LAS VEGAS


Since 1992 VOL. II, NO. 15


JUNE 8, 2011


Giunchigliani braces for last-minute push


INTERNATIONAL music sensation Ms. Lani Misalucha wows and works the crowd.


Las Vegas 3rd Annual Fiesta


Filipino – A sterling success LAS VEGAS – For the first time since its inception, the


NaFFAA-Nevada Chapter has arrived completely at the doorstep of every Filipino and Filipino-American and beyond. The NaFFAA consciousness has also infected fellow Asian- Americans, Caucasians, Hispanics and all other ethnicities in Las Vegas judging on the attendance and participation of all communi- ties in the event. This was the overall impression of everyone who attended the 3rd


Annual Fiesta Filipino held at the Boulevard Mall


West Parking Lot on Saturday, June 4, 2011. “The 2011 Fiesta Filipino is “the best and grandest Filipino event ever,” says NaFFAA-NV state chair Amie Belmonte, credit- ing and praising all her fellow officers, Fiesta Filipino committees, volunteer crews, sponsors and the media for their support” Considered the biggest and most successful of all Filipino events ever held in Las Vegas, the event drew an estimated crowd of 18,000 (according to ATAC Security based on past events). Mer-


See LAS VEGAS, page 26 By BEH LIH YI


Singapore to overtake Vegas this year


MACAU, June 7, 2011 (AFP) – Singapore is set to overtake Las Vegas as the world’s second- largest gambling hub this year, a U.S. gaming industry head said Tuesday, as Asia cements its place as a major betting market. Singapore has emerged as


THE KALAHI Philippine Folkloric Ensemble present a glimpse of its show on June 11 at the UNLV Artemus Hall.


Mabuhay Ka! Pilipino


LAS VEGAS – The stage is all set now for the grand presentation of Mabuhay Ka! Pilipin, (Long Live the Filipino!), a classic performance by KALAHI Philip- pine Folkloric Ensemble of Las Vegas, on Saturday, June 11 at the Artemus Ham Concert Hall at University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) at 7:00 p.m.


The historic performance traces the Path to Philippine In- dependence in songs and dances, as it commemorates the 113th Philippine Independence, the 150th


Birth Anniversary of Phil- ippines National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal, and the 25th


Anniversary of the historic EDSA Revolution.


onstage at UNLV June 11 The three-in-one event is proudly presented by the University of the Philippines Alumni Associa- tion of Nevada (UPAAN) headed by Dr. Romualdo Aragon, Jr., co-founder (with Luz Sapin- Micabalo) and executive director. Tickets at $35 (VIP seats), and $25 are still available for purchase. To purchase tickets online, visit pac.unlv.edu (UNLV Performing Arts Center website) or pick up at the UNLV PAC Box Office. Also available by calling (702) 895-ARTS (2787), (702) 702) 595-5988, (702) 882- 8484, (702) 218-4595, (702) 236- 7665, or (702) 348-9286. (Zen S. Laluna) ■


PHOTO: RAY CARRERA


Asia’s hottest new gambling destination with a revamped cityscape and billions of dollars pouring into the economy, after the opening of two resort casinos in 2010.


The strong growth came after Macau overtook the Las Vegas Strip as the world’s biggest gam- ing hub in 2006 and now boasts a gaming market almost four times as large as that of Vegas, thanks to burgeoning numbers of wealthy Asians.


The two resort casinos in Singapore posted $5.1 billion in gaming revenues in 2010, a figure forecast to rise to $6.4 billion this year, according to Frank Fahren- kopf, president of the American Gaming Association. A report citing research by the Royal Bank of Scotland has sug- gested Las Vegas will take $6.2 billion this year.


“Now more than a year old, the two integrated resorts in Singapore have exceeded all ex- pectations and turned the nation into Asia’s second global gaming superpower,” said Fahrenkopf. “The country’s gaming market will likely overtake Las Vegas as the world’s second-largest gam-


PHOTO: ZEN S. LALUNA


LAS VEGAS – With only two days left before elections on Tuesday, June 7, both candidates for the City of Las Vegas Mayoral race, push for the last minute to entice voters to go to the polls. At the Chris Giunchigliani headquarters, Balita Media-Las Vegas learned that on Monday, the candidate launched her per- sonal door-to-door canvass from her home following media inter- views. In the afternoon, she called on her supporters to double efforts to Get Out the Vote by calling on voters over the phones.


The Chris G. headquarters will be crowded with volunteers doing the canvassing and phone banking on Tuesday, June 7 from as early as 7:00 a.m. when voting begins. At 7:30 a.m., candidate Chris G. will cast her vote at the Griffith United Methodist Church on E. Oakey Boulevard. she will then conduct a final conference call with campaign team prior to full day of campaign activity for the team and volunteers. At 9 a.m., Clark County Commissioner Chris G., who has never reneged on her duty as Clark County Commissioner will conduct a meeting at the CCC


CLARK County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani reads the CC Commission Proclamation recognizing the NaFFAA-Nevada for its “extraordinary contribution to Nevada’s mainstream society, and for its promoting the welfare, culture and socio-political consciousness among Filipino-Americans in Las Vegas.”


PHOTO: MARGIE GONZALES


offices. Even at the thick of cam- paign activities, Commissioner Chris G. continues to meet her obligation--- even on voting day. How the Commissioner was able to juggle her duty and campaign at the same time is an excellent study on time management, me- dia pundits say.


Immediately following her meeting with fellow Clark County commissioners, Chris G. will pro- ceed to campaign headquarters to


join her volunteers and supporters and continue campaigning for the rest of the day until voting ends at 7:00 p.m.


Supporters, volunteers, the media and other interested par- ties are invited to join Chris G. to watch the voting results from 8:00 p.m. till 10:00 p.m. at the Chris G. headquarters on 6600 West Charleston Blvd., Suite 120 (by Rainbow Blvd. near Community College of Southern Nevada). ■


ing centre as early as this year,” he told a news conference on the sidelines of the Global Gaming Expo Asia, which opened Tues- day in Macau.


The first Singapore casino opened in Malaysian-controlled Resorts World Sentosa in Febru-


See SINGAPORE, page 24 Pacquiao settles de la Hoya suit


LOS ANGELES, June 1, 2011 (AFP) – Manny Pacquiao has settled his defamation lawsuit against Oscar de la Hoya and his Golden Boy promotions chief Richard Schaefer over allegations the Filipino fight king used performance-enhancing drugs. Terms of the settlement were not released, and there was no indication in a press release on Tuesday that Pacquiao had given up his legal action against boxer Floyd Mayweather, who was also named in the original lawsuit.


The 2009 legal action stemmed from the contentious nego- tiations for a possible Pacquiao-Mayweather bout, a fight much wanted by fans but which has never been put together. In March, a federal judge in Las Vegas denied a motion to dismiss the suit and ruled the case could go ahead. Under the terms of their settlement, de la Hoya and Schaefer issued a statement and apology to Pacquiao.


“Richard Schaefer and Oscar de la Hoya, on behalf of them- selves and Golden Boy Promotions, wish to make it crystal clear that we never intended to claim that Manny Pacquiao has used or is using any performance enhancing drugs, and further state that we do not have any evidence whatsoever of such use,” their


See PACQUAIO, page 24


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28