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LAS VEGAS
AUGUST 18-24, 2022 Volume 33 - No. 33 • 12 Pages
T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER
2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 201 Las Vegas, NV 89109 Tel: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
DATELINE
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
PH immersion program for young Fil-Am leaders returns
US CDC adds PH to ‘high’ travel risk list THE United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added three countries, including the Philippines, to its “high” risk list for COVID-19. The Philippines, Russia, and Nepal were added to places with Level 3 or “high” risk designation. “Make sure you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before traveling to the Philippines. If you are not up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, avoid travel to the Philippines,” the CDC said on its
website. Level 3 applies to destinations that have had over 100 cases per 100,000 people in the past 28 days. The Department of Health recorded 28,008 additional cases—or 4,001 infections per day— from August 8 to 14. The figure was 3% higher than infections logged from a week before. The Philippines is once again seeing a spike in
AN immersion program in the Philippines for next-generation Filipino American leaders announced its return after a two-year hiatus from the pandemic. The Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) — has selected 10 to 15 high performing next-generation leaders who advance the Philippines and the Filipino people through their advocacy and expertise in various industries every year to travel to the Philippines — is now taking applications for its program scheduled for November. FYLPRO was established in 2012 by Former Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United States of America, Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. and Mrs. Victoria J. Cuisia in cooperation with the Ayala Foundation Inc. (AFI) to annually identify outstanding young professionals in the Filipino communities across the United States and provide the delegates with invaluable community, business, and government insights and access to distinguished network captains of industry and government. The organization recently celebrated its 10th anniversary "Reunite and Reconnect" weekend took place on July 21 to July 24,
Sen. Cortez Masto visits AAPI small businesses in Las Vegas’ Chinatown by AJPRESS
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Get a boost against COVID: What you need to know about boosters COVID vaccines and boosters have reduced the threat of COVID, allowing many people to gather, travel, and celebrate with more peace of mind. Vaccines and boosters provide the best protection against the worst outcomes of COVID, yet people still have many questions around boosters. As of August 10, CDC data showed that while Asian Americans were among the highest boosted group—with nearly 70 percent of those eligible having received their first booster doses—only 14 percent of fully vaccinated Asian Americans 50 years or older have gotten their second booster. First booster rates are still low for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, with less than half of the population age 5 and older receiving their first booster doses. To that end, the We Can Do This COVID-19 Public Education Campaign has engaged community-based organizations as partners to increase vaccine and booster uptake across the country.
infections fueled by the presence of fast-spreading variants, increased mobility, and waning vaccine immunity of the population. Despite the increase in cases, the Philippines remained at low risk for COVID-19 spread. The country has confirmed 3.8 million COVID-19 cases, with 61,078 fatalities, since the health crisis began in 2020. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/Philstar.com)
US-PH TIES. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. meets with the U.S. Congressional Delegation headed by Senator Edward Markey at Malacañang Palace in Manila on Thursday, Aug. 18. Marcos expressed hope for an improved Philippines-U.S. cooperation in the fields of economics, energy and agriculture. Malacañang photo
SENATOR Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) recently joined Asian American and Pacific Islander community leaders on a tour of Las Vegas-area businesses. Cortez Masto joined Clark County Planning Commissioner Duy Nguyen and small business owners Nelson Huynh of District One and Hang Wong of Matcha Maiko on the tour and to talk about issues facing their respective businesses. "I’m honored to be here with Nelson and Hang to celebrate the success of their restaurants right here in Chinatown," said Cortez Masto. “I will always fight to make sure our families and small businesses have the support they need to grow and thrive in Nevada.” “Without the help of Senator Cortez Masto, we would have not been able to get the relief loans we needed to stay open through the pandemic,” said Hang Wong, owner of Matcha Maiko. “We are honored to show her all that we have accomplished today, and she will always have our support at Matcha Maiko.” Cortez Masto, who is running for re-election, in May introduced the bipartisan Supporting New Businesses Act, which would make it easier to start and grow a new
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Marcos says to extend state of public health emergency until year-end
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Wednesday, August 17 he will be extending the state of public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic until year-end. Asked by a reporter whether he will lengthen the state of public health emergency, which is different from the state of national calamity also declared due to COVID-19, Marcos answered in the affirmative. Saying that amending emergency procurement laws could take time, he told reporters at the sidelines of a vaccination event in Manila that “we will likely extend it (state of public health emergency) until the end of the year.” A state of public health emergency was u PAGE 3
first declared in March 2020 by then President Rodrigo Duterte in Proclamation No. 922 as the country logged its first 10 cases of COVID-19. The proclamation provides that the state of public health emergency “shall remain in force and effect until lifted or withdrawn by the president.” This has never been lifted or withdrawn. What is expiring on September 12 is the declaration of a state of calamity which allows national and local governments to tap into In the latest iteration of its list, the Sy siblings of SM fame topped Forbes’ wealthiest by raking funds allocated for disasters to respond to the in $12.6 billion but saw their net worth drop by $4 billion. ongoing health crisis. Duterte first declared a state of calamity due to COVID-19 on March 16, 2020, which
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Fil-Am ex-congressman arrested on dozens of fraud charges FRESNO, California – FBI investigators on Tuesday, August 16 arrested Filipino American former Central Valley congressman Terrance John “TJ” Cox on dozens of fraud charges. A 28-count indictment was unsealed Tuesday at the Eastern District of California charging Cox, 59, with 15 counts of wire fraud, 11 counts of money laundering, one count of financial institution fraud, and one count of campaign contribution fraud. Former Central Valley congressman Terrance According to the indictment, John “TJ” Cox
Cox perpetrated multiple fraud schemes targeting companies he was affiliated with and their clients and vendors. He was booked at Fresno County Jail. Cox is accused of creating unauthorized off-the-books bank accounts and into which he allegedly diverted over $1.7 million in client and company funds, investments and loans through false representations and promises. Cox allegedly received mortgage loan funds from a lender to buy property purportedly for his use
as primary residence, submitting multiple false representations, including fabricated bank statements. However, Cox allegedly bought the property to rent it to someone else. The indictment also accuses Cox of fraudulently getting a $1.5-million construction loan to develop a recreation area in Fresno known as Granite Park. Cox and his business partner’s nonprofit could not qualify for the construction loan without a financially viable party
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Sys of SM retain wealthiest title in Forbes’ 2022 list by RAMON
ROYANDOYAN Philstar.com
MANILA — The Forbes’ list of the Philippines’ wealthiest featured the same names as the annual ranking saw minimal movement ranking this year despite some declining net worths. In the latest iteration of its list, the Sy siblings of SM fame topped Forbes’ wealthiest by raking in $12.6 billion but saw their net worth drop by $4 billion. SM Investments Corp., reported its unaudited net income in the first half of 2022 rose 28.39% year-onyear to P35.4 billion. Property mogul Manuel Villar
trailed behind the Sys, garnering a $7.8 billion wealth. Forbes said Villar is this year’s biggest dollar gainer. Landing in third was Enrique Razon Jr. and his logistics empire despite a slightly down net worth of $5.6 billion. Net worth was computed by Forbes’ based on stock prices and exchange rates as of July 22. Forbes noted that the minimum net worth that made their list was $185 million, slightly declining from the $200 million recorded last year. Rounding out the top were Lance Gokongwei and his siblings ($3.1 billion), Aboitiz family ($2.9
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