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DECEMBER 4, 2015

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VOL. 12 NO. 196

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Pemberton found guilty of homicide

82-year-old passenger dies on flight to PH

More trade, employment for Filipinos after APEC

Treat holiday charity like an investment

Mandy Bujold ready to rewrite Olympic story

China tried to ‘physically expel’ PH BY NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer

SRO CROWD The country’s business leaders came in full force, among them Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala (right, in glasses), to hear the views of 2016 presidential contenders Sen. Grace Poe and Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas on pressing issues during a forum on Wednesday night. Graduates of three American business schools were all ears as Poe and Roxas expounded on traffic woes, economic reforms, income tax rates and the country’s territorial dispute with China, among other national concerns. LYN RILLON / PDI

Duterte curses the Pope, Bishop ‘grieves in great shame’ BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president of

the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has released a statement yesterday in response to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s foul state-

Mark Zuckerberg welcomes daughter

CHINA’S BLOCKING of Philippine ships bringing supplies to Filipino soldiers stationed at Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) was a deliberate move to “physically expel” the Philippines and its people from the disputed areas of the South China Sea region being claimed by the Philippines. This was one of the arguments presented by the Philippine legal team before the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration as it wrapped up on Thursday the first round of arguments in the hearing on the merits of the case that the Philippines filed to invalidate China’s claim to nearly the entire South China Sea. The team will return to the tribunal on Nov. 30 for the second round of arguments, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a dispatch from the Hague. In his presentation before the court, professor Bernard Oxman, one of the Philippines’ foreign lawyers, said China has been undertaking actions, even

❱❱ PAGE 26 ❱❱ PAGE 9 Duterte curses

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DECEMBER 4, 2015

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Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Drilon seeks to reinstate ‘Pastillas girl’ gives names, P500M Comelec budget slain ma’s phone to NBI BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — A day after the Senate deducted P500 million from the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) funds for the transmission of election results in 2016, Senate President Franklin Drilon seeks to reinstate the amount in the Comelec’s budget. In Wednesday, Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Senate committee on finance deducted the P500 million additional funds of the Comelec as it already had P557.6 million in the 2016 national budget. Andres Bautista, chairman of Comelec sent a letter to Senate President Franklin Drilon and appealed the decision of the committee on finance. In the letter, Bautista said that the P500 mil-

lion increase in budget would be used to improve the transmission rate of poll results. The transmission rate in the 2010 election was 90 percent and went down to 76.35 in 2013. Bautista noted that budget increase would be needed as the number of clustered precincts and satellite devices for the 2016 polls have increased. “The key is with more satellites, the greater chances of transmission because there are many areas in the country that have no signal. With P558 million, the number of satellite devices is around 4,000. To improve this we need to double this,” Bautista was quoted as saying in a Philippine Star report. Seeing merit to Bautista’s argument, Drilon will reinstate the P500 million Comelec fund increase in his amendment in the national budget. ■

Pemberton found guilty of homicide

BY NANCY C. CARVAJAL Philippine Daily Inquirer “PASTILLAS GIRL” Angelica Yap on Tuesday turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) the cell phone of her mother who was shot dead in Caloocan City on Sunday night. Accompanied by her relatives, Yap asked the NBI for help in identifying and catching the killer of her mother, Maria Theresa Hernandez. She also provided the bureau with the names of possible suspects although she declined to say what their motives could be. In her statement to the NBI’s Death Investigation Division, Yap said that her mother had received death threats on her cell phone before she was shot in the head at close range by a man at an eatery at the corner of Tagaytay and Cabatuan Streets. The 43-year-old Hernandez, a councilor of Barangay 127 in Caloocan City, had just come from church and was

waiting for her order when she was shot at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday. She died at 12:41 a.m. the next day. According to Yap, her mother had been worried about the death threats although she tried to hide it. Earlier, a relative of the victim asked the Caloocan police to investigate her two former boyfriends, saying Hernandez had not been on good terms with both men since she broke up with them. The relative, identified only as “John,” said one of the victim’s ex-partners had even told her: “If you cannot be mine, no one else will have you.” A text message sent to Hernandez also warned her that she would be dead before Christmas. John added that one of the former boyfriend’s current partners had sent threatening messages to Hernandez out of jealousy. The police have tagged the victim’s current boyfriend as a person of interest although they withheld his name pending the results of their investigation. ■

BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer

Olongapo trial court’s judgment of conviction in the case of US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, he will be transported, under the guard of LANCE CORPORAL Joseph Scott Pem- personnel of the Philippine National berton has been found guilty of homi- Police (PNP), to Camp Aguinaldo in cide by the Olongapo City Regional Trial Quezon City. He shall be received by Court for the death of Filipino transgen- personnel of the Bureau of Correcder woman Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude. tions (BUCOR) and immediately dePemberton was tained there until indicted of murder his appeal is decided charge but the court with finality by our said on Tuesday courts,” the official that the prosecution statement of the Defailed to establish partment of Justice presence of aggravat(DOJ) in the Peming circumstances of berton case read. treachery and abuse I am not The DOJ recogof superior strength, contented with nized the possibility Inquirer.net report6-12 years. of Pemberton being ed. What’s important transferred to anPemberton was is he will be other detention facilsentenced of six imprisoned. ity under the Visiting years to twelve years Forces Agreement imprisonment. signed by the United In an interview States of America with CNN Philipand the Philippines. pines, Laude’s moth“In any case, his er, Marilou, said that detention shall be at verdict of the court is all times be carried not enough. out within Philippine “Hindi ako kuntento sa 6-12 taon. Ang territory, under guard by and in line importante, makukulong siya (I am not with existing regulations of the BUCOR, contented with 6-12 years. What’s im- in observance of the Supreme Court’s portant is he will be imprisoned),” Mrs. ruling in Nicolas v. Romulo (G.R. No. Laude said. 175888, 11 February 2009, En Banc).,” “Following promulgation of the read the statement. ■

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Philippine News

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

PH seeks to sign migration agreement with France BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer THE PHILIPPINES is seeking to sign a bilateral agreement with France that aims to legalize the stay of undocumented Filipinos in the European country. “Maganda naman ang kalagayan ng ating mga kababayan dito. And we’ve been monitoring them and hopefully magkaroon tayo ng certain agreement in the coming year, probably next year in terms of migration and this is something na pinag-uusapan pa (Our countrymen here (France) are doing fine. And we’ve been monitoring them and, hopefully, we could have an agreement next year on terms of migration; something that is being discussed),” Philippine Ambassador to France Ma. Theresa Lazaro was quoted as saying in a Manila Bulletin report. Lazaro admitted that some of the Filipinos in France have immigrated to the country illegally while most are in the process of legalizing their status. More than 20,000 Filipinos are living

in France. Half of their population live in the Paris, the capital of France while the rest are located in the southern part of the country. Despite the illegal status of some Filipinos in France, they hold stable jobs and are treated well by the French, Lazaro said. Aside from the migration agreement the Philippines is hoping to sign with France, the former also seeks to enhance trade and tourism ties with the European country. The two countries have recently signed an agreement to increase direct flights from Manila to Paris. However, the agreement could not be implemented due to low number of passengers. “With the direct flights, we can improve our tourism number since at this point the French people are looking at the Philippines in terms of diving spots and of course our beaches are excellent beaches,” Lazaro said in the same report. The Philippines is hoping for the full implementation of the tourism agreement. ■

Marcos: I only sought Duterte’s endorsement BY NIÑA P. CALLEJA Philippine Daily Inquirer HE ONLY sought the endorsement of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte when he thought the official was not running for President, Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Friday, in reaction to Duterte’s earlier pronouncement that he had turned down Marcos’ offer to be his running mate. “I HAD asked for (Duterte’s) endorsement when we thought he wasn’t running for President,” Marcos said in a text message. On Thursday, Duterte told the INQUIRER in a telephone interview that he had turned down Marcos’ overtures to be his running mate because he had already committed the post to Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano. For months, Duterte disavowed any interest in the presidency and had in fact filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for Davao City mayor. Early this week, however, the mayor expressed intentions to seek the top post, citing the Senate Electoral Tribunal’s “unconstitutional” decision to junk the disqualification suit against presidential aspirant Sen. Grace Poe. He filed his COC for the presidency through his lawyer on Friday. www.canadianinquirer.net

Loose coalition

Marcos had been named running mate by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago last month before she filed her presidential bid at the Commission on Elections. But Marcos on Thursday said he was in a loose coalition with Santiago and may still forge a political partnership with Duterte. After his text message on the Duterte issue, Marcos no longer replied to further questions and could no longer be reached by phone on Friday afternoon. Santiago and her camp similarly refused to comment on Marcos’ talks of possible realignment with Duterte. Duterte corrected the INQUIRER’s use of the term “rebuffed” in its story about Marcos seeking the mayor’s endorsement. “Rebuff is a harsh term,” Duterte said. “I don’t mean to rebuff friends,” he added, explaining that he did not see a clear sign from Marcos about wanting to become his running mate. He also thought the senator had already committed to become Santiago’s running mate, the Davao official said. “It was not a rebuff,” he repeated. “I was part of the fault, in the sense that I was vacillating in the past and there was lack of communication,” Duterte said. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

QC court acquits ‘Red-tagged’ man jailed since 2004 BY ERIKA SAULER Philippine Daily Inquirer A QUEZON City court acquitted peasant leader Eduardo Serrano of murder charges on Thursday, a month after another judge said that the military had illegally detained him for more than 11 years. Serrano, a peace process consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), has been in jail since 2004 after the military arrested him and accused him of being a communist rebel who used the name Rogelio Villanueva. On Thursday, Judge Editha Mina-Aguba of Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QC-RTC) Branch 100 ruled there was not enough evidence to convict Serrano for the July 4, 2000, ambush in Oriental Mindoro province that killed eight policemen and wounded several others. “It was not established beyond

an iota of doubt that the accused (in whatever name he is known) was there at the place of the incident and one of those combatants or leaders,” Aguba said in her decision. Last month, Judge Marilou Runes-Tamang of QC-RTC Branch 98, who was hearing another case of multiple murder against Serrano, issued a ruling saying he was not Villanueva and had the case archived. Two more cases are still pending in the Quezon City courts against Serrano, both identifying him as Villanueva. “We appeal to QC-RTC Branches 215 and 97 to immediately resolve these cases to bring home Serrano for Christmas,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said. Palabay said Serrano’s acquittal puts into question the other “trumped-up” charges that the military had filed against political prisoners, specially NDFP consultants. ■

National budget, gov’t salary hike approval seen before Christmas BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr. sought for the passage of the proposed 2016 national budget and the P226-billion Salary Standardization Law of 2015 (SSL) before the Congress adjourns for the Christmas break. Belmonte wanted both measures to be approved on or before December 16, noting that 1.53 million state workers will benefit from the wage hike and even more Filipinos will be able to avail services provided by the government once the national budget was approved. “We already passed it on second reading. It is already funded by the 2016 budget. We can approve it on third reading before or same day as the budget,” the House Chief said in an interview. Belmonte then appealed for the lawmakers’ attendance in the plenary session. He earlier

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vowed to pass the SSL on final reading when the Congress resumed session after the Philippines’ hosting of this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. The House Independent Bloc also committed towards the immediate approval of the budget and the pro-workers’ bill as they sought ‘to extend malasakit (compassion) to our state workers.’

“They really need economic relief to decently support their basic needs,” Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez said in a Manila Bulletin report. “We should further examine the measure by pushing higher increase than the proposal offers for low-level and middle-level employees like teachers and nurses because they need better pay the most,” he added. ■

Philippine News

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

Makati ‘debris’ incident probed; Aussie victim required surgery BY KRISTINE FELISSE MANGUNAY Philippine Daily Inquirer THE MAKATI City government has opened an investigation into Friday’s incident in the central business district where a pedestrian was injured and a vehicle was damaged by falling debris from a hotel that was being demolished. SPO2 Rico Caramat, the case investigator from the Makati police, said the city building official would also be conducting a parallel investigation into the technical aspects of the incident that sent an Australian national, Suzanne Mellor, to the hospital. Caramat on Saturday said Mellor was hit in the head and

right ankle when a concrete slab from the building that used to be Mandarin Oriental fell as she was walking along Paseo de Roxas around 1 p.m. In a statement on Saturday, City Hall said that based on a bulletin released by Makati Medical Center, Mellor was due for surgery on her right leg. Debris also fell on a Toyota Fortuner then being driven by Deborah Escover. The city government said she also had to be admitted to a hospital as the incident left her in “a state of shock.” “We regret that this accident happened. We have already dispatched our building official and safety engineers to dig into the root cause of the incident, so that precautionary measures can be made for other con-

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demned buildings in the city,” acting Mayor Romulo Peña Jr. said. Peña, who also ordered the demolition work stopped for

the duration of the probe, said the city government would “accede to the findings of city engineers and building official.” The statement was silent on

whether sanctions await liable parties. According to Caramat, Mellor could file charges for reckless imprudence resulting in injuries while the vehicle owner can sue for damage to property. No complaint has been filed as of press time on Saturday, he said. “Whoever is responsible for safety during the demolition” may be charged, he added. “Most probably the project manager or the engineer in charge, the one directly handling safety [measures] in JLC Construction, the contractor.” According to Peña, the city government would be monitoring the condition of the victims and give them “full assistance” through the Makati Social Welfare Department. ■

82-year-old passenger dies on flight to PH from Canada BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — An 82-year-old passenger died while on flight from Vancouver, Canada to Manila, according to a report from the Manila International Airport Authority. Macario Gonzales, who was aboard a Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight, suffered back pain hours before the aircraft’s scheduled arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

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(NAIA). In an attempt to lessen the pain, a stewardess offered a hot compress which the elderly passenger placed against his back. After a few hours, however, he had fallen unconscious and was later on pronounced dead due to cardio-pulmonary arrest. Upon the PAL plane’s touchdown, Gonzales’ death was called in and his body was brought to the airport clinic while the family made funeral arrangements. ■

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Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Envoy says calamities can erase PH gains

AFP: 8 killed in clash have no link to IS

BY NIKKO DIZON Philippine Daily Inquirer

BY JULIE M. AURELIO Philippine Daily Inquirer

ing the 10-day climate change summit. Governments are expected to hammer out an agreement on carbon emissions that would keep global temperature from rising to 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.

PARIS — The Philippines is vulnerable to climate change and whatever economic gains it has achieved could “easily be wiped out” by natural calamities and Catastrophic impact put the nation in a “never-ending cycle Scientists have warned that if the of rebuilding,” the country’s ambassa- earth’s temperature continues to rise dor to France said. at this level by the end of the century, it This is the reason the presence of would have a catastrophic impact on the President Aquino at the 21st Conference planet. of Parties (COP21) is important to the Assistant Secretary Joyceline Goco of UN Framework Conthe Climate Change vention on Climate Commission said Change, Ambasthat in any climate sador Ma. Theresa change initiative, fiLazaro told Radio-TV nance is important Malacañang. “because that will be “This is a multithe enabler.” lateral negotiations The Philippines “Even if there will where countries has committed be agreements on the must know how they to reduce different issues like will really be sufferits carbon adaptation, mitigaing if they do not stop emissions by tion, what is needed the usual environ70 percent by is financing.” Goco mental degradation,” 2030, which is said. Lazaro said in the then projected Poor countries interview released in to reach 219 want the more deParis on Saturday. million tons, veloped nations to Today, Mr. Aquino showing help them invest joins 150 leaders, a steady in the technology including US Presiincrease. that would cut their dent Barack Obama, greenhouse gas emisChinese President sions, among other Xi Jinping, German things. Chancellor Angela While the rich Merkel and British countries—the bigPrime Minister Dager sources of carbon vid Cameron, in the COP21 Leaders’ emissions—made a $30-billion pledge Event. He will also take part in the high- in the Copenhagen conference six years level meeting of the Climate Vulnerable ago for financial assistance, the poor Forum, comprised of most climate vul- countries want an assurance in any Parnerable countries. The Philippines is is agreement that this promise will be this year’s chair of the forum. kept. To redeem failure

With their three-minute speeches, the leaders are expected to redeem the failure of the 2009 Copenhagen convention, in which governments failed to reach a legally binding agreement despite commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The leaders gather in Paris amid threats from Islamic extremists that killed 129 people in the French capital only two weeks ago. Security is tight in Paris, with a lockdown in several parts of the city that began yesterday. Mr. Aquino will join the opening ceremony of the COP21 Leaders’ Event at the convention center today. The leaders will start to deliver their statements at noon (7 p.m. in Manila) that will be viewed as guidelines to their delegations for the hard negotiations expected dur-

DESPITE THE recovery of Islamic State (IS) flags from 8 gunmen killed in a clash in Sultan Kudarat on Thursday, the military said there was no verified presence or link of the extremist group in the country. The Armed Forces of the Philippines maintained that the Ansar Khalifah Philippines (AKP) which had IS flags in its possession was simply claiming links to the international terrorist group. Col. Restituto Padilla, AFP spokesperson, said there was no basis to the claims of the AKP—a group notorious for its extortion activities in Sultan Kudarat— that it was a sympathizer or part of the IS. “There is no reason for the public to fear because there is still no known verified links and presence of IS in the country,” Padilla said in a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo on Friday.

Help needed

The Philippines has committed to reduce its carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030, which is then projected to reach 219 million tons, showing a steady increase. To achieve this target, the Philippines acknowledged that it needs the help of the global community, especially “sufficient financial resources, technology development and transfer, and capacity building.” The Philippines became the poster boy of the impact of climate change after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan), the strongest typhoon to hit land with winds of 315 kilometers per hour, left more than 6,000 people dead and obliterated towns two years ago. More than 1,000 people remain missing. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Padilla issued the statement a day after government troops under the Western Mindanao Command’s Joint Task Force Central killed eight suspected members of the AKP on Thursday in Palembang town, Sultan Kudarat. While there were no casualties on the government side, the rest of the 40 suspects escaped after the firefight. Aside from several firearms, explosive materials, radios and documents, five IS flags were recovered after the encounter from the supposedly IS sympathizers or supporters. Padilla explained that it was possible that the AKP was merely pretending to be part of the IS but the military through its intelligence network saw no basis for this. “It is possible that they are seeking attention by wanting to be linked to such a big group,” he said. “The AKP claims affiliation with the IS and other extremist groups, but have no known verified and confirmed links to the said groups,” Padilla added. ■

Philippine News

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

DQ case raised as Duterte files COC in Comelec 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. Copies are distributed free throughout Metro Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Toronto. The views and opinions expressed in the articles (including opinions expressed in ads herein) are those of the authors named, and are not necessarily those of Philippine Canadian Inquirer Editorial Team. PCI reserves the right to reject any advertising which it considers to contain false or misleading information or involves unfair or unethical practices. The advertiser agrees the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of error in any advertisement.

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BY JOCELYN R. UY Philippine Daily Inquirer FINALLY, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, called “The Punisher” by Time magazine, has joined next year’s race for Malacañang. After months of wavering, Duterte, through his lawyer Salvador Medialdea, filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for President in the Commission on Elections main office in Manila yesterday. Before the day was over, however, the first objection to Duterte’s run came, with a certain Ruben Castor asking the Comelec “not to give due course” to the Davao mayor’s COC as he was running as a substitute for a candidate who had withdrawn from the race and whose COC had an erroneous entry. But Duterte’s filing a COC did not mean that he was already a candidate. According to Election Commissioner Christian Robert Lim, Duterte’s COC needs to go through deliberation by the Rodrigo Duterte. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS full commission. “Receiving his COC was a ministerial spoke on condition of anonymity. Dec. 10 but because Sara agreed to run function of the Comelec, but this has to Duterte announced his presidential as his substitute in the mayoral race, be elevated by the law department to bid on Nov. 21, giving as reason what he he decided to file his COC for President the [full commission], which will decide called the erroneous decision of the Sen- yesterday. what to do,” Lim told reporters. ate Electoral Tribunal (SET) to throw He confirmed that he authorized MeMedialdea filed Duterte’s COC in out a petition for the ouster of Sen. dialdea to file his candidacy documents the Comelec’s law department at noon, Grace Poe on grounds of her question- for him. nearly a month after the original presi- able citizenship. “I just want a day in my life when I can dential candidate of the Partido DeThe 70-year-old Davao mayor said he face the Filipino people and speak my mokratikong Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan would file his COC after talking to the truth,” Duterte said. (PDP-Laban), Martin Diño, withdrew PDP-Laban, whose leaders had been from the race after being ordered by the pushing him to run for President. Exhibit ‘A’: Davao Comelec to explain why he should not be “For my credentials for the presidendeclared a nuisance candidate. Ahead of deadline cy, Davao is Exhibit ‘A,’” he added. Diño, a former barangay captain in On Thursday, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel “If there comes a time when I arrive Quezon City, named Duterte his substi- III, the PDP-Laban president, indicated in Pasig, I won’t promise heaven. But evtute. the party’s approval, saying he wanted eryone will have the freedom to walk the Lim said the Comelec needed to de- Duterte to file his COC ahead of the Dec. streets safely at night. Either I deliver termine whether the requirements for 10 deadline for substitution. that or I resign,” he said, renewing his candidate substituwarning to drug lords tion had been met. and other criminals In his petition, to go somewhere else Castor, a client of or they risked getting lawyer Oliver LozaI just want a day in my life when I can face the killed. no, said Dino’s COC Filipino people and speak my truth. On Thursday night, showed that he was Duterte dealt with running for mayor fears that he might be of Pasay City, which disqualified from the made the document presidential race on "void, legally inexistent and without leAttached to Duterte’s COC filed yes- faulty substitution. gal effect." terday were the certificate of nomina“I don’t have any problem with that The PDP-Laban earlier explained tion and acceptance, a statement of his if it is the decision of the Comelec,” he that the entry was a "clerical error" that platform of government and a letter said. could be rectified. authorizing Medialdea to file the docu“If the Comelec decides to disqualify Castor also said that because Diño ments on his behalf. me, so be it. I won’t die if I don’t become had already withdrawn from the race, The certificate of nomination was President,” he added. Duterte was substituting for no one. signed by Salvador Ty, vice president of A source from the camp of Sen. Alan PDP-Laban, on Nov. 23. Polling well Peter Cayetano, Duterte’s running mate, In Davao City, Duterte went to the Duterte has been polling well even said Duterte’s COC was filed earlier than local Comelec office and withdrew his during his days of dithering about runthe Dec. 10 deadline in anticipation of COC for reelection as mayor. His daugh- ning. In the latest national surveys by legal questions. ter, Sara, filed a COC as his substitute. the pollsters Social Weather Stations “It’s a way to flesh out and address Duterte told reporters that he had legal problems,” said the source who planned to file his COC for President on ❱❱ PAGE 14 DQ case www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Mar nixes income tax cuts: Not now, in political heat BY DJ YAP Philippine Daily Inquirer TAKING A page from President Aquino’s playbook, Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas thumbed down mounting calls to cut or re-bracket income tax rates, saying such a move must be studied first and done responsibly. “Obviously all tax measures should be subject to review. I just don’t think it is wise to review tax measures in the heat of the political atmosphere of an election,” Roxas said before a panel of editors and reporters at the fourth edition of the Meet the INQUIRER Multimedia Forum on Wednesday. “If this degenerates to just pa-pogian (a bid to look good), then let’s not tax anyone anymore. It will become a dive to the bottom. Somebody will say 20-percent tax; the next one will say 10-percent tax, or 5 percent, or just zero,” he said. The presidential contender’s comments sounded so similar to Mr. Aquino’s recent remarks on the subject that it prompted INQUIRER editor in chief Let-

ty Jimenez-Magsanoc to say, “That seems to be the same line as President Aquino’s.” Without missing a beat, Roxas replied: “Then we think alike.” Unlike other presidential wannabes now pushing for income tax cuts, Roxas said he had actually walked his talk, having authored and passed a law that exempts minimum wage earners from income tax. Track record

“I am the only candidate with a track record (of one) who had actually done something to lower taxes,” he said, referring to Republic Act No. 9504, which exempted those earning minimum wage from paying income tax. “All those wannabes, they wanna do this, they wanna do that. What have they done? They had three years to act on this,” Roxas said. The normally stern-looking candidate looked comfortable and sounded at ease fielding questions on a wide variety of topics that ranged from the pending income tax measures in Congress to whether he en-

joyed the support of President Aquino’s sisters. The questions rarely put Roxas off his stride, although some of them silenced him for a moment, among them a query from a netizen who wondered what he thought of some voters unwilling to vote for him out of sheer dislike for his wife, broadcaster Korina Sanchez-Roxas. “I’m saddened to hear that,” Roxas said. “Korina is my wife and I love her very much.” Roxas was the first presidential candidate to participate in the monthly INQUIRER forum. In welcoming him, INQUIRER chair Marixi R. Prieto jokingly thanked him for being “brave.” In response, Roxas said he was grateful to the panel for asking “thoughtful questions” that were “hard but fair.” In traffic every day

Responding to questions on Metro Manila traffic, Roxas said he knew exactly how the public felt. “There’s no insulating myself from traffic, I am in traffic every day. I am with everyone. I know the frustration and anger as they see their hours wasting

Duterte curses... ment against the Pope. Duterte, during his proclamation as PDP-Laban’s presidential bet yesterday, cursed at the Pope when he recalled being stuck in heavy traffic during the Pope’s visit to the Philippines. “Gusto kong tawagan, ‘Pope p******, umuwi ka na,” he exclaimed. Archbishop Villegas called on Duterte’s ‘corruption’. “Vulgarity is corruption. When we find vulgarity funny, we have really become beastly and barbaric as a people. When a revered and loved and admired man like Pope Francis is cursed by a political candidate and the audience laugh, I can only bow my head and grieve in great shame. My countrymen has gone to the dregs,” Villegas said. The Archbishop said that the country needs a leader

Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas.

away,” he said. “This morning, I had a 7 a.m. appointment in Makati. I left our house in Cubao at 6 a.m. and traffic was already heavy. So I know that. Yes, traffic exists, but there are solutions along the way,” he added. Some of those solutions, he said, are the ongoing construction of the North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway connector, and his proposal to revisit and amend the law on bus franchises, to allow only one entity to hold the franchise to major routes like the Edsa highway belt. But he admitted that changing the road situation would not be so simple. “All these bus companies have franchises. I will have to go to Congress to ask for a revision of the fran-

MAR.ROXAS.OFFICIAL / FACEBOOK

chise law, so we can rebid out to one entity the franchise of buses on Edsa,” he said. He was actually among the first public officials to take the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) when he was still trade secretary, Roxas said, adding that it was “not a gimmick.” It just so happened that he lived in Cubao, and the MRT was the most convenient way to get to the Department of Trade and Industry in Makati City. Exciting guy

Asked if he would pardon anyone who might be convicted in the billion-peso pork barrel scam allegedly masterminded by businesswoman Janet LimNapoles, Roxas said: “Pardon ❱❱ PAGE 10 Mar nixes

Former MRT3 manager, 5 others charged of graft

❰❰ 1

BY KATHERINE PADILLA Philippine Canadian Inquirer

Archbishop Socrates Villegas.

who leads by example. He also stressed that corruption is the “great scourge of Philippine politics.” “The usual face of corruption that we recognize easily is stealing from public funds. Corruption, like a monster, is a devil with many faces,” he said. “Killing people is corruption. Killing is a crime and a sin whether it is done by criminals or public officials no matter what the intention. Adultery is

OYAYI / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

corruption. It makes married love cheap and uses people for pleasure. Adultery corrupts the family; it destroys children and victimizes the weak. Vulgarity is corruption,” the Archbishop added. “Is this the leadership by example that Mayor Duterte excites in us? Is this the leadership by example that makes a public official deserving of the title ‘Honorable’?” Villegas asked. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

MANILA — Former Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) manager Al Vitangcol and five others have been indicted of graft by the Ombudsman over an anomalous MRT-3 maintenance contract in 2012. Vitangcol, along with Marlo dela Cruz, Manolo Maralit, Federico Remo, Arturo Soriano and Wilson de Vera, officials of the Philippine Rail Management and Services Corporation (PH Trams) were found to have violated Section 3 of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Inquirer.net reported. Vitangcol acted with “evident bad faith, manifest partiality, or

gross inexcusable negligence”, read the complaint filed before the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman said that the PH Trams should not have been awarded of the maintenance contract as Soriano is the uncle of Vitangcol’s wife. “In fact, as all the accused knew, accused Soriano, one of the PH Trams’ incorporators, is an uncle-in-law, a relative by affinity within the third civil degree of accused Vitangcol,” the complaint read. According to the Ombudsman, Vitangcol deliberately concealed his affinity with Soriano so PH Trams could be awarded of the $1 million-amonth maintenance contract. Vitangcol was relieved of his position as general manager of the MRT in May 2014. ■

Philippine News

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

Philippines acquires 1st supersonic fighter jets in a decade amid sea feud with China BY BULLIT MARQUEZ The Associated Press CLARK AIR BASE, PHILIPPINES — The Philippines on Saturday took delivery of two Korean-made fighter jets — the country’s first supersonic combat aircraft in a decade — as it strengthens its underfunded military amid an escalating territorial feud with China. The FA-50 jets touched down at Clark Freeport, a former U.S. Air Force base north of Manila, as Philippine defence officials applauded and fire trucks sprayed water as a traditional welcome salute for the still-unarmed aircraft. The Philippines bought 12 FA-50s, which are primarily trainer jets that the military converted to also serve as multi-role combat aircraft, from Korea Aerospace Industries at a cost of 18.9 billion pesos ($402 million). The other jets will be delivered in batches through 2017.

Weapons for the FA-50s, including bombs and rockets, will be purchased later. “We’re glad we’re finally back to the supersonic age,” Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said. The Philippine military decommissioned its last fleet of supersonic combat aircraft, the F-5, in 2005. A military modernization program that included plans for the purchase of at least a squadron of fighter jets and naval frigates didn’t happen for several years largely because of a lack of funds. Over the years, the military has deteriorated to become one of Asia’s weakest. Under current President Benigno Aquino III, however, territorial spats with China over islands in the South China Sea have escalated and resulted in the Chinese seizure of a disputed shoal in 2012, prompting the military to scramble to acquire new navy ships and air force planes with the help of the United States, the Philippines’ longtime defence treaty ally.

Ground crew members enjoy a souvenir photo opportunity beside one of the two FA-50PH fighter jets JOEY O. RAZON / PNA

Last week, Aquino authorized Gazmin to enter into major contracts to acquire 44 billion pesos ($936 million) worth of military hardware, including two frigates, anti-submarine helicopters and amphibious assault vehicles for the navy, and long-range patrol aircraft, munitions for the FA-50s and surveillance radar for the air force, Defence Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said.

For bullet carriers’ cases, PNP puts ballistics test teams right at NAIA BY KRISTINE FELISSE MANGUNAY Philippine Daily Inquirer THE PHILIPPINE National Police has assigned ballistics experts at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) to speed up the investigation of people caught carrying bullets in their luggage, an issue that recently drew national attention in the wake of the “tanimbala” (bullet-planting) controversy. Senior Supt. Alfonso Samala, head of the PNP Aviation Security Group (Avsegroup) for the National Capital Region, said teams from Camp Crame—each composed of a noncommissioned officer who conducts the test and a superior who certifies the ballistics process—had been stationed at the Avsegroup headquarters in Naia Terminal 1 since Monday.

The teams are tasked with determining if a bullet seized from a passenger may still be considered usable or “demilitarized” (can no longer be fired). The results will form part of the report submitted to the prosecutor’s office where the apprehended passenger faces a complaint for illegal possession of ammunition. “It usually takes one to two days before you get the results because [the officers] still have go to the Crime Lab extension office on Mayapis Street, Makati City, for the test. And that takes time because of the traffic,” Samala said. With the ballistics tests now conducted at Naia, the results can be out within two hours and the investigation can go much faster, he said. The PNP’s move was the latest measure taken by authorities to address recurring cases of airline passengers found

carrying bullets — some of whom have made news for the past few weeks after complaining that the rounds were just “planted” in their bags at the airport as part of an extortion scheme. Still, there were other passengers who admitted carrying bullets as souvenirs or “talismans” to ward off bad luck as they travel. In the wake of the tanimbala controversy, the Public Attorneys Office had come to the defense of such passengers, most of whom were eventually cleared in the city prosecutor’s office after it was established that they harbored no criminal intent. Last week, Naia officials even installed so-called “last-look booths” where passengers can check their bags and rid them of prohibited items—including bullets—before undergoing security checks. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

The new ships, aircraft and military equipment were expected to be purchased from this year up to 2018, according to Manalo. Lt. Col. Rolando Condrad Pena III, one of three Filipino air force pilots who received training in Korea to fly the FA50s, said that the jets could carry enough munitions payload and could be used in air-to-air and air-to-ground combat.

“Now that we have a supersonic aircraft our reaction time will be faster,” Pena told reporters. Still, the Philippines has ruled out a military solution to the territorial conflicts with its limited defence capabilities. In January 2013, the Philippines brought its disputes with China to international arbitration, but Beijing refused to participate and pressed for one-onone negotiations. An international tribunal in The Hague, however, dismissed China’s legal arguments last month and ruled that it has authority to hear the Philippines’ case. It said it expects to hand down a decision next year on several issues raised by the Philippines, including the validity of China’s sweeping territorial claims under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. ■ Associated Press writer Jim Gomez in Manila contributed to this report.

Mar nixes... must come with conviction. You can only pardon somebody after conviction. There can’t be pardon if there’s no apportionment of blame—not blame, but culpability,” he said. Asked whether the Aquino sisters, Ballsy, Viel, Pinky and Kris support him, Roxas said he believed he had their support. “The short answer is yes. But I think we must put this in context. The President’s sisters have always been private people. They left their cocoon because [the President] is their brother. I am not their brother or relative,” he said. Asked about what he could do to change his “boring and sarcastic” demeanor, Roxas was nonplussed. “I don’t know. I didn’t think I was sarcastic. I thought I was a pretty exciting guy,” he deadpanned. Turning serious, he said: “This is who I am. What you see is me. I don’t hide anything. What you see before you is 20 years of clean service. I know ❰❰ 9

that at every opportunity, I have placed the interest of everyone above my own.” He was still the same “Mr. Palengke,” a moniker he popularized as trade secretary making the rounds in public markets. “(But) it’s not just about smiling all the time. I take your problems seriously. These are serious problems and they require serious solutions, because 100 million lives are at stake here,” he said. Moral force

Roxas said he saw the President as the “moral force” behind his candidacy. “He has passed on the baton to the future. He is a point of inspiration for the people,” the presidential candidate said. Similarly, he urged the public: “Look at us (candidates) straight, and weigh us. I am not afraid to be weighed.” Added the Wharton economic graduate: “Just like buying stuff from the market, check your candidates and (see) if there’s value for your money.” ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Baldoz sees more trade, more employment for Filipinos after APEC DOLE PRESS RELEASE VIBRANT TRADE relations, initially among nine Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies, but expanding eventually to all its members, are expected to create employment opportunities for more Filipinos following the successful 2015 APEC Leaders’ Meeting which the Philippines hosted last week. Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda DimapilisBaldoz made this confident observation yesterday in the wake of several bilateral meetings of President Benigno S. Aquino III as the Philippines’ leaderhost of the APEC. “The bilateral meetings of the Philippines with Australia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Papua New Guinea, Russia, and the United States of America, resulted to identification of potential investment areas and employment opportunities, as well as continued stronger trade relations, as well as export opportunities for Philippine products and services with these APEC membereconomies,” Secretary Baldoz said in a news release. Staring off with Australia, Baldoz said potential Australian investments will be in processed food and agribusiness, IT-BPM, engineering services, infrastructure and other private-public partnership projects, auto parts exports, and manufacturing. “We see the Philippines exhibiting healthy export trade relations with Australia for its paper and paperboard products, semi-manufactured forms of gold, lead acid for starting piston engines, heat exchange units, and static converters (e.g., rectifiers),” she said, not-

ing that the Philippines has the possibility of expanding inked a Memorandum of Un- the PJEPA government-toderstanding with Australia cov- government framework for the ering exchange of information deployment of other Filipino on Technical Vocational Educa- professionals to Japan. tion and Training systems, joint With Korea, the established implementation of collabora- trade agreement covers intive projects, and facilitation vestment opportunities for of links between governments, shipbuilding, automotive manindustry organizations, and ufacturing, electronics manuTVET bodies. facturing (printers, integrated With Japan, the labor and circuits, LED modules), agriemployment chief said the bi- business (food production and lateral meeting of President processing), renewable energy, Aquino III with Prime Minis- banking and finance, tourism ter Shinzo Abe could pave the (hotel, retirement village, inway for more Japanese invest- frastructure and PPP, including ments in the country’s copper the other labor-intensive inmining industry and manufac- dustries migrating out of China, turing sector, specifically for such as shoes, jewelry, and garauto parts, printer, and printing ments. parts, and medical devices, as On the other hand, Philippine well as investments in the ser- exports to Korea are crude pe- President Benigno Aquino III led the opening ceremonies of APEC 2015. vices sector, particularly on IT- troleum oils and oils obtained MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU BPM and gaming development. from bituminous minerals, digFor its part, the Philippines’ ital monolithic integrated cir- ports ignition wiring sets and vate partnership projects, auto export products to Japan of cuits, copper ores and concen- other wiring devices for ve- parts exports/ and manufacturphotosensitive semiconductor trates, bananas, and tobacco. hicles, aircraft, or ships; digital ing. The identified Philippine devices, including photovolThe Philippines had also es- monolithic integrated circuits, exports to New Zealand are bataic cells, ignition wiring sets, tablished trade agreements and other parts and accessories nana, salmon, sacks and bags, and other wiring devices used with Mexico in the areas of in- of motor vehicles, such as unas- other instruments and appain vehicles, aircraft, ships, and frastructure and energy, manu- sembled fuel tanks and engine ratus for telecommunications, other vessels for the transport facturing of electronics, food/ brackets; and printed circuits and lead acid for starting piston of goods and persons could agribusiness, pharmaceutical and gear boxes to Mexico. engines. increase. InIn tourism, Another South American creased exports the Philippines country with which the Philipof copper ores signed with pines could develop increased and concenMexico a Memo- trade is Peru, which has identitrates, wood What we’re witnessing now is the randum of Un- fied investment opportunities joinery, and cargenuine, real distortion of the derstanding on in the country’s infrastrucpentry could also electoral process. Tourism Coop- ture, energy, manufacturing of grow. eration seeking electronics, food/agribusiness, Moreover, the to develop tour- pharmaceutical and medicine, PH-Japan Ecoism sector activi- aerospace, fabricated metal nomic Partnership Agreement and medicine, aerospace, fabri- ties, particularly in the areas products, and consumer prod(JPEPA) is expected to improve cated metal products, and con- of research and development, ucts. Presently, Philippine exmarket access for Philippines sumer products, paving the way education and training, promo- ports to Peru are computer meat, bananas, pineapples, for more Mexican businesses tion, and tourism investments. accessories, clothing, milling tuna, and raw cane sugar to to operate in the Philippines New Zealand’s potential in- equipment, carrageenan, seathe Japanese market, and rein addition to those who are al- vestments which could create weeds and other algae prodlax entry requirements and ready insupport maintenance more employment opportuni- ucts, and electrical apparatus improvements in the training and sourcing services, building ties are in processed food and and parts for line telephony or and working conditions of Fili- materials, interactive museum agribusiness, IT-BPM services, line telegraphy. pino health workers in Japan. and learning centers. engineering services, infraThe agreement also explores At present, the country ex- structure and other public-pri❱❱ PAGE 13 Baldoz sees

www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

DOJ starts probe of Mamasapano clash BY JEROME ANING Philippine Daily Inquirer THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DOJ) yesterday began its preliminary investigation of the encounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, last January, with at least four of the 90 respondents denying involvement in the clash that killed 44 police commandos. The 90 respondents, which government investigators said were members of the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), face complex charges of direct assault with murder and theft of government property. The suspects were tagged by a state witness, known only by the code name “Marathon,” as among those who killed 35 of the 44 members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (SAF) in Barangay Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, last Jan. 25. In yesterday’s hearing, the lawyers of four of the respondents denied that their clients were members of the MILF and involved in the killing of the police commandos. Lawyer Ronald Hallid Torres said his client, Lakman Dawaling, was not a field commander of the MILF tagged in the killings. “As a matter of fact, he (Dawaling) was one of those who helped the PNP to rescue or to get the [other SAF members involved in the operation]

and to assist in the clearing operations,” Torres told reporters after the hearing. The clash occurred as SAF operatives entered MILF territory without advance notice in order to capture suspected terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan.” A ceasefire agreement between the government and the MILF requires advance notice of troop movements in rebelheld territory in Mindanao. Eighteen MILF fighters were also killed in the encounter. Another lawyer, Carlos Valdez, representing Pendatun Utek Makakua, also appeared in the hearing to deny his client’s involvement in the killings. Makakua, he said, was not a member of the MILF, what more a field commander of the secessionist group… he is a poor guy, a farmer,” Carlos said. Torres also submitted a certification from the Department of Interior and Local Government stating that another client, Mustapha Inggo Tatak was the duly elected chair of Barangay Sapakan in Mamasapano. The lawyer said he also has another client, a former teacher, who was surprised to see his name included among the respondents in the case. DOJ state prosecutor Alexander Suarez said the next hearing will be on Dec. 17 and that all respondents who have been located would be informed about it so that they can show up and submit their counter-affidavits. ■

DECEMBER 4, 2015

China tried... while the arbitration is pending, that “aggravated and extended the dispute.” Oxman cited in particular the March 29, 2014, incident where Chinese ships blocked a Filipino resupply mission from entering Ayungin Shoal. “Oxman stressed that China’s denial of access forms part of ‘a deliberate policy to physically expel the Philippines and its nationals’ from the disputed features and its surrounding waters,” Valte said. ❰❰ 1

SEN. GRACE POE OFFICIAL PAGE / FACEBOOK

Part of Johnson Reef locally called Mabini Reef at the Spratly Islands. PHILIPPINE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS / SCMP.COM

Significant mission

The March 29 incident was a rare closeup look at the increasing tensions between the Philippines and China over overlapping claims in the Spratlys chain of islands and other features in the South China Sea. The mission was also significant as it took place on the eve of the Philippines’ filing of its arguments in the tribunal. A small civilian government ship was carrying provisions for a group of Marines stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting hospital ship that was deliberately grounded on the shoal to mark it as Philippine territory. The troops had been stationed at Ayungin for almost six months, the longest period that a team had been deployed at the shoal to ensure that China did not occupy it as it did Mischief Reef (Kagitingan Reef ) in 1995. China has turned Mischief Reef, one of the islets and reefs in the disputed Spratlys archipelago claimed by the Philippines, into an artificial island and built three airstrips on it. Deployments to the Spratlys island chain usually last for only three months but this team’s tour of duty was extended because China would block all resupply and rotation missions. Disregard for int’l law

Justice Sec. Leila De Lima at the Senate hearing on the Mamasapano Clash.

FRIDAY

Another legal counsel, professor Alan Boyle, detailed before the tribunal the “series of near-collisions that occurred in April and May 2012 in Scarborough Shoal involving Chinese Marine service vessels and Philippine vessels.” Valte said Boyle told the court that these incidents “displayed China’s ‘deliberate disregard for international law’ on the safety of maritime vessels.” China has boycotted the arwww.canadianinquirer.net

bitral tribunal hearings, saying the dispute should be tackled bilaterally. Beijing has also maintained that the nine-dash line, the intermittent dotted lines on maps published by China, that it uses to mark its maritime boundaries in the South China Sea over which it claims sovereignty, is based on so-called historic rights. On the first day of the oral arguments, the Philippines told the court that the ninedash line does not exist. Catastrophic damage

Yesterday, the Philippine legal team also underscored the “catastrophic” environmental impact of China’s artificial island building in the Spratlys. Valte said the Philippines presented two expert witnesses, professors Kent E. Carpenter, PhD, and Clive Schofield, PhD. Paul Reichler, principal counsel for the Philippines, described Carpenter and Schofield as “independent experts presented [at the court] to give their own analyses based on their areas of specialization.” Schofield is the director of research at the Australian National Center for Ocean Resources and Security at University of Wollongong in Australia. Carpenter is with the Department of Biological Sciences at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. “Carpenter drew the conclusion that China’s actions have caused grave harm to the environment in the South China Sea due to its artificial island building activities, and that the damage to the complex coral reef ecosystem is close to catastrophic,” Valte said. Boyle also expounded on the

“damage China has done to the marine ecosystem, more specifically, to the complex ecosystem of coral reefs, biological diversity and living resources in the South China Sea.” “Boyle stated that, if unchecked, China’s activities [would] continue to pose a significant threat to the marine environment of the South China Sea and of all the states which border the sea,” Valte said. “Boyle argued that China has violated its obligation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to protect and preserve the marine environment, citing instances of harmful fishing practices such as blast fishing, cyanide fishing, harvesting of giant clams, and catching of turtles and other endangered species,” she said. “Boyle also stressed that China, as a flag state, is responsible for its failure to prevent its fishermen and vessels from engaging in illegal fishing activities,” Valte added in the bulletin sent by Malacañang to the media. 47 features

Valte said Schofield presented his findings on 47 features requested by the tribunal to be studied to determine whether they are insular, low-tide or high-tide elevations. He also presented Landsat images of Scarborough Shoal at high tide and low tide. According to Filipino maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal, the purpose of Schofield’s presentation was the “characterization of all features in the South China Sea, to determine whether or not the Chinese activities mentioned in the complaint are within or outside either 12 or 200 nautical miles of another feature claimed by China.” ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Philippine website to solicit tips on 200 expensive paintings missing from Marcos BY TERESA CEROJANO The Associated Press MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Philippine government will launch a website to crowd-source tips on the whereabouts of some 200 missing art works, including paintings by Van Gogh, Picasso, and Rembrandt that were owned by former first lady Imelda Marcos, an official said Friday. The family of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos allegedly amassed billions of dollars’ worth of ill-gotten wealth. His widow, now 86 and a member of Congress, became notorious for excesses, symbolized by her huge shoe collection and staggering jewelry collection. Experts from Christie’s and Sotheby’s auction houses are concluding Friday a week-long appraisal of jewelry seized after the family fled to Hawaii in 1986, following a popular revolt that ended Marcos’ two-decade rule. Andrew de Castro, head of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, which is tasked with recovering the ill-gotten wealth, said that the agency would launch a website in a week or two to seek public assistance in locating

Imelda Marcos kisses the encasement of her late husband's body.

at least 200 paintings. His predecessor, Andres Bautista, last year said that the missing paintings include works by Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Picasso and Michelangelo. He said the list was compiled from various docu-

SCRAPETV.COM

ments after the Marcoses fled, and had been registered with the Art Loss Register, the world’s largest private database of lost and stolen art. Among the paintings not on the list is one by Claude Monet that was sold for $32 million in 2010 by former Marcos

aide Vilma Bautista. She was sentenced last year by a New York court to up to six years’ imprisonment for conspiring to sell the art work and tax fraud. De Castro said Friday that litigation was ongoing on the Philippine government’s lawsuit in New York to recover the proceeds from the sale and three other art works she attempted to sell. Journalists were again allowed Friday to view and take pictures of the jewelry being appraised, including a rare, barrel-shaped pink Indian diamond that a Christie’s representative said was worth at least $5 million. Other jewelry included complete sets of diamond encrusted rubies with a brooch whose single ruby stone is bigger than a dollar coin. A Sotheby’s representative said they appear to be Burmese rubies. There were also diamond-studded tiaras, including a Cartier tiara with paisley-shaped design. The jewelry collection, comprising three sets seized in various locations, was valued at $5 million to $7 million when it was last appraised in 1988 and 1991. But it is likely to have significantly risen in value, De Castro said. The jewels have been stored for nearly three decades in the central bank’s vault in Manila. ■

Baldoz sees... With Papua New Guinea, the Philippines welcomes PNG investments in infrastructure/ PPP, IT-BPM, shipbuilding, energy, and agribusiness, as well as potential investment and trade in the areas of cannery, consulting, engineering, building and construction, services sector, retail, ports development, air services, agriculture and agro-industries (exchange of professionals/scientists, information, and technology; and collaborative studies on agriculture and cooperation in rice farming and production). Philippine exports to PNG of tuna, skipjack, and bonito; other non-inflatable rowing boats, canoes, and vessels, sports; stoppers, caps and lids, capsules for bottles, and sealants and other accessories, fishing nets, and other confectionery products are expected to also increase. In Eastern Europe, the Philippines expects more robust trade with Russia, which is keen on investing in the country’s IT-BPM sector, processed and specialty food manufacture, non-renewable and renewable energy, design-driven products, and aerospace. These could propel increased exports to Russia of desiccated coconut, bananas, carrageenan, seaweeds and other algae, gas-fu❰❰ 11

elled and non-refillable pocket lighters, ignition wiring sets, and other wiring devices used in vehicles, aircraft, or ships. With the United States as the country’s biggest trade partner, Baldoz said the Philippines will benefit more from American investments in the IT-BPM sector, food manufacture, and designdriven products. It could also see more investments in electronics manufacturing, manufacturing of energy products, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace products, as well as in infrastructure and energy. On the other hand, the country could expect increased exports to the US of coconut oil, digital monolithic integrated circuits, storage units, static converters, ignition wiring sets and other wiring devices used in vehicles, aircraft, or ships. “These potential investment and employment opportunities are tangible outcomes of the Philippines’ hosting and active participation in the APEC. We at the DOLE supports the inclusive growth strategy of the APEC region by expanding access to opportunities and enabling people to realize their full potential, which will result to more productive employment opportunities, dynamic economic growth, and greater well-being,” said Baldoz. ■

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Philippine News

DECEMBER 4, 2015

Duterte will restore order but not through violence — Cayetano BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MANILA — With the ruling Liberal Party’s (LP) vice-presidential bid Representative Leni Robredo fearing Davao Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte’s message of violence, the toughtalking mayor’s running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was quick to defend their brand of leadership. “Many of those who are moved by Mayor Duterte’s leadership are inspired by his achievements in promoting peace and good governance. They are certainly not advocates of violence as many of them are in fact victims of crime,” Cayetano said in a Philippine Star report. “What they want is a leader with bold solutions and swift action, a leader that will restore order, rule of law and equality. This is what Mayor Duterte and his brand of leadership bring,” he added. Robredo earlier asserted that her late husband and former Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo, together with the help of the local government, was able to maintain peace and order in the city through good governance. To this, the vice-presidential aspirant pointed out that the developments and success of

Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) National President Senator Aquilino Pimentel III (left) declares Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano (right) as the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates, respectively AVITO C. DALAN / PNA

Naga City cannot be compared to that of Davao City. “With all due respect to Rep. Leni, I think she is wide off the mark on this one. Davao’s crime volume is way below compared to Naga or Metro Manila, which are currently at alarming levels,” he said in the same report. “This is despite Davao City being bigger compared to Metro Manila and Naga, and home to a diverse population composed of Christians, Muslims, other ethnic groups and groups of opposing ideologies,” he continued. Cayetano also urged candidates to focus on their cam-

paigns instead of criticizing each other. “Let’s just work together in making our country safe for our people. What the country needs now is a strong solution and swift action to the problems we face today. It was a difficult task for Duterte to restore peace and order in Davao City. What he did in Davao maybe he could do for the country,” he said. Robredo’s statement came after Duterte vowed to kill at least 100,000 criminals in his fight against criminality during his first 100 days if elected president. ■

FRIDAY

DQ case... and Pulse Asia, he ranks fourth, behind administration candidate Mar Roxas, Vice President Jejomar Binay and Poe. In a Metro Manila survey by Pulse Asia leaked this week, Duterte came out on top of the heap, with a 34-percent voter support, followed by Poe, 26 percent; Vice President Jejomar Binay, 22 percent; administration candidate Mar Roxas, 11 percent, and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, 7 percent. Binay’s camp doubted the survey, with the Vice President’s spokesperson, Joey Salgado, reportedly putting the margin of error at 13 percentage points. “We take note of the results and the statement of Ana Tabunda (of Pulse Asia) that the survey has a margin of error of 13 percent, owing to the small sampling size,” Salgado said. In a text message to the INQUIRER, Tabunda clarified that the margin of error used was plus-or-minus 6 percentage points for the sample size of 300 used for the survey. “This means you need a gap of 13 percentage points (times 2 error margin plus 1) to be able to say that a candidate is statistically ahead of another,” Tabunda said. Poe said yesterday that she fully trusted the credibility of the polls even if the leader was her opponent. ❰❰ 8

Ups and downs

But she had a piece of advice for the Metro survey leader and the tail-enders: “Don’t brag about it and don’t be sad about it.” “Sometimes you’re on top, sometimes you drop a little, and then you move up again,” Poe told a news conference in Lucena City. Poe said she viewed polls as “guides for all candidates.” “And I treat them with seriousness. It’s important for us to know our rankings,” she said. She said the Pulse Asia Metro Manila survey was “credible.” But she questioned the high margin of error, which she said resulted in the close rankings of the presidential candidates. Earlier, her spokesperson, Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian, said the Pulse Asia Metro poll was “inconclusive” and was “not reflective of the sentiments of the [whole] country.” Good government

The documents filed for Duterte in the Comelec yesterday showed that he is running on a platform of good government, focused on a fight against corruption, drugs and criminality and fixing governmental operations. Duterte’s thrust includes “streamlining the bureaucracy by introducing digital systems/ technologies” and “values formation in all elementary and high schools nationwide.” ■

Even Chiz says Susan can’t run BY NIÑA P. CALLEJA Philippine Daily Inquirer SINCE SEN. Grace Poe is running as an independent candidate, her adoptive mother Susan Roces cannot possibly substitute for her in the presidential race should the former be disqualified. “That is not even an available option. Under the law, an independent candidate cannot be substituted,” Poe’s running mate Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said in a text message to the INQUIRER. Both election lawyer Romulo Macalintal and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair Sixto Brillantes be-

lieve so too. “The law provides that only those candidates nominated by a registered political party could be substituted for in case of withdrawal, disqualification or death,” Macalintal said. On Friday, Poe’s lawyer George Garcia said some close supporters of the senator were planning to field Roces as an alternate presidential candidate in the event the Comelec fails to decide on the disqualification case against Poe before the Dec. 10 deadline for candidate substitution. Poe, a neophyte senator, is running with Escudero who is serving his second six-year term in the Senate. The two, who both ran together under

the administration ticket in 2013, have announced they would remain independent. On several occasions, Escudero, who cut his ties with the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) in 2010, said it was better to run without the backing of a political party. Macalintal also explained that the cases filed against Poe in the Comelec were “petitions to deny due course to or cancel her certificate of candidacy (COC). Thus, if Poe loses these cases, substitution is still not possible because in effect “her COC is denied or cancelled as if there was no COC filed nor was she ever a candidate,” said Macalintal. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Presidential hopeful Grace Poe faces disqualification. OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE OF GRACE POE

Philippine News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

INC collections stashed in Cayman? BY TJ BURGONIO Philippine Daily Inquirer IGLESIA NI Cristo (INC) members in the United States were asked to bring $100 bills for their offerings, a former head of the church’s foreign mission said as he confirmed receiving reports about INC leaders skimming cash off collections as early as 2011. Allegations that collections from cash offerings in the United States were being stashed possibly in the Cayman Islands have been swirling for some time, said former minister Isaias Samson Jr., who was expelled in July on suspicion that he was the one who wrote critical online stories about the INC governing council. Samson said that back in 2011, the arrival of a roving auditor to pick up the entire collections after worship services, instead of these being deposited in a bank, raised alarm bells among some congregations in the United States. “I know the members. They’re very close to me. And they were asking me: ‘How come offerings are being picked up immediately and the members were being asked to bring $100?’” he said in an interview last week. Samson received the reports when he headed the church’s foreign mission from 2007 to 2012. An ordained minister for 43 years, he was a resident minister in the United States for 18 years and in Europe for two years. Old system clean

He said the standard practice was to deposit the collections in a bank to be accessed by the sect’s US main office in California. “There was a paper trail; it was clean [under the old system].” When the new scheme was

carried out, only amounts below $100 were deposited in the bank, Samson said. “This scheme probably began in 2011. The members were shocked but they’re very obedient. They just rationalized that the church needed the money for the construction of chapels until they found out that commissions were being made out of the construction of chapels,” he said. Samson was unaware if the reports reached INC executive minister Eduardo V. Manalo. Of an estimated 3 million INC members in the Philippines and abroad, some 100,000 can be found in the United States, according to Samson. He accused INC leaders of illegally detaining him in midJuly, a charge dismissed by state prosecutors. He had been suspected of blogging about corruption in the 101-year-old homegrown church under the pseudonym Antonio Ebangelista. He has denied this.

July 30 amid charges of corruption in the INC and abduction of ministers critical of the sect’s leadership. He claimed that congregations were asked to convert cash collections into $100 bills and turn over the money to district auditors. He said only offerings in checks were deposited in the bank. The district auditors in turn remitted the cash to Santos during pastoral visits. Disappearing cash

“The cash just disappeared,” Florida said. “Mid-Atlantic is the smallest in INC’s eight districts. Can you just imagine? We’re talking millions of dollars from the congregations, with no paper trail. They’re circumventing the tax laws of the United States.” INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala said the INC leadership would respond to Florida’s allegations “in due time and in the proper forum.” He did not respond when the INQUIRER sought his comment on the alleged diversion of INC collections. INC insiders, collating testimonies from members in the United States, documented a scheme committed right under

“The offerings are converted into $100 bills at a local or parish for easier transport, collected by the district auditor or minister ʻunder duressʼ and brought to a collection center, like a conveniently located chapel.” OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE OF GRACE POE

or minister “under duress” and brought to a collection center, like a conveniently located chapel. The collections are consolidated at a hotel where Santos, the INC’s chief finance officer, is billeted, or stashed in a vault at the church’s US main office in California, for eventual pickup. Pastoral visits

The scheme is carried out American Vincent Florida, during “big events”—when a former minister in the INC Manalo or Santos is around for Northern Virginia congregaa pastoral visit—and in locals tion, has reported the sect, headed by “obedient” resident Manalo and general auditor ministers. Glicerio Santos Jr. to the UnitIn their calendar, the major ed States Intercash-generating nal Revenue Serthanksgiving vice (IRS) for tax services are held fraud. in the third or Florida told They just rationalized that the fourth weekend the INQUIRER church needed the money for the of July and in the he filed his reconstruction of chapels until they third week of Deport in IRS form found out that commissions were cember. 3949A for failure being made out of the construction Congregato pay taxes in of chapels. tions in Long August. Beach, CaliforThe form is nia; Elizabeth, used for reportNew Jersey; ing suspected tax fraud, includ- the noses of some ministers. Washington, DC; Temple Hills, ing false exemptions or deducAccording to them, the Maryland; Bronx, New York; tions, kickbacks, false or altered scheme works this way: Seattle, Washington; Anaheim, document, failure to pay tax, The offerings are converted California; and Corpus Christi, unreported income and orga- into $100 bills at a local or par- Texas, received verbal instrucnized crime. ish for easier transport, col- tions to collect $100 bills for the Florida left the church on lected by the district auditor thanksgiving service in July, Scheme reported to IRS

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the insiders said. The insiders said it wouldn’t be a surprise to find a huge drop in bank deposits. Cayman Islands, Switzerland

For instance, from $20,000 in December 2011 and $20,500 in December 2012, the deposits dropped to $12,000 in December 2013 in a certain local, they said. “These are brought to the Cayman Islands through a small plane and then a big plane. The plane is registered in Cayman,” Samson said, citing reports from members in the United States. The transport of money allegedly by the church-owned Airbus could not be confirmed. Florida alleged that Manalo, Santos and other INC leaders had managed to stay under the radar for years because they carried the cash on a private plane that they used for their regular pastoral visits to the United States. Samson said he had also received information that an Airbus had taken the INC leaders to the Cayman Islands and Switzerland. ■

Opinion

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

AT LARGE

Creating circles of integrity By Rina Jimenez-David Philippine Daily Inquirer “DOING what is right when no one is looking” is how noted psychologist Dr. Ma. Lourdes “Honey” Arellano Carandang defines integrity. Marking her birthday as well as the fifth anniversary of MLAC Institute for Psychosocial Services Inc., Carandang decided to go beyond the usual celebration. Instead, she incorporated a discussion on “Creating Circles of Integrity to Fight Corruption” followed by an open forum; a book launch of “Pockets of Wisdom,” consisting of excerpts from the proceedings of her latest “Parenting Academy” activity, the proceeds of which would go to continuing the MLAC programs with poor families and communities; and then dinner with more schmoozing among the guests. What are circles of integrity? They are “sanctuaries,” said Carandang, places and groups of people among whom an individual can foster and maintain positive values. “Honesty is not sufficient,” she added. Integrity relies on the harmony between one’s inner and outer self, being “who she is wherever she is,” and committing to be a “truth teller” whatever the circumstance.

A “circle of integrity,” accord- Naga and then as interior secretary, cording to their preference. ing to the psychologist, begins first sought to reconcile his concept and In this way, she said, parents end with oneself, but the “wholeness” of practice of public service with his up denying a child’s valid feelings, rea person needs to be nurtured and own-personal beliefs and behavior. fusing to address problems or answer strengthened within the safe conIn 2012, said Carandang, Unesco questions and doubts, planting the fines of family, what she calls “the convened a panel of experts to ex- idea that sadness is “bad,” or needs to most powerful social institution.” amine the “culture of impunity” be denied or misdirected. Integrity is particularly relevant in the country and come up with a Another way of creating integrity in these times in the Philippines’ his- “prescription” for putting an end to in oneself, she added, is to ask onetory, with voters preparing to troop the sense of entitlement of the elite self: “What are my core values? What to the polling booths and currently in and the powers-that-be, and the un- did I learn from my family?” the process of selecting their future scrupulous ways they adapt to take Also useful, Carandang said, is political leaders. Their judgment of advantage of their power and wealth, for one to “find a mentor,” to seek the worth of the men and women ways which end up being imitated by “a leader with integrity” who will asking for their votes is based on lit- their so-called social inferiors. be a model for honesty and uprighttle more than news ness or, failing that, of the candidates’ to find “a group of Integrity is particularly relevant in these times in the Philippines’ activities, rhetoric people with the history, with voters preparing to troop to the polling booths and and motherhood same core values” currently in the process of selecting their future political leaders. statements, politiwith whom a percal ads, gossip, and son could relate and shallow public perception. Are these Among the prescriptions was for learn from, encouraging each other enough to make for worthy and care- parents to adopt an attitude “of re- to stay on the right path amid numerful choices? spect, of listening [to] and validat- ous distractions and detours, and *** ing” the views and personal prefer- “make heroes of ourselves.” THE answer, sadly, is certainly not. ences of their children. Parents, she Corruption, added the doctor, Amore discerning electorate, it added, must “build authenticity in “corrodes the soul,” which is why it is seems, can only evolve through the a child,” rearing a child to “trust in necessary for every individual to emproper appreciation of what true in- oneself” and one’s feelings. bark on “moral reflection,” the better tegrity is, what it consists of, and how *** to conduct periodic reviews of the it is effectively expressed, felt, ap- FOR instance, said Carandang, many consistency between one’s internal plied and measured. parents “don’t allow their children values and external behavior. Carandang offers the example of to be sad,” downplaying the natuA voice from “real life” was raised the late Jesse Robredo, who in his ral feelings of children when things during the open forum, from a retired time in the spotlight as mayor of don’t turn out right or at least not ac- general who worked in the logis-

tics section of the army and learned through experience that “it is hard to practice honesty in the bureaucracy.” Leaders of institutions, he said, “assign people who will make money for them” in their respective posts. And if one resists orders, or orders couched as requests, “it will be difficult to be promoted, you will be relieved of your post.” But this is why, Carandang said, we need to build “circles of integrity” in which the “honest few” can find strength and solidarity with likeminded friends and colleagues who can put up a solid front in the face of blandishments and outright pressure. My own take on this is that we need to gradually build and interconnect our own little circles—starting from the self to the family, the neighborhood, the community, and then on to the rest of society—to shore up the roots of integrity, support those who are struggling with temptation and pressure to allow them to find a way out, and expose and punish those who break the moral code and profit from it. Are we willing to take on the risk and call out the corrupt? One way of doing so is to choose wisely and carefully among the men and women seeking our votes, and thus send the signal that corruption should not and will not be rewarded. ■

ANALYSIS

France fights barbaric invasion of Europe By Amando Doronila Philippine Daily Inquirer CANBERRA — The United Nations Security Council has unanimously passed a resolution calling on all UN members to “take all necessary measures” in the global war against the Islamic State (IS). The resolution stressed that UN members should “redouble and coordinate their efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist attacks,” and urged them to “eradicate the safe haven” that IS and other militant groups had established in parts of Iraq and Syria. But the resolution fell short of invoking Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which gives specific legal authorization for the use of force. Nonetheless, this omission did not tie the hands of France and Russia from launching retaliatory military action against IS strongholds. They argued that it is justifiable because of the right of countries to self-defense. The UN Security Council acted in response to the French-drafted document calling on UN members to take up the fight against the IS following its statement claiming responsibility for the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris that

left more than 120 civilians dead and scores wounded. French diplomats said the UN Security Council resolution would provide important international support to the anti-IS campaign that has been ramped up since the Paris attacks. “The exceptional and unprecedented threat posed by this group to the entire international community requires a strong, united and unambiguous response from the Security Council,” said French Ambassador to the UN François Delattre. As France pushed for a stronger international coalition against the IS, French President François Hollande said his country would “intensify” its action in Syria. Its campaign received a muchneeded boost from the UN Security Council resolution and key European allies. Speaking in Paris as he held talks with Hollande, British Prime Minister David Cameron said “the world is coming together” to fight the IS. He backed his reassuring words with his “firm conviction” that the United Kingdom should join the air strike on Syria. He said the UN Security Council resolution, which pledged that the international community would “redouble”

action against the IS, showed the unity in the fight against violent jihadists in Europe and around the world. “We have shown our firm resolve and together we will destroy this evil threat,” Cameron said. “I firmly support the action of President Hollande to strike IS in Syria, and it is my firm conviction that Britain should do so, too.” The United Kingdom is making its Akrotiri air base in Cyprus available to France, as Paris has deployed its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle as the launching platform for devastating attacks into IS territory in Syria. Cameron is preparing to set out his plan for tackling the ongoing crisis in Syria this week, after a UK foreign affairs committee report that said Britain should not join allied bombing in Syria without a coherent international strategy on the IS. Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said UK military capability—such as the use of Brimstone missiles—would be an important contribution to the international fight against Islamist extremists. On the international front, Hollande has said that getting rid of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

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is no longer what counts. He said a coalition among France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States—all members of the UN Security Council—is starting to take shape and its aim will be simple: “to grind the IS into the dust.” European commentators considered this a “huge step” in the light of the fact that just a few days ago, the French government was arguing that Assad was as much of a problem as the jihadists. “Now, there is clear hierarchy of evil.” Hollande, in a meeting with mayors on Wednesday, urged his countrymen to defy terrorism by going back to their normal way of living—visiting cafés and museums, and not caving in to fear and xenophobia. “Our duty is to get on with our lives,” he told the mayors. “Terrorists steal the lives of innocent people, and they also want to suspend ours. France will remain a country of freedom of movement, of culture, an active, brave and dynamic country that doesn’t surrender to fear.” He vowed to work with allies to destroy the Islamic State, after earlier declaring that France was at war with IS terrorists. But he also warned people against overreaction. “We must

be implacable against all forms of violence. No xenophobic, antiSemite, anti-Muslim act must be tolerated.” He also said France should honor its duty to offer protection to refugees from Syria and Iraq, “because they are being tormented by the same who attacked us.” The tough measures against the terrorist attacks came down as France extended a state of emergency for three months. These include a measure that enables authorities to close any association or gathering—which notably includes mosques and community groups—that would encourage people to carry out terrorist acts. But Hollande stressed that “life must return to normal,” and promised extra security to ensure that museums and popular sites can reopen. Then he challenged French citizens to contemplate the scenario: “What would our country be without its cafés, concerts, sport events, museums—in short, the soul of French culture and civilization and the universal principle embodied in liberté, égalité and fraternité.” It’s hard to visualize Paris not as the crown jewel of the Age of Enlightenment. ■

Opinion

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

PUBLIC LIVES

In the nation’s pantheon By Randy David Philippine Daily Inquirer AS WE mark the 152nd birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio, who led the revolution against Spanish colonial rule, there is a clamor to honor his role in our nation’s history by proclaiming him as the nation’s first president. That place is presently reserved to his archrival, Emilio Aguinaldo, who declared Philippine independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. The call is no doubt fueled by a rekindling of popular interest in the murky events that led to the downfall of Bonifacio and the rise of Aguinaldo, less than a year after the start of the revolution. One of those events is the controversy-marred Tejeros Convention held on March 22, 1897, in Cavite. The early accounts of what happened in that meeting were understandably written from a partisan perspective. But, though historians differ in their interpretations, the basic facts can be gleaned from the existing narratives. Much of the province of Cavite appears to have become a liberated zone during that period. The gathering was held in “Casa Hacienda” in Tejeros, today part of the town known as General Trias. This was

territory under the control of the layed by the thought that the conven- nated for vice president, he lost to Katipunan’s Magdiwang Council, tion was being organized by his hosts, Mariano Trias. When finally he was which played host to the visiting su- the Magdiwang, and was being held elected director of the interior, his premo months prior to the meeting. in their home ground. fitness for the position was openly The other Cavite-based rebel group The reality, however, proved to be challenged by Daniel Tirona, a stalwas, of course, the Magdalo Council, more complex. The division of the wart of the Magdalo group. Smartwhich was based initially in Kawit, Cavite rebels into Magdiwang and ing from the insult, the incensed suand later in Imus. Magdalo concealed class and ethnic premo drew his gun and meant to fire It was the second time the Magdi- affinities that, under the circum- at Tirona, who promptly disappeared wang and the Magdalo were meeting stances, would have been at work. into the crowd. formally. Three months earlier, they Bonifacio was not a Caviteño; he was The following day, March 23, Bonimet in Imus, where, as in Tejeros, it from Tondo. His own people who be- facio and the Magdiwang leaders isfell on Bonifacio to preside. In both longed to the Katagalugan Council of sued the famous “Acta de Tejeros.” meetings, the ostensible agenda was the Katipunan were based in Manila, Claiming manipulation of the ballots the same: how to and the padding of achieve close cothe list of delegates, ordination among The Magdalo rebels were particularly vocal about the need they repudiated the the various rebel to establish a revolutionary government. That early, Bonifacio results of the elecgroups. For some, might have already sensed that some Cavite leaders were scheming tion. Undeterred, this was mainly a Aguinaldo and the to wrest control of the direction of the revolution. matter of strategy; rest of the elected for others, it was a officials of the revocall to transform the revolutionary Caloocan and Novaliches. Unlike lutionary government proceeded to movement into a revolutionary gov- most of the leaders of Magdiwang take their oath the same day. ernment, entailing the formal elec- and Magdalo, he was by no means a In retrospect, the “Acta” seemed tion of leaders. member of the local elite. nothing more than a channel to allow The Magdalo rebels were particuAs it turned out, the election was Bonifacio to release his resentment. larly vocal about the need to establish the main event at the Tejeros meet- It obviously did not cause his Magdia revolutionary government. That ing. The fact that Bonifacio opened wang allies to break with Aguinaldo early, Bonifacio might have already the convention as its presiding offi- or the Magdalo. It makes one wonder sensed that some Cavite leaders were cer did not prevent the election from how the Magdiwang leaders could scheming to wrest control of the di- unfolding into a ritual of degrada- have rationalized their acquiescence rection of the revolution. Whatever tion for the supremo. Nominated for in the subsequent arrest, trial and exapprehension he might have enter- president, he lost to Emilio Aguinal- ecution of Bonifacio for treason. This tained, however, would have been al- do, who was not even present. Nomi- was, after all, the man who recruited

most of them into the revolution. If they were angry, they did not show it. They evidently had no problem accepting the leadership of Aguinaldo, who must have had his fair share of admirable traits worthy of a leader. In those days of revolutionary flux, political integration was possible only at the level of the leader. That role had clearly passed on from Bonifacio to Aguinaldo even before the Tejeros election. The “Acta” that Bonifacio and the other leaders issued in the name of “Ang Haring Bayan” (the sovereign people) was thus nothing more than an abstraction that carried no weight. The nation was not yet a concrete reality. Indeed, it was Aguinaldo, guided by the genius of Apolinario Mabini, who later took the necessary steps to integrate the revolution at the level of the nation-state. For that, he fully deserves to be recognized as the first president of the Philippines. As the man who started the war of emancipation that led to the formation of the Filipino nation-state, Bonifacio has a revered place in our hearts as the leader of the Philippine revolution. Jose Rizal, who inspired the revolution though he disagreed with its timing, will always remain in our collective memory as the nation’s founding father. ■

LOOKING BACK

Bonifacio for all Pinoys not just for poor By Ambeth R. Ocampo Philippine Daily Inquirer DURING formal commemorative rites at Liwasang Bonifacio on Nov. 30, 1997, the officials and guests of the mayor of Manila were rudely interrupted by National Artist Nick Joaquin who growled from his seat, asking “Where are the masses?” Andres Bonifacio, after all, is known by many titles: Supremo of the Katipunan, the Great Plebeian, Hero of Tondo and Hero of the Masses. No wonder Joaquin snorted at the crowd in formal barong Tagalog and terno, roaring “Where are the masses?” The flag-waving slogan-shouting activists were celebrating Bonifacio Day differently somewhere else. One-hundred fifty-two years since Bonifacio’s birth, Filipinos should look back at textbook history to realize that Andres Bonifacio was not as dirt poor as we believe him to be. Documents in the National Archives of the Philippines show that early in October 1896, during a lull in the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution against Spain, GovernorGeneral Ramon Blanco ordered the assets of suspected Katipuneros frozen or seized. Andres Bonifacio’s

name naturally cropped up in some documents that gave his home address as San Jose Street, Trozo, or the house of a certain “Capitan Quicoy” on Lavezares Street, San Nicolas, Binondo. Nothing of value But Bonifacio was nowhere to be found, and it seemed that there was not much of value to seize from the houses where he allegedly lived. A year later, in October 1897, the Spanish colonial government ordered the Banco Español-Filipino (now BPI or the Bank of the Philippine Islands), and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. (HSBC today) to freeze the assets of Andres Bonifacio. This had become moot by then since Bonifacio was executed in Maragondon some months earlier, on May 10, 1897. But a certification dated Oct. 14, 1897, from Venancio Balbas, director of the Banco Español-Filipino read: “In reply to your communication dated the sixth [of October] received today, relating to the embargo of the assets of Andres Bonifacio and Candido Garcia, I state that none of these individuals have funds, nor stocks, nor shares, nor securities, nor credit

in this bank.” HSBC agent H. R. Coombs also issued a certification on Oct. 14, 1897, that read: “Hongkong Shanghay (sic) Banking Corporation, Manila. In answer to your communication of the sixth of this month received this afternoon, may we state that the individuals Andres Bonifacio and Candido Garcia do not have any kind of deposit in this establishment either in cash or stocks. We hope we have complied with your order.” Aside from the above certificates, another document from the Administracion de la Hacienda Publica dated Oct. 20, 1897, stated that Andres Bonifacio, Juan Cuadras, Martin Ocampo, Alejandro Santiago, Modesto Español, Capitan Ramon and Candido Garcia “do not figure in our books as contributors.” Doing fairly well The documents showed that Bonifacio did not have a bank account nor any kind of documented assets and suggested that the Supremo was indeed as poor as most history books make him out to be. But Espiridiona Bonifacio, smarting from the stereotyped image of her brother as a poor man, sought to

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correct that impression in a 1954 interview with writer Jose A. Quirino. “There is nothing wrong with being poor as I am now, but we were not poor as rats as pictured by some writers. Just because we made fans and canes does not mean we were destitute. In fact, the family business was doing fairly well and some of our best canes sold from P50 to P100 each.” Much of the confusion regarding Bonifacio’s socioeconomic status stems from the fact that he is often depicted in art and monuments as wearing a white camisa chino and red pants, the usual attire of common folk in the late 19th century. To add to the stereotype, he is sometimes depicted barefoot. The different descriptions of his various jobs do not help any. Bonifacio has been described in some textbooks as a vendedor (salesman, peddler, retailer, hawker, sales clerk, etc.), a mandatorio (agent or attorney) and bodeguero (warehouse owner or grocer). Pio Valenzuela also added portero (caretaker, concierge, house manager or porter) to his previous jobs. So depending on the book you’ve read, Bonifacio becomes either of these: a night watchman, warehouse keeper, agent, broker, attorney, sales

agent, messenger, clerk and clerkmessenger! Middle class With the exception of “attorney” and “broker,” those jobs may seem lowly by today’s corporate standards. But in the late 19th century, these jobs—especially if they were with foreign trading companies—placed the employee closer to the middle, rather than the lower, class. Bonifacio first worked for Fleming & Co., an English trading firm, before moving to the German trading firm Fressel & Co. If we were to believe Valenzuela, the Supremo of the Katipunan was described as: “astute and intelligent and spoke Tagalog fluently, and those who did not know him would not think he was a bodeguero.” Nick Joaquin should not have expected the masses to be present at the celebration of Bonifacio Day; he should have looked for the middle class. But then Nov. 30, Bonifacio Day, is a time to recall the life and deeds of the hero who sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spain that led to the birth of the nation. Bonifacio Day then is for all Filipinos, regardless of social class and ideological bent. ■

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

Canada News

B.C.’s child poverty rate Governor General tops federal average, prompts calls arrival of Syrian demand for improvement refugees a ‘defining moment’ for Canada BY GEMMA KARSTENSSMITH The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER — Doctors, service providers and parents are calling for the provincial government to take action over a new report showing one in five children in British Columbia lives in poverty. A report card released on Tuesday by First Call: B.C. Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition showed 20.4 per cent of children across the province live in poverty, topping the national rate of 19 per cent. The numbers are from 2013 statistics, the most recent data available, and show just more than half of B.C.’s poorest youngsters are in Metro Vancouver. “Children in this province deserve better. They’re waiting for our action,” coalition spokeswoman Adrienne Montani said at a news conference. Similar child-poverty reports were also released across Canada, commemorating a 1989 allparty resolution in the House of Commons to eliminate child poverty by 2000. The B.C. report showed the median after-tax income for poor, lone-parent families was $14,300 — $10,019 below the poverty line. Two-parent families with one child were $11,851 below the poverty line. The report makes 21 recommendations to reduce child poverty, including raising the minimum wage, implementing $10-per-day child care and increasing affordable housing options for families. Amanda McKay knows what it’s like to be a child living in poverty. She grew up in foster care and said she experienced heartache and abuse. McKay said she found solace in school and earned a commerce degree from the Univer-

BY TERRY PEDWELL The Canadian Press

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sity of British Columbia, but today she struggles financially as a single parent to her twoyear-old son. Currently living on income assistance, McKay said she feels trapped in a system that keeps her living below the poverty line. “It makes me feel very ashamed that I can’t do more, but at the same time, daycare costs are way too high and welfare rates are way too low,” she said. Stretching her meagre budget to cover food, rent and transportation is incredibly difficult, McKay said. She tries to feed her son nutritious meals but struggles to give him what’s needed to grow up healthy. “To provide my son with what he needs, I have to access as many services as possible such as support groups and usedclothing giveaways. I spend much of my time in survival mode, just trying to get by,” she said. Dr. Vanessa Brcic said family physicians need the province’s help to assist patients living below the poverty line.

“What can I do for a patient who doesn’t have food or housing?” she said. People living in poverty have higher rates of stress and obesity, which creates a lot of work in health care but not the kind she’d like to be doing, Brcic added. Prescribing lifestyle changes, such as healthy eating or exercise, is demeaning to a patient whose problems are caused by a broken system, she said. “My job should not be to clean up the downstream health effects of a government that neglects the implementation of evidence-based, humane and cost-saving solutions for patients,” said Brcic. Michelle Mungall, the New Democrats’ social-development critic, said in a news release that B.C. is the only province without a poverty-reduction plan, despite attempts by her party to introduce one in the Legislature, and she blamed the premier. “Christy Clark has an abysmal record when it comes poverty reduction,” said Mungall. “B.C. families deserve better.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

“There is a momentum today. Whether there will be two weeks from today is something we can’t take for granted, and OTTAWA — Gov. Gen. David we have to work on.” Johnston issued a rallying cry McCallum said one thing that Tuesday for Canadians to wel- must be a priority is ensuring come refugees who are fleeing that Canadians know where to the conflict in Syria, calling turn when they are offering to Canada’s response to the crisis help out. a “defining moment” for the Johnston said he hopes Cacountry. nadians will extend a “warm Johnston hosted a forum on welcome” to the many Syrian refugees that included federal, refugees who will be arriving by provincial and municipal po- the end of February, calling the litical leaders as well as heads crisis both a challenge and an of business organizations and opportunity. aid groups, aimed at better coIf done right, the response to ordinating efforts to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis could the impending influx of 25,000 be used as a model for how to refugees. deal with future humanitarian “This is a defining moment situations, said Halifax Mayor for Canada, a deMike Savage, fining moment who also took for all of us,” part in the day’s Johnston told first panel. the gathering. There’s “We need to “And it’s even nothing that take advantage of more than that. will turn the this opportunity, It’s an oppormomentum not only to take tunity ... to reoff more than care of this criimagine how we if people want sis, but to make take care of the to help, and sure that, on an most marginalthey get no ongoing basis, ized and vulneranswer at the that Canada is able among us.” other end of ready to react to Immigration the phone the many crises Minister John or they don’t that are happenMcCallum told know who to ing ... across the a morning panel phone. world,” he said. at the forum that To keep Canahe’s concerned dians updated the current level on how well of enthusiasm refugees are beamong Canadians for bringing ing settled, McCallum said he in refugees will be lost if gov- and other federal officials will ernments and aid organizations hold weekly briefings on the redon’t properly communicate. settlement project, beginning “There’s nothing that will Wednesday. turn the momentum off more The minister also repeated than if people want to help, and his plea for private individuals they get no answer at the other and businesses to step forward end of the phone or they don’t and help with housing the refuknow who to phone,” said Mc- gees, and eventually helping Callum. them find jobs. ■

Canada News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

It’s good to give, and to receive: treat holiday charity like an investment BY PETER HENDERSON The Canadian Press TORONTO — More than nine in 10 Canadians follow the example of reformed miser Ebenezer Scrooge and give to charity every year, but experts advise taking a page from his tightwad ways and treat those charitable donations like an investment. Philanthropy professionals and charity watchdogs say that as the holiday season approaches and the airwaves fill with messages of altruism, you should still analyze your chosen charities the same way you would research the purchase of mutual funds or property. Financial adviser Kate Bahen, managing director of watchdog group Charity Intelligence Canada, says key things to look for include whether the charity’s financial statements are audited and up-to-date, if the charity has an independent oversight board, and if it spends more on programs than administration and fundraising. “People need to look at that giving as an investment,” she says. “If they could bring that business brain to the giving table, I think that’s where we would see such huge change in Canada for the good.” Bahen says charities will often play on the heartstrings by telling one story of one client in need, but big businesses don’t ever limit their quarterly reports to talking about just one customer. While Tiny Tim’s blessing brought a smile to Scrooge’s

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face, he would surely also be The CRA posts a searchable Lawyer Mark Blumberg says pleased by the charity tax cred- list of the more than 85,000 people are happiest when their its offered by the federal gov- registered charities in Canada tax savings reflect their values. ernment that can reduce your online and provides a detailed “It would be nice if people total income and therefore, breakdown of their finances. would have a sense of how they your tax bill. want to give, so The Canada that at the end Revenue Agency of the year when gives a tax credit you look at all of 15 per cent on If they could bring that business the receipts you the first $200 brain to the giving table, I think have it is a fair you donate, risthat’s where we would see such huge reflection of ing to 29 per change in Canada for the good. what you want cent for amounts to support,” he over $200. If you says. haven’t donated He says Canabefore, you can dians shouldn’t claim an additional 25 per cent Third-party organizations such just rely on the grades given out tax credit for any donations as Charity Intelligence Canada by third parties to make their made before the end of 2017, up also provides guidance on giv- decisions. to $1,000. The provinces have ing and ratings on individual The best way to get to know their own tax credits. charities. if a charity is worthy of your

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support is to volunteer, he adds. Financial planner Cynthia Kett says it’s best to form longterm relationships with charities that share your values, instead of doling out many smaller gifts throughout the year. “We often have a tendency to make donations on the fly, and I think it’s useful to be strategic in your giving,” she said. When it comes to taxes, Kett says it’s important to understand the nuances of the charitable giving tax credit. Because the first $200 has a lower credit, married couples can save a little money by combining their donations on one return and having the higherincome spouse claim the credit. Kett says Canadians should report their charitable donations every year, but can hold off on claiming for up to five years in order to maximize their returns. You can also use your spouse’s unclaimed charitable donations towards your returns. Sandra Miniutti, chief financial officer of American watchdog group Charity Navigator, says that over the last decade, more and more charities have begun to measure the impact of their work and publicize the results. She says those looking to give should make sure their chosen charity is monitoring the outcome of its work. “If you’re not measuring and tracking your impact, how do you know you’re doing good and not harm?” ■

Canada News

Rookie Winnipeg MP says as Speaker, he could influence prime minister BY STEVE LAMBERT The Canadian Press WINNIPEG — A rookie member of Parliament says he could better influence Prime Minister Justin Trudeau if he is elected Speaker of the House of Commons instead of remaining one of many Liberal backbenchers. Robert-Falcon Ouellette made the statement in a town hall meeting in his Winnipeg Centre riding Saturday while explaining to constituents his reasons for running for the Speaker’s job in the new Liberal government. A video of the speech was posted online by a local videojournalist. “I’ve talked to other Speakers who have been in the position before,” Ouellette said in the speech. “They said, actually, it’s a position of great influence because if I have an issue in my riding where I need some funds or I need something to happen ... I would call over the prime minister to my chair,” he continued. “This is what other Speakers have said and perhaps what people don’t think about, but you can actually use that influence that you have in the House, because you do control the debate and the prime minister wants to keep you happy.” Ouellette, in an interview afterward, said he wasn’t trying to suggest any untoward deal-making, but only showing how Speakers, who don’t attend

Robert-Falcon Ouellette.

caucus meetings and who don’t participate in Question Period, can express their constituents’ concerns. “What I was trying to say is ... we have to allow the Speaker to advocate some way on behalf of his constituents.” Ouellette, 38, has been open about his ambition to win the Speaker’s role, despite never having held elected office before. A virtual unknown until last year, he finished a strong third in the Winnipeg mayoral race. In October, he beat NDP incumbent Pat Martin in Winnipeg Centre, one of the country’s poorest ridings, on a promise to be a stronger voice for the area. Ouellette is going up against veteran MPs, including Liberals Geoff Regan, Denis Paradis, Yasmin Ratansi, Mauril Belanger and Scott Simms and Conservative MP Bruce Stanton. Electing a new Speaker is the first order of business when Parliament returns on Thursday. Kelvin Goertzen, a longtime house leader for Manitoba Opposition Progressive Conservatives, said Saturday that Speakers have to be careful about how they try to influence government decisions. “While you have a job to represent your constituents and their concerns, it has to be done in a way that isn’t making you be, or appear to be, favouring or getting favoured by one party or another. That’s hard. It’s why being Speaker is more of an art than a science from what I’ve seen,” Goertzen said. ■

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DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

New Canadian renounces oath to the Queen, pledges ‘true’ loyalty only to Canada BY DIANA MEHTA The Canadian Press TORONTO — A Toronto man publicly recanted “the royalty part” of the mandatory Oath of Allegiance to the Queen moments after becoming a Canadian citizen on Monday, choosing to pledge his “true” loyalty only to Canada and its people. Dror Bar-Natan, a math professor from Israel, says the monarchy is a symbol of inequality and calls the portion of the oath dealing with it “repulsive.” But he believes strongly in the rest of the pledge that deals with citizens’ responsibilities. “I’m definitely proud to be a Canadian,” the 49-year-old said after the ceremony. “It’s a wonderful country, a truly wonderful country, with one small iota that I disagree with.” Bar-Natan was one of three longtime permanent residents who challenged the constitutionality of making citizenship conditional on the pledge to the Queen, her heirs and successors. In upholding the requirement, Ontario’s top court said the Queen remains Canada’s head of state and the oath was a “symbolic commitment to be governed as a democratic constitutional monarchy unless and until democratically changed.” The court also found, however, that all citizens have the right to espouse anti-monarchist views and new Canadians could publicly disavow what they consider to be the message conveyed by the oath. Bar-Natan explained that his actions on Monday were fully in line with the court’s findings. “For a long time I was held back from taking citizenship because of the allegiance to the Queen and her heirs and successors part of the oath. I never felt comfortable with that,” he said. “I hope this paves the way for others.” At a citizenship ceremony in east Toronto, Bar-Natan first swore the oath along with some 80 others and then, while being www.canadianinquirer.net

Recent recipients of their Canadian citizenship at the end of a citizenship ceremony, with the citizenship judge, a Canadian flag, and, in the background, a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and a bas-relief of the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada. CECILIAPANG / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

handed his citizenship certificate, informed the citizenship judge of his intent to disavow the portion of the oath pledging allegiance to the Queen. He formally recanted that part of the oath following the ceremony and handed the judge a letter explaining his decision. “I wish to affirm my allegiance, my true allegiance to Canada and the people of Canada, but also to disavow the royalty part and only the royalty part of the citizenship oath,” Bar-Natan told the judge as others looked on. “I hear you sir. And I thank you for your honesty,” said citizenship judge Albert Wong, who shook Bar-Natan’s hand. “I welcome you to Canada and I look forward to the contributions you will make.” Bar-Natan later said he had felt “somewhat humiliated” at having to say the oath at all, despite being able to disavow the part of it he disagreed with later. “I do feel that it is comparable to hazing, the fact that you are required to stand up and express views that are opposite to yours,” he said. “I don’t think it is a part of Canada to impose political speech on others. To impose opinions on others.” Bar-Natan added that a web-

site he has set up — disavowal. ca — will allow other Canadians to publicly disavow their pledge to the Queen, regardless of when they took their oath. Bar-Natan’s controversial decision sparked some strong reactions on social media. “Strip him of citizenship the moment he disavows the oath. If he doesn’t want to keep the oath, he shouldn’t be made a Canadian,” tweeted one person. “Why do people come here if they have no intention of following the basic requirements,” said another. Bar-Natan’s lawyer said he hoped his client’s actions would draw the new Liberal government’s attention to re-evaluating the wording of the citizenship oath that deals with the monarchy. “He underlined how silly it is to require somebody to say it,” said Peter Rosenthal. “I hope that will contribute to the public debate about this and the present Liberal government will do what the Chretien government almost did in 1994.” In the 1990s, former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien was set to scrap the oath to the Queen but got cold feet at the last minute, then-citizenship minister Sergio Marchi has told The Canadian Press. ■

Canada News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Sink or swim, Trudeau says he’s been ‘thrown in deep end’ of global summits BY BRUCE CHEADLE The Canadian Press VALLETTA, MALTA — Justin Trudeau says he’s been “thrown into the deep end” of international summitry since his election last month as prime minister. Trudeau is wrapping up a two-day stay in Malta at the Commonwealth heads-of-government meeting today before heading on to Paris and the COP21 international climate conference that formally gets underway Monday. In just 40 days since his Liberals won a majority government on Oct. 19, Trudeau has been to a G20 summit in Turkey, an Asia-Pacific leaders’ summit in the Philippines, visited the Queen at Buckingham Palace and now adds Malta and Paris to his resume. Trudeau sat down this morning with Australian Prime Min-

ister Malcolm Turnbull on the knew that I could always turn negotiated by the previous sidelines of the Commonwealth to you in a crowded room and Conservative government. meeting, where he spoke of a get ‘l’heure juste’ — have a little “We’re both part of the quickly growing friendship fos- insight on what was going to Trans-Pacific Partnership — or, tered by repeated meetings at happen next.” we have signed and we are hopvarious summits. The twists and turns of that ing that your new government “As everyone knows I was summitry navigation were evi- will ratify,” said Turnbull as the thrown into cameras rolled the deep end of on their breakinternational fast meeting. summits just “I think that shortly after beI think that free trade and free free trade and free ing elected,” said markets are the best way to drive markets are the Trudeau, 43. jobs, opportunities and investment best way to drive “Malcolm, in an increasingly dynamic global jobs, opportunities you’ve been execonomy. and investment tremely helpful in an increasingly in giving me litdynamic global tle nudges every economy.” now and then as I navigate the dent in their brief encounter with Trudeau has already faced global scene.” the news cameras over breakfast. such public lobbying from U.S. Turnbull interjected that Turnbull told Trudeau he President Barack Obama, who Trudeau hasn’t needed any hopes Canada’s new govern- used a meeting with the prime help, calling him “very modest.” ment will ratify the Trans-Pa- minister at the Asia-Pacific sum“No, no, no,” Trudeau contin- cific Partnership — a politically mit in Manila to publicly state ued. “It’s nice to have a friendly sensitive file for the Liberals, that “we are both soon to be sigface and that happened im- who haven’t yet fully commit- natories of the TPP agreement.” mediately after we first met. I ted to the massive trade pact Trudeau didn’t rise to Turnbull’s

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bait, making a brief reference to “lots of discussions on trade” and global security before stressing his own key area of interest. Canada under Stephen Harper and Australia under former prime minister Tony Abbott were both criticized for being climate change policy laggards but Trudeau suggested the two countries have changed their tune. He told Turnbull that “both of our countries — both energy exporters and strong on natural resources — are going to be showing strong leadership on the world stage in a way that demonstrates that you can’t separate what’s good for the economy from what’s good for the environment anymore. We have to do them both together.” Trudeau later announced Canada is providing $15.3 million over the next four years to help young Africans develop “entrepreneurial” and technology skills. ■

World News

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

GOP rhetoric on Muslims seen as having little cost BY RACHEL ZOLL AND ADAM GELLER The Associated Press SOME LEADING Republican presidential candidates seem to view Muslims as fair game for increasingly harsh words they might use with more caution against any other group for fear of the political cost. So far, that strategy is winning support from conservatives influential in picking the nominee. Many Republicans are heartened by strong rhetoric addressing what they view as a threat to national security by Islam itself, analysts say. Because Muslims are a small voting bloc, the candidates see limited fallout from what they are saying in the campaign. “I think this issue exists on its own island,” said Steve Schmidt, a Republican political consultant who ran Sen. John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign. “It’s highly unlikely to cause a political penalty and there is no evidence that it has.” Since the attacks that killed 130 people in Paris, GOP frontrunner Donald Trump has said he wants to register all Muslims in the U.S. and surveil American mosques. He has repeated unsubstantiated claims that Muslim-Americans in New Jersey celebrated by the “thousands” when the World Trade Center was destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001. “Donald Trump is already very well known for being brash and outspoken and is appealing to a group of people — a minority of American voters, but a large minority — who seem to like that kind of tough talk,” said John Green, director of the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron. Rival Ben Carson said allowing Syrian refugees into the U.S. would be akin to exposing a neighborhood to a “rabid dog.” Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said, “I’d like for Barack Obama to resign if he’s not going to protect America and instead protect the image of Islam.” Such statements appeal to Republicans who think Obama and Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former secretary of state, have not done enough to fight jihadis, Green said. The sentiment also plays well for evangelicals con-

When Trump announced his campaign, he said Mexican immigrants are “bringing crime. They’re rapists.” He was widely denounced. Polls find Latinos strongly disapprove of his candidacy and his remarks alienated other immigrant groups. MORGAN RAUSCHER / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

cerned about violence directed at Christians in the Middle East and angered about restrictions their missionaries face in predominantly Muslim countries. “There’s a religious undercurrent here, aside from foreign policy issues,” Green said. Other inflammatory rhetoric from the Trump and Carson campaigns has generated far different reactions. When Trump announced his campaign, he said Mexican immigrants are “bringing crime. They’re rapists.” He was widely denounced. Polls find Latinos strongly disapprove of his candidacy and his remarks alienated other immigrant groups. The potency of comments criticizing Muslims was apparent even before recent attacks by extremists in France, Lebanon and Egypt. Carson’s campaign reported strong fundraising and more than 100,000 new Facebook friends in the 24 hours after he told NBC’s “Meet the Press” in September, “I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation.” Campaign manager Barry Bennett told The Associated Press, “While the left wing is huffing and puffing over it, Republican primary voters are with us at least 80-20.” “People in Iowa particularly, are like, ‘Yeah! We’re not going to vote for a Muslim either,” Bennett said at the time. “I

don’t mind the hubbub. It’s not hurting us, that’s for sure.” According to a 2014 poll by the Pew Research Center, Republicans view Muslims more negatively than they do any other religious group, and significantly worse than do Democrats. A different Pew poll last year found that 82 percent of Republicans were “very concerned” about the rise of Islamic extremism, compared with 51 percent of Democrats and 60 percent of independents. Today, 84 percent of Republicans disapprove of taking in Syrian refugees, most of whom are Muslims, compared with 40 percent of Democrats and 58 percent of independents, according to a Gallup poll released just before Thanksgiving. In recent years, Americans’ attitudes toward Islam and Muslims have been relatively stable following terrorist attacks. But opposition jumped in the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq and around major elections. To Dalia Mogahed, research director for the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding and former executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, those are signs that “the public was being manipulated” by politicians with agendas. After the Sept. 11 attacks, when President George W. Bush visited a Washington mosque and said “Islam is peace,” pubwww.canadianinquirer.net

lic opinion of the faith actually improved, she said. But the absence of such a leader has created a clear path for candidates who oppose Islam. “They’ve now latched onto Muslims as an easy target with no consequences,” Mogahed said. “We’ve really moved the threshold of what is socially acceptable.” Singling out Muslims is not new. Before the 2012 presidential election, Republican candidate Newt Gingrich called for a federal ban on Islamic law and said Muslims could hold public office in the U.S. if “the person would commit in public to give up Shariah.” Huckabee, then considering a presidential run, called Islam “the antithesis of the gospel of Christ.” But candidates at the top of the field stayed away from such rhetoric. “The kind of things that Donald Trump and Ben Carson are saying today are things that Mitt Romney would have never said,” said Farid Senzai, a political scientist at Santa Clara University. Romney was the Republican nominee in 2012. Criticism of Muslims is hardly limited to presidential campaigns. In recent years, there have been ads by anti-Muslim groups and well-organized campaigns against the building of mosques, along with pres-

sure on state legislatures to ban Shariah law. “All of these things — built up over more than a decade by a few very vocal people — have created a climate in which it is not just acceptable for politicians to play to our basest instincts, but perhaps politically expedient,” Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, said in an email. The intensity of the rhetoric is partly a symptom of the large field of GOP candidates, all trying to stake out ground to prove themselves as the most patriotic and toughest on national security, said Charles Dunn, former dean of the school of government at Regent University, which was founded by Pat Robertson, an evangelist and one-time GOP presidential candidate. “The tone is much more strident now, much less forgiving,” Dunn said. American Muslims make up just under 1 percent of the U.S. population, Pew estimates. They come from many different backgrounds and are widely dispersed, limiting their political influence, Green said. The Muslim Public Affairs Council, a policy and advocacy group based in Los Angeles, sent letters in October to all the presidential candidates asking them to attend the organization’s public policy forum. The candidates either did not respond or declined, council spokeswoman Rabiah Ahmed said. “Over the last 10 years, the political and civic organizations for U.S. Muslims have become much better organized, but I think their voice is still fairly muted,” Green said. Even so, some observers say the verbal attacks risk alienating larger segments of voters, particularly other immigrants worried they could be next. Suhail Khan, who worked in a number of posts in George W. Bush’s administration and has decried criticism by Republican politicians of fellow Muslims, said: “There’s no doubt that when specific candidates, in this case Dr. Carson and Mr. Trump, think that they can narrowly attack one specific group, other Americans of various faiths and backgrounds are paying attention.” ■

World News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Express Scripts offers low cost alternative to Turing treatment priced at $750 per pill BY TOM MURPHY The Associated Press THE NATION’S biggest pharmacy benefits manager is muscling back into the debate over soaring drug costs by promoting a less-expensive alternative to a life-saving medicine with a list price of $750 per pill. Express Scripts Holding Co. said Tuesday that it will make a treatment for the rare infection toxoplasmosis that costs $1 per pill available on its biggest formulary, or list of covered drugs. Daraprim, the drug that costs $750 per pill, comes from Turing Pharmaceuticals, which stirred outrage among doctors, patients and politicians when it bought rights to the pill earlier this year and then jacked up the price. The 62-year-old drug had been priced at $13.50 per pill before that. Other drugmakers have also recently purchased the rights to old, cheap medicines that

are the only treatment for serious diseases and then hiked prices. The cost of some newer medications has raised questions as well, and drug prices consistently rank among the top public concerns, according to opinion polls. Express Scripts announced its decision the same day a bipartisan report from the Senate Finance Committee concluded that Gilead Sciences put profit ahead of patients in pricing its breakthrough hepatitis C treatment Sovaldi at $1,000 per pill. The Express Scripts decision means that a cheaper alternative to Daraprim created by Imprimis Pharmaceuticals will now be available to about 25 million customers through its formulary. What those customers pay will depend on their insurance coverage. That could mean prescriptions that come with a copayment as low as $10 or $20 for the whole bottle of pills. Express Scripts manages pharmacy benefits for customers like

insurers and employers. It makes recommendations on drug coverage, and those customers can then customize the guidelines. Leaders of the HIV Medicine Association and The Infectious Diseases Society of America said in an email that they are urging other pharmacy benefits managers and health insurers to make the Imprimis option available as well. They noted that care providers have faced “significant challenges” in obtaining the treatment for patients since Turing raised the price in August. A Turing representative said in an email that the company is “committed to ensuring access to patients who need Daraprim and has implemented a number of patient assistance programs” that can limit out-of-pocket payment to $10 per prescription. Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection that mainly threatens people with weak immune systems, such as HIV and organ transplant patients, and preg-

nant women, because it can kill their baby. Express Scripts says only a few hundred of its customers were treated last year for the infection, but the company is always looking to remove wasteful spending from the health care system. “We believe we now have a safe, high-quality and extremely cost-effective way to provide access to a Daraprim alternative,” Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steve Miller said in a statement from the company. Imprimis, a 3 1/2-year-old drug-compounding firm based in San Diego, had said in October that it will supply capsules containing the ingredients pyrimethamine and leucovorin as an alternative to Daraprim. Mass-produced drugs must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Imprimis, like other compounding pharmacies, instead makes up individual prescriptions using drug ingredients already approved. In this case, that

involves combining pyrimethamine, Daraprim’s active ingredient, with leucovorin to limit pyrimethamine’s side effects. Express Scripts and Imprimis said Tuesday that prescriptions for the Imprimis compound will be processed starting later this week. Express Scripts, which manages prescription drug benefits for about 85 million people, has long been a vocal critic of rising drug prices. Last year, the St. Louis company threw its weight into the debate over those hepatitis C drugs by choosing AbbVie Inc.’s Viekira Pak as its preferred treatment for patients with the most common form of the condition over alternatives like Sovaldi. That exclusive deal brought Express Scripts a huge price discount. ■ AP Business Writer Linda A. Johnson contributed to this report from Trenton, New Jersey. Murphy reported from Indianapolis.

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World News

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

Official: Clinic suspect made ‘no more baby parts’ comment BY SADIE GURMAN The Associated Press COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — Robert Lewis Dear was reclusive, and he seldom spoke to neighbors in a quiet patch of woods in rural Colorado where he lived. Now, it’s his words that are drawing the most attention as police try to discern his motivations for a shooting attack they say he carried out Friday at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs that killed three people, including a police officer. After his arrest, Dear said “no more baby parts,” said a law enforcement official, who could not elaborate and spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation. Planned Parenthood cited witnesses as saying the gunman was motivated by his opposition to abortion. The attack thrust the clinic to the center of the ongoing debate over Planned Parenthood, which was re-ignited in July when anti-abortion activists released undercover video they said showed the group’s personnel negotiating the sale of fetal organs. Planned Parenthood has denied seeking any payments beyond legally permitted reimbursement costs for donating the organs to researchers. Still, the National Abortion Federation says it has since seen a rise in threats at clinics nationwide. Anti-abortion activists, part of a group called the Center for Medical Progress, denounced the “barbaric killing spree in Colorado Springs by a violent madman” and offered prayers for the dead and wounded and for their families. The Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs provides women’s health services and has long been the site of regular anti-abortion protests. A Roman Catholic priest who has held weekly Mass in front of the clinic for 20 years said Dear wasn’t part of his group. “I don’t know him from Adam,” the Rev. Bill Carmody said. “I don’t recognize him at all.”

Police haven’t said what mo- leased. Five other officers and tivated Dear, 57, to carry out the four people were hospitalized. attack. Cowart said all 15 clinic emDear, who was in custody and ployees survived and worked is expected to make his first hard to make sure everyone court appearance on Monday, else got into safe spaces and was described by neighbors as stayed quiet. reclusive. They said he stashed Colorado Gov. John Hickenfood in the woods, avoided eye looper said the city is mourning contact and warned neighbors and praised the bravery of first about government spying. responders. He said the nation At a vigil Saturday at All Souls is wrestling with the causes of Unitarian Church, Rev. Nori violence but that it’s too early Rost called the gunman a “do- to discuss that while the city is mestic terrorist.” In the back of reeling. the room, someone held a sign “This is the kind of thing that that said: “Women’s bodies are hits the entire community in The attack marked the latest mass shooting to stun the nation. It drew the not battlefields. Neither is our the gut,” he said. now-familiar questions about a gunman’s motives and whether anyone, from town.” Cowart said the organization government to relatives, could have done anything to prevent an attack. Vicki Cowart, the regional would learn from the attack. head of Planned Parenthood, When asked if the clinic should talked to them, and when he to Dear located on a sprawling drew a standing ovation when have more security, she said the did, he tended to offer unsolic- swath of land. she walked to the pulpit. She clinic’s clients shouldn’t have to ited advice such as recommendProperty records indicate promised to quickly reopen the walk through metal detectors. ing that Hood put a metal roof Dear purchased the land about clinic. “We will adapt. We will The attack marked the latest on his house so the U.S. govern- a year ago. square our shoulders and we mass shooting to stun the na- ment couldn’t spy on him. Another law enforcement ofwill go on,” she said. tion. It drew the now-familiar “He was really strange and ficial said authorities searched After her remarks, a woman questions about a gunman’s out there, but I never thought the trailer Saturday but found in the audience stood up, ob- motives and whether anyone, he would do any harm,” he said. no explosives. The official, jected to the vigil becoming a from government to relatives, Dear also lived part of the who has direct knowledge of “political statement” and left. could have done anything to time in a cabin with no electric- the case, said authorities also Cowart said the gunman prevent an attack. ity or running water in Black talked with a woman living in “broke in” to the clinic Friday Those who knew the 6-foot- Mountain, North Carolina. the trailer. The official, who but didn’t get past a locked door 4-inch, 250-pound Dear said he He kept mostly to himself, his lacked authorization to speak leading to the main part of the seemed to have few religious or neighbors said. When he did publicly about the investigafacility. She said there was no political leanings. talk, it was a rambling combination, spoke on condition of armed security when the shootNeighbors who lived beside tion of a number of topics that anonymity. ing began. He later surrendered Dear’s former South Carolina didn’t make sense. Zigmond Post, who lives near to police after an hourslong home say he hid food in the He tended to avoid eye con- the RV where Dear lived, said standoff. woods as if he was a survival- tact, said James Russell, who he didn’t have many interacIn the parking lot of the two- ist and said he lived off selling lived a few hundred feet down tions with Dear, but he said story building, one man said prints of his uncle’s paintings of the mountain from Dear’s cab- the suspect once gave him a the gunman shot at him as he Southern plantations and the in. pamphlet opposing President pulled his car out, blasting Masters golf tournament. “If you talked to him, noth- Barack Obama. two holes in his ing with him was “He didn’t talk about them windshield. Invery cognitive,” or anything. He just said ‘Look side, one worker Russell said. them over when you get a ducked under a Other neigh- chance,’ “ Post said. table and called It drew the now-familiar questions bors knew Dear, Jamie Heffelman, owner of her brother to about a gunman’s motives and too, but they the Highline Cafe in Hartsel, tell him to take whether anyone, from government to didn’t want to said residents would occasioncare of her kids if relatives, could have done anything give their names ally see Dear at the post office she was killed. to prevent an attack. because they to get his mail, but he never said At one point, said they were much. “Nobody really knows an officer whisscared of him. him. He stays to himself,” she pered reports Russell and said. ■ into his radio as he crept John Hood said Saturday that others said the only companion through the building. Others when he moved to Walterboro, they saw with him was a mangy Associated Press writers Kristen relayed information from sur- Dear was living in a doublewide dog that looked to be in such Wyatt and P. Solomon Banda in veillance cameras and victims mobile home next door. Hood bad shape they called animal Colorado Springs; Alina Harin hiding. “We’ve got a report of said Dear seemed to be a loner control because they worried tounian in Phoenix; Michael a victim texting from just east and very strange but not dan- he was beating it. Biesecker in Black Mountain, of the lobby,” someone said. gerous. In the small town of Hartsel, North Carolina; Jeffrey Collins In the end, a six-year veteran He pointed to a wooden fence Colorado, about 60 miles west in Walterboro, South Carolina; University of Colorado police separating their land and said of Colorado Springs, about a David Crary in New York; Brian officer was killed. Two civilians he put it up because Dear liked dozen police vehicles and fire Melley in Los Angeles; and Colalso died, though their identi- to skinny dip. trucks were parked outside a leen Slevin, Dan Elliott in Denties weren’t immediately reHood said that Dear rarely small white trailer belonging ver contributed to this report. www.canadianinquirer.net

World News

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Russia, France agree to Beijing schools keep tighten cooperation against IS students indoors as air pollution reaches extremely hazardous levels

BY SYLVIE CORBET AND VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV The Associated Press MOSCOW — The presidents of France and Russia agreed Thursday to tighten cooperation in the fight against the Islamic State group, although they remained at odds over their approach toward Syrian President Bashar Assad. IS has claimed responsibility for deadly attacks against both of the countries’ citizens in recent weeks: Nov. 13 shootings and suicide bombings in Paris which killed 130 people, and the Oct. 31 bombing of a Russian passenger jet over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula that claimed 224 lives. French President Francois Hollande has been on a diplomatic drive since the Paris attacks to increase cooperation in tackling IS, which holds swathes of territory in both Syria and Iraq. He has met this week with President Barak Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi before flying to Moscow on Thursday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Hollande and Putin agreed on increasing intelligence sharing, intensifying their airstrikes against IS in Syria and cooperating on selecting targets — two days after Turkey downed a Russian warplane near the Syrian border. “We agreed on a very important issue: To strike the terrorists only, Daesh and the jihadi groups only, and not to strike the forces and the groups that are fighting against the terrorists,” Hollande said after the meeting, referring to IS by its Arabic acronym. “And we are going to exchange some information about that: what can be struck, and what must not be struck.” But the two countries remain at odds in their approach toward Assad, with Hollande saying the Syrian head of state “does not have his place in Syria’s future,” and Putin stressing that “the Syrian president’s fate should be entirely in the hands of the Syrian people.”

BY DIDI TANG The Associated Press

JOURNAL ISTANBUL / SHUTTERSTOCK

Putin described Assad’s army as a “natural ally” in the fight against IS — an essential force capable of battling the extremist group on the ground. He added that Russia was ready to cooperate with other groups ready to fight IS. Russia has been Assad’s staunchest ally, and has come under criticism for targeting some rebel groups who are fighting against both IS and Assad in Syria’s multifaceted and complex civil war. Obama, after meeting with Hollande, had said Russian cooperation in the fight against IS would be “enormously helpful.” The U.S. has also insisted that a political transition in Syria must lead to Assad’s departure. “We view the U.S.-led coalition with respect and stand ready to cooperate with it,” Putin said. “We believe that we would better create a single, united coalition as it would be easier, simpler and more efficient to coordinate our work that way.” However, he said, “if our partners aren’t ready for that, OK, we are ready to work in a different format that is acceptable to our partners. We are ready to cooperate with the U.S.-led coalition.” Last week, Hollande called for the U.S. and Russia to set aside their policy divisions over Syria and “fight this terrorist army in a broad, single coalition.” But his office acknowledges that “coordination” sounds like a far more realistic goal. While pledging closer cooperation, Putin also harshly criticized Washington for failing to prevent the downing of

a Russian warplane engaged in airstrikes in Syria by NATO member Turkey on Tuesday — an action which underscored the complex military landscape in Syria, where a sprawling cast of countries and rebel groups are engaged on the battlefield and in the skies overhead, sometimes with minimal coordination. Turkey said it shot down the Russian Su-24 bomber after it flew into its airspace for 17 seconds despite repeated warnings. Putin dismissed the Turkish claim of intrusion and held the U.S. responsible for failing to rein in its ally, saying that Russia had informed the U.S. about its military flights in the area in advance. Putin denounced the Turkish action, saying it “thoughtlessly and rudely” destroyed friendly ties between the two countries. Russia will protect its warplanes from now on with long-range S-400 air defense missiles deployed at its air base in Syria, as well as escort fighters and electronic countermeasures, he said. Hollande described the shoot-down as a “serious incident, obviously regrettable” that underlined the need for closer coordination between nations fighting IS. “It is crucial in that period to avoid any risk, any incident, and prevent any escalation,” Hollande said. “The only goal we must have is fighting Daesh and neutralize the terrorists. There is no other goal.” In Germany, Merkel’s Cabinet decided to send reconnaissance aircraft, tanker planes ❱❱ PAGE 39 Russia, France

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BEIJING — Schools in the Chinese capital kept students indoors and parents brought their kids to hospitals with breathing ailments Tuesday as Beijing grappled with extremely severe air pollution for the fifth straight day. The heavy smog erased the capital’s skylines with a monotonous grey and left buildings just a block or two away barely discernable. Neon signs barely punctured the gloom, and many Beijingers wore masks of various kinds to work and while walking the streets. Readings of the tiny poisonous PM2.5 particles reached into the high 600s micrograms per cubic meter through the capital, as compared with the World Health Organization safe level of 25. Some suburban neighbourhoods logged levels up in the 900s on Monday. Outside a children’s hospital in downtown Beijing, parents and grandparents complained about the smog’s impact on small children and say the pollution has made their children vulnerable to illnesses such as throat infections and the flu. “The government is supposed to be tackling the pollution, so we need to see the effects. If in a few years the situation does not change, we will consider leaving,” said Yin Lina, who brought her 5-year-old daughter to the hospital with a stuffed nose. The pollution spike is a reminder of China’s severe environmental challenges as President Xi Jinping joins other world leaders at the Paris climate conference. Factories and construction sites were told to reduce work after the city government on Sunday issued its first orange alert — the second highest of four warning levels — in almost two years. China’s cities are among the world’s dirtiest after three decades of explosive economic growth that led to construction of hundreds of coal-fired power plants and the spread of auto-

mobile ownership. Communist leaders have tightened emissions standards and are investing in solar, wind and other renewable energy. But the country still depends on coal for more than 60 per cent of its power. Tests found coal burning to be to blame for the bulk of the latest pollution surge, the official Xinhua News Agency said, citing Zhang Dawei, head of the city’s environmental monitoring centre. Power demand soared due to unusually cold weather in November. For most of that month, the capital was shrouded in persistent smog. Air quality worsened on Friday and deteriorated throughout the weekend. Authorities said they avoided issuing the highest-level alert because conditions were forecast to improve by Wednesday. Beijing schools were ordered to stop outdoor activities. A primary school in the Xicheng district on the west side sent a message to parents that classes were cancelled Tuesday. Conditions were worsened by cold air that trapped pollutants near the ground, according to Zhang, the environment official. He said pollution from surrounding areas also blew into the capital. Outside Beijing, readings for PM2.5 were was as high as 976 micrograms in the suburban region of Liulihe. Several cities in the northern province of Hebei, which surrounds Beijing, also reported extremely polluted air. Inspectors from the Ministry of Environmental Protection found some construction projects flouted orders Monday to stop work that could raise dust, according to Xinhua. Outside Beijing, reduced visibility due to heavy fog prompted authorities to close 1,553 highway sections in central, eastern and southern China, the Transportation Ministry said on its website. ■ AP news assistant Dong Tongjian contributed to this report.

World News

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

Mark Zuckerberg welcomes his daughter, and will devote $45 billion to combat world ills BY BRANDON BAILEY The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — Talk about birth announcements: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife say they’ll devote nearly all their wealth — roughly $45 billion — to solving the world’s problems in celebration of their new baby daughter, Max. Zuckerberg’s wife, Priscilla Chan, gave birth to a 7-pound, 8-ounce daughter last week. But the couple didn’t put out the news until Tuesday, when Zuckerberg posted it on Facebook, of course. In the same post, Zuckerberg said he and Chan will, over time, commit 99 per cent of their Facebook stockholdings to such causes as fighting disease, improving education and “building strong communities.” The couple had previously pledged to give away at least half their assets during their lifetime, but hadn’t provided specifics. They are forming a new organization, called the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, that will pursue those goals through a combination of charitable donations, private investment and promotion of governmentpolicy reform. “Like all parents, we want you to grow up in a world better

than ours today,” the 31-yearold social media mogul and his wife wrote in a letter to their daughter, which they also posted on Facebook. The announcement stunned the charity world. “It’s incredibly impressive and an enormous commitment that really eclipses anything that we’ve seen in terms of size,” said Phil Buchanan, president of the non-profit Center for Effective Philanthropy. By comparison, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has an endowment of just over $41 billion, which includes wealth donated by the Microsoft founder and his friend, the businessman Warren Buffett. The new initiative will be organized as a limited liability company, however, rather than as a non-profit foundation. “They want the most flexibility and they are going to use a wide variety of activities to achieve their mission,” Rachael Horwitz, a Facebook spokeswoman, said via email. “So in that way this is not a foundation nor is it entirely charitable.” The notion of investing money in companies that tackle social issues isn’t new, but it has gained more currency among a younger generation of philanthropists, particularly in the tech world. Zuckerberg has also shown a

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and wife to devote wealth to solving the world’s problems in celebration of their new baby daughter, Max. BANGKOKHAPPINESS / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

previous interest in influencing public policy. He led other prominent Silicon Valley figures in forming a group, FWD. us, that lobbied and gave donations to congressional candidates in an unsuccessful effort to promote immigration reforms. Depending on how much of the new effort is devoted to lobbying, it could raise new questions about the influence of money in today’s politics, some experts said. In the letter to their daughter, Zuckerberg and Chan described their goals as “advancing human potential and promoting equality.” They add-

ed: “We must make long term investments over 25, 50 or even 100 years. The greatest challenges require very long time horizons and cannot be solved by short term thinking.” While Zuckerberg promised to release more details in the future, he said the couple will transfer most of their wealth to the initiative “during our lives.” The couple will be in charge of the initiative, although Zuckerberg won’t be quitting his day job. “I have a full time job running Facebook,” he told The Associated Press in an interview last month, during which he dis-

cussed the couple’s approach to philanthropy. Of his job at the social network, he added, “I’m going to be doing this for long time.” The Facebook co-founder is one of the world’s wealthiest men. He and Chan, a 30-yearold pediatrician, have previously donated $100 million to public schools in Newark, New Jersey, and pledged $120 million to schools in poor communities of the San Francisco Bay Area. They’ve also given $75 million to the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, where Chan did her medical training. In a statement, Facebook said the couple’s plan to transfer their shares over time won’t affect his status as controlling shareholder of the company. The company said Zuckerberg has committed to dispose of no more than $1 billion of Facebook stock every year for the next three years. Zuckerberg and Chan had announced on Facebook last July that they were expecting a daughter, after Chan had three previous miscarriages. Horwitz said the baby was born early last week, but declined to say which day. “Mom and baby are both healthy and doing well,” Horwitz added. Zuckerberg has said he plans to take two months of paternity leave. ■

Indonesian investigators say rudder system problem, pilot response led to AirAsia crash BY NINIEK KARMINI The Associated Press JAKARTA, INDONESIA — A rudder control system problem that had occurred nearly two dozen times in the previous 12 months coupled with the pilots’ response led to last year’s crash of an AirAsia plane in Indonesia that killed all 162 people on board, investigators said Tuesday. In releasing their report, the country’s National Transportation Safety Committee said an analysis of Flight 8501’s data recorder showed the rudder

control system had sent repeated warnings to the pilots during the Dec. 28 flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore. Aircraft maintenance records for the Airbus A320 showed that similar problems with the rudder system had occurred 23 times during the year prior to the crash, including nine times in December. The investigators said the fault was caused by cracked soldering on an electronic card. Investigator Nurcahyo Utomo said the malfunction by itself should not have been

dangerous. But after the fourth time an alarm went off during the flight, a crew member apparently went outside of handbook recommendations and removed a circuit breaker to try to reset the system, he said. The autopilot then became disengaged, and the aircraft began to roll, but no movement was detected on the plane’s manual control stick for nine seconds, he said. It then began climbing rapidly before stalling and plummeting into the Java Sea. Utomo said the voice recorder showed the pilot said “pull down,” but in fact the plane was www.canadianinquirer.net

ascending. “It seemed that there was a miscommunication between the pilot and co-pilot after the fourth fault,” he said. The same warnings had occurred three days before the crash with the same pilot, who witnessed a technician on the ground addressing the problem by removing the circuit breaker and then replacing it, according to Utomo and the investigation report. The data recorder showed the circuit breaker was apparently removed during the flight, they said. Ruth Simatupang, a former

Indonesian aviation investigator who was not involved with the report, questioned how the rudder system problems could have continued without any proper action by AirAsia or the government. “It should be a big question for the airline,” she said, adding that if the plane had been properly maintained, the problem would have been flagged and repaired. “With the 23 faults, there should have been a strong warning about the plane issued by the Transportation Ministry.” ❱❱ PAGE 29 Indonesian

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Travel

Ski resort in Taos, New Mexico, known for challenging slopes, getting upgraded by new owners BY JERI CLAUSING The Associated Press TAOS, N.M. — When it comes to skiing, New Mexico has long been the stepchild of sorts to its northern neighbour, Colorado, and its abundance of larger, snowier mountains and well-developed towns and resorts. Still, Taos stands alone, a legend of sorts among even the hardiest of skiers. Relatively small and off-the-beaten path, this has always been a true skiers’ mountain, renowned for its narrow, steep, challenging slopes, no-nonsense visitors and, best of all, the lack of long lift lines. But the Taos resort was sold two years ago by the founding Blake family to Louis Bacon, a New York billionaire, skier and conservationist. And now Taos Ski Valley is investing some $300 million on updating and expanding the resort with improvements that have added to its appeal. CEO Gordon Briner hopes to grow the resort “back to where we were 20 years ago. In the early ‘90s, we were averaging 320,000 to 340,000 visits (each winter). We slipped. We’re averaging about 230,000 right now.” Last year, Taos opened its long-awaited Kachina Peak lift, which takes skiers to expert terrain that could previously only be accessed by those willing (and able) to take off their skis and hike them to the top of the 12,481-foot (3,804-meter) summit. Briner said the lift was immediately the most popular draw on the mountain, and skier visits were up about 10,000 last year. And while some locals had been hesitant about sharing their hard-to-reach powder nirvana, Briner said the opening of the lift has actually thinned the crowds in other areas that can still only be hiked to, improving the skiing experience for everyone. Town of Taos Tourism and Marketing Director Ana Karina Armijo says that after the lift opened, locals who used to ski the peak were thrilled to find hardly anyone else on the rest of mountain’s open terrain. “Now we had all this powder to ourselves,” she said. “It was kind of cool in a way. We kind of gave up the peak in order to have all of the other terrain.” With the Kachina lift open, the resort is now focusing on expanding its appeal. It has enhanced its snowmaking capabilities, added grooming equipment to help tame more of its expert-only runs, and is working to thin trees throughout the ski area.

PHOTOGAL / SHUTTERSTOCK

Taos is also modernizing its hotel, dining and shopping options and working on new marketing messages to overcome its reputation as an experts-only mountain. Briner says that in fact, the mountain is “a great place for beginners.” He notes that Taos has more blue and green terrain — the beginner and intermediate trails — than any other ski area in New Mexico. “Over half the mountain is green and blue,” Briner said, adding:

“We think we are very family friendly. Part of that is our scale. A busy day at Taos is 3,000 skiers” — compared to four times that at Colorado’s big resorts. “The size gives us an intimacy, which we really think is attractive.” Next season, the resort will also open a new 82-room hotel, called The Blake, which will also host the ski and rental shop, wine and tapas bar, a health club, spa and underground parking.

“So it is a lot more than a hotel,” he said. “It is a cornerstone for the future of the base area.” The resort is about 20 miles (32 kilometres) from the town of Taos, which with its art galleries and native history — including the Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage site — is a tourism draw in and of itself. Armijo says the town is excited about the improvements and its expected tourism draw. In addition to the upgrades, Taos Ski Valley is hoping for more snow than it’s had in years, thanks to a strong El Nino, which has already dumped more than two feet of snow on the mountain. And it is a new member of the Mountain Collective group of mostly Western ski areas, which gives two days of free skiing to people who have season passes at 11 resorts that include Alta, Snowbird and Sun Valley in Utah, Jackson Hole in Wyoming,. Aspen-Snowmass in Colorado, Mammoth in California and Whistler, Banff and Lake Louise in Canada, among others. “We think that’s going to make it very attractive to people to come to Taos who haven’t come before,” Briner said. “. It’s a very different experience.” ■

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Travel

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

In Nanaimo, B.C., snorkelling with seals is an option even in winter THE CANADIAN PRESS

ANA FILIPA NEVES / UNSPLASH

Grand Canyon seeks changes to managing backcountry as more hikers, campers use remote areas BY FELICIA FONSECA The Associated Press FLAGSTAFF, ARIZ. — The Grand Canyon wants to change the way backcountry areas are managed as more outdoor enthusiasts take to the park’s open spaces, with proposals that would require hikers using the most popular inner-canyon trails to spend a few dollars on a permit. Millions of people visit the Grand Canyon each year, taking in the sweeping views from developed areas where they can stroll along the rim, grab a bite to eat and hop on a shuttle bus to other outlooks. Far fewer people venture into the 1.1 million acres that make up the backcountry, including trails below the canyon rim. Park officials are trying to get a better handle on how many people are walking down trails such as Bright Angel and South Kaibab from the South Rim, and North Kaibab from the North Rim. Three options for revising a 1988 backcountry management plan include a day-use permit for hiking more than 5 miles below the rim and paying a minimum $5 fee. Park superintendent Dave Uberuaga said the system would allow hikers to read up on the weather, physical demands of

hiking and traffic on the trail to improve their experience. “Our intent is not to prevent them from doing it, and we’re not talking about limits,” he said Monday. “We’re talking about educating them so they know what they’re getting into.” The proposals for backcountry management also address more remote areas of the park and relatively new recreation activities such as canyoneering, climbing, rim-to-rim excursions and backpacking trips that require short travel on the Colorado River. The proposals aim to reduce conflicts among outdoor groups seeking the solitude of the backcountry and to ensure the park’s resources are protected. Between 30,000 and 35,000 people a year travel to areas that can take days or weeks to access. Backcountry permits now don’t identify when someone plans to go climbing or canyoneering, and the park has no policy on anchors placed into rocks or other gear. Uberuaga said the park wants to monitor the use and be upfront with people on how those activities can be managed. Last year, the Grand Canyon started requiring permits and a fee for groups of hikers and runners who publicly advertised a rim-to-rim trip to cut back on overcrowding on the trails, lit-

ter and safety issues. The park’s preferred option for the backcountry management plan includes reducing group sizes for overnight backpacking, developing more campsites and limiting commercially guided services. Chris Forsyth, president of the Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association, said the group is still reviewing the proposals. But he said he’s interested in knowing how backcountry permits might be divided between commercial guides and private backpackers, which could lead to the same kind of controversy seen with river trips. All applications are treated the same now. “It seems that they’re proposing to set aside more nights for guided hikes, and that seems an unnecessary distortion,” he said. A proposed pilot program also would allow seasonal access to a limited number of backpackers to a coveted area of canyons, buttes and a natural bridge beyond a formation known as the Great Thumb. Access has been limited by a nearby tribe. Another option for the backcountry management plan is to leave things as is. The public has 90 days to comment on the proposals. Public meetings are planned Wednesday at the Grand Canyon and next Monday in Flagstaff. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

NANAIMO, B.C. — Snorkelling with harbour seals may seem like an unlikely Canadian wintertime activity, but tourism officials in Nanaimo say it’s definitely doable. A local dive company, Sundown Diving, takes visitors to Snake Island for the experience, providing the necessary equipment such as wetsuit, gloves, mask and snorkel. The island is a 15-minute boat ride from Nanaimo off the east coast of Vancouver Island. Company owner Ed Singer says there are way fewer tourists on his $100-per-person tours now than in the summer, and the water is certainly chillier, but there is more to see. “The water is clearer at this time of year. You’re seeing more marine life, and you can see the seals swimming around under the water at a distance,” Singer said. “In the summer or spring when the visibility might be poor, often you’re just seeing the seals coming close to you when their heads are above water.” He said his guests spend about 45 minutes in the water now, somewhat less than in the

Snorkle with the seals.

summer. No special skills are required. “They don’t have to be great swimmers because the suit is very buoyant, so they’re gonna float for sure.” Tourism Nanaimo wants potential visitors to know that the city is not just a summertime destination. It says year-round experiences include: - The self-guided Nanaimo Bar Trail, along which you can taste variations of the sweet treat. The 2015 Nanaimo Bar Trail brochure has 34 stops. - Culinary tours, which also drop in on breweries and wineries. Operators include Vancouver Island Expeditions, Tracks Outdoor Adventures and Harbour City Transportation. - The Nanaimo Museum, where permanent exhibits include a replica coal mine shaft. In December the museum is presenting “Christmas in the Golden Age of Radio,” featuring its radio collection (www. nanaimomuseum.ca). - The Cedar Yellow Point Artisan Trail, highlighting artists who craft one-of-a-kind items. - Gabriola Island, a short ferry ride away. Besides arts and dining options on the island, there are also Christmas craft fairs. ■

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Indonesian investigators... The last contact the pilots had with air traffic control indicated they were entering stormy weather. They asked to climb from 32,000 feet (9,753 metres) to 38,000 feet (11,582 metres) to avoid threatening clouds, but were denied permission because of heavy air traffic. Four minutes later, the plane dropped off the radar. No distress signal was issued, and investigators said weather conditions did not play a role in the crash. Only 106 bodies were recovered from the sea due to rough conditions and poor underwater visibility that hampered divers’ efforts. Most of those on board were Indonesians headed to Singapore ahead of the New Year holiday. “There is much to be learned here for AirAsia, the manufacturer and the aviation industry,” tweeted Tony Fernandes, chief executive of the Malaysiabased budget carrier. “We will not leave any stone unturned to make sure the industry learns from this tragic incident.” ❰❰ 26

AirAsia Indonesia said in a statement that more pilot training and a new system that provides real-time monitoring of aircraft warning messages have been initiated as a result of the crash. The airline gave no direct reply when asked why the faulty rudder system was never fixed. Indonesia’s aviation industry has been plagued with problems stemming largely from the explosion of travellers and new airlines in the archipelago of 250 million people. Pilot shortages, shoddy maintenance and poor oversight have all been blamed following a string of deadly accidents in recent years. The AirAsia crash came at the end of a particularly tragic year for air travel in Southeast Asia, including the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in March 2014 with 239 people aboard, and the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 four months later over Ukraine, which killed all 298 passengers and crew. ■

After election win, Suu Kyi discusses transfer of power with Myanmar’s outgoing president BY AUNG SHINE OO The Associated Press NAYPYITAW, MYANMAR — Nearly a month after her party’s crushing election win, Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi held closed-door talks with Myanmar’s outgoing president Wednesday to discuss what both hope will be a “smooth” transition of power. Because it took so long for the two to meet, there were some concerns the still powerful military would not easily accept the results. Suu Kyi was expected to meet with Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief, later Wednesday. The Southeast Asian nation started moving from a half-century of dictatorship toward de-

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mocracy in 2011, when military rulers inexplicably agreed to hand over power to a nominally civilian government headed by President Thein Sein, a general turned “reformist.” Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy easily won the Nov. 8 vote, securing enough seats in both the lower and upper parliament to form a government. Though a clause in the 2008 military-drafted constitution bars her from the presidency, she has vowed to rule by proxy. Presidential spokesman Ye Htut told reporters the meeting at Thein Sein’s residence in the sprawling capital, Naypyitaw, lasted about 45 minutes. “The main point was to talk about a smooth transition and transfer of power to the newly elected government,” he said, “and to discuss mutual co-op-

eration in the future.” Another goal, he said, was simply to “ease people’s concerns.” Despite the NLD’s landslide victory, most analysts agree, it would be almost impossible to govern without the support of the military establishment. By law, the military still controls a quarter of the seats in parliament, giving it veto power over all constitutional amendments. It also has a grip on all key security portfolios. The president congratulated “The Lady,” as she is popularly known, for leading her party to victory. And Suu Kyi said she was thankful that the elections were free and fair, as promised. The transfer of power should take place in February after the new Parliament meets and votes on a new president, along with two vice-presidents. ■

Community News

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

Jollibee gears Justice Carpio gives legal for Canada opening perspective in intl. security forum EXECUTIVES OF Jollibee USA called on Amb. Petronila P. Garcia in Ottawa in a prelude to the opening of Jollibee stores across Canada. Garcia, Deputy Chief of Mission Norman Garibay, and Consul General Eric Gerardo Tamayo welcomed Maribeth D. dela Cruz, vice president and general manager of Jollibee USA; Mackey Dimaculangan, operations director; and Carol Rodriguez, marketing jead for Jollibee, Red Ribbon, and Chowking. They discussed Jollibee’s efforts to open branches in areas of Canada where there are both high and dense concentrations of Filipino-Canadians, as well as a high patronage of quick service restaurants among Canadians. The quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry in Canada is sustaining a growth trajectory. According to the Canadian Chain Restaurant Industry Review, an extensive research report commissioned by GE Capital and compiled by fsSTRATEGY and NPD Group Canada, the most frequent users of QSRs are Canadians aged 18 to 34, even as

those belonging to the group of 55 years of age, are visiting QSRs more often. The entry of Jollibee in Canada bodes well for the growing Filipino food movement in North America. This month, Filipino cuisine came into renewed prominence as the Philippine entry to the 2015 Embassy Chef Challenge was given two awards at the 2015 Embassy Chef Challenge in Ottawa on November 5. FilipinoCanadian chef Jil Aranas entered her version of kinulob na itik, an epicurean delight of the province of Laguna where she was raised before migrating to Canada at the age of 15. Bolstering the movement further is the recent swing of the SALO project of Yana Gilbuena. In summer, Chef Gilbuena took her roving dinner project across Canada teaching diners the way of eating kamayan-style feasts (traditional Filipino method of eating with one’s hands). The year also saw the opening ❱❱ PAGE 32 Jollibee gears

AMID THE backdrop of the terrorist attacks in Paris, the suicide bombings in Lebanon, the lockdown in Brussels, and the mall attacks in Mali, as well as having three international flights diverted to its airport practically one after the other by bomb threats, the City of Halifax in Nova Scotia hosted the 7th and 2015 Edition of the Halifax International Security Forum (HISF) from 20 to 22 November 2015. The Honourable Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan welcomed all delegates and led all officials and military leaders of Canada in attendance. Philippine Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio was among the distinguished roster of speakers at the forum which Maclean`s magazine billed as the definitive event where “people who wield power on matters of war and international security” converge, as the Magazine noted how “dozens of defence ministers, military leaders, think-tank leaders, academics and journalists will have it out on today’s toughest global issues.” Joining Justice Carpio were Minister and Consul General Eric Gerardo Tamayo of the

Philippine Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.

Philippine Embassy in Ottawa, Consul General, a.h. Sean Sears, and Vice Consul, a.h. Elizabeth Eustaquio-Domondon of the Philippine Consulate General in Halifax. Justice Carpio shared top billing in the panel discussion held on 21 November at noon devoted to Broken China: Handle With Care, moderated by

Ms. Lyse Doucet, Chief International Correspondent of the British Broadcasting Corporation. Joining Justice Carpio were Dr. Masashi Nishihara, President, Research Institute for Peace and Security; Admiral Michael Rogers, Commander, United States Cyber Command, ❱❱ PAGE 41 Justice Carpio

Filipino Centre Toronto offers Mentoring Program to newcomers AS PART of its community outreach services, the Filipino Centre Toronto (FCT) recently launched its Mentoring Program. The Program is being rolled out to the Filipino Canadian community and other ethnic communities in partnership with the Toronto Region Immigrants Employment Council (TRIEC), with funding from the New Horizons for Seniors Program. The FCT- TRIEC Mentoring Program aims to bring together internationally educated newcomer- immigrants and established Filipino Canadian professionals in occupationspecific mentoring relationships. The program hopes to contribute and meet the needs of skilled Filipinos and other immigrants for successful career adjustment and integra-

tion into the Canadian labour Greater Toronto Region la- by engaging and offering their market. Skilled newcomers bour market. The Filipino expertise as volunteer mentors entering the program are given Centre Toronto, organized in in the program. On one hand, the opportunity to acquire in- 2000, is a community-based, Filipino newcomers are enformation and gain insights volunteer-run non-profit or- couraged to join the program as and access to professional net- ganization serving the Filipino mentees. works through a To become one-to-one proa mentee, one fessional men“must have lived toring process. in Canada for TRIEC was The program hopes to contribute and less than three formed in 2003 meet the needs of skilled Filipinos years and have to help find soand other immigrants for successful limited or no lutions to the career adjustment and integration Canadian expeunemployment into the Canadian labour market. rience; have the and underemrequired English ployment of imskills; have at migrants. It has least a bachelor’s been helping degree or equivanewcomers establish profes- Canadian- and- other ethnic lent; be eligible to work in Cansional connections through communities. ada; currently unemployed or mentoring and developing Currently, FCT is encourag- underemployed ;and currently tools and programs to sup- ing and inviting experienced actively seeking work.” port employers and newcom- and practicing Filipino Canadi“Mentors must have worked ers with integration” in the an professionals to get involved in their field for at least three www.canadianinquirer.net

years and have a combination of industry knowledge and experience They should have active links to professional associations and business networks and recent experience in their occupational field.” Mentors and mentees are requested to commit to a total of 24 hours over four months. Meetings between them can be in person, online, over the phone and include referral meetings on arranged schedules. ■ For applications and further information about the FCT -TRIEC Mentoring Partnership Program, contact Mary Ann San Juan at: masj0515@gmail.com, tel - 416- 728-9313 or Wendy Arena at: wendyarena@rogers. com , tel.416-928-0355

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Entertainment

Ready to win big

Country’s bet is determined to do well in Miss Supranational tilt BY ARMIN P. ADINA Philippine Daily Inquirer AFTER AN impressive first salvo for Filipino beauties in recent international tilts, the pressure to excel weighs heavily on 2015 Binibining PilipinasSupranational Rogelie Catacutan. She flew to Poland last Nov. 15 for the 2015 Miss Supranational competition, which will culminate on Dec. 4. “I have no other choice but to win,” said the 24-year-old nurse from Cebu during a recent press conference at the Gateway Mall in Quezon City. The first of the 2015 Binibining Pilipinas winners to compete, Ann Lorraine Colis bagged the country’s first victory in the 42year-old Miss Globe pageant held in Canada on Oct. 8, while the last of the 2014 titleholders, Parul Shah, placed fourth in the 2015 Miss Grand international

contest in Thailand on Oct. 25. Another Binibini 2015 beauty, Janicel Lubina, finished in the Top 10 and received the “Best Dresser” award in the 2015 Miss International in Japan on Nov. 5. Pressure

Catacutan is also saddled with the added pressure of sustaining the Philippines’ impressive performance in the Miss Supranational since 2012 when Binibining Pilipinas sent its runnerup Elaine Kaye Moll, who finished fourth. Mutya Johanna Datul became the first Filipino woman to bag the Miss Supranational title in 2013, while Yvethe Marie Santiago cracked the semifinals and finished third in the Miss Internet race last year. Catacutan said she studied the videos of the last three competitions to prepare for the tilt. “I saw that they were charming, bubbly, catwalk divas.

That’s what I am trying to do these past few weeks… polish my walk,” she confessed. Catacutan added: “I have zero doubt that I can bring home the crown. I am very motivated. I have my [Binibining Pilipinas] sisters who are always there. We encourage each other to do well in our international contests.” Her “sisters” agree. “I know she will be amazing. I have no doubt she will make us proud,” said 2015 Binibining PilipinasIntercontinental Christi Lynn McGarry, who will fly to Germany for the Miss Intercontinental pageant on Dec. 18. Kind nature

Lubina, meanwhile, attested to Catacutan’s kind nature. “She’s very kind to me. I consult her about all the decisions I have to make,” Lubina said. Colis, for her part, said: “I know Rogelie will do well. If it’s meant for us, our wishes will be granted.” She also asked

Rogelie during the closed-door interview.

Filipinos to “support our candidates.” Catacutan promised to make the country proud. “I will do my best,” she said. Catacutan will compete against 81 other delegates in the global tilt’s seventh edition. The Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. also announced

ROGELIE CATACUTAN / FACEBOOK

that Catacutan made it to the Top 10 of the preliminary “Top Model” competition last Wednesday (Thursday in Manila). Also in the prepageant contest’s Top 10 are representatives from Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, India, Paraguay, Panama, Slovak Republic, Rwanda and Poland. ■

Shamaine’s serenity in silk

After devastating loss, Shamaine finds solace while having a ‘terno’ made BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer

Shamaine Buencamino with daugther Julia. JULIA BUENCAMINO (@HOOLIANABANANA) / INSTAGRAM

IN THE intricate embroidery of a terno, Shamaine Buencamino finds an unlikely source of solace, strength and serenity. Organizers of the 9th AsiaPacific Screen Awards (Apsa), held in Brisbane, Australia on Nov. 26, had asked Buencamino to don a national dress for the glitzy ceremony. First name that cropped up in Buencamino’s mind to design the terno was fashion stalwart Patis Tesoro. In a way, a Tesoro gown also serves as a lucky charm for Buencamino, who wore the famed Filipiniana designer’s creation when she won best actress in a play (for Floy Quintos’ www.canadianinquirer.net

“Kalungkutan ng Reyna”) at the Aliw Awards in 2008. This time, she wore the Tesoro terno on the red carpet of Apsa, where she was the lone Filipino nominee. (For her work in Sigrid Andrea Bernardo’s Cinema One film, “Lorna,” Buencamino vied for the best actress award with luminaries from Russia, Iran, Japan and South Korea. Screen veteran Kirin Kiki won for Japan’s “For An.”) She conceded that one of the perks of wearing a terno is that it makes a woman feel “regal.” “The only way to carry it is to pull your head up and keep your spine straight,” she elaborated. “A terno doesn’t permit you to slouch, so you have no choice but to look like a queen.” Buencamino’s terno, which

took two weeks to finish, was a vision in pink. “The color is called ‘adult pink,’” she clarified. “The fine outer cloth is made of sari from Singapore’s Little India—a gift from a friend. The inner lining is silk.” Tiny flowers

Tiny, three-dimensional flowers were hand-painted and embroidered on the tapis and butterfly sleeves. “The petals were also trimmed with gold. One person usually works on one dress. Then, another person does the painting, and another takes charge of the embroidery and glitter,” she noted. In short, it was a major production. ❱❱ PAGE 33 Shamaine’s serenity

Entertainment

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

4th Impact eliminated from X Factor UK BY JANE MORALEDA Philippine Canadian Inquirer

‘Bonifacio’ is back

Historical epic returns, on the heels of the game-changing hit ‘Heneral Luna’ BY BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR. Philippine Daily Inquirer

by invitation, sponsored by the Filipino-Spanish community with the support of the Philippine consul general,” recalled Ortigas. “About a thousand people attended the screening and appreciated the film.” The “international version” includes English subtitles, fresh footage and additional content featuring lead star Robin Padilla, who plays Bonifacio. Padilla traveled to Europe to do research on Bonifacio and the Philippine revolution. Once dismissed as dusty and boring yawn-fests, historical films were given a much-need-

being replaced by commercial establishments. And one great way to preserve our heritage is by producing films about our history.”

PRODUCERS FERVENTLY believe that Andres Bonifacio deserves a return engagement Box-office struggle on the big screen—especially in “Bonifacio” struggled at the light of the game-changing suctills when it was first shown at cess that was Jerrold Tarog’s the Metro Manila Film Festival “Heneral Luna.” last year. It eventually won best In time for the annual celpicture at the MMFF, Famas ebration of Bonifacio Day on and Star Awards. Nov. 30, Enzo Williams’ “Boni“We realized that the MMFF facio: Ang Unang Pangulo” is is not the proper environment brought back to local cinemas. for historical films because “Bonifacio” and “Heneral December is vacation time for Luna” were produced by the teachers and students,” Rocha same team led said. “It’s Christby Fernando mas time, and Ortigas of Tuko people are lookFilms Producing for lighter tions and EduWe respect our history, its legacy, its films. And we ardo Rocha of vestiges. But not much is left of our also feel that Buchi Boy Films. history, because many of the historical this new verApart from landmarks are being replaced by sion would have screenings in SM commercial establishments. attracted more cinemas (Meviewers since it gamall, North has an emotional Edsa, Manila, pull.” Fairview and Sta. Mesa), the ed shot in the arm by “Heneral “Bonifacio” serves as a fitting international version of “Boni- Luna,” and “Bonifacio” could companion piece to “Heneral facio” will have its US premiere very well benefit from this re- Luna,” Rocha said. in New York City tomorrow, as newed public interest, the pro“It is important for audiences well. ducers explained. to understand the environment Screenings in Los Angeles are “It is important to keep pro- that Gen. Antonio Luna inherset in December. ducing films on our history ited,” Rocha explained. because we realized that many “The film shows how fiercely Standing ovation students today have very little, we fought for our indepenWhen the “international ver- if no sense, of our rich history— dence from Spain. He orgasion” was first shown in Barce- which is sad,” Rocha said. “We nized the first Filipino indelona, Spain earlier this year, it respect our history, its legacy, pendent government,” Ortigas merited a standing ovation, the its vestiges. But not much is left pointed out. “It was the stronproducers recounted. of our history, because many gest stand against colonial op“The European premiere was of the historical landmarks are pression.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

MANILA — Getting the least number of audience votes, Filipino all-girl group 4th Impact and England-native Lauren Murray faced in a sing-off to determine who will compete at the X Factor UK 2015’s semi-finals. Lauren sang Mariah Carey’s “Vision of Love” while the 4th Impact performed Jennifer H u d s o n ’s

“And I am Telling You,” leaving the judges — Simon Cowell, Cheryl FernandezVersini, Rita Ora and Nick Grimshaw — divided after the sing-offs which resulted in a deadlock. Getting the lowest number of votes, however, the Cercado sisters were eliminated from the competition. ■

Jollibee gears... of the first and only Filipino food truck in Ottawa. Meryenda Snack Specializes in Filipino flavours with a fresh and unique twist from its founders Mark Coronel and Paul Castanos. With their combined restaurant experience and their shared love of Filipino Food, the two chefs decided that it was time to go into business for themselves and introduce Philippine cuisine to the Ottawa community. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation itself notes that Jollibee is well-known around the world for its pineappletopped hamburgers, peachmango pie and “Chickenjoy”

❰❰ 30

fried chicken. The food chain has 2,833 stores worldwide and Jollibee Foods Corp. is the biggest fast food restaurant operator in The Philippines. Founded in 1978, Jollibee has branches across the globe and with 32 branches in the United States. Its entry into Canada follows the growing Filipino population in the country. In 2014, the Philippines was the largest source country of new migrants into Canada. Almost 700,000 people of Filipino descent now call Canada their home. Tagalog is the fastest growing language, and Filipinos now comprise the third largest visible minority in the country. ■

Entertainment

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Pop star Pink named UNICEF ambassador to raise awareness about child hunger, healthy living Justin Bieber.

DEBBY WONG / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Bieber announces intimate benefit show in Toronto for hometown outreach group THE CANADIAN PRESS TORONTO — Justin Bieber has surprised his fans with plans for an intimate benefit concert in Toronto next week. The pop superstar tweeted today that he’ll perform at the Danforth Music Hall on Dec. 7 to benefit an outreach centre in his hometown of Stratford, Ont. Tickets go on sale at 4 p.m. ET today via Ticketmaster. The Stratford House of Blessing tells The Canadian Press it just learned about the concert this morning when Bieber’s label Universal Music Canada called. The organization says

Bieber’s mother used its services when he was little. This isn’t the first time Bieber has donated to the outreach group, which has a food bank and helps those in need through various services. Last year, he and his grandmother donated several of his childhood items, which the group auctioned off on eBay for $64,000. He’s also donated $10,000 to the group. Today, Bieber tweeted at the Stratford House of Blessing with the message: “Thank you for being there when we needed you :) now it’s my turn.” Bieber has been storming the charts lately with his new album, “Purpose.” ■

BY KRISTIN M. HALL The Associated Press

pleting a goal. As the children earn points, UNICEF’s partners, including Target, Disney and Star Wars: Force for Change, will provide the funds needed to send the food packets to places like Haiti. Moore, who has a 4-year-old daughter with her husband, Carey Hart, said the trip to Haiti strengthened her passion for UNICEF’s project. She visited Port-au-Prince this summer, where she saw children who came back from the brink of starvation because of these

we are coping,” she recalled. Buencamino’s youngest daughter, Julia, took her own life last July; Tesoro’s son committed suicide eight years ago.

letting the emotion well up and wash over me. I feel so spent after… not only without energy, but lacking in purpose, as well.” Tesoro taught Buencamino that “energy has many sources.” “I draw mine mostly from my faith in God and His love for me and my family.” Tesoro reminded Buencamino that grief isn’t only difficult, it also lingers. “But seeing Patis, looking peaceful in her shop, amid the lovely artworks and garden, I am assured that grief does not have to end in despair.” She has realized that “the

motivated,” Moore said. “And they are also turning them into global citizens and they get to be hands-on.” TRAILBLAZING POP star Pink The Grammy-winning singer saw firsthand severely malis a natural role model for a pronourished children during a gram that encourages physirecent visit to Haiti as a part of cal activity and exercise. Her a UNICEF program to provide concerts are full of high energy therapeutic food packets to choreography, including flying children in need. through the air on wires over The singer, whose given name the crowds or spinning from is Alecia Moore, was named a large silk ribbons like a Cirque UNICEF ambassador Monday du Soleil dancer. to help promote a new effort to In fact, her daughter, Wilencourage physical activity in low, is already following in young children mom’s footsteps. in the United At home, her States and at the daughter plays same time raise with a smaller money for nuThey found a brilliant way, and a fun kid-sized version tritional, vitaway, to get kids here involved and of the silk fabric min-rich peanut empowered and motivated. that she uses to paste to be delivspin around on ered to hungry during concerts. children all over “I put a silk the world. in her room, so “I got to watch mommas food packets. she is spinning nine times out learning how to feed it to their “When you get to see it with of 10,” Moore said. “It’s kind of kids,” Moore said during a your own eyes and you see that amazing.” phone interview from Califor- something works, then it’s a lot The singer will be joining her nia. “And within a week, you easier to get behind and advo- trainer Jeanette Jenkins at an can see the difference in these cate for it and try to make other elementary school in New York children. It brings them back to people aware of it,” she said. City on Monday to test out the life. It’s amazing.” The Kid Power app also bands with children in grades Moore is the national spokes- teaches children about the three through five. She said woman for the UNICEF Kid countries and cultures they are that she plans to get one for evPower Band, which is a child- helping and they can unlock eryone in her family so they can friendly fitness band that en- special videos and messages start earning points and raising courages exercise through an and track their progress online. funds for UNICEF. interactive app. Kids can earn “They found a brilliant way, “Between Carey, myself and points by doing things like tak- and a fun way, to get kids here Willow, it’s going to get a little ing 12,000 steps a day or com- involved and empowered and competitive,” she said laughing. ■

Shamaine’s serenity... “I chose Patis because her designs are fun and pretty,” she pointed out. “She has an eye for colors and mixing prints and textile. Her creations make me feel special… as if I am not just wearing a gown, but an artwork. So much craftsmanship and attention to detail went into it.” Buencamino, who lives in Quezon City, had to travel thrice to San Pablo, Laguna—a two-hour drive on a Sunday—to visit Tesoro’s shop. She didn’t mind the long trip at all. “It was therapeutic,” she ❰❰ 31

said of the commute. “The drive back and forth allowed me to think and pray.” It also helped that the “place feels like a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of Manila,” she related. “The shop is in a café… a secluded but open restaurant surrounded by a lush garden. It’s quiet and filled with beautiful things.” Upon arriving, Buencamino would usually share a hearty, “sumptuous” meal with Tesoro and her family. “While eating, we often talked about the recent tragedy in my family, and how

Conversations

Shamaine cherishes her exchanges with Tesoro. “From our conversations, I learned that I have to find a source for energy,” she recounted. “I have to take an interest in taking care of my health and well-being.” Grief, she explained, could be “exhausting and draining.” “When it hits me, I can’t help www.canadianinquirer.net

practice of art brings solace and comfort.” That is precisely what’s on top of her to-do list, upon her return from her Australian trip (which also doubled as a holiday with husband Nonie Buencamino). “I will spend more time in Patis’ garden, working on my own textile projects,” she revealed. “And while working with my hands, surrounded by nature, I hope to hear the Lord’s words more distinctly. I will continue to ask for discernment in knowing His purpose for me after Julia’s death.” ■

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

Lifestyle Gifts for travellers:

Inspiration from Paul Theroux, Sheila Johnson, and other road warriors BY BETH J. HARPAZ The Associated Press SEEKING THE perfect gift for a traveller? Here’s some inspiration from road warriors and travel professionals: author Paul Theroux; Salamander Hotels CEO Sheila Johnson; Irhal app creator Irfan Ahmad; and Young Travel Professionals founder Karen Magee. PAUL THEROUX: Never travel without books

Theroux’s most recent travelogue is “Deep South: Four Seasons on Back Roads.” MUST-HAVES: I never travel without at least three books, usually novels, not current ones but classics — nearly always paperbacks that I will give away after I’ve read them. Always a notebook with a good binding. Always two or three pens — specifically Lamy ballpoints. Driving in the deep South for my book, I always had bottles of wine in the back of my car and often food, for those late stops in remote motels where they have microwaves. COULD USE: Probably a new hat, called the Voyager — made by Lock & Co. Hatters in London. Mine is very battered. You can roll them up and pack them. TO GIVE: It all depends on the person. For a new friend, perhaps a book of mine related to a distant place, my novel “The Lower River” (set in Africa), or “The Elephanta Suite” (set in India). For an old friend, a classic book, “Madame Bovary.” For someone I loved, I would buy a piece of luggage from Glaser Designs in San Francisco. SHEILA JOHNSON: Best gift is versatile luggage

Johnson, co-founder of Black Entertainment Television, also founded Salamander Hotels & Resorts and lives 10 minutes from Salamander’s flagship property in Middleburg, Vir-

Sheila Johnson.

Paul Theroux.

ginia. MUST-HAVES: I pack things that are easy to carry and fashionable at the same time — items that make me feel good and look good, without complication or stress. A cozy black sweater. Elegant flats. And a wrap from my scarf collection (www.SheilaJohnsonCollection.com), which is great for staying warm on the plane and can accessorize any outfit. COULD USE: I’d love a warm, oversized bathrobe. It’s like wrapping yourself in comfort, wherever you are. To me, when I’m travelling, there’s nothing better to come back to than a soft, cozy bathrobe you can just sink into and relax in — especially after a long day out hiking or sightseeing. One of my favourite bathrobe brands and styles is UGG’s Duffield. TO GIVE: A great, versatile piece of luggage is the best gift I can imagine. TUMI luggage is my personal preference. I like the weight, expansiveness and

FEATUREFLASH / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

style (like the Tegra-Lite extended trip packing case). Walt Whitman once wrote, “every cubic inch of space is a miracle” — and when you’re travelling, that’s certainly the case! IRFAN AHMAD: My travel partner is my phone

Ahmad created the Irhal app for Muslim travellers, which includes 90-plus city guides with halal restaurants, mosques and prayer timings for each city. MUST-HAVES: My No. 1 travel partner is now my phone. In the past, not unlike the 108 million fellow Muslims who travel every year, I needed a compass to find the direction of Mecca to say my prayers in a new city. Today, my phone with the Irhal app has a built-in compass. ALSO: My navy blue Sperry top-siders — the original twoeye boat shoe that can look cool on the beach and casually elegant in any party I need to attend while travelling. And of course, for that unexpected www.canadianinquirer.net

formal event, a Polo Ralph Lauren navy blue sport coat/blazer with brass buttons that even makes a T-shirt look respectable. COULD USE: I need to replace my pull-along bag which I use to protect my laptop while travelling. ... I am looking for that perfect saddle-leather antique-looking, weatherbeaten bag with modern spinner wheels that glide across the aisle with ease. The perfect blend of rugged leather and modern comfort. TO GIVE: A GoPro for the adventure-seeker who loves bungee-jumping or zip-lining. A phone battery backup for the always-connected millennial. KAREN MAGEE: Always pack a change of clothes

Magee is a hotelier and founder of Young Travel Professionals, with over 10,000 members globally. MUST-HAVES: Moisturizer. To go from a long plane ride straight to a day full of meetings, especially when it’s a red eye, I’ll use my favourite Fresh Umbrian Clay oil-free lotion.

DAVID SHANKBONE / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

A sapphire blue Michael Kors Jet Set Travel saffiano tote bag is my signature and my saviour. It’s light and sturdy enough to fit everything from my laptop to my makeup bag — plus, it slides underneath the seat. I always pack a change of clothes in my carry-on. My usual? A Black House White Market slip dress. The material doesn’t wrinkle and the dress can easily roll up into a tiny ball, perfect for a small bag. The retailer comes out with new patterns every season. COULD USE: A technology company called Bluesmart is creating a carry-on bag that connects to your phone. It can weigh itself, charge your devices in an easy-to-access front pocket, alert you if you are outside of a certain vicinity and track the bag if you can’t find it. TO GIVE: Passes to the lounge, business class upgrades, hotel room upgrades or an excursion when they get to their destination. For ladies, a travel jewelry case. For guys, The Art of Shaving has travel kits that my husband can’t travel without. ■

Lifestyle

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

No desire to decorate? Some opt to mark festive season without decking the halls BY LAUREN LA ROSE The Associated Press TORONTO — Sharon Kallis moved to Vancouver in 1992 with her Christmas decorations in tow. But as she spent more time separated from her family in Ontario and not returning each year for the holidays, Kallis started to define a festive tradition all her own. It’s one that now involves spending time away with friends at a cabin or cottage. What’s not on her to-do list? Decorating. “It mostly comes from a pragmatic place of living and working in 530-odd square feet in downtown Vancouver where property is really costly,” said the married environmental artist, who has worked with various nonprofits and the Vancouver Park Board for the past decade. “I have a storage locker, but do I really need to take up rental space for a box ... of trinkets? There’s no sense to that from my perspective. And then, space is small. Where would I put a tree? “I sort of look at every square foot in my home as being real estate, and when I can purge and get rid of things I’m making real estate. I’ve got other things that are more important and relevant than hanging decorations.” Whether it’s due to lack of space, interest, time, money or being away during the holidays, some may be inclined to eschew tradition and do away with holiday decor. “I remember even when I was a young person in Toronto there were houses that didn’t do anything,” recalled Marcel Danesi, a professor of anthropology at the University of Toronto, who counts himself among those going decor-free as he heads south on vacation later this month. “We live in that kind of a secular society where this is really just part of festivities rather than part of something sacred. So, it doesn’t surprise me at all

Australian Christmas tree sets world record with 518,838 lights, beating Japanese record THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

“(They’re) just little things ... using what I already have in my life and what I’m already surrounded with.” SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

that individuals will opt out, probably more so than in the past. “ Danesi said the communal nature of Christmas has changed drastically in the last 50 years, evolving from a time when ritual gatherings for dinners and gift exchanges were the norm. Nowadays families are more scattered and get together when they can. “I myself say: ‘What am I doing this for really in the end?’ So maybe it is a sign of the times,” said Danesi. “There is a huge tug today between those who want to restore traditions and those who are saying: ‘Look, let’s move on.’ And it comes out in these kinds of ways.” Kallis said she still does do a little holiday decorating but is more inclined to source ideas from nature. She led a wreathmaking workshop with fellow artist Rebecca Graham last year. “There’s fresh cedar clippings around that can be simply woven into a door wreath or made into a table arrangement, something I’ll just throw back into the compost heap in two weeks time,” said Kallis, author of “Common Threads: Weaving Community through Collab-

orative Eco-Art.” Kallis also said she makes use of non-seasonal decorative items she already has in her home and things that help add a little more light in her space during the gloomier months, such as candles on reflective surfaces. “(They’re) just little things ... using what I already have in my life and what I’m already surrounded with and just maybe bringing it to the forefront and enjoying it a little more than I do when things are tucked away in a cabinet.” Designer Sarah Richardson agrees there’s no obligation to go overboard with holiday decorating. “You don’t have to gussy up every surface in your house,” said the HGTV host and author of “At Home: Sarah Style.” “I always say pick a few key areas. A beautiful natural wreath on your front door, whether it’s birch bark or spruce or cedar ... and create a little statement just inside your front door if you have an entryway or a vestibule or ... a console table. “You can even just put ornaments in a vase or in a bowl and get some effect that signifies that the season has arrived.” ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA — An Australian set his third Christmas-themed world record in as many years Friday by illuminating a tree in downtown Canberra with 518,838 twinkling lights. Guinness World Records confirmed that David Richards had broken the record for the most lights on an artificial Christmas tree that had been held for five years by Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. That 36-meter (118-foot) Japanese tree had set a new benchmark of 374,280 lights this month. Richards, a Canberra lawyer and businessman, brought together a team of volunteers including an electrical engineer, structural engineer, welders, carpenters, masons and steel fixers to erect the dazzling display on a 22-meter (72-foot) steel tree. Richards creates such Christmas extravaganzas to raise money for Canberra’s Sudden Infant Death Syndrome charity, SIDS and Kids, by drawing large crowds and inviting them to donate. “Some people say I’ve got quite a knack for getting people to do things for nothing,” Richards said. “I get people to do things for nothing because they know that I do things for nothing and I’m

contributing my own money, resources, time and effort as well — so maybe they feel sorry for me,” he added. He set his first Guinness World Record in 2013 for the most lights on a residential property by covering his suburban home with 502,165 bulbs. Traffic snarls in his neighbourhood created by 75,000 sightseers who visited the display over four weeks made it difficult for his family to get to and from their home and irritated some neighbours. So Richards promised never to try to better that record. He set his second record a year ago by stringing up 1,194,380 LED lights in a public space. The 120 kilometres (75 miles) of multicolored wire woven in the shape of three interconnected giant, wrapped Christmas gifts in a Canberra mall was the largest ever image made of LED lights. But records tumble fast in the competitive world of light displays. Richards’ 2014 record was smashed in June at a hotel in Myoko, Japan, by an image of a dragon comprising 1,529,103 lights. His 2013 record for lights at home was beaten within days by a family in LaGrangeville, New York, that decorated their home with 601,736 Christmas lights, reclaiming their 2012 record. ■

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

Business

Quebec pharmacies vow ‘big battle’ against province’s drug pricing plan BY ROSS MAROWITS The Canadian Press MONTREAL — The cashstrapped Quebec government’s move earlier this week to lower generic drug prices has ignited a debate that risks spreading across the country. In its latest bid to reduce health-care spending, the province plans to introduce a tendering system to decide which generic drugmakers would become exclusive suppliers for specific medications. Quebec is the fourth province to take a stab at implementing such a bidding system after unsuccessful attempts several years ago in Saskatchewan and Ontario. British Columbia launched tenders for seven drugs earlier this year. Although generic drug prices have decreased significantly in recent years, Quebec Health Minister Gaetan Barrette said the province is still paying far too much. “We believe we can get significant savings if we go through a group purchasing process,” he said in an interview Friday, adding lower prices would also be passed on to private insurers. The minister declined to provide details of the process, in-

cluding how many drugs would be subject to tendering or potential cost savings. But he believes other provinces will be watching very closely and will follow suit if the effort is successful. “The issue here is about public finances and the capacity of provincial governments to provide drugs at a price that we can afford. It is a very, very significant issue across this country.” But Quebec’s association of pharmacy owners says it is prepared to launch “a big battle” against changes that it says would hurt local drug manufacturers and cost pharmacies, threatening the survival of some. “It’s dangerous how the minister has simplistic solutions to complex problems,” said Jean Thiffault, president of the association quebecoise des pharmaciens proprietaires. Thiffault said he believes low-cost manufacturers in India or China would likely win the tenders, addling that Quebec pharmacists have suggested alternative ways to achieve savings that don’t run the risk of leading to shortages or quality issues. Barrette said he disagrees with the association’s position but is prepared to deal with its concerns. “There are ways to prevent

any financial harm in the process,” he said, refusing to say if that would involve financial compensation. Previous moves to lower drug prices prompted large protests at legislatures in Ontario and Alberta. But Mike Law, associate professor of the University of British Columbia’s School of Population and Public Health, believes Quebec has the greatest chance of succeeding and it could prompt other provinces to follow. “Were this to succeed and other provinces to follow, you’re potentially talking about hundreds of millions of dollars in public sector savings every year,” Law said in an interview from Rwanda, where he is on sabbatical. In a 2013 study, Law found that 90 per cent of the top 82 generic products were less expensive outside Canada. New Zealand launched drug tendering in the late 1990s and the move as been copied by several countries in Europe, as well as in Australia and by the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department. About $4 billion is spent annually on generic drugs in Canada, representing 65 per cent of prescriptions filled and 25 per cent of dollars spent. Quebecers spend the most on prescriptions but use the lowest num-

Generic drug prices have decreased significantly in recent years, Quebec Health Minister Gaetan Barrette said the province is still paying far too much. NILOO / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

ber of generic alternatives. The Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association said Quebec’s tendering proposal is “inconsistent” with the tiered pricing framework adopted across the country. “Tendering is a risky approach in Canada with the potential for exacerbating drug shortages, delaying the introduction of new cost-saving generic medicines, and reducing jobs and economic activity in the generic pharmaceutical sector in Quebec and Canada,” it said in an email. University of Calgary economics professor Aidan Hollis said savings from tendering could be offset by delays in getting generic medications to market. Without the incentive

of being first on the market, generic companies may avoid launching legal battles with patented drugmakers. The current formula results in high profits on some drugs and minimal or no profits on others, said Keith Howlett of Desjardins Capital Markets, who described Quebec’s legislation as a “surprise proposal.” He said it would hurt Jean Coutu’s Pro Doc generic manufacturing business. Pro Doc is the legal manufacturer of many of the most profitable drugs, often subcontracting production to others. Jean Coutu declined to comment. Its shares sunk to a 29-month low at $17.50 in Friday trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange. ■

Black Friday store sales fall as more Americans shift to online, smartphone shopping BY CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Black Friday shopping is shifting from hours spent in line to more time online. Sales at retail stores on Black Friday fell 10 per cent to $10.4 billion this year, down from $11.6 billion in 2014, according

to research firm ShopperTrak. And sales on Thanksgiving dropped by the same percentage, to $1.8 billion. A big reason for the decline is increased online shopping, as Americans hunt down deals on their smartphones, tablets and computers. And many retailers are offering bargains long before Thanksgiving, limiting the impact of Black Friday specials. Online retailers have been

bombarding customers with email discounts and bargains for weeks. Online sales jumped 14.3 per cent on Friday compared with last year, according to Adobe, which tracked activity on 4,500 retail websites. Email promotions drove 25 per cent more sales compared with 2014, the company said. Brick-and-mortar retailers saw fewer customer visits on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, www.canadianinquirer.net

compared with last year, according to Kevin Kearns, ShopperTrak’s chief revenue officer. “Shoppers are researching products ahead of time, targeting their store visits, and arriving in-store with the intention of making a purchase,” Kearns said. The drop in Thanksgiving Day visits may also reflect a “social backlash” against stores opening on that day, Kearns

said. Chris Christopher, director of consumer economics at consulting firm IHS, said many retailers’ warehouses and store shelves were overstocked heading into the fall. That prompted many to offer deep discounts as early as the beginning of this month. “The price discounting has been creeping toward Halloween,” he said. ■

Business

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Sinag fears expired meat being sold in markets BY RONNEL W. DOMINGO Philippine Daily Inquirer

PH nears trade deal with Europe group Gov’t sees benefits in maritime, construction sectors BY AMY R. REMO Philippine Daily Inquirer THE PHILIPPINES and the European Free Trade Association (Efta) have substantially moved forward negotiations on a free trade agreement following the fourth round of talks last week. “The meetings were held in a positive and efficient atmosphere and substantial progress was achieved in all areas,” the Efta said. According to Efta, the working groups convened from Nov. 24 to 27 in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss all areas under negotiation, including trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights, sustainable development, government procurement, legal and institutional issues, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, trade remedies, rules of origin and trade facilitation. The Philippine panel was led by Trade Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal Jr. while Ambassador Didier Chambovey of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) acted as the spokesperson for the four member-states of Efta, namely Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The fifth round of negotiations is seen to take place in early 2016 in the Philippines. Trade Assistant Secretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo earlier said in an interview with the INQUIRER that the Philippines

would be seeking greater access to the services sector of Efta, particularly in the maritime and construction sectors, during the fourth round of negotiations. “What we’re interested in is maritime services so that our people can work in their maritime and shipping industries. We are also interested in the construction sector in general and in addition, the services related to construction like architectural and drafting services. There may be some limitations to practicing there,” Rodolfo explained. According to Rodolfo, the negotiations between the Philippines and the four members of Efta could be considered in the advanced stage as both parties were now on the “same page.” The trade official had stressed that what the Philippines and Efta were offering on the table were complementary in terms of the nature of products and price range. For instance, there was an advantage to manufacturing goods here that are labor intensive in nature, while Efta countries have the advantage in producing goods of high technology. The same goes for agricultural and fisheries products as well. Efta was deemed an important global economic player and trading partner of the country. Last year, the total commodity trade between Efta states and the Philippines amounted to $636 million, while total foreign direct investments have risen steadily in the last few years. ■

FARM AND agri-business advocates are calling for a clear accounting of contraband meat products as hundreds of containers linger in ports because of questionable papers. According to the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag), authorities allegedly could not keep track of 203 containers of hot meat, which contain some 5 million kilos of pork and other pig products. “There are containers over-

staying at the Manila International Container Port and the consignees are still working for their release,” Sinag chair Rosendo So told the INQUIRER. “These shipments are being held because the production dates and expiry dates are not clearly or completely indicated in the import documents,” So said. “Some of these have been at the port since January, and we consider all these as expired.” The Sinag chief noted three importers are appealing for the release of at least 45 containers. Yet, So said he has received reports that expired meat have

been seized in the markets of Manila and as far as Pangasinan. “What if the expired meat that were seized in the markets are part of the 203 containers supposedly still in the ports?” he asked. Sinag, which groups together some 33 organizations of farmers, agri-business operators and party-list groups, demanded that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Department of Agriculture account fully for the 203 containers. So claimed the BOC has accounted for only 106 containers. ■

Union between PSE, PDS on brink of being called off BY DORIS DUMLAOABADILLA Philippine Daily Inquirer THIS MUCH-AWAITED wedding is now at risk of being called off due to lack of permit from the guardian. The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) was unable to consummate deals to buy out other shareholders in the Philippine Dealing System (PDS) group as the deadline lapsed yesterday. The closure of the deal was tied to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) approval of the exemptive relief from the 20 percent limit on ownership by the PSE of what would be the country’s unified capital market structure. The PSE was set to buy out other shareholders in PDS, the holding firm for fixed-income trading platform Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. (PDEx), Philippine Depository and Trust Corp. (PDTC) and Philippine Securities Settlement Corp., to pave the way for the consolidation of the local capital market infrastructure. Industry sources said the SEC was unable to issue the exemptive relief yesterday and had asked the PSE to simply work to extend the deadline to close the deal. SEC chair Teresita Herbosa was out of the country. www.canadianinquirer.net

But since there are many parties involved — referring to the multiple investors from whom the PSE would buy the PDS shares — the PSE is now in a dilemma on whether to pursue the deal or just walk away, industry sources said. The probability of walking out has become stronger. The PSE intends to discuss its options with its lawyers first thing on Monday morning, one source said. As of press time, there was no reply from SEC officials. The Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) and the PSE earlier made a last-ditch attempt to consummate the deal by seeking intervention from Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima to help iron out the regulatory kinks. The PSE earlier signed a

share purchase agreement with the BAP and other shareholders, effectively raising the PSE’s stake in PDS to more than 67 percent but subject to closing conditions. The exemptive relief from the SEC was cited as the “single, most critical item” that remains unresolved. The PSE would have bought other shareholders in PDS based on an enterprise value of P2.25 billion. If it decides to drop this acquisition bid, an industry source said one option for PSE was just to set up its own depository system. PSE earlier tried to set up its own depository system, a move that the PDS had vehemently opposed as it currently provides the depository services for both equities and bonds. ■

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

Sports

Kobe Bryant set to start his hoops farewell tour in his hometown Philadelphia BY ROB MAADDI The Canadian Press PHILADELPHIA — Kobe Bryant’s farewell tour begins in the city that loves and hates him. Bryant will play his first road game since announcing he’ll retire after this season in his hometown Tuesday night against the winless Philadelphia 76ers (0-18). The five-time NBA champion’s relationship with Philly fans has been turbulent throughout his 20-year NBA career in Los Angeles. Some love him. Some hate him. Regardless, nearly everyone respects his superstar talent. With the 76ers, Eagles and Flyers all struggling, Bryant’s return was a hot topic on sports radio on Monday. “I always enjoyed watching Kobe play and consider him one of the greatest ever, but he didn’t want to play for the Sixers so I held that against him,” said longtime Philadelphia sports fan John Passero. “But if the Sixers couldn’t win it all,

I rooted for Kobe.” No doubt, Bryant will get a rousing ovation in an arena where he’s heard mostly boos over the past two decades. People don’t come to watch the Sixers, who’ve lost an NBA record 28 straight games and are one defeat away from breaking the league record for most losses to start a season. Fans come to see marquee opponents and nobody fills the seats like Kobe. Born in Philadelphia, Bryant spent much of his childhood living in Italy where his father, Joe Bryant, played pro basketball for several years. When his family moved back to the United States, Bryant went to Lower Merion High School, located in an affluent suburb about nine miles west of downtown Philadelphia. He once said early in his career that he wasn’t from Philly because he didn’t live within the city limits. That didn’t sit well with local fans. “He was a spoiled rich kid who grew up in a fancy suburb,” said Louis Manitti, a former season ticketholder. “He was never one of us. He wasn’t a hard-working

blue-collar guy.” Local media were critical when Bryant decided to skip college and turn pro in 1996. The Sixers had the first pick that year and chose Allen Iverson. Bryant went 13th to Charlotte, which traded him to Los Angeles. Bryant’s dad played four seasons with the Sixers, but he declared he grew up rooting for the Lakers. Of course, Sixers fans didn’t appreciate that slight. But nothing turned fans against Bryant more than a bold statement he made during the 2001 NBA Finals when the Lakers played Philadelphia. Iverson led the Sixers to a victory on the road in Game 1 and the Lakers won Game 2. Afterward, Bryant said he wanted to come home and “cut their hearts out” by winning the series in Philadelphia. The Lakers did just that, winning three straight games to clinch the NBA championship. “I liked Kobe until he said he wanted to rip our hearts out,” said Michael Rivers, a part-time season ticketholder. “He was too cocky, too arrogant and that

Kobe Bryant.

KEITH ALLISON / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

was too personal. Just say you want to win and that’s enough.” Bryant has never apologized for that comment. “I’m not apologizing for saying I’m going to come kick some (butt),” Bryant told reporters before a game in Philadelphia in 2012. “I’m just not going to do it. But I certainly embrace the city and I love everything that it’s taught me. So, I’m deeply appreciative of it.” The folks at Bryant’s former high school certainly appreciate him. Bryant often returned to Lower Merion High School

when the Lakers came to Philly. He’s given pep talks to the basketball team, worked out at the practice gym and also donated about $500,000 to the school. His former high school coach, Gregg Downer, said Bryant still wears his Aces shorts under his Lakers shorts. At a dedication ceremony for the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium five years ago, Bryant told the crowd at the high school: “This is where I came from. This is where I grew up. I didn’t go to college. This is my university. This is where my memories lie.” ■

of Alexa Micek and Charo Soriano bowed to 2010 Asian Games champion Radarong and Tanarattha Udomchavee of Thailand, 21-11, 21-9. The Netherlands’ Rosanna Van Der Hoeven and Gabrielle Ilke Meertens trounced Maygar Becchara Palmer and Sarah

Anne Battaglene of Australia B, 22-20, 21-17, while the United States’ Jennifer Snyder and Emily Jo Stockman outlasted Alexandra Jordan Mowen and Clare Justine Mowen, 21-23, 21-13, 15-10 in the other games of the 12-nation meet that ends on Dec. 3 and is free to the public. ■

Swedes too much for PH bets BY MARC ANTHONY REYES Philippine Daily Inquirer DANIKA GENDRAULI and Jane Diaz of Philippines Team B came up with their own “provincialstyle” game but proved no match against Sweden’s reigning na-

tional champions yesterday. The short and stocky local pair responded with chased every ball thrown at them by Karin Erika Lundqvist and AnneLie Helense Rinisland before losing, 21-13, 21-16, in the Spike for Peace International Beach Volleyball Tournament at Phil-

sports Arena. Gendrauli and Diaz, who won the Philippine Superliga beach volley crown this year, still impressed the Swedes who came into the tournament sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission as the third-ranked squad. Later in the evening, PH A

www.canadianinquirer.net

Sports

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Racela still upbeat about FEU victory BY JASMINE W. PAYO Philippine Daily Inquirer THERE MAY be shades of last season’s heartbreak, but the Far Eastern University Tamaraws don’t see that haunting them. “It’s the same scenario, but we’re looking at a different outcome this Wednesday,” said FEU coach Nash Racela. “We’re all positive. We’re confident that we’ll get it next time.” The Tamaraws showcased impressive depth and talent in their Game 1 victory, 75-64, and had looked set to complete a title sweep of University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP men’s basketball championship. But the Tamaraws ran into an incredible shooting star in

Kevin Ferrer, who erupted for 24 points in the third quarter alone to tow the Tigers to a 6256 Game 2 triumph that forged a winner-take-all for the crown. Last year, the Tamaraws also won Game 1 but failed to close it out as National University took the next two matches to clinch the title. Game 3 of the best-ofthree series is set at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, at Mall of Asia Arena. Racela gave props to the magical third quarter outburst of Ferrer, who finished with 29 points, including 18 from trifecta range. “We really know what he’s capable of doing,” said Racela. “It’s just bad for us that he exploded that way.” ■

Russia, France... and a warship to help in the fight against IS. Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said the government had also agreed to provide satellite surveillance. During Merkel’s visit in Paris on Wednesday, Hollande had said it would “be a very good signal in the fight against terrorism” if Germany could do more against IS in Syria and Iraq. Von der Leyen said the warship would help protect France’s aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean and the tanker planes could help refuel French warplanes in the air. The satellite surveillance could provide important information on IS and also help protect civilians with precise information. Germany currently provides weapons and training for Kurds fighting against IS in Iraq. The decision still needs par❰❰ 25

liamentary approval, but it was expected to not meet much resistance by lawmakers. Putin said Russia was mourning for Paris victims as well as those who were killed in the Russian passenger plane bombing, and praised Hollande’s efforts to build an anti-terror coalition. At least two known suspects of the Paris attacks are still at large, with a manhunt continuing in France and Belgium for their capture. Belgian Justice Minister Koen Geens said Paris fugitive Salah Abdeslam was “likely” getting support from others, saying it was unlikely Abdeslam could hide despite a nearly two-week manhunt without help. Belgian authorities carried out three raids linked to the Paris attacks Thursday outside of the capital, Brussels, but

made no arrests. Five suspects are already in custody in Belgium on terrorism charges related to the attacks. Hours later, Prime Minister Charles Michel announced the alert level in Brussels was being lowered one notch from the highest level, on which it has been since Saturday. Subways are to reopen fully on Friday. Despite the reduction in alert level, Michel said an attack remained “possible and likely.” The lowering of the threat level came as a surprise, since the government had said it would likely keep the highest threat level until Monday. Michel did not give a reason for the reduction. ■ Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow, Raf Casert in Brussels, Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin and Elena Becatoros in Paris contributed to this report.

Canadian women’s boxing star Mandy Bujold ready to rewrite Olympic story BY LORI EWING The Associated Press TORONTO — When Mandy Bujold learned that women’s boxing would make its Olympic debut at the 2012 Games in London, she never doubted she’d be part of the historic moment. Instead, she watched history unfold from her living room back home. “It was hard,” Bujold said. “Watching the opening ceremonies and stuff, it was just so frustrating to see, because I remember even in 2010, watching the Olympic opening ceremonies (in Vancouver) and thinking ‘I’m going to be in the next one. The next time I see an opening ceremonies, I’m going to be in it.’ “You train your mind like that, and all of a sudden it comes, and you’re sitting at home.” The world No. 2-ranked Bujold begins her Rio Olympic quest at the Canadian championships that begin Sunday in Montreal, the first chapter in

her Olympic rewrite. Bujold was considered a shoo-in for the London Olympics, and when she won gold at the 2011 Pan American Games, she thought she’d clinched her spot. But the newness of the women’s event meant mass confusion about qualifying. It was decided that the world championships, rather than Pan Ams, would be the qualifier. And a random draw pitted Bujold against world silver medallist Kim Hye-Song of North Korea. Bujold lost by two points and was done. “We all train for that moment, and then for it to kind of get taken away for something silly like that. . .,” Bujold said. “Everyone knew who should’ve been (in London). I had worked eight years to get there, it was the first time for women’s boxing, we had been pushing for that for years, and then for it just to be taken away so quickly was really frustrating.” Bujold is a huge favourite to win her 10th Canadian flyweight title this week, which will book her a spot in the world

championships in Kazakhstan in February. The worlds are an Olympic qualifier once again, but the draw this time will be seeded. She can also book her Rio berth in the continental qualifier in March in Argentina. Leaving nothing to chance, the 28-year-old moved from Kitchener, Ont., to Toronto just over a year ago to work full-time with Romanian coach Adrian Tudorescu. On a recent afternoon, Bujold shadow boxed with a photographer, her well-muscled shoulders glistening with sweat. She lives a couple of kilometres from the gritty Atlas Gym, a no-nonsense facility in an industrial mall in north Toronto. Trophies from as back as the ‘70s line the window ledges. The walls are plastered with fight posters and photos of Tudorescu’s former fighters, including Olympic gold medallist Lennox Lewis and Egerton Marcus, who famously won Olympic silver fighting with a broken hand. There are inspirational messages. “Without order and diswww.canadianinquirer.net

Mandy Bujold.

cipline there can be no high performance results in training and life,” reads one. Bujold said her move to Toronto has paid off in the ring. “The skills and tactics and things that he can teach are things I’ve never been able to learn from another coach,” she said of Tudorescu. “Some of it is the way I look at a fight... we watch video together, so it’s watching things from a different light.” Bujold’s Olympic quest received a boost recently when world No. 1-ranked Marlen Esparza of the U.S., the 2014 world champion, lost at the American trials. There was no love lost between the two. After Bujold beat Esparza in a split decision

MANDYBUJOLD.COM

for Pan American Games gold last summer, Esparza launched into a post-fight rant, saying Bujold was “not a good fighter. She’s not any better than the first time I fought her.” Bujold was fighting in Germany when she heard Esparza had lost. She immediately went online to see if it was true. “I don’t really feel bad for her that she lost,” Bujold said. “She had her opportunity in 2012, she went to the Olympics, she got a bronze medal,” she said. “That definitely opens up doors for me, the fact she’s not there, at the continental qualifier I won’t have my biggest rival there. “But I don’t take anyone lightly. Every fight I fight at this weight class is a tough fight.” ■

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

Technology WE LIKE TO WATCH:

Streaming subscriptions offer something for nearly all on your gift list BY LYNN ELBER The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Looking for a holiday present that’s a perfect fit, procrastinator-friendly and a constant reminder of your generosity? Consider a gift subscription to one of the abundance of streaming choices that range from mainstream to niche. Some, such as this year’s new HBO Now or CBS All Access, may be welcomed by a cordcutter whose New Year’s resolution is to abandon traditional TV delivery. Others are alternatives to what’s on cable or satellite. Compatibility may be an issue in some cases. Although most major subscription-based offerings can be watched on any platform or device, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, iPhones or iPads, there are some exceptions — and surprises. With SlingTV, for example, you won’t be able to watch ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” on a phone or tablet: Verizon has locked up NFL mobile streaming rights. And you can watch PlayStation Vue, which delivers live TV, movies and sports starting at $49.99 monthly, on devices other than a PlayStation, including Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV stick, and iPhone and iPad. Some platforms are particularly expansive in what they include. Roku, along with offering many broad-based sites, also has the anime-focused Crunchyroll ($6.95 per month) and Korean drama site DramaFever (starting at 99 cents monthly). Here are some other contenders to ponder: Big box channels

Sling TV, with a starting $20 monthly fee for live TV that includes ESPN, AMC, A&E and TNT, offers add-on packages

Madmen” and, for a diversion, “Alien Intruders.” In the kitchen

Tastemade ($4.99 a month for the ad-free version) is a foodand-travel channel that visits cultures and cuisines around the world and offers tips from expert chefs. And while a number of cooking channels are available free, a former TV star is taking the subscription route with her Paula Deen Channel, $4.99 monthly for cooking and lifestyle videos. Anglophile

Acorn TV ($4.99 monthly) bills itself as the best of British television with an array of dramas, comedies and mysteries including “Brideshead Revisited,” “Agatha Christie’s Poirot,” “Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries,” “Foyle’s War” and “Jeeves & Wooster.” Healthy mind, body

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

such as for Spanish-language networks including Univision ($5). Hulu ($7.99 monthly with commercials, $11.99 without) carries current and past episodes of ABC, Fox and NBC network shows, originals such as “The Mindy Project” and cable fare from FX, AMC, Bravo, Comedy Central and others. Netflix (starting at $7.99 monthly), has become known for original series including “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black,” but also has a deep library of movies and TV shows. Amazon Prime ($99 annually) has also added original series including “Transparent” and “The Man in the High Castle” to its thousands of movie

and TV shows. Drama kings and queens

It’s not TV, it’s HBO Now ($14.99) and Showtime streaming ($10.99), both introduced this year and delivering new series and other programming in tandem with their cable debuts, as well as complete past seasons. CBS All Access ($5.99) offers current season episodes (one day after airing), local live CBS feeds from most major TV markets and will be home to a 2017 “Star Trek” reboot. Home stadium

Every sport is king, depending on the channel. The offerings include “NFL Sunday Ticket” from DirecTV ($199 www.canadianinquirer.net

at the start of the season, now $99); MLB.TV Premium ($129.99 annually) for regular season games; NHL GameCenter ($159 annually) with live out-of-market regular season games; and DishWorld Sports ($10) for European football and other global sports. Multiplex theater

Feeln ($3.99 monthly) combines Hallmark Hall of Fame movies featuring stories of love and family with other Hollywood movies and TV series, including children’s shows, and original projects. Shudder ($4.99 monthly) from AMC lives up to its name with horror films grouped under categories including “Monster Mash,” “Psychos and

Gaia ($7.95 monthly) streams yoga, meditation and other “mind-expanding” programs for a more conscious life, while The Gymbox ($10 monthly) promises a variety of workouts, updated weekly, including kickboxing, Pilates, step aerobics and cycling. Planet hugger

Newly launched Smithsonian Earth ($3.99 monthly) streams nature and wildlife documentaries and series planned as separate from Smithsonian Channel content and available in an ultra-high-definition format on compatible devices. Kids, or the kid within

Sesame Street GO (some free content, $3.99 monthly, $29.99 annually for full access) houses full-length episodes of “Sesame Street” along with educational music videos from Sesame Workshop. ■ AP Business Writer Ryan Nakashima contributed to this report.

Technology

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

Kid’s tech maker VTech says personal info of 5 million customers and their kids stolen BY BREE FOWLER The Associated Press NEW YORK — Kid’s technology maker VTech says the personal information of about 5 million of its customers and their children may have been stolen by hackers. The Hong Kong-based company disclosed the breach of a customer database late last week, but didn’t say how many people could be affected until Monday. The news comes just as the holiday shopping season is kicking into gear and kid’s smartwatches and tablets made by companies such as VTech are expected to be high on children’s wish lists. VTech’s Kidizoom Smartwatch is predicted to be a top seller this holiday season, while its InnoTab tablets have been popular in the past.

Compromised information in the VTech breach includes the names, birthdates and genders of child users. It also includes adult user information including names, email addresses, passwords, secret questions and answers for password retrieval, IP addresses, mailing addresses and download histories. The affected database doesn’t contain any credit card num-

bers, or personally identification information such as Social Security or driver’s license numbers, VTech says. Customers from the U.S. and 15 other countries are affected. The hacking serves as a reminder to parents to be careful about what kinds of informa-

tion about their children they enter into on Internet-connected devices. While devices like kid-friendly smartwatches and tablets may block a child’s access to the bulk of the Internet, they’re still a potential target for hackers. The breach took place on Nov. 14 and was discovered 10 days later. It involved customer data stored on the company’s Learning Lodge app store database. Customers use Learning Lodge to download apps, games, e-books and other content to VTech products. V T e c h Holdings Ltd. says it’s contacted all of the affected users by email and has temporarily suspended its Learning Lodge website and some others as a precaution. It is investigating the breach and says it has taken steps to prevent another one from happening. ■

Justice Carpio... Director National Security Agency / Chief, Central Security Service; and Dr. Russell Trood, Professor International Relations and Director of the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University The panel discussion was framed by compelling introductory remarks by Admiral Harry T. Harris, Commander of the US Pacific Fleet who noted that “as China’s economy has grown, so have its ambitions.” Nevertheless, Admiral Harris underscored that US-China relations are more constructive than destructive. The Admiral referred to the building spree of China in the South China Sea as “Sandcastles in the Sea” and as the “Great Wall of Sand” in referring to the “extreme scope” of China’s claims. He indicated that adhering to international law is important and China cannot do whatever it pleases. The Defense News magazine notes that the Philippines has filed a legal objection to China’s activities in the South China Sea, and echoed the statement of Justice Carpio that the Philippines is no match for China, so it brought the dispute to a forum where armaments do not count. Justice Carpio emphasized that “we cannot live with a dispute where China claims everything.” ❰❰ 30

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Justice Carpio explained that it is hoped that the maritime dispute will be resolved in accordance with UNCLOS, but we still have that territorial dispute over the Spratlys. - and the way we propose to solve that is through the proposal of marine biologists - to say that the Spratlys are the hatchery of the South China Sea - the fish that we catch in the South China Sea are spawned in the Spratlys. Justice Carpio remarked that while China may not be broken, it is breaking the law by building artificial islands in international waters. He expressed concern that China will resort to declaring an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) once they have completed their building spree in the South China Sea. When asked what he would say to Chinese President Xi Jingping, Justice Carpio would recall what Deng Xiaoping aid at the United Nations in 1974 that “if one day China should change her color and turn into a superpower, if she too should play the tyrant in the world, and everywhere subject others to her bullying, aggression and exploitation, the people of the world should identify her as social-imperialism, expose it, oppose it and work together with the Chinese people to overthrow it.” ■

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Events

Pasko ng Bayan 2015 WHEN/WHERE: 6 to 8 p.m., Dec. 5, Sandy Hill Community Center, 250 Somerset East, Ottawa MORE INFO: Open to the public. Admission is free! 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, Toronto, On. MORE INFO: Call (416) 928-9355

DECEMBER 4, 2015

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Tagalog Class By FCT WHEN/WHERE: 10 to 11 a.m., every Saturday, Filipino Centre 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.

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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. MORE INFO: Seniors ages 55 and older are invited to read books and exchange ideas with like-minded. To register visit any branch of Richmond Public Library, call 604-231-6413 Open Philippine Folk Dance & Music Workshops

By Kababayang Pilipino WHEN/WHERE: Dance Workshops – 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 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. www.canadianinquirer.net

MORE INFO: 604-254-9626 ext. 487 Art Show of JA Tan WHEN/WHERE: 6:30 to 8 p.m., Dec. 2, at the Hycroft Gallery, 1489 McRae Ave. Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Exhibit runs from Dec. 2 to Jan. 4 Paskong Pinoy 2015 WHEN/WHERE: 4:30 p.m. Dec. 5, Eagles Hall (next to Bronson Muffler) 2965 Boys Road, Duncan MORE INFO: Fee $5 (16 to 18 yo); $10 (19 yo+). Door prizes by donation. Potluck. Free Drop-In English Conversation Circle for Temporary Foreign Workers By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays until Dec. 14 at Mosaic Vancouver Community Room, 1720 Grant St. Vancouver, B.C. MORE INFO: Call 604-254-9626 ext. 487 English Conversation Circle for Newcomer Moms with Children Aged 0–6 (Free childminding provided) By Mosaic WHEN/WHERE: Fridays, 10a.m. to 12 noon, until Dec. 18 at Brentwood Learning Centre, 101–1899 Wilingdon Ave, Burnaby, B.C. MORE INFO: Call 604-438-8214 ext 120

DECEMBER 4, 2015

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DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

Food

Potatoes Au Gratin, Linzer Torte from Ruth Reichl’s ‘My Kitchen Year’ THE CANADIAN PRESS TO RUTH Reichl, recipes are a conversation and should serve as a stepping stone for readers to adapt them to their own taste. In keeping with that, she uses a relaxed tone in her new cookbook “My Kitchen Year,” directing home cooks to add a glug of olive oil, season with a shower of pepper or toss in a hefty dollop of bourbon. “I was really clear that I wanted the whole book to have a narrative arc and that I wanted the recipes to be kind of like stories too,” she says. Rather than a standard list of ingredients common in most recipes, she includes a shopping list of items that likely need to be purchased and a list of staples most people probably have on hand. “That’s how I shop. When you go to the market you don’t really need to know

that you need sugar. You do need to know that you need a butternut squash. It’s just done, for me, intuitively. It’s how I cook,” she says. She also wants readers to experience the smells and feel of their ingredients, encouraging them to mix with their hands. “There are things I love, like the butternut squash or when you’re peeling a peach or there’s this wonderful effect when you run the banana leaves across the flame where you can watch the colour ripple and change and I thought it would be a shame that people didn’t stop to notice that.” “My Kitchen Year” is also available in an audio version. “I thought they were crazy when they asked me to read it,” says Reichl. But with the recipes written in a conversational style and the ingredients incorporated into the directions, “it really does work.” “In fact, AudioFile magazine put me on the cover because as a cookbook it re-

ally does work. You can stop it. It is like I’m standing there with you.” Here are some recipes from “A Kitchen Year” to try: Potatoes au gratin

Reichl calls this side dish an “extravagant classic,” which she’s served at Christmas with a prime rib roast. She writes: “The secret to these potatoes is that they’re cooked twice. First you plunk them into a big bath of milk and cream that’s been infused with a touch of garlic and bring them gently to a boil. Then you dump them into a baking dish, grate a bit of fresh nutmeg over them, and sprinkle the entire top with Gruyere before putting them into the oven where they drink up all the liquid as the cheese turns into a crisp crust.” • 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) cream • 1.15 kg (2 1/2 lb) boiling potatoes (such as Yukon Gold) • 250 g (1/2 lb) Gruyere cheese (grated) • STAPLES • 500 ml (2 cups) milk • 2 cloves garlic, smashed • 5 ml (1 tsp) salt • Pepper • Whole nutmeg • Butter Pour cream and milk into a large pot. Peel potatoes and slice as thinly as you can, putting them into the pot as they are ready. Add garlic, salt and a few good grinds of pepper and bring it all slowly to a boil. Meanwhile, butter a gratin dish or a rectangular baking pan. When milk comes to a boil, remove from heat and pour contents into buttered gratin dish. Grate a bit of fresh nutmeg over top and cover with grated Gruyere cheese. The baking is pretty forgiving; you can bake at anywhere from 150 C to 200 C (300 F to 400 F), depending on what else you have in the oven. The timing is forgiving too; at the lower temperature it will take about an hour to absorb the liquid and turn the top golden; at 200C (400 F) it will take about 35 minutes. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. But this, too, is forgiving. If the potatoes have to wait an hour, they will be absolutely fine. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

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Linzer torte

Reichl writes: “Every Christmas my father went uptown (in New York) to purchase a linzer torte; it reminded him of his Berlin childhood. The year I was 12 I surprised him by baking one myself. “Much later I learned that the classic recipe requires considerably more effort than mine, but to this day I prefer this super-easy version. To me it will always be the taste of Christmas.” • 250 ml (1 cup) icing sugar • 425 ml (1 3/4 cups) almonds • 125 ml (1/2 cup) raspberry preserves (the best you can find) • 75 ml (1/3 cup) red or black currant jam • 175 ml (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks) • 2 eggs • 425 ml (1 3/4 cups) flour • Pinch salt • 5 ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon • 1 lemon Cream butter with icing sugar. Beat in 1 egg and 1 egg yolk (save leftover white). Toast almonds and grind very fine. Add nuts to butter mixture, along with flour, salt and cinnamon. The dough will be very stiff. Form it into a disk, wrap well and refrigerate for at least half an hour. Separate one-third of the dough from the rest and lightly roll out larger piece on a floured surface so that it fits into a 20-cm (8-inch) tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing it up the sides. Don’t worry if the dough falls apart; just patch and press it into the pan. Brush with reserved egg white and set aside. Meanwhile, mix raspberry preserves with currant jam. Grate in zest of the lemon, enjoying the wonderful citric scent. Add juice of the lemon, mix well and pour filling into the crust. Roll out reserved dough and make 1-cm (1/2-inch) strips. Weave a lattice over top of jam; the dough will very likely break, but you can patch it, which will give your torte a pleasantly rustic quality. Brush with remaining egg white and bake in a 180 C (350 F) oven for about 1 hour. Sift a little icing sugar over torte as it comes out of the oven, and let it cool completely before serving. ■ Source: “My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life” by Ruth Reichl (Appetite by Random House, 2015).

Seen & Scenes: Vancouver

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

TAPSILOG

Bb. Maharlika Thelma Durkovich.

Goldie entertains the crowd with upbeat numbers

Ulirang Ama at Ina Awardees Cris (L) and Natie Sotana with Tapsilog President Freddie Bagunu (R)

Freddie Bagunu, Consul General Neil and wife Miriam Ferrer, Rey and Evelyn Del Rosario

UPAABC

Dom and Mercie Bautista lead the love quiz

UPAABC Choir singing traditional Christmas carols

Deputy Consul General Anton Mandap & Celebrity Emcee Bambi Fonacier

UP Alumna Kay Balajadia-Liggayu was guest performer

University of the Philippines in BC board with President Charen Cusi (at the podium)

Music Trivia for the Ages winners

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Consul General Neil Ferrer

Celebrity couple Tony and Cookie Aytona as Charles Bronson and Audrey Hepburn

Seen and Scenes: Toronto

DECEMBER 4, 2015

FRIDAY

CAREGIVERS AND SUPPORTERS NETWORK Pictures taken from Caregivers and Supporters Network of Niagara’s 5th year anniversary celebration and Christmas party on Nov. 28, organized by Marilou Tiro and Cann President Sally Silva (Photos by Amelia Insigne).

SSS OUTREACH IN WINNIPEG Top officials of the Philippine Social Security System (SSS) recently held an outreach mission with the Philippine community in Winnipeg, MB. Here are some scenes from the event (Photos by Roberto Roldan).

PARAÑAQUE FIESTA Paranaque Fiesta at St. Joseph’s Church in Winnipeg (Photos by Roberto Roldan).

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2015

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