP. Susie Lee was joined by supporters like Asm. Brittney Miller, Duy Nyugen and Erica Mosca and many more on Saturday, October 28. The early vote block party at Chinatown Plaza was just one of the events Nevada Democratic Victory is hosting to celebrate Early Voting in Nevada.

This election, it’s never been easier for Nevadans to early vote. Early voting began last Saturday, October 22nd and runs through Friday, November 4. The 2022 midterm elections will take place on Tuesday, November 8. Nevadans can make a plan today at www.iwillvote.com/nv

ASIAN AMERICAN GROUP 3667 Dutch Valley Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada 89147 Tel. (702) 242-9004 Fax (702) 242-8516 www.asianamericangroup.org

2022 General Elections Endorsements AAG Executive Board Mike Vaswani Chairman Rita Vaswani President Dennis Rucker Executive Vice President Harry Singh Vice President Vimla Lendway Treasurer Faith Ramos Secretary

FEDERAL US Senate Catherine Cortez-Masto US Congress District 1 Dina Titus US Congress District 2 Mark Amodei US Congress District 3 Susie Lee US Congress District 4 Steven Horsford STATE Governor Steve Sisolak Lt. Governor Lisa Burkhead Attorney General Aaron Ford Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar State Treasurer Zach Conine

STATE SENATE State Senate District 2 Edgar Flores Board Directors State Senate District 8 Jack Juan, Esq Marilyn Dondero Loop Legal Council State Senate District 9 Dr. Benito Calderon Melanie Scheible State Senate District 10 Medical Director Fabian Donate Adnan Khawja State Senate District 12 Media Director Julie Pazina State Senate District 14 Advisory Board Ira Hansen

Steve Lee Odesssa Barrera Rone Cheng Garmina Bhardwaj Dan Tram Savita Kaushal Amy Cheng Helen Hsueh Mimi Morse Rupee Chima

STATE SUPREME COURT Justice of Supreme Court Seat A Linda Bell Justice of Supreme Court Seat E Ron Parraguirre Appellate Court Department 1 Deborah Westbrook Department 2 Michael P. Gibbons Department 3 Bonnie Bulla

Justice Court Department 3 Harmony Letizia Department 4 Melissa Saragosa Department 6 William Gonzalez Department 7 Max Berkley Department 9 Danielle Chio Department 10 Cybill Dotson Department 13 Suzan Baucum Department 14 Amy Chelini District Court Department 9 Maria Gall Department 11 Ellie Roohani Department 17 Jennifer Schwartz Family Court Department A Mari Parlade County Commissioner District E Tick Segerblom Commissioner District F Justin Jones Commissioner District G Jim Gibson District Attorney Steve Wolfson Sheriff Kevin McMahill STATE ASSEMBLY State Assembly District 1 Daniele Monroe-Moreno State Assembly District 2 Heidi Kasama State Assembly District 3 Selena Torres State Assembly District 4 Richard McArthur State Assembly District 5 Brittney Miller

STATE ASSEMBLY State Assembly District 6 Shondra Summers-Armstrong State Assembly District 7 Cameron Miller State Assembly District 8 Duy Nguyen State Assembly District 9 Steve Yeager State Assembly District 10 Rochelle Nguyen State Assembly District 11 Beatrice Duran State Assembly District 15 Howard Watts State Assembly District 16 Cecelia Gonzalez State Assembly District 17 Clara Thomas State Assembly District 18 Venicia Considine State Assembly District 19 Thaddeus Yurek State Assembly District 20 David Orentlicher State Assembly District 21 Elaine Marzola State Assembly District 22 Melissa Hardy State Assembly District 24 Sarah Peters State Assembly District 28 Reuben D’Silva State Assembly District 29 Lesley E. Cohen State Assembly District 30 Natha Anderson State Assembly District 31 Jill Dickman State Assembly District 32 Alexis Hansen State Assembly District 34 Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod State Assembly District 35 Michelle Gorelow State Assembly District 37 Shea Backus State Assembly District 40 Phillip O’Neill State Assembly District 41 Sandra Jauregui State Assembly District 42 Tracy Brown-May

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Palace further eases rules for inbound...

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The same rule applies to unaccompanied unvaccinated minors below 15 years old.

Unvaccinated minors below the age of 15, on the other hand, must follow the protocol for their parents or guardian traveling with them.

Any inbound traveler who shall test positive for COVID-19 through an antigen test must undergo quarantine.

Following this, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin last

October 28 signed and released a memorandum affirming the IATF's resolution that further relaxes arrival protocols for returning Filipinos and foreigners.

In his memo, Bersamin tasked the DoH and the BoQ to also determine the acceptable proofs of vaccination "to avoid confusion and inconvenience" of inbound travelers and also ramp up the dissemination of information to the public.

The lax guidelines came after

DATELINE USA

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 3-9, 2022

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Marcos also gave the go-ahead for the voluntary wearing of face masks in outdoor and indoor settings.

Face coverings, however, shall remain mandatory inside health care facilities, medical transport vehicles and public modes of transportation.

Meanwhile, those with comorbidities, immunocompromised, pregnant, unvaccinated, symptomatic, and the elderly are encouraged to wear face masks. 

Shopping for ACA health insurance? Here’s...

PAGE A1 Many people who get coverage through their jobs also must select a plan at this time of year. And their decisions could be affected by new ACA rules.

So, what’s new, and what should you know if you’re shopping? Here are five things to keep in mind.

1. Some families who did not qualify for ACA subsidies now do One big change is that some families who were barred from getting federal subsidies to help them purchase ACA coverage may now qualify.

A rule recently finalized by the Treasury De partment was designed to address what has long been termed the “family glitch.” The change expands the number of families with job-based insurance who can choose to forgo their coverage at work and qualify for subsidies to get an ACA plan instead. The White House estimates that this adjustment could help about 1 million people gain coverage or get more affordable insurance.

Before, employees could qualify for a subsidy for marketplace insurance only if the cost of their employer-based coverage was considered unaffordable based on a threshold set each year by the IRS. But that determination took into account only how much a worker would pay for insurance for himself or herself. The cost of adding family members to the plan was not part of the calculation, and family coverage is often far more expensive than employeeonly coverage. The families of employees who fall into the

“glitch,” either go uninsured or pay more through their jobs for coverage than they might if they were able to get an ACA subsidy.

Now, the rules say eligibility for the subsidy must also consider the cost of family coverage.

“For the first time, a lot of families will have a real choice between an offer of employer-sponsored coverage and a marketplace plan with subsidies,” said Sabrina Corlette, a researcher and co-director at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms.

Workers will now be able to get marketplace subsidies if their share of the premium for their job-based coverage exceeds 9.12% of their expected 2023 income.

Now, two calculations will occur: the cost of the employee-only coverage as a percentage of the worker’s income and the cost of adding family members. In some cases, the worker may decide to remain on the employer plan because his or her payment toward coverage falls below the affordability threshold, but the family members will be able to get a subsidized ACA plan.

Previous legislative efforts to resolve the family glitch failed, and the Biden administration’s use of regulation to fix it is controversial. The move might ultimately be challenged in court. Still, the rules are in place for 2023, and experts, including Corlette, said families who could benefit should go ahead and enroll.

“It will take a while for all that to get resolved,” she said, adding that it is unlikely there

would be any decision in time to affect policies for 2023.

An Urban Institute analysis published last year estimated that the net savings per family might be about $400 per person and that the cost to the federal government for new subsidies would be $2.6 billion a year. Not every family would save money by making the change, so experts say people should weigh the benefits and potential costs.

2. Preventative care will still be covered without a copay, but abortion coverage will vary Many people with insurance are happy when they go in for a cancer screening, or seek other preventive care, and find they don’t have to pay anything out-of-pocket. That comes from a provision in the ACA that bars cost sharing for a range of preventive services, including certain tests, vaccines, and drugs. But a September ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Texas led to confusion about what might be covered next year. The judge declared unconstitutional one method the government uses to determine some of the preventive treatments that are covered without patient cost sharing.

Ultimately, that might mean patients will have to start paying a share of the cost of cancer screenings or drugs that prevent the transmission of HIV. The judge has yet to rule on how many people the case will affect. But, for now, the ruling applies only to the employers and individuals who brought the lawsuit. So, don’t worry. Your no-cost screening  PAGE A7

What you don’t know can hurt: The facts about updated COVID vaccines

by WE

CAN DO THIS COVID-19 PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN

THE updated vaccines have arrived, but surveys are showing that some people don’t know much about them — even though they could make a big difference as cooler weather and growing case numbers abroad signal another possible COVID-19 surge.

“COVID is still with us,” said Dr. Neil Wingkun, an emergency physician at Houston Methodist.

“It’s important to stay vigilant and up to date with facts about the updated vaccines and protection against COVID during the upcoming holiday season. As we bring together family, friends and loved ones, dive into celebration with peace of mind.”

To make our communities aware of the updated vaccines, the national We Can Do This Campaign has been releasing new ads specific to Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, South Asian, Vietnamese, and the broader Pan Asian audiences. Our audience will see and hear new radio, print, digital, and social ads in our language that urge everyone five and older to protect themselves by getting an updated vaccine ahead of family gatherings this winter.

Also, be on the lookout also for a new television commercial, “Just in Time,” on English channels.

We Can Do This continues to work closely with Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community partners and events across the country to support vaccine clinics that offer the updated vaccine. Upcoming

events include: • Vaccine clinics held by the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) in Sparks, NV, Nov. 6 and Las Vegas, NV, Nov. 2, 3, 4, 8, and 12.

• A vaccine clinic at KoreaFest 2022, held by InWave, in Raleigh, NC on Nov. 19.

On Nov. 1, 2022, Dear Asian Americans featured Vice President Kamala Harris in a special podcast episode. Vice President Harris spoke with host Jerry Won about her personal upbringing and Asian heritage, encouragement for the next generation, and a message ahead of Election Day. We Can Do This is proud to partner with Dear Asian Americans to urge everyone 5+ to get their updated vaccines.

Updated vaccines are among the latest tools for managing COVID. Hundreds of Americans, including Asian Americans, are still dying each day from COVID, and hospitalizations have been rising again in some areas. Maximizing the use of the tools developed in the last two years, including vaccines, can help prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and even death.

Here’s what you need to know about the updated vaccines: Updated vaccines provide protection against both the original COVID virus and Omicron. The updated vaccines offer you the only targeted protection you can get against the Omicron strains that are infecting people right now, and also offer protection against the original

COVID virus.

Anyone age five and older who has finished a primary series is eligible. Once two months have passed since your last dose, whether it was the primary series or a booster, it is time to get an updated vaccine. Your body needs time to build up full protection, so it’s a good idea to get an updated vaccine as soon as possible to have full protection in time for holiday gatherings and ahead of a possible winter surge in cases.

If you’re 18 or older, it doesn’t matter which brand. Regardless of which brand of COVID vaccine you got, it is all right to get an updated vaccine from either Moderna, Novavax, or Pfizer.

Updated vaccines are available from Pfizer and Moderna two months, and from Novavax six months, after the second dose of any of the recommended vaccines.

Updated vaccines are safe and effective. As with other vaccinations, side effects are possible, but they don’t last long.

Some people have a sore arm where they got their shot, or even flu-like symptoms for a few days, but these are normal responses to a vaccine.

The updated vaccines are currently widely available and free. Visit www.vaccines.gov to find a vaccination location near you.

For more information and to find a vaccine, visit www.vaccines. gov.

(Advertising Supplement)

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NOVEMBER 3-9, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

OPINION

Days of grief, remembrance

FEATURES

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ON these days dedicated to the remembrance of saints and our dearly departed, we pause to join in mourning those for whom the wounds of loss are still fresh.

In several parts of the country, the death toll from Severe Tropical Storm Paeng surged to 98 as of Monday afternoon, November 1, with 63 still missing.

Maguindanao bore the brunt of the tragedy, with at least 53 dead mostly from landslides triggered by incessant rains since Thursday night, October 27.

COVID-19 also continues its relentless march, sickening and still killing people. As of Oct. 30, the rapidly mutating coronavirus has infected four million people in the Philippines and killed 64,033, with over 50,000 of the deaths recorded since the start of 2021. Many families have yet to get over their bereavement. Worldwide, COVID-19 has infected 630 million people as of Oct. 30 and killed 6.59 million.

Elsewhere in the world, South Koreans are in shock and grieving over the deaths of 154 mostly young people in a freak crush of crowds along a sloping narrow alley in the capital Seoul last Saturday night, October 29. The revelers were celebrating Halloween for the first time in the popular Itaewon district after two years of COVID restrictions.

A day later, Sunday night, October 30 in the Indian state of Gujarat, a newly reopened suspension bridge collapsed from the weight of a

crowd of about 400 celebrating the Diwali and Chhath Puja festivals.

The revelers plunged into the river 33 feet below, leaving at least 132 people dead.

Only last Oct. 6, a police lieutenant colonel dismissed last year for drug abuse stormed a childcare center in northeast Thailand and shot and slashed people with a knife, killing 35 people including 23 children.

He then went home where he killed his wife and child before turning the gun on himself.

And on Oct. 1 in Indonesia, over 130 people died during a stampede amid a football match in a stadium. Probers said the deaths were caused by the tear gas fired by police breaking up a riot among supporters of rival teams.

Over in Ukraine, the Russian invasion that began on Feb. 24 has claimed the lives of tens of thousands on both sides, many of them Ukrainian civilians, since February. The economic hardships and impoverishment arising from the conflict are compounding global misery.

In the Philippines, thousands of families have yet to get over their grief as they yearn for justice in the deaths of their loved ones slain in the brutal war on drugs waged by the Duterte – activists, journalists, legal professionals, administration. Mourning also continues for the environmental warriors slain in connection with many others for whom justice remains elusive their work.

Editorial

Babe’s Eye View BABE ROMUALDEZ A GROUP of journalists from Manila are here to take part in a reporting tour program organized by the Philippine embassy in Washington, DC to highlight the work that the embassy and posts are doing in accordance with our foreign policy pillars, and to elevate the economic profile of the Philippines. On many occasions, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has stressed that he wants to boost the economic aspect of the relationship between the two nations.

A core objective of the 2022 media reporting program is to give the participating journalists – who come from broadcast, online and print news outfits including The Philippine STAR – an onthe-ground perspective on the dynamics that underpin the relationship between the Philippines and the United States.

This is actually the second iteration of this one-of-a-kind program that we started in

ACCORDING to the “Catechism for Filipino Catholics,” we Filipinos have traditionally manifested our deep faith in an afterlife for our departed loved ones, our devotion to saints and even general acceptance of the “spirit world.”

Philippine culture places tremendous emphasis on the family.

During this period which we call Undas — All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day — people flock to burial sites of our deceased family members. This is both a religious tradition and a cultural norm. Christians, Muslims and Jews share a common practice of burying their dead in a special designated area called a cemetery. Even when the bodies are cremated and placed in an urn, this is usually placed in the equivalent of a cemetery, a columbarium. Not all religious faiths believe in burying their dead. For example, Hindus generally practice cremation but the bodies are then burned

In these days of saints and souls, we pray that the dead might yet rest in peace, and their families will find closure. (Philstar.com)

Providing an on-the-ground perspective November 2019, which allowed journalists to engage not only with officials from the Philippine embassy but key figures from various government agencies such as the State Department and the Pentagon. Interviews with American think-tanks and key members of the FilipinoAmerican community were also arranged, with the activities also allowing the journalists to build networks that served as reliable sources of information and, more importantly, helped deepen their knowledge on the issues that impact relations between the longtime allies.

Our friends from the State Department and the Pentagon were appreciative of the outcome of the program in 2019 which was very successful. We would have wanted to make the reporting tour a yearly activity, but the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted our plans, which is why we’re happy that the situation has eased, allowing us to arrange the continuation of the program this year, which we have expanded to cover not only defense and security but foreign policy, trade, tourism and, of course, the people-topeople ties which underpin the relationship. Supporting

us once more in this initiative is our country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, which we are happy to note is starting to soar once again and is on track to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Naturally, the journalists who cover the Foreign Affairs and business/economic beats want to examine the current status of U.S.-Philippines bilateral relations under the administrations of President Bongbong Marcos and President Joe Biden, given the regional and global challenges that could mutually impact the two nations. Aside from the security and defense aspect of the partnership, the journalists also want to explore the mutual challenges faced by the longtime allies, including issues regarding trade and the economy, climate change, food security and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic (whose impact as we all know continues to be felt by countries all over the world), and explore areas that provide opportunities for further cooperation.

Like in the 2019 program, we arranged interactions with key officials of various government agencies, starting

with Director Amy Archibald of the Department of State’s Office of Maritime Southeast Asia, Bureau of East Asia and the Pacific who delved on the importance of having a Code of Conduct to govern the activities in the South China Sea as this could lead to an “international rules-based system that would allow a free and open, prosperous Pacific.” Upholding a rulesbased international holder is critical in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, and this message was also reiterated by U.S. Assistant Secretary of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink during his recent visit to Singapore.

We also arranged discussions with key executives from thinktanks such as Shay Wester, Director of Asian Economic Affairs of the Asia Society Policy Institute which tackles major policy challenges that confront the Asia-Pacific in the areas of security, prosperity, sustainability and the development of common norms and values for the region; and Greg Poling, Director of the Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency initiative of the Center for

Strategic and International Studies.

In his latest book, “On Dangerous Ground: America’s Century in the South China Sea,” Greg Poling discusses the complex disputes surrounding the South China Sea, which has increasingly become a source of concern for the United States and its goal to maintain freedom of the seas as it intersects with U.S. national security interests.

There were also deep-dive discussions on the work of attached agencies, with the journalists engaging with Philippine Air attaché Col. Dennis Alcarde, Philippine Military attaché Col. Arthur Romanillos who spoke on AFP modernization efforts and Police Brigadier General Wilson Lopez who tackled hate crimes.

One of the topics during the meeting with Commercial Counselor Kenneth Yap was the GSP – the Generalized System of Preferences – which is the oldest and largest U.S. trade program that provides nonreciprocal duty-free privileges for over 3,500 products entering the U.S. market from 119 beneficiary

countries, among them the Philippines.

Unfortunately, the GSP expired in December 2020 and no reauthorization has been issued to date, but what is surprising to note is that GSP eligible Philippine exports to the U.S. surged to more than $3.1 billion or 30 percent higher compared to 2020.

Aside from having the GSP reauthorized so that eligible Philippine exports will enjoy tax privileges again, a priority is increasing U.S. investments in promising sectors such as IT-BPM and renewable energy, among others.

We’re pleased to note that this program is appreciated by our host country, with some of our friends in Washington now thinking of organizing a similar media reporting tour program for American journalists to visit the Philippines and see for themselves the real situation on the ground. (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

Undas: How it began

Breakthrough

ELFREN S. CRUZ

ManilaTimes.net photo

in a funeral pyre. Burial is reserved for children, ascetics and people with certain diseases.

Christian burial practices can be traced to the early years of Christianity. In ancient Rome, underground passages known as catacombs were used to bury the early Christians, in order to protect the bodies of the faithful, since the Christian religion was considered illegal.

When Christianity was legalized and ceased to be persecuted, Christians began to bury their dead in the yard around the churches. However, as soon as these burial places became overcrowded, several burial grounds were established away from the churches and even outside the cities and towns.

Today, most of the cemeteries are owned by local governments and even by business firms who operate what are called memorial parks. It is the Christian belief in the existence of the soul and its immortality that leads to the belief that our ancestors continue to live. If we accept the existence of souls, it follows that there has to be a place where they can go after

their death.

This belief leads to a whole constellation of beliefs like a heaven and hell and a final resurrection.

The modern concept of an immortal soul was also found in ancient Greece.

Both Socrates and Plato shared in the idea of the “divine origin of the soul.” It was this idea that the belief took root that the soul was in fact more precious than the body. The ancient Greeks also believed in the underworld Hades, which derives from the root word meaning invisible or unseen. There was also a paradise derived from the word “paridaeza” which meant a vineyard or a grove of date palms. The word was also associated with royal hunting forests or simply the lush, shaded gardens reserved for the aristocracy.

When the Catholic Church canonizes a saint, it infallibly declares that the person has led an extraordinary life to a heroic degree. He or she is therefore in heaven and serves as a model of sanctity.

On All Saints’ Day, we are supposed to honor all the countless persons in heaven but have never been canonized.

Thus, we honor all saints, especially those with no specific feast day.

The choice of the date, Nov. 1, is rich in tradition and antiquity. In the year 609 AD, the Roman emperor Phocas ceded the Pantheon, which had been a pagan temple in honor of all the gods. This edifice was rededicated as a church in honor of Mary and all martyrs in May 13 of that year. Later, the day was moved to Nov. 1 because that was the day when many pilgrims were in Rome and this was after the harvest when food was plentiful. The idea of remembering Nov. 1 as a day with plenty of food is traceable to the early days of Christianity.

Another reason for the choice of the date was to counteract the pagan Druid feast of evil spirits which, by the way, was the origin of Halloween.

During these two days of Undas, let us remember all our ancestors and beloved dead, and continue to pray for all Filipino families that they remain strong and united in the face of all the challenges of the modern world. * * *

“Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Urology Fellowship Training Manual” edited by Jose-Vicente Prodigalidad was released in 2022, along with a team of urology associatesresearchers at the Department of Urology at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Dr. Glen Denmer Santok, Dr. Dinno Francis Mendiola and Dr. Edward Uy Magadia.

The authors point out that the handbook is based on resources relevant to and in accordance with the accepted standards and guidelines at the time of publication. It is not meant to be used as basis of treatment or a substitute for professional consultation.

The authors’ credentials speak for themselves.

Prodigalidad is a doctor we admire, a professional who has become more friend than mere doctor. He, like his late father, is a name associated with urology in the country, as he pioneered in laparoscopic urology. He heads the section of Minimally Invasive Surgery/ Endourology and is vice-chair of the Department of Urology at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute. He also

heads the section of Urology at the Asian Hospital.

Santok trained in Severance Hospital in Seoul, South Korea.

Mendiola graduated with summa cum laude honors at De La Salle University-Manila with a BS Biology degree. Uy Magadia is a resident of urology at NKTI. The handbook is meant to guide urologists towards more proficiency in MIS. It is intended as a guide for all practicing laparoscopic surgeons and trainees in the field of urology.

This is not a book for the general public but what a contribution to Philippine publishing in the medical profession. We have long lamented the fact that the curriculum in medical schools uses largely books written by foreign authors, so it is a significant development that hopefully will inspire other doctors. (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.

*** Email: elfrencruz@gmail.com

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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Dateline USa

Shopping for ACA health insurance? Here’s...

PAGE A5 mammogram or colonoscopy is still no-cost. The ruling is likely to be appealed, and no decision is expected before the start of the 2023 coverage year.

The other court decision that has raised questions is the Supreme Court ruling that overturned the constitutional right to an abortion. Even before that decision was announced in June, coverage of abortion services in insurance plans varied by plan and by state.

Now it’s even more complicated as more states move to ban or restrict abortion.

State insurance rules vary.

Twenty-six states restrict abortion coverage in ACA marketplace plans, while seven states require it as a benefit in both ACA plans and employer plans purchased from insurers, according to KFF. Those states are California, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New York, Oregon, and Washington.

Employees and policyholders can check insurance plan documents for information about covered benefits, including abortion services.

3. Premiums are going up, but that may not affect most people on ACA plans Health insurers are raising premium rates for both ACA plans and employer coverage.

But most people who get subsidies for ACA coverage won’t feel that pinch.

That’s because the subsidies are tied to the cost of the second-cheapest “silver” plan offered in a marketplace.

(Marketplace plans are offered in colored “tiers,” based on how much they potentially cost policyholders out-of-pocket.)

As those baseline silver plans increase in cost, the subsidies also rise, offsetting all or most of the premium increases.

Still, shop around, experts advise. Switching plans might prove cost-effective.

As for subsidies, passage this summer of the Inflation Reduction Act guaranteed that the enhanced subsidies that many Americans have received under legislation tied to the covid-19 pandemic will remain in place.

People who earn up to 150% of the federal poverty level — $20,385 for an individual and $27,465 for a couple — can get an ACA plan with no monthly premium. Consumers who earn up to 400% of the federal poverty level — $54,360 for an individual and $73,240 for a couple — get sliding scale subsidies to help offset premium costs. People with incomes more than 400% are required to pay no more than 8.5% of their household income toward premiums.

For those with job-based insurance, employers generally set the amount workers must pay toward their coverage. Some employers may pass along rising costs by increasing the amounts taken out of paychecks to go toward premiums, setting higher deductibles, or changing health care benefits.

But anyone whose share of their job-based coverage is expected to exceed 9.12% of their income can check to see whether they qualify for a subsidized ACA plan.

4. Debts to insurers or the IRS won’t stop coverage Thank covid for this.

Typically, people who get subsidies to buy ACA plans must prove to the government on their next tax filing that they received the correct subsidy, based on the income they actually received. If they fail to reconcile that with the IRS, policyholders would lose eligibility for the subsidy the next time they enroll.

But, because of ongoing covid-related problems in processing returns at the IRS, those consumers will get another reprieve, continuing an effort set in place for the tax year 2020 by the American Rescue Plan Act. Also, insurers can no longer deny coverage to people or employers who owe pastdue premiums for previous coverage, said Karen Pollitz, a senior fellow at KFF. This follows a reexamination of a wide variety of Medicare and ACA rules prompted by an April executive order from President Joe Biden.

“If people fell behind on their 2022 premiums, they nevertheless must be allowed to reenroll in 2023,” Pollitz said. “And when they make

the first-month premium payment to activate coverage, the insurer must apply that payment to their January 2023 premium.”

5. Comparison shopping will likely be easier Although ACA plans have always been required to cover a wide range of services and offer similar benefits, variation still existed in the amounts that patients paid for office visits and other out-ofpocket costs. Starting during this year’s open enrollment, new rules aimed at making comparison easier take effect.

Under the rules, all ACA health insurers must offer a set of plans with specific, standardized benefits. The standard plans will, for example, have the same deductibles, copays, and other cost-sharing requirements.

They will also offer more coverage before a patient has to start paying toward a deductible.

Some states, such as California, already required similar standardization, but the new rules apply nationally to health plans sold on the federal marketplace, healthcare.gov. Any insurer offering a nonstandard plan on the marketplace must now also offer the standardized plans as well.

Under a different set of rules, starting Jan. 1, all health insurers must make available cost-comparison tools online or over the phone that can help patients predict their costs for 500 “shoppable services,” such as repairs to a knee joint, a colonoscopy, a chest X-ray, or childbirth.

(Julie Appleby/Kaiser Health News) This story was produced

by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation).

KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

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Study: Filipino women retire reaching only 79% of what men earn

by RaMon

Royandoyan Philstar.com

MANILA — A new study found that by the time Filipino men and women retire, their accumulated wealth is not as equal as it's supposed to be.

In a study penned by global advisory and brokerage firm Willis Towers Watson and the World Economic Forum, women in 39 countries on average only reach 74% of the wealth men accumulate by time they retire.

Within countries in Asia and the Pacific, the figure exceeds the global average by two points at 76%.

The stark disparity of wealth among genders highlights the inequalities faced by women in the workplace globally, as studies in the past show women in developed economies are paid less compared to men.

The Philippines figured in the list of economies where the WTW Wealth Equity Index outpaced the global average. The Philippines

eked out 79%, counting itself among developed economies such as China (78%), Japan (82%), South Korea (90%), and Singapore (79%).

“The results from our global analysis are startling. It shows that there is a gender wealth gap consistently across the 39 countries that we studied,” said Manjit Basi, senior director for Integrated & Global Solutions at WTW. The study employed qualitative and quantitative methods to dissect gender wealth equity within 39 chosen countries.

Likewise, the study revealed that within APAC countries, India’s gender wealth gap stood high at 64%. Pay gaps, especially in professional and technical roles still persisted alongside limited opportunities for women to climb up the corporate ladder.

WTW cited an age-old concern that women had to forego their careers, even at a young age, to prioritize childcare. Likewise, the firm reckoned that financial

literacy and long-term financial decisions are often relegated to men. WTW's Basi noted that these “influence women’s participation in paid employment and therefore their ability to build wealth.”

Broken down, the study showed that the gender wealth gap increases within senior roles.

Women in senior expert and leadership roles globally raked in 62% less of what their male counterparts haul by retirement.

Within mid-level professional and technical roles, the gap stood at 69% but dissipated in frontline operational roles at 89%.

“It’s imperative that activities around gender diversity, equity and inclusion broaden to look at economic wealth at the end of women’s working careers,” said Clare Muhiudeen, WTW’s Asia head.

“Pay is a fundamental factor that underlies the gender wealth gap and while addressing the gender pay gap will partially close the wealth gap, it won’t eliminate it entirely,” she added. g

2.9-M families experienced hunger in Q3 – SWS

by Janvic

Mateo Philstar.com

MANILA — Some 2.9 million Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the third quarter of the year, a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

Results of the Sept. 29 to Oct. 2 survey released over the weekend showed that 11.3 percent of the respondents said their families experienced hunger and not having anything to eat at least once in the past three months.

It was statistically similar to the 11.6 percent obtained in a similar survey in June, but slightly below the 12.2 percent in April and 11.8 percent in December 202.

However, it was still 1.3 points above the 10 percent reported in September 2021 and two points above the pre-pandemic annual average of 9.3 percent in 2019.

According to SWS, the October

2022 hunger rate is composed of 9.1 percent of respondents who said they experienced moderate hunger (down from 9.4 percent) and the 2.2 percent who experienced severe hunger (up from 2.1 percent).

Moderate hunger refers to those who experienced hunger “only once” or “a few times” in the last three months, while severe hunger refers to those who experienced it “often” or “always” in the last three months.

The survey showed that involuntary hunger fell in balance Luzon, but rose in Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao.

Involuntary hunger remained highest among those in Metro Manila at 16.3 percent (from 14.7 percent), followed by Mindanao at 15.3 percent (from 14 percent), rest of Luzon at 9.6 percent (from 11.9 percent) and the Visayas at seven percent (from 5.7 percent).

Based on the survey, some 16

percent of those who rated their families as poor experienced hunger in the past three months, up from 15.3 percent in June.

Involuntary hunger decreased among those who rated their families as “not poor” (from 8.1 percent to 6.7 percent) and “not food-poor” (from 7.8 percent to 7.4 percent), while it hardly moved among those who rated their families as “foodpoor” (from 19 percent to 18.9 percent).

The October survey showed that 49 percent of respondents rated their families as poor, 29 percent as borderline poor and 21 percent as not poor.

Some 34 percent of respondents also rated their families as food-poor, defined as being poor based on the food they eat, 38 percent as borderline food-poor and 28 percent as not food-poor.

The survey had 1,500 adult respondents and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percent for national percentages. g

CEMETERY TRASH. Employees of the Department of Public Safety and Traffic Management and School Division Office of Caloocan City pile plastic bags of the garbage left by those who visited the Tala Cemetery during the All Souls’ Day observance on Thursday, Nov. 3.

The cemetery has a land area of around four hectares.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

PH, int’l community must ‘respond firmly’ vs. NoKor tests - Seoul THE Philippines, albeit far from the Korean Peninsula where Pyongyang had been carrying out missile tests at an unprecedented rate this year, must respond “firmly” to the provocations.

Korea's Ministry of Unification on Thursday, November 3 said Manila and the rest of the international community must support Seoul and urge North Korea towards denuclearization and to return to dialogue as soon as possible.

"We ask that the Philippines, together with the international community, support the ROK (Republic of Korea) government's efforts to induce North Korea to stop such military provocations," the ministry told the Philippine News Agency.

"To resolve the issue, the Philippines and the international community must respond firmly to North Korea's provocations and make efforts to bring North Korea back to the dialogue on denuclearization," it added.

The South Korean ministry, which handles inter-Korean relations and unification matters, said Pyongyang's continuous weapons tests pose a threat to peace and stability not only in the

Peninsula but also in Asia and the rest of the world.

It hoped that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), specifically the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) could play a "more constructive role" on the issue.

The ARF is a security dialogue platform composed of the 10 Asean member states and 17 others, including South Korea, North Korea, China, and Russia.

North Korea fired one presumed intercontinental ballistic missile and two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday, according to Yonhap.

This followed a launch of as many as 23 missiles on Nov. 2, one of which landed near South Korean waters for the first time since the Korean War, prompting Seoul to respond with warplanes firing air-to-ground missiles into the sea across the Northern Limit Line (NLL)-- the de facto maritime border between the two.

Pyongyang in recent statements said the tests are in response to military drills between South Korea and the United States.

The Unification ministry said the South remains open to dialogue but the North has yet to respond to its proposals.

"[The] Yoon Suk Yeol administration has announced the 'Audacious Initiative' for a denuclearized, peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula and urged North Korea to respond to our proposal. We will patiently and consistently pursue a strategy to induce North Korea to return to denuclearization negotiations, with the door open for dialogue," it said.

In an exclusive interview with PNA, Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Maria Theresa De Vega said Manila stands firm with its position on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

"We've always held fast to that position. It's a position that we continue to articulate within Asean and within the international community in the United Nations," she said.

"We have issued from time to time national statements condemning any attempts for further destabilization through testing here in the Korean Peninsula because it is an issue which affects not just the Korean Peninsula, but the larger region as a whole and of course, the world as a whole. So we continue to do that.

We continue to articulate that," she added. (PNA)

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INSIDE

Ali: You can surmount grief with love Dingdong highlights climate change woes after‘Paeng’onslaught

by Nathalie

M. toMada

by JeliNe

Philstar.com

IN December, it will be 19 years since Ali Sotto’s youngest child Miko Sotto died.

What the veteran broadcaster has proven to be true and irrefutable in her journey to overcoming grief over the loss of her beloved son is that “death cannot trump a mother’s love.”

“Where am I in the journey?

In 2003, (Miko) passed away. 19 years na in December. Natatakot na nga ako to totally get over the grief,” Ali opened up in a recent virtual interview.

“Alam mo yung kanta, ‘Let the pain remain forever in my heart, if that’s the only way to be with you again?’ Because apart from the memories and all that, it’s the raw pain that connects you to him.”

Ali acknowledged that the pain lingers, but she has come to live with it — and even embrace it.

“By God’s grace, the character of pain has changed. It’s there but by God’s grace, I’ve been able to… The journey continues but the pain is not sharp and yung parang feeling mo you’re drowning. The pain is there but I’ve learned to live with it and embrace it. We grieve because we love, ‘di ba? ‘Pag natanggap mo yun, you’ll know, we grieve because we love. Alam mo tama yun (what they say) it’s the price you pay for love.”

She was reminded of the love, strength and courage of every mother who has lost a child after seeing what became of the evergreen tree planted in honor of Miko’s memory. It now looms tall and striking behind their house in Conde de Orgaz in Madrid, where Ali lived with her husband, retired foreign diplomat Omar Bsaies, over a decade ago.

Malasig

Philstar.com

Keeping Ali Sotto’s life busy and exciting nowadays are her daily newscommentary show.

GMA photo

“(Because) he passed away in December 2003, Christmas time, Christmases were difficult for me.

I wasn’t putting up the Christmas tree and ‘pag nakakakita lang ako ng Christmas lights, umiiyak na ako,” Ali shared.

“But when we were living in Madrid, around 2009 to 2010, I needed to set up a tree because yung Pasko na yun, nandun si Maru, his wife, si Mara (their daughter) and si Chino (my eldest) and Omar… And we got a live tree. After Christmas, we planted that in our garden,” she recalled the special joint Christmas celebration of her family with that of her ex-husband and father of her kids, Maru Sotto.

“Then a few months back, my husband got the chance to go back to Madrid, and the Miko tree was still there! It was so majestic, talagang ang laki na niya, and sabi ko, this is a testament of a

“THERE should be no excuse for us not to be prepared anymore.”

Kapuso “Primetime King” Dingdong Dantes underscored the importance of addressing climate change following the onslaught of Tropical Storm Paeng (international: Nalgae) that affected three main islands of the country.

The “Family Feud Philippines” host retweeted a Twitter thread of science communicator Renee Karunungang Edwards of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change, who talked about the phenomenon’s impact in the Philippines, especially those concerning tropical cyclones.

Renee, citing a source, wrote

mother’s grief, di ba? You can surmount your grief with love and

by God’s grace, your mourning will turn into dancing. That’s my sentiment about grief now.”

Looking back, what also helped her through the grieving process was the support group she co-founded, INA, which stands for Inang Naulila sa Anak.

The healing center provides psycho-social interventions to mothers who lost a child.

“I am well in that aspect because I still get together with my support group. Parang last week lang magkakasama kami ulit ni Manay Gina (de Venecia, co-founder) and other members of INA, yung support group namin… Grief got us together but we are now bound by our love for each other. Malaking bagay talaga yung support,” she said.

Through INA, Ali gets the PAGE B2 Dingdong Dantes

that “stronger typhoons [are] the product of climate change” and shared that warmer oceans favor intense typhoons. “‘A warmer sea surface generally provides more energy for storm development and thus favors more intense typhoons,'” she tweeted, quoting Wei Mei of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography.

“Mei et al. found that typhoons would even get stronger by 14% by 2100. Ibig sabihin, ‘yung mga bagyo na nararanasan ng Pilipinas ngayon ay mas lalong lalakas pa. Ito ang epekto ng climate change,” Renee added.

She also shared infographics illustrating the impact of climate change to accompany her thread.

“May magagawa ba ang gobyerno? Madami. The gov’t has to invest in proper disaster

GMA photo

risk management and climate change adaptation,” Renee continued.

“What the Philippine national and local governments should realize is that climate change is here and now, it does not only require response when we experience disasters. It requires proper planning as the world continues to warm,” she added.

Dingdong retweeted Renee’s thread to his followers and thanked her for reminding the public—including him—about the impacts of climate change on weather patterns.

“I have [known] @rjkarunungan since 2015 when we did the Climate Change #NowPH campaign, and I know how deeply rooted her dedication to this is.

Kaya salamat, Renee, sa reminder na ito,” he wrote.

“At this point, it should be clear to everyone that addressing climate change should also be a priority for the country. Dadaan at dadaan ang marami pang bagyo sa bansa. There should be no excuse for us not to be prepared anymore,” Dingdong added.

“While our government is strengthening its efforts and policies in making sure that the right systems are in place to help secure the safety of every Filipino family, we also need to streamline public participation [and] have a more sustainable mechanism already for volunteers,” the actor added.

The actor also responded to a Twitter user who questioned his endorsement of a gasoline company in his thread on climate change concern.

“I am proud to endorse Caltex. But I chose to partner with them after learning that they are PAGE B2

B2 NOVEMBER 3-9, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

EntErtainmEnt

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Danny Javier of Apo Hiking Society dies at age 75

by Zacarian

Sarao

Inquirer.net

SINGER-composer Danny Javier has died due to a lingering illness, his close friends in show business confirmed on Monday.

He was 75.

Boboy Garovillo, who was the only one still active in show business among the iconic trio Apo Hiking Society, posted a heartfelt message about the death of his friend and colleague.

“Just feeling the loss of an old faithful friend who knew what love is although sometimes it just doesn’t show. My friend lives on in his music,” he said on Facebook.

Condolences poured in from other members of the Organisasyon ng mga Pilipinong Mangaaawit (OPM).

The CompanY offered condolences to Javier’s family and to Apo, who it said “helped build the OPM”.

“The CompanY sends their deepest and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Danny Javier. Tight hugs to Jim Paredes and Boboy Garovillo. The APO help build OPM to what it is now. Your legacies are cemented for the ages. Thank you for everything, Danny,” it said on Facebook.

Others who offered condolences were Medwin Marfil of True Faith, Jett Pangan, and Mitch Vales.

In an earlier interview, Garovillo said that a reunion concert among him, Javier and their third member, Jim Paredes, may no

Danny Javier

longer be possible.

Aside from Javier’s illness, Garovillo said Paredes is no longer active in the entertainment business.

Actor Richard Merk also recently asked for prayers for the healing of Javier “Dear God, please heal a very dear friend of mine APO Danny Javier. Please embrace him with your love and protection. Get well Danny,” ang bahagi ng Facebook post ni Richard.

Musician at heart A native of Abuyog, Leyte, Javier was in fact the one who coined the term OPM to stand for the organization made especially to protect the interest of Filipino singers and song writers, and their music.

While he was known as part of the singing group Apo Hiking Society, which made its mark in the local music scene in the late 70s until the late 90s, he was also a composer whose compositions made the charts.

Among his popular compo-

Inquirer.net photo

sitions include Pumapatak ang Ulan (1978), Kaibigan (1978), Doo bidoo (1978), Kabilugan ng Buwan (1980), Blue Jeans (1981), Di Na Natuto (1985), Kumot At Unan (1991), Awit ng Barkada (1991), Just A Smile Away (1992),[3] Lumang Tugtugin (1992) and Isang Dangkal (1999).

His team up with Garovillo and Paredes produced several popular shows on television such as the long-running “Sa Linggo nAPO Sila” on ABS-CBN. The group however disbanded sometime in 2009.

Javier is a product of San Beda College and Ateneo de Manila University, he also assumed a popular fictitious character as “Pidro,” a provinciano who came to Manila seeking good fortune.

The character was such a hit that he ventured into a a T-shirt business with “Pidro” images.

The musician left behind his daughter Justine Javier-Long and brother, his brother fellow actor-comedian Dyords Javier, and niece, singer-actress Mica Javier.

Ice recalls ‘laos’ phase: It made me stronger

by Boy

aBunda Philstar.com

Ice Seguerra is a compelling, sincere storyteller.

Ask Ice anything and expect a straightforward answer that will make any listener wanting to hear more.

Our recent conversation had him talking about the awkward stage of his teenage years — when Ice was still known as the Aiza Seguerra, who endeared many with the cuteness and charm of being Little Miss Philippines of Eat Bulaga.

Initially coming out as a lesbian in 2007, Ice now identifies himself as a transgender man.

Telling his story on becoming Ice led him to look back at his awkward years as a teenager, and that thought of being a has-been or, in his own words, “na-laos during my awkward stage.”

“I’m actually a very simple person but deep inside, siguro ‘yun may mga complications because of course, I grew up in an industry wherein you have to be the perfect little girl. That time, it was okay and then I started growing up and then when I grew up that’s when I started to find out who I am,” began Ice on the experience of going through the awkward teenage phase.

“And, of course, if you try to live kung sino ‘yung tingin ko na sino ako that’s when the complication happened because hindi mo alam kung tatanggapin ng tao kung sino ka,” added Ice who admitted that it was not aligned to the perfect image of being a celebrity.

“Tito Boy, kasi beauty queen ako — Little Miss Philippines — so ang hirap talaga kasi ‘yung imahe ng beauty queen, ang hirap kabugin nun.”

Former Streetboys member Spencer Reyes was Ice’s loveteam back then and they would hold hands on screen “because it’s part of it. Saan ako kukuha ng trabaho?

It’s not just to please them (audience) but at the same time I’m earning for my family.”

I asked if Spencer had an idea and Ice was quick to respond, “Ay, oo, magkabatak kami. Nasuntok ko s’ya kasi usapan namin hawak kamay lang tapos biglang umakbay.

Sorry, Spencer. But we’re friends and he never judged me.”

No matter how busy showbiz life was for Ice back then, he assured he had nothing but a happy childhood. The studio was a big playground for then little Aiza who would imagine that entering the cold venue was like stepping inside a spaceship with the cameras as machine guns. The cranes were the airplanes, he amusingly recalled.

“I enjoyed the work. I felt like I was just playing along with my co-actors so never did I feel, ‘My god, nabu-burn out ako sa trabaho.’ It’s like, ‘Yihee, may work ako.’”

Unlike other famous stars who prefer homeschooling, Ice said that he went to regular school despite the hectic schedule.

“I would go to school in the morning then after classes, by 12 noon, head straight to Celebrity Sports Plaza for Eat Bulaga. After that, either I go to shoot or taping until the wee hours of the morning since there were no DOLE laws yet. Makakatulog na ko sa van at pag-gising ko, naka- uniform na ko at papasok na ko sa school.

“I think an important part of

Ice Seguerra

(keeping a balance) was going to regular school because it’s different if you make showbiz your world. In fairness to my mom (Caridad), she would allow me to play with my friends on the street during the height of my career. We would also ride a jeep. Ayaw n’ya na mababasa na si Aiza ganito, deprived of childhood.”

It was in high school when he felt about slowly losing star power.

He narrated, “So, I was in high school and the full-day schedule didn’t permit me to appear on Eat Bulaga. I was the most awkward teenager because I didn’t want to wear a skirt but I had no choice. I was not comfortable with myself.

Hence, it showed. Siguro pati, talagang dumadating sa time ng buhay natin na pag mataas, minsan bababa ka.”

It takes a lot of maturity for anyone to accept the kind of situation that Ice had experienced. But it’s admirable how he didn’t even hesitate to talk about his so-called phase of being “laos.”

“It’s because I learned a lot from it. It made me stronger. It actually made me more courageous to really embrace who I am. If I were to think of the most important phase then, that’s it. That’s why, I am not shy to tell you.”

During those times, Ice added, he had no plans of going back to showbiz. The decision to finish school was etched on his mind.

“I was broken. Perhaps, I was there at the point where my confidence was so low. It was actually my mom who was pushing me (to keep on going). It annoyed me as a teenager na pilitin ako. Siguro, may nakikita s’ya sa akin at that time na hindi ko nakikita dahil sa sobrang baba na ng confidence ko.”

Ice said Eat Bulaga supported his love for music. He would appear in the show two times a month playing the guitar with Vic Sotto performing on stage.

Mommy Caridad, on the other hand, convinced Ice to have a gig in one of the bars in Aurora Boulevard with their musician friends from Japan.

“I remember that the bar only had two tables — one had a man drinking by his lonesome and the other one was occupied by my mom and dad. They were our audience, but we just went on singing until the time came when people started coming in,” he said.

Ice could still recall how Margot Gallardo and Armie Araullo came to the bar and convinced her to do an album.

Photo from Instagram/@iceseguerra

But Ice said he never felt excited with the idea of coming up with an album “because for me it will just be another failure. That time, I didn’t see any positivity in whatever opportunity being presented to me.

“Until one day, Tita Margot called me up, telling me that there’s already a title for the album and a single called Pagdating ng Panahon.”

The song turned out to be a monster hit with Ice feeling so worried that people might reject him for being a lesbian.

“I was just surprised because for some weird reason that (issue) didn’t even matter because it (Pagdating ng Panahon) was a beautiful song and that gave me hope. Doon nag-bago, you know if it’s something real, if it’s something pure and beautiful, people will not care who sang it and people will not care if the singer looks like this or that. If it’s a beautiful song, it’s a beautiful song.”

Regarding his sexual orientation, it was only revealed when his father caught him with a girl. Ice recalled coming home from school when his parents confronted him.

“I told them the truth and my dad was quiet the whole time. It was a process for them, for me. I knew in my heart, it’s not wrong kasi nag-mamahal ako.”

However, it didn’t take long for his parents to accept him. “Hindi lang nila gusto yung girl, hahahaha,” he said.

Among his relationships, his parents were both in favor of Liza Diño, whom he now calls his wife.

How are you as a husband?

“I’d like to think that I’m the kind of husband who is really there for my wife. You know, I really support her. I’m her No. 1 fan. Of course, I am happy because we get to spend more time together, making plans about films. We have our own production na rin and knowing Liza, Tita Boy, she can do many things. She can do so much.”

Are they talking about having a baby?

“We don’t have enough money yet, Tito Boy, hahahaha.”

Meanwhile, Ice celebrated his 35th anniversary in show business with a concert called Becoming Ice, a few weeks ago at The Theater at Solaire. It was his first major solo concert after 10 years.

“Through music, I would like to share my journey on how I became who I am today,” said the singer-songwriter-actor who is now also into directing with series as his directorial debut.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 3-9, 2022

B3

Why Nevada is a good choice to settle to, live in

by RealtoR

Fely Quitevis-Bateman

THE State of Nevada is one of the places many people tend to look at nowadays when they are trying to find a place to move to or start their life/career.

The state, particularly places like Las Vegas, which is a gaming/entertainment capital in the U.S. and a budding sports center, is not a one-trick pony. Since gambling was legalized in 1931, people tend to think that the only jobs in Nevada tend to be associated with the gambling industry.

Not so, as many industries and companies have found a happy home in Nevada.

There are many advantages to living in the state, and that includes the presence of jobs, whether it’s in the construction, mining, education, and gambling/entertainment fields. For instance, employment is up an estimated 9.2% in Las Vegas.

If you visit Las Vegas now, construction projects abound.

There are many corporations, groups and companies that are betting on Las Vegas, as it comes out of the pandemic and resumes some type of normalcy.

With tourists and visitors coming back, and McCarran International Airport reporting a huge number of travelers passing through its gates, it looks like the city is on its way to gaining back the status and revenues it raked in before COVID-19 reared its ugly head.

Education is also being emphasized by state and local officials, with the school systems trying to attract the best teachers out there to make the student population competitive. In fact, several colleges offer hands-on

training for their students.

The biggest names in the casino industry are making their expansion plans. Red Rock Resorts are putting up projects in different parts of the state and pursuing projects in the downtown area and northern part of Las Vegas, while MGM Resorts International purchased The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and enhanced its meeting and convention spaces. Meawhile, Hard Rock International plans to open its hotel along the strip in 2025, which will feature a guitar-shaped hotel similar to the one they have in Hollywood, Florida.

Of course, gambling is not the only recreational activity in the state. When you tire of the slot machines and card tables, there are shopping avenues to get lost in, including high-end and outlet types. For many of the casino-resort properties, there are brand-name and other stores to visit, and purchase your favorite goods from.

Also, watching shows, concerts and musicals is another other great activity. Las Vegas is no longer the city where “old” performers make their way to when their popularity fades.

Big musical and award-winning acts like BTS, Lady Gaga, Adele, Celine Dion, Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry and Carrie Underwood have had their series of shows or residencies to cater to their fans.

Food is another great showcase in the state, with many popular chefs opening their places in the resort-casinos, especially along the Strip. Giada de

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman takes a photo of the east side from Turnberryn Tower, showing how developed the Las Vegas area is. The city has many projects under construction, which will change the cityscape and landscape of Las Vegas further.

Laurentiis, Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsay, Nobu Matsuhisa, Guy Savoy, Buddy Valastro, Guy Fieri, Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse and Masaharu Morimoto are just some of the world-renowned chefs whose restaurants have struck a chord with diners. Plus, many of the properties feature their own unique restaurants, with some featuring cuisine around the world (as with Pepita’s Kitchen in Resorts World, which showcases Lechon Diva Dedet De La Fuente’s unique take on a classic Filipino offering of suckling pig and is a part of the property’s Famous Foods Street Eats fast food section).

What draws people, too, to Nevada is the fact that it has no state income tax, and there’s also no tax on food and medicine purchases. Also, with a lower tax rate for businesses, many companies have found it easy to build their businesses in Nevada than in other states. And if you do your research, you’ll also find that Nevada does not have corporate income tax, no franchise tax, no inheritance or gift tax, no estate tax, no unitary tax and has very competitive sales and property tax rates, among other things.

Moving to a place, whether it’s for a job, a fresh start, or to retire to means looking for a place to live in. Or you may be looking at properties to plunk down your extra money in. While today’s real estate market is not as thriving as it was in the last year or two, it is a good time to look for a land or real estate properties as there is more inventory to choose from. Contrary to what took place in the last two years, where some developers and sellers put people on waiting lists or

The Las Vegas Convention Center (in foreground) is currently the site of the SEMA Car Show 2022, where the latest product and custom vehicle trends, as well as innovations from new and iconic exhibitors can be seen by thousands of attendees.

The city’s comeback from the pandemic has seen the convention center attracting major expos and events from around the U.S.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman takes a picture from her place at Turnberry Tower towards the west side of her building, which shows the changing landscape of Las Vegas Blvd., The concrete building in the middle of the photo is a parking structure near the which now includes Resorts World Las Vegas on the left and Westgate Las Vegas Resort and the Convention Center, which has been, in recent days, full to the top due to events in Sin City. the Wynn/Encore towers on the right.

did a lottery to have prospective buyers have their turn at looking at a certain property, buyers now have more choices to look at and may be able to negotiate with sellers when it comes to prices and other things.

Nevada, and its popular cities like Las Vegas or burgeoning towns like Pahrump, has not been immune to the real estate slowdown, which is being experienced in many parts of the United States. But in terms of affordability, land and real estate prices in Nevada are very competitive. In fact, the affordability factor may be one of the reasons why people and families from other parts of the U.S. are moving to Nevada. Plus, of course, the cost of living is lower, especially when you compare living in a major city like Las Vegas, as compared to, say, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Miami and Hawaii. An industry expert has put the cost of living in Las Vegas as 1.9% lower than that of the national average.

Now may be one of the best times to take a look at what’s out there in the market, and negotiate your way to a great deal!

The growth in Nevada, especially in Las Vegas and neighboring cities and towns, have been tremendous. I can tell you that from experience – I have many decades under my belt, assisting clients who are looking for their first home, second/ vacation homes, investment properties or land (for future use/ development). I can assist you in looking for these opportunities, given your budget and things you are looking for. Many of my clients have begun to reap the benefits of their investments, in-

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

cluding turning their properties to rentals or Airbnb, or getting a good return on investment for the properties they bought in previous years.

My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me

at 775-513-8447, 805-559-2476 and 702-538-4948 for more information, or send me an email at fely@precious-properties.com or fely.precious@gmail.com. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days.

(Advertising Supplement)

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B4 NOVEMBER 3-9, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

Sarah writes apology to parents, family

by Kristofer

Purnell Philstar.com

ding to her then-boyfriend of five years, Matteo Guidicelli. The AMID a music comeback that couple were wed in an intimate saw her release two songs within a ceremony in February 2020. It was month, singer Sarah Geronimo has reported that the actress' mother penned a sincere and apologetic allegedly crashed the ceremony, leading some of the internet users letter to her parents and family.

Geronimo posted on her official to refer to the incident as "Divine Instagram account today, October intervention."

Divine was said to have asked 29, a graphic of Psalm 28:7 which was accompanied by a lengthy let- for a moment to talk with her ter the singer had writen. The said daughter over the lack of notice on Instagram post has the comments the couple's wedding. Reports said that Matteo allegedly accused and section turned off.

The pop star started out by injured a close-in security aide who checking on everyone's safety was said to have informed the acamid an ongoing storm, then re- tress' mother about the wedding.

Geronimo then went on to share iterated her intention to keep her personal life private but wanted that she had learned to understand to ask her family for forgiveness. there is no perfect life or love from "Gusto ko kunin ang pagkakata- mere people, and that the most on na ito... na humingi ng tawad sa important thing is to accept that aking pamilya na labis na nasaktan truth and help improve the lives of sa aking naging desisyon sa buhay. one another, especially of families.

"Napakadali din para sa atin na Patawad po," Geronimo wrote.

Geronimo addressed her par- manghusga at mabigay ng opinents, Delfin and Divine, extending yon sa buhay ng iba," Geronimo her utmost gratitude to them for continued. "Wala tayong kontrol sa pag-iisip nila, ang pinakaimporraising her and her siblings.

"Lahat ng suporta at pag-aaru- tante ay alam mo kung ano ang ga... ang inyong walang katumbas katotohanan sa puso mo."

The singer then addressed all na pagmamahal, walang sinuman ang pwedeng makapagpunan po who were reading her message to nito," Geronimo said. "Mahal na not forget valuing the time each mahal ko kayo, daddy at mama ko. person has been given and to let Araw-araw ko po kayo nami-miss loved ones know they are important and indeed loved. at naiisip."

"Para saan nga ba ang lahat ng It can be recalled that Divine had not approved of Sarah's wed- ginagawa natin kung hindi para sa

Kean Cipriano Photo from Instagram/@kean

issues. I’m not saying it’s wrong, but I’m not one to try and tarnish other people’s reputations. And for what?”

No inspiration and growth Kean, who runs O/C Records with his wife, Chynna Ortaleza, sees to it that he doesn’t post anything that could possibly affect their children, Stellar, 6, and Salem, 3.

“At the end of the day, I know that what I put on social media could be seen by my kids in the

Disagree with your disability decision? We will take another look

by Annie WAlters Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Nevada

Sarah Geronimo Photo from Instagram/@justsarahgph

kanila. Malayo man sila or malapit, yakapin natin sila ng mahigpit sa pamamagitan ng pagtanggap at pagpili sa kanila," Geronimo said.

She then thanked her fans and supporters, her manager of nearly 20 years, Viva big boss Vic del Rosario, her Viva family, and again, her own family.

The last portion of her message was addressed to them. "Para sa inyo ang aking muling pagyakap sa musika at pagkakataon na muling makapagbigay ng saya at inspirasyon sa ibang tao," the singer-actress wrote.

She ended her message by saying that having love and peace in her heart as a part of her family is the true measure of success and happiness.

Kean ‘moves forward’ after leaving Callalily

KEAN Cipriano’s “disengagement” from Callalily last June surprised fans and prompted heated discussions online. While many respected and supported his decision to “move forward” and pursue his own artistic endeavors, others criticized him and called him “selfish.”

But amid all the bashing, Kean would rather just let his work do the talking. “I have always been output-based in whatever I do. Bash me all you want—I don’t care,” he said at a recent press conference for his Nov. 29 concert “Pulso,” which he will topbill with Unique Salonga and Adie—two of the top artists Kean manages under his own label, O/C Records.

This piece of advice he gives young artists and his ward he personally heeds: “Don’t put all your problems on social media.”

“It’s not going to do anything for your art, for your sanity and all.

I’m not the type of person who goes and rants on social media if I have

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

future. I don’t want them to be like, ‘Ah, si daddy kung anu-anong katarantaduhan ang pinagsasabi,’” he said.

“I don’t want that for them.

That’s now how I do things in life,” stressed the 35-year-old singer-songwriter.

In earlier reports, Kean admitted that he and his former bandmates hadn’t been on good terms for a while. He also said that the inspiration and growth he was looking for he could no longer find in Callalily, for which he served as the frontman for 17 years.

Meanwhile, the band’s remaining members changed the band’s name to Lily and hired singer and theater actor Joshua Bulot as replacement.

“I’m proud and happy I got to form an entity as strong as [Callalily]; something that made a mark on millions of people. But at the end of the day, people are people—we will look for growth and try to find ourselves,” Kean said. (Philstar.com)

SOCIAL Security is here to help millions of people secure their today and tomorrow by providing benefits and financial protection. We continue to protect the integrity of our disability programs by ensuring we make the correct decision on each claim. However, if you disagree with the decision on your claim, you can ask for your case to be reviewed by filing an appeal.

How can I appeal Social Security’s decision on my claim?

Generally, there are four appeal levels. If you are not satisfied with the decision at one level, you may appeal to the next.

The appeal levels are: • Reconsideration: A reconsideration is a complete review of your claim by someone who did not take part in the first decision. We look at all the evidence submitted in the original determination, and any new evidence.

• Hearing: If you disagree with the decision at the reconsideration level, you may ask for a hearing. An administrative law judge, who had no part in the original decision or the reconsideration of your case, conducts the hearing.

• Appeals Council Review: If you disagree with the hearing decision, you can request a review by Social Security’s Appeals Council. The Appeals Council looks at all requests for review. They will decide whether or not there is a reason to return your case to the judge for further review.

• Federal Court Review: If you disagree with the Appeals Council’s decision, you can file a lawsuit in a federal district court as the last level in the appeals process.

Please visit our Appeal A Decision webpage for more information at www.ssa.gov/benefits/ disability/appeal.html.

When should I file my appeal?

If we denied your claim, you have 60 days from

the date of the notice to file an appeal. The easiest and quickest way is to file your appeal request online at www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/appeal.html. This is where you can submit associated documents electronically. You can also call your local Social Security office or 1-800-772-1213 to obtain the forms. You can find your local office at www.ssa.gov/locator.

Do I need a representative to file an appeal?

A representative or attorney is not required to file an appeal. Whether you choose to appoint an attorney or authorized representative is completely up to you. You may choose to have someone help you with your appeal or represent you. Your representative may be a lawyer or other qualified person familiar with you and the Social Security program. We will work with your representative just as we would work with you. They can act for you in most Social Security matters, and they will receive a copy of any decisions we make about your claim.

If you need us to review your case, please go online at www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/appeal.html or call 1-800-772-1213. Please share this information with your family and friends.

Jo Koy nominated for Comedy Act of 2022 at People’s Choice Awards

by Anne

PAsAjol Inquirer.net

FILIPINO American comedian Jo Koy was ecstatic after he received a nomination at the People’s Choice Awards for his show “Live from the Los Angeles Forum.”

Jo Koy announced this as he greeted fans “Mahal kita!” (I love you) through his Instagram page on Thursday, Oct. 27. “Live from the Los Angeles Forum” is a stand-up set where Jo Koy spoke about “public sneezing, perseverance, the indignities of sleep apnea, and getting lost in the Philippines.”

In a separate post, he expressed

his gratitude and asked fans for support by voting for him at the American award show’s website.

The comedian will be vying for the Comedy Act of 2022 award against Amy Schumer, Chris Rock, David Spade, Kevin Hart, Steve Martin and Martin Short, Wanda Sykes, and Whitney Cummings.

Last August, Jo Koy’s Hollywood comedy film “Easter Sunday” premiered in Los Angeles. The movie, which was produced by American film producer-director Steven Spielberg, tells the story of a struggling comedian who came together with his family on Easter Jo Koy Sunday.

Photo from Instagram/@jokoy

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PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS YES, three different viruses, not only the Three Kings, are expected to visit us this coming Christmas season. This is predicted to be a winter of tripledemic.

The three viruses include our old annual nemesis, influenza, the current COVID-19, and the returning visitor, RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus).

All these 3 are high contagious and it is possible for people to get infected with these three viruses at the same time.

The flu virus spreads rapidly during the winter months as individuals gather closer together indoors. The same is true with the SARS-CoV2 virus of COVID-19 and the RSV. In general, respiratory tract infections are common the year round, but greater number of cases are noted during the fall-winter season. The flu virus can be of different variety each year, the very reason why one should get a flu vaccine each year.

Vaccines are tailored to target the “viruses of the year.”

RSV is caused by the virus with that name, respiratory syncytial virus, which infects adults and more especially children, with milder symptoms for adults and older children but more severe symptoms for infants and seniors.

RSV, for emphasis, is more dangerous to infants and old people, where symptoms, including fever and wheezing, shortness of breath, are more severe. Hospitalization may be required, though most RSV infections run their usual course of 1-2 weeks. Babies with RSV must be watched and monitor closely for hypoxemia (low blood oxygen level), which could kill.

Signs of this are rapid breathing, bluish fingernail or lips, abdomen is sucking in, trying to breathe for air hunger. When any of these are noted, call 911. Rapid emergency hospitalization is required.

There is now a COVID-19, Flu, RSV combined test, to determine which viral infection is affecting the individual, and is available through physicians and hospitals. One could be exposed to COVID-19, still without symptoms, but could already be infectious to others. That’s why persons exposed to a known infected individual should test themselves with the rapid antigen home kit. This test has a 50 percent false negative yield but when positive (showing

two lines on the Test Card) it is 100 percent accurate. If in doubt, a PCR test is recommended for confirmation.

The symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 could be very similar, sometimes hard to distinguish one from the other. But one unique symptom of COVID-19 is the loss of taste or smell. Also, it takes longer for people infected with COVID-19 to show symptoms (between 2 days to 5-6 days incubation period) and the infection lingering longer for COVID-19 compared to the flu.

Why do persons, who are fully vaccinated, even with booster #3 (5th shot) still get infected? The reason is vaccines do not confer 100 percent protection (more like 98 percent) and the level of immunity provided by the vaccines also depend on the person’s general health and the integrity of his/her immune system. Also, these COVID-19 vaccines wane in potency in 4 to 6 months, which is the reason for the boosters. In the future, since COVID-19 appears to linger, we might have to have COVID-19 shots every 6 months or so, like the seasonal flu shot.

Natural immunity from infection also confers some protection but not as potent, stable and reliable as immunity from the vaccines. And waiting to get infected in order to have natural immunity is dangerous.

The give radio talk show hosts in the U.S. who were advising people against the vaccines, got infected themselves, and all five died. Before their death, they were remorseful, admitting they were wrong and strongly recommending for people to get vaccinated. In their cases, they never benefited from the natural immunity from the infection they were hoping for.

While their original stand might have killed people, their reversal surely saved countless lives.

The latest boosters are the bivalent vaccines by Pfizer or Moderna, both equal in safety and efficacy, both reformulated to target Omicron’s subvariants, including the latest (BA.46, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, BF.7).

The boosters could also be mixand-match, P or M, safely.

COVID-19 patients could be infectious from 2 days up to 10 days, but the severe cases could be for as long as 20 days. Those who are immunocompromised should be isolated for at least 20 days.

Paxlovid, an anti-viral pill, is effective if taken within 5 days of the onset of symptoms. Statin drugs and blood thinners must be stopped during this treatment.

The pills are taken 2 tablets two times a day. The other alternative treatment is intravenous infusion of Monoclonal Antibody at a clinic or hospital, as early as possible after the first symptom starts and the patient testing positive for COVID-19. It is not recommended for severe COVID-19.

From about 5 to 14 days after exposure to COVID-19, the body releases cytokines to fight the infection and the first symptoms start to manifest: fever of 100.5 F (38 C) or higher, dry cough (the first sign in many cases), sore throat, fatigue, headache, runny nose, muscle aches, diarrhea, and in some people, loss of taste or smell, which is not typical in cases of flu or RSV. An oximeter is helpful. The normal SPO2 (blood oxygen level) is 95-100, and below 90 is too low. If shortness of breath occurs, go to the nearest emergency room. If using an inhaler, use it as you leave for the ER. This could be pneumonia developing.

COVID-19 update: As of November 1, 2022, 12:38 PM (CST), worldwide –635,843,256 cases, 6,595,100 deaths; U.S. – 99,374,721 cases, 1,095,315 deaths; and the Philippines – 4,005,157 cases, 64,109 deaths.

In the U.S., the daily averages for the past week was 37,665 cases per day, and 348 deaths per day.

COVID-19 is not done with us yet.

Maybe never.

Let us face these three winter invisible enemies with wisdom and humility, not recklessness and arrogance. *** 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, a Health Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com (Advertising Supplement)

Barbie’s monologue about clergy gains buzz

NOTICE TO ELECTORS OF CLOSE OF REGISTRATION FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2022 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Registrar of Voters of Clark County, Nevada, will conduct a registration of qualified electors for the General Election to be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

Any qualified elector whose name does not appear on the official registry list may apply for registration by mail, in-person, online, or through same day registration in the manner approved by law according to the deadlines listed below. (NRS 293.3568, 293.560, 293.565, 293.5832, 293.5837, 293.5842, 293.5852) The deadlines to register for the first time or update your existing voter registration by mail or online in time for the November 8, 2022, General Election and still receive a mail ballot are below. After those dates pass, voters who wish to register for the first time, or make changes to their existing registration information will have to do so through the same-day registration process, either online or in-person (at an early voting site or on Election Day at a Vote Center). New registrants will be required to vote a provisional ballot in-person at any early voting site or on Election Day at any Vote Center. We strongly encourage all qualified electors to register to vote or update their existing voter registration as soon as possible.

2022 GENERAL ELECTION VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINES AND HOURS Method of Registering Through the mail, government agencies, or in person voter registration application to: Clark County Election Center 965 Trade Drive, Suite A North Las Vegas, NV. 89030

Online, only at www.Registertovotenv.gov, and must have a valid Nevada DMV issued ID or Driver’s License

Same Day Registration (In-Person), must have a valid Nevada DMV issued ID or Driver’s License

Location

Boulder City City Clerk’s Office 401 California Avenue Boulder City, Nevada 89005

MAlASig Philstar.com

City of Henderson City Clerk’s Office 240 Water Street Henderson, Nevada 89015

Barbie Forteza

ers’ attention, with many saying the scene resonated with them.

A Reddit user shared a clip of the scene on the discussion website on Thursday and captioned it with the following: “Para sa mga ‘religious’ na ‘di naman sinasabuhay mga pa-Bible quotes nila: ‘Yung mga nagpapakilalang sugo Mo, sabihan Mo naman. They’re giving You a very bad name.”

The post has been upvoted at 96% and has earned the nod of most Redditors in the comments section.

“Sums up most of my neighbors na matapobre. Twice a week kung sumamba pero lakas mang-badmouth,” a Pinoy wrote.

“When she said ‘They’re giving you a very bad name.’ I felt that,” another Reddit user said.

“Pet peeves right now: Mga banal na aso, santong kabayo na ultraconservative at ultranational-

GMA photo

ist na supporter pala ng impunity at corruption,” wrote a different Pinoy.

The Philippines is the only predominantly Catholic country in Southeast Asia.

Last April, a Vatican envoy said that the Philippines remained on top regarding the country with the most Catholic baptism in 2020.

Meanwhile, “Maria Clara at Ibarra” reimagines the world of Rizal’s Spanish-era novels with a modern twist.

It has a Generation Z point of view through Klay, its main character.

She is a nursing student who wakes up and finds herself in the world of “Noli Me Tangere” in 1887.

The series also stars Dennis Trillo as Crisostomo Ibarra, Julie Anne San Jose as Maria Clara, Tirso Cruz III as Padre Damaso and Rocco Nacino as Elias.

Lea Salonga sings Jose Mari Chan classic with Pentatonix’s new Christmas album

by Aric John

Sy cuA

ManilaTimes.net

FILIPINO singer Lea Salonga confirmed that she is featured in the latest Christmas album of Pentatonix.

Salonga and Pentatonix will sing Jose Mari Chan's Christmas classic, Christmas in our Hearts, as part of the acapella group's new Christmas album, Holidays around the World.

"Yes, folks! This is happening! Had the most wonderful time recording this classic Filipino Christmas song with Pentatonix," Salonga wrote on her Instagram on Thursday, November 3. "And yes, fellow Pinoys, this is the Christmas In Our Hearts you think it is!"

The new albums consists of 12 Christmas tracks, including two original songs by the band.

Other singers in the album include Meghan Trainor, Pentatonix records ‘Christmas in Our Hearts’ with Lea Salonga for their new album.

Photo from Instagram/@msleasalonga Magatte Sow, Grace Lokwa and Hiba Tawaji.

Dates

Hours

Tuesday, October 11 (Deadline)

7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Closed

Tuesday, October 25 (Deadline) to receive a mail ballot or vote a regular ballot in-person at any early voting site or Election Day Vote Center.

October 26 – November 8 (Online Same Day Registration), must show ID at early voting site or at Election Day Vote Center and may only vote a provisional ballot in-person at any early voting site or Election Day Vote Center.

October 22 – November 4 (all early voting sites, during voting hours); November 8 (Election Day at all Vote Centers, by close of polls)

CITY CLERK’S OFFICE VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINES AND HOURS (Mail or Over the Counter)

by Jeline

A MONOLOGUE of “Maria Clara at Ibarra” actress Barbie Forteza in one of the episodes of the hit historical portal fantasy series resonated among Pinoys in a predominantly Catholic country.

In the 22nd episode of the Kapuso drama, Barbie’s character, Klay, visits the church to initially look for Padre Salvi (played by Juancho Triviño) but finds out he is not available.

This happens after Sisa (played

by Andrea Torres) gets freed from the custody of the alferez.

Sisa is a character from Jose Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere” who went insane after her sacristan sons, Crispin and Basilio, went missing.

Barbie’s character, after encountering Sisa, goes to the church with the intention to help the latter look for her sons.

Noting the friar’s absence, Klay decides to talk to the Lord instead.

“Nakikinig ka ba sa mga dasal nila?” she says, referring to the townspeople like Sisa.

Klay then questions why the Lord allows people like Sisa and her sons to suffer, but takes it back and then shifts tone.

“Alam kong lahat ng nangyayari sa bawat tao ay may dahilan at ikaw ‘yon. Pero puwede ba, ‘yung mga nagpapakilalang sugo mo dito, sabihan mo naman.

They’re giving you a very bad name. Nakakagigil sila,” she says.

Her monologue captured view-

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Karagdagang impormasyon sa Filipino (Tagalog) ay makikita rin sa website ng Lalawigan ng Clark Kagawaran ng Halalan sa: www.clarkcountynv.gov

Tripledemic

Health @Heart

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 3-9, 2022

City of Las Vegas City Clerk’s Office 495 S. Main Street 2nd Floor Las Vegas, Nevada 89101

City of North Las Vegas City Clerk’s Office 2250 Las Vegas Blvd.

North Las Vegas, Nevada 89030

City of Mesquite City Clerk’s Office 10 E. Mesquite Blvd.

Mesquite, Nevada 89027

Dates Monday - Thursday

Hours 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Closed

Tuesday, October 11 (Deadline)

7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Monday - Thursday

7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Closed

Tuesday, October 11 (Deadline)

7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Monday - Thursday

7:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Closed

Tuesday, October 11 (Deadline)

7:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Monday – Thursday

8:00 a.m. - 5:45 p.m.

Tuesday, October 11 (Deadline)

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Closed 8:00 a.m. - 5:45 p.m.

Monday – Thursday

7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Friday

7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Saturday and Sunday Closed

Tuesday, October 11 (Deadline)

7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

A qualified elector who possesses a Nevada driver’s license or DMV-issued identification Card, and wishes to receive a mail ballot, may register or update his/her voter registration information online until 11:59 p.m., October 25, 2022, exclusively at www.Registertovotenv.gov, (Nevada Secretary of State). Those qualified electors who register online from October 26 to November 8 (by 7:00 p.m.), will not receive a mail ballot, must vote in person at an early voting site or on Election Day, may only vote a provisional ballot, and must be prepared to show their Nevada driver’s license or DMV-issued identification Card prior to voting.

Nevada and federal law require first-time registrants to provide an identifying number (Nevada driver’s license number or the last four digits of their social security number). If these do not match the records maintained by the Department of Motor Vehicles or Social Security Administration, the registrant will be required to present identification before being allowed to vote. Forms of current and valid identification include a Nevada Driver’s License, Nevada I.D. Card, military identification card, OR a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or document issued by a government entity, listing the registrant’s name, and residential address. These individuals have been notified by mail of this requirement.

For more information, call the Clark County Election Department at (702) 455-8683.

DATED: September 20, 2022 JOSEPH P. GLORIA Registrar of Voters PUB: October 13, 20, 27 and November 3, 2022 Las Vegas Review Journal

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B6 NOVEMBER 3-9, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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Gerald, Sam recall ‘PBB’ days, van incident

by Kristofer

Purnell Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA actors Gerald Anderson and Sam Milby looked back at some of their most memorable times working together and individually in the last 10 years.

The two actors were at an intimate media dinner promoting the upcoming finale of their show "A Family Affair."

Gerald shared the first time he saw Sam during the first-ever season of "Pinoy Big Brother" (PBB) in 2005.

"Nasa General Santos pa ako [noon]. Wala akong alam about sa local shows [nang sabihin ng kaibigan ko], 'Bro, pwede kang pumasok sa PBB,'" the actor shared.

He was playing billiards with a friend who said he resembled someone on the show. Gerald's friend pointed at Sam, who was flashed on screen, and it got Gerald thinking about joining the show. He thought that he and Sam were both not fluent in Filipino at that time but the

FOR RENT

latter was well-loved by the public.

In that inaugural season, Sam was evicted on Day 77 after entering on Day 28; Gerald would join the first Teen Edition months later, finishing third behind Mikee Lee and winner Kim Chiu after 42 days in the PBB house. "[Si Sam] talaga ang inspiration," Gerald said. "Ikaw ang idol natin, 'yung standard!"

Related: 'Natatawa na lang ako': Gerald Anderson reacts to effect of love scene with Ivana Alawi Sam then joked that he, Gerald, and their "A Family Affair" co-star Jameson Blake — who joined "PBB: 737" in 2015 — make up what could be called "AFAM Affair" given their foreign backgrounds. AFAM is an acronym-slang for 'a foreigner assigned in Manila'.

From 'Dyesebel' to car rides Sam also commended Gerald for how much he has improved since they worked on the Kapamilya series "Dyesebel" with Anne Curtis eight

years ago.

"Nakita ko 'yung growth niya as an actor, 'yung professionalism, na gustong-gusto niya ginagawa niya," Sam said, citing scenes where Gerald had him impressed. Gerald quipped by attempting to hand Sam his watch as a show of gratitude.

Gerald shared another anecdote involving Sam as a way to show the latter had a reputation for being "lutang" or oblivious.

He said he was in a van with Sam, his brother Ken, and fellow actors Rayver Cruz, Xian Lim, Enchong Dee and Jason Abalos. Sam was seated at the back with Jason. They had the scare of their lives when their van went out of control and was going downhill.

As he was in the passenger's seat, Gerald helped the driver maneuver the van off the road to a halt before arriving at an intersection. Everyone was reacting loudly except Sam. "Pagtingin ko sa likod [ang daming] 'Ok ka lang?' pero sa pinakalikod naroon si Sam nag-cellphone lang," Gerald

SERVICES

"A Family Affair" actors (from left) Jameson Blake, Gerald Anderson and Sam Milby

Philstar.com photo

claimed. Sam disputed it, addGerald dared anyone to ask dent that they would back him ing that he could not help any- the other passengers about the up. After a while, both Gerald way. said incident and he is confi- and Sam just laughed it off.

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Features

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Maymay finally finds her confidence

by Christina

alpad ManilaTimes.net

MAYMAY Entrata is no longer the showbiz newbie who needs to do anything and everything under the spotlight to endear fans or to find her place in show business. The 25-year-old found her strengths — acting and singing — and even snagged recognitions from local award-giving bodies.

But nothing could have prepared her for a Best Asia Act nomination at the MTV Europe Music Awards.

"I still can't believe that I was given the chance to be part of this recognition from MTV EMAs, especially because it's international.

And representing the Philippines?

Grabe!" the ever-bubbly Entrata told The Manila Times in a special online interview arranged by MTV Asia.

The nomination came because of the success of Entrata's third studio album, "Mpowered," specifically her monster hit "Amakabogera."

According to MTV, the hashtag #amakabogera has over 256 million views, while the official audio has more than 900,000 uses on TikTok. Recalling the time she first heard of her would-be hit, Entrata said she had an inkling it would be big — perhaps her most successful single since becoming a full-fledged singer in 2017 — and felt pressured to do better.

"Before Amakabogera, I tried several genres, including ballads and love songs. In one of my singles, 'Kakayanin Kaya,' it took us hours but I can't really reach the high notes. So when the song 'Amabakabogera,' was presented to me, I knew I had to take it seriously because the notes there are even higher," Entrata narrated in Filipino.

Her effort eventually paid off, but not immediately.

"The first two weeks after the release, we were all very nervous.

It didn't become a hit overnight; the views and the streams came in little by little."

Then after a live performance of the song — streamed in multiple social media platforms — Entrata and her team saw the numbers go up. As it turned out, the young star's new sound was so new nobody would believe the powerful and anthemic song was actually from the bubbly young star who shot to fame through "Pinoy Big Brother."

"I've been trying for many years to find my own voice. Thankfully, because of my voice coach Jade

The shy teen from 'Pinoy Big Brother' is now a total perfomer.

Photo from Instagram/@maymay

Riccio and my producer, sir Rox Santos, who both helped me and really believed in me, I found it.

In the process, Entrata — the first Filipino model to walk at the Arab Fashion Week in 2018 — also found a more daring and mature look that she's still comfortable to carry. In her music video for Amakabogera, Entrata served looks far from her former teeny-bopper image or from her simple, uncomplicated style when she's off-work.

"There's also a pressure to look a certain way because I'm not always like that in real life. But I actually enjoy it, I enjoy the process.

Every time I'm in that moment, I just embrace the character.

"All props to my glam team for creating these looks but I am also glad that they listen to me to make sure what I wear is still within my conservative boundaries," Entrata humbly noted.

Indeed, Entrata has gone a long way in finding her career path but all the effort and focus she put in improving her singing and live performance paid off, with a nomination she couldn't believe came her way.

"To be nominated with these amazing artists [Indonesia's Niki, South Korea's Tomorrow X Together, Thailand's Silvy, and Japan's The Rampage from Exile Tribe] from other countries is a very huge honor. I am very thankful to my 'Amakabogera' for making this international recognition possible."

In ending, Entrata likened her musical journey so far to finding her confidence.

"By learning and focusing on my craft, I built that confidence inside of me, that confidence that I have been trying to really find since joining show business," Entrata finally said.

To vote for Entrata on the MTV EMAs 2022, visit vote.mtvema. com. Voting is open until November 10, at 5:59AM, Philippine Standard Time.

The "MTV EMAs" will broadcast live from the PSD Bank Dome in Düsseldorf, Germany on November 13. Hosted by Rita Ora and Taika Waititi, the awards night will see performances from Ava Max, Bebe Rexha, David Guetta, Gorillaz, Lewis Capaldi, OneRepublic, Muse and more.

Ali: You can surmount grief with...

PAGE B1

chance to talk to mothers who are experiencing what she went through. “We still counsel mothers who have lost a child (and) then say, alam mo dadating ka sa point na don’t be sad when you see tears. Iyak ka lang because your tears celebrate your love for your child. It’s celebrating your love for your child. And death cannot trump a mother’s love,” she said.

In past interviews, Ali had likewise said that donating her son’s corneas to the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines helped her cope with her bereavement.

Recipients were two girls named Esme and Jhunnalyn. Years after the organ donation, which has become her advocacy, it taught her that life goes on.

“One got married and she’s now a mom. She was three or four at that time (of the donation) and nung nandun ako sa GMA before the pandemic, she would visit me in the studio. Then, we would message each other on (Instagram), and ayun na-in love.

Sinubaybayan ko yung kinasal na siya. Tapos meron na siyang pino-post na ultrasound na mga pictures. Life goes on, di ba?”

Ali shared.

“Then, I asked her (one time), paano yung spelling ng Esme, parang Aesmi or Esme? Tapos natigilan siya, sabi niya, my friends actually call me Mica. ‘Di ba maiiyak ka talaga?

“The other one, Jhunnalyn, I’ve lost contact but ang kwento naman niya, feeling niya wala ng ma-i-in-love sa kanya because nabulag yung isang mata niya.

But the last time I heard, many, many years ago, she went home to the province and got married.”

Ali would also get messages from young girls sharing their struggles in life, including depression and even suicidal thoughts, and thanking her for being an instrument of hope and inspiration through her experiences and words on her social media and TV programs.

“Yung impact sa akin, knowing that you have this effect even on just one life, that you’ve made a difference, it means so much to me. Makes me want to keep working. Conscious ako sa fact, lalo na young girls, I really really want to talk to these young girls, ‘You are enough. ‘Wag kang makikinig sa nagsasabi sayo na you’re not enough. You are

enough,’” she said.

Meanwhile, keeping Ali’s life busy and exciting nowadays are her daily news-commentary show with Pat-P Daza, Ano sa Palagay N’yo?, on Net25 from 8 to 10 a.m. and her two grandchildren — Sofia and Nino — from eldest son Chino. “I’m their Mima, which is Arabic for Lola. Sweet talaga.

Ang sarap! Talagang yun nga, di ba, chapter-chapter na ng buhay.

It’s the cycle of life.”

Ali also admitted that while December is still not that easy for her, this time of the year no longer feels like a burden. “Ang dating ng Christmas lights and Christmas songs sa akin… it’s not hard, it’s not a struggle anymore, but it’s melancholy pa rin, it’s not merry.”

She has, however, learned to celebrate Christmas for what it truly is. “You become more inward-looking. Nawala na yung typical trappings ng Christmas, it’s highly commercialized, di ba?

Christmas really is a time to look inwards and appreciate what you have,” she reflected.

“Hackneyed and cliched, but the spirit of Christmas, it’s really about our Savior. Ang tunay na diwa ng Pasko, I live that.”

Dingdong highlights climate change woes after...

PAGE B1 committed to find alternatives to fossil fuel such as renewable fuels/ biodiesel and hydrogen, and to invest in carbon reduction projects,” Dingdong answered.

“Also, we are all still in an energy transition to low carbon.

Our capacities and context as a developing nation prevent us from fully investing in renewable energy, which requires elaborate and expensive research and technology,” he added.

“I won’t be a hypocrite by saying that I do not rely on fossil-based fuels, which are unfortunately majority of PH’s energy mix, to support my daily activities. But — this is not an excuse for us to not do our share.

We have ‘common but differentiated responsibilities,'” the actor continued.

The passage of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng in three main islands highlighted the country’s risk towards the impact of climate change anew, Bloomberg reported.

“Science and Technology Sec-

retary Renato Solidum said the nation must brace itself for more intense tropical cyclones due to climate change, noting that their actual impact will depend partly on several factors including risk management,” the report said.

When Super Typhoon Karding (international: Noru) hit the country last September, wind dynamics expert Joshua Agar said it followed the growing trend of increasing wind strength among typhoons since 2011.

The wind engineer attributed this to climate change, which he said “increases the moisture on which typhoons feed upon.”

“Expect rin po ang mga bagyo na katulad ng Karding na maliit in size, pero super destructive ng winds malapit sa mata,” Agar said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr also acknowledged the need to address climate change following the onslaught of “Paeng” after talking to Bangsamoro officials, whose jurisdiction suffered landslides and extreme flooding.

“In the recent years, iyong

dating dinadaanan ng baha, hindi na doon. Iba na ang dinadaanan eh. That’s the problem. Talagang may climate change talaga. It’s undeniable. That’s the problem sa preparation natin,” he said on Tuesday.

Marcos added that “tree planting” should be part of the government’s flood control efforts since it would “save lives.”

The Ecologist described how trees could reduce climate change impact like flooding.

“Lots of raindrops that land on leaves evaporate straight into the air — so less water reaches the ground. And, leaves intercept rainfall, slowing the rate that water flows into rivers and reducing the risk it’ll burst its banks,” it said on its website.

“The roots of a tree are also important. They create little passages in the soil as they grow, so when it rains, water flows into those instead of flowing straight into the river. The roots also act as a net to hold the soil in place and stop it [from] washing into a river,” it added.

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 3-9, 2022

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Mike de Leon first PH filmmaker to have a retrospective at New York’s MoMA

by ToTel

v. de JeSuS Inquirer.net

Veteran broadcasters Korina Sanchez and Karen Davila

Photo from Instagram/@net25tv

‘Competitive environment’: Korina Sanchez, Karen Davila speak out on rumored rivalry

by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

Davila said.

She added that she missed the opportunity to be close to Sanchez SEASONED broadcasters Korina because they had different schedSanchez and Karen Davila finally ules. shared their thoughts on their al“I mean this from the bottom leged rivalry. of my heart. Ako sa pananaw ko, Guesting on Sanchez’s NET25 isa sa mga nasayang na panahon show "Korina Interviews," Davila ko sa ABS-CBN is 'yung hindi kita attributed it to a "competitive en- nakilala doon. Of course, you were vironment." very busy. But I feel it was a lost “Feeling ko, because workwise, opportunity for me, for both of us,” parang it was such a competitive Davila said. environment where we used to Sanchez echoed her sentiment, work. Parang they would always pit saying she only managed to get people against each other, perhaps. close to fellow broadcaster and It would be, let’s say after Korina, radio commentator Ted Failon. nandiyan si Karen. Napakahirap “Sobrang busy. Iba-iba ang din nun for any woman ha. Kasi schedule natin. It’s not like nakanga, you feel minsan either may kahuntahan ko ng madalas si Berhinahabol ka or hinahabol ka,” nadette [Sembrano] or even Loren

[Legarda]. Talagang ang nakakausap ko lang ay si Ted [Failon] kasi siya 'yung partner ko,” she recalled.

“Naunahan pa ng intriga. ‘Ay, ang pumalit kay Korina si Karen so baka galit si Korina kay Karen.’

Actually hindi ah. Decision ng management iyon nung pinalitan mo ako sa 'TV Patrol.' And there was [no animosity]. Remember when Mar ran, I even invited you? Wala talaga 'yun kasi decision talaga iyan ng mga boss namin nung mga panahon na iyon,” Sanchez added.

Sanchez began her career with ABS-CBN in 1986, while Davila transferred from GMA-7 to ABSCBN in 2000.

The latter took over Sanchez's duty as an achor on “TV Patrol” in 2004.

THE “ber” months may have been associated with the rainy season. But for 75-year-old veteran filmmaker Mike de Leon, they’re perfect occasions to say, “When it rains, it pours.”

First, there’s the monthlong retrospective in New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30, titled “Mike De Leon, Self-Portrait of a Filipino Filmmaker.” Another retrospective will happen at the 44th edition of Three Continents Festival in Nantes, France, from Nov. 18 to Nov. 27.

His first feature, the 1976 ghost story “Itim” (Rites of May), will have a theatrical screening at QCinema (Nov. 17 to Nov. 26) at Gateway Cineplex, Cubao.

Four years in the making, De Leon’s photographic memoir, titled “Mike de Leon’s Last Look Back,” has grown into two thick volumes and will have its official launch on Dec. 10 in a private event in University of the Philippines Diliman.

“It’s a happy coincidence that the much-delayed book’s publication will coincide with the retrospectives,” De Leon told Inquirer Entertainment.

“The LVN films must be included in any retrospective. In Nantes, kahit paano, kasama raw ang ‘Portrait [of the Artist as Filipino],’ but they have not released the pro-

From left: Charo Santos, Sandy Andolong, Christopher de Leon and Jay Ilagan during a break in the filming of “Kakabakaba Ka Ba” Photo courtesy of Mike De Leon

gram. I don’t know how they will do it. I was told the program will be released in early November,” he added.

Just like an appetizer, on its social media page last Oct. 24, ABSCBN Film Restoration streamed the 1959 social-realist classic “Biyaya ng Lupa” for free.

Earlier in October, the restored versions of Lamberto Avellana’s “Anak Dalita” (1956) and Gregorio Fernandez’s “Malvarosa” (1958) were also streamed as part of its “Sagip Pelikula” project. For trivia addicts, Fernandez is the father of the late action star Rudy. In his book, De Leon described Fernandez as the most experimental director in LVN. These three restored LVN films made it to the MoMA retrospective.

“What I’m most happy and proud about is LVN’s legacy will not be forgotten, what with the book, the two retrospectives, and ABS-CBN’s restorations,” De Leon said.

MoMA’s Department of Film curator Joshua Siegel confirmed to Inquirer Entertainment that De Leon is the first Filipino filmmaker to have a retrospective at the MoMA. Area of focus “Yes, absolutely [De Leon is the first]—we have shown virtually every key Filipino filmmaker, but in other contexts and individual films, rather than a whole retrospective. So, yes,” Siegel said in an email interview.

“Southeast Asia has been an area of focus for us this fall (September to November), with retrospectives of Mike de Leon, Tsai Ming-liang and Rithy Panh, but prior to this, we have mostly shown filmmakers like Apichatpong Weerasethakul in other contexts, but not in full-blown retrospectives,” he added.

Siegel said there will be nine LVN features, nine De Leon features and eight De Leon short films, which include “Signos,” “Aliwan Paradise” and the behindthe-scenes documentary for Lino Brocka’s “Maynila, Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag.”

As director, De Leon has made 10 feature-length films. With the exception of the Cherie Gil-Joel Torre-Rio Locsin starrer “Bilanggo Sa Dilim” (1986), those included at the MoMA are “Itim,” “Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising” (1977), “Kakabakaba Ka Ba?” (1980), “Kisapmata” (1981), “Batch ’81” (1982), “Sister Stella L” (1984), “Hindi Nahahati ang Langit” (1985), “Bayaning Third World” (1999) and “Citizen Jake” (2018).

To be shown also are Clodualdo del Mundo Jr.’s documentaries, “Itim: An Exploration in Cinema” and “Si Boyet, Hilda, Atbp.,” which respectively tackle the making of “Itim” and “Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising.”

For those late in the game, LVN is one of the three pioneering film companies during the studio era (1930s-1960s) that De Leon’s grandmother, Doña Sisang, cofounded in 1938. When Doña Sisang passed away in 1966, its management was handed to director Mike’s father, Manuel de Leon.

In its nearly two-and-a-halfdecadeslong prodigious output, LVN Pictures produced around 350 films. As De Leon wrote in his book, in 1961, “the studio had become a veritable movie factory, producing an average of 20 to 25 movies a year—about one movie every two weeks.”

Being the only scion who still cares about LVN’s legacy, De Leon funded the restoration of some titles that could still be saved from the vinegar syndrome and total decay due to neglect.

Restoration In the book’s first chapter, titled “Unfinished Business,” De Leon explained, “I got involved in another aspect of cinema that continues to be my advocacy: the preservation, restoration and dissemination of the films of LVN Pictures, a studio that my family owned that made its mark as one of the three top studios during a

crucial period in Philippine film history. Unfortunately, this period is largely forgotten as much as films from bygone days have disappeared.”

“If you ask young filmmakers today about vintage Filipino cinema, their knowledge would probably go as far back as Lino Brocka’s ‘Maynila, Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanang’ (Manila, In The Claws of Light),’ which I produced and photographed in 1975. For younger filmmakers, a film over 40 years old is ancient, and they might remark, ‘Hindi pa ako pinapanganak noon (I wasn’t born at the time),’” he added.

Eventually, he made those digitized LVN films, all in blackand-white, available to the public for free on YouTube and Vimeo, using the Casa Grande Vintage Filipino Cinema Facebook page as portal.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic’s intermittent lockdowns, it has been one of the most visited social media pages as people looked for good, quality and free movies from the studio era to binge-watch on. Curated and moderated by De Leon, it has more than 50,000 followers.

In MoMA, it’s amazing that nine films from LVN Pictures will be seen again in a theater for a live audience. For example, its first film, Carlos Vander Tolosa’s romantic musical “Giliw Ko” (1939) will be shown 83 years since it was made.

Included also are Avellana’s “Pag-Asa” from 1951, “Huk sa Bagong Pamumuhay (1953), the classics “Anak Dalita” and “A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino” (1965). Though not with LVN but Diadem Films, “Portrait” was produced by Manuel de Leon, and restored in 2014 by Cinema Artists Philippines and the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

Richard Abelardo’s “Mutya ng Pasig” (1950) opens the MoMA festival on Nov. 1, while De Leon’s most recent feature, “Citizen Jake” (2018), closes it on Nov. 29.

We asked Siegel how they trimmed the choices.

“I worked closely with Mike in making the selection and paired his own films with LVN titles with which he had a personal connection (memories of seeing them as a child, for example) or have thematic or stylistic affinities with his own work,” Siegel said.

He added that each film will have two screenings. The capacity of the venue officially called The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters at MoMA is 200.

De Leon’s retrospective also opens doors for other Filipino masters.

“We hope to continue to feature work by Filipino film masters in the future. I’m particularly interested in the work of Ishmael Bernal,” Siegel said.

Elusive filmmaker De Leon won’t be able to attend the MoMA and Nantes retrospectives. His followers in the Philippines would be lucky if they see the reclusive, elusive veteran filmmaker attend the local theatrical screening of “Itim” in QCinema.

Just like any true artist who lets his work speak for him, De Leon said he has never been comfortable with the spotlight. He doesn’t even want to be referred to as “master,” “acclaimed,” “iconic,” “legendary” and the most used that he cringed on—“auteur.”

“Just veteran filmmaker would do,” he said.

But in the last few days of October, there’s suddenly a deluge of requests not only for interviews, but inquiries from other festival programmers as well.

Here’s good news to those who want to own personal copies of his works: the veteran filmmaker exclusively relayed to Inquirer Entertainment that in early 2023, most of his films and shorts, including Avellana’s “Portrait,” will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in a Boxset published by Carlotta Films of Paris.

The rains will surely continue to pour for De Leon until early next year.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 3-9, 2022

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