Philippine Canadian Inquirer Issue #145

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VOL. 12 NO. 145

DECEMBER 12, 2014

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P-Noy can’t wait for the day he becomes Citizen Noy

Roxas on Binay Run: Filipinos are smart voters

PNP Chief suspension creates gap at top

Hideous holiday sweaters more popular than ever

Group sets world record for longest football play in Cebu

Binay vows to continue P-Noy war vs corruption

BY NIÑA P. CALLEJA Philippine Daily Inquirer

WAITING FOR ‘RUBY’ An anxious resident of Borongan City, Eastern Samar province, watches large waves slam into the shore as Eastern Visayas braces for the landfall of Typhoon “Ruby” in the area on Saturday. The country’s strongest typhoon this year made landfall hours later in Dolores town.

RAFFY LERMA

Ruby blows away, sparing country of Yolanda-like death and destruction

BY TERESA CEROJANO The Associated Press SAN JUAN, Philippines — A storm that began as a frighteningly powerful typhoon started to blow away from the

Philippines Tuesday after leaving at least 21 people dead and forcing more than 1.6 million into shelters.

Typhoon Ruby (International name)/ Hagupit (Philippine name) dissipated

❱❱ PAGE 9 Binay vows

Philippine Canadian Inquirer

Global Filipino: Cheche Lázaro ❱❱ PAGE 26

❱❱ PAGE 10 Ruby blows

SHOULD HE win the presidency, Vice President Jejomar Binay said he would continue the Aquino administration’s anticorruption programs, countering the claim of his rival, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

If there is an Aquino administraton program worth continuing, it is the fight against corruption, declared Binay, who is facing a string of corruption allegations.

“We would want to continue it and intensify it, and make sure the results will be evident,” he told reporters.

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DECEMBER 12, 2014

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FRIDAY

Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

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Purisima back, seeks meeting with P-Noy

BY NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer BELEAGUERED PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Director General Alan Purisima quietly arrived last Friday from his official trip to Saudi Arabia, the INQUIRER learned from well-placed sources.

Earlier reports said Purisima was set to return over last weekend, but he apparently decided to return ahead of schedule.

Purisima was abroad when the Office of the Ombudsman ordered his six-month preventive suspension over an alleged anomalous courier service contract the PNP signed with Werfast Documentation Agency in 2011.

The courier service was meant for a door to-door delivery of the firearms licenses of gun owners.

Eleven other PNP officers, three of them generals, were also suspended.

Purisima wants to have an audience with President Aquino, presumably to discuss his suspension, but it remains unclear when this would take place, a Palace source said.

Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, the PNP’s third in command, has been designated officer in charge of the 150,000 strong police force until Dec. 9.

What then is the status of Purisima between the time he arrived and Dec. 9?

An exact date for the start of the six month suspension has yet to be an-

“The story here is the story of Ruby, the PNP’s preparations for Ruby. The PNP is bigger than any one person, than Mar Roxas, Alan Purisima or any one else. The entire force of the PNP is focused [on the typhoon]. Our police and firemen are putting their lives on the line to ensure the safety of our countrymen and they know what to do regardless of who is the OIC or chief [of the] PNP,” Roxas said in Filipino.

Ombudsman order executory

Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima.

nounced by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, who has oversight powers over the PNP and its leadership.

Roxas was dispatched by President Aquino to Borongan, Eastern Samar, to oversee the government’s preparations for Typhoon “Ruby” (international name: “Hagupit”), which was expected to make landfall near where Supertyphoon “Yolanda” pummeled the Visayas last year.

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL Police Director General Alan Purisima early this week maintained that he did not have any involvement in the alleged anomalous contract the police force entered into with a courier service for the delivery of gun licenses, saying the contract was executed more than a year before he was appointed PNP chief.

In a statement this past Sunday, the country’s top cop expressed confidence the investigation being conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman into the allegedly anomalous contract “would eventually vindicate me.”

“I welcome official investigations against me as the proper and acceptable venues for determining my accountabilities as a public servant,” Purisima said.

He issued the statement two days after quietly returning from an official trip to Saudi Arabia, where he met with other law enforcement officers on trans-

be on the typhoon and not the controversy in the PNP. This was Roxas’ answer to the question of whether or not Purisima’s suspension was a welcome development.

It is widely believed that Roxas and Purisima are at odds with each other, which the two have dismissed as unfounded rumors.

Focus on typhoon, not PNP

On government-run Radyo ng Bayan, Roxas said that everyone’s focus should

Purisima denies picking courier

BY JULIE AURELIO Philippine Daily Inquirer

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Nonetheless, Roxas said he had reported Purisima’s suspension to President Aquino.

“The order of the Ombudsman is executory so we will implement that,” Roxas said.

On the report that Purisima planned to file a temporary restraining order against his suspension, Roxas said it was the right of the PNP chief to do so.

“That is [part of ] the ( judicial) process. That’s not under our purview. For the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) and the Napolcom (National Police Commission), it’s executory. In fact, it is mandatory to execute it, whether you are a mayor or whatever official you are, that’s what happens,” Roxas said. ■

national crimes.

During Purisima’s absence, the Ombudsman ordered his six-month preventive suspension for alleged involvement in the questioned contract with Werfast Documentary Agency, a courier service.

The PNP chief maintained the contract between the PNP and Werfast was executed on May 25, 2011, way before he was appointed by President Aquino on Dec. 18, 2012.

“What I approved was only the mandatory delivery of firearms license cards of gun owners to their registered addresses. I did not approve the delivery of firearms license cards by a specific service provider. In fact in March 2014 I terminated the contract of Werfast for gross inefficiency,” he said.

The PNP chief said some sectors had linked the mandatory delivery of firearms license cards to the accreditation of Werfast “in an effort to muddle the issue and defeat the efforts of the PNP to strictly monitor, regulate and control firearms ownership in the country.” ■

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Philippine News

DECEMBER 12, 2014

FRIDAY

President can’t wait for the day when he turns Citizen Noy again

BY NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer

question after he wraps up his term in 2016.

A year’s break

HE WON’T be Citizen Noy until 18 “Foremost on my mind, together with months from now, but already President my Cabinet, is to take at least a year’s Aquino had to face questions on his per- break to recharge and recover from all sonal plans once he completes his term the tensions, turmoil (and) concerns on June 30, 2016. over the past six years,” Mr. Aquino said.

But the President preempted one “I think I will try to look for a means to question from the journalists whose serve in another capacity rather than an questions at last week’s Bulong Pulun- elective office,” he added. gan forum ranged from the first thing He was also toying with the idea of he’d do on the afwriting a book ternoon of June to help “institu30, to his “haptionalize the lespiest moments” sons ... learned” during his sixfrom his six year presidency.

Foremost on my mind, years in office.

“I look forward together with my “We’d really to your thoughtCabinet, is to take at want to interact provoking quesleast a year’s break to with the youth tions, (but) recharge and recover and help shape might I preempt from all the tensions, the next generayou (on) one turmoil (and) concerns tion so that we question always over the past six years. don’t repeat the asked here, the same mistakes. one about my In exactly what love life—to form? I’m not exwhich the anactly sure at this swer remains the point (but) we same,” Mr. Aquino said, to much laugh- are concerned with today’s issues,” the ter from his audience.

President said.

At 54, the only son of democracy icons When a new President is sworn in Ninoy and Cory Aquino, remains a bach- noon of June 30, 2016, Mr. Aquino just elor. might head home to his family’s resiAt the forum, the President made it dence on Times Street in Quezon City. clear that he was looking forward to He looks forward to staying in his own retiring from politics, saying that seek- bed and in his own house, he said. ing another elective post was out of the “... And perhaps looking forward to the

GIL NARTEA / MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU

following day when I don’t have to wake up too early. I can laze around and get used to living on Times (Street) again.

And perhaps visit the neighborhood supermarket and fast food joints around,” the President said.

avoid listening to love songs if he could, a remark that again made his audience laugh.

And what made him happiest during his presidency?, he was asked.

Happiest moments

No classic cars

Criticized early in his administration for buying a secondhand Porsche, the President was also asked the dream car he would indulge in once he was a private citizen again. Well, he would have to check the 2015 models first before he can give an answer, Mr. Aquino said, adding that he wasn’t really into classic cars because “when I turn on the ignition switch, I want it to start all the time. I don’t want it to be ( just) a labor of love.”

Music, it seems, would remain a constant in the private life of President Aquino who said that “music became more important,” during the many highs and lows of his presidency. He relied on jazz at night and religious songs “to calm down,” he said.

Mr. Aquino added: “Sometimes, you need to be filled with energy so it becomes either rock or some dance music.

Sometimes, you need something really different to take your mind off things, so it becomes classical (music). Except rap, I still don’t like rap, with all due apologies.”

The President said he also tries to

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Seeing the country’s economy grow, the President replied, mentioning the Philippines’ credit ratings upgrade and investment grade status.

He added that seeing the government take on a proactive stance against disasters, instead of reacting only to the impacts of disasters, also made him happy.

There is a long list, “things are changing,” he said.

“But I guess, at the end of the day, (the happiest moment is) when you see the renewed optimism and the attitude that is different in our people, (when) it seems nothing is impossible ... From the time we stepped into office when there was massive cynicism, when the primary goal was how to leave the Philippines, to now ... (when) the young (are) coming back home. That, again, makes us all happy and makes all of this worthwhile,” Mr. Aquino said.

The 28-year-old Bulong Pulungan forum has had President Aquino as its special guest for its annual Christmas event for the past five years, conferring on him various awards for his governance, from last year’s “Man of Steel” award to this year’s the “Bosses’ Favorite” award. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

5

Caloocan ‘serial rapist’ apprehended by police

BY ANGIE DUARTE Philippine Canadian Inquirer

of a few days, and that they were expecting more women to come forward and press charges against Biol.

MANILA — The suspect in The police chief added that a series of rapes in Caloocan the suspect was caught after ofCity has been apprehended, 5 ficers at the scene of the breakmonths after he was ordered in found evidence of a struggle. arrested by Caloocan Mayor They then searched nearby Oscar Malapitan. hospitals, which Albert Biol, led them to Biol.

42, was arrested The suspect had this past Satursought medical day night after attention for a Since his arrest, ten women he broke into head wound he victimized by Biol have positively and ransacked sustained when identified the suspect as the man a house in the the victim hit who raped them at gunpoint.

Bukid Area, killhim on the head ing the homebefore he was owner in the process. gunpoint; according to Calo- killed by Biol.

Police arrested Biol at the ocan police chief Senior SuperMeanwhile, Mayor MalapiBernardino Hospital, where the intendent Bartolome Busta- tan assured the women that the suspect had gone for treatment mante. city government will assist them of injuries sustained in a scuffle Bustamante noted that the in their quest for justice for the with the slain homeowner, Ben- rapes occurred within a span crime committed against them. ■

Military says Dutchman abducted

by Abu Sayyaf still alive

BY ANGIE DUARTE Philippine Canadian Inquirer ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, commander of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), expressed the military’s belief that Abu Sayyaf hostage, Dutchman Ewold Horn, is still alive despite reports alleging that Horn had passed away from a heart condition.

Guerrero said on Monday, December 8, that he believed that Horn is still alive and being held captive in the mountains of Patikul; a theory which was corroborated by escaped hostage, Swiss national Lorenzo Vinciguerra.

Vinciguerra fled from the Abu Sayyaf last Saturday, after he managed to grab the machete from the rebel standing watch over them in the jungles of Patikul, Sulu. The Swiss man managed to hack the guard on the neck, enabling his escape.

He was found by security forces in Barangay Timpook in Patikul, Sulu and subsequently taken to Camp Navarro Hospital in Zamboanga City, before

jamin Alhambra, 32-years-old.

Upon checking their records, authorities found out that Biol was wanted for rape under the alias of Daniel Mercado.

Since his arrest, ten women victimized by Biol have positively identified the suspect as the man who raped them at

Suspected bomb explosion kills 9, injures 25 others on Philippine passenger bus

BY JIM GOMEZ The Associated Press

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF VIOLENT GROUPS

being flown to Manila Unconfirmed reports said that Horn, who was in poor health, had died. Vinciguerra, however, insisted that the Dutchman is still alive, although in a weakened state.

“Vinciguerra revealed that Horn was too weak to join him in his escape. No report whatsoever of Horn succumbing to an ailment. We believe Horn is still alive along with other kidnap victims,” Guerrero said.

Vinciguerra, 49, and Horn, both birdwatchers, were grabbed by the Abu Sayyaf on February 1, 2012 in Tawi-Tawi.

Their Filipino guide, Ivan Sarenas, was also abducted, but managed to escape by jumping overboard, as they made their way by boat to Sulu.

Guerrero assured that the military has not relented in their operations to rescue Horn, and all other remaining hostages of the Abu Sayyaf. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — A suspected bomb explosion Tuesday in a bus in front of a university in the southern Philippines killed at least nine people and wounded more than 20 others, officials said.

The Rural Transit bus had picked up passengers, mostly students, and was passing near the main gate of Central Mindanao University in Maramag town in Bukidnon province when the powerful blast sent shrapnel and debris flying through the vehicle, town safety officer Alejandro Navarro said.

The blast killed nine passengers and wounded 25 others, many of them seriously, he said.

The suspected explosive, probably a mortar round concealed in a bag, went off in an overhead rack, and many passengers who were standing in the overcrowded bus were wounded in the head, Navarro said.

Investigators were trying to determine the type of blast and were searching for other possible explosives at the site in Maramag, about 860 kilometres (535 miles) southeast of Manila, police officer Rufina Bayarcal said.

Ralph Quilla, a 17-year-old student who was riding on the bus, said by cellphone that the explosion occurred at the back of the vehicle and wounded him in the arm.

“There was a loud explosion that filled the bus with smoke,” Quilla said from a hospital where he and other victims were taken for treatment. Muslim rebels and extortion gangs have been blamed for past bombings on buses in the country’s restive south.

The attacks have continued despite a state of high alert for military and police forces in the south because of sporadic bombings and other attacks by hard-line Muslim insurgents opposed to a new autonomy deal between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim rebel group in the country. ■

Philippine News

6

DECEMBER 12, 2014

FRIDAY

Jinggoy back Department of Education at work behind bars memo bars military from schools–Luistro

BY LEILA B. SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer

SEN. JINGGOY Estrada has returned to work after the lifting of his 90-day preventive suspension over the plunder charges against him, filing five new bills that he hopes his colleagues will consider passing.

Estrada, who remains in detention, early last week refiled bills that he had endorsed during the 15th Congress but which have not become law. The topics covered include better rest rooms and dormitories, stronger protection for victims of certain crimes, and a safer environment for tattooing and body piercing.

Estrada’s suspension ended on Nov. 29, which means that he can resume performing the functions of a legislator, except voting on a measure since this would require his physical presence at the Senate.

One of the bills that Estrada is pushing seeks to put in place guidelines to ensure the confidentiality of addresses of the victims of violence against women and children.

He said the victims should be provided substitute addresses in public records as this would help them start and lead normal lives and help protect them from their accusers.

He noted that from 2004 to 2013, there had been a huge increase in the number of cases involving violence against women and children, from 218

Senator Jinggoy Estrada.

to 16,517 reported incidents.

Another bill he filed provides guidelines and minimum requirements for the operation of dormitories and boarding houses, to see to it that these temporary homes for students would be safe, clean and conducive to learning and living.

Under the measure, these living spaces should have adequate lighting, proper ventilation, enough room to move around, fire protection facilities, study rooms, first aid equipment, garbage disposal systems, and closed circuit televisions.

It also seeks to require local government units to issue licenses for dormitories and boarding houses, prescribe minimum rentals and impose annual fees.

Estrada has also filed a bill that would require private and government institutions to put up separate functional and sanitary rest rooms for persons with special needs and abilities, as well as another measure that will regulate tattooing and body piercing, including a ban on minors undergoing the procedures.

He is also proposing a law that will define the crime of identity theft, which would provide harsh penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment and a P5 million fine for offenders.

The bill would task the National Statistics Office and the Department of Justice to help identity theft victims and correct the records. ■

JOSE ANGELITO P. ANGELES / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

BY JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE Philippine Daily Inquirer REACTING TO criticism over his supposed inaction to protect lumad students and teachers, Secretary Armin Luistro maintained he could not revoke a Department of Education (DepEd) memorandum without considering the result, but he assured the protesting group that no school in the country had allowed the military on its campuses.

Luistro in a statement said that while it was easy to revoke a memorandum, particularly the questioned Guidelines on the Protection of Children During Armed Conflict that was issued in 2013, the system of investigation set by its issuance would be voided.

The Save Our Schools (SOS) Network had sought the revocation of controversial DepEd Memorandum 221, charging that it permitted the military to enter schools.

SOS, along with lumad students and teachers from Mindanao, camped outside the DepEd office in Pasig City last week to voice their demand and engaged Luistro in a dialogue on Tuesday.

Luistro said: “There is no school, private or public, that is allowing the entry of any armed individual or group,” stressing that the memorandum specifically banned this.

He pointed out that under the memorandum, armed persons were not allowed to enter school grounds.

“The DepEd memo provides a system of investigation. The process does not end with the divisions. Included in that process is monitoring, investigation and action. DepEd Memo 221 stipulates the process that must be followed,” he said.

He added: “It’s easy to revoke a memorandum. The problem is if I revoke the memo, we will no longer have a process that would allow us to act on your grievance…if I revoke that memorandum we will have no basis (for an investigation).” www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine Special Forces on a training exercise. Secretary Armin Luistro has maintained that no school in the country has allowed the military on its campuses.

TROY ROAT / U.S. NAVY / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Luistro assured the protesters he was one with them in their concern for the safety of the students and personnel in the schools and said that the DepEd would submit the lumads’ and SOS Network’s grievances and complaints to the Inter-Agency Committee on Children in Armed Conflict, headed by the Council on the Welfare of Children.

Zones of peace

“We maintain that schools are zones of peace so there should be no armed personnel on school grounds as it puts our students at risk,” he said, emphasizing that military operations were not allowed on school premises, except for civil-military activities like the Brigada Eskwela and medical missions.

The education secretary voiced concern over the SOS Network’s claim of a military presence in Mindanao schools, “but we still need to follow a process, a proper investigation of the allegations we heard in the dialogue.”

He asked those in the affected Mindanao schools to sub-

mit documentary evidence like photographs, videos or narratives of the alleged harassment committed by armed personnel for a more “swift and comprehensive investigation.”

On Tuesday, members of the SOS Network with some 50 lumad students and teachers and Gabriela party-list Rep. Emmi de Jesus met with Luistro to address the alleged use of lumad schools and communities as military encampments.

They sought the revocation of DepEd Memorandum 221, which they claimed allowed the military to conduct activities in schools and allegedly resulted in the harassment of teachers and students in lumad community centers in Surigao del Sur and the encampment of Army personnel in Sitio Nasilaban, Barangay Palma Gil, Talaingod, Davao del Norte.

The SOS Network said the evacuation of residents from the areas covered by the military’s Internal Peace and Security Plan Bayanihan, an anti-insurgency operation, had closed down seven community learning centers affecting 569 lumad students. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

7

Abad defends budget against Miriam attack

BY TJ BURGONIO Philippine Daily Inquirer

ted to President Aquino’s allies and government departments that were “viewed as crucial to the end results of the elections.”

In a recent privilege speech, Santiago claimed that the 2015 budget contained some P37.3billion in pork barrel-like funds. Further, she said, it gave the administration a loophole whereby any budget item could be declared as savings at any time.

House and Senate members of the bicameral conference committee met last week to reconcile their versions of the budget measure, including redefining savings, to address concerns like Santiago’s.

BUDGET SECRETARY Florencio Abad has dismissed claims Misappropriated item the P2.6-trillion 2015 budget For instance, she said, in the was the administration’s “pre- P104.5-billion budget of the paratory budget” for the 2016 Department of Interior and elections.

Local Government, there is an “We have our budget prior- item for a water service, a funcity framework, and we have tion that belongs to the Nationsectoral and geographic focus. al Irrigation Administration.

How can that be?” he said in an Liberal Party secretary geninterview.

Abad insisted that the proposed General Appropriations We have our budget priority Act of 2015 was framework, and we have sectoral and Savings defined a “rational budgeographic focus. How can that be?

The lawmakget” designed to ers agreed on a reduce poverty, definition of savgrow the econoings that would my and promote governance. eral Senen Sarmiento has ex- allow a government agency to This has been the principle plained that funding for water declare and use them only after behind the annual budgets the services was in no way related satisfying certain conditions, Aquino administration has to irrigation. and if the savings did not result been submitting to Congress The Salintubig project is de- from the agency’s fault or negsince 2011, he said. signed to improve health sani- ligence.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-San- tation and provide water to ruThey said this complied tiago had claimed that the 2015 ral communities in accordance with the Supreme Court rulbudget was designed in such a with the Millennium Develop- ing declaring unconstitutional way that more money was allot- ment Goals, he explained. some parts of Malacañang’s

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Budget Secretary Florencio Abad.

Disbursement Acceleration Program, ostensibly a stimulus economic program to accelerate government spending but which the high court deemed as encroaching on the Congress’ “power of the purse.”

The panel is set to meet again

NEDA.GOV.PH

on Monday to approve the reconciled version.

“The staff are still ironing out the conflicting amounts and provisions,” said Sen. Francis Escudero, the chair of the Senate bicam panel and finance committee. ■

Philippine News

8

DECEMBER 12, 2014 FRIDAY

Roxas on Binay run: Filipinos are smart voters Publisher Philippine Canadian Inquirer, Inc. Managing Editor Earl Von Tapia earl.tapia@canadianinquirer.net Community News Editor Mary Ann Mandap maryann.mandap@canadianinquirer.net Correspondents Ching Dee Angie Duarte Lei Fontamillas Frances Grace Quiddaoen Socorro Newland Bolet Arevalo Graphic Designer Shanice Garcia Photographers Angelo Siglos Solon Licas Operations and Marketing Head Laarni Liwanag (604) 551-3360 Advertising Sales Alice Yong (778) 889-3518 alice.yong@canadianinquirer.net Jennifer Yen (778) 227-2995 jennifer.yen@canadianinquirer.net sales@canadianinquirer.net 1-888-668-6059 PHILIPPINE PUBLISHING GROUP Editorial Assistant Phoebe Casin Associate Publisher Lurisa Villanueva In cooperation with the Philippine Daily Inquirer digital edition Philippine Canadian Inquirer is located at 400-13955 Bridgeport Rd., Richmond, BC V6V 1J6 Canada Tel. No.: 1-888-668-6059 or 778-8893518 | Email: info@canadianinquirer. net, inquirerinc@gmail.com, sales@ canadianinquirer.net Philippine Canadian Inquirer is published weekly every Friday.

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BY NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer IT ISN’T so much the possibility that he could lose to Vice President Jejomar Binay in the 2016 presidential election that bothers him.

What annoys Interior Secretary Mar Roxas more is the possibility that the anticorruption policy of President Aquino will not continue under the leadership of Binay.

In a roundtable discussion with INQUIRER editors and reporters last Tuesday night, Roxas was asked if he would be bothered by a Binay presidency.

Roxas replied: “I am bothered by the possibility that daang matuwid (straight path) will not continue.”

But Roxas said he believed the Filipino voters would choose their next President wisely.

“I think Filipinos are smart. I think Filipinos know what is in their best interest. I think Filipinos know what would be good choices,” he said. Binay, the leader in early voter-preference polls, is hounded by allegations of corruption, with the Senate investigating charges of questionable contracts he entered into for the Makati government Senator Mar Roxas (pictured) is worried that the anticorruption policy of President Aquino will not when he was mayor of the city. continue if VP Jejomar Binay gets elected as president.

At the center of the investigation by OFELIA T. STA. MARIA / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS a Senate blue ribbon subcommittee is the alleged overpricing in the construc- presidential election, President Aquino ic” approach he had developed with tion of the P2.28-billion Makati City and the Liberal Party have yet to declare the Philippine National Police that Hall Building II, but the probe has been a presidential candidate although it is he said had reduced the crime rate in expanded to cover allegations that Bi- widely believed they will pick Roxas.

Metro Manila by half after a yearlong nay owns an 8,877-square-meter lot in The President has repeatedly said test run.

Makati and a 350-hectare agricultural he wants a successor who will press his But there was no escaping the 2016 farm in Rosario town, Batangas prov- good government program, which he question. Asked about President Aquiince. claims has achieved significant gains, in- no’s possible anointed one, Roxas said The Vice President has denied all the cluding an improved image of the Phil- he would support whomever Mr. Aquiallegations against him, claiming these ippines that is attracting more foreign no chose as the Liberal Party’s presiare part of a smear dential standardcampaign aimed at bearer. eliminating him from Roxas likened the the 2016 race for election to the OlymMalacañang.

I think Filipinos are smart. I think Filipinos know pics—it is scheduled, Binay defeated what is in their best interest. I think Filipinos it will take place.

Roxas in the 2010 know what would be good choices.

So how is he, Presivice-presidential dent Aquino and the election, but Roxas Liberal Party preparis contesting the reing for the Olympics? sults of that race. investment.

“The best preparation is perforPolitical analysts have said it is not unAsked if the presidency is on his mind, mance,” Roxas said. likely that Roxas will again lose to Binay Roxas replied that he did not allow the “The President and his party have in 2016. thought to distract him from his work. delivered on a whole slew of items that Roxas gave way to Mr. Aquino in the were part of the agenda of the President 2010 presidential election. Mr. Aquino, So much to do and the party. I am not saying everythen a senator, became the popular There is so much to do from now until thing’s perfect. I am not saying we have choice following the death of his mother, the Aquino administration winds down attained nirvana. I am just saying that former President Cory Aquino. in 2016 that it feels the election is still so we are certainly better off today than far away, he said. where we were, exponentially different Still no candidate Roxas extensively discussed a “de- than where we were [before],” Roxas With 18 months to go before the next liberate, systematic and programmat- said. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

PAL: Tacloban flights cancelled until Dec. 14 PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — Philippine Airlines (PAL) flights to and from Tacloban have been cancelled until Dec. 14, following the suspension of operations at Daniel Romualdez Airport (Tacloban Airport).

PAL made this announcement after the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) over the weekend restricted the use of the airport to military and general aviation doing relief operations.

However, as of Monday, 1:05 am, CAAP said that Tacloban Airport is no longer on limited operations and is now open for commercial flights.

The airline earlier advised

passengers booked on any PAL flights to and from Tacloban from Dec. 7 to 14 to contact PAL Reservations for rebooking or refund of tickets.

PAL said that its contact centers will be calling affected passengers, particularly those who provided contact information when they booked with PAL. Passengers may rebook for travel within 30 days from original flight date, with rebooking fees/charges waived.

If a passenger is unable to rebook on the same fare class, rebooking on a higher booking class will be allowed, with fare difference also waived.

PAL has yet to announce its next move following the resumption of Tacloban Airport’s operations. ■

9

Binay vows...

During a visit to continued with the right kind that they would pick Roxas, Pandi, Bulacan prov- of governance. When I became who gave up his presidential ince last Thursday, the Makati mayor, I continued run in 2010 in favor of the popBinay was asked to comment on the programs of my predeces- ular Mr. Aquino. statements that Roxas made at sor like hospitals and health Among the accusations being the INQUIRER late last Tues- projects,” he said. leveled against Binay are the alday that he (Roxas) was not Despite the corruption allega- legedly graft-ridden infrastrucso much bothered by his pos- tions against him, Binay contin- ture contracts that he entered sibly failing in his yet-to-be- ues to lead the most recent sur- into when he was the mayor of announced presidential bid in veys on candidate preferences in Makati, including the construc2016, but by the tion of the P2.28chance that the billion Makati next president City Hall Buildwould discontining II which is alue Mr. Aquino’s For me, programs that garnered leged to be overdaang matuwid good results should be continued priced. (right path) polwith the right kind of governance.

The Senate icy. blue ribbon subBut Roxas said committee is he believed Filialso investigatpino voters to ing allegations be smart and they would know the 2016 presidential election. that the Vice President owns who will be the “good choice.”

Roxas lost to Binay in the an 8,877-square-meter lot in Binay merely laughed off 2010 vice presidential contest Makati and a 350-hectare agriRoxas’ pointed comments, and some analysts say he could cultural farm in Rosario, Batansaying government programs lose to Binay again in the 2016 gas province, worth billions of should not be stopped just be- presidential election. pesos. cause the previous administraMr. Aquino and the ruling Binay has denied all the alletion had started them.

Liberal Party have yet to de- gations, saying these were part “For me, programs that gar- clare their presidential candi- of a “demolition job” instigated nered good results should be date but it is widely believed by his political rivals. ■ ❰❰ 1

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10

Philippine News

DECEMBER 12, 2014 FRIDAY

President Aquino to push through visit to South Korea this week amidst Typhoon Ruby recovery efforts PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino III will push through with his plan to attend the 25th ASEAN-Republic of Korea (ROK) Commemorative Summit in South Korea late this week.

Earlier in the week, Malacanang announced that the President will not attend the South Korea summit due to the onslaught of Typhoon “Ruby.”

With “Ruby” weakened to a tropical storm and projected to exit the country by Wednesday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said re-

ports from the affected areas have been encouraging due to the high level of preparedness achieved by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) and local government units.

“It is in light of this that President Aquino has decided to push through with the original plan to attend the 25th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit. This is in keeping with the Philippines’ international commitments to Korea, which has always been a staunch partner and ally, our sister nations in ASEAN, and the rest of the global community,” Valte said in a statement Tuesday.

Ruby blows... into a tropical depression after crossing Lubang Island, 135 kilometres (85 miles) southwest of Manila, and was blowing into the South China Sea, forecasters said.

Batangas, the last major province lashed by Hagupit (pronounced HA’-goo-pit) overnight, has so far not reported any casualties or major damage, echoing similar assessments from many central Philippines provinces spared of major losses.

“With God’s grace, there are zero casualties and no injuries because we were able to prepare,” said Mayor Rodolfo Manalo of Batangas’ idyllic San Juan town, a flood-prone coastal community popular for its beach resorts, where more than 2,800 villagers fled to a public gymnasium and other shelters before the storm slammed ashore.

After assessing the typhoon aftermath, President Benigno Aquino III reversed a decision not to attend a meeting of the leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and South Korea in Busan city later this week.

Many of the archipelago’s central provinces are still reeling from last year’s monster Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda, which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing and a massive trail of destruction, fueling worries about Hagupit as it ap❰❰ 1

proached from the Pacific with menacing gusts of 250 kph (155 mph) last week.

More than a million people fled from villages in the path of Hagupit — Filipino for “smash” or “lash” — into government emergency shelters.

In southern Basilan province, Philippine navy vessels including a patrol gunboat rushed to an island where 18 Chinese fishing boats manned by 250 crewmen dropped anchor, said Capt. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, head of a navy unit in the area. An inter-agency team inspected the boats, found the fishermen’s papers in order and no illegal items. The team accepted the fishermen’s explanation that they sought shelter from the typhoon while en route from Indonesia to China.

Hagupit left at least 21 people dead, many of whom drowned in Eastern Samar province, where the typhoon made its first landfall, according to the Philippine Red Cross. The government disaster-response agency has reported only 11 deaths, saying it is still verifying other reported casualties.

Although Hagupit blew in from the Pacific with enormous force, seasonal cold winds blowing down from China deprived it of the warm and humid seas from which it draws power.

The typhoon, the 18th to batter the disaster-prone country this year, slowly fizzled out. ■

President Benigno S. Aquino III listens to the updates on the government’s predisaster readiness preparation for Typhoon Ruby at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council headquarters in Quezon City last Thursday.

BENHUR ARCAYAN / MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU

Valte said the trip will afford the President the opportunity to articulate the Philippine po-

sition on issues of both national and global importance, including those connected to climate

risk and disaster preparedness, and the dangers posed by the Ebola virus.

“Rest assured that the President has been closely monitoring the situation, and will continue to do so, even as he represents the country in Busan.

He has full trust and confidence in the members of the Cabinet who have been on the ground since before Ruby made landfall, as well as in the NDRRMC, local government units, and other government personnel who are engaged in the task of relief and recovery,” she said.

The summit is scheduled December 11 to 12 in Busan, South Korea. ■

Philippine Navy deploys 42 ships, 13 aircraft for ‘Ruby’ relief efforts PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — With government relief efforts for people displaced by Typhoon “Ruby” going full blast, the Philippine Navy (PN) this week announced that it has so far deployed a total of 42 naval ships and 13 aircraft to respond to the needs of affected communities.

Lt. Cmdr. Marineth Domingo, Navy public affairs office chief, said that these assets were stationed in strategic locations from the Visayas, Southern and Northern Luzon, Northern Palawan including those of the islands in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Eastern Mindanao These can be broken down into four surface ships assets in Southern Luzon; 10 naval ships in the Visayas, 10 surface assets and two aircraft in Palawan; six naval ships in Eastern Mindanao and two aircraft in Northern Luzon.

Moreover, a total of 12 surface assets are on standby and ready for deployment in Sangley Point, Cavite City under the Command of the Fleet-Marine Ready Force and nine other aircraft of the Naval Air Group.

Likewise, a number of disaster response and rescue teams www.canadianinquirer.net

were deployed in areas covering Cavite, Manila stretched to CAMANAVA (Caloocan- Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela) areas to avert the effects in these flood prone areas.

Deployed were 10 teams with one medical team in CAMANAVA aside from that 12 teams with one communication van and three medical teams for Cavite area; and 10 teams deployed in Manila area.

A total of 37 PN DRR (disaster relief response) teams are ready to respond in case of any eventualities.

“The Flag Officer-in-Command (Vice Admiral Jesus Millan) emphasized the Navy’s thrust in helping our government in its nation–building ef-

forts in areas affected by this typhoon. Thus, the Navy’s participation heed to the call of the local government units and the community as a whole for force protection and security; likewise, as reliable partner in inter-agency operations,” Domingo stressed.

She added that this mission put into the test the PN’s communication, electronic and information system capability in times of disaster.

Rehabilitation efforts manifested through sealift, transport and relief operations; road clearing, search and rescue; medical assistance as well as reconstruction activities with the Navy engineering capability, Domingo concluded. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

11

15,800 food packs for ‘Ruby’ victims released PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Tuesday that some 5,000 food packs were released by the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City for the victims of tropical storm “Ruby” (international name: Hagupit) in Region IV-A or Calabarzon.

The food packs were transported by two wing vans and one flatbed truck from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to the province of Cavite for distribution to affected families in Bacoor City, Cavite City, Kawit, Noveleta, Rosario, and Ternate.

For Region IV-B or MIMA-

ROPA (the twin Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), the NROC also released around 10,800 food packs on the same day.

Two wing vans provided by the World Food Programme (WFP) and four trucks from LTFRB transported the relief items for Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Culion, Palawan.

On top of these, 6,800 food packs are already prepared for transportation by 10 trucks to the MIMAROPA relief hub in Batangas which serves as distribution hub for the said region.

Another 1,789 food packs for Quezon province are scheduled to be delivered anytime Tuesday for the towns of Dolores, San Antonio and Candelaria.

DSWD Secretary Corazon J. Soliman attributes her agency’s capability to deliver enough

relief goods to the typhoon-affected areas on time to the help of volunteers who continue to troop to the NROC in Pasay to help repack goods.

From 7 a.m. to Tuesday noon, at least 417 volunteers have arrived to help in repacking relief goods at the NROC. Since the DSWD made the call for volunteers on Sunday, a total of 1,766 volunteers responded and rendered their invaluable services.

“Thank you to all the volunteers in NROC and in the Cebu Hub at the Cebu International Convention Center and Sacred Heart Gymnasium. As always, you never failed us,” Soliman said.

Continuous repacking of goods is being done in the said relief hubs to meet the needs for augmentation of food packs for the typhoon victims in various regions. ■

City council places Tacloban under state of calamity PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY TACLOBAN CITY — The city council has placed on Tuesday the entire city under a state of calamity due to impacts of typhoon Ruby that would derail the city’s recovery from super typhoon Yolanda.

City Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin said the declaration would allow the local government to use the calamity fund, propose for supplemental budget and enforce price control measures.

“The city mayor’s office requested to declare state of calamity for only 66 villages, but we decided cover all 138 villages so we can sustain our recovery efforts after Yolanda,” Yaokasin said.

The declaration will allow the city government to use automatic appropriations to procure supplies for the repair of houses damaged by typhoon Ruby.

“We placed the city under the state of calamity not because

Tacloban City after Typhoon Yolanda devastated it last year.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

we suffered too much damage.

We just want to operationalize the calamity fund and automatic price control of basic and prime commodities,” Section 3 of Republic Act 10121, known as the “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010,”

defines a State of Calamity as “a condition involving mass casualty and/or major damages to property, disruption of means of livelihoods, roads and normal way of life of people in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or human-induced hazard.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Bulacan spared from Ruby’s wrath PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

day.

Likewise, the storm also did not make any dent to the water elevation in Angat, Ipo and MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan — Bustos dams, according to the Tropical storm Ruby did not latest situation report of the make any dent and spared the PDRRMO. province from its wrath as it As of 6 a.m. Tuesday, the swirled into parts of Luzon, in- water level at Angat dam was cluding Metro Manila midnight 208.03 meters, which is still two Monday. meters below its The Provincial spilling level of Disaster Risk 210 meters.

Reduction and The water Management Oflevel at Ipo dam fice (PDRRMO) Moderate was 99.49 meters said that modrains with (spilling level 101 erate rains with slight winds meters) while the slight winds were were felt but water level at Busfelt but it did not it did not tos dam was 16.39 bring any floodbring any (spilling level ing, except in low flooding, 17.70 meters). lying villages in except in low The PDRRMO the coastal towns lying villages also reported of Hagonoy and in the coastal that Bustos dam Obando due to towns of which conducted high tide.

Hagonoy and preemptive reAs precautionObando due lease since Friary measure, to high tide. day has closed some 149 famiits 2 sluice gates lies in the coastal that released 20 towns of Obancubic meters per do, Paombong second of water. and Bulakan were temporarily Classes in all levels both in evacuated Monday but has al- public and private schools were ready returned home on Tues- still suspended on Tuesday. ■

12

Philippine News

DECEMBER 12, 2014 FRIDAY

Typhoon Ruby in photos CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: DEPARTMENT of Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala

(center), flanked by DA Undersecretary Atty. Emerson Palad (left); and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Director Atty. Asis G. Perez, discuss updates on the effects of Typhoon “Ruby” (Hagupit) to the agriculture and fishery sectors on Monday. / METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority workers place sandbags along a portion of the Roxas Blvd. Baywalk in Manila as part of the precaution against possible storm surges that maybe caused by Tropical Storm “Ruby” which passed south of Metro Manila on Monday evening. / DESPITE under Public Storm Warning Signal, Metro Manila shoppers flock to malls, shopping centers and night market in preparation for the Christmas season. Photo shows Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan City famous for its “tiangge.”

PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

13

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: DEPARTMENT of Public Workers and Highways person-

nel involved in road clearing operations have valid reason to be thankful that “Ruby” weakened from a typhoon to a storm as it passed south of Metro Manila on Monday night. Storm Ruby’s skirting of the metropolis spared the DPWH crews from the difficult task of clearing major thoroughfares of debris after a strong typhoon. / METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority workers place sandbags along a portion of the Roxas Blvd. Baywalk in Manila as part of the precaution against possible storm surges that maybe caused by Tropical Storm “Ruby” which passed south of Metro Manila on Monday evening. / TWELVE year old Angelina Gonzales harvests “Talaba” to bring to her family as food after the two days at the evacuation center in Dalihican elementary school due to typhoon “Ruby” on Tuesday. / THE DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development Davao regional office sends cargo trucks loaded with family food packs for the affected families in Eastern Visayas. Over 15,000 packs were sent to Eastern Visayas over the weekend.

PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

www.canadianinquirer.net

14

Philippine News

DECEMBER 12, 2014 FRIDAY

PNP chief suspension creates gap at the top

BY MARLON RAMOS, JULIE M. AURELIO, TJ BURGONIO AND NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer

the communist New People’s Army rebels in Mindanao.

gun owners P190 for deliveries within Metro Manila and P290 in the provinces.

Fees siphoned off It said LBC was charging its In its investigation, the Om- clients only P90 for the service. budsman’s Fact-finding Inves“Based on FEO records, tigation Bureau said the erring 90,455 firearms license cards A VACUUM looms in the lead- PNP officials “siphoned off the were issued for delivery from ership of the Philippine Na- mandatory delivery fees” the March 2013 to March 2014,” the tional Police after the Office PNP Firearms and Explosives Ombudsman said. of the Ombudsman placed Di- Office (FEO) collected from Purisima was out of the counrector General Alan Purisima gun owners for the delivery of try when the Office of the Omunder preventive suspension their gun licenses. budsman announced his susfor six months for an allegedly It said the PNP entered into pension and that of nine other anomalous contract with a cou- a memorandum of agreement police officials. The PNP chief rier service for the delivery of (MOA) with Werfast “despite left on Dec. 3 and arrived this PNP-issued gun licenses. its non-accreditation and hav- past weekend.

This was the first time in the ing been incorporated only af“The government shall abide history of the police force long ter the execution of the MOA, by the decision of the Ombudsregarded as one of the most with a capitalization of only man pertaining to the adminiscorrupt government agencies P65,000.” trative case against Police Dithat a PNP chief was suspended The Ombudsman said Bureau rector General Alan Purisima from office over allegations of of Internal Revenue documents and other senior PNP officials,” corruption. The second most showed that the courier service Communications Secretary powerful man in the PNP, Dep- firm did not pay any taxes from Herminio Coloma Jr said. uty Director General Felipe 2011 to 2013.

President Aquino has deRojas Jr., retired recently when fended Purisima from various he turned 56, the compulsory No capability corruption allegations made retirement age for PNP person“As per records of the Depart- against him, saying he has nevnel. ment of Science and Technolo- er seen the PNP chief “live luxRojas is the deputy chief for gy–Postal Regulation Commit- uriously.” administration, which acts tee, Werfast is not accredited The President and Purisima as the PNP chief’s right-hand to engage in courier services in are known to be good friends, man. the country,” the Ombudsman meeting each other during the said. presidency of Mr. Aquino’s late Courier service, AK-47s In addition, it said “there mother, democracy icon CoraThe suspension order issued were no records to show that zon Aquino. Purisima, military by OmbudsAcademy Class man Conchita 1981, was a memCarpio Morales ber of the Presifor Purisima dential Security et al. stemmed The government shall abide Group (PSG). from the alleged by the decision of the Ombudsman Asked how anomalous mulpertaining to the administrative Purisima’s sustimillion-peso case against Police Director pension reflects contract that the General Alan Purisima and other on the PresiPNP awarded to senior PNP officials. dent’s daang maWerfast Docutuwid (straight mentation Agenpath) anticorcy Inc., a startruption policy, up courier service company, in Werfast established an online Coloma said: “The concept of 2011 for the delivery of licenses facility for applications for re- daang matuwid is to implement of gun owners. newal of firearms license.” the law and I had just said, our The antigraft body also orSince Werfast had no capa- government follows the impledered the suspension without bility to deliver gun licenses mentation of the law.” pay of 13 other PNP officials in nationwide, the Ombudsman connection with the purported found out that firm contracted Purisima in Saudi sale of AK-47 assault rifles to the services of LBC and charged PNP spokesperson Chief

www.canadianinquirer.net

Supt. Wilben Mayor said the office of the PNP chief received a notice of the preventive suspension against Purisima, but said he was not privy to its contents.

“The PNP chief is in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on official business. He is meeting with law enforcement officials to enhance cooperation against transnational crimes,” he said.

Asked if the suspension of Purisima and the retirement of Rojas might create a vacuum in the PNP hierarchy, Mayor said: “We leave that up to the higherups.”

Mayor said no one was appointed acting PNP chief or officer in charge while Purisima was away.

Third in line

Likewise, no one had been officially appointed as of Thursday to replace Rojas. His replacement is expected to be announced during the retirement honors for him.

The third in line in the PNP hierarchy is Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, who is the deputy chief for operations. Next in line is Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr., the chief directorial staff.

Senior Supt. Robert Po, Purisima’s own spokesperson, said it would be Interior Secretary Mar Roxas who would be in

Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

charge of serving the Ombudsman’s order and the appointment of an officer in charge or acting PNP chief.

“We will wait for the official service of order from the Ombudsman. By then there may be an appointment from the interior secretary,” Po said.

In a statement sent to reporters, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda relayed a message from Roxas who said that he had yet to see the suspension order from the Ombudsman, thus he would withhold any comment.

Mar Roxas as PNP head

Roxas gave the assurance that despite Purisima’s suspension, the PNP would continue with its law and order functions.

“The PNP is likewise focused on its disaster preparedness preparations for the impending arrival of Typhoon “Ruby” (international name: Hagupit). Accordingly, the PNP is on heightened alert and all leaves have been canceled in the expected affected areas,” Roxas said.

Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. is urging Roxas to take over the helm of the PNP. “The preventive suspension of the 15 top PNP officials will certainly affect the image of the PNP and to a certain extent the morale of the policemen. But with the leadership of Secretary Mar Roxas, the PNP should be able to continue its functions,” Tupas said in a text message to the INQUIRER. ‘Chief in waiting’

Besides Purisima, also suspended was Chief Supt. Raul Petrasanta, the Central Luzon police director and believed to be the PNP “chief in waiting.”

Petrasanta, who belongs to PMA Class 1984, was slapped with two separate six-month suspensions for his role as former head of the PNP-FEO when the contract was awarded to Werfast and for the alleged sale of high-powered firearms to the communist insurgents.

Like Purisima, he was a former member of the PSG and headed the protective security unit assigned at the residence of the Aquinos on Times Street in Quezon City.

Assistant Ombudsman Asryman Rafanan said it was up to Roxas to implement the suspension orders of the highranking PNP officers.

“Upon receipt of the order, the DILG (Department of the

Interior and Local Government) would have to immediately implement it. Under the law, (Roxas) has five days to submit a compliance report,” Rafanan said in a news briefing at the Ombudsman’s office in Quezon City.

Others suspended

Aside from Petrasanta, ordered suspended for the case involving the sale of AK-47s were Chief Supt. Regino Catiis, Senior Superintendents Eduardo Acierto and Allan Parreño, Supt. Nelson Bautista, and Chief Inspectors Ricky Sumalde, Ricardo Zapata Jr. and Rodrigo Benedicto Sarmiento.

Also suspended from office were Senior Police Officers 1 Eric Tan and Randy de Sesto, and civilian employees Nora Pirote, Sol Bargan and Enrique dela Cruz.

Prejudicial to case

In the Werfast case, also suspended for six months with Petrasanta and Purisima were retired Directors Gil Meneses and Napoleon Estilles, Parreño, Acierto, Senior Superintendents Melchor Reyes and Lenbell Fabia, Supt. Sonia Calixto, and Chief Inspectors Ford Tuazon, Bautista and Zapata.

As for the case on the sale of AK-47s, the Ombudsman said the investigation conducted by the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group showed that “private security agencies and a mining company successfully applied and were issued firearms licenses by the PNP using falsified and incomplete documentary requirements.”

It said licenses were issued to 1,004 firearms using “incomplete and/or falsified applications” presented by businessman Isidro Lozada, owner of Caraga Security Agency.

Lozada, who admitted to facilitating the anomalous firearms deal, bought the guns from Twin Pines Inc., a PNPaccredited firearms importer and trader.

“Despite irregularities in the applications, (the gun) licenses were processed and approved

by PNP-FEO officials and personnel,” the Ombudsman said.

Added Morales: “(T)he bulk of material evidence in the custody of the PNP, and given the power and authority attached to the respondents’ positions, there is strong probability that they may influence witnesses or tamper with any evidence material to the case.” ■

15

China rejects arbitration anew

BY CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO Philippine Daily Inquirer CHINA INSISTED this week that the United Nations arbitral tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case filed by the Philippines against Beijing’s vast territorial claims in the South China Sea. In a position paper posted on its website, the Chinese foreign ministry said Manila violated international law when it went directly to the United Nations after the two sides agreed to settle disputes bilaterally. China said it was not changing its position not to participate in WIKIMEDIA COMMONS the UN arbitration case.

“We’re studying it and will is- Philippines since the 70s that Islands even if Manila only sue a statement in due course, had been illegally occupying wanted to clarify some of the if warranted and appropriate,” islands there, including the Ka- features there. China said the Charles Jose, spokesperson for layaan Island Group, as well as Philippines did not mention the Department of Foreign Af- illegally exploring and exploit- the islands that it had illegally fairs said in a text message. ing resources. occupied.

China’s rejection came a It said the general principle China said the Philippines week before the Dec. 15 dead- of international law was that had agreed since 1995 to settle line given by the tribunal oper- “sovereignty over land territory territorial disputes through neating under the UN Convention is the basis for the determina- gotiations. It cited agreements, on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) tion of maritime rights.” the latest in 2011 during the visfor Beijing to respond to the “As far as the present arbi- it of President Aquino to China Philippine challenge filed in tration is concerned, without where the two countries agreed January last year. first having determined China’s to settle disputes peacefully.

“No acceptance by China is territorial sovereignty over the It said these bilateral instrusignified in this position paper maritime features in the South ments meant that a third party of the views or claims advanced China Sea, the arbitral tribunal was excluded in any settlement by the Philippines, whether or will not be in a position to deter- of disputes between the two nanot they are referred to herein. mine the extent to which China tions.

Nor shall this China also position paper contended that be regarded as even if assuming China’s accepthat the Philtance of or parThe Chinese foreign ministry said ippines’ case ticipation in this Manila violated international law against it had arbitration,” the when it went directly to the United to do with the paper said.

Nations after the two sides agreed interpretation to settle disputes bilaterally. or application ‘Beyond Unclos of the Unclos in scope’ the dispute, “it China said the would still be an Philippine claims were “in es- may claim maritime rights in integral part of the dispute of sence one of territorial sover- the South China Sea pursuant maritime delimitation between eignty over several maritime to the Convention, not to men- the two states,” but this could features in the South China tion whether China’s claims ex- not be subjected to compulsory Sea” and that this was “beyond ceed the extent allowed under arbitration under the Unclos. the scope” of the Unclos and did the Convention,” it said, addIt said that in 2006, China not “concern the interpretation ing that the issue of territorial made a declaration that it will or application of the conven- sovereignty was not within the not accept any of the compultion.” purview of the Unclos. sory dispute settlement proce“Consequently, the arbitral dures in the Unclos, including tribunal has no jurisdiction ‘Cart before horse’ compulsory arbitration. over the claims of the PhilipThe paper said the PhilipChina has the right to choose pines for arbitration,” it said. pines was “putting the cart be- the means of dispute settleChina maintained that it fore the horse” when it sought ment and that its rejection and had “indisputable sovereignty” arbitration. It said the Philip- nonparticipation in the Philipover the South China Sea is- pines was trying to deny Chi- pine case in the UN tribunal are lands and the adjacent waters na’s sovereignty over the en- “solidly grounded in internaand claimed that it was the tire Nansha Islands or Spratly tional law.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Opinion

16

DECEMBER 12, 2014 FRIDAY

PUBLIC LIVES

Religion and the rest of society

By Randy David Philippine Daily Inquirer PERHAPS NOT many people are aware that the Pope is not just the head of the Catholic Church but also the leader of a sovereign state, the Holy See. Its government is known as the Roman Curia. It maintains diplomatic relations with other states, receiving ambassadors from different countries and sending out its own. Thus, when Pope Francis visits the Philippines in January, he will do so both as a religious pastor and as a head of state.

This differentiation of roles is easy to see when the Pope visits a country like Turkey, which is predominantly Islamic, or Sri Lanka, where the majority are Buddhist. In these societies, Catholics are a small minority, and so there is almost no way the religious aspect of the visit might overshadow its official character. These two distinct functions, however, tend to merge into one when the Pope comes to a country like the Philippines, which, because its population is mostly Catholic, likes to refer to itself as a “Catholic nation.” We would be, if we had a state religion.

When Pope Francis goes to Malacañang Palace to see President Aquino, he will do so as a visiting head of state

paying his courtesies to an equal. The pino slang for self-promotion) can that offered by Fr. Anton Pascual, President will receive him as a state quickly be made to occupy the same head of the papal visit subcommitguest in the name of all Filipinos, space to promote political presence. tee on media relations and publicrather than as the supreme head of At the root of this is the failure to dif- ity. Sensing he was the target of Mathe church to which he happens to be- ferentiate and respect boundaries. calintal’s comments, Father Pascual long. These are not the roles they will But, if politicians can be admon- explained that the production of the be playing if President Aquino attends ished to shelve their political agenda at welcoming banners entailed some the Mass that Pope Francis will be cel- least for the duration of the papal visit, costs, prompting the Church-run ebrating at the Luneta. why not address the same concern to Radio Veritas to seek the assistance To some people, this role differ- business firms? This seems to be the of corporate partners. The corporate entiation is not important. But, if we point of lawyer Romulo Macalintal logos, he said, were allowed on the care to look more closely, we would when, the other day, he complained: banners “as our token ‘thank you’ for realize it is the basic foundation of “The entire stretch of Edsa and other helping us out.” respect and tolerance in a complex areas are now practically plastered Various business groups routinely society. Let’s reflect contribute large on this lesson for amounts of money If politicians can be admonished to shelve their politia moment and use to the campaign cal agenda at least for the duration of the papal visit, why not it to shed light on kitty of politicians. some of the ethical But, though they address the same concern to business firms? dilemmas that peomay expect to be ple encounter in the course of dealing with billboards of some commercial repaid later, their corporate logos are with similar situations. establishments with their companies’ not carried in the campaign materiLuis Cardinal Tagle, archbishop logos under the pretext of welcoming als of the politicians they support. of Manila and chair of the 2015 pa- the Pope’s visit.” More to the point, he So, why can’t corporate contributors pal visit, has admonished politicians argued: “With their apparent inten- to the papal visit take the same attito show their respect for the visiting tion to advertise their products, these tude, and consider themselves amply pontiff by refraining from using the companies are no different from poli- rewarded and blessed for merely beoccasion to promote their political ticians who were warned by Cardinal ing asked? Indeed, the Church has no visibility. He appealed to politicians Tagle not to use the occasion for po- need for those sleek corporate-fundto avoid, for instance, putting up ban- litical purposes. They are obviously ed banners because every neighborners and tarpaulins welcoming Pope using the Pope’s holy and religious hood, if prompted, will find its own Francis while also projecting their visit to the Philippines for commer- simple ways of warmly welcoming names and faces. In our politics- cial purposes.” the Pope. obsessed society, it’s not difficult to It’s a fair comment, one that cerIn reaching out to the corporate imagine how papal and “epal” (Fili- tainly deserves a better answer than sector for contributions, Father Pas-

cual may have unwittingly invited intervention into the Church’s own space. We are not talking of legislated space here. No one will be able to stop a thickfaced politician from invading hallowed space in the hope of scoring a “selfie” with the Pope. There is no law against it, just as there is no law prohibiting the manufacture and sale of various forms of merchandise commemorating the papal visit.

Like politics, commerce can only approach every situation from the standpoint of its own specific code.

But it is a code that works only when it is accompanied by a recognition of its limits.

This paradox applies to the mass media as well. To cover the papal visit, TV networks will have to free airtime by preempting many of their entertainment programs, and thus forego advertising revenues from these. That’s how they earn their credentials as mass media. They will try to recover some of the costs of the coverage by airing commercials between segments of the papal visit.

But, they will know better, for example, than to interrupt the papal Mass at the Luneta with advertisements.

Such institutional self-restraint draws its reasons from ethics, but it is first felt as a functional necessity of modern society. ■

VIEWPOINT

Among women, blessed

By Juan L. Mercado Philippine Daily Inquirer THE SPIRITUAL leaders of our time took decades of struggle before they emerged into universally recognized symbols, writes Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun chair of Islamic studies at American University in Washington. Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela are examples.

“Pope Francis came to us fully formed.” And in his first foreign policy address in March 2013, he reached out to Muslims, who share reverence for Mary, Mother of Jesus. Before 180 ambassadors, he explained how he wanted to build between peoples, Muslims and Catholics.

In today’s tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims, isn’t it essential to find common ground between these clashing Abrahamic traditions? asks Heather Abraham in her book titled “The Muslim Jesus” (2001).

Mary’s shared importance is an opportunity for interfaith dialogue.

Muslims view Jesus as a prophet.

In the Koran, an entire chapter focuses on Mary (Maryam in Arabic)— more than in the entire New Testament. Jesus was born by the will of God without a father. His mother was

a virgin. of various mosques, including in the ter Mary.” In a variation of the text, According to Muslim tradition, Hagia Sophia.

Fatima is made to say, “I surpass all Mary told Joseph: “Do you not know The birth of Mary is narrated in the women, except Mary.” that God, when he created the wheat, the Koran with references to her faIslam had its origin in the seventh had no need of seed, and by his power ther Joachim as well as her mother century under Mohammed, Sheen made the trees grow without rain? Anne. (Amram is the equivalent of wrote. It was possible to unite within All that God said: ‘So be it, and it was Joachim in Christian tradition.) Old it some elements of Christianity and done.’” and childless, the couple saw a bird in of Judaism, along with particular The Koran has verses on the An- a tree feeding her young, and prayed. customs of Arabia. Muslims take the nunciation, Visitation and Nativity. Anne prayed to God to fulfill her de- doctrine of the unity of God, his majIn the 19th chapter there are 41 vers- sire for a child. It was fulfilled. esty and his creative power. es on Jesus and Mary. The mother of The third chapter of the Koran Then Christian Europe barely Jesus is mentioned more in the Ko- places the history of Mary’s family in escaped destruction by Muslims. ran than in the enAt one point they tire New Testament were stopped near In today’s tensions between Muslims and non-Musand is also the only Tours and, later, lims, isn’t it essential to find common ground between these woman mentioned outside the gate clashing Abrahamic traditions? there by name. of Vienna. The Jesus was born miraculously of a a genealogy that goes back through Church throughout northern Africa chaste woman and a virgin, the Ko- Abraham, Noah and Adam, the late was practically destroyed by Muslim ran states. archbishop Fulton Sheen wrote. power.

“Behold!” the angels said. “O Mary! When one compares the Koran’s deAt the present time, the Muslim Allah hath chosen thee and purified scription of the birth of Mary with hatred of the West has ceased to be thee—chosen thee above the women the apocryphal Gospel of the birth of Christian. of all nations.”

Mary, one is tempted to believe that Some Muslim writers say: “When The 19th chapter of the Koran is Mohammed very much depended the locust swarms darken countries, named after her and is about her life. upon the latter. they bear on their wings these Arabic She is among only eight people who For Muslims, Mary is the true words: We are God’s host, each of us have a chapter named after them. Sayyida, or Lady. The only rival to has ninety-nine eggs, and if we had Mary is specifically mentioned in the her in their creed would be Fatima, a hundred, we should lay waste the Koran, alongside Asiya, as an exem- daughter of Mohammed. But af- world, with all that is on it.” plar for all righteous women. Verses ter the death of Fatima, MohamThe problem is, how to prevent the from the Koran relating to Mary are med wrote: “Thou shalt be the most hatching of the hundredth egg? frequently inscribed on the mihrab blessed of all women in Paradise, afSheen believed that Muslims

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would change—and in a way that even some of our missionaries never suspect. This will happen not through the direct teachings of Christianity, but through a summoning of the Muslims to a veneration of the Mother of God. Missionaries in the future will, more and more, see that their apostolate among the Muslims will be successful in the measure that they preach Our Lady. In an apologetic endeavor, it is always best to start with that which people already accept.

Many missionaries in Africa have broken down the bitter hatred through their acts of charity, their schools and their hospitals. It now remains to use another approach— namely, that of taking the 41st chapter of the Koran and showing them that it was taken out of the Gospel of Luke, that Mary could not be, even in their own eyes, the most blessed of all the women of Heaven if she had not also borne the Savior.

If Judith and Esther of the Old Testament were prefigures of Mary, then it may very well be that Fatima herself was a postfigure of Mary! She is different from all the other mothers.

And that anchors the Monday celebration worldwide as the feast of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. ■

Opinion

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

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AS I SEE IT

DBM makes it easy for thieves to steal public funds

By Neal H. Cruz Philippine Daily Inquirer IF THERE is money that can be stolen, thieves will surely come and steal them.

This is turning out to be the case not only in the Philippines but in other developing countries as well.

(The Philippines is ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world by a world organization.) And the reason is that their governments make it easy for their officials to steal the people’s money through very lax budgeting and auditing of government funds. By including in the budget so much lump-sum appropriations (as is the case with the Philippines’ 2015 budget), the government is inviting thieves to come and get them.

In the current separate investigations into corruption by the Senate, the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice, it is becoming clear that public officials are tempted to steal public money because it is so easy for them to dip their hands into the public coffers. And in the unkindest cut of all, it is the topmost officials who lead in the raids on public treasuries.

The Philippines has ousted two presidents and brought to jail two

former presidents. It is now investi- continues to commit the same mis- pose, we would not be facing a power gating the incumbent vice president takes of the past—like appropriating shortage and the government would and holding in detention a former lump sums which are not only tempt- not be scrambling to give President Senate president and two other sena- ing but also very easy to steal.

Aquino emergency powers to acquire tors; it has also impeached a chief jusIn spite of the scandals and the generators to stave off the shortage. tice and is preparing charges against heads that have rolled as a result of Where did all the money go inseveral legislators, Cabinet members the theft of funds from the Prior- stead? To projects unrelated to enand middle-level public officials and ity Development Assistance Fund ergy, primarily to agriculture and private persons—all for corruption.

(PDAF), the Disbursement Ac- agrarian reform whose intended Other countries are not far behind. celeration Program (DAP) and the beneficiaries were poor farmers who Japan and South Korea have sent to Malampaya Fund, the P-Noy admin- were not aware that they were being prison prime ministers, Thailand and istration not only insists on continu- used by public officials to steal monIndonesia are prosecuting top of- ing the DAP; it has also put into the ey really meant to help them get out ficials, and Turkey of poverty. and some developing And instead of It is becoming clear that public officials are tempted countries are preparremoving lumpto steal public money because it is so easy for them to dip ing to do the same. sum appropriations their hands into the public coffers.

During the civil from the budget, war in China, the the Department of Kuomintang government executed 2015 budget more lump-sum appro- Budget and Management under Secprofiteers in public in a vain effort priations. To compare it to daily life, retary Florencio Abad, the inventor to curb profiteering, and during the these lump-sum appropriations are of the DAP, in connivance with ConGreat Cultural Revolution in Com- like food left out in the open—it at- gress, has increased them. Almost a munist China, Red Guards rounded tracts hordes of flies. Or like a trunk- third of the 2015 budget is lump-sum up and sometimes executed “en- ful of gold coins, jewelry and booty appropriations. In addition, Conemies of the state,” among them, al- which invite any resourceful pirate gress has passed another lump-sum leged corrupt public officials. to get a scoop of them for himself. supplemental appropriation for the In the case of Filipino public offiThe Malampaya Fund, which is outgoing 2014 budget. cials and their cohorts outside govern- the royalty that the government gets Not only has the executive department, temptation prevails over good from gas extracted off Palawan, is ment stolen the power of the purse sense. And in spite of lessons from supposed to be set aside specifically of Congress; worse, the latter is conthe past, the present administration, for energy and power projects. If the spiring with it to “legitimize” this. whose battle cry is to curb corruption, fund had been used according to pur- Why is Congress doing that? Because

like what happened with the PDAF, much of the fund could be allotted to the projects of legislators, a part of which they could rechannel to private pockets.

Because of climate change and given the fact that the Philippines is located in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, the birthplace of typhoons, the archipelago will be lashed by an increasing number of strong typhoons every year. The nipa huts and wood houses in the provinces are no match for the fury of these typhoons.

Therefore, we should change the materials and the construction of houses in the Philippines so that they can withstand strong winds.

The northernmost Batanes islands are the most typhoon-visited islands in the Philippines. Therefore, they have learned to adjust to them. They have built their homes not with wood and bamboos but with stones and cement.

The roofs are made with one-meterthick cogon grass, not with galvanized iron sheets. Windows and doors are small, without any glass, so that they can withstand the strongest winds.

During typhoons, Ivatans just stay indoors and wait out the storm. The rest of the Philippines should learn to adjust to typhoons like the Ivatans. ■

AT LARGE

Threats and lessons from ‘Ruby’

By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer THE COUNTRY is on tenterhooks about the arrival of Typhoon “Ruby” but, I would think, especially the residents, or rather the survivors, of Tacloban and environs. All too familiar are they with the damage and destruction and heartbreak wrought by a supertyphoon. Just recently, they marked the first anniversary of “Yolanda,” which at the time was the strongest, most savage weather disturbance to make landfall—ever.

We’ll know for sure in the next few days whether Yolanda’s wrath will be exceeded by Ruby’s. Or whether it will live up to its international name of “Hagupit,” which in Filipino means an unrelenting whipping, or adhere to the more benign and graceful “Ruby.”

On finding out Ruby’s deadly trajectory and destructive path, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of dismay and sympathy for Yolanda’s survivors. They have barely recovered from the loss of their loved ones and the destruction of their homes and livelihoods—many have not even done so—and here they are confronted once more with yet another challenge.

But come to think of it, maybe there is a saving grace in all this. Maybe Ruby’s visit is meant to test the re-

sponsiveness and resilience of people is small comfort, I know, but here’s not just suspected traffickers but also and governments in the Yolanda- hoping everyone has learned the nec- abusers; and lack of documentation hit areas. Maybe people truly have, essary lessons. or identity forms of orphaned chilas officials have often proclaimed, *** dren or children separated from their “learned our lessons.”

TIMELY indeed is the bill filed by families, the quicker to be reunited In the face of all the repair work, Sen. Bam Aquino calling for “special with caring adults. relocation and rebuilding carried out care” for children affected by calamiThe difficult situation of children in Yolanda’s wake, we’ll find out for ties. Aquino is calling for policies to after a calamity strikes may be blamed sure after Ruby whether we have, in provide better support for children on the common assumption that their fact, learned to “build back better.” “to help lessen their trauma, restore parents or other adult relatives are Or whether things have instead re- normalcy to their lives and build around to protect them and look out verted to “business as usual,” result- their resilience.” for them. But in the first desperate ing in much the same tragedies as With the Philippines being seen days after a disaster, children may be those resulting from Yolanda. as the world’s “hot spot” of natural elbowed aside by those who are more Church officials have commanded calamities, there surely is a need to physically able, more vocal, and more the faithful to “storm Heaven with focus on the needs of the most vul- visible. And as we have found out time prayers” so that the and again, even pardeaths and destrucents sometimes neMaybe Ruby’s visit is meant to test the responsiveness and tion from Ruby glect their children’s resilience of people and governments in the Yolanda-hit areas. would at least be welfare in pursuit of minimized. More their own needs and important, though, officials should nerable populations, and children desires. command both everyone under their are certainly one of them.

Thus the need for “child-centered” authority and the populations under The senator’s bill identifies all the policies and actions. threat to take the obligatory steps to different forms of vulnerability that *** ensure survival—early evacuation to beset Filipino children in times of ca- BUT there is another sector that also safe locales, stockpiling of all neces- lamities: lack of information and pre- needs a spokesperson or advocate sary food and materials, including paredness, which he wants to rectify not just in the Senate or Congress but medicine, to see them through the by way of “age-appropriate” messag- also in policymaking and implementemergency, and quick, and quick- es and media to teach children how ing agencies. thinking, response from authorities. to respond in times of crisis and parThese are the elderly who, as If a population were ever suffi- ticipation in preparatory activities; shown by statistics gathered after ciently ready and prepared to meet a vulnerability to exploitation, includ- the worst of Yolanda’s damage was supertyphoon, it must be the people ing sex trafficking, with him calling assessed, suffer disproportionately in the Yolanda-affected areas. Which for “heightened surveillance” against during disasters. Despite making up a

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small percentage of the general population in the Yolanda-affected areas, older people made up a great portion of the dead, missing and wounded.

There are many reasons for this dreadful statistic. Seniors are, in general, more frail, less mobile and dependent on others for their survival.

When the storm surge comes raging in, with everybody looking out for himself or herself, even the most caring adults may forget the seniors in their midst.

Then there’s also the common thinking that, having “lived” a long and fulfilling life, older people should or would readily sacrifice themselves for the sake of the younger, more productive generation.

If Senator Aquino thinks the government should make special arrangements and policies to protect the young during calamities, who is the legislator who will speak up on behalf of the seniors? (Should we even be asking this question? After all, many of our senators and representatives already carry senior-citizen cards.)

Lawmakers should not forget that older people make up an influential voting bloc, and are able to articulate their needs, rights and entitlements.

More so during or after disasters, which affect people equally across the board, regardless of age. ■

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Philippine News

DECEMBER 12, 2014 FRIDAY

Miriam launches her ‘Stupid...’ book, thanks Pinoys who inspired her

BY TJ BURGONIO Philippine Daily Inquirer “I WOULD like to thank all the millions of stupid people in the Philippines because they inspired this book,” Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago yesterday said to wild cheers from an audience of mostly young people.

The event was the launch in a Quezon City bookstore of Santiago’s book, “Stupid is Forever,” a collection of the senator’s witty one- liners that she delivers ahead of her speeches on otherwise serious topics such as the pork barrel, Vice President Je-jomar Binay and governance.

Santiago, who has been fighting lung cancer since June on top of chronic fatigue syndrome, spoke only briefly to the crowd at National Bookstore inside TriNoma mall.

But she stayed long enough to pose for group pictures and selfies with more than 200 buyers of her presigned book.

“As I said I will not speak long because I will pretend that I was not introduced as the President of the Philippines in 2016,” she quipped, again to cheers and applause.

Her collection of jokes and pickup lines is yet a rare addition to the several books that Santiago has written on law, politics and the social sciences and a couple of autobiographies.

Morons next

Speaking to reporters after the book launch, the senator joked that she would write next about morons, saying “there’s a difference.”

Asked about her three pet peeves, she curtly said: “Just one: the Senate.”

“Hi, sexy,” she blurted out

Long line of buyers

The senator was heartened by the long line of buyers that snaked from outside the bookstore to her table, saying this was proof that Filipinos tended to prefer jokes, than lectures and speeches.

“We have our own sense of humor,” she said. “In our indigenous way of using humor, we can see the situation better.”

In fact, some of her jokes have become so familiar with youngsters.

To test the crowd at the start of the program, the emcee asked: “What’s the plural form of iced tea?” Some hollered the answer: “Bottomless.”

Yes and no

when asked for a greeting for subject. politician, including senators, Pope Francis who is visiting the Samples: “Politicians never turned up at the book launch. country in mid-January, laugh- get lost in thought because it’s Santiago said she wrote the ing at her own answer. unfamiliar territory.” book because of the “decided The 132- page book, pub“Most people live and learn. lack of humor” in discourses on lished by ABS- CBN Publish- Politicians just live.” politics and economy. ing, is a second, enlarged ediOf her enemy, she wrote: “Everything seems to be tion of The Miriam Dictionary, “Googling him yielded no re- taken so seriously. At the very also a collection of witty one- sults.” same time, we don’t get to the liners that was “well- received” And more: “You’re the reason crux of the matter. Sometimes in the 1992 presa joke is much idential elecbetter than a tion, Santiago punchline besaid. cause it illu“This work is This work is premised on my firm mines the situpremised on my belief that despite what the Bible ation, it gives firm belief that implies, God definitely has a sense you a world view despite what the of humor. of the situation Bible implies, taking place in God definitely our country tohas a sense of huday,” she told remor,” she said in the foreword.

God created the middle finger.” porters.

“In Philippine politics, I “I think if we laugh more ‘Wicked’ know many men and women and took ourselves so seriously The first chapter, “Wicked,” who are able to rise above prin- less, the public debate would be was riddled with light, funny ciples.” much better for our insights,” jabs at politicians, her favorite No prominent personality or she added.

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Would the huge turnout of buyers prod her to take another crack at the presidency in 2016?

The senator turned serious, and said: “Yes and no.”

“Yes, because that shows I have popular support. No, in a way, because I’m fully aware of the responsibilities that I will assume. People seem to have very high expectations of me, it frightens even me,” she said.

“I’m going to think about it.

First of all, I have to get rid of the last few vestiges of cancer.

I’m in remission, as they say.

The cancer is no longer in its original strong state; it’s now in a very weak state, and I’m very stable now. But still, I have to be in the best of health if I’m going to be President of the Philippines because there are so many things that need to be done simultaneously,” she added.

Otherwise, as she loves to tell her audience, “In a corrupt country, if you want to succeed in politics, you must keep your conscience under control.” ■

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

Canada News

Justin Bourque was sleep deprived, depressed before shooting rampage: documents

BY KEVIN BISSETT The Canadian Press MONCTON, N.B. — Justin Bourque was suffering from sleep deprivation and felt depressed about his life in the days before he committed one of the worst police shootings in Canadian history, newly released court documents reveal.

A court-ordered psychiatric report and a pre-sentence report shed light into Bourque’s family history, social interests and the moment he reached “his breaking point” before he opened fire on RCMP officers in Moncton on June 4, killing three of them and injuring two others.

The documents are among a number of exhibits including a

videotaped interview Bourque spending the money he earned But the document shows gave to police after his arrest on Nintendo video games. At 16, signs of strain between Bourque that were made public when he got a job at a Sobeys grocery and his family, particularly his the Court of Queen’s Bench or- store. mother, who home-schooled dered them released.

His psychiatric assessment, him and disliked his passion for News media organizations prepared in July while Bourque video games. including The Canadian Press was held at the Shepody Heal“95 per cent of the time, he did asked for access to exhibits ing Centre in Dorchester, N.B., not like being home-schooled,” used to sentence says the assessBourque, who ment written pleaded guilty

by Dr. Moses A. to three counts Alatishe.

“He of first-degree The document shows signs of strain vented his anmurder and two between Bourque and his family, ger and frustracounts of atparticularly his mother, who hometion towards his tempted murder. schooled him and disliked mother. He said, In some ways, his passion for video games.

‘I wanted a northe documents mal life.”‘ portray someone He also felt he with a fairly typical upbringing. for a month, says he was not grew up in a “religious fanatic” He is the third of seven chil- clinically depressed nor did he environment believing he was a dren and as a child, he mowed suffer from any psychotic ill- soldier of Jesus Christ, Alatishe lawns in his neighbourhood ness. It concluded he was fit to wrote. and delivered newspapers, stand trial.

The assessment says an older

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friend taught him how to shoot when he was 15 years of age.

“He said he became gun crazy at this age,” Alatishe says in the assessment.

The psychiatric assessment and pre-sentence report discuss at length his interest in heavy metal bands as he got older and his “chronic” marijuana smoking, a habit he picked up at 22.

The pre-sentence report says Bourque felt his marijuana smoking helped him cope with his negative thoughts about life, which included a disdain for authority.

In that same report, Bourque’s parents Victor and Denise tell a probation officer that they noticed a “dramatic ❱❱ PAGE 23 Justin Bourque

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Canada News

DECEMBER 12, 2014

FRIDAY

CBC union warns members about investigation into Ghomeshi allegations

BY PAOLA LORIGGIO The Canadian Press TORONTO — The union representing CBC employees is warning members that what they tell an investigator looking into the broadcaster’s handling of workplace harassment allegations against Jian Ghomeshi could be used by management against them.

The Canadian Media Guild issued a memo Monday saying that while it is “strongly supportive” of the investigation, it has “some concerns” about how the information garnered from interviews with employees will be used.

The memo says the independent investigator — Janice Rubin — will be recording the interviews and may pass the recordings to management, who could then rely on the information to discipline employees.

“While we firmly believe that evidence of wrongdoing should be investigated and necessary

measures taken as required, no employee should be put in a position of exposing themselves to discipline based on information they themselves have provided,” Marc-Philippe Laurin, president of the union’s CBC branch, said in the memo, obtained by The Canadian Press.

“CMG has been unable to receive assurances against selfincrimination,” or guarantees that employees will have access to the complete findings and recommendations emerging from the investigation, he said.

The CBC has also told the union that employees will not be allowed to record the interviews themselves, nor will they be able to obtain a copy or transcript of Rubin’s recordings until the results are released.

The broadcaster was not immediately available for comment Monday.

Rubin, a Toronto employment lawyer with expertise in workplace harassment, was chosen last month to lead an independent investigation into

the scandal that has erupted around Ghomeshi, the former host of the radio show “Q.” She will report to senior CBC management about what her investigation uncovered along with recommendations on resolving any complaints, and report separately on what the broadcaster should do to prevent any similar issues arising in the future.

The CBC fired Ghomeshi, 47, on Oct. 26 after seeing what it called “graphic evidence” that he had caused physical injury to a woman.

He is also facing five criminal charges — four counts of sexual assault and one of choking — stemming from alleged incidents involving three women.

One of the women who contacted police was actress Lucy DeCoutere, a captain in the Royal Canadian Air Force and a star of the long-running TV series “Trailer Park Boys.” The others cannot be identified due to a routine publication ban.

Since his dismissal, nine

Jian Ghomeshi.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

women have come forward in the media with allegations that Ghomeshi sexually or physically assaulted them.

Ghomeshi has admitted he

engaged in “rough sex” but insisted it was always consensual.

He has been released on bail and his lawyer has said he will plead not guilty. ■

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

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22

Canada News

DECEMBER 12, 2014

FRIDAY

Harper government goes to Federal Court to force First Nations to post finances THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA — The federal government is going to court in an effort to force six defiant First Nations to publicly post their financial information online.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt says his department will continue to withhold non-essential funding from almost 50 First Nations that failed to meet last month’s government-imposed deadline under a new Conservative transparency law.

But the government is also asking the Federal Court to force six First Nations in Alberta and Saskatchewan to publish audited financial statements and the salaries and expenses of their chiefs and band council members.

“First Nations, like all Canadians, deserve transparency and accountability from their elected leaders,” Valcourt said

in a statement Monday.

The targeted bands include the Council of First Nations of Thunderchild, Ochapowace and Onion Lake in Saskatchewan and the Sawridge, Athabasca Chipewayan and Cold Lake First Nations in Alberta.

Leaders of the six bands have

flatly stated they will not be complying with the new rules.

The Onion Lake Cree Nation had already launched its own Federal Court bid late last month in an effort to overturn Bill C-27, the Conservatives’ First Nations Financial Transparency Act. Aboriginal leaders call the

www.canadianinquirer.net

new rules a breach of their indigenous rights and say they are a sideshow designed to distract attention from chronic government underfunding.

“Not only is C-27 a breach of our historic treaty relationship, it is a denial of our international right of self-determination as

indigenous nations,” Western Canadian First Nations from Treaties 4, 6 and 7 said in a news release last month.

“In no other place in Canada do such oppressive conditions exist under the coercive force of the federal government than Indian reserves.”

The Conservative legislation required First Nations to post audited financial statements and information about the salaries and expenses of chiefs and councillors on a public website within four months of fiscal year end, March 31, 2014.

As of Monday, 535 of 582 First Nations had complied.

Valcourt’s statement said the transparency law “has made financial information more accessible to First Nation members, which leads to more effective, transparent and accountable governance as well as stronger, more self-sufficient and prosperous communities.” ■

World News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

23

Chris Christie says Americans don’t value Canada enough; pushes for Keystone

BY BILL GRAVELAND The Canadian Press CALGARY — New Jersey’s governor says delaying the Keystone XL pipeline sends a bad message to investors, stunts the growth of the Canadian oilsands industry and is no way to treat a key ally of the United States.

One of the Republican party’s top prospects for a run at the White House in 2016, Gov. Chris Christie travelled to Calgary last Thursday to back the controversial TransCanada (TSX:TRP) pipeline from Alberta’s oilsands to the Gulf Coast and pan the time it is taking Washington to make a decision on the project.

“Keystone has now languished for much, much too long. I think it also sends a very unfortunate signal,” Christie told the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.

“First, it reduces the willingness of investors to make significant investments in largescale, capital-intensive projects that are needed to help energy reach its customers,” he said.

“It stunts production. It risks stunting growth as well,” Christie added. “This is no way to treat a friend.”

Speaking to reporters, along with Alberta Premier Jim Prentice, Christie said Americans don’t put enough stock in their relationship with Canada.

His message was similar to the one he delivered on a trip

to Mexico earlier this year: U.S. foreign policy should focus on its neighbours first.

“I’ve gotten the impression over time, watching American foreign policy, that Canada has been an afterthought and I believe it should be a first thought,” he said.

“I don’t think we pay enough attention to this relationship as Americans in general. I’ve made a very conscious decision to come to Canada and to come here to Alberta because we should treat our friends with both respect and attention.”

Christie said the regulatory said. through a decision to approve review of Keystone in the U.S. Prentice said he and Christie the project by the President has gone overboard. see eye-to-eye.

Barack Obama.

“It should be approved,” he “Quite clearly, the governor is In either case, however, the said. here as a friend of Canada and final decision is still Obama’s.

“You clearly have my posi- Alberta,” Prentice said. “We That’s because even a bill on the tion. The regulatory steps that share many things ... many val- pipeline, passed by Congress, have gone on here are way ues.” couldn’t become law without overboard. And the fact is that, A bid to force approval of the his signature. even with those Christie will regulatory steps, travel to Ottawa the people who on Friday for a have looked at meeting with it say that it is Keystone has now languished for Prime Minister something that much, much too long. I think it also Stephen Harper. should be apsends a very unfortunate signal.

The governor proved, so we is considered should get to apone of the Reproving it.” publican party’s The price of front-runners a barrel of oil has fallen below Keystone pipeline made it half- to take a shot at the presiUS$70 since OPEC decided way through Congress, before dency in 2016, but he was coy last week not to cut produc- a bill stalled last month in the Thursday about any future astion. But Christie said that Senate. pirations. shouldn’t have any impact on The issue will resurface in “I am not a candidate for Keystone. the new year — either through president of the United States, “You cannot make major na- a new piece of legislation when I am the governor of New Jertional policy decisions based a new Republican majority sey,” he said. “I’m not going to upon the oil price of the day,” he takes control of the Senate, or make a decision about that un-

til well into 2015.”

“When I make a decision and announce, it is my instinct on this is that I should probably announce it in the United States,” he said to laughter from the audience.

He’s not the first presidential prospect to visit Calgary this year.

Hillary Clinton, one of the Democrats’ possible contenders, visited the city in March.

Christie didn’t go away empty handed. He received a Calgary Flames jersey emblazoned with his name on the back, although conceded he is actually a longtime fan of the New York Rangers.

Christie and Prentice exchanged cases of beer, with the New Jersey governor receiving some cold ones from Calgarybased Big Rock Brewery. Prentice received an offering from the Flying Fish Brewery Company, New Jersey’s oldest brewery. ■

port dated Oct. 10.

Both that report and his psychiatric assessment say Bourque’s life unravelled further in the two weeks prior to the shootings as he was working 15-hour days at a wholesale outlet on two hours sleep and couldn’t afford marijuana.

“Mr. Justin Bourque was in an emotional turmoil, disillu-

a life sentence with no eligibility for parole for 75 years. It is the most stringent sentence handed down in Canada since the last execution in 1962.

Killed were constables Dave Ross, 32, Fabrice Gevaudan, 45, and Doug Larche, 40. Constables Eric Dubois and Darlene Goguen were also injured in the shootings. ■

Justin Bourque... change” in their son in December 2013, when he became increasingly vocal about his dislike for police and “established societal norms.”

“While Mr. Bourque was worried about his son, he continued to encourage Justin to stop worrying about issues beyond his control,” says the re❰❰ 19

sioned and confused from sleep deprivation and probably also withdrawing from marijuana (THC),” the assessment says.

“In a blind rage, he dressed up in camouflage and left his trailer. When he left the trailer, he said, ‘I knew I was not coming back to the trailer alive.”‘ The pre-sentence report adds: “Justin Christien www.canadianinquirer.net

Bourque explained he was again working in a job he did not like, had no money and his romantic life was not going the way he had hoped. On the day in question he had decided he had reached his breaking point and was going to go live in the woods, with no plans to ever return home.”

Bourque, now 25, is serving

Seen & Scenes: Vancouver

24

UP ALUMNI IN BC To forge the UP spirit and to celebrate Christmas, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of BC held their annual get-together at St. Bernadette Church in Surrey, B.C. on Dec. 6. Here are some event highlights (Photos by Eric Inigo and Daniel Zayco).

The Tamondong brothers, sons of UP Board Member Cynthia Tamondong, provided the night’s entertainment.

DECEMBER 12, 2014

FRIDAY

New UPAABC President Charen Cusi (3rd from L)

UP alumnus Del Gachallan dons his craziest hat of the evening.

Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer, also a UP alumnus, shares his message with the alumni group.

Dan Zayco, winner of the Ugliest Sweater Award, struts his way around the room.

KARATE CHAMP Tiffany Jiloca, an eight-yearold girl from Surrey, won two gold medals during the 2014 Goju Ryu Karate Friendship Tournament held last Nov. 30, in Richmond, B.C. She bagged her first gold medal in the eight to 15-year-old girls individual Kihon Ido event and the second gold medal in the 16-year-old and below girls individual kata event. She performed the “haiku ichi” kata and beat 14 other players.

PCTC The Philippines-Canada Trade Council held their Christmas festivities on Dec. 4, at the Coast Coal Harbor Hotel with special guest, Deputy Consul General Anthony Mandap, giving a talk on Dual Citizenship.

For photo submissions, please email info@canadianinquirer.net. www.canadianinquirer.net

Seen & Scenes: Toronto

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

25

COMMENDATION The Toronto Police Service recently presented awards to recognize admirable contributions of their employees. Among the recipients of the Teamwork Commendation plaque was Dinah Poblete Perron, a 27-year veteran in the Police communication services. (Photo by Fe Paca-Taduran, St. Jamestown News Service).

BAYANIHAN CLUB OF SIMCOE Senator Tobias C. Enverga, Jr. and Rosemer Albovias Envera are shown in photo together with Bambit Espiritu (extreme left), a native of Nueva Vizcaya and her friend, Herc Madruga of Portugal, during the Christmas Party of the Bayanihan Club of Simcoe Country (Photo by Dindo Orbeso, St. Jamestown News Service).

Dinah Perron with Chief Bill Blair and father, George Poblete.

SSS IN TORONTO Officials of the Philippine Social Security System recently held a briefing and on-site services at the Toronto Consulate and at St. Paschal Baylon Church where the benefits of continuing SSS membership among other things were discussed.

TORONTO CONSULATE GOES CHRISTMASSY The Consulate General in Toronto and their families had their Christmas fun on Dec. 6, at Prestige Club (Photos

by Concepcion G. Gonzales).

www.canadianinquirer.net

26

DECEMBER 12, 2014

FRIDAY

GLOBAL FILIPINO:

Cheche Lázaro 2014 Marshall McLuhan Fellow

BY EARL VON TAPIA Philippine Canadian Inquirer CHECHE LÁZARO is the 2014 Marshall McLuhan Fellow - Philippines. Established in 1997 between the McLuhan Program at the University of Toronto and the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines, the Marshall McLuhan Fellowship has been awarded yearly to a recipient from the Philippines working in the media that embodies outstanding qualities in the field of investigative journalism.

The fellowship entails a media tour of several Canadian cities to meet with other media professionals and students, establish contacts, and impart knowledge and information.

This is followed by a series of workshops back in the Philippines to help teach and spread the knowledge and experience gained from the tour.

Cheche is most certainly a worthy recipient of this fellowship. After obtaining her Master’s degree in Radio-Television in 1968 from the University of Michigan in the US, Cheche went back to the Philippines.

Unable to get a job in journalism because of the martial law imposed at the time, she became a professor of Broadcast Journalism at the University of the Philippines for around 20 years, where she was able to teach and influence a generation of Philippine journalists.

After the martial law was lifted, she started working as a reporter for the ABS-CBN network. She left that job in 1988 to join with other journalists to create her signature company, Probe Productions.

Through Probe Productions, she produced several documentary programs such as The Probe Team, I-Witness, and Cheche Lázaro Presents. Along the way Cheche and the Probe Team won a slew of awards and became recognized as an exceptional beacon of Philippine journalism and investigative reporting.

The Philippine Canadian Inquirer sat down with Cheche as she was in Vancouver during her McLuhan Fellowship

Cheche Lázaro.

tour to talk about her work with Probe Productions, her thoughts on journalism, and what life is like now after putting in decades of work towards the craft.

Probe Productions

“When we started Probe in the early 80s, the Philippines in terms of the television scenery was focused very much on

EARL VON TAPIA

the talk show, because we were under martial law. And so most of the programs then were focused on issues that were only being discussed on talk shows, or in newspapers like The Inquirer. But there was no television show that was talking about issues in the longer format (over an hour) so we decided to develop an investigative news magazine, in the magawww.canadianinquirer.net

zine format,” she said.

The Probe team was a group of six reporters, with three reporters every week doing a story. They looked at issues in the Philippines: child trafficking in Pagsangan, the comfort women of World War II, fake passports, dynamite fishing. The start of Probe also occurred during the growing phenomenon of Overseas Foreign Workers leaving

the Philippines to seek jobs elsewhere. Many of these OFWs settled in Europe, so the Probe team followed them to Vienna, Italy, the Greek Islands, and all over Europe. It started the Probe team’s foray into investigating events around the world.

“In the beginning of course it was difficult because not too many people were used to the format, but after a while Probe became synonymous with the investigative format. That’s what brought us to the forefront of Philippine televisions,” she said.

But it wasn’t the stories or the investigations or the travel that made Cheche the most proud about Probe. For her, it was the hundreds of people that had gone through and worked with her at Probe.

“Many people refer to [Probe] as bootcamp. Many people call it a training ground, but what I’m most proud of is that they were all good. Everybody that passed through there. I think it was the influence of the people that they were working with, who were also equally hard working, because if you were not hard working you would not last on the team. It was very demanding,” she said.

“They were hard working, they were interested, they were motivated, certainly not by salary, certainly not by the perks because there was none to speak of. The only perk that we could offer was the opportunity to work together with good people, and I think when I say good people I think I mean that quite sincerely because everyone was good,” she said. An extended stint at Probe on your resume, she added, was a solid ticket to any other media organization you wanted to work for in the future.

Aside from the people, Cheche was proud of the integrity with which The Probe Team conducted itself on the job. She described several stories where interview subjects would quietly try and slip her and the team envelopes of cash after interviews, only to be rebuffed. Any acceptance of cash for interviews by a team member would be met with an immediate dismissal from Probe.

27

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

The most high-profile controversy The Probe Team found itself in involved a segment produced by Probe that was not aired by its TV network, GMA. The network claimed that the Probe team’s documentation and research was incomplete, but Probe fired back with cries of censorship. The segment in question involved a government official close to then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Probe’s contract with GMA was terminated, and they moved to ABC network.

“To this day I can say quite honestly that I can sleep honestly at night knowing that what I did was correct. Now in other people’s views it may have not been correct, it may not have been the wisest thing to do, but in my view I can honestly say that I made the right decision,” she said.

or is talking from a memorized evolved from the time of Probe it, because we tend to be too inscript or spiel that he has been in its heyday. According to volved in ourselves, and we forrepeating quite often,” said Cheche, today’s journalism is get the story,” she added.

Cheche, when asked what made more focused on the journalist for a successful interview. than the story they are report- Life After Work “Personally, I like inter- ing on.

Cheche left Probe Producviewing regular people, I like “Sometimes I find journal- tions in 2010, and today she interviewing children, I like ists today doing stories about is “technically retired”. Probe interviewing people who have themselves, that the focus is on still exists today, but it’s curnever been interviewed before, the journey of the journalist as rently in a “hibernation” mode because they have no precon- opposed to the story, and some- where it’s not doing anything at ceived notions about how they times we can get lost in that,” the moment. Still, for 23 years should answer,” Probe’s shows she said. ran every week, She described all year long: an how she trained impressive track her crews to record.

The only perk that we could offer was keep cameras “We did the opportunity to work together rolling at all [Probe] for 23 with good people, and I think when I times.

When years every say good people I think I mean that they first startweek, so I think quite sincerely because everyone ed with Probe, I paid my dues was good. during breaks already, doing it in an interview, every week. So the camera if there are opcrews would also stop filming she said. portunities to do something so they could take a break. But “If I’m doing a story on child once in a pink moon, I might do Cheche said that the breaks pornography, it’s my reaction it. But my energy levels are no are when the real reactions to child pornography, why I longer that high. But my enthucome out: crying, sobbing, don’t like child pornography, siasm, my love for the craft is nervousness. The real reac- it’s about me. It’s not about the still there, just like my eyesight, tion from the subject helped issue of child pornography, or a little dimmed but still there,” to drive out a real reaction child trafficking, or women’s she said. from the audience. abuse, that kind of thing . . .

Someone has asked her to The journalism of today has sometimes we tend to overdo produce a series of promotional

Journalism

“If I can make the interviewee speak from the heart, make them not give me dried cookiecutter answers, if I can make them pause during the interview to think . . . you know if the person is talking form the heart

(and non-investigative) shows about Mexico, so that is possibly in her future. Cheche is also known for her scrapbooking, where she would make a scrapbook for every trip she took. But she said she has fallen behind. And these days, she is enjoying being a grandmother to her grandson who lives in the US. It’s amazing to see someone who worked so hard for so long in journalism still speak about it with the passion that Cheche does today.

“I don’t think you ever really lose it [the passion for journalism]. I always say it’s a bug that never leaves. And you know those people, all of those people that were with Probe, ‘I’m going to resign, I’m going to do something else’ . . . and I said ‘I understand now but I guarantee you in six months you will be back in media,’ and true enough everybody that has left is back in media and doing very well, because they were very good,” she said.

“You will do it because you love it. It’s a passion. And you keep on going back to your passion.” ■

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Community News

28

DECEMBER 12, 2014

FRIDAY

Senator Enverga swears into office new officers of Ifugao group

BY FE PACA-TADURAN St. Jamestown News Service SENATOR TOBIAS C. Enverga, Jr. swore into office the new set of officers of the Ifugao Association of Canada (IAC), Inc. headed by Jessie Tuldague, president.

The IAC Inc., has existed for five years and has implemented various programs and projects benefitting not only the province of Ifugao, but also the natives of the province who have elected to settle in the province of Ontario in Canada.

Other officers of IFAC, Inc.inducted include: Greta Gumuang, vice president; Jocelyn Cupido, secretary; Sharon Pataueg, SHRO; Karen Grace Dumondon, youth coordinator; Krisa Balitoc,

treasurer; Magdalena Ralutin, auditor; Evangeline Dulinayan and Marshall Homecgoy, event coordinators.

The Council of Advisers is composed of former IAC Inc. presidents, which include Fred Tomas, who has been very active with the Philippine Canada Charitable Foundation (PCCF); Imie Belanger, Beth Dulnuan, Fay Hangdaan; and Ernie Puguon, immediate past president who held office for four years.

Under the leadership of Puguon, IAC Inc, produced two scholars who will be graduating in 2015.

During the event, Senator Enverga announced that the government of Canada under PM Stephen Harper has pledged its' continuing commitment to provide assistance to those affected by the re-

IAC induction.

cent typhoons Haiyan (Yolanda) and Hagupit (Ruby) in the Philippines.

Senator Enverga also discussed the

live-in caregiver reforms recently implemented by the Canadian government. ■

SSS to expand in Toronto

BY ROMY ZETAZATE St. Jamestown News Service

The Philippine Social Security System will establish an office in Toronto, On. The office will enable members residing in Canada who have temporarily

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stopped sending their dues to continue their membership and to receive benefits.

Judy Frances A. See, senior vice president for SSS Account Management and International Operations, said the said office will be operational by March 2015, and will be headed by Roberto "Bobby" Roldan, who is presently assigned in Hong Kong.

The SSS team headed by See, held a two-day briefing and on-site services on Dec. 5 and 6, at the Philippine Consulate General Office in Toronto and at the St. Paschal Baylon Church. She was accompanied by Joy A.Villacorta, head of the SSS OFW Membership Department, and the incoming head of SSS Canada, Roberto "Bobby" Roldan. www.canadianinquirer.net

The briefings were attended by the members of the Filipino community and SSS partner, IREMIT money remittance company composed of Belinda Lim Herrera, IREMIT managing director and country head; Simeon Sarte, Ontario head and marketing officer; and staff members, Jeddalyn Gandalera, Rubie Rose Yumang, Jean Ragadi, and Mhae Taruc.

The topics discussed and explained during the briefing included the SSS OFW coverage, continuation of membership, retirement, sickness benefit, disability, maternity, death benefit, salary and housing loan and flexi-fund program, among others. In the meantime, questions about SSS can be relayed to Roldan at roldanrv@sss.gov.ph. ■

Immigration

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

Ottawa asked Halifax wants to extend to lift cap on municipal voting rights immigrants Alberta to permanent residents can nominate for permanent jobs

BY MICHAEL MACDONALD The Canadian Press

BY JOHN COTTER The Canadian Press

“The amount we need will change from year to year, depending on how good the economy is, whether it is up or EDMONTON — Alberta wants down,” he said. “Removing the the federal government to lift cap seems like a responsible the lid on the number of eco- thing to do.” nomic immigrants it can nomiMcIver said the federal quota nate each year for permanent is not high enough to meet Alresidence so it can better meet berta’s existing job crunch. its growing labour needs.

In some cases the province Jobs Minister Ric McIver has temporary foreign workers said the province has sent a let- filling permanent jobs, he said. ter to federal Citizenship and Some companies are at risk of Immigration Minister Chris losing these employees because Alexander. of changes Ottawa has made to “I would like the federal gov- the temporary program. ernment to take the cap off of McIver said lifting the cap on the maximum number of pro- the number of provincial nomivincial nominees that we can nees would help Alberta’s econappoint so that we can bring in omy across the board, including the people that we need,” McIv- the energy, beef and tourism er said in an interview Monday. industries.

“We think we “If you haven’t are going to be got people to 96,000 workers feed and water short by 2023 the cattle, then and most of the rancher goes those (are for) We think we home. If you skilled and goodare going to don’t have somepaying jobs.” be 96,000 one to wash the McIver said workers short dishes, make the the number of by 2023 beds and wash economic immiand most of the floors, then grants allowed those (are the whole hotel into Alberta for) skilled closes,” he said. should be driven and good“You could by labour market paying jobs. extend that exevidence and loample across a cal information whole bunch of so the province other business can better react models all over to its own circumstances.

Alberta.”

All of Alberta’s quota of 5,500 Citizenship and Immigracertificates under the immi- tion Canada officials were not grant nominee program for immediately available for com2014 have been issued, and they ment. were not enough, he said.

Last week the Canadian The certificates allow skilled Federation of Independent and semi-skilled immigrant Business called on Ottawa to workers, along with their replace its controversial temspouse and dependent chil- porary foreign worker program dren, to be nominated by the with a visa that would provide province for permanent resi- a path to permanent residence dence in Canada. for entry-level employees from Citizenship and Immigration abroad.

Canada makes the final deciThe organization said such a sion on whether to grant per- visa would address labour shortmanent resident applications. ages for small businesses. ■

grants to settle in Halifax.

“The fact that they could vote in a municipal election in Halifax once every four years HALIFAX — The mayor of Haliwill not make or break their fax says he wants his city to bedecision to come here,” he says. come one of the first in Canada “That argument is weak at the to grant permanent residents very best.” the right to vote in municipal Besides, permanent resielections. dents can always get involved in Mike Savage says the prothe decision-making process by posal, which attending counrequires provincil meetings and cial approval, is public hearings, aimed at making Adams says. the region more Caroline Anwelcoming for At the municipal level, these folks drew, director immigrants. are doing everything to build a of the Centre on “We need community that Canadians Governance at more immiwho have been here for the University grants because generations are doing,“ he says. of Ottawa, says they come to our banning permacountry and they “These people are here for nent residents create wealth, years and years and can’t from voting in they create jobs participate in the democratic municipal elecfor themselves process, yet they can serve in the tions is a bad and for others armed forces and pay taxes. idea. as well,” says “It makes peoSavage, a forple non-involved mer Liberal MP and therefore whose father apathetic,” she John was presays. mier of Nova Scotia between N.B., and Kitchener, Ont., have More importantly, Andrews 1993 and 1997. expressed an interest in ex- says permanent residents “From what we’ve heard from tending voting rights, and a are doubly penalized because immigrants, it’s indisputable study presented to Halifax’s re- politicians tend to avoid areas that they would consider this gional council says the practice where there is low voter turnsomething of value and part or is allowed in a number of places out. being welcomed here.” in New Zealand, Chile, Japan “So, you can express your Permanent residents are im- and the United States. opinions, but if nobody comes migrants who are not Canadian However, some municipal and hears your opinion, you citizens, but they have been politicians have said they have are denied that possibility,” she given permission to stay and reservations about a move that says. “What we’re doing is makwork in Canada for as long as they say could devalue citizen- ing people passive for a certain they want. They have all of the ship. period of time, when they could rights of citizens and can take Stephen Adams was the only be involved.” advantage of social programs, member of Halifax regional Nova Scotia’s municipal afbut they can’t vote, seek public council to vote against Savage’s fairs minister, Mark Furey, office, obtain a Canadian pass- proposal earlier this month. says the government is keenly port or hold jobs that require a He says some of his constitu- aware it must do something to security clearance. ents have said it’s only fair that increase immigration.

A permanent resident must they, as immigrants, had to wait In February, the province realso live in Canada for two out for their citizenship before they ceived a report that concluded of every five years and they could vote.

Nova Scotia is doomed to enhave the option of applying for “I think citizenship is some- dure an extended period of decitizenship, though that pro- thing not to be taken lightly,” cline unless it reverses downcess can take several years to says Adams. “It’s a privilege to ward population trends and complete. live in this country. You have to eliminates suspicious attitudes Savage says the 14,000 per- go that extra step and become a towards businesses and immimanent residents in the Halifax citizen to illustrate your com- grants. region should not be kept from mitment.”

“If this (Halifax) initiative voting while they’re waiting As well, Adams says he was to enhance those opporfor their citizenship to come doesn’t buy Savage’s suggestion tunities I think ... the need to through. that extending municipal vot- support this kind of initiative is “At the municipal level, these ing rights will encourage immi- important,” Furey says. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

folks are doing everything to build a community that Canadians who have been here for generations are doing,” he says.

“These people are here for years and years and can’t participate in the democratic process, yet they can serve in the armed forces and pay taxes.”

Other Canadian cities, including Toronto, Saint John,

29

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DECEMBER 12, 2014

FRIDAY

“After I graduated from the Health Care Assistant Program, my employers were really impressed with my education and the skills I had developed at Sprott Shaw. Since my first experience was so successful, it was easy to choose Sprett Shaw for my next career move.”

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Immigration

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

31

PANGARAP : SO, OUR JOURNEY BEGINS

So, How Much of the Available Jobs Don’t You See? more than one hundred resume versions saved in Word.

So what’s the point of these companies blasting a posting in these virtual sites when they do not seem to have the time and the resources anyway to respectfully review each and every resume patiently sent to them by the poor jobseekers? Is it because they really just think it is the way of the future to do recruitment or to delist candidates? I bet the hard times even makes matters worse for these companies, as they anticipate a deluge of resumes whenever they advertise or list a job online.

The other issue being raised here is the fact that some companies, even large and respectable ones, simply list jobs online in the name of non-dis-

hundreds for only one available position.

BY BOLET Three, the company feels AREVALO safer to get names of possible candidates from more reliable sources like their own officers THE HIDDEN job market is or employees, saving them the only hidden for those who are need to do more intensive backnot resourceful, persistent and ground or reference checking. persevering.

Four, the company saves on It just means that, as a job the cost of advertising for the seeker, do not waste your time job available. on advertised jobs because they Five, the need is urgent that only represents 20% of the jobs word-of-mouth or putting it up available out there. 80% are in within its own premises would the so-called hidden market. be faster than having to proThat also means that if duce an announcement mate80% of the jobs are in the hidrial and having it published den market, 80% of your time elsewhere. should also be spent looking These reasons should now for these hidden jobs. Meangive us an idea as to where to ing, if you spend ten hours a day look for these hidden jobs. looking for a job, only two hours Thus, they also give us an idea should be spent checking out on how to apply for them. internet postings I still insist or newspaper that whether advertisements it is in the hidand similar pubden or the open lic announceIt is good to be aware that 80% of market, the job ments.

Eight available jobs in the market cannot seeker needs to hours should be be seen or read on a website or in exercise some used going out, an advertisement. That being said, form of creativmeeting people, it is important that the job seeker ity and a lot of calling contacts spends just as much as 80% of his resourcefulness or companies, time looking for those hidden jobs. whenever a job walking in, and is announced. A store-hopping. perfect example It is not unis working deepcommon to hear er on an interstories of people having sent criminatory policy. But in real- net posting by researching the no less than fifty to one hun- ity, the positions are just ready company, getting the company dred resumes in short periods to be filled up from within, if number under Contact Us, of time to internet postings not already filled up. It is some- verifying if the job listed is still but never getting any feedback thing verifiable, but who will available, asking if a drop-in reexcept that standard reply of admit it anyway? sume can be accepted, getting “Your resume has been sucOn the other hand, from the the name of the manager whose cessfully received. But only point of view of the employer, department is involved in the those being considered will I see a few reasons in “hiding” posting and emailing your rebe contacted, etc.” The other the available job: sume to this manager and not frustration is with that fifty One, the company still pre- to HR, or actually visiting the to one hundred resumes sent fers to promote people from company offices to leave your also comes fifty to one hundred within their ranks, which is not resume. times you will have had to re- really bad. Charity begins at In the end, there is no such work your resume to fit the job home, so to speak. thing as the hidden job marbeing described in the posting.

Two, the company saves the ket when you know what you As an example, I probably have trouble of having to interview want, what companies you

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wish to work for, where you are able to spread yourself, when you spend time to go out of your shell, and start to question what you see in the virtual sources. This is not to discount the fact that there are also great stories of jobs matched and found through these virtual sites, but I am wont to believe that they are better considered the exception and not the rule.

It is good to be aware that 80% of available jobs in the market cannot be seen or read on a website or in an advertisement.

That being said, it is important that the job seeker spends just as much as 80% of his time looking for those hidden jobs.

Whether it is in the hidden or open job market, you need to be creative and resourceful. You also need to know what you really want, target companies you want to work for, and go out to find them. ■ Bolet is a marketing communications practitioner and dabbles in writing as a personal passion.

She is author-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

32

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

Entertainment

Love in the time of Laude New York fest winner debuts in Manila

BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer THE RECENT slaying of transgender woman Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude and various hate crimes against gay people have pushed to the front pages the struggle of the country’s LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community.

Awareness has moved from the streets to the media, a crucial battlefield. While the impassioned discussion rages, filmmaker Nerissa Picadizo’s gay-themed film “Astray” won best indie producer (short) at the International Film Festival of Manhattan in October.

The timing couldn’t have been better.

Hate crimes are fruits of intolerance and ignorance, Picadizo said.

She explained: “Hatred stems from the inability to accept others as they are. I hope ‘Astray’ will be among those LGBT films that show how love, like people, comes in different shapes and sizes; and that everyone, regardless of sexual preference, wants only to be loved and accepted.”

Picadizo’s 20-minute film “Astray” features Angel Aquino and Althea Vega as gay lovers. “I wanted a well-rounded portrayal of an LGBT couple,” the filmmaker said. By casting two beautiful women as lesbians, Picadizo knew she was going against the stereotype of butch and burly lesbians perpetuated in media.

“I know a lot of gay women who are feminine and who look as if they just came off the catwalk,” she said.

Apart from financial constraints and scheduling conflicts, finding the right actors was the big challenge.

She was hesitant to ask Aquino at first, Picadizo related, though she knew the actress never balked at offbeat roles.

“Turned out, I didn’t have to try too hard to convince her.”

Vega, Picadizo’s friend, was just as

Screenshot from “Astray” trailer

open to the prospect. “I knew for a fact that Althea’s career goal was to play characters that would test her versatility,” the director said. “She wanted to veer away from sexy roles.”

Working with the two actresses was a breeze, the filmmaker recounted. “Angel is brilliant. And for someone who is a big name in the industry, she had no trouble taking directions. Althea’s talent is innate. She has the hunger and determination to improve her craft, And she’s a trouper.”

TRAILER SCREENSHOT

In making “Astray,” Picadizo said, she couldn’t attend the fest, but I am gratemerely wanted to tell an honest tale of ful nonetheless.” love and loss. She elaborated: “I want the She is looking forward to the film’s audience to see it as a simple love story. Philippine premiere at the inaugural It is about having the Quezon City Intercourage to express national Pink Film your feelings. Love is Festival, from Dec. 9 love; it doesn’t matto 16, at TriNoma. ter if it’s between a Planned for Love is love; it man and a woman, “Astray” are several doesn’t matter two women or two local and internaif it’s between a men, a transgender tional screenings. man and a and a man.”

“We also hope to woman, two make the film availwomen or two ‘Deeply personal’ able on VOD (video men, a She described on demand) or paytransgender “Astray” as a “deeply perview.” and a man. personal” film. “I see Her ultimate films as an extension dream, said Picaof the filmmaker’s dizo, who is currently heart and soul. My working on a fullheart breathes, bleeds and rejoices in length feature, is to turn filmmaking this film.” into a “sustainable career” for herself Winning in Manhattan was “bitter- and help provide jobs for her colleagues. sweet,” she said. “It was like my child “That would be my modest contribution graduated with honors … it’s sad that I to the local movie industry.” ■

Entertainment

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

33

Yeng and Yan to spend nothing for their wedding

BY LEI FONTAMILLAS Philippine Canadian Inquirer

PHOTO FROM YENG’S FACEBOOK PAGE

MANILA — Yeng Constantino recently revealed that her upcoming wedding with her fiancé, Yan Asuncion will be fully sponsored. “‘Yung sa kasal, wala kaming ginastos. Everything was just provided by God and sponsors. Talagang sobrang blessed talaga ‘yung wedding namin,”

Sarah recorded “The Glow” for Disney

BY LEI FONTAMILLAS Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — A version of a princess-themed song, ‘The Glow’ was recorded by the singer Sarah Geronimo for The Walt Disney Company.

The song was the theme song of the highly popular Disney Princess franchise and was originally performed

by Shannon Sanders in the induction of the character Rapunzel in the 2010 animated film, “Tangled.”

Sarah turned emotional upon seeing the finished product of her very first Disney project.

“It’s about pursuing your dreams. You can be a princess without the gown, the castle, the Prince Charming.

Nag-evolve na, nag-mature na ‘yung Disney Princess. Hindi na siya dependent sa knight in shining armor niya.” Sarah said in an interview with ABS-CBN News’ Gretchen Fullido.

(The Disney Princess has evolved and matured. She’s no longer dependent on her knight in shining armor.)

She added that other artists also recorded the same songs for a localized version in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.

“Strong-willed na siya, she has her own voice, outspoken. Still, intact pa rin

‘yung values — ‘yung pagiging compassionate, ‘yung pagiging kind-hearted ng isang princess,” Sarah said relating to the message of the song.

(She is strong willed, she has her own voice, outspok e n .

Still h e r values o f

being compassionate and kind-hearted as a princess are still intact.) ■

she said in an interview for entertainment site, Push. (We will not be spending anything for our wedding… Our wedding is really so blessed.)”

During the interview, Yeng extended her sincerest gratitude to all the sponsors helping her for her big day.

While she refused to reveal who will be paying for their honeymoon in Maldives, Yeng disclosed that her wedding gown will be sponsored by Fili-

pino designer Albert Andrada.

Instead of preparing for their wedding, Yeng said that they are busy looking for furniture for their new house.

“Parang kami, ‘Uy okay ‘yun ah free, apir. Uy free na daw ‘yung sounds, apir! Free din daw ‘yung food, sige food tasting tayo, apir!’

Parang everything nag-flow lang, (We were like, ‘Oh great, that’s free!… The sounds… the food... they are all free!’ And everything just keeps flowing.)” she said. ■

Rhian gets traditional tattoos from Kalinga’s ‘last tattoo artist’

BY LEI FONTAMILLAS Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Actress Rhian Ramos recently posted her experience of getting inked by Kalinga’s “last tattoo artist,” Apo Whang Od. Ramos posted what she called “the scorpion and the hawk,” as her new traditional tattoos.

In her Instagram post, she also shared that the hawk tattoo was started by Apo Whang Od and the scorpion was finished by her granddaughter, Grace.

Ramos also shared a short clip of her while lying down and getting inked.

She added in a separate post that the hawk tattoo was a symbol of her “open communication with God.” ■

INSTAGRAM / @WHIANWAMOS

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34

Entertainment

DECEMBER 12, 2014 FRIDAY

Agot Isidro victimized by “dugo-dugo” gang, lost P3M

BY LEI FONTAMILLAS Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Actress Agot Isidro on Sunday lost around P3 million in cash and jewelry to suspected members of “dugo-dugo gang” in Quezon City.

According to Police Officer 2 Marlon dela Vega of the Quezon City Police District-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit,

PAUL CHIN / FLICKR

Vina denies seeing Cedric Lee

BY LEI FONTAMILLAS Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Actress-singer Vina Morales denied rumors that she is seeing her former partner, Cedric Lee adding that she is not even in speaking terms with the businessman.

Lee was earlier accused of being involved in the mauling of actor Vhong Navarro early this year.

Morales, who have a fiveyear-old daughter with Lee, said in an interview with ANC “Headstart” that she has not seen Lee and they only communicate through their lawyers.

“I haven’t seen him. I haven’t talked to him. If we talk about our kid, it’s lawyer to lawyer.”

“Hindi ganoong maayos ‘yung situation (The situation is not well) but, you know, things might change… But not to the

extent na (that)… Siyempre, to me it’s really over,” she said.

Asked to comment about Lee’s alleged involvement in the mauling of Navarro, Morales only said: “Wala, wala akong masabi. Mahirap mag-comment…

Kapag mga ganyan, kinakabahan ako kasi siyempre… I really don’t want to say bad things about him din naman because he’s still the father of my child.

Kung anuman ‘yung nangyari between him and Vhong, ayaw kong makisali because hindi ako kasali sa sitwasyon.”

(I have nothing to say. It’s hard to comment (on the issue).

Those things make me nervous. I really don’t want to say bad things about him because he’s still the father of my child.

Whatever happened to him and Vhong, I do not want to involve myself because I’m not involved in the situation.) ■

Isidro’s house help Maenelyn Omapas received a call from an unidentified woman.

The caller told Omapas that Isidro was involved in a vehicular accident and thus needs money to settle with a person identified as Ana Chua.

Omapas was instructed to bring cash and jewelry and to bring it to Wilcon Home Depot store in Balintawak. After she gave the bag containing the

money and jewelry, she was asked to return home to Isidro’s residence at Blue Ridge Subdivision in Quezon City.

When she got home, Omapas realized that she was deceived after realizing that Isidro was still at work.

According to Dela Vega, they are still investigating the incident.

As of writing, Isidro has not commented on the issue. ■

Jasmine Curtis-Smith keeps mum on audio scandal

BY LEI FONTAMILLAS Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Actress Jasmine Curtis-Smith refused to comment on the “audio scandal” issue involving her and actor Daniel Padilla.

During an interview on “Aquino and Abunda Tonight,” Curtis-Smith said that she will no longer comment on the issue to prevent it from going out of hand.

“I just really want to say that out of respect for everyone that’s involved in this issue, be it myself, Kathryn or Daniel, or Sam, my family, I’d rather stop talking about it because I know that the more we comment, the more it becomes a bigger issue and it just gets out of control,” she said.

She added, “I really don’t want the fans to be fighting, or even my family to be giving comments na we can just avoid na lang. For me, I think

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it’s just better to give our attention to more important things.”

Earlier, the actress admitted that to exchanging text messages with Padilla but stressed that she is not in any way romantically involved with him. CurtisSmith is in a relationship with Sam Concepcion, w h i l e Padilla is the rumored b o y friend of Kathryn Bernardo.

Curt i s Smith

and Padilla met on the set of “Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo” where they are costars. ■

Entertainment

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

Hugh Hefner: Sexual abuse allegations against longtime friend Bill Cosby are ‘truly saddening’

BY LAURI NEFF The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Hugh Hefner says he “would never tolerate” the kind of abusive behaviour Bill Cosby is being accused of.

The Playboy magazine mogul said in a statement Saturday that he considers Cosby a good friend and “the mere thought of these allegations is truly saddening.”

Cosby has faced a flurry of allegations in recent weeks that he sexually assaulted more than a dozen women.

One of the accusers, Judy Huth, filed a lawsuit last week claiming the comedian forced her into a sex act at the Playboy mansion when she was 15 years old.

Jamie Foxx says ‘uncomfortable conversations’ needed following killings by police and protests THE CANADIAN PRESS

Investigators sift through the rubble after an explosion outside the Fitmart Department Store in April 2002.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Hefner, who lives at the mansion, said: “I would never toler-

ate this kind of behaviour, regardless of who was involved.” ■

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35

NEW YORK — Jamie Foxx is calling for a tough dialogue in the wake of killings by police and recent protests over them.

The actor says, “We’ll probably have to have a few uncomfortable conversations to sort of get things right, so everybody can walk and enjoy America like it’s supposed to be enjoyed.”

Foxx spoke in the wake of protests following grand jury

decisions in Missouri and New York not to indict white police officers in the deaths of two unarmed black men.

Foxx made the remarks Sunday at the New York premiere of “Annie.”

Foxx stars with 11-year-old Quvenzhane (kweh-VEHN’zhah-nay) Wallis and Cameron Diaz in the musical comedy, whose producers include Will and Jada Pinkett Smith and Shawn “Jay Z” Carter. The movie opens in theatres Dec. 19. ■

36

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

Lifestyle

Obesity can shave years off life, and off years of life lived free of disease

BY HELEN BRANSWELL The Canadian Press TORONTO — A new study suggests obesity can shave years off lives and — before it does — dramatically increase the time obese people spend dealing with two major chronic conditions.

The research, by scientists from Montreal’s McGill University, suggests extreme obesity can shorten a life by more than eight years and rob the person of 19 years of healthy life — in other words, time spent without diabetes and-or heart disease.

The work is published in the journal Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology and was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Lead author Dr. Steven Grover says the biggest impact is seen on people who are obese early in life.

The toll is quite a bit more modest on people who become overweight or obese in their 60s or 70s.

Other studies have estimated what obesity does to life expectancy, but Grover says this study is the first to estimate the loss of healthy life resulting from obesity.

The research is what’s known as a modelling study. It uses formulas to calculate the effect of being overweight, obese and extremely obese on length of life and healthy life years lost.

People who have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30 are considered overweight. Those 30

SHUTTERSTOCK

to 35 are considered obese and extremely obese means having a BMI of more than 35.

Grover and his colleagues used data on nearly 4,000 participants in U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination surveys conducted from 2003 to 2010. They drew on measurements related to obesity, blood pressure, glucose concentrations, lipid concentrations, and other risk factors to calculate an individual’s risks of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

As they only focused on those two chronic conditions, the model results might be conser-

vative, acknowledges Grover, a clinical epidemiologist and general internist at McGill University Health Centre. But he says the decision was deliberate.

They focused on conditions known to be influenced by obesity where the risk could be changed with weight loss or behaviour modification. And while it is known that being obese raises the risk of developing some forms of cancer, there is no evidence that losing excess weight lowers that cancer risk, he says.

The data pointed to obesity in younger life as being more dan-

gerous than obesity that develops late in life.

“The earlier in life that you’re overweight, the bigger the impact is going to be, as you’d imagine,” says Grover.

“If you’re going to live obese for 60 years, there’s a big difference between that and gaining weight in your 70s.”

Because the study is a modelling exercise, the authors are not reporting on their observations of individual patients.

Therefore the model cannot predict what would happen to a person who was obese in his or her 20s, but who lost the weight later and kept it off.

According to the model, very obese women and men aged 60 to 79 lose less than a year on life expectancy, but spend either 7.3 years more (women) or four years more (men) dealing with cardiovascular disease and-or diabetes when compared to people with a healthy BMI. But in the 20- to 39-year-old age group, life expectancy is reduced by an estimated 8.4 years and six years for men and women respectively. And the corresponding reduction in years of healthy life for very obese people in this age group hovers around 19 years. ■

Lifestyle

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

37

Ho-ho-hideous holiday sweaters more popular than ever

BY JUSTIN SMALLBRIDGE The Canadian Press VANCOUVER — For years, sweaters bristling with bells, lights, appliqued Santa Clauses, snowmen and reindeer were mocked as the exclusive province of the tasteless at Christmas.

But the tide is turning and the ugly Christmas sweater has become the season’s newest tradition and continues to grow.

“Right after Halloween we bring in the ugly Christmas sweaters,” said Tracy Lynn the manager of Used House of Vintage, where street-level signs — one brandished by a man in a Mr. Peanut costume — tell Vancouver shoppers they can find “5,000 ugly Christmas sweaters upstairs.”

“It goes up every year. It’s definitely up this year,” Lynn said of the amount of merchandise her store was selling.

“We’re selling more, sooner, earlier in the season than we were last year.”

Both Lynn and Stephen Peever, who mans a sidewalk

SHUTTERSTOCK

stall, Ugly Christmas Sweaters, say demand had increased markedly in the past three or four years. They attributed that growth to more people having office and house parties featuring ugly Christmas sweaters.

“Typical day, I probably sell 15 to 20, on a good day, maybe 30,” said Peever, at his stall at the corner of Granville and Robson streets in Vancouver.

“People love them, and I can

thank grandmothers around the world for that. It’s really fun when you see somebody’s face just light up at the atrociousness of a sweater.”

His own stock featured crowds of apparently cloned Clauses, some rendered in rayon, others with fluffy beards, jingling bells, stampedes of reindeer, a sweater with four Santas cavorting on candy-cane ice skates and another with a

family of three snow people, each of whom had lost a coallump eye, leaving them unsettling snow-cyclopses.

Most of the sweaters at Peever’s stall sell for $30. Exceptional items — busier, tackier, more elaborate — are $40. He also offers T-shirts and sweatshirts with printed seasonal designs.

“They’re tacky, they’re good, they’re cool,” said customer Daigen Taylor just after buying

two sweaters from the stall. “I figured I’d grab a couple. We’ve got some family coming down for Christmas. We’ll get some good pictures with some ugly sweaters and send them to family.”

Lisa Mitchell said she was hoping to find a similar pair as she looked through sweaters stacked six deep: “For me and my husband. I think I’m going to get us matching ones.”

But that could prove difficult.

Although his-and-hers sets exist, they seldom remain together.

“I had one girl ask if anybody else would have the same sweater,” Peever said. “Very seldom do I ever get duplicates.

People want a match. I have to say I don’t know if I can do that.

They are like snowflakes — unique,” Peever said.

But even as their popularity grows, some people aren’t in on the joke.

“I’ve had some grandmother types come down and say, ‘Oh, that’s not ugly. That’s just a nice sweater,’” said Peever. “Thank you for the trend. You’re the one who started it.” ■

HOROSCOPE ARIES

CANCER

LIBRA

CAPRICORN

(MARCH 21 - APRIL 19)

(JUNE 22 - JULY 22)

(SEPT 23 - OCT 22)

(DEC 22 - JAN 19)

It’s about time to recalibrate your goals according to the desires of your heart. Keep in mind that your decisions must not be shaped by what others want for you, but by what you want for yourself.

Re-assess your dreams and live to realize it.

The tasks in the coming week will need a lot of your creativity. Try doing some activities that will require you to think out of the box and will release that creative spirit inside you. Friendly tip: always believe that you can, and you will.

Focusing your energy too much on work will take its toll in your personal relationships. Learn to manage your time and prioritize your family and loved ones. Taking a break on weekends for family gatherings will be a better idea this week!

TAURUS

LEO

SCORPIO

(APRIL 20 - MAY 20)

(JULY 23 - AUGUST 22)

(OCT 23 - NOV 21)

An old friend will come to you and seek your advice in the coming days. Your words will affect the kind of path that person will take, so be careful. Craft your words in a way that will give that person some space to decide for his or her own.

You might get overwhelmed with the gravity of work you will be having in the coming week. Always remember that greater things await those who have patience and persistence. You will be rewarded accordingly.

You will be filled with too much negative energy if you don’t control your temper. There will be a lot of situations that will surely test your patience.

You are the master of yourself so, learn to get hold of your emotions.

A huge financial challenge is coming your way, Capricorn.

You will be faced with a crisis that will really test your resources. But you will be able to overcome this challenge if you start saving now.

AQUARIUS (JAN 20 - FEB 18) This week is a great opportunity to regain a positive relationship with a former friend, or n ex-lover.

By releasing that little pride that has been stopping you from straightening things; you will be able to rebuild something new, and something better.

GEMINI

VIRGO

SAGITTARIUS

PISCES

(MAY 21 - JUNE 21)

(AUG 23 - SEPT 22)

(NOV 22 - DEC 21)

(FEB 19 - MAR 20)

Being a little sensitive with the feelings of the people around you will help you survive the emotional turmoil brought by the challenges this week.

Try to keep your cool in whatever situation and maintain a positive outlook.

An argument with a friend will challenge your emotions this week. You will be placed in a situation that you’ll forever regret, if you don’t learn the value of forgiveness. Try looking at the bright side and you’ll get just what you’ve always wanted.

This week, you will realize the importance of maintaining positive relationship with your loved ones. And, you might just learn it the hard way if you don’t start appreciating what they’ve been doing for you.

www.canadianinquirer.net

Stop holding on to that negative emotion that you have been keeping inside. Now is the best time to finally move on and achieve a deeper sense of peace. Save yourself from the burden of carrying that pain every day. Move forward, Pisces.

38

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

Business

Pinterest looks to hockey, beer and BBQ for growth in Canada, it’s No. 2 market

BY MICHAEL OLIVEIRA The Canadian Press TORONTO — Social media platform Pinterest is best known as an aspirational online scrapbook to collect photos with drool-worthy recipes, glamorous redecorating ideas, and sartorial snapshots.

But the rapidly growing bookmarking service is happy to see more users are also increasingly “pinning” hockey sticks, wood grain and booze.

Once considered primarily a female-oriented social network, Pinterest is now attracting men in greater numbers, which is helping to drive a strong growth spurt.

A good chunk of those new “pinners” are from Canada, which is Pinterest’s second largest market behind the U.S. “We’ve seen Canada grow at a great clip alongside or in parallel with the U.S.,” says Pinterest’s head of international, Matt Crystal.

“The user base in Canada is 60 per cent bigger than it was about 11 months ago and we’re growing really quickly.”

In an online survey of anglophone Canadians conducted for the Media Technology Monitor in the fall of 2013, about 13 per cent of the respondents said they had used Pinterest in the past month, compared to 66 per cent for Facebook, 22 per cent for LinkedIn and 19 per cent for Twitter.

About 21 per cent of the female respondents said they had used Pinterest recently, while

just six per cent of men said they’d logged on lately.

But Crystal says that gap is shrinking.

“Among men growth rates are significantly higher right now than they are for women,” he says.

“In our more mature markets like the U.S. and in Canada we’re starting to see more and more men come to the realization that Pinterest is for them as well. Whether you’re interested in cars or sports or woodworking or grilling — whatever these stereotypically male activities are — there’s a huge array of content on Pinterest for you.”

The NHL has had great suc-

cess building a Pinterest audience with almost 1.2 million followers, compared to about 37,000 for Major League Baseball’s official account, 20,000 for the NFL and 11,000 for the NBA. Despite the growth in male Pinterest users, women still make up the bulk of the NHL’s followers, says David Weiner, the league’s director of social media.

He estimates the ratio of female-to-male users following the league’s Pinterest page is about six-to-one.

“We’re not looking at that platform and trying to cater to women, put stuff up there that’s really either condescending or

EXCHANGE RATES

just targeting them. We’re really looking at putting across all (social media) platforms content that’s relevant, that’s compelling, that’s shareable,” says Weiner.

“The way that people use Pinterest is really different than how they use other platforms.

It’s not a place necessarily where people go to like, share and comment, it’s a place where people go to draw inspiration from, to share memories, and to either find ideas or share ideas.”

Updating Pinterest isn’t as high a priority for the NHL compared to some of the other social networks it uses — Weiner said Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat get the

most focus — but it does have one major advantage.

Pinterest is seen as one of the best social networks for spurring online sales and the NHL chose it to host a recent promotion for the league’s official web store.

While the NHL wouldn’t say Pinterest was directly responsible, the league set a new single-day record for online sales on Cyber Monday.

“Our shop sales were up 37 per cent on Cyber Monday year over year while the industry was only 15 per cent,” said John Pacino, vice-president of product development and social media.

In the U.S., Pinterest is looking to exploit the sales potential of its platform by experimenting with Promoted Pins, which allow companies to pay for placement in users’ search results.

“We’re getting great feedback both from partners and pinners and it is a program that we will roll out internationally, but as of now we don’t have a firm date for that,” says Crystal.

“The unique promise of Pinterest, which I think does differentiate us from other platforms, is that there’s often times a commercial intent built into the very reason for which people are using the platform.

“Our vision is that these ads that the user will see will actually make their experience better and not worse. Probably every ad platform in the history of ad platforms has made that claim, but I think Pinterest has an opportunity to realize it.” ■

As of December 10, 2014, from finance.yahoo.com PRICE

CHANGE

% CHANGE

CND / USD

1.1452

+0.0013

+0.1136%

CND / PHP

38.9333

-0.0058

-0.0148%

CND / EUR

1.4169

+0.0013

+0.0938%

Business

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

39

Philippines to push for efforts towards advancement of economic integration in APEC region

BY LESLIE D. VENZON Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Philippines, as the host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) next year, will push for various efforts towards the advancement of economic integration in the region crucial for achieving inclusive growth.

“The Philippines is optimistic that with your support, our vision of inclusivity will come to fruition,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan during the symposium on APEC 2015 Priorities-Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting (ISOM) held here on Monday.

Balisacan said the advancement of economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region will further strengthen and facilitate trade and investment among APEC member economies.

He recognized, however, that the slow recovery from the

global financial crisis and the dium enterprises (SMEs) in businesses in the developing projected sluggish growth of global and regional markets, APEC economies. world trade over the next two investing in human capital de“For SMEs to take part in years and beyond are expected velopment, and building sus- the regional and global value to present headwinds. tainable and resilient econo- chains, we need to identify “While these mean that mies. measures that will provide an many economies may have to Balisacan said focusing on open and transparent business look inward to promote eco- initiatives to support the SMEs environment that will serve as nomic growth, we need to re- sector will have immense mul- a seedbed for innovation and main resolute in our efforts tiplier effects in terms of jobs entrepreneurship,” he further towards greater economic in- creation, product innovation said. tegration as this Balisacan also provides a more underscored the robust channel need for APEC to growth and members to indevelopment,” As economies and regions become vest in human Balisacan noted. more interconnected, the needs capital develBalisacan, of the constantly innovating and opment which also the Nationdynamic industry and services sectors is key to poval Economic require a better-equipped and more erty reduction and Developcompetitive labor force. and economic ment Authority growth.

(NEDA) Direc“As economies tor- General, and regions benoted that enhancing re- through establishment of new come more interconnected, gional integration is among industries, and countryside de- the needs of the constantly inthe four APEC 2015 priority velopment by means of intro- novating and dynamic industry areas for discussion by APEC ducing and spreading new busi- and services sectors require senior officials. ness opportunities. a better-equipped and more Other priority areas include SMEs currently constitute competitive labor force,” he mainstreaming small and me- more than 90 percent of the noted.

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The NEDA chief likewise tackled the importance of building sustainable and resilient communities to sustain economic growth amid risks to natural hazards.

“We hope that APEC will tackle interventions to mitigate the effects of climate change and push for enhanced DRRM (disaster risk reduction and management),” he added.

Moreover, Balisacan said addressing behind-the-border issues is imperative to economic growth and development, such as structural reforms.

He said emerging structural issues need to be addressed, such as burgeoning skills mismatch in the labor market, regulatory and policy constraints to innovations and impediments to growth of efficient and livable cities.

APEC 2015 carries a theme “Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World” in light of its regional and national pursuit for inclusivity. ■

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

Travel

Climbing hundreds of steps to reach caves that once charmed Buddha

Tourists have been flocking to Luang Prabang — adjudged by the European Council on Tourism and Trade as ‘the world’s best destination’ in 2013

BY ANNE A. JAMBORA Philippine Daily Inquirer WE WERE about to board a traditional Laotian slow boat— a long and narrow wooden boat with steel hulls and squared-off decks painted red and blue.

If the patchwork of colors was meant to ease our anxiety of hopping into an oddshaped vessel, then it somehow succeeded. While our boat was not exactly “slow,” it was not fast as the other ones.

We were cruising upstream toward the Pak Ou caves, against the current, on the mighty Mekong River, which is now copper-brown with silt after weeks of sporadic rainfall.

Legend has it that the town of Luang Prabang in Laos (pronounced Lao, with a silent “s”), was where Buddha chose to rest for a full day during a journey.

The place so charmed the “enlightened one” that it made him break into a smile.

Today, however, we were headed 25 kilometers away from Luang Prabang, to the Pak Ou caves—where, according to our guide, old Buddha icons are brought to “die.”

Cut into the majestic limestone cliffs are two caves, Tham Ting and Tham Theung, collectively called the Pak Ou caves, a repository of more than 4,000 Buddha icons venerated by pilgrims.

The statues, mostly made of wood in varying sizes, have been

donated by generations of Laotians. These are old, discarded (sometimes broken) Buddha icons brought here to their final resting place—the Pak Ou caves being shrines to the river spirit and Lord Buddha.

250 steps

The first cave is visible from the river, a mere minute or two above the docks.

But the second cave (Tham Theung) is 50 meters above the river. It was not a rough climb, though. A stairway consisting of 250 steps had been constructed around the hill.

But 250 steps were still a lot, and for one whose “training” is climbing three floors up a winding staircase to the editorial office of the INQUIRER, we were huffing, puffing, panting and sweating like mad upon reaching the top.

At the mouth of the cave was a booth where visitors were encouraged to make a donation.

The amount covered the use of flashlights, sometimes even torches, to navigate the cave, since it is so deep that natural light cannot penetrate into its caverns.

It might have been quite a spooky walk into the cold, pitch-black cave, if it weren’t for the modest crowd of tourists exploring it with us. Buddha images flickered before our eyes, becoming visible only when light was beamed on them.

The Pak Ou caves adventure

The Pak Ou caves in Luang Prabang, Laos.

was Day 2 in our Luang Prabang itinerary.

Praying to the gods

On the first day, our small group of journalists from Manila and Singapore was whisked straight from the airport to visit important Laotian temples, before culminating the day with a 328-step climb up Mount Phousi to witness the town’s fabled sunset.

It was drizzling. Fearing a downpour was imminent, our Laotian guides thought it best

to go around the sights first and then check in our hotel by nightfall, preferably after dinner.

“The sunset is best seen from the Phousi mountain,” our Laotian guide gleefully announced.

Unlike some people in the group, we were not particularly concerned about the difficulty of climbing 328 steps; what worried us was our pony-hair slip-on sneakers. We were not properly shod to scale a mountain with muddy, uneven, slippery steps. A backpack contain-

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ing important gadgets added to our distress.

Just before the climb, we chugged on a small can of regular Pepsi, and prayed to the gods that it would be enough to spike our energy till we reach the top and back down with our shoes still intact.

It turned out to be a scenic climb up Mount Phousi, a pleasant experience if you’re good at negotiating steps. The stairs wound up the mountain, revealing stunning golden Buddha statues in varying mu-

Travel

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

dras on some bends and turns.

There was a Buddha praying for rain and another one holding alms bowls.

The steps might not be wide enough to sit on without causing the line of people behind to stop, but there were many resting places along the way.

Two routes

There are two routes to reach Mount Phousi—via the 328 steps that start from Sisavangvong Road, and the 355 steps from Thanon Phousi. To experience the views and see many of the shrines that dot the way, it’s best to take both: one for going up, the other for going down.

On the summit is Wat Chomsi, a gilded stupa resting on a three-tiered base built in 1804.

Below is a breathtaking 360-degree view of Luang Prabang, a town fenced by verdant mountains with virgin jungles, and flanked on one side by the Mekong River and the other by the Nam Khan River.

A trip to Luang Prabang, it turned out, required physical and mental strength. After a tour of the Pak Ou caves the following morning, we were taken to another uphill trek in the afternoon to see the famous Tad Kuang Si Falls—the largest in Luang Prabang, located 30 km from the town center.

It was a leisurely walk up on an asphalt street. No cars were allowed, but buses with elderly passengers were granted access inside the park.

The cool, blue waters of Tad Kuang Si dropped from 200 feet, clashing violently into rocks and boulders below, streaming toward its numerous pools until its speed slowed down, and its silky waters meandered through the valleys below.

Tourists were allowed to swim in the pools. We could have done so, especially after enduring many climbs, but we soon had to rush back to town for our baci ceremony and dinner.

Baci is a traditional Lao ceremony, in which Laotian elders tie strings around each wrist to usher in blessings and good luck. The strings are first knotted and then tied to the wrist to ensure that the soul never goes astray. It’s a ritual used to mark important events in one’s life, such as birthdays, weddings, sendoffs and homecomings.

Our guide said we can make specific wishes, and that the

strings are not to be removed until after three days and three nights. The more traditional Laotian, however, won’t remove the strings and will wait for them to naturally fall off.

1,000 monks

Not to be missed in the itinerary is tak bat, or the almsgiving ceremony. Every morning at 6, an estimated 1,000 monks emerged from the town’s 30 temples, lighting up the streets with their bright saffron robes.

They would walk barefoot on the pavements of Luang Prabang, crossing streets lined with lovely mélanges of traditional Laotian timber houses and old French villas.

Each monk carried an alms basket, while locals (and tourists) kneeling on the streets (their heads should not rise higher than the monks’ as a sign of respect) offered sticky rice, snacks and sometimes money.

These offerings served as the monks’ food for the day.

This is the most revered of all Laotian traditions. It is believed that by offering food or money to the monks, Laotians stand to gain good karma.

It’s a sacred ceremony that has recently become controversial because of the tourists’ intrusive cameras and utter disregard for rules. One is advised to be mindful of movements and to maintain respectable distance when not participating.

This is not the right occasion to take selfies. Talk to the guide about proper dress code and behavior while in the presence of a monk.

The European Council on Tourism and Trade has named Laos the “world’s best tourist destination” for 2013.

And since Luang Prabang opened its doors to the world, after the entire town was inscribed in the Unesco World Heritage List in 1995, tourists have been flooding its streets.

It was once a French colony (1893-1946), so there’s a good chance of finding baguettes in one of its quaint bakeries. It also has a night market offering a variety of trinkets, souvenirs and other items at a bargain.

After shopping, Lao Beer, a light lager, makes for a good nightcap. ■ The Manila and Singapore group of journalists was flown in to Luang Prabang, Laos, courtesy of Thai Airways and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

41

Come brave the cold in Montreal this winter with various major outdoor festivals

BY GIUSEPPE VALIANTE The Canadian Press MONTREAL — Coming to Montreal in January or February? Have your mitts and scarves at the ready because the city’s outdoor winter festivals will make you want to brave the cold.

Every winter central neighbourhoods host major outdoor events that are mostly within walking distance from one another and all accessible by subway.

Tourists visiting the city at the beginning of 2015 will be feted with a two-week circusstyle light show festival, a month-long weekend electronic music bonanza as well as a family-themed winter carnival.

All three are outdoor with plenty of activities that are free.

The two-week Montreal High Lights Festival is just that — a festival of lights, many of which are in the sky: on a 60-foot-high ferris wheel, projected onto nearby buildings or exploding in the frosty night air.

The city’s entertainment district, east of downtown and where the Montreal International Jazz Festival sets up shop in July, hosts the lights festival beginning Feb. 19.

This year’s outdoor program is being kept secret until February but last year’s included DJs and other popular musicians on the main stage and an “ice slide” snaking through the festival grounds.

Last year, sugar shacks, giant illuminated orbs as well as beer and food kiosks dotted the city’s Place des Arts square lying at the heart of the entertainment district.

The winter festival installations are more elaborate than Montreal’s world-renowned summer festival grounds, and that’s done deliberately, said Hugo Leclerc of Tourism Montreal.

“The installations are a little off the beaten path, so to speak,” he said. “It’s done in order to make people want to stay outside.”

A 15-minute walk south to www.canadianinquirer.net

Montreal, Quebec in Canada is a wonderful (if a little chilly) place to visit in January and February.

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the old city brings you to Montreal’s second winter festival, Igloofest, a month-long weekend electronic music spectacle welcoming international and local DJs and averaging about 7,000 revellers a night.

You’ll know you’re close to the party when you see packs of multi-coloured snowsuitclad people trotting through Old Montreal as though they’re headed to some sort of bohemian Halloween ski party.

“We used to have a vintage ski wear theme,” said Igloofest spokesman Francois Fournier.

“But now it’s crazy and people wear anything. We changed the dress theme this year to the more all-encompassing igloo swag.”

Big international names are set to play this year such as Dubfire and Girl Unit, as well as local acts Lazy Days and Jungles Urbaines.

At $25 a ticket per night ($20 online) electronic music lovers can dance by the river every Friday, Saturday and Sunday over four weekends starting Jan. 16.

“The artists that we bring tell us that they haven’t seen anything like this anywhere in the world,” said Fournier.

The Old Port neighbourhood is also a great place to watch the free pyrotechnics festival called Telus Fire on Ice, where over four Saturdays, starting Dec. 13,

a fireworks display is held near the outdoor skating rink by the St. Lawrence River.

This year the pyrotechnics will explode to video game music.

Old Port spokesman Maxime Charbonneau says the fireworks are relatively low to the ground, so you have to be close to the skating rink to see them.

“Which is great for families,” he said. “They can skate outdoors and watch the fireworks at the same time.”

But the Old Port festivities aren’t only at night.

During the day tourists can visit the ice fishing village by the pier overlooking the city’s iconic clock tower and rent out a cabin to fish for perch and walleye.

Across the frozen St. Lawrence is another winter festival, this one entirely family oriented, which runs for four weekends starting Jan. 17.

The Fete des neiges (snow festival) is located on Parc Jean-Drapeau, a subway-accessible island that hosted Montreal’s 1967 World’s Fair.

Parc Jean-Drapeau is turned into a snow village complete with ice sculptures, a giant snow maze and slopes for tobogganing and luge.

Families can cross-country ski, skate and watch ice-carving competitions and other outdoor shows. ■

42

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

Sports

Group sets world record, plays football for 101 hours in Cebu PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY CEBU CITY — Four days after kick-off and what is unofficially the longest football match in the world, Hearts United defeated the Heart Warriors, 593-474, in the Kick for Life: Football Marathon 101 at the San Roque Parish field in Mandaue City.

Now, organizers will be submitting the documentary requirements to the Guinness World Records headquarters to know whether their attempt has been validated.

The match, which lasted 101 hours, erased the 72-hour record set by Stockport Albion and Manchester Rovers in the UK last year.

Aside from the world record, the participants also wanted to raise awareness for congenital heart disease (CHD) and partnered with the NGO Kick for Life.

“These players are like carabaos, they move slowly but they work hard,” said Alex Escala, the brainchild of the event.

Escala and a group of footballers started preparing for the event over four months ago, enlisting the help of conditioning coaches Jim Saret and Allan Choachuy.

“Once the lineup was made

The Members of the Kick for Life: Football Marathon 101 have set a new record of 101 hours of consecutive football playing, shattering the previous record of 72 hours. The group now awaits verification from Guinness World Records.

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and submitted, we had to pay another fee for any changes that we had to make, so we did,” said Escala, who is a blue baby himself.

The group got players from the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector--some with no football background--for the event, while an ultra marathoner also joined.

“I had no idea what football is but I signed up as a volunteer just for the training. But when I learned of its purpose, for the kids with CHD, I decided to push myself further. It’s all

worth it, I’m so happy to be part of this,” said Julie Sanchez.

Michael Pacana, who also benefited from a similar activity years back, also joined.

His daughter Gabrielle has CHD and the BPO community decided to hold a football tournament to help raise funds for his baby’s operation and as a show of gratitude, he decided to join the event.

Robert Nicart, one of the playing coaches, also praised the players’ endurance.”Most of them are really amateurs but look at them, they have en-

dured,” said Nicart.

Most of the players had to deal with blisters developed over the long hours on the pitch.

At night, the players alternate three-hour shifts on the pitch, while the rest sleep. During the day, they take one to two-hour spells and during noon, they play for at most 45 minutes to conserve their energy.

Incidentally, Typhoon Ruby did not dampen their spirit but even managed to boost them as the overcast sky meant perfect weather for an endurance event.

“Storms come at least 26 times a year in our country, the Football Marathon comes only once. If I have to do it again, I would,” said Escala.

However, Escala admitted he had thoughts of giving up two nights into the event but the players decided to push through.

The players got their second wind, when they approached the 70-hour mark and the 36 players were on a high as they breached the 90-hour mark and approached their target.

And when they set the new record, the players and the crowd in San Roque Parish broke into a wild celebration and they ended the attempt with a boodle-fight.

“We were all celebrating right after breaking the record.

However, it’s not the record we are after, the more important thing is that we really were able to create awareness for CHD,” said Hannah Amora of the NGO Let it Echo.

Aside from the BPO sector, the event was supported by the Mandaue City government, who provided logistical support, the Cebu Football Association and some private sponsor. The police also provided 24 cops on rotation to help document and secure the event. ■

Roach wants ex-US president to help in making Pacquiao-Mayweather fight happen PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — If he has his way, American coach Freddie Roach would seek help of an outside negotiator like former United States president Bill Clinton to make the highly-sought Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight become a reality in 2015.

According to boxing websites report, Roach suggested to Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank and Leslie Moonves, chief executive officer (CEO) of CBS Corporation to hire an outside negotiator like the former US leader.

“He [Bill Clinton] knows boxing, very bright guy. I think, maybe honest,” Roach told dailynews.com.

After his recent successful

defense of his WBO welterweight crown against former undefeated Chris Algierie, Pacquiao said he is excited to fight Mayweather.

But instead of accepting the growing call for him to fight Pacquiao, Mayweather taunted Pacquiao by posting in Instagram a video showing Pacquiao’s worst sixth round technical knockout loss to Mexican Juan Manuel Mar-

quez in 2012.

Pacquiao replied and challenged Mayweather to fight him in the ring and not online.

Marquez came in defense of the Filipino boxing icon after the Mexican fighter told Mayweather to stop using his video as the American fighter’s excuse for not fighting Pacquiao.

“Floyd should stop posting

videos and photos of me knocking out Manny. He should fight him first, prove he is the best not just talk but beat the man considered the best pound-forpound [fighter] for years, Manny Pacquiao,” Marquez said in ESPN interview.

If the undefeated Mayweather (47-0) beats Pacquiao (57-5-3), Marquez said “only then can he post whatever he wants.” ■

43

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

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Seen and Scenes

44

DECEMBER 12, 2014

FRIDAY

SSS ROADSHOW IN EDMONTON Visiting officials from the Philippine Social Security System recently held a successful roadshow at the Palabok House in Edmonton, AB and met with their collecting agent iRemit, at West Edmonton Mall.

A TASTE OF PINOY CHRISTMAS IN CALGARY Christmas traditions like singing holiday carols, sharing an assortment of festive food, giving gifts and children playing games were observed

by Filipinos in Calgary during their annual Christmas party. (Photos from Roberto Tamayo’s FB page) For photo submissions, please email info@canadianinquirer.net. www.canadianinquirer.net

Events

FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2014

45

10Th Annual Christmas Party

By Filipino Canadian Community of New Brunswick WHEN/WHERE: 5 to 10 p.m., Willie O’ Ree Place 605 Cliffe St., Fredericton N.B. New Year’s Party 2015

By Filipino-Canadian Community of New Brunswick WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m., Dec. 31 at Frank’s Finer Diner in Fredericton, New Brunswick

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Free Tagalog Lessons

By Philippine Language School WHEN/WHERE: ongoing every Saturday, 2 p.m., at Sprott Shaw College (walking distance from Rupert Station).

MORE INFO: Learn conversational Tagalog for free.

Course will lead to regular Tagalog curriculum from K-12 in 2015. Call 694-551-3360 or 778-239-0500.

Historama Family Party

By Philippines Cultural Pista ng Bayan Society WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m., Dec. 12, Odessa Manufacturing, Burnaby B.C. Tapsilog Christmas Party

By FilCan Network for Truth and Justice WHEN/WHERE: 5:30 p.m., Dec. 13, St. Mary’s Ukranian Catholic Centre, 3150 Ash St., Vancouver, B.C. 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. Dress for Success: Free Make-Over Session for Job Seekers

By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m. to 12 nn, Dec. 13, at Brentwood Community Resource Centre, 2055 Rosser Ave., MORE INFO: A professional makeup artist will teach you makeup tips for a job interview. Practice period is included. Please bring your own makeup kit. Everyone is welcome.

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By The Mentorship and Leadership for Youth Programme (MYLP) WHEN/WHERE: 2 p.m., Dec. 14, at the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture MORE INFO: Tickets are $25 at gate, $20 through One Philippine Alumni Association of BC Railway Club Acoustic Sessions

By Juan Radio, Times Tel and Even 8 WHEN/WHERE: 8 p.m., Dec. 14, at Railway Club 579 Dunsmuir St., Vancouver, B.C. The Joys of Christmas

By Filipino Maranatha Baptist Church WHEN/WHERE: 2 p.m., Dec. 14, at 8010 Osler St., Vancouver, B.C. Java Jazz 12th Anniversary Celebration

By Salve Dayao WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m., Dec. 14, Java Jazz Café Bistro at 412 Sixth St., New Westminster, B.C. Invisibles and Disposables Program

By Migrante and Vancouver Public Library WHEN/WHERE: 6 to 8 p.m., Dec. 17, at Britannia Branch 1661 Napier St (off Commercial Drive) MORE INFO: The situation of temporary migrant workers in Canada — the invisibles and the disposables — is seen through the lens of poetry and paintings, the sharing of stories, and the use of images.

Christmas Party Dinner and Dance

By LuzViMin Bisaya Association of BC WHEN/WHERE: 5:30 p.m., Dec. 27 at St. Patrick Parish Gym, 2881 Main St., Vancouver, B.C. www.canadianinquirer.net

My Tween & Me Multicultural Mom’s Support Group

By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Thursdays, Dunbar Hts. Church 3320 Crown St., Vancouver MORE INFO: call Daisy 604-254-9626 ext.

273 To have your events featured on PCI, please email events@canadianinquirer.net

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46

CANADA

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Each sales executive must be a dynamic self starter who will treat this opportunity as their own exclusive business with the potential to earn serious money.

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We’re looking for confident, sales and customer service oriented team players with: · Passion for telecom products and services · High standards of customer service · Excellent English communication skills · Previous retail experience You will be responsible for: In return, we will provide you with: · Selling long distance, · Professional sales training homephone, Filipino TV · Ideal pay package with channels commission and incentive · Providing an opportunities* exceptional customer · Career growth with service experience internal promotional · Sharing product opportunities knowledge information · Flexible hours Interested candidates please submit your resume with cover letter to hr@timestelecom.ca.

Please send your resume to gurp@metroguardsecurity.ca / 604.537.7766

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