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APRIL 21-27, 2022 Volume 33 - No. 16 • 12 Pages

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DATELINE USA

Mask mandate lifted for US travelers

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Fil-Am Ditas Katague appointed to US Census Bureau post THE U.S. Census Bureau announced the appointment of Ditas Katague as associate director of communications, responsible for leading internal and external communications activities of the nation’s largest statistical agency. This includes oversight of marketing, public affairs, congressional and intergovernmental affairs, partner engagement and media relations, according to a release from the bureau. “Ditas Katague brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and leadership to the Census Bureau,” said Census Bureau Director Robert L. Santos. “I congratulate Ms. Katague on her appointment and look forward to working with her to help communicate the important work of the Census Bureau to the American people, government leaders and policymakers.” In a Linkedin post, Katague said she is “honored” to be appointed to her new position.

by AJPRESS THE United States government this week announced that it will not enforce the mask mandate on public transportation. The decision comes after a federal judge on Monday, April 18 ruled that the mandate, which was to minimize the spread of the coronavirus, was unlawful. U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle ruled against the mandate after a lawsuit was filed in Tampa, Florida, arguing that health officials were

overstepping with the mandate. “The agencies are reviewing the decision and assessing potential next steps,” the Biden administration official said, according to CNN. “In the meantime, today’s court decision means CDC’s public transportation masking order is not in effect at this time. Therefore, TSA will not enforce its Security Directives and Emergency Amendment requiring mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs at this time. CDC recommends that people continue to wear masks in indoor public transportation settings.”

by NEIL

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti nominates Fil-Am Susana Reyes to city’s Board of Public Works

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In last stretch of campaign, Marcos-Duterte tandem targets vote-rich regions

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LOS Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has nominated Susana Reyes, a long-time public servant and community leader, to the city’s Board of Public Works. Reyes, who is Filipina American, is the current vice president of the Board of Water and Power Commission. “Susana is a selfless public servant who has spent her career building a more resilient and fair Los Angeles,” said Garcetti said in a statement on Tuesday, April 12. “Her strong commitment to equity, environmental justice, and public safety will make her a powerful addition to the Board of Public Works.” Prior to joining the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Board of Commissioners, Reyes served as the director of LADWP’s Low-Income Customer Access, where she worked to provide lowincome ratepayers with access to financial assistance, discounts, and rebates. In addition to being a public servant for over 32 years, Reyes is the founder and CEO of AgilEngines LLC, an advocacy and

Previously U.S. health officials had planned to extend the mask mandate until May 3 to require individuals to wear face coverings on airplanes, trains and other methods of transportation, like taxis and ride-share vehicles, as the thread of COVID-19 persists. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it will not enforce the 14-month-old mandate but will continue to recommend individuals wear masks. “As a result of a court order, effective

PRESIDENTIAL BETS. President Rodrigo Duterte is greeted upon his arrival to attend the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) campaign rally on Congressional Road in Caloocan City on Tuesday, April 19. PNA photo by Simeon Celi

ARWIN MERCADO Inquirer.net

SAN PEDRO — With the 2022 elections drawing near, national candidates make their last-ditch effort to secure as many votes as possible. For the tandem of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio, wooing voters in the country’s vote-rich regions would be the strategy during the last stretch of the campaign. The two started the week in Cebu, which is the most vote-rich province in the country with more than 3.2 million voters — nearly one million votes more than the second most vote-rich province, Cavite. They then returned to Southern Luzon on Wednesday, with Marcos campaigning in Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro whiles Duterte-Carpio met with several sectors in Batangas. The Southern Luzon leg for the week ended in Laguna on Thursday with a grand rally in Biñan. In an interview with reporters following a local event in San Pedro town in Laguna, Duterte-Carpio explained this

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DILG takes offense at US State Department report on impunity of PH state forces MANILA — The Department of the Interior and Local Government panned the U.S. State Department’s 2021 Country Report on Human Rights Practices released on the abuses by security forces in the Philippines, calling it “sweeping, rhetorical, and unfounded.” This comes after the U.S. Department of State said that it received “credible reports that members of the security forces committed numerous abuses” in its 2021 Country Report on Human Rights Practices. The report pointed out — correctly, as even the national government’s own data will show — that drug-related killings

linked to President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs” continue in the Philippines. In a statement issued Tuesday morning, April 20, the DILG called the report “a mere repetition of unsubstantiated accusations against Philippine security forces that were loosely picked up from the traditional and social media, paints a grim picture of the country’s peace and order situation that is so far removed from the realities on the ground.” He added that the report “belittles the hard work and sacrifice of the men and women of the PNP and the AFP who have been risking their lives to fulfill their

Duterte says gov’t to stay neutral, Isko admits going off script will maintain order for May polls  PAGE 2

in withdraw call vs VP Leni by DJ

JOIN FORCES. Presidential aspirants (from left) Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, former Defense Secretary and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, and Sen. Panfilo Lacson hold their joint statement on fighting election sabotage during a press conference at Rigodon Ballroom of The Peninsula Manila Hotel, Makati City on Easter Sunday, April 17. Vice presidential bets Dr. Willie Ong and Senate President Vicente Sotto III were also at the event while a fourth presidential hopeful, Sen. Manny Pacquiao, failed to attend. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during a meeting with key government officials at the Malacañang Palace on Monday, April 18. Malacañang photo by Karl Alonzo

YAP, MELVIN GASCON Inquirer.net

MANILA — Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso went off script when he made the call for the withdrawal of Vice President Leni Robredo from the presidential race, taking even Sen. Panfilo Lacson by surprise. Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Monday, April 18 calls for Robredo to back out was Domagoso’s alone and

had nothing to do with other presidential aspirants and their running mates. “(It) is only Moreno’s and does not in any way involve us, much less I because I was just a witness there,” he said. “As a matter of fact, if they listened closely Mayor Moreno said, ‘this is just me, and does not include them (Lacson and former defense chief Norberto

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by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, April 18 urged political parties to follow the law and to shun violence, warning them that the government will not allow terrorism to mar this year’s elections. Duterte assured candidates that he won’t side with anybody as his administration performs its duty of maintaining law and order. “Our appeal to our allies in our party and to the other side is

for us to follow the rule of law... I will not side with anybody. We will be neutral and that goes for the entire economic and political setup...We are not here to do wrong,” the president said during a pre-recorded public address. “We will not countenance nor allow disorder nor intimidation, nor violence. We will remain neutral and we’ll see to it that the true will of the people will prevail in this election,” he added. Duterte said his duty to maintain law and order was the reason why he refused to endorse a candidate for president. The

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APRIL 21-27, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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

From The FronT Page

Mask mandate lifted for... PAGE 1 immediately and as of April 18, 2022, CDC’s January 29, 2021 Order requiring masks on public transportation conveyances and at transportation hubs is no longer in effect. Therefore, CDC will not enforce the Order. CDC continues to recommend that people wear masks in indoor public transportation settings at

this time,” the CDC wrote on its website. Last January 2021, the agency released an order requiring that people aboard public transportation wear masks, regardless of vaccination status. Following Monday’s decision, major airlines, such as American Airlines, United Airlines and

Delta Airlines, announced they would lift the restrictions. “We are relieved to see the U.S. mask mandate lift to facilitate global travel as COVID-19 has transitioned to an ordinary seasonal virus,” Delta said in a statement. Likewise, Amtrak, which operates the national train line, announced it would follow suit. g

DILG takes offense at US State Department... PAGE 1 sworn duty to fight criminality and illegal drugs.” “The operations of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines down to the grassroots level have led to dramatic improvement of the general peace and security situation in the country since 2016,” he claimed. “We join the Department of National Defense in posing a challenge to the U.S. Department of State to substantiate their accusations so that we can properly address them through our internal mechanisms and the courts. Nonetheless, we will continue to do our sworn duty without fear or favor to maintain peace and order in our country.” The claim that the report is “unsubstantiated” is false. A cursory check of the report shows that it cited the government’s own Commission on Human Rights, which said it had investigated 100 new complaints of alleged extrajudicial and politically motivated killings. The commission investigated 130 victims allegedly perpetrated by 39 police personnel, eight military personnel, five insurgents, three local government officials and 45 unidentified persons. The CHR also investigated 49 drug-related killings with 53 victims with suspected police or Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency involvement. It also pointed to the government’s own data that acknowledges over 6,200 killings in official anti-drug operations by state forces.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año Philstar.com file photo

Rights groups both here and abroad say the true death toll could be as high as 30,000. Gov’t on the defense once more Año’s statement comes a day after the PNP, an attached body of the DILG, also pushed back against the content of the U.S. State Department report, which it said was “very sweeping.” “How come we already have 5,000 policemen that were already dismissed for various infractions? How come we see that the pride and morale of the police is high? How come they are delivering over the years?” Police Gen. Dionardo Carlos, PNP chief said in mixed Filipino and English. These echo the usual narratives employed by the administration in addressing killings over its so-called war on drugs. To recall, a supposed “independent human rights probe” led by the DILG went as far as claiming that extrajudicial killings did not exist in the

first few months of the Duterte administration. Progress in cases of the government investigating itself has meanwhile been slow to nonexistent. The Commission on Human Rights has cast doubt on the government’s transparency in these probes, saying that investigations into thousands of other “drug war” cases are still pending, with only a handful of cases actually reaching the courts. President Rodrigo Duterte has lashed out against international bodies — including the United Nations — calling for an investigation into his flagship project. All the while, illegal drugs in the Philippines are cheaper than ever. In 2020, crystal methamphetamines or shabu was found to still be behind the most arrest and treatment admissions in the Philippines, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported. “Local and international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch described widespread impunity for killings. There were no prosecutions or convictions for extrajudicial killings in the year to October and three since the start of the drug war in 2016,” the U.S. State Department said in its report. “Human rights groups continued to express concern about abuses committed by the national police and other security forces and noted little progress in reforms aimed at improving investigations and prosecutions of suspected human rights violations.” (Franco Luna with a report from Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com)

ELECTRONIC COMPLAINT SYSTEM LAUNCH. Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Undersecretary Eduardo V. Bringas, Deputy Director General for Legal Interactive, demonstrates how to create an account during the launching of “E-reklamo mo. sagot ng ARTA itol” held at Citadines Bay in Pasay City on Tuesday, April 19. The program is the first electronic complaint management system (CMS) for the public to file their concerns on red tape in government offices. PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

Isko admits going off script in withdraw call... PAGE 1

Gonzales): Instead of you telling us to withdraw, why don’t you withdraw?’” Sotto told reporters in Cebu. Domagoso’s chief strategist Lito Banayo also confirmed to the Inquirer that the mayor’s appeal to Robredo to drop out of the race “was not a team call but an off-the-cuff comment.” Presidential candidates Domagoso, Lacson and Gonzales held a press conference at the Manila Peninsula Hotel on Easter Sunday, April 17 to offer themselves as stronger alternatives to Robredo in challenging preelection survey front-runner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. At the media event, Domagoso urged Robredo to make the “supreme sacrifice” of dropping out to allow less polarizing candidates take on Marcos Jr. His off-the-cuff remarks promptly drew backlash on social media, overshadowing the original purpose of the three candidates to present a united front against calls purportedly coming from Robredo’s camp to make them pull out of the race. Domagoso on Monday shrugged off the criticisms, claiming they were only coming from Robredo partisans within their own echo chambers. “It’s only them talking. We

know it’s the same people talking. There is a universe they created for their own consumption and for their own entertainment,” the Aksyon Demokratiko standardbearer told reporters upon landing in Surigao City. Domagoso admitted that the Robredo withdrawal call was not part of the original agenda of the press conference. He said he was only reacting to Gonzales’ assertion that Marcos Jr.’s huge lead over Robredo in the latest polls was “more an expression of dislike for VP Leni by the electorate.” Easter gimmick “The intention really was to silence the supporters of that candidate spreading lies that this candidate has been bought off, or this candidate has been offered this position. At least we put an end to that. We’ll see each other on May 9,” he said. “I didn’t know and I had no idea he would” do that, Lacson told the Inquirer on Sunday night. But the senator said he did not see malice in the Manila mayor’s comments, which changed the tone of Sunday’s event from a united stand to outright hostility against the Vice President, currently ranked second in preelection surveys. “In fairness to Mayor Isko, he

made it clear that the ‘withdraw call’ was only his own,” Lacson said in Viber messages. “I don’t think I was blindsided. I think he was carried away by his recollection that VP Robredo earlier asked him to do the ‘supreme sacrifice’ and withdraw,” he added. The Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer had argued that Robredo’s withdrawal would raise the odds of less polarizing candidates winning against Marcos, since the latter’s voting base could be driven by antiRobredo sentiment. The Gabriela Women’s party described the Easter Sunday press conference by three presidential candidates as an “unabashed display of male egos as fragile as eggshells.” House minority leader and ACT Teachers party list Rep. France Castro said the Easter “gimmick” only further convinced people they should not get votes. Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun slammed as illogical the call by three presidential bets for Robredo to give way to a new second placer or withdraw. “The call for Leni Robredo to withdraw is not only based on flawed assumptions, but outright lacking in logic,” Fortun said in a statement. g

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 21-27, 2022

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INVITATION FOR BID IFB# B22030) ROOF REPLACEMENTS & REPAIRS @ JONES GARDEN 1750 MARION DRIVE, LV NV 89115 SNRHA CONTACT PERSON(S) ONLY: Note: Contact with any other SNRHA staff other than the named within this document is prohibited and will result in your Proposal being rejected. This also includes contact with SNRHA’s Residents and Board of Commissioners. HOW TO OBTAIN THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS ON THE APPLICABLE INTERNET SITES: WTTC President and CEO Julia Simpson (left) on Wednesday, April 20 shared about the Council’s promising projections for tourism recovery in the Philippines enclosed in its latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) done in partnership with Oxford Economics. Simpson also recognized DOT Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat (center) for her leadership and efforts to continue to steer the country’s tourism industry to recovery, which included the push for border reopening and lifting of restrictions to allow a seamless process for visitors. AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya

WTTC Economic Impact Report reveals significant recovery of PH tourism amid COVID-19 pandemic by MoMar

G. Visaya

AJPress

THE World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is bullish on the prospect of the Philippines’ tourism industry recovery, projecting a bright future and a rosy outlook in terms of economic growth and employment generation in the next 10 years. Citing the latest Economic Impact Report, WTTC President and Chief Executive Officer Julia Simpson revealed that the embattled travel and tourism industry in the country reached US$ 41 billion in 2021, climbing 129.5.% year on year. In the opening press conference of the 21st WTTC Global Summit held at the Marriott Hotel, Simpson lauded the leadership of Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat for her continuous efforts to revitalize the tourism industry of the Philippines, which has been steadily recovering despite the ongoing global health concern. “Our expert analysis shows that the travel and tourism economy has turned a corner, and is firmly on the road to recovery. This growth was primarily built on domestic travels and very much pioneered and led by Secretary

Bernadette,” Simpson said. According to said Economic Impact Report (EIR) for the Philippines, the sector supported 7.8 million jobs, representing a substantial 20.5% rise in 2020, compared with a global increase of 6.7%. “In the nearly two years where international travel was put on hold, the Philippines has been busy preparing for the day when our country would be open to the world. We have put in place guidelines that will ensure the safety of our guests, our tourism workforce, and our community,” Puyat shared. The Philippines has been open to visa-free countries since February 10 and all countries since April 1. Up until April 17, she said the country received about 270,000 foreign arrivals adding that the country has the least number of restrictions. “Ultimately, through this summit, we hope to raise awareness of the full economic and social impact of travel and tourism. We also want to assure everyone, especially our foreign guests, that your safety and well-being is our priority,” the Tourism Secretary emphasized. Considered one of the most influential Travel & Tourism events worldwide, the WTTC Global Summit is an annual

gathering of the entire spectrum of the industry, including airlines and airports, hotels and hospitality groups, tour operators and retail travel agents, online distributors, cruise lines, investment companies, insurance groups, and the technology industry. “Looking ahead, we forecast an average annual growth rate of 6.7% over the next 10 years, exceeding the expected country’s overall economy average growth rate of just 5.6%,” Simpson said.“We also forecast employment will grow annually by an average of 3% over the next 10 years, generating 2.9 million new jobs, accounting for 21.5% of all jobs in the Philippines.” Before the pandemic, the Philippines Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to GDP was 22.5% of the total economy (worth US$92.6 billion). However, due to damaging travel restrictions, it then plunged by 80.7% to a mere US$ 17.8 billion, dropping to just a 4.8% share towards the country’s GDP. But in 2021 this rose to US$ 41 billion, representing a 10.4% share of the nation’s total economy, which signals the recovery of the sector is well underway. g

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Dateline USa

APRIL 21-27, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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

Duterte says gov’t to stay neutral, will maintain... Judge’s ruling on the CDC mask mandate PAGE 1 PDP-Laban faction led by Duterte is supporting the candidacy of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. but the president has distanced himself from the endorsement. However, Duterte is supporting the vice-presidential bid of his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who is running under the Marcos-led Uniteam Alliance. He is also endorsing 17 senatorial candidates and the local candidates of PDP-Laban. “Even though I have a party, I distanced myself, except those

rallies, I saw that the candidates of PDP are weak. But aside from that, over and above all of these things is the fact that we are tasked by the Constitution to see to it that the elections are in order,” the President said. Duterte said he expects politicians to honor election rules, including the limits on security aides. “We have decided. I’ve communicated this with the Cabinet that the rules should really be followed. It should be the Alunan doctrine because it’s better, that more than two

bodyguards would be considered a private army,” he added. Duterte advised candidates who fear for their safety to contact the regional police directors and to avoid conflict, especially the use of firearms. Politicians with unlicensed firearms would go to prison, he added. “Remember, we in the government won’t allow terrorism during the election. We won’t side with anyone... Believe it or not, this is for real, we will enforce the law to make the election peaceful,” the president said. g

Fil-Am Ditas Katague appointed to US...

PAGE 1

“I am honored to serve our country and the Biden Administration as the Associate Director of Communications at U.S. Census Bureau! Looking forward to packing up and relocating to DC,” she wrote. Prior to joining the Census Bureau, Katague was director of the California Complete Count – Census 2020 Office, the outreach and communications campaign that worked to ensure a complete population count of historically undercounted Californians. This built on her experience leading the state’s decennial census outreach efforts in 2000 and 2010. In 2000, as chief deputy campaign director for the Governor’s 2000 Census California Complete Count campaign, she led a groundbreaking multilingual, multimedia outreach effort that resulted in a mail-in response return rate that outpaced the national rate. From 2012 to 2018, she served on the Census Bureau’s National Advisory Committee on Race, Ethnicities and Other Populations, including three years as its chair. An expert in multiethnic outreach and civic engagement, Katague also served as chief of staff to the California Public Utilities Commission, where

Ditas Katague

she improved public participation and access to the energy and telecommunications utility rate and regulation process. Since 1998, Katague has served on the Sacramento Center Advisory Board for the Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California. She holds an MPA from USC and a BA from UC Berkeley. (AJPress)

highlights the limits of the agency’s power by Sam

Whitehead

and Julie appleby Kaiser Health News

THE role that the federal government plays in containing future epidemics will hinge on the outcome of an appeal of this week’s court ruling that overturned the mask mandate for travelers on airlines, trains, and the nation’s mass transit systems. A federal court judge in Florida said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had overstepped its authority in requiring masks on public transportation, a mandate that legal experts considered well within the bounds of the agency’s charge to prevent the spread of COVID-19 across the nation. The CDC said late Wednesday that it had asked the Department of Justice to appeal the decision — a move the DOJ left up to the agency. That will put the issue before one of the nation’s most conservativeleaning appellate courts, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Public health experts worry the ruling, unless overturned, will hamper the agency’s ability to respond to future outbreaks. “If CDC can’t impose an unintrusive requirement to wear a mask to prevent a virus from going state to state, then it literally has no power to do anything,” said public health law expert Lawrence Gostin, faculty director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University. The outcome of the appeal will

shape what the agency does the next time an outbreak occurs. And the ongoing debate highlights a civics lesson: The U.S. gives most responsibility for public health measures to states. The federal role has been more limited but could be further clarified by Congress. “Congress has authority to pass a law,” said Tony Woodlief, executive vice president at the State Policy Network, a coalition of mainly conservative and libertarian groups. “If they think the CDC does not have enough power, give them more. If they think it has too much, they should curtail it.” But the case also comes as Congress — and the country — remains sharply divided over just about everything having to do with COVID, so passing any kind of legislation could prove impossible. That leaves the courts to interpret what is already on the books. The latest case, filed in Florida by a group opposed to medical mandates, centers on a federal law called the Public Health Service Act of 1944. The law gives federal officials the authority to make and enforce regulations to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Those could include “inspection, fumigation, disinfection, sanitation” and other measures that in its “judgment may be necessary.” Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, a Trump administration appointee to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, ruled Monday that the CDC had exceeded its authority under that law. A large section of her decision discusses whether masks meet the definition of a “sanitation” measure. Federal judges are often called to consider whether a federal administrative action meets statutory requirements. Mizelle’s ruling, while giving a nod to the importance of controlling the COVID epidemic, said that wearing a mask “cleans nothing” and at most only “traps virus droplets,” concluding that it “neither ‘sanitizes’ the person wearing the mask nor ‘sanitizes’ the conveyance.” It isn’t the first time during the pandemic that the CDC has had its authority questioned. The agency suffered a blow last year when the Supreme Court said it overstepped its bounds by imposing an eviction ban during the pandemic. Jonathon Hauenschild, with the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council policy group, sees connections between the eviction and mask mandate cases.

“The CDC used its authority or at least argued that its authority should extend to much more broad public health emergency responses than was actually granted,” he said. The recent ruling, Hauenschild argued, simply offers further definition of the powers the CDC and local jurisdictions have — even during an emergency. “What this case does is it kind of establishes a baseline that says, ‘We’re going to keep the public health authorities to their statutory grant of authority,” he said. “That’s an important distinction because state legislatures or even Congress have weighed the policy implications. They’ve realized there’s a balance here.” Other legal experts say this case is a bit different because the CDC’s authority over interstate travel is more clear-cut than any power it might have over rental units. “The transportation mask mandate was a textbook example of CDC’s mandate and its legitimate powers,” Gostin said. Meanwhile, the requirement to wear masks on planes, trains, and subways is on hold — and major airlines wasted no time in telling domestic passengers they can take them off. States, not the federal government’s CDC, have the broadest authority over public health efforts to control disease. Their public health agencies, or elected officials, have a range of authorities, including the ability to require masks in schools or businesses. Governors can issue stay-at-home orders during public health emergencies. And health departments routinely track outbreaks of communicable diseases and inspect restaurants for pathogens or vermin. But states don’t have authority over interstate commercial flights. “Public health is primarily governed at the local level, but the minute a disease crosses a state line or crosses our national borders, then the federal government has a role,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. The pandemic has caused even state authority to be questioned. Backlashes to local mask mandates and other requirements have prompted more than half of states to roll back public health officials’ powers. “One day there will be a really scary virus that will come to the PAGE 8

In last stretch of campaign... PAGE 1

move to return to several provinces and regions that they have already visited before. “Because dito sa Calabarzon, dito sa Central Luzon and sa Bicol as well as Western Visayas, mayroon pa akong maikampanya na mga boto (There are votes I can still campaign for in Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Bicol, and Western Visayas),” Duterte-Carpio said. Data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) show that the most vote-rich regions in the country are Calabarzon (9.19 million voters), which includes Laguna and Batangas; the National Capital Region (7.3 million voters); Central Luzon (7.2 million voters); Central Visayas (5.2 million), which includes Cebu; and Western Visayas (5 million). The Bicol region ranks sixth with 3.9 million voters.

The Marcos-Duterte tandem was also scheduled to visit Bulacan province in the Central Luzon region and Taguig City in the NCR this coming weekend. Asked if Marcos is following the same strategy as her, DuterteCarpio said she does not know as they have different campaign teams. In some instances, Marcos and Duterte-Carpio attend events separately— earlier this week, for instance, the presidential bet was in the Mindoro provinces in the morning while the vice presidential bet was in Batangas. They met later in the afternoon for a grand rally in Lipa City. This is a part of the tandem’s strategy, said Duterte-Carpio. “That is really the strategy of the UniTeam–that we cannot be together all the time otherwise we will not be able to cover the

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti... PAGE 1 consulting firm focused on community outreach and civic engagement strategies. Reyes also served on the Mayor’s Sustainability team as a Senior Sustainability Analyst, where she helped oversee the implementation of Los Angeles’ first Sustainable City pLAn and helped secure a $1.7 million grant for the City from the California Air and Resources Board to help launch BlueLA, an EV car sharing pilot program in lowincome communities. Reyes is an active member of the Sierra Club, elected to the organization’s first-ever all-female Executive Committee in 2017. “The City of Los Angeles is at a pivotal point when it comes to advancement of its critical infrastructure projects, resources, assets, and services to the City’s residents and businesses,” said Reyes in a statement. “I am honored by this opportunity to lead with equity, creativity and innovation, using my diverse perspectives and wealth of experience gained from decades of leadership positions within the City to further our commitments to cleaner neighborhoods, sustainable infrastructure, public safety, and healthy land, water, and air.” The City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works (BPW) is the five-member executive

Susana Reyes, the current vice president of the LA Board of Water and Power Commission, is now nominated to the city’s Board of Public Works. Photo courtesy of the LADepartment of Water & Power

team responsible for the administration of the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, overseeing and managing more than 5,000 employees within the Department’s five bureaus: Bureau of Contract Administration, Bureau of Engineering, Bureau of Sanitation, Bureau of Street Lighting, and the Bureau of Street Services. If confirmed, Reyes will be the second Filipina American to serve on the Board of Public Works, succeeding Jessica Caloza, who was the lead commissioner for the Board’s Bureau of Engineering from 2019 to 2022. (AJPress)

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 21-27, 2022

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APRIL 21-27, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

OPINION

Overcapacity

FEATURES

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SINCE Boracay was reopened to tourism in October 2018 following a sixmonth shutdown for rehabilitation, a carrying capacity has been imposed on the world-famous resort island. President Duterte had ordered the shutdown at the peak of the travel season in the summer of 2018 after finding out that the island’s sewage was being spewed into Boracay’s waters and overbuilding was destroying the top tourist destination. The carrying capacity has not been lifted, and was in fact further reduced in the past two years in line with COVID health safety protocols. So health officials were disheartened to see the capacity limit breached during the Holy Week. Pre-pandemic, the daily carrying capacity was set at 19,000. The Malay Tourism Office, however, reported to the Department of Tourism that Boracay visitors hit 21,252 on April 14, Maundy Thursday, and 22,519 on April 15, Good Friday. The DOT said the government of Malay town in Aklan would receive a warning from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

The Malay government had previously drawn flak for the proliferation of fake COVID reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction swab test results used by visitors to enter Boracay during the pandemic lockdowns. As the Omicron-driven surge last January eased, however, the government lifted effective Feb. 2 the requirement for a negative RTPCR test result for entering Boracay and another popular travel destination, Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro, as long as the tourist is fully vaccinated. But the pre-pandemic carrying capacity for Boracay, meant to protect the island’s environment, has not been changed. The local government is supposed to enforce the capacity limit, which should not be a daunting task since visitors enter Boracay by boat and must be registered. If not curbed quickly, the capacity breach may become the norm, and Boracay may soon return to

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS AMID the troubling reports of some Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) receiving pre-shaded ballots in the mail electing Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte-Carpio, amid some overseas absentee voters suddenly not finding their names in the roster of eligible voters even when they have already registered and voted in the past with good standing in the community… Amid the misogynist attack of presidential candidate Isko Moreno against the lone female candidate VP Leni Robredo, asking the VP who places second in (questionable) polls to withdraw from the race so that those trailing behind her would get the attention they are craving for… Amid the P203-Billion unpaid estate tax by the Marcos family, represented by its administrator presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos whose campaign continues to spew lies and disinformation to discredit VP Leni Robredo and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, resorting to peddling malicious fake sex videos targeting Robredo’s eldest daughter Aika... Indeed, the Lord has ways to reveal the true color of presidential candidates, how they respond to crisis situations, how they are truly transparent and accountable to the Filipino people, and just how true of a public servants they are. Trending now on social media is the big switch of supporters — ordinary Filipino voters who now join honorable former government officials, retired military officers, members of the academe, businessmen and financial analysts, professional groups of doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, artists, even the farmers, fishermen, nongovernment organization leaders fighting for the truth, justice, good governance, human rights, the rule of law, etc — in endorsing and campaigning for Leni Robredo and her only

Commentary

KARL CATARATA, HENDERSON, NEVADA ACROSS the state of Nevada, Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) families are working hard to pay their bills, make an earnest living, and send their children off to college. From East Las Vegas to Henderson Nevada, I’ve seen the hard work of many AAPI families. For me, I’ve seen my mother and

Philstar.com photo

In their own words: Why Filipinos are now switching to Leni and Kiko chosen trusted Vice Presidential candidate Kiko Pangilinan. Why the big switch? What did they find in Leni and Kiko that made them decide to drop the candidate they formerly were supporting to give their all out vote of trust and confidence to Leni and Kiko? Here are some of their comments on social media in response to Papi Lucas on Twitter. “I’m thinking of switching to Leni just because I just don’t want bbm to win this race. For me he is incompetent and not a great leader. Naging sikat lang siya because of his father, nevertheless Leni is our 2nd choice . So be it if the survey stand still We will Switch to Leni. At first I was hesitant to switch to her side but then again I realized something. Isa sa pinaka tumatak sakin is bukod tanging siya lang ang “Walang Bahid ng Korapsyon, Transparent at honest”. Katangiang hindi ko nakita sa ibang kandidato. Enlighten me why Leni Please? Team Isko kase kami buong fam pero sa nakikita kong survey mukhang si Leni lang ang may chance na lumaban for bbm.”— Papiii Lucass “Si VP Leni hindi pakitang tao ang pagtulong sa kapwa. Kahit noong wala pa sya sa politika ay matulungin na sya sa mga nasa laylayan. Kaya nung mapasok sya sa politika ay sinikap nya lalo ang makatulong sa pamamagitan ng mga programa nya tulad ng Angat Buhay program.” — Rina David “Sa conference nangyari nakita ko ang ugali ni Isko. Yung walang galang sa babae. Di kasalanan ni VP Leni na yung mga supporters ni Isko ay lumipat kay VP Leni. May nakita mga dating supporters sa paguugali lately ni Isko. Ok si Isko sana pero hindi ito time. Maaga pa. Nagulat ako bakit ganun na lang galit nya kay VP Leni. Bakit si VP Leni ang gusto nya umatras.dahil ba sa Transparency Act na ipapatupad ni VP Leni? Sa nangyari conference pinakita ni Isko ang extreme desire nya to win over VP Leni. Wala sya sinabi tungkol kay BBM.” — Katrina Joaquin “700B ang nawawala sa kaban ng bayan kada taon dahil

sa korupsyon. Imagine 700B na galing sa pinaghirapan ng taong bayan, na dapat sana napakinabangan natin. Pero binulsa lang ng mga ganid na buwaya. Papayag ka ba na nakawin lang ang pinaghirapang mong tax? Kaya kay Leni na tayo.” — Jaxpineda1 “Bakit si LENI? She has The Qualification: L - Love for God and country E - Excel on helping the needy with insufficient budget N - No record of corruption I - Intelligent as professional lawyer and economist” — Rommel Manalo “These are few of OVP’s proj (PPE procurement, locally made PPEs, Bayanihan E-Consulta, Test kits, food and care paCKages, shuttle service, relief operations, online community market, teacher training, etc.) just in the pandemic alone. Before pa tayo mag lockdown she already had a meeting with experts as part of her prep. Kaya nung nag lockdown, isa siya, if not the first, sa mga nakapagsend agad ng PPEs at nag provide ng shelter at transpo sa medical frontliners.” — Prongs05 “Being in govt service, nasa kanya talaga yung ina-advocate na data-based planning (na hindi puwede sa executives na tamad), proactive, & prudence & transparency in govt spending.” — @Joyjoyclar “Pinaka impt sa akin yung 3 yrs in a row na highest rating nakuha ng Office of the VP sa Commission on Audit. Ibig sabihin, walang nakitang corruption! Mahalaga sa akin yun kasi ayoko ng Presidenteng pasimpleng nagnanakaw” — @ Tonettejadaone “At bilang auditor sa COA, binubusisi talaga namin ang agency. Financial, Compliance at Performance audit yon tapos 3 years in a row na Unqualified sila so it speaks Transparency!” — randomcuites22 “Even oppositions can’t find anything to use against her apart from lenlen, lugaw, babae, fake and spliced videos, accusations with no evidence. Isko pocketed money that he can use to improve the conditions of his constituents. Even if you say

that’s legal, delicadeza na lang.” — Baguio1973 “It’s the pandemic response of the OVP that really made me think she is fit for the job. So efficient and very much in tune with what the public needs. Also, walang corruption at all, since COA always gives her office a high rating.” — Nuelle Duterte (Niece of President Duterte) “Unahin na natin ang Angat Buhay Project niya. Limitadong budget, pero napakacomprehensibo ng sakop. Makikita mo naman po sa OVP reports lahat-lahat ng proyekto nila, pero eto po noong ang 1st yr palang nila.” — @MeasinmeMe “If I were to hire a President AND Vice President they should be someone na alam ang reyalidad ng ordinaryong pinoy - not limited to their cities but basically in tune sa eksena sa lahat ng areas ng bansa- not purong lip service lang.” — @ ToniSpeakEasy “Mabilis umaksyon. Walang bahid ng korapsyon. Malinis ang track record. Walang mga kasong kinakaharap sa ibang bansa. Hindi political dynasty at napakahumble ng pamilya.” — @ Nelson_0628 “Kasi mabuti syang tao. Legit yung bayanihan e-konsulta. Nagaattend pa sya ng debriefing ng volunteers pag may time sya. Ganun nya pahalagahan ang kapwa nya. Hindi mema lang yung mahal ko kayo. Totoo sya…” — @KEvangelista24 “Di pa siya pulitiko NGO worker na siya at nagserve as probono lawyer sa SALIGAN. At ang pagiging NGO worker niya nadala niya hanggang sa naging pulitiko siya. Pwede mong icheck ang angat buhay program niya at website niya https://lenirobredo. com Pwede i-fact check yan.” — @BuddyReyes27 “1. Highest COA rating = all funds in OVP are liquidated down to the last centavo. 2. Proactive in the pandemic and disaster response. 3. Highly involved sa Marawi rehabilitation (pabahay, livelihood). 4. Livelihood programs sa mga mahihirap na communities.” — @MATom_MD

Vice President Leni Robredo

“We need an economic expert amidst the pandemic, the rising gasoline prices, and the climate crisis (“Let the Earth Breathe”). Si Leni yan. Some of her platforms include the Public Employment Program, National Unemployment Insurance Program, etc.” — @Sivviee “Yung projects niya, pinagiisipan to address root causes hindi lang band aid solutions. And nagagawa niya to ng walang bahid ng korapsyon at supplemented ng donations from people who trust her. Walang kuryente sa Agutaya? Solar alternative naman. Walang iniiwan si VP.” — @altacctjustcoz “Walang masyadong mandato pero maraming nagawa ang kaniyang opisina. Sa mga bagyo o anumang sakuna siya ay laging handa, kahit limited budget. Pag siya mabigyan ng pagkakataon na maging Presidente mas marami pa siyang magagawa at hindi mababaon sa utang ang Pilipinas.” — @Diana_Nicole03 “VP Leni has spent most of her adult life working for the poor and the disadvantaged. With little or no pay. She’s a public servant at heart. Nasa puso ang pagtulong. Sana you can consider her on May 9. Thank you!” — @ ItIsRight “Hindi sya ang lesser evil, si VP Leni talaga ang good choice. Minsan lang dadaan sa life natin ang ganitong candidate. For the

Philstar.com file photo

longest years, nasanay tayo na lagi corrupt namumuno, this time good at clean governance naman. with VP office received 3x highest COA rating.” — @GreatMidoriya “Marami nang sagot pero para saken, yung super empath nya. Di kase un napag-aaralan sa school or napepeke. Either may pake ka sa kapwa mo, or wala. Siya kase, ramdam talaga. Empaths know empaths after all. Kaya ramdam talaga na sincere sya. Di pabibo lang. At ang hottest take saken: alam kong wala siyang pagkakautangan ng loob except sa mga tao din. Etong people’s campaign ang biggest proof. The voters are investing on her and Kiko. So kung may pagkakautangan sila ng loob, ang voters yun. Nasatin ang panalo. :)” — @cheonsa232 *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

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

Why we need an Asian American on the NSHE Board of Regents father work hard to support our family in a new country, survive the 2008 Great Recession, and save up every dollar to send my brother and I to college. But for many families, they are still struggling. For newly immigrated AAPI’s in the Las Vegas Valley, college can be a tough reality. This month, I spoke to a classroom full of young FilipinoAmerican students. They asked me about the rising cost of college tuition, the limited amount of scholarships, and my experiences

as the youngest Filipino-American running for office this year. What I told them is what I tell many people who often tell me to back down from my dreams: We have people at home that we need to make proud. On most days, it’s my mother, who is a teacher in the Clark County School District. She is one of hundreds of Filipino-Americans teachers who give back to our community, and teach our children. On some occasions, it’s my mentees - who are young people, just like me, who want to give back

to our community. When we say: the young people are our future. Yes, they are. But, we need to help them in their journey. That’s why I’m running for office as the youngest FilipinoAmerican in Nevada history. From my work as Chairman of the Nevada Commission on Mentoring, I successfully advocated for $50K to return back to our commission to grant out to non-profits. As a former staff member to the U.S. Congress, I helped veterans, immigrants, and seniors to assist them with

government resources. When I worked in the federal government, I also helped expand internship opportunities to support our youth. I grew up in this community born and raised. I’ve seen what this community has provided me: from opportunities to new experiences. Now, I want to give back to make sure every student, who goes through our system of higher education, gets an affordable, accessible college degree. Because, after all, our future is just right around the corner. ***

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

*** Karl Catarata is a candidate for the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents - District 6, which includes areas of Henderson, East Las Vegas, and Anthem. He is a longtime youth advocate in Southern Nevada, and is Chairman of the Nevada Commission on Mentoring. On file, he is the youngest FilipinoAmerican to run for statewide office in Nevada Asian American Pacific Islander history. Learn more about his campaign at VoteCatarata.com.

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Huge crowd in Batangas rally assures UniTeam victory in this vote-rich province BATANGAS – THE UniTeam Alliance of presidential candidate former Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Wednesday night, April 20 drew another mammoth crowd, this time at the jampacked grand rally at the Lima Commercial Estate in this vote-rich province. The rousing reception given by UniTeam supporters interrupted both the speeches of Marcos and Duterte who shouted “Panalo ka na!” and “Hindi kami bayad!” “Burger kayo diyan! Sigurado ako na hindi kayo bayad kasi marami sa inyo kanina pang umaga at sigurado ako na hindi kayo bayad dahil marami sa inyo ang 'di pa kumakain, kanina pa na nandito, mainit, mataas pa ang araw, at mag ba-biyahe pa ng malayo pauwi ng walang pamasahe kaya alam na alam ko po na nandito kayo dahil mahal ninyo ang Uniteam,” Duterte told the large throng of people at the Lima Commercial Estate Malvar-Lipa City. “At kapag sinabi ng Batangas na panalo ka na, hahawakan ko 'yan at sure na ako na panalo ako,” Duterte added in the rally attended by the province's local officials led by Batangas Gov. Hermilando "Dodo" Mandanas. Marcos vowed to lower the high electricity costs in the country to generate more jobs. He is convinced that the fastest way to propel the province to progress and development is to ensure affordable power rates. The leading presidential

candidate from Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) also underscored the need to revive the tourism industry following the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. The rally, which drew thousands of UniTeam supporters, followed the “festival rally” in Cebu last Monday, April 18 that was organized officials led by Gov. Gwen Garcia where an estimated crowd of more than 300,000 were in attendance. As the presidential elections draws closer, supporters of the UniTeam have been flocking in tens of thousands to the rallies of the leading tandem around the country. During the rally here, Duterte spelled out the priorities and focus of the UniTeam, which are jobs, education and peaceful lives for Filipinos. “Una po, dahil may bakuna, may mask at may gamot na ang COVID-19, dapat po hindi na nila-lockdown ang mga trabaho at mga negosyo. kailangan tutukan nating lahat ang pera sa bulsa at pagkain sa lamesa ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino,” the vice presidential candidate said. “Pangalawa po ay ang kalidad ng edukasyon ng ating mga anak. Dapat po global ang standard ng edukasyon natin dito sa Pilipinas dahil 'yan po ang sandigan ng magandang kinabukasan ng ating mga anak,” Duterte, LakasChristian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) and Hugpong ng Pagbabago chairperson, added. “Pangatlo, ay kung ano ang gusto ng lahat ng tao sa buong mundo,

mapayapang pamumuhay na tayo ay nakakapag-trabaho na hindi tayo takot na mayroong gumawa ng masama sa atin o sa ating mga anak na pumapasok sa paaralan,” Duterte also said. Expounding on the qualities and capability of Marcos to lead the country, the Davao City mayor gave a meaning to the call of unity by the UniTeam. “Sipag ng mga Pilipino patungo sa tuloy tuloy na kaunlaran. ‘Yan po ang pagkakaisa na kampanya namin sa buong bansa. Pangalawang mensahe na ikinakampanya namin sa inyo ay kapayapaan, kino-commit po naming na itutuloy ang mga reporma na nasimulan ng adiministrasyon ni Pangulong Duterte,” she said. “Una na po ang ‘Build, Build, Build’ program niya. Kuryente, tubig, tulay, daan, skyway, subway. Napakahalaga po niyan sa peace and development sa mga lugar kung saan sila ginagawa,” she added. The presidential daughter said she and Marcos would also continue the Duterte administration’s anticriminality program. “Yan po ang dalawang mensahe na ikinakampanya namin sa inyong lahat, para sa atin. Pagkakaisa at kapayapaan ng ating bansa,” Duterte said. In ending her speech, the vice presidential candidate again called for support from Filipinos. “Ako po si Sara Duterte, humihingi po ako ng tulong at suporta ninyo (sa) pagka-bise presidente ng ating bansa,” Duterte said. (Lakas-CMD UniTeam Release)

Presidential aspirtant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (elft) and running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio face supporters in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. Photo from the Facebook page of Marcos

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Starfleet Innotech inks new partnership with health data analytics firm Project Fort STARFLEET Innotech, Inc. (OTC Pink: SFIO) (“SFIO” or “The "Company”) this week formalized a partnership with Project Fort to bring the health data analytics firm's unique approach to proactive, datadriven community care to the wellness townships under SFIO's Moraya brand. Founded in 2020, Project Fort is a Philippinebased tech startup that uses data gathering tools to synthesize and analyze community health information, based on global best practices in public health. In doing so, the company unlocks insights that are impossible to glean on an individual level, so they can be turned into strategies for sustainable, meaningful changes on a community level. “Our approach to community health, which is founded on public health practice and the healthy settings frameworks of the World Health Organization, recognizes wellbeing as a manyfaceted equation that requires collaborations across the care continuum to champion,” said Erika Modina, Project Fort co-founder and CEO. “The traditional view of health stakeholders spanning patients, providers, and insurers fails to factor in the massively influential role that employers, school administrators, and local government units play in the daily health of our communities.” With an initial focus on the workplace health setting, Project Fort caters to a largely underserved market in the Philippines. According to an ILO study published in 2021, roughly 745,000 people die annually due to poor working conditions. The study found this especially true in the Western Pacific and Southeast Asian regions. Long working hours, psychological stress, health-harming behavior to deal with that stress, and resulting strokes and heart disease were all listed as contributing factors. In the Philippines, businesses lose at least $2 billion pesos due to poor employee health. This is in spite of companies already spending roughly $3 billion trying to take care of employees. “The takeaway here is that companies are spending their money on the wrong things because of a lack of proper insight into employee health,” Modina said. “Insights that can only be gleaned, given the right tools and expertise. We believe there’s a better, proactive way to care for our people.” Early in the pandemic, Project Fort played a critical role for businesses looking to build more resilient health systems for their workforces. For Ever Gotesco, a Metro Manila-based mall operator, Project Fort’s daily surveillance tools flagged a possible outbreak early in July 2020. Utilizing data it had been gathering on the mall's workforce since May that year, Project Fort’s health officer was able to deploy a targeted testing protocol, cutting the need to test all 3,000 tenants and direct employees down to about 30 specific individuals. In addition to cutting costs down by about 89%, this meant a speedy response that neutralized the outbreak before it even began. “Our main challenge as a startup is establishing touch points across different healthy settings to ensure we can deliver a truly whole-of-society approach to community care,” Modina said. “We began by focusing on the workplace setting, where we leveraged our data analytics to help businesses both save money and improve overall employee health. Our ultimate goal is to bring this same approach of proactive, data-driven care to the spaces

communities work, live, and play in. This partnership with Moraya enables us to do exactly that.” As the flagship brand for SFIO's real estate division, Moraya aims to establish itself as a global leader in wellness tourism. With an initial focus on the Philippines, Moraya actively explores new technologies in data and integrative medicine, marrying them with Filipinos’ world-class hospitality, and integrating them into the beautiful natural locales of the Philippines. Over the past few months, the company has announced a number of real estate development projects, largely waterfront townships in the Philippines. By 2024, SFIO aims to complete $300 million worth of these real estate projects. To lead Moraya, SFIO CEO Jeths Lacson says the group has brought in decades of experience across wellness tourism, integrative medicine, master planning, business development, and sales. Among these industry leaders is AG Architects, an SFIO subsidiary, which has led award-winning green projects like Crowne Plaza in Changi Airport. The company also recently struck a partnership with Australia-based construction startup Luyten to bring their 3D concrete printing technologies to the Philippines. This latest partnership with Project Fort expands on the company's investments in technology as a driving force for wellness. “Project Fort and Moraya will be co-developing a community health dashboard for townships, a major step forward towards our ultimate goal of building data-driven, tech-enabled public health systems for cities,” said Modina. “We will be developing and operating a new version of Project Fort, catering to the wellness tourism townships being developed in Batangas and Palawan.” Within Moraya’s townships, Project Fort’s health dashboard will allow wellness teams to monitor the overall health of their communities, while also enabling residents and visitors to access community health services like fitness, mindfulness, and nutrition classes. As with all SFIO’s strategic partnerships, collaborative innovation plays a big role in Project Fort and Moraya’s shared roadmap. In building communities of the future, Project Fort is now in talks with NeuroSky, a health wearable developer based in Silicon Valley and fellow SFIO ecosystem player. The two tech companies are currently exploring plans to build proprietary wearables under the Project Fort brand to augment its data gathering efforts. “Each of the platforms we build and partner with must first and foremost be integral to our businesses,” said Richard Prodigalidad, SFIO's chief technology officer. “But we have longer term plans for these platforms as well – investing in subscription-based software services for other businesses, thereby turning our technology services into highly-lucrative revenue generators as well. As we plan to scale SFIO exponentially, we see technology products like Project Fort as precisely the vehicle to get us there.” Through SFIO’s global network, Project Fort expects to build pathways to new markets, such as New Zealand and the United States, where demand for these types of community care platforms is expected to bring in exponential growth. By utilizing its data analytics and public health expertise, Project Fort can help communities achieve greater savings and better health outcomes, all towards building healthier workplaces, townships, and cities for generations to come. (Advertising Supplement)

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APRIL 21-27, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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Robredo to mark birthday with‘grand rally’in Pasay City by Christia

Marie Inquirer.net

raMos

MANILA — Presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo will mark her 57th birthday with a “grand rally” in Pasay City on April 23, a campaign official said on Thursday, April 21. The rally will be held along Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City, said former House Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada, the campaign manager of the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem’s Senate slate. The event is initiated and organized by supporters and volunteers as a “birthday gift” to the vice president, Tañada said in a statement. “Kahit birthday niya pinili niyang makasama ang taumbayan.

Para sa kanya, ang pamilya nya ay ang mga kababayang Pilipino,” he said. (Even if it’s her birthday, she chose to spend it with Filipinos. For her, her family is her fellow Filipinos.) Organizers, according to Tañada, expressed hope to outdo all the previous political rallies of Robredo in terms of the number of attendees, targeting mostly those still undecided and her new supporters. “Makikita naman natin ito sa darating na Sabado [We will see this on Saturday],” Tañada said as he sees “hundreds of thousands” of people trooping to Macapagal Boulevard for Robredo’s “birthday party.” The event, he noted, will be dubbed “Ang Araw ni Leni, Araw

Nating Lahat [Leni’s day is a day for all of us].” Organizers are encouraging supporters to bring friends or family members who are either undecided or are voting for another candidate to attend the event’s “Art Jam,” “Street Party,” and “People’s Rally,” Tañada said. “All colors now are welcome,” he added following the revamp of Robredo-Pangilinan campaign logo into a multi-colored flower in a bid to signify unity. Tañada encouraged those attending Saturday’s event to wear the colors of their aspirations: white for good health, blue for jobs generation, yellow for better ETHNIC DANCE. Dancers render a cultural performance during the opening of the 21st WTTC annual Global Summit held at the Marriott Hotel education, red for food security, in Pasay City on Thursday, April 21. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) president Julia pink for a better life, and other Simpson and WTTC Chairman Arnold Donald led the opening ceremony. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon colors. g

in Hong Kong have already cast their ballots, while in other countries, the turnout is at 20 percent. All over the world, there are 1.7 million registered overseas Filipinos entitled to vote for president, vice president, senators and a party-list group. Here in the Philippines, everything is ready for the May 9 national and local elections except for the final ballots to be printed and the complete deployment of election paraphernalia and vote counting machines (VCMs) nationwide. Garcia said the Comelec has identified 372,878 out of the 67,442,616 printed ballots to be defective and need reprinting. With 17 days to go before election day, he said they can and will finish all the printing requirements and schedule the destruction of the defective ballots. Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan said everything is going on schedule. “Deployment (of election paraphernalia) is ongoing, so we’re ready for the election. We are in fact ahead of schedule in terms of deployment,” he said. Also, the Comelec signed a memorandum of agreement with the Commission on Higher Education for a voter education

campaign aimed at helping increase the voter turnout and strengthen “democracy in the country.” Makeshift polling precincts for Agaton-hit areas Meanwhile, makeshift polling centers will be constructed in areas ravaged by storm Agaton, according to Comelec Executive Director Bartolome Sinocruz Jr. As of yesterday, the Comelec regional office in Leyte has already procured the needed materials for the makeshift polling precincts. Although these temporary structures will be made of wood, Sinocruz said they will be built according to the needs of a particular area to ensure that a good number of voters would be accommodated. “It would depend on what is required, like a small small room... it will be approximately the same size as a polling room,” he said in Filipino. When asked about prepositioned election paraphernalia, Sinocruz said that none of them were affected by the damage wrought by Agaton. He said the VCMs, the Broadband Global Area Network and the Consolidated and Canvassing System were still en route to Leyte when the storm hit the province. g

Comelec expects higher overseas voter turnout Duterte to PNPA grads: Do right, ensure clean elections by robertzon

raMirez

Philstar.com

MANILA — Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials are expecting a bigger overseas voter turnout than in previous elections regardless of all the controversy and “fake news” hounding the voting system. Commissioner George Garcia yesterday said the month-long overseas absentee voting (OAV) which began April 10 has been generally peaceful. “There have been some controversy – fake news as it turns out; apparently, untrue,” Garcia said in Filipino. “It’s been generally peaceful. Everything has gone well.” Amid reports of Filipinos overseas lining up at embassies and consulates, he expressed hope that more overseas voters will turn up this year. Commissioner Marlon Casquejo said the overseas voting is “very much interesting.” “We are expecting a much higher voting turnout as compared with the 2016 and 2019 elections,” said Casquejo, noting encouraging numbers along voting lines with more than two weeks left before the last day on May 9. To date, he said about 30 percent of registered voters

Comelec junks last case filed vs BBM by William

Depasupil ManilaTimes.net

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) dismissed the last petition that seeks to disqualify presidential frontrunner Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for lack of merit. The poll body's First Division chaired by Commissioner Socorro Inting issued the ruling in response to the urgent motion filed last month by the Pudno Nga Ilokano (The real Ilocano) seeking for the immediate resolution of the case it filed against Marcos. The petition cited as basis the former senator's conviction of tax-related cases in 1995 while serving as vice governor of Ilocos Norte. The two members of the division — Commissioners Aimee Ferolino and Aimme Torrefranca-Neri — concurred with the decision. The First Division said it was not convinced that Marcos committed a crime involving moral turpitude, which the petitioners stressed is a ground for disqualification. The division cited a 2009 ruling which said that "failure to file an income tax return is not a crime involving moral turpitude." Records show that in July 1995, a Quezon City Regional Trial Court convicted Marcos for failure to file an income tax return for three consecutive

EMPLOYMENT

years. It sentenced Marcos to nine years imprisonment and a fine of P72,000. Marcos appealed his case before the Court of Appeals. The appellate court upheld his conviction but removed the penalty of imprisonment and instead ordered him to pay the fine and the deficiency income taxes plus interest The poll body said that nonfiling of income tax return (ITR) is not tax evasion. "Regardless of the fact that the non-filing of ITR was done repeatedly by [Marcos Jr.], there is still no tax evasion to speak of as no tax was actually intentionally avoided," it said. "He may have been neglectful in performing this obligation, it however does not reflect moral depravity." Marcos welcomed the verdict, saying it is a "good development." "Of course it is a good development, and we are happy that it happened before we came up with the actual elections," Marcos told reporters in a chance interview following his campaign sortie in Occidental Mindoro. With the development, all cases blocking Marcos' presidential bid have been dismissed at the division level. Majority of the petitioners have appealed their respective decisions before the Comelec en banc. Lawyer Victor Rodriguez,

Bongbong Marcos ManilaTimes.net file photo

Marcos' spokesman, said that with the junking of the last disqualification case against the presidential frontrunner, the Comelec ruled that Marcos "possesses all the qualifications needed to aspire for, campaign and serve as president of the Republic of the Philippines." "As advocated, elections are settled through the ballots on election day — not through the abuse of our judicial processes like the filing of nuisance petitions for disqualification," Rodriguez said in a statement. "It is now time for every peaceloving Filipino to work for a clean, honest, credible and fair elections, and allow the people to speak, their voices heard and votes genuinely counted," he added. g

EMPLOYMENT

by alexis

roMero Philstar.com

MANILA — President Duterte urged the new graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) to stay within their legal limits in the performance of their duties and to ensure that the upcoming elections will be clean and honest. Speaking during the 43rd PNPA commencement exercises at Camp Castañeda in Cavite, Duterte reminded members of the “AlabKalis” class of 2022 that they are government workers and that “each and everyone has something to give to the country.” “There’s just one thing that I hope you will not forget. You took your oath of office. I tell you, whether it’s legal or whatever, administrative or otherwise, you’re in the course of your duty, I would like to express to you now that you have to do only what is right,” the President said in mixed English and Filipino. “Do not go out of your legal parameters. Iyong tama lang na trabaho ng pulis pati alam niya ang obligasyon sa taong-bayan (Do only what a police officer is supposed to do and his obligations to the people),” he added. Duterte noted that government workers “do not have any superiority with anybody” and are supposed to work for the people. He admitted that the wrongdoings of some law enforcers are giving the police force a negative image. “Because in the light of recent incidents, I do not want to dwell on it, but I said there are many occasions where I have problems with the police. Not everyone, there’s only a few of them but the image that they create is further buttressed by the actions of a few,” he said. “But remember what I said: stick to what is right, do not go beyond that, otherwise we would have more problems.” Clean and safe elections

Duterte said the graduation ceremony was held during a crucial juncture in the country’s history as Filipinos are preparing for the upcoming elections. “I enjoin you as members of the PNP (Philippine National Police) to ensure clean and safe elections and adhere to the value of professionalism and nonpartisanship,” he said. “I assure everybody there will always be honest and clean elections,” he added. Duterte reiterated that he would remain neutral on the presidential race and that the government would implement the Alunan doctrine, wherein a politician is deemed as having a private army if he or she has more than two armed bodyguards. He called on the PNPA graduates to stick to what is legal, especially if they are tasked to secure politicians. He also urged the new police graduates to sustain their courage, determination and passion as they perform their duties as the newest officers of the PNP, fire and jail bureaus. He also thanked the police force for being on the forefront in the fight against illegal drugs, crimes and terrorism. The President reiterated that he is ready to defend law enforcers who would face charges that are related to the performance of their duties. “Even if I am already retired, if you want my help, especially if you face charges because of an operation, I am just here,” he added. Duterte also joked about having two wives and advised the graduates not to emulate him if they want a financially stable lifestyle. Meanwhile, the top graduate of the PNPA has vowed to repay the nation for his free education by upholding the highest standards of service to the country. Police Inspector Ernie Padernilla said he and his fellow graduates from the Alab-Kalis Class of 2022 would never waver in their sworn

duty to serve the public. “We will repay the resources you provided to us during our cadetship with excellence and dedication to the oath we swore to uphold,” he said in his speech during the PNPA’s commencement exercise in Silang, Cavite. Padernilla said people should expect the highest standards of justice, integrity and service from their class. “This is our chance as new public safety leaders to give our (best) for our country. We will never forget what the PNPA instilled in us,” the 25-year-old native of Passi City in Iloilo added. Padernilla, son of a farmer and housewife, is among the 229 graduates of Class 2022 who will join the attached agencies of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Padernilla and 205 of his classmates will join the Philippine National Police, while 12 have opted to enter the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and 11 the Bureau of Fire Protection. Padernilla was already a licensed criminologist when he enrolled in the PNPA as he felt he had to learn and train more as a law enforcer. “In order to absorb them, I need to lower my ego and pride because we can’t learn anything new if we constantly resist and complain,” he said. For Padernilla, having degrees, titles and positions does not mean an end to one’s learning process. “We must be humble and accept the new challenge of once-in-alifetime opportunities,” he said. Padernilla thanked his parents for not giving up on him despite the hardships they had to endure. He also expressed his gratitude to President Duterte who was the guest of honor and speaker at their graduation. “Our generation is so fortunate to have the chance to have a leader and father we can look up to as good example of a patriot,” Padernilla said in Filipino. g

Judge’s ruling on the CDC mask mandate... PAGE 4 shores of the U.S. and we will look to the CDC to protect us and what we’ll find is an agency that is frightened to act, gun-shy, and always looking over its shoulder,” Gostin said. He and other public health experts said it might also be time for Congress to review and clarify the agency’s authority. “Traditionally, CDC’s got very little power,” said Glen Nowak, co-director of the Center for Health and Risk Communication at the University of Georgia. He spent more than a decade working in communications at the CDC, including during the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic. “Most of what CDC does really is about, ‘Here’s our recommendation — we strongly urge you to comply,’”

he said. “And then it’s up to typically state and local health departments or states in general to figure out how you’re going to achieve high compliance.” But such recommendations rely on trust in agencies, something that has cratered during the pandemic. And, said Nowak, public health measures at all levels — federal, state, and local — have landed in court, in part because of misperceptions about how willing the American public would be to comply. “A lot of it was based on assumptions about compliance — that there would be high compliance by the public, that they would share the sense of urgency, and would place a high priority on stopping the spread of a virus,” Nowak said. The American Public Health

SERVICES

Association’s Benjamin said there’s little time to waste. He said the reason public health officials need established lines of authority is because public health emergencies — whether that’s the emergence of a new variant of COVID-19 or some future pandemic — require quick action. “We will not have time to fool around with the courts making a decision,” he said. KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. g

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 21-27, 2022

9

Trends continue upward for Boulder-Las Vegas-Henderson areas by RealtoR

Fely Quitevis-Bateman

THE market continues to move up for many areas in Nevada, including the cities of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Boulder and Henderson. In the most recent monthly report by First American Title Insurance Company, the aforementioned areas are still in a strong seller’s market segment, with market action indexes for each of the cities improving by a few points over last month’s numbers. In Las Vegas, the overall median list price is at $600,000, with the median price for new listings pegged at $535,000. The per square foot price is at $270. Inventory remains at around 1,529. The median rent, meanwhile, is set at $2,200. Analysis for the Las Vegas area says that “home sales continue to outstrip supply and the Market Action Index has been moving

higher for several weeks” and it has issued a “watch for upward pricing pressure in the near future if the trend continues.” The City of North Las Vegas, for its part, has an overall median list price of $451,500, with the median price of new listings priced at $445,495. Price per square foot is at $237, while median rent is at $2,141. There are currently 264 homes counted in the inventory. Analysis for North Las Vegas is similar to that of Las Vegas – “home sales continue to outstrip supply and the Market Action Index has been moving higher for several weeks” and “watch for upward pricing pressure in the near future if the trend continues.” Boulder City, meanwhile, has an overall median list price of $774,499, with the median price of new listings set at $712,000. The city has a per square foot Realtor Quitevis-Bateman and Russ Bateman attended the recent NAR Brokers’ Summit so they can be well-informed on real estate trends nationwide and globally.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (right) with National Association of Realtors president Leslie Rouda Smith at the Brokers’ Summit in Phoenix, AZ held on April 5-6, 2022.

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

price at $339, and an inventory of 34. Median rent in Boulder City is pegged at $2,240. The analysis for Boulder City says “the market continues to get hotter” with having fewer homes listed and more demand contributing to a relatively long run of increasing prices. The report says that “current supply and demand levels show no sign of prices changing from their current trend.” Finally, Henderson has an overall median list price of $650,000, with the median price of new listings set at $558,000. The per square foot price is at $299, and there are 441 homes in inventory. The median rent in Henderson is pegged at $2,330. The analysis for Henderson says that “home sales continue to outstrip supply” and that it is a seller’s market so “watch for upward pricing pressure in the near future if the trend continues.” This is great news for areas in Nevada and only confirms that real estate prices in the state continue to rise. This greatly benefits the many individuals who have invested their money in real estate and properties in Las Vegas and its surrounding areas as they have gotten a great return on investment on their

initial ventures. With construction projects aplenty and developers looking at neighboring areas for development opportunities, per square foot prices and real estate/ property will continue to be on an uptrend. That bodes well for those who are looking to put their hard-earned money into land and/ or property, which almost always continues to appreciate as time goes by. In other news in Las Vegas, the Palms Casino Resort is slated to open this April. It is now under the ownership of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and had a $690 million renovation in 2019. It has been closed since March of 2020. According to a release, the 31.5-acre property will have an updated casino floor with a new layout for slot machines and table games. The 14 movie theaters have been updated with new reclining seats, an American gastro-pub named Serrano Vista Cafe has been added, and a new rewards program, Club Serrano, is ready. Club Serrano is shared with players at the Yaamava’ resort and casino located three and a half hours away in Highland, California. A recent news report said

Realtor Quitevis-Bateman (left) with CA Realtor Lauren Honey Marcus, who also attended the Broker’s Summit. Both have talked about the possibility of doing business with each other.

that the Palms aims to bring something fresh and exciting to the Strip while also honoring the San Manuel tradition. The property’s management and team will be focused on both quality of service and offering fabulous amenities to its clients and visitors. Whether you are looking to settle down in the area, purchase a second home, or just invest your money in real estate, now is a good time to scout for opportunities as prices are more affordable. I can help you find that piece of real

estate that will match your needs and your budget. Together, we can comb for the best real estate/ properties available in Las Vegas and its neighboring cities/towns. My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has successfully helped its clientele find the best deals since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-5592476 and 702-538-4948 for more information. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days.

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Features

APRIL 21-27, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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April 21, 2022

VEGAS&STYLE JOURNAL

INSIDE

LIFESTYLE • CONSUMER GUIDE • COMMUNITY • MARKETPLACE

Enjoy an intimate evening with David Foster in Las Vegas “AN Intimate Evening with David Foster” returns to Las Vegas this Friday, April 22 and saturday, April 23, 2022 at Encore Theater at the Wynn (3131 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109) with special guest Katharine McPhee. Foster started touring the U.S. with his show “An Intimate Evening with David Foster” in 2018-19. The shows garnered rave reviews and were so successful. As a result of this success, Foster filmed a new PBS Special – An Intimate Evening with David Foster – which aired on PBS Great Performances November/December 2019. As one of the most illustrious composers of our time, Foster’s skill set of creating hits, writing indelible melodies, and building dramatic moments, he seems constitutionally incapable of resting on his laurels, and his relentless drive has propelled him throughout his career. Few other individuals can claim to have their fingerprints on more major moments in all of popular music than David Foster. He has created hit songs and award-winning gold and platinum albums for a diverse array of artists including Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, Seal, Chaka Khan, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Chicago, Hall & Oates, Brandy, ’N Sync, Boz Scaggs, and Gloria Estefan. He has escorted singers who have straddled both pop and classical styles like Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban into the

mainstream. He has created culture-defining soundtracks for blockbuster films like The Bodyguard, Urban Cowboy, and St. Elmo’s Fire; and crafted timeless holiday classics, including perennial best-sellers like Josh Groban’s Noel, Michael Bublé’s Christmas, Celine Dion’s These Are Special Times, Rod Stewart’s Merry Christmas Baby, Andrea Bocelli’s My Christmas, and Mary J. Blige’s A Mary Christmas. For his remarkable work, Foster has won 16 Grammy Awards, including three for Producer of the Year, an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and racked up three Oscar nominations for “Best Original Song.” He has also earned a reputation as a keen spotter of new talent, playing a key role in the discovery and career launches of Celine Dion, Josh Groban, and Michael Bublé. In 2008 and 2011, Foster stepped out as performer in his own right as the host of “Foster & Friends” — two starstudded concert events in Las Vegas that celebrate the music from Foster’s unparalleled catalog. The shows were filmed for Great Performance on PBS and Foster’s Hit Man and The Hit Man Returns became PBS’ highestrated pledge drive shows of the decade. Foster is also a household name as a performer throughout Asia where he fills arenas on his frequent tours. In 2015, Foster became a celebrity judge on the smash hit TV show Asia’s Got Talent. Billed as the biggest TV show in the world, it is broadcast throughout

Asia into 20 countries. In 2019, he became the anchor judge on World’s Got Talent in China – the first international entertainer to hold a major TV position in China. Foster is the Global Grand Brand Ambassador for AirAsia. “In Asia, audiences believe that the person who writes and produces the songs is as important as the person who sings them,” Foster says. “So when you play a song that you’ve written and the entire 10,000-seat arena sings every word, that’s pretty thrilling.” An official feature documentary on his career and life debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) September 2019. David Foster: “Off The Record” is an up close and personal look at the extraordinary career of a producer, composer, and entertainer who has helped sell more than a half billion records working with some of the most successful artists of all time. Powerful and sometimes humorous, the film follows Foster’s relentless ambition, hunger, and rise to the top, as he becomes an iconic producer and songwriter. In his own words, Foster talks about his lifelong passion of the piano: “A lifelong passion began for me as a child sitting at the piano. Never could I have imagined that a kid’s passion of playing melodies at the piano, would lead me to where I am today. From a very young age, I was always drawn to the piano. I can’t think of any other instrument that captures and touches so many different emotions. It is the entire range of the orchestra at your fingertips. It was so cool, fun and even therapeutic just sitting at the piano and creating these melodies – this is me in my truest form and

the piano has always been my goto place.” It’s not surprising that Foster became a consummate performer. Born in Victoria, British Columbia, he began studying piano at age four. As the story goes, his mother was dusting the family piano, hit one of the keys, and was shocked when David correctly called out, “That’s an E!”, thus discovering he had perfect pitch. The son of a maintenance yard superintendent and a homemaker, Foster has chronicled his life in the highly regarded, best-selling autobiography Hit Man. Foster has made charitable work his life’s other priority. Meeting with a young girl from his hometown who was awaiting a liver transplant had a profound impact and led him to create The David Foster Foundation in 1986. Its mission is to provide financial support to Canadian families with children in need of live-saving organ transplants, along with a new focus on organ donor awareness. He has also volunteered his time and talent to over 400 charities over the past two decades, including the annual Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight Night, The Andre Agassi Foundation, and Carousel of Hope. Tapping into his vast network of friends and superstar artists, Foster has enabled these events to raise millions of dollars for worthy causes. “The gift of music has brought me many rewards,” he says. “What better way to honor those gifts than to pay it forward. It’s not just a responsibility, it’s a must.” Foster has also been rewarded

with professional honors, including being inducted into the Canadian Walk of Fame in 2002, The Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2007, The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010, and the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in the U.S., also in 2010. In 2013, Foster received his star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is located on Vine Street in front of the iconic Capitol Records building, adjacent to the stars of his musical heroes —John, Paul, George and Ringo — a thrill for the self-described “biggest Beatles fan on the planet.” The location is doubly meaningful as Capitol was the label that signed Foster’s band

Skylark in 1971. Their hit “Wildflower” became a Top 10 hit and launched Foster on his unending road to success. Reflecting upon receiving a star on the Walk of Fame, Foster says, “One hundred years from now, my great-grandchildren will go, ‘Hey, there’s my great-grandpa,’ and having a star next to The Beatles… outside the building where I first got signed…that’s perfect.” Performances at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23 at Wynn Las Vegas. For tickets, please visit: https://www. wynnlasvegas.com/entertainment/ upcoming-shows/david-foster. (Advertising Supplement)

Runway visionary Alexis Bong Monsanto opens LA Fashion Week with splendor by

aJPress

ONCE again, the fashion industry took center stage during LA Fashion Week. The season opened with a spectacular explosion of vibrant colors of Fall and Winter collection by runway visionary Alexis Bong Monsanto in Los Angeles’ historical landmark Japanese Garden of Yamashiro. It was no surprise that Monsanto displayed the style lines and drapery of a master couturier. The quality of his work is unequaled. Nevertheless, you have to prepare for the unexpected when it comes to Monsanto. This year, he took ready-to-wear dresses and sportswear and transformed them into a stunning and captivating work of art - creating a powerful statement about the power of change, progress, and evolution. A beautiful representation of transformation, growth, and advancement. Inspired by Jewels of Dream, Monsanto presented a mythical narrative on the fashion runway illustrating splendor, wonder, and enchantment by exploring the exciting elements of the wilderness. Monsanto combines his signature feminine sense of creativity with a timeless appeal by using the finest luxury fabrics and of myriad intensifying colors. His works is a trademark of sensuality, verve & sophistication. Throughout the event, the ambiance was lavish, elegant, and sensitive. The event was a celebration of both class and grace. Through his creations, he conveys powerful metaphors that everyone can embrace. It also featured Monsanto’s

signature combination of feminine creative vision and timeless appeal as he uses the finest luxury fabrics as his canvas. From fabric manipulation by draping, Laser cut techniques, pleats & 3D fabric processing, the latest product development that the designer is pioneering. The Monsanto look is his signature sensuality, verve & sophistication. Sexy but not gauche, sophisticated but not eccentric, embellished but not flashy. “I embrace a style that is irreverent, unafraid, existential and provocative. With fashion I aspire to create challenges for myself, while creating a whimsical world for my client. Ideally, they’ll tap into a form of expression that would otherwise seem unattainable. I am inspired by everything in my life, from the cold black objectivity of commerce to the warm subjective embrace of the muses,” said Monsanto. As his story unfolds on the runway, the journey is like a movie set. So Dramatic, so refreshing, so moving, and so provoking. From the choice of imagery, production design, music, and sound effects to the choice of adornment crafted by IXXIA Jewelries. Every detail is perfection. Everything is exquisite. The enchanting sounds intensify and emphasize every the gliding motion, every step and movement of the models and the dazzling jewels they wear. A whirl of sparkles, twirls, spins, and sways come together in harmony. The ambiance enhanced the mood of the night, each gemstones and their glint as the lights touches its surface is a total spectacle. The total performance gives everyone

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray takes her physical and mental health seriously. Photo from Instagram/@catriona_gray

Catriona on what it takes to be healthy inside and out by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net

Alexis Monsanto

that sense of wonder and awe. All are captivated by the splendor. What a graceful show. Not to mention the gastronomic four-course dining experience and food journey prepared by celebrity chef Valerie Castillo Archer. An excellent addition to an evening filled with enchantment and amusement. Her culinary creation was a splendid complement to the event. The show drew boldface guests including Dubai Based International designer Michael Cinco, Rapper Ri-Yo, TV Creator Michael Kelley (ABC Revenge), Lana Parrilla (ABC Once Upon a Time, Why Women Kill), Grant Shaw (Dynasty,Melrose Place),

AFTER her iconic Miss Universe 2018 win, Catriona Gray continues to thrive as a host, musician, model and an advocate of women empowerment and mental health concerns, among other causes. In these endeavors she never Photo courtesy of the designer fails to showcase not just her Former supermodel Bessie beauty, intelligence or talent Badilla, and performer Chris but more importantly, her good Chatman. Chatman’s performance heart, resulting to many women created a perfect balance looking up to her. But how does and added to the evening’s she do it all? “It's really about one, just unforgettable experience. His live entertainment, believing in yourself. I know gourmet fare, and visually we've heard it all before but stunning fashion show benefitted it's true, if you don't believe in Project Angel Food, a non-profit yourself you'll never try. Second organization that prepares and is that you have to embrace failure delivers healthy meals to feed because I know we've all failed on people impacted by serious one way or another in our pursuit of something and it's never for a illnesses. His philosophy to building no reason. There's always been his brand, he says, has been to things that I've learned in my listen to what his customers want. failures so it allowed me to just “It’s about making products that go after what I want with this are attention-grabbing, unique new drive and passion for what and different but not overdone,” I do. And then third is just time management," she revealed. Monsanto said. But even if her schedule is packed these days with several commitments, the 28-year-old was able maintain her skin's glow and, consequently, her confidence. She believes this is a result of her putting effort to keep her immune system up. "Even experiencing work days that are sobrang mahaba, walang tulog, or kulang sa rest, I'm really still able to have energy and keep my immune system up. In fact, for this whole pandemic, I've never had once Covid-19 and I'm hoping to never experiencing that even if I was very much working out on the community and traveling. Photos courtesy of Jaime Lim I attribute it to looking after my

immune system and really just being safe and just doing that holistic approach to looking after myself," she continued. Self-care is also a practice that Gray could not emphasize enough. "I don't think I prioritized my health to the extent that I do now. I think I've really taken an intentional effort to really learn about good health care and what it really means to truly take care of myself in terms of beauty or even in self care. It's more about how I can really equip my body with the best means to really allow myself to function at my highest capacity. "During the pandemic I think everyone can agree that it wasn't a time we can just hide from it all. A lot of us are working and not going out is not really an option from a lot of women. So really just looking for myself in terms of self care was really giving me and my body what it needs to help my immunity function at the highest level. Self care sounds like a large undertaking that many of us think don't have the time do but as simple as taking vitamins and at least eight hours of sleep everyday can do wonders." Finally, Gray reminded that overall wellness also includes self compassion. This is just as important in this age of social media, where it can be easy for users to compare their lives to that of others. "Remind yourself that you shouldn't compare what your everyday reality is to what you see online because it's not the most vulnerable moments. It's not the everyday moments that people usually put out there. This has been quite a challenging period so give yourself grace," Gray ended.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 21-27, 2022

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APRIL 21-27, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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