Philippine Canadian Inquirer Issue #130

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VOL. 8 NO. 130

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AUGUST 29, 2014

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Nancy Binay: COA's Mendoza out to destroy my family

Aquino pays tribute to Filipino heroism

Protesters seek 6M signatures to kill pork

Filipino-Canadians in Focus: The Gayos and the McLarens

Words to live by

Philippines to pull out hundreds of its peacekeepers from Golan Heights and Liberia The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES—The Philippine government said Saturday that it would bring home its peacekeeping forces from the Golan Heights amid the

DAY FOR HEROES

❱❱ PAGE 9 Philippines to

Monday has been declared a national holiday to honor Philippine heroes. President Aquino is heading the celebration amid a protest rally against the pork barrel system and Charter change. Photo above shows the monument to Andres Bonifacio in Caloocan City.

RELEVANT SKILLS. MEANINGFUL JOBS.

PHOTO BY EDWIN BACASMAS

Palace asks: What pork?

No such thing in budget—Abad

BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, PHILIPPINES—What pork?

Define pork.

On the eve of a massive protest to be held at Rizal Park in Manila on Monday, Malacañang on Sunday maintained that the graft-ridden pork barrel had been scrapped.

310.HIRE (4473)

“We disagree that the pork barrel system remains in the 2015 NEP (National Expenditure Program) submitted by the administration to Congress,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told the Inquirer.

In a text message, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said he could “categorically” declare that the pork barrel no

Philippine Canadian Inquirer

How Ninoy Aquino got his 2 passports in New Orleans PHOTO FROM KAHIMYANG.INFO

❱❱ PAGE 10 Palace asks

SPROTTSHAW.COM

❱❱ PAGE 6

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FRIDAY 2

Philippine News

3 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

Makati building: COA sees red flags Mayor Binay tells Senate: No overprice

BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer THE COMMISSION on Audit will conduct a special audit of the construction of an allegedly overpriced P2.3-billion Makati City parking building, with COA Chair Grace Pulido-Tan noting “red flags” such as the division of the project into several phases and questioning the quick award of the contracts.

The 11-story building is the subject of a plunder case filed against Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. and Vice President Jejomar Binay, who was Makati City mayor when construction of the parking building began in 2007.

The case was filed by their political rivals Renato Bondal and Nicolas Enciso, who said the building should have cost only P700 million.

Binay yesterday anchored part of his defense of the parking building project on an earlier COA report finding nothing irregular about it from start to finish.

Appearing in a politically charged Senate blue ribbon inquiry on the alleged overprice of Makati buildings, Binay also explained the cost of the parking building by saying that it was “world-class” and that its foundation had to be strengthened because of its location on soft ground, given that it was near the Pasig River.

“The technical audit specialists from the COA also reviewed the contract price for each phase of the project. The technical audit specialists found the contract price for all phases reasonable,” Binay said.

At the hearing, Bondal alleged that the 31,900-squaremeter Makati parking building, for which P2.7 billion was originally allocated, cost P84,000 per square meter.

In contrast, the luxurious 46story Shang Grand Tower cost P2 billion or P40,000 per sq m, and the P2.8-billion, 57-story Greenbelt Residences cost P45,000 per sq m.

Cuervo’s valuation

Federico Cuervo, a property appraiser from Cuervo Valuers & Advisory, said the average cost of a building in Ba-

rangay Poblacion, Makati City, was P23,000 per sq m based on 2007 prices. He also said the P23,000 value was for a “Grade A” building.

Cuervo said he came up with the P23,000-per-sq-m value when asked to do so for a “hypothetical building,” and did not know until yesterday that it was to be compared with the Makati parking building.

He also confirmed, upon Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s questioning, that a 31,000-sq-m building would have cost only around P700 million.

Trillanes also said that if based on 2012 prices, the cost of a building would be P27,000 per sq m. This would mean the Makati parking building was still overpriced, he added.

was a usual practice in local governments.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano asked COA auditor Cecilia Caga-anan, former auditor of Makati, whether the parking building raised red flags, citing the Davis, Langdon and Seah construction cost handbook used in the Philippines.

Caga-anan signed the COA

Internal memo

Tan said the COA report Binay cited was an internal memorandum and would still have to be validated. The COA is now set to conduct a special audit of the project and its findings will be filed in the Office of the Ombudsman because there is a pending case on the matter.

“It will go through a special audit. This will be handled by the central office, the special audit service. We will have a multidisciplinary team,” she said at the hearing, adding that the COA will also engage experts like a quantity surveyor because a technical matter was involved.

Five phases for project

She said one red flag that would be looked at was the division of the parking building project into five phases.

“In the usual course, it’s a red flag,” she said, in response to a question from Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III on whether the division of a project into phases triggered suspicion.

Pimentel said this could “open a Pandora’s box” because many projects had been implemented in phases.

Lone bidder

Tan noted that in this case, one contract was awarded for each phase. There were also lone bidders for the contracts.

But Sen. JV Ejercito, a former San Juan mayor, said dividing projects into several phases www.canadianinquirer.net

report cited by Binay that there had been no adverse findings about the project.

Cayetano said that based on the handbook, a parking building should have cost P12,000 to P18,000 per sq m, while an average standard office should cost P26,900 to P33,000 per sq m. A prestige office or high rise should cost P30,000 to P37,000

per sq m.

Caga-anan said she had consulted the technical staff, the COA engineers before signing the report.

Bidding, awarding

Another thing the COA would look at was the appropriation, ❱❱ PAGE 14 Makati building

Philippine News

AUGUST 29, 2014

FRIDAY 4

Nancy Binay: COA Commissioner Mendoza out to destroy my family

BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, PHILIPPINES—Sen. Nancy Binay expressed hope the Commission on Audit’s investigation of the P2.3-billion Makati parking building at the center of overpricing allegations would be fair since it was “public knowledge” that one of the COA commissioners was “out to destroy my family.”

Asked in an interview over dzBB radio on Sunday if she was referring to Commissioner Heidi Mendoza, Binay said, “It’s public knowledge she’s out to destroy my family.”

“I have no problem with a special audit. But I also have concerns when it comes to the main office of the COA. First of all, a commissioner appointed there is vengeful toward my family,” Binay said.

Before she was appointed COA commissioner, Mendoza had headed the audit team that

uncovered alleged anomalies in the purchase of office furniture for the new Makati City Hall, which led to graft charges being filed against former Mayor Elenita Binay, the mother of Senator Binay and Vice President Jejomar Binay’s wife.

“I just hope that whoever will investigate my family will be fair,” the senator added.

COA Chair Grace Pulido-Tan earlier said the special audit of the parking building would look into the splitting of the project into five phases, which was a “red flag,” and would also look into the unusually quick appropriation, bidding and award of a P400-million contract in one of the phases.

The special audit will be headed by a “multi-disciplinary” team that would consult with technical experts like quantity surveyors.

Vice President Binay and Makati Mayor Jejomary Erwin “Junjun” Binay are facing a plunder complaint for the al-

leged overprice in the cost of the P2.3-billion parking building, constructed from 2007 to 2012.

The Binays have denied the charges, explaining that the cost was high because the edifice was “world class” and a “green building” that needed an extra-strong foundation because it was next to the Pasig River.

Tan had told the senators the COA had not cleared the parking building, and that an initial report that showed no adverse findings against the project had still to be validated and evaluated.

Senator Binay said on Sunday, the special audit of the parking building should be treated like any other special investigation.

She noted that the COA had yet to come out with its report on 144 projects funded by the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program, and on the disbursements of the con-

www.canadianinquirer.net

Asked in an interview over dzBB radio on Sunday if she was referring to Commissioner Heidi Mendoza, Binay said, “It’s public knowledge she’s out to destroy my family.”

PHOTO FROM ABS-CBNNEWS.COM

gressional Priority Development Assistance Fund after 2010. She said the COA must release these soon.

“I hope that however fast the special audit will be, the probe of the DAP and the PDAF will move at the same pace,” she said.

She continued to object to the Senate Blue Ribbon committee probe, saying it was the Binays who were being prompted to show proof to dispute the allegations against them when

the burden of proof lay with the ones who made the accusations.

She said charges had already been filed in the Office of the Ombudsman, so what else could the Blue Ribbon committee contribute to the matter?

She said the alleged overprice of the parking building had not been established since even the COA had still to conduct its own probe.

“I hope the Senate will not be used for personal battles,” she added. ■

Philippine News

5 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

Jinggoy hits Guingona: Get on with pork probe

BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer SEN. JINGGOY Estrada yesterday blasted Sen. Teofisto Guingona III for his reluctance to resume hearings on the pork barrel controversy, saying it seemed after all that the latter was only after “cheap publicity” instead of the truth.

Estrada said the Senate blue ribbon committee, chaired by Guingona, could resume its hearings on the controversy if it really wanted to.

“If the panel is truly interested in arriving at the truth and instituting lasting reforms, it will continue to hold hearings anytime, get to the bottom of the issue and investigate even its own allies and party mates. Otherwise, it will throw every conceivable excuse—budget deliberation, schedule conflicts, gathering of

more information, etc.—to justify its negligent inaction,” Estrada said in a statement.

Guingona earlier said he was not inclined to resume hearings on the pork barrel controversy for now and would rather focus on the 2015 budget.

This was despite a Pulse Asia survey showing that a majority of Filipinos view the hearings as unfair for seeming to focus only on lawmakers affiliated with the opposition.

Partial report

Guingona has come out with a partial committee report recommending an internal purging of the Senate after finding basis to file criminal charges against three senators implicated in the controversy.

Estrada also accused Guingona of abandoning hearings midway, without arriving at a formal and definite conclusion.

He noted that the committee’s report on the pork barrel controversy was only a partial one. It also failed to conclude its inquiry into the alleged sexual exploitation of overseas Filipino workers by embassy and labor office staff, he said.

“The public can’t help but conclude that the chair is not after the truth or justice, only cheap publicity,” Estrada said.

Targets

But he said he was not surprised by Guingona’s position not to resume hearings anytime soon, since the hearings already got their targets—the three senators currently in detention.

Estrada and Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Bong Revilla are detained on plunder and graft charges for allegedly pocketing their pork barrel funds.

“Is anyone surprised by Senator Guingona’s statement? No

Senator Teofisto Guingona III (right) has come out with a partial committee report recommending an internal purging of the Senate after finding basis to file criminal charges against three senators implicated in the controversy.

PHOTO FROM N5E.INTERAKSYON.COM

one. The statement was expected from the committee chair as according to him the purpose of the overly protracted investigation has already been achieved; i.e. for me, to see the three target senators in jail,” Estrada said.

Guingona earlier defended

the hearings, saying the committee did its best and that it had been fair to everyone.

He denied targeting members of the opposition. “It’s the evidence that spoke for the case, the testimony of witnesses, the whistle-blowers,” Guingona said on Monday. ■

Motorcycle thieves don’t steal big bikes

BY JULIE M. AURELIO Philippine Daily Inquirer WHILE MOTORCYCLE thefts are on the rise, a particular type of motorcycle is safe—so far—from the scheming eyes of thieves: The pricey big bike.

Despite being more expensive, big bikes are often ignored by criminals because it would be harder to look for buyers of whole big bikes, or even its spare parts.

“There is no wide market for big bikes. Motorcycles are very common to ordinary folk but not big bikes,” Chief Supt. Arrazad Subong of the Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group (HPG) said in an interview yesterday.

Big bikes are motorcycles with engine displacements of 400 cc and above. An ordinary motorcycle usually has a displacement of 100 cc.

Data from the HPG showed that motorcycle thefts doubled in the first half of 2014 compared to the same period last year.

Big bikes spared

Incidents of stolen motorcycles went up from 1,578 in the first six months of 2013, to

2,866 in the same period this year.

Subong said big bikes usually were not stolen despite the same risks faced by thieves going after an ordinary motorcycle or a customized big bike.

“It’s too expensive. Besides, it’s easily recognizable,” Subong said. “There are few big bikes here compared to ordinary motorcycles. Also, owners of big bikes take care of them well so there is no high demand for spare parts.”

The HPG chief stressed that since there was no wide market for big bikes, thieves wouldn’t think of stealing them since their profit was unsure.

Harder to hide

“The suspect would consider if there’s a market for the vehicle he’s eyeing. Will he make a profit immediately? Those are the factors. Besides, it’s harder to hide because it’s easily recognizable,” Subong said.

Based on HPG statistics, incidents of vehicle theft doubled in the first six months of 2014 compared to the same period last year.

The increase was mainly due to the increasing number of cases of motorcyce thefts, Subong said.

Data from the HPG showed that motorcycle thefts doubled in the first half of 2014 compared to the same period last year.

PHOTO FROM BADLADZ.COM

There were 3,170 thefts of motor vehicles and motorcycles from January to June 2014.

This means an almost 100-percent increase from the same period last year, when registered thefts numbered 1,881.

Of 3,170 cases this year, Subong said 304 involved motor vehicles while 2,866 involved motorcycles. In the same period in 2013, the number of motor vehicles stolen was 303 while the number of stolen motorycles totaled 1,578.

April was lowest

“There was an average of 1.8 motor vehicles stolen daily during the first half of 2014, while an average of 15.7 motorcycles were stolen. In 2013, the daily www.canadianinquirer.net

average was 1.5 motor vehicles and 10.1 motorcycles,” Subong said.

For 2014, January registered the highest number of stolen motor vehicles with 72, while April had the lowest number of incidents with 24.

For motorcycles, February had the highest number of incidents with 577 while April registered a low of 361.

HPG data also showed that motor vehicle thefts for the same sixmonth period registered 303 in 2013 and 304 this year.

Figures for 2013 showed the total number of stolen motor vehicles to be 574 while stolen motorcycles totaled 3,701.

Subong noted that figures

for motor vehicles were much higher from 2000 to 2006, with the numbers usually totaling more 1,000 each year.

He attributed the rise in motorcycle thefts to the fact that the two-wheeled vehicles were easier to steal and dispose of by selling them piece by piece.

Subong pointed out that 2014 was far from over and the figures might still change in the coming months.

“That can still change because 2014 is not yet over. We can still reduce that,” he said.

Like businessmen

The National Capital Region registered the highest number of motor vehicle thefts, with 189 in the first six months of 2013 and 172 in the same period in 2014.

Region 4A came in second with 61 stolen vehicles in the first six months of 2013 and 89 in the same period this year.

Particularly vulnerable to car thefts are brand-new vehicles with no license plates and only conduction stickers. Even older models are being targeted for spare parts, Subong said.

“Carjackers think like businessmen. They think of the market and demand for what they are stealing,” he said. ■

Philippine News

AUGUST 29, 2014

FRIDAY 6

How Ninoy Aquino got his 2 passports in New Orleans

BY JOSE A.P. AMPESO Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, PHILIPPINES— Sometime early in 1983, I learned from several sources and from Philippine newspaper accounts that Ninoy was dead serious about returning home and that authorities in the Philippines were already planning moves in reaction to this calculated move by Ninoy, taking into account the crucial factor of Marcos’ faltering health.

This meant that the latter was not in full control.

Despite my being in New Orleans, I became very much involved with the issue.

Ninoy called me up in New Orleans one early morning, saying, “Brod, help me. I need a passport. I need to travel outside [the United States] and I am requesting your help, please.”

My immediate reaction was, “Senior Brod, I will act on your request. But could you somehow inform Brod Roque (former Ilocos Norte Rep. Roquito Ablan) about this matter.”

For the next week or so, I was consumed by the many questions that the extraordinary request triggered in me.

Should I or shouldn’t I? Why/ why not? What can I do and how do I do it?

My dilemma was made worse because I couldn’t talk it out with anyone, as I had to appreciate the situation of the government then. Although martial law was lifted in 1981, it was but in name—the police powers of Big Brother were still in place, not only in the country but more so in the Philippine foreign diplomatic and consular establishments. There was an eye or ear in each post, especially in the United States.

Grave implications

While I was fully sympathetic with Ninoy’s wanting a pass-

port, I felt that whatever response I would make bore grave implications, primarily on my side as a civil servant, a brod, a person.

Selfishly or selflessly, I told myself to act according to my conscience and fidelity to the civil service.

Ninoy called back after three or four days to reiterate his request for help. I felt he was dead serious about his need for a passport. But I still had to hear from Roquito.

When Roquito finally rang me up, he told me, “You can issue the passport to Ninoy. I will have it cleared upstairs.” I asked him, “Manong, upstairs is upstairs. How about [the people] down below, especially the military?”

Ninoy’s passport.

So I spent most evenings with Filipino community leaders or with some American neighbors to while the time away.

Cherished memory

THE TRIAL. Aug. 27, 1973, Fort Bonifacio. Sen. Benigno Aquino “Ninoy” Aquino

Jr. challenged the jurisdiction and independence of the military commission of Marcos-appointed generals and colonels. He refused to participate in the trial.

On Nov. 25, 1977, the military tribunal sentenced him to die by musketry.

PHOTO BY ED SANTIAGO / INQUIRER.NET

2 passports, 2 names

Himself aware of the state of affairs then, he responded in Ilocano, “Why, is there a military person or representative assigned over there who would report here?”

I said, “Adda!”—Ilocano for “There is!” He understood my concern so he advised me to be extremely cautious, reiterating that Ninoy’s passport could now be acted upon.

A week later, I met up with Ninoy and handed over to him two passports, one in his name and the other with his nom de guerre “Marcial Bonifacio.” He expressed his gratitude, saying, “Brod, I truly appreciate your kind and brave act. I shall see you in Manila.”

That was in mid-spring of 1983 when we last met. The next time I heard from him was in early August ‘83, when he called to confirm that he was set to return to the Philippines and that I should see him when I was back there.

‘Opposition leader shot!’

Past midnight of Aug. 21, I was driving along I-5 on my way

home after attending a couple of community functions in the city of jazz. I was then listening to some Cajun music on the radio when suddenly, the music was interrupted with a breaking news item: “Ninoy Aquino, Philippine opposition leader, was shot upon arrival at Manila International Airport. It could not be determined if the shooting was fatal.”

I couldn’t believe what I heard! Driving home as fast as I could, I instantly got on the phone to call Manila. That he was shot was confirmed; hours later, his death was likewise confirmed.

Tears come

I could not hold back my tears, even as I began to speculate on the implications of his death for the country and the people.

For myself, I immediately sensed that there would be some serious investigation of Ninoy’s killing, including how he managed to get a Philippine passport. I could foresee that Ninoy’s senseless [death] would

www.canadianinquirer.net

somehow unite the Philippine opposition against President Marcos, upon whom full blame for Ninoy’s reprehensible death would be squarely laid.

Sleepless in New Orleans

For the next month, I had to act as though nothing happened. I was informed that all personnel in diplomatic posts the world over were ordered to check out their consular records to verify where Ninoy’s passport came from. My post in New Orleans was no exception.

However, no trace whatsoever could be located to point to New Orleans as the source.

During the monthlong unearthing of the post’s consular records, I must admit that I had sleepless nights, as I even contemplated the extreme of committing hara-kiri—a foolish thought!

I thought about going on leave but that was even more foolish, as it would only draw unwanted attention. What I eventually did was to try to behave as normally as possible, totally ignoring the matter of

It is now almost a quarter of a century since Ninoy was shot at the tarmac of the Manila airport that has been renamed in his honor. His aspiration for the country and its people still remain aspirations to be achieved. Monuments, statues, a national holiday—these and many other tributes to him— have been set up to give recognition to this dreamer who asserted that “the Filipino can.”

I take pride in having known a man, my brod, who believed that “the Filipino is worth dying for.”

Ninoy’s promise that he would see me in Manila lingers in my mind. My greatest dream then was to meet him at home…

Destiny dictated otherwise. ■ Editor’s Note: The writer, now retired from the Department of Foreign Affairs, recounts how he helped former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. obtain a passport that enabled him to return to Manila, where he was assassinated on Aug. 21, 1983.

Aquino had been living in exile in the United States and the writer was then posted as a vice consul in New Orleans. Aquino, President Ferdinand Marcos and the writer were fraternity brothers (brods) of the Upsilon Sigma Phi. This article was slightly edited from the version that originally appeared in the book, “We Gather Light to Scatter Ninety Years of Upsilon Sigma Phi,” published in 2009. Republished with permission from the author.

Philippine News

7 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

P-Noy slams early campaigners It’s useless to suspend me from Senate—Revilla

BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Philippine Daily Inquirer

TUGUEGARAO—Under fire for entertaining the possibility of another term, President Aquino yesterday sought to tone down the political noise and assailed politicians “campaigning” this early for 2016.

Mr. Aquino slammed the unnamed political aspirants shortly after inaugurating a bridge and a connecting road network in Tuao town.

“My friends, if you read the papers every day, it seems a lot of people are already campaigning,” he said in Filipino.

“It seems they have forgotten that we have problems today. There’s a problem with the 2016 elections but that’s still in 2016. Right now, let us respond to the problems besetting our country because that is our obligation.”

“If we can do something for others, let’s not do it ‘somewhere down the road.’ It should be done now,” he added.

Of the prospective presidential candidates in 2016, only Vice President Jejomar Binay has declared his intention to run.

Mr. Aquino has been tightlipped on the administration’s standard-bearer in 2016. The presumptive candidate is Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, but he has been lagging in the surveys.

Amid the administration’s lack of a strong presidential candidate, Mr. Aquino has opened the door to another term, an option that would require amending the Constitution.

“When I took this office, I recall that it was only for one term of six years. Now, after having said that, of course, I have to listen to my bosses [the people],” he told TV5 last week.

The President yesterday avoided Palace reporters seeking a more categorical response from him. Malacañang earlier insisted it was not behind the reelection campaign.

Citing a “homegrown campaign on the Internet,” Roxas earlier admitted that he had broached the idea of another term for Mr. Aquino.

The President flew here to inaugurate a bridge named after his late father and a road network connecting Regions I and II and the Cordillera Adminis-

BY MARLON RAMOS Philippine Daily Inquirer

President Aquino sought to tone down the political noise and assailed politicians “campaigning” this early for 2016.

PHOTO BY GIL NARTEA / RYAN LIM / ROBERT VIÑAS / REY BANIQUET / MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU / PCOO

trative Region.

At yesterday’s gathering at the Tuao East Town Center Gymnasium here, Roxas was to introduce Mr. Aquino.

Roxas made it clear he had been “asked” merely to do so.

He then gave the “honor” of introducing the President to Secretary Manuel Mamba, whose family was credited with initiating the Cagayan project.

Apparently still smarting from the Supreme Court’s decision voiding his Disbursement Acceleration Program, the President yesterday paraded the DAP-funded infrastructure project as proof of the “efficient use” of government savings.

Of the total project cost of P599.4 million, P145 million was sourced from savings pooled under the DAP, which was declared unconstitutional by the high tribunal on July 1.

“This project is concrete proof of the meaningful transformation brought about by our journey toward the righteous path,” he told local officials and residents gathered at the gym.

The President also marked yesterday the second death anniversary of the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo.

The President said his administration tries to prolong the legacy of Robredo in ensuring that government services

reach the people immediately.

“For Jesse, the benefits of good governance should reach the people now,” he said in a 10-minute speech.

Citing the Cagayan project as an example, Mr. Aquino said his goal was to achieve “progress that delivers benefits to the majority” of the people.

“This was the dream of my father. This was the dream of Secretary Robredo. This was the dream of so many others who stood by the Filipino: A society where every one contributes for others and the country, a society teeming with opportunities and no one is left behind,” he said.

The project’s centerpiece is the 360-meter Ninoy Aquino Bridge, which crosses the Chico River and connects the provinces of Cagayan, Kalinga and Apayao.

It includes two other bridges, 40 and 20 meters in length, as well as a 22-km concrete road traversing the eastern and western villages of Tuao in Cagayan and Conner town in Apayao.

An arc marking the town entrance contained the words, “Salamat po sa DAP project, Mahal na Pangulo.” ■ With a report from Melvin Gascon, Inquirer Northern Luzon www.canadianinquirer.net

FROM HIS detention, Sen. Bong Revilla is seeking the reversal of his suspension from the Senate, calling it “useless” and “premature.”

The Sandiganbayan antigraft court ordered Revilla’s suspension from office for 90 days after he was indicted for plunder in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

Revilla, held in the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, said the Sandiganbayan First Division’s July 31 order suspending him failed to recognize that the validity of the charges against him was still in question after he filed a petition for certiorari in the Supreme Court.

Deprived of representation

In his motion for reconsideration, Revilla said the antigraft court erred in granting the Ombudsman’s motion to suspend him from office since this “unduly deprives the Filipino people of their representation in (the) Senate.”

“With all due respect, it is premature and without basis at this point for the honorable court to suspend Senator Revilla… as the validity of the information against him has not yet been resolved with finality,” the sixpage motion said.

“Truly, Senator Revilla, being an accused, has the right to challenge the validity of the information filed against him, including the criminal proceedings which led to the filing of such information,” it added.

In the motion, which his lawyers filed on Monday, Revilla

also said that stripping him of his functions as an elected public official would violate his rights and “render nugatory” his pending motion in the Supreme Court.

Malfeasance, intimidation

In seeking Revilla’s suspension, state prosecutors had argued that Republic Act No. 7080 clearly stated that a public official facing trial should be suspended, “to prevent the accused from committing further acts of malfeasance, tamper with documentary evidence, and intimidate or influence witnesses in the case.”

In its decision suspending Revilla and his aide, lawyer Richard Cambe, the Sandiganbayan First Division said: “In view of the arraignment of the accused and the validity of the information in the instant case no longer in question, and invoking the clear mandate of the law, the suspension of both accused pending litigation is now mandatory.”

‘Purpose only to harass’

Revilla, in his motion, said he could not harass witnesses or tamper with the evidence since he was locked up. He said that even when he was still in office and before he was arrested, government prosecutors were not prevented from gathering evidence against him.

“Thus, it renders all the more futile and pointless to suspend Senator Revilla from office now when the purposes for the suspension are not only unnecessary but irrelevant,” the motion said.

“Truth be told, there could no noble purpose for suspending Senator Revilla from office but to harass him,” it added. ■

In his motion for reconsideration, Revilla said the antigraft court erred in granting the Ombudsman’s motion to suspend him from office since this “unduly deprives the Filipino people of their representation in (the) Senate.”

PHOTO FROM NEWSFLASH.ORG

Philippine News

AUGUST 29, 2014 FRIDAY 8

VIPs, pols not invited to Pope’s lunch Publisher Philippine Canadian Inquirer, Inc. Editor Melissa Remulla-Briones editor@canadianinquirer.net Managing Editor Earl Von Tapia earl.tapia@canadianinquirer.net Community News Editor Mary Ann Mandap maryann.mandap@canadianinquirer.net Correspondents Ching Dee Angie Duarte Lei Fontamillas Frances Grace Quiddaoen Socorro Newland Bolet Arevalo Graphic Designer Victoria Yong Photographers Angelo Siglos Danvic Briones Solon Licas Operations and Marketing Head Laarni Liwanag (604) 551-3360 Advertising Sales Alice Yong (778) 889-3518 alice.yong@canadianinquirer.net Jennifer Yen 778-227-2995 Jennifer.yen@canadianinquirer.net PHILIPPINE PUBLISHING GROUP Editorial Assistant Phoebe Casin Graphic Designer Shanice Garcia Associate Publisher Lurisa Villanueva In cooperation with the Philippine Daily Inquirer digital edition Philippine Canadian Inquirer is located at 400-13955 Bridgeport Rd., Richmond, BC V6V 1J6 Canada Tel. No.: 1-888-668-6059 or 778-8893518 | Email: info@canadianinquirer. net, inquirerinc@gmail.com, sales@ canadianinquirer.net Philippine Canadian Inquirer is published weekly every Friday.

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BY ADOR S. MAYOL Inquirer Visayas CEBU CITY—Bad news for politicians and rich people who hope to rub elbows with Pope Francis during his first visit to the Philippines in January.

The Holy Father has told Archbishop John Du of Palo that he wants to be with the poor and those afflicted by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan).

Based on the Pope’s instruction, Francis intends to share a meal with the poor victims of last year’s calamities when he visits Tacloban City, Leyte, on Jan. 17.

“He will be sitting side by side with poor people. Simple food will be served and there will be no VIPs,” Du said in an interview on Saturday.

“If possible, the Pope wants to stay away from the big people, the VIPs,” he added.

Appeal to VIPs

Du appealed to the VIPs not to take center stage during the papal visit.

“Please give way to the poor for they are the main reason the Pope will come here,” he said.

Du will select 30 individuals who will dine with the Holy Father. The group, he said, will include five people from northern Cebu, five Boholanos while the rest are from Leyte.

Yolanda devastated the Visayas region on Nov. 8 last year, killing some 6,300 people with 1,060 still others missing.

The typhoon damaged property and public structures worth more than P25 billion.

Tacloban was the hardest hit area.

Bohol, on the other hand, was hit by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake on Oct. 15 last year, which killed at least 200 people.

Lone survivor

Du said one person in Leyte “lost all his loved ones in the supertyphoon.”

“He was the only survivor and he will stay right beside the Pope so he will be reminded that he’s not alone, that the Pope may be able to comfort him,” Du said.

Francis is to visit the Philippines on Jan. 15 to 19. He will visit Leyte on Jan. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. His complete itinerary is to be announced later this year.

Under the present schedule, the Pope is not likely to drop by Cebu, which will celebrate the feast of the Sto. Niño on Jan. 18, Du said.

“Pope Francis was invited to come to Cebu but he said he’s not coming for a fiesta. He said he doesn’t intend to make any sidetrips because the only reason he will come to the country is to be with the poor, the victims of Yolanda,” the archbishop said.

The Holy Father has told Archbishop John Du of Palo that he wants to be with the poor and those afflicted by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan).

PHOTO BY GIULIO NAPOLITANO / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Changes possible?

Du said he wanted the Pope to visit the Queen City of the South but only Manila and Leyte are in the Pope’s itinerary for now.

“I love the Holy Father to come to Cebu, the cradle of Christianity in the Far East. The Sto. Niño is very significant to the whole Philippines. Sometimes, the Holy Father deviates from his schedule. Who knows? Maybe there will be changes in the schedule,” he said.

Du said the Archdiocese of Palo, which has ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the entire island of Leyte, was now busy preparing for the six-and-a-half-hour papal visit.

“He wants to give them comfort, mercy, and compassion. The Pope would like these people to feel the mercy of God, that they are not alone, that they are not being left out or abandoned. Instead, they are loved and He’s one with them in their sufferings,” he said.

“The Pope said ‘Give me time to be with the poor.’ He’s telling the rich people that ‘if they want, they could assist me’ [in serving the poor]. The poor are close to the heart of the Holy Father and Jesus,” Du added.

Center for the Poor

During his visit to Leyte, the Pope will hold an open air Mass at the Tacloban airport at 10 a.m. Then he will proceed to the archbishop’s residence to dine with the poor. Afterward, the Pontiff will bless the Pope Francis Center for the Poor—a project financed by the Vatican for the care of the elderly, the orphans and the less privileged.

After the blessing, Pope Francis will go to Palo Metropolitan Cathedral to address the clergy and the religious congregations.

He will also bless the newly refurbished Palo Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lord’s Transfiguration, which was

www.canadianinquirer.net

ruined by Yolanda.

The Pope will fly to Manila after the event at Palo Cathedral.

Roads widened

“Pope Francis’ visit to Palo will only be short because our airport is not capable of bringing him back to Manila in the evening,” Du said.

He said the local government of Leyte was now widening the roads where the Pope would pass. These roads stretch for 11 kilometers from the airport to Palo.

The local church, on the other hand, is preparing for an open air papal Mass at the Tacloban airport.

“There are no special preparations.

Everything should be simple,” Du said.

Popemobile ready

A “Popemobile “ —the Pope’s custombuilt, bulletproof vehicle—will be provided by church counterparts in Manila.

“We’re actually 70 percent ready in terms of physical preparations, although Leyte is not yet totally rehabilitated,” Du said. “On the spiritual aspect, we’re preparing our people to develop the idea of mercy and compassion, which is the theme of Pope Francis’ papacy.”

The archbishop anticipates the possibility that Francis will go down from his Popemobile to interact with the poor.

“He’s even planning to visit those in the slum area and those who are homeless until now. His representatives told me that if the Holy Father will go down from the Popemobile, I simply have to accompany him,” Du said.

While many would want to see the Pope in person, Du said Leyte would want to minimize visitors from neighboring regions as much as possible.

“We actually don’t have enough accommodations or hotels where they could stay,” the archbishop said. ■ With a report from Inquirer Research

Philippine News

9 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

‘Binay made money from Makati building’

FORMER BINAY ALLY.

Former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado tells a Senate blue ribbon subcommittee that Vice President Jejomar Binay made money from infrastructure projects in the city when he was mayor.

Former vice mayor rats on ex-mayor

BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Inquirer Central Luzon MANILA, PHILIPPINES—Former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado on Tuesday linked Vice President Jejomar Binay to alleged acts of corruption concerning the supposedly overpriced P2.3-billion Makati parking building.

He implied that Binay received kickbacks from the project because as the vice mayor, he did so as well.

Mercado, a former longtime Binay ally, admitted before a Senate blue ribbon subcommittee that he made money from phases 1 and 2 of the car park project, which he said was supposed to cost only P1.2 billion.

Mercado implied that if he as vice mayor made money from the project, then Binay as mayor likewise did.

Mercado, however, did not offer any proof.

Mercado made the allegations upon questioning by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, the main proponent of the Senate inquiry into the parking building of Makati, one of the richest cities in the country.

“Vice mayor, let’s be honest. Did you profit from this?” Trillanes asked.

Mercado said he would tell the truth and replied in Filipino: “Ako ho, aaminin ko sa inyo, doon sa phase 1 at phase 2, nakinabang po ako (I will admit to you that in phase 1 and in phase 2, I earned from them).”

Trillanes followed up his question by asking if the Vice President, who was

then the Makati mayor, did so as well.

Mercado answered that Binay most likely did.

“Alam po ninyo, tayo namang politiko, alam natin ang sagot doon. Kung ang vice mayor nakinabang, siguro higit na nakinabang ang mayor dito. Kasi ako naman hindi pumipirma ng kontrata (We politicians know the answer to that. If the vice mayor earned from it, probably the mayor more so because I do not sign contracts),” he said.

Usual practice

“Kung ako ho eh nakinabang, imposible ho naman na hindi din nakinabang ang aking mayor (If I earned from it, it’s impossible that the mayor did not),” he added.

Mercado further said this was the kalakaran (usual practice) when asked by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III if his assertion was based on personal knowledge or merely the implication of his belief that the mayor would receive something if the vice mayor also did.

‘Automatic conclusion’

When Pimentel pressed Mercado if his statement about Binay getting kickbacks was just his “automatic conclusion,” the former vice mayor answered in the affirmative.

But Mercado also insisted that his claim was the truth when Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano asked him if his statement about Binay was speculation or fact.

None of the senators asked Mercado how much he received and from whom and how.

PHOTO BY JOAN BONDOC / PDI

In an ambush interview, Mercado declined to go into details on how he made money from the car park project, saying he would just reveal what he knows in the proper forum, probably the court.

He said benefits he got from the project did not necessarily refer to money, and could come in the form of logistical help in a campaign. He did not elaborate.

Mercado and Binay had a falling out after the latter withdrew support for Mercado to be the next Makati mayor.

Joining WPP

Trillanes also sought the inclusion of Mercado as well as of Renato Bondal and Nicolas Enciso, the complainants against the Binays in the plunder case over the parking building, in the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP).

This was after Mercado said he had seen cars following him when he would go out.

deteriorating security in the region and withdraw its troops from Liberia because of the Ebola outbreak.

The 331 Filipino U.N. troops in the Golan Heights will be sent home after their tour of duty ends in October and the 115 peacekeepers in Liberia will be “repatriated as soon as possible,” Department of National Defence spokesman Peter Paul Galvez said.

“Amidst the volatile security environment in the Middle East and North African region, the Philippines prioritizes the safety and security of its troops, but remains committed to the peacekeeping missions of the United Nations,” Galvez said in a statement.

He said the repatriation of the Filipinos from Liberia was due to the “rising health risk posed by the outbreak of Ebola virus in Africa.”

In March 2013, Syrian rebels seized 21 Filipino peacekeepers, mostly army

soldiers, and abducted four others two months later. They were all subsequently released.

Following the abductions and the escalating hostilities between Syrian rebels and government troops in the U.N.patrolled buffer zone that separates Syria from the Israeli-occupied plateau, Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario asked President Benigno Aquino III to withdraw the troops.

Del Rosario later reversed his recommendation after the United Nations promised to bolster the peacekeepers’ security, including providing them with more self-defence weapons and armour.

The Philippines has been sending peacekeeping contingents to the Golan Heights since 2009 and to Liberia since 2003.

Galvez said the Philippines’ 156 peacekeepers in Haiti would continue with their mission. ■

❱❱ PAGE 13 'Binay made'

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He initially said he did not want to accuse the Vice President of being behind this, but later, upon the request of Cayetano, read a letter addressed to his family which he kept in his wallet, where he said that if anything untoward happened to him, it was only the Binays who wanted to harm him.

But Mercado also said he wanted more time to think about whether he would apply to get into the WPP, since he had his work to think about. Bondal and Enciso were amenable to entering the WPP. Pimentel said the proper process for getting them into the WPP must be followed, and one condition is that they must be willing to do so.

Trillanes said that since Mercado mentioned the involvement of the Vice President in alleged anomalies, the committee should consider inviting him to the hearing.

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Philippine News

AUGUST 29, 2014 FRIDAY 10

Palace asks... longer existed in the present budgeting system.

Various groups are staging a massive protest against the pork barrel at Rizal Park in Manila on Monday, a year after Filipinos, angered at learning from a series of Inquirer reports that legislators connived with a businesswoman to embezzle P10 billion from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), tried a Million People March in Luneta to demand the abolition of the pork barrel.

The rally, which had no leaders, failed to achieve the million-people objective, with the participants numbering only 85,000 to 100,000, according to Manila police. But the message hit home: President Aquino abolished the PDAF and ordered a line-item budgeting system to rid the budget of lump sums whose expenditure requires endorsement by lawmakers.

The PDAF, which the Supreme Court declared illegal, was a pork barrel that financed pet projects of legislators. But its abolition did not really deprive lawmakers of a source of kickbacks and patronage funds, as they continued to be allowed projects to be paid for with public funds under the new budgeting system.

Monday’s protesters aim to gather 6 million signatures to support a proposal for the abolition of the pork barrel. They are taking the campaign across the country to get 10 million signatures to support the people’s initiative bill that would scrap pork in budgeting. ❰❰ 1

Massive lump sums

The NEP submitted to Congress showed massive lump sums under what the administration calls Grassroots Participatory Budgeting Process (GPBP).

The Department of the Interior and Local Government alone had P1.37 billion, while the Department of Agriculture had P1.7 billion.

Another lump-sum item worth P2.78 billion was placed under the Local Government Support Fund.

A P5.5-million budget for Mahatao town, Bataan province, was listed as “project to be determined.”

Another P12.5-million project in Tingloy town, Batangas province, was still “to be determined.”

Still another project “to be determined” was for Cabuyao town in Laguna province and it was worth P7.5 million.

On Aug. 11, ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio disclosed purported audio recordings of closed-door discussions on the House committee on appropriations confirming the restoration in this year’s budget of P20.7 billion in pork deleted from last year’s budget after the abolition of the PDAF. Tinio submitted the recordings as part of the evidence supporting a complaint for the impeachment of President Aquino.

Some of Aquino’s allies in the House said they would file an ethics complaint against Tinio for disclosing confidential information obtained from a

closed-door session.

Under fire for the lump-sum appropriations, the Department of Budget and Management uploaded a list on its website detailing how the P20.8-billion fund under the GPBP would be spent.

Pork defined

Abad, the brains behind the Disbursement Acceleration Program that the Supreme Court struck down on July 1, questioned how the protesters defined “pork barrel” in the people’s initiative bill.

“First of all, the group has to define what it means by pork barrel,” he said.

Citing the Supreme Court ruling, Abad said pork barrel referred to “lump sums in the budget that require postenactment intervention of legislators during budget execution, except in the exercise of their oversight function.”

“Do they accept that definition? If not, how do they define pork barrel?” Abad asked.

“If the objective of the campaign is not clear, how will the people know what they’re voting on? It’s easy to say abolish pork by way of a campaign slogan. But what that really means has to be clear,” he said.

The people’s initiative bill de-

fines pork barrel as “a lump-sum public fund with sole discretion given to the President, legislator or group of legislators, or any public officer” on how it will be spent.

“The exercise of discretion by public officers relates to the allocation, release or use of these public funds, the identification or selection of projects, implementers or beneficiaries, or any or a combination of or all of these,” it adds.

In a people’s initiative, the goal is to collect at least 5.2 million signatures representing at least 10 percent of registered voters nationwide for the bill to become law. The number should also represent at least 3 percent of voters in each legislative district.

protesters defined pork barrel was “so broad” that it covered even “funds that are obviously not pork, like the calamity and contingency funds.”

“The fact that pertinent laws allow some measure of discretion in the disbursement of these funds within set parameters automatically qualifies as pork by the definition set by these groups is unrealistic and not cognizant of the flexibility allowed by the Constitution,” Valte said.

“A review of the budgets submitted by the Aquino administration to Congress shows a systematic effort to reform the budget,” she said.

Valte pointed to the proposed P2.6-trillion budget for 2015, which “disaggregated lump sums as far as practicable without adversely affecting [the] government’s ability to respond to the people’s needs in extraordinary or unforeseen circumstances.”

Malacañang earlier justified the inclusion of a P501-million lump-sum item in next year’s budget—the Special Purpose Fund—saying that doing so was a “best management practice,” which was also done by private companies.

“Based on established management practice, it is customary that a certain portion of the annual budget is set aside for contingency expenditures that are essentially variable and not amenable to precise determination at the time of budget preparation,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said. ■ With a report from Inquirer Research

‘So broad’

Valte said the way some of the

Palace denies orchestrating Cha-cha moves

BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA AND TJ BURGONIO Philippine Daily Inquirer MALACAÑANG YESTERDAY said it was “not orchestrating” the moves to amend the Constitution, which some of its congressional allies have been pushing to make it possible for President Aquino to seek a second term.

“There’s no orchestrated move and people are saying there is. There’s none,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told reporters.

Still, the Palace is not shutting the door on the possibility of revising the Constitution, as Mr. Aquino has yet to decide whether to accede to the supposed clamor for him to take another shot at the presidency, Lacierda said.

“The President has not made up his mind on that,” he said.

Amember of Mr. Aquino’s Liberal Party, Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, is set to file a bill proposing to lift the singleterm limit on the president. Instead of a single six-year term, a sitting president would be allowed to serve initially for four years and then seek reelection.

According to Lacierda, Erice has clarified that the bill he is planning to file was his “own initiative, without any instruction from the Palace.”

“And we can tell you, there’s nothing coming from the Palace,” he insisted.

Mr. Aquino has come in for criticism when he said he was open to seeking another term and amending the Constitution to correct what he said was “judicial overreach” in an interview with TV5 last week.

But the President also clarified that he would not “automatically go after a second term.” www.canadianinquirer.net

Lacierda said the President was just being “honest” about the issue of judicial “overreach” and what he thought was a clamor for him to seek another term.

“For the record, this is the first President who has been honest about his views on the Constitution,” he said. “[He was] very, very honest about this. None of the presidents previously have said that and initiatives were done to do charter change. This is not happening in this case. So that’s being honest,” Lacierda said.

Until the TV5 interview, the President had been consis-

tently against the idea of term extension and Charter change.

But after the Supreme Court declared his Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) unconstitutional, he said he now “realized that there is judicial overreach.”

Meanwhile, Senate President Franklin Drilon yesterday said it was the call of the House of Representatives to file a resolution amending the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution.

“Our agreement is that the House will work on the measure and we will follow,” Drilon told reporters. ■

Philippine News

11 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

Aquino pays tribute SolGen makes JBC short list to Filipino heroism Jardeleza deemed to be P-Noy pick for SC

BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, PHILIPPINES—ARE you proud of the changes in the Philippines four years after President Aquino took office?

The President thinks the Filipinos should be, saying they “dared to go against the tide of indifference and braved the waters toward good governance and social justice” in 2010, the year he was elected.

“Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, we forged on, never letting those who continue to sow greed, doubt and negativism undermine our love of country and people,” he said in his message for the National Heroes’ Day celebrated on Monday.

Enduring reform

“Now, we stand proud of the nation that we have become, as we bear the greatest gift for our forefathers: We have launched a revolution for enduring change and reform. It is this transformation that we shall proudly bequeath to coming generations,” Aquino said.

Drawing inspiration from the “brave men and women who laid down their lives for the liberty that we cherish today,” Aquino sought to rally the public “through the most daunting circumstances.”

“In the face of the strongest storm to hit our land, in our continuing fight against poverty and corruption, or in our steadfast campaign for peace and equitable progress—we

shall prove, time and again, that indeed, the Filipino is worth fighting for,” he said.

With two years left in office, the President has been trumpeting social “transformation” as a major accomplishment on his watch.

In his State of the Nation speech at a joint session of Congress on July 28, Aquino said the “transformation we are experiencing now, we can make permanent with the guidance of God.” ‘Inclusive growth’

But despite the country’s improving economy as shown by its improved credit ratings, the Aquino administration has been criticized for failing to curb joblessness and achieving its promise of “inclusive growth.”

Inclusive growth is defined under the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) as one “that is rapid enough to matter given the country’s large population, geographical differences and social complexity.”

“It is sustained growth that creates jobs, draws the majority into the economic and social mainstream, and continuously reduces mass poverty,” according to the PDP, the main blueprint for the Aquino administration’s development program.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan has said that a “major reduction in poverty” could not be seen unless the Philippines maintained its gross domestic product growth targets within five to 20 years.” ■

President Aquino: We have forged on.

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

BY TARRA QUISMUNDO AND NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer DESPITE THE opposition of the Chief Justice herself over doubts on his integrity, Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza still won his battle in the Supreme Court.

The high court yesterday ordered the chief government counsel’s inclusion on the short list of nominees from which President Aquino is expected to choose a new Supreme Court justice today, the end of the 90day window to fill the post vacated by Associate Justice Roberto Abad in May. Voting 7-4, the Supreme Court elected to grant Jardeleza’s petition for certiori and mandamus against the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the JBC chair and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa. The petition sought to put on hold Mr. Aquino’s selection of the 15th high court justice until Jardeleza is on the short list.

Issued at 3:03 p.m. yesterday upon the release of the notice

by Clerk of Court Enriqueta Vidal, the decision was immediately executory.

The decision, penned by Associate Justice Jose Mendoza, effectively junked the opposition that Sereno, the JBC chair, and the rest of the council filed on Aug. 11, asking the court to dismiss the petition for “utter lack of merit” and for being “procedurally infirm.”

Sereno and the JBC, a constitutional body that screens nominees to the judiciary and the Office of the Ombudsman, also reiterated the discretionary nature of the council’s screening process.

“The court granted the petition and declared that Solicitor General Francis H. Jardeleza is deemed included in the short list submitted to the President for consideration as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court vice Associate Justice Roberto A. Abad,” Supreme Court spokesperson Theodore Te said in a press briefing yesterday afternoon. Abad retired on May 22. The high court released only the dispositive portion of the decision, rendered after alwww.canadianinquirer.net

Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza.

PHOTO FROM SOLARNEWS.PH

most five hours of en banc session yesterday.

The decision coincided with Malacañang’s position on the matter.

Ochoa’s defense

The defense by Executive Secretary Ochoa of the Solicitor General in his reply to Jardeleza’s petition stirred speculation that Mr. Aquino wanted Jardeleza, among all the other nominees, in the high court.

Ochoa was a respondent in Jardeleza’s petition, being the alter ego of the President. In his reply as a respondent, Ochoa took up the cudgels for Jardeleza and expressed belief that the Solicitor General was not given due process by the JBC. Moreover, Ochoa urged the JBC to include Jardeleza in its short list.

Unprecedented

Jardeleza’s petition to the Supreme Court to order the JBC to include his name was considered unprecedented. Although he said he filed the petition in his personal capacity, Jardeleza signed it as the solicitor general.

Moreover, he impleaded his own client, Ochoa representing Mr. Aquino, in his petition when he asked the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order on the President to prevent him from naming an associate justice until his name is included in the JBC short list.

Asked if the President would consider the integrity issue against Jardeleza when he names today a new Associate Justice, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Mr. Aquino’s “choice will be based on an assessment of the qualifications and merits of the nominees, as presented by the JBC.”

INQUIRER sources said talk in legal circles was that the President wanted Jardeleza in the high court.

“Otherwise, he [President Aquino] would have appointed someone to the high court a long time ago,” one source said on condition of anonymity.

Three justices did not take part in the vote: Sereno, who had openly opposed Jardeleza’s nomination citing questions on his integrity; Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who had testified before the JBC about the objectionable way Jardeleza had supposedly handled “a very important specific case for the Republic’; and Associate Justice Martin Villarama Jr., who was on leave.

Original short list

Because of the integrity issue that Sereno had raised, Jardeleza was not on the original short list the JBC made on June 30, which included four nominees: Court of Appeals Associate Justices Apolinario Bruselas and Jose Reyes Jr., Commission on Audit Chair Grace Pulido-Tan and Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Reynaldo Daway.

Jardeleza fought this through the petition, saying that he was not given due process during JBC deliberations and that the body had committed grave abuse of discretion in leaving him out of the nominees.

Sereno and the JBC, however, said Jardeleza was allowed to respond to the allegations, but “instead of shedding light on the allegations, petitioner did not address the issues” and asked that Sereno and Carpio both file sworn affidavits detailing their allegations. ❱❱ PAGE 13 SolGen makes

Philippine News

AUGUST 29, 2014 FRIDAY 12

Protesters seek 6M signatures to kill pork once and for all

BY GIL C. CABACUNGAN AND LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, PHILIPPINES— There are still many things to be angry about a year after the massive protest against the pork barrel at Rizal Park in Manila.

As a result of that protest, President Aquino stopped disbursements from the graft-ridden Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), a pork barrel from which lawmakers and businesswoman Janet LimNapoles allegedly embezzled P10 billion.

Napoles, Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla, their senior staff and dozens of former and current department officials are facing plunder and graft charges over the pork barrel scam.

But critics of the Aquino administration say the pork barrel lives on, and the same forces behind last year’s Million People March are coming together again Monday to try to really kill the controversial PDAF, which the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional last year.

The Abolish Pork Movement will launch a campaign to gather 6 million signatures for a people’s initiative to pass a law that would ban lump sums in the national budget.

The groups will also protest moves to amend the Constitution to lift the presidential term limit and enable Aquino to run for a second term.

They will also protest the efforts of Malacañang and its allies in Congress to scrap the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF) in retaliation for the Supreme Court’s striking down Aquino’s economic stimulus plan, the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), on July 1.

The protest groups believe the Aquino administration and its congressional allies have created the JDF and constitutional amendment controversies to distract the public from the pork barrel scandal.

The fire still burns Monet Silvestre, spokesman for the Abolish Pork Movement, said last year’s fire continued to burn.

“There are many things to

be angry about, there are many things to be outraged about,” Silvestre said in a phone interview.

Silvestre said the investigation of the pork barrel scam had netted only opposition politicians, while Aquino’s allies implicated in the scandal had not been called to account.

And despite the Supreme Court ruling striking down the PDAF and the DAP, the Aquino administration strives to keep the pork barrel system intact, he said.

In an earlier interview, Silvestre said the Aquino administration tried to keep the system, and cited ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio’s disclosure on Aug. 11 of purported audio recordings of discussions in a House appropriations committee closed session confirming the restoration in this year’s budget of P20.7 billion in pork deleted from last year’s budget after the abolition of the PDAF.

Looking properly porcine, young activists push for the abolition of the graftswamped pork barrel during a protest rally along Taft Avenue in Manila.

PHOTO BY RICHARD A. REYES / INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The protesters also consider the DAP a pork barrel, as it was open for discretionary spending and used for projects not identified in the budget.

They say funds pooled through the DAP were also used for lawmakers’ pet projects.

Funds for discretionary spending need to be eliminated because they fuel patronage politics, Silvestre said.

“We need to eliminate patronage politics because this has fueled dynasties, all of these [traditional politicians], from the start,” he added.

That the pork barrel funds went to worthy causes is not the point, Silvestre said. The point is why the funds have to pass through politicians instead of going directly to the agencies that will implement the projects, he said.

Silvestre also said the organization could not ignore the talk of term extension for Aquino because it was likely a ploy for the President to evade accountability for his actions.

cause these were being used to draw attention away from the continued existence of the pork barrel.

Congress’ efforts to interfere with the JDF could also have an impact on the administration’s pending motion for reconsideration of the Supreme Court’s adverse ruling on the DAP, Reyes said.

“We don’t want the DAP ruling overturned because of what they are doing,” he said.

More than 20 tents will be pitched at Rizal Park on Monday, representing the different municipalities and cities in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, for people who want to sign the people’s initiative bill.

Under the initiative and referendum law, the signatures of at least 10 percent of registered voters nationwide, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least 3 percent of the registered voters, are needed for the initiative to succeed.

The groups behind the people’s initiative campaign are taking the signature drive across the country to gather 10 million signatures, or nearly double the required minimum.

Charter change, JDF

10M signatures

DAP is pork

Renato Reyes of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), a member of the Abolish Pork Movement, also said his group could not ignore the talk of Charter change as well as the attempts to abolish the JDF be-

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said the People’s Congress would put up “signature stations” in schools, public markets, churches and town plazas across the country through coordinating commitwww.canadianinquirer.net

tees in the provinces.

In an interview with dzBB radio’s Rowena Salvacion, Colmenares said that after the Visayas leg was launched in Cebu on Saturday, the Luzon leg would kick off Monday, to be followed by Mindanao, either in Cagayan de Oro or Davao, within the week.

“We are targeting up to 10 million signatures to have a buffer because many things could happen, the Comelec (Commission on Elections) might remove some of the signatures. By Dec. 31, the last day of this year, we hope to get the minimum 10 percent (of voters) plus buffer. At least 1 million buffer is good enough for me,” Colmenares said.

With 52 million voters registered in the 2010 elections and at least 200,000 voters added since then, the group has pegged the compliance rate at 6 million signatures.

“We have to do this to prevent the redefinition of savings every time the GAA (General Appropriations Act) is filed. The insertion of lump sums or pork barrel in the budget will have a penalty of 6 years and one day to 10 years imprisonment and will make up for the lack of a law prohibiting pork barrel,” Colmenares said. “This is the cleansing process we need to [remove] the tradition of political patronage.”

Clandestine pork deals

He cited clandestine at-

tempts by the administration to strike deals with lawmakers to continue the allocation of funds for their projects in the budget even after the Supreme Court had declared the PDAF unconstitutional.

“This trial of the [pork barrel scam] senators could take at least five years. If this bill is passed, you don’t need too many documents or whistleblowers because if one is caught inserting or approving pork barrel fund in the [budget] or intervened in the realignment of a project or choosing a contractor, the minimum will be six years imprisonment,” Colmenares said. “This is abolishing pork barrel, criminalizing pork barrel directly.”

He said his group had to resort to a people’s initiative to enact an antipork barrel law because Bayan Muna’s attempt to do it through legislation last year “never reached first base.”

“We are very fortunate that the 1987 Constitution allows for a people’s initiative if Congress refuses to pass a bill sought by [the people]. Even the President cannot veto this initiative,” he said.

He said the groups behind the people’s initiative would not bother asking the President to support the move because he had already declared his bias for retaining the pork barrel mentality.

“He probably needs the pork barrel because his candidates for 2016 are not doing so well,” Colmenares said.

Join the protest

Bayan urged the public to join the protest at Luneta Park Monday and sign to support the people’s initiative.

The groups taking part in the protest include the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines, Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines, Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, #abolishpork, Scrap Pork Network, Volunteers against Crime and Corruption, Concerned Citizens Movement, Youth ACT Now, Babae Laban sa Katiwalian, Church People’s Alliance against Pork Barrel and Nationalist Movement. ■ With a report from Jaymee T. Gamil

Philippine News

13 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

‘Binay made’... ❰❰ 9

The committee has no decision yet on this matter.

Open invitation to VP

Cayetano also aired a similar suggestion, saying the Vice President should be given an open invitation to attend the next hearing. He said Binay would be given all the courtesy and all the time to respond to allegations.

Makati Rep. Abigail Binay, the Vice President’s daughter, pointed out that Mercado’s statement on her father supposedly benefiting from the parking building was not based on fact, only on Mercado’s assumption.

The lawmaker said Trillanes’ question on whether the witnesses at the Senate hearing were receiving threats was “leading,” adding that they do not have a monopoly of death threats. The Binays also have had their share of threats, she said.

Binays not killers

Sen. Nancy Binay, Abigail’s sister, said members of her family were not killers.

She said the threats may be coming from somewhere else, since she had heard talk that Mercado was into gambling.

As for suggestions to invite her father to the Senate, Representative Binay said Trillanes was just trying to bait her father into appearing before the hearing because of political ambition.

She pointed out that Trillanes was planning to run for higher office, which was why he was attacking her father who is leading in surveys on possible presidential candidates in 2016.

The Vice President is unlikely to attend the hearing, she added. The young-

er Binay attended the hearing and was seated in the gallery. She came to the Senate in an attempt to discuss with Cayetano his allegations against her, but the meeting did not push through.

As for the P2.3-billion parking building, Mercado said the plans presented to him by the former city engineer showed that the parking building was supposed to cost P1.2 billion.

COA chief’s question

Commission on Audit Chair Grace Pulido-Tan also said one question the agency was trying to answer was why another P1 billion was appropriated for the parking building when, after phase 3 of its construction, it was found to be “habitable and ready for use.”

But after this, phases 4 and 5 were added and more than P1 billion was appropriated for these.

Makati officials, including its mayor, had justified the P2.3-billion cost by saying it was a green building, a world-class building, and had to have a strong foundation because it was located on soft ground as it was near the river.

Construction handbook

Assistant City Engineer Line de la Peña contended that it could not be compared with other buildings and that the Davis, Langdon and Seah (DLS) handbook could not be used as basis for the proper cost of the parking building because the actual cost of a building would depend on the design, the procurement methods and other factors.

The construction handbook, which states the average price per square meter of a building depending on the type,

also assumes that the buildings have no basement and are built on flat ground, De la Peña said.

She said the total cost of the car park building was P67,000 per square meter.

But Cayetano said Makati should have consulted the handbook, which provided estimates that were only a third of the cost of the parking building.

City officials should also have compared the cost of the parking building with other similar structures, especially since it was spending people’s money for a project.

The DLS estimates vary from year to year. For 2012, the average price of a car park building was P17,000 to P22,000; for a standard office, P31,000 to 39,000; and for a high rise, P43,000 to P49,000.

Cayetano said if one was building a house, he would not automatically trust the contractor’s estimate and would compare it with others.

“That’s what upsets me. If you’re spending your money, you will check if the price is worth it, but if it’s government money, never mind,” he said.

Joya Loft, Grove

Cayetano also said the P2.3-billion parking building should have been compared with the cost of the Joya Loft and Grove buildings, which were also built near the Pasig River and Manggahan Floodway, respectively, and constructed by the same contractor, Hilmarcs Construction Corp.

“This is a condominium building. It’s first class. Don’t tell me that the car park building is better,” Cayetano said.

He showed cell phone pictures of the car park building with exposed ceilings. He noted that the building was dark and the automatic card dispenser was not working.

Hilmarc’s Construction president Roberto Henson explained the cost of the building by saying steel prices rose during the construction period.

He said the structural works had features comparable to condominiums, such as 100-percent power backup in case of a blackout.

Its exterior walls also did not use ordinary concrete, he said.

COA special audit

On the special audit of the Makati parking building, the COA chair said she was still in the process of putting together the team to handle it.

Tan said the COA was having difficulty getting outside experts to join the task because not many people want to get involved.

She said the team would need professionals with integrity.

She hopes to complete the team next week.

“We will do it with dispatch because the Ombudsman is waiting for the results of the audit,” she said. ■ With a report from Christine O. Avendaño

“Attracting and retaining the best international talent to fill skills shortages in key occupations is critical to Canada’s economic success.”

- Hon. Jason Kenney, P.C., M.P.

Minister of Employment and Social Development

SolGen makes...

Jardeleza also supposedly asked for time to cross-examine his accusers in a public hearing—a process that would be inappropriate as the JBC “is not a fact-finding body...[and] neither is it a court, nor a quasi-judicial agency,” read Sereno’s and the JBC’s comment to the petition.

The high court touched on this procedural matter in its ruling, directing the JBC, “to review and adopt rules relevant to the observance of due process in its proceedings... subject to the approval of the court.” ❰❰ 11

JBC members

The JBC members are Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Sen. Aquilino “Koko’’ Pimentel III, Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., Jose Mejia (academe representative), Aurora Santiago Lagman (private sector representative) and Maria Milagros Fernan-Cayosa (Integrated Bar of the Philippines representative).

As chief government counsel, Jardeleza has represented the government in

major cases pending in the Supreme Court, most notable of which is the Malacañang appeal of the high court’s decision that struck down its Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) for acting in excess of its powers and for violating budget regulations.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, among petitioners that won the court’s favor in its DAP ruling, noted this conflict.

“What is strange is that Mr. Aquino seems to have allowed SolGen Jardeleza to delay the process so that the latter can be included in the JBC short list.

Mr. Aquino seems to have undue interest in getting Jardeleza appointed to the Supreme Court,” said Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. in a statement. “[The President] has allowed the chief government lawyer to petition the Supreme Court to stop Mr. Aquino from appointing a new justice. It is an untenable situation that reflects Mr. Aquino’s ongoing conflict with the Supreme Court in the aftermath of the DAP ruling,” Reyes said. ■

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Philippine News

AUGUST 29, 2014 FRIDAY 14

Robredo’s ‘tsinelas leadership’ remembered

Makati building... bidding out and awarding of the P400-million contract for phase one of the parking building project in two-and-a-half months.

Tan noted, for example, that a city ordinance setting aside P400 million for phase one was approved on Nov. 8, 2007. On Dec. 28, 2007, it was bid out and on Jan. 18, 2008, the contract was awarded to Hilmarcs Construction Corp.

“If all of these was because of efficiency, commendable. But in our experience, a contract of this magnitude and complexity would normally take at least six months or even a year to procure,” she said.

“I do not wish to be prejudging at this time, but there are definitely matters we need to look into more intensively, more cautiously so that we can go into the bottom of this whole matter,” Tan added. ❰❰ 3

No COA clearance

Trillanes, who filed the resolution for the probe, said Binay would be fooling the public if he would insist on claiming that the COA had cleared the parking building project, following Tan’s pronouncements.

Other administration senators, who are also the Binays’ political rivals, said there were many issues Mayor Binay failed to answer during yesterday’s hearing.

“They say it’s a demolition job, but the only thing demolished was their defense,” Cayetano said after the hearing.

Green building

Binay explained during the hearing that he considered the Makati parking building worldclass because it was not comparable to the usual structures. He said it was a green building, and had an atrium, granite flooring, two elevators and centralized airconditioning.

But Cayetano wondered whether a building with only two elevators, one of them broken, would be considered world-class, as he added that the phrase “world-class” actually corresponded to specific standards. He also said quality did not always have to be expensive.

Binay replied that an elevator was a machine that breaks down, and the elevators were subject to warranty.

Unaware of overprice?

Cayetano further asked whether the building had 24-hour gen-

BY SHIENA BARRAMEDA Philippine Daily Inquirer

Binay explained during the hearing that he considered the Makati parking building worldclass because it was not comparable to the usual structures.

PHOTO FROM SOLARNEWS.PH

erators, and what the ratio of parking spaces to offices was.

Binay said he did not have the information with him and will provide it later. He also said he was not privy to the details of laying down the foundation for the parking building, since this was done during his father’s term.

Cayetano asked whether Binay asked about the original plans of the buildings, because the phases might keep on adding up in the coming years and so that he could check what else would be needed for it.

The mayor said the city engineers briefed him about what needed to be done next and about the cost.

“We’ll have to rely on them, on their findings and recommendations,” he said, adding that the project also goes through the bids and awards committee and through audit.

He also said there could have been no splitting of contracts because there was a bidding for every phase of the project.

Since Binay relied on the reports of his subordinates, Cayetano said it was possible there was an overprice and the mayor was just not aware of it.

“There will be a possibility, your honor. You’re right, sir,” Binay replied.

Other buildings

Bondal also alleged during the hearing that other Makati buildings were likely overpriced, such as Makati City Hall, Ospital ng Makati 1, and Makati City Science High School.

He further alleged that it was the Makati government’s practice to “chop-chop” one project into several contracts, completing the project in several phases, in order to inflate the price.

“There was no bidding for the P2.7-billion Makati carpark building... The real cost of the building will only be known after it has been completed because it

was chopped into phases,” he said.

‘Chop-chop’ capital

He said as far as he knew, the procurement act prohibited the splitting of contracts. “Makati could be called the chop-chop capital of the Philippines,” he added.

Hilmarcs Construction Corp. bagged all the contracts for the parking building.

Trillanes noted that as per the COA report, all the structural works, for the parking building’s foundation, amounted to P600 million.

But this would mean close to P2 billion was still spent for the rest of the building, he added.

The COA should have dug deeper on this, he said.

Binay had said that part of the reason for the cost of the building was the need to strengthen its foundation, since it was located on softer land that was near the river.

Ocular inspection

Trillanes suggested that the Senate committee conduct an inspection of the parking building and invite technical people to check if it really cost as much as it did.

But Pimentel, who chaired the hearing, said the suggestion would be discussed in the next hearing.

Pimentel also said that in next week’s hearing, he would ask Binay to explain why the bidding was too efficient, why the project was subdivided into phases, and why it always attracted a lone bidder.

He will ask whether the bidding was published and welldisseminated, and why it failed to attract other bidders Senators plan to invite Vice President Binay in future hearings, because they said Mayor Binay was unable to answer all questions yesterday. The construction of the project began when the Vice President was the mayor. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

NAGA CITY—Call it following in his footsteps, a tribute to the man whom many extol for his “tsinelas (slipper) leadership.”

On the second death anniversary of former Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, some 5,000 students, employees of various government agencies, relatives and friends walked the streets of Naga clad in the favorite footwear of their beloved former mayor.

Robredo, who perished in a plane crash off Masbate province on Aug. 18, 2012, had been known to show up for work and wade the flooded streets of Naga in slippers, ready to get his feet wet. During his wake, one Cabinet member said the lowly footwear showed how accessible Robredo was to his constituents.

Yesterday’s 4- kilometer Tsinelas Walk started about 5 in the morning and was led by Mayor John Bongat and Robredo’s widow, Camarines Sur Rep. Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, who donned yellow slippers and a shirt that had a sketch of her husband’s face while walking this city’s major thoroughfares, from Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum to Eternal Gardens Memorial Park where Robredo was put to rest.

Biker buddies

Now on its second year, the “walkathon” drew representatives from various sectors of the Bicol region, including Robredo’s buddies from the Bike For Peace group, and was highlighted by a wreath-laying and the offering of flowers by the public.

SPO1 Toby Bongon, spokesperson of the city’s police office, said the number of this year’s Tsinelas Walk participants exceeded last year’s 2,000 joiners.

The city government had declared Jesse M. Robredo Day a special nonworking holiday to enable more people to join the events honoring the former Naga mayor, including an essaywriting contest for elementary and secondary students on the theme, “Proud Ako kay Jesse.

Proud Ako Maging Nagueño” (I

am Proud of Jesse. I am Proud To Be a Nagueño).

Robredo’s second death anniversary was also marked by an exhibit of photographs and songs dedicated to his memory, along with paintings by known Bicolano artist Pancho Piano at SM City Naga. Organized by the civic group Ako Para sa Pilipino (Myself for the Filipino), the exhibit will run until Friday.

Ako Para Sa Pilipino member Shiela Basbas said the exhibit, which included four songs composed by musician Andy Belmonte, would form part of JMR Museum that would be constructed close to Naga City Civic Center and Naga City Hall.

Volunteerism

The civic group, formed a few months after Robredo’s death, was meant “to inspire volunteerism and patriotism” among the Bicolano youth, said member Anthony Rocha, who added that the former Naga mayor had motivated him and other young urban professionals to set out on a selfless project right after Typhoon “Glenda” hit Naga City.

Along with student leaders and other young Naga residents, Rocha led the civic group in removing fallen trees, branches, trash and other debris that slowed down government rehabilitation and relief efforts in the wake of the typhoon which hit Bicol July 15 this year.

A life-size statue of a seated Robredo was also unveiled at SM City Naga, the image copied from a photo of the devotee of Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia during a fluvial procession. The Robredo statue, crafted from fiberglass, was his gift to Robredo’s widow, Piano said.

In Masbate City, at the site where Robredo perished, the city government named a street stretching through four barangays after the late Cabinet official.

In a phone interview, Masbate City Mayor Rowena Tuason said the street that used to be nameless would now be known as J. M. Robredo Boulevard.

Tuason said J. M. Robredo Boulevard stretches through Barangays Nursery, Ibinggay, Espinosa and Bagumbayan that runs parallel to the crash site. ■

Philippine News

15 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

New China incursion hit P-Noy: 2 Sino ships seen at Recto Bank

BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Philippine Daily Inquirer PRESIDENT AQUINO has sounded the alarm over the presence of two new Chinese vessels near the oil-rich Recto Bank (Reed Bank) in the West Philippine Sea. Citing a military report, the President called attention to the presence of the Chinese hydrographic research vessels at Recto Bank despite a Washington-backed Philippine proposal for a freeze on activities that escalate tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The West Philippine Sea is part of the South China Sea within the Philippines’ 370kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“What are they doing there?

What studies are they conducting? I hope [their presence] will not lead to increased tension between [the Philippines and China],” Mr. Aquino told TV5, which had been airing an interview with the President in a series that started on Wednesday night. The network aired the full interview last night.

“Just a reminder, Recto Bank is [144 km] from Palawan so it is clearly within our [370-km] exclusive economic zone.”

But China, which claims 90 percent of the 3.5-million square-kilometer South China Sea, sent the ships anyway and by the Philippine military’s description the vessels were surveying and charting the area.

Mr. Aquino did not say when the military spotted the vessels and when he was briefed on the matter.

But he said the incursion was the latest in what he described as China’s “seasonal” attitude toward its territorial dispute with the Philippines. “When-

ever we deal with China, and with all due respect, it’s like [it’s attitude] is seasonal,” he said in Filipino.

“There’s a season when China’s belligerent. There’s a season when it’s friendly. There’s a time when it goes on a charm offensive. There’s a time when it doesn’t,” he said.

Despite the Philippines’ efforts to resolve the territorial dispute peacefully, Chinese incursions into Philippine waters have not stopped, Mr. Aquino said.

He cited the presence of the two research vessels at Recto Bank as the latest case of Chinese intrusion into Philippine territory.

It was unclear when the two Chinese vessels arrived in the area, but their presence there was the first provocative act of Beijing since it rejected the USPhilippine proposal for a freeze in activities that escalate tensions in the sea, which Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario tried to push at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Regional Forum (ARF) in Naypyidaw, Burma (Myanmar), last week.

Three-step plan

The proposal was part of the Philippines’ three-step plan for a peaceful settlement of territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The two other steps are the conclusion of a code of conduct that would prevent rival claims from erupting into conflict and the settlement of the disputes through international arbitration.

Daniel Russel, the top US diplomat in Asia, was the first to propose the freeze on July 28, but China, which rejects US involvement in the disputes, turned it down, saying the tensions in the region were only being exaggerated by some of the claimants, referring to the Philippines and Vietnam.

The Asean foreign ministers did not discuss the US-Philippine freeze proposal at the ARF because there was already the Declaration of Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea that the bloc and China signed in 2002 to prevent the escalation of tensions over the territorial disputes, the Asean secretariat said.

Competing claims

Besides China, the Philippines and Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan also claim parts or all of the South China Sea. China grabbed Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal) from the Philippines after a two-month maritime standoff in 2012. It is reclaiming land on at least five reefs in the West Philippine Sea and is harassing supply ships to stop them from restocking a small Philippine garrison aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, a naval vessel that Manila grounded on Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) in 1999 to mark Philippine territory in the contested Spratly archipelago.

Without military muscle to confront China, the Philippines took the territorial dispute to the United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (Itlos) last year for arbitration.

China has refused to take part in the proceedings, but the tribunal has ordered it to comment on the Philippine case by Dec. 15.

PH sovereign rights

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) maintains that the Philippines “has the exclusive sovereign rights over Recto Bank.”

“Recto Bank or Reed Bank is not an island, or a low-tide elevation. Rather, it is a completely submerged bank that is

www.canadianinquirer.net

President Aquino said the incursion was the latest in what he described as China’s “seasonal” attitude toward its territorial dispute with the Philippines.

PHOTO FROM TRAVELERPARADISE.BLOGSPOT.COM

a continental margin of Palawan… It forms part of the [370km] continental shelf of the Philippine archipelago under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” DFA spokesperson Charles Jose said in July, rejecting China’s complaint about a London-listed company’s drilling operations at Recto Bank.

In his television interview, Mr. Aquino recalled that a vessel that belonged to the British company Forum Energy Plc was once driven away by a Chinese ship even if it was operating within Philippines waters.

“Now their ships are in the same area, the Recto Bank,” Mr. Aquino complained.

Philippine license

In February 2010, Forum Energy obtained from the Philippines a license for Service Contract 72 (SC72), which covers 880,000 hectares within the Recto Bank basin.

The Philippines’ Philex Petroleum Corp. is the controlling shareholder of Forum Energy.

SC72 has a seven-year exploration period extendible by three years and a 25-year production period that can be extended by 15 years.

The service area includes the Sampaguita gas field, discovered in 1976, and a number of leads identified from earlier

seismic evaluation.

Forum Energy has been ready to start exploration in the area, but the dispute between the Philippines and China has been a stumbling block to its operations.

The Philippines, however, has extended Forum Energy’s service contract up to Aug. 15, 2016.

Chinese permit?

But the Chinese foreign ministry insisted that such explorations required permit from Beijing, an assertion flatly rejected by the Philippines.

In March 2011, two Chinese gunboats went too close to a vessel that was surveying at Recto Bank for oil and gas deposits, forcing the Philippine military to send aircraft and vessels to drive the Chinese boats away.

In April 2012, Philex said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that Forum Energy had a report that was “expected to show an improvement in the resources previously known” in the Sampaguita gas discovery at Recto Bank.

Earlier, Forum Energy said that based on a 2006 study, the Sampaguita field had a potential of up to 566 billion cubic meters of natural gas, more than five times the initial estimate. ■

Opinion

AUGUST 29, 2014 FRIDAY 16

THERE’S THE RUB

Nota

By Conrado De Quiros Philippine Daily Inquirer THE REMARKABLE thing is not that Jojo Binay is getting no end of mud thrown his way. The remarkable thing is that none of it seems to be catching.

Or at least that none of it seems to be bringing him down. He has been accused of various cases of corruption, the latest of which is the overpricing of the Makati Parking Building—by P2 billion, his detractors estimate. He has been accused of fomenting dynastic politics, having a son as mayor, a daughter as representative, and another daughter as senator, quite apart from being the vice president. His son has been accused of abusing his office, demanding to be let out in Dasmariñas Village in a noexit gate. Yet he hasn’t just remained standing, he has been thriving.

Last I looked, he was leading Mar Roxas—or indeed the other “presidentiables” since Roxas isn’t even number 2—by a mile. Last I looked, a beeline was forming toward his camp, including officials from P-Noy’s own official family. Last I looked, members of P-Noy’s own personal family were openly expressing their support for him. In fact, last I looked, P-Noy himself in extemporaneous remarks at the end of his 2014 State of the Nation

Address singled him out as going back a long way with him, being there with the family in their fight against Marcos and the subsequent coup plotters.

The last ones pose all sorts of conundrums. Either they themselves do not see, or buy, the corruption charges, or they figure some things supersede the issue of corruption. Whatever it is, it has allowed Binay to shrug off the charges. Nothing is sticking, nothing has stuck. The charges of corruption haven’t, the matter of dynastic politics hasn’t, the issue of Junjun Binay’s apparent misconduct in Dasmariñas hasn’t. The last pushed to oblivion by Roxas’ more patent and high-profile misconduct at Wack-Wack not long afterward.

Will this last one finally do the trick? Will the next ones—this won’t be the last, more should be forthcoming as 2016 draws near—do so?

Well, stranger things have happened. But I myself seriously doubt it for one basic reason. Which is that the only alternative to him the public sees right now is Roxas. When people ask, as they do ask, “If not Binay, then who?” the answer is Roxas. Their fates are intertwined. Theirs is a zero-sum game: The gain of one is the loss of the other. And vice versa.

I’ve always thought that Binay’s spectacular numbers—comparable

to P-Noy’s when P-Noy left his rivals biting his dust at the gates—owe to that. They don’t owe to his intrinsic popularity, or indeed charisma, they owe to his main, or sole, competitor’s intrinsic unpopularity, or indeed lack of charm. Lest we forget, when Binay first ran for a national position, which was as vice president in 2010, he was so far behind Roxas, the latter crowed that his opponents were just snarling for second place. Roxas himself was enjoying the numbers Binay

Today, when people ask me how Binay has zoomed past the competition, I have only one answer: Roxas. is enjoying now, courtesy of having hitched his fortunes to President Aquino. Their fortunes did not owe to their internal virtues, they owed to external factors.

Today, when people ask me how Binay has zoomed past the competition, I have only one answer: Roxas.

The same is true for the various accusations that have been hurled against Binay. The reason they are not catching is not that he has a Teflon personality, everything just slips away. Though it helps that more than Erap, he enjoys a Robin Hood reputa-

tion. Erap’s stealing from the rich to give to the poor was largely PR, Binay has his propoor projects—the University of Makati, low-cost housing, all sorts of public welfare services—to hide any such allegation against him.

But in the end, what effectively hides it is the public’s willingness not to see it, which again owes to the question, “If not Binay, then who?”

Today, when people ask me why nothing seems to stick to Binay, I have only one answer: Roxas.

Take out Roxas there, and the equation changes completely.

So long as 2016 is locked in the framework of Binay vs. Roxas, so long will the vicious cycle remain. So long will Binay continue to gain traction and Roxas to suffer from inertia. So long will the gap between them continue to widen. So long will all accusations of corruption against Binay sound like voices in the wilderness. So long will they be not seen, or heard.

Now in fact is the perfect time for alternatives to arise. Now is the perfect time for us to look for one. Or else the vicious cycle will remain vicious not just for the Liberal Party but for the nation as a whole. Now is the perfect time to raise the banners of Nota, or “none of the above,” and lift ourselves from the pit, or trap, we have allowed ourselves to fall into.

The situation, as I keep reminding people, was a lot worse before August 2009. It was just a choice between nondescript, if not mediocre, potential candidates, and we weren’t even sure Gloria wouldn’t find a way to stick around. We can’t wait around for Providence to lend a hand once again and solve our problem for us in the form of another P-Noy. We have to do it ourselves. We have to take our fate into our own hands.

If you want something badly enough, if you want something longingly, ardently, desperately enough, says “The Alchemist,” you can conjure it into being. If you build it, says “Field of Dreams,” they will come.

These are not just platitudes, they contain a huge grain of truth in them.

I know you need money too to win an election. I know you need power too to win an election. I know you need logistics and parties and forces too to win an election. But as P-Noy who emerged from out of the shadows in 2010 shows, you need need too to win an election. A people need to need you, a people need to conjure you into being.

It all begins with a recognition of that need. It all begins with the need to get out of the rut.

It all begins with the need to say, “None of the above.” ■

Peter Geremia of Pime. Look at the paramilitary groups that patrol the area, “they seem untouchable… We are locked into a system of impunity and a system of corruption.” Father Geremia stresses there are also other victims of extrajudicial executions.

It is a measure of Tentorio’s integrity that even Mindanao communists tried to hijack his name. In a full-page ad published in the Inquirer issue of Oct. 26, 2013, the Southern Mindanao Regional Party committee hailed Tentorio as “Beloved Servant of the Masses.” Siegfred M. Red, “secretary,” signed the ad. This was unprecedented.

Tentorio was selfless, not because of his priestly vocation but “because he learned from the masses”—the ad’s spin. “The masses alone are the creators of history.” This is, of course, Mao Zedong 101. “Party members should take their cue from the masses, and reinterpret policy with respect to the benefit of the masses,” the Great Helmsman wrote.

Sundays, Tatay Pops would give “brief but sound homilies that affected people’s lives,” the paid ad stated.

“In his sermons, he guided peasants and the masses… to embrace the national democratic struggle.” That’s communist shorthand for conflict.

The military insists they did not

tag Tentorio as a “communist”— thereby making him a target for hitmen. “The ad… is a deceptive attempt to insinuate that the military is behind his murder,” Eastmincom’s spokesperson protested.

Tentorio’s assassins have not been brought to justice. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and Pime are pressing government to nail the killer and mastermind.

“What makes us so indignant is the impunity of the perpetrators,” the Italian ambassador fumed. What will we tell Pope Francis when he visits in January 2015?

“Your dream is my dream,” Father Tentorio wrote in his last will and testament, made public by his Pime confreres. Scribbled in the Visayan dialect he was fluent in, Father Pops added: “Your struggle is my struggle.

You and I are one: companions in building the Kingdom of God.” That resonates in Romero’s note: “Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us… We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.” ■

VIEWPOINT

Embedded impunity

By Juan L. Mercado Philippine Daily Inquirer THE IMMEDIATE often blurs the significant. Pope Francis’ press conference aboard the plane returning from his South Korea visit is an example.

He made “a chopping gesture and a whistling sound as if to say death comes sooner or later for everyone.”

Headlines cascaded on Francis saying he probably had two, at most three more years to serve. Then, “it’s off to the Father’s house,” the Pope said with a smile.

What if health faltered to where he could not discharge his duties? He would resign “even if such a step does not appeal to some theologians.”

That smudged Francis’ statement that there were no more problems blocking the beatification process for Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero who had been murdered by a sniper from the paramilitary “escuadrones de la muerte.”

That resonates here. Fr. Fausto “Pops” Tentorio, 59, served indigent tribal people in North Cotabato for 39 years. He was gunned down on Oct. 17, 2011, at his parish in Arakan.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) denied it had any

hand in Tentorio’s rubout. But the Eastmincom spokesperson admitted it did tag the priest as “friendly” to the New People’s Army. Did the military remember that the Master welcomed sinners and tax collectors?

In El Salvador, the conservative Romero was jolted by the death squad murders. He evolved into an outspoken critic against the brutal suppression of leftist rebels by the right-wing government in the 1980-1992 civil strife. Romero was shot as he lifted the Host during consecration.

Romero’s cause is now before the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The congregation oversees the complex process that leads to canonization, after screening for the declaration of “heroic virtues” and beatification. The Pope has the final say.

Tentorio shepherded his flock and cobbled programs from child immunization to adult literacy. Thousands of those he cared for trudged alongside his coffin. “For many years, Father Tentorio served the people… in a courageous and indefatigable way,” wrote then Pope Benedict XVI. “He was a good priest, a fervent believer…”

He belonged to the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (Pime).

Pime members work in many countries—like Algeria in Africa, Mexico

in Latin America, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and the Philippines. The Vatican recognized Pime in 1926. Today, Pime supports more than 500 missionaries in 18 countries.

As pastor, Tentorio “sought justice for lumad or indigenous people, dispossessed of their land, harassed by armed men, when government seemed to abandon them,” Kidapawan Bishop Romulo de la Cruz recalled. Siding with the oppressed “can earn you enemies who go after even the kindest of men.”

A UN commission later established that death squad leader Roberto D’Aubuisson ordered the killing of Romero. Here, Eastmincom continues to deny it had any hand in Tentorio’s rubout.

Up to now, the murderers of Tentorio have not been pinned down, reports Asia Philippines from Kidapawan in North Cotabato.

The investigation is snarled by contradictory and false leads. Jimmy and Robert Ato were arrested in December 2011. So were five members of the paramilitary group Bagani led

by Jan Corbala, also known as “Commander Iring.” Two witnesses have retracted.

“Someone is trying to block or deflect the investigations,” suspects Fr.

www.canadianinquirer.net

Opinion

17 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

ANALYSIS

2nd term may lead to dictatorship

By Amando Doronila Philippine Daily Inquirer THE 31ST anniversary of the assassination of Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. on Aug. 21 highlighted the glaring departures of President Aquino from the democratic legacies of his martyred father and late mother.

The President has stirred up a storm of controversy over his alleged autocratic tendencies, underscoring moves to clip the powers of the Supreme Court for striking down as unconstitutional the administration’s pork barrel scheme—the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP)—and his openness to calls from his political cohorts to revise the 1987 Constitution, a handiwork of his mother’s administration, to allow him to extend his single six-year constitutional term.

The plan seeking constitutional change was first disclosed by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas on Aug. 14. He said he was moved to make the suggestion in response to the clamor of the people supporting Aquino’s political reforms.

“A number of people are saying that to be able to continue the ‘daang matuwid’ (straight path governance), there’s no better way to do it but to have a second term for the President for him to continue his leadership,” Roxas said.

He explained that he mentioned the

idea in an interview with a television network on the day the President delivered his State of the Nation Address on July 28.

Call of the times “Part of the job of every leader is to answer the call of the times. The President acknowledges the threats to democracy and to how the country should be run.

One of the things he noted was the judicial overreach,” Roxas told reporters.

This was the first time the public was told another reason for the move to seek a second term—that the President was concerned with the imbalance of power among the three branches of government as a result of the too-often oversight and review of executive and legislative departments’ decisions, which the administration claimed had led to paralysis.

Glossed over It is an “imbalance” the administration seeks to correct by clipping the power of the judiciary, deemed the weakest of the three coequal branches.

The idea of a constitutional revision to restore the balance presented the administration as a zealous guardian of the integrity of the equitable distribution of powers among the three branches.

But the administration’s plan to clamp down on the judiciary glossed over the more obvious overreach and

abuse of power by the political branches—the executive and the legislature.

Uncanny resemblance Scholars pointed out on the anniversary of Ninoy Aquino’s assassination that the move to revise the Constitution in the last two years of the present administration had an uncanny resemblance to the prelude to the declaration of martial law by Ferdinand Marcos in September 1972.

Michael Charleston Chua, assistant professor of history at De La Salle University, speaking at the Tarlac provincial capitol, said Ninoy Aquino fought the term extension of Marcos.

Chua recalled that Marcos, in the last two years of his second term, declared martial law, enabling him to rule until 1986, when he was toppled by the Edsa People Power Revolution.

“Despite President Aquino’s good intentions of continuing the good things his administration has done, his father would rather opt for the democratic process and institutions, like the Constitution,” Chua said.

“President Aquino said in a recent television interview that he was open to a second term while the Constitution provides only a single six yearterm, with the implication that if he stood for reelection and won in 2016, he would be President for a total of 12

years, just two years shy of Marcos’ 14 years in power,” Chua added.

The assistant professor noted that Ninoy Aquino fought the Marcos regime in accordance with “democratic process” and lost his life in that struggle.

Old tune The moves to amend the political provisions of the Constitution to allow Mr. Aquino to stay beyond 2016 was criticized by former President Fidel Ramos as an “old tune” that should not be revived by anyone, except for the amendment of economic provisions for increased competitiveness of the economy.

Ramos recalled that as his six-year term was drawing to a close in 1998, he tried pushing for amendments to the Constitution not only to ease restrictions on foreign ownership but also to change the form of government to a unicameral parliamentary system.

Much to his chagrin, Ramos found out that the push came to naught. The move to change the form of government, he said, was seen as an effort to extend his term by becoming prime minister and was strongly opposed by his predecessor, Cory Aquino.

However, Ramos said, the Constitution could be amended for the sake of the economy and to end political dynasties.

In the past few days, Mr. Aquino engaged the public in a series of TV in-

terviews on the theme that his tirades against the Supreme Court’s “overreach” was part of the effort “to preserve democracy” from the meddlesome tribunal.

It was the high court that dared to stop the executives’s raids on the disbursements of public funds through its DAP scheme.

The Supreme Court is neither a threat to nor an enemy of democracy.

There are more reasons to fear efforts to tamper with the Constitution to allow Mr. Aquino to perpetuate himself in power.

Cory legacy Lawyers at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) have warned that the President’s statement that he was amenable to running for another term, if only to keep the powers of the Supreme Court in check, was a strike at the heart of Cory Aquino’s legacy—the 1987 Constitution— by her own son.

“The 1987 Constitution is the living legacy of Cory,” an IBP official said.

“The one term only for the President was intended to guard against avarice for power …. [It] grants an elected President a single term of six years to protect the country from a repeat of the Marcos dictatorship …. It also gave the Supreme Court the power of review, which is meant to curtail the abuse of the executive branch.” ■

AT LARGE

Ice buckets and food tours

By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer REALLY amusing are outtakes on the “bucket challenge” on YouTube, where those who take up the dare end up not just getting soaked in ice-cold water but even bonked on the head with the pails and buckets, falling down steps, and slipping on the spilled water.

The “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge” is actually the latest fad gone viral, beginning when a pair of friends started challenging other friends on YouTube to have ice buckets full of cold water dumped on them. The point of the challenge was for those getting soaked to pledge donations to research on ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”

So far, say reports, the challenge has done an excellent job of raising money—and awareness—of the disease. Donations to the ALS association in the United States have reportedly increased tenfold, totaling some $41.8 million just from July 29 to Aug. 21 this year.

Even more significant is that the ice bucket challenge has managed to get even the biggest celebrities—from the worlds of politics, entertainment and sports—to take up the dare.

Although observers complain that after videos of the challenge went viral, people taking part neglected to mention ALS—or any other disease or affliction deserving of attention—or even of the reason for taking up the dare which is to raise funds in support of these causes.

An American newscaster, after being dared, thanked his friends but said he was turning down the opportunity and was just donating to his favorite cause, which was cancer research.

The guy then went on to say that one need not be challenged to dump icy water over one’s head before helping out various causes deserving of public awareness and support.

I don’t know if that will bring a halt to the silliness of the bucket challenge, or the many wannabes feeding on its potentials for free publicity. But it was good while it lasted, and is a timely reminder of the need for people of good will to show their support—quietly, maybe but regularly and consistently—for the many causes begging for public attention.

Also goes to show the potential of turning fun and silliness into doing good, quite a “painless” way to help without breaking a sweat or thinking or feeling too deeply.

*** Men who cook rock my world.

Among my favorite TV shows these days is “Destination Flavour Japan,” which stars lawyer-cook (he prefers the term to “chef”) Adam Liaw. The winner of the second season of “Masterchef Australia,” Liaw was born in Malaysia to a Chinese father and an English-Singaporean mother, but grew up with his paternal grandmother after his parents’ divorce before migrating to Australia. It was from his grandmother that Liaw learned the basics of Chinese-Malaysian cuisine, but it was after he spent seven years in Japan that he developed a life-long obsession with Japanese food.

Married to a Japanese, Liaw brings viewers on a tour of Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south, to small farms and roadside inns, city restaurants and snack stalls, meeting farmers and wellknown chefs, and even the proprietor of a school for aspiring sumo wrestlers.

But by far my favorite episode is that featuring a family of soy sauce makers, whose product was chosen as the best soy sauce of Japan in 2010 but whose factory was inundated by the 2011 tsunami. They were able

www.canadianinquirer.net

to save their workers by evacuating them to a hillside shelter, a move they had practiced countless times over the years. But their livelihood was devastated when they came down after the waters receded.

This isn’t the most touching development, though. It’s what follows: Another soy sauce factory made room for them in its factory floor, while their traditional partners and sources extended the credit they needed to buy ingredients and machines to continue their production.

I fully appreciate how Liaw allows the people he meets to dominate each episode, with no need to insert himself unnecessarily or call attention to himself. He does demonstrate some dishes, though, and every show is a mouth-watering invitation to rush to the nearest Japanese restaurant.

“Destination Flavour Japan” is the best demonstration of how food is not just about eating or gluttony, or even flavor or taste, but also about the people who spend their lives pleasing palates and nourishing body and soul. *** Locally, my favorite food show is “Food Prints,” (on the Lifestyle channel) hosted by Sandy Daza, chef and food columnist for this paper, as well

as the proprietor of Wooden Spoon, a popular restaurant with branches on Katipunan Avenue and Power Plant.

Sandy also happens to be the son of Nora Daza, a name normally preceded by “the iconic” doyenne of the Philippine food scene, who popularized French cuisine in Manila through the restaurant Au Bon Vivant and innovative Filipino cooking with Aux Iles Philippines in Paris. But I suspect that she is best known among Filipinos for her popular and enduring cookbooks and cooking shows.

Sandy lives up to this heritage not just with all his endeavors but also with the evident joy and thrill with which he approaches cooking and savoring food. I especially enjoyed the episodes shot in Spain during an international food festival (I don’t know how he managed to still walk after stuffing himself silly), and the one on his search for the best sisig in Pampanga as well as the rest of the rich culinary offerings of this province.

The only drawback to shows like “Food Prints” and “Destination Flavour Japan” is that they leave the viewer yearning and salivating for a taste of the featured dishes. An occupational hazard for the diabetic! ■

FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

18

Canada News

BY STEVE RENNIE The Canadian Press ECLIPSE SOUND, NUNAVUT—The final resting place of the lost ships of the Franklin expedition may remain a mystery for at least another summer.

A thick pack of sea ice is blocking a key part of the search area, making it inaccessible to ships.

The two ships of Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition—HMS Erebus and HMS Terror—are believed to be somewhere in the Victoria Strait off the west coast of King William Island, perhaps as far down as the Queen Maud Gulf off the Adelaide Peninsula.

Ryan Harris, a senior underwater archeologist who is one of the people leading the Parks Canada search, says it’s only a matter of time before the remnants of the missing expedition are found.

Four vessels, including the Canadian Coast Guard ship Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Kingston and vessels from the Arctic Research Foundation and the One Ocean Expedition are leading the search this summer.

Harris says 75 per cent of the southern area and 40 per cent of the

PM Harper travels through the North West Passage on his 9th annual Northern Tour.

PHOTO FROM PM.GC.CA

northern area have been searched.

This year, however, there is more ice than usual, which could stop the ships from searching part of the area.

“2009 was a bad year for ice,” Harris said, “but we didn’t survey with our partners that year, and I’m glad we didn’t, because we wouldn’t have been able to do anything. A very bad year.

“Apart from that, this is the worst that we’ve seen.”

A strong wind could make all the different by flushing the ice down the strait, he added.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is on his annual tour of the north, got a first-hand look at some of the tools being used in the search.

He boarded a naval vessel at Pond Inlet that travelled west to Eclipse Sound. Upon arriving at a picturesque spot surrounded by ice-capped mountains, Harper and his wife, Laureen, got in a Zodiac and motored out to one of two gigantic icebergs towering in the water.

The prime minister then helped lower an autonomous underwater vehicle into the frigid water.

It was the closest Harper had ever been to an iceberg.

“I’ve never been that close to a big chunk of ice. It’s huge,” he said. “That was great. Really exciting.”

The prime minister said the lost Franklin ships are an iconic piece of Canadian history.

“It ultimately isn’t just a story of discovery and mystery and all those things— but it’s also really laying the basis for what’s in the longer-term Canadian sovereignty,” he said.

“Because it’s a mystery, and we’ve got to solve it.”

Harper also expressed confidence that the vessels would soon be found.

“One day we’re just going to come around the bend and there’s going to be the ship and Franklin’s skeleton slumped over the helm and we’re going to find it.” ■

Man completes charity swim from New Brunswick to P.E.I. and back The Canadian Press A VANCOUVER man said he was looking forward to a bath and some black forest cake after completing a swim from New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island and back.

Jeremy Davidson, 32, arrived back in New Brunswick on Saturday night after spending 16 hours and 15 minutes in the water crossing the Northumberland Strait both ways.

Davidson left Cape Jourimain in New Brunswick on Saturday morn-

ing and turned around after reaching Borden-Carleton, P.E.I. A member of his support team says he grabbed a sandwich and kissed his wife before turning around to start the return trip to New Brunswick.

The army corporal, based at CFB Gagetown, N.B. said the swim took longer than expected because he had to fight tides, wind and currents both ways.

Davidson made the swim to raise money and awareness for the Neil Squire Society, a non-profit organi-

zation that empowers people with disabilities to return to the workforce.

He said it was one of the hardest things he’s ever done.

“Everything you could think of got thrown at me,” he said. “I can’t believe I finally got to shore.”

Davidson said he planned to get warmed up in front of a fire.

“When it all comes down to it, I feel pretty good.”

The charity swim was inspired by his father, who was diagnosed in 2010 with a severe form of arthritis. ■

NEWS BRIEFS

FROM THE CANADIAN PRESS PHOTO FROM 1000 WORDS / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Prime Minister Stephen Harper joins search for lost ships of Franklin expedition

VICTORIA CONFERENCE TEACHES FIRST NATIONS HOW TO MAP TERRITORIES ON GOOGLE EARTH VICTORIA—Google Earth may soon extend it global gaze to some of the most remote First Nations territories in Canada. Google employees will be teaching members from about 70 First Nations across the country how to chart their land on the application during a four-day Indigenous Mapping Workshop at the University of Victoria that starts Monday.

ANDRE BELLAVANCE QUITS THE BLOC QUEBECOIS OTTAWA—Veteran Bloc Quebecois MP Andre Bellavance announced Monday that he too is quitting the embattled sovereigntist party because he can’t work with its new leader. Bellavance said he will serve the rest of his mandate as an Independent and won’t seek re-election in 2015.

MAN IN PRISON FOR MOUNTIE DEATHS GETS MORE PASSES EDMONTON—A man convicted for his role in the shooting deaths of four Alberta Mounties is getting more unescorted, temporary absences from prison.The Parole Board of Canada says Shawn Hennessey is doing well behind bars and will be allowed to visit his family for up to 78 hours, once every month, for six months.

ONTARIO MAN DECLARED DEAD FOUND ALIVE IN U.S. LONDON— A man missing for almost 40 years and declared dead by the courts has been confirmed alive by Ontario Provincial Police.Police say Ronald Stan, who was reported missing after a 1977 fire in a rural area near London, Ont., has been found alive and residing under an “assumed identity” in the United States.

Canada News

19 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

No charges in Trudeau home incident; police say it was a mistake The Canadian Press OTTAWA—A man who entered Justin Trudeau’s Ottawa home earlier this month made a drunken mistake and won’t be charged, police said Tuesday.

The Ottawa Police Service said they are satisfied that the intoxicated 19-year-old wandered into the wrong house unintentionally, believing he was at a friend’s home.

“He had no idea who the residents were,” said Staff Sgt. Kal Ghadban. “This was not a targeted home.

“He didn’t realize it and we believe he did not know whose house it was until Friday.”

Ghadban played down the fact that the young man left a note near a collection of knives, saying that—for a fleeting mo-

ment—the man considered stealing the cutlery along with an electronic device that police refused to identify.

“There was a momentary thought process that before he left he would actually take some items with him, which was very short-lived,” said Ghadban.

“He immediately decided against that.”

Police said nothing was removed from the house.

As for the note and a suggestion contained in it that the family should lock their doors at night, police said while it appeared on the surface to be threatening, it was instead an act of remorse from the man over entering the house.

Trudeau was out of town when the incident happened, but his wife and children were asleep upstairs.

FIRST DAY OF CLASSES. Justin Trudeau with family on their way to school.

PHOTO FROM THE FACEBOOK PAGE OF JUSTIN TRUDEAU.

Police said an individual came forward on Friday after they released video footage of a suspect.

They said the man has been cautioned and the case is closed.

The intruder, who has not

been identified, wrote to the Trudeau family to apologize, although it was unclear whether the family had received his note.

“During the interview (on Friday) he did ask for an opportunity to write a letter of apol-

ogy,” said Ghadban.

“I don’t know whether that has made its way from the investigators to the residents or not ... but he did write an apology letter.”

The incident raised questions about whether Trudeau and his family need a security detail, as the prime minister has.

RCMP have not said whether they are still looking into the possibility of providing close protection to the Liberal leader.

But it appears that the Liberals are satisfied with the closure of the police investigation.

“This a police matter and they have made the determination to not press charges,” said Trudeau spokeswoman Kate Purchase.

“We fully respect the Ottawa Police Services’ responsibility to make this determination.” ■

Tim Hortons and Burger King to join forces to form a new company

BY ROMINA MAURINO The Canadian Press TORONTO—Burger King and Tim Hortons are teaming up in a US$11-billion deal that will allow the fast food companies to grow in the U.S. and internationally, but promises no changes to Canadians’ morning coffee.

“One of the key value drivers of this transaction is the potential to significantly accelerate Tim Hortons’ international growth potential, like we did with Burger King,” Alex Behring, executive chairman of Burger King and managing partner at 3G Capital, said during a call with investors to discussed the deal Tuesday.

“By leveraging our master franchise joint venture model, our network of global partners and the vast experience of our global management and global development team members, we see no reason why we can’t bring the double-double to the rest of the world.”

The deal comes just over a day after both sides confirmed they were in talks, a possibility which sent their stock surging and created a flurry of specula-

tion about what the combination may mean for the burger and doughnut chains.

Both sides were clear Tuesday that the focus of the deal was growth, given that it will create the world’s third-largest quick service restaurant company, with about $23 billion in system sales and more than 18,000 restaurants in 100 countries.

“This very clearly aligns with those objectives and priorities that we established, and we clearly said that things like the U.S. for us was a must-win battle, we clearly said that the international markets for us were untapped potential, and certainly this new relationship will allow us to move much quicker as a combined organization than we felt we could move ourselves,” Tim Hortons president and CEO Marc Caira said.

“This transaction will not only allow us to preserve our rich Canadian heritage, but it will allow us to bring even more meaningful benefits to Canada in the long run.”

The company has been owned by a large U.S. chain before, when it was purchased

by Wendy’s International Inc. in 1995. It was spun-off from Wendy’s in 2006.

No major changes are expected to the actual brands, and Oakville, Ont., will remain the headquarters of Tim Hortons (TSX:THI) and Miami will remain the home base of Burger King.

When asked Tuesday if the deal meant Burger King could eventually sell Tim Hortons coffee, the answer was a quick and definitive “Absolutely not.”

“There’s no to mix the product or do any co-branding,” said Daniel Schwartz, CEO of Burger King.

“The real driver here is the growth, and the ability to take such a strong and beloved brand internationally.”

Schwartz will become CEO of the new combined company, with overall day-to-day management and operational accountability.

The new company’s board will include the current eight Burger King directors and three directors to be appointed

by Tim Hortons, including Caira, who will also be appointed vice-chairman and focus on strategy and global business development.

Private equity firm 3G Capital will own about 51 per cent of the new company, with Behring www.canadianinquirer.net

TIM HORTONS PHOTO BY MIKECPHOTO / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM, BURGER KING LOGO FROM WIKIPEDIA.ORG

as executive chairman and director.

The corporate headquarters of the new global company will be based in Canada, but despite much speculation about the possible tax benefits of such a deal, Behring said taxes weren’t a motivating force for the move.

Burger King says it won’t see any meaningful change to its tax rate.

“This is strategic transaction, this is creating a new global leader in the QSR sector, and it’s not being driven by tax rates,” he said.

“Burger King’s effective tax rate is the in mid to high 20s, which is largely consistent with Canadian taxes.”

The companies said there won’t be any changes to the way the franchises are managed

or jobs, saying repeatedly the deal wasn’t about synergies but rather growth.

Under the terms of the transaction, Burger King will pay C$65.50 in cash and 0.8025 common shares of the new company for each Tim Hortons’ share. This represents total value per Tim Hortons share of C$94.05 Canadian, based on Burger King’s closing stock price on Monday. Tim Hortons shareholders can choose either all-cash or all stock in the new company.

Tim Hortons shares were up 8.6 per cent to $89.10 on the Toronto stock market, while Burger King (NYSE:BKW) ticked down 2.6 per cent to US$31.55.

Both shares surged almost 20 per cent on Monday when reports of the deal first surfaced. ■

World News

AUGUST 29, 2014

FRIDAY 20

British Ebola patient residing in Sierra Leone to be evacuated, official says

BY CLARENCE ROYMACAULAY The Associated Press FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE—The first British citizen confirmed to be infected with the deadly Ebola disease is being evacuated from Sierra Leone on a jet sent by the Royal Air Force, a Sierra Leone official said Sunday.

The World Health Organization is also considering medical evacuation for an international health worker who has become infected in Sierra Leone, the U.N. health agency said in a statement.

Neither patient was identified by name, and the nationality of the infected WHO employee was not given.

The British patient was working at an Ebola treatment centre in eastern Sierra Leone, the region most affected by the outbreak, said Sidie Yayah Tunis, director of communications for the Sierra Leone health ministry.

The two cases highlight the risks facing health workers on the front lines of the battle against Ebola, which has killed more than 1,400 people across West Africa, according to the latest WHO figures.

“This is the first time someone working under the aegis of WHO has fallen ill with the disease,” the WHO said in its state-

ment, adding that more than 225 health workers have been infected and nearly 130 have died from Ebola during the current outbreak.

The British patient was transported via ambulance to Sierra Leone’s main airport in the town of Lungi, Tunis said.

Britain’s Department of Health said the patient was being flown on a specially equipped RAF transport plane to Northolt air base in London.

He will be treated at London’s Royal Free Hospital, which has an isolation unit for infectious disease.

The department said in a statement that the patient “is not currently seriously unwell.”

The World Health Organization says Sierra Leone has recorded 910 Ebola cases and 392 deaths. The Sierra Leone government says there have been 881 cases and 333 deaths. In Kenema, where the Briton was working, the government has recorded 303 cases.

A total of 2,615 infections and 1,427 deaths have been recorded in the Ebola outbreak now hitting West Africa, according to figures released Friday by the World Health Organization.

The Nigerian Medical Association said Sunday it has suspended a public sector doctors strike to help efforts to contain Ebola in the country.

The association directed doctors to return to work Monday

while negotiations with the government continue. The strike started on July 1, before Liberian-American Patrick Sawyer flew into Nigeria and introduced the virus in Lagos, the commercial capital. Nigeria’s government says the country has 14 confirmed cases, which include Sawyer. The World Health Organization on Friday recorded 16 cases in the country, saying 12 have been confirmed and there are four suspected.

The association also demanded the government restart a residency training program it suspended on Aug. 13.

Nigerian Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu had said earlier this month while the strike was putting Nigeria at a disadvantage, it hadn’t affected the containment efforts. The government has been appealing to doctors to return to work to help contain the virus, and has been asking volunteers to join in the efforts, including contact tracing of people under surveillance.

Five people in Nigeria have died of the virus, while five recovered and were discharged from hospital, according to the government. The other four cases are receiving treatment in isolation in Lagos. As of Friday, the minister said 213 people, who were contacts of those who had tested positive for the virus, were under surveillance and are being monitored.

In Liberia on Saturday, hundreds of people lined up outside the capital’s largest slum to bring food to relatives stuck inside after officials slapped a blockade on it this week. The slum, West Point, is home to at least 50,000 people. The government says the blockade is necessary to prevent the spread of Ebola but residents are worried about food shortages. They say rice distributed by the government has been insufficient and of poor quality.

Liberia has recorded 1,082 Ebola cases and 624 deaths, according to the WHO. Two Americans and a Spanish medical worker have already been evacuated from Liberia and given ZMapp, an experimental and unproven treatment for Ebola. The Americans have recovered and been discharged while the Spaniard

died.

The drug supply is now exhausted, the U.S. manufacturer has said.

The Philippine government said Sunday that it was preparing to carry out a mandatory evacuation of Filipinos in three West African countries due to the Ebola outbreak.

Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said in Manila that there were 1,979 Filipinos in Sierra Leone, 880 in Guinea and 632 in Liberia, including 148 U.N. peacekeepers. Jose did not give a date but said the repatriation of the Filipino workers and their dependents would be carried out “very soon.” ■ Associated Press writer Jill Lawless in London and Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines contributed to this report.

China says intercept of US spy plane was professional, urges end to close in reconnaissance

BY JACK CHANG The Associated Press BEIJING—China’s Defence Ministry rejected U.S. accusations that a Chinese fighter jet’s intercept of a U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft off the southern Chinese coast was dangerous, and blamed Washington for mounting large-scale and frequent close-in reconnaissance operations.

Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said the Chinese pilot

conducted operations that were “professional and the Chinese jet kept a safe distance from the U.S. planes.”

He called the U.S. accusations “groundless” in a statement issued Saturday night, and said that China was conducting “routine identification and verification” flights.

Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby gave a different account Friday of the Aug. 19 encounter about 135 miles (220 kilometres) east of China’s Hainan Island. He said the

Chinese jet made several close passes by the Navy P-8 Poseidon plane, coming within 30 feet (9 metres) of it at one point.

Kirby said that included the Chinese jet doing a “barrel roll” manoeuvr over the top of the Poseidon—a modified Boeing 737—and passing across the nose of the Navy plane apparently to show that it was armed.

Kirby said the Chinese jet’s manoeuvring posed a risk to the safety of the U.S. air crew and was “inconsistent with customary international law.” www.canadianinquirer.net

He said it was the fourth such incident since March of “close intercepts” involving Chinese jets.

The Chinese statement also said that a Navy P-3 Orion, an anti-submarine and surveillance aircraft, flew alongside the Poseidon. The Pentagon did not mention the second aircraft.

Tensions between the two countries have risen in the South China Sea, as China disputes territorial claims with U.S. ally the Philippines, Vietnam and other neighbours.

In 2001, a Chinese jet collided

with a U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft off Hainan Island, killing the Chinese pilot and forcing the Navy plane to make an emergency landing on the island. Washington severed military relations with China after that episode.

In the latest encounter, Yang blamed “the large-scale and highly frequent close-in reconnaissance by the U.S. against China” as “the root cause of accidents endangering the sea and air military security between China and the United States.” ■

World News

21 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

In Ferguson fallout, calls grow for police to wear ‘body cameras’ but with caveats

BY BARBARA ORTUTAY The Associated Press NEW YORK—What if Michael Brown’s last moments had been recorded?

The fatal police shooting of the unarmed black 18-year-old in Ferguson, Missouri, is prompting calls for more officers to wear so-called body cameras, simple, lapel-mounted gadgets that capture video footage of law enforcement’s interactions with the public. Proponents say the devices add a new level of accountability to police work.

“This is a technology that has a very real potential to serve as a check and balance on police power,” says Jay Stanley, senior policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union.

The case supporters make is simple: Cops and criminal suspects alike are less likely to misbehave if they know they’re being recorded. And there’s some evidence supporting it. In a recent Cambridge University study, the police department in Rialto, California—a city of about 100,000—saw an 89 per cent decline in the number of complaints against officers in a yearlong trial using the cameras.

The number of times the police used force against suspects also declined. After the trial, the cameras became mandatory for the department’s roughly 100 officers.

Rialto isn’t unique. Across the U.S. and in England, Australia, Brazil and elsewhere, a growing number of departments are implementing the cameras, in addition to—or instead of—the dashboard-mounted cameras that are already widely used in police cars. Some one in six U.S. police departments now use body cameras in some form, according to ACLU attorney Scott Greenwood.

A recent petition submitted to the White House website calls on President Barack Obama to create a bill that would require all police officers at the state, county and local levels to wear cameras. The plea has more than 142,000 signatures.

White House officials say every petition that crosses the 100,000 signature threshold is reviewed and will receive a response.

The administration could use the petition to weigh in on the broader issue of police accountability and transparency.

In the meantime, the Los Angeles Police Department is testing the cameras and the New York City Police Department said this month that the department is exploring the feasibility of using the devices. The city’s public advocate, Letitia James, has called for the cameras as a check on police misconduct following the death of a black man placed in a chokehold by a white police officer last month in Staten Island.

Cameras come with complications, however. It’s unclear whether a police body camera would have altered the situation. A bystander recorded Eric Garner shouting “I can’t breathe!” as police officer Daniel Pantaleo placed him in a chokehold. Garner later died. The city medical examiner ruled the death a homicide and the Staten Island District Attorney said this week that the case is going to a grand jury.

Although body cameras provide a record that courts and police can use to reconstruct events, there’s no guarantee the footage will provide easy answers.

There are privacy concerns for all those being recorded, whether it’s the police officers, crime suspects, victims or innocent bystanders. There are also legal and procedural questions: Who gets access to the recordings? And what happens when an officer’s device mysteriously malfunctions or gets turned off at an inopportune moment?

Experts including the ACLU’s Stanley caution that with the gadgets must also come with well-thought-out policies, including guidelines that spell out how long recordings are kept and what to do in situations where footage goes missing.

“We live in a time when most people’s reaction to any problem is ‘clearly, if we have an app or some sort of a digital device, that will solve the problem,”‘ says Neil Richards, professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis.

Richards says the notion that body cameras might solve problems of police misconduct is “naive.”

“The problem is that we can’t fix deepseated social problems with a $10 gadget or with a million-dollar tank,” he says.

The body cameras currently used in police work vary. They include devices that can be worn as glasses, including Google Glass, the company’s $1,500 Internet-connected eyewear. But more common are the small, rectangular lapel cameras that attach to an officer’s uniform and record audio and video with the touch of a button.

Taser International Inc., which says it is the largest provider of body-mounted cameras to U.S. law enforcement agencies, has seen sales of its wearable cameras increase sharply in the past year. Bookings for sales of the cameras, which cost $400 to $700 each, grew from between $1 million to $2 million in early 2013 to $11.4 million in the April-June period, says Taser CEO Rick Smith. The company’s stock is enjoying a run in recent days as calls for body cameras increase. Since Aug. 12, Taser’s shares have jumped 33 per cent to around $16 on Friday.

Taser’s cameras are constantly recording, but the footage is deleted every 30 seconds unless an officer presses re-

cord. In that case, the 30 seconds before the officer hit record are kept in addition to everything else that’s subsequently captured.

The recordings are stored on Taser’s Evidence.com online service. Smith says the site is to the cameras what iTunes is to iPods.

“It’s not the hardware that’s difficult, it’s how you manage the data coming out of all these devices,” he says.

Brian Smith, a former police officer who is now assistant professor at the University of New Haven in Connecticut, expects that eventually every police department will use the cameras. He compares them to the now-common dashboard cameras used in police cars, which had their own supporters and skeptics when they were first introduced.

“Officers went from being suspicious of them, worried that they would get caught doing something—not terribly wrong—but (something like talking about their bosses),” Smith says. But he says they started to come around after

www.canadianinquirer.net

seeing that the recordings could help prove false claims against them wrong.

“And also on the flip side, if we did have a few officers, bad apples, that did engage in misconduct, they were being recorded on camera,” Smith says. ■ Associated Press writer Josh Lederman contributed to this story from Washington.

World News

AUGUST 29, 2014

FRIDAY 22

Thailand’s army ruler named prime minister 3 months after coup

BY TODD PITMAN The Associated Press BANGKOK, THAILAND—Three months after overthrowing an elected government, Thailand’s junta leader is stepping out of his army uniform to take up the post of prime minister in a move critics say will prolong his rule and bolster the military’s grip on power.

Thailand’s legislature voted overwhelmingly Thursday to name Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha to the new job. There was little doubt over the outcome since Prayuth was the only candidate and the assembly— hand-picked by the junta—is dominated by active and retired duty officers.

The 60-year-old leader is due to retire from the army next month and until then will hold both positions.

Thursday’s appointment appears aimed at keeping him at the helm as the military implements sweeping political reforms critics say are designed to purge the ousted ruling party’s influence and benefit an elite minority that has failed to win national elections for more than a decade.

Prayuth has effectively served as de facto prime minister since staging the May 22 coup. For several years before that, he held the position of army chief, a post many regard as one of the country’s most powerful. Thailand’s military has a history of intervening in politics and has seized power 12 times since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932.

“He could have refused the job, but what would be the point?” said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thai professor of Southeast Asian studies at Japan’s Kyoto University.

“If he wasn’t prime minister, he would have been manipulating the prime minister from behind the scenes,” said Pavin, whose passport was revoked after he crit-

icized the coup and refused to respond to a junta summons ordering him home.

Prayuth’s appointment by the National Legislative Assembly must be approved by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a formality likely to occur within a week.

Prayuth will then name a 35-member Cabinet.

The vote was the latest in a series of moves by the junta to consolidate power on its own terms. In July, the military adopted a temporary 48-article constitution. Shortly afterward, it appointed the assembly.

Prayuth has said the army had to intervene to halt half a year of protests that had paralyzed the government and triggered violence that killed dozens and wounded hundreds more. While stability has been restored and life has largely returned to normal, it has come at a steep price: Thailand’s democratic institutions have been entirely dismantled, and the country’s authoritarian rulers have crushed all dissent.

Most politicians from the ousted ruling party, including former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, were detained by the army and released only after signing agreements preventing them from speaking out. Violators, the junta has warned, will face prosecution.

Critics say reconciliation—and any legitimate debate on the divided nation’s fate—cannot take place in a climate of fear.

The May putsch was swiftly condemned by Western powers, but Thailand’s relations with key Asian nations remain unchanged. Concerns over human rights abuses and the restoration of democracy were not even mentioned publicly earlier this month during a regional foreign ministers summit hosted

by Myanmar. ❱❱ PAGE 39 Thailand’s army

The vote was the latest in a series of moves by the junta to consolidate power on its own terms.

PHOTO BY CHRIS SINGSHINSUK / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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23 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

www.canadianinquirer.net

Immigration

AUGUST 29, 2014

FRIDAY 24

Commercial vehicle safety blitz in Toronto targeted minorities: lawyer

BY ETHAN LOU The Associated Press TORONTO—A commercial vehicle safety blitz that led to the arrest of 21 people for immigration offences targeted minorities and amounts to racial profiling, a lawyer involved in the case alleged Wednesday.

Macdonald Scott, who represents two of the people arrested, said Canada Border Services Agency officials aggressively demanded identification from members of visible minorities during the four-hour operation last Thursday.

CBSA defended its participation in the traffic blitz, which also involved the Ontario Ministry of Transport and provincial police, but did not comment on the racial profiling allegations.

“In the past, the CBSA has been invited to participate in this type of blitz when partner agencies have noticed that many drivers stopped during blitzes had immigration warrants,” the agency said in an email to The Canadian Press.

“As a result, it was determined that the CBSA’s presence would be beneficial in the processing of these individuals.”

Scott said the arrests took place in an area where construction labourers wait to be

picked up by potential employers. He said both his clients are Mexican men in their early 20s and work in construction.

“One guy was just walking over to visit a friend,” he said.

“They pressured him into giving his name, found out he has an immigration warrant and basically detained him.”

His other client was a passenger in a van when he was stopped while on his way to work with five to six other people, Scott said.

“It’s racial profiling,” he said.

“I asked my clients, ‘Do you see them stopping white people?’

They said, ‘No, they’re only stopping Latinos.”‘ Scott said both men were deported Tuesday.

Sharry Aiken, associate dean of Queen’s University’s law faculty, said people only need to provide identification to border officials operating inland if they are suspected of committing an immigration offence— something hard to establish by observation.

“If Canada Border Services Agency tried to suggest that, ‘I have reason to believe this is an illegal migrant... because they’re Irish, and we happen to know that there’re a lot of illegal workers from Ireland’— sorry, that doesn’t cut it,” she said.

Steven Tress, an immigration

lawyer in Toronto, said even if the driver is an illegal immigrant, passengers should not be under suspicion simply by association.

“You’re driving with a friend and he’s here illegally... If the CBSA or the police want to arrest that person, that doesn’t require you to identify yourself,” he said.

The migrant advocacy group No One Is Illegal protested the arrests on Monday outside government buildings in Toronto.

Group organizer Syed Hus-

san said the group has made contact with seven of those arrested, among whom there are four from Mexico and one each from Argentina, El Salvador the Philippines.

The provincial police said its involvement in the operation was limited to sending one officer to attend a briefing, while the Ministry of Transport said it only focuses on vehicle violations.

Federal Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander defended the CBSA

involvement in the blitz, saying those “out of status” who want to avoid an “unpleasant turn of events” should either try to attain immigration status or leave the country.

“CBSA does its job extremely well, removing large numbers of those who have abused Canada’s generosity,” he said on Tuesday.

“From what I’ve heard, that was the case in recent days in Toronto with the people that were arrested—undocumented workers—by CBSA.” ■

Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan finalize agreements to help people in Saskatchewan get jobs Key agreements signed for skills training and employment programs The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development, and the Honourable Jeremy Harrison, Saskatchewan Minister Responsible for Immigration, Jobs, Skills, and Training, announced that two agreements have been signed by the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan to help connect Canadians with available jobs.

According to Minister Kenney, “Our government’s top priorities are creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity. The Canada Job Grant is part of our commitment to address the paradox of

too many Canadians without jobs in an economy of too many jobs without Canadians. With employers’ skin in the game, the Canada Job Grant will lead to a guaranteed job. Helping employers train Canadians for jobs that need to be filled will help their businesses grow and succeed. And that is good news for the Saskatchewan economy.”

The Canada–Saskatchewan Job Fund Agreement invests in initiatives that respond to labour market needs. It also provides funding for programs and services that support the labour market readiness of under-represented groups such as First

Nations and Métis people and people with low literacy levels.

The Canada Job Grant is an innovative, employer-driven approach to help Canadians gain the skills and training they need to fill available jobs. It is designed to be flexible enough to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, in all industries and regions. By requiring employers to put more skin in the game, the Canada Job Grant will result in training that leads to guaranteed jobs.

“Saskatchewan continues to be a leader in Canada in terms of economic growth. Today’s announcement will allow Saswww.canadianinquirer.net

katchewan businesses to invest in training that will equip their workers with the skills they need to prosper in today’s economy. We look forward to The Canada–Saskatchewan Job Grant being a tool our employers use to develop a skilled workforce and address the labour market challenges that have emerged as a result of our economic growth,” says Minister Harrison.

The Government of Saskatchewan will be accepting inquiries regarding applications via their provincial website as of September 2, 2014.

Also signed was the new

Canada–Saskatchewan Labour Market Agreement for Persons with Disabilities (LMAPD).

With increased employer involvement and a stronger focus on demonstrating the best possible results for Canadians, the new Agreement will better connect Canadians with disabilities with available jobs. The LMAPDs are the single largest federal government investment in helping Canadians with disabilities get jobs. Under this agreement, the Government of Canada will provide over $10.8 million per year to Saskatchewan, a contribution that will be matched by the province. ■

25 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

GLOBAL FILIPINO:

Ballet Manila explores Filipinos’ penchant for romance

BY MARY ANN R. MANDAP Philippine Canadian Inquirer THE MAN behind the longselling love counselling radio program is unapologetically brutal. But it is this frankness and no-frills approach to giving out advice on love and life that has endeared him to listeners of True Love Conversations (TLC) through the years.

Indeed, radio audiences worldwide tune in to Love Radio’s Papa Jack, John Gemperle in real life, to listen to him berate, scold, and diss callers, or humor, console, shoot down and empathize with the lovelorn or someone just needing to let something out.

The highlights of his program, of course, are the phone-in callers, most of whom in pain over a complicated relationship. The love jock believes these trueto-life stories resonate with the audiences who also have experienced yearning for love, being over the moon in love, and felt the same depth, delight, ecstasy and ache from these experiences. Sharing them with the whole world makes the life-changing moment doubly profound.

TLC, according to him, attracts an equal share of male and female listeners. He gets calls from college groupies, taxi drivers, call center agents, yuppies, housewives, even militants all eager for help with relationship issues. Papa Jack said, “When on air, I’m not a DJ but a friend.”

Based on reports, his program addresses audiences from A to E, in Mega Manila, Quezon, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Pangasinan, Davao and other parts of the country. With live streaming, it now reaches anyone with Internet.

Ballet Manila kicks off its 19th season with the staging this month of Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika: An OPM Festival, featuring True Love Confessions, a series of snipets exploring love and life, with special guest performer Love Radio’s Papa Jack plus the special participation of Prima Ballerina Lisa Macuja.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/BALLET MANILA

A timely collaboration of Ballet Manila (BM) and Love Radio, kicks off in this month’s staging of Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika: An OPM Festival, featuring TLC, a series of vignettes exploring love and relationships with special guest performer Love Radio’s Papa Jack and the special participation of Prima Ballerina Lisa Macuja.

Gala night was held on Aug. 22, at Aliw Theater. Other performances are slated on Aug. 29, 30 and 31. This 19th season opener celebrates Original Pilipino Music (OPM) and highlights Philippine culture and the Filipino’s love for romance.

Scheduled on Aug. 29 at 1 p.m., is Papa Jack's Meet and Greet Fans Day with a special promo price of P350 each.

Tickets still available at Ticketworld.com. On Aug. 30, 31 and Sept. 6 at 11a.m. and 3p.m.

– walk-in tickets are available at P700 each.

BM puts together the broad appeal of Papa Jack’s radio program combined with dazzling ballet moves as choreographed

by Ballet Manila’s in-house choreographers Jonathan Janolo, Francis Jaena, Gerardo Francisco, and Michael Divina-

gracia.

An integral part of the presentation is the fusion of dance with original Pilipino music.

All three choreographers, except Jonathan Janolo, are proud Ilonggos who started honing their talents in creating dance routines from the many school programs and festivals in the province of Iloilo. The three Ilonggos believe the vibrant culture of the Western Visayan city greatly enhanced their skills. It was also in Iloilo where they learned the basics of ballet under avowed idol Agnes Locsin.

The choreographers are avid fans of Papa Jack’s radio program. “Sometimes, we listen to the stories of callers and think about creating dance routines for them,” said Michael. “The challenge is how not to make the TLC series a variety show,” Jonathan said. “We assigned particular segments to each choreographer. We just had to make sure somebody has to stitch them all together,” he added.

Gerardo noted that they attacked each segment in different ways because of the uniqueness of their personalities.

Prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Ballet Manila co-artistic director Osias Barroso are proud to celebrate original Pilipino music (OPM) and ballet in “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika”.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/BALLET MANILA

All of them were conscious though, that this a group effort. “We have to consider a lot of things like the comments of co-dancers, the audience, our colleagues, artistic director, and the music,” he related. “It’s gratifying to see that everything jelled,” Gerardo added.

The in-house choreographers of Ballet Manila have varied methods of getting inspired.

Michael admits to drinking alcohol to make him more creative. On the other hand, Francis goes to a mall or a park to allow his mind and eyes to explore. He said he doesn’t like enclosed spaces. He relayed that smoking cigarettes helps stimulate his mind.

Francis likewise confesses to watching his favorite shows, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and Animal Kingdom to further explore animal movements and incorporate these in his ballet scenes. He said his ballet is oftentimes abstract. Sometimes, he in-

corporates the movements of animals, like the rattle snake or deer into his routines. “I’m inspired by the speed and dynamics of the animals’ movements,” he said.

All four are seasoned performers whose careers boast of performances here and abroad and being under the tutelage of ballet greats like Osias Barroso, Tatiana Udalenkova, Agnes Locsin, Ernest Mandap, Tony Fabella and more.

They all studied ballet formally and are in fact still active ballet dancers. Except for Michael, all three are married.

Jonathan trained as a Ballet Manila scholar in 1998 under Osias Barroso. He completed the special Vaganova Method Master Class program conducted by visiting teacher Tatiana A. Udalenkova of the Academy of Russian Ballet from 2001 to 2003.

Francis Jaena’s frenetic

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❱❱ PAGE 36 Global Filipino

Seen & Scenes: Vancouver

Japanese taiko drummers Roku, Shichi, Taiko, play a traditional Japanese song.

AUGUST 29, 2014

FRIDAY 26

ANCOP WALK RAISED FUNDS FOR POOR FAMILIES Ancop Vancouver recently held Ancop Walk 2014 on Aug. 24 at Burnaby Central Park in Burnaby, B.C. Shown here are participants who gamely committed to alleviate poverty by building homes for poor families and providing scholarship to deserving children.

Audience joins the fun.

Sampaguita dancers.

ASEAN DAY PICNIC HELD

MHHS HOSTS MULTICULTURAL FIESTA

The Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam celebrated the 2014 Asean Picnic Day on Aug. 23, at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, B.C. This year’s chairman, Malaysian Consul General Mohd Haniff AbdRahman, welcomed the guests and opened the event. Highlights of the event included singing of the Asean song, a parade by Asean countries, treasure hunt, children’s games, volleyball, sack race and presentation of prizes to the winners. Photos by Junah Bahena and Jeanie-Vi Sobreviga

For photo submissions, please email info@canadianinquirer.net. www.canadianinquirer.net

Seen & Scenes: Toronto

27 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

ARTISTS MEET MAYORAL BETS

(From L): Frank Tonido, Michelle Chermaine Ramos, Olivia Chow, Janet Hizon, Nelia Tonido and Consul General Junever Mahilum-West.

(From L) Necie MananQuil, Federico Ramos and Maestro Romi MananQuil pose with the maestro’s portrait sketch of Councillor Joe Mihevc.

John Tory dropped by to congratulate the community on its first Halo Halo Festival. (From L): Cielo Ramos, Maria Guiao, Michelle Chermaine Ramos, John Tory and Federico Ramos.

RIGHT: (Seated from L) Councillor Joe Mihevc, Olivia Chow, Michelle Chermaine Ramos and Cielo Ramos.

(Standing from L) Judy Diamante, Maestro Romi MananPAG President Nelia Tonido works Quil, Necie on her watercolor landscape while MananQuil, Consul General Junever MahilumJanet Hizon West sketches a portrait of Janet and Federico Hizon of the Philippine Consulate.

Ramos.

(From L) Consul General Junever Mahilum-West, Cielo Ramos, Nelia Tonido, Federico Ramos, Frank Tonido, Senator Tobias Jun Enverga, Rosemer Enverga and Michelle Chermaine Ramos.

PH FOUNDATION SUPPORTS ANCOP The Toronto ANCOP Walk, an annual fund raising event to help build homes for the poor, was held on Aug. 24, at Nathan Phillips Square. The Philippine Canadian Charitable Foundation (PCCF) participated in the event. PCCF pageant winners: Little Miss Philippines Canada, Arielle Perez; Mr. Pinoy Bulilit, Edward Jones; Miss Teen Philippines Canada, Adrienne Eduria; Krisgelle Maramot and Jennifer Lotz, Miss Philippines Canada and Miss Philippines Canada Runner-Up, showed their singing prowess, while Velona Daliva and Gloria Salvador, Mrs. Philippines Canada and Mrs. Philippines Canada Runner-Up, performed a dance number prior to the walk.

John Tory, Michelle Chermaine Ramos and Senator Tobias Jun Enverga.

(From L): Frank Tonido, Michelle Chermaine Ramos, Olivia Chow, Janet Hizon, Nelia Tonido and Consul General Junever Mahilum-West.

PAG artists pose with their portrait sketches of Councillor Joe Mihevc after his portrait session. www.canadianinquirer.net

AUGUST 29, 2014

FRIDAY 28

FILIPINO-CANADIANS IN FOCUS:

The Gayos and the McLarens

BY MELISSA REMULLABRIONES Philippine Canadian Inquirer LEANNE GAYO McLaren’s voice—exquisite and divine— soared and lifted everyone’s spirits. For a moment there, it penetrated the fog of grief that hung heavily in the room.

It was grief, however, that refused to fester; because more than anything, the Gayo and McLaren families sought to find solace in their happy memories.

It was not a moment for goodbyes.

Esmie, the daughter, and Leanne, the granddaughter, knew Rosalina “Rose” Gayo, their mother-confidante-friend, would rather they revel in the promise of the future.

Spring, and the then-coming summer and autumn were her seasons; the garden, her domain.

This time, it will bloom as it has never bloomed before because it will speak of Rose’s moments, and her story.

And they will remember.

The beginning

Rose and her husband Segismundo “Ed” Gayo had to part— albeit, for a short while— when Ed decided to seek greener pastures for the family.

“After seeing job postings for teachers and other professionals in North America, my dad applied to a few places. He was offered teaching positions in California, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Liking the Alberta job offer best, he set out to Fort Assiniboine, Alberta, in 1968,” Esmie said.

Their four children—Esmie, Thelma, Myrna and Ross—were left in the care of their mother and grandmother.

Two years after, they were able to join Ed.

The Gayos and the McLarens during Leanne's graduation. From left, Esmie, Daniel, Michael, Leanne, Rose and Ed.

THROWBACK. Rose and Ed Gayo with their children, Esmie, Thelma, Myrna and

Esmie was 12 years old at that time and she remembers their arrival vividly. “ Fort Assiniboine was a small village when we arrived there, with only a corner store, a general store, a post office, a motel, and a pub,” she wistfully recalls.

Although Ed had employment, Rose stayed home with the kids. After two years in the backcountry, she sought a job in Edmonton and was hired as a nursing aide.

It was tough times for the Gayos. Rose was in Edmonton; the rest of the family in Fort Assiniboine because Ed would lose his teaching status if he moved to the city. Even through “icy and blizzardy winters,” Ed and the children visited Rose every weekend and holidays.

Edmonton was over 100 miles away.

The family reunited in 1976.

from finding other things to fill their time. Both Mom and I were blessed with supportive husbands who are wonderful fathers.”

Leanne shares, “I like to think that I have turned out quite well,” she gives a toothy grin, “So I intend to use my upbringing as a model for my own children. Both Mom and Lola parent with heart. As society and customs change with time, rules and norms of parenting also change. If Mom wanted to do something when she was younger that Lola didn’t feel comfortable with, Lola just said no. And because of the culture and the times, Lola says no, Mom says fine, and that’s the end. When I wanted to do something that Mom wasn’t comfortable with, at first it was no, then as I got older it became “we really, really, really don’t think you should do that, but in the end you are an adult and it is your decision.” (as long as it wasn’t wildly dangerous). I understand that parenting is a dynamic thing and that when I have children, it will be different again. But as long as I can parent with the same love that Lola and Mom did, I think we’ll be just fine.”

Remembering

“Mom and Dad enjoyed gardening and fishing together.

Mom also was a good seamstress and sewed a lot of our clothes when we were growing up, with a few treasured ones made for the grandchildren.

They also both loved to cook,” Esmie recalls.

Leanne divulges, “I used to go to the basement to talk to Lolo and Lola about everything.

There was a guy that I really liked a lot and didn’t just want him to notice me, I wanted to impress him in a big way. So I asked Lolo and Lola what a man looks for in a partner. I love Lola’s answer because it is very dated but she was so excited to be asked for relationship advice and she made the best faces and gestures in explaining her response to me. It was comical and very endearing. She said ‘to impress him you have to take care of him. Cook for him, clean for him, do the laundry and raise his children well. You can already cook and clean so show him!’ Then Lolo chimed in with how impressed he was to see Lola so beautiful as she did her house chores. I loved asking their advice.”

Esmie adds, “We both experienced challenges of balancing discipline with encouragement, protection without smothering, and giving unconditional love through all of life’s difficulties. Mom and I, in each generation, also saw that each child required a different approach and that encouraging them to do what they love kept them

Ross.

Esmie and Leanne

Esmie is an exhibiting artist and is one of Vancouver’s premiere Filipino-Canadian painters. Her paintings are “anecdotes of life, infused with action and emotion.” Like her mother, she has a passion for gardening and imbues her paintings—usually of birds and flowers and dance—with vivid colours. It was her dad and grandfather, however, who taught her to develop her gift.

Esmie’s art education was mostly through self-directed studies through books and workshops.

In 2008, she received her Fine Arts Techniques Certificate from Emily Carr University.

Not many people know, however, that once in her life, Esmie considered the path of her mom.

“I worked as a volunteer in the extended care facility that my Mom worked at. This is where I saw her in action. Mom always went the extra mile to provide care for those who can’t do for themselves. She always smiled and talked to the patients, and even if they were very heavy or very grumpy, she would always make sure that they got out of ❱❱ PAGE 38 Filipino-Canadians in

Y. NOW ONLINE, DAIL

S IP T R E G IN F R U O NEWS AT hiYlippineCanadianInquirer @PhilCanInquirer • F/P

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FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

29

Words to live by A Day in the Life of the Keeper of Books

BY ANGIE DUARTE Philippine Canadian Inquirer IN LIFE, there are many things that move me; for I have always been a person of diverse—and often, non-kosher—interests. I have, in fact, always had great difficulty filing out the “hobbies and interests” section of any information sheet: from slum book (remember those?), to biodata, to résumé, it has consistently been a challenge to keep the list down to a decent and believable length and scope.

My list may seem random at first glance and bizarre upon second look, but that does not bother me. It may seem like a hodge-podge of oddities—including everything from the moon, to body art, cats, and poetry—but it is MY hodge-podge of oddities, so take (or leave) it as you will.

There is, however, one thing that has moved and molded me beyond other interests; and, to a large degree, has made me what I am today: the written word.

As a child, I would spend hours on end with my nose buried in a book. I would journey across the well-loved pages of whodunits and mysteries, fairy tales and fables, poems and silly ditties; for there was always adventure to be had in magical, faraway places, and was I ever the fool if I missed out. I fancied myself a mermaid in a deep blue lagoon, on some days; a swashbuckling pirate wench on an ominous ship, on others; or an unlikely princess chasing after dragons, on others still.

And then, of course, there was always my favorite go-to place in my imagination, which had me sleuthing right alongside my beloved Nancy Drew. Often, as well, I pictured myself sitting at Edgar Allen Poe’s feet, listening as he—in what I imagined to be a deep, haunting voice—recited lines from “The Raven;” as I answered ‘Nevermore!’ in a call-and-response scene played

Mang Nanie’s motto and life’s mission: making good books easy to find.

out one-too-many times in my mind.

This was the stuff of which some of my happiest childhood days were made: this free-spirited sense of living life to the fullest (even if only in the chambers of imagination); this uncomplicated happiness, which many of us tend to lose as we grow into adulthood.

Tragically, many of us have become like Jackie Paper, no longer in need of the Magic Dragon of our bygone, carefree younger years. Such is the fate that has befallen countless grown-ups; adults that have severed every vestige of their childhood, to the point that they heave cut themselves off from the lifeline so essential to the human soul.

Then there are adults like Mang Nanie, who have made a decision to rediscover and regain all that the world of grownups has taken away.

His world fascinates me. His outlook inspires me. His simplicity of life challenges me.

He is the self-professed—no, the CHOSEN—”Keeper of the Books.”

Easy to find

“You cannot miss Mang Nanie’s house,” my sister said via text message, as she gave me

And of course, Selfie-time was a must! Mang Nanie and I.

Mang Nanie sorts the books that line the staircase.

instructions for my visit. I had first heard of the home-based public library in San Antonio Village, Makati from my sister.

She had taken her son (who is quite the bookworm) on several occasions, and couldn’t help but enthuse about Mang Nanie and his mission, and the fact that his home-cum-book-lendingcenter was practically down the road from my apartment and her house. Shortly before lunch, I set out on foot; praying to the gods of literacy that I would easily find the place, and—more importantly—that Mang Nanie would be home.

She was right, and I was lucky— you would have to be totally ob-

tuse not to spot the house, and better yet, the “librarian” was “IN” and ready to chat with me.

Mang Nanie’s house (technically, it belongs to his siblings, as he later on explained) is a simple, two-story affair that has seemingly been overrun by books. I kid you not; magazines, paperbacks, hardbound volumes; books of every kind are everywhere! From medical journals and marketing manuals, to children’s story books, self-help or inspirational books, to romance novels; thousands of books line the hallways, stairwells, and the facade of Mang Nanie’s home.

“My home really is a tran-

sit house for the books—over one million books have come through this place,” Mang Nanie shared. Now that’s A LOT of books.

A sign hangs above his gatecum-public-library-portal: “A good book is hard to find.” A big, red “X” cancels out the word “hard;” with the word “easy” written over it. This is Mang Nanie’s mission in life— to make good books easy to find and readily accessible to the public. After all, a good deal of folk on these Philippine islands has neither access to nor budget for such books. In a country where even something as basic as food is often difficult to come by, books are by and large considered luxuries reserved for the privileged few.

Mang Nanie is hell-bent on changing that.

Challenging the Great Law

There’s more to Mang Nanie (Hernando Guanlao in the grown-up world) than meets the eye. Way, way more.

A public accountant by profession, he spent most of his adult years going down a road and he somehow knew he was not meant to travel. Some years back, pushing the age of fifty, he ❱❱ PAGE 32 A Day in

Words to live by

AUGUST 29, 2014

FRIDAY 30

Things I’ve Learned (So Far)

BY CHING DEE Philippine Canadian Inquirer I HAVEN’T been around very long, barely thirty years.

I’m not going to say I already know everything there is to know about life and living—perhaps I never will. But just like any human being, I’ve had my fair share of lessons. Some lessons were learned the hard way, some epiphanies, some sweet revelations. Nevertheless, lessons I would like to share with you today.

With this assignment, I decided to rummage through my blog archive. Boy, am I thankful for my prolific blogging days when I was in college (and through my unemployed-slash-confused phase).

On Putting Up Walls

Back in 2008, I was going through an angsty phase—much like any college kid held back by failed subjects. I wrote this during that phase.

“I’ve just put up another wall— it’s called harshness—to cover up the thick insulation of hurt and the braces of frustration. It keeps hidden the layers upon layers of wall-

paper of bitterness and a heart as fragile as that 14th century chandelier in Queen Elizabeth’s ballroom.

To the south, you find the wall called Strength; to the east is Dominance; to the west is Self-Reliance. If the roof called ‘alone’ didn’t need the other walls to stand, it would choose to embody its name. It would choose to be alone.”

Today, roughly six years later, I’ve learned that while being alone isn’t all that bad, it is definitely better to surround yourself with people who love you unconditionally and those who will support you no matter what.

On Having Huge, Callous Hands

As a horticulture major, I was no stranger to hard and dirty labor. I’ve spent many a days under the sun—tilling the soil, tending my plot, watering my experimental plants. These things eventually took a toll on my hands.

“I’ve always wanted someone to like my hands. They’re huge for a girl’s hand—all callous and rough. Fingers hardened by work and skin toughened by toil, hands that have tilled the soil and caressed the land. Out-of-proportion and rickety joints

‘cause of constant “phalanges popping.”

Hands so rough that even my own mother is not a big fan of them. She has given me numerous kinds of hand creams and lotions to soften my hands even just a little bit, but to no avail. “Because I’m a farmer, mother.” I myself am not a fan of my hands, but unlike my mother, I do understand why my hands are the way they are. It’s my fault why my hands are like this. It doesn’t really bother me, unless somebody brings it up: my mom, my sister, my bestfriend, the manicurist. And now I came upon a thought and I figured that I actually look forward to the day when someone would like my hands more than I do, but would like me for more than my hands.”

Later on, I learned that my friends and my family do like (and some even love) me for more than my hands. I just had to look beyond my imperfections and see what these wonderful people can do despite of me.

add to the earth’s rising entropy; And I’ve learned that keeping my mouth shut is harder when it counts.”

On Keeping My Mouth Shut

On Rejection

“I’ve learned that keeping my mouth shut when someone makes fun of me says more than when I actually say something back; I’ve learned that keeping my mouth shut and keeping my ears open when a friend is grieving is more helpful than when I actually try to come up with some psycho babble crap I haven’t even tried myself (keeping my wallet open helps, too); I’ve learned that keeping my mouth shut while I’m angry will save both me and the other party further pain. I’ve also learned that the keyword there is “while;” I’ve learned that when I keep my mouth shut, I sometimes deprive someone of loving words or needed encouragement; I’ve learned that a basketball game, a discussion group, a metered phone call and sitting next to a thirsty soul is not the place to keep my mouth shut; I’ve learned that keeping my mouth shut and moving on when I’m (being) replaced saves energy—at least I won’t www.canadianinquirer.net

On Being a Waste of a Good Woman

“Girls, never forget that trying to act like a man is a waste of a good woman.” – Christine Caine

I agree. And for me, this is a reminder.

I should let myself be a woman and I should let them be a man. I’m not saying that ladies should always be like damsels in distress. It’s 2014, for goodness’ sake!

Strong, independent, capable women are everywhere—even in the mirror. I’m just saying that we don’t always have to be Superman, especially when Superman’s already around.

Dudes, protect your woman. Any woman, for that matter. She will not hesitate to hand over the reins when she knows she’s in good hands.

Let me tell you something about rejection: It really sucks. And to be honest, the only thing that’s worse than rejection is being too poor to buy cheer-up food so you can wallow.

On the other hand, I did learn one thing when I got rejected for a job post that I really wanted back in 2013: I’m at that point in my life when I actually know what I really want. That’s why, I figured, when I don’t get it, it hurts more than usual. It’s a learning process, this whole rejection thing. Not that I don’t get rejected. Believe me, I’ve had my share. It’s just that rejection is something that never gets easier even if you experience it a lot. It’s just something you have to deal with by bouncing back and doing better than you did that first time.

As I traveled home that day, basking in the un-glory of my rejection, I was reminded that the only thing that matters is that I did my best. It is the state of my heart that matters most, and my heart is ❱❱ PAGE 32 Things I’ve

Words to live by

31 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

Juana and Jeremy on Tuesdays with Morrie A reflection on Jeremy Bentham’s Utilitarianism Theory

BY LEI FONTAMILLAS Philippine Canadian Inquirer ARE WE really moved by our desire for happiness?

Jeremy Bentham’s Utilitarianism says yes. In fact, the theory argues, in its strictest sense that we are bound to act and do something because of the thought that it will bring us more happiness.

Bentham’s words gave us the idea of how nature has left us with no choice but to place governance on what he described as two sovereign masters—pain and pleasure. The catch is, we go for pleasure and we avoid pain.

Utilitarianism, as a philosophical theory, has been a subject for debate among thinkers.

For me, though, Bentham’s theory is more of words to live by because it will forever remind us of how pleasure-seeking individuals we are.

But it doesn’t end there.

Our pleasure-seeking nature makes us humans who think, reflect and act more out of reason, rather than pleasure and “utility.”

Talking about Tuesdays with Morrie, a memoir written by Mitch Albom about his professor who taught him life’s greatest lessons, Juana and Jeremy discusses the context of Bentham’s Utilitarianism theory, and why it deserves to be remembered, despite its loopholes.

Juana: That short film was the best I’ve ever seen so far.

Jeremy: But what made it the best one? It’s nothing but an ordinary film about… (Juan interrupted) Juana: It’s about the essence of being a man, the nature of human beings.

Jeremy: Well, yes, in a way. It is about how man’s actions are guided by their desire for pleasure.

Juana: In what way did you say so my friend?

Jeremy: Well, all the actions shown by Mitch in the film supports what I have just stated.

Juana: Like when he has chosen to visit Morrie, his old and dying professor?

Jeremy: Yes, exactly.

Juana: Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that he wouldn’t have thought of him at all, if he hadn’t accidentally

seen him on T.V? Jeremy: You’re right.

Juana: And when he saw Morrie dying, did he actually said, “That’s my Professor, I think I would be more pleased if I could visit him,” and after saying that, did he fly right away to visit Morrie?

Jeremy: No. He didn’t.

Juana: So my friend, how did you say that it was pleasure that moved him to act that way?

Jeremy: Well, the fact that he eventually went there despite his busy schedule means that it is what he really wanted; it is what would make him happy.

Juana: But the moment he saw his Professor, did he immediately schedule a flight or was he hesitant at first?

Jeremy: He was hesitant.

Juana: Suppose you have not eaten your favorite dish for a month because your health condition won’t allow you. And suddenly, after several years, your doctor said, “Jeremy, you may now eat your favorite dish.”

But there is no other place in the world offering that dish but in a restaurant several miles away from your place. And you saw in T.V. that the said restaurant is already offering limited editions of that dish, meaning, anytime soon, they might not offer that dish anymore. Given the fact that you have been craving for that dish for years and it would certainly give you pleasure, would you still think twice and be hesitant at first?

Jeremy: I won’t. I would grab it right away, of course.

Juana: Because it is what would really make you happy, right?

Jeremy: Yes, indeed.

Juana: Given what you were contesting a while ago, why is it then that Mitch was hesitant at first, if indeed, it was for pleasure that caused him to act that way?

Jeremy: Well, we saw in the movie that Mitch felt guilty because he promised to visit his professor more often after graduation but he failed because he became really busy.

But still, later on he realized that he really has to visit him.

Juana: Because he was dying?

Jeremy: Yes. Juana: So, are you saying now that it was because of guilt that he went there? It seemed that you are now saying that it might

not be because of pleasure after all. Is that so, my friend?

Jeremy: Well, in a way, it might be because of guilt, but was he happy after the visit?

Did that visit make productive outcomes in his life?

Juana: Yes. Jeremy: That explains it. He benefited a lot from the visit and it was, indeed useful to him. Right?

Juana: Yes it is. Based on his hesitations before doing the action, can you tell that he, in fact, realized that visiting his professor would do him good, and would benefit him that much?

Jeremy: No. Juana: So, if you are saying that his hesitations failed to show that he actually knew for a fact even before doing the action that he would benefit from the visit, can you still say that pleasure has moved him to act that way?

Jeremy: No. I can’t.

Juana: So, is it just proper to say that pleasure after all, pleasure is not only what drives humanity to act?

Jeremy: Well, in that case, it is proper to say that. But what else could drive a person to do something if not pleasure?

Juana: Do you remember the scene when Morrie told Mitch something like, “If you do not know how to die, then you wouldn’t know how to live?”

Jeremy: Yes, I do remember that.

Juana: Now why do you think Morrie has made this conclusion?

Jeremy: Maybe because, he believes that people fear death causing them failure to live life to the fullest.

Juana: Do you think he has basis for that belief?

Jeremy: Yes, I think so.

Juana: Can you give me an example?

Jeremy: Well, for instance, a man who so badly wants to go surfing, but when he saw the big waves in the ocean and was informed that there had been shark attack in that area, he retracted and decided to go home because he was afraid that he might drown.

Juana: In that sense, he failed to do something that would give him pleasure because he fears death, right?

Jeremy: Yes, exactly. And that act can be called an evil act because it made him unhappy; it www.canadianinquirer.net

caused him sadness.

Juana: Let us go back to what you told me a earlier. What if the act of retraction and deciding to go home made him happy? If he fears death, then dying would make him unhappy. That therefore means that, when he decided to go home, he only acted according to would make him happy. Right?

Jeremy: You have a point.

Juana: So, my friend, don’t you think that your notion of good as something that would give you pleasure is a little bit confusing? One can say he is happy with this or that, when he is really not, or when pain is evident in his action. And one can actually be unhappy for a period of time to be happier after. What do you think, my friend?

Jeremy: I think you really have a point there. But again, it is the end of his action that must be reflected. If the end is pleasurable, then it is good; if not, it is evil.

Juana: Don’t you think it's a little absurd when you do something evil to gain pleasure in the end?

Jeremy: How did it become absurd? When there is only one way left to get to that pleasurable goal? Why would you still think whether the step you will be making is good or not?

Juana: Why not when as a mater of fact, you were given the mind to think? If Mitch, who had to immerse himself with the lessons from his professor so as to fully realize what he really is, and what he really wanted, did not use whatever thinking skills he had? Do you think he ever had his girlfriend, his happiness back?

Jeremy: No. Well, of course you have to think. You are a human being that knows how to think. But when the dilemma comes in, you must not think twice in choosing pleasure than

pain, regardless if the act is good or evil.

Juana: Just like an animal then? Like mindless animals who wouldn’t care about the feelings of other animals long as they get that food to eat? Like predators who wouldn’t think twice eating their prey because it would give them pleasure? Or like Mitch, if he had not decided to visit his old and dying professor, who taught him a lot about life, because it was something that would require him some extra effort given his busy lifestyle? Who cares about the feelings of an old man, who’s going to die soon, anyway?

Jeremy: What are you getting at?

Juana: That we are not like them. We are not animals. We are humans, more “upgraded” versions of them. My friend, do you think you are a pig?

Jeremy: Of course not, I’m a human being.

Juana: So what do you think made us human?

Jeremy: We think.

Juana: Exactly the point my friend. If you think you’re thinking then why shouldn’t you use that thinking gift so you won’t just be driven by your emotions, your desire for pleasure?

Jeremy: What do you mean?

Juana: I mean that, not everything that gives you pleasure is good, sometimes it's evil, and what would make you decide which is good and not is your...

(Jeremy interrupted) Jeremy: Your reason.

Juana: Looks like things are already agreed upon.

(Juana’s phone rings.)

Juana: For a moment, it’s our friend, Immanuel.

Seeking happiness makes us human. But being human means thinking and doing actions out of reason, not just pleasure. ■

Words to live by

AUGUST 29, 2014 FRIDAY 32

A Day in... found himself broke and unhappy.

“When you are nearly at the age of fifty and you are broke; yet you are educated, with a lot of experience…you know that something is wrong with that picture,” he shared.

It was then that he decided to try something new; something which he had always wanted to do yet had never gotten around to doing.

‘It was at that point that I decided to challenge the Great Law: Love your neighbor as yourself. I took a gamble on this, and I did so through books and my love of reading,” he said.

“I do not really know how it works; it is such an intricate design; but when you do something noble for others, it will always come back to you in happiness and fulfillment,” he added.

Thus, in the year 2000, Mang Nanie’s Reading Club was born.

Fourteen years and a new name later, the “Aklatan sa Bangketa” (Library on the Sidewalk) is going stronger than ever; and Mang Nanie could not be more satisfied. ❰❰ 29

Ching with her dad.

Things I’ve... ❰❰ 30

at home with Him. On Being a Boss

Recently, I’ve learned that being the boss doesn’t mean you’re always right.

Most of the time, being a boss means listening to several great suggestions and choosing the best one for the benefit of the entire team—not just your own profit.

Being in charge of the PCI website taught me that there are some things that you really have to say no to in order to say yes to something more important. But there will always be a way to make up for it.

I learned that making mistakes are okay, as long as you learn from those mistakes. My boss once told us that making mistakes are okay because it means “you’re trying.”

I learned from a boss-friend who’s about to move on to greener pastures that you don’t have to be stern all the time just because you’re a boss. Grace, understanding, and encouragement will always be better approaches compared to fear and intimidation.

Being a boss also sometimes means making unpopular decisions. Period.

On Trusting the Unseen

On Thursday, my Dad will have been in the hospital for two months—confined to his bed, unable to move. He suffered a severe stroke due to a massive infarct in his brain.

He’s hooked up to a mechanical ventilator, pumping his chest up and down, filling his chest with compressed air and then

emptying it again slowly. Nurses turn him to his side every 3-4 hours to avoid getting bedsores.

He opens his eyes a lot, but even his neurologist can’t really say he’s “awake” because we’re not sure if he’s conscious.

We’re not sure if he knows I’m his daughter when he sees me.

We’re not sure if he knows what’s happening around him.

There are no words to describe how unbelievably heartwrenching and soul-crushing it is to see my own father like this. I’m sure I’m not the only one in the world who has gone through this. I’m sure there’s somebody out there who has been through worse. But this it’s not a contest. It never is.

If there’s anything I’ve learned in the two months that we (me, my mom, my sister, my dad) have been hospitalized, it’s that we can count on God. We can trust the unseen. We can trust His ways and His love and His unending grace. We can trust Him despite my extended family’s lack of support, despite my friends “seen-zoning” me when I asked for help, despite all those sleepless nights (and days). We can trust Him that He is moving in the hearts of my true friends and family, in the hearts of those people who truly care—those who cared enough to even just ask how we’ve been doing.

I learned that He is a God worthy of my trust, that I can entrust my father’s life to Him because He knows what’s best for Him. With all this, there’s one more thing I’ve learned: that I haven’t learned anything at all. ■

Keeper of the Books

“I was probably a book keeper in my past life, you know. When I was ten years old, I already had the idea of running a place like this; and then in college, I worked in a public library. But I pursued the path my parents chose for me,” he revealed.

Fast-forward to today, and he finds himself literally and figuratively surrounded by the books he so dearly loves. He is now pursuing his own path, living out his own dreams, and rediscovering his spirit along the way.

“We all have five senses that we are very much aware of. We use these physical senses every day, in the material world. Too much so, that we lose focus on the spirit within us. We are in touch with this, as children; then it somehow gets lost,” he mused.

As I was mentally chewing on this morsel for thought, he added: “But when you live out your passions and your purpose, when you give to others; you reconnect with your spiritual sense. We all have our own talents that transform society.

Yung iba doctor, yung iba, writer— ako, yung sa akin, pagiging ‘bodegero ng libro’ (Some are www.canadianinquirer.net

doctors, others are writers—me, my talent, is to be ‘stock keeper of the books’). I am called to be the Keeper of the Books.”

Books for all

As Keeper of the Books Mang Nanie has his hands full. Every day, scores of people of all ages come to his library to borrow books. Often, they sit on the bench and read; most times, they take a few books home with them. The day I went to see Mang Nanie, there was a lady who was on her way out, a bunch of books in hand, to bring to her mother, she said.

Mang Nanie filled me in on the lady’s task: “She reads to her mother; it makes her mother stronger. Books have a ‘soul,’ you know; they have much to give.”

“My daily goal is to give out at least 100 books to different people. It is all part of my P.E.A.C.E. program: Peaceful, Educational, Awareness Campaign on Earth,” he disclosed.

Throughout the year, when he has money to spare, Mang Nanie takes books to the further-flung provinces of the Philippines. This program, he has christened “Books for the Barrios.” To date, almost 100 barrios (provincial villages) across the nation have benefitted from Mang Nanie’s efforts.

Photographs of children of all ages who have received books from Mang Nanie’s library adorn the walls. He shared their stories with me, and explained that he much prefers to connect with kids, as they easily and readily “resonate” his efforts. He is not mistaken— kids get it, somehow. They eagerly jump on board the bandwagon, all-too-willing to spread the reading fever. Mang Nanie pointed to a picture of a girl in a private elementary school uniform, and told me how she started a “cookies for books” drive among her schoolmates.

All the books she collected were donated to Mang Nanie’s center.

I asked about two largerthan-usual photos; one of a toddler, the other, of a little girl.

I was curious to know more about them. “Oh, those I found tucked away into some of the donated books. They had been forgotten inside the books; dinisplay ko na lang (so I just displayed them).” We laughed.

Paying it forward

What does Mang Nanie ask for in return? His request is simple, really.

“I only ask that people share the books with others, as well. I want people to experience the joy of doing something noble and gaining the blessing, in return,” he said.

This simple request can have far-reaching effects, with the added benefit of bringing peace into your life, according to Mang Nanie (who I quickly realized was a guru of sorts, in his own right, with a wealth of insight waiting to be poured out.)

“Doing these simple things is better than seeking after money. When you always seek after riches, you sometimes lose your focus in life. You lose your tranquility. But these simple things—giving, sharing, helping others grow in literacy—these can be very effective in making you feel fulfilled.”

A different perspective

As we were wrapping up our little lesson in books and our greater lesson in life (and as Mang Nanie was diligently in search of some books for me to take) a young woman stuck her head in the front door.

“Mang Nanie! Ano po ang kailangan ko para makahiram ng libro? I.D. ba po? (Mang Nanie!

What do I need to borrow some books? Do I need an I.D.?),” she queried.

He answered thus: “Ang kailangan ko lang sa iyo (All I need from you), respect your parents and do good to others.”

And with that one, uncomplicated answer came forth the complexity of Mang Nanie’s rare perspective.

He handed me four books, walked me to the corner of the street, and made sure I safely crossed the busy intersection. We said our goodbyes, and I promised to return to his sidewalk library someday soon.

I ducked into a nearby eatery for a quick lunch, and in so doing, noticed an older lady, staring blankly into space, waiting for her order of food. She looked like she could use a good book, so I handed her one—a novel, most likely romance. She looked like she could use some of that, as well. She beamed from ear to ear.

Mang Nanie would have been proud. ■

FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

33

Entertainment

Sharon Cuneta admits going Daniel Matsunaga through midlife crisis wins ‘PBB All In’

BY LEI FONTAMILLAS Philippine Canadian Inquirer

BY CHING DEE Philippine Canadian Inquirer

MANILA—Megastar Sharon Cuneta surprised her fans and the public with an open letter, admitting that she went through a “midlife crisis.”

Using her official Facebook account, Cuneta posted a long letter addressing all her issues and realizations about her life.

“My reaction to it was awful; I became rebellious because I hated myself for the way I looked and the time I continued to waste by not focusing and working on bettering my own person,” Cuneta said.

She added: “I feel that I have let you [fans] down. I let myself go, I allowed myself to get fat and stay fat. I became complacent… and I never lost faith in God, and in you, but I ignored the fact that I had lost faith in myself. It was I who let myself become affected by the fact that I had turned forty, not my public.”

“I feel that I had lost that “hunger” to be on top of my industry, maybe because I finally had a peaceful home and a loving family and focused on my children so much,” she further adds. “And so I suffered the consequences of failing to treasure and take care of all that God had blessed me with with regard to my career. It IS my fault, my friends. I am only human.”

In the beginning of her letter, Cuneta also admitted that she had made “mistakes that have

MANILA—After 119 days inside Kuya’s house, Daniel Matsunaga was declared the grand winner of ‘Pinoy Big Brother: All In.’ The finale was held Sunday night, August 24th, at Resorts World Manila.

With 11.69% of net votes to

save and evict, Matsunaga bested Maris Racal, Jane Oineza, and Vickie Rushton–2nd, 3rd, and 4th runners-up respectively.

‘PBB: All In’ combined celebrities, teens, and adults in one household.

Aside from the title of being PBB’s grand winner, 25-yearold Matsunaga won P1 million, a house and lot, and other special prizes. ■

Megastar Sharon Cuneta.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETITFROMBOY.BLOGSPOT.COM

affected all that I have worked for, bled for over the past thirtysix years.”

Aside from that, she also talked about her feelings towards people who bash her, her career, and her family in social media. Cuneta admitted that she has a tendency to lose her temper whenever she is being provoked, and said that she cannot apologize for who she is.

She also thanked her fans who are there for her throughout her life and her career.

“I don’t say this lightly, but I love you. For loving me even if you don’t know me as a normal human being and not the girl on tv and in movie reruns. I love you for knowing that I am not perfect, and loving me anyway.

I love you because you give me a reason to go on doing what I love to do — singing, acting, hosting… I love you because you make me feel needed and still worth something in this fickle world,” she said, ending the letter. ■

Daniel Matsunaga.

PHOTO FROM INTERAKSYON.COM

AUGUST 29, 2014 FRIDAY 34

www.canadianinquirer.net

Entertainment

35 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

Megan Young recovers from appendectomy, continues travelling

BY LEI FONTAMILLAS Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA—Miss World 2013 Megan Young is back on travelling after recovering from an appendectomy.

Megan earlier missed an invitation to Canada, where she was asked to make an appearace at the Wounded Warriors Weekender in Alberta because of her appendicitis.

“I’m back to travelling after

being away for a while. I was away because I had an appendectomy! Oh dear! But after a bit of resting, I am back on my feet and travelling to continue our tour for ‘Beauty With A Purpose’,” Megan was quoted in her official diary posted on the Miss World website.

After the successful surgery, she graced the Beach Beauty and Top Model preliminary competitions of the 2014 Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico.

Megan arrived Friday afternoon

and spent the weekend wih the Miss Mundo Puerto Rico Team.

“I just got back from Puerto Rico! Aside from my luggage getting lost (sigh), I had a great time. I got to spend time with Wilnelia, who is a former Miss World, and I got to meet the ladies competing to be the next Miss Puerto Rico,” Megan said.

She also visited one of the beneficiaries of Miss World Puerto Rico Organization, a school in Dorado, Puerto Rico.

“They are helping out a

PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK PAGE OF MEGAN YOUNG

school with planning extracurricular activities to boost the kid’s interest in school. Wilnelia and the Miss World Puerto

Rico have a lot more in store for them and I can’t wait to hear about their other plans,” Megan added. ■

Judy Ann Santos set to host new ABS-CBN show “I Do”

BY LEI FONTAMILLAS Philippine Canadian Inquirer

Erwan Heussaff and Anne Curtis.

PHOTO FROM INSTAGRAM / @ ANNECURTISSMITH

Anne will fight to death for her man

BY LEI FONTAMILLAS Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA—Following her upcoming movie, “The Gifted,” Anne Curtis said she is willing to risk her life if there’s another woman who would try to seduce her man.

“If a girl who is trying to seduce my boyfriend provokes me, I could get really physical with her. I’m speaking for every woman in love,” said Anne, who has been dating French-Filipino Erwan Heussaff since 2011.

Chris Martinez’s romantic comedy features an extra-sized Anne Curtis playing the character of Zoe. Christine Reyes will also star in the movie as Anne’s rival for the love of their classmate, Sam Milby. Christine will also be portrayed as “ugly” with pimple marks on her face, thick eye-

glasses and thick lips.

“My guy really tried to avoid a girl who was seducing him.”

She added, “But if you see that he’s also entertaining the girl, walk away—they deserve each other,” Anne said talking about Erwan Heusseff, her rumored boyfriend.

Also following reports of Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes’ engagement, Anne said that “in our industry, you stop being leading-lady material when you become a wife.

But happily, times are changing. People seem to be warming up to the idea of moms playing lead roles. Jodi Sta. Maria (‘Be Careful With My Heart’) is proof of that.”

“I’d rather get married before having a baby but, if it happens [the other way around], it would not be an issue to me,” Anne added hoping to have her baby in five years. ■

MANILA—Judy Ann Santos is set to return to ABS-CBN to host the network’s newest realiserye “I Do.” “I Do” is the newest offering from the Kapamilya network.

This show will feature couples from different parts of the country who are set to marry.

Nine pairs with the most interesting love stories will compete in various challenges that will definitely test the strength and endurance of their relationship. In the end, the winning couple will win the wedding of their dreams, house and lot, and one million pesos.

Santos shared that the chosen couples are very lucky because the show will help them in preparation of what to expect during their married life and once they decide to have children.

In the show, Santos will be joined by two credible marriage and relationship experts – life coach Pia Acevedo and psychologist and marriage counselor Dr. Julian Montano. She will also be joined by co-host comedian Jason Gainza.

The chosen couples will live in the I Do Village. They will learn to mingle and get along with each other. They will also be given challenges, and in every cycle a couple will be eliminated. Santos together with the panel of experts will determine www.canadianinquirer.net

Judy Ann Santos and Jason Gainza.

PHOTOS FROM BIDAKAPAMILYA.BLOGSPOT.COM

who stays and who leaves.

In preparation for her role, Santos said that she used her personal experience to give pieces of advice to the couples. She is married to host Ryan Agoncillo for almost five years. They have a son together named Lucho.

“I am not a perfect wife. I am not a perfect mother,” she said.

“My life is an open book. I have no right to invent stories or talk

about things that people know I did not experience.”

Santos also admitted that in doing the show, she learned a lot from her coaches and the nine couples.

“Inaabangan ko kung ‘yung pinagdaanan nila doon sa days na wala ako sa loob ng village.

And then, they would give me updates and I would realize that it could really happen and what can be done,” she said. ■

Entertainment

AUGUST 29, 2014 FRIDAY 36

Nova Scotia food and film fest offers feast for eyes and bellies alike

BY GEORDON OMAND The Canadian Press FOODIES AND film fans alike will have common cause to celebrate this fall as a small community in the heart of Nova Scotia’s wine country gets ready to host what organizers are billing as the world’s largest food and film festival.

Located in the idyllic Annapolis Valley, Wolfville is set to further cement its reputation as a culinary destination as it prepares to welcome a slew of world-renowned chefs and film directors to the fourth incarnation of Devour! The Food Film Fest.

“Our vision is to create the Sundance of food films,” says Michael Howell, the festival’s executive director.

A longtime chef and restaurateur, Howell founded the Slow Motion Food Film Fest in 2009 as part of the slow food movement to celebrate traditional and regional cuisine.

From an initial showing of 1,000 people, the festival’s popularity, which saw attendance numbers double every year it was held, led organizers to rebrand the event in 2013.

This year, 8,000 people are expected to descend with cinematic and gustatory gusto on the town of hardly more than 4,000 when the five-day festival kicks off on Nov. 12.

“What we think that Devour is doing is putting (Wolfville) on the map as a great place to explore the intersection of food and art and culinary tourism,” says Howell. “There’s long been restaurants here. There’s long been tourism here. But there hasn’t necessarily been culinary tourism.”

While the festival’s final lineup will be announced this September at the Toronto International Film Festival, Devour will screen about 50 films submitted from around the world, ranging from shorts to featurelength productions, both educational and entertaining, all inspired in some way by food and wine.

What ultimately sets Devour

Documentary on alleged dismemberment killer pulled from Montreal film festival The Canadian Press MONTREAL—A documentary on alleged dismemberment killer Luka Rocco Magnotta has been pulled at the last minute from the Montreal World Film Festival and a French-language TV documentary channel.

“Sex, Fame & Murder: The Luka Magnotta Story” was yanked because of a publication ban in force at Magnotta’s trial, which starts Sept. 8 in Montreal.

The film was produced by Toronto-based Hiltz Square Media.

Global Filipino...

Porcupine Scallops by Chef Michael Howell.

PHOTO FROM DEVOURFEST.COM

apart though, says Howell, are the accompanying events, which include educational workshops, dining sessions and experiential tourism adventures.

Workshops ran the gamut between food and film-centric, ranging from lessons on butchering a pig and using foie gras, to how-to instructions on writing a food blog and pitching to the Food Network.

“There’s a growing appetite for chefs and food in the media,” says Howell. “People are eating to discover.”

He describes the festival as ideal for people who “love to explore the world through the lens of film as they also satisfy the cravings of their belly.”

Further testament to the event’s burgeoning reputation is the scheduled appearance of Anthony Bourdain, a celebrity chef turned food writer and journalist.

Bourdain is an award-winning CNN television host acclaimed for his food travel series “Parts Unknown” and “No Reservations,” as well as his best-selling book “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.”

Howell says he’s “over the

The documentary was scheduled to be shown Aug. 23-24 at the film festival and Aug. 29 on TV’s Canal D Investigation.

The film apparently contains interviews with people involved in the investigation.

Magnotta is charged with the murder of Jun Lin in Montreal.

Parts of the Chinese student’s dismembered body were found in a suitcase in Montreal in May 2012 while others were mailed to political parties in Ottawa and a school in British Columbia.

Magnotta was arrested in Germany a month later during a global manhunt that made international headlines. ■

moon” about the decision to attend Devour by Bourdain, a man Howell describes as a personal hero.

Serendipity played a role in the 1 1/2 years of talks involved in booking the food celeb, says Howell.

“We were told when we began these discussions a number of years ago that it was on his bucket list to be involved in a film festival.”

Bourdain will personally curate his all-time favourite food film, “Eat Drink Man Woman” by director Ang Lee, before hosting a question-and-answer session and book signing in Wolfville for the opening-night festivities.

“We’re just trying to be more than a food festival and more than a film festival,” says Howell. “This whole idea that people can eat and enjoy at the same time is something that’s very dear to us.” ■ If You Go

Devour! The Food Film Fest is scheduled for Nov. 12 to 16 in Wolfville, N.S. For more information and to order tickets visit www.devourfest.com.

Info @devourfest. www.canadianinquirer.net

adventure in ballet is likened to a roller coaster ride. From the laid-back hometown of Jaro, Iloilo, he joined Dagyaw Theater and Dance Company, the Iloilo version of the Philippine High School for the Arts. His career took him to the U.S. where he got accepted at the California Bay Company. He risked everything for love however, after he got married in New York to his girlfriend, ballet dancer Naomi Talome. In the Big Apple, the two struggled as undocumented immigrants but eventually emerged triumphant. Now, they are together in Ballet Manila as resident dancer and choreographer.

Gerardo Francisco joined BM in March 2003. As with Francis, he started ballet training in Iloilo’s Dagyaw Dance Theatre and became an apprentice with Ballet Philippines. Eventually, he transferred to BM. Michael Divinagracia, also an Iloilo native, joined BM in 2006. His repertoire includes Swan Lake, Carmen, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, La Fille Mal Gardee, Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang, The Swan, the Fairy and the Princess, Alamat: Si Sibol at Si Gunaw, Le Corsaire Pas de Trois ❰❰ 25

(Ali), The Nutcracker Suite (Prince) and many more.

The challenges in production abound, according to all four.

“I’m not familiar with the story-telling type because when I choreograph, I do it with an abstract framework, all dances.

It was difficult for me to make audience understand what’s going on with the choreography,” Francis explained.

Gerardo’s biggest challenge on the other hand, is how to make the audience, mostly students, relate with his creative imaginations. “I want to grab the attention of the audience so they can relate with my dance moves,” he elaborated.

Jonathan added that since he is considered the most neophyte in the group, it took him about two months to find the perfect music to go with the ballet. The other tricky thing for him is how to stitch his choreography to the story. “It’s a good thing we have an excellent director with an overall vision,” Francis said.

For Michael, the huge hurdle is how to insert the whole story in his allotted time of six minutes. But they overcame all hiccups during their many artistic meetings. “It pays that we were fed good food,” they said. ■

FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

37

Lifestyle

Stem cell transplant eases symptoms of rare ‘stiff person syndrome’: study

BY SHERYL UBELACKER The Canadian Press TORONTO—Canadian doctors have begun using stem cell transplants to treat “stiff person syndrome,” a rare neurological condition in which a patient’s leg and other muscles suddenly contract painfully, often leaving them immobilized like a tin soldier.

The disorder, which affects an estimated one in a million people, occurs when the immune system turns against a person’s own tissues, in this case attacking cells in the brain and spinal cord.

Stem cell transplants have been used to treat patients with other auto-immune diseases, among them multiple sclerosis, scleroderma and Crohn’s disease, but this may be the first time the procedure has been employed to alleviate the symptoms of stiff person syndrome, or SPS, the researchers reported Monday in the journal JAMA Neurology.

SPS is characterized by episodes of stiffness in the muscles and painful muscle spasms, which can be brought on by stress, loud noises or emotional distress. Some people with the disorder are so disabled they are unable to walk or move and may isolate themselves at home to avoid triggering an attack.

“Sometimes this happens when they’re startled,” said Dr. Harry Atkins of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at the Ottawa Hospital, who headed a team that transplanted stem cells into two women with the disease.

“So you can imagine walking across the street and someone honks the horn and you can’t move, or you start falling and because your muscles can’t move, you just fall and you hurt yourself,” Atkins said Monday from Ottawa.

“It really does provide a barrier with just going on with your life.”

Tina Ceroni of Toronto is one of the two SPS patients who had the stem-cell transplant— and she said it has given back her life.

The personal fitness trainer, now 36, started getting severe symptoms in her late 20s. Initially she was diagnosed with hyponatremia, or low blood sodium, thought to be related to her heavy training schedule for a half-ironman competition.

But when she tried to waterski at a friend’s cottage and had to be helped from the water because she was unable to move, Ceroni “knew that there was something definitely not right.”

“My legs stiffened up like they were two complete boards.

I had no ability to relax the muscles. They started to constrict to a point where I thought a bone might break or a tendon might rupture, and I was in pain for about eight hours.”

She eventually was diagnosed with stiff person disease, which not only affected her legs but also the muscles in her arms and torso, leaving her unable to breathe properly when the muscles that control respiration would contract and go into spasm.

The year before her stem-cell transplant, she was rushed to the hospital 47 times because of life-threatening respiratory distress.

Ceroni had been living with her twin sister in Toronto but had to move back with her parents in nearby Burlington, Ont., because she couldn’t be left alone.

“I started to withdraw from social events and social gatherings or being in a situation that

was slightly unpredictable or if there was a potential for a loud noise, even walking down the street,” she said. “If a car drove by and honked its horn and I was startled ... within minutes I could be on the ground.

“I wasn’t able to live a normal life at all. The disease was dictating my life entirely. It became very, very isolating.”

Ceroni had her stem-cell transplant in May 2011, and she said her symptoms have disappeared.

“My body doesn’t react to noise. I can go to concerts now.

I have no sensitivity to the triggers anymore.”

The other patient, who was not identified, had her transplant in 2009, and she too has seen her symptoms abate, allowing her to return to work and resume activities such as skiing and cycling, the researchers reported.

“I think for the period we’ve commented on for both patients, they’ve done very, very well,” said Atkins. “And it’s nice to see them back enjoying life.”

Conventional treatment involves a number of medications, including anti-anxiety drugs, muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants and pain relievers.

Intravenous immunoglobulin can also reduce muscle stiffness and lower sensitivity to noise and other triggers. While such treatments can ease symptoms, they don’t cure the disorder, and not all patients get relief from the drugs.

Still, Atkins stressed that not every patient with SPS would be considered for a stem-cell, or bone-marrow, transplant, which requires that the person’s immune system be destroyed with high-dose chemotherapy before their previously removed and purified stem cells are reintroduced to create a n e w, dis-

ease-free immune system.

“It should only be considered where nothing more conventional is working ... the symptoms have to be severe and the impact on their life very, very profound because there are risks associated with this,” he said, adding that one in 20 patients who receives a bone marrow transplant to treat leukemia, lymphoma or an autoimmune disorder will die of a complication.

“And we don’t think stiff person syndrome patients ... would have a lower risk,” he said.

There are also other complications from the chemo, including infertility and premature disorders such as heart disease and diabetes.

“I think for the right patient it might offer some benefit in helping them improve, but it’s too early to say that this is the answer to stiff person syndrome. It’s a pretty dramatic treatment and we need to keep thinking about better ways to do what we’re doing— getting rid of the immune system perhaps with less toxicity and being able to grow back a new one more quickly.

“So I think there are a lot of unanswered questions yet.”

Despite the risks, Ceroni said she had no qualms about going ahead with the transplant.

“I saw it as my only hope for a better future and my only hope to even lessen the disease.

Any kind of improvement would have been remarkable for me.

“I saw this transplant as being given a gift of life, literally.” ■

Lifestyle

AUGUST 29, 2014 FRIDAY 38

Great flavour and school cafeteria food go hand in hand with chef’s new menus

BY LOIS ABRAHAM The Canadian Press TORONTO—The focus will be on made-from-scratch meals using fresh seasonal ingredients at a select group of Ontario schools this year.

Chef Corbin Tomaszeski asked students to come up with ideas he could incorporate into healthy foods to be served up during a pilot project launching in September.

Tomaszeski, who was tasked by food service company Chartwells School Dining to create some new recipes, met with students last spring at three schools in different districts to learn what flavours would tickle their tastebuds.

Along with asking them what they wanted to see in their cafeteria, he also discussed what they didn’t want “because at the end of the day they have a voice.

We’ve got to listen to them and they know what they like and dislike so it would make complete sense to listen to that.”

The students in the focus groups—15 to 20 pupils from a variety of grades at schools in Whitby, Ajax and Mississauga— requested foods that have big bold flavours, including Mexican, Latin American and Asian cuisine.

“It made complete sense because when you think about it

they’re exposed to social media every single day and they see what’s happening with food,” says Tomaszeski. “They see the trends. They’re going to restaurants and places that focus on great-tasting food so why would we not pay attention to that in the school system?”

With the information he’d gleaned, the host of Food Network Canada shows “Dinner Party Wars,” “Restaurant Makeover” and “Restaurant Takeover,” set to work creating menus. Then he returned to the schools with the dishes he’d designed and had all the students taste his sample menus. The total student population of the three schools combined was 3,720.

“I really wanted to do foods that were memorable, uncomplicated but still satisfy those cravings but also touch on flavour and layering of flavours, just textures and just good, great-tasting homemade food,” he says.

Another goal was to “get the kids to stop going to these quickservice restaurants where they get the unhealthy bits that are really inexpensive but are so bad for them. Food fuels your mind and if you can’t fuel your body and your mind at a school you’re not going to have a good performance,” he says.

One item inspired by food truck fare was crispy chicken bites, sliced chicken breasts encrusted with vegetable chips

that are baked, then skewered and served in an Asian takeout container. Accompanying the bites were zucchini sticks coated with panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

“We serve it with a wicked slaw and a great dipping sauce and the kids loved it. I was hearing things like ‘I love zucchini,’” he says with surprise.

“But it was something different, something fun. But more importantly it was really flavourful. It was foods they’d never had before and really, the bonus, the entire great thing about this at the end was it’s a healthy alternative for eating in the schools.”

The father of three boys says he purposely waited until the reactions were in to mention the health factor. “It’s like any other child at home. You sit at the dining room table and tell them to eat your brussels sprouts or spinach because it’s healthy for you. Are they going to eat it? No. So we focused on the flavour, focused on the presentation, focused on the fun factor and, by the way, it’s healthy.

“They really took to it. They were very receptive. They enjoyed it.”

Another student request was pasta. Tomaszeski baked penne with a low-fat, sour creambased sauce with fresh sage, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes

Not-your-usual cafeteria food.

and ground turkey, which also drew raves. Another version had tomato sauce with ground beef and bocconcini cheese.

The accompaniment was a reinvented caesar salad “which every kid loves but which is so unhealthy.” Kale is tossed in a Greek yogurt dressing that mimics traditional caesar dressing without as many calories or as much fat. “Serve it with some Italian bread knots and they’ve got a healthy homestyle meal like no other and it’s happening in school which is fantastic,” the Toronto-based Tomaszeski adds.

Another dish was black bean and grilled chicken tostadas with Mexican-style rice.

The new menu items will be featured on Thursdays at 255 schools in 33 Ontario boards.

“If all goes well, our hope is we’ll

roll out in over 600 schools in Canada,” he says.

Prices for the meals run from $5 to $7.

“We’re coming up with new ideas all the time so we have seasonal rotating menus where we take advantage of fresh local ingredients but still keep in mind uncomplicated, fun, comfort-style dishes made from scratch that happen to be healthy,” Tomaszeski says.

Tomaszeski says he had one “amazing” email from a parent after her son returned from school on a test day: “I’ve never heard him speak about food and be that excited in such a long time. Thank you for doing what you’re doing,” he related.

“That’s one of those moments when you realize you’re doing the right thing. It was a feel-good thing, for sure.” ■

appear and need to be overcome, but so will appear unexpected joy.

“I wish for our children, Daniel and Leanne, spiritual peace, joy in their families, success in their careers, and generosity in spirit. May they experience as much happiness as they have brought Michael and I.” A message from Leanne to Esmie: “In terms of at this point in my life: I need my Mom to trust the choices I have made. I am so grateful for her love and support, and I hope that she can continue to be proud of me as I start my new career and begin my life.”

While death may have put their happiness asunder, daughter and granddaughter chose,

along with the rest of their family, to celebrate Rose Gayo’s life, and to remember, intensely, how she loved and lived.

“All three of us share a fierceness in our hearts. A fire that has helped us to persevere through difficult times and to experience joy as thoroughly as pain and sadness and love. Our fire exhibits itself in different ways.

Lola was quiet and gracious but determined with a strong belief in family values. Mom uses her creativity and perseverance to help others and build bridges. I hope to learn from both so that I can meld my own ambitions and interests with their grace, creativity, caring and love,” says Leanne. ■

Filipino-Canadians in... bed or that they got bathed properly. She also believed that everyone deserves tender loving care, especially those who had no one visiting them.”

Her creative spirit won out in the end, however. Her awardwinning work is collected widely and is represented by Jeunesse Gallery of Fine Arts in Vancouver.

Leanne veered from the visual arts and the medical field and followed her dad’s footsteps into engineering. She is now a Geotechnical Engineering graduate of the University of British Columbia and is working for BGC, one of the finest international consulting firms in applied sciences. Energetic and ❰❰ 28

effervescent, Leanne says she wants “ to work with integrity and passion” so she can help her company and community.

“I hope to have a family that I can surround with love every day and who will explore the world with me. I hope to be healthy and to keep my family healthy and happy for as long as I live,” she says.

She also wants her life to be defined by music.

“I hope that music will always be a part of my life and that I will always have opportunities to sing.”

Three generations

“My mom and daughter are like me in caring for people and

nurturing family relationships.

They are also like me in stubbornness and perseverance,” Esmie says.

A message from Esmie to Leanne: “I want her to take good care of herself so that she can find that balance in work/play/ family/community. Like with most parents, the best thing that the children can do for us is to find joy and fulfillment in their lives.

“Marriage and family is not a ‘try then decide’ issue. Be sure you’ve taken important things into account before you commit, then decide, then do everything in your power to nurture that decision.

Unexpected challenges will www.canadianinquirer.net

Lifestyle

39 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

BACK TO SCHOOL

Pediatricians push for later start times for teens to curb lack of sleep

BY LINDSEY TANNER The Associated Press CHICAGO—Pediatricians have a new prescription for schools: later start times for teens.

Delaying the start of the school day until at least 8:30 a.m. would help curb their lack of sleep, which has been linked with poor health, bad grades, car crashes and other problems, the American Academy of Pediatrics says in a new policy.

The influential group says teens are especially at risk; for them, “chronic sleep loss has increasingly become the norm.”

Studies have found that most U.S. students in middle school and high school don’t get the recommended amount of sleep—8 1/2 to 9 1/2 hours on school nights; and that most high school seniors get an average of less than seven hours.

More than 40 per cent of the nation’s public high schools start classes before 8 a.m., according to government data cited in the policy. And even when the buzzer rings at 8 a.m., school bus pickup times typically mean kids have to get up before dawn if they want that ride.

“The issue is really cost,” said Kristen Amundson, executive director of the National Association of State Boards of Education.

School buses often make multiple runs each morning for older and younger students.

Adding bus drivers and rerouting buses is one of the biggest financial obstacles to later start times, Amundson said. The roughly 80 school districts that have adopted later times tend to be smaller, she said.

After-school sports are another often-cited obstacle because a later dismissal delays practices and games. The shift may also cut into time for homework and after-school jobs, Amundson said.

The policy, aimed at middle schools and high schools, was published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics.

Evidence on potential dangers for teens who get too little sleep is “extremely compelling” and includes depression, suicidal thoughts, obesity, poor performance in school and on standardized tests and car accidents from drowsy driving, said Dr. Judith Owens, the policy’s lead author and director of sleep medicine at Children’s

National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The policy cites studies showing that delaying start times can lead to more nighttime sleep and improve students’ motivation in class and mood.

Whether there are broader, long-term benefits requires more research, the policy says.

Many administrators support the idea but haven’t resolved the challenges, said Amundson.

She said the pediatricians’ new policy likely will have some influence.

Parents seeking a change “will come now armed with this report,” Amundson said.

Amundson is a former Virginia legislator and teacher who also served on the school board of Virginia’s Fairfax County, near Washington, D.C. Owens, the policy author, has been working with that board on a proposal to delay start times. A vote is due in October and she’s optimistic about its chances.

“This is a mechanism through which schools can really have a dramatic, positive impact for their students,” Owens said. ■ Online

American Academy of Pediatrics: http://www.aap.org

Thailand’s army...

Thailand has been deeply divided since 2006, when former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra—Yingluck’s brother— was toppled after being accused of corruption, abuse of power and disrespect for the king.

Thaksin, a former telecommunications billionaire whose political allies have won every national election since 2001, lives in self-imposed exile in Dubai but remains an intensely polarizing figure. He is highly popular among the poor in Thailand’s north and northeast, but despised by a Bangkokbased elite backed by the army and staunch royalists who view him as a corrupt demagogue who bought votes with populist promises.

Although Prayuth has prom❰❰ 22

ised to eventually restore democracy and hold elections as early as 2015, analysts say the junta is working to remove all traces of Thaksin’s influence before then.

Ultimately, “the elite want to gain control over politics. In the last decade, their domination was taken away by Thaksin through elections,” Pavin said.

“They are trying to weaken that now ... and ensure that politicians linked to Thaksin can’t come back.”

Thailand has not had a prime minister since caretaker Premier Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan’s government was ousted in the May coup. Niwattumrong held the position only briefly to replace Yingluck, who took office after a landslide 2011 election victory but was forced to

resign for nepotism in a court case her supporters say was politically motivated.

Prayuth has gone beyond typical government policy talk and his speeches have sometimes taken on a paternalistic tone.

Taking to the airwaves almost every Friday night to explain the junta’s objectives, Prayuth has urged people to recycle their trash, avoid credit card debt, and even avoid shopping if they feel stressed. He has also launched a “national happiness” campaign and spelled out the “12 core values of the Thai people,” key among them, showing respect for the king. ■ Associated Press writer Thanyarat Doksone contributed to this report. www.canadianinquirer.net

PCI and Sprott Shaw College is in need of a pool of part time Tagalog teachers for their Vancouver and New Westminster Campus.

Submit resume to info@canadianinquirer.net.

Only those shortlisted will be contacted.

Business

PCI SUDOKU AND WORD SEARCH

AUGUST 29, 2014 FRIDAY 40

The ABCs of back-to-school tax breaks

BY ROBYN K. THOMPSON GETTING KIDS off to that first year of university or college is a big move in more ways than one. It’s exciting and stressful and emotional—and that’s just for the parents! As the universities like to remind us, this isn’t kindergarten, so resist the temptation to “hover.” They really, really do not want you to move into the dorm with Zack or Samantha. But what you can (and should) do is make sure your newly independent offspring gets off to school on the best financial footing possible.

Here’s how.

Funding

Post-secondary education is expensive. Start a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for your child as early as possible. Funds contributed to an RESP will grow tax-free while inside the plan. Qualified investments are essentially the same as for RRSPs or TFSAs, and include cash, GICs, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchangetraded funds).

Tax efficient withdrawals.

When the plan matures, the child (or children in the case of family plans) who is named as beneficiary can withdraw the funds for post-secondary tuition. And because the child at that stage will very probably be in a very low tax bracket, little or no tax will be payable on the withdrawals.

Anyone may open an RESP for a child (who must have a Social Insurance Number), including parents, grandparents, relatives, or friends, and there is no annual limit for contributions. But there is a $50,000 total lifetime limit that can be contributed for a single beneficiary. Excess contributions are subject to tax at a rate of 1% per month, so it’s important to keep track of who is contributing how much to any given RESP. Government grants. One important feature of the RESP is the Canada Education Savings Grant made by the government, which amounts to 20% of annual contributions to all eligible RESPs to a maximum $500 (up to $1,000 if there is unused grant room carried forward), to www.canadianinquirer.net

a lifetime limit of $7,200. There is also an additional CESG amount available on the first $500 contributed to an RESP, ranging from 40% to 20% depending on family income.

Students begin receiving payments from the RESP as soon as they are enrolled in a qualified post-secondary educational program, including colleges and universities, apprenticeship programs offered by trade schools, and CEGEP in Quebec.

Tax breaks and benefits

There’s a host of tax deductions and credits available to ease the cost-burden of postsecondary education. But they don’t come automatically. So here’s a checklist of tax breaks available for your budding scholar. And don’t forget, many of these are transferable to you if your student can’t use them all.

• Non-refundable tax credits: These reduce the amount of federal tax payable up to the amount owing. They can’t be used to generate a refund.

• Tuition, education, and textbook amounts. Tuition fees are indicated on official receipts from the post-secondary institution. The education amount lets students claim $400 per month of full-time enrollment ($120 for part-time). The textbook amount of $65 per month for full-time students ($20 for part-time) is available only if the student is eligible for the education amount. This credit must be reported on the student’s tax return first to reduce tax owing. Unused credit may be transferred to you or certain other family members, or carried forward for use in future

years (amounts carried forward may not be transferred).

• Interest on student loan. If your student got a student loan, only he or she can claim the interest paid in the year, even if you’re the one who made the payment. This amount cannot be transferred to you or anyone else.

• Public transit amount. Only the student can claim the cost of a transit pass. Keep the pass or proof of purchase in case the CRA wants to see it.

• Canada employment amount.

If the student was an employee in the year, for 2014, they can claim $1,127 or total employment income reported on their tax return, whichever is less.

Other child and family benefits may also be available, depending on the individual student’s circumstances. One deduction that's often overlooked is moving expenses, which can be used by a student who is enrolled full-time. It can be claimed for expenses incurred at the start of each academic period or when the student moves back after summer break or summer employment, provided the move is 40 kilometres closer to the educational institution or place of work.

To maximize the tax benefits of RESPs and make the most of deductions and credits, talk to a qualified financial planner who can put all of this into the context of an overall family financial plan. ■ Courtesy Fundata Canada Inc. © 2014. Robyn Thompson, CFP, CIM, FCSI, is president of Castlemark Wealth Management.

This article is not intended as personalized advice.

Sports/Horoscope

41 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

What to watch at US Open Day 2: Serena Williams faces an American teen in prime time

BY RACHEL COHEN The Associated Press NEW YORK—Taylor Townsend doesn’t get to ease her way into her first U.S. Open.

Nothing bigger than this: centre court, prime time, Serena Williams.

The 18-year-old American faces the two-time defending champ under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday night. It will be just her third Grand Slam tournament. In her first, she made the third round at this year’s French Open.

Knocking on the door of the top 100 in the rankings, Townsend got into the U.S. Open on a wild card. Williams said she’s jealous that the former top-ranked junior is a lefty. Turns out that the No. 1 player in the world has always dreamed of having the sort of

spin that left-handers get on their groundstrokes.

Other things to watch Tuesday on the second day of the U.S. Open: Young Americans

Townsend is part of a wave of up-and-coming U.S. women showing promise that they could someday emulate the Williams sisters’ success.

Another teen, Madison Keys, is seeded 27th. She plays Tuesday against Jarmila Gajdosova at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Four other Americans ranked in the top 50 also start their tournaments Tuesday.

Alison Riske opens the day on Ashe against eighth-seeded Ana Ivanovic. Lauren Davis faces 24th-seeded Samantha Stosur, the 2011 U.S. Open champ.

Christina McHale plays Chanelle Scheepers, and CoCo Vandeweghe meets Donna Vekic.

Serena Williams.

PHOTO BY NEALE COUSLAND / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Kvitova’s quest

Wimbledon, with its white tennis outfits and strawberries and cream, gives off a refined air that makes Petra Kvitova feel comfortable.

The rowdy crowds in New York? Not so much.

The Czech lefty has won two titles at the All England Club

but has never made the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open, which she says doesn’t quite fit her quiet personality.

After her first Wimbledon championship in 2011, she lost in the first round in New York.

Coming off her second, she hopes to finally break through this time around. The thirdseeded Kvitova rides the momentum of a hard-court title in New Haven on Saturday.

She opens against France’s Kristina Mladenovic in Ashe on Tuesday.

Bouchard’s letdown

Eugenie Bouchard can’t yet shake that post-Wimbledon hangover.

The 20-year-old made history at Wimbledon as the first Canadian to reach a Grand Slam final. Then she was routed 6-3, 6-0 by Kvitova, and things haven’t gone much better since.

Bouchard was 1-3 in three hard-court tuneups, including an upset loss in her first match in her home tournament in Montreal.

Still, she’s the only woman to reach the semifinals at each of the year’s first three Grand Slam events. The seventhseeded Bouchard faces Olga Govortsova in the first round Tuesday.

Federer’s streaks

Roger Federer is playing his 60th straight Grand Slam tournament, extending his own record. He hasn’t lost in the first round since the 2003 French Open.

The second-seeded Federer opens the night session Tuesday against Marinko Matosevic of Austria. Federer won 6-1, 6-1 on the hard court in Brisbane earlier this year in their only meeting. ■

HOROSCOPE ARIES

CANCER

LIBRA

CAPRICORN

(MARCH 21 - APRIL 19)

(JUNE 22 - JULY 22)

(SEPT 23 - OCT 22)

(DEC 22 - JAN 19)

The stars will give you the comfort

The positive and negative side of

This week, you will realize that there

You are getting at the end of the

that you need if you will open that

your emotions will be brushing

is one great cure to ease all the emo-

road to find that pot of gold. You

door of opportunities. Do not be afraid to take risks.

against each other in the coming week. You will experi-

tional pain you are feeling. That is, acceptance. This single

might feel tired of driving what seems like an endless

You will only be able to reach that goal if you get hold

ence a momentary bliss and a sudden drift to anxiety

word is something that you have been trying to ignore.

road today. But don’t ever let the lengthy path take

of that courage that will move you forward. Grab your

and loneliness. There will be a lot of changing situations

You have been trying to dismiss the idea of acceptance by

you down, Gemini. No matter how tired you are, just

strength and have faith on the possibility of achieving

and most of them are unplanned so brace yourself.

pretending that you have already accepted the things that

think about the happiness you’d get one you get

better things by being brave to take that one step

Never let that unwanted emotion eat your opportunity

you needed to accept. This might not be good for you, so

there, so keep on driving. Stop worrying because the

ahead.

of having the best day this week.

learn to accept the fact that you have to accept.

stars will always be there to fuel your engine.

TAURUS

LEO

SCORPIO

AQUARIUS

(APRIL 20 - MAY 20)

(JULY 23 - AUGUST 22)

(OCT 23 - NOV 21)

(JAN 20 - FEB 18)

A good advice is always worth

Everything related to love will

You might have done all the talking

The only way to end the confusion

taking. Do not hesitate to listen

work better this week. You will be

in the past few days, and you might

and the mental unrest that has been

to a friend’s voice today. You’ve known that person

facing some minor glitches but you’ll learn the way out

consider giving the floor to other speakers, this time,

troubling you for quite some time now is by releasing

for quite some time and you are sure enough that no

of the bumpy road and you’ll eventually realize how

in order to learn from them. You should never miss the

all the negative emotions you have been hiding inside.

harm will come if you listen to some words of com-

fortunate you are to be in that situation. Love will find

opportunity to learn so today, lend them your ears. This

Accept what you can’t change and change what you

fort. Remember that no matter what that person is

a way to make things better. The stars are telling you

is the best time to practice and develop your listening

can’t accept. Let it all out today and you will rock the

telling you, the last move still lies in your hands. The

that everything related to love and romance will work

abilities. Remember that the only best way to nurture

coming days with positive thoughts and a peaceful

decision is always yours, so do not be afraid to listen.

just well this week, if you play your cards right.

your knowledge aside from reading is by active listening.

mind!

GEMINI

VIRGO

SAGITTARIUS

PISCES

(MAY 21 - JUNE 21)

(AUG 23 - SEPT 22)

(NOV 22 - DEC 21)

(FEB 19 - MAR 20)

Be careful in meeting new friends to-

You might be forgetting the impor-

You have been working so hard

Gather all the events that happened

day. Someone who might have a hid-

tance of learning to let your feelings

that you might have forgotten your

den agenda will come to you and act so dear and friendly.

out. Stop holding and keeping those negative emotions

personal relationships. Now is the time to look back

time to reflect on them today. By being aware of the

Remember that it is always to better to take preventive

inside you. Grab a paper, write it down and let the pen

and check on the people and friends you might have

decisions you have made and the consequences of

measures. There will be no harm in keeping yourself at

guide you to the path of moving on. Remember that it

been ignoring in the past few days. Remember that

those actions, you will be one step closer in achieving

a safe distance. But always make sure that you don’t let

is not healthy to keep on going back to that ill feeling.

having people who will always be there for you is also

mental and spiritual growth. The stars are telling you

doubts get in your way of developing good friendship and

Let it all out. Release yourself from that prison by forgiv-

a great achievement in your journey, so take some

that today’s best way to attain inner growth is to look

better partnership with the people around you.

ing those involved, especially your very self.

time to prioritize them today.

back and reflect.

www.canadianinquirer.net

in the past days and take some

FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

42

Travel

Seoul: Efficient trains, fast cell service, historic palaces and incredible food

BY AMIR BIBAWY The Associated Press SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA— South Korea’s hyper-efficient capital doesn’t immediately spring to mind when you think of exotic Asian destinations.

But this mega-city offers much to tempt travellers beyond a layover from the ultra-modern international airport in nearby Incheon. You can explore Korea’s rich historic heritage, visiting temples and palaces; wander around the enormous National Museum of Korea, and savour the delights of its surprisingly varied cuisine.

As in Tokyo and Hong Kong, Seoul’s transportation network puts most European and North American cities to shame. Invest in a Seoul City Pass Plus card, which can be used not only on the trains, which run both under and above ground, but also on buses and even taxis. It’s also accepted for payment at many tourist sites and convenience shops, offering discounts on some tours and museum admissions.

High on your list will be one or two of Seoul’s five palaces.

Most guidebooks recommend Gyeongbok-gung, the grandest of all of them. But I headed to Changdeok-gung, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, instead.

The sprawling palace grounds can only be visited on guided tours; check the schedule to make sure you catch a tour in the right language. There’s one tour of the famous gardens and another of palace buildings.

Strategically and culturally, Korea is wedged between East Asia’s superpowers, Japan and China. As you travel around Seoul, you’ll understand the intricate connections among the three countries. Many links are evident in the collection at the National Museum of Korea, a must for those seeking

to go beneath Seoul’s veneer of technology and learn about the country’s history.

The museum, the largest in area in Asia and sixth-largest in the world, is suitably impressive from the outside, with a futuristic architectural design that pays tribute to Korea’s modernization. Inside, many of the more than 300,000 pieces are designated National Treasures of Korea.

The building design utilizes natural light in many galleries, which makes it easy to explore for hours without that feeling you get in big museums that you’re stuck in a vault all day. Highlights include Buddhist bells on the third floor (one each from Korea, China and Japan) and, the piece-deresistance, the Ten-Story Pagoda, a unique marble structure built in the 14th century, looming over the ground floor.

It was taken to Japan before World War II (Japan occupied Korea from 1910 to 1945), but was returned to Korea in 1960, disassembled. It’s been painstakingly restored and is an enduring symbol of an architecture style little-known outside their country.

Koreans love to shop and there’s nowhere better for it than the pedestrian shopping district of Myeong-dong, where I stayed. Streets are lined with brand name-stores (both Korean and Western) open late into the night. It also has countless restaurants and cafes. On my first night there, I ventured out to find a restaurant near my hotel and had a near-panic attack. There were so many choices, but none familiar to me, though I’d gone to many Korean restaurants in New York. I ended up in a brightly-lit place that was almost ready to close. I pointed out a few menu items and a hot barbecue top was turned on at my table, ingredients meticu-

Downtown skyline of Seoul, South Korea with Seoul Tower.

lously lined up to cook. I tried to stir them together but the waitress, half-amused but also stern about my culinary ineptitude, took the ladle from my hand and set it aside. “Needs to cook more,” she mumbled.

Every time I tried to touch the food with my chopsticks, other diners looked on with amusement. Clearly, I had no idea what I was doing. Mercifully, the waitress ultimately came over and stirred up a delightful chicken and vegetable dish with rice. I added kimchi from the buffet.

Another essential stop is Gwangjang Market, which bustles with street food vendors and little restaurant-shacks in the evening when its shops have closed. Locals go there for Korean pancakes made from mung beans called bindaeddeok and cheap street food. I opted for one of the ubiquitous dumpling soup places, where for about $5 you get a huge bowl of steam-

ing soup with pork dumplings, freshly made before your eyes.

In winter, the stall benches are even heated. On my second visit to the market, I had sashimi and rice wine. The sashimi was near-frozen, a common way of serving it there and different from the Japanese room-temperature tradition.

For traditional Korean food beyond the market, skip Korea House—it’s touristy and expensive. Do venture into one of the tent restaurants that serve food late into the night in popular nightlife districts. And get your fix of bibimbap—a rice dish with vegetables, egg, meat and chili or soy sauce served all over the city—along with a traditional seafood stew, which is hearty and warm.

Bukchon Village, a neighbourhood of traditional Korean houses with slanted roofs, is a nice place to stroll. The area is flanked by two palaces, and dotted with chic boutiques and

cafes.

One striking thing you’ll notice is that Seoul’s residents are glued to their cellphones—usually Samsung or LG, brands that have played a role in Korea’s strong economy. During my visit last winter, everyone was streaming the Olympic games live on cellphones on the subway—a testament to how fast and reliable the 4G network is. Even my American phone worked faster there than in New York.

Finally, don’t leave Seoul without venturing up to the N Seoul Tower, the city’s highest tourist point, offering a view from the top at nearly 1,600 feet (480 metres) above sea level.

You can hike through Namsan Park, Seoul’s Central Park, to the base of the tower, or take a cable car up. It’s busy at dusk, but a nice time to watch as the city below you transforms into a stunning and colorful display of lights. ■

Travel

43 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

As tourism from China soars, US caters to visitors with translations, celebrations, food

BY AMY TAXIN The Associated Press COSTA MESA, CALIF.—On a hot summer day, nearly two dozen Chinese tourists descended from a white shuttle bus for an afternoon of shopping at one of Southern California’s signature upscale malls.

One tourist conferred with a salesman at South Coast Plaza about a plum-colored, $610 Prada handbag while fellow visitors on the 10-day tour sauntered through the mall, each with their sole child in tow, after a morning of whale watching off the California coast.

It’s a common scene at the popular destination in Orange County, which is doing what it can to keep buses filled with Chinese tourists coming. To make them feel at home, it accepts China’s UnionPay card and provides Mandarin-speaking salespeople.

From the mall’s shops to tourist spots that offer maps and brochures in Mandarin to hotels serving congee, or rice porridge, for breakfast, businesses in California are trying to entice the growing numbers of Chinese tourists coming to the U.S. to visit the state—and spend money.

Tourism from China to the U.S. has soared since the countries signed an agreement in 2007 promoting travel. More than 1.8 million Chinese visited last year, a three-fold increase in five years. By 2018, the number is expected to surpass 4 million, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

California, the No. 1 destination, holds particular allure due to its proximity to China, theme parks and sunny weather. Nearly half of all Chinese tourists make a stop in the state.

Cheerful Chinese tourists.

Haybina Hao, of the National Tour Association, which qualifies U.S.-based tour operators to receive Chinese tour groups under the 2007 agreement, said the tourists are keen to see how a relatively young country like the U.S. developed so quickly and became so prosperous.

“Until they have visited U.S.A., they don’t feel they have done their international travel yet,” Hao said. “They need to see it and put themselves in the photograph, so they can prove they have done this.”

During their travels, they each spend an average of $5,400, 21 per cent more than the average for all overseas tourists.

PHOTO BY TONYV3112 / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

“We see tremendous potential,” said Nick Hentschel, vicepresident of AmericanTours International LLC. He said 15 per cent of the company’s business now stems from China compared to virtually none a little more than five years ago.

Hentschel said China is the only country where ATI, which originally focused on tourism from Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand, has opened a local office. “But it is cutthroat,” he said, adding that some tour operators slashed prices to vie for a place in the Chinese market.

At first, tours from China mostly included older people, some who had saved for years

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to make the trip. But now more also include middle-aged parents bringing their only child to see America and school groups of teens who tour during summer break.

Many are eager to visit Disneyland and snap photographs at landmarks such as the Hollywood sign and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. They enjoy trying American foods— steak is a favourite— and taking advantage of cheaper prices for designer goods.

“It’s shopping paradise,” said 35-year-old Cici Chen on a stop at Disney California Adventure.

Chen said she planned to fill up her suitcases on her California vacation before returning to

Shanghai.

In the early years, Disney officials travelled to China to try to explain to the elder generations what the park was about since many weren’t as familiar with American stories and movies as are younger visitors today.

“A challenge was many of our Chinese guests were not familiar with the Disney stories,” said Nicky Tang, director of Asia Pacific sales for Disney Destinations, of the older generation of tourists. “They grew up not knowing who Snow White is or Cinderella or Peter Pan.” Many Chinese tourists see America from large tour buses, while some travel in smaller groups or rent cars to explore on their own. Others come on trips sponsored by employers as job-related perks, and travel in huge groups.

A 7,000-strong contingent held a two-day meeting in Southern California earlier this year and then fanned out to travel across the region. A group more than twice that size is expected in California next year, said Ed Fuller, president of the Orange County Visitors Association.

Zhang Huan, 42, was among those touring Disney California Adventure with his wife, mother-in-law and 11-year-old son.

He said he budgeted $20,000 for the family’s first U.S. trip.

While the itinerary mostly focused on leisure, Zhang said he was also looking forward to making a stop with his son at a college campus.

He hopes it’s not the last visit there.

“If he can study hard, he can go to Stanford,” Zhang said. ■ Associated Press staffer Roy Wu contributed to this report in Los Angeles.

Seen and Scenes

AUGUST 29, 2014

FRIDAY 44

GOV'T URGED TO ENSURE KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL NDP Education Spokesperson Rob Fleming and MLA for Vancouver Mount-Pleasant Jenny Kwan meet dozens of parents and children in the rally outside of the Legislature in Victoria and accept their petition today. Parents across the province express their anger and frustration and demand that the provincial government work hard to ensure kids go back to school on September 2.

OTTAWA EMBASSY HOLDS LINGGO NG WIKA In a continuing effort to engage the youngest members of the FilipinoCanadian community, the Philippine Embassy opened the doors of Tahanang Rizal, the Ambassador's official residence, on Aug. 16, for its annual children's day in Ottawa. Now on its third year, the Embassy's ABaKaDa Atbp. affords children of Filipino heritage the opportunity to understand their cultural identity by appreciating Filipino language, history, dances, songs, stories, games and food. Below are highlights of the event. Photos by Benjamin David and Nikki Gonato

TORONTO STAGES HALO HALO FESTIVAL

For photo submissions, please email info@canadianinquirer.net.

The first halo-halo Festival in Canada was held on Aug. 17, at Artscape Wychwood Barns in Toronto. The cultural event, named after a favorite summer Pinoy dessert, aimed to instill among the younger Filipino-Canadians Philippine history and tradition through arts and entertainment.

Senator Enverga and Consul General Mahilum-West graced the event.

www.canadianinquirer.net

Events

45 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

CANADA EVENTS

YUKON NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

NUNAVUT

Understanding Labour Market & Employer Expectations Workshop (New Westminster)

By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 1 to 3 p.m., August 29, at New Westminster Public Library, 716–6th Ave. Registration required. Call 604-438-8214 ext. 112 PEI Fall Flavors Culinary Festival

By Food Network WHEN/WHERE: LE Festin Acadien Avec Homard, August 29. Abram Village MORE INFO: An Acadian Feast serving great traditional Acadian cuisine dishes and lobster in a family-style atmosphere of Acadian music and décor. Special guest host is Food Network Canada’s Chef Corbin Tomaszeski.

Dimasalang Expressions

By Dimasalang III International Group of Artists WHEN/WHERE: Till August 30, at the Vancouver Moat Gallery, Vancouver Public Library, 350 W. Georgia St., Vancouver, B.C. Elder Abuse: Workshop Series for New Westminster Seniors

By Seniors Brigade Society of B.C. with Phil.

Bagong Pag-asa Society of B.C. and Filipino Seniors Club of B.C. WHEN/WHERE: 1 to 5 p.m., August 30.

Registration begins at 12:30 p.m., Douglas College, Room 1640, 700 Royal Ave., New Westminster, B.C. Understanding Community Resources

By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 3 to 5 p.m., August 30 at MOSAIC Northeast Employment Services Centre, 312–2555 Commercial Dr., Vancouver MORE INFO: Registration required. Call 604254-9626 ext 258

NEWFOUNDLAND

MANITOBA

SASKATCHEWAN

ONTARIO

http://bit.ly/ PCI-Events

Temporary Foreign Workers Appreciation Day

By Temporary Foreign Workers Coalition and Migrante Alberta WHEN/WHERE: 4 to 7 p.m., September 1, Centennial Plaza (Downtown behind Stanley Milner Library) MORE INFO: Free food, music, fun and lots of information for all temporary foreign workers, friends and families.

BRITISH COLUMBIA ALBERTA

View all events by scanning this QR code or visiting

QUEBEC

Office Etiquette, Intercultural Communication & Employment Standards Workshop

By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., August 30, at Brentwood Community Resource Centre, 2055 Rosser Ave. Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Registration required: Call 604292-3907 Winter Clothing Drive for the Homeless Hosted by Martin Rooney WHEN/WHERE: September 1 to October 15, locations throughout lower Mainland.

Dual Citizenship Info Session By the UP Alumni Association of British Columbia WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m., September 5, Metrotown Community Room (near Old Navy), Burnaby, B.C. Finding God in your Life

By Jesuit Alumni Group WHEN/WHERE: 9 a.m., to 3:30 p.m., September 6, Fr. Richard Soo’s Parish, Dormition of the Mother of God 8700 Railway Ave., Richmond, B.C. Peer Support Training

By Immigrant Women’s Peer Support Program WHEN/WHERE: 9 a.m., to 4:30 p.m., from Sept. 13 to Dec. 13 at the Immigrant Services Society of B.C. #200C- 504 Cottonwood Ave. Coquitlam B.C. MORE INFO: Contact Liza @ 604-395-8000 ext. 1706 Summer Hip Hop Dance Showdown & Ballroom @ the Square WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., September 20 @ The Shipbuilders Square, Wallace News Rd., North Vancouver, B.C./ for Ballroom 5 p.m. to 12 mn.

MORE INFO: Free admission; for dinnerdance event: $25/person www.canadianinquirer.net

Music for all Ages (Featuring Mike Hanopol, Lolita Carbon, Wency Cornejo and Anne Marie)

By South Pointe Toyota Scion in cooperation with Pacific Hut WHEN/WHERE: 5:30 p.m., Sept. 6, Century Casino, Calgary Bamboo World Tour

By MCY Entertainment WHEN/WHERE: Sept. 27, Calgary It’s Showtime Canada Live in Edmonton

By TFC and 3J Event Services WHEN/WHERE: 5 to 8 p.m., September 21 at the Shaw Conference Centre, Halls ABC 9797 Jasper Ave., Edmonton, AB. MORE INFO: Call 780-440-4282 ext 3 (Zed); 780-938-7373 (Girlie)

Coconut Festival Canada 2014 WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., August 24 at Artscape Wychwood Barns – 601 Christie St., Toronto, On. MORE INFO: Health lectures, talks and cooking demos, food and health vendors, artisan merchandise and many more.

The Hotdog Concert & Dance Party

By Primetime Events Group WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m., September 12 and 13, at Rembrandt Banquet Hall, 930 Progress Ave., Scarborough, ON. MORE INFO: with special guest Elaine Evangelista-Virata

To have your events featured on PCI, please email events@canadianinquirer.net

FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

46

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47 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014

PRACTICAL NURSING For those with a desire to help others and make the world a better place, Sprott Shaw gives you the skills to actually do it. Our nursing program will put you on a path to a rewarding career.

New Provincially Recognized PN Program - Career Placement Assistance - Financial Options Available - FREE Biology, Math & English Upgrade*

13 CAMPUSES IN BC

CALL 604.310.HIRE (4473) OR VISIT SPROTTSHAW.COM

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ONE OF BC’s LARGEST PRACTICAL NURSING TRAINERS

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION BENEFITS OF TRAINING WITH SPROTT SHAW - Ministry of Children & Family Development approved - Continuous intakes - Classes start monthly - Become an entrepreneur - open your own daycare at home - Qualified employees can obtain their ECE Assistant Certificate by taking only one course

BASIC & POST BASIC 13 CAMPUSES IN BC

CALL 604.310.HIRE (4473) OR VISIT SPROTTSHAW.COM www.canadianinquirer.net

*conditions apply

AUGUST 29, 2014

www.canadianinquirer.net

FRIDAY 48