121622 - Northern California Edition

Kenneth Mejia sworn in as Los Angeles City controller

Mejia becomes first Filipino elected to LA city office

FILIPINO American Kenneth Mejia was sworn into office as the Los Angeles City Controller, officially becoming the first Filipino to be elected to the LA City government.

Along with the new Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, Mejia was sworn into office in front of LA City Hall on Sunday, Dec. 11, following a landslide victory in November.

As previously reported in the Asian Journal, Mejia’s campaign promised increased transparency regarding city spending, anchored by a successful billboard campaign that illuminated the whopping police budget compared to that of social services.

“Our first day in office. We’re here to hold power accountable in order to make it a better city for all Angelenos,” Mejia’s team tweeted on Monday, Dec. 12.

As the city’s controller, Mejia will oversee

Filipino couple in San Francisco charged with tra cking nanny from PH

DISTRICT Attorney Brooke Jenkins filed charges against a Filipino couple for allegedly trafficking a nanny they brought from the Philippines two years ago.

Jose Aguila and his wife, Lorraine Lim, are facing several felony and misdemeanor charges as a result of an investigation into the working conditions of their nanny, “Nicel R.,” the District Attorney’s office announced.

According to prosecutors, a neighbor alerted the San Francisco Police after finding out how Nicel R. was being treated. The SFPD Special Victims Unit rescued the nanny on November 29, 2021.

The couple allegedly brought Nicel R. to the U.S. in June of 2019 and forced her to work seven days a week to take care of their disabled child in addition to other forms of forced labor inside and outside their residence.

The victim told investigators that the couple promised her she would be in the U.S. for only three months, but that turned into more than two years. Through various means, they allegedly isolated Nicel R., who does not speak English, like keeping her passport,

Give Maharlika bill a chance – Marcos

by KRISTINA MARALIT AND MOISES CRUZ ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. voiced his support for the Maharlika Wealth Fund (MWF), saying the controversial proposal will benefit the country through the added investments it will bring.

“For sure, I wouldn’t have brought it up otherwise. It’s very clear that we need added investment. This is another way to get that,” he said in a brief interview while on a chartered flight from Manila to this European

city on Sunday night, December 11 for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-European Union (AseanEU) Commemorative Summit.

The administration’s economic managers — Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla — are strongly backing the MWF, insisting it would fast-track the government’s efforts to reach inclusive and sustainable economic growth outlined in the President’s Medium

Term Fiscal Framework, 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda and 2023-2028 Philippine Development Plan.

Among the direct benefits they cited are increased investments in and funding of big-ticket infrastructure projects through Marcos’ “Build Better More” initiative, high-return green and blue projects, and countryside development.

The long-term benefits include increased access of future generations to income from investments, such as potential earnings from extracted natural resources such as in mining.

Filipina actor Dolly de Leon makes history with Golden Globe nomination

by KLARIZE MEDENILLA AJPress

FOLLOWING her celebrated performance in the film “Triangle of Sadness,” Filipina actor Dolly de Leon has earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.

She is believed to be the first Filipina to get a Golden Globe nomination in this category.

Before the Golden Globe nominations were announced on Monday, Dec. 12, de Leon — who was born in Manila and whose career primarily centered around television — tied for the award for Best Supporting Performer at the 2022 Los Angeles Film Critics Association. (De Leon tied with Ke Huy Quan, who won for “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”)

In response to her historic Golden Globe nomination, de Leon, 53, expressed excitement and hope that more Filipino actors get international, mainstream recognition.

“Thank you for including me in that very short list of very talented supporting actresses,” de Leon told ABS-CBN in a video sent on Tuesday, Dec. 13. “Hindi ako sanay sa nomination na ganito — ang sarap!

US Treasury freezes Quiboloy assets

LAWYERS for televangelist Apollo

Quiboloy denounced the U.S. Department of the Treasury for punishing him even before his trial on sex trafficking charges has started.

“They’ve already convicted him! He’s never been heard! His human rights have been trampled on!” Quiboloy’s American lawyer Michael Jay Green said in an interview with the religious pastor’s own television network SMNI on a breaking news program on Saturday, December 10.

“That’s not the American way,” he added. “It is hard for me to believe this is coming from the United States.”

On Friday, Dec. 9, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) blocked all transactions of Quiboloy, his Kingdom of

Jesus Christ (KOJC) religious sect, and other properties within U.S. territory, effectively freezing their assets.

“For more than a decade Apollo Carreon Quiboloy (Quiboloy) engaged in serious human rights abuse, including a pattern of systemic and pervasive rape of girls as young as 11 years old, as well as other physical abuse,” OFAC said in a press statement.

Quiboloy was one of 40 individuals and entities in nine countries sanctioned for corruption and human rights abuse by the U.S. treasury department as it marked International Anti-Corruption Day (Dec. 9) and Human Rights Day (Dec. 10).

news on Rights Day

Hidilyn Diaz wins only gold missing from her collection

HAVING fame, fortune, being a wife and very little time for herself haven’t stopped Hidilyn Diaz from performing at her best as she set her bid to qualify for Paris 2024 in swashbuckling motion on Thursday, December 8 by collaring three gold medals in the 55-kilogram division of the World Weightlifting Championship in Bogota, Colombia, to rake in the only hardware missing in her medal collection.

The 31-year-old, who won the only gold staked in the same division in the Tokyo Olympics last

year, was the best in the snatch, clean and jerk and total in the Colombian capital as she finally reigned in the Worlds while getting her bid for Paris—where the Philippines’ second Games gold can be won—right on track.

“Finally, I [get a] win at the World Championships,” Diaz told the International Weightlifting Federation website after the win. “I am so happy with that.”

Diaz snatched a total of 93 kgs for her first gold before ruling the clean and jerk with an effort of 

Manny Pacquiao dominates DK Yoo in exhibition

by MARK GIONGCO Inquirer.net

MANILA — Manny Pacquiao expectedly outclassed South Korean YouTuber and martial artist DK Yoo on Saturday, December 10 at KINTEX in Goyang, South Korea.

Pacquiao, who could’ve easily stopped Yoo inside their sixround charity boxing match if he wanted to, settled for a unanimous decision win.

But more than the victory, Pacquiao relished his return to the ring after stepping away in September of last year.

“[It’s] nice to be back in the ring, especially this charity exhibition match and I’m going to continue my training to get back in shape,” said Pacquiao, who tipped the

scales at 161.1 pounds during the weigh-in.

Pacquiao, who turns 44 on Saturday, Dec. 17, picked up the pace in the third round while Yoo was noticeably exhausted from that point on.

The eight-division champion knocked down the much bigger Yoo several times including twice in the sixth round though the referee called one a slip.

The exhibition would’ve ended in the fifth but Yoo managed to buy himself a lot of time by claiming Pacquiao hit him behind the head.

Part of Pacquiao’s proceeds in the match will be used to provide shelter for the poor and homeless families as part of his Pacman Village projects.

Pacquiao’s last appearance in an official fight was in August

Hidilyn Diaz sweeps all golds in the women’s 55kg division in the World Weightlifting Championship. Photo from Instagram/@hidilyndiaz

Give Maharlika bill a chance...

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The pitch, however, is being met with opposition over its timing, when the Philippines is struggling with a more than P13trillion national debt.

Initially, government financial institutions like the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Social Security System (SSS), Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and National Treasurer were tapped to pool money to raise the P275-billion startup fund for the MWF as provided for by House Bill 6398.

Proponents of the fund in the House of Representatives have since revised the measure, removing the GSIS and SSS as funding sources.

The Appropriations panel also approved Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo’s proposal to exclude the General Appropriations Act (GAA) as one of the mandatory funding sources.

Marcos said he will “let them do their jobs” as legislators and appealed to the public and critics of the MWF to hold off criticisms until the final version is released.

“We’re just doing the regular process of looking at the bill. Well, not we. It’s the legislature. So, let them do their jobs. Para gawin

nilang perfect (So they can make it perfect),” he said. “Let’s not debate until we see the final form because we could be debating about provisions that will no longer exist. So, antayin natin kung anong gawin ng legislature (let’s just wait for what the legislature will do),” he said.

Aside from Quimbo, the main authors of the still unnumbered bill at the House are Speaker Martin Romualdez, Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe, Committee on Accounts Chairman Yedda Marie Romualdez, Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre, and Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Jose Ma. Clemente “Joey” Salceda, Manila Rep. Irwin Tieng, and Quimbo.

House leaders broke political boundaries to support the Maharlika fund.

Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Third District Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. said “the objective of maximizing or optimizing gains from the investment of excess state funds or assets is laudable. That is what every nation on this planet would want to do.”

Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, one of the stalwarts of the Nationalist People’s Coalition in the House, said the proposal “has become contentious, but it

is important to recognize that the country needs the MWF to fund its needs.”

Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona of the Nacionalista Party said investing government assets for optimal return for the public is what 49 countries with sovereign wealth funds are doing.

Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats said the Philippines should learn from the best practices of nations with successful investments and avoid the mistakes of others while establishing a sovereign wealth fund.

Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza, who belongs to the minority bloc, said he was leaning toward supporting the fund measure after the House leadership made changes to it.

“It’s now a much better bill and I can see the effort of the authors and the proponents. So it looks good at this point and it looks much better,” Daza said.

The House banks committee said the latest amendments introduced to the measure include reverting the name to Maharlika Investment Fund of MIF and allocating 20 percent of the fund’s net profit to social welfare projects. g

Filipina actor Dolly de Leon makes history...

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Sana mas marami pa sa atin ang makatanggap ng ganitong recognition because so many of us deserve it. (I’m not used to getting a nomination like this — it feels good! Hopefully, more of our community will receive recognition because so many of us deserve it).”

“Triangle of Sadness” — written and directed by Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund — is a black comedy that follows several luxury cruise guests and one cruise ship housekeeper (played by de Leon) who are marooned on a desert island following a disastrous shipwreck.

In a story that reveals the follies of hierarchy, de Leon’s breakout “scene-stealing” performance as the resourceful Abigail caught the attention of the international film community.

According to an interview

with Variety, de Leon said that her performance of Abigail was largely motivated by real-life people she knows, saying, “I see Abigail in my aunts, my mother, our grandmother, our cousins. She’s in a lot of Filipinos that I’ve met over the years.”

The film received praise earlier this year when it premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, winning the coveted Palme d’Or, widely recognized as the top award in international cinema.

Prior to “Triangle of Sadness,” de Leon’s career began in the 1990s, in the Philippine theater scene. She starred in several soap operas and has worked with renowned Filipino directors, including Lav Diaz. “Triangle of Sadness” is her fourth feature film role.

De Leon is up against Angela Bassett for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Kerry

Dolly De Leon on the Cannes red carpet last May.

Photo from Instagram/@dollyedelean Condon for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Jamie Lee Curtis for “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” and Carey Mulligan for “She Said.”

The Golden Globes will be presented on January 10, 2023 in Los Angeles. g

US Treasury freezes Quiboloy...

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“This is good news during Human Rights Day and we hope that other human rights violators would be held to account in the coming days,” said House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Rep. France Castro.

“We hope that this would serve as a signal to local authorities to also look into the illegal activities of Quiboloy here. There should be no sacred cows,” she said.

The sanctions imposed meant that “all property and interests in property” in the United States “or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.”

“The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person,” OFAC said.

Significant consequences

The action was taken to implement the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act of the U.S. through Executive Order No. 13818.

“The United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences on those who

commit serious human rights abuse or engage in corruption, as well as to protect the financial system of the United States from abuse by these same persons,” Ofac said.

It did not give an estimate of the value of Quiboloy’s U.S. assets.

The move followed a U.S. federal grand jury indictment of Quiboloy and his two top officials, Teresita Dandan and Felina Salinas, in November 2021 for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and sex trafficking of children.

OFAC said Quiboloy’s victims were mostly minors and were required to do scheduled “night duties” which was to have sex with him. The victims were told by the pastor to “offer your body as a living sacrifice,” it said.

“Quiboloy exploited his role within KOJC to rape his victims and subject them to other physical abuse, describing these acts as sacrifices required by the Bible and by God for the victims’ salvation,” OFAC said.

On Jan. 31 this year, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation published a poster declaring Quiboloy as one of the most wanted suspected sex traffickers in America. The U.S.-based lawyers for Quiboloy on Saturday said

that his U.S. trial was to start only in 2024 and that the accusations against him were bogus and politically motivated by the U.S. “liberal administration” that saw him and his sect as a “threat.”

Green denied all of the allegations against his client, saying such would be unbecoming of a pastor who helped the poor.

Asked if he had proof to counter the claims of the alleged victims, he said emphatically: “I didn’t find any victims because there were no victims!”

Another lawyer for Quiboloy, Manny Mendrano, said that as long as there was no trial, “that paper (federal indictment) is worthless.”

“No one had their day in court (yet),” he pointed out.

“There’s a lot to be done between now and then and the pastor has a real fire power legal team to assist him and defend him aggressively,” Mendrano said.

‘Not losing sleep’

According to Green, if Quiboloy were to face trial in the United States, he would surely be held in jail for years without bail, so they would represent him instead. Quiboloy’s lawyers also said they were confident that his business transactions in the United States u PAGE 5

CHECKPOINT. A member of the Manila Police District Station 14 in Quiapo, Manila checks the driver’s license of motorists passing along Claro M. Recto Avenue, Manila on Monday, Dec. 12. “Oplan Sita” of the local police aims to enhance crime prevention by beefing up police visibility in the city. PNA photo by Yancy Lim

COVID treatments readily available, but access disparities still huge

“TEST and treat, and you can beat COVID!”

As Californians brace for a winter surge of COVID infections, that’s the message of Dr. Rita Nguyen, speaking at an online news conference on behalf of the California Department of Public Health’s COVID 19 Treatments Task Force.

Her message was echoed by four frontline medical practitioners serving some of the most vulnerable populations in the state.

“We are in the winter surge,” said Dr. Nguyen, who directs the Population Health Division of CDPH. “We are already seeing increases in hospitalization rates for COVID. Rates are increasing and we expect to see even more as we head through December.”

But there is a unique opportunity to address the crisis head-on, Nguyen emphasized. “This is the first winter surge of a three-year pandemic where we actually have treatments that are highly effective, readily available, and free to anyone over the age of 12.”

The challenge, Nguyen noted, is that most people aren’t accessing the treatments.

Paxlovid, or its alternative Molnupiravir, are antivirals and they are free to everyone, even those who lack health insurance or are undocumented. Remdesivir, which is given via infusions, is not free: costs vary with the level of insurance coverage. All three treatments are time sensitive. Paxlovid or Molnupiravir, must be started within the first five days after symptoms start; remdesivir must be started within seven days.

Timely treatment can prevent the severity of the infection by 50% to 88%. Even among those who are vaccinated, it decreases risk of long-term COVID, by 45% to 50%. Paxlovid treatment in 2022 alone averted an estimated 16,000 – 48,000 severe hospitalizations in California, and an estimated 10,000 deaths, according to Nguyen.

But while treatment supplies are plentiful, access challenges remain huge.

The digital divide Dr. Daniel Turner-Lloveras, executive director of the Latino Coalition for Health Equity,

believes lack of internet access and digital skills may be the biggest obstacle.

He cited the case of his mother who recently tested positive for COVID-19. She had phoned her clinic to try to get a doctor but had been waiting all day for a return phone call. Turner Lloveras also called his mother’s clinic, but was forced to leave a voice mail which was not returned.

“As a physician, I am very aware of the benefits of getting early treatment with Paxlovid,” he said. When he sent a message to the clinic’s online patient portal, he got a call back within an hour. “It made me realize that almost every social determinant of health now is enveloped by the need to have internet access and the ability to navigate the World Wide Web.”

More than 35% of Latino workers have no digital skills, and 20% have just limited digital skills, Turner-Lloveras added, noting that digital inclusion now impacts most factors in modern society, including the ability to get a job and support a family.

“Without digital literacy and digital skills, you’re offering gas to a family that has no car. Telehealth is a valuable resource but cannot be used without those skills.”

Dr. Oliver Brooks, chief medical officer of the Watts Healthcare Corporation in Los Angeles, concurred with TurnerLloveras. He noted that 1 out of 5 Black households have no internet access, limiting their ability to access healthcare in a timely manner. He stressed the importance of testing as soon as any symptom appears: runny nose, cough, gastric distress, fever, and other conditions.

The Black community has much lower rates of treatment, not because it wasn’t accessible, but because it isn’t offered to them, said Brooks. “Treatment doesn’t work if you don’t take it or get offered it. So as a person you need to advocate, you need to know about treatments and then say, ‘I tested positive. Do I take this pill? Do I take something?’”

According to new data from the CDPH shared by Dr. Nguyen, 37% of White patients who presented with COVID symptoms received treatment, while only 20% of Black people got access to care.

Treatment for older adults, rural communities One of the most vulnerable populations are adults who are 65

years and older and account for nearly 90% of COVID deaths.

Dr. Wynnelena Canio, who specializes in geriatric medicine at Kaiser Permanente in Petaluma, Ca., and is an advisor with the California Department of Aging, noted that “as people age, we accumulate chronic conditions that cause us to have decreased reserves with which to compensate or recover from stressors such as infection.

“A lot of older adults become more frail, losing more muscle mass and becoming more dependent on others after hospitalization. That in turn leads to more disability and possible institutionalization.”

Early treatment of any conditions in older adults has proven to have better outcomes, Canio emphasized. That includes especially getting the new updated boosters, which only 12% of Americans overall have received.

Dr. Jasmeet Kaur Bains, a family physician from Kern County in California’s Central Valley, who was just elected to the California State Assembly, spoke about the challenges in accessing health care for rural residents.

Bains, who grew up in the county, said when she was a child, a pediatrician could usually be seen within a day. Today, it can take two to three months.

The pandemic brought accelerated rates of retirement for doctors and skyrocketing unemployment rates. As people lost their jobs, they also lost health insurance coverage, Bains noted. Language barriers added to the access challenges. Many resources were not available in Spanish or Punjabi, two commonly spoken languages in Kern County. Added to this, issues like poor air quality and resulting lung disease led to high levels of hospitalization and deaths in her region.

“The lens needs to be focused here. The surge is real, it’s happening and it’s at the detriment of areas like rural California.”

Access issues notwithstanding, all five physicians agreed that getting tested and treated early is the message underserved communities need to hear.

“Don’t wait till the illness gets worse,” said Nguyen. “If you start feeling a runny nose, cough, or generally not like yourself, act fast and take a COVID test. If you test positive, seek treatment right away.” g

Filipino couple in San Francisco charged with...

and preventing her from having a cellphone. Nicel R. depended on the couple for her food, shelter, and other necessities. She had to sleep a storage room, authorities said.

According to investigators, Aguila and Lim only paid Nicel R. $240 a month for the first several months and then reduced that to $40 per month. She was also required to be available at all times,

even in the middle of the night, to care for the couple’s child.

Prosecutors said Aguila and Lim did not provide other mandatory employee benefits such as payment for the substantial overtime hours she worked, meal and rest breaks, paid sick leave, workers’ compensation insurance and proof of wages.

“Each of the suspects posted bond on $100,000 bails set by the court,” the District Attorney’s

press release stated. “Pre-trial release conditions include electronic monitoring by the San Francisco Sherriff’s Department, surrendering passports and abiding by the terms of a Criminal Protective Order which states that they must have no contact with the victim and must stay 100 yards away from her. If convicted of all charges, they each face over 19 years in State Prison.” (Inquirer.net)

Hidilyn Diaz wins only gold missing from...

114. She failed to improve on this, though, by failing at 117 and 121 as she tried to establish a personal best for the year.

Her 207-kg tally was eight kilos better than hometown bet Rosalba Morales’ effort for the silver. Diaz and the rest of Team HD prepared well and hard for this, arriving in Colombia ahead of the rest of the field to acclimatize, a factor that spelled the downfall of many others with Bogota being 2,640 meters above sea level.

The PH contingent first set up camp in the United States before heading to Colombia a week before the competition.

“It was good timing because this is the last time that I will compete at 55 kg,” said Diaz, who would need to choose between going down to the 49-kg division or moving up to 59 kg in Paris.

After winning in Tokyo, Diaz was understandably the toast of

the country last year. It was a victory that not only wrote history, but also kept her busy with numerous appearances, commercial shoots and her own work in giving something back to the sport.

“It’s really hard when you become famous,” Diaz told the website. “I have been able to control it, but it’s very hard time management.”

Diaz also tied the knot with her long-time coach Julius Naranjo earlier this year.

“[This win] is absolutely amazing,” said Philippine Weightlifting Federation president Monico Puentevella. “It shows her incredible commitment.”

“This recent breakthrough of Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz is proof that Filipinos are strong and talented individuals,” Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino said in a statement released to media outlets.

“We are truly grateful to Team

US Treasury freezes Quiboloy...

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would remain untouched despite the sanction.

Mendrano said KOJC, which claims 7 million members worldwide, was “not losing sleep” over the recent pronouncements from U.S. authorities.In a statement after the FBI poster was published, Quiboloy, who claims to be “the appointed son of God,” branded all accusations against him as lies instigated by the “Devil.”

In January 2020, U.S. federal agents arrested three of his church leaders on immigration fraud charges following a raid on its U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles City.

Workers allegedly solicited donations year-round for the church’s charity and were beaten and psychologically abused when they did not reach their

daily quotas. The money raised, originally for the benefit of poor children, allegedly went to church operations and the “lavish” lifestyle of Quiboloy.

Around $20 million was sent back to the church in the Philippines from 2014 to the middle of 2019, according to federal investigators.

In 2018, Salinas, leader of the church’s Hawaii branch, was arrested for smuggling cash onto a private plane in Honolulu bound for the Philippines with Quiboloy on board. A witness saw Salinas and Quiboloy order church members to smuggle hundreds of thousands of dollars inside black socks packed in suitcases from California to the Philippines in 2013 and 2014.

The Philippine government has an International Legal Cooperation

HD for this is a result of hard work,” the statement said. “[This latest achievement is] a combination of determination, continuous training and confidence.”

Dream medal haul

To say that Diaz is the best Philippine athlete of her generation is an understatement as she completed a medal collection others could only dream of.

Before being queen of the Tokyo Games, Diaz had pocketed gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games, the Asian Games and the Asian Championships. She could be the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s Athlete of the Year yet again.

The Bogota event is a required event on the list of qualifying events for Paris 2024, where Diaz will hope to win a second straight gold even after her old division had been taken out of the events. (Musong R. Castillo/ Inquirer.net)

agreement with the United States. Under the agreement, the United States can request the Philippines to extradite or surrender a suspect to stand on trial in America. The United States has yet to make such a request for Quiboloy.

The chief state counsel of the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) has said that if a request came, the DOJ could work on the possible extradition of Quiboloy, but it could take years due to the various processes that it would have to undergo.

Quiboloy supported former President Rodrigo Duterte’s presidential campaign and later became his spiritual adviser.

In this year’s presidential election, he endorsed the winning tandem of President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte.

(Jacob Lazaro/Inquirer.net)

Kenneth Mejia sworn in as Los Angeles...

the city’s spending and consult the Office of the Mayor over the city’s budget — however, the controller does not have power over how finances are allocated throughout the city.

This

Manny Pacquiao dominates DK Yoo in...

2021 when he took a stunning decision loss to Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas, announcing his retirement a month later to pursue his bid for the Philippine presidency.

Pacquiao, however, doesn’t seem like he’s planning to stay retired after he recently expressed his eagerness to challenge undefeated welterweight champions Terence Crawford and Errol Spence.

He also hinted at a potential comeback next year during his post-fight interview in the ring after toying with Yoo.

“You’ll see,” Pacquiao said when asked about fighting in 2023.

He had suggested prior to the match that he may not be done with fighting, calling Sunday’s

bout a “very good stepping stone to come back”.

“This is a great opportunity to come back in the ring,” he added.

“I thought it was easy to retire… I

really missed boxing.”

Pacquiao, who hung up his gloves with a 62-8-2 record, admitted: “I felt lonely when I retired from boxing.” g

But Mejia promised to hold City Hall accountable and probe the city’s spending on homeless initiatives and law enforcement, among other top issues.

is Mejia’s first time serving in public office. With a

background in finance, Mejia also ran for U.S. Congress in 2018 campaigning on progressive policies and ideals inspired by Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein, as previously reported in the Asian Journal. g

Manny Pacquiao is being held by the referee as DK Yoo falls during their exhibition fight in South Korea. Photo from MP Promotions

FEATURES OPINION

Uniting the world against corruption

OVER the weekend the U.S. government announced an asset freeze and other sanctions on about 40 persons in nine countries, among them Philippine televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, on charges related to corruption, fraud and human rights abuses including, in the case of Quiboloy, child rape.

Washington said the sanctions were part of moves coinciding with the observance of International Anti-Corruption Day on Dec. 9 alongside Human Rights Day. The United Nations is counting down to the 20th anniversary in 2023 of the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the UN Convention Against Corruption. The Philippines is among 189 parties that have committed to the obligations under UNCAC, which went into effect on Dec. 14, 2005.

Editorial

to be so complicated that people transacting with the government are compelled to pay grease money or “facilitation fees” just to get things done. The failure to punish officials implicated in large-scale corruption has bred impunity; corruption pays handsomely in this country.

UNCAC is legally binding to parties, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime serves as secretariat for the convention’s Conference of States Parties. The U.S. move against the 40 persons is in keeping with the theme picked by the UN for Anti-Corruption Day, which is to unite the world against corruption.

In a message for the special day, the UN stressed that corruption fuels armed conflict, inhibits peace processes, aggravates poverty, slows economic development, and undermines democratic institutions and the rule of law.

Sadly, Filipinos know this only too well, with corruption deeply entrenched across all levels of government. Public service processes are designed

On the Move

SEGUNDO ECLAR ROMERO

THE continuing tussle over the Maharlika Wealth Fund (MWF) reveals the nature of the controversy—it is an ongoing vote of confidence in the Marcos Jr. administration’s economic strategy. As things stand in the public sphere, the people’s verdict is leaning toward a vote of no confidence.

My summary of the top infirmities of the MWF are: (1) dubious conceptual, legal, and contextual soundness; (2) no consultation with powerless, voiceless Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and Social Security System (SSS) stakeholders; (3) imagining that legal safeguards automatically translate into scrupulous implementation; (4) undue haste in ramming crucial

Sketches

A NA M ARIE P AMINTUAN

AS in our post-pandemic economic growth numbers that benefit from a low base, Ferdinand Junior is blessed with a predecessor who dramatically lowered the bar for public officials’ upholding of human rights. Everything is better by comparison.

Instead of cursing God, BBM and his family are attending mass.

This President respects women and isn’t the type who will crack rape jokes, leer at the Vice President or order soldiers to shoot female communist rebels in the vagina.

Presidential addresses to the nation and media interviews are no longer Rated R when aired. We haven’t heard BBM utter a cuss word in public, ever.

The most noteworthy improvement, of course, is in the approach to fighting the drug menace. Sure, there are still killings believed linked to drugs – as law enforcement agencies have warned, lethal encounters with criminals cannot be completely ruled out.

But in the absence of a president whose marching order in the anti-drug campaign is to kill, kill, kill, the level of violence is undeniably down. The days of Tokhang and Double Barrel are over.

Even when drug suspects are

Proceeds from corruption are also successfully laundered into politics, further weakening the quality of governance. With the political establishment unable to provide leadership against graft, there is no push for the urgently needed reforms. Instead, the push is for the preservation of the corrupt status quo and the protection of the unholy marriage of politics and family businesses. The UN has emphasized the need to promote transparency and strengthen institutions. The Philippines, unfortunately, has been going in the opposite direction in terms of transparency. Undue restrictions have been imposed on public access to statements of assets, liabilities and net worth of officials starting with the president. The national budget has an ever-growing chunk allotted to confidential and intelligence funds that can evade

The people’s vote of no con dence

legislation through the House of Representatives; and (5) lack of clear progeny and responsibility for the current MWF concept.

The very size and urgency of the MWF are its very weakness— lack of prototyping in proper context makes the scheme very risky.

But the optics are just as fatal. First is the insensitivity to the unsavory historic reputation of the Marcos family’s handling of public funds while in power. Second is the frontloading of credit to the Marcos family, while due diligence has yet to be completed by the economic managers.

The MWF could have been very timely when historic opportunities like the sale of Fort Bonifacio or Malampaya indeed created surplus government funds. The current context is also inauspicious—a world unsettled by COVID-19 and the Russian war against Ukraine sending destabilizing ripples

of inflation, shortages, and imbalances across the globe.

The regional optics also strike fear in the hearts of ordinary people as former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak goes to jail for plundering the 1MDB funds. The conjugal caper of Najib and Rosmah looks like “nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat” of the plunder of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. So, what Shakespearean cruelty is contemplated for the nation when Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, and Ferdinand Martin Romualdez now push this “Maharlika” scheme, as if to evoke the blessing of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.?

In the wake of the recent OCTA survey that reports that the Filipino people give President Marcos Jr. an 86-percent trust rating and a 78-percent performance rating, how do we square these sparkling statistics with the incendiary pushback

the Marcos Jr. administration is getting? It is as if the people are saying: “You can help yourself to my vote and surveyed opinion, but don’t you dare touch my money.”

It is revealing how three economists display their support for this MWF. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda seems a reluctant promoter, but he pinpoints for us the real raison d’être for the Fund: “The General Appropriations Act (GAA) is restricted by the fact that you have 300 congressmen with parochial concerns. ’Pag dumaan sa Kongreso, every congressman wants something for his constituency.” So, Salceda looks at the MWF as if it were a traffic counterflow scheme to deal with a constipated Congress.

On the other hand, Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo thinks relying on the GAA is too slow. The MWF will energize investments and hasten Philippine development beyond

what the GAA can generate. She is so much more animated in defending the bill than Salceda. However, she admits the scheme needs tweaking and awaits the economic managers to perfect their submission to the House committee.

Confident and articulate as she is, Quimbo appears oblivious to the reputation of Congress as an institution that is footloose with the people’s money as suggested by the approval of the hefty intelligence and confidential funds of the President and the Vice President. She also affects naïveté in believing that the letter of the law and formal safeguards will dictate the success of a long-term project’s implementation.

As to our third economist, Central Bank governor Felipe Medalla, he seemed sure and sincere when he publicly expressed his initial doubts about the MWF. Apparently, as Quimbo explains, he was

Rights under Marcos 2.0

killed in police operations, the cops enjoy greater presumption of regularity in carrying out their work, unlike in the previous administration.

A good proof is that police raid on no less than a district office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Taguig. Rodrigo Duterte would have also gone after rogue elements in the PDEA. But under Double Barrel, a bloodbath would have ensued in that raid, with the three principal suspects likely killed ostensibly after nanlaban or resisting arrest.

*      *      *

The kinder, gentler approach to the drug menace has surely helped BBM in his personal interactions with his foreign counterparts. You can’t imagine Justin Trudeau of Canada, where marijuana is completely legal, comparing sock design with Duterte.

BBM and his officials have said the justice system in the country is functioning so they see no need for the International Criminal Court to push through with a formal investigation of possible crimes against humanity committed in Duterte’s bloody war on drugs. They also see no need for the country to rejoin the ICC.

Still, for the first time since 2015, the Philippines has allowed a special rapporteur of the United Nations to visit the country and freely conduct a study of the rights situation.

Although Mama Fatima

Singhateh is the UN special rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children and her visit has nothing to do with the Philippine campaign against illegal drugs or insurgency, her 10-day visit – which included a meeting with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla – is another plus for Marcos Junior’s government.

Singhateh commended the Philippines for progress in the fight against child sexual exploitation.

The BBM administration’s commitment to this cause will be tested in the sanctions imposed by the U.S. on Marcos supporter and Duterte spiritual adviser Apollo Quiboloy (and about 40 other individuals in nine countries), to mark International Anti-Corruption Day and Human Rights Day.

*      *      *

In a press statement, the U.S. Department of the Treasury declared: “For more than a decade, Apollo Carreon Quiboloy engaged in serious human rights abuse, including a pattern of systemic and pervasive rape of girls as young as 11 years old, as well as other physical abuse.”

It added: “Quiboloy also subjected pastorals and other KOJC members to other forms of physical abuse. Reports indicate Quiboloy personally beat victims and knew where to hit them so there would be no visible bruising.” KOJC refers to Quiboloy’s church, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above

Every Name. That’s a serious indictment of the televangelist, who is on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Most Wanted List for, among others, sex trafficking, fraud and coercion and bulk cash smuggling.

Quiboloy’s lawyers have decried the sanctions as politically motivated and questioned its timing. Between KOJC and Washington, however, you can see which one suffers from a credibility problem.

Is BBM willing to be tainted with sleaze, particularly one involving child rape? On Sunday, December 11, Remulla said the government would gather “verified information” and seek legal advice from the U.S. on Quiboloy’s case.

Shortly after the FBI released his wanted poster, Quiboloy appeared in public with Duterte, whose dislike for the U.S. is no secret.

The Philippines under BBM has improved ties with Washington, but Quiboloy’s Sonshine Media Network International is Marcos’ (and his VP’s) favorite media organization. What if the U.S. formally seeks Quiboloy’s extradition?

Speaking of mass media, journalists are still targeted during the new administration, although this isn’t due to any systematic policy of the national government, but due to entrenched weaknesses in

the criminal justice system that breed impunity.

The murder of broadcaster Percy Lapid stands out for being one of the rare journalist killings perpetrated in Metro Manila, and of course because the accused mastermind is the suspended chief of the Bureau of Corrections – a holdover from the Duterte administration.

But the fact that the bizarre story behind the murder came to light and Gerald Bantag now faces criminal indictment together with his sidekick (now AWOL) plus hired guns and Bilibid inmates, is a plus for the new administration.

BBM now seems more relaxed with media organizations that he avoided during his election campaign. He has also said he would not block a new legislative franchise for ABS-CBN. This is noteworthy particularly because his father had also shut down ABS-CBN (plus all other independent media) when martial law was imposed.

Where there has been no improvement in the human rights department, as far as the Left is concerned, is in the approach to counterinsurgency.

The military continues to report lethal armed encounters with communist rebels. The Left maintains that there are no encounters, and those killed were summarily executed.

In this area, BBM is more like Duterte, supporting the military’s version of events.

BBM’s congressional allies have

absent when the economic managers forged their common position. Committees have a way of bending individual wills and convictions. Now, Medalla is portrayed in a joint press statement of the economic managers as fully supporting the Fund.

As it stands, the MWF is no longer “sovereign” nor about “wealth.” Without the contribution of GSIS and SSS and other excluded sources, it may be too modest for a sovereign fund. As for the word “Maharlika,” it is valid if by this we mean an edifice complex prone to hyperbole and incapable of real achievement. (Inquirer.net)

* * * 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.

* * * doyromero@gmail.com

also approved the P10 billion funding for the National Task Force to End Communist Armed Conflict.

Junior’s VP has also retained the P150-million confidential fund for her education portfolio, which the Left also suspects will be used not just to protect school children from sexual predators and drug pushers but also from “subversive” ideas. But what the VP will do with the funds still remains to be seen.

Overall, in the light of the abuses during the first Marcos presidency, plus Duterte’s record in the past six years, when it comes to human rights, Marcos 2.0 is already a major improvement. (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.

President

MOMAR G. VISAYA Executive Editor

ROGER

JOSEPH PERALTA Vice President & General Manager

California Asian Journal

ManilaTimes.net photo

close scrutiny by state auditors. It is no coincidence that the world’s advanced economies, which rank high in the happiness index that is based on quality of life, also rank high

in surveys on transparency and good governance. Unless the Philippines deals decisively with corruption, it cannot attain that quality of life. (Philstar.com)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Malacañang file photo

Dateline PhiliPPines

‘Halalan 2022’ most searched by Pinoys this year – Google

by Janvic Mateo Philstar.com

MANILA — Election-related topics were the most searched terms among Filipinos on Google this year, with “Halalan 2022” emerging on top of the search engine’s overall trending list in the Philippines.

Google released on Wednesday night, December 7 its Year in Search 2022, a compilation of lists that Filipinos looked up this year.

Aside from “Halalan 2022,” which was generally used to search for election-related information, “precinct finder” was also in third spot in the overall trending list – indicating the high number of Filipinos who used Google to find the Commission on Elections (Comelec) website and verify their election precincts.

Meanwhile, claiming the second spot from fourth last year was “VaxCertPh” or the country’s digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate, which has become a usual requirement for travel and many face-to-face engagements.

Following them in the overall trending list were web-based word game “Wordle,” Korean zombie-apocalypse series “All of Us Are Dead,” “Warriors vs Celtics,” “Ukraine,” Disney film “Encanto,” token-based online game “Axie Infinity” and American serial killer “Jeffrey Dahmer,” who was the subject

of a series released on streaming platform Netflix.

In terms of news-related searches, following “Halalan 2022,” “VaxCertPh,” “precinct finder,” and “Ukraine” were “Monkeypox,” “NATO” –for North Atlantic Treaty Organization, “Gwyneth Chua,” “presidential race update,” “Ethylene Oxide,” and “Bagyong Karding update.”

Most searched male personalities were basketball player celebrity “Ricci Rivero,” American actor “Johnny Depp,” and South American actor “Park Solomon,” while the female personalities list was topped by American actress “Amber Heard,” television host and actress “Kris Aquino” and volleyball player “Deanna Wong.”

The most searched movies list was topped by “Encanto,” followed by “Incantation,” and “Eternals.” Korean series dominated the most searched television shows, with “All of Us Are Dead” on top, followed by “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” and “Business Proposal.”

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Encanto was the most searched song lyrics among Filipinos, followed by “Sun and Moon” and “Mahika.” Following “Wordle” and “Axie Infinity” in the most searched game-related terms was “Arceus X.”

Google also released a list of top searched losses this year, with “Queen Elizabeth II”

followed by actresses “Cherie Gil” and “Susan Roces.”

According to Google, the lists were based on search terms that had the highest spike this year as compared with last year’s.

Globally, “Wordle” emerged as the most searched term, followed by “India vs England” (cricket game), “Ukraine,” “Queen Elizabeth,” “Ind vs SA,” “World Cup,” “India vs West Indies,” “iPhone 14,” “Jeffrey Dahmer” and “Indian Premier League.”

Overseas voter registration resumes

In another development, the Comelec resumed on Friday, December 9 the overseas voter registration that would allow Filipinos abroad to cast their ballots in the May 2025 midterm elections.

“All qualified Filipino citizens, who are not registered overseas voters, may file their applications for registration at any Post abroad, or at designated registration centers outside the Post, or at the designated registration centers in the Philippines,” the ComelecOffice for Overseas Voting (OFOV) said in a public post.

The OFOV said that the overseas voter registration period will run until Sept. 30, 2024.

Qualified overseas registrants are all Filipino citizens who are abroad or will be abroad during the 30-day voting period (from April 13, 2025 to May 12, 2025) and are at least 18 years old on election day. g

WORLD Cup host Qatar is investigating the death of an overseas Filipino worker, an official said Thursday, December 8, after reports he died at a training base during the ongoing football tournament.

The death of a Filipino in his 40s was first reported on Wednesday, December 7 by The Athletic sports website and later confirmed by the Philippines' Foreign Ministry.

The Athletic said the man fell off a ramp while repairing lights at a resort used as a training base by Saudi Arabia's national football team.

The report said he had not been wearing a harness. It did not specify the date of the accident. Saudi Arabia's run at the tournament ended on November 30 with a loss to Mexico.

"The incident is being investigated by the Qatari authorities," a Qatari government

official said on condition of anonymity.

"If the investigation concludes that safety protocols were not followed, the company will be subject to legal action and severe financial penalties."

Manila's Foreign Ministry on Thursday told AFP the man died "while working at a resort in Mesaieed," south of Doha.

Diplomats were "working with legal authorities to ascertain more details", the ministry said in a statement, adding it would facilitate "the earliest repatriation" of his body.

World football's governing body FIFA said it was "deeply saddened by this tragedy".

"As soon as FIFA was made aware of the accident, we contacted the local authorities to request more details," it said in a statement.

Qatar's World Cup organisers, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, said the site

of the accident was not under its jurisdiction.

The man who died -- a contractor -- was also "not under the remit" of the committee, it said in a statement.

Migrant workers make up more than 2.5 million of Qatar's 2.9 million population and labour conditions have been strongly criticised -- particularly in the lead-up to the World Cup.

Last month, Qatari authorities said 414 migrant workers died in labour accidents in the country between 2014-2020.

Under pressure from international unions, Qatar has undertaken labour reforms that have been praised. These include introduction of a minimum wage of 1,000 riyals ($260), and restriction of hours in which workers can go out in extreme heat.

The World Cup began on November 20 and ends on December 18. (Inquirer.net)

To defend press freedom, Hontiveros seeks decriminalization of libel

by Xave GreGorio Philstar.com

MANILA — Sen. Risa Hontiveros has filed a bill seeking the decriminalization of libel as she argued that the country’s libel laws have been used and abused to clamp down on the freedom of the press.

Senate Bill No. 1593, which Hontiveros filed last week, seeks to repeal portions of the Revised Penal Code on libel and the provision on cyber libel in the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

“Our libel laws have been weaponized to stifle very basic fundamental rights. These laws have been used to constantly attack many of our freedoms, but particularly the freedom of the press. We need to decriminalize libel if we are to truly defend press freedom,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

While Hontiveros’ proposal seeks to remove the criminal aspect of libel, it still allows people to institute actions for damages. The opposition senator said cyber libel has been weaponized

to silence journalists, whom she said were only doing their jobs.

“If we don’t correct this, libel will continue to be used to kill our freedom,” she said.

Hontiveros announced that she filed the bill on the day that Baguio-based journalist and Rappler contributor Frank Cimatu was convicted of cyber libel by a Quezon City court over a 2017 Facebook post.

In 2012, the United Nations

Committee on Human Rights declared that the continued criminalization of libel in the Philippines violated the country’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Journalists in the country have long called to decriminalize libel, along with the graver cyber libel offense stipulated in the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. g

Sen. Risa Hontiveros Philstar.com file photo

FILIPINO CITIZENSHIP. Barangay Ginebra resident import Justin Browlee (center) poses with members of the Philippine Senate after the senators approved House Bill No. 6224 granting him Filipino citizenship at the plenary on Monday, Dec. 12. Senator Sonny Angara said Brownlee’s naturalization will provide a big boost to the Philippine basketball team during the sixth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers in February while providing even more excitement to Filipino fans. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

Pinoy actors part of new K-crime/ action/drama series set to air on Disney+

celebrityworld

By Ferdie Villar

“BIG Bet,” an original series from Disney+ that is reportedly set to air this December includes Philippine actors/actresses who will play a variety of roles in the series.

The series is led by veteran South Korean actor Choi Min Sik (Old Boy, Roaring Currents, I Saw The Devil), and marks Choi’s return to television after a couple of decades. Other Korean actors who will be in the series include Lee Dong Hwi (Reply 1988), Kim Joo Ryoung (Squid Game) and Son Suk Ku (My Liberation Notes).

According to PEP.ph, a peek, at the trailer unveiled during the content showcase in Singapore in early December showed a Filipino actor visible in the teaser – Nico Antonio.

In the series, Antonio relayed to PEP.ph that he plays the character of Mark Flores, A CIDG officer who partners with the role portrayed by Son Suk Ku to investigate the killings of Korean citizens in the Philippines.

Also shown in the trailer is Gawad Urian-winning actor, producer, casting/art director Ronnie Lazaro. Other actors in the series are Bembol Roco, Jeffrey Santos, Kiko Matos, Art Acuña, Epy Quizon, Guji Lorenzana, Rose Van Ginkel and Babyerna Liong.

“Big Bet’s” plot revolves around the character of Cha Mu Sik (played by Choi) who becomes a casino mogul in the world of gambling without having enough of a fortune and highprofile connections. Soon after, he begins to face major problems as he gets entangled in a series of unfortunate circumstances.

It was reported earlier this year that the stars “Big Bet” were in the Philippines to shoot scenes for the crime-actiondrama series. The series is set to premiere globally on December 21 on Disney+, Disney= Hotstar and Hulu.

* * *

In sad news, Queen of Kundiman Sylvia La Torre-Perez de Tagle passed away in early December. She was 89 at the time of her death.

According to news relayed by her actress granddaughter, Ana Maria Perez de Tagle

(Hannah Montana, Camp Rock), on Instagam, the singer/ actress/radio star passed away “peacefully in her sleep” surrounded by family members, including husband Celso, and children Artie, Bernie and CheChe.

Sylvia, who was born on June 4, 1933, was the child of film director Olive La Torre and actress Leonora Reyes. She started her singing career at the age of five when she entered a singing competition in Manila.

La Torre was also a vaudeville performer at Manila’s Grand Opera House, debuting in the venue at 9 years old where she became a regular performer on shows like Bayani Casimiro’s “Merry-Go-Round.”

Even as she was already performing, Sylvia took formal studies at the conservatory of the University of Santo Tomas.

La Torre-Perez de Tagle gained a huge reputation in the 1950s due to her recordings of folk songs and kundimans (Filipino love songs written between the late 19th century and mid-20th century). Her recording of Levi CelerioManuel Velez’s “Sa Kabukiran” became her signature song. Other popular Filipino songs that became synonymous with Sylvia were “Waray-Waray,” “Kalesa,” “Mutya ng Pasig” “Katakataka,” Pakiusap,” “No Money No Honey,” “Batangueña,” “Sa Libis ng Nayon” and “Basta’t Mahal Kita.”

Aside from Queen of Kundiman, Sylvia also was known as the “First Lady of Philippine Television,” hosting a noontime television show, ABSCBN’s “Oras ng Ligaya.” That show had its beginnings as a Manila Broadcasting Company radio program, “Tuloy ang Ligaya,” hosted by Lita Gutierrez and Oscar Obligacion and which featured La Torre-Perez de Tagle.

Among the movies that Sylvia made during her career were “Ang Maestra,” “Biro ng Tadhana,” “Buhay Pilipino,” “Ulila ng Bataan,” “Gorio at Tekla,” “Munting Koronel,” “Ang Asawa Kong Amerikana,” “Tangtaran-tang,” “Oh Maggie Oh,” “Jack & Jill” (1987), “Ligaw-

She was also the singing voice of many female stars in their films during the 50s and 60s, the reason why La Torre-Perez de Tagle was very popular with movie producers as she could switch easily from one genre to another.

Sylvia was also a top product endorser during her heyday. She filmed commercials for top brands such as Mr. Clean and Knorr, among others.

* * *

While Sylvia La TorrePerez de Tagle had a long and distinguished career, “Pilipinas Got Talent” champion Jovit Baldivino tragically passed away on Friday, December 9 at the young age of 29 due to aneurysm.

In a Philippine Star article, the family confirmed in a statement that Jovit was comatose for five days after a CT scan showed a blood clot in his brain, a sign of aneurysm.

The singer had been recuperating for a week with hypertension medicines and was advised not to sing in the meantime.

Jovit had been invited by a family friend for an event in Batangas. Per the statement, the family said, “Knowing Bundoy (Jovit), he gave in to [the] clamor of the crowd.”

Baldivino reportedly sang three signature songs, but he was gasping for breath by the third song. His father confirmed to ABS-CBN that Jovit died in the hospital due to stroke complications.

On Wednesday, hundreds of fans, friends, supporters and family members paid their last respects to Baldivino at a funeral mass at the Our Lady of the Most

Introducing Ayva Severy of HBO’s ‘The Garcias’

BY MOMAR G. VISAYA / AJPRESS

MEET Ayva Severy, a Los Angeles-based child actress who can be seen on the HBO Max series called “The Garcias”. Ayva plays the role of Andrea Huh Garcia, the bi-racial, science-loving kid, who is the youngest of the Garcia family.

“The Garcias” is a reboot of the Nickelodeon hit show, The Brothers García, which ran for four seasons from 2000-2003. It was a multi-award-winning series for its non-stereotypical portrayal of a family that just happened to be Latino.

Ayva started her career at the age of five when she booked her first commercial, this was when she realized she wanted to do acting.

As a young performer, Ayva was more than excited to be a part of “The Garcias” family and in this interview, she shared her audition process, including the submission of self-tapes and the Zoom meetings that followed.

She is thankful that the show became a family for her and the rest of the cast. Shooting in Mexico for three months was the cherry on top as she shared it felt more like a vacation than work.

Ayva believes in the importance of diversity on the screen, especially for mixed-race children like her. She hopes that other kids who will get to watch the show will be able to relate to their characters.

“I am a mixed race. My mom is originally from Pampanga, Philippines and my dad is Caucasian (mix of Italian and Northern European). I have one older sibling,” Ayva told the Asian Journal.

Ayva has never been to the Philippines so it is her dream to go someday to meet her mom Rosalyn’s extended family.

“I hope to go in the near future. I would love to meet my extended family and visit the cool places I only get to see on the internet and taste the food. I love, love, love Filipino food!” she exclaimed, adding that her three favorite Filipino foods are arroz caldo, kare-kare & pancit Malabon

In this interview, Ayva shares how she deals with rejection with the help of her mom who

also acts as her manager. Her mom has prepped her enough to go through the process, keep learning and accept the outcome with an open heart and mind.

“The Garcias” picks up 15 years later when the brothers are all grownups and now have children of their own. The new extended García Family travels to the beautiful Riviera Maya in Mexico, a place full of self-discovery, where they will all learn what it really takes to be a “familia.”

How old were you when you realized you wanted to be in the entertainment industry?

I think I really realized I wanted to be an actor after shooting a few commercials.

Shooting the first commercial, everything was so new and I was still getting used to being on set. But, a few shoots later, when I was told to draw, dance, or play, that was when I realized, I was really “working = acting”. This was a real thing! I saw the whole process, from start to end (from auditioning to shooting to seeing it on tv) and I loved every part of it. I told my mommy afterwards, “This is really fun! I wanna do more!”

What triggered that?

I fell into acting actually by accident. I love to talk. I’m always chatting and listening! My mommy’s co-workers kept telling her to get me into acting. One co-worker was getting her daughter’s headshots done, so she told us to get it done too. My mom posted my pic on the three casting websites, and agents reached out to my mommy, and one thing lead to another, and here I am.

How did you get the HBO/”The Garcias” project? What was the audition process like?

Crackerjack Management, my managers, submitted me for “The Garcias” project. The audition process was really fun. First step was a self-tape for the role of Alexa (older sister). Then, at the callback, I auditioned for the part of Alexa and Andrea. The final step was a Callback/Chemistry read and I only read for the part of Andrea. I was teamed up with my set parents (who already booked their roles), Elsha

Ayva Severy Photos courtesy of Ayva Severy Kim and Jeff Licon. I remember getting called back into the zoom room several times and finding a different “Alexa”, as they were trying to cast the “Huh-Garcia” sisters.

The coolest part of this process was being told I got the part of Andrea on zoom with Trinity Bliss (Alexa). They asked us to redo the scene because there was a “tech issue.” I was the only one speaking with Elsha at that time and she was improvising. I was always told by my coach, “always stay in character until they say cut.” So I stayed in character and continued my lines, even though Elsha kept saying, “You wanna be part of the cast, you have to go to Mexico!” My zoom & wifi were glitching, and I was only hearing bits and pieces. When I saw Trinity’s face light up, and then Elsha said, “You are going to Mexico,” that was when it hit me, I got the part!

How would you describe the experience working in the show? Did you face any challenges?

I had an amazing experience and so honored to play the role of Andrea in “The Garcias”. I was so lucky to work in Puerto Aventura, Mexico and it felt more like a vacation than actual work. Yes, I had to work and sometimes the hours were long, but we were working in paradise. The days off, the beach, the whole experience was magical and so fun!  The cast was so amazing too. My set family quickly became a “real” family after just a few days of work. I remember before we started shooting, the “OG” (original cast) and the new adult cast members took us (new generation Garcia kids) out for pizza and dessert. It was great because we got to know our set parents & set tios and tias in a non-work setting. It was so great because when we started working, it felt like we had known each other for a long time. It was also amazing to work with an amazing crew, who were so talented in what they do!

I think if I were to say one (minor) challenge, it would be the occasional quick turnaround with lines. As an actor, you have to memorize a lot. At times, I would get a change of script the night before, or on the spot- the same day. So being flexible and learning memory games that work best for me was important.  How do you deal with rejection at such a young age, especially when you don’t get the role you auditioned for?

First off, I love what I do, so that helps. I love to act and I learned that booking any role, is a process and it’s not easy. My mom taught me that rejection is ok and part of the process. She has always told me, “You are gonna hear “No” a lot, but if you love what you do, you have to be ok with it.”

At a young age, she taught me the saying, “Doors will close, but doors will also open!” I have learned that once I leave the audition room, and as long as if I tried my best, the decisions that are made after the callback or avail, are beyond my control.  What is your dream role?  I love this question. I love comedy. I think my dream role would definitely be a movie with

Filipino actor Nico Antonio is one of many Philippine performers featured in the Disney+ original series “Big Bet,” which premieres on December 21.

Photo from Instagram/@welovetolayts

Pilipinas Got Talent champion Jovit Baldivino passed away at the young age of 29 due to aneurysm.

Photo from Instagram/@ jovitbaldivino

With birthday celebrant Tess Gregorio (2nd from right) are the celebrant’s family members, including Ethan Mouloudj, Techie Gregorio Mouloudj, Shirley Castro and Jojo Gregorio.

Guests at the recent birthday gathering for octogenerian Tess Gregorio (extreme left) were (from left) Leni Dy, Aurora Raduy, Tessie Terafranca and Zeny Herrera.

Singer for All Seasons Tess Gregorio celebrated her 81st birthday with a gathering with family and friends at New Yung Kang Restaurant in Fremont. With the celebrant Tess (4th from right) at the birthday gathering are (from left) Maryjo Montana, Lito Crizaldo, Pat Crizaldo, Dr. Tess Benin, Ethan Mouloudj, Techie Gregorio Mouloudj, Shirley Castro, Dr. Tina Manio and Commissioner Ray Satorre.

Queen of Kundiman and First Lady of Philippine Television Sylvia La Torre-Perez de Tagle passed away peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, December 1. She was 89. Inquirer.net file photo

Like her character in “The Garcias,” Ayva loves learning about science.

Ayva Severy at the premiere of “The Garcias”

Ligawan Kasal-kasalan Bahaybahayan” and “Biyudo si Daddy, Biyuda si Mommy.”

Island Pacific Supermarket earns ‘great place to work’ certification

CITY OF INDUSTRY – Island Pacific Supermarket is proud to be the first Asian Supermarket chain in the United States to be Certified™ by Great Place to Work®. This prestigious award is based entirely on anonymous employee surveys of what current employees say about their experience working at Island Pacific. Great Place to Work® Certification™ is the most definitive “employerof-choice” recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience.

“Great Place to Work Certification™ isn't something that comes easily – it takes ongoing dedication to the employee experience,” said Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global recognition at Great Place to Work. “It’s the only official recognition determined by employees’ real-time reports of their company culture. Earning this

designation means that Island Pacific Supermarket is one of the best companies to work for in the country.”

Research shows that job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace.

Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work, and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the company’s profits, and have a fair chance at promotion.

Maricel Aguilar, Island Pacific's Director of R&D, has worked in several large multinational companies and according to her, “What makes Island Pacific stand apart from the rest is that it’s a company that puts people first! When I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, the company took care of me above and beyond my expectations. Not only did they keep me on the payroll with full pay and benefits for almost a year but after I recovered, they even built me a commercial home kitchen that enabled me

to work from home.”

Island Pacific is grateful to all its staff who have dedicated much of their lives to helping the company achieve its mission. Many of its staff have been with the company for over a decade while some have been there since the company was founded in the Year 2000.

The company’s philosophy has always been that happy employees make for happy customers, which is why Island Pacific has always been known for the exceptional customer service it delivers.

If you want to grow your career at a company that puts its people first; visit Island Pacific's careers page at: https://islandpacificmarket. com/careers/.

[Island Pacific is supermarket chain dedicated to promoting Filipino Food and Culture to the rest of the world. It is headquartered in City of Industry, California and currently has 18 supermarket branches serving communities in California and Las Vegas.] (Yahoo Finance)

Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions from Kapamilya shoppers at Arko Foods in Glendale, CA on Citizen Pinoy

THE holidays are a time to prepare special meals and celebrate with friends and family. Many Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the U.S. prepare holiday dishes that bring them a taste of the Philippines.

For this episode, leading U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel and the Citizen Pinoy team went to Arko Foods International, a grocery store that offers a variety of Filipino products and take-out food. Arko Foods co-owner Susie Chua sits down with Atty. Gurfinkel to share information about the Filipino food and products offered at their busy store. Aside from their groceries, they also prepare (From

YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT IN GLENDALE, PART 1. Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel (in red sweater) answers immigration questions from Kapamilya at the Arko Foods in Glendale, CA in “Your Tanong, My Sagot” Among the questions Atty. Gurfinkel answers are – From Tracy (top left): How does a U.S. citizen petition a parent who once entered the U.S. under an assumed name?; From Lola Nessie (top right): My granddaughter met a green card holder online. When he went home to the Philippines in 2020 to marry her, he got stuck there for over two years due to the pandemic. When he applied for a returning resident visa at the Embassy, he was denied. Can anything be done for him to come back to the U.S.?; From Roel (bottom): My brothers-in-law are just waiting for their interview at the U.S. embassy in Manila, but their petitioner passed away last year. Can they avail of Humanitarian Revalidation? Watch Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” at the Arko Foods in Glendale, California on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, December 18 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)

left) Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel, his wife, Millie Gurfinkel, and Arko Foods International co-owner Susie Chua outside the store located at 1425 E Colorado St, Glendale, CA 91205.

Island Pacific is grateful to all its staff who have dedicated much of their lives to helping the company achieve its mission. Many of its staff have been with the company for over a decade while some have been there since the company was founded in the Year 2000. The company’s philosophy has always been that happy employees make for happy customers, which is why Island Pacific has always been known for the exceptional customer service it delivers.

D3 and the brain

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

STUDIES have shown that the body relies on vitamin D to stave off heart disease, inflammation and even cancer. People with deficient vitamin D in their body are associated with a higher risk of dying prematurely and vice versa. Lack of vitamin D also results in poor cognitive function and increases the risk for dementia.

Recent groundbreaking research led by Dr. Kyla Shea, Ph.D., involving postmortem multi-data analysis of the brains of 290 patient-organ donors revealed (for the first time) that vitamin D is present in the brain tissue and a normal level of it is linked to better cognition and a lower risk for dementia among seniors. High concentration of vitamin D across the brain reduced the risk of dementia up to 33 percent.

How this vitamin acts to help maintain a healthy cognitive function is still unknown. More studies are needed to clarify this issue. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is the form recommended and the dose to attain an optimal level is between 5,000 to 8,000 international units. Those with darker skin and people who rarely get exposed to the sun are the ones who most likely need vitamin D3 supplementation. Consult your physician before going on a medical regimen of any type.

FDA warning on LASIK

LASIK stands for laser in-situ keratomileusis, a very comm procedure for vision correction in people who are farsighted or nearsighted with astigmatism. Each year, about 500,000 people undergo this 15-minute per eye, 25-year-old procedure, which costs thousands, and mostly not covered by insurance.

Last week, the FDA warned people about these possible aftermaths of LASIK procedure: double-vision, ongoing pain, dry eyes, and other complications. Some still need to wear eyeglasses following LASIK. The procedure is safe and common.

This caution will surely affect people’s thinking about LASIK. And eyeglasses today have wonderful pleasing and beautyenhancing designs.

Statins lower stroke

Popular cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, like atorvastatin (Lipitor) or rosuvastatin (Crestor) and others, appear to lower a

person’s chance of having the deadliest form of stroke, the one caused by bleeding in the brain, according to the journal Neurology. The stroke is medically termed intracranial hemorrhage, when an artery leaks and bleeds into the brain tissues.

Strokes are the country’s leading cause of disability and death. Statins, according to the report, are another powerful tool for stroke prevention. A healthy lifestyle, with abstinence from tobacco, a healthy diet, daily exercise, and stress management, reduce the risk for stroke and other cardiovascular and metabolic illnesses.

Statins reduce fatty deposits in the arteries that harden over time and block the arteries and cut off blood supply to vital organs, the brain in this case. Blockages in the heart artery lead to a heart attack. Around the world, people take statin to reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke.

466 died in a day

While COVID-19 seems to be easing up, wisdom dictates that people should still be concerned because as of last Monday, December 12, the 2-week daily averages were still 65,528 cases, 38,331 hospitalized and 468 deaths per day from COVID-19 in the United States alone. In the Philippines, there were 1,115 cases with 24 deaths from COVID-19. Worldwide, 6,658,727 have died as of Monday.

Even those with the 3rd booster (bivalent vaccines) could still be infected with the newer strains. Until there is a universal vaccine against COVID-19, we should consider each new strain to be a “different disease,” in order not to be surprised why those who are already vaccinated still get infected, and why we all should still be careful and get the latest booster. Since there is a tripledemic (Flu, RSV, COVID-19), masking and distancing in public places where there is a crowd is prudent, most especially for those with infants at home because RSV could be deadly for babies.

Pay attention, heed science and shun fake news and naysayers who claim vaccines and masks are useless. Vaccines and masks have saved billions of people around the world, multi-millions in the Philippines and in the United States. This pandemic has clearly proven that beyond any reasonable doubt.

There is still no vaccine for RSV. There is a clinical trial vaccine for

adults. There is a drug to protect premature babies and young children, palivizumab, as a series of monthly shots during the RSV season. There is wisdom, no shame, in being cautious.

Flurona two-punch

The combination of the flu and corona (COVID-19) infection, Flurona, especially this winter, could be significantly hazardous especially for seniors. In a UK study of about 7,000 individuals with COVID-19, 8 percent of them had a second virus, half of those with the flu. Those infected with Flurona were significantly more serious and required ventilation and more likely to die while confined. This is the reason why everyone should have both the COVID-19 booster and the flu shot.

Warning: Beta Carotene Diet and nutrition are vital drivers of diabetes T2 and cardiovascular diseases.

Researchers found that some micronutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, curcumin, and coenzyme Q10 reduced the risk for cardiovascular diseases.

Folic acid reduced the risk for strokes. They also discovered that beta carotene as food items could be beneficial but as drug supplements they are associated with increased cardiovascular risk and mortality and increases the risk for lung cancer. Vitamin C, D, and E and selenium had no effects on the risk for heart attack or stroke, or diabetes, one way or the other.

The American Heart Association recommends diets high in antioxidants (vegetables, fruits, nuts, etc.). Red meat is associated with higher morbidity and mortality, a shorter longevity.

Processed meats are linked to pancreatic, colon, and other cancers. The study, a review of 884 randomized controlled trials on 883,627 persons, was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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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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Sentro Filipino/SFFCC features

You will have varied choices from several artisanal entrepreneurs, including Arkipelago Books, Hara, Barbara Lee Jewelry, Filiflavors, Oodaalolly Chocolates, Pilip & Blu, Malaya Botanicals and Concepcion Resort Wear from Los Angeles.

To make your choices quick and sweet, we’ve rounded up 10 gift ideas for the ones you love this holiday season.

For Mom: Peep toe abaca tie-knot slides, natural shell coasters and a capiz shell trinket dish to hold all her favorite things from Hara’s selection of artisanal homeware handmade by indigenous and female artisans in the Philippines. Add some sparkle to her life with a dazzling pair of Malaya statement earrings from Pili & Blu or a timeless heirloom necklace from Barbara Lee’s Filipiniana collection featuring traditional rosary-style necklaces and pearl jewelry.

For Dad: Bamboo bottle opener, peacock abalone coasters or from Oodaalally and Kasama Rum’s special rum-infused holiday collection of chocolate bars to tie it all together.

For the little ones in your life: Help the brighteyed babes in your life stay warm this Christmas with a children’s puffer jacket covered in butterflies from Shop Concepcion. Add a green and purple sodsod banig mat hand woven by the women of the Tagolwanen tribe in Malaybalay, Bukidnon for their next playtime session and pair it with a banig utility basket to hold all their toys!

some R&R: Have a friend who needs a little self-care this holiday season? Help them relax with Malaya Botanicals’ Relax CBD Gift Set featuring a CBD Massage Candle, bath bomb, roll-on and massage oil.

Add a Oodaalally’s signature dark chocolate bar infused with calamansi for an extra dose of sweetness or Filiflavor’s Something Vegan Box.

For the friend who loves to travel: Give your friend with wanderlust a little taste of home with Filiflavor’s Special Sweet Surprise Box featuring classic and much-loved treats from the Philippines. Pair it with some beachy accessories for their next tropical excursion like a bright Ginhawa Tikog Fan, bohemian abaca tie-knot slides and Marikit Visor from Hara.

For the friend who loves to host: Deck out your dear friend’s next dinner party with a handwoven Inabel brocade table runner and matching set of Solihiya placemats. Pair it with festive Inabel napkins and Anahaw napkin rings for the perfect dining experience.

For the friend who loves to read: Arkipelago Books carries books such as the acclaimed novel “The Son of Good Fortune” by Lysley Tenorio. Does your friend also love to cook? Try “I Am a Filipino... and This Is How We Cook” by Nicole Ponseca & Miguel Trinidad.

For the fashionista: Shop Concepcion’s show stopping green velvet suit, perfect for a night on the town. Pair it with Barbara Lee Jewelry’s classic Gloria earrings to complete the look.

For the friend who needs

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Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com. PAGE 8

plates & food trays that shoppers can bring to potlucks and family gatherings.

Kapamilya shoppers and Arko staff were able to ask their immigration questions during a two-part Q and A with Atty. Gurfinkel.

Lola Nessie’s granddaughter met a green card holder online. When he went home to the Philippines in 2020 to marry her, he got stuck for over two years, due to the pandemic. He applied for a returning resident visa at the Embassy but was denied. Lola Nessie wants to know what her grandson-in-law can do.

Roel’s brothers-in-law were just waiting for their interview at the U.S. embassy in Manila. However, their petitioner passed away. Roel asks if his inlaws can avail of Humanitarian Revalidation.

Tracy wants to find out if a U.S. citizen can petition a

parent who once committed fraud by entering the U.S. under an assumed name. Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions in Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” with Kapamilya from Arko Foods International in Glendale, California. Watch this brand-

Pinoy actors part of new K-crime/action...

Holy Rosary Parish Church in Rosario, Batangas province.

Local government officials in Rosario also conferred a posthumous award on Baldivino, who was described by the people who knew him most as generous. The singer had built the family a large concrete home and had shouldered the education of three

siblings, who have graduated from college.

Fans who are members of the Jovitnatics fan club, said that the singer never changed even as he won the 2010 reality competition, treating them like family. His childhood friends were one in saying that they seldom had to approach Jovit for help as the singer regularly touched base

with them to inquire about their lives and their problems.

In giving the posthumous award, Rosario officials said Baldivino’s exemplary craftsmanship and talent in singing helped put the town of Rosario in the limelight. Officials delivered the plaque of appreciation to Jovit’s family on Monday, December 12.

Introducing Ayva Severy of HBO’s...

Will Ferrel and something to do with holiday fun. I watch Elf all the time, even if it is not the holidays, and I always am super happy watching it. I would love to be part of a movie that makes people laugh!

And, I would absolutely love to be a part of the Star Wars saga. I just love the storylines and the different characters. And the set location: OMG, to be able to work on these amazing sets. It would be such an honor to be part of something so well known.  What inspires you?

My mom inspires me. She always makes sure our family is taken care of, helps me with my acting career, and works so hard. When it comes to acting, we have no experience with the industry - everything is new. My mom never gives up and is always willing to learn. She asks questions, she listens, she researches and researches some more! I cannot forget my family. They are there for me always too.

And, seeing people do good things inspires me. I remember seeing a man pull over on a busy street to give the rain jacket to an unhoused citizen when it was raining. I love that! So, I am inspired to do small good handson things like that.

Every Thanksgiving day, my brother and I give out paper bag lunches for the unhoused citizens. Our first year, we gave out 42 bags. Our second year with the help of the community and friends, we gave out 72 bags. We hope to give out more this year and our goal is to add blankets or other items besides food and include more of our local community.  What memorable lessons have your mom/dad taught you?

I think one of the most important lessons I have learned from my mom is, “Don’t Give Up! Stay strong. Doors will open and doors will close and to just keep at it!” In this business, you hear a lot more “NO” than Yes. So, I

know I have to just do my best. I do add one part to the lessons above: reflection. If I feel like I could have done something differently, then I sit and reflect with my mommy. I think taking that quick “recheck” is important, so I won’t have the same mishap next time. But that’s it - I let it go afterwards. I do not sit and wonder or overthink. I move on to the next opportunity. If I do not get the job, there will be lots of opportunities in the future.

Another lesson I have learned from them is balance. Balancing school, work and fun is key. My mom and I put everything in our calendar and, we try not to wait last minute because things come up. My mom and I communicate a lot about how I am feeling because balancing everything can get hectic. So, I would tell kids who are new and starting in the business, “to work hard - never give up, but also give yourself a chance to take a break too!” I believe in the saying, “Work hard - play hard!”

new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, December 18 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

THE holidays are here and everyone’s on the hunt for the perfect gifts for their loved ones. Make the holidays even sweeter and give a little gift of the homeland by supporting Filipino-made products this Christmas. Come and get them all at the First Filipino Christmas Bazaar at Sentro Filipino/San Francisco Filipino Cultural Center this Sunday, December 18 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 814 Mission Street, San Francisco.

Nye County passes moratorium on renewable energy projects for at least 6 months

by RealtoR Fely Quitevis-Bateman

IN a bid to strike a balance between the desires and needs of the Nye County communities, to which Pahrump belongs to, the Nye County Board of County Commissioners issued a moratorium on all applications for renewable energy generation facilities, which includes solar energy projects.

In recent years, applications for these types of projects have come at a fast clip for Nye County. The county’s planning department, according to a report in the Pahrump Valley Times, requested the county commissioners to pass the resolution “instituting a temporary [six-month] moratorium on the processing of any future applications for permits for renewable energy generation facilities in order for the planning department to conduct discussions and hearings to determine whether amendments or changes to Nye

County Code are necessary in order to protect the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Nye County.”

Both local residents and representatives from solar companies spoke at a recent Nye county commissioners meeting where the item was included in the agenda. Residents spoke in favor of the moratorium, while solar company reps emphasized the need for the county to work with the renewable energy industry to develop standars that everyone could live by.

Part of the resolution passed, reads, “Whereas, the Nye County Planning Department has received a number of inquiries related to the creation and zoning of renewable energy generation facilities, which has resulted in a number of comments and concerns being made by Nye County citizens and members of the general public. And whereas the Nye

County Planning Department is under development pressure with inquiries and issues related to renewable energy generation facilities and… the Nye County Board of County Commissioners have been reviewing the Nye County Code with respect to renewable energy generation facilities and changes may be necessary…

“Whereas, several citizens of Nye County have publicly and privately questioned the provisions of the Nye County Code related to renewable energy generation facilities and the planning director is requesting the… board… pass a resolution instituting a temporary moratorium… to allow time for the planning department to study and research the proper classification, restrictions and requirements for renewable energy generation and other similar activities in Nye County and to propose amendments to the Nye County Code.

“Now therefore be it resolved, the Nye County Board of County Commissioners hereby adopt a temporary moratorium for a period not to exceed six months on the processing of any future applications for permits for renewable energy generation facilities and be it further resolved that said moratorium shall become effective immediately upon its passage…”

With the passage of the resolution, the Nye County Planning Department will work on scheduling public hearings so it can gather relevant information and data that can be used in the event that changes need to be made to the county codes for any renewable energy projects that will be developed in the future in Pahrump and other areas of Nye County.

This is another instance of government taking the reins in protecting the interests of its citizens by carefully looking at projects that are being considered for the future welfare of residents and businesses.

While renewable energy is at the forefront of people’s minds due to climate change, it is vital that the state, county, and city/ town governments also look at the viability of projects, related costs, impact on the environment and local flora and fauna, and other factors that can affect the livability in the area.

Pahrump is a town that has grown by leaps and bounds since its founding in the late 19th

century where large ranch-style holdings typified the area on which cotton and alfalfa were grown, and livestock raised.

It has gone through significant changes, and is one of the fastestgrowing towns in the United States.

Big companies and franchises like The Home Depot, Burger King, Chevron, Coyote Corner, CVS Pharmacy, Domino’s, Davita, Enterprise, Family Dollar, US Bank, Bank of America, Taco Bell and Supercuts have established operations, along with hundreds of businesses that cater to the needs of the diversified, growing population of the town. Of course, Pahrump being in Nevada, there are a few hotel-casinos and legal brothels operating in town.

Pahrump is home to the Mountain Falls Golf Club, which has an 18-hole course codesigned by architectural firms Nicklaus Design Group and Cal Olson Design.

It is also where Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club is situated, which has the longest road course in North America with over 6 miles of challenging racetrack that can be offered in more than 50 unique configurations. The facility is home to car racing schools, and also houses Spring Mountain Estates where luxury trackside homesites are being offered and built.

With affordability the name of the game right now in real estate, Pahrump is one of those

cities and/or towns that keep popping up in due to the lower, affordable real estate prices and its location in Nevada – it is only about 62 miles west of gaming and entertainment hub/emerging sports capital Las Vegas. People who are priced out of the Las Vegas real estate market are looking at areas near the city, and Pahrump is one of those places that offers a quiet, more peaceful alternative to the big city lights and traffic that are ever-present in Sin City.

I have helped many clients look for their piece of real estate heaven in Pahrump and in Las Vegas. I have decades of experience in assisting my clients find their American Dream, property-wise

– one that fits their budgets and needs. Many of my clients have even become repeat buyers and investors, with some now reaping the benefits of their real estate investments via rentals or through Airbnb.

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

(Advertising Supplement)

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

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (lower left) had lunch recently at the Symphony Restaurant in Pahrump with her repeat investors who are from Vallejo, CA.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (center) with her Pahrump investors –Ron Quilang (left), a Fil-Am Las Vegas resident who will be running for U.S. Congress in 2024, and Mico Osotio (right), his business partner – who looked at commercial properties in town. Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (center) with Alka Products CEO Andrew Hoang and his fiancée Jenny Truong in Pahrump.