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AUGUST 25-31, 2022
T HE F ILIPINO A MERICAN C OMMUNITY N EWSPAPER
Volume 33 - No. 34 • 12 Pages
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Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
US lawmakers hope Marcos gov’t will USA Biden administration uphold human rights during visit to PH says landmark Inflation DATELINE
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Reduction Act will benefit AAPI families
by GAEA
KATREENA Philstar.com
CABICO
LAWMAKERS from the United States were inspired by the courage of Filipinos who faced repression under the Duterte administration, and expressed hope that
the new government would set a new tone for the importance of human rights and press freedom, an American senator said. A U.S. congressional delegation led by Senator Edward Markey met with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., other government officials,
AHEAD of the contentious midterm elections, United States President Joe Biden secured a major victory for his administration by signing the Inflation Reduction Act, the long-awaited bill that, among other things, caps prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients. “The American people won, and the special interests lost,” Biden said, referencing Big Pharma companies that lobbied hard against efforts to lower prescription drug costs for lowincome Americans. Biden added, “Every single Republican in Congress sided with the special interests in this vote. That’s the choice we face: we can protect the already-powerful, or show the courage to build the future where everybody has an even shot.” Lower health care costs are among the more significant parts of the sweeping $430 billion spending package. For seniors, out-ofpocket prescription drug costs will be capped
Expansion plans include locations in Grand Central, Brooklyn; First Philadelphia store to open next month JOLLIBEE, the Filipino fast food brand aiming to become one of the world’s topfive restaurant chains, is taking America by storm with the opening of its new flagship restaurant in the heart of New York City’s Times Square. “Just being in Times Square today is giving me goosebumps. To be here has been a long dream for us at Jollibee. It’s really exciting and I know that our kababayans are also very excited about it,” Maribeth Dela Cruz, president, Jollibee Group North America, Philippine Brands told the Asian Journal during the opening on Thursday,
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Fil-Am man sentenced to 45 days in jail for role in Jan. 6 riot by AJPRESS
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‘Best fried chicken chain’ Jollibee opens flagship NYC location in Times Square
former lawmaker Leila de Lima and journalists last week. According to a release from Markey’s office, the delegation raised concerns about the human rights record of the previous government, and expressed
GOOD OUTLOOK. National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan presents an overview of the country’s economic situation during the 43rd National Conference of Employers Confederation of the Philippines at the Manila Ballroom, Marriott Hotel in Pasay City on Wednesday, Aug. 24. Balisacan said the Philippines is the best-performing economy among Asean member states, noting that it grew the fastest in 2021 and during the first half of 2022. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
THE Filipino American man who was famously photographed carrying a walis tambo (broom) during the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol has been sentenced to 45 days in jail. Kene Brian Lazo of Norfolk, Virginia was sentenced by a federal judge on Thursday, August 18 to 45 days in jail after being arrested in May 2021 for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol. He previously entered a not guilty plea to the charges in connection with the incident. Lazo wore a black helmet, googles, and an American flag cape while carrying a 'Captain America'-style shield and the Filipino broom. His shield carried messages like “FALSE MEDIA = COUP” and “PANDEMIC HOAX = COUP.” His May 28, 2021 arrest came following a tip from someone who recognized the Rodbustars, LLC logo on Lazo’s helmet in a post by Facebook user “Fam Council.” Reports indicate that Lazo and his wife are listed in public documents as owners of Rodbustars, and the FBI used
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What PH can learn from China’s reaction to Pelosi’s Taiwan visit by KAYCEE
VALMONTE Philstar.com
MANILA — After seeing how China reacted to visits to Taiwan by U.S. officials over the past weeks, analysts point out that the Philippines should prepare to build its capacity and form strategic alliances to defend its territories. Professor Herman Kraft, political science department chair at the University of the Philippines, noted that China’s playbook “is based on gray zones and short-term gains that [change] conditions on the ground in preparation for the next short-term objective.” “Our lesson here should be to be more active [in] matching the Chinese presence,
and asserting our own positions,” Kraft said. “Ceding ground to China by claiming that we are not capable of winning a war against them falls into the trap of looking at the issue from the Chinese perspective.” Beijing conducted its biggest-ever military exercises around Taiwan after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the selfgoverning island earlier this month. China had warned that her visit “seriously harms” its territorial integrity and said there would be consequences for Washington. Pelosi was the highest-ranked elected U.S. official to visit Taiwan in over two decades as Washington recently has been trying to build a strategic partnership with the democratic island.
MediaQuest and ABS-CBN announced on Thursday, August 11 a landmark deal to invest in TV5 – a transaction expected to be completed within this month. Photo shows (from left) Smart and PLDT president and CEO Alfredo Panlilio, MediaQuest Holdings president and CEO Jane Basas, MediaQuest Holdings chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, ABS-CBN chairman Mark Lopez, ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak and ABS-CBN chief partnership officer Bobby Barreiro. Philstar.com photo
ABS-CBN and TV5 deal won’t need OK Settle Paradigm lawsuit before from competition fighting again, Chavit tells Pacquiao commission – exec PAGE 4
Former senator and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao Philstar.com file photo
MANILA – Former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Crisologo “Chavit” Singson has advised former senator and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao to settle his lawsuit first with Paradigm Sports Management (PSM) before accepting exhibition fight offers. The 43-year-old Pacquiao has signed on to fight Korean YouTuber DK Yoo in an exhibition bout set in December, the proceeds of which would go to charity. But Singson, 81, believes that it is high time for the 43-year-
old Pacquiao to first reach out to those people who last year faced a setback by his decision not to fight under PSM brand despite having a signed contract. “I think he really needs to fix his problem with Paradigm Sports Management first before accepting any tune-up fights,” Singson said. “I don’t have any knowledge about the lawsuit, but it’s better for Manny to settle it [pending court case] first than not.” Pacquiao was sued by PSM CEO Audie Attar before the
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Superior Court of California for alleged breach of contract last year. PSM is seeking to recover $3.3 million it claims it paid Pacquiao in advance for a fight PSM is eyeing for the boxer. The court case is ongoing in California. “He really needs to settle all those problems — not only the court case but also his other concerns to other people — so that he can get a good tune-up fight,” Singson added. “If there’s no hindrance, that would be nice.”
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by DAPHNE
GALVEZ Inquirer.net
MANILA — The investment deal between media companies ABS-CBN and TV5 is “not notifiable” and does not need approval from the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), an official said on Wednesday, August 24. During a joint House committee hearing, PCC officer-in-charge Johannes Benjamin Bernabe said the transaction between the
two media firms did not meet the P50-million threshold set by the Bayanihan 2 law. Thus, the media entities have no obligation to notify the body of the investment deal since the transaction is not notifiable. The Bayanihan 2 law raised the threshold for mergers and acquisitions to P50 billion until September 15. “Based on this publicly available information, it appears to be that the transaction is not
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