CANADA’S FIRST AND ONLY NATIONWIDE FILIPINO-CANADIAN NEWSPAPER VOL. 9 NO. 134
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Lava flows on Mount Mayon, thousands flee
Philippine hopes dim for Golan
Traffic chaos need not be distressing
ISIL adds Canada to global hit list
Elon Musk to build rocket launch site in Texas
Quakes destroy 17 houses, damage 66 in southern Philippine town THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MANILA, PHILIPPINES—A series of earthquakes destroyed 17 houses and damaged 66 others on Saturday, September 20 in a southern Philippine town, slightly injuring three people, officials said.
‘LUIS’ DID THIS
❱❱ PAGE 9 Quakes destroy
Typhoon “Lus” hit the northern portion of the country, but its powerful winds whipped places as far south as Manila, rolling Manila Bay and releasing Super Shuttle Ferry 7 from its moorings on Sunday night. Twelve crew members of the vessel were hurt.
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Philippine storm batters northern provinces, leaves 5 dead, displaces thousands BY OLIVER TEVES The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES—A storm that brought torrential monsoon rains which flooded much of the Philippine capital
gained strength and battered the country’s northernmost provinces on Saturday, September 20 with heavy downpours and strong winds. The National Disaster Risk Reduc-
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Philippine News
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
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Drilon: We can’t rush special powers bill for P-Noy BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA AND DJ YAP Philippine Daily Inquirer MALACAÑANG SHOULD not expect a swift approval of its request for a joint resolution authorizing President Aquino to establish additional power generating capacity, at least not by the end of September as the administration would like, according to Senators Franklin Drilon and Sergio Osmeña III. Drilon earlier this month received the letter from Malacañang requesting the joint resolution, but he said it was “broadly worded” and did not even attach a draft of the measure sought to be approved. Because of this, the Senate does not even know pertinent details, such as the limits of the authority being asked for, said Drilon. Drilon said the Senate was unlikely to approve this by the end of September, which Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla said was the deadline for contracting additional power capacity that he hoped to meet. Some P6 billion to be taken from the Malampaya Fund was needed for about 300 megawatts. “On the timetable, it is impossible to have it by the end of September. That is impossible because we don’t even have the draft joint resolution. We don’t know the parameters of the authority being requested. We know the urgency, but we can’t rush into this,” Drilon told reporters. He said the Senate would work as fast as it could but it was unlikely to finish reviewing the request by the end of the month because the committee on energy would need to hold a hearing, plus Congress was set to go on a three-week break. “Given all the complicated issues, we cannot rush into this but we know the urgency. We will work on this,” he added. October target
In the House of Representatives, the chair of the energy committee said he hoped the panel would be able to finish deliberations on the resolution by October “at the latest” in spite of ongoing plenary debates on the 2015 budget as well as two periods of congressional recess in the next few weeks.
Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali said the committee would ask Petilla to “define what should be our basis for the issuance of a joint resolution” authorizing Mr. Aquino to acquire additional generating capacity. “We would like to request the DOE (Department of Energy) for clear parameters that we need to consider in crafting the resolution… It must be established there is an imminent power crisis,” Umali told a press conference. He said there was also a need to define the terms and conditions for the grant of emergency powers, pursuant to Section 71 of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira), the law cited by Mr. Aquino in his request. But the lawmaker said the committee would treat the request “with an open mind.” “We need to do our homework. In doing our homework we need to first consider the welfare of the people, and second, to make sure that whatever emergency powers we will grant, our President will not be embarrassed,” Umali said. “We will try to get the consensus of the Lower House,” he said.
what the power rate would be. Tap other sources
Osmeña also said there was a need to look into tapping other sources of capacity, such as the interruptible load program (ILP) where businesses can get paid for using their own generating facilities, thus freeing up distribution utilities to serve other customers. There is also a need to man-
‘We won’t just give power’
Drilon and Osmeña, the energy committee chair, said the Senate would need more details, such as the assumptions on the performance of the existing plants that are set to be rehabilitated, like the Malaya power plant. Osmeña said he planned to schedule the first hearing on the Palace’s request by next week. But he did not want to be pressured into approving this posthaste, as he noted that he had long warned of a power crisis, but had been ignored. “So now, the President sat on this for one-and-a-half months and sent a letter yesterday (Monday), and he wants this by the end of the month? No sir! I have to protect the Filipino people. We would not just give power, emergency powers. We all know what happened in 1992, don’t we?” he said. This was why there was a need to be careful about what type of power would be granted, he said, adding that he wanted to make sure people would know www.canadianinquirer.net
age the demand side, which means teaching people to conserve electricity, he added. Petilla, who appeared in the Senate to defend his department’s proposed budget, told the senators that since a lead time of five months was needed to procure the additional generating capacity, the administration was looking at the approval of the resolution by the end of September.
The P6 billion is the cost of renting capacity for two years, the minimum period allowed by rental companies, Petilla said. Modular gen sets
According to him, he was hoping for the approval of the resolution by the end of the month because that was his deadline ❱❱ PAGE 15 Drilon: We can't
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Philippine News
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
FRIDAY
Lava flows from Philippine volcano; thousands flee amid fears of violent burst BY TERESA CEROJANO The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES—The Philippines’ most active volcano has sent more huge lava fragments rolling down its slopes in an ongoing gentle eruption that has prompted authorities to evacuate thousands of villagers, officials said on Wednesday, September 17. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has warned that a “hazardous eruption” of Mount Mayon, located in the eastern Philippines, is possible within weeks. Increased restiveness was recorded overnight, including 270 incidents of lava fragments and super-hot boulders rolling down from Mayon’s crater—nearly four times the number recorded the previous day. Some reached the upper portion of a gully on the volcano’s southeastern side, indicating that the lava dome has breached that side of the crater.
The number of low-frequency volcanic earthquakes also increased. Molten lava has accumulated at the top of the 2,460-meter (8,070-foot) volcano’s crater, creating a glow in the night sky that sparked both awe and fear among spectators. “It’s already erupting, but not explosive,” said Renato Solidum, who heads the government’s volcano monitoring agency. “Currently, the activity is just lava coming down. If there is an explosion, all sides of the volcano are threatened.” Volcanologist Ed Laguerta said he saw huge glowing lava fragments and super-hot boulders rolling down from Mayon’s crater late Tuesday from as far as 12 kilometres (7 miles) away. “They are big because they can be seen from afar, and they splinter, so they could be carsized,” he added. Mount Mayon, a popular tourist site known for its nearperfect cone, lies in coconut-
producing Albay province, about 340 kilometres (210 miles) southeast of Manila. The provincial disaster operations centre reported Wednesday that nearly 24,000 people from villages within an 8-kilometre (5-mile) radius from the crater had been evacuated. Mayor Herbie Aguas said his farming town of Santo Domingo, among the closest to the volcano, has a frightening legacy from Mayon. The volcano nearly wiped out the municipality’s entire population in an 1897 eruption with pyroclastic flows—superheated gas and volcanic debris that race down the slopes at high speeds, vaporizing everything in their path. “We are praying that it would not be the worst-case scenario,” Aguas said, adding that nearly 4,000 of the 40,000 residents in his town who live within a government-declared danger zone had started to evacuate to safer areas. The volcano has erupted
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Mount Mayon might be on the verge of a major eruption "within weeks" according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
50 times in the last 500 years, sometimes violently, endangering thousands of poor villagers who insist on living or farming in the danger zone. Villagers living near the volcano have erected huge white crosses at the entrance of their
neighbourhoods, hoping they will protect them from harm. On May 7, 2013, the volcano suddenly spewed ash, killing five climbers, including three Germans, who had ventured near the summit despite warnings of possible danger. ■
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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS:
FILIPINO-CANADIAN IN FOCUS Every week, the Philippine Canadian Inquirer celebrates the unwavering Filipino spirit through a feature called “Filipino-Canadian in Focus.” The feature recognizes the achievements of Filipinos living in Canada who have shown concern for the community, success in spite of trials, and the uniquely Pinoy practice of “bayanihan.” This year, we are welcoming nominations for the next subject of “Filipino-Canadian in Focus.”
MECHANICS: - All nominees must have (a) Filipino heritage/ancestry - All nominees must be residing in Canada at the time of nomination - Nominees from all industries are welcome (e.g. medical/health, politics, community service, business, entertainment, charity institutions, etc.) - Who can nominate? Anybody.
Fill up the nomination form online by scanning the code with your smartphone or by visiting InFocus.canadianinquirer.net.
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SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
FRIDAY
EU, PH back peaceful resolution of sea row Dispute should be settled by int’l arbitration BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Philippine Daily Inquirer BRUSSELS—The Philippines and the European Union (EU) agree that territorial disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved through international arbitration. This was made clear when President Aquino sat down on Monday, September 15 with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso at the EC headquarters in the Berlaymont building here, as both leaders emphasized the need to settle differences between China and its neighbors peacefully. With both the Philippines and the EU seeking the same route, Mr. Aquino said “China will have to listen,” noting that the EU is its “biggest trading partner.” Beijing, which is claiming around 90 percent of the South China Sea, has rejected international arbitration, insisting that disputes should be resolved bilaterally with individual claimants like the Philippines. “Let me stress that the European Union encourages all parties to seek peaceful solutions, through dialogue and cooperation, in accordance with international law—in particular with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea [Unclos],” Barroso said in a joint press conference with Mr. Aquino at the EC headquarters. The European Union, he said, is a “proud” party to the 1976 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, which seeks to “promote perpetual peace, everlasting amity and cooperation” in the region. Triple Action Plan “We recall its fundamental principles, namely to settle differences by peaceful means, to
renounce the threat or use of force and to effectively cooperate among partners,” Barroso said. The Triple Action Plan being pushed by Manila was not mentioned in the press conference. But the EU position expressed by Barroso is apparently aligned with the Philippine proposal. Mr. Aquino assured Barroso that the Philippines “remains committed to advancing a peaceful, rules-based resolution to the disputes in the South China Sea, which is a sea known in our region by many names.” “Like the European Union, we believe that the only viable and effective solution is one that is based on international law—in particular, under the [Unclos]. This is the basis for the arbitral proceedings we initiated last year.” Code of conduct
Mr. Aquino said the Philippines continues to work with its Southeast Asian neighbors and China toward “the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.” In an interview with reporters during his flight from Madrid to Brussels, the President noted that China, like the Philippines and other claimant countries, was “interested in prosperity for [its] people.” “Prosperity cannot happen without stability and all of these claims and counterclaims, and also the simply heightened tensions of the same, are impacting on our ability to have a stable environment,” he said. Barroso “congratulated” Mr. Aquino “on the remarkable economic performance of the Philippines.” But he also reminded Mr. Aquino that “economic reforms need to continue to increase the competitiveness and productivity of the country.”
Countries from the European Union have pledged their support to the Philippines and other Southeast-Asian nations for a peaceful resolution between them and China over the South China Sea disputes. YUE NINJE / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Illegal fishing
Mr. Aquino told Barroso that the Philippines was “actively undertaking measures to effectively combat and put a stop to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.” He said Philippine agencies were in “close coordination” with the EC’s Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. He also cited his government’s “action plan” to “prevent, deter and eliminate” illegal fishing. Mr. Aquino informed Barroso that the Philippines had “already laid the groundwork for an effective and sustainable regulatory system consistent with” the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers Convention. The President got Barroso’s assurance that the EU would continue supporting peace and development in Mindanao with projects amounting to 106 million euros. Barroso commended the President for the peace efforts in Mindanao, particularly the signing of a peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Libera-
tion Front in March. “I congratulated President Aquino for his efforts to bring peace, stability and development to the Philippines,” he said. In a separate meeting with EC President Herman Van Rompuy on Tuesday, Mr. Aquino welcomed the EU’s new maritime strategy, noting that it was “anchored on the principles of international law.” “This new maritime strategy, might I note, emphasizes the rules-based governance of the maritime domain, the respect for existing international instruments such as the [Unclos], as well as maritime multilateralism,” he said in a joint press conference with Van Rompuy. Cooperative solutions
Van Rompuy added his voice to calls urging “peaceful and cooperative solutions” to disputes in the South China Sea, particularly through Unclos. The EU strategy, which would be backed by a concrete action plan by yearend, apparently sits well for the Philippines. “We indeed value the EU’s contributions to ensuring the
peaceful and rules-based settlement of the conflicting claims in the South China Sea, an area which has served as a common domain for the many peoples of our region for centuries,” Mr. Aquino said. “As President, I believe that the EU may contribute so much more in championing this meaningful cause—in particular, in helping convince other parties to refrain from activities that increase tensions, clarify their claims based on the Unclos, and thus submit the disputes to reasonable, rulesbased, peaceful modes of resolution, such as arbitration.” To address infra confab
Mr. Aquino said he was banking on the EU to “convince other parties to refrain from activities that increase tensions” and “clarify their claims based on the Unclos.” The President on Tuesday also was to address an infrastructure conference and deliver a policy speech at the Egmont Institute in the Castle of Val Duchesse to mark the 50th anniversary of PhilippineEU relations. ■
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Philippine News
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
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Binay: All recycled lies Recounts rags-to-public service life story BY CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO Philippine Daily Inquirer
Miriam Defensor Santiago.
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Miriam wishes doubting Thomases were right Does she really have cancer? BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer SOME PEOPLE apparently doubt that Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago has lung cancer, as she had announced. Santiago actually wishes they were right. “Some people doubt that I have cancer at all. You mean it’s a figment of my imagination? I wish!” Santiago told reporters last week. According to her, people with lung cancer become prone to bleeding and become “brittle,” and pointed to bandages on her fingers and toes as a result of this condition. She also noted that she had to wear sandals because of this. “You think I’d report to office like this? You think these are necessary accessories for beauty or sex appeal?” she asked. She also said that as a cancer patient, her immunities are down, and “you become as vulnerable as any other person.” She used to have a high tolerance for pain, she added. “That’s why I’m in politics, I can tolerate any kind of pain. Politics is one pain in the neck or in any part of the anatomy,” she added. But Santiago also sees herself recovering soon from her illness, with the help of a “modern pill” she has been taking. “With this new modern pill, wonder pill, I hope to be able to attain full recovery by the end of this year,” she said. Santiago, who has been on medical leave, reported to the Senate yesterday to attend the
Commission on Appointments hearing for the confirmation of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) officials. Prior to the hearing, she made up with Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, who welcomed her with a bouquet of red roses. The two had a tussle over the committee procedure during the last hearing, which resulted in an incensed Santiago adjourning the hearing. She also confirmed sending flowers to Fariñas’ daughter, who has been confined in a hospital due to a vehicular accident. She said she did not want her friendship with the family to be destroyed. Santiago also praised the Ilocos Norte representative for mediating between one of the DFA officials up for confirmation yesterday and her former boss who had objected to her nomination. Retired Ambassador Virgilio Reyes had objected to the appointment of Leila Lora Santos as career minister, saying she had committed insubordination when she worked under him in Rome. But Santos denied the allegation, saying that at that time, she was the head of the rapid response team tasked to help extricate Filipinos from war-torn Libya to Malta, and reported directly to the DFA because it was not part of the operations of the Philippine embassy in Rome. The DFA-backed her up, saying that members of the rapid response teams were not under the jurisdiction of the ambassadors. ■
VICE PRESIDENT Jejomar Binay last week said the charges of corruption against him were “all lies” and testimony on them in the Senate would not stand up in court. In a televised address to the nation from the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Binay said his enemies had no evidence to back their allegations, which he stressed were “hearsay” and “uncorroborated claims.” Speaking in Filipino in what his aides called in “presidential style,” Binay made it clear that he was a fighter, and vowed to fight the charges his political rivals had leveled against him. “I’m not new to being put to the test... And every time I am put to the test, I do not turn back or surrender. I always confront it with a fight,” Binay said. “But the fight I am facing now is not only for Jojo Binay. This is a fight for the nation. This is a fight for the Filipino people,” he said in the 20-minute address that sounded like his first stump speech for the 2016 presidential election. Cheers and applause from his black-clad supporters greeted Binay when he climbed the podium to refute allegations raised at a Senate blue ribbon committee inquiry that he allowed the rigging of biddings for infrastructure project contracts, including the controversial Makati City Hall Building II, and accepted kickbacks from contractors when he was the mayor of the city. Binay’s family and supporters came in full force, packing Meeting Room No. 5 of the PICC. Seated at the front row were Binay’s wife, former Makati City Mayor Elenita Binay, and children Sen. Nancy Binay, Makati City Rep. Abigail Binay and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay. Beside Mrs. Binay sat former Tarlac Gov. and President Aquino’s aunt Tingting Cojuangco. Also seen in the audience was former Finance Secretary Peter Favila. www.canadianinquirer.net
Life story
Binay started off with a narration of his life as an orphan raised by an uncle and his perseverance to acquire an education, and eventually realized his goal to become a human rights lawyer who fought the martial law regime of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. He then went on to trumpet his achievements as mayor of Makati and how his reforms turned the city into a model of good public service. Binay said the corruption allegations thrown at him by former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado and former city general services chief Mario Hechanova were “lies,” giving assurance that under his administration, all city projects went through a government audit and scrutiny. Without naming them, Binay belittled those who filed the plunder complaint against him, which became the subject of the Senate inquiry, referring to them as people who ran for office in Makati but lost because the residents rejected them. The complainants in the plunder case filed against Binay in the Office of the Ombudsman are lawyer Renato Bondal and Nicolas Enciso VI. Binay zeroed in on Bondal, whom he said had claimed that the birthday cakes given by the city government to senior residents on their birthday were overpriced at P1,000 each, but when documents showed the cakes cost only P300 each, Bondal admitted to the senators that the price he mentioned at a hearing was only a guess. ‘Point by point’
“This person swore under oath to tell the truth, but he was not castigated by the senators,” Binay said. Responding “point by point” to the allegation that the parking building was overpriced at P2.3 billion, Binay said: His accusers’ use of the National Statistics Office’s estimate of the building’s cost was not evidence enough because the NSO had said the estimate should not be used as a basis for the fair cost of the building. The accusation that the bidding for the project was rigged
was a lie because no documents had been shown or provided. The allegation that he accepted kickbacks from contractors because Mercado admitted he accepted kickbacks was just “speculation” and “hearsay.” The statement of Mercado that he delivered kickbacks to Binay amounting to 13 percent of every project in Makati and that the money was placed in large bags was just the former vice mayor’s claim. “And like all other statements made in the Senate, no evidence has been shown to prove [Mercado’s claim that he delivered kickbacks to me],” Binay said. “Therefore, there is nothing in what they are showing as testimony that can stand [up] in a court of law,” Binay declared, adding the allegations against him were being presented just in the Senate. COA audit
In rebutting the allegations, Binay said the parking building was built in five years and was paid for with funds allotted by the city council. Binay said the Commission on Audit (COA) audited the expenses every year for five years. He said 10 audits were made on the building’s expenses and no irregularities were found. “But a few senators, with a glance at a construction handbook, a little conversation with paid appraisers apparently, and one promenade in the building, instantly conclude there is overpricing,” Binay said, in an apparent dig on Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, who said at one hearing that the construction handbook should be the basis for city infrastructure projects. According to Binay, the basis to be used in constructing a government building is the Government Procurement Act and COA regulations and “not a construction handbook.” Binay also said the head of Hilmarc’s Construction Corp., the contractor of the parking building, had stated in a Senate hearing that he did not ask or was given any bribe for the project. ❱❱ PAGE 9 Binay: All
Philippine News
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SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 FRIDAY
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A crane vessel removes a section of the hull of the USS Guardian. The Guardian ran aground on Tubbataha Reef in January of 2013.
PH urges US to pay for Tubbataha damage PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said last week that it would continue to pursue its talks with the United States in getting full compensation for the damage that a US Navy ship caused when it ran aground on Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park last year. The DFA issued the statement a day after the Supreme Court issued a ruling that the United States should be held liable for the damage. It said it was taking note of the Supreme Court ruling on the case filed by bishops, militant groups and environmentalists on the grounding of the USS Guardian, a US Navy minesweeper, on the Unesco World Heritage site on Jan. 17, 2013. The high court, however, denied the petitioners’ bid for the issuance of a writ of kalikasan (nature) that would hold Philippine and American officials, including three military US officials, liable for administrative, civil and criminal suits for the incident that damaged more than 2,000 square meters of reefs. The writ of kalikasan is a legal remedy for people whose constitutional right to a balance and healthy ecology is violated by an unlawful act or omission of a public official, employee, or private individual or entity. The Supreme Court said it lacked jurisdiction over the case as it was against the United States itself, noting that states are protected from suit under the principle of sovereign immunity. It’s up to executive branch But the Supreme Court ruled that the United States must be answerable for the damage to the reef park in keeping with Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) even if it was not a party to the treaty. While the high court pushed for the United States to honor obligations un-
der Unclos, the tribunal said it could not grant damages through the writ of kalikasan because such claim should be “made in a separate civil suit” or through criminal action according to the rules on environmental protection and the writ itself. But the high court left the matter of compensation and rehabilitation to the executive branch, given the ongoing claims process through diplomatic channels. Ongoing discussions
“We will continue our ongoing discussions with the US government on the matter of securing full compensation for the damage to the Tubbataha Reef, and will be guided by the Supreme Court decision and the advice of the Solicitor General,” the DFA said in a statement. The DFA also said it would continue to work with government agencies to ensure “navigational safety in the area” as well as the preservation of the reef and its marine environment. The high court decision came a day after US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said that the US Embassy would make an announcement “very soon” on compensation for the damage wrought on Tubbataha Reef by the US Navy minesweeper. Goldberg said the embassy was in the last phases of review of the damage claim by the Philippines. The government has fined the United States P58 million for the damage to the reefs. It took US authorities 73 days to dismantle the ship and completely remove it from the reef. Just pay up
The United States should just pay up for the damage it wreaked on the Tubbataha Reef and should not use as an excuse the fact that it was not a party to the Unclos, according to Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.
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Santiago, an international law expert, also said that in some cases, even if a state was not a party to a treaty, it could be bound by that treaty under a provision in the Vienna Convention on the law of treaties. According to Santiago, international environmental law that provides that you pay for your damage to the environment, whether done accidentally or not, is “jus cogens,” meaning a peremptory rule of international law. “So, the US government cannot use the excuse that it is not party to the Unclos. That’s an ugly position for the US who pretends it is a champion or advocate of international environmental law,” she said. “They should just voluntarily offer to pay . . . because they destroyed part of the Tubbataha Reef,” she added. Criminal case
Santiago said the petitioners who had filed a case in the Supreme Court should also file a criminal or civil action, or a tort case against the US. She said the high court was correct in its ruling on the petition concerning the damage to the Tubbataha Reef, caused by the grounding of a US Navy minesweeper. The militant umbrella group, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), meanwhile, said the United States should make good on its promise to pay compensation to the Philippines. “We continue to press the US government to be accountable for the damage, including paying compensation,” said Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. Awaiting a copy of the Supreme Court’s full decision, Reyes said Bayan and the other petitioners, including bishops, environmentalists, lawyers and activists, were set to meet next week to discuss their possible legal recourse. ■ Reports from Christine O. Avendaño, Leila B. Salaverria and Tarra Quismundo
Philippine News
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
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P-Noy: ‘There’s still time for Cha-cha’ BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Philippine Daily Inquirer BRUSSELS—President Aquino believes there is still time to amend the Constitution to lift the provision limiting him to a single term, if he should decide to seek a fresh mandate. Mr. Aquino said it was too early to talk politics but did it just the same when he was met by flag- waving Filipinos who gathered at the 11th- century Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in the Belgian capital earlier this month during his Presidential trip to Europe. He said Filipino voters would be choosing between two kinds of candidates in the 2016 presidential election, one who would continue “all the reforms that we have started” and another who has been opposing them but might later claim to embrace continuity. Speaking of the latter, he asked: “Are we ready to gamble on them? Isn’t continuity assured if we would side with the one, who, this early, is clearly contributing?” Mr. Aquino endorsed no specific candidate, but left open the possibility that that person might ultimately turn out to be himself. Two years remaining
Speaking with reporters on board a chartered Philippine Airlines flight from Madrid to
seek the highest office in 2016. Mr. Aquino said Binay “has committed to me to be supportive until the last day of my term and I appreciate that.” In his meeting with members of the Filipino community here, the President spoke of the type of candidate who “does nothing but oppose all the reforms that we have been fighting for.” “Because they oppose what we are doing, they are also against the ‘righteous path’ [ tuwid na daan],” he said. In a second term, Mr. Aquino said he would be “more efficient without a learning curve.” But he said he was also considering the toll on his personal life and on those of his Cabinet members.
[the corrupt] off the hook, especially the big fish,” he said. In Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte yesterday said the President and his reform agenda have “upset a lot of people’s rice bowls” and they are the ones wanting to make him look like a lame duck less than two years before his term ends. “It’s not a secret that we did upset a lot of people. I used the word ‘upset’ to try to be polite… You hear this from him (President Aquino) most of the time that since his assumption into office, he has upset a lot of people’s rice bowls and that’s not a small thing. That is a very serious thing,” Valte said in a media briefing.
‘Conscience will tell me’
A lame duck
Brussels, he said he could still make a second run for the presidency even if that would require amending the Constitution with less than two years remaining before the next elections. “Don’t we have a saying that if one wants something, nothing is impossible, but if he doesn’t, nothing is possible?” he said. “So, if the vast majority think that this is the route that has to
be taken, then there will be a way based on the Constitution to afford that opportunity,” he said. A second Aquino run for the presidency would collide with the political ambitions of Vice President Jejomar Binay, an Aquino family friend who has long announced that he would
In the end, Mr. Aquino said he would decide based on “what would be in the best interest of the state.” “My conscience will tell me, after listening to everybody— this is the course to take,” he said. In his speech before Filipinos here, the President vowed to continue running after the “big fish” in his campaign against corruption, using as an example the three senators now detained in connection with the pork barrel scam. “If it is proven that they had sinned against the people, they will be made accountable. Clearly, we are casting a wide net of justice and we will not let
similar series of small shallow tremors known as a “swarm” hit the same region several years ago and was caused by movements of a fault line. In some cases, a “swarm” precedes a major earthquake, he said. Residents of the worst-hit mountain village of Luayon, where 45 houses were damaged and 15 destroyed, were celebrating its foundation day with a program at which provincial Gov. Emmylou Mendoza was a guest when the strongest earthquake struck, Buenacosa said. “We felt the stage swaying,” Mendoza told reporters. “We grabbed hold of our chairs and looked at each other. After about 10 seconds it was over
and the program continued.” Buenacosa said officials stopped residents from returning home where concrete walls had cracked and collapsed. Two Protestant chapels and an empty daycare centre were also damaged. He said he was preparing breakfast when the first quake struck. The seismology institute recorded more than a dozen earthquakes striking minutes apart. The Philippine archipelago lies in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where earthquakes and volcanic activities are common. A magnitude-7.2 earthquake in central Bohol province killed 200 people last year. ■
A magnitude 5.0 earthquake hit the mountainous souther region of the Philippines last week, leaving homes destroyed and a few injuries, but no deaths.
President Benigno S. Aquino is welcomed by Prime Minister Elio di Rupo in Brussels last week. ROBERT VINAS / MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU
Clash with Binay
Valte was asked on how concerned Malacañang was that there are forces—as the President himself told the INQUIRER last week—that want to render him already ineffectual as he approaches the end of his sixyear term. “The President has always acknowledged that there are those who would want to return to the norm of business as usual, that we go back to how it was before. I can tell you that it is in the interest of these people to go back to business as usual to make it seem that the President is a lame duck,” she said. ■ With reports from Nikko Dizon
Quakes destroy... A magnitude-5 quake, the strongest of the tremors that shook the area, caused most of the damage in one mountain village, said Eduardo Buenacosa, disaster officer of Makilala municipality in North Cotabato province. Local officials were preventing residents of houses that were destroyed from returning home because of the danger of a collapse, he said. He said three people were treated for bruises after they were hit by concrete fragments from collapsed walls. Renato Solidum, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said a ❰❰ 1
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Philippine News
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 FRIDAY
Hopes dim that Philippine peacekeepers can be deployed back to volatile Golan in near future THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MANILA, PHILIPPINES— Philippine President Benigno Aquino III said he’s been told security threats on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights are not expected to ease soon, dimming hopes that U.N. peacekeepers can be deployed back to the region in the near future. A group of 244 Philippine peacekeepers flew back to Manila on Friday, September 19 after being recalled, while 84 more were due home Sunday, ending a five-year presence in the increasingly volatile Golan. There have been no signs suggesting the Philippines will resume its mission in the Golan. Filipino forces continue to help a U.N. peacekeeping mis-
sion in Haiti. Aquino said his government was informed in a letter from the U.N. assistant secretarygeneral for peacekeeping operations, Edmond Mulet, that “there is no expectation” that U.N. peacekeepers could be deployed back to the Syrian side of the Golan “in the short or midterm.” Aquino’s comments, made Friday during a just concluded trip to Germany, were released to the media on Sunday. The U.N. peacekeeping force, known as UNDOF, has patrolled a buffer zone between Syria and Israel since 1974, a year after the Arab-Israeli war. For nearly four decades, U.N. monitors helped enforce a stable truce between the two countries. The Syrian war, however, has
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spilled over to the Golan buffer zone and led to the abduction of peacekeepers by al-Qaidalinked anti-Syrian government militants and other attacks that prompted several countries to
withdraw their soldiers. As the peacekeeping mission frayed, the U.N. Security Council on Friday reaffirmed its unconditional support for maintaining the peacekeeping force
in the Golan Heights. It called the mission vital “to peace and security in the Middle East.” When he returns from his European and U.S. trip next week, Aquino will pay tribute and bestow awards to the Filipino peacekeepers, military officials said Sunday. Many of the Filipino peacekeepers recently battled Syrian rebels. The militants surrounded two U.N. encampments on the Syrian side of the Golan buffer zone, but the Filipinos defied a rebel demand for them to lay down their arms and surrender. The outnumbered Filipinos fought back and then managed to escape from the camps, ending a dangerous standoff. The militants succeeded in abducting 45 Fijian peacekeepers, but later freed them. ■
Binay: All... Bribe only for vice mayor “If there was a commission said to be collected by the vice mayor, it is very clear that it was only for himself,” Binay said. Binay also took issue with the way the senators treated his son when the Makati mayor appeared at the Senate hearing, saying they “insulted, ridiculed and ignored his position and mandate.” He also slammed the way senators lambasted a COA representative who did the audits on the building, accusing the auditor of “incompetence” and “having been bribed.” Binay insisted that a simple comparison of the parking building with other government buildings like the Iloilo Convention Center would show that there was no overpricing and irregularity in the Makati structure. He said the price of the parking building was P69,549 per square meter, which is lower than the P74,751 per sq m for the House of Representatives annex building in Quezon City as well as the P105,000 per sq m of the Iloilo Convention Center, which was just in the first phase of construction. “Why are they saying the ❰❰ 7
Makati City Hall Building II is overpriced when the cost is almost the same as those of similar public buildings?” he said. No comparison
But Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. took exception to Binay’s comparison of the parking building with the House annex building, saying the building at the legislative complex in Quezon City was made of “firstclass materials” and was “not a garage.” “This [cannot] be compared with the Makati parking building,” Belmonte said. Binay vowed to fight the allegations against him, reminding the nation that two administrations had attempted to “silence” him during his more than 28 years in public service, using “their power and all agencies of government to harass me and cow me into submission.” “But because the truth is on my side as well as with you, my people, they did not succeed,” Binay said. He said he was being persecuted now by “ambitious politicians who do not want us to extend to the whole country the programs we have introduced in Makati.”
Addressing the poor
“They do not want us to help the poor—surely because they come from rich families and their attitude and prejudice is to look down on everyone else,” he said. In trying to rally the nation behind him, Binay directed his plea to the poor, criticizing the Aquino administration for failing to deal with poverty. He said his fight was for those “who, day in and day out must fall in line to get a ride on the MRT and the LRT, braving the traffic and flood, and going home at night with fear in their hearts because of rampant criminality.” “They could maul us and insult us left and right, we will always get up and fight,” he said, referring to his detractors. Binay called on his political enemies to “elevate the political debate” and to “stop lies and character assassination.” And because the 2016 election is just two years away, the Vice President, who had earlier announced his plan to run for president, called for a clean and fair election and promised that he would continue as Vice President to ensure that the nation would enjoy the same prosperity enjoyed by the residents of Makati. www.canadianinquirer.net
Vice President Jejomar Binay.
“We shall fight for a better life for every Filipino,” he said. Binay and his family left immediately after his speech but his spokesperson, Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla, stayed behind to answer reporters’ questions. Remulla said the Vice President wrote his speech and made 20 revisions, the last being an hour before he delivered the speech. Can still win in 2016
Remulla said he believed
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Binay was able to explain himself on the allegations against him as well as his “life’s work.” “He is confident because the people and the truth are on his side,” Remulla said, adding that Binay was confident as well of his chances of winning the presidency despite the controversy. Remulla also said Binay had not yet decided if he would appear in the Senate inquiry into the scandal. ■
Philippine News
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
Affluence eludes poor crowding into Asian cities as elites capture increasing share of wealth BY ELAINE KURTENBACH AND MARGIE MASON The Associated Press JAKARTA, INDONESIA—Down a concrete path, between rail tracks that buzz with each approaching train and a river choked by plastic and raw sewage, Asih Binti Arif cradles her baby and reflects on dreams gone dark. Five years ago, Arif and her husband left impoverished Madura Island, joining migrants throughout the Indonesian archipelago seeking a better life here in the capital. Across the developing world, migration from country to city has long been a potential path out of poverty. Less and less is that true for Arif and millions of others in Asia, where the wealth gap is growing in many of the most densely populated cities in human history. From India to Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines, overcrowded cities have become studies in extremes of deprivation and wealth. The trend could worsen as the widening global gap between the richest and everyone else undercuts efforts to reduce poverty. When the rich capture a rising share of wealth, the poor and middle class typically suffer. Experts say other problems tend to follow: poorer health, less education, family breakups, crime and unstable societies. “With inequality, the impact of growth on poverty eradication is muted,” said Indu Bhushan, an Asian Development Bank official. Indonesia’s inequality measure rose from 30.8 in 1999 to 41.3 in 2013 on a scale of zero to 100 where zero means everyone has equal wealth and 100 means one person has all the wealth. Such sharp increases, which reflect wealth concentrating in fewer hands, have occurred in India, China and elsewhere, too. Against the backdrop of Jakarta’s gleaming office towers and luxury hotels, Arif’s family lives in the Tanah Abang slum. They scavenge garbage for discarded bottles, cardboard boxes and frayed clothes. “I can’t even imagine or dream of that life,” Arif said as a train thundered past. “The gap is so big. They are in the sky, and we are on the earth.” *** In past decades, the power of industrialization allowed hundreds of million to emerge from extreme poverty.
In 1981, nearly 1.7 billion Asians were living on less than $1.25 a day. Today, the figure is about 700 million. But vast numbers cannot aspire to rise much further. About 80 per cent of the 3.6 billion people in developing Asian countries still live on less than $5 a day, many relying on day labour, rag picking or other meagre livelihoods. Even migrants who arrived in cities years ago feel trapped in a seemingly permanent underclass. At the same time, the numbers of millionaires and billionaires has burgeoned, creating elites that have more in common with the ultra-rich in cities such as Paris and New York than their own countrymen. Outside of eastern China and the advanced economies of South Korea and Japan, an Asian middle class has not taken widespread hold. In Mumbai, India’s financial capital, Pandurang Bithobha Salvi, 52, is a veteran migrant from Naganwadi, a village about 500 kilometres (300 miles) away. Villagers have been heading to Mumbai since the 1950s to work and supplement meagre farm incomes. Despite India’s ascent as a business outsourcing centre, most migrants find only low-paying unskilled work. Salvi and 20-odd men share the $130 monthly rent on their 17-square-meter (180-square-foot) room festooned with drying shirts and pants. Cramped as it is, the tiny room is a step up from Mumbai’s slums. Across town on tony Altamount Road, billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his family luxuriate in their 400,000-squarefoot (37,000-square-meter) mansion. Three years ago, Ambani moved into the 27-story structure, with three helipads, a movie theatre and recreation centre for a price reported above $1 billion. It’s among the world’s most expensive homes in a city of 21 million people where an estimated 40 per cent live in slums without basic sanitation. The crisis has worsened since 2005, when slum dwellers made up 35 per cent of the city. Stagnant pay and runaway inflation are putting a decent life out of reach, said Salvi, who used to work as a bus conductor and for a time could afford to have his family live with him in Mumbai. Having given up the job because of back problems, he earns much less now as a security guard. His family returned home, and Salvi squeezed back into the village’s shared room, where sleeping arrangements are a nightly conundrum: six
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SC stops COA from taking back P170-M settlement for DBP employees BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer THE SUPREME Court (SC) last week stopped the Commission on Audit (COA) from recalling a P170.89million grant to employees of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) given to settle a dispute over allowances. The court en banc yesterday issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) in favor of the DBP employees, barring the COA from enforcing the notice of disallowance the audit agency had issued against the fund in 2006. This effectively returns the one-time grant to the DBP employees. “The TRO is effective immediately and until further orders from the court,”
said SC spokesperson Theodore Te. The DBP had asked the court to stop the COA from taking back the grant called the Governance Forum Productivity Award (GFPA), which had been approved by the DBP board of directors, to settle a row between the bank and its employees over allowances. The COA ordered the DBP to return the funds in January last year, junking the bank’s plea to recall a notice of disallowance issued by the audit agency’s Fraud Audit and Investigation Office (FAIO) in 2006. The unit had found that the GFPA had no legal basis. The FAIO said in a 2010 decision that salaries, wages, allowances and benefits of government employees could not be negotiated “because these are governed and fixed by law.” ■
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❱❱ PAGE 14 Affluence eludes
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Philippine News
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 FRIDAY
Philippine storm... tion and Management Council reported that more than 700,000 people were affected by Tropical Storm Fung-Wong in metropolitan Manila and in northern and central Philippine provinces, forcing more than 205,000 to evacuate. At least five people died. Gov. Imee Marcos of Ilocos Norte on the northwest section of the main island of Luzon said fierce winds and heavy rains battered her province for more than 12 hours, blowing away roofs, toppling trees and flooding highways. “I am basically holed up in my bedroom with a generator and several computers and telephones because I can’t even cross the street,” she told The Associated Press Saturday by telephone from the provincial capital of Laoag, about 400 kilometres (290 miles) north of Manila. “Basically I told everyone to hunker down. There is very little we can do,” she said. She said floodwaters and fallen trees have cut off some highways to her province. Rescuers were headed to those trapped by the flooding, and relief supplies were being distributed, she said, adding there were no immediate reports of casualties. “Every time there is a little rain we have trouble, and now this is more than a little rain so it’s really been difficult,” Marcos said, adding that the last time the province experienced something similar was 10 years ago. At least 86,000 people in the capital alone were displaced ❰❰ 1
Traffic along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).
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Traffic chaos need not be distressing BY JOCELYN R. UY Philippine Daily Inquirer STUCK IN chaotic traffic again? Read a good book or listen to classical music to protect your heart and ease the stress you get from traversing Metro Manila’s roads daily. The Department of Health (DOH) gave this advice to commuters, noting that enduring traffic jams every day would give them a higher chance of developing noncommunicable diseases, particularly hypertension and related heart problems. “If you’re stuck in traffic, read a nice book or listen to classical music. That’s what we doctors advise. Find ways to relieve the stress and be relaxed,” said Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, health undersecretary and DOH-National Capital Region director. Herbosa said it was important that the government promptly deal with the traffic woes in the metropolis to protect the health and welfare of the public. “It is important that we solve the problem immediately because it is also an additional health risk to our citizens,” Herbosa told reporters in an interview. Hypertension
Citing the large body of literature on the negative impact
of traffic congestion on public health, Herbosa said clogged roads increased the chances of commuters experiencing severe stress that could lead to hypertension or heart attacks. “It has been proven in medical science that if you live in a city where there is more traffic, the incidents of heart attacks are higher because of stress. So, it is really important that we solve this,” he said. According to Harvard Health Publications, the release of stress hormones, such as epinephrine, into the bloodstream, increases the amount of cholesterol that the body makes. Blood pressure rises and platelets become stickier when the sympathetic nervous system is provoked, it said. “Stickier platelets make blood clots more likely, while ongoing high blood pressure damages the heart, blood vessels and other organs, and greatly increases your chances of developing heart disease,” it added. Learn to cope
While concrete solutions have yet to be drawn up to ease traffic in Metro Manila, Herbosa said commuters must learn how to cope. Instead of worrying about how the traffic is going to make them late for meetings, they must divert their attention to
good books or classical music, which has been shown in several studies to lower stress. The health undersecretary said commuters must go to their appointments early. “If you have a meeting, leave earlier than usual. Move early so we can adapt and be stressfree,” he added. Earlier this month, Malacañang said it was exploring ways to ease traffic in Metro Manila following a major gridlock on the southbound lane of North Luzon Expressway and on roads leading to the Port of Manila on Sept. 5. Truck ban lifted
The traffic was blamed on the truck ban imposed by the local government of Manila. The deteriorating Metro Rail Transit 3 service also aggravated traffic woes, with many commuters lining up for hours just to get on a train on Edsa. The misery suffered by commuters is expected to ease a bit. Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada ordered the lifting of the sevenmonth-old ban on cargo trucks in the city, which was blamed for congestion at the Port of Manila, food shortages and rising prices of basic goods, among other traffic-related problems. Estrada’s order took effect at noon on Saturday, September 12. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
Friday in one of the worst floods in the sprawling metropolis of 12 million in recent years. Dirty water flowed into the ground floors of many homes, sending residents scrambling to upper floors and onto roofs. The rain and an unrelated radar malfunction combined to divert, delay or cancel dozens of domestic and international flights at Manila’s airport. Government offices in the capital and 15 provinces were closed Friday and the Philippine Stock Exchange suspended trading. Government forecasters said nearly a month’s worth of rain fell overnight. Meteorologist Aldczar Aurelio said the storm, which made landfall in northern Cagayan province east of Ilocos Norte with top winds of 100 kilometres (62.5 miles) per hour, enhanced the seasonal southwest monsoon winds and clouds from the Indian Ocean and Australia and dumped heavy rain over the capital area. He said 268 millimeters (10.5 inches) of rain fell on the capital in a 24-hour period ending early Friday. That was more than half the amount of rainfall that caused massive flooding in Metro Manila in 2009, the worst in 40 years. Forecasters said the storm was over the Luzon Strait on Saturday, packing sustained winds of 105 kph (65.6 mph) and gusts of up to 135 kph (84 mph). Last week, Typhoon Kalmaegi hit the same northern Philippine region, leaving eight people dead and displacing more than 366,000. ■
In this NASA satellite photo, Tropical Storm Mario (international name: FungWong) is seen lingering just east of the Philippines.
Philippine News
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
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Paris welcomes Aquino BY CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Philippine Daily Inquirer PARIS—Twenty-five years after the historic visit of the late President Corazon Aquino, her only son got his own taste of a Parisian welcome. France rolled out the red carpet—80 meters to be exact—when President Aquino arrived on September 18 from Brussels, on his way to its Salon d’Honneur. He proceeded on board a presidential car to the presidential suite of the Hotel InterContinental Paris Le Grand, which offers a stunning view of the Paris Garnier Opera House. The President was given military honors at Arc De Triomphe, the iconic structure built in honor of soldiers who fought during the Napoleonic Wars, where he also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Judging by how the French prepared for Mr. Aquino’s official visit, he was no ordinary guest. Both French President François Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls met separately with Mr. Aquino on the first day of his visit. Mr. Aquino’s grand reception included a luncheon hosted by Hollande at the Palais de l’Elysée. It was not usual for both the French president and prime minister to meet a visiting head of state or government, Philippine Ambassador to France Maria Theresa Lazaro said. Joint statement
The Philippines got a strongly worded statement of support from France in its effort to come up with a peaceful resolution of its territorial dispute with China. Presidents Aquino and Hollande issued a joint statement rejecting “any acquisition or
claim, by coercion or force, of any or all territory of a State by another State, in violation of international law, especially the Charter of the United Nations.” With Hollande attaching special importance to the visit of Mr. Aquino, both leaders “emphasized the importance of the full and effective implementation” of the Declaration on the Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. They also called for the “early conclusion” of a binding Code of Conduct to promote “peace and stability” in the region. The joint statement pretty much adopted the Philippines’ proposed Triple Action Plan to peacefully resolve disputes in the South China Sea, around 90 percent of which is being claimed by Beijing. Hollande noted the importance of Mr. Aquino’s official visit, which came 25 years after France had rolled out the red carpet for his mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, in 1989. ‘You are her continuity’
“You are not just her son— you are her continuity,” Hollande told Mr. Aquino through a translator. “You embody democracy in the Philippines.” The President’s arrival came more than two decades after France first rolled out the red carpet for his mother in 1989, three years after the Edsa People Power Revolution. She has since become a towering icon of democracy. How the French valued Corazon Aquino was documented by the Presidential Management Staff in 1992. Among the world leaders invited to the Bicentennial Celebration of the Fall of Bastille in 1989, she was “bestowed the singular honor of being the only state visitor,” it noted. “This rare honor was given prominence along Champs-El-
ysees where the Philippine flag was flown alongside the French tricolor during the peak of the celebrations,” it recalled. “Hundreds of French Republic Guards on horseback were a magnificent sight to behold as they cantered forward, blowing on trumpets as they escorted President (Cory) Aquino to the State Guesthouse. All roads leading to Marigny were closed to traffic to accommodate the Presidential entourage.” Message, symbolism
Years later, the younger Aquino got his turn, his visit “important in both the message it sends and its symbolism,” Lazaro said. She noted how the Philippines turned from a “pariah state” of France during martial law, to its “darling” when democracy was restored in 1986. France was the first country to recognize the Cory Aquino government. Lazaro recalled that at the state dinner for Cory Aquino, then French President François Mitterrand explained why she was a special guest. “The commemoration of the Bicentenary of the French Revolution... is, for us French, somewhat exceptional. I wanted to invite, for this occasion, a few of those people who are working to create a more just and more generous world in the spirit of the universal values of human rights and democracy that France proposed to the world in 1789,” Mitterrand had said. “Twenty years later, bilateral relations between the Philippines and France have evolved,” Lazaro said. “While cooperation in culture as well as in official development assistance remains, foremost in President Aquino’s agenda with President François Hollande are economic and trade relations, including defense cooperation.”
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President Benigno S. Aquino III wears 3D glasses while watching a presentation beside Bernard Chares, President and CEO of Dassault System, during Aquino's Presidential visit to France last week. RYAN LIM / MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU
‘Shared values’
Mr. Aquino cited the “shared values” between Paris and Manila, noting that France was “among the first in the community of nations to recognize the revolutionary government of my mother,” following a bloodless revolt in 1986. “France, at a critical juncture in my nation’s history, stood by us, as we worked to rebuild our democratic institutions. Then as now, France has been a close friend and a reliable partner of the Filipino people,” he said. Hollande and Mr. Aquino witnessed the signing of three agreements: Updated Air Services Agreement, the 20142016 Executive Program of the Cultural Cooperation Agreement, and a Memorandum of Understanding between the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) and the French National School for Administration (ENA). A fourth agreement was signed between Globe Telecom and French telecommunications company Alcatel-Lucent over the Filipino firm’s move from 3G to 4G technology. The Air Services Agreement will pave the way for direct
flights between Manila and Paris, which “will boost tourism and economic trade,” Lazaro told the INQUIRER. The ambassador said the cultural cooperation agreement would “provide for visiting artists, heritage restoration and conservation and cultural management, among others.” “The MOU between the DAP and ENA will provide for academic exchanges, particularly in the field of the training of public servants,” Lazaro added. Mr. Aquino said he was looking at France as a “reliable partner” in the ongoing modernization of the Philippine military. France and the Philippines are set to sign later this year an updated defense cooperation agreement, renewing the one signed in 1994. The new deal would cover defense equipment, logistics and defense industries, the two leaders said. Hollande said he and Mr. Aquino agreed to place political cooperation between their two countries at an “exceptional level.” ■
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Philippine News
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 FRIDAY
Recycled budget for 2015 feared Passage of spending law in House delayed by tiff over Abad’s DAP list BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer THE SPECTER of a reenacted 2015 national budget looms after Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco has threatened to keep invoking the lack of a quorum in House plenary debates on next year’s General Appropriations Act. Tiangco, secretary general of the oppositionist United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), said he would question the lack of a quorum for every day that Budget Secretary Florencio Abad fails to provide the House of Representatives with a complete list of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) funds released to legislators, as Abad had promised.
“Am I the one holding it hostage or is it Secretary Abad? Who made that promise [to provide the DAP list] on the record? That is the point,” Tiangco told reporters Thursday. A quorum is required for every session day, but it has been the practice in the House to suspend proceedings instead of adjourning them, thus, the session day is considered a continuation of the previous day when there was a quorum. Since the plenary debates on the budget began Monday— when a quorum was achieved— the House leadership has been suspending the session at the end of each day, thus, still reflecting the attendance on Day 1, though in reality only a few lawmakers were present on subsequent days.
Not a threat
‘That’s Tiangco’s problem’
“I am not threatening it, I will do it. If there’s a quorum, I will accept the fact that they [majority] can strong arm us,” Tiangco said in Filipino on his Twitter account. He denied holding the budget process hostage.
ing over of this year’s budget to next year. Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said Tiangco should not take out his “beef” with Abad and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on the 2015 budget. “That is his problem, but why should the entire budget suffer because of it?” Gonzalez told reporters in his office. Gonzales nearly figured in an altercation with Tiangco on Wednesday night after House leaders suspended proceedings without acting on Tiangco’s motion to adjourn the proceedings, which would have required a roll call in the next session.
that he had wanted. “He should take pity on the House secretariat,” Gonzales said. An adjournment would have required the House secretariat to prepare the journal for the past three days of budget deliberations on the following day. ‘Sanitized’
In the face of Tiangco’s threat, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. called a meeting of Liberal Party (LP) leaders on Thursday morning to appeal for members to attend the budget deliberations and prevent a reenacted budget, or the roll-
The confrontation was captured by TV cameras which caught Tiangco blocking Gonzales’ way and lightly pushing him until Quezon City Rep. Jorge Banal of the LP wedged himself between them. Gonzales said Tiangco had basically “accomplished” what he had set out to do that day— which was to put a stop to the proceedings, but not in the way
Gonzales noted that Belmonte himself had turned over to Tiangco a DAP list submitted by Abad at the start of the budget debates late last week. But in the evening, Tiangco returned to question what he described as a “sanitized” list with missing details and items. Gonzales said Tiangco should not block the budget deliberations just to get back at the executive branch. “Which is why I’m saying be careful what you wish for because it might happen,” Gonzales said. “The process of delaying approval of the budget will eventually result in a reenacted bud-
get, and we’re saying that this is an election budget,” he said. He said a reenacted budget tended to favor the President. “If I were the President, [then I would] enjoy.” “As it is, following the Supreme Court decision [on the DAP], the entire budget is a reenacted budget. So in 2014, if you had P1 billion to build a bridge in a municipality that’s been completed, it becomes savings, you can use that for similar road projects,” Gonzales said. But in a phone interview, Tiangco said a reenacted budget was a natural consequence of a lack of quorum in the budget deliberations. ■
property boom. But most of Asia’s richest are second- and third-generation beneficiaries of family fortunes. The World Bank and other global organizations have found that extreme poverty has declined over the past 30 years, in part because U.S., European and Japanese manufacturers brought work to poor Asian countries—textile factories to Bangladesh, for example, and electronics makers to China. Yet experts say the decline in poverty has been slowed by the wealth gap. The Asian Development Bank estimates that an additional 240 million people in Asia would have risen out of the direst poverty if inequality hadn’t increased. For countries such as Myanmar that are latecomers to industrialization, the challenges are acute. A treasure land of gems and tropical timber that was the world’s biggest rice exporter during Britain’s colonial era, Myanmar stagnated for
decades under generals who yielded power in 2011. Economic reforms are transforming the skyline of its biggest city, Yangon, but not the lives of people like Thein Tun Oo, whose extended family of 10 subsists in a one-room bamboo shack on the muddy banks of Pazundaung Creek. Thein Tun Oo, a carpenter who sold his farmland to pay for his father’s failed cancer treatment, wagered everything in moving five years ago to Yangon from Bago, a region 100 kilometres (60 miles) away. “At least here we can find some work,” said Thein Tun Oo, 44. The family feels it has been worth years of illness and handto-mouth living to secure education and opportunities for their four girls, ages 4 to 17. The eldest, Po Po Aung, left school at age 7. For a time, she worked with the next eldest hauling gravel for less than 4 cents for each 20 kilogram (44 pound) basket, earning money to pay
for school fees. “We work a day and eat a day,” said their mother, Thin Thin Khaing, struggling to be heard over the engine of a gravel-hauling boat berthed beside their door. Asked what she hopes will come of Myanmar’s reforms, including plans for factory parks that might provide better-paying jobs, Thin Thin Khaing and her husband laugh. “We are just manual labourers, and we don’t know about such things,” she said. *** Some of Indonesia’s superrich are known for announcing their wealth by roaring down Jakarta’s main roads in sports cars or stretching out in chauffeured Roll-Royces. Amanda Subagio, 37, a socialite whose father founded a telecommunications and satellite empire, said the flaunting of extravagant wealth by “new money” is deepening the discontent of struggling Indonesians.
“You should be at least aware of how other people are living in this country,” she said. The “other people” are those like Arif, the scrap collector in Jakarta’s slum, and her neighbour, Samia Dewi Baturara, who share the same shack divided by a plywood wall. Baturara left the island of Sumatra alone last year to try to earn enough to support her two children, who stayed behind with their grandmother. She said she earns too little to ever bring her children to the city. Yet unlike Arif, she still allows herself to dream. As Baturara peddles coffee opposite the luxury ShangriLa hotel, she pictures herself as a guest in the exclusive world inside. She would have to work 40 days, without spending anything, to afford one night in the cheapest room. “I imagine that I can come to the hotel and see the room,” she said. “Almost every day, I imagine how I can sleep there.” ■
Confrontation in House
Affluence eludes... on a makeshift loft, 10 on a floor mat, one or two on a table, and occasionally several in the hallway. One factor behind Asia’s widening wealth disparities, said Bhushan of the ADB, is soaring real estate prices. Affordable housing has been squeezed out by luxury apartments, hotels and malls. India’s home prices have soared 60 per cent since 2009. Prices in Indonesia, China, Myanmar and the Philippines have surged, too. “In the past, some of us have made a better life for ourselves and our families,” Salvi said. “Such cases are becoming rarer now.” *** Asia’s ultra-rich and their offspring, with their private jets and platoons of servants, live in gated communities in a world prized by brands such as Cartier and Louis Vuitton and educate their children overseas. Some have been enriched by the rise of industries such as online commerce and by a ❰❰ 11
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Philippine News
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
15
4 Aetas fly to India to study solar energy BY NIÑA P. CALLEJA Philippine Daily Inquirer
Senator Franklin Drilon.
PHILIPPINEPRESIDENCY / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Drilon: We can’t... to contract. He said officials are looking to renting an existing working plant or purchasing modular generator sets, bigger ones that are plug-and-play. He also said officials had tapped a supplier in Australia, but the latter could not hold on to the stock for too long and wait for the Philippines to decide to get these, because there was also a demand for these from other countries. Petilla also told reporters that the authority to establish additional generating capacity was the only “real solution” he could see at this point. He said the other solutions being touted could not be relied on as of now. There have been few takers for the ILP, while the rehabilitation of the Malaya plant by summer of 2015 was also not a sure thing. “We’re betting so much on certain things that are uncertain. The only thing certain is if the government actually procures at this point,” he said. Asked what he would do if Congress would be delayed in approving the joint resolution, he said he would still “go to the last corner of the world and look for anybody who can actually supply what we need.” A delayed approval is still better than nothing, and the last thing he should do is give up, otherwise people will suffer, ❰❰ 3
he added. In case the joint resolution would not be approved, he said he would work on what he has, and ILP was the most feasible. 4 options
In the House, Umali said the committee on energy was looking at four options to augment the depleted power supply. These are the ILP, similar to a scheme in Mindanao that gives incentives to establishments to generate their own power and save energy, an “energy efficiency and conservation” program, the use of the natural gasfired Avion power plant and contracting the leasing capacity “from outside.” The fourth one would serve as the “last resort,” in which government would have to spend at least P6 billion over a two-year contract at a rate of P1 billion per 100 MW. “So if the requirement is 300 MW, then it should cost about P6 billion” over two years, Umali said, explaining that the contractor would not accept any contract less than two years because of the infrastructure the operation would involve. Umali said the last option would have to be mobilized within four months. “In the case of Fukushima, when the nuclear power plants [had a meltdown after the March 2011 tsunami disaster] the contractor was able to mobilize within 70 days.” ■
EVELYN CLEMENTE, a 49-yearold member of the Aeta tribe in Zambales province, had never taken a plane in her life until last week. “Kalabaw at jeep lang ang sinasakyan namin. (We ride only carabaos and jeepneys),” she said, holding a passport as she lined up at the immigration counter at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1. She and three other Aeta grandmothers left the country for New Delhi, India, at noon on Thursday, September 17 to study solar energy for six months and become “solar engineers” of their communities upon their return. Clemente and Sharon Flores, 40, come from an Aeta community in Subic, Zambales province, while Cita Diaz, 40, and Magda Salvador, 42, are from Bamban, Tarlac province. Barefoot College
The four Aeta grandmothers are the first batch of seven people belonging to the Indigenous Peoples (IP) in the Philippines chosen to be scholars in Barefoot College. Barefoot College is a nongovernment organization (NGO) catering to the basic needs of rural communities in India and other underdeveloped countries for the past 40 years now. It has been teaching communities “solar electrification” apart from offering them clean water, education and livelihood. Diwata-Women in Resource Development Inc., an NGO, partnered with the Embassy of
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India, Land Rover Club of the Philippines, and the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association in launching Barefoot College in the country on May 8. Dubbed “Tanging Tanglaw: Turning IP Grandmothers into Solar Engineers,” the program has been successfully launched in South Africa and other parts of the world.
sustainability,” Bunye said. In the case of Clemente’s village at Sitio Gala in Zambales, P2.6 million worth of solar panels that can light up 100 houses for five years will be installed upon their return. “We hope that when we get back, there’s already power supply in our village,” Clemente said. Excited, scared
Barefoot founder
“The founder of Barefoot College, Bunker Roy, believes that training women, who normally take care of their family, stay in their communities,” lawyer Patricia Bunye, president of Diwata-Women in Resource Development, said. “These women have to go back to be the ones to make solar panels and maintain and repair them,” Bunye said. Roy, one of Time Magazine’s top 100 most influential persons in 2010, believes that the success of Barefoot College in other countries can be replicated in the Philippines and thus, help in strengthening the ties between the Philippines and India, Bunye said. The Indian government will shoulder all the expenses of the Aeta women, from airfare to lodging and food. Diwata and other partner organizations employed a stringent process of qualification in choosing a candidate for the program. They are the ones that will identify sources of funds for the purchase of equipment, which will be installed by the grandmothers in their communities. Acceptability, sustainability
“Grandmothers are chosen for this program to ensure not only acceptability of the program, but more importantly its
Unable to finish grade school, Clemente said she was both excited and scared. “We are nervous because we don’t know much. This is our first time outside the country. We don’t know what to do,” Clemente said as the four of them were about to board a Cathay Pacific flight to New Delhi. But the Aeta grandmother was optimistic that the people there would help them out. “Our goal is to go back and be able to help the people in our barrio,” she said. Language, Bunye said, would not be a barrier, since Barefoot College was known as an institution teaching its students by doing. In charge
After six months, the four Aeta grandmothers will be in charge of maintaining the solar panels and leading the communities for the project’s sustainability. “The money they would have used for kerosene lamps has to be set aside in a fund. The money will then be used to buy a set of solar panels in the future,” Bunye said, speaking about how the project will be made sustainable. Three other members of Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines will be sent to India some time in March next year. ■
Opinion
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SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 FRIDAY
THERE’S THE RUB
Elephant in the room By Conrado De Quiros Philippine Daily Inquirer THE SILVER lining is that “Mario” wasn’t as bad as “Ondoy.” Unnerving as the sight of Metro Manila turned into “Waterworld” was—you could see that in stark relief in aerial photos—Mario dumped only half as much rainwater as Ondoy. Although tell that to the residents of Marikina and Cainta, many of whom were driven out of their homes when the floodwaters rose. Marikina River in particular rose to 20 meters high and overflowed its banks, forcing residents to flee to higher ground. One long-suffering resident sought shelter in the second floor of a neighbor who lived in a higher part of the street. Her dog swam in the knee-high flood while she waded through it. Alas, she sighed, that had become her lot in life every time it rained hard. At the first sign of it, she would bundle her clothes and trek to her neighbor’s place. She wondered when it would end, short of giving up a long-held family abode and relocating elsewhere. The silver lining as well is that the casualties were minimal. There were initially only four reported deaths, though that number appeared to have risen to six last Saturday. The deaths included two children, one of
whom, a two-year-old, drowned; the other, an infant, was crushed by a fallen tree. The rest were adults who died by drowning or electrocution. The drastic fall in casualties appears to be the result in part of swifter government response, particularly in relocating residents of affected areas to relief centers, and the residents’ own cooperativeness in the sudden exodus. The wanton toll of past disasters has taught Filipinos a bitter lesson in the folly of stubbornness and intractability. With disasters growing in frequency and ferocity, even the poor have realized that gambling with their lives is a losing proposition, the odds have become murderously higher. And of course there’s the specter of “Yolanda.” I saw the effects of it only a few months ago when the residents of coastal Albay abandoned their homes with alacrity at the first warnings of a tempest coming their way. The tempest proved truly tempestuous—the winds howled all over Legazpi, enough to make you wonder if they weren’t going to tear off buildings from their sockets—and left a twisted wreckage afterward. But with the wondrous result that not a single soul was separated from its body. Mario did not leave without claiming its due, but at least Metro Manila was
niggardly in paying its price. There were dark clouds as well. The first thing the deluge drove home to me, as I saw from the images on TV last Friday night, was how poor we are. Never mind the subdivisions adrift in water with the occasional family trapped on roofs waiting to be rescued by rubber dinghies which bobbed plentifully about. Mind only the slums surrounded by water that
Not everyone is a student who will revel at the forced vacation and flee to the higher ground of malls. Most are hand-to-mouths who will deeply mind not having anything in hand to shove to the mouth, or mouths, of family, from not having found work that day. rose to the chest, their teeming denizens wading, or swimming, through it, trying to retrieve what precious few possessions lay tucked in the obscure corners of their cardboard hovels. They’ve always been there, of course, the slums, but it takes Nature’s fury of the kind that struck last Friday, however it was of the relatively milder kind compared to Ondoy, to push their stark reality to the surface of consciousness. You realize that a great
many of Metro Manila are slums, and a great many of Metro Manila’s residents, if not the majority of them by their sheer plenitude, live in them. It’s not this government’s fault, of course. The slums have been there for as long as we can remember, though they have been growing over the years, almost imperceptibly until something like this stuns us to their roaring presence. Poverty has been there for as long as we can remember, though it hasn’t greatly waned and now exists side by side with record growth. The second has barely dented the first. It’s a reality check, a reminder that we may not pat ourselves on the back for a qualified achievement. Or, worse, imagine ourselves to have gone over the hump, let alone way past it. Poverty remains teeming. Poverty remains grinding. A thing driven home by the fact that it’s the poor who take the brunt of storms, deluge and other ravaging. Not all victims are the kind who have lost their homes, their kin or their mind and can avail of disaster relief. Most are ordinary folk, electricians, mechanics, truck drivers, jeepney drivers, factory hands, office clerks, call-center employees, messengers, who earn their daily bread daily and whose loss of one day, not to speak of several days, from a cataclysm pro-
duces cataclysmic results. Not everyone is a student who will revel at the forced vacation and flee to the higher ground of malls. Most are hand-tomouths who will deeply mind not having anything in hand to shove to the mouth, or mouths, of family, from not having found work that day. There’s much to be thankful for in Mario having produced only a handful of casualties. But there’s much to fear in future downpours and torrential rains and great floods coming this way, not all of which will be as sedate as Mario, some of which will be as biblical as Yolanda. Which will devastate the poor most of all. Which will wreak havoc on those who can afford the least havoc in their lives. Which will leave bereft those who are already mind-bogglingly bereft. Mahirap ang mahirap. If a seemingly minor deluge like Mario, at least so in comparison to apocalyptic ones, has anything to say to us, it is to sound a note of urgency not just about the horrendous reality of climate change but about the even more horrendous reality of the plight of the poor. I do hope, with no small help from Pope Francis’ visit next January, that that becomes the overriding issue in the next elections. It’s the elephant in the room, the monstrosity we keep not seeing. ■
AS I SEE IT
Thank you, God, for creating trees By Neal H. Cruz Philippine Daily Inquirer A photograph on an inside page of the Inquirer early this week showed big beautiful trees along a highway in Pangasinan. Those trees would have been cut had not environmentalists protested and Secretary Ramon Paje of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (may his tribe increase) issued a freeze order on all treecutting. The freeze order came too late to save 1,829 trees, but saved 770 other trees marked for execution. Rep. Mark Cojuangco of Pangasinan is furious. He wants the treecutting to continue. The trees are blocking the widening of the highway, he said. Congressman Cojuangco has no imagination, which, I hope, is not the case with all members of Congress. Roads can be widened without cutting trees. It has been done many times before, not only in the Philippines but in many other countries as well. And it is easy, simple and cheap. Just widen the road on the other side of the trees and make the line of trees a traffic island, thus
making the road safer. In the provinces, this is not difficult to do as there is plenty of land there. I invite Congressman Cojuangco and others like him to visit Quezon City and see how the Department of Public Works and Highways saved the trees along Katipunan Avenue, behind the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, and on Kalayaan Avenue, which runs beside Quezon City Hall, and still widened the roads. Not only were the trees spared, the roads were also made safer and more beautiful. The DPWH made other lanes on the other side of the lines of trees and built flower boxes around the tree trunks. The trees now function as traffic dividers. In case a speeding vehicle loses its brakes, it will not collide head-on with oncoming vehicles. It would crash into the line of trees, which would act as a cushion, thus lessening the impact and saving lives. That’s what Secretary Paje directed the DPWH to do: Study the road-widening plans again and find ways to save the trees. I am sure Congressman Cojuangco has gone to many places in the world and seen how roads were widened with-
out trees being cut. In California in the United States, authorities made roads run through holes bored into the trunks of giant sequoia trees rather than cut them. Singapore is called the “Garden City” because of its many trees. Do you know where the first of those tree seedlings came from? The Philippines. Congressman Cojuangco said the planting of trees along roads should
There is now an acute shortage of wood in the Philippines because of the logging ban and the denudation of our forests. The only big trees left are those on the roadsides. Is that the reason there is a scramble to cut those trees? be banned. I can’t believe a member of the House of Representatives said that. They are supposed to be the better educated and more enlightened members of society. I am sure Cojuangco has driven, or been driven, on roads lined with trees here and in other countries. Wasn’t it relaxing and pleasurable to pass under the shade of trees? Weren’t these tree-shaded roads beautiful? When
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passing under them, wasn’t he grateful that the trees were there? Just looking at tree-shaded lanes makes me want to walk under them. I ask those who do not agree with me to drive, in the summer, on parts of highways in Laguna, Batangas and Quezon, where fire trees line the roads, and see how beautiful they are. It would make one wish that the DPWH would plant more trees along more roadsides and the DENR on our bald mountainsides. It would make one thank God that He created trees. *** I suggest that the DENR and DPWH investigate where the wood from the cut trees ended up. Some people suspect that the wood was sold by contractors or unscrupulous DPWH personnel to lumberyards, furniture makers and wood carvers. There is now an acute shortage of wood in the Philippines because of the logging ban and the denudation of our forests. The only big trees left are those on the roadsides. Is that the reason there is a scramble to cut those trees? Wood carvers and furniture makers are complaining that it is now very difficult to find wood for their
crafts. Lumberyards now saw mostly coconut-tree trunks into coco lumber. But coco lumber does not last long: It is soft and rots easily. Coco lumber is used mostly as scaffolding in the construction of houses. Contractors now use steel for scaffolding in the construction of buildings, but for one- and two-story houses, they still use coco lumber. It is possible that the wood now being used is from the trees cut inroad-widening projects. Years ago, when flue-curing of Virginia tobacco was at its height in the Ilocos provinces, there was a shortage of firewood for the fluecuring barns, and even trees in residential backyards were decimated. Is this still going on? Where do the flue-curing barns get their fuel now? When the bakeries needed plenty of fuel years ago, the mangrove colonies were decimated to provide hardwood for them. Now, the thousands of ihaw-ihaw restaurants and sidewalk barbecue stands need plenty of charcoal. Squatters and charcoal makers now decimate what remains of the second-growth forests to make charcoal. The DENR should find an alternative to these practices. ■
Opinion
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
17
PUBLIC LIVES
The two faces of authoritarianism By Randy David Philippine Daily Inquirer AS WE look back to that fateful day in September 1972 42 years ago, when Ferdinand Marcos proclaimed martial law, we need to understand how and why many Filipinos accepted one-man rule in the first instance. The threat of authoritarian rule will remain so long as we do not recognize that our inherited institutions of governance, as modern as they are, cannot function properly under conditions of mass poverty and sharp inequality. The dictatorship decisively solved many practical problems of governance. It offered an escape from the endless political bickering and grandstanding that seemed to hobble our democratic but immature political system. In the early 1970s, we were surrounded by neighbors that had, early on, adopted the model of the strong authoritarian state as the key to rapid economic growth in a highly competitive and uncertain world. We were particularly in awe of the great economic strides achieved by a disciplined South Korea under the stern leadership of Park Chung-hee. We saw how Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia—all under authoritarian regimes— were overtaking us in everything.
Marcos offered martial law as a rational response to the crisis of political authority. He was finishing his second 4-year term as president amid a resurgence of activism. He was kept busy parrying various charges of corruption thrown at him by the opposition and the mass media. Gridlock everywhere characterized the process of decision-making. Bombs were exploding in Metro Manila. Mindanao was restive; new Moro fronts, organized in the wake of the so-called “Jabidah massacre,” were leading the push toward secession. The political class sought to address the palpable crisis of the nation-state through a Constitutional Convention, even as its own work was clouded by accusations of presidential meddling. The picture that emerged, drawn in no small measure by Marcos himself, was that of a society on the verge of collapse and chaos. Many began to believe that the basic fault lay with the Filipinos themselves—their lack of discipline, their self-centeredness, and lack of commitment to the nation’s development. Marcos seized upon this growing despair among the people to sell the idea of a “revolution from the center” that would rescue the nation-state by dismantling the feudal base of the landed
elite, restore order, bring the country into the stream of global economic growth, and uplift the poor. A whole generation of Filipinos was brought up on the mantra “Sa ikauunlad ng bayan, disiplina ang kailangan.” Indeed, as if in confirmation of the correctness of the authoritarian model for transitional societies, the centralization of political authority
Marcos might have thought that his “constitutional authoritarian” experiment could last a long time. He had been surprised at how easy it was to impose it. But, unfortunately for him, no one was bold enough to give him a different view of where the country was headed, until it was too late. that Marcos achieved through martial law produced quick outcomes. The export processing zone project in Mariveles, Bataan, which had been stalled by protracted debates in Congress, was finally implemented. The drug lord Lim Seng was executed by firing squad. The crime rate went down dramatically. Government offices began to function efficiently. And when the first oil crisis hit the
country, a rationing system was immediately put in place to prevent panic and hoarding. More importantly, badly needed infrastructure and facilities were built without much discussion and fanfare. A nation that had grown weary of its squabbling politicians, vociferous media, and angry demonstrators actually began to appreciate the corporatist approach to governance that the regime seemed to exemplify. But the consequences of silencing all dissent and criticism soon became manifest. When Marcos cronies and relatives started to seize properties and entire companies through coerced purchases, and public funds were used without accountability for the regime’s most capricious programs and projects, people saw what authoritarianism meant. The starkest reminders of the viciousness of martial law, of course, were the summary executions, disappearances, torture, and prolonged detention perpetrated by a military that had no fear of the courts. We need to understand these two faces of martial law if we are to prevent its recurrence in our society. The temptation of centralizing political authority to solve problems brought about by the catastrophe of dysfunc-
tional governance will always be there. Unless the roots of the dysfunction are traced back to their sources in the fundamental inequalities of our society and in the total impoverishment of the many, we will forever think that the solution to the problem lies in having willful strongmen and/or moral exemplars for leaders. To me, both types are symptomatic of the search for shortcuts to a complex task. Disinclined to be strictly bound by law, this style of governance is not sustainable in the long term. It is ultimately undermined by the blind spots created by its own self-referentiality. Marcos might have thought that his “constitutional authoritarian” experiment could last a long time. He had been surprised at how easy it was to impose it. But, unfortunately for him, no one was bold enough to give him a different view of where the country was headed, until it was too late. The same fatal self-referentiality afflicts moral leaders who cannot understand how anyone could doubt their intentions. Indeed, even institutions are not exempted from this syndrome. That is why Pope Francis, in one of his first pronouncements as pope, urged the Church to break out of its comfort zone and learn to look at itself from the “periphery.” ■
AT LARGE
Thoughts on a family feud By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer ONE would think, as a man reaches the threshold of his “date with destiny,” that his thoughts would turn from worldly concerns to more sublime matters, such as the fate of his soul, the welfare of his loved ones, and the legacy he leaves behind. But Gonzalo Co It, who is 94 years old and has been confined to a wheelchair, even as his mind remains sharp and his penmanship is remarkably steady and readable, has been forced to contend with more material concerns. It is not all about money. The dispute with his siblings Anthony, Peter and Mary, and other relatives, including the widow of his brother Joseph and all his nephews and nieces, centers on Gonzalo’s legacy, indeed the defining achievement of his life—his claim to founding the Green Cross company that manufactures the well-known brands Green Cross Rubbing Alcohol and Zonrox bleach. True, there is a lot of money involved. Green Cross Inc.—which has branched out to personal and healthcare products—is believed to be worth “billions,” says one of Gonzalo’s eight children. But there are also policy issues involved. A glance at the
list of the country’s richest individuals would show that these men and women preside over family corporations, and their stability and continuing prosperity rely on the continuing good relationships between and among parents, siblings, even grandchildren who assert ownership over the company’s assets. As the years move on, generational priorities and values may change, and when disputes arise economic stability could not but be shaken and stirred. And so it is with the decades-long dispute between Gonzalo and his siblings, a dispute that has now spilled over to their respective children and grandchildren. It is a family tragedy that has struck at the heart of the most sacrosanct of Filipino-Chinese traditions—respect for one’s elders and caring for the welfare of family members. *** As gleaned from Gonzalo’s own memoirs, the Cos were once so close they resided in one house, with the Co parents and siblings living on the second floor while Gonzalo, his wife and children lived on the ground floor. Gonzalo himself admits that he spent much of his time “upstairs,” since, as the eldest son who is more than 20 years older than his brothers and sister,
he felt like a “second father” to them. But in the 1970s and 1980s, after Gonzalo Laboratories was reorganized and renamed Green Cross Inc., things soured between the brothers and sister over the distribution of shares, with Gonzalo filing criminal and civil suits against his siblings, nephews and nieces for alleged misappropriation of the shares he entrusted to them.
As an observer to this family saga, I can only hope that the old man crosses the divide reconciled with his siblings and freed from the memories of their bitter feud over the fruits of all their collective hard work. In their rebuttal to Gonzalo’s claims—published in several newspapers and even in a recent series of full-page ads—the Co siblings say that, contrary to Gonzalo’s assertion, the company was really founded by their father, who funneled his life savings into setting up Gonzalo Laboratories. “Gonzalo” was used simply because, according to Chinese tradition, the name of the first-born is usually adopted as the name of the family business. In his memoir, Gon-
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zalo says his father simply lent him the start-up capital and that he had paid it back in full. *** The Co siblings cite a series of court decisions affirming their ownership of Green Cross following Gonzalo’s turnover of the controlling shares to them for which he was compensated. “Like most of you,” they said in a public statement, “we are law-abiding citizens and private persons who simply wish to live a quiet life. We also happen to be in the right…. That is why we have patiently gone through and continue to go through the proper legal processes to clear our name.” Gonzalo concedes that court cases have not exactly gone according to plan. He even approached the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice to examine documents related to the case he filed against his siblings; and in ads he recently took out in several dailies, he cites the NBI finding that stock certificates to Green Cross had been forged. Estafa charges have been filed, while the DOJ also recommended to the Anti-Money Laundering Council to look into the alleged diversion of Green Cross funds to another company. Gonzalo has even gone to the ex-
tent of filing charges against Joseph’s widow alleging that her decision to bury her husband’s remains in a mausoleum which he claims to own violated his rights. That claim was later rejected by the Court of Appeals. *** I must admit that, from the outside looking in, I don’t see how the separate branches of the Co-Green Cross family could bridge the divide that has sprung between them. Especially now that later generations have gotten involved. One hopes that the spirit of family unity and togetherness will prevail, especially in the remaining weeks, months, even years of Gonzalo’s life. As an observer to this family saga, I can only hope that the old man crosses the divide reconciled with his siblings and freed from the memories of their bitter feud over the fruits of all their collective hard work. But for that to happen, passions need to cool down and compromises reached. I don’t know if either side is willing to take a step forward toward reconciliation. But the very public and heated exchange of words especially through the media cannot help the situation any. On this, I must say that I’ve already said my own final words on this sad family feud. ■
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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
Canada News
ISIL adds Canada to global hit list, but Tories mum on how they’re fighting back
NEWS BRIEFS
FROM THE CANADIAN PRESS
BY STEPHANIE LEVITZ The Canadian Press
POLICING COSTS, STAFFING RISE AS CRIME FALLS: STUDY The Seal of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
Canada is sending 69 special forces personnel to serve as advisers to Iraqi forces battling ISIL militants, in addition to humanitarian assistance. That mission is only supposed to last 30 days, although it remains unclear when that time frame began—or even whether the clock has indeed started running. “With any credible terrorist threat, the government must take appropriate security measures, but this must not become an excuse for rubber-stamping the Conservatives’ ill-defined military mission in Iraq,” MP Jack Harris said Monday during question period as he asked the government for more detail on the time frame. None was forthcoming. Prime Minister Stephen Harper suggested the government was still
exploring further contributions to that mission and is also looking at what more it can do domestically. The House passed legislation last year making it a criminal offence to leave Canada for the purpose of committing terrorism—a law the United Nations Security Council said Monday it now wants all of its members to copy. But when asked specifically what more Canada was doing, Harper demurred. “We have, as you know, strengthened laws in this country to deal with these kinds of threats,” Harper told a news conference on Parliament Hill. “We are currently in the process of examining these laws and examining other means we may have to
VANCOUVER—Policing costs and the number of officers continue to rise in some Canadian cities despite a decline in crime rates, according to a new study by the Fraser Institute. The report, released by the conservative-leaning policy think tank on Monday, said between 2001 and 2012, police officers per 100,000 Canadians rose 8.7 per cent while crime rates during the same period fell by 26.3 per cent. LAWSUIT OVER ER DEATH IN APPEAL COURT WINNIPEG—The family of a man who died during a 34-hour wait in a Winnipeg emergency room is asking Manitoba’s highest court to reinstate its lawsuit against a health authority. Lawyer Murray Trachtenberg told three Appeal Court justices Monday that Brian Sinclair’s charter rights were violated when he died in a hospital waiting room in 2008. CANADIAN WOMAN ARRESTED AT JFK WITH GUNS
❱❱ PAGE 22 ISIL adds
Lawyer says he will appeal dismissal of class action lawsuit over moose crashes
NEW YORK—Police say a 24-year-old Canadian woman has been arrested at Kennedy Airport with handguns, ammunition and 15 kilograms of marijuana in her checked baggage. Joseph Pentangelo is the spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police. He says the Scarborough, Ont., woman was arrested on Sunday, September 21 in Terminal 5.
BY SUE BAILEY The Canadian Press
STUDY GIVES CAUTIOUS NOD TO E-TRACKING TOOLS
ST. JOHN’S, N.L.—A Newfoundland lawyer who lost his bid to hold the province liable for moose-vehicle crashes says the fight isn’t over. Ches Crosbie said Monday he will appeal a provincial Supreme Court
ruling that dismissed the class-action lawsuit he spearheaded. He also called on the province to settle with plaintiffs in light of what he called a “moral victory” that has already forced the government to act. Judge Robert Stack of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador ruled the province is not liable for the collisions and took
reasonable steps to prevent them. But Crosbie believes a threejudge appeal court panel may not agree. “The case is unprecedented in many ways,” he said at a news conference. “It’s entirely possible that other judges who are equally ❱❱ PAGE 29 Lawyer says
OTTAWA—An internal federal study says electronic monitoring could be a useful alternative to locking up some immigrants and refugee claimants. The study, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act, looks at the use of wired ankle bracelets, voicerecognition systems and other tracking tools in seven countries.
JAY SIGGERS / FLICKR
OTTAWA—The federal government refused on Monday to be specific about its efforts to neutralize the growing threat of Islamic extremism both at home and abroad—even in the face of an ominous new threat levelled directly at Canada. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is calling for supporters to kill westerners, be they military or civilian, from countries involved in the battle against ISIL in northern Iraq— including Canadians. Canada’s decision to send special forces “advisers” to join the fight against ISIL is likely what prompted its inclusion on the global hit list, observers said, though the prime minister noted that such threats have been on the radar of security agencies for a long time. But there were calls Monday for far more disclosure about what exactly the government plans to do about it. Though the government has readily said they believe more than 130 Canadians are involved in terrorism abroad, Immigration Minister Chris Alexander cited privacy concerns in refusing to say how many passports he has revoked to prevent would-be attackers from moving around the globe. The government also refused to disclose the status of a military mission it is joining in northern Iraq.
Canada News
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A musical satire about Rob Ford (pictured above) had some minor changes done to the ending in light of Mayor Ford's recent and sudden health revelations. The show still went on due to contractual obligations to cast, crew, and theatrical staff. WEST ANNEX NEWS / FLICKR
Rob Ford musical satire premieres as ailing mayor undergoes cancer treatment BY COLIN PERKEL The Canadian Press TORONTO—Close to 200 people turned out for last week’s premiere of a musical satire about Toronto’s infamous mayor just hours after a cancer-stricken Rob Ford thanked well wishers from his hospital bed for their support. Organizers made some minor changes to the ending, pulled a planned red carpet, and dimmed the marquee out of respect for Ford’s situation but decided the show had to go on in light of contractual obligations to cast, crew and theatre staff. Some patrons admitted to feeling a touch uncomfortable at watching a show based on the notorious foibles of a man whose substance abuse and often offensive conduct made him a celebrity, a laughing stock and object of scorn. “It’s bad timing that it’s opening just as he became ill,” said Patricia Ribbans-Hryciw, one of those in the near full house. “(But) it made Rob Ford look even more likable than he is.” Her husband, Nicholas Hryciw, had no qualms about going to see a funny show about Ford. “It’s not about the illness, it’s about the show,” he said. “I loved every minute of it. Everybody was absolutely incredible. I laughed so hard.” In a nod to the mayor’s situation, audience members were asked to donate money to cancer research—something they can do at each show. Earlier Thursday, Ford issued a recorded statement in which he pledged to face his health challenge head on. He also urged voters to rally behind his brother Doug, who entered the mayoral race after the cancer forced him to withdraw. Lead actor-singer Sheldon Bergstrom of Prince Albert, Sask., said word of the mayor’s illness struck a personal chord—his mother died of cancer just six
weeks ago. Bergstrom, who seemed to channel Ford on stage, said he hoped the at-times raucous and raunchy romp through the mayor’s recent past would do the family justice. “We’re having some fun, but we’re also being respectful at the same time,” Bergstrom said minutes after completing the premiere performance. “We did not want a kick a man when he’s down.” Jessica Herbert, an avid supporter of the mayor, admitted to some pangs about attending the show given the mayor’s poor health but said he would see the humour in it. “I don’t think he’d have a problem with this,” Herbert said. He’d probably laugh along if he was sitting in the audience.” Dubbed as “gravy train meets the crazy train” in reference to Ford’s campaign promise to cut waste at city hall, the “unabashed, take-no-prisoners comedy” traces Ford’s rise to notoriety, starting with reports in May last year of a cellphone video apparently showing him smoking crack cocaine. Brett McCaig, who co-wrote and produced “Rob Ford the Musical: Birth of a Ford Nation” slated to run through Sept. 28, said he wanted to bring a human quality to a man who had become a “two-dimensional cartoon character.” “Sometimes, I just can’t help myself,” the main character laments, while other characters remind the audience, “There’s a little Rob Ford” in all of us. While it’s unlikely to happen now, Bergstrom said he had hoped Ford would have been in the audience at some point and leave “feeling that he was given a fair shot.” The show also features several characters who played roles in the mayor’s scandal-plagued year, including Ford’s brother played by Justin Bott. Between them, Bergstrom and Bott create a convincing sense of the Fords’ sibling dynamic, the rivalry and the mutual support. ■
Canada formalizes joint space operations with Australia, the U.S. and the U.K. THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA—The Department of National Defense has formalized an international partnership that, among other things, is aimed at avoiding satellite collisions. The so-called Combined Space Operations Initiative involves the sharing of space-related information and resources among Canada, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. The Defense Department says in a news release that the international space partnership will help Canada and its allies to more effectively co-operate on activities like identifying and understanding space objects and also ensuring uninterrupted satellite operations. National Defense notes that the Canadian Armed Forces rely on space for a wide range of functions that include weather information, navigation, communications, mapping and search and rescue.
www.canadianinquirer.net
Defense Minister Rob Nicholson says in a statement that Canada has been a space-faring nation for more than half a century and in that time, the cosmos has become a more crowded and complex environment in which to operate. He says that by extending its co-operation with its closest allies, Canada can share its expertise, solve common problems and ensure defense dollars are spent to maximum effect. The international arrangement builds on several Canadian military space projects that include Sapphire, Canada’s first dedicated military satellite, which detects man-made objects in orbit and transmits data that could help prevent close encounters involving satellites. Sapphire, which was launched in 2013, is a metre-long satellite, that weighs about 150 kilograms. MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates was awarded a $65 million federal contract to build the satellite. ■
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Canada News
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
Harper government backs Senate bid to speed passage of anti union bill BY JOAN BRYDEN The Canadian Press OTTAWA—The Harper government has thrown its support behind a bid to whisk a controversial anti-union bill through the Senate. Kevin Sorenson, minister of state for finance, said Monday the government supports the intent of Bill C-377, a private member’s bill initiated by Conservative MP Russ Hiebert which would force unions to publicly disclose details of their spending. Sorenson called it “a reasonable bill to increase union transparency” and backed a move by Conservative senators to cut short debate on the bill, which has been widely denounced as unconstitutional, undemocratic and an invasion of privacy.
ΑΝΤΏΝΗΣ ΣΑΜΑΡΆΣ ΠΡΩΘΥΠΟΥΡΓΌΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΆΔΑΣ / FLICKR
“Our government believes Canadians and workers should have the right to know where their mandatory dues are being spent,” Sorenson told the House of Commons. He noted that the bill has been before the Senate for two years and added: “It is time to get it out of the Senate. We believe that we need to move this bill ahead.” The bill sparked a revolt among Conservative senators in June 2013. Sixteen Tory senators joined forces with the Liberals to approve amendments that gutted the bill. Another four Tory senators abstained. Before the House of Commons could consider the Senate amendments, Prime Minister Stephen Harper prorogued Parliament. In accordance with rules for reinstating legislation following prorogation, the bill wound up back before the Senate in its original form, where little attempt was made over the past year to move it forward. However, Conservatives signalled last week that they intend to restart debate on the bill this week. At the same time, they’re moving to change the rules in the upper chamber so that time allocation can be imposed to limit debate on private members’ business, including C-377. NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said the two moves demonstrate that the C-377 is really a government bill disguised as a private member’s bill. And he said they make a mockery of any notion that senators are independent. “They don’t want to wear it as their own ... It gives them a fig leaf and they get to around saying, ‘Well, it’s not us, it’s a private member’s bill,”‘ Mulcair said. “But obviously it’s a government bill. And that’s why Mr. Harper’s going to use his bully pulpit with the Senate once again and tell, of course, these independent senators exactly what they’re going to do.” The bill would require unions to publicly disclose any spending of $5,000 or more and any salary of more than $100,000. Critics maintain the bill would infringe on provinces’ constitutional power over labour issues, violate charter guarantees of free speech and association and amount to an invasion of privacy. Mulcair said the bill is part of the Conservative agenda to make life miserable for labour unions. “It’s also manifestly illegal. It will be thrown out by the courts, I have no doubt about that,” he predicted. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
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World News
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
South Africa says it will get up to 8 nuclear reactors under deal signed with Russia BY CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA The Associated Press JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA—South Africa has signed a deal with Russia to get up to eight nuclear reactors built with Russian technology. The deal was signed on Monday on the sidelines of a conference of the U.N. atomic agency in Vienna, South Africa’s energy ministry said in a statement. It was signed by Tina JoematPettersson, the South African energy minister, and Sergey Kirienko, director general of Rosatom, Russia’s state-owned nuclear company. The South African statement said the project will be completed by 2030. It did not say how much it will cost. South Africa already has two nuclear reactors that generate
6 per cent of its electricity, according to the energy ministry. The country relies heavily on
coal for its energy needs and its electrical grid is under severe strain. ■
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FRIDAY
ISIL adds... monitor and to take action against both organizations and individuals who may undertake activities that are potentially threatening to Canadians.” The ISIL statement, contained in an audio recording, was released in Arabic by the group’s media arm, Al-Furqan, and appeared on militant sites used by the group. The Associated Press reported the speaker sounded like that of previous recordings attributed to Abu Muhammad AlAdnani. In the 42-minute recording released online late Sunday, alAdnani called on Muslims everywhere to kill anyone whose country takes part in the attack. “If you can kill a disbelieving American or European—especially the spiteful and filthy French—or an Australian, or a Canadian, or any other disbeliever from the disbelievers waging war, including the citizens of the countries that joined a coalition against the Islamic State, then rely upon Allah, and kill him in any manner or way however it may be.” ❰❰ 18
The global reach of ISIL through social media is what makes threats like these particularly chilling, said Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former Canadian intelligence officer who now heads up an Ottawa-based cybersecurity company. “They have been capable (of recruiting) young people without speaking directly to them face to face,” Jueau-Katsuya said. “If they’ve been capable ... through the Internet to reach them, I wouldn’t be surprised that they convince some of these people that instead of travelling to the Middle East to stay here and simply attack us here.” Canadians need to know more about how far the government is willing to go to counter potential terrorism, said Liberal MP Wayne Easter, who was once the minister responsible for national security. “We have defined a way of ensuring we protect ourselves against these radicalized individuals, but we also have to find a way to make sure that justice prevails in terms of a person’s right to fair play,” Easter said. ■
World News
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
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Obama administration makes it harder, less lucrative for firms to move overseas to avoid taxes BY JOSH LEDERMAN AND JIM KUHNHENN The Canadian Press WASHINGTON—The Obama administration cracked down Monday on certain overseas corporate mergers and acquisitions, aiming to curb American companies from shifting their ownership abroad to shirk paying U.S. taxes. New regulations from the Treasury Department will make these co-called corporate inversions less lucrative by barring creative techniques that companies use to lower their tax bill. Additionally, the U.S. will make it harder for companies to move overseas in the first place by tightening the ownership requirements they must meet. “This action will significantly diminish the ability of inverted companies to escape U.S. taxation,” Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said. He added that for some companies considering inversions, the new measures would mean inverting would “no longer make economic sense.” Administration officials who briefed reporters could not say how many pending inversions might be stopped by the new rules and specifically would not address whether the rules would block one of the most high-profile moves, an effort that Burger King announced in August to acquire Tim Hortons, a Canadian coffee and doughnut chain. In such transactions, a U.S. business merges with or is acquired by a foreign company in a country with a lower tax rate. President Barack Obama has denounced inversions as unpatriotic and has urged Congress to stop them. Obama applauded the Treasury for taking steps to reverse the trend of companies seeking to “exploit this loophole” to avoid paying their fair share in taxes. Yet he said he was still calling on Congress to pursue broader tax reform that would reduce the corporate tax rate, close loopholes and make the tax code simpler. “While there’s no substitute for congressional action, my administration will act wher-
President Obama's Administration is cracking down on overseas corporate mergers to curb American companies from using foreign ownership for tax loophole purposes. The announcement comes six weeks before Congressional Elections in the US. PETE SOUZA / FLICKR
ever we can to protect the progress the American people have worked so hard to bring about,” Obama said in a statement. Coming just six weeks ahead of Election Day, the timing of Monday’s announcement highlighted the appeal Democrats believe the issue has with voters. By having Treasury announce new steps now, the White House was practically daring Republicans to voice their opposition. The announcement puts companies on notice that Treasury will be drafting regulations to clamp down, but the new measures will take effect immediately even while those regulations are pending. That means any transactions from Tuesday onward will be subject
to the tougher restrictions. Three new measures will seek to stop companies from finding ways to access earnings from a foreign subsidiary without paying U.S. taxes, including “hopscotch” loans, in which companies shift earnings by lending money to the new foreign parent company while skipping over the U.S.-based company. Another rule change would make it harder for merged or acquired companies to benefit from lower foreign taxes by tightening the application of a law that says the American company’s shareholders must own less than 80 per cent of the new, combined company. The administration would like to reduce that percentage to 50 per www.canadianinquirer.net
cent, but that will require legislation. In the absence of legislation, the administration says its new rules will make it harder for companies to get around the 80 per cent requirement by prohibiting certain arrangements, such as a firm making large dividend payments ahead of the acquisition to reduce its size on paper. About 50 U.S. companies have carried out inversions in the past decade, and more are considering it, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. The recent wave of inversions has been dominated by health care companies, including drugmaker AbbVie, which has announced plans to merge with a drug company incorporated in Britain. Treasury called the new rules
a “targeted action” aimed at ensuring that the U.S. tax system only provides incentives to genuine cross-border mergers that strengthen the economy. Democrats generally supported the action as the best the administration could do without action from Congress while Republicans faulted the administration for not making a greater effort to work with Congress to enact comprehensive corporate tax reform. “The administration has made a good effort but administrative action can only go so far,” Sen. Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., said in a statement. “This rule makes some companies think twice before inverting, but legislation is sorely needed.” Republicans pointed out that the U.S. has the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world and argued that Obama should be pursuing efforts to simplify the tax code, not punish companies. “We’ve been down this rabbit hole before and until the White House gets serious about tax reform, we are going to keep losing good companies and jobs to countries that have or are actively reforming their tax laws,” said Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., who chairs the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee. About 50 U.S. companies have carried out inversions in the past decade, and more are considering it, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. The recent wave of inversions has been dominated by health care companies, including drugmaker AbbVie, which has announced plans to merge with a drug company incorporated in Britain. Several Democrats in Congress have announced bills to make it harder for U.S. corporations to carry out inversions, and Obama included provisions in his 2015 budget request to limit inversions. Obama elevated the issue in July, demanding “economic patriotism” from U.S. corporations that use legal means to avoid U.S. taxes through overseas mergers. “I don’t care if it’s legal,” Obama declared at the time. “It’s wrong.” ■
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Seen & Scenes: Vancouver
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
FRIDAY
COMMUNITY BIDS FAREWELL TO A BELOVED CONSUL
Craig Keating presented a Certificate of Appreciation from North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto to Consul Diano. Consul Melanie enjoying her farewell party with husband Steph (standing), and kids Kenzo and Mia.
Ed Tapia, Madame Miriam Ferrer, Lita Nuguid with grandchild, and Consul General Neil Ferrer.
Deputy Consul General Anton Mandap’s gives a fond farewell to his colleague.
Officers of Metro Vancouver Philippine Arts & Culture Exposition Society made Consul Diano an honorary council member of Barangay North Vancouver during their send-off party for her.
Standing-room only crowd.
Mike Calingo (L) and Joel Castillo (center) provided farewell gifts from the community to Consul Melanie and family.
For photo submissions, please email info@canadianinquirer.net. www.canadianinquirer.net
Seen & Scenes: Toronto
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
CANDIDATES’ FORUM Philippine Press Club-Ontario (PPCO) with Rose Tijam as President, hosted a forum for candidates running for various positions in the Ontario elections. The event was attended by community groups and political parties including Filipino candidates Manny Ching, Lauroz Mercader, Michelle Serrano, Joey Abrenilla, Paulina Corpuz, Erlinda Insigne, Randy Bucao, Willie Reodica, Julius Tiangson, Ace Alvarez, Manny Yanga, and Gary Tanauan.
Newcomer to Toronto, Bambam O.C., was welcomed recently by her new-found friends in Finch West. (Photo by Ariel Ramos, St. Jamestown News Service, Romy Zetazate)
Pidoy and Ting Pacis of Max Restaurant hosted a dinner for the members of the original Hotdog Band headed by Dennis Garcia, on Dufferin and Steeles, Toronto, with Saladmaster dealers of United Kingdom. (Photo By Ariel Ramos, St. Jamestown News Service - Dindo Orbeso)
Arnold Aedan Domingo recently celebrated his 1st birthday at Earl Bales Park, North York, On. with family and friends. (Photo by Ariel Ramos, St. Jamestown News Service - Romy Zetazate)
PARTIES GALORE www.canadianinquirer.net
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The Maestro, Romi Mananquil, working on a painting in his basement studio. JACK BAUTISTA
FILIPINO-CANADIAN IN FOCUS:
Master of Art: Romeo ‘Romi’ Mananquil BY THESSA SANDOVAL Philippine Canadian Inquirer TO HIS colleagues and friends in the industry, he is known as the “Maestro” (master). Having spent most of his life painting, his mastery of the art is, indeed, unquestionable. Romeo Mananquil, also known as Romi, discovered his passion for the arts early in life. In fact, he learned how to draw before he learned how to write. The discovery of a world-class talent came when he found his father’s old painting of the Caloocan town hall and some old copies of “Liwayway” magazine—one of the oldest magazines published in the Philippines—with Fernando Amorsolo’s artwork on the cover in his aunt’s old “baul” (chest). When he opened the old chest, it seemed like a whole new world had opened for him as well. He was fascinated by what he saw. Using the little money he had, he immediately bought paper and excitedly copied the paintings and the comic series in the magazine using a pencil. “Right there, I made up my mind that I would be an artist,” he said. From then on, he never stopped creating art.
Painting a colorful beginning
He was just 10 years old when he got his first art commission for a school project. “I was ecstatic. It was a big job... a colored map of the Philippines in paper mache on a whole plywood. I labored on it for days, but I felt so fulfilled when I finished it and my customer was very happy with it. I got paid seven pesos (less than a quarter in CAD), which to me was a big, big amount,” said Romi. He was, then, just a boy who was happy with seven pesos; a boy who did not know yet that one Mananquil painting would cost much more in the future. Publicity came right away for Romi. His work was first published in The Torres Torch, the official publication of Torres High School in Tondo, Manila. Eventually, he became the paper’s chief artist. But young Romi did not just excel in the arts and extra-curricular activities. He also excelled in academics. Because he was the best student in his class and graduated with honors, he didn’t have a hard time getting admitted to the prestigious University of the Philippines (U.P.). He was one of the first to major in Illustration in U.P.’s School of Design, alongside other notable
artists like Daniel H. Dizon, Ruben Nicdao, and National Artist Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera. During his university studies, he also met the person who would become his mentor— Professor Jose Joya, one of his teachers. As Joya’s protégé, Romi assisted in many of his teacher’s artistic projects, like painting the backdrops for the ballet presentation “Giselle” at the Rizal Theatre and a mural at the new mansion of bigtime punter Felipe Ysmael. “I was his first choice (among his students that included Bencab) as student assistant for bigger commissions. Once, he gave me a job he couldn’t do and asked Bencab to be my assistant.” To Romi, Jose Joya was the most encouraging teacher. The professor knew that his student’s talent had no limit and that he would go far. Despite that, he taught Romi one important thing: “[He told me], ‘do not overwork, you should know when to stop.’” Becoming the ‘master of art’
Because his talent was ready for the world to see, “Liwayway,” the same magazine that first introduced him to the world of the arts many years ago, hired him to do illustrations before he even finished www.canadianinquirer.net
school. After graduating with Latin honors from U.P., he continued working for the magazine and became one of the country’s most illustrious artists. Romi also became a respected teacher at U.P.’s Fine Arts College. In the 80’s, Filipinos across the country would see his work. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines) hired him to design the 1985 flora and fauna series of banknotes and coins together with two other artists. He was the artist behind the first twopeso Bonifacio decagonal coin, the Balagtas 10-centavo coin, the one-peso tamaraw coin and the Tandang Sora five-centavo coin. He also designed the now discontinued green five-peso Aguinaldo bank note, the trihero 1000-peso bank note, and a 500 pesos Marcos bill that never circulated. He also became famous for using the dry brush technique when illustrating for magazines back in the day. Many artists who were his seniors and were more famous than him even copied his style. Starting with a blank canvas again
At the height of the Marcos movement and also his career,
Romi decided to leave the Philippines with his family. “I thought I have to do something for my family in that kind of situation,” he said. He had the opportunity to meet the Canadian Consul General at the time, and he and the Consul General immediately became good friends. He used his newfound friendship to be able to bring his family to Canada. “I was able to get immigrant visas for all of us in 3 months.” Starting a new life in a foreign land is never easy for many, and Romi couldn’t agree more. “For the first time, I experienced job hunting, applying, and getting rejected for the strange reason of being ‘overqualified’ and not having ‘Canadian experience.’ I finally got hired as an artist in a flag factory when I cut down my education to ‘high school graduate,’” says the Maestro. Having taught art courses back home, Romi eventually got hired as an art instructor at the Hilltop Community School for Continuing Education in Etobicoke, Ontario, and also conducted workshops in oil painting for Etobicoke School of the Arts. In 1989, he also got a job as a graphic artist at the Yellow Pages Group. Looking into new horizons
It was his feature in Filipino
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newspapers as the artist behind the flora and fauna Philippine banknote collection that led him to meet and be recognized by other artists in Canada. “That signaled the need for binding together,” Romi said. Together with his new friends, he joined Pilipino Artists in North America (PANA). In 1988, he reorganized PANA and renamed it as the Philippine Artists Group (PAG), which later became the Philippine Artists Group of Canada. He became the organization’s first president and served for 14 long years. Art was the only thing that connected Romi to his life back home and he wanted to share that connection with other Filipinos in Canada. “The PAG was organized to unite Filipino artists practicing their art [and] to primarily promote and showcase Philippine visual arts in this part of the world,” he explained. No matter how prestigious it may sound to be a president of an organization, Romi admitted that becoming the leader of a struggling group was a daunting task. “As president of a new struggling group composed of ultra sensitive members, I had to swallow my pride many times just to keep the group alive. To top it all, nobody wanted the job, and so for its first 14 years I was at the front line, doing most of what was to be done and getting most of the heat,” he said. Despite all the challenges, Romi remained strong for the group and said he would not have traded the experience for anything else. “Now I feel fulfilled seeing the PAG as a robust and respected group in the community, especially now that more and more Filipinos are starting to patronize Philippine art through the PAG,” he added. Romi’s hard work in promoting Filipino visual arts in Canada was recognized when he received a Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal, which is a commemorative
Romi (second from right) with his fellow Fine Arts students at U.P., including artists Daniel Dizon and Benedicto Cabrera.
Romi (extreme right) with fellow artists during the first ever Philippine artshow in Toronto (L-R) Papu Leynes, Ike Dizon, Art Cunanan, Ed Araquel, Rol Lampitoc, and Hubert Sabelis.
Romi stands by his mural with wife Necie at the U.P. Bahay ng Alumni lobby.
medal awarded to Canadians who made significant contributions to their community. In addition, the PAG now has more than 20 members, including young Filipino artists, and holds shows and exhibitions all throughout the year. Appreciating the greatest art of all
After years of service to the PAG, he decided to hand over the reins to another person. “I felt that somebody had to take over, so the PAG could shift gears and freshen up,” he said. However, he still wanted
to continue looking after the group. Today, he still serves as an advisor to the organization. Romi also decided to leave his career at the Yellow Pages Group to retire. But even though he is retired, he still has lots to do. “I just retired from my regular job. There is no retirement [when it comes to] being an artist, a househusband, a father, a grandfather and a family man.” He spends most of his time now conducting workshops in his basement studio, supporting the new PAG officers, and enjoying every moment in life
with his family. He is happy that he now gets to spend more time with his loving wife Necie, who has been at his side for almost four decades. Romi said that even though he looks up to artists like Juan Luna, Fernando Amorsolo, Botong Franciso, John Singer Sargent, Nicolai Fechin, Carolyn Anderson, Robert Coombs and Richard Schmid for inspiration, his greatest influence and inspiration is his wife. “When I was pursuing her, I used to include her in my illustrations for Liwayway, whenever I can,” he fondly recalled.
“Her likeness is always there when I paint Philippine women… There is something of her in practically all of my paintings,” he added. When asked about his plans for the future, Romi Mananquil, the master of art, said he would place everything at the hands of the true Master. “Whatever is next, God will guide me.” Following his mentor’s advice to know when to stop, the master of art is putting down his brush to finally appreciate the greatest art he created—his life and his wonderful journey in it. ■
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Immigration
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FRIDAY
PANGARAP : SO, OUR JOURNEY BEGINS
So, How Much Time Should You Spend Volunteering? BY BOLET AREVALO TREAT YOUR volunteer work as if it is you first job. You have so much to give, yet you have so much to learn. I spent my first year in Canada doing unpaid jobs and volunteering with different organizations. This was not because I could afford to not work, but for three reasons: One, I wanted to focus on breaking in my family to the new life. I was initially bringing three children who came from a pampered life in my home country, not so much in the material sense, but regarding helping out around the house. Labour was cheap back home in the Philippines, so they grew up with nannies from birth. Two, I myself did not know what I wanted to be. I had years and years of professional experience behind me. I had also a long list of things I wanted to do that I was not able to do in my past life. So, I felt I just had to coast along, go with the flow and discover what was best for me. Three, I did not know many people when I came here. I had a friend of twenty years or so and her family and two more acquaintances from a past job. That’s all. There had to be a way through which I could increase my network and spread myself, not specifically for a job, but simply to feel at home and welcomed. I did not know what I really wanted to do at first. As a result, during my year of volunteering, I was doing at least three volunteer gigs for three different institutions. I kept myself so busy that my family was chiding me about being even busier than
any other person who has a full-time job. I had meetings and duties even on weekends, with matching take-home assignments to submit to my group leader. Ordinarily, I would think it is best to be able to choose one organization where you can concentrate your time and your effort especially if you do not have much to spare, or if you are already working. It is not good to spread yourself too thin, and in the process not being able to make a mark or to give your best shot. You still remember, of course, that the jack of all trades is master of none. The other wise man says, do not eat more than you can chew. Even if you are not yet working, one or two volunteer jobs will be enough so that you can showcase your skills. It is not bad to admit that you are in that volunteer job to be discovered for your talents. But if you have too many commitments and foul up, instead of gaining the admiration of your co-volunteers or leaders, you might end up ruining your reputation. Treat your volunteer work as if it were a job. If you are committed to do it on a certain day of the week, at a certain time of the day, do that with perseverance and reliability. If you have been assigned to do something, give it your best and do it with joy. Many times, those things that we do without consideration of money are things that bring out the best in us and give us the most happiness. If I may have to go back to one of my thoughts earlier on volunteerism—it is to me an
act of nobility and charity. Any such act must be treated with love and patience. This genuine desire to share your talent and time will radiate in your everyday encounter with people in the group and will show in the quality of work that you turn in. Your volunteer work may be the first “job” you might get as you start out a new life in your new country. In it, you will have the opportunity to showcase your skills and gain the respect of other people. So, the only rule is once you commit yourself and a portion of time to a volunteer work, strive to persevere, and prove to be reliable. What Is the Reward of Charity?
Volunteerism is an enabler. A new immigrant participates in a process that enables him to do good to himself and achieve positive transformation by the very use of his own talents and skills. If I were uncomfortable about viewing volunteerism as a strategy to find work, the more I am uneasy about thinking of it
is as being charitable and expecting any reward in return. But of course, my word has no bearing on the law of nature—what goes around, comes around. What you sow is what you reap, and if you reap goodness, you will certainly sow goodness. Besides, volunteering is not necessarily viewed in Canada as simply a charitable act. The issue of migration and migrants’ integration in society in Canada has expanded the definition of volunteer work as being an ENABLER. It is a way for new immigrants to familiarize themselves with their new environment, mix with other people and re-engineer their skills and attributes in sync with the realities and needs of their community on the one hand, and their future workplaces on the other hand. Volunteer work enables new immigrants to slowly but surely blend with the social, cultural, economic and even political tableaus of their newfound country. In a volunteer work at the early stage of his integration, the new immigrant thus becomes an instrument of his own adaptability and transformation. Since he is not being paid and he contributes his time and talent with no material benefit whatsoever, he is developed into a new individual with his own dignity intact. He can take pride that such a transformation was mainly through his own initiative, his own decision to submit himself to a learning process. This is a process to which he mainly contributes
what he brings with him—time, talent, skill, energy, enthusiasm, commitment—as capital, and from which he happily takes on whatever is taught to him or whatever he can gather in the process. So, even if you want to call Volunteerism an act of charity, the net effect is in reality an act of charity to oneself. To do volunteer work is to enable yourself to hasten and perfect your own ability to integrate in your new society. Yet, nothing can be more beautiful than being able to achieve that, while at the same time knowing your volunteer work also helps the organization and your community in many ways. Because volunteer work is usually undertaken in tandem or harmony with other people in your community, the whole benefit of the process goes around and brings positive results to everybody. Volunteerism enables the individual to hasten his integration into his new society. Through volunteer work, the new immigrant becomes an instrument of his own adaptability and transformation, and thus reaps his own reward. He is met with new challenges and difficulties in a semblance of a work setting, with his own dignity intact because he is not being paid and he has done so out of his own initiative to learn, to change and re-engineer himself. ■ Bolet is a marketing communications practitioner and dabbles in writing as a personal passion. She is the author and publisher of the book: The Most Practical Immigrating and Job Hunting Survival Guide, proven simple steps to success without the fears and the doubts. Please check out https://www.amazon.com/author/boletarevalo.
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Immigration
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
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Federal government’s plan to revoke passports raises human rights concerns THE CANADIAN PRESS
Employment Minister Jason Kenney.
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Kenney: Foreign workers overhaul a success as applications plummet BY LEE-ANNE GOODMAN The Canadian Press OTTAWA—Employment Minister Jason Kenney says there’s been a significant decrease in applications for temporary foreign workers since the government announced an overhaul of the troubled program earlier this year. “We announced a fundamental suite of reforms to the temporary foreign worker program earlier this year to ensure that it is used only as a last and limited resort, and that Canadians always come first in the workforce,” he said in response to queries from the opposition during the Commons question period on Tuesday. “Since those reforms were announced we have seen a 75 per cent reduction in the number of applications for temporary foreign workers on the part of employers.” Kenney’s department says that the number of applications received in July and August was about 74 per cent lower than during the same time period in 2012, before the crackdown. New rules introduced in June aim to make it more difficult for employers to hire temporary foreign workers, requiring them to meet strict criteria to ensure Canadians are first in line for jobs. It also makes the process much more costly. For 40 years, the program was available to businesses across Canada with no annual assessment fee. A year ago, the Conserva-
tives implemented a $275 fee. In June, that fee was hiked to $1,000 for each worker, an expense that essentially placed the temporary foreign worker program out of reach for many small businesses. Some employers have complained that the new rules are too onerous and make it difficult for them to operate in areas of the country with low unemployment. Western premiers have also raised concerns about the overhaul, saying their provinces have a pressing need for skilled labour. Jinny Sims, the NDP’s employment and immigration critic, mocked Kenney’s defence of the overhaul, pointing to the case of 58 electricians in Saskatchewan who said they were laid off from Alliance Energy in May while the company’s temporary foreign workers were kept on. “The rule of asking employers if they think a Canadian will lose his or her job ‘now or in the foreseeable future’ gives huge wiggle room to employers,” Sims said. “When will the government make real changes and have real penalties?” Kenney told Sims to bring those allegations to Service Canada “or to the Canada Border Services Agency so that a formal inquiry can be launched.” The federal government, however, is already investigating the company, which says it was in full compliance of the rules of the temporary foreign worker program. ■
MONTREAL—A human rights lawyer is raising concern about the federal government’s plan to strip Canadian passports of those suspected of travelling abroad to join extremist groups. Citizenship and Immigration Canada has confirmed it is “revoking and refusing passports to those going abroad to take part in terrorist activities.” Lorne Waldman, the head of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, says he’s worried the government might use its powers arbitrarily. Waldman likened the practice to Canada’s secretive no-fly list, which civil liberties groups have argued violates the right to due process. In the case of passport revocation, Waldman says there are at least legal avenues available for people to appeal such a decision through the courts. But he said there should be assurances that power is used fairly by Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alex-
ander. “The Passport Order gives the minister the right to deny passports if there were issues of national security,” Waldman said Sunday. “Now, that’s pretty vague and pretty broad, and the minister is going to have to justify it in some way or another.” The measure comes amid growing concern about the potential for homegrown terrorism. A Public Safety Canada report released last month said
there were about 130 individuals suspected of terror-related activities abroad at the beginning of 2014. About 30 people with Canadian connections were suspected of terror activities in Syria. In an emailed statement, Citizenship and Immigration Canada spokesman Kevin Menard said the government is “taking a strong stance against terrorism and we will revoke citizenship and strip passports from those who seek to harm our country.” ■
and inform plaintiffs so they don’t first hear it on the news, he said. McGrath said in an interview that making the ruling public as soon as he received it was the most transparent and open thing to do. The minister declined comment on Crosbie’s call for an out-of-court settlement. He stressed that the government is now reviewing results of a $5-million pilot project that included more hunting, public awareness and 16 kilometres of moose fencing near Barachois Pond Provincial Park in southwestern Newfoundland. It will then decide next steps. McGrath said he often drives the Trans-Canada Highway at night. He hasn’t had a moose encounter, but said he is well aware of how so many travellers have been affected by often
devastating accidents. “I certainly do care and I empathize with all of those people. But my empathy is not going to avoid the incidents. It’s the different processes that we put in place that will do that.” Court heard that about 660 accidents or close calls have been recorded annually on provincial roadways in recent years. Crosbie argued moose are a public nuisance that the government introduced to the island in 1904 as a source of meat and then negligently failed to control. Adult moose are top-heavy animals with long legs that weigh between 360 and 450 kilograms or 800 to 1,000 pounds. They are known to sprint across roadways with little or no warning, and tend to crash through windshields when hit by a vehicle. ■
Lawyer says... learned and equally diligent will take a different point of view. “It’s rife with live legal issues for a court of appeal.” The lawsuit involved 135 plaintiffs who required hospital admission for their injuries, and at least 15 estates of those killed in collisions since 2001. The province has expressed condolences to crash victims. But it has vigorously defended its use of roadside signs, limited fencing, brush cutting and public awareness campaigns urging drivers to be cautious and slow down. Crosbie said it was “discourteous in the extreme” that Transportation Minister Nick McGrath released Stack’s decision Friday to the media before he had a chance to contact his clients. It’s protocol for lawyers to get a day to review such a judgment ❰❰ 18
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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
Entertainment
Showbiz celebs, angered by killing of Picache’s mom BY ANGIE DUARTE Philippine Canadian Inquirer
Mago, who was first inside the house, found Sison dead in her bedroom. Investigators discovered a blood-stained knife, a piece of wood, and a crowbar at the scene of the crime; Chief Insp. Rodel Marcelo, head of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD)-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, told reporters. Marcelo also disclosed that numerous pieces of costly jewelry were reported missing by the victim’s family. There are still no leads as to suspects, however.
country.My prayers and heartfelt condolences to Pie Picache and her family for the loss of her mother. May justice be MANILA, PHILIPPINES— served and the perpetrators of Showbiz personalities are up in this heinous crime be given the arms, just about, over the brutal punishment they deserve. And murder of the mother of one of again let this be a wake-up call their own. to the people we have entrusted Actress Cherry Pie Picache’s the responsibility of ensuring 75-year-old mother Zenaida peace and order as well as susSison was found dead with multained by the taxes they so dutitiple stab wounds last Friday fully collect from us.” night inside her Quezon City “We, the ordinary citizens, residence, in a grizzly crime are no longer amused by the which police officials said was anarchy around us. Neither are motivated by robbery. we entertained by their rahThe thieves broke into Sirah self-serving speeches and son’s two-storey politicking. We house on Scout are not stupid Dr. Lazcano or numbed by Street, BaranIt goes to show that anarchy your cheering gay Paligsahan, is prevailing in our country ... squads,” Reyes at the height of again let this be a wake-up added. the heavy downcall to the people we have Long-time pour brought by entrusted the responsibility late-night and Tropical Storm of ensuring peace and order entertainment Mario. Sison as well as sustained by the television show lived alone; with taxes they so dutifully collect host German a household from us. “Kuay Gerns” helper, a launMoreno called drywoman and a on the governgardener in her ment to bring employ only during the dayPicache’s colleagues have justice to Sison for the “untime. expressed their sympathy – as imaginable” crime, in order to According to police reports, well as their outrage – over the “show people that they’re (govPicache and driver Mateo Mago slaying of Sison. ernment) serious about what rushed to Sison’s house on Jose Javier Reyes, multi- they do.” Friday, when the actress grew awarded screenwriter and di“Why was this done to a concerned over her mother’s rector was among those who woman of that age? I could not non-response to her calls. spoke out against the crime. He believe that people would go Upon their arrival at the house said: “I met Cherry Pie’s mom. kill someone so helpless just to at approximately 6 p.m., the She was a feisty, independent earn a living,” Moreno said, as pair found that the gate and woman. It goes to show that he decried the brutal act. front door had been pried open. anarchy is prevailing in our In similar manner, director
Actress Cherry Pie Picache.
Adolfo Alix Jr. hoped “that justice will be served so that she’ll have peace of mind. Prayers for her and her family.” Bibeth Orteza, writer, actress, director and producer, aired her belief that the crime was “an inside job.” She went on to say that she was familiar with the area in which Sison lived, and added that “the security there is strict. I remember that my driver would always have to surrender his ID to the guard. I also know that at a certain (time), access to one of the gates is no longer allowed.” Like the others, Orteza remembered Picache’s mother in
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a positive way: “Her mom was kind. I’ve spoken with her on the phone one time when she was arranging for a surprise birthday party for her daughter.” The official statement from Picache and her family read: “My family is very aggrieved by this unfortunate event that happened to our mother. We trust that the QCPD together with the Scene of the Crime Operatives, through their vigilance and effort, will apprehend the person or persons who committed this gruesome crime against our mother and family and against our society.” ■
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Entertainment
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 FRIDAY
Derek, Mary Christine Jolly take steps towards settlement BY ANGIE DUARTE Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA—Derek Ramsay and estranged wife Mary Christine Jolly on Thursday met behind closed doors to negotiate a settlement concerning their 11-year-old son. Both camps discussed the matter after the suspension of the hearing relative to the complaint filed Mary Christine Jolly, who alleged that Derek violated Republic Act No. 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against
Women and Their Children Act. She is allegedly demanding for P42 million in damages. Derek’s son was present at the two-hour meeting, during which a decision was reached by both parties to draft an agreement regarding the issues of settlement; such as child support, visitation rights, and their son’s citizenship. Both parties also discussed the steps to be taken towards obtaining a marriage annulment; something which will also be included in the agreement to be drafted.
After the meeting, Derek was overcome with emotion, as he recounted that hurtful things were hurled at him by the other side, but nonetheless, “I’m happy I got to see my son,” he said. “Tinabi ko ‘yung career ko pagpasok ko for my son. Wala akong pakialam sa sarili ko. Anak ko ang inuna ko dito,” he added. On the other hand, Mary Christine Jolly said: “I think we just let out a lot of baggage in the past that needed to be let out before we want to move on and I’m glad that’s resolved.” ■
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FACEBOOK PAGE OF DEREK RAMSAY
Entertainment
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
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Cedric Lee sends cryptic message to Vhong Navarro BY LEI FONTAMILLAS Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA—When businessman Cedric Lee was released on bail on Wednesday, he only has two words for actor-host Vhong Navarro—“It’s showtime!” While some netizens interpreted this as a threat to Navar-
ro, Lee’s lawyer Atty. Howard Calleja said that what his client said should not be taken out of context. “There’s nothing bad of malicious about that… Maybe Cedric is just happy because of his release from prison, or maybe he misses watching TV,” said Calleja. Calleja added that he will
remind his client not to give statements like that. Earlier, Navarro expressed his concern for his and his family’s safety given that Lee and co-accused Simeon “Zimmer” Raz Jr. Last January 22, Navarro sued Lee, Raz, model Deniece Cornejo, and three others for illegally detaining him in a condominium in Taguig City. ■
Vhong’s camp: ‘We have lost our confidence in the court’ BY ANGIE DUARTE Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA—Vhong Navarro, through his lawyer, Atty. Alma Mallonga, voiced his disappointment over the ruling to allow model Deniece Cornejo, businessman Cedric Lee and Simeon Raz, Jr., to post bail relative to the charge of serious illegal detention and the alleged mauling incident on January 22. Navarro’s camp said that they have “lost faith” in the judge handling the case filed by the television host and actor Atty. Mallonga said in an interview on DZMM on Tuesday that they have countered the ruling, of Judge Paz Esperanza-Cortes of the Regional Trial Court Branch 271 to grant the motion for bail for all three of the accused. Bail was set at P500,000 each. Mallonga acknowledged that their side has already submitted their motion for reconsideration, as well as a motion for inhibition against the resolution. “We have lost our confidence in the court to appreciate this case properly. It appears to me that the court said that there was admittedly a detention but ang sabi ng korte na whether or not the detention is illegal is of doubt,” she said. “Amazingly enough, the matter of whether or not a rape occurred, the court also said it is not yet to be determined. In other words, nothing happened. The CCTV footage is meaningless. It does not show
Bernice Reyes.
OTTAWA IDOL FACEBOOK PAGE
Pinay teener is Ottawa Idol winner BY ANGIE DUARTE Philippine Canadian Inquirer
Vhong Navarro.
that rape could not have possible occurred and you rely instead on the doubts engendered by the counter affidavits of the accused who have never even testified in court,” she added. The lawyer likewise disclosed that their decision to publicly vent their frustrations against the court and the presiding judge came as a result of statements made by the camp of the accused, saying that the judge’s decision to grant bail “validates” their innocence. “We are saying this by the way, we are minded to say this
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in public because the accused have already gone out in public and said, categorically, that the case and the decision of the court vindicates the accused and that it validates what they have been saying all along that they had effected merely a lawful arrest,” she said. “Mga kaibigan, alam na alam natin dahil nakita natin sa sarili natin mga mata at paggamit natin ng utak na hindi posible ‘iyon. But the court said it will not yet determine that matter. So my question is, when? Kailan kaya?” she followed-up. www.canadianinquirer.net
CANADA—Filipinos in Ottawa were jubilant as a young “kababayan”—who moved to Canada only two years ago—bagged this year’s Ottawa Idol competition. Fifteen-year-old Bernice Reyes wowed the people of Ottawa, besting youth from across the nation’s capital, from the auditions to the finals of the talent search. The competition saw a total of 120 young people audition for a spot in the Top 25. This was further narrowed down to 13 coveted slots during the show’s finals. Reyes and her brother Marc both got into the Top 25, and subsequently into the Top 13. Judges were rendered speechless—with one moved to tears—over the young Filipina’s rendition of Whitney Houston’s love ballad “I Will Always Love You” as she entered the finals. Her performance of Celine Dion’s “All By Myself” floored them yet again as entered the Top 6. But it was her rendition of “Let it Go” form Disney’s “Frozen” movie that catapulted her to the top of the final three. Eldon Fox, contest founder
had this to say of Reyes: “She’s probably the best voice that we’ve ever had. And especially at 15, imagine what she’s going to be like at 25. Celine Dion started there, too. She’s fantastic, that’s all I can say. I’m not a music person per se, but I know talent when I see it.” Fox added that kids like Reyes are the reason he founded the competition eleven years ago; to give young people the opportunity to showcase their talents and be discovered. The Filipina teener admits to always having big dreams of making it on the music scene. “I think that I will continue singing and use that as an advantage and probably, hopefully, be known internationally someday,” Reyes said. Reyes has no formal training in music, and her talent comes naturally. She started singing at the age of five, with her dad acting as her voice coach. As top winner of Ottawa Idol, Reyes will be given a chance to meet with Universal Music Canada, an original song for her to sing and record, $2,000 worth of recording time, an audition for a chance to sing the national anthem at an NHL Ottawa Senators game, and numerous appearances on television and radio shows. ■
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Entertainment
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 FRIDAY
BY MARK KENNEDY The Associated Press
Actress Buyi Zama as Rafiki.
‘The Lion King’ earns the crown for most successful title in entertainment box office history
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NEW YORK—Here’s something the folks at Disney can take real pride in: “The Lion King” is the top ticket of all time. With a worldwide gross of over $6.2 billion, “The Lion King” stage musical has now achieved the most successful box office total of any work in any media in entertainment history, The Associated Press has learned. The show quietly took over top spot from the $6 billionearning “The Phantom of the Opera” late this summer, according to representatives from both shows. “Phantom” producers Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group congratulated “The Lion King” in a statement, calling their rival show “The Pride of Broadway.” The total makes “The Lion King” more valuable than any single Harry Potter film, the blockbuster “Titanic,” or any of the “Star Wars” movies. By way of comparison, the highestgrossing film in history is “Avatar,” with nearly $2.8 billion worldwide. “It’s difficult not to become emotional at this realization of the show’s impact,” said Thomas Schumacher, president and producer at Disney Theatrical Productions. He recalled the long road the musical has taken from its beginning in four downtown rehearsal rooms in May 1997. “Our goal then was to tell the story purely and theatrically so that audiences could feel it in their heart,” he added. “And, to this day, that is the audience experience whether they see the show in Madrid; Appleton, Wisconsin; South Africa; Tokyo or Broadway. Of that, we are deeply proud.” The figure only calculates box office receipts from the various worldwide stage productions, not sales of posters or CDs and other merchandise, revenue from the film, which grossed $423 million domestically, including its rereleased in 3D, or syndication and licensing fees. Currently, there are 10 productions of “The Lion King,” including those in New York, London, in Hamburg, Germany, and on tour across North America. There’s no need to cry for “The Phantom of the Opera.” It’s still the longest-running show in Broadway history and
140 million worldwide have seen it. There are currently eight productions with new ones planned for Moscow, Hong Kong and Istanbul. “The Lion King,” which features music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice and the vision of director Julie Taymor, was an adaption of an animated film when it hit the stage but has in many ways overshadowed the film. It tells the story of a young lion cub’s coming of age and uses puppetry and dance in ways that haven’t been replicated. It was the highest grossing Broadway show last year and is the highest-grossing production so far this year, despite rival shows in five bigger theatres and musicals like “The Book of Mormon” often charging hundreds of dollars more per ticket. Part of its longevity is due to its movie tie-in, simple-to-understand story, family friendly themes and the fact that it’s a spectacle not dependent on bigname stars. Twenty-two global productions have been seen by more than 75 million people. “The Lion King” chased down the overall box office crown despite “Phantom” having a big head start: Disney’s show began on Broadway in 1997, while “Phantom” debuted onstage in 1986 in London. “It’s the distance runner, it’s the marathon runner. It’s taken 17 years of legitimacy to get there,” said David Schrader, executive vice-president and managing director at Disney Theatrical Group. What makes the achievement all the more remarkable is that Disney executives haven’t gouged every last cent from the public. In fact, they’ve purposely left money on the table. Last week, for example, the average ticket price at “The Lion King” was $128, while “The Book of Mormon” was $50 more. And while top premium tickets for “The Book of Mormon” was $477 and $300 for “Wicked,” the highest price at “The Lion King” was $197.50, illustrating a conscious attempt to keep even the best seats in the house under $200. “We’re never going to be the top price. We’re never going to have the highest VIP price. We’re never going to have the highest orchestra price,” said Schrader “We’re not in this for tomorrow afternoon. We’re in it for however many years we’ve got. We’re trying to be moderate.” The other half of the equation—attendance—is also
Entertainment
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
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Canadians twice as likely as Americans to guard against spoilers: Netflix study BY MICHAEL OLIVEIRA The Canadian Press
strong. It has increased four of the last five years on Broadway, the London production has seen a 6 per cent increase in attendance over the last five years, and the latest North American tour has seen an 11 per cent increase over the same period. Both “Phantom” and “The Lion King” have benefited from the emergence of premium—or dynamic—pricing, although the Disney musical has obviously enjoyed more seasons using the tactic. It involves increasing or decreasing prices for certain seats depending on demand and started with the 2001 musical “The Producers,” which set a precedent with $480 tickets. At the mother ship in New York, Schrader said the Broadway audience is made up of four key groups in roughly equal proportions: Manhattan residents, commuters from the New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, domestic tourists and foreign tourists. “There’s no way you get to 17 years without somehow holding all four,” he said. Clever advertising—like using digital screens to show crisp images of brightly costumed characters at Pennsylvania Station and the city’s airports—and a scrupulous attempt to maintain its high quality onstage
mean “The Lion King” hasn’t devolved in to a kids’ show or a joke. It still attracts a well-heeled crowd, routinely breaks $1 million a week at the 1,700-seat Minskoff Theatre and Disney has been loath to ever discount its tickets. “If anything, the lack of change is what’s remarkable,” Schrader said. “Everything erodes, everything comes apart. So the fact that it hasn’t is curious.” Schrader spends much of his days poring over audience data, figuring out demand patterns based on historical trends, school holidays and even weather forecasts. He knows that 6 per cent of a Broadway audience is from the Philadelphia metro area. He knows that daylight savings time will “inevitably” mess up schedules. He’ll add a ninth performance during a holiday week but balances that with a need to not overtax the cast. “I love puzzles,” he says with a smile. But of “The Lion King’s remarkable longevity and continued potency, Schrader is modest about how much effect he has. “I wish we could take credit, but it’s the audience and it’s the word-of-mouth that’s driving it.” ■
TORONTO—Sorry about that spoiler, eh? According to a study conducted by Netflix, Canadians are characteristically polite about trying to avoid spoiling a TV show for their friends and family. But most say they’ve had to apologize in the past for blurting out too much about an exciting plot point. Meanwhile, Americans were twice as likely to think they should be able to talk about a new episode of their favourite TV show any time they want. “(Canadians speak about spoilers) with a certain delicacy ... and they are accommodating with one another with a fine touch when it comes to social interactions,” says Vancouver native Grant McCracken, a cultural anthropologist who has worked with Netflix to examine viewership trends. “Americans, in maybe that characteristically American way ... get to that diplomatic moment, they start to code things (during conversations), but they go, ‘This is stupid, let’s let fly’ and it’s up to the spoilee to protect themselves.” In an online poll of 1,506 Canadians conducted for Netflix by Leger Marketing, 69 per cent of the respondents said they had accidentally spoiled a show for someone in the past. Just 11 per cent said they considered it appropriate to freely reveal spoilers a day after a show first airs, while most thought a week was a long enough waiting period before they could talk about a show in
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detail. In a similar American survey, 21 per cent said they felt it was OK to discuss a show with spoilers immediately after it aired. McCracken says attitudes around spoilers have rapidly shifted in recent years and are trending toward being more accepted. Most TV viewers who choose not to follow a show when it first airs accept that encountering spoilers is almost inevitable. “People are saying ... it’s important to respect other peoples’ needs and feelings but frankly, some of these shows are really the life of the conversation in the office place and to not be able to talk about it and to have these embargoes that last several days or weeks when this show is at the centre of (attention) ... is really is just wrong,” McCracken says. A growing number of people are even intentionally seeking out spoilers now, he adds. More than one in four of the Canadian survey respondents
said they read spoiler-filled comments or articles about shows they hadn’t yet watched but planned to. “What they’re doing is engaging in a kind of auditioning process where they’re listening for people to talk about shows and thinking, ‘That might be good for me,”‘ says McCracken. “You used to throw yourself down on your couch, you flip around the dial and find the best of bad choices. And now that there’s so much good TV, people are more discerning, they’re more demanding ... people are looking for intelligence about other shows.” The Leger marketing survey was conducted between Sept. 12 and Sept. 15. The polling industry’s professional body, the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error as they are not a random sample and therefore are not necessarily representative of the whole population. ■
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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
Lifestyle
Combination of aerobic, resistance training best for obese teens, study suggests BY LAUREN LA ROSE The Canadian Press TORONTO—Obese teenagers seeking to trim body fat and slim their waistlines will yield greater health benefits by combining both heart-pumping and muscle-strengthening activities, a new Canadian study suggests. Researchers at the University of Calgary and the University of Ottawa led the Healthy Eating Aerobic and Resistance Training in Youth (HEARTY) trial. In the paper, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics, researchers cited the study’s importance was due to the “little evidence” that exists on which type of exercise is “optimal” for obese teens. “Traditionally, aerobic exercise has always been prescribed to adults, to children because it’s been most studied in the literature and with research,” said study co-author Angela Alberga, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Calgary. Alberga said their study is the first that has the largest sample to evaluate differences between solely aerobic and resistance training—as well as a combination of the two—and its effects on teens. The study recruited 304 previously inactive obese teens between the ages of 14 and 18, 70 per cent of whom were female. Exercise training took place at six community-based facilities in Ottawa and Gatineau, Que. For the first month, all participants took part in both aerobic and resistance training. Aerobic training involved use of bikes, elliptical machines and treadmills, while resistance training referred to use of pulley-type weight machines or exercises using body weight as resistance, such as pushups and situps.
During the first week of the study, teens were prescribed to exercise for 15 minutes, four times a week at 65 per cent of their maximum heart rate, Alberga said. For the next three weeks, they gradually increased their individual workout sessions by five-minute increments.
After the first month, participants were divided into four groups: one group that only did aerobic training, one that did only resistance training, another that did combined aerobic and resistance training and a fourth group that didn’t exercise at all. Each group was monitored for an additional
five months. Among the teens exercising, Alberga said they gradually increased the duration and intensity of their activity. Towards the end of the program, those who were active exercised up to 85 per cent of their maximum heart rate. Among the groups who exer-
cised, the teens who did so at least three to four times a week had greater health benefits—regardless of the type of training, Alberga said. However, those that did both aerobic and resistance training had a noticeable advantage. “When we looked at teenagers who exercised three to four times per week, we found that the combined training group had larger decreases in per cent body fat compared to the group that only did aerobic exercise alone,” said Alberga, noting the combined group had a 2.4 per cent decline versus 1.2 per cent for the aerobic group. Among those who exercised three to four times a week, the combined training group also saw a significant slimdown in waist circumference, a reduction of 6.9 centimetres compared to the resistance group (4.8 centimetres) and the aerobic group (3.7 centimetres), Alberga said. The combination of aerobic and resistance training has benefits because they target different energy systems, she noted. “The resistance training is well-known to increase muscular strength and muscular endurance and actually affects some of the muscle fibre types,”Alberga said. “Aerobic training is known for improvements in cardio-respiratory fitness—so that’s the ability of your heart and your lungs to really perform well during exercise. “Together, they make a good combination to have the best health benefits for teenagers with obesity.” Ultimately, activities in any form is beneficial for kids and teens “of all shapes and sizes,” Alberga said. “Regardless of what exercise they do, they will get health benefits.” ■
Lifestyle
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
Unsung squash: Nature’s versatile superfood profiled in new cookbook BY LOIS ABRAHAM The Canadian Press TORONTO—Move over, kale and quinoa. Squash is stepping up to the head of the superfood queue—that is, if the authors of a new book have any say in the matter. Superfood refers to a natural food that surpasses its nutritional target. “Squash is certainly one of those because it’s off the scale in terms of vitamin A and has unique compounds that are beneficial to us when we eat it,” says Rob Firing, co-author of “The Everyday Squash Cook: The Most Versatile and Affordable Superfood” (Collins), slated to be in stores Wednesday. But the colourful food is often relegated to a side dish for holiday dinners and given short shrift throughout the rest of the year, Firing laments, which he calls an oversight given its versatility, flavour, nutritional value and its ability to be stored fresh for a long time. “It’s grown here a lot and like kale and quinoa was probably ignored because it was intimidating,” he says. I thought my job should be to make it less intimidating and more welcoming to Canadians because it’s such a local heritage crop and so good for you and already tasty. “I mean, you have to make kale tasty. Raw kale is something you really have to work on, but squash already has this fantastic taste and it’s such a great medium to work with with other foods.” Firing has combined his love of food and publishing in his role as senior director, publicity and communications at HarperCollins Canada. He worked with Ivy and Kerry Knight, a husband-and-wife team of food writers and cooks who he felt could employ a creative approach to working with a single ingredient. Though there are dozens of types of squash, the authors have focused on nine of the most common, with a concentration on winter squash—
‘Do Fathers Matter?’ says something new about parenting BY KEVIN BEGOS The Associated Press
generally larger and thicker skinned, such as acorn, butternut, hubbard, pumpkin, spaghetti and kabocha—along with summer squashes like zucchini/crookneck, pattypans and chayote. The darker the flesh, generally the sweeter and denser the fruit (culinarily, they’re known as a vegetable) and also the higher amounts of vitamin A. In fact, squash can contain almost five times the recommended daily dose of vitamin A, which boosts the immune system and maintains vision. Squash is also high in vitamin B6, potassium, manganese and magnesium. Most squash also contains cucurbitacins, compounds with anti-inflammatory and liver-protecting qualities. Squash can be used in soups, pastas, stews and sauces as well as in muffins, quickbreads and brownies. “If you’re tired of using cornstarch or flour to make a roux as I have become, squash is a very interesting alternative,” says Firing, an avid home cook who confesses he’s turned into “a squash nerd” over the last few years. The authors have included some creative ways with squash, including in smoothies, salads and desserts. There’s even a recipe for butternut squash “bacon,” which is created by peeling strips away from the neck of the squash and frying them very quickly “until it’s almost a chip that’s soft in the middle,” Firing says.
“(Add) a little bit of salt and it’s delicious. It looks like a pumpkin-y curly piece of bacon.” Summer squash such as zucchini is delicious in sauces, sauteed, sliced and grilled and served on pizza. Cut-up squash is available fresh and frozen in the supermarket, but Firing says it’s easy to prepare your own. An illustrated section near the beginning of “The Everyday Squash Cook” provides step-by-step instructions. It’s important to use a sharp knife and hold it properly. Winter squash can be stored on the counter at room temperature for several months rather than the fridge, which shortens its shelf life as moisture can condense on the surface and cause rotting. During their recipe development and testing, the Knights discovered that canned pumpkin was an easy ingredient to use. “In fact, I would say in terms of a canned vegetable it’s a really superior product partly because the nutritional content is largely safeguarded in the process and when you’re cooking and pureeing squash you’re really after the same sort of thing that canned pumpkin can offer you,” says Firing. “There’s nothing else in it—it’s just canned pumpkin.” Pumpkin lends itself well to warm, rich spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg and can often be found at this time of year in lattes, candies and pies. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net
37
FROM THE tiniest microbe or fragment of DNA to the origins of the universe, it sometimes feels as if every subject generates a vast tide of scientific studies and that virtually nothing escapes detailed scrutiny. But veteran science writer Paul Raeburn noticed an oversight: the role of fathers in parenting. In “Do Fathers Matter?” Raeburn tells how until fairly recently, scholars, parenting experts and pop culture have overlooked the importance of fathers. In the 1970s, some experts even suggested that fathers were “an almost irrelevant entity” in an infant’s world—but did so without really studying father/child interactions. A 2013 Clorox ad proclaimed that “Like dogs or other house pets, new dads are filled with good intentions but lacking in judgment and fine motor skills.” (The ad was later withdrawn.) Raeburn, a father himself, discovered that good scientific studies told a different story: “When we bother to look for the father’s impact, we find it— always,” noted one researcher. Passages like that make “Do Fathers Matter?” a valuable, compelling book for fathers, mothers, grandparents and parents-to-be—and perhaps even for their children. “Do Fathers Matter?” uncovers a trove of good research about fathers and parenting. In the Aka tribe of Africa, fathers spend 47 per cent of their days holding their infant children or keeping them within arm’s reach. The Aka fathers sing to their children, play with them and do the equivalent of diaper duty. And while psychologists had known that a mother’s depression during pregnancy can increase depression in children, it turns out that a depressed
father can have the same negative impact, from genetic input or from his moods affecting the mother. Studies had also shown that the experience of motherhood actually changes mothers’ brains in the first few months after giving birth, and Raeburn found that when researchers looked at fathers, they also found significant brain changes—but not exactly the same as those in mothers. Raeburn doesn’t knock single parents or same-sex couples, noting that they can raise healthy, successful children, too (such as the current U.S. president). But he firmly points out that there is still far too much anti-father bias in society. For example, a 2012 family law newsletter from the National Organization for Women linked to a website that lists “myths” about family. “Myth” number one was that “a father’s involvement is crucial for the well-being of a child.” British researcher Michael Lamb notes that negative stereotypes about fathers can have consequences. “Fathers can hardly be expected to maintain a belief in their importance when they are continually being told of their irrelevance, other than as economic supporters.” Raeburn, a former Associated Press science editor, concludes by noting that other companies are producing ads that portray fathers in a positive light. Raeburn also notes that reading all the research on fatherhood helped open his eyes to better ways to be a parent, and that’s a priceless lesson that makes “Do Fathers Matter?” an important addition to parenting literature. ■ “Do Fathers Matter?: What Science Is Telling Us About the Parent We’ve Overlooked” is a new book from Paul Raeburn, a former Associated Press science editor.
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Business
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 FRIDAY
Rocket engines inside the SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California. Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, plans to open a rocket launch facility in Texas as early as 2016. STEVE JURVETSON / FLICKR
SpaceX founder Musk says company to spend $100M on rocket launch site at South Texas beach BY CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN The Associated Press BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS—The commercial rocket launches that could begin as early as 2016 in the southernmost tip of Texas will be a critical step toward one day establishing a human presence on Mars, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said Monday. With waves from the Gulf of Mexico crashing just over the dunes and crabs skittering around a tent erected for the groundbreaking, Musk said he expects SpaceX to invest $100 million in the world’s first com-
mercial orbital spaceport during the next three to four years. The commercial satellite launch revenue Musk anticipates generating at the Boca Chica Beach site east of Brownsville will fuel California-based SpaceX’s real objective. “The long-term goal is to create technology necessary to take humanity beyond Earth,” Musk said. “To take humanity to Mars and establish a base on Mars. So it could very well be that the first person that departs for another planet will depart from this location.” Beginning as early as the third quarter of 2016, Musk said he expects the spaceport to handle at least 12 rocket launches per
year. SpaceX will continue using government launch sites in Florida and California, but Musk said its manifest would outpace the available launch windows at those existing sites. Gov. Rick Perry, on hand for the ceremony, announced a $4.4 million grant from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund to the University of Texas at Brownsville that will be matched by the University of Texas System to test and commercialize a new communications system at laboratories at the SpaceX Boca Chica complex. “The future of South Texas takes off right behind me,” Perry said. Perry is also providing $2.3 www.canadianinquirer.net
million from the Texas Enterprise Fund toward the spaceport and an additional $13 million from the Spaceport Trust Fund. The U.S. Department of Commerce announced Monday that it had awarded $1.2 million to the University of Texas at Brownsville for a high-tech business incubation facility that could foster a cluster of space industry businesses. SpaceX is expected to create 300 jobs at the site, and Musk said he expected other companies to settle there. SpaceX already provides resupply missions for the International Space Station with its unmanned Dragon capsule, most
recently on Sunday. Last week, SpaceX and Boeing won contracts to carry U.S. astronauts to the space station beginning in 2016 or 2017. Musk said he expects those NASA missions to continue to launch from Florida. NASA has not launched its own crews since the end of the shuttle program in 2011. Musk said he would like to fly to Mars one day but that his goals are not about tourism. He said the question is whether humans become a less vulnerable multi-planet species. “I think the important thing is to develop the technology that will enable ultimately anyone to move to Mars if they really want to,” he said. ■
Business
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
39
Canadians are in NYC seeking a cleaner world, and not just at the climate summit BY ALEXANDER PANETTA The Canadian Press NEW YORK—While hundreds of thousands of people marched against climate change in New York City, across town, two young Canadian entrepreneurs displayed an invention they hope might put a little dent in the global carbon footprint. The business partners from Waterloo, Ont., took home a couple of the judges’ ribbons at a technology fair on Sunday, September 21, as they showed off an adaptor that allows home-style 3D printers to work with additional materials. Hooked up to one of these syringe-like contraptions, they say, a home unit is no longer confined to just printing plastic. Suddenly, a high-tech doit-yourselfer’s repertoire might include ceramic, wood filler, clay, hydrogels—pretty much any viscous substance that can be squeezed through a little tube, at room temperature. “Are you 3D printing Nutella?!” one woman burst out as she arrived at the display stand for Structur3D. Yes, in fact, they were. Playing to the local crowd, they’d even set up a 3D printer to draw a chocolatey replica of a New York Yankees logo. “We’re the first 3D company in the world to print using Nutella,” said Charles Mire, one of the two company co-founders who attended the Maker Faire event over the weekend. On the table a few metres away was a syringe filled with
wasabi sauce, as he and partner Andrew Finkle tried to create some Japanese culinary art from that sinus-scorching root paste. About 85,000 people attended the weekend event in Queens, organizers said. Across the East River, a much bigger crowd was marching in Manhattan to put pressure on governments on the eve of a United Nations climate summit. Mire made the point that his $379 gizmo also has serious applications, beyond Nutella spreads. One of those happens to be environmental—a buy-local movement, if you will, narrowed down to your own house. “It’s one less trip (people) have to make to the store. It’s one less thing they have to order off of the Internet,” Mire said. “They can use locally sourced materials or make things in their own homes. In a way, it really could reduce carbon footprints on a cumulative level... So it’s just a small contribution, on a very large problem.” The partners were already talking to other people at the fair about additional, serious applications. Those people included volunteers at the E-nable project, which builds prosthetic limbs by crowdsourcing ideas and then printing them in 3D. They had a variety of models on display, to illustrate that the newest ones keep getting better. The volunteers suggested a technology like the one from Ontario might improve things even more, in a couple of ways: first, by simplifying the print-
Charles Mire (left) and Andrew Finkle, founders of the Canadian startup Structur3d, received attention last week at a New York technology fair for their 3D printing machine that can use any substance that can be squeezed through a tube, such as Nutella and Wasabi, as a building material. STRUCTUR3D.IO
ing of fingertips with a better grip, and also by improving compatibility with the wrist. “A big issue prosthetic users have is the interface between actual skin and product,” said one volunteer, Mohit Chaudhary. “Soft materials, like silicone or anything else that might be extruded, is a viable option to make it more comfortable for the user.” There are a few constraints to the printing technology—aside from the obvious requirement of owning a $500-$1,000 home 3D machine. They can’t print metal, or anything that might have to be melted to squeeze through a tube. And they print slowly—which is fine for making the occasional widget, or a cake, or even a prototype for your business. Just don’t expect to transform your basement into some super-productive industrial assembly line. When discussing his hopes for the technology, however, Mire raised another, quite ambitious idea: printing hydro-
gels to act as scaffolding for new cells, so that organs might be grown and harvested more easily and, perhaps, save somebody’s life. The team came together after Mire moved to Waterloo with his Canadian wife. He was born in Texas, and did a doctoral chemistry thesis in Australia that included building an extruder. Finkle had studied nanotechnology engineering, and they spent a month working together on their new invention in Mire’s basement. They founded their company last year, launched a Kickstarter campaign this June, and quickly sold 400 units of the Discov3ry Paste Extruder. They believe they might have sold three more in Queens over the weekend. They aren’t the only startup entrepreneurs from their area making a name for themselves in New York lately. In a Brooklyn coffee shop this weekend, Jesse Guild explained
how Blitzen.com went from being an idea he and a friend came up with in Kitchener-Waterloo, to a budding success story with 60 customers including PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Mahindra, NASA, the U.S. Army, and Chevron. They’d realized, with some frustration, that even high-tech companies used archaic means of collecting data received through online forms. So they built a program to deal with the problem, and help companies collect the data. Since then, they’ve built software that makes different datamanagement systems compatible with each other. They were selected last year for the prestigious AngelPad mentoring program in New York. The program included a stint in Silicon Valley—where, Guild said, BlackBerry’s home region continues to command great respect, with one prominent investor even comparing the University of Waterloo favourably to Google. He said the experience has been helpful in overcoming a common problem for Canadian startups: A risk-averse investment climate. He said the more aggressive culture in the U.S. helps young companies raise money, hire engineers and sales staff, and ultimately grow. “One of the classic challenges Canadian startups face is the lack of early-stage venture capital available,” he said. “We need more seed-level VCs willing to lead rounds and write first cheques, and not just wait to follow-on with the U.S. funds.” ■
BlackBerry undercuts Apple and Samsung prices with new Passport model The Canadian Press TORONTO—BlackBerry is bringing its newest Passport smartphone to the market with a price that’s lower than Apple’s iPhone 6 and the latest incarnation of the Samsung Galaxy. Units of the phone will sell for US$599 without a wireless carrier contract in the U.S., about $50 to $250 cheaper than various models of the iPhone 6
and Samsung’s Galaxy S5 currently on shelves. The price is a strategic move that could give BlackBerry an advantage as it works to secure large orders of the device from corporate customers and plans to sell the phone at wireless stores. Canadian prices for the BlackBerry Passport haven’t been officially released. The Passport has a square screen that measures 4.5 inches
and a keyboard that’s similar to the most popular BlackBerry models. The wider screen fits 60 characters on each line, which is more than comparable devices and closer to reading a book. Most details are being kept quiet until the official unveiling, which is expected to happen on Wednesday, during a multi-city media event in Toronto, Dubai and London. The Passport marks the first www.canadianinquirer.net
entirely new BlackBerry device to hit shelves since chief executive John Chen joined the company nearly a year ago in an effort to turn around the struggling business. Before he joined BlackBerry, Chen led a turnaround at software company Sybase, which faced its own identity crisis and financial problems before he helped make it a profitable operation focused on mobile business technology.
BlackBerry is scheduled to report its second-quarter financial results on Friday. Meanwhile, sales of Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models have been brisk over the three days since it went on sale. Apple said it sold more than 10 million units of the new phone, which marks a record for the company. Last year, it sold 9 million of iPhone 5C and 5S models after they had just been released. ■
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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
Travel
Getting lost in France’s Loire Valley: Bikes, food, wine and chateaus BY KAREN SCHWARTZ The Associated Press CHAUMONT- SUR-LOIRE, FRANCE—There are hundreds of miles of bike trails through the chateaux towns of the Loire Valley - and that’s what tripped us up. We’d been trying to cycle the 17 miles (27 kilometres) from Chenonceaux to Chaumont, but kept getting lost. We even asked directions from a passing motorist who was certain she knew which way the bike route went, then sent us to the wrong town. Now we were at a Y-intersection on the outskirts of Chaumont; facing two green-andwhite bike path signs mounted on the same post, but pointing in opposite directions. Perplexed, we took a guess and went right, eventually reaching our bed-and-breakfast from the back of town. Perhaps the other fork would have led to the front. Perhaps not. Despite the misadventures, cycling in the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is thoroughly enjoyable. With 500 miles (800 kilometres) of bike routes, there are countless options depending on interest and ability. Our five-day trip took us through farmers’ fields where we helped ourselves to fresh peas, and through shaded forests that surprised us with deer. We cycled along mostly flat pathways, paved roads, cobblestones and occasional gravel. While the biking wasn’t nearly as challenging as the navigation, that isn’t why one cycles the Loire. It’s about the food, the wine, the scenery and the history. Indeed, the easy riding and fairytale castles make this an ideal trip to take with older children and teens. Each town we visited - Amboise, Chenonceaux, Chau-
Château de Chambord at Chambord, France, is the largest château in the Loire Valley.
mont, Chambord and Blois - was built around an ancient chateau. Although few were ever fully inhabited and all were emptied during the French Revolution, they are architecturally interesting and historically intriguing. Our favourite was the Chateau de Chenonceau and its beautiful gardens. It has not only been refurnished, but the wing built spanning the river Cher has been turned into a gallery that recounts the 16th century love affair between King Henri II and his much older mistress - along with the revenge his wife, Queen Catherine de Medici, eventually enjoyed. It was also the site of our best meal, on the terrace of our hotel, La Roseraie, a simple 18th century inn that claims it has
hosted Eleanor Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Winston Churchill among others. We planned our self-guided trip with the help of Maggie LaCoste, who runs ExperienceFranceByBike.com. In Amboise, we passed two group cycling trips, one run by Backroads and the other by Butterfield & Robinson. They both offer six-day guided trips, but visit different towns. Any feeling of superiority I had as we passed the riders in matching jerseys on those organized trips quickly vanished after a few wrong turns. Still, I liked the spontaneity of not keeping to a fixed schedule, and at one point, we hopped the train to Blois with our bikes and checked out a bustling Saturday market. Spring and fall are the most
popular cycling times as summers can be hot. Our trip in June coincided with several festivals, including a popular music event held outside the massive Chateau de Chambord, one of the biggest and most striking chateaus in France, and a garden festival on the castle grounds in Chaumont that continues until Nov. 2. We rented our well-maintained Trek hybrids from a chain called Detours de Loire because it offered a network of drop-off options, allowing us to pick up our bikes in Amboise and leave them in Blois. There is an additional fee for this seasonal service, which varies with distance between locations. We also hired Detours de Loire to drive our luggage from one hotel to the next for about $50 per transfer. We sometimes
ANNA AND MICHAL / FLICKR
arrived before our bags, and on our last day, the driver forgot completely. It took several frantic phone calls to get them delivered in time to catch our train. I later noticed ads from a similar service, Bagafrance, which appeared to charge a little less. We encountered several cyclists who rode with panniers and carried their own gear, but I felt the baggage transfer was a worthwhile luxury. With no worries about securing personal items, it was easy to lock up the bikes and explore with only a water bottle and lunch in hand. And, as we racked up extra miles looking for the correct path, it was nice not to have the extra weight. That said, there is one item I’ll be sure to keep close on my next Loire cycling trip: a GPS navigation system. ■
Travel
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
41
Barbados shows its wild side on east coast where surfers, hikers find thrills BY MIKE FUHRMANN The Canadian Press BATHSHEBA, BARBADOS— Paul Wilson was explaining why the Soup Bowl is such a great place to surf when he suddenly interrupted himself. “Waaaah—nice!” He’d just caught sight of a massive wave barrelling in about 75 metres offshore. Another one, equally impressive, followed a half-minute later. Then another. “You get all the Atlantic swells here, and the reef is the perfect setup for the waves,” said the 41-year-old Barbadian, clearly psyched to get his board into the water after arriving at the beach with some friends. The Soup Bowl, a world-class surfing destination, epitomizes the east coast of Barbados, a windswept, sparsely populated region of wild seas and rugged shoreline vistas. It’s a part of the Caribbean island with few hotels or swimmable beaches—and, as a result, relatively few tourists. On the west and south coasts, where the vast majority of visitors stay, the atmosphere is livelier, services are more plentiful and the sea more sedate. But Bathsheba, the sleepy fishing village and surfing haven at the heart of the east coast, has charms of its own that are distinctly low key. “We still leave our houses open, no locks and keys. We’re a cohesive community,” said Bathsheba resident Tyrone Thompson, 60, on the porch of the Sea Side Bar, one of a handful of relaxed watering holes on the ocean-side main street. At a nearby table, a group of men engaged in a boisterous game of dominos, slamming their tiles down, while a few others inside were cheering on a televised cricket match. A lunchtime server was bringing out plates of fried fish and the stomach-filling Bajan staple, macaroni pie. The Banks beer and rum drinks flowed. Down the street at another rum shack, an outdoor blackboard menu listed rice and peas, flying fish, breadfruit and souse, and fish cutters. Souse, it turns out, is a traditional is-
Bathsheba, Barbados, a half-hour drive from Barbados International Airport, is a good base for exploring the east coast of Barbados. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
has imported from around the world. When we showed up in the late afternoon, the perfume of red Rangoon creepers, as intoxicating as the rum, hung heavy in the air. “This is a nice time of day. The birds are really going for it. They make a lot of noise,” said Hunte, gazing out at the lush vegetation all around us. “And when they’re finished, then come the whistling frogs.” Sure enough, when we left the gardens just before dusk, we were piped out by a congregation of frogs producing a spirited chorus of toots. Back at Bathsheba, David Coombes, the owner of a Bajan real-estate company, was watching the surfers and reflecting on the island’s split personality. “It’s a bit hotter over on the west coast—you need the A/C,” he said. “Here you get the breeze and the natural beauty. The sea is more active. The east coast is less spoilt, and that’s the charm.” If You Go ...
land pork dish (heads, feet and assorted other pig parts may be used), and cutters are essentially sandwiches. “My daughter looks after the kitchen. I look after the bar,” said the owner, Ken Agard, 64, noting that surfers are among his best customers. “They drink a lot, man.” Just north of town, a designated green zone stretches for kilometres along the coast. Signs warn against swimming because of strong currents and ask people not to disturb nesting turtles. During a visit in early May, with the winter tourists gone, the beach was empty as far as the eye could see, save for the sand crabs that scuttled into their holes as we approached. The rocky ledges on which waves broke just off the beach made for dramatic photo ops. South of Bathsheba, a hiking trail follows the route of a former rail line, traces of which are
hard to find. It’s an exhilarating walk along a hilly coastline where enormous black boulders, sculpted by eons of waves into a variety of weird shapes, are strewn picturesquely offshore. The best part of the trail lies beyond the village of Glenburnie as the path meanders under arching canopies of low trees. A group of mountain bikers passed us, struggling with the steep gullies and other technical challenges of the route. And just about everywhere there’s the sound of the sea—a continuous roar, comparable to a not-too-distant freight train. There is no off switch for this, which might be nice to have in your hotel at bedtime. Inland, some historic sites dating to colonial times offer interesting diversions. St. Nicholas Abbey, built in 1658 and one of the island’s oldest surviving plantations, continues to make and sell rum, offering samples aged up to 15 www.canadianinquirer.net
years for tasting. Guided tours of the distillery, nicknamed Annabelle, explain the rum-making process. There’s also Sunbury Plantation House, which highlights life on a sugar estate in the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s a fascinating place, with exhibits ranging from Victorian women’s underwear and a 150-yearold doll-filled playpen to the portrait of a notorious 18thcentury brothel keeper, one Rachel Pringle of Bridgetown, the capital. A winding road from Sunbury passes through fields of sugar cane in the rural interior to Hunte’s Gardens, a sinkhole that has been transformed into a remarkable tropical oasis. The Barbadian-born Anthony Hunte, 72, receives visitors on the veranda of his elegant home, the former stables of a sugar plantation, serving rum punch and chatting amiably about the exotic plants he
Getting there: Bathsheba, a good base for exploring the east coast of Barbados, is a half-hour drive from the international airport. Where to stay: Accommodation options are limited on this side of island. The Atlantis Hotel, close to the sea, and the SeaU Guest House, an informal hillside spot with a fine ocean view, are among the few choices in town. Driving: A rental car is useful for getting to out-of-the way places. Driving is U.K.-style, on the left. The roads can be confusing, so consider using a GPS. Warning: Ottawa advises Canadians to avoid isolated areas in Barbados, including beaches, because of crime risks. The travel advisory is at travel. gc.ca/destinations/barbados. Offers of help: In the north, members of a “toll gang” are known to approach drivers of rental cars, offer help with directions and then ask for money. They can be aggressive, flagging down cars and shouting out false warnings of closed roads. Police have tried, with mixed success, to clamp down on the gang in recent years. ■
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Sports
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 FRIDAY
BIRTHPLACE OF GLOBAL HOOPS
NBA still riding momentum of Dream Team, 1992 Barcelona Games BY BRIAN MAHONEY The Associated Press OFFICIALLY, it was the U.S. Olympic team, together for just a few weeks. To the basketball world, it was the Dream Team, and its gold-medal run changed hoops forever. An American sport was transformed into a global phenomenon when Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and the rest of the NBA’s best arrived in Barcelona for the 1992 Olympics. They sparked an interest in basketball that continues to impact the NBA —on and off the court. The league is now a $5.5 billion industry and arguably the most popular international sport behind soccer. “I think basketball was about to explode and the dynamite stick to explode it was the Dream Team,” said U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski, an assistant on that team. Springfield, Massachusetts, is basketball’s birthplace. But the modern NBA game was born in Barcelona. Major league baseball and the NFL would like to emulate the NBA’s international success. Since 1992, the league has played about 150 international basketball games and its contests been televised in more than 200 countries and territories. With Spain hosting the Basketball World Cup the last three weeks— capped off with the U.S. beating Serbia 129-92 in Sunday’s gold-medal game— here’s a look back at the Barcelona Games and how the sport is changing: The players
When Jerry Colangelo went to sign the first players from behind the Iron Curtain, he didn’t do a Pat Riley and drop a couple of championship rings on the table to woo Georgi Glushkov. It was the mid-1980s, and the former Phoenix owner had been told about the Bulgarian big man who had done a good job against Hall of Fame centre Arvydas Sabonis in a European
tournament. So Colangelo and a Suns assistant travelled to Sofia to negotiate a contract. Colangelo walked into a room at the Office of Sports Ministry to find six Bulgarians, some shot glasses and a Coke as a chaser. “We talked a few hours, made a deal where the government was getting most of the money and the player getting a small piece of it,” Colangelo said. While the 6-foot-8 Glushkov’s career was short-lived— he’s now the president of Bulgaria’s basketball federation—it’s much easier finding international prospects with NBA scouts packing under-19 and under-18 tournaments around the globe. The 1992 Olympics “just all kind of changed everything,” said Colangelo, chairman of USA Basketball. “It opened the door for a lot of people and then people started to jump into it.” People including eventual NBA MVPs, league champions, No. 1 draft picks—players like Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker. But Jordi Villacampa, president of the Spanish basketball club Joventut Badalona, cautions that just like American college kids, some international players bolt to the NBA too early. “For me it is important that players, before going to the NBA, master the game and play very well and for several years growing in the European leagues, in our case, in the ACB,” said Villacampa, who played for Spain at the Barcelona Games and is the Spanish league’s No. 2 scorer. “Perhaps the timing (of some players) hasn’t been the best to get the most out of their talent.” Still, more than 90 international players began last season on NBA rosters International influence
As beautiful as the Dream Team made the game look, basketball in the NBA was getting pretty ugly. The Detroit Pistons of Chuck Daly, who coached the Dream Team, were known as the “Bad Boys,” a rough unit that played
A group of basketball players in the midst of a jump ball during a basketball game in Kabul, Afghanistan. The success of the 1992 US Olympic Mens basketball "Dream Team" helped propel the NBA, and basketball in general, into global popularity. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
hard and fouled harder in winning consecutive NBA titles. Pat Riley’s Knicks of the early and mid-1990s would play the same way, and offensive creativity had given way to postups and isolation play. Enter the international influence. Rather than pound the ball inside, they spread the floor and put good-shooting big men on the perimeter. “Now we’ve gone more that way, because there aren’t that many good big post players to start out with,” said Rod Thorn, NBA president of operations. “We didn’t have what is called a stretch 4 until we started getting all these kids from Europe. The Nowitzkis of the world in particular, guys who could shoot the ball out on the court and were big, and now everybody looks for a stretch 4.” Nowhere is the change more evident than with the Spurs. Their first title in 1999 was won the old way, throwing it into David Robinson and Tim Duncan, and it wasn’t much fun to watch. But the basketball they played to win the title in June didn’t look like that. This year’s collection of Spurs looked like, well, the Dream Team—but with a roster comprised of nine players born www.canadianinquirer.net
outside the U.S. Global marketing
The NBA was the first U.S. pro league to play regular-season games outside North America when Phoenix and Utah met in Japan in 1990. But it wasn’t until after the Dream Team that interest there really took off. “The finals in ‘93 between Phoenix and the Bulls, I think we probably had like 20 (Japanese) media, but ‘92 there were only me and the cameraman between the Bulls and Blazers,” journalist Yoko Miyaji said. The NBA took notice. Building in Asia became a priority, particularly in China, where an NBA China division was launched and where the league estimated there were 300 million people playing basketball at the time of the 2008 Olympics. Shanghai and Beijing, with state of the art arenas that would make many U.S. cities envious, have become regular stops on the preseason schedule, and the Philippines joined them last year with its own sparkling facility. Eric Doust, vice-president of global marketing at SQ1 Agency, believes the NBA has done as well as any league growing internationally, in part because
of its diverse rosters. “They’ve got so many international players now, and you can see that from Spain in the FIBA World Cup,” Doust said. “So that’s where I think they gain a lot of leverage as well versus other leagues. ... That’s where their growth is going to come from as well.” Doust said there were 16 billion page views and more than 9 billion video views on NBA.com China over a three-year period. Now it’s on to India and Africa, where the league will stage an exhibition game next summer. LeBron James’ first game against Miami will come in none other than Brazil, hosting another preseason game as the league ramps up its marketing efforts before the 2016 Olympics. Barcelona showed just how big NBA players were—Thorn and Krzyzewski say players on the Dream Team “were like the Beatles”—and now the sport is bigger than ever. “I would say today maybe there are a couple of soccer players that might be as popular as LeBron James around the world, maybe,” Thorn said, “but he’s right in there with anybody.” Along with the NBA. ■
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Ontario pumps $74 million more into 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games BY MARIA BABBAGE The Canadian Press TORONTO—Ontario’s cashstrapped Liberals are pumping another $74 million into the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, but say they’re confident they won’t need to turn on the tap again. TO2015, the organizing committee, asked for the money as it ramps up preparations for the Games next summer, which are expected to cost $2.57 billion including transportation, security and the athletes’ village. “I’ve asked them to really go over their books to figure out exactly what those pressures are, and they are quite confident that this is the first and last time that they’ll be asking for additional money,” Michael Coteau, the minister responsible for the Games, said Tuesday. But some costs may go up, such as the $239 million earmarked
for security, in light of new inter- up ambulances for athletes and other areas, so the overall innational threats, he said. more satellite villages to reduce crease will be $29 million, Coteau The Islamic State of Iraq and travel time for participants, said. The province plans to hold the Levant is calling for support- they said. back $30 million of the $1.6 bilers to kill westerners, be they The money will also help pay lion it’s spending on the Games military or civilian, from coun- for staffing in areas where there until organizers can meet revtries involved in enue targets and the battle against get “further supISIL in northern port from other Iraq—including partners.” Canadians. ‘This is our opportunity here “This is our op“Obviously sein the province of Ontario portunity here in curity levels shift to shine, to really showcase the province of constantly and I everything that we’re proud Ontario to shine, can’t guarantee of—our culture, our herito really showthat security prictage—and we need to take case everything es won’t shift,” Coadvantage of this opportuthat we’re proud teau said. “What nity,’ Coteau said. of—our culture, I can guarantee is our heritage— the operations of and we need to these Games.” take advantage of The committee is expect- won’t be enough volunteers, ex- this opportunity,” Coteau said. ing to bring in $25 million less panding marketing and commu“So I want to make sure that than planned in sponsorship nications to promote the Games, we get this right and I have full revenue. It needs $49 million security for equipment at venues confidence in TO2015 to delivfor other things, including pro- and higher barricades around the er these Games.” viding a live broadcast of some athletes’ village and Pan Am park. The Liberals, who are facing a events, expanding the torch reBut the committee is also ex- $12.5-billion deficit in the curlay to other communities, back- pecting to save $45 million in rent fiscal year, have promised
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to curb costs as they struggle to eliminate the red ink. It wasn’t easy to ask the government for more money, said TO2015 CEO Saad Rafi. The committee has been managing risks, but they had to bite the bullet, he said. “These are a million moving pieces—51 sports, 10,000 athletes and officials,” Rafi said. “As one pro sports team has coined a tag line quite well: this is a bloody big deal.” The federal government is pitching in $500 million for the Games, while Toronto’s contribution is $86 million. Other municipalities are covering $205 million of the costs. The organizing committee expects to generate $172 million in revenue. The Pan Am Games will run from July 7 to 26 at 31 competition venues stretching from the Niagara Region in the south to as far north as Orillia. There are also 13 training and 15 noncompetition venues. ■
Seen and Scenes
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ISABELANS’ REUNION BASH The first summer picnic get-together of Reina Mercedes, Isabela, held recently in Central Park, Burnaby, B.C. Pictures show kababayans representing different barangays of said town, coming all the way from San Francisco, CA.; Portland, Or.; Seattle, Wa.; Campbell River-Nanaimo Island; and from Lower Mainland,Vancouver. Photos from Roi Balayan
Eldie Ferros (L) and gang kick back and relax at the Rockies.
Meeting new friends Ann and Jinky.
Jam session at the Rockies with (from L) Deng Tulalian, Jhoone Passi, Sherwin Rubio, Ryan Filio and Eldie Ferros.
For photo submissions, please email info@canadianinquirer.net.
Whiling the hours away at the biggest indoor shopping centre in Jasper, AB.
CANADIAN ROCKIES REST & RELAXATION
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Events
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
CANADA EVENTS
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NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Bamboo Live in Calgary! By MCY Entertainment WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m., Sept. 27, Century Casino, 1010- 42 Ave. SE, Calgary, AB MORE INFO: Tickets at $45, $65, $85/VIP
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Free Lantern Making Workshop
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By PiM Foundation NEWFOUNDLAND
MANITOBA
SASKATCHEWAN Peer Support Training in Coquitlam By Immigrant Women’s Peer Support Program and Citizenship and Immigration Canada WHEN/WHERE: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., till Dec. 13, at Immigrant Services Society of BC - Coquitlam Settlement Services, 200C-504 Cottonwood Ave., Coquitlam B.C. Bamboo World Tour Live in Canada By Great Smile Denture Inc., MCY Entertainment and TFC WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m., Sept. 26 @ Massey Theatre, New Westminster, B.C. MORE INFO: Sept 27 – Calgary; Sept 28- Winnipeg; Oct. 3 – Saskatoon; Oct. 4 – Toronto; Oct. 5 - Edmonton Hapa Palooza (Canada’s largest festival celebrating mixed heritage) By Hybrid Ancestry Public Arts Society WHEN/WHERE: Hapa Hub Multimedia Artspace Opening – Sept. 26; Hapa Exhibit & Awards Night at Nikkei Centre – Sept. 27; Hapa Family Day at Granville Island Picnic Pavillion – Sept. 28. MORE INFO: This year's inaugural Hapa-palooza award recipients include Filipino-Canadian Ann Makosinski (2013 Google science fair winner and inventor of the hollow flashlight that runs on human heat.) The Singer & The Songwriter Featuring Ms. Joey Albert and Mr. Dennis Lambert By MediCard Philippines Intl. in cooperation with Harana Entertainment & St. Clare of Assisi Parish WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m., Sept. 27 @ Michael J. Fox Theatre, Burnaby B.C. MORE INFO: Tickets at $40, $50 and $100. Call Harana Entertainment 604-763-2590
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QUEBEC
Hotdog Live in Vancouver By Juan Radio, Times Tel and Even8 WHEN/WHERE: 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., Sept. 28, The Stadium Club @ Edgewater Casino, 750 Pacific Blvd. South Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Also featuring Goldie Food Safe Course By Victoria Filipino Canadian Association WHEN/WHERE: 2 to 8:30 p.m., Sept. 28, Bayanihan Community Center, 1709 Blanshard St., Victoria, B.C. Language Diversity and Mother Language Lovers By Vancouver Foundation WHEN/WHERE: 5 to 8 p.m., Sept. 28, at Poplar Island Room, Queensborough Community Centre, 920 Ewen Ave., New Westminster, B.C. Jed Madela 10th Anniversary Tour 2014 By Pinoy Buzz, VIP Remit, Umac, TFC and Philippine Airlines WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m., Oct. 4, Edgewater Casino, 750 Pacific Blvd. South, # 311 Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Ticket prices $100 VIP (Limited) General $50. Masskara Festival 2014 Celebration By Masskara Festival Society of Canada (Vancouver, B.C.) WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m., Oct. 4, at Polish Community Centre 4015 Fraser St., Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: For tickets call: Agnes (604) 401-3115; Lucita (778) 994-3988; Daisy (604) 376-2799 4th World Poetry Canada Intl. Peace Festival By World Poetry Reading Series Society WHEN/WHERE: Oct. 6 to 26, grand opening 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., Oct. 19, at Simon Fraser University, Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, Room 7000, Vancouver, B.C. www.canadianinquirer.net
WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 4 at T & T Pacific Place Mall (NE) MORE INFO: Register at 587-700-1047. This is a family event, open to all ages. Hotdog Concert & Dance Party By Juarez Management WHEN/WHERE: Dinner – 6-7 p.m., Concert – 8 p.m. at Ramada Plaza Calgary, 3515 26 St. NE, Calgary, AB. MORE INFO: Tickets $80 includes dinner and show. Email marvinsjuarez@yahoo.ca Bamboo Live in Edmonton World Tour 2014 By PDM Productions WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m., Oct. 5, Ramada Edmonton Hotel & Conference Centre MORE INFO: For tickets, call: Lorena Alcantara (780)906-2127; Bayani Alcantara (780)935-4376; Panciteria de Manila at 9653 102 Ave., Edmonton, AB (780) 425-5757
San’ To’ By Philippine Consulate General in Toronto WHEN/WHERE: ongoing till Oct. 28 at PCG-Toronto 7th Flr., 160 Eglinton Ave., East Toronto, On. MORE INFO: featuring the works of Romeo Masalunga and Antonio Afable, Jr.
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