Philippine Canadian Inquirer #194

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NOVEMBER 20, 2015

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VOL. 11 NO. 194

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APEC traffic forced commuters to walk

PH poster child for urgent action on climate change

Amid Paris attacks, APEC security prep tightened

Trudeau vows to strengthen China relations

#APECHottie

Aquino blames Arroyo for prevailing poverty

FROM PUTIN TO MEDVEDEV LANES

BY MAVELLE DURIAN Philippine Canadian Inquirer

Two lanes of Edsa between Shaw Boulevard and the Mall of Aisa are dedicated to Apec vehicles during the summit. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who is attending the summit after Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to back out, will be billeted at Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City.

RAFFY LERMA / PDI

Economic woes take a toll on APEC zone CEOs

BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — According to the results of the latest PricewaterhouseCooper’s (PwC) APEC CEO Survey, concerns on the global economy, cyber security, di-

saster risks and political tensions took a toll on Asia-Pacific region CEOs’ optimism this year — the lowest since 2012.

The APEC CEO Survey, which has business leaders from 52 nations as respondents, disclosed that ‘volatility in

Fil-Can in Focus: Zuraidah Alman

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — President Benigno Aquino III blames again the detained former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for the prevailing poverty in the Philippines and referred her term as the “lost decade” in front of the world business leaders at the APEC CEO Summit on Monday.

“When one thinks about it, it is quite sad. If 10 years ago my predecessor had done what we’re doing now, I can only imagine where the Philippines would be,” Aquino told delegates at the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation Summit.

Aquino pointed out in his speech the administration’s efforts to fight corruption, the hospital arrest of Mrs. Arroyo, and the plunder charges on three opposition senators, and the impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona.

“We plugged leaks throughout the

❱❱ PAGE 26 ❱❱ PAGE 10 Economic woes

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❱❱ PAGE 12 Aquino blames

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FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

Aquino convenes security cluster in light of Paris attacks

BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer

A Bagobo (Manobo) woman of the Matigsalug people from Davao.

SHUBERT CIENCIA / WIKIPEDIA

‘Lumad’ won’t back down from protest

BY MARICAR B. BRIZUELA Philippine Daily Inquirer THE INDIGENOUS people or “lumad” who traveled from Mindanao to Manila last month to demonstrate against the militarization of their communities announced yesterday they would continue their protest action despite tight security measures owing to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit this week.

The group of around 700 protesters now camped at Redemptorist Church in Parañaque City, said they rejected police requests to postpone their protest, dubbed “Manilakbayan,” until after the tightly guarded APEC summit.

“It’s appalling that our own government is much more willing to listen to foreign investors in the APEC summit.

We all know this means further poverty, destruction of the environment and incessant militarization in areas where resistance against development aggression flourish,” said Manilakbayan spokesperson Datu Jomorito Goaynon.

Goaynon said they were now “more determined” to show their rage against the continuous disregard by the Aquino administration of “lumad issues, especially militarization, plunder and continuing attacks in their communities.”

After being evicted from their camp at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on Thursday, the lumad of Manilakbayan moved to the Redemptorist Church grounds in Baclaran.

The church rector, Fr. Joey Echano, said the vicinity of the church was open to anyone, especially to those who were victims of oppression.

But with their transfer to a new location, the group said the police followed them and even asked them not to conduct protests during the summit.

Goaynon said they did not agree to

the police request as it was just “another comedic attempt to thwart the raging resistance of the lumad.”

The group said riot police with shields and truncheons arrived at Baclaran church on Saturday afternoon on board three buses and formed a barricade at the entry and exit of the church grounds, stopping Manilakbayan protesters from getting out.

Parañaque police chief Senior Supt.

Ariel Andrade denied stopping the protesters from leaving the church.

He said the police were deployed to the area to monitor the APEC route and to clear out illegal vendors.

Earlier, Malacañang said the country would offer “vast democratic space” so that even global activists coming to Manila to protest against APEC would be allowed to take to the streets with their Filipino counterparts.

However, the Palace said they would need to obtain rally permits. They would be prevented from staging demonstrations in areas that had been declared off limits per APEC security policies. Roxas Boulevard is one such off-limits area.

Palace spokesperson Abigail Valte said the rules for granting rally permits to foreigners would be the same as those imposed on Filipino activists.

According to media reports, 350 activists from 36 countries have arrived in Manila to protest against APEC, claiming that the economic policies emanating from the forum do not benefit the majority of the people in the region.

Last July, the Philippine government deported foreigners for joining rallies during President Aquino’s address to a joint session of Congress.

Although the country is a signatory to the universal declaration of human rights and says that it respects freedom of expression, the Bureau of Immigration has said that foreigners did not have such rights in the Philippines. ■

than caught under-prepared,” said Valte to the media, as reported by Manila Bulletin.

The meeting was held in response to MANILA — President Benigno Aquino the terror attacks in Paris, France on III gathered the administration’s securi- Saturday where death toll reached 120, ty cluster to update the preparations for the worst violence France has encounthe Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation tered since World War II. The Islamic (APEC) Economic State in Iraq and SyrLeaders’ Meeting. ia, a jihadist extremThe meeting was ist group, claimed attended by Execuresponsibility for the tive Secretary Paattacks. quito Ochoa, Interior President Aquino Malacañang has Secretary Mel Senen wanted to ensure assured delegates Sarmiento, Defense that all our and heads of states Secretary Voltaire preparations are attending the APEC Gazmin, National in place and all summit of their secuSecurity Council Seccontingencies rity. retary-General Cesar have been “Our security ofGarcia and Philipplanned for. ficials are monitorpine National Police ing and assessing the Chief Ricardo Marsituation and we are quez, said Deputy taking all necessary Presidential Spokesprecautions to enperson Abigail Valte sure the safety and in a media briefing at the Malancañang. security of all delegates in the AELM “President Aquino wanted to ensure [APEC Leaders’ Meeting], especially the that all our preparations are in place and economic leaders,” Department of Forall contingencies have been planned for. eign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose As he said, it is better to be over prepared said in the same report. ■

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NOVEMBER 20, 2015

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Cardinal Tagle gives Lumads support

BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA ARCHBISHOP Luis Antonio G. Tagle yesterday joined the Lumads camping at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila to express support to the indigenous groups’ pursuit to justice for their tribesmen who were victims of alleged attacks perpetrated by paramilitary groups.

In a meeting with Lumad leaders, Tagle has expressed the Church’s unity to the group. He also expressed his sadness over the tribulation that Mindanao is experiencing, particularly, for the Lumads who lost the lives of their leaders, their lands, livelihoods and homes.

“We are calling out to the leaders in the government.

May they let peace triumph,” Tagle was quoted saying in Filipino in a report by Manila Bulletin.

“Second, we are calling for help for all the displaced Lumads who were forced to evacuate and are now residing in ‘evacuation areas.’ They need food, water, medicine, concern, and understanding,” he added.

Among the resolution that Tagle asked was for the National Democratic Front (NDF) to declare the areas inhibited by Lumads in Mindanao to be declared as “peace zones”.

He also called for a dialogue to talk about ending the violence targeting the indigenous groups. Tagle also hopes that

Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle.

the perpetrator of the crimes commited against Lumads be implicated.

“Let justice prevail, and those

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guilty of killing the IP leaders be made accountable,” Tagle said in the same report.

Tagle later handed to the Lumads an envelope containing donation from the Parish of the

Nuestra Señora Del Perpetuo Socorro.

“We thank you for coming here to our camp site and for supporting our call for the pullout of the paramilitary. We are very thankful that the Church has spoken,” Manilakbayan spokesperson Datu Jomorito Goaynon said in the same report.

Goayon also asked the Church to help the group in asking for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) permission to allow the Lumads to stay longer in the area they are currently occupying as they will be in Manila until November 22.

Goayon said that they were saddened of DSWD’s decision to push them out of the area because they were an “eye sore.”

Tagle assured the Lumads that the Church will help. ■

FDA warns vs fake antibiotic for kids, recalls TB drug

BY JOCELYN R. UY Philippine Daily Inquirer THE FOOD and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned the public about a fake variant of an antibiotic for children, even as it recalled batches of a drug for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

In an advisory, the FDA said Abbott Laboratories confirmed that the Clarithromycin (Klaricid) 250 mg/5 mL granules for pediatric suspension in fruit punch flavor manufactured in Berkshire, England, were counterfeit.

The FDA and Abbott noted the magenta color of the fake antibiotic’s packaging, while the genuine package had a blue label. The fake drug also had a different font and poor quality printing.

They said the counterfeit antibiotic listed Abbott Laboratories Ltd.-UK as the manufacturer, which is not on the FDA’s list of registered importers and distributors. The fake drug also had an invalid lot number and www.canadianinquirer.net

expiry date and a false registration number.

In a separate bulletin, the FDA said some batches of Isoniazid (Isonid) 200mg/5mL syrup manufactured by Concept Pharmaceuticals Ltd. of India were being recalled for failing to conform with pH and physical appearance specifications.

The pulled product had registration number DRXY30788 with batch numbers C30002, C30003 and C30007. The batches have expiry dates of May 2016 and July 2016.

“The syrup should remain physically stable under conditions of varying temperatures (resistant to crystallization of precipitation). The samples tested, however, were observed to have white precipitates and crystals or precipitates around the cap,” the FDA said.

The samples ranged from yellow to dark yellow in color, which did not conform to the correct color specifications of the syrup, which should be light yellow or clear and transparent, it said. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

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Solon seeks inclusion of Atong Ang in inquiry

BY GIL C. CABACUNGAN Philippine Daily Inquirer A PARTY-LIST lawmaker wants the House probe of the alleged takeover by “jueteng” lords of Small Town Lottery (STL) expanded to include the Virtual 2 Ball games run by gambling expert Charlie “Atong” Ang. Abakada Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz filed House Resolution No. 2498, directing the committee on good government and public accountability to investigate the issuance to special economic zones, such as the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (Ceza), of licenses to operate gaming activities.

De la Cruz is pushing for the probe to zero in on Ang’s Meridien Vista Gaming Corp., which runs jai-alai and its subsidiary game, Virtual 2 Ball.

De la Cruz pointed out that Meridian Vista was operating its gambling business solely on the basis of a license issued by Ceza, which “authorized Ang’s firm to operate betting stations anywhere in the Cagayan Freeport and other areas as allowed by law.”

made by Chair Erineo “Ayong” and Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez “Several foreign government Maliksi of the Philippine Char- asked the National Bureau of have expressed concerns that ity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Investigation to publicize its regaming operations have been that jueteng lords had taken port on Ang’s Virtual 2 Ball. used for money laundering. control of STL franchises.

Bagatsing said the NBI should There is a need to determine PCSO revived STL, a num- apprise the committee on the whether to revisit laws governing bers game like jueteng, in 2006 status of Virtual 2 Ball game that the operations of the special eco- to drive out jueteng and other operated outside the jurisdiction nomic zones as well as those on illegal numbers racket. of the Philippine Amusement immigration, money laundering Maliksi told the committee and Gaming Corp. and the PCSO. and related undertakings,” said that he was pushing for the susDe la Cruz.

Tax exempt Meridien was As a Ceza locaordered to shut tor, Meridien does down in 2010 due not pay any taxes to protests led by Our problem with games of special to the governthe Church and economic zones is that these are ment unlike STL, the community, covered by a special law and do which generated but Ang was able not fall under jurisdiction of the P4.7 billion in revto reopen his committee on games. enue for the PCSO business through last year. a temporary reBut Barzaga straining order said his commitissued by the Regional Trial pension of STL operations until tee could not act on Bagatsing’s Court in Cagayan and the Court the PCSO management had in- and Fernandez’s proposal to exof Appeals. A case filed against stituted reforms to ensure that pand the probe and include VirMeridien has been pending in the government was getting its tual 2 Ball because there was no the Supreme Court for the past share of the revenues that he formal resolution filed and this five years. claimed should be at least P60 was outside his committee’s juLast Wednesday, the House billion annually. risdiction. committee on games and A PCSO report claimed that “Our problem with games of amusement chaired by Cavite the illegal numbers game was special economic zones is that Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. con- worth over P100 billion. these are covered by a special ducted a probe of allegations Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing law and do not fall under juMoney laundering

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risdiction of the committee on games,” Barzaga said.

De la Cruz also filed House Resolution No. 2255 that seeks to expand the House probe and include the proliferation of illegal gambling in the guise of gaming and information technology operations in special economic zones. He said these were operated mainly by foreigners.

Spike in criminality

De la Cruz said the House should review how these gambling businesses had obtained a legal status to operate that resulted in “a spike in criminal activities, including but not limited to money laundering, bribery and corruption of public officials.”

At least 100 companies have been registered by Ceza but have operations beyond Cagayan, using their authority and license offering “gaming activities” that may be in violation of their registration, according to the party-list lawmaker.

He cited the case of Chinese national Wang Bo who was ordered deported for operating an illegal “skybet” gambling network in the country. ■

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Philippine News

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

US missionaries asked of P30K by NAIA cops

BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer TWO AMERICAN nationals and a Filipina said yesterday in a Senate probe that police officers asked them to pay P30,000 to drop a case of possession of a bullet at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Eloisa Soleta, stepmother of Lane Michael White and wife to Ryan White, the two American missionaries who are alleged victims of ‘tanim-bala’ scam at the NAIA, said that police officers asked them to pay P30,000 before the matter reaches police headquarters where they would be asked for P80,000 pesos to settle the matter despite their insistence of innocence.

Zoleta and the Whites were headed to Coron, Palawan to look for a land where they could build a church.

Lane Michael White’s bag passed through the scanner several times before a bullet was detected, said Zoleta. No

bullet was detected at the initial inspection but when screening officer Maria Elma Cena supposedly placed her hand inside White’s bag, a bullet was detected in the following x-ray scan, she added.

Zoleta and White were then informed of the detection of the bullet and were asked by Cena if they would like to have their flight to Coron moved. Cena assured them that it would be easy as their flight was at 12:45 p.m. Cena’s remark confused Zoleta if they have indeed breached a law.

“I was thinking that if it was really the law and there was one ammo found in the luggage, shouldn’t their answer be that we wouldn’t be able to go to Coron because they would jail my son? Shouldn’t that be the answer if they were implementing it?” said Zoleta, in an Inquirer.net report.

White was then brought at the Philippine National Police (PNP) office.

Zoleta told the Senate that

two police officers have talked to her and White on settling the matter. One PNP officer called “Junio” came to Zoleta and asked of what happened at the NAIA. When Zoleta explained to Junio, the latter said, “Usually we let the possession of such items pass. We just say it’s an amulet. If we negotiate that here, it (will cost you) P30,000.

But if it’s passed on to headquarters, it’s P80,000.”

PNP officer Junio also asked Zoleta of her husband and stepson’s jobs. She said that her husband is a pastor who did not receive salary and that her stepson has recently quit his job.

White was asked by Rolando Clarin, a police officer, to pay P30,000 to avoid jail. White insisted that he was innocent and said that he did not have the money to pay.

Other officers have also asked White and Zoleta to admit the criminal offense they were accused of, said Zoleta.

At White’s inquest, Zoleta said that Cena came up to her

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Tanim bala senate probe on White and Zoleta.

SCREENSHOT ON INQUIRER.NET FOOTAGE

and asked the former to just admit to possessing a bullet. Cena even mentioned to the pregnant Zoleta the humanitarian law that could aid her.

“I responded to her, ‘ma’am, why would I admit it?’ I know that’s the easier way out to say it’s ours and I’m pregnant, but

I told her we’re Christians. We can’t lie about a small thing just to find an easy way out,” Zoleta said in the same report.

The Whites and Zoleta were among the individuals who invited to the Senate probe on the alleged ‘tanim-bala’ scam at NAIA. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

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Despite suspension, Prosecutors now at NAIA; Binays still claim ‘moral 2 nabbed for bullets, freed victory’ over SC ruling

BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Even with the Supreme Court (SC) abandoning the condonation doctrine, Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay’s camp still saw as a ‘moral victory’ the court’s decision to also declare that the Office of the Ombudsman was not spared from ‘any appeal of application for remedy against its decision before any court.’

“The SC is right. Even during Martial Law, court still existed.

There was no gap in the process.

The Ombudsman’s decision can still be appealed. It’s part of the process,” Binay said.

The Vice President’s spokesperson for political affairs Rico Quicho disclosed that the SC’s ruling on Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales was favorable to suspended Makati Mayor Erwin “Junjun” Binay.

“The Supreme Court decision in the case involving Makati Mayor Junjun Binay is a moral victory. It vindicates the position of the mayor that his suspension was invalid and unlawful,” Quicho said in a statement.

In an en banc decision, the High Court upheld the Court of Appeals’ (CA) proceedings on Mayor Binay’s petition which challenged his suspension and invoked the condonation doctrine. It also declared as unconstitutional Section 14 of the Ombudsman Act of 1989 and gave courts limited power to review the Ombudsman’s rulings.

“The decision is a reaffirmation that under a democracy, the acts of agents of government can be reviewed by the courts,” Quicho said.

“No government agency or entity should be excluded from the principle of checks and balances since this will encourage and even foster abuse of power, especially against political opponents of the ruling party,” he added.

It can be recalled that Ombudsman Morales earlier issued two six-month preventive suspension orders against Mayor Binay over his alleged involvement in the anomalous Makati Science High School building and the overpriced Makati City Hall parking building.

Meanwhile, Quicho also revealed their camp received reports that the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) was set to file a civil forfeiture case against VP Binay come the election period.

However, such acts were prohibited as Section 16 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) stated that ‘no case for money laundering may be filed against and no assets shall be frozen, attached or forfeited to the prejudice of a candidate for an electoral office during an election period.’

“This provision was included in the AMLA precisely to prevent abusing the powers of AMLC for political harassment,” the spokesman pointed out. ■

Sen. Nancy Binay with father Vice President Jejomar 'Jojo' Binay.

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BY TARRA QUISMUNDO, KRISTINE FELISSE MANGUNAY AND NANCY C. CARVAJAL Philippine Daily Inquirer

investigation” into the bulletplanting cases as the incidents have reached a worrisome level.

Two more departing passengers were charged by police yesterday after bullets were found in their luggage at NAIA. However, the charges of illegal possession of ammunition against Jervin Pobre Reyes, 27, and Ronalyn Gabriel, 27, were later junked by the Pasay Prosecutor’s Office, citing the two passengers’ absence of “intent to possess” the bullets.

Reyes, who was on his way to Puerto Princesa, was the first to be accosted by authorities at NAIA Terminal 4 at 2:15 a.m.

According to an incident report at the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group, Reyes was turned over to the Intelligence and Investigation Section of the Aviation Security Unit-National Capital Region (AVSEU-NCR) after a .45-cal. bullet was found

turned over to the AVSEU-NCR after a 5.56-cal. bullet was discovered inside her shoulder bag that had the markings “Sophie Martin.”

The bullet was found by security screening officer Ma. Nazla Asombrado, who conducted a manual inspection of the inside of the bag in the presence of Gabriel.

Asombrado did this after she was alerted by her coworkers about the appearance of what looked like a bullet inside Gabriel’s bag in the X-ray monitor.

CAUGHT WITH a bullet at the airport? You may now page a prosecutor on site and explain your situation.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has deployed a duty prosecutor at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to undertake an initial assessment of cases, recognizing that the wave of “tanim-bala” (bulletEscalating planting) incidents has become Mendez said he found it very an “emergency situation.” disturbing that incidents of “What we’re trying to do is passengers caught carrying bulwe’re trying to avoid incidents lets are still frequent and even where passengers are not alescalating despite prominent lowed to board [ their flights] media reportage that carrying because there’s a suspicion that bullet-shaped or bullet amulets they are carrying bullets,” said is prohibited.

DOJ spokesperson Emmanuel “The frequency of incidents Caparas. and number of cases are esca“The fiscal is lating, it’s unthere to find out: deniable that What were the there’s a probcircumstances lem that is dissurrounding the This is an emergency situation turbing,” he said. discovery of the because there are actual people bullet? Is the whose rights are already being Like an inquest passenger really affected... More people are going to Caparas said a known carrier be affected. We don’t want that to the airport proor was this just happen. cedure would an accident?” he resemble an insaid. quest proceedThe DOJ has ing. taken the initiative in light of “glued” to the inner pocket of “The job of the fiscal is to dereports that the bullet-planting his red bag. termine whether, given all the scam has brought unwarranted The discovery was made dur- facts, he has enough grounds to international attention to the ing a manual inspection of the detain the passenger. If he does Philippines ahead of the coun- bag by security screening of- not have enough grounds, then try’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific ficer Marlon Baylon and PO1 it is incumbent upon him to alEconomic Cooperation leaders’ Reynaldo Abona, in the pres- low the passenger to depart,” summit next week. ence of Reyes. said the official.

Caparas said a pool of prosBaylon and Abona had been If necessary, further invesecutors has been assigned for previously informed by X-ray tigation would be conducted, NAIA duty, covering all four operator Noel Silvoza that he particularly if the bullet is NAIA terminals at peak opera- saw what appeared to be a bul- found to have just been planted. tion hours starting on Nov. 4. let inside Reyes’ bag in the However, Caparas said the air“This is an emergency situ- monitor. port procedure would not be exation because there are actual According to the police, actly the same as an inquest propeople whose rights are already Reyes admitted to owning the ceeding, where the prosecutor being affected... More people bag and being a gun owner. determines if there is probable are going to be affected. We However, he failed to pres- cause, or whether or not to eldon’t want that to happen. It ent a renewed gun license and evate the case to a court for trial. sends the wrong signal and it af- permit to carry a firearm, the “You are not really looking fects the lives of people unnec- report said. for probable cause. For examessarily and unfairly,” Caparas Some 45 minutes later, Ga- ple, one passenger is found to told a press briefing yesterday. briel suffered the same fate at be carrying a bullet. What the National Bureau of Investi- NAIA Terminal 3. fiscal will do is ask the circumgation Director Virgilio MenAccording to a separate inci- stances under which the bullet dez yesterday said the bureau dent report, Gabriel, who was would be conducting a “deeper on her way to Hong Kong, was ❱❱ PAGE 14 Prosecutors now www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

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Eucharistic Congress will show what faith can do Publisher Philippine Canadian Inquirer, Inc. Correspondents Jane Moraleda Socorro Newland Bolet Arevalo Mavelle Durian Katherine Padilla Community Editor Mary Ann Mandap maryann.mandap@canadianinquirer.net Online Media Head Ching Dee ching.dee@canadianinquirer.net Graphic Designer Shanice Garcia Photographers Angelo Siglos Solon Licas Vic Vargas For photo submissions, please send to editor@canadianinquirer.net Operations and Marketing Head Laarni Liwanag (604) 551-3360 laarni.liwanag@canadianinquirer.net Advertising Sales Alice Yong (778) 889-3518 alice.yong@canadianinquirer.net Emy Rose Figueroa salesphilippines@canadianinquirer,net emy.figueroa@canadianinquirer.net Nelson Wu (1) 647-521-5155 salestoronto@canadianinquirer.net nelson.wu@canadianinquirer.net Amelia Insigne 1-416-574-5121 amelia.insigne@canadianinquirer.net 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, +1 (604) 484-9243 778-889-3518 | Email: info@canadianinquirer.net, sales@ canadianinquirer.net Philippine Canadian Inquirer is published weekly every Friday.

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BY TJ BURGONIO Philippine Daily Inquirer THE INTERNATIONAL Eucharistic Congress (IEC) in Cebu early next year is yet another occasion for the Philippines to show to the world “what faith does to a people,” according to Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.

While Pope Francis won’t be around, the Philippines expects a crowd of 1 million, including delegates from several other countries, to turn up for the concluding Mass of the 51st IEC in Cebu City, which will run from Jan. 24 to 31.

The weeklong event will bring together internationally known evangelists, authors and scholars to talk about the Eucharist.

“Of course, the magnitude of the Pope’s visit cannot be matched because everywhere the Pope goes, it’s a Catholic Manila Archbishop Antonio Luis G. Tagle. Also in photo (from left) are Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara; event. But still the International Eucha- Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto; and Presidential Communication and Operations ristic Congress is a blessing for us, for Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma.

AVITO C. DALAN / PNA the Philippines to witness again to the world what faith does to a people,” Tagle told media executives and journalists at have a vocation to be “missionaries of upon a backpacking Australian couple the Manila Hotel recently. faith” in the region. and their baby who made a detour to the Hope and meaning The country of 74.2 million Catholics camp to do volunteer work.

Tagle expressed the hope that the con- first hosted the IEC in 1937, a few years They were born in the Philippines, but gress will be the Philippines’ “modest before World War II broke out. It hosts grew up in Australia, Tagle said. contribution” as a nation and people to the event next year with the rest of the “They said: ‘We heard about this camp. the global search “for hope and meaning world riven by religious conflict, terror- We heard of the refugees’ situation, and in life.” ism and a refugee crisis. so we decided to cut short our tour. And Carrying the theme “Christ in you, our Drawing from his experience as presi- we came here to serve.’ Right then and Hope of Glory,” the gathering seeks to dent of Caritas Internationalis, Tagle there, I wanted to shout, ‘We’re Filipiheighten awareness of the central role said people elsewhere in the world were nos.’ And that gives hope to people walkplayed by the Eucharist in the life and reaching out to one another amid mis- ing, walking, walking to uncertainty,” he mission of the Church. ery. said. “In that place of suffering, you can “Our people restill see signs of God’s ally need hope. Our presence.” people really need And it’s in this spirsomething, someone it that Filipinos are to live for. The future That is what the International Eucharistic hosting the IEC in is always uncertain, Congress wants to practice. The presence of Cebu, the “cradle of but people with hope Christ who has transformed hearts, people Christianity” in the know that the story who want to show compassion and solidarity, country, Tagle said. will have a good endand in the process, light up candles of hope “That is what the ing,” Tagle said. even in places called hell.

International Eucha“And it’s not wishristic Congress wants ful thinking; it’s to practice. The presbased on reality. And ence of Christ who for Christians, for Catholics, that real“From afar, you can smell the suffer- has transformed hearts, people who ity is Jesus Christ. In the Eucharist, he ing,” Tagle said, recalling his visit to a want to show compassion and solidarity, is present. There’s a pledge of presence. refugee camp in a Greek village near the and in the process, light up candles of You will never be alone,” he added. border with Macedonia recently. “You hope even in places called hell,” he said. can see and smell the consequences of Papal representative violence, of fear.”

For all Filipinos Pope Francis, who took the PhilipAs president of Caritas InternatioAnd while the event is “very Catholic,” pines by storm when he visited in Janu- nalis, Tagle oversees the relief efforts Tagle expressed the hope that all Filipiary to commiserate with the survivors of of Catholic aid agencies for the tens of nos will sign up for it.

Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international thousands of refugees crossing into EuThe congress will open with a Mass name: Haiyan), has tapped Cardinal rope from conflict-torn countries such by Cardinal Bo at Plaza Independencia Charles Maung Bo of Burma to repre- as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. on Jan. 24. This will be followed by a sent him at the event. series of catechetical sessions, celebraSome 6 million attended the Pope’s fi- Volunteers tion of the Word, prayer gatherings, and nal Mass at Rizal Park in Manila. Francis But amid the sea of bedraggled men, plenary assemblies during the week to hailed the Philippines as the “foremost women and children camped out at the promote a deeper understanding of the Catholic country” in Asia whose citizens small Idomeni village, Tagle chanced Eucharist. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

9

APEC traffic forced commuters to walk

BY MAVELLE DURIAN Philippine Canadian Inquirer

This photo of a lone vehicle using the designated APEC lane and the jampacked lane full of regular vehicles on the other side has gone viral on social media.

PHOTO BY CARLO DE CASTRO

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Due to the closure of several main roads in Metro Manila for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this week, commuters were forced to walk several kilometers just to get into their workplaces and escape the killer traffic on a Monday morning.

Commuters who came from Cavite were stuck for more than four hours in heavy traffic, while others decided to walk

Civil groups look forward to Trudeau’s arrival in PH to raise trash issue

BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Environmental, health and labor groups looked forward to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s arrival in the Philippines this week as they sought to ask him to take prompt action on the hazardous wastes illegally imported from Canada.

It can be recalled that several container vans carrying nonrecyclable garbage arrived in the country in 2013, either unloading the contents in landfills or remained festering in ports.

With Trudeau confirming his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit on November 18 and 19, civil groups saw this as an opportunity for him and President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to discuss the matter at the sidelines of the economic meetings.

The groups also hoped that Trudeau would respond favorably and order that the illegally shipped trash be brought back to Canada — and finally resolve the issue.

“We hope that the winds of change blowing across Canada will lead to Trudeau’s Cabinet wasting no time to re-import the illegally exported garbage to the Philippines and bring

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau descends from his plane upon arrival in Manila.

SCREENSHOT FROM RAPPLER LIVESTREAM

this prolonged controversy to a close,” EcoWaste Coalition Rene Pineda said in an InterAksyon report.

“With PM (Prime Minister) Trudeau at the helm, we expect the Canadian government to turn around the previous stonewalling by the Harper government, to make things right and just, and take back the waste that Canada exported to the Philippines,” Ban Toxics chief operations officer Shalimar Vitan said in the same report.

EcoWaste Coalition also

urged the government to declare the toxic wastes as ‘basura non grata.’ Activists pointed out that the dumping of such shipments violated the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order 1994-28 (The Importation of Recyclable Materials Containing Hazardous Substances), Republic Act 6969 (Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act), and the Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act). ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

and leave the PUJs and PUVs along Coastal Road because of road closure of Roxas Boulevard in Manila.

Passengers along Coastal Road this morning are either walking on the highway, requesting the drivers of the PUV to get back in Cavite, others expressed their anger on the traffic brought by APEC summit.

Aside from several hours of heavy traffic, the technical glitch in Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 aggravated the Monday morning rush hour.

Some commuters aired their sentiments on social media,

saying that office works should have been suspended for the APEC week as several roads are closed rather than wasting several hours getting stuck on the road.

Only November 18-19 has been declared as non-working days for the private sector, while government workers and students won’t have work and classes from November 17-20.

In a traffic advisory, Cavite Expressway (CavitEx) advised the motorists to take Marina Left Turn (Pacific Drive) as their alternative route for APEC week. ■

Prosecutors to work longer hours at NAIA

BY TARRA QUISMUNDO Philippine Daily Inquirer

vised to ensure that a prosecutor would be ready to respond to ammunition-related apprehensions at the airport at all times.

THE DEPARTMENT of Justice There are four terminals at (DOJ) is ironing out the proto- the airport complex, serving col for the longer deployment both domestic and internationof its prosecutors at the Ninoy al passengers.

Aquino International Airport “There will be shifting done (NAIA), hoping to maintain a to make sure we have at least presence of fiscals on extended one prosecutor there every hours at the air terminal com- day,” said the official. plex which operates 24 hours Asked if the arrangements every day. included the This was andrafting of rules nounced by of procedure for Justice Underthe newest task secretary EmThere will be given to state manuel Caparas shifting done to prosecutors, Cayesterday folmake sure we paras responded lowing a meethave at least positively. ing of officials at one prosecutor Caparas said the DOJ Friday there every day.

Friday that the afternoon to disDOJ started decuss measures ploying prosecufor responding to tors at the NAIA the “tanimbala” as early as Nov. 4, (bullet-planting) incidents at the amid the spate of reported bulletPhilippines’ premier gateway. planting incidents, an extortion The scam has raged in the racket allegedly involving airport run-up to the country’s hosting security personnel preying on of the Asia-Pacific Economic passengers.

Cooperation leaders summit, Caparas earlier explained which 10,000 international del- that the prosecutors would be egates are expected to attend. on call to undertake an initial “Prosecutors are currently assessment of bullet-related deployed at the NAIA. Further apprehensions. arrangements are being made Their job, he said, would be to to have them there for extend- determine “whether, given all the ed hours seven days a week,” facts, there are enough grounds Caparas told the INQUIRER in to detain the passenger.” a text message yesterday.

The goal is to avoid disruptThe DOJ spokesperson said a ing the travel plans of innocent shifting schedule was being de- passengers, he said. ■

10

Philippine News

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Natural disasters in Philippines make it a poster child for urgent action on climate change

BY TERESA CEROJANO The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES — When Typhoon Haiyan slammed into the central Philippines two years ago, flattening entire villages and killing thousands, the country became a poster child for the havoc wrought by global warming and increasingly extreme weather.

French President Francoise Holland travelled early this year to the devastated town of Guiuan, ground zero of the strongest cyclone ever to make landfall, to show the world the damage and appeal for an ambitious deal at global climate change talks in Paris at the end of this month.

Leaders of the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum gathered this week in the Philippine capital Manila could help set the stage for greater progress in mitigating climate change ahead of the Nov. 30 Paris conference. It was at the summit of APEC leaders in Beijing last November that the world’s top polluters, the United States and China, agreed to more ambitious goals to cap the carbon dioxide emissions blamed for global warming.

That was an important step, but China and the U.S. need to double or triple those efforts,

tives such as energy efficiency, meeting a 2015 deadline to cut tariffs on 54 “green goods” including solar panels and wind turbines to below 5 per cent, and promoting carbon “model cities.”

APEC members are also studying ways to cope better with increasingly frequent and severe typhoons, flooding, droughts and other climate change-related disasters.

Senior disaster management officials at a meeting in the central Philippines in September introduced a new APEC framework on disaster risk reduction to guide policy co-ordination

within APEC, help prevent disasters and improve preparedness, response, rehabilitation and rebuilding.

Natural disasters cost APEC members more than $100 billion over the past decade.

In a study of world cities threatened by natural disasters, risk analysis company Verisk Maplecroft included eight Philippine cities among the 10 most exposed to hazards such as earthquakes, typhoons, severe storms and landslides. Manila was ranked fourth, behind provincial cities, Tuguegarao, 2nd, and Lucena, 3rd.

Weak capacity to manage, respond and recover from natural disasters is compounding the risks, the report said.

Earthquakes and volcanoes are beyond human control.

Global warming, less so.

Forty-three of the countries most vulnerable to climate change met in Manila last week and urged governments to commit to keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees centigrade, saying the 2 degree centigrade global goal will would not ensure survival of island nations that may be inundated.

“We recognize the urgency for an ambitious, universal, legally binding, dynamic and durable agreement,” the Climate Vulnerable Forum said in a statement. ■

Philippine business leaders remained very confident on economic growth prospects in the country during the next year. This optimism level was higher compared to the United States’ 34 percent and China’s 20 percent.

Despite some concerns, 53 percent or still a majority of CEOs planned to increase investments over the next 12 months, with 68 percent or most of that investment planned for the APEC region and the remaining 32 percent spread around the world.

For the next five years, 61 percent of CEOs projected that APEC member-economies will venture more into highvalue manufacturing; while 63

percent foresaw modernized operations and accelerated technology investments on 3D printing, connected sensors, robotics and the likes.

Innovation leaders have also been foreseen to arise from the APEC region, with Asia as the ‘number one location worldwide for corporate research and development, surpassing both North America and Europe.’

In terms of deepening economic integration in the region, on the other hand, one in four CEOs looked forward to a free trade arena in the Asia-Pacific region by 2020. They believed, however, that it required more than just one agreement to bridge the gaps on free trade. ■

Debris lines the streets of Tacloban, Leyte island. This region was the worst affected by the typhoon, causing widespread damage and loss of life. Caritas is responding by distributing food, shelter, hygiene kits and cooking utensils.

EOGHAN RICE - TRÓCAIRE / CARITAS

said Saleem Huq, director of the International Center for Climate Change and Development in Bangladesh and an advisor to least developed countries in the U.N. climate change talks.

“They have to raise the level of their ambition definitely and if they can do that, the rest of the world will follow,” he said.

Vulnerable countries such as the Philippines need to raise their voices urging them to do that, he said.

APEC host Philippine President Benigno Aquino urged faster and bolder change.

In the Philippines each year, 337 days are “heat stress” days,

according to the World Health Organization, making the country one of the world’s most vulnerable to climate catastrophes.

“The message simply put is we all have to do the most that we can because this really is a situation where we are running out of time to be able to stop an irreversible situation,” Aquino told a conference of business leaders held on the sidelines of the APEC gathering.

Alan Bollard, executive director of the APEC Secretariat, said it is unclear if the leaders will specifically discuss the upcoming Paris talks. But their agenda includes various initia-

Economic woes... the financial markets took a toll on CEO confidence’ this year.

Among the 800 respondents, only 28 percent claimed that they remained ‘very confident’ they would have revenue growth in the coming year. Last year, 46 percent or almost half of those polled saw confidence in the coming months.

Moreover, only 15 percent of APEC-bloc mid-sized firms CEOs were very confident of business growth come 2016 as they felt like they ‘have expanded beyond their traditional markets but are not large enough to easily weather some shocks to the system.’

On the bright side, 51 percent or more than half of ❰❰ 1

APEC SME Summit.

APEC 2015 / FACEBOOK

www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

11

Leni: Case vs Grace moral issue

BY MARLON RAMOS Philippine Daily Inquirer IT’S MORE of a moral issue than a legal one, Camarines Sur representative and vice presidential contender Leni Robredo said of the citizenship controversy hounding Sen. Grace Poe’s presidential run.

She also described questions about Poe’s citizenship as a “major issue,” and one that should not be compared to the situation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other migrants who have decided to settle in foreign lands.

“Filipinos working abroad are not running for President,” Robredo said bluntly during a round-table discussion with INQUIRER reporters, editors and columnists on Thursday night.

“For me, it’s a major issue that you’re running for President and yet at one point in your life, you renounced your Filipino citizenship,” Robredo, who is a lawyer, said.

The Camarines Sur representative however downplayed the issue of Poe being a foundling, another issue that several quarters had raised in a bid to disqualify the senator from public office.

Bigger issue

Not knowing her true parentage—a decisive factor in determining whether Poe was a natural-born Filipino citizen or not—should not take precedence over the senator’s decision to swear allegiance to the United States as a citizen, Robredo said.

“The issue of renunciation (of her Filipino citizenship) is a bigger issue for me because ... at one point in (Poe’s) life, (she) turned (her) back on us,” she added.

That also makes the citizenship controversy “a moral issue

more than a legal issue,” Robredo said. “Of course there’s a legal issue, but that has to be settled in court,” she added.

Her home and domicile

or Secretary Jesse Robredo and running mate of Liberal Party standardbearer Mar Roxas said the principle of animus revertendi may be used against Poe in blocking her presidential bid.

A legal concept, animus revertendi refers to a candidate’s intent to return to his or her residence during a period of time.

Robredo said Poe’s case may be similar to former Mayor Rommel Arnado of Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte province, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court after he was found to have used his American passport even after he had renounced his US citizenship.

“You cannot invoke animus revertendi when you still use your US passport because you had a choice,” Robredo said.

Reacting to Robredo’s statement, Poe’s spokesperson Rex Gatchalian said the Camarines Sur representative was entitled to her opinion, but that the senator’s camp does not subscribe to it.

“Never in her entire life did Poe turn her back on our country. She has always considered the Philippines her home, her domicile and her country,” Gatchalian said.

Her actions show this, he added, citing Poe’s decision to return to the Philippines to give birth to her children though, he said, it would have been very convenient for her to do so in WOMEN OF POWER. Cong. Leni Robredo for vice president and Sen. Grace Poe the United States.

Veterans’ allegiance “She did this because she Gatchalian said Robredo’s for president FACEBOOK considers the Philippines as her statements might lead one to country and wanted the most wonder if she was questioning important event in her life, as well the allegiance of Fili- Fernando Poe Jr., returned to of the people.” like childbearing, to take place pino war veterans who bled for the Philippines to help in her faNews reports quoted Poe’s here,” he said. the country but took on Ameri- ther’s presidential campaign in detractors as saying that the “Nobody can say that the Fili- can citizenship because of bet- the May 2004 elections. The “ac- senator had entered and left the pinos abroad ‘turned their backs ter opportunities abroad. tion king” lost to then President US several times using her US on us,’” Gatchalian said, adding “Is she saying (these) veter- Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo amid passport even after she had exthat millions of Filipinos are ans who took on American citi- allegations of massive fraud and patriated her American citizenforced to leave the country and zenship also ‘turned their backs died in December 2004. ship when she swore her oath of work abroad for economic rea- on us?’” he asked.

The senator is facing four office as chair of the Movie and sons. disqualification Television Review and ClassifiThese Filipinos cases question- cation Board in 2010. continually send ing her citizenremittances that ship and her No judgment power our econoFor me, it’s a major issue that you’re alleged failure It was also reported that Poe my, Poe’s spokesrunning for President and yet at one to meet the 10- swore the US oath of renunciaperson said. point in your life, you renounced your year residency tion before the US vice consul Filipino citizenship. requirement for in Manila on July 12, 2011, and ‘Animus those eyeing the that her US certificate of loss revertendi’ presidency. of nationality was stamped apRobredo said Poe countered proved on Feb. 3, 2012. it was important that she had reBut Robredo said she was not to determine the actual date Gatchalian added: “What if, nounced her American citi- making any judgment on Poe’s of Poe’s renunciation of her in the near future, an OFW or a zenship and that her husband character and that she was not American citizenship, noting war veteran who took on Amer- has also started the process of out to malign her. that it wasn’t clear if it should ican citizenship comes home renouncing his. The standard“I don’t know her well be on the day of application, or and runs for the presidency? bearer of the Partido Galing at enough. I’ve seen her a few on the date of registration in Will (Robredo) also question Puso also lambasted moves to times, but not well enough for the records of the US State De- their allegiance?” derail her candidacy, describing me to judge her,” the Camapartment.

Poe, the adopted daughter them as the handiwork of those rines Sur representative said of The widow of the late Interi- of the late popular movie actor who wanted to “subvert the will the senator. ■

www.canadianinquirer.net

12

Philippine News

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

2 congressmen reject proposals to lift Bank Secrecy Law

Aquino blames... bureaucracy, and we did not shy away from confronting the most complex and crippling problem of our nation, namely, corruption,” Aquino said in a report

by Sandy Amanita of The Standard.

“Over the last five years, we cracked down on all those proven to have engaged in wrongdoing. Now, a former President is under hospital arrest after being charged with plunder. The former chief justice who had no compunctions about being selective about implementing the law was removed through impeachment, after it was revealed that he violated our laws by failing to declare over 98 percent of his assets as mandated by our Constitution.”

Aquino also included in his speech the 1986 EDSA People Power revolt that overturned the dictatorial regime of President Ferdinand Marcos, and placed Corazon Aquino.

“In 1986, millions of our people gathered in Edsa—our capital city’s most prominent avenue—and other cities throughout the nation to overthrow a dictator, who had for too long subjected our country to his tyranny and oppression. People armed only with rosaries, good intentions, and belief in their countrymen stood up to tanks, artillery, and planes. This was the miracle of Edsa, which made possible that which was impossible, and returned democracy through People Power. After 14 years of Martial Law, our people were successful in lifting my mother into the presidency to lead the rebuilding of our nation,” said Aquino in a report by The Standard.

Aquino also recalled the exile of his father Ninoy Aquino during the Martial Law years, and responded with a question of his own: ‘How can those who cannot even eat, think of concepts such as freedom and dignity? The first freedom is the freedom from hunger.’

His father’s words was ‘deeply personal’ and opted to tell the the business leaders about it because the APEC summit’s focus is on Inclusive Growth Imperative.

“We will have important conversations about how we can free our people from the oppression of poverty, and how to empower them to take part in

FRIDAY

❰❰ 1

BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer

Philippine President Benigno Simeon Aquino III at the APEC 2015 CEO Summit MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU

sustainable economic growth.

Today, perhaps I can tell you about the Philippine story: what we have done to achieve large-scale transformation,” he said.

Aside from recalling Martial Law, he also recalled his Cabinet’s meeting on the prevailing poverty rate over the last decade, which he refers as the “lost decade.”

In the past decade, according to Aquino, the numbers were alarming. Income growth became low but the inequality was incredibly in high levels, including the access to employment and social development opportunities, particularly in health, education, and social protection.

“We resolved that this sort of trickle down economics was not the way forward, and that the only real growth is that which is felt by the many. Thus, inclusive growth became the north star of our national policy—growth that truly helps each and every Filipino lift themselves up from poverty, and play a meaningful role in continuing our country’s growth story,” Aquino said.

In a recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations, the incident of hunger worsened to 15 percent of the population, having 3.5 million families experiencing hunger once in the last three months, which was the President’s claim about reducing the poverty rate.

Aquino added that the government turned to “bottom-up budgeting” to make the most scarce resources.

“We reached out to commu-

nities, believing that they, more than anyone else, know their own needs. We took advantage of technology to implement mechanisms to aid in transparency and accountability, through websites.... These gave our citizens greater power to monitor our budget, and also to report individuals suspected of wrongdoing,” he said.

According to Aquino, the budget for infrastructure in his administration had increased from 1.83 percent of gross domestic product in 2010 to 4.1 percent of GDP this year, and will target a 5 percent by next year.

“Indeed, our entire growth strategy hinges on the idea of empowerment.

Empowered citizens, after all, are empowered consumers, whose income will go to the goods and services produced by companies. The end result: Instead of having many big fish in a very small pond, we are moving our economic ecosystem into a bigger pond, where everybody can grow and reach their full potential,” he said.

APEC secretariat said that global climate change was at the top of Aquino’s agenda during the APEC summit.

“We’re trying to get away from the cycle of a destruction brought about by typhoons and reconstruction that doesn’t change anything. We get visited by 20 typhoons a year. So, [we need to] stop the pattern of destruction-reconstruction, destruction again, reconstruction again. Let’s build back the communities better,” he added. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

HOUSE SPEAKER Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and House Independent Minority Bloc leader Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez expressed yesterday their opposition to the Department of Finance (DOF) and Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) proposal on lifting the Bank Secrecy Law for tax inquiry purposes.

“I told finance officials (in a recent meeting) that it (bank secrecy lifting) will scare aware businessmen, local and foreign investors,” Belmonte was quoted as saying in a report by Philippine Star.

“My challenge to the BIR is to expand the miniscule tax base of the country, and start with the country’s richest families and those, although ostensibly not rich, who wallow in luxury,” he added.

The Palace’s proposal on the Bank Secrecy Law will not be supported by the Congress, nor will it be approved by President Aquino, Belmonte told The Standard.

“Passing this right now is illtimed because we have a colorblind government or selective in granting justice and not sincere in prosecuting violators of

the country’s laws. This could be used as a tool for persecution or harassment against members of the political opposition.

This government has a track record of demolishing the image of its enemies,” Romualdez told the Standard.

“The Speaker was right to reject the proposed measure and I am with him that the government should run after big time smugglers, money launderers and tax evaders,” he added.

Section 2 of Republic Act No. 1405 (Bank Secrecy Law) says that “all deposits of whatever nature with banks or banking institutions in the Philippines” are “considered as of an absolutely confidential nature and may not be examined, inquired or looked into by any person, government official, bureau or office, except upon written permission of the depositor, or in cases of impeachment, or upon order of a competent court in cases of bribery or dereliction of duty of public officials, or in cases where the money deposited or invested is the subject matter of the litigation.”

“Any violation of this law will subject offender upon conviction, to an imprisonment of not more than five years or a fine of not more than twenty thousand pesos or both, in the discretion of the court.” ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

13

‘Today we are all Parisians’

BY NIÑA CALLEJA, NIKKO DIZON AND LEILA SALAVERRIA Philippine Daily Inquirer “TODAY, WE are all Parisians.”

The French Embassy in Manila said this yesterday in response to the “heartfelt expressions of support” for France from the Filipino people, led by President Aquino, in condemning the deadly terror attacks in the French capital late Friday.

“We are deeply touched by the heartfelt expressions of support in the Philippines extended by President Benigno S. Aquino III, the national and local authorities, the people of the Philippines, and all those from foreign embassies and groups who have been expressing their sympathy to the French people,” the embassy said.

“France will always fight against extremism and stand for the values of democracy and human rights enshrined in our national motto ‘ Liberte, egalite, fraternity,’ which was coined in Paris centuries ago,” it said.

‘Sadness and in shock’

Asked if the terrorist attacks would deter Mr. Aquino from attending the climate change conference in Paris next month, Valte said that even before the attacks, the President’s attendance had yet to be confirmed.

“We join the whole world in sadness and in shock,” said Manila Archbishop Luis Cardinal Antonio Tagle.

“We cannot isolate ourselves from what is happening from the different

parts of the world. The constant violence and battles, and this morning, the news of what happened in Paris,” Tagle said at a Mass to mark the end of the three-day Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-Basic Ecclesial Communities National Assembly at Cuneta Astrodome yesterday.

“Let us unite ourselves to the many people suffering and victims of violence.

We pray for their families,” he said.

“As we join the world in mourning and grieving and in sorrow, our gathering is a sign of hope,” he added.

House Speaker Sonny Belmonte said the Paris attacks should be a warning to security officials that the Islamic State problem is global.

Sen. Sonny Angara, on his Twitter account, called for vigilance and joined calls to pray for Paris “because it could have easily been Manila, Tokyo or any other big city.”

“Peace and freedom-loving peoples and governments everywhere should unite to fight this type of terror and indiscriminate violent attacks. This has no place in the modern world. We should all help and create a more peaceful and secure world,”Angara said in a separate text message.

Sen. Ferdinand Marcos described the Paris attacks as “barbaric” and said it was “unacceptable and unforgivable.”

“We stand shoulder to shoulder with the Parisienne and the entire French nation and condemn this terror inflicted upon innocents. We are with them in this fight against terror and extremism in the world,” Marcos said in a statement.

Grenade attacks in Mindanao leaves 8 wounded

BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer Two grenade attacks in Kabacan, North Cotabato left eight persons injured on Saturday, said police.

The first grenade that exploded near Kabacan public market at 6:30 p.m. injured five persons, in which two are minors. The victims were Johainna Pops Alon, 17; Berlie Baluyot, 46; Gerardo Moya, 48; John Clark Opena, 13, and Rosalie Parenas, 36. All of the victims are residents of Poblacion Cabacan.

North Cotabato police spokesperson Supt. Bernard Tayong, in a statement released to Inquirer.net, said that a hand grenade was thrown at the corner of Malvar Street and Rizal Avenue by two men riding a motorcycle. The suspects

then drove to Barangay Kagaya, said Tayong in the same report.

The second attack occurred an hour later when two men also riding a motorcycle threw another hand grenade at two vehicles parked at the corner of Rosales Street and Sinsuat Avenue.

Two military men, Pfc. Romer Agustin, 25, and Pfc. Noel Ganab, and Mohaimen Biron, 21 were wounded. Agustin and Ganab are members of the Army Special Forces Battalion.

Just yesterday, another explosion occurred in Mindanao. A fragmentation grenade exploded in Barangay Poblacion, Kidapawan City at 7:30 p.m. No one was injured but the explosion frightened residents and students of University of Southern Mindanao (USM) who were around the site when a grenade set off. ■

The iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris with its lights turned off in remembrance of the lives lost after a series of deadly terrorist attacks on Friday, Nov 13.

SHUTTERSTOCK

The attacks serve as an unfortunate reminder that no free country and people are safe from terrorism, according to Sen. Gregorio Honasan.

“It is a painful wake-up call that terrorist attacks can happen to anyone, anywhere,” Honasan said in a statement.

On Twitter, Sen. Loren Legarda said she sympathizes with the victims of the “vicious” Paris attacks, and called for vigilance against terrorism.

Sen. Pia Cayetano called for prayers

and support for the people of France, while Sen. JV Ejercito said the attacks were “brutal” and “inhuman.”

“In a statement , Vice President Jejomar Binay expressed solidarity with France, while calling on the country’s security agencies to be on their toes and urging the public to be vigilant to deter acts of terror here at home. ■

Bridging the Gap Between Parents and Teens in This Era of Technology

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Philippine News

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Amid Paris attacks, APEC security preparations tightened

BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Following the terrorist attacks on Paris, none among the 17 delegates to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit to be held in the Philippines this week pulled out from the annual gathering.

United States President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, among 21 APEC economic leaders, were expected to attend the summit.

With reports disclosing the Islamic State’s alleged plan to attack Russia next, President Vladimir Putin backed out from the APEC meetings although officials claimed that ‘domestic issues’ were the reason behind the cancellation of his atten-

dance.

Philippine authorities then vowed for ‘higher security’ at the economic meetings. The Armed Forces and the National Police units were placed on ‘full alert’ status already in effect since last week. They have also been ordered to continue monitoring the situation and consider taking necessary steps to fine-tune security procedures for the hosting.

“There is no credible threat registered at this time, but let us all be cooperative and vigilant… We are taking all necessary precautions,” President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III said in a statement, also expressed outrage over the recent Islamic State attacks that killed at least 129 people in Paris.

Although intelligence units have not received any specific or direct security threat, target hardening measures on vital military and police instal-

lations, particularly airports, seaports and rail systems in the country were further elevated.

“The alert status was raised as a matter of procedure following any international terrorist incident such as… attacks in Paris,” Armed Forces spokesperson Colonel Restituto Padilla said.

In an interview with radio dzRB, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte noted that heightened security was a standard operating procedure in the event of a terrorist attack or a national calamity.

“We are just taking our usual precautions… This is part of the anticipated alert level that will be required because of our hosting of the APEC Economic Leader’s [Meeting],” Valte said.

“The attacks… showed not only predetermination but the cruelty that demands the greatest indignation from the world. The Philippines mourns

DOJ only a partial report.

“We still need records and more evidence from other government agencies to complete the process of the investigation,” he said.

He said most of the problems encountered had to do with obtaining records from the transportation office and the airport police, though they had been promised full cooperation.

Caguioa who was the guest speaker at the NBI’s anniversary celebration yesterday said he was not aware of the request but is inclined to approve it.

Mendez declined to disclose the status of the investigation, but said investigators have started to piece together the tanim-bala scheme.

“There are still many details, angles and leads that we have to follow to come up with a comprehensive report that would include the identities of the culprits to be able to file criminal charges that could satisfy the quantum of evidence,” he explained.

He said the investigation would cover records of previous years to be able to establish a pattern.

Mendez declined to comment on the “supposed manipulation of the bullet-planting syndicate at the airport for another purpose rather than extortion.”

“We will look into it and we will have the answer after the investigation,” Mendez said.

He added that records going as far back as two years would be scrutinized and all confiscated evidence will undergo forensic analysis.

Mendez said the investigation would be focusing on, among other things, looking at the seized evidence and crossreferencing them with records and statements.

U.S. President Barack Obama arrives in Manila for APEC 2015. @APEC2015PH / TWITTER

the dead and stands shoulder to shoulder with France. We are committed to ensuring the safety of our visitors and our people. This is a message that has been sent not just in light of the incidents in Paris,” she added.

Aquino also convened the Security Cluster at the Malaca-

ñang to ensure all security preparations for the APEC summit were already in place.

“President Aquino wanted to ensure that all our preparations are in place and all contingencies have been planned for. As he said, it is better to be overprepared than caught unprepared,” Valte said. ■

caught planting evidence.

The law currently imposes a prison term of six to 12 years on those caught planting evidence, except when the person concerned is a public official or employee, in which case the penalty is 20 to 40 years.

Santiago proposed that the prison term for persons other than pubic officials or employees involved in the planting of evidence be increased to 12 to 20 years.

“The government must send a clear message to these airport syndicates that it will not tolerate these criminal activities and will prosecute those who plant evidence with as much zeal as it pursues those who smuggle firearms and ammunition,” she said in a statement.

Santiago said decriminalizing the possession of a few bullets may not be effective in eliminating the bullet-planting scheme since those involved could just increase the number of ammunition they place in passengers’ bags.

Meanwhile, Pangasinan Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil, a former police official, is urging NAIA employees to blow the whistle

on fellow airport employees involved in the tanim-bala scam for the good of the country.

In a Nov. 3 privilege speech at the House of Representatives, Bataoil asked the airport employees to contact his office and inform him of unscrupulous activities at the airport.

“If you don’t, you will be seeing the Filipino people branding your entire organization, even the remaining innocent and hardworking airport employees like you, as criminals,” he said.

“As a [retired] police general, I am angered by these issues because the profiles of those arrested are clearly [not] those of criminals and syndicate members,” said Bataoil, who last served as a police director.

Bataoil said airport management should make sure all its employees go through metal detectors before starting work.

He also urged employees to undergo values orientation because “they are our country’s frontliners to foreigners, investors and tourists.”

He said officials who allowed the scams to happen under their watch should be fired. ■

Prosecutors now... was found, if someone touched the baggage, if the bullet was taped or stitched into the bag, or if it’s just there inside the bag or one of the pockets where it’s easy to plant,” he said.

“Please understand that this has to happen within the space of whatever time is left for the passenger to board the flight.

But of course, we are not going to rush it,” he said.

He underscored the need for immediate decisive action on the tanim-bala cases and for a long-term solution.

“If our response is weak, then [the incidents] will happen again. We have to show people that we are very serious, and that plan is not for short-term but for longterm solutions,” Caparas said. ❰❰ 7

Extension sought

Mendez said he would be asking Justice Secretary Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa for an extension of the Monday deadline to submit a full report on the investigation as the bureau was finding some difficulty in obtaining evidence and records.

The NBI has so far given the

Tougher penalties

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has proposed tougher penalties against persons who maliciously plant ammunition on innocent people to deter groups or syndicates allegedly preying on airport passengers.

Santiago, who is running for President in the May elections, said she would file a bill to amend the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act in order to impose longer jail terms for those www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

15

Putin called up P-Noy to explain no-show

BY NIKKO DIZON AND NIÑA P. CALLEJA Philippine Daily Inquirer RUSSIAN PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin called President Aquino on Thursday night to explain why he could not attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila next week, Malacañang said yesterday.

Putin said “domestic issues,” particularly the investigation into the crash of a Russian jetliner in Sinai Peninsula in Egypt that killed 224 people, mostly Russians, last month, required him to stay at home, the Palace said.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said at a press briefing that Presidents Aquino and Putin discussed “matters related to the Philippines and Russia bilateral cooperation” and “the participation of Russia in the APEC summit in Manila.”

“President Putin also discussed with President Aquino the reasons for his inability to attend the APEC summit, to which President Aquino replied that he understood fully well the issues confronting the Russian government, and that he also understands the need of President Putin to stay in his country to ensure that the reasons behind some of their domestic issues are fully investigated and threshed out,” Valte said.

Manila hosts this year’s APEC summit, where leaders of the 21 member-economies gather to discuss policy issues aimed at advancing the region’s economy.

Besides Putin, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Taiwanese President Ma Yingjeou are also skipping this year’s APEC summit.

The Indonesian foreign ministry confirmed on Thursday

that Widodo is not attending the summit, while the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (Teco), the de facto Taiwanese Embassy in Manila, announced Ma’s decision not to come yesterday.

Ma’s representative

In Taipei, presidential spokesperson Charles I-hsin Chen said Ma had asked former Vice President Vincent C. Siew to represent him at the APEC summit.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will represent Putin at the summit, but Malacañang said it had yet to receive a “formal confirmation” on who would represent Widodo at the APEC leaders’ meeting.

On Thursday, the Indonesian foreign ministry said Vice President Jusuf Kalla would attend the APEC summit.

Russian plane crash

Valte said Putin mentioned the investigation into the crash of a Russian jetliner in Egypt, which required his presence at home.

“The President did extend his understanding on the loss of life and recognized fully well that it is a cause for concern for President Putin,” she said.

The official cause for the crash of Metrojet Airliner Flight 9268 has yet to be determined but US and British officials say the cause of the Oct. 31 crash was likely a bomb planted on the plane.

Both Russia and Egypt maintain that terrorists were not behind the aircraft’s crash.

The Islamic State jihadist group has claimed responsibility for the crash, but Russian and Egyptian officials say the terrorist group does not have the capability to shoot down an airplane.

No formal confirmation

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev attends APEC 2015 on behalf of President Vladimir Putin. @APEC2015PH / TWITTER

Valte said Widodo would also almost likely be unable to attend the APEC summit due to pressing matters in Indonesia, but the Philippines was still awaiting a “formal confirmation” on who would represent him.

“It is quite [regrettable] that President Joko Widodo will most likely be unable to attend the summit. We understand that the pressing matters back home require his immediate attention,” Valte said.

The Associated Press reported yesterday that Indonesia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir had confirmed that Widodo would miss the summit because of several issues, including preparations for regional elections. Kalla would represent Widodo at the summit, AP said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed yesterday that Putin and Widodo are skipping the summit.

But Assistant Foreign Secretary Charles Jose, spokesperson for the DFA, said the two

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leaders’ representatives would participate in the summit with “full powers.”

China objection

Taiwan customarily sends an appointed government official instead of its president to the APEC leaders’ meeting due to China’s objections.

It became a member of APEC in 1991 as Chinese Taipei. One criterion for membership is that a candidate must be a separate economy. China considers Taiwan a breakaway province.

Teco said in a statement that Ma’s representative, Siew, was “well versed in economic and trade diplomacy and multilateral trade negotiations.”

Siew, according to the statement, has attended APEC meetings six times as minister of economic affairs and presidential representative, “and has built strong relationships with leaders of other APEC members.”

While the agenda of APEC is purely economic, Taiwan says in a briefer posted on its gov-

ernment website that there are times when politics interferes with its participation in the summit.

Taiwan’s rights as a member of APEC as well as the contributions it can make are sometimes limited because of political pressure from Beijing, its political rival, according to a 2003 article, “Taiwan rises to the APEC challenge,” posted on the government website.

In 1999 and 2002, for example, Taiwan was not allowed to participate in APEC counterterrorism meetings, the article said.

Taiwan is also not allowed to host regional leaders’ or ministerial meetings, it said.

Former President Chen Shuibian was shut out of the APEC summit, it added.

“The host country of the meeting will send an invitation to the president of the [Republic of China], who is expected to follow the ‘established practice’ by sending a Cabinet minister or business leader on his behalf, instead of attending the meeting himself,” the article said.

Economic expertise

According to Teco, Ma appointed Siew because of the former vice president’s “expertise, background, experience and connections.”

These, it said, will undoubtedly substantially enhance Taiwan’s influence in the AsiaPacific region.

Only 22 countries recognize Taiwan as a state.

The Philippines, which upholds the “one-China policy,” maintains economic and cultural relations with Taiwan through Teco. ■ With a report from AP

Opinion

16

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

AT LARGE

Leni Robredo, as herself

By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer A TANTALIZING thought to many women (or at least the women I encounter on Facebook) is that, for what seems like the first time, the Philippines faces the possibility of having a woman president and vice president serving at the same time.

Two women—Sen. Grace Poe and Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago—are contesting the presidency; one woman, Rep. Leni Robredo of Camarines Sur, is running for vice president alongside Liberal Party standardbearer Mar Roxas.

Isn’t she at least tickled at the thought? I asked Robredo during a late-evening chat last Thursday with reporters and editors of this paper.

“Sana hindi (I hope it doesn’t happen),” she replied. While she knows both women senators, although not all that well, Robredo said her and Roxas’ “strengths complement each other’s.”

“It also matters where we both came from, our shared orientation toward public service,” she added.

Previously, Robredo had been quoted as saying that “anyone who once gave up her citizenship to become a citizen of another country has

lost the right to later run for president of her native land.” Of course Robredo meant Poe, who says she regained her Filipino citizenship when she came home to bury her father and brought her family here. But Robredo said she was speaking as a matter of principle.

There is also the matter of Robredo’s own lack of “exposure” beyond her home district and beyond the circle of the Liberal Party and her supporters among civil society. “I am not well known,” she conceded, even if, as the widow of Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, she had her own time in the limelight in the immediate aftermath of the plane crash that killed him.

But she is an “easy sell,” she said, quoting Sen. Serge Osmeña who has volunteered to assist in her campaign (but not, intriguingly, in Roxas’). “He (Osmeña) said that while I have low awareness ratings among the public, I enjoy a very high conversion rate.” Meaning, once people get to know her and listen to her, they are easily convinced to vote for her.

“He said that is better than if it were the other way around.” *** MANY were surprised when Leni Robredo finally agreed to be Roxas’ running mate.

“It was one of the hardest, most difficult decisions I had to make,” she admitted, adding that everyone in her circle of family, friends and constituents were against her jumping into the fray of a national campaign.

Most crucial was the support of her three daughters, the youngest just 15. She spoke of coming home from Bicol on the day before she made her announcement and being met by all three girls, who had been adamantly against her candidacy, but who then told her: “We have talked about it and we decided this is something Dadwouldwant you to do.”

She has always been, Robredo said, an “underdog” in the course of her life in politics. She first bumped heads with a powerful political clan whose members were itching to return to power after Jesse’s untimely departure. Nowshe faces a formidable field where she is once again the least known of the contenders, trailing behind vice presidential contenders Chiz Escudero and Bongbong Marcos, the leaders of the pack. *** TO his credit, Roxas takes great pains to introduce her to audiences whenever they are together in sorties, Robredo said. “He always and quickly

introduces me to people.”

She wondered why Roxas should be burdened with the perception of being aloof, an elitist who doesn’t understand the problems of the “little people.”

“I have seen him among crowds and people just flock to him,” she pointed out. “In person, he is very warm.”

She best knows Roxas through the lens of her memories of her husband.

“He was not mabarkada (gregarious),” she recalled of Jesse, but for some reason he and Roxas formed a bond. For many years, they would have breakfast together once a week or whenever Jesse was in Manila. And when Roxas was with her and the girls, he and his wife, broadcaster Korina Sanchez, were both “very kind and warm.”

She expressed admiration for Roxas’ performance in office, having been tested in many crises and disasters. “Kahit mahirap, hindi umaatras (Even when the going is tough, he never backs down),” she said of her running mate. *** FOR sure, while she declared that she is “no Jesse Robredo,” admitting that “I learned my politics from him,” neither is she, nor does she aspire to be, another Mar Roxas.

For one, she has her own opinion

on hot-button topics like the “tanim/ laglag-bala” scandal at the airport, about which she thinks the law needs to be amended to “decriminalize the offense” of carrying a mere two or three bullets and thus disincentivize the bullet scammers. Roxas, on the other hand, thinks the coverage of the scam has simply gotten out of hand.

She backs the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, even if her support for the measure has earned her scathing, personally hurting comments from Facebook trolls. She likewise believes that while the K-to-12 program will go through many hiccups in the first few years of implementation, “we’re getting there, because we hurdled the first and most difficult step—that of creating the policy despite the many criticisms.”

“All I need to do is be myself,” Robredo responded when asked what she plans to do to hurdle the perceived lack of public recognition. She laughed when asked if she should not undergo a makeover (“Everyone who knows me knows my hair has always been a mess”), and said that while she can dance the cha-cha “on the streets of Naga during fiestas,” she draws the line at singing in public “because I just might lose more votes!” ■

the worst since World War II, accordWe can only imagine that these monitoring these breaking events in ing to some observers. But, from the horrific attacks are similarly send- Paris and analyzing their implicaaccounts of terrified witnesses inside ing ominous ripples of fear across the tions for the security systems they the concert hall, French authori- world, prompting governments to have put in place. I am sure they are ties believe these killings are likely take a second hard look at their soci- mindful of the fact that it is not just the handiwork of Islamist terrorists eties’ vulnerability and security sys- the main venue they need to secure. from either the al-Qaida or the Is- tems. Indeed, the Paris attacks could Every foreign participant at these lamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis). not have occurred at a worse time for meetings, whether inside or outside These orchestrated attacks recall the the Philippines, with a whole week the conference venues, is a potential brutal attack on the staff of the satiri- of frenetic hosting ahead of us, in target for terrorist groups whose goal cal magazine Charlie Hebdo in Janu- connection with the Apec economic is to sow public fear while calling atary, not too far away from the Bata- leaders’ meeting in Manila. tention to their boldness and the clan hall and the stadium. According All of a sudden, the bullet-planting heroism of their cause. It is nearly to the initial investigation, the na- cum extortion scandal at our inter- impossible to control their every ture of the firearms used, the suicide national airports, over which we have movement. vests, and the coordinated execution obsessed for more than a week, seems But, as pressing as the security isof the attacks suggest the existence of ridiculously insignificant when sues are, it is the long-term impact a highly sophisticatof the Paris attacks ed and disciplined on the modern Since terrorism has become a global menace capable of world that should group that was able striking anywhere, it would be tragic if every nation adopted a ultimately concern to plan without beparochial and narrowly defensive view to deal with it. ing detected. us. They are bound President Franto decisively shape çois Hollande has declared a state of viewed in the light of Friday night’s Europe’s attitude toward the refunational emergency. Fearing further deadly attacks in Paris. These events gees and migrants that are presently attacks, the mayor of Paris has urged compel us to refocus our attention on knocking at its borders. We can only residents to stay in their homes until the more pressing and complex task imagine the powerful political backthe other gunmen have been neutral- before us: how to ensure the safety of lash against migrants this will generized. The French government has the 21 heads of state we are gathering ate. For the longest time, Europeans ordered its borders sealed to prevent at this summit, plus the 10,000 other have complained that some of these any of the attackers from escaping. foreign guests who are coming for the North African and Middle Eastern But a surge of panic and fear, the ul- Apec meetings. refugees could be potential recruits timate objective of such attacks, has We would be very worried indeed of terrorist networks. As implausible engulfed not just Paris, but also the if the authorities in charge of secur- as that might be, given the rigorous rest of Europe’s major capitals. ing the Apec Summit were not closely screening procedures at immigra-

tion, these latest acts of terrorism can only strengthen the forces of xenophobia and racism that are now stalking all of Europe.

Since terrorism has become a global menace capable of striking anywhere, it would be tragic if every nation adopted a parochial and narrowly defensive view to deal with it. For that is exactly how al-Qaida and the Isis want nation-states to behave—i.e., like beleaguered tribes that, in their quest to preserve their respective cultural identities, cannot see beyond their borders.

This kind of reaction only reinforces the belief that global inequalities are to be understood as outcomes of racial and religious oppression rather than as functions of the global economic system. Or, that the quest for justice can only be sought in the antiquated approaches offered by religious and ethnic fundamentalism.

Perhaps it is fitting then that the Apec Summit, the G-20 summit in Turkey, and the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris are being held this November, in the shadow of these unspeakable terrorist attacks.

This confluence of events challenges the world’s leaders to use these forums to arrive at more effective solutions to the old problems of global injustice, poverty and exclusion. ■

PUBLIC LIVES

The Paris attacks

By Randy David Philippine Daily Inquirer AS I write, France reels in the wake of a series of terrorist attacks on six different locations in Paris on Friday evening. So far, 153 people are confirmed dead from these attacks, most of them inside a packed theater where the American rock band “Eagles of Death Metal” was playing.

The five other sites included the national stadium where, at the time of the attack by a suicide bomber, about 80,000 people were watching a soccer match between France and Germany.

Inside the crowded Bataclan concert hall, the four attackers stood up without warning during the performance and began firing indiscriminately at the horrified audience.

Three of the gunmen were later found to be wearing vests fitted with explosives. They died from the explosions they themselves set off. The police have counted five dead terrorists, and are continuing the hunt for about seven or eight others who bullet-sprayed cafés and bars as they drove by in the same densely populated eastern section of Paris.

No terrorist group has, thus far, claimed responsibility for these deadly attacks on the City of Light—

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Opinion

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

17

ANALYSIS

Paris carnage ‘an act of war’

By Amando Doronila Philippine Daily Inquirer A WAVE of terrorist attacks targeting concertgoers, soccer fans and Parisians enjoying a Friday evening at popular nightspots killed at least 129 people and wounded more than 350 in the deadliest terrorist violence to strike France since World War II (WWII).

In the wake of the attacks, French President François Hollande declared in a nationally broadcast TV address that the attacks were an “act of war” organized by the Islamic State (IS). He declared a nationwide state of emergency and mourning and pledged to wage a “merciless” fight against terrorists. He said the attacks carried out almost simultaneously on six targets by eight gunmen and suicide bombers were “organized and planned outside.”

In the aftermath of a night of deadly attacks, France has also imposed border controls and deployed 1,500 extra troops.

According to BBC News, Hollande imposed a state of emergency after the worst peacetime attack in France since WWII. It is also the deadliest

in Europe since the 2004 Madrid bombings.

The violence began soon after 11 p.m. as people were enjoying a Friday night-out in Paris. A gunman opened fire on Le Carillon bar in the rue Albert, near the Place de la République, 10th District, before heading across the road to Le Petit Cambodge (Little Cambodia), killing a total of 15 people.

The attack sites included La Belle Équipe, 92 rue de Charonne, 11th District, at least 19 dead in gun attacks; La Casa Nostra Restaurant, 92 rue de la Fontaine au Roi, 11th District, at least five dead in gun attacks; Stade de France, just north of Paris, explosions heard outside the venue, three attackers dead; and Bataclan concert venue, 50 Boulevard Voltaire, 11th District, stormed by four gunmen, at least 80 dead.

The 1,500-seat Bataclan concert hall suffered the worst of the attacks.

Gunmen opened fire on a sell-out gig by the US rock group Eagles of Death Metal, killing 89 people. Agence France-Presse News Agency reported that the gunmen took 20 hostages and were heard to tell their captives, “It’s Hollande’s fault …. He should not have intervened in Syria.”

According to BBC, security forces stormed the concert hall and found four attackers dead. Three had blown themselves up and a fourth was shot dead by police. Islamic State released a statement on Saturday, saying that eight brothers using explosive belts and varying assault rifles had carried out attacks on “carefully chosen” targets in response to France’s involvement in the air strikes on IS militants in Syria and Iraq.

Shortly before the IS statement, Hollande said France had been attacked in a “cowardly shameful and violent way.”

Merciless response “So, France will be merciless in its response to Islamic State’s militants,” he said, vowing to “use all means within the law … on every battleground here and abroad together with our allies.”

Speaking after he was evacuated from the stadium that was attacked by the IS militants, Hollande defied threats of violent retaliations, warning that France would stand firm and determined. He left no doubt about this resolve: “A determined France, a united France, a France that joins

together and a France that will not allow itself to be staggered even if today there is infinite emotion faced with this disaster, this tragedy, which is an abomination, because it is barbarism.”

“This is an ordeal that again assails,” he said. “We know where it comes from, who these criminals are, who these terrorists are.”

Hollande, at the same time, received support from international allies for his tough stance against the terrorists. Speaking to reporters in Washington, US President Barack Obama decried an “attack on all humanity,” calling the Paris violence an “outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians” and vowing to do “whatever it takes to help bring perpetrators to justice.”

France has heightened security measures ahead of a major global climate conference that starts in two weeks, out of fear of violent protests and potential terrorist attacks.

Homicidal hatred The French press has come around to close ranks behind the government’s concern over France going into war footing against IS militants.

“This time it’s war,” the newspaper Le Parisien declared, as the press reacted with horror but determination after the wave of at-tacks.

The center-Right daily Le Figaro echoed the theme with the headline, “War in Central Paris.” Many papers called for unity in the coun still reeling from jihadist attacks in January that claimed 17 lives. The Left-leaning Liberation daily called for France to stay resolute in the context of “terrorist barbarism (that has) crossed a historic line.” Its editorial argued, “It is impossible not to link these bloody events with the battles raging in the Middle East. France is playing its part there. It must continue to do so without blinking.”

In the international front, France was gaining diplomatic support from Western allies. Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron expressed shock over the Paris attacks and pledged to do “whatever we can to help.”

The Vatican called the Paris carnage “an attack on peace for all humanity” and said “a decisive, supportive response” was needed “on the part of all of us as we counter the threat of homicidal hatred in all forms.” ■

LOOKING BACK

Elpidio Quirino at 125: Our generation will be kinder

By Ambeth R. Ocampo Philippine Daily Inquirer ELPIDIO Quirino (1890-1956) is often associated with the Luneta Grandstand that bears his name, or Quirino Avenue in Manila, where traffic moves at a snail’s pace during rush hour.

For Filipinos over 60, Quirino is the President with a “golden orinola” (bedpan) and a P5,000 bed that came to symbolize the alleged extravagance and graft and corruption of his administration.

There was no golden orinola, it turned out, and his Malacañang bed cost around P300, not P5,000. Yet these pieces of furniture have become the stuff of legend, burned into our consciousness because history has been unkind to Quirino.

An overpriced bed and orinola were created by his political enemies in a failed impeachment that damaged his reputation beyond repair.

But there is more to the second President of the Third Republic than a grandstand and a fictitious golden orinola.

“Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them,” said William Shakespeare in one of his celebrated lines. Quirino was of the third type.

Accidental President Born 125 years ago on Nov. 16,

1890, in an Ilocos jail, where his father served as prison warden, Quirino first became President of the Philippines on April 17, 1948, two days after Manuel Roxas’ heart stopped beating.

Quirino inherited with the office the challenge of rebuilding a Philippines physically and spiritually destroyed by World War II. In 1949, he won a full term on his own, defeating Jose P. Laurel in elections since described as the dirtiest in Philippine history. The Liberal Party was swept into power in elections where plants, animals, and even the dead cast their ballots.

With a tarnished reputation, Quirino lost a bid for reelection against Ramon Magsaysay in 1953.

It is not generally known that certain laws and institutions we appreciate today were established during Quirino’s term. He signed into law the Minimum Wage Law of 1951 (Republic Act No. 602) and the Public School Salary Act of 1948 (Republic Act No. 312). The hydroelectric plant in Maria Cristina Falls (Mindanao) and the Ambuklao dam (Luzon) were established under Quirino.

The designation of Quezon City as capital of the Philippines, its master plan and the donation of the Diliman property to the University of the Philippines for a token P1 was also

achieved during his term.

Controversial issues Hairsplitting being a historian’s pastime, hours and hours of fun will be had on these two controversial issues: Is Quirino the “father of foreign service”? Of the Central Bank? As Vice President, Quirino served as secretary of foreign affairs from 1946-1948. As President in 1951, he signed into law Republic Act No. 708 that reorganized and strengthened the foreign service into what it is today.

Consequently, some historians consider him the father of foreign service. However, our foreign service traces its beginnings to the Philippine Revolution and Apolinario Mabini.

Perhaps looking at foreign service in terms of generations will settle the issue: Apolinario Mabini, the first foreign minister of the First Republic, can be the “great grandfather of foreign service”; while Claro M. Recto, foreign minister of the Second Republic, can be considered the “grandfather of foreign service”; resulting in Quirino, the first foreign secretary of the Third Republic, being the father of foreign service.

Another issue concerns the Central Bank that traces its beginnings to Manuel Roxas, now depicted on the P100 bill with the Bangko Sen-

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tral ng Pilipinas building. If Roxas is considered the “grandfather of the Central Bank,” Quirino can be the “father of the Central Bank,” that was legally and formally established on June 15, 1948, with Miguel Cuaderno as its first governor, under Quirino’s watch.

Humanitarian acts Quirino’s most important acts, however, were not political but humanitarian. In 1948, he declared an amnesty that led to the surrender of Huks, including Luis Taruc.

Following the example of Manuel Luis Quezon who offered asylum to Jews fleeing from the Nazis, Quirino accepted 5,880 “White Russians” who fled from Maoist China in 1949. These White Russians were settled in Tubabao, Guiuan, Samar, for three years.

Quirino visited the settlement and was quoted to have said: “We believe that freedom engenders responsibility, and this responsibility involves a solemn obligation to humanity.”

In 1950, Quirino sent the 7,500-strong Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea or Peftok, the fourth largest delegation under the United Nations command. The group was sent off with these words: “I sent ahead of you my only son (Tomas Quirino) and son-in-law (Luis Gon-

zales) to offer their blood in defense of democracy. Thus, my pride will be that with myown flesh and blood, I shall have participated in your coming struggle and victory, for the honor and prestige of our country.”

Unpopular clemency for Japanese Then in 1953, Quirino granted clemency for Japanese prisoners of war in Muntinlupa.

It was an unpopular decision that he explained in these words: “I should be the last one to pardon them as the Japanese killed my wife and three children, and five other members of my family. I am doing this because I do not want my children and my people to inherit from me the hate for people who might yet be our friends for the permanent interest of our country.”

Quirino was a teacher who became President. He died of a heart attack on Feb. 29, 1956, without fulfilling his ambition to retire from Malacanañg and return to teach in a barrio school.

Nevertheless, Quirino’s life has many lessons to teach us. And when our generation writes our own history, it will be fair to Quirino and it will not just highlight the evil that lives after him, but to exhume the good that Shakespeare says is “interred with their bones.” ■

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NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Canada News

Canada will increase Iraqi trainers, fight climate change with Obama: Trudeau

BY MIKE BLANCHFIELD The Canadian Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Canada will increase the number of ground troops it has in Iraq to train local forces as a way of making a bigger military contribution to the coalition fighting Islamic militants, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says.

Trudeau said the increase, from the current number of 69 special forces trainers, is one of the scenarios being worked on as the government prepares to end the air combat mission of its CF-18 fighter jets in the U.S.led coalition that is bombing targets in Iraq and Syria.

Trudeau disclosed the plan during a wide-ranging, 20-minute news conference aboard his Canadian Forces airliner, several hours before it touched down in the Philippine capital of Manila on Tuesday night local time for the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation summit.

Trudeau will hold a key bilateral meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama at the summit on Thursday, where he said they will discuss a range of topics, including the military mission against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the refugee crisis and their combined efforts to fight climate change.

Trudeau has remained firm that Canada will withdraw its six CF-18 jet fighters before its March 2016 commitment expires, but has faced pressure to climb down from that promise because of Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris.

“I’ve committed repeatedly to my allies that we were going to do more on the training front and that means obviously more than just 69 trainers,” Trudeau said.

“How many that will be, what form that will take, what kind of engagement we’re going to have, those are things that we’re going to work out.”

A child welcomes Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Antalya, Turkey for the G20 Summit.

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Trudeau didn’t offer specific with Obama because “we’re don’t seem to be as ambitious numbers but he has cited the going to have a lot to agree on” in their approaches to climate Forces Afghanistan training despite the president’s recent change.” mission, to which the Harper rejection of the Keystone XL Trudeau also described his government initially commit- pipeline project from Alberta intervention in the G20’s clited almost 1,000 troops. to the U.S. gulf coast. mate change discussions.

Trudeau said he wants Can“One of the things I pointed “I said, ‘look Canada is a ada to be “a strong and positive out in our very first conversa- country with energy resources contributor to the continuing tion on the phone was his focus and seasons and a climate that mission against ISIL,” by train- on getting big things done in his means that we have challenges ing northern Iraqi troops to final year,” he said. “Looking at where it would be easy for us take the ground to make excuses war directly to around not dothe militants. ing the kinds of Trudeau’s arthings on clirival at the back I said, ‘look Canada is a country with mate change that of his aircraft to energy resources and seasons and we need to do,” meet with almost a climate that means that we have he said. two dozen travchallenges where it would be easy for Asked whether elling journalists us to make excuses around not doing he was offendwas a marked dethe kinds of things on climate change ed by Obama’s parture in prime that we need to do.’ characterizaministerial comtion that Alberta munications has “dirty oil,” after the strict Trudeau sugmessage control of the recent legacy dovetails nicely with my gested such remarks were a reHarper decade. desire to get big things done off sult of Canada’s inaction on the The rookie prime minister, the bat, in my first year, to set environment. on his first international trip, the tone for the coming years.”

“A less aggressive approach described some of his behind Their joint efforts will con- on environmental responsibilithe scenes activities at the G20 tinue at the Paris climate ties in the past led to a ramping summit he’d finished attending change summit in two weeks, up of rhetoric against Canadian the previous day. he said, where they will “push oil, and against Canadian enerHe said he was looking for- strongly on some of the more gy,” he said. ward to his first formal bilateral recalcitrant countries who Trudeau said Canada has www.canadianinquirer.net

more work to do, beyond making positive statements, to convince the world that the country now takes environmental issues seriously.

“I know that Canada has to start demonstrating real action and not just words in order for the world to understand that we are serious and committed to developing our resources in a responsible and sustainable way.”

Trudeau didn’t offer anything specific, including whether his government would raise the previous Conservative government’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction target ahead of the Paris summit.

Trudeau also held firm to his commitment to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of the year, in the face of mounting criticism from the premiers of Quebec and Saskatchewan, as well as some mayors.

“It didn’t take the tragedies of Paris for us to suddenly realize that security is important,” said Trudeau, adding that he is “very much committed to keeping Canadians safe while we do the right thing to engage responsibly with this humanitarian crisis.”

That’s the same message Obama gave the G20 on Monday as it wrapped.

Trudeau called that meeting an “excellent first experience at my first summit.” He said he had a wide range of discussions as he attempted to forge relationships with other world leaders. While he’s trying to find common ground with other leaders, he said he realizes the need to “agree to disagree on other things.”

“I’m also pleased to say I asked a fair bit of advice of leaders and they volunteered some as well,” Trudeau added.

“So many of the issues Canadians are facing, around the economy, around trade, around security, around growth have implications that stretch far beyond our borders.” ■

Canada News

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

19

Trudeau vows to strengthen China relations as Xi praises vision of PM’s dad

BY MIKE BLANCHFIELD The Canadian Press ANTALAYA, TURKEY — Justin Trudeau pledged to strengthen co-operation with China after his father’s historic engagement with the nation received a glowing tribute Monday from President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit.

The Chinese leader lauded what he called the extraordinary vision of the prime minister’s father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, for reaching out to his country and establishing formal diplomatic relations 45 years ago.

“I’m well aware we have an opportunity to set a fresh approach in our relationship right now,” Trudeau told Xi before a bilateral meeting Monday.

“I certainly hope that this is going to be an era of greater cooperation and mutual benefit

for both Canada and China in the coming years.”

Trudeau told the Chinese leader he wanted to “work together on economic political and cultural ties” during public remarks prior to their meeting.

Behind closed doors, Trudeau also raised human rights concerns, said the prime minister’s office.

“On human rights, the prime minister did say that they would not always agree, but part of having a strong relationship involves expressing concerns and disagreements in a respectful way,” a Trudeau spokesman told reporters in an email.

The two leaders also discussed the possibility of a free trade agreement, the statement said.

Trudeau and many of his fellow G20 leaders were headed to Manila, the Philippine capital, for this week’s Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation summit.

But in his meetings with Xi

and Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Turkey, Trudeau was using the G20 summit to get a head start on deepening Canada’s economic relations in Asia, a priority he identified in his instruction letters to his new cabinet.

Trudeau’s Monday meeting with Xi sharply contrasted to the chilly reception former prime minister Stephen Harper received when he visited Beijing in 2009.

China’s then premier chided Harper for taking three years to visit his country.

Relations between Canada and China had deteriorated during Harper’s first three years in power. But after Canadian business leaders sounded alarm bells, the Conservatives made a concerted effort to reengage with China.

On Monday, Xi was effusive in his praise for the elder Trudeau’s efforts to establish

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Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.

ties with China in 1970. Two years later, the United States followed suit under President Richard Nixon.

“That was an extraordinary political vision,” Xi told the prime minister. “China will al-

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ways remember that.”

“I celebrate well 45 years of strong relations between Canada and China,” Trudeau replied, as he also extended an invitation to the Chinese leader to visit Canada. ■

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Canada News

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Canadian man finds himself falsely identified as Paris terrorist

BY MICHELLE MCQUIGGE The Canadian Press TORONTO — A Canadian man is defending his name and reputation after he was falsely depicted as one of the masterminds of Friday’s deadly attacks in Paris.

Veerender Jubbal took to Twitter after an altered photo of him began surfacing in international media with captions identifying him as a terrorist. A Spanish newspaper, La Razon, has since apologized for running the doctored picture.

The original image of Jubbal was a selfie that showed him posing in his bathroom with the iPad in his hand that was used to take the photograph.

But it was manipulated to show him wearing a suicide vest and holding a Qu’ran.

Jubbal tweeted that the image had made its way onto the front page of La Razon with a caption identifying him as one of the suicide bombers that stormed the French capital on Friday, killling at least 129 people and injuring scores of others.

He says it wasn’t long before people around the world, including family members in India, had seen the image and reached out to let him know about it.

In addition to defending his name, Jubbal also criticized the photoshoppers for mistaking a Sikh for a member of the Islamic State, which has claimed responsibility for the co-ordinated attacks in Paris.

“In gauging this entire incident — millions upon millions of people have seen the photoshopped images, and have placed me as a terrorist,” Jubbal tweet-

ed, adding the “strange” situation has him pondering suing newspapers that published the altered image.

The case highlights how vulnerable today’s online citizens are, said Melonie Dodaro, a Kelowna, B.C.-based social media consultant. Even non-controversial content can become dangerous in the wrong hands, she pointed out.

“The Internet’s the Wild, Wild West,” she said. “There are not a lot of things you can do to protect yourself.”

Jubbal retweeted messages of support that decry the picture’s potential consequences.

“Portraying Veeren-Jubbal as a terrorist puts his life at risk, ruins his reputation. This is online terrorism,” wrote one Twitter user.

Others openly mused about the racial mix-up and wondered whether they could be subjected to similarly arbitrary typecasting.

“As a white European living in England, should I worry that I have recently grown a beard?” another Twitter user asked him.

Other tweets documented some of the backlash that came Jubbal’s way after the picture first surfaced.

“Can’t believe people told VeerenJubbal one way of avoiding being photoshopped to look like a terrorist is to not post selfies online.”

Jubbal wrote that he watched his name and image become a globally trending topic on social media, adding that other publications besides the Spanish newspaper had reprinted the image.

Amid the social media posts detailing the incident, Jubbal issued a message to those who altered the image.

“Learn the difference between me being a Sikh and a Muslim,” he wrote. ■

Veerender Jubbal's photoshopped photo on the left.

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Canada News

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

Enbridge cutting 500 jobs Trudeau’s Syrian refugee plans across company, leaving raising concerns among provinces 100 positions unfilled THE CANADIAN PRESS CALGARY — Pipeline operator Enbridge (TSX:ENB) is cutting five per cent of its workforce as low oil prices continue to take their toll on the energy sector.

The move affects 500 people at all levels of the company in the United States and Canada.

The company says it is also leaving 100 positions unfilled.

Enbridge’s peer, TransCanada, has also been cutting staff, starting with its higher leadership ranks.

Enbridge spokesman Graham White says those receiving layoff notices will receive support and the cuts won’t compromise safety, operational reliability or environmental protection.

White says that although the steps are necessary for Enbridge to stay competitive, the company remains on strong footing and will continue to grow.

“A key element of our success depends on our competitiveness and our ability to withstand difficult times like those our industry is experiencing today. Disciplined cost management has always been part of that and core to our business model,” he said.

“While Enbridge is more resilient to commodity price downturns than others, we’re not immune,” White added.

“We’re taking these actions to remain competitive, ensure we can continue to serve our stakeholders well and to further strengthen our foundation for the future.”

BY KRISTY KIRKUP AND JENNIFER GRAHAM The Canadian Press

“The premiers have been asked to take part in this entire plan but they don’t actually know what it is,” Ambrose said.

“I think that’s the real key JUSTIN TRUDEAU’S insishere: they need to share the tence that he will stick with a plan. They need to share it with plan to bring in 25,000 Syrian Brad Wall and every premier refugees by year-end — even across the country who has amid heightened so generously security conagreed to be a cerns around part of it and exthe world — has plain ‘here’s how made several If even a small number of individuals it is going to happrovinces nerwho wish to do harm to our country pen’.” vous about secuare able to enter Canada as a result Wall said he rity and promptof a rushed refugee resettlement understands the ed Saskatchewan process, the results could be “overwhelming to ask Monday devastating. majority of refufor a suspension gees” are fleeing of the project. violence and do “Surely we do not pose a threat, not want to be date-driven or Premiers lack key informa- but he urged caution following numbers-driven in an endeav- tion on the Liberal initiative, so the massacre in the French capour that may affect the safety it’s no wonder they are taking a ital on Friday. of our citizens and the security second look, federal ConservaThe Islamic State of Iraq of our country,” Saskatchewan tive interim leader Rona AmPremier Brad Wall wrote in a brose said in an interview. ❱❱ PAGE 27 Trudeau’s Syrian

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publicly released letter to the prime minister.

“If even a small number of individuals who wish to do harm to our country are able to enter Canada as a result of a rushed refugee resettlement process, the results could be devastating.”

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World News

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

France IDs top Paris attacks figure, seeks unity to bomb IS

BY GREG KELLER AND RAF CASERT The Associated Press PARIS — France identified a 27-year-old Belgian who once boasted about killing “infidels” and fought for the Islamic State group in Syria as the mastermind of the Paris attacks, and President Francois Hollande vowed Monday to forge a united coalition capable of defeating the jihadists at home and abroad.

Addressing lawmakers after France observed a minute of silence honoring the 129 people killed and 350 wounded, Hollande said the victims came from at least 19 nations, and the international community, led by the United States and Russia, must overcome their deepseated divisions over Syria to destroy Islamic State on its home turf.

“Friday’s acts of war were decided and planned in Syria.

They were organized in Belgium and perpetrated on our soil with French complicity with one specific goal: to sow fear and to divide us,” Hollande told Parliament in a rare joint session convened at the Palace of Versailles.

“Syria has become the biggest factory of terrorism the world has ever known and the international community is still too divided and too incoherent.”

As he spoke, thousands gathered around candlelit memorials at the Place de la Republique square and beneath the Eiffel Tower, which like many top attractions in one of the world’s most-visited cities reopened for business Monday in a defiant spirit. The tower was bathed in red, white and blue floodlights of the French tricolor, with the city’s centuries-old slogan — “Tossed but not sunk,” suggesting an unsinkable city braving stormy seas — projected in white lights near its base.

French and other Western intelligence agencies face an urgent challenge to track down the surviving members of the three Islamic State units who inflicted the unprecedented bloodshed in France and, perhaps more importantly, to target their distant commanders

in IS-controlled parts of Syria. cal support.

A French security official French police accidentally said anti-terror intelligence permitted the suspected drivofficials had identified Abdel- er of one group of gunmen, hamid Abaaoud, a Belgian of 26-year-old Salah Abdeslam, Moroccan descent, as chief ar- to avoid arrest at the border chitect of the Friday the 13th at- Saturday and cross to his natacks on a rock concert, a soccer tive Belgium. On Monday, Belgame and popular nightspots in gian police in balaclavas, gas one of Paris’ trendiest districts. masks and body armor raided The official cited chatter Abdeslam’s suspected hideout from IS figures that Abaaoud in the Molenbeek district of had recommended a concert Brussels but came out emptyFrench authorities are looking for brothers Salah and Ibrahim Abdeslam and as an ideal target for inflicting handed. maximum casualties, as well as Abdeslam’s brother, Brahim, Bilal Hadfi from Belgium.

SCREENSHOT FROM WASHINGTON POST FOOTAGE electronic communications be- was among the suicide bombtween Abaaoud and one of the ers and killed one civilian after Paris attackers who blew him- blowing himself up outside a months. bases in Syria in September. self up. restaurant. Police in MolenHe also pledged to hire 5,000 In his Versailles address, HolThe official spoke on condi- beek arrested another brother, more police within the next two lande said the United States tion of anonymity to discuss the Mohamed, but freed him Mon- years, to freeze cuts in military and Russia needed to coopersensitive investigation. day without charge. personnel through 2019, and to ate in attacking IS targets “to Abaaoud came to public atAfter he left police custody, introduce other bills that would unify our strength and achieve tention last year by boasting in Mohamed Abdeslam told re- stiffen jail terms for arms traf- a result that has been too long an IS propaganda video about porters that his family couldn’t ficking and make it easier to de- in coming.” his pride in piling the dead believe that both of his brothers port suspected terrorists.

“We need a union of all who bodies of “infidel” enemies were jihadists. He said all three Hollande said he hoped to can fight this terrorist army in a into a trailer. Anti-terror agen- siblings grew up in Belgium and meet soon with U.S. President single coalition,” he said. cies previously linked him to seemingly were content with Barack Obama and Russian “We are not in a war of civia series of abortive shooting life in the West.

President Vladimir Putin, who lizations, because these assasplots this year in Belgium and “I have not been involved in on Monday were attending the sins don’t represent one. We France, including a planned at- any way with what happened G-20 summit of nations in An- are in a war against jihadist tertack on a passenger train that on Friday the 13th in Paris. We talya, Turkey. The two leaders rorism, which threatens the enwas thwarted by American pas- are an open-minded family. We maintained a publicly frosty tire world.” sengers who overpowered the never had any problem with demeanor, reflecting strained Speaking in Turkey, Obama lone gunman. justice,” he said. relations over Russia’s support said the Paris bloodshed French police have used He said he didn’t know where for Syrian President Bashar marked a “terrible and sickemergency powAssad and Rus- ening setback” in the West’s ers to conduct sia’s go-it-alone anti-Islamic State campaign.

168 searches pursuit of air- But he insisted his strategy of since Sunday strikes against building an international coalinight that netted We are not in a war of civilizations, both IS and tion to launch airstrikes, while 127 arrests and because these assassins don’t anti-IS rebels training and equipping more 31 weapons. represent one. We are in a war in the country, a moderate forces on the ground, French Interiagainst jihadist terrorism, which strategy that bol- remained the best approach. or Minister Berthreatens the entire world. sters Assad. The He didn’t comment on whether nard Cazeneuve air power of the Russia should join that coalisaid police seized United States, tion. a Kalashnikov France and Brit“The strategy that we are putassault rifle, three automatic his brother Salah was or wheth- ain is solely targeting IS targets. ting forward is the strategy that pistols and a bulletproof vest er he would surrender to police, In hopes of killing Islamic ultimately is going to work,” from a suspected arms dealer and expressed familial loyalty State organizers and trainees, Obama said. “It’s going to take with jihadist sympathies, and a to him despite his shock over France overnight launched its time.” rocket launcher and other mil- the mass killings. “You have to heaviest airstrikes yet on the The Islamic State group isitary-grade gear from his par- understand that we have a fam- city of Raqqa, the group’s de- sued a new 12-minute video ents’ home. ily, we have a mom, and he re- facto capital in Syria. French Monday threatening to attack But police have yet to an- mains her child,” he said. authorities said Sunday night’s all nations involved in bombing nounce the capture of anyone Determined to root out ji- bombings destroyed a jihadi IS positions in Syria and Iraq. suspected of direct involve- hadists within French commu- training camp and munitions One man in the video threatment in Friday’s slaughter. nities, Hollande said he would dump. ened to target the United States Seven attackers died — six after present a bill Wednesday seekThe Defense Ministry said in the same style as Paris, saydetonating suicide belts and a ing to extend a state of emer- 12 aircraft based in Jordan and ing that as “we struck France seventh from police gunfire — gency — granting the police the Persian Gulf dropped a to- on its ground in Paris, we will but Iraqi intelligence officials and military greater powers tal of 20 bombs. It called the strike America on its ground in told The Associated Press that of search and arrest, and local operation the largest attack by Washington.” its sources indicated 19 partici- governments the right to ban French air power since France In Paris, harrowing accounts pated in the attack and five oth- demonstrations and impose joined the U.S.-led coalition in ers provided hands-on logisti- curfews — for another three targeting suspected IS power ❱❱ PAGE 24 France IDs www.canadianinquirer.net

World News

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

23

As world mourns Paris, many in Mideast see double-standard

BY COLLIN BINKLEY The Associated Press BAGHDAD — Within hours of last week’s Paris attacks, as outrage and sympathy flooded his social media feeds and filled the airwaves, Baghdad resident Ali al-Makhzomy updated his Facebook cover photo to read “solidarity” — and his friends were shocked.

“Everyone was like why are you posting about Paris and not about the attacks in Baghdad every day,” the recent law school graduate said. “A lot of my friends said, ‘OK, so you care more about them than you care about us?’”

He had unintentionally tapped into frustration in Iraq, Lebanon and Syria with what many see as a double-standard: The world unites in outrage and sympathy when the Islamic State group kills Westerners, but pays little attention to the near-daily atrocities it carries out in the Middle East.

The day before the Paris attacks, twin suicide bombers struck a southern Beirut suburb, killing at least 43 people, and on Friday a suicide bomber struck a funeral in Iraq, killing at least 21. Both attacks were claimed by the IS group and reported by major media outlets, but generated little interest outside the region, where the turmoil of recent years has made such events seem like a sadly regular occurrence.

Baghdad has seen near-daily attacks in recent years, mainly targeting the security forces and the country’s Shiite majority. Bombings killed an average of more than 90 civilians a month last year, according to Iraq Body Count, a U.K.based group that documents civilian deaths in Iraq.

The civil war in neighboring Syria has killed 250,000 people since 2011. There, government warplanes regularly carry out raids using so-called barrel bombs that demolish entire apartment blocks and insurgent groups shell governmentheld neighborhoods.

Lebanon, however, had been relatively calm for the past year, leading many to feel that last week’s tragedy was unfairly neglected. Many were angered by Facebook’s deployment of a new feature in the wake of the Paris attacks that allowed users to check in and say they were safe. The feature was not available for the Beirut attacks. “‘We’ don’t get a safe button on Facebook,” Lebanese blogger Joey Ayoub wrote. “‘We’ don’t get late night statements from the most powerful men and women alive and millions of online users.”

Facebook released a statement saying it had previously only used the Safety Check feature after natural disasters and said it would be used for “other serious and tragic incidents in the future.”

The Middle East has been experiencing terrible violence and terrorism for years. This photo shows how badly Beirut was damaged after bombings by Israeli forces in 2006.

SADIK GULEC / SHUTTERSTOCK

But it added that “during an ongoing crisis, like war or epidemic, Safety Check in its current form is not that useful for people: because there isn’t a clear start or end point and, unfortunately, it’s impossible to know when someone is truly ‘safe.’”

Al-Makhzomy said the feature wouldn’t be quite as useful in Iraq.

“In Baghdad it’s not just like one attack,” he said. “You would need to have a date on the safety check, like I’m safe from this one or that one. ... There are too many for just ‘I’m Safe.’“ In the U.S., social media shaming also played out on Facebook, Twitter and other channels in the aftermath of Paris over the use of a tool that shades pro-

file photos to resemble the French flag.

Other social media users object to a sea of vacation selfies at the Eiffel Tower being posted as a show of solidarity and an expression of “slacktivism,” rather than true social justice commitment.

“What happened in Paris is awful and my thoughts are with the families affected as well as our global leaders as they figure out what to do,” said 33-year-old Jim Brown, a former U.S. Marine who lives in Fishers, Indiana.

“That said, changing my avatar to the colors of the French flag is just an easy way for me feel like I did something while sitting on my butt in my suburban American home.”

Rosina Motta, 40, grew up near El Monte, California, where one of the Paris victims, 23-year-old Nohemi Gonzalez, lived.

“I wanted to express myself but didn’t want to have to delve into this long Facebook post like other people were doing, so I waited a couple of days and changed

by Facebook profile picture using the flag tool,” Motta said.

The reaction from a couple friends was swift, including a fellow woman of color.

“I was questioned by a couple of people why I wasn’t posting about Beirut and Lebanon,” said Motta, who lives in San Bernardino, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Los Angeles.

She was declared a “media sympathizer” for failing to name the local student whose death had moved her and not

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NOVEMBER 20, 2015

Experts say states lack legal authority to block refugees

Canada Miss World: China denying me entry over comments

BY ROB GILLIES The Associated Press TORONTO — Anastasia Lin is an actress who believes her outspoken advocacy of human rights in her native China played a big role in her winning bid in May to become Canada’s contestant in the Miss World pageant.

But then the host country for the global beauty pageant was changed from Australia to China, and now the communist country appears to have singled Lin out among the contestants and is stalling over her visa application. As a result, it’s unclear whether Canada will be represented at all in the pageant on Dec. 19 in Sanya, China.

Ike Lalji, the chief executive of Miss World Canada, said he assured officials at the pageant’s London headquarters that Lin would focus on the competition and not go out of her way to draw attention to her involvement in Falun Gong, a spiritual group outlawed in China.

“She’s not going to do anything crazy over there that’s going to upset the government of China,” he said. “Our whole approach is to do it peacefully.

If anything is going to happen, it’s going to happen in a very civilized way.”

But Lin, 25, said that if she’s allowed to go she’ll continue to speak out for Falun Gong.

“I’m in the Miss World contest. I’m not going to do anything irrational, that’s non-peaceful,” she said, but pointedly added: “I am going to speak my mind, that’s for sure.”

“I’m going back to China for the Chinese people,” Lin said.

“I want them to have hope and see that someone else outside is fighting for their freedom. I guess that’s what they are most afraid of.”

Lin, who moved to Canada when she was 13, has been anything but shy about her beliefs.

Two months after winning the Canadian pageant, she testified at a U.S. Congressional hearing about religious persecution in China. She also plays an imprisoned Falun Gong practitioner in an upcoming Canadian movie, “The Bleeding Edge.”

BY JEFF KAROUB AND ALICIA A. CALDWELL The Associated Press

Canada Miss World Anastasia Lin.

Falun Gong is a spiritual group that practices meditation. It attracted millions of adherents before being outlawed in 1999 by China’s government, which has little tolerance for grassroots spiritual movements and regards the group as a threat to social stability. Followers say China’s crackdown has cost the lives of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners.

Beijing denies that.

Lin said her father in China has already come under pressure from authorities there.

She said he was proud of her becoming Miss World Canada but soon urged her to stop her human rights advocacy or he would have to sever contact with her. Canada’s government has voiced concern about alleged harassment of her family in China.

Lin said she hasn’t received a letter she needs for the visa from the host city’s government, and that all the other contestants received them on Oct. 30. “I’m the only person that I know of who hasn’t received it.”

Lalji, the Canadian pageant chief, said Canada won’t send the first runner-up to China if Lin doesn’t get a visa because it would be too late, noting training is scheduled to start on Nov. 21. He said Lin could be a few days late, however.

Miss World confirmed the pageant has also not received a letter from the Chinese govern-

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ment for Lin. Its legal department said in a statement the pageant will go on if Lin is not granted a visa.

“We do not have any control over who is issued a visa,” the statement said. “If we cancel or move the show each time a visa was not granted for a contestant then it would be impossible to plan the event.”

Messages left at the Chinese Embassy in Canada were not returned.

Francois Lasalle, a spokeswoman for Canada’s Foreign Affairs department, said the ministry cannot comment on China’s visa decisions, adding that the promotion of human rights remains a priority in its relationship with China.

Lin believes she won the Canadian pageant in large part because of her activism.

“The judges were resonating with my message that I tried to do this for the people who can’t speak up for themselves,” she said.

Lalji granted that “maybe a small part” of why she won was her stance on human rights but noted there are 12 competitions and different judges for each competition.

“The judges didn’t just choose her just because of her cause,” he said. “She basically did well on everything.” ■ Associated Press Writer Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report. www.canadianinquirer.net

DETROIT — Governors across the U.S. have threatened to stop accepting Syrian refugees following last week’s attacks in Paris, even as experts counter they lack legal authority to block the relocations.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama, whose administration recently pledged to accept about 10,000 Syrian refugees, argued Monday that the United States needs to allow them because many are fleeing terrorism.

Some state leaders disagree with Obama’s assertion the country can simultaneously welcome refugees seeking safety and ensure citizens’ security.

Several have called for a complete halt to resettlement, others for temporary delays and a few seek more information from federal officials on the vetting process.

The Homeland Security Department says refugees face the highest level of security screen-

ing of anybody entering the U.S., but officials will work to allay states’ concerns.

Here’s a look at why some states are balking, what federal officials and refugee experts are saying and how the refugee resettlement process works.

What are the states’ primary concerns and what are they calling for?

Governors in many states, mainly Republicans, are responding to heightened concerns terrorists might use the refugees as cover to sneak across borders. Authorities said a Syrian passport was found near one of the attackers in Friday’s deadly attacks, and the Paris prosecutors’ office says fingerprints from the attacker match those of someone who passed through Greece in October.

The governors of several states are calling for the temporary suspension of accepting new refugees. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas’ refugee resettlement program not to ❱❱ PAGE 27 Experts say

France IDs... of survival continued to emerge, particularly from the Bataclan concert hall, where three attackers shot into the fleeing crowd. Two then detonated suicide vests as police stormed the building, then fatally shot the third attacker.

Julien Pearce, a journalist at Europe 1 radio who escaped by crawling onto the Bataclan stage, said he got a good look at one attacker who appeared “very young.”

“That’s what struck me: his childish face, very determined, cold, calm, frightening,” Pearce said.

Paris remains on edge amid three days of official mourning.

French troops have deployed by the thousands in support of police to restore a sense of security, but any sound of loud bangs can send people scurrying for ❰❰ 22

cover.

Panic ensued Sunday night as police abruptly cleared mourners from the Place de la Republique square, where police said firecrackers sparked a false alarm. Some trampled over memorial candles and floral bouquets to escape what they feared was more gunmen.

“Whoever starts running starts everyone else running,” said a city councilwoman, Alice Carton, who was at the square. “It’s a very weird atmosphere.” ■ Casert reported from Brussels.

Associated Press reporters Lori Hinnant, Sylvie Corbet, Philippe Sotto, Jamey Keaten, Raphael Satter, Angela Charlton, Jill Lawless, Thomas Adamson and John Leicester in Paris, JohnThor Dahlburg in Brussels and Shawn Pogatchnik in Dublin contributed to this report.

World News

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

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Canada Miss World Anastasia Lin.

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APEC leaders condemn Paris attacks in planned statement

BY JIM GOMEZ The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Leaders at a regional summit in the Philippines plan to condemn the Paris attacks, according to a draft of their declaration seen Tuesday by The Associated Press.

The 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum is focused on trade and economic issues, but has struggled to keep its annual gathering from being overshadowed by security and geopolitical concerns.

The meeting of world leaders, including President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, is being held in Manila in the wake of the deadly Paris attacks and U.S. military maneuvers near artificial Chinese islands in the contested South China Sea. APEC leaders said in the draft statement that the events in France “demand a united voice from the global community.”

The attacks Friday by sus- ships and B-52 bombers were paving the way for Xi’s attenpected Islamic State group intended to underline that the dance in the summit. extremists killed 129 people U.S. won’t allow freedom of But U.S. officials plan to furand wounded 350 others. The navigation to be compromised ther highlight the territorial victims came from at least 19 by China’s vast claim to the dis- disputes during Obama’s stop nations, according to French puted waters. in Manila and later on in Kuala President Francois Hollande.

The U.S. actions were met Lumpur, Malaysia, where he is “We stand in solidarity with with a rebuke from Beijing but to attend the East Asia Sumthe people of France and all vic- were welcomed by American al- mit, an 18-nation bloc that also tims of terrorism elsewhere,” lies such as the Philippines, Ja- includes China and U.S. allies the draft stateJapan and the ment said. “TerPhilippines. rorism threatOn Tuesday, ens our vision Obama will tour of free, open the BRP Gregoand prosperous We stand in solidarity with the people rio del Pilar, one economies and of France and all victims of terrorism of two U.S. Coast the fundamental elsewhere. Terrorism threatens our Guard cutters values that we vision of free, open and prosperous that the Philiphold.” economies and the fundamental pines obtained There was no values that we hold. from Washingmention in the ton and turned communique of into its largest China’s territoriwarships in an al disputes in the otherwise aneSouth China Sea with its Asian pan and Australia, which are all mic fleet to defend its territoneighbors, but that’s unlikely APEC founding members. rial waters. to stop the rifts from bursting China sent its top envoy, The Philippines also plans to through APEC’s facade of hand- Wang Yi, to Manila last week sign an agreement with Vietshakes and unity photo ops. to ask Philippine officials not nam on Tuesday to elevate The U.S. military maneuvers to include the long-simmering their relationship to a strategic in the past month involving disputes in the APEC agenda, partnership. A closer alliance www.canadianinquirer.net

will allow both nations, which are currently most at odds with Beijing in the South China Sea, to deepen trade, maritime and defense cooperation.

Before APEC leaders began arriving, officials were divided over whether to issue a statement on the Paris attacks or let each leader speak on his or her own.

After debating behind closed doors over the weekend, officials initially forged a compromise: a paragraph on terrorism would be added to the statement released at the end of the summit on Thursday.

One diplomat rejected any mention of the attacks in the statement, fearing it would draw the Islamic State group’s attention to APEC, said a Southeast Asian diplomat who attended the meetings. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because the conversations were not intended to be public.

The diplomat said the United States wanted a strongly worded response. ■

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FRIDAY

FILIPINO-CANADIAN IN FOCUS:

Zuraidah Alman: Embracing Philippines in Canada

BY CHING DEE Philippine Canadian Inquirer YOU MAY see her everyday on TV delivering news as well as traffic and weather updates for CTV Toronto, but at the end of the day, Filipino-Canadian Zuraidah Alman believes her job—despite the long, strenuous hours—is a privilege.

Moving to Canada

Zuraidah was only two years old when her family immigrated to Canada to join their extended family. As she grew up, she became more aware of her new homeland.

“The challenges I remember growing up had to do with my parents adjusting to the cultural changes, raising kids who were growing up Canadian in a Filipino household,” Zuraidah recalls.

“It was a learning and growing experience for the whole family, incorporating both cultures in our day to day lives.”

Despite spending most of her life in Canada, her parents helped Zuraidah stay in touch with her Filipino heritage.

Like many Filipino families who moved to Canada, making their way through a new country and getting used to its culture while raising kids and trying to make a living presented numerous challenges for their family. But they made the most out of their situation, grabbed every opportunity, and got to where they are today.

‘Free Country’

Zuraidah believes the best

Zuraidah and husband John Beattie with Santa Claus for Christmas.

Zuraidah Alman.

thing about living in Canada is the country’s openness to multiculturalism.

“The best thing [about Canada is] living in a free and democratic country,” she shares with PCI. “[The] opportunity to get an education and chase your dreams.

A country that embraces multiculturalism, where you can be a proud Canadian while also never forgetting your roots.”

And that’s exactly what she did. She earned her degree in Applied Arts in Journalism from Ryerson University and Political Science from York University where she graduated with honours.

Zuraidah has been working as a journalist for over a decade when she joined CTV Toronto

in 2008 as a reporter. She experienced working for Global TV, CityTV, and CP24. She even covered major stories that etched itself to Canada’s history, including the 2005 Boxing Day shootings, the Caledonia blockades, and the tragic plane crash of Air France.

Today, she’s the familiar face and voice of CTV News at Noon, Canada AM, and CTV News Toronto.

“It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to tell stories that matter to Canadians,” Zuraidah beams. The hours can be long, it’s a balancing act being having a career and family.”

Her hours may be long and her schedule hectic, but she never lost time for her family.

In 2010, she and her husband John Beattie were blessed

yond ridiculous.”

Kelly Hayes, 34, is an activist of color in Chicago and a community engagement fellow for the progressive nonprofit Truth-out.org. She has received attention online in the aftermath of the Paris attacks for a Nov. 14 post on her year-old blog, Transformativespaces. org, urging an end to the “grief shaming” that is playing out on social media, as it has after oth-

er tragedies.

Under the headline, “On the Violence in Paris: Stop the Grief Shaming,” Hayes wrote that the issues of racism, uneven media coverage and the “seeming constancy of some violence” will not be overcome by “judgment or snark” on Facebook, Twitter and other online channels.

“Moments of great empathy are not a social failing. If anything, they are an opportunity

A Journalist in Canada

Zuraidah with her 5-year-old daughter Mackenzie Elizabeth.

with a daughter, Mackenzie Elizabeth. According to Zuraidah, she spends her nights and weekends with her family— making it a point to enjoy quality time with them.

Like everybody else, Zuraidah gets good and bad days, but having a great support system helped her get over the notso-good days. She believes the same is true when it comes to

moving to a new country.

“Find a community network, talk to others,” Zuraidah tells newcomers to Canada. “There is a Filipino community in every major city. There is an association or group for everything. They will be a valuable resource.” ■

to build better and expand our collective compassion. Posts that more or less amount to, ‘if you care about this, but didn’t post about (insert tragedy here), I’m judging you’ help nothing and heal nothing,” Hayes wrote.

For her trouble, she has received about 60,000 views and some backlash of her own. Does she think social media makes it too easy to over-simplify out-

rage and grief?

“The last thing I would want to do is invalidate the feelings behind people expressing frustration, anger, because those come from a very real place,” said Hayes, who is Native American. “We all express our grief differently.” ■

All photos courtesy of Zuraidah Alman

As world... sharing the student’s photo. The identity had not yet been formally released by officials, Motta said.

“Some comments were racerelated and called me out for defending the media when it took time for them to release her name. She is of Latin/Hispanic heritage and it became a ‘brown’ issue,” said Motta, who is of Mexican heritage. “It is be❰❰ 23

www.canadianinquirer.net

Associated Press writer Leanne Italie in New York contributed to this report.

Immigration

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

27

Trudeau’s Syrian... and the Levant has claimed responsibility for the attacks that left 129 dead and 350 wounded.

“The recent attacks in Paris are a grim reminder of the death and destruction even a small number of malevolent individuals can inflict upon a peaceful country and its citizens,” Wall said.

Quebec’s immigration minister also expressed reservations Monday about the timeline presented by the Liberal government.

“I’m going to be frank, I don’t think it’s possible by the end of the year,” Kathleen Weil said.

“I think that people realize it’ll take the time it’ll take, but we are determined to do it well.”

B.C. Premier Christy Clark also noted Monday the federal government’s primary job is to ensure that security for Canadians comes first.

“They need to make sure that their processes are working, that those security checks are ❰❰ 21

being done properly and then, as they can, invite those refugees to come,” Clark said.

Ontario’s health minister says his province stands by a commitment to take up to 10,000 Syrian refugees through 2016.

The exact number has not yet been decided, but it will be a “significant” percentage of the 25,000 nationwide, Eric Hoskins said.

The Paris attacks have not changed Ontario’s commitment, Hoskins added.

“I’m confident the process the federal government is working on will take into account the legitimate security needs and concerns that Ontarians might have,” he said.

Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott, who is leading the ad hoc committee on refugee resettlement, expressed her condolences on Monday following the attacks in Paris but suggested they do not change the government’s plan.

“There have always been secu-

rity concerns,” Philpott said. “So while Paris is a tragic situation ... we have always known there are risks involved in this but we have always said we will be responsible and we will be address those risks in a responsible way.”

In addition to addressing security concerns, the Trudeau cabinet faces an enormous challenge to iron out details such as how refugees will be transported to Canada and what happens once they arrive.

Philpott said she hopes to provide more information this week.

“We want to be sure that the plan is responsible and orderly and that we will be able to give a very clear plan when we do make the details available,” she said.

Last week, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told reporters security screenings for Syrian refugees could possibly take place both overseas and in Canada.

The government also has to determine where it will conduct health screenings, though

PM Justin Trudeau with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Merkel opened Germany’s gates to thousands of refugees, setting an example of humanitarian compassion for the rest of Europe.

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Philpott would not provide specifics on Monday.

Ambrose said the new government must address concerns being expressed by Canadians.

“After what happened in Paris, people are reacting to that,” she said. “I think the government should not dismiss that.

“The concern right now is peo-

ple want to know if this can be done in a safe way. That doesn’t mean they’re intolerant people.

It means they have a very clear question and a very clear desire to see what the plan is.” ■ With files from Sidhartha Banerjee, Allison Jones and Tamsyn Burgman

Experts say... accept any more Syrians and in a letter to Obama, the Republican also urged scrapping federal plans to accept more Syrian refugees into the country as a whole. He said the federal government can’t perform “proper security checks” on Syrians.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey called for an immediate halt and wrote he was “invoking our state’s right ... to receive immediate consultation by federal authorities” to address the state’s concerns. Iowa GOP Gov. Terry Branstad acknowledged governors might lack authority but added he wants more information about refugee placement and the vetting process.

The Council on AmericanIslamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights group, called the governors’ comments and recommendations “un-American,” adding that rejecting refugees projects “our fears to the world.” ❰❰ 24

What do refugee experts say?

Lavinia Limon, president and CEO of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigration, said under the Refugee Act of 1980 governors cannot legally block refugees. Each state has a refugee coordinator, a post

created as part of that law, she said. Funded by the federal government, the post coordinates resettlement efforts with agencies such as hers and directs federal funds for refugees.

Westy Egmont, director of Boston College’s Immigrant Integration Lab, said the law previously withstood state challenges partly because the federal government has worked to equally distribute refugees being resettled. Some states have worked with resettlement agencies to limit new refugee arrivals to those with family ties to the community while families or individuals with no ties to a specific state have been sent to other locations with better prospects for jobs, housing and integration programs.

What exactly has Obama promosed and how does the refugee resettlement program work?

The Obama administration has pledged to accept about 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next 12 months. The State Department said the refugees would be spread nationwide, though many go on to places where they have family or cultural connections, such as De-

accepted into the United States are subject to the highest level of security screening of anyone coming to the U.S. It added officials will continue to consult with states to allay concerns they have about security.

How are lawmakers and presidential candidates reacting?

PM Justin Trudeau: “I met with Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius of France to express Canada’s condolences to the family and friends of the victims of the Paris attacks. Canada stands with France, and will provide all possible assistance during this difficult time.”

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troit, New York, Chicago or Los Angeles.

According to government statistics, the U.S. has taken about 2,150 Syrians since Oct. 1, 2011 — most in the last year.

Obama said Monday the U.S. needs to continue to accept refugees from Syria because many are fleeing terrorism: “Our nations can welcome refugees who are desperately seeking safety and ensure our own security. We can and must do both.”

Refugees are generally invited to move to the United States after being referred to a State Department Resettlement Support www.canadianinquirer.net

Center by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In some cases they can be referred by a U.S. embassy or non-governmental agency.

In other cases, potential refugees who are close relatives of people granted asylum in the U.S. or other refugees already in the country can apply directly with the U.S. government. The average wait time for a refugee to be cleared to enter the U.S. is about two years, but often longer for people from Syria and elsewhere.

The Homeland Security Department said refugees being

Republican members of Congress called for suspending the Syrian refugee program and threatened to try to stop it. New House Speaker Paul Ryan neither endorsed nor rejected that course.

Many GOP candidates, already skeptical if not hostile to welcoming refugees, came out even stronger. Donald Trump said the U.S. should increase surveillance of mosques, consider closing any tied to radicals and be prepared to suspend some civil liberties.

Ben Carson said, “Until we can sort out the bad guys, we must not be foolish,” and of Syrians already in the U.S., he added: “I would watch them very carefully.”

Calls by GOP rivals Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush to give preference to Christian refugees prompted a sharp rebuke from Obama. ■

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Community News

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Avendaño signs agreement with construction group THE MULTICULTURAL Helping House Society (MHHS) headed by Tomas “Tatay Tom” Avendano signed on Nov. 12, a new memorandum of agreement with the British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) led by Matthew Steveston, trade assessor and consultant; and Abigail Fulton, vice-president.

Philippine Canadian Inquirer had the opportunity to interview Steveston regarding the new program. “Integrating Newcomers is a governmentfunded program which started on Sept. 1, 2015, and helps new migrants get the skills necessary to be employed here in

Canada. We are partnering with experts in this field, like MHHS, in conducting pre-arrival seminars to new migrants,” Steveston said.

With the new no-fee program, BCCA also helps new migrants find jobs. Steveston said British Columbia has a highly active construction sector, with the BCCA at the forefront. It has the interests of commercial, institutional, industrial and multi-family residential construction employers at its core. The association represents about 2,500 construction employers.

They help with the skills assessment, language training,

skills enhancement and assist in employment, among others.

Meanwhile, the MHHS has recently opened another branch in the Philippines at Prestige Tower Condominium on Ortigas Ave. The new office was inaugurated by Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani Jr. Other notable guests include former Vancouver Consul General Jose Ampeso; former Aquino family spokesperson Deedee Siytangco; Dr. Gloria Samosa; Rowena Andrade; Mr. & Mrs. Carlos Laurel; Mr. & Mrs. Alvin Tan; Mr. & Mrs. Willie Uy; Atty.

Antonio Chua; Eric Roel Domagas; Yolly de Alba; Cora dela Cruz and Alan Yong. ■

Tom Avendaño, president and CEO of MultiCultural Helping House Society, signs the Memorandum of Agreement with Atty. Abigail Fulton of the British Columbia Construction Association.

Richmond’s Writer- Registration for 2016 in-Residence ends Vancouver Sun Run opens with grand finale RICHMOND’S FOURTH Writer-in-Residency program, featuring celebrated playwright and arts educator Sally Stubbs will come to a close on Nov. 21, with a special multi-generational event featuring storytelling, video, song, puppets and more.

Since our current Writer-inResidency program’s launched in September, Sally Stubbs has been working at the Richmond Arts Centre, Minoru Place Activity Centre and the Richmond Public Library. During this period, she has provided manuscript consultations and led workshops for children and their parents, older adults and youth. Each workshop has ex-

plored the theme of “dreams” through a variety of techniques including storytelling, acting, poetry, song writing, video editing and puppet making.

For the grand finale event, workshop participants of all ages will share their work on Nov. 21 from 3 to 5 p.m., at the Richmond Cultural Centre Performance Hall, located at 7700 Minoru Gate. This event will be followed by a short reception. ■ Pre-registration is not required to this free event. All are welcome to attend and hear and see great stories by local residents, as well as a bid farewell to Richmond’s fourth writer-in-residence.

Celebrated playwright Sally Stubbs, Richmond Writer-in-Residence.

REGISTRATION OPENED recently for the 32nd annual Vancouver Sun Run presented by BlueShore Financial scheduled for Apr. 17, and for the first time in The Sun Run’s history, registrants for this year’s 2016 race will receive an exclusive technical running shirt with moisture wicking control.

The Vancouver Sun Run presented by BlueShore Financial is pleased to announce its new partnership with global athletic apparel leader Alanic, based in Hollywood, CA and originating from down under in Australia.

Working with Alanic, The Sun Run will be upgrading its traditional white cotton participant t-shirt to a specially designed, limited edition blue and black Alanic HydroLyte Tech shirt.

All individual, corporate and youth team registrants will receive the new tech shirt free with registration. Plus, early bird prices will be the same as last year until the early bird deadline of Jan. 31, 2016.

“We are delighted to announce our new partnership with Alanic and ecstatic that we can offer added value to each of our participants while still maintaining last year’s early bird prices. I can’t wait to see thousands of people at the start line proudly wearing our new technical shirts that we designed with Alanic,” comments Patricia Wu, co-chair of the www.canadianinquirer.net

Members of the UP Alumni Association in B.C. at the 2015 Vancouver Sun Run.

Vancouver Sun Run. As a brand founded on high quality service, healthy living, and fitness for all, Alanic is thrilled to partner with the largest 10K race in Canada. Alanic International has forged a worldwide reputation as the invisible hero of endurance sports and fitness by boasting a proven track record of manufacturing for industries, promotional companies and brands throughout the US, Australia and Europe. The Vancouver Sun Run shares common values with the Alanic brand and quickly established a design for a tech shirt that running types of all skill levels will be proud to wear.

“Alanic is thrilled to partner up with The Vancouver Sun

Run.” said Johnny Beig, senior vice president. “Our brand is at the forefront of the apparel industry and we can’t wait to showcase our products to the Vancouver Sun Run participants.”

Although Alanic has been in North America for some time, the sponsorship between The Vancouver Sun Run and Alanic is the biggest in Canada for the company.

The Vancouver Sun Run is Canada’s largest 10K road race and the 3rd largest timed 10K in North America. The Vancouver Sun Run is open to international elite competitors, recreational runners, joggers and walkers, wheelchair competitors, teams, schools and children. ■

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FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

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NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Entertainment

Jessy Mendiola moves on

The Kapamilya actress is thankful for loved ones who help make things ‘bearable’

BY MARINEL R. CRUZ Philippine Daily Inquirer

Ai-Ai Delas Alas contract signing with GMA7.

GMA PHOTO RELEASE

Grand wedding for Ai-Ai delas Alas?

BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — In an interview with PEP.ph, comedienne-actress Ai-Ai delas Alas wished Eat Bulaga hosts Vic Sotto and Pauleen Luna all the best as they face the altar in January and stressed that she did not envy them or other celebrities who joined the wedding bandwagon.

“Okay lang, basta kung saan sila happy… Hindi naman [ako naiinggit] kasi naranasan ko na e.

Sabi nga niya (Vic), ‘Naka-ilang kasal ka na ba?’ Sabi ko, ‘Lamang ako sa’yo ng isa!’” Ai-Ai quipped.

(It’s okay, as long as they’re happy… I’m not resentful because I already experienced it anyway.

As he said, ‘How many marriages have you gone through?’ I said, ‘I got one more than you!)

It can be noted that Ai-Ai previously wed singer-actor Miguel Vera and businessman Jed Salang.

Despite the two failed marriages, the 50-year-old comedienne did not dismiss the possibility of having a husband again.

“Hindi naman, hindi naman.

Diba, sabi ko nga, hangga’t buhay tayo, may pag-asa? (No, no. Like I said, as long as we’re alive, there’s hope?)” she said.

In fact, Ai-Ai and her nonshowbiz boyfriend Gerald Sibayan already had wedding talks. They would not, however, have a double wedding with Vic and Pauleen.

“Ay, ayoko nga [maki-double wedding]! Huwag na. Siyempre ano ‘yun ni Bossing (Vic)… Kumbaga, moment niya ‘yun. Huwag nating agawin,” she asserted.

(Oh, I don’t want a double wedding! No. Of course it’s Bossing’s… It’s like, it’s his moment.

Let’s not steal it from him.)

“Sabi ko nga, si Gerald kasi… lalaking-lalaki… Siyempre gusto niya magwowork siya. Gusto niya mag-ipon para sa kasal namin. ‘Yung normal na lalaki na maayos,” she added, noting that she wanted a grand wedding the third time around.

(Like I said, Gerald is… a real man… Of course he wants to have a job first. He wants to earn and be the one who spends for our wedding. He’s a normal man who’s decent.) ■

YOU ACCEPT things as they are, then you move on,” mused Jessy Mendiola, who is now the subject of tabloid stories after she confessed to breaking up with JM de Guzman for the second time.

Jessy said they both decided on the split because they needed to focus on their respective priorities. She added that they remain friends and continue to communicate.

They first broke up in 2013, shortly before JM was admitted to a drug rehabilitation facility. JM is rumored to be showing signs of drug and alcohol relapse.

The actress said that she chose to be optimistic rather than wallow in depression over the split.

“I tell myself, ‘You are so blessed. Can’t you see that a lot of people love and care about you?’ I’m grateful for my family and friends who help make things bearable,” Jessy told the INQUIRER during the “Sexy Starry Night Slumber Party” hosted for her by Avon Philippines. The 22-year-old actress is the endorser of Avon’s newest line of scents, Sheer Passion.

“I think happy girls are the prettiest and the sexiest—that’s from Audrey Hepburn, but I modified it,” said Jessy. “I choose to laugh things off. Everything happens for a reason. I may not know why at this point in time, but I will figure it out eventually.”

The actress added: “When

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@SENORITA_JESSY / INSTAGRAM

you go through a breakup, you feel as if a big part of you is taken away. You work on regaining it.

I choose to focus on my dreams and short-term goals, which are losing weight and buying a new car. They’re small things that help build confidence.”

What is it about you that makes guys go gaga?

Being sexy can be physical — with the way you walk or talk, or how you project with your face or body—but, for me, it’s being comfortable in your own skin.

You become sexy when you are confident and are able to share a little of yourself with others.

What specific advocacy do you intend to promote?

I’m all for the promotion of the right of every child to have a good future. I celebrate my birthday every December by visiting different charitable foundations and spending time with children.

With women, I want them to feel empowered—to speak up. That is why I’m very vocal

on certain social issues. I make this known through my social media accounts.

Speaking of strong-willed women, you play one in the indie movie, “Salvage.”

Yes, I play a segment producer in the movie. People come to me if they have problems that need fixing. I want to make a mark through the roles I play.

It’s very physical—it required a lot of running. The movie focuses on the search for a news crew that got lost in a mysterious forest. It opened on Nov. 14.

You’ve received negative comments from netizens on your alleged involvement in certain issues. Do you think you’re misunderstood?

I think so—but, I choose not to make a fuss about it. I’ve always been the shy and quiet type.

People aren’t used to me speaking up about an issue, but I don’t sugarcoat. I also get affected by hurtful comments, but answering them is just a waste of time. ■

Entertainment

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

Rachelle Ann’s sentimental homecoming

Manila is the only city, outside London, where she will play Fantine

BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer IT WILL be a sentimental homecoming for Rachelle Ann Go. Apart from having the opportunity to perform for her fellow Filipinos when she joins the international cast of the mammoth musical “Les Miserables,” Go will also get to invite her family and friends to watch the show in its Manila staging in March 2016.

Go told the INQUIRER that she would only be part of the Manila run of the musical’s Asian tour and would fly back to London after.

(Go was handpicked to portray Fantine in the West End production of “Les Miz” quick on the heels of her stint as Gigi in the 25th anniversary revival of “Miss Saigon” in London last year.)

“Les Miz” producer Cameron Mackintosh recalled that Go “received enormous acclaim in ‘Miss Saigon.’ Over the last 25 years, I have had a wonderfully rewarding relationship with Filipino talent, introducing the best of them to audiences around the world. I am thrilled that one of my productions can be seen in its full splendor in Manila.”

Joining Go in the Manila stop of “Les Miz” are Simon Gleeson as Valjean and Earl Carpenter as Javert.

“Les Miz,” which goes onstage at The Theatre of Solaire next year, is presented by Smart Infinity, said Bambi Verzo of Concertus Manila. (Visit Ticketworld.com.ph or TicketWorld outlets for details.)

Excerpts from the INQUIRER interview with Go

What are your hopes and fears as you prepare for “Les Miz” in Manila?

I am more hopeful than fearful. I’m looking forward to it with anticipation and excitement because Filipinos will be able to watch an international cast and fall in love with the musical as millions of people around the world have.

What was your family’s reaction when they learned you’d play Fantine? Were they relieved

Foo Fighters, Natalie Portman cancel events in Paris

BY MESFIN FEKADU The Associated Press NEW YORK — The Foo Fighters, Natalie Portman, U2 and other entertainers have canceled events in Paris following deadly terrorist attacks in the city.

The Foo Fighters canceled the remaining dates of their

Rachelle Ann Go with fellow Les Miserable cast.

that it isn’t as daring as Gigi?

My relatives have yet to see me as Fantine. I’m sure they’re excited to see me do it in Manila.

Both Fantine and Gigi are iconic roles and can’t be compared. However, my family is relieved that Fantine is not “daring” at all.

It helps me to focus better when I am wearing more clothes onstage…keeps the draft away ( laughs).

How do you make Fantine relevant and alive every night onstage?

Every woman in our society will find herself identifying with Fantine one way or another. I can see myself in her because she is all alone in the world. I feel lonely, too…since I am away from my family while living in London, where I have to do the household chores on my own. But the experience has also made me stronger like Fantine.

What do you miss most about the Philippines?

I miss the sights and sounds of beautiful Manila. I hope to have some fun while I am there performing in “Les Miz.” What’s next for you after “Les Miz?” Not really sure, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

How about trying your luck on Broadway?

After performing in Manila, I will go back to the West End. If I am given a chance to work on Broadway, I would definitely do it!

What are the other iconic roles

@GORACHELLEANN / INSTAGRAM

you want to play onstage?

So many great female roles, but Elphaba of “Wicked” is a dream! One day….

How did you change after a year in London?

I’ve become independent, and I am proud to say that I’ve learned how to cook ( laughs).

I love the fact that I can serve special dishes that I’ve prepared for guests in my flat.

For my British friends, I whip up Filipino dishes such as karekare, gising-gising, kaldereta, adobo. For my Filipino loved ones, I make something that’s very English, like roast.

I have to be more organized in managing my time between home and work, though. I’m not as shy as I used to be. Dalaga na ako! (I’m now a woman!)

What are the things that didn’t change?

My faith. I always remind myself that I am so blessed, and I should give everything back to God. I’m thankful to the Almighty and to dear friends and family who are always there to give me support and encouragement. I will always feel grateful for all these gifts.

Who would you like to see in the audience when you play Fantine in Manila? Any special friend you’d like to invite?

Everyone who watches “Les Miz” is special to me. Anyone who spends his or her hardearned money to buy a ticket to this show has a special place in my heart. And I will give my very best every time I perform as Fantine onstage! ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

31

European tour, including a planned show in Paris on Monday. Film distributor Mars said Saturday it had canceled promotional appearances for the film “Jane Got a Gun” starring Portman.

The Oscar-winning actress was scheduled to appear at the film’s premiere and junket in❱❱ PAGE 32 Foo Fighters

4th Impact receives standing ovation; Celina almost fainted on stage

BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Filipina girl group 4th Impact received a standing ovation from the judges and the audiences for their live show performance on Beyonce Knowles’ ‘Work It Out’ track from action-comedy film Austin Powers: Goldmember.

Sisters Almira, Irene, Mylene and Celina sang the post-disco single wearing sparkling dresses.

Prior the performance, Celina, the youngest of the group, passed out. They were then given the option to present the dress run instead but they in-

sisted on performing. Almost collapsing after the performance, Celina was seated as the judges gave their comments.

“I think we should make this very quick… Because of what you’ve been through. I was backstage when all this happened. All I’m gonna tell you is I’ve done this a lot of years. That was… one of the most incredible things we’ve seen on this show — really, unbelievable… It was outstandingly good,” judge Simon Cowell said.

Judges Nick Grimshaw, Rita Ora and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini also praised the group for yet another stellar performance despite the circumstances. ■

Filipino girl group 4th Impact wows the crowd and judges of X Factor UK. SCREENSHOT FROM YOUTUBE FOOTAGE

32

Entertainment

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Tim Gunn, Kelly Osbourne, Christian Siriano help teens make it work on ‘Project Runway Junior’

BY LEANNE ITALIE The Associated Press NEW YORK — Tim Gunn said he was apprehensive about participating in a bite-size version of “Project Runway” featuring teen designers as young as 13.

“I thought,” he recalled in a recent interview, “will I have to soft-pedal my critiques? Is it all going to be watered down?

Are they going to be emotional wrecks and very fragile?”

Gunn was pleasantly surprised by the freshman class on “Project Runway Junior,” which premieres Thursday at 9 p.m. EST on Lifetime. And yes, he DOES employ his signature catchphrase: “Make it work!”

The mentor, former educator at the Parsons design school and adult wrangler on the longrunning “Project Runway” called the new show’s young contestants lovable, sweet to each other and respectful of the process swirling around them.

That’s saying a lot, considering the age range — 13 to 17 — among the 12 contestants from around the country.

Gunn saw bits of his younger self in them all, as did his cohost, model Hannah Davis, and two of the three judges, Christian Siriano and Kelly

Osbourne. Aya Kanai, the executive fashion editor at Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazines, rounds out the judges’ crew.

“These young people ... are all loners. There’s no one like them who comes home from school and plays with a sewing machine,” Osbourne said.

“They’ve been put in a room of their peers, with kids just like them, for the first time in their life.”

Gunn agreed.

“For the boys on the show, you know they were the picked upon, bullied, odd people out in their schools, and yeah, I was that kid,” he said.

The 62-year-old Gunn recalled his own miserable childhood. Growing up in Washington, D.C., he had a debilitating stutter that went untreated until he was 19. It was a time in his life when he was “coming to terms with the importance of being a responsible citizen of the world and not fleeing it, which is what I spent almost the first 20 years of my life doing.”

He saw none of that in the kids on the show.

“Compared to the designers on a regular season of ‘Runway,’ these teens ... accept responsibility for their actions,” Gunn said. “There’s never any factor

Fashion authority Tim Gunn.

that comes into their interaction with the judges or with me about why this isn’t going as well as they had wanted it to go, versus regular ‘Runway’ when there’s nothing but excuses.”

The entire cast got a highlevel treat. The Dec. 10 episode will feature a video appearance by first lady Michelle Obama to announce a challenge supporting education for girls.

Bella Thorne is a guest judge for the final challenge.

Siriano, Osbourne and Davis didn’t put in the work room time with the kids like Gunn

LEV RADIN / SHUTTERSTOCK

did and were shocked to learn they, like adult ‘Runway’ contestants, had no help, did the work themselves and produced designs quickly, over a span of 10 hours for some challenges.

“It’s almost cooler working with kids than adults because they were figuring it all out along the way,” Davis said.

Siriano added: “We were told to give them real criticism like they would get if they were presenting to an editor or to anyone else in the industry.”

Food TV and other networks have spun off adult competi-

tions into kid versions with mixed results.

“I think kids could just be a big flop,” Gunn said. “There has to be some substance.”

They saw an abundance of that in the youngest contestant, 13-year-old Maya from Maumee, Ohio.

“She’s amazing,” Siriano said.

“Everything she makes on the show is unreal.”

Cast through open auditions, the contestants competed for a full scholarship to one of the country’s top design schools, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, and other prizes.

Getting to a winner was gutwrenching for the judges, considering children are involved.

When they got down to the final six, emotions ran extra high, Gunn said.

“The judges and I didn’t want to eliminate anyone at that point and said, ‘Can we just send all six of them forward to the finale? Please? Please!’”

Producers nixed that idea, as they did Gunn’s Plan B of trimming the final six to four by letting the two kids cut leave together, hand in hand.

“With the grown-ups on ‘Runway,’” Gunn said, “it’s like, ‘Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!’” ■

Foo Fighters... terviews on Monday in Paris.

“Because of the events (Friday) night, we are canceling TV appearances, junket and preview appearances with Natalie Portman Nov. 1516,” the film distributor said in a statement Saturday.

A Sunday photo call for the film “Bridge of Spies” — where Steven Spielberg, Mark Rylance and Amy Ryan were scheduled to appear — was canceled by the film’s distributor, Twentieth Century Fox. U2 postponed its Saturday night concert in Paris, which was to be aired by HBO. The Foo Fighters were scheduled to play at the Accor Hotels Arena in Paris on Monday. The Dave Grohl-led band canceled Friday night’s show in Casalecchio Di ❰❰ 31

Reno, Italy, as well as concerts in Turin, Italy; Lyon, France; and Barcelona, Spain.

“It is with profound sadness and heartfelt concern for everyone in Paris that we have been forced to announce the cancellation of the rest of our tour. In light of this senseless violence, the closing of borders, and international mourning, we can’t continue right now,” the band said in a statement released Saturday.

“There is no other way to say it. This is crazy and it sucks. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who was hurt or who lost a loved one.”

At least 129 people were killed Friday at suicide bombings near France’s national stadium, shootings at Paris cafes and a hostage-taking in-

side the concert theater Bataclan, where the American rock band Eagles of Death Metal was scheduled to perform.

The terrorism-themed movie “Made in France” had a Nov. 18 release date but it was being postponed. The French film’s poster shows an automatic rifle on top of the Eiffel Tower.

The Grammy-winning U.S. rock band Deftones were also scheduled to play at the venue on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

“Thank for all your inquiries on our wellbeing. Band/Crew all safe and accounted for at this time. Prayers for those affected in these tragic events,” Deftones wrote on its Facebook page on Friday.

U2 said they will perform their show “at an appropriate www.canadianinquirer.net

Foo Fighters.

time.”

“We watched in disbelief and shock at the unfolding events in Paris and our hearts go out to all the victims and their families across the city tonight,” the band said in a statement re-

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leased Friday. “We are devastated at the loss of life at the Eagles of Death Metal concert and our thoughts and prayers are with the band and their fans. And we hope and pray that all of our fans in Paris are safe.” ■

33

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

Lifestyle

Kenneth Cobonpue’s original creation for APEC dinner inspired by the Banaue Rice Terraces.

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Kenneth Cobonpue creates modern Philippines for APEC dinner Inspired by the rice terraces, he will also use his iconic Yoda chairs and install a gigantic ‘anahaw’ roof

BY CATHY CAÑARES YAMSUAN Philippine Daily Inquirer CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS tasked to oversee the muchawaited dinner to be hosted

by President Aquino for the 21 heads of state attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders’ summit will portray the tropical Philippines as an urban and modern venue through color, atmosphere, food and music.

It will be held at SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, a vast venue for concerts and sporting events.

World-renowned furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue, creative director for the event, has come up with a design that evokes the Banawe Rice Terraces in Northern Philippines, considered one of the wonders of the world.

This concept departs from the sun-and-beach theme of the Apec meet earlier this year in Boracay, or from the fiesta theme of another Apec event.

The series of Apec events

stretches this entire year, the first time since 1996 that the Philippines is hosting Apec.

“The colors in the venue are dark, but they will be offset by tones of gray accented by green.

It would evoke a very natural feeling, but at the same time, gray and dark,” said Cobonpue in an exclusive interview with Lifestyle.

“I want the world leaders to see…that we are sophisticated and we mean business. I want them to see the Philippines not just through the bright and usual things identified with our country. This event would present an urban and modern Filipino,” he added.

Restaurateurs Glenda Barretto and Margarita Fores will collaborate on a special menu for the world leaders.

Musical performances

Noted Filipino composer Louie Ocampo is musical director, with Paolo Valenciano nd Gina Tabuena in charge of the program and production.

Cobonpue said the SM Arena set-up would feature an elevated stage to allow all guests,

including US President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping and 18 other heads of state a 360-degree view of all performances.

“The arena would be cold and when the guests arrive, they would pass through a long tunnel and emerge in an oasis of greenery to transport them to another world,” he pointed out.

Much has already been said about Cobonpue’s much-copied trademark “Yoda” chair that would seat the VVIPs. Cobonpue said the choice of this piece of furniture made of durable and indigenous rattan was deliberate.

“We picked a chair that is not typical or presidential. The event is going to be on television, so the chair has to be iconic and Filipino because it would be known around the world as a Philippine product,” the designer explained.

The Yoda chairs painted a light green, evocative of young rice stalks, would also tie in with the rice terraces theme.

Cobonpue’s furniture is in the collections of world celebrities, including Brad Pitt who www.canadianinquirer.net

has Cobonpue’s Voyage bed, among other designs.

Unlike the Yoda chairs available in Cobonpue’s shop, those to seat the various heads of state can swivel, thus allowing them to follow the action around the stage as they watch the performance.

“These Yoda chairs are special edition, wider and with armrests. Malacañang rented them. We’re going to sell only 40 pieces of these after Apec,” he said.

Cobonpue also related that when he took the job as creative director, he decided immediately to “tweak the look a bit to make the place warmer and more natural…It was really a challenge to transform the arena.”

To achieve this, he whipped up a “gigantic anahaw roof” that would hover over the guests inside the arena.

A white translucent fabric would hang above the delegates to provide a dreamlike atmosphere.

“All over the arena would be floating anahaw lamps. They will have LED lights that will

change color,” Cobonpue added.

The designer made sure that world leaders who attend the Palace-hosted dinner would remember next week’s party.

He designed a souvenir or token titled “Sama-sama (United),” measuring 50 centimeters in height and 30 cm in diameter, that is “made of brass and is finished in yellow gold, pale silver and warm copper to symbolize the different races” attending the economic meeting.

Cobonpue said detailed human figures “are linked to each other as they ascend to the top.

Each glass-covered token is housed in handwoven metaland buri- (palm spine) carrying case with brass handles and clasp.”

Meanwhile, the island formations in the design of the tokens are made from laser-cut metal sheets and wood veneer.

“A sculptural narrative of APEC’s cultural, social and political diversity, the Sama-Sama gifts represent unity, partnership and cooperation among the member states,” was how Cobonpue summed up the token’s message. ■

34

Lifestyle

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Media devices just tools, it’s content that matters for kids’ development: experts

BY SHERYL UBELACKER The Canadian Press TORONTO — They’re among the questions often asked by parents anxious about the time children and teens spend glued to digital gadgets — from TV and computers to smart phones and tablets: How much screen time is too much? And is living so much in the virtual world harmful to kids’ development and health?

The answer, say experts, is “it depends.”

And that caveat starts with the child’s age, says Matthew Johnson, director of education at Media Smarts, a Canadian organization that promotes digital and media literacy.

“The greatest concern is with very young children, so infants and toddlers,” says Johnson.

“Of course, they find it very absorbing. But it doesn’t stimulate them in the same way ...

And when it comes to this age group, there’s no evidence that media can have any educational benefit.”

The Canadian Paediatric Society and American Academy of Pediatrics both advise against any screen time for children under two, although the AAP is reviewing its guidelines, which will be updated in 2016.

Dr. Michael Rich, director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Boston Children’s Hospital, says passive screen time displaces far more useful activities that kids under two need for cognitive development.

“Even watching the water drops running down the shower curtain while mom takes a shower is better than parking the kid in front of a television,” Rich says. “Because at least they are interacting with the real world.”

Rich, who has a blog called Ask the Mediatrician on the center’s website, says optimal brain development for very young children requires interaction with other people and the physical world, as well as open-ended free play.

“So a blank piece of paper and a crayon is better than an iPad.” Jennifer Rollins, an Edmonton mother who blogs under

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the moniker Tech Mommy, re- and her sister Azalee, 3, are re- dren of any age has a huge imcalls being in a restaurant with stricted to an hour a day to play pact, agrees Rich. her then two-year-old daughter online games or to watch age“So if we are busy doing the Tenesea, who was making “a appropriate YouTube videos.

CrackBerry prayer, as I call ruckus.”

While she believes it’s impor- it, they’re looking at us all the “I ended up passing her my tant for kids to keep up with time to see how to behave in the phone and putting an app on it, the changing technology, Rol- world, to see how people funcand she stayed tion,” he says. quiet for the rest “So one of the of the time,” says things I’m seeRollins, 39. “It ing is not just was like a new That takes the parents out of the role kids being pacisoother or someof police officer around media and fied by these thing.” turns them into helping the child with devices, but parWhen Tenesea air traffic control. The child is still ents pushing the was three or four, the pilot of the plane, but they are kid in the playRollins and her helping them take off and land safely. ground on the husband were swing and lookgoing through a ing at their denasty separation vice and texting and the iPad was the whole time a means of preoccupying her lins also tries to be a digital role — not connecting with their child to protect her from the model for her daughters. child.” sounds of her parents fighting.

“I think there were times Texting while breastfeeding “She used it a lot, probably when I tweeted at least 100 — or “brexting” — is another too much,” admits Rollins. “I times a day. It just became an missed opportunity, he says. was very pro screen time, most- outlet, an escape. And now “This is bonding. This is the ly because it became like a bab- maybe I tweet six times a day. gaze of mother and child. And if ysitter for her when everything I try to put my phone down as that gaze is directed to a Faceelse was — well, there was a lot much as I can to try to give my book page ... you’re giving away of turmoil.” kids more face-to-face time, to that time, you’re giving away The now single mom has really be there for them.” that attention.” done an about-face. Tenesea, 7, What parents model for chilThat’s not to say Rich is antiwww.canadianinquirer.net

technology — far from it.

Both he and Johnson say children from pre-school age to adolescence can benefit from online content, particularly if it’s educational.

“In some ways, digital media provides opportunities that didn’t exist before,” says Johnson. “When we use it properly and when we encourage kids to use it properly, it’s really valuable.”

Rich says there is no easy answer to how much screen time is too much, and parents should understand that digital devices are tools — tools that do some things well and others less well.

“An iPad is a wonderful way for a child to see what it’s like to be on the top of Mount Everest ... but it is not the best tool for drawing, for example.

“So first of all look at the task you’re asking of it and say ‘Is this the best tool for the job?”‘ Parents should also sit down with children over age five and together set screen-time limits around other priorities: homework, physical activity, socializing, and adequate sleep, Rich says.

“That takes the parents out of the role of police officer around media and turns them into helping the child with air traffic control. The child is still the pilot of the plane, but they are helping them take off and land safely.”

For adolescents, screen media provide “a very fertile environment” for some of the key tasks they need for development, which is gaining experience, he adds.

A parent’s responsibility is not to block children and teens from using the devices, but to help them process the content, he says.

“Instead of looking at the television, the computer or specific apps like Facebook as vectors of good or evil, we need to understand that they are the environment in which children are living and growing up and we need to treat them more like the air they’re breathing, the water they’re drinking and the food they’re eating.

“Because they’re going to be eating and drinking it anyway.” ■

35

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

Travel

Quirino House, aka Syquia Mansion — the original Malacañang of the North

BY CONSTANTINO C. TEJERO Philippine Daily Inquirer TODAY IS the 125th birth anniversary of Elpidio Quirino.

But who among the millennials knows about him now? Indeed, who heard of that name except Quirino province, Quirino Avenue and Quirino Grandstand?

Quirino was Manuel Quezon’s secretary of finance and of interior, Senate president during Sergio Osmeña’s administration, Manuel Roxas’ vice president, before becoming the country’s sixth president, from April 1948 to December 1953.

He himself is said to have mentored three presidents, the so-called 3 Ms: Magsaysay, Macapagal and Marcos. His administration was characterized by postwar reconstruction and increased US aid, but it is often remembered for its deployment of our soldiers to the Korean War and the resurgence of the Hukbalahap (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon, a communist movement emerging from World War II).

His legacies include guiding the new nation after the war; economic development; the creation of the Social Security Commission; and chiefly his foreign policies, which earned him the title Father of Foreign Service.

Precursor of Apec

He was known to have “excelled in diplomacy, impressing heads of states and world statesmen with his intelligence and culture.” In his official travels abroad, he represented the country “with flying colors.”

Remember, he was our first secretary of foreign affairs, under the Roxas administration. Also remember, it was during his administration, in September 1949, that Carlos P. Romulo was elected by the United Nations 4th General Assembly as president, the first Asian to hold the position.

When the so-called White Russians (émigrés fleeing Communism from Russia and later China) appealed to the UN for help, only one country responded.

Quirino offered them an island in Samar as haven and evacuated over 5,800 refugees from 1949 to 1951.

The Baguio Conference of 1950, a regional meet that gathered delegates from Australia, Thailand, Indonesia,

Artifacts and artworks

The living room of the Syquia Mansion, the home of the late President Elpidio Quirino, in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. SCREENSHOT FROM HOUR PHILIPPINE TV / YOUTUBE

India, Pakistan and Ceylon to discuss economic and cultural problems, could have been a precursor of the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) or Apec (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit. China and Japan weren’t invited as they were not considered free states then.

Significant landmarks

Elpidio Rivera Quirino was born in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, on Nov. 16, 1890. The circumstance of his birth is almost legendary.

While his mother Gregoria was bringing merienda to his father Mariano in the provincial jail, where he was warden, her water broke and she unceremoniously gave birth to the future president of the republic.

In May last year, the 200 inmates were transferred to the new provincial jail in Talib at Bantay town. The old jail, built in 1657, was transformed into the Ilocos Regional Museum complex, which opened on Jan. 30 this year. The room on the upper floor where Quirino was born has been given pride of place.

A more significant landmark in this heritage city associated with his life and times is the Syquia Mansion at Quirino Boulevard cor. Salcedo Street, right in front of Irene’s Vigan Empanadas.

Quirino first stayed in the mansion in 1921 when he was still a congressman, after marrying Alicia Syquia, firstborn

of the Chinese Tomas Syquia of Vigan and the Spanish Conchita Jimenez of Binondo. The house was her dowry, a wedding gift from her parents.

When Quirino became president, he made the mansion his retreat.

“I remember during his visits when fruits from Malacañang would be stocked in the library,” recalls Rusty Sebastian Ponce, fourth-generation caretaker of the mansion, where he was born. “Sometimes he would hold meetings with his Cabinet here, and the tables in the comedor [dining hall] would be doubled.”

www.canadianinquirer.net

The two-story structure is painted in duo tones of cream and mango and outlined in powder-blue, though at times it’s just plain off-white.

The heavy narra door opens to the zaguan (hallway or lobby serving as garage). Standing lonesome on a corner is a black carruaje (horse-drawn carriage) from Europe.

“This served as Alicia and Elpidio’s wedding car,” says Ponce. “It has power steering, the first of its kind, para ’di mahirapan ang kabayo.”

From the grand staircase with a wide landing on to the upper level, the flooring varies from hardwood planks to piedra china and baldozas mosaicos (Machuca tiles) of various Mediterranean patterns.

There are secret peepholes on the floor and walls, for the household to see if a visitor was worthy to be received in the sala or should be allowed to proceed to the second floor.

The grand sala has fine hardwood furniture; Murano mirrors with frames gilt in 18k gold; a Ming Dynasty porcelain jar said to be a gift of China’s last emperor to the Syquia family; vintage photographs and oil paintings.

Fernando Amorsolo’s 1948 portrait of Alicia and 1947 portrait of Quirino vie for attention with a 1948 plaster bust of Quirino by Guillermo Tolentino.

Most notable are the paintings, some mural-size, by Juan Luna’s assistant Pedro Respall: a 1911 copy of the original 1884 “Spoliarium”; duplicates of other Luna masterworks such as “Pacto de ❱❱ PAGE 39 Quirino House

36

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Business

MPIC goes all out in P401-B infrastructure plan But ambitious undertaking to face regulatory hurdles

BY PAOLO G. MONTECILLO Philippine Daily Inquirer

ings with the government in connection with its claim for sovereign guarantee for its losses.

HONG KONG — PangilinanSeparate arbitration proled conglomerate Metro Pacific ceedings for the delayed tariff Investments Corp. (MPIC) has increases at the MPTC-conbared ambitious plans for the trolled North Luzon and Maconstruction of new highways, nila Cavite expressways (NLEx roads, hospitals, train lines and and Cavitex, respectively) may energy facilities until 2020. begin next year.

In a briefing here at the weekManila Electric Co. (Meralend, senior MPIC officials said co), which distributes power the firm was “fully-committed” for all of Metro Manila, also to taking a leading role in the needs the government’s green country’s infrastructure devel- light before hiking rates. Even opment, given the wide reach of MPIC’s new businesses will opthe company’s interests. erate under similar conditions.

However, officials said fundMPIC is also involved in the ing these projects may be diffi- ongoing refurbishment of the cult given that many of MPIC’s country’s Metro Manila’s oldest businesses’ cacommuter train pacity to earn line, and plans are tied to the to make a bid for government the development regulators’ abil[..] we’re of provincial airity to deliver on aspiring to ports. committed tariff make in the Nicol said increases.

Philippines all MPIC busi“The level between now nesses would be of investment and 2020 will expanded sigwe’re aspiring take a lot of nificantly over to make in the funding up the next four Philippines befront. years given the tween now and growing demand 2020 will take a among consumlot of funding up ers. Increasing front,” MPIC chief financial of- urbanization will also put more ficer David Nicol told reporters. strain on the firm’s power, waMPIC’s energy, hospital, ter distribution and road assets, road, rail and power subsidiar- among others. ies have planned about P401 Part of MPIC’s capital expenbillion in capital spending from diture will come from debt and 2016 to 2020. Nicol said other new equity, but a significant potential projects in the group’s portion or over half of the bud“radar” would add P73 billion get would be funded from cash more in spending. from operations—making reliSave for its hospitals, all of able tariff increases vital.

MPIC’s businesses suffer from “We want to spend this monregulatory risks. Just this year, ey over the next few years but tariff increases by Maynilad we need the confidence the Water Services Inc. and Metro tariffs will come through as exPacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) pected,” Nicol said. “We don’t have met delays. Maynilad is have an infinite ability to fund already in arbitration proceed- all this.” ■

Business leaders push MSME agenda Wants recommendations carried over to APEC 2016

BY AMY R. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer BUSINESS LEADERS from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member-states are hoping that the recommendations they will be putting forward to the leaders this year may be carried over in the work program for 2016, when Peru takes over the hosting of the region’s meetings.

At the opening of the 4th APEC Business Advisory Council Meeting (Abac) on Saturday, Abac chair Doris Magsaysay-Ho said they would be seeking to wrap up discussions of the 2015 work program over the next few days and identify issues that need to be carried over to the 2016 agenda.

“We will prepare for the culminating activity for the year, which is the dialogue with leaders and endorse the work program for 2016 to be outlined by the incoming Abac chair,” Ho said in her opening remarks.

Many of the recommendations made by Abac were included and adopted by trade, finance and SME ministers from Pacific Rim economies in their respective action plans, namely the Boracay Action Agenda to Globalize Micro, Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs); the Cebu Action Plan, and the Iloilo Initiative.

Under these plans, the Abac stressed the need to develop the services sector; to work on financial inclusion and literacy, which were deemed as key enablers to achieving the agenda laid out by the Philippines to boost the competitiveness of the MSMEs; to facilitate physical, human and institutional connectivity; to create robust and inclusive financial systems; to promote access to global markets, and to promote the Free Trade Area of the AsiaPacific (FTAAP), which was deemed the “most practical vehicle to achieve the kind of sustainable and inclusive enviwww.canadianinquirer.net

Micro and small business owners have hopes for the next APEC summit.

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ronment.”

Ho noted that for this year, the APEC and Abac had both worked on the theme of inclusive growth, with identical priorities as well as the same understanding and appreciation of the work needed to be done to address the pressing economic concerns facing the region.

“Since the last Abac meeting, we attended various sectoral ministerials, high-policy dialogues, specifically the structural reform, SME, transportation, energy and women and the economy. I am pleased to report that our contributions have been well received. To mention a few of our outcomes this year, with the support of the Philippine government, Abac, ITC (International Trade Center), PECC (Pacific Economic Cooperation Council) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade were able to secure agreements to form the Asia Pacific Services Coalition,” she explained.

According to Ho, the launch of the regional services coalition was expected to foster growth and efficiency in the services sector. This, she said, now formed the biggest ever services coalition in the region and in the world.

“Our recommendations and activities pursued through the APFF (Asia-Pacific Financial Forum), the Apip (Asia-Pacific Infrastructure Partnership) and the Asia-Pacific Forum on Financial Inclusion, the collaboration of initiatives under the Cebu Action Plan and I’d like to say that I’m so grateful to Cesar Purisima, the secretary of finance who really welcomed Abac’s recommendations,” Ho said.

Ho added: “In response to the recommendation of the private sector to provide a bigger voice to MSMEs and the APEC process, the APEC SME Ministerial Meeting agreed to carry out activities that would support the objective, including the endorsement of the APEC SME Summit by Abac as a culminating activity under the Philippine APEC year.”

She also cited Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo, whom she said had really “embraced the whole agenda that we had for MSMEs inclusion in trade through the Boracay Action Plan and to the Iloilo Action Plan.”

As for the FTAAP, the Abac has already completed the report, which also outlined the recommendations made by the group. ■

Business

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

37

Filipino consumers start getting ‘e-commerce savvy’ Online store cites record-setting sale

BY AMY R. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer FILIPINOS ARE becoming more “e-commerce savvy” as seen in the results of the latest online sale held by the Lazada Group, which operates the biggest online shopping mall in Southeast Asia.

In a statement, Lazada Philippines said it exceeded its current records, following a sixfold increase in sales compared to the average in October due to the Online Revolution Sale last Nov. 11. The site recorded 2.4 million visits, with orders coming from all over the country.

About 70 percent of the orders were booked from areas outside the National Capital Region.

Nov. 11, according to Lazada, has even become the largest online shopping day in the world.

The Online Revolution Sale sent shoppers into a frenzy starting midnight of Nov. 11 with customers purchasing 120,000 items across different product categories.

The company disclosed that more than 5,000 units of smartphones were sold on that day alone. Discounted and exclusive cell phone models from top brands such as Alcatel, Lenovo, Asus and Cherry Mobile were the day’s best sellers.

Lazada also sold more than 4,500 packs of disposable diapers, a clear indication that Filipino parents are embracing the convenience of online shopping. Early Christmas shoppers also snapped up the season’s hottest toy, the hoverboard or the two-wheeled scooter for as low as P7,999.

According to Lazada, the sale, which will run until Dec. 12 in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand, broke new ground as 60 percent of its orders came from shoppers using mobile devices.

On top of deals and discounts, Lazada is also raffling off Cebu

Filipinos prove to be e-commerce savvy.

Pacific airline tickets to international destinations weekly and a brand new Hyundai Eon in the grand draw.

The Lazada mobile app was downloaded over three times more on Nov. 11 compared to its average downloads during

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October. The app was ranked, overall, the No. 1 app on the Apple Store, ahead of Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. It continues to be the number one shopping app on both the App Store and Google Play Store, the company added. ■

Asian stocks rebound as investors look past Paris attacks

BY YOUKYUNG LEE The Associated Press

GIL C / SHUTTERSTOCK

Moody’s: PH has ‘low’ political risk level

BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — According to debt watcher Moody’s Investor Service, the Philippines is likely to continue economic reforms next year although at a slower pace as a new president takes office.

“The extent to which the next leader will institutionalize or reverse reforms conducted by Mr. Aquino’s administration — especially positive changes related to fiscal management — is unclear,” Moody’s says in a report.

“Nevertheless, our assessment of domestic risk in the

Philippines at ‘Low’ is in line with large democracies such as Indonesia and India, where policy challenges are often posed by democratic transitions,” the statement continues.

Moody’s rating ranges from ‘very low’ to ‘high,’ with Malaysia and Singapore having the highest ratings in Southeast Asia with ‘very low’ political risk scores. On the other hand, Thailand has the worst rating in the region with a ‘moderate’ score.

Prior the present administration, the Philippines has rated poorly in Moody’s ratings as ‘latter years of the two preceding administrations… were fraught with political turmoil.’ ■

SEOUL, KOREA, Republic Of — Asian stock markets bounced back on Tuesday as investors looked past last week’s attacks in Paris. Tokyo stocks rose on expectations for further stimulus measures by Japan’s central bank.

Keeping score

Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.5 per cent to 19,661.79 and South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.3 per cent to 1,969.11. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index advanced 1.6 per cent to 22,366.37, while Shanghai Composite index in mainland China rose 0.5 per cent to 3,623.08. Stocks in Australia, Taiwan and Southeast Asian countries also rose.

Paris

Investors restored calm after sell-offs during the first trading session following the terrorist attacks in Paris that left 129 people killed and more than 350 injured. The negative impact of the terrorist attacks on the financial markets is likely to fade over the next week after initial drops, even though the emotional impact may stay on, said www.canadianinquirer.net

Bernard Aw, a market strategist at IG in Singapore. In past major terrorist attacks across the world, markets recovered to the levels before the attacks.

Japan

Analysts said there were higher expectations that the Bank of Japan would roll out stimulus measures after the latest data showed that the world’s thirdlargest economy slipped into a recession. Japan’s economy declined 0.8 per cent in the third quarter over a year earlier, marking a second straight quarterly contraction. Mizuho Bank said in a daily commentary that a policy response is “more ur-

gent” and that the prospects of more easing pressured the Japanese yen against the U.S. dollar.

Wall Street

U.S. stocks rallied on Monday, snapping a three-day losing streak. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 237.77 points, or 1.4 per cent, to 17,483.01. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index gained 30.15 points, or 1.5 per cent, to 2,053.19. The Nasdaq composite added 56.73 points, or 1.2 per cent, to 4,984.62.

Currencies

The dollar rose to 123.39 yen from 123.28 yen and the euro fell to $1.0662 from $1.0686. ■

38

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Sports

Holly Holm knocks out Ronda Rousey in 2nd round shocker to take UFC bantamweight title

BY NEIL FRANKLAND The Associated Press MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Ronda Rousey was the UFC’s unstoppable force until Holly Holm used the former champion’s aggression against her to produce one of the sport’s biggest upsets.

Rousey chased Holm around the ring at UFC 193 on Sunday — looking for the right hold and taking head shots along the way — until Holm saw an opening 59 seconds into the second round and snapped a kick to the head that immediately dropped her more fancied opponent to the canvas.

Holm (10-0) jumped on the prone Rousey, delivering several blows to her head before the referee intervened, ending Rousey’s 12-fight unbeaten run and handing Holm the bantamweight title.

An ecstatic Holm jumped around the ring while Rousey stayed on the canvas as she received medical treatment amid the roar of a stunned, record UFC crowd.

“She’s won a lot of fights and imposed her will on a lot of fighters,” Holm said. “So I expected her to be aggressive and impose her will on me.

“She had me on the cage for a minute and obviously she was trying in for a take down right there ... she had a lot of things she was trying so I’m just glad I put in the practice,” she added.

Rousey, a former judo Olympian, was unbeaten through 12 UFC fights before meeting

Holm, and a win would have been her seventh title defence.

Instead, Holm, a 34-year-old veteran female boxer from Albuquerque, New Mexico, has the championship belt.

“We figured her aggression was coming, if it didn’t that’s OK, but with footwork and my career we figured she wouldn’t give me that space,” Holm said.

“There’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears but it was all worth it.”

Rousey left the stadium to receive treatment for concussion and facial cuts at a nearby hospital. Her first public comments were in a social media post on Monday.

“I just wanted to thank everyone for the love and support. I appreciate the concerns about my health, but I’m fine. As I had mentioned before, I’m going to take a little bit of time, but I’ll be back,” a post on Rousey’s Instagram account said.

Her trainer, Mick Dolce, told reporters on Monday that Rousey would bounce back from defeat.

“Ronda has lost before, she lost at the Olympic games,” Dolce said. “That was a great test for her, and look at how she came back, she came back a multi-time world champion.”

Dolce said Rousey’s hospital stay was precautionary and tests had ruled out concussion.

“She was transported (to hospital) because she got knocked out,” UFC chief Dana White said in the wake of the bout.

“She’s completely bummed out and depressed.”

White said a likely rematch

It’s the “best feeling in the world,” says new UFC champion Holly Holm.

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between Holm and Rousey would put other potential matchups on the backburner.

“We don’t make fights the night of the fight, but the rematch makes a lot of sense,” he said. “The rematch is what the people want to see.”

In the other title bout, a bloodied Joanna Jedrzejczyk outlasted Valerie Letourneau to successfully defend her strawweight belt in a five-round slugfest.

Jedrzejczyk (11-0) won a

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unanimous points decision over Letourneau (8-4) who offered the champion one of her tougher fights in some time.

The six-time Muay Thai world champion Jedrzejczyk started to pressure her opponent from the second round with some trademark, lightning-quick combinations to Letourneau’s head, while forcing the challenger to keep her distance with some effective kicks.

Organizers announced a crowd of 56,214 at Melbourne’s

Etihad Stadium, which normally hosts Australian rules football matches. The mark eclipsed the 55,724 fans who attended UFC 129 at Toronto’s Rogers Centre in 2011.

Rousey, 28, has taken UFC by storm since her debut in 2012 and her success has led to several movie projects as well the publishing of her autobiography.

But it was Holm’s calm confidence and the manner of her win that attracted all the attention Sunday.

Holm, a former undisputed welterweight boxing champion, said the moment of her UFC title victory was “one of those moments that you live for.”

“They’re the scariest moments. This fight was a lot for me mentally,” she added. “I couldn’t tell you how many times I cried in the gym leading up to this fight.

“It’s a lot to take in, but those kinds of fights are the ones where a loss is devastating but a win is that sweet of a victory.”

In other fights on the undercard, Mark Hunt of New Zealand (11-10-1) won his rematch with Brazil’s Antonio Silva (198) by technical knockout after the referee stopped the feature heavyweight bout in the first round.

New Zealand-born Australian middleweight Robert Whittaker (16-4) earned a gutsy win on points over Uriah Hall (13-6), while Jared Rosholt (142) won a unanimous decision of towering Dutchman Stefan Struve (30-8) in a scrappy opening heavyweight bout of the main card. ■

Sports

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

Belgium calls off Spain game after raised security alert THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BRUSSELS — Belgium called off Tuesday’s soccer match against Spain less than 24 hours before kickoff after the government raised the security threat level amid an investigation related to the Paris attacks.

The Belgian football federation said the decision was taken late Monday after the government recommended that the game not be played.

“After consulting with the relevant bodies and the Spanish national team, the (Belgian FA) decided to cancel the match,” the federation said in a statement. “Right at the end of the evening, the (federation) was contacted by the government which recommended that the Belgium-Spain match should not go ahead tomorrow night.

“It is in the context of a new elevated terrorist alert and the

current pursuit of a suspect.”

France has identified a Belgian man as the mastermind of the Paris attacks that killed 129 people on Friday. His current whereabouts are unknown. A major police operation took place in the Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek on Monday, although it failed to yield any arrests related to the attacks.

The Ministry of the Interior’s Crisis Center had raised the threat level earlier Monday, recommending the cancellation of the match on its website.

“We deeply regret that such a friendly match between two motivated teams had to be cancelled so late and we understand the disappointment of numerous fans,” the federation statement added. “However, taking into account these exceptional circumstances, we couldn’t take any risk in the matter of the security of our players and supporters.”

The attacks in Paris started when two explosions were set off by suicide bombers outside the Stade de France while the French national team was playing Germany.

France is playing England at Wembley Stadium in London on Tuesday after the countries decided to go ahead with that game.

The game in Brussels was set to pit the No. 1-ranked team in the world — Belgium — against the two-time defending European champion Spain in a warm-up match ahead of next year’s Euro 2016 tournament.

Before the cancellation, the Spain players had said they weren’t worried about the security situation.

“If we’re going it’s because it’s safe, we’re calm,” Spain defender Marc Bartra said.

Belgium is also set to host the Davis Cup final against Britain in Ghent later this month. ■

Brady: Tough to replace ‘great player’ like WR Edelman

BY JIMMY GOLEN The Associated Press THE NEW England Patriots are celebrating another victory and lamenting the loss of another key contributor.

The Patriots (9-0) remained unbeaten with a last-minute, 27-26 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday, but it came at the cost of receiver Julian Edelman. The 5-foot-10 former college quarterback went down grabbing for his left foot in the first half and did not return.

“Julian has been incredible for us. Incredible,” quarterback Tom Brady said on his weekly radio show on Monday. “It’s just unfortunate to lose such a critical player. But you’ve just got to try to figure it out different ways to get it done.”

Edelman caught four passes for 53 yards before leaving the game on Sunday. Patriots coach Bill Belichick declined to comment on the severity of Edelman’s injury, but media reports said Edel-

man had a broken bone in his foot. Marcus Cannon, Bryan Stork, “When someone’s really in- Nate Solder and Ryan Wendell. tegral to part of basically every“Every team deals with inthing you’re doing, and then you juries,” Brady said on WEEI. lose that person, it may take a “We’ve been pretty banged-up. little bit to kind of figure out how Hopefully at some point we can you can move things around get some guys back.” and get comfortable with what Without Edelman, Brady will you’re doing,” have to rely on Brady said. “BeBrandon LaFell cause you want and Danny to have a lot of Amendola. Keconfidence in the It’s just shawn Martin things that you’re unfortunate could become doing.” to lose such a available when he Edelman has critical player. recovers from a caught 197 passBut you’ve just hamstring injury es for 2,028 yards got to try to that has kept him over the past two figure it out out since Week 6. seasons, and was different ways “There’s nothon pace for a to get it done. ing that’s really 1,000-yard seaseamless when son when he left you lose a great Sunday’s game. player,” Brady His loss comes a said. “When it’s week after running back Dion someone that’s been the leading Lewis was knocked out for the receiver on your team for multiseason with a torn ACL; the Pa- ple years and you lose them, it’s triots have also been shuffling not like you go, ‘OK, well, let just their offensive line to cover for put someone else in.’ He’s too injuries to Sebastian Vollmer, good of a player for that.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

39

Quirino House... ❰❰ 35

Sangre” and “The Death of Cleopatra.”

Entertainment area

A narrow servants’ passageway wraps around the salon.

Since the aliping sagigilid (domestic servants) were not allowed to be seen whenever there were visitors or a party, they quietly moved along this passageway carrying drinks and comestibles.

The comedor, constructed in 1901, has a 14-seater dining table of dark hardwood. Overhead are panels of gold-colored heavy fabric, to be pulled with cords to cool the room or drive flies away.

On one end are cabinets filled with china and glassware.

Rowed on one side are bronze figurines from France, wired firmly to the wall (as this is earthquake country).

The prayer room is filled with antique icons, with the Santo Entierro laid out on the floor.

When the light is off, the place looks spooky.

The azotea has an open inner courtyard, planted with blooming ornamentals, with a fountain as centerpiece. Constructed in 1910, it has undergone renovations; only the fountain is original.

“This was where he entertained the US ambassador,” says Ponce, “foreign dignitaries like Governor-General Dwight

Davis.”

A separate one-story structure, hidden from view behind the mansion, is the almacén (storehouse), where tools and implements, rice and food supplies were kept.

In the movies

Built in 1830, the entire mansion is relatively intact. It was used as the house of Capitan Tiago in Eddie Romero’s television series “Noli Me Tangere.”

It was also used in other period movies such as “Day of the Trumpets” and Fernando Poe Jr.’s “Ang Panday.”

This was the original Malacañang of the North, decades ahead of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos’ holiday residence in Paoay, Ilocos Norte.

It used to be called the Quirino House, but when the Syquia siblings protested, it was changed to Syquia Mansion (or Quirino Museum).

Quirino’s support of the withdrawal of the US military bases from the country could have cost him his bid for reelection in 1953 against his former defense secretary Ramon Magsaysay, whom many consider an “Amboy” (American boy).

Withdrawing from politics, Quirino retired in his new country house in Novaliches, Quezon City, where he died from a heart attack in 1956 at age 65. ■

The dining room of the Syquia Mansion.

SCREENSHOT FROM HOUR PHILIPPINE TV / YOUTUBE

40

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Technology GIFT GUIDE:

Sturdy, sleek, small action cameras abound

BY RON HARRIS The Associated Press ATLANTA — Action cameras are getting smaller, lighter, better and more connected.

Whether you’re looking to gift one to a thrill-seeking bungee jumper or a mountain-bike recreationist, there are several cameras capable of shooting high-quality footage.

Small, high-definition action cameras might have seemed no more than the play toys of daredevils a few years back, but they are more commonplace now and used in conjunction with a variety of activities. Prices have dropped slightly, and while GoPro is still the leader, it is no longer the only offering.

Here are some nice choices if you’re looking to give the gift of HD action cams: Sony X1000V 4K ($500)

You get a solidly constructed, high-performance action cam that shoots up to 4K resolution, also known as ultra-high definition. That’s twice as much visual data as the regular, full high-definition format known as 1080p.

Does that matter? The answer is nuanced. You can see the difference if you have a new 4K TV. The footage looks excellent on a regular HD display, but you’ll want to marry this Sony camera with a 4K display to get the most out of it.

The X1000V performed extremely well and recorded finely detailed footage in various environments, including hard rain, underwater and (gasp!) in the hands of a running child.

With a 170-degree panoramic field of view, the camera captures a good amount of the action in front of the lens. It also shoots silky-smooth slow motion when recording in standard HD mode. The waterproof housing proved useful when I dunked it in a tank full of large fish at the Tennessee Aquarium while on vacation.

High-quality accessories in-

clude a wireless remote control, which can be worn on your wrist to control the camera from a distance. That way, you don’t have to unhitch the camera from a helmet or surfboard every time you need to stop recording or adjust the settings.

The Sony X1000V is a solid choice for catching sports action in 4K. GoPro Hero4 Session ($300)

GoPro’s Hero cameras have always been small. Now, there’s an even smaller one, the Hero4 Session. It’s about half the size of previous models. This light, power-packed, cube-shaped model is a fine addition for this leader in action cams.

The Session is easy to use, even though it lacks a builtin screen to show what you’re recording. One touch of a red circle button turns on the camera and starts the HD recording. I found this handy at an amusement park with friends and family. I even chronicled a torrential downpour that sent most park goers scurrying for cover while others splashed madly in puddles.

The waterproof Session endured all environments I put it through, from water-drenched settings to the hands of a child as she bounded around a rockclimbing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The footage turned out great, with colors and exposure just right and a built-in dual microphone system offering top-notch audio.

The Session is ideal for someone looking for a faster, easier way to start impromptu recordings and for those who want a camera that’s even less obtrusive to mount on a helmet during activities such as biking and skiing.

Kodak PixPro SP360 ($300)

This camera shoots HD footage through a curved spherical lens to give it a massive fisheye look at the world. Kodak calls this 360 degrees of image capture, but it’s more of a really wide look to the front and sides, as it can’t see behind itself.

CLOCKWISE: Sony X1000V 4K WWW.SONY.COM; GoPro Hero4 Session WWW.EVO.COM; Kodak PixPro SP360 WWW.KODAK.COM;

TomTom Bandit WWW.TOMTOM.COM

I put this in the hands of my kids and followed my dog around. I even used a monopod to affix it to the spare tire of my Jeep Wrangler for a fish-eyeview drive through Atlanta and nearby small towns.

The SP360 captured so much of the scene that it was fun to play it back and explore the surroundings in a much wider (albeit rounder) perspective that the human eye simply isn’t capable of.

It’s splash-proof and shockproof, and it comes in a durable case with a fancy curved lens cap for the bulbous lens.

The PixPro isn’t for everyone, but I found it among the most fun cameras available.

TomTom Bandit ($400)

One newcomer is TomTom, www.canadianinquirer.net

more commonly known for its GPS devices and navigation services. The company’s Bandit camera shoots 4K video and boasts up to three continuous hours of recording.

It also has nifty social-media options. With the Bandit app, you can edit footage on your phone and even add a soundtrack.

The portion of the camera with storage can be removed quickly to reveal a USB connection that can be inserted into any laptop or desktop computer. Once attached, it’s simple to ingest the footage and edit until your heart’s content simply by dragging and dropping video files from the camera using a pop-up interface.

Footage from the Bandit has excellent color satura-

tion and image clarity, rivaling anything I’ve seen from others under common outdoor lighting. An adjustable mounting rotates around the belly of the camera’s cylindrical housing; it accepts various attachments and even GoProrelated accessories through an adaptor.

The Bandit is heavier than the others tested and probably isn’t ideal for mounting on a helmet. But it is sturdy and has a sporty red-stripe-on-white design that gives it the look of pro-level gear. If you’re not wedded to the GoPro universe, you might give the Bandit some serious consideration. It’s more rugged than other models and sports sturdy metal mounting, while others typically use plastic. ■

Technology

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

41

YouTube Music is a great music-video app — if you pay up

BY RYAN NAKASHIMA The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — If you were going to reinvent MTV for a mobile generation, you’d probably come up with something like YouTube Music. It’s a video-first music service that also plays in the background like you’d expect a music app to do.

That sets it apart from other music apps out there, many of which give you a choice of videos or songs, but not interchangeably.

But while YouTube Music offers a lot of interesting features, most of them require a subscription to the new YouTube Red service, which will set you back $10 a month — $13 if you sign up through YouTube’s iPhone app. Without Red, YouTube Music will play ads similar to what you see on YouTube proper, and several other functions won’t work at all.

YouTube is offering new users a 14-day free trial to Red, but to continue commercial free, you’ll need to pony up.

YouTube Music is first and foremost a music-video app, al-

beit one that doesn’t forget that most people will be using it on their phones. For those times you’d rather just listen instead of watching, you can hit a toggle that switches the app to audioonly mode, which turns off the video playback and swaps in a still image. You can even turn off the screen and keep listening while you do something else.

But here’s the first gotcha: Audio-only mode only works for paid subscribers. I also found the audio-only toggle worked far better on a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 than on an iPhone 5, where it introduced a jarring pause.

You can similarly shrink the video to a little strip at the bottom of the app, which keeps it playing in a cropped format while you look for the next video. The app will even keep playing if you switch to other tasks, like checking email — although again only if you’ve paid up for Red. There are some curious omissions. For instance, there’s no easy way to create a playlist to queue up a bunch of videos in a row. The app does offer “song

stations,” which queue up videos from artists related to the one you’re on. You can toggle the range of the resulting mix with options like “less variety,” ‘‘more variety” or “balanced.”

I started a station starting with Passenger’s “Let Her Go” and so far I’m pretty happy with the “balanced” playlist it created, which included “Counting Stars” from OneRepublic and “Burn” by Ellie Goulding.

You can also play all of the videos you’ve thumbs-upped, which turns that grouping into a crude sort of playlist.

YouTube Music is far less cluttered than competing services like Apple Music, which has more lists and tabs than you’ll know what to do with.

YouTube Music keeps the tabs to three — home, hot (trending videos), and thumbs up (your favorites).

Home offers recommended videos, and it’s easy to find something playable. Your mileage may vary with the “hot” tab; it didn’t do much for me, although I’m usually a bit out of sync with the mainstream.

Finally, there’s one more fun feature, which is called “of-

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fline mixtape.” It automatically saves 20 audio-only songs for you based on your tastes, for when you know you’re going to get spotty reception. I wish it saved the videos instead of just the audio, but this will keep the tunes turning in a pinch. Alas, offline mixtapes are disabled in the ad-supported version of YouTube Music.

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The app makes Google’s $10-a-month music subscription a lot more attractive.

Paying up not only unlocks features in YouTube Music itself, it also gets you ad-free playback on the main YouTube app, access to Google Play Music, and, down the road, some original material from YouTube stars. ■

Long term forecast from www.theweathernetwork.com CALGARY

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Events

42

Parol Making Workshop

By Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts & Culture WHEN/WHERE: 5 to 9 p.m., Nov. 20 at Creative Studio Rm. 108; 12 to 4 p.m., Nov. 22, Flex Studio Gold Rm. 107; 12 to 4 p.m., Nov. 29 Artscape Youngplace 180, Shaw St. Toronto MORE INFO: www.kapisanancentre. com New WelcomePack Canada Distribution Centre

By WelcomePack Canada Inc. WHEN/WHERE: 1 to 5 p.m., Mon, Tues, Thu & Fri at the Filipino Centre Bldg., 597 Parliament St., Suite 103, YUKON Toronto, On. MORE INFO: Call (416) 928-9355

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Tagalog Class

By FCT WHEN/WHERE: 10 to 11 a.m., every Saturday, Filipino Centre Toronto, Toronto Homework/Tutorial Class

By FCT WHEN/WHERE: 11a.m. to 12 nn, every Saturday, Filipino Centre Toronto, 597 Parliament St., Suite 103, Toronto, ON MORE INFO: For registrations, call 416-928-9355. The office, at 597 Parliament St., Suite 103, Toronto, is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 1 to 6 p.m.

CANADA EVENTS

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

BRITISH COLUMBIA

NEWFOUNDLAND

MANITOBA

SASKATCHEWAN

Pinoy Connect

By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: Sundays until Dec. 20. Settlement services: 12 to 2 p.m.; Bayanihan Support Circle: 2 to 4 p.m.; Employment Law Clinic: By appointment only at Mosaic Burnaby Centre for Immigrants, 5902 Kingsway, Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Call 604-254-9626 Temporary Foreign Workers Uncontested Divorce Clinic

By Law Courts Center WHEN/WHERE: Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Justice Education Society at the Provincial Court of BC Room 260 800 Hornby St., Vancouver B.C. MORE INFO: To book an appointment, call/text 778322-2839 or email: tfw.divorce@gmail.com Seniors Book Club By the Richmond Public Library WHEN/WHERE: Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. to 12 nn, at the Brighouse Main Branch, the Living Rm., 7700 Minoru Gate, Richmond, B.C. Rockoustic Night: One Love

By Tsikenstarr Productions WHEN/WHERE: 8 p.m., Nov. 21, SD Galleria MORE INFO: Ticket - $10 41st Anniversary Dinner & Dance

By Vancouver Multicultural Society WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m., Nov. 21, at The Floata Seafood Restaurant 180 Keefer ST., Vancouver, B.C. Caregiver Mass WHEN/WHERE: 2 p.m., Nov. 22, at Corpus Christi College Plato's Cave, 5935 Iona Drive Vancouver (near UBC)

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Immigration Forum

By Victoria Filipino-Canadian Caregivers Association and Natie Sotana WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m to 3 p.m. Nov. 22, at The Bayanihan Center, 1709 Blanshard St., Victoria, B.C. Monthly Socials

By FilCanes WHEN/WHERE: 12 nn to 5 p.m., Nov. 22, at Alpen Club, 4875 Victoria Drive, Vancouver B.C. Cultural Competency Training Maple 2.0 Employer Partners

By ISS of BC WHEN/WHERE: 8 a.m. to 12 nn, Nov. 24, Holiday Inn Express Metrotown, 4406 Central Blvd Burnaby, B.C. MORE INFO: ines.montoya@issbc.org Dorothy Uytengzu and Victoria Francisco on Fazioli

By ACAT WHEN/WHERE: 5:30 p.m., Nov. 27 & 28, Showcase Pianos, 3rd Flr., Aberdeen Centre, Unit 3480-4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, B.C. MORE INFO: Tickets at $20.

Autumn Serenade

By Philippines Canada Trade Council WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m., networking; 7 p.m. show; Nov. 27, at the Kay Meek Centre, 1700 Mathers Ave. West Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Tickets at $35. Featuring performances by Kay Balajadia Liggayu (soprano); Nazer Salcedo (Tenor); Daniel Furtado (piano) and Jeremiah Carag (tenor) UP Alumni Association in B.C. Celebrity Night

By UPAABC WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m. to 12 mn., Nov. 28, Floral Hall, VanDusen Garden, 5251 Oak St., Vancouver B.C. MORE INFO: $25 per person www.canadianinquirer.net

FilCan Network for Truth & Justice Christmas Party

By Tapsilog NOVA WHEN/WHERE: SCOTIA 5:30 p.m. to 12 mn, Nov. 28, at St. Patrick Recreation Centre, Main St., Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Features Gawad Ulirang Ina at Ama and Bb. Maharlika 2015 Open Philippine Folk Dance & Music Workshops

By Kababayang Pilipino WHEN/WHERE: Dance Workshops – Nov. 29, Dec. 6 & 13, 2 to 2:30 p.m., Jandali Studio Music Workshops – Nov. 29, Dec. 6 & 13, 2 to 2:30 p.m., Zagar Studio MORE INFO: Cost $20 for 3 workshops, $10 drop in fee LoL Comedy Riot WHEN/WHERE: 6:30 p.m., Nov. 30, Edgewater Casino 750 Pacific Blvd., Vancouver, B.C. English Now: No Cost Language Training for Jobs in Administration or Retail

By ISS of BC MORE INFO: Contact 604-684-2325 or englishnow@issbc.org Skills Now: Project-based Training for Immigrants in Retail and Administration

By ISS of BC WHEN/WHERE: Call or email at 604-684-2581 (ext 2193 Nanki) skillsnow@issbc.org MORE INFO: Receive a certificate or skills training in retail or administration; job search workshops; and strong employment opportunities.

Free Drop-In English Conversation Circle for Temporary Foreign Workers

By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: Mondays, 6:30–8:30 p.m. until Dec. 14, at Mosaic Vancouver Community Room, 1720 Grant St. Vancouver, B.C.

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

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NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

Food

Upgrading your holiday cooking baking game is easy when you use our pro grade tips

BY ALISON LADMAN The Associated Press

to let your pans cool between batches. Remember how that dough needs to be the right temperature before it goes in the oven? If you put it on a hot pan, the bottoms of the dough will get all melty and the cookies will spread too much during baking.

NO MATTER how ambitious your holiday cookie baking plans are, chances are good you won’t be cranking out the massive quantities most professional bakers are prepping for this holiday season. But that doesn’t mean you can’t borrow — and benefit from — their pro-grade tips that help them turn mountains of dough into armies of cookies.

So we’ve assembled the best tips and tricks professional bakers use and show you how to put them into play at home.

Freeze extra dough

Freshness counts

If you don’t bake often, your baking soda and baking powder may be past their prime.

And that means your cookies won’t have the right puff. If you can’t recall when you bought them, splurge on new ones. Or test them by combining a little with vinegar. If the mixture gets foamy, you’re good to go.

You also want to check your ingredients for rancidity. Nuts, seeds and some flours can turn rancid, meaning the fats have gone bad. Test nuts and seeds by taste before you put them in your cookies. If they have a funky or off taste, toss them.

Rancid flours will smell off, so just take a whiff. And the best way to prevent this is to store whole-grain flours, nuts and seeds in the freezer in a zipclose plastic bags.

Pay attention to temperature

Temperature can play a variety of roles in a recipe (beyond just setting your oven correctly). Butter simply cannot cream correctly if it’s too cold or too warm. So if a recipe calls for softened butter, you want it to hold its shape, but yield when pressed on. And proper creaming of the butter and sugar is critical to the finished texture of your cookies.

On the other hand, is a recipe

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calls for chilling a dough, do it and don’t try to rush it. It’s there for a reason. Some doughs are too soft at room temperature and need to be chilled so they are easier to handle or roll out. Other doughs will lose their shape if placed from room temperature into a hot oven.

Scrape the bowl

You know the part of the recipe that says to scrape your bowl between additions? Do it. It’s important. If you don’t scrape the bowl, it’s likely that your dough won’t be properly mixed.

You might end up with a chunk of unmixed butter or sugar, or a smear of egg white, in your dough. Or even worse, you could get a hunk of creamed butter and sugar that hasn’t been mixed into the flour, resulting in a big streak of crispy and unsightly burnt edge.

dough. They are the best way to get your drop cookies evenly sized. You can find them online and at most kitchen shops.

(And in the off season, use them for ice cream.)

For slice-and-bake refrigerator cookies, the key is to turn your dough log a quarter turn after every slice. This keeps the log from losing its shape, and that keeps the cookies round.

Embrace kitchen parchment

Wet your hands

Don’t flour your cut-out cookies

Freeze extra cookies

When you’re working with a soft or sticky dough, it can be difficult to move it from the bowl to the counter or pan. But if you moisten your hands lightly with a bit of water, the dough won’t stick as much. This works especially well for spreading bars or brownies in a pan, but also if you’re trying to wrap rounds of dough to go in the refrigerator.

Make dough disks, not balls

Portion the dough evenly

If your cookies are evenly sized, they’re more likely to bake evenly.

For drop cookies, your best bet is to use a disher, also known as a cookie scoop. These look like an ice cream scoop, but have a thumb- or other squeeze-activated bar inside the scoop to help dislodge the

Kitchen parchment (also called baking parchment or parchment paper) is paper treated to be nonstick and heatsafe. It works wonders preventing your cookies from sticking to the pan, and also makes your cleanup much easier. You can find it alongside the foil at the grocer and it comes as sheets or rolls.

Maybe you don’t want a huge pile of cookies lying around the house (because you might eat them all at once). Or maybe you want to prep your cookie supply so you can bake off a few at a time later. The solution is the freezer. Most cookie doughs freeze beautifully.

Slice and bake cookies should be frozen, well wrapped, as a whole log. Just bring back to refrigerator temperature before slicing.

Drop cookies can be scooped into balls and frozen, then transferred to a zip-top plastic bag for storage. Cut-out cookie dough can be shaped into disks, then wrapped in plastic and frozen, then rolled out on another day (works great for pie dough, too).

Most drop cookies should be slightly flattened once the dough balls are arranged on the baking sheet. This helps the cookies bake evenly so the centres aren’t still doughy when the edges are done. Pressing each ball gently with the underside of a drinking glass or a moistened palm is a good way to do this. www.canadianinquirer.net

When you’re going to roll out dough for cut-out cookies, you often turn out the dough onto a floured surface, then sprinkle it with more flour as you roll it flat. Stop it.

Rolling the dough between sheets of kitchen parchment eliminates all this extra flour from being worked into the dough. It also allows you to re-roll the scraps more times without making the cookies unpleasantly tough. If the dough sticks a little to the parchment, pop it into the refrigerator or freezer to make sure it is nice and cold before peeling the paper off.

Cool your pans

If you’re baking more than one pan of cookies, make sure

While freshly baked cookies definitely are better, if you bake too many cookies the freezer still can be your friend. Make sure you freeze your cookies before decorating them. The best option is in an airtight container to help prevent breaking.

And separate layers of cookies with sheets of kitchen parchment or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking together.

Unfrosted bars can be frozen right in the pan. Cookies with a very high sugar content (such as Florentines or other lace cookies) don’t do well in the freezer.

You’ll just need to eat those. ■ Alison Ladman is a chef, food writer and recipe developer for The Associated Press. She also owns The Crust and Crumb Baking Company in Concord, New Hampshire.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

Seen & Scenes: Vancouver

AYALALAND IN VANCOUVER The Philippines Canada Trade Council and Ayala Land co-sponsored the recent PCTC Speaker Series held at Hilton Vancouver Metrotown in Burnaby, B.C. FilipinoCanadians listened to Thomas Mirasol, president of Ayala Land International Sales Inc., present a bullish Philippine investment scenario. Other speakers were Sue Sami, sales manager of National Bank of Canada; and Jason Tse, director of Business Development, HQ Vancouver. (Photos by Laarni Liwanag de Paula).

MULTICULTURAL HELPING HOUSE SOCIETY OPENS ORTIGAS BRANCH Bishop Teodoro Bacani officiated the recent blessing of the Multicultural Helping House Society Ortigas office at 502 Prestige Tower Condominium on Emerald Ave., San Antonio, Ortigas, Pasig City. Former Consul General Jose Ampeso was keynote speaker. Other guests include Dee Dee Siytangco; Dr. Gloria Samosa, Rowena Andrade, Mr. & Mrs. Carlos Laurel; Mr. & Mrs. Alvin Tan, Mr. & Mrs. Willie Uy; Atty. Antonio Chua, Eric Roel Domagas, Yolly de Alba, Cora dela Cruz and Alan Yong. Office staff include Eula Miranda and Connie Catanes.

TIE UP WITH BANGLADESH COMMUNITY The Multicultural Helping House Society – Newcomers Resource Center (MHHS – NRC) led by Tomas Avendano, president and CEO, is a registered non-profit society and charitable organization dedicated to servicing the needs of newcomers in Canada. It recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Bangladesh Community to provide assistance to new immigrants including addressing their settlement, employment, social services, skills enhancement, housing, legal, and education needs. www.canadianinquirer.net

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Seen and Scenes: Calgary

JAKI PENALOSA FASHION SHOW Renowned Couturier Jaki Penalosa presented her unique Filipiniana creations in a fashion show entitled, “Bringing the Best of the Philippines to the World,� at the Fairmont Palliser Hotel in Calgary, AB on Nov. 13. Jaki uses indigenous materials like hablon, pina, and silk cocoon to make a niche in the fashion industry. These hand-woven products of Panay made into clothes, gowns and accessories are fast becoming fabulous sights in the fashion runways of Asia, the U.S., and Europe (Photos by Evelyn Lopez).

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

NOVEMBER 20, 2015

FRIDAY

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FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2015

#APEChottie: Trudeau, Nieto make APEC spectators swoon

BY JANE MORALEDA AND CHING DEE Philippine Canadian Inquirer

The beautiful Toronto's skyline with CN Tower over lake.

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Toronto, Vancouver top PwC rankings on livable, sustainable cities

BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer

PwC chairman Bob Mortiz said in a statement.

“This dialogue is critical because cities of APEC member countries will likely form ties to other cities, and in some cases even to other national economies,” he added.

PwC gave city leaders ‘a view of where they are now and it hopes to inspire cities within APEC to collaborate and seek advice to solve tenacious problems.’ They also studied the ‘rates of middle-class population growth, gross domestic product growth and the status of mobile broadband access.’

designing, building, and redeveloping competitive cities in APEC through research and action-oriented programs,” MANILA — Coinciding the Ayala Corp. Chairman and CEO Asia-Pacific Economic CoopJaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala eration (APEC) 2015 Summit, said in a statement.

28 cities across APEC memberWith an increasingly mobile economies were studied and and global workforce, cities ranked according to their livhave more opportunity for inability and sustainability meaclusive growth. To achieve this, sured through 39 indicators. a specific asset was deemed Emerging on top of the list important.

Hence, cities were Toronto, Vancouver and should build up their ‘brands’ Singapore as the three overall and encourage collaboration most livable, sustainable and between their private and pubcompetitive among APEC citlic sectors. ies to reside and do business “Brand cannot just be a sloin, according to gan or a logo; it the results of the must be built on ‘Building Better growth and must Cities’ study. ring true for all PricewaterThis dialogue is critical because involved… It is houseCoopers cities of APEC member countries will imperative that (PwC) studied likely form ties to other cities, and in solving metrothe role of ursome cases even to other national politan issues is ban centers in economies. treated as part APEC’s ecoof the national nomic and social agenda, where growth and these national and urcities’ influence outside the re“I commend this report. It is ban governments work togethgion. The study considered how not a report card of cities. It is a er,” Mortiz said. each city fared in terms of de- discussion of cities,” Lord May“When people think of velopment, what differentiated or of Melbourne Robert Doyle where to live, work, invest, and each city, and what hindrances said in a press briefing. visit, they don’t think couneach faced.

“In doing this study with tries, they think cities. Density “Our goal for this study is to PwC, I wanted to be sure we and diversity make cities more spur dialogue among city lead- looked beyond economic clout imaginative, so long as that ers who are tackling challenges and considered livability and density and diversity are wellranging from technological sustainability. I hope this first- managed. That’s why publicdevelopments that make large ever APEC cities study triggers and-public collaboration is investments outdated, to over- sustained action. I hope it helps needed to keep cities competistretched municipal budgets,” build the momentum towards tive,” Ayala said. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

MANILA — As Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Nieto arrive on Tuesday to attend this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting in the Philippines, many Filipinos could not help but get their eyes fixated on these two now dubbed as the ‘APEC hotties.’

Both Trudeau and Nieto started trending in social media since their touch down at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) — even members of the media on standby at the airport tried to get a ‘selfie’ with them from afar.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.

The hashtag #APEChotties trended shortly afterwards on Twitter, with #TeamTrudeau and #TeamNieto pitting the looks and charms of both leaders.

Regarded as the “sexiest leader of the free world,” Trudeau appears to have a larger following of supporters and admirers, especially on social media.

The #APEChottie even reached Buzzfeed’s radars and said “Filipinos lost their chill” when the hotties arrived in Manila, showcasing several memes created by fans supporting their own “APEC Bae.” Despite the horrendous traffic caused by APEC, Filipinos decided to look at the brighter side of the summit: Trudeau and Nieto. ■

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