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Duterte takes home P3.8-B aid from China by Dana
SioSon AJPress
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
Concerns for 2020 census grow as citizenship question is added the U.s. Commerce Department recently announced that it will “restore a question about citizenship” to the upcoming 2020 census questionnaire. the move adds to already existing concerns of risking a fair and accurate count of the U.s. population. Advocates pushing for an accurate count have long been addressing issues that would affect proper processes of enumeration like insufficient funds, lack of preparations, and the inability to properly test the new online survey taking method. they’ve also been addressing the increasing climate of fear incited by political rhetoric on immigration enforcement as a major factor. Advocates argue that the added citizenship question will further discourage people from participating in the census, thus making it possible for certain communities to be misrepresented. in an eight-page memo, Commerce secretary Wilbur ross said that the Justice De-
April 12-18, 2018
PhiliPPine President rodrigo Duterte is returning to manila with billions-worth of economic and infrastructure aid from the Chinese government. According to malacañang, Beijing pledged 500 million renminbi (rnB) or about P3.8 billion in assistance to manila, following a bilateral meeting be-
tween Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping. the bilateral meeting between the two leaders took place on tuesday, April 10, at the sidelines of the Boao forum for Asia in the southern province of hainan, China. “there was a grant of a 500 million rnB or equivalent to P3.8 billion given to the Philippines by China in terms of economic and infrastructure assis-
tance,” Palace spokesperson harry roque Jr. told reporters on Wednesday, April 11. the Philippine and Chinese governments also inked six bilateral agreements during the meeting. these include economic and technical cooperation; the establishment of the third phase of the filipino-sino Center for Agricultural technology; and the pre-feasibility study of the pro-
by Ben
o. De Vera Inquirer.net
Gender & wage inequality burdens women of color
filiPinA-American tessy rivera is a single mother of two daughters. she is currently a case manager at a behavioral health facility in torrance, California. she’s just like a lot of other single mothers, she says. she gets up very early in the morning, prepares breakfast for her two girls, drops them off at school, works for “sometimes 10 hours a day,: picks up her daughters from their lola, prepares dinner and puts them to sleep. “it’s a cycle. it’s a difficult cycle, but it’s one i’m happy to ride,” rivera, 39, shared with the Asian Journal in a recent interview in her home in echo Park. A case manager for 10 years, she has worked at several other clinics before. she says that one of the reasons why she left her last post was because of her salary. After an intimate conversation with some of her coworkers about their salaries, she found out that a young male co-worker, who holds the same position but has less experience,
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PH experiencing ‘golden age of economic growth’- ADB exec
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A new study released on Equal Pay Day demonstrates the wage gap along intersectional gender lines
posed expressway in Duterte’s home city of Davao. Also signed were the exchange of letters for broadcasting equipment for the Presidential Communications operations office (PCoo); a loan agreement for the Chico river pump irrigation project; and a memorandum of understanding on the employment of filipino teachers of the english lan-
MENDING FENCES. President Rodrigo Duterte is accompanied by People’s Republic of China President Xi Jinping prior to the start of the dinner hosted by the Chinese president at the Boao State Guesthouse on Tuesday, April 10. In his message following the signing of agreements between Philippine and Chinese companies, Duterte reiterated that the Philippines is continuing to promote ease of doing business as well as the government’s effort in addressing corruption. Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante
the Philippines is currently experiencing a “golden age of economic growth” amid sustained expansion in over five decades, an executive of the Asian Development Bank said on Wednesday, April 11, with the Duterte administration’s ambitious infrastructure program seen not only boosting the gross domestic product but also reducing poverty incidence. in its Asian Development outlook 2018 report released also on Wednesday, the manila-based multilateral lender kept its 6.8-percent GDP growth forecast for the Philippines for 2018, a faster pace than the 6.7-percent actual expansion in 2017. for 2019, the ADB projected the Philippine economy to further grow by 6.9 percent, although the forecasts in the next two years were below the government’s target range of 7-8 percent starting this year until 2022. “rising domestic demand, remittances, and employment, in addition to infrastructure spending, will drive growth” in the Philippines in the near term, the ADB said in a statement.
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Draft Dengvaxia report: Aquino, Abad, Garin ‘criminally liable’ by AJPress former Philippine President Benigno “noynoy” Aquino iii and his Cabinet officials should be held criminally liable for the Dengvaxia mess, according to a draft report by the senate Blue ribbon Committee. the committee is recommending the prosecution of Aquino and his officials “for all the tragedy, damage and possible deaths” resulting from his administration’s scrapped P3.5 billion dengue vaccination program. senate Blue ribbon Committee chair richard Gordon presented the draft report on Wednesday, April 11. “former President Aquino is responsible because he caused the purchase of Dengvaxia and in the process caused irreversible damage, possibly death, to children, [and] anxiety, sleepless nights, unneces-
sary expense on the part of the parents and guardians,” he said. “the greatest sin and transgression of Aquino was to put the lives of filipino children in grave peril. he simply did not care. manhid siya at walang malasakit (He’s insensitive and lacks compassion),” the senator added. the committee is recommending Aquino to be charged with violation of republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, as well as republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and ethical standards for Public officials and employees. Also tagged as “primary conspirators” in the procurement of the controversial vaccine were former Budget secretary florencio Senator Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, presents a copy of the Abad and former health secretary Janette draft committee report on the government’s controversial dengue vaccination program to the Senate media during the Kapihan sa Senado on Wednesday, April 11. Garin. Senate photo by Cesar Tomambo
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DOT plans to host another Miss Universe More wet ballots, grass found in Naga pageant after Boracay rehabilitation by AJPress
by AJPress the Philippine Department of tourism (Dot) is considering the idea of hosting the miss Universe pageant in 2019 after the rehabilitation of Boracay island. According to tourism secretary Wanda teo, it was President rodrigo Duterte himself who suggested the hosting of another miss Universe pageant in the country to help in reintroducing GOODBYE TO ALL THAT. Tourists relax along a beach in Boracay island two weeks before its Boracay to the world. While clarifying that the presishutdown. The tourism sector is bracing for the fallout from the six-month closure of one of the world’s top beaches, as the government prepares to clean the island that President dent made the suggestion in jest, Rodrigo Duterte had called a “cesspool.”
ManilaTimes.net photo
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As the recount of 2016 vice presidential polls continues, more wet ballots were discovered in ballot boxes from naga City, Camarines sur. Aside from wet ballots, the camp of former senator ferdinand “Bongbong” marcos Jr. said cut grass was also discovered in ballot boxes from the hometown of Vice President maria leonor “leni” robredo. the ballot boxes from naga were opened last friday, April 6. the manual recount and revision In this March 27, 2018 photo, Lawyer Edgar Aricheta (left) with some members of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) inspect the venue of revision of votes for the Marcos- of ballots started on monday, April 2, and is part of the elecRobredo electoral protest at the Supreme Court (SC) Gymnasium in Manila. PNA photo by Jess Escaros Jr.
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From The FronT Page
Duterte takes home P3.8-B...
PAGE A1 guage in China. Duterte likewise witnessed the signing of 9.5 billion worth of investment deals with Chinese firms that could create about 10,800 jobs for Filipinos, according to Malacañang. On behalf of the country, Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Rowel Barba signed the letters of intent (LOI) covering agriculture, technology, pharmaceuticals, land development, and infrastructure, among others. Duterte, in a keynote speech, thanked the Chinese businessmen for their investment proposals. “Allow me to say that the growing trade and investments reflect the vigorous momentum of the Philippine-China relations and highlighting the Chinese position as our largest trading partner and our largest export market, to-
gether with Hong Kong,” Duterte remarked. He went on to say, “I hope for a more robust and healthy balance of trade in the coming years as the Philippines and China continue to enhance and increase trade links.” Duterte further acknowledged the “job opportunities that will be created by Chinese investments now and in the years to come and their role in promoting inclusive growth, of encouraging entrepreneurship among the Filipinos.” Joint exploration Both Duterte and Xi have given a “go signal” for the crafting of a framework for the proposed joint oil and gas exploration in the West Philippine Sea. According to Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, the two presidents discussed the matter during Tuesday’s bilateral meeting. “How important was that state-
ment made by the two leaders? Very important, because it’s basically the go signal to come up with a framework, and if it’s acceptable to both sides, we could see the joint exploration done soon,” Cayetano said. Quoting Xi, Cayetano said “that China, if that’s what the Philippines wants, is willing to discuss and find a solution” in the disputed waters. Duterte, meanwhile, said, “it’s important that our people see the benefit” of the relationship between the two countries. Despite the development, Cayetano assured that the Philippines will not give up on its claims in the South China Sea. He also noted that Beijing has never asked Manila to give up on its claims. “It’s important that we got something out of there. But you know, it was clear to both sides that we will stick to our guns,” the Foreign Affairs secretary said. n
Draft Dengvaxia report: Aquino, Abad... PAGE A1 “Aquino, Garin, Abad and other officials are primary conspirators and must be held criminally liable… and must be prosecuted for all the tragedy, damage and possible deaths” resulting from the Dengvaxia mass vaccination program,” Gordon said.
Some 830,000 Filipino children were administered Dengvaxia under the dengue immunization program implemented by the Aquino administration in April 2016. The program was immediately suspended late last year, following an advisory that the vaccine poses health risk when admin-
istered on a person who has not been previously infected with the virus. Some parents claimed that their children died because of the vaccine. The committee, in its draft report, said that the government’s purchase of the vaccine was done with “undue haste” and “without adequate research on the background and track record of the supplier, Sanofi-Pasteur.” “He (Aquino) ordered to buy it even if it was not in the 2015 budget,” Gordon said. Reacting on the draft Senate committee report, Aquino remarked: “What should we expect from the Dick Gordon show?” The former president noted that the fund for Dengvaxia was obligated in 2016. “Kelan nag-warn yung Sanofi? Ano yung sinabi nila ng umpisa? Wala yan downside na yan, walang danger. (When did Sano issued the warning? What did they say earlier? That is has no downside, no danger),” Aquino was quoted saying in an Inquirer report. He also denied that the approval of the Dengvaxia funds was done in “undue haste,” pointing out that his administration was “waiting for this vaccine as early as 2010 or for that matter we’re waiting for any other tool that can be used against dengue.” n
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP. Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo (2nd from right) shakes hands with Erlinda Legaspi of Marylindbert International (2nd from left) during the launching of the campaign “Buhay Carinderia Redefined” at the Rizal Park Hotel in Manila on Wednesday, April 11. The project, which will be supported by the department for the first time, aims to redefine the eateries in the country. Also in the photo are Alberto Rosal (right) and actor Rommel Montano. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
More wet ballots, grass found... PAGE A1 toral protest Marcos filed against Robredo. During the first week of recount, several wet ballot boxes were reportedly found from Bato and Baao towns in Camarines Sur. Marcos’ spokesman, Vic Rodriguez, remarked that the discovery of more wet ballots in Naga City, in addition to Bato and Baao towns, bolsters their allegations of fraud during the 2016 national elections. “With the discovery of extra
votes added to Robredo in clustered precinct in Bato, Camarines Sur and the wet ballots in several clustered precincts, we are convinced that more evidence of fraud, ballot box tampering and vote padding are to come out, validating our case that the 2016 election for vice president is the worst in history,” Rodrigez said. In his poll protest, Marcos accused Robredo’s camp of committing massive electoral fraud through pre-shading of ballots, pre-loaded Secure Digital cards, and misreading of ballots,
among others, during the May 2016 polls. Robredo won the vice presidential race with only 263,473 more than Marcos’. Camarines Sur is among the three pilot provinces Marcos tagged in his poll protest. The other two were Iloilo and Negros Oriental. The result of the revision on the three pilot provinces will determine whether the recount should proceed to cover the remaining 31,047 contested clustered precincts. n
PH experiencing ‘golden age of economic... PAGE A1 “Along with domestic demand, the government’s infrastructure investments will fuel the country’s growth in the next few years, supported by a sound economic policy setting. We expect this growth to further lift wage employment numbers, add to household incomes, and benefit more poor families across the archipelago,” Kelly Bird, the ADB’s new country director for the Philippines, was quoted in the statement. Bird told reporters that he believes the Philippines is now on its “golden age” as economic growth has been achieved for over 50 years. For Bird, economic expansion will be sustained in 2018 and 2019 as “reforms are in place to support the government’s infrastructure plan,” referring to the massive “Build, Build, Build” program. Under “Build, Build, Build,” the government plans to roll out 75 “game-changing” projects, with about half targeted to be finished within President Duterte’s term, alongside spending a total of over P8 trillion on hard and modern infrastructure until 2022 in a bid to usher in the “golden age of infrastructure.”
In its Asian Development Outlook 2018 report released also on Wednesday, the Asian Development Bank kept its 6.8-percent GDP growth forecast for the Philippines for 2018, a faster pace than the 6.7-percent actual expansion in 2017. Inquirer.net photo
Bird added that “the government has very sound economic policies in place that will help mitigate external risks.” “Moving forward, the ADB projects services will continue to drive GDP growth, along with manufacturing and construction industries,” the lender said.
“The approval of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion [TRAIN] Law in December 2017 will augment tax revenues and provide additional fiscal space for more progressive public spending. The policy reforms are expected to yield additional P90144 billion in tax revenue collection in 2018 and 2019, respectively,” it added. According to the ADB, “there are external risks to the Philippines’ growth outlook from heightened volatility in international financial markets and uncertainty about global trade openness, although the country’s strong external payments position would cushion these effects.” Bird said that the Philippines’ economic golden age “occurred in a sound macroeconomic policy environment.” “This one has occurred with relatively moderate inflation. The fiscal position is very strong—it had a [budget] deficit of 2.2 percent of GDP last year. You’ve seen national government debt as a share of GDP decline, it’s around 42 percent now—it’s the lowest level in terms of its share of GDP for 20 years. You’ve got the credit ratings that show the Philippines is at investment grade rating. We’re also seeing a labor market that has grown robustly,” Bird said. “When you look at all those factors together, it’s quite a virtuous cycle. That’s why I would call it’s a golden age for the Philippines because it’s growing in a very sound macroeconomic policy framework,” Bird added. Bird also attributed the high economic growth in recent years to the central bank and fiscal institutions, which for him were “very strong institutions that had put in place measures to mitigate against risks to the economy.” “I think the infrastructure plan will help sustain that over the next two to three years. I think it’s important to do that to chip away at the poverty rate, which is still relatively high for a middle-income country,” according to Bird. The poverty incidence rate stood at 21.6 percent in 2015, and the Duterte administration aims to slash it to 14 percent by 2022 through its 10-point socioeconomic agenda. n
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Gender & wage inequality burdens women... PAGE A1 made nearly 10 percent more than she does. “I can’t say I was shocked. Mad, yes. Shocked, no,” she lamented. “It’s disturbing and I know it’s, like, one of the first things that people bring up when they talk about equal rights. It’s a discussion that has a lot of mileage to it, but that has promoted not a lot of action that I’ve seen. I hated to leave that job because that’s difficult when you have children, but I knew my work could be fairly valued somewhere else.” Though it seems like the world is moving closer to some semblance of equality, women like Rivera still live with the same salary grievances first discussed decades ago at the advent of women’s liberation: on average, men earn more than women. A new study from the National Partnership for Women & Families reaffirmed that decades-long discussion that the gender wage gap puts women at a great disadvantage: overall, women in the United States are paid 80 cents for every dollar men earn. That makes the annual gender wage gap at $10,086. The report found that the average full-time employed woman in California is paid 88 cents for every dollar that a man makes, which adds up to a $5,928 difference in pay annually. But in 2018, the wage gap discussion is no longer binary and when broken down among the races, the gap tells a larger story. In California, Asian women are paid $19,613 less than men annually. For Black women and Latinas, the annual wage gap is $27,437 and $41,251, respectively. A deeper look into the races shows that even within the group of Asian women, certain ethnicities are paid even lower for every male dollar earned. Burmese, Samoan, and Hmong women, for example, only earn 51 cents, 56 cents and 59 cents for every dollar paid to a white man, respectively. “The wage gap among Asian and Pacific Islander groups show that Asian women are not model minorities and different ethnicities continue to suffer from large gaps in wages,” the study said. Moreover, Chinese and Indian women are generally paid more than white men, but Filipina, Vietnamese and Korean women are paid less. “I may have understood it if we were living in the 50s or 60s where the traditional family with a husband and wife still existed,
but that’s not how a lot of us live. There are a lot of single mothers out there who still have to suffer through [wage inequality] to provide for the entire family,” Rivera shared. And the study affirms that reality for all groups of women. An intersectional look at the wage gap shows that mothers, in particular, receive a substantial blow. Mothers — and single mothers like Rivera — are the sole breadwinners in half of the families with children under 18. This includes 53 percent of Latina mothers, 81 percent of Black mothers and 44 AAPI mothers. Mothers who work full-time, year-round jobs are paid just 71 cents for every dollar that a father earns. If the gender pay gap were eliminated, the average working woman in the U.S. could have enough money for 14 more months of child care, 74 more weeks of food for her family and more than one additional year of university fees and 10 additional months of rent, according to the study. So why is it that in a time where seismic feminist shifts are occurring in the current culture that women and people of color are still slighted in wage? Analysis from the National Partnership survey shows that while certain criteria exist in many occupations (education, experience, region, unionization, etc.), there is still 38 percent of the gap that has been unaccounted for, which leads researchers to deduce that race and gender-based discrimination continue to affect wages for women and women of color. “It’s clear that discrimination contributes to it --- and equally clear that it’s causing grave harm to women, families and the country,” National Partnership President Debra L. Ness said in a statement. “Lawmakers have not done nearly enough to end wage discrimination based on gender and race. If our country is to thrive, we must root out bias in wages, reject outdated stereotypes and stop penalizing women for having children and caring for their families.” Ness suggests that lawmakers should double down on efforts to end gender and race discrimination in the workplace, end sexual harassment “which impedes women’s job advancement,” implement a federal paid family and medical leave measure and increase access to high-quality and affordable reproductive health care.
The wage gap discussion began decades ago when the landmark Equal Pay Act of 1963 which made it illegal for employers to grant unequal wages to men and women who performed equal work. In 2009, Congress passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 which loosened timeliness requirements for filing workplace discrimination suits, which signaled another spark in the wage disparity discourse. Despite these efforts, the wage gap has persisted through loopholes and patterns of discrimination that bypass existing legislation. But lawmakers in Washington haven’t stopped authoring laws that would move the country toward equal pay along race and gender lines. The Paycheck Fairness Act was introduced by U.S. Sen. Patty Murphy (D-Wash.) and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) in 2017 and seeks to close those loopholes by providing more rights for employees, incentives and assistance for employers to impose equal pay practices and direct the Dept. of Labor to hold employers accused of illegal wage discrimination accountable. And most Americans do support policies that would address and close the pay gap. In a 2016 survey from research group American Women, 89 percent of registered voters said they would favor (57 percent said they would “strongly favor”) legislation that would hold employers accountable, protect workers from discriminatory wage practices and provide salary negotiation training for women. For the last several decades, advocates have been fighting tooth and nail to close the wage gap. Significant social and legislative reforms have materialized, but the disparities persist. The National Partnership predicted that “at the current rate, the wage gap will not close until 2059” which means that “wage inequities will persist and compound year after year for women and their families, affecting their incomes now and their retirement income and savings in the future.” The complex issue of wage inequality will likely require more than a one-size-fits-all fix, and when asked what she thinks should happen first in order to close the wage gap, Rivera swiftly replied, “Elect more women in public office. Elect more women of color in office. They know us and they get it. That should be the first step.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
HARDIN NG LUNAS FESTIVAL. Philippine Army Chief Lt.General Rolando Joselito Bautista, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Tarlac Heritage Foundation Inc. co-Founder Dr. Isa Suntay flash the signature pose of President Rodrigo Duterte during the Hardin ng Lunas Harvest Festival at the Philippine Army Headquarters in Taguig on Wednesday, April 11. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
US carrier sails in South China Sea by Dana
SioSon AJPress
AMID escalating tensions, a United States aircraft carrier en route to Manila sailed through the disputed South China Sea on Tuesday, April 10. The USS Theodore Roosevelt was reportedly carrying 65 supersonic F18 jets, spy planes and helicopters, the nuclear-powered carrier. Also aboard the nuclearpowered vessel were a small group of Philippine generals, officials and journalists. The U.S. Navy’s recent freedom of navigation operations in South China Sea come as a demonstration of might, challenging China’s massive claims in the area. “It’s a showcase of the capability of the U.S. armed forces not only by sea but also by air,” Philippine army Lt. Gen. Rolando Bautista said. Acknowledging that the U.S. military’s presence helps the Philippines in securing waters, Bautista added, “The Americans are our friends. In one way or another, they can help us to deter any threat. The USS Theodore Roosevelt arrived in Manila on Wednesday, April 11, for a port visit. According to the U.S. embassy, the U.S. Navy will “participate in cultural exchanges, community relations events, and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR)-spon-
The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) anchors off the coast of Manila for a scheduled port visit on Wednesday, April 11. Theodore Roosevelt is deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alex Perlman
sored tours to enhance cultural understanding and cooperation between the two countries” during the port visit. “Many Theodore Roosevelt Sailors and Marines have strong ties to the Philippines,” said Capt. Carlos Sardiello, Theodore Roosevelt’s commanding officer. “There are several Rough Riders who are from the Philippines or who have family in the country. We are excited for them to be able to share their culture with fellow shipmates and spend time with loved ones there,” Sardiello added. In its website, the embassy also said that the Theodore Roosevelt
Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) will continue on their regularly scheduled Western Pacific deployment after departing Manila. The TRCSG, according to embassy, will conduct a “variety of operations, including addressing shared maritime security concerns, building relationships with partner navies and enhancing interoperability and communication with partners and allies throughout the area of operations through exercises and visits.” Apart from the U.S. carrier, Australian and Japanese warships are also set to dock in the Philippines on Thursday, April 12, and Friday, April 13, respectively. n
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Jinggoy bares story on Loida Lewis’ failed bid to buy PNB by Maila
ager Inquirer.net
ASIDe from being identified with the “yellow army,” former Senator Jinggoy estrada also branded Filipino-American philanthropist Loida Nicolas-Lewis as “anti-erap” after she allegedly failed to buy the Philippine National Bank (PNB) during the time of his father, then President Joseph estrada. Lewis is the national chairperson of the U.S. Pinoys for Good Governance (USPGG) that re-
portedly denied inviting estrada to speak before its members in Michigan on May 20. “had I known that it was Loida who is the chairperson of that organization, I would not have accepted that invitation,” the former senator said in an interview with reporters on Tuesday, April 10. “In fact, according to the president of the local chapter in Michigan, it’s only now that Mrs. Lewis interfered in the affairs of the local chapter,” he said. Asked why he would not have
Loida Nicolas-Lewis
Inquirer.net photo
accepted the invite, estrada said because Lewis was “anti-erap” and “anti-Duterte.” “When my father was president, laging kasama ng nanay ko yan e (she was always with my mother), when my mother was First Lady. And little did I know that she needed something from the government, from the administration of my father. She wanted to purchase the Philippine National Bank,” said he former senator. “So when my father entertained the idea, my father instructed the Department of Finance to maybe evaluate if she’s capable of purchasing the Philippine National Bank but apparently when they evaluated the finances of Mrs. Lewis, it turned out that she’s not qualified to purchase the Philippine National Bank at that time.” “So that started the anti-erap crusade against my father…hindi nabigyan. e bakit pagbibigyan hindi naman pala kaya, kawawa naman ang administrasyon ng tatay ko… (Why would she be allowed when she cannot purchase. I pity my father’s administration),” estrada added. Last month, the Sandiganbayan granted estrada’s request for a month-long trip to the U.S. with his family, citing the USPGG’s invite for him to speak before its members on May 20. But Lewis, in a statement, said the group did not invite the former senator. estrada insisted that he would push through with his trip after the chair of the USPGG Michigan chapter, William Dechavez, assured him that he would “standby” the invitation on his personal capacity. Inquirer.net is contacting Lewis to get her side on estrada’s claims. n
BORACAY TOURISTS. Dozens of tourists walk along the shores of Boracay which will soon become a ghost town due to its upcoming six-month closure for clean-up and rehabilitation works starting April 26. Employees of restaurants, resorts, shops and other establishments will also be affected by its closure, preempting the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to tell regular employees who would be terminated to sue their employers for illegal dismissal. PNA photo by Joey Razon
PH to call for restraint amid US-China trade tensions by Dana
SioSon AJPress
The Philippines will urge the United States and China to exercise restraint and resume dialogue in order to prevent a “trade war” between the world’s biggest economies. expressing concern over the worsening trade conflict between Washington and Beijing, Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana on Monday, April 9, cautioned that there would be “no winners” in a trade war. he noted that the Philippines is among the nations that will be adversely affected by the trade dispute. “What we don’t want to see is to be adversely affected and it is going to be a challenge because if a trade war breaks out, usually, generally speaking, there are no ways and it is hard for any winner to emerge and so we would also be affected,” Sta. Romana told reporters in a briefing.
”What we need to do is to call on restraint on the U.S. and China to go back to the negotiating table, to open talks and try to resolve through negotiations, trade talks so as to avert a trade war and so as to prevent any fallout on the Philippines,” he added. Last week, China threatened a 25 percent tariff hike on about $50 billion of U.S. imports. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed 25 percent higher tariffs on $100-billion worth of Beijing exports to Washington. According to RhB Bank Berhad, the Philippines could be the most at risk in Southeast Asia from the escalating trade tension between the U.S. and China, as some of Manila’s shipments abroad are part of the supply chain in Beijing’s exports to Washington. ‘I need China’ Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said that he “needs” China to back his
administration’s programs, calling Beijing an “important ingredient” in his administration’s Build, Build, Build multi-trillion infrastructure program. “More than anybody else at this time of our national life, I need China. I will not say something which is not good,” said in a press conference in Davao before leaving the country for China to attend the Boao Forum for Asia. Duterte further expressed appreciation to Chinese President Xi Jinping for understanding his problems and always being willing to help. “Anyway, I just simply love Xi Jinping. he understood, he understands my problem and he’s willing to help. And I’d like to say: Thank you, China,” he said. Despite a maritime dispute over areas of the South China Sea, Duterte also described the relations between the Philippines and China “like a flower that would bloom into something big and beautiful.” n
DOT plans to host another Miss Universe...
PAGE A1 Teo said the idea is possible. “I know it’s pabiro, sabi niya ‘eh baka pwede natin gawin ang Miss Universe sa Boracay.’ So I was thinking baka pwede (I know it’s in jest, he said ‘maybe we can do the Miss Universe in Boracay.’ So I was thinking it may be possible),” Teo said in a government podcast. The Philippines has hosted the pageant three times. The most recent was during the 65th Miss Universe in January 2017. Teo also added that the DOT would be “very proud and happy” to promote Boracay once the rehabilitation of the island is completed. Boracay is set to be closed from tourists for six months, starting April 26, as part of the government’s efforts to address environmental issues hounding the island, particularly its sewage and garbage problems. During the rehabilitation period, the government also hopes
to resolve the issues on the encroachment on easements, forestland, and wetlands; and the degradation of certain areas like Puka Beach and caves. ‘No casinos’ In a press briefing on Monday, April 9, Duterte said no casinos will be build in the island while it was still closed for rehabilitation. “I did not say I will allow casino there somewhere. Far from it actually. I never said anything about building anything or even a nipa hut there,” the president said. he continued: “Walang plano diyang casino-casino. Tama na iyan kasi sobra na. May casino dito, casino doon (There is no plan to build a casino there. Stop already because it’s too much. There’s a casino here, a casino there).” It was earlier reported that Macau casino giant Galaxy entertainment Group Ltd. and its Filipino partner, Leisure and
Resorts World Corp. is planning construction in Boracay after securing a provisional license from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, a staunch critic of the administration, earlier claimed that the closure order was meant to facilitate the construction of a casino in the island. Maintaining his stance, the senator recently bared his plan to seek a Senate investigation into Duterte’s order to close Boracay. “I maintain my position that the reason why Boracay was ordered closed is for the planned construction where they need the ports to bring in construction materials and heavy equipment,” Trillanes said in a briefing on Tuesday, April 10. “They can’t do this with tourists around, so for me, to shed light on this issue, I’ll be filing a resolution calling for a Senate investigation,” he added. n
Concerns for 2020 census grow as citizenship... PAGE A1 partment has requested that the census include a question on citizenship to help administer the Voting Rights Act (VRA). Those against the question addition are saying that there is no good reason for it to be incorporated now. A question about citizenship hasn’t been included in the decennial census in the past 70 years, nor has it been used since the VRA was signed into law in 1965. “We know that adding that question on citizenship status will cause participation in the upcoming census to plummet, and that vulnerable communities that are already hard to count will be most significantly impacted,” said Vanita Gupta, president and CeO of the Leadership Conference education Fund in a recent press call. Gupta told reporters that the question was added to the census against the advice of census experts and former census directors from both Democratic and Republican administrations, and other bipartisan leaders. Official lawsuits have already been filed. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said the state will sue the Trump administration. “having an accurate census count should be the utmost importance for every Californian. The census numbers provide the backbone for planning how our communities can grow and thrive in the coming decade. California simply has too much to lose for us to allow the Trump Administration to botch this important decennial obligation,” said Becerra in a statement. “What the Trump Administration is requesting is not just alarming, it is an unconstitutional attempt to discourage
an accurate census count.” Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) said in a statement that she was “deeply disappointed with Secretary Ross.” She added, “I will not look to introduce legislation to stop this question from being included on the census.” Risk of community misrepresentation The decennial count looks for population changes and other information about who makes up the United States — citizens and non-citizens alike. It also, more importantly, uses the derived data to address the nation’s needs like determining how seats in Congress are set, and how funding allocations for certain programs are made. Arturo Vargas, executive director at National Association of Latino elected and Appointed Officials (NALeO) educational Fund, called the addition of the citizen question the “worse policy-making decision that could have been done.” Vargas and Gupta were among those who advised Ross last month to leave the question out. Vargas said data scientists at a recent meeting unanimously denounced the decision to add the question. In the last 2010 census, approximately one million young children were unaccounted for,” said Vargas. About 400,000 of them were Latino. The last 2010 census also found that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) were the fasting growing ethnic group, growing at a 46 percent rate compared to the 2000 census. John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice pointed out that about 90 percent of the AAPI community are immigrants
or children of immigrants. “For this reason, the citizenship question potentially will depress response rates within our community,” said Yang. he said Secretary Ross had acknowledged the evidence regarding the climate of fear felt by immigrants, but concluded it was not enough. Marc Morial, president and CeO of National Urban League, said that the black population has been undercounted since the first census was made in 1790, when slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person. he added that in 2010, African Americans were undercounted by over two percent — African American children were undercounted by 6.5 percent. According to the Census Bureau’s own statistics, Morial said that Whites were overcounted by 1.1 percent in 2000, and nearly one percent in 2010. “Underrepresentation and a black undercount is an insidious form of racial discrimination because it denies an entire swap of the American population access to privileges, protections and rights,” said Morial. “The same is true for all people who may be undercounted in the census,” he added. “Without reliable data, it is difficult to track whether people of any race or ethnicity receive equitable opportunities in housing, voting, employment, or education.” Despite the citizenship question, Vargas joined other advocates in encouraging people to still participate in the census, adding that boycotting would make the risk of an undercount worse. “The best way to fight back and get policy discourse is to participate,” said Vargas. (Rae Ann Varona / AJPress)
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D ateline PhiliPPines Duterte to Sereno: I’m now your enemy by dAnA
SioSon AJPress
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte formally declared war against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, calling the latter his “enemy.” In a press conference on Monday, April 9, at the Davao International Airport, Duterte vowed to do everything in his power to remove the top magistrate from her office. “I’m putting you on notice that I’m now your enemy and you have to be out of the Supreme Court,” the president said before his flight to China. “I will see to it and after that, I will request the Congress go into the impeachment right away,” he added. Duterte’s declaration came hours after Sereno challenged the president to explain why Solicitor General Jose Calida filed a “quo warranto” petition before the Supreme Court (SC) to invalidate her appointment. But an irked Duterte insisted that he has no hand in the impeachment case against her. “Ikaw Sereno, sinabi ko na sa ‘yo, hindi ako nakialam (Sereno,
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno strikes a defiant pose during her speech in an event organized by the Movement Against Tyranny held in Quezon City. ManilaTimes.net photo
I told you that I never interfered). But if you are insisting, count me in. Count me in and I will egg Calida to do his best,” Duterte remarked. He then said that he would ask House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to hasten the impeachment process against the Chief justice. “I would ask Speaker Alvarez now, kindly fast-track the impeachment. She is bad for the Philippines,” he said. Duterte continued: “Now this time, I’m asking the congressmen and the Speaker, ‘Do it now.
‘Wag ninyong dramahin (Don’t add drama to it). Or else, I will do it for you.” Alvarez, in response, said he will heed to Duterte’s instructions. “It will be done once we resume sessions,” Alvarez told Inquirer. Congress adjourned its session on March 21 and is set resume on May 14. Asked if he thinks Sereno would be impeached, the House speaker responded: “Yes, we have a very strong case to impeach her.” The articles of impeachment against Sereno are currently being drafted by the House justice panel, which will be submitted for plenary deliberations. If approved, it will then be submitted at the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court. Sereno is accused of culpable of violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, corruption, and other high crimes. The complaint claimed that she allegedly misdeclared her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), bypassed the en banc, and delayed the benefits of retired SC personnel, among others. n
Sandigan denies Napoles’ transfer to witness protection custody by dAnA
SioSon AJPress
THE Sandiganbayan has denied the plea of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim- Napoles to be transferred from Camp Bagong Diwa to the custody of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Witness Protection Program (WPP). In a resolution dated April 5, the anti-graft court’s First Division denied Napoles’ motion due to lack of merit, as she is “presently under detention for a lawful cause.” Napoles had been placed by then Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II under provisional protection as a state witness in the multi-million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF)— also referred to as pork barrel— scam. She, however, needed the approval from the Sandiganbayan for her transfer of custody since the court handles the plunder and graft cases against her.
The Sandiganbayan stressed that Napoles’ protective custody under the witness protection program would be “contrary to the clear and express import” of Article XI, Section 1 of the 2012 implementing rules and regulations of the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act. “The program shall not take into its protective custody a witness who is under detention for any lawful cause. However, it shall direct the custodian of the witness to take necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the witness,” the ruling stated. It further read: “Notably, the said provision does not admit of any exception. Verily, the denial of the instant motion is warranted under the premises.” The resolution, which was released to media on Tuesday, April 10, was penned by Associate Justice Efren N. de la Cruz and concurred in by Associate Justices Geraldine Faith A. Econg and Edgardo M. Caldona.
Janet Lim-Napoles
Philstar.com
It only affects the issue concerning her custody but not her provisional admission into the WPP. In requesting for a transfer of custody, Napoles claimed that she is under threat, intimidation, and harassment, further pointing out that her detention cell at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City is known to the public. Her camp also claimed that her cell was ransacked in October last year. n
Duterte retains ‘very good’ satisfaction ratings in SWS survey by Audrey
MorAllo Philstar.com
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte’s net satisfaction from December 2017 to March 2018 dipped by two points, according to a survey by a polling firm, as approval with his performance dove significantly in Balance Luzon. According to the First Quarter 2018 survey of the Social Weather Stations, 70 percent of Filipinos were satisfied, 14 percent dissatisfied and 17 percent undecided with Duterte’s performance during the polling period. This gives Duterte a ‘very good’ net satisfaction rating of 56 percent, according to SWS. The rating is lower by just two points compared to the score he got in December 2017. “Compared to December 2017, gross satisfaction with President Duterte fell by 1 point from 71 percent, gross undecided rose by 2 points from 15 percent, and gross dissatisfaction rose by 1 point from 13 percent,” the polling company said. SWS classifies ratings of 70 or above as excellent, 50 to 69 as very good, 30 to 49 as good, 10 to 29 as moderate, 9 to -9 neutral, -10 to -29 as poor, -30 to -49 as
bad, -50 to -69 and -70 or below as execrable. ‘Good’ in Balance Luzon, ‘excellent’ in Mindanao The pollster said that Duterte suffered an 11-point decline in Balance Luzon, from a ‘very good’ 50 percent to a ‘good’ 39 percent. Balance Luzon refers to areas of Luzon outside of Metro Manila. Duterte’s satisfaction score in Metro Manila also decreased by a point, from 55 percent in December last year to 54 percent in March. Both ratings are classified as ‘very good’. The decline Duterte took in Balance Luzon and Metro Manila was offset by increases in the Visayas and in Mindanao, based on SWS data. In the Visayas, he enjoyed a 12point increase, from 53 percent in December to 65 percent in March, according to SWS. Duterte’s rating also stayed ‘excellent’ in his home region of Mindanao, from 80 percent in December to 82 percent this March, said SWS. The chief executive also took a 17-point plunge in his ratings among the poor, from 65 percent in December to 48 percent in March. His ratings among classes ABC
however stayed at “very good” levels, according to the polling firm. The Philippine leader also remains popular in both urban and rural areas, according to SWS. Rural net satisfaction for him was at a ‘very good’ 56 percent from 54 percent in December while urban net satisfaction was at a ‘very good’ 56 percent. However, Duterte’s urban net satisfaction rating was down by seven points from 63 percent in December 2017. The chief executive’s ratings also remained ‘very good’ across different educational levels, from college graduates to non-elementary school graduates, said SWS. His satisfaction ratings among both men and women respondents remained ‘very good’, said the survey agency. The president however suffered an 11-point decline among Filipinos aged 35 to 44, but his 52 percent rating was still deemed as very good. He also remains popular among young Filipinos, with his March satisfaction rating measured at 69 percent, up by five points from 63 percent in December. “It also stayed very good PAGE A7
PRICELESS GIFT. A woman reaches out to touch the blood relic of St. John Paul II after a Mass led by Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle at the Manila Cathedral. The relic was a gift to the Manila Cathedral. ManilaTimes.net photo by DJ Diosina
A
FAREWELL. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II (2nd from left) attends his final flag ceremony at the Department of Justice (DOJ) grounds in Padre Faura, Manila on Tuesday, April 10. He resigned as DOJ secretary last week after the National Prosecution Service (NPS), an office under the department, found there was no basis for a case against Kerwin Espinosa. President Duterte appointed Menardo Guevarra as his replacement. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
Aguirre bids goodbye, claims innocence by evelyn
MAcAirAn Philstar.com
MANILA — As he ended his almost two-year term as justice secretary, Vitaliano Aguirre II bid goodbye to the Department of Justice (DOJ) employees, saying the attacks against him were “pure black propaganda.” He attended his last flag ceremony on Tuesday, April 10 and delivered his “State of the Department Address” to claim innocence over the issues hurled against him, especially those relating to the dismissal of the drug charges against Kerwin Espinosa and Peter Lim. “The Office of the Secretary of Justice or the Secretary of Justice has no fault in this matter. There were just people riding on the issue because they do not know the process at the DOJ. They just wanted to get rid of the DOJ secretary who they fear and who they hate. They just want to ride on the issue even if it is baseless,” Aguirre said. He explained that there are two levels of investigation at the DOJ – the first is usually handled by prosecutors while the second goes to the Office of the Secretary.
“I never interfere unless absolutely necessary… I do not interfere with the prosecutors, I never told them to dismiss the case. They filed it in accordance to what is right and that is what they did. That is why I stood by the decision of the prosecutor and I told everybody that I am responsible for your decision,” he told the group. “The buck stops with me. It does not matter if I would be dismissed from service but I stood by you,” the former chief stressed. Aguirre had explained to President Duterte the processes of his office and that the panel resolution dismissing the cases against Espinosa and Lim, which was leaked to the public, was not yet final. As for the case of detained Sen. Leila de Lima, he revealed that the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) group that went to the US was invited to a breakfast that lasted three hours. It was allegedly at this event that an “Ambassador Hubbard” asked if it was possible to release De Lima or have her placed under house arrest. He reportedly told them that “they are barking up the wrong tree” since they should make their appeal before the proper forum
which is the court. The former DOJ chief also stood by his decision to provisionally place Janet Lim-Napoles, the pork barrel scam queen, under the witness protection program (WPP). “I believe it is right that Napoles will be allowed to testify, to spill everything, to spill the beans on everybody so that the guilty or those who have knowledge would be brought to bars of justice,” Aguirre said. He claimed that no compromise was made to put her under WPP. Meanwhile, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez believes that Aguirre would not run for governor next year. If the latter does, it is possible that they would be facing each other in the race for Quezon province’s top executive post – an event that he said he is ready for. “My assessment is that he will not run because his exit from the DOJ is something he should not be proud (of). He did not resign. He was told to resign. He was practically fired,” Suarez told reporters. He pointed out that the former DOJ chief was linked to a string of controversies, which have put Aguirre in bad light. PAGE A7
A
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april 12-18, 2018 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal
O piniOn Courageous deeds
Features
There are many opportunities for showing courage during wartime. Today the nation once again honors the brave men who made a last stand in Bataan against foreign invaders 76 years ago. The Philippines became the last nation in Southeast Asia to surrender to the Japanese. An estimated 75,000 Filipino and American troops defended Corregidor, with many dying or becoming permanently maimed by the Death March from Bataan to internment camps in Capas, Tarlac. Along the way, people risked the wrath of the occupation forces and tried to give the defenders food and drink. A common enemy unites a nation and allows people to rise above personal interests. Today, after more than seven decades of peace, Filipinos have been admonished about a weak sense of patriotism and civic duty, with the greater good taking a backseat to personal interests. This need not be the case. There are many ways
of showing courageous patriotism in modern life. It takes guts to say no to corruption and fight abuse of power. It takes courage to blow the whistle on anomalies in government and to testify against the powerful and wealthy. Patriotism also involves acts of civic responsibility, such as proper garbage disposal and driving with courtesy. Following the law instead of trying to go around it can make the nation a better place. Those who die for their country deserve the highest honors. Living an exemplary life for one’s country, however, can be equally challenging. Those who show courage in their everyday life also deserve accolades. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
Debunking Trump’s false statements on the FBI raid of his attorney’s office “It’s a disgrace. It’s, frankly, a real The Fil-Am disgrace. It’s an attack on our country, Perspective in a true sense. It’s an attack on what we all stand for,” President Donald Trump lamented on Monday, Gel SantoS-ReloS April 9, in response to the news about the FBI raiding the office of Trump’s long-time personal attorney, Michael Cohen. As the New York times reported, “the search warrant carried out by the public corruption unit of the Manhattan federal attorney’s office seeks information about Karen McDougal, an ex-Playboy model who claims she carried on a nearly yearlong affair with Mr. Trump shortly after the birth of his son in 2006. Ms. McDougal was paid $150,000 by American Media Inc., the Enquirer’s parent company, whose chief executive is a friend of Mr. Trump’s.” Furthermore, “agents were also searching Michael D. Cohen’s office for information related to Stephanie Clifford, better known as Stormy Daniels, who says she also had sex with Mr. Trump while he was married. Mr. Cohen has acknowledged that he paid Ms. Clifford $130,000 as part of a nondisclosure agreement to secure her silence just days before the 2016 presidential election.” A few days ago, Trump flatly denied having knowledge about this as he spoke to the press aboard Air
Commentary
RicaRdo Saludo WHEN the story of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration is written, 2018 may stand out as the crucial period when sweeping change finally gets going—or grinds to a halt. Consider the milestones unfolding since January and set to continue through the year. First, the Tax Reform for Acceleration Acceleration and Inclusion Act, raising tax exemptions for lower-income earners, as well as excise levies on non-essentials, like softdrinks and cars. TRAIN would not only shift the tax burden to wealthier Filipinos; it will also raise tens of billions of pesos for the ambitious public works program. The challenge will be to persuade the citizenry and Congress that the current inflation, the fastest in years and widely blamed on TRAIN, is worth enduring for higher revenues to fund unprecedented infrastructure and social services. That support is crucial to pass four more tax bills from the Department of Finance. Build, Build, Build! Which brings us to the second rollout in 2018: The Build,
Force One. He also denied all allegations made by women who came forward to accuse him of sexual assault or inappropriate sexual behavior. “they found no collusion whatsoever with Russia. the reason they found it is there was no collusion at all. No collusion….so they find no collusion, and then they go from there and they say, ‘Well, let’s keep going.’ And they raid an office of a personal attorney early in the morning. And I think it’s a disgrace.” NO, MR. PRESIDENT.The Special Counsel team of Robert Mueller has NOT concluded that “there was no collusion”. The probe is still ongoing, and in fact, indictments, charges, and guilty pleas from some members of your campaign and sentencing have been issued along the way, effectively debunking all the denials coming from you and your team regarding communications and business deals with Russia. This is why this investigation continues because the American people deserve to know the TRUTH, no matter how hard you try to call this a “witch hunt.” Special Counsel Mueller was given the mandate to probe based on evidence if the Trump team conspired, colluded, coordinated, worked with Russia to meddle in our elections. However, he was also given the
mandate to consult with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein if his investigators find new evidence of any crime that may fall outside his original purview. It would then be up to Rosenstein to determine whether to give the green light to Mueller to proceed with the investigation on this new lead, or to assign the case to another U.S. attorney or another part of the Justice Department. This was exactly what Mueller did in this case. These honorable men followed the rule of law, Mr. President, pursuant to the provisions of the U.S. Attorney’s Manual. As the Washington Post reported: to obtain that search warrant, the U.S. attorney would have had to meet six conditions. Even with those checks in place, the U.S. attorney wasn’t guaranteed a warrant. Search warrants granted to U.S. attorneys are approved by magistrate judges serving in U.S. District Court. “The Cohen search warrant almost certainly included decision-making or approval on the part of the second-highest-ranking person at the Justice Department (Rosenstein), a federal judge and the U.S. attorney or an assistant attorney general. Before it was executed, the team would have needed to check a number of boxes meant to reduce the likelihood of improperly seizing privileged material and to make the case to a judge that evidence of criminal behavior would probably be found,” the Post
reported. “this is the most biased group of people. these people have the biggest conflicts of interest I’ve ever seen….Democrats all — or just about all either Democrats or a couple of Republicans that worked for President Obama, they’re not looking at the other side…” NO, MR. PRESIDENT. The public servants who are just doing their job in this probe are people who belong to the Republican Party, including those you appointed to the position of public trust they now hold. Rosenstein is a Republican who appointed Special Counsel Robert Mueller, also a Republican. All of the top law enforcement officials involved in the raid are Republicans. Christopher A. Wray, the FBI director you appointed after you fired James Comey (whom you also appointed to stay in the position), is Republican. Geoffrey Berman, the interim United States attorney in New York, is Republican. “the attorney general made a terrible mistake when he did this, and when he recused himself. Or he should have certainly let us know if he was going to recuse himself, and we would have used a — put a different attorney general in. so he made what I consider to be a very terrible mistake for the country.” NO, MR. PRESIDENT. You seem to have not learned up to now that the Attorney General is NOT your attorney who is supposed to be working
for your personal interest. The Attorney General, who leads the Department of Justice (DOJ), is mandated by the Constitution to be the attorney of the United States of America, and should work in the best interests of the nation. While the DOJ is an Executive Branch department, it is supposed to be an independent body that will make sure the rule of law is equally applied to ALL, and that includes you, Mr. President. You are NOT above the law. NO, MR. PRESIDENT. This was NOT an attack on the country. An attack on the country that you have been painfully finding hard to call out was Russia’s interference in our 2016 election to help you win, and even up to now — to sow discord in our democratic institutions and processes, and even mess up our power grid. NO, MR. PRESIDENT. This was NOT an attack on what we stand for. You and the people who work for you are NOT the country. WE, the people, are the United States of America, and you are just an elected public official who is duty-bound by the Constitution to adhere to the rule of law and protect our democracy. That is what we stand for. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective. com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos. Relos
Why 2018 will be Duterte’s make-or-break year Build, Build! projects are finally getting off the drawing boards and into the pipeline. Most of the building in 2017 were roads and bridges. Now, railways and airports are due to join the public works boom. Metro Rail Transit 7 from North EDSA to Bulacan and the Clark airport expansion are ongoing, while the Quezon City-Bonifacio subway and the Manila gateway airport development should launch within a year. Plus: trains from Manila to Clark and Bicol. Mindanao will get more infrastructure than ever before, redressing decades of neglect: P124 billion, mostly in four mega-projects. The P5.4-billion Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project Phase 2 in North Cotabato and Maguindanao will water almost 10,000 hectares in 56 conflict areas. Costing P98 billion, the Mindanao Logistics Infrastructure Network Project will upgrade and expand 2,500 km of farm-to-market roads across Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen and Caraga regions. Zamboanga will see the P21-billion Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao project to build and improve a 276-km network. And the Mindanao Railway Project is to start with
the 105-km Tagum-Davao-Digos segment. The challenge, of course, is actually building the projects, especially for the Department of Transportation. Unlike the Department of Public Works and Highways, which has been building roads, bridges, and flood control systems every year, DOTr has never rolled out the current number and size of projects now on its plate. Hence, it would be wise to let the private sector handle a good chunk of the work, like the airports, and concentrate on rail. Cleaning up the system The third big change to level up development: fighting corruption. Early on, President Duterte showed his anti-graft determination by his order for freedom of information in the Executive branch. He also took swift action against appointees, even close associates, unlike his crony-coddling predecessor, who even paid the bail of partymates facing Sandiganbayan cases. To keep the pressure on officialdom, Duterte also created the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, chaired by Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption founder Dante Jimenez. One clear beneficiary of
Duterte’s crusade against sleazy appointees is the Bureau of Customs, placed last September under former antidrug czar Isidro Lapeña. He has boosted BoC collections to record levels, and run after grafters, including those behind the recent wrongful release of 105 cargo containers from the Port of Manila. This will reverse the tripling of smuggling in the regime to over $25 billion a year. Last week the president appointed new Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde precisely because Davao police didn’t want the erstwhile PNP National Capital Region head for being too strict. Now, another straight arrow, Department of Interior and Local Government OIC Eduardo Año, who supervises the PNP, told Albayalde to remove “bad eggs” from the police. Meanwhile, the naming of Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra as justice secretary may accelerate graft cases against the past regime—or not. As a top Aquino administration official, Guevarra knows its inner workings. This should come in handy in the pork barrel, Disbursement Acceleration Program, and Dengvaxia cases.
Some quarters fret that he was an Ateneo schoolmate of former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, who engineered the funding in those anomalies. Already, Secretary Guevarra has said he will review his predecessor’s grant of witness protection to alleged pork barrel operator Janet Lim Napoles, presumably to get her help in cases against the Aquino camp. If they stall under Guevarra, his boss won’t like it. The other big corruption challenge is outside President Duterte’s power: the courts. But now, he has urged Congress to fast-track the impeachment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. If she goes, he can appoint a successor to clean up the judiciary. One more graft-busting change coming: Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, who has shown favor toward Aquino and his close cohorts, retires in July, giving the Palace another sleaze-sweeping broom to put in place. So, President Duterte can very well clean up the justice system, whose gross failings is the main reason why due process can’t stop crime and narcotics syndicates. If he succeeds in straightening out the police, the prosecutors,
and the judges, it would be an unprecedented achievement indeed. Winning war and peace If President Duterte establishes a strong tax base, rolls out massive infrastructure, and institutes the rule of law, then investors would just want one more thing before they surge into the country: peace and security. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has been expending troops, arms and logistics to crush Islamic State-linked terrorists and communist insurgents, and slowly but surely, it is eroding these entrenched threats. The 2014 peace agreement is holding with the main Muslim rebel force, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which still trusts that President Duterte would deliver the promised Bangsamoro region with greater autonomy. As for the communists, talks may resume in two months, or the AFP’s winning offensive will continue. Either way, the red insurgency will likely be ended in a year. What about federalism? If President Duterte delivers on taxes, infrastructure, anti-corruption and peace, Filipinos will almost surely approve his new charter. Then, as promised, he can go. (Manilatimes.net)
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
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Lorenzana: Let us continue to honor war heroes by DAnA
sioson AJPress
AS the Philippines commemorated the Day of Valor (Araw ng Kagitingan) on Monday, April 9, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana asked Filipinos to always remember the World War II veterans, who fought for the country’s freedom. “Let us continue to celebrate and commemorate the valor and gallantry of our WW2 Veterans. Let us perpetuate the memory of their deeds to be emulated by future generations of Filipinos,” Lorenzana said in a statement. He added, “Let us honor those who are still with us for pretty soon, they will all be gone.” April 9 marks the commemoration of the Fall of Bataan in 1942. The holiday recognizes the heroism of Filipinos and American sol-
diers against the invading Japanese forces during the second world war. More than 75,000 Filipino and American troops were forced by the Japanese forces to walk for 140 kilometers in six days — from Bataan to prison camps in Tarlac. Thousands perished during this infamous trek, now known as the Bataan Death March. In a message, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the Fall of Bataan marked “the determination of Filipinos to stand against overwhelming odds.” AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bienvenido Datuin said the military will “remember the sacrifices of our veterans, their bravery and their selfless dedication to the country’s defense.” “The deeds of heroism and ideals of our world war veterans
will always be inculcated in the minds of our current soldiers who exhibit in their own actions the same fervor and willingness to defend our country and our people,” Datuin added. The Philippine National Police (PNP) also expressed solidarity in remembering the valor and sacrifice of Filipino veterans during World War II. In a statement, PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao said the police force also “join[s] our nation in giving honors to the Filipino soldiers who gave their lives and treasure so that we may all live in peace and freedom.” “We pay respect to the heroes MORE OFWs REPATRIATED. The Department of Foreign Affairs repatriated 165 undocumented Filipinos from Kuwait on Saturday, April 7, bringing whose lives were sacrificed and to 3,930 the total number of Filipinos flown home by the Duterte administration since the repatriation program began on February 11. whose blood was poured during Photo from OPD-DFA the war in an unbroken tradition of a true Filipino valor thirsting for freedom,” Bulalacao added. n
Imee: Robredo all wrong on top 20 poorest provinces WAS it a simple case of misreading an official data, or an intentional political overture against her political rivals just to score points against them? Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos on Tuesday, April 10 said she thinks that it was politics that took the better of Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo, whom she chided for doing the math wrongly in a recent engagement in the United Kingdom. Marcos corrected Robredo, who portrayed several provinces as among those in the Top 20 poorest provinces in her speech at the London School of Economics last Friday. Citing a so-called recent study by Ronald Mendoza, the dean of the Ateneo School of Government, Robredo said 10 provinces with the highest dynastic share in the 2016 elections have consistently ranked in the Top 20 poorest provinces since 2004. These provinces, according to the Vice President, are Maguindanao, Sulu and Lanao del Sur in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; Batangas and Rizal in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon); Pampanga, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon; and Pangasinan and Ilocos Norte in Ilocos Region. She even made the conclusion that these provinces are poor because of the existence of political dynasties. But Marcos quickly pointed out
DOLE says deal protecting OFWs in Kuwait finalized by Alexis
RomeRo Philstar.com
HAINAN — A bilateral agreement that would protect Filipino workers in Kuwait has been finalized and is just awaiting President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval, the Labor department said. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said Duterte might travel to Kuwait before the Islamic holy month of Ramadan to witness the signing of the agreement. “We have finalized the MOU (memorandum of understanding). We just need the go-signal of boss on when it will be signed,” Bello said in a chance interview with Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and Vice President Leni Robredo Inquirer.net photos reporters last Tuesday here. Bello said the signing should be that Ilocos Norte is “definitely a 16.7 percent economic growth not among the Top 20 poorest in 2013-2014 compared to the provinces” in the Philippines, ac- 5.72 percent regional growth and cording to the Philippine Statistics 6.13 percent on a national level. Ilocos Norte significantly de- PAGE A5 Authority (PSA). “She [Robredo] can easily check creased its unemployment rate What is more hurting, he added, her data with experts, especially from 37 percent in 2010 to 4.2 was President Duterte’s marching government agencies like the Na- percent today, it added. Marcos said the province is order to newly appointed Justice tional Economic and Development Authority or the [PSA] if she wants now one of the few provinces to Secretary Menardo Guevarra “to a more accurate reading on the achieve the Millennium Develop- restore dignity in the DOJ.” “Did that mean that dignity was state of poverty in the provinces,” ment Goal of halving the poverty not there? The circumstances rate. the governor said. Also, official records from the of his departure from the DOJ “For the record, Ilocos Norte has been one of the provinces with Ilocos Norte tourism office put at the lowest poverty incidence esti- more than 1.6 million the number mates in the past decade and was of local and foreign tourists who not one among the Top 20 poorest visited the province in 2015 com- PAGE A5 pared to the 259,148 recorded provinces, “ Marcos added. among those 55 years old and Official PSA data shows that in 2012. Marcos said Robredo already older, at +54 (67 percent satisIlocos Norte has 13.7 percent poverty incidence estimate in visited Ilocos Norte twice with fied, 13 percent dissatisfied) in 2006, 11.1 percent in 2009, 8.4 her children in tow, “so I guess March 2018, down by 4 points percent in 2012 and 3.3 percent she should have observed the from +58 (70 percent satisfied, developments in the province and 12 percent dissatisfied) in Dein 2015. The Ilocos Norte provincial gov- the lives of the people.” (Manila- cember 2017. It stayed good among 18-24 year olds, at +48 ernment recently said it achieved Times.net)
internal bleeding. Earlier this month, a Kuwaiti court sentenced Demafelis’ employers to death by hanging but officials insisted that the ban would only be lifted once an agreement providing Filipino workers is signed. Duterte has demanded that certain conditions be included in the agreement namely prohibiting the confiscation of workers’ passports, allowing them to sleep for seven hours, granting them a day off and permitting them to cook their own food. He has also ordered the Labor department to ensure that Filipino workers in Kuwait would not suffer physical abuse at the hands of their employers. n
Aguirre bids goodbye, claims... tell me that he might not run for governor. He should field his son against my son in the congressional race in the third district so that we have a father-son contest,” Suarez said. When he was still justice secretary, Aguirre had said his son would be running as representa-
tive of their district and that he would seek the gubernatorial post to end the “Suarez dynasty” that has reportedly been lording it over the province for nearly 30 years. Suarez represents Quezon’s third district while his son David is the incumbent governor. n
Duterte retains ‘very good’ satisfaction ratings...
FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS Madaba, Mt. Nebo, Petra, Aqaba, Jordan
(Tiberias, Ceasarea, Haifa, Meggido,Magdala, Nazareth, Cana, Mt Carmel, Capernaum, Mt. Beatitude, Jericho, Bethany, Mt.Tabor, Mount Zion, Mt. of Olives, Old & New Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Qumran, Masada Dead Sea, Allen by Bridge, Madaba, Mt Nebo Petra, Aqaba Jordan)
OCTOBER 18 to NOVEMBER 1, 2018 SPIRITUAL CHAPLAIN: REV. ANTONIO FLORES Oct. 18, 2018( Thursday) Day 1 – MNL HKG, TEL AVIV, ISRAEL Oct. 25, 2018 (Thursday) Day 8 - Jerusalem Trans-Atlantic flight from LAX to Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, Mass at the Holy Eucharist Church of St Peter in Gallicantu “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us...” (John 1:14) Israel. (Meals served in-flight) We will walk to view the Dome of the Rock from the outside, and visit the Oct. 18, 2018 (Friday) Day 1 – Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv/ Western Wall, ( Wailing Wall ) the only part of the Herodian Temple still Tiberias standing and the most sacred place in the world for Jews. Then, we will Arrival from Manila still Oct. 18,2018 late in the evening. After we clear drive to Mt. Zion, to visit the Upper Room, revered as the site of the Last Immigration and Customs, will be met by our driver for transfer to tiberias . Supper, then survey the Dormition Abbey, and the Church of St. Peter in enjoy the panoramic view of the Mediterranean. We will spend our first night Gallicantu, the site where Peter denied Jesus three times. After the day’s in Tiberias. Dinner and overnight (D). Gai Beach Hotel (Oct. 19, 2018) Holy tour, we will return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Jerusalem (B, D) Eucharist Notre Dame Vatican Hotel Oct. 20, 2018 (Saturday) Day 3 - Tiberias/ Meggido/ Nazareth/ Cana / Oct. 26, 2018 (Friday) Day 9 - Mount of Olives/Gethsemane/Bethlehem/ Mt Tabor Jerusalem (New City)/Ein Karem We will have short stop in Meggido and the Plains of Armageddon, known in Mass at the Church of Nativity Hebrew as Meggido, a giant fortress and City built by King Solomon. In the New “O mountain of God, receive me, a mother, with my child.” (Protoevangelium Testament book of Revelation, it is referred as the sites of the “final battle”. of James 22:3) From there, we will continue our drive into Nazareth, where we will have Mass We will arrive at the Mount of Olives, to enjoy another view of Jerusalem, in the Church of the Annunciation, the Cave of the Annunciation and visit the Chapel of Ascension, Pater Noster Church and the Dominus visit Joseph’s Workshop and Then we will move on to Cana of Galilee, where Flevit (“God wept”) sanctuary. Next, we’ll walk the Palm Sunday Road to the Our Lord performed His first miracle: changing water into wine at the wedding Garden of Gethsemane, and visit the Rock of Agony and the Church of feast. We will invite couples to Bless their marriage vows, Continue to Mount all Nations. In the afternoon, we’ll drive to Bethlehem, a city whose name is Tabor, site of Jesus Transfiguration Afterward, we will head to Tiberias. Dinner recognized around the world. After celebrating Mass at the Church of Nativity, and overnight in Tiberias. (B/D).Gai Beach Hotel. we will see the Manger; visit the Church of St. Catherine, the Grotto of St. Oct. 21, 2018 (Sunday) Day 4 - Tiberias/Mount Beatitude/ Multiplication / Primacy/ Capernum/Boat Ride “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” Early AM departures to Mt. Beatitude Drive up to Mount Beatitudes, visit the site of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus preached to the people. Eucharistic Celebration. Enjoy a scenic boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, home of Our Lord during his ministry. After visiting the Synagogue where he taught, proceed to Tabgha, the site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Then to the Church Primacy of St Peters. Overnight Magdala ( BB, D)
Jerome and the Shepherds’ Fields. Then we will return to Jerusalem (New City), to view the Temple Model to see how it looked during the time of Jesus. Here, we will gain a better understanding between the old and new cities of Jerusalem. Up next is a trip to Ein Karem, birthplace of St. John the Baptist, to see the Visitation Church, where Mary proclaimed her famous “Magnificat”. We will end our day by returning to our Hotel. (B/D).
Oct. 23, 2018 (Tuesday) DAY 6 - Jordan Valley/Jericho/Bethany/ Jerusalem Mass at the Church of St. Lazarus MAGDALA, Israel – 2009 Discoveries from a new archaeological dig are creating excitement in the area where Jesus began his ministry. The village is called Magdala (Migdal in Hebrew), and it’s the home of Mary Magdalene.”She lived here and she met Jesus here and she continued with Him. Yes, it’s that place The most important discovery in Magdala has been a synagogue dating back to the time of Jesus. According to archaeologists, it’s the first one discovered in the Galilee.
famous mosaic map of the Holy Land. Then we will drive down to Aqaba. Overnight in Aqaba (B/D). Movenpick Resort & Residence.
Oct. 27, 2018 (Saturday) Day 10 - Jerusalem/ Dead Sea/ Qumran/ Masada Mass at the Church of all Nations After breakfast, we will celebrate mass at the Church of all Nations and then we will drive to Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth. Visit Qumran; see the Oct. 22, 2018 (Monday) Day 5 - Magdala Full day retreat , Focus will Include programs based on the historical caves where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Continue to Masada, visit Herod’s fortress and the Jew’s last stronghold against the Roman. Return to and Religious value of the Magdala sites Jerusalem for dinner and Overnight (B, D) More info coming up as we get closer to the dates MAGDALA, Israel – 2009 Discoveries from a new archaeological dig are Oct. 28, 2018 (Sunday) Day11 - Jerusalem/Allenby Bridge/Madaba/ creating excitement in the area where Jesus began his ministry. The village is Jordan/Mt. Nebo/ Aqaba called Magdala (Migdal in Hebrew), and it’s the home of Mary Magdalene.”She Mass at Mount Nebo lived here and she met Jesus here and she continued with Him. Yes, it’s On this day, we head to Allenby Bridge and cross into Jordan. We will go to that place The most important discovery in Magdala has been a synagogue the Baptismal Site at Bethany, which Pope John Paul II visited in 2000. dating back to the time of Jesus. According to archaeologists, it’s the first one Then, it’s on to Mount Nebo, where Moses viewed the Promised Land. Our discovered in the Galilee. next stop will be the Church of St. George in Madaba, which hosts the
Oct. 24, 2018 ( Wednesday) Day 7 - Jerusalem (Old City)/Via Dolorosa/ Mount Zion Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher “And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha.” (John 19:17) We will enter the Old City of Jerusalem and will follow the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) and say the Station of the Cross to the holiest shrine in Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, visit Golgotha and the Tomb of Our Lord. After mass, we return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, we will enter the Old City, sing a hymn in the Church of St. Anne and view the Pool of Bethesda. Then we will visit the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostratos (where the soldiers played the Game of Kings) and the Arch of the “Ecce Homo”. Dinner/Overnight Notre Dame Vatican hotel
done within the month because Kuwaiti officials might no longer be available during Ramadan. “I don’t know. It should be before Ramadan, within April,” the labor chief said when asked when the agreement would be signed. Last February, Duterte ordered a ban on the sending of overseas Filipino workers to Kuwait, citing the abuses suffered by some domestic helpers. The ban was announced following the discovery of the body of Filipina worker Joanna Demafelis inside a freezer in the Al Shaab district. The 29-year old domestic helper from Iloilo had broken ribs and contusion and trauma in the pelvis and kidney area and died of
Oct 29, 2018 (Monday) Day 12 - Aqaba/Petra Mass at Stella Maris Church – Aqaba After breakfast, we will journey through the Siq, until we get our first glimpse of the Khazneh (Treasury). Then will we walk down to visit the Temple and view the many caves all around the Theater. At the end of the tour, we will drive back to Aqaba for overnight and dinner (B/D). Movenpick Resort & Residence Oct. 30, 2018 (Tuesday) Day 13 - Aqaba/ Jerusalem We Cross the Jordanian Border to return to Jerusalem. Dinner/Overnight Oct. 31, 2018 (Wednesday) Day 14 - Jerusalem /Yad Vashem Museum/ TLV/ LAX After breakfast, we will visit the Yad Vashem Museum,is Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the dead; honoring Jews who fought against their Nazi oppressors and Gentiles who selflessly aided Jews in need; and researching the phenomenon of the Holocaust in particular and genocide in general, with the aim of avoiding such events in the future. After the Western Wall, Yad Vashem is the second-most-visited Israeli tourist site. Return to the hotel for lunch and relaxation in preparation for our return flight back to the USA after early dinner will be transferred to the airport for flight Oct 31, 2018 8:45 PM departure from TLV End of Our Memorable Pilgrimage to Jesus Home Land!!!
(68 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied) in March 2018, up by 2 points from +46 (67 percent satisfied, 22 percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in December 2017,” SWS said. The March 2018 survey was conducted from March 23 to 27, 2018 using face-to-face interviews
with 1,200 adults nationwide, with 300 each from Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. It has a sampling error of +/3 percent for national ratings and +/- 6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. n
Marian Pilgrimage France, Spain & Portugal September 8 to September 21, 2018 Spiritual Director: rev. John Duy nguyen Still one of the great pilgrimages shrines in the world, visited by thousands of pilgrim’s. Arrive in Lourdes in the late afternoon, orientation to the shrines and spends some time in the sanctuary. Dinner & overnight. Sept. 9, 2018 - (Sunday) Day 2 - Paris (CDG) Arrived Paris CDG, Then after we clear immigration and collect our (BB, D) Luggage,. you will proceed to your hotel and have mass and dinner. Sept. 15, 2018 - (Saturday) Day 8 - Lourdes Overnight in Paris. (D) You will have early morning bath at the healing water of Lourdes. Then return to the hotel for breakfast. There after attend Holy Mass Sept. 10, 2018 - (Monday) Day 3 - Paris Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, also at the Grotto. continue the day with a walking tour of the shrines and known as the City of Light. Full day touring with local guide, including places associated with the life of St. Bernadette. Spend some time visit of the Eiffel tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Basilica of Sacre meditating on the passion of our Lord through more than life size Coeur, The chapel of the Miraculous Medal in Rue de Bac is the site exotic way of the sacrament and prayers. Afternoon will be free time of Marian Apparitions and contain the reliquaries of St. Catherine for private devotion. Dinner/overnight (BB, D) Laboure and St. Louise De Marillac. The shrine of St. Vincent the Paul is within walking distance, a few blocks from Rue De Bac, visit Sept. 16, 2018 - (Sunday) Day 9 - Lourdes / Zaragoza the chapel which houses the relic of St. Vincent the Paul. Overnight After Breakfast, you’ll continue your drive towards Zaragoza, Spain. Visit the shrines of Our Lady of Pillar, the 2nd most popular in Paris (BB/D) pilgrimages sites in Spain. See the Magnificent altar in the Basilica, built on site where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the apostles Sept. 11, 2018 - (Tuesday) Day 4 - Paris/Lisieux After breakfast, Full day in Lisieux, home of St Therese, who at age St. James, before her assumption into heaven. Dinner/overnight 15, entered the convent and became Carmelite nun, she took the Zaragoza (BB, D) religious name of St Therese of the child Jesus and the Holy face. The spirituality of her little ways was not about extraordinary things, but Sept. 17, 2018 - (Monday) Day 10 - Zaragoza / Salamanca rather about doing simple things of life well and with extraordinary After breakfast you will embark on a trip to Salamanca. You will have love. She believed and taught that “Everything is Grace”, God’s face a short stop and panoramic tour of Avila. Upon arrival in Salamanca, and presence could be experienced in every person and situation of you will visit the Old Cathedral and tour the city. Dinner /overnight our lives, if we just attend with love and expectancy. She died at the Salamanca (BB, D) age of 24 believing that her life was really the beginning for God, promising to spend her heaven doing good on earth, her promised” Sept. 18, 2019 - (Tuesday) Day 11 - Salamanca / Fatima shower of Roses” began and have become a torrent in the church After Breakfast, you will spend the first half of the day touring ever since. Return to Paris, Dinner in a restaurant near the hotel. Salamanca. You will visit the new cathedral with a short stop at Plaza Mayor for lunch. After lunch you will continue to Fatima, the Overnight in Lisieux (BB, D) famous Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. Upon arrival you will have a Sept. 12, 2018 - (Wednesday) Day 5 - Lisieux / Nevers / Paray- short orientation tour of the Sanctuary. Attend the nightly Candlelight procession at the Shrine. Dinner and Overnight Fatima (BB, D) Le-Monial After Breakfast, Continue your drive to the picturesque Loire valley to Nevers, visit the convent of St. Gillard, where St. Bernadette’s Sept. 19, 2018 - (Wednesday) Day 12 - Fatima incorrupt body miraculously preserved since her death in 1879. Breakfast, then Visit the Museum dedicated to the Blessed Virgin At the conclusion of the eighteen apparitions of the Virgin Mary Mary followed by Mass at the Apparitions chapel, Full day Guided in Lourdes, St. Bernadette lived for 12 years as a member of the tours includes the Shrines ground, visit of the tombs of Francisco congregation of the sisters of charity of Nevers. St Gildard convent and Jacinta in the Basilica, In Aljustrel and Valinhos, you see the is her final resting place. After she was blessed with the apparitions two homes of the shepherds, site of Our Lady’s fourth apparitions. of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes, St. Bernadette retired in Nevers. She Stop at the Parish church where the seers were baptized, and the received her religious habit in 1866. Continue to Paray-Le-Monial for cemetery where Francisco and Jacinta were once buried. You will do the station of the Cross. We encourage everyone to spend some time Dinner & Overnight (BB, D) in the Blessed Sacrament, which is open every day. Dinner/overnight Fátima. (BB, D) Sept. 13, 2018 - (Thursday) Day 6 - Paray-Le-Monial After Breakfast, you will tour Paray-Le-Monial. Your first stop is the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and here you will celebrate Holy Sept. 20, 2018 - (Thursday) Day 13 - Fatima / Lisbon Eucharist. Then you will tour and admire the Romanesque basilica After breakfast ,you will proceed to Lisbon with stops at Santarem and see the Chapel of Apparitions. After the Basilica, you will proceed to visit the church of the Holy Miracle containing the Glorious to the Monastere e la Visitation. Visit the reliquary of Saint Margaret 13th century Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem .Then you will do a Mary of Alocoque at the Chapel of Visitation. Still to see and visit after panoramic city tour of Lisbon, with a visit to the Basilica of St Anthony lunch is the Park of the Chaplain and the Chapel of St. Colombiere. de Padua, St Jeronimo’s Monastery and the famous Belem Tower. Dinner/Overnight Lisbon (BB, D) Dinner & Overnight (BB, D) Sept. 8, 2018 - (Saturday) Day 1 USA/PARIS Transatlantic flight from USA to Paris (CDG )Meals serve on board.
Sept. 14, 2018 - (Friday) Day 7 - Paray-Le-Monial / Lourdes Sept. 21, 2018 - (Friday) - Early AM transfer to Lisbon After breakfast you will continue your pilgrimage to Lourdes. Lourdes, Airport for flight home to USA celebrating 160 Years of apparitions of Blessed Virgin to Bernadette. Full of wonderful memories of Our Pilgrimage
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april 12-18, 2018 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal
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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 12-18, 2018
VEGAS&STYLE
Talking about stress By Rae
ann VaRona AJPress
StreSS is a feeling we’re all familiar with. It’s how we feel while sitting in bumper to bumper traffic to and from work, why we often dread Mondays, our responses when people ask how we’re doing, and what may keep many of us void of a good night’s sleep. Sometimes, we even use it as an indicator of how busy and productive we’ve been. regardless of what stresses us out or where we feel the most stressed, it’s safe to say that we’ve all spent a good amount of time and effort trying to get rid of the feeling. In a bid to tackle stress, we’ve inadvertently turned the counteract of mindfulness into a movement. According to market research firm IBISWorld, the meditation and mindfulness industry in the U.S. was estimated in 2016 to be approximately $1.1 billion. the proliferation of apps available on our phones meant to help us tackle stress further reveals our wants to relieve it. Headspace, a guided meditation app, for example, has gotten so popular, it’s garnered an estimated valuation of $250 million according to Forbes. then, there are the new “meditation busses” popping up around the U.S., such as the Pause Now bus founded by Fil-Am Jackie Corwin, which is complete with private spaces, comfy seats, cushions, noise-canceling headphones, and a tablet computer. Small amounts of stress are natural and are a healthy part of life. It’s what prepares us for “fight or flight” mode by releasing hormones and chemicals like adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine. Yet, while some day-to-day stress is normal, some forms of stress — especially long term and chronic stress — make way for a number of issues that can lead to more serious health problems if left unchecked. “Good stress turns bad when
it causes severe anxiety or other health problems,” Fil-Am health and wellness coach, Anna Marie Cruz, told the Asian Journal. “In today’s modern living, we are more exposed than ever to chronic stress, the kind that persists for a long time and leads to health problems, mood changes, and negative behavior including stress eating,” she added. According to WebMD, 43 percent of all adults suffer health effects from stress. Seventy-five to 90 percent of all doctor visits were found to be for stress-related complaints and illnesses. Stress related health effects can include anxiety, headaches, heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, skin conditions like acne or psoriasis, asthma, depression, arthritis, and insomnia among a string of others. Letting stress linger can also in turn affect our behaviors which explains why many turn to “stress eating” or unhealthier habits like binge drinking. In fact, 63 percent of U.S. workers that participated in a Statista survey of over 17,000 adults said they regularly engaged in unhealthy behaviors like drinking to counter work-related stress. there are ways to respond to stress and because April is Stress Awareness Month, Cruz shared a few basic strategies to approach stressful times in a healthy way. Acknowledge the stress Many times, we find ourselves either not wanting to admit we’re stressed or are unaware that we’re actually experiencing stress. Cruz said that being aware of our stress is a key step in relieving ourselves and preventing it from getting worse. “Some of us ignore stress, which can lead to burnouts and breakdowns,” she said, adding that one of her friends had to admit herself into the er because of work-related stress that she had been ignoring for months. Focus on the now When we start to feel stress building up, Cruz recommends
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Take control: 4 self-care tips when dealing with stress by KlaRize Medenilla AJPress
Health and wellness coach, Anna Marie Cruz
NoBoDY is immune to stress. If you’re a human being with even a mildly engaged life, you have felt that gnawing feeling that comes with the pressures of everyday life. Whether you’re flooded with assignments at work or you’re having relationship problems with your significant other, friends or family, there are ways you can take care of yourself and to cope with the stress. Accepting that you will be stressed out from time to time (or even all the time) is the first step. Sometimes avoiding stress altogether is impossible, so what’s important in those situations is how you take care of yourself when life becomes particularly taxing. • Start small and focus on things you can control: Setting some kind of routine for yourself can help you feel like you’ve got some structure, even if it feels like your life is in disarray. Some
that we find activities that help us focus on the present, instead of the future or past. “Without the luxury of time, this might mean taking a five minute walk or doing deep breathing exercises,” said Cruz. taking deep breaths is a common quick and simple tip given to people feeling stressed out. “I often talk my clients through a simple breathing technique at the beginning of each coaching session, counting one to five for each inhale and exhale, and repeating this three to five times,” Cruz shared. Get occupied Avocado Whether it’s doing some yoga, taking a nature walk, playing basketball, or just hanging out with friends, getting ourselves occupied is a good way to step back and stop stress from taking over. “the point is to find something that allows you to let go of that stress, even momentarily,” said Cruz. talking from experience, she Yogurt reminded that some forms of stress are unavoidable, such as the loss of a loved one. “When my mom passed away, I remember feeling grief and extreme anxiety from her loss. the one thing that allowed me to feel some relief after days of unconPAGE B3 Cashew nuts
examples include establishing a morning routine, an exercise regimen and developing a skincare/beauty routine. For a lot of people, stress can feel even worse when it gets out of hand and you feel like you don’t have any more control in your life. Setting up a self-care routine can help you feel like that you’ve got a handle on at least a few things in your life, and that can transcend into other factions of your life. • Avoid situations that may trigger your stress: one of the most important things that you can do is to protect yourself from situations you know will amplify anxiety. It’s oK to cancel on a dinner party. It’s oK to turn down invites to the movies. You don’t have to force yourself to attend parties or other engagements that you know may trouble you even more. Similarly, if it’s another person (or persons) that are causing you stress, it’s oK to put some space and establish
boundaries between you. It is neither selfish nor egocentric to put yourself first in this case. • Take a break: In the famed Hamilton: An American Musical, there’s a scene where founding father Alexander Hamilton’s wife eliza tries to convince her overworked husband to take a break from his job. He chooses not to, and his mental state worsens which leads him to make not the wisest choices as a husband and as treasury Secretary that eventually ruin his reputation. Your situation may not be as dramatic as that, but if you feel yourself becoming overburdened at work, school or in your personal life, it is essential to take a sabbatical and take your mind off the sources of your stress. It can be as little as taking an hour to meditate or read a book or as grand as taking a week-long vacation. think of yourself as a cellphone. You can go so long feeling oK whilst bePAGE B2
Six foods to fight stress by Ritchel Mendiola AJPress
FeeLING stressed is not foreign to us anymore. Whatever the trigger is — work issues, family problems, or a financial setback — stress usually incapacitates us and makes us feel irritated and helpless. to deal with it, some people blow off steam by doing physical activities, while others reach for their stash of comfort food. It’s important, however, to know what food can actually offer relief. It’s time to be smart about stress-eating. Forget your chips and ice cream, here are the best foods to snack on when you’re in need of comfort. • Avocados the millennials’ favorite fruit provides close to 20 health-boosting nutrients — lutein, beta-carotene, vitamin e, B vitamins, and
folate, among others. A serving of avocado can help regulate your blood sugar levels, not to mention, keep your mood steady, even in times of stress. • Cashew nuts According to Prevention.com, anxiety, stress, and depression can be linked to having low levels of zinc. Since our bodies have no way of storing zinc, we must get them every day. Cashew nuts are packed with zinc and B vitamins — a tasty snack to fulfill your cravings while also lowering blood pressure and reducing the strain stress puts in your heart. •Low-fat plain yogurt Not only is yogurt healthy, it is also great as a comfort food. A 2013 UCLA study among 36 women revealed that consuming yogurt reduces stress hormone level elevation, and a study published in the journal Biomedical PAGE B3
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http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
Veteran pageant director discusses return to directing for the upcoming Love of Country Global Ambassadors program Former Miss Asia director Benedick Diaz makes a return to the pageant world through an innovative cultural ambassadors program by Klarize Medenilla AJPress
Taking a few minutes out of your day to pause and meditate will bring awareness, mindfulness, and a state of deep peace when practiced regularly. Photo from Pexels.com
9 ways to add meditation to your daily routine
by Bianca cruz AJPress
Reduce your stress levels and calm your anxiety with meditation. Taking a few minutes out of your day to pause and meditate will bring awareness, mindfulness, and a state of deep peace when practiced regularly. Though it may seem like living in the hustle and bustle of a city isn’t the most practical place to build a meditation habit, it’s much easier than you think and it’s where you need it most. Here are nine tips to incorporate a meditation practice into your daily routine. Disconnect Say “BRB” to Facebook, Instagram, and everything else in between for just a while and switch your phone to airplane mode and disable the WiFi. Meditating when your phone is sounding off to every message sent to your group chat is more than enough to distract you. Seek a quiet space Any place where you can be alone with minimal noise is ideal.
Weather you’re inside your cozy bedroom or out in nature in your neighborhood park, less noise will benefit your meditation. Invest in ear plugs Let’s face it, not all of us are going to have access to a completely silent place all the time. Whether it’s the outside noises from the busy city or the sounds coming from inside of your own home, a pair of handy earplugs can help tune them out. Stay awake When it comes to meditation for beginners, falling asleep is quite common. So, if you ever find yourself doing just that, don’t stress out about it. The quiet and relaxing energies could easily make time for a nap. You can avoid falling asleep by letting a little bit of light enter your eyes. Sit in a comfortable position Try either sitting on a chair and sitting on the floor or on a cushion and decide what’s best for you. When sitting on a chair, keep your feet on the floor and your hands on your lap. When sitting cross-legged on the floor,
your knees must be lower than your hips. Find support If your back feels uncomfortable and is in need of a little bit of support, you can always sit against a wall, bed, or cabinet. Let go Make no effort to control your breath. Instead, focus on the sensation. Feel your breath as it enters the nose, pass your throat, fills you chest, and exits through the nose as well. Play mood music There are countless meditation songs and playlists on the Internet that are available for free download and streaming, so feel free to use this as a hack for concentration. Try guided meditation Be guided every step of the way in your meditation by listening to a podcast made for exactly for just that. experiment with podcasts or recordings online — there are many free resources on the internet — until you can find or create your own routine.
Take control: 4 self-care tips when dealing.... PAGE B1
ing exposed to certain stressors. But eventually your battery will run out and you want to recharge before things get worse. • Seek therapy: If it’s within your budget, seeking therapy is
an excellent way to handle stress with a third party. While talking about your stressors with family and friends can be comforting, having a mental health professional to help you cope with stress can be essential and can
help you better manage your emotional and mental health amid rocky situations. https:// www.psychologytoday.com/us/ psychiatrists is a great resource for finding a mental health professional near you.
PAGeAnTRY has been a staple within Filipino culture and identity for more than a hundred years. It’s becoming one of the defining institutions of the motherland with nearly every sitio, barrio and barangay in the Philippines hosting hundreds of different beauty pageants annually; that, of course, is in addition to the many international pageants of which the Philippines is almost always a top contender on the world stage. And that has translated into Filipino-American culture with several regional beauty pageants being held every year. Some people dismiss beauty pageants as nothing but vapid displays of physical beauty and many Filipinos have questioned whether these pageants provide a quality representation of Philippine culture. Those thoughts, however, are nothing more than shallow misconceptions of what pageants actually are, according to longtime pageant director Benedick diaz, whose career as a director spans decades for the Asian global community. After several years of being on hiatus, diaz is preparing for a comeback to the world of directing in the form of the upcoming Love of country (LOc) Global Ambassadors program, an innovative cultural presentation that builds upon the traditional pageant format and purpose. The LOc Global Ambassadors program is all about searching for Fil-Am ambassadors from all ages and genders to act as delegates to promote tourism to the Philippines. Working with the Philippine department of Tourism (dOT), candidates must demonstrate their unique connections to Philippine culture and all the characteristics and values they possess that would best represent the
Filipino identity. The sole mission isn’t to discover the person with the best physical beauty, but to find the person who would best represent the culture. “It’s a different kind of enchilada, and that’s what motivated me to come back so I came back!” diaz shared with the Asian Journal in a recent interview. diaz boasts nearly three decades of directing pageants, from smaller, regional pageants like Miss Teen Philippines Arizona to large-scale productions like Miss BnB International and Miss Asia. He began his career at Regal Films, writing, directing and working alongside line producer and director Manny Valera. When diaz migrated to the united States, he knew that he wanted to continue that career in show business. during the week, he worked as a shipping manager at Glasswerks — a position he still holds today — but on the weekends and in his free time, he focused on directing. But he expressed that putting on a technically successful show isn’t why he has continued to direct pageants; it’s the satisfaction of being a part of the launch of so many young Filipinas’ careers, including model cheryl nunes whom diaz coached in the Miss Kauai America nearly 30 years ago. “Throughout all the time you coach them and guide them, you somehow you become part of their careers and that’s incredibly satisfying for me,” diaz remarked. eventually, health problems arose due to overwork and he had to take a brief hiatus from directing. “I really worked so hard, almost too hard!” diaz expressed. “But it was fun because, on the weekends, I was really just allowed to let go of my weekday job, which is very stressful. This was really my
Diaz with close friend Manny Valera, line producer and film director at Regal Films. Photos courtesy of Benedick Diaz
Benedick Diaz has been directing some of the most prestigious Asian pageant shows for the last couple decades.
time to enjoy my passion which is directing and arts because I like teaching people how to gain confidence and self-esteem.” After nearly 10 years after his last show, diaz was approached to direct the LOc program, and when he learned about what it is was, he thought the idea was fresh and something different. He liked the idea that the contestants weren’t just young women, but that they could be men and women and young and old. “I feel like I’m busy again, but in a good way,” diaz said of his return to his post as pageant director. “[The Love of country program] changes the whole impression because most of the time the impression of beauty pageants is just that: beauty, beauty, beauty. But this one is a cultural presentation. So they may see winners here who may not be physically beautiful, but you will see winners with wisdom and wit.” Although prospective candidates still have until April 29 to submit applications, the LOc pageant has begun production. diaz is in full swing as the director, conceptualizing the themes, coaching the contestants on their walk and confidence-building and collaborating with producers on the technical elements of the show. Though he knows of the stresses of working on a pageant (he is also simultaneously working on a separate pageant in Las Vegas), he is “excited” to be back in pageant directing. “My main goal is to make sure this program starts off really well because this could be something [the candidates] will cherish forever, that’s what I told all the candidates, especially the older candidates,” diaz said. “This could be a legacy you could leave to your children, for your apos who can say that once upon a time, my lola joined this ambassadors program and wanted to represent Filipino culture in such a huge way. For me, to be a part of that is just an achievement. For me, that’s more fulfilling than getting another queen to be crowned.” To learn more about the LOc Global Ambassadors program, visit https://loveofcountryambassadors.com/home-1. For those who wish to apply for the program, the deadline to apply is April 29, and applications are available on the website.
How to sleep better: Steps to develop good sleep habits by ritchel Mendiola AJPress
GeTTInG a good night’s sleep is just as important as having a balanced diet and regular exercise — but oftentimes, it’s easier said than done. With today’s fast-paced lifestyle and its increasing demands, we tend to sacrifice some hours of sleep just to get things done. According to the national Sleep Foundation, the appropriate sleep duration for adults is between seven and nine hours every night, but most of us only get three to five hours — sometimes, even none. Lack of sleep affects the physical, mental, and emotional health. If you want to feel mentally sharp and full of energy all day long, making important changes in your bedtime habits is vital. Better sleep can be achieved by following these steps: • Maintain a regular sleep schedule Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. doing this consistently, even on weekends, will help your body fix its internal clock and establish a regular sleep-wake pattern to help you sleep and wake up more easily. • Don’t go to bed unless you’re sleepy Struggling and forcing yourself to sleep will only lead to frustration, so if you’re still awake after
If you want to feel mentally sharp and full of energy all day long, making important changes in your bedtime habits is vital. Inquirer.net photo
20 minutes of getting into bed, get up and do something until you’re tired enough to fall asleep. • Turn your bedroom into a sleep-inducing environment Minimize noise and lights in your room to optimize your bedroom environment. A quiet, dark, and comfortable bedroom promotes better sleep. • Don’t watch the clock Watching the clock when you’re trying to sleep will only trigger stress and anxiety. Try turning your clock around and keep your phone on your bedside table to keep yourself from checking the time. • Make use of daylight natural light keeps your internal clock on a healthy sleep-wake cycle. Let in light first thing in the morning and spend more time outside during the day to help keep
you alert and awake. • Be smart about your food consumption Your eating habits actually impact your sleeping habits. Avoid having a heavy dinner within two hours of bedtime. cut back on sugar and caffeine as it can trigger wakefulness at night, and only drink enough fluids to keep you from being thirsty but not enough to make frequent bathroom trips. • Nap wisely A nap never hurts — but make sure to limit your afternoon snooze to 30 minutes or less so it won’t decrease your sleep drive at night. • Exercise regularly Any amount of exercise during the day is good for you. exercising regularly helps you sleep better at night and makes you less tired during the day.
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Features
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 12-18, 2018
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Mega Anniversary Blowout Raffle and Sale at Seafood City Supermarket SEAFOOD City Supermarket is celebrating True Filipino Goodness and another year of growth in a superlative way — a Mega Anniversary Blowout Raffle and Sale — its way of giving back to its customers! The Mega Anniversary Blowout Raffle and Sale will be 12 weeks of exciting raffle draws featuring 2 round-trip tickets to the Philippines on six alternate weeks and one Toyota Prius C-1, also on six alternate weeks for a grand total of 12
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA WHEN something goes wrong regarding personal finance, our mental default setting is that we need someone else to help fix the problem. But if we stop and think about it, there is really nothing new under the sun, as Ecclesiastes says. Our guidelines for how we should live, then as now, come from the Good Book and those the Holy Spirit has chosen and guided to explain and interpret its doctrine in the context of modern life. These days, we click on Google and make it our personal adviser, our own impersonal Yoda. For anything we need to know, we’re just a click away online for mountains of information to inundate us. But BEWARE! Google and ALL tech giants have an agenda that more often than not, is at cross purposes with your wellbeing. They provide you images and information at your fingertips and make you part of a social orbit BUT at the same time,
Round-trip tickets to the Philippines via Philippine Airlines and 6 Toyota Prius C-1! No purchase is necessary to join the raffle, just come to any location nearest you to fill out an entry form. The raffle draws will be streamed live on FaceBook Live and Instagram Live every Saturday at 11:00am starting April 14 until June 30. Partnered with these generous giveaways are Mega Anniversary Blowout Sale and promotions never seen before, such as Golden
Pampano for only $1.99/lb in California, and Buy one get one free Del Monte Spaghetti sauces! Customers can enjoy all that Seafood City Supermarket has to offer: great savings, delicious Filipino comfort food such as Filipino-style BBQ, grilled seafood and your favorite Street Food from Grill City, heavenly Bagnet or Crispy Pata from Crispy Town! How does one celebrate a Birthday or an Anniversary? Filipinos gather as a warm, cohesive unit to celebrate, with good food and fun activities such as karaoke singing and reminiscing good memories. It is a time when distance is not an issue because friends and relatives alike take the time to attend, even from across the country. In the many years that have gone by, Seafood City Supermarket as established itself as a symbol of home and a source of food products and daily needs for the Filipinos in the United States — immigrant and U.S. born alike. Here we offer a wide range of items that are the building blocks of Filipino comfort food, such as Seafood — Milkfish, Galunggong, and Tilapia. Filipino-style cuts of meat such as slices of Pork Butt for BBQ, cubed Pork Picnic for Adobo, sliced Beef Chuck Roast for Beefsteak and Oxtail for KareKare. Fresh vegetables such as Long Beans (sitaw), Eggplant (talong) and Okra for Pinakbet, Green Papaya and Chili Leaves for Tinola, choice leafy vegetables such as Kangkong, Yam, Malunggay and Chayote leaves! Basic cooking ingredients and condiments such as rice, soy sauce, vinegar, and fish sauce; corned beef and Spam as a quick meal fix; Chicharon and other Philippine snacks, instant noodles, longanisa, tocino, eggrolls and many more! To further serve the Filipino consumer, es-
The good book on money “Life is a journey and the heavier the luggage, the shorter the distance covered.” these tech giants are harvesting information about you that they can then package to sell to other entities who would like to influence you or sell you something. Think about it. They do not have a product to sell. Their product is YOU. They will monetize on the ton of information you foolishly and naively entrust to them. Don’t think FB or any of these tech giants loves you. Somehow I get the feeling these purveyors of information think you are so dumb as to give them personal, private information. As human beings, they know our vanity is our weakness. All those postings make us feel important with the world as our stage. There is so much information out there in cyberspace. It can all be disconcerting and confusing. It’s like tackling the Library of Congress in one go. Don’t despair. There’s hope yet. We can simplify and refer to that old why and how-to manual for all times and seasons.
Take the case of the sub prime mortgage mess in 2008. It was a sorry and foolhardy attempt by liberals in the government power structure to democratize what was never meant to be a level playing field. This made it possible for millions who could not afford and should not qualify for a mortgage to be approved for loans they could not carry. A little known phrase in the Book of Proverbs for those who put up “security for debts” serves as stern warning, “… your very bed will be snatched from under you.” If only we took heed of the wisdom of the ages written in the Bible, we could have saved ourselves a lot of grief and gnashing of teeth. Strive to live relatively debtfree. Sharply define what is a need and what is a want. For most things, frugal gurus tell us to buy only when we have the cash for it. Don’t mortgage your future for a mere whim, particularly that which strokes your ego. Debt can have you in a stranglehold. Many have found
tablished brands such as Pamana, Long Life, and Bayanihan deliver the highest quality and savings to customers everyday. Not only has Seafood City provided food products for the Filipino table, they have also changed the concept of the Filipino store from small mom & pop stores to large, clean and beautiful modern retail one-stop outlets that are a home away from home, including services such as money remittance and Balikbayan box services. Seafood City Supermarket locates near communities it serves, bringing together Filipinos from near and far, even neighboring states. It celebrates TRUE FILIPINO GOODNESS in good food, a community sharing the same cultural heritage and values enjoyed in a wholesome and clean environment. We take pride in the fact that Filipinos have a supermarket and food retailer they can call their very own, where the warm welcome mat is always out and friends and family can meet and gather. So come and celebrate with us — and join the raffle for a mega chance to win! Shop the specials and save big at Seafood City Supermarket! (Advertising Supplement)
this out a tad too late when the recession hit. Steer clear of scams particularly from high places. Bernard Madoff, the biggest Ponzi convicted scammer doing time in jail, had a Wall Street address. He had a steady gaze and an air and demeanor of respectability and trustworthiness about him belying a heart of darkness. But greed went both ways. Madoff’s victims did not question why they were getting consistently great returns on their investments for as long as their phony statements were rosy year after year for decades. Then the financial bomb exploded when the US and the global economy ground nearly to a halt in recent times. There were no new investors who can be suckered in by the monumental Ponzi scheme Madoff and his cohorts hatched. It was a matter of time. Built on a big fat lie, it collapsed like a house of cards. What a monstrous mess it was and still is. The tedious efforts at clawing back some of the money spent on a shamelessly luxurious lifestyle was as grueling as pulling teeth from a Tyrannosaurus Rex. One of Madoff’s sons, unable to bear the shame and ignominy sadly hung himself with a dog’s leash in his Manhattan apart-
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LVCVA unveils design for the Las Vegas Convention Center expansion
LAS VEGAS – Today, architects presented design drawings for the iconic expansion to the Las Vegas Convention Center to the Board of Directors of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). The drawings provide a glimpse of the vibrant new look of the nearly 60-year-old facility. “This is one of the most important days in the history of the LVCVA. These drawings show a modern, innovative design that is as iconic as our vibrant city,” said Rossi Ralenkotter LVCVA chief executive officer. “Southern Nevada’s economy is driven by tourism and this expansion will propel our convention center forward to enable us to maintain our status as the number one trade show destination in North America.” Last month, Geotechnical & Environmental Services, Inc (GES) began drilling for all footing locations. GES is doing subsurface explorations to determine soil properties and assist with engineering
recommendations. For example, they are marking out the depths they hit caliche, ground water, and past structures that may have been buried in the lots. They are also sending core samples to the lab for environmental impacts on the site. The LVCCD’s Phase Two is an $860 million expansion project that will add 1.4 million square feet to the current convention center facility, including at least 600,000 square feet of new, leasable exhibit space. The expansion is slated for completion in time to welcome CES in 2021. Late last year, the LVCVA’s Board of Directors finalized the selection of tvsdesign / Design Las Vegas to provide design services for the expansion project. “Our biggest goal was to give Las Vegas a convention center that will be iconic, with a design that nods to all of the very unique architecture in the city’s history, while also providing contemporary, cohesive design aesthetic across the entire property,” said Rob
ment leaving behind a wife and children who would like to escape the stigma of the Madoff name. The other son died of an illness. His wife now bears the brunt of his crime. Madoff’s sentence is 150 years behind the slammer. Considering the distress and sorrow he has brought others, a thousand years would probably still be inadequate. Was there something from the Good Book to caution us about this? The one that comes to mind intended for scammers like Madoff and his ilk, is of course, “Thou shalt not steal.” Scams are no more than sophisticated thefts generated these days from the comfort of one’s computer in the guise of legitimate sounding paper and lately, quite easily, electronic communication like the Nigerian scam or identity theft. This is the modern version of a hooded, masked robber using a gun in a dark alley. New laws on tracking and enforcement procedures are decades away from dealing with this worrisome social phenomenon that seems able to breach all kinds of barriers. The antidote against electronic scammers: continuous education, a smidgen of cynicism and a ton of common sense. What’s the mantra worth remembering and repeating to one’s self particularly during
days of tight money when scammers are getting more creative and brazen? Of course, it’s still that one that says: “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” Well this one isn’t in the Bible but it might very well be. A similar quotation from the Book of Proverbs bears reiterating: “The naive believes everything, but the sensible man considers his steps.” In a word, “THINK.” The fictional character Gordon Gecko in the film “Wall Street” asserted that to be rich, “Greed is good.” Not so, said the Bible… Jesus was clear on the subject. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Life is a journey and the heavier the luggage, the shorter the distance covered. Though that’s the physical explanation of energy required to carry the luggage weighed down by gravity as we travel, it has some bearings about a spiritual journey towards eternal life. Getting far too attached to material wealth and all its trappings makes one lose his focus of the journey’s goal. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com
Talking about stress
trollable sobbing was a hike with a group of friends,” shared Cruz. She added, “To this day, I still remember that as a giant exhale — that feeling of letting go I desperately needed. I still had to deal with the reality, but that respite reminded me of how lucky I was to be surrounded by such great friends.” Focus on mindful eating When stressed, we often find ourselves reaching for those “feel good” comfort foods that are often high in fat, carbohydrates, and sugar. You know — foods like ice cream, pizza, fries, or burgers. Aside from choosing better foods that regulate our stress hormones and protect our immune system, paying attention to how
Svedberg, principal, tvsdesign. “Being iconic in Las Vegas is different than being iconic in other places, and we really want this building to be unique in the marketplace PAGE B1 and provide something no other convention center can, while also Research found that yogurt has having a strong identity, so that arginine and lysine — two amino when someone sees it, they imme- acids that work together to dediately know that it’s the Las Vegas crease feelings of anxiety. • Oranges Convention Center.” This citrus fruit is packed with Phase Three will be the complete renovation of the existing 3.2 vitamin C, an antioxidant proven million-square-foot facility, with a to be helpful in combating stress. projected completion date of 2023. Having a dose of vitamin C lowThe phased approach will ensure ers blood pressure and levels of that no business will be displaced cortisol — one of the hormones during the construction and reno- produced during stress. • Oatmeal vation. LVCVA staff worked in partA serving of oatmeal causes nership with Cordell Corporation principal Terry Miller, the agency’s your brain to produce serotonin, contracted owner’s representative, a feel-good chemical that not only to develop the vision for the expan- has antioxidant properties, but also creates a soothing feeling sion and renovation project. Each year, Las Vegas hosts that reduces stress. • Dark chocolate approximately 22,000 meetings, Keyword being dark, this type conventions and trade shows, of chocolate is known to lower PAGE B6
we eat can also be helpful. “Mindful eating, in which we are engaging the senses, to nourish ourselves is one way to avoid stress eating,” said Cruz. “This means we are observing, smelling, tasting, feeling the texture of every bite we take.” And as tempting it is to bring our plate to the TV room to binge on our favorite shows, Cruz suggests getting in an environment free of distractions where we can relax. Doing so also helps with digestion, she added. Plan a getaway (like to the Philippines) “There’s always a trip to the mother country,” said Cruz, adding that the Philippines was recently named the third happiest country in the world according
to U.S. based firm Gallup International. While the country isn’t free of stressful conditions like poverty and extreme climate events, Cruz said that its ranking as the third happiest country shows that the people may know a thing or two about managing their stress. “Perhaps you have heard of the phrase ‘Bahala Na’ which loosely translates to surrender,” added Cruz. “This is an attitude of faith, that no matter what happens, there it will be.” Cruz suggested that one way to think about stress is to acknowledge that we can only control what we can. “So, why not give the worry away?” said Cruz.
Six foods to fight stress
Oatmeal
Oranges
blood pressure and levels of stress hormones. Research has also shown that dark chocolate contains unique natural substances that induce a sense of euphoria, similar to the feeling of being in love. Just make sure to grab a bar that has 70 percent of cacao!
Dark chocolate
B april 12-18, 2018 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal
Community Journal
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
2018 VOTE CENTERS You may now vote on Election Day at any of the 172 “Vote Centers” that will be open throughout Clark County. You no longer have to go to one specific “assigned” Election Day Vote Centers. Instead, you may choose the most convenient Vote Center for you.
ELECTION DAY VOTE CENTERS FOR THE 2018 PRIMARY ELECTION ON JUNE 12, 2018 Karagdagang impormasyon sa Filipino (Tagalog) ay makikita rin sa website ng Clark County Election Department sa: www.clarkcountynv.gov/vote. STATE OF NEVADA - COUNTY OF CLARK 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 12, 2018. 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. WITNESS MY HAND and SEAL this 3rd day of April, 2018. JOSEPH P. GLORIA Registrar of Voters
LIST OF CANDIDATES TO BE VOTED UPON AT THE JUNE 12, 2018 PRIMARY ELECTION CANDIDATES FOR PARTISAN OFFICES UNITED STATES SENATE SIX YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Burleigh, Danny Knight, David Drew Mahendra, Sujeet “Bobby” Rheinhart, Allen Rosen, Jacky Sbaih, Jesse REPUBLICAN Brooks, Sherry Gazala, Sarah Harrell, Vic Heck, Tom Heller, Dean REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS TWO YEAR TERM DISTRICT 1 DEMOCRATIC D’Silva, Reuben Titus, Dina REPUBLICAN Bentley, Joyce Horne, Fred DISTRICT 3 DEMOCRATIC Hart, Richard “Rick” Lee, Susie Love, John “Jack” Pinjuv, Guy Schiffman, Steven Mitchell “The Mench” Stoltz, Eric Weiss, Michael REPUBLICAN Carter, Patrick Hamilton, Eddie “MisterMago” Hammond, Scott Jones, Stephanie “BdyBySteph” La Croix, Thomas Mark McKeon, David Mortensen, Michelle Tarkanian, Danny Teijeiro, Annette DISTRICT 4 DEMOCRATIC Anzalone, John Horsford, Steven A. Spearman, Patricia “Pat” Stephens, Allison Vilela, Amy Zeller, Sid REPUBLICAN Gibbs, David Glenn Hardy, Cresent Miller, Jeff Monroe, Mike Townsend, Bill Wegner, Kenneth A. GOVERNOR FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Bonaventura, John Dewan, Asheesh Giunchigliani, Christina “Chris G” Jones, David E. Sisolak, Steve Thorns, Henry REPUBLICAN Boyd, William “Bill” Carlisle, Stephanie Conquest, Frederick L. Dundas, Edward F. Fisher, Jared L. Laxalt, Adam Paul Lusak, Stan Schwartz, Dan LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Hansen, Laurie L. Marshall, Kate REPUBLICAN Hoover, Eugene Jones, Brent A. LaFata, Scott Anthony Meyers, Gary Anthony Roberson, Michael SECRETARY OF STATE FOUR YEAR TERM REPUBLICAN Aldridge, Ernest C. Cegavske, Barbara K. STATE TREASURER FOUR YEAR TERM REPUBLICAN Beers, Bob Uehara, Derek ATTORNEY GENERAL FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Ford, Aaron MacKie, Stuart J. REPUBLICAN
Duncan, Wes Mueller, Craig STATE SENATE FOUR YEAR TERM DISTRICT 8 DEMOCRATIC Alvarado, Stephanie Loop, Marilyn Dondero REPUBLICAN Helgelien, Elizabeth Rodimer, Dan Weber, Valerie DISTRICT 9 DEMOCRATIC McCullough, Larry Rebollo, Justin Allen Scheible, Melanie West, Brandon DISTRICT 10 DEMOCRATIC Cancela, Yvanna Henderson, Bryce DISTRICT 20 DEMOCRATIC Aizley, Paul Pazina, Julie REPUBLICAN Brooks, Byron Pickard, Keith DISTRICT 21 DEMOCRATIC Craddock, Jay Glazer, Christine Ohrenschall, James STATE ASSEMBLY TWO YEAR TERM DISTRICT 2 DEMOCRATIC Orentlicher, David Sherwood, Jennie REPUBLICAN Hambrick, John C. Small, Jim DISTRICT 4 DEMOCRATIC Munk, Connie Smith, Tony T. REPUBLICAN McArthur, Richard Rezendes, Kenneth Vega, Luis DISTRICT 5 REPUBLICAN Burke, Jason Miller, Mack DISTRICT 8 DEMOCRATIC Frierson, Jason Watson, Tiffany Ann DISTRICT 9 REPUBLICAN Cannon, Linda Keller, Barry DISTRICT 12 DEMOCRATIC Casutt, Brandon D’Ayr, Gabrielle Levy, Anat “Annette” Martinez, Susan Moore, Cinthia Seip, ll, Walter L. York, Gregory DISTRICT 13 REPUBLICAN Kemp, James “JP” Roberts, Tom Sanson, Steve DISTRICT 15 DEMOCRATIC Chavez, Juan Manuel Gandy, Michael Spivak, Andrew Toomin, Louis A. “Lou” Watts, III, Howard DISTRICT 18 REPUBLICAN Hawkins, Richard E. Sadler, Matt DISTRICT 21 REPUBLICAN Arrington, Cherlyn Atamian, Garo DISTRICT 22 DEMOCRATIC Aguirre-Insua, Luis Watson, Kristee REPUBLICAN Bunce, Richard Hardy, Melissa DISTRICT 23 REPUBLICAN Leavitt, Glen McCarthy, Matt DISTRICT 29 DEMOCRATIC Cohen, Lesley Elizabeth Watson, Terry L. DISTRICT 34 REPUBLICAN Laurie, Anthony A. Wesen, Janice E.
DISTRICT 35 DEMOCRATIC Gorelow, Michelle Nimsuwan, Paul REPUBLICAN Jones, Aimee Schoen, David DISTRICT 36 REPUBLICAN Bradley, Joseph J. Hof, Dennis Oscarson, James DISTRICT 37 DEMOCRATIC Backus, Shea Cornstuble, Rick Pearce, Robbie Lucille DISTRICT 42 DEMOCRATIC Assefa, Alexander Henry, LaDon Lauckner, Kathleen COUNTY COMMISSION FOUR YEAR TERM DISTRICT E DEMOCRATIC Hernandez, Marco Segerblom, “Tick” REPUBLICAN Marsh, Trish Rose, Randy DISTRICT F DEMOCRATIC Hunt, Jason Jones, Justin REPUBLICAN Black, Tisha Tracy, Mitchell T. DISTRICT G REPUBLICAN Lake, Cindy Van Dover, Fred DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Langford, Robert L. Wolfson, Steve COUNTY ASSESSOR FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Casino, Angelo Johnson, Briana COUNTY RECORDER FOUR YEAR TERM REPUBLICAN MacFarlane, Jill Moore, John Paretts, Jayson COUNTY TREASURER FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Fitzpatrick, Laura O’Sullivan, Ken “Sully” REPUBLICAN Collins, Phil Quilang, Ron Q. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR FOUR YEAR TERM REPUBLICAN Fougere, Thomas L. Manfredi, Aaron CONSTABLE, MESQUITE TOWNSHIP FOUR YEAR TERM REPUBLICAN Hughes, Shawn L. Thurston, Duane L. CONSTABLE, NORTH LAS VEGAS TOWNSHIP FOUR YEAR TERM DEMOCRATIC Eliason, Robert L. James, Sr., Isaac C. Martin, Jon REPUBLICAN Roundy, Travis Vega, Jimmy CANDIDATES FOR NON PARTISAN OFFICES JUSTICE OF SUPREME COURT SEAT C SIX YEAR TERM Aberasturi, Leon Cadish, Elissa Lefebvre, Alan J. Rutledge, John Tao, Jerry REGENT, STATE UNIVERSITY SIX YEAR TERM DISTRICT 1 Cato, Jo Mallory, Jack Olson, David M. Perkins, Laura E. Ramirez, Eddie DISTRICT 4 McMichael, Sr., Donald Sylvantee
DISTRICT 12 Carvalho, Amy Coates, Andrew Coca, T. Rao Gutschick, Bob TRUSTEE, CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL FOUR YEAR TERM DISTRICT D Cepeda, Irene Child, Kevin L. Martinez, Jr., Leobardo Thompson, Eli DISTRICT F Ballinger, Mary E. Eady, Eileen Ford, Danielle Gardner, David Miller, Kali Fox Musemici, Tammi N. Thomas, Mike Trumbull, Jacquelyn Wilson, Johnny SHERIFF FOUR YEAR TERM Bedwell, Tim Caldwell, Matt Heiny, Gregory S. Lombardo, Joe Martines, Gordon CITY OF MESQUITE COUNCILMEMBER FOUR YEAR TERM SEAT 1 Mercer, L. Kay Ramaker, Sandra Withelder, Geno SEAT 4 Black, Ann “Annie” Fielding, Karen Kruder, Chuck JUSTICE OF THE PEACE GOODSPRINGS TOWNSHIP SIX YEAR TERM Carter, Amber Cortese, Gregory Kostas, Socrates Lee, Charles Shupe, Larry JUSTICE OF THE PEACE HENDERSON TOWNSHIP SIX YEAR TERM DEPARTMENT 1 Bateman, Sam JUSTICE OF THE PEACE LAS VEGAS TOWNSHIP SIX YEAR TERM DEPARTMENT 1 Ginn, Vincent “Vinny” Graham, Elana Lee Leavitt, James Dean DEPARTMENT 2 Sciscento, Joseph S. DEPARTMENT 5 Dustin-Cruz, Cynthia DEPARTMENT 8 Zimmerman, Ann E. DEPARTMENT 10 Andress-Tobiasson, Melanie DEPARTMENT 15 De La Garza, Melisa Friedberg, Craig B. Kurth, Robert Rogan, Jeff JUSTICE OF THE PEACE LAUGHLIN TOWNSHIP SIX YEAR TERM Atkins, Tim JUSTICE OF THE PEACE MESQUITE TOWNSHIP SIX YEAR TERM Toone, Ryan W. JUSTICE OF THE PEACE MOAPA TOWNSHIP SIX YEAR TERM Kolhoss, Ruth JUSTICE OF THE PEACE MOAPA VALLEY TOWNSHIP SIX YEAR TERM Mills, Gregor S. Solomon, Drue R. Waite, Kyle JUSTICE OF THE PEACE NORTH LAS VEGAS TOWNSHIP SIX YEAR TERM DEPARTMENT 1 Hoo, Kalani DEPARTMENT 2 Tyrrell, Natalie JUSTICE OF THE PEACE SEARCHLIGHT TOWNSHIP SIX YEAR TERM Hill, Richard
EVENT TENTS: Look for the VOTE CENTERS in the parking lot of sites with an asterisk (*). ABBREVIATIONS: HEN = Henderson ELEM. = Elementary School CTR. = Center
LV = Las Vegas J.H.S. = Junior High School
NLV = North Las Vegas MID. SCH. = Middle School
NAME
ADDRESS
ALLEN, DEAN ELEM.
8680 W. Hammer Ln., LV 89149
ANDRE AGASSI BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
800 N. Martin L. King Bl., LV 89106
ARROYO MARKET SQUARE*
6930 Arroyo Crossing Pkwy., LV 89113
BAILEY, SISTER ROBERT JOSEPH ELEM.
4525 Jimmy Durante Bl., LV 89122
BAILEY, WILLIAM H. MID. SCH.
2500 N. Hollywood Bl., LV 89156
BASS, JOHN ELEM.
10377 Rancho Destino Rd., LV 89183
BEATTY, JOHN ELEM.
8685 Hidden Palms Pkwy., LV 89123
BELL, REX ELEM.
2900 Wilmington Wy., LV 89102
BLUE DIAMOND CROSSING SHOPPING CTR.*
4100 Blue Diamond Rd., LV 89139
BOB PRICE RECREATION CTR.
2050 Bonnie Ln., LV 89156
BOULDER CITY RECREATION CTR.
900 Arizona St., Boulder City 89005
BOULEVARD MALL, REAR MALL ENTRANCE
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
BROOKMAN, EILEEN ELEM.
6225 E. Washington Ave., LV 89110
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
CLARK COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS-FINE ARTS
1301 Whipple Ave., Logandale 89021
CORONADO HIGH SCHOOL
1001 Coronado Center Dr., HEN 89052
COX, DAVID ELEM.
280 Clark Dr., HEN 89074
CRAM, BRIAN AND TERI MID. SCH.
1900 W. Deer Springs Wy., NLV 89084
CULLEY, PAUL ELEM.
1200 N. Mallard St., LV 89108
CUNNINGHAM, CYNTHIA ELEM.
4145 Jimmy Durante Bl., LV 89122
DAILEY, JACK ELEM.
2001 E. Reno Ave., LV 89119
DERFELT, HERBERT ELEM.
1900 S. Lisa Ln., LV 89117
DESERT BREEZE COMMUNITY CTR.
8275 Spring Mountain Rd., LV 89117
DESERT OASIS HIGH SCHOOL
6600 W. Erie Ave., LV 89141
DESERT VISTA COMMUNITY CTR.
10360 Sun City Bl., LV 89134
DESIGNER'S CHURCH
1305 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy., HEN 89012
DETWILER, OLLIE ELEM.
1960 Ferrel St., LV 89106
DICKENS, D. L. (DUSTY) ELEM.
5550 Milan Peak St., NLV 89081
DOOLEY, JOHN ELEM.
1940 Chickasaw Dr., HEN 89015
DOOLITTLE COMMUNITY CTR.
1950 J St., LV 89106
DOWNTOWN SUMMERLIN SHOPPING CTR.*
Sahara Ave. @ CC-215, LV 89135
EAST CAREER TECH ACADEMY
6705 Vegas Valley Dr., LV 89142
ELIZONDO, RAUL ELEM.
4865 Goldfield St., NLV 89031
ENTERPRISE LIBRARY
25 E. Shelbourne Ave., LV 89123
ESCOBEDO, EDMUNDO SR. MID. SCH.
9501 Echelon Point Dr., LV 89149
FAISS, WILBUR AND THERESA MID. SCH.
9525 W. Maule Ave., LV 89148
FERTITTA, FRANK AND VICTORIA MID. SCH.
9905 W. Mesa Vista Ave., LV 89148
FINE, MARK L. ELEM.
6635 Cougar Ave., LV 89139
FORBUSS, ROBERT L. ELEM.
8601 S. Grand Canyon Dr., LV 89148
FRENCH, DORIS ELEM.
3235 E. Hacienda Ave., LV 89120
GALLERIA AT SUNSET, KOHL’S COURT, 1ST FL.
1300 W. Sunset Rd., HEN 89014
GALLOWAY, FAY ELEM.
701 Skyline Rd., HEN 89015
GIVENS, LINDA RANKIN ELEM.
655 Park Vista Dr., LV 89138
GOOD SAMARITAN LUTHERAN CHURCH
8425 W. Windmill Ln., LV 89113
GOOLSBY, JUDY AND JOHN ELEM.
11175 W. Desert Inn Rd., LV 89135
GRACE IN THE DESERT EPISCOPAL CHURCH
2004 Spring Gate Ln., LV 89134
GRACE VALLEY REFORM CHURCH
1370 E. Robindale Rd., LV 89123
GRAY, R. GUILD ELEM.
2825 S. Torrey Pines Dr., LV 89146
GREEN VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH
270 N. Valle Verde Dr., HEN 89074
GREEN VALLEY LIBRARY
2797 N. Green Valley Pkwy., HEN 89014
GREEN VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1798 Wigwam Pkwy., HEN 89074
GUINN, KENNY C. MID. SCH.
4150 S. Torrey Pines Dr., LV 89103
HARMON, HARLEY ELEM.
5351 Hillsboro Ln., LV 89120
HARRIS, GEORGE ELEM.
3620 S. Sandhill Rd., LV 89121
HAYDEN, DON E. ELEM.
150 W. Rome Bl., NLV 89084
HAYES, KEITH AND KAREN ELEM.
9620 W. Twain Ave., LV 89147
HECKETHORN, HOWARD ELEM.
5150 Whispering Sands Dr., LV 89131
HENDERSON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT
3500 Executive Terminal Dr., HEN 89052
HERITAGE PARK SENIOR FACILITY
300 Racetrack Rd., HEN 89015
HISTORIC FIFTH ST. SCHOOL
401 S. 4th St., LV 89101
HOLLYWOOD RECREATION CTR.
1650 S. Hollywood Bl., LV 89142
INDIAN SPRINGS COMMUNITY CTR.
715 W. Gretta Ln., Indian Springs 89018
INTERNATIONAL CHURCH OF LAS VEGAS
3425 Cliff Shadows Pkwy., LV 89129
JOHNSON, WALTER MID. SCH.
7701 Ducharme Ave., LV 89145
JONES, BLACKHURST ELEM.
11141 S. Pioneer Wy., LV 89179
KATZ, EDYTHE AND LLOYD ELEM.
1800 Rock Springs Dr., LV 89128
KELLER, DUANE MID. SCH.
301 N. Fogg St., LV 89110
KESTERSON, LORNA ELEM.
231 Bailey Island Dr., HEN 89074
KING, MARTHA ELEM.
888 Adams Bl., Boulder City 89005
KNUDSON, K. O. MID. SCH.
2400 Atlantic St., LV 89104
LAKE, ROBERT ELEM.
2904 Meteoro St., LV 89109
LAKES LUTHERAN CHURCH
8200 W. Sahara Ave., LV 89117
LAS VEGAS STRIP SITE
3550 W. Harmon Ave., LV 89103
LAUGHLIN LIBRARY
2840 S. Needles Hwy., Laughlin 89028
LAWRENCE, CLIFFORD J.H.S.
4410 S. Juliano Rd., LV 89147
COMMUNITY JOURNAL
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
NAME
ADDRESS
LEAVITT, JUSTICE MYRON MID. SCH.
4701 Quadrel St., LV 89129
LIED MID. SCH.
5350 W. Tropical Pkwy., LV 89130
MACK, JEROME D. MID. SCH.
4250 Karen Ave., LV 89121
MACK, NATE ELEM.
3170 Laurel Ave., HEN 89014
MANCH, J. E. ELEM.
4351 N. Lamont St., LV 89115
MANNION, JACK AND TERRY MID. SCH.
155 E. Paradise Hills Dr., HEN 89002
MARTIN, ROY MID. SCH.
2800 Stewart Ave., LV 89101
MAY, ERNEST ELEM.
6350 W. Washburn Rd., LV 89130
MCDONIEL, ELEM.
1831 Fox Ridge Dr., HEN 89014
MEADOWS MALL, SEARS COURT, 1ST FLOOR
4300 Meadows Ln., LV 89107
MENDOZA, JOHN ELEM.
2000 S. Sloan Ln., LV 89142
MESQUITE DEUCE 2 BUILDING
150 N. Yucca St., Mesquite 89027
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 SENIOR CTR.
325 N. Cooper St., 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 CREST COMMUNITY CTR.
4701 N. Durango Dr., LV 89129
MOUNTAIN SHADOWS COMMUNITY CTR
9107 Del Webb Bl., LV 89134
MOUNTAIN VIEW LUTHERAN CHURCH
9550 W. Cheyenne Ave., LV 89129
NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT
2730 Airport Dr., NLV 89032
O’CALLAGHAN, MIKE MID. SCH.
1450 Radwick Dr., LV 89110
O’ROARKE, THOMAS J. ELEM.
8455 O'Hare Rd., LV 89143
OPPORTUNITY VILLAGE-ENGLESTAD
6050 S. Buffalo Dr., LV 89113
OPPORTUNITY VILLAGE-WILSON COMPLEX
6300 W. Oakey Bl., LV 89146
PARADISE PARK COMMUNITY CTR.
4775 McLeod Dr., LV 89121
PARK-EDISON, JOHN ELEM.
931 Franklin Ave., LV 89104
PARKDALE RECREATION CTR.
3200 Ferndale St., LV 89121
PARSON, CLAUDE AND STELLA ELEM.
4100 Thom Bl., LV 89130
PEARSON, DR. WILL. U. COMMUNITY CTR.
1625 W. Carey Ave., NLV 89032
RAINBOW LIBRARY
3150 N. Buffalo Dr., LV 89128
RANCHO HIGH SCHOOL
1900 Searles Ave., LV 89101
REED, DORIS ELEM.
2501 Winwood St., LV 89108
REFLECTION BAY GOLF CLUB
75 Montelago Bl., HEN 89011
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
600 S. Grand Central Pkwy., LV 89106
ROGERS, LUCILLE ELEM.
5535 S. Riley St., LV 89148
RONNOW-EDISON, C. C. ELEM.
1100 Lena St., LV 89101
RUNDLE, RICHARD ELEM.
425 N. Christy Ln., LV 89110
SAHARA WEST LIBRARY
9600 W. Sahara Ave., LV 89117
SANDY VALLEY SCHOOL
1420 Pearl Ave., Sandy Valley 89019
SAVILLE, ANTHONY MID. SCH.
8101 N. Torrey Pines Dr., LV 89131
SAWYER, GRANT MID. SCH.
5450 Redwood St., LV 89118
SCHOFIELD, JACK J.H.S.
8625 Spencer St., LV 89123
SCHORR, STEVE ELEM.
11420 Placid St., LV 89183
SEARCHLIGHT COMMUNITY CTR.
200 M. Wendell Wy., Searchlight 89046
SEDWAY, MARVIN MID. SCH.
3465 Englestad St., NLV 89032
SHADOW HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH
7811 Vegas Dr., LV 89128
SHADOW RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
5050 Brent Ln., LV 89131
SILVESTRI, CHARLES MID. SCH.
1055 E. Silverado Ranch Bl., LV 89123
SIMMONS, EVA G. ELEM.
2328 Silver Clouds Dr., NLV 89031
SKYE CTR. AT SKYE CANYON
10111 W. Skye Canyon Park Dr., LV 89166
SKYVIEW YMCA
3050 E. Centennial Pkwy., LV 89081
SOLERA ANTHEM COMMUNITY CTR.
2401 Somersworth Dr., HEN 89044
STEELE, JUDITH D. ELEM.
6995 W. Eldorado Ln., LV 89113
STEVENS, JOSH ELEM.
550 Dave Wood Circle, HEN 89011
STUCKEY, EVELYN ELEM.
4905 Chartan Ave., LV 89141
STUPAK COMMUNITY CTR.
251 W. Boston Ave., LV 89102
SUN CITY ALIANTE
7390 Aliante Pkwy., NLV 89084
SUN CITY ANTHEM COMMUNITY CTR.
2450 Hampton Rd., HEN 89052
SUN CITY MACDONALD RANCH
2020 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy., HEN 89012
SUN CITY MESQUITE RECREATION CTR.
1350 Flat Top Mesa Dr., Mesquite 89034
SWAINSTON, THERON MID. SCH.
3500 W. Gilmore Ave., NLV 89032
TARKANIAN, LOIS AND JERRY MID. SCH.
5800 W. Pyle Ave., LV 89141
TARR, SHEILA ELEM.
9400 W. Gilmore Ave., LV 89129
TAYLOR, ROBERT L. ELEM.
144 Westminster Wy., HEN 89015
THOMPSON, SANDRA ELEM.
7351 N. Campbell Rd., LV 89149
TOBLER, R. E. ELEM.
6510 Buckskin Ave., LV 89108
VANDERBURG, JOHN ELEM.
2040 Desert Shadow Trl., HEN 89012
VASSILIADIS, BILLY & ROSEMARY ELEM.
215 Antelope Ridge Dr., LV 89138
VEGAS VERDES ELEM.
4000 El Parque Ave., LV 89102
VETERANS MEMORIAL LEISURE CTR.
101 N. Pavilion Center Dr., LV 89144
WALKER, J. MARLAN ELEM.
850 Scholar St., HEN 89002
WALNUT COMMUNITY CTR.
3075 N. Walnut Rd., LV 89115
WASDEN, HOWARD ELEM.
2831 Palomino Ln., LV 89107
WEBB, DEL MID. SCH.
2200 Reunion Dr., HEN 89052
WEST CAREER TECH. ACADEMY
11945 W. Charleston Bl., LV 89135
WHITNEY COMMUNITY CTR.
5712 Missouri Ave., LV 89122
WIENER, LOUIS JR. ELEM.
450 E. Eldorado Ln., LV 89123
WILLOWS COMMUNITY CTR.
2775 Desert Marigold Ln., LV 89135
WINCHESTER CULTURAL CTR.
3130 McLeod Dr., LV 89121
WOLFE, EVA ELEM.
4027 W. Washburn Rd., NLV 89031
WOODBURY, C. W. MID. SCH.
3875 E. Harmon Ave., LV 89121
WOOLLEY, GWENDOLYN ELEM.
3955 Timberlake Dr., LV 89115
WRIGHT, WILLIAM V. ELEM.
8425 Bob Fisk Ave., LV 89178
DATED APRIL 3, 2018
JOSEPH P. GLORIA Registrar of Voters PUB: April 5, and 12, 2018 Las Vegas Asian Journal
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 12-18, 2018
B5
ICE raids causing panic in immigrant communities: Is there a solution? Your Immigration Solution ATTY. DEVIN CONNOLLY & NANCY MILLER IN recent weeks Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has carried out targeted raids nationwide as part of their efforts to deport undocumented immigrants. These raids have occurred in California and Florida and many places in between. These raids have resulted in the break-up of families, individuals losing their jobs, and countless people scared to leave their homes and lead their normal lives. These raids have also caused tremendous fear in our immigrant communities. Children have been forced to wonder if their mom or dad will be deported before they return home from school on a given day, while others have been forced to confront the reality that they may be detained on their morning commute to work, an especially stressful situation when their income is the family’s sole means of financial support. Is there a solution to these fears and uncertainty? There may very well be. All undocumented immigrants, including those who have previously been ordered deported, should immediately inquire about whether they may be eligible for permanent resident status (green card). For example, you may be a good candidate for Cancellation of Removal for Non-Permanent Residents. This allows qualified individuals to obtain a green card if they have lived in the U.S. for at least ten years, do not have any disqualifying criminal convictions, have good moral character, and can show that a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident parent, spouse or child would suffer exceptional and extremely unusual hardship if the applicant were forced to leave the United States.
Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS IN this week’s issue, we shall devote our column to exalting “medicinal values or therapeutic effects” of regular, ordinary, food that people all over the world eat as part of their diet. The reported health benefits of some of the foods we have listed are anecdotal — passed down from generations — and many have not been thoroughly and scientifically proven. But since they are regular food items we consume daily, trying them for some of the ailments or situations they are allegedly effective for is simply natural and safe. As long as one is not allergic to them, ingesting these food items does not result in adverse “side effects” as could be encountered in, say, noni juice, or some other dangerous “curative food supplements” in the market today. Besides their essential nutritional value, many of the foods we ingest regularly have “medicinal effects” that we are not conscious about but which help alleviate or correct some diseases or conditions. It is common knowledge that scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), is cured by eating a lot of citrus fruits, or that hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) among diabetics will be alleviated by eating candies, sugar or other sweets. Or, that banana and apples are good for diarrhea; while papaya, prunes and other fruits, and vegetables are good for constipation. But did you know that onion, hot pepper and tomato are good for common cold? Or that cherries are good for cramps? Or that apple, grapefruit, calamansi are good for halitosis (bad breath)? Here is a list of medical conditions and the corresponding food items claimed to either prevent, alleviate, and/or cure them, which we suggest you first confirm with your physician, and save for future reference: • Arthritis - Apple, pineapple, malunggay, cantaloupe, grape, grapefruit, orange, mustard green, strawberry, tangerine, cucumber, lettuce, cherries, celery, cauliflower • Insomnia - Onion, cabbage, celery, avocado, onion, apple, banana • Hemorrhoids - Prunes, date, beans, eggplant, plum, sweet potato. • Nausea - Pineapple, papaya • High cholesterol - Garlic, soybean (tofu), red wine, grapefruit, tomato, apple, eggplant, corn, cabbage, peas, beans, green leafy vegetables, high fiber cereals, malunggay • Indigestion - Plum, papaya, pineapple, banana, apple, grape-
This is a form of relief from deportation and is only available in Immigration Court. In addition, applicants are eligible to obtain employment authorization while their application is pending. But what if a person does not have the required 10 years in the U.S. or does not have a good case for some other reason? There are still other options. Another way of obtaining a green card is through a Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver. A waiver “forgives” a ground of inadmissibility so the person may apply for a benefit. A Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver is for undocumented immigrants who are ineligible for adjustment of status, and who will incur a 3 or 10-year bar from returning to the U.S. as soon as they leave. And yes, these bars do still apply even if the sole reason for the foreign-born citizens’ departure is to attend an interview at the U.S. Consulate in their native country. The benefit to a Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver is that the 3 or 10-year bar is waived before the applicant ever actually leaves the U.S. The applicant submits the waiver while still residing in the U.S., and is not forced to leave the U.S. until after the waiver has been approved and they have an upcoming interview at the U.S. Consulate. This pre-approved waiver avoids lengthy separation of family members since the applicant would hopefully be able to return to the U.S. within a matter of days. Finally, a person may be eligible for a Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver regardless of who filed the petition for them if they can show “extreme hardship” to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse or parent. For undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. who have previously been ordered deported, there may be a solution to your problem as well. A skilled immigration attorney may be able to get your court case reopened, thereby allowing you to apply for a green card. A case can be
reopened for a variety of reasons, including a change in personal circumstances such as marriage to a U.S. citizen, a change in conditions in your native country that make it unsafe for you to return, or perhaps if you were previously the victim of ineffective assistance of counsel. And someone who has been ordered deported may still be able to apply for a provisional waiver after applying for and receiving advanced permission to reapply for admission to the United States. Finally, permanent residents should seriously consider becoming U.S. citizens. Green cards are terrific, but U.S. citizens are still afforded more rights and benefits than permanent residents, including unlimited travel and the ability to vote. With talk of travel bans and the never-ending risk of deportation for green card holders who just make one mistake, the rights of U.S. citizenship have potentially never been more valuable. It is a very uncertain time for immigrants. The easiest thing to do right now is remain in the shadows and hope the problem goes away. Unfortunately, ignoring problems often only makes them worse. Consult an experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney today about applying for a green card or becoming a U.S. citizen. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China. For more Information please call (800) 7958009 or visit www.rreeves.com. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)
Food medicine fruit, cucumber, peach • Sinusitis - Onion, hot pepper, tomato • Gastric ulcer - Pumpkin, rice, avocado, banana, date, okra, peach • Hypertension - Bamboo shoots, guava, pear, tangerine, squash, cherries, jackfruit, peach, celery, orange, malunggay • Impotence - Pumpkin seeds, avocado, seaweeds, date, oyster, hot pepper • To lose weight - All variety of fruits and juices, like grapefruit, orange, apple, pineapple, radish, tomato, lettuce, especially when eaten as a substitute for red meat and carbohydrates. • Cancer - For prevention, high fiber, low cholesterol diet (fish), plus frequent intake of processed tomato (ketchup, tomato paste), asparagus, broccoli, apricot, strawberry, cherries, mustard green, okra, apple, carrots, papaya, prunes, spinach, peach, pumpkin, watermelon, green leafy vegetables, all berries. • Heart attack - Just like for cancer prevention, high fiber and low cholesterol diet, plus a lot of fruits, berries, and vegetables like malunggay. • Stroke - The same anti-oxidants as above for prevention • Cuts and burns - Sesame seed oil, coconut oil, olive oil • Dry scalp, skin - Coconut oil, papaya, avocado, sesame seed oil • Constipation - Papaya, prunes, green leafy vegetables, peanuts • Diarrhea - Bananas, apples • Dizziness - Onion; ginger for motion sickness • Gallstones - Soybean, radish, tomato, apricot • Headache - Beets, cabbage, apple, asparagus, malunggay • Cuts, stings - Papaya local application • Depression - Banana, chocolates • Diabetes - Ampalaya vegetable helps lower blood sugar a little only, not effective as treatment. These are only a few sample conditions where foods have been taken not only for their fundamental nutritive and caloric value but for their alleged medicinal effects. We want to emphasize that these food items are not substitutes for prescription medications. As a general rule, one should never stop taking prescription drugs without consulting with a physician. Unhealthy diet, smoking, alcohol, and lack of exercise are the four most important, if not the most notorious, killers of man and the reason why in today’s world we have catastrophic numbers of obesity, hypercholesterolemia, heart attacks, strokes, cancer, depression, infertility, male erectile dysfunction, and degenerative
diseases like arthritis, gout, osteoporosis, etc. Of course, there are other factors that contribute to the epidemic of these ailments, but food, even more than heredity, plays a very significant role in the causation of diseases. What we eat, how much we eat, what we do not eat, how we take care of ourselves, or how we abuse our body, determine, to a great extent, how healthy or unhealthy we are, our quality of life, and our longevity. In the book, “Let’s Stop “Killing” Our Children,” I highlighted the significance of a proactive and preemptive approach to healthy lifestyle and disease prevention, starting early at the cellular (DNATelomere) level to effectively ward off major diseases we currently consider normal and expected as we age. Our children and the future generation do not have to have these “ailments of aging” afflicting most of us today, if we protect the integrity of their DNA starting from the womb and begin healthy dieting in the crib. (www. philipSchua.com) The United States Congress and the Food and Drug Administration are now putting the screws on the so-called “food supplements, alternative medications, herbal and homeopathic therapies,” all of which make up for a flourishing 30 Billion US Dollar industry annually. The medical and lay community in the United States are now (finally!) realizing that majority of the so called “food supplements” with purported therapeutic values are nothing more than a money making scheme that victimizes hundred of millions of unsuspecting people around the world. I sincerely hope that President Rodrigo R. Duterte and our legislators in the Philippines will follow suit to safeguard our people and our country from the unscrupulous domestic or foreign manufacturers, money-hungry distributors and dealers of falsehood, who, by malicious design, have been preying on the ignorant and trusting public long enough. Our government and lawmakers should promulgate new legislations, if needed, and enforce all pertinent laws without delay, to protect the Filipinos by putting an end to these malignant merchants of deception and fraud. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com
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Cox wifi powers Smart Home with over 50 devices and demonstrates how aging in place is possible today COX Communications-Las Vegas on April 5 partnered with KB Home at its under-development neighborhood in North Las Vegas called Desert Mesa, where a new era in digital living was demonstrated that provides older adults with the ability to age in place. According to AARP, nearly 90 percent of adults over the age of 65 prefer growing old in their current home rather than move to an assisted living. “Internet enabled devices give seniors the ability to live independently,” said Michael F. Bolognini, vice president and market leader of Cox Las Vegas. “Over the next decade, the aging American population is expected to place increased demands on the U.S. healthcare system. Thanks to new technologies and high-speed internet service, connected care will help bridge the divide between patient and doctor.” Achieving “connected independence” is possible through new smart home technologies and remote health monitoring capabilities. Aging in place is now more viable through smart technology solutions and monitoring apps that virtually connect seniors with doctors, caregivers, family and friends when they can’t be physically present. “At KB Home, choice and personalization are central tenets of our distinct homebuying process,” said Brian Kunec, president of KB Home Las Vegas. “In terms of smart home technology, we offer advanced smart home features which are most
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conveniently incorporated into our homes during the construction process. By establishing this base-level connectivity, we are empowering our homebuyers to then integrate specialized products and services that enhance their day-to-day lives. This smart home collaboration with Cox and Cox Homelife demonstrates how a mindfully-designed home is inher-
ently flexible in order to meet the changing needs of its occupants, including older adults who wish to age in place.” The centerpiece of the “Cox Smart Home Connected Independence” demonstration was a live patient-to-physician remote video chat and consultation. In addition, visitors experienced the integration of automation features from Cox Homelife and Cox Contour as well as over 50 connected devices ranging from telehealth to nutrition, shopping and personal care. All devices were powered by Cox high speed internet and Panoramic Wi-Fi that provides wireless wall-to-wall coverage without dead spots. Speaking to members of the media were representatives from Cox and KB Home, AARP, the UNLV “Sinatra Living” project, Trapollo, Rendever as well as Alison “Safety Mom” Jacobs and Whitney Bond. For more information, visit #CoxSmartHome and #CoxHomelife.
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Nathan Adelson Hospice to hold 15th annual ‘John Anderson - Celebration of Life - Live Butterfly Release’ NATHAN Adelson Hospice, Southern Nevada’s largest nonprofit hospice, today announced the 15th Annual John Anderson ‘Celebration of Life’ Live Butterfly Release will take place on The Lawn at Downtown Summerlin® at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 29. Southern Nevada community members are invited to celebrate and honor the memory of lost loved ones during this annual event, which takes place on the large lawn area at the shopping center, 1980 Festival Plaza Drive. The butterfly release will commence at approximately 2:30 p.m. Butterflies can be reserved in advance for $50 a box, with each box containing two butterflies, by contacting Stephanie Forbes at 702.938.3910 or via email at sforbes@nah.org. Sponsorship opportunities are available. The event - named after a beloved 23-year Nathan Adelson Hospice employee who passed away in April 2007 - is open to the public. The premise of the butterfly release is based on an American Indian legend for carrying wishes to the heavens. The legend claims that if anyone desired a wish to come true, they had to capture a butterfly and whisper that wish to it. The butterfly, which makes no sound, could not reveal the wish to anyone but the Great Spirit, who hears and sees all. The butterfly carried the wish to the heavens to be granted. The annual event brings together hundreds of friends and families to release more than 500 butterflies in memory of loved ones who have passed away. “The ‘Celebration of Life’ annual butterfly release is a poignant event that gives our community the chance to honor loved ones
who have completed the journey of life,” said Carole Fisher, president and CEO of Nathan Adelson Hospice. “At Nathan Adelson Hospice, we strive to provide ongoing emotional and spiritual support to patients and families. Since butterflies represent the transition of life, the experience of freeing them is a beautiful gesture and offers a sense of comfort to those who’ve lost someone close.” About Nathan Adelson Hospice Nathan Adelson Hospice, the trusted partner in hospice care and palliative medicine for 40 years, is the largest non-profit hospice in Southern Nevada, caring for an average of 400 hospice and palliative care patients daily. In 1978, Nathan Adelson Hospice began providing home care hospice service in Southern Nevada with the mission to offer
patients and their loved ones with comprehensive end-of-life care and influence better care for all in the community. In 1983, Nathan Adelson Hospice opened an inpatient hospice in Las Vegas, and today the hospice is recognized as a national model for superior hospice care. The mission of the hospice is to be the Hospice of Choice, the Employer of Preference and a Training Center of Excellence for comprehensive end of life care. Its vision is simple: no one should end the journey of life alone, afraid or in pain. The hospice is also home to The Center for Compassionate Care, a non-profit counseling agency providing individual, group and family counseling services to address grief, loss and issues related to surviving life-threatening illnesses. For more information, visit www.nah.org.
LVCVA unveils design for the Las Vegas...
PAGE B4 which directly support an estimated 54,800 jobs paying $2.3 billion in wages and salaries. In 2017, the Las Vegas Convention Center hosted 21 percent of convention attendees traveling to southern Nevada, which directly supported approximately 8,600 jobs, paying $375 million in wages and salaries. Including indirect and induced impacts, the Las Vegas Convention Center’s attendees generated $2.1 billion in economic impact throughout
the local economy. The LVCC District Expansion (Phase Two) and Renovation (Phase Three) are expected to support nearly 14,000 construction jobs and nearly 7,800 full-time permanent jobs upon completion. The project will generate an additional $2.1 billion in economic activity during construction and upon completion will have an annual incremental economic impact of $810 million while attracting more than 600,000 additional visitors each year.
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Overall, the tourism industry continues to be crucial to Southern Nevada’s economy generating $60 billion in total economic impact, supporting 407,000 jobs and $16.9 billion in local wages and salaries. These jobs represent 44-percent of Southern Nevada’s total workforce. The project will allow the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to pursue new business opportunities while also growing the shows currently taking place in the destination.
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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 12-18, 2018
Located in Montemaria, home to the ninth largest monument in the World—the shrine to Mother Mary,Tower of Peace.
A world-class township development located in Montemaria, Batangas City, the Philippines.
“For your retirement, family vacation, pilgrimage, and investment...for generations.�
THE TOTAL LAND AREA OF THE MONTEMARIA DEVELOPMENT IS APPROXIMATELY 130 HECTARES WHICH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING TOWNSHIP* PROJECTS: 01 Condominiums, hotels, and resorts 02 Commercial developments such as a shopping center which includes restaurants and cafes 03 Golf Course and Water Park 04 Spa and Wellness Centers 05 Marina and Fisherman’s Wharf 06 Housing, residential subdivision, and retirement village 6XEMHFW WR ƓQDO GHYHORSPHQW SODQ TOTAL LAND AREA 2.1 Hectares
INVESTMENT HIGHLIGHTS
01 Development site is adjacent to the Statue of Virgin Mary. 02 5HVRUW VHWWLQJ ZLWK PDJQLĆ“FHQW YLHZ RI WKH ED\ 03 High-quality asset with world-class exterior and interior design. 04 Designed by award winning and internationally renowned Architecture and Design Firm, ARCH HAUS ASIA. 05 Montemaria is located on top of the Batangas Bay Peninsula facing the Verde Island Passage, reputed to be the U.N. recognized “Center of the Center of Marine Bio-Diversity of the World.â€?
DATE OF COMPLETION Second Quarter of 2020 TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS PHASE 1 866 Units BUILDING 1 164 units
BUILDING 2 Clubhouse
Lombard By The Bay is a joint venture development project between 3UHPLHU $VLD 3DFLĆ“F 5HDO (VWDWH DQG Development Corp.and Omnicor ,QGXVWULDO (VWDWH 5HDOW\ &HQWHU ,QF
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT SUSAN K. GROSS-NIEDERMEYER AT (480) 227-7782 SUSAN@SUSANGROSSREALTOR.COM I SUSAN.GROSS@PREMIERASIAPACIFIC.COM I LOMBARDBYTHEBAY.COM
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B april 12-18, 2018 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal
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