053024 - Las Vegas Edition

New help for dealing with aggression in people with dementia

CARING for older adults with dementia is stressful, especially when they become physically or verbally aggressive, wander away from home, develop paranoia or hallucinations, engage in inappropriate or repetitive behaviors, or refuse to let caregivers help them.

Upward of 95% of patients experience these neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia, which tend to fluctuate over time and vary in intensity. They’re the primary reasons people with dementia end up in assisted living facilities or nursing homes. At some point, families and friends trying to help at home simply can’t manage.

“When people think about dementia, they usually think about forgetfulness and memory impairment,” said Mary Blazek, director of the geriatric psychiatry clinic at

Disaggregated data is America’s super power: It’s crucial to be counted

DISAGGREGATED data could play a major role in resolving the U.S.’s health care inequities, revealing information about diverse populations that have not previously been counted. Standards for federal data collection have not changed since 1997. But in a monumental move, the Office of Management and Budget March 28 announced new standards for data collection, to be implemented by the Census Bureau and other federal agencies.

Most significantly, changes in reclassification allows Middle Easterners and North Africans to be identified as a racial category, a move the MENA community has fought for for several years.

Granular data

The new standards — which will be implemented over 5 years — require federal agencies to use one combined question for race and ethnicity. Respondents can select multiple

DFA: China’s Coast Guard rules violate international law

by Dona Z. PaZZIbugan Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Philippines warned China that it would be “in direct violation of international law” if it orders its coast guard to detain for up to 60 days without trial supposed “trespassers” in the West Philippine Sea where the Philippines has jurisdiction.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said China’s coast guard regulations, set to take effect on June 15, may not be applied in other states’ territories, maritime zones or jurisdictions and would “violate other sovereign states’ rights and entitlements under international law.” Domestic laws “cannot be

applied nor enforced in the high seas under international law,” added the DFA.

“China would be in direct violation of international law should it enforce these new regulations in the waters and maritime features within the illegal, null and void, and expansive 10-dash line, which would effectively cover areas of the West Philippine Sea where the Philippines has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, or in the high seas,” the DFA said in a statement on Sunday, May 26.

The DFA reminded China that its domestic laws should “abide by its commitments and obligations under international law,” particularly the 1982 United

Under the new regulations announced on May 15, the Chinese coast guard was authorized to interrogate and detain for up to 30 days, and up to 60 days in some cases

suspected of crossing

Alice Guo may have lied about Filipino mother – senators

MANILA — Two senators said it is possible that Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo's parents were both Chinese after all based on the investigation of one senator's team who found that Valenzuela City residents allegedly knew Guo's mother to be a certain Chinese national named "Lin Wen Yi."

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said in a Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday, May 29 that contrary to the Bamban mayor's testimony

that her mother was a Filipino housekeeper, a certain "Lin Wen Yi" was introduced as Guo's mother to the people of Valenzuela City, where the Guo family used to have a business.

"Wen Yi was introduced as [Guo's] mother to the locals there, where she rented a warehouse. Based on my personal assessment, this might be Alice Guo's biological mother. Based on my investigation," Gatchalian said in Filipino.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Thursday, May 30 bared documents showing that

President Marcos signs ‘Eddie Garcia’ law

by Jean MangaLuZ Inquirer.net

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed the “Eddie Garcia” law, said the Palace on Tuesday, May 28. Republic Act 11996 was named after the multi-awarded veteran actor, Eddie Garcia (Eduardo Verchez Garcia), who died on June 20, 2019. The 90-year-old actor suffered a neck injury after he tripped and fell while shooting for an upcoming “teleserye.”

“No agreement or employment contract shall discriminate against a worker who has contracts or projects with other production outfits unless exclusivity is specified in the contract, nor shall any person perform any act involving preference based on race,

NAIA quarantine on alert vs ‘COVID FLiRT’

by benJaMIn Vergara ManilaTimes.net

MANILA — Passengers who have just arrived from other countries are the top priority for Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) quarantine officers.

This policy came to force after the issuance of a Bureau of Quarantine (BoQ) of the Department of Health (DoH) memorandum instructing quarantine personnel, as well as other government agencies stationed at airports nationwide to increase alertness for the COVID FLiRT variant.

"We are facing a new COVID-19 strain that has the KP.1 and KP.2 variations, which are part of a newly discovered sub-variants identified as 'FLiRT', a novel virus that is spreading globally," the BoQ memorandum said. It further said that the virus came from the

JN.1 subvariant, which first became known in late 2023, and was responsible for this year's earlier infection increase.

"In light of this, all stations have been directed to conduct thorough screening at Points of Entry for arriving visitors originating from countries where COVID FLiRT incidents have been detected. The general public should take basic health measures such as frequent hand washing, coughing etiquette, avoiding crowded situations and getting in contact with people with flu-like symptoms," the BoQ said.

The BoQ memorandum, which was issued on May 24, 2024 also advised all travelers to fill out the health questionnaire that is accessible on the e-travel application.

For those who develop signs and symptoms of COVID-19, home isolation is advised. For any concerns, reach out to the Department of Health at (02) 8651-7800 or 894-COVID. g

by Ian LaquI Inquirer.net

MANILA — The camp of fugitive doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy said that they will appeal to the Supreme Court (SC) its decision to transfer the child and sexual abuse cases in Davao City to a Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Quezon City.

Israelito Torreon, one of Quiboloy’s lawyers, said that the case was decided based only on “the unfounded and unsubstantiated claims of bias in Davao City courts” which may be interpreted as “an attack on the judiciary as a whole.”

“Such claims tend to diminish the confidence of the public in our judicial system just because of locational concerns,” Torreon said

a certain "Lin Wen Yi" lived in the same address as the Bamban mayor. Hontiveros cited documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission that showed Guo's co-incorporations in at least seven of her busiensses were the following: her siblings Shiela L. Guo and Siemen L. Guo, her father Jian Zhong Guo, and Lin Wen Yi. The senator said that the identity of Guo's mother is "crucial" to the issue as it would prove that Guo had been lying under oath during Senate hearings. Hontiveros chairs the the Senate

in a message to the members of the press.

Quiboloy's lawyer also said that they never heard about the ruling which violatesa due process. "All such papers shall be submitted to the Office of the Court of Administrator for transmission to the Supreme Court. Such procedure has not been followed in this case as we did not even receive a copy of the petition itself," Torreon said.

On May 28, the SC has granted the request of the Department of Justice to transfer the preacher’s cases from the Davao City RTC to Quezon City RTC. The court said that it found compelling reasons to justify the transfer as the cases involve public

The late Eddie Garcia Inquirer.net file photo

NOTICE TO ELECTORS OF CLOSE OF REGISTRATION FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTION

TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 2024

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, Lorena S. Portillo, the Registrar of Voters of Clark County, Nevada, will conduct a registration of qualified electors for the Primary Election to be held on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.

Any qualified elector whose name does not appear on the official registry list may apply for registration by mail, in-person, online, or through same day registration in the manner approved by law according to the deadlines listed below. (NRS 293.3568, 293.560, 293.565, 293.5832, 293.5837, 293.5842, 293.5852)

The deadlines to register for the first time or update your existing voter registration by mail or online in time for the June 11, 2024, Primary Election and still receive a mail ballot are below. After those dates pass, voters who wish to register for the first time, or make changes to their existing registration information will have to do so through the same-day registration process, either online or in-person (at an Early Voting site or on Election Day at a Vote Center). New registrants will be required to vote a provisional ballot in-person at any early voting site or on Election Day at any Vote Center. We strongly encourage all qualified electors to register to vote or update their existing voter registration as soon as possible.

2024 PRIMARY ELECTION VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINES AND HOURS

Method of Registering Dates Hours

Through the mail, government agencies, or in person voter registration application to: Clark County Election Center

965 Trade Drive, Suite A North Las Vegas, NV 89030

Online, only at www.RegistertoVoteNV.gov, and must have a valid Nevada DMV issued ID or Driver’s License

Same Day Registration (In-Person), must have a valid Nevada DMV issued ID, Driver’s License, or Nevada Tribal Identification Card (per NRS 232.006)

Tuesday, May 14 (Deadline)

7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Closed

Tuesday, May 28, 2024 (Deadline) to receive a mail ballot or vote a regular ballot in-person at any Early Voting site or Election Day Vote Center.

May 29–June 11 (Online Same Day Registration), must show ID at any early voting site or at Election Day Vote Center and may only vote a provisional ballot in-person at any Early Voting site or Election Day Vote Center.

May 25–June 11 at all Early Voting sites, during voting hours, and on Election Day at all Vote Centers, by close of polls

CITY CLERK’S OFFICE VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINES AND HOURS (Mail or Over the Counter)

Location Dates Hours

Boulder City

City Clerk’s Office

401 California Avenue

Boulder City, Nevada

City of Henderson

City Clerk’s Office

240 Water Street

Henderson, Nevada

City of Las Vegas

City Clerk’s Office

495 S. Main Street

2nd Floor

Las Vegas, Nevada

City of Mesquite

City Clerk’s Office

10 E. Mesquite Blvd. Mesquite, Nevada

City of North Las Vegas

City Clerk’s Office

2250 Las Vegas Blvd.

North Las Vegas, Nevada

Monday–Thursday

Tuesday, May 14 (Deadline)

Monday–Thursday

Tuesday, May 14 (Deadline)

Monday–Thursday

Tuesday, May 14 (Deadline)

Monday–Thursday Friday

Tuesday, May 14 (Deadline)

Monday–Thursday

Tuesday, May 14 (Deadline)

7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Closed

7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Closed

7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

7:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Closed

7:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

7:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Saturday and Sunday Closed

7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

8:00 a.m.–5:45 p.m.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Closed

8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

A qualified elector who possesses a Nevada driver’s license or DMV-issued identification Card, and wishes to receive a mail ballot, may register or update his/her voter registration information online until 11:59 p.m., on May 28, 2024, exclusively at www. RegistertoVoteNV.gov, (Nevada Secretary of State website). Those qualified electors who register online from May 23, 2024, to June 11, 2024, will not receive a mail ballot, must vote in person at an Early Voting site or on Election Day at a Vote Center, may only vote a provisional ballot, and must be prepared to show their Nevada Driver’s License, DMV-issued Identification Card, Nevada DMV Interim Document, or Nevada Tribal ID (per NRS 232.006) prior to voting.

Nevada and federal law require first-time registrants to provide an identifying number (Nevada Driver’s License number or the last four digits of their Social Security Number). If these do not match the records maintained by the Department of Motor Vehicles or Social Security Administration, the registrant will be required to present identification before being allowed to vote. Forms of current and valid identification include a photo identification with registrant’s name and current physical address (Nevada Driver’s License, Nevada I.D. Card) OR a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or document issued by a government entity, listing the registrant’s name and current physical address. These individuals have been notified.

For more information, call the Clark County Election Department at (702) 455-8683.

DATED: 16th of May, 2024

DFA: China’s Coast Guard rules...

claimed waters.

Beijing issued the order as the Chinese coast guard has lately been aggressively blocking Philippine vessels at Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, areas that lie within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer (200-nautical mile) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea.

China continues to claim most of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, despite the July 12, 2016, ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated China’s sweeping claims and upheld the Philippines’ EEZ.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called China’s regulations “unacceptable” while Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. called it a “provocation and violation of the United Nations

charter.”

Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said the illegal regulations affect not only the Philippines but “every country in the world, theoretically.”

Aside from the Philippines and China, other claimants to the South China Sea features are Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.

‘Advisory opinion’

The DFA again urged China to abide by the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea after the ruling was repeatedly cited by the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos) in its May 21 “advisory opinion” on the obligation of states to protect the marine environment from the impact of climate change.

“This bolsters and reinforces the legitimacy of the final and binding 2016 arbitration award, and its unassailable status as part of the corpus of international law,” the DFA said on Saturday, May 25.

“The Philippines therefore takes this opportunity to reiterate its continuing call for full compliance with the award,” it added.

The DFA said 26 states or groups of states also cited the arbitral award as a legal authority in their respective statements during the Itlos proceedings. China, which has refused to recognize the arbitral ruling, participated in the proceedings along with the Philippines and several other nations.

In the first international judicial opinion on state obligations concerning climate change, the Itlos said states are under obligation to take all necessary measures to control maritime pollution from greenhouse gas emissions.

The tribunal also said states are under special obligation to protect and preserve the marine ecosystem from the impact of climate change. g

President Marcos signs ‘Eddie Garcia...

color, descent, national or ethnic origin, or religion, which has the purpose or effect of nullifying the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise on an equal footing of any human right or fundamental freedom,” said the new law.

In addition to this, the new law mandates work hours, wages, other non-wage benefits, and more for movie and television workers.

According to the new law, workers and employers must also have an agreement executed in a language or dialect that is understood by both parties.

Employers violating the law have a fine of up to P100,000 for the first offense, P200,000 for the second offense, and up to P500,000 for the third and succeeding offenses.

“If the violation is committed by a corporation, trust or firm, partnership, association or any other entity, the fines shall be imposed upon the entity’s responsible officers, including, but not limited to, the executive producer, producer, production manager, and business unit manager,” the law said. The measure passed the final reading in the Senate in February. g

Alice Guo may have lied about Filipino...

Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, which has been leading an inquiry into the Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub raided in Tarlac due to complaints of human trafficking.

Guo was accused of having links to the POGO hub and has invited the ire of senators for her apparent inconsistent answers about her true identity. Among others, the Senate hearing has found irregularities in her birth certificate and the nationality listed for her father, who was labeled a Filipino despite being a Chinese national.

"If it turns out that her mother is Chinese and her father is also Chinese, it will prove that Mayor Alice is not Filipino. If this is true, the bigger question is: why did she need to pretend? Why the

secrecy and lies?" Hontiveros said in Filipino. Hontiveros said that Guo has been "lying through her teeth" by fabricating information about her siblings, and possibly, her mother.

The senator also referenced travel records that show Jian Zhong Guo and Lin Wen Yi traveled together at least 170 times over six years, prompting her to question their true relationship.

"Are they all related? Is this one big, dubious family business? As Sen. Win also noted, travel records show that Jian Zhong Guo and Lin Wen Yi traveled together at least 170 times in six years. Are they just business partners or are they actually married?" Hontiveros said.

The senator also sent the media a Bureau of Internal Revenue document detailing the birthdates and addresses of Bamban

Mayor Guo’s co-incorporators, purportedly her family members.

The document indicated that Lin Wen Yi was born in 1971, which would mean she was only 15 years old when Alice was born and 13 years old when she had another daughter, Sheila L. Guo, who Alice has acknowledged as her sister. Hontiveros also bared an additional source suggesting that Mayor Guo’s mother is known as "Winnie," possibly a Filipinized version of Lin Wen Yi. "Why the secrecy? Who is this family? Why are they surrounded by mystery? We will get to the bottom of this," the senator said. The Senate panel will hold an executive session during the sine die adjourment to look into the more sensitive details concerning Guo and the POGO hub in Bamban. g

Disaggregated data is America’s super power...

options on how they identify. Advocates say the granular data will also help determine the allocation of federal funds, and could impact redistricting.

Federal agencies can opt out if they are able to justify that the new process for data collection is too difficult. Hardware and software is largely outdated at many agencies, and may lead to delays in implementing the new standards. Federal agencies will initially have 18 months to develop their structures for collecting data.

“When it comes to the health and viability of our democracy, we simply must have systems in place that count for the lived experiences of our diverse population. And that’s why this moment in time, is in many ways, a racial reckoning in this country,” said Dr. Gail Christopher, executive director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity and director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s National Commission to Transform Public Health Data Systems.

Structural racism

Changes in data collection will attempt to address the structural racism embedded within so many systems in the US including health care, said Christopher. “This is the first step in terms of what has to be done to transform our data systems and to disaggregate our data so that it is a more accurate representation of our superpower, our diverse communities.”

“We all benefit when our resources are allocated in ways that will give everyone an opportunity to truly thrive,” she said.

Christopher spoke at a May 17 Ethnic Media Services news briefing, organized in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to promoting health equity. Other speakers at the briefing advocated for the importance of accurate data collection, in part, by sharing their own rich narratives.

Model minority myth

Tina Kauh, senior program officer within the ResearchEvaluation-Learning Unit of RWJF, spoke of her Korean American parents, who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1970s, and owned a corner shop in Philadelphia,

Pennsylvania. “They worked 14 or 15 hour days, seven days a week. The well-known model minority myth would claim people like my parents were thriving because they were such ‘hard workers.’ But I saw firsthand how the challenges that they faced impacted their social, emotional, and physical health and well-being.”

Her parents’ experience was shared by many other AAPI families, but there were few narratives about their struggles, said Kauh. As a researcher, she said, it was nearly impossible to find funding to study the health and well-being of Asian Americans, because data did not exist.

‘So little data’

Though Asian Americans currently constitute 6% of the population, less than 1% of National Institutes of Health funding is directed towards studying Asian health. Kauh said that, as a funder now, she often finds it difficult to justify funding for Asian American research. “There is so little data to demonstrate why it is necessary.”

“With the changes recently made by the OMB, we now have an exciting opportunity to improve how race and ethnicity data are collected, analyzed, reported, and disseminated to advance health equity. This is a key step that will better reflect the nation’s diversity and lead to more equitable distribution of resources,” said Kauh. She hoped that the new standards would be adopted by public and private agencies outside of the federal government.

Invisible in the data

Born of a Haitian mother and an Indian father, Meeta Anand, senior program director of Census and Data Equity at The Leadership Conference Education Fund, had no box to check on forms as she was growing up. “There was no such thing as multi-select. There was no opportunity to truly reflect who I was. And so I hung out in that famous ‘other’ box.”

She noted that organizations have some concerns about a single combined question. “But what’s great about this is that you can check Asian and Black. You can check Asian and Hispanic. You can check two different ethnicities within Hispanic.”

“As we start seeing more Meetas

come into the U.S., and more people from different backgrounds meeting in our country and having their own children, we continue to see diversification. We need to allow people to see themselves in the form,” said Anand.

The Leadership Conference will be scrutinizing federal agencies who opt out, said Anand. “’It’s too hard to change our systems’ should not be an acceptable answer.”

Mixed race Latinos

In the 2020 Census, 35% of Latinos in 2020 marked that they were of some other race, and 8% of all respondents left that question actually blank, said Juan Rosa, national director of Civic Engagement at the NALEO Educational Fund. “27 million out of 63 million that were counted in the census did not see themselves reflected in those race categories. So for us, it’s very important for the community to allow itself to self-respond in the way that their houses are actually composed.” Rosa was born in the Dominican Republic, but identifies as Black, as do many in his community. A pivotal moment in recognizing his identity came in the fall of 2020, when he had a lung infection not related to COVID.

“I went into my neighborhood doctor just to check. And it’s an African-American doctor with African-American nurses. I’m having a lot of trouble walking at this point, let alone filling out a questionnaire. A nurse walked me through it and was filling it out herself.”

Implementation

“When it came to ask about race, the nurse automatically filled out Black for me. And out of all the things that I remember from that time, aside from being in the hospital for 10 days afterward, was that nurse and the vindication and the acknowledgement and the visibility that I got at one of the lowest points of my life,” said Rosa. “So I have a very personal relationship to the work that we do.”

Over the next few years, NALEO will also be monitoring how the Census Bureau implements the new OMB standards, with a focus on how Afro-Latinos like himself will be represented by the new forms, said Rosa. (Sunita Sohrabji/ Ethnic Media Services)

VICE-PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN & HONORING the ACCOMPLISHMENTS and DIVERSITY of the

ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN and PACIFIC ISLANDER (AANHPI) COMMUNITY

The Biden - Harris Administration is DELIVERING FOR THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY BY:

Lowering the costs of health care and prescription drug price for over 2 million AANHPI seniors

Lowering the costs of child care and elder care, and housing

Creating over 1.6 million new jobs for the AANHPI community

Providing student loan debt relief to over 4.5 million Americans, with plans to expand to over 25 million more — many of whom are from OUR community Together we’ve achieved so much— LET’S FINISH THE JOB!

Karagdagang kaalaman sa Filipino (Tagalog) ay makikita rin sa website ng Lalawigan ng Clark Kagawaran ng Halalan sa www.clarkcountynv.gov/vote.

NOTICE OF EARLY VOTING FOR THE 2024 PRIMARY ELECTION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that early voting for the June 11, 2024, Primary Election begins on May 25, Saturday, and continues through June 7, Friday. Any voter registered in Clark County is eligible to vote at any early voting location. Same-day registration will be available for persons who are eligible to vote but are not currently registered to vote. They must have a Nevada Driver’s License, Nevada Identification Card, Nevada DMV “Interim Document,” or Tribal Identification per NRS 232.006. Same-day updates of existing registration will also be available.

The early voting locations, dates, and times are listed below. All voting sites are ADA compliant. For additional information, call the Clark County Election Department at (702) 455-VOTE (8683). The TTY/TDD number is 711. Also check online at www.ClarkCountyNV. gov/vote.

Primary Election

Early Voting Sites / Mail Ballot Drop-Off Locations

May 25 (Saturday) to June 7 (Friday), 2024

All early voting sites are also mail ballot drop-off locations during the listed dates and times.

Unforeseen events or circumstances may cause changes to early voting locations or hours of operation. For updates, see our website at www.ClarkCountyNV.gov/vote or call (702) 455-VOTE (8683).

Any registered voter in Clark County may vote in-person before Election Day at any early voting site instead of voting by mail.

You may also drop off your voted mail ballot in-person at any early voting site during the specific dates and times in this schedule. In your sample ballot or online at www. ClarkCountyNV.gov/vote, see the listings for “Election Day Vote Centers…” and “Additional Mail Ballot Drop-Off Locations” for other drop-off options. You must still sign the outside of the postage-paid return envelope provided specifically for you, showing your name and address, and seal your voted ballot inside of this envelope before you deposit it in the drop box. Do not put your ballot in another voter’s return envelope.

If you decide to vote in-person instead of by mail, you will need to do one of the following:

• If you have your mail ballot, surrender it in the packet sent to you to an election official at the voting site.

• If you do not have your mail ballot but had received it in the mail, you will sign an affirmation at the voting site swearing that you have not already voted in the current election and that you understand no one may attempt to vote or vote more than once in the same election.

Arroyo Market Square, EVENT TENT

Parking Lot Near The Men’s

(Sat.-Thu.)

9am-6pm

6 (Sat.-Thu.) ............... 9am-7pm

Albertsons, 3010 W. Ann Rd. / Simmons May 29-31 (Wed.-Fri.) ........................ 9am-6pm Albertsons, 10140 W. Flamingo / Hualapai May

Desert Breeze Community Center

8275 Spring Mountain Rd. / S. Cimarron Rd.

Galleria at Sunset Kohl’s Court, 1st Floor

1300 W. Sunset Rd., East of N. Stephanie St.

Henderson City Hall

240 S. Water St. / W. Basic Rd.

May

June 7 (Fri.) ..................................... 9am-8pm

May 25-June 6 (Sat.-Thu.) ............... 9am-6pm

June 7 (Fri.) ..................................... 9am-7pm

May 25 and June 1 (Sat.) ................ 11am-8pm

May 26 and June 2 (Sun.) ............... 11am-6pm

May 27-31 (Mon.-Fri.) ...................... 11am-7pm

June 3-6 (Mon.-Thurs.) .................... 11am-7pm

June 7 (Fri.) ..................................... 11am-8pm

May 25 (Sat.) ................................... 8am-5pm

May 26-27 (Sun.-Mon.) .................... CLOSED

May 28-June 1 (Tue.-Sat.) ............... 8am-5pm

June 2 (Sun.) ................................... CLOSED

June 3-7 (Mon.-Fri.) ......................... 8am-5pm Las Vegas Athletic Club – Decatur, EVENT TENT Parking Lot, 6050 N. Decatur Blvd. / W. Tropical Pkwy.

Rainbow, EVENT TENT

N. Rainbow Blvd., South of W. Lake Mead Blvd.

9855 Gilespie St. / E. Silverado Ranch Blvd.

May 25-June 6 (Sat.-Thu.) ............... 9am-7pm

June 7 (Fri.) ..................................... 9am-8pm

May 25-June 6 (Sat.-Thu.) ............... 9am-7pm

June 7 (Fri.) ..................................... 9am-8pm

May 25-27 (Sat.-Mon.) .................... CLOSED

May 28-30 (Tue.-Thu.) .................... 8am-5pm

May 31-June 2 (Fri.-Sun.) ............... CLOSED

June 3-6 (Mon.-Thu.) ...................... 8am-5pm

June 7 (Fri.) .................................... CLOSED

May 25 and June 1 (Sat.) ............... 11am-8pm

May 26 and June 2 (Sun.) ............. 11am-6pm

May 27-31 (Mon.-Fri.) .................... 11am-7pm

June 3-6 (Mon.-Thurs.) .................. 11am-7pm

June 7 (Fri.) ................................... 11am-8pm

May 25-June 6 (Sat.-Thu.) ............... 9am-7pm June 7 (Fri.) ..................................... 9am-8pm

May 25-June 6 (Sat.-Thu.) ............... 9am-7pm June 7 (Fri.) ..................................... 9am-8pm

CLOSED

June 3-6 (Mon.-Thu.) ...................... 8am-5pm June 7 (Fri.) .................................... CLOSED

May 25-June 6 (Sat.-Thu.) ............... 9am-7pm June 7 (Fri.) ..................................... 9am-8pm

May 25-June 6 (Sat.-Thu.) ............... 9am-7pm June 7 (Fri.) ..................................... 9am-8pm

May 25-June 6 (Sat.-Thu.) ............... 9am-7pm June 7 (Fri.) ..................................... 9am-8pm West Flamingo Senior Center 6255 W. Flamingo Rd. / S. Jones Blvd.

May 25-26 & June 1-2 (Sat.-Sun.) ... CLOSED

May 27-31 (Mon.-Fri.) .................... 9am-6pm June 3-6 (Mon.-Thurs.) .................. 9am-6pm June 7 (Fri.) ................................... 9am-7pm

Dated this 16th of May, 2024 LORENA PORTILLO

City of North Las Vegas Ballot Question 1

Streets, Parks, and Fire Stations Property Tax Override Question

Shall the City Council of the City of North Las Vegas be authorized to maintain a tax rate of $0.2350 per $100 of assessed valuation for a period of 30 years to be used exclusively to fund the costs to acquire, improve, equip, operate and maintain streets, parks, and fire stations? The tax rate shall commence upon the expiration of the existing tax rate on July 1, 2025. The cost for the owner of a new $100,000 home is estimated to be up to $82.25 per year. Tax rates will not be increased as a result of approval of this question.

City of North Las Vegas Ballot Question 2

Public Safety Property Tax Override Question

Shall the City Council of the City of North Las Vegas be authorized to maintain a tax rate of $0.20 per $100 of assessed valuation for a period of 30 years to be used exclusively to fund the operating expenses for public safety and equipment and other expenses for the Police Department and Community Correctional Center? The tax rate shall commence upon the expiration of the existing tax rate on July 1, 2027. The cost for the owner of a new $100,000 home is estimated to be up to $70 per year. Tax rates will not be increased as a result of approval of this question.

Las Vegas Nevada Democrats kick off early voting with traditional kamayan celebration

ON the first day of early vote on Wednesday, May 29, and in honor of AAPI Heritage Month, Nevada Democrats and Team Biden-Harris Nevada hosted a traditional Filipino Kamayan feast. During the event, Senator Jacky Rosen, Congresswoman Susie Lee, and NV Dems Chair Daniele Monroe-Moreno discussed the pivotal role of AAPI voters in Nevada in this election and how Democrats have delivered for the AAPI community.

Kamayan is a traditional Filipino feast laid out along large banana leaves and prepared for a group to eat with their hands. Nevada is home to one of the fastest-growing AAPI populations in the country with a majority identifying as Filipino.

This event is just one of community events where Democrats and team Biden-Harris are engaging with voters ahead of the election.

The Biden-Harris Administration has delivered the most equitable economic recovery on record with nearly 15 million jobs created, including historic AAPI small business growth. President Biden is working to ensure equal access to a highquality education, expand affordable healthcare for children and families, combat hate, improve disaster recovery, preserve indigenous heritage and lands, and protect civil rights by advancing language access and data equity. g

OpiniOn Features

Avoiding FLiRT

TRAVEL restrictions aren’t being imposed and mandatory masking is not being restored. But health experts are urging the public to take precautions as the so-called FLiRT variants of COVID-19 spread in certain countries including neighboring Singapore.

On Monday, May 27, the Department of Health confirmed that it had ordered the Bureau of Quarantine, which is under the DOH, to conduct “thorough screening” of arriving passengers at all points of entry nationwide as a precaution against the spread of FLiRT. The BOQ issued a memorandum dated May 24, placing all its stations and other concerned agencies under “heightened alert” for the COVID variants.

Editorial

waned, and the previous vaccines were not designed for FLiRT. Still, while epidemiologists say FLiRT poses “low public health risk” at this point, they also warn that vulnerable sectors such as the elderly and persons with comorbidities must be protected from infection. New COVID cases are generally mild, but hospitalization is still required when patients find difficulty breathing or waking up, feel persistent chest pain or pressure, experience confusion or see their lips or face turning bluish.

FLiRT is an acronym for the sites of the mutations that the variants share on the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID. The World Health Organization says the FLiRT variants have become the dominant SARSCoV-2 strain circulating globally this year. Unlike previous variants, experts warn that FLiRT may evade antibodies. This month the WHO labeled the FLiRT variant KP.2 as a “variant under monitoring” amid a surge in COVID cases in Singapore, with patients filling up hospitals.

Most Filipinos acquired vaccine and natural immunity to SARS-CoV-2, although this has

THE ongoing saga of Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo continues to keep Filipinos not only riveted but extremely concerned, with the burning question in the minds of everyone who has been keeping track of the Senate hearings: is she Filipino, or not?

It all began with the raid last March on a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) located in Bamban, Tarlac due to reports that the Chinese company was engaged in human trafficking as well as a front for scams and other illegal activities. There were also suspicions that the facility was a hub for espionage, hacking and cyberattacks against government agencies.

During the raid, hundreds of workers of various nationalities –mostly Chinese – were found to have no valid working permits. Inside the compound located just behind the Bamban municipal hall, the raiding team also discovered “torture chambers,” vaults containing several millions of pesos, passports of workers and documents showing a possible link between the POGO and Mayor Guo, who owned half of Baofu Land Development Inc., the company that leased the

THESE are the three gravest problems of the Philippines.

These problems are aggravated by two equally ponderous problems – graft and red tape.

The food shortage is 25 percent of demand. Since food is 50 percent of the consumer basket or price index, a food shortage means high inflation. High inflation means high interest rates. High interest rates mean business and economic slowdown.

Economic slowdown means fewer basic goods and services available for the masses. And job shortages. Combine high inflation and high unemployment and you have what is called misery.

The job shortage is 1.5 million jobs yearly. The job shortage is so severe the Philippines has exported 12 million humans to over 100 countries in search of jobs and economic security. These 12 million expats are among the best of brain and brawn of the Philippines, nearly

Filipinos are familiar with COVID symptoms as well as the basic health safety protocols: hand hygiene, cough and cold etiquette, masking and avoidance of crowded places. Those with symptoms must be responsible enough to isolate themselves until they become well.

Health experts keep reminding the public that COVID continues to kill and impair both physical and mental health. Hospitalization is expensive. There are also increasing reports of long COVID, which causes a wide range of long-term debilitation. The problem is still the subject of monitoring and

Bamban Mayor Alice Guo: Is she Filipino, or not?

property to the POGO.

During the Senate hearings, Mayor Guo’s evasive and dubious answers to basic questions such as her educational background, her childhood, her family ties including the fact that her birth was only registered when she was 17 years old made it look like she “came out of nowhere,” as Senator Risa Hontiveros put it.

According to the senator, all these raised the possibility of Mayor Guo being a Chinese “asset” whose supposed Filipino identity is being used to “gain a foothold” in the country’s political system and possibly “even our national security sector.”

While it is true that the burden of proof lies with the ones levelling accusations against the Bamban mayor’s citizenship, it is simply unbelievable that she could not recall the names of teachers who homeschooled her from elementary to high school and does not remember the people who took care of her, since the mayor claims her mother abandoned her.

Residents in her village do not seem to know much about Guo – which is surprising considering that people in the provinces usually know everything about their neighbors. Even if she was raised in a farm, those who worked for her father would have been aware of and, at some point, interacted with this cloistered

child who would have been the subject of village gossip.

Mayor Guo owns a helicopter as well as over a dozen vehicles, purchased a huge tract of land and financed her 2022 campaign for mayor from her hog raising business that she said suffered during the pandemic. The subsequent hearings with Senator Risa Hontiveros doing the questioning revealed that the mayor’s parents also seem to have dubious origins, since they have no existing records of birth in the files of the Philippine Statistics Authority. Her father is listed as a Chinese citizen in business records but in the birth certificate of Guo and her newly disclosed siblings, he is identified as a Filipino.

Let me very clear however: this column is not about creating an atmosphere of Sinophobia, most especially since many of us have Chinese blood running in our veins. I for one have a Chinese ancestor named Pei Ling Po, possibly from Fujian, who put up a shop in Binondo and later converted to Christianity to marry a Filipina who happens to be the sister of a bishop. Pei Ling Po then took on the name “Luis Romualdez,” adopting the surname of “Father Romualdo,” the priest who baptized him. I also happen to have many Filipino-Chinese friends who are successful businessmen,

Food, jobs,

all gone for good. It is manpower the Philippines needs badly to make every Filipino a middle income earner.

In 2021, the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS) estimated the jobs shortages by 2025, for the skills that count today: 13,964 in the life sciences, 569,903 in engineering, 9,698 in the physical sciences and 13,285 in math and statistics.

The World Bank’s solution to the Philippines’ severe jobs problem? Let more Filipinos migrate, but in an orderly manner. (See WB February 2023 paper, “Philippine Jobs Report, Shaping a Better Future for the Filipino Workforce.”)

The Philippines receives the smallest foreign direct investments (FDI) among the six major ASEAN countries, only $9.2 billion in 2022, down from $12 billion in 2021. Singapore got $141.2-billion FDI, Indonesia $22 billion, Vietnam $17.9 billion, Malaysia $17.1 billion and Thailand $9.9 billion.

To grow at the level of Vietnam, the Philippines needs annually $18 billion in FDI; we get only half that. Over the next ten years,

doctors, teachers and other professions. In fact, one of my closest friends at the Ateneo grade school was Eddie Chan, the son of prominent lawyer Manuel Chan Sr.

The revelations about the mayor of Bamban, plus the fact that she was able to obtain a passport and even run in the 2022 elections despite her questionable background, are making people concerned about how easy it is for foreigners – not just Chinese but other nationalities – to obtain fake birth certificates, fake passports, driver’s licenses and other government-issued IDs and documents possibly with the help of a syndicate.

What people also find worrisome is the purchase of vast tracts of land in EDCA sites and near major air and seaports by Chinese nationals in connivance with “Filipino enablers,” according to Congressman Ace Barbers, who disclosed that warehouses are “sprouting like mushrooms” in Central Luzon.

The AFP is also looking into the possible security implications of the influx of Chinese nationals of military age that are enrolled in schools near an EDCA site in Cagayan.

Senator Nancy Binay also expressed alarm at the issuance of special resident retiree visas to Chinese nationals as young

investments

the Philippines easily needs P107 trillion ($1.8 trillion) in domestic and foreign investments for its GDP to grow at 10 percent per year (the minimum growth required for the country to catch up with its more prosperous neighbors).

At the same time, gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), as a percentage of GDP, has fallen, from 27 percent of GDP in 2018 to 23 percent in 2023. Fixed capital formation is investments in factories, machinery, equipment, infra – things you need to spend on, to create jobs and modernize. Normally, GFCF should grow, not decline. A 5 percentage fall, assuming a P25-trillion GDP, is P1.25 trillion. To create one job costs P2 million; a P1.25-trillion loss means 625,000 jobs not created at all.

Our problem is not China (territorial disputes take thousands of years or an outright invasion to resolve). It is not that lying ex-PDEA agent trying to link Bongbong Marcos to drugs (in 2012 who remembers things?).

Nor is our problem that AIdesigned Bamban mayor of

dubious provenance (first time I heard of a girl, without formal schooling and without capital, build multi-billion enterprises, legal and illegal, from scratch to become one of the richest local billionaires below 40).

Mayor Alice Guo certainly beats the exploits of Alexander the Great, the most famous and greatest home-schooled kid in history (he was taught by Aristotle, about medicine, philosophy, morals, religion, logic and art). In Ms. Guo’s case, her dad taught her Chinese (probably, including magic).

About 25 percent of Filipinos’ food needs cannot be met, by local production nor even by imports. The 25 percent shortage includes nearly all kinds of food – rice, corn, fish, chicken, meat and vegetables.

That is why EVERY day, 95 Filipino kids die from malnutrition. That’s 34,675 kids dying needlessly EVERY year. That’s genocide. That’s more victims than the number of people supposed to have been killed in SIX years during the illegal drugs war of President Digong Duterte.

as 35 through the Philippine Retirement Authority, whose records indicate the presence of 78,000 foreign retirees in the Philippines, “of whom 38,000 are Chinese.”

We need to seriously vet foreign nationals coming into the Philippines since we are now receiving disturbing reports about members of drug syndicates and criminal gangs or worse, operatives engaged in spying activities. The Bureau of Immigration, the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is running after Duterte for having killed from 6,000 to 30,000 in six years, but not certain officials, for neglect, resulting in the killing of 34,000 kids yearly from malnutrition.

Malnutrition is not just deadly. It also causes mass stupidity.

Filipinos eat on average 136 kilos of rice a year. There are 118 million Filipinos, so you need 16 billion kilos or 16 million tons of rice yearly to feed them.

We don’t have those 16 million tons, government claims to the contrary notwithstanding (rice output was said to be 20 million tons in 2023).

Since brain power, assuming one is born with it, is eating the right food in the right volume, malnutrition breeds mass stupidity.

In 2022, in tests given to 15-year-olds of the world, Filipinos came out third from last in Science (after Cambodia and Uzbekistan), sixth from last in Reading (after Cambodia, Uzbekistan, Morocco, Jordan and Kosovo) and sixth from last in Math (after Cambodia, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Guatemala). If you gather the Ten Most Stupid Teeners on Earth, Filipinos will be among them.

Philippines and other concerned agencies should coordinate and assess the implication on our national security.

Time and again, I have written in this space of how serious and formidable the challenges our country faces today. No one in this country wants to be overrun by unwanted foreigners –except perhaps a few corrupted individuals. (Philstar.com)

* * * 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.

* * * babeseyeview@gmail.com

Since one of every five Filipino voters is below 24, naturally Filipinos make bad choices during elections. The most incompetent, the most corrupt and the most rapacious get choice positions. And of course, people the likes of Mayor Guo. These elected people then devise the most labyrinthine rules Filipinos must undergo to get the right documentation and to start a business.

The last time the World Bank ranked 190 countries in Ease of Doing Business, in 2019, the Philippines ranked No. 95.

Manila ranked 115th out of 180 countries with a score of 34 in the 2023 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), up one spot from 116th in 2022 and up two spots from its worst-ever showing, 117th place in 2021 Among 100 countries with a population of eight million or more (Switzerland is 100th largest in population, with 8.4 million), the Philippines is rated the most corrupt. (Philstar.com)

* * * 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.

* * * Email: biznewsasia@gmail.com

Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo

Philstar.com

research, and treatment remains hit-and-miss. When it comes to this continually mutating deadly

New help for dealing with aggression in...

the University of Michigan. “But it’s behavioral and psychological disturbances that are most disruptive to patients’ and caregivers’ lives.”

Now, help is available from a first-of-its-kind website created by prominent experts in this field. It offers free training in a comprehensive approach to managing neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia — a method known as DICE — based on several decades of scientific research as well as extensive clinical practice.

The website’s goal is to “give people tools to better manage often-distressing situations,” said Helen Kales, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UC Davis Health in Sacramento, California, and one of DICE’s creators. Users learn that neuropsychiatric symptoms are caused by changes in the brain that increase people’s vulnerability. Nine video modules and two simulations provide comprehensive information and problemsolving techniques.

More than 16 million unpaid caregivers — primarily family members and friends — help people with dementia live at home. (An estimated 20% of patients live in institutional settings.) The most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, affects nearly 7 million Americans 65 and older.

DICE is also designed to help “avoid the knee-jerk prescribing of psychoactive medications” that have potentially serious side effects, Kales said. Several medical organizations recommend that non-pharmaceutical approaches to troublesome behaviors be tried before drug therapy, but, in practice, this doesn’t routinely happen.

Drugs prescribed for dementia include antipsychotic medications, such as Risperidone, which carry a black-box warning noting an increased risk of sooner-than-expected death in elderly patients; anticonvulsants, such as gabapentin, for which use has been on the rise despite concerns about safety; benzodiazepines, such as Ativan, which are associated with an increased risk of falls and, thus, fractures; and Celexa and other such antidepressants that have limited data supporting their effectiveness in easing dementia symptoms.

DICE is a mnemonic — a pattern of letters meant to serve as a memory aid — that stands for Describe, Investigate, Create, and Evaluate, the four pillars of this approach. At its core is an assumption people with dementia engage in disturbing behaviors for often-unrecognized reasons that can be addressed once they are understood.

Take an example on the website featuring Jennifer, a 55-year-old caregiver for her mother, Betty, 85, whom she tries to bathe daily in the late afternoon. When Betty resists getting into the tub, Jennifer insists, “Let’s go! I have things to do.” Betty responds by smacking her and shouting, “Leave me alone. It hurts.”

DICE asks caregivers to step back from the heat of the moment and examine issues from three perspectives: the person with dementia, the caregiver, and the environment. All can contribute to distressing situations and all need to be considered in fashioning a response.

Examining the problem by using a “who, what, when, how, why” prompt can reveal several potential issues:

The patient. Betty has arthritis and may experience pain getting in and out of the tub. She may feel tired and overwhelmed in the late afternoon.

The caregiver. Jennifer may become easily frustrated when she encounters resistance — adopting a scolding and commanding tone rather than breaking down what Betty needs to do in simple steps.

The environment. The bathroom tends to be cold, with overly bright lights, tepid bathwater, and no grab bars around the tub.

Some possible solutions discussed on the website: Offer Betty an over-the-counter pain reliever before her bath. Try baths in the morning, not the afternoon. Relax expectations that she’ll have a daily bath and offer sponge baths several times a week. Install grab bars around the tub, and make sure the water temperature is comfortable. Use a nicely scented soap and play music to help Betty relax. Speak calmly, making simple statements.

These embody strategies shown to improve neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with dementia: recognizing and addressing underlying medical issues such as pain, infections, or delirium; simplifying the tasks a

person with dementia is expected to perform; and establishing daily routines that give structure to the day.

Other important steps: Engage the person in activities that are meaningful to them, including social interactions. Reduce clutter and the potential for overstimulation in the environment. Make sure the person is using hearing or vision aids, if needed. Get them outside and exposed to light. If safety, psychosis, or major depression are urgent concerns, then consider using psychoactive medications after consulting a physician.

Of course, this isn’t a comprehensive list of recommendations. Nor is it prescriptive. What works for one person with dementia may not work for another.

Using DICE is an iterative process that involves creativity and frequent evaluation to assess whether strategies are working, Kales said. If not, new interventions should be tried.

Although this is the first time family caregivers can access the DICE toolkit, the program has been available to health care professionals for a while. Notably, all of Wisconsin’s dementia care specialists have been trained in DICE over the past few years (every county in that state has a specialist who helps families with dementia).

“It’s a really pragmatic approach that’s put together in a very thoughtful fashion,” said Art Walaszek, a professor of psychiatry and medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health who’s been involved in that effort.

Other dementia training programs are available, some of which review behavioral and psychiatric symptoms in less depth, and they, too, are increasingly available online.

Another valuable resource, Best Programs for Caregiving, launched in March, lists evidence-based programs across the country and their availability. Enter a ZIP code to find information that previously hasn’t been assembled in one place. This site, too, is very much worth consulting. (Judith Graham/ KFF Health News)

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

Cortez Masto highlights support for local entrepreneurs during National Small

NORTH LAS VEGAS – U.S.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) toured the North Las Vegas Small Business Connector to highlight critical resources available for Nevada business owners and entrepreneurs during National Small Business Month. The connector supported by funding Cortez Masto delivered to Clark County through the American Rescue Plan. She also secured funding last year to help hire two bilingual staffers at the Connector to help Latino businesses across Las Vegas.

“Small businesses are such an important part of Nevada’s economy and culture, and the Latino business community across the state is growing at record rates,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’m proud to have supported the funding that makes the Small Business Connector possible, and I will continue to support our incredible small business community.”

“We’re doing everything we can to support our diverse small business community in North Las Vegas to keep strengthening our local economy, and I’m grateful for Senator Cortez Masto’s partnership in the Senate fighting to bring in more resources to make sure business continues to boom here in Nevada,” said North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela GoynesBrown. “The North Las Vegas Business Connector will continue helping local entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground here at City Hall.”

“It was an honor to welcome Senator Cortez Masto and North Las Vegas Mayor Goynes-Brown

to our headquarters to highlight all the resources available for Nevada small businesses,” said Carlos Mejia, North Las Vegas Business Development Advisor. “From professional business advising to helping with access to capital, we will continue working together to make sure businesses have the tools they need to grow here in Southern Nevada.

“When my brother and I decided to turn our family business into the first and only brewery in North Las Vegas, we faced several additional expenses we didn’t anticipate, but thanks to the Small Business Connector, we were able to open our new business,” said Amanda Payan, co-owner of North 5th Brewing Co. “Thanks to Senator Cortez Masto and the City of North Las Vegas for all their support—all the Connector’s resources have truly helped us succeed.”

The North Las Vegas Small Business Connector is a one-stop hub inside North Las Vegas City Hall that helps businesses — including veteran-, women-, and minority-owned small businesses

— launch and expand, access affordable loans, and create goodpaying jobs. Specifically, it assists small business and entrepreneurs by offering professional business advising, microloans, assistance in

Pastor Quiboloy to ask SC to reconsider transfer...

interest with the accused being influential in the area.

Torreon also said that the transfer would be a financial burden to the accused and the other people involved. “The financial costs, hassles and inconvenience that will ensue upon the accused, their families, followers, supporters and most especially witnesses as a result of the transfer of venue may not have been brought to the attention of the Honorable Supreme Court,” Torreon said.

“However, if they will stick to their ruling then we will, of course, abide,” he added.

On the part of the SC, its spokesperson Camille Ting said that the Office of the Court Administrator waived certain requirements for the transfer of cases, including the necessity for comments from involved judges and parties, due to the urgent nature of the request and its relevance to public interest, according to a report of GMA News.

In a separate statement, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla lauded the approval of Quiboloy’s case transfer. “This is a major breakthrough in our pursuit for justice as we relentlessly delve into the truth behind all these accusations against

the embattled church leader,” Remulla said.

“Witnesses, judges, our prosecutors and their families will no longer have to fear for their safety, the wheels of justice can now freely roll through this journey,” he added. On April 3, the Davao court issued a warrant of arrest against the preacher and his associates, namely Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada and Sylvia Cemañes.

Aside from this, a non-bailable qualified human trafficking case is lodged before the Pasig City court against them. g

VEGAS&STYLE JOURNAL

Chelsea Manalo is on historic campaign at this year’s Miss Universe

by Jerry Donato Philstar.com

THE win of Chelsea Manalo as this year’s Miss Universe Philippines was dubbed a surprise and historic by pageant enthusiasts and experts.

The beauty from Bulacan held her own in the presence of pageant veterans and frontrunners and has become the first Pinay of AfroAmerican descent to represent the country at the annual Miss Universe in Mexico.

Chelsea, who lived up to her surname, meaning “to win,” during the Miss U Phl final’s night, is also described by some as a breath of fresh air as compared to a bevy of mestiza and morena Pinay bets that have graced the Miss U stage.

It’s time for the country to send a representative of African-American descent, a welcome addition to the halfbreed Filipinas with American, Australian, Arab, German, Indian, Italian and Scottish racial and ethnic roots. After all, the ancestors of this land are believed to be Austronesians and hill people.

In this day and age, diversity should be even more celebrated and embraced.

Although she was on the radar and expected to land in the Top 10, she worked her way slowly but surely and fervently with the aspiration to become a Filipina queen. She showed her amiable personality in the introduction, the casual interview and the Top 5 question-and-answer segment.

Chelsea appeared calm and collected and she paced herself to share her thoughts. She was there to express herself and not to impress.

Chelsea also had a captivating smile. She seemed to be there to challenge herself, breezing through the swimsuit and evening gown competitions.

Chelsea did reach the final round and was the last one standing.

She earned the rights to represent the country at the 2024 Miss Universe fair and square.

Chelsea has what the others call the 3B’s: beauty, body, and brains. She also possesses the 2P’s: pulchritude and personality.

Chelsea reminds one of Chelsi Smith, Miss Universe 1995 from USA; Kenya Moore, Miss Universe 1993 Top 6 finalist from USA; Wendy Fitzwilliam, Miss Universe 1998 from Trinidad and Tobago; and Leila Lopes, Miss Universe 2011 from

Angola.

Chelsea and her team may consider the winning ways (from having a well-toned physique, enticing presence and appeal, a confident-oozing pasarela [catwalk or runway walk], to being an enthusiastic spokesperson) of the former Miss Universe winners and complement them with her winnable qualities, plus what the Miss Universe Organization is looking for in its queen. Like what I’ve mentioned in my previous article on Miss Philippines’ prospects at this year’s Miss Universe, the successor of Michelle Marquez Dee has two missions to carry out, aside from bringing the country’s fifth crown: to keep and maintain the country’s semifinals and Top 10 placement and break its non-placement in a Miss Universe edition held in Mexico. Chelsea has these challenges to handle and hurdle. Michelle, Miss Universe Philippines 2023, succeeded in regaining the country’s Top 20 placement at Miss Universe and reaching the Top 10 round. She is also considered the most awarded Pinay Miss U delegate

receiving the Voice for Change gold, Spirit of Carnival, Fan Vote and Best National Costume awards.

Although the Philippines has four Miss Universe titles and 23 semi-finalists, finalists and runners-up, its representatives in the 1978, 1989, 1993 and 2007 editions, all mounted in Mexico, fell short in the first round.

However, in three of the four Miss U in Mexico editions, women of color or of African descent such as Miss Jamaica (1989), Miss USA (1993 and 2007), Miss Tanzania (2007) and Miss Angola (2007) entered the Top 10 and Top 15.

Asians like Miss India (in 1993 and 2007), Japan, Korea and Thailand (2007) secured spots in the semifinals. Korea (represented by Honey Lee) was named third runner-up, while Japan (Riyo Mori) eventually won the Miss U title and its second crown.

With these scenarios, Chelsea is on a historic campaign for the Philippines at Miss Universe.

Given her beauty and personality, she will make her kababayan here and abroad proud.

How Marian Rivera creates happy childhood for her kids

FOLLOWERS of Marian Rivera

— who have seen her children Zia and Sixto grow before their eyes

— know that of all the roles she has played throughout her life, she takes utmost pride in being a mother.

Her social media pages are filled with precious moments with her children, including how she keeps them busy with various activities to enhance their physical and social abilities for overall development.

Despite her busy schedule as a celebrity, she makes sure to be present at every milestone of her kids' lives. She, together with husband Dingdong Dantes, takes them on adventures through quick

museum trips, travels abroad, engages them in arts and crafts, and lets them enjoy outdoor activities.

Rivera also boasts of being a supportive and hands-on mom when it comes to her kids' achievements and pursuits such as recitals, sports tournaments, dance performances, and schooling.

"My family, especially my kids, would always be my number one priority. I am never too busy for them. They are only young once and I promised to be the kind of mom who shows up and supports them in all that they want to do and achieve," the 39-year-old shared.

"To working moms like me, I know it's challenging to manage

your time for work and for your family but we can still find ways to do so. It will all be worth it, I guarantee."

But Rivera said she is fully aware that these experiences, while fun, may take a toll on her children's health. To keep her kids healthy, happy and protected from sickness every day as they enjoy a memorable childhood, she turns to vitamin supplements.

"When I was young, I really love to play outside — whether it's playing until sundown or showing in the rain. I want my kids to also experience those things outside so it's all the more important for me to build their immunity." (ManilaTimes.net)

Get to know the Filipino actors in ‘Bridgerton’

For Season 3 of the hit Netflix series, viewers are introduced to Filipino nobility in characters Lord Barnell and Lord Basilio by

LaLa Singian Inquirer.net

MAYFAIR’S posh society is refreshing its roster with Filipino representation this season. In the first two episodes of Season 3, viewers are introduced to Filipino actors James Bradwell as Lord Basilio and Martin Sarreal as Lord Barnell, marking the debut of Filipino nobility in the hit Netflix series “Bridgerton.”

Bradwell was originally slated to play a character of East Asian heritage. However, the actor seized the opportunity to propose incorporating his own Filipino roots into the role. In a social media post, Bradwell shared, “I was met with an enthusiastic response welcoming and encouraging my input. I suggested a number of Filipino surnames and Basilio was born! (Maybe Basilio of Bicol? The Viscount of Visayas? The Lord of Longganisa?)”

In a hilarious scene rife with awkward tension, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan)

approaches Lord Basilio to demonstrate her social prowess and ability to converse casually with potential suitors—all in an attempt to impress Colin Bridgerton.

However, the exchange takes an unexpected turn when the aristocratic Lord, standing at the refectory table, abruptly breaks down in tears, lamenting the loss of his beloved horse. Bradwell’s portrayal of the emotionally distraught Lord contrasts with Penelope’s flustered discomfort, creating a delightfully cringeworthy moment that will leave viewers in stitches.

Meanwhile, Sarreal writes on Instagram, “Had loads of fun stepping into Lord Barnell’s shoes (and sticking on those sideburns) on a wonderful job jam packed with fantastic people… There are now officially TWO Pinoys in the ‘Bridgerton’ universe. What more can you truly ask for?” he adds, tagging Bradwell in his post. Sarreal debuts as Lord Barnell, witnessing Penelope

Featherington’s attempts to shed her wallflower persona at a ball. Donning daring fashions, the hapless Penelope stumbles through more cringeworthy social blunders and stilted banter at the ball. Lord Barnell observes with expressions moving between confusion and secondhand embarrassment, amplifying the humiliation and the ton’s unforgiving scrutiny.

On requesting more Filipino representation on the show, Bradwell wrote, “This exchange was that I was made to feel like a collaborator on my role, not a beggar at the door as these conversations can sometimes feel in this industry. Thank you @shondaland and @ bridgertonnetflix for dignifying me in that way.”

The inclusive move adds to the people of color in the alreadydiversified historical drama while also opening doors for more Filipino talents in the British film industry, and “Bridgerton’s” fictional, multicultural high society.

by Charmie Joy PaguLong Philstar.com

FOR her riveting performance in “A Very Good Girl,” Kathryn Bernardo was named Best Actress at the just-concluded Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards held Sunday night (May 26) at the Manila Hotel. Piolo Pascual and Alfred Vargas, on the other hand, bagged the Best Actor awards for “Mallari” and “Pieta,” respectively.

The horror film “Mallari” won Best Picture while Louie Ignacio took home the Best Director trophy for “Papa Mascot.”

“Mallari” also earned Gloria Diaz the Best Supporting Actress award while L.A. Santos accepted the Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie “In His Mother’s Eyes.”

The Best Child Actor trophy went to Euwenn Mikaell for “Firefly,” Best Child Actress to Elia Ilano for “Ghost Tales,” Best Documentary to She Andes for “Maria,” and Best Screenplay to Enrico Santos for “Mallari.”

On the other hand, Carlo Mendoza received the Best Cinematography award for “GomBurZa,” Best Production Design for Marielle Hizon (“Mallari”), Best Editing for Benjamin Gonzales Tolentino (“Iti Mapukpukaw”), Best Musical Score for Teresa Barrozo (“GomBurZa”), and Best Sound for Immanuel Verona and Nerrika Salim (“Mallari”).

Gaspar Mangarin got the Best Visual Effects trophy for “Mallari,” Best Short Film was awarded to “Huling Sayaw ni Erlinda” by Gabby Ramos, and Best Original Song was Finggah Lickin for “Becky & Badette.”

Celebrity couple Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes received the FAMAS Bida sa Takilya recognition for “Rewind.” To honor the legendary names in the Philippine industry, FAMAS also bestowed special awards and citations.

These were the Lifetime Achievement Award for Tina Loy, Romeo Rivera, and Perla Bautista; Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for Efren Reyes Jr.; FAMAS Circle of Excellence Award for Nora Aunor; FAMAS Special Citation Award for Gloria Romero, Greg Martin, and Pilar Padilla; and FAMAS Presidential Award for Pempe Rodrigo and Gina De Venecia. Coco Martin, Sen. Lito Lapid, Sen. Bong Revilla Jr., Sen. Robin Padilla, Dante Rivero, Eddie Gutierrez, Pepito Rodriguez, and Roger Calvin were conferred with Iconic Movie Actors of Philippine Cinema recognition. Sharon Cuneta, Nova Villa,

Filipino actors (from left) Martin Sarreal and Jimbo Bradwell in “Bridgerton” season 3. Photos courtesy of Netflix Philippines

Piolo Pascual, Alden Richards, Kathryn Bernardo, Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes, and Coco Martin pose for a photo at the 72nd FAMAS Awards on Sunday, May 26. Philstar.com photo

Snooky Serna, Barbara Perez, Marissa Delgado, Pilar Pilapil, and Divina Valencia, meanwhile, were honored as Iconic Movie Actresses of Philippine Cinema. Christopher de Leon and Vilma Santos-Recto were presented with the Circle of Excellence Award for their film “When I Met You In Tokyo.” Helen Gamboa was given with the Susan Roces Celebrity Award; Joaquin Domagoso with German Moreno Youth Achievement Award; Elwood Perez with Dr. Jose Perez Memorial Award; and Baby K. Jimenez with Angelo “Eloy” Padua Memorial Award for Journalism.

Kiko Estrada pays homage to late grandfather Paquito Diaz

by Nathalie tomada Philstar.com

AS Kiko Estrada plays his biggest role yet in the ongoing TV5-Viva drama “Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa,” he couldn’t help but acknowledge the influence of his late grandfather, the famous kontrabida Paquito Diaz, on his acting journey.

Paquito died in 2011 at the age of 73 but a decade before that, he suffered a stroke. He passed on before Kiko started acting but somehow, the veteran movie star, once hailed as the Philippine movie industry’s “King of Kontrabidas,” helped shape the acting path of his grandson.

“(His death) was a long time ago but it was really tough for us. I wasn’t in showbiz then. Before he died, he told me, ‘Ikaw papalit sa akin.’ But I was like, who’s gonna replace a legend, right?” Kiko told The STAR in an exclusive chat.

“I don’t know if he saw that potential in me. Maybe? Maybe it was God telling him to say this to me? Because it was after his stroke, he was half of himself already when he was talking to me. It stuck in my mind.

“I can still remember his face, before and after the stroke, it’s two different people. There was one guy I grew up with and there was this guy that I don’t want to know, too, because I don’t want to see that (to see him like that). When I close my eyes, I want to remember Paquito Diaz.

“Everybody is saying he was a villain, yeah he was a villain (onscreen) but in my life, he’s the lead, he’s the bida (hero) of my life.” Nevertheless, those words stuck with him until he decided to enter showbiz.

“So maybe he just told me to try this out, try this act out and I fell in love with acting.”

He further shared his favorite memories of his Lolo Paquito.

“The only thing I can remember with Lolo Paquito was, he was so different from what you see onscreen. He was tender. Yeah he was macho, he was tough, he was like, you know, this hard (character) but he was actually soft, sweet. He was a sweet guy.

He continued, “He hated it if you’d do any activity and you were wearing slippers. So he’d make you wear shoes.

“When he woke up, naglilinis

siya ng mga gamit sa bahay. (He was) very organized as a person. He would clean his car, pagkatapos sa labas ng side ng street namin, siya ay nagwawalis para malinis on the street. He loved working out, he was a love boat.”

Some two to three years ago, Kiko got himself a tattoo dedicated to the memory of his grandfather.

“I have a tattoo on me, it’s a butterfly and it’s him… ‘Cause I recently found out and ‘cause I thought that we were well-off ever since we were kids, I didn’t know… I found out Lolo Paquito, you know, he had to grow up under the bridge in Mexico, Pampanga, not well-off and he had to fight. But I never knew.

“He had to fight his way to become (who he was) and that’s why I thought of a butterfly. From a caterpillar turning to a butterfly.”

Asked if there was any memorable character or movie of his Lolo Paquito, he cited, “‘Asiong Salonga’ where he played the villain, he played ‘Nardong Toothpick. But if I’m gonna make it, I think I will be Asiong hahaha!”

Kiko also shared what he learned about acting from his grandfather. “Lolo Paquito had this one thing that he told my mother and then she told me: Acting is about bringing the audience along for the ride. You have to reach a climactic point in a scene. So it’s not a monotone thing. Before you scream or get mad in tone, you have to be light … then it goes up and up and up.

“Of course, there are scenes that the director wants (things to be steady). But yeah, that’s

the acting thing that I learned — bringing the audiences to the journey and making them feel something. If I cry right now and there’s tears already, I’m not gonna bring you there. But if I don’t and then eventually my eyes bawl, (they can say) I felt that. So, it’s about being in the moment. Not really memorizing your lines but being open.”

Just because of his acting pedigree, it doesn’t mean Kiko had it “easier” pursuing a showbiz career.

“How do you say that when the pressure is immense, hahaha! (There’s constant pressure to be like) hey, better be good! Before I acted, I did a year of workshops. I did the basic, advanced and masterclass of Star Magic workshops. I worked hard,” Kiko told this paper.

“People think na just because… that’s why I was saying I hate entitled people and I might be accused of that when I was a kid. But I believe I worked for what I have right now. It was not easy, it was not given.”

LAS VEGAS — Join One APIA Nevada at the Rainbow Market, a celebration of the queer community in collaboration with local nonprofit organizations. This event features drag performances, a cultural fashion show, Riichi mahjong games, AANHPI vendors showcasing artistry and craftsmanship, free vegan boba and tea from a local queerowned business, a women-owned Japanese rice bowl food truck, complete with a party bus to take attendees to the polls to vote for the Primary Election.

When: Sunday, June 2, 2024 Time: 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM Where: 6675 S Tenaya Way, Las Vegas, NV89113

The Southern Nevada Asian Pacific Islander Queer Society (SNAPIQS) United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance Las Vegas

Cita Astals reunites with ‘Home Along Da Riles’ co-stars

by JaN milo Severo Philstar.com

"Welcome back, Cita Astals!" Claudine captioned the post.

"The family was lost for a while, but now it’s back," she added.

In the video, Maybelyn dela Cruz said everyone was looking for Cita.

"Lahat sila nagtatanong where's Tita Cita. Finally noong nakita ko 'yung reaction nu'ng mga kapatid ko sa 'Home,' sila Tita Nova, nandon pa rin 'yung closeness, nandoon pa rin 'yung warmth ng bawat isa," she said.

"Noong niyakap namin siya, parang kahit na walang salita na lumalabas, naiintindihan namin. Naiintindihan namin siya," Smokey Manaloto said.

"Ito na o, paunti-unti, pa kumpleto na kami," Claudine added.

"The family was lost for a while, but now it's back," Gio Alvarez shared.

Cita played Hillary Lagdameo, the boss of Kevin Cosme, played by the late Dolphy. Claudine, Gio and Smokey played the Cosme children, while Maybelyn and Nova played the mother and daughter duo of Maybe and Azon Madamba, respectively. They lived next door to the Cosmes.

"Home Along Da Riles" aired from 1992 to 2003 in ABS-CBN.

Kiko Estrada

Cita

VETERAN actress Cita Astals had an emotional reunion with her co-stars on the '90s sitcom "Home Along Da Riles."

Cast member Claudine Barretto shared a reel on her Instagram account showing their emotional reunion.

ONE out of three adults worldwide (more than 2 billion of the 6.02 billion adults out of a total global population of 8.05 billion) have high blood pressure and about 10 million of them die each year from complications of hypertension, like heart attack and stroke, or ruptured aneurysm. In the United States, at least 48.1 percent of people (more than 164.5 million), 18 and older, have high blood pressure, highest among Blacks. Sixty-three percent of those 60 and older have hypertension.

Recent studies from the Queen Mary University of London in the United Kingdom “have identified more than 100 new regions of the human genome and more than 2,000 independent genetic signals that appear to influence blood pressure.” These data may help physicians better predict a person’s risk of developing hypertension.

There are unmodifiable risk factors include ethnicity (genetic) and some existing health conditions. The modifiable risk factors (within our control) include lifestyle: diet, salt-intake, exercise, weight, smoking, and alcohol, which could help prevent then development of high blood pressure.

Caveats:

(1) Teenagers should have at least one initial blood pressure check-up. If normal, one every 3 months thereafter. If high, prompt medical consultation is recommended. Adults should have their blood pressure checked at least once a month for those normotensives (normal BP) and every day for those with severe high blood pressure on medications; every week for those with blood pressure (medically) controlled at 140 systolic/90 diastolic. If it goes higher, or with symptoms, notify your healthcare provider; (2) NEVER miss any medications. Countless people have suffered a stroke for missing to take their BP pills, even for a day; (3) Have a regular medical check-up at least once every 6 months; (4) Eat a healthy, mostly plant-based diet with a little red meat once a week, a lot of fish, some fruits and nuts, exercise daily, no smoking, occasional 1-2 drinks with dinner; (5) DIY stress managing with mini-vacation or stay-cation.

Smoothies vs arthritis

Arthritis of the hips or knees, etc., means inflammation (“itis”)

Ten million die

of those joints from natural wearand-tear of aging and abuse. If you could see these joints, they will look red, inflamed, warm, and swollen, which causes the pain, just like in conjunctivitis (pinkeye) or skin infection.

Inflammatory food items, like nightshade veggies (tomato, eggplant, potato, pepper, paprika, etc.), red meat, especially processed meats, all cause inflammation in our body when consumed.

Independent global studies have shown that eating all types of berries (blueberries, strawberries, red berry, blackberries), pineapple, celery, broccoli, papaya, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, mustard green, lettuce, sweet potato, are all anti-inflammatory food items; they prevent and quell inflammation.

Famous daily beverage in smoothies (even in a portable USB blender) containing pineapple and its juice plus celery, papaya, and all the berries listed above, imbibed at least two times a day effectively minimize if not totally relieve joint pains after drinking the smoothies for a month, allowing discontinuance of joint pain medications. It is really amazing when you hear patients boasting they have abandoned all anti-arthritis injections, medications, gel, and cream, and are living without arthritis pains after embarking on these antiinflammation smoothies.

Rice and Diabetes T2

Medical researchers discovered a “troubling link between higher consumption of white rice and Type 2 diabetes mellitus,” which is of epidemic proportion in Asia and other regions where white rice is the staple food.

The investigations are also probing into the association of diets high in sugar and fats to this most common diabetes. Worldwide, about 350 million people have Type 2 diabetes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“What we’ve found is white rice is likely to increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes, especially at high consumption levels such as in Asian populations,” according to Qi Sun of the Harvard School of Public Health, who added that “the link emerged from an analysis of four previously published studies, carried out in China, Japan, Australia and the United States.”

The clinical investigations involved 350,000 people followed closely from four to 22 years, where 13,000 of them developed Type 2 diabetes.

Those studies conducted in Japan and China revealed that who ate the most rice (three to four servings a day) had 55 percent higher risk to develop diabetes compared to those who ate the least (one to two servings a week). The part of this research performed in Australia and in the United States, where people eat less rice, the difference was 12 percent.

Are soft drinks harmful?

Yes, very, but in a subtle way, and the damage they cause takes time to show. In a previous column, we condemned all soft drinks, which I called poison (“liquid candy”), to be associated with Metabolic Syndrome among those who imbibed them. The cluster of conditions in this syndrome includes central obesity leading to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, diabetes, heart attack, and stroke.

I have stated, and am repeating it for emphasis, that soft drinks are subtle poisons to the body, for all of us, and especially for children. In my book in the USA, “Let’s Stop ‘Killing’ Our Children,” I challenged parents to stop drinking soft drinks and to dissuade their children from imbibing soft drinks, diet, light, or regular, cola or uncola. They are all unhealthy. Saying “No” with wisdom to our children is a form of love.

* * * 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.

* * *

The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.

* * * Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, presented by then Indiana Governor, U.S. senator, and later a presidential candidate, Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, Astronaut Gus Grissom, educators, and leaders (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today. SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

Moira Dela Torre is 1st Filipino soloist to hit 2 billion Spotify streams

by Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

SINGER Moira Dela Torre reached a new milestone after becoming the first solo artist and Filipina singer to reach two billion streams on Spotify.

The achievement further cements Moira's as the most-streamed soloist on Spotify, and is only behind folk-pop band Ben&Ben for Filipino artists overall.

Moira shared the data on her social media accounts as she thanked all her fans, "Thank you. TWO BILLION TIMES THANK YOU."

Among those who congratulated her were Ogie Alcasid, KC Concepcion, Marjorie Barretto, Jhong Hilario, Kiana Valenciano, Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan, and Ben&Ben's Andrew de Pano.

The artist is currently in the middle of the United States leg of her 2024 world tour and will soon hit cities in Canada.

For the past six years, Moira was the most streamed female artist locally on Spotify — averaging 3.5 million monthly listeners — and was even nominated at the 2023 MTV Europe Music Awards.

She is best known for her songs "Tagpuan," "Malaya," "Patawad," "Hanggang sa Huli," "Paubaya," "Patawad, Paalam" with I BelongTo The Zoo, "Paalam" and "Pasalubong" with Ben&Ben, and "Ikaw at Sila."

Christian Bables signs with Hollywood agent, vows not to leave PH

CHRISTIAN Bables is entering a new chapter in his career after signing a contract with a Los Angeles, California-based talent agency and entertainment company.

Bables took to his Instagram page on Sunday, May 26 to announce his career advancement, where he signed with talent agency ASAP Talent Agency and entertainment company Legacy Entertainment.

“Finally embracing the things awaiting on this other side of the world. Thrilled for what’s ahead and excited to reach heights with you, Legacy Entertainment,

Breaking Hits, and ASAP,” he wrote. Breaking Hits is a U.S.based music rating platform, although it’s unknown what would be Bables’ role in the company. Bables is joined by George Lee Baker and Maria Damian, who are the representatives of ASAP and Legacy, respectively.

Despite his new career step, the actor clarified that he will “forever be an actor in the Philippines” in his post.

"I’ve been receiving a lot of DMs, asking if I’ll be moving here for good. I still am, and forever will be, an actor of the Philippines for as long as I am needed. Will continue to share my love and passion for the craft under @ kreativden,” said Bables while

referring to Quezon City-based agency KreativDen. Entertainment photographer Sthanlee Mirador shared more glimpses of Bables’ contract signing on Instagram. Broadcast journalist Bernadette Sembrano and fellow celebrities Jugs Jugueta, Jean Garcia, Amy Austria, and Bianca Lapus congratulated Bables in the comments.

Bables is an award-winning actor who reaped accolades for his performances in the films “Signal Rock,” “Die Beautiful,” and “Big Night.” The actor is also known for his appearances in the TV dramas “Halik,” “Dirty Linen,” and “Mars Ravelo’s Darna.”

by HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

Moira Dela Torre