LAs VeGAs – Updated 2024-2025 flu and CoVID-19 vaccinations are now available at southern Nevada health District (sNhD) clinics. the vaccines can be administered at the same time, and sNhD is recommending everyone eligible get their updated vaccines to protect against more serious illness from CoVID-19 and flu this upcoming respiratory season. Flu vaccine recommendations the flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older. It is especially important for those at higher risk of developing serious complications from the flu. t his includes people 65 years of age and older, as well as people with underlying medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, lung disease and compromised immune systems. It
China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine
Amer ICAN s can once again order CoVID-19 tests, for free, sent straight to their homes.
the U.s. government reopened the program on thursday, september 26 allowing any household to order up to four at-home CoVID nasal swab kits through the website, covidtests.gov. the tests will begin shipping, via the United states Postal service, as soon as next week.
“Before you visit with your family and friends this holiday season, take a quick test and help keep them safe from CoVID-19,” h ealth and h uman s ervices Assistant secretary for Preparedness and response Dawn o’Connell said in a statement.
Why are free COVID tests being offered now? the website has been reopened on the
mANILA — the approval and trust ratings of both President ferdinand marcos Jr. and Vice President sara Duterte declined in the latest Ulat ng Bayan nationwide survey of Pulse Asia. the survey, conducted from sept. 6 to 13, showed that the president’s approval score dipped by 3 percentage points from 53 percent in June to 50 percent in september. marcos’ trust rating went down 2 percentage points from 52 percent to 50 percent during the same period.
Developments during survey Duterte, on the other hand, experienced significant decreases in approval and trust scores. her approval score fell by 9 percentage points from 69 percent to 60 percent while her trust score dropped by 10 percentage points
from 71 percent to 61 percent during the same period. for other top officials, senate President f rancis e scudero scored a 60-percent approval rating in september. his trust rating dropped by 13 percentage points from 69 percent in June to 56 percent in september.
s peaker m artin r omualdez saw his approval rating dipping from 35 percent to 32 percent and his trust rating, from 35 percent to 31 percent.
the survey used face-to-face interviews with 2,400 adult respondents and had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2 percentage points for national estimates and plus-or-minus 4 percentage points for each geographical area.
Among the new developments in the weeks u PAGE 2
Imee Marcos seeks reelection, stays independent from brother’s slate
by Jean Mangaluz Philstar.com
mANILA — sen. Imee marcos filed her certificate of candidacy on Wednesday, october 2, seeking to retain her spot in the senate.
members of the marcos clan came in full force to support Imee, with former first Lady Imelda marcos making a rare public appearance to support her daughter. her sons Borgy manotoc and michael manotoc were also able to join her.
Imee reiterated that she will not join the adminsitration
slate, opting to remain a free agent. she is still a member of the Nacionalista Party but said she will refrain from joining an alliance for now.
“Ako’y mananatiling malaya at matatag,” Imee said. (i will remain free and strong.)
Last month, the incumbent senator was announced as part of her brother President ferdinand marcos Jr.’s slate; however, she did not attend the “Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas” convention where the alliance was revealed.
“It is in our blood to serve others and to love the country.
emphasized that the 2020 election was
by just 35,000 votes in the state, while Nevada is home to approximately 80,000 filipino American voters. With 38 days left until the election, h arris urged volunteers to keep up their efforts to ensure every vote is counted.
"you all are key messengers for this," harris said, recognizing the importance of grassroots mobilization in the filipino American community. she praised the dedication of the volunteers, noting their consistent presence every saturday morning to rally voters. "this is how we're going to win—by showing up, putting in the work, and doing it together," she added.
harris also shared personal reflections on her sister Kamala's journey, underscoring the values they were raised with, particularly their mother's teaching that
Erwin Tulfo, Ping Lacson, Tito Sotto lead senatorial survey
A mIX of current and former elected officials and other known personalities emerged as the favorites among voters in the latest senatorial preference survey results released by political consultancy firm PUBLiCUs Asia on monday, september 30. ACt-CIs Party-list rep. erwin tulfo came out on top in the poll conducted from september 15 to 19. It showed 42 percent of the respondents would vote for the former broadcaster if the elections were held during the survey period.
following closely were former s enators Panfilo Lacson and Vicente sotto III with 38 percent and 37 percent, respectively. taking fourth place was former President rodrigo Duterte with 36 percent, while s en. Bong Go secured fifth place with 33 percent.
f ormer s enator f rancis Pangilinan landed in sixth spot with 30 percent voter preference.
m eanwhile, sitting s enators f rancis tolentino and Imee marcos were statistically tied with former senator manny Pacquiao with 29 percent voting preference. taking 10th place was human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, ranked with 28 percent, while sen. Pia
grounded BrP sierra madre in Ayungin shoal, Panatag shoal and escoda shoal.
Senator Imee Marcos waves to her supporters as she arrives at the Manila Hotel to submit her certificate of candidacy with the Commission of Elections on Wednesday, October 2.
mAyA harris, sister of Vice President Kamala harris, highlighted the pivotal role of filipino American voters in Nevada during a phone-banking event organized by seIU Local 1107 in Las Vegas. speaking on september 28, she
decided
China ships maintain presence...
PAGE 1
economic zone (eeZ) between sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week sept.17-23.
five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of escoda shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (mmVs). there are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12 mmVs, while two military vessels and two CCG boats and 46 mmVs were spotted near Pagasa Island.
o verall, there were fewer Chinese vessels in the WPs during the period s ept. 24-30 at 178 from a record high of 251 in the previous week. the vessels include 131 mmVs scattered around different features
and locations and two research vessels seen in the vicinity of Panatag shoal, also known as Bajo de masinloc.
Philippine Navy spokesman for the WPs, rear Admiral roy Vincent trinidad, said they have no explanation yet for the drop in the number of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters.
“We have to be prepared for the ‘long game’ in the West Philippine sea and look at the strategic or bigger picture,” he told reporters.
“Amid all of these, your Navy and your AfP (Armed forces of the Philippines) will continue performing its mandate of ensuring the integrity of our national territory,” trinidad said.
BFAR concerned m eanwhile, the Bureau of fisheries and Aquatic resources
(B fA r ) said it is intensifying efforts to help filipino fishermen boost their catch in the WPs, as it “takes seriously” the reported drop in fish output in the country’s eeZ.
“We do not ignore this fact that the contribution of WP s in our overall fish production declined... We are taking this seriously,” B fA r spokesman Nazario Briguera said on tuesday, october 1.
the government exhausted all necessary efforts to address the issues and for B fA r , we will not stop from implementing programs that would help our fishermen,” Briguera added.
some of the programs being implemented by the B fA r to help filipino fishermen are fuel assistance, provision of sturdier boats and heightened presence in fishing areas.
BfAr is spending nearly P527 million to acquire 62 units of 62-footer fiberglass reinforced plastic hulled fishing boats and handline fishing gear, safety gear and accessories for distribution to fishermen.
the bureau also allotted P1.5 billion for the procurement of new floating assets to boost its monitoring, control and surveillance in the country’s eeZ. some of the new assets are multi-purpose boats or food boats designed to help fishermen store and market their fresh catch from the high seas, according to BfAr (With reports from Jasper Emmanuel Arcalas)
The US is mailing Americans COVID tests again...
heels of a summer CoVID-19 virus wave and heading into the fall and winter respiratory virus season, with health officials urging Americans to get an updated C o VID-19 vaccine and their yearly flu shot.
U.s. regulators approved an updated C o VID-19 vaccine that is designed to combat the recent virus strains and, they hope, forthcoming winter ones, too. Vaccine uptake is waning, however. most Americans have some immunity from prior infections or vaccinations, but under a quarter of U.s. adults took last fall’s CoVID-19 shot.
Using the swab, people can
detect current virus strains ahead of the fall and winter respiratory virus season and the holidays. over-the-counter C oVID-19 at-home tests typically cost around $11, as of last year. Insurers are no longer required to cover the cost of the tests. I have old tests that are beyond their expiration date. Can I still use them?
If you already have CoVID-19 tests at home, check the expiration date on the box. m any of the tests have been given an extended expiration from the date listed on the box. you can check on the food and Drug Administration’s website to see
if that’s the case for any of your remaining tests at home. Are these tests actually free? there’s no cost for households requesting the tests, but U. s taxpayers have already paid a significant amount for the testing program. s ince C oVID-19 first began its spread in 2020, the U. s government has poured billions of dollars into developing and purchasing C oVID-19 tests as well as vaccines. t he Biden administration has given out 1.8 billion CoVID-19 tests, including half distributed to households by mail. It’s unclear how many tests the government still has on hand. (inquirer.net)
Erwin Tulfo, Ping Lacson, Tito Sotto lead...
1
Cayetano placed 11th with 27 percent.
tulfo’s brother and fellow broadcaster Ben tulfo rounded up the top 12 by obtaining 26 percent voter support.
e rwin tulfo, Lacson, s otto, tolentino, m arcaos, Pacquiao and Cayetano are among the 12 candidates running under the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas being endorsed by President
ferdinand marcos Jr. the PUBLiCUs survey, whose results were released a day before the official filing of certificates of candidacy (CoCs) for different elective positions, also showed several incumbent senators falling outside the top 12.
Among them are s enators ronald de la rosa, Lito Lapid and Bong revilla, who ranked 13th, 19th and 22nd, respectively. Lapid and r evilla are also
administration candidates.
t he survey used purposive sampling with 1,500 respondents randomly drawn from a market research panel of over 200,000 registered filipino voters. the panel is maintained by the singapore office of Purespectrum, a U.s.-based panel marketplace with a multinational presence. the election period starts with the filing of CoCs from october 1 to 8. n
Top officials’ ratings down in Pulse...
PAGE 1 leading up to and during the conduct of the survey were the arrest of Apollo Quiboloy, leader and founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ; hearings on the budget of the office of the Vice President and Philippine offshore gaming operators; continuing tensions between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine s ea; and the public backlash over the food poverty threshold released by the National economic and Development Authority which pegged at P21 per meal the minimum cost of food to meet a person’s micronutrient needs. (inquirer.net)
The China Coast Guard maneuvers in front of a Philippine government supply ship in an attempt to block its way to Scarborough Shoal, off Zambales province. Philstar.com file photo
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte Inquirer.net file photos
URBAN GREENERY. The vertical garden on the underpass wall along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Cubao, Quezon City, in this photo taken on
Wednesday, October 2, provides a green scenery amid the usual traffic congestion. The project is part of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s initiative to enhance Metro Manila’s landscape.
PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
Some employers test arrangement to give workers allowance for coverage
by Michelle Andrews KFF Health News
DAVe Lantz is no stranger to emergency department or doctor bills. With three kids in their teens and early 20s, “when someone gets sick or breaks an arm, all of a sudden you have thousand-dollar medical bills,” Lantz said.
the family’s health plan that he used to get as the assistant director of physical plant at Lycoming College, a small liberal arts school in central Pennsylvania, didn’t start to cover their costs until they had paid $5,600 in medical bills. the Lantzes were on the hook up to that annual threshold. the high-deductible plan wasn’t ideal for the family of five, but it was the only coverage option available to them. things are very different now. In mid-2022, the college ditched its group health plan and replaced it with a new type of plan — an individual coverage health reimbursement arrangement, or IChrA.
Now Lantz gets a set amount from his employer every month that he puts toward a family plan on the individual insurance market. he opted for a zerodeductible plan with a richer level of coverage than the group plan. though its $790 monthly premium is higher than the $411 he used to pay, he ends up saving money overall by not having to pay down that big deductible. Plus, he now has more control over his health spending.
“It’s nice to have the choice to balance the high deductible versus the higher premium,” Lantz said. Before, “it was tough to budget for that deductible.”
As health insurance costs continue to rise, employers are eyeing this type of health reimbursement arrangement to control their health care spending while still providing a benefit that workers value. some consumer advocates are concerned the plans could result in skimpier, pricier coverage for certain consumers, especially sicker, older ones. the plans allow employers to make tax-preferred contributions to employees to use to buy coverage on the individual market. employers thus limit their financial exposure to rising health care costs. everybody wins, say backers of the plans,
which were established in 2019 as part of a group of proposals the trump administration said would increase health insurance choice and competition.
“It’s a way to offer coverage to more diverse employee groups than ever before and set a budget that controls costs for the companies,” said robin Paoli, executive director of the hrA Council, an advocacy group. some health insurance specialists say the plans aren’t necessarily a good option for consumers or the individual insurance market. even though the rules prevent employers from offering this type of coverage to specific workers who may be sicker and more expensive to cover than others, employers with relatively unhealthy workforces may find the arrangements appealing. this, in turn, may drive up premiums in the individual market, according to an analysis by the University of southern California-Brookings schaeffer Initiative for health Policy. Plans sold on the individual market often have smaller provider networks and higher deductibles than employer-sponsored coverage. Premiums are often higher than for comparable group coverage. Workers, especially lower-wage ones, might be better off financially with premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions to buy an Affordable Care Act marketplace plan, but using the work-based IChrA benefit would disqualify them.
“from a worker perspective, the largest impact is that being offered affordable coverage by your employer makes you ineligible for marketplace subsidies,” said matthew fiedler, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who co-authored the analysis of the rule establishing the plans. the plans are currently offered to only a tiny slice of workers: an estimated 500,000 of the roughly 165 million people with employersponsored coverage, according to the hrA Council. But interest is growing. the number of employers offering IChrAs and an earlier type of plan, called qualified small-employer hrAs, increased 29% from 2023 to 2024, according to the council. And, although small employers have made up the bulk of adopters to date, larger employers with at
least 50 workers are the fastestgrowing cohort.
Individual market insurers like oscar health and Centene see opportunities to expand their footprint through the plans. some venture capitalists are touting them as well.
the [traditional group] health insurance cornerstone from 60 years ago has outlived its usefulness,” said matt miller, whose headwater Ventures has invested in the IChrA administrator Venteur. “the goal is to ensure people have coverage, detaching it from the employment construct and making it portable.”
employers can offer this type of health reimbursement arrangement to some classes of employees and group plans to others based on characteristics such as geography, full-time vs. part-time status, or salaried vs. hourly pay.
Lycoming College wasn’t aiming to be on the cutting edge when it made this coverage switch. faced with a 60% premium increase after some members had high claims, the school, which covers roughly 400 faculty and staff and their family members, needed to look at alternatives, said Kacy hagan, its associate vice president for human resources and compliance.
In the end, they opted to offer IChrA coverage to any employee who worked at least 30 hours a week.
In the first year of offering the new benefit, the college saved $1.4 million in health care costs over what they would have spent if they’d stayed with its group plan. employees saved an average of $1,200 each in premiums.
“the finance folks really like it,” hagan said. As for employees, “from a cost standpoint, people tend to be pretty happy with it, and people really like having a choice of plans,” she said. however, there have been issues with the plan’s administration. some employees’ coverage was dropped and had to be reinstated, she said. those problems have been largely resolved since they switched plan administrators this year. this coverage arrangement can be complicated to manage. Instead of a company paying one group health plan premium, dozens of individual health u PAGE 4
Filipino American voters key to...
community will be celebrating culture and registering more voters. harris encouraged the attendees to dig deeper in the final stretch of the election campaign to help secure victories for Democrats across the ticket.
harris concluded her speech by expressing hope and optimism, stating that the collective efforts of the volunteers will be instrumental in shaping the election outcome. n
she was a representative, a governor, and a senator. they say that she is frank. But she is frank in telling the truth and sticks to what is right,” marcos Jr. said in filipino.
marcos Jr. reasoned that his sister was already campaigning, hence her absence from the convention.
Imee, however, later said she would not join the alliance, saying that she planned to remain independent.
“I choose to remain free and loyal—not to any group but to every filipino. Armed with my achievements for the nation in the past term, the laws I dedicated for the people, the truth that I never strayed from, and the path and principles of my father: to serve every filipino without favor, except for the welfare of every citizen,”
Imee said.
Legilslation Imee has authored bills that seek to:
• Lower Philhealth insurance
premiums
• Extend the terms of office of barangay officials to six years
• Protect pineapple, moringa, dragon fruit and mango industries in what was collectively called “fruit salad” bills, and
• Reform the party-list system by classifying it into political and sectoral organization categories, among others. she also co-authored the Land reform Act and the controversial Anti-terrorism Act. the supreme Court later struck down the anti-terrorism law’s “killer” clause and a provision allowing the Anti-terrorism Council to designate persons or groups based solely on the UN security Council’s resolutions.
Political career Imee has long been involved in politics, having a role in the young community council Kabataang Barangay in her early 20s during the term of her father, the late President ferdinand marcos sr., called a dictator. In 1977, mapua Institute of technology student Archimedes trajano, an activist, publicly questioned Imee’s ability to lead the council. Weeks later, trajano was found bloodied and dead on the streets of manila. she served at the house of representatives between 1998 and 2007, governor of Ilocos Norte between 2010 and 2019 and was elected senator in 2019. In 2018, she claimed to have graduated from the prestigious Princeton University in the U.s While she studied in the Ivy League school, she did not earn a degree. n
Sama-sama,
Maya Harris (center), the sister of Vice President Kamala Harris, led a phone banking event at SEIU Local 1107 in Las Vegas on Saturday, September 28, rallying voters across Nevada for the upcoming election. She expressed gratitude to the Filipino American community for their strong support of the Harris-Walz campaign.
AJPress photos by Robert Macabagdal
Maya Harris
Here’s why getting a covid shot during pregnancy is important
by JacKie Fortiér California Healthline
NeArLy 90% of babies who had to be hospitalized with CoVID-19 had mothers who didn’t get the vaccine while they were pregnant, according to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. the findings appear in the agency’s morbidity and mortality Weekly report. Babies too young to be vaccinated had the highest CoVID hospitalization rate of any age group except people over 75. the study looked at infant medical data from october 2022 to April 2024 in 12 states and underscores the critical importance of vaccinating pregnant people. It also echoes what physicians have anecdotally reported for more than three years — that people are still skeptical of CoVID vaccines due to persistent misinformation. of the 1,470 infants sick enough to be hospitalized due to CoVID, severe outcomes occurred “frequently,” according to the report. excluding newborns hospitalized at birth, about 1 in 5 infants hospitalized with CoVID required intensive care, and nearly 1 in 20 required a ventilator. these aren’t necessarily highrisk, ill newborns. these are just regular, full-term, healthy newborn kids who happen to get CoVID and wind up on a ventilator in the hospital,” said Neil silverman, a professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology and the director of the Infectious Diseases in Pregnancy Program at the David Geffen school of medicine at UCLA.
Babies can’t get the CoVID vaccination until they are at least 6 months old. that leaves a “huge window” when infants are most vulnerable, silverman said. Vaccinating pregnant women so they pass the antibodies on to their newborns is an effective way of protecting babies during that time. Vaccination during pregnancy also protects pregnant people from severe disease.
But persistent vaccine misinformation online has led to skepticism among silverman’s pregnant patients. the most frustrating response that I get from folks is that they need to do more research before they think about getting the CoVID vaccine,” silverman said.
“We have dozens and dozens of studies showing the safety of the mrNA vaccine. I don’t know how much more research we can provide to skeptics.”
Among the 1,000-plus babies hospitalized with CoVID, the median age was just 2 months old, according to the report. Nine of the infants died.
south Carolina pediatrician Deborah Greenhouse said she plans to share the study with families she cares for. “there absolutely is a proportion of the population who will look at this and say, ‘hey, wow, I should get that vaccine. It could protect my baby,’” she said.
Greenhouse believes the new data could solidify the risk of skipping the vaccine when she speaks to families.
“I think that it might help to convince some parents when you can actually show them hospitalization numbers and you can show them intensive care
numbers and you can show them mechanical ventilation numbers,” Greenhouse said. “those things are a big deal.” often, Greenhouse waits to be informed that a person is pregnant before bringing up the updated CoVID shot. Now she’s rethinking that strategy. “As pediatricians we do get moms in our office who are pregnant and we have an opportunity to intervene and to do some education and make them understand how important this is,” she said.
Physicians can encourage vaccination by making it as easy and simple as possible, silverman said. he encouraged fellow doctors to offer the shots in their offices, rather than sending patients to pharmacies or other providers.
“We lose probably 30 to 40% of vaccination opportunities once someone has to leave the office to get a vaccine,” silverman said.
But offering CoVID shots in their clinics leaves some doctors with a difficult calculation. they are struggling to predict how many patients will be interested in the vaccine and may not be able to return all their excess doses. many providers can’t afford to lose money on doses that won’t be used, but they still need to order enough to vaccinate vulnerable patients who want the shot.
This article was produced by KFF Health News, a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.
Some employers test arrangement to give...
insurers may need to be paid. And employees who’ve never shopped for a plan before need help figuring out what coverage works for them and signing up. the complexity can be offputting. this year, a number of companies that have tried this type of health reimbursement arrangement decided they’d rather go back to a group plan, said tim hebert, managing partner of sage Benefit Advisors, based in fort Collins, Colorado. they say, ‘employees are all
over the place in different plans, and they don’t feel like they’re being taken care of,’” hebert said. Vendors continue to crop up to help employers like Lycoming College and their workers manage their plans.
“If you just say, ‘here’s $1,000,’ it’s extremely discombobulating and confusing,” said Jack hooper, Ceo of take Command health, which now administers the Lycoming IChrA. It’s unclear whether the plans will take off or remain a niche product.
TeenTober2024
Th e
seadoes
not like
toberestraine d
Teen Escape Room - The Jewel of Atlantis
Saturday, October 5: multiple hours.
Rainbow Library
Explore the lost city of Atlantis. Can you unlock its mysteries and escape before time runs out ?
Oh My Gouache (OMG!) - a TeenTober event
Wednesday, October 9: 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Indian Springs Library
Our teens-only creative space has arts, crafts, poetry & writing!
Fandom Club - Horror Movie Monsters
Wednesday, October 9: 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Centennial Hills Library
Celebrate being a fan or learn about a new fandom!
Hocus Pocus - Pop Up!
Thursday, October 10: 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Clark County Library
Meet us in the Best Buy Teen Tech Center for a themed event of the cult classic film!
Art Block - Sea Monster Diorama
Thursday, October 10: 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
East Las Vegas Library
Struggling to get out of an artist’s block? Feel inspired at Art Block, where creativity knows no bounds!
Teen Crafternoon - Zombie Barbie Dolls from the Deep
Friday, October 11: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Centennial Hills Library
Express yourself and join us for some fun crafting and socializing!
Updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines now...
is also important to protect people more likely to be exposed to both flu and CoVID-19, including health care workers and essential workers who interact frequently with the public. A complete list of people at higher risk is available on the CDC website at www. cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/index.htm. there were 88 deaths, and 1,403 hospitalizations attributed to influenza in Clark County during the 20232024 season, far more than the 2022-2023 flu season, which recorded 48 deaths and 859 hospitalizations. During the 2023-2024 season, 47.8% of the flu hospitalizations and 79.5% of the deaths were persons 65 years of age or older. flu surveillance in Clark County for the 2024-2025 influenza season begins september 29 and runs through may 17. the weekly Influenza surveillance snapshot and Influenza report by Age Group will be available on sNhD’s website beginning in october.
the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) recommends getting vaccinated before flu viruses begin spreading in the community, because it takes about two weeks after vaccination for the antibodies to develop and provide protection against the flu. however, people can be vaccinated anytime during flu season. People should follow the recommended schedule for all vaccines and refer to current guidelines from the CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
“It’s a big disrupter, like 401(k) s,” said mark mixer, board chair of the hrA Council and Ceo of healthone Alliance in Dalton, Georgia. still, it’s not for everyone. “It’s simply another tool that employers should consider. When it fits, do it.” KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
COVID-19 vaccine recommendations everyone 6 months of age and older should get at least one dose of an updated CoVID-19 vaccine. the two mrNA vaccines, moderna and PfizerBioNtech, have been approved by the food and Drug Administration. the updated vaccines are expected to work well against currently circulating variants of CoVID-19.
According to the CDC, the virus that causes CoVID-19 is always changing, and protection from CoVID-19 vaccines declines over time. Updated vaccines provide the best protection from the strains of the virus that are currently circulating. for information about staying on track with vaccines, visit staying Up to Date with CoVID-19 Vaccines | CoVID-19 | CDC. the CoVID-19 and flu vaccines are covered by most
health plans, including private insurance, medicare plans and medicaid plans. Uninsured children and uninsured adults also have access through the Vaccines for Children Program and state 317 Adult Vaccine Program, respectively. flu and CoVID-19 vaccines are available at sNhD public health centers by appointment. to make an appointment go to www.snhd.info/immunizations or call (702) 759-0850. Clinic locations include: main Public health Center, 280 s. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107 east Las Vegas Public health Center, 2950 e Bonanza rd., Las Vegas, NV 89107 fremont Public health Center, 2830 e fremont st., Las Vegas, NV 89104 Boulevard mall (in el mercado), 3528 s maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89169 henderson Public health Center, 220. e horizon Dr., suites, A & C, henderson, NV 89015 mesquite Public health Center/Jimmie hughes Campus, 150 N. yucca st., suites, 3&4, mesquite, NV 89027 for more information about sNhD public health center hours, locations and available services, go to www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/about-us/ maps/. CoVID-19 and flu vaccines are also available at pharmacies and health care provider offices throughout southern Nevada. to locate a CoVID-19 vaccine clinic, visit CoVID-19 Vaccine Distribution –southern Nevada health District | CoVID-19. sNhD is also recommending preventive measures to help people mitigate the spread of flu, CoVID and other respiratory viruses:
• Wash hands frequently with soap and running water. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Stay home when sick and limit contact with others.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Throw the tissue away after using it.
• Take a COVID-19 test if flu-like symptoms develop.
• Take antiviral drugs for flu if prescribed by a doctor. for more information about respiratory illnesses, visit respiratory Illnesses | CDC. n
TeenTober
A Whole Month of Frighteningly Fun Events Just for Teens!
Teens can have a scary good time learning new skills and discovering how The Library District can help them pursue their passions and achieve their dreams with our FREE events! This year’s theme is inspired by Greek mythology and the “Percy Jackson” book series.
TeenTober Lock-in
Friday, October 11: 5:45 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Moapa Valley Library
Teen activities after hours!
STEAM for Teens - Ghostly Illusions
Monday, October 14: 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Rainbow Library
Explore the illusion of Pepper’s Ghost using refracted images from your phone.
TeenTober: Teen Camp In
Wednesday, October 16: 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
West Charleston Library
Share spooky stories, make camp crafts, and complete Percy Jackson trivia!
Whitney Haunted House
Thursday, October 17: 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Whitney Library
Get Ready for a Spine-Chilling Experience!
District-wide, all month long in October. Visit TheLibraryDistrict.org or scan here for more.
Subsanity - Teen Metal Band
Thursday, October 17: 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Windmill Library
Check out local Rock-metal band and Henderson Battle of the Bands winner, Subsanity, for an evening of headbanging fun!
STEAM Teens: Ghosts, Holograms, and Tupac
Tuesday, October 29: 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunrise Library
We’ll study Pepper’s Ghost of the 19th Century and relate it to the controversial hologram of Tupac at Coachella years after his death.
ART THERAPY. Breast cancer warriors, survivors, and advocates join a therapeutic art collage session at Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City on Tuesday, October 1. Organized by Araneta City and the Kasuso Foundation in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the event was themed, “Bloom in Pink”, symbolizing hope and renewal. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
DAteline PhiliPPines
Nancy Binay files coc for Makati mayor
by charie abarca Inquirer.net
tuesday, october 1.
her CoC was filed at the Commission on elections’ office in makati City on the first day of CoC filing for the 2025 polls. Along with Binay was former makati representative monsour del rosario, who is running for vice mayor.
“Nais po nating ipadama sa atin mga kababayan ang pusong may pagkalinga. Ito rin po
siguro ang gusto nating maging
direksyon ng ating lungsod, at makilala ang atin pong mga lingkod-bayan na buong pusong kumakalinga at nagbibigay serbisyo sa bawat mamamayan ng makati,” Binay said. (We want our citizens to feel caring hearts. Maybe this is the real direction that we want for our city and for citizens to know the people behind the services being provided to each of them.)
she previously admitted that she hesitated on the bid because her sister Abby, who is currently makati’s mayor, said she wanted her husband, makati rep. Luis Campos, to succeed her post. n
Malacañang debunks another alleged Marcos drug video
by alexis roMero Philstar.com
mANILA — the Presidential Communications office (PCo) on saturday, september 28 belied another video implying that President ferdinand marcos Jr. is using illegal drugs and urged the public to examine the claims that are making the rounds online.
A video showing President marcos receiving something from a supporter while posing for selfies during a public event has gone viral, spawning speculations that he got a sachet of illicit drugs. Critics of marcos alleged that the object contained a “white substance” and assailed him for his supposed brazen acceptance of narcotics.
because some of the details in the story were lacking, the agency added. the PCo said the blurring and cutting of clips and the sharing of information in the wrong context are effective ways to deceive the public. the office also called on the public to “think critically, share responsibly” and to join the fight against fake news. marcos’ critics are claiming that he is addicted to illegal drugs, but the president merely laughed off the accusation.
by John eric Mendoza Inquirer.net
mANILA — senate majority Leader francis tolentino said he still holds former President rodrigo Duterte “in the highest esteem” despite being aligned with the current administration.
tolentino made this remark as he lodged a certificate of candidacy (CoC) for reelection here in the manila hotel tent on tuesday, october 1.
In a video posted on facebook, the PCo clarified that someone handed marcos a lapel pin containing the logo of his party Partido federal ng Pilipinas, not prohibited drugs. some individuals are using these kinds of content to propagate a wrong narrative. If a video or photo is shared in the wrong context, it becomes easy for some to convince the public to believe in wrong information,” the narrator of the video said in filipino. the PCo called on the public to know the complete story behind such videos and to examine their details. the giving of the lapel pin was a “simple action that was given a different interpretation”
Last week, the PCo cited a report by factchecker Vera files stating that artificial intelligence experts from the Deepfakes Analysis Unit had found traces of manipulation in the video that tried to portray marcos as a cocaine user. the agency said the experts’ findings vindicated marcos from “malicious individuals” who have been trying to slander him and cast aspersions on his character.
officials have said the people behind the now-debunked video could face charges for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act. n
“I still hold former President Duterte in the highest esteem. there’s no bad blood, so to speak. I still respect him,” tolentino said. tolentino noted that he aligned with President ferdinand “Bongbong” marcos Jr.’s administration as he believed in the chief executive’s policies, particularly his economic and foreign policy.
“What I did was not just a mere political decision. It has to be something aligned with my personal principles that one, for instance, in foreign policy,” tolentino said.
“But again, I align myself
with the administration because I foresee that the current administration’s goals, specifically its eight-point economic development plan, would really offer help to the filipino people,” he added. tolentino first became a senator during the 2019 elections under Duterte’s Partido Demokratiko
Pilipino or PDP (formerly PDPLaban). however, he left PDP “due to significant differences in our foreign policy directions, particularly regarding the West Philippine sea.” tolentino is now part of the marcos administration’s senatorial slate. n
Senator Nancy Binay
Inquirer.nert photo
Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Francis Tolentino Malacañang file photo
SPACE SCIENCE. Ruben Cunanan,
OPiniOn FeAtures
Sara vs another Gloria
By a curious twist of fate, two women named Gloria are now playing diametrically opposite roles in Vice President Sara Duterte’s drama-filled political life: one as her defender and the other, her accuser.
It’s no secret that former President Gloria macapagal Arroyo is the mentor and ally of former President rodrigo Duterte’s daughter, who has taken up the cudgels for her at the house of representatives, where the former serves as a Pampanga representative.
It was, however, the second Gloria—former education Undersecretary Gloria mercado—who managed to coax Duterte out of what detractors had called her “squid tactics” amid a plethora of allegations thrown at her in recent weeks.
mercado, who revealed she had once been Duterte’s thesis adviser for her master’s degree at the Development Academy of the Philippines, made serious allegations against her former student, as she faced an inquiry of the house good government and public accountability committee last week.
Too harsh to call bribe
the former head of Procuring entity (hoPe) at the Department of education (Deped) claimed she was given a monthly sum of P50,000, from february to september 2023, supposedly at Duterte’s behest, “to influence” her decisions on the agency’s bidding processes, including its controversial P11-billion computerization program.
In her affidavit, mercado said a total of nine envelopes labeled “‘hoPe’” and “50K” were handed to her by former Deped assistant secretary sunshine fajarda. she added that fajarda, the wife of Deped special disbursement officer edward fajarda, would usually tell her “galing kay VP (from VP).”
mercado stopped short of calling the cash offering a bribe, saying the word was too “harsh.”
But she said she was forced to quit her post after a meeting with bidders for the agency’s acquisition of computers and other equipment when she “firmly
IN spring 2020, I was filling up my car at a gas station near my home in Atlanta, when a large pick-up truck pulled up close. A man got out, pointed his finger at me and yelled, “take your CoVID back and go home.”
As a Chinese American male, I’ve unfortunately had many moments like that in my lifetime. But this one was different, because the man was repeating a rhetoric he had heard from the president of a country I had served for 24 years in the U.s Army. I locked the gas pump. I glanced at my reflection in the car window. I took a deep breath, and turned to face him.
“Which ‘home’ do you mean, sir?” my voice was louder and deeper than I expected it to be—my family calls it “the Colonel voice.” “Do you mean my house just down the road? or where I was born in New haven, Connecticut? I haven’t been
Public Lives
ranDy
WheN, against all expectations, rodrigo Duterte won the presidential elections in 2016, people wondered how long the former Davao mayor could maintain the sudden surge in popularity that had propelled him to the nation’s highest office. his parochial experience as the autocratic political boss of a mindanao city barely prepared him for the immensely complex tasks of managing the affairs of an entire country, especially in a time of geopolitical tensions. Analysts expected the Duterte myth to swiftly unravel after he assumed office.
But, as it turned out, the Duterte regime did not only survive; it also emerged with the highest approval and trust ratings at the end of its six-year term. this was unprecedented. In the absence of a constitutional provision allowing reelection,
asserted that the procurement must be implemented and conducted in strict adherence with the rules.”
As accusations go, those made by the former Deped official certainly involve major transgressions of law, but it goes without saying that she must provide evidence to substantiate her claim beyond mere words and white envelopes anyone could have purchased from a stationery shop.
Picture of composure
But mercado succeeded where house members had failed in drawing Duterte out of her cocoon of studied indifference. Until Wednesday, september 25, the former education secretary had been the picture of composure amid the brickbats coming her way, looking like she had no care in the world while she posed for pictures on a Calaguas Island beach. (the sojourn was “fake news,” her office would claim until a police report exposed the lie, prompting a belated admission that it was an “official trip.”)
At a hastily called press conference hours after mercado’s bombshell testimony, Duterte described her accuser as a “disgruntled former employee.”
“If she makes any accusations, [mercado] should have documents,” she rightly noted. Duterte then turned the tables on mercado, alleging, among other things, that the latter solicited P16 million from private companies using the secretary’s name without authorization. her office presented to the media a supposed solicitation letter signed by mercado with the Deped letterhead. In response, mercado said it was Deped’s external partnership that was in charge of inviting funders for the Guro program. “the two corporations are willing to give an affidavit that I have no solicitation from them of P16 million,” she said.
It’s imperative that authorities get to the bottom
of the matter, because what’s lost in the “she-said, she-said” circus is the real scandal—the Deped Computerization Program (DCP) that has long been riddled with inefficiency and irregularity.
Not a mere footnote
A Commission on Audit report in 2023, Duterte’s last full year as head of the agency, showed that Deped’s “noncompliance with existing laws and regulations” prompted the disallowance of P2.2 billion in funds for its banner projects. Among those tagged noncompliant was DCP, which logged a 23.3-percent utilization rate despite receiving P11 billion each in 2022 and 2023.
At a recent hearing of the house appropriations committee, Deped Director ferdinand Pitagan
confirmed that only P2.18 billion had been released to purchase computers, laptops, and smart tV sets since 2022. Why Deped sought another P11 billion for the same program in 2023 is a mystery only its former leadership can explain. mercado’s allegations,
the allegations head-on rather than play the victim and attack her accuser’s character or motive. If mercado’s claims are groundless, as she argues, the vice president would do well to clear her name through transparency, not obfuscation. (inquirer.net)
Hate crimes will rise if Trump becomes president again
there in a while. or do you mean one of the Army bases I was deployed to as a soldier in Iraq defending your right to speak to me like that?” he was startled. the roles had been reversed. he was being called out, and he clearly had not expected me to confront him. he was now the person feeling threatened even though my intent was merely to stand up to this bully. he didn’t say anything. he pulled his baseball hat down low, got back in his truck, and drove away. I let out a slow breath as I returned to the gas pump. At that moment, I decided that every time I would go out during the pandemic—for groceries, for medicine, for a walk just to get some fresh air—I would wear a rotating closet of Army apparel. It would be my shield, along with my stature—I’m a tall, broad, muscular guy. But hundreds, thousands of other Asians and Asian Americans didn’t have those shields while Donald trump was president. Donald trump repeatedly and aggressively stirred anti-Asian
hate across the country.. As president. trump used the bully pulpit of his office to legitimize and weaponize his repugnance, empowering thousands of people to believe that hateful rhetoric and violence were not only acceptable, but American. from march 19, 2020, to December 31, 2021, a total of 10,905 hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islanders were logged according to data collected by stop AAPI hate, an organization formed in response to the alarming escalation in xenophobia and bigotry resulting from the CoVID-19 pandemic. And those are only the ones that were reported. elderly Asians were the most at risk, often unable to defend themselves. they were beaten on subways, in building lobbies, and just walking down the street. there is one instance at the start of the pandemic in April 2020 that particularly haunts me: a 39-year-old Asian woman in Brooklyn was taking her garbage out, and a neighbor threw boiling oil on her. she suffered chemical burns to her face, neck, shoulder
and back.
throughout his presidency and after it, Donald trump agitated this hate and fostered senseless violence. the January 6 insurrection that Donald trump directly incited was not just an attack on the U.s. Capitol but also on democracy and the rule of law. It resulted in injuries to Capitol Police officers, some of which ultimately resulted in death. the fever pitch continued just a few months later with the Atlanta shootings on march 21, 2021, when a gunman targeted several Asian spa businesses and ended up killing six women of Asian descent among two others. trump’s presidency instilled fear and trauma into millions of Asian Americans across our nation, including my mother, a Chinese orphan who was raised by nuns at a convent in Virginia. my mother died from CoVID-19 just days before the vaccine became available. she did everything she was supposed to—she masked, she distanced, she hand-sanitized. And yet, she got sick. I think often of Donald trump’s reckless encouragement
to ignore the guidance of health officials, resulting in mass public endangerment and angst. In the last year of her life, my mother was afraid to go outside–all because of trump. yet, she still believed in this country and the promise of the American Dream. she was proud that I retired as a U.s. Army Colonel and served under two presidents – Bill Clinton and Barack obama – in the office of the United states trade representative and the White house National security Council. I only wish she had lived just one more year to see me get sworn in as the United states deputy secretary of homeland security. When I told my wife and daughters of what happened at the gas station, I asked them to always try their best to be safe, but also to be unafraid and unwavering in their optimism for America. I want a better future for my two half-Chinese American daughters. I want a country that does not give mouthpieces to politicians who build their career on hate. I want a country where my daughters don’t have
to carry pepper spray in their pockets, where they don’t worry about people attacking women that look like their grandmother on the street, where they don’t call me and beg me, their threecombat tour veteran father, to stay home to be safe. I have spent most of my adult life in service of defending our great nation, and ensuring safety and security for each of us, and everyone we love. however if Donald trump becomes president again, I guarantee you we will be under the threat of violence and hate again. We can’t go back to the age of terror and fear under trump. Vote for Kamala if you want to live in a country of hope, optimism, and opportunity for all.
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.
* * John Tien was the first Asian American to
The unraveling of a corrupt enabling system
the continued popularity of the Duterte political brand presaged the rise of the outgoing president’s daughter sara as his logical successor.
But for the fact that the younger Duterte lacked the self-assurance and bravura of her father, she could have been president in 2022. In any case, she could have garnered more votes than ferdinand marcos Jr. in that election. yet, sara Duterte agreed to step aside and run as vice president to marcos, despite topping the pre-election polls. her dream political marriage to marcos Jr. was shrewdly brokered by two powerful women — former President Gloria macapagal Arroyo who has sought to magnify her political clout by acting as sara’s mentor, and sen. Imee marcos, marcos Jr.’s elder sister and friend to sara. While the Duterte patriarch did not approve of the partnership, he decided it was futile to impose his will on his headstrong daughter. the tacit understanding behind this partnership was that, in exchange for sara’s gracious
collaboration in the marcos family’s single-minded quest to retake malacañang 50 years after being driven out of power, the marcoses would support her run for the presidency in 2028. By then, it was expected that she would have gained sufficient experience in leadership at the national level to be worthy of the presidency.
As expected, this north-south coalition of the country’s two most powerful political dynasties could not outlive the limited purpose for which it was forged. If the Dutertes were looking to get their share of power as befits a real political partner, they could not have been more wrong. Vice President sara did get appointed secretary of education, a position from which, her supporters hoped, she could strategically project her presidential ambitions. But, outside the education department, she remained a political non-entity. her father’s appointees, who for six years inhabited the juiciest and most powerful sinecures in government, were summarily
removed from their positions as soon as the marcos team took over.
At the house of representatives, Duterte’s key ally, Arroyo, failed in her bid to re-assume the allpowerful position of speaker, after malacañang made it clear that it preferred martin romualdez, the president’s first cousin, to head the house. Arroyo’s return to the speakership, an expected reward for her role as matchmaker, would have enabled her to control key appointments to the chamber’s most crucial committees. But the new administration had other plans, and these did not require her participation. the final blow came with her unceremonious ouster as senior deputy speaker. Perhaps nothing is more emblematic of the changing of the guards at the house than the expulsion from the corridors of power of the acid-tongued rodante marcoleta, the sagip party list representative who was one of the Duterte regime’s most feared hatchet men. It was marcoleta who led the assault on the ABs-CBN network to
deny the renewal of its franchise and compel its closure as a broadcast company. the other day, the mighty marcoleta was relieved of all his positions in major house committees, which had been the source of his outsized influence.
A worse fate than merely being fired or marginalized had befallen another Duterte stalwart—the vociferous harry roque, former party list representative and former Duterte spokesperson. today, roque faces possible prosecution for various kinds of criminal offenses in connection with the dubious services he provided to illegal offshore gaming operators and the allegedly unexplained wealth he accumulated during the Duterte years. Like the cult leader and Duterte spiritual adviser Apollo Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, who was recently captured after a massive police search of his Davao stronghold, all of Duterte’s enablers and perpetrators have become potential targets of congressional investigations.
this apocalyptic process is what we are seeing unfold in both the senate and house hearings. Never has the cause of justice depended more on a rift within the ruling class than on the strength of the political opposition. Deprived of the material resources (e.g., confidential and intelligence funds), political clout, and access to political patronage (e.g., Philippine Charity sweepstakes office and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. funds) to keep their enabling system going, the Dutertes are finding themselves deserted by their allies. Given how rapidly the world of Dutertismo is collapsing, if sara Duterte does not become president in 2028 or sooner, father and daughter and their legion of enablers may all likely end up in jail. (inquirer.net) * * * 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.
* * * public.lives@gmail.com
ManilaTimes.net photo
OctOber 3-9, 2024
ESTADO NG NEVADA – LALAWIGAN NG CLARK
Ako, Lorena S. Portillo, ang nararapat na itinalagang Tagapagrehistro ng mga Botante sa Lalawigan ng Clark, Estado ng Nevada, sa pamamagitan nito ay nagpapatunay na ang 2024 Pangkalahatang Halalan ay gaganapin sa Martes, Nobyembre 5, 2024. Ang mga lugar ng pagboto ay bukas mula 7 n.u. hanggang 7 n.g. sa nasabing petsa. Ang isang naka alpabetikong listahan ng mga rehistradong botante ay makikita ng sa website ng Departamento ng Halalan at www.ClarkCountyNV.gov/vote (ayon sa NRS 293.557(a)(b)). Ang isang listahan ng mga Sentro ng Pagboto sa Araw ng Halalan ay kasama rin sa paunawang ito.
SA PAGSAKSI NG AKING KAMAY at PANGTATAK itong ika-1 ng Oktubre, 2024.
LORENA S. PORTILLO
Tagapagrehistro ng mga Botante
LISTAHAN NG MGA KANDIDATO NA IBOBOTO
SA NOBYEMBRE 5, 2024, PANGKALAHATANG HALALAN
Mga Pagpapaikli ng Partido na makikita sa mga balota ay tinutukoy:
Demokratiko: DEM
Independyente Amerikanong Partido: IAP
Libertaryang Partido ng Nevada: LPN
Walang Kapanig: NP Walang Kapanig na Partido: NPP Republican: REP
PANGULO / PANGALAWANG PANGULO
4 NA TAONG TERMINO Harris, Kamala D. / Walz, Tim DEM Oliver, Chase / ter Maat, Michael LPN
Skousen, Joel / Combs, Rik IAP Trump, Donald J. / Vance, JD REP Wala sa mga Kandidatong Ito
SENADO NG ESTADOS UNIDOS
6 NA TAONG TERMINO Brown, Sam REP Cunningham, Chris LPN Hansen, Janine IAP Rosen, Jacky S. DEM Wala sa mga Kandidatong Ito
KINATAWAN SA KONGRESO
2 TAONG TERMINO
DISTRITO 1 Goossen, David NPP Havlicek, David LPN Hoge, William IAP Quince, Ron “Ron Q.” NPP Robertson, Mark REP Titus, Dina DEM
DISTRITO 3 Johnson, Drew REP Lee, Susie DEM
DISTRITO 4 Best, Russell IAP Ferreira, Tim “TJ” LPN Horsford, Steven
Lee, John REP
SENADO NG ESTADO 4 NA TAONG TERMINO DISTRITO 1 Brinkley, Patricia REP Crawford, Michelee “Shelly” DEM DISTRITO 3 Howard, Brent REP Jones, Keya “KJ” NPP Nguyen, Rochelle DEM
DISTRITO 4 Neal, Dina DEM
DISTRITO 5 Atlas, Jennifer DEM Buck, Carrie Ann REP
DISTRITO 6 Barnhill, Brad Lee IAP Cannizzaro, Nicole J. DEM Douglass, Jill M. REP
DISTRITO 7 Henderson, Leo REP Lange, Roberta DEM
DISTRITO 11 Harris, Dallas DEM Rogich, Lori REP
DISTRITO 18 Bilodeau, Ronald “Ron” DEM Steinback, John REP
DISTRITO 19 Ellison,
DISTRITO 4 Cole, Lisa REP Hampton, Ryan DEM
DISTRITO 5 Miller, Brittney M. DEM Morgan, Ronald LPN Quinn, Kelly REP
DISTRITO 6 Jackson, Jovan Alexander
Jones, III, Walter “Boo” NPP Oliva, Nephi “Khaliki” REP
DISTRITO 7 Flanagan, Tanya DEM
DISTRITO 8 Chapman, Kelly REP Nguyen, Duy DEM
DISTRITO 9 Neely, Erica A. REP Yeager, Steve DEM
DISTRITO 10 Karris,
DISTRITO 17 Hunt, Linda F. DEM Olson, Robert J. REP
DISTRITO 18 Brown, Antario ”Tiger” REP Considine, Venicia DEM DISTRITO 19 Yurek, Thaddeus “Toby” REP
DISTRITO 20 Orentlicher, David DEM Vaughan, Stan REP
DISTRITO 21 Arndt, April REP Marzola, Elaine DEM
DISTRITO 22 Hardy, Melissa REP
DISTRITO 23 Gallant, Danielle REP
DISTRITO 28 D’Silva, Reuben DEM
DISTRITO 29 Dalia, Joe DEM Owens, Annette Dawson REP
DISTRITO 34 Davis, Brandon REP Nadeem, Hanadi DEM
DISTRITO 35 Edgeworth, Rebecca REP Wahab, Sharifa DEM
DISTRITO 36 Drake, Marlene DEM Hafen, II, Gregory REP
DISTRITO 37 Backus, Shea DEM Brog, David REP
DISTRITO 41 Arroyo, Rafael REP Jauregui, Sandra DEM
DISTRITO 42 Brown-May, Tracy DEM Child, Kevin L. REP
KOMISYON NG LALAWIGAN 4 NA TAONG TERMINO
DISTRITO A Hamilton, Ryan REP Naft, Michael DEM
DISTRITO B Kirkpatrick, Marilyn DEM Welsh, Jesse LPN
DISTRITO C Becker, April REP
Bilbray-Axelrod, Shannon DEM
DISTRITO D Gomez, David J. REP McCurdy, II, William DEM MGA KANDIDATO PARA SA KAPANIG NA TANGGAPAN
HUSTISYA NG KORTE SUPREMA 6 NA TAONG TERMINO PUWESTO C Cadish, Elissa Wala sa mga Kandidatong Ito
PUWESTO F Lee, Patty Wala sa mga Kandidatong Ito
PUWESTO G Stiglich, Lidia Wala sa mga Kandidatong Ito
HUKONG NG HUKUMANG DISTRITO 2 TAONG HINDI NATAPOS NA TERMINO
DEPARTAMENTO 7 Pieper, Danielle K.
DEPARTAMENTO 14 Lefebvre, Alan J. Talim, Tina
DEPARTAMENTO 27 Coffing, Terry McLeod, Alexandra Beth Mendoza, Erika
DEPARTAMENTO 29 Reynolds, Jacob
HUKOM NG HUKUMANG DISTRITO, PANG PAMILYA 2 TAONG HINDI NATAPOS NA TERMINO
DEPARTAMENTO C Gordon, Gregory G.
DEPARTAMENTO N Gaudet, Paul M. Maxey, Kerri
DEPARTAMENTO O McConnell, Gina
REHENTE NG UNIBERSIDAD SA ESTADO 4 NA TAONG TERMINO DISTRITO 1 Bowen, Matthew T. Fernandez, Carlos D.
DISTRITO 4 Bautista, Aaron Holmes-Sutton, Tonia
DISTRITO 12 Carvalho, Amy J. Maxham, Jonathan A.
MIYEMBRO LUPON NG EDUKASYON SA ESTADO 4 NA TAONG TERMINO
DISTRITO 1 Braxton, Tricia Underwood, Tim
DISTRITO 3 Cantu, Rene Ford, Danielle
TAGAPANGASIWA LALAWIGAN NG
CLARK
4 NA TAONG TERMINO
DISTRITO A Catarata, Karl Stevens, Emily
DISTRITO B Dominguez, Lydia Eady, Eileen
DISTRITO C Garcia Morales, Evelyn Henry, Tameka
DISTRITO E Biassotti, Lorena Bywaters, Kamilah
MIYEMBRO NG LUPON MOAPA VALLEY
DISTRITO NG TUBIG 4 NA TAONG TERMINO
LOGANDALE Jensen, Marcus Terril, Robert A.
OVERTON Farnsworth, Scott Ridondo, Janice
TAGAPANGASIWA OVERTON DISTRITO NG KURYENTE 4 NA TAONG TERMINO DISTRITO 5 PUWESTO 7 PANG LAHAT Laub, Randy Metz, Judy
LAUGHLIN BAYANG LUPONG TAGAPAYO 2 TAONG TERMINO Beck, Bradley Byley, Amanda Doten, Frederick S. Hoss, Kathleen McBride, Noreen Ochs, Kathy D. Walker, Hermon Walker, Pamela K.
MOAPA VALLEY BAYANG LUPONG
TAGAPAYO 2 TAONG TERMINO Blair, Stephanie Gladwin Williams, Jill “Perkins” Hall, Lois S. Houston, Lori Pearson, Kristen A. Ridondo, Janice
LUNGSOD NG BOULDER CITY 4 NA TAONG TERMINO MIYEMBRO NG KONSEHO PANG LAHAT Ashurst, Denise E. Fox, Matt
LUNGSOD NG HENDERSON KONSEHO NG LUNGSOD 4 NA TAONG TERMINO PUROK II Larson, Monica “Doc” Shaw, Dan K.
LUNGSOD NG LAS VEGAS
4 NA TAONG TERMINO ALKALDE Berkley, Shelley Seaman, Victoria
LUNGSOD NG LAS VEGAS KONSEHAL
4 NA TAONG TERMINO PUROK 5 Miller, Cameron “CH” Summers-Armstrong, Shondra
LUNGSOD NG MESQUITE
4 NA TAONG TERMINO ALKALDE Litman, Allan S. Whipple, E. Jesse
LUNGSOD NG MESQUITE
MIYEMBRO NG KONSEHO 4 NA TAONG TERMINO PUWESTO 2 Parrish, Kevin Shackelford, Ronald PUWESTO 5 Boger, Wes Hoyt, Jeffrey A.
LUNGSOD NG NORTH LAS VEGAS
MIYEMBRO NG KONSEHO 4 NA TAONG TERMINO PUROK 2 Anderson, Ruth Garcia Taylor, Robert “Twixx”
HUSTISYA NG TAGAPAMAYAPA NAYON NG BUNKERVILLE 6 NA TAONG TERMINO DiGiacomo, Sandy Alfred Renteria, Maria
HUSTISYA NG TAGAPAMAYAPA NAYON NG LAS VEGAS
DEPARTAMENTO 2 Bradford, Kristal Sciscento,, Joseph S.
DEPARTAMENTO 4 Baucum, Suzan Heap, Hilary Leavitt, James Dean Smith-Peterson, Jessica Stoberski, Holly
HUSTISYA NG TAGAPAMAYAPA NAYON NG LAS VEGAS 6 NA TAONG TERMINO DEPARTAMENTO 5 Cole, Madilyn “Leavitt” Dustin-Cruz, Cynthia
DEPARTAMENTO 8 Bernstein, Nancy Ferreira, Amy
HUSTISYA NG TAGAPAMAYAPA NAYON
NG LAUGHLIN
6 NA TAONG TERMINO
Briscoe, Gino Crawford, Christopher E. “Chris”
HUSTISYA NG TAGAPAMAYAPA NAYON NG NORTH LAS VEGAS
6 NA TAONG TERMINO
DEPARTAMENTO 2
Cooper, Jonathan Hoeffgen, Sean
HUSTISYA NG TAGAPAMAYAPA NAYON
NG SEARCHLIGHT
6 NA TAONG TERMINO
Jeter, Chris Myers, Kyle
Mga Sentro ng Pagboto sa Araw ng Halalan / Mga Lugar na Paghuhulugan ng Koreong Balota para sa Araw ng Pangkalahatang Halalan, Martes, Nobyembre 5, 2024 Bumoto mula 7 n.u. hanggang 7 n.g.
Ang lahat ng mga Sentro ng Pagboto sa Araw ng Halalan ay mga lokasyon din na panghuhulugan ng koreong balota sa mga oras ng pagboto
Ang mga hindi inaasahang pangyayari or kalagayan ay maaaring magdulot ng mga pagbabago sa lokasyon ng Sentro ng Pagboto. Para sa mga pagbabago, tingnan ang aming website o tumawag sa (702) 455-7871.
Sa Araw ng Halalan, piliin kung saan mo ninanais na bumoto sa listahan ng higit sa 100 Sentro nang Botohan. Sa Araw ng Halalan sa www.ClarkCountyNV.gov/vote, ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa interaktibong mobile ay maaaring tingnan sa Sentro ng Botohan na mapa na makakatulong sa pag hahanap nang mga malalapit na lugar.
TENT NG KAGANAPAN: Hanapin ang SENTRO NG BOTOHAN
Elementary School 3955 Timberlake Dr. LV 89115
Ang mga sumusunod na pagbabago sa lokasyon ng sentro ng pagboto ay ginawa para sa 2024 kumpara sa 2022: HINDI MAGAGAMIT PARA SA PANGKALAHATANG HALALAN SA 2024
• Aliante Library
• Bass, John Elementary School
• Boulevard Mall
• Canarelli, Lawrence and Heidi Middle School
• Cashman, James Middle School
• Centennial Center Home Depot Parking Lot
• Clark County Building DEPARTAMENTO
• Conners, Eileen Elementary School
• Elizondo, Raul Elementary School
• Guinn, Kenny C. Middle School
• Lake, Robert Elementary School
• Lowe’s – Craig / Losee
• Mack, Nate Elementary School
• Martin, Roy Elementary School
• McDoniel, Estes Elementary School
• Sawyer, Grant Middle School
• Silverado Ranch Plaza
• Town Square Las Vegas
• Tropicana Beltway Center
• Vassiliadis, Billy and Rosemary Elementary School ANG PAGBOTO O PAGTATANGKA NA BUMOTO NG HIGIT SA ISANG BESES SA PAREHONG HALALAN AY ISANG MABIGAT NA PAGKAKASALA (NRS 293.780)
SA PAGSAKSI NG AKING KAMAY at PANGTATAK itong ika-1 ng Oktubre, 2024. LORENA S. PORTILLO Tagapagrehistro ng mga Botante
the world, humankind, is safer because we have vaccines against fatal infectious diseases. the Black Death, the plague in europe, between 1347 to 1351, killed between 25-50 million (about half) of the population in europe because there were no vaccines. this is just like saying we are blessed and safer for having most efficacious antibiotics today. Before antibiotics were discovered, people died even from the simplest infection. Alexander flemming discovered penicillin in 1928 while working at st. mary’s hospital in London. Before that, 50 percent of all post-birth deaths and from burns were caused by streptococcus pyogenes, and 80 percent of infectious wounds caused by staphylococcus aureus. tuberculosis and pneumonia were very popular killers during the pre-antibiotic era. Indeed, like vaccines, antibiotics, especially today, with all the sophisticated versions, are lifesavers.
People around the world have accepted antibiotics as a blessing, in spite of the fact that occasionally a shot of penicillin could cause death from a violent allergic reaction. Individuals could be super-sensitive to other dugs also. somehow people look at vaccines differently. Vaccine hesitancy is dangerous and more common than we think. And this mindset has maimed and killed millions. most of this comes from misinformation, disinformation, and fake news from the social media. the existential question should always be: Which is more dangerous, the infection or the vaccines? Which of the two is a greater threat to health and life? What are the statistics? how many percent of unvaccinated people died from infectious diseases, like smallpox, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, ebola, hIV, flu, rsV, or CoVID-19, and how many died from the vaccines for those grave diseases? Why did governments around the world mandate pre-school vaccinations for children since the 19th century? to save lives. A no-brainer!
In the case of CoVID-19, for instance, the risk of getting adverse reaction from the vaccines, much less dying from them, is a fraction of one percent, while the risk of dying from CoVID-19, especially during the first year of the pandemic, was as high as 25-30 percent for adults.
In dealing with our health and well-being, it is best to do it scientifically, since the advances in
Safer with vaccine
science, medicine, technology, engineering, various other fields, and now, artificial intelligence, have attained sophisticated heights by leaps and bounds. As a cardiac surgeon, I often encountered patients with extreme fear of surgery, especially of openheart procedures in general. to make them see the scientific reality of their situation, I always explain to them that when the finding is severe blockage of the left main coronary artery, or its equivalent lesion (2 arteries for the left ventricles are blocked), the risk of death within a year is at least 50 percent. one foot in the grave! this lesion is infamously called “the widow-maker,” a serious killer of men, leaving widows behind.
then, I compared the statistics of 50 percent risk of the disease to the risk of death from coronary bypass surgery today, which is 1-2 percent. that is a staggering difference of 48 to 49 percent safer to have surgery than not having it. the medical statistics usually make them understand their situation more clearly, feel reassured, and make their decision more rational and realistic.
And we must apply the same scientific approach in making decisions about vaccines or other modes of treatment for our ailments. All these therapies we have today are heaven-sent blessings. Let us take full advantage of them. Not using them is a great waste and a grave threat to our life.
As of september 17, 2024, “the sArs-CoV2 (CoVID-19) omicron variants KP.2, KP 2.3, KP.3, and KP 3.1.1, as well as LB.1, have high prevalence in the United states.” the CDC recommends those 6 months and older to have the new 2024-2025 CoVID-19 vaccines.
In the Philippines, the public is advised to have the new CoVID-19 vaccines. the take-away: the risk of death from a serious infectious disease without the vaccines is much higher than the risk of dying from the vaccines. Vaccines have saved billions of lives around the world the past two centuries.
Grilling and cancer
Grilling meats of any kind, even fish, especially under high heat, increases the cancer risk in people. Cooking at high temperatures makes the meats drip oil on the charcoal. When the oil hits the superhot charcoal, fumes result, and the smoke contains carcinogenic substances that “vaporizes” upwards to the meat. these harmful fumes are absorbed by the meats.
Charring meats under high heat creates heterocyclic amines (hCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocar-
bons (PAhs), both of which change human DNA and cause cancer. even frying over high heat also has the same carcinogenic effect. marinating meats and fish (your choice: vinegar, light cooking olive oil, lemon juices, and spices) lowers the hCAs and PAhs, but not totally prevents the risk. Do not eat the charred, blackened, portion of meats.
Besides colorectal cancers and stomach cancers, using high heat for grilling and frying also cause other diseases. Using gas, instead of charcoal, using lower temperatures, and shortening the cooking time appear to lessen the risk for cancers but does not totally eliminate the risk. Boiling is not associated with this phenomenon. even without grilling, frying, or cooking, processed meats, like delis, are likewise associated with stomach and colorectal cancers, among other harmful effects on our body. Not only is red meat associated with cancer and cardiovascular diseases, but processed meats in themselves are carcinogenic. Grilling vegetables and fruits do not pose the same problem.
Indoor grilling also contaminates the entire home with the fumes of PAhs and hCAs, and therefore, is not recommended.
Let’s use science and wisdom to protect our health, maximize our potential longevity, and make the world a better place for all too.
* * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the
Astronaut Gus Grissom, scientists, and educators. (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888. com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Amazon.com (“Where is My America?”); Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.
Dreams... making them realities
by dorothy toMe
eVery dream that comes true has moved from mere wishful thinking to a reality worthy of celebration. this october, the filipino American heritage foundation (fAhf) celebrates the indomitable realities of maner Puyawan, erica mosca, and reimund serafica as Golden Pearl Awardees during the 2024 Philippine heritage Gala Night and Golden Pearl Awards. As awardees, they are recognized for their exceptional accomplishments and contributions to mainstream American society. h onoring the awardees and sharing stage with them during the prestigious event are rizza Navales, ez mil, Immix Alliance, erlich ocampo, and Apl.de.Ap of Black eyed Peas. having equally made their dreams into realities, these artists will add glitter and glamour to the gala while Apl.de.Ap’s inspirational talk will enliven the theme “Dreams…making them realities.”
t he Gala and Awards Night is fAhf’s observance of filipino American history month held annually in october. this marks the anniversary of the first recorded evidence of filipinos in America on october 18, 1587, in present-day morro Bay, California. Known as Luzones Indios, these filipinos were laborers aboard the spanish ship Nuestra señora de esperanza during the manila-Acapulco galleon trade.
throughout history, more groups
hALINA at makisayaw sa Disco Party ng Binangonan Association of s outhern California sa ikaw-26 ng oktubre, 2024 na gaganapin sa Double tree by h ilton Buena Park, 7000 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90620 for more details, you can reach us at 2024fiesta.basc87. org 2024 BASC 37th Anniversary Fiesta Celebration October 26, 2024
came, perhaps to also make their dreams real. filipino seafarers established a settlement in what is now known as Louisiana (1763); pensionados (sponsored students) and non-sponsored students came in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Doctors, nurses, engineers, students, military service personnel, and domestic care workers arrived through the Asian Immigration Act of 1965. filipino Americans now comprise the third-largest Asian-American community in the U.s the filipino American National historical society established the name filipino American history month (fAhm) in october 1992, and the house of representatives officially recognized october as fAhm in 2009. In Nevada where filipino Americans make up the largest group of Asians, a proclamation was signed and presented to fAhf in 2023 by Governor Joe Lombardo. this proclamation officially recognized october as fAhm fAhf in Nevada stands relevant in this regard. With its tagline of “remembering the PAst, Celebrating the PreseNt, and Nurturing the f U t U re ,” the foundation is dedicated to promoting and preserving the awareness, understanding, and appreciation of filipino culture and heritage. As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, it serves as a vibrant hub for the filAm community, fostering a sense of unity and pride through cultural, educational, and social initiatives. It aims to empower the community by
providing resources, support, and opportunities for growth and development. fAhf strives to enhance the visibility and contributions of filipino Americans and to ensure that their legacy is honored and cherished. this mission is fueled by its vision of a thriving fil-Am community in Nevada that is recognized for its cultural richness, professional excellence, and community spirit. says fAhf’s president Dr. romualdo “Jun” Aragon:
“We organize annual events such as this Gala Night and the Golden Pearl Awards to celebrate the achievements and contributions of outstanding filipinos and filipino Americans in Nevada. We offer workshops, seminars, and educational resources to promote filipino history, language, and traditions. our outreach programs focus on providing support and services to filipino American families, including health fairs, legal aid, and social services. We also engage the younger generation through leadership programs, scholarships, and cultural activities, thus ensuring the continuity of our heritage.”
“Dreams…making them realities” goes live and celebratory at 6:00 Pm, october 12th at the milan Ballroom of the m resort spa Casino in Las Vegas Blvd. Nominations for the 2025 Golden Pearl Awards are also open; more information is available during the event.
It’s time to start making someone’s dream a reality - and that someone could be you!
VEGAS&STYLE Journal
by Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com
fILIPIN o entertainer Philip Galit continues to raise the Philippine flag, performing shadow art as shadow Ace following a phenomenal run in "America's Got talent" (AGt).
Philip entered public recognition by reaching the semi-finals on "Pilipinas Got talent" season 5 and the finals of "Asia's Got talent" season 3. he then made his way to the United states to reach the semi-finals of "America's Got talent" s eason 18 and was on h owie mandel's team for "America's Got talent: fantasy League" earlier this year.
the journey did stop there as Philip was recently invited to perform with other "America's Got talent" stars in Las Vegas. he is the only one from the show's 18th season.
In an exclusive interview with Philstar.com, Philip recounted his "Got talent" journey and being able to represent the Philippines on a grand stage.
Philip found it really overwhelming but is still grateful
and honored to experience his first-ever Las Vegas show, calling it a dream come true my experience was awesome and that really helped me a lot, especially when it comes to overcoming my fears and building my confidence that I am still working on until now," he shared. he admitted shadow art was initially a pastime when he was younger, eventually becoming more serious when he started joining different contests, "that made me realize that this talent will take me places and I was right! I made it to AGt and VeGAs!"
he also acknowledged the difficulty of shadow art because of the need to showcase new tricks and moves in every performance, but he reiterated his gratefulness for possessing a creative mind to be able to conceptualize unique performances. Asked what his favorite comment from any "America's Got talent" judge, Philip told Philstar. com it was when simon Cowell called his talent "silly and creative" and that he would make it to the final round. since performing in Las Ve-
gas, Philip has been performing in corporate and social events as well as doing interviews with networks to discuss representing the Philippines abroad. his exposure led him to people in the music industry who tapped him for short clips for songs by the Black eyed Peas, the Chainsmokers, meghan trainor, Kris Allen, and more. "I would definitely strive for greater performances and together with my new talent management, our kababayans, need to watch out because I am preparing for something new and unique that will surprise them very soon! shadow Ace 2.0 here I come!"
Philip teased.
Philip ended by sharing the best part about shadow Ace being a filipino performer. everywhere I go, in every country I perform in, I always represent head up high, my being a filipino," Philip said. "I feel motivated whenever I participate in international talent shows because I always feel the love and support of every kababayans I meet. they always say that they are proud to be a filipino because of me and that is the best feeling ever."
by Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com
hIP -ho P group t he Black eyed Peas will have its 2025 Las Vegas residency with a "new member" made from artificial intelligence. t he Black e yed Peas is currently composed of will.i.am, taboo, and filipino-Americans apl.de.ap and J. rey soul.
But when they hit Vegas' Planet hollywood next year, the four will be accompanied by an AI program called "Vida," which means "life" in spanish.
In an interview with U s A today, will.i.am said the group predicted having an AI member
in their 2009 "the e.N.D." album with the avatar personality in the video and the character on their album cover.
"When I was running around the projects as a kid in L.A. and Apl was running around in the Philippines, to think that we would have the first AI member of a globally recognized urban pop-hip-hop group … man," will.i.am added. he clarified that Vida is not a hologram as people can people can engage and communicate with Vida, "our member of the group will be patched into every band member, stage hands and the audience, if they want to engage with her."
Will.i.am said Vida will have songs with him, taboo, and J. r ey, making it an interactive experience all around.
While compared Vida to a Disneyland ride, the rapperproducer shared the ultimate inspiration for Vida was taylor swift and her "eras" tour. "I was blown away. I haven't been this inspired in so [expletive] long. that's when I said, 'I need to start dreaming and go to work'," said the singer who watched taylor's "eras" leg in milan, Italy, and even called her an "empress." he teased that after Las Vegas, the show with Vida could head to Broadway or the West end.
by Anne PAsAjol Inquirer.net
GretCheN Barretto flaunted her ageless beauty in a recent “fitspiration” photo, sending not only fans but also fellow celebrities heart evangelista, Anne Curtis and Bea Alonzo gushing.
Barretto looked radiant in a casual white tank top paired with denim shorts, with her hair in a sleek bun, as seen on makeup artist mark Kingson Qua’s Instagram page last s aturday, sept. 28.
“so nice to see you again,” Qua captioned his post. “fitspiration ba kamo?”
evangelista then took to the comments section to compliment Barretto, saying the latter’s photo is “a reminder — she is the queen.”
Curtis and Alonzo likewise showered Barretto with praises, alongside other celebrities Iza Calazado, Phoemela Baranda, Nikki Valdez and Ciara sotto.
In a separate post, Qua also shared the behind-the-scenes of his photo shoot with Barretto, showing the actress trying out clothes and shoes.
“Getting ready with the queen,” he said.
Barretto has been rarely seen on social media since she has no official accounts of her own.
“I like the more peaceful Gretchen now; the older, the more mature, the more confident—I’m
more sure of myself,” she said in a January 2024 interview. “I like it, and there’s nothing wrong with appreciating peace.” the socialite added that giving up social media led her to know more about freedom and the
KyLIe Padilla crushed a netizen’s hope of her getting back together with her ex-partner Aljur Abrenica, saying that she and her children are “good” by themselves.
the celebrity mom took to Instagram to share a video of her and her two sons, Alas and Axl, happily posing for the camera. Padilla underscored that she’s taking the time to celebrate her kids on National Children’s month.
“It’s Children’s month, and I would love any reason to celebrate the two angels of my life. Last night we went to sleep in our own rooms and they came to kiss me goodnight. Alas, the thoughtful boy that he is noticed I didn’t have my usual cup of water on my side table and he went to get me one on his own volition. the sweetest thing,” she wrote. “Axl, who is still my shadow, continues to follow me around everywhere and keeps telling me he wants to breastfeed again, huhu. I keep thinking to myself it is possible to command my body to produce milk again, lol. that was my favorite part of the infant stage too. Who knew I would find my soulmates in my two boys hearts? We are the three musketeers for life,” added the actress.
In the comments section of Padilla’s post, one netizen said, “sana magkabalikan po kayo ng tatay nila (i hope you get back with their father),” referring to Abrenica, who’s now in a relationship with actress AJ raval.
Padilla responded to the netizen’s remark, saying, “No thanks; we [are] good.” the “encantadia” actress also re-posted Laura Dern’s infamous monologue from the movie 2019 “marriage story,” where she unleashes her feelings about how society forgives fathers for being “imperfect” and “absent” but does not give the same grace to mothers.
In Nov. 2023, Padilla turned emotional in an interview with Boy Abunda after she admitted that she tried to save her marriage with Abrenica even
sincerity people feel for her.
“I have the freedom to do what I want to do with all sincerity. I don’t do things out of wanting to show people, and I connect with people more because I feel their sincerity,” she remarked.
when the effort “was not returned” and she was already “unhappy,” just so their sons would not grow up in a broken family. At the time, the “Buena familia” actress explained that she wished she left something for herself and didn’t give her all to her previous relationship. the pair had been dating for six years when they welcomed their firstborn in 2017 and got married a year later before welcoming their second child. the former couple confirmed their separation to the public in 2021.
Last year, Abrenica confessed in an interview that he had cheated on Padilla, while, the actress confirmed in July this year that she is now dating a non-showbiz guy, who is rumored to be tattoo artist Jinno John simon. meanwhile, Abrenica and raval recently shared they are already planning to build their own family in the future but emphasized that their priority right now is their careers and the actor’s two sons from his first marriage.
oGIe Alcasid's daughter Leila and long-time boyfriend, indie singer Curtismith, are now engaged.
In her Instagram account, Leila posted photos of them while showing her engagement ring. the most special anniversary gift," Leila captioned her post. o gie commented his congratulations for his daughter and her partner.
"the Lord bless you both. I am truly beyond happy for you two. Love you. Congratulations," he commented. thanks so much tito. Love you!!" Curtismith replied.
other celebrities such as Nadine Lustre, rhia Atayde, Darren espanto, Iza Calzado and Gabbi Garcia, to name a few, also congratulated the couple.
Leila confirmed that she’s dating Curtismith in 2019.
jessicA Ann evAngelistA Inquirer.net
Gretchen Barretto.
Photo from Instagram/@mkqua
Kylie Padilla Photo from Instagram/@kylienicolepadilla
J. Rey Soul, also known as Jessica Reynoso (second from right) of “The Voice of the Philippines,” gets a featured billing in the Black Eyed Peas’ new single that was dropped a month ago. It is a pop hip-hop tune with a big dose of Latin rhythms titled “Mamacita.” Contributed photo
My P.E.P. (People, Events,Places)
rogelio conSTanTino meDina
I rememBer when I reported for work as a writer at the Department of trade and Industry’s Press and Information o ffice in makati City, I rushed to the elevator and I saw then-D t I secretary mar roxas, my boss, with his son Paolo (who finished an economics degree from yale University), a handsome teenager at that time. mar and Korina sanchez were not yet sweethearts. Korina was working for ABs-CBN as a broadcaster.
Paolo recently celebrated his birthday and he is helping his constituents in Capiz. one time, I saw him in a video with his cute young brother and sister Pepe and Pilar (children of mar and Korina).
* * * At young age, mikee Cojuangco, daughter of Peping and tingt ing Cojuangco, was already aware of what was happening in the Philippines: “I just came from a family reunion on August 21, 1983, the death anniversary of my grandfather. o thers fetched Uncle Ninoy (Aquino) at the airport.”
s he continued: “We, the younger ones, were left in Dasmarinas Village, makati. When my cousin’s mother went home, my cousin asked the whereabouts of Uncle Ninoy. t hen her mom said, ‘he was assassinated!’ We were shocked. We couldn’t do anything but listen to the news on radio Veritas.” for mikee, it was different for a nine-year-old concerned about the welfare of the country and current events.
s he also remembered that two years before her uncle’s assassination at the tarmac, they visited her Uncle Ninoy in Boston, massachusetts: “I was only seven years old... Uncle Ninoy was serious to me. h e didn’t treat me like a child. Whatever he thought about politics, he discussed it directly whether I understood what he said or not. I really value the fact that he treated me like an adult. We were really taken good care of. he had plenty of ideas. he was so deep. I was so inspired.”
s he said, “We should not forget the filipino people who displayed the moral courage to
Beverly Salviejo, an entertainer with a heart
do what they thought as right regardless of the consequences, especially when the going was rough, for the sake of freedom and democracy.” she is now a filipino sports official, equestrienne, model and former actress/ t V host. she brought home the gold at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, south Korea.
* * * Liberty Insurance Corp. president and Ceo Josefina m salvador, a CPA, says: “everything that I do I need to write down and polish it, to know what I am supposed to do within the day and when to finish it, so that becomes my guide. In that manner I know it is a stressful environment because of the attitude that I’ve acquired. I know what to do and the direction to take. But there are occasions we cannot avoid it, there are deviations from the normal things that we do.” Because of the working attitude she has acquired, she is adaptable to the stressful environment beyond one’s control. s ince she is a CPA, the correlation of numbers is meaningful to her for numbers would her tell if something is right or wrong. sundays for Jo is exclusively for family matters. she sees to it that she does not bring her work problems at home. s he does domestic work, cooks, washes clothes and attends to her kids’ basic needs. she and her family go to church together and visit her parents’ house which is a few meters away from their own home. When her kids were still young, she remembers she personally taught them and had to take a leave of absence to prepare them for their exams in school. Now all her kids are successful professionals in their own fields.
As to her personal philosophy in life, she says she is a simple person who sees to it that she musters all her efforts to help our less fortunate brethren in the best, small way she can as she prays and gives her trust to the Lord for everything, she believes, has a purpose. By praying and asking guidance from the Lord is how she manages Liberty Insurance Corporation, a nonlife insurance entity that adheres toward leadership, integrity and commitment.
* * * former broadcast journalist and war correspondent Ignacio
is
I met him again during the recent arts exhibit of his visual artist son-in-law, Atty. Jose ferdinand rojas II, a former general manager of the Philippine Charity sweepstakes o ffice, who is the husband of Atty. trisha Bunye. h e served as congressman and mayor of m untinlupa. h e also became press secretary and monetary Board member of the Bangko sentral ng Pilipinas. his mother is a pre-war movie actress with the screen name Gloria Imperial whose younger
Helpful SSI changes reducing customer burden take effect Agency expands access and continues removing barriers
soCIAL security Administra-
tion policy updates that expand access to supplemental security
Income (ssI) in line with the law go into effect today. the agency no longer includes food in InKind support and maintenance (Ism) calculations, has expanded its rental subsidy policy exception, and has expanded the definition of a public assistance household.
" t hese changes will help more people access crucial ssI benefits," said martin o'malley, Commissioner of social security.
"By simplifying and expanding our policies, we are making ssI smarter, removing barriers to accessing payments, and reducing the burden on the public and agency staff.”
s tarting today, the agency no longer includes food in Ism calculations. t he new policy removes a critical barrier to ssI eligibility that an applicant or recipient might encounter if they get informal food assistance from friends, family, and community networks. the agency estimates this change could increase
monthly ssI payments by about $131 per month for over 90,000 people and allow more people to qualify for benefits.
Also today, the agency is expanding a rental subsidy exception to all ssI applicants and recipients nationwide that previously applied in only seven states. this uniform nationwide policy will ensure that people paying at least a certain amount toward rent are not subject to Ism in the form of rental assistance. It is estimated this change could increase monthly ssI payments by about $132 per month for about 41,000 people and allow more people to qualify for ssI.
Also today, the agency is expanding the definition of a public assistance household in two important ways. first, the agency will add s upplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ( s NAP) benefits to the types of public assistance listed in the policy. second, the agency will no longer require that all household members receive public assistance to be considered a public assistance household.
the expanded definition allows more people to qualify for ssI, increases some ssI recipients' monthly payment amounts, and reduces reporting burdens for individuals living in public assistance households. these two changes could decrease the amount of I sm charged to applicants and recipients, resulting in increased ss I payments to about 277,000 people and making more people eligible for ss I in the coming years.
ss I provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness, and to adults aged 65 and older, who have limited income and resources. ss I benefits help pay for basic needs like rent, food, clothing, and medicine.
People applying for and receiving ss I must meet eligibility requirements, including income and resource limits. for more information on the ss I program, including who is eligible and how to apply, visit s upplemental s ecurity Income (ssI) | ssA.
movie
m ila
and Daig
of
* * * Actress-singer Beverly salviejo is an Aliw Awards hall of fame awardee. s he appeared in the sitcom “Urbana at feliza” (which starred m itch Valdez and Nanette Inventor) as Lou Veloso’s maid. since then, she had been invited in some tV shows and movies. she was interviewed by GmA-7’s Jessica soho.
I saw her in many tV series like forevermore, Imortal, toda m ax, Pintada, Princess and I, my Little Juan, Got to Believe, fPJ’s Ang Probinsiyano, Pusong
Ko. I recently watched her in GmA7’s Wish Ko Lang where she won a recognition for her acting ability. she also won in the 7th Asia Pacific Luminare Awards where the three of us (elizabeth oropesa, Beverly and me) won recognitions. I first met Beverly in tahan-tahanan (a haven for kids with cancer) in e ast Avenue medical Center in Quezon City where we both volunteered to entertain the patients.
* * * o ne evening at nostalgic sing-along bar music Box the
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * * rogeliocmedina@yahoo.com
Liza joins int’l entertainment company WILD
by Anne PAsAjol Inquirer.net
LIZA soberano received warm welcome as she joined the global entertainment company WILD as one of its talents.
the actress’ new management was announced through the label’s official Instagram page on tuesday, october 1.
“We’re so happy to welcome the talented filipinoAmerican actress Liza soberano to our WILD family,” it said, showing a portrait of soberano.
the company further provided the contact detail for “any singapore-related inquiries” for soberano. other than this, no details on the signing were immediately made public.
WILD, as per its website, is a “global entertainment company, marketing agency and music label” which aims to “connect Asian-American artists and talent worldwide, with a focus on southeast Asia, south Korea and the United states.” other talents managed by the label are tasha Low, haven, Jam republic, Lana, seungyeon and sorn.
“WILD’s global roster of talent ranging from artists, actors, hosts, and content creators each have their own stories to tell—as well as the initiative to grow their brand beyond their platforms,” the company said of its talents, per its website.
“Above all, we bring out the best in our team by forging strong and lasting relationships, providing them with the right support, as well as giving the strategic and technical know-how to produce the highest quality work,” it further stated.
soberano was previously managed by Careless,
a label founded by actor-musician James reid. reid confirmed the actress’ exit in september, after weeks of speculations. reid further disclosed that soberano herself decided to leave the agency, saying this was due to the actress and the company having different “career paths.” soberano, meanwhile, has yet to speak on the matter as of this writing.
Paolo Roxas (left) with his dad Mar Roxas Photos courtesy of Rogelio Medina
Mikee
Cojuangco-Jaworksi with Chino Hansel Philyang
Singer-actress Sarah Liroe Javier and director Vince Tanada at Music Box The Library.
Rogelio Medina (left) with Ignacio “Toting” Bunye
Rogelio Medina (left) and Jerick Gadeja at Music Box The Library
Jo Salvador (right) and Rogelio Medina flank a life-size poster of Liberty Insurance endorser Dingdong Dantes.
From left: Rogelio Medina, Beverly Salviejo and Elizabeth Oropesa at Okada Hotel.
From left: Rogelio Medina, Pilar Mateo, manager Arnold Anota, and owner Andrew de Real at Music Box The Library.
“toting” Bunye
my uncle (my paternal grandfather belongs to the Bunye clan).
sister
del s ol was also a
darling
her time.
Ligaw,
Kayo ng Lola
Library, owned by Jerick Gadeja and Andrew de r eal and managed by Arnold Anota, on Quezon City’s timog Avenue, I joined some members of Vince tanada’s Philstagers, singer-actress s arah Liroe Javier and other friends in relaxing after a tireless series of shows of Juan Luna Isang sarsuela.
