051922 - Las Vegas Edition

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MAY 19-25, 2022

T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER

Volume 33 - No. 20 • 12 Pages

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Winning president, VP may be proclaimed by May 25 by CECILLE

SUERTE Philstar.com

PPCRV volunteers count votes in the partial unofficial tally in the Quadricentennial Pavillion, UST, May 11. Bongbong Marcos Jr. leads the polls. Philstar.com by Jazmin Tabuena

USA

DATELINE US, ASEAN commit to non-militarization in disputed sea FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

MANILA — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to ensure maritime security and safety, freedom of navigation, non-militarization and selfrestraint in the conduct of activities in the South China Sea. “We are dedicated to maintaining peace, security and stability in the region and to ensuring maritime security and safety, as well as freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the seas as described in the 1982 UNCLOS,” the ASEAN-US Special Summit 2022 Joint Vision Statement read, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The statement, crafted in Washington late last week, also called for “unimpeded lawful maritime commerce.” The two sides noted the United Nations

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FELIPE

MANILA — The proclamation of the winning president and vice presidential candidates can be done immediately or no later than May 25 as the Senate and the House of Representatives sitting jointly as the National Board of Canvassers see no major issues hampering the canvassing, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said on Saturday, May 14. In an interview over dwIZ, Zubiri said an early proclamation would allow the senators to

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12 SENATORS PROCLAIMED. The National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) proclaims the “Magic 12” senators at the PICC Forum Tent in Pasay City on Wednesday, May 18. The 12 senators who won in this year’s elections are actor Robin Padilla, former Antique Representative Loren Legarda, broadcaster Raffy Tulfo, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, former Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar, former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Senator Miguel Zubiri, Senator Joel Villanueva, JV Ejercito, Senator Risa Hontiveros, and Jinggoy Estrada. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

Supermajority, family ties shape new PH Senate by DONA

Z. PAZZIBUGAN, MELVIN GASCON, TINA G. SANTOS Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday, May 18 proclaimed the 12 winners in the senatorial race, including four reelectionists, three first-timers, and five former senators. With only one reelectionist senator and another still keeping his seat in the chamber, who both are not backed by either outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte or the incoming presumptive President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Senate will have a formidable bloc that

the country’s new leaders can rely upon for their legislative program. Also, for the first time in Philippine Senate history, there will be three sets of family members serving together as senators — two siblings, two halfbrothers, and a mother and her son. The new senators ranked according to the number of votes they received are former action star Robin Padilla, Antique Rep. and former Sen. Loren Legarda, broadcaster Raffy Tulfo, reelected Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, Sorsogon Gov. and

former Sen. Francis Escudero, former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, Taguig Rep. and former Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, reelected Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, reelected Sen. Joel Villanueva, former Sen. JV Ejercito, reelected Sen. Risa Hontiveros and former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. Of the winners, Padilla, Tulfo, Cayetano, and Ejercito got the support of the President while Marcos supported Estrada and Escudero, who was also a guest candidate of the opposition led by Vice President Leni Robredo. The candidates who were supported by both Mr. Duterte and Marcos were

Legarda, Gatchalian, Villar, Zubiri, and Villanueva. All of them can expect solidarity from most of the 12 pro-Duterte senators who were elected in the 2019 midterm elections, including Marcos’ elder sister, Sen. Imee Marcos. Malacañang said Filipinos elected “old and new faces” in the Senate and that there was now a “sense of hope and optimism with the new set of lawmakers.” “It is now time to move forward after a divisive election campaign and begin the daunting task of speeding up our

Comelec: Nothing wrong with winning candidates taking oath before June 30 MANILA — The Commission on Elections clarified that candidates may take oaths even before the end of June as long as they officially assume their respective positions by 12:01 p.m. on June 30. In a press briefing held Tuesday afternoon, May 17, Comelec Commissioner George Garcia explained that there have been other elected officials who held their oath taking even before the supposed inauguration provided under the 1987 Constitution. “I will not answer specifically as regards to the vice president-elect taking her oath in advance… but I just want to cite an example, there have been many instances where winning congressmen, senators immediately

conduct their oath taking before a notary public, a judge, or a barangay captain right after their proclamation,” Garcia said in a mix of English and Filipino. He said this is common practice among winning local candidates, as some of them would want to celebrate already. However, Garcia clarified that their oath should be what is stated under the constitution. “[The] formal oath can happen later so it may be possible that you can take your oath now and then you’ll have another oath later. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. There is no prohibition that you will have several oaths,” Garcia said. This comes after Davao city mayor and

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Long COVID-19 Filipinos in North America express symptoms often overlooked in seniors Supreme Court defers order on Marcos DQ petition, ‘extreme disappointment’ after Biden congratulated Marcos gives parties concerned 15 days to comment

Nearly 18 months after getting covid-19 and spending weeks in the hospital, Terry Bell struggles with hanging up his shirts and pants after doing the laundry. Lifting his clothes, raising his arms, arranging items in his closet leave Bell short of breath and often trigger severe fatigue. He walks with a cane, only short distances. He’s 50 pounds lighter than when the virus struck. Bell, 70, is among millions of older adults who have grappled with long covid — a population that has received little attention even though research suggests seniors are more likely to develop the poorly understood condition than younger or middle-aged adults. Long covid refers to ongoing or new health problems that occur at least four weeks after a covid infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Much about

by JOMAR

CANLAS

ManilaTimes.net

THE Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday, May 19 deferred the issuance of an order on the petition seeking the disqualification of President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. The SC rather asked parties concerned, including the Senate and House of Representatives, to comment on the motion within 15 days. Despite the overwhelming votes obtained by Marcos, the petitioners seeking his disqualification have elevated the case to the high court. The petition against Marcos was filed  PAGE 3

Philstar.com photo

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by Fr. Christian Buenafe, et al. seeking, among others, the cancellation of the former senator's certificate of candidacy (CoC). In a petition for certiorari, the SC was asked to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) "enjoining and restraining the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives from canvassing the votes cast for [Marcos] and proclaiming him, should he be adjudged to be one with the highest number of votes obtained, as President, pending resolution of [the petition.]" Last May 10, the Comelec dismissed all motions for reconsideration for the disqualification cases filed against Marcos. 

by KAYCEE

VALMONTE Philstar.com

MANILA — Filipinos based in North America have expressed “extreme disappointment” after US President Joe Biden congratulated presumptive president-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as it legitimizes what they called the questionable results of the elections. Over a hundred individuals and groups are rejecting the results of the recently concluded May 9 polls because of the various problems that surfaced on election day. Among the signatories are

members of US Filipinos for Good Governance, GABRIELA, Migrante USA chapters, US university student groups as well as LeniKiko volunteers. “We believe that this is premature and is preemptive of the ongoing verification of election results,” their manifesto reads. Partial and unofficial results show Marcos Jr. leading with over 31 million votes, while opposition leader and Vice President Leni Robredo trails with only 14 million votes. But this has been clouded by doubts after broken vote counting

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MAY 19-25, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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Winning president, VP may... PAGE 1

continue their legislative work and pass some local bills under the 18th Congress. “I feel the proclamation can be expedited. If I have my way, we will proclaim the new president and vice president in the afternoon. But we will allow time for our colleagues both in the majority and the minority to give their privilege speeches, and eventually we will proclaim. Maybe the latest is May 25,” he said. Zubiri expressed belief that there would be no major issues or motions to be raised during the canvassing, considering the wide leads of presumptive president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and presumptive vice president Sara Duterte-Carpio over their rivals in the race. As of Monday afternoon, May 16, partial and unofficial counting of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) indicated that Marcos garnered

more than 31 million votes as against the over 14.8 million votes for Vice President Leni Robredo. In the vice presidential race, Duterte-Carpio got over 31.5 million votes as of Monday afternoon, compared to Sen. Francis Pangilinan’s more than 9.2 million votes. Zubiri said session is set to resume on May 23 with the Senate’s approval of the resolution convening the National Board of Canvassers with Senate President Vicente Sotto III and seven senators to represent the Senate. To represent the chamber, aside from Zubiri, are Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Grace Poe, Aquilino Pimentel III, Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos and Francis Tolentino. The two chambers will check the certificates of canvass submitted manually to the Senate and electronically to the House. “We will convene by May 24…if they match and no other

PAGE 1 presumptive vice presidentelect Sara Duterte-Carpio has expressed intent to hold her inauguration earlier than the end-June proclamation. Duterte-Carpio said she is hoping to take oath in Davao city on June 19. She says she also wanted to attend the oath taking of running mate presidentialelect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Over on Twitter, columnist Manuel Quezon III pointed out that Duterte-Carpio will be taking her oath before the presidentelect on June 30. “She is expected to be with the President-elect,” Quezon said. While the official canvassing for the president and vice president will begin once Congress resumes session next week, the partial and unofficial tally of this year’s national

differences or erasure, we will canvas immediately and proclaim the elected president and vice president,” Zubiri added. “I’m confident that in this case, with the huge mandate given to the president and vice president, the margin from the second, third and fourth are so wide, no one will ask too many questions,” he added. He, however, stressed that motions would still be entertained during the canvassing. Zubiri declined to comment on the possible choices for the next Senate president, saying they would rather focus on the tasks left for the current congress, which adjourns on June 3. The reelectionist senator ranked eight in the Senate race, MEDICAL MISSION. Dr. Julius Marasigan (left) examines 11-month-old baby Yvone Zeara Encina who has fever and cold, while held by her as of Monday. mother Mary Joy Villanueva (partly hidden) during a medical mission in Barangay 176, Phase 4 Package 3, Bagong Silang-Kanan, Caloocan City “In the meantime, there is still on Wednesday, May 18. The city government launched the activity to provide free consultations, medicines and vitamins for the residents. much work to be done. We are PNA photo by Ben Briones still in the middle of a pandemic and we must focus our energy on current challenges the country is facing,” Zubiri pointed out. g PAGE 1 As a rule, senators who did supermajority bloc will not break economic recovery affected by not vote for the winning Senate up and the groups will eventually the COVID-19 pandemic. Let us president will comprise the agree because we need to have elections shows Duterte-Carpio work closely together and pray minority, who in turn, will choose a Senate that will work well and Marcos Jr. leading by a wide for our nation’s success,” acting among themselves their minority together,” he said. presidential spokesperson Martin leader, Pimentel said. margin. No one has signified interest Duterte-Carpio leads by over Andanar said in a statement. Pimentel was a former Senate in heading the powerful Senate For the first time, the two president and he headed the committee on good government 22 million votes with 31.561 million versus Sen. Francis estranged sons of former President Partido Demokratikong Pilipino- and accountability, or the Senate Pangilinan with 9.232 million Joseph Estrada — JV and his half- Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), blue ribbon committee, which is brother Jinggoy — will be serving whose faction lost recognition generally handled by a lawyer. votes. Meanwhile, Marcos. Jr. leads together as senators. Cayetano from the Commission on Elections The committee led the Senate with over 16 million votes, will again be working alongside (Comelec) to its Duterte-backed investigation of the Pharmally garnering 31.104 million versus his sister, Pia. The two Villars will rival led by Energy Secretary scandal. Vice President Leni Robredo with be the second mother-son team in Alfonso Cusi. Six lawyers the Senate after Jinggoy served 14.822 million. (Philstar.com) At this point, only he and The new Senate will have six with his mother, Loi Ejercito- Hontiveros can be considered lawyers — Pimentel, Angara, the Estrada from 2004 to 2007. the real opposition in the Senate. Cayetano siblings, Sen. Francis Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said Pimentel said the minority’s Tolentino, and Escudero. the new set of pro-administration role will be mainly to see to it that Hontiveros said she was willing senators must give their minority all laws passed by the senators to cooperate with other senators resume session next week. Meanwhile, the groups are also colleagues the freedom to choose conform with Senate rules and the “to fight for a society with dignity, justice, and equality.” calling on the US and Canadian their own leaders after word 1987 Constitution. According to Sen. Juan “I look forward to working with government to suspend its security spread that the majority held a assistance to the Philippines and caucus and considered Cayetano Edgardo Angara, the goal of everyone,” said Hontiveros, who pro-administration senators is to won with 15,420,807 votes. wait until the rights situation in the as head of the minority bloc. ‘Real minority’ establish a “supermajority,” and a Hontiveros, who was the only country has improved and people “They shouldn’t do that,” Senate president with an assured opposition senatorial candidate are held accountable. T h e y a l s o w a n t b o t h Pimentel said in a forum, adding backing of at least 16 of the 24 who won in this year’s elections, was emotional. governments to impose targeted that the Senate should not become senators. He said Zubiri and the elder “I can’t help but think that sanctions through the Magnitsky a “rubber stamp” of the president. “Structurally, we must have Villar were supposedly interested it’s almost a miracle that I’m Act for those with human rights violations in the country, naming a real minority in the Senate to in becoming Senate president and standing before you today,” she President Rodrigo Duterte and the check on the majority, to make that the presumptive president’s said, thanking her family and National Task Force to End Local sure there will be no tyranny of sister and Legarda were rumored supporters and “all of us Filipinos numbers,” he said. “We must be to be among those seeking the dreaming of a better life.” Communist Armed Conflict. “We always said during the For the meantime, the group careful not to have a government position of Senate president pro campaign we were just heading is calling on the opposition not to that allows only for a monolithic tempore. thinking.” “Our hope is that the PAGE 4 concede. g

Comelec: Nothing wrong with winning...

Filipinos in North America express ‘extreme...

PAGE 1 machines, reports of vote buying, and registered overseas Filipino voters complained of delayed and damaged ballots. The group is calling on the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, Legal Network for Truthful Elections, and the National Movement for Free Elections to manually encode and canvass ballots individually to “produce authentic results.” “We can’t bow down to questionable electoral results, much less dance with dictators and criminals like [Marcos Jr.] whose father, on the record, plundered billions and killed

thousands of innocent lives,” the group said. Marcos Jr.’s presidential campaign has been hounded by questions on his family’s ill-gotten wealth. The Bureau of Internal Revenue no less confirmed that the Marcos family also has yet to settle a P203.8-billion estate tax debt. While the Commission on Elections has proclaimed 12 new senators-elect on Wednesday, the canvassing of votes for the positions of president and vice president has yet to begin. The processing of votes for the country’s top positions is done separately by Congress, which will

Supermajority, family ties shape new...

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Dateline USa

Long COVID-19 symptoms often overlooked... PAGE 1

the condition is baffling: There is no diagnostic test to confirm it, no standard definition of the ailment, and no way to predict who will be affected. Common symptoms, which can last months or years, include fatigue, shortness of breath, an elevated heart rate, muscle and joint pain, sleep disruptions, and problems with attention, concentration, language, and memory — a set of difficulties known as brain fog. Ongoing inflammation or a dysfunctional immune response may be responsible, along with reservoirs of the virus that remain in the body, small blood clots, or residual damage to the heart, lungs, vascular system, brain, kidneys, or other organs. Only now is the impact on older adults beginning to be documented. In the largest study of its kind, published recently in the journal BMJ, researchers estimated that 32% of older adults in the U.S. who survived covid infections had symptoms of long covid up to four months after

infection — more than double the 14% rate an earlier study found in adults ages 18 to 64. (Other studies suggest symptoms can last much longer, for a year or more.) The BMJ study examined more than 87,000 adults 65 and older who had covid infections in 2020, drawing on claims data from UnitedHealth Group’s Medicare Advantage plans. It included symptoms that lasted 21 days or more after an infection, a shorter period than the CDC uses in its long covid definition. The data encompasses both older adults who were hospitalized because of covid (27%) and those who were not (73%). The higher rate of post-covid symptoms in older adults is likely due to a higher incidence of chronic disease and physical vulnerability in this population — traits that have led to a greater burden of serious illness, hospitalization, and death among seniors throughout the pandemic. “On average, older adults are less resilient. They don’t have the same ability to bounce back

from serious illness,” said Dr. Ken Cohen, a co-author of the study and executive director of translational research for Optum Care. Optum Care is a network of physician practices owned by UnitedHealth Group. Applying the study’s findings to the latest data from the CDC suggests that up to 2.5 million older adults may have been affected by long covid. For those individuals, the consequences can be devastating: the onset of disability, the inability to work, reduced ability to carry out activities of daily life, and a lower quality of life. But in many seniors, long covid is difficult to recognize. “The challenge is that nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, pain, confusion, and increased frailty are things we often see in seriously ill older adults. Or people may think, ‘That’s just part of aging,’” said Dr. Charles Thomas Alexander Semelka, a postdoctoral fellow in geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University.

US, ASEAN commit to non-militarization...

PAGE 1 General Assembly Resolution A/ RES/75/239 emphasizes how the UNCLOS sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out. UNCLOS is of strategic importance as the basis for national, regional and global action and cooperation in the marine sector, and its integrity needs to be maintained, the parties said. “We are committed to advancing our cooperation in the maritime domain through ASEAN-led mechanisms,” the statement read. ASEAN and the U.S. plan to forge new ties and promote cooperation and coordination among relevant agencies, including maritime law enforcement agencies, to collaborate to improve maritime domain awareness, search and rescue, maritime security and to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing through sharing of information, best practices and expertise, including technical assistance, which will complement and not duplicate existing mechanisms. The two sides also committed to continuing efforts to protect, restore and sustainably manage the marine environment.

“We recognize the benefits of having the South China Sea as a sea of peace, stability and prosperity. We emphasize the importance of practical measures that could reduce tensions and the risk of accidents, misunderstandings and miscalculation,” they said. ASEAN and the U.S. stressed the importance of undertaking confidence building and preventive measures to enhance trust and confidence among parties. They reaffirmed the need to pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including UNCLOS. “We underscored the importance of the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in its entirety,” the joint statement read. The need to maintain and promote an environment conducive to the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) negotiations was also emphasized as the two sides welcome further progress toward the early conclusion of an effective and substantive COC consistent with international law. ASEAN member-states and the

U.S. gathered for the ASEAN-US Special Summit, the first-ever to be held in Washington, on May 12 to 13. At the working lunch hosted by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris during the special summit on Saturday, May 14 (Manila time), the Philippines thanked the U.S. for being the most vocal partner in reaffirming the 2016 arbitral ruling. In his speech, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., who represented President Duterte, said the benefit of the arbitral award is not exclusive to the Philippines as it provides legal clarity to all countries with similar problematic maritime features. “The U.S. is our most vocal partner in reaffirming the 2016 Arbitral Award and upholding a rules-based international order. We deeply appreciate that. We most certainly welcome the U.S. Senate’s call for a common ASEAN approach to reaffirm the Award,” Locsin said. The U.S. State Department said Washington will continue to stand by the historic South China Sea ruling despite earlier pronouncement of presumptive president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that he will shelve the decision and negotiate directly with China. (Pia Lee-Brago/Philstar.com)

Ann Morse, 72, of Nashville, Tennessee, was diagnosed with covid in November 2020 and recovered at home after a trip to the emergency room and followup home visits from nurses every few days. She soon began having trouble with her memory, attention, and speech, as well as sleep problems and severe fatigue. Though she’s improved somewhat, several cognitive issues and fatigue persist to this day. “What was frustrating was I would tell people my symptoms and they’d say, ‘Oh, we’re like that too,’ as if this was about getting older,” she told me. “And I’m like, but this happened to me suddenly, almost overnight.” Bell, a singer-songwriter in Nashville, had a hard time getting adequate follow-up attention after spending two weeks in intensive care and an additional five weeks in a nursing home receiving rehabilitation therapy. “I wasn’t getting answers from my regular doctors about my breathing and other issues. They said take some over-the-counter medications for your sinus and things like that,” he said. Bell said

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 19-25, 2022 his real recovery began after he was recommended to specialists at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. James Jackson, director of longterm outcomes at Vanderbilt’s Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship Center, runs several long covid support groups that Morse and Bell attend and has worked with hundreds of similar patients. He estimates that about a third of those who are older have some degree of cognitive impairment. “We know there are significant differences between younger and older brains. Younger brains are more plastic and effective at reconstituting, and our younger patients seem able to regain their cognitive functioning more quickly,” he said. In extreme cases, covid infections can lead to dementia. That may be because older adults who are severely ill with covid are at high risk of developing delirium — an acute and sudden change in mental status — which is associated with the subsequent development of dementia, said Dr. Liron Sinvani, a geriatrician and an assistant professor at Northwell

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Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, New York. Older patients’ brains also may have been injured from oxygen deprivation or inflammation. Or disease processes that underlie dementia may already have been underway, and a covid infection may serve as a tipping point, hastening the emergence of symptoms. Research conducted by Sinvani and colleagues, published in March, found that 13% of covid patients who were 65 and older and hospitalized at Northwell Health in March 2020 or April 2020 had evidence of dementia a year later. Dr. Thomas Gut, associate chair of medicine at Staten Island University Hospital, which opened one of the first long covid clinics in the U.S., observed that becoming ill with covid can push older adults with preexisting conditions such as heart failure or lung disease “over the edge” to a more severe impairment. In older adults especially, he said, “it’s hard to attribute what’s directly related to covid and what’s PAGE 8

Supermajority, family ties shape new...

PAGE 2 to the ‘exciting part.’ I think nobody knew that it would be this exciting. Now it’s not only the exciting part but also the next six years. Now we’re off to more exciting parts,” Hontiveros said. “It’s an honor to be given this new mandate … let’s look after each other, no one should be left behind. The fight continues,” she added. Open to be minority Villanueva, who took the ninth spot with 18,486,034 votes, said he was open to be part of the minority. He handled the Senate’s labor and technical and vocational education committees in the 18th Congress. He was accompanied by his wife, Gladys, and his father, evangelist Eddie Villanueva. He said that although he experienced a drop in the preelection surveys, he said it did not deter him from seeking reelection as “my solid track record will speak for itself.” Padilla, who has embraced Islam, said his victory was a symbol of unity between Muslims and Christians. He called on newly elected officials and senators to give reforms in the Constitution a

chance. He had attributed his victory to his push for federalism and Charter change. “The people’s gripes about salary, unemployment, education… all of these will be addressed if we tackle reforms in the Constitution,” he said in Filipino. Cheers, shrieks Cheers greeted Escudero, who came with his wife, actress Heart Evangelista, although louder cheers and shrieks welcomed Padilla when he entered the PICC Tent. Escudero appealed for unity. “I hope that healing will start today,” he said. “Whatever colors we bannered during the elections, I hope we all change them to red, blue, white, and a little yellow. I hope we carry only the colors symbolizing our flag, because in the end, we’re all Filipinos and we’re all in one boat called Philippines.” Zubiri called for a stop to “all the bickering.” “Let us all work together, united as one family, as one country. We need to end poverty and now is the time to do it. We must unite as a people,” he said. The elder Villar and her husband, former Sen. Manny Villar, were there for their son, Mark, while Pia accompanied

her brother, Alan Peter, to the proclamation program. ‘Martial law babies’ The majority of the new senators-elect are so-called “martial law babies” who were born around the time Marcos Jr.’s father, the late ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, began his nearly 21-year rule before a popular revolt ended it in 1986. Five of them were born in 1969 when Marcos Sr. won a second four-year term. Padilla, Escudero, Zubiri, Estrada and Ejercito are either 53 years old or turning 53 this year. Cayetano is one year younger as he was born in 1970 when antiMarcos protests were spreading across the country. Gatchalian, 48, Villanueva, 45, and Villar, the youngest who will turn 44 this year, were all born after the 1972 declaration of martial law by Marcos Sr. Hontiveros is 56 years old. Legarda and Tulfo are both 62 and born in 1960 before Marcos Sr. was first elected president in 1965. Legarda said the problems of the country in 1998 when she was first elected to the Senate “are still here.” The country should address the “twin crises” of the pandemic and climate change, she said. g

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MAY 19-25, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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Dateline USa

Starfleet Innotech leadership mobilizes across North America with strategic meetings in US, Canada STARFLEET Innotech, Inc. (OTC Pink: SFIO) ("SFIO" or “The Company") capped off the first leg of its United States roadshow with a successful showing at the Planet MicroCap conference in Las Vegas, Nevada and strategic meetings with Silicon Valley partners in Palo Alto, California. Towards the end of the month, executives from the global conglomerate will be congregating in New York to cement the agreements necessary to establish a more concrete presence in the U.S. “While we already have a presence in the United States through our office, key personnel, and strategic partners, our showcase in Las Vegas formally kicks off the next phase of our growth as a conglomerate,” said Santiago Arnaiz, General Manager of Communications at SFIO. “We recognize the crucial role that North America plays as fertile grounds to stage our global expansion. There are incredibly exciting projects being launched across the SFIO ecosystem – in the Philippines, Dubai, Malaysia, and beyond – all vital parts of our growth journey. Our job here in the U.S. is to find partners interested in joining us on that journey. The reception so far has been promising.” As a global investment holding company, SFIO is focused on innovation through disruptive collaborations across its three key industries: Food and Beverage (F&B), Real Estate, and Technology. This translates to making strategic investments in high-growth businesses and building synergies across its diverse portfolio in order to provide maximum shareholder value. SFIO currently maintains offices across New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines, and the United States. Over the next few months, the SFIO team will be mobilizing across North America, building on its momentum in Las Vegas and San Francisco towards establishing a more concrete presence in the region. Recently, both Arnaiz and Chief Investor Officer Richard De Lima presented SFIO at the Planet MicroCap showcase to an audience of investors, fund managers, and family offices. In Toronto, CEO Jeths Lacson mobilized a signed partnership with the company’s Canadian distributor for Gorgeous Coffee and Epiphany Manuka Honey products. Under this agreement, the company’s F&B products will be made available for purchase online through Amazon, and eventually through major retail outlets across North America. Meanwhile, Chief Technology Officer

Richard Prodigalidad met with technology partners in San Francisco and Palo Alto, including biotech wearable developer NeuroSky. Wearables developed by NeuroSky are set to be integrated into SFIO’s real estate projects under the Moraya brand of wellness-oriented, tech-enabled townships. Deployed through Project Fort, a community health dashboard service and subsidiary of SFIO, these wearables will gather the data necessary to pioneer entirely new approaches to proactive community care. In addition to ecosystem partners, Prodigalidad secured commitments to connect the increasing demand for tech talent across Silicon Valley with highly-skilled developers and designers based in the Philippines – positioning SFIO as the central hub in a global innovation ecosystem. More details on this new initiative will be shared in the months to come. “The work continues in connecting with investors and other growth enablers to take SFIO to the next level. We have a full lineup of meetings over the next few weeks, ranging from exploratory chats, follow-up sessions stemming from our recent participation at Planet MicroCap, and deep-dives into partnership agreements,” said Arnaiz. “It was exciting to get to sit down with our partners in Silicon Valley to kick off our co-creation efforts in technology. I’m looking forward to doing the same in New York, representing our businesses like Epiphany Cafe with potential F&B partners.” Among these potential partners are major distributors, retail stores, manufacturers, and cafe franchises – with whom SFIO hopes to bring its F&B businesses like Epiphany Cafe and Gorgeous Coffee into the country. To support these growth efforts, the company will be engaging with a U.S.-focused IR firm to bolster its traction in this crucial market. “Our goal at SFIO is to bridge promising businesses from emerging economies with crucial growth enablers, many of which are based in the United States,” said Arnaiz. “Over the last year or so, we’ve been hard at work championing those promising businesses. Now we’re shifting our focus to the U.S., to build the other side of that global infrastructure. While here, we’ll be looking to accomplish three things: strike strategic partnerships with institutional players, increase visibility on our global businesses, and gather the resources we need to get Starfleet soaring.” (Advertising Supplement)

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OPINION

A continuing war

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THE spokesperson for the Philippine National Police dismissed the words as hyperbole. With President Duterte, however, warnings to kill drug traffickers are rarely empty threats. Meeting with some Cabinet members last Wednesday night, May 11, Duterte again defended his brutal war on drugs, and said that before stepping down on June 30, he wanted to see three or five more drug lords fight it out with the police and be killed. Duterte was borne to power on an anti-crime platform, memorably promising to end the drug menace in six months. Six years later, with over 6,000 drug suspects killed in police anti-narcotics operations, the President himself has admitted that he has yet to fulfill his promise. Throughout his bloody campaign against drugs, shabu continued to be smuggled into the country by the ton. Despite a possible investigation by the International Criminal Court, the President says he has no regrets and sees no reason to apologize for his methods in fighting the drug menace. At the start of his presidency, he had said that the involvement even of local government executives, police generals and barangay officials complicated

efforts to fight the drug menace. Several local government officials and dozens of barangay captains were among those killed in his war. In his speech, he noted that the lieutenants of slain drug lords simply took over the lucrative operations. He expressed hope that the incoming administration would continue his war on drugs. Being a former city prosecutor, he also offered to provide legal assistance to law enforcers who are sued for carrying out the campaign against illegal drugs. It is unclear if the incoming Marcos administration will have the same brutal approach to the drug menace. The persistence of the problem shows that the drug killings have not provided sufficient shock and awe to deter drug dealers from engaging in one of the most lucrative although illegal enterprises. President Duterte’s war has also been deficient in addressing the other major aspect of the illegal approach involving families, the community, drug scourge: the demand. This is a far more schools, civil society and the religious sector. complex element that calls for a multipronged Perhaps the incoming administration will have

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

a deeper grasp of the problem, and a better tack in addressing both supply and demand. (Philstar. com)

Where do you stand? Christian love, forgiveness and justice in the age of fake news, disinformation and deceit The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS IF we think that the U.S. and Philippine elections were the worst times we as citizens of both countries would have to endure, the lowest pit our people could find ourselves in, the May 9, 2022 Philippine elections was a sober and scary reminder that the worst is upon us: the regime of deposed President Ferdinand Marcos and the outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte lives on in their children at the same time, along with an ever growing list of political dynasties and convicted plunderers and abusers of power in Philippine history. The recent election in the Philippines had left us all so exhausted and exasperated with the division we have found ourselves in – them vs us, red vs pink – which sadly made us feel, at some point, “Mahirap mahalin ang kapwa Pilipino”, “Mahirap maipagmalaki na ako ay isang Pilipino”. But we press on, move forward, hoping against all odds that somehow the majority of us would prove that in the end we will prove them all wrong, and that majority of us will decisively choose the truth over lies, the good versus evil, the greater good of all over personal interests. Our natural human reaction is to hate and curse those who chose the lies, the evil, and the personal interests, but then again, we needed the divine grace to realize that they, too, – most of our kababayans – were victimized and robbed of the truth and the facts they

Commentary

SENATOR CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO AS one of the fastest growing communities in Nevada, Asian American Pacific Islanders are an essential part of our state and enrich our economy every day. Today there are close to 22,000 Asian-owned businesses in Nevada across all industries, and that number continues to grow. During AAPI Heritage Month, it is important to learn about the diverse history and recognize the resilience and strength of this community. The pandemic was especially tough on our AAPI community. In addition to facing economic challenges, we saw a disturbing

needed to make informed and conscientious decisions. How do we heal as a nation? How do we go back to our core values and come together as one people? How do we hold on to our faith, our concept and belief of what is good and bad in us and in other people? How do we raise our children in this age of lies and disinformation when the world we are raising them in appears to reward these and demonize the truth warriors? I want to share this Open penned by Christina Astorga, a former faculty member of Ateneo de Manila University and order chair of the Theology Department of Christian University founded on the principle espoused by St. Ignatius: to educate its students to be “Man for Others” for the “Greater Glory of God”. May it help us all reconcile the conflicting values we now face as a nation: A RESPONSE TO NIKKO BUENDIA’S OPEN LETTER TO THE ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY Dear Nikko, I am a former faculty of the Ateneo de Manila University, and former Chair of the Theology Department. I am not responding to you on behalf of the Ateneo de Manila University, but as a Filipino citizen and as an educator. I would be the first one to tell my students to stand up for the truth, to speak the truth, but always in love. “Veritas in Caritate” — truth in love. And if what you said about how they behaved towards others of opposite belief is true, then I would agree that they should be reminded of speaking truth in love. VP Leni has always reminded her supporters of relating with those with opposite belief with respect. She says that we focus

on actions, not on persons. To condemn lies, defamations, fake news, but not to attack and bully persons. If the students have failed in love, then they must be reprimanded, reminded, be told to do better next time. But we were young once, and we know how our passions can be combustible, when our outrage can get the better of us. But between those without any moral outrage over the Marcos atrocities, and those with moral outrage that may have gone over the top, I will go for the latter than for the former. You have spoken about our students’ failure in love, but I speak about your failure in truth. Your letter is a subterfuge of historical revisionism. You implied that Ateneo de Manila is teaching their own “version of truth” as if it is not the OBJECTIVE TRUTH, BASED ON EVIDENCE UPON EVIDENCE, that the Marcoses plundered the country, left it in shambles, and while they live extremely extravagant and opulent lives on STOLEN MONEY, thousands are eating “pagpag” from the garbage. We still have to recover the accumulated plunder of $10 billion (U.S. dollars) and much of that must have been used for the massive hakot and vote buying in the last election, caught and recorded in many videos. Imelda has been convicted of 7 counts of plunder, and while she lives like a queen in her mansion, Leila de Lima, who has been proven innocent by her own accusers, is still languishing in prison. The Marcoses have still to pay the gov’t 203 billion in estate tax debt! They regard themselves as above the law. They steal flagrantly, tell lies to our faces, fail to pay their taxes repeatedly, violate electoral laws blatantly, because they think of themselves as the untouchables.

They are not accountable to anyone, not even to the law of the land. The Marcoses have refused to apologize or even acknowledge the abuses against human rights during Martial law. They, with Duterte’s approval, buried Marcos, Sr. the plunderer and human rights criminal, among our heroes, shaming our honorable past. They are being held in contempt by a U.S. court for “contumacious conduct causing direct harm to a class of human rights victims, amounting to 353 million dollars.” Held in contempt by the court, they would be put behind bars, if they step on U.S. soil. They have built the largest machinery of historical revisionism, fake history, and fake news to glorify the martial law regime as the golden age of the Philippines. They used this same machinery to perpetuate fake news about VP Leni, to assassinate her character, rendering her as a victim of the largest disinformation never seen in this country. You criticized Ateneo de Manila University for failing to stand for the weak and downtrodden. That is the last thing to say of the University, even if their students may have been intolerant of the position taken by the CDE classes, who were the easy prey of the Marcos’ machinery of lies. But have you condemned the plunder of the Marcoses of the money that was meant for the alleviation of poverty in our country? Have you considered that it is they who have no heart for the weak and downtrodden, who look upon them only as votes to buy to keep them in power? And have you thought that it is you, and people like you, who support the Marcoses,

who are in collusion with them, who keep our people, poor and downtrodden? You write and I quote, “your partisan stance has encouraged young impressionable minds to blindly take your ‘cause’ against the ‘enemy’.” History has many instances that the youth are the easiest to be molded into a terrifying mob. And it is apparent what you… along with other Catholic institutions… are building. This road will not lead to heaven. Truth is not partisan, but it is not neutral. Neutrality in the face of truth is collusion with lies and falsehood. The Catholic Church has taken a stance against the Marcos atrocities, for it is a stance for truth and justice; it is a stance for the poor and downtrodden, who are victims of their abuses. Had it played neutral, it could have stood against the very heart of the gospel. The truth is under attack, now more than ever, and it is Ateneo’s obligation and that of all institutions of learning, to protect the truth. If truth is not protected, and we live on lies and falsehoods, we will not only be on the road that leads to heaven, we will create hell on earth. I praise our young for fighting for the truth, for putting themselves on the line for what they believe; for the moral outrage they have shown against lies and injustices. They are the warriors of truth at the frontline of the battle – brave, unyielding, indomitable. I salute them. But I exhort them once again to speak truth in love – “Veritas in Caritate.” VP Leni has shown us what it means to fight in the spirit of radical love. In her speech in the thanksgiving rally, she said that she is launching the Angat Buhay, the largest volunteer network in the country this July. She said that “tutulungan

natin ang lahat. Wala tayong pipiliin na kulay.” When people accuse the pink movement of self-righteousness, of the “holier-than-thou,” of the disconnect with the least in society, the best argument to that accusation is VP Leni and her embodiment of radical love for the poorest of the poor. The image of VP Leni climbing mountains, crossing rivers, riding bancas and motorcycles, to reach our people at the laylayan, the least among us, and the opposite of the Marcoses among the elite in society, the oligarchs in their palatial homes and mansions, and at Amanpulo. I exhort our students, to be inspired by VP Leni, and to become more and more like her, as bridges of love, solidarity, and compassion. But radical love must be rooted in truth and justice. Love that is not rooted in truth is false sentimentalism. Love that is not founded on justice is collusion with injustice. I read a quote which spoke powerfully to me. “I fight against you, because I am fighting for you, and for us.” Is this self-righteousness or holier-than-thou? It is, if it is not based on genuine truth and justice. *** 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

Learning from and uplifting the AAPI community is our responsibility as Nevadans increase in anti-Asian hate crimes. At roundtable discussions, AAPI leaders spoke of enduring racial slurs and even physical attacks. Hearing that our friends and neighbors were living in fear was disturbing, and I engaged community leaders to better understand how I could help tackle this epidemic of violence in the Senate. I connected with the Asian Community Development Council, the Japanese American Citizens League, and the AAPI Democratic Caucuses, among many others, to discuss the issues affecting their families and how I could get them the support and resources they needed. First, we had to make sure our communities had the support they needed to get through the pandemic. I got to work, securing critical relief for more

than 118,000 Nevada businesses to keep their doors open and their employees paid. And with so many independently owned restaurants in our state, many of which are run by AAPI families, I ensured targeted relief for restaurants was available. The American Rescue Plan I fought for included funding for our state and local governments to keep our police officers, firefighters and first responders on the job, keeping our communities safe. No state was hit as hard as Nevada, and I made sure to deliver funding to help support our state’s travel and tourism industry. Fortunately, this federal support helped our economy rebound and ensure our small businesses remained open. In the wake of the pandemic, the hate crimes that affected the AAPI community were top of mind for

many. The language used by the far-right only fueled this hatred. The extent of the harassment that Nevadans faced needed to be addressed in Congress. So I joined my colleague Senator Mazie Hirono’s COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, and helped get it passed and signed into law. This new law makes it easier for victims to report hate crimes and provides them with additional assistance and support. We also prioritized making hate crimes information available in more languages like Tagalog and Chinese so that everyone who needed them could access and utilize these resources. No one should feel unsafe at home, and I’m proud we were able to take action for our communities in Nevada. Now that we’re past the darkest days of COVID-19, my focus is

on lowering costs for families, creating jobs, and making sure all Nevada families feel safe. I’m pushing for an all-of-the-above approach to bring down prices. That includes lowering health care costs through prescription drug price negotiation and capping the cost of lifesaving drugs like insulin, bringing down gas prices, and increasing middle class housing availability. There are thousands of jobs coming to our state through our bipartisan infrastructure law, which will fix our roads and bridges. To keep Nevadans safe, I’ve secured historic funding for Nevada’s local law enforcement departments. And I will continue working to support our students and build up the middle class by investing in our state’s education system, focusing on access to mental health resources for our

kids in school and at home. Today, Nevada’s recovery is beginning to flourish, thanks to our families’ dedication to get us back on track. The AAPI community is a key part of this, so this AAPI Heritage Month, remember to learn from, listen to, and uplift your AAPI neighbors and friends. I know I’m proud to stand by them. *** 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.

*** Born and raised in Las Vegas, Catherine Cortez Masto has spent her career fighting for Nevada’s working families. She served two terms as Attorney General of Nevada and in November 2016, she made history by becoming the first woman from Nevada and the first Latina ever elected to the United States Senate.

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Palace on CHR drug war report: Rehashed issues by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — Malacañang on Wednesday, may 18 described as “rehash of old issues” the Commission on Human Rights (CHR)’s latest report on President Duterte’s drug war even as it claimed that the outgoing administration would be leaving behind “a legacy of a safe and secure Philippines.” In a report released this week, the CHR claimed that the government has “failed in its obligation to respect and protect the human rights of every citizen” and has “encouraged a culture of impunity that shields perpetrators from being held to account.” According to the report, drugrelated killings have become rampant and widespread during the administration of Duterte and that the victims targeted had actual or perceived links to illegal drugs. The victims “were killed with disproportionate and/or excessive force or in a brutal manner whether during alleged operations by law enforcers or

during attacks by unidentified or private persons,” the report said. “Contrary to the claims of self-defense, available information indicated intent to kill by the police operatives and disproportionality of force used to repel aggression — with the fatal location and number of gunshot wounds sustained by the victims,” it read. “There were possible violations of the rights of the drug suspects, and lapses in the observance of protocols established by law and reiterated in PNP (Philippine National Police) manuals,” it added. Acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said the administration has responded to the issues raised by the report. “While we see a rehash of old issues in the report of the Commission on Human Rights that have already been responded to, we are pleased that this body has independently exercised its mandate – a testament to how the Duterte administration has allowed our democratic civic space to be enriched under his term,” Andanar said in a

statement. “In contrast to what a handful of critics would want the international community to hear and read about our country, the Duterte administration leaves a legacy of a safe and secure Philippines,” he added. He claimed foreigners who come to the country as tourists are seeing how safe the country’s streets and communities are. He said the situation affirmed the more than half drop in crime rate since Duterte assumed office in 2016. The government’s actions were validated by the President’s high satisfaction, performance, approval and trust ratings, the Palace official added. “Nonetheless, we ask the CHR to coordinate with the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat so that its recommendations may be discussed with all the government offices it has put to task,” Andanar said. In the same report, the CHR said perpetrators are seldom brought to justice “as the climate of fear paralyzes accountability mechanisms and processes.” g

presumptive electoral victory of Bongbong Marcos and his running mate Duterte signals "the erasure of traumatic personal and collective memories of plunder and human rights violations under Martial Law", and the rampant lies about the so-called "Golden Age" under the conjugal dictatorship of Bongbong's father Ferdinand and his mother Imelda. The manifesto, which has been signed by 1,100 individuals, was shared to reporters on Thursday, May 19 by teachers group Alliance for Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines. They also declared that the signatories have vowed to oppose all forms of disinformation; and protect the integrity and independence of education, historical and cultural institutions, such as the Department of Education and state universities and colleges, among others. They added that they will promote scholarly initiatives that protect Martial Law history "from the continued attempts of the Marcos family and their supporters to eradicate" it. "We will undertake to preserve books, documents, records, artefacts, archives, and other

source materials pertaining to the Martial Law period and other aspects of the Marcos era," they said in the manifesto. In a statement, Ateneo De Manila University professor Oscar Campomanes, one of the nine initiators of the manifesto, said that they wanted to put out a strong statement in defense of historical truth against attempts to change what happened during Martial Law and the Marcos era. Ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law through Proclamation 1081 on September 23, 1972. The actual proclamation is dated September 21, the commonly marked anniversary of that declaration. During the nine years of military rule, around 72,000 were imprisoned, 34,000 were tortured and 3,240 were killed, according to estimates from UK-based Amnesty International, which has an office in the Philippines. Now, his son Marcos Jr. is on track to be the country's next president, after leading the polls by a wide margin of 31.10 million votes compared to his archrival Vice President Leni Robredo who has 14.82 million, based on the partial results reflected on the poll body's transparency media server. g

Over 1,000 academics vow to protect Martial Law history from revision by AngelicA

Y. YAng

Philstar.com

MANILA — More than 1,000 academics and scholars have signed a manifesto committing to fight attempts to revise history, especially attempts related to erasing the memories of plunder and human rights abuses during the Martial Law period. Those who signed the manifesto — both based in the Philippines and abroad — added that they will preserve all records related to the dictatorship. This comes around a week after likely vice president Sara Duterte-Carpio agreed to take over the education department, prompting concerns that lessons about the dictatorship and Martial Law will be further diluted. Davao City Mayor Duterte has not mentioned anything about changing the curriculum. "We pledge to combat all attempts at historical revisionism that distort and falsify history to suit the dynastic interests of the Marcoses and their allies and to fortify their power," a manifesto written in defense of historical truth and academic freedom, read. It explained that the

Palace: More must be done to address poverty by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

MORE work has to be done to address poverty in the country, Malacañang admitted on Thursday, May 19 following the release of a nationwide poll showing the number of Filipino families who considered themselves poor has increased. A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted last month indicated that 43 percent of Filipino families or 10.9 million rated themselves as poor. While the latest figure is similar to the 43 percent who considered themselves as poor last December, the estimated number of families went up from 10.7 million previously. The April survey also found 34 percent of families rating themselves as borderline poor and 23 percent rating themselves not poor. The levels are similar to those in December, when 39 percent felt borderline poor and 19 percent felt not poor, SWS said. Reacting to the survey results, acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said the COVID pandemic took a heavy toll on

income and job opportunities. “It is for this reason that we have accelerated social and economic recovery while managing the risk due to COVID,” Andanar said in a statement. “We recognize that much more needs to be done to lift Filipino families from their poor condition. We have therefore adopted a 10-point policy agenda for economic recovery last April, wherein all government agencies are directed to ensure all-related policies, programs and measures of the government are aligned with the 10-point policy agenda,” he added. The 10 principles of the government’s economic recovery policy agenda included strengthening health care capacity, accelerating and expanding the vaccination program, further reopening of the economy and expanding public transport capacity, resume face-to-face learning, reducing restrictions on domestic travel and standardizing local governments’ requirements, relaxing requirements for international travel, accelerating digital transformation through legislative measures, providing for

enhanced and flexible emergency measures through legislation, shifting the focus of decisionmaking and government reporting to more useful and empowering metrics and medium term protection for pandemic resilience. Andanar said the government’s measures for the immediate term include easing the quarantine status to the most lenient Alert Level 1 to further improve the performance of key sectors like tourism and opening of schools for face-to-face learning. The National Economic and Development Authority earlier said that full economic recovery would only be possible if faceto-face classes resume since inperson learning is expected to boost business activity and allow parents to go to work. The non-commissioned SWS survey on poverty was conducted from April 19 to 27 using faceto-face interviews of 1,440 adults nationwide. The sampling error margins were plus/minus 2.6 percent for national percentages and plus/minus 5.2 percent for Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. g

OLD-FASHIONED ROLLING STORE. A white bull pulls a carriage loaded with various household items including brooms along Aurora Boulevard near Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City on Thursday, May 19. This old-fashioned rolling store is very common in the past moving around residential areas selling native household products. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

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More Filipinos fishing on Pag-asa Island ‘PH needs to stay healthy to sustain economic growth’ by Franco Jose

c. Baroña

ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday, May 19 confirmed the increasing presence of Filipino fishermen on Pag-asa Island a year after the country lodged a diplomatic protest against China and demanded its withdrawal from the area. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu said the PCG fleet that installed the five 30-foot long navigational buoys in four critical islands in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) from May 12 to 14 monitored around 25 Filipino fishing boats on Pag-asa Island. Abu said that the significant increase of Filipino fishermen in the WPS proves that the PCG's intensified presence "boosts their

confidence and makes them feel safe and protected while fishing in these waters." "Through our continuous modernization, we ensure that our kababayan can freely explore our marine resources while protecting our marine environment for the future generations," he said. In May last year, the Department of Foreign Affairs filed a diplomatic protest "against the incessant deployment, prolonged presence, and illegal activities of Chinese maritime assets and fishing vessels in the vicinity of the Pag-asa Island." It reiterated that the island is "an integral part of the Philippines over which it has sovereignty and jurisdiction." Pag-asa Island is the largest island in the Kalayaan Island Group. It lies about 480 kilometers

west of Puerto Princesa. Abu said that in his visit to Pagasa Island on May 14 to assess the buoy laying operations, he saw five PCG ships anchored in the vicinity with several Filipino fishing bancas. He said several Vietnamese fishing boats, Chinese fishing vessels and China Coast Guard vessels were also in the vicinity "off Subi Reef." Satellite images taken last May 5 by US geospatial company Simularity showed that China is doing new construction work on the artificial island it had built on Subi Reef which is located just 25 kilometers west of Pag-asa Island. China claims the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. The Philippines, China, Brunei, Vietnam, Taiwan and Malaysia have overlapping maritime claims in these waters. g

Marie Inquirer.net

raMos

MANILA — Petitions asking the Supreme Court to stop Congress from canvassing votes cast for the presidential and vicepresidential races are “courting a constitutional crisis” and such pleas before the High Court will not prosper, two Senate leaders said on Thursday, May 19. “If that happens, we will be courting a constitutional crisis from the fact that Congress can no longer meet after June 3rd,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said in a message to reporters when asked for his comment on the matter. “Who will then conduct the canvass as mandated by the Consti? July 25 is a key date for Congress. So, no President or VP by June 30? What do they propose? Holdover? Tell me if that is not a crisis!” he added. Recently, two petitions were filed before the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the Commission on Elections to dismiss the disqualification cases against presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. The petitions also asked the High Court to temporarily stop Congress from canvassing votes in favor of the presumptive president. “The petitions will not prosper,” Senate Minority Leader Franklin

Senate President Vicente Sotto III

Drilon said. former Justice secretary, Drilon said the Supreme Court cannot stop Congress from performing its constitutional duty. “The Supreme Court cannot restrain or stop the Congress, acting as the National Board of Canvassers, from performing its constitutional duty of canvassing the votes for President and Vice President of the Republic, and proclaiming the winner,” he said. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who secured a fresh term in the upper chamber, echoed Drilon’s view. “Congress is constitutionallybound to canvass the results for the President and Vice President. Nothing prevents us from performing this duty to ensure the peaceful transfer of power,” Zubiri said in a statement. “That is our Democracy and

s. Valente ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENTIAL Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion III on Wednesday, May 18 said the Philippines needs to stay healthy to sustain its economic growth amid the entry of new variants of COVID-19. The Go Negosyo founder made the statement as he proposed that COVID-19 vaccines be given to those who would like to receive them as long as they are part of the eligible population or at least the priority groups who are due for their second boosters. "We have the vaccines and like all vaccines these are timebound. We need a sense of urgency," Concepcion said in a statement. "Let the individual decide if he believes he could benefit from the shots. There are already people who want to receive their second shots," he added. Concepcion said the Philippines needs to stay healthy so it can pay for its capital expenditures and the debts it incurred in its pandemic response. The country now owes P12.6 trillion and it is projected to rise to P13.2 trillion by the end of the year. "There is nothing wrong with debt, as long as it is invested in capital expenditures that will help propel growth," Concepcion said. "But we need to maintain a good credit rating, and in order to do that, we have to stay healthy." This came following the Inquirer.net file photo Department of Health's (DoH) that is our sworn duty to the Filipino people. We only need a few days to complete this task and we commit that before June 30, PAGE 3 we shall have our new President and Vice President. The ones a progression of conditions they elected by the sovereign will already have.” of Thirty-one Million Filipino That wasn’t true for Richard people,” he added. Gard, 67, who lives just outside In one of the petitions, the New Haven, Connecticut, a selfpetitioners said it is not their described “very healthy and fit” “desire to impede the Congress of sailor, scuba diver, and music the Philippines from performing teacher at Yale University who its constitutional duty; it is rather contracted covid in March 2020. petitioners’ desire to ensure that He was the first covid patient Congress, in performing this duty, treated at Yale New Haven does not end up performing it in Hospital, where he was critically vain.” ill for 2½ weeks, including five The two chambers of Congress days in intensive care and three are expected to convene into the days on a ventilator. National Board of Canvassers on In the two years since, Gard has May 24. Congress is tasked to spent more than two months in canvass votes for president and the hospital, usually for symptoms vice-president, and to proclaim that resemble a heart attack. “If I the winners. g tried to walk up the stairs or 10

Sotto warns of constitutional crisis if SC stops canvassing of prexy, VP votes by Christia

by catherine

confirmation of the local transmission of the highly infectious Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1. According to the Philippine Genome Center, 90 percent of the Covid cases in the Philippines are Omicron. The BA.4 and BA.5, which are also described as highly transmissible and are now considered variants of concern in Europe, have not yet been detected in the country. These two Omicron sublineages, however, are driving up cases in South Africa, a country whose experience with the pandemic closely mirrors that of the Philippines. Concepcion said that the most cost-effective and efficient way of using vaccines is to give them to those who are willing. "We have to remove the remaining barriers so that we can put these vaccines into the arms of people who believe they need them," he said. Among these barriers, he said, is a priority group-based system, which restricts the administration of the vaccines to specific groups. Another barrier is rising complacency among the population given current low-risk levels. "It's not like people are scrambling to get vaccinated — they're not. So, why are we still imposing priority groups today? We are applying solutions that made sense when vaccines were scarce. We have so much supply today," Concepcion said. As of May 17, boostering rates have stalled at a little over 13

million. More than 45 million Filipinos have completed their primary doses. During a meeting organized by Go Negosyo on May 16, medical doctors warned of long Covid, where lingering effects such as prolonged muscle and joint pain, result in a decrease in quality of life and reduced productivity. Experts in public health and policy also noted that delays in implementing second boosters can cause logjams further down the line as mass vaccinations cannot be expected to immediately happen following the issuance of guidelines. "By that time and if a new variant causes more infections, it would have been too late and we would have a sick population," Concepcion said. The Go Negosyo founder said that the Philippines cannot afford any further losses in productivity, either through heightened alert levels or workers unable to return to work. "We are in a situation where business remains fragile. We are feeling the brunt of the UkraineRussia conflict, with spiraling commodity prices. The risk of stagflation is much higher when goods become so expensive that consumers cannot afford to buy and then growth does not happen," he said. "While the Philippines is in a very good spot when it comes to infection levels, we must remember how we reached this point: our wall of immunity has been strengthened because of vaccinations," Concepcion added. g

Long COVID-19 symptoms often overlooked... feet, I would almost pass out with exhaustion, and the symptoms would start — extreme chest pain radiating up my arm into my neck, trouble breathing, sweating,” he said. Dr. Erica Spatz, director of the preventive cardiovascular health program at Yale, is one of Gard’s physicians. “The more severe the covid infection and the older you are, the more likely it is you’ll have a cardiovascular complication after,” she said. Complications include weakening of the heart muscle, blood clots, abnormal heart rhythms, vascular system damage, and high blood pressure. Gard’s life has changed in ways he never imagined. Unable to

work, he takes 22 medications and can still walk only 10 minutes on level ground. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a frequent, unwanted companion. “A lot of times it’s been difficult to go on, but I tell myself I just have to get up and try one more time,” he told me. “Every day that I get a little bit better, I tell myself I’m adding another day or week to my life.” We’re eager to hear from readers about questions you’d like answered, problems you’ve been having with your care and advice you need in dealing with the health care system. Visit khn. org/columnists to submit your requests or tips. (Judith Graham/ Kaiser Health News)

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Features

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 19-25, 2022

Formula One racing to come to Las Vegas in 2023 by RealtoR

9

Fely Quitevis-Bateman

MANY Americans and people around the world love car racing. Whether it’s in a racetrack or out in the elements, the thrill of cars and their drivers jockeying for position to outsmart each other and win the race is an attraction that many find enjoyable. Las Vegas even has its own event in the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the South Point 400, which takes place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October (a new weekend for this race) in 2022. Now comes news that another type of race will come to Sin City. An announcement recently covered by major news outlets revealed that Formula One, or F1, is coming back to Las Vegas in 2023. The Las Vegas Grand Prix will be one of three F1 events hosted in the United States, the

other two being in the cities of Miami (Florida) and Austin (Texas). There has not been an F1 race in the gambling and entertainment capital of the world since the days of the Caesars Palace Grand Prix in the early 1980s. According to the F1 site, the race will take place at night on a Saturday sometime in November 2023, and “for the first time F1 cars will race on the iconic Las Vegas Strip, with the circuit sweeping past famous hotels and casinos.” It also said that “the 14-turn track will run for 3.8 miles with top speeds expected to hit around 212mph” (miles per hour). Of course, this is a perfect marriage – F1 and Las Vegas. To have world-class drivers race at night on what is expected to Photo above shows the projected race route for the Las Vegas Grand Prix which is scheduled to take place on a Saturday in November 2023, which sweeps past famous hotels and casinos become an iconic racetrack in in the area. www.formula1.com file photo

Formula One racing is a vision that many racing spectators would like to see. With the neon lights and landmarks provided by the major hotel-casinos as backdrop, the designed racetrack features “three straights, a high-speed cornering sequence and a single chicane section, with the Grand Prix to be run over 50 laps.” Already, many F1 drivers are excited at the prospect of racing in the Las Vegas Grand Prix, calling the event amazing, unbelievable, exciting and lots of fun. In a video at the F1 site, even-time champion Lewis Hamilton said, “That’s going to be a pretty hardcore event,” while AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly remarked, “That’s going to be insane.” Many of the drivers said that they probably will see each other inside the casinos as well. F1 coming back to Las Vegas is certainly another feather in the cap of Las Vegas. The hard work of organizers, officials and organizations connected to the event means that this event will be done correctly, both for drivers and their teams, and the fans. It will certainly attract racing fans from all over the world to Sin City, and bolster its reputation as an entertainment mecca. With countless shows, excellent dining, and, of course, a myriad of gambling choices, many of those who are coming to witness F1 racing at its best will not be Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman helps those who need business financing, including loans for wanting for activities. As Las Vegas begins to small businesses. For more information, call (702) 538-4948 or send email to fely@preciousproperties.com. attract many more events and

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (left) gets market updates from Attending meetings at the Las Vegas Realtors Board has enabled Realtor Phil Klevorick (right), Economic Development Liaison of Clark Fely Quitevis-Bateman to be well-informed about real estate trends in Clark County. County and in the State of Nevada.

opportunities to its fold, this bodes well for the city as it will raise employment and economic opportunities in the area. Las Vegas already is one of the largest cities in the west, even in the U.S., in terms of population, and the need for housing has seen real estate developers look to areas outside of Las Vegas to build master-planned communities that will address the expected need for housing. With Clark County expected to add about 1 million people by 2060, companies are looking at ways to add to the current crop of housing opportunities for current residents and for those looking to make their start in the area. It won’t be long before other established entities make their way to Las Vegas, like the National

Basketball Association (NBA), which reports and podcasts have alluded to in the past. A group recently announced that they secured 25 acres of land near the Strip to build what they see as a new sports and entertainment district that will feature an NBAready 20,000-seat arena. And with activity in Las Vegas, comes many opportunities for neighboring areas. The potential added development in areas like Pahrump, Mesquite, Henderson, Indian Springs and North Las Vegas that will come as an offshoot of rapid development in Sin City is one good fortune that should not be overlooked. This is a great time to look for real estate opportunities in Las Vegas and neighboring communities, while the prices

are affordable and the market is rife with choices. My decades of experience living and working in these communities – and selling real estate – can help you, my kababayans, secure the right type of land/property investment, whether it’s as a new home, a rental (maybe for Airbnb), a second home, or purely an investment opportunity. My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has been serving its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-559-2476 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. (Advertising Supplement)

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Alden Richards on his Stranger Things 4 World Premiere experience: ‘Surreal. So honored and happy’ by

momar G. Visaya / AJPress

STRANGER Things was one of the first Netflix series that Alden Richards watched so when the opportunity to attend and be a part of the show’s season 4 world premiere in New York presented itself, it was a no-brainer for the confessed fan. On the red carpet, the Filipino matinee idol posed for photos and interviews with the international press. The premiere happened over the weekend at Netflix’s new

170,000-square-foot production studio in Brooklyn. “It’s an honor because not all Filipino celebrities are given this opportunity and I think it’s just one for the books for me in my history as an actor,” he quipped, excitedly adding, “I can’t wait to watch the first episode in the exclusive screening later.” Stranger Things became a global phenomenon and a major Netflix hit when it premiered in 2016. The 80s sci-fi

Alden Richards, sporting a Dior suit at the Stranger Things 4 world premiere in Brooklyn. AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya

The cast of Stranger Things 4

series has gained a massive following around the world, creating breakout stars like Millie Bobby Brown.

Alden Richards

Photo from Instagram/@aldenrichards02

Noah Schnapp

Asked why Stranger Things tickled the imagination of the became a big hit among Filipino viewers. fans like him, Richards said that “Iba kasi yung concept niya, it the concept the show presented is really something catchy and appealing for the young and the old market,” he shared. He admits he got hooked because of how the show was written and how the actors gave life to their roles and characters, quickly naming the kids among his favorite characters. “Will, Lucas, Mike, and Dustin, and of course si Eleven. Siya talaga ang favorite ko,” he said. “The way Millie Bobby Brown played the character is just flawless from the time she doesn’t know how to talk to the time that she was able to understand the full potential of her powers.” The 30-year-old actor said he felt surreal walking the red Gaten Matarazzo, who plays the role of Dustin, carpet along with the stars of a at the world premiere of Stranger Things 4 show he watched and followed from Season 1. “I just feel so in Brooklyn.

honored and happy to be invited to witness this,” he said. Richards immediately posted about his red carpet appearance for his 3.9 million followers on Instagram and captioned it with “When a dream turns into reality.”. The actor’s trip to New York was finalized last minute so he just squeezed in a couple of days in his busy schedule because he did not want to miss what he called an opportunity of a lifetime. He said he doesn’t have the luxury of time to visit his favorite NYC spots because he needs to fly back to Manila to resume shooting his new series Start Up with Bea Alonzo, the Philippine adaptation of the hit Korean series. The first volume of Stranger Things Season 4 will premiere on May 27 while the second volume drops on July 1.

Iñigo recalls audition for musical How director Mae Cruz-Alviar knew KathNiel would go a long way drama with Susan Sarandon by nathalie

tomaDa Philstar.com

by Dana

Cruz

Inquirer.net

IÑIGO Pascual looked back at his audition for the Hollywood musical drama “Monarch,” in which he now stars with the Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon. The actor-singer, who plays the 18-year-old Ace Grayson in the series, admitted he initially did not want to audition for “Monarch.” He said this in his conversation with celebrity doctor Vicki Belo, for the latter’s YouTube vlog on Thursday, May 19. “It came out of nowhere. I wasn’t planning on auditioning at all. I was like, ‘I’m not gonna do it because I’m not gonna get it,'” he narrated. Pascual was eventually convinced by his team to try for the role. They assured him that if he did not get the role, he would still have his career in the Philippines. “I did it (audition), I was two weeks late for the audition and then I was in the top four after the audition. Then we did the callbacks. After two days, sabi

Inigo Pascual and Susan Sarandon

nila (they said) ‘In a month’s time, you’re gonna have to move to Atlanta,'” he recounted. Pascual also expressed excitement for his first “American project,” especially since his character is a Filipino. “In a way, I’m kind of representing the Philippines. I’m playing a Filipino character. It just feels good to be able to do that, to be able to represent the Philippines and to be able to share my music through this project as well,” he said. When Belo pointed out that Pascual stars in the series with Sarandon and described her as “wonderful,” the actor agreed with a laugh. “She’s amazing,” he told Belo. “Monarch” follows the story of a “country music dynasty” in Texas, the Romans, headed by Dottie (Sarandon) and her husband Albie (Trace Adkins). Pascual’s character Ace is the adopted son of Nicky (Anna Friel) and grandson of Dottie and Albie. The series is produced by Fox Entertainment. It will premiere in late 2022, as per a release by the network.

BEFORE the premiere of Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla’s comeback series 2 Good 2 Be True, director Mae CruzAlviar was feeling equal measures of excitement and pressure. Speaking recently to direk Mae in a one-on-one interview, it wasn’t hard to see what she meant. She previously helmed two of the Kapamilya stars’ box-office hits, namely, Crazy Beautiful You (2015) and Can’t Help Falling In Love (2017), plus their bigscreen debut via the anthology film 24/7 In Love (2012). But 2 Good 2 Be True served as the reelto-real tandem’s return to their romantic-comedy roots. It was also setting a record as the first Filipino series to be screened on the international streamer Netflix, 72 hours before airing on free TV and other platforms. But as they say, success is worth any pressure. Following the May 13 debut, the ABS-CBN series has taken over the No. 1 spot in the list of most-watched TV shows on the OTT platform, as of writing. (The rest are K-dramas and a couple of Western content, although KathNiel’s old soap opera Pangako Sa’Yo — titled on Netflix as The Promise — is currently at No. 9.) In 2 Good 2 Be True, Kathryn and Daniel play the nurse Ali and car mechanic Eloy, respectively. A hotel heist in the pilot episode leads the two strangers to harbor suspicions and prejudices against each other. Ali tries her best to expose Eloy as the culprit and con artist, while the latter puts malice on her work relationship with wealthy, senior businessmen, including Hugo Agcaoili (played by veteran actor Ronaldo Valdez). As the show progresses, they will find out they are inextricably connected, more than they realize. Direk Mae disclosed that Kathryn and Daniel had a hand in or inputs on the casting and character development, as well as conceptualization and creation of the series, which was two years in Photo from Instagram/@inigopascual the making.

“They really want to do a romcom. They really want to do something like a love story. And they also want to do this for the fans because they know that there is a clamor for this,” she said. “When concepts were presented to them, they particularly liked this one and they had picked Ronaldo Valdez to be part of the show.” Mae has a long history with KathNiel. Besides movies, she got to direct them in the teleseryes Pangako Sa’Yo (2015) and La Luna Sangre (2017). These TV projects allowed her to witness their growth as actors and not just as a love team. In fact, the first time she worked with them both, she had an inkling that they would go places in showbiz. She recalled, “The first time I worked with them, which was 24/7 In Love, they were already a rising love team and hot na at that moment. Parang ako, I was wondering, ‘What is it about them that makes them hot or why are they so popular?’ And I can see why because they’re beautiful and they’re kilig together. So, when I saw how the crowd was reacting to them, I knew they would go a long way not only because of their physical appearance, but also their chemistry. “When we did Crazy Beautiful next, I saw that DJ (Daniel’s nickname), especially, was asking more questions about his character, how to attack it and already thinking even how he’d look... I knew then that he had become an actor… Hindi na siya yung ‘just a love team.’ He was an actor playing a role. And I knew with that kind of attitude, he’d go a long way together with Kathryn because they were working so well together,” she added. “Kath was also the same way. She was also asking the right questions about her character, the story… And how they were going to attack it — as a couple they’d discuss it, too. So, with that kind of partnership, I knew that they would go a long way,” she reiterated. For Mae, reuniting with KathNiel on 2 Good 2 Be True

2 Good 2 Be True director Mae (center) is proud to have witnessed Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla’s growth as actors and not just as the love team KathNiel. ABS-CBN photo

simply validated what she had seen all along. “When I saw them again after all the projects that they’ve done, ah kaya andyan pa sila up to now. Na it’s because they have maintained that maturity, professionalism and love for the craft,” she shared. What amused and surprised Mae though during the first few days of shooting 2 Good 2 Be True was how KathNiel was feeling nervous over this TV project. “Kath was so nervous because it’s been a long time since (they did rom-com). They were doing mostly endorsements and they did a sitcom. They were so nervous because tinatanong nila, ‘Marunong pa ba kami umarte? Parang kinakabahan kami.’ “To think of their stature, that they would still feel that way, it’s good because you know that they are on their toes. It’s not that they’re relaxed na or sobrang kampante na… They were excited and nervous at the same time. “And then, you can see that (acting) is something natural na sa kanila and that their experience showed even when they were nervous. Lalabas na kaya nila and of course, marunong sila umarte. They got the hang of it pa rin and nasanay ulit. Nanibago lang. But I saw that hindi nawala, from the first time that I saw them, that chemistry, charisma and professionalism,” said Mae. Nevertheless, the lady director

admitted it was a huge challenge making sure that KathNiel, who has starred in some 15 onscreen projects together, could still offer something exciting and fresh in 2 Good 2 Be True. “Such a big challenge actually, knowing that they have done so many love stories, so many kilig and romantic scenes together. In fact, when we do certain scenes, (we’d go), oh alam niyo na ‘to, ginawa niyo na ‘to,” she said. “But then when I read the script as a creator, as a director, sa akin palang, sa level ko palang, ‘No, they’ve done this so many times’ or ‘No, we have to give them something different.’ It’s such a challenge not only for them as actors, but for us as creators to tell the story differently so that it would be kilig in a different way.” Direk Mae boasts of a directing portfolio of successful romancedramas and romantic comedies, the most recent of which are Unbreakable, Four Sisters Before the Wedding and Love or Money. When asked for her secret to not running out of inspiration for a well-worn genre, she said she’s always on the lookout for ideas from her own experiences and those of others. “I love listening to the stories of other people. I always ask them what their love stories are, and I use that (as inspiration). So come on, tell me your stories, so I can show them,” she quipped.

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Features

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 19-25, 2022

11

Cox donates Chromebooks to Intermountain Beat the summer heat with salty Healthcare’s medical assistant training program and sweet: McDonald’s USA® debuts the Chocolatey Pretzel McFlurry®

IN celebration of National Nurses Week (May 6-12) and International Nurses Day (May 12), Cox Communications has donated 20 laptops, valued at $10,000, to Intermountain Healthcare’s new Medical Assistant Training program. The innovative, in-person, threemonth program was developed in partnership with NV Careers and Goodwill of Southern Nevada to help expand the number of medical assistants (MA) available to work in Intermountain Healthcare’s 60 Southern Nevada clinics and facilities. This jumpstart program allows unemployed and underemployed community members with no prior experience the ability to enter and diversify the healthcare workforce. In addition to coursework, apprentices must complete 1,200 clinical hours of training before full time employment as a MA I. Students work with current MA II and MA III that have successfully worked their way up Intermountain’s MA Career Ladder. Apprentices rotate through primary care, pediatrics and specialty clinics. The program provides a full-time paid apprenticeship at $16 an hour. “Access to healthcare and access to technology including internet connectivity are vital to keeping our local economy thriving,” said Cox Business Vice President Steve Westerman. “We’re happy to support Intermountain Healthcare’s future medical assistants by donating laptops to the program and information to help students connect to low-cost internet programs offered through Cox and the federal government.” After one year of employment, medical assistants are eligible to test for the Certified Medical Assistant credential that they can then use to continue a career in the field. “Making sure that these medical assistant students have access to dependable technology through low-cost internet and Chromebooks is a key to the success of them advancing through the didactic portions of this program,” says Intermountain Healthcare Region Chief Nursing Officer Keyona Cole. “It provides an equitable opportunity for the participants. We are thrilled to receive such a

generous donation from Cox and know that these laptops will be put to great use and benefit our community for the long term.” Intermountain’s nursing educators were instrumental in supporting the clinical portions of the program. Nursing education is one of the many roles the nursing profession has to offer. For more information about this program and to sign up for the next cohort in August, please visit http://www.goodwillvegas. org/90-day-ma. About Cox’s Affordability Program Cox, the largest private broadband company in America, is dedicated to ensuring digital equity for households of all incomes and economic statuses in Southern Nevada. Several affordable internet programs to available to qualifying households. To learn more about Cox’s dedication to digital equity and explore affordable internet tiers, please visit cox.com/ digitalequity. About Intermountain Healthcare With locations in seven states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Healthcare is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical

LAS VEGAS — Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) received the endorsements of 20 AAPI leaders across southern Nevada. These endorsements come several months before November’s general election, in which Congresswoman Lee’s seat will be critical in maintaining the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. “Our culture and economy in southern Nevada is stronger and more vibrant because of the contributions of our AAPI neighbors. Our AAPI community deserves a representative in Congress who will champion its interests and continue to help it rebuild after a difficult couple of years,” said Congresswoman Lee. “I will always deliver for my AAPI constituents, and I am looking forward to continuing to work so that our AAPI community continues to thrive.” “Congresswoman Lee’s support of the AAPI community has never wavered. Since she was elected to Congress and throughout the pandemic, she has stood beside us and fought for our interests in the face of discrimination and hate,” said Assemblywoman Rochelle Nguyen. “Her decisive actions in Washington saved our small businesses, eased the burden on our working families, and put us on the pathway to a swift recovery. I am pleased to endorse her and am eager to continue working with her to create a better future for all Nevadans.” “I support Congresswoman Lee, not only as a fellow elected but as her constituent,” said Assemblywoman Brittney Miller. “Congresswoman Lee continues to be visible, accessible and responsive to our AAPI community. I’m proud to have her represent and champion our issues in D.C.” "Congresswoman Lee has the back of southern Nevada's AAPI community. She has always made it a priority to listen to our concerns and be a representative voice for us in Washington," said Matt Kimball, labor leader. "Because of her, Asian-owned businesses are thriving and our local economy is bouncing back stronger than ever. I know that she will remain a staunch advocate for us throughout our recovery and beyond." “Congresswoman Lee knows what it takes for working families to get ahead. She has worked tirelessly in Congress to make sure all Nevadans have equal access to opportunities and that there are

good-paying union jobs to help us provide for our families,” said Gloria Caoile. “Congresswoman Lee cares that we have access to affordable healthcare, that our schools are successful and that our communities, including our AAPI community, are strong. I am proud to support her as she continues to fight for us in Washington.” Since entering office, Congresswoman Lee has been a champion for southern Nevada’s AAPI community. When the pandemic hit, she took action to pass the CARES Act and the American Rescue plan to send direct relief to struggling families and keep the doors of AAPI-owned businesses open. As the AAPI community experienced, and continues to face, hate crimes and discrimination throughout the pandemic, Congresswoman Lee also co-sponsored the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to strengthen the United States’ response to hate crimes during the pandemic and beyond. The following southern Nevada AAPI leaders have endorsed Congresswoman Lee for reelection in 2022: Assemblywoman Rochelle Nguyen (AD-10) Assemblywoman Cecelia González (AD-16) Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (AD-05) Erica Mosca, Candidate for Nevada Assembly District 14 Angelyn Tabalba, President, AAPI Democratic Caucus of Southern Nevada Caren Yap, Former Student Body President, UNLV Afan Tarar, Recording Secretary, AAPI Democratic Caucus of Southern Nevada Gloria Caoile, Community Activist Dr. Ikram Khan Minddie Lloyd, Chair, Bamboo Bridges Austin Wand, President, Siena Progressive Club Rhadika Kunnel Hieu Le, Executive Secretary, Nevada State Legislature Matt Kimball, Labor Leader Tim Wong Margie Gonzales, former Chair, Clark County AAPI Commission Helen Hsueh, Founder, Las Vegas Chinese Business Directory Harry Singh, Chair, Las Vegas India Chamber of Commerce Craig Valdez, AAPI Community Member Rozita Lee, National Advisor, National Federation of Filipino American Associations

The first new McFlurry of 2022 arrives to restaurants nationwide for a limited time starting May 25

Congresswoman Susie Lee receives endorsements from Southern Nevada AAPI leaders

groups with 3,800 employed physicians and advanced practice providers, a health plans division called SelectHealth with more than 1 million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs.

CHICAGO – Just in time for the start of summer, McDonald’s USA is releasing its first new McFlurry flavor of the year – the Chocolatey Pretzel McFlurry®. The frozen treat will be available starting May 25 for a limited time at participating restaurants nationwide. Each McFlurry is made with McDonald’s creamy vanilla soft serve, blended with chocolatecovered pretzel bits and topped with a rich caramel swirl – making it the perfect combination of salty and sweet. Is your mouth watering yet? Our fans know the Golden Arches is the place to be when a sweet and salty craving strikes – and we have just the perfect menu items to pair with the Chocolatey Pretzel McFlurry to hit the spot. If you have a sweet tooth… you’ll be SO excited to get a first taste of the rich chocolatey goodness and tasty caramel together. Even better, you’ll be first in line to compliment it with a scrumptious Apple Pie or a Chocolate Chip Cookie to satisfy your sweet craving. If you crave salty… you can’t wait to get a taste of the crunchy pretzel pieces. You’re definitely going to want to order a large World Famous Fry, or a

mouthwatering Big Mac® to pair with the dessert. Is there even such a thing as too much salt? As if. You can get your hands on the new Chocolatey Pretzel McFlurry,

along with the classic OREO® or M&M’s® McFlurry however you order your McDonald’s – in the restaurant, drive-thru or on the McDonald’s App for McDelivery. (Advertising Supplement)

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MAY 19-25, 2022 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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