LAS VEGAS
We’ve got you covered from Hollywood to Broadway... and Online!
MARCH 12-18, 2020 Volume 31 - No. 11 • 16 Pages
T H E F I L I P I N O –A M E R I C A N C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R
2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 201 Las Vegas, NV 89109 Tel: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
USA
DATELINE 6 Filipinos on Grand Princess ship docked in CA infected with coronavirus FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
SIX Filipinos aboard the MV Grand Princess — now docked in Oakland, California — have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Philippine Department of Health confirmed this week. The confirmation, based on a report from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was delivered by Joel Buenaventura on Tuesday, March 10, chief health program officer of the DOH’s Migrant Health Unit during a House of Representatives committee hearing. However, it is not yet clear whether the six infected Filipinos are all crew members or if some of them are passengers. Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Henry Bensurto Jr. previously said there are 529 Filipino crew members and nine Filipino passengers on the luxury cruise ship. In an advisory, the Philippine government is working with the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C., Consulate General in San
u PAGE 3
Virus cases rise to 46 in PH as public health emergency declared by AJPRESS THE number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines has risen to 49, days after President Rodrigo Duterte declared a state of public health emergency in the country. The country’s Department of Health (DOH) confirmed 16 new cases as of Wednesday, March 11.
Ten of the new patients have no history of travel or exposure to someone with COVID-19, while two were exposed to someone with the viral disease. Three more foreigners from Japan, Singapore, and South Korea with histories of travel to the Philippines contracted COVID-19, the department also announced. “We have six confirmed cases of foreign nationals with history of travel to the Philippines,” said
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III at a briefing with the House Committee on Health. According to him, a Japanese who stayed in the country for nine days has been admitted to a medical facility in Japan. A Singaporean was also found to have contracted COVID-19 after staying in the Philippines for three days. A South Korean who has an “extensive” travel history in the coun-
u PAGE 2
Nurses at the Quezon City General Hospital prepare a quarantine tent for coronavirus patients. ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez
Filipinos in US urged 67-year-old woman in to register to vote in Manila is first Filipino next PH elections COVID-19 fatality AHEAD of the 2022 Philippine national and local elections, overseas Filipinos are being reminded to register to vote. Though the deadline to register is over a year away on September 30, 2021, the Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs-Overseas Voting Secretariat (DFA-OVS) are starting their outreach efforts, as registration began in December 2019. Under Republic Act No. 9189, as amended by Republic Act No. 10590, all citizens of the Philippines or dual Filipino American citizens, who are not disqualified by law, at least 18 years of age by May 9, 2022 may register as an overseas voter and vote for president, vice president, senators, and party list representatives in the upcoming 2022 elections. Registration is conducted in person for biometrics capturing at the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate to the voter. Registered voters who wish to change their mailing address, transfer their registration from other
u PAGE 3
MANILA — A COVID-19 patient confined at the Manila Doctors Hospital in Manila has died, the Department of Health confirmed late Wednesday night, March 11. “The Department of Health confirms circulating reports regarding the death of a confirmed COVID-19 patient,” the DOH said, adding that the patient was ID PH35. PH35 was a 67-year-old Filipina with no travel history nor history of exposure to the novel coronavirus. She first reported symptoms on February 29 and tested positive on March 11. PH35 was among the 19 new cases that the DOH announced earlier Wednesday. She is the first Filipino COVID-19 fatality in the Philippines. “DOH is currently gathering and validating more information on the reported death,” the department also said. It said it would provide further details when they are available. It also urged the public to “follow DOH’s official accounts and to only source information on the COVID-19 health situation from official DOH channels.” ■
FIRST LINE. Personnel of Caticlan Airport in Boracay Island await foreign and local tourists who will be given temperature checks upon entering the airport on Wednesday, March 11. Temperature scanning is one of the measures being implemented in various establishments and places as part of efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the country. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
PH Congress OKs bill allowing foreign ownership of public utilities by NEIL
ARWIN MERCADO Inquirer.net
MANILA — The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on third and final reading the bill seeking to allow foreign ownership of public utilities in the country, a move seen as “fatal violation” of the Constitution. With 136 affirmative votes, 43 negative votes, and one absten-
tion, the House of Representatives approved House Bill No. 78, which seeks to amend the Commonwealth Act No. 146 also known as the Public Service Act. Under the 1987 Constitution, ownership, operation, control, and management of public utilities should be given to Filipino citizens or to firms that are at least 60 percent owned by Filipinos.
The proposed law now limits the definition of a public utility to electricity distribution, electricity transmission, and water pipeline distribution or sewerage pipeline system. It also distinguishes “public service,” whose definition under the law is retained, from “public utility.” While the bill was approved, it
u PAGE 5
Duterte urges Fil-Ams to vote for Trump, stays firm on VFA stance ABS-CBN to get temporary permit by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
President Rodrigo Duterte confers with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go during a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Malacañang Palace on Monday, March 9. Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte told Filipino Americans eligible to vote to support U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-election efforts this November. “I’m telling the Filipino now: You’re getting the best deal with Trump,” Duterte said during a press briefing on Monday night, March 9. The Philippine president quipped about “interfering” in the U.S. election process by endorsing his American counterpart, equating it to how several U.S. senators have reportedly meddled in domestic affairs and have criticized the administration’s human rights violations associated with the anti-drug campaign.
“To the Filipinos… bumoto kayo kay Trump (vote for Trump). And they say that I am interfering. Of course, I am interfering. Tell that to the Americans, that Duterte is insisting on interfering,” he added. “Do you know why I’m interfering? Because they did it first. They (accuse us of) extrajudicial killing 70,000 (people).” Earlier in the press briefing, Duterte reiterated his decision to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States after senators filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to compel him to seek Senate concurrence in the treaty’s abrogation. “They cannot compel me. I refuse to be compelled. I have terminated it, tapos ang
u PAGE 3
by DIVINA
NOVA JOY DELA ManilaTimes.net
CRUZ
THE National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) assured Congress on Tuesday, March 10 that it would grant ABS-CBN Corp. a temporary permit to allow the network to continue its operations when its franchise expires in May. NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba gave the assurance during the House Committee on Legislative Franchises hearing on the 11 franchise renewal bills. Cordoba said the NTC would issue a provisional authority for the network. “May I assure this committee that barring a gross violation of its franchise, the NTC will follow the latest advise of the DoJ (Department of Justice) and let
ABS-CBN continue its operations, based on equity,” he told the House panel. “Most likely, your honor, we will follow the latest opinion of the secretary of Justice,” Cordoba responded when asked by Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel if the agency would issue a provisional franchise. Cordoba, however, clarified that the commission might issue the permit after network’s franchise expires on May 4, 2020. “Actually, it would be premature to do that right now because there is an existing provisional authority right now in the existing franchise. The life of the franchise is concurrent with the life of the provisional authority,” he explained. The Justice department earlier
u PAGE 2