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APRIL 7-13, 2022

T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER

Volume 33 - No. 14 • 12 Pages

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Pulse Asia: Marcos keeps lead, but Leni Robredo narrows gap

DATELINE ‘Our Guiding Star’: Cultural gateway installed in LA’s Historic Filipinotown FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

MANILA — Presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has retained a big lead in the latest survey conducted by Pulse Asia ahead of the May 9 elections, but the rating of Vice President Leni Robredo has picked up significantly across all regions and income classes covered by the opinion poll.

THE next time you drive through Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown, there’s a new landmark to see as the long-awaited gateway was installed on Friday, April 1. The eastern entrance of Beverly Boulevard is now home to the Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway, officially named “Talang Gabay: Our Guiding Star.” Standing 30 feet high and spanning 82 feet wide, the gateway features the work of Filipino artists Eliseo Art Silva and Celestino Geronimo, Jr. Blocks from the gateway is Silva’s “Gintong Kasaysayan” mural in Unidad Park. The gateway has design elements that illustrate Filipino culture and its roots in Historic Filipinotown. Among the symbols include the parol (star-shaped lantern associated with Christmastime), the gumamela flower also known as hibiscus, which pays tribute to frontline workers; and the sarimanok (a

Voter preference for Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the late dictator, dropped to 56 percent from 60 percent in the previous Pulse Asia surveys in January and February, while Robredo’s support jumped to 24 percent from 15 percent the month before. Pulse Asia’s Ulat ng Bayan face-to-face survey

by BERNADETTE

STATION OF THE CROSS. A life-size image of Jesus Christ shows the first fall on the 3rd Station of the Cross at the Our Lady of GrottoShrine in Calvary Hill, Bulacan. The Calvary Hill features 14 Stations of the Cross that portray the agony of Jesus Christ and has 127 statues presented in dioramas that took three years to build. PNA photo by Ben Briones

AFTER a momentous win in the U.S. NCAA men’s basketball championship, University of Kansas guard Remy Martin proudly put his Filipino heritage on display in a new Instagram post. The 23-year-old Burbank native helped the Jayhawks come back from a 16-point deficit to defeat the North Carolina Tar Heels and claim their fourth national title on Monday night, April 4. In the post, Martin wrote “This Is Bigger Than Me” in a photo showing off the NCAA trophy as he wore a Philippine flag on his back.

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday, April 7 allayed fears of Filipinos abroad that they will not have enough time to vote amid the reported postponement in the final testing of vote counting machines (VCMs) in some Philippine foreign posts. DFA Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez made the assurance after some Filipinos, especially in New York City in the United States, expressed this concern. Menez admitted that "specifics of the delay" and "how many posts were affected" would have to be checked but said that unlike the voters here who have only one day. those abroad have "1 month so they have opportunities to choose when to vote". "We appreciate their enthusiasm and vigilance, and hope that this will result in higher voter turnout percentages for overseas voting," Meñez said.

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PH remains under minimal COVID risk amid new variant threat by RED

MENDOZA ManilaTimes.net

THE country continues to be under minimal risk for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with the continued decline in the number of cases, according to the Department of Health (DOH). Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergiere said 2,568 cases were reported over the week of March 29 to April 4, equivalent to 366 cases per day, while the national positivity rate slid to 1.8 percent “Ang pagbabang ito ng kaso ay makikita na sa lahat ng island groups sa ating bansa, [at] magandang balita ito dahil nakikita

After NCAA win, Fil-Am basketball player Remy Martin puts Filipino heritage on display by AJPRESS

E. TAMAYO

ManilaTimes.net

‘We’re scared and angry’: Filipinos rise up against Asian hate in NYC

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PH gov’t allays fears of Filipinos abroad over delay in final testing of VCMs

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THE Filipino community of New York and its allies are up in arms against hate as numerous community members continue to be viciously attacked. Different organizations and individuals gathered in a united front with one agenda, to keep the community safe. “This rally marks just the beginning of a united Filipino community,” remarked Rachelle Ocampo, who hosted the program. “This is not the city that I imagined my family to live and work in. I am scared. We are all scared, angry, and honestly fed up with these unprovoked attacks on our community.” “We just all wanted to make sure we were doing something because last year, almost exactly one year ago, this happened to Vilma Kari and the fact that it’s happening over and over again, it’s time that we make sure that our voice is heard,” added Deirdre Levy, one of the event organizers. Levy, along with Fr. Julian Jagudilla, Ocampo, and Steven Raga were

of 2,400 people was conducted between March 17 and 21, when official campaigning was underway. At least two presidential debates, both of which Marcos Jr. skipped, also took place during the period. Marcos Jr. and Robredo were trailed by Manila

He added in another Instagram story post, “Know my story you will understand me better! I represent my culture. And love who love me!” Martin, who transferred to Kansas from Arizona State University, is a three-time All-Pac-12 selection, earning second-team honors as a sophomore and first team his junior and senior seasons. Martin became just the second player in ASU history to be named all-league three times. As a freshman in 2017-18, Martin was named co-Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year. Martin’s father is African-American and his mother is from Pampanga, Philippines.

na mababa na talaga ang ating case rates (Decreases are now registered in all island groups in the country, and this is good news because we are seeing the decline in our case rates),” Vergeire said during the department’s media briefing on Tuesday, April 5. An expert also said that there is no huge risk if the so-called recombinant Omicron XE variant surfaces even with increased growth over the parent variant. Thailand recently reported a case of the XE variant, which contains both the BA.1 and the BA.2 sublineages of the Omicron in a single strain.

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President Rodrigo Duterte

Philstar.com file photo

Duterte says PH has no quarrel with China by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — Despite the longstanding maritime row in the West Philippine Sea, President Rodrigo Duterte maintained that there is no quarrel between the Philippines and China and that the two countries can discuss issues related to the dispute, including the fishing rights of Filipinos. Speaking during the Filipino American Remy Martin helped the University of Kansas inauguration of the Binondobridge Tuesday, mount the biggest comeback in the history of the U.S. collegiate Intramuros basketball national championship game to defeat North Carolina, April 5, Duterte called China 72-69, on Monday, April 4. a “partner” in enhancing the  PAGE 4 Photo courtesy of Instagram/@remymartin1fk Philippines’ infrastructure.

He then told Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian that Manila and Beijing “do not have any quarrel.” “I also thank and with gratitude the People’s Republic of China for the confidence and for being a partner in enhancing key infrastructure projects in our country,” the president said. “Ambassador Huang, the Philippines and China we do not have any quarrel. And we can talk about the Spratly Islands and probably the fishing rights of my countrymen — plain talk,

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From The FronT Page

Pulse Asia: Marcos keeps...

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Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (8 percent), Sen. Manny Pacquiao (6 percent) and Sen. Panfilo Lacson (2 percent). Other presidential candidates included in the poll were Faisal Mangondato (1 percent), former presidential spokesperson Ernie Abella (0.1 percent), cardiologist Jose Montemayor Jr. (0.05 percent), labor leader Leody de Guzman (0.02 percent), and Norberto Gonzales who got zero vote. Marcos Jr.’s running mate, Sara Duterte, daughter of President Duterte, remained the top choice for vice president with 56-percent support, while Senate President Vicente Sotto III was second with 20 percent. Between February and March, the rating of Marcos Jr. went down in all areas and socioeconomic classes, with the highest decrease recorded in Mindanao (to 62 percent from 68 percent) and among Class E respondents (to 52 percent from 58 percent). On the other hand, the 24 percent that Robredo got is the highest she registered in any preelection survey from Pulse Asia. The Vice President’s previous high was 20 percent in the Dec. 1-6, 2021, survey. Her numbers then went down to 16 percent during the Jan. 19-24 poll, and to 15 percent during the Feb. 18-23 survey. Her voting preference in the latest survey went up to 30 percent from 16 percent in Luzon outside of Metro Manila; to 28 percent from 19 percent in Visayas; to 14 percent from 5 percent in Mindanao; to 30 percent from 17 percent among Class C; to 24 percent from 14 percent among Class D, and to 22 percent from 13 percent among Class E. Among socioeconomic classes, only Classes C, D and E were represented in the latest survey. The exclusion of highincome Classes A and B has no impact on the results because the proportion of the group at less than 1 percent was small, according to Pulse Asia’s Ana Maria Tabunda. “Also they live in gated subdivisions which do not allow interviewers access. They are also more likely to refuse to be

interviewed,” she said in a text message. Based on Pulse Asia’s socioeconomic demographic estimates, Class ABC represents only 8 percent. Class D makes up the majority at 78 percent while 14 percent belong to Class E. (See survey results for senatorial candidates.) Barry Gutierrez, Robredo’s spokesperson, said the Vice President’s 9-point surge in the latest survey reflected the mounting support for her presidential candidacy. “What we are seeing now is the turning of the tide,” Gutierrez said in a statement. He pointed out that the survey results actually showed Robredo scoring a 13-point swing as Marcos Jr.’s rating went down by 4 percentage points. “The survey numbers are starting to reflect what we have been seeing on the ground all along: The massive crowds, the fierce passion, the untiring commitment of Filipinos from all walks of life, coming together to rally behind Leni Robredo’s bid for the presidency,” he said. Gutierrez said it also showed that Robredo was now enjoying a “momentum” that would “only further intensify and accelerate” in the run-up to the May 9 general elections. “With the help of our countrymen who are continuing to do the work, knocking on the doors, talking to voters, we will win this,” he added. 70-percent target While acknowledging Marcos Jr.’s continuing lead, the survey front-runner’s spokesperson, lawyer Vic Rodriguez, cautioned against complacency among supporters and campaigners with just a month before the May 9 polls. “We entreat our supporters, volunteers and campaigners to refrain from complacency and remain (focused) in achieving our common target of 70-percent presidential preference mark,” Rodriguez said in a statement on Wednesday. “We shall not rest until the 70-percent preference survey polls position is attained, until every vote is counted and the aspirations of the Filipino people become a reality,” Rodriguez said.

Reacting to the latest survey, political scientist Aries Arugay of the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Department of Political Science said on Wednesday that Robredo’s crowd-drawing pink rallies and house-to-house campaigns “are now being translated into voter preferences.” Final stretch However, Arugay said Robredo would now have to double down on these efforts as the campaign season hits the final stretch. Among others, he said, the Vice President needed to consider deploying as much as 100,000 campaign volunteers—10 times more than the number of volunteers who joined her grand house-tohouse last April 2—nationwide. “(The fight) needs to be at the barangay level,” Arugay said, noting that studies from other countries have shown that house-to-house campaigns were the most effective. This also means that presidential candidates Domagoso and Lacson must continue “chipping away at Marcos’ lead” and not withdraw from the race, he added. “At this point in time, given the numbers, withdrawal is not sound,” Arugay pointed out. “You’re not sure whether their base is the same as Robredo’s. You might end up bumping up Marcos’ base instead.” He said he expected future surveys would reveal a bigger bump in Robredo’s numbers, especially since the March 1721 survey has yet to capture the P203-billion estate tax issue against the Marcoses as well as the intensifying fieldwork by the Robredo campaign team. On the estate tax issue, Arugay said Robredo, Domagoso, and Lacson all stood to gain from it, but even more importantly, it was crucial that Domagoso, and not Robredo, was the one who raised the issue. “This is still, after all, negative campaigning,” Arugay noted. “It’s important that it did not come from her because Filipino culture still tends to look down on those who do this.” (Inquirer Research, Jeannette I. Andrade, Krixia Subingsubing, Marlon Ramos/Inquirer.net)

WET MORNING COMMUTE. Commuters, armed with umbrellas to keep them dry, brave the rain while waiting for a ride along the stretch of Commonwealth Avenue amid the usual morning traffic on Tuesday, April 5. It is going to be rainy for most parts of the country due to the low-pressure area, the intertropical convergence zone, and the northeasterly surface wind flow, the weather bureau said. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

PH gov’t allays fears of Filipinos abroad... PAGE 1

Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega on April 2 led an online information session on the conduct of overseas voting (OV) at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul. Dizon-De Vega also reaffirmed

the "neutrality" of embassy officials and staff "for a clean, safe, peaceful, transparent, fair, and secure national elections," the DFA said. The Philippine Embassy in Bangkok OV team, led by Special Board of Election Inspectors Chairman and Consul General Michael Lyndon Garcia, performed

the final testing and sealing of the VCM on April 1. Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Millicent Cruz Paredes, Commission on Elections Commissioner Marlon Casquejo, and the rest of the members of the OV team were also present during the diagnostics procedure. g

PAGE 1 According to DOH Technical Advisory Group member Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana, recombinant variants happen when two sublineages infect a person at the same time, which enables them to combine into a single virus. Aside from XE, there were

also XD and XF Omicron recombinants, but these contain certain sublineages of the highlyinfectious Delta variant aside from Omicron. “We don’t really expect na mas mataas ang breakthrough infection ng (that there is a high chance of breakthrough infection on) any of these recombinants

[than] their parent lineages,” Salvana said. While XE may have a 10 percent growth advantage and could be a cause for concern, Salvana thinks that the variant would not be more severe and dodges vaccines compared with the original Ba.1 and Ba.2 sublineages of Omicron. g

PAGE 1 nothing else,” he added. The Chinese envoy was seen noding and applauding after Duterte made the remark. China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, the area within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, and Taiwan also have overlapping claims in the area,

where more than $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes through every year. The presence of Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea has affected the livelihood of Filipino fishermen, according to earlier reports. During a speech delivered before the United Nations General Assembly two years ago, Duterte said the Philippines would reject efforts to undermine

PH remains under minimal COVID...

Duterte says PH has no quarrel with...

the 2016 arbitral ruling, which also affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone. In a public address delivered in May last year, the president called the Hague ruling a “piece of paper” that could be thrown in the waste basket. Officials have clarified that the president was talking about China’s perspective when he made the remark. g

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Dateline USa

Noel Quintana, (right) one of the first anti-Asian hate survivors last year, listens to speakers at the Filipinos Rise Up rally in downtown Manhattan last week. He recalled what happened on February 3, 2021 when a man slashed his face with a box knife aboard the L train from Brooklyn. He is calling for more police visibility not just in areas where most tourists visit and he is asking victims of crimes to speak out. “Our silence is interpreted as ‘it’s okay for us Asians to be violated’,” he said. AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya

‘We’re scared and angry’: Filipinos rise up... PAGE 1

discussing the recent spate of attacks particularly the case of the 67-year-old elderly Filipina in Yonkers who was assaulted and struck more than 125 times as she was entering her apartment building in Westchester County. In less than two weeks, they organized a network and decided to stage the rally in Foley Square. They worked with community organizations such as Damayan, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, Little Manila in Queens, NAFCON, among others. “I don’t feel safe. This is the first time in my 16 years that I haven’t felt safe in New York City,” said Kalayaan Mendoza, who works with Nonviolent Peace Force. “I do this for a living, and this is what I do in my spare time and if I feel completely unsafe, I can’t imagine what others, especially our elders are experiencing right now.” The last reported attacks before the rally were that of two Filipino men in unprovoked attacks that happened in broad daylight. The first one is a 73-year-old man who was attacked on the corner of Eighth Avenue and 40th Street while he was on his way to church while the second one, a 53-year-old man was just buying his breakfast at the McDonald’s on Seventh Avenue near 34th Street when he was assaulted from behind. Like the Yonkers attack, everything was caught on CCTV

cameras, and to catch the perpetrators, the police released the videos. “It’s infuriating. It also disgusts me to see the complacency in New Yorkers when that happens. New Yorkers, I know that we’re not nice, but we are kind. And I think every New Yorker has it in them to be an upstander when violence happens,” Mendoza added. Noel Quintana was one of the high-profile cases of anti-Asian hate last year when he was attacked and slashed in the face while riding the subway. He has been active in sharing his story in rallies across the city. He called on other victims of crimes in the city or anywhere in the US to speak out and complain. “We want to hear your stories too. It is not your fault to be a victim of crime,” Quintana said. “Be active in gatherings like this because there is force in number. For the elderly, have a whistle or pepper spray with you and if possible, always have somebody with you. Fr. Julian Jagudilla started a Facebook page called Filipino American Network Against Asian Hate upon hearing about the Yonkers case. He said some of the victims he has personally met do not want to divulge their names because they are afraid their relatives in the Philippines would find out or that they are undocumented and are worried about their immigration situation. “Nakakagalit kasi kababayan

natin inatake, for what? Random acts of violence? So what is the city’s response? Our response is very concrete that we have to unite and speak as one community,” he said. Like Fr. Jagudilla, Jo-Ann Yoo is also asking for a concrete response from city officials. Yoo is the executive director of Asian American Federation, an organization that has been at the forefront of fighting against Asian hate which dramatically increased at the start of the pandemic in 2020. “I want to know where is the help that our community needs? Where is it and when is it coming? Why haven’t our elected leaders reached out to us to say, ‘we know what is happening, we hear you, we see you because we watch those tapes too.’ They need to show up for us because we can do this by ourselves,” she said. Yoo also mentioned the Yonkers case, saying that the Filipina attacked there who was seven years older than she could have been someone’s sister or mother. “Somebody told me ‘Don’t watch it’ and it took me days to not watch it. I don’t even know what to say and every political person is trying to use that to score political points, you can score points after you help us and you take care of us,” Yoo said. “This is horrible. How many times do we have to come out here and demand recognition and visibility.” PAGE 4

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Filipino WWII veterans leader Celestino Almeda dies at 104

CELESTINO Gonzales Almeda, a prominent leader of the Filipino World War II veterans’ fight for U.S. government recognition, died at 104 on March 27 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Almeda, born on June 8, 1917 in Biñan, Laguna, Philippines, fought against the Japanese during their occupation of the Philippines in 1941. He retired as a 2nd Lieutenant in the recognized guerrilla forces of the U.S. Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) commanded by General Douglas MacArthur. Retired Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project, wrote of Almeda: “He is the embodiment of Patriotism and Duty to County. He survived the battles in WWII. He and his fellow veterans want to be remembered simply for the honor and privilege to serve for their Duty to Country.” Almeda survived the horrific battles in World War II as one of the 260,000 Filipinos and Americans who fought under the American flag from Dec

1941 to September 1945. He survived the war, but later experienced formidable challenges in pursuit of U.S. and benefits promised him and to thousands of his fellow soldiers. He was determined to fight for their benefits, but he did not realize how long this fight would last. In February 1946, the U.S. Congress passed the Recission Acts, which denied the active duty status and revoked the U.S. nationality status of 200,000 Filipino WWII soldiers. Promised compensation were revoked and not made available for their wartime service. Almeda helped organize a national action organization comprised of WWII veterans, civic leaders, community supporters to call attention to the injustice and inequality the Veterans suffered at the end of WWII. Almeda and his brothers in arms never wavered in their faith, hope, and trust in the United States. They confronted and appealed to Congress in pursuit of their case for equity.

They were undeterred despite being denied repeatedly by members of Congress, senior leaders at the Dept of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Army and relentless in presenting their case to audiences at civic events across the country. A story of patriotism and duty to country Celestino Almeda lived with his family in Gaithersburg, Maryland and is survived by his daughter, Evelyn Campbell, and his sons, Roberto and Reynaldo, grandchildren and great grandchildren. His favorite quote was from General Douglas MacArthur: “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.” In lieu of flowers, his family requests that contributions be made to the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project. https://filvetrep.org/ donate/ A Graveside Service was to take place on Thursday, April 7, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Quantico National Cemetery, 18424 Joplin Rd, Triangle, Virginia 22172. g

‘We’re scared and angry’: Filipinos rise up... PAGE 3

Rising Together The greater Asian American community has rallied support for the Yonkers survivor with an official GoFundMe fundraising campaign that has raised almost $50,000 through more than 1,000 donations as of Wednesday, April 6. The woman’s name was withheld by the organizers of the fundraiser to protect her and her family’s privacy. They posted a letter from the children of the woman who was assaulted in front of her own home. “In this despicable, unprovoked attack, she suffered serious head trauma and internal injuries. She is currently stable and out of the hospital, but has extensive injuries that requires constant outpatient care,” her family said. “It’s a miracle that she’ll be able to make a full recovery, but it will be a long journey and we don’t know when she’ll be able to go back to work.” “We want to protect our mother any way we can, so we ask to stay anonymous so that

she can focus on her recovery without being bombarded by the media or having more fears for her safety,” the family added. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love for our mom and any support you’re willing to contribute to her medical bills, rehabilitation, and mental health services, and move to a new home.” “What we have here tonight is an outpouring of anger and heartbreak,” said Lara Gregory, founder of Filipino Americans for Racial Action. Gregory believes that the rally is an opportunity to reframe the “Filipino culture of hiya (shame) or not wanting to rock the boat” because it stops people from reporting the attacks to the proper authorities. “We need to recalibrate that, a misplaced value of hiya is not what we need right now. We need to celebrate the strength to survive of these hate crime survivors,” she said. “To the 67-year-old lady in Yonkers. I want you to know that we have the self-defense class because

of you and your strength to survive.” Community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis described the spate of attacks as atrocious and alarming. “We have to stand up and say ‘Enough already. Tama na!’ It’s getting worse,” Lewis said. “Those who are mentally ill or for whatever reason, are now giving their hatred towards us just because our eyes are different, we speak with an accent or even just the color of our skin.” Lewis, who is the first Filipina accepted to the New York State Bar in 1975, believes that the law about hate crimes has to be changed. The law says that unless the attacker says Asian slurs, it’s just an assault. She called on kababayans to stand up and protect themselves. “We are getting a little bit braver,” Lewis said, adding that the rally is a good start. “We have to stand up and get alarmed. Get some things to protect yourself and learn karate if necessary. Be careful because Asian hate is real.” (Momar G. Visaya/AJPress)

The Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway, known as “Talang Gabay: Our Guiding Star,” was officially installed on Friday, April 1. Designed by Filipino artist Eliseo Art Silva with Celestino Geronimo, Jr, it features design elements, such as the parol; the Gumamela flower also known as hibiscus, which pays tribute to frontline workers; and the Sarimanok – all symbols with deep roots in Filipino culture. Photo courtesy of the Office of Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell

‘Our Guiding Star’: Cultural gateway installed... PAGE 1 legendary bird in Maranao art that symbolizes good fortune). The construction has a price tag of $587,000, according to a previous report from the Asian Journal. “This project has been a labor of love by so many people in Historic Filipinotown. This beautiful, historic landmark will be a source of pride for the Filipino community, and will rightfully celebrate this vibrant neighborhood and the incredible contributions Filipino Americans make to the City of Los Angeles,” Councilmember O’Farrell, who represents HiFi, said last February. In 2018, through a Council motion, O’Farrell committed an initial $152,000 for the Eastern Gateway Project and then identified additional

funding for the completion of the landmark. With full funding finally secured, the community and local organizations helped guide the process which led to design renderings that were released in June 2020. Construction began in March 2021. “The key to building and enhancing the beautiful neighborhood we all know as Historic Filipinotown has always been community. The community has long advocated for more visibility and was committed to bringing the Eastern Gateway to life,” said LA Board of Public Works Commissioner Jessica Caloza, who played a leading role in the project. A public community event highlighting the gateway is scheduled for May 7 in time

for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. “Our community finally had a ‘win’ in 2002, when the City Council, under the leadership of then-Councilmember Eric Garcetti, officially designated a 2.5 square mile area just west of downtown Los Angeles as Historic Filipinotown,” said Joselyn Geaga-Rosenthal, community leader and Building and Safety Commissioner with the City of Los Angeles. “20 years later, we have another win: a majestic Eastern Gateway to Historic Filipinotown will rise on Beverly Boulevard! This was hard won - the result of 40 years of community advocacy getting key champions along the way, including this chapter today, from the City of Los Angeles and Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell.” g

After NCAA win, Fil-Am basketball player... PAGE 1

be interested in playing for the The basketball player holds dual PH national team. citizenship with the Philippines With Monday’s win, the and the United States, and has 23-year-old became the third previously shared that he would player of Filipino descent to

win the national college championship, following the footsteps of Virginia’s Kihei Clark in 2019 and Raymond Townsend in 1975 with the UCLA Bruins. g

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Pacquiao vows to probe drug war deaths ‘Shift of support to Robredo not political turncoatism’ by Franco Jose

c. Baroña

ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENTIAL candidate Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao vowed to launch an investigation into the hundreds of killings during the Duterte administration's relentless war on drugs. The Promdi standard-bearer said he will continue the antidrug campaign but will focus on "killing drug suppliers." "Iimbestigahan natin ang sinasabing EJKs (extrajudicial killings). Iimbestigahan natin ng mabuti. Hindi tayo bastabasta magbibigay ng conclusion (We will investigate the alleged EJKs. We will investigate carefully. We will not rush into

a conclusion)," Pacquiao said during the second round of presidential debates on Sunday organized by the Commission on Elections. He said he will not spare members of the police from punishment who violate human rights while conducting the drug war. "But let us also remember that we cannot stop this war on drugs because the number of illegal drugs being caught in the country is increasing," he said. He noted the recent string of seizures of large volumes of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu is a sign that drug suppliers are aware that President Rodrigo Duterte

is about to end his term. Another presidential aspirant, Dr. Jose "Joey" Montemayor Jr., said there is no need for an investigation to affirm that EJKs have been committed by the government because the killings have been happening since the time of the late president Ferdinand Marcos. Montemayor said police officers will willingly admit to committing the killing once President Duterte steps down. He said "so many families are crying because their relatives were killed. May due process pa ngayon? Wala na (Is there still due process? None.) The government is committing human rights violations right and left," he said. g

will continue to work towards smooth transition and leave public office with stronger foundations in place for inclusive sustainable economic growth,” he added. Medialdea admitted that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the Philippines’ path to upper middle-income status but expressed optimism that the disruption is only temporary. He said the country was able to withstand the test to its fiscal stability largely due to the reforms implemented by the administration long before the health crisis. The executive secretary cited President Duterte’s zero to 10-point socio-economic agenda that he said has increased the net take-home pay of workers, lowered the taxes of corporations, rationalized the fiscal incentives system, increased the Philippines’ competitiveness, promoted financial inclusion and digitalization and improved the ease of doing business in the country. Medialdea also thanked the government’s partners in the business, youth, civil society groups, as well as the international community, which have consistently supported Duterte’s socio-economic reform agenda.

Rising prices In a statement, acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said the administration remains focused on mitigating the impact of the rising prices of goods on ordinary people. “Our economic managers continue to keep a tight watch over inflation as it hits four percent in March 2022. They attribute this upward trend in transport, gas, other fuels among others,” Andanar said. “Having said this, we will not relax in our efforts and will work twice as hard to address the national issue of higher prices,” he added. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said President Duterte’s “game-changing” reforms allowed him to “masterfully” steer the Philippine economy amid the pandemic. He claimed that under Duterte, the Philippines “made the decisive shift from an inward-looking economy to one ready to compete with the rest of the world.” “We have sailed through fine and rough weather. But President Duterte has proven to be a strong and steady captain of the ship. The waves may be high, but the ship of state has been masterfully steered,” Dominguez said during the Philippine Economic Briefing. g

MANILA — Groups shifting support to presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo is not a form of political turncoatism, her spokesman said on Tuesday, April 5. Lawyer Barry Gutierrez made the statement after groups supporting the presidential bid of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno shifted to Robredo. “We have to make a distinction between turncoatism in terms of a politician shifting political parties … and a shift in a volunteer group deciding to support a different presidential candidate. So, I don’t think you can equate the two here,”

Gutierrez told ANC. He said the decision of several groups who used to support different presidential candidates to throw their support behind the Vice President is “proof” that her campaign is gaining momentum. “The recent declarations of support for the VP have been freely given and they were accepted in the same spirit,” Gutierrez said. “And we believe, they will soon be reflected in the numbers both in terms of surveys and in votes on May 9,” he added. Last Monday, April 4, the Visayas chapter of Ikaw Muna

(IM) Pilipinas announced its shift of support to the presidential bid of Robredo. During the second presidential debate hosted by the Commission on Elections last Sunday, April 3, Robredo said turncoatism for political convenience weakens the political party system in the country. She reiterated her push for the passage of legislation that would prevent politicians from jumping from one party to another for the sake of political convenience. Despite the rains, Robredo and her running mate Sen. Francis Pangilinan wooed voters in Rizal. (Philstar.com)

Starfleet Innotech shows strong ‘Stronger foundation of economic growth’ 2021 performance, $25M in revenues in first annual report by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — The Duterte administration is leaving behind stronger foundations for inclusive economic growth, Malacañang said on Tuesday, April 5, as it vowed to continue creating a market-friendly environment in its last few months in office. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said the administration has implemented “game changing reforms” in its relentless pursuit of economic growth that is “not only measured by statistics but can be seen, touched and felt by the Filipino people.” He said reforms have benefited Filipinos and set the foundation for more resilient and sustainable growth and broadly shared prosperity. “Through our joint efforts, we will continue to build a market friendly policy environment that reflects the shared vision and aspiration of the business, youth and civil society sector. While many challenges remain, I am confident that we have shaped a better future for our economy and our people,” Medialdea said during the Philippine Economic Briefing at the Philippine International Convention Center. “The Duterte administration

“JUST as our acquisition efforts have turned our F&B division into a cost-effective, efficient growth engine for SFIO, we continue to invest in acquiring and incubating businesses to empower our conglomerate,” SFIO said in its first annual report that was released recently. Starfleet Innotech, Inc. (OTC Pink: SFIO) (“SFIO” or “The “Company”) announced details around the release of the report. SFIO is a global investment holding company focused on innovation through disruptive collaborations across three key industries: Food and Beverage, Real Estate, and Technology. On Wednesday, March 30, the company filed its Annual Report. By year-end, as of December 31, 2021, SFIO closed with a total consolidated revenue of $25.11 million. The company ended this period with corporate cash of approximately $2.36 million. Gross profits reached $13.99 million, led by the Food and Beverage division, which, along with its branch operations, accounted for 40% of total revenue. These did not include the revenues generated by franchised sites. Strategic partnerships and acquisitions across the supply chain led to new revenues and greater efficiencies, showing a net margin of 23%. By end of year, the company exhibited net income before taxes amounting to $5.87 million. Through these strategic partnerships, joint

ventures, and acquisitions, SFIO grew its assets substantially in 2021, all while keeping liabilities to a minimum. “We ended 2021 with a strong showing, highlighting the sound strategy behind our ecosystem-building initiatives,” said SFIO CEO Jeths Lacson. “Just as our acquisition efforts have turned our F&B division into a cost-effective, efficient growth engine for SFIO, we are investing further in acquiring and incubating more businesses to empower our conglomerate.” “While we continue to be opportunistic around growth, we have taken a mindful, strategic approach to these opportunities. To accomplish this, we’ve invested in onboarding top global talents onto our management team,” Lacson said. “This highly-aligned, empowered roster of leaders bring decades of experience across F&B, Real Estate, and Technology to help guide our mission of forging the futures of these industries.” SFIO was to conduct its very first webinar on Tuesday, April 5, where Starfleet Innotech’s leadership team presented the latest updates and answer questions from the community. Details on how to participate in this webinar was shared through SFIO’s online channels. As part of SFIO’s initiatives to maximize shareholder value, the company is working on restructuring shares and acquisitions which will be announced soon. (Advertising Supplement)

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Fighting fake news THE task force against fake news that an official of the Commission on Elections is proposing will not cover disinformation being spread against candidates in the May elections. Instead, the Comelec intends to focus on fake news related to the conduct of the elections, according to the proponent of the task force, Commissioner George Garcia. In particular, Garcia cited stories spreading on social media that the May 9 elections are virtually over since the ballots have been filled out and just waiting to be tallied. Garcia said the Comelec must “fight back” to protect the integrity of the electoral process. Exactly how the Comelec intends to fight back remains unclear. It can take some tips from victims of trolling and other forms of online smear campaigns, which have intensified in this election season. Social media platforms have cooperated in global efforts to cleanse their sites of trolls, fake news and black propaganda, taking down multiple accounts for coordinated inauthentic behavior or CIB, brigading and mass reporting. Meta, formerly known as Facebook, describes CIB as a “coordinated campaign that seeks to manipulate public debate across our apps.” Brigading is carried out by “adversarial networks” wherein “people work together to mass comment, mass post or engage in other types of repetitive

mass behaviors to harass others or silence them.” “Mass reporting” refers to adversarial networks wherein people work together “to massreport an account or content to get it incorrectly taken down from (Meta’s) platform” – a tactic used, for example, against legitimate dissent in repressive regimes. Meta owns Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instragram and WhatsApp. The Comelec, if it is serious in its intent to go after purveyors of disinformation, can work with Meta as well as Google and other social media platforms. Beyond coordination, the Comelec must conduct a more aggressive campaign to encourage the public to get their information from reliable news sources. News reporting requires years of training and specialized skills, and there are ethics that govern responsible journalism. There are no such masquerading as news. rules on social media, where anonymity protects At the same time, the Comelec must draw up those who spread lies and black propaganda penalties for established attempts to undermine the integrity of the electoral process through fake

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS LENI ROBREDO is my President. She is NOT the lesser of two evils. She is NOT capitalizing on the gender vote as a woman. She is NOT capitalizing on the sympathy vote being a widow herself like Cory Aquino. Leni Robredo is the BEST candidate the Philippines needs during this very important chapter in our nation’s history. And it seems, all the different chapters of her life story have prepared her for this biggest calling of her life. Maria Leonor “Leni” Santo Tomas Gerona Robredo was not born to a rich family, nor was she a part of any political dynasties. She did not even dream of becoming a vice president nor a president. But she knew she always wanted to be a lawyer like her father. Leni was born in Naga, Camarines Sur, the eldest of three children of the late Naga City Regional Trial Court Judge Antonio Gerona Sr. and Salvacion Santo Tomas, an English professor at the Universidad de Santa Isabel in Naga. Leni's parents raised their children in a modest family, instilling in them the values of faith, hard work, integrity and the commitment to be true public servants through their own life examples of fighting for justice and education. These are the core values that made Leni aspire to follow in her father’s footsteps. Leni completed her elementary and secondary education in the same school where her late mother was a teacher. She

‘Bakit si Leni Robredo for president?’: Proven integrity, transparency, accountability and the heart of a true public servant went to the University of the Philippines in Diliman, stayed in a university dormitory living a simple and frugal life she was used to and studied diligently to obtain her bachelor’s degree in economics in 1986. While she promised her father that she would be a lawyer like him someday, she decided to work first to save money and help pay for her law education. She worked as a researcher for the Bicol River Basin Development program, a government agency responsible for integrated area development planning in the three provinces of the Bicol Region. Serendipitously, it was through this temporary pre-law school job that she met thenprogram director Jesse Robredo, who was smitten by Robredo’s beauty, grace, intelligence and personality. As Leni shared on video, it was a whirlwind romance that lead to marriage in 1987. Her parents, especially her father, were initially against it, but gave his blessings when Jesse made a sacred promise that he will help Leni graduate from law school and become a lawyer as she promised her parents. Leni attended law school at the University of Nueva Caceres while she was already a wife to Jesse who by then already started serving Naga as Mayor since 1988. In her video, Leni said she had to juggle her time being a student, a wife, a mother while in law school. She also had to work part-time to help pay for

her tuition because the meager salary of mayor won’t be able to pay for all the expenses of their growing family. And so with blood, sweat and tears, and the grace of God, Leni graduated in 1992. The growing responsibilities of being a mayor’s wife, mother, part-time worker and reviewing for the bar exam did not daunt her. She remained steadfast in fulfilling her promise to her father and to herself that she would be a lawyer and fulfill her God-given destiny no matter how hard it would take. In 1997, Leni Gerona Robredo passed the bar exam on her second attempt and became Atty. Leni Gerona Robredo in 1997. In her video, Leni intimated how her journey to be a lawyer humbled her and made her realize how she wouldn’t have achieved her goal without God’s grace. This sense of gratitude made her decide to use her profession to give back and help those in need. Hence, Leni served in the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) in 1997. From 1998 to 2008, Leni became the coordinated efforts of SALIGAN — a Naga-based alternative legal support group, encouraging young legal professionals to be leaders committed to visiting rural communities to provide legal services to people who couldn’t afford to hire their own attorneys. Under Leni’s leadership, SALIGAN also conducted legal advocacy to improve the system of delivering justice for all, by

Seeming increase in Asian hate crimes across the US Babe’s Eye View BaBe Romualdez AFTER receiving messages from Filipinos expressing concern about their relatives and the situation in the United States on the seeming increase in violent hate crimes against Filipino Americans, we were compelled to grant an interview with Joel Reyes Zobel and Weng Salvacion over dzBB. Over the past three months, there have been seven cases of violence against members of the Filipino community in New York, many of them in the Manhattan area in New York City, with authorities investigating if these are assault and robbery cases or hate crimes. One of the most vicious attacks was against a 67-year-old Filipina who was punched in the head and face more than 125 times, kicked and stomped on and spat at as she was

Philstar.com photo

news. Facebook previously revealed the identities of some of the persons engaging in CIB. The country also has cyber crime laws that can be applied in certain cases. As in other offenses, the

entering her apartment building, with evidence indicating that the perpetrator – who has since been arrested and charged with attempted murder – uttered a racial slur as the victim passed by. According to the New York City Police Department, there has been a 361 percent increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in 2021, jumping from 29 cases in 2020 to 85 last year. In January, a woman of Asian descent was pushed into the path of an oncoming subway train in Times Square – a horrific, unprovoked attack. Members of the Asian American community are now living in fear and anxiety, prompting a lawmaker to call on New York Governor Kathy Hochul to declare a state of emergency. From March 2020 to December 2021, there have been close to 11,000 cases of violence against Asian Americans, but the number could be higher because not all incidents get reported to the police, or are not classified as hate crimes. A preliminary report from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University in

San Bernardino showed that hate crimes in major cities across the U.S. that include New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Denver, Dallas and several others increased by 46 percent last year. More significantly, hate crimes against Asian Americans increased by 339 percent in 2021, the preliminary report indicated. While we are not certain if all the incidents of violence can indeed be classified as hate crimes, there is a high possibility that they may indeed be hate crimes because the attacks against Filipinos and other people of Asian descent became more prevalent since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of Americans became jobless, many lost their homes and they were angry at, and frustrated by, the restrictions imposed on travel and mobility due to the pandemic. Not surprisingly, this frustration and anger has spilled over to Asians, whom they blame for spreading COVID-19 in the United States. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, the COVID-19 pandemic and the

proposing amendments and new legislation based on the needs of marginalized communities. SALIGAN’s services later included helping women to acquire capital to participate in competitive markets. But Leni’s advocacy to empower women dated back to 1989 when she founded the “Lakas ng Kababaihan ng Naga Foundation”, which provided training and livelihood opportunities for women. Jesse Robredo was appointed Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) by the late President Noynoy Aquino from 2010 up to his untimely death in an airplane crash in 2012. Mourning and carrying on her shoulders the responsibility of raising their three daughters as a single parent, Leni found strength and continued sense of purpose in accepting the calling to carry on her late husband’s legacy of good governance. As her bio stated, she stepped into the political arena in 2012 when she won as Representative of the Third District of Camarines Sur. As Representative, Leni would go even to the most remote areas of Camarines Sur to check on her constituents face to face. She would visit with them, get to know and understand their needs to author legislation to help them. Her advocacies in government are reflected by her committee leadership and membership. “During this time, she was Vice Chairman of two committees: Committee on

Good Governance and Public Accountability, and Committee on Revision of Laws. She was also part of the Committee of Appropriations; Bicol Recovery and Economic Development; Climate Change; Human Rights; Land Use; Local Government; People’s Participation; Rural Development; Suffrage and Electoral Reforms; Welfare of Children; and Women and Gender Equality,” her bio stated. Among the laws she passed: Philippine National Railways Charter Extension - Republic Act RA10638, an act extending the corporate life of the Philippine National Railways for another 50 years which was enacted on June 16, 2014 Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015 - Republic Act RA10742, an act establishing reforms in the Sangguniang Kabataan creating enabling mechanisms for meaningful youth participation in nationbuilding which was enacted on January 15, 2016 Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act Republic Act RA10708, an act promoting fiscal accountability and transparency in the grant and management of tax incentives which was enacted on December 9, 2015 Open High School System Act - Republic Act RA10665, an act establishing and appropriating funds for the open high school system in the Philippines which was enacted on July 9, 2015 Graphic Health Warnings

Law - Republic Act RA10643, an act prescribing the printing of graphic health warnings on tobacco products which was enacted on November 15, 2014 Decriminalizing Premature Marriage - Republic Act RA10655, an act decriminalizing premature marriages which was enacted on March 13, 2015 Strengthening the Probation System Republic Act RA10707, an act rationalizing and strengthening the probation system and amending the “Probation Law of 1976” which was enacted on November 26, 2015 Election Service Reform Act – Republic Act RA10756, an act rendering election service noncompulsory for public school teachers enacted on April 8, 2016 And then in 2016, another calling she had to heed: to be vice president of the Philippines. (To be continued) ***

resulting economic fallout has caused significant hardship, with unemployment remaining high throughout 2020. While improved employment and substantial relief measures helped reduce the high levels of hardship, there was still considerable unmet need towards the end of 2021, with 20 million households reporting that they had little to eat while 10 million households were behind on rent. Last Sunday, a 73-year-old Filipino who was crossing a street in Midtown Manhattan was violently pushed to the ground and kicked several times, with the perpetrator attempting to get the victim’s wallet. The attacker – who has since been arrested and charged with attempted robbery, attempted grand larceny and assault – was a homeless man. In 2017, there were an estimated 550,000-plus homeless people in the U.S., but the COVID-19 pandemic has become an added complication to the problem as it may have caused more Americans to become homeless and desperate so they resort to stealing, snatching and other crimes, also becoming increasingly violent in the process.

Liberal cities such as New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland in Oregon and Seattle in Washington have long allowed the homeless to build makeshift tents and shelters on sidewalks, roadways, storefronts and public spaces. However, authorities are now starting to crack down on homeless encampments and clearing up tents along certain roadways – an initiative that has also become a political issue due to the complexity of the situation because there are mental health and other issues attached with homelessness. As I shared with Joel and Weng during my interview with dzBB, many hate crimes are committed by people with mental health issues, who just shove victims randomly or beat them up without any apparent provocation. A number of these attacks have occurred in subways, so we have been advising our kababayans in the U.S. to always have a companion with them if possible. Our New York Consul General Elmer Cato, known to be creative and imaginative in solving problems, initiated the conduct of webinars on self-defense and situational awareness to heighten vigilance among members of

the Filipino community and educate them on ways to protect themselves outside their homes. When violent assaults against Filipino-Americans began to increase in March last year, we immediately sent diplomatic notes to the State Department together with our ASEAN colleagues who experienced similar problems. The White House weighed in, too, with the federal government deploying undercover agents especially in subways. The local police are doing their best in doing more but it is also difficult to categorize an attack as a hate crime when there is no clear evidence that a perpetrator was motivated by racial hatred. For our part, we have instructed our consulates to continue helping our kababayans in every way possible – constantly reminding them of always being conscious and mindful of their surroundings. (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.

*** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989. She was a news anchor, TV host and radio commentator and public service host for ABS- CBN and DZMM. She is now working on her advocacies independently, serving the Filipino audience using different media platforms. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel. Santos.Relos. Also on Twitter, Instagram: Gel Santos Relos

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

*** Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com

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

2022 VOTE CENTERS

STATE OF NEVADA - COUNTY OF CLARK

You may now vote on Election Day at any of the 125 “Vote Centers” that will be open throughout Clark County. You no longer have to go to one specific “assigned” Election Day polling place. Instead, you may choose the most convenient Vote Center for you.

I, JOSEPH P. GLORIA, the duly appointed Registrar of Voters for the County of Clark, State of Nevada, do hereby certify that the Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on said date. Pending candidate challenges may result in a candidate not appearing on the election ballot. A list of Election Day vote centers is also included in this notice.

ELECTION DAY VOTE CENTERS FOR THE 2022 PRIMARY ELECTION ON JUNE 14, 2022

WITNESS MY HAND and SEAL this 5th day of April 2022.

EVENT TENTS: Look for the VOTE CENTER EVENT TENT in the parking lot of sites with an asterisk (*).

JOSEPH P. GLORIA Registrar of Voters

ABBREVIATIONS: HEN = Henderson ELEM. = Elementary School CTR. = Center

LIST OF CANDIDATES TO BE VOTED UPON AT THE JUNE 14, 2022 PRIMARY ELECTION CANDIDATES FOR PARTISAN OFFICES UNITED STATES SENATE SIX YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Cortez Masto, Catherine Kasheta, Stephanie Reid, Corey Rheinhart, Allen REPUBLICAN Brown, Sam Conrad, William “Bill” Hockstedler,William “Bill” Laxalt, Adam Paul Mendenhall, Sharelle Perkins, Tyler T. Poliak, Carlo Rodriguez, Paul REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS TWO YEAR TERM DISTRICT 1 DEMOCRATIC Titus, Dina Vilela, Amy REPUBLICAN Adams, Jane Brog, David Hardy, Cresent Robertson, Mark Serrano, Carolina Andrea Sholty, Morgun Steel, Cynthia Dianne Turner, Jessie DISTRICT 3 DEMOCRATIC Hynes, Randell “Randy” Lee, Susie REPUBLICAN Becker, April Bossert, Clark Goldberg, Albert M. Kovacs, John Malgeri, Noah V. DISTRICT 4 REPUBLICAN Black, Ann “Annie” Bonaventura, Chance Peters, Sam GOVERNOR FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Collins, Tom Sisolak, Steve REPUBLICAN Evans, Seven Achilles Evertsen, Gary “Radar” Gilbert, Joey Hamilton, Eddie “Mr. Fix It Now” Heck, Tom Heller, Dean Lee, John J. Lombardo, Joe Lusak, Stanleigh Harold Nohra, Guy O’Brien, Edward E. Simon, Fred Walls, William “Dock” Whitley, Amber Zilberberg, Barak LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Cano Burkhead, Elizabeth “Lisa” Chase, Eva Cole, Kimi March, Debra REPUBLICAN Anthony, Stavros Grady, Jr., Walter A. “Tony” Hawkins, M. Kameron Miller, John Miller, II, Mack Pavone, Peter Schwartz, Dan SECRETARY OF STATE FOUR YEAR TERM REPUBLICAN Dahir, Kristopher Gerhardt, John Cardiff Haw, Jesse Keenan, Socorro Marchant, Jim Ramalho, Gerard Scotti, Richard STATE TREASURER FOUR YEAR TERM REPUBLICAN Fiore, Michele Kess, Emanuel “Manny” STATE CONTROLLER FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Costa, Alex Spiegel, Ellen ATTORNEY GENERAL FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Ford, Aaron D. Mackie, Stuart REPUBLICAN Black, Tisha Chattah, Sigal STATE SENATE FOUR YEAR TERM DISTRICT 2 REPUBLICAN Gomez, David Henderson, Leo Pellegrino, Peter DISTRICT 8 REPUBLICAN Dowden, Joshua Fawzy, Jennifer Gordon, Jeff Mann, Kevin Mourey, Raja Paulos, Joey Schmitz, John “Johnny” Shaffer, Mark DISTRICT 9 REPUBLICAN Brown, Tina Peetris, Tina M. DISTRICT 10 DEMOCRATIC Absher, Jack “JT” Donate, Fabian DISTRICT 12 DEMOCRATIC Guzman, Lisa Pazina, Julie Ann REPUBLICAN Arndt, April Arrington, Cherlyn DISTRICT 21 DEMOCRATIC Alvidrez, Jacqueline Ohrenschall, James STATE ASSEMBLY TWO YEAR TERM DISTRICT 1 REPUBLICAN Brinkley, Garland Lee Clendenen, Matthew Dyer, Chris DISTRICT 2 REPUBLICAN Gomez, Erin Kasama, Heidi DISTRICT 3 DEMOCRATIC Clark, LaJuana D. Torres, Selena Elizabeth DISTRICT 5 REPUBLICAN Hedrick, Alan Quinn, Kelly DISTRICT 8 REPUBLICAN Kintigh, Claudia Maria Logan, Jenann Martinez, Patty DISTRICT 9 REPUBLICAN Fleming, Ryan Patrick Gonzalez, John DISTRICT 11 REPUBLICAN Fernandez, Bernadine “Lanihau” Krattiger, Eric Suval, Charles P. DISTRICT 12 DEMOCRATIC Camejo, Abraham Spencer Carter, II, Max E. Casino, Angelo REPUBLICAN Bolliger, David Clai, Rodolfo “Rudy”

Larsen, Flemming Rojas, Al Williams, Kevin DISTRICT 13 DEMOCRATIC Andrews, Daniel Olivas, Hanna Rucker, Will REPUBLICAN Delisle, Steven Hibbetts, Brian Miller, Vem Weiss, Nancy Lee DISTRICT 14 DEMOCRATIC Fennell, II, James M. Mosca, Erica DISTRICT 15 DEMOCRATIC Greenwood, Kyle Watts, Howard DISTRICT 16 DEMOCRATIC González, Cecelia Short, Chuck REPUBLICAN Donlon, Benjamin Holder, Jesse “Jake” Van Houten, Greg DISTRICT 19 REPUBLICAN De La Paz, Charlie Nicole Groves, Amy L. Swanson, Gerald Yurek, Thaddeus, “Toby” DISTRICT 20 DEMOCRATIC Marsh, Trish Orentlicher, David DISTRICT 21 REPUBLICAN Petrick, Jon S. Puaina, Rachel Agatep Quilang, Ron Q. DISTRICT 23 REPUBLICAN Ashurst, Denise E. Gallant, Danielle Lier, Dan DISTRICT 28 DEMOCRATIC Bautista, Aaron Bowen, Antonio D’Silva, Reuben Rivera, Cindi L. DISTRICT 29 DEMOCRATIC Cohen, Lesley Elizabeth Dalia, Joe REPUBLICAN Knightly, Rhonda Thomas, Natalie DISTRICT 34 REPUBLICAN Butler, Stacy Churchwell, Shannon Lim, Mary DISTRICT 35 REPUBLICAN Connors, Julie Jones, Tiffany DISTRICT 36 REPUBLICAN Hafen, II, Gregory T. Sadler, Matt DISTRICT 37 REPUBLICAN Deaville, Jacob Flippo, David Hansen, Al DISTRICT 41 REPUBLICAN Bodine, Paul Reyes, Guadalupe Rittenbaugh, Tawny C. Slater, James “Neil” DISTRICT 42 DEMOCRATIC Brown-May, Tracy Zaidi, Sayed REPUBLICAN Facey, Edward “Eddie” Ivanoff, Katrin “Mrs. Fix It” COUNTY COMMISSION FOUR YEAR TERM DISTRICT E DEMOCRATIC Macias, Jacob “Jake” Segerblom, “Tick” REPUBLICAN Ayala, Dennis Rider, Jon DISTRICT F REPUBLICAN Campion, Mike Johnson, Drew Ovnik, John Waltho, Jenna DISTRICT G REPUBLICAN Mitchell, Billy Ludwig, Joe DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Fumo, Osvaldo “Ozzie” Wolfson, Steve COUNTY RECORDER FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Cain, Hunter Conway, Debbie REPUBLICAN Drake, Traci Evans, John COUNTY TREASURER FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Cain, Jaeden Diaz, J. “Ken” Hosea, Gary M. O’Sullivan, Kenneth “Sully” REPUBLICAN Child, Kevin L. De Castro, Reuel A. Marshall-Lang, Mary Tracy, Mitchell T. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Escobar, Caroline Reid, Rita Page Telles, Rob REPUBLICAN Brown, Patsy Casale, Patrick CANDIDATES FOR NONPARTISAN OFFICES REGENT, STATE UNIVERSITY SIX YEAR TERM DISTRICT 6 Brown, Heather Catarata, Karl Dakduk, Jeanine Manwill, Brandin S. DISTRICT 7 Brager, Susan Crete, David “Coach” Ivy, M.J. Le, Hieu Nagy, Aury DISTRICT 8 Baltera, Jonathan Crawford, Michelee “Shelly” Manfredi, Aaron Porter, Elmer Rice, John Patrick Smith, Stacy DISTRICT 13 Bandiero, Jennifer M. Goodman, Stephanie Moran, John TRUSTEE, CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL FOUR YEAR TERM DISTRICT D Cepeda, Irene Conger, Steven Elliott,Tavorra Romero, Fernando Zamora, Brenda DISTRICT F Bey, Jamil Bustamante Adams, Irene Calhoun, Jay “Coach” Coram, David Ford, Danielle MacCaul, Liam Miller, Kali Fox

Musemici, Tammi Neely, Erica “Mama Neely” Vicario, Tim DISTRICT G Carlo, John “JC” Cavazos, Linda P. Freels, Kenneth “KC” Giovanni, Dominick Larosa, Adam A. Summers, Charles R. “Chuck” Wieman, Greg SHERIFF FOUR YEAR TERM Andersch, Justin Ayoob, Salem Hyt, Stan Javornicky, Michael “Doc” McMahill, Kevin Roberts, Tom Wilkinson, Thomas CITY OF BOULDER CITY MAYOR FOUR YEAR TERM Hardy, Joe McManus, Kiernan Vece, Tanya CITY OF BOULDER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE FOUR YEAR TERM VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN TWO Adams, James Howard Booth, Cokie Hess, Rose Marie McNay, Valerie J. Walton, Steve CITY OF HENDERSON MAYOR FOUR YEAR TERM Dison, Drew A. Ficadenti, Frank Romero, Michelle CITY OF HENDERSON CITY COUNCIL WARD III FOUR YEAR TERM Cox, Carrie Nash, Trish Niland, John “Jack” Perns, Doug Rice, Steve Tyson, Jodi CITY OF HENDERSON MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE SIX YEAR TERM DEPARTMENT 2 Coates, Andrew Cooley, Jeremy Durham, Benjamin CITY OF LAS VEGAS COUNCILMAN WARD 2 FOUR YEAR TERM Bigelow, Alan Bradshaw, Jeff McWhorter, Ronald Seaman, Victoria Smith, Erika “Doc Smith” Tomko, Mike CITY OF LAS VEGAS COUNCILMAN WARD 4 FOUR YEAR TERM Allen-Palenske, Francis Beers, Bob Flank, Brenda Plummer, Robert J. CITY OF LAS VEGAS COUNCILMAN WARD 6 FOUR YEAR TERM Anderson, Luke R. Brune, Nancy Casey, Paul I. DeSalvio, Lou Dillie, David Passalacqua, Matt Spencer, Ray CITY OF LAS VEGAS MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE SIX YEAR TERM DEPARTMENT 6 Dows, Angela Giordani, Kelly CITY OF MESQUITE COUNCILMEMBER SEAT 4 FOUR YEAR TERM Dutkowski, Karen L. Schiring, Cathy Walters, Kim Wanlass, Paul CITY OF NORTH LAS VEGAS MAYOR FOUR YEAR TERM Addison, III, Jesse Atkins, Nathan Bouchard, Gary Goynes-Brown, Pamela A. Perkins, Laura E. Spearman, Pat Taylor, Robert “Twixx” CITY OF NORTH LAS VEGAS COUNCIL MEMBER WARD 1 FOUR YEAR TERM Barrón, Isaac E. Eliason, Lance Robert CITY OF NORTH LAS VEGAS COUNCIL MEMBER WARD 3 FOUR YEAR TERM Black, Scott Jackson, Jovan Mitchell, Mario CITY OF NORTH LAS VEGAS MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE DEPARTMENT 1 TWO YEAR TERM Lee, Chris MacArthur, Jonathan CITY OF NORTH LAS VEGAS MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE DEPARTMENT 2 SIX YEAR TERM Gunnell, Jason Ketter, Courtney CONSTABLE, BUNKERVILLE TOWNSHIP FOUR YEAR TERM Haviland, Jace Jensen, Chad K. Laub, Erik CONSTABLE, GOODSPRINGS TOWNSHIP FOUR YEAR TERM Darrel, Lyal S. Rogers, Gary P. Trybul, Kristina CONSTABLE, HENDERSON TOWNSHIP FOUR YEAR TERM Taylor, Kenny CONSTABLE, MESQUITE TOWNSHIP FOUR YEAR TERM Thurston, Duane L. CONSTABLE, MOAPA TOWNSHIP FOUR YEAR TERM Jensen, Joshua Reagan CONSTABLE, MOAPA VALLEY TOWNSHIP FOUR YEAR TERM Dimick, Vernon R. Empey, Bret Duane Harding, Mark G. Jensen, Jacob C. JUSTICE OF THE PEACE LAS VEGAS TOWNSHIP SIX YEAR TERM DEPARTMENT 3 Letizia, Harmony DEPARTMENT 4 Saragosa, Melissa A. DEPARTMENT 6 Gonzalez, Bill Goodey, Jessica Hibbetts, Tracy Massey, Augusta DEPARTMENT 7 Berkley, Max Rinetti, Dena Wilson, Amy DEPARTMENT 9 Bonaventure, Joe Brouwers, Shana Selene Chio, Danielle “Pieper” DEPARTMENT 14 Chelini, Amy “JoAnne” DEPARTMENT 16 Botelho, Agnes Montebon Romero, Vincent James John Wood, Nadia Zarcone, Justin JUSTICE OF THE PEACE LAS VEGAS TOWNSHIP TWO YEAR UNEXPIRED TERM DEPARTMENT 10 Demonte, Noreen Dotson, Cybill Ginn, Vincent “Vinny” Karris, Mark

LV = Las Vegas J.H.S. = Junior High School

NLV = North Las Vegas MID. SCH. = Middle School

NAME

ADDRESS

NAME

ADDRESS

ALIANTE LIBRARY

2400 W. Deer Springs Wy., NLV 89084

MANNION, JACK AND TERRY MID. SCH.

155 E. PARADISE HILLS DR., HEN 89002

ALLEN, DEAN ELEM.

8680 W. Hammer Ln., LV 89149

MARTIN, ROY MID. SCH.

200 N. 28th St., LV 89101

ARROYO MARKET SQUARE, NEAR THE MEN’S WAREHOUSE*

6930 Arroyo Crossing Pkwy., LV 89113

MCDONIEL, ESTES ELEM.

1831 Fox Ridge Dr., HEN 89014

BAILEY, SISTER ROBERT JOSEPH ELEM.

4525 Jimmy Durante Bl., LV 89122

MEADOWS MALL, NEAR ROUND1, 1ST FLOOR

4300 Meadows Ln., LV 89107

MENDOZA, JOHN ELEM.

2000 S. Sloan Ln., LV 89142

BAILEY, WILLIAM H. MID. SCH.

2500 N. Hollywood Bl., LV 89156

150 N. Yucca St., Mesquite 89027

BASS, JOHN ELEM.

10377 Rancho Destino Rd., LV 89183

MESQUITE JIMMY HUGHES CAMPUS, SUITE 1 MILLER, BOB MID. SCH.

2400 Cozy Hill Cir., HEN 89052

MIRABELLI COMMUNITY CTR.

6200 Hargrove Ave., LV 89107

MOAPA COMMUNITY CTR.

1340 E. State Hwy., 168 Moapa 89025

MOAPA TRIBAL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

1 Lincoln St., Moapa 89025

MOAPA VALLEY COMMUNITY CTR.

320 N. Moapa Valley Bl., Overton 89040

MOLASKY, IRWIN AND SUSAN MID. SCH.

7801 W. Gilmore Ave., LV 89129

MONACO, MARIO C. & JOANN MID. SCH.

1870 N. Lamont St., LV 89115

MOORE, WILLIAM ELEM.

491 N. Lamb Bl., LV 89110

MOUNTAIN SHADOWS COMMUNITY CTR.

9107 Del Webb Bl., LV 89134

MOUNTAIN EDGE REGIONAL PARK, PARKING LOT*

8101 W. Mountain Edge Pkwy., LV 89178

NELLIS CORSSING SHOPPING CENTER, NEAR TARGET*

1250 S. Nellis Blvd., LV 89104

OBER, D’VORRE & HAL ELEM.

3035 Desert Marigold Ln., LV 89135

O'CALLAGHAN, MIKE MID. SCH.

1450 Radwick Dr., LV 89110

O'ROARKE, THOMAS J. ELEM.

8455 O'Hare Rd., LV 89143

BLUE DIAMOND CROSSING SHOPPING CTR.*

4100 Blue Diamond Rd., LV 89139

BOULDER CITY RECREATION CTR.

900 Arizona St., Boulder City 89005

BOULEVARD MALL, NEAR GALAXY THEATERS

3528 S. Maryland Pkwy., LV 89169

BOZARTH, HENRY & EVELYN ELEM.

7431 Egan Crest Dr., LV 89166

BRIDGER, JIM MID. SCH.

2505 N. Bruce St., NLV 89030

BROWN, B. MAHLON J.H.S.

307 Cannes St., HEN 89015

BUNKERVILLE COMMUNITY CTR.

200 W. Virgin St., Bunkerville, 89007

BURKHOLDER, LYAL MID. SCH.

355 W. Van Wagenen St., HEN 89015

CADWALLADER, RALPH L. MID. SCH.

7775 Elkhorn Rd., LV 89131

CAMBRIDGE RECREATION CTR.

3930 Cambridge St., LV 89119

CANARELLI, LAWR. AND HEIDI MID. SCH.

7808 S. Torrey Pines Dr., LV 89139

CASHMAN, JAMES MID. SCH.

4622 W. Desert Inn Rd., LV 89102

CENTENNIAL CENTER, NEAR HOME DEPOT*

7881 W. Tropical Pkwy., LV 89149

CLARK COUNTY BUILDING DEPARTMENT

4701 W. Russell Rd., LV 89118

PARADISE COMMUNITY CTR.

4775 McLeod Dr., LV 89121

CLARK COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS-FINE ARTS

1301 Whipple Ave., Logandale 89021

PARKDALE RECREATION AND SENIOR CTR.

3200 Ferndale St., LV 89121

COLEMEN, CORA SENIOR CTR.

2100 Bonnie Ln., LV 89156

PEARSON, DR. WILLIAM U. COMMUNITY CTR.

1625 W. Carey Ave., NLV 89032

CONNERS, EILEEN ELEM

3810 Shadow Peak Dr., LV 89129

RAINBOW LIBRARY

3150 N. Buffalo Dr., LV 89128

CORONADO HIGH SCHOOL

1001 Coronado Center Dr., HEN 89052

RANCHO HIGH SCHOOL

1900 Searles Ave., LV 89101

REED, DORIS ELEM.

2501 Winwood St., LV 89108

CORTNEY, FRANCIS H. MID.SCH.

5301 E. Hacienda Ave., LV 89122

600 S. Grand Central Pkwy., LV 89106

COX, DAVID ELEM.

280 Clark Dr., HEN 89074

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION (RTC)

CRAM, BRIAN AND TERI MID. SCH.

1900 W. Deer Springs Wy., NLV 89084

SAHARA WEST LIBRARY

9600 W. Sahara Ave., LV 89117

DEER SPRING TOWN CENTER, NEAR HOME DEPOT*

640 E. Deer Springs Wy., NLV 89084

SANDY VALLEY SCHOOL

1420 Pearl Ave., Sandy Valley 89019

DERFELT, HERBERT ELEM.

SAVILLE, ANTHONY MID. SCH.

8101 N. Torrey Pines Dr., LV 89131

1900 S. Lisa Ln., LV 89117

5450 Redwood St., LV 89118

DESERT BREEZE COMMUNITY CTR.

8275 Spring Mountain Rd., LV 89117

SAWYER, GRANT MID. SCH.

8625 Spencer St., LV 89123

DESERT OASIS HIGH SCHOOL

SCHOFIELD, JACK L. MID. SCH.

6600 W. Erie Ave., LV 89141

SCHORR, STEVE ELEM.

11420 Placid St., LV 89183

DESERT VISTA COMMUNITY CTR.

10360 Sun City Bl., LV 89134

SEARCHLIGHT COMMUNITY CTR.

200 M. Wendell Wy., Searchlight 89046

DETWILER, OLLIE ELEM.

1960 Ferrel St., LV 89106

SEDWAY, MARVIN MID. SCH.

3465 Englestad St., NLV 89032

DOOLEY, JOHN ELEM.

1940 Chickasaw Dr., HEN 89015

SHADOW RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

5050 Brent Ln., LV 89131

DOOLITTLE COMMUNITY CTR.

1950 J St., LV 89106

9869 S. Eastern Ave., LV 89183

ELIZONDO, RAUL ELEM.

4865 Goldfield St., NLV 89031

SILVERADO RANCH PLAZA, NEAR PETSMART*

FAISS, WILBUR AND THERESA MID. SCH.

9525 W. Maule Ave., LV 89148

SOLERA ANTHEM COMMUNITY CTR.

2401 Somersworth Dr., HEN 89044

FINE, MARK L. ELEM.

6635 Cougar Ave., LV 89139

STEVENS, JOSH ELEM.

550 Dave Wood Circle, HEN 89011

FORBUSS, ROBERT L. ELEM.

8601 S. Grand Canyon Dr., LV 89148

STUPAK COMMUNITY CTR.

251 W. Boston Ave., LV 89102

FRENCH, DORIS ELEM.

3235 E. Hacienda Ave., LV 89120

SUN CITY ANTHEM COMMUNITY CTR.

2450 Hampton Rd., HEN 89052

GALLERIA AT SUNSET, KOHL’S COURT, 1ST FL.

1300 W. Sunset Rd., HEN 89014

2020 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy., HEN 89012

GALLOWAY, FAY ELEM.

701 Skyline Rd., HEN 89015

SUN CITY MACDONALD RANCH COMMUNITY CTR.

GOOLSBY, JUDY AND JOHN ELEM.

11175 W. Desert Inn Rd., LV 89135

SUN CITY MESQUITE

1350 Flat Top Mesa Dr., Mesquite 89034

GRAY, R. GUILD ELEM.

2825 S. Torrey Pines Dr., LV 89146

SWAINSTON, THERON MID. SCH.

3500 W. Gilmore Ave., NLV 89032

GUINN, KENNY C. MID. SCH.

4150 S. Torrey Pines Dr., LV 89103

TARKANIAN, LOIS AND JERRY MID. SCH.

5800 W. Pyle Ave., LV 89141

HAYES, KEITH AND KAREN ELEM.

9620 W. Twain Ave., LV 89147

TARR, SHEILA ELEM.

9400 W. Gilmore Ave., LV 89129

HERITAGE PARK SENIOR FACILITY

TOBLER, R. E. ELEM.

6510 Buckskin Ave., LV 89108

300 Racetrack Rd., HEN 89015

HISTORIC FIFTH ST. SCHOOL

401 S. 4th St., LV 89101

TOWN SQUARE LAS VEGAS, NEAR AMC THEATERS*

6605 S. Las Vegas Blvd., LV 89119

HOLLYWOOD RECREATION CTR.

1650 S. Hollywood Bl., LV 89142

TROPICANA BELTWAY CENTER, NEAR MOLLY’S*

5120 S. Fort Apache Rd., LV 89148

INDIAN SPRINGS COMMUNITY CTR.

715 W. Gretta Ln., Indian Springs 89018

VASSILIADIS, BILLY & ROSEMARY ELEM.

215 Antelope Ridge Dr., LV 89138

JOHNSON, WALTER MID. SCH.

7701 Ducharme Ave., LV 89145

VEGAS VERDES ELEM.

4000 El Parque Ave., LV 89102

KELLER, DUANE MID. SCH.

301 N. Fogg St., LV 89110

VETERANS MEMORIAL LEISURE CTR.

101 N. Pavilion Center Dr., LV 89144

KESTERSON, LORNA ELEM.

231 Bailey Island Dr., HEN 89074

WALNUT COMMUNITY CTR.

3075 N. Walnut Rd., LV 89115

KING, MARTHA ELEM.

888 Adams Bl., Boulder City 89005

WARD, GENE ELEM.

1555 E. Hacienda Ave., LV 89119

KNUDSON, K. O. MID. SCH.

2400 Atlantic St., LV 89104

WHITNEY COMMUNITY CTR.

5712 Missouri Ave., LV 89122

LAKE, ROBERT ELEM.

2904 Meteoro St., LV 89109

WIENER, LOUIS JR. ELEM.

450 E. Eldorado Ln., LV 89123

LAUGHLIN LIBRARY

2840 S. Needles Hwy., Laughlin 89028

WILLIAMS, WENDELL ELEM.

1030 J St., LV 89106

LAWRENCE, CLIFFORD J.H.S.

4410 S. Juliano Rd., LV 89147

3130 McLeod Dr., LV 89121

LEAVITT, JUSTICE MYRON MID. SCH.

4701 Quadrel St., LV 89129

WINCHESTER DONDERO CULTURAL CTR.

LONG, WATER V. ELEM.

2000 S. Walnut Rd., LV 89104

WOLFE, EVA ELEM.

4027 W. Washburn Rd., NLV 89031

LOWE’S - CRAIG / LOSEE, PARKING LOT*

2570 E. Craig Rd., LV 89030

WOODBURY, C. W. MID. SCH.

3875 E. Harmon Ave., LV 89121

LVAC LAS VEGAS ATHLETIC CLUB-NORTH PARKING LOT*

6050 N. Decatur Bl., NLV 89030

WOODBURY, C. W. MID. SCH.

3875 E. Harmon Ave., LV 89121

LVAC LAS VEGAS ATHLETIC CLUBNORTHWEST PARKING LOT*

1725 N. Rainbow Bl., LV 89108

MACK, NATE ELEM.

3170 Laurel Ave., HEN 89014

MANCH, J. E. ELEM.

4351 N. Lamont St., LV 89115

DATED APRIL 5, 2022

JOSEPH P. GLORIA Registrar of Voters PUB: April 8 and 15, 2022 Las Vegas Asian Journal

7

APRIL 7-13, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL 8LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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

April 7, 2022

VEGAS&STYLE JOURNAL

INSIDE

LIFESTYLE • CONSUMER GUIDE • COMMUNITY • MARKETPLACE

Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars, H.E.R.: Fil-Am artists win big at the 2022 Grammy Awards

Between Rodrigo, Mars, H.E.R. and Saweetie, the 64th Grammys were quite possibly the most Filipino Grammy awards By Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

NO matter what part of the world they’re from, Filipinos everywhere know the value that music, performance, and skilled singing hold in the culture — there is a 99% chance that the Filipino reading this has, at one time, been begrudgingly forced to sing karaoke at a family gathering. After last Sunday night, nobody is safe from that Magic Sing machine. On Sunday, April 2, the 64th Grammy Awards aired, and it was a thoroughly Filipino American affair with America’s It Girl, breakout super star Olivia Rodrigo, and the multi-talented Bruno Mars winning some of the biggest awards at music’s most important night. After performing her viral hit “Drivers License” early in the show, Rodrigo won the coveted Best New Artist award, to which she said in her acceptance speech, “This is my biggest dream come true.” Additionally, Rodrigo, 19, won the awards for Best Pop Solo Performance for “Drivers License” and Best Pop Vocal Album for her debut album, “Sour.” After winning Best Pop Vocal Album, Rodrigo dedicated her award to her parents, saying in her speech, “When I was 9 years old, I told my mom I wanted to be a gymnast even though

I could barely do a cartwheel. She thought I was joking, but I was super defensive. So the next week when I told her I was going to win a Grammy, she was very supportive even though she probably thought it was just a little kid pipe dream.” Rodrigo, whose father is Filipino, finished her speech, saying, “I want to thank my mom and dad for being equally as proud of me for winning a Grammy as they were when I learned how to do a back walkover.” Rodrigo — who hails from Temecula, California and is also an actress on the Disney Channel — was up for seven awards in total in all four major categories, including Record of the Year. Mars, known for his commitment to modernizing retro sounds, won Record of the Year for the song “Leave the Door Open,” the sultry soulful lead single Mars released as one-half of Silk Sonic, his current collaboration with musician Anderson .Paak. Though Record of the Year is considered the biggest award of the night, the duo also won Song of the Year for “Leave the Door Open,” which also earned them the Grammys for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance. (The latter was a tie between Silk Sonic and R&B songstress Jazmine Sullivan.) Not to be outdone, the alreadyaward-winning R&B singer and musician H.E.R. also won her

19-year-old Olivia Rodrigo took home three Grammys on Sunday, April 2, winning for Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album for “Sour” and Pop Solo Performance for breakout hit “Drivers License.” She was nominated for seven awards during this year’s award show. Photo from Instagram/@OliviaRodrigo

fifth Grammy Award on Sunday, taking home the award for Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Fight For You,” for which H.E.R. had already won a Golden Globe award, Critics’ Choice award, and an Academy Award. Though she didn’t win any awards on Sunday, Saweetie (real name Diamonte Quiava Valentin Harper) was the only female rapper nominated in the Best New Artist. She was also nominated for Best Rap Song for the catchy hit “Best Friend.” As a half Black and half Filipino and Chinese woman, Saweetie has always been vocal and proud of her mixed heritage. In an interview with the Recording

Bruno Mars, who is part of R&B duo Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak, won in all four nominated categories in the 2022 Grammys: Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Photo from Instagram/@brunomars

Academy, she said, “The reason why I share both sides is because I know there are Asian kids at home, Black kids at home, and it’s dope to represent where you’re from — because if I can do it, I know they’ll feel like they can do it. I try to share as much as my background as possible, so that kids who need inspiration can identify with me — and so they know that if Saweetie can do it, they can too.” Though this year’s Grammy Awards certainly had an undeniable Filipino presence in its superstars, it is important to know that Filipino musicians and producers have always been part of Grammy history.

R&B artist H.E.R. was nominated for eight Grammys and took home: Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Fight For You” on Sunday, April 2. The 24-year-old now has five Grammys under her belt. Photo from Instagram/@hermusicofficial

As part of the American folk group “The New Christy Minstrels,” the guitarist and vocalist Larry Ramos was the first Filipino — and the first person of Asian descent — to win a Grammy. In 1963, Ramos and the group accepted the award for Best Performance by a Chorus for their debut album, “Presenting the New Christy Minstrels.” Filipino American songwriter and composer for musical theatre and film Robert Lopez is famously the youngest —and the quickest to become an— EGOT winner, winning at least two awards in the major American awarding bodies: the Academy

Awards, the Emmy Awards, the Grammy Awards, and the Tony Awards. Lopez’s first Grammy came in 2012 for Best Musical Theater Album for the hit stage musical “The Book of Mormon.” In 2015, he won Grammys for the soundtrack to “Frozen” and the film’s lead song, “Let It Go.” The renowned producer Ramon Ibanga, Jr., better known as Illmind, has worked with the industry’s biggest names, and has been nominated for Grammys 10 times, twice winning for his extensive work — including “Everything is Love,” the collaborative album between Beyonce and Jay-Z.

RTC’s Club Ride Program offers transportation options and relief from record gas prices Free program offers carpool matching service, as well as a limited-time offer to try transit and bike share at no cost LAS VEGAS – Relief may be within reach for commuters across the Las Vegas Valley facing record fuel prices. Club Ride, a free program of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC), provides tools to help make it easier to use different modes of transportation that provide environmental benefits and put money back in commuters’ wallets. This Earth Month, the RTC encourages Southern Nevadans to rethink their commute and utilize free Club Ride tools that make it easier than ever to travel to work by taking transit, carpooling, biking, walking and more. To encourage commuters to make the switch, through April 30, those who sign up for the RTC Club Ride program will receive free carpool match reports, 30 days of free RTC Bike Share or 14 days of free public transit, including RTCOnDemand services! “We know that many drivers are feeling the pain at the pump with rising gas prices, and we understand the financial burden that can place on many in our community,” said M.J. Maynard, RTC chief executive officer. “Our hope is that by extending these free services, we are able to provide some relief to Southern Nevadans during this time, while simultaneously educating them about the cost-effective options they have to travel throughout the valley.” Club Ride is a FREE, employerbased program that provides resources to people who are interested in trying different modes of transportation such as riding transit, carpooling, walking, bicycling and telecommuting. In an effort to improve air quality and decrease congestion, participants are rewarded for using different transportation modes other than driving alone in their car. In addition to the giveaways offered in April, those who report their alternative commutes via the Club Ride website or mobile app have multiple chances to win prizes on a monthly basis. This month, Club Ride will also give

away two $50 gas gift cards each week to its members. Join a carpool Club Ride provides a carpool matching service and works directly with more than 330 employers valley-wide to develop and facilitate this program. For those who join Club Ride and are interested in carpooling, Club Ride staff finds others in the valley who live and work near each other to facilitate carpooling. And to offer participants confidence in carpooling, RTC has an emergency ride program for enrollees who suddenly find themselves without a carpool ride home. Hop on transit For just $2 per ride, or $5 per day, transit is an affordable alternative to driving a personal vehicle. RTC transit offers 39 routes throughout the valley with many of them running every 30 minutes or less, 24 hours a day. A variety of affordable transit passes are available, including discounted passes for seniors, veterans and students, and customers can plan their routes and pay their fare easily with the rideRTC mobile app. Additionally, a new service, RTC-OnDemand, offers a sharedride, on-demand transit service in two parts of the valley that lack transit service.

Ride a bike Bicycling is another popular commute alternative that offers health benefits as well. In fact, all RTC transit vehicles are equipped with bike racks, making it easy to combine transit and bicycle trips. Additionally, the RTC’s popular bike share program offers an easy and affordable way to rent bicycles by offering 200 classic and electric bicycles at 20 stations throughout downtown Las Vegas. A variety of passes ranging from daily to annual is available. A map of bike stations and information on passes can be found on the Bike Share website. Work from home or compress work week Those who avoid commuting by working from home or compressing their work schedule into fewer days are also doing their part for air quality and traffic congestion and are eligible to be rewarded for monthly prizes by reporting their work-from-home commute or compressed work schedule. Those interested in joining Club Ride and receiving two weeks of free transit, 30-day bike share access and more can visit the Club Ride web page or call (702) 228-RIDE (7433), and press 5 to be transferred to Club Ride.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 7-13, 2022

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$3B entertainment hub planned for south area of Las Vegas Strip Sylvia defends son Arjo by RealtoR

Fely Quitevis-Bateman

IN major news announced recently, Las Vegas will add another jewel to the glittering skyline in the Las Vegas Strip’s southern part as a major player in building arenas in the United States unveiled plans to build a major arena, entertainment hub and casino. The Oak View Group, according to reports, have acquired 25 acres in an area just minutes away from Harry Reid International Airport and will begin construction by next year. As with other aspects of Sin City, this new development will cater an experience for those who can afford it. Customers, reports claim, will be able to purchase a package for hotel and a live event, with their hotel suite key granting them access to a private club in the arena. The hotel is likely to be able to accommodate about 2,000 guests, while the 20,000-seat arena can host concerts for major music acts and even be a home to a professional sports team. According to a Bloomberg article, Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke said that they are “going to go after every big event that exists” and described the experience they want their clients to have as “It’s exclusive, it’s highend and it will be built in a way where it’s the perfect experience for those willing to spend the money to have the greatest experience in live entertainment.” It was revealed as well that the

arena will be built to the highest specifications of the National Basketball Association (NBA) as the league has indicated that it would consider adding a team in Las Vegas should the NBA decide to expand. The arena would be an option for the NBA, although the Oak View Group is well aware that nothing is set in stone yet. Adding an NBA team would add to the allure of Las Vegas, which already is home to professional teams in sports like women’s basketball, football, hockey, soccer and baseball. And adding another great arena in the ever-expanding landscape of Las Vegas would be beneficial as the city has become used to hosting big events in the last few decades. Las Vegas was host to the most recent Grammy Awards, which features the world’s greatest musical acts, and Sin City will host the Super Bowl in 2024. Live entertainment will be a major calling card for the planned entertainment hub as one of its founders is music mogul Irving Azoff. The planned arena is expected to attract many of today’s artists as the Oak View Group has ample experience in building venues. In fact the Oak View Group operates places in Seattle, New York and Austin, and plans to build at least a dozen more venues. Actually, it used to be thought that when artists’ or performers’ careers were on a downward trajectory or if they are in the

by Ronnie

CaRRasCo ManilaTimes.net

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman inside the $1B Allegiant Arena in Las Vegas.

last legs of their musical journey, then they would start performing or getting residencies in Las Vegas. That is not the case today, as artists like BTS, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Celine Dion and Lionel Richie have performed in concerts or established residencies in the various major hotels in Las Vegas. The demand fueled by the influx of tourists and money in Las Vegas will only make the city’s arenas more attractive to musical acts looking to touch base with their fans and bring an experience for them like no other. The planned arena, according to the same Bloomberg article, will be at a reported cost of $1 billion, which is double what it took to make T-Mobile Arena, which is now the home of the Las Vegas Golden Knights hockey team. With the renovations going on in the downtown area, and with this arena and other plans on the horizon for Las Vegas, it is a great time to consider investing in real estate property in Las Vegas and its surrounding neighborhoods. Indicators are pointing upwards, in terms of growth and Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman with former Nevada State Senator Sue Lowden, one of the prices. The developments in Las owners of the 27 acres between Sahara Hotel and Turnberry Place where former NBA player Vegas will have great impact on outside neighborhoods, including Jackie Robinson will build his proposed All Net Resort & Arena along the Las Vegas Strip.

Russ Bateman at the Las Vegas Ballpark arena in Summerlin.

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OGIE Diaz's latest sit-down interview with Sylvia Sanchez on his You Tube channel brought out the fierce mother in the awardwinning actress. Among many others, tackled was Sylvia's reaction to comments that her family, most especially her son Arjo Atayde, is using Maine Mendoza to the latter's political advantage. Arjo is gunning a seat in Congress in the first district of Quezon City. "Sabi nila ginagamit daw namin si Maine kasi wala naman daw kaming career," Sylvia chuckled. The whole of showbiz knows for a fact that such a statement is false as it is downright unfair. Sylvia and her kids Arjo and Ria have a lot going for them, career-wise. In fact, when Arjo was in a lock-in taping and could not personally make the rounds. As such, it's Sylvia and husband Art who go down and meet up with the district leaders and residents alike to represent the young actor. Sylvia furthered, "Panay nga ang sorry ni Maine (who addresses her tita). Sabi ko, naman, hindi niya ‚yon kasalanan." The the 51-year-old takes pride in the fact that not once has Arjo dragged Maine to his rounds, "Yun naman ang ipinagkakapuri ko kay Arjo. Gusto raw niyang manalo based on his own merits and not because he's riding on someone's coattails." Not only is the "panggagamit"

issue used against her family, Sylvia cited other brickbats hurled toward Arjo to thwart his political aspiration. The actress, however, takes it with a grain of salt as long as she knows the truth about her son, "Pag ganun, di na namin pinapansin lalo na yung sa social media, mga troll na wala namang mga mukha. I challenge them to step forward, saka ko sila haharapin." What is her hope for Arjo? "Siyempre, I want him to win. Pero ipinagdadasal ko rin na kung ikapapahamak lang niya yon, huwag na lang siyang papanalunin ng Nasa Itaas. I keep telling him na pag sinuwerte siya, huwag na huwag siyang magbabago. Tuparin niyang lahat ang mga ipinapangako niya." As Arjo's mom, how does she intend to help her son carry out his duties especially for the needy? A native of Nasipit (a third class municipality in Agusan del Norte), Sylvia never fails to provide "ayuda" to her kababayan on a regular basis. Back when they were small, Arjo and Ria would assist in the packing and distribution of relief goods there themselves. "Siguro, madadagdagan lang yung mga recipients kasi kasama na yung mga taga- District 1," Sylvia assured. Showing a great promise, no doubt, Arjo is a shoo-in for the post. So do we convey our congratulatory message this early?

Pahrump, which is about 62 miles west of the gambling and entertainment capital of the world, as more people will be looking for affordable alternatives. The state offers great opportunities for the savvy and forward-thinking – great returns on your investments in real estate and a host of tax benefits for Nevada residents (competitive business state tax, a county sales tax of 6.75% (not on food items), and no taxes associated with estate/inheritance, franchise, gift, inventory/interstate commerce, corporate income and personal income). I can definitely help you look for the best opportunities for real estate in Las Vegas, Pahrump and other areas. Now is the time to take advantage of deals before prices get higher. My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has successfully helped its clientele find the best deals since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-5592476 and 702-538-4948 for more information. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow The award-winning actress vehemently denies allegations that her son Arjo Atayde is using his in as short as 7 days. (Advertising Supplement)

equally famous girlfriend Maine Mendoza to gain advantages this coming elections. Photo from Instagram/@arjoatayde

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APRIL 7-13, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

Syncing for a Cause

Features

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GK USA partners with Synchrony to help Typhoon Rai/Odette victims by eric

Sayno

WHEN Typhoon Rai ravaged the Philippines late last year, it wasn’t just the Filipinos living in the affected areas who felt its wrath. The catastrophe caught the attention of global Pinoys, and roused them to action. Gawad Kalinga (GK) USA was one of the organizations that served as forces of light amidst the gloom, drawing strength from other groups who shared its goal: To be in solidarity with those who lost loved ones and livelihoods, and help them get back on their feet. Among GK USA’s allies in gifting the typhoon victims with hope is Synchrony, a financial services company based in North America. Synchrony presented GK USA with a grant valued at $100,000. Having witnessed how GK’s work on-ground has touched lives and opened many doors for Filipinos, Synchrony is one of many staunch supporters of GK. Officers from Synchrony offices in the US and the Philippines have even participated in Gawad Kalinga activities. Apart from that, GK USA created a fundraising page that was made available to Synchrony employees. Setting a funding target of $25,000, GK USA was hoping for an outpouring of love, but they were overwhelmed with wave upon wave of generosity from the Synchrony employees.

Synchrony employees and families build side by side

By the end of the fundraising period, GK USA garnered more than half of its target at $61,029 in donations. “This is a true testament of the bayanihan spirit of our Synchrony family,” shares Carlos Capucion, Synchrony’s Corporate Social Responsibility Manager. “The help and support we have received was truly overwhelming and even though we are thousands of miles apart, we can sincerely feel the love and care for the Filipinos who have been impacted by the typhoon. It’s true that by joining hands, we can make a difference, and by working together, we can change lives!” Edgar Calandria, one of the recipients of a home shares his deep gratitude, “Our old house

was located alongside a river which would overflow when it rained, bringing a foul smell that made my children sick. Our new home is such a big help to my family. With Synchrony and Gawad Kalinga, I saw and experienced true caring, sharing, and giving among everyone in the village.” Healing from the physical damages and the trauma brought about by Typhoon Rai may not happen overnight, but having people moving in sync to help pick up the pieces eases the process. On behalf of its beneficiaries, GK USA expresses its gratitude to Synchrony and its employees for exemplifying bayanihan at a time when it is needed the most.

Synchrony GK Village and management team

The Asian Community Development Council holds first Annual ‘Run for Rice, Walk for Wellness’ 5K event The Asian Community Development Council is holding its first annual “Run for Rice & Walk for Wellness” 5K event on Sunday, May 1st, 2022. This event will be happening from 8 AM to 1 PM at the CSN Charleston Campus at 6375 West Charleston Boulevard, Las Vegas NV 89146. The “Run for Rice & Walk for Wellness” 5K will raise funds for the opening of the HAPI (Healthy Asian Pacific Islanders) Medical Center and continued food distribution efforts in Southern Nevada. Healthy Asian

Pacific Islanders (HAPI) Medical Center is the Asian Community Development Council’s first medical center. 81% of the Asian Pacific Islander population is uninsured or underinsured. HAPI's mission is to meet the healthcare needs of the API community by providing quality health services and removing language barriers for the underserved, uninsured, and underinsured population in the Las Vegas Valley. This event will also feature API-owned food vendors, vaccine clinic & a free health fair for all

ages. Ticket Prices: $25 Individual: Includes t-shirt, medal and bib $88 Non-Profit Group of 5: Includes t-shirt, medal and bib $100 Group of 5: Includes t-shirt, medal and bib To register & for more information: https://www. mightycause.com/event/ Ricerun2022 For sponsorships, vendors, and volunteer opportunities, please contact 702-489-8866 or manwah@acdcnv.org.

Asian American entrepreneurs and business leaders to gather for first Uplifting Conference LAS VEGAS - To kick off Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Asian American entrepreneurs and business leaders from around the world will gather in Las Vegas for the first annual “Uplifting Conference” on April 28-29, 2022. It will take place at the Industrial Event Space at 2330 South Industrial Road, Las Vegas 89102. Organized by Asian Hustle Network, the Uplifting Conference will bring together a global entrepreneurial community, featuring notable keynote speakers, networking sessions,workshops, special performances and more.

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“Las Vegas is the perfect city to launch this conference. This city is a melting pot of people, cultures and ideas and what better place to bring everyone together in one conference,” said Bryan Pham, Founder & CEO of Asian Hustle Network. “With May being Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, this is also an opportunity to bring the bright minds and talents in the API community together to provide tools, knowledge and opportunities to network with each other”. Some of the notable keynote speakers at the “Uplifting Conference” include:

• Andrew Cherng, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Panda Express • Leenda Dong, Content Creator, LeedaDproductions • Drex Lee, Commercial Film Director, Drex Lee Films • Chieh Huang, CEO & CoFounder, Boxed • Miko Matsumura, General Partner, Gumi Cryptos Capital This Uplifting Conference is the first of three scheduled for 2022. The next two will happen later this year in Australia. For ticket information and more on the Uplifting Conference, visit www.asianhustlenetwork.com.

EMPLOYMENT

UPAAA launches music-focused community outreach Spring events showcase Filipino choral, folk and pop music

SAN FRANCISCO — The University of the Philippines Alumni Association in America (UPAAA) proudly announces two Spring concerts that will showcase Filipino choral, folk and pop music, while raising funds for its scholarship programs. The concerts are Tempus, a hybrid recital at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana on April 28, and Alay Kay Inay (A Gift to Mother), a virtual pre-Mother’s Day celebration on May 6. “Music is our shared language across cultures, to paraphrase (Henry Wadsworth) Longfellow,” notes UPAAA President Jose M. David, Jr, MD. He adds, “Food is also something we all share. Filipino cuisine is now part of the mainstream in many parts of the country, centuries after the first Filipino landed in Morro Bay in 1587. And we hope that UPAAA’s efforts will help bring Filipino music and Filipino musical talent to even more US audiences.” Featuring a performance of Chichester Palms by Leonard Bernstein, and the world premiere of Pastol, a choral devotion based on Psalm 23 by Filipino contemporary composer Eudenice V. Palaruan, Tempus is the final recital of Filipino conductor Emmanuel de Leon, Jr, a Doctor of Music Arts candidate at University of Notre Dame. Like Palaruan, de Leon, Jr is an alumnus of the University of the Philippines, and the 2021 recipient of the UPAAA International Student Assistance Grant (ISAG). De Leon, Jr acknowledges, “I am a UP alumnus studying in the U.S., and the funds helped me continue my research, music encoding and video editing. I am grateful to UPAAA.” UPAAA is spearheading a fundraising campaign for Tempus. Among the donors is UP alumnus Dr. Francisco S.

Sy, a professor of Public Health and chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He states, “I cannot imagine a world without music. It is an essential element of life.” Beyond choral music, the playlist for UPAAA’s annual fundraiser Alay Kay Inay will feature music across various genres — from folk and Spanishinfluenced to jazz, OPM (Original Pilipino Music) and U.S. pop. UPAAA Community Outreach and Advocacy Committee chair Joy Pasamonte Henry observes, “Filipino music reflects a rich history, including the influence of American pop music.” This year’s Alay Kay Inay performers include: Sounds of Manila, the premier OPM band in the U.S.; the Awit Awardwinning music icon Jun Polistico; emerging talent Kayla Tejero; and UP Alumni and Friends Rondalla of New Jersey, beloved music ambassadors (rondalla refers to a string instrument ensemble that originated in medieval Spain). Three musical acts from the San Francisco Bay Area will also perform, including tenor and long-time choir director Leon Palad; singer Tiffany Carandang who performs solo, and as part of the band, The Aura; and vocalist Jacqui Naylor with multiinstrumentalist Art Khu, who are known for “acousting smashing,” an arranging technique that combines the lyrics and melody of a jazz song over the groove of a rock song, or vice versa. UPAAA Ways & Means Committee chair Minnie CorpuzCastillo, RN heads the allvolunteer team that is putting together Alay Kay Inay. She says, “This UPAAA signature event is our most heart-warming

one. Mom plus music equals a combination that’s hard to resist, and we look forward to seeing our regulars in the audience, and welcoming new attendees.” Tempus is a free event, and open to the public. Tickets are required for inperson attendance and can be obtained by emailing info@ upaainamerica.org. For further information, including the option to attend by livestream, visit the Sacred Music at Notre Dame website at https://sacredmusic. nd.edu/events/2022/04/28/ smnd-choral-conducting-recitalemmanuel-deleon/. Alay Kay Inay is a virtual event, and open to the public. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/alay-kayinay-a-virtual-mothers-dayconcert-tickets-304092397547. In addition, song and video dedications are available for $25 and $50, respectively. Corporate sponsorship and patron opportunities are available. Please contact Joy S. Celo, MD at info@upaainamerica. org. For media inquiries, contact either Lisa Boquiren or Joe Santos at press@upaainamerica. org. The University of the Philippines Alumni Association in America is a duly registered 501 (C)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1981 in New Jersey by a group of graduates of the University of the Philippines led by Dr. Arsenio Talingdan. We are a strong broad-based organization of alumni of the University of the Philippines working together on educational, charitable, cultural, and other meaningful projects that benefit alumni, the UP System, and the community in pursuit of common goals. (UPAAA Release)

Beauty on self-care: ‘It’s a long process’ by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPUSO actress Beauty Gonzalez revealed that self-care is her secret to being happy and healthy. During the Hakubi White C’s Facebook Live recently, Beauty said she tried to be open-minded because she’s too perfectionist. “It’s a long process, but worth it. The first is to mentally prepare me to be open. It’s the hardest part for me, and to believe in the people who believe in me. I really try to be open,” Beauty said. “Masyado akong perfectionist so being open is hard and to think that everything else is the noise, that one I really have to prepare. I try to convert to positive yung Beauty Gonzalez Photo from Instagram/@beauty_gonzalez mga noise na yun,” she added.

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Beauty also said that lying on the floor makes her feel better. “Mahilig ako humiga sa sahig. I’m not drunk or whatever, it’s my thing in the house. I like lying down on the floor. I don’t know why, but it makes me feel good. Like sa garden, I look at the sky. I feel relaxed when I do that. I take care of my body from head to toe like massages, yoga, acupuncture, simple things like stretching – you feel good after that. Kahit dental flossing,” she said. She also do yoga to help her rediscover her beauty from within. “Insecurity is psychological warfare at its finest,” she said. “Acknowledging your feelings and that it is only within your power to convert these into happy, positive ones,” she added.

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EntErtainmEnt

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 7-13, 2022

3 Filipino international designers you need to know in 2022

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Their works are to be showcased at Asia Pacific Fashion Week 2022 in Los Angeles and Las Vegas Neo-ethnic fashion by LCL For Lionell Christian Lanuzo and his self-named fashion brand LCL, guests will be impressed by his statement-making shapes and patterns, which encourage the wearer to express her uniqueness and ethnicity. His favored sillouette, the “Philippine Terno” and its trademark butterfly sleeves, is combined with modern European aesthetics to create a decidedly “neo ethnic” look. Christian’s creations have been featured in several fashion magazines in Europe. Various Philippine embassies in Europe,

THE diversity of designs in the Filipino community is unparalleled, and what makes them even more unique is each artist’s subtle homage to their culture. Get to know three mustsee Filipino designers who are doing their country proud. Their works are to be showcased at Asia Pacific Fashion Week (APFW) – a global platform for emerging fashion designers – on August 6, 2022 at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, and on August 13, 2022 in Decades Event Center in Las Vegas.

Mayeth Codoy has a Norway-based label, MYET Photo by Emmelot Grace

One of Mayeth Codoy’s creations. Photo courtesy of Esmod Oslo

Ryan focuses on businesses, wants to settle down by Pat-P

Daza Philstar.com

BECAUSE of the COVID pandemic, the ensuing lockdown and the Netflix availability of Crash Landing On You, many Filipinos became addicted to Korean dramas in March 2020. There is no denying that Pinoys have embraced “K” culture wholeheartedly and are now avid consumers of its food, music, TV shows, make-up and even gadgets. But there is one Korean who has done the opposite, embracing the Philippines and even thinking of himself more as a Filipino than a Korean: actor Ryan Bang. Recently, Ryan was all over social media when Yeng Constantino openly admitted on It’s Showtime that she appreciated Ryan when he courted her back in 2010. Yeng, who is now married, admitted she was hurt when Ryan ghosted her. For his part, Ryan never thought he even had a chance with the singer/composer of Hawak Kamay. But Yeng assured Ryan that he had an inexplicable charm and is grateful for the friendship they share. Ryan doesn’t have a girlfriend at the moment but is hopeful that he will find a suitable partner in the next few years so he can settle down. Not many know that Ryan came to Manila in 2005 from Seoul after his parents split. His mom sent her only child to Manila to live with a good friend of hers. Ryan was enrolled at Reedley International School. In 2010, when he was in senior high school and the student council president, a classmate convinced him to audition for ABSCBN’s Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Teen Edition. He was the first runnerup to James Reid, that season’s big winner. Though Ryan was the PBB second placer, he was invited to be a “hurado” on It’s Showtime. The rules had viewers voting to keep their favorite hurados, with those who didn’t get enough votes being kicked out. And what Ryan thought was going to be a brief stint lasted 48 weeks! To this day, Ryan is still with the noontime show. He also joined the cast of Banana Sundae and even had his own travel show on Studio 23 (later renamed as the ABS-CBN Sports and Action channel), Kaya Mo Bang, which was sponsored by a very successful food company. Ryan is thankful that he is still the company’s endorser after many years. He shared that this endorsement might be traced to the day he was waiting outside ABS-CBN for a taxi when three high school students asked if they could interview him. He gamely accepted and answered their questions. To his surprise, a few days later, his road manager told him that there was an inquiry to get him as the food brand’s endorser. He later found out that the three students were related to the owner of the food company. He’s still unsure, though, if the trio had a hand in what happened or if it was a mere coincidence. Whichever way you look at it, Ryan still feels so blessed that he continues to be the company’s brand endorser after 12 years. From 2010 to 2020, Ryan focused on his showbiz career. In February 2020, he formed a company with his very good friend, Tommy Yoon. Ryan decided that for this decade, the 2020s, he will focus on becoming a businessman as well. And so, Ryan and Tommy formed DUJABA Entertainment, which hopes to bring Korean artists to the Philippines. Unfortunately, the pandemic happened in March 2020 and those plans were put on hold. Not to be disheartened, they opened a Korean Hair Salon named Moridu along Sct. Rallos street in Quezon City with a resident Korean hairstylist and has been a favorite among showbiz personalities. They also opened DUCUP, which serves affordable Korean rice dishes and is open for franchising. Now that businesses are bouncing back thanks to the Alert Level 1 status of the National Capital Region (NCR) and other areas, Ryan’s business plans for the 2020s are back on track. He is hopeful about opening a full-service Korean restaurant soon, since he knows that K-food makes many Filipinos happy. And what does the actor/host/businessman do to unwind on weekends? He goes to New Clark City to play golf, dines at any of the many Korean restaurants there, and visits the authentic Korean sauna Jjimjilbang.

There is no denying that Pinoys have embraced ‘K’ culture wholeheartedly. But there is one Korean who has done the opposite, embracing the Philippines and even thinking of himself more as a Filipino than a Korean — actor Ryan Bang. Philstar.com photos

recognizing his unique Filipinoinspired designs, have invited him to showcase his neo-ethnic clothes during important Filipino community celebrations. Based in Milan, one of the world’s fashion capitals, Christian proudly raises the Philippine flag wherever his creations take him. Indigenous weaves by MYET For Mayeth Codoy and her Norway-based label MYET, fashion entails showcasing the distinct beauty of the Philippine textiles – pinya (pineapple) and abaca (Manila hemp) – in such beautiful, modern masterpieces that are appropriate for both special events and everyday wear. Mayeth, a 2020 graduate of Esmod Oslo (an affiliate of Esmod International School in Paris), was one of six international designers whose creations were featured last year in a fashion show of the French nonprofit association Fashion for Foundation at the historic Salon des Miroirs on Paris’ Grand Boulevard. Mayeth sources the fabrics used in her collection from artisan communities in Aklan, a province in Central Philippines. Luxe fashions by Gnetz Designs Finally, Genette Mujar, the proud owner and CEO of Gnetz Designs, a clothing business she established in Vancouver, is another Filipina is making a name for herself in Canada’s fashion scene.

Genette’s luxe designs have been featured in various Canadian magazines, and she has collaborated with noted Canadian photographers and make-up artists. However, before she could pursue her goal of becoming a fashion designer, Genette had to work as a caregiver in Canada. Genette finally summoned the confidence to pursue her big goal at the age of 50. Genette’s hard workd paid off when she received the “Best Achievement Award” from Vancouver’s Visual College of Art and Design, the fashion school she attended. Genette’s remarkable success story is another illustration of how, no matter our age, the big effort can lead to even bigger success. Asia Pacific Fashion Week: A global platform The range of designs within the Filipino community is unlike any other. But what makes them extra special is the subtle nod they make to their culture. Indeed, these designers are drawing well-deserved attention to Filipino glam – and Asia Pacific Fashion Week will be their newest global platform to showcase the diversity of Filipino-inspired fashions. This inaugural edition of APFW is presented by the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, DTI Los Angeles office, Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions

Genette Mujar, CEO of Gnetz Designs Photo by Canna Zhou

Lionell Christian Lanuzo has a self-named fashion brand, LCL Photo by LCL

A Genette Mujar creation Photo courtesy of Vanity Wall

One of Lionell Christian Lanuzo’s creations. Photo courtesy of Sujata Photography

(CITEM) and The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The Los Angeles leg of APFW enjoys the support of Asian Journal Publications Inc., Trending Beverages Inc., Napa Valley Distribution Inc., Montemaria Cellars, House of Pacquiao Wine, Individual Health Care, Lombard by the Bay, MTS Law Firm, Premier Asia Pacific

Real Estate & Development, and Tina Modeling. The Las Vegas edition is coproduced by InterEdx, a dba of Dynasty Exchange Ltd. LLC., headed by Dr. Lee Dedicatoria, in cooperation with Asia on Earth, Dynasty Ventures, Club Paradisia, World Edoption, Royal Blue Staffing and Lend with Love.

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APRIL 7-13, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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