111222 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

Several Filipino Americans projected to win in SoCal races

by KLarize MedeniLLa AJPress

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NEW York State Assembly District 30 candi date Steven Raga has made history as the first Filipino-American elected to office in New York State.

On election night, Raga won his race to serve in the state assembly. There are 150 seats in the New York State Assembly that serve two-year terms without term limits.

Raga won against his Republican opponemt Sean Lally in Tuesday night’s (November 8) general election, garnering 57.84% of the votes (10,972 votes), against Lally’s 41.12% of thev otes. The results will not be certified until all bal lots are counted as Raga’s district has registered 97.66% of precincts reporting according to un official results from the city Board of Elections.

Raga expressed thanks and gratitude to all the support that his campaign received during the past eight months of the historic campaign for an Assembly seat.

BALLOTS are still being counted following the midterm elections on Tuesday, November 8, including prominent races in Nevada: governor and the U.S. Senate.

In state and local races in the Silver State, three Filipina Americans are leading their

Democratic candidate and education advocate Erica Mosca captured 64.98% of the vote for the Nevada Assembly District 14 seat, beating out Republican Shawn Stamper (35%), according to results from the Nevada Secretary State, as of this writing.

In Clark County, District 14 covers east Las Vegas. Mosca succeeds Assemblymember Maggie Carlton who termed out.

The daughter of an immigrant from the Philippines, Mosca was the first in her family to graduate from college and moved to Las Vegas in 2005 to begin her teaching career.

She started the non-profit Leaders in Training, which helps high school students, with a similar background as herself, get to

Marcos Jr. to visit US at least twice in 2023 — envoy

by  Daniza FernanDez Inquirer.net

The United States will host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meet

INQUIRER.net asked Romualdez in a

message if there are finalized dates for the two events, to which he answered: “No dates.”

Assuming the summit and APEC meeting go well, Marcos may pay a state visit to the United States next year.

In September this year, Marcos embarked on a six-day working trip to the U.S.

The president met with several American business and state leaders. His trip was expected to generate almost $4 billion in investments from multiple sectors. n

Travelers warned vs illegitimate websites for eArrival card

by Beatrice Pinlac Inquirer.net

MANILA – The Bureau of Quarantine has warned travelers to the Philippines about illegitimate websites seeking payment for their electronic Arrival (eArrival) card.

BOQ deputy director Dr. Robert Salvador Jr. said this at a Laging Handa public briefing on Thursday, November 10, noting that the eArrival card should be accomplished free of charge.

“Marami pong nabibiktima ng fake websites so tandaan natin ang official po natin na website ay iyong onehealthpass.com. ph. Tandaan din po natin na wala pong bayad ang eArrival card. Kapag kayo ay ini-redirect sa

ibang site at nanghingi ng bayad, automatic na fake po ito,” he said.

(Many have been victimized by fake websites so remember, our official website is onehealthpass. com.ph. Also, remember that there is no payment for the eArrival card. If you’re redirected and asked for a sum of money, that’s automatically fake.)

Salvador noted that the agency has since sought help from the cybercrime units of the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation after receiving reports on these illegitimate eArrival card websites.

“Ang problema po, kahit i-take down nila iyong mga existing na mga fake website, gumagawa

Bonta wins race for CA Atty Gen

FILIPINO American Rob Bonta has won a full term as California State Attorney General.

As of Thursday, November 10, Bonta, a Democrat and the current state attorney general, held a big lead over his Republican challenger Nathan Hochman. Bonta has garnered 3,152,292 votes (56.9%) while Hochman has received 2,385,723 votes (43.1%), per the California Secretary of State’s election results page. Election results will be certified on December 16.

Bonta, who is the first Fil-Am to become Attorney General in the state’s history, was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to the position when his predecessor, Xavier Becerra, joined the BidenHarris administration as Secretary of Health and Human Services. As Bonta was appointed more than midway through Becerra’s term, he is eligible to run for two 4-year terms.

A Yale Law School graduate, Bonta was a Deputy City Attorney in San Francisco from 2003 to 2012.

In 2010, he was elected to the Alameda City Council where he was appointed vice mayor. Two years later, he ran for the State Assembly seat for District 18 and won, becoming the first Fil-Am to be elected to the state legislature. He was overwhelmingly reelected to the post in 2014, 2016, 2018

and 2020, getting at least 87% of the votes cast in the district in those races. In the California State Legislature, Bonta was chair of the Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus.

Attorney General Bonta expressed his thoughts on Twitter on getting elected to a full term, saying, “Humbled by the vote of confidence delivered at the ballot box. The returns reflect our hard work in delivering results for public safety, working families, and the fundamental rights we hold dear. I’m deeply honored to serve as your Attorney General. Thank you, California!”

In local races in San Diego, Judy Patacsil is leading Frank Xu for the Palomar Community College District Governing Board Member Trustee Area No. 1 seat. Per the

by AJPress

by Joseph L. peraLta AJPress

CHRISTMAS ICONS. Statues are coated with varnish in preparation for a “Belen” (Nativity scene) display in Kamuning, Quezon City on Friday, Nov. 11. The Filipino Catholics’ tradition of depicting the birth of Jesus Christ is a common sight during the Christmas season. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Steven Raga wins assembly seat, becomes the first Filipino American in the New York State legislature

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will visit the United States at least twice in 2023, Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez said on Friday, November 11.

and the Summit for Democracy, and Marcos plans to attend both events.

CA Atty General Rob Bonta

respective races for the Assembly and a court district.

WITH the 2022 midterm election come and gone, local governments across California are closer to being a lot

Pinoy.

This year, significant races from Los Angeles city controller to multiple city council races featured many Filipino American candidates — incumbents seeking to keep their posts and those who have never held office alike. Even though many races are too close to call

and mail-in ballots delay the results of many races, some winners — including several Filipinos — have been projected, as of Friday, Nov. 11.

Kenneth Mejia, the two-time congressional candidate, won the LA controller seat to become the u PAGE A2

KENNETH Mejia made history with his victory in the Los Angeles City Controller race in the Tuesday, Nov. 8 mid-term elections, becoming the first Filipino American elected in the city and the first

Kenneth Mejia

Filipino Americans...

first elected Filipino in the city of LA, as reported in the Asian Journal.

Mejia ran an effective campaign earmarked by the viral billboards posted all over the city showcasing what he describes as the city’s historic overinflation of the police budget. As a proponent of the People’s Budget of LA, Mejia has said he’d fight for communities of color and the disenfranchised communities of the city.

Elsewhere, Filipinos are also making moves in legislative roles across the Southland.

First-time elected officials Ollie Cantos of West Covina and Ditas Yamane of National City are the projected winners of their respective cities’ city councils.

In Artesia, Mayor Melissa Ramoso — who was first elected as a city councilmember in 2018 and appointed to the mayor’s seat in 2021 — is expected to retain her post as mayor. Similarly, Phil Bacera of Santa Ana City Council, Jed Leano of Claremont City Council, and Arleen Rojas of Carson City Council are all expected to keep their respective seats.

Several Filipinos who ran this election cycle, however, are trailing behind. Planning commissioner Arnel Dino is behind the projected winner in the race for an open seat in Fullerton City Council. In Culver City, community advocate Stephanie Loredo is currently in third place for a seat on the board of Culver City Unified School District. For the ABC Unified School District — which covers Artesia, Bellflower and Cerritos — Brian Ferrer is in second place with 42% of the vote.

The final tallies should be announced in the coming days. n

Kenneth Mejia wins LA controller race...

Asian American in a citywide position.

Mejia, a 32-year-old accoun tant and progressive leader, captured 60.92% of the vote (290,736), beating three-term councilmember Paul Koretz, who only received 39.08% (186,483).

"We did it!" Mejia tweeted on Tuesday night.

His post followed with a list of his firsts.

“FIRST CPA as City Controller;

FIRST Filipino elected official in LA; FIRST AAPI citywide elected official; FIRST POC as City Controller in over 100 years,” the post said.

The controller operates as the chief accounting officer of LA, handling audits, financial reporting and other accounting duties pertaining to the city’s public departments.

A political outsider who likewise came out on top during the June primary, Mejia caught attention for his large billboards

around LA, highlighting the LA Police Department’s budget and challenging residents to question where their taxes are going.

On his campaign website, he vowed to use his accounting and auditing background to address the housing crisis, job scarcity and climate change, among other issues.

“People say a grassroots, city-wide campaign can’t win… we just proved them all wrong,” Mejia said following his win. n

BUDGET DELIBERATION. Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, defends the budget proposal of the Department of Justice and its attached agencies during the plenary deliberation on Thursday, Nov. 10 at the Senate. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and other officials attended the deliberation. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

Steven Raga wins assembly seat, becomes...

In an Election Day post on so

cial media, he described himself as “a kid from Queens who grew up with a single mother, working three jobs while pursuing my ed ucation, the overwhelming sup port from all corners of the district means a lot to me.”

Raga was a former chief of staff of Assemblymember Brian Barn well of District 30 who announced last April that he won’t be running for reelection. Raga was thrust into the position when he was selected by a committee to deter mine who would replace Barnwell on the ballot.

Addressing his supporters, Raga praised his campaign team and the volunteers and recalled “being out in the train station stops at 6 a.m. and at bus stops, knocking doors, and figuring out hashtags for future posts.”

“I am very proud of the cam paign we ran,” he said. “This is really a team effort, this is a move ment and effort that we are going to continue next year and for years to come.”

“This neighborhood means a lot to me,” Raga added as he talked about his family who has called it home for the past few decades. “I look forward to advocating for ev eryone here, defending our rights and working in partnership with our other forward-thinking legisla tors to bring more value to all New Yorkers, specially our most vulner able, and our new immigrants.”

As a candidate, Raga amassed a slew of endorsements from elected officials and community and civic leaders and won his primary race in June. Among those who threw their support were Congresswom an Grace Meng, Congressman Gregory Meeks, State Sen. John Liu and Assemblymembers Ron Kim, Catalina Cruz, and Jessica González-Rojas, who was present to congratulate him on his win.

Assembly District 30 has un dergone significant change due

to redistricting. It currently covers the neighborhoods of Woodside, Maspeth, and Elmhurst, along with parts of Jackson Heights. The district is one of the most diverse in the state and is majority AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Is landers).

During the campaign, Raga’s days start with him giving out lit erature and campaign materials at train stops and then he goes to the poll sites before meeting with community leaders to put cam paign events. He then spends six hours knocking on doors and call ing voters.

“We’re still putting in the hard work and we’re not taking any thing for granted,” he told the Asian Journal in a previous inter view. “Although it looks good, we want to make sure that we follow through until the very end and we just want to stay the course.”

Raga was the Executive Direc tor for Woodside on the Move, a social service and advocacy non-profit located in Woodside. Before that, he served as the Northeast Regional Manager of Policy & Advocacy for the Komen Foundation, and before his time in politics, he spent nearly a decade doing non-profit work, including his time as a Senior Strategist Mul

Bonta wins race for CA Atty...

PAGE A1

San Diego County Registrar of Voters election results page as of Thursday, Patacsil currently has 13,735 votes (51.98%) to the 12,688 votes for Xu (48.02%).

In the race for Sweetwater

Union High School District Governing Board Member Trustee Area 5 position, Dante Garcia Pamintuan has a slim lead of 58 over Martha “Marti” Emerald. Pamintuan currently

has 4,603 votes (50.32%) to Emerald’s 4,545 votes (49.68%).

Ditas Yamane leads Marissa Acierto for the lone seat for District 3 of the city council for National City. Yamane garnered 1,006 votes (60.71%) to Acierto’s 651 votes (39.29%).

As for the Propositions in the ballot, San Diego voters voted Yes for Prop 1 (Reproductive Freedom), Prop 28 (Provides Additional Funding for Arts &

ticultural Leadership for AARP.

He served as Barnwell’s chief of staff for four years. He is also a board member of Queens Pride and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations.

Raga is also the founder of Pilipino American Unity for Progress (Un iPro).

“From experience, I can tell you issues that everyday residents are facing; I’ve worked with non-profit organizations that are filling vital gaps in providing community re sources and services. I was able to develop bonds with so many of my own neighbors while also learning about pertinent legislative issues to Western Queens and the com plex relationship between City and State politics,” Raga shared.

Last June when he won the pri mary, he said he was looking for ward to proudly wearing a Barong Tagalog on the floors of the New York State Assembly if he gets elected.

Among his top priorities are combating Asian American hate, coming up with a comprehensive measure to protect both tenants and homeowners, and helping small businesses or any business es that helped especially during COVID. (Momar G. Visaya/AJ Press)

3 Fil-Am candidates lead races...

PAGE A1

college.

Mosca shared that she ran for the state Assembly “to ensure we have someone who will work tirelessly and with empathy to ensure all Nevadans make a living wage, have equitable access to education and will work to lower the cost of prescription drugs, address climate issues and increase access to affordable healthcare for hard-working Nevadan families.”

In the Assembly District 35 race, Republican Tiffany Jones is narrowly in the lead with 48.87% of the vote against Democratic incumbent Michelle Gorelow. Jones, a local business owner,

credits her Filipina mother for instilling “the importance of a high-value education.”

“I am running because I have a unique perspective on issues that matter to us all. As a successful small business owner, mother, and medical sales executive, I have a vested interest in better schools, a thriving economy, and quality health care in Nevada,” she said on her campaign website.

On the judicial level, Filipina American attorney Mari Parlade is leading the race for Family Court Judge, Dept. A with 24.35% of the vote in a crowded field of six candidates. The district judge position is a six-year term.

Parlade is currently the legal

and strategic initiatives manager at the Clark County Family Services, which is the largest child welfare system in Nevada.

She became licensed to practice law in Nevada in 2004 and was sworn in as a judge pro tem in 2009. In addition to practicing family law, she has served as an alternate hearing master on cases of child abuse, neglect and domestic violence, among others.

“We need to do a better job as judges to definitely apply the laws to the facts, but do it with a heart of compassion, do it with integrity, and do it with the independence and confidence needed,” Parlade said in an

Vegas

Music Education), and Prop 31 (Referendum on 2020 Law on Retail Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products).

Voters said No to Prop 26 (Allows New Types of Gambling), Prop 27 (Allows Online and Mobile Sports Wagering), Prop 29 (Requires On-site Licensed Medical Kidney Dialysis Clinics), and Prop 30 (Funding Program to Reduce Air Pollution/Prevent Wildires). n

interview with the Las

Review-Journal (AJPress)

Erica Mosca

Mari Parlade

Tiffany Jones

Steven Raga

Features OpiniOn

Protect media, protect democracy

FORMAL charges were filed on Monday, November 7 against those behind the murder of broadcaster Percival Mabasa, better known as Percy Lapid. This is impressive work in a country that has constantly ranked among the top 10 worst in the Global Impunity Index, not just for the high number of journalist killings, but also for the failure to resolve most of the murders.

Broadcast journalists and writers aren’t the only ones targeted. Less than a week after the Nov. 2 observance of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, an editorial cartoonist and public school teacher was gunned down on Saturday night in Lebak town in Sultan Kudarat.

Editorial

Police are still trying to capture the killers of Benharl Capote Kahil, who was on his way home when he was waylaid along a village road in Barangay Pasandalan. Kahil, also a coordinator of a special arts program at the Lebak Legislated National High School, was reportedly shot multiple times.

Kahil had won several awards in editorial cartoon competitions organized by Pitik Bulag, a group that uses visual arts, notably cartoons and comics, as part of the #FactsFirstPH campaign against disinformation. Kahil’s entries highlighted women’s and children’s rights as well as injustice.

For relatives of another murder victim in Sultan Kudarat, justice remains elusive. Radyo ni Juan manager Benjie Caballero died a month after being shot five times on Oct. 30, 2019 in

Commentary

Ma. DoMinga “Minguita” b. PaDilla

LET’S face it, we are tired of COVID-19. For most nations around the world, pandemic fatigue has set in and people just want to get on with their lives, minus the many restrictions of the pandemic. The Philippines is no different, and Executive Order No. 07 making mask-wearing optional for almost all situations and locations is definitely a welcome development for many of us. Yet we cannot deny that the public health threat of COVID-19 remains at the back of our minds. It is for this reason that most people, including many health care experts, are still wary about removing their masks.

How then can we finally eliminate COVID-19 as a public health threat not only as one nation but as one world?

A “Multinational Delphi

WE will miss the hard and sobering lesson of the killing of Percy Lapid, radio broadcaster, if the authorities and the media continue to play it up chiefly as first a manhunt for the suspected mastermind of the murder, who happens to be Gerald Bantag, the suspended former director of the government's Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), with the official focus on making Bantag and his accomplices fully accountable before the law; and second as a huge black mark in the history of violence against journalists in the country, which grows longer each year and appears to persist unchecked with every new administration

There are plenty of headlines, but few answers to questions about our penal system and selfprofessed investigative journalism.

Like a police and crime thriller

The police side of the Lapid case resembles more and more the plot outline of a sordid crime and police thriller.

The murder victim was a cantankerous broadcaster with quite a following on talk radio and a gift for bombast.

The perpetrators of the crime were prison officials and inmates in prison and outside gangs with long connections to BuCor.

Tacurong City. He was reportedly critical of a powerful clan in the province. Ironically, Caballero headed Sultan Kudarat’s provincial task force on media security.

Between 2006 and 2020, over 1,200 journalists worldwide have been killed for reporting the news and bringing information to the public, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The killers have gone unpunished in nine out of the 10 cases, UNESCO said. Only 13 percent of cases recorded by UNESCO were considered judicially resolved.

In 2020, 274 journalists were imprisoned – the highest total in three decades. Harassment of women journalists and online violence against women in media are also on the rise, UNESCO said.

Percy Lapid was believed murdered by someone who resented his scathing commentary on his radio show. Probers are still trying to determine if the murder of Kahil was related to his editorial cartoons. Only the capture of those behind his murder will establish the truth.

the theme of protecting media to protect democracy, UNESCO is pushing efforts

Ending COVID-19 public health threat

Consensus” study published in the journal Nature last Nov. 3, 2022, aimed to answer this question. And not surprising at all is that the top recommendations almost unanimously arrived at are those that we already learned after almost three years of living through the pandemic. Even better to note is that most of the solutions are doable and within reach in the context of our current government.

The number one recommendation was that pandemic preparedness and response planning should adopt a “whole-of-society” approach that includes various disciplines, industries, businesses, civil society, etc. I don’t think anyone can argue against this recommendation. This “wholeof-government”/“whole-ofsociety” concept is at the very core of our Universal Health Care Act. Among the silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic is that the private and government

sectors worked together in a way that was unprecedented. It also showed us that there is so much we can achieve through this collaboration. Without this public/private partnership to navigate unchartered waters, there would have been more deaths and more misery.

Another important element is effective communication. What good are data and messages if these cannot be understood by the ordinary citizen? To quote directly from the study, “Public health professionals and authorities should combat false information proactively based on clear, direct, culturally responsive messaging that is free of unnecessary scientific jargon.”

Indeed, public health authorities and experts should collaborate with community leaders, including barangay health workers and even traditional healers, to build trust through preferred and understandable means of communication that

may differ depending on the population being addressed. And if collaboration with community leaders is effective, then this also translates to better prevention, treatment, and care.

But for prevention and adequate care to be possible, we also need to address preexisting inequities, whether these be social, regional, or international inequities that exist between developed and developing nations. Hence, “global trade and health organizations should coordinate with countries to negotiate the transfer of technologies, enabling manufacturers in lowand middle-income countries to develop quality assured and affordable vaccines, tests, and therapeutics.” Developed nations need to take this seriously. And we need to strive to make this a reality.

The above is a brief snapshot of the top recommendations arrived at from this Delphi Study.

And I am happy to note that many of the steps taken by the current administration are along these lines. Maintaining the interagency task force to help in crafting policies for COVID-19, and the creation of the Private Sector Advisory Council that has allowed those of us in the private sector to actively collaborate with the government in almost all aspects of society, are examples of effective “whole-ofsociety” approaches. The plans to manufacture vaccines in our country, the thrust on improving and integrating our country’s information technology system so that virtual medicine can be made widely available and health care delivery can be more efficient, and the steps being taken to proceed with the implementation of our Universal Health Care Act after this was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic; all bode well for us despite the fact that the world is in a perilous state.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, with its many variants and permutations, is here to stay. And while we need to live with COVID, it need not remain a threat to public health. If we take to heart the lessons the pandemic has taught us and put them into practice, not just for COVID but for all aspects of health care, then we will be on the right track.

* * * 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.

* * * Dr. Ma. Dominga “Minguita” B. Padilla is an active consultant at the St. Luke’s Medical Center, Global City. A health advocate for many years, she is a technical adviser of the DOH-PODTP; was a spokesperson of the University of the Philippines UHC Study Group from 2017 until the passage into law of the UHC Act in 2019; and head executive staff of PhilHealth from 2015 to 2016. She is likewise the founding president of the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines.

Percy Lapid killing more than a police case, test for PH journalism

Corrections officials who were involved in the murder conspiracy included Bantag and his deputy in BuCor.

The man who arranged the contract for the killing — the middleman — was also killed.

In the latest development, the Department of Justice (DoJ) asked the assistance of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for a pathological examination of 120 cadavers discovered at the Eastern Funeral Homes, an accredited funeral parlor of the Corrections bureau.

A total of 176 unclaimed bodies of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were discovered in the premises during the course of the investigation of the Percival "Percy Lapid" Mabasa murder case. "We will have a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the PGH, maybe by tomorrow morning (Thursday), and the MoA will be about turning over 120 of these cadavers to the PGH for autopsy, for pathological examination," Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told reporters on the sidelines of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) anniversary celebration at the Diamond Hotel.

"We will determine the cause of death based on the carpeta, based on the death certificate and the actual autopsy conducted by Dr. [Racquel] Fortun," he said.

Remulla also said 120 is the limit of the number of cadavers that can be processed by the PGH. He added that results of the

autopsies will be first submitted to the NBI and then to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

"The NBI will be given the first crack at this [because] it's a DoJ undertaking, but the PNP will be given a similar copy of all the results simply because it's a joint operation. It's also a police matter," the Justice secretary said.

Charlie Bucani, manager of the BuCor-accredited Eastern Funeral Homes, said nobody came to claim the 176 cadavers.

He added that most of the PDLs brought to them died from natural causes while some succumbed to Covid-19.

It was at the Eastern Funeral Homes where the remains of Cristito Villamor Palaña, the alleged middleman in the killing of Lapid, were brought after his death.

"One of the things that surprised the investigators, in this case, was the fact that when they went to Eastern Funeral Homes for the autopsy, the first autopsy conducted by the NBI, they were surprised to see more than 30 corpses inside the funeral homes," Remulla said.

"This is now being studied by the police. We want to know how all these people died. The cause of death and the facts surrounding their deaths. But the rest of the organization we cannot tell now. We will study it. We can know how long this has been going on," he added Manhunt

Another new development is a likely manhunt for Gerald Bantag and his deputy, Ricardo Zulueta.

PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said the manhunt will be launched against Bantag and Zulueta once an arrest warrant is issued against them for the Percy Lapid killing and the death of Palaña.

"In the event that a warrant of arrest is issued, there will definitely be tracker teams to look for them. So far now, we are just monitoring. We are just validating information where they are," Azurin also said.

Bantag and Zulueta are accused of conspiring to kill Lapid over his exposé on the alleged ill-gotten wealth of Bantag.

Palaña wound up dead on the day witness and self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial was presented to the media. He was allegedly suffocated to death by his fellow gang members at the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) as part of the cover-up of Lapid's murder.

Bantag previously served as jail warden in the cities of Parañaque, Manila, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela, and was the head of the regional office of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), before his stint as BuCor director.

'Cinderella Man' Remulla said Lapid's "Cinderella Man" story that exposed Bantag's alleged wealth was what pushed the BuCor official to order the broadcaster's murder.

"[Lapid] made a story, the Cinderella Man, that video, that was it. The Cinderella Man came out on September 15. [On] September 9, he went to his house to get photos in the village, and [on] September 17, the plot began," Remulla said at the NBI anniversary celebration.

He claimed Bantag was incensed when he was informed that Lapid was taking photos of his house in Laguna.

Meanwhile, the NBI said it is seeking precautionary holddeparture orders to prevent the suspects in the killing of Lapid from leaving the country, particularly Bantag and Zulueta.

"We are working hand in hand with the prosecution so we are able to obtain the orders," Eugene Javier, NBI spokesman, said.

"Technically speaking, there is no direct evidence linking [Bantag to the murder], but we're also using the concept of totality of circumstances," he added. "In this test, decisions are made on all available information so it doesn't mean that there has to be one direct connection to something. It could be understood that we focus on all the other circumstances of a particular case rather than any one factor."

Javier said it was inmate Denver Batungbakal Mayores who indirectly implicated Bantag as the mastermind behind the killing. Mayores is said to be the trusted aide of Zulueta.

Based on the investigation, the

NBI spokesman said Mayores told authorities that Zulueta called him in September, saying there is an order "from high up" to have someone killed and that a certain "Tanda" will get mad if the order is not carried out.

"This means someone from upstairs wanted to have someone killed," Javier added.

Following the order, Mayores contacted Alvin Labra, a gang leader in the NBP to hire a gunman.

The PNP said that it is not discounting the possibility that bigger names could be involved in the death of Lapid.

A test for PH journalism

Surprisingly, the journalism side of the Lapid story has been sketchy.

It has emphasized that Lapid is just the latest of many journalist victims in the Philippines. Neither the authorities nor the media have inquired seriously into Lapid's work as a journalist. Little has been disclosed other than the fact that he was a radio broadcaster.

No questions have been asked about the nature of his broadcasting. Was he engaged in investigative journalism? Was he on assignment from his network, or was he operating on his own as a blocktime broadcaster, with no team to do research for him and to edit his work?

These questions are pertinent to the evaluation of the importance of

ANDY TECSON Photographer

IVY

DING CARREON Videographer

MOMAR G. VISAYA Executive Editor

ManilaTimes.net photo

With

to improve measures to end impunity and keep media workers safe. It pointed out: “Threats of violence and

attacks against journalists, in particular, create a climate of fear for media professionals, impeding the free circulation of information, opinions and ideas for all citizens.” (Philstar.com)

Travelers warned vs illegitimate websites...

sila ng panibago. Sumusubok po maka-scam ulit ng mga kababayan,” he added.

(The problem is that even if we take down the existing fake websites, they just make new ones to scam our fellow citizens again.)

The BOQ official also urged travelers bound for the Philippines to register for an eArrival card 72 hours before departing their country of origin.

“Pero doon naman po sa mga may problema na hindi makapagregister, mayroon naman po tayong dinelegate na mga space at staff na tutulong sa kanila na mag-accomplish pagdating dito

sa Pilipinas,” he also noted. (But for those who encounter problems registering, we’ve delegated spaces and staff to assist them in accomplishing this upon arrival in the Philippines.)

Salvador said fully vaccinated travelers are no longer required to present an antigen or a realtime reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRTPCR) test, but those unvaccinated or partially vaccinated must undergo an antigen test 24 hours before leaving their country of origin.

He pointed out that antigen tests may also be done upon their arrival at the airports.

Salvador then detailed that

about 18,000 inbound travelers to the Philippines daily, but this figure is seen to increase further.

“Pero ang kagandahan po, napakababa na ng mga umuuwi na partially vaccinated o unvaccinated. Halos wala na po,” he added.

(The good news is the number of partially vaccinated or unvaccinated individuals is low. Almost none.)

The eArrival card was previously called the One Health Pass but was changed last October as, the Department of Health said, it would streamline required arrival documents for travels. (with reports from Kristelle Razon)

Percy Lapid killing more than a police case...

PAGE A6

Lapid's journalism and its links to his murder.

His claim to being a journalist has been taken at face value, with no one asking whether he fulfilled the code of ethics and the standards of professional conduct in the country's broadcasting system.

It's no accident that most journalist victims of violence in the Philippines have tended to come from the ranks of broadcasting, or from the provincial press. This is mainly because journalism at this level has often been caught in rivalries and antagonisms of local politics.

In the history of journalism, it is fact that muckraking journalism

("journalism that rakes up the muck or scandal") has been one of the most popular and controversial traditions. In modern times, muckraking journalism has been replaced by the more respected name of "investigative journalism."

Based on the bare facts, it appears that for some reason, personal or otherwise, Lapid was engaged in muckraking against Bantag when he descended to the level of photographing Bantag's house and vehicles in Laguna. Why did he not build a case instead to persuade the proper authorities to conduct a lifestyle check on the man?

To raise these issues here is not to sully the name of the

murder victim, but to remind that for journalism to do its work effectively, it must always work within strict guidelines and act responsibly.

Historically, muckraking jour nalism grew out of the "yellow journalism" of the 1890s, which fueled the Spanish-American war and, in turn, led to the U.S. annex ation of the Philippines. Within a decade from1910-1912, yellow journalism was dead.

* * *

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.

* * *

yenobserver@gmail.com

CELEBRATION. Sen. Imee Marcos (center) spends the eve of her birthday with senior citizens, persons with disabilities, children, and typhoon victims at General Trias Sports Park in Cavite province on Friday, Nov. 11. Marcos, who turns 66 on Saturday, Nov. 12, led the distribution of cash assistance under the DSWD Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation as well as food items, including vitamin-fortified nutribuns.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan

TRANSPORTATION

AUTHORITY (LACMTA) INVITATION FOR BID

LACMTA will receive bids for OP42417 - Decorative Water Fountain Maintenance at the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012 or electronically at: bids@metro. net.

A Virtual Pre-Bid conference will be held on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, 1:00 p.m.

Local Time. This project is a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Set-Aside contract. To participate in this IFB, bidders must be SBE certified with LACMTA prior to the bid due date. For information on the Set-Aside program, visit: https://business.metro.net/ VendorPortal/faces/home1/ certifications

All Bids must be submitted on forms furnished by LACMTA and must be submitted in one of two ways: either (1) one hard copy original of the entire Bid, including all submittal forms, submitted in a sealed envelope by mail or hand delivered to the reception desk: One Gateway Plaza, 9th floor V/ CM Department, Los Angeles, CA 90012, or (2) submitted electronically via email to bids@ metro.net. on or before 2:00 p.m. Local Time on Tuesday, December 20, 2022. Bids received later than the above date and time will be rejected and returned to the bidder unopened. Each bid must be sealed and marked Bid No. OP42417.

A virtual public bid opening will be scheduled after the closing date and time. A meeting invitation will be sent by the contract administrator to all firms that submitted a bid.

For a copy of the Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro. net or for further information email Shannon Thoene at thoenes@metro.net.

11/12/22

CNS-3640594#

ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

Dateline PhiliPPines

COVID increased number of diabetics in PH – experts

by Red Mendoza ManilaTimes.net

THE COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of diabetics in the country and experts urged increased government action to control this so-called silent epidemic.

In a press briefing in celebration of World Diabetes Day at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City on Thursday, November 10, Diabetes Philippines President Dr. Francis Pasaporte said that the pandemic had caused more Filipinos to become diabetic, some of them directly due to COVID-19.

COVID-19 triggered an increase in the number of people who got diabetes. If they got COVID-19, their sugar levels increased, that is why [diabetes doctors] had been busy getting referrals from patients with COVID-19," Pasaporte said.

He said that the pandemic "unmasked" the number of Filipinos who were undiagnosed with the endocrine disease, noting that in 10 who had been infected with COVID-19, one is

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY

RFQ NO. MTL2304972

PANDROL FASTCLIP ASSEMBLY

The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) is seeking Pandrol Fastclip assemblies. Bid documents may be downloaded at SCRRA’s website at http://www. metrolinktrains.com/contracts. Bids are due on 12/07/22.

For further information contact: Brian Jacob, Senior Contract and Compliance Administrator, at JacobB@ scrra.net. 11/12/22 CNS-3642747#

ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

diagnosed with diabetes.

Pasaporte also noted that those who are getting diagnosed with diabetes are getting younger and younger, with some of them in their 20s and 30s.

"Many young people are getting diabetes. Many of them will be needing insulin injections for life. If they do not have insulin, many of them will die even before they knew that they have diabetes," Pasaporte said.

Currently, 5 million Filipinos have been diagnosed with the disease, but he said that there are an estimated 5 million who have yet to be diagnosed.

Dr. Fatima Tiu, treasurer of Diabetes Philippines, said that aside from genetic predisposition and heredity, obesity, especially in children with a sedentary lifestyle, can trigger diabetes.

Diabetes, if left untreated and undiagnosed, can cause possible complications such as blindness, kidney trouble, heart attack, stroke, and limb amputation, among others.

Leyden Florido, Western Pacific Region representative of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and trustee of Diabetes Philippines, said that the federation has been "alarmed" by the increase in diabetes cases across the globe.

According to the IDF, 643 million people across the globe will have diabetes by 2030. This will balloon to 783 million by 2045, equivalent to at least one in nine people worldwide.

She said that the public should be educated on proper dietary measures to prevent diabetes, such as cooking fresh food free from preservatives, getting physical exercise by walking at least 30 minutes per day, and going to the doctor for physical checkups.

Diabetes patient Gina Javier, who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was 19 years old, also advised parents who have children with diabetes to educate themselves on the proper management of diabetes through seminars, workshops and camps. n

Group attacks against judges, lawyers in complaint before UN

MANILA — The Philippines remains a dangerous place for lawyers and judges, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers said in a complaint to the office of United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Lawyers and Judges Margaret Satterthwaite.

This comes as Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla is expected to again lead the high-level Philippine government delegation as the United Nations Human Rights Council conducts its 5th universal periodic review on the Philippines on Monday, November 14, in Geneva.

In its complaint, the NUPL urged the council to hold the Philippine government accountable for what it said were the well-documented violations against the legal profession and its failure to fulfill its obligations as a duty bearer under international and domestic human rights laws.

“These attacks on officers of the court have to stop once and for all. If lawyers are hampered from freely and independently exercising their profession and if judges are threatened for their judicial decisions, access to

justice and judicial independence will suffer,” NUPL secretary general Josalee Deinla said in the complaint.

Data on attacks vs lawyers

In the past 15 years, NUPL said it recorded 86 killings of lawyers, judges and prosecutors. From a total of 262 work-related attacks, 67% percent took place under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Five of the victims of killings were NUPL members whose clients include indigenous peoples, peasants, farmers, workers, environment advocates, political prisoners and human rights defenders.

Some 61% of the attacks on lawyers appear to be linked to the handling of human rights and public interest cases, as well as providing services to human rights defenders and civil society groups. Fifty-nine out of the 133 killings recorded since 1984 also occurred during the Duterte administration, most of which are unsolved.

The latest lawyer to be killed was Juan Macababbad, vice-chairperson of the SOCCSKSARGEN chapter of the NUPL affiliate Union of

Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao. Macababbad received death threats days before he was gunned down outside his house in Surallah, South Cotabato on September 15, 2021 by unidentified assailants.

"The harassment of lawyers and judges has gone unabated under the succeeding Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration," NUPL said, pointing to members of the NUPL being red-tagged with Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar, the Manila trial court judge who dismissed the government's proscription petition against communist rebels.

The group also said that its lawyers were continuously being branded as “urban operatives” of the underground communist movement while the NUPL itself has been accused without basis of being a “communist terrorist group” by law enforcement authorities.

NUPL lawyers handling public interest cases in the provinces have also been subjected to surveillance by suspected military agents at their homes, offices and even in courts. (Franco Luna with a report from Kristine Joy Patag/Philstar.com)

Marcos accepts Xi’s invitation to visit China in January

by CatheRine S. Valente ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has accepted an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Beijing in January next year, hoping to bring up the country's position on territorial disputes in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).

The Office of the Press Secretary said that the state visit will be in the first week of January.

"President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has accepted the

invitation of President Xi Jinping and the People's Republic of China to visit China on a State Visit on January 3 to 5/6," Garafil said in a statement.

"The Chinese government has since confirmed that schedule for the State Visit," OPS officerin-charge Cheloy Garafil said.

Marcos earlier expressed his intent to discuss the South China Sea issue with Xi on the sidelines of the 40th and 41st Association of Southeast Asian (Asean) Summit and Related Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The Philippines and China have been in a long-standing

maritime dispute as Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, which overlaps with the West Philippine Sea. Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also have competing territorial claims in the South China Sea.

The Philippines scored a victory against China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands in 2016. The arbitration court declared Beijing's claim over nearly the entire South China Sea as illegal.

China has refused to acknowledge the ruling. n

Senate may require Marcos to submit report on confidential, intel fund use

by Xave GreGorio Philstar.com

MANILA — The Senate may approve a provision in the 2023 budget that will be introduced by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III that will require President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to submit periodic reports to Congress on his office’s use of confidential and intelligence funds.

During deliberations on the Office of the President’s proposed budget for next year at the Senate plenary on Thursday, November 10, Pimentel asked Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara if he is open to require Marcos’ office to submit accomplishment reports on confidential and intelligence funds.

“There is no danger in revealing the ultimate recipient of the funds — an accomplishment report on what has usage of these funds accomplished,” Pimentel said.

He added, “If it’s on the accomplishment, not on who received the peso or the amounts, the identity of the informer will remain confidential. For example, we solved a murder case, we prevented a bombing in this city.”

Angara, who was sponsoring the OP’s budget, said “there should be no problem” if the amendment that Pimentel will propose will be in these “general terms.”

“I don’t foresee there would be too much resistance to that

request, your honor,” Angara said.

Congress inserted a similar provision in the 2021 budget, but then President Rodrigo Duterte rejected it and argued that matters relating to national security are exempted from the right to information.

‘I expect to be defeated’

Marcos’ office is proposing a total of P4.5 billion in confidential and intelligence funds for next year, much like the previous occupant of the presidency, Rodrigo Duterte.

Copies of National Expenditure Programs since 2006 available on the website of the Department of Budget and Management show that the president and vice president’s offices under previous administrations typically got confidential funds but at more modest amounts.

For example, in the last budget submitted under the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her office asked for P600 million in confidential and intelligence funds, which amounts to around P930 million when adjusted for inflation.

Even more modest were the confidential and intelligence funds requested by the late President Benigno Aquino III, who in his last budget asked for only P500 million in total, amounting to just a little under P600 million in today’s money.

Pimentel asked why Marcos’ OP is asking for enormous confidential and intelligence

funds when there are existing agencies who can do intelligence work for him.

“I would expect that he’s not just a user but a gatherer of information,” Angara replied. “Because there may be individuals who are not willing to give that information to a large organization and expose themselves. But if they know that information is going directly to the president, then that would encourage them to give that information.”

Consistent with his previous pronouncements, Pimentel said he will move to slash the OP’s confidential and intelligence funds.

“In due time, I will propose an amendment to reduce the CIF given to the Office of the President, but I expect to be defeated,” he said. n

CHRISTMAS IS HERE. Shoppers take a look at Christmas trees being sold in stalls at the Dapitan Arcade in Quezon City on Friday, Nov. 11. The Philippine economy grew at a faster rate in the third quarter of the year at 7.6 percent, with growth expected to continue in the last quarter of the year due to increased activity during the Christmas season. PNA photo by Ben Briones

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III Philstar.com file photo

TWENTY-FIVE years ago, San Diego area’s “King of Lechon” was denied his green card because he aged-out before his case was approved.

The family was heartbroken, but leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel was

persistent to the point of filing a lawsuit against the INS for failing to expedite Michael’s case. Although the Federal Court denied the case, Atty. Gurfinkel knows when he is right, and he appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals PAGE B2

Glaiza begins filming for new movie project in Canada

By Dana Cruz Inquirer.net

GLAIZA de Castro is getting back on the big screen soon as she flew to Canada for the filming of her new project that is two years in the making.

The actress gave a glimpse of her first day of filming in Ontario, Canada, via her Instagram page on Thursday, Nov. 10.

“Day 1. After two years, we are finally able to start!” she gushed. “I honestly thought this project is not going to push through because of [COVID-19] restrictions pero perfect timing lang talaga (but it really is just about perfect timing). Exciting times ahead.”

Talent agency Sparkle GMA Artist Center, meanwhile, showed De Castro at a script reading for the new project, via its Instagram page also on Thursday.

“Here is Glaiza De Castro at a script reading for her upcoming film which will be shot in Ontario, Canada. This movie will surely be another hit to add to Glaiza’s acclaimed filmography,” it stated.

GMA Pinoy TV also gave fans a peek at behindthe-scenes moments from the movie, titled “Kahel,” on its Instagram page on Friday, Nov. 11.

Kahel” is De Castro’s latest film offering following

How lessons from the pandemic helped forge Jomari and Abby’s reconnection

By Marinel Cruz Inquirer.net

LIVE in the moment. Deflect negativity.”

These were what actor Jomari Yllana said he has learned as he tried to survive the series of pandemic lockdowns since 2020, and while living with partner, former actress Abby Viduya.

“We learned a lot, especially when it came to deflecting negativity. We observed that negative things always happen to people who are negative thinkers because they attract what they think,” Jomari began. “Also, we realized that if you want to say anything, especially to the person you love, just go ahead and say it. Don’t waste time because

you don’t know what’s going to happen to you tomorrow or the next day. Abby and I now make sure to express our feelings to each other.”

This was why during a recent media gathering that the couple organized, Jomari and Abby readily answered questions related to the actor’s plan to get

LEADING U.S. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL (RIGHT) SUES THE INS, AND WINS GREEN CARD FOR CLIENT, ON A BRANDNEW SUCCESS STORY OF CITIZEN PINOY THIS SUNDAY! Michael (left) aged out before his green card was approved. Unfortunately, the INS did not expedite the case despite the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel repeatedly urging them to do so since they were trying to beat the clock before Michael’s 21st birthday. Atty. Gurfinkel filed a lawsuit against the INS and appealed the case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled in their favor. Michael was able to get his green card even though he already aged out. And this was before the Child Status Protection Act became law. Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, November 13 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)

Client gets his green card even after aging out and before the Child Status Protection Act became law, on a brand-new success story on Citizen Pinoy this Sunday

Glaiza de Castro Photo from Instagram/@glaizaredux

her 2021 thriller “Midnight in a Perfect World.” The actress, who currently appears in the reality show “Running Man Philippines,” also starred in various other films and TV shows including Liway,” “Encantadia” and “False Positive.” n

Kim schools netizen for malicious comment about her body

By Jeline Malasig Philstar.com

ACTRESS Kim Molina schooled a Facebook user on using social media platforms responsibly after he left a malicious comment about her body.

It started when the online user shared a screengrab of one of Kim’s TikTok videos where she and her longtime boyfriend, actor Jerald Napoles, addressed a question asking if she had enhancements done on her hips.

Kim attributed its shape to weight loss.

Jerald also slapped a part of her thigh for fun and exclaimed as an answer, “Wala!”

The Facebook user uploaded a screengrab of their clip and wrote a comment on the social networking platform: Naniniwala na po na [wala] sa

hips… pero sa dibdib po, parang may pinagawa ka. Sana ma-demo mo rin… [peace sign emoji]”

This caught Kim’s attention, who said that while the comment may be written as a joke, it did not amuse her one bit.

“I may be a public figure, but that does not give you the authority to demand and say things like this. I’m not a saint and I myself admit to doing silly gags online, I still DO NOT and WILL NOT tolerate men demanding and disrespecting women maliciously free on social media just because ‘you think you can,’” she said.

“It still saddens me to see people like you say and do whatever you want with our names kasi feeling mo safe ka sa likod ng keypad/keyboard,” Kim added.

“Marami sa inyo ang magsasabing ‘WALA, TRABAHO

MO ‘YAN, DAPAT HANDA KA SA SASABIHIN NG IBA.’ Totoo ‘yun at handa naman ako, sabihin niyo mang pikon, edi pikon, sorry, not sorry. But as a ‘public figure,’ minsan kinakailangan ding i-call out ang mga ganito,” the actress continued.

“We should ALL use our social media platforms RESPONSIBLY. Kung hahayaan lang nating manormalize at maging ‘okay’ ang ganito, then kawawa ang mga susunod pang generation sa atin. Be the person you would want your children to look up to. ‘Di mo naintindihan? I-Google translate mo na lang,” Kim said.

The actress’ post has earned 7,400 likes, 5,900 “love” reactions and 1,400 comments as of writing.

Some lauded Kim for calling out the social media user over his “disrespectful” comment.

How lessons from the pandemic helped forge...

married before his third and last term as Parañaque City councilor ends.

The two first became a couple when they were 15. They broke up and only managed to reconnect through social media in 2016. They got back together three years later.

“Of course, that’s how we all wish for any good relationship to end up,” said Abby when asked to react to Jomari’s announcement. “He is my first and last, so spending the rest of my life with him is going to be the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Abby, however, appeared not ready to give details of the wedding just yet. “All I can say is that I’ve always wanted a simple wedding … one that’s spent with family and friends. It’s Jom who said he wanted to see me walk down the aisle. Given the chance I would like that, too,” she said.

Simple wedding

The challenge, however, is in the logistics, said Jomari. “Abby’s family is from Canada, while mine is in the United States, particularly in Dallas (Texas). I’m a Bicolano, while she is Ilocano,” Jomari pointed out. “Ultimately, if I will marry the person I love, I want to do it in front of God. I want to see her walk down the aisle. We just have to decide whether to get married in Canada or the U.S.”

When asked what she thinks makes the two of them click, Abby said: “Admittedly, it was hard during the beginning of the pandemic. We were still adjusting to being with each other, but we survived because we respected each other’s quirks. We weren’t OK all the time. There were moments, too, when one of us would feel angry and frustrated with the other, but we already know how to handle

those situations.”

Appreciate simple things

Jom said he bonded with Abby through cooking and eating. “It’s true that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. She didn’t know I could cook, so I surprised her. We would cook for each other since then. The pandemic has also taught us to appreciate the simple things in life and the fact that we’re still alive and healthy today,” the actor said.

Jomari also announced that he will be returning to acting soon, via a film to be directed by Erik Matti. Filming will begin in December. However, he has not yet read the script and couldn’t tell reporters much about it. “I just know that I will be playing either as a politician or a manager,” he said.

“I’ve been involved in office work for six years now as a lawmaker, so I expect that this will be a big learning curve for me. I want to get back to my comfort zone, to act and race cars. It’s been more than 30 years since my last TV show. This role that was presented to me is actually very exciting, so I’m game! I first worked with Direk Erik when he was still the assistant director for our film ‘Diliryo.’ It will be exciting to work with him now that he is the director,” explained the 46-year-old.

“I’m not worried because I will be made to attend acting workshops and will be given enough time to prepare. I also don’t mind being kontrabida. I’ve played kontrabida roles in the past, both on TV and in the movies. I actually find it more challenging,” he pointed out.

Jomari recently “challenged” himself by returning to the race track. He joined a two-day event, the Paeng Nodalo Memorial Rally, at the Subic Bay Freeport. The race— a tribute to Nodalo, one of the pillars of motorsports in the Philippines—featured 10 stages with 24 racers.

“I’ve been into racing since 1996, but my last race was in 2018. It was my first time to join this particular rally event. Motorsport is very demanding. It’s like if I’d make a book on my life as a racer, this will be part of the later chapters,” said Jomari, whose eldest son, Andrei, is also into racing.

“I always remind him of road safety, and to not join street races. He is into drag racing, so I told him to participate only in events sanctioned by the government. He is now telling me that he wants to level up, and I promise to support him all the way,” declared Jomari. n

Bankruptcy: Chapter 7 or Chapter 13?

Minding

Your Finances

debts over a 3–5-year period. Priority debts (example, IRS taxes and back child support) must be paid in full while unsecured debts are paid either a percentage or in full, depending on how much you can afford. You also pay 0% interest on almost all debts like credit cards, personal loans, and other unsecured debt.

IF you’ve made the decision to file bankruptcy to get a fresh financial start, here are some things to consider in choosing between Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. Be aware, however, that your income and expenses have a lot to do with which chapter you will be able to file because the courts do consider your ability to pay when you’re applying for debt relief. For starters, below are some of the basic things you need to know.

Under Chapter 7, you receive a fresh start by having most debts wiped out (“discharged”).

This includes most unsecured debt except student loans, alimony, child support, most taxes and debts incurred by fraud. If you have non-exempt assets, you may possibly have to sell them to pay creditors. However, most filers do not. For example, almost 100% of my clients keep everything and lose nothing at all by filing Chapter 7.

Under Chapter 13, you must still pay off all or some of your

The discharge of debt under Chapter 7 usually occurs within 5 months, as opposed to the 3–5-year repayment plan under Chapter 13. Chapter 7 stays on your credit report for 10 years while Chapter 13 stays on it for 7 years- both from the date of filing. Most people can rebuild their credit, however, much sooner than 7-10 years from their bankruptcy case filing date by timely paying debts that are reported to the major credit bureaus.

There is no limit on the amount of debt you may have if you are filing Chapter 7. However, Chapter 13 does have limits for both secured and unsecured debts (recently increased to 2.8 million- combined).

The important thing to remember is that not because you want to file Chapter 7 necessarily means that you can do so. Not everyone is eligible. If the court thinks that your income is sufficient to fund

Client gets his green card...

PAGE B1

and won. INS was ordered to issue Michael’s green card despite his aging out.

Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, November

13 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (left) with Michael from San Diego

Jomari Yllana with partner Abby Viduya Photo from Instagram/@jomariyllana

Actress Kim Molina Photo from Instagram/@kimsmolina

Atty. RAymond BulAon

reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAS

IN my homily last Sunday (November 6), I spoke about courage. I said that courage is the ability to express one’s mind from the values, beliefs, and genuine intentions we hold in our hearts.

For this Sunday (November 13), I’d like to convey the need for perseverance. It’s what this Sunday’s Gospel wishes us to have through the words: “By your perseverance, you will secure your lives.”

How do we persevere?

First, undoubtedly, it is through a life of prayer. Prayer strengthens our spirits and encourages our hearts. It calms our minds and builds trust in God. And so, it’s essential to start and end

On perseverance

the day with prayer, especially meditation and contemplation of God’s presence.

Second, it is by finding support from family members, friends, co-workers, fellow church members, counselors, mentors, clergy, and the like. We cannot face life’s challenges alone.

Writing on emotional literacy, Anita Anand, a life coach, sees the importance of other people’s support when speaking of resilience, which alludes to perseverance. She refers to the five common qualities of resilient people:

1. Resilient people are resourceful problem-solvers.

2. Resilient people seek help when they need it.

3. Resilient people take ownership of their ability to take action to manage their feelings.

4. Resilient people have access to social support.

5. Resilient people are connected with other people.

Third, it is by having a hopeful, joyful, and positive disposition in life. Brene Brown states, “Joy, collected over time, fuels resilience—ensuring we’ll have reservoirs of emotional strength when hard things happen.”

This cheerful disposition requires the discipline to create a mental boundary from anything that depresses us. And so, we must cast out any unreal and magnified distressing thought. It also requires that we surround ourselves with people who can bring positive energy to us.

May God grant you all the gift of perseverance!

* * *

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.

Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

How to host Christmas eve à la Jose Mari Chan

IN the Philippines, the name Jose Mari Chan is synonymous to Christmas as he takes over radios, shows, and our hearts during the holiday season.

But ever wondered how the Filipinos Christmas icon spends his own Christmas Eve? Here’s how Shopee’s Christmas Ambassador Jose Mari Chan would host a pleasant Noche Buena with family and friends.

Picture this — You’re surrounded by your loved ones, sharing stories with one another. Classic Christmas songs are playing from a Vintage Record Player, blending nicely with the laughter of your friends and family. Because “Tito Joe” goes the extra mile to keep everyone comfortable, knitted blankets are placed on the sofas, so you can snuggle and get cozy while waiting for dinner to be served.

Now it’s time for dinner as Tito Joe invites everyone to join him in the dining area. The holiday spirit fills the room, with cute Snowman home decor adorning the shelves. The dining table looks festive, with reindeerinspired Christmas chair covers making you feel even more cheerful.

Delicious food is served on the dining table, with hearty Christmas staples like roast chicken, lechon, pancit and

more. You start off by helping yourself to some cold cuts, delectable choices of cheese, and fresh fruits that are beautifully placed on an elegant engraved charcuterie board. For drinks, a citrusy blend made with a juicer compliments your hearty meal, and helps cleanse your palate for dessert.

After the lovely dinner, you gather once again at the living room but this time, Tito Joe surprises everyone with an impromptu performance. Ready as always, he starts to belt out his iconic “Christmas in our Hearts” song.

While Tito Joe is singing, a

portable microphone is passed around the room, giving others a chance to sing along with him.

As everyone joins in, your heart feels a sense of warmth and joy, as the room gets filled with song and laughter.

Finally, you’re back at the spot you were earlier, snuggled by the warm knitted blanket. To finish the night and while waiting for midnight to strike, a hot batch of coffee made from a French press is served to everyone.

To complete the Christmas experience, the coffee is in a cute Christmas-themed coffee mug, capping the night of holiday glee and fun. (ManilaTimes.net) n

Should women receive equal pay for equal work?

(Google pays $118 million to settle female employees’ discrimination claims)

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights

Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr

FOUR female Google employees believed it was unfair that male colleagues with similar qualifications were consistently paid more than them and other female counterparts. This week, the San Francisco Superior Court approved an $118 million payment by Google to settle the discrimination claims of approximately 16,000 women.

The class action lawsuit was brought under California’s Equal Pay Act, which prohibits employers from paying wage rates less than what it pays employees of the opposite sex, or of another race or ethnicity, for substantially similar work. It also alleges violations of the Fair Employment and Housing Act, which provides that employers may not discriminate against employees based on gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, and other protected categories.

have a Master’s degree, was hired as a Level 2 worker and paid $21.00 per hour.

Google denied any gender bias in their pay and hiring practices, but a separate Department of Labor investigation into pay disparities at Google found “systemic compensation disparities against women pretty much across the entire work force.”

To help ensure that the gender-biased pay practices will not continue, the Google settlement also provides nonmonetary relief to monitor and modify Google’s pay equity practices. Beyond the $118

Transparency Law requires California employers with at least 15 employees to: (i) disclose in all job postings the salary or hourly wage range the employer expects to pay for the posted position; (ii) provide employees with the pay scale for their current positions upon request; and (iii) maintain job tile and compensation records for all employees throughout their employment and for three years following termination of employment.

“With these new laws ensuring transparency of pay information, employees aware of pay disparities reflecting bias due to gender, race, or ethnicity, may follow in the footsteps of the female Google employees who demanded fair treatment: equal pay for equal work.”

The lawsuit demanded that Google be held accountable for systematically paying women less than men who performed substantially the same work.

It further claimed that Google assigned women to lower pay levels upon hire than men with similar qualifications.

For example, a teacher at Google’s childcare center, who had a Master’s degree in early childhood education and had worked in the field for 5 years, was offered $18.51 per hour as a Level 1 employee. Google declined to negotiate her salary. She later learned that a male colleague with 2 years less experience, and who did not

million payout, Google agreed to have an independent thirdparty expert analyze Google’s leveling-at-hiring practices, and to have an independent labor economist review Google’s pay equity studies.

Changes to the company’s leveling and pay-equity processes will be supervised by an external Settlement Monitor over the next 3 years, in order to make sure that women are not paid less than their male colleagues who have the same qualifications and job duties as they do.

A new California law may also help female employees in other companies in ensuring that they are receiving equal pay for equal work. Starting on January 1, 2023, the new Pay

For California employers with at least 100 employees, the Pay Transparency Law additionally requires that they submit an annual report to the California Civil Rights Department that shows the mean and median pay rates for each job category, organized by gender, race and ethnicity. With these new laws ensuring transparency of pay information, employees aware of pay disparities reflecting bias due to gender, race, or ethnicity, may follow in the footsteps of the female Google employees who demanded fair treatment: equal pay for equal work.

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

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The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw. com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine for 11 years, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.]

(Advertising Supplement)

Ever wondered how the Filipinos’ ‘Christmas icon’ spends his own Christmas Eve? ManilaTimes.net photo

WHAT are the things that you should not do before you file for bankruptcy? First on the list of things not to do is do not hide assets.

Concealing assets

What does not hiding assets mean? Let’s give an example. You own a house with a fair market value of $1.0M in Los Angeles. You owe a first trust deed of $450,000. You also owe a second trust deed of $100,000.

Hence, you owe a total secured debt on your house of $550,000. So your equity in the house if $450,000. You are afraid that if you file for bankruptcy, you will lose the house. Thinking that you know bankruptcy law, which of course, you don’t, you quitclaim your house to your girlfriend as a gift for all the love and affection she has

Do not conceal assets before filing for bankruptcy

given to you six months before you file for bankruptcy relief to wipe out $100,000 of credit card debt. You think that you’re really smart making this transfer to your girlfriend because you don’t own the house anymore and have thereby eliminated the risk of losing your house when you file bankruptcy.

Another method you might have heard of is to “protect the house” by forming an LLC then transferring ownership of the house to the LLC.

Or, you might have thought of creating a fake trust deed of $450,000 in favor of your grandmother who lives abroad to wipe out the entire equity in your house.

At the bankruptcy hearing, the trustee asks why you transferred your house to your girlfriend as a gift. “Sir, because I really love her so much. I would die for her in the blink of an eye. So gifting

her my house six months before bankruptcy was simply my expression of my love for her.” After the hearing, the trustee files an adversary case to get the house back from your girlfriend with the intent of selling the house and using the net proceeds from the sale of the house to pay off your creditors, himself as trustee fees to administer your case, and his lawyer for all legal work to get your house back. Pretty much that will use up all of the $450,000 equity in your house that you thought you had hidden by transferring your house to your girlfriend.

Hiding assets in bankruptcy is a crime

By hiding your house from the bankruptcy court, you lost the $450,000 of equity when you could have kept your house even if you filed for Chapter 7 by claiming the entire $450,000

as exempt homestead equity, and you might have committed a bankruptcy crime, a felony punishable by a fine of $250,000 and three years incarceration.

Therefore, do not even think of concealing assets before you file for bankruptcy. You might end up in jail.

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Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advise for anyone. There is absolutely no attorney client relationship established by reading this article.

* * *

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)

Bankruptcy: Chapter 7 or Chapter 13...

PAGE B2

a Chapter 13 repayment plan, then your Chapter 7 petition will be denied. Under current law, you can only file a Chapter 7 once every 8 years so if you’ve had a recent bankruptcy and you find yourself in debt again, you may not have a choice but to file a Chapter 13. Your bankruptcy attorney can review all relevant dates and advise you what is possible and best for your situation.

If you need help in getting your finances

back on track, call my office at 866-477-7772 to schedule a free confidential consultation. Since 1998, I have represented more than 6,000 clients in bankruptcy. The initial consultation is free.

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*

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

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NOTE: Due to COVID-19 concerns, I am offering free consultations BY PHONE OR VIDEO to anyone who needs help in dealing with their debt problems.

* * *

None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped more than 5,000 clients get out of debt. To schedule a free attorney consultation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-888-224-7224 or 1-866-477-7772.

(Advertising Supplement)

Motion for bifurcation, status only dissolution for spouses who want to move on while divorce pending

Barrister’s Corner

THE decision to terminate one’s marriage typically brings to the forefront many issues all at once. Issues pertaining to property, support, and child custody need to be addressed in a divorce proceeding. In a long term marriage especially, these issues are often heavily litigated between the spouses, and can take a significant amount of time to resolve. Frequently, a spouse would like to “move on,” and re-attain single status as soon as possible, but has a perception that to become divorced, issues concerning property, support, and child custody first need to be resolved. Many erroneously believe that getting a divorce prior to resolution of property, support, and custody issues is like putting the “carriage before the horse”—an impossibility.

Under the Family Code, a spouse can “bifurcate” the issue of marital status and terminate the marriage without having to wait until the issues pertaining to property, support, and child custody are resolved.

A judgment dissolving the marriage need not resolve all issues raised in the divorce petition. If there are issues set forth in the petition with regard to property, support, and custody, the Court may nonetheless separate the issue of dissolution of marriage status and grant an early trial on that issue (a “status only” judgment). Obtaining a “status only” judgment is most beneficial to those persons who want his or her marriage terminated as soon as possible. Through a “status only” judgment, a person is restored to single status more quickly, enabling a person to remarry even if other issues concerning the marriage have yet to be resolved.

It is important to note, however, that a judgment terminating the marriage itself also brings with it the consequence of terminating rights associated with marriage.

To address the foregoing, the Court may impose conditions on a “status only” judgment, to preserve rights which normally

would exist if an early dissolution of marriage status were not granted. These conditions are contained in Family Code Section 2337. The Court may require a spouse seeking early dissolution of marriage status to do any of the following, all designed to protect the interests of the spouse who is not seeking early dissolution: 1) indemnify the other spouse for adverse tax consequences resulting from the early termination of marital status, 2) maintain the other spouse on existing health insurance, 3) indemnifying the other spouse from loss of rights to a probate homestead or probate family allowance, 4) indemnify the other spouse for loss of benefits under employee benefit plans, 5) joinder of an employee benefit plan, and 6) any other condition that the court determines is just and equitable.

With a “status only” judgment, the Court reserves jurisdiction to adjudicate any other issues concerning the marriage, including division of property, award of support, and custody issues. Accordingly, if you would like to obtain a “status only” judgment, and resolve any other issues pertaining to the marriage later, it is advised that you consult with an experienced attorney.

* * * Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation.

* * * Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice.

LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com. Visit our website at kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)

Maymay Entrata nominated at MTV EMA

ACTRESS Maymay Entrata’s fame is going international with her earning a nomination at the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA) and her hit song being covered by a K-pop idol.

The “Amakabogera” singer is nominated under the Best Asia Act category at this year’s EMA.

She faces heavy competition from other Asian acts, namely, NIKI (Indonesia), TOMORROW x TOGETHER (South Korea), SILVY (Thailand) and THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE (Japan). The 2022 MTV EMA will be held on November 13 in Germany.

In a report by The Star, Maymay said her nomination is a bonus for her career.

“Being recognized as a music artist in the Philippines is a huge honor for me. Being recognized internationally is a bonus,” she said.

Hindi ko naman inasahan na aabot international ‘yung song namin. As a newbie in the pop music genre, this is a big blessing for me.”

Meanwhile, K-pop idol Bessie of Lapillus made a cover of Maymay’s hit song.

The video was uploaded on Lapillus’ official YouTube channel.

YouTube users praised Bessie

for covering the song with her good Filipino accent.

“Fluent siya sa Filipino!!! Piling ko Pinay na sya, love you Lapillus at Bessie thank you for covering a Filipino song,” a YouTube user commented on the video.

“Kaboses niya rin si Maymay. If wala lang accent, feel ko si Maymay na ung kumakanta. So proud of you Bessie. This is such a wonderful gift to us your Filipino Lapis,” another commented. (by Jan Milo Severo/Philstar.com) n

Kim schools netizen...

Gusto lang makasilip, ews! If you don’t have a daughter, I’m sure you have a mother and I hope that will be a reason for you to learn to respect the women around you, whether they are actresses or not, women deserve respect,” a Facebook user commented.

“True lahat ng sinabi mo, sana ‘yung respeto ibigay sa lahat, sikat man o hindi, lahat may karapatan..” another online user wrote in response to her post.

“Hindi naman kasi dapat gawing biro ang pagiging bastos. Good morning, Ms. Kim, God

bless,” commented a different Pinoy.

“I feel you Ms. Kim, I was once a victim of a pervert and did not tolerate him. Hindi ako pinalaki ng magulang ko [nang] maayos para bastusin,” another Facebook user partly said. This was not the first time Kim called out a social media user for their actions.

Last year, Kim responded to a Pinoy who commented something about her eye.

The actress found it offensive and issued a reminder for the public to always “think before you click.” n

Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Actress Maymay Entrata Photo from Instagram/@maymay

Pahrump seeing increased interest from commercial developers

PAHRUMP, a town located 62 miles west of Las Vegas, is seeing increased interest from commercial developers.

According to an article earlier this year in the Pahrump Valley Times, Nye County Planning Director Brett Waggoner told the county’s commissioners that the planning department has received a lot of applications that are in the review or site development process for commercial development. Some, he said, are getting to the approval stage, and are actually starting to break ground.

Among the projects Waggoner mentioned that are in the pipeline for the town included a medical facility, a car wash, restaurants, gas stations and overnight accommodations.

Two much-anticipated chains coming to Pahrump, the Arby’s and Dutch Bros. Coffee locations, as well as a car wash, will be located on Highway 160, near the area of Nye County Veterinary Clinic and Tire Works, the article mentioned.

A new medical facility, the Pahrump Community Health Center, had a recent groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction. The facility will, when it opens, provide surgical services and specialist care in the area which is not yet available.

The gas stations in the pipeline include a Circle K on Homestead and Gamebird Roads, and a new Coyote Corner on Manse Road near the Mountain Falls Subdivision. The latter project, according to Waggoner, will have space for restaurants as well. The proposed hotel, meanwhile, is located

on Highway 160 just behind the Maverick gas station and directly across The Source, which is a marijuana dispensary that opened recently.

The chief planner of Nye County also talked about the developments going on at Spring Mountain Motor Resort, where the track portion of its expansion onto the property purchased from the Bureau of Land Management has been completed. He said added that the resort is now in the process of building accessory buildings to accommodate the track.

Waggoner disclosed in the article that his department maintains a close-lipped policy when it comes to potential projects in the valley, opting only to discuss potential projects when development officially begins. His office is always in discussions with prospective developers.

Certainly, the town of Pahrump has undergone major changes since it was established and slowly inhabited by settlers in the late 19th century.

Nowadays, there are a lot more things to do and explore around the town, including trips to local casinos, recreational activities, do some shopping at local stores and even visit the Pahrump Valley Museum to check out the town’s fascinating history.

If nature-tripping is your favorite activity, birdwatching is an option at Discovery Park, which is an abandoned golf course converted by locals and the Red Rock Audobon into a park. Over 176 bird species are said to graze in the park. Hiking in the area’s famous trails, whether on foot or via ATV, mountain bikes or off-road vehicles is another option for those seeking to commune and/or experience nature.

It won’t be Nevada unless you visit the town’s gambling dens, which includes Lakeside Casino & RV Park, Gold Town Casino (formerly Terrible’s Town Casino), Pahrump Nugget and Saddle West Hotel. Each of these places have their own amenities and charms, and provides accommodations and entertainment for the weary traveler or excited tourist.

You can also ride a horse at the Happy Hoof Beats Equestrian, play golf at Mountain Falls Golf Club, drive a race car at Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club, ride a hot air balloon over the valley, or enjoy a bottle of fine wine at Pahrump Valley Winery.

By the way, at Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club, crossing off race car driving in your to-do list is not the only thing it offers. The place also is where one can indulge in a variety of watersports (swimming, wakeboarding, kayaking, paddle boarding, water jetpack), practical shooting and racquetball, in addition to its top-notch food and clubhouse facilities/amenities.

Residents themselves have even organized sports and recreational groups to bond together and enjoy the town’s vast natural beauty. These include walking/hiking groups and biking clubs, as well as bowling clubs/leagues, billiards groups and indoor swimming clubs, to name a few.

There is a lot more than meets the eye in Pahrump. Both visitors and residents have a lot of activities to indulge in. And with Las Vegas only about an hour or less away, the possibilities for fun and excitement increase exponentially.

which Pahrump is situated in, keeps experiencing an increase in population, which indicates that many people are looking into the area as major cities get overpopulated and real estate prices get too high.

538-4948, or send email to fely@ precious-properties.com or fely.precious@gmail.com.

As of now, Pahrump is one of those towns where land and property are more affordable than other parts of the country, or even Nevada. Nye County,

I have been a Realtor for many decades now and have seen the growth of Pahrump. I consider it one of the best towns to live in. With many residential and commercial developments coming into the area, and many planned projects that will add to the diversity of the town’s entertainment offerings, it truly is a good place to look for a home, an

investment property or a piece of land that you may want to construct your dream home in or sell for a profit later.

My company, Precious Properties, is a fullservice company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-5592476 and 702-538-4948 for more information, or send me an email at fely@precious-properties.com or fely.precious@gmail.com. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days.

(Advertising Supplement)

The Coyote Corner gas station near the entrance to Mountain Falls Subdivision, where the late President Fidel V. Ramos played golf during his stay with Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman in 2007.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (right) with CEO Mark Maiyoka who just bought a $2.6M medical building in Pahrump.

The Source, a newly-opened cannabis dispensary in Pahrump.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (extreme left) with (from left) Nye County Chief Planner Brett Waggoner and newly-elected Commissioner Ronald Boskovich.

Construction is ongoing at the second Circle K gas station outlet in the town.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman helps those who need business financing, including loans for small businesses. For more information, call (702)

By RealtoR Fely Quitevis-Bateman